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'08 Breeders' Cup
Little League WS
By Bill Simmons
This hasn't been the happiest NFL season so far. Katrina. New Orleans. The Superdome. Thomas Herrion. Wellington Mara. Lake Minnetonka. Ken Hamlin. Mike Martz. Dwayne Carswell. Owens-McNabb. The ongoing subplot of Tom Benson possibly abandoning New Orleans and moving the Saints to San Antonio, the equivalent of somebody's wife getting into a debilitating car accident, then her husband filing for divorce while she's still in the hospital.
By the way, we're only in Week 8.
So that part has been a little sobering. As for the actual games, can you remember this many yellow flags, late-game screw-ups, coaching brain farts, inept offenses and killer calls that went the wrong way? Other than Colts, Redskins, Giants and Steelers fans, none of the 32 fan bases seems that happy with its respective team (whether it's bad coaching, bad QBs, leaky defenses, crushing injuries, even an inability to beat a certain rival or come through when it truly counts), and an inordinate amount of coaches and quarterbacks have been on the bubble since Week 1. Even from a fantasy standpoint, I can't remember hearing this much complaining before, between Deuce and Dillon, Johnson, Clayton and Burleson, Julius and Kevin Jones, Trent Green and Marc Bulger, Manning and Harrison, Denver's RB platoon, and prolific fantasy serial killer Daunte Culpepper (who wiped out tens of thousands of teams from coast to coast).
So what has been fun about the 2005 season? I'm going with Manning vs. Manning, maybe the most compelling subplot in any sport right now. Forget that an all-Manning Super Bowl could shatter the pregame hype record as we know it, that Archie Manning probably would have to pull a Richard Williams and skip the game or watch it in someone's basement, even that Eli has a chance to legitimately own New York for the next 15 years. There's another dynamic at work here, and it's unlike any situation that has ever happened in sports.
Imagine A-Rod putting up huge numbers over the past 10 years, then coming up short when it mattered pretty much every time. (You don't have to imagine it because it happened. Just bear with me.) Now, imagine he had a younger brother. And imagine that same brother was a highly regarded shortstop for the Cubs, and maybe his stats weren't as good as A-Rod's stats, but unlike A-Rod, he had a knack for coming up big when it mattered. Not only that, but his teammates loved him and believed in him. And imagine this kid ended up carrying the Cubs to a 2006 title over A-Rod and the Yankees and becoming an MJ-like demigod in Chicago.
That would be pretty crazy, right? Well, this could actually happen with the Manning brothers in less than four months. Peyton has Hall of Fame stats; Eli has All-Pro stats and an extra something that can't really be defined. You just know it when you see it. Jeter has it. Brady and Big Papi have it. Favre still has it from time to time. I think David Wright has it in him. So does Ginobili. Certain guys just seem to stand out in big spots. They have that extra something.
And that something manifests itself in little ways. Like the way Eli struggled in the past two games against good defenses (Denver and Dallas) but somehow sprang to life when the Giants needed him most. Like those occasional "Wow!" plays he makes (the ultimate sign of greatness), like the reverse scramble to keep a third-and-4 alive in the Denver game, or an impossible completion to Burress to keep the Dallas game alive. Like the way his teammates mobbed him after the winning TD in the Denver game (you know the QB is clicking with his team when the defensive players mob him after a big play), or all the "As long as we have Eli, we know we have a chance" quotes that filtered out of Jersey this week. He's special. You can see it.
Does that mean his brother isn't special? Of course not. But something happens to Peyton in certain big spots, and you can see that, too. He gets a little jittery. Makes that weird face like he just stepped in dog poop. Gets frustrated easily. Misses throws he normally bangs out. On the sideline, his teammates don't have that "I'd kill for this guy" look in their eyes. Again, it's nothing tangible, but that's the great thing about football -- not everything has to make sense on paper. For instance, if you examined the Steelers-Bengals box score from Sunday, you would see Bettis' 56 rushing yards and assume he couldn't possibly have been the key guy in that game. Not true. It wasn't just the yards, it was when they came and how they affected his team at the time. When the "Bus" is rolling like that, the Steelers take on a different swagger. They can beat anybody.
And that's the problem with Peyton Manning, the two-time MVP, as well as the quarterback of a team that's 7-0. There's still something missing. He doesn't have that same galvanizing effect on his team. He doesn't get better when it matters. Like A-Rod, Karl Malone, Jim Kelly and some other greats over the years, Peyton always seems to peak in safer situations, like with a 10-point lead in the second half, when the wheels are coming off an opposing team and he settles into a deadly groove. Going back to college, Eli peaks when he's down a score, when his team needs him to come through, when he doubles as the only hope on the football field. Some guys rise to the occasion, other guys shrink from it, and in this case, the two extremes just happen to be brothers.
Hey, maybe this plays out with Peyton winning a Super Bowl and ending the "can't come through when it matters" argument once and for all. Maybe this plays out with neither Manning making it to Detroit. Or maybe, just maybe, this plays out with Eli toppling the Colts on a last-minute drive in February.
Now that would be something. Almost enough to make you forget what a sobering season this has been so far.
On to the Week 8 picks …
(Home team in caps.)
GIANTS (-2) over Redskins
Let's see … the 'Skins win their first three games by a total of six points (with two of the games being legitimately blown by the other team) … then they drop two to the Broncos and Chiefs … then they destroy a horrendous 49ers team … and suddenly they're getting less than a field goal in the Meadowlands against a quality Giants team? Seems a little early to break out the Popsicles, doesn't it?
(While we're here, shouldn't Rich Hall create a sniglet to describe that weird fantasy football feeling of anger/envy/hatred/betrayal when someone like Santana Moss randomly becomes an elite player, only it didn't happen when he was on your team? It's vaguely reminiscent to dating a virgin in college, getting the Mr. Miyagi treatment for a few months, dumping her, then finding out two years later that she's suddenly pulling a Paris Hilton on your entire class. Whoops, bad analogy -- there are no virgins anymore. That one would have worked great in 1995. Oh well.)
BENGALS (-9) over Packers
Let's just say that Tom Jackson decided not to break down the Aikman-Emmitt-Irvin versus Palmer-Johnson-Johnson comparisons on ESPN this week.
PANTHERS (-8) over Vikings
I have three for this one …
1. Leading candidate for "Funniest Moment of the Season": Culpepper's dramatic kneel/pseudo-cry routine after Edinger's winning field goal last week. Straight out of R. Kelly's "Trapped in the Closet" acting playbook.
2. Leading quote for "Funniest E-mail of the Season," courtesy of Syracuse reader Bernie Mucitelli: "I think the Madden Name Generator is broken. The Green Bay Packers just signed WR Taco Wallace. Are they going to release Mayor McCheese?"
3. Leading candidate for "Funniest Quote of the Season": Mike Tice's postgame comment about his team where he said, "I thought they practiced with better emotion all week; I thought they studied better, harder; and I thought they heeded my warning and stayed home and off the streets."
(Yup, gotta keep them off those dangerous streets in Minnesota. Wasn't that where "Boyz N the Hood" was filmed?)
Raiders (-1.5) over TITANS
Lemme get this straight: Steve McNair's body is so banged up that they didn't bring him to Arizona last week because they didn't want to risk his aching back going out on the cross-country flight … but he's OK to start this week and get popped 15-20 times by finely honed athletes between 250 and 350 pounds? Also, Tennessee's receiving corps this week consists of Roydell Williams, Courtney Roby and Tyrone Calico? I have that straight, correct?
COWBOYS (-9) over Cardinals
I've said it before; I'll say it again: It's an especially cruel experience to root for Drew Bledsoe. During the final timeout before that fateful third-and-14 pass in the Seattle game, we were watching the game with my buddy Sal (diehard Cowboys fan), and both Hench and I (diehard Pats fans with Bledsoe scars) were pointing out as meekly as possible, "Um, probably not a good idea to run a play here; might want to take this one out of Drew's hands and go to overtime." … and seconds later, one of the Seahawks was sprinting down the sideline with the game-changing interception. Within 90 seconds, Sal was storming out of the house, and who could blame him? I'm telling you, few things in life can prepare you for rooting for Drew Bledsoe.
(Random note: Thirty minutes later, I was leaving right when Sal's wife dropped by, leading me to explain why Sal was no longer there. When I was done with the story, she started laughing and said, "I can't believe you guys take football so seriously; it's unbelievable to me." So I tried to compare the feeling of watching your buddy get slaughtered by a football game to being a bridesmaid in a wedding where something goes horribly wrong for the bride, followed by her saying, "I see what you mean, like if the limo never showed up for the church or something, yeah, I would feel terrible." So to recap, the Cowboys-Seahawks game was a wedding, Sal was the bride, that Bledsoe interception was the limo not showing up, and Hench and I were the bridesmaids. I'm glad we settled this.)
Bears (+3) over LIONS
Remember the Tommy Maddox Corollary from last week's column? I present to you "The Reverse Maddox," as personified by last week's Browns-Lions game, when I picked the Browns solely because Joey Harrington was on the road … then Mariucci pulled a late swerve and started Jeff Garcia for the token "Screw you, Cleveland, you never should have cut me!" start. Couldn't have made that move on a Thursday, Mooch? And speaking of the Lions, did you know they're 5-1 against the spread right now? Seems a little high, no?
SAINTS (-2.5) over Dolphins
Nick Saban on Gus Frerotte: "I'm not here to say we're disappointed in Gus. I'm not here to say we're satisfied in Gus. I'm not sure Gus is satisfied in himself."
(Put it this way: When your coach discusses his QB the same way President Bush discussed FEMA in the weeks after Katrina, it's probably not a good sign for your playoff hopes.)
(Unrelated note: Thanks to DirecTV for only showing last Friday night's game in Miami and Kansas City -- and nowhere else in the country. Fantastic. Imagine being a Dolphins fan, living outside of Miami and not being able to see your own team even though you're paying nearly $200 a year to allegedly get every NFL game? How is that fair? And then they have the gall to show the replay on Sunday afternoon, like anyone would rather watch a taped game over a live one. Who makes these decisions? Was it the same guy who thinks it's a good idea to show offenses that aren't in the red zone on the Red Zone Channel, or was it a different guy?)
Browns (+2) over TEXANS
Four quotes to sum up the 2005 Texans season so far. Try to find the one that doesn't fit:
1. WR Jabar Gaffney after the Colts thrashed them Sunday: "There is nothing you can say to describe this. It's terrible. This is the lowest point of my career. It was just really depressing."
2. Reader Bret from Houston: "As a Houston native and a Rice graduate, I strongly protest your characterization of the Houston Texans as the Rice Fightin' Owls. Any sentient human being knows the Owls would have at least covered the spread against Indy. I've been trying to come up with a historical precedent to the mind-numbing, soul-sucking catastrophe that is the 2005 Texans, and am failing miserably. The Texans have no discernable talent (or pulse) when Andre Johnson is on the sideline. If possible, the fan experience of watching this tragedy unfold is even worse than their record. It's the equivalent of watching a half-dozen replays of Albert Pujols' Game 5-winner before each Astros at-bat. I mean, our heads are in our hands BEFORE every play from scrimmage."
3. Reader Jared from Washington: "Is it about time to unveil the Dom Capers/Avery Johnson 'I Have No Idea What I'm Doing Here So I'll Just Keep My Mouth Shut and Stand Completely Still and Hope Nobody Realizes I'm the Head Coach' Face?"
4. QB David Carr, "Any time we go on the field, I think we can win. As long as I'm doing what I know how to do, we have a chance to win."
COLTS (-17) over Bye
This could be their toughest game in five weeks.
Jaguars (+3) over RAMS
What an anticlimactic end to the "Which one of the Mikes will get fired first?" game. Do I have to pay off the Mike Martz bets? Is it a no-contest? Considering he's trapped in a hospital bed and they won't even let him make phone calls to his coaches during games, and considering he clearly won't coach them next season, that's basically a firing, right? More important, is anyone else hoping this Martz saga ends with him staggering onto the field during a game like Shooter in "Hoosiers"?
(By the way, did anyone else notice that St. Louis' new third-string QB is named "Jeff Smoker?" That can't be a real name, right? Jeff Smoker? Is that an action hero, porn name, stage name, wrestling name … what is it? Wouldn't you be terrified if you wagered heavily against the Rams, two QBs went down and Jeff Smoker ambled onto the field? Couldn't you see headlines like "Smoked!" and "Chain Smoker!" after another Rams miracle win? I feel like Jack Horner during the "Those are great names!" scene in "Boogie Nights." If a QB named Jeff Smoker can't make it, there's no hope for anyone.)
NINERS (+11) over Bucs
This wins the award for "most ridiculous spread of the year." You will see a WNBA star come out of the closet before you see Chris Simms favored by double digits in an NFL game again. All right, bad example.
BRONCOS (-3.5) over Eagles
If you're the banged-up Eagles, do you mail this one in and save yourself for the upcoming Redskins/Cowboys/Giants stretch? I thought so.
Chiefs (+6.5) over CHARGERS
Seems like a three-point game to me. And since I have nothing else to add ... watching football last Sunday with my friends, I brought up the topic, "What touchdown dance would cause the biggest possible fine?"
You would think it would be Adam Carolla's idea for the "Touchdown Poop," which I described two years ago -- basically, the guy scores a touchdown, then squats like he's on the bowl, stays there for a couple of seconds, turns the pages of an imaginary newspaper and finally "pushes" the ball between his legs. We figured that if Randy Moss did that, he would get suspended for a game and fined like $150,000. Plus, Joe Buck might start crying on the air.
But I think this one would be worse: "The Delivery." What if Moss scored a TD and immediately fell to the ground on his back, with his legs up in the air like a pregnant woman, and two receivers stood on either side "cheering him on," and Randy pretended he was pushing, and finally the QB leaned over him and "pulled" the football from Randy's loins, then held the football to his shoulder like a baby for a few seconds before Moss stood up, gingerly grabbed the "baby," cut an imaginary umbilical cord, then spiked the ball as hard as he possibly could? I think that would be like a three-game suspension and a $500,000 fine, right? Plus, Buck would be more distraught than Walter Cronkite after JFK's assassination. Let's hope and pray that Randy reads ESPN.com.
STEELERS (-10) over Ravens
No truth to the rumor that Brian Billick is changing his first name to "Mike."
PATS (-8.5) over Bills
Dan from Toronto sums up Buffalo's season: "Do you ever feel like you are in such a funk before your team has even played? I am so sick about how crappy I am going to feel at the end of the Sunday night game against the Pats that here is my analogy: My Buffalo Bills are going to get HAMMERED so badly this Sunday night that I am already preparing for the emptiness that I am going to feel after that game. It's like waiting for a doctor to come meet you in the waiting room after you just showed him your balloon-sized tumor in your head. You know you have cancer, he knows you have cancer … but you still have to do the song and dance of waiting for the confirmation. Right now my Bills are the cancer! And the Bills season is over far too early."
(By the way, I want you to watch something right now, watch the way Tedy Bruschi fills this lane, watch this, watch him sneak over there and meet McGahee, watch this -- BAM! Right there! You want to talk about a guy who isn't rusty? You want to talk about a guy who missed playing football? You want to talk about a guy who has this crowd in a frenzy right now?)
Bill Simmons is a columnist for Page 2 and ESPN The Magazine, and his Sports Guy's World site is updated every day Monday through Friday. His new book "Now I Can Die In Peace" is available right now on Amazon.com and in bookstores everywhere.
THE SPORTS GUY
Bill Simmons Archive
Bill Simmons home page


