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Our Sense of Smell

Author(s): Barbara Tharp, MS, Michael Vu, MS, Delinda Mock, BA, Christopher Burnett, BA, and Nancy Moreno, PhD.
Our Sense of Smell

© Maria Dryfhout.

  • Grades:
  • K-2
  • Length: Variable

Students use four different flavors of dry soft drink mix to investigate the sense of smell, and learn that the nose can detect very small particles in air, and transmit the information to the brain where it helps to recognize, remember and identify scents.

This activity is from K-1: The Senses Teacher's Guide. While designed for students in grades K-1, it may be used with students in Pre-K and grade 2.

Teacher Background

Much like taste, the sense of smell allows us to detect chemicals in the environment. In fact, smell and taste often work together to gather information about our surroundings. Flavor is a perception that is based on input from taste, smell and even touch.

With the sense of smell, molecules carried through the air and into the nose land on the moist lining (olfactory epithelium) of the nasal passages and bind to olfactory neurons in the lining. The binding process triggers these neurons to send messages directly to the olfactory bulbs in the brain, and on to the olfactory cortex. Information about odors being detected also is sent to the thinking portion of the brain.

The olfactory system enables humans to distinguish among thousands of odors, all of which are classified into six major groups: floral, fruity, spicy, resin, burnt and putrid.

The sense of smell is closely related to memory and emotions. Have you ever smelled something that evoked a childhood memory, a location or an experience? Scientists believe these associations are due to the close proximity of the olfactory cortex to the amygdala and hippocampus. The amygdala is responsible for emotional memory and the hippocampus plays an important role in consolidation of information from short-term memory to long-term memory and spatial navigation.

Objectives and Standards

Guiding Question

How does our sense of smell work?

  • All of the senses are connected to the brain.

  • Our senses let us know what is going on inside and outside our bodies.

  • One of our senses is smell (olfaction).

  • Our noses detect, or smell, very small particles in air.

  • Information is sent from the nose to the brain, which helps us to experience, remember and recognize smells.

Materials and Setup

Part 1

Materials per Class

  • Classroom human body diagram (see Activity 2, “The Brain: Protection”)

Materials per Student Group

  • 4 re-sealable plastic bags, each containing a different flavor of dry powdered soft drink mix (Kool-Aid® brand preferred: grape, lemonade, orange and cherry; use approximately one envelope per bag)

Materials per Student

  • Small hand mirror

  • Science notebook

Part 2

Materials per Student Group

  • 16 cotton swabs (Q-tips® style)

  • 7 small paper cups

  • 4 plastic spoons

  • 4 re-sealable plastic bags with dry powdered soft drink mix used in Part 1

  • Set of orange, purple, red and yellow crayons (to match powdered soft drink mix colors)

Materials per Student

  • Copy of “Let’s Get Fruity!” page on cardstock

  1. Organize the class into groups of four students. Each group will need four re-sealable plastic bags, each containing a different flavor of soft drink mix (grape, lemonade, orange and cherry work). Each bag should contain the contents of one envelope of soft drink.

  2. Make copies of the “Let’s Get Fruity” page on cardstock.

  3. Fill six paper cups halfway with water.

Have students wash their hands before and after the activity.

Procedure and Extensions

Part 1

  1. Ask students to locate their noses by pointing with their fingers. Ask, What does your nose enable you to do? Discuss all ideas.

  2. Give each student a mirror and ask him or her to closely examine his/her nose. Point out that our noses have two openings, called nostrils, which allow air to enter the nasal passages. Emphasize that the nose is critical for breathing. Have students inhale and exhale slowly to become aware of how air enters and leaves the nose. Show a diagram of the inside of the nose, or draw one for the class.

  3. Ask students if they have ever really looked at his/her nose. Give each student a mirror to closely examine their the nose. Have students draw their noses in their notebooks, and label the outer parts.

  4. Give each group of students a set of four flavors of soft drink mix powder in small re-sealable plastic bags. Let each student hold one bag, but instruct students not to open the bags. Ask them to predict what the powder in their bags might smell like, and discuss their predictions with their groups. Ask, On what did you base your predictions?

  5. Next, instruct students to smell their bags, but not open them. Students should not be able to smell the contents.

  6. Ask, Were you able to check your predictions with the bag closed? Why do you think you can’t smell the powders in the bags? Invite students to share their ideas.

  7. Tell students they will try to smell the powders again, with the bags open. Show students how to carefully open a bag, keeping the powder in the bottom. To demonstrate how to properly smell an unknown substance, gently wave your hand and-forth over the open bag. Tell students, This is called wafting.

  8. Let each student open his/her bag, and waft the scent to his/her nose to identify it. Have students pass their bags around their groups, so that each student can smell all of the substances.

  9. Ask, Can you identify the scents? Have you smelled anything similar before? If they haven’t identified the scents, inform students that they smelled orange-, cherry-, grape- and lemon-flavored soft drink mixes.

  10. Tell students that all scents are made of small particles/chemicals that mix with, and float in the air. When these particles enter our nasal passages, they are detected by neurons in the nose, which send a message to the brain. Our brains then help us to recognize, remember and identify scents.

  11. Review with students that the scents they smelled are collected inside the nose, and are identified via messages sent to the brain. Have a student add a piece of yarn from the nose to the brain on the classroom human body diagram.

  12. If you are not conducting Part 2 immediately, have students reseal the bags to keep the contents fresh for later use.

Part 2

  1. Tell students that they will use the powdered soft drink mix to create artwork that smells delicious. Give each group 4 small paper cups, a cup half-filled with water and 4 spoons. Instruct each student to carefully add one spoonful of water to one bag of drink mix. Students should then seal the bags and gently shake them, so that the powder dissolves into the water. They now will have created “Smelly Paint.”

  2. Instruct students to carefully pour their “paint” into a small paper cup. Alternately, you may pour the “paint” for students.

  3. Give each student 4 cotton swabs (“paintbrushes”). Remind students to use each cotton swab with only one color.

  4. Hand out copies of the “Let’s Get Fruity” page. Direct students to pick a crayon that matches one fruit on the page, and outline the fruit with that crayon. Tell students that they will paint the fruits with the corresponding scented paints. For more fragrant pictures, encourage students to paint two layers on each picture.

  5. Allow the paper to dry. Then, demonstrate how to activate the smell, by gently scratching the dry paint.

  6. Ask, What parts of the body enable you to smell? Have students refer to the body diagram, if needed. They should understand that nerve connections between the nose and the brain are necessary for the sense of smell.

  7. Have students write one sentence in their notebooks about what they have learned about smell.

  • If students have questions about the taste, “bitter,” allow them to sample small pieces of unsweetened (bitter) dark chocolate.

  • Have students identify foods or drinks that have a combination of tastes. [For example, sweet and sour sauce, sweet and salty candy, or bittersweet chocolate.] Conduct a tasting session with some of these items.

  • Take a class survey of favorite foods and record the answers on a chart. Determine which tastes are most and least popular. Make a class graph of the numbers of students who select each taste.

  • Explore the connection between taste and smell by having students conduct a taste test of lemonade while pinching their noses.

Recommended Resource

Rissman, Rebecca. Smelling (The Five Senses). (2010) Heinemann Educational Books. ISBN: 9781432936877

Lesson Media

View or download the student storybook, Making Sense!

Download lesson and student pages.

Related Content

  • Making Sense!

    Making Sense! Reading

    Making Sense! is a colorful, engaging picture/storybook that introduces students to the brain and the five senses as they solve mystery picture puzzles.


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Latest on helpBIOTECH India

Hiring in Biotech

Because biotechnology applications exist across healthcare, agriculture, food processing and industry, virtually any college major in a scientific and life science is likely to find a biotech application. Biotech companies per se are most likely to have healthcare applications, and as we’ve already noted, are essentially mid-cap pharmaceutical companies.

Typical college majors among biotech professionals include chemistry, biology, physics, biochemistry, bioengineering, among many others. You can also get an undergraduate degree in bioinformatics. Potential employers span across government, private industry, and academia.

That pretty much covers most of the employment universe, so you may well feel bewildered about how to proceed.

Interconnected institutions

A lucky few understand themselves early enough to have clarity on these issues while still in their teens. If you are one of those and feeling a bit smug, rest assured that, although you have an edge on your colleagues, the work world you are heading into is more complex than it was just a few years ago. Universities are increasingly looking to leverage the intellectual capital of their researchers to land licensing deals with the private sector.

Since much research is funded by the Federal Government (in other words, your taxpayer dollars), the Feds have an incentive to see some of that money get recycled in the private sector economy, through goods and services that can improve the lives and standards of living of ordinary Americans.

Thus, most universities have technology licensing offices that help its scientists set up licensing and entrepreneurial deals with the private sector. The idea is to commercialize the science into products, devices, processes, and products that are useful to consumers. What this translates into is increased revenues for private sector companies, which in turn increases the tax base for the Federal Government. From the private sector’s perspective, venture capitalists are looking increasingly to late-stage research that’s just about ready to be commercialized.

That shortens their period of investment, which means they can cash out faster and invest limited partner dollars into the next promising project. Academic researchers whose work fits those criteria are attractive candidates.

