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As the principal male lead in
short subject for Amazon Theatre:
[amazon.com online interactive "commercial"]
I left work (my day-job temp assignment in the mid-Wilshire area) a little early and bussed to Hollywood for a 3:30pm audition for a commercial for amazon.com.
I was to play a "sleazy salesman," my agency told me, so I glanced at the comical script upon my arrival and was all set. I noticed too late that my audition followed character actor Lee Arenberg of Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl. I recognized him as he went in, and checked the name on the sign-in list. Sure enough. But as I went right in and he left immediately, I couldn't commend him on his admirable work.
I had fun with it, even asking if at one point if I could sit down. Set "30 years ago" in the 1970s, the salesman (in the second of two scenes), realizes a young man can be conned into buying a bad imitation necklace for his wife (or perhaps then-girlfriend or fiance). The salesman is pleased with his sale, despite being completely without ethics or morals. It was for this epilogue scene I wanted to sit, and put my feet up on the desk.
On Avail and Callback
Monday I got paged that I was On Avail for the amazon spot for Thursday and Friday. This means I shouldn't book anything for those two days, and that I am Seriously Being Considered for the role.
Tuesday, after a 10am audition in West LA, I was busing back to my day-job when my pager went off. I was a few blocks from my stop, but I knew where there were pay phones, one stop before my stop, so I checked and found I had a 3pm callback for the amazon dot com spot.
In West LA!
I'd just bussed from there!
So back I go, arriving in time (for me, 60 to 30 minutes prior to calltime is "on time").
I sign-in and sit with others who begin to show up.
To my surprise, one was pleasant British actress Carolyn Seymour, who a year or so earlier I'd met at another audition. She remembered me, yet she seemed surprised I'd remembered her, even though at the time I first met her I'd remembered That I Knew I Had Seen Her but did not know her name. Once she jogged my memory of her being Zoey [the holographic supervisor to the female Evil Leaper] on Quantum Leap, and being in a fourth season Babylon 5 episode, there was no forgetting her.
One of the staff came out and stressed that we all understand we were all On Avail for Thursday and Friday.
"It's very important you're available both days..." she repeated, indicating some people just flake and book other stuff.
One of the casting people came out to pair up those playing married couples. As he began to pair me up with a pretty woman, I gently pointed out I had auditioned for Max the salesman.
"Oh yeah," he said. "They wanted to see you read for the husband."
I was surprised but not by much. I've been asked to read for different characters before for projects, and once got booked for a shoot and upon arriving learned I was not playing the character I was told I was going to play.
So the woman and I ran our lines a few times, and were brought in. We were introduced to the project's director Henrik Sundgren who gave us some pointers and let us go at it.
The scene is of the present-day married couple, where husband David confesses to wife Karen of his foolishly being taken years earlier, regarding the necklace (their not having real diamonds). He is very nervous about telling her, and done dry and straight, it can be pretty funny.
After our scene, Henrik gave her some adjustments. On asking if he had any adjustments for me (as it was very first time reading the scene), he indicated I was doing it pretty well. She and I did the scene again and they thanked her, asking me to stay for the next woman.
Earlier, before I had been called in, radio personality Patty Lotz and I had introduced ourselves to each other; now we got to do the scene together. Her performance was spot on and we played off of each other quite well. After the one take, I was done, and she stayed to read with the next guy.
As I signed out, Carolyn and I said our goodbyes and good-lucks and I headed out.
It was about 3:45pm.
Around 5:30pm my pager went off; I was now On Strong Avail for the spot. This meant they were flipping coins and playing rock, paper, scissors as to whether they would choose me as either role.
On Wednesday I learned the Avail Dates were now Monday and Tuesday, August 23 and 24. This meant I had to wait probably to Friday for yea or nay.
Sure enough, Friday the 20th I got paged in the morning by my agent, congratulating me on booking the spot. I'd be filming only on Monday, and apart from the day's session fee/private-sector compensation for labour, I'd earn a goodly amount of earnings/compensation for private labour, for their one-year Internet usage of the footage/spot.
2:30pm I got a call from Ed with the production company, asking if I could come in for a wardrobe fitting at 3:30pm (in sixty minutes from the phone call).
I warned him (that as I use public transit) if I left Right Then I might make it in ninety minutes, which was fine.
I arrived at 4pm and met Deborah Ferguson who was handling wardrobe.
I met line producer Hans Ritter and ad agency senior producer Brigette Whisnant (who assured me we'd be getting copies of the finished project).
We were never provided copies of the finished product.
Bridgette said they were making five or six such short subjects, which would air on amazon.com at the holiday season, sort of rotating, but each would be "featured." I overheard some of the ad people saying that Darryl Hannah had agreed to be a cameo in one of the shorts.
I am wondering (and hoping) that when they make the copies for the performers, just to plunk all the shorts onto one DVD so we can watch the others as well!
As it is, at the time I had dial-up, and anyone with regular dial-up could have trouble viewing the online films.
On the table in the wardrobe room there were pre-production notes, indicating the role of present-day David "should" be along the lines of a Ben Gazzara and/or Peter Falk. Hans and Henrik asked if I'd be willing to read the salesman's lines opposite two fellows each still up for the role of young (1970's era) David. Through the back I was brought into the same studio in which I read the other day. Henrik gave me his binder with the script, along with many other production notes. I happened across a page with the currently chosen and booked cast: myself, "Powermouth" Patty Lotz, and to my pleased surprise, talented character actor Raymond O'Connor, with whom I once auditioned a year or two previously (and several times since). Even before that I'd known him from seeing him in dozens of commercials, but "know him best" on Babylon 5, in which (on the blooper reel), he demonstrates his problem properly pronouncing "Ivanova." I couldn't help wishing we could work on the same day, but at least we're in the same project.
So I read with two young men, and of the two, Kent Winfrey was chosen. He was brought back where we only had a few minutes to talk: his scene with Raymond O'Connor would be filmed on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Deborah has me change several times for Henrik and the ad agency folks to approve. Soon the lovely and talented Patty Lotz arrived and also went through wardrobe.
A consummate actress, Patty suggested she and I get together over the weekend to go over lines. Before we left, Henrik went over with us the sort of blocking we'd have on Monday on the bedroom set (in a private domicile). We received our 7:30am Monday calltime and the location, which for me would be no problem. Henrik showed us with a drawing he made what we'd be doing, indicating that (beyond what the script says), our scene ends mostly with our kissing. Big time. He literally referred to Patty "being on top" of me.
Patty and I received copies of the updated script and I signed out, my having been there two and a quarter hours (6:15pm).
At her suggestion Patty and I had earlier arranged to meet up on Sunday to go over lines and to get comfortable with each other so on Monday we'd film like a regular long-married couple (that still have respect and affection for each other). This way the intimacy will be more believable, as well as our mutually working towards this being the best we can make it.
Getting Into th'Act
While down in Orange Country, towards the end of Saturday, I received a few pages. Sunday began to take on a different shape. Patty and I arranged to meet at 11:30am. Then associate producer Kelly Lewis contacted me. Henrik had gotten wind of Patty's and my plans to rehearse and requested "sitting in," which Patty (who I then called), and I concurred was a great idea. Kelly called again and it was arranged that we (Kelly, Henrik, Patty and I) would meet up at 3pm, most likely at the RSA offices.
As promised, Kelly called Sunday Morning and confirmed the 3pm at RSA. She indicated I could take a taxi for which she'd pay. (Like an idiot), I pointed out I am domiciled close enough that the MTA would be fine, and I did arrive at RSA at 2:25pm, reading over my lines until Kelly arrived around 2:50, surprised she wasn't there before me. "Sorry," I'd said half-jokingly. "I'm always early for shoots, rehearsals and auditions."
Patty arrived a few minutes later and as well as small talk she and I discussed the script a bit and read it through once or twice. Henrich arrived a hiccough after 3pm. Kelly brought us to the large conference room and wished us well and took off.
Henrich mentioned to me that it is our short in which Darryl Hannah would be making a cameo.
(Patty was not in the room at that moment, and I mentioned the news to her later as she drove me back to my place: she was thrilled. What with Sharon Stone running her fingers through my hair the previous year, Patty laughingly declared I was "on a roll!" She added happily that Darryl Hannah appearance/footage in our short gives us major "street cred"...)
Henrich went over with us the blocking again so we were able to do our lines that way. He gave us some nice, logical adjustments, listened to our suggestions and was very easy and pleasant with whom to work. Henrich was also already aware he had two performers for his project that are so committed to it.
Having gone over the scene several times, we headed out, bade our goodbyes and good wishes to the 'morrow when we see each other at basecamp for breakfast.
On the ride home, Patty and I learned we were both New Jerseyans; she was even born in Montclair, New Jersey, at the hospital around the corner from where I lived in the late 1970s through most of the 1980s, and where my mother volunteered. I'm actually surprised I didn't think to add the darkly-humoured truth, "My Dad died in that hospital" (as he had).
At the time, Patty told me that her roommate worked at legal for Paramount. They had a pitch-meeting for a movie scheduled for Monday that obviously was re-scheduled for Wednesday due to This Shoot. I half-jokingly reminded her if "they need any nerdy types," to remember me. She clarified she'd definitely work on a role for me, remembering there is a scientist geologist or two in the script... (Sadly, that script was never greenlit.)
I drowsed awake a few time and got up at 5:30am. After all my standard morning preparations, I was still early for my bus. So I started walkin'.
I got down Santa Monica Boulevard when the 212 caught up with me, and I took it to 3rd. I started walkin'. I know Wilton was a good walk, and I was still way early for my 7:30am calltime, and I arrived at 6:45am. Henrich was already there, was as Kelly and the bulk (if not all), of the production crew. Second A.D. Trent Dehahn introduced himself to me and I had my regular on-set catered breakfast.
Patty arrived just before 7am. As the set was a private domicile and no one was allowed on its street so much as a minute prior to 7:00am, at the very stroke of seven they hauled out of the initial basecamp and headed over.
Once the crew had all gone over, Patty and I were shuttled over in the next available shuttle van. There, Trent showed us to our trailer. Patty discovered hers had a few too many petrol fumes, and hair or make up needed some storage space, Patty and I took her stuff out and she and I shared the one half (that didn't smell).
