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Heidi Peckover
Heidi was born and raised in Belleville, Ontario, and later escaped to Ottawa, Peru and Ecuador for higher learning purposes. Heidi grew up playing with her sister and learned how to be a cooperative game-player. Heidi enjoys soft animals, especially the overweight variety, and will cop a feel of street animals whenever possible. She enjoys walking/biking, sneezing in sequences of 2 or 3, juggling, drinking tea, and travel.
- "Official" Role: Head of Client Happiness
- Code Name(s): Happy Heidi, Tidy Heidi
- Super Powers: Soft animal radar, light-activated sneezing, super Spanish speaking
- Vulnerabilities: Bolero, idle juggling balls, furry creatures, garden flowers that require dead heading
- Past Toys: Play dough, Lego, Skip-it, Nintendo, Glowworms, Spirograph, coloring, Weebles, couch cushion forts, Magnadoodle
- Junk Foods: Cookies, pies, sour coke bottles, Thrills, chocolate and peanut butter combinations, and mom-made baked goods
- Quotes: "Good times"; "Word"
- Previous Jobs: Employee supervisor, project coordinator, garden center worker, office-cleaner, gas station attendant, chicken-catcher, canteen worker, papergirl
- "Education": B.I.B. in International Business, Minor in Spanish, Carleton University Exchange student, 2005, Lima, Peru Intern, 2006, Quito Ecuador
- Social Media: LinkedIn
Carter Lee
- "Official" Role: Director of Product Development
- Code Name(s): Johnny Canuck
- Super Powers: Able to make silly things seem important
- Vulnerabilities: Tripe!
- Past Toys: Lego, Meccano, Lincoln logs, dinky cars (I liked building stuff...lol)
- Junk Foods: Donairs!!!
- Quotes: "No problem"
- Previous Jobs: Activision, Take Two Interactive, Beamscope, Saturn...
- "Education": World education through osmosis
Robin Merry
Robin is a Pirate-Ninja who's really just a big kid at heart. Her not-so-secret life goal is to run away and join the circus. She has danced the tango, made copious amounts of cakes, loves to put on elaborate scavenger hunts, and will jump at any opportunity to just be outside. She is an avid lover of all things sci-fi and comic book.
- "Official" Role: Production Manager
- Code Name(s): Bubs(y), Beans, Bobbin, Goobs, Ann, Aunty Robin, Rob, Robbie
- Super Powers: Hugs, Flight and Telekinesis, Pancake Art, Altering song lyrics to mess with parents heads, Fort Building, Master of Cartwheels, Makes snacks appear magically
- Vulnerabilities: Garbage, Poor Spelling and Grammar, Pre-made Sandwiches, Spiders
- Past Toys: 7' T-Rex named Reggie, Flying Monkeys
- Junk Foods: Ice Cream; Cake. Sometimes ice cream and cake! Anything Vanilla. Starbucks Iced Caramel Macchiatos
- Quotes: "Presentation Counts", "Cool Beans", "More the Merrier", "Oreo", "Let it go, Elsa"
- Previous Jobs: Toys; always something to do with toys. Captain of the S.S. PotC. Ice Cream Scooper and Balloon Artist. Developer of the Bouncy Ball Golf League, Eldest Sister of Many (position still retained)
- "Education": Masters in Toy Kitchen and Play Table Building, Trivia Engineer specializing in Group Activity Coordination, Crossword Junkie with a Minor in Sudoku, Jack of all Trades Life Learner, B.Comm University of Ottawa
Bliss Man
Bliss was born and bred in the great city of Toronto. She grew up in the 80's when kids could take the streetcar on their own, run around in the back alleys and buy all the 5 cent candy they wanted at the corner store. She later went on to study fashion design at Ryerson University. Soon after graduating she started a business called the Monster Factory where she created cute plush toys. After many many years of making her own toys she decided to make even MORE toys at Happy Worker. She enjoys the numerous snacks they have there and is definitely going to have to buy new pants soon.
- "Official" Role: Sales Manager and Product Developer
- Code Name(s): B
- Super Powers: No joke, folding laundry while watching Netflix and drinking a glass of red wine. No spills to date.
- Vulnerabilities: Putting said laundry away.
- Past Toys: Popples and all the Barbies in the world, many of which were later given to her younger cousins without any of their clothes. Sorry cousins
- Junk Foods: Chocolate and regular chips and french fry truck fries.
- Quotes: "Follow your bliss" ha ha!
- Previous Jobs: Co-creator of the Monster Factory and before that I worked at numerous chocolate shops
- "Education": Graduated from Ryerson University for Fashion Design.
Caitlin Thompson
Caitlin grew up in a small town playing in the woods and making tree forts and silly movies. Her dream was to be a scientist when she grew up, so she became one. She also learned she loved organizing things and making systems more efficient, both inside and outside the lab. Caitlin co-founded and ran a geek convention in Guelph and another in the GTA, and has over a decade of conrunning experience. She's an Auntie, a cosplayer, a gamer, a soap maker, and a cat mama.
- "Official" Role: Happy Office Administrator
- Code Name(s): KittyCanuck
- Super Powers: Super sleeping, geek convention running, coming up with wacky schemes
- Vulnerabilities: Soft kitten bellies, wanting to Fix All The Things, Kickstarter, good doggos, cute animals in general
- Past Toys: All the stuffed animals (ALL of them!), Super Nintendo, dinosaur figures, too many Lego sets
- Junk Foods: Sour Cherry Blasters, chocolate chip cookies, cherry cheesecake, Pringles
- Quotes: This could probably just be a list of old Simpson's quotes, but here's some others: "Heck yeah", "I did the thing", "Cats are awesome, cheese is tasty"
- Previous Jobs: Startup office manager, molecular biologist, fan convention founder/runner, cute fuzzy hat maker, office janitor, grocery store cashier
- "Education": B. Sc in Microbiology & Molecular Biology, Guelph University, Biotechnology Technologist Diploma, Seneca College
- Social Media: LinkedIn
Julia Babici
Growing up Julia spent most of her time building forts with her siblings, making mini movies, drawing cartoons, sculpting clay characters and exploring the forest behind her house. She is constantly searching for hard to find books, scarier ghost stories, better music and even cooler record shops.
- "Official" Role: Designer
- Code name(s): Babs
- Super powers: Analytical, quiet yet stealthy, aloof and mysterious nature
- Vulnerability: Baby animals, things on high shelves
- Past Toys: Play Mobil! Beanie babies, Etch-a-Sketch, Sega Dreamcast, K'nex, Groovy girls, Lego, Molly from the Big comfy couch, Mini accordion
- Junk Foods: Cheetos, chocolate covered pretzels, sour rainbow belts, sour skittles, warheads, how many more lines do we have here? Candy apples, matcha almonds, Mochi icecream, and popcorn jellybeans.
- Quotes: Don't have any!
- Previous Jobs: Worked at a video and music store, record shipping, daycare worker, Science educator (volunteer)
- Education: Studying Industrial Design at OCAD University (in-progress)
Kris Schantz
Kris was born and raised in Calgary, and as he grew up, he never grew out of his toys. Over the years Kris played trumpet, piano and drums... and even went to band camp. Several times. He enjoys hiking, except when he gets marooned on mountain peaks overnight. A learner and a sharer, Kris is intrigued by pretty much everything. He's shared his love for toy design and toy making on panels at San Diego Comic-Con and New York Comic Con. And beyond his own fun adventures in creative entrepreneurship, Kris enjoys supporting passionate young entrepreneurs.
- "Official" Role: Co-Founder & Catalyst
- Code Name(s): Mr. Happy Worker, Perfectionist-in-Chief, Bonne Chance/Schantz
- Super Powers: Constant curiosity; Is Always Right; Bad pun making; Super tasks juggler; Crazy ideas generator; Problem zapper; Just-in-time timeliness; Idealistic optimism; Honorary Asian
- Vulnerabilities: Junk food, Bad movies, Video gaming addiction, Pizza, Random acts of kindness
- Past Toys: Lego, He-Man, G.I. Joe, various board games, Atari, Apple ][, NES, PCs
- Junk Foods: Gummi bears, gummi worms, gummi coke bottles, gummi fish, gummi berries, chocolate bars (all), jalapeno chips, jello, homemade chocolate chip cookies, ice cream floats, chocolate cake, and, well, you get the picture
- Quotes: "If it's easy to do, it's not worth doing"; "You can do it!"; "That's not a problem."
- Previous Jobs: Web product manager, mad science guy (chemistry research assistant), pizza dough maker, farm hand, paperboy, lemonade stand proprietor
- "Education": B. Sc. in Biochemistry, McGill University
- Social Media: LinkedIn Twitter
Shirley Yee
Shirley grew up in a small town in Northern Ontario, and her formative years were fairly typical: summers in Rangoon, luge lessons. Besides creating toys she also paints and writes. Some of it's actually good. (Note: but she didn't write this!)
- "Official" Role: Co-Founder & Strategist
- Code Name(s): Master of Elective Operations, Ms. Happy Worker, SuperMommy
- Super Powers: Able to make anything & everything better; Is Never Wrong; Internet surfing record holder; Master case packer; Child wrangler
- Vulnerabilities: Caffeine and sugar, Sleep, Want it all attitude
- Past Toys: Etch a Sketch, Barbie-look-alikes, Smurfs, Lego
- Junk Foods: Slurpees, potato chips, cheesecake, swedish berries, homemade desserts, and any junk food that Kris has bought for himself
- Quotes: "What if we do it this way?"; "Where's the magic 8-ball?"; "I'm going to Google that."
- Previous Jobs: Web developer, spud researcher (potato geneticist), Ice cream server at Denise's Dairy Delights
- "Education": B. Sc. in Biology, McGill University
- Social Media: LinkedIn
Raven Hood
Raven has over 20 years of experience as a sculptor in the model kit, collectible and toy industries with occasional adventures in computer animation. He began as tow-headed little boy playing with robots and spaceships while he watched the last missions to the moon on TV. Growing up in the shadow of his father, a commercial artist with Walt Disney, Hasbro and NASA, lead him into the family business doing a bit of everything on the film Holly Boy. While suffering the pains brought on by biz school Raven learned the art of Computer Graphics and 3D Animation. But lacking the funding for a Cray XMP his dreams went back to the boyhood hobby of model making and character sculpture. Finally finding recognition from his heros in the comic book and film industries lead to work on the Disney film Dinosaur. Raven continues to create, sculpt, art direct, and sometimes consult on properties based on the characters of Jim Henson, Monty Python, Toho (Godzilla), and all sorts of Happy Worker toys(!).
- "Official" Role: Sculptor & Modeler
- Code Name(s): The Raven Hood, Nevar Moore, Mold and Cast Monkey, Dark Thursday
- Super Powers: The ability to see what is about to happen much to late to do anything about it!
- Vulnerabilities: Synthesizers, Sculpting Tools, Plug-ins and other accessories.
- Past Toys: Confessor, Rygel the XVI, Dr. Teeth, Kermit, Minister of Silly Walks, MoneyMan
- Junk Foods: Rice Cakes (mmmm!), Halvah, and Gluten Free Waffles
- Quotes: "Never more", "Hello World", "I got a bad feeling about this", "That's no moon… Wait that wasn't me!"
- Previous Jobs: Production Assistant, Model Designer, Mold Smith, Vice-President, Sculptor, Instructor, Table Monitor
- "Education": Graph Arts Apprentice, A.S.M.S., B. A. B. A., and Y.O.U.T.U.B.E.
Celine Cimon
Celine was born among a trolley of other kids in Ste-Foy, a town next to Quebec City. As a young girl she was fascinated by colors and shapes and soon started to make her own toys. When she was 12, Celine moved to a farm in the country which broadened her field of experimentation! She also learned to play violin, guitar and harmonica. When she turned 24 Celine decided to be a visual artist, sculptor & painter and moved to Toronto. While learning English she worked in film special effects & model making. Always focusing on her magic hands, besides painting and sculpting she's learned Shiatsu, and after much training and practice she has also become a medium.
- "Official" Role: Painter & Color Counselor
- Code Name(s): Queen of Color, Methylene & Styrene; Merry Medium
- Super Powers: Self-teacher, Jill of all trades, Primal screamer during deadlines, Just-do-it kind of girl, Fast chocolate eater
- Vulnerabilities: Chocolate (the expensive kinds), Virginia chocolate bar (sadly no longer available & Celine's still in mourning), chocolate with cherries inside
- Past Toys: Paint by numbers (the more intricate, the better!); hot wheels; her father's tools; darts in the barn; transformed custom bike
- Junk Foods: Green and black caramel chocolate, chocolate with nuts, lentil chips, fries, donuts
- Quotes: "Celine, like Celine Dion… but I'm a little fatter and I don't sing"; "I don't believe it!"; "That's for sure!"
- Previous Jobs: model maker, special effects artist, shiatsu practitioner, farm girl, typographer
- "Education": CEGEP in Esthetique de Presentation
- Social Media: LinkedIn


