text:
Google Drops Google Sync for Most iOS Users

For a while now Google’s Help pages have been steering users away from using Google Sync, which uses Microsoft’s Exchange ActiveSync technology for mail, contact, and calendar syncing. Now the future picture of device syncing with Google services is clear, albeit not particularly rosy: in a page titled “Google Sync End of Life,” the company says, “Starting January 30, 2013, consumers won’t be able to set up new devices using Google Sync.” Instead, users are instructed to set up new devices using the following protocols for device syncing: IMAP for email, CardDAV for Contacts, and CalDAV for calendars.

For those who have already set up their devices to use Google Sync, the end of the world is being postponed indefinitely: Google states in the same document that the service will continue to work for existing Google Sync devices, and that Google Sync will continue to be offered to new users of Google Apps for Business, Education, and Government. (Note that we haven’t found a good way to convert a regular Gmail account to a Google Apps account.)

Though Google Sync has never progressed beyond beta status, on iOS it has been the only syncing method for Gmail accounts that provides push email to iOS devices; the open-standard IMAP service offered by Google does not. In the early days of iOS (before it was even known as iOS), device owners who wanted push email and who had both Gmail accounts and Exchange accounts (the latter perhaps through work or school) faced a difficult choice: the operating system allowed only one Exchange ActiveSync account per device, so device owners had to choose which account to use on their devices. Recent versions of iOS have provided for multiple Exchange ActiveSync accounts on one device, so users could set up multiple Gmail and Exchange accounts on their devices and get push email through all of them. Those were the glory days.

And those days are coming to an end. In fact, those days are already over for Google Calendar users: Google Calendar Sync was made unavailable to new (non-paying) users on 14 December 2012, although it will continue to function for those who have already set it up on their devices. New users instead will have to set up CalDAV accounts to access their Google calendars on iOS devices. They can do that, of course, through the Gmail setup assistant on iOS as described in Google’s current Calendar Help document. Similarly, those who wish to sync their Google contacts on iOS via CardDAV can also use the Gmail setup on their devices as described in Google’s Contacts Help document, even though the Google Sync option for contacts still remains available to new users until the end of January 2013.

The fact that Google now supports open protocols for mail, contacts, and calendars is a good thing, of course, but that goodness is not unalloyed. As noted earlier, IMAP does not provide a push email capability, so iOS users will have to set up a fetch schedule for it on their devices to be alerted to new messages in a timely manner. And with CalDAV instead of Google Calendar Sync, new calendar invitations will be seen only when users open the Calendar app on their devices — CalDAV does not push them.

For those of you who have a new iOS device and want to receive push email from Gmail on it, time’s a-wastin’: you have until the end of January 2013 to set it up.

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Comments about Google Drops Google Sync for Most iOS Users
(Comments are closed.)

Bill Cole  2012-12-18 20:21
Actually IMAP does have a "Push" capability, (using the IDLE command) its just that iOS doesn't implement it for generic IMAP accounts. There is push for iCloud accounts, and it is possible that Apple is using ActiveSync there, but they could be using IMAP IDLE
Michael E. Cohen  An apple icon for a TidBITS Staffer 2012-12-18 20:25
IMAP IDLE is not feasible on a handheld device since it requires that the mail app maintain an always on connection to the server. Apple's Push Notification Servers use a different approach that is more battery friendly. I wrote about this, in fact, earlier this year: "How Apple Mail May Be Anything but IDLE when Pushing Email," 22 October 2012, http://tidbits.com/article/13344
Steve Harmony  2012-12-19 17:37
My iPhone 4s is presently using Google Sync to sync with my Google Calendar. So I'm grandfathered in, but I wonder if there's any advantage to going to the open standard?
Michael E. Cohen  An apple icon for a TidBITS Staffer 2012-12-19 18:15
As far as I know, there are some advantages and drawbacks. The big drawback is that invitations are not pushed with CalDAV as they would be with Google Sync. The advantage is that using CalDAV via the Gmail setup on the iPhone means that calendar colors sync between Google and iOS instead of being randomly assigned.
Andreas Frick  2012-12-20 07:52
As far as I know, the MS Exchange protocol has not been totally disclosed. Google's step will enforce the development of imap extensions to incorporate push mail suitable for mobile devices. Maybe also Apple will drop support for exchange in future versions of iOS to enforce MS to better support of imap.
Jim Reardon  2012-12-22 22:40
I can offer one compelling reason to go with the open IMAP standard and forgo "push" e-mail:

Battery Life

Plain and simple. Unless you think of e-mail as a paging service, you should turn off push e-mail and all forms of notification. Your iPhone battery life will at least double, perhaps triple.

iMessage is good enough for those urgent notices. And it works well. If you insist on being interrupted by every bit of mail entering your e-mail Inbox, you need a different sort of help.
David Buckley  2013-01-07 20:07
Google Apps for Business is absolutely usable for a single person. You have the benefit of your own domain, as Google partners with webhosts like Enom and (awk!) GoDaddy, among others and you can convert to using Apps for business if using one of the existing host partners or switch if necessary pretty easily. Can be used for a sole proprietorship or just an individual who wants the benefit of Google's Service Level Agreement (guarantee of uptime) and really good customer support by phone, not just email/webform. Nice people actually answer the phone in a timely fashion and help when you have a problem.
Adam Engst  An apple icon for a TidBITS Staffer 2013-01-08 09:16
I think the problem is more that if you already have a free Google account that's associated with a Gmail address and whatnot, there's no way to convert that to a paid Google Apps account, thus forcing you to change your email address, which is a hassle.
David Buckley  2013-01-08 09:43
I was responding to: "no single-user option seems to be offered." The fact that you can't migrate to paid, moving your data and that you can't merge accounts is really bad, I agree. But using G-Apps for business for a sole-proprietorship is really viable and, I think, under sold and under utilized.
Adam Engst  An apple icon for a TidBITS Staffer 2013-01-08 10:17
Ah, yes, you're right, and I should just delete that phrase, since while Google Apps isn't aimed at the individual user, there's certainly nothing that prevents someone from using it that way.
Michael E. Cohen  An apple icon for a TidBITS Staffer 2013-01-08 10:23
It's more complex than that from a usability point of view: while an individual user could use Apps that way, the description on the Google site does nothing to encourage the individual user to consider it as a viable option. Such a user would have to take a leap of faith in that regard.
David Buckley  2013-01-08 14:20
I agree that Da Big G does not encourage single users but I don't think they discourage it either. To me the real leap of faith is any webbish free mail account, Google, Yahoo, Hotmail/Outlook, etc..; I've heard tales of all of these services occasionally losing someones data. At least with G-Apps you can call a human and get real support as a paying customer. If you are only one you pays yer $50/year and you takes yer 25Gb web storage, real customer service and the ability to use all of the other services, with your own domain. Speaking from experience, the support is excellent and the SLA is quite adhered to with pro-rated refunds for downtime. You are, of course, your own administrator but it is reasonably straightforward. It's worth the cost, I believe.
damen pumps  2013-01-07 23:56
The Google Calendar app update adds a few new things.
First, you can now make a call, or go to a show place for an event directly from the notification of this event, as in the following screenshots. We expect this is just another example of freelander i20 catch up with rich Android notifications, introduced in 4.1.
Andrew Edsor  2013-01-08 01:02
For syncing of Calendars and Contacts without the help of iCloud or Google, and cross platform, fruux (sic) is well worth a look at.


