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Emmylou Harris on Apple Music

Emmylou Harris

Though other performers sold more records and earned greater fame, few had as profound an impact on contemporary music as Emmylou Harris. Blessed with a crystalline voice, a remarkable gift for phrasing, and a restless creative spirit, she traveled a singular artistic path, proudly carrying the torch of "cosmic American music" passed down by her mentor, Gram Parsons. With the exception of only Neil Young -- not surprisingly an occasional collaborator -- no other mainstream star established a similarly large body of work as consistently iconoclastic, eclectic, or daring; even more than four decades into her career, Harris' latter-day music remained as heartfelt, visionary, and vital as her earliest recordings.

Harris was born on April 2, 1947, to a military family stationed in Birmingham, Alabama. After spending much of her childhood in North Carolina, she moved to Woodbridge, Virginia while in her teens and graduated high school there as class valedictorian. After winning a dramatic scholarship to the University of North Carolina, she began to seriously study music, learning to play songs by Bob Dylan and Joan Baez. Soon, Harris was performing in a duo with fellow UNC student Mike Williams, eventually quitting school to move to New York, only to find the city's folk music community dying out in the wake of the psychedelic era.

Still, Harris remained in New York, traveling the Greenwich Village club circuit before becoming a regular at Gerdes Folk City, where she struck up friendships with fellow folkies Jerry Jeff Walker, David Bromberg, and Paul Siebel. After marrying songwriter Tom Slocum in 1969, she recorded her debut LP, 1970's Gliding Bird. Shortly after the record's release, however, Harris' label declared bankruptcy, and while pregnant with her first child, her marriage began to fall apart. After moving to Nashville, she and Slocum divorced, leaving Harris to raise daughter Hallie on her own. After several months of struggle and poverty, she moved back in with her parents, who had since bought a farm outside of Washington, D.C.

There she returned to performing, starting a trio with local musicians Gerry Mule and Tom Guidera. One evening in 1971, while playing at an area club called Clyde's, the trio performed to a crowd that included members of the country-rock pioneers the Flying Burrito Brothers. In the wake of the departure of Gram Parsons, the band's founder, the Burritos were led by ex-Byrd Chris Hillman, who was so impressed by Harris' talents that he considered inviting her to join the group. Instead, Hillman himself quit to join Stephen Stills' Manassas, but he recommended her to Parsons, who wanted a female vocalist to flesh out the sound of his solo work, a trailblazing fusion of country and rock & roll he dubbed "cosmic American music." Their connection was instant, and soon Harris was learning about country music and singing harmony on Parsons' solo debut, 1972's G.P. A tour with Parsons' backup unit, the Fallen Angels, followed, and in 1973 they returned to the studio to cut his landmark LP Grievous Angel.

On September 19, just weeks after the album sessions ended, Parsons' fondness for drugs and alcohol finally caught up to him, and he was found dead in a hotel room outside of the Joshua Tree National Monument in California. At the time, Harris was back in Washington, collecting her daughter for a planned move to the West Coast. Instead, she remained in D.C., reuniting with Tom Guidera to form the Angel Band. The group signed to Reprise and relocated to Los Angeles to begin work on Harris' major-label solo debut, 1975's acclaimed Pieces of the Sky, an impeccable collection made up largely of diverse covers ranging in origin from Merle Haggard to the Beatles. Produced by Brian Ahern, who would go on to helm Harris' next ten records -- as well as becoming her second husband -- Pieces of the Sky's second single, a rendition of the Louvin Brothers' "If I Could Only Win Your Love," became her first Top Five hit. "Light of the Stable," a Christmas single complete with backing vocals from Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, and Neil Young, soon followed; Harris then repaid the favor by singing on Ronstadt's "The Sweetest Gift" and Young's "Star of Bethlehem."

For her second LP, 1976's Elite Hotel, Harris established a new backing unit, the Hot Band, which featured legendary Elvis Presley sidemen James Burton and Glen D. Hardin as well as a young songwriter named Rodney Crowell on backup vocals and rhythm guitar. The resulting album proved to be a smash, with covers of Buck Owens' "Together Again" and the Patsy Cline perennial "Sweet Dreams" both topping the charts. Before beginning sessions for her third effort, 1977's Luxury Liner, Harris guested on Bob Dylan's Desire and appeared in Martin Scorsese's documentary of the Band's legendary final performance, The Last Waltz. Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town followed in 1978, led by the single "Two More Bottles of Wine," her third number one. The record was Crowell's last with the Hot Band; one of the tracks, "Green Rolling Hills," included backing from Ricky Skaggs, soon to become Crowell's replacement as Harris' vocal partner.

Released in 1979, Blue Kentucky Girl was her most country-oriented work to date, an indication of what was to come a year later with Roses in the Snow, a full-fledged excursion into acoustic bluegrass. In the summer of 1980, a duet with Roy Orbison, "That Lovin' You Feelin' Again," hit the Top Ten; a yuletide LP, Light of the Stable, followed at the end of the year. Shortly afterward, Harris quit touring to focus on raising her second daughter, Meghann. Evangeline, a patchwork of songs left off of previous albums, appeared in 1981. Shortly afterward, Skaggs left the Hot Band to embark on a solo career; his replacement was Barry Tashian, a singer/songwriter best known for fronting the 1960s rock band the Remains.

In 1982, drummer John Ware, the final holdover from the first Hot Band lineup, left the group; at the same time, Harris' marriage to Ahern was also beginning to disintegrate. After 1981's Cimarron, Harris and the Hot Band cut a live album, Last Date, named in honor of the album's chart-topping single "(Lost His Love) On Our Last Date," a vocal version of the Floyd Cramer instrumental. Quickly, they returned to the studio to record White Shoes, Harris' final LP with Ahern at the helm. Her most far-ranging affair yet, it included covers of Donna Summer's "On the Radio," Johnny Ace's "Pledging My Love," and Sandy Denny's "Old-Fashioned Waltz."

After leaving Ahern, she and her children moved back to Nashville. There, Harris joined forces with singer/songwriter Paul Kennerley, on whose 1980 concept album, The Legend of Jesse James, she had sung backup. Together, they began formulating a record called The Ballad of Sally Rose, employing the pseudonym Harris often used on the road to veil what was otherwise a clearly autobiographical portrait of her own life. Though a commercial failure, the 1985 record proved pivotal in Harris' continued evolution as an artist and a risk-taker; it also marked another chapter in her personal life when she and Kennerley wed shortly after concluding their tour. Angel Band, a subtle acoustic collection of traditional country spirituals, followed, although the record was not issued until 1987, after the release of its immediate follow-up, Thirteen.

Harris, Dolly Parton, and Linda Ronstadt had first toyed with the idea of recording an album together as far back as 1977, only to watch the project falter in light of touring commitments and other red tape. Finally, in 1987, they issued Trio, a collection that proved to be Harris' best-selling album to date, generating the hits "To Know Him Is to Love Him" (a cover of the Phil Spector classic), "Telling Me Lies," and "Those Memories of You." The record's success spurred the 1990 release of Duets, a compilation of her earlier hits in conjunction with George Jones, Willie Nelson, Gram Parsons, and others. (In 1999, Harris would reunite with Parton and Ronstadt for a second collaborative album, Trio II, and the two albums and a number of unreleased tracks were later compiled into a box set, 2016's The Complete Trio Collection.) Fronting a new band, the Nash Ramblers, in 1992, Harris issued At the Ryman, a live set recorded at Nashville's legendary Ryman Auditorium, the former home of the Grand Ole Opry. At the time of the record's release, Harris was also serving a term as president of the Country Music Foundation.

In 1993, she ended her long association with Warner Bros./Reprise to move to Asylum Records, where she released Cowgirl's Prayer shortly after her separation from Paul Kennerley. Two years later, during a stage in her career when most performers retreat to the safety of rehashing their greatest hits again and again, Harris issued Wrecking Ball, perhaps her most adventuresome record to date. Produced by Daniel Lanois, the New Orleans-based artist best known for his atmospheric work with U2, Peter Gabriel, and Bob Dylan, Wrecking Ball was a hypnotic, staggeringly beautiful work comprised of songs ranging from the Neil Young-penned title track (which featured its writer on backing vocals) to Jimi Hendrix's "May This Be Love" and the talented newcomer Gillian Welch's "Orphan Girl."

A three-disc retrospective of her years with Warner Bros., Portraits, appeared in 1996, and in 1998 Harris resurfaced with Spyboy. Following the release of Trio II later that year, she and Ronstadt again reunited, this time minus Parton, for 1999's Western Wall: The Tucson Sessions. In 2000 Harris returned with Red Dirt Girl, her first album of original material in five years, featuring appearances from Bruce Springsteen, Patti Scialfa, Jill Cuniff, and Patty Griffin. She also made an appearance on the soundtrack for O Brother, Where Art Thou?, along with a number of traditional blues, country, and folk artists. In 2003, Harris released Stumble into Grace; two years later, she collaborated with Conor Oberst on I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning, as well as recording a version of "The Scarlet Tide" with Elvis Costello for the soundtrack to Cold Mountain. The retrospective The Very Best of Emmylou Harris: Heartaches & Highways was also released in 2005 on Rhino.

