text:
Where are the apps for ereaders?
I read on my GlowLight NOOK much more frequently than I read on my Asus Transformer tablet. I'd say there's at least a 10:1 differential, so for every hour I read on my tablet I read at least 10 hours on my Glowlight Nook. I'll bet I'm not alone and people who own both an E Ink device and a tablet probably do much more reading on the former. So why is the apps ecosystem limited to tablets? Why are there no add-on apps for E Ink devices in general?
In a recent TOC newsletter we asked readers "What do you wish your ereader could do?" We received quite a few replies, but one of the more interesting ones came from a person who said they'd like to have apps like Flipboard, Zite and Pulse on their E Ink device. I found that interesting because those are the apps (along with News360) I use almost every day on my tablet. If there were Nook E Ink versions, that 10:1 ratio noted earlier would probably become 50:1 as there would be less reason for me to switch to my tablet for reading.
So why aren't there apps like this on E Ink devices? One reason is tied to E Ink's capabilities. Apps like Flipboard, Zite, et al, offer nice graphics and even a bit of animation. E Ink is limited to grayscale and no animation, of course. So why not create those apps without the animation and just show the images in black and white? That leads to reason No. 2: Amazon, B&N and the other E Ink device vendors aren't encouraging third-party app development. That's probably because they want those devices to have the highest walled gardens of all, which is a shame and a loss for consumers.
Is it too late for these vendors to reconsider and encourage third-party app development? Maybe. After all, the momentum has already swung toward tablets and away from E Ink readers. Nevertheless, as long as tablets weigh more than E Ink readers, their displays aren't as easy on the eyes and they don't offer significantly longer battery life, I'll remain a two-device reading consumer. I suspect I'm not alone, so I hope an E Ink app ecosystem takes root at some point.
This post originally appeared on Joe Wikert's Publishing 2020 Blog ("Why Are Apps Only on Tablets?"). This version has been lightly edited.
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Tags: Publishing app app development app ecosystem e-ink ebooks ereader ereaders app-development app-ecosystem
B&N and Microsoft: The potential beyond digital
This post originally appeared on Joe Wikert's Publishing 2020 Blog ("B&N and Microsoft: Why It's Not About Ebooks"). This version has been lightly edited.
Microsoft's $300 million investment in Barnes & Noble's digital business is about more than ebooks. Much more. Or at least I hope so. Success in this venture will not be measured by sales of ebooks. Microsoft should instead use this as an opportunity to create an end-to-end consumer experience that rivals Apple's and has the advertising income potential to make Google jealous. But how will that happen by investing in the distant No. 2 player in the ereader space?
Microsoft has spent billions over the years as it repositions itself from the maker of Windows and Office into a much broader brand. They've done a good job, as Microsoft is one of the most recognized brands on the planet. But is it really considered a consumer brand like Coke or (wait for it) Apple? Even though they've built an amazing customer base with Xbox and the innovative Kinect accessory, I'd say the answer to that question is "no."
Barnes & Noble isn't exactly up there with Coke or Apple, but the B&N brand conjures up other images Microsoft could benefit from: trusted in-person retailer, growing digital content retailer and even a place where you can get answers to your questions about Nooks and books. The initial investment with B&N is about the dot-com world, but who says the larger relationship has to be online only?
Think about the Nook areas in today's B&N superstore and consider what they could become with a broader Microsoft alliance. I'll bet you didn't know that there are almost 20 Microsoft Store locations in the U.S. That sounds a lot like Apple's strategy, right? It remains to be seen whether Microsoft can create the same sort of buzz or return on investment in their stores that Apple has managed to achieve, but why go to the trouble and expense of creating a larger standalone presence when a store-within-a-store might be even more effective? What if B&N stores added mini Microsoft Stores in each of their locations? The foot traffic is already there, and what a great place to showcase and sell that new Windows 8-based Nook they'll undoubtedly create.
This isn't just about selling Windows-based Nooks in brick-and-mortar stores, though. This new alliance needs to sell devices, ebooks, music, video, apps and more. The Nook platform is almost exclusively about ebooks. Compare that to Apple's platform, where ebooks are probably a rounding error for iTunes. B&N desperately needs to diversify their business beyond ebooks and Microsoft has the cash to help make it happen.
Let's also not forget about how the Xbox could fit into all of this. Xbox is one of the brightest stars in the Microsoft product portfolio, and Microsoft needs to get some mojo in the mobile/tablet space. Given the ongoing decline of print book sales, it might make a lot of sense for B&N to reduce its superstore title count inventory and make even more room for that Microsoft section I described above.
The brick-and-mortar presence is something Amazon doesn't have, at least not yet. This is a great opportunity for B&N to use that to its advantage, assuming the deal goes further than the digital investment.
All of this might never happen, of course. As a publisher and a consumer, I'm still intrigued by the possibilities, even if it only means B&N is now funded to be a more serious ebook retailing competitor for Amazon.
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Coming soon to a location near you: The Amazon Store?
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Tags: Publishing amazon apple ebooks ereader google microsoft nook
ValoBox wants to reward content creators and consumers
Earlier this year, I chatted with Anna Lewis (@anna_cn) and Oliver Brooks (@cn_oli) about their new startup, ValoBox — a platform that allows readers to consume books by the page, chunk, or as a whole. The duo has been hard at work through the summer and fall, and ValoBox has launched. I got in touch with Brooks to see how the platform and development have progressed. Our interview follows.
How has ValoBox evolved since our interview in May?
Oliver Brooks: The product has stayed laser focused on keeping things light and simple. It has gone through a lot of tweaks to the user interface and system, to boil it down as much as possible.
ValoBox is really comprised of two applications, the publishing system and the ValoBox reader.
The changes to the publishing system have focused on ease of integration use and quality of output. The system can now create a ValoBox book automatically from an ONIX and EPUB file feed. A lot of effort has gone into making sure the content is presented perfectly, even when split into small, purchasable sections. We've also built a system similar to Google Analytics for books, which provides the publisher with information for each book, such as where on the web is best for selling books (Twitter feeds, blogs, etc.) and details about how each book is used.
In our earlier interview you discussed a "premium layer for the web." Is that still guiding your efforts?
Oliver Brooks: Absolutely. We believe books are just the start of our game — we see ValoBox as suitable for premium articles, audio, video, and even web pages. We think premium content should integrate with the web rather than be a separate ecosystem.
The existing book reader interface will be one of many portals into premium content. We have designs for interfaces that don't intrude on the design of a website at all. When you want to buy something, you will see ValoBox branding and have an easy way to purchase the content. As almost everyone is always signed into a system of some kind — be it Twitter, Facebook or Google — our vision is that you can always access premium content with just a click.
How does ValoBox work?
Oliver Brooks: It's an HTML5 application that runs inside any modern web browser. This means you can access it from any website, on any device wherever you are. Content is stored in the cloud and streamed securely from our servers on demand. A future enhancement will mean you won't even have to be online to read books you have read before; they'll automatically be stored on your device for later.
TOC NY 2012 — O'Reilly's TOC Conference, being held Feb. 13-15, 2012, in New York, is where the publishing and tech industries converge. Practitioners and executives from both camps will share what they've learned and join together to navigate publishing's ongoing transformation.
How does ValoBox help readers?
Oliver Brooks: The core benefit is accessibility to premium content. ValoBox lets you access an entire catalog, and you can choose which pages you want and buy them for cents at a time.
So, you might see a book reviewed on your favorite blog or hear about an interesting topic from a Twitter feed. A couple of clicks and cents later, you can be reading what they are talking about. We think it's ridiculous that books are locked behind lengthy and expensive checkout and download processes, and then require special applications to read when videos and audio are available with a click.
Another huge bonus is our social retail system. If you like what you read and think you know someone else who would like it, you can share it with an embed or a link. Anything that is bought from your share will earn you a 25% cut.
How does it help authors and publishers?
Oliver Brooks: Authors will have an awesome tool for promoting their books. Books can be integrated with their websites and social media promotions, providing the tip of the pyramid leading to many other shares and embeds. All the activity is tracked in real time to give an unparalleled level of knowledge about where books perform best. Don't forget that if an author sells the books, they will not only get their royalty but also the 25% ValoBox social retail cut.
As for publishers, they get a great way to empower their readership to create new and sustainable sales channels. Imagine thousands of innovative readers finding the right places for books inside their personal and professional networks. No traditional retailer could dream of going into places such as a university e-learning environment or a team management wiki, or of garnering sales from inside a full-scale social network. Just like authors, publishers have real-time, detailed analytics of how each book is being bought. They also have a view of how all of their books are read across the entire web.
I like to think of ValoBox as a way to realize the value of creating a symbiotic relationship between the content creation and consumption communities, rewarding each one for their efforts appropriately.
This interview was edited and condensed.
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Tags: Publishing ereader html5 oliverbrooks publishing publishingstartups readingexperience socialreading socialretail valobox
Kindle Fire: Three pros, five cons
This post originally appeared on Joe Wikert's Publishing 2020 Blog ("Kindle Fire Lessons Learned"). It's republished with permission.
I don't regret spending the $200 I paid Amazon for my Kindle Fire. I tried it out and decided it wasn't for me, so I gave it to my daughter instead. Even though I no longer use the Fire I wanted to share the things I learned about the device and myself over the past several weeks. Let's start off with the good side of things.
Kindle Fire pros
Form factor — I prefer the Fire's size to the iPad's. It's nice being able to wrap your hand around the entire device and the lighter weight is a big plus for the Fire. Of course, it's the same form factor as RIM's PlayBook, and given how poorly that device has performed it's clear you need more than just a great form factor.
Meets the needs of typical consumer — The Fire wasn't for me but my daughter really likes it. That's why you see so many good and bad reviews of it. Consumers who want a cheap tablet are OK without all the bells and whistles of the iPad, for example. Early adopters, or those who want to push the technology to the limit, are disappointed though. More on the early adopter in a moment ...
Connection to Amazon content — There's no question Amazon is using the razors and blades economic model here and the Fire is clearly the razor they're willing to sell at little to no profit. Connectivity to Amazon's ebooks, video and audio content is second to none with the Fire. And tying in the Prime membership program will only lead to more Amazon products being sold.
That's it as far as pluses go. Now let's talk about the minuses.
Kindle Fire cons
Connection to Amazon content — As easy as it is for Fire users to access Amazon content it's just that difficult to access anyone else's. If there's one thing I've learned from the Fire it's that my next tablet will not be locked in to one provider's content. That probably means I won't be buying from the typical content providers, of course. I don't mind paying more for that capability, by the way. So if Samsung comes up with a terrific tablet that meets all my needs, and it's $100 or so more than the Fire, I'm in.
Awful for the early adopter/tinkerer — As noted above, the Fire is pretty good for the typical consumer. But if you're buying it to root and open it up you'll be disappointed. Even if you go through the rooting process you'll quickly find some of the apps in the Android Market simply won't run on it (e.g., NHL Gamecenter App, the swipe keyboard, etc.) And if you do root it, watch out for those unsolicited auto-updates.
Auto updates — This one's ridiculous. How in the world can Amazon think that forcing OS updates on every Fire owner is the right thing to do? Amazon, take a page out of the Apple book and let your customers decide when and if they want the update. I couldn't help but feel the auto update was intended more to penalize rooters than to fix problems and offer more functionality. It also reminded me of the unfortunate "1984" debacle Amazon brought upon themselves a few years ago. Really stupid.
"Silk" browser — This has to be the biggest embarrassment of all for Amazon. Remember how excited Bezos was when he demo'd the Fire's lightning-fast browser at the press event last year? It turns out the browser isn't that fast after all. In fact, in my totally unscientific side-by-side testing, the Fire almost always loaded pages slower than both my iPad and my RIM PlayBook. Even with all these other issues I figured the Fire would offer a browsing experience that's second to none. The results were considerably weaker than promised. I'm disappointed that Amazon hasn't come out and admitted their failure here. It's remarkable that they still prominently feature the Silk browser on the Fire's product page. They seem to be in denial about it as they haven't even hinted it will be fixed in a future software update. As much as I criticize Apple, this is something Steve Jobs never would have let happen.
Missing a "killer" app — This is the reason why I had to keep my iPad handy throughout my Fire use and am stuck (for the time being) on iOS. Zite is my go-to app. I use it every single day. It's outstanding. It's a free app but I'd gladly pay as much as $10 or $15 for it, especially now that I'm totally addicted to it. There's no Android version of Zite ... yet. I can't even consider another Android tablet until Zite is available. Flipboard is a close second and it too doesn't exist in the Android world. Amazon should have invested some money with the developers of apps like Zite and Flipboard to make sure they were available when the Fire launched. Better yet, wouldn't it be nice if a Fire-specific app or two came out that made the device irresistible? I'd love to be talking about a Fire or Android app that's unbeatable but not available on iOS. I can't think of a single one.
I realize I'm a fairly unique user and that plenty of Fire owners are perfectly happy with their purchase. That's great, but I'd also love to see Amazon step up, act like the market leader they're trying to be and address these shortcomings.