Описание Silver-tone stainless steel case with a silver-tone stainless steel bracelet. Fixed silver-tone stainless steel bezel. Blue dial with silver-tone hands and index hour markers. Dial Type: Analog. Luminescent hands and markers. Date display at the 3 o'clock position. Tag Heuer Calibre 5 automatic movement. Scratch resistant sapphire crystal. Transparent case back. Round case shape. Case size: 41 mm. Water resistant at 100 meters / 330 feet. Functions: date, hour, minute, second. Watch label: Swiss Made. Tag Heuer Link Automatic Blue Dial Mens Watch WBC2112.BA0603.


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About Becker
Freedom from barriers
Roller shutter automation
Automating sun protection systems
Automating garage doors
CentralControl home automation
KNX / SMI home automation
Automating doors in industry
Automating special applications
house plant turkey
Going beyond and above the obvious
Fernwartung EN Mobile-Navigation
Company>
Discover BECKER.
We work on all scales – large and small.
Exciting projects, joint success
Buildings are every bit as individual as the people who live, work or enjoy leisure activities in them. That is why there is demand even in the home automation field for solutions that measure up perfectly to these individual requirements.
Whether roller shutters, sun protection systems or doors: our drives and control units can set both large or small in motion.
It's as simple as that. We do exactly what the situation requires. With our CentralControl central home automation system you even have control when you are not at home. Would you like a bit more detail? No problem. Just take a look at a few of our reference customers for whom we have already successfully installed systems.
If you wish to use text and images from this section, please acknowledge the source as "Becker-Antriebe GmbH". Images may only be used in connection with the corresponding press releases and must not be made freely available for download! Please contact our press office for further information.
Sometimes it's the small things that arouse the greatest excitement. And master carpenter Johann Osterloh from Muhle & Osterloh GmbH in Hagstedt, Lower Saxony, certainly loves demonstrating his creativity by putting unusual ideas into practice for his customers.
Reference - click here
BECKER-Antriebe GmbH is delighted to have successfully realised the building automation at its training centre independently. BECKER used the opportunity to rigorously put its own solutions to the test - with success.
Multi-functional lifting system
Everyone has at some point stood in their garage and asked themselves the question: How am I going to get everything in here besides my car? Motorcycle, bicycles or workbench – the list is endless. The dentist Dr Johannes Baringer began thinking about this problem when he could no longer close his garage door properly.
The vertical windows, which are developed in Turkey, have been used mainly in cafes and restaurants for recent years, as increasingly widespread to other areas, now become an essential fact for housings.
Lift system in cooperation with Bahr
When one of the world's leading manufacturers of modular positioning systems joins forces with a renowned drive and control unit specialist for roller shutters, sun protection systems and doors, it conjures up many different thoughts and expectations – but probably not of a minor revolution in the field of barrier-free living. And yet this is the declared goal of an ambitious project devised by Bahr Modultechnik GmbH and Becker-Antriebe GmbH.
The Chocolate Museum in Cologne has been enticing visitors to the Rheinau harbour near the city's famous cathedral for more than 20 years. Just as old as the museum itself was the awning technology installed in the building's office complex.
Chocolate Museum, Cologne
The town and commune of Wiltz lies in the heart of the Ardennes in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. This is also where you'll find Becker door drives working day in, day out. When the alarm sounds in the town's brand new fire station, a piece of German engineering always helps to open the 16 sectional doors...
New fire station in Wiltz
Company building CM Attert
In Luxembourg, for example, C. M. Attert sàrl has benefited from Becker's products and services for many years. Becker's wide range of drive and control technology ensures customers always find the best solution for every application and market requirement.
The originally installed solution – interior Venetian blinds between the panes – failed to maintain an ideal temperature in the rooms that can heat up very quickly. The complex task of realizing a motorized solution for the extra large sun protection elements was accomplished by Becker-Antriebe GmbH.
Dom-Aquarée, Berlin
The current owner of a 19th century residential and commercial building in Cologne, Germany, whose splendid neo-gothic brick facade adorns the corner of an area popular with shoppers and locals alike, was looking for a way to upgrade its appearance with sun protection to match the historical surroundings. But the client also wished to benefit from the convenience and comfort provided by modern-day automation technology.
Commercial Building, Cologne
Botanical Garden, Karlsruhe
What most visitors are unaware of is that the Botanical Garden boasts a further attraction which is not located inside the Palm House but on its glass roof structure: the listed and protected shading panels. When it came to replacing a section of the existing shading panels based on the original design, experienced specialists were needed.
Private residential building
The topic of home automation has long since become an essential consideration for homeowners. It was Becker's job to motorise roller shutters on three floors.
Private residential building B-Tronic
Someone who is already profiting from the latest technical developments is Gerd Klotzbach from Mühlheim am Main, Germany. The 65-year-old really knows his stuff. Fifteen years ago he equipped his home with hard-wired electrical roller shutters.
Imprint | Data protection | General Terms & Conditions