Make up artist Fluer Morell (who I'd met at the fitting) did up Patty while hair stylist Colleen LaBaff dealt with my normally curly and obstinate hair, and Deborah Ferguson got us into wardrobe.
To my surprise, while Colleen worked on my hair, I noticed that Raymond O'Connor had stopped by; he was there for his wardrobe fitting. It only took him a moment to remember me, and I even asked him to meet and introduce himself to Patty, as I'd told her about him. He was gracious enough to have a photo taken with me. Turned out he was unaware (and happy to learn) that Darryl Hannah would be at his scene in the morning.
The caterers were now at the location and Patty got some eggs (and I got some more myself). When we were done we headed over and Trent brought us up to the home and upstairs, and they were pretty much already prepared for us.
[Regarding hours, btw, we broke for lunch from 1:00 to 1:30 and Patty and I wrapped at 7:15pm, giving us 3.75 hours of overtime: no meal penalties.]
It was a way cool day. Tons of coverage and Patty and I both really look forward to seeing the end result.
Henrik had added a very funny line to the script since the rehearsal. Patty is rather, well, quite impressively endowed... Instead of my just saying (that the problem is), "It's the necklace," the line became, "They're fake," with a gesture towards the necklace she wears.
Patty as Karen glances down at her bosom and slowly looks up, saying, "No... they're not..."
"Not those," I say somewhat dismissively. "It's the necklace," and it's back to the original script.
Unfortunately it was either too funny (we were delivering dry and straight), or deemed "too risque," but the line was dropped after an hour or so.
But it did get filmed...
Keeping the production steady was pleasant First A.D. Steve Carmendy, bearing the slightest resemblence to Fred Ward (and former coworker Ken Moore).
(Despite the fact that it never happened), I noticed in the contract the then possibility of their creating "give-away DVDs" (promotional, such as could be found at Fry's Electronics or Circuit City type places) with the film/s on them. (Also in the contract it indicated that payment would be within twelve [12] days from the shoot date...)
Henrich and his Director of Photography Crille Forsberg are both from Sweden, and when they conversed on set regarding shots and angles and such, it was all in Swedish.
I must confess I did stumble on my lines a few times, trying to keep up with the line revisions. Every now and then Henrich would have me deliver my lines/do my character in a radically different way than I'd been doing. Considering these drastic changes were with totally different camera angles, the editor will have his/her job cut out for him/her.
At first I stayed sort of hurt and sad puppy-dog. Later in the day he had me play it even sadder. Then he had me do it very dry, followed by very matter-of-factly.
I had no reason to argue: apart from it demonstrating my range, I was a bit curious if (similar to doing an improv), I could make the spectrum wide changes myself at the drop of a hat.
Also we were given an added "unscripted tag" (which they did leave in), in which I "kill Raymond's character," as it were.
Patty seems surprised how briskly the shoot was moving: maybe a second take for safety, etc. I jokingly whispered to her, "Well, when they hire one-take wonders such as ourselves..."
"Oh you are so cast as the geologist in the movie if it gets made!" she replyed with a laugh.
Patty and I were given much applause when we were wrapped. Trent helped us with paperwork and was quite surprised at my knowledge of law.
Patty and I said our goodbyes and we were thanked profusely. Patty again was kind enough drop me at my domicile before heading back to the valley, each of us still jazzed over the day, and we both looked forward to seeing our (and the other) amazon.com short film/s.
Patty and I remained in email contact since the shoot. A week or three previous to this entry, I got paged from RSA that there was a tentatively planned screening for the amazon.com films for Tuesday, November 9th, and she wanted my mailing location (I thought with which to send my DVD copy of the spot). I immediately emailed Patty who had received the same information, so not surprisingly, we were both psyched about it.
However, no invitation for me ever arrived, and November 9th was approaching. I emailed Patty to see if she had learned of a time or place yet. She replied she had received a hardcopy invitation from RSA, and she gave me the time and place and the RSVP number to call.
I called the RSVP number and left my name and message (that I wanted to attend but had not yet received an invitation).
I got a return email that I would be on the list Plus One, and if I had any additional guests to let them know.
Patty had told me the location was "poolside," at 7025 Hawthorn at Orange (which turned out to be the rear of the Roosevelt Hotel). Neither of us could discern precisely what it meant, but the address sounded familiar, and Orange is a street right by my domicile. I quickly did a maps.yahoo.com search and sure enough, it was one block south of the Chinese Theatre.
I had to check it out, so I wandered over. There were lights on in the rooms indicated what seemed to be apartments, long since vacant. While no number on the outside, it was the only building 7025 could be. The door was wide open, so I carefully ventured inside. I could see the pool, but in the hallway, a lot of construction had been going on; dust and debris was littered about.
But the place also was not empty.
I got to the pool and looked about: apparently some sort of photo or film shoot was going on in one of the upper row of apartments. Unseen, I headed back out, and headed towards Orange to make sure this was the place. I went through the back service area of the Hotel Roosevelt (which was the only "Hawthorn at Orange" there was apart from actual apartments on the south side of Hawthorn).
I found a side way into the same pool area; clearer to see that there was some sort of media work being done upstairs: large lights on the balcony facing one of the rooms. Looking across the pool (I was now on its far side), I could see the other balcony of second floor rooms, all empty.
I returned home and emailed Patty my findings. We figured we'd Find Out Soon Enough on Tuesday.
Patty's and my emails reflected our growing excitement for the following evening. She had told me that this was not just our film (and the others)' being screening, but apparently a Launch Party for the amazon.com Amazon Theatre!
I walked by the building again, and found large circles of fabric hung about outside. I was unsure if that was for our event or what, but inside (the door was still open), there were racks on which were thin orange curtains.
Amazon Theatre Launch Party: On the Red Carpet
Patty's invitation said 8:00pm poolside. I walked from my domicile and arrived about 7:45, and found a line. It was definitely the right place. The fabric circles were used as rear projection screens on which the words Amazon Theatre and such were being projected.
As I got closer to the door where I could see the check-in desk, I noticed there seemed to be Two Lines, and as I'd been on foot, I had come from the other direction, and was in the Wrong Line.
When I got up to the front, one of the PR ladies immediately recognized me and asked if I'd met the press. I told her I had not realized there was another line, so she led me to the large orange press wall and personally introduced me by name to the waiting press photographers. I quickly removed my glasses for the photos, deliberately hanging them on my pocket so it's obvious I do wear them (as I do not wear them in the film).
As with most Americans, it's pretty commonplace to see celebrities on TV casually entering events and having dozens of photographic flashes going off at them. Now here I was, on a red carpet myself, dozens of photographic flashes going off at me. It was quite a surreal experience (and I could see how it freaked out King Kong), but it was way cool.
At the end of the line I was interviewed while being videotaped by (what I think was) In Direction (or maybe Indirection) magazine or such. There was so much, I wasn't able really to find out who was who and the RSA PR woman implied I'd receive information so I could get tear sheets and such (I never did receive any such materials).
Years ago I was "part of" the New Jersey press corp, sort of (long story), and I attended an MGM/UA press luncheon event at Tavern on the Green in Central Park. I arrived about five or ten minutes prior to the scheduled time, and I was the first journalist there... for about a half hour.
I was not first here; poolside was already packed. I entered the same "back" door and the hallway was now hidden by the orange curtains which were heavily backlit. The walkway to the pool seemed... organic for some reason. This later made sense; having not received the invitation I wasn't yet aware they were sort of focusing the event on an Orange theme. Large screen TVs were all over the place, looping the short Agent Orange.
All five of the shorts were available for viewing on individual Apple laptops on various tables around the pool. I was able to find the one showing Careful What You Wish For, pretty close to the open bar (never too far from which was comedian Jon Lovitz).
Having hired a DJ (who thankfully at least didn't make announcements), the music was brutally loud, making very difficult viewing the videos the event was promoting. That is, hearing them. No group could enjoy them, they could only be viewed properly one viewer at a time, due to a single set of headsets per laptop. People began to notice I was the performer in the spot. I was quickly handed the headset and I was able to watch it. Considering the big-screen TVs were showing the image-overload music-video'esque Agent Orange (without audio), I was impressed with how Careful What You Wish For was done. Sitting at the table was Staci La Van who introduced herself and that she was the spot's editor, commending our work, as did nearby producer Fran McGivern (who at the time neglected to mention it is her sultry British voice doing the narration for Minnie Driver's Portrait short).
I made my way around to the other laptops; each of the spots were done Letterbox format, though some of their aspects were More Letterbox than others. Producers Hans Ritter and Brigette Whisnant, each came across me and offered their congratulations as well. I'm not sure if it was Hans or Bridgette who told me our spot was scheduled to start airing December 7th.
I think it was Producer (and RSA president) Jules Daly who conveyed that there was an article in that day's Wall Street Journal, a front page article.
It didn't take me too long to find Patty. Learning she had not run the press gauntlet and as This Is Why [She] Has A Badger, I brought her outside to the PR people, who graciously did for Patty what they'd done for me. Patty later indicated she'd have preferred having me with her for it, though I was close enough that as she got to the end I was brought in and a few photos were taken of us together.
Kent Winfrey found us as well, along with his guest, Belin Bexton (a friendly actress resembling a cross between Angelina Jolie and Anna Falchi).
The photographers for Patrick McMullan came by and asked for another few photos, so Patty and I and Kent posed for them.
Of amazon dot com marketing, Chris Bruzzo (sp?) introduced himself to us, relating that each short was being given its own Internet Movie Database entry. It turns out that the IMDB and amazon.com are sister companies. Kent actually was aware of this, a friend of his working in the same Washington state building.
Patty offered to drive me home, so we figured we should hit the 24-hour newsstand for that day's Wall Street Journal. On our way out, we obtained the small swag-bags filled with Thank You stuff for the attendees. Once as we headed to her car, Patty mentioned spotting Lara Flynn Boyle at the event. I'd not realized she was there, I hadn't seen her: I would later learn there were even more folks I didn't meet...