This is because someone else (the Feds) picked up the tab for that uncertain early-stage phase when there is great uncertainty as to whether anything practical will come out of a research idea. Funding from private equity can now go right into creating the practical from the theoretical.

The upshot is that, whatever sector you choose to work in - government, private industry, or academia - you are likely to forge links with people in other sectors.

A passion for biotech

How do you get hired? The most important thing to remember is to know what really excites you, since, as biotech recruiters point out, the most successful candidates exhibit “passion about the work,” and are willing “to work hard and do what it takes to succeed, since many companies are lightly staffed.”

To get hired, you also need to express an abiding “desire to make a difference in the health and well being of others.” But the more challenging part of getting hired in biotech is that educational requirements and work experience are among the most specific of any industry.

That’s because the science on which biotech companies are based is still relatively new and the number of graduates from biotech-related programs in higher educational institutions relatively few. That actually works to the advantage of younger people, who can tailor an academic program to what the industry needs.

It’s worth repeating that “biotechnology” is a set of technologies that are applied throughout several industries. So when making a career choice, review the main areas of application discussed in The Scoop: healthcare, agriculture, food processing and industrial processing.

If you are still in college, know you like the life sciences and are contemplating a future in either discovering or promoting new treatments for hitherto genetically based diseases, then you’ll want to consider carefully the kind of education and other credentialing we discuss here.

A word about scientific leadership

As financing pressures shorten the timelines needed to bring a product to market, a new profile of scientist and a scientific leader is emerging, according to top industry recruiters. The business of developing drugs three factors must come together - management, science and people. “Scientists in today’s environment need to do more than good science,” says a top scientific recruiter.

“They need to have more accountability - i.e., to enable the team to meet milestones or identifiable timelines that in turn generate revenues and additional capital. We need the brilliant minds who also understand that the company has to earn revenues.”

Broadly speaking, “we are seeing a shift in the philosophy of scientific management from one focused purely on science to one that compensates people for meeting business goals in addition to creating great science. “The leaders that will emerge will have both sets of attributes - the ability to lead teams to meet management goals and to create great scientific results.

The key for scientific leaders is to know when the let go and cut out unpromising avenues of research. This shift will create efficiencies, as more capital becomes available to explore more promising leads. It’s all about understanding the scientific bench work in a business context.”

What this means is that, for those aspiring to a career as scientific leaders, it is essential to broaden your perspective earlier than later, so that you will be more effective in the positions of responsibility you will eventually land.

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Biotech Carter after

India Jobs | Biotech India

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This Weird Mask Muffles Your Voice to Keep Phone Calls Private

Don’t you just hate it when you have to take an important phone call and you’re surrounded by potential eavesdroppers? You either have to whisper or go outside to keep the conversation private, which is not exactly ideal.Now, a new gadget aims to fix this problem by muffling your voice and making you look like Bane in the process.

Hushme is a bizarre high-tech mask that blocks the sound of the wearer’s voice so that people nearby can’t hear what is being said. It connects to your phone via Bluetooth and comes with a pair of earbuds. When you get a private call, all you have to do is put the muzzle-like mask on and it will do the rest. The pair of thick cushy pads over your mouth do a good job of muffling your voice, but to ensure nothing gets through, Hushme also features external speakers that play a variety of sounds when you speak.

Read More

Read The Rest at Oddity Central - Collecting Oddities


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web statisticsRealtime Web Statistics

Maxine, Maxine, Maxine

Maxine Waters was supposed to be one of the good ones. Truth be told, I still think she is, but she needs to receive the appropriate sanctions for her ethics violations. And while we’re at it, Charlie Rangel must step down.

Don’t kid yourselves, democratic party loyalists, these charges are true. There hasn’t been a “misunderstanding”, and no one is going to be cleared here. I know this because Nancy Pelosi and the ethics committee would not be raising these charges months before an election if there weren’t solid cases here, which brings me to the real story in all of this.

I’m going to go out on a limb here to say that you won’t be hearing the real story from the main stream media. These charges of ethics violations are being brought against democrats, in a democratically controlled congress, months before an election. That is an enormously positive change in the way congress is being run. When republicans controlled congress, crooked republicans were the beneficiaries of cover ups, obfuscation, and delay (also DeLay) from their party leaders. Jack Abramoff, Mark Foley, Tom DeLay, and many, many more didn’t go before the ethics committee until republicans’ backs were up against a wall. We had Denny Hastert covering for Mark Foley, Jon Cornyn covering for John Ensign, The list is almost endless. And they certainly didn’t allow themselves to be subjected to scrutiny during election season.

Nancy Pelosi is running a clean ship. Well, as clean a ship as a politician can run. Make no mistake, she could have delayed these charges until after the election, just like republicans did. I know this, because I don’t believe that republicans have magical powers. They didn’t pull shady maneuvers that aren’t available to Nancy.

This whole situation will be spun as evidence of an epidemic of corruption in the democratic party. Let’s be honest, politicians are dirty. They have been dirty since about ten minutes after the first politician took office. And please don’t get me wrong, I’m not excusing dirty politicians, I’m just saying that I’m not naive enough to be shocked when a politician turns out to be corrupt.

In fact, I’m damned near flabbergasted when one turns out to be clean, not because I’m a pessimist about politics, but because our system is designed to virtually guarantee the corruption of a politician. Here are some interesting facts about American politics;

  • In 2008, 93% of all seats won in the house were won by the candidate that spent the most amount of money
  • In 2008, 94% of all senate seats went to the candidate that spent the most amount of money
  • The average cost of a winning house seat in 2008 was 1.1 million dollars
  • The average cost of a winning senate seat in 2008 was 6.5 million dollars

What this means, is that we have a system designed to attract or create amoral whores into our politics. You can’t raise the kind of money that it takes to be elected in America by being honest. It’s just not very realistic to assume that your representative is “one of the good guys”. You wanna know how to tell if he/she is one of the good guys or not? If they’re your representative, they’re not one of the good guys. They had to whore, beg, borrow, and steal the money to represent you.

But I digress, back to Nancy. She is turning out to be the change that we wanted when we voted for Obama. She is the transformative figure in our politics today. And in my opinion, she’s an unsung hero.

As with the Shirley Sherrod tale, the story that we’re about to be told is  the polar opposite of what’s actually happening here. This story is not about an “epidemic” (there are two) of dirty democrats. This story is about how much better democrats are at stomping out corruption within their ranks, than republicans are.

But you’re not going to hear that from most anybody on your TV because the people on your TV are spokesmodels and lemmings.

Irrational Greed

There’s no such thing. I know that you think there is, but there isn’t.

John Kerry docking his boat in another state in order to save $70,000 in taxes. Taxes that incidentally, would  go to pay for initiatives he supports in his own state. I feel fairly comfortable in assuming that he and his wife’s annual capital gains dwarf that $70,000.

Martha Stewart committing the crime of insider trading so that she can make $250,000. Again, I feel very comfortable in assuming that she “earns” more that $250,000 a year in capital gains.

Every single bank executive in America paying themselves record bonuses, while collecting tax payer dollars to save the very institutions that they’re taking those bonuses from. And they did this, all the while knowing how loathsome the world would find them to be.

Charlie Rangel, committing ethics violations that put his re-election at risk (he will get re-elected, by the way), by not reporting rental income from several properties on his income taxes. Charlie, if you can afford to buy multiple properties in two countries, you can afford to pay taxes on the money that those properties generate!

BP not investing $500,000 to make sure they drill in a “safe” way, so that they don’t have to pay out billions of dollars in damages and costs to clean up a huge spill.

Massey energy not investing a few hundred thousand dollars in keeping their mines safe so that their workers don’t die, and they don’t have to pay out millions of dollars in damages.

I can go on and on in listing people taking unnecessary risks to save or obtain money that they don’t need, but you get the point.

Think I’m disproving my own point? Bear with me, I’m about to get there.

The sheer volume of these occurrences committed by people across such a diverse political and social spectrum is proof that greed isn’t irrational. It’s an inherent part of the human condition.

Time and time again, we see people and corporations take unwise and illegal risks to save or earn money that they don’t need. The only conclusion that can be made is that greed isn’t irrational. It’s normal. And the only thing preventing most of us from being excessively greedy, is the lack of opportunity.

Why the hell is Bitchy pontificating human nature on her political blog? Because I’m making the point that libertarians, republicans, conservatives, teabaggers, and Milton Friedmanites are complete idiots.

Trickle down economics is a childish philosophy that completely discounts human nature.

When rich people get tax breaks, they take that money and turn it into more money whether they need it or not. They save it, and they stockpile it. When the poor or middle class get a tax break, they spend that money thereby creating more jobs.

I’m sick and tired of hearing the Friedman philosophy. It’s stupid on its face, and it makes me Bitchy. And when I get bitchy, the only relief I can find lies in calling you for the idiot that you are for perpetuating such an obviously disprovably myth.

Stop advocating for the people that have the means and opportunity to be greedy, and adopt some greed for yourselves. They (like me) think you’re dumbfucks for supporting them anyway.


