Activision and Treyarch have announced that the Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 multiplayer beta is now available to pre-load off the PlayStation Store.
With only one day left until the Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 multiplayer beta (unless of course, Treyarch decides to start it a day early like Sledgehammer Games did with last year's beta), it's safe to say that longtime fans are hyped and new fans are intrigued. If you are one of the people that want to get in as soon as it goes live then you may want to listen up, as you can now pre-load the beta straight off the PlayStation Store.
Unfortunately, pre-loading is only available right now to those who pre-ordered the game off the PlayStation Store, so if you pre-ordered from a physical outlet or utilized Xfinity's beta promotion, then you'll have to wait until they send out those codes, which will either be today or tomorrow.
Right now if you attempt to open the beta, you'll be taken to games start menu, but you're not able to go any further than that. Any attempt to log-in will be met with an error screen.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is set to be released on October 12, 2018, and will be available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows PC. If you're looking to pre-order the game via Amazon and get a beta code, you can do so by clicking here.


Irrelevant: Mashable is a tech and digital news site, why do I get pitched by health insurance providers and car dealers?
Poorly Written: Typos are passable (not really), but please do not ramble. It's confusing. Get to the point.
Too Lengthy: If all pitches could be less than four sentences, the world would be a better (more productive) place.
Boring: ENTERTAIN ME, PEOPLE! I stare at two computer screens for a living. Give me some action; don't put me to sleep.
Annoying: If your pitch sounds like this ("Buzz word. Buzz word. Buzz word. Buzz word."), I will delete it immediately.
When a PR rep emails a reporter and doesn't get a timely response, usually he or she assumes the reporter's "email may not be working" or that perhaps the "email was caught by spam." Usually this isn't the case. Most likely, the pitch was dry, confusing or lengthy, and the writer didn't have time yet to contemplate what in the world the message was.
In any case, hasty reps usually resend the email, in an attempt to "circle back." Circling back (or following up) usually entails back tracking, though. You've just put yourself on my "annoying" list, lady.
Gag. Are you a lobster? An ant? A slug? Ick. Please keep your feelers to yourself, creeper. Feel free to get back to me when you're a human again.
Much like putting out those good ol' feelers, PR professionals often like to "gauge" a reporter's interest on a particular topic. If the reporter doesn't happen to respond, a follow-up email may ensue, in which the PR rep attempts to "re-gauge" the writer's interest.
Yes, we're glad that you've got our best interests in mind, but if we were truly interested, we'd probably be knocking at your door first.
It's especially saddening when a pitch is full of typos or requires me to read it thrice in order to understand it. Here's one I received last winter: "This new line of Batteries are revolutionary that provide an opportunity for retailers to offer strong green stories and for consumers to do their part to help the environment without taxing their wallets to do so." Yikes.
The PR rep fears that the reporter's email provider might not be working correctly.
His or her crappy pitch might have fallen into the spam filter.
The reporter might have accidentally deleted the email.
Message to all PR folks: email works. And when it doesn't work, the email provider usually sends a message explaining the delivery error. It's not the email provider, it's you.
If you work in public relations, it a good idea not to completely annoy the reporters you work with. Try to limit the PR jargon and just be a human.
Readers, let me know which PR pitch phrases you hate in the comments below!
Photos courtesy of Kalexanderson, Jenny Downing & Kevin H.
Thank you thank you thank you. I get horrible sales emails all day long. As I ramp up to try to do more PR, I don't want to be 'that guy'. YOU ROCK.
As a founder pitching for my company, I found this especially valuable. Thank you so much for the insight Erica!
I want to submit a news article on Social Media not a startup pitch. Do I follow the same guidelines listed in your blog? Should I send the full article or use the four sentence rule from your introduction?
I just came across your blog and love the insights you provide. I do communications for a startup in Berlin and will definitely use your tips for our launch.
Erica, great article! You have a fresh blog; I love it! Clearly, you are doing something right. Keep it up. I am glad I came across your blog.
Instead of complaining about getting follow up emails when you don't respond to an initial email, why not simply respond? Write a polite, rejection template, paste it in, and click send. Not hard or time consuming for you at all.
You say PR are reps should act "human". Why don't you take your own advice? Part of being human is empathizing with others, including those contacting you with story ideas.
Another aspect of being human is making mistakes. You cite typos as "not really" passable, and yet you've made one in the first sentence of your conclusion ("it [sic] a good idea"). Judging by the quality of the queries in HARO emails, there are plenty of reporters who write sloppily too. You aren't a higher life form than PR pros; you are both human.
Whoa, I think I have to hang out on your blog for a while now!
Wonderful. Let me know if you run into any snafus!
As a long-time PR professional, I have nurtured many contacts, primarily with local press but also national.
One thing I have found important is to know the journalists' areas of interest and to not bother them with irrelevant press releases. When they see something from me, they rarely ignore it. When I don't get ink or broadcast news from it, at least I usually receive a return phone call or e-mail, usually in thanks.
One challenge is telling a client that the story is not newsworthy.
I won't risk my reputation for an annoying little egotistical corporate press release demanded by higher-ups who have no idea of how PR or journalism works. "Breakthrough," "industry leading" and "revolutionary" (thanks for the buzzwords, Erica) are part of the common verbiage some clients or higher-ups in corporate organizations want added to press releases, when the product demonstrably does not have any of those characteristics.
Never, ever, risk your good reputation by exaggerating to the press using such words as "breakthrough" when it is not the truth.
Great article – I work in PR and always try to avoid those sorts of phrases. It's definitely up to PRs to educate their clients too – and tell them straight that words like 'revolutionise' aren't press friendly.
If every journalists replied and said 'not interested' it would completely negate point 1 – the unnecessary and annoying 'circling back' or 'following up'!
And before a journo turns rounds and says 'Do you know how many emails I get a day!!' I realise that it isn't possible. But a PR can dream…..
Overall I consider PR peeps very helpful. But this post reminded me: today I requested a headshot of a source from a PR rep at a major firm. In return I got a low-res, black and white photo embedded in a Word doc. Come on people!
I spent years as a TV news reporter and worked in major markets. Two years ago I jumped ship and became a PR professional.
YES, many PR professionals cannot write well. Yes, the shorter and more direct the better. No! Hell NO to the idea that if you didn't get a response from a reporter you shouldn't continue to follow up or pressure them.
Apparently you don't understand that the news cycle constantly changes. As a veteran reporter, I assure you that the story I didn't have time for this week when I was slammed with breaking news, I may be grateful to get next week when the scanners are quiet and my sources tell me they have nothing worth reporting. Reporters are pushy and tough. So are successful PR pros.
You really should know what you're talking about before you shoot off your keyboard!
Let's hope your clients aren't hoping to be featured on Mashable any time soon.
I'm a techie, not in PR. Yet, I have seen times when email doesn't work and you don't receive an error message. Once, I sent an email to someone and never heard back. I assumed they were busy, etc. only to find out later they never received the email. A few weeks later? The email arrived to her inbox, after the fact and too late to matter. Thank god it wasn't important but I can see how if my job depended on making sure I actually had made contact with someone (and it was time-sensitive) I'd touch base with them and make sure.
I love your writing style – came through from Mashable and have to say, I enjoyed the article even though I don't have to worry about PR pitches! Will have to bookmark and come back again.
Great reminders but ironic that there should be a typo following a sentence that stresses how irritating you find them.
Pingback: 'C'est la vie' and 'non illegitimi carborundum': key tenets of PR?
Great and interesting read. As a PR professional I couldn't agree more with all the comments mentioned. The reality is that sometimes the media lists we work with can be irrelevant, never an excuse, but I can imagine can get frustrating for both parties involved [both the PR and journo].
As much as media follow ups are part of what we do as professionals, if no response is given to an email pitch I consider that it has been deleted or ignored because of its irrelevance. That is when calculated phone calls to relevant media to possibly set up media interviews come into play. When I say calculated…. you know that it is relevant to the journalist, it is something they would be interested in and you know that it is news worthy.
Hi Erica, what a good read. And as a PR I understand and share your dislikes for most of the "tools" referenced above. My take is you have to be confident with the stuff you are sending out in that it is informative and comprehensive and that your target audience will like it. And if they don't, change it and don't make them like it.
Also, following up without any new information is like writing a follow-up story in newspaper using the same information from yesterday. Pointless.
Thanks for the post Erica! It's great to be reminded about ways us PR folks can do our jobs better. I have to jump in here on the topic of follow-ups, though. There are many times when I've had a reporter say to me "Thanks so much for following up. I meant to respond to you but I got sidetracked with something else." That's turned into a story several times. I don't do more than one follow-up (don't want to border on stalking), but some reporters do seem to appreciate it.
Great point, Kari. I think what it comes down to is knowing the reporter, their beat, their interests, their preferences, etc. That sort of relationship-building can usually only be established once you've found a story idea that really clicks… and sometimes you only know it clicks when you've followed up. The definition of a catch-22?!
In defense of the PR side, I think many of us also hate words like "Industry-Leading," "Revolutionary," "Groundbreaking," and my least favorite, "Innovative." I've been in so executive leadership on high-visibility press releases and launches where they insist those words must make it in.. no argument. I'm sure many of you on the agency side have seen this. Sometimes we're handcuffed by the man.
As someone who's worked on both sides, I understand your frustration, Sarah, but I also think it's the job of communication pros to make their bosses/clients understand that using such trite phrasing will not only get them nowhere, but possibly have negative repercussions.
Thanks for this post, Erica! Taking notes!
Whew, it's not just me then. I've covered almost exclusively A&E for most of my journalistic life, yet somehow I get on these PR lists for medical/pharmaceutical clients. Worse is when local PR folk I know personally just include me on blanket email lists that include clients such as doctor's offices and real estate developers. You KNOW I don't write about that stuff. Why not develop SPECIFIC lists?
"SPECIFIC lists." Novel concept, right? Sheesh, PR world, get it right!
Ha, yeah. I have multiple media lists for one company based not just on very specific interests, but also regional relevance, timeliness (so, someone getting an advanced press release might not be the same person getting a media alert) and specialty (general A&E editor vs. book reviewer, for example). The best PR folk I know/work with know their lists inside and out. Sadly, "the best" is a minority.
Great post, Erica (particularly number three – do people actually say that??). I think the best advice is what you closed with. "Try to limit the PR jargon and just be a human." It makes it easier on everyone.
Thank you, Andrew. Yes, people actually say that they are "putting out some feelers." Albeit rare, it has shown up in my inbox.
@Andy, Like Erica, I get a ton of bad PR pitches and could have written the same post — and I don't even work for Mashable, hahaha.
Meaning — they give me a pitch targeted to me and my audience because they know what I write about.
Items 5-7 are good examples of buzz phrases that give journalists righteous license to make fun of public relations professionals.
Love that tag cloud idea… what do you think would be the easiest way to do that? Initial thought: Wordle.net.
I'll echo what Julie said and note that reporter follow up has always been my least-favorite part of my job at an agency. On the other hand, I disliked telling my boss (and now, having younger staff tell me) "I didn't hear back," even more. Knowing what a reporter wants (i.e. knowing that if a reporter doesn't respond, it's because they aren't interested…) looks a lot like apathy and an unwillingness keep the best interests of the client in mind. Plus, it always sounds better to tell a supervisor or a client, "we're following up," (read: I'm doing my due diligence!") than to say "we haven't heard back." It's all part of the client service package.
So I've gotta say that, while I'm not defending the PR pros who follow up poorly, are annoying, overuse silly buzz words and generally don't understand what reporters want, I have to defend the practice of following up. It's what our clients and our supervisors expect, so we as PR pros have to do our due diligence. And honestly, I'd much rather get a response, "Sorry, not interested," from a reporter than receive no response at all.
Great post, Erica. Every senior manager should take this article and distribute it through their agency.
That was, hands down, the part of agency life I hated the most as a younger professional – many firms are structured so that junior employees 'prove' their billable hours by sending a certain amount of pitches and follow-up emails to reporters. On one account of mine, three follow-ups was the rule (which is obscene.) Annoying is annoying…but you have to feel just a little sorry for the 22 year old on the other end of the email who is directed to do this to keep their job. The sad thing is that they'll get one good story out of it, grow up to be a manager and then pass on the relentless pitching strategy to the new guys.
Hey, Julie! Good to see you on my blog! Nice words coming from someone who knows how to work well with writers (yes, you). Thanks for giving me insight into the other side of email – I didn't know that quotas existed. Iiiiiinteresting.
Nice blog post and blog. I'm happy to say I haven't ever circled back or re-gauged anyone. I'm not even sure how to put feelers out there (that's just weird!) However, I did follow up with a editor today after he initially showed some interest. Turns out the guy left the publication a few days after we spoke. I talked to the new editor and a reporter has already been assigned to the story. It goes to show that following up isn't always bad.
You're right. "Following up" is one of the least annoying phrases on this list, and it's probably a good idea to follow up as a PR pro. But most of the time when I don't initially respond, it's out of disinterest. So, a follow up doesn't really help build interest in most cases… it just annoys me.
Great reminder of what it's like on your side of the fence 🙂 It would be great sometime to hear some thoughts as to what tech reporters do like, given the daily barrage of new sites and apps!
Erica – Please! Write post on your favorite pitches. All I ever seem to read are journalists/writers posting what they DON'T like. Not all of us PR folks follow such bad practices. Really. We don't!
nice job erica…very well written!!
Maybe you should work full time in PR, Erica. That way you might see what it's like to have to pitch your guts out when your livelihood depends on it!


