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Category Archives: Search Engine Optimisation

An Example of What Some SEO Experts Do

I’m not usually in the business of criticising what other search engine optimization companies or individuals do but the other day, I came across this site that was set up for the pure purpose of search engine manipulation. The article that was written, made no sense at all. It was just a page designed to fill with text that was pure jiberish and stuffed with keywords and links to a web site. This makes the concerned website that the links go to look rather untrustworthy. I for one would not buy from that site if I came across articles such as this one. I have posted the article below.

bad seo practice

Click on Image to Enlarge

The problem I have with this type of thing is this: I don’t really care what people do to their own websites to get rankings in Google but I do care when ‘seo experts’ use these type of methods for their clients and potentially wreck their websites. Is it any wonder that legitimate search engine optimization companies find it harder to get new clients when there are such hacks out there who promise fast results with such dubious methods as the example above.

The bottom line is this. Whatever search engine optimization company you engage to optimize your website, KNOW what they are doing. Always ask for a full report that states the link to any article they write, comment they make, post they post and what type of sites they are linking your website to. Never take it for granted that they are doing the right thing just because they say they are or because they don’t really say much at all for you to be concerned about.

Thank you for visiting.
Andrew Radics

For more information on all things digital, you know the drill

Local SEO – Introduction to SEO for Business

Over the last couple of years, Local SEO has grown considerably, especially provided the growing popularity of smartphones and much better connectivity while being out and about. Nevertheless, it has a lot in common with organic Search Engine Optimization, but its ultimately very different.

The objective of Local SEO is to offer outcomes that are as relevant as possible to the searcher based upon their location. If you searched ‘best restaurant’ on your computer right now, Google would supply you with results that are near to you. However, if you made the exact same search on your smartphone, it would provide you with results depending on where you are at the time.

In this video, Andrew Radics and Ian Hopkinson discuss what Local SEO is all about and how it can affect your local business.

The Mobile Age of Telephone Throwing – Art or Sport?

Ian and Andrew here discuss the quirky sport of telephone throwing in Finland. Apart from throwing his own phone, Ian along with Andrew talk about the infamous incident when Russell Crowe threw a phone in the hotel suite, resulting in being arrested.

In this video, Andrew Radics and Ian Hopkinson discuss the phenomenon of throwing mobile phones.

search marketing services

How Google Works – SEO

Have you been wondering how the whole world of Google actually works? We all know that it is the number one global search engine, but many don’t know just how Google finds your webpage.

Don’t stress, Ian and Andrew discuss what it is that makes Google the powerhouse it is, and how we can help improve your site ranking.

Discussed in this video are:

1. Google Bots / Web Crawlers

Crawling the World Wide Web and bringing all of the information back to Google.

2. Google Indexing

Result of the Google Bots crawling information on World Wide Web

3. Google Signals

Google’s relevancy program

4. Robot TXT Files

Files that prohibit Google crawling your website

5. On-Page SEO

Using SEO tools and knowledge to improve your page ranking

We have covered this in many other videos before so be sure to give some of our other videos a watch after viewing this one.

3 Tips For SEO & Web Dev’s – Let’s All Get Along

After 274 days of absence, we are back. After successfully taking on another nine months of interesting corporate clients, we have gained a wealth of knowledge and experience that we are dying to share with you.

There are always departments in every business who butt heads with differing views occasionally, but it is how you deal with these instances to reach that common goal that is so important. In the last nine months, we have experienced occasions like this with a number of our clients where they believed they knew how to perform SEO because they knew the backend of the website.

However, this can have detrimental results, as there is a very distinct difference between someone ‘thinking’ they know how to conduct SEO, compared to agencies such as us, Mad Scientists, with years of experience and R&D under our belts who can really make a difference to your brand.
In this hangout Ian and Andrew share with you their 3 tips of how SEO and web developers can work better together. We will be discussing:

  • Park the ego
    • Listen and learn from each other to work towards the same common goal for the business
  • We ‘Mad Scientists’ are specialists
    • We have always been big on constant research and development and with many years of doing so along with our experience – we like to consider ourselves as very knowledgeable in what we do.
  • Explain to the client:
    • Why what we do is different to other digital agencies and why we get the results.

The Quiet Achievers-Real Expert SEOs

Everyday, all of us at work receive many telemarketing calls from companies trying to push their services. If its not phone calls, then its emails. We have a big problem with that. We understand these people have a job to do but the problem lies in their ‘cookie cutter’ approach and their regimented marketing script. They tell you that:

  • you are not ranking for “competitive keywords
  • they can get you to the top of Google in 3 months or less
  • they can get you more business/leads

All of which sounds great! But, when they tell you this, they have not done any research on your website or your industry. It’s just a generic script they have to read. For this reason, SEO companies that are really good at what they do, do not need to use telemarketing companies or email list companies to get their business. Its all based on referrals from happy and satisfied clients who are happy to recommend them to other businesses.

The SEO companies that have to rely on cold calling methods really do not know SEO at all. If they did, then their own websites and other forms of digital marketing should be generating all of their leads. After all, isn’t that what they do? Think about that the next time you answer a call from a telemarketer or read an email from someone representing a local SEO company.

In this video, Andrew Radics and Ian Hopkinson discuss why SEO companies should not rely on telemarketing or spammy emails to generate business.

Outsourcing and SEO Rip-offs

Turnover isn’t a measure of SEO expertise, nor are awards. Many digital marketing companies outsource their SEO.

Beware SEO Outsourcing.

Find out how they do their work — do they outsource to other countries? The vast majority of outsourced work goes to “SEO chop shops” in countries with huge populations and low wages. SEO work outsourced to “chop shops” go from a model of “one solution fits all” where they pursue simplistic strategies that can be executed by subsistence-wage, minimum capability office workers working 50-60 hours per week.

What is delivered will probably match what’s promised — in terms of directory submissions, backlinks, etc. — but do the arithmetic and you can work out that they will end up doing 5 hours/week for you. That amount of time WON’T buy you quality.

Worse, the techniques they’re applying are out-of-date. They won’t get you better Google results – they’re a waste of time and — even worse — could end up earning you LESS trust with Google, not more.

You don’t need to be able to DO Search Engine Optimisation in order to understand how to determine its quality, but you do need to be a savvy purchaser. If your SEO provider outsources your work – dig a bit deeper and make sure you’re getting a service worth paying for.

In this video, Andrew Radics and Ian Hopkinson discuss ways in which a lot of SEO companies rip people off.

SEO Myths Debunked – Google Algorithm updates don’t happen often

Each year, Google alters its search algorithm around 500 times. While the majority of these changes are small, Google sometimes rolls out a “significant” algorithmic upgrade (such as Google Panda and Google Penguin) that affects search results in a huge way.

In this video, Andrew Radics and Ian Hopkinson discuss Google Algorithm Updates and what they mean.

Ian: SEO myths debunked! Google Algorithm updates don’t happen very often Andrew do they?

Andrew: Heck no! Course not…

Ian: There’s only about 500 or 600 a year. Well there’s the main updates and then there’s the minor updates.

Andrew: Absolutely, this sort of conversation I can imagine about all these algorithm updates is all the SEO geeks having a chat around the water cooler.

Ian: Is that why that’s there?

Andrew: That’s why that’s there? Not to mention I’m freezing, but yes!

Ian: Well I’ve got a water cooler of my own. It’s a lot more portable. It’s called ice. Well there you go that’s my water cooler.

Andrew: You know what the use for ice is? There we go.

Ian: There you go. What have we got today?

Andrew: I don’t think this is ice.

Ian: Oh dear!

Andrew: I don’t know what these guys in the lab are doing to us.

Ian: They’re experimenting on us constantly that’s the whole point.

Andrew: They’re melting… Anyway.

Ian: So, updates, there’s major updates.

Andrew: Yeah, alright so far this year believe it or not there’s been about 4 major updates.

Ian: This year? We’re only half way.

Andrew: We’re more than halfway through already.. And just for those people who were wondering what they were, the most recent one is called Panda 4.0, the one before that was Payday Loan 2.0. The next one was Unnamed Update and the first one for this year was Page Layout #3.

Ian: Unnamed Update is my favourite one, that’s very creative Google.

Andrew: I think they ran out of animals to name these updates after. Well all those updates obviously target something whether it be spam or blog networks, all these sorts of things.

Ian: That’s right. It’s the cat and mouse game.

Andrew: Pretty much, a nice frightening statistic there is like you mentioned before, last year alone there were between 500 and 600 updates, well that’s close to two a day.

Ian: Yes that’s right. And these are sort of the little tinkering updates. I’d love to know whether Google plans these updates out ahead or time or whether they just have a whole lab of propeller heads just sitting there doing what they see needs to be addressed on that particular week or day.

Andrew: I’d say for the major ones they have them plans whereas the minor ones, they’re just that they’re constantly trying to improve and test etc. You always know when an update has happened by the chatter on Twitter, SEO blogs, SEO forums, digital marketing forums and all these sort of things. People just go crazy saying: “Oh my sites been hit I’m losing traffic! Bloody Google has screwed me up again!” And all that sort of nonsense! As I’ve always said, if you do the right thing in Google’s eyes, whether or not you agree with it is irrelevant, you should be fine. Your website should not be hit. If it does, it will be a minor thing, you may go down just a few spots but then eventually you’ll get back up there.

Ian: You’ll ride through the changes if you’re doing the right things.

Andrew: Yeah, all these people who moan and groan about it all are the ones that are doing the stupid things anyway.

Ian: Yeah and as we’ve spoken about in the past, when these changes do happen there is sometimes a little bit of panic. There’s a readjustment period, the Google dance, is that part of that terminology? So yeah, don’t panic if this does happen to you don’t worry, after a day or two it will readjust.

Andrew: But the myth of Google doesn’t update very often is debunked basically.

Ian: Totally debunked!

Andrew: There’s only quite a few major ones but then there are a lot of minor ones.

