Thursday, September 30, 2010
Dance of the Planets Gets Intimate : Discovery News
Two giant planets circling a dying star about 223 light-years away sweep past one another closer than any other planetary pair, demonstrating orbital mechanics that break the bounds of what scientists thought possible.
The planets, which are about the size of Jupiter, likely formed 2.5 billion to 3 billion years ago from of disk of dust and gas circling a massive newborn star, now known as HD200964.
Typically, gravity ends up balancing planet pairs so that the inner world completes two orbits for every one made by its outlying sibling, among other configurations. HD200964's inner Jupiter is making four orbits for every three completed by its partner.
The closer the planets, the trickier the balancing act due to the planets' increasingly powerful gravitational influences on each other.
"The tighter you get the planets, the more fine-tuned their steps have to be or they're going to force each other out," astronomer John Johnson, with the California Institute of Technology, told Discovery News.
The synchronicity at HD200964 is particularly exquisite. An orbital dance brings the two giant planets as close as about 33 million miles to one another. In our solar system, Jupiter and its nearest neighbor Saturn are never closer than 10 times that distance. The planetary pair orbiting HD200964 is separated by a distance similar to the divide between Earth and Mars.
"They're an island of stability in a sea of instability," said University of Florida's Eric Ford. "In the case of HD200964, it is particularly dramatic because it's a pretty small island."
Astronomers have been keeping a close watch on HD200964 for about five years, teasing out details from weird wobbles in its light waves, due to the planets' gravitational tugs. They then run the data in computer models. The star is among 450 similar targets being scanned for planetary systems.
"One of the things we'd like to understand is how planet formation is impacted by the type of star," Ford told Discovery News.
HD200964 is not the only star in the study that has closely orbiting planets. A pair of planets circling 24 Sextanis, located 244 light-years away, pass as close as about 70 million miles from one another.
Johnson estimates that about 20 or even 25 percent of massive stars like HD2000964 and 24 Sextanis have large, Jupiter-class planets.
By Irene Klotz Discovery News July 30, 2010
Dance of the Planets Gets Intimate : Discovery News
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Early birds may get the worm, but late birds get the job
From the time we're kids, we're been force-fed the idea that first is best. It doesn't always work that way.
The conventional wisdom is to be first across the finish line, first in our class in grades, first in line for chow, first for tickets to the Beyonce concert and first to be interviewed by a prospective employer. A, B, C and D work just fine. E doesn't. You do not want to be the first candidate interviewed.
Advertising genius Pat Fallon taught me long ago that ad agencies that pitched new business first or early in competitive reviews almost never won the account. Those who were positioned sixth or seventh in a typical review had far better chances.
Give any savvy ad agency an opportunity to select a time slot for a client pitch and they'll always take the last one, the one closest to the moment when the choice of agencies is made. These people make their living understanding human nature.
Clients tend to dismiss the first pitches they hear as they would preliminary fights on a boxing card. They're just not taken terribly seriously. They're on the card to give them an opportunity to see what's out there, to try out their questions and sharpen their reactions in preparation for the main event.
The same kind of buildup is used in assembling a concert program. You start with the aptly named "warm-up" acts. They're the appetizers. The headliner is the main course.
A similar pattern emerges in the selection of films and stars for Oscars. Those that win rarely make their box-office debut at the beginning of a given year. The strongest contenders are those appearing at year-end. They end up with far better recognition and recall value in the eyes of Academy members.
Want to see true creative ingenuity in action? Watch what happens when a prospective client tries to schedule an agency pitch.
"We wish we could take the Monday 8 a.m. slot, but all our account people will be having open-heart surgery that day. They should be up and around by Wednesday afternoon, though."
With most openings, the company's job specs are likely to be vague at first, becoming clearer only after they have had the opportunity to interview (and argue about) a couple of candidates. You don't want to be the test dummy, smashed into a wall, so the company can design a better set of wheels for someone else.
If you are going for a job interview, try to learn how many candidates have already been seen. If you ask, and the recruiter dodges the question, consider yourself to be among the first or second entrants, and be prepared with a good, believable reason why a later time would be better. Perhaps a conflicting business trip or prior engagement prevents you from doing an early interview. Particularly in this economy, people are so anxious about getting a job that they are willing to schedule anything at any time, often to their own great disadvantage.
If you can't avoid being first, try to leave the interviewer with something to think about: "I know you'll be talking with other candidates, and it might be hard to remember the first person you talked to, but I'm committed to doing everything I can to work for your company, and I'd like to be asked back for a second interview. These are challenging times, and I believe I can make an immediate impact in strengthening this business. When you bring me back in, I will give you a detailed plan."
I'm proud to have known the late Norman Vincent Peale, who told the story about the eager job applicant who sees a help-wanted ad and rushes down to apply. By the time he arrives, there are at least 200 people lined up waiting to be interviewed.
After waiting in line for some time, he bolts out, runs to the front, where a woman is ushering them in one at a time, and says, "My name is Bruce Madison and you tell the people who are doing the hiring in there that I'm 253 in line and don't hire anyone until they've talked to me."
He got the job.
Mackay's Moral: The second mouse always gets the cheese.
by Harvey Mackay September 19, 2010
Early birds may get the worm, but late birds get the job
The conventional wisdom is to be first across the finish line, first in our class in grades, first in line for chow, first for tickets to the Beyonce concert and first to be interviewed by a prospective employer. A, B, C and D work just fine. E doesn't. You do not want to be the first candidate interviewed.
Advertising genius Pat Fallon taught me long ago that ad agencies that pitched new business first or early in competitive reviews almost never won the account. Those who were positioned sixth or seventh in a typical review had far better chances.
Give any savvy ad agency an opportunity to select a time slot for a client pitch and they'll always take the last one, the one closest to the moment when the choice of agencies is made. These people make their living understanding human nature.
Clients tend to dismiss the first pitches they hear as they would preliminary fights on a boxing card. They're just not taken terribly seriously. They're on the card to give them an opportunity to see what's out there, to try out their questions and sharpen their reactions in preparation for the main event.
The same kind of buildup is used in assembling a concert program. You start with the aptly named "warm-up" acts. They're the appetizers. The headliner is the main course.
A similar pattern emerges in the selection of films and stars for Oscars. Those that win rarely make their box-office debut at the beginning of a given year. The strongest contenders are those appearing at year-end. They end up with far better recognition and recall value in the eyes of Academy members.
Want to see true creative ingenuity in action? Watch what happens when a prospective client tries to schedule an agency pitch.
"We wish we could take the Monday 8 a.m. slot, but all our account people will be having open-heart surgery that day. They should be up and around by Wednesday afternoon, though."
With most openings, the company's job specs are likely to be vague at first, becoming clearer only after they have had the opportunity to interview (and argue about) a couple of candidates. You don't want to be the test dummy, smashed into a wall, so the company can design a better set of wheels for someone else.
If you are going for a job interview, try to learn how many candidates have already been seen. If you ask, and the recruiter dodges the question, consider yourself to be among the first or second entrants, and be prepared with a good, believable reason why a later time would be better. Perhaps a conflicting business trip or prior engagement prevents you from doing an early interview. Particularly in this economy, people are so anxious about getting a job that they are willing to schedule anything at any time, often to their own great disadvantage.