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Over the last several months, I got too busy, stressed, distracted, impatient, lazy... (insert excuse here)... to pay much attention to my photo hobby. I've recently been motivated by some great friends to be back in it. And it feels good.
You might have heard about a "movement" of sorts to take a photo a day for a year. The intention is to improve your skill set and have a spectacular stash of stock photography. My attempt last year lasted 72 days. Weak. Sauce.
So this year, I'm trying again. I'm tweaking it a bit because, for me, it's not realistic to shoot daily. But it is common and absolutely realistic to shoot several times a week. So I'm making my own rules.
Instead of taking a photo each day, I'm posting a fresh set of photos each week. I will have 365 photos by the end, but this allows me a bit of leniency on my time. I am raising two young kids, guys... cut me some slack.
Join me! You can follow my progress on my facebook photo page Bricks Pics.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Today I'm sharing Thursday of my Week in the Life album. I cut a bunch of photos out of this day because I'm working on a mini album from a previous trip to the zoo, so I only used a couple of photos to document that we went to the zoo.
(here) I printed some extras to put the weather I documented onto. The bottom right card is from Studio Calico.
Thank you for coming by to see my pages. I hope you're enjoying looking at my album so far. I don't have much to say about it. I documented all the words from each day in the spreads, and I don't want to repeat myself. Plus for me, sharing the details of the day isn't as important as how I brought the words and the photos together.
Have a great day. I'll be back on Friday sharing my Friday pages.


text: By internal stairs you ascend to the upper floor which gives exit to a terrace with a minaret, 2 bedrooms one with large balcony and a full bathroom. Descending along the same interior staircase there is the basement with other 2 rooms, 1 bathroom, laundry, game room and a garage. Total: 330 m2 built on a plot of 550 sqm. Terminations are made with the best materials on the market: gres tile floors, double glass aluminum windows, pre-installation for air conditioning, central gas heating, video door phone, terraces roofs made with mobila pine, etc. 500 meters from the town of Denia.


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Apples sliced and roasted with a hint of coconut oil, then served with a drizzle of peanut and honey sauce makes a healthy, family-pleasing apple dessert.
As you know, I'm not big on desserts. There are a handful of sweet treats I deem worthy of my time and they include dark chocolate Milky Way minis, oatmeal cookies, carrot cake (without of ton of frosting please!), and apple crumbles.
But since Mr. Mike is definitely a sweet eater, and specifically a peanut butter fan (he eats it by the spoonfuls out of the jar), I decided to combine his love of peanut butter with my love of apples to make this healthy apple dessert.
Fresh, crisp apples are a must, and if you don't have one of these handy apple slicers I would absolutely grab one. They make slicing apples a breeze. You'll want thicker slices for this recipe. Thinner slices cook down to mush when you roast them in the oven.
You can see the thicker slices held their shape, and while you could peel them, the skin contains a ton of nutrition and adds color and texture that the peanut and honey sauce can grab onto.
As I said, peanut butter isn't really my thing, so I left my apples roasted on the side of the plate. They were truly delicious all by themselves. Mr. Mike, however, ate two portions of this apple dessert, then licked the peanut and honey sauce off his fork with complete satisfaction.
That's it for my 5 Ingredient Friday offering today. I hope you enjoy the long weekend. I'm stretching my Memorial Day weekend into four days and enjoying this lovely, sunny Seattle weather while I write this post.
Enjoy and have a terrific weekend!
Shake It Up!
Try roasting apples with a sprinkle of cinnamon and serve them with a drizzle of Greek yogurt, honey and walnuts.
Kristi RImkus
Yields 4
Apples sliced and roasted with a hint of coconut oil, then served with a drizzle of peanut and honey sauce makes a healthy, family-pleasing apple dessert.
15 minPrep Time
25 minCook Time
40 minTotal Time
- 4 large apples, cored and thickly sliced
- 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
- 2 1/2 tablespoons peanut butter, 100% peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 3 tablespoons water
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Toss apples with melted coconut oil and roast in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes until apples are tender.
- Allow apples to cool until they are cool enough to serve, but still warm.
- Combine water, peanut butter and honey in a bowl and whip until smooth.
- Serve apples drizzled with peanut sauce.
Food energy: 183kcal
Weight Watchers Smart Points 9
Saturated fatty acids: 2.53g
Total fat: 6.51g
Calories from fat: 58
Cholesterol: --
Carbohydrate, by difference: 31.25g
Total dietary fiber: 3.31g
Protein: 2.81g
Total sugars: 24.31g
Potassium: 250mg
Sodium: 43mg
FYI – this is my best-loved apple dessert recipes. I can't resist the graham cracker crust. It takes me back to the days when Grandma Karen would serve us applesauce with crumbles of graham cracker and whipped cream!
Motherrimmy.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. I only recommend products I use myself.


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Ephraim Horowitz's wild imagination places the 17th century power broker Machiavelli in 20th century America in this fantastical comedy about the lost notebook of Leonardo De Vinci mysteriously appearing in a New York auction house. The book is worth $30 million, but the couple who found it must reveal how they have acquired it. Their story involves academic research, phantasmal mysticism, and even love. In summary, "Machiavelli told them." An entertaining picture that offers some food for thought.
Add this movie to your queue to receive more information about
Machiavelli Rises and we will let you know when it becomes available.


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What is it?
We (Mark Singleton and James Mallinson) are putting together a new sourcebook of yoga texts from the Indian traditions. Entitled Roots of Yoga, the book will make available for the first time in a single volume many of the most important primary texts of yoga through the ages. All the translations will be our own and many will be from texts not previously translated. Roots of Yoga will be arranged thematically and highlight the major historical moments of yoga's evolution within the Indian subcontinent (from about 500BCE to 1750CE), showing the continuities, disjunctions and developments that have characterized its theory and practice across the centuries.
Here's the link to the project page, some nice pictures.
And a link to an interview with Mark by Carol Horton on Elephant.


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Narrating Muar
Date: 26 June - 24 July 2011
Venue: NUS Museum
This exhibition marks the efforts of 31 students from the University of Malaya (UM) and the National University of Singapore (NUS) in studying, recording and analyzing the material gained through a two-week long documentation of the built environment of Muar Town.
Comprising sketches, drawings, models and found objects, the exhibition arises from the UM-NUS Joint Studio Programme started in 2005 in conjunction with the centenary celebrations of the two universities. Since its inception, the Programme has been funded by the Tan Chin Tuan Foundation.
Into its sixth cycle, the programme has enabled students to conduct urban studies and measured drawings of shophouses and townhouses in historic towns and cities of Malaysia such as Malacca (2005), Penang (2006), Kuching (2008), Kuala Terengganu (2009) and Taiping (2010).Also see previous exhibitions developed with the Department of Architecture:
Event photos
See previous exhibitions in the series:
Event photos
See previous exhibitions in the series:
- RE:CLAIMING HERITAGE: Shophouses and Historic Districts in Kuching and Kuala Terengganu (2009)
- tracing TAIPING (2010)


