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The 2009 STS Marketing College was a success on so many fronts. For me it was a terrific but exhausting experience. After teaching for 5 hours (in one day) I was literally exhausted. When the day ended I had no idea why I couldn’t talk nor sleep.
As I began to pack up my computer (after sesson one), along with my cameras and my equipment I thought briefly about my students (all 100+ or so of them) and how they viewed me after two.five hours of interaction. I didn’t have much time to reflect because after the class ended many of them came up to me and thanked me … most saying it was great to hear from a person working real-time in the industry. A friend of mine told me later that one student said she wanted to take me home. Overall the student feedback was terrific. Even more important, the executive director sat in my class almost the entire period and commented very favorably to me afterward. Whew.
The lesson plan I prepared (for the year-one students) included more than 200 slides, six research topics, and countless references to support my findings. Equally important, the lesson plan required a “super fit” engine and a solid supply of energy to hold the attention of adult-students. I even produced a new web site to support my program: DIYresearch.wordpress.com.
By the time I sat down at my break I was feeling pretty good – except that my day-job was calling me to work. I spoke with a client briefly by cell and then began preparing for the afternoon session. We took a lunch break and ended up chatting for most of the hour. It was nice – the cafeteria at Georiga State is just what you’d expect in a college setting: lunch line, choices of mostly carbs and the low-level 20-minute seats.
Round two, year-two students. Early afternoon I geared up (in an entirely different room) and lectured another 100 or so adult-students. This group required a separate lesson plan with more than 200 slide and another six research topics with the references, etc. The primary difference between year-one and year-two students is “a year.” I’m not sure what happened between year-one and year-two, but some of the year-two students grew “attitudes.” One lady, who sat near the front, definitely a detractor, attempted to “argue” and press her views. I gave as much as possible and kept moving. One heckler-type dude was met with student rebutle rather than my own. I suspect that some of the students (who were there to learn) were “over” the distractive behavior of those around them. I was super-thankful for the support. After all, none of the professors are paid for their time to prepare lesson plans, to drive to college (nor reimbursed for travel expenses) nor compensated for teaching. Each and every one of us is there for a simple reason: to give back to our profession.
The overall experience was terrific – and rewarding. I learned as I taught and I was challenged to dig deeper in preparation for “next year.”
I arrived home at 3:30 today – and I promptly took a nap … finally, the weekend is here. Aloha.
Did you know that Hello Kitty is 34 years old? She was “born” on November 1, 1974 in London, England, and introduced to the world by the Sanrio company of Japan. She also has a twin sister named Mimmy, who can be identified by the yellow bow she wears on the right side of her head as opposed to the red bow Kitty wears on her left. Hello Kitty has enjoyed mild to wild popularity over the years, never completely fading away due to her appeal to all ages. Since she continues to be ink-material, let us enjoy the tat of the day. Aloha.
What’s really wrong with a jailed tattoo? There are several things “wrong” with this ink. First, you’re marked and easily tracked … forever.
Second, your mother will never forgive you for the ink job (unless of course she inked you herself).
No matter, the idea of inking the face means you’re either a badass mofo or you just want a crazy pattern that cops (or the world) can easily spot.
Remember, when we say “ink oneth” be cautious with your choices.
What was missing (and thankfully so) were doping scandals and crazy accusations about dopers. There was nothing, nada, zip, zero – not a peep. Many of the pro teams believe the bio passports are working. It’s common knowledge that race officials are testing more often and so are the teams. For example, Astana budgeted almost $700,000 to test its team members for the 2009 race year. Other teams have followed and sponsors are sleeping a bit better.
While Levi was out of the race early due to a broken hand, the final standings were very close to what I predicted two weeks ago. Had Levi been in the mix, I believe the Schleck brothers might have fared a bit differently. As evident with a third place finish it is obvious that Lance Armstrong is STILL ‘tha man.’
Think about it: he left the sport of bicycle racing on top of the charts, and four years later he re-enters it by snagging a podium spot his first year back. For those that watched the race-action closely the last three weeks, Lance was clearly capable of dealing out the “see ya later” look when and where needed, but he raced for the team – led the team – and held it together to end as a team.