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Biography: Age 21, Michael Duff is a mechanical technician, and comes from Toronto, Canada, though he has recently been living at Winchester. He first rode in the T.T. last year, but he had already been racing for three years in his own country with considerable success, having scored firsts, record laps etc., on his 499 c.c. Norton in many events at Edenvale and Harewood. He was a non-starter in last year's Junior T.T. and retired in the first lap of the Senior. He is entered for both races by the Canadian Motor Cycle Association. (TT Special, 12 June 1961, p. 23)
1967 Senior TT R Matchless
1967 Junior TT R Aermacchi
1966 Ultra Lightweight TT 4 1:11:11.20 95.42 Yamaha
1966 Lightweight TT R Yamaha
1965 Senior TT 3 2:34:12.00 88.09 Matchless
1965 Lightweight TT 2 2:23:26.40 94.71 Yamaha
1965 Junior TT R AJS
1964 Junior TT 3 2:25:21.40 93.46 AJS
1963 Ultra Lightweight TT R Bultaco
1961 Senior TT 14 2:24:30.40 94.01 Matchless
1961 Junior TT 15 2:30:59.60 89.97 AJS


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Tom Bisell, from his book Extra Lives, an extended defense of the art of the video game and the value of spending large chunks of your life playing them:
Once upon a time, I wrote in the morning, jogged in the late afternoon, and spent most of my evenings reading. Once upon a time, I wrote off as unproductive those days in which I had managed to put down "only" a thousand words. Once upon a time, I played video games almost exclusively with friends. Once upon a time, I did occasionally binge on games, but these binges rarely had less than fortnight between them. Once upon a time, I was, more or less, content."Once upon a time" refers to relatively recent years (2001-2006) during which I wrote several books and published more than fifty pieces of magazine journalism and criticism — a total output of, give or take, 4,500 manuscript pages. I rarely felt very disciplined during this half decade, though I realize this admission invites accusations of disingenuousness or, failing that, a savage and justified beating. Obviously, I was disciplined. These days, however, I am lucky if I finish reading one book every fortnight. These days, I have read from start to finish exactly two works of fiction — excepting those I was not also reviewing — in the last year. These days, I play video games in the morning, play video games in the afternoon, and spend my evenings playing video games. These days, I still manage to write, but the times I am able to do so for more than three sustained hours have the temporal periodicity of comets with near-Earth trajectories.


text:
package jgl.geometry.extra;

import jgl.geometry.Geometry;
import jgl.geometry.VertexPN;
import jgl.geometry.VertexPNC;
import jgl.math.vector.Transform;
import jgl.math.vector.Vec3f;

/**
 * Draws 3D axes.
 *
 * @author justin
 */
public class AxesGeometry extends Geometry<VertexPNC> {

  public AxesGeometry(float length) {
    super(Primitive.TRIANGLES, VertexPNC.CONSTRUCTOR);

    int segments = 8;
    int numVertices = 3 * (2 * segments + 1 + 4 * segments);
    int numIndices = 3 * (6 * segments - 6 + 12 * segments - 12);
    allocate(numVertices, numIndices);

    ConeGeometry xCone = ConeGeometry.posX(.15f, .3f, segments, true);
    xCone.transform(Transform.translation(length, 0, 0));
    add(xCone, new Vec3f(1, 0, 0));

    ConeGeometry yCone = ConeGeometry.posY(.15f, .3f, segments, true);
    yCone.transform(Transform.translation(0, length, 0));
    add(yCone, new Vec3f(0, 1, 0));

    ConeGeometry zCone = ConeGeometry.posZ(.15f, .3f, segments, true);
    zCone.transform(Transform.translation(0, 0, length));
    add(zCone, new Vec3f(0, 0, 1));

    CylinderGeometry xCylinder = CylinderGeometry.posX(.05f, .05f, length, segments, true);
    xCylinder.transform(Transform.translation(length/2, 0, 0));
    add(xCylinder, new Vec3f(1, 0, 0));

    CylinderGeometry yCylinder = CylinderGeometry.posY(.05f, .05f, length, segments, true);
    yCylinder.transform(Transform.translation(0, length/2, 0));
    add(yCylinder, new Vec3f(0, 1, 0));

    CylinderGeometry zCylinder = CylinderGeometry.posZ(.05f, .05f, length, segments, true);
    zCylinder.transform(Transform.translation(0, 0, length/2));
    add(zCylinder, new Vec3f(0, 0, 1));

    rewind();
  }

  private void add(Geometry<VertexPN> g, Vec3f color) {
    int indexOffset = vertexPosition();
    VertexPNC v = new VertexPNC();
    for (int i = 0; i < g.numVertices(); i++) {
      VertexPN vOther = g.getVertex();
      putVertex(v.position(vOther.position).normal(vOther.normal).color(color));
    }
    for (int i = 0; i < g.numIndices(); i++) {
      putIndex(g.getIndex() + indexOffset);
    }
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


When I had my visit to Erris, Agatha from Wild Atlantic Tours took me out for a day and showed me so many lovely places. I was going to keep it all as one blog post but I took so many photos and saw so many places that I'm going to make a few posts about it.
Our first stop was Blacksod Lighthouse where we were met by Lighthouse Keeper Vincent Sweeney, who also happens to be Agatha's brother-in-law. The lighthouse was first established in 1866 and was is located at the southern end of the Mullet Peninsula near Erris, beside Blacksod Pier.
The lighthouse is one of only two squared-shaped lighthouses in Europe, the other one is in Germany.
Vincent was showing me the damage that has been done by storms, some of the wall was destroyed and huge rocks were smashed in two by the severe waves. You can see a video of the storm in 2014 here.
It was great to be able to see the light itself, it was a lovely sunny day when I was there so the walls were covered in rainbows from the light.
Thanks so much to Vincent for showing me around and to Agatha for introducing me to him. I found it really fascinating, it's the first time I've ever been inside a lighthouse.


For some reason it feels like everyone in Burlington is going through that "should I let my hair go grey?" phase right now. Let's be real, if you're visiting the salon every 2-4weeks to cover those pesky grey hairs, it starts to get expensive. I won't sugarcoat it though, the process of going grey is never perfect! It's a very long and awkward process. Many clients have been asking what they can do to aid the transition, so I've listed a few options below to help you!
1. Gradually lightening your base colour/ highlights: This is a great way to slowly transition from coloured hair to your natural grey hair. This technique involves lightening your current root or base colour up to a half of a shade every couple of months. Depending on how dark your current base colour is, depends on how long the process will take. The darker your base colour, the longer this method of transition will take. Normally if the base colour is very dark, I would recommend adding highlights to lighten the overall colour of your hair faster! Regular hair cuts will also speed up the process by cutting off the darker ends.
2. Highlights and lowlights: This is a great option for you salt and pepper ladies/ men! With this route, no colour will be applied to your roots to cover your regrowth. Instead, highlights will be used to lighten up the previously coloured ends and lowlights will be utilized to blend the salt and pepper growth into the old dark colour. This option can take a while and can look quite awkward during the process but hey, if it's worth it in the end, no pain no gain!
3. Bleaching out: This can be quite difficult if you have lots of build-up of old dark colour and may require multiple sessions to achieve. The goal of this method is to bleach out the previous colour to match the individual's grey growth as much as possible. Again, the lighter your ends are, the easier this is to achieve.
4. Grey- blending: Grey blending can be done by using a demi- permanent colour to touch up your roots instead of a permanent colour. Demi- permanent hair colour will not cover your grey 100% as opposed to permanent hair colour. This is a great alternative that effectively softens the grey grow out!
5. Buzz cut?! Just kidding ;). Although, many ladies have been rocking the buzz cuts lately! So, maybe you're not brave enough for a buzz cut… this would be a great time to try out a cute pixie! Cutting off the old coloured hair is the best way to grow out your grey, as scary as it may be. This is essentially the easiest way to start over and avoid the skunk- like look that everyone dreads.
Well, I hope this helps to aid you on your journey to natural grey hair! Remember to see a professional to assist you in this transition! The last thing you want is to have something go wrong with a box dye and have to start all over again!!


Sydney Dance Company is proud to announce national tour dates for their celebrated production De Novo, a program of three revolutionary works, brought to life by Australia's premier contemporary dance ensemble.
This playful triple bill, which premiered to audience and critical acclaim in Sydney in 2013, features works by Sydney Dance Company Artistic Director Rafael Bonachela, Adelaide's Larissa McGowan and renowned Swedish choreographer Alexander Ekman.
De Novo will tour for the first time in 2015, with 17 performances at 11 venues across the Northern Territory, South Australia, regional Victoria and Tasmania – from Darwin to The Alice, Whyalla, Port Pirie, Renmark, Mt Gambier, Adelaide, Bendigo, Frankston, Hobart and Launceston, July 14 to August 17.
The evening begins with Rafael Bonachela's 'Emergence', a sophisticated, intelligent work, with a raw and discordant beauty, set to a brilliantly dark, driving experimental original soundtrack by internationally acclaimed Australian singer-songwriter Sarah Blasko and composer Nick Wales. 'Emergence' sees the entire company ensemble take to the stage as a stunning soundscape take sensual, physical form.
Next, from Adelaide-based Australian choreographer Larissa McGowan comes 'Fanatic' , a hilarious pop-culture collision that pits Alien vs Predator in an interstellar dance showdown between two titanic sci-fi film franchises. This tongue-in-cheek exploration of sci-fi fan culture features a trio of Sydney Dance Company dancers at their dramatic best and a soundscape of movie-bytes from two 20th Century blockbusters.
Intelligent, irreverent and highly entertaining, 'Cacti' is the third in the trilogy. It's a critically acclaimed work of one of Europe's most highly sought-after artists, award-winning Swedish choreographer Alexander Ekman. This brilliantly conceived, fresh and engaging theatrical performance featuring 16 dancers, a string quartet, potted cacti and a cat called Fluffy, celebrates the simple pleasure of dance, whilst simultaneously commenting with sharp wit and good humour, on the audiences' obsessive desire to define and interpret art and performance.
Inspired and unexpected, De Novo promises a very different evening of entertainment, as it unleashes three fresh wily dance works on an unsuspecting audience.
Next Post LORD OF THE DANCE RETURNS!!


