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Blogging Contest Details

Blogging Contest Details

Here on Blogdash, we thought it would be a fun and profitable idea to have a contest for our skilled bloggers. The goal of the contest is to increase our blogger pool by having our bloggers use their talented blogging and writing skills to attract more bloggers. This not only helps us by providing more bloggers for our pool, but it also helps the bloggers by giving them more exposure and a chance to beseem by our clients, and also a chance to win some serious cash for doing something that they’re already doing every day: blogging.

We have lots of different bloggers in all industries so we’re not focusing the contest on any particular topic or industry. For this contest, your blogging and writing skills alone are what’s going to be the most important thing to help you win. The contest is not focusing on popular or trending topics. Only the most shared articles are what’s going to win the prizes. The contest will start on December 1, 2014 and run through January 15, 2015. That’s a total of 45 days for readers and bloggers to get in on the fun and rewards. What are the rewards, you ask? I’m glad you did!

1st prize – $300

2nd prize – $150

3rd prize – $50

Here’s what you need to do to:

Register as a blogger within our system. If you aren’t, you can do that now at:

Submit posts directly to our system. You can submit as many posts as you’d like and as often as you’d like (once a day, twice a day, weekly, etc.) Make sure your posts follow our posting policy so that no submissions are rejected for technical reasons.

Share your posts within your social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Youtube, etc.)

The article (not the blogger) that receives the most shares on your social accounts is who wins. The prize money will be awarded according to the highest shares tracked, the next highest, the next highest, etc. Our technical team has a tracking tool in place to ensure that each article shares is carefully monitored so that the contest is accurate and fair to everyone.

Again, the monetary prize rewards are:

1st prize – $300

2nd prize – $150

3rd prize – $50

Wondering what topic areas you can cover? Glad you asked that too! There are several categories and a topic to fit almost everyone:

Bloggers’ Categories:

  • Arts Bloggers
  • Automotive Bloggers
  • Business Bloggers
  • Education Bloggers
  • Entertainment Bloggers
  • Food and Drink Bloggers
  • Health Bloggers
  • Home and Family Bloggers
  • Lifestyle Bloggers
  • Politics and Law Bloggers
  • Shopping Bloggers
  • Society and Culture Bloggers
  • Sports Bloggers
  • Technology Bloggers
  • Travel Bloggers

Blogger Topics:

  • Blogger Outreach
  • Business Blogging
  • Content Creation
  • Market Research
  • Blogger Resources
  • Media Industry
  • Social Media
  • SEO

Since the contest won’t officially begin until December 1st, you can use this time to ask me any questions, clarify anything you don’t understand or even start preparing your blogs and finding images you’ll need. (Flickr is a great place to find license-free images). But don’t post anything before the start date unless you don’t want it counted towards the prize tallying. Of course you are more than welcome to submit posts anytime you’d like, but we’ll officially start calculating those social shares on December 1st through January 15th.

Also, if you want to get an even bigger jump on things and to further increase your chances, you can share this blog post with your social circle and get them involved. The more the merrier!

Before I end this post, let me give you a few more tips on some things you can do to increase your chances of not only winning this contest but also writing on your blog every day:

  • Make your blog post interesting. It doesn’t matter what topic you’re writing on, keep it interesting and engaging so that people will want to read it and share it.
  • Keep your post short if possible. Don’t skimp on quality, but don’t make it too long that it loses the interest of the reader. Roughly 500-700 words is an ideal length, but that’s totally up to you.
  • Always include an image with your post. Images increase interest and sharing opportunities.
  • Don’t make your post a sales pitch or an obvious plug for a company, product or even an individual. Those will be deleted immediately.
  • Talk about the topics that you know well and that you’re comfortable with.
  • End your article with a call to action; 1.) give the reader something to think about 2.) ask an open-ended question

I’m looking forward to seeing all of your blog submissions. I’ll be here and on our Facebook Group Page each day (come join) with updates on the contest or to provide you with more information. In the meantime, go ahead and start preparing for the contest. Let me know if you have any questions. You can contact me via email at bridget [at] blogdash [dot][com].

Thanks bloggers!

About B. Wright

B. Wright
Content writer, blogger and affiliate marketer. I help other bloggers by giving them practical, applicable tips and advice on how to successfully blog and market their business. I blog about real ways to make significant money online and how to navigate around money-making systems to get results.


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Video: Art Deco and history at the Texas State Fair

The State Fair of Texas begins this Friday, Sept. 28, and runs until Oct. 21.

There are millions of reasons to go to the Dallas fair: fried everything, rides, games of chance, football, agriculture, the sky tram that carries you from one side of the fair to the other…

But don’t forget about the architecture. Actually, you can’t. It is impossibly gorgeous and, for me, anyway, it’s the best thing about the fair.

David Bush and Jim Parsons have a new book about the stunning Art Deco structures on the fair grounds, built for the Texas Centennial Exposition of 1936.

Fair Park Deco (TCU Press; coming in October) is a visual history of the art and architecture of the exposition, which helped Texas commemorate the 100th anniversary of its independence from Mexico.

Sixty percent of the exposition facilities were built to serve as the home of the annual State Fair of Texas. Today, of course, the exposition grounds are known as Fair Park, a National Historic Landmark District that honors America’s golden age of world’s fairs.

Bush and Parsons have written other Art Deco books: Houston Deco and Hill Country Deco and both are on staff at Preservation Houston (formerly Greater Houston Preservation Alliance). Bush is director of programs and information and Parsons works on special projects.

Bush and Parsons will appear at the Texas Book Festival in Austin, Oct. 27 & 28, for the official release of “Fair Park Deco.”

Maggie Galehouse | Books editor, features reporter

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Home > Credit Score > The Millennial Mindset That’s Setting Them Up for Financial Success

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Millennials are big on communication and DIY projects. While some say they are self-centered, or even self-obsessed, others point to their tendency for group-think and communitarian leanings. They believe more in the power of their network of friends than in institutions.

One thing is for sure: Millennials are heavily invested in controlling the narrative of their lives — both globally and digitally. While such a tack can be instantly gratifying on social networking sites, it widens the attackable surface an identity thief or other scam artist can exploit, because it creates a target-rich environment. In essence, one person’s will to control their narrative can actually empower the bad guys, giving them just enough information to edit and/or exploit it for their personal gain.

There is another scuttlebutt about millennials, of course, and it’s that the Gen X and Baby Boomer helicopter parents who raised them have created a generation of trophy kids with overblown notions of entitlement and underwhelming powers of concentration, and that they will never grow up or take responsibility for their lives.

Kim Kardashian definitely disproves that idea. She’s a millennial through and through and is reportedly worth about $85 million. The New York Post recently reported on KK’s trajectory as an entrepreneur, and it’s an “all about owning her money” narrative. According to the Post, she started in her teen years when she borrowed money from her father to buy five pairs of Manolo Blahnik shoes that cost $750 each. “I sold each pair on eBay for $2,500,” she told Claire Atkinson. She credits, as it were, a lot of her success to her parents’ lessons about money and managing, well, credit.

Credit is an area where controlling the narrative has a huge upside when it comes to personal finance. Your credit, well managed, is a wealth-building résumé. Badly managed, your credit can quickly become a weapon of individual destruction: both rap sheet and virtual debtor’s prison severely limiting your choices in life.

Here are some tried and true ways for millennials (or indeed anyone) to control their credit narrative.

1. Get Your Credit Reports

You’re entitled to free annual access to your credit report from each of the three major credit-reporting agencies once a year through AnnualCreditReport.com. You can choose to get all three at once, or get three different credit profile snapshots during the year by ordering a report from a different bureau every four months. Bonus: Some states offer additional free access to credit reports, so check the laws in your state.

2. Carefully Review Your Credit Reports

Make sure that every account as well as the characterization of your activity is accurate. If you find accounts or collections about which you had no idea, immediately report them to the fraud departments of the credit bureaus, they could well be a warning sign that you are a victim of identity theft. If you find incorrect or incomplete information, contact the credit reporting agencies and request an investigation. You are in the best position to know if something represents fraudulent activity, is incorrect, or if it’s simply negative information that is correct. You must be proactive about this. Don’t wait until a lender or prospective employer brings it to your attention. It could cost you dearly in the form of a declined credit application, higher interest rates or a lost job opportunity.

3. Stay On Top of Your Credit Scores

A number of sites like Credit.com offer free credit scores that are updated frequently. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has been encouraging financial services companies to provide free scores as part of its drive to improve financial literacy in America. A number of banks and credit card companies now offer free scores as part of their monthly statements.

4. Pay Your Bills On Time

Thirty-five percent of your credit score is based on your payment history. One way to avoid late payments is to sign up for auto-pay. In the event that your account is closed, your debit card is replaced, your credit card expires or your account number changes because your payment card was lost or stolen, make sure that every creditor who automatically debits that particular account is provided with the updated information.

5. Keep an Eye On Your Bank Balance

Check your bank account daily to make sure you have sufficient funds or set an alert to notify you if your balance goes below a certain level in order to ensure that your checks will always clear. Also make sure that every transaction looks familiar.

6. Enroll in Free Account Notifications

This helps you keep track of your expenditures and will alert you to suspicious activity. Financial institutions are very good at identifying charges or debits that don’t seem quite right, but you still know best. If you see a charge that you didn’t make, immediately notify your bank, credit union or credit card company and dispute it.

7. Keep Your Debt in Check

Thirty percent of your credit score is based on your debt usage – which includes how much debt you carry in relation to your available credit, so it is important to keep your credit utilization rate relatively low. A good rule of thumb is to run balances of less than 20% of your available credit—10% is even better.

Never forget that you are the ultimate guardian of your financial security and no one is in a better position or has greater incentive than you to make sure your credit report is accurate and the charges to your accounts are proper.

This story is an Op/Ed contribution to Credit.com and does not necessarily represent the views of the company or its partners.

