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Craig Collins's blog
Beware the Ides of Grey Market
Most savvy Nikon shooters know there's an official Nikon USA import sales channel, and an enticing lower-priced "grey market." The catch: Nikon USA will simply refuse service on any products not imported by them. It's then up to the buyer to find service, and that can be very difficult, as Nikon doesn't provide most repair shops with parts. Retailers might offer their own warranty, but how to obtain service?
Here's some important tips, and a recent experience that shows how tricky this can be.
If you're in search of only the lowest price and willing to take your chance with ever needing repair, ignore the rest of this post. But know that increasingly complex cameras and lenses are more vulnerable, with sophisticated electronics, motors and plastic components.
First: how to tell which is "grey market" and legitimate US import when you buy: There's price of course. If the price is noticeably lower than most others, it's probably "grey market." And most retailers will disclose "USA Warranty" vs. "Import" in their online listings. Read the fine print carefully.
Second: Once you've got your product: Verify! Any USA import will have a 2-part Nikon USA Warranty form in the box. There's often (but not always!) a serial number beginning with the letters USxxxxx. With "grey market," sometimes the "manual" is an obviously photocopied version.
Don't forget to register with Nikon, or you'll only have the 1-year standard warranty!
Here's where it gets tricky: Want to verify a serial number from either an official or other seller (like eBay): good luck! According to Nikon, the only way to tell is to take the product in for repair. At that point, it's too late of course.
Now a tale of just how difficult this can be. I just purchased a Nikon 14-24 f/2.8 lens from a major national New York retailer, to take advantage of Nikon USA's current instant rebate promotions. (If you haven't yourself, get shopping! The rebates last through March 2015) The seller's site listed both "USA" and "import" options. When the lens arrived, the invoice clearly stated "USA" but there was no USA warranty card in the box.
I called the retailer, and was cheerily informed that, according to their serial number database, indeed I had a USA import. "Not to worry about that warranty card," the rep stated, "because Nikon often relies on the sales invoice as proof of purchase."
That's when I called Nikon, and was told they can't verify the serial number. I emailed a contact I have at Nikon, and got a quick reply requesting a scan of the invoice. A day later, I got a very apologetic call from the retailer, acknowledging a "mixup in our warehouse" and an overnight shipment of a genuine USA import.
The moral: be very careful about your import purchases. Even a normally reputable retailer may end up leaving you stranded when you need warranty coverage. And hopefully Nikon USA will make it easier for customers to verify their purchases.
Nikon D810 and a Taste of Moiré
Much has been said and speculated about sensor moiré in high-resolution cameras like the Nikon D800E and D810. It's an unavoidable artifact of the digital capture world, due to the interaction between finely-detailed repeating patterns in subject matter and the raster rows of modern camera sensors. It's typically an issue in architectural and fashion photography, where fabric and fine details trigger the effect.
In the endless quest for maximum resolution, Nikon has removed the anti-aliasing filter in these cameras, which helped control moiré at some loss of sharpness. Sensor moiré can't be accurately seen in preview, as the display will create its own moiré that may not actually be in the image file. And this type of moiré is different from that occurring with 4Color process images, in either scanning or prepress. So: how big a problem is it?
Here's an example of just how extreme moiré can be, in the 36 Megapixel Nikon D810. These screen grabs are a section of an image of the outdoor display panels at the beautiful new American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial, in Washington, D.C. The site features strong horizontal black bands of varying width embedded in glass, to create tonality in the very large panels. Look what resulted once I opened up my photos on the computer:
Here's a closer view from the original file. You can see the bands of color. How bad are they?
You see the the beginning of efforts to isolate and remove the effect in Photoshop, by building paths and tight selections. Moiré is even present in the very sharp type layer. What a nightmare!
Can such an extreme case be fixed, or even prevented? Some suggest twisting the camera at a slight angle to minimize such moiré, but that's not always practical in tight compositions and the pressure of photo assignments--especially when the effect is not visible in camera.
To repair, there's many helpful tips available online, but in the end, it's a lot of work, and a compromise between maintaining detail and residual moiré. On this set of images, many such techniques were necessary; too extensive for this blog post. I'll post some useful resources in a followup.
Here's a small piece of the near-final result. Bands of color are completely eliminated, and residual moiré (slight diagonal banding in the fabric) is not objectionable across the entire image. Note the sharp text with no moiré or signs of blurring.
In the days of film, there would have been no such problem, at the price of considerably less image sharpness, ease of color enhancement, and with greater detail-robbing grain. But in this case, film would have saved a huge amount of post-production time and effort.
Indeed, all that terrific sharpness and resolution we are now capable of capturing can be both a blessing and a curse....


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I love the colors in this movie poster, my first design project here at TPV used this same color palette.
I've yet to see this movie but I did a google search and read it was set in Ireland.
That sparked my first idea of a St. Patrick's Day project then a few other ideas came along but I just kept coming back to that fabulous green dress which needed a cute pair of shoes to match.
So here's my card inspired by my favorite type of shoe and that fabulous green dress. Oh, how I so want a pair of these wedges!
I thought the sentiment inside the card was fitting since the movie is about her asking a man to marry her so,..... "You Go Girl"!
Card base and layer-Art Philosophy Cartridge.
Shoe- Paisley Cartridge
Paper - K & Co, Handmade Pack
Stamped sentiments from K. Andrew Designs- Fashionable Friends set.
This movie poster really grabbed me! The green color and the good looking guy were my inspiration. I took that inspiration and stuck to a mainly green color pallet and used a picture of my husband.

subset: commoncrawl


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Here are three new agents looking for writers. Megan Close Zavala (Keller Media) is looking for self-help, dating/relationships, pop culture, pop psychology, management, career, entrepreneurship, health, and science. Sandy Harding (Spencerhill Associates) is seeking thrillers, women's fiction, romance, and literary fiction for the adult market. Caitlin McDonald (Donald Maass Literary Agency) is looking for science fiction and fantasy for all age levels.
ALWAYS check the agency website before submitting. Agents may switch agencies or close their lists, and submission requirements may change.
If these agents do not suit your needs, you can find a comprehensive list of new and established agents seeking clients here: Agents Seeking Clients.
About Megan: Megan is an associate agent at Keller Media. Her passion lies not only in getting great books published, but in working closely with the authors who write them. Nothing is more exciting than a great new idea or story! Prior to her agenting career, Megan read, reviewed, edited, rejected and selected thousands of book and script projects for agencies, film studios and publishing companies.
She is seeking: Creative books in self-help, dating/relationships, pop culture, pop psychology, management, career, entrepreneurship, health, and science genres.
How to submit: E-query only at mclose [@] kellermedia.com. Please include a complete book proposal. Full submission guidelines here.
Sandy Harding of Spencerhill Associates
About Sandy: Prior to joining Spencerhill in September 2015, Sandy Harding spent fifteen years at Penguin Random House and Penguin Group USA, most recently as a senior editor at NAL. In earlier days she earned an MA in American Literature at NYU and taught expository writing. As an editor she was fortunate to work with New York Times bestselling authors, but she also loved discovering new writers in unexpected places and nurturing both their manuscripts and their careers. She's excited to bring this passion to agenting as she works to build her client list.
What she is seeking: Sandy is seeking mainly upmarket commercial and literary fiction for the adult market. She enjoys women's fiction for book clubs, smart page-turning thrillers, works of suspense with complex protagonists, mysteries of all sorts (cozies, historical, traditional), and romance. Most of all she's seeking writing with a voice so penetrating and a story so captivating the reader simply must keep reading.
How to submit: "Please send us a query letter in the body of an email, pitch us your project and tell us about yourself: Do you have prior publishing credits? Attach the first three chapters and synopsis preferably in .doc, rtf or txt format to your email. Send all queries to: submission [at] spencerhillassociates.com. Put 'Query for Sandy: [TITLE]" in your subject line. We do not have a preference for exclusive submissions, but do appreciate knowing if the submission is simultaneous. If we are interested in your work, we will contact you within 12 weeks."
About Caitlin: Caitlin McDonald joined DMLA in 2015, and was previously at Sterling Lord Literistic. She represents adult and young adult speculative fiction, primarily science-fiction, fantasy, horror, and related subgenres, as well as contemporary fiction about geeky characters. She also handles a small amount of nonfiction in geeky areas, with a focus on feminist theory/women's issues and pop culture. Caitlin grew up overseas and has a BA in Creative Writing from Columbia University. Find her on Twitter here.
What she is seeking: All science fiction and fantasy fiction (and subgenres) for adult, YA, and MG — especially secondary world fantasy and alternate history; Genre-bending or cross-genre fiction, and stories that examine tropes from a new angle; Diversity of all kinds, including (but not limited to) race, gender, sexuality, and ability, in both characters and world-building.
How to submit: please email email@example.com with the query letter, synopsis, and the first ten pages of your novel pasted into the body of the email.


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Today's the day we help you get rid of all the pests trying to get into your home. It's the bug show. So what pests are crawling around your home? Do you have a spider or ant problem? Have roaches or termites invaded your home? How do you keep flies and mosquitos away? And do bug sprays and traps actually work?
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Fix It 101: The Roof is NOT on Fire!
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Fix It 101: Garage Band?