I'm convinced that my next tablet will be an Android-based one. The only Android tablet I'll consider though is one that gives me access to all types of content, not just content from the company who sells the hardware. Heck, as closed as they are, even Apple lets you install e-reader apps from Amazon, B&N, etc. One of the reasons they can do that is they're confident they've got a terrific piece of hardware and you'll want to buy it over the competition. They also charge a premium for it. I've learned it's worth paying a premium, as long as it's not ridiculously high, for the ability to choose from multiple content providers.
So while my next tablet won't be the cheapest on the market, I won't make the same mistake twice and limit myself to one source of content for it.
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Tags: Mobile Publishing android device ereader ipad kindle kindlefire tablet
Kindle 2012: Wish-list features for the next model
This post originally appeared on Joe Wikert's Publishing 2020 Blog ("What Will the Kindle Platform Look Like in 2012?"). It's republished with permission.
Amazon is well positioned to advance the Kindle platform much faster and further than they have in any 6-12 month period up to now. Here's where I hope they end up between now and the middle of next year:
An insanely inexpensive entry-level device. Picture the current Kindle, but for $99 or less. How about $49? Better yet, how about free with a customer commitment to buy a minimum of X books in each of the next two years? Sounds a lot like a cell phone plan, doesn't it?
Of course, if you're instead looking for something a bit more powerful and extendable, how about...
An Android tablet device with an LCD screen. This one is the worst kept secrets since the iPhone 4. Amazon didn't launch that Appstore for Android because they want to push more cell phone sales. The only questions here are (1) when?, (2) how much?, and (3) how open? If they're smart the answers will be (1) any day, (2) $300 max, and (3) wide open.
But if you can't stand the thought of reading long-form content on an LCD screen, then how about...
That same Android tablet with a hybrid E Ink/LCD screen. That's right. A single device offering both the bright-light comfort of E Ink with the backlit option of LCD. Unfortunately for Amazon, it seems Apple is the one who's taking the lead on this front. Just search for the phrase "hybrid E Ink LCD display" and you get nothing but Apple news. That's a bummer since the first company to offer this solution could own the high end (and my loyalty). A fully open Android tablet with hybrid E Ink/LCD could easily command a $500 price or higher.
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That's all great for the hardware side, but what about the rest of the platform? Will Amazon really stick with the proprietary AZW file format that's based on mobi, even as the rest of the world embraces EPUB? For backwards compatibility reasons they probably have to stick with mobi. What a shame though. EPUB is where the action is and EPUB3 adds a great deal of functionality to enable much richer content than the Kindle supports.
Expanding into a tablet with LCD display means the Kindle will no longer be hamstrung by the limits of E Ink. What a terrific opportunity Amazon has to offer (and encourage the development of) richer content than just words on the screen. But will they? I've been critical of the glacial pace at which Amazon implements Kindle enhancements, but I hope they take advantage of this opportunity early on.
Regarding formats and flexibility, I'd love to see Amazon support mobi and EPUB. Better yet, if they have the confidence to provide an open device, how about letting it run any reader app from the competition? Let me put the Nook app on my Kindle device and may the best content provider win. Now that would be a bold move! After all, if I could own an Amazon device that lets me buy content from any store, why woud I ever consider buying a device from anyone else?
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Tags: Publishing android apps ereader kindle platform
Device Update: New companies enter the ereader market
Two ereader trends are emerging:
First, the rate of new devices in the ereader market space is slowing down. The IFA Berlin electronics show and the Frankfurt Book Fair were high-water marks. Since then, the overall rate of new product announcements has dropped.
This is probably explained by the second trend: Pundits and analysts are already making their recommendations for the holiday shopping period. What most manufacturers are realizing is that the window of opportunity for gaining any significant share of holiday-related purchases is rapidly closing.
The combination of these trends means that until the new year begins, there will probably be fewer product announcements than we've seen in past months.
That said, there have been a few devices announced recently that merit consideration. What's most surprising about this set of new ereaders is that they're from companies that aren't strongly associated with personal electronic devices.
E FUN's Android tablets
E FUN, a consumer electronics designer and marketer, is set to introduce Android-based tablets this fall. The Nextbook line will feature a 7-inch color ereader dubbed the Next1, and a 7-inch color touchscreen TFT tablet, dubbed the Next2. Both will feature 2GB of internal storage, as well as an SD/MMC expansion card slot. The Nextbooks will also include a variety of Android-based applications such as an MP3/photo viewer, a video player, and the Kobo eReader, which will have access to the Borders eBook store. Since the tablets run Android, they will also include the Adobe Flash application. For connectivity, the Next1 will offer only a USB port, while the Next 2 will offer USB and 802.11g Wi-Fi. Each of the Nextbooks will come preloaded with 25 ebooks.
Preliminary information indicates that the Next1 will have a suggested retail price of $149.99 and the Next2 will be available for $199.99. Initially, the devices will be available from the Home Shopping Network.
bModo's Windows7-based touchpad Tablet PC
The bModo12 is an all-in-one tablet that aims to combine tablets and netbooks. The tablet will feature a 11.6-inch LED HD capacitive touchscreen with a 1366x768 resolution. It will be powered by Intel's 1.66 Ghz Atom processor and feature an HD video accelerator. In addition, the bModo12 will include 1GB of internal RAM, 32GB of internal storage, and a SIM card slot for 3G connectivity.
Additional hardware capabilities include: Bluetooth 2.1 and 802.11 b/g/n connectivity, a 1.3 megapixel camera, 2 USB Ports, an SDHC card slot, and a Mini HDMI port. The Microsoft Windows 7 Premium options will include an ereader, Internet Explorer, and support for standard PC applications.
bModo has also included a launcher application called Bossa Nova2 that will allow users to switch between a Windows 7 desktop and a Bossa Nova graphical user interface, which is designed to optimize the touch capabilities of the device.
BenQ Launches nReader K61 with 3G and WIFI
Following on the footsteps of their initial introduction into the ereader market, the K60, BenQ announced the availability of their newest model, the K61. This new model comes with several upgrades, including integrated WI-FI, 3G, and a touchscreen. Additional hardware specifications include 2GB of internal memory, USB support, and an SD-card slot capable of adding 16GB of additional storage. Now available in Taiwan for slightly more than $300, the K61 features a 6-inch touchpanel with support for drawing and taking notes.
Other news (and a tipping point for copyright infringement)
The biggest news last week was the unveiling of Microsoft's new Windows Phone 7. Windows Phone 7 is mostly a response to the iPhone, rather than the iPad or other tablets. While it's safe to assume the new Windows Phone 7 mobile platform will soon see ereader applications from Amazon and Kobo, PC Magazine says there's currently a shortage of applications available for the new mobile platform.
Perhaps the most striking news this past week was an article by Adrian Hon about his experiences with ebook copyright infringement. Hon relates his experience purchasing the hardback copy of Iain Banks' latest novel "Surface Detail." Out of curiosity, he checked to see if he could find a copy of the book online to load on his iPad. As he rationalizes, he already bought a copy of the book, and he'd rather not tote around the 627-page tome. Not only did he find a high-quality EPUB copy of the novel, but he also found copies of other bestsellers.
Why is Hon's article important? I've been tracking this topic for a while and until now, the only books that were being shared online were in PDF format. I think it's a tipping point because current best-selling hardcover books are now available simultaneously on file sharing sites. This provides clear evidence that people are sharing purchased EPUB files.
In my opinion, ebook copyright infringement hasn't really been a real threat to publishers. It's been more like the pink elephant in the room that senior executives discuss. Hon's article should be enough proof to make publishing executives recognize that the threat from ebook file sharing is now real and it will affect ebook sales.
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Tags: Publishing bookpiracy ebooks ereader tablet
TOC's Wednesday Devices, and Gadgets and EReaders Update #2
With the IFA Consumer Electronics Unlimited techno-smorgasbord set to open this Friday, there's a lot of buzz going around about upcoming announcements and unveilings. Much of the pre-show buzz is centered around Android-based competition for the Apple iPad.
The IFA traditionally offers an early indication of what gadgets will sell well through Christmas. It's no wonder so much attention is focused on the show with order volume stemming from last year's show reaching nearly $3.8 billion.
Toshiba's SmartPad
Images of the new Toshiba SmartPad were recently leaked, but with little concrete information about the device. Some news sources are claiming that the new Android 2.2-powered device will actually be called the Toshiba Folio 100. There may also be a Windows 7 version of the SmartPad as well. Little is available from Toshiba itself other than the device is set to ship in October. This is one of the devices that is expected to be unveiled at IFA.
With a screen that measures 7-inches across, the ViewPad is jokingly being referred to as the world's largest phone. Featuring both a touchscreen tablet, the ViewPad also provides a slot for a full-sized SIM card that will offer both voice and 3G data. In addition, the ViewPad will feature a 3 megapixel front and back facing camera. The device will run Android 2.2 "Froyo." ViewSonic has not unveiled pricing or availability, those details will probably be announced at IFA, however, industry analyst reports indicate that the device will be around $550 and launch sometime in October.
Archos Android Internet Tablets
This week brought the announcement from Archos that they were launching five new Android tablets, including the first MP3/MP4 available under $100 and the largest screen on the Android market. Positioned directly against the Apple iPad, the line of Archos Internet tablets offer a combination of super-fast web-browsing, games, ebooks, social networking and other applications alongside HD video and music. Prices range from $99.99 for the 4GB ARCHOS 28 to $349.99 for the 16GB ARCHOS 101 tablet. Availability for the new models start in September for the ARCHOS 28 and 32, and later this fall for the remaining models.
Of these new devices, the ARCHOS 101 is the flagship of the new line. Weighing only 15.87 ounces, the 0.47" thick device offers a 10.1" capacitive multi-touch screen. Featuring a 1 Ghz processor and built-in WIFI-n technology, the ARCHOS 101 offers a PC-like web browsing experience. It even features support for the Adobe Flash 10.1 player. Additional features that make this device appealing include a built-in webcam and the ability to tether the device via Bluetooth or USB for mobile Internet connectivity.
Sharper Image Literati
Once a common occupant in malls throughout the US and even further recognized a gadget lovers most favored monthly catalog, Sharper Image has fallen on tough times filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February of 2008. While the only thing that remains of the company is their website, that hasn't prevented them from joining the ereader fray.
Resembling the Amazon Kindle, the Kobo-powered color ereader will launch at a very competitive $160. Featuring a QWERTY keyboard below a 7" screen, the e-reader lacks a web browser and application functionality, clearly putting it in the stand alone ereader category. Expected to arrive in October, the Literati will be available from a number of retailers, including Best Buy, Bed, Bath & Beyond, JC Penney, Kohl's and Macy's.
Acer LumiRead
Trying to build upon their netbook success, Acer recently announced its LumiRead ereader device. Based on a 6-inch E Ink display, the LumiRead will feature a Kindle-style QWERTY keyboard below the screen. When combined with either the 3G or WIFI models, the LumiRead's DLNA compliance makes the ereader capable of streaming music from Acer's clear.fi and 3rd party streaming services. Additional features include an ISBN scanner that lets the device scan book codes to purchase online or build a wish list. Finally, the LumiRead includes a built-in web browser with a "Smart Download" feature. This allows the LumiRead to save local versions of web pages for reading later when the device is disconnected from the Internet.
The LumiRead will come with access to the Barnes & Nobles eBooks store as well as Libri.de, Germany's leading Internet book retailer. While no prices have been announced, rumors suggest the LumiRead will start shipping in October for around $316.
SigmaTek eReaders
The last ereader in our roundup is the pair of devices from Sigmatek Computer. Coming in a 5-inch and a 7-inch eReader, both feature a TFT display capable of a 800x480 resolution. however, these new devices are not just dedicated ereaders, they also offer "multimedia" features that include support for AVI, XviD, and MKV video, with MP3, WMA, FLAC, AAC, WAV, and OGG music.
From the start, these eReaders may be playing catch-up because the devices are not equipped with connectivity to any application or ebook store. However, some may see this as an advantage because it means the eReaders will be open for you to grab EPUB, PDF and TXT files from anywhere you choose. In stores in October, the 5-inch model will cost approximately $127 and the 7-inch approximately $153.
New Announcements From The World Of EReaders
While all eyes will be pointed towards Germany this weekend, there's still some exciting news happening within the ereader market. First off, Amazon announced that they would extend their distribution of the Kindle to office supplies retail chain Staples. Following on from a similar deal with retailer Target, Staples has agreed to start selling Amazon's Kindle in its stores from this autumn. While expanding the number of channels for selling Kindle devices is key, according to Chris Brogan, Amazon's willingness to port their Kindle application to other ereader platforms may become their most important channel.
According to an SEC filing by electronics manufacturer LG, they could be mass producing 9.7-inch color and 9-inch flexible e-paper displays by the end of the year. According to an analyst at Forrester, the availability of flexible screens could greatly improve the durability of existing readers from Sony, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. While flexible ereaders from Skiff and Plastic Logic have failed in the past due to heavy pricing competition, a mass-produced display from LG could level the pricing playing field and bring about new ereader innovations.
Finally, as part of a unique, year-long Notre Dame study of eReaders, the university debuted their first class taught entirely using the Apple iPad. The iPad will completely replace the textbook previously used in assistant professor Corey Angst's Project Management course. In addition to each of the students using an iPad, the class will also use an online Wiki discussion group where students can share their ideas. Members of the study are evaluating the iPad with the broader goal of designing an "ePublishing ecosystem." The study hopes to determine whether this ecosystem can serve faculty, students and staff by making the creation, distribution, sharing, reading and annotation of eMaterials simple and inexpensive.
Tags: ereader gadgets tablets


