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Category Archive

Who Needs Silicon Valley? Made in Digital Germany is Europe’s Big Hope

March 15, 2017 • TECHNOLOGY, Digital Transformation, Editors' Pick, Future of Business, Internet of Things, Strategic SpotlightComments (1)

The industrial and manufacturing landscape of 2025 will be massively different from today and every single “traditional” company has to digitally innovate if it is to survive. German and European manufacturing must co-innovate with the German software industry to preserve its place in the world, says Karl-Heinz Streibich, CEO of Software AG.   Is

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At Your Service: Management with HEART

February 8, 2017 • STRATEGY & MANAGEMENT, SPECIAL FEATURES, Marketing & Consumers, Editors' Pick, Strategic SpotlightComments (0)

Interview with Rommel Gonzales The Bellevue Resort, Bohol, Philippines   “In the hospitality and airline industry, you are not selling rooms, nor selling airline seats. You are selling service.” A man with decades worth of experience in the

The Importance of Being Expert… Contextually Expert

February 2, 2017 • LEADERSHIP, Editors' Pick, Leadership DevelopmentComments (2)

By Barbara Kellerman The article argues that leadership is not a person – it is a system. It is a system in which three parts are of equal importance: leaders, followers (or others), and contexts. The article focuses on the importance of incorporating

The Strategic Leader’s Roadmap

February 1, 2017 • STRATEGY & MANAGEMENT, Editors' Pick, Strategic SpotlightComments (0)

By Harbir Singh and Michael Useem Based on the authors’ new book, The Strategic Leader’s Roadmap, this article stresses that strategic leadership constitutes a skillset that can be learned and mastered across a career. Becoming a strategic leader oneself

This Too Shall Pass Change is Not Only Necessary, It’s Inevitable

January 24, 2017 • TECHNOLOGY, Digital Transformation, Editors' Pick, Internet of Things, Surdak on TechnologyComments (0)

By Christopher Surdak  If one word was used to describe the year we have just lived through my choice would be “change”. For most businesses, change is both inevitable and unnerving. Change is a New Normal, and our notions of reliability, predictability

Future Work: Changes, Choices & Consequences

December 1, 2016 • Editors' Pick, Future of Business, TransformationComments (2)

By Jonathan Trevor Despite enabling widespread automation of routine tasks, mechanical technologies have created many more job opportunities than they have replaced in our Industrial Age past. How will the rapid progress of digital technologies affect work in

A New Model for the Future of Customer Relationships

December 1, 2016 • STRATEGY & MANAGEMENT, Marketing & Consumers, Business Model, Editors' PickComments (0)

 By Yoram (Jerry) Wind and Catharine Hays, with Alexa de los Reyes The fundamental relationships among brands, media, and people are being transformed at an unprecedented rate, necessitating a new definition of customer relationships. This article offers

5 Ways Trump or Clinton Could Make Government Run More Like a Business

November 10, 2016 • LEADERSHIP, STRATEGY & MANAGEMENT, SPECIAL FEATURES, Global Business, Commentary, Editors' PickComments (0)

By Howard Schweitzer Applying business concepts to government is not a fantasy. With the right leader, a heavy dose of patience and good ideas, government can become more efficient delivering more value at decreased burden to taxpayers.   Throughout the

What Senior Executives Should Know About Sales

September 30, 2016 • LEADERSHIP, STRATEGY & MANAGEMENT, Global Business, Editors' PickComments (0)

By Frank Cespedes Business is more complex, data more abundant, and more specialists are needed to stay up-to-date with functional best practices. As a senior executive, you can worry all you want about disruption, but you need a salesforce aligned with

Socialise for Success: Three Key Steps for Better Business Outcomes Online

July 20, 2016 • TECHNOLOGY, Editors' Pick, Social Media, Unprotected PostComments (0)

By Jim Macnamara Research shows that most businesses are jumping on the social media bandwagon. But many are not using social media effectively or wisely, exposing themselves to criticism and missing opportunities. Here, Jim Macnamara outlines three key steps


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Fast Fold + Go

/ Approximately 4 months to walking age

Triple Fun™ Fast Fold + Go Activity Center (Treehouse)

A light-weight, easy-to-stow Exersaucer that will spark imagination and encourage interaction for your growing baby.

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Easy-to-stow, easy-to-go...

You asked for a lighter, more compact ExerSaucer, and we delivered! The Fast Fold + Go combines a playmat, activity center, and toy-toss game into a slim footprint that is easy-to-stow when not in use, and easy-to-go when traveling. Packed with 20+ activities and Take With Me™ toys, the Fast Fold + Go offers your child a safe environment that encourages developmental growth.

Evenflo partnered with the Child Development Institute, to develop ExerSaucer activities that engage a baby's senses, spark imagination and encourage interaction. For over twenty years, ExerSaucer activity centers have helped children develop their gross motor skills, fine motor skills, object exploration, cause/effect learning, self-awareness, tactile development, visual development, object permanence and hand-eye coordination. Give your baby an ExersAwesome head start.

Child Specs

  • Age: 0 to 4 months
  • Maturity: To avoid possible entanglement or strangulation, remove toy bar when baby begins to push up on hands and knees.

  • Height: Discontinue use if child is 30” (76 cm) tall;
  • Age: 4 to 15 months
  • Maturity: Discontinue use if child can walk, stand flat-footed in the ExerSaucer in the highest adjustment level or climb out of the product.

  • Age: 15 to 36 months

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  • Dimensions: 27.0” D x 27.0” W x 29.5” H
  • Product Weight: 14.0 lbs. (6.3502 kg)
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Carefully read all instructions and warnings on the product, product labels, and instruction manuals before assembly and use of the ExerSaucer.

Plastic Parts

Wipe surface clean with cloth slightly moistened with mild soap and water. Allow to air dry.

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Machine Wash Separately, Cold Water – Delicate Cycle. No chlorine bleach. Tumble Dry: 10 – 15 Minutes on Low Heat – Remove Immediately.

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Cut Lines: Creating the Miniature Effect
Posted Sep 13, 2010 Print Version     Page 1of 1

This month I’ll show you how to do the Miniature Effect, which has recently enjoyed a surge of popularity in the production world. This effect makes your footage look animated and like it was shot with miniature models, sort of like the opening sequence to Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, when the camera dollied through the tiny model town during the opening credits. You could create the same effect in Final Cut Pro (which we’ll touch on briefly at the end of the tutorial, as well as a how-to on creating miniatures with a still image in Aperture), but Motion has a nicer defocus filter and better quality retiming, and it’s easier to mask in. It’s very simple to do in Motion. It can be done quickly, and it’s fun too; with all the variables you can tweak to get the effect just right.

With the basic steps described here, you should be able to adapt this workflow to Photoshop or Aperture for working with stills as well. Just bear in mind that you are creating an optical illusion, tricking the eye to perceive something in a very different way than it normally would a regular video clip. There are no 3D sets and no complicated technical hoops to jump through. After completing this tutorial, you should be able to apply it quickly at any time.

To begin with, you’ll need appropriate footage. This effect won’t work on just any video clip. Here are some guidelines: Make sure you’re above the scene, shooting down on it, such as from a balcony or rooftop. Naturally, this means you’ll be applying this effect mostly to outdoor scenes. You want it to look as if you’ve shot downward on to a miniature set. Be sure it’s a wide and deep shot, evenly focused throughout, as you’ll be faking depth of field, and you’ll need good foreground, focal point, and background to work with. Having total control over the depth of field illusion is very important.

You will also need to shoot on a tripod to keep the shot steady. I’ve experimented with shaky footage. It works, just not as well as stable clips. Shoot for a long time, or do a lengthy time-lapse. Movement is important, and faster-than-normal movement is very important to really pull the effect off to its fullest.

Make sure the area is lit well and evenly as you’ll be boosting contrast a good bit, and you also want control over that aspect of the image. Finally, colorful scenes are best; dull scenes will yield a more subtle result—often too dull to convey the effect you’re trying to create.

Working in the Motion Timeline
When you have your clip, launch Motion. Drag and drop from a Finder window into Motion’s Layers window, or use Motion’s File Browser to find your clip, highlight it, and click the Import button to add this clip into your project. For the example shown in this tutorial, I’ll use a clip that I took from a rooftop in downtown New Orleans over the Mississippi River of its crescent by the French Quarter (that’s why it’s always been called The Crescent City, eons before that awful movie saddled us with “The Big Easy”). I’ve got tugs and ships, both banks of the river, lots of color, and lots of area to work with. But I didn’t shoot it as a time-lapse, so I have to speed it up to make it work for this effect. This was a very long take though, shot as stock footage, so I have plenty of duration to work with. For the purposes of this exercise, I’ll assume you’re in the same boat—right kind of shot, but not necessarily time-lapse footage. With your clip selected, you’ll begin the process.

First, you need to drag my In and Out points into the Motion Timeline to set the duration of your final project. If the Timeline is not long enough initially, go to the bottom right of the screen, locate the Out Point value field, and type a duration just a tiny bit longer than you need. It’s also important to make sure your playhead is always at the beginning of the timeline, as that’s where elements you add to the project will begin. Next, you’ll start Phase 1 of building your project.