Ian: Yeah that’s right. It makes you wonder, who says this kind of stuff? But a lot of people do, I don’t know if there’s many excuses to be ignorant these days with just all this information a search away. I suppose it’s really about finding trusted sources of information.

Andrew: Absolutely! Just on this, I was looking up to see how many updates there were last year, there was one blog that said ‘Google does 200 a day’. 200 a day?! And another one said “Oh, they did a few hundred last year!” and I thought: oh my god, there are so many people chiming in on this, whether its 500, 600 or even 10 000, who the hell cares! It’s the way it is! It’s just Google in their great wisdom trying to make things better for users with their searches, and that’s all it is.

Ian: Alright, debunked! Thanks for joining us.

Andrew: Absolutely.

Ian: We’ve just got to say thank you very much to the water cooler for providing us with pleasant conversation. It’s a matter of a opinion really, depending on which chair you’re sitting in.

Andrew: It’s going back in the office.

Ian: Thanks for listening, or [email protected], if you want to email us hit us up with any question whatsoever, we might even address it on the show.

Andrew: Criticisms and complaints are also welcome!  Address them to Ian.

Ian: All of those things: If you don’t like what Andrew is wearing, or if you like what he’s wearing, if you’ve got some reactions to some of the Google authorship comments that we’ve made in yesterday’s video.

Andrew: We got a few comments about that didn’t we.

Ian: You should go and watch that if you haven’t seen it because it basically fell into nothingness. It fell into disarray because we were laughing so much we didn’t really get to finish what we wanted to.

Andrew: Didn’t somebody say that we should put the recipes up for the drinks on the website?

Ian: They did. I don’t know whether that’s a good idea it’s a bit of a ‘don’t try this at home’. Speak soon! Thanks for that.

Andrew: Bye!

Especially With SEO You Dont Know What You Dont Know

This is an old phrase “You don’t know what you don’t know” some say it comes from Socrates but it’s just so relevant to SEO. People don’t understand this highly specialised area of digital marketing so they switch off and are in many cases, not willing to learn about it, even when they see it in action, it gets dismissed as hocus pocus. I just came from a networking event and this is a real phenomena, if there’s anything that short-circuits peoples’ synapses, SEO is it.

In this video, Andrew Radics and Ian Hopkinson discuss why people switch off when the words ‘digital marketing’ are mentioned.

Ian: Good afternoon, how are we all?

Andrew: How are you going?

Ian: How are you Andrew?

Andrew: I’m well.

Ian: It’s cold here today.

Andrew: I think someone’s turned the heating down.

Ian: Oh I know who that is.

Andrew: Yeah I bet.

Ian: It’s probably the barman, he didn’t sound very happy today.

Andrew: Speaking of the barman – where are our drinks? Hang on a sec…

Ian: He’s probably on strike. Well while Andrew is doing that, today’s topic as you can see  there is “you don’t know what you don’t know especially with SEO”. Now originally this phrase you don’t know what you don’t know, we’ve all heard this and it sounds like satiric rubbish, but it’s not. It really is kind of a truism, and the only way that you can find out and learn about things is to actually have a curious mind and be willing to listen and be open minded… What? This is no, what is that?

Andrew: This is what he gave me. I’m thinking they’re just glasses of milk.

Ian: I think we might have to tone down our commentary about how bad the last couple of drinks have been. It looks like skim milk.

Andrew: Probably is, it’s very white though.

Ian: Great, I think we might need to…

Andrew: Sack?

Ian: I was going to say we might need to apologise!

Andrew: Hell no! We’ll just sack him!

Ian: Oh dear, anyway I was just explaining that you don’t know what you don’t know when it comes to SEO and we should have more of an open mind and be willing to learn.

Andrew: Yep.

Ian: I was just at a networking event, which was where I won this little guy here.

Andrew: When you brought it back I thought you were going to start promoting a casino or something.

Ian: Oh right, yeah. Well, it’s more of this tactic of making things feel a bit warmer, you know? Some animals, some scenery and drinks.

Andrew: It’s very pretty.

Ian: I’m pretty happy with it actually. So, this is a bit of a pep talk because we want people to be interested and curious as to what SEO is. Not just to be dismissive and just to say that’s a bunch of hocus pocus. It gets a bit tiring to hear people doubting that it actually works; because it does work, and we show that time and time again. This is a real thing, SEO actually makes people money.

Andrew: I had a conversation not even an hour ago, you had one last night; people asking us what do you do? We explain what we do and they go, “what the hell are you talking about?”

Ian: Yeah, the brain short circuits and they just can’t fathom…

Andrew: The term SEO or search engine optimisation, they just think what is that? You try to explain it and they still don’t get it. But then when you say, okay we’re the guys who try to get your website to the top of Google. “Oh… How do you do that?” They just don’t seem to understand, but just because you don’t understand something it doesn’t mean to say that it doesn’t work, it does work!

Ian:  I think like we’ve done with some of the seminars we’ve had in here is we’ve brought up some statistics and we’re actually said, these devices when you’re out and about and searching, how do you think these listings come up? They don’t just magically appear, people actually have to work to get them placed there, whether that’s setting up a Google Places page, or putting them in directories, or working on their website to have it optimised. It just doesn’t magically happen. I suppose in a practical sense we have to make people aware that it does work. And it just seems to be the terminology, there’s a lot of confusing terminology, and because it is changing quite a lot and it is one of the most confusing areas of digital marketing it’s too much for them to take in. These aren’t people who are lacking in intelligence or understanding of just about anything, I mean these are smart people. You’ve got to be passionate about it I guess, and you’ve really got to be open minded and willing to learn. This is a pep talk; be open minded. There is a lot of rubbish that’s been written about SEO out there, and there is a lot of dodgy tactics and other companies that have tarnished the image, so that causes a bit of jadedness there too.

Andrew: Absolutely.

Ian: Is jadedness a word?

Andrew: No.

Ian: So that’s what we’re up against, but when you start to show people practical examples of it then they start to get a bit more curious about it.

Andrew: So I think the bottom line is that just because you don’t understand how it works, just know that it actually does work if it’s done right. That’s the key.

Ian:  That is the key. I think just in finishing, we can’t stress the importance of how SEO is really, it should be the focus of your energies in digital marketing at the moment. Any other promotions or platforms that you’re using in the case of social media, or your website, or articles, press releases or things like that, anything like that, these are all very complimentary. (Phone rings) Oh here’s someone calling me right now

Andrew: Probably complaining?

Ian: Mad Scientist Digital, can I help you? Ha no. I didn’t plan that by the way, that wasn’t set up.

Andrew: Yeah okay, fair enough.

Ian: It’s probably these guys from the conference this morning ringing to ask for their flamingo back.

Andrew: Yeah, they awarded it to the wrong person.

Ian: Anyway the point is, SEO – don’t be afraid of it, don’t switch off, please be open minded and learn about it. There are a lot of tools that are confusing, but they do work and they will show a return for the money that you’re putting into it.

Andrew: Absolutely.

Ian: We have a lot of content on our website and in our Google Hangouts and on our social media about SEO, so please feel free to go and read anything that’s there and come back with any questions.

Andrew: Definately.

Ian: Andrew, thank you very much.

Andrew: You’re welcome.

Ian: Can we turn the heating up next time, or do I have to wear a suit?

Andrew:  You should, the things you wear at the snow…What do you call it?

Ian: Like a bear suit or something like what the mascots wear?

Andrew: Yes.

Ian: Because they’re always overheating.

Andrew: This barman got to get the sack.

Ian: I think we should sack him and maybe he should go and get a job as a mascot?

Andrew: Yeah…

Why I Do Not Like SEO

Why do people hate or dislike SEO? Mainly because they don’t really know what it is. SEO is a very specialised aspect of digital marketing and in our opinion commands more respect. Take the time to do your research before you make ignorant statements about it online.

Ian: Andrew Radics and Ian Hopkinson, “It’s 1 o’clock good afternoon.” You’re on the air.

Andrew: I thought we were just goofing around a bit.

Ian: No we’re on the air. We’re going to talk to you today about reasons why I dislike or I hate SEO.

Andrew: You can say the word hate.

Ian: It’s not I or I, or as in we, there’s just a  lot of stuff online about people who hate or dislike SEO. Tell us about these people?

Andrew: The thing is since we did that video last night, or yesterday, about why people hate SEO we’ve had quite a big response so I thought okay well let’s see what else is out there because at the moment SEO bashing seems to be the in thing.

Ian: Indeed.

Andrew: Just did a bit of a search and some of the titles that came up, for example, one article was titled “Your SEO sucks and you need some friends part 1”. Another one is “SEO sucks and here is why!”. This one was rather odd: “Why females suck at SEO writing”, “Why SEO sucks and adwords can save your business”, “12 signs your SEO guru sucks”, “21 warning signs your SEO sucks”. Well that’s ridiculous you only really need one warning sign, not 21. And 6 sure fire signs your SEO company sucks. Wonderful!

Ian: I know.

Andrew: It sort of made me think well why is there so much negativity surrounding SEO and really about the only thing I can think of is the fact that people are very very ignorant about what SEO is and what SEO is not.

Ian: Yeah that’s the point isn’t it.

Andrew: It is, like one article here I found I won’t actually mention where it’s from.

Ian: Is this the one written by the guy who’s actually working at the company?

Andrew: He’s actually working at the company.

Ian: And he’s saying that…?

Andrew: Well the title is, you can look it up, “I hate the f***ing SEO service industry”. I thought god okay I’ve got the read this one. Well basically what he’s saying is that his company does web development and they do SEO as well which is good. However, he seems to constantly be getting into arguments with the SEO guys saying okay we need keywords here, we need key words there, we need keyword keyword keyword keyword. Forgetting that content all that sort of stuff. Everything with this particular SEO person or section or division or whatever it is, they’re always on about keywords. And of course web developers are always on about how the site looks and functions. SEO people have the sites looked upon by the search engines. So the two just seem to be, at odds with each other.