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Crews from Tilleys Trucking and Excavating remove trees from the San Group property at the corner of Stamp Avenue and Roger Street in Port Alberni on Nov. 8, 2022. (JERRY FEVENS/ Special to the AV News)
Removal of trees on San Group property in Port Alberni causes public concern
Trees were dying, becoming a hazard along a main road, company says
Susie Quinn
Dec. 7, 2022 5:00 a.m.
The removal of what a forestry company in Port Alberni determined were hazardous trees has stirred up much public discussion.
San Group built a dirt berm lining their property at Stamp Avenue and Roger Street when they began building their remanufacturing plant, as a sound barrier to construction and future work on the site, said company spokesperson Amit Chandra Shekar.
The berm was built at the base of the trees, and many people complained that the dirt would be detrimental to the trees. San Group brought in gardeners to plant trees and shrubs along the berm and were plagued with thefts of the plants. Subsequent work was done to lessen the amount of dirt around the tree bases.
"The trees were there and we didn't want to cut them down," he said. "We knew they would die at some point. We planted four trees for every one."
During the first week of November, San Group had at least a dozen of the mature trees removed, saying they were dying or dead and becoming a hazard.
The City of Port Alberni does not have a tree removal bylaw so no permit was required to remove the trees, a city spokesperson said. San Group took the initiative to remove the trees and all the city asked is that they used a certified arborist inspect the trees and carry out the work.
Tilleys Trucking and Excavating from Port Alberni handled the tree removal, hiring Nomad Tree Service to inspect the trees and Ace Flagging to assist with traffic control.
Chandra Shekar said Tilleys cut the trees into shorter pieces and hauled them away—they weren't used at the remanufacturing plant. He said he'd like to see a chain saw artist come and create designs on the remaining stumps; if that doesn't happen then the stumps will be removed.
Now that the berm is opened up while the trees planted within the past two years mature, San Group is looking at using it as a site to display public art. Port Alberni artist Michael Wright has already installed two metal sculptures, a sea turtle and a whale.
Chandra Shekar said he has some other ideas for the area for down the road.
Alberni ValleyforestryPort Alberni
Amid outcry, San Francisco pauses on 'killer police robots'
Majority of Canadian youth witness racism and sexism online: report