MIAMI - The Brewers lost 5-4 in 12 innings to the Marlins, Friday, marking a series loss to open the team's brief road trip. Jesús Aguilar drove in three runs on his All-Star announcement day. Freddy Peralta lasted just three and two-thirds in the start, and Jorge Lopez took the loss. Read more here.


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A randomized trial of early infant male circumcision performed by clinical officers and registered nurse midwives using the Mogen clamp in Rakai, Uganda
Teddy Murungi
E. Nelson Kankaka1, T. Murungi2, G. Kigozi1, F. Makumbi3, D. Nabukalu4, S. Watya5, N. Kighoma6, R. Nampijja7, D. Kayiwa6, F. Nalugoda8, D. Sserwadda9, M. Wawer10, R.H. Gray11
1Rakai Health Sciences Program, Studies, Kalisizo, Uganda, 2Rakai Health Sciences Program, Statistics, Kalisizo, Uganda, 3Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda, 4Rakai Health Sciences Program, Kalisizo, Uganda, 5Rakai Health Sciences Program, Circumcision, Kampala, Uganda, 6Rakai Health Sciences Program, Circumcision, Kalisizo, Uganda, 7Rakai Health Sciences Program, Quality Control, Kalisizo, Uganda, 8Rakai Health Sciences Program, Management, Kalisizo, Uganda, 9Rakai Health Sciences Program, Management, Kampala, Uganda, 10Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Circumcision, Baltimore, United States, 11Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Epidemiology, Baltimore, United States
Background: Medical male circumcision (MMC) for HIV prevention is a priority in 14 East and Southern African countries, and the long-term sustainability of MMC programs could best be achieved by offering early infant male circumcision (EIMC.) However, the acceptability and safety of EIMC provided by non-physicians is unknown.
Methods: We conducted a trial of EIMC provided by newly trained clinical officers (CO) and registered nurse midwives (RNMWs) newly trained in using the Mogen clamp and topical anesthesia in 4 health centers in rural Rakai, Uganda. Mothers were invited to participate in the trial and 501 healthy neonates aged 1-28 days with normal birth weight and gestational age were randomized to CO (n=256) and RNMWs (n=245), and were followed at 24 hours, 7 and 28 days.
Results: Of the 701 mothers invited to participate in the trial, 525 consented to circumcision (74.9%) and 24 were found ineligible on screening (4.4%). The procedure took an average of 10.5 minutes. Follow up was over 90% at all scheduled visits. The rates of moderate/severe adverse events were 2.4% with CO and 1.6% with RNMW surgeries (p=0.9). All wounds were healed by 4 weeks post-circumcision.
Maternal satisfaction with the procedure was 99.6% for infants circumcised by COs and 100% among infants circumcised by RNMWs.
Conclusions: Early infant male circumcision was acceptable in this rural Ugandan population, and can be safely performed by registered nurse midwives who have direct contact with mothers during pregnancy and delivery. EIMC services should be made available to parents who are interested in the service.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Sport Event Denmark returns as SportAccord Gold Partner for 9th Year Running
[Source: SportAccord] SportAccord is delighted to welcome Sport Event Denmark as the first Gold Partner for the 17th edition of SportAccord taking place in Gold Coast, Australia from 5 –
Minsk 2019 European Games targets 120 broadcast deals
International Sports Broadcasting (ISB), the host broadcaster for the Minsk 2019 European Games, said it had reached agreements in more than 106 territories on 28th January, with 150 day
Tokyo 2020's Test Events to be Branded "READY STEADY TOKYO"
The brand name–"READY STEADY TOKYO"–aims to express the excitement that continues to build as the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 edge closer.
European Athletics approves three bids for 2024 Championships
The European Athletics Executive Board has invited Göteborg in Sweden, the region of Silesia in Poland, and Minsk, the capital of Belarus, to proceed with bidding for the 2024 European Athletics Ch
Host City Asia gets faster and stronger in Beijing on 11th April 2019
Host City Asia returns to Beijing's luxurious Four Seasons Hotel on 11th April 2019 for an even greater gathering of stakeholders in hosting major sporting and cultural events.
Edinburgh to host European Climbing Championships
[Source: EventScotland] Edinburgh is set to host the International Federation of Sport Climbing's (IFSC) European Championships 2019 for Lead and Speed after being awarded the Championships by the
Safe and joyful future fan zones
Fan zones are a very attractive and important feature of major sporting events. There are several reasons for this, including:
The futureproof venue is an innovation hub
The futureproof venue is a place that delivers total fan engagement and leverages technology to achieve this goal.
Aggreko awarded $200m contract to power Tokyo 2020 Olympics
[Source: Aggreko] Aggreko plc, the global leader in the rental of power, heating and cooling, is pleased to announce that its subsidiary Aggreko Events Services Japan Limited ('AESJL') has been awa
Denmark: a country with a view
What do you see when you scale the grass roof of the Museum of Moesgaard in Aarhus?
Sports experts focus on maximising athlete performance at HealthAccord 2019
[Source: SportAccord] SportAccord 2019 is delighted to confirm its HealthAccord conference: The Power of Sport – The Power to Change will take place on Tuesday 7 May 2019 from 09:00-12:30.
Transport as an event experience - Citec
Transport and mobility are part of the event experience, providing the first and leaving the last impression to all participants.
Transporting live entertainment productions across Europe
Saan Trucking is a young independent company that originated in 2012 from Royal Dutch Saan, a family-based company with a great history in logistic services.
A strategic and practical view of safety for host cities
The success of any major tournament, and the reputation of the host city, is intrinsically linked to the safety of the venues.
Queensland's Tourism Industry Development Minister to Welcome Delegates to CityAccord 2019
[Source: SportAccord] SportAccord is delighted to unveil its Gold Coast CityAccord conference programme: Mindful Event Hosting – Respecting the Past with a View to the Future.
Regional SportAccord to launch in Pan America
[Source: SportAccord] The 3-day event will enable international sports federations to gather with key players and stakeholders from the Pan American region to further develop their sport.
A policy-led process is the future for major events
Opening the 2-day Host City 2018 conference, Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland's Director of Events, reflected on the busy year it has been for the global events and festivals sector as well as looking
Host City 2018 builds "The Future of Major Events"
In a keynote address, International Olympic Committee Vice President Prof. Dr. Ugur Erdener said:
Nitro Circus revs up for Host City 2018
(Los Angeles, CA USA) Following a packed September, which saw the debuts of both the You Got This world tour as well as the Nitro Rallycross competition,
Beijing Confirmed as Host City for SportAccord 2020
[Source: SportAccord] SportAccord is delighted to announce Beijing, capital of the People's Republic of China, as Host City for the 18th edition of SportAcco
JTA receives Queen's Award for Enterprise in International Trade
HRH The Duke of Kent has presented staff at JTA (Jon Tibbs Associates Limited) the highly prestigious Queen's Award for Enterprise in International Trade 2018.
Event excellence, from PyeongChang to the Gold Coast
Two global sporting events. Tens of millions of eyes on the action that unfolds. Two months apart.
Minsk 2019 European Games set to "reverse negative discourse" on major sports events
Host City: The theme of Host City 2018 is "The Future of Major Events"
Serving big in Asia
The international volleyball federation (FIVB) has made no secret of its ambitious global growth plans by targeting Asia.
Temporary Infrastructure Funding Volunteering Senegal Jakarta 2022 Olympics Philippines 2018 Basketball venue technology