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Hello World!
I had the absolute greatest time last night! My friends and I were lucky enough to go see The Oh Hellos at the Troubadour. And they did not disappoint.
We started the night with a trip to In-n-Out burger (my first time! The burger was delicious, the fries less so. Definitely know to avoid them for next time) and headed into the city to go to the Troubadour. It was such a cool space to see a band – a relatively large room but small enough that there wasn't a bad view in the house. Luckily my friends and I were right up against the stage, which was incredible!
The opening band was The Collection, which I had never heard of before. Usually I'm not really into opening bands (I mostly spend the time thinking about how my feet hurt when they perform) but the Collection was amazing from start to finish. Every single person in the band performed four instruments and at one point a didgeridoo appeared! They are definitely on my radar now and everyone should go check out their new album Ars Moriendi. I've been listening to it non-stop since last night.
By far the highlight of the night was The Oh Hellos. They are a brother-sister band from Texas, and their sound is this incredible indie-folk-rock mash up. I was so pumped when I heard that they were performing in the Troubadour because I've been obsessed with their music since Through the Deep, Dark Valley came out. AND THEY WERE AMAZING. Everyone in the band had this amazing energy and since the venue was so small the crowd was just crazy and fed off of each other. Everyone was singing along and stomping and cheering. I've literally never had a better concert experience in my life! They also debuted a new song and announced that they are putting out a new album!! Which is INCREDIBLE and I am so excited to hear how their sound evolves in the next installment.
After the show we walked around and went for milkshakes, which was the perfect end to a fantastic evening. I'm absolutely going to go back to the Troubadour and I'm looking forward to it!
Here's hoping everyone has an amazing weekend!
Links to the Oh Hellos – http://theohhellos.com
Links to The Collection – http://www.thecollectionband.com
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This morning, was my appointment with the dental specialist to discuss the severity and surgical extraction of all four of my wisdom teeth. I was nervous but the doctor and his assistant were both so incredibly nice and made me feel very comfortable. They explained everything that would happen on the day of my surgery and told me the one thing I wanted to hear:
-ok, maybe that wasn't the exact quote. but it's pretty close!
In addition to the fabuloussss Vicodin, when I called my manager about heading down to work afterwards, she let me take the rest of day to relax. It was awesome! (Thanks, Kia!!!) -feelin' groovy!
This evening, me and my roommates decided we would make Rum Smoothies. We had all sorts of fruit, juices and a couple of different liquors… it was fantastic! Check out our spread of ingredients:
… and now, the finished products!
- Dannon Plain Yogurt
- Mixed Berries (Blueberries, Black Raspberries, Red Raspberries, Strawberries)
- Banana & Pineapple
- Ice
- Yoplait Blackberry Pomegranate/Yoplait Blackberry Harvest Yogurt
- Minute Made Pomegranate & Berry 100% Fruit Juice
- Mixed Berries (Blueberries, Black Raspberries, Red Raspberries, Strawberries.
- Ice
J made his smoothie with:
- Dannon Plain Yogurt
- Orange Juice
- Pineapple Juice
- Oranges
- Pineapples
- Mixed Berries
- Ice
J refuses to pose for pictures, but Casey is a camera-whore like me and has no problem.
We had a lot of fun with making and drinking our delicious smoothies!
We also decided we would make some steak and seafood and lots of healthy veggies and good stuff.
Kacie and I made the shrimp-kabobs! I think they were not only tasty but completely freaking awesome!
Check-out that delicious swordfish!
Filet Mignon rapped in Bacon
My yummy-packed plate
Needless to say, we're all stuffed. It's so nice to genuinely enjoy the people you live with. Friends with similar, yet various, opinions and interests who can sit around and not get sick of each other's company. I'm lucky.
I feel amazing. I really do. The stresses I've been carrying are slowly beginning to diminish:
- My teeth are being fixed(with the help of my awesome insurance).
- The theatre season is coming to and end which allows me time to actually have a f*cking life of my own. (Not seeing the people I love, like my parents, sisters and best friend Kacie made me feel so depressed.)
- The free time also allows me to complete the list of artistic projects that I've been dying to work on. (I'm freaking out due to the lack of creativity I've been able to pursue. I WANT TO START-WORK ON-COMPLETE MY PROJECTS!!)
- My eating and health habits are changing for the better and it feels great! I feel great! Preparing and cooking my own food accentuates the dinning experience and having the best company in which to share this is a total plus.
Just feels good! which may ultimately be the Vicodin+Valium+Agent"X" Combo… who knows?


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Creating Porcelain Beads: An Insider's View
From Lump of Clay to Beautiful Bead
I asked bead artist Melanie Brooks Lukacs to describe her process for transforming clay into beads. Even if you never create your own beads, it's fascinating to see how much work goes into a single handmade bead! I took a clay class years ago where the instructor looked at my work and asked, "Who's in charge here–you or the clay?" While I can tell that Melanie is very respectful of her clay and its properties, I'm betting that she is definitely in charge!–Michelle Mach, Beading Daily Editor
I use several different techniques to make beads. All start with the wet clay, but the techniques vary. Sometimes I use a rolling pin and custom rubber stamps and cookie cutters. Other times I use rubber or ceramic molds that I have made. Yet other times I just use simple tools and my hands. Lately, this last method is my favorite, because it is more direct, and I enjoy the challenge of working in production without molds or stamps. One final way I work is a combination of mold and handbuilding techniques, like I use for the Pixie beads in the Pixie Parchment necklace.
Glazing the pixie bead
Attaching wet clay"berry"
Using wooden tool on leaf
For a Pixie bead, I start with a rubber face mold that I have made. The clay goes in and sets up to a leather-hard state. Then it comes out of the mold with the little face imprinted on the clay. I poke a hole, and then add all the hair and berry details by hand. This is done with tiny balls and coils of clay, which I gently press onto the base bead and mark with tools. When done, I repoke the hole and leave the bead to dry overnight. When dried, the beads are fired in my small electric kiln. The first firing is called a bisque. It is a low temperature firing that turns the clay to a solid form and makes it easier to glaze because it won't dissolve in water anymore. Then I glaze the bead, using a variety of commercial liquid glazes and a paintbrush.
Creating the bead hole
Looking inside electric kiln, after firing, with beads suspended on wires
Finished pixie bead as seen on the Pixie Parchment necklace
The bead is then strung onto a wire and placed in the kiln for the glaze firing. All the beads and charms have to be suspended from high temperature wires in the kiln because glazes are like glass, and if the glaze on a bead was touching another bead or the kiln shelf, it would fuse right to it. This is the most difficult part of the process, probably, and it has taken me years to learn the physics of firing so I end up with a batch of mostly successful beads. There is always the unknown or unexpected with ceramics though, so there is usually a surprise or two in each kiln. It is a constant learning process, so it keeps me on my toes!
Read the interview to learn more about clay artist Melanie Brooks Lukacs and her design process, plus tips for getting started with clay. You'll also find out where to see more of Melanie's work and how to win some of her beads! That's right–I said "Win!" Good luck!
At left: Fairy beads by Melanie Brooks Lukacs. Photo by Larry Sanders.
Pixie Parchment Design Tips
Coming Monday: Tips and ideas for using bugle beads.
Michelle Mach is the editor of Beading Daily. She is going to finish her beaded gifts this weekend–really!