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Sat 6 Jun
From£12The price you'll pay. No surprises later.
Stream Via Union Chapel London
19b Compton Terrace, London N1 2UN, UK
In parallel with the North American show on the same day, Laura Marling will now also be performing a live solo concert from Union Chapel in London on Saturday 6th June for fans in the UK and Europe. Filmed with multiple cameras in Ultra HD and with the highest quality audio, this iconic venue will be transformed into a beautiful setting for this special live event. Laura will perform a full set of songs from her catalogue along with songs from her new album Song For Our Daughter.
Laura has chosen to support two charities, Refuge and The Trussel Trust. If you would like to contribute a small donation on top of your ticket price, you will be able to add this using one of the donation amounts above.
Tickets will be limited, and available to fans in the UK and Europe only.
When the show's about to start, the link to join will appear on your ticket in the app.
UK/Europe show stage time: 8pm UK / 9pm Europe
Check out more events in London


From Canada Close Up: Prince Edward Island. Text copyright © 2009 L Michelle Nielsen. All rights reserved.
Blue sea and red oil; green fields and Green Gables; potatoes and lobster; the Charlottetown Conference and the Confederation Bridge: there is so much to learn about Canada's smallest province!


Often my jewellery designs are inspired by nature or my interpretation of nature where I simplify shapes and lines I see. Other times my jewellery designs are created by playing around with and putting together wire shapes. The design for this Labradorite Decorative Headdress Pendant was inspired by a painting I saw on Facebook by Sarah Travis of Sarah Travis Art, Design and Illustration entitled Indian Summer.
Focussing on some of the shapes within Sarah's painting, I made some initial sketches thinking about different shaped cabochons. Then I chose a labradorite teardrop cabochon from my materials stock and created a design based on the shape of that cabochon.
Next I made a bezel setting for the cabochon and created some decorative embellishments with handmade silver balls and hammered wire loop shapes. I had to change the design a little at this stage as I had to take into consideration how I would attach the wire shapes to the bezel setting. I discovered I was able to solder beaded wire on to the top of hammered wire and am looking forward to using this technique in future designs.
Whilst I was creating the pendant, I decided to add some beaded wire around the lower part of the bezel setting.
I really enjoyed designing and making this pendant and am already pondering over variations using different shaped cabochons.
If you are looking to get something special for the one you love, then you should check out these fantastic little discount codes and save yourself some money.


text:
layout: post
title: Tweets
date: 2019-07-03
summary: These are the tweets for July 3, 2019.
categories:
---

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


AnyMP4 Mobile Transfer is the powerful phone transfer software, which transfers almost everything from one phone to another phone. You can easily transfer contacts from old phone to new phone for contact backup. Still, this phone copier supports transferring all photos and pictures that you download from sites or take with your camera from iPhone to Android phone or between iPhones. For the media files including the music, videos, ringtones, ect. you could still migrate them in one simple click.
When you think iTunes or iCloud is not easy to use, here, Mobile Transfer will help you as the iPhone cloning app. It supports all iOS devices like iPhone XS/XS Max/XR/X/8/8 Plus/7/7 Plus/6s/6s Plus/6/6 Plus/SE/5s/5c, iPad, iPad Pro/mini 4/mini 3/mini 2/mini/Air 2/Air/4/3/2, iPod touch/nano and more. Moving data (contacts, photos, music and videos) from iPhone to another iPhone can be done with two USB cables, which lets you switch to new iPhone without any data loss.
Want to move the contacts from your Blackberry to Samsung? Wish to copy music from Nokia to LG? Wonder the way of transferring photos from Samsung Galaxy S5 to S7? This Andorid transfer tool will do you a great favor. Highly compatible with all Android cell phones like Samsung, HTC, LG, Nokia, Blackberry, Huawei, Xiaomi, Google Phone, and more, this mobile to mobile transfer software will realize your dreams to transfer photos, contacts and media files from Android to Android easily.
How to transfer contacts from iPhone to Android? How to send photos from Samsung to iPhone? Mobile transfer is the exact app for iPhone to Android or Android to iPhone. This Android to iOS Copy tool can not only copy Android contacts to iPhone and import photos, music, videos, and other media files from iPhone to Android. All transferred content will be dragged into the corresponding folder for your convenient use.
AnyMP4 Mobile Transfer is a must-have phone transfer tool to transfer data from iPhone to iPhone, from Android to Android, from iPhone to Android and from Android to iPhone. This phone to phone transfer adopts an intuitive and user-friendly interface, which is very easy to use. More intelligently, it provides the option for you to erase the data on target device. You can remove the chosen transfer data on target device or keep both of them.
"This data transfer works well on my Samsung Galaxy S7 and iPhone 5. I transfer almost 2000 photos from iPhone 5 to Samsung S7 in 2 minutes. Very fast speed. "
"I tried Wondershare mobile transfer and this mobile transfer. At speed, they work similarly. But I prefer to this one because the interface is simple without any ads."
Android: Samsung, HTC, LG, Huawei, Xiaomi, Google phone, Nokia, etc.


for real time measurement, display and control of oil and sludge layers including a backwater warning device.
Drinking water is one of our most precious resources and is available in only limited amounts. Wherever oil and fuel are present there is always a danger of contamination with clean water - facilities such as filling stations, vehicle service stations or car washes are typical locations where the handling of oil / fuel contaminated wastewater must be considered. Remember, 1 drop of oil is enough to contaminate 1000 liters of water.
Quite often, the contamination of water cannot be avoided and in order to prevent enviromental damage to watercourses, separators need to be specified and installed. These separators serve to remove environmentally damaging sludge and oils / fuels from the wastewater stream.
According to the Euro standard EN 858-1, separator systems must be equipped with automatic warning devices. The KESSEL warning system SonicControl for oil and coalescence separators is used for reliable real time measurement of the oil / fuel levels, sludge levels and detection of backwater.


Each of the Bay Area's nine counties had unemployment below 5 percent. San Mateo County's unemployment rate was the lowest at 2.5 percent, followed by San Francisco at 2.6 percent and Marin County at 2.7 percent.
The highest unemployment rate in the Bay Area was in Solano County at 4.2 percent, which matched the statewide rate, a record low.
Santa Clara County's unemployment rate was 2.9 percent. Alameda, Contra Costa, Napa and Sonoma counties all had rates of 3 to 3.5 percent.
Nationwide, the unemployment rate was 4 percent.


text:
Mahindra Rolls Out 1 Millionth Vehicle From Each Of Its 3 Manufacturing Plants
Home Mitsubishi New Generation Pajero Sport to Make Its Debut in India by Next Year
New Generation Pajero Sport to Make Its Debut in India by Next Year
September 15, 2018 | Videh Vora
Added in: Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi had not been launching any new models in the Indian market for quite some time, the company broke their slumber with the new Outlander which was launched some time back in Mumbai. Before that, the Pajero Sport was the only car in their line up in India. Launched back in 2012, the Pajero Sport in a rugged seven-seater SUV which has a loyal fan base in the country. The new third generation Pajero Sport made a worldwide debut back in 2015 and as per reports will come in the Indian market by late 2019.
The third generation of the Pajero Sport gets a more aggressive appearance with sharp headlights and an imposing front grille. The SUV will also get quite a few new features which include a 360-degree camera, a touch enable infotainment screen and an electronic handbrake to name a few. In terms of safety, the Pajero Sport would be equipped with ABS and get 7 airbags. The SUV also scored a perfect 5-star rating in the Australian NCAP crash tests. However, the Indian Spec model may get some changes from the international model which may affect the safety rating of the car, which would have to be homologated by the Indian NCAP crash test.
Also Read: Mitsubishi Plans To Launch Xpander/Eclipse
Reports also suggest the car would be made available as a CBU, with local production starting a bit late. This could affect the sales of the car, given the huge competition in this market space. The Pajero Sport will be powered by a new 2.4-litre MIVEC diesel which makes 181 hp and 430 Nm of torque and mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The SUV will also feature four-wheel drive as standard and get an off-road mode. The new engine would be BS VI complaint and could also make its way into the Outlander SUV which is currently only offered with a petrol engine. Will the new Pajero Sport be sporty enough to take on the Fortuner and the Endeavour SUVs? We will have to wait to find that out.


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text:
Miscellaneous trivia
All songs in collection by John Lee Hooker
Found 16 songs.
Big Legs, Tight Skirt (02:21) - Track 10 from The Very Best of John Lee Hooker
Boogie Chillen' (03:11) - Track 1 from The Very Best of John Lee Hooker
Boom Boom (02:34) - Track 8 from The Very Best of John Lee Hooker
Burning Hell (03:58) - Track 15 from The Very Best of John Lee Hooker
Crawlin' King Snake (03:03) - Track 2 from The Very Best of John Lee Hooker
Dimples (02:15) - Track 7 from The Very Best of John Lee Hooker
Hobo Blues (03:04) - Track 3 from The Very Best of John Lee Hooker
Huckle Up Baby (02:51) - Track 4 from The Very Best of John Lee Hooker
I'm Bad Like Jesse James (05:21) - Track 14 from The Very Best of John Lee Hooker
I'm in the Mood (03:07) - Track 5 from The Very Best of John Lee Hooker
I Need Some Money (02:29) - Track 6 from The Very Best of John Lee Hooker
It Serves You Right to Suffer (05:11) - Track 11 from The Very Best of John Lee Hooker
One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer (03:08) - Track 13 from The Very Best of John Lee Hooker
Shake It Baby (04:11) - Track 9 from The Very Best of John Lee Hooker
Terraplane Blues (02:56) - Track 16 from The Very Best of John Lee Hooker
You Know, I Know (04:06) - Track 12 from The Very Best of John Lee Hooker
Last updated January 14, 2021


text:
Sporting Kansas City vs LAFC – Football Game Report – June 26, 2021
By Clifford H. Hardy on	 June 27, 2021 Football Game
Daniel Salloi scored his third goal in the last two games to carry Sporting Kansas City to a 2-1 victory over Los Angeles Football Club.
Salloi's score in the 87th minute helped Kansas City overcome a 1-0 halftime deficit. He took a pass from Felipe Hernandez and hit one against LAFC goalkeeper Tomas Romero. This culminated in a furious second-half attack for Sporting KC.
– MLS on ESPN +: Stream live matches and reruns (US only)
Sporting KC (7-3-2, 23 points) have gone undefeated at home this season (5-0-2) and have allowed the first goal seven times in 12 appearances, going 5-1-1 in these situations.
About five minutes after the sky opened, Tristan Blackmon shot Salloi from behind just outside the box in the 58th minute, earning Blackmon a red card.
It didn't take long for Sporting KC to regain its momentum. Salloi passed into the box which deflected a defender with Alan Pulido's left foot. Pulido passed a dipping Romero (one save) in the 61st minute to tie the game.
Pulido left the game around 10 minutes later with an apparent ankle injury. He couldn't put pressure on his right ankle.
LAFC (3-4-3, 12 points) has yet to win consecutive games this season.
Carlos Vela was not in the starting lineup for LAFC. He came in as a substitute in the 57th minute and had several scoring opportunities but was unable to convert.
LAFC went first on the board in the 24th minute when Kim Moon-Hwan left a left-footed shot from SKC goalkeeper Tim Melia (two saves). Moon-Hwan picked up a pass from Jose Cifuentes on a block and shot it into the lower right corner of the net.
Sporting KC commanded the first part of the first half, with more opportunities for possession and goal. But the goal blew the air out of the stadium as the crowd at Children's Mercy Park grew pensive. The half ended with fairly even stats, with each team scoring six shots.
Lots of fun on the soccer field last week and to come
Cowboys vs Eagles Live Score, Updates, NFL "Monday Night Football" Highlights
Vote for Jackson-area High School Football Player of the Week (September 24)
VSU requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination to attend football games
SEC buyout of college football has only just begun


text:
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Text;

namespace SandcastleBuilder.Utils.PlugIn
{
    /// <summary>
    /// This class contains information about the loaded plug-ins
    /// </summary>
    public class PlugInInfo
    {
        #region Private data members
        //=====================================================================
        // Private data members

        private string name, copyright, description;
        private Version version;
        private Type plugInType;
        #endregion

        #region Properties
        //=====================================================================
        // Properties