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Tempest Cay

Main Page >> Places >> The Shackles >> Tempest Cay

Ramshackle Wetland
Alignment: CN
Capital: Drenchport (9,690)
Notable Settlements: Downpour (420), Drowning Rock (525), Maidenspool (875)
Ruler: The Master of the Gales
Major Races: Humans (most commonly of Ulfen ethnicity), dwarves, half-orcs, tengus
Languages: Common, Polyglot, Skald, Tengu
Religion: Besmara, Cult of the Eye, Gozreh
Plunder: Ale, pearls

Lashed more days than not by relentless storms thrown off by the Eye of Abendego, the island of Tempest Cay is an unlikely place for any kind of permanent settlement, let alone a major town boasting a population of nearly 10,000 souls. And yet the dank and dour city of Drenchport has one of the busiest and most chaotic harbors in all the Shackles, serving as the first real respite for mariners skirting the western extremes of the Eye or travelers’ last stop before heading north for Mediogalti Island. The town was built in a haphazard fashion over the years from the ample driftwood and flotsam that washes ashore — the remains of unfortunate ships captained by sailors lacking the requisite skill or luck necessary to survive these treacherous waters.

Tempest Cay has inexplicably proven to be a magnet for pirates of Ulfen ethnicity, and Skald can be heard in conversation as often as the Common tongue. A number of tengu communities also call the various ports home. Visitors seeking a functioning government will be hardpressed to locate any officials; those who dock at Tempest Cay are more or less on their own, though the prominent and ubiquitous temples of Gozreh are known to offer shelter and aid occasionally. Every business owner on the island is prepared to meet trouble with his own blade or cudgel, though neighbors will sometimes come to one another’s aid, if for no other reason than the likelihood that sooner than later the shoe will be on the other foot. The enigmatic leader of Tempest Cay is the Master of the Gales, a powerful druid who spends 10 or 11 months a year at sea in his hardy black xebec Kraken. He comes back to the island a few days at a time each month, spending most of that time in sea caves a half-mile north of Drenchport that are only accessible at low tide. Few ask aloud what he is doing in those watery places, though many speculate in hushed conversations. Is he counting the bounty of his raids, conducting strange rituals known only to oceangoing druids, or engaged in unnatural congress with foul denizens of the deep? No one has ventured into the caves to find out, and not a single pirate complains about the Master of the Gales’ vague leadership or the tax each pays him as their putative lord. Rumor has it that those who have questioned the druid’s right to authority have only days later washed ashore, dead, bloated, and with a second smile carved from ear to ear below the chin.

Tempest Cay

Skull and Shackles DarthKrzysztof

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Monday, August 27, 2012

Friendly Giant

This is a painting I did for Illustration Friday! This week's topic is "Tall".
 And here's a closeup:
 And this is what the sketch looks like:
The scan quality is a lot higher than my old watercolors if you notice. I finally, FINALLY bought myself a nice scanner. There are more light bulbs in my new scanner so you don't see as much of the texture of the watercolor paper, which looks GREAT in real life, but ends up just looking dirty when scanned.

Also, I added a new blue into my palette. It was hard to use at first. Every pigment behaves differently. It's not just a matter of switching out the colors and expecting things to behave as they used to. I wasn't sure if I liked Winsor Blue at first, because when it dried it left little white pocks all over, but I really like the hue. I guess I will keep practicing with it and see if it belongs in my palette permanently. Trying new things is fun.

I am so tired. I have been so busy all day! I finished editing my 100+ paged sketchbook and sent it off to the printers for a proof copy. I hope they do a good job! Secondly, I dragged my butt to figure drawing today. Third, I finished knitting up a sock for my husband, who never has to wear store-bought for as long as I live, as I keep him well-supplied. Forth, I painted this for Illustration Friday, did 2 loads of laundry, organized and cleaned my office space, and did a half-hour cardio workout. I hope I won't be too destroyed tomorrow at work. I recently changed jobs! Last week was my first week at Zynga, Austin TX. I hope I have a good second week!

Well, it's 3:15. It's definitely time to get some rest

Saturday, August 18, 2012

A Sketchy Day

My painting buddies and I wanted to do some serious painting in Bastrop today but the weather was not cooperating, so we sat outside of a restaurant, ordered some junk food (fries, onion rings, ice cream) and sketched away while it rained off and on.
On the way home, we made a quick pit stop at the zoo. We didn't stay long, just long enough to get a few pages of animals sketches.

And that's all for now!

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Watercolor - Bastrop River Co

Went to Bastrop today and painted this. I've lived just a short car ride from Bastrop for the last 6 years but I never went. Shame on me, it's a cute little town with lots of things to paint. Anyway, I painted this little boat rental place:

And here's a sequential of how I painted it. I didn't like how wimpy my washes were on stage 2. Also, I was under a tree, and the dappled light was throwing my camera off. Sorry for the poor photography!

In all honesty, the painting didn't turn out how I had it in my head. There are things I really don't like about it. My spouse says that it's a fine painting and that the failings are all in my head and that I should post it. So if you like my painting, you have him to thank for me posting it. :)

Until next time!

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Watercolor - Texas State Capitol

What a great day. Sat on a blanket and painted this. Buildings are hard. They have SO MUCH detail on them, ESPECIALLY the texas state capitol. The trick is to have few areas of detail and areas that are generalized. When you have both of these elements, the details become implied. Anyway, I hope you find the painting satisfying! I sure had fun painting it.

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Koi Watercolors with Step-by-Step instructions

Skittered to San Antonio today to check out the Japanese Tea Garden they had there. I found a not-so-high-traffic spot and painted some koi.

Plein Air painting is no joke. It's hard work lugging your painting gear all over the place in 103-degree weather, then sitting in one spot trying not to sweat on your paper. Studio painting is for wussies. It's all worth it when you gather a crowd and they exclaim how beautiful your painting is. :) That doesn't happen in a studio!

OK now for the step-by-step:

Step one: Get yourself a cool hat. I knitted this hat! And a lady was like: OMG! COOL HAT! Did you make it? and I'm all... YEAH MAN! FIST BUMP. Well, it didn't go quite like that, but close.

Step Two and Three - draw it, and paint it. When I draw, I go from general to detailed. When I paint, I usually do the opposite - from detailed to general, which some say is counter-intuitive.

So, when I put down a stroke, I try to get the Color, Value, and Edge quality right the first time. Unlike many watercolorists, I don't build up color and value from light washes, I try to get it right immediately. This is called Alla Prima painting, Alla Prima is Italian for "First Attempt".
First Attempt painting is fast. Faster than glazing. It's a little more scary because a big bold dark mark cannot be built up to. It's there right away. But speed is a huge advantage when plein air painting where you want to be quick. Another advantage of alla prima watercolor painting is the ability to soften edges. When you put a mark down, you can soften it immediately by working the neighboring color or by touching it with water. Can't do that when you're glazing.
 Whenever I paint, I try to paint things that are next to each other, relating their color and edge quality as I go. I'm not all over the place, but I do keep the overall piece in mind, in my head, about where I want specific values to go. As you can see, I started with the fish head, then the water around the fish, keeping it wet-on-wet so the water bleeds into the fish a little bit.
 Then I take a break. Here's me with a GIANT LOLLIPOP. (Cotton candy flavored.)

 I lied a little. This painting is not completely Alla Prima. I glazed the water. The reason is that it was necessary. In order to get large dark washes you need a lot of water. That unfortunately washes down the colors and makes it wimpy. The alternative was to glaze. The water in the painting was glazed with Indigo Blue. It's a great pigment to glaze with. It doesn't lift as easily as other pigments. I did keep softening the indigo into the fish however. This integrates the fish into the water. Remember: hard edges separate, soft edges integrate. If the fish were all hard-edged, it would look like cardboard cutouts.
 I added some subtle fishy shadows and voila, got yourself a koi painting.
 Now show it off! Here's me Vanna Whiting it up.