The newsstand had three copies left of the Wall Street Journal, all of which I purchased. As we headed back towards my place, I noticed there was no front page article, but quickly checked that it was a front page, just not of section one: it was page one of the Business Section. The article listed Darryl Hannah as "starring" in our spot (using an accompanying behind-the-scenes photo of Darryl with the guitar), which is fine by us (her cameo is actually a few seconds).
I gave Patty her copy and retained the other two, one for Kent and one for me. We noticed the swag-bag each had a t-shirt promoting tonight's event, and had orange-related materials: personal care products and novels Tim Dorsey's political satire novel Orange Crush and the Joanne Harris book Five Quarters of an Orange.
Dropping the stuff at my place, I scooted back to the event and gave Kent his copy of the article. No sign of Lara Flynn Boyle, but Kent indicated having spotted Orlando Jones but I couldn't find him myself. A shame too; the previous week I'd worked on two Capitol One spots directed by David Kellogg who directed Orlando in a 7Up spot on which I worked featured-background.
Online Debut date: November 09, 2004
I liked this li'l spin, slightly on the Dorian Gray side with Sex In The City overtones.
Amanda Detmer plays Esther, the overweight put-upon financial-firm partner who clearly knows more than her partners combined. Minnie Driver plays Donna, the heartless head of the firm who has no problem with her cohorts (Erica [Jaqueline Anderson] and Carolyn [Sabra Miller], the most underused character), tormenting Esther by (off-screen) berating her Bud Glamour Shot. Amanda Detmer, who got flattened by a bus in Final Destination, here finds her Inner Self revealed in a glamour shot portrait. The obvious moral that one's Inner Self may not be what others really should see. The perfect British accented narrator is producer Fran McGivern (who produced my short).
Director: Jordan Scott
The shortest of the five shorts, this image-intensive, sensory overload short has a young man Christopher Carley spotting a young woman (Jessica Stam), whose orange attire has her stand out in the dreary fluorescent-light green of the 7th Street MTA MetroLine subway Blue Line. With no spoken dialogue and a jazzed up opera soundtrack, it moves briskly along as the boy tries to meet her officially.
Director: Tony Scott
Do Geese See God
Worthy of Rod Serling, beyond my short, this one is my favourite. The centerpiece and the longest of the five shorts at ten and a half minutes, this hyper-edited, creepy short has a seemingly unnamed man (Blair Underwood), trapped in a causality loop. Yes, I know sci-fi fans will know what that means faster than most, but that's why I use the term, so that I won't be giving it away to most people.
Blair finds himself having to follow a nightmarish maze of directions by a sinister cartoon mouse (rat)?, in a world filled not only with time loops, but numerous palindromes. At one point he comes across a unsettling bum played by Ezra Buzzington (a friend of mine who I first met back when he and I worked on the AmeriTech Cellular commercial), who cryptically refers to Blair as "Doctor Awkward," and generally is the homeless person you don't want suddenly speaking to you.
Super cute Mageina Tovah (who was the cute Russian girl neighbour with the crush on Peter Parker in SpiderMan 2), plays a rose vendor, gentling calling out to rat-race passers-by to stop and smell the flowers.
Kudos also to Gilbert John as the (sightless?) weasel.
Ezra later told me his director informed him they actually cut this short back. It's original, longer cut was so intense it overly creeped out the clients (I am so not surprised). If this was the trimmed back version, I would love to see the original, longer, director's cut.
Director: David Slade
In this cute comedy, Chris Noth plays a well-meaning but somewhat clueless father who clearly should pay more attention to his children. When the youngest of his daughters bemoans that the tooth fairy had not claimed her tooth the previous night, he spends the subsequent night in a scavenger hunt for the tooth, now hidden somewhere in the house. Amusingly, amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos has a cameo as a passing neighbourhood security guard...
Director: Jake Scott
Official Online Debut date: December 07, 2004
After thirty years of marriage, a present-day husband (Geoffrey Gould) 'fesses up to his wife (Patty Lotz) that the diamonds in her favourite necklace... are fake. Years earlier, when the husband "was young and stupid" (Kent Winfrey), he'd been taken, suckered, by a slick salesman (Raymond O'Connor). Even the salesman's Zen-minded partner (Pras) cannot find anything of redemption in the man, who brazenly cares nothing for inevitable karmic backlash. Buying a guitar, Darryl Hannah has a quick don't-blink cameo in the pawn shop.
Director: Henrik Sundgren (enigmatically billed in the credits as "ACNE"...)
A few days prior to this entry date I showed a coworker at our temp assignment the Careful What You Wish For movie at amazon dot com.
This entry date, I happened to check out the IMDB (as I am wont to do), and its front page was about the then-new Tribeca Short-Subject Film Festival, being held at Amazon. I happened to check and Amazon Theatre referred only to the Film Festival. I clicked on the link to Careful What You Wish For and found it to be gone.
All five of the shorts were gone, ours after only three days shy of three months.
Ah well... it was a good run.
Patty Lotz and Geoffrey Gould
in Careful What You Wish For
Geoffrey Gould w/Raymond O'Connor
for Careful What You Wish For
Geoffrey Gould at the press guantlet
for Amazon Theatre launch party
Patty Lotz at the press guantlet
Kent Winfrey (with his date),
at the Amazon Theatre launch party
at the press guantlet for
Amazon Theatre launch party
The lovely and talented Patty Lotz
of Careful What You Wish For
What with after four years the contract still being in abeyance an'all...
Four years since the shoot date of Careful What You Wish For, to date having never received my contractually-obligated DVD copy of the short (and my agent and I independently made several reminders/requests). I was fortunate enough to locate it online and, for a time, the other four discarded shorts. Sadly, the video files at those links have since been removed; I thought I had acquired all five, but cannot locate any by my own short: Careful What You Wish For.
Online, somewhat
Not sure if I would find it; to make a tongue-in-cheek reply on Twitter, I looked for and found on YouTube a rather horribly grainy copy of Careful What You Wish For that someone had uploaded.
Makes me wonder whether I should do the same so it's clearer.
Careful What You Wish For...
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We got this strip brand by recommendation of our electrical contractor who has been using it for years. Very solid and seems durable for our intended outdoor use. A powerful light which is also dimmable. Incredible results. We used it in our outdoor Tiki Hut and are amazed by the change this light brought!
We have installed this in our third location now. This driverless strip is a no brainer.
Have purchased this strip light from Lumilum many times now. Always consistent. Super quality. Shipping is fast.
Best product ever. Forget the transformers and having to wire 16foot segments together. This strip comes in 165ft and is bright all the way along the strip-No voltage drop. Is perfectly dimmable with existing dimmers. We only use this product for all our strip lighting.
Great product, easy to install. Bright and easily dimmable. Very fast shipping. Thanks.
The best 120V Strip out there. This is a commercial grade product which we have installed many times. The light is increadibly even and bright. The strip is well constructed and so far has been tested both indoors and outdoors with great results. Our customers are always happy with the result.
Do away with the drivers and transformers! large distance of strip lights installed so easily. Out of the box with a plug. Cannot be more easy. and the light is great, bright and consistent along the entire run. Very happy customer! will buy again!
Great product. One of the few ETL/UL rated 120V strip I could find online and that has all the required stickers and Certifications to pass our building inspection. The quality shows and brightness is superb. Also, this is the only strip that can be cut by the foot. Most of the chinese models out there are in metric 50 centimeters increments. We needed the 12 inch multiples so we moved ahead with this one. Can only recommend this model!
Look no further. For long distance this is the product. We have also used it for under-counter lighting for some of our clients and it works perfectly.
Best option on the market. This 120V strip light will get you the highest lumen output of all the options after researching the market. It is ETL rated and at the price this company sells it for makes it our choice for our NY clientele.
I really like this 120V Strip. This one can be cut every 12 inches make info much easier than the 50 cm cuttable. Also the plastic housing seems much more compact and well finished than the strips I have purchase in the past. This one is dimmable and you call tell that the LED Chips are top notch.
Ideal product for long run led strip light requirements. SMD 5050 chips that are bright. Same results as with traditional strip light but without the need of a driver.
I have completed 2 orders so far. Being from WY (Wyoming) typically shipping is the major concern. However, the sales personnel at Lumilum have made sure the products were delivered on time. They have also helped with my orders and pointed out any errors that were made on my choices. Thank you!
GREAT SERVICE! SHIPPED FAST. THE PRODUCT DOES EXACTLY WHAT WE EXPECTED. USED IN A 135FT LONG INDIRECT LIGHTING INSTALLATION, LIGHT IS BRIGHT AND CLEAR. PRICED RIGHT AT THIS STORE.
Great quality product. Shipped fast and arrived in good condition - well packaged. The light is powerful and uniform along the entire strip. We used two rolls for a cove lighting inhalation in a church. These lights are filly dimmable as is described in the specs. Much easier than working with the low voltage version, no need for transformers.
Bought these LED strip lights in red and green for the holidays. Our house looks fantastic! So much bright light, nights will never be the same! I also saw the blue strip on display in the store and the color is simply amazing.
Used these for a very long cove light installation. Makes a lot of sense to use these since no driver is required. No cutting, connecting etc. Just plug in and cut at the desired distance.
Received my product in good condition and timely manner. The brightness is superb. When cutting the strip you need to keep in mind that the electricity has polarity after the rectifier, so when you cut you need to make sure the + connects with + and the - with -. Not clearly marked but easy to figure out by testing before installing. Definitely recommend this product.
Ideal product for long distance installations. Super bright!
Works well, very bright, dimmable and cuttable. Ideal product for long distance installations. Roll comes with 165ft of strip.
Bought 2 roll of the warm white version for a clients cove lighting project. Works perfectly, is dimmable, no driver. Very easy to install, no hassles. I will use this product for cove lights for now on - a no brainer!
Bought the Blue 120V LED Strip for my gazebo. Looks amazing! simple to install since you plug it directly to the outlet and don't need to do any hardwiring whatsoever.
We used the product in a cove that required 125 Ft of strip. This is much easier than combining the 12V for which you need several power sources to combat the voltage drop. This high voltage light can be cut so it makes the job easy. Quality of product was as expected and shipping was fast!