More on Credit Reports & Credit Scores:

Image: iStock

Comments on articles and responses to those comments are not provided or commissioned by a bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by a bank advertiser. It is not a bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

Please note that our comments are moderated, so it may take a little time before you see them on the page. Thanks for your patience.

Certain credit cards and other financial products mentioned in this and other articles on Credit.com News & Advice may also be offered through Credit.com product pages, and Credit.com will be compensated if our users apply for and ultimately sign up for any of these cards or products. However, this relationship does not result in any preferential editorial treatment.

Hello, Reader!

Thanks for checking out Credit.com. We hope you find the site and the journalism we produce useful. We wanted to take some time to tell you a bit about ourselves.

Our People

The Credit.com editorial team is staffed by a team of editors and reporters, each with many years of financial reporting experience. We’ve worked for places like the New York Times, American Banker, Frontline, TheStreet.com, Business Insider, ABC News, NBC News, CNBC and many others. We also employ a few freelancers and more than 50 contributors (these are typically subject matter experts from the worlds of finance, academia, politics, business and elsewhere).

Our Reporting

We take great pains to ensure that the articles, video and graphics you see on Credit.com are thoroughly reported and fact-checked. Each story is read by two separate editors, and we adhere to the highest editorial standards. We’re not perfect, however, and if you see something that you think is wrong, please email us at editorial team [at] credit [dot] com,

The Credit.com editorial team is committed to providing our readers and viewers with sound, well-reported and understandable information designed to inform and empower. We won’t tell you what to do. We will, however, do our best to explain the consequences of various actions, thereby arming you with the information you need to make decisions that are in your best interests. We also write about things relating to money and finance we think are interesting and want to share.

In addition to appearing on Credit.com, our articles are syndicated to dozens of other news sites. We have more than 100 partners, including MSN, ABC News, CBS News, Yahoo, Marketwatch, Scripps, Money Magazine and many others. This network operates similarly to the Associated Press or Reuters, except we focus almost exclusively on issues relating to personal finance. These are not advertorial or paid placements, rather we provide these articles to our partners in most cases for free. These relationships create more awareness of Credit.com in general and they result in more traffic to us as well.

Our Business Model

Credit.com’s journalism is largely supported by an e-commerce business model. Rather than rely on revenue from display ad impressions, Credit.com maintains a financial marketplace separate from its editorial pages. When someone navigates to those pages, and applies for a credit card, for example, Credit.com will get paid what is essentially a finder’s fee if that person ends up getting the card. That doesn’t mean, however, that our editorial decisions are informed by the products available in our marketplace. The editorial team chooses what to write about and how to write about it independently of the decisions and priorities of the business side of the company. In fact, we maintain a strict and important firewall between the editorial and business departments. Our mission as journalists is to serve the reader, not the advertiser. In that sense, we are no different from any other news organization that is supported by ad revenue.

Visitors to Credit.com are also able to register for a free Credit.com account, which gives them access to a tool called The Credit Report Card. This tool provides users with two free credit scores and a breakdown of the information in their Experian credit report, updated twice monthly. Again, this tool is entirely free, and we mention that frequently in our articles, because we think that it’s a good thing for users to have access to data like this. Separate from its educational value, there is also a business angle to the Credit Report Card. Registered users can be matched with products and services for which they are most likely to qualify. In other words, if you register and you find that your credit is less than stellar, Credit.com won’t recommend a high-end platinum credit card that requires an excellent credit score You’d likely get rejected, and that’s no good for you or Credit.com. You’d be no closer to getting a product you need, there’d be a wasted inquiry on your credit report, and Credit.com wouldn’t get paid. These are essentially what are commonly referred to as "targeted ads" in the world of the Internet. Despite all of this, however, even if you never apply for any product, the Credit Report Card will remain free, and none of this will impact how the editorial team reports on credit and credit scores.

Our Owners

Credit.com is owned by Progrexion Holdings Inc. which is the owner and administrator of a number of business related to credit and credit repair, including CreditRepair.com, and eFolks. In addition, Progrexion also provides services to Lexington Law Firm as a third party provider. Despite being owned by Progrexion, it is not the role of the Credit.com editorial team to advocate the use of the company’s other services. In articles, reporters may mention credit repair as an option, for example, but we’ll also be sure to note the various alternatives to that service. Furthermore, you may see ads for credit repair services on Credit.com, but the editorial team isn’t responsible for the creation or implementation of those ads, anymore than reporters for the New York Times or Washington Post are responsible for the ads on their sites.

Your Stories

Lastly, much of what we do is informed by our own experiences as well as the experiences of our readers. We want to tell your stories if you’re interested in sharing them. Please email us at story ideas [at] credit [dot] com with ideas or visit us on Facebook or Twitter.

Thanks for stopping by.

- The Credit.com Editorial Team


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2012 NFA National Convention – Succeeding in the New Economy – You Need this Seminar!

Press Release

  • CFPB and your business
  • Best Practices Panel
  • Learn what clients really want

Are your recovery agent’s procedures putting you at risk? Your risk management and collateral recovery practices may be ready for a tune-up. Changing regulations from the CFPB means employing effective collection processes and procedures. Learn and discuss recovery procedures that will not only minimize your risk and exposure to the CFPB but also ensure you are working with acceptable providers. Get the latest critical information on laws, regulations and court filings that affect how you operate.

Agenda Overview

Thursday, October 18, 2012

11:30 p.m. Registration

1:00 p.m. Seminar

5:00 p.m. Networking Reception

See NFA.org for the latest Convention content

Registration Fee

There is no fee to attend

Complimentary registration for employees in collections or legal departments of banks, credit unions and leasing companies. NFA invites you to be our guest for the seminar as well as the networking reception afterward. Teams are encouraged! If you have a branch membership two team members can attend at no cost. Don’t have a branch membership?

Team members are only $50/person.

Learn About

• Important court cases

• Revised UCC

• Self help repossession

• Repossession check list

• Collection

• Skip tracing

• Liquidation

• Replevin

• Bankruptcy

• Certification

Don’t miss the most vital repossession seminar you can attend this year!

Location and Accommodations

Wyndham Irvine / Orange County

Airport Hotel

17941 Von Karman Ave

Irvine, CA 92626

(949) 863-1999

Find the hotel reservation link at NFA.org or call 949-863-1999. Wyndham Irvine is in the heart of Orange County, just minutes from Newport

Beach and an assortment of shopping and dining choices.

More Information:

National Finance Adjusters

2460 West 26th Ave, Ste 245-C

Denver, CO 80211

Email: info@nfa.org

Phone: 303.800.1720; Fax: 720.221.7242

Session Topics

Preparing for the CFPB – Are You Ready?

David Felt

DFL Consulting

Compliance with Consumer Finance Protection Bureau regulations is a new reality

for lending institutions. Learn in-depth information you need in today’s challenging CFPB regulatory environment. Learn what you should be doing now. Discover how you can efficiently partner with recovery specialists while meeting regulations.

Skip Tracing Technologies for Max Results

John Lewis, President

Find John Doe, Intellaegis

Effective skip tracing technologies for business efficiencies is a necessity not a luxury. Learn from skip tracing experts and gain insight on the latest developments and innovations.

Best Practices Panel for Cooperative Success

This facilitated discussion will explore the keys to success from the lender/client, forwarder/aggregator and vendor/repossessor perspectives. Want to know what’s most

important to your colleagues – ask them!

2012 NFA National Convention

National Finance Adjusters | 303-800-1720 | membership@nfa.org | www.NFA.org

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Woman Dragged to Death Chasing Repo

San Antonio, TX – 26 October, 2016 – A woman found dead on a North Side roadway may have been dragged to death while chasing her car as it was being repossessed, according to the San Antonio Police Department.

SAPD Sgt. Martin Landgraf said it’s still not clear exactly how the woman, possibly in her late 20s, died at about 10 p.m. just past the on-ramp of Wurzbach Parkway from Vista Del Norte near Blanco Road.

Investigators so far believe the woman was either dragged or struck as she was chasing the tow truck up Vista Del Norte as it carried away her vehicle.

“This is a strange one,” Landgraf said, noting that witnesses in the nearby apartments heard her screaming.

The woman’s body was found lying by itself in the street because the tow truck had left the scene.

Landgraf said the investigation into the incident may take several hours into early Wednesday because the length of the scene detectives were examining stretched almost half a mile. The woman’s lighter and car keys could be seen at the bottom of Vista Del Norte near an apartment complex where the incident began.

The only eyewitness to the incident only speaks Spanish, and had to be taken downtown to speak with a translator, police said.

Landgraf confirmed that investigators are reaching out to local towing agencies and running the description of the woman’s vehicle to see who was in charge of taking it.

Police said the woman had her 10-year-old boy with her when the incident began.

The on ramp and right two lanes of the parkway at that section were shut as Traffic Investigation detectives examined the scene.

Source: San Antonio Express News

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September 8, 2016

On Answering Debate Questions

Last night’s Commander-in-Chief Forum reminded me of my frustration in listening to answers given by candidates to questions asked by journalists. Candidates, of course, want to deflect criticism, attack the opponent, and push their own message, whether or not that message is related directly to the question asked. I doubt that candidates are going to change their behavior during the present campaign. Nevertheless, I want to offer my wish list of how I would like candidates to answer questions:
  1. Answer the question asked, not a variation of it or a related (or unrelated) question.
  2. If the question states or implies an assumption you think wrong, don’t answer the question. Explain why the assumption is wrong. Never try to answer “Have you stopped beating your wife/husband?”
  3. Except as noted above, don’t offer an opinion about the question.
  4. Give succinct answers. “Yes” or “no” is a fine answer to a yes-or-no question. Let the questioner ask for elaboration rather than offering it gratuitously.
  5. Don’t prattle on in hopes of consuming time or avoiding the next question.
  6. Unless it’s classified, tell the truth or refuse to answer the question. That a truthful answer will be embarrassing is not an excuse for not giving it. Think twice about becoming defensive, but a brief exculpatory statement is acceptable.
  7. It’s fair game to contrast yourself or your position to the opponent or the opponent’s position. Such an attack must be relevant to the question, however. Avoid gratuitous claims of competence or (especially) virtue.
  8. Avoid humor unless it is genuinely funny, relevant, and devastating. Usually, this means a line must have been devised in advance.
  9. Don’t start to answer a question in a way that you don’t know where you are going. If necessary, pause and think before beginning to answer.
  10. Respond to the opponent only if absolutely necessary. Lies, but not differences of opinion, need to be countered.