If you can't avoid being first, try to leave the interviewer with something to think about: "I know you'll be talking with other candidates, and it might be hard to remember the first person you talked to, but I'm committed to doing everything I can to work for your company, and I'd like to be asked back for a second interview. These are challenging times, and I believe I can make an immediate impact in strengthening this business. When you bring me back in, I will give you a detailed plan."
I'm proud to have known the late Norman Vincent Peale, who told the story about the eager job applicant who sees a help-wanted ad and rushes down to apply. By the time he arrives, there are at least 200 people lined up waiting to be interviewed.
After waiting in line for some time, he bolts out, runs to the front, where a woman is ushering them in one at a time, and says, "My name is Bruce Madison and you tell the people who are doing the hiring in there that I'm 253 in line and don't hire anyone until they've talked to me."
He got the job.
Mackay's Moral: The second mouse always gets the cheese.
by Harvey Mackay September 19, 2010
Early birds may get the worm, but late birds get the job
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
This is about types of twilight (not the vampire kind)
Why are there two twilights: civil and nautical?
There aren't two twilights. There are three: civil, nautical and astronomical. Some people say there is a fourth - actual twilight - but this is confusing enough as it is so we'll stick to three.
In a nutshell, twilight is the period before sunrise and after sunset when the sun's light is not shining directly on Earth but is diffused by the upper atmosphere, casting various degrees of illumination on us.
Unless you are sailor or astronomer, you really don't have to worry about all this. Come to think of it, you probably really don't have to worry much about civil twilight, but I suppose you might have your reasons for doing so.
Civil twilight is the period before sunrise and after sunset when the sun is 6 degrees below the horizon.
During civil twilight, there is enough illumination to work outside without artificial lighting. It's a good time to do stuff in peace and quiet while there aren't many people around, like sneaking over to your neighbors' driveway to "borrow" their Republic.
Nautical twilight is the period after sunset and before sunrise when the sun is 12 degrees below the horizon.
This is when the horizon at sea can be made out but it is still dark enough to see the major stars. That means sailors can use a sextant to get their morning or evening bearings.
I don't know how many sailors still use sextants, but I suppose there are some.
Astronomical twilight is the period before sunrise and after sunset when the sun is 12 to 18 degrees below the horizon.
The hours between the night and morning twilights are when it is dark enough to do some serious astronomy.
by Clay Thompson, columnist The Arizona Republic Sept. 19, 2010 12:00 AM
This is about types of twilight (not the vampire kind)
There aren't two twilights. There are three: civil, nautical and astronomical. Some people say there is a fourth - actual twilight - but this is confusing enough as it is so we'll stick to three.
In a nutshell, twilight is the period before sunrise and after sunset when the sun's light is not shining directly on Earth but is diffused by the upper atmosphere, casting various degrees of illumination on us.
Unless you are sailor or astronomer, you really don't have to worry about all this. Come to think of it, you probably really don't have to worry much about civil twilight, but I suppose you might have your reasons for doing so.
Civil twilight is the period before sunrise and after sunset when the sun is 6 degrees below the horizon.
During civil twilight, there is enough illumination to work outside without artificial lighting. It's a good time to do stuff in peace and quiet while there aren't many people around, like sneaking over to your neighbors' driveway to "borrow" their Republic.
Nautical twilight is the period after sunset and before sunrise when the sun is 12 degrees below the horizon.
This is when the horizon at sea can be made out but it is still dark enough to see the major stars. That means sailors can use a sextant to get their morning or evening bearings.
I don't know how many sailors still use sextants, but I suppose there are some.
Astronomical twilight is the period before sunrise and after sunset when the sun is 12 to 18 degrees below the horizon.
The hours between the night and morning twilights are when it is dark enough to do some serious astronomy.
by Clay Thompson, columnist The Arizona Republic Sept. 19, 2010 12:00 AM
This is about types of twilight (not the vampire kind)
Mackay: Compromise is art to get the job done
Compromise is often looked upon as weakness. When President Harry Truman was pushing to complete a difficult program, he was asked whether he would settle for half a loaf. He said he would be willing to settle for one slice at a time.
Politics involve constant compromise. Business does too: negotiating contracts, hiring, closing sales.
You know what you need, are prepared to give up, and will never budge on. Do you know whether the other party knows what it wants, needs and is willing to give on?
Do you carry a Visa card? Its genesis was the result of a genuine compromise. Karl Weick shares its story in "Managing as Designing."
In the early 1970s, National BankAmericard Inc. turned around the Bank of America's faltering credit-card business in the United States. Soon after, BankAmericard licensees around the world also wanted NBI's help. The problems were enormous: Each licensee had different marketing, computer and operational systems, as well as different language, currency, culture and legal systems. After nearly two years of tense negotiations, the organizing committee met to try to resolve three deal-breaking disagreements. Positions had hardened and compromise seemed unlikely.
The final meeting was contentious. The Canadian banks refused to participate and withdrew, so the committee's chairman, Dee Hock, said they would reconvene the next morning to plan how to disband. Before adjourning, Hock invited everyone to dinner.
After dinner, the servers placed a small wrapped gift in front of each person. Hock asked everyone to open them.
He said: "We wanted to give you something that you could keep ... as a reminder of this day. On one cuff link is half of the world surrounded with the phrase 'the will to succeed' and on the second cuff link is the other half of the world and the phrase 'the grace to compromise.' We meet tomorrow for the final time to disband the effort after two arduous years. I have one last request. Will you please wear the cuff links to the meeting in the morning? When we part, we will take with us a reminder . . . that the world can never be united through us because we lack the will to succeed and the grace to compromise. But if . . . our differences dissolve before morning, this gift will remind us that the world was united because we did have the will to succeed and the grace to compromise."
Then Hock sat down. Absolute silence, until one of his friends exclaimed, "You miserable (expletive)!" The room erupted in laughter.
The next morning, everyone was wearing the cuff links. By noon, agreement was reached on every issue, and Visa International was born.
Mackay's Moral: Compromise is the art of dividing a cake so that each party thinks it gets a bigger piece.
by Harvey Mackay September 13, 2010
Mackay: Compromise is art to get the job done
Politics involve constant compromise. Business does too: negotiating contracts, hiring, closing sales.
You know what you need, are prepared to give up, and will never budge on. Do you know whether the other party knows what it wants, needs and is willing to give on?
Do you carry a Visa card? Its genesis was the result of a genuine compromise. Karl Weick shares its story in "Managing as Designing."
In the early 1970s, National BankAmericard Inc. turned around the Bank of America's faltering credit-card business in the United States. Soon after, BankAmericard licensees around the world also wanted NBI's help. The problems were enormous: Each licensee had different marketing, computer and operational systems, as well as different language, currency, culture and legal systems. After nearly two years of tense negotiations, the organizing committee met to try to resolve three deal-breaking disagreements. Positions had hardened and compromise seemed unlikely.
The final meeting was contentious. The Canadian banks refused to participate and withdrew, so the committee's chairman, Dee Hock, said they would reconvene the next morning to plan how to disband. Before adjourning, Hock invited everyone to dinner.
After dinner, the servers placed a small wrapped gift in front of each person. Hock asked everyone to open them.
He said: "We wanted to give you something that you could keep ... as a reminder of this day. On one cuff link is half of the world surrounded with the phrase 'the will to succeed' and on the second cuff link is the other half of the world and the phrase 'the grace to compromise.' We meet tomorrow for the final time to disband the effort after two arduous years. I have one last request. Will you please wear the cuff links to the meeting in the morning? When we part, we will take with us a reminder . . . that the world can never be united through us because we lack the will to succeed and the grace to compromise. But if . . . our differences dissolve before morning, this gift will remind us that the world was united because we did have the will to succeed and the grace to compromise."