text:
*****************
How to contribute
*****************

So you want to contribute to the Powerline project? Awesome! This document
describes the guidelines you should follow when making contributions to the
project.

**Please note that these guidelines aren't mandatory in any way, but your
pull request will be merged a lot faster if you follow them.**

Getting started
===============

* Make sure you have a `GitHub account <https://github.com/signup/free>`_.
* Submit an `issue on GitHub
  <https://github.com/Lokaltog/powerline/issues>`_, assuming one does not
  already exist.

  * Clearly describe the issue.
  * If the issue is a bug: Make sure you include steps to reproduce, and
    include the earliest revision that you know has the issue.

* Fork the repository on GitHub.

Making changes
==============

* Create a topic branch from where you want to base your work.

  * Powerline uses the `Git Flow
    <http://nvie.com/posts/a-successful-git-branching-model/>`_ branching
    model.
  * Most contributions should be based off the ``develop`` branch.
  * Prefix your branch with ``feature/`` if you're working on a new feature.
  * Include the issue number in your topic branch, e.g.
    ``321-fix-some-error`` or ``feature/123-a-cool-feature``.

* Make commits of logical units.
* Run your code through ``flake8`` and fix any programming style errors. Use
  common sense regarding whitespace warnings, not all warnings need to be
  fixed.
* Make sure your commit messages are in the `proper format
  <http://tbaggery.com/2008/04/19/a-note-about-git-commit-messages.html>`_.
  The summary must be no longer than 70 characters. Refer to any related
  issues with e.g. ``Ref #123`` or ``Fixes #234`` at the bottom of the
  commit message. Commit messages can use Markdown with the following
  exceptions:

  * No HTML extensions.
  * Only indented code blocks (no ``````` blocks).
  * Long links should be moved to the bottom if they make the text wrap or
    extend past 72 columns.

* Make sure you have added the necessary tests for your changes.
* Run *all* the tests to assure nothing else was accidentally broken.

Programming style
-----------------

* The project uses *tabs for indentation* and *spaces for alignment*, this
  is also included in a vim modeline on top of every script file.
* Run your code through ``flake8
  --ignore=W191,E501,E121,E122,E123,E128,E225`` to fix any style errors. Use
  common sense regarding whitespace warnings, not all ``flake8`` warnings
  need to be fixed.
* Trailing whitespace to indicate a continuing paragraph is OK in comments,
  documentation and commit messages.

Submitting changes
==================

* Push your changes to a topic branch in your fork of the repository.
* If necessary, use ``git rebase -i <revision>`` to squash or reword commits
  before submitting a pull request.
* Submit a pull request to `Lokaltog's repository
  <https://github.com/Lokaltog/powerline>`_.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


For now, though, rates are tantalizingly low. The average 30-year fixed-rate loan sank to 4.78 percent this week, the lowest this year and barely above the record of 4.71 percent set in December. And 15-year loans are at their lowest rates in two decades.
�Strike now,� suggested Greg McBride, senior financial analyst at Bankrate.com.
Some homeowners are doing just that. Applications to refinance surged this week to the highest level in seven months, the Mortgage Bankers Association said.
Anxiety over the European crisis has caused global investors to snap up Treasury bonds, which they view as much safer than other investments. Treasury yields have fallen as a result, taking mortgage rates down, too.
When the crisis eases, and especially if the American economy recovery stays on track, expect investors to move out of bonds and back into stocks. That would make mortgages more expensive.
�If the economy finally really shows sustained improvement, rates are definitely going to go up,� said Fred Chamberlin, a consultant with Alpine Mortgage Planning in Eugene, Ore.
He suggests that homeowners looking to refinance move fast and not hold out for even lower rates. �If you want the bottom, the only way you�re going to know it is when you�ve missed it,� Chamberlin said.
Refinancing isn�t right for everyone who qualifies. It typically costs several thousand dollars in fees. Experts suggest calculating how long it will take to recover those fees with the lower loan rate.
As cheap as mortgages are these days, the number of loans being taken out to buy homes remains at its lowest point in more than 13 years. One reason is that a special tax credit for homebuyers expired last month. Many people had rushed to sign contracts by then.
Another obstacle: trouble qualifying for a mortgage. Borrowers need solid credit and a down payment of at least 3.5 percent. Banks tightened lending standards after millions of borrowers fell into default and foreclosure during the housing bust.


In order to break away from the traditional case study as a white paper, I created a design piece that is more infographic in nature to convey the information.
Infographic Style Case Study For La Madeleine Cafe.
I am so pleased you have taken the time to stop by and have a look.


text:
Introducing the UEFA Europa Conference League
Shevchenko and the Ukrainian National Team
Inter Milan vs Shakhtar Donetsk – Europa League – Preview
Shakhtar Donetsk face Basel in Gelsenkirchen
Russian Premier Liga 2020/21 season preview
Futbolgrad Podcast – Episode 139 – Mircea Lucescu Controversy
Futbolgrad
Arsenal face tough Atlético Madrid challenge in the Europa League
Fussballstadt 0	April 24, 2018 5:40 pm
Arsenal vs Atlético Madrid – Thursday, April 26, 20:05BST/21:05CEST – Arsenal Stadium, London, England
Arsenal vs Atlético Madrid will take place a the Emirates Stadium in London (Chris Williams/ Futbolgrad Network)
Will Arsène Wenger guide his side to the UEFA Champions League before finally riding into the sunset after 22 years in charge of Arsenal? That is the prevailing question ahead of the semifinal clash against Atlético Madrid.
Winning the Europa League will be the only opportunity to qualify for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League next season. Currently, sixth in the standings Arsenal qualified for the Champions League 17 times in a row between 2000 and 2017 before finally missing out on the competition at the end of last season.
Falling out of the top four in England can be deadly, and Arsenal now appear to miss out on the Champions League once again, which could hurt the club in the long-term. The Europa League was, therefore, seen as the final straw to still reach Europe's premium competition.
After facing relative weak competition with Östersund, Milan and CSKA Moscow Arsenal now face a monumental task against Atlético. The Spaniards, after all, have been a competitor in the Champions League in recent years and observers have been surprised that Los Colchoneros failed to get out of their Champions League group.
Second in La Liga Atlético have been in strong form, and Diego Simeone has now targeted the Europa League to make up for the club's poor performance in the Champions League. Without a doubt, the Spaniards will be the favourites in the clash against Arsenal.
Arsenal vs Atlético Madrid – Players to look out for:
Mesut Özil #11 – Arsenal FC
It was somewhat expected that Mesut Özil would leave the Gunners at the end of the season. The German national team player, however, decided to renew his contract and will now be a key player in Arsenal's rebuild over the coming years. With four goals and nine assists in 26 Premier League games Özil has been in excellent form, and the North London side will be relying heavily on the assist king against Atlético.
Mesut Özil will be Arsenal's key player. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
Antoine Griezmann #7 – Atlético Madrid
Will he stay, or will he go? Antoine Griezmann has been at the centre of many transfer rumours with Barcelona, Real Madrid and Manchester United all mentioned as possible destinations. With 19 goals and eight assists in 30 La Liga games, there is no doubt that Griezmann would be a fantastic addition to any club. The forward has also added two goals and three assists in three Europa League games and has now told the press that a decision on his future will be made ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Antoine Griezmann will have to make a decision about his future. (Photo by Sebastian Widmann/Bongarts/Getty Images for Audi)
Arsenal vs Atlético Madrid – Match Stats
Arsenal and Atlético have never met in UEFA competition, though the Gunners did beat their Spanish opponents 2-1 at home in the 2009 pre-season Emirates Cup.
The Gunners have won only ten of their 31 UEFA competition matches against teams from Spain, losing 14.
At home, their record in 14 encounters is W8 D3 L3, the most recent a 2-0 defeat against Barcelona in the 2015/16 UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg.
The London club have won five of their nine two-legged UEFA ties with Liga opposition but have lost each of the last three – all to Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League.
Atlético's record in 27 matches against English clubs is W10 D11 L6, and they have been victorious in seven of their nine two-legged knockout contests, including each of the last three; only Derby County (1974/75 UEFA Cup) and Bolton Wanderers (2007/08 UEFA Cup) have eliminated them. On English soil, however, they have won twice in 12 visits, losing four times.
Futbolgrad Network Prediction: Arsenal vs Atlético Madrid – 0-2
Arsenal vs Atlético Madrid – Lineups
Arsenal:
Formation: 4-3-2-1
Čech – Bellerín, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal – Ramsey, Xhaka, Wilshere – Mkhitaryan, Özil – Lacazette
Head Coach: Arsene Wenger
Atlético Madrid:
Formation: 4-4-2
Oblak – Juanfran, Savić, Godín, Lucas – Correa, Saúl Ñíguez, Gabi, Koke – Griezmann, Diego Costa
Head Coach: Diego Simeone
Manuel Veth is the owner and Editor in Chief of the Futbolgrad Network. He also works as a freelance journalist and among others works for the Bundesliga and Pro Soccer USA. He holds a Doctorate of Philosophy in History from King's College London, and his thesis is titled: "Selling the People's Game: Football's transition from Communism to Capitalism in the Soviet Union and its Successor States," which is available HERE. Originally from Munich, Manuel has lived in Amsterdam, Kyiv, Moscow, Tbilisi, London, and currently is located in Victoria BC, Canada. Follow Manuel on Twitter @ManuelVeth. Or contact him via email: [email protected]
Featured 1708 Gazeta 712 Arsenal 34 Atlético Madrid 33 Europa League 177
AUTHOR: Fussballstadt
Goncharenko and why CSKA Moscow's dinosaurs should not go to the World Cup
Marseille seek revenge against Salzburg in Europa League semifinal
2020 Champions League Restart Preview
Fussballstadt 0 July 7, 2020
The Champions League returns next month after a four-month layoff after the competition suspended in March. There are still plenty of big names left i [...]
English Football League | Pyramid System Explained
Fussballstadt 0 June 30, 2020
The English Football League Pyramid System is nothing but the hierarchy of how the English football leagues work. English football is widely watched a [...]
Facts about Canadian Alphonso Davies
Fussballstadt 0 January 18, 2021
Gegenpressing – Bundesliga Podcast – USMNT Roundup and Bayern eliminated by Kiel
Gegenpressing – Bundesliga Podcast – A New Hoppe for Schalke! Omar Richards to Bayern?
Gegenpressing – Bundesliga Podcast – Alaba to leave Bayern? Sancho is back!
Fussballstadt 0 January 3, 2021
Gegenpressing – Bundesliga Podcast – Tuchel fired! Winners and losers of 2020
Fussballstadt 0 December 31, 2020
Gegenpressing – Bundesliga Podcast – Schalke the new Kaiserslautern? Lewandowski the best!
Shakhtar Donetsk Host Wolfsburg in the Europa League's Round of 16
Dzyuba saves Zenit blushes with late penalty to win Russian Cup
Ian Hudson on Salzburg give Liverpool a massive scare at Anfield
João Ferreira on Jonathan David: The Ideal Long-Term Replacement For Lewandowski At Bayern?
estonian on Flora Tallinn host last-year's Europa League semifinalists Eintracht Frankfurt
Jon Bret on Jonathan David – Another Canadian Sensation for the Bundesliga?
João Ferreira on Leroy Sané – How would he fit in at Bayern?
© 2019 Fussballstadt All rights reserved.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