Building the Project
The first thing you have to do if your footage has the same nontime-lapse limitation as mine is to speed up the clip to get your exaggerated speed, which helps with the overall effect. Use F5 to open the Layers Window. Click the disclosure triangle if necessary to open the Group your clip imported into, and highlight the clip. Next, click on the Add Behavior icon in the toolbar. From that menu, go down to Retiming, and from that group, select Set Speed (Figure 1).

Apple Motion
Figure 1. Selecting Set Speed from the Retiming group of Motion's Add Behavior menu

Then, highlight this behavior in the Layers window, and go to the Behaviors tab in the Inspector window. In the Speed field, speed up your clip by increasing the value to a number greater than 100, whatever works for you. You may need to set all your “Ease...” fields to 0. My specific clip was very long, so I sped it up to 1,200. Depending on the clip you’re using, you may need to go up to only 200 or 400 or so. If it’s time-lapsed, you may not need to change the speed at all.

Exaggerating the Color
You’ve now applied the speed adjustment, the first of four necessary effects you need to add to this clip (if it’s not time-lapse footage). The second effect you’ll add is exaggerating the color. Click the Add Filters icon in the toolbar, go to Color Correction, and choose Saturation. Highlight the Saturation filter in the Layers window, go to the Filters tab in the Inspector window (Figure 2), and increase the saturation value.

Apple Motion
Figure 2. Increasing saturation in the Filters tab of the Inspector window

To achieve this effect, we need to supersaturate the image. Remember that miniatures may be close to natural colors, but they’re not natural. Exaggerating the saturation to boost our overall coloring is very important. Whether sky, water, buildings, or some other element, all should be boosted, in terms of saturation, beyond what is natural. How much will depend on your shot.

Once you’ve applied the entire effect, it will be easy to tweak things and find the sweet spot—not just on this filter, but on all the filters we’ll use.

Applying the Defocus Filter
Next, you need to exaggerate the contrast. To do this, go back to the Add Filters icon in the toolbar, select Color Correction again, and choose Levels. This gives more control than the Contrast filter, even though it’s the contrast in the image that you’re going to change.

Once again, highlight the Levels filter in the Layers window, and access it in the Filters tab of the Inspector window. Take a look at the Histogram, grab the whites marker on the right, and drag it slowly to the left to boost your whites a bit. Then, grab the blacks maker on the left of the histogram, and drag it to the right to darken up the blacks and shadows a bit. The tweaks you need to make to your footage will differ, but the idea is to use these controls to dramatically increase the contrast in the image to a level that’s extreme and unnatural. This is vital, as the human eye uses contrast in determining depth, and taking the contrast to extremes gives the image a plausible 3D illusion—a very important part of building the miniature effect. Again, you can always come back and tweak it after you’re finished.

Duplicating the Clip
The final filter you’ll add to this first phase of your project is Defocus to help fake depth of field. From the Add Filters icon, go to Blur, and choose Defocus. In the Inspector window, boost the Defocus amount to make the whole image look like what the foreground and background should look like once your depth of field is finally set. You’ll clear up the midsection in just a bit.

Defocus is a much better blur filter to use than Gaussian Blur because it actually mimics the blurring effect of a lens defocusing. As before, you can return to this feature to tweak it later on.

Working in the Motion Timeline
Here’s where you’ll put the icing on the cake. In the toolbar, there are two buttons called Mask. The left one gives you access to image masks (Figure 3). Click this button to access the rectangular mask, or use the Opt+R keyboard shortcut.

Apple Motion
Figure 3. Accessing the Rectangle image masks via the Motion toolbar

Next, click on the left edge of your image in the Canvas window, and drag to the right and down to draw a matte shape across the middle section of the image (Figure 4). You should see immediately that you’re creating fake depth of field.

Apple Motion
Figure 4. Drawing a mask across the image in the Canvas window

The overall miniature effect should also be very obvious by now. With the mask highlighted in the Layers window, go to the Mask tab in the Inspector window, and pull the Roundness slider to the right to smooth out the hard corners (cameras don’t defocus in perfect squares). Then, pull the Feather slider left (to expand the feathering outside the mask) or to the right (to contract the feathering toward the center of the mask) to get a nice smooth effect.

Presto, we’re about done! At this point, you can grab the center of the mask in the Canvas window to move it around, or grab its edges to adjust its height and width. And as mentioned earlier, you can also go back, highlight each filter, and tweak its values. You’ll want to play around a bit to get the overall effect you’re looking for. It’s not very hard, and you should be able to create this effect pretty quickly once you’ve walked through the process (Figure 5).

Apple Motion
Figure 5. The miniatures effect coming into view

A Little Lagniappe
Now, just for a little lagniappe (our word for “something extra” in New Orleans), I’m going to throw in one last trick. If you want more of a stop animation effect to really push the envelope, highlight the upper copy of your video clip, locate the Add Behavior icon in the toolbar, go to Retiming, and select Stutter. You’ll want to select the check box next to the lower copy of your video clip for now.

In the Inspector window, Behaviors tab, Stutter settings, start off by setting the amount to about 33 and the Duration Range to 2 or 3. Play around with the Duration Range (to determine how many frames it stutters). Finally, hold the Option key while dragging this Stutter Behavior from the upper copy of your video clip onto the lower copy of our video clip. This will “copy” the behavior rather than simply move it. Now, both clips will stutter the same amount. Remember to select the check box next to the lower copy of your clip to turn it back on and make it visible (Figure 6). Don’t be afraid to experiment. This step isn’t necessary, but it could add a little touch of authenticity to some clips.

Apple Motion
Figure 6. Selecting the checbox next to the lower copy of the clip to make it visible

I’ll recap so we can put this in perspective, and understand that creating the miniatures look in Motion really is a supereasy and superfast effect to achieve. Essentially, we’re using simple exaggeration of specific parameters to create an optical illusion. First, adjust the speed if needed. Then, oversaturate the colors and exaggerate the contrast. Next, defocus and duplicate the image’s layer. In the duplicate, remove defocus and matte. That’s about it.

Creating the Effect in Final Cut Pro
I know a lot of users are more comfortable working in Final Cut Pro than in Motion, and the good news is that to create this effect in FCP you’d do pretty much the same thing. The main difference is that you’d use the Color Corrector 3-Way to adjust the Saturation and Contrast. It’s not as powerful as in Motion, but you can still get the effect. Because the Levels filter in FCP is not the same as it is in Motion, it won’t do the trick in FCP. In FCP, you set contrast with the luminance sliders beneath each color wheel. To do this most effectively, use only the blacks (pull the slider to the left) and whites (pull to the right); try not to use the mids slider unless it’s absolutely necessary (some images may need the mids boosted up a tad). Then pull the contrast slider all the way to the right to exaggerate the overall color (Figure 7). To create depth of field, use Effects > Video Filters > Blur > Defocus, just like you did in Motion.

Apple Final Cut Pro
Figure 7. Adjusting the sliders beneath the color wheels in FCP

Use Opt+Shift when dragging the original clip up to the V2 layer to make a duplicate. Then remove the Defocus filter, and go to Effects > Video Filters > Matte and use the Mask Shape then the Mask Feather filter to get the same effect you would do with the matte tool in Motion. With the Shape filter, use the Rounded Rectangle shape. As a starting point, set Horizontal Scale to about 80, and Vertical Scale to about 40. With the Feather filter, try starting at about 50, and then try going higher.

Creating the Effect in Aperture
If want to do the miniature effect with a still image in Aperture, it’s super-fast and ultra-easy, and you have a ton of control. First, double-click the photo you want to work with to make it fill the preview window. Then go to the Adjustments tab (Figure 8), open the Enhance brick, and pull the Saturation up to about 2.0 or 3.0, depending on the image.

Apple Aperture
Figure 8. Adjusting Saturation in the Enhance brick

Next, open the Levels brick. Pull the blacks tab to the right and the whites tab to the left, exactly as you would in Motion. Finally, go to Photos > Add Adjustment > Quick Brushes > Blur. In the Blur HUD (Heads-Up Display), make the brush size really big (300 or so), and set Softness to about 0.5 and Strength to 1 or a tad less. In the Blur brick, set Amount to about 10.0.

Then brush in where you want the blur. Remember that you can use the feather icon in the Blur HUD to soften the boundary between the clear and blurred portions. You can also use the eraser icon to brush away the blur effect if you get too carried away. If the Blur HUD is closed, click the brush icon in the Blur brick inside the Adjustments tab to get it back.

I hope you have fun with this simple little trick. There are variations you can get into, such as using two oval mattes rather than just one, to offset top and bottom defocusing. Keyframe an image to pan from left to right (make the image about 110%–120% larger to give you the wiggle room you need). Play around, and see how far you can push the envelope of this effect. Enjoy this tutorial, and until next time, rock those edits! Ben Balser (benb at bbalser.com) is an Apple Certified Master Trainer and Support Professional based in Louisiana. He produces media, consults for studios, and teaches media production nationally.