Then Hock sat down. Absolute silence, until one of his friends exclaimed, "You miserable (expletive)!" The room erupted in laughter.
The next morning, everyone was wearing the cuff links. By noon, agreement was reached on every issue, and Visa International was born.
Mackay's Moral: Compromise is the art of dividing a cake so that each party thinks it gets a bigger piece.
by Harvey Mackay September 13, 2010
Mackay: Compromise is art to get the job done
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Fantagraphics Books - Fantagraphics Acquires Lost William S. Burroughs Graphic Novel
FANTAGRAPHICS ACQUIRES LOST ‘GRAPHIC NOVEL' BY WILLIAM S. BURROUGHS & ARTIST MALCOLM McNEILL
SEATTLE, WA, SEPT. 9, 2010 --- Fantagraphics Books is proud to announce the acquisition of the only graphic novel written by — and possibly the last unseen work of his to be published — the innovative Beat writer and Naked Lunch author, William S. Burroughs. This lost masterpiece, Ah Pook Is Here, created in collaboration with artist Malcolm McNeill in the 1970s, will be published in the summer of 2011 as a spectacularly packaged two-volume, hinged set, along withObserved While Falling, McNeill's memoir documenting his collaboration with one of America's most iconic authors.
Ah Pook Is Here first appeared in 1970 under the title The Unspeakable Mr. Hartas a monthly comic strip written by Burroughs and drawn by the British cartoonist and painter Malcolm McNeil in the English magazine Cyclops. When the publication folded, Burroughs and McNeill decided to develop the project into a full-length, Word/Image novel (the term "graphic novel" had not yet been coined). Burroughs was 56 at the time, McNeill 23.
The book was conceived as a single painting in which text and images were combined in whatever form seemed appropriate to the narrative. It was conceived as 120 continuous pages that would "fold out." Such a book was, at the time, unprecedented, and no publisher was willing to take a chance and publish a "graphic novel." Burroughs and McNeill finally abandoned the project after collaborating on it for 7 years.
"It is singularly appropriate that after championing literate comics and the graphic novel form for over 30 years, Fantagraphics Books should bring a literary collaboration between one of America's most distinctive writers and his exemplary hand-chosen artist to light," says Fantagraphics Publisher and acquiring editor Gary Groth.
Ah Pook Is Here is a consideration of time with respect to the differing perceptions of the ancient Maya and that of the current Western mindset. It was Burroughs' contention that both of these views result in systems of control in which the elite perpetuate its agendas at the expense of the people. They make time for themselves and through increasing measures of Control attempt to prolong the process indefinitely.
John Stanley Hart is the "Ugly American" or "Instrument of Control" - a billionaire newspaper tycoon obsessed with discovering the means for achieving immortality. Based on the formulae contained in rediscovered Mayan books he attempts to create a Media Control Machine using the images of Fear and Death. By increasing Control, however, he devalues time and invokes an implacable enemy: Ah Pook, the Mayan Death God. Young mutant heroes using the same Mayan formulae travel through time bringing biologic plagues from the remote past to destroy Hart and his Judeo/Christian temporal reality.
Ah Pook Is Here was an experiment, not just in terms of the form in which the idea was expressed but the possible effects the form might produce. Burroughs was preoccupied throughout his career with the fundamental nature of words and images, particularly with regard to their ability to transcend time. In the case of Ah Pook Is Here, the rapport between artist and writer produced results that confirmed that contention. Ah Pook is the kind of extrapolative, futuristic feat of imagination that a reader would expect from the author of Nova Express and The Ticket That Exploded — a mind-boggling tour de force, dramatizing outré theories with a science fiction patina.
The second book in the set is Observed While Falling, written by Malcolm McNeill, an account of the personal and creative interaction that defined the collaboration between the writer and the artist, the events surrounding it, and the reasons for its ultimate demise. McNeill describes his growing friendship with Burroughs and how their personal relationship affected their creative partnership. The book is written with insight and humor, and liberally sprinkled with the kind of the hilarious anecdotes one would expect working with a writer as original and eccentric as William S. Burroughs. It confirms the prescience of Ah Pook Is Here with respect to the contemporary graphic novel; Burroughs' exploration of the artistic potential of combining words and images was a revelation to the artist. The book offers new insights into Burroughs' working methods as well as how the two explored the possibilities of words and images working together to form the ambitious literary hybrid that they didn't know, at the time, was a harbinger of the 21st century's "graphic novel."
"Fantagraphics is honored to bring this major work into print and to publish what is quite possibly the last great work from one of America's most original prose stylists," added Groth. "Burroughs once said that 'The purpose of writing is to make it happen.' We are proud to make Ah Pook Is Here finally happen."
Fantagraphics Books ( www.fantagraphics.com ) has been the world's leading publisher of comics and graphic novels since 1976, with titles by R. Crumb,Charles Schulz, Joe Sacco, Daniel Clowes and many others. In 2007, the company launched its prose division, which books by Alexander Theroux (Laura Warholic), Monte Schulz (This Side of Jordan), and Stephen Dixon (What Is All This?).
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT AH POOK IS HERE, GO HERE FOR AN INTERVIEW WITH MALCOLM McNEILL.
by Eric Reynolds Fantagraphics Books September 9, 2010
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Tips for job applicants, businesses
It was a two-line online want ad: Busy downtown Scottsdale restaurant looking for servers. Experience is not necessary with the right attitude. Bartending a plus.
Five minutes after Malee's Thai Bistro owner Deirdre Pain posted it at 11:30 one evening, her e-mail account was flooded with applicants. Her BlackBerry, which makes a short "ping!" each time she gets new e-mail, chimed non-stop, like a winning slot machine. She got more than 400 responses, said Pain, who posted the ad two weeks ago.
They included seasoned servers as well as former business owners and out-of-work teachers. Several pleaded for work.
"They just kept coming and coming and coming and it was so overwhelming," Pain said. "If I had my way, I would be hiring them all, so people can have a job."
As thousands of Arizonans look for work - the state's official unemployment rate was 9.6 percent in July - throngs of job seekers have become an increasingly familiar sight.
Many major companies have now become accustomed to handling a tidal wave of applicants for certain job openings.
As word spread about as many as 1,000 job openings at McDonald's this week, more than 15,000 people went to Phoenix area restaurants to apply for work. The chain brought in extra managers to help interview the influx of job seekers, a spokeswoman for the fast-food chain said.
In July, 800 to 1,000 people applied for 40 part- and full-time jobs at Cabela's, an outdoors store in Glendale.
For employers, especially ones who have not hired in the past few years, the experience can be both eye-opening and gut-wrenching. And smaller businesses, such as Pain's, often don't have the staff to sift through hundreds of queries.
"You read these stories about joblessness and there are no faces to that these stories," Pain said. "And all of the sudden, I had a very front-line, in-my-face, 'this is the reality of what is going on here.' And it's frightening and it makes me profoundly sad."
That flood of interest is a mixed blessing. The queries can include outstanding candidates and desperate applicants who are a poor fit, employment experts say. But there are ways for job seekers and businesses that want to hire workers to get a better outcome, they say.