Ian: Yeah and they don’t need to be.

Andrew: Of course they don’t need to be.

Ian: It’s a lack of knowledge, by the sounds of it.

Andrew: It’s a very big lack of knowledge either on the part of the SEO people of this particular company and by the web developers as well.You know because web developers don’t need to know SEO. They need to understand a website has to be found by the search engines. So there are a lot of things that web developers can do to actually screw that up. You know not intentionally of course because that’s not their thing.

Ian: Yeah, it’s a specialized thing.

Andrew: It is.

Ian: And we don’t expect web developers to know a whole lot about SEO but it sounds like in this case there needs to be a bit more respect.

Andrew: Yes.

Ian: For the science of SEO.

Andrew: Absolutely.

Ian: Sure its not an exact science. Sure we could admit that because nobody knows the rules.Yeah what can you do Google is the only one that knows.

Andrew: Exactly.

Ian: But it needs to be more respected and more understood rather than dismissed.

Andrew: Absolutely and look SEO is not about spamming the search engines, it is not about automated software. SEO simply is all the other methods that are used, that Google and the other search engines approve of, so that people can find your website online. That is the whole purpose of SEO. It is not about focusing all your attention on keywords, it’s not about focusing all your attention on just content, keyword rich titles and all that sort of stuff. I mean that’s all part of it but it’s not the main focus of SEO.

Ian: No it’s not. That’s why it’s called “Search Engine Optimisation” not “Search Engine Manipulation”. SEO not SEM. Although that could be confused by “Search Engine Marketing”.

Andrew: Well I can mention this one, a guy named Dan O’Sullivan from, he actually makes some good points, you know going on about why people hate SEO and people who really hate SEO don’t know the difference between what SEO really is, what search engine spam is and what SEO, what we call snake oil promises.

Ian: Yes.

Andrew: There’s a big difference between the three.

Ian: Yes, there is.

Andrew: Absolutely and of course it’s no wonder, generally people hate SEO and there’s all these sales people saying “i’ll get you to be number one within 48 hours and we can do this we can do that for you” and all these well promises. All these emails people get, we even get.

Ian: And love.

Andrew: You know there’s one that he mentions here that he recently got, just to paraphrase it a bit “my SEO company sent me this, we’ve saved the best promotion for the end of the year only $50 hurry up, take a trial for $50 and we get you linked with one hundred employed websites having PageRank up to 5.” Well you know PagePank up to 5 is lovely but generally you find when they talk about one hundred links with page rank up to 5, one of them will be 5 the rest of the will be crap.

Ian: Right. But regardless of that they have to be quality and relevant links as well. You know it’s not just about the amount you have.

Andrew: Yep.

Ian: And so for someone to say one hundred… I mean it doesn’t work that way anymore. You don’t just say one hundred links and bam. You know 1 + 1 = 2. No, it doesn’t work that way.

Andrew: 100 links from those type of sites is not going to get you anywhere. For a budget of $50 what is that going to buy you. Someone will be sitting there for two minutes putting all this stuff into an automated system that will just spam a search engine with those hundred links and it’ll mean bupkis, it means nothing, it just won’t work. So with a budget of 50 bucks what are you getting?

Ian: Sweet F A.

Andrew: Even as a trial you know. They charge you $50 for a trial, how much do they charge you for an ongoing campaign? $200? Even for $200 what the hell are you going to get. Nothing.

Ian: Are you wound up about this Andrew?

Andrew: I am. I’m sick of reading stuff like this and all this stuff comes from people who don’t know what the hell SEO is. They’re ignorant and then they push this stuff out onto the net and have stupid titles like this, there’s thousands of them.

Ian: Yes and I suppose the scary thing about some of these titles is that it’s not even people that are writing sensational titles to get more traffic or get more ranking, this is just pure ignorance.

Andrew: Yep.

Ian: This is just people who don’t understand it, they’re frustrated because of that and they go to the internet for some sort of feedback or somebody to console them or more to agree with them and what do they get? Us.

Andrew: This stuff just goes around and around in a giant loop, people want to educate themselves about SEO, what’s the first thing they find? They find crap like that.

Ian: Yeah.

Andrew: It goes round and around and around and instead of going to authoritative sources, without blowing anyone else’s trumpet, you know Search Engine Land, one of the best ones out there you’ve got Moz which is also a fairly big optimisation website that gives you factual things about what SEO is and what to do and what not to do or simply go to Google guidelines, Google webmaster guidelines, that’ll tell you everything even though it might be a little biased towards Google if you like, but still it will tell you how it is and what it is and what to do and what not to do, what works and what doesn’t work.  Unlike this crap you know this is just rubbish, it is ignorant people educating ignorant people.

Ian: Yeah well it’s been ongoing. Like if people aren’t already jaded enough about those three letters S E O then people go and push this sort of propaganda if you like.

Andrew: And yes people have had bad experiences with these so called “SEO companies” yes of course. Educate yourself, move on to a bigger firm who hopefully knows what they are doing and don’t go for price. Whatever you do don’t go for price. If somebodys charging you $50 you’re going to get crap.

Ian: You’re going to get absolutely nothing.

Andrew: Then again none of the guys who charge you $20,000 either.

Ian: You can get a decent bottle of scotch for $50. I’d rather do that.

Andrew: Yeah, yeah. Anyway that’s my rant.

Ian: Excellent.

Andrew: Education is the key for this sort of crap and hopefully one day… and by the way SEO is not dead, it will never die. That’s another thing, that’s a new title.

Ian: That’s another one yeah “Google SEO is dead”

Andrew: Or “Google has killed SEO”

Ian: Can we do a hangout on that one because that’s entertaining some of those ones. Alright obviously a little wound up about this one. There is a lot and we’ve been saying this until we’re blue in the face and I‘ve been saying  I’m blue in the face till I’m blue in the face but we know there’s a lot of ignorance out there, these are obviously just written by people out there who don’t understand SEO. Now SEO is a specialised area and it deserves 100% attention it’s a full time job. It’s ever changing and you need an SEO company as well that’s going to explain to you in plain english what they are actually doing for you. You don’t have to know all the ins and outs of it because quite frankly you probably don’t want to but you have to have some idea of what you’re actually getting and they have to create some sort of value in your mind. If they’re not doing that then they’re not worth while and they’re unprofessional and that’s my rant on this subject.

Thanks very much for watching once again we can give Andrew a little clap because he was really wound up. All these effects by the way are on your right hand side on the Google hangout on your panel. Here’s another one…I’m not sure about that one.

Andrew: It’s supposed to be a cash register.

Ian: I like this one… Andrew Radics! Alright enough of that we’ll see you very soon.

Andrew: Bye.


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Determing the moral responsibilities of both media and platforms

A moral compass in journalism has always been an issue. However, it has become even a bigger problem lately, and the reason behind it is the creation of a new world where media shares the information space with various platforms. In this way, what moral behaviour and what responsibilities to public information should both media and platforms have? Those are the questions that were discussed at the panel “Help define the moral imperatives that should be guiding media and platforms’ decisions” as part of the International Journalism Festival in Perugia.

When it comes to the moral rules of the profession, common humanitarian values should be embraced according to Maria Ressa, CEO and executive editor Rappler. The golden rule is to do to others as you would have them do to you. Understanding their big responsibility, journalists used to voluntarily handcuff themselves so that every opinion was being delivered and paid attention to. Today this mission appears to be missing from current journalism and not suitable for the new world of platforms. Nowadays people who create technologies and platforms don’t realize their responsibility in regards to information, thus lowering its ethical standards. Ressa compares the current situation to a house where everyone is shooting at each other out and in the end, the one with more people on his side wins and rules the shooting. This leads to manipulation which we need to anticipate. Answering to Jeff Jarvis’ question, Maria defined manipulation as using different technologies to create «an artificial consensus».

Indira Lakshmanan also shared her thoughts on the ethical basis of journalism and platforms. She started her speech by telling the story about her and Maria Ressa running the streets of Asia together as correspondents twenty years before. She noted that it was a completely different time. Journalists were gatekeepers and they could observe what was happening in the world and choose what to tell to their consumers. However, she recognized that what she was working on for some time was not even close to being as important as what Mark Zuckerberg did. The creation of Facebook changed journalism forever. Platforms now have a responsibility for the content they post and they’re aware of it. “Yesterday Mark Zuckerberg in his second day of Testimony on Capitol Hill was asked «Are you a publisher? » and he said «Well congressman, if what your question is ‘Do we have a responsibility for the content that is on our platform?’, then yes, we do have a responsibility»”, – Indira said.

Some of the main functions of journalism are to connect people, to educate and inform them. And the moral rule is to do it all with transparency as a way of building trust. At the same time, the main function of the platform is to connect people, to create an open space, which potentially causes many problems such as “misinformation, the spread of extremist content, the spread of hate speech, the incredible harassment to which particularly women and minorities are subject online”.  And it is a moral responsibility to fight against all of it, Indira claims.

The following speaker Janine Gibson, an editor-in-chief of BuzzFeed UK, gets back to that time when online platforms didn’t exist. She remembered how journalists and technologists naively “wanted to change the world and were genuinely excited and scared about the power that we had”. They were creating a journalism based on the main principles: educating, informing, spreading the best information they could find. There also were many moderators that were checking all the comments to make sure there was no extremism. Subsequently, platforms were created and journalists let them set the rules. However, journalists were too liberal parents, Janine claims:”we did everything they wanted us to do and we are still not rewarded for it”. Now it’s time to become more authoritarian and to set the regulations for platforms. She believes that only thanks to journalists platforms started actually taking the responsibility for the content they have. “Because journalists wrote stories, people got really angry, other journalists amplified stories, people got angrier, people use concrete examples to show us what was happening and that has forced the change”, – she said.

“I think we have a responsibility in journalism that also platforms have to convene communities into civil informed and productive conversation”, – Jeff Jarvis added.