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Monday, July 11, 2011

About the Liars on Ravelry

Shawl by Sesser
Shawl, a photo by Sesser on Flickr.
I swear, when I started knitting the Icarus Shawl by Ysolda Teague, I read on Ravelry that someone knit the large version of the shawl with two skeins of Berocco Ultra Alpaca.

I'm here to tell you that there are lying b*tches on Ravelry.

2.5 Skeins Berocco Ultra Alpaca.
Stocking stitch: small version
Lace repeats: same number as for large shawl

  1. I had my suspicions that Ravelry was filthy with liars. Lovely shawl though.

  2. This is beautiful! I love your shawl.


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The Revolt of the Machines

Eight scientific romances by Michel Epuy, Emile Goudeau, X. Nagrien, Gaston de Pawlowski, Jules Perrin, Edouard Rod, Jules Sageret & Louis Valona
adapted by Brian Stableford

cover by Adam Tredowski

The Machine, still blowing indefatigably, abruptly turned its course northwards. When it passed by, at its strident cry, everything was suddenly destroyed, as if an evil wind, a cy-clone of devastation, a frightful volcano, had agitated there.

US$ 24.95 /GBP 16.99
5x8 tpb, 340 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1-61227-333-4

The Revolt of the Machines translated and annotated by renowned science fiction writer and scholar Brian Stableford, features eight stories written between 1865 and 1918, providing a cross-section of the early development of what the editor of the 19th century magazine La Science Ilustrée, Louis Figuier, called roman scientifique [scientific fiction].

Expanding upon the scientific speculations of the day, the stories in this volume often adopt philosophical or moral tones when conceptualizing the consequences of the discovery of anti-gravity; the breakthrough finding that life is possible after death; the mass suicide of technology; a cautionary tale of the dangers of telepathy; humans being dominated by a sub-species; a man who gets lost in history; and the exploration of Earth's newest moon, the wandering planetoid Anthea.

In every case, these scientific romances use scientific conjecture to tackle the eternal theme of what it means to be human.

Edited by Peter Gabbani

A Prodigious Discovery by X. Nagrien [Prodigieuse découverte (1866)]
Dr. Z***'s Autopsy by Edouard Rod [L'Autopsie du Dr. Z*** (1884)]
The Revolt of the Machines by Emile Goudeau [La Révolte des Machines (1891)]
The Rival Colleagues by Louis Valona [Confrères ennemis (1896)]
Monsieur Forbe's Hallucination by Jules Perrin [L'Hallucination de Monsieur Forbe (1908)]
The Race that will be Victorious by Jules Sageret [La Race qui vaincra (1908)]
The Veridical Ascension Through History of James Stout Brighton by Gaston de Pawlowski [La Véridique ascension dans l'histoire de James Stout Brighton (1909)]
Anthea; or, The Strange Planet by Michel Epuy [Anthea ou l'étrange planète (1918)]
Introduction and Notes by Brian Stableford.

read a chapter


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The Best Foods To Feed Your Eyes

kale chips

A number of nutrients can help keep your eyes healthy, and some may even improve your eyesight, an eye doctor says.

It’s particularly important to eat a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, said Dr. James McDonnell, a pediatric ophthalmologist at Loyola University Health System in Maywood, Ill.

Get The LATEST Articles Straight To Your Inbox![sailthru_widget fields=”email” sailthru_list=”Black Doctor Subscribers”]


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ANW-1252, Jazz Light > Electric Guitar Strings

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사이트 내 전체검색

 Tension Chart
Note Code Diameter
1:E CRD012 .012 0.3048 23.15 10.5007
2:B CRD016 .016 0.4064 23.26 10.5505
3:G CNW024 .024 0.6096 27.78 12.6008
4:D CNW032 .032 0.8128 27.56 12.501
5:A CNW042 .042 1.0668 25.79 11.6981
6:E CNW052 .052 1.3208 21.27 9.6479
lbs Total = 148.81    |    kg Total = 67.499

Nano-Carbon Shield AOT Coated Nickel Round Wound Electric Guitar Strings

BlackSmith electric guitar strings are made with the finest materials and manufactured using state-of-the-art automatic servo controlled winding equipment. USA made nickel and steel ensures a long lasting string with increased sustain and purer tone. Our proprietary computer controlled winding technology produces strings with very consistent tension, resulting in stable tuning, accurate intonation, and superior playability.
The Nano Carbon Shield AOT (anti oxidation technology) coating prevents oxidation and dirt build-up on the wound strings without blocking the string ground conductivity like other brands – a BlackSmith exclusive!! Sub-Zero treated plain steel strings offer brilliant tone with a silky feel. With Black Smith Nano Carbon Shield coated electric guitar strings, you will experience the perfect balance of consistency, tone, and playability. Vacuum Sealed in Patented Anti Kink Packaging Prevents Oxidation and String Damage.

ANW-1252, BlackSmith's most popular round wound "jazz" coated set, features a wound 3rd string for greater resonance and a tighter feel with extended life, thanks to our Nano-Carbon Shield AOT (Anti Oxidation Technology) coating.  Can also be used for down/drop tuning.

BlackSmith | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions of Use | Copyright © 2015 DHP Corporation. All Rights Reserved.


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Sunday, June 28, 2009

The Museum Of UnCut Funk

I just got finished visiting The Museum of UnCut Funk, a site dedicated to the celebration and preservation of the Funk. We here at the Black Superhero Blog have always had a soft spot for the Funk and this site doesn't dissapoint. With its series of Funky blogs, exhibits, and online community they seem to have it all covered. There is even have a section about Black Comic Books. It's a pretty ambitious project all in all. Check them out.

No comments:


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Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Hammerman was a Saturday Morning cartoon that chronicled the super hero adventure stories of Stanley Burrell (The real name of MC Hammer) who used his magic shoes to turn into Hammerman and fight bad guys. The show debuted on ABC in the fall of 1991 and ran for one season (12 episodes). This was at a time when MC Hammer was at the height of his career, the same year he released Too Legit to Quit.

What powers did Hammerman have? That was never made clear. He could rap, dance, and walk up walls but the powers came from the shoes and they would ultimately do some kind of unpredictable magic to save the day. All he had to do was dance in them.

This cartoon was terrible on many levels. The art and animation was bad. The whole thing seemed to be made from bad graffiti. The music wasn't any better, and the story was worse. It was kind of preachy too. I was a big fan of MC Hammer at the time and this was a big let down. I really tried to watch it but could only bring myself to check out a couple of episodes. The network was apparently quite aware of how bad this cartoon was but managed to let all the episodes run before axing the show. It was killed the same year it started. MC Hammer may have gotten an action figure but Hammerman never did.

How did Stanley Burrell become Hammerman? Check out the origin video for yourself.

Eyesofphases said...

Wow, I forgot about this show, now it reminds me of the Kid and Play show.

Marcus McElhaney said...

magical talking shoes. What?

BLESSD1 said...

I remember this show being pretty horrible too. It is definitely not one that I've been perusing eBay for on dvd. LOL

Mauricem said...

Great flash back. I know Hammer's heart was in the right place since it presented positive role-models and messages, but it was just awful. This was also around the time MC Hammer was making a cartoon of himself in real-life, so his popularity was already on a downward slide. I'm sure this show didn't help.


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Sunday, May 19, 2013

Google+ Comments

G+ comments are nice. But are they worth it?

I've just noticed that it's still possible to use blogger with a personal domain. As part of my project to reclaim my independence from the mega-corps of the internet I'm tempted. But I'll lose both the existing G+ comments and this integration.

Is it worth it?

What do you think?

Answer by G+ comments .. for now ;-/

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Mashable :
iRobot recently announced that it will outfit Brazil with 30 PackBot robots, units similar to those that have been deployed in Afghanistan, Iraq and inside Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant. Each PackBot is camera-equipped and remotely controlled to allow operators to examine suspicious objects and explore threatening environments.
The robots will work in tandem with thousands of soldiers who will be patrolling the 12 host cities in Brazil. The $7.2 million in contracts include maintenance, spares and associated equipment.
Each PackBot 510 unit typically costs around $100,000 to $200,000.
Brazilian police will also be donning some high-tech gear. Officers will sport facial-recognition camera glasses that claim to capture 400 facial images per second, then archive each face in a database that stores up to 13 million faces.
In their attempt to make “one of the most protected sports events in history,” Brazil invested $900 million to boost its security forces for the 2014 World Cup. Besides purchasing surveillance equipment and helicopters, the country reportedly acquired four Israeli-made drones to provide additional security at the FIFA Confederation next month.
Yeah. I'm sure Brazil (with massive inequality and paranoid rich people) will lead the world in cyber-security. :-(

Tuesday, May 07, 2013

RIP Ray Harryhausen

Gates of Dawn

Windows has spontaneously imploded for me, leaving me unable to use FL Studio or other music software I'm used to. So, I'm taking the opportunity to get to grips with Pure Data.

The problem is, I've always found the UI of PD fairly fiddly and off-putting. I don't want to have to think about laying everything out in 2D space when all I'm really interested in is the flow relationship between objects. Also, I've never ... ahem ... quite worked out how to do reusable components. It looks laborious to me.