Am I missing any important rules?

No comments:

Post a Comment

Anonymous comments are not allowed. Gratuitous profanity or libelous statements will be removed. Comments will also be removed that include gratuitous links to commercial Web sites. Please stay on topic.


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Daily Archives: May 19, 2011

Michigan’s DENny Award Winners

Michigan’s DENny Award Winners

This past Tuesday the DEN had their annual DENny Awards webinar. Michigan had a couple of STAR’s that were recognized for their DEN blogs. Jerry Jennings for his Admin Academy blog. Eric Strommer for his personal blog. But the part of the night that everyone was on pins and needles for was the announcement of

Meet the Level 1 team!

As newbies to the DEN Blog we wanted to take the time to introduce ourselves and hope that you will do the same and let us know something about you! Starting with the Level One team: Level One is the front line for your phone calls and emails; we also help support sales in keeping

Rockets – a great project for the end of the year for any class

by David Andrade, http://tinyurl.com/edtechguy I love rockets. My Bachelor’s degree is in Aerospace Engineering and I’ve been interested in rockets since I was a kid. My dad worked on the main engines for the Saturn V rocket when he worked at Pratt & Whitney as a chemist, I’ve designed and manufactured parts for the space program

Tennessee should be proud…

Last week I had the pleasure of touring Tennessee from Knoxville all the way to Memphis with some of my DEN colleagues.  Tennessee is always a joy to visit, especially when I get to meet new DEN members and learn from them!  I was able to reconnect with some members of the LC in Knoxville,

VA STARs Shine Bright

I just want to say congratulations to two of our VA STARs. Katie Knapp and Becky Fisher– The VA DEN is well represented on the VSTE Board of Directors! Congratulations to Katie (VA Beach) and Becky (Albemarle Cty) who were recently elected to the VSTE Board of Directors. These two ladies will join current BOD

DENY Awards

Missouri made a great showing at the DENY awards. Congratulations to all of our hard working Stars for helping us make such a great showing.  Most Creative DEN Event  The DEN Does Jazz MO Leadership Award Vickie Lamb (MO) Community Choice Awards Best Use of A Snow Day Award- Vickie Lamb, Cathy Mulligan (MO) “Missouri


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Win $45,000 in Classroom Technology for your School

Some of you who’ve been around will remember the CDW-G Win A Wireless Lab Sweepstakes, which is back for an 11th year of partnering with Discovery Education to award schools with classroom technology.

The 2014 Win A Wireless Lab Sweepstakes is open for all educators to get entered – and you could win $45,000 in classroom technology for your school! Enter now through May 1st, 2014 for the chance to win one of two grand prizes, as well as weekly and monthly technology giveaways such as tablets, projectors, printers and more.

Here’s some more information on the amazing prizes:

  • You have the chance to win one of two Grand Prizes of a $45,000 classroom technology solution including: 20 notebooks or tablets; an interactive whiteboard; three wireless access points; notebook cart; document camera; and a printer from CDW•G and $5,000 digital media grant from Discovery Education!

Plus, 4 monthly classroom technology prizes, 16 weekly prizes, the Top Referrer prize…many chances to win, make sure to enter once a day! NEW this year — enter daily to see if your entry unlocks the monthly Golden Ticket for a tablet for personal use!

Here’s a 2nd grade class from Mabel Woolsey Elementary School in Knoxville, IL being introduced to their new classroom technology and Discovery Education services.

Will this be your school this Spring? Enter today at

Related posts

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Friday, October 12, 2012

Windows 8 Boots Too Fast

Windows 8 Boots Too Fast for its Own Good:
"the window of opportunity for Windows 8 to detect a request for a change to the OS’s boot order is just 200 miliseconds. That’s just 200 miliseconds to slap the F8 key if you want to start your system in Safe Mode or boot from another source.

To deal with the issue, Microsoft has developed a three-tier solution that includes a new boot options menu accessible from within the operating system after start up is complete, a fail safe that automatically brings you to the boot menu if Windows doesn’t start properly and a way to get to the fail safe boot menu even if nothing is wrong with your computer

Writing Datomic in Clojure

Writing Datomic in Clojure: @ InfoQ, from GoTo 2012 conference

Rich Hickey, the author of Clojure and designer of Datomic

Datomic is new kind of database, where all facts are "atomic",
and all data are write-only... Very clever...

Google's Chrome: The Danish Magic Inside - Businessweek

Google's Chrome: The Danish Magic Inside - Businessweek:

JavaScript is changing the (web and other) development world
because of recently significantly improved performance.

That has all started with Google V8 engine in Chrome browser,
and now also used in node.js...

V8 started intense competition with other browsers, including IE9, IE10,
and now we can even program Windows 8 in JavaScript...

This is the story behind of V8, located in Google's Danish offices...

By the way, Microsoft's Anders Hejlsberg is also of Danish origin.

Wireless Nano Router

Road Warrior Required Equipment: The TP-LINK | Jesse Liberty

($27 on Amazon)
can also configure it to be a Router, a Repeater or a Bridge.


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Revising Stegosaurus

Stegosaurus might be one of the best known and very recognisable dinosaurs but a recent revision of the fossil material ascribed to the genus has led to a shuffling of the Stegosaurus fossil collection.  Team members at Everything Dinosaur have let the palaeontological dust settle and then re-visited their own dinosaur database to ensure that what information they carry approximates to the recent changes in this genus.

A Model of the “Classic” Stegosaurus

The "classic" Stegosaurus.

The “classic” Stegosaurus.

Picture Credit: Everything Dinosaur

Although more than a dozen stegosaurids have been named, the history of the actual Stegosaurus genus and the species that are included within that genus is a little muddled.  The first Stegosaurus was named and described at the height of the great American Marsh and Cope bone wars.  It was Othniel Charles Marsh who actually named the first Stegosaurus and erected the genus, this was back in 1877.  All the fossils, (so far as we at Everything Dinosaur know), that are ascribed to the Stegosaurus genus, come from various stratigraphic layers that make up the famous Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation of the western United States.

However, the first confusion with this genus, followed a couple of years later when Marsh’s rival named another stegosaurid Hypsirhophus from fossil material retrieved from the upper most layers of the Morrison Formation in Colorado.  The validity of the Hypsirhophus genus has been challenged, the fossils ascribed consist of fragmentary pieces of vertebrae and some authors have suggested that these fossils represent a dinosaur referred to as Stegosaurus armatus, itself a nomen dubium.  Other palaeontologists have agreed with Cope’s original assessment that the Colorado fossils represent a different genus.

In the late 1870’s and early 1880’s a number of species of Stegosaurus were described.  However, recent revisions, (the last one was 2013), have led to a number of these species also being declared nomen dubium (not valid) or regarded as being junior or senior synonyms of other better known species.  Currently, only three species are recognised, but work is ongoing and we expect further revisions to the genus in the future.

  • Stegosaurus ungulatus – the largest species currently recognised and known from Wyoming (Upper Jurassic, highest stratigraphic zones of the Morrison Formation).
  • Stegosaurus stenops – this species has the most complete fossil record, with more than sixty specimens ascribed, including the remarkably well preserved “Sophie” currently being researched by the London Natural History Museum.
  • Stegosaurus sulcatus – named by Marsh in 1887 and distinguished from other Stegosaurs by having such robust bases to its tail spikes. The largest spikes thought to come from the tail, may not be tail spikes at all but some form of spiky shoulder armour such as that found in related Thyreophora such as Miragaia.

Stegosaurus is Often Featured in Teaching About Dinosaurs in Schools

A very colourful pink plant-eating dinosaur.

A very colourful pink plant-eating dinosaur.

Picture Credit: Enan

Stegosaurus may be extremely well known to members of the public, but we still have a lot to learn about these “roofed lizards”,

The Meaning of the Stegosaur Species Names

S. stenops = “narrow-faced roof lizard”

S. ungulatus = “hoofed roof lizard”

S. armatus (nomen dubium) = “armoured roof lizard”

S. sulcatus =  “furrowed roof lizard”

To view a range of Stegosaurus models in various sizes: Stegosaurus Dinosaur Models

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DIY: Make your own Matrix Stencil cards

by Tan of SquirrellyMinds

What you’ll need:

  • Matrixes Stencil, by Corey Holms
  • Card stock and envelopes
  • Black ink pen (fine tipped works best)
  • Pencil
  • Ruler
  • Eraser
  • Watercolor paints
  • Paintbrush
  • Calligraphy pen and ink (optional)

Use your ruler and draw a very faint line in pencil to create a guide for your stencil. Hold the stencil down firmly while tracing. After each letter, move the stencil along, allowing for a few centimeters between each letter, and ensuring the stencil stays straight on the penciled line. If you’re using liquid ink, make sure it completely dries before moving the stencil to prevent smudging.

When ink is dry, erase the pencil line. Embellish the card with watercolors. Here are some suggestions for each one.
HEY! Use the first stencil. Steps for this vary slightly. Paint the dots first. When the paint is completely dry, trace the stencils with black ink.
LOVE Use the second stencil. Instead of filling in the stencil with black ink, outline each letter. When the ink dries, carefully paint the inside of each letter with watercolors.
YAY Use the third stencil and simply fill in the spaces with black ink. After the ink dries, paint light, outward brush strokes with your watercolors.

You can do all sorts of additional designs like swirls, stripes, or even splotches or splatters of paint.

Sign the cards and send them to the ones you love.