All the Roadrunning, a collection of songs written with Mark Knopfler over the course of seven years, was released in 2006. In 2007 Harris sang a duet with Anne Murray, which appeared on Murray's 2008 album Duets: Friends and Legends. The Brian Ahern-produced All I Intended to Be arrived in 2008 as well. Hard Bargain, Harris' 21st studio album, was released by Nonesuch early in 2011. Produced by Jay Joyce, the album featured the striking Harris originals "Darlin' Kate" (written for Kate McGarrigle) and "The Road" (written for Gram Parsons). She contributed vocals to three songs on the Nick Cave/Warren Ellis-composed score to the film Lawless, including "Cosmonaut" and "Fire in the Blood," as well as a reading of Townes Van Zandt's "Snake Song." Harris also recorded Old Yellow Moon, a duet album with songwriter Rodney Crowell, a reunited version of her Hot Band, and producer Brian Ahern, performing the work of songwriters they admired. The album was issued in February of 2013. The pair followed it with The Traveling Kind, produced by Joe Henry. A mirror image of its predecessor, it showcased the pair's writing in collaboration with Mary Carr, Cory Chisel, Will Jennings, and Larry Klein, among others, as well as covers of songs by Lucinda Williams and Amy Allison. Nonesuch released the album in May 2015. ~ Jason Ankeny

    Birmingham, AL
  • BORN
    Apr 2, 1947

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How to Create MKV from BDMV Easily and Fast

This article will recommend a professional BDMV converter to help you convert BDMV folder to MKV video files so you can enjoy on MKV players or devices.

If you have some BDMV files, especially some backed up from Blu-ray, you may find it's not easy to play or store them. A better choice is to convert BDMV to MKV. With this purpose, we'd like to share an easy way how to convert BDMV files to MKV on Windows (10) or Mac(OS Sierra). Learn details.

Why Convert BDMV to MKV?

There are two reasons:

Reason One: BDMV folder often contains many inside files which lead to big file size. It is quite hard for people to manage such big file. By comparison, MKV is a packaged format with smaller size. So it is a good choice to convert BDMV to MKV.

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How to Convert BDMV to MKV for Windows/Mac - Convert BDMV Files to MKV in Batch

To freely convert BDMV files to MKV, here comes a professional but easy-to-use BDMV to MKV Converter - Dimo Video Converter Ultimate that will fulfill your needs.

Overall, it is a flexible and all-featured BDMV converter. With it, you can convert BDMV to not only MKV, but also MP4, AVI, FLV, MOV, etc. video files playable on Windows PC (including Windows 10, 8.1, Vista, XP, etc.) or directly encode BDMV folder to consoles like PS3 and Xbox 360; HD player like WD TV Live; or mobile devices like iPhone, iPad, Galaxy Tab, Nook HD, Kindle Fire HD, etc. And it can also extract audio out of video. What's more, with the BDMV file converter, you can also personalize video according to your desire with the classic editing feature. For Mac users, please turn to Dimo Video Converter Ultimate for Mac which works perfectly on Mac OS X including macOS Sierra, El Capitan Yosemite, Mavericks, Lion, etc.. If you want to convert BDMV to MKV, just get the tutorial below.

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Steps to convert BDMV folder to MKV format

Step 1. Add BDMV folder

Launch this BDMV to MKV Converter, and click "Add File > Add Folder" button to to add your BDMV folder. You can also import MTS/M2TS files from BDMV by directly dragging and dropping or click "Add File > Add multi-files" to convert multiple MTS/M2TS files in batch. After that, these added files will be shown as thumbnails in this app's left pane. At this time, you can click the video thumbnails to preview them.

Step 2 Choose MKV as the output video format

Click "Select Format > Format" button to choose your desired format. Choose "MKV" as the output format from "Video" > "MKV" as the output format. If you'd like to generate HD MKV videos, you can select " HD Video" > "MKV". Also you can choose "Lossless MKV" from "Multi-track" to keep all audio subtitles and audio tracks from BDMV.

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Step 3 Start encoding BDMV to MKV

Hit "Start" to create MKV from BDMV folder on Windows/Mac. Once it finishes, open output folder, locate the created file and you are able to add and play the converted BDMV files by using 8K Player, VLC, Kodi, Xbox, PS4, Plex, TV, etc. smoothly.

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Contact us or leave a message at Facebook if you have any issues.

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text: Unless you live in Iran, you've probably never heard of the Khodro brand, but it's Iran's state-backed manufacturer of automobiles. Apparently, they're working up a car specifically for the ladies. The car will be based on the existing Samand line but will offer brighter colors, softer lines in the interior, a rear-seat DVD player for the kids, parking assistance, and a flat-tire monitor among other features. Re-read that list, and you'll realize that Iran apparently considers practically every car for sale in the US to be a ladies' model. Oh man, Toby Keith is going to be totally pissed. (Thanks for the tip Jack) [Telegraph]


text:
A Canadian BMW dealer has launched a contest for an in-house blogger, with the winner getting a free condo in downtown Toronto for a year, a new Bimmer to drive and international travel, along with a $65,000 salary. The downside? Finding 12 months worth of nice things to say about the X6.

Curiously similar to a certain other contest for bloggers, wannabees must first furnish 200 words on why they bleed Bavarian blue. After a public poll, the top 20 have two days to produce a video on "performance." The top 10 then get a traditional job interview. Among the necessary qualifications? "Possesses an in-depth knowledge of BMW product and is willing to spend all day and night writing about it." Also, "prefers to 'like' something on Facebook rather than in person," which despite the free condo and BMW is probably how the lucky winner will interact with members of the opposite sex for 12 months.

The contest was clearly aimed at Canadians, because the marketing pitch needs a little tailoring for American tastes: It's $65,000 for non-stop BMW blogging...and free health care. Roundels of glory be praised! Make your run for the border here.


