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Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Summer of the Re-Read #2: The Catcher in the Rye

The Catcher in the Rye
by J.D. Salinger

You may be wondering (and I say this because I'm sort of wondering the same thing myself) why I would bother writing about a novel that most likely you have read. And honestly, I don't know. You think I plan these things as I go along?

Enter Holden Caufield, our hapless, teenage narrator who does everything as he goes along ("What I thought I'd do was..."). Never thinking anything through, always shooting off his mouth: you know, your average, self-centered yet self-clueless teenager.

Maybe reading The Catcher in the Rye at the same age as the narrator is necessary to fully appreciate the book. At the time, although I loved the book and thought that Salinger "got it" (to my memory, at least) I didn't fully embrace Holden as an extension of me, nor did I fully relate: even I didn't want to associate myself with someone so annoying (of course, I probably was just as annoying too, and didn't realize). But still, I would be hard pressed to find anyone who read it as a teenager, like actually read it, and not skimmed through the important parts in class for major plot points (hey, I was a high school student too), and couldn't relate.

The most obvious example of Salinger's perfect distillation of teenage-ism is Caufield's inherently contradictory nature. Everything he says is taken back, or qualified, or qualified in a way that basically is a negation. The only exception, of course, being his dead brother Allie.

Granted, death in the immediate family will fuck anyone up. So it's easy to see why Holden's behavior is a sort of worse-case scenario of a moody teenager, which I think is why even at the time I thought Holden really acted more like a little kid than a theoretical peer of mine. But looking back on him now, I can see maybe with clearer eyes that in essence, I really was a Holden, because I was a teenager too.

So why did I want to read The Catcher in the Rye now? Well, for one, I saw an English copy at a Book Off while in Japan and I think it made me nostalgic and a little homesick. I also think it's interesting that it's one of the books Haruki Murakami (boy, it always comes back to him, doesn't it? I gotta institute a No-Murakami month or something) decided to re-translate it into the Japanese. But I've known that for a long time, and it wasn't until about a month ago that I knew I wanted to re-read it. Maybe I had a conversation with a friend about it. Hah, hope you enjoy my non-answer, hapless reader. I really should just delete this whole paragraph.

Things that surprised me about the novel: The similarities between now and 1950s-America. Somewhere in our American tapestry of culture or education is this brainwashed notion that 1950s-era America was somehow more wholesome than any other era. Something about that post-war era (and the now-we-Americans-try to-ignore-it start of the Cold War) keeps propagating this notion and manifests itself in our movies and TV shows (whether as pastiche or cliche) as the squeaky-clean America. I don't know why we Americans see the 1950s as the purest slice of Americana in our history, but there it is.

And obviously this is not the case, but it was still surprising to see that even kids in the 1950s were scratching "Fuck You" in the walls of their schools or to read about the high school kids having sex (or lying about doing it) or that a 1950s 16-year old would be trying to get away with underage drinking at bars and paying for a prostitute. Obviously it's all the same and always will be, but it was weird how I too unconsciously bought this weird stereotype that pervades our national conscious.

My question to you, readers, especially the non-Americans, is your relationship to The Catcher in the Rye, if you've read it, and how relatable it is to your own teenage experience. We consider it now (despite the protests that continue even today by weirdo parents who can't honestly communicate to their kids about sex and swear words) to be a paragon of American literature, a solid member of the literary canon, so I'm curious to see what non-Americans think.

Anyway, that's about all I have to say on the matter. It was definitely worth the re-read, and I think in another 10 or 20 years it'll be worth another re-read. And then forcing my teenage kids to read it, if the novel has somehow fallen out of favor when my kids are in high school. I wonder how relatable it will be to my kids then, considering how different we can assume our culture will be in another 25 years.

[Next up on Summer of the Re-Read: F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. Another indisputable (and deservedly so) member of the American literary canon.]

Friday, July 23, 2010

The Kurodahan Press Translation Prize

Fellow translators,

I direct you here, information on the Kurodahan Press Translation Prize.

I was interested in doing it last year, but I was too lazy. This year I'm definitely giving it a go. It's only 1700 characters (which, in an average paperback, assuming the page was a solid block of text, would be less than 3 pages, so probably like 6 or 7 more realistic pages, tops?), which is quite short, honestly.

The winner gets 30000 yen, publication, and something like an additional 15000 upon publication.

Kurodahan Press seems to specialize in science fiction, as this piece (and the last two year's pieces) comes from a SF anthology, best of 2007 collection. The piece is called 忠告 by 恩田陸 (Onda Riku), who according to Wikipedia, is the pen name of women's lit writer Kumagai Nanae, which is most definitely a name I've seen/read about before.

Deadline is September 30, which seems to me to be plenty of time, then again I haven't looked at the piece yet so maybe it's super hard.

Another (and to me, mindblowingly) interesting thing is who's judging: Meredith McKinney, who did the most recent translation of Natsume Soseki's Kokoro (and who also seems to be Penguin Classic's go-to translator of Japanese literature), Juliet Winters Carpenter, who has translated a couple books by Kobo Abe, the tanka poetry collection Salad Anniversary, and is a member of the JLPP, and ALFRED BIRNBAUM, translator of Haruki Murakami's A Wild Sheep Chase and other works.

So I'm pretty much geekin' out right now, you guys.

On a side note, when I told my girlfriend I was going to write this post, she said, "Are you dumb? Stop making more competition!" To which I said, "...Oh well. I'm not going to win anyway."

But I swear to god if any of you guys win because I told you about it...

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Summer of the Re-Read #1: Sayonara, Gangsters

Sayonara, Gangsters
by Genichiro Takahashi
Translated by Michael Emmerich

I wish I could remember how I discovered that this book existed. I know I first read it in the spring of my first year of college. I was so into it that I read it during my physics class in the very, very back of the lecture hall (although to be fair, I either slept or did other work during most of those physics lectures). I know I took it out of the school library. But did I discover it through aimless browsing? Or was it a title I was interested in after looking through Vertical Inc (the publisher)'s back catalog, who describes it as a "postmodern novel...from Haruki Murakami's way-more-out-there cousin"?

If the Murakami comparison really was the reason I picked up the novel, at least the description was somewhat apt. In many ways, Sayonara, Gangsters does seem like Murakami with the post-modern bizarreness cranked up to 11. But after re-reading Sayonara Gangsters and exploring more of Takahashi's work in the Japanese, the comparison (like all authorial comparisons, honestly) is somewhat diminishing.

First of all, there's no good way to even summarize Sayonara, Gangsters, which at least can be done for Murakami's work. To grossly simplify matters, Sayonara, Gangsters follows a poet who teaches at a poetry school in some sort of bizarro-world where people choose their own names, which in turn can take a life of their own, and where on the sixth floor of the building that the narrator works is a river of some unknowable length. Even "dream logic" doesn't quite convey the sense of un-reality that pervades the novel:

I think about many different kinds of death.
I'd seen something horribly sad at the amusement park. "The Giant Ferris Wheel" had on a big black ribbon, and it was folding itself up.
The owner of the amusement park must have decided it would cost too much to call in the workers whose job it was to dismantle the rides, and hit on the idea of ordering "the Giant Ferris Wheel" to dispose of itself.
I sat on a swing and watched "The Giant Ferris Wheel" commit suicide.
"The Giant Ferris Wheel" kept rotating its circular frame, yanking off the little carriages where its riders used to sit. It removed one, then another, then another. Every time it pulled off a carriage it bled and cried out in pain. "Oh, it hurts!" it yelled, "It hurts!" Once the circular frame had removed the last carriage, it set about cutting away the circular frames at the center; after that the concrete supports struggled to sever the axle.
Splattered with blood, "The Giant Ferris Wheel' continued to dismantle itself, and at every step along the way it screamed so awfully that the entire amusement park trembled.
"The Merry-Go-Round," which was just next door, sat there shaking with its eyes squeezed shut, covering its ears with its hands.
Finally only the concrete base remained. Its breath came in gasps. Nothing but this block of concrete indicated that "The Giant Ferris Wheel" had ever existed: the block was "The Giant Ferris Wheel"'s ego, its self.
I wondered how the base would finish the job.
There wasn't anything left to do.
"Eat shit and die!"
Leaving these bitter last words, the concrete base put an end to it all.
It did this in a way no human would ever think up.

The novel is divided up into three parts, and each part has its own major plot and focus. Part 1 establishes the setting and the narrator's life. Part 2 describes the Poetry School and his work with the students. Part 3 is about the narrator's experience with the dangerous gangsters of the novel's world.

Reviews of Sayonara, Gangsters tend to praise Part 1 as the most compelling and well-written part of the novel (speaking of, our friend Nihon Distractions has a review here), but I find myself more drawn to Part 2. After reading more of Takahashi's other work, it is clear that Takahashi is a writer concerned about writing, and despite this bizarre, post-modernist world that Takahashi created, the novel itself, at its core, is really all about writing:

My teaching here isn't focused on knowledge.
If you want to know about poetry, read books. You'll find all that in books.
My knowledge of poetry is both fragmented and fuzzy. It can't be trusted.
I don't teach people how to interpret poetry or any of that stuff either.
I'm not so good at interpreting poetry.
When I read a poem, I respond to it in one of two ways: "Wow, this is great!" or "God, this is awful!" I have no other responses.
Having eliminated those possibilities, we are left with "How to create poetry." Surely that must be what the man teaches! That's what you're all thinking, right? Hell, that's what I'm thinking myself.
But the truth is that if there really were some technique that permitted everybody who knew it to write wonderful poems, I'd want to be the first to know.
If I had a a technique like that, I'd keep it all to myself and produce one masterpiece after another, setting my sights on the Nobel Prize for Poets.
I'm a poet, but even now I have no idea how to write my poems.
I really doubt there is a technique to writing poetry.
We poets spend the eyeblink of time granted us until we slip away forever into the eternal dark composing poems, never having the faintest idea how we out to go about writing them, or what we ought to be writing.
I do almost nothing at all here.
Pressed to explain, I might say that my job is CONDUCTING TRAFFIC.
The students who come here all want to write poems. But none of them have any idea what kind of poems they should be writing.
You mustn't tell them to "Write what you like."
I may be incompetent as a poet, but I don't shirk my responsibilities.
I talk with my students. Or, to make it sound hard, I counsel them.
Actually, for the most part all I do is listen.
Writing poetry is a fairly morbid thing to do. Of course, that doesn't mean all morbid people are poets. It is here, you see, that the difficulty lies.