Well, I hope you liked my painting and my step-by-step. I know, the instructions weren't that specific. For that you'll have to go to my youtube channel and follow the tutorials. These are more like general tips and an overview of how I work.

Until next time!

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

observational pen drawings

I do a lot of observational drawing. They're fun and they keep the pen moving. When I draw out of my head, I mostly stare at the paper blankly and get a nosebleed from thinking too hard about what to draw. Observational work is fun because there's no shortage of things to draw. You get lots and lots of practice and it prepares you for when you do have to do imagination drawings. This discipline informs the other. So carry your sketchbook with you everywhere and draw everything in sight!

Monday, August 6, 2012

Zoo Sketches and Tips and Shortcuts for Beginners

Here are some sketches from the zoo yesterday!

Today I was asked for drawing tips. My gut response is to just say, practice practice practice. This is true! That's probably the single most important thing I can tell you. But if you want something that you can work on IMMEDIATELY, and see results on your very next drawing, there are three things I can think of.

1) It's really amazing how few lines or strokes you need to represent an image. Look at my kangaroos. Other than lines for restating, You have about a dozen lines and BAM - you have a kangaroo. Try practicing stroke economy. Think before you place down lines. You draw less and the viewer fills in the details. You'll have a nice, clean picture that's easy to read. And you can start doing this right now!!

2) Shape design. Simple, overall shape design. A lot of Disney characters can be distilled into a few simple shapes. The details go on top of these simple shapes. Work with an overall simple shape first, you'll be amazed at how good your drawings will become! Look at the geese. They have simple overall shapes. I've captured their goose-ness with the big picture, the details only help.

3) Relate. Often, I see drawings that are good except that things are just off. Always know where the center line is and always relate left and right. Things line up rhythmically. (See Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian man). How does the left knee relate to the right? Left shoulder to right shoulder? Relating makes a drawing more solid. Check out the crocodiles. (The drawing of the pair) See how I drew a centerline down the back of the croc? That's so I can quickly relate the left and right side. You'd be surprised how many artists overlook this process!

So, those are my specific tips for beginners. Practice is a general tip, good for everything, but I think these tips can make your very next drawing better!

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Watercolor piece for Illustration Friday. This week's topic was "Lonely".  I hope I captured the word with this pin-up.
here's a closer look at the details:

 And here's the sketch. I am always disappointed with the tracing. The girl's face on the sketch is better. When I traced it, it lost something. I tried again and again and I couldn't get the nuances of the sketch onto the watercolor paper. Sketches look fresher. There's also a certain tour de force to a quickly executed and well done sketch. Painting is just tedium. Sketching is where the real talent lies I think. It's where you can see the real artist.

Want to know a cool word that artists sometimes throw around? "Kinesthesia." It basically means an awareness of your body. I tried drawing this out of my head I was going nowhere. Finally, I got on the ground and got in the pose, and suddenly the pose became easier to draw. That's why you should always act out your poses if it's possible.

Until next time!


text:
Tuesday, October 12, 2010

The Holocaust Museum

This was a special weekend, as my wife and I took our kids to Washington DC to engage in unadulterated tourism to mark the occasion of our oldest son's 16th birthday. Time flies. We visited several of the key monuments, and for the first time we visited the Holocaust Museum.

First, let me say that it is an incredibly powerful experience, and it attracts great and diverse interest. I was impressed to see how important an attraction that it was. In terms of traffic, it was certainly the equal of the Vietnam War memorial or the Lincoln Memorial.

The Holocaust is a familar and personal story for me, so it surprises me when I learn something new about it. My parents' parents showed great wisdom and foresight (and luck) to leave Europe shortly before Hitler's ascension in Germany, and they landed in Argentina. Having said that, those in my family who lacked that great good fortune perished at the hand of the Nazis or their allies at one of several different extermination facilities.

So here's what surprised me. As I passed through one of the many rooms at the Museum, there were a series of newspapers hung along the wall - The Dallas Morning News, the St. Louis Post Dispatch, the New York Times and so forth. There were generally from 1938 - a year before the German invasion of Poland and 3 years prior to American entry into the war.

There were literally banner headlines in each newspaper emphasizing Nazi activities viz. Jews. Hitler's view of Jews was extremely well known. The marginalization, dehumanization and eventual persecution of Jews in Germany was completely transparent to the US government at the time (and the people, obviously). The Kristallnacht, the night when Germans vandalized Jewish owned storefronts was fully reported and again, captured bold headlines. In fact, Hitler explicitly tried to encourage western governments to "take the Jews" off his hands. This too was fully reported. Failing to achieve an exodus from Germany, he began the process of ghettoization, which in turn led to concentration camps and, eventually, in 1942 (by which time the US was in the war) the "Final Solution" or extermination.

In no way is this meant, by the way, to cast responsibility away from Hitler and to those nations who failed to take in Jews in large numbers. While that was tragic, it is especially so in retrospect with the benefit of hindsight. To me, the larger message relates to a certain denial to which we naturally fall prey. Nobody, or very few anyway, would have predicted the systematic extermination of the Jews under German Nazi auspices. Not even with ghastly headlines making it clear Hitler's bigotry, hatred and antipathy would anybody have predicted the construction of human extermination facilities. It is incomprehensible - as it was to American troops entering Dachau and Bergen-Belsin, for instance. There is an exceptional newsreel of General Eisenhower describing how he and the American General staff visited the camps personally because they "wanted to bear witness to the inhumanity of the genocide in the event people in the future deny that it happened." Ike understood implicitly the "unbelievability" of the genocide and the potential for future denial. On a smaller scale, before 9/11, the notion of flying 767s into skyscrapers to kill mass numbers of civilians was inconceivable. Until it happens, it is unfathomable. And even then...

And so now, here we find ourselves with the President of Iran - who both denies the Holocaust, on the one hand, and seeks to repeat it, on the other. What else can we make of his threat to "wipe Israel off the map?"

I would encourage you all to visit the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC. It offers shocking instruction on the all-to-human capacity for cruelty and inhumanity. And sadly, its lessons continue to have application today.

By Blogger Dawnfire82, at Tue Oct 12, 02:34:00 PM:

Never been to the one in D.C., but I went to the one in Jerusalem. I'm a bit of a stoneheart and rarely shed tears, but seeing a piece of painted 'memorial' art (referring to a Holocaust phenomenon, where many survivors who were not artists felt compelled to put their memories to canvas and sculpture) recalling the murder of her newborn child by SS guards... well...

Interesting fact: IDF soldiers visit the museum as part of their training. To let them know the consequences of failure, I guess.

By Anonymous Ignoramus, at Tue Oct 12, 02:51:00 PM:

Further to CP's point that the World should have known what Hitler was up to:

Hitler wrote Mein Kampf in 1925-1926. Right off, he made a lot of money from royalties which supported his political activities. So it was in wide circulation well before Hitler came to power.
It's not that much of a leap to see the "Final Solution" in what Hitler wrote in Mein Kampf, especially in Volume 1: Section XI: Nation and Race It's here Chilling stuff, actually.

Stalin also should have paid more attention. Hitler was pretty clear in Mein Kampf on his intent to destroy the Soviet Union and to seize Russian land to enable German expansion.

By Anonymous Anonymous, at Tue Oct 12, 02:51:00 PM:

Does anyone know: Has the President ever visited?