Bonus: The matrixes themselves are beautiful. Decorate a card with some watercolor paint and calligraphy, then trace the matrixes with watercolors for a unique design.

Tip: The matrixes can be a bit tricky to figure out, so it will help to compare them to LED matrix letters (do an image search to find examples). Also, the letters are large, so I recommend choosing words that are a maximum five letters when using a 4″ x 6″ card.
squirrelly-minds-stencil-cards-hey  squirrelly-minds-stencil-cards-love    squirrelly-minds-stencil-cards-yaysquirrelly-minds-stencil-cards-title

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DIY: Typographic fringe banner

by Caitlin Holcomb of FunCult

What you’ll need

  • Proxima Nova font by Mark Simonson
  • Ability to print out letters that are 15 inches tall and about 4.5 to 13.5 inches wide (I used a local print shop)
  • Gold tinsel garland (I used two 18-foot packs)
  • 1 yard of 18-inch white fringe
  • Frame matte-weight cardboard
  • Stapler, preferably one that works open
  • Scissors
  • Craft knife
  • Cutting mat
  • 76 inches of white cotton cord
  • About 60 inches of nylon string
  • White cotton thread
  • Needle
  • Pencil

I had my letters made as an engineering print at a local print shop. Cut your letters out using your cutting mat and craft knife, then trace them onto the cardboard with your pencil. My paper was curling, so it was easier for me to trace my letters backward. Once traced, cut your letters from the cardboard using your craft knife and cutting mat again.

Cut a strip of tinsel the width of the top of your P, leaving a bit extra to make a hem fold at the ends, which will prevent any unraveling. Place the strip and staple horizontally, in the center of the tinsel. Let the edges of the tinsel stick out a bit from the edge of the cardboard. This will make it look extra festive and ensure the cardboard edges aren’t obvious. Continue creating rows of tinsel along each letter for your banner. Once all of the letters are complete, feel free to go back in with small tufts of tinsel and staple wherever you feel needs a bit more coverage.

Take your white cord and cut it in half, tying each end in a knot. Cut 7 inches of thread and lay your fringe flat. Thread the needle and tie a knot about a ¾-inch away from the edge of the fringe, on the top band. Place one of the knotted cord ends at the top of the fringe, letting the knot sit just below the top band. Fold over the edge of the fringe, rolling and securing the cord into place, and begin to whipstitch the fringe band and cord together. Once secure, knot and complete it. Do this on the other side as well.

pie6 pie7 pie8

To string your letters together, thread your needle with the nylon string and poke through the cardboard, making sure the string is mostly hidden from the front. Leave 5 inches or so on each end of the P and E. With these ends, thread your needle into the white cord, just above where it meets the fringe. Loop, secure, and knot it. The cord is a stronger place to hang the letters from, so avoid hanging the banner from the fringe band. Before you tie the final end, hold up the banner and arrange the letters to drape in front of the fringe. You may need to either pull it up tighter or add more slack. Once in place, tie that end, and you’re ready to party (and eat pie)!

pie9 pie10 pie15

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Archive for January, 2012

The must have WordPress Security Plugins

Monday, January 30th, 2012

Security of WordPress is always top of a bloggers mind. Every minute of every day a hacker will take over a WordPress blog, possibly destroying any data that they can see.  We have selected some great examples of free security plugins to protect your WordPress, that could also save you from thousands of hours of work being deleted by a hacker.

Bulletproof Security

Do you hate messing with your .htaccess or simply don’t know what you are doing and afraid of breaking your site? With Bulletproof Security you can improve and manage the security of your WordPress directly from your administrator dashboard, it’s that simple! Bulletproof security helps you protect against SQL Injection, Base64 and many more hacking attacks.

Login Locks

This plugin is very useful if you want to monitor failed log in attempts. Login Locks also offers a very useful emergency lock down option, at a click of a button. One handy little option this plugin comes with is the ability to automatically block known hacking IP addresses, as well as the ability to log out idle users.

TimThumb Vulnerability Scanner

More and more customers come to us each day asking for our help because their WordPress has been hacked due to an out-dated TimThumb file. With this handy little scanner you can scan your WordPress for any out-dated TimThumb files, with the results, the scanner will highlight any vulnerabilities and let you know exactly what you have to do.

Ultimate Security Checker

This plugin helps you to identify any security problems that you may have with your WordPress. The plugin will scan your WordPress blog for hundreds of known threats and then will show you a security grade based around the results of the scan. With those results and in case the scan does show any security threats, the plugin will tell you exactly what to do and to help you prevent the threat in the future.

Increasing Web Server Performance

Tuesday, January 24th, 2012

Our team has been evaluating alternative web server software, and software stacks to deliver better performance. Delivering increased performance, without having any negative side effects requires some effort. Some alternative web servers don’t fully support all of the features of Apache, or implement them in a different manner. Our goal is to deploy a system which is 100% compatible with your existing site.

As many are aware, we do have some servers running Litespeed Enterprise. Litespeed is an excellent product, and does deliver better performance than Apache. However, some customers do experience minor issues at times with how it handles .htaccess settings. Though, with the most recent release we haven’t had any new reports of that. Litespeed delivers both improved static content serving, and PHP.

We’ve also been evaluating a custom built stack, that consists of a modified Apache 2.2 server, running nginx as a reverse proxy in front of it. nginx is an extremely lightweight, high performance web server that is used by some of the largest sites in the world. It’s one of the fastest static content servers out there. By running it in a reverse proxy, we can utilize Apache on the back-end to process your PHP pages, while utilizing nginx to serve the static content or media files. This configuration allows Apache to focus on the dynamic work, and since it’s Apache, it’s 100% compatible with .htaccess settings. While nginx will do static content serving, which is the bulk of the web server traffic.

At this stage, our team hasn’t decided which route we’ll adopt. Both methods have their pros and cons. Stay tuned to find out what we decide.


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Are you constantly suffering from runny nose? Probabilities are that you may have either common cold or sinus infection. However, it could be challenging to know the main cause of the disease, as the symptoms are quite similar. In most of the cases due to incomplete knowledge people have been known to be misdiagnosed.

Differences between flu cold and sinus infection:

Though it is difficult to distinguish between a cold & sinus infection (sinusitis), it is vital to know the difference, as the Sinus treatment and cold treatment varies. Usually, when colds run their course with no intervention, sinus infections vary in type, resolving by its own if they are lingering or viral for weeks if they are bacterial. The following differences helps individuals in finding out whether are suffering from cold flu or sinus infection;

The presence of fever is one of the defining differences between sinus infections and colds. Though all sinus infection not produces fever, a fever indicates viral infection besides cold.

Recurrence after Improvement:
Most of the sinus infections happen as secondary infections after a cold or flu. Thus, a telltale sign of a sinus infection is getting sick, getting better, & then getting worse again. In case worsening is accompanied by few other symptoms, you are most probably dealing with a sinus infection, not cold.

One more way to differentiate cold and a sinus infection is its duration. Usually, cold lasts a week or less. On the other hand sinus infections do not appear till over a week – look for sinus treatment in homeopathy, if you have completed the seven-day mark.

Pain and Pressure:
Sinus infections include sinus headaches, with severe pain & pressure in the front of head, all over the face, around eyes, and in teeth. An individual suffering from sinus infection tenders to the touch on the forehead and upper cheeks, as i.e. where the sinus cavities are situated. Sinus headache pain can be intense & typically responds best to any action that eliminates some of the mucus from the sinuses. Colds subsume headaches, but they are less localized than those of sinus infections & do not typically involve teeth and cheeks.

Fatigue and Bad Breath:
When colds make you less active than usual, they are improbable to come with strong fatigue. On the other hand, sinus infections do occur with fatigue. Bad breath can occur during a sinus infection, however characteristically it does not accompany with cold. A metallic taste can also be present alongside with bad breath.
Proper homeopathy treatment for sinus can overcome all the aforesaid symptoms or conditions.

Is flu cold causes sinus infection?

With the symptoms of cold, the nose teems watery nasal secretions for few days. Further, these become thicker as well as darker. Dark mucus is natural & doesn’t commonly mean to develop a bacterial infection, like sinus infection. Various viruses even cause cold symptoms.

What are the problems we will face when we affect with both?

  • Nasal stuffiness
  • Facial pain or pressure
  • Loss of smell
  • Nasal discharge
  • Cough or congestion
  • Fever
  • Fatigue
  • A feeling of congestion or fullness in your face
  • Dental pain
  • Pus in the nasal cavity
  • A nasal obstruction or blockage
  • Headaches
  • Nasal discharge or discolored postnasal drainage
  • Bad breath

Homeopathy is the way to cure?

Homeopathic treatment for sinus is fast acting and effective one. The sinusitis treatment not only drains sinus infection but also kills germs and prevents the recurrences of disease. Homeopathic medicines for sinusitis are very effective and prevent its recurrence. If you suffer from chronic sinusitis, a constitutional treatment prescribed by a homeopathic doctor would boost your immune system and prevent recurrence and Homeocare international is the prefect stop for sinus treatment in homeopathy.

Know the Differences between Flu cold and Sinus Infection

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3 thoughts on “Know the Differences between Flu cold and Sinus Infection

  1. I’m suffering from sinus problem for the last 9 years. Till this time I have not been able to control this problem. I used lot of medicines but no use. I want to cure this in natural way. Please give me any suggestion.

    1. Hi Jhansi, Thank you for your reply. Homeopathy is a natural and holistic way to cure your sinus problems and it is more safe. You can use homeopathy remedies and you will get cure from all types of sinus problems.

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Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Independent Reading Projects

Most English teachers spend a fair amount of time thinking of ways to encourage students to read independently. I am fortunate in that the vast majority of my students are eager readers, so it takes little convincing to get them engaged with a new novel. I start all of my English classes with 10 minutes of D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything and Read), and this year introduced Independent Reading Projects as part of my curriculum.