text:
Soulhunter
— by Andrey Lazarev —
2011 Finalist: Chesley Award for Best Magazine Cover
Ben Allen wrote on December 14th, 2010 at 6:28 pm:
I like it! Especially the top cage on the guy's back that looks like a claw - nice touch. Also the mask that I didn't even notice at first. Great job.
ISSUE 50, November 2010
Andrey Lazarev is 34 years old. He graduated from the Art Institute in his hometown of Volgograd (Russia). During his studies at the institute and some time after graduation, he worked in television. From 2003 to 2009, he worked in the field of computer games as a concept artist in one of Kiev art-production studios. For more than a year now, he has worked as a freelance artist for various projects, including games, cartoons and books.
arden76rey.blogspot.com


morning music. – teamgloria, inc.
Posted on May 15, 2013 by teamgloria in people., places.
we've been Contemplating the View as we drive around Los Angeles par nuit (not all Nuit, just en route to home last night) and thinking about which music really befits it.
this is driving east through Hollywood.
another View? one from an earlier twilight.


text:
Ride to Eden and Paradise
Estimated Mileage: 153 miles Estimated Time: 4 hours, 9 mins One of the best uses of a motorcycle is quickly eliminating negative thoughts. Quickly dropping thoughts of mortgages, jobs, and troubling responsibilities the quicker you go. This ride is designed for that purpose: taking you quickly through the uncluttered roads of Vermont's north country. A ride to Eden, around Jay Peak, to paradise and back. To enjoy this ride fully, rise early and begin quickly. Start at the On The Rise Bakery in Richmond, then ride east on US-2 into the rising sun. At VT-100 in Waterbury, take a left and head north. You will want to travel the section of VT-100 between Waterbury and Stowe early, before the dawdling- waddlers ease their minivans and SUV's and camping trailers onto the path. This section of VT- 100 is one of the busiest corridors in the state, being the main artery between Interstate 89 and Stowe. On this stretch, you will find the Ben and Jerry's factory in Waterbury and the Cold Hollow Cider Mill (one of my favorites). Stowe is a wonderful town with great attractions, but we won't be stopping there today. As you ride through Stowe, mind the speed limit: the speed limit drops to 25 mph as you enter and stays in force through the main village and up VT- 100. It gradually rises to 40 and then 50 as the road opens to straights and sweepers. Keep relaxed. You will have time and space later for a faster pace. North of Stowe is Morrisville, home of the Rock Art Brewery (left-hand side of the road when heading north). Rock Art has a unique selection of tasty Vermont craft brewed beers. The brewery has a comfortable tasting room and runs tours on Friday and Saturday at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. with a special tour at 11 a.m. on Saturday. Beware: many of Rock Arts beers pack an extra punch and do not mix with riding. Keep your head clear. Purchase a 22-ounce bomber to bring home to toast completion of your ride. After the Rock Art factory, continue north on Route 100. At the blinking light in Morrisville (Citgo station on right), take a left to follow VT- 100 north. If you continue straight through this intersection, you will end up on VT- 100C. Turn left to follow VT-100. After one block (one tenth of mile) take a left onto Bridge Street. In another tenth, take a right onto Brooklyn Street to remain on VT-100. In less than a mile, you should see the Northgate Shopping Plaza on your right. There are a variety of stores on this section of VT-100, including auto parts, a supermarket and several gas stations. Follow VT- 100 to the intersection of VT- 15. At the traffic light, take a left onto VT- 15. VT- 100 North and VT- 15 West are the same road here. Follow VT- 15 West/ VT-100 North for 1.9 miles, until you come to a traffic circle. Enter the circle and take the first right to follow VT- 100 north. Shift through the gears and enjoy the open straightaway as you accelerate through Hyde Park and head toward Eden. As you near Eden, you have two options. Option 1 is to take VT-118 north at Eden Corners (cemetery right). This option avoids a gravel section of road and remains on a smooth, high-speed surface. It reunites with our route in Montgomery, at the intersection of VT-118, VT-58 and VT-242. I choose Option 2 and head toward adventure. Option 2 follows VT- 100 north towards Eden and Lowell. You will come to a twisty section in Eden. The speed limit drops from 50 to 35 as the road tightens and weaves through camps along Lake Eden. As you travel north past the lake, watch for slow moving pickup trucks towing boats entering. North of the lake, the road opens again into the fast sweepers and straights pattern of Route 100. Just before Lowell, you will ride up a small hill. Look for VT- 58. VT-58 crosses VT-100, to the left and right. You are looking for a left-hand turn. There is a gazebo on the corner. Turn left onto VT- 58 and wind down a narrow road through a village residential area. VT-58 twists through the village on good pavement and then opens into a series of higher speed twisty bits. The area is thickly settled: watch for slow moving local traffic and vehicles entering. After two miles, the road surface changes to gravel. Despite being gravel, VT- 58 (Hazen's Notch Road) is a major local road and kept in good condition. Mid-summer, I had no problem riding the road on sporting rubber. The road passes through Hazen's Notch State Park. The park is several thousand acres of "largely forested land" on either side of the road. The Long-Trail, Catamount Trail and VAST trails cross the road. Hazen's Notch Road is the north terminus of the Bayley-Hazen Military Road. Constructed during the American Revolutionary war as a highway for invading Quebec, the Bayley-Hazen Military Road suffered from two-way traffic. While the road was a fine path for reaching Quebec, the British found the road equally suitable for launching raiding parties in the other direction: from Quebec to Vermont. Hazen's Notch Road twists through this forest on a road that conveys its remoteness. At its west end, the road returns to pavement and meets VT -118 and VT-242 in Montgomery. Turn left onto VT-118 (South Main Street) and head into Montgomery. At the junction in Montgomery, there is a small grocery store and a gas station. Continue north on VT-118 and head out of Montgomery. Approximately 3.5 miles outside town, on the left, you will pass one of six covered bridges in Montgomery. Montgomery has the most covered bridges of any town in the country. VT-118 intersects VT-105 12 miles north of Montgomery. Take a right on VT-105 and head north towards Richford. The road is open, flat, farm country. Fast and straight. The Pinnacle Peddler, just outside of Richford, has gas, a deli with good sandwiches and fresh baked goods. In Richford, VT-105 takes a right and heads east, toward Jay Peak. The speed limit is 25 mph here and stays 25 until you see the sign thanking you for visiting Richford and driving safely. After the sign, the speed limit rises to 50 mph. The pavement is smooth and the road is dominated by fast straights and sweeping turns that are a joy to ride. As 105 climbs, the turns become tighter and the pavement quality declines. At the highest point, the road becomes quite bumpy. Stop and enjoy the beautiful valley view, looking toward Jay Peak. Ride VT-105 down to VT-100. Turn right and head south on VT-100 for 1.2 miles. Take a right onto VT-242. As you turn onto VT-242 there are open views of Jay Peak dominating the flat valley. Ahead on VT-242, the Jay Country Store has gas, food and Vermont souvenirs. Past the store, the pavement is good and the road is twisty. Enjoy the turns as you power up the hill toward the resort. Jay Peak is a four-season resort. During the summer, the indoor water park and the Ice House skating rink operate. After passing the resort, the pavement quality deteriorates and the road becomes unfortunately bumpy down into Montgomery. When the State repaves this is section, it will rise to greatness. Until then, watch out for the holes. You have now completed the circle around Jay Peak. Proceed across the four-way intersection onto VT-118 south. VT-118 South is 8 miles of sweet, fast, goodness over smooth pavement. Just south of Montgomery, there is a nice, clean roadside rest area with picnic tables, shade and a small stream. The rest area makes a great spot for a picnic lunch. Map View on Google Maps


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Regulatory »
Ahmedabad civic body
Property tax in Ahmedabad
BSNL offices in Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation
Ahmedabad civic body locks up three BSNL offices over unpaid property tax
The offices of Union government entities such as BSNL, Indian Railways and the postal department, and the state government's police department, have not paid property tax dues amounting to Rs 36 crore, AMC sources said.Himanshu Kaushik | TNN | March 28, 2019, 17:00 IST
Ahmedabad: The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation sealed three offices of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, for unpaid property tax dues. The dues of these three offices add up to about Rs 3 crore.
The offices of Union government entities such as BSNL, Indian Railways and the postal department, and the state government's police department, have not paid property tax dues amounting to Rs 36 crore, AMC sources said.
The three BSNL offices sealed were those at Gulbai Tekra, CG Road and Naranpura. The dues of the Gulbai Tekra office are Rs 1.85 crore, the CG Road one owes Rs 1.23 crore and the Naranpura office has to pay Rs 21.53 lakh.
A senior officer said that on Wednesday morning, AMC officials sealed these three offices, in what is probably the first incident of government offices being sealed. However, once BSNL officials got to the spot, they called municipal commissioner Vijay Nehra and asked to meet him.
BSNL officials will meet Nehra on Thursday and have assured him that the arrears will be cleared before March 31. Nehra said, "Senior officials from BSNL had called me and we are meeting tomorrow. They have promised to pay the dues before March 31. On getting this assurance, the AMC immediately permitted the use of these offices." Nehra said that the government entity had not paid its dues, the AMC was forced to resort to sealing them.
AMC, for drainage and water services given to these government establishments, collects a service charge in lieu of property tax. The AMC even gives government entities a 25% discount on their bills. A senior officer said that the issue of service charge had been contest up to the Supreme Court and the apex court had ruled in favour of the corporation and authorized it to levy service charges.
Officials service charge bills are also issued to the railways for all its properties, including the station and railway staff quarters. Similarly, the police are charged for all police stations and other properties.
The official said that the railway had refused to accept the AMC's bill and a fresh survey of railway properties was done in 2012. Ever since, the railways have not been paying their dues, which has added up to Rs 14 crore.
Tags : Regulatory, Ahmedabad civic body, Property tax in Ahmedabad, indian railways, BSNL offices in Ahmedabad, BSNL, amc, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, Ahmedabad
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Structure - RCC frame structure with in-filled brick work.
Flooring - Designer range vitrified tiles.
Walls - All internal walls inside the flats are finished with putty; Outer walls are finished with waterproof paints.
Duplex for saleat55 lac location Sai Temple square near rangabazar BJEM-2 school Tankapani road.