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Create your own animated short!
Julia Pott is an professional animator and writer for Cartoon Network. She'll help you write, direct & produce your own animated short.
JAM Ovoid Icon
"The TV is off and JAM is on!"
- Eva Kee
JAM Parent
Ages 9 - 16
No experience necessary
Work at your own pace
Any video editing software is needed
14 Packs
Packs are the foundation of JAM courses.  These challenges are designed to help kids achieve mastery by trying.
Life Skills
Woven into every JAM course are lessons that will last a lifetime.
Sound FX
Self Expression
58 Projects
Each pack is broken down into fun projects so you’ll never get stuck.
Mentors are JAM’s version of a teacher.  They’re experts in their fields and generously share what they know.  Through them Jammers get a glimpse into the life of a pro.
Hi, I'm your mentor, Julia Pott. I am a writer for Adventure Time! I’ve created animations for everything from indie band music videos to Oreo. Now I’m in LA working on my own animations.
No trolls. No jerks. No exceptions.
We have a proven record of creating online learning experiences that are safe and inspiring for kids. We do this because safety and privacy are paramount, but also because we know that learning and creativity can't happen unless everyone feels fearless to be themselves. JAM posts are only viewable by other kids in the course and moderators who have passed rigorous background checks. No one over 18 allowed! Our moderators keep JAM safe for all kids, answer their questions, and provide encouragement and feedback.
Parents ❤ JAM
Andrea E.
My son has been working really hard on his projects, and really enjoying himself. It's great anytime learning that's fun!
Carmela B.
It is a fresh way to look at things. It has a lot more to do with the way my daughter thinks and with what she naturally does than all those textbooks and theory.
Sarah L.
My son is enjoying the projects and feels like he is getting some good ideas. Also, I'm always keen for my kids to take up something that is screen based but isn't just consuming other people's content. Thanks!
Heather D.
My daughter says it's really fun. She likes how it offers you projects she can do on her own. She also enjoys the feedback and seeing other's artwork.
Brenda S.
My daughter loves her course and I think it is the social aspect of filming and posting that really makes it more then just an "online" course.
Deborah L.
My daughter loves the projects, is inspired by other kid's work and has been drawing loads since we joined. She also loves doing the videos. Before JAM there wasn't a safe platform for her to do this on. I am reassured by the lengths you go to to keep the kids safe.
Fiona P.
New South Wales
My son loves it! He is so proud of what he has achieved.
Josephine C.
My daughter is doing Drawing Bootcamp and the projects put a fun twist on creating. Before JAM she enjoyed drawing and creating, but wasn't always aware of what to do or create. JAM generates fun ideas for her that are easy to complete so she feels a sense of accomplishment.
Natalie .
We love the sharing, ideas, and opportunity to learn new things. With summer in full swing it's a great way to keep kids entertained!
Vivian V.
British Columbia
We no longer fight about screen time. I'm confident that he is actually getting value out of the time he spends online and he loves it. Bravo!
Carob B.
I want my kids to be productive and learn in the summer, not just waste time. I love that my 9 year old is loving the projects..I also love that he can be inspired and challenged by other kids!
Kylie M.
New South Wales
My daughter ADORES her drawing course! She is so engaged and the feedback inspires her to try harder every time.
Niki N.
My daughter is doing the Drawing Bootcamp. She loves the fact that she can work independently. I love the fact that I don't have to drive her from class to class. She enjoys sharing her work online with others in the class and see their reactions. It allows a lot of room for creativity.
Kerry B.
My daughter jumped right in! So far, it has been a great start.
Chelsea J.
We homeschool. My kids can experience drawing instruction from home- no driving to a class, it can be completed in our own time, and it's affordable.
Shannon C.
My daughter loves this and I feel like it is a great safe alternative to social media. She is learning skills and interacting in a positive way. Thanks so much!
Rose H.
My daughter has really been enjoying going through each step at her own pace. Some days she works for hours. When she is really busy with other stuff she can work a little. Perfect for busy GATE middle schoolers.😄
Deborah F.
North Carolina
Just awesome! Minecraft course especially has sparked something in my daughter besides skill -- confidence. She is loving it!!!
Tammy R.
I love that JAM is kept secure for kids. The positive feedback is great too. My daughter is having a lot of fun with the projects and I love it when she loves to learn. Thanks!
Anne P.
Innovative well researched format.
Gabriela V.
JAM is fantastic. I am the mother of a high-functioning autistic kid and I often struggle to find something that interests him and keeps him learning. Your website was just what I was looking for. The video lengths are perfect and the clear explanations works wonders with children on the autism spectrum!
Jessica B.
My daughter loves the projects and JAM keeps her busy through the summer days. It's fun for a child to do, it's educational, and it occupies their time productively.
Maren S.
My son is a shy, mathematically minded kid who lit up like a firework when I logged him onto JAM. Can't wait to see where it leads him!
Anna V.
The online environment is safe and minimizes imitation of social media communities. Curriculum is solid.
Alison D.
I recommended JAM to my homeschool community. We are loving the personality of the mentor and the feedback from the mod team. The projects are in achievable bites and my daughter is loving being connected to the community for inspiration.
Ashlee M.
I honestly think this is an awesome online program for kids. The different projects push them to practice and discover new things on their own. I also love that kids get to post their results and learn from each other.
Clare K.
It's a great fit for my kiddo! I have to work all day Sunday and before I know he was sitting around watching way too much screens and now he loves his Jam day!
Joelle C.
The projects are in a sweet spot between structure and openness. There's good support if needed, and I love the moderated community aspect.
Amanda R.
My son is an academic outlier. We've been searching for a mentor for him. Finding someone with time, affordability, difficult. Jam is a fantastic solution to this!
April P.
South Carolina
My daughter loves Jam. I think any kid could benefit from the various classes you have available. Something for everyone. :)
Dezarae O.
North Dakota
It's great. Especially in the summer. A parent can be involved as much as they want or can. Basically kids can do on their own.
Hazel H.
North Carolina
JAM is teaching my son great skills: communication, presentation, and confidence. Seeing other kids like him is inspiring!
Catherine W.
My daughter is thrilled with your illustrator program. Staff are very motivating!
Alicia M.
I really appreciate the feedback my son gets on his projects and how he is positively challenged by someone outside of our home.
Beth S.
My daughter has been loving the engineering projects. The tech tie-in is great for her. Love the free trial.
Cynthia D.
Kids are enjoying it! I was a little surprised by the video-upload aspect, but it's motivating for the kids. We have been jumping around from activity to activity. It has gotten us doing a lot of "inventing" and tinkering and I'm pretty pleased!
Beth B.
My son, who has autism, is delighted by your course! Thank you.
Lisa B.
My child is engaged and excited to learn.
Jessica C.
My daughter is really enjoying the course so far. She has ADHD and the feedback she receives keeps her interested and coming back.
Faith O.
My daughter is loving the drawing course. It's keeping her motivated and excited to draw.
Kristy B.
I think it creates such an amazing network of kids that share the same interest. JAM encourages collaboration and shows that trying and failing is OK!
Donna T.
We are an autonomous education family, and we had been struggling to help our son fulfill his ambition of becoming an online Minecraft Show host - then along came JAM! He is so happy, switched on, and interested. Already his confidence has grown, his imagination is broadening, and he is even planning future shows! We love it!
Nusrat A.
New South Wales
I chose JAM for the convenience of being able to use it wherever my child is. She is enjoying the topics and interactions immensely.
Nikki W.
So far JAM has been great. It is a little scary for me to encourage children to post things on the internet. Letting my daughter post videos took me a little getting used to but I now realize JAM is a secure environment. My daughter loves it and I love that I get an email for each post. Thank you for the program!
Kathy Z.
Our daughter loves the course and the platform. My son wants to do the LEGO course so now it's on his birthday list!
Sara B.
My child enjoys the creativity that comes with self-directed work. Fun and engaging!
Brandy K.
We are raising kids in a small town in a school system that revolves around sports which my child cares nothing about. This has been great for my daughter to help with her self confidence in her own art and uplifting others by commenting on their art.
Michelle W.
JAM has really good projects plus it's convenient to work on from home.
Andrea M.
The program is awesome! Fun and educational at the same time.
Joanne G.
New Brunswick
My son is spending way more time drawing plus he is learning new techniques!
Sheila R.
My daughter did the first 2 projects before she had to leave for camp and she was raving about it. I like that they can progress at their own speed and take the year to complete it. The feedback is great and the kids really feel involved.
Anna V.
The work is all fun. There's a lot to do. You get to pick which project you do when. There's always the option of inspiration from other people because there are so many posts.
Andrea M.
Well thought out and fun projects that teach my son applicable skills in engineering. It makes science accessible and not intimidating!
Deborah S.
I believe that this kind of online, intrest-led learning is a valuable resource that gives kids what they need to thrive in the 21st century.
Elizabeth M.
My daughter is being challenged, learning a lot, and having fun!
Maranatha P.
Great teaching! Very impressed by the way the moderators protect kids by emailing parents and by not allowing overly negative feedback from other kids.
Peta K.
New South Wales
I think it is fabulous that you are offering courses the are of interest and relevance to kids in an accessible format. Absolutely love it!!
Donalee K.
My grandkids and I loved building the first ramp. It's so good to put down the devices and pick up cardboard and create together!! Thanks.
Kelly T.
New York
It's a great, positive place for my daughter to connect with other artists....she is a wonderful artist but suffers from a neurological tic disorder. At JAM she can freely share and feel confident!
Tanya H.
My daughter loves it and her drawings are so great! Love the lessons and the creativity it brings out!
Denise W.
New York
So easy to figure out, flexible, and great customer service!
Angela D.
It's been fun so far. Great experience for my son. There are not many opportunities to do things like this in our community, so I would recommend it to other creative kids.
Michaela P.
After two weeks the kids are still really interested in making more engineering masterpieces. Their bedroom has become one enormous marble run using books, bits of LEGO, cushions, and random things from the kitchen. I can totally see this craze lasting for months! Thanks!
Brandy K.
My daughter loves Jam and the positive interaction.
Nichole M.
JAM has interesting and fun projects that keep children engaged and wanting to learn more!
Eva K.
My kiddo is interested in moving forward without my having to make a suggestion. She's engaged in something she enjoys but in a new way. The TV is off and jam is on!
Maigen B.
My child is very motivated to do the course and loves the projects. JAM is set up in a very tween-friendly manner.
Nikita H.
This app is simple and easy to use. The engineering course inspires my son to build.
Anu .
My daughter loves the program and would like all her friends to enjoy it.
Victoria G.
My son was excited to see the things he would build in the engineering project and had fun getting items around the house to create his own project. What I really like is that JAM wants kids to share their failures. I think there is so much pressure in the rest of the world to be perfect but JAM's acceptance of failures helps kids to think through a problems and solve them.
Amy M.
My 8 year old daughter loves the animation course. She rushes in now to complete her homework so she can start on her favorite subject.
Diane M.
My daughter loves JAM. She has so much fun with her art class. I think every kid should have that much fun learning something.
Jim N.
I think it's a great way to make kids think outside the box, figuratively and literally. It's pushing my son to explore different ways of thinking.
Kristin C.
My daughter loves it and it's been a super safe way to introduce her to an online community.
Akriti B.
It is very fun and my kid enjoys it.
Stephanie R.
Drawing Bootcamp is perfect for artist who prefer to draw what's in their mind without being told exactly what to draw and how to draw it. Their creativity is allowed to shine through.
Patrick R.
The non-linear format with content tailored for different age groups is great. The partnership between students, mentors, parents is the kind of mix I really appreciate. Keep up the good work!
Czarina L.
British Columbia
It's fun and easy to use, my 9 and 6 year old do it and there is always feedback and help on line. They said they love how many ideas they get from one concept and they still have freedom to work from there. Thanks for JAM!
Judith W.
New Hampshire
My daughter is loving the Drawing Bootcamp course. Her work shows improvement with each project she completes. I tell our friends who are considering art classes to check out JAM first.
Joy R.
I like JAM's setup, mission, and rules. It really helps me out as a single mom since I work late three days a week and am not always home to do creative and engaging activities with them.
Jennifer H.
My son is so in love with his Drawing Bootcamp! He loves getting a new project and the feedback has made him blossom into a confident kid! We are excited to do more!
Caroline L.
My 11 year old daughter is really enjoying her JAM experience. She loves how easy it is to talk to other people and has plenty of time to complete her projects. She is quite able to participate independently and on her own timing.
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Kids can do JAM at home without parents having to drive everywhere. I like feedback in addition to the convenience.
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My child loves it. She has learned to do exactly what she has set out to do. Thank you!
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It's fun, it's very easy to follow, and kids can complete most projects on their own. Kids don't get overwhelmed, and there is also absolutely no pressure.
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It's such a fun and friendly site!
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We don't lecture kids at JAM. Research shows that doing activities and receiving feedback is more effective than listening to a lecture – as much as 3x more effective! This is according to research conducted by Eric Mazur at Harvard; Nobel Prize winner Carl Wieman at Stanford; and Kelly Hogan at UNC Chapel Hill. Unlike most other online learning services where students work alone, at JAM, kids share each other's passion for what they're learning and are eager to give and receive feedback. Doing JAM projects will give your kid unique opportunities to try something new, with the added bonus of getting to meet others they can learn from and teach. The knowledge they gain on JAM will last for many years to come because it's rooted in a positive social experience. There’s no learning by cramming or memorization here. Instead, it's just a perfect circle of trying, failing, collaborating and growing.
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September 25, 2013

The Evolving Role and Value of Libraries and Librarians in Health Care

Author Affiliations
  • 1Edward G. Miner Library, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York
  • 2Department of Neurology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester
JAMA. 2013;310(12):1231-1232. doi:10.1001/jama.2013.277050

Changes in medical information and technology are revolutionizing health care. As clinicians try to incorporate research into practice through comparative effectiveness research and decision support, they increasingly depend on technology to bring evidence to the bedside to improve quality and patient outcomes. Integrating current information into the processes of shared decision making and continuous learning supports the application of evidence in clinical decision making. Health sciences libraries and librarians have an increasingly important role in providing that information to clinicians as well as to patients and their families.