By Anonymous Anonymous, at Tue Oct 12, 02:56:00 PM:

"Interesting fact: IDF soldiers visit the museum as part of their training. To let them know the consequences of failure, I guess."

More to let them know the importance of serving in the first place.

(And to get a day off from basic.)

By Blogger TigerHawk, at Tue Oct 12, 03:09:00 PM:

Obama has visited Buchenwald, but I could not on a quick Google search find a visit to the museum.

By Blogger pam, at Tue Oct 12, 07:41:00 PM:

Obama went to Yad Vashem, in Jerusalem, in July 0f 2008--also a Google search.

Very nicely written, Cardinalpark.

By Anonymous Steve Skubinna, at Tue Oct 12, 10:02:00 PM:

Many reasonable, civilized people need desperately to believe that "everybody's the same" the world over or that it's "only the governments causing all the trouble." My hunch is that this is more likely found on the left side of the political spectrum.

Regardless, it is exemplified by those in the UK who sincerely believed that Mr. Hitler was a reasonable man, and that the only threat to the peace came from Churchill. Chamberlain's fatuous remark that he could do business with Hitler is chilling in retrospect.

Chamberlain's political heirs, of course, are those today who dismiss Iranian rhetoric as posturing, or who ignore Palestinian calls for Israel's destruction, or who insist that the term "jihad" does not mean holy war but is instead descriptive of personal striving.

For that matter, we have noted deep thinker Micheal Moore puzzled over why the 9/11 attacks happened to states that did not vote for Bush - such a staggering degree of obliviousness is hard to accept at face value, yet there are far too many who refuse to believe that their adversaries are saying what they mean, of in fact that they are actually doing what they boast of on YouTube.

Perhaps it's related to Spender Ackerman - Deadliest Man Alive! - and his fascination with hurling others through plate glass windows. There's an implicit nudge-nudge wink-wink that tells us he's only kidding, no "reasonable" person would do something like that. All he really needs is to half jokingly make the threat, and we, cowed, fall into a shamed silence. In Ackerman's universe there are no persons who would employ violence against another, so it's all one big inside joke.

By Blogger Mac from Michigan, at Wed Oct 13, 10:16:00 AM:

Good writing, no excellent writing.

Ackerman would (assuming, perhaps a lot...) probably change his opinion regarding violence if he spent a year or so working in a law enforcement agency, or district attorney's office.

Some people just need to be locked up...forever.

By Anonymous sirius, at Wed Oct 13, 07:45:00 PM:

I suspect Chamberlain's clueless-ness stemmed from an innate naivety; I've often surmised Churchill was able early on to read Hitler correctly because he did not labour under the delusion that, at bottom, all people are basically good.

Naivety or delusion seems all that can account for the fact that the wider world did not open itself to the Jews at a time when they were increasingly unwelcome in Germany. Hitler concluded the rest of the world didn't want them either, which only emboldened him--and serves as a lesson about the need to disabuse such people of their loathsome ideas or, at minimum, not reinforcing them.

I still can't get my mind around the voyage of the St. Louis, and the fact that even the U.S. denied its doomed passengers refuge.

(verification word: fight)

By Blogger Charles, at Thu Oct 14, 06:07:00 PM:

Captured German war records prove that millions of innocent Jews (and tens of thousands of others) were systematically exterminated by Nazi Germany - mostly in gas chambers. These facts have been proven repeatedly through countless thesis and dissertation research papers. Virtually every PhD in the world will stake their career on these known Holocaust FACTS. Despite this knowledge, Holocaust deniers ply their mendacious poison everywhere, especially with young people on the Internet. The deniers have only one agenda - to distort the truth in a way that promotes antagonism against the object of their hatred (Jews), or to deny the culpability of their ancestors and heroes.

Museums and mandatory public education are appropriate tools to dispel bigotry, especially racial and ethnic hatred. Books and films can also establish the veracity of genocides, such as recent Holocaust films. They help to tell the true story of the perpetrators of genocide; and they reveal the abject terror, humiliation and degradation resulting from such blind loathing and prejudice. We must disclose the cruelty and horror of genocide to combat the deniers’ virulent and inaccurate historical revision. By doing this, we protect vulnerable future generations from making the same mistakes.

Whenever we stand up to those who deny or minimize genocide we send a critical message to the world. As we continue to live in an age of genocide and ethnic cleansing, we must repel the broken ethics of our ancestors, or risk a dreadful repeat of past transgressions. A world that continues to allow genocide requires ethical remediation. We must show the world that religious, racial, ethnic and gender persecution is wrong; and that tolerance is our progeny's only hope. Only through such efforts can we reveal the true horror of genocide and promote the triumphant spirit of humankind.

Charles Weinblatt
Author, Jacob’s Courage

By Anonymous Anonymous, at Thu Oct 14, 07:01:00 PM:

More than historical papers -- I have an uncle through marriage who served in Patton's Third Army. They liberated Buchenwald. It made an impression on Mickey, and he told us of it. Patton, God love him, forced the locals to take a tour.

By Anonymous Anonymous, at Mon Oct 18, 10:40:00 AM:

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Friday, November 03, 2006

I've had my heart broken more than a few times by Cal football. I saw Tuan Van Le block that kick. I saw John Belli rough Jason Palumbis. I saw Dave Barr go down against the Huskies.

But trust me, nothing was worse than last year's debacle in Pasadena. Giving them a score right before halftime...Punting to Drew - again...The fake punt on 4th and 2...Our inability to tackle Maurice Drew, ever...47-40. This was my Clockwork Orange game, the main feature on every screen of the cineplex in my personal hell.

So it's payback time tomorrow evening in Berkeley. It's not as 'big' a game now that SC has lost a conference game; we could lose tomorrow, beat SC and still win the conference. But try telling that to Tedford or to the players who left their collective heart on the Rose Bowl turf last year.

When Cal has the ball...they need to block Davis and Hickman. This is the whole game, really. Control them, and UCLA will be forced to bring the blitz. If they bring the blitz, there is simply no way that five or six Bruin defenders can consistently manage Cal's skill people. Unless Nate makes bad decisions, which would be out of character.

Tedford will want to - surprise - establish the run. I hope we do it off the pass. I'd like to see us come out throwing - lots of quick throws on the perimeter to Jordan, Jackson and Lynch. Force their linebackers into pass coverage; gas their line a bit. Then, give them a steady dose of Lynch and Forsett as a change of pace.

With two weeks to prepare, Tedford will surely introduce something new - hopefully it involves DeSean Jackson's hands around a football. Look for at least one end around or reverse.

I look for Craig Stevens to have a big game. I assume Walker will be obsessed with our speed on the edges, hopefully opening up the middle of the field for Stevens and the backs.

When UCLA has the ball...they will have to throw and generate big plays from the passing game. They simply don't have the horses up front or the athleticism in the backfield to control this game on the ground. Bruins OC Jim Svoboda has opened the passing game up a wee bit in the last two weeks, and Cowan has been able to hit for a couple of long scores. They'll need more of that against Cal - at least two 40+ plays for scores or set-ups.

Cowan can't throw interceptions. He must stay away from Hughes and make smart decisions against Cal's zone package.

Special teams...Can't be much worse than last year. Medlock is a very good kicker, which would matter more in a low-scoring game. We must continue to be efficient in the red zone and put up sevens rather than threes.

Intangibles...See above. JT may have never won a truly big game, but he's also never failed to pay back an opponent who had it coming. Memorial will be hopping.