Raju Narisetti, a CEO in Gizmodo Media Group, pointed out an interesting fact “The irony of talking about all this at the conference where the top three sponsors are Facebook, Google and Amazon is interesting”. Raju thinks that it’s not possible to outsource a moral responsibility. He said: “The idea that we can point fingers and say that you have a moral responsibility to do something is good, but can’t be outsourced. So the reason I think Facebook got into its recent issues is because it outsourced the responsibility to Cambridge Analytica and others to do something good or not bad with their data. “He also looked at the issue from the other side: “The notion we treat those who collect data as fiduciary owners of data is a good philosophical and a moral framework”.

Raju believes that in terms of spreading the information platforms are very useful and important: “I guarantee you: more people read about Cambridge Analytica on Facebook and Twitter then if they were reading those two publications that actually published it. I think in that sense its good.”

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Travel Ban 3.0 (update)

Following legal challenges partially blocking President Trump’s first two travel bans, on September 24, 2017, President Trump announced a new version, commonly being referred to as “Travel Ban 3.0.”   It was largely blocked one day before taking effect on October 18, 2017, by two separate decisions by the Federal District Courts of Hawai’i and Maryland.   These decisions were temporary, pending December hearings on the legal challenges.

On November 13, 2017, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals allowed parts of Travel Ban 3.0 to go into effect while the legal challenges run their course.

Current state of play (Note: this is not intended to be a substitute for individualized legal advice).

The following people from the targeted countries will not be issued immigrant (permanent residency) or nonimmigrant (temporary stay) visas or be allowed to enter the U.S.,  unless they can prove a “credible claim of a bona fide relationship with a person or entity” in the U.S., as explained further below:

  • Chad, Libya and Yemen: All immigrants and, nonimmigrant visitors for pleasure or business.
  • Iran: All immigrants and nonimmigrants, with the exception of student and exchange (F, M and J) nonimmigrant visa holders (who nonetheless will undergo extra scrutiny).
  • North Korea and Syria: All immigrants and nonimmigrants.
  • Somalia: All immigrants. All nonimmigrants will be subject to extra scrutiny.
  • Venezuela: Certain government officials and their family members, traveling on visitor or other non-diplomatic nonimmigrant visas.

The ban applies to people from the named countries who were outside the U.S. and did not have valid, previously issued U.S. visas on the ban’s effective date.  It does not apply to:

  • Dual nationals using the passport of their non-targeted country.
  • U.S. Permanent residents (green card holders), or those who already have refugee, asylee, or withholding of removal status in the U.S., who are from the targeted countries and are returning from travel abroad.
  • Diplomats or those with similar visas.

Waivers of the ban may be issued if determined to be in the national interest, among other criteria.  As a practical matter, waivers will be virtually impossible to get.

A “bona fide relationship with a person or entity” in the U.S. in the family context should include: parents, spouses, children of any age, siblings and half-siblings, and these step-relationships, as well as fiancée(e)s, sons and daughters-in-law, grandparents, grandchildren, brothers and sisters-in-law, aunts, uncles, nieces nephews, nieces and cousins.

A “bona fide relationship” with an entity should include students accepted to study at U.S. educational institutions, persons offered employment at U.S. employers, and those invited to attend conferences or to speak at lectures, etc. However, the definition currently excludes those accepted for resettlement by a U.S. refugee resettlement agency who have not yet received their refugee visas to travel to the U.S.

How does this effect Maine businesses?

  • It is unclear how generously the government will interpret the exception for those with a bona fide relationship to an “entity.”   Universities and businesses hoping to bring a national of one of the targeted countries to the U.S. to lecture, study, present at a conference, or to work, should expect the visa issuance process to take longer than usual, and should work with an experienced immigration attorney.
  • Any employees from the specified countries, whether naturalized U.S. Citizens, permanent residents, refugees, asylees, or nonimmigrants with unexpired visas,  can expect a heightened level of questioning at U.S. ports of entry following any travel abroad, despite the fact that Travel Ban 3.0 is not supposed to apply to them.  They should be advised to consult with a competent immigration attorney before traveling abroad.
  • If you have immigrant employees from any of the named countries, be aware of their fear and worry that their relatives, whom they might have been expecting to immigrate soon, may not be able to come, despite the exception to the travel ban for those with family members already in the U.S. under the current injunction.
  • If you have an employee who needs to renew her/his work visa abroad, the process may be more complicated and take much longer than usual because of the need for an in-person interview at the relevant U.S. consulate.


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Gatekeepers of Arkansas Providing Youth Suicide Prevention Awareness

Gatekeepers of Arkansas Providing Youth Suicide Prevention Awareness

Gatekeepers of Arkansas Providing Youth Suicide Prevention Awareness 5,264 were youths betwee n 10-24 years old More Americans die each year by Suicide than by Homicide 41,149 Suicides in 2013 1 IT IS UP TO US TO PROVIDE YOUTH SUICIDE PREVENTION H O

P E Portions of the slides prepared by Maine Youth Suicide Prevention Program. 2 Today We Will Cover: Language, Statistics, and Myths about suicide Warning signs and risk factors Basic intervention skills to use with suicidal behavior The aftermath of suicidal behavior 3

Language Considerations Must Avoid: successful suicide failed attempt Please USE: suicide or died by/of suicide non-fatal attempt Should Avoid: committed suicide completed suicide just a cry for help Please USE: died by/of suicide a suicide attempt 4

Common Words & Phrases Suicidal related communications include ideation - the direct communication of thoughts, talk, sharing of plans that may indicate a person is thinking about taking his/ her own life. Suicide Attempt: A self-inflicted, potentially injurious behavior with a nonfatal outcome for which there is evidence of intent to die. Suicide: A self-inflicted death with evidence (implicit or explicit) of the intent to die. 5 Suicide in Arkansas Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for Arkansas youth ages 15-24 (#1 is Accidents) Of every 5 suicides, 4 are males Of every 15 suicides, 9.5 are by firearm, 2.9 by hanging, 1.8 by poison, .8 by other 6

How Arkansas Ranks 2013 Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 State Montana Alaska Wyoming New Mexico Utah Nevada Colorado Idaho Maine Vermont Oregon

North Dakota Arizona Arkansas West Virginia South Dakota Oklahoma Kentucky Missouri Tennessee Florida Alabama Wisconsin Washington Kansas South Carolina Deaths Population 243 1,015,165 171 735,132

129 582,658 431 2,085,287 579 2,900,872 541 2,790,136 1,007 5,268,367 308 1,612,136 245 1,328,302 112 626,630 698 3,930,065 128 723,393 1,163 6,626,624

516 2,959,373 323 1,854,304 147 844,877 665 3,850,568 701 4,395,295 960 6,044,171 1,030 6,495,978 2,928 19,552,860 721 4,833,722 850 5,742,713 1,027 6,971,406

425 2,893,957 696 4,774,839 Rate is # of suicides per 100,000 Rate 23.94 23.26 22.14 20.67 19.96 19.39 19.11 19.11 18.44 17.87 17.76 17.69 17.55 17.44

17.42 17.4 17.27 15.95 15.88 15.86 14.97 14.92 14.8 14.73 14.69 14.58 Rank 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33

34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 State South Carolina Iowa Indiana

Pennsylvania New Hampshire Ohio Delaware Michigan North Carolina Virginia Mississippi Louisiana Rhode Island Minnesota Hawaii Georgia Nebraska Texas California Illinois Maryland Connecticut New York Massachusetts New Jersey

District of 51 Columbia Total Deaths Population 696 4,774,839 447 3,090,416 944 6,570,902 1,788 12,773,801 185 1,323,459 1,526 11,570,808 122 925,749 1,295 9,895,622 1,284 9,848,060 1,072

8,260,405 388 2,991,207 583 4,625,470 132 1,051,511 678 5,420,380 171 1,404,054 1,212 9,992,167 220 1,868,516 3,059 26,448,193 4,025 38,332,521 1,321 12,882,135 569 5,928,814 330 3,596,080

1,687 19,651,127 572 6,692,824 757 8,899,339 38 646,449 Rate 14.58 14.46 14.37 14 13.98 13.19 13.18 13.09 13.04 12.98 12.97 12.6

12.55 12.51 12.18 12.13 11.77 11.57 10.5 10.25 9.6 9.18 8.58 8.55 8.51 5.88 41,149 316,128,839 13.02 7 Attempted Suicides It is estimated that there are 25 attempted suicides for each death by suicide

Suicide Attempted Suicides 12,900 Ratio implies 1,028,725 suicide attemptsArkansans annually in US 8 Attempted Suicide by sex/gender Estimated that there are: 3 female attempts for each (1) male attempt 9 Attempted Suicide & Age Attempted Suicides

Suicides Young 100:1 65 & over 4:1 10 In the typical high school classroom: 1 male and 2 females have seriously considered or attempted suicide in the past year 11 After an Attempt

Support family/friends Acknowledge the impact, the fear Avoid judging, blaming Emphasize safety and removal of all lethal means from household Encourage appropriate help 12 Facts or Myths ? 1) True or False? People who talk about suicide do not actually die by suicide. 2) True or False? Suicide usually happens without warning signs. 3) True or False? Talking or asking someone about suicide may plant the idea and cause a suicide. 13 In Fact Youth suicide is a problem.

We all need to learn about it. Talking about suicide can save lives. 14 A Word About Young Children SOME young children (ages 5-14) do understand the concept of death, are capable of planning a suicide and able to implement the plan. It is a rare event, but we must not assume that children can not or do not die by suicide. They do! Some states have documented suicides in children as young as 8 years old. 15 Definitions Warning Signs - the earliest observable signs that indicate the risk of suicide for an individual in the near-term (within minutes, hours or days.)