News reporters are already talking about the 2010 race. Lance will race for a different team and so will Contador. Lance has several advantages over Contador, but one significant advantage that is worth mentioning. Lance is smarter and a true team leader. In 2010, the unique combination of race knowledge and the ability to lead make him (Lance) a definite favorite.
Okay then. Ride oneth.
Over the past week I’ve had the opportunity to ride the Foothills Parkway four times. Two of those were end-to-end from 129 over to 321. It’s a spiritual experience to say the least. Besides, it’s the best way I know to drop four or five pounds in a single workout. It’s the cornerstone to my diet of carbs, sweet treats (like chocolate) and beer. Enough said. This photo was taken atop the Parkway on Saturday, July 25th, 2009. Enjoy.
Testimony from survivors and former guards has surfaced. The news isn’t pretty either – as it details the lives of 200,000 political prisoners estimated to be in the camps. According to news reports, they eat a diet of mostly corn and salt, they lose their teeth, their gums turn black, their bones weaken and, as they age, they hunch over at the waist. Most work 12- to 15-hour days until they die of malnutrition-related illnesses, usually around the age of 50. Allowed just one set of clothes, they live and die in rags, without soap, socks, underclothes or sanitary napkins.
The camps have never been visited by outsiders, so these accounts cannot be independently verified. But high-resolution satellite photographs, now accessible to anyone with an Internet connection, reveal vast labor camps in the mountains of North Korea. The photographs corroborate survivors’ stories, showing entrances to mines where former prisoners said they worked as slaves, in-camp detention centers where former guards said uncooperative prisoners were tortured to death and parade grounds where former prisoners said they were forced to watch executions. Guard towers and electrified fences surround the camps, photographs show.
The camps have existed for half a century, 12 times as long as the Nazi concentration camps and twice as long as the Soviet Gulag. Although precise numbers are impossible to obtain, Western governments and human groups estimate that hundreds of thousands of people have died in the North Korean camps.
Kim Jong-il says the camps do not exist. Is because he’s not in one just yet?
Queen Kamamalu, Queen Consort of Hawaii and Princess of Hawaii, formally Victoria Kamāmalu 1802 – July 8, 1824 – served alongside her husband Liholiho (who reigned as Kamehameha II) had a tattoo applied to her tongue as an expression of her deep grief when her mother-in-law died in the 1820’s. Missionary William Ellis watched the procedure, commenting to the queen that she must be undergoing great pain. The queen replied, “He eha nui no, he nui roa ra ku‘u aroha.” Great pain indeed, greater is my affection.
Early explorers found that both men and women wore tattoos in old Hawai‘i for a variety of reasons. Sometimes the tattoos were purely decorative. Jacques Arago, who visited the Islands in 1819 as a draftsman with the Freycinet expedition, noted that some men were heavily tattooed on only one side of their bodies. He wrote, “they looked like men half burnt, or daubed with ink, from the top of the head to the sole of the foot.” Hawaiian historian Samuel Kamakau noted that this solid black tattooing was called pahupahu. It was commonly applied to warriors in the Marquesas as a disguise, and it is thought that such tattooing may have set apart Hawaiian warriors as well.
If that was painful for the queen, I cannot imagine what the pain factor was for the women pictured herein. Whew. Take a break, Okay? Umm, guess you have to – there isn’t any skin left.
Hello Kitty is one “X” away from being XXX’d out of sight. When does she find time? I’m certain those eyes aren’t as innocent as they appear. The bow hids another tattoo … probably a Nancy Grace exclusive story. Until then, Hello Kitty is pointing the way to XX coverage. Meow.
Hello Kitty (ハローキティ Harō Kiti), is a fictional character produced by the Japanese company Sanrio. Designed by Ikuko Shimizu, the first product, a vinyl coin purse, was introduced in Japan in 1974, and in the United States in 1976. She is now seen on the sides of young women in all parts of the world. Herein she is depicted a hula dancer ready for the surfer duds.
Remember the SPF-50 Ms. Kitty. Aloha.