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Markets / Finance Commodities Analysis
It's Not What It Looks Like: Why Assam Clashes Have Nothing To Do With Religion
By Amrutha Gayathri @AmruthaGayathri
India is under a mass panic over the ongoing ethnic violence in its northeastern state of Assam, triggered when four men from the Bodo community were killed in Kokrajhar district July 20 allegedly by the Muslims who were seeking revenge for the attack on two student leaders from the community.
Thousands of people of northeastern origin residing in the south Indian cities of Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune and Hyderabad have rushed back to their home-states alarmed over the rumors that certain religious organizations were seeking revenge for the killing of the Muslims in Assam.
Between the lines of the media reports on the Assam strife which pit the Muslims and the Bodos against each other, hides a different reality that rules out the element of religion as a reason for the conflict, which by the way is commonplace in the Indian subcontinent.
"Religion has never been a factor in any of the violent clashes in Assam-be it between Assamese and Bodos, Assamese and illegal immigrants, Bodos and Adivasis or Bodos and illegal immigrants," Kaushik Deka, an author and columnist hailing from Assam, wrote in India Today.
"It has always been about who has the right over the geographical territory of Assam. That these suspected illegal immigrants from Bangladesh are Muslims is incidental," he wrote.
However, India's government-instituted National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has said the clashes were "not between some exodus of Bangladeshi immigrants and the Bodos but between the Bodos and the resident Muslims" of the BTAD or the Bodoland Territorial Autonomous Districts under the jurisdiction of Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC).
The Bodoland Territorial Council was created in 2003 to fulfill the economic, educational and linguistic aspirations and the preservation of land-rights, socio-cultural and ethnic identity of the Bodos and to speed up the infrastructure development in the BTC areas. The council's jurisdiction extends over thousands of villages and has the legislative powers over 40 subjects.
Since its inception, the BTC has faced severe opposition from non-Bodos, who allege that Bodos would create trouble for non-Bodos living in areas under the council's jurisdiction.
"The conflict was unequal because the Bodos had leftover arms from the Bodo Liberation Tigers. The Muslims are very poorly armed in comparison," the Minorities Commission said in the report, as reported by the Hindu. "There can be grave danger in future in case militant jihadi outfits from the rest of the country start supplying lethal weapons in this area."
The commission, which prepared the report following a visit to the conflict-torn districts of Assam in July, warned of the possibility of the Muslims in Assam turning "militant," due to the presence of militant outfits in the region.
While the public discourse on the violence presents deeply conflicting arguments, the Hindu nationalist organizations like Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and right-wing political parties in the opposition like Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) call the Assam conflict a battle between "Indians" and "illegal Bangladeshi Muslim immigrants."
Northeastern people in southern states, who panicked after receiving threats which referred to them as "anti-national" and sometimes "foreigner," received help from RSS volunteers who urged them to stay back. The RSS and its student affiliate body Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) set up 24-hour helplines in 20 cities across India Thursday, the Hindustan Times reported.
BJP president Nitin Gadkari Thursday said, "The problem in Assam is not communal but that of Indians versus outsiders. Anti-national people are involved in this violence. In Mumbai, the crowd waved the Pakistani flag, made provocative statements and vandalized the martyrs' memorial," a Press Trust of India report said.
BJP's attempt to draw parallels between the ethnic strife in Assam and the post-Godhra communal riots in Gujarat was met with heavy criticism from senior ruling Congress party leader Digvijaya Singh in July.
Singh slammed BJP's fact-finding mission to the violence-torn region, saying the party simply "add fuel to the fire."
"BJP's fact-finding team goes simply to add fuel to the fire and not to quench it. BJP has been communalizing the issue of migration from the very beginning," Singh said. "The illegal migrants also include Hindus along with Muslims. BJP only talks about Muslim illegal migrants."
Though immigration was part of the region's history since the mid-1930s, it was the anti-foreigners movement in Assam from 1979 to 1985 that drew worldwide attention to the issue of large-scale migration and the resulting ethnic tensions. The worst among the ethnic conflicts in Assam was the Nellie massacre of 1983 that left 3,000 people dead, most of them Muslims from Bangladesh who immigrated illegally.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in July dismissed the allegations that he had slept over a confidential report submitted by the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) warning of a possible riot. He said that the clashes were happening "due to clash of interest" and not due to infiltration of the Bangladeshi immigrants as part of a conspiracy to create trouble, as reported by BTC chief and Bodo People's Front (BPF) president Hagrama Mohilary in May.
It's not the religion, but the political mobilization fueled by partisan politics, disregarding the demographic composition of the state, that has led to the present crisis, which is reverberated across India with overtly communal tones.
India Congress India India
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CT lawmakers urge Senate to vote on gun legislation
by: Hector Ramirez II
Posted: Jun 20, 2019 / 04:47 AM EDT / Updated: Jun 20, 2019 / 04:47 AM EDT
A push to cut down on the number of gun-related deaths in Connecticut is set for Thursday.
U.S. Senators Blumenthal and Murphy, along with several other lawmakers, are expected to hold a news conference on Thursday urging Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to bring up gun legislation previously passed by the House.
Related: Gov. Lamont holds bill signing ceremony for Ethan's Law
The bill would require universal background checks.
The CDC estimates that 100 people die in the U.S. Every day from firearm-related injuries.
by Vanessa Wojtusiak / Jul 19, 2019
NEWINGTON, Conn. (WTNH) -- Due to the extreme heat across Connecticut this weekend, the Newington Parks and Recreation Department is taking precautions to ensure that residents and attendees of the 38th annual Life. Be in it. Extravaganza remain safe.
The event, taking place at Newington's Mill Pond Park, which was originally slated to begin at 10 a.m. with carnival rides, family activities and various craft, civic and corporate vendors will now be delayed until 5 p.m.
by GEIR MOULSON, Associated Press / Jul 19, 2019
BERLIN (AP) — Germany is marking the 75th anniversary of the most famous plot to kill Adolf Hitler, honoring those who resisted the Nazis — who were stigmatized for decades as traitors — as pillars of the country's modern democracy amid growing concerns about the resurgence of the far-right.
Chancellor Angela Merkel, who will speak Saturday at an annual swearing-in ceremony for some 400 troops before addressing a memorial event, paid tribute ahead of the anniversary to executed plot leader Col. Claus von Stauffenberg and his fellow conspirators and highlighted their importance to modern Germany.
New London / 9 hours ago
Weather / 6 mins ago


Compañeros and compañeras, we want to inform you of the situation we are living through in our territory, as this is a clear example of how we have been affected by similar situations in the past.
On the night of Sunday 12th June, on the section of the highway in the municipality of Tumbalá, in the northern zone of Chiapas, a group of around 10 people assaulted and killed a young campesino, 22 years of age, named Medardo Astudillo Arcos, from the community of Cuctiepa.
The Ch'ol and Tseltal communities of the region, knowing that there will be no justice from the state due to the complicity of the police forces with the bad government and organised crime, decided to organize ourselves autonomously and mobilised around 800 men to track and capture the criminal gang, who, thanks to witnesses who were in the area, were identified as Miguel Pérez Cruz, Antonio Pérez Cruz, and Medardo Pérez Cruz, among others, and there were confessions that the group organizer was Mariano Silvano Gómez.
The operation was carried out by fifteen communities from different municipalities, among them the municipality of Bachajón, adherents to the Sixth Declaration of the Lacandόn Jungle; we saw it necessary to unite against organised crime, to prevent the bad government from utilizing these types of situations, with the help of the mass media, and presenting them to civil society as the result of a prevailing insecurity and division among indigenous peoples, advocating police and military intervention in territories that are the focus of government interests.
Furthermore, we denounce that because of these interests, the bad government, in complicity with police forces in the region, has utilized similar conflicts to incriminate members of the indigenous organization of Bachajón, unjustly detaining them, as is the case of Emilio Jiménez Gómez and Esteban Gómez Jiménez.
The organized intervention of the Ch'ol and Tseltal communities to detain the criminals, using our customs and traditional practices and the ways and modes of community policing, is an example of autonomous justice which not only meets the security needs of the region, but also those of tourism, which daily travels these roads heading to destinations like Agua Azul, Palenque or the Yucatan peninsula.
Compañeros and Compañeras we will keep you informed about the situation.