Risk Factors - long standing conditions, stressful events or situations that may increase the likelihood of a suicide attempt or death. Protective Factors - personal and social resources that promote resiliency and reduce the potential of suicide. 16 Warning Signs Useful Mnemonic: Is Path Warm? I Ideation S Substance Abuse P A T H W A R M Purposelessness

Anxiety Trapped Hopelessness Withdrawal Anger Recklessness Mood Change 17 Early Warning Signs of Suicide Behavioral, Emotional & Physical Signs: Depressed / Anxious Increased alcohol/drug use Roller coaster moodiness

Changes in every day behaviors Overly pessimistic, hopeless Neglects self, friends, usual activities 18 Late Signs/Behaviors May Include: Talks of suicide, plans for how/when/where Refuses help Agitated, restless, picks fights Gives away favorite things, writes a will Shows SUDDEN improvement in mood (suicide euphoria) Increased isolation Uses instant messaging or phone to drop hints 19 Listen for Verbal Clues Direct I wish I were dead Im going to end it all Indirect Im tired of it all

Youll be better off without me Whats the point of living? 20 Risk Factors PREDISPOSING CONDITIONS PRECIPITATING CONDITIONS (Unchangeable) (of Serious Concern) (Acute) FAMILY Family

history of suicide, mental illness, substance abuse Race Gender Genetics Unrealistic Major expectations Abuse (emotional, physical, sexual) family conflict Exposure to suicide of family member Anniversary of death Moving often PERSONAL

BEHAVIORAL Loss through death, abandonment, divorce Previous suicide attempt Mental illness Substance abuse Extreme Perfectionism Poor coping/social skills Impulsive Current ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIAL Inconsistent,

Experience Active Risk Factors PERPETUATING CONDITIONS neglectful or abusive parenting Sexual orientation parental of repeated loss Chronic severe stress Ongoing harassment

acute Mental Illness Severe stress/anxiety Isolation Rejection Relationship break-up Increased use of substances suicide cluster in community Access to lethal means Bullying, harassment Loss of freedom (e.g., incarceration) 21 Risk Factors for Adolescent Suicide Depression, anxiety, or mood disorder Current or previous suicidal behavior Being a victim of sexual or emotional abuse

Conduct problems Access to lethal means 22 Protective Factors Supports - Supportive parents, friends, teachers & other caring adults Skills to think, communicate, solve problems, manage anger Purpose & value in life - hope for future Personal characteristics - good health, positive outlook, healthy choices Safe Environment restricted access to lethal means 23 Very Important to Remember There is a lot of cross-over between Risk Factors and Warning Signs! There is no particular set of risk factors that accurately predicts imminent danger.

There is no typical suicidal person - there are ALWAYS varying degrees of risk factors. 24 From a Suicidal Persons Point of View Crisis point has been reached Distress/torment/anxiety seems unbearable Solutions to problems seem unavailable Rational Thinking is affected Ambivalence exists between wanting to live and wanting to end the psychological pain Strong need to communicate pain! 25 Invitations to Help FEELINGS Desperate Angry Guilty

Worthless Lonely Sad Hopeless Helpless THOUGHTS All of my problems will end soon No one can do anything to help me now I wish I were dead Everyone will be better off without me I wont be needing these things anymore I cant do anything right I cant think straight ACTIONS Giving away possessions Withdrawal (family, friends, school, work) Loss of interest in hobbies Abuse/use of alcohol, substances

Reckless behavior Extreme mood swings Increased Impulsivity Self-Injury (maybe) PHYSICAL Lack of interest in appearance Changes in appetite, weight Change in sleep patterns 26 Intervention--Why People Hesitate Inability/lack of knowledge Worry about doing/saying the right thing Feelings of inadequacy Belief in myths of suicide 27 What is NOT Helpful

Ignoring or dismissing the issue Acting shocked or embarrassed Challenging, debating or bargaining Giving harmful advice 28 What IS Helpful 1) Show You CareListen carefullyBe genuine Im concerned about you . . . about how you feel. 2) Ask the QuestionBe direct, caring and non-confrontational Are you thinking about suicide? 3) Get HelpDo not leave him/her alone Youre not alone. Let me help you. 29 Practice Helpful Steps! Use handout: What Is Helpful 3-Step Intervention

1. Think up & write 1 or 2 phrases or ways that YOU would use to show you care. 2. Write two other ways you might ask the question about suicide. 3. List two ways you would try to convince someone to get help and name two resources. 30 Resources for Help Phone numbers National Suicide Crisis Hotline 1-800-273-TALK (8255) Or 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) En Espaol 1-888-628-9454 TTY capability 1-800-799-4TTY (4889) 31 Resources for Help - Websites

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline In Spanish: http :// MYSPP Web Site: SAVE: Suicide Awareness Voices of Education Online Crisis Chat: 32 School Resources for Help School Counselors School Administrators Teachers & School Staff School Nurses & Health Services Social Workers School Crisis Team School Resource Officer

Any Trusted Adult 33 Our school protocol is When Any Concern Is Raised Contact: Principal & School Counselor School Crisis Team Parent or Guardian Have a Suicide Risk Assessment Administered 34 Number of Suicide Survivors It is estimated that there are for each death by suicide 6 survivors A suicide survivor is someone who has lost a loved one to death by

suicide 3096 Arkansa ns in 2013 Ratio implies 246,894 new survivors of suicide annually 35 Survivors of Suicide Struggle to make meaning of the loss Suffer from overwhelmingly complicated feelings May take a long time to grieve Need understanding and support Youth survivors have special issues 36 How you can help after a suicide

Acknowledge the loss Share a special memory/story Use the name of the deceased Share your presence Acknowledge the good things Stay in touch Call local hospice center for grief support groups 37 Factors Used in Estimating the Risk of Suicide Age: Certain ages more than others. Gender: One gender more than the other. Stress: Troubling experiences that

challenge the persons ability to cope. Warning Signs: Behaviors that can be observed (Aggression, Sadness, Drug or Alcohol Abuse) 38 Additional Factors Used in Estimating the Risk of Suicide Current Suicide Plan: Whether or not there is a plan and any details of that plan Prior Suicidal Behavior: Personal history of suicide or suicide attempt(s): including modeling by family, friends or others Resources/Protective Factors: Physical and emotional resources which the person feels are helping, caring or supportive 39 Estimate the Risk of Suicide Your Rank Rank ___ Age

___ Gender ___ Stress ___ Warning Signs ___ Current Suicidal Plan ___ Prior Suicidal Behavior ___ Resources/Protective Factors 40 Responders Take Care of Yourself! Acknowledge the intensity of your feelings Seek support, de-brief Share your feelings Avoid over involvement Know that you are not responsible for another persons choice to end their life* 41 A LIFE SAVED The story on video we are about to see is true. It concerns a suicide intervention that occurred only days after the end of a suicide prevention learning

unit done at a Maine middle school health class. It is told by the real student and guidance counselor involved. No scripts were used, no rehearsals held and no special lighting or sound systems. A high school student did the actual digital filming. 42 Before You Leave Any Questions? Thank You . . For learning about suicide prevention ADE Support: [email protected] [email protected] 43

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I’m Thankful!

Tomorrow is finally Thanksgiving here in the U.S. and, like I’ve said before, I’m excited!!

I have decided to telling you all about a few things I’m thankful for this year. Enjoy!

First off, I am thankful for my family, boyfriend, and my best friend.  These are the people I have the most fun with and can be myself 100%. My best friend and I have been friends for about 16 years and I treasure her so much!!

I’m thankful for Starbucks!!! It’s super yummy and they have so many options!

I’m thankful for beauty and fashion! I have always loved these things and these are the areas where I can let my creative side out!

I’m thankful for Internet connection!! Yes I said it! It’s great that we can connect with people or look up something in question with so much quickness.

I’m thankful for Hulu and Netflix.  I love that I can watch my favorite shows on my own time, especially because I always forget when the show actually airs. Haha

I’m thankful for Makeup & Flowers! This blog has made this year amazing! It has made me more confident and I have experimented more with makeup.  I have also been able to connect with all you wonderful people! I finally feel like I have found my group. Thank you all so much, you all have made my blogging journey amazing!!

Those wear a few things that I am thankful for.  Some superficial but those thing also make my days better on stressful days.

What are you thankful for this year?

Screen Shot 2015-09-21 at 10.28.39 PM

2 thoughts on “I’m Thankful!

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If you’re like me, you’re the bane of hardware store employees. I wander through the whole place picking up everything, looking at possibilities more than parts. Can they help me find anything? “No thanks,” I answer. What am I working on? “I don’t know yet,” I say. They move on, keeping a suspicious eye on me.

Some things just seem useful, even if I can’t think of how at the moment. One time I found matched pairs of PVC caps and plugs that fit together into little airtight pods of various sizes. For what, I didn’t know until I wanted a way to float lit LEDs down a stream.

The result: simple, rugged, floating LED lanterns that glow for days. They’ve survived being submerged for a week, frozen, and laundered in the washing machine. I even hit one with the lawn mower, and it still works. When they get dirty, just hose them off.


text:
Project Overview

This multi award winning home, including a national award, was custom designed based on one of our most popular plans. Q by Malishev delivered exactly what the clients dreamed of, a home that is beautifully finished and that is both large enough to have the entire family over but to also close off part of the home when not required.

2012 MBAV Excellence in Housing Awards
WINNER – Best Custom Home under $300,000

2012 MBAV Regional Building Awards – South West
WINNER – Best Custom Home $200,000 – $300,000

2012 HIA Western Victoria Regional Housing Awards
WINNER – Custom Built Home up to $350,000

Further Information

Telephone (03) 5229 1129
121 Myers Street
Geelong VIC 3220

Email enquiry


text:
Balblair 1975, 46%, 2nd release

The last whisky from the Balblair Twitter tasting. A 1975 release, probably to make us all fall in love with the distillery (and who wouldn’t if they’re this generous!).

Apparently they released batch 1 a few years ago and this one late 2012. The question by quite a few Twitter-tasters was why they watered it down to 46%, but I can see why you would do that. Some more bottles, more affordable, that kind of stuff.