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In honour of my new bracelet Purple Panda bear fabric button bracelet i am typing my blog in purple.
I've just made this bracelet wasn't sure about it, but went ahead, quite pleased with how it turned out. Novel, original quite fun and will get noticed when worn. The little pandas faces are so cute.
Ta ra for now Jenny x
About Me
- Little Red Robin
- Bristol, AVON, United Kingdom
- I am a jewellery and craft designer in Bristol. I specialise in handmade hammered sterling silver and copper jewellery, rustic earthy metal stamped jewellery. Name toe rings and textured rings
Tuesday, 12 July 2011
Fabric button panda bear bracelet
3 comments:
How unusual!!ReplyDelete
- Anonymous2 September 2011 at 08:04
Hello! Is this bracelet for sale?ReplyDelete
Yes, Elly its £12.00 on my folksy shop this is the link http://www.folksy.com/shops/LittleRedRobin?shop_section=felt_and_button_jewellery to purchase via paypal or credit/debit card or through my facebook page.ReplyDelete
FREE P&P for UK orders. Let me know if you want to purchase via facebook on my page there
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Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks New Overtime Rule From Taking Effect On December 1
By: Scott J. Connolly and Sandra E. Kahn
On November 22, a federal judge in Texas issued a preliminary order that temporarily blocks the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) from implementing changes to the salary basis for white collar overtime exemptions. The new salary rule, which was to become effective on December 1, 2016 would have required employers to increase exempt employees' minimum salary from $23,660 to $47,476. The preliminary court order blocking the rule appears to apply to all public and private employers nationwide.
Find out how the judge's order will affect the new salary rule, which was to become effective on December 1. Read this month's Employment Law Alert.
When Will the Proposed Changes to the Overtime Regulations Be Published?
In March 2014, one year ago, President Obama signed a Presidential Memorandum directing the U.S. Secretary of Labor to make changes to the federal overtime regulations concerning the "white collar" exemptions to the overtime requirements. The President directed the Secretary to "restore the common sense principles" to the overtime exemptions.
In May 2014, the U.S. Department of Labor announced a target date of November 2014 for publishing the proposed changes. The Department subsequently engaged in meetings with businesses and employees in which it solicited input and ideas, including on raising the minimum required salary level from its current level of $23,660 and adjusting the primary duties test. The Department did not meet its November 2014 target date and, instead, set a new target date of February 2015. The February date has come and gone without publication of the proposed regulations.
Last week, on March 18, the U.S. Secretary of Labor stated that the Department was "working overtime" on the proposed changes and that he "hoped" they would be published this Spring. Once published, the proposed changes will be subject to public comment and, most likely, substantial modification. Consequently, the final revised regulations will most likely not go into effect until sometime in 2016.
We will keep clients updated on the proposed changes. In the meantime, please feel free to contact the Employment Law team with any questions.


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Sleep Inns Canton hotels are listed below. Search for cheap and discount Sleep Inns hotel rooms in Canton, MI for your group or personal travels. We list the best Sleep Inns Canton hotels so you can review the Canton Sleep Inns hotel list below to find the perfect place.
Our search will also list discounted Canton, MI lodging properties that have similar star quality of Sleep Inns.Need 5+ Rooms? Lock in a group rate for Canton MI
How should we direct your call?


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Rich and Jared return in Episode 3, wherein they plumb the depths of the human psyche with a focus on some of the mental pitfalls of gaming, also known as Cognitive Bias. Additionally, the guys take a little time to play and review Jared's latest favorite game: Android: Netrunner. As usual the guys wrap-up with some talk of video gaming, including a soapbox on commercialization trends in recent games, as well as a look at Batman: Arkham Origins, and a few tips and tricks for War Thunder.
Android: Netrunner link: http://boardgamegeek.com/
boardgame/124742/android- netrunner
Batman Arkham Origins: http://www.
War Thunder: http://warthunder.com/
Download Here!


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Hello Crafters! Today I have something a little different but I think it's super fun. I was never good at waiting for surprises so let's just get to it :)
It's a spinner puzzle card! Fun right?!
I used a few circle dies and a brad to create a fun interactive card. I know this would be great for kids but really I think it's great for everyone. Who wouldn't want to play?
The cute bear and balloons from the new Friends for All Seasons: Fall set were perfect to be the focal point. He's super adorable!
So the idea is to mail it like this. Then the recipient can piece together the "puzzle" to view the adorable image and read their message.
You can see how to make one of your own in the video below.
Watch above or watch in HD at YouTube
I just couldn't stop playing with it!
I did forget to mention that I changed the brad out after I finished the video. The large black one felt like it was too much for the design. Nothing a little rummaging around in my gigantic container of brads (thank you 2004 scrapbooking supplies I hoarded) couldn't fix.
I really would love to see if you give it a try! Thanks for visiting.
Featured Supplies
For your convenience, here is a list of the supplies (or equivalents) used on today's project(s), along with links to purchase. Please note: this list does contain some affiliate links.


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It is super easy to join! Just use the Rafflecopter options below. Have fun, and good luck!
*Please make sure to perform all mandatory steps in order to qualify as a winner!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
twitted this today, 22/7ReplyDelete
Hi dawn78704! Please make sure to complete the rafflecopter, because I will be selecting the winners from there. Please also make sure you perform all three mandatory steps in order to qualify as a winner. Thanks!ReplyDelete
very pretty
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twitted this today, 23/7ReplyDelete
thanks for a great giveawayReplyDelete
Liked and shared! ^^
Su FACEBOOK sono PATRIZIA GIVEAWAY SCHIAVONE
Awesome giveaway! Enter me please! :)
e-mail: floryfrancy(at)inwind(dot)it
Finger crossed! ;)
GFC/FB:Chicca Tamburrino
Great giveaway! *_*
Enter me please! :)
Email: redicoppe(at)inwind(dot)it
I hope to win! ;)
enter me please ^^
GFC Francesca Scirpoli
twitted this today, 11/8ReplyDelete
twitted this today, 12/8ReplyDelete
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twitted this today, 14/8ReplyDelete
awesome giveaway thank you^^
i followed on twitter and FB^^
twitted this today, 15/8ReplyDelete
Thanks everyone for joining! A few more days left and we will see who is the lucky winner!!! <3 yaaay!!!
twitted this today, 17/8ReplyDelete
Thanks for taking time to read my blog and that you are considering to comment. I make sure to read and reply to each and every comment you leave! ^.^y


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I guess all this pics loaded backwards:( But anyway this was our cooking project for the day. Puppy Chow for dad. Recipe Xs 4. Lot of puppy chow and a cup for each of the kids.
The boys set the chairs up like a movie theatre and us girls were the audience for a show they planned and acted out.