        /// <summary>
        /// This read-only property returns the name of the plug-in
        /// </summary>
        public string Name
        {
            get { return name; }
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// This read-only property returns the copyright information for the
        /// plug-in.
        /// </summary>
        public string Copyright
        {
            get { return copyright; }
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// This read-only property returns a description of the plug-in
        /// </summary>
        public string Description
        {
            get { return description; }
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// This read-only property returns the version number of the plug-in
        /// </summary>
        public Version Version
        {
            get { return version; }
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// This read-only property returns type information for the plug-in
        /// </summary>
        public Type PlugInType
        {
            get { return plugInType; }
        }
        #endregion

        /// <summary>
        /// Constructor
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="t">Type information for the plug-in</param>
        internal PlugInInfo(Type t)
        {
            plugInType = t;

            using(IPlugIn plugIn = (IPlugIn)Activator.CreateInstance(t))
            {
                name = plugIn.Name;
                copyright = plugIn.Copyright;
                description = plugIn.Description;
                version = plugIn.Version;
            }
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Get a new instance of the plug-in
        /// </summary>
        /// <returns>A new instance of the plug-in</returns>
        public IPlugIn NewInstance()
        {
            return (IPlugIn)Activator.CreateInstance(plugInType);
        }
    }
}


text:
Toni Hebda
Hebda, T. (2018). OJNI Virtual Gold Award Winner. Online Journal of Nursing Informatics (OJNI), Available at https://www.himss.org/library/toni-hedba
Toni Hebda, PhD, MNEd, MSIS, RN-C has been interested in ways that computer technology could support nursing for the past 40 years.. Her earliest memory of computers was one that took up an entire floor at a a building at Carnegie Tech when her older brother attended a Saturday program for high school students. Later while in high school herself there were simple programs with punch cards done in math class and run at a local college. After nursing school, her home hospital was an early adopter of information systems. Jumping forward a few years when she had become an educator her dissertaion was entitled, A profile of computer assisted instruction use among baccalaureate nursing programs. In 1988 Dr. Hebda helped to organize efforts to bring together nurses and others who were either interested in computers or currently working with computer technology in healthcare in the greater Pittsburgh region. This group was Tri-State Nursing Computer Network (TNCN). Through TNCN and the educational and networking opportunities that the group afforded Dr. Hebda continued to learn more about information systems, technology, and informatics. Later she earned her second graduate degree in information science as she continued to learn more about information systems and informatics. During her tenure with TNCN Dr. Hebda served on the Board, as President-Elect, and President. The professional networking and learning acquired during her time with TNCN gave rise to the concept for the book, Handbook of Informatics for Nurses & Healthcare Professional, and its companion book Internet Resource Guide for Nurses and Health Care Professionals. The first edition of Handbook of Informatics for Nurses and Health Care Professionals, co-authored with Patricia Czar and Cynthia Mascara, was named 1998 American Journal of Nursing Book of the Year. That title is now sixth edition thanks to a collaboration with Kathleen Hunter and contributions from other authors.
In subsequent years Dr. Hebda continued to teach nursing and also served as Information Systems Training Consultant at Allegheny General Hospital. While at Allegheny General Hospital Dr. Hebda had oversight for SMS Invision training for employees at Allegheny General and Forbes Regional Hospital as it was implemented at these facilities and provided support for another 25 clinical information systems and databases as analyst. Dr. Hebda served as adjunct faculty at Duquesne University School of Nursing for the nursing informatics certificate program. She provided consulting expertise to Frontier Nursing University to develop the curriculum for an informatics course and developed a proposal for a nursing informatics certificate program at Chatham University.
Dr. Hebda's involvement in informatics activities was curtailed when she acted as caregiver for both her father, then later her mother. However, she continued to remain current and conduct research. Dr. Hebda's research to date includes a multi-institutional, collaboration led by Dr. Jeanne Sewell on students and faculty in the Web 2.0 environment, research to operationalize The TIGER Initiative's (TIGER) nursing informatics competencies for online assessment of perceived competency, collaborative research with AORN to develop the Technology in the OR (TOR) Tool: How Does Technology Affect the Nature of Surgeries for PeriOperative Nurses, collaborative work on the Nursing Informatics Competency Assessment Levels 3 and 4 (NICA L3/L4), and ongoing work to assess competencies at faculty and student levels, and the efficacy of a virtual learning environment as a practicumsite.
Dr. Hebda serves as professor in Chamberlain College's online MSN program in the informatics track, mentors graduate students in the Chamberlain Second Life Virtual Learning Environment practicum, and is an active participant in Chamberlain's Nursing Informatics Research Team (NIRT). Over the years Dr. Hebda has been as a reviewer for Online Journal of Nursing Informatics, MERLOT, Journal of Holistic Nursing, and for invited manuscripts for Clinical Simulation in Nursing, among others.
Her professional memberships include the American Nursing Informatics Association, American Medical Informatics Association, and Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, as well as the American Nurses' Association and Sigma Theta Tau Epsilon Phi and Phi Pi Chapters.
Dr. Hebda earned her nursing diploma from Washington Hospital School of Nursing earning a diploma, her BSN from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA, and her MNEd, PhD, then MSIS, from the University of Pittsburgh.
Dr. Hebda has been a leader and innovator in nursing informatics from its inception and continues to help nursing informatics evolve though her students, text, and research.


I shall call mine Johnson, but I like to think that we won't be throwing defenceless plush toys into battle with mini-dinosaurs and killer robots.
Ought to make a killing for tailors!
Who's The Best Elekk In The Whole World?
This pet does not do any damage.
Apart from looking cute when summoned, its main purpose is for you to show off your pet battle skills by earning a victory with this deadweight on your team.
An Awfully Big Adventure will require you to defeat all four timeless isle legendary pets a bunch of trainers with the plushie on your team, basically The Longest Day with a new twist.
You have plenty of time to design a 2-pet strategy for each of them before 6.0 hits live.
So can i sew an elephant? From filaments? Fabric synthetic elephant? With silk skin?
I have to get one of these and put it on all of my pet battle teams. Time to try and 2 pet everyone.
This is gonna be fun with a plushie.
Presently, on the beta he can be purchsed by a Tauren Vendor by Varzok plus there is a Mythical Battle-Pet Stone which levels pets to 25.
The elephants were considered sacred, and as such could not be used for heavy labor or riding like normal grey elephants, and so were just big pretty useless things that took up space and ate food.
The only thing i want is for this plushie pet to make squeeky noises when It attacks enemies just like a chew toy. That would be awesome.
WoW equivalent of Magikarp - awesome!
it's huge health pool and magic typing can be used to swap in for huge incoming hits.
How does this thing actually level up? Are the new +level battle stones the only way to get this guy to 25?
I wish this thing had a top hat... it already reminds me of Peanut Big Top's pet elephant "Elephant" from Lalaloopsy. Adorable.
There are two achievements for using an Elekk Plushie: An Awfully Big Adventure and Overstuffed.
I havent seen any on the AH - what would they sell for?
Updated - on Ravencrest, started on the AH at 60,000 and in less than a week dropped to 7,500. And not selling.
Leave it at Common, it has a truckload of health. Even at Common, its health will be over 2000 at level 25, which is more than plenty to do the achievements. It can't fight anyway so it shouldn't ever be soaking more than a hit here and there.
Instead, once you are finished with your achievements, THEN use a stone to lower its level below 25 so you can sell it easier to a buyer wishing to get Overstuffed and Awfully Long Adventure. This will be the best way to preserve the value of your plushie for savvy buyers.
I'd like to get an Elekk Plushie in real life; Blizzard should look into this its so cute. They made gryphon, wolf pup, nether faerie dragon, and wyvern plushes why not this feller?
If you wanted a cute little plushie to bounce along behind your character, you're to be sorely disappointed.
Today's pet battle daily with Grubbles, Scrags, and Stings is super easy to level the Elekk Plushie. With Xu-Fu you can solo all three bosses and when the last is about to die you simply let Xu-Fu die and bring in the plushie. He takes a hit and you pass along to your next pet to finalize the xp.
With lesser treat and cap he gets 3-4k xp.
They appear to have hot-fixed the pet battles here so you cannot gain xp and level pets any longer. Doh!
Elekk Plushie isn't as deadweight as people might first think, it effectively can be used as a damage sponge when you don't want your 2 active pets taking big hits.
Actually increases the plushie's chance to dodge by 25% (Unless the tooltip is bugged), so it can actually tank a barrage of damage if the situation calls for it.
If you're obsessive and dislike having a white quality pet in your list, the Plushie, like a big real Elekk, can be upgraded with a magic or flawless battle stone. This will also cause it to lose two levels if it is maxed as in all level 25 pets, which can be used to level it up to 25 again if for some reason you find a max level one for sale, you can still use it to get the Overstuffed achievement by raring it up and leveling again.
This pet has the highest hp of any pet in the game.
Blizz needs to change how this works out of combat. Like having it dragged behind you on a piece of string, possibly bouncing around.
My gnome DK in all event gear and a huge sword would look unbeatable with that.
The sound clips are adorable!
Eye hanging by a thread, stuffing hanging out of it, 1 leg half off and it gets drug around by a rope, on it's side.
Elekk Plushie is a soulbound tailor-created item that adds the Elekk Plushie pet to your pet journal. The recipe is Pattern: Elekk Plushie, and the materials required are 50xHexweave Cloth and 10xSorcerous Earth. Hexweave cloth is made either from work orders at a tailoring emporium in your garrison, or from a tailor's daily Hexweave Cloth cooldown (which takes 20xSumptuous Fur and 10xGorgrond Flytrap per hexweave cloth).
Making an Elekk Plushie requires an actual tailor, not just a tailoring emporium in your garrison, because the tailoring emporium does not offer this as one of the items to be crafted.
I tried to defeat Deeps Tyri and Puzzle with: Xu-Fu Zandalari and Elekk Pushie (level 14) "The greatest batte-pet in the world" Yes it was easy, and I had a big smile about during the battle.
Because playing wow means that: you can't work, you can't study you can't have fun in real life, but you can have fun (during Wow).
You see Elekk Pushie is fun!
Have fun with Elekk Pushie "The greatest battle-pet in the World"
Have a nice day with lots of fun!
For developers looking for this pet's species id it's 1426.
There is currently a bug with the Red Wooden Sled, whenever you dragged your pet on it and it fades out it will give a command to make your pet follow you again, this however does work for the Elekk Plushie!
Never leave your plushie pal behind again.
Believe it or not, but this pet does do damage, but it's quite rare.
This is by far the best leveling pet for level 1 pets.
First find a place where one pet can win the fight. Such as nexus drake and fliers etc.
Put Plushie in top slot, with intchin for stitchin.
Put leveling pet in 2nd slot.
Put main pet in 3rd slot.
Switch straight to main pet.
The leveling pet gets the xp, but doesn't have to risk a hit.
It's abilities do nothing. It would have not bad usage with Val'kir or some other DoT pets, if he had any survive skills, but all he has is just fun skills where he sleeps/shines/pretends he's attacking. Still, he can be used to make all DoTs tick and swap to refresh and swap back again.
Not so effective, but I guess it can be funny.
You can upgrade Elekk Plushie with Flawless Magic Battle-Stone (so others like Marked Flawless Battle-Stone should also work) to blue quality. It will not lose any levels.
Use your Red Wooden Sled on this plushie and the plushie will hop off the sled, and proceed to follow you just like any other pet.
Now purchasable in real life from Blizzards store!
Both plushies, the Raptor and the Elekk, Squeak!
Edit: Good news, there's an EU store now!
This NPC can be found in Dalaran (2) and Dazar'alor (2).
This adorable little elephant is always there for you.