Anyway, it would be nice to taste this kind of stuff at cask strenght, but I think those chances are getting more slim by the year as the popularity of whisky keeps increasing and old whisky gets more rare.

Balblair 1975 at Master of Malt

Balblair 1975 at Master of Malt

Old. That’s the first impression. Not in a negative way, far from it. But this certainly has some age to it, which mellowed it nicely over the decades (almost four of them). Leather and lots of oak (also in a good way). Slightly peppery still, with dry vanilla, Chesterfield arm chairs, and library with leatherbound books. A slight hint of varnish, pepper and a little touch of salt. It’s a fino cask which gives it a rather typical sherry note. Very delicious.

The goodness continues onto the palate with reine claude plums, wood and pepper and that fino sherry hint. I can’t describe that in more detail than ‘fino sherry’. A little syrupy still and I get some strawberries with aged balsamic vinegar. Dark chocolate and molasses too.

Hints of fino sherry still, with the addition of pear, grilled pineapple with those library and old books from the nose. Balsamic vinegar and fruit, pepper.

This whisky is spot on in every way. The fino sherry isn’t too in-your-face but if you pay attention you get that goodness. There’s fruit, there’s spices and the wood is never overpowering. Absolutely stunning and one I might buy for my birthday or another special occasion. As you might imagine an almost 40 year old whisky costs quite a bit but compared to any other distillery this comes in very cheap at £ 207.40.

Balblair 1975, 2nd release, 46%, available at Master of Malt for £ 207.40

About Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

I'm very interested in booze, with a focus on whisky. I like to listen to loads of music and play lots of Magic: the Gathering, and board games too. I'm married to Anneke, have two daughters Ot and Cato, a son Moos and a cat called Kikker (which means Frog, in Dutch). I live in Krommenie, The Netherlands.
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2 Responses to Balblair 1975, 46%, 2nd release

  1. Pingback: My favourite whiskies of 2013 | Malt Fascination

  2. Pingback: Balblair 1975-2006, 30yo, 46.2% – Jack Wiebers Prenzlow Portfolio Collection | Malt Fascination

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Courses available in

  • Forced Marriage & Honour Based Violence

    This is a half day training course which aims to raise awareness of Forced Marriage and Honour Based Violence in order to improve appropriate response on recognition

  • Working with families affected by substance misuse

    This is a full days training course. To raise awareness regarding the impact of substance misuse on the continued well-being of children and young people.

  • Parental Mental Health and Safeguarding Children

    This is a full days training course to explore attitudes, values & existing knowledge about mental health including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, autism, personality disorder and psychosis.

  • Private Fostering - Half Day Course

    Do you know someone who is caring for somebody else’s child? Do you need to know more about Private Fostering? This half day briefing aims to raise awareness of Private Fostering, how this impacts children and how practitioners should respond.

  • Intro to Safeguarding Children and Young People

    You should attend this course if you are in contact with children and young people and with adults who are parents or carers. This course covers the mandatory requirements of basic awareness training required for all those working with children and young people. You will need to complete this course or an approved basic safeguarding course to qualify for other MSP courses.

  • Awareness of Domestic Violence and Abuse

    Domestic Violence and Abuse is prevalent across all areas in Manchester and Nationwide and is a common theme in many Serious Case Reviews. Two women a week in the UK die as a result of Domestic Violence and Abuse. Please apply for this course if you work with children and/or their families in Manchester and/or need to understand the Manchester strategy on DV&A.

  • Learning from Serious Case Reviews

    One hour briefings will be arranged when a Serious Case Review is due to be published and/or when learning needs to be shared with our partner agencies and organisations. These are aimed at anyone who works with children and their families in Manchester and who will have some responsibility in cascading the learning back within their agency or organisation. Learning packs will be made available.

  • Management of Allegations (LADO) managers course

    This is a two hour briefing aimed at Managers and leaders working in the children’s workforce who have responsibility for managing allegations against adults who work with children or nominated safeguarding leads. The briefing aims to ensure that all participants understand the statutory guidance relating to the management of allegations against adults who work with children.

  • Introduction to Loss, Grief and Bereavement

    This half day course is delivered by Child Bereavement UK. Their training is based on learning from bereaved families, helping professionals to understand the needs of distressed families and children, and how appropriate support can have positive benefits. Bereavement UK advise this course is not usually suited to anyone who has suffered a recent, significant personal loss or bereavement

  • Designated Person Safeguarding Children Training

    The Manchester Safeguarding Partnership do not deliver this training which is aimed at Schools. Please contact the Learning and Events Team within Manchester City Council on 0161 227 3573 or email who organise this training

Latest news


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"The cleanliness of theory is no match for the mess of reality."

Slide Deck for Admin Training 2019-08-26

Introduction to EG

"The The Impotence of Proofreading" by Taylor Mali

"Life After Death by PowerPoint" by Don McMillan

Plagiarism Lines Blur for Students in Digital Age

Introduction to SLDPs

Hot Air Balloon

Quality Improvement

Milestone 1

How Steve Jobs beats presentation panic

"Totally Like You Know Whatever" by Taylor Mali

Digital Logic

Milestone 2

Lemon Car

Milestone 3

Heat Transfer

Boom Construction

Final Presentation

Introduction (UAI)

  • Working with EG 10+ years
  • UG @ Poly: CS
  • Freshman Advisor Melinda
  • Worked last 10 weeks on project
  • Course focus on teamwork
    • Working with different vs same people
    • Working with friends
  • Each project has its own backstory: covered briefly by each team in their presentation
  • Created and represent their own company
    • Introduce company at the beginning of presentation
    • Few weeks in, pitched initial proposal
    • Progress updates in weeks that followed
    • Benchmarks met twice
  • Housekeeping items (course)
    • Last day to flag missing grades
    • Survey
    • Kit returns
  • Housekeeping
    • Phones on silent or vibrate
    • Preselected order
    • Microphone

  • Improved since first presentation: example
  • Taste of college: one of five/six classes for freshman
  • Stress/frustration = real life
  • Science or math? No. Engineering is real-life.
    • Paper: crumpled vs flat
  • "The cleanliness of theory is no match for the mess of reality."
  • Tacoma narrows bridge: Youtube

Strippers and the Oxford Comma


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Anantoraka is in .

Localities in the Area

, formerly Louisbourg, is a market town and domestic seaport in Region, , at the northern end of the Bay of Antongil. is situated 10 km northeast of Anantoraka.

is a town and commune in . It belongs to the district of Maroantsetra, which is a part of Analanjirofo Region. is situated 10 km north of Anantoraka.

Also Known As

In the Area

Other Places

Explore Your World

A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.

Popular Destinations in Madagascar

The Free Map
Your world is
without borders

Escape to a Random Place

About Mapcarta. Thanks to Mapbox for providing amazing maps. Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license, excluding photos, directions and the map. Photo: Bgag, CC BY-SA 3.0.


text:
Peters Valley Virtual

PV images
Image: Peters Valley Screenshot

Like everything everywhere, Peter’s Valley School of Craft cancelled it’s summer workshop season, as well as it’s 50th anniversary celebrations.  Yet! you can still participate virtually and see lectures, gallery exhibitions, and a snazzy new video of the school.  Our canceled class will be rescheduled for next summer, so stay tuned for details.  Till then check out Peters Valley for more info!

Father and Son at Peters Valley

Image: Tom and Marc Maiorana

Long overdue, and for the first time ever, I will be co-teaching a blacksmithing class with my father Tom at the Peters Valley School of Craft this June in New Jersey.  To add to the sentiment, Peters Valley is celebrating it’s 50th anniversary, and as Jersey natives, we are proud to be part of the teaching line up to help celebrate.

Class Dates: June 19th – 23rd

Check out Peters Valley School of Craft for more info

Penland Iron

Image: Penland Iron Class “Form Follows Steel”

Thank you first session Iron for a great class and Penland for all you do.  It was rewarding watching you conquer an intimidating space and make it your own.  Can’t wait to see what you make next!

Check out Penland School of Craft for workshop information

Penland Benefit Auction

auction piece2019
Image: “Coatrack Couplet”

Here is a sneak peak at my Penland School of Crafts Benefit Auction donation: “Coatrack Couplet”, steel and stainless steel, fully functional.  This year’s auction is August 9th and 10th, check out Benefit Auction for more information.

Also Penland.. I’m teaching first session May 26th-June 7th, visit Penland First Session for more information on class descriptions and signing up.

Exhibition at the Metals Museum

Crafting A Legacy 2019

The Metal Museum is displaying a work of mine from their permanent collection in the exhibit: Crafting A Legacy: 40 Years of Collecting & Exhibiting at the Metal Museum.  The featured work is a forged Spatula I made while a resident artist at the Penland School of Crafts.

Exhibition dates: February 3rd – May 12th, 2019

Visit: Metals Museum for more information

Focus Exhibit at Penland School of Crafts

New Iron Design coat stands and additional items are featured at the Penland School of Craft’s Focus Gallery in Penland, NC. The exhibit runs October 6th – November 12th.

Check out: Penland School of Crafts

Also I’m coming out of my teaching hibernation and will be teaching next June at the Haystack School of Crafts. Second session, June 24th to July 6th, 2018.

Check out: Haystack Mountain School of Crafts

Penland School of Crafts

Pictured is a pitcher, part of a recently completed commission for the Penland School of Crafts in Penland, NC. The commission involved reimagining a selection of Appalachian hand crafts that were made at Penland and used to promote the school at the 1933 World’s Fair in Chicago. The additional objects ranged from a weaving to a candle lit sconce, all fashioned in stainless steel.

Check out the Penland School of Crafts

New Penland Book

Penland School of Crafts in Penland, North Carolina just published a book highlighting it’s resident artist and core fellowship program. Titled Inspired, the book pays homage to the success of the two programs, helping transform eager young artists into professionals and making western North Carolina an epicenter for handmade. I was a resident artist in 2002, it’s an honor to be featured.