The legacy of the Polynesian tattoo began over 2000 years ago and is as diverse as the people who wear them. Once widespread in Polynesian societies across the Pacific Ocean, the arrival of western missionaries in the 19th century forced this unique art form into decline. Despite the encroachment of Christian religious beliefs that vilified tattooing as unholy, many Polynesian tattoo artists maintained their vital link to their culture’s history by preserving their unique craft for generations.
In Samoa, the tradition of applying tattoo, or tatau, by hand has been unbroken for over two thousand years. Tools and techniques have changed little. The skill is often passed from father to son, each tattoo artist, or tufuga, learning the craft over many years of serving as his father’s apprentice. A young artist-in-training often spent hours, and sometimes days, tapping designs into sand or barkcloth using a special tattooing comb, or au. Honoring their tradition, Samoan tattoo artists made this tool from sharpened boar’s teeth fastened together with a portion of the turtle shell and to a wooden handle.
Today (literally) you can walk into ink-shops … tattoo shops … and artists are willing to custom design a tattoo just for you in a clean, sterile, safe and friendly environment. One of Hawaii’s best is Odyssey Tattoo. They have two locations on O’ahu. I suggest reservations prior to arrival; they also offering body piercing and permanent makeup. The team at Odyssey is: Timothy Goodrich, Jesa Goodrich, Andrew Deaton, Shay Haas, Brian Mau, Eddie Diaz and Jacob Hanks.
From what I see they understand Polynesian-style tattoos and the artistry that makes for some of the best ink on the planet. Aloha.
Our trip to Little Gasparilla was FUN! Sunshine every day and no rain. Every night we enjoyed a beautiful sunset followed by an even better dinner. The food brigade was well-organized in advance. We enjoyed Ahi, Mahi-Mahi, scallops wrapped in bacon, steaks and more steaks. Every evening we made fruity drinks without rum so everyone could enjoy the evening’s toast. MG learned to boogie board, hunt for teeth and she refined the “official” shell judging scale.
Our last evening (Saturday) was met with a cloudy sunset, but with a strong westerly breeze the buggahs were well inland. Speaking of buggahs, we figured out a slick technique to avoid mosquitoes and the “no seeum’s.” Wash off downstairs with the hose and move quickly upstairs to the drying area. It worked each and every time. The no seeum’s didn’t penetrate the screened-in porch so we ate outside every evening under the fans. Although it was warm, the twirling breeze felt nice.
We gamed, scrabbled, monoplized, and carded. We even watched Dog – more than once.
I can guarantee there will be a repeat in 2010. Although we’re still in Florida, we can say Aloha.
Pictured herein is my collection of “finds” for the week while on Little Gasparilla Island. It totals more than 400 shark teeth – all fossilized and several larges pieces of bone – also fossilized. The real question came up related to how a tooth becomes a fossil. Here is the short answer – a tooth become a fossil when it is buried in sediment (or other material) soon after being lost from a shark’s mouth. The sediment precludes oxygen and harmful bacteria from reaching the tooth and destroying it. The general fossilization process varies greatly depending on the exact situation. In general it takes approximately 10,000 years for a tooth to become a true fossil.
As you can see in the shark tooth circle, the colors are varied. In other words, not all of the teeth are black or gray. Actually the color of a tooth is determined solely by the color of sediment in which it is buried while fossilizing. The tooth absorbs minerals from the surrounding sediment. As the minerals replace the natural structure of the tooth, the tooth becomes the same general color as the sediment. Although some people believe a tooth’s color indicates age – the experts say that color is not an effective indicator of the age of a tooth. The most common color for shark teeth is a black root with a grayish crown. Different colors are more uncommon and significantly increase the value of a tooth.
The best shark tooth hunting spots are located in Florida — in the Venice Beach area all the way down to Little Gasparilla Island. The teeth pictured herein are from the Miocene-Pliocene Epochs (approximately 24.5 million to 2 million years ago). During this time period oceans sporadically covered many parts of what is now the Southeastern United States. NOTE: The Carcharocles megalodon shark thrived during the Miocene-Pliocene period, and was the largest shark to ever swim the ocean. Reaching an overall maximum length of approximately 60 feet, this shark was three times the size of the modern Great White (Carcharodon carcharias) shark. And that my friends is the rest of the story.