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Temperature Rising...
You've really gotta hand it to Cuba - they, like Hezbolla before them, really know quality when they see it.
Breaking The Addiction One Truth At A Time
You've really gotta hand it to Cuba - they, like Hezbolla before them, really know quality when they see it.
I was absolutely appalled when I heard about John F. Kerry's grab, glow, throw, and go performance at Wendy's last week. For those of you who didn't get the news, here's the gist of the story from NewsMax:
When John Kerry, John Edwards and their wives descended on a Newburgh, N.Y., Wendy's restaurant on Friday for a "light" lunch with the common people, it was all just a photo op.It goes on:
Team Kerry-Edwards had already ordered their real lunches - consisting of five-star gourmet food from a tony local restaurant - with instructions to have the haute cuisine ready for pickup after the top Democrats ditched Wendy's.
After tossing out their cheeseburgers and chili, Kerry and Edwards feasted on shrimp vindallo, grilled diver sea scallops, prosciutto, wrapped stuffed chicken and steak salad.Now, contrast Kerry's snobbery with President Bush's Thanksgiving feast last November. He slid out of Washington without a single photo-op, put his life at risk by entering an extremely hostile war zone, personally served our troops their dinner, and was back in the U.S. before the New York Times could tip off Al Qaeda.
The meals came to about $200, MidHudson News said.
Curtis seems to have abandoned his weekly quiz, so in the meantime I'll be taking over for him. This one, the mage quiz, also comes from Muted Faith. I used to play Role Playing Games back in the day, so this holds some nostalgic appeal for me:
Here's one that I've been waiting to address for a long time:
Back when Fahrenheit Fact still had a comments section, one of our more colorful visitors claimed that the Coalition was just as bad as Saddam because we've murdered over 10,000 Iraqi civilians. His source? Iraq Body Count, a website dedicated to (in its own words) "[establishing] an independent and comprehensive public database of media-reported civilian deaths in
Now of all the distorting websites maintained by anti-war activists, I've always found those like Iraq Body Count to be the most distasteful and ill-conceived. By using pretty graphics, bold-type fonts, and professional-looking charts, IBC (like Time before it) hopes to divert attention from its specious reasoning and conjure a case from Ethos and Pathos. Don't believe me? Lets deconstruct:
The first false premise advanced by IBC relates to the nature of our military intervention in
Examples of this twisted reasoning are peppered throughout IBC's database. Take incidents # k022 and k023 for example, where 188 civilians en route to Shiite shrines were killed by "suicide bombers carrying explosives." Now, I'm a bit confused - is IBC saying that our soldiers strapped C4 onto their Kevlar vests and detonated themselves in the midst of these sojourners, or are they blaming us for failing to precognitively evacuate every pilgrim prior to the bombing? Neither - by virtue of our presence in
Let's hypothetically suppose that Iraqi sovereignty never succeeds and violence in
Interestingly, we can generalize IBC's implicit reasoning to conclude that the United Nations is directly responsible for the bombing-related deaths of 11 recent attendees at an Israeli Bar Mitzvah. After all, by supporting the Jewish relocation to Israel back in the 40's, the UN helped created a climate of "instability." The suicide bomber who blew the Israelis to pieces wasn't directly responsible for his actions - the world community was, for antagonizing him to act the way he did.
Furthermore, I'm disinclined to trust IBC's definition of a "civilian". In this new era of faceless terrorism, our enemies do not wear clearly marked uniforms or carry bright, colorful banners into battle. They are often plainclothes citizens who snipe from rooftops, knife soldiers in alleyways, or detonate bombs while operating moving vehicles. When a so-called "civilian" is found dead from what IBC innocuously terms "gunfire," how do they determine that he wasn't a threat to our troops? Perhaps
But perhaps I'm being a bit too harsh. After all, some entries like x231 clearly show that Coalition forces killed 9 civilians by utilizing "'500lb laser-guided bombs' and Cobra attack helicopters". Surely the majority of Iraqi casualties were unambiguously identified in the following way. Right?
Even though there are several instances of "airstrike" and "bombings" on the website, the vast majority of the deaths on Iraq Body Count are almost impossible to trace (let alone identify as the Coalition's direct responsibility). I culled the following chart of the largest death toll entries on IBC in order to show how it "strains the gnat and swallows the camel." Observe:
20 Mar 2003 - 24 Apr 2003
LAT 18 May
20 Mar 2003 - 20 Apr 2003
Hospitals in Najaf,
AP 10 June
20 Mar 2003 - 06 Apr 2003
CSM 22 May
20 Mar 2003 - 09 Apr 2003
GUA 09 Apr
Violent deaths recorded at
60 per cent from gunshot wounds
KR 21 May
Violent deaths recorded at
Over 55% by gunfire
IT 10 Oct
Violent deaths recorded at
Deaths from gunfire, explosions, etc. - 'excludes trauma deaths from accidents'
AP 23 May
|Minimum Ambiguously Reported Casualties: 5412
Maximum Ambiguously Reported Casualties: 6037>
Conclusion: Of the casualties reported by iraqbodycount.net, almost one half (both minimum and maximum) of the reports are grouped en-masse and cannot be reliably traced back to coalition forces.
As much as I want to get my deconstructionist post up about Iraq Body Count, I might be stuck here at my radio station for awhile watching my history class videos on our T1 connection. Fortunately this is my final week of homework, so my critical paper on the James Ossuary notwithstanding I'll be able to push towards the big 5-0 on Fahrenheit Fact.
...but I'm making up for it right now. Dr. Kelton Rhoads, a psychological pundit, studious fact-checker, and intelligent member of the human race, has had his own take on Fahrenheit 9/11 up for a little while. In it, he deconstructs the propogandistic tools Moore uses and does a bit of independant research to battle back the Round Mound of Nothing Profound (as Knight of the Mind is wont to refer to him). Methinks Curtis and I have a new source to play with - expect some new Facts very soon.
If I'd known about Curtis' ill-timed (but much appreciated) endorsement, I wouldn't have focused on schoolwork this weekend. I sometimes wish opportunity would beat down the door instead of waiting for me to log onto my website (yeah yeah, Carpe diem and all that).
Welcome to all of you who are visiting from Fahrenheit Fact! Here is the full transcipt of my conversation with Lt. Glenn Chastain. Remember, requests for audio should be submitted to email@example.com. Due to the size of the interview .mp3 and my abysmally-slow 56k, segments will be provided only to those with valid (reasearch-oriented) requests. Once again, thanks for visiting, and remember to return to The Recovering Cynic and a-sdf for election coverage and commentary as we edge closer to the national November showdown.
Transcript of Telephone Interview
Time of Call: Approx. Mountain Time on July 26
Party 1: Grant Libby (a.k.a. "The Recovering Cynic")
Party 2: Lieutenant Glenn Chastain of the Oregon State Police (commission number: 750).
[Note: This conversation has been edited for clarity. Pauses, interpolated vocal sounds, and colloquialisms have been removed. To obtain an .mp3 copy of all or part of this conversation, please email email@example.com with your request.]
Grant: Grant Libby.
Lieutenant Chastain: Grant, this is Lieutenant Glenn Chastain from the state police of
returning your call. Oregon
Grant: Hey, how are you doing today Glenn?
Chastain: I'm doing ok. How are you?
Grant: Doing quite well. Thanks for returning [my call], by the way.
Chastain: Not a problem.
Grant: I had a couple of questions for you, regarding [trooper] deployment in
. Oregon
Chastain: Yes…
Grant: Currently, how many [troopers] do you have guarding the west coast against terrorist attack or any other kind of incursion?
Chastain: Well, in
…I can't speak for the entire west coast, because I have no idea what Oregon and Washington has… California
Grant: Uh huh…
Chastain: But Oregon, we have got currently…24 patrol troopers whose primary responsibility is highway and transportation safety, and we have 20 fish and wildlife troopers whose primary responsibility is fish and wildlife and natural resource preservation…
Grant: Hmm. Now, have you had the opportunity to see Michael Moore's new movie?
Chastain: I have not.
Grant: Ok. Well, in it he makes the assertion that there are only two troops who are guarding a probably 40 or 50 mile stretch of coastline in
… [I was at work at the time, and didn't have access to the movie transcript] Oregon
Chastain: Um, there are times when there's none. (laughs)
Grant: There are times when there's none? Ahh…
Chastain: We don't have 24 hour coverage, we've [had] budget cuts for the last 30 years, and we used to have 665 patrol troopers, today we've got 329.
Grant: Hmm…
Chastain: Like I said, the entire Oregon coast is 300 + miles [and] only has 24 people, and we split that between couple of shifts, throw in some training, some other mandatory things, time off for vacation or sick leave, [and that leaves] 24 people for that much highway. There could have only been two people on the coast at that time.
Grant: Hmm. Now that's interesting. Now, is it the responsibility of the federal government or the state of
to make sure that the funds are allocated correctly? Oregon
Chastain: Our budget is funded through the state…
Grant: The state…
Chastain: We do get some federal grant funds, but federal grant funds usually have some strings attached to them. Usually we can use that for equipment and training and not for funding of people. So our money comes directly from the state government, it is recommended by the governor, and then it is passed out of the legislature by the
legislature. We're funded predominately through general funds, so we're in direct competition with schools and with nursing homes and other human services and all the other services that the state provides through general fund dollars… Oregon
Grant: Why do you think the PD's [have] been taking quite a hit?
Chastain: The "PD's"?
Grant: The PD. Police department.
Chastain: I have no idea about [other] police departments. Our agency used to be funded through the Oregon highway fund, which is gasoline taxes predominately, and about 25 years ago we were removed out of that and we were placed in the general fund, so we became [direct competitors] for the same dollars for education and other human services, so, our funding has just, over the last 25 years, been stripped and stripped and stripped, and predominately our funding funds positions. We don't have a lot of pass-through dollars and those things that other agencies can cut. We have to cut people.
Grant: Hmm. Interesting. Now, how much control would you say that the Homeland Security Department has over the police department? I mean, do they have the ability to make any significant decisions about what you guys do or do they recommend things?
Chastain: They make recommendations. And we do have some people who are in place who work in our office of homeland security in
, which are in direct contact with the federal government's homeland security office. Oregon
Grant: Is security in the west coast a significant issue to address in the future?
Chastain: Here again, I can't speak for the entire west coast, I can talk about
's coast… Oregon
Grant: Oh, yes.
's coast. Excuse me. Oregon
Chastain: Well, we have some ports here in
, and obviously if there's going to be some kind of a problem that would be one area, there's multiple areas that could be problems, so I wouldn't call it any more problematic than anything else. Oregon
Grant: Um hum. Now what is the role of the
state coast guard in protecting the coast? Oregon
Chastain: You'd have to check with the coast guard, they're a federal agency and I do not know what their primary responsibility is.
Grant: Ok, excellent. Well, thank you very much for talking with me today.
Chastain: You're very welcome, Grant. Anytime.
Grant: I just wanted to let you know first of all that this conversation was recorded…
Chastain: I knew that. I got that information from the cadet that took the number from you.
Grant: Ok. I will be putting this up online, or excerpts of this up online, if that's alright with you.
Chastain: That's perfectly fine.
Grant: Alright. And I also wanted to let you know that I greatly appreciate this, and that if you'd like to visit our website, I'll probably be putting this up within the next few days. Basically, I'm, along with another friend of mine, the webmaster of a site called Fahrenheit Fact. We're trying to deconstruct Michael Moore's new movie and show people where there are factual misrepresentations and give them ammunition to fight the people on the left who are going to uphold it without thinking…
Chastain: And, like I said before, when Michael Moore, I don't know if it was his quote, (I can't believe he had some of our troopers in the movie also), I think what they were talking about was how many troopers were on the coast [at that time] or how many [are based out of] our
patrol office. [There are] only two patrol troopers out of that Florence patrol office. So, I'm not sure what context it was actually in, [whether Florence ] was talking about […] the entire Moore coast, or specifically about the Oregon office [… but] in fact, there were only two troopers assigned out of that office. [edited for clarity] Florence
Grant: Hmm. You know, I have to check on [how many miles of coast Moore alleged] – basically he was using that one sole example of inadequate policing along the coast to say that homeland security is a sham because we're not serious about guarding the coast of Oregon […] I thought it was a rather gross misrepresentation.
Chastain: Well yeah, because there are so many entities that provide security and in different roles. Like I said, our patrol division's primary responsibility would be for transportation safety, and safety along highway 101, which runs all the way up the
coast. So, their primary responsibility is transportation safety on that highway, and we also have our fish and wildlife troopers, which are also state troopers, and they're the ones who primarily do natural resource protection, but they are on the beaches, they are checking people who are angling, fishing, clamming, crabbing, so they're out there on boats […], they usually have four-wheel drive vehicles, so there are a lot of people who are out there doing other things, but there are also police officers… Oregon
Grant: Hmm…
Chastain: So, a little bit of misrepresentation, but that was the story he was trying to portray. Well, you can spin numbers out however you want. You know that. (laughs)
Grant: (also laughing) Yes, that's what politics is all about.
[At this point, the conversation moved off topic. I asked Lt. Chastain to try and look up some Coast Guard numbers for me, but after about a minute of searching I decided to draw the conversation to a close and finalize my thanks]
I logged on to Fahrenheit Fact today, and discovered (to my great approbation) that we've surpassed 200,000 hits on our counter! If you're reading this Curtis, you know a party is inevitable. You just need to name the time and the place.


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Hi all, back again with another quilled project from the September Custom Quilling Newsletter. September's kit had papers and quilling strips in shades of black, greys, white and cream along with some really pretty designer papers in shades of brown and faux stone designs. I choose one of these papers, the clock design, which fit perfectly to use as the background for the quilling embellishments for Ecclesiastes 3:1. Along with the quilled and punched flowers I wanted to add another distinct themed element to the project and a quilled clock was the natural choice.
I quilled a wide tight coil from several cream strips to get the clock face and added the black half pearls for the numbers. The hands of the clock are made from wheatear loops and a small shaped marquis for the point. The outer rim of the clock has tight coils and u shape loose coils facing each other. Then I wrapped several strips around them to finish the round part of the clock face. Some filigree accents on top and bottom give it an ironwork look.
The rest of the quilled embellishments are simple teardrop and marquis flowers with black pearl centers, fringe flowers and punched vellum flowers with white pearl centers. A few shaped leaves and spiral coils finish the frame around the computer printed verse that is cut out with a die cut.
In the picture above that is taken at an angle you can see dimension of the quilling and how the clock face is popped up with dimensionals. I just need to pick a frame and it will be ready to display and contemplate when "those" times come into my life! I still have several more quilling and cards projects finished and waiting to post so check back. Thank you for your comments and answer to my question on the last post. If you didn't get a chance to answer it, please do so any time, I always love feedback to improve my little blog!