Employers: Strategize
Being specific, both when employers craft a job posting and when job hunters apply for jobs, will help spare both sides some frustration.
Employers should have a detailed recruiting strategy to narrow the pool of applicants, said Allison Nawoj, corporate communications manager for CareerBuilder. That game plan may include posting jobs on industry-specific websites, she said.
Also, the job description should be detailed, specifying the desire for concrete experience, skills and information about the company, said Holly Schor, director of community marketing for Jobing.com. Some applicants may choose not to apply because the job isn't right for them, Schor said.
And not all jobs have huge competition, Schor said. Businesses have been surprised when their job postings got less response than expected.
It appears that some fields, including nursing, technology and some entry-level posts, tend to draw a larger number of applicants, Schor said.
Job seekers: Customize
To stand out in a crowded field, job seekers should customize their resume and cover letter for each prospective employer. Talk up specific attributes about the company, such as a recent award the business won, in the cover letter.
Pain and her staff developed criteria to whittle down the applicant list. They wanted servers with at least some experience and they wanted workers with a great attitude. They hired three who will start training next week and they plan to hire a few others soon.
Other job seekers, such as the thousands of Valley residents who applied for the McDonald's jobs this week, are still waiting to find out if they will be employed.
"I'm praying I get one because I'm trying to pay for school," said Phoenix resident Timesha Little, 19, as she filled out a job application at a Phoenix McDonald's on Wednesday.
"I believe in God and have my rosary in my purse, so hopefully that helps."
by Jahna Berry The Arizona Republic Sept. 11, 2010 12:00 AM
Tips for job applicants, businesses
Five minutes after Malee's Thai Bistro owner Deirdre Pain posted it at 11:30 one evening, her e-mail account was flooded with applicants. Her BlackBerry, which makes a short "ping!" each time she gets new e-mail, chimed non-stop, like a winning slot machine. She got more than 400 responses, said Pain, who posted the ad two weeks ago.
They included seasoned servers as well as former business owners and out-of-work teachers. Several pleaded for work.
"They just kept coming and coming and coming and it was so overwhelming," Pain said. "If I had my way, I would be hiring them all, so people can have a job."
As thousands of Arizonans look for work - the state's official unemployment rate was 9.6 percent in July - throngs of job seekers have become an increasingly familiar sight.
Many major companies have now become accustomed to handling a tidal wave of applicants for certain job openings.
As word spread about as many as 1,000 job openings at McDonald's this week, more than 15,000 people went to Phoenix area restaurants to apply for work. The chain brought in extra managers to help interview the influx of job seekers, a spokeswoman for the fast-food chain said.
In July, 800 to 1,000 people applied for 40 part- and full-time jobs at Cabela's, an outdoors store in Glendale.
For employers, especially ones who have not hired in the past few years, the experience can be both eye-opening and gut-wrenching. And smaller businesses, such as Pain's, often don't have the staff to sift through hundreds of queries.
"You read these stories about joblessness and there are no faces to that these stories," Pain said. "And all of the sudden, I had a very front-line, in-my-face, 'this is the reality of what is going on here.' And it's frightening and it makes me profoundly sad."
That flood of interest is a mixed blessing. The queries can include outstanding candidates and desperate applicants who are a poor fit, employment experts say. But there are ways for job seekers and businesses that want to hire workers to get a better outcome, they say.
Employers: Strategize
Being specific, both when employers craft a job posting and when job hunters apply for jobs, will help spare both sides some frustration.
Employers should have a detailed recruiting strategy to narrow the pool of applicants, said Allison Nawoj, corporate communications manager for CareerBuilder. That game plan may include posting jobs on industry-specific websites, she said.
Also, the job description should be detailed, specifying the desire for concrete experience, skills and information about the company, said Holly Schor, director of community marketing for Jobing.com. Some applicants may choose not to apply because the job isn't right for them, Schor said.
And not all jobs have huge competition, Schor said. Businesses have been surprised when their job postings got less response than expected.
It appears that some fields, including nursing, technology and some entry-level posts, tend to draw a larger number of applicants, Schor said.
Job seekers: Customize
To stand out in a crowded field, job seekers should customize their resume and cover letter for each prospective employer. Talk up specific attributes about the company, such as a recent award the business won, in the cover letter.
Pain and her staff developed criteria to whittle down the applicant list. They wanted servers with at least some experience and they wanted workers with a great attitude. They hired three who will start training next week and they plan to hire a few others soon.
Other job seekers, such as the thousands of Valley residents who applied for the McDonald's jobs this week, are still waiting to find out if they will be employed.
"I'm praying I get one because I'm trying to pay for school," said Phoenix resident Timesha Little, 19, as she filled out a job application at a Phoenix McDonald's on Wednesday.
"I believe in God and have my rosary in my purse, so hopefully that helps."
by Jahna Berry The Arizona Republic Sept. 11, 2010 12:00 AM
Tips for job applicants, businesses
Ferrari 458 Italia (2011)
While it's true that every Ferrari is innovative by definition, it's equally true that in the course of the Prancing Horse's history, certain cars have marked a genuine departure from the current range. This is very much the case with the Ferrari 458 Italia, which is a massive leap forward from the company's previous mid-rear engined sports cars.
The new model is a synthesis of style, creative flair, passion and cutting-edge technology, characteristics for which Italy as a nation is well-known. For this reason Ferrari chose to add the name of its homeland to the traditional figure representing the displacement and number of cylinders.
The Ferrari 458 Italia is a completely new car from every point of view: engine, design, aerodynamics, handling, instrumentation and ergonomics, just to name a few.
A two-seater berlinetta, the Ferrari 458 Italia, as is now traditional for all Ferrari's road-going cars, benefits hugely from the company's Formula 1 experience. This is particularly evident in the speed and precision with which the car responds to driver inputs and in the attention focused on reducing internal friction in the engine for lower fuel consumption than the Ferrari F430, despite the fact that both overall displacement and power have increased. However, Ferrari's track experience makes its presence felt in the Ferrari 458 Italia not only in terms of pure technological transfer but also on a more emotional level, because of the strong emphasis on creating an almost symbiotic relationship between driver and car. The Ferrari 458 Italia features an innovative driving environment with a new kind of steering wheel and dashboard that is the direct result of racing practice. Once again input from Michael Schumacher - who was involved from the very start of the Ferrari 458 Italia project - played an invaluable part.
The Ferrari 458 Italia's Pininfarina design provides further evidence of the complete departure from the past that this new car hails. The Ferrari 458 Italia has a compact, aerodynamic shape, underscoring the concepts of simplicity, efficiency and lightness that inspired the project. As with every Ferrari, the car's styling has been very heavily influenced by the requirements for aerodynamic efficiency, as can be seen from the downforce of 140 kg at 200km/h generated by the new model. The front features a single opening for the front grille and side air intakes, with aerodynamic sections and profiles designed to direct air to the coolant radiators and the new flat underbody. The nose also sports small aeroelastic winglets which generate downforce and, as speed rises, deform to reduce the section of the radiator inlets and cut drag.
The new 4499 cc V8 is the first Ferrari direct injection engine to be mid-rear mounted. It has a very low piston compression height typical of racing engines which contributed to achieving its compression ratio of 12.5:1. Equipped with the traditional flat-plane crankshaft, the engine delivers 570 CV at 9000 rpm and, with an outstanding power output of 127 CV/litre, sets a new benchmark not only for the whole Ferrari range and the history of company, but also for the entire market segment. Maximum torque is 540 Nm at 6000 rpm, over 80 per cent of which is available from 3250 rpm. Specific torque is a record 120 Nm/litre. However, what is truly extraordinary is the amount of torque available while still maintaining high levels of power at low revs.