Penland School of Crafts

“Line” Exhibition in Asheville

Blue Spiral Gallery in Asheville, NC is hosting an exhibition called “Line“, featuring artisans whose work showcases strong linear elements. Look for a selection of our metalwork, including a unique aluminum chandelier. The exhibition runs from July 1st- August 26th, check it out-

Blue Spiral Gallery

Also, a large looping steel sculpture of mine is on view at the William King Museum in Abingdon, VA. Check out: Out in the Open: Outdoor Sculpture Competition and Exhibition.

William King Museum

Nice Niche

Check out Iron Design this week on the artist featured website The Nice Niche. Click back through older features to find a selection of all types of makers. Special thanks to Ryan for the invitation.

See more at:
The Nice Niche

Max Craft

Check out the newly opened exhibition Maximum Craft hosted by the Signature Gallery in Atlanta, Georgia. Special thanks to gallery owner Carr McCuiston for the invite, our Bend Coatracks are on display.

Visit Signature Gallery to see more

Renwick Gallery Coatrack

New custom coatrack for the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery in Washington, DC.

The Renwick Gallery recently reopened after two years of renovations, check out the Renwick Gallery and their opening exhibit Wonder.

I’ll be a visiting artist and lecturer at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Artists Now! series December 2nd, 7:30pm.

Check out Artists Now! for more info

-Our renovation of a 1940’s masonry dairy barn for the new workshop is almost complete and will fire up next month.

-The first project in the new studio will be an andiron for the CEO of WordPress.

-I’ll be featured in a new book by the Penland School of Crafts honoring their artist residency and core student program, I was a resident artist from 2002-2005.

-We’ve been selected to design metalwork for the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery.

-April 2015 we’ll be at the Smithsonian Craft Show, DC.

-November 2015 I’ll be giving a lecture at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

-In August 2016 I’ll have a solo show at the William King Museum, VA.

-The American Craft Council has nominated me as one of five finalists for their 2015 Emerging Voices Award, the winner will be announced in 2015.

Thank you all for your patience during our year of transition-

Metalsmith Magazine

Check out the current issue (vol.34) of Metalsmith magazine for a multipage feature on my work.

Also, I’ll be a lecturer at the Society of North American Goldsmiths conference in Minneapolis, April 23-26.

We are renovating an old barn into our new workshop, we will be back in action this summer. Thanks for your patience, please continue to email questions and orders.

IDC is Moving

We are moving house and studio, and will be taking orders on select items only during this time. Thank you so so much for your patience. Pictured is a sneak peak of a new design, which will also be the center pieces at the Penland School of Crafts benefit auction.

American Craft Magazine just released their first digital only design issue, and we made the cut. The theme is great design, and, along with some new stories, it contains reprints from recent years

I’ll have old and new work in the exhibition: They Used to Work Here: Art by Haystack’s Summer Assistants hosted by the Haystack School of Crafts in Maine.

My gate included in the exhibition: 40 under 40: Craft Futures at the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery has been permanently acquired and is on public display.

VMFA Fellowship Award

Good news, I won a 2013 Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Professional Fellowship. Twelve of us from across the state of Virginia won top honors, the VMFA also gives awards to graduate and undergraduate art students. We’ll be in Richmond on March 8th for the reception.
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Still on view at the Museum of Design Atlanta is The South’s Next Wave: Design Challenge including my unique hand railing. The exhibit is open to the public until March 31st, and you get to vote for your favorite set of designers!
Museum of Design Atlanta

We are getting ready to move and will be low on items till later this Spring. Feel free to email any questions in the meantime.

My gate included in the exhibition: 40 under 40: Craft Futures at the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery has been permanently acquired and is on public display.
Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery

James Renwick Alliance Weekend

This weekend I’ll be in Washington, DC as a guest artist for the James Renwick Alliance’s distinguished artist series. The James Renwick Alliance supports the Smithsonian Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery and promotes contemporary craft. Four times a year they bring in artists to demonstrate and lecture about the work they make, check out the JRA website or contact us for exact times and locations.

James Renwick Alliance website
Smithsonian Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery website

The exhibition 40 under 40: Craft Futures is still on view at the Renwick Gallery. You have till February 3rd to see the show!

Also still on view at the Museum of Design Atlanta is The South’s Next Wave: Design Challenge including my unique hand railing. The exhibit is open to the public until March 31st, and you get to vote for your favorite set of designers.

Museum of Design Atlanta website

Wine Rack Press

Our Wine Rack is featured in the latest issue of the Hong Kong Economic Times in an article highlighting all things wine.

Also a UK company, Winewares, has included us in their “10 Incredible Modern Wine Rack Designs” list on their blog. You can see the list at: Winewares

American Craft Magazine

The Oct/Nov issue of American Craft magazine features those of us who are in the 40 under 40: Craft Futures exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery in Washington, DC.

Look for our iron at the Museum of Design Atlanta in an exhibition called: The South’s Next Wave: Design Challenge. The show opens November 11th – March 13th 2013 and pairs interior designers with product makers in a competition to design the best vignette.

We will have food related iron in the upcoming exhibition: Good Enough to Eat: The Fusion of Food and Craft at the Craft in America Study Center in Los Angeles, CA. The show runs November 17th – January 19th 2013.

Studio Based Learning

Just returned from teaching a high school workshop in Deer Isle, ME at the Haystack School of Crafts. Studio Based Learning invites local high school students to take workshops at the school, students in my blacksmithing class each made their own mobile.

Check out Haystack

The traveling exhibition Iron:2010 (and our Andiron) is on it’s final leg of exhibiting at the Fuller Craft Museum. The show is up till October 7th.

Check out Fuller Craft Museum

40 under 40

The exhibit 40 under 40: Craft Futures opened last week at the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery in Washington, DC. Pictured is Marc with his father Thomas, standing next to Marc’s Renwick Gate, created for the exhibition. 40 under 40: Craft Futures will be up till February 2013.

Check out the museum’s website to learn who’s in the exhibition, press coverage, and how you can help support the Renwick.

Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Renwick Gallery

Southern Made

Last weekend our Wine Rack was featured in the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Thanks to Linda Jerkins for the write up in the paper and also including us in her blog: Southernfinds.

Check out: Southernfinds

New Coat Rack Design

Thanks to everyone who visited us at the 2012 Smithsonian Craft Show in Washington, DC. We had a great show, won an excellence in design award, and took home handfuls of orders.

The new coat rack design is now available on-line, with additional photos of the black version coming soon.

Maker of the Week

The UK based Woodworkers Institute recently featured us as makers of the week. The website reviews woodworking techniques/products and also introduces artisans in various materials.

Woodworkers Institute

Also.. we recently received this email from Maria in Mexico who purchased a Wine Rack:

I’ve been meaning to write to you to let you know that I live on the ninth floor of a 15-story-high building and during the last earthquake we had in Mexico City last week, even though walls and floors were shaking, your wine rack, fully stocked, kept my wine bottles intact! 😉

So thanks again for a wonderful design.

Wine Racks on Man Caves TV Show

Tune in January 27th to see our Wine Racks on the DIY Network TV show Man Caves.
This celebrity episode is at the home of NBA star Kris Humphries, look for three of our Wine Racks installed in the bar/lounge area of the renovation.

Tune In
January 27, 2012
9:00 PM e/p
January 27, 2012
12:00 AM e/p
January 28, 2012
12:30 PM e/p
January 28, 2012
7:30 PM e/p
January 29, 2012
10:30 AM e/p

Man Caves

Beijing’s Sunshine Magazine

Our Wine Racks are featured in the October issue of Beijing’s Sunshine magazine, a fashion publication. Special thanks to Amy Meng for seeking us out.

Also, visit the design/craft website Handful of Salt for an article composed by guest curator Ray McKenzie. The article includes our Candlesticks and a handful of other work. Thanks Ray.

Mezzaluna in Food and Wine

Check out the November issue of Food and Wine magazine to find our Mezzaluna displayed in an article featuring hand-made cookware. Special thanks to writer Kristin Donnelly for seeking us out and composing the review.

Studio Based Learning

Recently returned from teaching a short workshop at the Haystack School of Crafts in Deer Isle, ME. In the Fall, Haystack offers the great opportunity of working with one’s hands to the local high schools. The students in my blacksmithing workshop each designed and created a finished mobile.

Look up Haystack School of Crafts for more workshop information.

American Craft Magazine

Check out the August/September issue of American Craft Magazine for a two page spread on our ironwork (pages 14 & 15). Titled Strike a Balance, the feature displays a handful of images and dives into Marc’s introduction to blacksmithing. Special thanks to senior editor Julie Hanus for composing the article.

American Craft Magazine: Strike a Balance

Living with Style

Special thanks to Francois Roy and Plaisirs de Vivre (living with style) for featuring our Andiron in their May issue. The article titled Room to Move presents ten items “whose uplifting designs are bound to bring joy to jaded souls”. Great magazine, be sure to investigate.

May issue of Plaisirs de Vivre

Tributaries: Marc Maiorana

The National Ornamental Metals Museum in Memphis, TN hosts a handful of small solo exhibitions (called Tributaries) throughout the year to showcase innovative metalwork. Marc will display a summary of two recent groups of work Draw and Settle, in addition to a newly made gate for the upcoming 40 under 40 at the Renwick Gallery at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

Tributaries: Marc Maiorana will be on view May 13-July 7, 2011
Come out to the opening May 20th and say hi, we will be there!

More Metal Museum info

Ironwork in Renwick Gallery Exhibition

Marc’s ironwork will be included in the exhibition: 40 Under 40: Craft Futures at the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum July 20, 2012. Each participating artist’s work will be acquired by the museum for its permanent collection; Marc will be making a small custom gate for the event. Craft Futures will tour nationally after the exhibition closes in Washington, D.C.