LAS VEGAS – Project 150 has appointed Meli Pulido and Harper Ko to its board of directors. Pulido served as executive director of Project 150 for two years. Ko joined the Project 150 advisory board in early 2015, prior to her being appointed to the board of directors.
As executive director of Project 150 from February 2013 to February 2015, Pulido was responsible for helping the organization grow from serving 12 to 38 Nevada schools, in addition to establishing key community partnerships with the City of Las Vegas, Zappos, Cirque du Soleil and more.
Before joining Project 150, Pulido's nonprofit experience included helping various organizations that advocate in areas of hunger relief, rights for higher education, youth leadership, and fair access to health care. She retired from the City of Las Vegas in 2011 after a 25-year career in human resources. In 2008, Pulido was the third Hispanic woman in Nevada to be selected to attend the Premier National Hispana Leadership Institute (NHLI), a yearlong leadership program that included executive training at the Center of Creative Leadership and at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Ko serves as deputy general counsel – gaming for Scientific Games. She joined the company after working for eight years at Bally Technologies, which was acquired by Scientific Games in November 2014. As assistant general counsel at Bally Technologies, Ko served as primary counsel in support of Bally's gaming device business and casino management systems business, in addition to playing a key role in the integration of the SHFL entertainment Inc. gaming business following Bally's acquisition of that company in 2013.
Project 150 is a 501(c)3 nonprofit charitable organization, founded in December 2011 by local businessmen Don Purdue and Patrick Spargur. The two had heard about 150 homeless high school students at Rancho High School in Las Vegas who were in need of support over the Christmas break. Since that time, Project 150 has expanded and now serves more than 1,900 homeless, displaced and disadvantaged high school students in 43 schools throughout Nevada. Project 150 provides these students with food, clothing, school supplies, sports equipment, shoes and other needs so they have what they need to continue school and be successful in life.
For additional information about Project 150 and its programs, visit www.Project150.com, or call 702-721-7150. Follow Project 150 on Facebook and Twitter.


Burns & McDonnell investigated and remediated lead-contaminated fill from residences in the Fredericktown, Mo., area. The lead-impacted fill was originally removed from the shoulders of Highway OO by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) and placed in stockpiles at approximately 20 locations in Madison, St. Francois, and St. Genevieve counties, most of which were residential locations. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), under CERCLA, issued an Order on Consent for Removal Action to MoDOT for investigation and removal of the soil.
MoDOT retained Burns & McDonnell to prepare a work plan, quality assurance project plan (QAPP), and health and safety plan (HASP) in accordance with the terms of the settlement agreement between EPA and MoDOT. In accordance with the approved work plan, Burns & McDonnell conducted soil investigation activities and managed the remediation, removal and disposal of lead-impacted fill.
Burns & McDonnell initially visited each site to inspect the stockpiles and areas where residents had spread the fill within their yards. Burns & McDonnell photographed and mapped each stockpile and placement area using global positioning system (GPS) equipment.
Burns & McDonnell conducted investigation activities following EPA approval of the work plan, QAPP and HASP in accordance with an approved schedule. Soil investigation activities included the sampling the existing intact soil stockpiles and areas where soil stockpiles had been spread by the property owner. Soil samples were analyzed for total lead content through laboratory analysis and field screening using X-ray fluorescence (XRF). Laboratory samples were also analyzed for lead using toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP). Sampling activities used both direct-push drilling equipment and hand sampling/probing tools.
After gathering and assessing the initial investigation data, Burns & McDonnell prepared a detailed cost estimate for removal action activities. Burns & McDonnell prepared bid documents for removal, including project specifications, construction drawings and bid forms. Burns & McDonnell solicited bids from contractors with experience in lead remediation, reviewed contractor qualifications, tabulated and assessed each bid, and provided recommendations to MoDOT for contractor selection.
Burns & McDonnell managed and supervised all activities related to the removal and remediation of approximately 4,500 cubic yards of lead-impacted fill. A total of 14 of the original 20 sites investigated required either direct removal of non-hazardous lead-impacted fill or treatment followed by removal of hazardous lead-impacted fill. Hazardous lead-impacted fill was treated in-situ through stabilization. The remediation contractor mixed a stabilization agent with the fill to immobilize and/or reduce the solubility of the lead to non-hazardous levels. Once treated, the fill was transported off-site as a non-hazardous waste to its final disposal location.
Upon completion of removal activities at each location, Burns & McDonnell collected confirmation samples within the waste footprint areas to confirm that the waste exceeding remediation objectives had been completely removed. Upon confirmation of removal, each site was restored to as near the original state as practical. Restoration activities included importing and placing backfill at each site, grading each area to match pre-existing grades, and re-seeding or resurfacing each area to match surrounding conditions.


MIT researchers are working on a palm-sized bipedal robot called Skinbot that crawls over your body using suction-cup feet. As creepy as it may sound, the tiny robot is actually designed to capture a wide variety of body parameters with an exchangeable multipurpose sensing module.
The researchers based their study on semi-autonomous robots that explore challenging environments such as rubble of natural disasters, the bottom of the oceans, or distant planets like Mars. They decided to create a similar robot that can explore the human body.
To capture as many body parameters as possible, the researchers created several modules containing a 3-axis accelerometer, a skin-facing RGB camera, and a magnet-based grip to allow the attachment of other existing biosensors. To help increase the sensing capabilities, they modified the cups to serve as electrodes and capture electrodermal activity from the wrist or electrocardiograms from the chest.
Dementyev said he sees the robots as small doctors that can be ordered on demand and delivered inside a small box to your house. "The robot can have a microscope that looks at the skin. [It] can crawl thoroughly and inspect the skin for signs of cancer or other skin problems, perhaps while you sleep. The robot knows the precise locations and can record changes over time. This would be impossible with current technology, as it would require to look at the skin with a microscope," he said.
Skinbot could also be used to accurately map the mechanical properties of the body by walking around physically and applying pressure on the skin to determine the hardness or softness of various areas. By changing the sensors, the Skinbot could be used to measure pulse and blood pressure and then perform an ultrasound. Besides medical applications, the tiny robots could also be used as a human-computer interface, in fashion, or in body care, such as applying makeup or tattoo.


The most profitable investment you could ever make is in education. More specifically, educating yourself. Check out any rags to riches millionaire, and you'll notice a distinct pattern: they worked hard, and they worked even smarter. What set them apart, however, is their financial knowledge.