The car's soundtrack is also typical Ferrari, with an exciting, powerful growl emerging from the engine before it channels through to the exhaust's three rear tailpipes.
The Ferrari 458 Italia is equipped with the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission which increases performance whilst providing very smooth shifts even at full throttle. The engineers have developed specific, sportier gear ratios to match the power and torque curves of the new V8, guaranteeing high torque even at lower engine speeds and allowing the car to reach its maximum speed in top gear.
This new Ferrari is also a major leap forward when it comes to cutting emissions. Despite the fact that the new engine is significantly more powerful than the V8s that preceded it, the Ferrari 458 Italia produces just 320 g/km of CO2 and fuel consumption is 13.7 l/100 km (combined cycle), the best in the entire segment.
The engineers also focused on weight reduction during the design phase for similar reasons. Consequently, the Ferrari 458 Italia has a dry weight of 1380 kg with a power-to-weight ratio of 2.42 kg/CV. Weight distribution is also optimal with 58 per cent over the rear axle. The result of the engineers' endeavours can be summed up in to two simple statistics which together perfectly encapsulate the Ferrari 458 Italia's exceptional performance: 0-100 km/h acceleration in under 3.4 seconds and a maximum speed in excess of 325 km/h.
For the new chassis, once more in aluminium, Maranello's engineers incorporated various types of advanced alloys along with aerospace industry-derived manufacturing and bonding techniques.
With regard to vehicle dynamics, the Ferrari 458 Italia's suspension features twin wishbones at the front and a multi-link set-up at the rear tuned for maximum roadholding and superlative handling. Along with a more direct steering ratio, the Ferrari 458 Italia thus offers extremely rapid turn-in and body control whilst maintaining superior ride comfort.
The integration of the E-Diff and F1-Trac (now controlled by the same ECU) and their respective mappings is even greater, resulting in a 32 per cent increase in longitudinal acceleration out of corners compared to previous models. The evolution of the control logic, with even faster and more accurate calculation of levels of grip, ensures even greater roadholding, better handling and ease of control on the limit.
The same ECU also governs the high-performance ABS, providing even more precise control over the logic threshold and greater efficiency. The brakes also feature a prefill function whereby the pistons in the callipers move the pads into contact with the discs on lift off to minimise delay in the brakes being applied. This combined with the ABS has cut the 100-0 km/h braking distance to a mere 32.5 metres.
The Ferrari 458 Italia's interior is another area of the car that exalts its sporty personality. The driver is welcomed by a new layout and a revolutionary ergonomic interface where the main controls are all clustered on the steering wheel.
With the Ferrari 458 Italia, Maranello has brought a highly distinctive new car to its 8-cylinder range. The company now offers two models that share a common, race-derived DNA, both exceptionally sporty and fun to drive in true Ferrari tradition, but aimed at two very different kinds of client. While the Ferrari California was created for owners requiring a more versatile sports car with a practical edge, the Ferrari 458 Italia is designed for owners for whom the priority is uncompromising on-road performance with occasional track day capability, but who still demand a car that is useable in day-to-day driving like all Ferrari's recent models.
Ferrari 458 Italia - Technical specifications
- Dimensions
- Length: 4527 mm (178.2 in.)
- Width: 1937 mm (76.3 in.)
- Height: 1213 mm (47.8 in.)
- Wheelbase: 2650 mm (104.3 in.)
- Dry weight: 1380 kg (3042 lbs)
- Weight/power ratio: 2,42 kg/CV (7.16 lbs/kW)
- Weight distribution (front/rear): 42%/58%
- Engine
- Type: V8 - 90°
- Displacement: 4499 cc (274.5 cu in.)
- Maximum power: 570 CV (425 kW) @ 9000 rpm
- Maximum torque: 540 Nm (398 lbs/ft) @ 6000 rpm
- Specific power output: 127 CV/l
- Compression ratio: 12.5:1
- Tyres
- Front: 235/35 ZR20 8.5"
- Rear: 295/35 ZR20 10.5"
- Performance
- Maximum speed: >325 km/h (>202 mph)
- 0-100 km/h: <3.4>
- Fuel consumption + emissions
- Fuel consumption: 13.7 l/100 km
- Emissions: 320 g CO2/km
- Gearbox
- Dual-clutch, 7-speed F1
- Electronics
- E-Diff3, F1-Trac, high-performance ABS
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
7 tips to make your resume stand out
Putting together a resume can be a daunting task, but a necessary one, because it can put you above other applicants. Unfortunately, many resume-writing guides give conflicting information on what you should and shouldn't include. Here's what some professional recruiters in metro Phoenix had to say:
• Avoid objective statements.
At the top of many resumes, applicants often include a job objective. But not in the correct fashion.
"This should be about what you have to bring to the party not what you're looking for," says Linda Baugh, president of American Career Executives in Phoenix.
Instead use an overview, suggests Allen Plunkett, president of Phoenix Staff Inc.
"The overview is the new objective," Plunkett said. "It says more specifically how you match the job you're responding to instead of speaking to what you think you should do."
• Do not include a photo of yourself.
This is a common practice in other countries, but here in the U.S. many recruiters will automatically throw away a resume with a photo attached because it puts them at risk for accusations of favoring attractive candidates. It leaves room for discrimination, Baugh said.
"You can cause more trouble by putting it (a photo) out there," she said.
• Don't get personal.
Exclude descriptions of race, religion, marital status, etc. It does not enhance your resume and it puts the recruiter in an awkward position because they now know aspects about you that they legally can not ask you, said Richard Baumgarten, vice president for Recruiting at United HR in Phoenix.
• Avoid subjective language.
Employers hear the terms innovative leader, motivated team member and creative thinker from everyone. Plunkett says using this language does little to distinguish you from the crowd.
"You're falling into the sea of sameness," he says.
• Do not include references.
If the company is listed on your resume, it is assumed that they can call them for a reference if needed. So do not include references on your resume. It only wastes space that can be used for more helpful information about your career experience.
• Avoid including club membership or hobbies.
Leave this information out except for cases where involvement in that organization is related to the job you are applying for, or if it is an interest shared with the person hiring you. For example, when applying for an accounting job, include that you are a member of the American Accounting Association.
• Don't use the same resume every time.
Treat your resume as a template. Many job applicants send out the same version to multiple companies, which is one of the top reasons applicants get rejected for being overqualified, Plunkett says.
Plunkett advises tailoring your resume to a specific job.
"Focus in on that particular company and what experiences will relate to this job," to succeed, he adds.
by Courtney Godfrey Special for the Republic Sept. 4, 2010 08:27 PM
7 tips to make your resume stand out
• Avoid objective statements.
At the top of many resumes, applicants often include a job objective. But not in the correct fashion.
"This should be about what you have to bring to the party not what you're looking for," says Linda Baugh, president of American Career Executives in Phoenix.
Instead use an overview, suggests Allen Plunkett, president of Phoenix Staff Inc.
"The overview is the new objective," Plunkett said. "It says more specifically how you match the job you're responding to instead of speaking to what you think you should do."
• Do not include a photo of yourself.