A jolly good question arrived in my inbox a couple of weeks ago, and 'twas this - why do I write the tvdetective books in a sparse and factual style?
The answer - and prepare yourself for a shock here - is that it's no accident of chance, but actually planned and intended. Stop laughing, it is I tell you! I do occasionally, sometimes, just now and then come somewhere close to having a deliberate plan for some parts of this curious phenomenon called life.
Ever the most British of fascinations, the weather is even more so at the moment. I suspect it's because Autumn turned up so tardily that when it finally arrived it came as a shock.
I was thinking a little about the part the weather plays in the tvdetective books, and the world of words in general. I defy just about any English author not to mention the weather on repeated occasions - we're programmed to do so! - but equally you've got to be careful not to let it become a cliche.
I had a curious conversation this week (first aside of the blog - in fact, I tend to have many in most weeks, but whether that's just me or the two strange professions I pursue I leave to you to decide), which I thought worth musing about, as it's central to the tvdetective books and also the lives of many of us.
'tis this - the wisdom of animals.
I'm not quite sure how the conversation started, but a friend was arguing that the most intelligent birds she knew were chickens.
Something interesting has happened (it occasionally does to me).
I had a straightforward and simple title for this little musing - just the one word - but hesitated when I went to write it, as I thought the original version would put many people off from reading onwards.
I suppose that's because the word is very divisive, some people loving it and being almost addicts, others immediately shutting down their ears the moment it's aired.
Socks, scarves and other follies of fashion..
I've been having trouble with my socks of late, as those lucky folk who follow me on Twitter and Facebook will know. First one of my favourite pair splits, and that on a Monday morning too - what an inauspicious start to the week! - and then I can't find a matching pair anywhere in the whole drawer.
Which all got me thinking about the broader issue of fashion, both in the tvdetective books, and the rest of my life.
I had the pleasure of talking to the Hampshire Writers' Society last night, and one subject came up aplenty and guided me to today's subject for musing.
It's something which strikes at the heart of we fragile human things, and which dominates many of our fears. In a word, it's rejection.
What I was thinking of is how we use our time and how much of it we waste.
The reason for today's musing is this - another fine question has arrived in my inbox, and it asks in essence; "How do I come up with some of the strange tweets I post?"
I haven't answered a question for a while, being the naughty writer type chap I am - it's part of the job description not to play by the rules! - so I thought this morning may be a good time to rectify that omission.
An email arrived a couple of weeks ago with the simple inquiry - what inspires me?
As with so many apparently straightforward questions, it's much more complex than it first sounds and there are a host of possible answers. But one has been nudging me to talk about it, so I'll choose that boisterous candidate.
Every day, I partake of a practice which I thought - until recently - was perfectly normal, but have come to realise through conversations with friends and those members of the wider world, that it very much isn't.
First aside of this blog - and so rapidly! - I can sense you're starting to worry what I'm going to say here, and indeed whether it's safe to carry on... Fear not, it's nothing offensive. Just, apparently, unusual.


I'm not going to lie to you — I spend a lot of time in front of my computer.
In my home office, at the library, and yes, on my couch in the living room. Sitting up, slouching, lying down…it's all fair game. It would be fair to say that I am not an example of how to work healthily.
But I have a desire to work in a healthier environment, which you may have guessed from my recent posts on ergonomics and how to stay healthy and productive at your computer. That theme continues today as I tackle what has certainly been the biggest health-related issue pertaining to computer usage in my personal experience — repetitive strain injuries.
Please note that I am no doctor and the advice contained below is not intended to be comprehensive. If you have concern for your health or are in any doubt as to what you should be doing, please consult your physician.
RSIs can be caused by many things.
You are probably familiar with the term (and the feeling), but a repetitive strain injury (or RSI) is "a potentially debilitating condition resulting from overusing the hands to perform a repetitive task, such as typing, clicking a mouse, or writing".
It isn't just limited to computer usage — for instance, I remember that my writing hand would get sore after returning to school from summer vacation, due to all the writing I was doing. But for us computer types, RSIs are likely to arise out of our actions in front of a screen.
If you make a living out of using a computer, you do not want to be in pain for the rest of your life. So now is the time to take action — before it is too late.
Set yourself up with an ergonomic workstation — this is perhaps the biggest improvement you can make.
Check your posture — there's no point using an ergonomic workstation if you slouch.
Check your typing position — arms should be comfortably by your side, wrists should be straight, hands should float about the keyboard.
Take regular breaks — at least once every hour, get up from your chair and have a brief walk. Stretch your limbs and relax your eyes. This will help you to be more productive as well as benefit your health.
Exercise regularly — stronger muscles are less likely to break down.
Relax! If you are tense at your workstation, that is hardly going to benefit you in any way. If you feel tense, take a break.
If you already suffer from RSI, all is not lost. The damage caused can be mitigated and even reversed if you take proactive steps.
Type less — easier said than done, you might reasonably say. But in reality, if you take a close look at your computer use habits, you will find that there are many ways in which you can reduce the amount of typing that you do.
Use dictation software — this is perhaps the biggest change you can make. Dictation software technology has come a long way (check Dragon out), and although it is far from perfect, it can serve as a superior alternative to crippling limb pain.
Revert to "real life" — instead of sending an email, pick up the phone. Or if that person is just down the corridor, use one of your hourly breaks to pay them a visit rather than add yet another unresolved issue to their inbox.
Rest — if something hurts, try to avoid using it as much as possible. It may sound blindingly obvious, but it is all too easy to pretend that it is not an effective action.
…if you are in any doubt as to your health, please contact your physician for professional medical advice. RSIs are not something you want to fool around with and can take years to develop, so even if you feel like you are not currently at risk, it would be wise to start following the above advice now.
Do you have any techniques for combating or preventing RSIs? What do you do to soothe the pain? Let us know in the comments section!
I am a student doing a report on repetitive strain injuries in the office would it be alright if I use your illustration in my report for reference?
I am currently assembling a Google map with physicians and physical therapists who have substantial knowledge of Repetitive Strain Injuries. I was wondering if you know any good medical people I could additionally recommend on my map?


Fancy Bingo's Hatter is a generous fella, and he always ensures his lucky roomies have plenty of promotions to enjoy. Early this week he gave away a load of posh food, but he's going a bit more hi-tech next time around. His Dizzy Ducks game plays at 10pm on Sunday 28th August, and the lucky winner will find themselves walking away with a stunning Apple iPad Air 2 tablet worth £320. If this does not take your fancy though, you can choose to take the cash instead, and you could spend that on whatever you heart desires!
You can play with up to 96 cards on the night though, and if you need to boost your card count, you can also purchase them for £2 each from the Fancy Bingo lobby, or trade in every ten of your Diamonds for one card in the Diamond Store. All roomies that play with ten cards or more, will also receive an equal share of 1,000 free spins on the Irish Luck slots game.
Fancy Bingo is home top plenty of exciting rewards including their Tea Party room. Each time you top up your account with just £5, you'll receive four days' worth of free access to this very special room. The room is packed full of special games, bringing you hundreds of chance to win real cash, bonus funds, deposit bonuses, Diamonds, free spins, Fancy Points and much, much more!