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A multiyear deployment journey.
By Greg Rasner
Security Engagement Manager, Cisco
The Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE), a policy engine, enables contextual network access control across wired and wireless networks, and extends to mobile connectivity as well (Bring Your Own Device, or BYOD). Contextual controls are based on multiple variables, including who (user identity), when (time of day), where (location), how (access method), and what (device). ISE works with our existing infrastructure to enforce security policy on all devices that attempt to gain access to the network. To do this, ISE can use access switches, wireless controllers, and most Cisco® network gear for edge authentication, as device profiling sensors, and as access enforcement points.
ISE is also capable of extending authentication services on other vendors' 802.1X-compliant hardware, and enabling web authentication as backup for non-802.1X-compliant devices. ISE is deployed as an appliance or runs on a virtual machine (VM). We deploy ISE on a VM, which is in step with our overall data center virtualization and footprint reduction goals. We are taking a measured, controlled approach to rolling out new ISE capabilities. This approach helps IT to ensure a smooth adoption, to collect user feedback, and to build on and leverage ISE capabilities in each phase.
Cisco IT was an early adopter of ISE (deploying ISE 1.1 in 2012), and we have made much progress rolling out ISE capabilities in the last year and a half. See End-to-End Security Policy Control to learn about our decision-making during the initial deployment phase. That deployment strategy held throughout Cisco's fiscal-year 2014, which ran from August 2013 to July 2014.
This article focuses on key areas of our current ISE deployments, including Deployment Strategy, Testing and Certification Process, Guest Networking and Enhancements, Profiling, Wireless Authentication, Wired Authentication, Replication and Scaling, Operational Support, Pilot and Limited Deployments, and Challenges/Lessons Learned.
Level Set on Cisco IT's ISE Deployment
At the end of July 2014, we had deployed several primary capabilities for ISE. We have a guest infrastructure managed by two VMs (the primary in our San Jose data center and the secondary in our data center in Western Europe). These VMs manage global guest services for more than 60,000 guest accounts that are created monthly. The guest infrastructure was fully deployed at the end of December 2013 and runs ISE 1.2 Patch 7 (see Table 1). The production cluster runs on 28 VMs and also uses ISE 1.2 Patch 7. On the production cluster, we run all other capabilities. To date we have deployed Wireless Authentication to ISE, 802.1X Monitor Mode and Profiling, at 83 sites globally. We have also deployed Wireless Authentication to ISE on more than 10,000 (of 30,000) Cisco Virtual Office (CVO) systems (these typically run on Cisco 800 Series Routers and Cisco SOHO Routers). And we are running a limited deployment of Wireless Posture Enforcement to two extranet partners for nearly 1000 devices connecting and authenticating successfully. Our profiled endpoint count is currently 550,000 devices, and our maximum concurrent connections at any given time are 55,000.
Deployment Strategy
We took a staged approach regarding ISE, to avoid the "Big Bang" of deploying many capabilities simultaneously. To manage capability deployment and adoption, we are implementing ISE capabilities in bundles (see Figure 1). Bundling helps ensure that the requisite steps for success of each capability are completed properly.
We use a well-defined solution delivery methodology or project lifecycle (PLC) framework that aligns to our PLC. The PLC defines several stages in the delivery of a solution or IT capability, with approval gates and specific deliverables at each stage. All projects follow several phases:
● Business Commit, where the business case and benefits are clearly articulated
● Concept Commit, where the solution architecture is the primary outcome
● Execute Commit, where detailed design work and planning starts
Architecture, Design, and Operational Readiness Reviews occur throughout the process, ensuring that no solution is implemented without the appropriate resources, support, and communications plans in place.
Careful project management, along with governance from the Service Management Office and the Project Management Office, and regular syncing with the project stakeholders ensure that projects stay on time and on budget. Deviations are quickly identified, and appropriate remediation or business decisions are made expediently to get back on track.
Ultimately, the business driver for deploying ISE is our strategy of embedding security within the network fabric. Relying on outdated, hardened, perimeter-based models does not provide the security essential in a borderless enterprise, or in an environment where trends such as BYOD and the Internet of Everything (IoE) result in many more devices that require secure connectivity.
Our global ISE deployment also delivers operational and architectural simplicity, which, in turn, drives real cost savings. Previously, we had to maintain 12 servers globally with long access control lists (ACLs) to provide guest access. With the deployment of ISE Guest, we have reduced our footprint to two VMs globally and an ACL of fewer than 20 lines. Deriving the exact cost savings depends on the total cost of ownership (TCO) calculator. We have seen actual TCO reductions in operational, infrastructure, and upgrade costs for our guest access service alone.
Testing and Certification Process
Testing and certification for versions and capabilities on ISE has evolved over the last two years. Initially, we used a three-stage process to test and certify releases and patches. First, we use the Service Verification Lab (SVL). Then we test at our San Jose campus, Building 12, which has a separate ISE cluster and Wireless LAN Controllers (WLCs) to ensure that patches can run separate. Lastly, we move to the production cluster.
We have also implemented another limited deployment infrastructure for ISE (see Figure 2). This ISE VM infrastructure mirrors the production cluster in global spread, but has fewer VMs to support the cluster. Scalability for our testing and validation of ISE patches and versions was a key driver for this additional limited deployment infrastructure.
We are pointing several key facilities globally (via their WLCs) to present a new SSID that is not our production wireless SSID. Presenting a new SSID allows us to apply new code on this infrastructure and make it available to specific branch and campus buildings without affecting production access for users. Users involved in testing and validation of a new patch, version, or capability, can attach to the new SSID. If there is a significant issue, they can detach and go back to the production SSID to continue their work.
ISE 1.3 Limited Availability Testing
While Cisco IT may have local access to the business unit creating ISE, our participation in the ISE 1.3 Limited Availability (LA) is similar to a customer applying and being accepted into the program. We have many capabilities queued to launch in fiscal-year 2015, which started in August 2014 and ends July 2015. Our plans for deploying and testing ISE 1.3 LA are extensive.
We are running ISE 1.3 LA as a separate project to ensure that we capture entry and exit criteria. The key features being tested are guest services (new user Interface, common portal, and Application Programming Interface, or API, changes); Endpoint Protection Service (EPS) and re-IP of Network Access Devices (NADs) operational automation, administration and scalability testing, and onboarding (EAP-TLS). Stretch goals for testing are pxGrid and Mobile Device Management (MDM) integration with a third-party MDM solution at Cisco.
Guest Networking and Enhancements
Guest wireless access control was the first ISE capability we deployed globally. Our guest networking system was nearing end of life. The complex system was not very flexible and prone to outages. Simplicity was paramount for our guest networking services via ISE. We required only two servers (primary in San Jose data center, secondary in Western Europe). Having only two servers has lowered our TCO and operational overhead.
Redundancy is built into the application in ISE. This functionality was put to the test in real life when our secondary server failed due to a VM issue. All global guest networking requests landed on the primary server, and all were handled correctly without discernible effect to the end users.
Since December 2014, the average number of guests per month is 60,000 and growing. The tool now has several improvements for guest networking that are being leveraged, including:
● Suspension of guest removes the guest from the network
● Mobile templates (a mobile-optimized template to make login/AUP acceptance on mobile devices much easier)
● Localization of text for onboarding
● Login screens sized for mobile devices
● Notification of the accounts sent to guests via email or SMS
We have made enhancements to the guest services offering with ISE. At Cisco, the policy for guest access is sponsor-based. This means that guests visiting a Cisco facility are required to have an employee create a guest account and provide them with a username and password for access. Within ISE 1.2, Patch 5 was a guest API that allowed other applications to interact with ISE guest capability. We leveraged this feature by linking the badging system used in Cisco buildings, where a receptionist is located on site, to the ISE guest services. When a guest arrives and receives their badge for access to the building, the badge software makes a call, via the API, to the guest services on ISE to populate the required information in ISE for a guest account. The information is sent back to the badging system with the password for access. Guests receive two badges: one for their person to show that they have received proper access to the premises, and another with information required for login. This enhancement reduces the steps for the guest and employee sponsor.
We look forward to more APIs that are scheduled to be included in ISE 1.3, which will further enhance the guest experience.
Profiling 802.1X Monitor Mode
Profiling is used to classify and manage devices that are attempting to access the network. This ISE capability profiles devices at the network edge using sensing features embedded in Cisco switches, WLCs, and wireless access points. The ISE Profiler classifies devices using the most appropriate endpoint profile, which is configured within ISE and specifies the endpoint identity group. The identity group can be used when defining conditions for authentication and authorization policies.
As a step toward 802.1X enforcement, you need a clear picture of what is on your network. You need to know what devices are capable of doing 802.1X, what devices are not, and where they are located. Then, you can assess the user experience changes you might have to make as a result. Profiling, in conjunction with monitor mode, allows IT to understand what devices are failing authentication and take appropriate action.
For profiling, Cisco IT uses RADIUS, Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) Helper, Domain Name System (DNS), and HTTP. With the ISE Profiler, we can:
● Perform automatic endpoint profiling
● Provide endpoint behavior monitoring
● Build an endpoint repository without Cisco Network Admission Control
Wireless Authentication
In February 2014, we began deploying ISE to perform authentication for wireless endpoints globally. The initial plans called for three limited deployments (LDs) of ever-increasing size to ensure our methodology was sound and that all issues encountered in the LDs could be addressed before the larger global deployment. We completed the last LD of wireless authentication (from Access Control System, or ACS, to ISE) in May 2014. For the final LD, our target was to get total endpoint count to 50 percent of known endpoints (from ACS figures). The previous LDs focused on a wide range of global, large sites (by endpoints) so that we would get to our 50 percent target. Once achieved, the remaining 50 percent were migrated rapidly.
The general deployment to the remaining 50 percent of the global wireless infrastructure went very smoothly, largely due to the lessons learned in the LDs. The project team has implemented several operational processes to make the deployment and support easier. We have an existing ACS infrastructure that moved the wireless authentication from ACS to ISE. On the WLCs, we made the first three authentication servers the ISE nodes and the remaining two are pointing to ACS nodes. If the ISE system has issues authenticating, it can fail to the first three ISE nodes, and the rest goes to the ACS infrastructure. Additionally, we enabled an analytics report nightly, which searches for WLCs that switch from ISE to ACS. The operations team reviews the report and troubleshoots instances of failover. After there are no failovers for one month, the team will run an automated script to remove the ACS references from the WLCs. All authentication will be done solely by ISE with no fallback to ACS needed. The team that manages the ACS infrastructure can then make decisions regarding the number of ACS VMs needed in future implementations.
Cisco IT will continue to use ACS for numerous tasks, such as TACACS+ for device control, until ISE is able to perform these capabilities. However, as ISE takes over these capabilities, there will be instances when both systems will run in tandem until we are ready to power down the systems that ISE assumes.
Replication, Scaling, and Cluster Sizing
When sizing clusters for devices in our ISE deployment, Cisco IT uses a "3+1" formula: For every person we assume 3 devices (laptop, smartphone, and a tablet) plus one device in the background (security camera, printer, network access device, etc.). In a company the size of Cisco, with roughly 80,000 employees, that equates to 320,000 possible device authentications at once, although the global distribution makes it unlikely that all devices will authenticate simultaneously. With this in mind, the initial sizing was a 4-cluster environment, which we refer to as an "ISE cube" (see Figure 3).