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Michael Ausiello
January 16, 2010 AT 04:47 PM EST

Maybe Alison Sweeney should host The Tonight Show. Lord knows she already works on every other show at NBC.

The next phase of the Days of Our Lives and Biggest Loser star’s quest for complete Peacock domination kicks in this March, when she guests on the network’s freshman medical drama, Mercy.

According to sources, Sweeney will play a bus-crash victim who appears to have only minor injuries. However, the docs and nurses soon discover (spoiler alert!) that she has shrapnel in her brain, causing her to act out of character.

So, what do you think of this whole Sweeney/Tonight Show idea? Maybe not now, but in, say, five years when Leno steps down again. I can kind of see it.

Image Credit: Albert L. Ortega/PR Photos

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You are here: Home Government Departments Environmental Health Complaints

Filing a Complaint

If your complaint is concerning an environmental emergency, please call 911 to report the incident.

The Washtenaw County Environmental Health Division responds to housing complaints, food service establishment complaints, and other issues involving unsanitary conditions. Common complaints we receive include restaurant employees not wearing gloves while handling food, mold in an apartment, bedbugs in a motel, sewage surfacing from a failing septic system, and tattoos being performed in someone's home.

To file a complaint, please contact:

If you believe you got sick from food you ate at a restaurant or grocery store, please visit our Foodborne Illness Reporting web page.

Washtenaw County Environmental Health Division
705 N. Zeeb Rd., P.O. Box 8645
Ann Arbor, MI  48107-8645
Phone:  (734) 222-3800
Fax:  (734) 222-3930

Please be prepared to provide the following information:

  • Your Name, Address, and Phone Number (this can be kept confidential, but we need this information to formally file the complaint)
  • Name of apartment/hotel/restaurant, etc. you are filing the complaint against
  • Location/address of apartment/hotel/restaurant, etc. (it must be in Washtenaw County)
  • Name and contact information for management/person responsible
  • Nature of complaint, including detailed description (pictures can be helpful) and a summary of what actions have been taken thus far to resolve the matter

If you are a renter and are would like to file a complaint about your apartment or home, please talk to your landlord or apartment management company about the issue first. If the problem is not resolved in a reasonable amount of time, then contact our office to file a complaint.

What we will do:

  • Washtenaw County Environmental Health staff will call you to discuss the complaint or incident and gather more information including whom you have reported the incident to, and what you and the responsible party have done to help resolve the situation.
  • We will then call the responsible party to see if they are aware of the issue, and what they are doing to remediate the situation.
  • Our role is often to serve as a mediator or communicator between the complainant and the responsible party, and clarify the roles and responsibilities of both parties. We also provide information to both parties regarding environmental issues.

What we will NOT do:

  • Washtenaw County Environmental Health does not have the equipment or resources to test for mold, detect odors or other harmful substances, spray for mosquitoes, etc. We can help you find companies that can provide these services for you.
  • In many cases, it is not necessary for us to make a site visit to verify the complaint. We have found that most incidents are resolved when we are able to get the two parties communicating, and when we can clarify the expectations of both parties. Some situations, however, will involve a site visit by our staff. We will also refer some complaints, as appropriate, to other local or state agencies.
  • We do not handle basic customer service complaints such as rude staff, lost reservations, or wrong food orders. Please report these incidents to the facility's management.
  • We cannot assist in breaking a lease agreement, receiving a security deposit refund, or suing responsible parties. Please seek legal counsel for assistance in these matters.
  • We cannot provide medical advice. If you have concerns about your health, please see your health care provider.
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EWTN Catholic Q&A
Condoms in Africa
Question from Mayte on 02-26-2014:

Hello, I hope you can help me, please! I am in the pro-life ministry in my parish, I try to read and learn as much as possible. But a BIG controversy has happened. In another ministry it was told that it is OK by the Catholic Church the use of condoms when preventing HIV in African countries. Please see the above: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11804398

Answer by Judie Brown on 02-26-2014:

Dear Mayte

You have been misinformed.

Here is the Vatican information on the subject: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/analysis-what-the-pope-really-said-about- condoms/

Further, it should be noted that Pope Francis has not in any way altered the words of Pope Benedict on the subject of condoms and AIDS in Africa.

Judie Brown


text:
Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Waiting for Wednesday, Volume 3, Issue 14

Holy cats! It's a HUGE comic book Wednesday, and from the looks of the ol' shipping list, Yours Truly is in for some serious spending today. We get some major titles from DC and Marvel, and Image has three--count 'em, three!--big books shipping this week.

And one of them sold out over two weeks ago.

Which is what I want to talk about, briefly (or, I should say, as briefly as I can manage), before launching into this week's new swag.

Go on eBay and do a search for Nonplayer. Go ahead, I'll wait.

It's a comic put out by Image, and written and illustrated (beautifully, stunningly, even, might I add) by Nate Simpson. You can check out a free preview of the book over on Simpson's website, and you can buy it toda--oh, wait.

That's right.

Remember that suggestion to search for the title on eBay, just up the page a little bit? Yeah, I almost forgot. The book has completely sold out from the distributor, which is a Good Thing.
The Bad Thing? It's likely that your local comics shop either grossly under ordered the issue, or they didn't order it at all.

I don't know what makes me more upset, the fact that this beautiful, interesting book will be tragically under ordered (and thus under-read), or the fact that someone out there is charging upwards of $50 bucks for a copy...on its DAY OF RELEASE.

Makes you want to throw up in your mouth a little, doesn't it? Is there anything that could possibly turn off potential readers more than that kind of mark up??

I mean, sure, this is great for creator-owned comics in that there's this huge interest around a smaller press title. And believe me, I love seeing a smaller book go off like this--just go back and read some of my earlier posts on books like Chew, and Morning Glories, and The Goon.

But does anybody out there remember the 1990s? Or, for that matter, last week?

Anyway, here's hoping that your local retailer ordered plenty of these--and isn't selling them for $50. And here's the solicitation information for Nonplayer, issue one, which, in case I haven't made it clear in this post, I am uber excited about:

The future kind of sucks, and that goes double for Dana Stevens — she's stuck in a dead-end tamale delivery job, and she's way too old to be living with her mom. But in the online fantasy world of Jarvath, she's an elite warrior. When she slays the wife of celebrity game character King Heremoth, her fame seems all but guaranteed — that is, until the game spins totally out of control.

I just think this book is going to be incredible, and I hope enough people will be able to get their hands on it.

Speaking of Image books that have sold out...

The next two books are looking to follow in Nonplayer's shoes, and they both ship today. First up, we have Green Wake, issue one, written by Kurtis J. Wiebe and with art by Riley Rossmo.

When I saw this in previews, I figured I'd take a chance on it. I'm a sucker for new horror books, and the preview art I've seen looks great.

Here's the blurb from Image:

A riveting tale of loss and horror. In the forgotten town of Green Wake, a string of grisly mutilations leads Morley Mack on the trail of a young woman named Ariel, who is the prime suspect. But when a stranger with startling connections to Ariel arrives under mysterious circumstances, Morley unravels a dark plot with a shocking link to his past.

Definitely looking forward to giving this book a chance, and here's hoping that I'll have a new, monthly horror book to buy.

The third soon-to-be-sold out book from Image is another intriguing title, Blue Estate, from writer Viktor Kalvachev and a slew of others. Again, the preview art sold me on the title, and I've since heard some very positive reviews of the book.
So far, all of my "hunches" on new Image number ones have been correct--I've liked all of the Image books I've tried in the past few months (Butcher Baker was a fantastic, over-the-top read last week).

Unfortunately, I've also been right about their inevitable after-market value increases, which while not necessarily a bad thing, is another argument for comics to come out as long-form graphic novels, as opposed to monthly issues.

We want stories, not collectibles.

Anyway, here's the solicit information from Image for Blue Estate, issue one:

A powerhouse team of Hollywood and comic book veterans (along with special guest artists) presents a fast, funny, 100% cool new series for readers of all stripes. On the mean streets of Los Angeles, an alcoholic hit man and a desperate starlet dodge Russian mobsters, Italian gangsters, ninjas, hippies and the L.A.P.D. in a scheme to steal millions from a psychotic action movie hero. F

eaturing art by VIKTOR KALVACHEV (PHERONE, DMZ, The Incredibles), NATHAN FOX (Invincible Iron Man, Pigeons From Hell), TOBY CYPRESS (Batman/Nightwing), ROBERT VALLEY (Gorillaz, Tron), and written by Emmy Award winning screenwriter ANDREW OSBORNE.

GAH! So many good books out this week, and so little time in which to finish this post!

There's issue three of the excellent Image series, Who is Jake Ellis?, issue 18 of the monster-hit that is Chew, the first issue of the latest BPRD mini-series, The Dead Remembered, as well as issue one of Solomon Kane: Red Shadows, both from Dark Horse, the latest issue of one of my personal favorite series ever, House of Mystery, from Vertigo, and, oh yeah!