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City of Lincoln / Lancaster County
Human Resources Department
Application Instructions
A separate application and job specific supplemental questionnaire is required for each position for which you are applying. Applications and supplemental questionnaires can be accessed by clicking on Job Vacancies. For internal jobs click on Promotional Opportunities and for seasonal jobs click on Other Opportunities. Clicking on the position title you may view the posted job description.
Applicants without computer access may come to the Human Resources Department, at 555 South 10th Street., Room 302. Office hours: M- F; 8:00am - 4:00pm. Computers and staff assistance provided.
NOTE: City/County jobs are updated every Saturday at 12:00am. All electronic submissions need to be received by 11:59pm on the closing date of the position.
Resumes are not part of the application process, however, may be presented at the time of a personal interview.
The City of Lincoln / Lancaster County Human Resources Department does not conduct personal interviews for position vacancies. All applications are evaluated according to individual skills, knowledge and abilities as they relate to the requirements of the position(s). Top applicants are referred to the department for further consideration. This process takes up to 14 working days after the position closes. You will either be contacted by phone, email, or in writing, regarding the position(s) for which you have applied.
8:00 a.m. 4:30 p.m.
County / City Bldg. Room 302
555 South 10th Street, Lincoln, NE 68508


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[Survey] Small Businesses Struggle with Facebook
Facebook is the #1 hardest platform to maintain for small businesses followed by LinkedIn and Twitter—that according to a recent nationwide survey of more than 1,200 small business owners conducted by Manta.com as part of their Q1 Small Business Wellness Index.
Using Social Media to Attract New Customers
Not surprisingly, 55% of small business owners indicated acquiring and engaging new customers and lead generation as their top two primary goals for using social media.
On the flip side, only 2% reported using social media to retain current customers. For me, that represents a real missed opportunity.
I know it can be awfully tempting to want to focus on attracting new customers, but that doesn't mean you can totally forget about your existing customers—especially when it comes to social media.
Instead of always trying to focus on making the sale, you should also look for opportunities to use your social media platforms as a way to create an ongoing dialogue with both groups.
Generating Social Media ROI
Lured by the potential of generating a compelling return on investment (ROI), social media adoption continues to grow amongst members of the small business community.
Over the past 12 months, nearly 50% of respondents reported increasing the amount of time they spent on social media.
More than one in three small business owners dedicate between one and three hours each week managing their social media channels, while 10% spend more than 10 hours.
Struggling with Social Media Maintenance
As more and more small business owners look to establish their social media presence, many are also finding it difficult to keep up. Nearly one in five (18%) reported struggling with maintaining their Facebook profile, compared to only 9% for Twitter.
Given the sheer number of people and businesses already on Facebook (with more and more being added every day) and EdgeRank, the algorithm Facebook uses to determine where and when your posts will appear on the news feeds of your followers, small business owners must have a solid social media strategy in place if they are going to get the most out the platform.
Looking for more insights? Check out the complete survey results and infographic from Manta's Q1 Small Business Wellness Index.
How much time do you spend each week on social media activities?
Share your thoughts in the comments below.
By: Shawn Graham
[Image: Flickr user birgerking]


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The crazy, zany, out-of-this world experiment we call childrearing.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
The Difference
2 comments:
I am reading your book right now and saw on Amazon the name of your blog. I only read this one entry but oh how I can relate. I am the mom of two boys although older 32 and 36, they are so much like what you described. Let me just say that I have one son who once bought his girlfriend a vacuum for her birthday and the other son would never think to do something like that. It's candy, flowers and jewelry vs. a man who breaks the cardinal rule of buying a woman anything that plugs into an electrical outlet unless specifically requested. Oh how I love my children. Loving the book and your blog!ReplyDelete
Thanks, Ann!! I'm so glad to know I'm not alone in the parenting differences of boys! Glad you're enjoying my book and blog and I look forward to hearing from you again!ReplyDelete


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Taming the blackboard jungle
Customer relationship management (CRM) systems are usually a sales tool. But teachers in NSW are using it for a very different purpose: to track and evaluate their professional training.
In a national first, the NSW Institute of Teachers is keeping track of teachers' accreditation and training with Microsoft's CRM system.
"We don't think that anyone has used a CRM system the way we have," says Tom Alegounarias, the institute's chief executive. "For us, it's a membership system enabling us to provide a range of services to teachers.
"In our system we have schools, not companies, and teachers not sales opportunities and contacts. We are maintaining relationships between educational entities rather than tracking sales returns. The flexibility of the system has allowed us to translate the sales language into accreditation language."
The database maintains membership and financial status records such as accreditation decisions, teacher qualifications, fee payments, contact details, employment and training histories.
The institute evaluated six different systems, and chose Microsoft CRM "as it is fairly easy to customise it in-house," says Alegounarias. As part of a $400,000 system, the institute paid about $1200 for each licence for about 20 staff. The major cost of the project was the development of a range of portals to provide teachers, schools and administrators with access to the data in the system.
The Electronic Teachers Accreditation Management System was designed and developed with Microsoft-partner Orion in the first half of 2006. Migration of teacher accreditation data was completed late 2006, and the system was introduced in December 2006.
Microsoft CRM is "more of a platform approach, rather than a big monolithic application", says Ross Dembecki, lead product manager of Microsoft Business Solutions in Australia.
"It's not a massive deployment of software that is expensive and difficult to tailor. Most of the application is in the server; you can access (it) from Microsoft Office on a desktop PC or laptop, or from a web browser, or a PDA or mobile phone via micro-browsers."
Before the system, the institute used paper application forms and spreadsheets to manage the process. The paper form is now replaced with a web form that a teacher can fill out online through a teacher's portal on the institute's website, or the institute's administration staff can fill out or amend details through a portal.
Many processes happen automatically. As soon as a teacher is accredited, the system can automatically send a welcome message and accreditation number.
"Part of the challenge was getting teachers to see that we were providing a range of professional services, so we need to be efficient," says Alegounarias. "We are also trying to meet our own staff's day=to-day needs. Staff members need a system that tracks inquiries and corresponding actions that works for them. That's a big issue for us."
Staff can also generate management reports that show statistics such as how many teachers are accredited by school sector and geographic region. It can also be used for modelling; demographic and geographic profiling can predict how many teachers there are in the state and where they are employed.
"The beauty of the system is that we can add to the tables without difficulty. We are still identifying what our business needs are. We didn't, for example, anticipate the implications of teachers taking leave of absence for accreditation fees, but it was easy to add new information and to adjust the fee structures on the system," Alegounarias says.
"What's been critical to us is the relatively easy integration with Outlook. Teacher emails are immediately put against their record. (Our) staff can easily look and see all previous communications."
In 10 years, the institute will manage the accreditation of around 120,000 teachers, says Alegounarias. "The system can grow as we grow. We expect to be able to track the kinds of professional development teachers undertake and to identify areas of unmet demand."
There is also the potential to link the system into other databases, for example with a national teaching qualification database, or to check people's identification through links to births, deaths and marriages registers.


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Play is fast becoming one of the premier spots to stop for my birthday present shopping. They have tons of deals and this one is no exception. If you're on the prowl for cheap and lovely gifts for the party circuit then this buy two/get one free deal is likely to be right up your street.
Let's have a look at what's on offer shall we? To start with you can invest in some bedding for your tot, this is a good way to sort out all your kids for a bargain price as not only are they a part of this offer, but most of them are on sale too. You can nab Spongebob Squarepants, Ben10 and The Princess and the Frog duvet sets from as low as £8.99.
There are lots of Gruffalo goodies for fans of the series including a seven inch sitting soft toy at £7.99 and a rhyming card game for £4.79. These are likely to always be a good bet for presents. I always find it extremely tough buying for other people's kids because I don't know them very well so old favourites like the Gruffalo save my skin.
Take your time, enjoy the shopping and have fun.
Thanks to andywedge at HUKD!


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I am really excited to talk more about all sorts of things... internal Web collaboration strategies, new Web 2.0/Old Skool projects on the horizon, and the ever-changing work of the non-profit techie. It looks like my org might have another year of funding (fingers still crossed, but we might have made it!). I think, very possibly, there's a year of really engaging work ahead of us, and I hope we will be learning a lot. I plan to share what we learn here. At the moment, I am juggling my nonprofit techie work with a cute but obstinate toddler, and a terminally ill parent. One of the most incredible bloggers out there, whose blog (along with NTEN and Beth Katner) I consider essential daily reading, is Chris Brogan. His blogging tips, as well as his knowledge of and insight into social media, is unparalleled. I know he'd say one of the worst mistakes I can make as a new blogger is to not blog regularly enough; to take a break this early is surely unwise. It's important, he says--and I agree--for your readers to be able to rely upon you for regularly-scheduled content. It's one of the most important ways to cultivate a voice as a blogger and build a relationship with your readers.
But I have things to say and much I want to learn from readers in a blog-based conversation. I don't want to let the fact that I am a working parent with sick family to stop me from blogging. There's a difference between lack of commitment to blogging and life making it difficult for me to post as much as I'd like. Right now, the reality is that I do have to go offline more than some of my colleagues. I am not going to be able to post daily. I hope that people will consider subscribing via RSS to this blog, or following me on Twitter. I hope that you will find the content and comments here valuable even if I am not as prolific as some. For the next ten days, I am taking a much-needed break. I am going offline to go to Maine to be with my family. Late next week, I will be back with another post. In the meantime, do other working parents feel this way? Like you want to participate in the social media conversations more, but your life demands that you spend more time offline? Do you feel like you're missing out on Twittering your way through webinars and contributing to wikis as much as you'd like? How do you feel about these limitations, and how do they affect your work? Does a lack of free time online keep you from blogging?


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Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848-1907), created over 150 works of art, from exquisitely carved cameos to heroic-size public monuments. Works such as the "Standing Lincoln" monument and the Shaw Memorial, continue to inspire people today and his design for the 1907 Twenty Dollar Gold Piece, is considered America's most beautiful coin.
A database featuring a wide variety of Saint-Gaudens' works is available on the web site of the Friends of Saint-Gaudens, an organization dedicated to preserving the artistic legacy of the sculptor. Over ten different foreign language translations of the park's brochure are available.
Over 100 works of the sculptor are exhibited in the galleries and on the grounds at Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site. The papers of Augustus Saint-Gaudens are housed in the special collections of Rauner Library at Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H., 20 miles north of the park.