Oh. Pictured below is not a find that I made. Rather, it shows the enormous size of the teeth that can be found in the waters off shore while diving. The 6.57″ size of this tooth puts the 60′ shark into perspective. Whew!
The residents of Little Gasparilla (part time mind you) all agree that bug spray is highly necessary if you’re near vegetation, foliage (specifically bushes) and certainly near stagnate water. I’ve been landed upon all of 8 times thus far this week, but I’ve been super careful in my travels. More specifically I’ve been “moving” around enough to thwart most of the nasty buggahs.
Earlier today we traveled to the north end of Little Gasparilla and while we enjoyed the trip our golf car died on us! Oops. I elected not to plug in last night so we were light on go-juice. Me and Ames pushed the 800lb car – along with Mary Grace (our driver) to the nearest battery (pronounced “bat-tree”) station: Pirate Cove Golf Cars. Mr. Smiley greeted us and offered a plug in but wasn’t anywhere to be seen when we needed to push it up hill to plug in. Oh well. At least he allowed us to charge for an hour … just enough to get us back to the south side and our beach front area.
During our plug-in time we walked to the north tip of Gasparilla. Well, not a tip but a Florida state park that bridges the gap between Little Gasparilla and Palm Island. We found a bunch of sharks teeth, drank a few bottles of water, jumped in the water to rinse off and basically had a little adventure. It was more fun than any of us expected. HA!
Turkey burgers are grilling, the beer is cold, the company is “no ka heke” and I’m ready for another sunset photo expetiditon. Aloha.
Little Gasparilla is one of three islands that are “chained” or linked through saltwater low lands. The other two connecting islands are Don Pedro and Palm Island. Little Gaspirilla lies furthest south of the chain and borders Gasparilla Pass. Don Pedro is in the middle, with Palm Island furthest north and bordering on Stump Pass.
At the turn of the century, the islands and adjacent mainland was owned by the Vanderbilt family. Three decades ago, sea currents and storms closed the passes that separated the three islands. Since the closing of those passes, the islands became linked providing an avid walker with over seven miles of beach.
There is no bridge connecting to the mainland, and access to the island is only by boat. Since all the docks on Little Gasparilla are privately owned, only homeowners or invited guests occupy the island. Development is slow on the “bridgeless” barrier islands because people truly appreciate the seclusion and detachment from the mainland. It’s a guaranteed method of controlling the traffic, the masses and the unwanted “retail” nature that has engulfed many of Florida’s coastal cities.
Little Gasaprilla, an “old Florida” atmosphere that is unique in today’s “hurry up” world. Relax oneth.
There are not many Polynesian words that have entered the English language, but perhaps the most widely used is tattoo. Exactly where and when the word “tattoo” originated is open to debate, but it is certain that it was a corruption of the Polynesian word tatau, picked up by the early European sailors exploring the Southern Ocean.
In reality, tattoos originated as a method of identifying warriors some 5,000+ years ago. Historians note that tattooing has been a Eurasian practice at least since around Neolithic times. For example, Ötzi the Iceman, dating from the fourth to fifth millennium BC, was found in the Ötz valley in the Alps and had approximately 57 carbon tattoos consisting of simple dots and lines on his lower spine, behind his left knee, and on his right ankle.
Fast forward to the 21st century and we find that tattoos have experienced a resurgence in popularity in many parts of the world, particularly in North and South America, Japan, and Europe. The growth in tattoo culture has seen an influx of new artists into the industry, many of whom have technical and fine arts training. Coupled with advancements in tattoo pigments and the ongoing refinement of the equipment used for tattooing, this has led to an improvement in the quality of tattoos being produced.
As I stated yesterday – as was born today – Contador will win the 2009 Tour de France and Lance will finish second with Levi in third place. There is no doubt that the Team Astana, banned from the 2008 Tour, will rise like the Phoenix to surface as the come-back kid of cycling. My only hope is that Contador can keep his legs from running his mouth and that Team Astana stay just that – a team. Again, ride oneth because Saturday isn’t a cake walk my friends. I do believe you’ll see some break-away riders who are “let go” as they are not in contention with the leaders. Afterall, Stage 8 (even with two Cat 1 climbs and a Cat 2 climb) includes a lot of technical downhill shiznet. This plays very well to terffic bike handlers like Lance.