Marvel's big event for the summer starts today with Fear Itself, issue one, written by Matt Fraction and with art by the awesome Stuart Immonen.
It's Marvel. It's (almost) summer. It's event time. I have managed to not buy the hype for this series thus far, and I've convinced myself that I don't need any of the cross-over titles (we'll see how long that lasts), but I will certainly give issue one a shot.

Here's the blurb from the House of Ideas:

The Story: DO YOU FEAR...TOMORROW? In this time of global anxiety, of economic turmoil and mass hysteria, Sin, the new Red Skull, has made an awesome discovery...a shameful secret that will rock the foundations of the Marvel Universe!

A revelation that will divide father and son, turn friend against friend, and herald the rise of Fear personified. HE IS RETURNING...and the world has nothing to fear but FEAR ITSELF. Matt Fraction and Stuart Immonen bring fans the biggest Marvel the biggest Marvel event since CIVIL WAR!

Sounds cool, and no one does these big events like Marvel. I don't really need to sell anyone on this, so I'll stop right here, and get back to work.

Before I go, though, two things. First, if you're at all interested in any of the three books from Image I mentioned today, be sure to call your shop this morning to reserve a copy. And second...

What are you Waiting for?

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WARC-Truncated: length

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Health and Protection in Vancouver

Canada’s efficient and top quality public health and social services are universal to all Canadian citizens and permanent residents. Expats can apply for permanent residency and go on the waiting period to access public services, however, most expats especially those who are not going to stay for longer than 2 years choose to get private insurance instead. Other expats who prefer private insurance choose international plans to get specific expat related services to get the most out of the expat experience and save money in Vancouver.

Getting Insurance

British Columbia’s CareCard can be acquired in Vancouver by applying for permanent residency and waiting on a 3 month waitlist. Once you do have the CareCard, however, the health and social service insurance you can get are excellent but are also very limited to local coverage. Most expats in the city prefer to get private international insurance plans for the global coverage which can be transferred in case they move again and also for special customised expat services and benefits such as repatriation and medical evacuation. Aside from limited medical coverage, social services are also limited and cannot cover for property or other general insurance services.

Vancouver has a large local and international private insurance industry that can offer coverage for everything that the public services cannot. Some of the most prominent international insurance companies in the city are Bridges International Insurance Services and HUB International Insurance Brokers

Importance of Insurance

Vancouver’s public health and social service system are efficient indeed, but as we mentioned, it can be quite limited especially for expats who do not intend to be permanent residents. This gap in public service access cannot be filled by simply setting an emergency savings fund because the cost of medical emergencies, as well as other kinds of accidents and damages, are almost always underestimated. Without the proper insurance coverage, you can risk losing your entire savings and even risk going into debt to pay off the cost of emergencies. Aside from being a safety net, insurance can also help you save money by providing additional services that could cost you a lot of money such as dental care or roadside assistance services.

Local Insurance in Vancouver

As a city in British Columbia, Canada, we mentioned earlier that access to public services can be acquired through BC’s CareCard. This will only be available for citizens and permanent residents, and there is a 3 month waiting period for anyone who wishes to apply. If you prefer to get a private insurance plan, check the Insurance Bureau of Canada for guidelines.

See more

Expat Insurance Services in Canada


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Essential Employment Paperwork in Dominican Republic

Expats may be pleased to know that the Dominican Republic does not have any restrictions about companies hiring foreign nationals – as long as 80% of the company’s labour force are Dominicans.

The government does not require any form of work permit for foreigners. However, aspiring expats should obtain a visa from the Dominican Embassy in their home country or from the nearest country that has a Consulate. Keep in mind that foreign nationals are not allowed to stay in the Dominican Republic for two months in a row, and should be prepared at all times to show a proof of return ticket to leave the country. The short-stay visa is classified into three and can be easily renewed by going to the Dirección General de Migración (Deparment of Immigration) in Santo Domingo.

Visa de Trabajo or Work Visa

The work visa allows an expat to engage in gainful employment in the Dominican Republic for no more than 60 days. During the application, one must be able to present a certification from the Ministerio de Trabajo (Ministry of Labour). The certificate should attest that the employer is registered under the Integrated System of Labour Registration and should have an approval of a work contract that has duration period of less than one year. It takes about 10 to 15 days to process a work visa and some of the other requirements for application are:

  • Passport with at least six month validity
  • Birth certificate with photocopy
  • Medical Certificate (notarised, translated to Spanish and Apostilled)
  • Work Contract and Certificate
  • Five passport-sized photos
  • Police Certificate and original criminal record certificate (notarised, translated to Spanish and Apostilled)

Visa de Negocios or Business Visa

The business visa is normally granted for professional, business or commercial purposes. Expats who will apply for this paperwork are advised to choose the business visa with multiple entries which is valid for one year and costs around USD 125 instead of the single-entry (valid for 60 days) that is about USD 115. In other words, just by adding USD 10, a foreign assignee will be eligible to leave and return in the Dominican Republic whenever they deem necessary. Below is the list of required documents for the business visa:

  • Original Passport with a validity period of at least the duration of the visa
  • Criminal Record Certificate
  • Visa application letter addressed to the Consular section containing the name of the company or institution for which the expat works for along with the applicant’s name, place of residence, nationality and occupation
  • Completed Application Form

Visa de Negocios con Fines Laborales or Business Visa for Employment Purposes

This type of visa is for expats whose nature of work requires them to remain in the Dominican Republic for 12 months without the need to leave. The business visa for employment purposes is granted to foreign nationals that are under fixed-term contracts in either a public or private company headquartered locally. It can be renewed for another one year as long as the holder’s employment contract is still in effect. Expats who has this visa are eligible to open a bank account or apply for a driver’s license in the Dominican Republic.

  • Passport valid for at least the duration of the visa
  • Medical Certificate
  • Criminal Record Certificate
  • Resolution from the Dominican Ministry of Labour that legitimises the expatriate’s employment contract. It should also specify the employee’s position, salary and length of work contract in the Dominican Republic.
  • Visa application letter


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Buying Property in Spain

As in any other country, research is the first step to buying property in Spain. Take time to explore your options, look around and talk to expats who already own homes in the country to find out more. It is best to research online, in books, in magazines, or visit property exhibitions and talk to real estate agents before you get to Spain. When you arrive take a place on rent while you look around and compare properties.

Outbound Publishing's World of Property, a quarterly publication containing many property listings for sale in Spain (and other countries) and internet resources are some good sources of information for prospective buyers.

From holiday homes to typical Spanish country homes and everything in between, Spain offers a variety of options to property buyers. A cortijo, a masía or a pazo (typical country house) is the most popular buy for most expats seeking to set up home or run a small hotel in Spain.

Estate Agents in Spain

To find an estate agent look under Inmobiliarias in the local yellow pages. A number of Spanish estate agents have English speaking staff. Agents are known to advertise in newspapers, magazines and have their own websites. Expats from the UK and Germany are known to use agents in their own countries who work in conjunction with Spanish agents. Take a look at the agent's license and registration number to gauge his authenticity. Better still get a friend or colleague to recommend someone reliable. Agent's fees are not regulated by government controls and are usually around 5-10% of the sales price and must be paid by the buyer.

Legal Advice

Do not venture to buy a property or pay anything without consulting a lawyer first. Spain has a number of qualified legal professionals but do remember to ask friends and colleagues to recommend someone reliable instead of choosing someone yourself. Ensure that your lawyer is a member of the provincial lawyer's association (Colegio de Abogados) - membership of which is compulsory.

Costs Likely To Be Incurred

Buying property in Spain attracts a variety of fees which usually add up to 10% more than the purchase price. Most of the fees are calculated as a percentage of the declared value of the property.

The fees payable when buying a property in Spain may include the following:

• Transfer tax (resale properties only)

• Value added tax and legal document tax (new properties only).

• Land Tax

• Legal Fees

• Notary's fees

• Deed registration fees

• Surveyor's fees

• Selling agent's fees

• Utility fees

Usually most taxes are paid by the buyer except land tax (plus valía) and the selling agent's fees.

Process & Contracts

The process of buying property in Spain begins signing of a preliminary contract (contrato). There are two main types of purchase contract one of which is a standard purchase contract or private purchase contract (contrato privado de compraventa) and is binding on both parties and involves the payment of a deposit. The other is an option contract (contrato de opción de compra) which is not a binding purchase contract, but a deposit must usually be paid, which you lose if you withdraw from the purchase. You may sign a ‘reservation contract' (documento de reserva), where you pay a small ‘goodwill deposit', e.g. 1,000 to 5,000 euro, which usually secures a property for a period, e.g. 15 days, before you sign the main purchase contract.

In case you are buying resale or newly built property you usually pay a deposit (called an arras, depósito, fianza and reserva, but usually referred to as a depósito) of 10% when signing the contract (negotiable), the balance being paid at the completion.

The deposit is refundable under certain conditions only. All contracts of sale usually contain certain conditional clauses which if not met can result in annulment of the sale.

Completion is the signing of the final deed and is usually done 60-90 days after signing the contrato.

Completion involves the transfer of ownership legally, payment of balance amount and other payments towards notary's fees and registration as well as signing of the deed of sale.