Prediction...I've got more respect for the Bruins than I should, given their performance this year. I think they will show up and play with emotion, but I'm not convinced they have enough scoring to compete with Cal. Cal's had a couple of relatively poor games offensively, but I trust that Tedford has worked things out over the bye week. I don't see a blowout, but I do see a W.

California 35 UCLA 19

At 2:32 PM, Anonymous SoCal Oski said...

Amen, Brother.

I've got a few years on you, so I also have a few more heartbreaks stored up. Living through the Kapp, Gilbertson and Holmoe years can do that to you.

Tuan Van Le was about as bad is it could ever get, though ... even compared to last year's Ucla loss. Hell, at least those baby bruins won the game because they had some stud out there making plays. The 2003 loss was worse, because Ucla didn't win nearly as much as our kicking game lost.

But still ... no matter how tough a loss is, at least I have experienced the other side. Nov 23, 1982.

Go Bears!

At 2:35 PM, Blogger Tightwad said...

To give you a timeframe, my first disappointment was the Rich Campbell game v UCLA on national TV. My dad was an Old, Old Blue, and he filled in the rest, especially the Rose Bowl losses. Go Bears!

At 4:10 PM, Blogger Go Bears said...

Nice Recap. I think Cal gets over 40 against the Bruins.

There is an article in the Chronicle about Tightwad Hill and the new stadium renovations. Thought you might have some thoughts.

At 8:17 PM, Blogger Tightwad said...

I plan to write a piece on the renovation issue next week. Thanks for reading and Go Bears!

At 11:29 PM, Anonymous BadgerBear said...

The bRuins always seem to have the talent, but only put it together every now and then. That's why they scare me. But, I agree with you about this year, Tedford will get some payback.

At 11:00 AM, Blogger T. said...

nothing will ever be worse than Dave Barr going down against the Huskies. Weren't we up by 21 points with 3 minutes to go? Didn't the whole Huskie fan base get up and leave? I remember taunting them as they left.

Spoiled current Cal students don't understand pain. I saw some leaving the Oregon and Portland State games early. What the heck?!

What's a Bruin anyways?

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text:
The Paint-Job: My Recent Timebank Exchange

Give me a can of paint, a few good walls, a roller, and paint-brush.  Set me to motion.  And I’m happy.

So when  I saw that a timebank member had put it out there on Community Weaver that she was looking to have her small bathroom painted, I hovered for a little while over the request.

To respond.  Or not to respond.  That was the question.

So here’s what went through my head.

I’m not a professional painter.  While I have painted enough walls in my time to know that a good paintbrush seriously beats a bad one, I lack what every professional painter has:  a seriously heavy drop-cloth. Instead, I spread newspaper around. I’m willing to take risks with the drips.

Would my would-be timebank recipient be quite so willing?

Would she accept less perfection than a professional would offer?  That’s a classic question for timebank exchanges.  And there’s also a classic answer:  Just ask and find out.

To ask would be easy. But then, on to the next question.  Painting a room, even a small room, doesn’t just happen licketty split.  This would mean a real investment of my time.  And my time isn’t just short, it’s almost always in arrears.  Do I really want to spend precious time painting walls for a person I never met?

I could think of a million sensible reasons why not to do it, and just three reasons why I should: I could do the job and do it pretty well; I could help the timebank grow; I could use my credits for who knows what?

The three won out.  It was a Yes.

So I made the call.  We set up a time to meet at her house and consider whether this exchange would work for us both. The meeting was brief. It was friendly in the way that strangers are friendly. The room looked like something I could handle, but there would be a lot of edging to do, and I just couldn’t give her a good estimate of the time it would take. Four hours at least, I said. Maybe five. Maybe even more, And I stressed again that I was not a professional – I didn’t want to disappoint.  Was that OK? She said it was.

Time then to set a date.  That took quite a bit of going back and forth.  Our schedules didn’t match. But we finally managed it, and five days later, at the appointed time, with my painting equipment in hand, I made the fifteen minute drive all over again.  I showed up, rang the bell, and was let in.

Getting Started

A brief hello, and up we went to the waiting bathroom, where a gallon of paint now sat on the floor, along with a  green plastic paint-tray liner that I’d asked her to supply – it was too big for my metal paint tray, it soon turned out – plus a roll of blue masking tape, and a two-step foot-stool to give me height.

Over my shoulder, I had my big shopping bag with all my supplies.  I put those down on the floor, and pulled out an old t-shirt to change into.

We were a bit strained with each other.  I was nervous.  And maybe she was, too.  Feeling worried that she would expect too much,  I said again: “This is the first time I’ve done a paint job for someone else.” I laughed. She didn’t.  Instead, she told me that she would be needing to go out for while – was I OK with that? Then she walked out the room and left me to it.

It had all been very quick and business-like. I found myself thinking:  Is this a person who’s just getting a job done on the cheap, and that’s all it is?  How do I feel about giving my whole afternoon to a stranger who seems to be seeing this purely as a way of saving money?

It honestly didn’t feel so good. Yet I knew this was the deal I had made.  I needed to be OK with that possibility.  I would have to turn this into a meaningful experience for me, regardless of what it meant to her.  That had to be my call.

I shut the door and turned to the task.

Getting the Job Done

I pried the lid off the gallon can of paint with a screwdriver. I tipped the can to pour some paint into the plastic paint-liner.  The can was heavy and unwieldy.  I tipped it too far; the plastic tray-liner filled up more than I wanted, and after I had put down the can, and tried to pick the liner up off the floor, its body gave way. A thick gooey wave of blue paint spilled out.

Oh my goodness.  My first paint job for someone else, and a spill!

But the paint had poured onto the thick wad of newspapers that I’d set on the floor.  And thank heavens this was a bathroom with tile floors!  Nervous and rushing, I caught it fast and folded up the newspapers, the top layers all soggy with blue paint.  Now it was clear that I would have to leave the liner in one place, and keep coming back to it. With great care, I lifted it up again, and put it on the toilet seat. There, it would stay.

Then I realized that the foot-stool was not really high enough.  I should have checked that, and brought my step-ladder. Doing the line at the ceiling was going to be a bear.

Not so good.

The room was quiet.  It felt strange, being alone in this stranger’s home, about to paint.  Yet, too, it was a lovely spring day. The color she had chosen was a beautiful eggshell blue. The window was half open, and although this was a built-up area, there was foliage between the buildings, and birds were singing their hearts out.  It was a beautiful sound and calming.

I got to work with the paintbrush, doing the slow, painstaking work of cutting-in the edges along the tops of the wall tiles in front of the basin. Next would be the medicine cabinet, then carefully around the toothbrush holder, the light-fixture, and the door frame.  Then the window and the ceiling line.  The shower walls, the most difficult to access, would be last.

fter ten minutes, the nervousness had gone.  After half an hour, I was making good progress on the cutting in.  Enjoyment was kicking in.

After three and something hours, the task was nearly done. And wow!  Standing back to survey the result, it was looking really good.  Yes, doing the ceiling line had been a bear, having to tiptoe on the step-stool to reach had made it hard; but the line was OK.  And the color was truly beautiful.

I called to let the timebank member know I was finishing up.  She came in.  “It looks gorgeous,” she said. “You’ve done a beautiful job.”  She pointed out that she had washed the ceiling.  Yes, she had, and that helped a lot. She said she would clean up the newspapers on the floor and take care of the paint-tray liner.

When I had finished, she came up again.  The walls sang with their new color.  The room was truly transformed.  She was thrilled.

We smiled.  For a few minutes, we chatted.  I learned that she was a teacher of Spanish, on spring break. And that she was originally from South America. I discovered that she had been really nervous that I might not finish and she wouldn’t be able to reschedule a time that would work to finish it off.