text:
琉球王国 Made in Okinawa (2004)
When Renzō Kinoshita (木下蓮三, 1936 - 1997) passed away in 1997 at the early age of 60, he left behind an unfinished project called Ryūkyū Ōkoku – Made in Okinawa (琉球王国 – Made in Okinawa, 2004) dedicated to the history and people of the Ryūkyū Islands of Okinawa Prefecture. The storyboard for the animated short was completed in 1996, and after his death his wife Sayoko Kinoshita (木下小夜子, b. 1945) completed the film. (Source: ASIFA JAPAN). This animated 'documentary' short, which was shot on 35mm, played widely at international film and animation festivals from 2005-2007, and since then has shown at ASIFA screenings (Source: ASIFA JAPAN) at events such as International Animation Day.
In a prologue to the title screen, the film presents a beautiful cutout sequence of the sea – the defining element of Okinawan island culture – along with other significant symbols of Okinawan culture. A red-cheeked god, nanachi-bushi (the Big Dipper / Ursa Major), a traditional fan, the rising of the red sun out of the sea: these images all culminate with the face of the Ryūkyū god of nature in white dress. He looks directly into the camera, as if to challenge the spectator to think carefully about the culture and history of these islands. He places his hands on a palm tree and its leaves flourish. The sequence ends with a sequence of fish in their plenitude.
A Ryūkyū man dressed in a traditional bashōfu (芭蕉布 / banana plant cloth) kimono lies on the beach looking out to the sea. As he lies there, we witness the passage of time on the islands. At first there is peace and time seems to move slowly. Only the music and the occasional movements of the man indicate the passage of time. Finally a man carrying water passes by, followed by other people representative of times past: market vendors, peasants, the red-cheeked god dancing at a matsuri (festival). But as the film progresses, the islands prove to be the meeting place of many cultures.
Okinawa has long been strategically important due to its central position in the East China Sea. With Japan and Korea to the north, Taiwan and the Philippines to the south, and China to the west, the Ryūkyū were (and still are) significant for both for sea-going trade and political control in the region. The Kinoshitas depict boats with various flags passing the islands, and present a montage of the cultural influences on Okinawan life. This ranges from the benign (countries who want to trade with the people of the Ryūkyū Islands) to the threatening (countries who invaded/colonised the region).
The film is a great tool for teaching Okinawan history to secondary school children and university students, for there are visual references to many key historical events. These include trade with the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the invasion of Ryūkyū Kingdom by the Satsuma Clan (1609) during the early days of the Tokugawa Shogunate (1603-1868), the Ryūkyūan missions to Edo (琉球江戸上り / Ryūkyū Edo Nobori) following the invasion, and the landing of American Commodore Matthew C. Perry at Naha Port on May 26, 1853.
The montage of events becomes more intense as the region enters the modern era beginning with the advent of the Meiji Period (1968-1912), which saw the abolition of the Ryūkyū Clan and establishment of Okinawa Prefecture (1879). The animated short also depicts the Crown Prince of Japan (Hirohito) visiting Okinawa briefly in 1921 at the outset of his famous extended tour of Europe. The most dramatic sequences concern the terrible events experienced by Okinawans during the Second World War and the American Occupation of the islands. Historical events are not presented in a strictly chronological order, but are often juxtaposed against past and future events in a complex way that provokes debate and critique.
In conclusion, the film raises questions about the modernisation of Okinawa and leaves the audience much to consider regarding the region's future. As in their earlier films, particularly Pica-don (ピカドン, 1978) and The Last Air Raid Kumagaya (最後の空襲くまがや, 1993), the Kinoshitas do not shy away from presenting the harsh realities of the atrocities that have occurred in Okinawa. The horrors of the Battle of Okinawa and the notorious forced mass suicides are difficult to watch, but clearly necessary to understanding the ongoing frictions between Okinawa and the Japanese government. Although they are Japanese from Osaka and Tokyo respectively, Renzō and Sayoko Kinoshita clearly sympathize with the plight of the Okinawan people and the film expresses their desire for a peaceful future for the islands.
Renzō Kinoshita
Sayoko Kinoshita
Studio Lotus
Reijiro Koraku
Music Producer:
Yoshi Ando
Music Production:
Company Aza
Music Recording Studio:
Backpage Studio
Recording Engineer:
Mikio Obata
Sound Recording:
Kunio Ando
Sound Recording Studio:
Aoi Studio
Sound Production:
Magic Capsule
Sound Production Manager:
Rika Ishibashi
Okinawan Music:
Chibana Sanshin Club
Voices (Okinawan dialect):
Takashi Uehara
Masaru Taira
Hisao Shirai
Teruo Tsuda
Chikako Fukui
Yasuhito Fukui
Production Assistant:
Masahiro Hayashi
Production Manager:
Makiko Nagao
Laboratory:
Imagica
1972 Made in Japan / Nippon Seizou
1977 Japonese
1978 Pica-don / ピカドン
1986 Geba Geba Showtime / ゲバゲバショウタイム
1989 Self Portrait, part of David Ehrlich's collaborative work Animated Self Portraits
1993 The Last Air Raid Kumagaya / 最後の空襲くまがや
1994 A Little Journey / ひろしくんは空がすき
2004 Ryūkyū Oukoku – Made in Okinawa 琉球王国Made in Okinawa
For a complete filmography and links to secondary sources on the Kinoshitas, visit the Japanese Animation Filmography Project
Cathy Munroe Hotes 2014
Posted by Cathy Munroe Hotes at 8:34 pm
Labels: art animation, cutouts, documentary, hiroanim2014, independent animation, shorts


555 Timer - basic Self Changing Frequency???
Discussion in 'General Electronics Chat' started by hydromagnet, Oct 12, 2011.
I'm wanting to build circuit with 555 timer in A-stable mode.
I want the frequency to change within a couple seconds, automatically, instantly as the circuit is switched ON. And to repeat again, IF turned OFF/ON as a cycle.
Rather than specifying changing resistance or capacitance values, why don't you tell us what the function of your overall circuit is supposed to be? There are lots of different ways to approach a problem; there may be a way to build yours that will be pretty simple.
What is the desired starting frequency, and what is the desired final frequency, and how long should it take to get from the 1st to the 2nd?
tho, it won't pulse, if the circuit is turned on at the upper/highest frequency range (100K - R2), I have to adjust it all the way back down to 600K or so, then turn it on again.
Does this have anything to do with Bedini or Bearden's stuff?
I just don't want to waste your time/money (nor my time) on chasing some "free energy" or "over unity" scheme.
One possible valid use for the back-EMF would be a switching boost supply. However, you really need to give more details about what you are expecting for an output in order to develop a viable circuit.
I have used the CTRL input (pin 5) to control not only the frequency, but also the PWM% of a 555 timer. As the voltage on pin 5 is lowered, the frequency increases and the PWM% decreases. One can make a pretty nifty and fairly efficient boost converter that way.
But without a better idea on what your concept is, we'll just paddle in circles.
Just as an example, I'm attaching a schematic & simulation for a high-side buck current regulator for high-power LEDs, because I happen to have it handy, and it illustrates some interesting capabilities.
Very basically, Risense causes a voltage drop as the current through it rises; when that voltage reaches ~0.63v, Q2 starts sinking current from the base of Q1, causing the voltage at the CTRL input of the 555 to be decreased. C4 not only keeps the current through the LEDs stable, but passes the current pulses from the inductor to Risense to provide a "soft start" feature; preventing the current from overshooting the target during start-up.


text:
You can now apply for Biden's student loan relief plan. Here's how
By Sequoia Carrillo,
Susan Walsh
President Joe Biden and Education Secretary Miguel Cardona announce the student debt relief application is now live.
On Monday, President Biden announced the application for his student loan relief program is officially live.
The administration published a beta version of the application last week. Since its launch on Friday, more than 8 million borrowers have already applied for debt relief, with no reported glitches or crashes according to the White House.
"It's easy. It's fast," Biden said in a press conference announcing the launch, noting applications take less than 5 minutes and can be done on desktop or phone.
"This is a game changer for millions of Americans to get moving."
The application asks for borrowers' name, date of birth and social security number, among other things. The form is available in both English and Spanish on desktop and mobile sites. It will be open through Dec. 31, 2023.
Borrowers will not need what's known as an FSA ID to log into the application, nor will they need to upload any documents, including tax records. Instead of having to provide documents that verify that you, as an individual, earned less than $125,000 in 2020 or 2021 or, as a couple, less than $250,000, the application simply asks borrowers to check a box to "certify under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States of America that all of the information provided on this form is true and correct."
The administration estimates more than 40 million people will be eligible for the relief program.
Sequoia Carrillo
Sequoia Carrillo is an assistant editor for NPR's Education Team. Along with writing, producing, and reporting for the team, she manages the Student Podcast Challenge.
See stories by Sequoia Carrillo
An elderly couple in Ukraine says their resilience is all about happiness
Ukraine reels from a devastating week
Funerals begin for dozens of people killed in an attack on a Dnipro apartment complex


text:
Опо́чка (Опока, Вопока, Опоки) — город (с 1412) в России, административный центр Опочецкого района Псковской области. Образует муниципальное образование Опочка в статусе городского поселения (в границах города). Также является административным центром сельского поселения Пригородная волость.

Город был основан, как укреплённый пункт, в 1414 году в излучине реки Великая (бассейн Псковского озера), в 130 км от Пскова. Население —  чел. ().

История

Средние века и новое время

К юго-западу от города на острове реки Великой сохранилось городище, укрепления основанного псковичами в 1341 году, этот год считается основанием города. Находясь на возвышенном месте крепость контролировала окружающую местность и была неприступна для неприятеля. В 1346 году город отражал нападение литовского князя Ольгерда, начавшего военную кампанию против Новгорода.

В 1412 году псковичи для замены разрушенной Витовтом в 1406 году крепости Коложе заложили на излучине реки Великой крепость, в Псковской республике, которую нарекли Опочкой. В 1426 году Опочка выдержала осаду литовских войск Витовта, который с большим войском литовских и татарских отрядов осадил город и как отражено в летописи "лезте усердно к городу велми, и опочане с ним бишася искрепка... и он неверный поиде к городу, а много голов своея рати оставити". Итогом осады стало отступление. В 1427 году город осадил ливонский орден. В 1502 году вновь осаждён литовскими отрядами "Литва мало не взяла Опочку".

В 1517 году крепость Опочку осадило польско-литовское войско Константина Острожского, которое после неудачного штурма было разгромлено подоспевшими русскими отрядами.  В годы Ливонской войны 1558—1583 гг. в Опочке размещался многочисленный стрелецкий гарнизон. В 1559 году воеводы царя Ивана Васильевича ходили в Ригу воевать через Опочку. В 1562 году город вновь осаждён литовцами и им даже не удалось зажечь посад, горожане за "надолбами" отбились и "многих постреляли из города". В 1607 году Опочка присягнула Лжедмитрию II. В 1611 году в город приходили войска гетмана Лисовского. В этом же году в городе сосредотачивались русские войска посланные на выручку Пскова от шведов. Последний раз Литва неудачно подступала к Опочке в 1634 году.

В 1701 году по указу императора Петра I был возобновлён земляной вал вокруг  города.