It is necessary to consider tax and inheritance consequences for those in whose name the deed will be registered and carry out final checks on the state of the property before registering the title deed.

The last stage in the entire process is the signing of the deed of sale in the notary's office. Expatriate buyers require a ‘foreigner's identification number' (número de identificación de extranjero/NIE), which must be presented at the signing of the deed or within 30 days. The notary checks whether all the conditions contained in the contract have been fulfilled before the deed is signed. It is customary for all parties to be present when the deed of sale is read, signed and witnessed by the notary. If someone is unable to attend in person he or she can give someone power of attorney to represent them.

Use of a banker's draft or bank transfer must be made to pay the balance of the price. Just in case both the seller and buyer are both foreigners, they may arrive at a consensus that the balance can be paid in any currency and payment can also be made abroad. At the time of signing the deed of sale, parties to the contract are required to declare that payment has been made in the agreed foreign currency, in which case the payment should be held by a lawyer in the seller's or buyer's home country.

After signing the deed of sale, ensure that you have adequate copies for your own record as the original papers will be filed in the notary's office. The notary produces a certified copy of the sale at the property registry office (Registro de la Propiedad) and becomes an escritura pública.

Home Search Services in Spain

Leave it to the professionals to find a place that meets your budget and preferences. They know the city best.

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Friday, October 10, 2008

Brothers in Arms (and Thumbs)

This feature is my contribution to Corvus Elrod's monthly writing invitational "Blogs of the Round Table." This month's topic asked everyone to think about their gaming experiences with family. I've always thought this was a great community-building exercise, and I'm excited to finally jump in. As always, comments are welcome, and I encourage everyone to join in on the Round Table with their own posts.

As the introduction of this month's round table suggests, video games were a pastime enjoyed by only part of my household. My parents generally saw video games as a neat diversion, but they rarely participated (beyond buying them for their ingrate kids of course). Aside from my mother's legendary Dr. Mario prowess, my brother, Eric, and I were the gamers of the family.

Siblings are often each others' most frequent and reliable playmates; Eric, and I were no exception to this generalization. We spent our free time playing games and had a blast doing it. Spending so many hours side by side allowed for conversations ranging from the grave to the banal, and I attribute much of the close relationship we still have today to gaming. However, that mushiness belongs in a different post. In thinking about the impact family members had on my view of games, I realized my gaming habits were largely defined by the hours playing with Eric. Most important is the fact that we were not simply playing games together: we were playing them against each other.

Born in the 1980s, Eric and I came of age in the 1990s, a time in which people played together differently than they do today. While I'll offer no empirical evidence, I believe that co-op mode enjoys a widespread popularity today that was not as strong when my gaming styles and preferences were in their nascent stages. Today, I enjoy co-op mode very much, but suffice to say that my brother and I shared very few experiences like the one Jorge talked about.

Most of our time spent gaming together was decidedly adversarial. Games like Goldeneye wore our N64 controllers to the breaking point, and to this day I have a hard time hearing the James Bond fanfare without looking over my shoulder for timed mine. The worst thing about being blue-shelled in Mario Kart was not falling out of first place, it was enduring the trash-talking that accompanied it. Even now, when Eric and I go home to visit our parents, all it takes is one aggressively arched eye-brow to instigate a pitching duel on Ken Griffey, Jr. Presents Major League Baseball.

Playing against one person so many times gave me a unique ownership of certain games. Eric and I would invariably learn each others' gaming styles, which would force us to innovate and adapt new tactics to gain an advantage. On top of this, we often drew territorial lines: certain teams or avatars would become associated with one of us, which added yet another personal layer to our digital rivalry.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the epitome of our long war was Smash Bros. Melee. The game was released when we were adults: it drew upon our history together, and its superb gameplay only magnified the competition (and the fun). It was our last great battle, as college later saw us move out from under the same roof.

I chose Samus (as I always had done, tiers be damned!), Eric was either Marth or Roy. We would mess around with melee battles, but every session would eventually end with one-on-one, stock survival matches. Every action was planned, every move thought out five steps in advance. If the match momentum flagged, we would stand facing each other in a showdown, each daring the other to make the first (and possibly fatal) move. There was swearing, laughing, controller throwing, but also some good conversations and, in retrospect, the crystallization of a relationship.

I failed to truly comprehend this until Eric and I were at Jorge's house, and some folks were playing Super Smash Bros. Brawl. I was in the other room when I overheard: "Dammit, fucking Roy every time, what the fuck, come on, just have fun."

I sauntered over to the TV, picked up a controller, shot Eric a knowing grin, and selected Samus.

Fun? This was our definition of fun. We have become two old chess players. When we play each other, there are actually two games playing out: one involving the physical game pieces, and one involving the pieces of history between the rivals.

I'm sure co-op legendary mode in Halo 3 is great fun, and I often wonder how things would have been different if Eric and I grew up playing today's games together. In the end though, I would not trade our battles for any amount of cooperation.

Competition provided a perfect opponent for each of us and gave us the opportunity to sort things out in the simple language of wins and losses. But most importantly, our rivalry created kindred spirits, an understanding of one another that can only be described as familial.

  1. Thanks for this wonderful remembrance. Your remarks about siblings really struck a chord with me. My sister and I were rivals in anything and everything except sports. Games were her big opportunity to defeat me, which she did quite often, over-relishing it each time just enough to make me crazy. We laugh about those times now...but when I load up an oldy-goldy like Ms. Pacman, the game is still ON!

  2. I still tell people of Mom's unnatural Dr. Mario skills, and few believe it. I quite agree with your suggested opinion on games of today. A game of Madden '08 or Halo is in no way the same as a game of Griffey and Goldeneye. The level of skill and immersion that is needed for the games of old is one that I have not experienced in years. I'm sure I can get an argument over Halo from someone like Jorge, but I stand strong by my opinion. It is impossible for me to tell what gave me the gaming skills I have today, but the fact of the matter is that I can still only beat you half of the times we duel. Other than that, challenges come few and far between. Part of the skills can be attributed to undeniably harder games, but the majority can be attributed to the the forced evolution from simply playing a game, to being forced to think and utilize "strategery." Not only did this change the way that I look at games, but it also evolved our relationship in a way that would not be possible otherwise, considering most 18 year olds do not often choose to spend hours with their 14 or 15 year old brothers. I trust that in years to come, Samus will continue to duel Marth (though Pit intrigues me), Toad will still be trying to edge out Yoshi to the finish line, and pitching duels will remain heated until the SNES finally dies, but a soundly based relationship will remain regardless of whatever new system or game captures the interest of gamers everywhere.

  3. I too had a brother with whom competition was fierce. One of those legendary gaming moments still exists where we were playing SMB3 in battle mode and I noticed him repeating anything I said as trash talk. Therefore, I set up the scenario where I triumphantly shouted, "I am the great Denis!" He retorted when he won against me, "I am the great Dane."

    Yes, yes he is.

    It's fascinating to think of how well I know his (any my family's) gaming habits and strategies. Useful for co-op, deadly in head to head.

  4. Despite my mania for video games, I hail from the new school of video games, in which co-op played a huge role in fostering my sense of gaming. Sure, I used to play my cousin for hours on Blitz, but some of my favorite memories are spending every waking hour with my friends in team battles or trying to beat Halo (2, usw.) on Legendary to see that comepletely useless alternate ending. While competitive gameplay has its place, nothing tops that co-op feel in my humble opine.

  5. @ Michael
    Does your sister keep up with any of the new games? It sounds like she might like Geometry Wars.

    I preemptively challenge you to a Griffey Game next time we're home.

    I hadn't though about SMB3 battle mode in long time, thanks for the trip down memory lane. Also, hilarious anecdote about your brother. I'm sure he's still trying to live that one down.

    In many ways I envy your co-op experiences, as I'm just now catching up with the times.


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    deleted deleted
    Jan 12, 2016

    Personality Online.

    I don't think my personality really comes across online. I read my stories and it looks like I'm some boring, moody person when I'm the complete opposite. I guess you can see my personality more in my private messages but even then, that only shows a portion of my personality! It...
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    I don't care if people don't like the personality that I have. There are times that I don't have the best personality. I don't care if people don't like it. Why should I try to please every one. If you don't like me at all. Then you don't have to be my friend. I don't care what...
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    No, I am not trying to win a personality contest nor any other contest for that matter but IF I had a chance at any contest it would be "Miss Congeniality" but even then I wouldn't be trying because I just get that naturally LOL!!!ps: just kiddin'  are you smiling yet?
    fungirlmmm fungirlmmm
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I I'M Fascinated By Human Behavior

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    dont let people judge you, because, nobody really knows you, they might know some things about you, but that is not enough to label you or judge you. You are unique, can't be put under any categorization.
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I Like Sunlight and Fresh Air

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    I need to get out and be in it more, actually. I miss being able to go for a walk and not be on a busy avenue. I miss peace, quiet, and trees. Maybe when I finally get out of this town I'll find the perfect little place where I can be in the city but not far from some country...
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I Want to Swim In the Dunns River Falls, Jamaica

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I Wish I Wasnt Left Out

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    My family always leaves me out.. No one ever talks about me. Always asking about the successes in my family. Telling me how proud they are of my brother who is a marine or my other brother who is in the ministry. Fine my brother who fights deserves what he gets, and he is the...
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data dictionary, Software Engineering

give the example of data dictionary
Posted Date: 10/17/2012 6:04:11 AM | Location : United States

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permutation, Mathematics

A telephone dialled is numbered 0to9. if 0is dialled first the caller is connected to the international exchange system.find the number of local calls that can be rung if a local number have 8 digits
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Eyeball HQ

Trev's Blog

20th running of the Jesus Surf Classic

February 20, 2012

Preparations are underway for the hosting of one of the longest running surf contests in the UK, the ever popular Jesus Surf Classic, which is coming to its traditional home of Croyde Bay, North Devon over the weekend 8th – 9th September 2012.