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Editor's Correspondence
September 11, 2000

Cost-Control Arrangements and Misdirected Loyalty—Reply

Arch Intern Med. 2000;160(16):2546. doi:

In reply

We are happy that Dr Goldstein finds our article interesting and that our findings demonstrating widespread moral disquiet among physicians corroborate his own personal experience. We concur with his suggestion that physicians will react in a variety of ways to the new moral pressures introduced by changing financial incentives and other cost-containment measures.

While some physicians may more readily adapt to the new system, it remains unclear whether such adaptation should be considered an ethically appropriate response to a changing moral environment, or co-optation by a morally flawed system. Data cannot settle this issue. However, we found that physicians practicing in settings in which their overall personal financial incentives were to limit tests and treatments were more likely to find such incentives ethically unjustifiable, more likely to believe that the profession's ethic of undivided loyalty to patients was changing, and more likely to believe that their own patients' trust in them had diminished in the last 5 years. This suggests that such adaptation does not happen quickly. But because we studied only 1 cohort of physicians who finished residency 8 to 17 years ago, we cannot test Goldstein's hypothesis that recent graduates are more likely to adapt. This would require us to repeat our survey.

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summer vacation in southwest France: Part II: medieval town Sarlat in The Dordogne region

  • To the French, the Dordogne is a river. To the British, it covers a vast area roughly equivalent to what the French call Périgord. Dordogne is also a department which consists of Périgord Blanc (White) , Périgord Noir (Black), Périgord Green and Périgord Purple.

  • Sarlat-La-Canéda or simply Sarlat is the capital of Périgord Noir.

  • Sarlat is a medieval town and is one of the towns that most represents the 14th century  of France. It is in France’s Tentative List for future nomination as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The town centre is so pretty and full of well preserved medieval architecture.

  • Agriculture has long been of importance in the Dordogne area around Sarlat. It mainly produces corn, hay, walnuts, walnut oil, violet garlic, cheeses, wine, cèpes (a sort of wild mushrooms), truffles and foie gras.

  • Foie gras: There are several large foie gras factories as well as a number of small producers of geese and ducks in the region that make foie gras and other cherished products (confits, pâté, etc.) from them.

  • Dordorgne attracts many visitors in the summer especially from Northern Europe (e.g. the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, etc.)

It was a very pleasant afternoon wandering the narrow lanes of this archetypal medieval town, with its vielle ville of honey-coloured stone buildings, We were lucky that the day of our visit fell on the Sunday Market.

 Looking forward to your dinner?

Kittie kittie, waiting for your dinner???

That evening I have cooked a gourmet dish in the camper van with things we bought, please see Part III: panfried pangasius fish with red gooseberries sauce

8 thoughts on “summer vacation in southwest France: Part II: medieval town Sarlat in The Dordogne region

  1. Great story! I felt like I was there with you!!

    The real true story behind was that I revisited Sarlat on my way back from Bordeaux to Basel to recapture as many photos as I could because I deleted my precious photos by accidentally pressed format on my camera when checking how much space left in my memory stick.

  2. Janet: just read your story on Sarlat. My wife and I have visited that area 3 times in the past. Canadian friends of ours have a place in Carlux. We love the Dordogne!

    It was fun looking at your photos…I have many exactly the same.

  3. Hi Peter: wow, you have been 3 times to Sarlat, I also hope to revisit again and Bordeaux of course !

  4. Hi Janet – we too went to Sarlat last summer – we stayed in a mobile home rented on a camp site near les eyzies, and spent a day in Sarlat. we absolutely loved it – the town and the whole area. thanks for the link to the blog!

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Road Trip

Super-Charged Carrot Muffins
These delicious muffins are highly nutritious and packed with energy. They combine plenty of protein and carbohydrate and - with a glass of milk - make a complete small meal.

This recipe makes 12 muffins.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Prepare a no-stick 12-muffin tin.

1 cup oat flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup brown sugar
9 TBSP plain or vanilla protein powder
3/4 TSP salt
1 1/2 TSP cinnamon
2 TSP baking soda

Sift together the oat flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, and cinnamon. Combine in a bowl with the wheat germ, salt, brown sugar, and protein powder. Mix well, combining all ingredients.

3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
4 large egg whites (or 1/2 cup egg substitute)
3/4 cup 1% or 2% milk
2 cups carrots, shredded

In a separate bowl, combine the egg whites, milk, and applesauce. Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients mixture. Stir well, moistening all ingredients. Gently fold in the shredded carrots. Mix well.

Fill all 12 muffin cups. Bake 18-20 minutes until golden. Insert a toothpick and make sure it comes out clean.

Enjoy these marvelous muffins!
The days are long, the weather's warm, the sky is blue . . . it's summer and we're ready to enjoy the great American pastime - road trips!

We want to get to wherever we're going safely - and healthily, too. A safe trip is ensured by following the rules of the road and practicing good driving habits. A healthy trip is ensured by bringing along snacks that fill us with fuel and are packed with healthful nutrients.

And a fun trip is ensured by keeping the kids entertained with plenty of music, games, and electronic gadgets.

Being a safe driver consists of continuously practicing many small habits.1,2 Keeping your eyes on the road is a given. When you need to check how the kids are doing in the back seat, just flick your eyes to the rear-view mirror. Don't turn your head around - instead, make eye contact with them in the mirror. Your kids can read your eyes pretty well - they don't need to see your face to know what you want them to do.

Keep checking the traffic around you. Use all three mirrors to see what's going on - who's behind you and who's on your right and left. Always make sure you have enough space to stop short or make a quick lane change if needed. If you're boxed in, all you can do when confronted with an obstacle is crash.

Maintain a minimum safe distance (MSD) from the car in front of you. The MSD between two cars traveling at 65 MPH on the freeway is three seconds. Find a landmark and start counting as the car in front of you passes it. If you reach it in less than three seconds there's not enough space between you and the first car.

And of course, only use a hands-free cell phone.

What about food? On longer trips, good snacks are key - for both the adults and the kids.

Kids want to eat chips, cookies, and candy.3 The best we can do is bring along more nutritious alternatives as well and encourage our kids to mix and match. Energy bars combining 20 grams of protein and 25 grams of carbohydrate are terrific. These chocolate-coated complete small meals have only 5 grams of fat and 300 calories. Juices without sugar additives provide energy and vitamins. Bananas, apples, carrots, and celery can be sliced and carried in plastic bags for no-mess access.

Bring plenty of water. Drinking enough water keeps everyone alert and focused. This is particularly important for the driver, as well as the passengers. Drinking enough water is a subtle way to keep everyone's spirits up, ensuring a happy, fun trip.

Road trips help families bond and create life-long memories. A little preparation goes a long way toward making these family outings safe and fun!

1Verschuur WL, Hurts K: Modeling safe and unsafe driving behaviour. Accid Anal Rev 40(2):644-656, 2008
2Donmez B, et al: Mitigating driver distractions with retrospective and concurrent feedback. Accid Anal Prev 40(2):776-786, 2008
3Contento IR, et al: Enhancing personal agency and competence in eating and moving. Formative evaluation of a middle school curriculum. J Nutr Educ Behav 39(5 Suppl):S179-S186, 2007


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Not Exactly True

Right now I am reading Hanne Ørstaviks Like sant som jeg er virkelig (1999) (English title: As True as I am Real). It´s about a young psychology student who lives with her mother, a mother who locks her daughter into her bedroom the very same morning she is supposed to travel to the US with her new boyfriend. The whole novel is her looking back on how it came to this. Being a psychology student, Johanne thinks she is very self reflective, but the thing is, she doesn´t do anything. She thinks about solutions, but doesn´t do squat. She defines herself as a person full of strategies to cope life, and it´s not convincing to the reader, at least. Quite simply put, she doesn´t lead a real life, and it´s not true, that is the title!

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In this post, Rachel Blakey discusses her paper in the latest issue of Journal of Applied EcologyBat communities respond positively to large-scale thinning of forest regrowth

The world’s forests are changing. Most of the remaining forests are re-growing after being cleared, but do these regrowth forests resemble the original primary forests? Often, where large tracts of forests were cleared at once (e.g. clear-felling), they do not. Primary (or “old growth”) forest usually contains trees of variable ages with a variable structure whereas regrowth forest often has a dense uniform structure where trees have all grown at the same time. Dense stands of young trees all compete for the same resources, slowing their growth rate and leading to what foresters call “stand lock”.  This is bad for forestry, but also for biodiversity.  Mature forests provide resources that dense regrowth can’t. In Australia, tree hollows are a critical resource for a large number of endemic bats, birds and arboreal mammals. These habitat features can take centuries to form and are virtually non-existent in regrowth forests unless forest management particularly caters for their retention. For many threatened species, a century is too long to wait for habitat to return naturally and conservation managers are looking for ways to speed the transition from regrowth to mature forest.

“Early thinning” is the practice of cutting down a proportion of young trees within regrowth to allow faster growth. This technique, long used by forestry, is gaining traction as a method to speed up regeneration of forests and formation of habitat features (e.g. hollows) important for biodiversity. This has been met with healthy scepticism from conservation advocates, especially where it has been proposed in national parks, where thinning has been dubbed “logging by stealth”. However, long-term scientific research has provided evidence that thinning can improve the conservation value of forests. For example, one Australian study showed that after 42 years thinned stands produced around 20 hollow-bearing trees per hectare, whilst unthinned stands produced none. While these long-term benefits have been established, what are the shorter term effects of thinning and are they positive or negative for biodiversity?

To answer this question, we investigated a group of animals that are incredibly sensitive to forest structure: insectivorous bats. Insectivorous bats use echolocation to navigate their surroundings and capture prey – they are constantly calling in short, regular pulses of ultrasound so they effectively “see” using sound. In a cluttered forest, bats are trying to discern the echoes from a potential prey item (an insect) from countless twigs, leaves and shrubs whilst manoeuvring around obstacles – it can be challenging. For these reasons, we expected bat activity (a measurement of bat calls we use to indicate habitat use) to increase in thinned compared to regrowth stands.