My prediction is that Contador will stand tall as the winner of the 2009 Tour with Lance and Levi along side. Lance in second place and Levi in third place. And for once in history, a single team will be talked about as a team.
Go f’ing figure that it took an American to put “team” into a sport that’s been dominated by the words “I, me, mine, I” – which isn’t surprising to those who understand it’s a FRENCH race. The press continues with its onslaught of crappy-crap related to “who is the leader of Astana.” All the while Lance is out front hedging Astana’s bets of remaining calm in the midst of an all-out racing war.
The FRENCH believe that the strongest man is the leader, and leadership can change during the race depending on who is strongest. It’s a warped philosophy that, in my opinion, has kept the FRENCH from winning its share of the Tours the past two decades. The American bicycle racing philosophy, on the other hand, is 180 degrees away from “I, me, mine, I.” Our philosophy and working model doesn’t originate around the “strongest” – it originates around the person most capable of leading. Typically it is the person with the wisdom to lead and the common sense to follow when required.
When the difficult climbs come, you’ll see him (Lance) follow, or set tempo and win. But Lance cannot climb with Contador every day. Yes, if we backed up five years, Lance would/could do it. But it’s 2009 and Contador has more current racing miles in his legs than Lance. The other factor is age. Like it or not, there is a 10-year age difference between the two. And you can bet that a decade makes a huge difference in what the human engine can produce. OK then. Even with the differences, Lance Armstrong is the leader of Astana. Fact.
Love him, like him or hate him – Lance IS the leader. I would add, however, that every man on the squad is leading in some form or fashion.
The standings today attest to one other significant point: when a team acts like a team it dominates like a team. Four of the top 10 cyclists thus far are from one team: Astana. In my mind they’ve already won the greatest bike race – or the greatest test of man’s endurance – on earth.
Ride oneth.
News reports say that propaganda songs have been written to attract more women into the coastal artillery units – so much so that women fighters now guard nearly all tunnels and bridges. According to the photo herein, the men play instruments and the women instruments of war. The fact is, North Korea soldiers serve six years in the army, keeping them out of trouble for that time in their lives (18-24), when they are most likely to act out revolutionary fantasies. The North Korean military is really a large prison system. While the troops are trained to use weapons, they get little ammunition for training, and the weapons are locked up most of the time.
Increasing numbers of women are being deployed in North Korea’s military, according to the stories of recent defectors arriving in South Korea. North Korean women soldiers are being deployed in frontline units. According to my research, women now represent more than 10 percent of the entire North Korean People’s Army. After digging into photo blogs about this topic, it became visually apparent that most of the artillery units are “manned” with women and there are independent women’s regiments and more women battalions. 
Certainly it means that you need to calm down. Put the missile up and relax – lest your country is turned into a charcoal briquette. Nuf said.
Tattoos come in lots of shapes, sizes, colors and designs. Hello Kitty herself comes in lots of shapes and configurations. Heck she even has her own line of AK47’s. Some tattoos make bigger statements than others. Hello Kitty seems to be making a big statement. Umm.
Tattoos conjure up all sorts of images. Polynesian tattoos conjure up even more mystical imagery. When you say the word Polynesian tattoo designs to people, they immediately think beautiful islands, ritualistic dancing and “island” food. Throughout the history of tattoos, Polynesia has influenced thousands of artists who recognize the importance of tattooing as means for creating unique identifiers for the people of Polynesia. Tattoos and Polynesia go hand in hand especially when you recognize that tattoos were used as a kind of record book to keep track of a person’s personal history. There were specific markings to denote one’s social status, occupation, lineage, family and conquests in battle. Herein are two full back tattoos that are a mix of goth with overtones of Polynesia. Enjoy.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has been living at an east coast villa since mid-May and is likely convalescing after reportedly suffering a stroke last year, a newspaper said Sunday citing U.S. and South Korean intelligence. Evil-doer’s health has been the focus of keen attention since Western intelligence officials said he suffered a stroke in August before publicly naming his successor. South Korean officials say he has recovered, yet the 67-year-old looked gaunt when he appeared at the country’s rubber-stamp parliament in April.