This year organisers Christian Surfers UK are celebrating the landmark 20th Jesus surf classic, and are looking forward to welcoming the 120+ competitors to an exciting weekend of surfing, skateboarding, and a few surprises.

To mark the 20th anniversary there will be increased prize money in all the divisions, and some celebratory T-shirts given free to all competitors. Weather permitting the skate Park and big move skate competition will be back, along with the numerous refreshments, and big screen surf movies in the marquee.

During the previous 20 years the ‘Jesus’ has only ever seen flat conditions on two days, and that’s either good fortune, or perhaps as a result of the extra prayers sent up by the organisers, you decide !!

Numerous of the U.K.’s top surfers have featured in the competition over the years coming through from the under 12’s (Groms division) through to the Masters ( Over 35’s ).

Some of the statistics involved in running this event over the years, include, around £30,000 of prize money distributed, more than 2800 competitor entries, around 10,000 beef burgers consumed, over 1500 heats judged, and supporting the whole event over 2000 volunteers giving their time for free.

Please make a note of the date, as always numbers are restricted.

If you are a previous competitor, you will get your entry form direct to you in around 2 to 3 months, however if you would like to register your interest in this event, please e-mail Phil at phil@christiansurfers.co.uk or keep checking back to www.christiansurfers.co.uk

As well as all the Christian surfers’ volunteers that support the event, we would like to thank the numerous local businesses, Parkdene holiday park, the local churches, and the surfers of North Devon for allowing us to use the beach during this weekend.

Also look out for the 6th Jesus Longboard Classic which will be running in October ( Date to be confirmed ) consisting of Open, Women’s, and Master’s and Junior categories.

This stand-alone contest, which has been running since 2007, will be held at Polzeath, North Cornwall.

We're reimagining the Eyeball x Surfline experience with you in mind. - TRY SURFLINE BETA


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Eyeball HQ

Trev's Blog

November 25, 2013

Small knee high waves, but staying super clean for Monday with light offshore north easterly breezes.

The Trev toes Tip – Nice and early start for that morning mid to high tide push will be the ticket for the best rides.

We're reimagining the Eyeball x Surfline experience with you in mind. - TRY SURFLINE BETA


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We're bringing you news and reviews direct from Palm Springs, the first of this year's festivals.

We're looking forward to Sundance and the Glasgow Film Festival.

We wrapped up last year with coverage from Made In Prague, Welsh horror festival Abertoir, the London Korean Film Festival, DOC NYC, the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival and the Cambridge Film Festival.

Read our full for recent coverage.

Visit our festivals section.

Get your New Year off to a winning start with our competitions to win a copy of Bad Day For The Cut and Sweet Virginia.


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More from the Chesapeake

Posted by on May 28, 2012

We’ve been enjoying the eastern shore of Chesapeake Bay for the past week, with stops in Oxford and St. Michaels. For those of you who have read James Michener’s historical novel about this area (aptly named ‘Chesapeake’), these communities and the rivers they reside on, such as the Choptank, were at the centre of this tome. Unlike Tangier Island, which remains untouched by development, the proximity of these communities to large urban centres such as Baltimore, Washington and Philadelphia provides a more sophisticated (and moneyed) flavour to this largely rural setting.

We had the pleasure of sharing St. Michaels with hundreds (thousands?) of spirited Americans during a warm and beautiful Memorial Day long weekend, and we enjoyed the celebration along with them. On Saturday night the live music from an outdoor wedding just across the little harbour also enhanced the scene. With more than a hundred boats anchored in the small harbour and in the river, there was a galaxy of mast lights when darkness arrived.

Enough of the poetic stuff, we’ll let the pictures speak for themselves….

A view of the Tred Avon River from Oxford.

Oxford street scene, with Oxford flag.

Ria's favourite beer, to go with her baked crab (of course) and cheese lunch.

Our anchorage in a small cove behind Oxford (at 3 feet, it was just deep enough).

St. Michaels inner harbour from His Idea.

One of the old churches in St. Michaels - this one had lovely bells that we could hear in the harbour.

John, after too much partying - and sun - in St. Michaels.

This is the 1879 Hooper Strait Lighthouse, located at the Maritime Museum in St. Michaels harbour.

A welcome lemonade on our very hot bike ride to Bozman - thanks kids!

Next stop, Annapolis.

3 Responses to More from the Chesapeake

  1. Janice

    It’s all looking fabulous John & Ria. Your tans are great! Glad to hear things are going well and sounds like you are having a great time. The pictures are terrific too.

    • john-and-ria

      Thanks Janice. We’re getting lots of sun – too much probably, but no complaints!

      As strange as it may seem, as we made the long passage down Delaware Bay yesterday I found myself thinking about work (I guess I need a fix). When you get a moment please send me an email and let me know how things are going with our friends across the street.

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HVAC PAGE Regular Inspections, Testing Helps Improve Energy Efficiency in Chillers Good Water Treatment Program Improves Chiller Efficiency Annual Oil, Refrigerant Tests Important to Maintain Chiller Efficiency Setting Maintenance Priorities Vital to Producing Efficient Chillers

Good Water Treatment Program Improves Chiller Efficiency

By James Piper, P.E. HVAC   Article Use Policy

While many common trouble areas can affect chiller performance, perhaps the biggest culprit is contamination of the chiller's heat-transfer surfaces. A chiller's efficiency and performance depend heavily on its ability to transfer heat efficiently. To do so, operators must keep heat-transfer surfaces clean.

If a chiller's tubes become coated or plugged with scale, sludge, or biological growth, their ability to transfer heat drops significantly. The rate at which this fouling occurs depends greatly on the water quality in the system, but even a thin layer of contamination can reduce overall efficiency significantly.

All chiller circulating and makeup water contains contaminants. Chemically treating the water helps prevent this accumulation of contaminants on heat-transfer surfaces. Open systems, such as condenser-water systems, that include a cooling tower require an ongoing program of chemical water treatment. Closed systems typically require only a one-time chemical treatment.

Managers should not enter chemical-treatment programs lightly. To be effective, the programs must introduce the proper mix and concentration of chemicals. Levels that are too low or do not match the conditions found will be ineffective. The wrong chemicals or concentrations that are too high can damage internal components. In most cases, managers should work with a chemical-treatment vendor who is familiar with the chiller system and with the quality of the water at that site. Once set up, operators will have to monitor programs regularly to ensure the program's effectiveness.

Even with a good water treatment program, it will still be necessary to perform a cleaning of the chiller's condenser tubes. Using a brush, the annual cleaning can remove accumulations of sludge, biological growth, and any loose materials. If there is an accumulation of scale on the tubes, it generally will have to be removed through a chemical cleaning process. Most manufacturers recommend that this tube cleaning process be completed on an annual basis.

Tracking Performance

One of the simplest yet most often overlooked elements in chiller maintenance programs is the operating log. A typical chiller operating log includes regularly recorded data that tracks chiller performance, condenser-water supply and return temperatures, chilled-water supply and return temperatures, evaporator and condenser pressures, oil temperature and pressure, and drive-motor current and voltage.

Recording this data at least daily gives operators a historical record of a chiller's operating conditions, which they can use to compare actual performance with design values. Deviations from design values might indicate improper control set points or developing problems. Similarly, tracking the data over time can provide valuable information on trends in performance — often an early warning of developing problems.

Chiller operating logs also should include routine and breakdown maintenance technicians perform on the chiller. By tracking this information, managers can determine if maintenance costs and requirements are increasing to the point where a complete overhaul is necessary or if it might be more cost-effective to replace the chiller instead of continuing with increasing maintenance costs. For the log to be effective, it is important that technicians make regular data entries. It is equally important that someone reviews the data regularly and acts accordingly.

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Streusel In-Between Pumpkin Cake Recipe

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This recipe for Streusel In-Between Pumpkin Cake, by , is from Our Family Cookbook, one of the cookbooks created at FamilyCookbookProject.com. We help families or individuals create heirloom cookbook treasures.