This is a common practice in other countries, but here in the U.S. many recruiters will automatically throw away a resume with a photo attached because it puts them at risk for accusations of favoring attractive candidates. It leaves room for discrimination, Baugh said.
"You can cause more trouble by putting it (a photo) out there," she said.
• Don't get personal.
Exclude descriptions of race, religion, marital status, etc. It does not enhance your resume and it puts the recruiter in an awkward position because they now know aspects about you that they legally can not ask you, said Richard Baumgarten, vice president for Recruiting at United HR in Phoenix.
• Avoid subjective language.
Employers hear the terms innovative leader, motivated team member and creative thinker from everyone. Plunkett says using this language does little to distinguish you from the crowd.
"You're falling into the sea of sameness," he says.
• Do not include references.
If the company is listed on your resume, it is assumed that they can call them for a reference if needed. So do not include references on your resume. It only wastes space that can be used for more helpful information about your career experience.
• Avoid including club membership or hobbies.
Leave this information out except for cases where involvement in that organization is related to the job you are applying for, or if it is an interest shared with the person hiring you. For example, when applying for an accounting job, include that you are a member of the American Accounting Association.
• Don't use the same resume every time.
Treat your resume as a template. Many job applicants send out the same version to multiple companies, which is one of the top reasons applicants get rejected for being overqualified, Plunkett says.
Plunkett advises tailoring your resume to a specific job.
"Focus in on that particular company and what experiences will relate to this job," to succeed, he adds.
by Courtney Godfrey Special for the Republic Sept. 4, 2010 08:27 PM
7 tips to make your resume stand out
Obit: Pulitzer-winning political cartoonist Paul Conrad, 86
LOS ANGELES - Paul Conrad used his pencil like a weapon. His long lines and jagged angles seemed to point directly at the leaders he deemed charlatans and fools in need of deflating.
In a career of more than 50 years he won three Pulitzer Prizes, made Richard Nixon's enemies list and ruined Ronald Reagan's breakfast.
The political cartoonist with an unmistakable style died at 86 Saturday at his home in the Los Angeles suburb of Rancho Palos Verdes surrounded by his family, his son David Conrad said. The death was from natural causes, David Conrad said, but he did not offer specifics.
Paul Conrad took on U.S. presidents from Harry S. Truman to George W. Bush, mostly in the Los Angeles Times, where he worked for 30 years and helped the newspaper raise its national profile.
He was fierce in his liberalism and expressed it with a stark, powerful visual style. Southern California political junkies for decades would start their day either outraged or delighted at a Conrad drawing.
The Times said in a Saturday story that its longtime publisher came to expect that his breakfast would be interrupted by an angry phone call from then-Gov. Reagan or wife Nancy, peeved by a Conrad cartoon that made them look foolish.
Conrad's favorite target was Nixon. At the time of the president's resignation, Conrad drew Nixon's helicopter leaving the White House with the caption: "One flew over the cuckoo's nest."
"He always said he was most proud of being on Nixon's enemies list," David Conrad said.
In a 2006 interview with the Associated Press, Conrad compared his favorite target to then-President George W. Bush.
"I felt two ways about Nixon. First, how did an idiot like that become president?" said Conrad, a Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native. "And, secondly, how soon can we get rid of him? Almost the same thing applies to Bush."
One of Conrad's final images showed Bush as Sisyphus, rolling a huge boulder labeled "Iraq" up a hill.
Democratic politicians weren't safe from his barbs either.
After Jimmy Carter admitted that at times he had "lusted in his heart," Conrad drew him mentally undressing the Statue of Liberty.
Conrad and his identical twin, James, were born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 1924, the sons of a railroad worker who dabbled in art. The Times said Conrad later joked that his first political cartoon was a scrawl on the bathroom wall at his elementary school.
After serving in the Pacific during World War II in the Army Corps of Engineers, he majored in art at the University of Iowa, and an old family friend convinced him to draw cartoons for the college paper.
His first job after college was at the Denver Post, where he worked for 14 years before moving to Los Angeles.
Conrad worked in the heyday of political cartoonists, and he was among the elite.
His total of three Pulitzers is matched by just two other cartoonists in the post-World War II era.
Conrad's drawings were anything but busy or complex. They were always a single panel and often a single figure, rendered in sharp, long lines that made his subjects look bony and sometimes sinister. He rarely used dialogue and kept words to a minimum.
In addition to David, Paul Conrad is survived by another son, two daughters, and his wife of more than 60 years, Kay.
In a career of more than 50 years he won three Pulitzer Prizes, made Richard Nixon's enemies list and ruined Ronald Reagan's breakfast.
The political cartoonist with an unmistakable style died at 86 Saturday at his home in the Los Angeles suburb of Rancho Palos Verdes surrounded by his family, his son David Conrad said. The death was from natural causes, David Conrad said, but he did not offer specifics.
Paul Conrad took on U.S. presidents from Harry S. Truman to George W. Bush, mostly in the Los Angeles Times, where he worked for 30 years and helped the newspaper raise its national profile.
He was fierce in his liberalism and expressed it with a stark, powerful visual style. Southern California political junkies for decades would start their day either outraged or delighted at a Conrad drawing.
The Times said in a Saturday story that its longtime publisher came to expect that his breakfast would be interrupted by an angry phone call from then-Gov. Reagan or wife Nancy, peeved by a Conrad cartoon that made them look foolish.
Conrad's favorite target was Nixon. At the time of the president's resignation, Conrad drew Nixon's helicopter leaving the White House with the caption: "One flew over the cuckoo's nest."
"He always said he was most proud of being on Nixon's enemies list," David Conrad said.
In a 2006 interview with the Associated Press, Conrad compared his favorite target to then-President George W. Bush.
"I felt two ways about Nixon. First, how did an idiot like that become president?" said Conrad, a Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native. "And, secondly, how soon can we get rid of him? Almost the same thing applies to Bush."
One of Conrad's final images showed Bush as Sisyphus, rolling a huge boulder labeled "Iraq" up a hill.
Democratic politicians weren't safe from his barbs either.
After Jimmy Carter admitted that at times he had "lusted in his heart," Conrad drew him mentally undressing the Statue of Liberty.
Conrad and his identical twin, James, were born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 1924, the sons of a railroad worker who dabbled in art. The Times said Conrad later joked that his first political cartoon was a scrawl on the bathroom wall at his elementary school.
After serving in the Pacific during World War II in the Army Corps of Engineers, he majored in art at the University of Iowa, and an old family friend convinced him to draw cartoons for the college paper.
His first job after college was at the Denver Post, where he worked for 14 years before moving to Los Angeles.
Conrad worked in the heyday of political cartoonists, and he was among the elite.
His total of three Pulitzers is matched by just two other cartoonists in the post-World War II era.
Conrad's drawings were anything but busy or complex. They were always a single panel and often a single figure, rendered in sharp, long lines that made his subjects look bony and sometimes sinister. He rarely used dialogue and kept words to a minimum.
In addition to David, Paul Conrad is survived by another son, two daughters, and his wife of more than 60 years, Kay.
by Andrew Dalton Associated Press Sept. 5, 2010 12:00 AM
Obit: Pulitzer-winning political cartoonist Paul Conrad, 86
Eagle statue may return to Scottsdale Airpark
Courtesy of John Meyer "One With the Eagle" as it originally stood in the Scottsdale Airpark.