We studied bats in a floodplain forest in south-eastern Australia where more than a century of logging and river regulation have changed the structure of forests and large stands of dense regrowth exist. It turned out that total bat activity was 60% lower in unthinned regrowth compared to thinned sites despite higher insect biomass at the regrowth sites. Additionally, bat activity in thinned stands was similar to activity in our reference sites (mature open forest). This suggests that it was forest structure and not prey availability or time since thinning that was driving bat habitat use. Synthesising our findings on the international literature on bats and thinning, we found support for a “clutter threshold” of around 1100 trees per hectare; bat activity started to decline once trees exceeded this density. Most studies report bat species with traits adapted to open areas (e.g. long thin wings for fast flying and low-frequency echolocation calls for detection of prey at long distances) receive the most benefit from thinning. However, our study showed that even bats with clutter-tolerant traits had lowest activity (up to 22 times) in regrowth compared to other forest types.

So what does this mean for management – to thin or not to thin? Like most ecological questions, the answer is complex. While the bat community in our study appear to gain foraging opportunities from thinning, at least one threatened bat species is known to prefer dense regrowth to roost in during the day. If we look to other taxa, open forest structures can increase densities of large aggressive birds thereby excluding smaller, threatened woodland birds. So retention of some regrowth patches may be important for forest biodiversity. Finally, any benefits of thinning (short or long-term) will be wasted if thinning operations remove trees that already contain limiting habitat (e.g. hollows).

So what is the solution? If we are serious about biodiversity conservation, all thinning operations must be conducted in a strategic adaptive management framework and special care must be taken to avoid damage to hollow bearing trees.  This means identifying clear objectives and targets, trialling multiple management actions (e.g. thinning, fire and environmental water management) and intensities (e.g. thinning to different tree densities and patchy vs. uniform thinning) and learning from the outcomes.


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I had the coolest dream last night…

I don’t ever blog about my dreams, mostly because if I did I would seem like a mental person… my dreams are very odd, let’s just say. (I mean really odd: screaming at a badly-CGI’d pterodactyl on top of a skyscraper; riding on giant rubber ducks in a tiny pool; falling out of a metal cage but hanging onto my sister’s fifty-metre long hair sort of odd) But last night, I had a writing-related AND Tacita-related dream, which was completely awesome and one of those dreams where I didn’t want to wake up. Everything started fading and I was thinking ‘Oh no, it’s a dream… STOP STOP STOP I WANT TO BE ASLEEP’.

First of all it started in school (boo), where a lot of my dreams are. A girl in my year came up to me and said ‘Your English teacher wants to talk to you’. That can’t be good, so I went ‘Oh… OK… bum’. She took me down a corridor, while saying ‘It’s about an agent…?’ I thought she meant a writing agent, so I was pretty happy! I never actually got to see my English teacher, because the scene shifted to my living room, where we were watching a bit of a movie. Not just any movie… IT WAS TACITA. THE MOVIE. Basically it was all the movie they’d done so far and they were previewing it to us just so we could see what we thought! I knew it was Tacita, but pondering on it while awake, it wasn’t much like Tacita at all. Of course, the main elements were there, as well as a big big plot point, but Tacita was ginger and in her mid-twenties. Let me tell you, Tacita is not ginger and she’s seventeen. So that was a bit weird. But my dream-self grew to like her and thought she was a good actor! Secondly, she had a child sometime during the movie. That DOES NOT happen. And when she went out into the arena, she put on a black knitted balaclava… I can’t even explain it. I mean, WHAT? My dream-self was thinking ‘OK, maybe the Romans knitted, and maybe it was a cold day outside so the gladiators want to keep warm…?’ but that was a completely random bit. But a cool thing was Marcus was played by Channing Tatum, how he looks in The Eagle, which is exactly how I imagine Marcus and who I would cast if Tacita were a movie. Strange I know. But he looks like a Marcus to me… well, he did play MARCUS Flavius Aquila. ANYWAY, a final weird bit was that Marcus had a whip with a mace-head on the end of it as his weapon. I don’t know if that’s even a real weapon. I don’t remember what ginger-Tacita had as her weapon. It may have been a sword.

So overall, it was a weird adaptation of Tacita, but the dream was not over yet! After the movie had finished (the whole story didn’t actually end, it was just the end of the bit they’d done), we were treated to a shot of someone turning a yellow tie inside out. Then I went to text the ginger-Tacita about how amazing she was in the movie. I had her in my contacts as ‘Laura’. I went to text her, but that was when I woke up.

You know, I think I can explain why Tacita was ginger and her real name was Laura. Yesterday, I was drawing a picture of someone that was really ginger (think Merida from Brave), and the Goodreads quote of the day was by Petrarch, who wrote lots of sonnets about a girl called Laura, supposedly! I guess it’s an alright explanation, but I don’t think I can explain any of the other bits, because they were too random. A balaclava???

Anyway, so that was my dream last night, and I thought it was cool. It got me thinking about what Tacita would be like as a movie, which got me thinking about something else… something else that is good material for a blog post. I can’t wait to do it, so I will do it now before I forget!

Your dreaming blogger, Jaz

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An idea… since we would want to be good stewards of the earth and we are the Foresters, what if we made a bigger deal of Arbor Day?  Perhaps we could plant trees on campus or somewhere in the community.  There may be a plan already in place at the college for new trees and such.  I think that the national organization of Arbor Day would even give us trees to plant if we asked nicely.

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4 responses to “

  1. I think that’s an excellent idea.

  2. No one knows what a “Forester” is – that’s a great way to give it meaning 🙂

  3. I love it!  That is a great idea!!  :o)

  4. Anonymous

    I have to agree that could be a great idea…

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Moonlight in the Garden

With Our Friends at Southern Lights of Raleigh

Members Preview Night
Tuesday, November 7 – 7:00 pm–9:00 pm

Thursday–Saturday, November 9–11 – 6:00 pm–9:00 pm
Thursday–Saturday, November 16–18 – 6:00 pm–9:00 pm

Moonlight in the Garden returns this November with more lights, more nights. Food trucks, live music, marshmallows and fire pits—they're all back. Don't miss the only opportunity to experience the JC Raulston Arboretum after dark. We'll open our gates each evening for you, your family, and friends to explore this nighttime wonder custom designed and installed by John Garner and his team at Southern Lights of Raleigh.

Tickets and More Information
outdoor landscape lighting

live music

Live Music

food truck

Food Trucks

live music

Fire Pits

Douglas Ruhren Named Gardens Manager

It is with great pleasure that we announce Douglas Ruhren as the newest member of the JC Raulston Arboretum team. Douglas has a long history of working with the JCRA as a volunteer where he has helped maintain the Perennial Border and taught classes for many years beginning in the 1990s. His career has included private estates and public gardens notably participating in the design of Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens and becoming the head gardener there as well as acting as horticulturist for the American Camellia Society.

Doug's experience includes designs for the JC Raulston Arboretum, Sarah P. Duke Gardens, Bartlett Research Arboretum, Highpoint University, and Paul J. Ciener Botanical Garden along with numerous private projects. He brings a wealth of gardening know how, extensive plant knowledge, and creative design expertise to the JCRA where he will take the lead in grounds maintenance and plant production.

9:00 am

Propagating Woody Plants from Seed
Bryce Lane, Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor Emeritus and Lecturer Emeritus, Department of Horticultural Science, NC State University

2:00 pm

Arboretum Guided Tour

10:00 am

Gardening Adventures with Extension Master Gardener Volunteers
"Made—Beautifully—in the Shade"
Sally Newman, Wake County Extension Master Gardener

View JCRA Calendar

Here We Grow Glow Again

Last year JCRA's Moonlight in the Garden was a smashing success. We're back at it again with our partner Southern Lights of Raleigh. Thanks to your generosity we were able to make some of the lighting and infrastructure a permanent part of the JCRA including the Fireflies at our entrance and pole lights partially along the Perennial Border.

We'd like to continue that trend and make even more of the lighting a permanent feature of the garden. Lighting is an investment in your Arboretum and helps us to put on evening events and provide more rental options—one of our primary funding sources. Whether you fund an entire project or just a portion, your gift helps the JCRA glow even brighter.

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A synergy born

The spirea’s in full bloom
with its blossom abundant
and the warmth of the sunshine
means Winter’s redundant

And I’m pleased about that
It fills me with joy
Something I realised
when just a small boy

That as a child of the summer
the heat of mid-June
from the warmth of the Springtime
cannot come too soon

I come alive in this weather
when the sun climbs up high
and the clouds are all fluffy
and blue fills the sky

So the spirea, when it blossoms
forms a synergy here
Which always reminds me
that summer is near

Photo – Jempics

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Wow. 137 views yesterday. I guess I need to say “orgasm” on my blog more LOL. Anyway…

So I got an email the other day from Ideal Bite that was talking about a type of natural toothpaste.  Apparently it was unique because it didn’t contain “Sodium Lauryl Sulfate”.  I had never heard of this stuff, so like any good Millennial, I Googled it! I found that it is a skin irritant used in products like toothpaste, soap, shampoo, etc because it makes things foamy.  It is actually used in clinical trials to irritate skin so they can test what will heal the skin.  And they put this stuff in the products we use on our skin!  I was shocked by this, so I took a look around my bathroom and found that it was in my toothpaste, body wash, bath bubbles, and shampoo!  So I threw away the bath bubbles and body wash, and am going to use up the shampoo and toothpaste, but after that I’m buying stuff without that skin irritant.  Oh, and check this out…

Sodium Lauryl (or Laureth) Sulfate: Engine Degreaser, Garage/Concrete Floor Cleaner, Car Wash Soap; Surrounds hair follicle in shampoo to keep it from growing, causes hair to fall out; keeps children’s eyes from developing properly, causes cataracts in older people; In Toothpaste: Weakens enamel on teeth to cause cavities: SLS is very abrasive and may burn the skin, mouth, Canker sores, or scalp.