Originally, there were five main clusters, including a U.S. Central cluster. We started the design document in 2011, and focused on the capabilities and scaling in ISE 1.0. The maximum devices ISE could handle in this version were 100,000. Taking future capability rollouts into consideration, we assumed that the clusters needed to handle global deployments of 802.1X for Wired and Wireless; hence, we settled on four production clusters (roughly 320,000 devices divided by 100,000 per cluster). Some regions, such as the U.S., needed multiple clusters because of the large user/device base. We would start with four clusters and adjust as ISE could handle more endpoints. As the product roadmap matured, our plan was to further consolidate the U.Ss East and West clusters into one, for example.
Much of this deployment was a foundation for the IoE. Early discussions around ISE infrastructure sizing focused on the need for us to build the infrastructure so that everything on our network could be authorized and gain access.
We have deployed guest networking, 802.1X Monitor Mode, Profiling globally and are in the process of completing the 802.1X for Wireless deployment. As these capabilities were rolled out into production, they passed from project support to operational support. The team that supports this infrastructure also supports our ACS in production. The experienced team provides valuable insight into production support concerns.
The first official deployment of ISE was on version ISE 1.1.3, with plans to upgrade to the latest patches and then to ISE 1.2. Supporting this global cluster configuration added overhead to the team and also created concerns with regards to patch and upgrade management. The operations team and project team agreed that we could approach sizing differently for the current and short-term capabilities slated for rollout into late 2014. This approach led to a phased uptick in devices on the network that would reach the upper limit. In addition, we had deployed ISE 1.2 with an upper limit of 250,000 devices. Because we had not completely deployed 802.1X Wired globally, only to some high-risk environments where we had intellectual property concerns, we did not need the size to accommodate the full 3+1. Instead, we moved toward a single ISE global cluster (see Figure 4).
The change to a single cluster allows us to not have to wait for the Manager of Managers (MoM) expected in later versions of ISE. Multiple clusters mean logging into separate management and administration consoles. Patching and upgrading have to be done at each cluster separately. In current versions, there is no MoM in which these efforts can be centralized. Faced with a static workforce and product limitations that might not exist in the next release, the operational support team decided to merge the four clusters into a single global one.
This one cluster will be sized to the maximum number of policy service nodes (PSNs) allowed in a single deployment (40), with a standby policy administration node (PAN)/M&T pairs to split into two deployments when the limit of 250,000 concurrent endpoints are about to be reached. This split will instantly double the capacity to 500,000 concurrent endpoints without the need to add extra PSNs or change the configuration of the NADs, by leveraging virtual IP addresses (VIPs) and Cisco Application Control Engine load balancers.
At a high level, following are the steps we took to merge the clusters:
● Infrastructure prerequisites:
◦ Ensured all clusters were at same version and patch level
◦ Disabled all backups
◦ Made sure SFTP and ISE servers had enough free storage
◦ Completed a backup prior (multiple steps not listed)
◦ Ensured primary PAN and M&T VMs were cloned
◦ Consolidated all PSN configurations into our development environment
◦ Added six new PSN VMs to corresponding VIPs and installed ISE
● Main steps:
◦ Merged U.S. West, Asia Pacific, and EMEAR clusters into U.S. East PSN
◦ De-registered one PSN behind each VIP in each of the U.S. West, Asia Pacific, and EMEA clusters
◦ Registered PSN in U.S. East cluster
◦ Added PSN to the other clusters
◦ Confirmed metrics on U.S. East cluster were correct (now a single global cluster based in our Allen, Texas, data center)
◦ Checked replication and Active Directory status on cluster hosts
● After migration:
◦ Restored services turned off prior
◦ Performed a backup
◦ Checked all monitoring systems for issues
This work was completed in December 2013, following four weekends upgrading from ISE 1.1.3 to ISE 1.2, one cluster at a time, before all the clusters were merged into one.
We are finalizing the strategy for how to split the deployment in case we reach any of the product limits before the next version. The first option is to split the deployment between east and west, for example U.S. is one deployment, and EMEA and Asia Pacific is another. The second option is to keep the deployments global and split them by leveraging the VIPs to point to a subset of PSNs. This can be a functional split (by service) or a select split (by volume).
Already our support teams have seen the benefits of the single global cluster. Patch 3 and Patch 6 were applied to our global ISE infrastructure of one cluster. This process involved only logging into the PAN and uploading the patch file; the primary manages the allocation of the patch in a serial fashion to each of the secondary servers. Without a single cluster, we would need to apply the patches to each cluster separately. Additionally, with a single cluster, we don't have to worry about versions being out of sync if a patch fails in one of the clusters.
With this consolidation, we have only one-fourth the amount of work to do and a large reduction in risk by upgrading only in one cluster. We have sized the infrastructure for the current demand. Rather than building for all future capabilities as first deployed, we have gone to a right-sizing approach – no excess capacity waiting for future capabilities that are not currently deployed.
We may still get to multiple clusters and, in fact, we probably will. But can't determine at this time when we will need to split the clusters. We do not know the full impact of IoE and all devices that will eventually connect into our enterprise. Using good capacity management techniques is an ongoing effort for any IT organization; the same applies in this instance because the operational team has numerous ways to view and react to changes in load.
A good example of active capacity management is a recent effort to upgrade our VM infrastructure running production ISE. At the time of deployment, we engaged with the internal provisioning team for VMs and selected from a standard set of menu items for this service. After running in production for more than a year, added capabilities were impacting the system. The team noticed large numbers on the disk I/O and memory use. As a result, we upgraded this service in the last three months (see Table 2).
Table 2. Current Standards in Production VMs
Cluster and server sizing decisions are never static. Constant observation and product knowledge have led us to our current optimal deployment configuration. As the capacity is observed, analyzed, and reacted upon, the configuration will change.
Operational Support
Operational support is split into two main categories: direct support and infrastructure/upper levels of support. Direct support personnel answer calls and perform troubleshooting and escalations. In terms of numbers, the direct support team for the ISE deployment has not changed in the last two years. In Cisco's fiscal-year 2015, we have not budgeted or forecast any changes in this level of support.
Infrastructure and upper levels of support are handled by the team that manages our ACS and ISE infrastructure. This team was augmented with two additional personnel to handle the new services offered by ISE. In the upcoming fiscal year, we are planning an aggressive capability deployment that includes MDM and expansion of wired authentication globally. We have budgeted to continue with the same two additional Change-the-Business (CtB) personnel. As the capabilities are fully deployed in fiscal-year 2015, this CtB cost will become a Run-the-Business (RtB) expense. Providing this category of infrastructure support is a team that develops and deploys monitors for such services at PEAP, MS-CHAP, and EAP-TLS used by Operations. These personnel are strictly associated with CtB costs and are paid only during their engagement. We have budgeted for one person in this team to be used year over year during the life of the project.
Challenges and Lessons Learned
Starting in 2012 with ISE 1.1 version, we are continuing our multiyear journey deploying ISE capabilities. Along the way we have compiled several lessons learned.
Deploying Guest Wireless Access
● Communication is crucial. This capability involves user experience, so it was critical for us to communicate changes to end-users in multiple ways. Find as many avenues as you can to communicate the changes. This is a case where over-sharing is not a bad trait.
● Design a process for escalations in the first week or two to be handled by a dedicated team. This type of change occurs abruptly for users, so having a special team will ease Day 1 War Room conditions.
● Provide an avenue, whether a forum or mailer, for users to direct how-to questions, provide feedback, or vent their concerns.
Deploying 802.1X Monitor Mode and Profiling
● Consider using a large analytics engine. Cisco IT uses a large commercially available analytics engine to analyze data from ISE. While ISE provides reporting, using a large analytics engine provides additional capabilities.
● Perform platform testing before deployment. Cisco IT has a comprehensive lab with every network device deployed in our global network. In some cases, certain Cisco IOS Software versions did not perform well with ISE features, so we timed the deployment to coincide with version upgrades to ensure the ideal performance.
Deploying Wireless and Wired Authentication
● Identify older AD servers. Older versions of Windows AD servers (2005) on the network can cause intermittent issues with authentication. This is observed when running ACS, not just ISE, for wireless authentication.
● Stage limited deployments. Limited deployments first will help you ensure that platform compatibility is good. What is more, the load on the ISE infrastructure provides the project team the ideal way to manage a global deployment.
● Assess Active Directory server performance in different regions.
● Assess the existing wireless RADIUS authentication log.
● To avoid inconsistent authorization policies, use either PEAP "machine authentication" only or "user authentication" only, not the "machine or user authentication" from Windows supplicant.
● For failover use two Cisco Application Control Engine Virtual IP Addresses (Cisco Application Control Engine VIPs) instead of one VIP in the WLC, even though there are multiple Identity Service Engines behind a VIP already.
● Use logging discriminator to filter unnecessary syslog. Access layer switches are flooded with 802.1X SNMP authentication/authorization syslog.
● Allow UDP port 1645/1656 or 1812/1813 for authentication/accounting traffic from ISE.
● Authentication status is "unknown" after enabling dot1X on access layer switches. This situation requires manual shut/no-shut switch port or manual plug/unplug endpoints.
● Ensure MAB authentication is not permitted for wireless access mechanisms.
● Validate that the versions of IOS running on your L2 devices have no known issues with ISE. There have been instances where memory leaks or other issues are published and finding them before-hand and mitigating them is preferred for any software deployment.
Metrics and Communication Steps in Project Planning Process
● When trying to derive ROI or service metrics, many of the capabilities delivered by ISE will not have a direct cost savings; however, the service metrics are positively impacted as a direct result of the ISE deployment.
● Communicating to end users about changes that will alter the user experience is critical and need to be multichannel. Do not rely on email alone as many users get hundreds of emails daily. Signage, other alert mechanisms, and management support are ideal.
ISE Deployment and Support Staffing
● New ISE support staffing has been required only for the upper levels of support. However, this is not a function of ISE but a function of the capability deployment.
● Leveraging a global engineering staff allows Cisco IT to seek favorable staffing costs, when possible.
● Engage all stakeholders (Architecture, Design, Implementation, Support, Hosting, Storage, etc.) from the beginning of the project.
● Provide hands-on training for implementation and support teams to help ensure smooth deployment and transitions.
● Set expectations about what devices will be 100 percent supported and what devices will be supported but not fully tested.
● Assess the existing ACS-based wireless authentication status.
● Develop an internal Wiki page for the most common end-user supplicants' configuration.
Fiscal-Year 2015 Deployment Plans
Cisco IT has an aggressive capability rollout plan for fiscal-year 2015. We expect to continue deploying Wired 802.1X Monitor Mode and Profiling globally. During fiscal-year 2014, we decided to focus on Wireless Authentication to ISE due to resource and patching on platforms. As mentioned earlier, enabling 802.1X Monitor Mode and Profiling gives us crucial information prior to 802.1X Authentication Mode. As we complete deployments and mitigate issues found on 802.1X Monitor Mode, we will deploy 802.1X Authentication Mode to Wired in those locations.
While we have run EPS (Quarantining) in pilot mode in several key locations, we plan to deploy ISE EPS to all regions deemed as high risk to our intellectual property. Posture Assessment for mobile devices and MDM Device control (via our third-party MDM engine tied to ISE via the API) are also slated for fiscal-year 2015. Lastly, we want to expand our SGA/SGT deployment into labs and for switches where TCAM depletion is at issue.
To read additional Cisco IT case studies on a variety of business solutions, visit Cisco on Cisco: Inside Cisco IT.
To view Cisco IT webinars and events about related topics, visit Cisco on Cisco Webinars & Events.
This publication describes how Cisco has benefited from the deployment of its own products. Many factors may have contributed to the results and benefits described. Cisco does not guarantee comparable results elsewhere.
Some jurisdictions do not allow disclaimer of express or implied warranties, therefore, this disclaimer may not apply to you.