A huge bronze eagle statue that welcomed visitors to the Scottsdale Airpark for nearly 20 years has been laying in storage, its wings clipped by construction work on Scottsdale Road and the Scottsdale Quarter shopping and office complex.
But two Airpark business advocates are leading a drive to create a park with desert landscaping on roughly 3 acres northeast of Scottsdale and Thunderbird roads and install the statue, titled "One With the Eagle," as the centerpiece. Scottsdale's public-art program owns the statue, and the city owns the land, which until this summer had been used as a maintenance yard.
John Meyer, designated broker with Airpark Property Specialists LLC, believes the corner is destined for much more.
"This is a frog-turning-into-a-prince story," he said. "The maintenance yard is going to be a botanical garden."
Meyer and Laureen Leston, principal with Airpark's Business Development Resources, envision the park as a gateway to the Airpark and a destination in itself. The 18-foot-tall statue and its 6-foot base would anchor a miniature version of Phoenix's Desert Botanical Garden, with desert plants and an information kiosk. A giant compass design, created with rocks, would serve as a rainwater-collection basin and help point the way to the Scottsdale Airport runway.
At a planning meeting earlier this summer, artist Pat Mathiesen called the plans exciting and "more than I could ever hope for."
Mathiesen created "One With the Eagle," a figure resembling a Native American eagle dancer, with wings for arms that are reaching for the sky. Airpark and airport business leaders commissioned her work as part of a campaign in the late 1980s to install a monument at the airport entrance.
The bronze was installed in the median of Butherus Drive east of Scottsdale Road, where the ring it holds framed the McDowell Mountains. At its dedication in 1989, U.S. Sen. Barry Goldwater said he had landed at airports all over the country and called the sculpture "the finest I have ever seen."
It was removed in early 2008 for storage. The new location on Thunderbird Road is seen as safer and would allow the statue's ring to again frame the McDowells.
For months, Meyer and Leston have been meeting with property owners, city parks and public-art employees, Mayor Jim Lane and local businesses to push the project forward. Desierto Verde, a desert-landscaping company, has drafted a site plan that includes paloverde trees and gardens of cactus, yuccas and agaves.
Meyer and Leston have divided the project into two phases. The first would re-install "One With the Eagle" and landscape a small area around it. The second phase would complete the park, with seating, a greater range of plants and a small pavilion to shade visitors.
The public-art program has budgeted $10,000 for the installation, Associate Director Margaret Bruning said. Meyer estimates the entire project would cost about $200,000, though much of it could be done with in-kind donations of goods and services.
With the city's budget tight, Meyer and Leston know that most of the money will have to be raised from the private sector.
"Historically, the Airpark and the airport are up to the task, and many have come forward already," Meyer said.
Besides funding, the park plan has other issues to deal with:
• Because the site is at the southern end of the airport runway, the plan needs approval from the Federal Aviation Administration. Meyer said the FAA prefers the park be designed for small groups of visitors instead of with the amphitheater proposed earlier.
• Paying for long-term maintenance is undecided. Meyer thinks businesses and property owners could strike an agreement with the city.
• Parking and pedestrian access is being considered. Scottsdale plans a park-and-ride lot on the southeastern corner of Scottsdale and Thunderbird roads, opposite the proposed park.
• "One With the Eagle" would be part of the name, but whether the rest refers to a park, botanical garden or sanctuary is to be determined.
Bruning said the program hopes to win FAA and Development Review Board approval of the installation by year-end.
"One With the Eagle" is a "beautiful example" of Scottsdale citizens' commitment to the arts, she said.
"It was the main entry marker for the Airpark for years, and we're really pleased to bring it back," Bruning said.
by Jane Larson The Arizona Republic Sept. 2, 2010 09:47 AM
Eagle statue may return to Scottsdale Airpark
A huge bronze eagle statue that welcomed visitors to the Scottsdale Airpark for nearly 20 years has been laying in storage, its wings clipped by construction work on Scottsdale Road and the Scottsdale Quarter shopping and office complex.
But two Airpark business advocates are leading a drive to create a park with desert landscaping on roughly 3 acres northeast of Scottsdale and Thunderbird roads and install the statue, titled "One With the Eagle," as the centerpiece. Scottsdale's public-art program owns the statue, and the city owns the land, which until this summer had been used as a maintenance yard.
John Meyer, designated broker with Airpark Property Specialists LLC, believes the corner is destined for much more.
"This is a frog-turning-into-a-prince story," he said. "The maintenance yard is going to be a botanical garden."
Meyer and Laureen Leston, principal with Airpark's Business Development Resources, envision the park as a gateway to the Airpark and a destination in itself. The 18-foot-tall statue and its 6-foot base would anchor a miniature version of Phoenix's Desert Botanical Garden, with desert plants and an information kiosk. A giant compass design, created with rocks, would serve as a rainwater-collection basin and help point the way to the Scottsdale Airport runway.
At a planning meeting earlier this summer, artist Pat Mathiesen called the plans exciting and "more than I could ever hope for."
Mathiesen created "One With the Eagle," a figure resembling a Native American eagle dancer, with wings for arms that are reaching for the sky. Airpark and airport business leaders commissioned her work as part of a campaign in the late 1980s to install a monument at the airport entrance.
The bronze was installed in the median of Butherus Drive east of Scottsdale Road, where the ring it holds framed the McDowell Mountains. At its dedication in 1989, U.S. Sen. Barry Goldwater said he had landed at airports all over the country and called the sculpture "the finest I have ever seen."
It was removed in early 2008 for storage. The new location on Thunderbird Road is seen as safer and would allow the statue's ring to again frame the McDowells.
For months, Meyer and Leston have been meeting with property owners, city parks and public-art employees, Mayor Jim Lane and local businesses to push the project forward. Desierto Verde, a desert-landscaping company, has drafted a site plan that includes paloverde trees and gardens of cactus, yuccas and agaves.
Meyer and Leston have divided the project into two phases. The first would re-install "One With the Eagle" and landscape a small area around it. The second phase would complete the park, with seating, a greater range of plants and a small pavilion to shade visitors.
The public-art program has budgeted $10,000 for the installation, Associate Director Margaret Bruning said. Meyer estimates the entire project would cost about $200,000, though much of it could be done with in-kind donations of goods and services.
With the city's budget tight, Meyer and Leston know that most of the money will have to be raised from the private sector.
"Historically, the Airpark and the airport are up to the task, and many have come forward already," Meyer said.
Besides funding, the park plan has other issues to deal with:
• Because the site is at the southern end of the airport runway, the plan needs approval from the Federal Aviation Administration. Meyer said the FAA prefers the park be designed for small groups of visitors instead of with the amphitheater proposed earlier.
• Paying for long-term maintenance is undecided. Meyer thinks businesses and property owners could strike an agreement with the city.
• Parking and pedestrian access is being considered. Scottsdale plans a park-and-ride lot on the southeastern corner of Scottsdale and Thunderbird roads, opposite the proposed park.
• "One With the Eagle" would be part of the name, but whether the rest refers to a park, botanical garden or sanctuary is to be determined.
Bruning said the program hopes to win FAA and Development Review Board approval of the installation by year-end.
"One With the Eagle" is a "beautiful example" of Scottsdale citizens' commitment to the arts, she said.