text:
Wonder Woman is "Obviously" Queer, According to DC Comics Writer
Valentina Sainato | Sep 30, 2016 6:35 pm
ICYMI: Wonder Woman is queer. Like the 'Q' on the LGBTQ+ spectrum. Like not straight. The current Wonder Woman writer Greg Rucka officially confirmed the character's queer status in an exclusive interview with Comicosity earlier this week. And we're LIVING FOR THIS.
For those of you unfamiliar with her story, Wonder Woman, who also goes by Diana Prince, is an Amazonian princess/demigoddess and is one of the founding members of the Justice League. She originally comes from a land called Themyscira. It's populated exclusively by warrior women, so it seems pretty logical that she's had sexual/romantic relationships with other females. Especially since she's 5000 years old…that's a long time for sexual tension to build up.
https://twitter.com/erica_prime/status/781919932577558528
"It's supposed to be paradise," Rucka describes Wonder Woman's homeland to Comicosity. "You're supposed to be able to live happily. You're supposed to be able — in a context where one can live happily, and part of what an individual needs for that happiness is to have a partner — to have a fulfilling, romantic and sexual relationship." Given that Themyscira is only populated by women, the natural question that followed was of Wonder Woman's sexuality. "Now, are we saying Diana [Wonder Woman's secret identity] has been in love and had relationships with other women?" Rucka said. "As [Wonder Woman artist Nicola Scott] and I approach it, the answer is obviously yes."
YES. Not only has the first major queer superhero been established, but it's the most badass one I can think of! It's awesome to see an iconic woman like Wonder Woman identify with the LGBTQ community, as it gives them a well-rounded and empowered character whose sexuality is just one aspect of who she is.
To clarify, the term "queer" was defined in the interview as involving "romantic and/or sexual interest toward persons of the same gender." Rucka again confirms that yes, Wonder Woman is definitely queer. It does not mean she is exclusive to women; in fact, she's traditionally been depicted in a heterosexual relationship with Steve Trevor (who will be in the 2017 movie, played by our Hollywood fave, Chris Pine). So Wonder Woman isn't gay, but also isn't straight.
Of course, people reacted over social media:
#WonderWoman on her way to steal your girl pic.twitter.com/HNuiSGR86t
— maxnosleeves (@maxnosleeves) September 29, 2016
I am all for #WonderWoman as queer. Thermyscira was a place where its occupants were liberated. Sexual liberation can't be out of question.
— Angie 𝕻𝖍𝖔𝖊𝖓𝖎𝖝 Shanklin (@Da_Nerdette) September 29, 2016
#WonderWoman dealing with homophobic potshots pic.twitter.com/004sA4W03l
— Declan Cashin (@Tweet_Dec) September 30, 2016
Despite this incredible news, don't expect to see Wonder Woman's sexuality explicitly present in Rucka's series. He says that he doesn't believe a character "has to stand up and say, 'I'M GAY!' in all bold caps" in order for readers to understand her. "For my purposes, that's bad writing," he explains. "When a character is being asked point blank, if it's germane to the story, then you get the answer. But for me, and I think for Nicola as well, for any story we tell … we want to show you these characters and their lives, and what they are doing. We want to show, not tell."
While it would of course be bad writing to focus all of Wonder Woman's story on her sexual identity, there are definitely effective ways to subtly incorporate it into the series without forcing it. Explicit representations would do well in promoting acceptance as well as normalizing that part of Wonder Woman's life into the comics. Hopefully, Rucka and Scott find ways of including the LGBTQ identity without compromising their storyline.
In the meantime, there's always fan-fiction.
[H/T: Cosmopolitan]
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A look back at: Legends of the Dark Knight
Posted by Border Mutt on December 7, 2013 at 9:17pm in General Comics Discussions
Jason's review of Shaman got me hankering for some more "year one" era Batman goodness, so I thought I'd delve into my back issues, pick up where he's planning on leaving off, and take a look back at Legends of the Dark Knight.
This time around, I'll start at Destroyer and hopefully work through the series week by week. Also, I've decided to include ratings for each storyline... I'll see about posting my rating system below.
Shaman - LOTDK 1-5 (collected as Batman: Shaman)
Dennis O'Neil / Edward Hannigan ...................................................................................... 7.4
Gothic - LOTDK 6-10 (collected as Batman: Gothic)
Grant Morrison / Klaus Janson ........................................................................................... 4.7
Prey - LOTDK 11-15 (collected as Batman: Prey)
Doug Moench / Paul Gulacy
Venom - LOTDK 16-20 (collected as Batman: Venom)
Dennis O'Neil / Trevor Von Eeden / Russell Braun
Faith - LOTDK 21-23
Mike W. Barr / Bart Sears
Flyer - LOTDK 24-26
Howard Chaykin / Gil Kane
Destroyer - Batman 474, LOTDK 27, Detective 641
Various ............................................................................................................................ 7.5
Faces - LOTDK 28-30 (collected as Batman: Faces)
Matt Wagner ..................................................................................................................... 7
Family - LOTDK 31
Jim Hudnall / Brent Anderson ............................................................................................. 7
Blades - LOTDK 32-34 (part of Batman: Collected Legends of the Dark Knight)
James Robinson / Tim Sale ............................................................................................... 7.3
Destiny - LOTDK 35-36 (part of Batman: Other Realms)
Bo Hampton / Mark Kneece ............................................................................................... 6.3
Mercy - LOTDK 37
Dan Abnett / Andy Lanning / Colin MacNeil ......................................................................... 8.5
Legends of the Dark Mite - LOTDK 38 (part of Batman: Collected Legends of the Dark Knight)
Alan Grant / Kevin O'Neill ..................................................................................................... 6
Mask - LOTDK 39-40 (part of Batman: Dark Legends)
Bryan Talbot
Sunset - LOTDK 41
Tom Joyner / Keith S. Wilson / Jim Fern
Hot House - LOTDK 42-43 (part of Batman: Collected Legends of the Dark Knight)
John Francis Moore / P. Craig Russell
Turf - LOTDK 44-45
Steven Grant / Shawn McManus
Heat - LOTDK 46-49
Doug Moench / Russ Heath
Images - LOTDK 50 (part of Batman: Dark Legends)
Dennis O'Neil / Bret Blevins
Snitch - LOTDK 51
Robert Loren Fleming / David G. Klein
Tao - LOTDK 52-53 (part of Batman: Dark Legends)
Alan Grant / Arthur Ranson
Sanctum - LOTDK 54 (part of Batman: Dark Legends)
Dan Raspler / Mike Mignola
Watchtower - LOTDK 55-57
Chuck Dixon / Mike McMahon
Storm - LOTDK 58
Andrew Donkin / Graham Brand / John Higgins
Quarry - LOTDK 59-61
Knights End - LOTDK 62-63, and various (collected as Batman: Knightfall V.3: KnightsEnd)
Terminus - LOTDK 64
Jaimie Delano / Chris Bachalo
Viewpoint - LOTDK 0
Going Sane - LOTDK 65-68 (part of Batman: Going Sane)
J.M. DeMatteis / Joe Staton
Criminals - LOTDK 69-70
Steven Grant / Mike Zeck
Werewolf - LOTDK 71-73 (part of Batman: Monsters)
James Robinson / John Watkiss
Engines - LOTDK 74-75
Ted McKeever
The Sleeping - LOTDK 76-78 (part of Batman: Other Realms)
Favorite Things - LOTDK 79
Mark Millar / Steve Yeowell
Idols - LOTDK 80-82
James Vance / Doug Braithwaite
Infected - LOTDK 83-84 (part of Batman: Monsters)
Warren Ellis / John McCrea
Citadel - LOTDK 85
James Robinson / Tony Salmons
Conspiracy - LOTDK 86-88
Doug Moench / J.H. Williams III
Clay - LOTDK 89-90 (part of Batman: Monsters)
Alan Grant / Quique Alcatena
Freakout - LOTDK 91-93
Garth Ennis / Will Simpson
Stories - LOTDK 94
Michael T. Gilbert
Dirty Tricks - LOTDK 95-97
Dan Abnett / Andy Lanning / Anthony Williams
Steps - LOTDK 98-99
Paul Jenkins / Sean Phillips
The Choice - LOTDK 100 (part of Robin: The Teen Wonder)
Dennis O'Neil / Dave Taylor
The Incredible Adventures of Batman - LOTDK 101
John Wagner / Carlos Ezquerra
Spook - LOTDK 102-104
James Robinson / Paul Johnson
Duty - LOTDK 105-106
C.J. Henderson / Trevor Von Eeden
Stalking - LOTDK 107-108
Lee Marrs / Eddie Newell
The Primal Riddle - LOTDK 109-111
Steve Englehart / Dusty Abell
Shipwreck - LOTDK 112-113
Dan Vado / Norman Felchle
Playground - LOTDK 114
James Robinson / Dan Brereton
The Darkness - LOTDK 115
Darren Vincenzo / Luke McDonnell
NML: Fear of Faith - LOTDK 116 (part of Batman: No Man's Land V.1)
NML: Bread and Circuses - LOTDK 117 (part of Batman: No Man's Land V.1)
NML: Balance - LOTDK 118 (part of Batman: No Man's Land V.1)
NML: Claim Jumping - LOTDK 119 (part of Batman: No Man's Land V.2)
NML: Assembly - LOTDK 120 (part of Batman: No Man's Land V.2)
NML: Power Play - LOTDK 121 (part of Batman: No Man's Land V.2)
NML: Low Road to Golden Mountain - LOTDK 122 (part of Batman: No Man's Land V.3)
NML: Underground Railroad - LOTDK 123 (part of Batman: No Man's Land V.3)
NML: Captain of Industry - LOTDK 124 (part of Batman: No Man's Land V.3)
NML: Falling Back - LOTDK 125 (part of Batman: No Man's Land V.4)
NML: End Game - LOTDK 126 (part of Batman: No Man's Land V.4)
The Arrow and the Bat - LOTDK 127-131 (part of Batman: The Ring, the Arrow, and the Bat)
Dennis O'Neil / Sergio Cariello
Siege - LOTDK 132-136 (part of Legends of the Dark Knight: Marshall Rogers)
Archie Goodwin / James Robinson / Marshall Rogers
Terror - LOTDK 137-141 (collected as Batman: Terror)
The Demon Laughs - LOTDK 142-145
Chuck Dixon / Jim Aparo
Bad - LOTDK 146-148
Doug Moench / Barry Kitson
Grimm - LOTDK 149-153
J.M. DeMatteis / Trevor Von Eeden
Colossus - LOTDK 154-155
Mike Baron / Bill Reinhold
Blink - LOTDK 156-158
Dwayne McDuffie / Val Semeiks
Loyalties - LOTDK 159-161
John Ostrander / David Lopez
Auteurism - LOTDK 162-163
John Arcudi / Roger Langridge
Don't Blink - LOTDK 164-167
Urban Legend - LOTDK 168 (part of Batman: Under the Cowl)
Bill Willingham / Tom Fowler
Irresistible - LOTDK 169-171
Tom Peyer / Tony Harris
Testament - LOTDK 172-176
John Wagner / Chris Brunner
Lost Cargo - LOTDK 177-178
Devin Grayson / Jean-Jacques Dzialowski
Full Circle - LOTDK 179
A.J. Lieberman / Greg Scott
The Secret City - LOTDK 180-181
Dylan Horrocks / Ramon Bachs
War Games: Act I - LOTDK 182 (part of Batman: War Games Act 1: Outbreak)
War Games: Act II - LOTDK 183 (part of Batman: War Games Act 2: Tides)
War Games: Act III - LOTDK 184 (part of Batman: War Games Act 3: Endgame)
Riddle Me That - LOTDK 185-189
Shane McCarthy / Tommy Castillo
Cold Snap - LOTDK 190-191
J. Torres / David Lopez
Snow - LOTDK 192-196 (collected as Batman: Snow)
J.H. Williams III / Dan Curtis Johnson / Seth Fisher
Blaze of Glory - LOTDK 197-199
Will Pfeifer / Chris Weston
Gotham Emergency - LOTDK 200 (part of Batman: Going Sane)
Eddie Campbell / Daren White / Bart Sears
Cold Case - LOTDK 201-203
Christos N. Gage / Ron Wagner
The Madmen of Gotham - LOTDK 204-206
Justin Gray / Steven Cummings
Darker Than Death - LOTDK 207-211
Bruce Jones / Ariel Olivetti
Chicks Dig the Bat - LOTDK 212
Adam Beechen / Steve Scott
Otaku - LOTDK 213
Matt Wayne / Steven Cummings
Superstitious and Cowardly - LOTDK 214
Christos N. Gage / Phil Winslade
Permalink Reply by Border Mutt on December 7, 2013 at 9:28pm
Destroyer - Batman 474 / LOTDK 27 / Detective 641
Basic Plot:
A bomber obsessed with architecture starts destroying buildings, gradually becoming less concerned with the human casualties as he goes. As victims start to appear, Batman becomes involved in the case, identifying a pattern and digging through the city's past to determine the bomber's next targets. Batman manages to save people's lives but is unable to catch the bomber or stop the buildings from collapsing and changing the Gotham cityscape. His mission done, the bomber prepares to leave, but is lured back to meet his fate in an attempt to save one of the buildings he truly values.
This story had a job to do - give an in continuity reason for the Gotham landscape's sudden appearance shift to mirror the Burton Batman movie. It does this decently enough, but it does suffer from multiple writers and inconsistent art.
The story shifts from Alan Grant to Dennis O'Neil then back to Grant and it changes somewhat the internal voice of the antagonist. This isn't too bad as the character evolves over the story, however, the monologue flow feels like the character is evolving from Batman (p1) to Detective (p3) to LOTDK (p2) rather than the actual order the story progresses. In other regards, the voices and the story match up well, although O'Neil's greater focus on building Gotham history makes it feel a little padded, (probably owing more to different writing styles than sparsity of content). Overall though, this was an interesting tale of an obsessed man seeking to restore a dream with some of the history and evolution of Gotham as a backdrop.
The new buildings and vistas designed by Anton Furst are stunning changes that will be reflected in the Batman comics for quite some time. All the artists seem to do a good job with Furst's buildings but the consistency ends there. Batman, Bruce Wayne, and Jim Gordon look very different from issue to issue and Sarah Essen looks so dramatically different that without context it's hard to place her as the same character. Breyfogle and Aparo's art especially don't mesh well; this disparity of art styles hurts the story.
Some Things of Note or that I Found Interesting:
- One of the first things I noticed this read through was the similar feel this story shares with Gates of Gotham. I'm thinking the Gates' writers might have drawn quite a bit of inspiration from this story.
- Sarah Essen shows up at the initial crime scene without Gordon and it's mentioned he's trying to cut down on his overtime due to his recent heart attack. The Detective issue runs the American Heart Association ad.
- Despite being one story, the Alan Grant Batman and Detective issues have a little more focus on the present (at the time) continuity while the LOTDK issue has a bit of a past focus. Case in point, the heart attack is only mentioned in Batman and Detective while the flashbacks only occur in LOTDK.
- Early on, Batman is going after some art forgers, suggesting he's not just interested in violent crimes but law and order in general, however later in the same issue, he casually instigates a bar fight and we're shown a panel where his equipment is damaging a building. Seems a mite hypocritical.
- The bar toughs don't seem very cowed by Batman. I guess they don't remember the rampages he went on after Jason died.
- We have different "speakers" in the caption boxes but they're not differentiated in any way. We have to determine who's "speaking" the old fashioned way... by characterization.
- Gotta say, Dennis O'Neil writes a fantastic Alfred.
- The computer systems aren't shown to be as universally connected as they are today. Some of the information isn't in the computers period. Other pieces of information are in discrete systems that would just take too much time to hack. A definite change from today's way of thinking about things.
- The gothic building's seeming emergence from the destruction of the generic building is masterful.
- In LOTDK, Dennis O'Neil has a professor basically say that only a crazy person could like the Gotham architecture and his Sinclair, (the bomber), is noticeably less balanced. Additionally, the idea of the architecture possibly having a causational influence in shaping psychology is brought up.
- In Detective, Alan Grant has Essen say something's "a touch too convenient" on one page and then has Sinclair find the architect Pinkney's original notes on the next, thus giving him more of a basis for crazy beliefs rather than just obsessive needs. I wonder if he found O'Neil's handling of Sinclair a touch too convenient? :)
- While he started out at a good pace in the Batman issue, by the end of the series, the bomber didn't actually take out that many buildings. I guess we'll just have to assume he took out a bunch of extra buildings while Batman was trapped.
I wonder if the LOTDK issue number had any significance in the story? Was this just a convenient time to do the crossover to establish the new landscape or did they wait specifically so that they'd have something memorable to introduce in LOTDK 27, much like they did in Detective 27 all those years ago?
Overall, I thought this was a pretty good story. The art wasn't to my taste for the first issue and was definitely inconsistent between issues. Likewise, some of the characterization was inconsistent. However, it did have some strong visuals, interesting undercurrents, and aspects that would affect the bat mythos for quite some time; really it was surprisingly good for a story with such a mandated agenda.
Rating - 7.5
Permalink Reply by Wandering Sensei: Moderator Man on December 7, 2013 at 10:10pm
It has been a long (LONG) time since I've read this, but I do remember liking especially the story by Alan Grant along with the art by Chris Sprouse. This is still one of the episodes I'll buy any time I see it in a bargain bin.
Permalink Reply by Border Mutt on December 8, 2013 at 12:33am
I found the way Sprouse drew everyone's lips a little distracting but man did he ever do a fabulous job showing the darker city emerging.
Permalink Reply by Border Mutt on December 8, 2013 at 1:24am
The rating system I use is a little complicated, although it's essentially a rating out of 10.
Basically, I have 6 categories for which I give each comic an A, B, or C:
Cover, Plotting, Characterization, Consistency, Stand Alone, and Interior Art.
I assign all A's 3 points, all B's 2 points, and all C's 1 point. I then add this total and divide by 2, giving me a rating out of 9. Once I've determined this number, I then have a number of special criteria that can add or subtract half or full points:
Bad Panel Layout (including bad text placement), Difficulty Interpreting the Art, Misattributed Dialogue, and Colouring Errors or incorrect images all require a half point negative. Bad Bang for the Buck and Offensive Crap cause a full point negative. Meanwhile, Revisionist Gems, (stories that introduce important elements), Comic Gems that I laugh throughout, and comics that Strike a Chord and make a lasting impression are all worthy of an extra full point.
So, when all is said and done, the rating could theoretically go past 10, (but I've never had one that has). My rule of thumb is that a comic that receives a 5 or less is a poor comic, 6 is an ok comic, 7 is a good comic, 8 is a very good comic, and 9 (or higher) is an excellent comic.
Basically, I like to think this rating system gives me a fairly balanced evaluation of most aspects of a comic. It is weighted more towards the writing then the art but that's how I tend to appreciate my comics. It requires that each comic is enjoyable as a single unit, something else I insist on. Meanwhile, it does mean that a phenomenal story may get a less than stellar score if the colourists, letterers, etc. fall down on the job a bit.
After all the numbers are added and everything's calculated, my rating system is just as subjective as anyone else's ratings but it does help me to keep my personal ratings consistent, which is really all it was designed to do. So, now that you all know how I come up with my ratings numbers and have marveled at my anal retentiveness... back to the comics. :)
Permalink Reply by John Dunbar on December 8, 2013 at 11:07am
I like it, BM. Well thought out and gives consideration to all aspects.
Permalink Reply by Jason Marconnet (Pint sized mod) on December 8, 2013 at 4:55pm
Cool. Thanks for starting this BM. I like your rating system. I need to get to Gothic. The back issues I purchased go from 1-26.
Permalink Reply by Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod) on December 8, 2013 at 5:41pm
That's an awesome rating system! Really well thought-out.
Is there anything that could make a rating go up half a point? Something like "innovative panel layout" or "memorable turn of phrase"?
Permalink Reply by Figserello on December 8, 2013 at 6:12pm
So, now that you all know how I come up with my ratings numbers and have marveled at my anal retentiveness...
And how! ;-)
But it's cool. "Whatever works for you" shall be the whole of the law.
Looking forward to more of these. Also looking forward to seeing how you mark Gothic, at some point.
Offensive Crap cause[s] a full point negative.
I'd say you are being too generous.
Looking at your list, I hadn't realised that so many LOTDK issues were crossovers. That looks like a retreat from the original spirit of the series.
LotDK interests me most as a vehicle for self-contained stories by top-drawer talent (even if it didn't always follow that remit). That doesn't apply as much for your first review as it was a multi-creator crossover tied into ongoing continuity, but it might be a good idea to highlight the creators at the outset of each review going forward, as their individual takes/visions were part of the whole point of the series.
Finally, I can't believe that these are comics are from over 20 years ago, and the series had been running for over 2 years at this point.
I don't recall any big deal being made of the LOTDK issue number at the time... but maybe that pales in my memory to the idea that this was the first time the book really broke with its mission statement, by taking part in a present-day crossover. Although since you say the flashbacks primarily happened there, it sounds like they were trying to have their cake and eat it, too.
Permalink Reply by Horn'd One on December 8, 2013 at 9:29pm
I collected this series in it's entirety when it first hit the shelves. There were stories (like Shaman) that gave an insight to the character's formative time, and many others that told of Batman's first forays into crimefighting and learning his craft. There were others of note too, like Batmite's few appearances, and the glimpses into the (possible) future(s) that showed how far the Mythology of the Dark Knight reached. When it ended, I said goodbye to my last long-running DC Comics title collecting. (I'll spare you the details of what happened when I parted with the full collection. Suffice to say, I'll never travel to Brooklyn for a comic-show EVER again.)
I don't care for the post-Flashpoint version. With the official reboot set at 5 years, there really isn't much (IMHO) material to generate any kind of 'Legend stories' for this version of Batman. And with the cancellation, abandonment & "merging" into the greater Multiverse of the Elseworlds stories, I seriously doubt we'll see it again.
Permalink Reply by Richard Willis on December 9, 2013 at 3:36am
As I said on another thread, LotDK #1 was my first comic after a 10-year absence. I was also disappointed when they turned the title into just another Bat-Book.
Permalink Reply by Border Mutt on December 11, 2013 at 12:07pm
Rob Staeger said:
Rob, I liked the "innovative panel layout" suggestion immediately, however, I was thinking that "memorable turn of phrase" was kind of encompassed in the other options. Then, lo and behold, the very next comic I read just screams out for a "memorable turn of phrase" bonus. So, I guess I'm going to be using both these criteria as part of my rating system. Thanks for the suggestions. :)