text:
Did Hawaii Really Ban Sunscreens?
On May 1st—May Day—Hawaiian legislators answered the reef's Mayday and passed a bill banning chemical sunscreens that have been proven to harm coral reefs. State Bill 2571 bans the use or sale of oxybenzone and octinoxate, two common chemical sunscreens. It goes into effect in January of 2021, giving the reefs a much-needed break!![i]
Legislators in Hawaii have been trying to ban sunscreens like oxybenzone and octinoxate for some time because of their hazardous effects on coral reefs, but what does that mean for people? Maybe you've read how quickly the reefs are disappearing and that we need to act now to save them. Maybe you've heard the opposition argue that people still need sunscreen to protect themselves from sunburns and skin cancer. Do people really have to choose who and what they want to protect?
Hawaiian legislators only ban sunscreens oxybenzone and octinoxate
The simple answer is "no." Not all sunscreens are harmful to the reefs. Mineral sunscreens like the ones used in Goddess Garden's products are safe for the reefs and people alike. We can protect ourselves and the reefs, and most people won't even notice a difference. There are currently 16 sunscreens the FDA will allow as an active ingredient for sun protection. Of those, only eight are used regularly and only two of those eight protect against UVA rays, the rays that cause skin cancer and premature aging.[ii] The legislative ban in Hawaii affects two of the 16 ingredients—oxybenzone and octinoxate—leaving plenty of sun protection options, including zinc, that protect from cancer-causing UVA rays.
What's really happening in Hawaii with sunscreen?
Even though this has only recently gained attention, there has been a lot of effort happening behind the scenes. In January of 2017, Senator Espero, along with Senators English, Chang and others, introduced a bill to ban reef-harming chemical sunscreens like oxybenzone from being used or sold in marine life conservation districts. It passed through the Senate and the House of Representatives, but narrowly missed becoming a bill.
Opponents cited the need for more research and countered with the importance of people protecting themselves from sunburns and skin cancer. Reef-safe sunscreens like Goddess Garden's have been available for a long time, and the best UVA/skin cancer protectors were not even up for the ban, but their arguments were strong enough to sway the vote. The ban failed to pass at the time, but reef-safe education was out there and a plan was in place. Senator Espero promised to keep fighting for the reefs and was true to his word.
How was Goddess Garden involved in Hawaii?
Since 2005, we've been making reef-safe mineral sunscreen. Our motivation originally stemmed from our founders' need for a safe and effective sunscreen for their daughter who was allergic to the chemicals in sunscreens. As it turns out, the reefs have sensitive skin as well. Goddess Garden Founders Nova and Paul have always been dedicated to protecting the environment. Long before the bill was introduced, they worked with the University of Colorado Boulder to study the effects of sunscreen chemicals on the coral reefs. As a company, we've used that and other research to educate the public about the need to use reef-safe sunscreen. We've offered samples to help people do their part to protect this fragile ecosystem and we supported organizations who are protecting the reefs and oceans. When Hawaii proposed the ban, we knew we had to support it, too!
In 2017, we provided testimony in support of the bill and wrote to senators and representatives urging them to protect the reefs. We sent free sunscreen to multiple groups for educational events all over Hawaii. People traded in in their chemical sunscreen for a free bottle of our reef-safe sunscreens. We provided monetary assistance to groups helping to spread the word. And most importantly, we made our reef-safe sunscreen available in the places people shop. In 2017, when the bill was first introduced, we expanded our sunscreen sales into retailers like Walmart to make it easier for people to find safe options. If people were going to make a change, the change needed to be as easy as possible. We knew safe sunscreen needed to be more accessible!
Mineral sunscreen gets along swimmingly with coral reefs
A single ounce of chemical sunscreen product can contaminate 114 million gallons of ocean water.[iii] This can ultimately kill the coral reefs and affect all the life that depends on them. When you consider 14,000 tons of chemical sunscreen reach the reefs every year, you can see why Hawaii wanted to ban sunscreens oxybenzone and octinoxate and why the bill was such a milestone. Hawaii is blazing a trail we hope other states will follow, but we still have work to do. Because the ban doesn't take effect until January of 2021, reefs are still at risk. Hawaii isn't the only state with coral reefs either. We need to continue to educate people on the use of reef-safe mineral sunscreen and give all our remaining reefs a fighting chance. We need to help other states follow in Hawaii's footsteps, ultimately leaving footsteps only in the sand and not on the reefs!
Shop Reef-Safe Sunscreen Now
Why We Care About the Reefs
Helping Save the Reefs, One Bottle of Sunscreen at a Time
Give Chemicals the Bird: Environmental Damage
[i] https://cen.acs.org/articles/93/i20/Decade-FDA-Still-Wont-Allow.html
[ii] https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/measure_indiv.aspx?billnumber=2571&billtype=SB
[i] http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/10/20/450276158/chemicals-in-sunscreen-are-harming-coral-reefs-says-new-study
This entry was posted in Learn More, Lifestyle and tagged best reef safe sunscreen, Biodegradable Sunscreen, chemical sunscreen ban, coral reefs, coral safe sunscreen, eco-friendly sunscreen, Hawaiian oxybenzone ban, Hawaiian sunscreen ban, Hawaiian sunscreen bill, octinoxate ban, octinoxate bill, oxybenzone ban, oxybenzone bill, reef safe sunscreen brand, Reef-Safe Sunscreen, safe sunscreen, safe sunscreen list, save coral reefs, SB 2571, Senator Espero, sunscreen ban.
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Natural Alternatives to Retinol
Why We Call Our Sunscreen "Earth Safe"
Yes, Chemical Sunscreens Absorb. Here's What You Should Know.
The Roots of Goddess Garden
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Daughters of the Holy Spirit Convent, Amazing Grace Community Osogbo, started on 23rd September 2008.
On the above date, the house was blessed and four sisters, Sr Gloria Nnabuchi, Sr. Cecelia Anukem and Sr. Chibuzor Onyenanam moved into this house of charity.
Through the past years, the sisters have been here together, living our Charism and sharing it with all around.