I changed out of my old t-shirt.  We walked down the stairs to the front door for me to leave.

She said: “Now it’s my turn to give something to the timebank.”

“Yes,” I said, “That’s right.” And smiled.

With the set-up visit and travel, it had been four and a half hours.

I walked out into the afternoon sunshine.  And the feeling?  Had this been worth the time?  Yes. it really had. There was a smile on my face. I was feeling good.


text:
Monday, July 27, 2015

Immortal Love ♥

Twilight har blitt en av mine favoritt serier i film og bok form ♥ Stor fan av fantasy og sexy vampyrer! ;) Om du er glad i denne serien også, må du absolutt gå til facebook siden til The Twilight Saga. Der ligger syv fantastisk bra kort-filmer basert på den offisielle illustrerte guiden til Twilight fra forfatteren Stephanie Meyer.  Mange med kjente skuespillere i rollene. Flotte tolkninger av Cullen familien, selv om man savner litt de man er vant til fra filmene..
Jeg har forresten også tidligere lagd kort inspirert av Twilight her om du vil ta en titt!

I know Twilight is a typical either u love or u hate series ~ but I have always had nothing but love for it .. I'm not a big fan of the typical rom-com movies and novels, but throw in some fantasy and sexy vampires n such together with some steamy romance, and I'm totally hooked! ;)
I have made some Twilight cards before, if you want to take a look, here!

Did you see new Short Stories based on Twilight the Official Illustrated Guide by Stephenie Meyer? It shows the backstories of the Cullen family, very tragic and romantic... They can all be watched on the video facebook page of The Twilight Saga! Then go vote.. I had a hard time picking a fave, but 'The Mary Alice Brandon File' & 'Consumed' touched me deeply.. so so sad

I enter my card in theese fab Challenges: [Ends on]
Sassy Studio FB group ~ July Progressive Ch. (freebie - rules) [July 26th.]
Creative Moments #73. ~ Anything Goes w. opt. Bingo [Aug 3rd.]
Simon Says Wed. ~ Sparkle & Shine! (holographic n glossy 2nd. entry) [July 28th.]
Simon Says Mon. ~ I Scream for: Immortal [July 26th.]
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #14. ~ Anything Goes! [July 31st.]
Love to Scrap #58. ~ Anything Goes [Aug. 2nd.]
Left of Center
#88. ~ Use Texture or LOC! [July 31st.]
Mixed Media World
MMW#5. ~ Use Stencils! (front and back) [Aug. 8th.]
That Craft Place ~ Words [Aug. 1st.]

EDIT: I got Top Picked at Left of Center! :)
inside detail

The text reads: 'For my sweetheart' on front, & inside it says
'Beauty lies in the eternal words.. I love you'..

Stamps/Images: Sassy Studio Design digistamp 'Immortal Love'. North Star Stamps NSS 'Valentine tekster & kjærlige hilsner' & 'Store gode tekster'. Magnolia 'BakgrundsSwirl Bröllup'.
Papers: Bazzill cardstock. Plain white cardstock. 7 Gypsies 'Gypsy Market' 6x6 Paper pack. Dovecraft 6x6 PP by Kate Knight. Imitation crocodile leather paper.
Embellishments/Tools: Cottage Cutz 'Oval Doily & Frame'. Sizzix Bigz die 'Basic Shapes 658300'. Marianne Designs Creatables 'Oval Frame LR0293'. Martha Stewart 'Flourish Edge Punch'.
Techniques: I always use my Scor-Pal to score n fold my cards. I prefer Canson Montvale aquarelle paper (200 g/m coldpressed). My distress tools from Ranger Ink is always in use! ~ Tim Holtz® Mini Ink Round Blending Tool & the Inkssentials Ink Blending Tool and Foams. I used misc. Luminarte Twinkling H2o's Shimmering Watercolors, and Tim Holtz Distress Ink pads & markers to watercolor and distress image and papers. The heart is popped up with 3D fun foam, and the stenciling (unknown stencil) and inky spatters is done with Tim's gorgeous Distress spray stains 'Antiqued bronze' (I bought the whole lot of sprays! Distress inks is THE BEST product ever!) The text is heat embossed.

  1. I really love the structure that you used for your card! The framed front looks really elegant and I like how the hearts have some great texture. I also love how you made the inside as lovely as the outside! It came together beautifully and I'm so glad you shared your talents with us for this week's Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge!

  2. ooh la la ;) i love the colors of this card! thank you for playing with us at simon says stamp wednesday challenge!

  3. Great card. the colours, the layout. Well done.
    Thanks for joining us over at lil' patch of crafty friends. good luck and hope to see you again soon
    Erica (DT)

  4. A great card with lovely colours. Thank you for sharing at Creative Moments. Rebecca x

  5. Lovely card. Thank you for joining us at Creative Moments.

  6. Hi there, Love your card and love the image as not seen that one before. Thankyou for joining us at That Craft Place. Good Luck and hope to see you again soon.
    Hugs Amanda

  7. Beautiful! Love that red paper and those textured hearts!

  8. Great card and love all the fabulous texture. Thanks for sharing with us at MMW this month
    Amanda x

  9. Great card thanks for playing along at MMW, hugs Debs xx

  10. Such a gorgeous card, love the bold colours and gorgeous colour.
    Thank you for joining us at That Craft Place.
    Hope to see more of your work.

Many thanks for taking the time to leave me a comment! :)
♥ Tindaloo aka. Hilde Larsen


text:
February 15, 2014

Unboxing: Opening Sugru Magnet Kit

Terrific idea from Sugru: Sugru + Magnets in a kit!

Ordered... and finally arrived!

Here's the customized envelope front:

and back:

Really a nice start.

Here's the contents of the envelope (the receipt and the kit):

Here's the kit (the little manual and the tin can):

Opening the tin can:

You can find three Sugru 5g packs and four round magnets:

Here's one magnet (you can see the round rubber that isolates a bit the magnet from the tin and makes it easy to lift up):

The cardboard packaging is very different from the one designed at first!

Now I'm ready to hack something...!

BTW, really interesting story of Where Sugru Comes From (from Make).

And from Sugru the story behind Sugru in general and this kit in particular (at the bottom of the page).


WARC-Truncated: length

text:
January 25, 2017

The Unsung Letter No.2, from A.N. Devers

Dear Unsung Letter Readers,
I am a newcomer to these parts. I relocated last year from Brooklyn, NY to London, a month-and-a-half before the Brexit vote, for what was meant to be a three-year stay with my husband and two-year-old. Trump was running for President along with a lot of other strange, frighteningly backward, distinctly un-Presidential candidates, and I was joking about our hasty and hard jump across the pond as a pre-emptive expatriation.
Funny thing, my not very funny joke is now not a barely funny joke, but our reality.
I didn’t really have a sense of Brexit until it was a few weeks away when a man handed me an “I’m in” sticker on my street corner, and explained better to me what it was about. But I’m told most of Great Britain didn’t know either.  Of course, I was in. And now, with Trump’s “victory” and the seeming rise of a Russia-guided kakistocracyas journalist Masha Gessen so perfectly described the newborn despot’s infant government, I am, despite my loathing of Brexit, hoping to stay a bit longer than three years, or however long it takes to recognize or trust my birthplace.
But I am already off topic. Forgive me, but my mind is mostly on America today. I meant to simply say, I am new here and therefore ever so welcomed and thankful to be participating in Helen McClory’s smart letter campaign for under-read books. I have one to tell you about, and singing the praises of a book seldom read is one of life’s best freedoms and pleasures.
In my Brooklyn apartment, I tried kept a three-stack supply Dodie Smith’s “I Capture the Castle,” on hand, after I read it after being intrigued by a short essay by Diana Fox in the literary magazine, Tin House, upon its American re-introduction. I had no idea who Smith was despite having written one of my favorite childhood novels, 101 Dalmatians, and Castle, apparently, had been out-of-print for some time. I ordered the reprint to my local bookstore and it came packaged in a sublime cover and sported this rather extraordinary blurb by J. K. Rowling“This book has one of the most charismatic narrators I've ever met.” If I had to estimate how many copies of this book I’d given away, and how many more I sold as a bookseller, I think it would be in at least the low hundreds. There is no better feeling.
Despite its solid cult status, here, and now thankfully it’s rising cult status in America, there is still a lot to say about this book, including that it is arguably one of the most unsung modern novels of the last hundred years, that it still hasn’t been taken seriously as it needs to be because Smith is a woman and its main characters are women, and because it dares to be funny, but it is not the book I want to tell you about, but to demonstrate my desire to participate in a reciprocal across the pond sharing of unsung books, and to say thank you, England, for giving me one of my favorites.