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NEWPORT BEACH — When it comes to partying, UC Irvine students can't compete with the Wildcats at the University of Arizona. But in Newport Beach, where many Anteaters live, police are trying to one-up the Tucson Police Department's efforts to prevent wild parties.
At a City Council study session Tuesday, police officials introduced an ordinance restricting "loud and unruly gatherings." The law, modeled after one in Tucson, would give city officials the ability to fine partygoers up to $8,000 for repeat violations — more than five times what Arizona's law provides.
In this heavily conservative city, police and some residents for years have tried to tame partiers, especially those who overtake West Newport on the Fourth of July. They say this law could give them a strong deterrent as they try to make parts of Newport Beach more "family friendly."


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Contact Chris & Lisa DeLauder at 302-730-3022
Send link or portfolio images to firstname.lastname@example.com for approval.
3 or more years of experience in a professional tattoo studio.
Certification in the Prevention of Disease Transmission / Blood Borne Pathogens training.
Proper coverage of all equipment & surfaces in work areas. (Including machines)
Great personality, works well with others!


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Thank you for returning after my hiatus of... well, being lazy. I hope to regain the passion I used to have for the pictures and the writing and the food that I had last year.
I wonder if I was more passionate when I was overseas? Every meal was so exciting and different, I wonder if that excitement can be regenerated in a country I have lived in all my life. I hope it can. I have quit smoking (6 days clean today), and according to my Quit App, I should have most, if not all, of my smells and tastes back. Here's hoping.
Once again, thanks for reading,
Now, back to the blog.
The last Tasmania post I wrote a while back and posted today, I would have posted it earlier but was having endless troubles uploading the pics.
This post is from the same March Tasmania trip with Miss C, but I now have substantially further time to cast my memory. We'll see how I go.
We rented the most wonderful cottage in South Hobart. Maybe 2km out of the city. By pure chance we stumbled across 2 of the loveliest cafe/coffee shops, which we made out regular morning haunts.
|South Hobart looking toward Sandy Bay, from our verandah
One was called Ginger Brown Cafe: think recycled chairs and tables, back to basics, with the most sumptuous breakfasts in the world. Here I discovered fried eggs.
|proper Chai Latte
|Ginger Brown
The other was called The Macquarie Street Foodstore located at number 356. My first time here I was treated to a wonderful mushroom, spinach and cheese crepe served with a capsicum chutney. Many of the dishes had a faint Indian touch to them. I'm not usually a crepe eater, but I really should be, this was amazing.
|A pot of tea
|The Foodstore
Both cafes did perfect coffees and teas, great prices and fantastic customer service.
One of the great surprises of Hobart was how fantastic MONA was. I like a good art gallery as much as the next, but this one was an experience from the second you boarded the camouflage painted, military themed boat to travel down the Derwent to the museum itself. I would really recommend a visit to anyone headed to Hobart.
After a day of seeing (and being shocked by) the pieces on display, Miss C and I board the boat for the trip home, and having a cafe and bar on board, thought we should indulge.
A couple of glasses f bubbly, an orange and poppy babycake for me and an almond croissant for Miss C.
High tea on a boat!
We spent a day shopping and antique hunting in North Hobart, and the Rain Check Lounge was recommended to us by an ex-Brisbanite boutique owner, so we popped in for lunch.
The wine and cocktail lists were very impressive, as was the lavish interior with chandelears and darkly painted walls. Unfortunately the food did not come up to scratch.
My veggie burger was so dry, but even by looking at it I could tell it was going to be dry- the veggie pattie looks like an oat cookie!
|Veggie burger with chips (I don't know why the photos are flipped- I can't change it without it changing itself back)
|A belated birthday bottle for Miss C- a really lovely drop
We both had combination dinners which I believe came to under $30 each. Carly had a mixed and I got a veggie and a sashimi as well.
|Miss C and all of the food.
Another night we walked down to the casino (the oldest in Australia) and to Sandy Bay in search of a pizza place with amazing reviews. Sandy Bay Beach Woodfired Pizza, sits tucked away, but I assume the locals all know about it.
We order a garlic pizza to start, it is delicious, but a slight critisism is that it was a teensy bit dry.
Despite my critique, I still rate these pizzas very highly on Beck's Pizza Scale.
Before I left Brisbane, my mother was adamant that I simply had to try a Tasmanian curried scallop pie. I remember being a little bewildered by the sound of the combination, but it apparently, is a Tasmanian... thing... that you have to do.
It was getting to the last few days of my time in Tassie and I was starting to worry that I may get home having not tried the traditional pie- heavens, how could I face my mother?
There was a truck set up at the stop at Pirate's Bay (one of the most beautiful places on earth), and behold, they were selling the pie.
One place that I did not post about but enjoyed immensely was the Drunken Admiral. As soon as I spotted it I was quickly drawn in to it's nautical charm.
On one of our first evenings Carly and I decided early to head in, cause it just looked so naff.
It couldn't have been later than 5.45 and the place was packed. I felt silly walking up and asking if they had a spare table, having seen that the place was heaving, but the waitress informed us that a booking had not shown up, and if we waited ten more minutess and they didn't come, we would be welcome to their table.
We nervously waited and watched our clocks. At the 9 minute mark we headed back in, as the smiling waitress walks up to us with two menus, we were so happy, she leads us through what can only be described as the VIP table, set above everyone else in a faux captains quarters. We really did feel very important.
The oysters I had for my starter were brilliant. C had a salmon tagine that she raved about. My (in essence) fisherman's plate was huge, and I simply loved that they had a help-yourself salad bar.
The reviews on this place are mixed, but when you can pack out a restaurant that can seat 100 to 200 on a monday night, you must be doing something right.
I found the picture on my phone:
|Such a charming exterior, or course I would be drawn to such a place
|Our amazing VIP lodgings
|Pretty amazing menu
|I giggled
|Miss C's Battered olives, very salty but delicious!
|Amazing fresh oysters
|So... much... food
|Miss C's tagine
|Salad bar helpings
|Mmmmm scallop
And that was Tasmania.
I will endeavour to post more frequently, and to get Beck's Modern Life on the road again.
Again, thank you for your continued support.


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Friday, January 18, 2013
Red, White, and Black with Washi
My card today is for the Simon Says Stamp challenge to use washi tape, and it's also based on the Freshly Made Sketch #69. Like I usually do for some reason, I flipped the sketch and tweaked it just a tad bit, but that's just how I roll :) I only have 2 rolls of washi tape, so I alternated them on a piece of cardstock, matted it with red, and placed it on an EK bricked punched panel. The buttons were done with a MS punch, and I wove cardstock into the holes and popped them up on dimensionals. The red ric-rac was done with an EK zig-zag punch, and the sentiment is by Hero Arts.
We've been blessed with some sunshine today - so I hope to finally get outdoors and enjoy it a bit while it's there! Thanks for stopping by, and I wish you all a fabulous Friday!
12 comments:
- JD said...
Very nice, Carol, I like how you used the tape, I didn't buy any yet, but you are inspiring me to do so. I like all the details on this card, (especially the buttons, like to see buttons on cards, gives them a "Homey" look...if that's a word...smile) I like your color combo too. Hope you have a nice "sunny" day. Yes, the sun is out, but it's too COLD for me.
- January 18, 2013 at 9:52 AM
- Wendy said...
Oh Carol, this card is amazing! Love, love, love the color combo and your buttons! Perfectly done and very eye catching! I was looking at it this morning trying to wrap my mind around it! LOL I may give it a try later.
Enjoy the sunshine today! It certainly was nice to see for a change but it sure is cold & blustery out. If you out & about, hang on to your hat! Happy TGIF!
- January 18, 2013 at 10:20 AM
- Mary Anne / MA54K said...
Eek, I love this! Great use of the tape. I see the sun, but we won't talk about the frigid temps. Enjoy your trip outdoors. Fabu Friday to you also.
- January 18, 2013 at 10:38 AM
- Linda Callahan said...
Great tweaks! Love your crisp design! Thanks for sharing it at FMS!
- January 18, 2013 at 12:20 PM
- Loly Borda-Towery said...
Awesome card! Fabulous design. TFS. It's finally sunny in HUntsville, AL too. Yay for the sun.
- January 18, 2013 at 3:04 PM
- jimlynn said...
WOW! Carol, this is fabulous!!!!! Love the buttons, washi tape, design....everything!
- January 18, 2013 at 5:21 PM
- Lin said...
Oh what a fun design, Carol! Thanks so much for sharing your card with us at the Simon Says Stamp challenge!
- January 18, 2013 at 6:34 PM
- Jennipher said...
what a fabulous creation with the washi tape. one of my favorite supplies. love the color scheme.
- January 18, 2013 at 7:00 PM
- Jen Brum said...
Fabulous card Carol! Love those colours! Great use of the washi tape! Love the buttons!!! Thanks for joining us this week at Freshly Made Sketches!
- January 18, 2013 at 9:43 PM
- Donna Nuce said...
Love this color combo and diagonal tilt!
- January 18, 2013 at 10:05 PM
- StampTramps said...
There's just something about red, white and black that says POP! Love your card, I don't have any washi tape yet but it may be the focus of an upcoming shopping trip!
- January 19, 2013 at 8:25 AM
- Tui Nathan said...
A fabulous card ... love the fun design and great colours!
Thanks for joining us this week at Freshly Made Sketches!!!
- January 21, 2013 at 12:53 AM