text:
A Finalist for the Man Asian Literary Prize, a moving and beautifully told story set in a the tumultuous days after the Partition of India and Pakistan, about a wrestling champion and a courtesan struggling to hold onto the world they knew amidst the eruptions of history.
In a ruined city after the partition of India and the creation of Pakistan in 1947, Ustad Ramzi is still famed as a wrestler of unparalleled strength and technique. But now Ramzi's power—if not his indomitable will—is on the wane, while his younger brother Tamami, unconcerned with traditions and hierarchy, hungers for immediate fame and glory at the risk of family honor.
The courtesan Gohar Jan was once celebrated throughout the country for her beauty and the seductive power of her singing, her salon thronged by nobles, rich men, and infatuated admirers. But the aging Gohar Jan's world is changing, too. Ustad Ramzi and Gohar Jan are both beloved paragons of a world that no longer exists, in a bewildering new reality indifferent to their art.
Shortlisted for The Man Asian Literary Prize, acclaimed Pakistani author Musharraf Ali Farooqi's novel is a bracing and elegant story of two extraordinary characters in the twilight of their lives who stand resolute as the society they've known crumbles around them. Between Clay and Dust is an arresting account of love, honor, betrayal, and the ways in which we wrestle with history.


text:
Monday, October 5, 2009 is World Habitat Day.
I have never had the opportunity to volunteer for Habitat for Humanity. However, my husband has and he said it is an amazing opportunity. He would volunteer again in a heartbeat.
With the recent flooding in the Philippines, the tsunami in American Samoa, help is needed desperately. Please take a moment to visit the World Habitat Day website and if you can help in way I encourage you to do so.
World Habitat Day
Whaddya Say?
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Everyone Deserves a Home
Posted by Dawn at 6:44 PM No comments: Links to this post
Should we be suprised?
Iran is building nuclear missles, Afghanistan is in turmoil and our soldiers are dying there. Obama hasn't spoken to his Commanding General but once in 70 days!
What's so important? What's got his mind distracted? No, not health care. That's a dead horse right now.
He's off to...Denmark! Yep. Got to get good ol' Chicago on the map as an Olympic City. Good for jobs and the economy and such. I guess he lacks confidence in his wife and closest advisors to get the job done. He's doing it himself.
Posted by Dawn at 1:18 PM No comments: Links to this post
Labels: Politics
Thursday, September 24, 2009
What Can I Do?
It's that time of year again! The Holidays are right around the corner. Many of us are being bombarded with school and scouting fundraisers. We are strapped for both time and money. Yet we are called to give. Not just to the little girl or boy down the street selling cookie dough for the PTA.
We are called to the works of Mercy. Feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, visit the sick, visit those in prison and bury the dead.
Here are just a few suggestions for you and your family:
1. Invite a family who is struggling financially to dinner at your house.
2. Contact your local soup kitchen and volunteer one day or evening to serve.
3. Buy one bag of groceries just for the food bank at your next grocery run.
4. Go through your clothing and donate to the local women's/men's shelter.
5. Have a baby shower and donate the items to your local pregnancy care center.
6. Go through your blankets, find some warm ones and donate them to a local shelter.
7. Donate funds to your local shelter.
8. Find out about and get involved with a Habitat for Humanity build.
9. Take a day to visit a nursing home and spend time with the residents.
10. Ask at your local hospital how you can volunteer to visit those who are in long term care. Especially children's wards.
11. Call your friend or neighbor who you know has been ill or had surgery recently. Ask them how they are doing and if they need anything.
12. Donate books or religious items to your local prison.
13. Ask your local jail or prison about visitation and bring holy cards, donated bibles and books to distribute on visiting day.
14. Visit a cemetery and pray for those who have recently passed away.
15. Pray for the souls in purgatory.
16. If someone in your community has passed away visit their family and ask if they need anything? Offer your support.
These are just a few things you can do this season to give from your heart according to the works of mercy. May God richly bless you this season and may that blessing flow out from you to those around you.
my kids so kindly reminded me of the following 3 things we can do when we can't do any of the things on the above list:
1. go to Daily Mass and offer it for all those who can do those listed things and for those who cannot.
2. attend Adoration and again, pray for those in need and those who serve the needy.
3. Pray the Rosary.
Thanks kids.
Posted by Dawn at 5:34 AM 1 comment: Links to this post
Labels: Giving
Saturday, September 19, 2009
That's A Wrap
Another week down. We finally have a pool in our back yard. Right now it is only 3/4 of the way full. I turned the water off yesterday, unloaded the rain barrels (saved me 220 gallons of city water) and will finish it off this afternoon.
I'd finish this morning, but I have to take the girls to Young Marines and I don't want any over flow!
We also built the first stage of our deck. It's just a rectangle right now. We will put up a railing eventually and move the spa out there and off the back porch. There is much left to be done, but it is coming a long. I am going to get a blue chip today so I can take some pictures. I took some with my sons camera, but you have to wait for the pics to be developed..so that will be a bit.
Prayers are requested for my oldest. He's very seriously considering the Priesthood. He's only 15, but he's never quite been this serious about it. So if all you prayer warriors out there could ask Our Lady to bless his heart that would be beautiful.
That's a wrap for me this week.
Posted by Dawn at 3:35 AM 4 comments: Links to this post
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Check It Out!
Click Here
Posted by Dawn at 5:08 AM 2 comments: Links to this post
Sunday, September 13, 2009
my blue chip has bit the dust
The blue memory chip that is. I have to go get one tomorrow because I have to show you what my hubby has been working on all day. In fact he's out at Lowes right now because we needed a few more things.
Since I can't show you, I'll tell ya about it. He's making a rain storage system for the house. 4 55 gallon drums connected via pvc pipe with a spigot to release the water to the hose and then the garden and yard. I can't wait for rain!
I will get a memory card tomorrow and take some pics to share. Now..we just need to figure out those solar panels!
Posted by Dawn at 1:43 PM No comments: Links to this post
Labels: house
Friday, September 11, 2009
Not Your Average 9/11 Anniversary...
Lots of folks are busy posting memorials and remembrances of where they were and what they were doing 8 years ago today. There are t.v. specials and Americans are asked once again to watch over and over again the planes fly into the Twin Towers in New York. Then watch them fall. Then stare at a farm that became an unsuspecting grave for so many in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
It is sad. It was shocking. I think sometime today, whether you observed the minutes of silence or not, every American remembered that day.
But that is not the only anniversary to be had today. Oddly enough, one year ago on this day I entered the blogosphere. I honestly, can't remember, why it was this day. Perhaps because there was a lot going on. I wanted to do something. Help people.
Well, I don't know if I've done anything or if I've helped anyone. My blog is a mix of religion, family and politics. I suppose, right now, those are my passions. I'm no expert in any of those areas but I love the research they lead me to. I love learning. I love a good debate even though I'm not very good at it. So that is where this blog has taken me. I've grown in my faith and discovered so many talented and infinitely more learned human beings than myself. Not half bad for a "hobby".
I thank those of you that do read my blog for your kind comments. Although I don't rend my garments and lament over the lack of comments, it is nice to see one every now and then. :)
May God Bless all of you who read this blog.
Posted by Dawn at 12:33 PM 11 comments: Links to this post
Labels: anniversary, blogging
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Small Successes
Not much, but we are on our way.
1 - I made it to Adoration with my husband this week. We have planned to go next week as well. Thanks Be To God!
2 - We have started our school day with the Rosary. Boy! Has that made a difference. Not a hallelujah moment, but attitudes are softer and kids are more focused.
3 - I managed to walk on the treadmill (at 2% incline) for one hour. I will do it again today, God willing. When I was finished I checked in on the kids, and said I was stinking up the school room. Gotta love 'em.
4 - I didn't argue with the hubby when he called the last time about a motorcycle. In fact, I went with him to buy it. He's now the proud and very very happy owner of a Harley Davidson Sportster.
Posted by Dawn at 4:56 AM 2 comments: Links to this post
Labels: small successes
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
It's Important
I'm sure this has been around the block a bit, but I wanted to post it here as well. I'm no rap fan, but this is worth listening to. Below the video are the lyrics
Can I Live? Nick Cannon
Talking Ma
I know the Situation is Personal
But it something that has to be told
As I was making this beat
You was all I could think about you heard my voice
[Verse 1]
Yeah Just think Just Think
What if you could Just
Just blink your self away..
Just Just wait just pause for a second
Let me plead my case
It's the late 70's Huh
You Seventeen huh
And having me that will ruin everything huh
It's alot of angels waiting on their wings
You see me in your sleep so you cant kill your dreams
300 Dollars thats the price of living what?
Mommy I dont like this clinic
Hopefully you'll make the right decision
And dont go through with the Knife incision
But it's hard to make the right move
When you in high school
How you have to work all day and take night school
Hopping off da bus when the rain is pouring
What you want morning sickness or the sickness of mourning
I'll Always Be a part of you
Trust Your Soul Know it's always true
If I Could Talk I'd Say To You
I'll Always Be a part of you
Trust Your Soul Know it's always true
If I Could Talk I'd Say To You
[Verse 2]
I am a child of the king
Ain't no need to go fear me
And I see the flowing tears so know that you hear me
When I move in your womb that's me being scary
Cause who knows what my future holds
Yo the truth be told you ain't told a soul
Yo you ain't even showing I'm just 2 months old
Through your clothes try to hide me deny me
Went up 3 sizes
Your pride got you lying saying ain't nothing but a migraine
It ain't surprising you not trying to be in Wic food lines
Your friends will look at you funny but look at you mommy
That's a life inside you look at your tummy
What is becoming ma I am Oprah bound
You can tell he's a star from the Ultrasound
Our Sprits Connected Doors Open Now
Nothing But Love And Respect Thanks For Holding Me Down She Let Me Live...
I'll Always Be a part of you
Trust Your Soul Know it's always true
If I Could Talk I'd Say To You
I'll Always Be apart of you
Trust Your Soul Know it's always true
If I Could Talk I'd Say To You
[Repeat 2]
[Nick Talking]
It's uplifting foreal yall
I ain't passing no judgement
Ain't making no decisions
I am just telling ya'll my story
I love life
I love my mother for giving me life
We all need to appreciate life
A strong woman that had to make a sacrifice
Thanks for listening
Thanks for listening
Mama thanks for listening
H/T Creative Minority Report
Posted by Dawn at 7:08 PM No comments: Links to this post
No Swimmy Swimmy Here.
The pool man (I am beginning to not like saying that) did not make it yesterday. Don't know why..the manager is trying to find that out. The ground needs to be dug out and the guy that does that has given them the slip. hehe
So we are rescheduled for Saturday. I guess that's okay as it gives hubby more time to become an electrician. hehe
School started yesterday and the oldest was right back to his old ways of Math diversion tactics. I can't take another year of that. I hated to do it (hehe) but he pushed me to it. He got the lecture on responsibility and changing his ways. hehe.
I have to laugh at the end of each one of these are I'll just go crawl back into bed and ask for a do over.
Posted by Dawn at 4:13 AM 1 comment: Links to this post
Labels: family, homeschool
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Happy First Day of School!
That's what I will be saying in about 20 mins as I walk through the house. Right now, all is quiet. The kids are still asleep and unassuming. Little do they know..hahahahahaha (evil homeschooling mom laugh).
Lesson plans have been reviewed. Pencils are sharpened. Erasers are already broken off, crayons have been opened and lost and notebooks have been doodled in. And we haven't even started yet! I have so many plans!
Not only is it the first day of school, our pool is being installed today. We found out yesterday that the electrician was going to charge us around $1000 to install a dedicated outlet for the pool. I say "was". We said "no thanks". Originally, the pool guy (I love saying that), had told us it would be closer to $300. Big difference. The Electrician just laughed when we told him that. So..my darling hubby, handyman extraordinaire, will be learning how to run electricity to pools. :) I know there has to be a You Tube video out there just for him. ;)
We finally found a supplier of 55 gallon drums for our rain barrels and we purchased 4 of them yesterday. We had to drive an hour and a half to get them, but it will be well worth it when the rain is collecting in them and flowing out into my gardens. FREEly. Now we just have to get the gutter installed and set up the operation. Another You Tube video has already been bookmarked. Let me tell ya, I never thought I'd spend so much time on You Tube, but it's proved to be quite helpful for outdoor projects. There are some creative folks out there.
Next project is the deck surround for the pool and spa. Next weekend will be the deck building party. Some friends from hubby's work said they would help for pizza and beer. I offered pizza and soda. I want my deck to be plum. Ya know! Beer after the deck is built.
I will try to take pictures of the pool installation today. The kids can't wait to have their first pool party. Honestly, neither can I.
Other projects on tap here:
- Screening in the back porch
- Building a brick BBQ pit
- Sewing curtains for all the rooms
I'll keep ya up to date.
Off to get ready for school!
Posted by Dawn at 3:24 AM 2 comments: Links to this post
Labels: children, family, homeschool
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Sunday Bible Reflections with Dr. Scott Hahn
St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology
September 6, 2009 - Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
All Things Well
Isaiah 35:4-7
Psalm 146:7-10
James 2:1-5
Mark 7:31-37
The incident in today's Gospel is recorded only by Mark. The key line is what the crowd says at the end: "He has done all things well." In the Greek, this echoes the creation story, recalling that God saw all the things he had done and declared them good (see Genesis 1:31).
Mark also deliberately evokes Isaiah's promise, which we hear in today's First Reading that God will make the deaf hear and the mute speak. He even uses a Greek word to describe the man's condition (mogilalon = "speech impediment") that's only found in one other place in the Bible—in the Greek translation of today's Isaiah passage, where the prophet describes the "dumb" singing.
The crowd recognizes that Jesus is doing what the prophet had foretold. But Mark wants us to see something far greater—that, to use the words from today's First Reading: "Here is your God."
Notice how personal and physical the drama is in the Gospel. Our focus is drawn to a hand, a finger, ears, a tongue, spitting. In Jesus, Mark shows us, God has truly come in the flesh.
What He has done is to make all things new, a new creation (see Revelation 21:1-5). As Isaiah promised, He has made the living waters of baptism flow in the desert of the world. He has set captives free from their sins, as we sing in today's Psalm. He has come that rich and poor might dine together in the Eucharistic feast, as James tells us in today's Epistle.
He has done for each of us what He did for that deaf mute. He has opened our ears to hear the Word of God, and loosed our tongues that we might sing praises to Him.
Let us then, in the Eucharist, again give thanks to our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. Let us say with Isaiah, Here is our God, He comes to save us. Let us be rich in faith, that we might inherit the kingdom promised to those who love Him.
Posted by Dawn at 3:40 AM 1 comment: Links to this post
Labels: Bible Reflections
Friday, September 4, 2009
Vaccination Information
Just read an article on the use of aborted fetal stem cell use in many of our vaccines. This article is not about abortion per se, it is about the effect of the use of these stem cells on the children who receive the vaccinations. I find it very important to read for new mothers and fathers that will be making the choice to vaccinate very soon. If you care to be informed on this issue please click on the excerpt to read the entire article:
Today, more than 23 vaccines are contaminated by the use of aborted fetal cells. There is no law that requires that consumers be informed that some vaccines are made using aborted fetal cells and contain residual aborted fetal DNA. While newer vaccines produced using aborted fetal cells do inform consumers, in their package inserts, that the vaccines contain contaminating DNA from the cell used to produce the vaccine, they do not identify the cells as being derived from electively aborted human fetuses.
Posted by Dawn at 4:12 AM 1 comment: Links to this post
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Small Successes
God is so good!! He has placed some wonderful people in my life. He just placed some of them very far away from me :). But that's okay. Their words of encouragement and acts of prayer and sacrifice are..I have no words to describe my thanks.
So onto my successes..(they are not really mine)..all glory to God on this one.
1)I've found a neighborhood walking partner. Thanks be to God! She's really sweet..she brings her little 9 month old with us and he's just such a happy baby. Much better than my t-bone. You'd think he was ancient. I actually had to pull him up the hill this morning. Ugh.
2)I got a call from another new friend who shares my love for the Catholic faith and that is a blessing beyond blessings! Thanks be to God.
3)And best of all! BEST OF ALL!....I got to watch Glenn Beck on Fox with my hubby tonight..and we watched it LIVE!..meaning it wasn't dvr'd like we do everything else. This is best of all because he was actually home at 5 pm AND he didn't fall asleep! He actually paused it to rewind some parts I missed because I was cooking.
4)I made pan seared salmon with romaine salad and broccoli smothered in real butter. (I need someone to make me a margarine stick in a circle with a line through it..I am graphically challenged)
It was so dern delicious. A beautiful ending to what I thought this morning might not be a good day.
Thanks be to God..now and forever!
Posted by Dawn at 4:51 PM 2 comments: Links to this post
Labels: Catholicism, family, friends
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Good Friends, Good Fun
Last night I had a Close To My Heart Party (CTMH). I invited ladies from Church and the neighborhood. It went very well..we had a great time making a scrapbook page layout and getting to know one another. I was very glad to be entertaining in the house. I really miss Sarah. She is all things crafty. And very good at it, as any of you who have received one of her pay it forwards could attest. I think we would have had a great time last night.
We just received our pool and spa and hopefully that will be up and running by this weekend. We are building a deck around it, that may take a little longer than this weekend, but at least getting the pool in and hooking electrical and all that up to both should be done this weekend. Pray for dry ground. Of course, it's decided to rain for the last three days. If the ground does not dry out we can't put the pool in because the bobcat will not be able to get around to grade the area.
My camera card is acting wonky so I took some photo's on the cell of the pool and the layout we did. Hope you enjoy.
Still in The Box.
For more CTMH ideas check out Lola's Shop on my sidebar or visit her new blog.
Posted by Dawn at 4:24 AM 3 comments: Links to this post
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Here's where I am on the coins for the coin quilt. 3/5 done. The strips don't seem to be very close to the same length as eachother, which is worrying. I'm hoping that ironing has the same affect as blocking and I can fix it with the iron. Just because I can't quit while I'm ahead, I ordered two charm packs today. Both I think are 30's era reproductions or similarly super-retro. (I typed that as "can't quilt while I'm ahead" tee hee)
Here's the start of another hat for charity. It's in Caron SimplySoft and it'll have bright yellow stripes in it. Sort of a Michigan hat. This one's for the Soaring Eagles project. Something in the "why" the organizer decided to run the drive really hit me and I cast on for it right away, before even starting Sleeve 2 of the monkey's sweater. Here's how the sweater is going. You can't really tell much from that picture other than the volume.
I seamed up this sweater today. I decided to get serious about finishing the baby present. And Alison of the Blue Blog just finished a similar garter stitch sweater and made it look easy (like she does most things.) I finished the sweater in June or July and let it simmer until now.
Let's see - what's left. Socks and Halloween?
Here's the sock progress. Haven't been doing much with either sock, but here they are in their current states: (Flickr has more info)
(the colors on this are wacko. Both the thermal blanket and the sock are grey, not air pollution green.)
And here is the Halloween situation. LaLa is going as a tree. Probably on or after Tuesday, we'll get "as worn" shots. The flickr photos have notes on them. But, the leaves are from silk fall leaf garlands from Joann's, and I hotglued them to a store-bought witch hat and a store bought long sleeve t-shirt (Old Navy). And we got some stretchy brown pants to wear too.