The one I want to tell you about I tried to buy recently and foist upon my first new book-loving acquaintance in the UK. I talked for at least twenty minutes straight about Helen DeWitt’s 2000 debut The Last Samurai, piqued his interest, and then realized I couldn’t lend him my copy. It’s one of the few books I own that are too precious for me to let walk out the door. So for Christmas I thought I would surprise him with it and was surprised to discover it is only available as print-on-demand here. I didn’t have enough time to have it made as a gift, and I wanted a nice copy, and so I’m determined to bring back a dozen or so of the recent New Directions 2016 reissues, who republished it last May and launching a dogged campaign for readers to re-recognize its brilliance.
I am one of the lucky handful who read this book when it debuted in 2000. My brother had given it a rapturous recommendation and I also recall reading A.S. Byatt’s review in The New Yorker, who compared it to David Mitchell’s Ghostwritten.
Why read The Last Samurai? For one, it is far superior to Franzen’s The Corrections, arguably as intellectually demanding as David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest, and yet, DeWitt was never put on the cover of a magazine for The Last Samurai. She was never offered Oprah’s Book Club, and she never entered into the media’s great push to proclaim the new great American writers, Franzen and Wallace, who notably published their big books around the same time. There wasn’t room on the stage for DeWitt, somehow. She didn’t even enter get a piece of the conversation. I heard later it many times that it was partly her fault that she was difficult. Well.
So, what is this genius book about? It’s about language and translation and a smart but desperately poor, single mom with a son who is a profoundly gifted child. It is a book about genius. It is brilliant and it is work to read in the way that brilliant books should be good and hard. It is humbling. She deserves more than a thimbleful of the success her great male contemporaries received, and so perhaps, Norton, its print-on-demand paperback publisher, might be encouraged to give it another chance on the physical shelves of bookstores. At least, dear reader, I can tell you to have it printed up right now. You have waited patiently enough for the book of your dreams. It’s my favorite novel of the past twenty years and it’s set in London, of all places.

Buy The Last Samurai here.

A.N. Devers work as a writer and freelance journalist has been published in The Guardian, The New Republic, Nylon, The New Yorker, and The Paris Review among other places. She is a contributing editor at A Public Space and Longreads.


text:
What Everyone Needs to Know About Getting Rid of Mold

It’s not a pretty topic. It’s not a fun topic. It’s not something anybody wants to even consider— but somebody’s got to do it. Friends, today we’re tackling one of nature’s peskiest, most disgusting creatures: mold. We don’t use the term “creature” mildly, either; it’s just accurate. You might already know this important fact, but it’s one that’s easy to forget: mold is an organism, reproducing and infiltrating our homes in ways not dissimilar to insects or other pests. As such, simply cleaning it or wiping it away isn’t enough. It’s alive, and we have to kill it.

Sound dramatic? Maybe. But considering that mold – and its annoying little brother, mildew – are linked to respiratory issues from a persistent cold to full-blown asthma attacks, we’re not really overstating the issue. We’re also not about to scare you and leave you in the lurch! Oh no. Instead, we’ve gathered up everything we know about mold to give you the most comprehensive guide we can to understanding it, killing it, preventing it, and ridding our lives of it. Read on.

The Basics: Mold vs. Mildew, And What It All Is

If you had to define mold, how would you? Most people get stuck describing it as “green, fuzzy stuff,” and while that’s not untrue, there’s a little more to it, and understanding it – and the differences between full-grown mold and mildew – can go a long way with helping you prevent and treat it. Here’s what you should know.

  • Is a fungi, and a basic microscopic organism. It’s also a common allergen, which is one of the reasons it’s such a health concern.
  • Has a purpose— really! It’s nature’s way of regenerating environments, since it feeds on and breaks down dead organic matter. Great for the outdoors; less great for our homes.
  • Thrives in moist environments, which is why the most likely place you’ll find it is your bathroom or in the walls as a result of storm or flood damage.
  • Can be black, brown, white or green, and in its most advanced, ick-worthy stages, is often thick and fuzzy. (Think of those old leftovers you definitely don’t want to eat.)
  • Grows in colonies, and can form in as little as 24 to 48 hours on a moist surface. It spreads by creating airborne spores that land on organic materials close to the source.

  • Is a type of mold in its early stages.
  • Is the most common type of mold but also – thankfully – the least harmful, though it can still cause health issues, especially of the allergen type.
  • Can be black, brown, yellow, white, pink or orange, and can often look flat and/or dusty. Everybody’s seen the pink and/or orange kind in their bathroom at some point, but worry not— while it’s disgusting, it’s also essentially harmless.
  • Grows more predictably than other types of mold.
  • Is super common. We can’t stress that enough— if you see mildew in your home, it doesn’t mean you’re disgusting! It’s absolutely possible to both treat it and prevent regrowth.

Since mold and mildew thrive in damp places, you of course should be on high alert for it in your bathroom and around your kitchen sink. Other places you should look include in drywall and insulation, on carpets, on wallpaper and painted walls, on fabrics and, of course, in your food.

Killing Mold, Part 1: Your Partners In Cleaning

You’ve got a few options when it comes to killing mold and preventing it from growing back, and you’re not even limited to specialized, artificial cleaners, either. There are more natural and organic options for you, too, so choose the one that makes the most sense for you and the areas you’re cleaning.

Hydrogen Peroxide: Hydrogen peroxide is both antifungal and antibacterial, making it the perfect tool to go after mold and/or mildew on a variety of surfaces. Just grab a bottle of the 3% concentrated kind from your local pharmacy. You can also use the powdered kind and mix it in a 50-50 solution with water.

Bleach: It’s often the simplest and easiest way. If you can stand the smell and the item you’re cleaning can withstand it, it might be your best option, whether you’re spraying it on directly or adding it to your laundry.

Undiluted Vinegar: Plain white vinegar is naturally antimicrobial, kills 82% of mold species, can clean any service and, as we know, is a general cleaning superstar.

Distilled Ethanol: If you can’t stand the smell of vinegar, you might want to raid your liquor cabinet. Bottom-shelf, less-distilled grain alcohols like vodka can be used exactly the same way as vinegar.

Tea Tree Oil: Tea tree oil is a natural fungicide, and easy to incorporate. Just add 10 drops to a full spray bottle, shake well, and spray over the affected area. It’s also a great preventative for regrowth, especially when used repeatedly.