Пётр I своим указом от  года разделил Россию на 8 губерний, причём Опочка была приписана к Ингерманландской губернии (переименованной в 1710 году в Санкт-Петербургскую). Новый указ императора от  года ввёл деление губерний на провинции, и Опочка вошла в Псковскую провинцию Санкт-Петербургской губернии, а по указу Екатерины I от  года вместе с этой провинцией отошла к новообразованной Новгородской губернии.

В 1772 году, после первого раздела Речи Посполитой, была образована Псковская губерния, центром которой стал город Опочка; в состав этой губернии были включены две провинции Новгородской губернии (Псковская и Великолуцкая) и вновь образованные из земель бывшего Полоцкого воеводства провинции: Двинская (польская Лифляндия) и Полоцкая; в конце года была также присоединена выделенная из Могилёвской губернии Витебская провинция. Указом Екатерины II от  года из состава Псковской губернии была выделена Полоцкая губерния, а центр Псковской губернии (в 1777—1796 гг. — Псковское наместничество) был перенесён в Псков; Опочка же стала уездным городом — центром Опочецкого уезда Псковской губернии (официально утверждена в этом статусе в 1777 году).

В 1781 году Опочке был пожалован герб: «В верхней части щита герб Псковский, в нижней — пирамидою сложенная куча из известного камня, называемого опока и означающего имя сего города, в голубом поле».

В Отечественную войну 1812 года в Опочке был расквартирован Резервный полк тяжелой кавалерии Второй кавалерийской дивизии, составленный из запасных эскадронов Псковского, Московского, Каргопольского и Ингерманландского драгунских полков, и входивший в Девятую (резервную) кавалерийскую дивизию генерал-майора князя Репнина. При изгнании Наполеона из пределов России полк, в составе корпуса графа Витгенштейна с отличием сражался, в частности, при Кубличах. Известен, как минимум, один офицер полка, бывший ингерманландец и командир Резервного эскадрона каргопольцев майор Гринев, получивший за этот бой орден св. Георгия IV класса.

В конце XVIII и XIX веке жители города торговали льном, пенькой, лесом. Украшением города служил освящённый в 1795 году Спасо-Преображенский собор. В городе имелись уездное училище, женская прогимназия, земские и церковно-приходские школы; в 1874 году приступил к работе городской общественный банк, а в 1894 году была открыта земская больница. Промышленность города была представлена небольшими кожевенными, кирпичными, гончарными предприятиями.

На 1 января 1896 года в городе насчитывалось 5789 жителей, среди которых — 5216 православных, 248 евреев, 125 католиков, 92 протестанта, 65 старообрядцев и 43 представителя других конфессий. Среди 755 строений лишь 33 было каменными. Имелись 6 православных церквей, лютеранская церковь и еврейский молитвенный дом. Насчитывалось 6 кожевенных, 6 синильных, 4 гончарных, 2 кирпичных и один свечной завод, мукомольня.

 года в Опочке была установлена Советская власть.

Новейшее время
Постановлением Президиума ВЦИК от 1 августа 1927 года в рамках проводимой в СССР административно-территориальной реформы деление на губернии и уезды было отменено, а Опочка вошла в состав Псковского округа Ленинградской области, став административным центром новообразованного Опочецкого района.

Постановлением Президиума ВЦИК от 29 января 1935 года была образована Калининская область, а Опочка вместе со всем Опочецким районом была включена в её состав. В составе этой области с 11 мая 1937 года по 5 февраля 1941 года существовал Опочецкий округ с центром в Опочке.

8 июля 1941 года Опочка была занята немецко-фашистскими войсками. Освобождена она была 15 июля 1944 года частями 10-й гвардейской армии (командующий — генерал-лейтенант М. И. Казаков) 2-го Прибалтийского фронта в ходе Режицко-Двинской операции.

Указом Президиума Верховного Совета СССР от 22 августа 1944 года образована Великолукская область, в состав которой вошёл и Опочецкий район — до 2 октября 1957 года, когда по указу Президиума Верховного Совета РСФСР эта область была упразднена, а Опочецкий район был передан в состав Псковской области.

Население

По численности населения на 1 января 2014 года находился на 909 месте из 1100 городов Российской Федерации.

Экономика
В городе работают ряд промышленных предприятий: завод пищевых продуктов (филиал Псковского молочного комбината), хлебокомбинат, швейная фабрика. Имеются предприятия по производству натуральных соков, кожгалантерейных изделий, детских автомобильных кресел безопасности.

Достопримечательности

В городе сохранились древние здания, представляющие историческую ценность. Также известен Опочецкий вал — остатки средневековых укреплений.
 Белая гимназия — двухэтажное здание конца XVIII — начала XIX века, выполненное в стиле зрелого классицизма. Выстроено купцом Порозовым. С 1861 года здесь располагались женское малое училище и гимназия имени А. С. Пушкина.
 Братское захоронение, 1941—1945 гг. Установлена стоящая на постаменте железобетонная скульптура коленопреклоненного солдата со знаменем в руке.

Примечания

Литература

 Военная энциклопедия. Т. 17. Изд. И.Д. Сытин. М. 1914 г. Опочка. стр. 135-136.

Ссылки

 Опочка, Опочецкий район Псковской области
 История герба Опочки
  Опочецкий район

Города из Списка русских городов дальних и ближних

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Waterway sediments represent one of the most complicated and expensive liabilities for many industrial and petroleum clients, with costs for many legacy sites in the multi-million dollar range. Issues for many of these sites focus primarily on the presence of petroleum chemicals, particularly their potential effects on fish and other natural aquatic resources. However, sediment is a complex environmental matrix composed of a diverse mixture of materials than can greatly affect the mobility and behavior of petroleum chemicals, especially with regards to the potential for adverse effects that drive site decisions and regulatory concerns. Traditional measurement techniques for understanding these chemicals in sediment are widely known to over-predict chemical risks, leading to overly-protective sediment management actions that can waste hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars per site.
Recently, a new technique – Passive Sampling – has become available to provide a more robust assessment of sediment contamination. Passive sampling involves exposure of an inert, sorptive solid device into sediment, followed by the analysis of the chemicals absorbed by the sampler. In this way, passive sampling mimics chemical uptake by fish and other aquatic life, the key focus of the most sensitive environmental regulations. The resulting passive data offer a more realistic view of chemical risks, avoiding overly-stringent and expensive sediment management approaches. Because the technology has now fully transitioned from pure research to routine application (with state and federal regulatory support), costs to apply passive sampling represent only a modest 20-30% additional investment for typical site investigation budgets. Due to the additional confidence in site assessments that can be provided by passive sampling data, many contaminated sites can realize sediment management cost savings approaching several thousand to several millions of dollars.
This presentation will provide an overview of passive sampling science and strategic application to contaminated sediment assessment and management, drawing from the speaker's 20-year experience in passive sampling and recent development of commercial passive sampling services in the environmental consulting industry. A key focus of the presentation will be the state and federal regulatory acceptance of the approach, including several examples and case studies on the use of passive sampling to aid decision-making at contaminated sites.


Are you looking for the map of Bellevigny? Find any address on the map of Bellevigny or calculate your itinerary to and from Bellevigny, find all the tourist attractions and Michelin Guide restaurants in Bellevigny. The ViaMichelin map of Bellevigny: get the famous Michelin maps, the result of more than a century of mapping experience.


The Queen of Hill Stations, Mussoorie is famed for its spellbinding natural beauty and the majestic view of the Doon Valley. Tall pine trees, cool temperature, meandering alleyways along with British era edifices makes it a picture perfect holiday destination. The place also boost some of the beautiful and mesmerizing waterfalls such as Kempty waterfall, Jharipani Fall and Bhatta Fall to enthral the travellers.


text:
Nowitzki, Barea lead Mavs past Suns
[December 05, 2008] DALLAS (AP) -- Maybe it was facing buddy Steve Nash. Maybe it was having two point guards in the starting lineup. Maybe it was the way Phoenix kept switching defenders against him without ever finding a stopper.
Something put Dirk Nowitzki into quite the scoring mood.
Nowitzki scored 37 points in three quarters and wound up tying his season high of 39, and the Dallas Mavericks continued their recent surge with perhaps their best performance of the season in a 112-97 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night.
"He willed us to a higher level than we've been at," coach Rick Carlisle said. "It was clear to me he was not going to let us lose."
Nowitzki opened the game by hitting a midrange jumper and the Mavericks never trailed.
Nowitzki wouldn't let them, scoring inside or outside no matter whether he was being guarded by a big guy like Shaquille O'Neal or Amare Stoudemire, a medium-sized guy like Grant Hill or Matt Barnes, or even facing a pesky double-team from Nash.
"Since they lost Shawn Marion, they can't match up with him," teammate Jason Terry said. "He took advantage of them all night."
Nash and O'Neal returned to Phoenix's lineup after missing the two previous games, Nash because of flu-like symptoms that cost him several pounds and O'Neal because of sore knees and coach Terry Porter's plan to avoid using him in back-to-back games. Their presence wasn't enough, though, as the Suns lost their fourth straight.
"We haven't found a rhythm or a good balance yet," said Nash, who had 20 points and 10 assists without playing the fourth quarter. "We haven't shown a fighting spirit yet to get over the hump. Right now we're in a dark place but we have to believe in each other."
Stoudemire led Phoenix with 28 points but got his fifth foul late in the third quarter and wasn't a factor after that.
The big problem for the Suns seems to be defense. Nowitzki's big night comes soon after Miami's Dwyane Wade scored 43 against Phoenix and New Jersey's Devin Harris had 47.
"We haven't done a good job of taking the challenge and guarding their guys," Porter said. "There's no doubt we'll get better."
Nowitzki scored 14 points in the first quarter, nine in the second and 14 in the third. He was 16-of-21 at that point and the Mavericks were comfortably ahead going into the final period.
"I felt like I hadn't been shooting the ball extremely good, only in the low 40 percent, and that's not going to cut it," Nowitzki said. "But my shot felt good tonight and I got some good looks."
Nowitzki got one more basket before leaving with 4:04 left. Getting 40 didn't matter as much as knowing the Mavericks were headed toward their eighth win in nine games, pushing them two games over .500 for the first time this season. It also was their fourth straight home win, evening their record in Dallas at 4-4.
"We gained ground tonight -- percentage-wise, we're seventh in the West now," Carlisle said. "That's huge because we're trying to climb from the abyss of the first two weeks (when they were 2-7).
[to top of second column]
The Mavs have a good chance to keep climbing with the next five games at home. And they might've found a spark from the new wrinkle of pairing 5-foot-11 backup point guard J.J. Barea in the lineup with Jason Kidd. Sometimes they've even gone to a three-point-guard lineup with Terry joining them.
Carlisle used that in the fourth quarter when Phoenix got within 10. Barea then scored or set up every point in a 10-0 run. Soon after, he nailed a 3-pointer that pushed the lead to 23 and punctuated it with a loud scream drowned out by a roar from fans already on their feet.
"When you have confidence you can do anything and his confidence is high right now," Kidd said of Barea.
"He's fearless," added Nowitzki. "He's small, but for some reason he's a great finisher in there. He gets to the seams. I just really like that he's in attack mode."
Barea, who earned the start by hitting the winning shot in the final minute of the previous game, finished with a season-best 18 points. Terry scored 19, continuing his strong play off the bench to make up for the scoring punch lost by Josh Howard being out with an ankle injury. Dallas is 6-1 in the seven straight games he's missed.
Although these teams no longer score like they used to, the Mavericks did a good imitation of their former selves in the first half, scoring 33 points in the first quarter and a season-best 64 by halftime.
The Suns kept up with the pace the first 11 1/2 minutes, then Dallas broke the game open with a 21-4 spurt.
Notes: O'Neal had four points and five rebounds in 26 minutes. He made only 1 of 6 shots. ... Kidd made a 3-pointer, the 1,386th of his career, tying Antoine Walker for ninth in NBA history.
[Associated Press; By JAIME ARON]