Theoretically, I'm much more attracted to the SuperCollider approach of writing code. But that has some quirks. Also PD seems to be running in more interesting places (eg. as an engine in Android and iPad apps) than SuperCollider.

Because of this I decided to look into the text representation of PD patches. It's very low level, but easy to understand. So I had a quick go at creating a Python library to generate it.

The first (after a day or so of work) draft is now up on GitHub.

Already, I'm pretty excited about this. It works the way I want to think about synthesis. Objects are connected by function composition. Here, for example, is how you take any signal and turn it into a feed to FM synthesis.

def fm(sig,id=1) :
    return sin(sigadd(

Every time you call functions like "phasor" and "slider" you get new instances of the objects, added to the patch. So this is actually a declarative description of the relations between objects. It's partly inspired by my playing with signals in Elm-Lang. Though there's nothing similarly clever happening here, it's just producing a text-file.

Sliders controls are layed out automatically. Once again, it's very crude and lacking. But enough to make a small workable instrument.

Anyway, as I continue to explore Pure Data I'll do it by adding to this library. Will keep you posted with updates and some musical examples soon.

Sunday, May 05, 2013

Decluttering, Platform Wars

Various changes going on at the moment. I'm working on some new things. And I've started to feel the need for a new online identity. And to try to find some collaborators with similar interests to join me in this next project. That's something I'm going to talk about more, very soon.

But I can't keep opening up new fronts. There's a balancing / decluttering that's needed too.

I just shut my Facebook account. That was for other reasons, but it's also going to clear some space and time. And it's pushed me towards thinking about further changes.

Therefore I've decided that I'm going to close Platform Wars.

Permanently. Unless I can hand it over to someone else within the next week. It's possibly my most popular blog. But I've basically finished with it. I have nothing more interesting to say on the matter. I'm done with fantasizing about running other people's companies. It's time to worry about running my own virtual career.

Saturday, May 04, 2013

Shut Your Facebook

So, I officially shut my Facebook account.

It seems I can reactivate it at any time, just by logging in. And I can keep the option that anyone sends me a message or invite I get an email. So it's not clear exactly how much I'm "gone". (Would be interesting to hear from someone else if they still see me and my posts. What my "absence" looks like.)

But I am (kind of) out of there.

Thursday, May 02, 2013

Google Glass and Segway

Story about Google Glass looking geeky.

My comment :
Why do so many people misunderstand the Segway? Segway didn't fail because it looked dorky or was too rational. It failed because it solved the wrong problem : people don't use cars to avoid walking, they use them to a) stay dry, b) carry their junk around, c) feel safe on the streets and public transport. Segway solves none of these problems.

Is Hungary Turning Fascist?

Bloody hell!

This isn't good at all. Sign the petition.

Wednesday, May 01, 2013


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Cavalcade of One

  1. Zapheres

    Hey, first post I think. =D

    Ribbon whip?! Oh no! And that explains the gray thing. Aric, bug-boater extraordinaire.

  2. macksting

    Just for clarity’s sake, is that his shirt what he’s wearing on his head?

  3. Jloopy

    Yup, shirt. He wouldn’t want to get the top of his head sun burnt. Not that there is a sun, but I suppose it also might keep some of the radiation away… the radiation that gives off ambient light and comes equally from every direction?

  4. Goriath

    What new lands will these two discover next? Does the Purple Sea go on forever? Will Aric be stuck in the bug boat left at Lemmo’s Mercy?!

  5. Ray

    Poor Lemmo. Incidentally, I can never remember which one is Aric & which one is Lemmo. Mainly because Aric looks nerdy in my opinion, & Lemmo seems like a nerdier name to me. No offense guys. Also, where did he get the whip?

  6. macksting

    The whip’s from the ribbons and confetti strewn when the bug got cut in half by the Shovel Beam.
    I can remember Lemmo distinctly because he slightly resembles a character from Winter, and Aric wasn’t involved with Winter. Doesn’t help you much, does it?

  7. Kris-face

    If it helps, I’m naked

  8. Lemmo

    Which one, Leon?

  9. Telinicus

    that lil robot went down a hatch right? i wonder if that palm tree is actually a parascope and that island is the top of a submarine?

  10. macksting

    Sounds right, Lemmo. It’s the hat as much as anything else.

    Telinicus: An interesting idea. That would mean they could end up landing on it again, whether they want to or not.
    Of course, it’d be awful strange, since that palm tree was also the boat’s mast.

  11. camerbob

    Poor Aric. All the other people in the universe, all one of them, can walk on water, but he can’t. But, i guess he’s the only one who can go swimming in the purple goo. Also, when he went for an unexpected dip, you could see the island’s base, so it would have to be a really, really big sub. Oh, Kris-Face, that’s WTMI, waaaaaaaaay to much information.

  12. macksting

    After a brief reread of the comic so far, I side with Caspy and Goriath’s observations that Aric isn’t wearing shoes. I suspect this makes all the difference.

  13. Dave

    Thanks for my morning helping of weird. Great story, guys!

  14. Kris-face

    Camerbob, I wasn’t really. It was just a humourous interjection.

    (Actually, I was)

  15. Renee

  16. MBizzle

    I love the whip. And I love how Lemmo’s actually putting up with it.

) Your Reply...


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The Valentina

Name: The Valentina

Like an afternoon walk along a cypress-lined country road, this surround will imbue a sense of rustic Italian charm. The robust 13" deep mantel paired with two gently sloping pilasters completes its distinct presence.

Starts at $2,599.00

*Hearth Stones not included. Four Hearth Stones are recommended for this fireplace surround.


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Indian: Painting – Art – Creative

Watercolor Drawing

Art, Indian Painting with Monthly Indian Artist Art Painting of Indian Festivals, Events, Holidays and others events with Date and Time in the Art Indian Paintings Year are mention particularly. All Indian Painting – Art Graphics are completely FREE.

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Clemson Football logoClemson Football

Clemson Football: Why Sammy Watkins Should Be Considered a Heisman Front-Runner

Sammy Watkins is an early Heisman contender.
Sammy Watkins is an early Heisman contender.Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
Kevin BoilardCorrespondent IJune 19, 2012

Only two players have won the Heisman Trophy for their play at the wide receiver position: Notre Dame’s Tim Brown and Michigan’s Desmond Howard.  That’s pretty good company, but that’s not to say Clemson sophomore Sammy Watkins cannot become the next receiver to win college football’s most prestigious award.

It should come as no surprise that the Tigers’ receiver is in the early Heisman Trophy discussion.  Watkins, a Florida native, was a standout receiver while attending South Fort Myers High School, setting county records for receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.  According to, Watkins was ranked as the third best wide receiver in his class.

Watkins was able to directly translate his high school success into the Division I ranks.  Flashing onto the scene as a true freshman, Watkins reeled in 82 passes for 1,219 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2011.  His speed and athleticism made Watkins Clemson’s most dangerous offensive threat in only his first season with the team.

To understand what it takes for a wide receiver to win the Heisman Trophy, it is essential to evaluate what Brown and Howard were able to do in the years that they won the award.

In 1987, Brown won the Heisman with 39 catches for 846 yards and three touchdowns (via  Howard caught 61 balls for 910 yards and 19 touchdowns during his 1991 Heisman campaign

While Watkins’ freshman year totals for catches and yards already dwarf those of Brown and Howard, he will have to be explosive in other aspects of the game in order to remain in the Heisman hunt.

MIAMI GARDENS, FL - JANUARY 04:  Sammy Watkins #2 of the Clemson Tigers runs for yards after the catch against Eain Smith #24 of the West Virginia Mountaineers during the Discover Orange Bowl at Sun Life Stadium on January 4, 2012 in Miami Gardens, Florid
Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Brown and Howard were also effective running the ball.  Brown was handed the ball 34 times his senior year, maintaining a 4.2 yards per carry average and adding a rushing touchdown.  Howard, who was explosive whenever he touched the ball, rushed for 112 yards and two touchdowns on only 12 attempts.

The two previous Heisman winning receivers were also electrifying producers on special teams.  While Brown excelled on punt returns, taking three back for touchdowns in 1987, Howard was a kick return specialist, averaging 31.1 yards per return in 1991.  In addition to a kick return for a touchdown, Howard also had a punt return for a touchdown when he won the Heisman Trophy.

In 2011, Watkins showed signs that he can be effective in more than one facet of the game.  The wide receiver took 32 handoffs for 231 yards (7.2 yards per carry) last year.  He also returned 33 kickoffs for 826 yards and a touchdown (via

Watkins will need to expand on his production outside of catching passes if he wants to steal enough Heisman attention from top quarterback candidates to potentially win the Trophy.  A quarterback has been awarded the Heisman in ten of the past 11 years.  However, a few rushing or return touchdowns in 2012 could sway a few voters in Watkins’ direction.

Another huge factor in Watkins’ Heisman potential is how well his team performs.  Clemson will be in the top 25 of many preseason rankings, including this one by ESPN’s Mark Schlabach, which has the Tigers at 16th.

Last year, Andrew Luck was a heavy preseason favorite to win the Heisman.  However, Robert Griffin III led Baylor to an unprecedented amount of success, including the school’s first victory over Oklahoma.  Griffin III’s performance against top teams like No. 14 TCU, No. 5 Oklahoma and No. 24 Texas were too difficult to ignore, earning him the Heisman Trophy over Luck.