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Don't miss a story. Like us on Facebook. Like Dallas News' Facebook Page
WASHINGTON-- With a major immigration debate underway in the Senate, three Texas conservatives in the U.S. House were promoting a focused effort to beef up border security on Wednesday.
Rep. Bill Flores, R-Bryan, said that's far more likely to pass than a bill that tackles all facets of immigration reform at the same time.
"It takes individual pieces to get 218 votes," he said, referring to a majority in the 435-member House. "To get buy-in from the House, you would need to start with what I call the white hot issue, and that's border security."
He and other members of the House Immigration Reform Caucus, a conservative group, are pushing a "SMART Border Bill" that would allow for deployment of up to 10,000 National Guard troops to states along the Mexican border at a governor's request.
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, is advocating for a similar amendment as the Senate debates the bipartisan Gang of Eight bill. That bill would tighten border security and enforcement – though not enough to satisfy hard liners. It also would expand legal immigration, create a guest worker program, and allow eventual citizenship for immigrants in the country illegally, which many conservatives oppose.
Rep. Ted Poe, R-Humble, chairman of the House Immigration Reform Caucus, said the ongoing activity of drug cartels and human traffickers shows the pressing need to tighten border security.
"The border is not, in my opinion, under operational control," Poe said. "This is a national security issue and the drug cartels are a prime factor among other criminal enterprises."
At a news conference, Flores and Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio, cited a Rasmussen poll showing that voters are more concerned with border security than other elements of immigration reform. The survey found that 60 percent of likely voters think theU.S.should gain more control of the border before legalizing the status of immigrants.
"There are some Republicans who want comprehensive immigration reform and I understand that, but I just don't think that's in the best interest of Americans or American workers or American taxpayers," said Smith, former Judiciary Committee chairman and a leading conservative voice on immigration policy.
But the immigration bill has elevated the debate as to whether undocumented immigrants should be allowed to be citizens or given amnesty. While some Republicans are firmly opposed, Flores could entertain the idea to give immigrants a legal status in the country with the opportunity to become citizens in time.
"I'm not the one to say we should ship everyone home. I don't think that's a good solution," Flores said. "What I think might make more sense - and I'm not saying this is where I am today - is come up with a path to legal status and legitimacy where they can work here, they can live here, and they don't have to worry about being deported. And then if they later opt to go into the nationalization process, you know, I probably wouldn't have a problem with that."


text: Reserve and National Guard Information Attention Reserve and National Guard Soldiers Montana's Child Support Enforcement Division (CSED) realizes that under Operation Enduring Freedom many of you may be called to active duty, both at home and abroad. First and foremost, we join those who thank you for your service to our country. You may be involved with the CSED as a Non Custodial Parent who is ordered to pay support for your child(ren), or you may be a Custodial Parent who receives child support on behalf of a child, pursuant to a support order. It is the CSED's intent to inform you of the Division's policies that address child support issues that may be if importance to you, including modifications, medical support enforcement, and passport requests. If you have been called to active duty, please notify the CSED to report your change in address and your employment status. This is especially important for Non Custodial Parents so that the CSED may reissue an income withholding order to your military employer to insure continued child support payments. Modification If you have experienced a change in your income as a result of being called to active duty, you may be eligible for a modification of your support order. Contact your local CSED office to obtain a Request for Review form. Medical Support If you are ordered to provide health care coverage for your child(ren) and have not done so, the CSED will ask the military to enroll the child(ren) in the appropriate health care plan. Passport Requests If you owe $5,000 or more past-due support, your request for a passport will be denied by the Department of Defense until you make arrangements with the CSED to satisfy the child support arrearage you owe. A Special Note To Employers of Military Reservists and National Guard Many of your employees may be called to active military duty in the coming weeks. If the reservist or National Guard soldier pays child support through an income withholding order from the Montana Child Support Enforcement (CSED), contact the Child Support Enforcement Division's Regional Office that issued the income withholding order and inform the Division that your employee has been called to active duty; please provide the date your employee was activated. The CSED will issue a new income withholding order to the military service branch. By providing this information, you are helping your employee avoid lapses in payment to his or her children while serving our country.


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Click to viewParts Images Specifications Downloads
The Delta 1D is a low cost direct connect, stubby antenna tuned to the quad band GSM / GPRS and 3G frequencies and built with a straight connector. Despite its small size of 51mm in length, it still performs at a high level that most stubby antennas cannot compete with. The Delta 1D offers a small and compact antenna solution that is capable of being used in extreme temperatures given its very wide operating temp range. The Delta 1D is commonly used for applications such as: car park metering & utilities metering, road traffic monitoring and numerous other M2M applications communicating via GSM and/or 3G & ISM frequencies.
The Delta 1D is robustly made, making this antenna usable as a mainstream performer. Its wide operating frequency band allows for worldwide cellular applications over the quad band GSM / GPRS networks and also high data transfer rates via 3G / UMTS. The Delta 1D has a general gain of 2 dBi, a respectable benchmark for such a small antenna.
The low cost Delta 1D is supplied with an SMA male connector and is supplied in bags of 100pcs only.
Please see the Delta 2D for the RIGHT ANGLE version of the Delta 1D.


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January 17th will be the 50th anniversary of Eisenhower's presidential farewell address in which he gave that famous warning about the "military-industrial complex", that was really more like a caveat than a straight-up beware the Ides of March style foreboding to the American public. It has been portrayed in the more commonly viewed rehashing as the latter, to up the drama. But, really, the drama is either going to be sensed or not by the viewer based on what he/she knows about history, government, and our economy, all the way up to his/her present (the distinction between 'to know' and 'to believe' is infinitesimal here and not meant to be nailed down) and the attempt at manipulation through emotional cues may work for some things, but would ultimately fizzle out.
Here's the whole address, plus coverage and commentary from some member of the media…
But if you don't have time to listen to the whole thing, here's at least a very available example of the military-industrial complex stuff, with dramatics and all…
Now, the Department of Defense announced Thursday a new roll of contracts that are worth $183,451,599 collectively.
Its divisions (because the military is all about hierarchy and 'divide and conquer') unfold as such…
- The Boeing Co., St. Louis, MO-$69,098,221- as a "delivery order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement…for the procurement of integrated logistics support"
- Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., Fort Worth, TX-$22,021,303- as a "modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price…and services in support of H-1 helicopter upgrade program"
- The Boeing Co. (again), St. Louis, MO-$14,471,274– as a "modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract"
- Mikel, Inc., Fall River, MA-$9,068,671– as a "cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide engineering services to Team Submarine and the PMS 425 program offices"
- Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Bethpage, NY-$6,582,920– as a (if you were thrown by the contract-ise above, get ready for this) "modification to a delivery order placed against a previously issued basic ordering agreement…to exercise an option for engineering, technical and sustaining services in support of Taiwan Air Force E-2C aircraft"
Air Force
- Teradyne, Inc., North Reading, MA- $28,377,673– "for maintaining the B-1 automatic digital test systems and application development environmental systems" (So far only, $9,617,451 "has been obligated")
- Integrated Data Services, Inc., El Segundo, CA-$10,436,911– "for the Comprehensive Cost and Requirements System, a financial program management software tool which is used by Air Force acquisition and sustainment organizations to accomplish planning and execution of program budgets" (So far, only $4,354,725 "has been obligated")
- General Dynamics Advanced Information System, Minneapolis, MN-$7,832,414– to "provide a research and development program…to develop an open architecture for modular open systems architecture common back end for radio frequency…" The last ellipses covers the phrase "that conforms to interface standards" which implies that the Air Force already has the system referenced above, but that it does not meet "interface standards"; Only $230,000 "has been obligated"
- Lockheed Martin Information Systems & Global Solutions, Santa Maria, CA-$7,189,632- "for four adaptable multi-based land/ocean stabilized antenna systems to replace aging antenna systems"; Only $6,657,099 "has been obligated"
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency– which is, taken from the "About" page on its website, "the research and development office for the U.S. Department of Defense. DARPA's mission is to maintain technological superiority of the U.S. military and prevent technological surprise from harming our national security. We also create technological surprise for our adversaries." which engenders more questions but foremost- What is "technological surprise" exactly?
- BAE Systems National Security Solutions, Burlington, MA-$8,372,580- for a "cost plus fixed-fee contract"
It's not exactly a decisive point to make, to say that you should pay at least cursory attention to military contracts and activity, since it is the largest sector of our government (and that's to say by a lot: the most at $663.7 billion compared to the second most, which is $76.8 billion in Health and Human Services, according to the budget from 2010)…
…because it really might not be imperative for you to do the work to pay attention. It may even be overall detrimental to your life. And it might not matter one bit in the end if you had paid attention or not. Or rather, furthermore, tried to pay attention, because even if you do, it's an engrossing complicated endeavor that necessitates certain knowledge that might never even be available to you. This stuff is really hard and there is no guarantee to anyone that he/she will attain the understanding set out for or even anything compensatory to it.
But on the other hand, it's really no less a waste of time than reading a book, watching a movie or sports, dicking around, or doing a crossword puzzle, the merits of all of which could be argued.
The info for the contracts was taken from Veterans Today's website, linked here veterenstoday.com's report on defense contracts where you can find more specifics, such as breakdowns of the locations where the work being paid for will be done.


text: Blending a family can offer rewards and challenges that strengthen the bond of your marriage and your family life. To successfully merge families, parents will need to assess and discuss their similarities and differences and how they -- and their children -- plan to compromise and cooperate. Patience, consideration and open communication are essential and will help bring about a much smoother transition for the entire family.


text:
|View from The Rise Golf Course in Vernon, looking SE over Okanagan Lake towards the Landing.
Heavy, heavy humidity in the air, making everything hazy.
|The Rise (I don't know which hole) looking NW over the city of Vernon.
Come for a visit and I'll take you for lunch. You're on your own if you want to golf.