To develop the assignment linked above, I first consulted with colleagues and poked around the internet looking for a variety of book projects my students could complete without too much adult assistance. I then focused on narrowing down the choices so that I had something that would appeal to everyone. I included traditional writing projects like imagining the sequel or crafting a poetry chapbook, visual and digital projects such as book trailers and comic strips, and a character monologue, which taps into both writing and performance skills.

My students were wary at first ("We're doing this all by ourselves? At home?") and we had many, many discussions about how they would manage their time. But soon, the initial anxiety gave way to excitement about working on a book project that they chose themselves. The final results were fantastic - clever, entertaining, and truly representative of my students' and their personal styles.

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Setting a Default Font in Google Drive

Last week, in an effort to figure out a way to set a default font in Google Drive, I started pinging my PLN on Twitter. As a fan of serif fonts (I'm partial to Cambria), I found it frustrating to have to change every new document from the preset Ariel, and knew there had to be a better way. Cue Jonathan Rochelle and Alice Keeler, who immediately replied to my tweet with helpful advice. Indeed, there is a way to set a default font in Google Drive, and I direct you to Alice's excellent post for a tutorial on doing just that. At the risk of being dramatic, I find this new knowledge life changing!

Thursday, January 1, 2015

For Teachers, Doesn't New Year's Eve Come in September?

Every now and then I'm reminded that my entire life has run on a school calendar. Like most of my peers, I've spent the majority of my life as a student: After graduating high school I went straight to college, followed by graduate school. But unlike many others in my age group, when my tenure as a student ended, my life as a teacher began. Perhaps because of this, when I say "next year" I am almost always referring to the following September, when my school year begins anew. December 31st have never been the time for resolutions and goal setting, as these things happen for me in July and August, as I prepare to return to a new school year. If New Year's Eve reminds me of anything, it's that the start of January signals the end of winter break, the return to my classroom and my students. Of course, I am aware of my sense of time being skewed, as I live and socialize with many folks who are not in the teaching profession, for whom January 1st truly does feel like the start of something new. I wonder if other teachers share my perspective on this. Just how skewed is my sense of time?


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That morning Benson was just beginning his second day in SMEP's newest branch, and despite a lack of electricity and furniture, he was proud to finally have a place to call his office.  Benson had been working for SMEP for just over a year without one; accessing emails in a local internet cafe, coordinating operations from his mobile phone, and in that time, despite the obstacles, had grown SMEP's presence to encompass 36 groups of borrowers, ranging in size from 8 to 30 members and covering an area of over 75km.

The opening of the office in Eldama Ravine represented the latest step in SMEP's continued expansion across the country, extending its reach further into rural Kenya and improving financial access for Kenya's hardest-to-reach citizens.  As is true of so much of Kenya's rapidly growing economy, SMEP has embraced technology and is using it to reach more communities and help more people.  In recent months SMEP has issued customized handsets to all its loan officers across the country, allowing them to take borrower photos, report repayments directly to the head office, and even to print receipts for borrowers via small handheld wireless printers.

As we sat down in Benson's office, he took his seat behind a desk he'd borrowed from a neighbor, retrieved his mobile phone, loan officer handset and wireless printer from his bag and got to work.  In a country that invented M-Pesa, a mobile banking system whose transactions now account for over 40% of Kenya's economy, it's great to see technological innovation continuing to increase access and opportunity for everyone.

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Steve is originally from the UK, but moved across the Atlantic in 2011 and has been living and working in Chicago for the past 3 years. After graduating from the University of Bristol with a degree in Mathematics, he began his career as a derivatives trader working for a leading financial services firm, and has subsequently worked in London, Amsterdam and Chicago. Alongside his professional career, Steve is actively engaged in the Chicago community, serving on the boards of two local non-profit organizations. Steve has always loved travel, photography and adventure, and his own personal highlights have included trekking in the Himalayas, sailing to Antarctica and camping in the Serengeti. Following previous voluntary roles in Tanzania and Guatemala, he is excited to have the opportunity to serve as a Kiva Fellow in Kenya and apply his expertise in finance and economics while continuing to learn about the on-the-ground realities of international development.


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Thursday, August 21, 2014

Social Media Marketing: What is value of your facebook fan? Simple calculation formula.

Whether you want to buy Facebook fans, increase your fans base organically or via facebook ads, it is always important to know what is a value of your single facebook fan and how it is changing over time.

Based on this trend you can adjust your facebook campaign or even social media marketing strategy.

In KPI Watchdog you or your social media agency can easily and for free track and analyse the ROI of your facebook campaign investment and adjust your Facebook marketing spending accordingly.

Calculation Formula:

Revenue from facebook monthly / Number of likes = Value of one facebook fan (like)

Free tracking of social media in KPI Watchdog- set-up:

Revenue from Facebook- it is up to you how you want to  measure it. You can import your e-commerce metric filtered by source: Facebook or if you track it directly in your database, use your database connector to import it to KPI Watchdog.

Facebook Fans- use Facebook connector and import Facebook Fan metric with monthly periodicity.

Value of one facebook like - use calculated metric with the above formula.

Need help? We will be glad to assist you. Contact us.

Try KPI Watchdog reporting for free >>


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Saturday, November 17, 2012

You Are What You Eat

Most of the world labels GMOs, but not the US or Canada
 ~ Are genetically modified organism (GMO) foods safe? Monsanto and others say it is, but how much and how far can we trust behemoth corporations to be forthright and truthful when doing so reduces their profits? Their unwillingness belies their assurances:
What’s the issue? If they are so great, why not advertise them? Why does the industry that profits from them fight labeling so vehemently and put so many of their resources into keeping their presence in our foods a secret? Why are corporate rights continually given precedence over consumer rights?
Opponents of California's Proposition 37, which would have required labeling of GMO content on foods, used a flood of mostly out-of-state corporate money to overwhelm the relatively meager resources of advocates 5-to-1. Which companies would fight so hard to keep consumers ignorant? They include Monsanto, DuPont, PepsiCo, Dow Agro, Bayer, BASF, Kraft, Coca-Cola, Nestle, ConAgra, General Mills, Kellogg, Smithfield Foods, Del Monte, Campbells, and Heinz, each of which contributed at least $500,000 and as much as $8M to defeat the measure. Other well-known brands fighting for the consumer's right not to know include Hershey's, J.M. Smucker, Ocean Spray, Mars, Hormel, Bumblebee, Sara Lee, Unilever, Wrigley, Cargill and Dole. Their political involvement suggests the likelihood that all of these companies have GMO in their products or expect to do so in future.

The US and Canada stand almost alone in frustrating consumers' need to know.
50 countries with over 40% of the world’s population already label genetically engineered foods, including the entire European Union. Even China labels genetically engineered foods... What do these countries know that we don’t?
Maybe it's findings like this:
A recent study conducted by Gilles-Eric Seralini of the University of Caen in France provoked concerns about the use of GMOs with a study in which a Monsanto seed variety known as NK603, made tolerant to the company’s Roundup herbicide, was fed to rats. The rats fed the GM corn developed tumors and experienced kidney and liver damage. Natural Society explains: “As a result of the mass tumors, liver and kidney damage, it was concluded that around 50 percent of the males and 70 percent of the females died prematurely as a result of eating only Roundup tolerant seed or drinking water with Roundup [at] approved levels set by the United States government.” Rats that drank trace amounts of Roundup at levels that are legally permitted in the water supply had a 200-percent to 300-percent increase in large tumors over rats drinking uncontaminated water.

Natural News notes, “This is the same corn that’s in your corn-based breakfast cereal, corn tortillas and corn snack chips.”
You are what you eat, but we have less idea all the time what we are eating. What then are we becoming?

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OWC MacBook Air 2013 Unboxing + Inside Pics

We got our hands on the newly announced MacBook Air 2013 11 and 13-inch models from Apple, and, of course, we had an unboxing party. Naturally, since we’re tech people, we also took a peek inside. Here’s what we saw in the 11″ and 13″ models below…

 MacBook Air 2013 11 inch model

 MacBook Air 2013 13 inch model

UPDATE: OWC Now Offers SSD Upgrades for 2013-Current MacBook Air & MacBook Pro with Retina display models

  • Hey guys, it’s been a while since we’ve heard from you about this. Would love to know if you are working on this and, if so, whether you have an ETA for it? :)

    Thanks in advance :)

  • > machines are currently in testing – when we complete the compatibility tests
    > we will announce our findings here on the OWC Blog.

    Pointer please? Tell us the base model Air that OWC can improve on, and how that works out?

  • A bit of a hijacking subject, but pardon me.

    iFixit has made a teardown of the 6th gen. Airport Extreme Base Station and it is seemingly possible to add an internal HDD and convert it into a Time Capsule.

    Except that it does not come with the connector cables…

    Are you keen into it too ,checking to see if you will provide a cable kit for the 6th gen. Airport Extreme Base Station?
    If you are considering it, a blog post would come nice.

    • Perusing iFixit’s teardown, while there is the physical space to slide a 3.5″ hard drive into the AirPort Extreme Base Station – there doesn’t seem to be an available data connection on the board to plug a cable into. So it seems to be missing a bit more than just the cables. However, we do have a few on order so we’ll be looking into it when they arrive.

  • is the memory upgradable on the new 11″ model? if so- about when will you have available?

  • The SSD connector on the photo looks apparently different from 2012 model’s. Probably not committable physically.

  • So DYING to know if you will be releasing your own SSD’s for these.
    Jason, I believe they’ll have to design new SSD’s. The new ones are physically smaller(iFixit teardown) and the interface is PCIe whereas the previous ones have all be SATA.

    OWC, keep us posted on this ASAP. Gotta know if I can save a few $$$(many actually) on my new air and have the option of updating storage later.

  • So are the SSD cards compatible with the older ones?


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Introducing Time & Expense Approvals: A Review Process That Works!

Premier customers can now submit time and expenses for review, helping to ensure only approved line items make their way onto a client invoice.

Using Mavenlink’s enhanced Time and Expense tracking tools, your employees can create time and expense entries that are tied to a particular project in Mavenlink. With the new Expense Report feature included in this release, you can group your expenses for submission to a Project Lead, as well as submit your Timesheet for review.