Clemson will have to dominate the ACC, and Watkins will have to be a huge part of the offense if he wishes to remain in the Heisman conversation.  Last year, Clemson dropped conference matchups against Georgia Tech and North Carolina State.  Those two losses need to be turned into wins in 2012.

The Tigers also need to fare well against the SEC, which is college football’s most competitive conference.  Clemson’s schedule is bookended by SEC schools Auburn and South Carolina.  If they can manage to pull off quality wins over Auburn in September and South Carolina in November, Clemson will gain more credibility as a legitimate FBS contender and Watkins’ Heisman chances will skyrocket.

Watkins and his Tigers know they will have to improve on what they did in 2011.  With a slightly different looking team, that may not be too tall of an order.

Quarterback Tajh Boyd is a year older and will be looking to improve on his already stellar quarterback rating of 141.2 (via  Boyd can start improving by assessing his performance in last year’s losing efforts.  In the four games that Clemson lost (including the Discover Orange Bowl against West Virginia), Boyd threw only four touchdowns and seven interceptions.  If Boyd can turn some of those turnovers into touchdown passes, Watkins Heisman dreams will have a chance to come to life.

Also, tight end Dwayne Allen will not be returning to the Tigers in 2012, as he was selected 64th overall by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2012 draft.  The departure of Allen, who caught eight touchdowns in 2011, will result in a lot more balls thrown Watkins’ way.

Watkins is a truly unique talent in college football.  The receiver position may garner limited attention when it comes to Heisman voting, but Clemson’s star wide out has already made a name for himself on the national level.  Watkins was only the third true freshman ever to be named a first-team All-American by the Associated Press.  Watkins’ eyes must now be glued to the Heisman Trophy.

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Green Bay Packers logoGreen Bay Packers

Green Bay Packers: Should the Packers Try to Sign Jimmy Graham?

SEATTLE, WA - JANUARY 11:  Tight end Jimmy Graham #80 of the New Orleans Saints looks on in the first half while taking on the Seattle Seahawks during the NFC Divisional Playoff Game at CenturyLink Field on January 11, 2014 in Seattle, Washington.  (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
Jeff Gross/Getty Images
Michael KimbleContributor IIIMarch 3, 2014

Jimmy Graham has been franchise tagged by the New Orleans Saints, and already people are speculating on whether a team will give up two first-round draft picks to offer the Saints in exchange for him.

On Monday morning, ESPN's Adam Schefter tweeted that the Seahawks and Packers should consider the move.

If I'm the Seattle Seahawks or Green Bay Packers, I'm willing to sign TE Jimmy Graham to an offer sheet and to give up two 1's to get him.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 3, 2014

If the Packers were to give up two first-round picks, it would be a very risky and expensive proposition. But if they added Graham to an already potent offense featuring Aaron Rodgers, Eddie Lacy, Jordy Nelson, and Randall Cobb, Green Bay's already great offense could be the best in the league.

Graham is an incredible talent who tilts the field, and he would give Rodgers another weapon that could make the Packers unstoppable on the offensive side of the ball.

On the other hand, the Packers have plenty of needs, and most of them are on the defensive side of the ball. Losing two first-round picks could hamper the development of this defense—especially since general manager Ted Thompson builds his team primarily through the draft.

In addition, looking at recent history, a strong defense may be necessary to compete against teams like the Seahawks and 49ers, even if the Packers would have a far superior offense than either of those teams with Graham on the field.

The Atlanta Falcons were one team that gave up draft picks to load up on one side of the ball. In the 2011 draft, they gave up five draft picks for Julio Jones.

Although Atlanta's offense became even more potent with Jones on the field, they were unable to address their needs on defense. And although the Falcons went 13-3 in 2012, they disappointed with a 4-12 record the next year, and have failed to win more than one playoff game since.

Bringing in Jimmy Graham could be a fantastic move for the Packers, and one that many Packer fans would be excited about.

But not only is Ted Thompson not one to give up draft picks for a free agent, but this move could prove to be more of a risk than the Packers would be willing to take.

After the 2013 season, it is clear that they need to work on their defense, and if they give up two first-round picks, it could make it more difficult to improve there.

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Portland Trail Blazers logoPortland Trail Blazers

Damian Lillard Reportedly Finalizing Lucrative New Shoe Deal with Adidas

Getty Images
Dan FavaleFeatured ColumnistApril 2, 2014

Damian Lillard will not be spending the rest of his NBA days playing barefoot.

A league source told CSSNW's Chris Haynes that the star point guard is on the verge of signing a fat shoe deal that will keep him with Adidas.

"Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard and adidas are on the cusp of finalizing a multiyear, lucrative shoe endorsement deal," he writes.

Back in February, it was Haynes who revealed that Lillard would opt out of his current agreement with Adidas. Rival companies were expected to aggressively pursue the sophomore sensation, with Haynes noting that Nike stood the "best chance of luring Lillard away from adidas."

Rather than risk losing their top "feet agent," Haynes says Adidas took advantage of an exclusive negotiating window:

Adidas had a 30-day exclusive window to reach an agreement with Lillard and that period was set to expire on April. 1, according to another source briefed on the situation. If a deal was not reached, conversations with Nike and other shoe rivals would have commenced as soon as this week, we’re told.

However, the talks have progressed to the point where adidas is in the driver’s seat.

Adidas was in no position to lose Lillard. Not with Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls currently collecting on a nine-figure pact without playing. It needs a young, healthy and up-and-coming face for its brand. Lillard is the best option at this point.

As Blazer's Edge's Ben Golliver reminds us, Lillard "has worn adidas shoes throughout his NBA career but he does not yet have his own signature line." Expect that signature line to come soon, now that Lillard is locked down for the foreseeable future.

"We’re close,” Lillard told Haynes of the new contract. "Nothing final yet."

While it's unclear how much Lillard's deal is actually worth, the term "lucrative" speaks for itself, as does the full-court press Adidas put on Portland's point man.

Last month, Adidas made him a pair of "#4BarFriday" shoes that had lyrics he wrote printed on it. You have to imagine that was all part of the wooing process.

Whatever works, I guess. Whatever Adidas actually did, it worked. Lillard isn't going anywhere. He won't be poached by Nike, Brand Jordan, Under Armour or FUBU Reebok. He's still an Adidas guy.

All that's left to wonder now is how much it cost to keep him from joining competing brands.

What kind of rich is Adidas about to make Lillard?

Swimming-in-hundy-sticks loaded? Drowning-in-hundy-sticks affluent? Suits-and-houses-made-of-money wealthy?

"I'm excited," he told Haynes.

As you should be, Damian. As you should be.

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Iowa Hawkeyes Football logoIowa Hawkeyes Football

Iowa On The Search For 9-0

STATE COLLEGE, PA - SEPTEMBER 26:  Ricky Stanzi #12 of the Iowa Hawkeyes throws a pass while playing the Penn State Nittnay Lions on September 26, 2009 at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pennsylvania. Iowa won the game 21-10. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Cornielius Jackson-EdwardsCorrespondent IOctober 27, 2009

After Marvin McNutt's game-winning touchdown catch with no time on the block to beat the Michigan State Spartans, the Iowa Hawkeyes are now 8-0 for the first time in team history, and they are looking to go 9-0 after they play the Indiana Hoosiers on Saturday.  Iowa has not been giving up this year and they've won some tough battles. They still have four games of hard football left when they play Indiana, Northwestern, Ohio State, and Minnesota. All those games are home games for the Hawkeyes except Ohio State which should be the toughest game left for them.

Iowa's running game has gone downhill with Shonn Greene going to the NFL and Jewel Hampton hurting his knee and he won't play at all this season. True freshman Adam Robinson and Brandon Wegher have been doing a good job for the Hawkeyes this season. Both have been hidden factors for the offense.

If Iowa can win the Big Ten, they will go to Pasadena, CA to play in the Rose Bowl. Go Hawkeyes.

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New York Yankees logoNew York Yankees

Jesus Montero: 10 Yankees with Most Unfair Expectations of All Time

Chris SbalcioCorrespondent ISeptember 11, 2011

Jesus Montero: 10 Yankees with Most Unfair Expectations of All Time

1 of 11

    Highly-touted No. 1 prospect Jesus Montero made his major league debut for the Yankees on Sept. 1, but even before that he was one of the most popular subject for fans in the Bronx.

    His name had been in the headlines before amongst trade rumors, most notably of the near-deal to the Mariners for Cliff Lee, but somehow he managed to stay put right down in the Yankees' minor league system. He clearly had a lot of pressure on him when he finally got the call, as expectations were high.

    So, I was thinking, with the rich history of the Yankees, there must have been other players who were brought up, or traded for, or signed who had what must of felt like the weight of the world on their shoulders.

    After all, Hall-of-Famers have to be replaced eventually, and usually the Yankees do all they can to try to make those transitions as seamless as possible.

    When I think of the players with even bigger expectations than the others, 10 players come to mind. These 10 guys were tasked with replacing all-time greats or carrying a team in desperate need of some help.