text:
Course Title: Japanese 1
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period: Term1 2008
Course Code: LANG5485
Course Title: Japanese 1
School: 365T Global Studies, Soc Sci & Plng
Campus: City Campus
Program: C1049 - Certificate I in Language (Japanese)
Course Contact : Ms. Barbara White
Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 5211
Course Contact Email:email@example.com
Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff
Grp 1: Tue - Chie Hama, Thur - Maya Fujioka
Grp 2: Tue - Maya Fujioka, Thur - Chie Hama
Maya Fujioka's email TBA
Nominal Hours: 180
Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.
Pre-requisites and Co-requisites
Course Description
This course makes up the year-long Certificate I in Language (Japanese). Through closed and then open-ended learning activities you will establish a basis for development of communicative skills in the spoken and written language, emphasizing the former. On completion of this program you will have elementary speaking and listening skills in Japanese to assist you in a very limited range of everyday situations. The 2 scripts of hiragana and katakana and approximately 90basic kanji characters will be taught. Practical knowledge of the culture, in a wide range of personal and social situations and context will be introduced. Student-centred drilling, practical and communicative activities and tasks encourage you to be responsible for your own learning, to be creative and critical in your application of knowledge of the language to communication with people of a different cultural tradition, and to build on your knowledge and interest to a level where learning can continue in daily life.
National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria
National Element Code & Title:
LOTE 563 Japanese 1
Learning Outcomes
1. Participate in a short, basic conversational exchange
2. Provide basic personal information and elicit similar information from others
3. Participate in a simple transactional exchange to provide or obtain a product or service
4. Give spoken information about a person, place, product or service
5. Demonstrate understanding of spoken information
6. Complete a simple form
7. Write a short note or message
8. Identify key information on common signs or simple notices
9. Read a short, simple information text
Details of Learning Activities
Class time is devoted to a variety of activities at introducing, drilling, learning experiences practising, consolidating and developing aspects of language which are
then available for you to use communicatively. This process includes presentation of new language through explanation, on-line and audio material and text; mechanical oral and written exercises and drills, leading to creative oral and written tasks, aim to give you practice in adapting and using the introduced language for your own communicative purposes.
Much of the rote learning work necessary to language learning is assigned as homework. Your active participation in the course, by means of regular preparation of class topics and revision, wider reading about the country and culture, and seeking out own opportunities to practise, is necessary if successful learning is to take place.
Classes provide most of the limited opportunities you have to use newly-learnt language. Attendance at all classes is therefore essential.
Feedback on the balance and focus of the subject from you is welcome. Students and staff meet to consult in week 9, and Course Experience Questionnaires are distributed from week 13, of each semester.
Teaching Schedule
Teaching Schedule Subject to Change
*All scheduled class assessmentsin italics
W1 (3/3) Lesson1
W2 (10/3) Lesson1
Hiragana test 1(a-to) (WB pp105~106)
W3 (includes MS/Easter Break)Lessons 1 & 2
Katakana Lesson 2
Hiragana test 2(na-n) (WB pp107~109)
W4 (31/3) Lesson2
Hiragana test 3 (WBpp110~111)
SSCC rep confirmed
W5 (7/4) Lesson2
Katakana test 1 (WBpp112~113)
Japan Information and Cultural Centre visit
W6 14/4 Lesson3
Katakana test 2 (WBpp114~115)
W7 21/4 Lesson3
Katakana test 3 (WBp116 & all)
Oral presentation 1
W8 28/4 Lesson3 & 4
Listening Test
W9 5/5 Lesson 4
Kanji test L3
W10 12/5 Lesson 4
Oral presentation 2
W11 19/5Lesson 5
Kanji test L4
Exam information sheet
W12 26/5 Lesson5
Verb test (based on Workbook L3 p25 and L4 p36)
W13 2/6 Lesson 6
Kanji test L5
W14 9/6 Lesson 6
Revision & Kanji practice (L6)
W15 Exam
Tuesday 17/6 and Thursday 19/6
Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts
Banno, E. et. al. (1999) Genki I, Japan Times Banno, E. et. al. (1999) Genki I Workbook Japan Times
Other Resources
Befu, H., Eades, J. S. and Gill, T. (ed.) Globalization and social change in contemporary Japan Rosanna, Vic. : Trans Pacific Press, 2000
Hendry, J., Understanding Japanese society New York : Routledge, 2003.
Martinez., D. P. (ed.) Modern Japanese culture and society London : Routledge, 2007.
Mouer, R. and Kawanishi H.. A sociology of work in Japan New York : Cambridge University Press, 2005.
Nathan., J., Japan unbound : a volatile nation's quest for pride and purpose Boston ; New York : Houghton Mifflin, 2004.
Sugimoto, Y. An introduction to Japanese society Cambridge, U.K. ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 2003.
Sugimoto, Y. and Mouer, R. Images of Japanese society : a study in the social construction of reality London ; New York : Kegan Paul, 2002.
ESSENTIAL Genki website (offers additional useful materials to use including self-study materials and related links:
RMIT Learning Hub/Blackboard:
Listening practice:
Dictation quizzes for Japanese speech:
Japan-related activities in Melbourne :
Japan Insight:
Japan's Official Site:
Bookshop specialising in Japanese language texts:
Updates on scholarships/events:
Overview of Assessment
Your language skills will be assessed using speaking tasks, listening tasks, reading tasks, script tests and short written assignments. The final result is obtained by combining the results of all progressive assessment tasks (this includes class based tasks as well as tasks completed outside of class) with the mid-year and end-of-year examination. Both progressive assessment and exams cover the learning outcomes as described above.
Assessment Tasks
The final end-of-year result is obtained by combining the results of all progressive assessment tasks with theend-of-semester examination marks for Semester 1 and 2. Results for Semester 1 may be made available through the Blackboard in the Learning Hub. An official result with transcript will be available at the end of the program ( November 2008)
Regular tasks conducted throughout the semester, including:
*oral presentation (2) 15%
*script tests (including 1 written task) 20%
*class test (on verbs) 5%
*listening test (1) 10%
Test times are included in the course guide, details announced in class. You cannot perform at other times without legitimate reason, such as submission of a medical certificate, an assessment task conducted during classes from which you were absent. In such circumstances, re-sit of the task is to be completed at the next scheduled assessment date You cannot re-sit listening tasks. You are required to keep copies of all works submitted.
Written examination 30%
May include:
*reading comprehension
*grammar application
Details announced in class
Oral/aural examination 20%
*guided conversations or role plays or interview
*2 listening comprehension exercises
Examinations are held in normal class times in week 15. Oral/aural examinations will be of 1.5 hours duration. Written examinations 2 hours duration.
Oral tasks are graded according to the following six criteria, each
and grading given equal weight.
1 grammatical accuracy
2 adequacy of vocabulary for purpose
3 intelligibility
4 fluency
5 relevance and adequacy of content
6 interactive skills
Written tasks are graded according to the following six criteria, each given equal weight.
1 relevance and adequacy of content
2 organisation
3 cohesion
4 adequacy of vocabulary for purpose
5 grammatical accuracy
6 script
Grades 0 - 49% NN
Assessment Matrix
Course Overview: Access Course Overview