All irony aside, and despite the fact that this really is more or less exactly how I feel about poetry (being absolutely terrible at it), in a true post-modernist fashion, Takahashi explores almost all aspects of the experience of the written word, including but not limited to the relationship between literature and the author, the relationship between literature and the reader, the act of reading/writing itself, literary criticism, and the power of words.

The first time I read Sayonara, Gangsters, I loved the bizarre world and imagery that Takahashi created. But the second time around, I found myself more drawn to the ideas about literature and the power of the written word that Takahashi has built the world around, a theme that Takahashi will continue to explore throughout his career.

As Takahashi's debut work, it really is amazing that he was able to produce something so original and compelling. Sayonara, Gangsters is still one of my favorite books, but the second time around, I can see some of its flaws. The prose is jarringly fragmented and vignette-y, similar to Murakami's Hear the Wind Sing. (I guess this is a problem that plagues many an author's debut/early works.) Translator Michael Emmerich had his work cut out for him, and though I'm so grateful that he was able to get a publisher to take a chance on this work, I occasionally find the translation a little awkward.

To which I mean no disrespect; I went to a translator's round-table about a year ago that Emmerich was a part of (as in, when I saw that he was a part of it, I immediately knew I was going), and he's pretty young, early 30s, if not late 20s, I'd say. This book was published in 2004, which means he was probably working on it around seven or eight years ago, when he was in his mid-twenties. So nothing but respect for him. I sincerely hope that I can achieve the same thing at that age. Also, he's got great taste in J-lit and was just a really interesting and funny guy to listen and talk to. So whenever I see he has a new translation out, I always pay attention.

At this translator's round-table I went to, I asked Emmerich if he would ever translate something by Takahashi again. He said he definitely would like to, but it's all about finding a publisher, and apparently this novel didn't make a real splash, which makes it a hard sell. But now that I've been able to explore more of his works, I really feel that Takahashi is a great author that deserves to be translated. And I hope to be the man to do it.

Expect many Takahashi-related posts in the future, including a forthcoming short story translation and a look at his (well, to me) fascinating Twitter account.

 [Next on "Summer of the Re-Read": The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. Let's see how a novel about a teenager that one reads as a teenager holds up when one is no longer (quite) a teenager.]

Friday, July 16, 2010

Introducing: Summer of the Re-Read

Now that I'm back in the States again, I have a lot of free time until school starts back up. A LOT of free time. And besides the time I've wasted since discovering my family started using Netflix (instant streaming...fuck and yes), I've started really reading again.

This summer I have a massive reading list I want to but ultimately will fail miserably at completing, which can be divided up into three sections: (1) new, unread books, (2) unread "classics", and (3) stuff I want to read again.

The thing is, I don't often re-read books, besides Murakami (surprise, surprise). Some fun facts: Sputnik Sweetheart is probably the most read at 3, possibly 4 times, and Hardboiled Wonderland... is the one that I've started and put down the most times, though I have finished it once and thoroughly enjoyed it; for some reason, it's just the unluckiest book in that I just start it at bad times or get distracted by something newer and shinier. I have a pretty good memory, so I more or less remember what happened and how I particularly felt about any particular book, and there's just so much out there to read I usually give preference to something unknown (except in the cases where I find myself in an irrepressible Murakami mood). Contrast this to my TV habits, in which my favorite shows are constantly being cycled through and re-marathoned, though this is usually done in conjunction with something else, since I don't have to be focusing on it 100% to enjoy it. In fact, the only book in semi-recent memory that I recall re-reading is Koushun Takami's Battle Royale. (Oops, wait, that's a lie; the last Harry Potter was also re-read, though only just a month or two after I had initially read it in the first place.) And books have to be particularly crappy for me to give up on them before the end (i.e. Higashino Keigo's "Naoko". For such a fucked up concept, boooooooooring.)

But this summer, I really want to re-read a bunch of books. Maybe it was because I was in Japan and didn't have access to my collection, or maybe because I didn't have easy access to English-language books. Not really sure. And since I like doing book reviews on this blog anyway, I thought I'd chronicle my exploits.

Here's the list so far:

1) Genichiro Takahashi - Sayonara, Gangsters
2) J.D. Salinger - The Catcher in the Rye
3) F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby
4) (tentative) Ryu Murakami - Coin Locker Babies
5) (tentative) George Orwell - 1984
6) (tentative) Haruki Murakami - South of the Border, West of the Sun
7) (tentative) Albert Camus - The Fall

I guess in general, I want to see if each of these books still "hold up" since the last time I read them, though the reasons for why I want to see depend on each book. For example, South of the Border, West of the Sun was by far and away my absolute least favorite Murakami book when I read it, but paradoxically, it also has one of my favorite quotes by any author ever. So on and so forth.

I'll talk about all this stuff more specifically for each book when I get to it. Anyway, that's something that you can look forward to (I originally wrote "one more thing" you can look forward to, but I haven't written anything in months, so you haven't been looking forward to anything for a while) very soon, since I've already finished reading Sayonara, Gangsters and am halfway through The Catcher in the Rye.

(P.S. New books will be reviewed either separately or, more likely, in a "Recently Read Round-up" column.)

(P.P.S. That translation I'm working on that's non-Murakami? Totally starting to work on that again. I spent most of my time in Japan just trying to read as much Japanese as possible, and practicing the art of getting as much out of a text as I can without checking the dictionary every 10 5 seconds, which was actually really awesome. Newest record: 40 consecutive pages that I can  thoroughly summarize to you, that I did with little dictionary-consultation. Very proud of this.)

(P.P.S. I'm now on The Twitter. There should now be a doohicky on the side of this here thing-ama-blog.)

Saturday, July 10, 2010

I live!

Tomorrow I return to America. The study abroad is over.

I wanted to keep up with regular posts over the last few months, but I decided (unconsciously really) that I wanted to use the time I would've spent organizing posts and writing them with going out and experiencing Japan as much as possible.

So, expect new content coming very soon and much more regularly. I have a few translations lined up, and I'll go back to explore my experience as well as other things about my time here that I enjoyed too.


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Friday, November 12, 2010

Today is World Pneumonia Day

Few people think about pneumonia any more--unless of course you or someone you know gets it and then it scares you to death. And that's the point, of course. Pneumonia is still out there killing a lot of people, which is why the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and many other groups try to publicize it with its own day.
Pneumonia remains the number one killer of children under 5 worldwide, claiming more than 1.5 million young lives each year – more than HIV/AIDS, malaria, and measles combined. Yet this illness is preventable; by increasing access to simple, inexpensive tools such as antibiotics and vaccines, we can help save the lives of more than 1 million children a year.
Most of these deaths occur in developing countries, but the increasing volume of undocumented (and thus unscreened) immigrants all over the world increases the chance that diseases that otherwise seem under control may re-emerge. Even more importantly, the belief that these diseases are under control leads parents to believe, usually incorrectly, that immunization may be more dangerous than the risk of the disease. The latter issue may have contributed to the unexpected rise in cases (and infant deaths) this year from whooping cough in California.

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Edison boosters thank supporters

April 14, 2013

To the editor: On March 9, the Edison Local Athletic Boosters Club held its annual steak fry and auction at the Countyside in Bloomingdal....

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Generators, iterators

An itorator is a thing like an array, that you can go over one bit at a time in order, except the thing doesn't necesarily have to exist.

# a generator

def counter(n=0):
    while True:
        n += 1
        if n > 100:
        yield n
c = counter(5)
for x in c: print x
# 6
# 7
# ...
# 100

Sequences (lists, strings, tuples), file objects, dictionaries, generators, are all iterables. It is easy to make an object behave as an iterator by defining __iter__ and next methods.

for letter in 'elephant':
    print letter.join('loaf')

They provide a nifty interface between different seuqences, and can save al ot of memory if the whole sequence isn't all needed at once.


text:
Monday, February 25, 2008

Stupid IS Patheic

Maybe some wouldn’t think it pathetic, but the only job I have is writing speeches for my doorman, and he doesn’t pay me. This employment started last year when a friend of my doorman’s was retiring., “You’re a writer” he said, “can you write a toast for my friend's leaving his job”. I guess if you claim to be a writer, you are open to all kinds of requests. So I wrote a little something for him. And it was probably a mistake. Because it was so good, he now thinks I am working for him.

This time it’s a speech for a wedding. He has to talk for 10 minutes about the good qualities the groom possesses. “But it has to be funny” he directs. “And it has to be long”. So I am under more pressure than is usually the case. And I am not getting paid.