 The business owner sending the invoice can confidently invoice for multiple projects at once knowing that each item has gone through careful review by the person with the most context for the work being done — the Project Lead.

Maven Tip: We recommend the Team Lead be the one responsible for approving time and expenses for a project. Typically, the Team Lead serves as the role of Project Manager and is therefore in the best position to approve time and expenses since they’re closest to the project requirements.

Not only does this new functionality make your billing and invoicing experience faster and more accurate, but incorporating regular review into your business practices will improve oversight into the work being done daily. In addition, this will make the invoicing process less daunting as the project progresses because you can now easily delegate the review process to the Team Lead. By sending invoices more frequently, your relationship with your client will benefit as they gain more visibility into the progress of your project.

How to Turn On Time or Expense Approvals for Your Projects

If you’d like to require Time or Expense Approvals for your existing Mavenlink projects, we have you covered. Navigate to your project’s settings and turn Time or Expense Approvals ON. From here, you’ll have the option to automatically approve all entries before a particular date.

If you want to make Time or Expense Approvals a default setting for all of your future projects, your Account Administrator can go to Account Settings and turn on this preset for your account. This is only a preset so you can have the flexibility of turning off this specific requirement for those projects that don’t need this level of review.

All existing Mavenlink Premier Customers get complimentary access to Time and Expense Approvals functionality. To get Mavenlink Premier for your team, contact us here.

If you’d like to learn more about this feature, we’re here to help! Check out the Time and Expense Approvals article in the Mavenlink Academy Knowledge Base, or reach us directly at


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By Jeff Garcia, Project Spurs

Each week, our writers will sound off on one topic of the week with short audio takes. If you are a Spurscast subscriber, you’ll also be seeing podcasts with all of our takes together along with your weekly Spurscast.

This week we asked our Lead Writer Paul Garcia and Staff Writer Jake Faunce to give their thoughts on whether or not the San Antonio Spurs are still the “gold standard” in the NBA. From Cleveland to New Orleans, teams in the past would often copy the Spurs’ system and rightfully so. The Spurs won four titles doing it by remaining fiscally sound.

However, is this still true until today? Find out by listening to the writers.

Click HERE to listen to the show at Project Spurs.

Michael De Leon


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Back to XP

Sat 02 May 2009

There are historical and circumnstantial reasons for my continuing to run Windows. My first personal computer run HP Basic, the second CP/M, the third MS/DOS, and after a short and unsuccessful stint with a Mac, my professional work started with MS Windows 2.0, and stayed on Windows for two decades or so.

But things have changed. These days I have to support only one Windows application,and that’s something that can be done over a virtual machine. I have administrative access to several Windows servers for the rest. It’s true I am a Windows junky in being an expert in Excel, Word, and Outlook, but that can be remediated.

As anyone who has run Windows for a few years knows, there comes a time in which the operating system becomes so unjustifiably screwed-up that the only solution is to reinstall everything. Reinstalations are not easy, and they are full of data-loss risks. Faced with the decision to reinstall Windows XP, or give Windows 7 a test ride, I decided that the time seemed right to switch away from WinXP. Ubuntu 8.10, which runs in two of my computers, seemed a good choice.

  • Preserve my e-mail. Ten out of my 12 e-mail accounts go through gmail, and the other two through POP3 services that keep a week’s worth of messages, so that seemed doable.
  • Preserve my data, mostly my projects and my photographs, but music and videos are in the list. Writing from Linux to NTFS partitions is still discouraged, but the available disk space (about 200Gbit) could be managed to deal with that.
  • I need a WinXP virtual machine to be able to run Intel Fortran and Borland (now Code Gear or something) Delphi 7. I already know that VirtualBox ( can do that.
  • Printing and scanning must work. Either a soft learning curve for other users, or moving the devices to one of the remaining Windows machines.

Yes. Why not let you know about the outcome first?

I was not able to make the switch this time because of some unforseen issues with Bluetooth, remote desktops, display configurations, and learning curves, all of them things I could not deal with within the weekend I had set for the switch.

Ubuntu 9.04 came out during the effort, and several issues got fixed with the upgrade. The details are below.

  1. Backup, backup, backup.
  2. Remove all the software that’s not needed or that hasn’t been used in a while.
  3. Use JkDefrag to force files together at the begining of each disk.
  4. Use Partition Magic to resize partitions and leave lots of space for the new install.
  5. Leave the existing Windows XP partitions alive, just in case, with enough free space (a couple of Gibits) to let them operate.
  6. Install Ubuntu 8.10 AMD64 with default options using the Live CD.

Details abut the failed switch

  1. The Ubuntu resolution had to be fixed manyally for my 19”, 1440x900 LCD display. Fixing the login screen was too difficult. The 9.04 Ubuntu upgrade fixed all that nicely. SOLVED.
  2. My Motorola/Widcom BLuetooth dongle get’s recognized, but no devices are available. That leaves out my favorite mouse, a Logitech Bluetooth portable. ANOYING, but can be dealt with.
  3. VPN connections to Windows servers are not working. ANOYING, probably a matter of a large learning curve.
  4. Remote Desktop Connections suck because they are too slow compared to Windows RDP. VNC doesn’t cut it. WORKAROUND, connect through a console (SSH) and launch graphic applications through X-Windows, which works fine.
  5. RDP connections to Windows machines works much better in 9.04. The sound, wich was broken in 8.10 is back, and Ctrl-Enter for a windowed remote desktop works again. NICE. A WiFi RDP is still not good enough for things like YouTube: unexplainable and ANNOYING.
  6. Chat works fine using Pidgin.
  7. Skype did not work on AMD64. Maybe a SHOW-STOPPER.
  8. The procedure for moving e-mail from Outlook to Thunderstorm and then to Evolution did not recover all emails. ANNOYING. I can get recent e-mail from GMail/POP3, and the history can ve recovered from (very backed up) Outlook .PST files. The trick for making these experiments with GMail is to prepend “recent:” to your login, whichever e-mail client you are using.
  9. Office. I know that OpenOffice works, but there are enough differences with MS Office to make for a steep learning curve. ANNOYING, but expected.
  10. Audio and video conferencing. Steep learning curve to know how to make Ekiga connect to the servers I use. ANNOYING to SHOW-STOPPER.
  11. Ubuntu (aptitude) certified software is not always to the latest version. UNKNOWN.

After Ubuntu 9.04, it is definitely worth it to spend another weekend trying to make the switch.

This report may be updated or corrected later.


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Sunday, November 02, 2008

OpenID on Classic ASP

Several people have asked for an OpenID library for Classic ASP.  Yes, it's several years deprecated, but there are still some major and smaller sites using it.  Classic ASP allows the consumption of COM/ActiveX objects, so it turns out DotNetOpenId can be used by Classic ASP!

But DotNetOpenId isn't a COM server.  Not in its released form anyway.  But there is now a CTP of DotNetOpenId that does offer a COM interface that Classic ASP can call into, and it includes an actual sample of a classic ASP OpenID relying party.

You can download the CTP here, on the condition that you then leave feedback on your experience on our mailing list.


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Politics.co.uk Blog

Thursday, 8 April 2010

Sad faces on the last day of term

The similarities between parliament and school are endless, not least of all because they contain the only humans who still use the phrase 'half-term'.

My colleague and I have just been watching MPs file out and say their goodbye to the Speaker and the leader of the House.

One by one they shook John Bercow's hand and exchanged pleasantries. But the real action was just behind the chair, as they gave their best wishes to Harriet Harman.

Surprisingly warm and amiable, Harman had three modes: A handshake, a hug, or a hug and kiss. The warmest option was offered to a surprising amount of members, even many of the old-school posh Tories. Sitting right above them, just a couple of metres away, it was the first time we'd ever felt like we were eavesdropping.

The most interesting moment came when she bid farewell to James Purnell, who offered a lot more warmth than she did. The body language was all his, and she kept her distance as he acted friendly. For hundreds of members, today is the last day they'll step into that room, unless they opt for the public viewing gallery.

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Thursday, April 16, 2009

How To Wear Light Wash Denim

Two things are for certain, skinnies are still in and light wash denim is a must for spring. This pair of D&G cropped skinny jeans encompasses both elements and are a popular pick amongst Polyvorians. Light washes are great for a bohemian look and compliment almost every color. If you've got long legs and you choose a skinny cut, pair your jeans with some great flats. If you're on the shorter side, have no fear...platforms and heels work perfectly! Here are some great ways to style them:

Aleksandra i Joasia said...

set by marietta is amazing! <3

Belle said...

i really love all these sets. they are just gorgeous! xo


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Andrew Delbanco Wins the 2013 O.L. David, Jr. Book Award

Andrew Delbanco – College: What It Was, Is, and Should Be
Winner of the 2013 O.L. Davis, Jr. Book Award, American Association for Teaching and Curriculum

Each year, the American Association for Teaching and Curriculum (AATC) acknowledges an Outstanding Book in Education.  AATC, as a recognized major society in the common fields of curriculum and teaching, selects a book that merits high praise and recognition. The award is given in recognition of scholarship that adds substantively to the body of knowledge about the practices and theories of curriculum and teaching.

“At a time when vast changes in higher education are happening, author Andrew Delbanco of Columbia University calls attention to the purpose of college education (historic origins to the present). It is a very good read.”- Chara Bohan, Committee Chair

College: What It Was, Is, and Should BeAs the commercialization of American higher education accelerates, more and more students are coming to college with the narrow aim of obtaining a preprofessional credential. The traditional four-year college experience–an exploratory time for students to discover their passions and test ideas and values with the help of teachers and peers–is in danger of becoming a thing of the past.

In College, prominent cultural critic Andrew Delbanco offers a trenchant defense of such an education, and warns that it is becoming a privilege reserved for the relatively rich. In arguing for what a true college education should be, he demonstrates why making it available to as many young people as possible remains central to America’s democratic promise.