"It was the main entry marker for the Airpark for years, and we're really pleased to bring it back," Bruning said.
by Jane Larson The Arizona Republic Sept. 2, 2010 09:47 AM
Eagle statue may return to Scottsdale Airpark
Love Motions
Haiku by Lillian Wong
Back, back, forth, and forth
This is the way our love goes
Moving candidly
Back, back, forth, and forth
This is the way our love goes
Moving candidly
Grains of pollen as seen by an electron microscope - Boing Boing
Behold, the face of the enemy.
(Why, yes, my nose is rather runny, why do you ask?)
Urge to vengeance aside, my main reaction while flipping through this gallery of pollen images was wonder at the intense variety of sizes, shapes, textures and tricks floating through the microscopic world of plant pollen. This group shot ranges from the (relatively) giant orb of pumpkin pollen in the center, to the teensy blue dot that belongs to the forget-me-not. Some of the grains seem like completely alien things, but others bear a striking resemblance to the plants they help create—for instance, I guessed that Venus fly trap pollen went with the Venus fly trap before I read the caption.
All these shots are the work of Swedish Swiss scientist Martin Oeggerli, who makes amazing art using a scanning electron microscope. The images actually start out in black and white, with Oeggerli going back and adding color, pixel by pixel. The colors can, but don't necessarily, reflect reality, but they do help make textures stand out and make the form more easily readable by your eye
Watch out, Barbie: Mattel's edgy Monster High is in session - Los Angeles Times
For the Goth Girls...
Clawdeen Wolf
Draculaura
Frankie Stein
Barbie wouldn't last a day at Monster High.
The latest fashion dolls from Mattel Inc. are a dramatic departure from the toy maker's most recognizable blond: As the offspring of famous monsters, the new Monster High girls are fearless, occasionally furry and a bit freaky.
There's Draculaura, daughter of Dracula, who is vegan and faints at the sight of blood. Her best friend Clawdeen Wolf, whose father is Werewolf, spends much of her time plucking and shaving her excessive, fast-growing hair. And classmate Frankie Stein, who sports stitches just like dad Frankenstein, loves to shop for "scary cute clothes that are absolutely to die for."
By Andrea Chang, Los Angeles Times August 13, 2010
Watch out, Barbie: Mattel's edgy Monster High is in session - Los Angeles Times
Barbie wouldn't last a day at Monster High.
The latest fashion dolls from Mattel Inc. are a dramatic departure from the toy maker's most recognizable blond: As the offspring of famous monsters, the new Monster High girls are fearless, occasionally furry and a bit freaky.
There's Draculaura, daughter of Dracula, who is vegan and faints at the sight of blood. Her best friend Clawdeen Wolf, whose father is Werewolf, spends much of her time plucking and shaving her excessive, fast-growing hair. And classmate Frankie Stein, who sports stitches just like dad Frankenstein, loves to shop for "scary cute clothes that are absolutely to die for."
By Andrea Chang, Los Angeles Times August 13, 2010
Watch out, Barbie: Mattel's edgy Monster High is in session - Los Angeles Times
Beetle Bailey Turns 60, Not Going Anywhere
STAMFORD, Conn. — Beetle Bailey is slouching toward retirement age, but the lazy Army private won't be getting rest anytime soon from his tour of duty on newspaper comics pages.
The indolent wise guy, whose popularity soared when he enlisted during the Korean War, turns 60 on Saturday.
Mort Walker, who conjured up Beetle and has been putting him on paper every day for all those decades, says he'll continue with his creation until he's no longer able.
"I don't know how I'd be retired," said Walker, 86. "I wake up every day with another idea."
The genial gags by Beetle and the cast of characters – Sarge and his dog, Otto, Gen. Amos Halftrack, Miss Buxley and others – are followed seven days a week by readers in 1,800 newspapers, which is "astronomically huge," said Brendan Burford, comics editor at King Features, the strip's syndicating service.
Charles Schulz, who created and worked on the enormously popular Peanuts strip for nearly 50 years before his death in 2000, came close to Walker's longevity. But "no one has worked on the same strip for 60 years with that kind of consistency," Burford said.
"He's definitely in a pretty seriously elite class," he said.
King Features has been celebrating Beetle's anniversary by running Sunday cartoons by Walker of Beetle re-enacting military events in history, such as celebrating the end of World War II or crossing the Delaware with George Washington.
The commemorative strips put Beetle in different venues, but Walker said he has otherwise kept Beetle as is over the decades.
"He's still pretty much lazy," he said. "I haven't changed him a tremendous amount because I think that's his character that I want to keep. He represents the little man in all of us."
"Beetle is the embodiment of everybody's resistance to authority, all the rules and regulations which you've got to follow," Walker said. "He deals with it in his own way. And in a way, it's sort of what I did when I was in the Army. I just often times did what I wanted to do."
Beetle Bailey, originally called Spider, made his comic-strip debut as a smart aleck college student on Sept. 4, 1950, in 12 newspapers, according to King Features. It considered dropping the strip at the end of Walker's one-year contract, but when Beetle stumbled into an Army recruiting post in 1951 during the Korean War, the number of newspapers that picked up Beetle climbed.
Andrew Farago, curator of the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco, which is marking Beetle's anniversary with an exhibit, said Beetle, his pals and their uncomplicated gags have become familiar friends to readers over the years.
"I think people find that really comforting," he said.
Not everyone. Some women have been angry about the caricature of a dumb blond secretary, the curvaceous Miss Buxley, Walker said.
"The women's right groups got so riled up against me they had a national agenda of attacking me," Walker said.
Burford said as an editor he wants artists "to work creatively and make people laugh and smile," but had to restrain Walker at times.
"Sometimes you have to pull back on this leash," he said. "As the rights of women increased, he became more sensitive to it."
Still, as the newspaper industry retrenches, editors have not axed Beetle, Burford said.
"Newspapers don't want to cut features that readers love," he said.
Joe Schiesl, 72, a retired National Weather Service meteorologist in Manassas, Va., said he has been reading Beetle Bailey since he was in the ROTC and Air Force in the 1950s.
"The characters, you have those in any organization," he said. "You have deadbeats like Beetle, and then you have people on their case like the sergeant."
"I like it because it's funny. It perks you up every day," Schiesl said.
Walker, born in El Dorado, Kan., earned $1 for his first cartoon at age 11 during the Depression. It was a big raise from the 10 cents an hour he was paid delivering to a local drug store, leading him to see cartooning as "where the real money is."
He now works out of his spacious Connecticut home in a study stuffed with golf trophies, cartoon awards, figurines of Beetle and his Army pals, numerous photos of celebrities on the wall, Beetle refrigerator magnets and a clock with Beetle and other characters from the strip.
Walker, his two sons and Jerry Dumas, a colleague of 55 years, meet for an hour once a month to brainstorm gags for the comic strip. "Then we go to lunch and play golf," he said.
Each of the four men proposes 30 gags, which are winnowed down until there are just enough strips to be used in a month. Walker rewrites them to try to improve the gags, he said.
Dumas, a veteran cartoonist who draws the strip Sam and Silo and drew for The New Yorker, said the "gag conference" has always been enjoyable.
"You sit down with a sheet of paper and pen. You just doodle," he said. "You come up with a picture you haven't come up with before. That's the hard part."
Producing a cartoon every day for 60 years isn't easy, but Walker knows how to entertain Beetle's millions of fans.
"I found that what they want is a laugh every day," he said. "They want funny pictures."
by Stephen Singer Associated Press August 29, 2010
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