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Consumer Nation
Will Nordstrom's Discount Stores Hurt Its Brand?
Published Wed, Apr 14 201011:32 AM EDT Updated Fri, Sep 13 20134:33 PM EDT
Krystina Gustafson@KrystinaGustafs
Luxury retailers are increasing their reliance on outlet stores to meet shoppers' desire for lower price points, but one upscale department store's off-price strategy runs the risk of hurting its brand equity in the long-term, Needham & Co. analyst Christine Chen said.
As shoppers actively seek out bargains, the close proximity of Nordstrom's full-price stores to its discount Nordstrom Rack locations—the majority of which are placed outside of traditional outlet centers—could encourage consumers to shift their spending to the lower-priced options, Chen said.
"With Rack opening in non-outlet center malls within close driving proximity, your customer definitely will cross-shop," she said. "The lines become a little more blurred."
Outlet stores are often considered a good strategy for luxury retailers looking to eliminate excess inventory without diluting their brands.
In the aftermath of the recession, they've also become a successful way to capture the spending of aspirational shoppers—consumers whose income isn't as high as a true luxury customer but who will splurge on the right item. This is important because aspirational shoppers were responsible for a good chunk of spending during the retail boom years that preceded the recession.
As such, Saks and Nordstrom have both expanded their off-price presence, this year planning three and 16 new stores, respectively. Bloomingdale's recently announced that it too will enter the space, with its first four outlet stores opening later this year.
But the key difference, Chen said, is that several Nordstrom Rack stores are located less than a mile away from their full-price locations.
Paired with the fact that the retailer's full-priced inventory already offers lower price points than competitors such as Saks or Macy's Bloomingdale's, this could hurt the company's core business, Chen said.
"As a customer I appreciate that it's [so close], but it really shouldn't be," Chen said.
Even more detrimental to Nordstrom's strategy is its Manhattan debut. After it was unsuccessful in securing space for a traditional store on glitzy Park Avenue, the retailer opted to go ahead with plans to open a 32,000 square-foot Rack location near New York City's Union Square in May.
Though the Union Square area is thought to house a lower-income demographic than typical of Nordstrom shoppers, its heavy traffic flow—and the fact that it will be the only Nordstrom on the island—would likely make the store lure in its target shoppers, Chen said.
"You're making your debut in Manhattan with an outlet store? I find that a little bit odd," she said. "I just kind of wonder what that does to the Nordstrom brand."
But Nordstrom spokesperson Colin Johnson said the company wanted to take advantage of the available location, and said the retailer still hopes to open a full-line Manhattan location in the future. He emphasized that Rack's current strategy is nothing new from 30 years ago, when it created the first off-price location around the corner from its flagship Seattle store.
"We've found that the two stores really complement each other," he said. "This has been about us just trying to find new ways to better serve our customers."
Morgan Stanley analyst Michelle Clark said Nordstrom did an exceptional job maintaining its brand equity through the recession by quickly reducing its average unit price by about 10 to 15 percent, which helped draw hesitant consumers back to the store. In February, she upgraded the company's shares from underweight to equal-weight, citing a more stable consumer and traction in company initiatives.
Nordstrom does appear to be gaining some traction. In March, its full-line same-store sales rose 17.6 percent, while same-store sales at Rack increased 4.7 percent.
Disclosures: Within the last 12 months, Morgan Stanley has provided investment banking services to Nordstrom.
More from Consumer Nation:
Rollback Those Fears About Wal-Mart Prices
Want to Pick a Winner in Retail? 3 Brands for the Long Haul
J. Crew CEO: Retailers Are Back, Not Consumers
March Madness for Women—The Race for Luxury Goods
Ritz-Carlton: Biggest Bargain Shoppers Spend the Most
Questions? Comments? Email us at consumernation@cnbc.com
Saks Inc
Nordstrom Inc
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1.Kolejka
11 sierpnia 2006

12 sierpnia 2006

2.Kolejka
19 sierpnia 2006

20 sierpnia 2006

3.Kolejka
26 sierpnia 2006

27 sierpnia 2006

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2 września 2006

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3 marca 2007

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Baraże
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9 czerwca 2007