CC Sabathia

2 of 11

    After what can only be described as a train wreck of a season in 2008, when the Yankees missed the playoffs for the first time since 1993 thanks to the reigning world champion Red Sox and the worst-to-first Rays, everyone knew it was time for a change in the Bronx, literally.

    The Yankees had just closed their old home in September, and they would be damned if their shining new stadium didn't see October baseball in its first season. So, they set out on a mission to use that year's star-studded free agent market to immediately make themselves World Series favorites.

    They made three huge signings totaling near half a billion dollars in total salary. Now, A.J. Burnett pitched well in 2009, and Mark Teixeira has been invaluable to the team, but the real prize of that offseason was the big man, CC Sabathia.

    CC was signed to act as the Yankees ace, and essentially to pitch better than anyone in the AL for the duration of his contract. He was the one expected to lead the Yankees to their first championship since 2000, and he didn't disappoint.

    CC has pitched better overall than anyone in the AL over the last three seasons, and he was one of the main factors of the 2009 championship. He came to the Bronx with massive expectations, and he has actually been better than anyone could have hoped for.

Alex Rodriguez

3 of 11

    After an offseason accident during a pickup basketball game, 2003 ALCS hero Aaron Boone was lost to the Yankees. And with the Yankees being the Yankees, there was only one player that Brian Cashman wanted to replace him with, and that was Alex Rodriguez. Eventually A-Rod was acquired from Texas, and as the "best player in baseball," the expectations were higher than normal.

    A-Rod had some trouble fitting in with the team-oriented Yankees, but eventually shed his self-centered exterior and started to play for the championship, not for his stat line. He had some fantastic years before winning it all in 2009, but until he got that ring, he had not met the expectations Yankee fans had had of him.

    Now the only thing left is that home run record...

Roger Clemens

4 of 11

    It was the middle of the late '90s dynasty, and the Yankees couldn't seem to do anything other than win, but George Steinbrenner was not satisfied. He wanted former Red Sox', and at that time Blue Jays', ace Roger Clemens, and he wanted him badly.

    Finally, he struck a deal with Toronto packaged around the man who had pitched a perfect game the year prior, David Wells, and the Rocket was a Yankee.

    Everyone knew what Clemens was capable of being, as he had won the Cy Young Award and Triple Crown in his past two seasons pitching against the Bombers in the AL East. With the Yankees fresh off arguably the greatest single season of all time in 1998, the pressure was on for Roger to fit in and not mess up the team chemistry that had led the '98 team to 125 wins.

    He had a bit of an adjustment period, but he eventually found his way in pinstripes, winning two championships in the Bronx as well as a Cy Young Award.

Hideki Matsui

5 of 11

    When Hideki Matsui signed with the Yankees prior to the 2003 season, there was literally a parade down the streets of Tokyo celebrating his joining the storied franchise. Reporters and photographers actually followed him to the MLB

    Matsui was a superstar in Japan, and everyone loved him, so his move to New York was expected to generate a lot of exposure for the MLB in Japan, with all of the Yankees' games being broadcast there. The expectations for him were insane to say the least.

    However, Matsui met just about every single one of them. It took a year for him to get accustomed to MLB pitchers, and in 2003 his power numbers were not present as he only hit 16 home runs, but the next year he almost doubled that total when he hit 31 and returned to his "Godzilla" status.

    During his last year as a Yankee, Matsui helped the Yankees capture their 27th World Series title, earning himself World Series MVP honors with his fantastic performance in the series-clinching Game 6.  When he returned to Yankee Stadium for the 2010 home opener as a member of the Angels, Yankees fans gave him a standing ovation when he was awarded his World Series ring.

Kei Igawa

6 of 11

    When Kei Igawa was brought over from Japan, he was supposed to be one of the best pitchers in the Nippon Professional Baseball league. However, his numbers had been on the decline in Japan for a few seasons before being posted.

    While that should have been enough of a red flag for most teams to steer clear, for some reason beyond my understanding it wasn't for the Yankees. They submitted a winning bid of around $26 million, then signed Igawa to a five-year deal worth $20 million. He made his MLB debut in 2007.

    Obviously, Igawa was a massive mistake. He never once showed any kind of potential to even be a fifth starter-type pitcher on the Yankees. The expectations were for Igawa to be the dominant pitcher who had consistently led the Central League in NPB in strikeouts.

    Everyone was excited for his debut, especially after the Yankees' first experience with Japanese success with Hideki Matsui. However, despite the unfair expectations, Igawa was still a total failure. If he had been an average pitcher, the Yankees would have been disappointed, but at least his name wouldn't have gone down in infamy in the organization.

Carl Pavano

7 of 11

    Yankees fans are some of baseball's most loyal fans. If a player leaves and joins another team, they will welcome him back during his visits to Yankee Stadium with cheers and applause. There are really only three things a player can do to tarnish his name as a Yankee.

    First, the obvious one, is that he can join the hated rivals, the Boston Red Sox. Generally, Yankees fans aren't too thrilled with traitors. Second, he can play absolutely horribly. Even if he's bad, they'll forgive him as long as he doesn't single-handedly blow a postseason series. Finally, Yankees fans will despise a player if he steals from the team, and no one has done this more so than Carl Pavano.

    Now tell me, how many of you readers that are Yankee fans read that name and silently cursed his name? I'll bet most of you. Carl Pavano signed with the Yankees just one year removed from shutting them down in the 2003 World Series.

    Yankees players and fans alike remembered how dominant Pavano was when playing for the ultimate prize, so he seemed like a perfect fit for the pinstripes. He was expected to be a top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher for the Yankees, and one who could help them silence the new world champion Boston Red Sox.

    These were some lofty expectations, but Pavano seemed to go out of his way to not meet a single one of them. In fact, over the course of his four-year contract, he didn't even pitch a full season's worth of games. Injury after injury led to Pavano making only 28 starts for the Yankees, and fans have yet to forgive him for essentially stealing $40 million from their team.

Hideki Irabu

8 of 11

    The late Hideki Irabu was the Yankees' first experiment with Japanese players, so needless to say, they were expecting great things. Irabu had been one of Japan's best pitchers the three season's prior to his joining the Yankees, with him leading the league in wins once, ERA twice and strikeouts all three times.

    The Yankees actually made a trade for Irabu instead of buying him outright, as Irabu had told the media that he only wanted to pitch for them, rejecting an offer from the Padres first. His debut was highly publicized with him being the first Japanese player to join the Yankees, as fans were excited to see this new foreign pitcher.

    Irabu had mixed success in the MLB. He was an alright pitcher, but he was not reliable and was only awarded one postseason start despite being a member of both the 1998 and 1999 World Series-winning New York teams.

    George Steinbrenner despised him for not living up to his expectations, and it is widely known that he called Irabu a rather inappropriate and unflattering name. After 1999 he was traded to the Montreal Expos, and didn't have much success from then on.

    *Sadly, Hideki Irabu was found dead in his home near Los Angeles on July 27, 2011 in what is thought to have been a suicide. He left behind a wife and two children. The Yankees had a ceremony at Yankee Stadium in his honor in the days following his death.

Mickey Mantle

9 of 11

    When the great Mickey mantle was first called up, he had in front of him the task of overcoming the shadow of the Yankee Clipper, Joltin' Joe DiMaggio. Obviously, DiMaggio was an American superstar, but playing in the last season of his illustrious career. Mantle was essentially auditioning for the role of DiMaggio's successor, and with that came some lofty expectations. DiMaggio was a living legend, so to replace him, Mantle had to be just as good, if not better, than one of the game's best players of all time.

    Turns out he was just as good, if not better.

    Mantle played 18 seasons, all with the New York Yankees, winning seven World Series titles, three MVP Awards, and being named to 20 different All-Star teams (from 1959-1962 there were two All-Star Games each year).

    On top of his MVP and World Series ring from 1956, Mantle also captured the Triple Crown, one of only 15 times in history that a player won the hitting version of the award. Mantle would eventually have his number retired by the Yankees and have a monument erected in his honor out in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium.

    Mickey Mantle had some pretty unfair expectations coming in, but he went so far above them that people today forget he succeeded DiMaggio. They only think of him as one of the greatest players in the history of the game.

Bobby Murcer

10 of 11

    The late Bobby Murcer first came to the big leagues playing in the shadow of the great Mickey Mantle. After serving some time in the military, he returned to baseball with a much larger role on the Yankees, replacing the Mick.

    Just as Mantle had been tasked with replacing a living legend in the person of Joe DiMaggio, Murcer had to do the same with Mantle.  n fact, Murcer was hyped up to be "the next Mantle," further increasing the expectations for him.

    Murcer was no Mantle, and he didn't meet the extraordinary expectations set for him as the supposed third straight Hall-of-Famer in the Yankee outfield, but he was a great player. He was a five-time All-Star, and although he never won a championship, he will always be remembered for his leadership following the death of Yankee captain Thurman Munson.

Jesus Montero

11 of 11

    Jesus Montero has been on his way to the Bronx for what feels like forever. Constantly ranking near the top of Baseball America's annual list of top prospects, Montero placed third overall this season, behind only Bryce Harper of the Nationals and Mike Trout of the Angels.