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View from our room at the Belsfield, Bowness
WE STROLL around Grasmere village for a couple of hours then hurry back along the riverside path as we've underestimated how long we might need to see all that we'd like to see.
I can't believe that in all the years that I've been coming to the Lake District, this is the first time that I've visited the village or the famous Heaton Cooper Gallery. Of the founders of this fell-painting dynasty, I think that I prefer the work of the son William (1903-1995) to that of his father Alfred. William's watercolours can be a little reminiscent of railway travel posters of the 1930s in the way he simplifies the landscape into interlocking arming shapes in harmonious colours while his father introduces more texture but the suggestion of powerful natural forces in the arching shapes, like billowing sails, of William's work make the fells and the clouds interacting with them look suitably monumental.
We make the pilgrimage at last to the graves of the Wordsworths; William, Dorothy and Mary, at St Oswald's church.
As we stop for coffee the most conspicuous subject for me to draw is the passing throng of visitors to the village. In these situations a universal law applies; whoever I choose to draw someone will always come and stand in front of them or park a car in front.
Loughrigg Tarn
We take the narrow road along the hillside to the west of Grasmere Lake because I'd like to see – also for the first time – Loughrigg Tarn (left). The name is so familiar yet in all the years that we've been coming here we've never visited it.
With Loughrigg ticked off, we soon pass through Skelwith Bridge, a familiar junction on our Lakeland tours, but instead of heading for Coniston or Tarn Hows as we'd normally do, we turn up towards Langdale, passing Elterwater, another lake that I'm not familiar with.
Langdale isn't on an Alpine scale but it reminded me of the similarly shaped Lauterbrunnen Valley that we walked along in Switzerland last year – a U-shaped valley with a flat bottom contrasting with soaring cliffs on either ride. It didn't boast the vertically plunging cascades of its Alpine counterpart but Stickle Ghyll and Dungeon Ghyll have their own rugged appeal.
We normally return again and again to favourite walks in the Lakes, usually amongst the ancient Skiddaw Slates to the north of the National Park or the Silurian Slates around Windermere to the south. We've tended to miss out on the craggier fells of the Borrowdale Volcanics between.
One thing that prompted this Langdale tour was a little booklet that we picked up in Grasmere this morning, I-Spy The Lake District.
It's aimed at children who're keen on spotting and ticking off the sights of the National Park but it's also useful as an itinerary for like ourselves who have our favourite corners but feel that we'd like to see more of what is out there.
Returning by the Little Langdale road to Skelwith Bridge, we get another tick for our I-Spy book; Blea Tarn. Another ten points!


text: Max-Insight is a suite of tools that is offered by MaxVal for patent professionals. The tools are designed to help with routine tasks that can consume a lot of a patent professional's time. Patent Term Estimator – The Most Popular Tool This free tool automatically estimates a patent's expiration date, which is the first step in analyzing a patent. When a highly accurate patent expiration date is required, for example in preparation for litigation or for a licensing negotiation, MaxVal provides a comprehensive Patent Term Calculation report, including a manual review of the source data by a paralegal. This reportContinue reading