It’s tiring not to get paid for advice, speech writing or PR consulting. And I always find myself giving free advice, because to tell you the truth (there it is again), I cannot abide by people not knowing what they are doing and, in addition, spewing forth with stupid ideas or suggestions. Not having patience for stupidity, has always been a weakness for me..

OK so what does this say about who I am. David and I have spent many hours discussing what we will do in our twight light years. I had hoped it would be more than writing speeches for the doorman. Although, I wrote speeches for people as unlikely as Justice White. I’m not sure why I did that, but I think it was because my pal, Tim Wirth, asked me to do so, after he promised the good Justice he would find someone to do it.

I guess, had I thought about a career path, speech writing might have been part of it. But a career path was so far beyond what I could think about, that I never thought about it.

So where does this leave us/me. It is amazing to me, that some cable network hasn’t scooped me up as a talking head. After all, I am way ahead of the curve. I write a prophetic blog, I’ve written two books, and for a woman of my age - I am pretty cute. And you can’t say that about many women of my age. Although Sara Ehrman is somewhere around 89 and she’s the cutest person I know. So what is the problem? Well I don’t have a good agent. I’m not a tall beautiful blonde with a hateful attitude and I haven’t been in charge of a large constituency group. But I really am a political strategist. So what should I do? I could do the political thing and find someone who knows someone who can call and suggest they call someone who would then call me and say since you know someone you can come on TV and spout useless information. You see, I have such a bad attitude who’s going to deal with me?

I thought if I wrote a book, that would happen automatically. So I wrote “Schlepper, a Mostly True Tale of American Politics”. But it was a publishing disaster. There were never books available when we did our big media push. And despite the fact that it is a wonderful book, which reveals all kinds of inside secrets, as well as being a training manual for aspiring political dweebs, it never had a wide release. So there went that avenue to success.

Then we produced a documentary,, which I thought would launch me on my creative career path. And it might. But it’s not going to happen until we have a wide release.

And then, we wrote and I figured that would set me on my path to success. But the publisher opted for beauty over timeliness so the books that should have been available in January, won’t reach book stores until mid April. I tried to explain the concept of “if the tree falls in the forest and there’s no one there to hear it”, but publishers aren’t writers, so the tree and the forest are moot – unless they have dogs or wildebeests.

So now, the only request I have for the use of my vast talent, is by the doorman at our NY apartment. This is not a bad thing, it’s just not what I expected would be the culmination of an otherwise brilliant political career. We’re just sayin...Iris

Anonymous said...

"So now, the only request I have for the use of my vast talent, is by the doorman at our NY apartment. This is not a bad thing, it’s just not what I expected would be the culmination of an otherwise brilliant political career."

Don't confuse your brilliant political career with your brilliant writing career.

I see a book in this. "My Doorman's Muse." Or, "My Doorman's Voice." Or, "What My Doorman Said."

Or, well you get the picture. These titles are lame, but since you're the brilliant writer, you'll come up with a better title then me.

Frankly, no one I know wants to read the speeches of politicians, but a funny book about your relationship with your doorman, and the words you put in his mouth. Now there's a book all Manhattan will want to read.

Say, "In His Mouth - what I get my doorman to say."

W from Manhattan (true, I was born on that rock)

m_harding said...

Well, the adoption hasn't gone through yet,so I won't speak to you as sternly as...perhaps...a family member?

I understand that you are writing mostly tongue-in-cheek, and that disapointment is a valid feeling.

However, upon reading such poo poo ca ca, I cant help but feel that someone just took a ride on the self pitty train: fare payed-in-full through the "well-meaning" generousity of naysayers.

There's lots off those tickets going around,they are printed daily by people that have never dared to accomplish anything special themselves.

I wouldn't worry about their "requests" or lack thereof. Any idiot can team with you in failure, all it requires of them is the ability to fail.

Few people (editors/publishers) have the ability to jointly succeed via the artistic talent of a writer - that takes insight and courage- there's not a lot of that going around.

Requests? The only one you need worry about comes from the voice within.

Allow for the genius of who you are...those looking for it will find you... ignore the rest.

In closing:

Like I really need to be telling you this?!!

Reads to me like you're just not listening to the advice you have given others.

Sorry for your disappointment in the book. But,it sounds to me like you have a few more in you anyway.

Seth said...

Stupid is as stupid does, momma.

Iris and David said...

Well now. While I think a little whining is not as attractive as brilliant prose, at least it is a change and change is good-- isn't it. Actually I thought it was funny but the problem with the written word is there are no tones, except in your head. And a book using the voice of all my doormen is a good idea. Anyway, Michael we still want you but now we'll have to ask seth.

Anonymous said...

Well it is no secret that I tend to stomp where others would tip toe. My friends tell me its not endearing,but it does give them something to talk about when I am out of the room.

My tone,again not heard, was more of a Tony Robbins, and less of a Rabbi Shmuley.

Glad to hear you are in good spirits. By the way ,I did think the blob was funny.

And, there is no need to ask Seths permission, I now what the answer is. After all who want to share a great Mom like you.

Well back to work, deadlines...

Anonymous said...

You have really great taste on catch article titles, even when you are not interested in this topic you push to read it

Anonymous said...

Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now. Keep it up!
And according to this article, I totally agree with your opinion, but only this time! :)


text:
Apron tutorials from 1944 Farmers Bulletin

Hi all,

I ran across a really interesting pamplet from the USDA Farmers Bulletin dated 1944 while sorting patterns. There are some really nice old self drafted apron included and I have added them to my tutorials section of my blog. (they are free)

There is a Butchers Apron, a Berry Picking apron and a Kneeling Apon (soon to be listed.) I would love it if you would stop by and check them out. I would love to see pictures if you decide to make them.

All will reside in my tutorials section of my blog. Enjoy.

Happy Sewing!

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2 comments… add one

  • Oh my heavens! I didn't even know there was such a thing as a berry picking apron!

  • Ohh thank you for posting these patterns. I'm going to make one of those berry picking aprons. No berries around here but plenty of eggs and vegies that could be held safely.

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text:
According to Peter Greenberg, a writer known for his expertise in travel to nature attractions, Sanibel’s “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge is a top place to bird-watch.

The refuge’s 6,400 acres of salt marshes and mangrove forests host more than 220 species of migrating and resident birds. As a result, bird-watchers are regular visitors to the refuge. Since West Wind Inn is the closest beach resort to the refuge, we see hundreds of guests who stay with us specifically to easily get to Ding Darling NWR.

Of course, they also come here to enjoy the fabulous Sanibel shelling beach on the quiet end of the island. And let’s not forget the happy hospitality of a large heated pool, an adjacent pool deck with a congenial snack and beverage bar, tennis courts, shuffleboard and, for those hearty Normandie Beachside Pub breakfasts to start days of dedicated bird-watching.


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Obama Will Win in 2012 – And There’s A Formula To Prove It!

Boy, betcha THAT got your attention, huh?.   No, it’s not MY formula.  It belongs to a college professor.  It’s never failed since he predicted Reagan to win in 1984!

His name is Alan Lichtman, and he’s a professor at American University.  And according to an article at , this guy never fails to predict the next person to sit their posterior down in the chair on Pennsylvania Ave.He got it right for Reagan, GWB senior, Clinton, “W”, and Obama!  He said it’s a very simple system.  According to the article, there are 13 keys to reelection and if the incumbent party hits on at least 6, the president wins.

Here are a couple of examples from the article:

If the current President hasn’t been involved in a personal scandal, he scores.  (Obama wins that one)

If the sitting President has a major win in foreign affairs, he scores (Well, he did nab Osama, right?)

You can also check the article  to see a summarized version of the formula.  Very interesting. Now I use a different system.  If I write a song parody about a candidate and if Sean taps his right foot when I play it on the air,  that person is a shoo-in.  Works every time!  Here’s an example.  I wrote this one in 2007 (with apologies to the Beach Boys for ruining their hit- Kokomo)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

(in fact, if you listen to those lyrics, I actually predicted back then that he’s capture Osama!)  Come to think of it, the heck with this professor!    YOU SHOULD START LISTENING TO ME!!!

Who do YOU think will win?  Do YOU have a formula?  Would love to know!

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Cubs Game Notes For Thursday vs. Colorado

* Colorado has really dominated this series at home over the last few seasons, winning 14 of the last 18 and averaging better than seven runs per game and hitting .343.

* The Cubs have a chance today to win their first series in Colorado since the 2004 season.

* The Rockies recorded 16 hits in yesterday’s win, marking their major-league leading 15th game this season with at least 15 hits.

*However, the Rockies have also lost a league-high 20 games this season when recording double-digit hits, as they did in Game 1 of this series.

* Kyle Hendricks has struggled in the first inning of his four starts this season (allowing 5 runs in 4 innings, but has pitched nearly flawless ball from the second inning on (1 run in 22 1/3).

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Games To Try Before You Die: Wave Race 64

There was a lot of good racing games out there for the Nintendo 64. Mario Kart 64, Diddy Kong Racing, Micro Machines, etc. Racing games were everywhere during the era of Nintendo 64 and Playstation. Kind of like what we see with First Person Shooters today…they are just everywhere. This game though brought me into the world of 3D racing!

What: Wave Race 64 is a launch title for the Nintendo 64 platform. It was the first ‘racer’ to grace the console. You get to choose between 4 different jet ski racers and race to the finish!

Why: Something about this game felt so next generation to me when it came out. I remember begging my parents to take me to the local game rental store so I could rent it, and it was ALWAYS OUT!