Bibliografia

Pierwszy poziom rozgrywek piłkarskich w Czarnogórze


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Disney Preparing to Dump Chronicles of Narnia After the Trilogy? UPDATED!
Source: Jim Hill Media
In interesting bit of news has cropped up this week courtesy of Disney expert Jim Hill. One of May's big upcoming franchise flicks is Disney's Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, the second in the series. Hill claims that although Disney initially planned on adapting all seven of the novels in the Chronicles of Narnia series to play through 2013, unless Prince Caspian does well this May, they're planning to dump the series after the trilogy ends with The Voyage of the Dawn Treader in 2010.
Jim Hill, who as far as I know doesn't specifically work for Disney, does receive very solid and accurate inside information from the Mouse House. Here is his post regarding the future of the Chronicles of Narnia franchise:
From what I've heard, studio suits seem to be cooling to the idea of producing movie versions of all seven of C.S. Lewis's "Narnia" books. And unless "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" does truly huge box office once it's released to theaters in May of this year … Disney & Walden Media (i.e. Mickey's partner on the "Narnia" film series) will probably still go forward with production of the already-in-development "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader." But after that … The Mouse would then mostly likely pull the plug on the rest of the proposed "Narnia" film series.
Hill goes on to explain that if they do end up pulling the plug on the four remaining films in the series, that would leave quite a bit of space open in Disney's production schedule through 2013 - so what might fill in the gaps? He claims that Disney and Pixar are gearing up to do a trilogy of films based on the "John Carter of Mars" books. This has already been previously rumored, but it sounds like they are certainly moving ahead in development. However, we'll get back to the "John Carter of Mars" adaptations at a future point once more comes out about those adaptations.
To be honest, although I'm personally looking forward to Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, I really don't think it's going to do very well this summer (it opens on May 16th). At least not well enough for Disney to warrant continuing on the series for another five movies. Obviously this franchise isn't performing as well as Harry Potter, the only other seven-book series that is actually getting all seven of its novels adapted into films (well, actually eight). Beyond that, however, it's going to get squashed by the line-up both before and after it, which includes Iron Man and Speed Racer before and Indiana Jones IV and Sex and the City after. Despite there isn't anything for kids that could really steal some of Caspian's audience, the darker tone the sequel is taking may turn away some families.
In addition to Prince Caspian, due out this summer, and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, which is already in pre-production, C. S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia series contains four more novels: The Silver Chair, The Horse and His Boy, The Magician's Nephew, and The Last Battle. It's hard for a series that long to keep up its momentum, especially in theaters, and I think it's in Disney's best interest to finish this off at the trilogy as mentioned. However, I'm not a fan of the books, so I may be missing out on the great material in the later half. Any thoughts from Chronicles of Narnia fans?
UPDATE: We were contacted by a Disney rep today who assured us that all of these rumors are false. Disney has not released an official statement claiming otherwise, but is rather contacting individual sites in order to dispel these rumors. You can rest assured that as far as we know, Disney and Walden Media are planning to finish the series and adapt all seven books.
Find more posts: Editorial, Movie News
I'm a huge fan of the books, but I'm having a bit of a hard time imagining how the remaining books could be adapted into blockbuster movies. There are certainly epic themes, but the stories are somewhat unconnected even though some of the characters carry through. Horse and His Boy could definitely work. Silver Chair would probably convert nicely as well. But Magician's nephew is really a book of beginnings and could properly be told in under 80 minutes (hardly a feature length film). The Last Battle tells a story of the end, and it seems like it would be extremely difficult to pull off. Just my thoughts...
Peter on Mar 18, 2008
Personally all the books were alright but i only liked Magician's Nephew (which would be hard to adapt to film) and Lion Witch and the Wardrobe. The rest could be done as a mini-series.
EDA on Mar 18, 2008
I really adore all of the Narnia books. I've read them time and time again, ever since I was five or sixish. I think all of them have a unique story line, and metaphorically speaking, are really intricate and woven together really beautifully. Whether or not all of the books could be adapted into big, box office films, is yet to be seen. Could be hard, could be entirely easy. It all has to do with the screenwriters adaptation and choice of direction. I definitely think that Disney is trying to release the movies that will have all four children in them. The Magician's Nephew (personally, my favorite book, and I PRAY that that build it into a film), comes as a prequel to The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, and it may, or may not be hard for kids to connect with. Also, other volumes in the series only feature some of the kids, as a opposed to all of them. Children and adults alike need a consistent cast of characters to relate to the films, and once they lose some of the young characters, where is the familiarity? I'm really interested to see where they take this. I honestly think C.S. Lewis is one of the most influential authors, and men of all time. He has established a ton of hope, magic, love, and intelligence into the hearts and mind of everyone touched by his works. Whether it be The Chronicles of Narnia, or Screwtape letters, he deserves to be honored for all of his literary achievments.
Lexie on Mar 18, 2008
"Obviously this franchise isn't performing as well as Harry Potter, the only other seven-book series that is actually getting all seven of its novels adapted into films." Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone $317,575,550 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix $292,004,738 The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe $291,710,957 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire $290,013,036 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets $261,988,482 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban $249,541,069 It's doing fine for me.
Gomus on Mar 18, 2008
honestly, that sucks every story in Narnia deserves to be made into an actual GOOD film....unlike the BBC crap that is very disappointing
Josh on Mar 19, 2008
This makes no sense at all. I look at the news about Prince Caspian every day for my freelance job as a News Blogger. Jim Hill make one small statement and the whole Internet declares that Disney has already given up on the Chronicles. Disney is NOT going to abandon this cash cow. the first movie has already sold a billion dollars in ticket sales and merchandise. Indications from the huge fan base are that Prince Caspian is going to be just as huge, if not bigger.
Mark Sommer on Mar 19, 2008
Even if Disney is dumb enough to dump it, remember, Walden Media has the film rights to Narnia: they can easily find another distributor.
Chris on Mar 19, 2008
Disney has apparently been contacting various web sites in order to dispel the rumor started by Jim Hill. I will have a Blog entry about this issue some time tomorrow.
That makes no sense at ALL Alex. Narnia made over $290M!!!!! That is more than ALL the Harry Potters other than number one, and just a million or so away from the Order of the Phoniex. It even made MORE than Goblet did, and they were released just weeks apart! Also it did fabulous on DVD. No WAY this rumor is true unless the budget is $500M which I HIGHLY doubt.
Ryan on Mar 19, 2008
Under which sun is 500 million (profits gross and domestic) "not worth" perusing?. Hollyweird indeed.
Boonstra on Mar 19, 2008
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=narnia.htm Those are some pretty impressive stats if you ask me.
We were contact by our Disney rep today and told that all of these rumors are false. Although no official statement has been released, they are emailing every site who wrote this up in order to attempt to dispel the rumors and put a cap on the spread of this story. Until we hear anything else, it sounds as if Disney is trying to finish the series and all seven books.
Alex Billington on Mar 19, 2008
Boy am I glad that this rumor is false..now I can hinge of the possibility of them all being made. I will not lie and say that I went into a depression when this news first came out. GO NARNIA!
Eliseo on Mar 20, 2008
Very glad to hear that update from Alex. I love all the books and can't wait to see my favorite three (Horse and His Boy, The Silver Chair, and The Magician's Nephew) made into films. As long as Prince Caspian is protrayed darker then The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, this could make an excellent series of films!
Ken Evans on Mar 21, 2008
well i think all 7 should be turned into movies because it will do well, im very sure that they will be because it isnt stated that they arnt doing it and wheather or not their goin to be as big as harry potter, they will still do well, i dont know anyone who wouldnt go and see the films! me and my friends cant wait to see the second one!
joe on Mar 24, 2008
Mark Sommer is right. Jim Hill is a stopped clock who specializes in spreading FUD. He reported that "Cars" was a failure. He reported that "Ratatouille" was a failure. Now, he's reporting that "Narnia" is a failure.
Mr. X on Mar 24, 2008
Yes! So glad to have gotten some good news at the end of this post! LONG LIVE NARNIA!
John A. Ellis on Mar 28, 2008
I think that The Last Battle should be made into a film if nothing else, because it finishes up the story of the 4 kids and the end of Narnia. Not that the others aren't good books, but I feel that we at least need a closing with the characters we've already seen in the films
Eponine on May 21, 2008
I hope this film will be continued because this film is better than harry porter.I think it would be the best film made by walt disney.
jason on May 26, 2008
Disney doesn't appear to be fond of taking financial risks to try new things (See:the majority of new full length animated features released in recent years being sequals of older "classics") The narnia books and movies are pigeonholed as being "religious" and could be interpreted as having a limited audience. As a consumer I expect Disney will not continue the series past it's current obligation but that does not mean the end of the franchise. As I recall Disney also dropped the Pirates of the Carribean franchise yet the films continued on as "Pirates" Also was it Disney that planned to pick up the LotR series originally squeezed it into only 1 or two movies but cancelled it because they decided it would not be successful?
Jen on Jun 22, 2008
Personally, I do believe that "Cars" was the one movie I didn't find as good as the other Pixar films. "Ratatouille" was good. It would be a complete shame if they didn't complete all seven of the installments.
Joel on Jul 26, 2008
i'm really glad that they're doing all of them and i hope that they do the last battle justice because its the best one i hope they can do it and that way anna popplewell and william mosely will be able to come back for horse and his boy and the last battle i'm very excited for this tun of events
Esther on Dec 6, 2008
though im sad about susan in the last battle
I read the Chronicles as a child, loved them, and am now reading them to my 7 year old daughter, who is also enjoying them just as much I would be very disappointed if Disney did drop the franchise (with rumours flying around one way or another it is still hard to tell). I have been waiting a long time to see them filmed, and filmed well. The last two films have not disappointed, not one bit. I think that despite some comments, all of the books would transfer to film well. The Silver Chair and the Last Battle could make for some pretty epic cinema, as well as the Magicians Nephew. The last of the series The Horse and His Boy, while perhaps the weakest of the remaining books could still be given the Disney treatment and made into an enjoyable film. The benefit of the latter two stories is that they could be filmed without the participation of the original cast if neccesary (think of the actors playing the adult Pevensies in the first film). As one of the previous commentators have pointed out, if Disney were to drop the series then it is likely that another distributor would be very likely to pick it up. Looking at the amounts of money these films have generated at the box office, as well as the merchandising surrounding them, I would be astonished if Disney were to drop this series, although one is prompted to question just how greedy the company is if they would consider an excess of $200 million dollars not enough? I will keep watching the web, and hope that they finish this series of films with the same degree of quality as the first two. I will also hope that Lewis' christian message is not dropped or masked by the timidity of studio bosses in the same way that fear of christian groups protesting has affected the making of the Philip Pulman trilogy, or rather caused the cessation of the remaining trilogy.
Cliff on Dec 9, 2008
Cliff commented: "one is prompted to question just how greedy the company is if they would consider an excess of $200 million dollars not enough?" What you have to consider is that only about half the box office receipts go to the studio. And the cost of production does not include advertising, etc. The estimate I have seen is that the movie would have to take in box office receipts of $400 to $500 million in order to just break even. (Box office totals are at $420 million worldwide. Of course, there is also some revenue from merchandising DVD sales.) That is why the budget for the next movie will be slashed from $200 million to closer to $100 million.
Mark Sommer on Dec 9, 2008
I REALLY hope that they continue witht the series. With or without Disney. Prince Caspian may not have done as well as Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe, but that's because it's a much darker movie and a necessary step in the storytelling to reach the next book. I thought it was filmed brilliantly, no matter what anyone says!
Jenni on Jan 5, 2009
For those who may not know, Disney has decided not to support any more Narnia movies. Walden Media is looking for another partner and still plan to begin filming within three months. Disney's decision seems strange given that fact that Prince Caspian will make money even though it is one of the least favorite books. For more of my thoughts, see this link: http://live.hollywoodjesus.com/?p=3355
Mark Sommer on Jan 5, 2009