I’m so getting rid of this stuff! (Transition to real topic of blog in 3…2…1…) I’ve been thinking a lot about friendships lately.  And I’ve noticed that so many friendships have “sodium lauryl sulfate” in them.  Things that seem to make the friendship what we want (foamy), but are really just irritants (and can cause horrible side effects!).

When you make a friend, thats a pretty significant thing.  For some it is easy, for others it is more of an effort.  But when you find someone that you really connect with, that is special.  Sometimes, though, we aren’t up front with people we are trying to make friends with.  Like in dating, we want to put our best foot forward, give them the show we think they want to see.  And when we finally reach that solid “buddy” status, we begin to relax and let our real selves out of the cage.  There are times when our real selves aren’t exactly what they bargained for.  We have strange habits, quirks, ticks, ideologies, and body odors, or sometimes we are just jerks.

Last night during Sunday Night Prayer, as we were taking the salt covenant, I really thought about the people I consider my friends.  There are plenty of people that I like and know in more surface-y ways, but there are a rare few that I really consider a friend.  When I make a friend (gosh, that sounds so kindergarten to me), I really hope that they love me for me, oddities and all.  Yet, do I expect that of myself?  When they show a bizzarre or scary side of themselves, do I wanna back out and run? The salt covenant says that “I will never say or do anything on purpose to hurt you. I will always think pure thoughts about you. I will allow God to use me to heal you.”  Do I treat my friends that way?  When they say or do something hurtful, do I see that as a malicioius personal attack, or do I understand that we are humans and make mistakes but that they wouldn’t do it on purpose to hurt me?

I would hope that they know that about me.  And I am learning to understand that about them…

2 thoughts on “irritant

  1. This made me smile. I think you took the words right out of my head. It is such a truth that salt covenant. Thanks for posting this : )

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Live in Atlanta? Want to Learn More About SEO? Join Me For a Free Workshop

Friday, November 11, 2011
11:00 am – 12:30 pm
Roam Atlanta, 5815 Windward Parkway (2nd floor), Alpharetta, GA 30005
Business Workshop: “SEO On a Budget: Do This Not That” Atlanta SEO Copywriter presents SEO Workshop at Digital Atlanta

Atlanta’s hottest conference on social media, technology and marketing is only a few weeks away. This week-long conference, Digital Atlanta, features multiple free and affordable workshops, panels and seminars takes place November 7-11, 2011.

I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to be a speaker this year. My topic is “SEO On a Budget: Do This Not That.” Designed for solopreneurs and small business owners in particular, the session description is as follows:

If the thought of implementing an SEO strategy seems too daunting for a small business owner like yourself, then this workshop is for you. Rather than tell you what to do, we’re going to show you what to do (and what not to do) through case studies, examples, graphics, and stories. We’ll review the basic fundamentals of SEO and share action strategies that you can take away and implement immediately. Get ready to take notes as we discuss the myths, misunderstandings and must-do action items to start kick-start an effective SEO strategy.

Here are the session details and logistics:

Cost: FREE
Friday, November 11, 2011
11:00 am – 12:30 pm
Roam Atlanta, 5815 Windward Parkway (2nd floor), Alpharetta, GA 30005
Business Workshop: “SEO On a Budget: Do This Not That”

Although this workshop is absolutely free (score!), RSVP is required. To register, visit To find out more about the other awesome events taking place during Digital Atlanta, visit the website for the full schedule:

Bring ALL your SEO questions and concerns so we can get some really good dialogue going. I look forward to seeing you there!

P.S. Right before I hit “publish” on this blog post, I checked the registration list. We’re already about 50% full at 25 attendees. Register today to reserve your space! If for some reason you can’t attend but would like more information, I’m going to try and record the workshop. While I can’t promise that 100% (I haven’t exactly cleared this with the event organizers yet), email me if you’d like to be notified about free access to the video.

Interested in more SEO updates? today or sign up for my newsletter in the upper right column.

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Jenny Munn

Jenny Munn is a freelance Search Engine Marketer focused on generating awareness, traffic and conversions. Her mission is to help businesses fill their pipelines faster. Jenny is passionate about her field, and is a frequent speaker on SEO and website marketing. Jenny has taught SEO at EdNet, WordCamp Atlanta, NAIS, EdNET, Digital Atlanta, Solo PR Summit, Business Marketing Association, Atlanta Tech Village, SuperNova South, PRSA, and various digital marketing organizations. Find out more at

1 Comment

  • Carla Plouin says:

    Jenny, I attended your SEO on a budget session at Digital Atlanta. Awesome session! Do you have a link to your PPT?
    Super thanks!

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Technical SEO: Stating the Obvious About Its Importance

You know it’s getting real all up in the SEO world when a Twitter fight breaks out about the importance today of Technical SEO.

A couple weeks go an article started circulating amongst the SEO community: The True Value of Technical SEO.

The controversy was around whether or not Technical SEO is valuable at all, and whether Technical SEOs way overcharge for the value they provide (if it contributes any value at all).

The question of whether Technical SEO is valuable is, quite frankly, as asinine as “Is SEO dead?”**

Is Technical SEO still important? Umm, yes.

And so when this second follow-up article started making its way around, and the outrage continued to build I was riveted. Especially because some heavy hitters in the industry started weighing in with very passionate comments and barbs. A small firestorm erupted, with many accusing the columnist and Search Engine Article of being too “click-bait-y” and promoting misperceptions around an industry that continues to be plagued with mistrust and confusion.

And I’m all like…

Source credit: Unfortunately I have no idea – posted on the WCATL hashtag and I have been endlessly amused by this since.

Source credit: Unfortunately I have no idea – posted on the WCATL hashtag and I have been endlessly amused by this since.

Confession: I’ve always been jealous of technical SEO people. I used to try and study up on technical SEO, because I didn’t know it, and I felt it held me back as a professional. I was always afraid someone was going to call me out as a fraud, or sneer at me for attempting to call myself an “SEO.”

And then somewhere along the way, I realized I didn’t have to know it all. I got over it. I started delegating out technical pieces, or picking up knowledge through execution along the way instead of trying to know it all on the front end. And getting past that fear reinforced my philosophy that you don’t have to know it all before you begin. The path, and knowledge, is revealed along the way after you do the action.

You don’t have to know it all to do SEO. You just have to know how to look, to research, to experiment. Hypothesize, take action, analyze.

Here’s how I explain technical SEO to clients:

SEO used to be a very technical checklist. You could do a few isolated tasks and see instant results.

Today, it is not like that.

I still remember the day, about a year ago, a web designer came to me on behalf of one of her clients and said: “they just need some SEO work. You know, they need SEO tagging, back-end work, adding links to directories, writing keywords into the back end…”

I was about to tell her I wasn’t the best fit for the job, because frankly I had no idea what she was talking about. And then I realized that “SEO tagging, SEO back-end website work” was her idea of what SEO was.

Google’s spider is looking for those signals. What that “looks” like is a super-fast site, responsive design, possibly an SSL certificate.

First let’s start out with the (informal) definition of Technical SEO: Don’t make Google guess.

And give the people what they want. A unique, efficient, valuable, experience. Google constantly adjusts their algorithm to make sure the sites that do the best at uniqueness, relevance, efficiency, innovation and website visitor happiness are going to win.

Technical SEO means not leaving things up to chance to make sure Google knows your site is as awesome as you say it is.

Modern SEO requires much more to come together just to see marginal results. Nothing but the right mix of time and strategic activities that contribute to better rankings and visibility will garner you results. When I do a holistic audit on clients, “technical” is one of 7 audits I conduct, along with: keywords, on-page, content assets and social, links, competitive, and off-page/SERPS in order to lay out a roadmap.

Here are a handful of the biggest technical issues I’ve seen in the past 12 months:

  1. Title tags – (I actually consider this to be on-page while many consider it to be technical so it’s worth putting on this list)
  2. Site speed – a site that loads in in 6-7+ seconds (once I saw 12 seconds for a homepage) is not going to move up the rankings.
  3. Canonical – when multiple versions of the homepage exist and don’t resolve to one single URL, believe me, it’s not just Google that is confused.
  4. Duplicate pages – see the above same issue with canonical URLs.
  5. Bloated index – believe me when I say just because a page exists on your site, it does not need to be indexed. If you have 10,000 pages, but truly only 25% add up to a valuable contribution to your site, then only show those pages.
  6. Crawl errors – something on the page is preventing Google from properly crawling, indexing, or displaying your page. A crawl error here or there isn’t a big deal, but multiple crawl errors add up.

Technical SEO alone won’t garner you (significant) results, but you can’t get ANY BETTER results without making sure your technical back-end is as optimal possible. Here’s an oldie but goodie about Technical SEO I published a few years ago: If it turns out that you have substantial technical issues you can’t resolve on your own, it’s important to hire a true technical SEO (like AJ Martin) to help get your back-end all squared away.

If you have some free time and can appreciate a little drama taken with a grain of salt, you can read the original article that ignited the firestorm here. As with most good controversial pieces, the comments alone are equal to the value of the post.

Fair warning. You will get sucked in.

**For my new readers, here is my response to “Is SEO dead?” The TRADITIONAL way of doing SEO is dead, yes. But SEO, meaning the concept of being findable and discoverable by your target market when and where a search query is done, is still very much alive. As long as people google, and search for information online to get the best result as quickly as possible, SEO is alive.