What was great about this game was the solid control and easy to learn game play. You are probably saying, “Well it’s racing, an obviously easy concept.” Wave Race 64 had you not only just racing, but curving around Buoys that if you missed 5 of them, you disqualified the race. The first lap is an easy breeze through the course. Then the second lap comes around, and the race changes difficulty. Then the 3rd lap comes around, and the course is out of control! Crazy tall waves, hard to get buoy’s, and MADNESS! It was this increase in difficulty that made the game enjoyable, and easy to play over and over again.

You also got to re-name the racers, which was pretty awesome at the time, and the movement of the water, was mind blowing. It looked so real! Though by today’s standards, it looks like crap,

One picky thing though, that stupid announcer. This announcer in this game judges you an everything you do with a “Rad Dude Voice.” You could quote the announcer in Wave Race 64 as much as you could in NBA Jam!

For a good racer, Wave Race 64 is a lot of fun, and still holds up well today!

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What are you going out as today?

About TaMara

What's to say? I love to cook and I think families benefit from sitting down together for dinner every night.

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Decision : CONF 205 III.3
Introduction to the Extraordinary Session

The mission report (WHC-99/CONF.205/INF.3A) focused primarily on ascertained and potential dangers to the World Heritage values of Kakadu National Park posed by the Jabiluka mining proposal, and presented a total of 16 recommendations.

Properties: Kakadu National Park
Year: 1999
Decision Code: CONF 205 III.3


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Whedonesque - a community weblog about Joss Whedon
"That man is playing Galaga! Thought we wouldn't notice. But we did."
11983 members | you are not logged in | 30 August 2015

August 11 2012

BuffySavedMyLife blog - "Everything Buffy, All The Time". Just came across this blog, don't believe it's been mentioned here before, from a passionate fan who's doing character focused blog posts right now and then plans to cover each episode of the series.

There's no need for a spoiler tag here.
Thanks Simon. I thought better safe than sorry. :)
Buffy is an infamous character?
What is a sye? (See the entry on Willow Rosenburg, which is not Rosenberg...).
..... Wow, That is a really badly written blog......
I think the 'About' page says it best: "Im just BIG BUFFY FAN"

Personally, I don't worry about how well or poorly a personal blog is written. The passion and fun is obviously there.
Perhaps you should focus on the point rather than the wording.
I enjoyed this blog because the author is so positive! No negativity, at least from what I read so far. After the recent experience with a previously popular re-watch blog, this is a breath of fresh air.

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HFS Locals Only Spotlight: Roomrunner “Bait Car”

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HFS Locals Only Spotlight: Weeknights At 8
Locals Only Spotlight – M-F 9 PM
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Tonight’s HFS Locals Only Spotlight revisits Baltimore noise rock band Roomrunner, as we feature the lead track from their new album Ideal Cities.

We last featured the band about a month and a half ago with “Weird”, another track from the forthcoming full-length. Meanwhile, the comparisons to Nirvana and very early Foo Fighters keep coming, and the band gets yet more praise from popular sites such as Pitchfork and SPIN–the latter of which is streaming the entire album right now, along with track-by-track commentary by frontman Denny Bowen.

Ideal Cities drops next Tuesday, May 28th, and the band is following it up with an album release show on Wednesday, May 29th at Metro Gallery along with Austin band Ringo Deathstarr. Tickets are on sale now, and they’re a mere $8.

Check out “Bait Car” below, and join the band’s bandwagon by following Roomrunner on Facebook and on Twitter…and if you’ve got a local band you’d like us to feature on the HFS Locals Only Spotlight one of these weeknights–now at 8 PMhere’s how to get your stuff to us.

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Guest blogger series: half square triangles

by kath_red on 17/03/2011

in Guest Series 2011, Quilting, Whip Up Tutorials

Today I want to welcome Christina Lane to Whipup – an all around crafty gal, she says that she loves everything from quilting, screen printing, embroidery and more! She has recently had patterns published in Quilts and More magazine and Lunch Bags!, a Stash publication. When she’s not creating for herself, you’ll find her longarm quilting for others. Christina loves to share her crafting journey at her blog The Sometimes Crafter.

Hello Whip-Up readers! It’s so nice to be back in this space guest posting at Whipup. Today I wanted to share a really great way of making half square triangles (HST) that I recently found online and give you some measurements to help you with making them just the size you need for your own projects. Ahead of me I have a quilt full of half square triangles, and I was not looking forward to the prospect of making all of them in the way i’m use to. Then I remembered having seen this video by The Missouri Star Quilt Company.

Her ingenious method of assembling a HST (half square triangles) for a pinwheel block is perfect for most HST projects I can think of. You simply take your two squares of fabric (usually a print and a solid), place them right sides together and sew around all four edges with a 1/4″ seam allowance. Then you cut the square on both diagonals and you end up with four pieces.

When you open out and iron them you get perfect half square triangles! It’s amazing every time. I recently made a bunch of these in different sizes just to get a feel for the math. I have some of the sizes figured out to get you started, but the basic math is a HST that is roughly 64% of the size of your original square.

So your math would be this:
Beginning Square Size x 0.64 = HST size.

If you knew the size you needed your HST to be, but wanted to find out how big to cut your beginning squares, you would use this equation instead:
HST / 0.64 = Beginning Square Size.

Of course it’s always a good idea to make a test square before beginning a project, as all of our sewing and cutting varies. Not every size is exactly 64%, but it’s a good place to start without getting too involved in the math. Below is a table that gives you the starting square size and the final HST size for sizes that I’ve actually tested. You may find as you make these that you can get 1/8″ to 1/4″ more from each size, but I like to play it safe. So many times when I’ve made HST in the past I find that I don’t have enough to trim away and get the size stated in the pattern, so i’d rather play it safe. Good luck and have fun creating!

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{ 59 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Grace March 17, 2011 at 7:26 am

wow thanks for the tip and for doing the math. I hate calculating so this helps!
best wishes

2 Patty March 17, 2011 at 7:56 am

You wouldn’t believe this but I was just thinking last night that I need to search for this information! I just bought fabric for a table topper and I wanted to design the top but I couldn’t remember the formulas. Thanks for a very timely post!

3 Siobhan March 17, 2011 at 8:09 am

Nice Math!

4 craftytammie March 17, 2011 at 8:12 am

I’ve done this before, it’s fast and easy! The cut edges will be on the bias though, so be careful not to stretch them out!

5 Lisa March 17, 2011 at 9:52 am

I’ve done a couple quilts based on that video. So easy! Thanks much for the math. Math and I don’t get along, so I’m super excited to have it done for me!

6 Seanna Lea March 17, 2011 at 10:06 am

Awesome. I want to quilt, but cutting is not my friend. Fewer cuts means I’m more likely to start (yeah, still haven’t done that) and finish a project!

7 Caitlin March 17, 2011 at 10:23 am

This couldn’t have come at a better time,thanks! Got all my fabrics stacked up for a HST quilt and needed the math!

8 Simone March 17, 2011 at 10:26 am

It looks very easy! But isn’t your grain in the wrong direction this way???

9 kath_red March 27, 2011 at 12:26 am

Be careful with your bias edges – reinforcing with starch will help stabilise while sewing the patches together, otherwise make pins your friends and be careful not to pull the fabric while sewing the patches together.

10 Jennifer Can Quilt March 17, 2011 at 11:37 am

I don’t understand why we are dividing by .64. Can’t we just add 7/8″ to the finished size? That is how I do it!

If I want my HST piece to be 4″ finished (4.5″ unfinished) then I cut my squares 4 7/8″, draw a diagonal line, and sew 1/4″ from it on either side. When I cut in half and press, my pieces are 4.5″, just as planned.

11 kabby March 16, 2012 at 9:48 pm

This method is giving you ‘4’ 1/2square triangles. With adding 7/8 to your finished size you are only getting ‘2’ 1/2 square triangles

12 Lisa March 17, 2011 at 12:02 pm

Wow! That’s the best method I’ve seen yet. Thanks for sharing.

13 Dani March 17, 2011 at 1:06 pm

This. Is genius. I am about to start a pinwheel quilt and this will save some serious time!

14 Lori March 17, 2011 at 3:09 pm

My jaw just hit my desk. I would never have thought of this. It’s so genius but so simple! Thanks for doing the math…

15 julie March 17, 2011 at 4:29 pm

Thank you soooo much for this post. I have wanted to try this, but just couldn’t get my head around the math!!!

16 Natalie March 17, 2011 at 5:38 pm

I wonder what the math is for turning these into Pinwheels? I’ve never thought to break it down like this. Thanks!

17 Staci March 17, 2011 at 5:40 pm

I tried this method just this week, and it is now my FAVORITE way to do HST. Thank you for doing the math! The blog where I first saw this had math, too. But it was WRONG! Ooops!

18 Katie March 17, 2011 at 6:21 pm

I use this method all the time & love it, but I’m not sure it’s a good one for those new to sewing. It’s far too easy to stretch those bias edges.

19 meqwilter November 14, 2014 at 7:55 am

If you press to the straight of the grain, you do not stretch the bias.

20 beth March 17, 2011 at 8:19 pm

Great little chart to have handy!

21 aunt spicy March 17, 2011 at 8:59 pm

22 Susie March 17, 2011 at 10:13 pm

Yipes! There is a better quick way to do half square triangles where you don’t end up with all that bias all around the outside. If you do it this way, be really really careful with the iron so you don’t stretch the shape. This is a good way to use charm squares like in the video, but if you are cutting your own fabric, I predict less frustration if you do quick-pieced half-square triangles the traditional way.

