#Duane Larson

[theaskew]

Lyrics

Hi my name is stereo Mike

Yeah, we got free tickets to the Bran Van concert Happening this Monday night at the Pacific Coliseum You can all call in if you want to answer a couple of questions, mainly, what is Todd's favorite cheese? Ah, Jackie just called in and said it was a type of Rockford, whatever that is Give us a ring-a-ding-ding, it's a beautiful day

Yeah Todd, this is Liquid ring-a-ding-dinging I want those free Bran Van tickets man What do you think? Todd? (He's alive Mike, alive, Todd)

I woke up again this morning with the sun in my eyes When Mike came over with a script surprise A mafioso story with a twist A To Wong Fu-Julie Newmar Hitch "Get your ass out of bed" he said, "I'll explain it on the way"

But we did nothing, absolutely nothing that day And I say, what the hell am I doing drinking in L.A. at twenty-six? I got the fever for the flavour The payback will be later But still I need a fix

And the girls on the bus kept laughing at us As we rode on the 10 down to Venice again Blaring out the g-funk sipping on juice and gin Just me and a friend feeling kind of groovy, workin' on a movie (yeah, right)

But we did nothing, absolutely buttkiss that day And I'll say, what the hell am I doing drinking in L.A. at twenty-six? (With my mind on my money and my money on my beer, beer) I know that life is for the taking So I better wise up and take it quick (yeah, one more time at Trader Vic's)

Well some men there wanted to hurt us And other men said we weren't worth the fuss You could catch 'em all bitching by the bar Above the fine line between the rich and the poor Then Mike turned to me and said "what you think we got done son?"

We had the conclusion and I guess that's something So I ask you what the hell am I doing drinking in L.A. at twenty-six? I got the fever for the nectar, the payback will be later Still I need a fix Hell-A-L.A., hell hell-A.L.A Hell-A-L.A., hell hell-A.L.A Hell-A-L.A., hell hell-A So I ask you what the hell am I doing drinking in L.A. at twenty-six? (He's alive Mike, alive) L.A., L.A.

Songwriters: Duane Larson / Haig Vartzbedian / James Di Salvio

Drinking in L.A. lyrics © Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN)

[workingclasshistory]

On this day, 24 June 1973, an arsonist ignited a fire that engulfed the LGBT+ bar called the Up Stairs Lounge in New Orleans, killing 32 people and injuring 15. The fire was the deadliest attack on a gay bar in American history prior to the 2016 Pulse Nightclub Massacre. In a city where LGBT+ culture was largely hidden, the Up Stairs Lounge was one of the few establishments catering to the gay community and one of the only gay bars that welcomed Black men and lesbians. On the fourth anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, patrons assembled at the bar for the weekly beer bust. Sixty-five people remained when Bartender Buddy Rasmussen heard the doorbell ring and asked friend Luther Boggs to answer it. As Luther opened the door, flames rushed into the lounge. Buddy led 20 survivors onto the roof of a nearby building while others unsuccessfully attempted to escape through barred windows. The fire department arrived at 7:58 and extinguished the fire quickly, but the powerful flames had already overpowered many patrons. Among the victims were 12 members of Metropolitan Community Church, the first church serving LGBT+ individuals. They included Rev. William "Bill" Larson, associate pastor Duane "Mitch" Mitchell, and Mitch's boyfriend Horace Broussard. Unlike other tragedies, the Up Stairs fire did not amass community support. Although newspapers reported the fire, journalists enflamed anti-gay sentiment by perpetuating vulgar rhetoric and harmful stereotypes. Articles painted the victims as "thieves, burglars, and queers," while other reports named the tragedy a "fruit fry." Eyewitnesses told author Johnny Townsend that they overheard either police or firefighters saying: "Let the f*****s burn". No formal memorials were planned, and churches refused to provide services. This reaction galvanised the New Orleans' LGBT+ community to organise for gay rights as they mourned those who died in the tragic fire. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=649971757176043&set=a.602588028581083&type=3

[shyfoxsky]

Photo Credits: Duane Larson, Alex Mowat, Peter Kefali, Russ Taylor, Peter Goode

I've got some more pictures to post, so I'll use this as an opportunity to talk more about what I look like as a fox!

I personally see myself as a fox that would be native to the Appalachias, pretty much anywhere that you can see mountains, that the forest is majority deciduous trees, and that gets snow minimum once a year. With that, I see myself a lot in medium-length coats, aligning with my hearthome being places that experience all four seasons. I see my coat having a thick tail with shorter fur on the rest of the body. I don't usually see myself with a massive set of cheeks or neck ruff, nor do I feel like my body or legs would be exceptionally hairy. The first three photos are good examples of this, and the third and fourth are good examples of how I see my tail, as I consider mine very long. Whether it's actually long or I just personally lean into the fact that foxes have proportionately long tails is beyond me. My face is more long and angular, similar to those of the foxes in regions like Yellowstone, though it's hard to really describe. The first and fourth photos are pretty close, though.

Coloration is a bit more easy to pin down for me, and it's consistent at all times of the year. I said this in my last post about native vs nonnative North American red foxes and their differences, but those in the east tend to have deeper and more certain reds, versus the paler reds to yellows those in the northwest tend to have. I fall into this with my own pelt, as I see myself with a deep, almost dark red color to my fur. The second photo as well as the shoulder of the fifth photo are decent examples. I consider my tag (the white tip of the tail) to be pretty large, roughly a fifth of the total tail length. I don't feel like my tail's red would be different from the rest of my body, and I also don't see myself with peppered thighs that turn almost gray, like in the fifth photo. I usually see myself with an even tone throughout my pelt. The black markings on my ears and legs are a deep, rich, solid black, and they encompass a lot of area. Some foxes have basically dark brown that reaches their wrists and heels and only touches the tips of their ears, and some have fully jet black ears and legs that touches the top of their heads and up to their knees and elbows, like the fifth photo. I fall into that latter category.