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Jenny Munn

Jenny Munn is a freelance Search Engine Marketer focused on generating awareness, traffic and conversions. Her mission is to help businesses fill their pipelines faster. Jenny is passionate about her field, and is a frequent speaker on SEO and website marketing. Jenny has taught SEO at EdNet, WordCamp Atlanta, NAIS, EdNET, Digital Atlanta, Solo PR Summit, Business Marketing Association, Atlanta Tech Village, SuperNova South, PRSA, and various digital marketing organizations. Find out more at

1 Comment

  • Love it Jenny, thanks for the article. I have seen and experienced the same challenges with some of my own clients. There are still a lot of mis conceptions out there that impact on the way we go about approaching the “SEO brief”. I recently met some folks who are in the finance sector here in the UK, whose really expensive website as a technical catastrophe, and had been worked on by a leading global digital agency for some 18 months. They have since pulled the SEO work from them and set it up in house.

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Coming Soon Book Releases

Books Coming Out in November 2016

As we get closer to Christmas, the closer we are in needing ideas for Christmas presents. Whether it be books you’re going to ask for or books you’re going to buy for a friend, you still need to come up with ideas. Well, look no further when it comes to Young Adult options. The following is a list of books that are coming out in November that you can think about.

November 1st

  • The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon.
  • A Million Worlds with You (Firebird Series) by Claudia Gray.
  • Unnatural Deeds by Cyn Balog.
  • Aftermath by Clara Kensie.
  • The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid.
  • The Amateurs by Sara Shepard.
  • Saving Hamlet by Molly Booth.
  • Doctor Who: Twelve Doctors of Christmas.

November 3rd

  • An Illustrated History of Notable Shadowhunters and Denizens of Downworld by Cassandra Clare and Illustrated by Cassandra Jean.

November 8th

  • Timekeeper by Tara Sim.
  • Heartless by Marissa Meyer.
  • Dead Girls Society by Michelle Krys.
  • Unforgiven (A Fallen Novel) by Lauren Kate.

November 15th

  • This is Our Story by Ashley Elston.
  • The Girl in the Picture by Alexandra Monir.
  • Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy by Cassandra Clare.

November 22nd

  • Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst.

November 29th

  • Vampire Academy: 10th Anniversary Edition by Richelle Mead.
  • Doctor Who: A History of Humankind: The Doctor’s Official Guide.

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jet: (intense jason)
2013-03-31 08:19 am

End of March roundup

What have I read this month? I actually finished a real book, instead of setting it down after 100 pages and wandering off to tumblr. Shut up, it's an accomplishment. (It was Life of Pi.)

I read Phonogram, Gillen and McKelvie's first(?) project together, and liked it more than I thought I was going to. I understood exactly none of the references, but the overarching metaphor was clear enough. I liked the first volume better than the second, at least in part because I like McKelvie's art a lot better in black and white. It does look "manga-like", and you can do a lot with screentone. I probably wouldn't recommend it to anyone unless they had that sort of deep relationship with music and...clubbing, I guess. I may write an actual review at some point.

Batwoman, Volume 2: Read more... )

Batman: Night of the Owls: was a terrifyingly huge trade. 15 issues! I'm just going to post the commentary I made on each issue.Read more... )

I also went to a screening of the documentary Wonder Women, which should air on PBS this month. It traced the history of Wonder Woman in the comics up through the 70s, then how her tv series and emergence into the popular consciousness inspired other warrior women, like Buffy and Sarah Connor. I found the whole thing really interesting, and well worth watching, though I would have liked more about Wonder Woman or other superheroines in modern comics.
jet: Yuuko from Holic, in greyscale (kori is fabulous)
2013-03-20 09:40 am

(no subject)

There are a lot of good reasons to complain about Red Hood and the Outlaws, but I am stating right here and now that I really enjoy it, and I liked Lobdell's entire run, especially this last issue. Oh how especially this last issue.

(I keep meaning to write up a lot of things, but I'm just sort of low on energy. What's up, everybody?)
jet: Yuuko from Holic, in greyscale (kori is fabulous)
2013-02-01 10:07 am

January Reading Thoughts

Books? What are those? My reading consists entirely of superhero comics and fanfiction. (I am sadly not kidding.) Some highlights:

Batman, Incorporated and Batwing trades: Read more... )

A bunch of random Teen Titans volume 3 trades: The main thing I took away from this is that Gar and Vic should make out a lot. I assume they didn't have the sort of fanbase Tim/Kon did because they aren't as attractive. I'm sorry you're a furry, Gar. :/

But the final story arc of preboot Teen Titans bothered the hell out of me Image underneath! )
jet: Yuuko from Holic, in greyscale (billyteddy)
2013-01-23 01:54 pm

(no subject)

Spoiler-free reactions to comics:

Young Avengers #1: ...underwhelming. Still optimistic.

Red Hood and the Outlaws #16: Yawn. Also, when I haven't read it in a while I tend to forget how I don't like his writing.

Nightwing #16: This was probably the most effective DOTF issue yet, in terms of Joker psychological torture.

When it comes to older comics, I'm always torn between reading things I already read fanfic about so I can write my own fanfic about them, things I want to read so I'll want to write fanfic about them after I read them maybe, and things that I might actually enjoy but that I might not want fanfic about. And I mean, the current fandom for the things I want to write about is not really...extant anymore. Maybe I should just read faster so I can read everything.
jet: (kate bishop is flawless)
2013-01-19 09:12 pm

Why I'm a bad comic book fan

I don't like superhero comics. I don't know why I'm in superhero comics fandom. I mean, I can trace all the steps along the way, but it just seems like escalating bad decisions. (Note: I will be using "comics" as shorthand for "mainstream US superhero comics".)Read more... )
jet: Yuuko from Holic, in greyscale (billyteddy)
2013-01-14 06:28 pm

My thoughts on my fic apparently

My fannishness would be much less conflicted if I had stuck to my decision about never reading DC. And then stuck to my decision about not following the reboot stuff. Sigh.

I gave in and archived pretty much all of my tumblr fic on AO3. Things I haven't posted here:

A bit of Tim/Kon fluff that I wrote as a present. I feel bad about writing Tim/Kon because I haven't read much of anything with them from before Kon's return, so my characterization is mostly fanon. Well, a lot of my comics characterizations are fanon because I can only read so many issues per day, but I actually want to form my own opinion here because this is an OTP.

Sort-of Alex/Darwin drabble (NSFW). I'd been trying to make my friend watch XMFC since...well, since it came out, because that was when I cared, but she finally actually watched it the other day. I figured she'd go for the Cherik like everyone else in the entire world but she has been ranting about the ACTUAL doomed romance of Alex/Darwin which is great but it's giving me feels again.

Two reboot Batfam drabbles. The first one was a reaction to Tim's new backstory, because I am pretty much always and forever mad about reboot Tim killing tiny stalker Tim. The second is about Jason's time as Robin. I told the person I wrote it for that I felt like I made Bruce too nice, but he would HAVE to be nice for them to have any sort of emotional connection there, what with four Robins in five years. I mean, Tim's relationship with Bruce is completely shafted/makes no sense now (is he still Tim Drake Wayne? His parents are still alive!) but Dick's and Jason's are treated as the same, despite that making no sense...

Several Young Avengers ficlets. I apparently have feelings on queer visibility in media, and also all the boys. No one requested the girls, sadly. I have feelings on them, too. Not really on the Vision though.

(I already have feelings on America Chavez too, and they are mostly INCREDIBLE EXCITEMENT. I cannot WAIT for the new series!)

ETA: Oh and also, I would just like to leave this cover of an upcoming Teen Titans issue here completely without commentaryRead more... )
jet: Yuuko from Holic, in greyscale (Default)
2013-01-02 09:42 am

Comics Read 2013

New post to keep track of things I've read. (Maybe I'll put real books here too! If I...finish any.) Previously: trades read 2012.
2013 )
jet: Yuuko from Holic, in greyscale (tenken cigarette)
2012-12-10 06:20 pm

Right, so I should introduce myself to newly friended people! Read more... )

In more interesting news:

- Someone on tumblr has put up a translation of the first chapter of Ants of Heaven, which I only glanced at because I am not at my own computer to look at the scans with it, but yay!

- Every time I start thinking of maybe giving DC some of my money (when I get some), they do something that reminds me why I don't. Thanks for reminding me that you don't actually want my money, DC!

- I intensely dislike creators being on tumblr and I feel like everything is going to end in disaster, "everything" being the intersection of Gillen's trolling and the young and intense Young Avengers fandom. Didn't Teen Wolf fans drive someone off the internet or something? I don't know, I just predict doom.
jet: (kate bishop is flawless)
2012-12-09 11:37 am

Nashville; Northstar

I caught up with this week's Nashville, and everything was so green! (Except for the one scene where it was randomly fall.) I hate winter. I still don't really have many thoughts on the show except: Juliette! Woobie. I have moved from just watching the scenery to genuinely caring about characters...well, one character.

Also this week I read the Astonishing X-Men: Northstar trade, the one with the gay wedding. It contains the issues from the start of Liu's run to the wedding, which is like...4 issues, and sadly did not label the characters for me. I really, really, appreciate when comics do that. Also, I still can't tell which one is Iceman when he's not coated in ice. It also has the Nation X issue where Northstar and Kyle go on a date, which only reinforces my opinion that supers should date within the community (though Northstar and Kyle are really cute together), and the issue of Alpha Flight where Northstar first came out, which is essentially a PSA for AIDS awareness. It was a really sad issue both in terms of the plot (dying baby!) and the historical context it was published in. (Yes, I just called 1992 historical.) Large image under cut )

Also, apparently Scott Lobdell continues today to write the same way he did 20 years ago.
jet: (intense jason)
2012-11-21 12:53 pm

Unnecessary Post

If you missed it, you can opt into my comic uploads filter here. If you can't see that post, don't hesitate to ask for access.