23 Jennifer March 18, 2011 at 8:35 am

Thanks so much for the calculation! I also saw that video a month ago and was amazed. Just last night I was wondering how to figure out that math, as i am about to make a block with 5 small pinwheels and thought it would be a perfect time to try the new technique. Thanks!

24 Cherri March 18, 2011 at 12:27 pm

Yea Christina! I love the inner math geekiness! Thanks for figuring this out…I took a pic of the chart so it will always be available on my phone as a reference! I am sewing my last Neptune charm pack using this technique……thank you for the numbers!

25 vireya March 18, 2011 at 6:51 pm

These are actually quarter-square triangles, not half-square triangles. And they have all the outside edges on the bias, so are really tricky for beginners to handle. I wouldn’t recommend this method to a beginner patchworker, as it is a recipe for a really messed-up, discouraging result!

26 baylady March 7, 2013 at 6:09 pm

Hi…I can see why you’d think these are quarter-square triangles because you end up with 4 units. But if you look at each unit, you’ll see that fabric A and fabric B each occupy half of the resulting square. [a quick way to identify quarter-square triangles is to note if two ‘hourglass’ designs are formed inside the square.]

27 ChristyJ May 23, 2013 at 9:04 pm

Actually this tutorial is for quarter-square triangles.

HST & QST are defined by where the straight of grain is when you cut them. A HST has 1 bias edge on the long side of the triangle. On a QST both of the short sides are bias edges and the long side of the triangle is the straight of grain. Vireya is right, you will always get the best results when you keep the outside edge of your block on the straight of grain.

28 Mimi March 25, 2011 at 3:10 pm

Thanks for working out the math and the chart – I copied and saved it to have as a reference.

29 Cussot March 25, 2011 at 5:03 pm

I’m not sure it would be a good use of fabric, but here’s a way to use Christina’s math AND avoid ending up with the bias edges on the small squares: cut the big squares on the bias. Proceed as directed, being careful not to stretch the edges as you sew those outside seams.

30 Cindy Carter March 25, 2011 at 8:16 pm

Wow! What a fabulous idea!
Thanks for sharing.

31 Angie March 26, 2011 at 1:10 am

Thanks so much! This is just perfect…I have to save and print it out so I have it when I start my HST quilt!

32 Adeela March 27, 2011 at 9:18 pm

I made a wallhanging using this tutorial and it turned GREAT.

33 S Thoreson May 11, 2011 at 3:31 pm

This works well and if HST are small the bias does not seem to be a problem. There is another way that gives straight grain edges and yields 8 HST. I searched for instructions and the math but could not find a site.
One needs 2 larger beginning squares. Just as in making a single HST mark a diagonal line from one corner to corner and also from the opposite corner to corner. Now stitch 1/4 inch on both sides of each diagonal line.
Then cut vertically and horizontally in the MIDDLE of the square giving four squares that are sewed on the diagonal. Cut between the diagonal stitched lines and there are 8 HST. The only math I could find was for 3 1/2 inch HST start with the beginning two blocks at 8 3/4 inches. It may be helpful to do a bit larger and trim the finished HST.

34 kath_red May 14, 2011 at 8:08 pm

Thanks everyone for all the super great advice – so great to have so many talented and knowledgeable people able to add to the knowledge base

35 Jenny October 2, 2011 at 11:32 pm

Oh! I want to remember this! How in the heck am I going to bookmark this comment?

36 kath_red May 20, 2012 at 1:52 am

here is a visual for this if anyone needs one:

37 Barbara July 18, 2012 at 6:37 pm

So, if you want to calculate the size square to begin with for the method that yields 8 HST’s think of it this way. You are really joining 4 sets of the traditional method used to create 2 HST’s from a 2 squares. (take the size you want in the end and add 7/8″)… So S Thoreson’s example of an ending 3 1/2 inch HST with a beginning blocks of 8 3/4″ can be proved as follows:
One set of HST requires a square of 4 3/8″ (3 1/2″ + 7/8″)
Multiply this by 2 and you get 8 6/8 or 8 3/4″ – so you cut a square 8 3/4 x 8 3/4 and you will end up with 4 sets of the traditional method joined as one block.
Generically you can apply the formula of 2 x a + 1 3/4″ = length of one side of your square. a=size of ending HST
Therefore a ending HST of 4 1/2″ would require a 10 3/4″ beginning square.
( 2 x 4 1/2 + 1 3/4 = 9 + 1 3/4 = 10 3/4)
finished beginning
1 3 3/4
2 5 3/4
3 7 3/4
3 1/2 8 3/4
4 9 3/4
4 1/2 10 3/4
5 11 3/4
5 1/2 12 3/4 …etc
hope this helps

38 Jennifer June 28, 2011 at 8:37 pm

This is awesome! Thanks so much. Can’t wait to try this out. So appreciate your hard work!

39 andreatrib August 2, 2011 at 3:23 am

Here is one that worked for me… Start with 9 7/8 squares, sew each edge with ¼ seam allowance. You’ll get 4 – 6” finished half square triangle.

My sweet husband worked out the formula for me… Square root of {2*[(Finished square with seam allowance + 0.5) squared]} = the size of square you start with.

Then I put it into excel to get the following measurements….

Basically the numbers in order show the size finished block (1), the block with seam allowance (1 1/2), the starting block size as a decimal (2.82843), and the approx yardage square calculation (2 7/8).

I generally rounded up… and I still have to test them… but here they are… :)

Finished HST / HST w/1/2” seam allowance / Starting Square actual / Starting Square approx. yardage calc
1 / 1.5 / 2.82843 / 2 7/8
2 / 2.5 / 4.24264 / 4 ¼
3 / 3.5 / 5.65685 / 5 2/3
4 / 4.5 / 7.07107 / 7 1/8
5 / 5.5 / 8.48528 / 8 ½
6 / 6.5 / 9.89949 / 9 7/8
7 / 7.5 / 11.31371 / 11 5/16
8 / 8.5 / 12.72792 / 12 ¾
9 / 9.5 / 14.14214 / 14 1/8
10 / 10.5 / 15.55635 / 15 9/16
11 / 11.5 / 16.97056 / 17
12 / 12.5 / 18.38478 / 18 1/2

40 ingrid@morestylethancash August 25, 2011 at 9:24 am

I could cry…no really. Thank you so much for posting this. I am going to be making a quilt from all the scraps I have left over from sewing for my daughter when she was little. I was dreading doing the hst because they always turn out wonky for me. Thank you so (sew) much!

P.S. I found you on Pinterest

41 Manda September 8, 2011 at 10:25 am

I’ve been making HSTs this way since being introduced to the video on Missouri Quilt Company. As a newish quilter, I don’t know alot about bias, but I haven’t had any frustration in making blocks this way. Someone contacted me via flicker wanting to know how to make the block. I posted the link to the video, then remembered I’d seen this on Pinterest, and shared the link. I’m working on a diamond quilt block using this method now:

42 teresa g January 10, 2012 at 6:11 pm

THANK YOU for posting this. So glad you figured the math out for me.

43 Jeanne Crowell April 5, 2012 at 4:32 pm

I tried doing the math but it wasn’t the same size as yours. To do a 2 1/2″ my calculator says to cut a 4″ square, not a 4 1/4″. And I have to do it this way: 2.5 x 64%=4. If I do 2.5 x .64 I get 1.6. What am I doing wrong?

44 Joan April 30, 2012 at 12:44 pm

Thanks for this great time saver and easy to do!

45 linda August 22, 2012 at 10:53 am

CAN YOU PLEASE TELL ME . . . does this HST tutorial end up making the 4 hst’s in the size shown as 1) what a finished size hst would be in a quilt before the finished 1/4″ seam allowance? Or 2) and hst that is ready to use before sewn into a finished quilt top?

46 Rebecca Grace October 1, 2012 at 5:36 pm

Hi, Jeni! I know you posted this awhile back, but I am just now seeing it. I took a patchwork class with Kaye England a couple weeks ago and she showed us how to use the Cut for the Cure Specialty Rulers from Nifty Notions to easily cut HST, QST, half rectangles and more, all from the same size strips without having to do any math — I was in LOVE. Have you tried them?

47 lizellen December 29, 2012 at 12:14 pm

Thank you for doing the math. I saw this on Jenny Doan’s you tube but there was no directions for figuring out other sizes. This is great way to do HST and I hate points so this makes it a little easier.

48 Heather January 6, 2013 at 5:43 am

Wonderful tutorial! Thanks! I had a tiny bit of bias issue. I think I threw out two HST. But otherwise, it’s not really a problem.

49 Kathy Holm February 22, 2013 at 12:29 am

Thank you for saving my life on these HST..what a nightmare they can trusty notebook is at my side recording all this be used tomorrow , as t prepare to do battle with those pesky HST. This time..I’ll win the battle!

50 Kathy Holm February 22, 2013 at 12:32 am

Thanks for your great have saved my life on doing the explanation of HST.and the math.

51 Patti March 20, 2013 at 1:56 pm

Boy thanks you so much for this. I am so going to be using it for my month of a Bee.