In a brisk and vivid historical narrative, Delbanco explains how the idea of college arose in the colonial period from the Puritan idea of the gathered church, how it struggled to survive in the nineteenth century in the shadow of the new research universities, and how, in the twentieth century, it slowly opened its doors to women, minorities, and students from low-income families. He describes the unique strengths of America’s colleges in our era of globalization and, while recognizing the growing centrality of science, technology, and vocational subjects in the curriculum, he mounts a vigorous defense of a broadly humanistic education for all. Acknowledging the serious financial, intellectual, and ethical challenges that all colleges face today, Delbanco considers what is at stake in the urgent effort to protect these venerable institutions for future generations.

In a new preface, Delbanco addresses recent events that threaten the future of the institution.

Andrew Delbanco is the Mendelson Family Chair of American Studies and the Julian Clarence Levi Professor in the Humanities at Columbia University. His many books include Melville: His World and Work (Vintage), which won the Lionel Trilling Award and was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times book prize in biography. He is a recipient of the 2011 National Humanities Medal for his writing that spans the literature of Melville and Emerson to contemporary issues in higher education.


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Do you pump Petrol Fuel Ron95 or Ron97? Price Increased

Shell Ron 95
Shell New Ron95

Unleaded Ron95
Unleaded Ron95 Fuel

Unleaded Only

Wira 1.3, Unleaded only. So meaning my car can pump Ron95 but I have tried it feel like my car not enough power and the steering keep vibrating. Hmm not really sure whether it’s my car only or what. Sigh. It’s time to modified my car? Change extractor? Bigger Exhaust Pipe?

Should be pumping Ron97 for the last time as the price is gonna hike up to RM2.05 wow. Moreover, it’s now premium petrol. I can’t afford a premium thingy.

Ron95 and Ron97 in Mobil Station.

Ron95 and Ron97 pump in Shell Station.

Ron95 and V-Power pump in Shell Station.

It’s not easy to find Ron97 in Shell now. Some petrol station only have V-Power and Ron95 only, which is Taman Sea and Kayu Ara Shell Station, if you want to get Ron97, go to Bandar Utama Shell Station.

Ron95 and Ron97
Ron95 – RM1.75 till today (Merdeka day 31st August) and after that will be increased RM1.80

Ron97 – RM1.80 till today (Merdeka day 31st August) and after that will be increased to RM2.05

It’s RM0.25 different between Ron95 and Ron97, if normally you pump 35-40 liter it will be RM8.75 – RM10 different.

Which one will you choose to pump? Ron95 or Ron97? Will it affecting you?

Price of RON 95 at RM1.80 from Tuesday

KUALA LUMPUR: The newly introduced RON 95 fuel is now priced at RM1.80 – five sen higher than the previous RM1.75.

Meanwhile, RON 97 is upgraded as a premium product and has gone up to RM2.05 from RM1.80.

Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the new prices were decided based on the current method of Automatic Pricing Mechanism (APM).

“Although the price is now 5 sen higher, the Government is still subsidising 33.81 sen per litre (of RON 95) which is equivalent to RM304mil monthly,” he told reporters after the launch of Primax 95 by Petronas here on Monday.

Currently, the Government is subsidising RON 97 by 42.72 sen per litre.

The cost for RON 95 went up 102% from USD$ 40.75 per barrel to USD$ 82.30 in December last year and August respectively.

“If there is any changes in the global prices, we would revise it accordingly. It is up to the Economic Council to decide.

“RON 95 also adheres to the EURO2M specification where it can lessen pollution,” said Ismail Sabri, adding that consumers would get quality petroleum at a subsidised price.

With the new pricing, Ismail Sabri added that RON 92 was phased out from the market as the usage was only 5% from total petrol sale in the country.

In April last year, then Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Samad said the Government was considering the use of petrol with higher research octane number (RON) to reduce fuel subsidies without hurting the lower-and-medium income groups.

A higher octane number means higher resistance to engine “knocking”. “Knocking” could possibly damage the engine over time.

Petrol Dealers Association of Malaysia president Datuk Hashim Othman said petrol stations could easily recalibrate their pumps to adjust to the new price.

“With technology, all you need to do is push some buttons. It is almost automatic in most stations now, except for a few in the rural areas which are still using the manual system,” he told The Star.

He added that petrol dealers would make a slight gain with the price increase as they had bought their current stock at the old price.

“It is only a little as the price increase is small,” he said.

Source : TheStar

Author: Saimatkong

This blog is a platform to share what I love in life: food (eat), travel (play), photography (art) and life (thoughts and ideas). With passion for food, I share my foodie adventures and indulgences here. “There is no love sincerer than the love of food.”

Traveling makes us a better human being as we recognise the similarities and celebrate the differences of cultures between where we travel to and where we come from. “The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.”

Photography do more than just capturing the best moments in our lives; they also help us tell our life stories. “Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever… it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything.”

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  1. i saw alot ppl pump green-97… but i pump yellow-95 just now, my fren also complain about 95 saying it is no power…

    but i driving avanza seems no different 😛

    Post a Reply
  2. I always pump RON95 at RM1.80 since two months ago at MH Jaya Shell Station near Giant, Kelana Jaya. Is this a reasonable price to go pump petrol at this station? I have seen different petrol station has different rate.

    Post a Reply
  3. two months back? it should be RM1.75 for Ron95 not RM1.80 wor. Different petrol station has different rate? sure ah?

    Post a Reply
  4. … well i used it… not bad lor… quite okok 😛

    Post a Reply
  5. Just tried the RON95. So far no problem.

    Post a Reply
    • tell me the millage whether you can hit the same or less, my say is less.

      Post a Reply
  6. err, i have been pumping ron 92 for my crv, no problem in mileage and performance..

    even at 95, also seemed about the same only. my sister followed me pump 92 previously on her avanza, she says no difference also between 92 / 97. probably all is psychology only, except when you are driving sports car.

    as long as can get me from point a to point b, no reason for me to waste my money on higher priced fuel, for all we know, it is the same with different colour only.

    Post a Reply
    • hmm then must be the petrol brand that I took not suitable for my car need to try other brand.

      Post a Reply
  7. fyi, i have been advised to pump a certain orange colour ones and have not regretted in since. probably you can try it and share your experience about it.

    Post a Reply

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Posts filtered on Tag

Tag: airlines

Klout and American Airlines: Free Pass to the Admiral Club

By Michele Costanza…bringing you a humorous view on consumer topics in an all-too-serious world  . Does anyone even remember what Klout is?? For a brief while, people were working Klout like a social


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Bellevue police suspect homicide in death of elderly woman

Bellevue police arrested one man for investigation of homicide after a 72-year-old woman was found dead in her apartment Sunday night.

A family member of the woman called 911 about 8:45 p.m. to report finding the woman dead at her apartment in the 10300 block of Northeast 12th Street, according to the Bellevue Police Department.

Police responded and confirmed the woman was dead, suspecting foul play. They served a search warrant on the residence early Monday morning to gather more evidence and confirmed the woman’s death appeared to be a homicide.

Bellevue police forwarded the case to King County prosecutors.

The King County Medical Examiner’s Office will perform an autopsy and notify the woman’s family of her death.

Bellevue police declined to give any additional information on the man in custody.

Lynsi Burton


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Posts filtered on Tag

Tag: NBA Draft

10 best — and worst — Seattle Sonics draft picks of all time

From Shawn Kemp to Kevin Durant, the SuperSonics drafted some of most talented players in Seattle sports history during their 41 years in town. Of course, for every Kemp and Durant, there’s a Robert

UW’s Terrence Ross, Tony Wroten selected in NBA draft

Huskies basketball stars Terrence Ross and Tony Wroten Jr. were selected eighth and 25th, respectively, in the NBA draft Thursday, following in the footsteps of such Washington hoopsters as Nate

UW’s Terrence Ross gets big nod ahead of NBA draft

It’s looking like Huskies basketball star Terrence Ross doesn’t have too much to worry about heading into the NBA draft Thursday. He has been invited to attend the draft event in Newark, N.J., and sit

Caple’s Corner: Yes, Isaiah Thomas made the right choice

Isaiah Thomas did the right thing. Not the popular thing, maybe. There will be bitter Washington Huskies fans who wonder why Thomas would forego his senior season just so he could be the last overall


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Google takes a hike… to the Grand Canyon

Google unveiled today an ambitious project that mapped, documented and photographed much of the Grand Canyon.

A team of Googlers, equipped with 40-pound, Android-operated backpacks, hiked along 75 miles of trails last fall and captured more than 9.500 panoramas of the famed national park. Their backpacks, named the Trekker, uses a 15-lens camera, perched above the person’s head, which takes a photograph every 2.5 seconds and stitches them together.

Through Google Maps, now anyone with Internet access can enjoy the views of the Colorado River and virtually hike the trails — no Clif Bars, bottled water or other provisions needed. It’s no mean feat: the Grand Canyon is 277 river miles long, up to 18 miles wide and a mile deep and there have plenty of cases of hikers getting lost and turned around.

It’s not clear if any mountain lions or snakes complained about privacy issues.

Ellen Lee


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Smart Girls Who Do Stupid Things

“Strip Me” Becomes Yet Another Theme Song

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While you saw Julia Stiles in Silver Linings Playbook and thought she stole the show, she also spent this year making a Hallmark movie called The Makeover, where she takes a dirty Joe Schmoe (played by serial cancelled-series-lead David Walton) and turns him into a serious candidate for office. Which could totally happen in this day and age so the premise isn’t even the problem with this movie.

The problem is that this 2010 Natasha Bedingfield song is chosen for every movie trailer ever these days. It is the new “Breathe” by Michelle Branch.

Anyhow, The Makeover is based off George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalian, BUT, “The Makeover gives Pygmalion several contemporary twists; most notably, changing the genders of all the main characters.” Woah. Rocking my world.