Presented at the ALA 2013 annual conference on Sunday at 1:00pm.
"Project management is controlling the introduction of a desired change." From the UK institute on project management.
This presentation didn't give me anything that was particularly applicable so, what follows is a bunch of ideas I came up with as I sat in the session.
Side Note to self- ask Nini about DLDS sponsoring an ASTD workshop for the SDCs in MD to learn more about the program and the certification and its renewal. Or sponsoring an improv workshop from the group in Baltimore. Or sponsoring a Thiagi workshop on training games. Are there implications for any of these outside of this SDCs (anyone who gives presentations, improv for communication, or managers, etc?) that would warrant the regional sponsoring them directly?
Side note to self: can Facebook be used as a project management tool? Prezi? Other freely available tools that are more social and transparent?
Side note to self: ask for volunteers from the three counties to hear my staff development ideas so I can see if they are viable among the staff. Kinda like focus groups but call them something else that's more visual and meaningful. (The TLC approach. Talk to people) Maybe request audience during preschrduled meetings (branch staff meetings, etc).
Presented at the ALA 2013 on Sunday at 10:30am.
"The absurd can become fantastic!"
Example: partnered with developers to build a library on the first floor of an apartment building.
Zandra Campbell's food partnership in Baltimore was mentioned!!!
Example: partner with park district/nps to put laminated kids books in local parks.
2. Look for the service gaps; has there been a service that has been eliminated or threatened?
4. Make partnerships a priority; include this in a strategic plan.
5. Don't forget yourselves; include your staff and library. Ask ourselves what do we offer? Practice tooting your own horns. Moresville, NC partnered with NASCAR to pay for staff development for the library.
Why don't people use our library? They don't know why they should.
What do we have or could we have to offer inside or outside our spaces?
1. Do your organizational values match?
2. Do we have common/complementary goals?
4. Are there complementary/complimenting strengths?
5. Are there other potential partnerships that we are overlooking?
Read FastCompany magazine. Or their website.
1. Trust your partner. If you don't, then start small and build trust.
5. Be patient. It won't happen overnight nor without glitches. Slow down.
Find a hole, come up with a goal, and then fill the hole.
Is the program or project on target with libs mission and vision?
Is there enthusiasm within the lib?
Does the project support other lib department obj?
Will it result in a lasting impact?
Will we learn from this? Does it present professional development for staff?
Presented at the ALA annual conference on Sunday at 8:30am.
Who is in charge -- See RACI above.
Make sure your goal is an end and not a means.
Question: did any of you use any project management software or other technologies to help you keep track of things? - they sued Microsoft project and access. One guy chose not to use it because he felt like it would inhibit the transparency of the project. Tom's Planner - cheaper and easier to use than ms project.
This program was presented at the American library association's annual conference in Chicago on Saturday the 29th. The are my raw notes to be edited and elaborated upon later. The slides can be found on SlideShare.
I need to talk with these guys about problems/assumptions I have so I can be partnered with developers who want to create solutions and have the time to create solutions.
Will Evans and Simon Marcus from The Library Corporation (TLC) were the actual speakers.
Libraries have not changed that much in 2k years.
"The failed because they built something no one wanted"
Culture of refinement vs a culture of exploration - refinement actually misses the best solution. Exploration finds a bunch of best solutions and once you find those best solutions then you refine (multiple hypothesis testing). Minimize the total time through the loop: ideas-prototype-build.
Marcia bates' berry picking model mirrors a lean start up rules.
(When in an argument...) How much time could we all save if we just let the other guy have his way and subsequently proves himself wrong?
2. What pain points do they have?
3. How will we solve their pain points?
4. What is the most important thing they need?
5. What is our differentiation?
Our real competitors are our early adopters who are solving their own problems on their own.
Book: Who owns the future?
Information is sing devalued. What is being valued is the monetization of information. And we are giving our stuff away for free.
Lean startup machine - they have events and workshops. It's pretty cheap. One of the most valuable things the presenter ever went to.
How do we make sense of the world so we can act in it? Dave Snowden. Karl Weick. Basically, you need to go through the social process of sense making as a team. Post it notes with ideas that are then cluttered or broken up into four groups of feasibility.
Design thinking (IDEO). Develop a deep seated empathy for the people you're designing a solution for.
Desirable, viability, feasible? Three overlapping constraints.
The library homepage and PAC is not a main part of our customers' online life and that's a huge problem. Libraries need to be contributing valuable interactions in online spaces where their customers spend their time.
The Customer Service workshop went over the keys to great customer service. The first goal is to make service a top priority. Attitude is another key to great customer service. Treat the patron as if they are your boss. The third key is to be consistent. The final key is to work as a team. Look good in front of your customers.
"Give 'em the pickle!" has always been my customer service style, although I had never thought of it in terms of food. Breaking customer service down to the four areas: Service, Attitude, Consistency, and Teamwork is a useful way of analyzing one's service philosophy and practices.The exercise of identifying pickles from the library and from individuals was interesting- it was easier to identify pickles from the library. I want to work on our consistency within the branch by identifying our pickles and making sure we are all offering them. A few other suggestions I picked up include offering laptops and eReaders for inhouse use, which I hope to implement in the near future. This was another great workshop offered by WMRL, and I highly recommend it.
One of the best pieces of advice I took from this workshop (I found myself using this over and over this week) was telling myself "I like this person! I am going to make this person happy." instead of giving in to my normal internal groan when people walked up to the desk. (It's been a tough week). But tonight I am serving up lots of pickles-sweet and dill- as part of our Teens-After-Hours Hobbit feast! And I know they are appreciated!
Give A Pickle, Get A Smile!
You are the face of your company/organization.
Teamwork…group of people who go out of their way to make each other look good.
Have the courage to make things right.
Andre Jones was an effective speaker presenting on the topic of performance reviews. The presentation gave me a lot to think about in terms of how we facilitate our reviews at the branch. The branches are already in the process of revamping our evaluations so this training could not have come at a better time. It was also refreshing to know that I was already ahead of the game when it came to completing reviews as we've already written branch expectations, went over job descriptions, etc.
Since the training, I have listed out all staff goals and plan to review them quarterly. I hope to implement a new monthly special activity sheet that includes a section where goals are listed, so that employees will be reminded of their goals on a monthly basis. An employee's review is coming up in July so I hope to practice some of the new techniques I have learned, such as: filling out the review with the employee, choosing goals to help them exceed current performance, and using effective words in the review.
While attending MLA, I attended the trainings listed below. If you want more information, please contact me and I would love to talk more about them (mfoltz@washcolibrary.org).
- FOCUS ON GENRES – We learned how to narrow down titles into sub-genres (not just a mystery but a cozy mystery). The trainers provided websites for Reader's Advisory that could be very useful, Bill Taylor, wrote a wonderful blog post on this topic already. Please refer to Bill's entry for more information. I hope to apply my new genre knowledge to RA services.
- SCVNGR Hunt – The presenters went over how to set up a scavenger hunt through the SCVNGR program. They demonstrated how it can be used by planning a SCVNGR hunt that we could do in the conference center. They liked the app but it had limitations: only 5 spots could be used per SCVNGR (free version) and the statistics were unreliable. They suggested other scavenger hunt apps that could be used but there wasn't a clear leader scavenger hunt apps, it's whichever app would work best for your situation. Although I wouldn't run this app for a scavenger hunt, I learned that there are apps out there to help facilitate these adventures.
- Speed Mentoring – I got to talk with other librarians about their backgrounds and was given advice on my career. I purposely chose to mingle with other branch managers but they were in larger systems so our experiences weren't very comparable. I did benefit from this training my making new contacts and being inspired to keep searching for a mentor.
- STEM Discovery Programming – This session was split into 4 stations: (1) Scribbler machine, (2) Makey Makey, (3) Tweens/Teens programming, and (4) Children's programming. I got to play with a Makey Makey, I learned from Jeff that we have these in the system. I LOVED the scribbler machine, you can program it to move and then put a pen in the top so kids can use it to draw shapes on the floor. I could see my teens at Boonsboro loving this! (http://www.parallax.com/tabid/455/Default.aspx) The Tweens/Teens program focused on science with, which seemed to me, science fair projects that were cheap & easy for kids to do. (I have a handout if anyone is interested!) The Children's programming station was very basics on things we do now – reading children's book and then having hands on learning/counting/etc. I've been looking into these ideas for STEM programming since I have returned from the conference.
- Mad about Libraries – the founder of Mad magazine talked about censorship in libraries. This presentation was an open discussion of how different systems deal with censorship issues – graphic novels, internet usage, etc. It was interesting to hear other's opinions on these issues.
- Radical Customer Service – was a big conversation regarding what MD libraries are doing to provide great customer service. It was nice to hear what other counties were (and were not) doing in customer service and why. I learned from the training to keep questioning "Why" when given (or taken) a no answer from anyone.
- Graphic Novel collection building – was a local comic book shop owner who came in and presented a history of comic books/graphic novels, what we should have in stock, and why graphic novels are important. The handouts from this presentation were very useful (I've already lent the notes to another staff member but if you want to see them, please let me know.) I hope to be able to look into graphic collections more and recommend some titles. I hope that if WCFL develops an adult graphic novel collection that I will be a resource for them. Although, I still need more knowledge in this area as it is ALL new to me.
- The closing luncheon was a presentation called Access Schmaccess by Eli Neiburger. He was a very effective presenter and had my attention the entire time. His longer presentation is available online (I hope to have time to watch it again - http://webcast.gigtv.com.au/Mediasite/Play/1e065b11e6924a0a908cebb76d7917c71d ). His view of the futures of libraries is that we will be the center of the community and evolve to offer things (telescopes, etc.) and not just books. He thought libraries should become places where people create (Makers Spaces??) their own content (sound studios, movies, etc.). He seems to be an up and coming voice in the library world so it's beneficial to be aware of his message.
I attended Andre Jones workshop on Conducting Effective Performance Reviews.
I thought Andre Jones did an excellent job explaining and demonstrating how to write and deliver a performance review. I feel as though following his guidelines, I will be able to give a performance appraisal that will really reflect my co-workers performance.
The Maryland Statewide Staff Development Coordinators team exists to provide a framework for effective and efficient collaboration of statewide staff development projects and programs, and to share staff development experiences and resources.
We are staff development coordinators from Maryland's public and regional libraries.
We serve the staff and patrons of Maryland's public libraries under the auspice of the Division of Library Development and Services.
We also shortened the operations document that accompanies the charter. Once the final document as been reviewed and approved by Nini Beegan, I'll share it here.
Conference Sharing: This group is tasked with providing an outlet for staff across the state to share what they've learned at conferences that they've attended and ideas for how they might use what they've learned within their library systems. This group has offered 3 online conference sharing events to date and we have 2 more on the calendar. We hope to offer 4 events per year and we'd also love to see others (library systems, MLA divisions, etc) adopt this conference sharing model themselves and offer them statewide - hint, hint.
Book Expo America: June 19th at 10am: if you're attending BEA and want to share your experience and if you aren't attending but want to hear what BEA was all about, please click on the first link to register!
Masie's Learning 2013: November 21st at 10am: registration will be available later.
Staff Development Presenters/Trainers Master List: Sam Eddington (ESRL), Jennifer Hopwood (SMRLA), Lisa Kenyon (EPFL), and I (WMRL) will create a pilot master list of the staff development presenters and trainers we've had over the past year or two that includes the presenters' names, contact info, websites, topics, whether or not we'd hire them again, etc. Sam will create the document and share it via Google Drive and then the four of us will populate it. We'll share it with the other SDCs and if it looks like this is something others would want to add to then, we'll share it with the SDCs who are interested in contributing. Maybe we could possibly add it to the MERLIN site and/or staff development wiki?
Creating a Culture of Learning Unconference: So, the SDCs were hoping to walk out of the meeting yesterday with one project that all of us could work on that would benefit the whole state of Maryland. We started to run out of time so, the only suggestion that was made was for us to host one or two unconferences on the topic of "Creating a Culture of Learning." And that was about it. We talked about maybe having 2 separate unconferences - one for supervisors/managers/directors and one for non-supervisory staff. One of the main concerns that bubbled up from this idea is the observation that staff who do not need to earn CEUs are less likely to have learning in the forefront of their minds as they go about their jobs. They're less likely to ask for training or even want to attend training and we would like to see this be different - we would love to see all staff in our libraries have learning at the forefront and be enthusiastic about attending training, even feeling empowered to look for training and requesting it on their own. So, we don't have a date or any other details beyond that so, the group will keep thinking about how we can approach this and go from there. if you're reading this and you have thoughts, ideas to share please do so in the comments section or email me directly.
The Maryland Statewide Staff Development Coordinators meeting is held twice a year for the purposes of getting the staff development/training coordinators from all the public and regional libraries across the state in the same room to work on learning projects, hear from statewide agencies with whom we work closely, to share experiences, etc.
The following are my notes from the Statewide Organizations' reports.
Dennis Nagle from the Division of Library Development and Services reports that they are almost at full staff. They're close to selecting an LSTA Grants Coordinator. DLDS is working diligently on developing a social media presence and the Maryland State Dept. of Education has hired a social media consultant to assist with this endeavor.
Susan Paznekas from the Division of Library Development and Services reported that they've hired a new certification officer - whose name I did not catch but she'll share it out with all the SDCs once he/she gets settled. Also, if you have staff who are getting certified for the first time - or if you have staff who are renewing for the first time (or if you happen to be one of these staff members) through the MSDE website, this PDF shows you how to do this.
Jay Bansbach from the Maryland State Department of Education reported on Common Core updates and the public library response. I will share his slides and data as soon as I receive it from Nini Beegan. There is a new STEM coordinator - George Newberry. MSDE is in the process of hiring a 2nd STEM Coordinator. There is a big push, under the common core initiative, for schools to really push library database usage - and more importantly, to get students to identify databases as portals to "sources of evidence."
Nini Beegan from the Division of Library Development Services reported that she is waiting to here back from MEEC (I forget what this stands for) regarding SkillSoft pricing. She'll know more by the end of June. It's possible we may have to go to a seat-based license to accommodate the budget. She also reported that there is a new space on the MERLIN website where we can share and access recordings of webinars that we've created in Blackboard Collaborate or other archived online trainings from other sources. Nini assembled a team of three SDCs will will be reviewing and revising the MERLIN website to make it more user friendly in order to increase its usage by the SDCs and statewide staff in general.
Margaret Carty, the Executive Director of the Maryland Library Association shared very encouraging statistics from the annual conference (i.e. close to 700 attendees!) and she announced that several of the conference programs were recorded and are being made available for folks to watch via the MLA website. *NOTE* You must watch the videos in Internet Explorer. *ANOTHER NOTE* Yes, the videos have been approved for CEUs - but always talk with your staff development coordinator first! Right now there are only 3 or 4 videos available but check back frequently as new videos are always being added!
Helen Blumburg from the State Library Resource Center in Baltimore, reports that SLRC is underway with its 5 year renovation plan. The twice-per-month webinars will continue and have been very well attended. The next SLRC conference will be October 16. The SLRC website will also be getting renovated.
Gail Griffith reports that the next Library Associate Training Institute will be from August 28 - Dec. 13. The new class of LATIs will receive onboarding information later this week/early next week. They've scheduled LATI Learn How To Learn Online classes which will be open to everyone if there is space after the LATI students register. The dates to mark on your calendars are July 23 and July 25 - 10am and 2pm.
I thoroughly enjoyed this presentation—I found Mr. Jones using WCFL's evaluation form and scoring system practical and quite useful. I, too, found the suggestion of making quarterly check-ins a habit good advice.
If nothing else was impressed upon me during the presentation, it was that solid documentation is the friend of both the giver and receiver of a performance review. Preparing throughout the year by noting positive and negative employee conduct can cast a better light on any "burning images" that may unfairly temper our judgment. I feel I benefited greatly from this training and gained some real insight on the evaluation process.
MD PUG met on Thursday, May 30th at Chesapeake College. The following post will share some reminders as well as some products/enhancements that are on the horizon.
The next MD PUG meeting will be at the new Hagerstown library! The date of which is TBD.
is the main site for Polaris ILS.
Is the extranet for Polaris users.
WCFL/WMRL - contact whomever we hire for Carrie's position, or Julie, or Tracy for your staff username and password.
Come here for: 1) more webinars, 2) marketing materials, 3) news and events, 4) help in general.
Shows you what other libraries have done to customize their PAC from vanilla out-of-the-box set-ups to PACs that are extremely customized down to the very last material icon. See what your PAC could be.
Browser-based staff interface. Baltimore County Public Library is currently testing this. If implemented, staff could potentially provide roving, mobile check outs and other staff-client based services on tablets or other hand-held devices. Exciting!!
Fusion: integrates digital collections into the PAC. BCPL is currently using this product with the help of volunteers who enter the images, their titles, and their descriptions. Check it out.
Unless you have a BCPL card, all you'll be able to do is click on the Selected Databases link beneath the search box to see which databases you could be searching all at once.
Basically, this feature let's the user search up to 10 electronic resources at once.
Doing a science paper? Search the catalog for books at the same time you search EBSCO's Science Resource Center for news and journal articles, and your favorite online encyclopedia for an encyclopedia article!