Pam Malkey
Added: Saturday, October 11, 2008

1/2 C. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp. butter, softened

3 C. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 TB. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 C. butter, softened
2 C. sugar
4 eggs
1 C. canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 C. sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
powdered sugar if desired

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 12-cup fluted tube cake pan with shortening; lightly flour. In small bowl, stir all streusel ingredients until crumbly; set aside. In medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; set aside. In lg. bowl beat butter and sugar with mixer on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in pumpkin, sour cream, and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until blended. Spread half of the batter in pan. Sprinkle streusel over batter, making sure streusel does not touch side of pan. Top with remaining batter, making sure batter layer touches side of pan. Bake for 50-55 min. until done or toothpicks comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 min. then turn out on a serving plate. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

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Navy Official Looking to Change Maternity Leave

When a woman in the military gives birth she is given a set amount of time off work in order to have time with her baby and to heal up from what has taken place. This works just as it does in other jobs, giving the woman time to bond with her baby and get through those first few weeks. When it comes to the Navy, though, one official is looking to change things up.

One of the Navy’s top officials is looking to extend the maternity leave that new Navy mothers are given. This official would like to double the amount of time that new mothers have at home with their babies before they need to return to work. This official would like to make things easier on the new moms so that they will find the Navy easier to work with and they will stick around and continue to offer their service to their country. Susan thinks that is a good idea.

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Detailed photos of Giambattista Valli Haute Couture Autumn 2012

We all know that it’s the finer details that count, and that’s why we captured a detailed look at Giambattista Valli’s haute couture autumn 2012 runway show at Paris fashion week (PFW).

You can see all of the detailed photos of the Giambattista Valli haute couture autumn 2012 runway collection by clicking on a thumbnail on the left. From there you can browse through each of the pictures from the fashion show.

Photography by Imaxtree


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Free Reign: Costume Designer Meredith Markworth-Pollack Blends History & Haute Couture

Celina Sinden as Greer, Anna Popplewell as Lola and Adelaide Kane as Mary, Queen of Scots

Celina Sinden as Greer, Anna Popplewell as Lola and Adelaide Kane as Mary, Queen of Scots

Meredith Markworth-Pollack

Meredith Markworth-Pollack

The CW has a long string of hits on its hands, with shows such as the Vampire Diaries and Hart of Dixie earning legions of rabid fans thanks to slick production, complex story lines and always-attractive casts. Reign, one of the network’s newest additions, follows the travails of Mary, Queen of Scots, as she acclimates to life at court in France. Naturally, Queen Mary has to navigate through love triangles (with half-brothers, no less), backstabbing and political power plays. And while the show may take a few liberties with historical accuracy, the cast’s wardrobe is also a study in the art of creative license.

Instead of pulling looks straight out of tapestries and oil paintings, costume designer Meredith Markwork-Pollack (who also worked on the CW’s Hart of Dixie and as Eric Daman’s assistant on Gossip Girl) pulls inspiration from modern designers and brands — from Alexander McQueen to Free People — to give the show’s characters a unique blend of modern fashion and historical elements. We sat down with Markworth-Pollack to discuss the challenges of combining haute couture inspiration with 16th century tradition, how she gives Mary and her ladies a cool, contemporary look, and how you can loosen up and play with your own wardrobe to create an utterly regal style all your own!

Fashion Trends Daily: Reign is such a lush, opulent show. Where do you take liberties with history and how do you decide what to make more modern?

Meredith Markworth-Pollack: It was the initial concept of the creators to establish a contemporary, bohemian feel to the costumes. Given the demographic of the CW network, and the general modern tone of the show, we all agreed we should just go for it. It became apparent right away in my fittings that Mary and her ladies in waiting were the ones to play around with contemporary designs. It fit for them and I knew our young female viewers would be watching them for their style, let’s say over our men or Queen Catherine.

Adelaide Kane as Mary, Queen of Scots

Adelaide Kane as Mary, Queen of Scots

FTD: The CW is known for really stylish shows and the most striking thing about the Reign costumes is that they’re not 100% historical. What aspects of the costumes do you have — excuse the term — free reign over and what do you keep more accurate?

MMP: There’s a fine line. We work really hard to not have the modernness of the costumes take you out of the moment. The palette, silhouettes, and and structure of these pieces are very important. We have very few “rules” with the contemporary elements but anything short is out the door, we do keep long hems. The fabrics are also very important to me, especially with the overly sensitized HD element on TV. I stay away from anything too synthetic or bright. I like a soft, muted palette.

FTD: What designers are your favorites for the show?

MMP: When I began pulling tears and making mood-boards for the characters, Alexander McQueen became a go to for Queen Mary. The opulence, the strength, and the historical references are just ever-flowing in McQueen. I rent and purchase pieces from the collections.

FTD: Any other designers?

MMP: Designers like Dolce & Gabbana have models in beaded chainmail! Marchesa, Reem Acra, Naeem Khan and Monique Lhuillier also really embrace this. Temperley London is another designer I’m constantly shopping for. Her pieces are feminine, delicate, and vintage inspired which works well for Mary and her ladies. Free People as well has been a big go to — I will usually take one of their pieces and tweak it slightly to make it work for the show, like add a long skirt under a short dress, or cut a dress into a top.

Adelaide Kane as Mary, Queen of Scots and Manolo Cardona as Tomas

Adelaide Kane as Mary, Queen of Scots and Manolo Cardona as Tomas

FTD: The fact that you have to customize or modify designer creations is really interesting, and it gives the show a unique feel. Are there any looks that really stand out to you?

MMP: My personal favorite look is Mary’s dress she wears in the third episode when she’s dancing with Thomas, the Prince of Portugal. If found a very small piece of a beaded and embellished Indian fabric in black, rose gold, and gold. We made a high neck sleeveless bodice with a tulle ruff and detached arm bands. I love how strong and commanding this piece is on Mary. Also a great reference to the historical element but with a fresh twist.

FTD: Fans of television, and the CW especially, look to their favorite characters’ wardrobes for inspiration. While people might not be dressing in floor-length gowns, what can they take away from the looks you’ve created for Reign?

MMP: The response I’ve gotten from the fans is truly inspiring. They’re constantly reaching out to us on social media asking us how they can create the look, or where they can get the pieces. And although we use quite a bit of custom and designer pieces that are out of their reach, we also integrate off-the-rack items and tons of vintage which anyone can source.

FTD: Can you give us a few tips from the costume department?

MMP: I tell them when trying to create a Reign look, first of all, to think outside the box. If you find a dress in a thrift store, what you see is not what you get. You can make it into a top, bejewel it, or use the embroidery for another piece. We do this every day on Reign. We even re-work designer pieces to make them fit for the show. There are no rules. It’s also about taking risks and experimenting — throw on a corset and see how it makes you feel.

Caitlin Stasey as Kenna

Caitlin Stasey as Kenna

FTD: We can’t talk royal fashion without mentioning crowns. The headpieces and accessories on Reign are amazing. Do you get those custom made, too?

MMP: Accessories are a huge part of the look on Reign. Mary alone has over 40 headpieces — and those are just ones that have made it to camera. I keep a very populated stock of jewelry and hair accessories for all the girls. I source quite a bit of the vintage pieces in Toronto, where we shoot. There is a vibrant vintage scene there and I have many vendors hunting for me.

Celina Sinden as Greer, Anna Popplewell as Lola and Caitlin Stasey as Kenna

Celina Sinden as Greer, Anna Popplewell as Lola and Caitlin Stasey as Kenna

FTD: Those finishing touches really stand out, especially for fashion junkies like us. Where do you get accessories and extras that fit in with the feel of the show?

MMP: The Outnet, BHLDN, and Shopbop are go-to’s for accessories. I have several relationships with headpiece designers and we are constantly swapping out samples with them. Amanda Judge, Jennifer Behr, and Deborah Moreland just to name a few. Again, the historical element of the accessories isn’t as important for us as the general tone of them. I want to make sure they compliment the look, not distract from it.

FTD: As you know, the theme of the Met Gala this year is Charles James, and he’s nothing if not a gown maestro. Are you excited to see the dresses?

MMP: I have never been so into gowns as I am now working on Reign, so yes I’m excited to see all the various shapes and colors that show up. I immediately think of Zac Posen and his vintage inspired gowns that have appearing on the red carpet the past couple years. I’m hugely fond of his silhouettes on women.

Shop our favorite Reign inspired looks:

Images courtesy Matchbook and the CW

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Author:Christopher Luu for Fashion Trends Daily

Christopher Luu is a Fashion Trends Daily Senior Writer and Menswear Editor.


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March 9 – Devotion

Date: March 9, 2017

Scripture: Psalm 61

 Hear my cry, O God,
    listen to my prayer;
 from the end of the earth I call to you
    when my heart is faint. (Ps. 61:1-2, ESV)

Do you ever feel overwhelmed or overcome by life—by the daily tasks, others’ expectations, or even the best of intentions? In verse 2, David cries out from “the ends of the earth” with a faint heart. This is a spiritual experience that we can share from any location of geography or time. We are there when we feel that we are far from God’s attention and help. What an agonizing call—for God’s protection, provision, and favor.