It’s Very Common To Fake A Fiance For The Holidays. At Least, According To Made-For-TV Movies

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For some reason, the people that work for the company that churns out holiday-themed made-for-tv movies seem to think the idea of paying someone to pretend to be your fiance when you go home for the holidays is a. realistic and b. a situation that would lead to romance and not all your most prized possessions being stolen. The idea, which I believe was created in a different kind of Santa’s Xmas Factory, has even spread to the real world, demonstrated in Craigslist posts like this, though unfortunately, this particular offer has expired and is no longer viewable. We’re assuming, however, that the gentleman found what he was looking for.

Exhibit A:

My Fake Fiance (2009, ABC Family)

Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence get married for the gifts and the money, because they’re both horrible people who recognize that marriage is largely a societal ritual unrelated to love. Along the way, they develop the feelings. Hart and Lawrence’s chemistry (and history on shows that were popular during the ’90s) led to an eventual show of their own on ABC Family called, creatively, Melissa and Joey, which was — shockingly or not — renewed for a third season. Hart was also in ABC Family’s Holiday in Handcuffs where she FORCES a man to pretend to be her fiance, indicating that the actress may have a troubling understanding of what situations actually lead to happiness in romantic relationships.

Exhibit B:
Holiday Engagement (2011, Hallmark Channel)

Billed as a “Hallmark Original” (as if that’s a stamp of quality akin to getting an Oscar), Bonnie Sommerville’s “perfect” (really, pretty boring and unattractive) fiance breaks up with her and so she hires an actor to pretend to be him for Thanksgiving because her mom is so crazy she feels like she has to. Not only does she have little to no chemistry with either the dude she wants back or the dude she eventually falls for, she also is like maybe a journalist who spends her time writing about puppies and has no career aspirations. This means I’m automatically biased against her and have no idea who would find her attractive, even the mildly cute dude she ends up with.

Exhibit C:
Hitched for the Holidays (2012, Lifetime)

Lawrence, unsatisfied with having done one fake fiance holiday flick, has teamed up this season with some no-name to literally do exactly the same movie as he did two years prior, this time, using what appears to be a Craigslist rip-off (at least he’s tech savvy now). This is the only one of the above movies I haven’t seen, so I can’t vouch as to the veracity of the beginning of this IMDB description: “An attractive pair agrees to be each others supposed significant other throughout the holidays to keep their meddling families at bay.” It premieres this Friday though, so I’ll report back.

Previously: “ABC Family Holiday Movies on Hulu: An Internet Wonderland

© 2009 Smart Girls Who Do Stupid Things. All Rights Reserved.

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Treasure trove of archived letters discovered at SMU; Permian hunter’s German ode to a fossil is translated into English

In the late 1800s, a flurry of fossil speculation across the American West escalated into a high-profile national feud called the Bone Wars.

Drawn into the spectacle were two scientists from the Lone Star State, geologist Robert T. Hill, now acclaimed as the Father of Texas Geology, and naturalist Jacob Boll, who made many of the state’s earliest fossil discoveries.

Hill and Boll had supporting roles in the Bone Wars through their work for one of the feud’s antagonists, Edward Drinker Cope, according to a new study by vertebrate paleontologist Louis L. Jacobs, Southern Methodist University, Dallas.

The study by Jacobs expands knowledge about Cope’s work with Hill and Boll.

It also unveils new details about the Bone Wars in Texas that Jacobs deciphered from 13 letters written by Cope to Hill. Jacobs discovered the letters in an archive of Hill’s papers at SMU’s DeGolyer Library. The letters span seven years, from 1887 to 1894.

Hill, who worked for the U.S. Geological Survey, not only provided Cope with fossils of interest but also shared geological information about fossil locales.

Boll, who was a paid collector for Cope — as was the practice at the time — supplied the well-known paleontologist with many fossils from Texas. More than 30 of the taxa ultimately named by Cope were fossils collected by Boll.

“Fossils collected by Boll and studied by Cope have become some of the most significant icons in paleontology,” said Jacobs, an SMU professor of earth sciences and president of SMU’s Institute for the Study of Earth and Man.

The survey party of USGS geologist Robert T. Hill explored Texas during the 1800s to report on the geology and resources to open the West to agriculture. (Credit: USGS)

Jacobs’ study, “Jacob Boll, Robert T. Hill, and the Early History of Vertebrate Paleontology in Texas,” is published in the journal Historical Biology as part of the conference volume of the 12th International Symposium on Early Vertebrates/Lower Vertebrates.

Rush to find fossils explodes during opening of the American West
Jacobs describes the late 1800s as a period of intense fossil collecting. The Bone Wars were financed and driven by Cope and his archenemy, Othniel Charles Marsh. The two were giants of paleontology whose public feud brought the discovery of dinosaur fossils to the forefront of the American psyche.

Cope, from Philadelphia, and Marsh, from Yale University, began their scientific quests as a friendly endeavor to discover fossils. They each prospected the American frontier and also hired collectors to supply them with specimens. Cope and Marsh identified and named hundreds of discoveries, publishing their results in scientific journals.

Over the course of nearly three decades, however, their competition evolved into a costly, self-destructive, vicious all-out war to see who could outdo the other. Despite their aggressive and sometimes unethical tactics to outwit one another and steal each other’s hired collectors, Cope and Marsh made major contributions to the field of paleontology, Jacobs said.

Hill first to identify and map the Cretaceous geology in North Texas
Born in 1858, Hill was a teenager when he left Tennessee as an orphan and arrived on the Texas frontier in 1874, says Jacobs’ study. Hill settled in Comanche, southwest of Fort Worth, where he went to work for his brother’s newspaper, the Chief. After earning a Bachelor of Science in geology from Cornell, Hill was hired as a field geologist for the USGS.

Hill is noted for being the first to identify and map the distinct rock formations in North Texas that correspond to the Earth’s Cretaceous geologic period from 146 million years ago to 65 million years ago, Jacobs said. For much of the Cretaceous, a shallow sea cut North America in half from the Arctic to the Gulf of Mexico. Dinosaurs roamed the coastal shoreline and huge reptiles swam the waters, an environment that preserved plants and animals as fossils for posterity millions of years later.

Through his reading of the letters, Jacobs found that Cope disagreed with the way Hill named the Cretaceous rock units, and told him so. Cope counseled Hill: “You mustn’t mind criticism. We all get it and get used to it; but it isn’t comfortable at first.”

In subsequent letters, said Jacobs, it’s apparent Hill had changed his approach, for which Cope offered him high praise: “I wish to say definitely that your discovery of the lower Cretaceous series in this country is the most important addition to our geology that has been heard for a long time.”

Hill contributed one of 1,000 species of backboned animals named by Cope
Jacobs’ research found that numerous letters reveal that Cope was persistent in trying to buy a Cretaceous fish fossil that Hill had collected. In various letters, Cope expresses a desire to view the fossil, each time stating his request in a different way. Hill ultimately sold Cope the fossil for $15. Cope named the specimen Macrepistius arenatus. It is housed at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

Hill’s fish specimen was one of 1,000 species of backboned animals, from fish to dinosaurs, that Cope described and named in his lifetime.

Also evident in the correspondence is a glimpse into the battle intrigue between Cope and Marsh, Jacobs said. In one letter, Cope angles to learn from Hill details about a new director of the USGS, to judge whether “our ? friend O.C.M.” would have an advantage.

Cope wrote to Hill, “Possibly you can find out how the land lies?”

Cope’s other Texas connection was through Jacob Boll
Boll was a much larger supplier to Cope and ultimately made significant contributions to the field of paleontology. Boll “is mentioned, usually in passing, in virtually every history of the subject,” according to Jacobs.

Born in 1828 in Switzerland, Boll was the first to discover vertebrate fossils in the Permian red beds along the drainages of the Wichita and Red rivers and their tributaries.

“The discoveries opened up an entirely new chapter in vertebrate evolution some 280 million years old,” Jacobs said. “Boll’s finds include some of the oldest close relatives of mammals whose evolution eventually led to humans.”

Boll belonged to one of the Swiss families that founded the mid-19th century utopian society La Reunion in Dallas, Jacobs said. Boll made Dallas his home sometime after 1874. He died in the field in the Permian red beds in 1880 from a snake bite.

At least one scholar has asserted that Cope — to keep the identity of his collectors secret from Marsh — never credited Boll for the Texan’s many fossil discoveries. Jacobs, however, found evidence that in 1878 Cope, in fact, did acknowledge Boll’s contribution, at least for the big-headed, semi-acquatic amphibian Eryops. Cope wrote that the fossil was “found … by my friend Jacob Boll.”

Boll’s fossil fascination erupted into a poem for Eryops
During a break in his field labors, Boll’s fascination with ancient bones prompted him to write in his native German an ode to fossils. Jacobs came across the poem in the American Museum of Natural History on a label on the back of Eryops specimen No. AMNH 4183.

SMU biology professor Pia Vogel translated the poem. Vogel and Jacobs worked with SMU English professor John M. Lewis to retain the essence of the poem in English.

“Now you will with some few others
Trek to the professor’s seat.
Awakened through his careful thought,
Be reassembled from your fragments,
To tell to others yet to come
From the sculpting of your teeth
How you lived and disappeared,
Name you he will, and what he found.”

While Hill and Boll were linked by their relationship to Cope, it isn’t known whether the two of them ever met, according to Jacobs.

”Hill and Boll both made major contributions to frontier science at an important time in American history,” Jacobs said. “They may have been nearly forgotten, but their lives have influenced much that came later.” — Margaret Allen

Follow SMU Research on Twitter, @smuresearch.

For more SMU research see www.smuresearch.com.

SMU is a nationally ranked private university in Dallas founded 100 years ago. Today, SMU enrolls nearly 11,000 students who benefit from the academic opportunities and international reach of seven degree-granting schools. For more information, www.smu.edu.

SMU has an uplink facility located on campus for live TV, radio, or online interviews. To speak with an SMU expert or book an SMU guest in the studio, call SMU News & Communications at 214-768-7650.