52 Cindy April 16, 2013 at 4:07 pm

To eliminate the bias edges on HST’s-simply remember: Finished size of HST x 2 + 1.75 = the beginning size of the square.
Take 2 squares of fabric facing each other. Draw diagonal line corner to corner to create an ‘X’. Sew scant 1/4″ on each side of the lines. Do not cut that marked line yet. Now, cut those squares in half of both ways. There are 4 squares that will need the center line cut from corner to corner. Now cut those. You end up with 8 HST’s that do not have bias edges. No frustrations about starching and curling and stretching and fitting into your blocks. The result is the same as if making 2 HST’s at a time, but aking 8 at a time eliminates sewing those lines on tiny squares. Also, as everyone’s scant 1/4″ is different than the next person’s, it is much easier and less fretful for many to simply round out the measurement of the beginning squares, and then square them up after pressing the HST’s.

1 x 2 + 1.75 = 3.75 (1″ final HST size x 2 = 2″. Then 2″ + 1.75″ = 3.75″, the size of original 2 squares of fabric. You could round up to 4″ and square up the HST’s after final pressing.)
1.5 x 2 + 1.75 = 4.75
2 x 2 + 1.75 = 5.75
2.5 x 2 + 1.75 = 6.75
3 x 2 + 1.75 = 7.75
Etc. etc. See the pattern?

53 Judith Inge October 7, 2013 at 9:56 am

A friend just gave me a chart with that method. I used it to get the HST to fit 13″ blocks for a quilt set on point. Worked great and no bias edges to the outside.

54 Wendy Dillon October 7, 2013 at 11:54 am

thanks for the conversion table

55 Hedgehog October 7, 2013 at 12:17 pm

Much easier to make them right and not have bias edges. Look at this website: or at Cindy’s instructions above. The math for these is to add 1 3/4″ to the desired finished HST size. This method makes eight HSTs at the same time and they do not have bias edges.

56 Hedgehog October 7, 2013 at 12:20 pm

Oops! I meant to say add 1 3/4″ to TWICE the desired finished HST size. Cindy is correct.

57 Edie Moen October 7, 2013 at 6:30 pm

Does this method not leave you with all bias edges

58 andromeda October 9, 2013 at 5:42 pm

thanks so much for doing the math for us! math is not my friend!!!!

59 Mary Anne January 17, 2015 at 1:46 am

THANK YOU! I’m making the “Old Glory” quilt which is more than half full of HST’s. This will save a lot of time and aggravation!

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Copyright Nick Morgan and crew

Concert Review by Nick Morgan

100 Club, London, April 3rd 2009

I’m not sure how many people remember the Troggs. My old mum does – I asked her - “disgusting”, she said, “tight trousers and filthy lyrics”. There are six of us who do (who all, I should add, jumped at the chance for tickets), and a few more besides in the 100 Club, but it is, let’s say, far from crowded for a Friday night. It’s a shame.

The Troggs, you may recall, were propelled to stardom in 1966 when only their second record, a song called ‘Wild thing’ (written by American composer Chip Taylor) went to number one in both the United States and the UK. Hard-edged, with a distinctive driving guitar and suitably risqué lyrics, it became an overnight classic. They followed this up with a string of hits over the next couple of years.

One, ‘Anyway that you want me’, was also written by Taylor, but the remainder were penned by front man and vocalist, former bricklayer, Reg Ball, otherwise known as Reg Presley, thanks to an adroit name change by then manager Larry Paige (whom they shared, with amongst others, the Kinks). Presley certainly had a way with words: ‘Give it to me’, ‘With a girl like you’ and ‘I can’t control myself’ (banned by the BBC) were three of his more suggestive works. But his most famous, and the Troggs’ final chart hit of any measure was 1967’s ‘Love is all around’, adopted by Richard Curtis as the theme for his film Four Weddings and a Funeral, and as performed by Wet Wet Wet, a British number one hit for fifteen weeks. Reg, known for his interest in the para-normal (his 2002 book Wild things they don’t tell us displays his love of conspiracy theories), used much of the money to fund research into crop circles, a phenomenon of some importance in Presley’s native Hampshire. Which, of course is where his piratical West Country burr comes from, a somewhat disarming accent for an apparently salacious and scandalous sixty-eight-year-old rock and roller.

Reg Presley
He is an effortless performer, barely breaking sweat as the band work through fourteen songs including all of their hits and a smattering of R&B standards such as ‘Louie Louie’ and ‘Walking the dog’. The hard work was being done by the band, and notably original Troggs guitarist Chris Britton, whose crunching guitar sound defined ‘Wild thing’, and earned the Troggs their status as one of the forerunners of punk and garage rock, their influence acknowledged by the likes of Iggy Pop and the Ramones. It’s interesting to compare Britton’s technique (or possibly lack of it) with that of Jonathan Brentman, lead guitarist with the Foxes, whose quick-fire melodic pop tunes (strongly reminiscent of Joe Jackson I thought) made up the first set of the evening. Brentman was very good, but if there was a difficult way to play something then he chose it. By comparison Britton took route one each time, and it has to be said, to far greater effect. Presley leered and letched his way through the songs (with an unnerving steely glance with which he held the audience captive) and added a few reminiscences between numbers. The audience danced, sang, and playfully heckled in absurd accents, and generally enjoyed a very good, if undemanding, Friday night’s entertainment.
The Troggs are about to tour the UK with what’s left of the Move and Love Affair in one of those dreadful sixties packages that seem to be cashing in on the ‘grey pound’ at the moment, so if you are in the UK there’s a chance to see them in some of the lesser venues that the country boasts (I used to live in Bedworth, but does anyone else really even know where it is?). However in the meantime you could always get a taste of Reg and the boys at work by listening to the ‘notorious’ Troggs tapes, said amongst other things, to have inspired a scene in This is Spinal Tap. Enjoy. - Nick Morgan (photographs by Kate) Troggs

Listen: MySpace pages of Chip Taylor and a fairly recent medley by the Troggs on the inevitable Youtube. Oh, and Wild Thing on... an iPhone:

Check the index of all reviews:
Nick's Concert Reviews

There's nothing more down there...

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View Single Post
Old 12-20-2012, 10:43 AM
kittle42 kittle42 is offline
WSI Prelate
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Lakeview
Posts: 19,157

Edwin Jackson's quest to play for every team continues.

I have no clue what the mighty Theo is doing here. If Edwin Jackson is part of your long-term plans, it is time to change your long-term plans.
Ridiculousness across all sports:

(1) "You have no valid opinion because you never played the game."
(2) "Stats are irrelevant. This guy just doesn't know how to win."
Reply With Quote


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Students compete in Operation Stimulus case competition

Four Whitman School of Management undergraduate students competed in the 17th Annual Jerry R. Foster Student Competition, held January 31-February 1, 2013 in Denver, Colo. The national case competition was held during Operation Stimulus 2013, the premier transportation and logistics conference within the Rocky Mountain region.

This year, Operation Stimulus hosted 18 teams from schools across the United States and Canada, the largest competition to date. Teams not only come to compete in the case competition, but also to learn about transportation, logistics and the supply chain through panel discussions, student debates, historical perspectives, social/professional networking, fundraising and recreational opportunities. Both the conference and the case competition are organized and sponsored by the Denver Transportation Club.

Students Nicholas Soh, Bing Gao, Jinny Cheung and Jack Jesset represented Whitman in this year's competition. Gary LaPoint, Whitman assistant professor of practice for supply chain management, and Scott Lathrop, assistant professor of practice for marketing, traveled with the team.

"The competition helps our students because they are challenged to analyze a real-world situation, investigate the problem, and prepare a quantitative analysis and recommendation based on quantitative results and business logic. Many students struggle with quantitative analysis, and the Operation Stimulus competition provides an excellent opportunity to refine these skills. Plus, having an opportunity to make a formal presentation in front of practitioners is always valuable," says LaPoint.


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Cygnus Strategy Presents QEST on January 23rd

Beginning January 23rd, at the Jackson Center Cygnus Strategy Group will be hosting QEST, the Quarterly Exchange of Solutions and Technology, a gathering of the best, brightest, and most innovative homegrown technology and ideas .

QEST is free to both presenters and attendees and is an opportunity to share hunches, compare ideas, and foster partnerships between and among Huntsville-based companies.  QEST is a place where ideas can mingle, swap and create new forms.

Who Should Attend:  Anyone with an interest in technology that is being developed in Huntsville.

Who Should Present: Companies, Inventors, and Entrepreneurs with innovative technology.

In an after-hours, business-casual setting, you’ll have a chance to entertain your brain (or, inspire your mind) as you:

  • Hear presentations about innovations here in Huntsville and surrounding areas
  • Have a chance to provide and receive feedback on your innovation and others’
  • Gain an understanding of the resources available in the community to launch these ideas and grow these businesses
  • Meet like-minded people that want to ignite, inspire and expand technology in Huntsville

Click here for more information or call (615) 545-2232

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 3,998 other followers


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Help, Support, and Contact Information:

WHPO Radio | 101 Country

Local News & Information

Hoopeston Police Department Report

Wednesday, February 26th, 2014

Driving On Revocation H14-0868     V14-01575 Steeples
Date & Time: February 25, 2014 9:01am
Location: S. Market at Lincoln
Arrested: James A Kagel (44) of Hoopeston
Details: Subject was taken into custody on the above charge following a traffic stop.  He
was later transported to the PSB in Danville in lieu of $150 bond.

Traffic Accident (PD) H14-0874 Welch
Time & Date:  February 25, 2014   3:30pm
Location:   Fourth St/E Orange St
Unit 1: 1990 Chevy Coupe driven by Matthew W Stock (M) of Hoopeston (17)
Unit 2: 2011 Ford driven by Helen F Compton (F) of Hoopeston (87)
Details: At the above time and date, HPD was requested to respond to an accident scene
at the above location.  No injuries were reported at the time of the accident,
both units are insured.  No citations were issued.