40 under 40: Craft Futures
Renwick Gallery
July 20, 2012 – February 3, 2013

Visit the Renwick Gallery for more info

Washington Post article featuring Marc

Last stop for Different Tempers

The traveling jewelry and blacksmithing exhibit Different Tempers is on show for the last time at the University of Texas at El Paso. The survey of contemporary metal work includes two sculptures by Marc, and has been traveling since 2009. Different Tempers was curated by Metalsmith magazine editor Suzanne Ramljak and organized by The Center for Craft, Creativity and Design, a regional center of the University of North Carolina.

January 27 – March 26 2010 / Opening January 27, 2010

Much Obliged

Many thanks to all the various design blogs and websites that have featured our work. Here is a current sampling from the web of Iron Design Company hosts.

Check them out-

Iron on Tour

Come visit us at the 16 Hands Studio Tour in Floyd, VA this holiday weekend November 26-28th. Floyd, VA is home to a handful of artisans in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains who open their studios twice a year to host a sale and invite guest artists to participate. We will be graciously hosted by potter Silvie Granatelli.

Visit the 16 Hands Studio Tour web-site for maps and everything Floyd.

Andiron in NYC Hotel

Opening this November, the recently completed luxury hotel The Setai in New York City will feature our commissioned Andiron in their lobby fireplace. Found at 400 Fifth Avenue, The Setai soars more than 60 stories above the famed Midtown stretch of Manhattan’s Fifth Ave.

Also, Iron Design Company will be a guest artist at the 16 Hands Studio Tour in Floyd, VA on November 26-28th.
More details at: 16 Hands

IDC in International Metals Newspaper

Castings and Forgings News contacted and featured Iron Design Company and our products in their October newspaper. Based in the Netherlands, Castings and Forgings News covers the latest developments in the global industrial metals trade, and with each issue reserves space in their periodical for interesting metal designers. We were also in luck with our timing, as CFN is distributing their newspaper at a couple of October trade shows.

E-mail us if you would like to read the article:

Iron exhibit in Raleigh

Rebus Works gallery in Raleigh, NC is hosting an invitational Iron exhibition, showcasing a handful of contemporary iron mongers. Our similarly flowing Wine and Coat Rack are included in the exhibition. Opening reception Oct 9th 5-8pm.

For those near by, stop in and see the show.
For those not near by:

Custom Iron

Occasionally we take on a custom architectural project, and featured here is a recently completed patio gate. Fully functional, the design seemingly submits to the forces that usually requires gates to be physically and visually heavy. The gate resides now in North Carolina after being built in our Virginia studio. We have the capabilities to design and build custom projects anywhere and work closely with clients throughout the process, from sketches to installation.

Penland Iron

Just returned home from teaching a two week session at the Penland School of Crafts. The most amazing moment, among many, came in the last hour of shop time, when the class pulled a group forge weld. Forge welding is when you join separate pieces of steel by heating them very hot and hammering them together. Eight students independently heated their bars to heat, ran across the shop to one common anvil, and the class assistant struck down to join all bars into one. We erupted in cheer and high fives, exhilarated by the feat and the sparks and the coming together represented by the resulting iron star.

Thanks sixth session iron!

Click here for a video of the forge weld (scroll down to the 5th video)

Wine Rack in Audi Magazine

The latest issue of the Dutch Audi Magazine features our Wine Rack as one of four items chosen for the Design section. Special thanks to writer Lucas Boot for his keen eye and reaching out to us.

Here is the translation:

Why hide your bottles of wine in a dark cellar? With this Wine Rack from the American Iron Design Company you save your Spatburgunders and Rieslings on the wall with style. The rack is capable of carrying six bottles and is made from recycled metal.

AOL features Wine Rack

AOL interviewed Marc and featured our Wine Rack this week on their popular home living and design web-site: rented spaces.

Here is a portion of the article:

“Don’t let the picture fool you. The shape of the rack is pre-formed and made out of powder-coated steel. A little eye trickery was a bit what the designers had in mind. “Our specialty is giving grace to a bold, stubborn building material,” Maiorana explains.”

Andiron hits the road

Our Andiron kicks off it’s 3-year traveling exhibition debut this weekend at the opening reception for Iron: Twenty Ten at the National Ornamental Metal Museum. Iron: Twenty Ten is “a survey of the finest contemporary blacksmithing in the United States. Employing both traditional and innovative approaches, the selected work demonstrates the tremendous breadth of ideas and depth of talent found in American blacksmithing today.”

Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, 2011
University Museum, Southern Illinois University, 2012

Visit the Metal Museum for more

MAD Candlesticks

You can now find our forged candlesticks at the Museum of Art and Design Store on Columbus Circle in NYC. The Store offers products that celebrate the artist, material use, workmanship and design.

To learn about exhibitions, happenings, and Store items visit: Museum of Art and Design

Home Again

Robyn and I just want to say thanks to everyone who visited us in NYC at the Architectural Digest Home Design Show. We met tons of great people in and out of the trade, had fun with fellow exhibitors, and even caught up with family.

If you weren’t able to attend, you missed the unveiling of our new walnut and steel Book Stand (featured here).

Iron at Architectural Digest

Iron Design Company will be exhibiting and selling at the Architectural Digest Home Design Show coming up in NYC. Find us at booth M33 in the MADE section, an area devoted to limited edition and original furnishings.

March 18-21, 2010

Thurs: 10 am- 6pm (Design trade and VIP guests)
Sat- Sun: 10 am- 6 pm
Fri: 10 am- 7pm

Visit: for more info

Different Tempers

The traveling jewelry and blacksmithing exhibit Different Tempers is on display in Memphis at the National Ornamental Metal Museum. Curated by Suzanne Ramljak, editor of Metalsmith magazine, the exhibition explores these two realms of metalsmithing to highlight their distinct properties as well as their commonalities.

February 5 – March 28, 2010

Visit: the Metal Museum to read more

Book Sconces on Exhibit

A handful of Book Sconces are hanging in the new exhibition: Iron: Forged, Tempered, Quenched at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft.

“The exhibition is one of the most significant exhibitions of blacksmithed objects in decades.” – Gwynne Rukenbrod, Curator of Fine Craft at HCCC

Visit: Iron to read more

Product of the Week

Dwell magazine’s online product spotlight was on our Wood Rack this past week. Incase you missed the subscriber letter of the week’s highlights, visit the Product page at to see our iron in residence.

Free Shipping

Free Shipping continues till the end of the year.

Free Shipping

Until January 1, 2010 we are offering free shipping on all orders under $500.

Haystack Scholarship Auction

Haystack Mountain School of Crafts is having an auction to support it’s scholarship students. Haystack’s auction is being held for the first time on E-bay and features work by 30 previous faculty members, including myself. Scroll down the thumbnails to find a pair of our Book Sconces on the auction block. Auction ends Thursday!

Pictured: Fire Set

Free Shipping

Until January 1, 2010 we are offering free shipping on all orders under $500.

Last weekend we had a great time in Richmond, VA at the Craft and Design Show displaying our ironwork. The front of the display was an homage to an oncoming winter season, featuring our Andiron, Wood Rack, and Fire Set (pictured).

Craft + Design Show

The 45th Craft + Design Show returns to the magnificent Rotunda at the Science Museum of Virginia, located at 2500 W. Broad Street. Iron Design Company will be set up at booth 26 selling items from the web-site plus a new fireplace set.

2009 Craft + Design Show Hours

Friday, November 20: Patrons Preview, 6-9 PM (for VisArts Patron level members only)
Saturday, November 21: Open to the public 10 AM-6 PM
Sunday, November 22: Open to the public 11 AM-5 PM

IDC in Guild Sourcebook

The Guild Sourcebook of Art showcases site-specific architectural and interior artworks for public and corporate clients, as well as custom-designed, limited-edition, and one-of-a-kind works for the home. Printed yearly, 12,000 sourcebooks are distributed to interior designers, architects, and consultants throughout the United States and Canada.

Our page features a pair of Book Sconces and a hand railing commissioned by the Penland School of Crafts, both of which can be found here on the web-site.

Site Purchasing Now Available

Scroll around the site and you’ll notice a few new changes. In addition to a new layout, you can now purchase IDC items through the website. When looking at an item, the link in the lower left hand column will take you to a pricelist and then to check out.

Honoring L. Brent Kington

Last weekend we traveled to the Penland School of Crafts to honor artist and educator L. Brent Kington. In 1970 Brent hosted the first university blacksmithing conference and established the only university program in blacksmithing at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. I am among many graduates who owe their education to Brent and continue to be inspired by his words and work. Visit a current retrospective of his iron at the Illinois State Museum:

L. Brent Kington: Mythic Metalsmith

Iron in the New York Times

Last Fall we worked on a railing project for Frank Konhaus and Ellen Cassilly’s new home in Chapel Hill, NC and today their home was featured in the New York Times. In addition to the home, they documented the railing in print and on-line.

Check it out at

Coat Rack

Good meeting everyone in DC. We sold out of this coat rack at the Smithsonian Craft Show in late April, find more details in the Furniture category.

Also, extra images posted for the Wine Sconce and Andiron.

Wine and Fire

Check out the pictured wine rack in the Kitchen tab and our andiron under the Fireplace tab. Both caught the attention of many architects and interior designers during this year’s Baltimore ACC show.

Off to Atlanta.

Taking The Show On The Road

Find a Book Sconce and other Iron Design Company items at the following shows
this spring:

ACC Baltimore Craft Show, February 27th- March 1st
ACC Atlanta Craft Show, March 13th-15th
Smithsonian Craft Show, April 23rd- 26th

Updates are finally here!

The news blog will announce newly introduced items, events, and venues.

In February, we snagged an Excellence Award at the Baltimore Craft Show. Since then our forged spatula has been featured in Gourmet magazine’s online product review and our iron wares are now available at the San Francisco Museum of Craft and Design.