text:
EP585: We All Scream
Author : Marie Vibbert
Narrator : Julie Davis
Host : Tina Connolly
Audio Producer : Adam Pracht
Discuss on Forums
EP585: We All Scream is an Escape Pod original.
http://traffic.libsyn.com/escapepod/EP585_We_All_Scream.mp3
We All Scream
By Marie Vibbert
We weren't, any of us, heroes. Aiden was a downright chicken. I'm allowed to say that; I love him. My husband doesn't have to live up to your expectations of masculinity. I'll beat the crap out of anyone who says otherwise. Me? I don't stick my neck out. I mind my own business, which is selling ice cream and looking after the twins. That's Aiden's business, too. We take turns driving the truck and keeping the kids from falling out of it.
It was Aiden driving that particular day. I was counting the money and finding that we'd gotten short-changed about the price of a dream bar at the playground stop – always happens when there's a large crowd. Little scammers.
"Count the dream bars, Stevie," I said. He rolled his eyes as he got to his feet like I'd asked him to carry eight loads of bricks ten miles. Molly raised her head and with the air of a saint said, "I can do it, Momma."
"Nothing doing, you keep on with your reading."
I was being mean and forcing them to do the work the other one was better at. Builds character. Molly hid her annoyance well.
The truck screeched to a halt, sending all three of us rolling to the front. I took the back of the driver's seat to the head as I grabbed my babies. "What the hell, Aiden?"
"Sorry! Sorry. Hon – the road…"
"Accident? Closed?" I made sure the kids were safe and got up.
"It's gone," Aiden said, just as I was able to see for myself.
Sure enough, a stretch as wide as a swimming pool was just missing from Fourth Street. The elementary school we were planning to hit right at closing was on the other side, screened by spraying water from severed pipes.
Molly crawled over her daddy's shoulder to stare. I had to pick her up and set her down. "Back up – let's turn at Malibu and head to Central Catholic."
"Shouldn't we find out what happened?" He asked.
"We'll find out soon enough on the radio," I said. See? Not a hero. "Better get out of here before the police block the roads and we're stuck all day."
"I want an ice cream," Steve said.
"But I huuuuurt," he said, and sniffled, and pointed at his completely injury-free knee.
"My reading book fell out!" Molly said, but I soon dashed her hopes by finding it under the freezer.
Aiden drove slowly and carefully, the back-up beep going loud until we reached Malibu Street, and then he crept along like an old lady or a drug dealer. I was about to yell at him to put his foot down or start the selling music, when he stopped the car again. "Honey?"
"Don't tell me this road is gone, too."
No such luck. I looked forward just in time to see a giant, scaly foot lift off the flattened remains of a mail truck on the corner of Malibu and Third.
Then we all bounced, rhythmically, with the measured tread of monster feet. No one would be out buying ice cream.
I might have said that out loud, because Aiden gave me such a look.
"Was that Godzilla?" Steve asked.
"There's no such thing as Godzilla," I said, but I wasn't entirely sure.
"Let's… go home," Aiden said.
"Yeah," I said. "Good idea."
We hit the first crowd of panicked people fleeing the city a block away – Third Street was completely gridlocked. We wove through a few alleyways – it pays to know your routes! – but got no closer to home than Miami Street.
"WOAH!" Molly called out. "He's here!"
We all bounced upward a second later, and a shadow fell over the truck. I gripped Aiden's arm hard. "Get us out of here!"
"How? Which way?"
We backed onto Second Street and found it as backed up as Third. Aiden tried to k-turn and got stuck between a hydrant and a taxi that was trying to squeeze into the alleyway we'd just come from. We all bounced again. Brick dust rained down on us with a sound like pouring cocoa pebbles.
I got out of the truck, blinking through the dust at this giant lizard just smashing his way through my town. It didn't look like Godzilla, actually – it wasn't a biped. It looked more like one of those bad old movies where they glue some spines on a chameleon and send it through a cardboard set. Well, I mean, it had spines is what I'm saying, and bug eyes and elbows that stuck outward like a chameleon. But it was, you know, forty feet tall, purple, and picking up a bus.
It blinked the little centers of its huge eyes, peering into the bus, and then tossed it aside. It looked unhurried, stomping down the street, breaking streetlights and news stands like you or I would step on twigs and grass. What do we care, right? Just a bunch of dumb grass.
In the movies, there would already be army trucks pulling up to shoot at the thing. I wondered how far the nearest army base was, and how they'd get through the expanding rings of stuck traffic as everyone tried to get the hell out of the way.
When I was in elementary school, we had chameleons – eight of them. The horticulture club bought them because they were supposed to be better at eating bugs off your plants than pesticides. I remember putting one on my red sweater and waiting for it to change color. It just clung there, looking helplessly up at me, bright green.
There was something almost cute and helpless about this guy, too – his outsized skinny legs and his rolling eyes. He picked up a VW and his tongue came out to taste it. The people inside screamed as he tossed it over his shoulder. It landed with a sickening crunch, upside down on top of the Langshaw Building. There's no way those people weren't human jelly. So… forget I said "cute."
"He's looking for food," I said. "Shit. What kind of insect would that thing eat?"
"Julia, would you please get your A-S-S back in the truck?" Aiden always spells profanity around the kids. He's more aware of that than I am, the sweetheart.
"Hang on," I said. I was getting an idea. "Let me drive."
There was a perfectly acceptable stretch of sidewalk to turn around in, if you didn't mind knocking over a few trashcans, which I did not. I got us back to Fifth and out toward the freeway onramp. It was backed up for miles, people stuck in the blazing sun on all that bright, hot concrete.
"We're not getting anywhere," I said. I parked under the overpass. It was quiet here, at least. No sign of anything coming. We all stared at each other. The radio was static. There was no way the kids would go back to their schoolwork. Aiden knelt next to the freezer, gently banging his head on the serving counter.
I switched the music on. "Okay kids! We're going car-to car. Get out the beach coolers."
When we hit the beach roads, sometimes we pack a few dozen bars into these lightweight coolers with shoulder straps. A little saunter down the beach, and you can sell out your load before the cops come to chase you off for soliciting on parkland.
I said, "Come on – it's not coming this way, and these people are going to not care so much about money." And we needed to DO something or we'd turn into four gibbering wrecks.
I charitably decided to only double our normal prices. The first car I came up to, when I quoted them six dollars for a dream bar, did not bat an eye. The next car screamed bloody murder, called me a communist, and rolled up their windows. "That's the way it goes," I said to the kids. "There's always someone willing to pay and someone who isn't. Remember that. Also, a communist would have given away the ice cream. We're capitalists. We're the opposite of communists."
"I want to go back in the truck," Steve said.
"I want to see Godzilla!" Molly said.
"We can do both when we're out of ice cream," I said.
"I don't WANNA see Godzilla!" Steve said. "Moooom!"
Well, we didn't have a choice either way. We were at the top of the onramp when the chameleon came into sight. A police helicopter was dogging him, someone shooting a riffle out the side. Chameleon was blinking and winking like it was bothering him, like hail might bother you, and damn if they weren't herding him our way. "Get back to the car," I said.
The kids dropped their coolers and bolted back the way we'd come. "With the ice… aw crap." I told myself to be grateful they had such good self-preservation instincts. I picked up their two coolers and hooked them over the same shoulder as mine.
I'm sure you see where this is going.
The heavy coolers were bulky as cows, and I couldn't turn around – there were cars on the berm, see, trying to make a third lane, so there wasn't much room for foot traffic – not that I'd been worried with the kids because the cars weren't going anywhere. But now? Now the giant lizard was nosing the overpass and people were jumping out of their cars and running for it, back after my kids, screaming and flailing and every idiot for himself and likely to trample my children!
I don't know what possessed me, I really don't. Maternal rage? I ran the other way – partially because I could, and then I was there, under the lizard's head, in the shadow of its chin. "HEY!" I shouted. "HEY LIZARD!"
It looked down, almost as if it understood me, and I swung my three coolers up and into its eye. "GO THE OTHER FUCKING WAY, YA BASTARD!"
It shook its head. The police helicopter swung around and away – maybe they were out of ammo. I've no idea. I swung my bag again and this time, the chameleon reared back. He snatched my coolers with his big sticky tongue and I had to let go or be dragged into his mouth. I let go. I staggered backward against a Volvo.
The chameleon tilted its head toward me, giant damn nose with two giant damn nostrils, sniffing at me. When I stopped being frozen stiff, I ran. The overpass shook. I fell. I looked behind me. The chameleon had one foot up on the bridge, and he was looking right at me. And he licked his lips. I swear to Baskin and Robbins.
"HE LIKES ICE CREAM!" I shouted. Well, really, who doesn't?
I got to my feet. His giant eyes tracked me. When I got a few feet, he stepped to follow.
I was sure as taxes not running back to my truck and leading the thing to my kids and husband. I ran down the ramp onto Ninth Street. It was abandoned now, the people all run away from their cars, the doors hanging open and a million stupid indicators going "bong bong bong" to let all of no one know.
There was a Ben and Jerry's on Ninth. I ran for it. The whole earth shook with chameleon steps, sending me stumbling three times before I got to the store. The door was open. Thank dumb luck. I ran in and grabbed armfuls of containers from the freezer. I turned to see giant nostrils pressed against the storefront window. A creepy three-fingered hand wrapped around the doorframe. I rolled a pint of Chunky Monkey out the door. He went for it. Then I ran out, dropping pints behind me as I ran down Ninth.
Well, you know the rest. The news crews caught up to me by the time I got to the Tasty Freeze on Queen Street. There the chameleon tore the roof off the place – I guess it's their fault for shaping it like a giant cone – or maybe it was just that Tasty Freeze had been around so long the whole place smelled like ice cream. After fifty years, that's gotta get into the concrete. My clothes sure stink of vanillin no matter how much I wash them.
I was exhausted, beat up – sore all over from a dozen spills on concrete and smashing glass windows and I had freezer burn on my hands. When the soldiers arrived with the truck from Dairymen's, I sat down where I was and closed my eyes, content to die right there.
Aiden found a way around the traffic while I was saving the city. It was good to get home to our own bungalow on the south side. We'd lost two gross of fudgsicles with the beach coolers, and one gross of bomb pops. I was sore about the fudgsicles, but Aiden made spaghetti for dinner, and I was famished, and it felt good to clean my wounds, even though the alcohol stung — like bees it stung. The water beforehand stung, but then I was all bandaged up and I had spaghetti, and yeah, that felt nice.
"You made us sell ice cream in a national emergency," Steve said, accusingly, having watched the news report in the meantime.
"You're mean," Molly said.
"We all could have been killed," Aiden said. "Let's never leave home again."
None of that bothered me. I grabbed the kids and kissed their heads, and they squirmed and complained about it.
What did bother me were the headlines. "Hero Ice Cream Man and His Wife." So help me. "Working Class Hero and Family Save the Day."
"Hero Ice Cream Man Charged Ten Dollars for Snow Cone" was another headline, because people gotta complain. So I keep saying to anyone who would listen: We were none of us heroes. Especially not my husband. I do love him, but jeez.
Categories: 10 and Up, EP Original, Podcasts
comedy, family, hero, humor, ice cream, Julie Davis, kaiju, kids, lizard, marie vibbert, monster, mother, tina connolly, We All Scream
Marie Vibbert
Marie Vibbert is a web developer from Cleveland, Ohio with over 15 professional short story sales. Her work has appeared in Analog, Asimov's, Apex, Lightspeed, and many other places. She played for the Cleveland Fusion Women's Tackle Football team and her favorite ice cream is Mitchell's Toasted Hazelnut.
Find more by Marie Vibbert
About the Narrator
Julie Davis lives in Dallas, Texas, where she does not have an ice cream truck but wishes she did after reading this story. Instead she reads favorite books on her podcast Forgotten Classics and discusses favorite books and movies at her other podcast, A Good Story is Hard to Find.
Find more by Julie Davis


Above all the goal of this trip was to see Hylocitrea, a monotypic, endemic, bird family confined to the mountains of Sulawesi. This was the whole reason-d'être for the trip for John and Karen. And so we were mighty relieved to get the bird, and get it well, on our first afternoon along Lore Lindu's Anaso Track during the first few days. A good number of endemics were recorded as expected-120 ENDEMICS in total (117 seen) on the tour, which yielded the expected 120+ lifers for the two very well-traveled, post-6,600 listers, who put this trip together. Among the long list of 21 raptor species recorded were all four of the endemic accipiters on Sulawesi, a rare group to complete on one trip.
We saw all of the tour's "signature birds", such as Purple-bearded Bee-eater, which was seen without any fuss along the Anaso Track during our ascent; Diabolical (Satanic) Nightjars were found at two different roosting sites, (even though neither of these were at the usually most reliable roosting site), with one confiding pair being very popular indeed as it led to not only great views but great photos of them in Lore Lindu; arguably the world's best pitta, Ivory-breasted Pitta, was seen well several times on Halmahera; and the Wallace's Standardwings, now visited from the comfort of a luxury dive resort, and with minimal physical effort required to reach the lek site, were seen up close and very well doing what birds-of-paradise do best: displaying; Lilac-cheeked Kingfisher initially gave us the run around in Tangkoko, before Samuel's keen eyesight put us out of our misery, when he found a quietly perched bird a short time before lunch on our last day, which headlines a star-studded cast of 15 kingfisher species seen on the tour (in the end we found two more after then!); and a contender for the world's most handsome thrush, Red-backed Thrush was stalked as it foraged on the forest floor in Tangkoko; some very close, and long looks, at the tricky Pygmy Hanging-Parrot proved very popular all round too.
And, of course, it would be a crime not to mention the superb looks we had at a Maleo heading to roost in the trees late one afternoon, which gave such long looks in that beautiful afternoon light which only served to intensify the rose-pink wash on the belly. Other popular, and significant moments, of the tour, included encountering two of the rarest rails in the region: on Halmahera an Invisible Rail was seen extremely close, after wading into a Sago swamp; and on Sulawesi the rare Blue-faced Rail had taken up temporary residence along the footpath at Tambun, allowing remarkable and regular views during our visit! Of course, one of the other great appeals of this tour are the myriad of nightbirds readily available, which we enjoyed immensely; from the recently described Cinnabar Hawk-Owl (Boobook) at Lore Lindu, to impressive day-roosting Ochre-bellied Hawk-Owl (Boobook) and Sulawesi Scops-Owls in Tangkoko. On top of that this tour is great for mammal-lovers and listers, providing chances to catch up with a small, though highly desired, group of endemic mammals from the region.
We did very well mammal-wise on this tour, picking up four endemic macaques (we actually walked among a large troop of Celebes Crested Macaques in Tangkoko; and saw Moor Macaque on our first day in South Sulawesi; picking up Tonkean Macaque in Lore Lindu in Central Sulawesi and the most rarely-seen of the quartet, Gorontalo Macaque along the Molibagu Road in North Sulawesi). Tangkoko proved itself, once again, as a must for mammal-listers, with the aforementioned habituated troop of some FORTY or so Celebes Crested Macaques there, accompanied by a magical sighting of a group of five Spectral Tarsiers, which included the photogenic moment of four of these pint-sized primates all lined up in a row on rainforest tree buttress. On top of that Tangkoko also gave us a great encounter with a Bear Cuscus later that same morning too.