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Antique Arms & Armor
6 Dec 2005, starting at 10:00 PST .
This sale is now finished. If you are interested in consigning in future sales, please contact the specialist department. If you have queries about lots purchased in this sale, please contact customer services.
A rare iron frame Henry Model 1860 lever action rifle
Sold for US$ 80,500 inc. premium
A factory engraved Henry Model 1860 lever action rifle
An inscribed Henry Model 1860 lever action rifle
Attributed to Captain Albert Rogall, 27th U.S. Colored Troops
A U.S. Model 1861 4 1/2 inch siege rifle
A Nimschke engraved Colt single action army revolver
An historic cased, factory engraved and gold banded Metropolitan revolver belonging to Civil War Navy Commander George Beall Balch
12 gauge Boss sidelock ejector double barrel shotgun
A rare boxed Browning Midas Grade Superlight .410 over and under shotgun
A Henry Model 1860 lever action rifle
US$ 10,000 - 15,000
£ 7,300 - 11,000
A variant Civil War foot officer's sword
A U.S. model 1833 Foot Artillery sword with original belt
A lot of two U.S. military swords
A lot of three military edged weapons
A U.S. Model 1798 contract cavalry saber by Nathan Starr
An American mounted artillery officer's saber
An American eagle pommel officer's sword
A U.S. Model 1850 staff and field officer's sword by Horstmann
A U.S. Model 1841 naval cutlass
For all Sales categories excluding Arms & Armor, Coins and Medals, Motor Cars, Motorcycles, Wine & Whisky
27.5% on the first $12,500 of the hammer price;
25% of the hammer price of amounts in excess of $12,500 up to and including $600,000;
20% of the hammer price of amounts in excess of $600,000 up to and including $6,000,000;
and 14.5% of the hammer price of any amounts in excess of $6,000,000.
Payment for purchases may be made in or by (a) cash, (b) cashier's check or money order, (c) personal check with approved credit drawn on a U.S. bank, (d) wire transfer or other immediate bank transfer, or (e) Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover credit, charge or debit card. Please note that the amount of cash notes and cash equivalents that can be accepted from a given purchaser may be limited.
Y CITES
Prospective buyers should pay special attention to the "Notice Regarding Regulated Species Materials and CITES Permits" published in the printed catalog.
This information is also available by contacting the salesroom.
¢ Curio & Relic
Curio & Relic (C&R – Firearms over 50yrs Old).
ƒ Modern firearm
Modern firearm that requires both state and federal registration for California Residents, or transfer to a Federal Firearms License holder outside of California.
µ Modern handgun
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ANTIQUE Antique - pre 1899
Handguns that fall outside the Section 5 authority will be labelled ANTIQUE.
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Home » Resources » Blog » CCPA » The CCPA is in Effect… NOW What?
The CCPA is in Effect… NOW What?
February 6, 2020 | Matt Dumiak | CCPA, Privacy
The holidays are supposed to be a time of rest and relaxation. That was not the case, however, for businesses and professionals preparing for the California Consumer Privacy Act, or CCPA.
Businesses are expected to be compliant with the CCPA given that it went into effect on January 1, 2020. While not enforceable until what is looking to be a July 1, 2020 date by the AG, businesses should still be making strides to comply and begin meeting all of the requirements as outlined under the CCPA.
For businesses that have taken the wait and see approach, here are some things we recommend getting in place. Some of these could serve as a patch or ad hoc process until the formal privacy program is up and running, so don't feel overwhelmed by the tasks before you.
Reach out for support from company leadership, preferably at the executive level. Several big decisions will need to be made during your CCPA compliance journey, and the sooner someone with the authority to approve such decisions gets involved, the better.
Establish a task force of stakeholders for the privacy project. This task force should include an executive sponsor and representatives from Legal, Human Resources, Marketing, Website, and IT/S at a minimum. This will help set the direction of the project and should assist with establishing the businesses appetite for risk and high-level project plan.
Next, the business should develop ad hoc procedures for the following:
Receiving and reviewing consumer privacy requests:
Right to Access
Right to Opt-out of Sale
Businesses must provide two mechanisms in which a person can make these requests including a toll-free number and website address. Set up a method to receive these requests and review them as they are received. This can include a task force and manual approach in the beginning until the business can operationalize how these requests will be honored. Be mindful that confirming receipt is required within 10 days and the request must be honored within 45 days, with a 45-day extension being available in certain circumstances. I caution against using the 45-day extension as an automatic 90 days to honor the request as this not the intent of the regulation.
Once the ad hoc process is in place for facilitating privacy rights, ensure the business trains any employees that will be responsible for or could possibly receive a consumer privacy request on the escalation and review processes. Further, confirmation letters can assist with saving time and businesses must confirm receipt within 10 days of receiving the request.
While this temporary informal process is in place, begin planning how the business will solve for consumer privacy requests in the long run. Review your current systems, maybe even current processes your organization has in place to honor GDPR rights requests. Don't reinvent the wheel if you don't have to. If there is a way to automate any of the rights review process, such as through automatic assignment through a ticketing system when a rights request is received, this will greatly increase your organization's ability to not only meet the 45-day timeframe, but also track the steps taken internally to prove compliance with the regulation if complaints were to ever arise.
Next, and similar to the requests above, we recommend businesses have a process for receiving, reviewing, and following up with any consumers with regard to being notified of a personal data breach. This is the only area under this regulation that provides consumers with the ability to file a private right of action and notice from consumers should not be ignored as businesses have a 30-day window to respond.
If personal data types and sharing activities are limited, the business may feel comfortable with publishing an updated privacy policy with the required CCPA disclosures including the rights available to consumers, the categories of personal information collected, the purpose of the collection, and any sharing or selling activities. If the business has a complicated technical environment, numerous sharing activities, and multiple types of personal information, it may require a data mapping and inventory exercise to determine all of the disclosures. These exercises are time consuming but can be extremely beneficial to the business's privacy program and can also be relied upon to set up future projects surrounding data retention, classification, cybersecurity, and future privacy laws.
Now that some of the high-risk CCPA areas are established for your privacy program at the ad-hoc level, the focus should move towards expanding compliance goals to include:
Ensuring privacy policies/notice requirements are met
Researching and obtaining an appropriate Information Security Framework Certification
Performing a data mapping and data inventory exercise
Formalize consumer privacy request processes
Defining third parties and service providers to help determine if the business is "selling" data
Establishing a monitoring program that assists with demonstrating compliance with the CCPA and other privacy obligations.
If you'd like more information or to discuss your organization's privacy obligations or CCPA approach, please contact us at Connect@CompliancePoint.com.
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CompliancePoint solves for risk associated with sensitive information across a variety of industries. We help by identifying, mitigating and managing this risk across your entire data management lifecycle. Our mission is to enable responsible interactions with your customers and the marketplace.
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