Designed with the modern angler in mind, this Jacket is incredibly waterproof, highly breathable and very comfortable to wear.
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text:
Hits and Shits
moralitylikeart / December 27, 2013
We're hoping all y'all who celebrated the Holidaze this week made great memories. Also hoping all y'all who were woken up at 8am by "Murry Christmazz" texts, for a holiday you don't celebrate, aren't feeling too bitter!
Feminist Author Shares in Queen Bey's Success
My favorite track on Beyoncé's visual album, ***Flawless, wouldn't be nearly as strong without Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's sampled TedTalk "We Should All be Feminists."
The featured Nigerian author's new novel Americanah soared through the ranks of Amazon's book sales following the album's release. With Queen Bey promoting your work, it's not a surprise! *bless you, Bey, for shining light on an amazing piece of work* Americanah which started at #861 the day before the album's release, sits at #179 and is one of the New York Times Book Review's Ten Best Books of 2013!
Prancing Elites Dances Above It All
The Prancing Elite, a group of fabulous black dancers, paved their way through Semmes, Alabama in the annual Christmas Parade delivering Santa baby realness. Unfortunately, the small town parade watchers heckled and shouted as the young African-American gay dancers made their way through the streets. Despite the crowd, the Prancing Elite held their heads high and finished strong like the professionals they are. Shout out to the Prancing Elite for their grace and talent in a very trying situation. While the hecklers are definitely a HUGE shit, The Prancing Elite's talent and determination make them, as a collective, a major hit. You can check out their kickstarter here.
Two Members of Pussy Riot Freed
Two members of the Russian punk band Pussy Riot have been freed under a new amnesty law. Maria Alyokhina and Nadezhda Tolokonniva were given early release from their two year sentences for a protest in a church against Vladimir Putin. Alyokhina and Tolokonniva's father are saying it's an empty gesture and a publicity stunt before the Olympics. We're putting this under hits considering their early release but it's shit it was done as a political stunt.
The Shit
12 Years a Slave Promotional Material Features White Actors in Italy
Posters in Italy for the highly anticipated film 12 Years a Slave stars are featuring Brad Pitt and Michael Fassbender over Chiwetel Ejiofor. Ejiofor has already been nominated for a Golden Globe for his leading role as Soloman Northup so that leads us to wonder why posters featuring minor white characters were chosen for Italian cities, rather than the American film posters featuring Ejiofor. Since the internet backlash, Lionsgate has notified Buzzfeed they're recalling the posters featuring Pitt and Fassbender.
December 27, 2013 in Hits And Shits, Uncategorized.
← "Your Holiday Mom" is Both Heartwarming and Badass
Girls →