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2011-09-14 / Events & Calendar
Fair and Auction at Massapequa Reformed Church on October 1st
The Massapequa Reformed Church will host its annual fair and auction, Sat., Oct. 1, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Fair features fall produce, handmade crafts, Christmas items, toys, books, jewelry, baked goods and a flea market. The fair will also include a "cookie walk," featuring a wide assortment of homemade cookies.
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The Elixir of My Mind
My Life Story
I'm Trying Here
Suggestion Box
Sunday, March 22, 2015
Springtime Poetry
I have written poetry since I was but a prepubescent lad discovering his enthrallment with words and rhyming. The Beastie Boys and Eminem were my early poets. Certainly a different influence than Dickinson or Poe, but they brought me a love of lyrics and poetic expression. My poems from an early age were mediocre at best, and were never complicated or deep. They just rhymed. But bad verse is better than no verse, because it got me thinking, got my creative blood to burn and increased my desire to write. I still write the occasional poem, and it still is not my calling in life. So I usually do not share them with people. But the other day feeling flushed with feelings, I went to a park with paper and a pen. I looked around and decided to write one as quickly as possible without the obstacles of thinking or fear of using the wrong word. I picked up my utensil and, but my thoughts were halted like clouds on a windless day. But I put the ink to the page anyway.
Bread crumbs on my legs from a sandwich too big.
The sun burns my neck.
Silent laughter in the distance.
A heart aches and cries.
Who's heart will win?
Who's will die?
Posted by
Taylor Church
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Monday, March 9, 2015
Is There a Correlation Between Complaining, Whining, and Being Boring?: A Character Study of Ourselves
There are a couple things about people that really irk me. The foremost irksome and completely avoidable character traits are those of a chronic complainer, and an eternally boring person. There is nothing more detestable to me than someone who seems to always be bothered by something or someone. And I am equally annoyed by people who just can't seem to bring something exciting or nifty to the table, the boring people. The qualities of whiners, enviers, complainers, and boring behavior has always been abhorrent to me, but only recently did I notice that perhaps there was a correlation between the two. Perhaps people were becoming more boring because they were incessantly complaining about life, and maybe people were gossiping, crying, and accusing, because they were bored.
Let's first examine some obvious characteristics of the stereotypical non-boring person. This person is likely to be described as or contain at least one, if not many of the following qualities: Said person will often be prone to spontaneity. A non-boring person will frequently be viewed as mysterious and interesting. A non-boring individual will also appear to have some sort of indescribable energy, some sort of metaphysical ability to view things differently, a sort of je ne sais quoi. The so-called non-boring persons tend to be excitable, they are usually opportunists, optimists, and downright yes-men (or yes-women).
While there are surely people here and there that are not boring at all who are also guilty of backbiting, endless complaining, and superfluous whining, I am suggesting that those who are innovators, those who are devilishly interesting people do not have time, nor do they waste precious energy in complaining about things. These people understand that complaining is not an efficacious practice.
So take a minute and think about qualities of a truly non-boring person you know. Are they awesome? Are they kind, and unique? Probably. Well what is awesome about complaining? What is unique about grumbling and murmuring? If you are doing these things, you are being boring. No one put it into better
summation than the Roman philosopher Seneca. He mused some 2 millennia ago that,
"Envy of other people shows how they are unhappy. Their continual attention to others behavior shows how they are boring."
So, what are we doing wrong? Don't we desire a less boring existence? Well the answer does not lie in making whimsical trips to tropical islands. The antidote for a boring disposition is not in swanky cars, and fancy friendships, it is in eliminating complaining, whining, jealousy, and bellyaching from our lives. How can we be boring if we are uplifting those around us? How can we be labeled uninteresting or dull if we are imbued with optimism and generosity?
Posted by
Taylor Church
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text: Humans prioritize different semantic qualities of a complex stimulus depending on their behavioral goals. These semantic features are encoded in distributed neural populations, yet it is unclear how attention might operate across these distributed representations. To address this, we presented participants with naturalistic video clips of animals in their natural environments while they attended to either behavior or taxonomy. We used models of representational geometry to investigate how attentional allocation affects the distributed neural representation of animal behavior and taxonomy. Attending to animal behavior transiently increased the discriminability of distributed population codes for observed actions in anterior intraparietal, pericentral, and ventral temporal cortices, while collapsing task-irrelevant taxonomic information. Attending to animal taxonomy while viewing the same stimuli increased the discriminability of distributed animal category representations in ventral temporal cortex and collapsed behavioral information. For both tasks, attention selectively enhanced the categoricity of response patterns along behaviorally relevant dimensions. These findings suggest that behavioral goals alter how the brain extracts semantic features from the visual world. Attention effectively disentangles population responses for downstream read-out by sculpting representational geometry in late-stage perceptual areas.


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Cable length Lightning to VGA Adapter
I would like to know the length of the Lightning to VGA Adapter cable
I'm looking for a fairly long one. And also can it be extended with the help of another cables?
2 Answers from the Community
Best Answer:
This is an adapter not a cable. It adapts your Lighting device to be used with projectors and displays that use a VGA signal. You use a standard VGA cable that came with the projector or display. Or you can by a standard VGA cable of various lengths and a computer store. The standard cable will have a male connector at each end. This adapter therefore has a female VGA connector that the standard VGA cable with the male connector plugs into. If you look you will also find that the standard VGA connector on your TV, projector or display has a .... wait for it .... female connector. To recap. A standard VGA cable will have male connectors at each end. Devices that work with a other VGA standard devices have female connectors. Pretty cool.
- Answered by Les W from Boca Raton
- Flag as inappropriate Answer 1
It is only 3" long and I have yet to find a "supported" extension cable.
- Answered by Sean M from Milwaukee
- Flag as inappropriate Answer 2
Related Questions
Will this send a signal over a 100' vga cable without additional signal boosting?
- Asked by Anonymous A from Xxxxxxxx
- 25-Feb-2010
- Flag as inappropriate (Will this send a signal over a 100' vga cable without additional signal boosting?)
- Asked about: Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter
how long is the cable for the VGA Adapter
- Asked by Anonymous A from Xxxxxxxxx
- 02-Nov-2009
- Flag as inappropriate (how long is the cable for the VGA Adapter)
- Asked about: Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter


text:
In last year's Global Coworking Survey, 96% of respondents cited community as the most important thing looked for in a coworking space. When asked what they liked most about their coworking space, 81% said it was the people as opposed to location or price.
Over at Tribe, community is important to the way we work Our coworking space is specifically designed to encourage creativity – the random collision of people and ideas that spur innovation, exchange and connectivity. Tribe Porty suits the evolving working styles of freelancers, start-ups and people who require a flexible work space.
We offer a range of opportunities for coworking including office spaces, permanent desks, hot desks and meeting spaces on offer. It is a great place for flexible working with a variety of different professionals who seek a creative approach to work.
Check out our Community Coworking Guide for more information on rates and packages. To enquire further please email firstname.lastname@example.com.
Tribe Porty offers 6 office and studio spaces in a range of shapes and sizes. Those with office & studio space have access to Tribe 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, a feature on our website with a special Tribe portrait shot, and a business address.
These are currently all occupied.
There are 6 permanent desks in the Hub at Tribe. These are available for £170 per calendar month with a 6-month minimum contract. You will be able to have your own desk, make it your own and enjoy the coworking atmosphere. Those with permanent desk space have access to Tribe 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You also get a feature on our website with a special Tribe portrait feature.
Tribe also offers hot desk spaces for those who only need a working area for limited amount of days per month.
There are 12 hot desk spaces available with 4 different packages.
|32 hours pcm (approx 1 day pw)
|£65 pcm
|65 hours pcm (approx 2 days pw)
|£95 pcm
|100 hours pcm (approx 3 days pw)
|£135 pcm
|£150 pcm
Those using the hot desks have access to Tribe during office hours from 8:30pm to 6:30pm on Monday-Friday.
To enquire further please email firstname.lastname@example.com.


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About The Contest
The first ever Olympiad of Misguided Geeks contest at Worse Than Failure (or OMGWTF for short) is a new kind of programming contest. Readers are invited to be creative with devising a calculator with the craziest code they can write. One lucky and potentially insane winner will get either a brand new MacBook Pro or comparable Sony VAIO laptop.
Recent Forum Posts
Entry #100115: Recursive Calculator
by Grant Johnson
As its name suggests, the Recursive Calculator implements the four basic arithmetic operations using recursive functions. In order to accommodate the recursive calls, the program reserves 1 gigabyte of memory.
Most of the recursion mechanisms are very simple. Addition is performed as multiple additions of one.
3 + 4 = (1+1+1) + (1+1+1+1) = 7
Subtraction is based on the fact that a subtraction operation a - b is equivalent to c - d, in which c or d (or possibly both) is zero. If c is zero, then the answer is -d. If d is zero, then the answer is c. If both c and d are zero, then the answer is also zero. This is implemented as a function that first checks if any or both of the operands are zero. If neither one is, then the program reduces both operands by one and makes the recursive call.
Multiplication is performed by adding the second operand to itself a number of times equal to the first operand.
3 * 2 = 2 + 2 + 2 = 6
Division has the more interesting implementation. The first issue, common to any implementation, is dividing by zero. This implementation simply checks if the second operand is zero.
The second point of interest is related to the Recursive Calculator's implementation of division. It is based on the simple method of repeatedly subtracting the second operand from the first and counting the number of subtractions made to find the answer.
6 / 2 -> 6 - 2 -> 4 - 2 -> 2 - 2 -> 0 (Three subtractions) -> 6 / 2 = 3
It is apparent that the end of the recursive calls comes when the difference between the two operands is zero. However, this is not a complete solution, as it does not account for cases where there is a remainder.
5 / 2 -> 5 -2 -> 3 - 2 -> 1 - 2 -> -1 - 2...
There is never a subtraction that results in zero and the function recurses infinitely. Fortunately there is an obvious solution. Note that for any division operation that has a remainder, repeated subtraction eventually results in a negative number. The function checks for this and does not recurse when it is encountered.
This only leaves the question of how to calculate the fractional part of the operation. This is done using C's built-in division function.
Also included with the file required to compile the Recursive Calculator is a directory labeled "History". It contains implementations that were rejected. They are included here to give interested users a look into the development of the Recursive Calculator. Also included is an implementation that does not require 1GB of memory.
The file "CalcFuncBase.cpp" contains the first implementation in the design process. Files labeled "CalcFuncR#.cpp" are iterations towards the finished product. "CalcFuncW.cpp" and "CalcFuncW.h" are files for an implementation that limits the number of recursive calls made and therefore does not require a gigabyte of memory to run. It was rejected as a design decision: the developer preferred to have "complete" recursion.
This program is not maintained by the developer or any other entity. Any difficulty in compiling, running, or editing this program should be resolved by the user.
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