Back to News


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Karma reasons for concrete message

    Posts: 8935
  • Darwins +1390/-9

Thanks for the info--just looked up Black Atheists of America. Maybe I'll join! Then there will be what, maybe five or six of us!

And, yeah, I'm with you, the Gawd. I think most black folks think of someone looking like Aaron Ra or Carl Sagan or Isaac Asimov when the subject of atheism is raised. White, male and assumed to be kinda cold or off-putting. Not someone cool, funny, smart and fly like you and me. ;)
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Birmingham police investigating fatal Sunday night shooting

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Police in Birmingham have identified the 23-year-old who was shot and killed late Sunday night on Blocton Avenue.

Darius Moore (Birmingham Police Department)
Darius Moore (Birmingham Police Department)

Darius Moore, 23, was found in the back of a Ford Explorer suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken to UAB Hospital for treatment where he later died.

Birmingham Police Department spokesman Lt. Sean Edwards says Moore was shot by an unknown black male who fled the scene on foot.

Anyone with information pertaining to the identity or whereabouts of the suspect should contact the Birmingham Police Department Homicide Unit at (205) 254-1764 or Crime Stoppers or (205) 254-7777.

2014 WIAT-TV CBS42

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text:
Get the latest news about PS4 at and Xbox One at!

White and black Wii U confirmed

Aug 10th - Nintendo rep confirms the console will be available in black and white.

Wii U to launch in December in Europe?

Aug 10th - Manufacturing difficulties to blame for a delay in Europe, according to a new report.

Toki Tori 2 Wii U trailer and new info released

Aug 9th - First gameplay showcased, first game to officially support 1080p on the Wii U.

Wii U colors to be revealed with price and launch date

Aug 9th - Possible launch colors to be revealed next month.

Wii U GamePad faceplates available for pre-order

Aug 9th - Nintendo will license faceplates for the Wii U. The first one is already up for pre-order at Amazon.

Game Party Champions coming exclusively to Wii U

Aug 8th - New Wii U exclusive features sports and arcade mini games for Nintendo's new console.

Nintendo sending Wii U promotional materials to retailers

Aug 8th - Display boxes and marketing materials appear at video game retailers in the UK and North America.

FIFA 13 on Wii U will look much better

Aug 8th - Enhancements include better crowd and more detailed pitch.

Wii U box art confirmed real

Aug 8th - The Wii U game cover design will in fact be very similar to GameCube covers.

Wii U box art leaked by Amazon?

Aug 7th - New cover design is similar to GameCube, according to leaks from Amazon.

Battlefield 3 canceled on Wii U, Battlefield 4 is coming

Aug 6th - The Battlefield 4 team is working on a Wii U version set for release in 2013 according to a source.

Capcom has “some good stuff” coming to Wii U

Aug 6th - Despite no official Capcom Wii U games yet, the publisher says they'll have a surprise for us soon.

FIFA 13 Wii U showcase video

Aug 5th - New football/soccer gameplay shows the touchscreen controls in action.

Mass Effect 3 Wii U gameplay video

Aug 4th - New gameplay video reveals the Wii U touchscreen controller features and details.

EA wanted to integrate Origin into Wii U

Aug 4th - EA wanted a deal where all of Wii U's online systems were run by its Origin network.

The Last Story developer thinks Wii U is great for JRPGs

Aug 4th - The Wii U GamePad controller will work great for Japanese role playing games, says developer Mistwalker.

Madden NFL 13 Wii U is missing key features

Aug 3rd - Key features are missing from the Wii U version, including the brand new physics engine.


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Jump to: navigation, search

< E4

In order for e4 to succeed, it will need to have a solid tooling story. There are some outstanding issues in PDE that need to be solved to enable working against the various targets e4 is aiming to support.

Target Platform Issues

[186618]: Target Platforms should be more first class

[159072]: Associate target definitions on a per-project basis (multiple target platforms)

Application Model / Services Tooling

See e4/Eclipse Application Model. When we come up with a strong consistent story of what a Service is, how it exposes its Properties, Capabilities and State, we'll also want some Tooling to create these descriptions and do some consistency checks.

Concurrency Tooling

See e4/Architectural Foundations. When we come up with a consistent Story for managing asynchronousity / concurrency, we might want some tooling to Refactor or migrate existing code into the new Story; do consistency checks on concurrent access etc.

Macro Recording / Script Editor

See e4/Commands. When it's possible to record a macro of operations on Eclipse, we'll want a macro / script editor (with content assist, of course) to edit that script as well as tools to organize / replay scripts, assign them to menu items, toolbar buttons etc (similar as in various Office products)

Security Tooling

If there is a pervasive security model for e4 there will likely need to be tooling around it. This could be anything from a user/role mapping to sophisticated component selection for roles.

Client / Server Log Viewer

See Client / Server split. When the Application is split between Client and Server, we'll want to log interactions between the two (for problem determination), or replay interaction logs against a Server only for Unit Testing.

The question is, what else do people want? What do they envision as the tooling story for e4?

Should we have more templates? There aren't many templates available in Eclipse... how can we make this easier?

Summit Notes

The following notes were taken at the Tooling/Build breakout session at the e4 summit on May 22nd.

Number in brackets indicates priority. Ie: these things should be in place within X months for successful self-hosting to be possible.

  • tooling for dependency injection - we may be able to cannibalize this from existing DI projects. (1)
  • PDE++
  • model tooling - there is already a plethora of tooling available for EMF. (1)
  • tooling for scripting languages (JS - JSDT, ATF, DLTK, Action Script, etc) (1)
  • distributed debug/cross-language debug, with emphasis on the later. There may be the beginnings of such tooling in ATF and Firebug (for example). (1)
  • general web tooling (3)
  • cross compilation to Action Script/GWT (3)
  • cross language refactoring (2)
  • css editor/UI editor (3)

How do we consume tools? This is particularly difficult when we move the e4 tooling itself to e4 - we will drag along any dependencies

  • PDE build is not enough - do we extend, replace or rework it? Do we go towards a unified build process based on workspaces?
  • Can we make the build incremental?
  • integrated assembly/provisioning/co-ordination
  • testing
    • dependency injection makes for easy testing
    • do we need JSUnits? There are existing open source projects, but the licenses are unknown
    • how do we do distributed testing?
  • code generators for non-java languages

This is A.LOT.OF.WORK.


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Jump to: navigation, search

Scout/Tutorial/3.9/webservices/Create Derby SQL Service

< Scout | Tutorial | 3.9 | webservices

Wiki Home

On the server node, go to Common Services > Sql Services. Right click on the node to create a new SQL Service:

Create Derby SQL Service menu

For class name, enter DerbySqlService and choose AbstractDerbySqlService as supertype:

Create Derby SQL Service.

Click finish to create the SQL service. This creates the SQL service to access your Derby database. Also, the service registration in plugin.xml of the server Plug-In is done by Scout SDK automatically.

Finally you have to configure the path to your Derby database and specify username and password. Thereto, click on the created DerbySqlService. In the Scout Property View, please change the following properties.

Set properties to connect to database:

The username to access the database.
Value: tutorial
The password to access the database.
Value: scout
Jdbc Mapping Name
The JDBC connect string to access your Derby database.
Value: jdbc:derby:C:\jaxwsDB

If you have not downloaded the database yet, download it from here and copy it to a location of your choice.

You can continue the webservices tutorial.


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Jump to: navigation, search

I am planning on using this wiki to log my activities with not only the XO laptop, but with the support-gang if relevant to my discovery and work with the XO.

Feb 23-28, 2009

This week I received the XO!! VERY exciting! I went right in to discovering its capabilities and short comings. I "played" with it before upgrading in order to understand some history of where it was and where it is now. I then upgraded it which was fairly smooth. I wanted to understand more of the gnash/mash stuff so that I can help those needing to upgrade on RT.

March 1-7, 2009

Spent most of this week helping with the support gang in revising the Contributor Program. Didn't have much time with the XO. But, enjoyed seeing the capabilities of my 8 year old and my 6 year old quickly figure out many activities on the XO. They will be my control group for now. I have been considering activities or learning modules that could be developed. I would love to create or help create a genealogical or family history type collaborative program that kids could use to document and share about their families.

Personal tools
  • Log in
  • Login with OpenID
About OLPC
About the laptop
About the tablet
OLPC wiki


text:
From PC-BSD Wiki
Revision as of 06:26, 25 April 2012 by Drulavigne (Talk | contribs)

Jump to: navigation, search

(Sorry for the inconvenience)

Your PC-BSD system has been pre-configured to allow you to play multimedia in many formats. For example, if you insert a music CD or a video DVD, supported desktops will indicate that a new media is available and will offer options for accessing that media. Depending upon the desktop, several player applications may already be installed for playing various media formats. Most desktops also provide a graphical utility for configuring sound devices and inputs/outputs.

For desktops that don't provide a built-in device notifier or who don't support PC-BSD's built in devd system, an amountd script runs in the background to provide this functionality for USB devices. This means that the desktop should still notify you if a media is inserted into a USB CD/DVD device. If you insert a CD/DVD media into an internal CD/DVD device and your desktop does not notify you, you can still mount the media manually as the superuser. This command will mount a CD inserted into the first internal CD device:

mount -t cd9660 /dev/cd0 /media

While web browsing, you should be able to play most media formats, including Youtube videos, Internet radio, and many trailer and movie sites.

NOTE: If you happen to come across a file that you can not play in a web browser or media player, it is probably because it is in a proprietary format that requires a licensing fee or restricts distribution of the codec that is required to play that media format.