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Ice Princess Party, Watford, Uxbridge, Harrow
My Little Princess Parties is one of the longest running character party companies in the UK, having entertained at thousands of parties, since 2008. We have received thousands of thank you's and 5 star reviews.
Our birthday parties are action packed with lots of music, dancing, adventures, games, story telling and of course a sprinkling of Fairy Dust! We can provide pretty much any character you wish and our entertainers are all fully trained to the very highest standards. Please Click Here to find your nearest Children's Entertainer.
View A Video of One of Our Ice Princess Parties
Prices for our Ice Princess Parties start at £99 for a 30 minute princess appearance, but we also have 45, 60, 90 minute and 2 Hour Party Packages.
View Our Prices & More Info
Birthday Party Enquiry Form
Or Call Us To Book Your Childs Birthday Party
Or Call 01252265707
"We had our Belle birthday party today. I just wanted to say how impressed I was with her. We had a stressful start as when we arrived at the venue they had just discovered they'd had a break in and they thought we might have to cancel the party. I was a bit emotional and Belle was great. In the end we moved to a smaller room and Belle improvised with less space available but she was fantastic and provided a great party. The kids had a great time. Many thanks"
Charlotte, Gosport
" 'This is the REAL Elsa Mummy as her hair is real!!' They had been to things in the past, where the Elsa had an obvious wig, so the children were amazed that Mia had the REAL Elsa at her party!The 2 hours consisted of smiles, laughter, and the children simply being in awe of Princess Elsa! We couldn't have asked for a better party :)"
Samantha, Winnersh
"Elsa did a brilliant job of keeping all the children happy, busy and entertained during her visit and even my 7 year old son and his two friends were happy to join in after a few minutes! Lots of people commented that this was the best Elsa they had seen (although according to Lottie she is the ONLY Elsa) and several commented how nice it was to see a princess who wasn't wearing an ill-fitting wig that even the young children can see straight through."
Catherine, Beds
"Just a brief note to say a MASSIVE thank you for being such a gorgeous Tinkerbell on Sunday! Isla so enjoyed her party and the highlight she told me was Tinkerbell coming! You really did a great job of keeping an active group of 3 year-old mesmerised for 2 hours, so thank you from all of us"
Louise, Charlwood
"A huge huge huge thank you. Everyone including myself was overwhelmed with how brilliant you were. Libby and Jess were in the car looking at a star saying it was you flying to Peter Pan so they really did believe"
Jodi, Poole
"Nice to see some actual lookalikes, not ridiculous wannabe nothingalikes just trying to make money!"
"I just wanted to say that we were delighted with the party last weekend. Elsa was absolutely lovely, and managed to keep all of the girls captivated for the entire duration, which was very impressive. It was particularly nice that she carried on interacting with the girls while they were having the party tea, as most entertainers take the opportunity to disappear off for a while at that point. I've had some lovely comments back from the other mums (and the dads…) so just wanted to let you have some feedback. The overall organisation and response time from the management end was also great."
Naomi, Guildford
"I was so very impressed with Tinkerbell and Pirate Penny. They involved every single child, used all of their names constantly and the games were loved by every child and very imaginative. But most important they made our daughter, Bethany, feel very special, they really could not have done anymore to make her party truly exceptional. I am so impressed, words cannot describe, worth every single penny – thank you, your company will be my first and only choice for all future parties."
Kim, West Moors
"Emily & all her friends had such a wonderful time on Saturday. All the children were completely enchanted & you held their attention for the whole time, which with 4 year olds can take some serious doing! All the parents said how brilliant it was & the children said it was the best party they had ever been to! Seeing the children's faces when they saw her for the first time was priceless"
Paula, Poole
"I just wanted to say a big thank you for coming to Ella's birthday party! You were amazing! I was beginning to lose control of the kids in the house and then you arrived and had them entranced! Thank you! We are going to Euro Disney next month and Ella is determined to find you again! She also loved the princess school!"
Michelle, Rowledge
"We have had some wonderful parties through you over the years and will be back again in the autumn when birthdays come round again! Tamsin and her friends still believe that Elsa came to our house…!"
"I would just like to say Rapunzel was brilliant today, Maisy had a great afternoon and so did all her friends"
Claire, Hockley
"We wanted to pass on our thanks for making Daya's birthday very special, you did a fantastic job of keeping Daya and her friends entertained and you were a totally convincing fairy!"
Sodhi, East Molesey
"The twins party was an amazing success, mostly due to the efforts of Anna and Elsa. From the moment the children arrived, they were entertained, allowing all of the parents to enjoy the site of their happy Children. We have already received many notes of thanks, with all of them making special mention of Anna and Elsa. We even had an owner of a childcare group that stated it was the best party she had ever seen. Another parent commented on how great the girls interaction was with the children, compared to a previous princess party she had attended. Many thanks for making our girls party so memorable!! 🙂 xxx "
Dean, Dunstable
"The best money spent! All 25 children were captivated! My 4 year old hasn't stopped thanking me all afternoon for her magical party. Your prizes, ballooning, costume, control of the children & games were excellent so I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your hard work & making a truly daunting 4 year old birthday party into a doddle & a breeze."
Heather, Richmond
"I have booked your company twice for my daughter, Mia for her 4th & 5th birthdays and the arrangements/contact for both was exceptional. I wouldn't chose to book with anyone else for a party like this. I believe you get what you pay for and the whole point of your parties in my view, is that they are magical, that something special and the children truly believe they are meeting a real princess – that is something very hard to create."
"I wanted to let you know how magical my daughter Maddison's Princess party was last Saturday. Cinderella was perfect, they absolutely believed that Cinderella had come all the way from the magic kingdom and it just made the party perfect in every way. Her friends said it was the best party they had been to"
Sonia, Bristol
"Thank you so much for everything. Grace loved Princess Anna! Thank you so much for being so flexible in working with us and accommodating the snow machine/disco time. It was a wonderful party and there were so many great comments from other parents, I know they'll be asking for your details! Thank you for making a little girl's 6th birthday so special"
Elizabeth, Brasted
"A HUGE thank you for making Amy's party absolutely perfect! I really wanted to find something which would leave Amy and her friends remembering and talking about for a while, MISSION COMPLETE!"
Alice, Rugby
"Thank you so much for today. As always you were amazing. The children loved you and you made Savannah's birthday magical. Thank you so so much"
Sarah, Cadmore End
"Thank you very much for Megan's party, she absolutely loved it & had a fantastic time. We really wanted to thank you for making her feel so special and particularly for having her next to you, holding her hand, ensuring she was involved in every game etc – it was fantastic. We had so many comments from the Mums about how good you were & how well you did to have 25 children's attention for the whole 2 hours"
Sam, East Horsley
"A massive thank you to you all for an amazing party on Saturday. Jessie still can't believe that the real Snow White came to her party. Snow White was amazing and entertained all the children wonderfully whilst making sure Jessie felt extra special. She is already asking if Snow White can come to her party next year too"
Alison, Lee on Solent
"I wanted to thank for the fabulous job at Caleah's party. All the children were so happy and well entertained at the party and really enjoyed themselves. After the party I got lots of messages from mums and dads with how much the children enjoyed themselves, with one little boy saying he wants to go to Caleah's party tomorrow as well! My daughter was beside herself that Rapunzel had come especially for her party"
Abigail, East Grinstead
"I just wanted to thank you & say how fantastic it all was. From the moment of first enquiring with you, to the end of of the party! My daughter, (and her sister), were 'star struck' they loved every moment. All the children have been talking lots about it according to their parents! Thank you all, you helped make a special day magical!"
Megan, Southampton
"I just wanted to write and thank you for an amazing party. I had the most relaxed party ever, just taking photos and watching my daughter laugh and smile all day. Today was worth every penny and I shall certainly recommend you to all my mummy friends. Thank you again. "
Laura, Luton
"A massive thank you to My Little Princess for an amazing party today!! My daughter had the most amazing day thanks to queen elsa's visit!! Fantastic day!!!"
Sarah, Farnborough
"I would just like to say a big Thank you to Ariel who made my daughters 4th birthday party absolutely amazing. She was fantastic with the kids and made sure none of them were left out. All the children were kept under her magic spell – we all thought she was brilliant. Mums were all so impressed. Ariel is a lovely girl and really friendly – she made sure I knew exactly what was happening and how we would structure the party. Loved her!!! Rekha, my daughter, had the best time and that was down to Ariel so thank you very much!!!! "
Iona, North London
"Thank you so much for an amazing party for Lilia. You were absolutely wonderful and made Lilia feel so special. She hasn't stopped talking about meeting the 'real Zarina' at her party! I can't believe how much like 'Zarina' you looked! Her favourite moment was the pixie dust wish and she loved dancing with you too. I know you created the character especially for Lilia's party and I was overwhelmed by the effort you put in and the attention to detail. Everything couldn't have been more perfect."
Lisa, Enfield
"I just wanted to let you know that Anna and Elsa were absolutely fantastic at Mia's party yesterday.
Thank you so much for making it a special day for our little princess."
Reena, Harrow
"Hi thank you for today we had a great time. Isabella had a wonderful time. She was still trying to work out how Snow White got into the house. The last attempt before she went to bed was that the blue birds fly you in. Thanks Again you did a fantastic job at keeping them entertained."
Laura, Woodford Green
"Hi, I just want to say a big thank you and a big thank you to Elsa and Anna, they were fantastic and the birthday girl absolutely loved them. Will definitely be coming back for future birthdays."
Kelly, Dunstable
"Princess Anna hosted our daughters 5th birthday today and she had all the children captivated. It was truly magical for her! Hi Chloe we had a fabulous party thanks to you. Olivia has been buzzing since and having you there providing party games as Princess Anna was magical. I'm an early years assistant head and appreciate how you managed to engage all children for a sustained period of time."
Susan, Ilford
Girls Parties


text:
Juanita Garza
James Munoz,
Updated: January 13, 2021 3:20 PM
by James Munoz
VICTORIA, Texas — Juanita Garza, 70 of Victoria, lovingly known to most as "MoMo", passed from this life surrounded by her loving family, Friday, January 8, 2021. Family and friends will gather for visitation Wednesday, January 13th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., rosary will be prayed at 7:00 p.m. at Grace Funeral Home, 2401 Houston Highway, Victoria. Funeral Mass will be at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, January 14, 2021 at The Cathedral of Our Lady of Victory on Laurent Street in Victoria. Burial will follow at Resurrection Cemetery. Honoring Juanita's life and her faith serving as pallbearers will be, Joseph Ray Morales, Michael Ray Morales, Pedro Salazar, Jr., Cruz Suniga, Jr., Faustino Gonzales, II, and Jacob Scott Canchola.
Juanita was born March 28th, 1950, one of nine children to the late Jose Angel and Crispina Cantu Garza. Being a part of a large family, Juanita learned at a young age the importance of family. Her family was her passion, she devoted her life making sure her children and grandchildren felt every ounce of her love. Holidays for her were a special time and shopping and doing for her family brought her great joy. Juanita previously worked as a caretaker for numerous families in the Victoria area, she took great pride in the care she gave each one of them. When she was not out shopping for her next special gift, she enjoyed sewing, gardening and cooking. More than anything she enjoyed spending quality time with her grandchildren & great grandchildren who absolutely adored her. Juanita's family will always cherish the special items she sewed for them, the wonderful holiday dressing and tamales she cooked and her simple loving way she cared for them. Juanita was a faithful member of Our Lady of Victory for more than 30 years. Juanita was preceded in death by her parents, Jose and Crispina Garza; her eldest son, David Garcia, Jr. in 2016; and her siblings, Beatrice Garza and Ernestina Loya.
Juanita leaves behind to continue her legacy of caring for others, her loving children, Michael Garcia, Michelle Vargas and her husband, Fidel, Jr., JoAnna Vargas and her husband, Paul, Sandy Bell Garcia and her husband, Ray Morales, Amber Canchola, husband Jacob: her siblings, Lupe Garza, Rosie Saenz and husband, Rocky, Roy Garza and wife, Paulina, Elena Guerra, Maria Louise Garza, Jose Garza and wife, Lupita; 12 grandchildren; 8 Great-Grandchildren; her beloved puppy, "Tootsie"; along with numerous other loving family members and friends.
Thoughts and memories may be shared online at www.gracefuneralhome.net
Arrangements and services under the personal care of Grace Funeral Homes & Cemeteries.
COPYRIGHT 2022 BY CROSSROADS TODAY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
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