Notice how the psalmist expresses these urgent requests. He asks that he be led to the rock, to his refuge, to his strong tower. David is desperately crying out for his God! He knows that in order to have any kind of peace or protection he must find that in God. He knows that to be true because God has already proven himself faithful time and time again to David, a point he mentions verse 5 when he talks about how God has heard his vows.

In the moment of distress it would have been so easy to reach out for anything that seemed life-saving or just plain convenient and to forget that only our God is able to provide all that we need to overcome. It is because David already had a relationship with God that he was able to cry out to his God. He had a history with the Father. He could look back and recall God’s faithfulness to him.

Can you do that? In times of distress can you look back and recall a time that God was faithful to you—a time in your life when you knew that only the hand of the Lord provided for you? Verses 4 and 5 show us David begging to be in God’s presence. David recognizes the great value of being with the Lord. What would change in your life if you stopped today to recognize the power of being in God’s presence?

In this context, this reflection led from misery to praise. This short psalm starts with despair and ends in praise. What a model for us in our daily lives! We will have days that start with tears or feelings of being overwhelmed, but we don’t have to stay there. We too can end such times in praise! Our God is worthy of praise! Our rock, our refuge, our strong tower is worthy to be praised!

Prayer: Lord, even when my heart is faint I will call out to you, my refuge, for strength. Despite what I am facing in life that may cause me to feel overwhelmed or overcome, I will choose to praise you, Lord. I will sing praises to your holy name!

Prepared by Kayla Fowler

6 Responses to “March 9 – Devotion”

  1. Debbie Keen says:

    Thank you, Kayla, for today’s devotion! A great reminder of our only hope!

  2. Jim G says:

    Such a meaningful reminder of God faithfulness. Thanks Kayla.

  3. Tappy Murray says:

    Kayla, thanks for a nice interpretation of the Psalm.

  4. Christine Morrow says:

    Thanks Kayla love it!

  5. Glenna Peaarson says:

    Oh, how I needed those words! Thank you.

  6. Marlene Amick says:

    Kayla, thank you for such an inspiring devotional!

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Saturday, December 16, 2017

A-Gon Traded, Will Be DFA'd To Become A Free Agent

(Getty Images)
Former Red Sox first-baseman Adrian Gonzalez was traded today from the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Atlanta Braves. However, it is understood that he will be designated for assignment by the Braves and become a free-agent. While he would be unlikely to accept a reunion with the Red Sox, it is another intriguing option for Dave Dombrowski. Gonzalez was packaged in The Great Nick Punto Trade, but was the only player in the deal who actually performed well for Boston. Stay tuned.


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AEG sniffing around Sacramento Kings arena deal

Take this with a grain of salt, but: AEG, the entertainment giant that is trying to build an NFL stadium in downtown Los Angeles, is reportedly “interested” in being part of a Sacramento Kings arena project.

“We have made the mayor aware that … any assistance he would like to ask us for, we would be interested,” AEG spokesperson Michael Roth said on Friday. (Oddly, none of the news outlets reporting this indicate what Roth said in the ellipsis. I’m willing to make my own guess, though.)

This is likely just tire-kicking: “Sure, if you figure out a way to build an arena, we’d love to manage it. We still get to pay ourselves guaranteed profits before the city sees a dime for repaying its debt, right?” Still, the announcement provides a smidgen of momentum for the arena plans, which is a smidgen more than they had yesterday.

In related news, meanwhile, the Sacramento city council is set to vote tomorrow on a city plan to spend $555,000 to hire a consultant to analyze its arena proposals and negotiate with the Kings. That price tag is about par for the course, and isn’t a terrible idea — as noted here previously, one reason cities often get stuck with terrible leases is because they don’t have experts on their side — but it all depends on what they’re buying. The biggest contract would go to Barrett Sports Group, which has a long record of working for both government and team clients, which is promising; their website also prominently features a quote from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on their expertise in “finding solutions to the always-complex challenge of developing stadium facilities,” which is less so, given that you want an arena evaluator to tell you whether to build a new building, not just how to do so.

4 comments on “AEG sniffing around Sacramento Kings arena deal

  1. Personally, after seeing the deal that AEG put together in Kansas City, I don’t trust them as far as I can throw them. But that’s just me, I guess.

    I’m trying to see how they can do that, though. KC relied on tax hikes to cover construction bond debt service, and in Sac, they’re trying to avoid raising taxes. It seems to me that the only way they can do that would be to claim other revenue streams for their own. Sort of like this…

    Like you, I really don’t mind them spending money to get arena consultants. It’s just that if the 1/3-1/3-1/3 claims are correct, the City shouldn’t be paying more than 1/3 of these costs, and $555,000 seems pretty high. But Dan Barrett has, for the most part, been on the level so far. When I watched the council meeting on TV, he really did seem pretty skeptical that putting together a deal to lease our parking operations can be done in under a year.

    The ones I don’t trust are KJ and Rob Fong. They’ve trusted every single figure Think Big has thrown out there, such as $7B and 4,100 jobs. They both need to work on their analytical skills.

  2. Neil:

    The City of Sacramento has at least a $40M deficit and can’t afford to spend $555,000 on arena consultants, and to do exactly what? I thought the Think Big committee was supposed to come up with the financing answers in conjunction with Dan Barrett, and look what we got, a big nothing burger that cost $110,000. Where’s the beef? So, what are these new consultants going to come up with, Burkle again? He’s not gonna save this debacle nor is anyone else. I think this is part of Team KJ’s end game. Let’s start spending some real money to give the impression we are making progress. Once we’ve done so then argue we must go forward, regardless of taxpayer impacts, because to do otherwise would be a waste of taxpayer money. This is one of the most shameful manipulation games I’ve ever seen. All smoke and mirrors with little financial substance.

    If these funds are allocated to a plan that has no viable funding mechanism in place it will be time to recall all council members who voted for it.

  3. I don’t think Mayor KJ wants a consultant to tell him whether to build a building. He just wants to know how. As a former player, he doesn’t want to be the Mayor that loses the Kings.

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Phoenix Rising co-owner vows MLS stadium will get no subsidies, other than “normal” ones

Since writing my post noting that Phoenix Rising hasn’t provided funding plans for its proposed MLS stadium yet, I’ve had an email back-and-forth with team co-owner David Rappaport. And he’s provided a bit more detail on his ownership group’s “no public subsidies” pledge:

Phoenix Rising FC is partnering with the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community and the Solanna Group, which is a real estate company owned by members of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, to construct a new, soccer-specific MLS stadium. No tax breaks or funding from the state of Arizona or federal government will be provided that are not normally offered to real estate projects in Native American communities. Stadium construction costs will be repaid from revenues generated by ticket, merchandise, food and beverage and sponsorship sales.

That’s a lot more specific, and helps rule out such things as tax-increment financing or other public kickbacks, which is definitely reassuring.

The question then is what that “not normally offered to real estate projects in Native American communities” clause means. Salt River is the same site that was considered and rejected for an Arizona Coyotes arena last year, so we have at least a little background on what kind of tax advantages a venue on Native American land would receive. The Salt River reservation has the same sales tax rate as Scottsdale (7.95%, marginally lower than Phoenix), but it promises other unspecific tax benefits. One of these could be a property-tax exemption for land owned by the reservation (same as for land owned by other governmental entities); if Salt River continues to own the property (or even just “has control over” it, which is considered the same thing by Arizona law), this could save Phoenix Rising a few bucks.

There’s also this:

The income of a corporation owned by an Indian tribe or tribal member is not subject to Arizona’s corporate income tax if its income is derived from businesses located on the reservation. Income from a corporation not owned by a tribe or tribal member, regardless of whether it is located on a reservation, is subject to the state corporate income tax. Corporations owned by tribes or tribal members that derive their income from non-reservation sources are subject to the income tax in the same manner as all other corporations with income in Arizona.

Again, if the ownership is structured right between Phoenix Rising, Solanna, and the reservation, there could be some tax benefits here, though it’s tough to say how significant they’d be without knowing more details.

Anyway, this is all reassuring, though I’ll still be eagerly awaiting a fleshed-out stadium funding plan. A typical MLS team brings in maybe $30 million in annual revenue, out of which it has to pay player payrolls (generally less than $10 million), plus other expenses; adding on $10-15 million a year in debt payments (if we’re talking about a $200 million stadium) would take a hefty chunk out of their ledgers. It’d help if they can keep costs down, but given they’re talking about a “climate-controlled” venue … I’m interested to see how it all pencils out, let’s just put it that way.

3 comments on “Phoenix Rising co-owner vows MLS stadium will get no subsidies, other than “normal” ones

  1. So basically this would be the best sports deal for the tax payers of Arizona. That includes the 40-60 baseball parks built in the past 50 years.

  2. The real story today is a rich old guy in Miami killing a deal to invest 300 million in private money in an Impoverished area.

  3. Hello Neil and Company! Having read David Cay Johnston’s excellent Free Lunch and seen Your Marvelous Research first hand; It’s nice to know that You and your Great Staff are on Top of this All The Time and helping us Average Americans KNOW what the latest Schemes for a Field by the newest 1percenter are about! You are one of my Heroes!-Chris in Dearborn,Michigan.

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Math Games Multiplication
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