The U.S. informed Seoul that Kim had been staying at the villa in Wonsan since mid-May, the JoongAng Ilbo Sunday newspaper said, quoting an unidentified official privy to North Korean affairs. The report said U.S. military satellites, which closely monitor Kim’s personal vehicles, had detected his movement. JoongAng Ilbo said Kim may have left his youngest son, Kim Jong short-run, in charge in Pyongyang, allowing him to experience running state affairs on his own.
South Korea’s spy agency told lawmakers last month that Pyongyang had notified its diplomatic missions and government agencies overseas that the 6-year-old son Kim Jong short-run was in line to succeed his father. But South Korean Defense Minister Lee Sang-hee said last week that intelligence suggested a final decision on succession had yet to be made.
The day started with a bike ride to the top of the Foothills Parkway – just to get my “big-gear fix” in for the day. Afterward, the hunny-bunny packed us some nice ’samwiches’ and we cruised up through the National Park – only to find that our lounging rock area was inaccessible due to heavy water flowing nearby. Oh well, at least we tried. We then traveled to Treemont (my personal Mecca) and found a quiet spot for lunch. With the Brinkman smoker crying for hickory we left and came back to the country house for grilling time.
Meanwhile in the news, South Korean reported that the North Korean cargo ship Kang Nam 1 that was believed to be on its way to Burma, but changed course after being tracked by U.S. vessels, appears to be carrying conventional small weapons, including Soviet-era rifles and missile launchers. WTF?! While his weak attempts with fireworks were – well – flaccid – the rest of Hawai’i is celebrating just another Saturday. Anyway Kim Jong-Il, thanks for the 4th of July fireworks, now go crawl back into your bunker and die please!
Secretary Colin Powell, when he was a civilian, after he was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, used to say that if North Korea ever attacked the south, the US or any other non-threatening nation with chemical or biological weapons, that we would turn North Korea into a charcoal briquette. We hope he hears the info. North Korea’s people are being held captive by a very sick coward.
As we crest the 4th – God Bless America – and may she strike when and where appropriate.
As many folks know, evildoer Korea is immediately north of Good Korea and south of China, limits with Russia to the northeast, on the top half of a peninsula that is west of Japan. It has water on both sides, and is probably a convenient place for throwing things into China, or to Vladivostok. It may also have some good surf beaches and shit, but we can’t say for sure because they haven’t been letting whitey — or much of anything, for that matter — into the country. That includes food, information, or even decent TV programming, which leads for a pretty anti-lulzy lifestyle. Millions of folks live in evildoer Korea, but none of them make Samsungs or Kias. The government is too busy being evildoers, and the citizens are too busy starving to death or being shot in the head by government officials to be doing much of anything.
Floating out in the Pacific evildoer Korea’s ship, Kang Nam has turned around and is heading back toward the south coast of China. It is currently in the vicinity of the Parcel Islands 100 miles off Vietnam, and there is no specified reason as of now for why it has changed course. Some ; ) speculate that the Minuteman 3 we lobbed “over there, over there” may have influenced the ‘tudes of evildoer Korea. Whatev.
Remember that within the borders of the US we enjoy a state of grace named Texas. As they say: don’t mess with Texas – and in this case the USA – because we shoot to kill and ask questions later.
On June 29th, just two days ago at the Vandenberg Air Force Base, the Air Force successfully launched an unarmed Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missile from a California base, firing it to targets in the Pacific Ocean. Lt. Raymond Geoffroy (JEFF-rey) said the ICBM was launched from VAFB at 3:01 a.m. Monday. He said it carried three unarmed re-entry vehicles that hit their targets near the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, some 4,200 miles away.
Get this: the Air Force said the launch was an operational test to check the weapon system’s reliability and accuracy. Test data will be used by United States Strategic Command planners and Department of Energy laboratories to ensure that if or when Kjil “pushes the button” that we are indeed ready to eliminate the target.
Roger-that.
To learn more – link here: Minuteman