    As I previously mentioned, Montero's name has been floating around in trade rumors for the past two years, and never in anything but potential deals for All-Star players.

    The Yankees thought very highly of him, and originally envisioned him as a possible replacement for Jorge Posada behind the plate. While he did end up replacing Posada, it hasn't been behind the plate. Montero has made all of his starts as the designated hitter, as the Yankees do not want to disrupt the relationships already established with their current rotation and catchers Russell Martin and Francisco Cervelli.

    So, this put on additional pressure for Montero to do the one thing the Yankees knew he could, and that's hit. So far, he hasn't disappointed and has been driving the ball quite nicely. While the Yankees have been starting him against lefties, he will likely earn himself the everyday DH duties as he has shown that he can hit right-handers well, hitting his first two home runs of a right-handed pitcher.

    Montero is being asked to turn a once-amazing lineup into an elite one, and if he's up to the challenge, it could mean a parade in the Bronx this October.

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Thursday, December 31, 2009

This Way ThursWay and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

This sign is posted at the dog beach here in Venice, Florida, but it's good advice anywhere : )

Today is our 18th wedding anniversary.  Victor wanted a very private service and a great big party, so we chose New Year's Eve.  Service was outdoors at a friends house with very few attendees; reception was a hog roast for over 200 people.  Here is a picture from that day, and one from our 15th anniversary when we renewed our vows.  Enjoy and Happy New Year.

Thanks to all the wonderful folks who visit my blog.  My apologies - I have been a bit lax in returning comments.  I'll get better, I promise.  Peace.  B : )

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

ABC Wednesday - Are sonograms X rays?

If not, I guess I'll have to be disqualified - oh no!  If you have an X picture (not X rated) to share, or want to see what others came up with, please click the button on the right.

Peace and Happy New Year.  B : )

Watery Wednesday

Happy Watery Wednesday and almost New Year.  To see some really spectacular water shots, and perhaps add yours, please click on the button to the right.

When the Queen Mum and I went to the Venice Theater (fka Venice Little Theater) on our annual jaunt to see A Christmas Carol, I found this little puddle when we parked the car.  For some reason I cannot explain, it has captured my fancy.  I thought I'd share it so anyone else with an insane fancy could enjoy it too.

Peace to you and your loved ones throughout the coming year.  B : )

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Ruby Tuesday

Please click on the button to the right if you'd like to share your red gems and/or see some more.

This was the outside of the package I received for Christmas from my elder Step-Daughter, Ashley.  To me it is perfection.
And this is the inside of the package, also total perfection.  Ashley made this.

Peace to all of you.  B : )

Monday, December 28, 2009

Mellow Yellow Monday

Sure hope these are considered yellow enough to be included.  If you'd like to be included, please click on the button to the right.

More goodies found in my yard, just the other day.  Peace.  B : )

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Shadow Shot Sunday

What with the holidays and retirement, I totally lost track of what day of the week it is - good thing I have this blog to remind me : )  Were your Christmas celebrations wonderful?  Mine were, but of course.

I have a particular fascination for the little curly things that vines of all kinds make, and I've been taking lots of pix of them for what I don't know - maybe my gallery opening - hahahahaha that's a joke, son.  Anyway, I noticed this one had a great shadow or two on it, so here it is.  If you'd care to join in, please click on the button to the right.

Have a wonderful Sunday.  Peace.  B : )

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Camera Critters - Submarine Spider

Sometimes it seems that Wolf Spiders are an exercise in futility.  They seem to be attracted to water all the time, but they die instantly when they get in it.  What a shame!  This fellow went swimming and landed at the bottom of our pool with some other debris.  Poor guy.

Keep your heads above water.  Peace.  B : )

Friday, December 25, 2009

SkyWatch Friday

Christmas morning

Merry Christmas!  Peace.  B : )

Thursday, December 24, 2009

This Way ThursWay

Here's my sign:

Merry Christmas!
Click on the button to the right to join in.
Peace.  B : )

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

ABC Wednesday - W is for Woof, there's a puppy on your butt

Just click on the ABC button to the right if you'd like to join in, or just look.  Peace.  B : )

Watery Wednesday

I actually caught a shot of rain!  Never thought it would work, but when I looked at it, there it was!!

Pardon the unfinished garage - you know how it is - the shoemaker's children go without shoes and all that.  But look at the rain!!  Have a very merry Christmas.  Peace.  B : )  Oops almost forgot - click on the Watery Wednesday button to the right to see some really wonderful pictures!

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Ruby Tuesday

As promised, the update on the pomegranates.  This is what happened:

And this one fell off so I put it to good use:

Happy Ruby Tuesday.  Be safe doing your last minute Christmas errands.  Merry Christmas.  Peace.  B : )

Monday, December 21, 2009

Mellow Yellow Monday

If you would like to see more yellow, or enter your own, please click on the button to the right.

Several times a year we get yellow flowers cascading down upon us.  We rarely see them until they fall because they have grown way up into the old oak tree that holds the swing.  Here are a few pix showing how they spend their days.

Have a mellow Monday - last one before Christmas.  Merry Christmas.  Peace. B : )

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Weekend Reflections

Usually, I don't participate in this blog, although I appreciate all the wonderful pictures.  I simply don't usually have any reflection photos.  But I got some yesterday and decided to share today.  If you wish to do the same, please go visit James at and join in on the Weekend Reflections fun.  Here's mine:

Couldn't decide which I liked best, so here are both of them.  Merry Christmas.  Peace.  B : )

Shadow Shot Sunday

This morning I was transferring and organizing the pictures I had taken in the last couple of days.  Yesterday I went to take pix to show how the deciduous peach tree was losing all its leaves, and discovered it had two little blossoms.  That was pretty neat in itself; but, today while organizing, I saw that the pix also included shadows of me taking them....which makes this an accidental shadow shot : )  Evidently I was feeling pretty creative and decided to see how it would look in black and white.  To me, the color looks like it's Spring, and the black and white looks like its Winter.  You'll have to make up your own mind.  Either way, please click on the button to the right and join the photo fun.

Merry Christmas.  Peace.  B : )

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Camera Critters

That little Camera Critters button over to the right there - see it?  Clicking that will take you to worlds of photo fun.  Try it.

Here's Zimmie in her water bucket.

Since  Iguanas don't drink very often, preferring to get the water from their food, want to guess what she's doing in there???  Merry Christmas.  Peace.  B : )

Friday, December 18, 2009

Fertilizer Friday

These are wildflowers (some may say weeds) out in the yard.  I can't take the credit for fertilizing them, but I guess the dogs can : )  The reason I took several shots is to try to show you just how tiny these perfect little flowers are.  That's my little finger in the one picture.

Don't you just love tiny things?  Merry Christmas.  Peace.  B : )
P.S.  Tune in on Ruby Tuesday for an update on those pomegranates.
P.P.S.  If you want to show off your flowers, click on the button on the right.

SkyWatch Friday - can't do just one

Sorry for posting so many pix, but this is like a series.  Here's the story:  God, Mother Nature, whomever you believe in, opened a bottle of champagne.  The bubbles are getting closer and closer until they appear to hit my lens.  Can you see it??

Thanks for indulging my strange imagination.  If you'd care to join in on the SkyWatch fun, just click on the button to the right.  Merry Christmas.  Peace.  B : )

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

ABC Wednesday - brought to you by the letter V

In my life the letter V would have to represent Victor, my husband, since he has filled my life for 18 1/2 years now - he has made it better, he has made it fuller, he has made it more fun, he has given me children I didn't have to birth, and now a grandchild, and a whole host of siblings and aunts and uncles and best of all, a Mother and Father.  No, he's not perfect - who is, but God?  But life has sure been better with him than without.  Thank you, Victor (and God).

And, as an added bonus, there are Lincoln and Jeffie.  Peace.  B : )  Click on the alphabet button to the right to join in.