text:
SYNONYM

#### According to
The Catalogue of Life, 3rd January 2011

#### Published in
Kew Bull. 37:547. 1983

#### Original name
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### Remarks
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Doppler radar detected Half Dollar size hail near Mountain Home, AR, Carthage, MO and Purdy, MO on July 20, 2018. This hail storm was traveling SE at 37 mph and the entire storm produced hail for roughly 2 hour(s). Radar reported a max hail size of 2.5″ and an average hail size of 1.43″. We estimate that 31,184 buildings were in the affected area and the probability of hail DHI detected was significant. Based on this information, you can expect potential damage to fruit, crops and vegetation, but not much else (Intensity Rating 1).
Doppler radar detected Quarter size hail near Branson, MO, Miami, OK and Alma, AR on July 8, 2017. This hail storm was traveling NNE at 11 mph and the entire storm produced hail for roughly 11 hour(s). There were 5 spotter report(s) with reported max hail size of 1.5″ and an average hail size of 1.17″. We estimate that 86,211 buildings were in the affected area and the probability of hail DHI detected was significant. Based on this information, you can expect to find damaged crops, glass damage, automobile bodywork damage, as well as isolated roof damage (Impact Rating 3).
Doppler radar detected Quarter size hail near Fort Smith, AR, Rogers, AR and Van Buren, AR on July 8, 2017. This hail storm was traveling ESE at 28 mph and the entire storm produced hail for roughly 11 hour(s). There were 6 spotter report(s) with reported max hail size of 1.5″ and an average hail size of 1.13″. We estimate that 93,012 buildings were in the affected area and the probability of hail DHI detected was significant. Based on this information, you can expect to find damaged crops, glass damage, automobile bodywork damage, as well as isolated roof damage (Impact Rating 3).
Doppler radar detected Half Dollar size hail near Branson, MO, Monett, MO and Vinita, OK on July 7, 2017. This hail storm was traveling NE at 9 mph and the entire storm produced hail for roughly 2 hour(s). There were 6 spotter report(s) with reported max hail size of 1.75″ and an average hail size of 1.38″. We estimate that 63,750 buildings were in the affected area and the probability of hail DHI detected was significant. Based on this information, you can expect to see minor damage to vehicles, tile roofs and crops in isolated areas (Impact Rating 2).


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You are at:Home»
Security screening upgraded at Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International
By Helen Norman on	 September 22, 2015 Uncategorised
Airport operator Jackson Municipal Airport Authority (JMAA) has partnered with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to install new passenger security screening systems at Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport in Mississippi, USA.
JMAA has been working in partnership with the TSA to secure and install the advanced imaging technology (AIT), which will allow most passengers to participate in the security screening process without the need for physical contact with a TSA employee.
The imaging technology uses harmless electromagnetic waves versus X-ray technology to detect potential threats, which are highlighted on a generic outline of a person appearing on a monitor attached to the unit.
AIT technology meets US health and safety standards and the energy emitted by millimeter wave technology is thousands of times less than what is permitted for a cell phone.
Carl D Newman, CEO for JMAA, said, "This new technology is an expression of JMAA's efforts to continually focus on the safety of our passengers. The AIT equipment will not only enable the TSA at Jackson to more thoroughly screen passengers, but should also speed up the security processing time."
How SFO's Harvey Milk Terminal 1 became the first terminal in the world to win Fitwel certification
Just 13 US airports to accept returning travelers


text:
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the[...]
European Union foreign ministers discussed support for Ukraine
Government of the Grand Duchy of[...]
Introducing 3G at the workplace: relevant social security provisions
Einführung des 3G-Systems am Arbeitsplatz: zu beachtende[...]
WFP - World Food Programme
WFP, Akshaya Patra Foundation join hands to strengthen India's school feeding programme
New Delhi: The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the Akshaya Patra Foundation (TAPF) will work together to enhance school meals programmes in India with an aim of sharing the experience beyond the country.
Mid-day Meals Scheme also known as Prime Minister Poshan is one of the three main food-based safety nets in India, reaching close to 100 million school aged children with hot-cooked meals. The scheme plays a significant role in retention of children in school while providing nutritional security.
An agreement was signed between Bishow Parajuli, Representative and Country Director for WFP in India, and Shri Chanchalapthi Dasa, Vice-Chairman, The Akshaya Patra Foundation, on 3 January in New Delhi.
"The partnership is a strategic force multiplier that combines our work and experience in school meals spanning for the last six decades. India has provided a safety net to children through school meals and its excellent track record and various initiatives could be a model in other countries too," said Parajuli.
"With this partnership, we aim to complement WFP's global network of running large-scale school feeding programs across the world with our expertise in addressing hunger at the grassroots level," Said Dasa.
Under the partnership, WFP and the Akshaya Patra Foundation will aim to enhance food safety and hygiene projects, capacity building of cooks-cum-helpers and nutritional quality of school meals. The two organizations will share knowledge by organizing workshops as well as policy and strategy dialogues with the Government to improve the quality of the school meals programme.
About Akshaya Patra Foundation
The Akshaya Patra Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation that strives to address classroom hunger and malnutrition in India. By implementing the Mid-Day Meal Scheme in Government and Government-aided schools, Akshaya Patra aims to fight hunger and, at the same time, bring children to school. Since 2000, Akshaya Patra has worked towards reaching out to children with wholesome food every single school day. The Foundation is continuously leveraging technology to cater to millions of children. Its state-of-the-art kitchens have become a subject of study and attract curious visitors from around the world.
Smartlinks | WFP - World Food Programme | UN - United Nations | News | International News | Education | Health | International Institutions


Dan did a couple of small jobs for me. He arrived within twenty minutes of calling him and sorted the problem with my hot tap quickly and efficiently. He then sorted another small job for me while he was here. Can't fault his work ethic, he was polite, punctual and nothing was too much trouble for him. Will definately be using him again.


Concept artist and illustrator Emrah Elmasli on the easy way to come up with unique character designs.
There are two ways to quickly create different character concepts: the easy way and the hard way. The hard way is painting over the portrait and altering the form and appearance of the character manually. This takes longer, though. In the easy way, I use the Transform tools to help me alter the shapes and sizes of the character's facial features.
I still have to paint, but it's minimal. I start painting the portrait of the main character in Painter. I try to keep it basic so I can make the other two variations more interesting.
I switch to Photoshop, duplicate the head a couple of times and align the heads next to each other so I can compare them while I make the changes. For the first variation, I decide to depict a tougher-looking guy.
To convey this, I paint in a couple of scars on his face and add stubble. Than I duplicate his jaw and use the Distort tool to widen it. Then I erase the long hair and make it shorter on the sides. For the second variation, I employ the same techniques to achieve a "fleshy" look.
I mostly use hard-edged brushes when painting male characters, to convey the masculine and chiselled look better.
Emrah Elmasli is a freelance concept artist and illustrator based in London. He has over eight years' experience in video games and publishing. This article originally appeared in ImagineFX magazine issue 103.


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Invited paper, February 2015, SPIE Photonics West, San Francisco USA. "Organic semiconductors for visible light communications", I.D.W. Samuel et al.
February 2015, SPIE Photonics West, San Francisco USA. "8Gb/s single wavelength bidirectional PAM-16 SI-POF link using blue µLEDs and avalanche photodiodes', submitted to SPIE Photonics West". X. Li et al.
February 2015, SPIE Photonics West, San Francisco USA. "Individually-n-addressable GaN-based micro-LED arrays for high-speed visible light communications at over 1m". E. Xie et al.
February 2015, SPIE Photonics West, San Francisco USA. "Integrated multiple input multiple output visible light communications systems: recent progress and results". D O'Brien et al.
Invited paper, December 2014, ICCP 2014, Beijing, China, "High speed plastic optical fiber data links using LEDs", J.L. Wei et al.
Invited paper, November 2014, Pacific Grove, CA, USA. Asilomar Conference on Signals, Systems, and Computers. "Optical spatial modulation OFDM using Micro-LEDs". M Ijaz et al.
December 2014, 5th IEEE Workshop on Optical Wireless Communications, Boston USA. "Imaging-MIMO visible light communication system using µLEDs and integrated receiver". S. Rajbhandari et al.
October 2014, IEEE Photonics Conference, San Diego. "Visible light communications: improving data rate, link margin and field of view". D. O'Brien et al.
October 2014, IEEE Photonics Conference, San Diego. "Hybrid InGaN LEDs with capillary-bonded MQW colour-converting membranes", J.M.M. Santos et al.
Plenary paper and Rank Prize lecture, September 2014, PHOTON'14, Imperial College London, "Applied research in photonics: from micro-LEDs to VECSELs and from start-ups to Fraunhofer", M.D. Dawson et al.
Invited paper, August 2014, SPIE Optics + Photonics 2014, San Diego USA. "High-speed visible light communications using a conjugated polymer colour converter". H. Chun et al.
July 2014, ICOOPMA 2014, Leeds, UK. "Hybrid GaN LED with II-VI colour converting platelet for visible light communications", J.M.M. Santos et al.
June 8th-13th 2014, CIMTEC 2014, Montecatini Terme, Tuscany, Italy. "Micro-structured GaN light emitting diodes for visible light communications and solid state lighting", M.D. Dawson et al.
June 1st-5th 2014, WLED-5, Jeju, Korea, "GaN/organic hybrid optoelectronics and its applications in lighting, micro-displays and visible light communications", M.D. Dawson et al.
November 12-15th 2013, Asia Communications and Photonics Conference, Beijing, "High Performance Optical Data Links using Hybrid CAP/QAM Transmitter/Receiver Scheme", Jinlong Wei et al.
backplane for board-level optical interconnects", N. Bamiedakis, A. Hashim, R.V. Penty, I.H. White.
June 21st 2013, Technology Ventures Conference : Cambridge University Technology and Enterprise Club (TVC CUTEC), presented by Prof. Harald Haas.
June 19th 2013, IEEE ComSoc webinar, "Li-Fi - High Speed Wireless Communication via Light Bulbs", presented by Prof. Harald Haas.
April 30th 2013, Plasa Focus, "Li-Fi: Broadband Through Light", presented by Prof. Harald Haas.
April 19th 2013, Login 2013, How to use light to transmit data. Story of Li-Fi, presented by Prof. Harald Haas.
March 19th 2013, Global Phosphor Summit, "Li-Fi- Broadband Data from Every Light Bulb", presented by Prof. Harald Haas.