The Multimedia category of AppCafe® contains several dozen applications for playing and editing multimedia. It includes these popular applications (click the links to view screenshots):

  • Amarok: music player that includes integrated support for many web services such as, Magnatune, Echo Nest, Ampache, MP3Tunes, Jamendo, OPML, and Librivox.
  • Ardour: digital audio workstation that provides non-destructive, non-linear editing with unlimited undo and more than 200 LADSPA & LV2 plugins.
  • aTunes: full-featured audio player and manager that can play mp3, ogg, wma, wav, flac, mp4 and radio streaming, allowing users to easily edit tags, organize music and rip audio CDs.
  • Audacity: multilingual audio editor and recorder.
  • gtkpod: graphical user interface for the Apple iPod.
  • Miro: HD video player that can play almost any video file and offers over 6,000 free Internet TV shows and video podcasts.
  • Rhythmbox: integrated music management application

Troubleshooting Sound

By default, PC-BSD loads the snd_hda.ko driver at boot time. This is a meta-driver that automatically loads all supported sound cards. This means that sound usually "just works".

If your sound does not work, type mixer. You should receive output similar to the following:

Mixer vol      is currently set to 100:100
Mixer pcm      is currently set to 100:100
Mixer mic      is currently set to  50:50
Mixer mix      is currently set to  60:60
Mixer rec      is currently set to  75:75
Mixer igain    is currently set to 100:100
Mixer ogain    is currently set to 100:100

If any of these settings are set to 0, set them to a higher value, by specifying the name of the mixer setting as seen in this example:

mixer vol 100
Setting the mixer vol from 0:0 to 100:100.

If you only get one or two mixer settings instead of the settings shown above, you need to change the default mixer channel. As the superuser, try this command:

sysctl -w hw.snd.default_unit=1

To see if that changed to the correct channel, type mixer again. If you still only have one or two mixer settings, try setting the sysctl value to 2, and if necessary, to 3.

Once you have all of the mixer settings and none are set to 0, your sound should work. If it does not, see the section Finding Help. When reporting your problem, include your version of PC-BSD and the name of your sound card.

Recommended Reading

Personal tools


text:
5.4.2 Relationships between Families and Names

Jump to: navigation, search

Click here to return to the Comments section of the FRAD Task Force main wiki page

Why isn't "Other variant name relationships" one of the relationship types for family to name as it is for person or corporate body to name? Surely FRAD isn't implying that a variant name means a new entity? Or is this just an "alternative linguistic form"? If so, why not just lump all the person to name relationships under this heading as well? (See also Table 2, where this relationship needs to be added.) Bob Maxwell, May 7, 2007


text:
Download Stats

Today Total
Last Download By:
Last Download Date: Friday, August 28, 2015
Downloads By Anonymous Users: 0 124
Downloads By Registered Users: 0 9
Unique Total Downloads: 0 132
Total Downloads Overall: 0 133
Downloads By Subscribers/Apprentices: 0 8

Note: WinCustomize works to ensure its download counts are accurate. Some download sites inflate their download counts either intentionally or unintentionally. On, we take measures to try to provide you with accurate download counts. These download counts can be assumed to be fairly close to the actual # of individuals who have downloaded this skin, theme, wallpaper, or icon package.


text:
Bystronic Preparing to Launch New Sashlite Manufacturing Line

June 8, 2009

Dealers of the Year 2008 logoBystronic Glass Inc., the global supplier of glass processing equipment, reports it is developing a fully automated vertical manufacturing line for the fabrication of windows incorporating Sashlite technology. The line is set to be unveiled in Bystronic’s exhibit space at the GlassBuild America show in September.

The state-of-the-art line, capable of making both dual- and triple-glazed insulating glass units, will feature the highest level of automation in the industry and will substantially improve upon the quality, finish and performance of Sashlite windows, according to the supplier. From start to finish, the equipment requires only four to five workers to operate and has a throughput of up to 800 integrated sash windows per shift. Other features include the simultaneous assembly, gas-filling, and pressing of a unit, and the automated, precision driven application of all sealants and desiccants. The new line will allow for any production sequence of rectangular sash formats and is capable of producing a wide variety of sash sizes, shapes and designs.

Launched several years ago, Sashlite technology is an insulating glass system that eliminates the separate IG unit by integrating the spacer directly into the window sash. The result is a single, solid unit said to be stronger and more efficient than many existing windows on the market.

“We are investing heavily in the Sashlite platform because we believe that the system offers tremendous benefits to the fabricator," says Claus Rieger, Bystronic Glass president. "In the course of our due diligence, we found that Sashlite has a unique point of differentiation in the minds of both the dealer and the consumer. We are excited because our equipment will have a significant impact not only on the Sashlite manufacturing process, but also on the quality of the final product.”

“The Sashlite process, in conjunction with our fully automated solution will produce consistently high quality windows, while at the same time maximizing unit throughput," adds Scott Knisely, vice president of sales for Bystronic Glass in North America. "With this development, Bystronic has positioned itself as the only supplier capable of offering insulated glass manufacturers with the automated equipment solutions required to fabricate high-quality, insulating glass, regardless of the technology.”

The automated equipment line will allow manufacturers to make windows that comply with any current or future standards as set forth by the Department of Energy’s Energy Star program. The equipment line will also feature a drastically reduced footprint with decreased energy, labor, material inputs, and waste, according to the company.

“The Bystronic equipment will allow for high volume, fully automated production that will help the fabricator achieve maximum efficiencies and a superior ROI," states Robert Hornung, Sashlite president. "The performance of Sashlite windows are superior, and combined with the energy and resource savings of production, Sashlite is the greenest spacer technology available on the market today.”


text:
Choose a picture for your user account and Start menu

You can choose a picture that will be associated with your user account and shown on screens or menus that display your user name, such as the Welcome screen or Start menu.

User picture in Start menu
User picture in the Start menu
  1. Open User Accounts by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking User Accounts and Family Safety (or clicking User Accounts, if you are connected to a network domain), and then clicking User Accounts.

  2. Click Change your picture.

  3. Click the picture you want to use, and then click Change Picture.
    – or –
    To use your own picture, click Browse for more pictures, navigate to the picture you want to use, click the picture, and then click Open. You can use a picture of any size, but it must have one of the following file name extensions: .jpg, .png, .bmp, or .gif.

Need more help?


text:
Digging deeper from the command line

In the July 1999 Top 10, I shared some useful command-script techniques. In this column, I provide 10 more tips that can add power to your scripts and give them a professional appearance.

10. Use the Cls command to clear the Command Prompt window. Clearing the screen is a good technique to use at the beginning of a script.

9. Use the @title command to give the Command Prompt window a custom title. By default, when a command script runs, it opens a window with the nondescript Command Prompt label, which doesn't provide much information.

8. Use the @color command to set the color of the Command Prompt window. The @color command accepts a two-digit attribute setting. To see all possible color combinations, enter color/?. The following example sets white on blue:

@color 1F

7. Use the Pushd and Popd commands to save and restore the current directory. To perform actions in different folders, Windows NT command scripts commonly change the current directory. The Pushd command stores the current drive and directory, then changes to the specified drive and directory. Popd changes the current directory back to the directory that the Pushd command stored.

C:\> pushd C:\temp
C:\temp> popd

6. Use the Setlocal and Endlocal commands to protect environment variables. Because environment variables are common to all the tasks that run in the system, changing them can alter your system's functionality. Use the Setlocal command to restrict any environment changes to the current script. The Endlocal command restores the previous environment settings. (These commands work only within a script, not when you type them directly on the command line.)

5. Use the Errorlevel environment to test command results. Many NT commands and other batch-oriented console programs can return information (i.e., error codes) to the calling script that informs you of the program's success or failure. You can use the Errorlevel environment to access this error information (if the program provides it).

net group mygroup myuser /add
if errorlevel 1 echo Net Group Add failed

4. Use quotation marks to work with long filenames. Long filenames make files easier to find. But, if a command accepts more than one parameter, using long filenames can be cumbersome in command scripts.

copy "C:\temp\sales briefing sheet 1.doc"

3. Use redirection for input and output. The following example shows how you would use the dir_in.txt file (which contains the input parameter for the Dir command) to execute the Dir command and send the output to dir_out.txt.

dir < dir_in.txt >dir_out.txt

Use the @findstr command to conditionally take action based on a text string contained in a file. The following example redirects ping output to a file, then checks that file for the phrase timed out and executes the pingerror.cmd script (if the timed out text is present).

ping myserver >ping_output.txt
@findstr "timed out" ping_output.txt && pingerror.cmd

1. Use the For command to parse files (i.e., read a file's contents) and take action based on the contents. The following example shows how to read the contents of a text file containing a list of server names and ping each server:

for /f %%i in (servers.txt) do ping %%I


text: Thursday, Microsoft released Office 97 with a New York City presentation featuring Bill Gates. According to the company, Office 97 is the most significant version of Office that they've ever created and their most significant product launch since the introduction of Windows 95. Over 80% of the improvements in Office 97 are the direct result of customer feedback, most of which came from the MS Wish database. Office 97 is the result of more than 750 developers, designers, and testers, working for over three years at a total project cost of over $200 million. More importantly, Office 97 is the centerpiece of Microsoft's Internet strategy and the most important and popular software platform there is after Windows itself. The Professional and Standard editions of Office 97 are now shipping. Office 97 Developer Edition will be available within the next two weeks and Office 97 Small Business Edition will be on store shelves in February