Watery Wednesday

This is a little fountain outside the movie theater where my friend Jennifer (the Queen Mum) and I went to see Disney's A Christmas Carol.  When we came out I wanted to get some pictures, so Jen sat in the car and I walked over to the fountain.  As soon as I raised the camera, the fountain waters went down; I raised, the water went down; Jennifer laughed; I raised, the water went down; Jennifer laughed harder.  Finally, I managed to outwit the water and stop laughing myself long enough to get this shot.  I think it was worth it : )

Life is short, laugh it up while you can.  Merry Christmas.  Peace.  B : ) Click on the Watery Wednesday button to the right to join in.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Ruby Tuesday

Our first venture into pomegranates.  We don't even know for sure if this is the fruit or part of the blossom process or what - but we're dying to see.  Evidently the only pomegranate that grows here is the Vietnamese Pomegranate so that's what this is.  Merry Christmas!  Peace.  B : )

Monday, December 14, 2009

Mellow Yellow Monday, Shadow Shot Sunday, Color Carnival, Camera Critters

Sorry, I was sick and could not post, so now I'm catching up:
Mellow Yellow Monday

There was a large building in Englewood that never got finished being built, for years and years.  They started calling it the Beirut Building.  Finally, it got demolished and this is what was left the day I got there.  Sad. Very Sad.
Shadow Shot Sunday

My apologies if you are afraid of bugs - this could be a nightmare!  A big fat beetle caught on the Venetian Waterway Park.
Color Carnival

Some of my cardstock and patterned paper that I use in my papercrafting hobby.  BTW if anyone is local and knows of a papercrafter who could use some of these (empty of course) I have two more for sale.
Camera Critters

Uh Oh - more nightmares!  This is the caterpillar that eats only the Pipe Vine (pix of which I have shown you before).  They then later hatch into the pipe vine butterfly.  I don't have any pictures of the butterfly or the pupae, but if I get any, I will certainly show you.  Have a wonderful Monday.  Merry Christmas.  Peace.  B : )

Friday, December 11, 2009

Fertilizer Friday

Have you ever seen a Mother-in-law's Tongue bloom?  I haven't, but here it is doing just that in our yard!  This was when I first noticed it:

And these are a little later:

Bloom where you're planted.
Merry Christmas!
B : )

SkyWatch Friday

Is there anything prettier than Jacob's Ladders?  Go see and find out for yourself - just click the SkyWatch Friday button to the right.  Peace.  B : )

Thursday, December 10, 2009

This Way ThursWay

Whew!  Our cable was out from early afternoon and still out when I went to bed yesterday.  Having withdrawals.  But I got it together enough to give you a picture.  This is probably more information than you want or need, but - the only part of me I take any kind of care of is my hair.  I buy it good products and every six to eight weeks, I get it trimmed.  The other day was one of those days.  I pulled up to the parking spots and there was only one open - but to my surprise it seemed to be reserved just for me!

Can you see it yet?  Probably not, but I wanted to show you my car.  I drove a Geo Spectrum for 10 years; drove the kids around with no safety features, etc., then I splurged and bought the most beautiful car in the world, but I don't want to talk about that.  Because...shortly after, we got Fred, and a month or so after that we got Jack and they didn't fit very well in that car, so I got this, my Chrysler PT Cruiser.  And it may not be beautiful but it is the BEST car in the world.  This was one of the original ones made and it needs a paint job and it's about to be 9 or 10 years old on December 22nd, but it's still like a party every single time I get in it.  I just love it.  It's only had the back seats in maybe a half dozen times, when I used to tote around my Little Sister, so they're brand new. At one point my husband bought an HHR and I thought I might like one of them, but Jeff had to bend his head to fit; the seats didn't fold down low enough. The sign on the back went up when we got Josie and it's falling off now and there are no longer three Greyhounds, but I still see peoples' reactions in my rear view mirror.  I used to love to pass Greyhound buses on I-75, just so the drivers could read my sign, hee hee.  But I digress - now on to a close up of the sign:

If you have some good signs, click on the button to the right and join in.  Peace.  B : )  MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

ABC Wednesday - U is for Unconditional Love

Once again, I direct you to the right for a button to click to join in on the alphabet fun.

That's Ricky tucked under Victor's chin.  These two belong to each other, completely.  Hope you have some unconditional love in your life, today and every day.  Peace.  B : )
Related Posts with Thumbnails


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Monday, July 21, 2008

Adventures in Painting

Sister #2 had put a coat of paint on the hall that I primed last weekend when I reached mom's house Saturday. UGLY. None of us liked it. So, we wound up hunting up old cans of yellow and beige paint to mix with what we thought was a putty color. I've never seen putty that dark or ugly. We found two half gallons of old paint and in a 5 gallon bucket, we mixed it all up. It turned out pretty well, all things considered and we began repainting the hall and finished the living room. We really wanted to get to the den as well, but the trim was soooo time consuming, we ran out of time. Back again next Saturday to work on the den.

Mom has been driving herself around, and even went to Dumas to purchase some corn to put in the freezer. She paid for that long trip with a sore side, but otherwise she was fine. Today we see the oncologist for a visit. She's been having some trouble sleeping, so Nurse practitioner gave her some Ambien that seems to be working well. Her hair is beginning to come out a little, but she is unconcerned. I think that is the one thing that will break my heart. I know it's necessary, and little enough to bear if the chemo works, but it's almost as if it makes it real to me. If that makes any sense at all.

I had a peaceful day yesterday and even received a call from a California cousin I haven't talked to in a long time. That was a nice visit.

LeLe said...

Are we gonna do our three generations picture any time soon?

Sooz said...

I hate to say that the hair is the hardest most real part of cancer, but it very much is...BUT fortunately it grows back and most of the time its even more beautiful than before!
Glad the painting is coming along.


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Listen to free music played by dizzydiver

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Blip.fm is internet radio made social. It's easy to search for, play, and discover free music recommended by real people. Join today to create your own free station and start listening to @dizzydiver.

What other DJs are saying about Float On - Modest Mouse (HQ) High Quality

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Blip.fm is internet radio made social. It's easy to search for, play, and discover free music recommended by real people. Join today to create your own free station and start listening to @dugitman.

dugitman Looking forward to @blitzentrapper at The Vogue in August. (reblip)

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Wednesday, April 30, 2014

his finest five minutes

Long Good Friday been on my mind recently

Monday, April 28, 2014

are eye pea DJ EZ Rock

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Hours 'n' garage

A lot of Mustard's Ratchet & B tracks sound like slowed-down house, slowed-down garage.

Reminding me of things like

The languid male vocals, sensuality with a tinge of sadness.


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Why Your Customer Is Your Best Micro-Influencer

by Emily Oswalt on October 25, 2016

micro-influencers customers.png

We've talked about micro-influencers before, and how we really like their potential for regional, B2B branding and sales. But we wanted to dive deeper into just how you can find micro-influencers – and why you should start looking among your own customers! Feeling hesitant about recruiting long-term customers into a marketing role? Here's why it's a surprisingly effective strategy:

 You Already Have the Right Opening

One of the more annoying, schedule-filling parts of finding any type of influencer is making first contact and trying to find a way to say, "I really need your audience." You don't have that problem with customers. In fact, the opening into the marketing influencer discussion is right there, because they're already your customers. You don't have to wait, or go out and search for people you've never heard of before – you just have to talk to the customers you're already speaking to!

Personal Relationships are Very Powerful

Research has shown that around 90% of consumers trust peer recommendations (only 33% trust ads, by the way). So, who are your buyers' peers? Other potential buyers! The customers you already have are the best representatives of your products because their peers will listen to them. It can be far more effective to recruit customers as influencers than to use content from people that your local buyers haven't even heard about before. Never underestimate the trust factor!

Influencing and Purchasing Can Go Hand in Hand

On the technical side, you are probably already creating the content to recruit customers as micro-influencers – you just aren't using it the right way yet. Think about the thank you emails that you send, the pop-up contact forms you use for conversions, the follow-up messages with other suggestions or new product announcements: Those are all vehicles that can be used to talk about the possibility of micro-influencing. Happy customers are more likely to agree to help out – after all, it's only a small step above giving testimonials – but you need to ask them at the right time. Try incorporating influencer messaging in the communication options you already use.

They Probably Know Things About Your Local Market That You Don't

Remember, your customers represent a valuable side of the industry and may be able to help far more than you realize. They may hear about changes before you, especially when it comes to the local level. A great way to tap into this knowledge resource is to establish influencer marketing relationships with your most capable customers. We don't suggest trying this with every customer, but the right buyers can do a lot more than just guest blog for you or mention you on their social media feeds – they can provide valuable insight into the industry!

There are Plenty of Ways to Use Them

You already have plenty of data to help you reach large numbers of customer influencers! Now you just need to use that data in the right way. Fortunately, plenty of online tools can help out. Social Media Today has a great little story about how Shoes of Prey worked with micro-influencers to create a product giveaway, which in turn increased sales by 300%. You may not be a show design company, but you can still work with your micro-influencers to create giveaways and events specifically designed to appeal to your target audience. After all, who knows them better than your current customers?

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Emily Oswalt

As social media manager at 21 Handshake, my passion of social media shines through to bring awareness to your brand. From the latest hashtag trend to engaging influencers, my desire is provide the best content to get your target audience talking online.


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Imane’s Purple and Blue Wedding Flower Inspiration Board

Imane writes:
Hi, my wedding is in June 13th and I have so many ideas. I am not sure how to just keep it simple and not waste time since am doing my PhD.  I want roses, but not a pink theme color.  Also I love the blue and purple Daisies and lilies. I want the theme to be kind of forest or outdoor, however the hall is facing the waterfront, I sent you a couple of pictures of the hall. I would like some ideas. Thank you

Imane, Congratulations on your achievement!  I understand your need to keep your bouquet simple because of your busy schedule.  Your Purple and Blue color combination will make a gorgeous bouquet.  The garden bouquet  inspiration photo I found from Flower Arrangement Advisor features Purple and Lavender Roses, AnemonesCalla Lilies, and Greenery.  For a little color contrast, I added Purple and Pink Gerbera Daisies and finally Pink Roses.  The premade  Purple and Blue Anemone Bridal Bouquet is all finished except for the Floral Ribbon.  For your centerpieces, natural or flowering branches in tall glass cylinder vases would be perfect for your woodland theme.  Happy Planning, Mindy

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