Part 2 of a conversation with Gary Hutton. Interviewers include myself (Rebecca) and Mark English.
Gary Hutton: There's all this furniture hype about "handmade". It's really about knowing how to make things. That's what you learn at a good art school. My furniture is made by people who do the finest work in this country. People in the know, people who work with metal, they see my tables and they say, "Oh… my… God…" If you look, you'll see that there are no visible welds. They're put together by a process called plug welding. That's really about the craft, having good craftsmanship.
Rebecca: But the cool thing about your Baker Street project was that you were very ingenious with simple materials.
There's a big difference between working with a developer and working with a custom builder, a difference in thought process. Developers want to achieve the biggest bang for the cheapest buck. They want the "wow" factor and to pay nothing for it.
Rebecca: I remember these felt curtains made from recycled soda bottles. So simple and yet so elegant. And that wall with the push pins.
That was a seismic map of North America made with 1100 pearls. Don't ask me how I came to have a collection of 1100 Swarovski pearls!
Rebecca: So tell me about knock-offs. The Ciao table, or the Puddle table. Does it bother you?
It bothers me tremendously, but there's nothing I can do about it. These designs can be copyrighted, but the Supreme Court ruled in the early 80s that if 10% of the design has changed, then it's not the same thing. Of course the proportions aren't exactly the same, either. The shape isn't right. Look… here's a design publication that just came out containing photos of 2 knockoffs from my designs. The original tables were cast bronze and the knockoffs are in wood or painted wood. I've been making that Ciao table since 1986. These are designers. They should know better! Seeing that absolutely ruined my weekend.
Rebecca: But does it actually hurt your business?
The people who can afford to pay for meticulous craftsmanship are not going to buy a knockoff at Crate & Barrel. Nothing comes fully formed. Some Modernist schools like the Bauhaus really emphasized the art and craft. Consider the Breuer tubular steel chair. They were not the first to make it. But they saw the possibilities for mass production, to make fine art available to the masses. But then this Breuer chair has its cheaper knock-offs, too. There are 27 bends in the original Breuer chair. The cheaper copy has maybe half that number. It's not as comfortable.
Rebecca: Do you consider ergonomics and comfort in your furniture designs?
Oh yes, I think about it a lot. With seating, there's not a lot of flexibility. The seat pitch front to back has to be around an inch and a half – otherwise you'll feel like you're pitching forward. Regarding seat depth, there is a sweet spot that will work even for a very short or a very tall person. But, furniture designers have tended to design to their own body's scale. Michael Taylor was 6'4″ – and his furniture is BIG. Billy Baldwin was tiny, and his furniture is all very delicate.
Gary Hutton showed me a version of the Thayer Sofa, which is specifically designed with a deep pitch so that a person can lie down lengthwise and have enough room to read the paper.
I have to think about how people will want to use each piece. Not everyone will sit formally in a chair, for example. Some people prefer to lounge, or to read – a sofa should support people in how they want to live, not the other way around.
The economic downturn has stalled the development of more furniture pieces, but that's my creative outlet. Interiors are work, a by-produt of client needs and desires. But my furniture is closer to pure expression. Typically, it takes 1-3 years to create a new furniture design. The Sturgis chair is one example that took 3-4 years of prototyping. We made 4 or 5 of them, and we had to keep going until it "sat" right, and we could find the right gauge of metal. And we have to pay someone to make each one, one at a time. A lot of it is finding the right person to make it. You need a really skilled fabricator.
Mark: That's similar to what architect Anne Fougeron says about some of her stair designs. The engineers look at her designs and say they can't calc it out. So her closest relationship is with her fabricator, who's not afraid to give it a try.
Rebecca: Maybe it's better to let the engineers figure it out afterwards. Get it to work first, and then the engineer can figure out why. So, how do you get the first inklings of a new furniture design? Is it a visual image? Kinesthetic? A concept?
The Sturgis chair started with the idea of handlebars, like the handlebars on a motorcycle. Then came the single-piece cantilevered seat – figuring out how to attach it at only two places and make it springy. Getting the curve of the attachment piece right was hard, because if it wasn't coiled enough, it would break or bend.
People today are totally disengaged from actually making things. Even designers have no idea how things are made, how they go together. Here's a video that explains how we make our pieces. (NOTE: The video is no longer available but this slideshow covers the furniture making process). It covers lost-wax bronze casting, our welded pieces, and the upholstery. It's very exacting. When something is completely made by hand, like a custom home, there's a Zen to that. Your body recognizes it almost on a cellular level.
Rebecca: Isn't that a conflict with the philosophy of mass-produced art or furnishings, the "design for the masses" approach whose original intent was to make good design accessible and affordable to a greater number of people?
Mark: As Michelle Kaufmann once said, true prefab is without intent. If you change it – it's no longer prefab, it's some strange hybrid.
We recently had the privilege of working on a Quincy Jones house in Belvedere that had been brutally remodeled. All the finishes had been destroyed, bastardized. My client bought it anyway. We were walking through it and went into a secondary bedroom that hadn't been altered and she asked me, "Why do I like this room better?" Well, it was because the original handcrafted intent had been left alone in that one room. Her instincts were correct.
Rebecca: What's your typical approach when starting a new project? How do you go about strategizing or thinking about it?
I listen, and I talk to the clients, try to find out where they're coming from. What they say is not necessarily what they mean. I have to watch closely for visual clues of personal style. What is their clothing, their surroundings, their car? I observe them interacting with things in space, and how they move through that space. As a designer, I have to figure out my clients. What are they really after? They may not want to tell you. I also ask them to bring pictures of stuff they don't like. Sometimes, you can get more information that way.
On the apartment renovation that I did recently with Mark English Architects, Mark had already given us a beautiful design. But the furnishings were still lacking. I had to take what was already there and make it stronger, complete it. There was already that round sofa, which I echoed on the other side of the room. The oval ceiling is echoed on the floor. With the master bed, the client told me that he wanted it to feel like a really, really fancy hotel suite.
Rebecca: What's your take on use of color? Most of your work features a very restrained palette – why is that? And yet some of your past articles talk about "bling". So… in your heart, are you minimal or bling?
I like to say that my furniture is the low child of Judith Lieber and Donald Judd. I like cleanliness of line and spareness. I've worked for so many art collectors. They don't leave a piece in the same place forever. They like to rotate what they have up. So I use a lot of neutrals because any art can rotate in or out of that space. There's one client, I've done 6 or 7 projects for over the years. There have been five pieces of art over one particular sofa in as many years, including a piece by Jeff Koons and a video installation. There's a Frank Stella hanging there now, my favorite so far.
I've done rooms for people that were colorful, too. One such room had red furniture, an Oriental patterned carpet, and an ottoman in red, yellow, and purple. It was a warm and intimate spot.
Rebecca: A lot of interior re-work isn't about colors or fabrics, it's about flow, furniture placement, reducing clutter, social organization – space planning. Is this at all a part of what you do with interior design?
Furniture groupings and placement are important in defining social interactions. Sometimes I'll come up with a couple of different schemes for people to choose from. What are people going to want to do in different areas of a room? One area might have a sofa to take advantage of a certain view, for example. Or a south facing window might have a reading nook.
Here's one example of that. Clients from Hillsborough, a couple who were well traveled, and well prepared to work with me. They brought photos of things they liked, but they also told me this story about a horrible dinner party one of them had attended where he ended up trapped with the same four people all evening, because the dining table was too big. So, we knew that we needed to organize the furniture in their rooms to allow for movement.
The room strategy, if you will, was to have seating groups to allow for conversation where one person could easily turn from one group to another. It was a very large room, too, with 14′ ceilings. But it wouldn't' always be full of people. To avoid having it feel empty when there were only a few people at home, we put the smallest group of furniture by the fireplace, so there would be a cozy, intimate spot even within this cavernous room.
Rebecca: In most of these rooms so far it sounds like the main focus is artwork.
Rooms should have a focus. But it doesn't always have to be artwork. One client I have is a total TV person. He's never more than 10 feet away from a TV. He and his wife have two TVs in the bedroom, one for each of them to watch their favorite programs, and a TV in the bathroom ceiling right over the tub.
The focus of a room consists of the things people carry around with them from place to place, things that are important to them. Their books, their art, their TV. It becomes part of their collective consciousness. But you can't get a room published if it's got a TV in it. These shelter magazines don't want to see TVs. Or toilets. All their top editors are women, and they don't want to see TVs or toilets. Architectural Digest has rarely published a bathroom – and never have they shown a toilet or a TV. That could change now under their new leadership.
Rebecca: But there's also this kind of worship of the bathroom.
Trade magazines are the ones who will publish kitchens and bathrooms.
Rebecca: Print magazines are in trouble. They're still relying on an antiquated business model which consists of selling a lot of advertising. Their ad space is expensive and who knows if it'll lead to project work?
Electronic reading devices are becoming popular, but most magazines haven't caught on. They don't offer online subscriptions, only a per-issue charge that's a lot more expensive.
Rebecca: Magazines today seem like artifacts or relics.
There was one magazine that was really great, called Flair, published in the 1950s. Fleur Cowles was the editor. It had fantastic work by writers, photographers, and designers. It was only around for a year. It was privately funded and didn't need to turn a huge profit. By contrast, Architectural Digest is – or was – a money-making venture. In the past 8 years, though, it seems to have become the People Magazine of decorating, a celebrity phenomenon. The sort of thing that drives impulse buys at airports.
Interior design and architecture complement one another. The interiors complete the architecture. A good analogy might be a guy who's really handsome, great physique, but he's still naked. He needs the right clothes. Then, once he's outfitted, you realize that in order for him to truly look his best, he needs a few finishing touches, maybe getting his teeth capped and a different haircut.
But to really be transformative, you have to intuit to the heart of the client's real character, get to what really makes them tick deep down inside. I was watching this TV show on TLC called "What Not To Wear". They take someone who's a wreck and then these two stylists show up. The deal is, they give you $5,000 but you have to bring everything you already own to New York City, and they get to throw it out if they want to.
Watching that show is like watching a reptile. It's so fascinating that you can't stop looking. I remember a young woman from Dallas in her early 30s, who was married to a 23-year-old guy. When they walked down the street together – she was often mistaken for his mother. She dressed in this dumpy way and didn't care for herself. Well, it turned out that she'd invested her life savings in a neighborhood bar in Dallas. It was something she really, really believed in – and eventually the business failed. When that happened, she caved in on herself. She was punishing herself for this failure, and she believed deep down that she didn't deserve to look her best.
On that show, they try to find that nugget in the client's personality and consciousness that makes them who they are. The woman from Dallas had a Betty Page physique and sensibility – that 1940's pin-up look. She loved that vintage vibe. So they sent her out to vintage stores, not to re-create the look but to take the spirit of that.
A second person on the show was a 30-year-old woman who'd just finished her Ph.D. in social psychology, but she still looked like a college student. She thought style was pointless, superficial. She refused to accept the premise that people make judgments based on what you look like. As a child, she had been very interested in clothes, but it all fell away in college. She turned her back on it. She'd go into her mother's closet and wear her mother's dresses because they were there, and while they fit, they didn't look as good on her as they did on her mom.
And some people on that show have refused to buy into it at all. They resist! But the TV stylist hosts understand the psychology of people and how some people ignore their appearance to their own detriment. The stylists have to figure out: who are they, really? And then, they have to offer the clients the comfort that allows them to move forward with life so they can get to the next stage of development. It's things like this that I, as a custom designer, also need to capture.
Rebecca: What about your biggest pet peeves?
Indecision, and lack of candor.
Rebecca: How do you work around it?
With indecision, sometimes I have to tell them, "If you don't decide by next week it's going to put the project back six months and cost another $30,000." That usually motivates them.
Rebecca: Sometimes as an artist you have to take charge. People respect you more.
There are times in a project when you have to take charge. Lack of candor is a little harder to deal with, but sometimes clients are really doing their best. I have one client who has her own eccentricities, but she understands that, and she owns it. She'll call me and say "You just have to listen to me for a while. But I want to make sure you bill me for it." And then she talks for a while, and I listen, and then she's through.
Rebecca: Redoing someone's interior living space is a very intimate exercise. There really has to be trust on a lot of levels. I've heard other architects say that design is a little like being a therapist.
Yes, it can be. I took a lot of psychology classes at school and I loved them.
Rebecca: Do you apply that knowledge in your practice now when dealing with clients?
Yes. Sometimes I have clients who are unhappy about something to do with their project. I tell them: "Don't worry. We'll resolve it one way or another. I can't tell you how long, but we'll do it, because we have always come through for you before." And that's our core commitment.
Photographer Note: Matthew Millman is based in San Francisco, CA.