Concrobium: Yes, it’s a specialty product, but sometimes it’s good to have one in your corner. This one is nontoxic, doesn’t smell, and is easy-to-use.

Scrubbing brushes, rags, sponges, toothbrushes, etc.: Whatever you use to scrub, make sure you clean it thoroughly before and, especially, after cleaning, and allow it to dry thoroughly. You can’t get rid of mold with a moldy implement!

Killing Mold, Part 2: The Usual Areas

So we know that the most likely areas for mold to take over are our bathrooms, kitchen counters, walls, and other flat surfaces to regularly come into contact with water. It can seem like a lot— until you know how many options you have to fight them. Pick one or use them all to attack and defeat that mold, and prevent a resurgence.

If you’re using hydrogen peroxide: Whether you’re using it straight or in the 50-50 water concentration, the method is the same. Spray the affected area and let it sit for 10 minutes. Wipe away the area – you might need to scrub hard, depending on how bad the infestation is – rinse, and dry the area off. To prevent regrowth, spray one more time and let it air dry.

If you’re attacking shower caulking: Bleach could be your best bet, especially if you’re looking for a return to pristine white caulking and/or if the mold has gone beyond pink or orange mildew to the black stage. Spray the bleach on thickly and wait a few minutes. As you do, you’ll actually see the black start to disappear— that’s the mold dying! Using a scrub brush or a toothbrush to scrub it away, and scrub away any debris while you’re at it. Rinse the area by spraying it down with your shower nozzle, and use a paper towel to pat it dry.

If you’re using vinegar: The method here is similar to using the hydrogen peroxide or the bleach! You can use undiluted vinegar or a mixture of 1 part vinegar and 1 part water. Whichever you choose, spray the area and let it sit. Scrub vigorously in a circular motion, rinse, dry and spray again to prevent regrowth. If you’re cleaning grout, you can also follow it up with a paste made of baking soda and water, and repeat the scrubbing method.

If you need intense saturation: Use cotton coil to give your grout cleaning a boost. Soak it in bleach or your chosen cleaner, lay it on the area, let it soak overnight, and scrub in the morning.

If it’s on your shower curtain: Wash it in the regular washer and dryer with detergent and bleach. The folds of your shower curtain are prime mold breeding ground, so make sure you’re cleaning it regularly! Alternatively, wash it in the regular washer with half the recommended detergent and 1 cup of vinegar, with some towels in there too for extra scrubbing. After washing, put the washed shower curtain in your clean tub. Cover with water, and add 1 cup of salt to the water as it runs. Stir the water so the salt dissolves and covers the shower curtain. Soak for three hours, then hang to dry.

If it’s a painted wall: You can use the other methods here, but if you’re worried about bleach or hydrogen peroxide on your paint, there’s another way. Just fill a bucket with detergent and water. Wash with one rag and dry with another. Then – this part’s important! – vacuum around the area to get rid of any remaining spores and to stop them from growing back.

Killing Mold, Part 3: Other Suspects

The thing about mold? It spreads, and sometimes it spreads to unsuspecting places like our clothing, our shoes, even hats. It makes you shudder to consider, doesn’t it? Here’s how to handle those more delicate items.

Clothing: Does your closet share a wall with some pipes? If those pipes leak, you can get closet mold, and it can spread to your clothing. Luckily, fixing it is as easy as changing your washing routine. Add 1 cup of vinegar to the detergent compartment and wash on hot. Hang dry in sunlight, if you can, to kill any last remaining vestiges and make your clothes inhospitable to regrowth.

Towels: Even mold-free towels can retain a mildew smell. Get rid of it by washing towels on the hot cycle twice: once with an added cup of white vinegar, and a second with ½ cup of baking soda.

Hats: A delicate or vintage hat will need a professional cleaner, but you can take care of felt or baseball caps yourself. Go outside and use a rag or paper towel to brush off what you can. Sprinkle the area with talcum powder and leave it to sit for a few minutes. Brush the talcum powder away, then take a wet cloth or wipe and pat away the rest, wetting and cleaning the entire hat. Let it dry in the sun.

Leather Shoes: Like with hats, do this process outside. Take off as much as you can with a damp cloth and allow the shoes to dry, then clean the entire shoe with a mild soap or special leather cleaner.

Curtains: Some might need professional cleaning, but you can decontaminate cotton and linen ones yourself. Wash them the same way you would clothes, with a cup of vinegar in the detergent. If stains remain after washing, remove them by applying a paste of lemon and salt. Let it sit for 15 to 30 minutes, then rinse the curtains with water and wash again.

Tents: As outdoor shelters set up on damp ground, it makes sense that mold would eventually invade a tent— but that doesn’t mean it gets to stay! Clean a moldy tent with a sponge and soapy water, then soak it in bathtub or large container filled with a solution of water and technical fabric cleaner. Hang in the sun until it’s halfway dry, then move it into the shade to dry the rest of way. Treat stains by scrubbing with a mixture of 1 cup salt, 1 cup lime juice, and 2 ½ gallons water, and allow to dry. Be sure to repair any tears and re-coat with waterproofing, and make sure it’s thoroughly dry before packing it away.

Prevention: Moldy No More

So you’ve managed to remove all the mold from your home, or you’re lucky enough not to have any in the first place. Now it’s time to make sure it doesn’t come back, and that means making your home as unfriendly to mold as possible. That means:

Keeping It Dry.
We can’t say it enough— mold loves a wet environment. While you can’t avoid some dampness occasionally, there are plenty of things you can do!

  • Consider investing in a dehumidifier.
  • Figure out if you have any leaky plumbing – especially in areas you wouldn’t normally notice – and fix any problems as soon as possible.
  • Air out your home as often as possible by opening windows and, if safe, doors.
  • Use the ventilation fans in your bathrooms! After all, that’s exactly why they’re there. Leave it on during and after you shower for at least 60 minutes. If you don’t have an exhaust fan, leave the door to the bathroom and any bathroom windows open.
  • Keep the shower curtain closed to allow it to dry completely. This tip also prevents it from sticking to itself and forming wet, folded areas where water can collect.
  • Avoid leaving anything wet around— that means wet clothes, towels, etc. Hang them up to dry, and don’t let them collect on the floor.

Keeping It Clean— And Smart

  • Since spores are airborne, keeping your air clean is a great step for preventing mold from spreading. Consider investing in a purifier, or adding a mold-and-mildew spore-catching filter to the air conditioning return vent.
  • Reseal grout and tile as often as needed to prevent future growth. You can use beeswax and natural oil if you like!
  • Tackle mold as soon as you spot it. The sooner you take care of it, the less time it has to spread and colonize.
  • Consider cutting your losses. If you have carpet, wood furniture or upholstery that’s heavily affected, sometimes it’s just better to replace it outright.
  • Clean your shower curtain on a regular basis.
  • If you use storage baskets in your bathroom, use ones with holes to allow air to pass through and dry things.
  • After washing, don’t just dry yourself off. Use a squeegee or a towel to dry the shower and tub, too.
  • Keep the shower and bath area as clear from bottles and other items as possible. They can hide pooling water that leads to mold.
  • Use a daily shower spray! You can make your own by mixing 1 teaspoon of tea tree oil with 1 cup of water, or using 1 part vinegar with 1 part water.

Not so scary when you’re prepared, now is it? Commit this info to heart, experiment and pick your favorite attack method, and practice prevention, and you’ll never have to worry about mold affecting your health again. If you have any tips or tricks of your own to add, be sure to tell us about them!

For more background and information, visit Natural Living Ideas, Shower Remedy and The Huffington Post.