text:
Listen to tracks, watch videos, read reviews of past shows and more
Photo Source: Amazon
Get Peter Tork songs and albums from:
Peter Tork (born Peter Halsten Thorkelson, February 13, 1942) is an American musician and actor, best known as the keyboardist and bass guitarist of the Monkees.
Early life:
Tork was born at the former Doctors Hospital, in Washington, D.C. Although he was born in the District of Columbia in 1942, many news articles incorrectly report him as born in 1944 in New York City, which was the date and place given on early Monkees press releases. He is the son of Virginia Hope (née Straus) and Halsten John Thorkelson, an economics professor at the University of Connecticut. His paternal grandfather was of Norwegian descent, while his mother was of half German Jewish and half British Isles ancestry. He began studying piano at the age of nine, showing an aptitude for music by learning to play several different instruments, including the banjo and both acoustic bass and guitars. Tork attended Windham High School in Willimantic, Connecticut, and was a member of the first graduating class at E.O. Smith High School in Storrs, Connecticut. He attended Carleton College before he moved to New York City, where he became part of the folk music scene in Greenwich Village during the first half of the 1960s. While there, he befriended other up-and-coming musicians such as Stephen Stills.
The Monkees:
Stephen Stills had auditioned for the new television series about four pop-rock musicians but was turned down because the show's producers felt his hair and teeth would not photograph well on camera. They asked Stills if he knew of someone with a similar "open, Nordic look," and Stills suggested Tork audition for the part. Tork got the job and became one of the four members of the Monkees, a fictitious pop band in the mid 1960s, created for a television comedy sitcom written about the fictitious band.
Tork was a proficient musician, and though the group was not allowed to play their own instruments on their first two albums, he was an exception, playing what he described as "third chair guitar" on Mike Nesmith's song, "Papa Gene's Blues," from their first album. He subsequently played keyboards, bass guitar, banjo, harpsichord, and other instruments on their recordings. He also co-wrote, along with Joey Richards, the closing theme song of the second season of The Monkees, "For Pete's Sake". On the television show, he was relegated to playing the "lovable dummy," a persona Tork had developed as a folk singer in New York's Greenwich Village. The DVD release of the first season of the show contained commentary from the various bandmates. In it, Nesmith stated that Tork was better at playing guitar than bass. In Tork's commentary, he stated that Jones was a good drummer and had the live performance lineups been based solely on playing ability, it should have been Tork on guitar, Nesmith on bass, and Jones on drums, with Dolenz taking the fronting role, rather than as it was done (with Nesmith on guitar, Tork on bass, and Dolenz on drums). Jones filled in briefly for Tork on bass when he played keyboards.
Recording and producing as a group was Tork's major interest, and he hoped that the four members would continue working together as a band on future recordings. However, the four did not have enough in common regarding their musical interests. In commentary for the DVD release of the second season of the show, Tork said that Dolenz was "incapable of repeating a triumph". Dolenz felt that once he had accomplished something and became a success at it, there was no artistic sense in repeating a formula.
Tork, once free from Don Kirshner's restrictions, in 1967, contributed some of the most memorable and catchy instrumental flourishes, such as the piano introduction to "Daydream Believer" and the banjo part on "You Told Me", as well as exploring occasional songwriting with the likes of "For Pete's Sake" and "Lady's Baby".
Tork was close to his grandmother, staying with her sometimes in his Greenwich Village days, and after he became a Monkee. "Grams" was one of his most ardent supporters and managed his fan club, often writing personal letters to members, and visiting music stores to make sure they carried Monkees records.
Six albums were produced with the original Monkees lineup, four of which went to No 1 on the Billboard chart. This success was supplemented by two years of the TV show, a series of successful concert tours both across America and abroad, and a trippy-psychedelic movie, Head, a bit ahead of its time. However, tensions, both musical and personal, were increasing within the group. The band finished a Far East tour in December 1968 (where his copy of Naked Lunch was confiscated by Australian Customs) and then filmed an NBC television special, 33⅓ Revolutions Per Monkee, which rehashed many of the ideas from Head, only with the Monkees playing a strangely second-string role.
No longer getting the group dynamic he wanted, and pleading "exhaustion" from the grueling schedule, Tork bought out the remaining four years of his contract after filming was complete on December 20, 1968, at a default of $150,000/year. In the DVD commentary for the 33⅓ Revolutions Per Monkee TV special--originally broadcast April 14, 1969--Dolenz noted that Nesmith gave Tork a gold watch as a going-away present, engraved "From the guys down at work". Tork kept the back, but replaced the watch several times in later years.
During a trip to London in December 1967, Tork contributed banjo to George Harrison's soundtrack to the 1968 film Wonderwall. His playing featured in the movie, but not on the official Wonderwall Music soundtrack album released in November 1968. Tork's brief five-string banjo piece can be heard 16 minutes into the film, as Professor Collins is caught by his mother while spying on his neighbour Penny Lane.
Striking out on his own, he formed a group called 'Peter Tork And/Or Release' with girlfriend Reine Stewart on drums (she had played drums on part of 33⅓ Revolutions Per Monkee), Riley "Wyldflower" Cummings (ex The Gentle Soul) on bass and - sometimes - singer/keyboard player Judy Mayhan. Tork said in April 1969, "We sometimes have four. We're thinking of having a rotating fourth. Right now, the fourth is that girl I'm promoting named Judy Mayhan." "We're like Peter's back-up band", added Stewart, "except we happen to be a group instead of a back-up band." Release hoped to have a record out immediately, and Tork has said that they did record some demos, which he may still have stored away somewhere. According to Stewart the band were supposed to go to Muscle Shoals as the backing band for Mayhan's Atlantic Records solo album Moments (1970) but they were ultimately replaced. They mainly played parties for their "in" friends and one of their songs was considered for the soundtrack to Easy Rider, but the producers - who had also produced Head - eventually decided not to include it. Release could not secure a record contract, and by 1970 Tork was once again a solo artist, as he later recalled, "I didn't know how to stick to it. I ran out of money and told the band members, 'I can't support us as a crew any more, you'll just have to find your own way'."
Tork's record and movie production entity, the Breakthrough Influence Company (BRINCO), also failed to launch, despite such talent as future Little Feat guitarist, Lowell George. He was forced to sell his house in 1970, and he and a pregnant Reine Stewart moved into the basement of David Crosby's home. Tork was credited with co-arranging a Micky Dolenz solo single on MGM Records in 1971 ("Easy on You", b/w "Oh Someone"). An arrest and conviction for possession of hashish resulted in three months in an Oklahoma penitentiary in 1972. He moved to Fairfax in Marin County, California, in the early 1970s, where he joined the 35-voice Fairfax Street Choir and played guitar for a shuffle blues band called Osceola. Tork returned to Southern California in the mid-1970s, where he married and had a son and took a job teaching at Pacific Hills School in Santa Monica for a year and a half. He spent a total of three years as a teacher of music, social studies, math, French and history and coaching baseball at a number of schools, but enjoyed some more than others.
Peter Tork joined 'Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart' onstage for a guest appearance on their concert tour on July 4, 1976 in Disneyland. Later that year he reunited with Jones and Dolenz in the studio for the recording of the single "Christmas Is My Time of The Year" b/w "White Christmas", which saw a limited release for fan club members that holiday season.
Sire Records:
A chance meeting with Sire Records executive Pat Horgan at the Bottom Line in New York City led to Tork recording a six-song demo, his first recording in many years. Recorded in summer 1980, it featured Tork, who sang, played rhythm guitar, keyboards, and banjo; it was backed by Southern rock band Cottonmouth, led by guitarist/singer/songwriter Johnny Pontiff, featuring Gerard Trahan on guitar/keyboards/vocals, Gene Pyle on bass guitar/vocals and Gary Hille on drums/percussion.
Horgan produced the six tracks (which included two Monkees covers, "Shades of Gray" and "Pleasant Valley Sunday"), with George Dispigno as engineer. The four other tracks were "Good Looker," "Since You Went Away" (which appeared on the Monkees 1987 CD "Pool It"), "Higher & Higher" and "Hi Hi Babe." Also present at the sessions were Joan Jett, Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders, and Tommy Ramone of the Ramones. The tracks were recorded at Blue Horizon House, 165 West 74th Street, home of Sire Records, but Seymour Stein, president of Sire, rejected the demo, stating "there's nothing there." Tork recorded a second set of demos in New York City, but little is known about these (other than the fact that one track was a yet another version of "Pleasant Valley Sunday" with an unknown rock band, and featured a violin solo).
During this time Tork appeared regularly on The Uncle Floyd Show broadcast on U-68 out of New Jersey. He performed comedy bits and lip-synced the Sire recordings. Floyd claimed Tork was the "first real star" to appear on the show. (Later, Davy Jones, the Ramones, Shrapnel, and others would follow in his footsteps.)
In 1981 he released the 45 rpm single "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" (b/w "Higher And Higher") with "The New Monks". He also did some club performances and live television appearances, including taking part in a "Win A Date With Peter Tork" bit on Late Night with David Letterman.
Monkees reunion:
In 1986, Tork rejoined fellow Monkees Davy Jones and Micky Dolenz for a highly successful 20th anniversary reunion tour. Three new songs were recorded by Tork and Dolenz for a greatest hits release. The three Monkees recorded Pool It!. A decade later, all four group members recorded Justus, the first recording with all four members since 1968. The quartet performed live in the United Kingdom in 1997, but for the next several years only the trio of Tork, Dolenz and Jones toured together. The trio of Monkees parted ways in 2001 with a public feud but reunited in 2011 for a series of 45th anniversary concerts in England and the United States.
Since 1986, Tork has intermittently toured with his former band mates and also played with his own bands The Peter Tork Project and Shoe Suede Blues. In 1991, Tork formed a band called the Dashboard Saints and played at a pizza restaurant in Guerneville, California. In 1994, he released his first album length solo project, Stranger Things Have Happened, which featured brief appearances by Micky Dolenz and Michael Nesmith. In 1996, Tork collaborated on an album called Two Man Band with James Lee Stanley. The duo followed up in 2001 with a second release, Once Again.
In 2001, Tork took time out from touring to appear in a leading role in the short film Mixed Signals, written and directed by John Graziano.
In 2002, Tork resumed working with his band Shoe Suede Blues. The band performs original blues music, Monkees covers (blues versions of some), and covers of classic blues hits by greats such as Muddy Waters and has shared the stage with bands such as Captain Zig. The band toured extensively in 2006-7 following the release of the album "Cambria Hotel".
Tork also had an occasional roles as Topanga Lawrence's father on the sitcom Boy Meets World, as well as a guest character on 7th Heaven. In 1995, Tork appeared as himself on the show Wings, bidding against Crystal Bernard's character for the Monkeemobile. In 1999, he appeared as the Band Leader of a wedding band in season one episode 13, "Best Man", of The King of Queens.
In early 2008, Tork added "advice columnist" to his extensive resume by authoring an online advice and info column called "Ask Peter Tork" at the webzine The Daily Panic.
In 2011, he joined Dolenz and Jones for the 2011 tour, An Evening with The Monkees: The 45th Anniversary Tour.
In 2012, Peter joined Micky Dolenz and Michael Nesmith with a Monkees tour in honor of the album Headquarters 45th anniversary as well as in tribute to the late Davy Jones. The trio would tour again in 2013 and 2014.
On March 3, 2009, Tork reported on his website that he had been diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma, a rare, slow-growing form of head and neck cancer. A preliminary biopsy discovered that the cancer had not spread beyond the initial site. "It's a bad news, good news situation," explained Tork. "It's so rare a combination (on the tongue) that there isn't a lot of experience among the medical community about this particular combination. On the other hand, the type of cancer it is, never mind the location, is somewhat well known, and the prognosis, I'm told, is good." Tork underwent radiation treatment to prevent the cancer from returning.
On March 4, 2009, Tork underwent extensive surgery in New York City, which was successful.
On June 11, 2009, a spokesman for Tork reported that his cancer had returned. Tork was reportedly "shaken but not stirred" by the news, and said that the doctors had given him an 80% chance of containing and shrinking the new tumor.
In July 2009, while undergoing radiation therapy, he was interviewed by the Washington Post: "I recovered very quickly after my surgery, and I've been hoping that my better-than-average constitution will keep the worst effects of radiation at bay. My voice and energy still seem to be in decent shape, so maybe I can pull these gigs off after all." He continued to tour and perform while receiving his treatments.
On September 15, 2009, Tork received an "all clear" from his doctor.
Tork documented his cancer experience on Facebook and encouraged his fans to support research efforts of the Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Research Foundation.
Personal life:
Tork currently resides in Mansfield, Connecticut. He has been married four times, and has a child each from two of the marriages and one child from a relationship:
First wife Jody Babb,
Hallie Elizabeth (born January 25, 1970) with (2nd wife) Reine Stewart,
Ivan Joseph (born December 22, 1975) with (3rd wife) Barbara Iannoli,
Erica Marie (born June 15, 1997) with Tammy Sustek,
(4th and current wife) Pam,
Song list:
All songs written by Peter Tork or co-written by Tork as indicated.
"For Pete's Sake" (Peter Tork, Joseph Richards),
"Band 6" (Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork),
"Zilch" (Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork),
"Goin' Down" (Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork, Diane Hilderbrand),
"No Time" (Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork) but credited to Hank Cicalo,
"Long Title: Do I Have To Do This All Over Again?",
"Can You Dig It?",
"Lady's Baby",
"Tear the Top Right Off My Head",
"Gettin' In",
"Merry Go Round" (Peter Tork, Diane Hilderbrand),
"Get What You Pay For",
"Sea Change",
"I Believe You",
"Run Away From Life",
"Tender Is",
"Easy Rider",
"Hi Babe",
"Little Girl",
"God Given Grant" (Peter Tork, Nick Thorkelson),
"Ain't Your Fault",
"Mister Bob" (Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork, Eric Van Den Brink)
Peter Tork


text:
Two-dimensional binary signals (arrays) with good autocorrelation properties are needed for coded-aperture imaging systems. In many astrophysical instruments, circular detectors with hexagonally packed detector elements are used, such that hexagonal coded apertures are often preferable to rectangular ones. A general method for folding a one-dimensional sequence into a hexagonal array is presented, by which the periodic or odd-periodic correlation properties of the original sequence are preserved. This method is applied to a known family of sequences with perfect odd-periodic correlation, yielding a new family of almost-binary and odd-perfect—or binary and almost odd-perfect—hexagonal arrays with optimum properties for coded-aperture imaging. The new odd-perfect arrays have near-uniform side lengths and exist for many more sizes than known families of even-periodic hexagonal arrays with good imaging properties.
© 2001 Optical Society of AmericaFull Article | PDF Article
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