I made a new tumblr friend who also has the theory, which I considered briefly after reading the 0 issues, that Lobdell intends to make Tim related to Jason in the reboot. I dismissed this on account of Do Not Want but since other people think it... if this ever turns out to be true I just want to be able to say I called it before I then begin shrieking about it.
jet: (kate bishop is flawless)
2012-11-18 07:36 pm

Teen Titans (reboot)

I finally caught up on reboot Teen Titans and my general impressions are )
jet: Wiccan from Young Avengers in the air surrounded by glowing blue magic (billy is a beautiful butterfly)
2012-11-16 07:50 pm

Random Reactions

Comics from the past two weeks:

X-Factor 246: Read more... )

Action Comics 14: I didn't actually read this, just the bit with the Neil Degrasse Tyson appearance. I thought it was pretty cool.

Batman and Robin 14: Read more... )

Batman 14:Read more... )

Avengers Assemble 9: You know those movieverse fics where they just all hang out in Stark Tower and banter? That is literally this issue, except with Carol and Jessica Drew, which pretty much makes it 500% more awesome.

Also...if I were to start, um, sharing some weekly comics here, would anyone be interested? I already share with others, so I might as well put them here too. I'll put up a locked poll on dreamwidth since I guess I'll filter that. If I haven't granted anyone access who wants it, just give a yell.
jet: Yuuko from Holic, in greyscale (billyteddy)
2012-10-12 03:58 pm

Lists Make an Entry

Life continues to be depressing. I continue to read comic books, which are ALSO depressing. I also forgot how much I hated following things that came out monthly.

Well, whatever. In an effort to be upbeat:

Things I Am Excited About
+ Ants of Heaven! I am DYING waiting for this to be translated, I need all the Tenpou & Kenren right now.
+ Wild Adapter is returning soon!
+ YOUNG AVENGERS IN JANUARY! To Do: Catch up on/finish Journey into Mystery, read Vengeance, probably just read Noh-Varr's wikipedia page.

Not being upbeat:
Things I Am Sad About:
- I hate reading scans a lot. I really should find a comic viewer with a better magnify option - Comix is great on my netbook, but I would much rather read on my Windows desktop with a screen that is 13" larger.
- Comics take way too long to read. I could read an entire volume of manga in 30 minutes, but comics have like, walls of text in every tiny bubble. It's harder to read, too.
- Pretty sure I will never forgive my sister for getting me into DC. My only consolation is that she also suffers.

I am also now trying this thing where I interact with people and leave comments sometimes? It's kind of terrifying but I'll keep at it!

And finally, I wrote a crack ficlet after seeing like 5 posts in the Young Avengers tag going "omg Teddy cheated on Billy?!" so I am posting it here for archival purposes. This ficlet brought to you by someone people’s apparent lack of reading comprehension. )
jet: Wiccan from Young Avengers in the air surrounded by glowing blue magic (billy is a beautiful butterfly)
2012-09-30 07:31 pm

For My Own Reference: Comics I have read

With brief ridiculous commentary, unlikely to be amusing to anyone but me.
Read more... )
jet: Wiccan from Young Avengers in the air surrounded by glowing blue magic (billy is a beautiful butterfly)
2012-09-25 09:19 pm

(no subject)

I need to start keeping track of comics I've read, I no longer even remember. Also, it's difficult to have new interests when you don't have any money.

I finally watched Young Justice (animated), in a very confused manner. Sarah and I started watching it weekly as it re-aired beginning with the last two episodes of season one, so I've been slowly watching season one from the beginning over the past couple months while watching season two weekly. New episodes start back up this weekend, so, buoyed by the extreme relief I felt over the revelations of the latest aired episode, I finally finished season one. Now I no longer remember anything about season two. Sigh.

I was thinking about ensemble casts, and how I can't really list my favorite characters per canon in order. I usually have three tiers: love, like, dislike; with some outliers.

For instance, Young Justice. Love: Kaldur, Dick. Like: Artemis, Zatanna, Wally (about half the time). Dislike: M'gann, Conner, Roy (usually).

In Young Avengers, my groupings are: Love the Most: Teddy, Billy. Love Only Slightly Less: Kate, Eli, Tommy. Largely Indifferent To: Cassie, Jonas. Nate has his own category of "Fail".

(Also it occurs to me that maybe I should try being a fan of characters who aren't teenagers because I feel creepy when I read porn of them.)

With X-Factor I just basically want it to be a sitcom alternating between The Adventures of Rictor and Shatterstar (featuring Rahne and wolfbaby) and The Adventures of Monet (and Terry) Being Fabulous. Jamie and Layla can be recurring characters, Longshot can be comic relief, and maybe Darwin and Polaris can show up for hijinks sometimes.
jet: Wiccan from Young Avengers in the air surrounded by glowing blue magic (billy is a beautiful butterfly)
2012-08-20 11:59 pm

Ugh comics why

So because [personal profile] koumou is a terrible person she has been sending me Tim/Kon (Robin or Red Robin/Superboy) fics. I've been generally avoiding DC because I know people were rightly angry over the reboot and DC's general stance on making their comics appeal to a wider market (they are against it). And I still don't want to read any! Because after being shown things like this to document their 616!Steve/Tony level of canonness, and being forced to read over her shoulder as she shows me the pages where, after Kon's death, Tim destroys his cloning machine in a fit of rage over his failed attempts to clone Kon, and after being called out on his cloning attempts(!!) by Kon's girlfriend, starts crying, says "I miss him so much", and starts making out with Kon's girlfriend while they are both crying over their loss, I have to face the fact that in the reboot continuity, they essentially no longer have any sort of relationship. Basically, fuck you DC.

Also because koumou is a huge jerk she has infected me with Jason Todd feels. I don't want to care about any Robins, okay, or former Robins, or people who have never been Robin in the new universe (hahaha). They're just so... shiny.

At least with DC I feel 100% justified in not spending a penny on them.
jet: Bruce and Tony from the Avengers movie (bruce/tony)
2012-06-03 12:58 am

If anyone would like a free terrible ficlet,

leave me a prompt. Basically anything Marvel, if I'm not familiar with a character/series/universe I will make stuff up. You get what you pay for.

Mostly I want to write weird universe crossovers that no-one else would ever read. (X-Factor Investigations in XMFC universe would be awesome okay.)
jet: Yuuko from Holic, in greyscale (Default)
2012-02-14 10:11 am

(no subject)

So, in an effort to remind myself that comics are ugly and stupid and that reading them will only lead to heartbreak, I decided to read Young Avengers. I chose it because a) canon gay, b) lack of literal decades of bizarre continuity, and c) lack of fandom-inspired feels. Unfortunately, this plan maybe backfired and I want to read more of it. Well, hopefully the future terrible events that I understand occur will turn me off and I will be safe once more.

(Also, Iron Man repulsoring a teenager in midair was hilarious; way to be a dick, Tony!)

(Also also, reading the conceptual notes at the back: dude, in a genre that has like literally one gay character, you wanted to make another and then make him straight? For realsies? THANK YOU WHOEVER TOLD HIM THAT WAS A BAD IDEA.)


text:
The Roundup

Team Canada keeps on rolling, Canucks looking to deal, Fire Carlyle, Draisaitl back to junior, Evander Kane out long term and more in this week’s Roundup.

In the Roundup we go around the Nation Network and give you some of the best articles of the last couple weeks. Every once in a while it’s good to know what other teams are doing, or maybe you find an interesting article you wouldn’t have found otherwise.

Team Canada’s Top 6 usage

In depth look at Team Canada’s Defensemen

Trade rumors: GM Benning ready to call a friend

Should the Canucks have claimed Magnus Paajarvi

James Reimer versus the world

ACME, Coffee Patron, Fire Randy Carlyle

Evander Kane out long term – What now?

Jets at the WJC’s recap

Send the rookie away (Draisaitl)

Oilers trade for Derek Roy

Oilers: Coaching training wheels – Scrap of the week

The Fantasy Minute

The first star, worst star of the week

Pacific War Room

  • The Last Big Bear

    For me, the story of the week is how Daryl Katz reportedly made Sportsnet pull a guy from their broadcast because Katz didn’t like what he was saying about the Oilers.

    That’s unreal.

    If true, this says to me that all the Oilers Gestapo d-baggery we’ve been hearing about in recent years, which has been largely attributed to the arrogance of Lowe and friends, has in all likelihood actually been coming all the way from the top.

    Oh, you poor, sad fools.

    Their on-ice record is one thing, because that slate gets wiped clean every summer.

    But if you’ve got a d-bag owner, running a d-bag organization… oh man. That’s a whole different story. That’s the kind of thing that would honest-to-god probably make me jump ship. Heck, it’s making me reconsider trash-talking Oilers fans.

    • The Last Big Bear

      Yep, they managed to turn a 10th overall pick, plus a few million dollars of salary and several years of development time, into a 27th-ish overall pick.

      Brilliant work.

      • CMpuck

        Sink cost is sunk. Not every 18 years old plan out. Draft prodigy means little once the rookie contract is signed and player started playing.

        What matters is what you get out of it. Look at it this way, they could have claim MPS before they trade away Perron. Then the net trade is 2nd for 1st + Kilkhammer.

        Except they rather also rather do without MPS and screw over St. Louis.

  • Kaizzer-3

    I really hope the Perron trade for Klink and the pick was Mac T creating cap space so we can use pick in a trade for a young proven NHL’r center , d man or goalie. Klinkhammer like Fraser is worth a look, maybe a fresh start does something? Doubt it with the pressure cooker, loosing situation but here’s hoping ……….?…..again.