Overall, I really just see myself as the caricature of what a fox looks like put onto a real animal. An even, deep red coat, a super long tail with a very obvious white tail tip, and solid black legs and ears. I have yet to really find a single picture that looks exactly like me in every way, but I'm always on the hunt.

[michaelcosio]

In Loving Memory Of the Fallen

This memorial is dedicated to the courage and honor of our fallen teammates. Their dedication and sacrifice will never be forgotten.

Here are the names of our fallen. Each name is accompanied by a page dedicated to honoring and remembering them, where photos or stories can be shared.

* Indicates those who are the Original 43

January

Casey Casavant (Rooster)*

Steve Gernet (G-Man)*

Ron Johnson (Cat Daddy)*

Arthur Laguna (Art)*

Shane Stansfield (War Baby)*

Jerome McCauley (Jerry)*

Matt Fineran*

Walter Fisher*

William Reid Ray (Billy)

Sean Hawkins (Hawk)

James Patrick Flynn (Seven)

Dean Leon Silva (Windex)

Christopher P. Gaffney

February

Nicholas W. Leotti*

Michael McInnis (Mac)

Jim Grey (Mammal)

Lance Warren (#1 Dad)

Cory Gene Wainscott

Lee Eric Martin (Biggin)

Keith Jorgensen (Snake Doctor)

Tommy Lopez

Jeffrey Keith Reynolds (Festus)

Richard Garcia (Witch Doctor)

Charles Hughes (Hugo)

Glen Wenzel

March

Wesley John Kealoha Batlona (Wes)*

Stephen Scotten Helvenston (Scott)*

Mike Teague (Iron Mike)*

Jerko Gerald Zovko (Jerry)*

Bruce T Durr (Bee)*

James Cantrell (Tracker)*

Stuart Rice

William Posch

Michael Tharp

April

Peter Goodfellow (Dingo)*

Robert Gore (Jason)*

Curtis Hundley (Sparky)*

Steven McGovern*

Jason Obert*

David Patterson (Mike)*

Luke Petrik (Black Diamond)*

Eric Smith*

Patrick Waterbury (Stazi)

Craig Fuller (Firecracker)*

Norman Spruill (Old School)

Abraham Bronn

Scott Sandefer (Sandman)

May

Thomas Jaichner (Bama)*

Thomas Capel (Grundle)

Brandon Teague

Steven Powell (Junior)

June

Richard Bruce (Kato)*

Krzysztof Kaskos*

Jarrod Little*

Christopher Neidrich*

Artur Zukowski*

David Olinger (Dave-O)

Joshua Hernandez (Pedro)*

Corey Meile (Olaf)

William Larson (Gunz)

July

William Hinchman (Sonny)*

Roland Tressler (Johny Quest)*

Michael Sacks (Max)*

Cory Gray

Antouine Castenada (Lips)

Sean Barton (Taxi)

Duane Xanders

Bart Baker

August

Charles Geisler (Bullfrog)

Philip VanDyke

William Woods (Brian)*

Joseph Bixler (Bix)

Michael Oyer

Roger Abshire (Nitro)

Christopher Hartsock

Mike Hawley (Mike)

September

David Shepherd (Chief)*

Stephen Sullivan*

Peter Tocci (Bear)*

Kenneth Webb (2B)*

Jack McCracken (Stagger)

Atom Ziniewicz

Carlos Guerrero (Tony)

Alan Nowak

Robert Schierenberg

Chad Burke

October

Rod Richardson (K2)*

Thomas Capel (Grundle)

Brandon Teague

Steven Powell (Junior)

Eric Chapa

Nickolaus Dillon

Jordan Pyle

November

David Randolph*

Noel English*

Loren Hammer (Butch)*

Melin Rowe*

David Laconte

Thomas Mitchell

Christopher Coene (Superfly)

Steven White (Blanco)

Raymond Tanner

December

Dane Paresi*

Scott Roberson*

Jeremy Wise*

Scott Brachmann (Mongo)

Ken Bell (Thumper)

Christopher Shellhamer

James Parker Jr. (Doc)

Sean Bowles (Rock Ape)

Terrance Cullinan

Jason Terrell (Turbo)

Col George Smith (Doc Smith)

Willard Baber (Buddy)

Blackwater Memorial Alumni Association is a registered 501 (c)3 Non-Profit Organization

© 2023 by Blackwater Memorial Alumni Association

EIN # 83-0860644

[northiowatoday]

OBIT: Robert "Bob" Duane Larson

At home, surrounded by his family, Robert “Bob” Larson, 73, of Clear Lake left our world but not our hearts on November 27, 2024. Bob was born in Charles City, Iowa to Wayne and Betty (Elizabeth Esser) on May 24, 1951. Bob graduated from Sheffield-Chapin high school in 1969. He married the love of his life, Marcia (Behnke) of Greene, Iowa, during a blizzard on January 29, 1971. He was drafted…

[tiffanycparnell86]

What IS Search Engine Optimization?

Introduction

Duane Forrester works with Bing Webmasters Program as the senior product manager. He’s written two books and owns multiple domains and websites. According to Stukent, he was one of the first hired by a search engine (Stukent, 2020). I watched Forrester’s lecture via You Tube, it is titled Learn the Basics of Search Engine Optimization. I learned what search engine optimization is and how it works; I discovered how to maximize website relevance and organic vs paid search results. I also learned about keyword phrases, keyword research and keyword tools. The speech was very informative.

What Is SEO (Search Engine Optimization)?

Making a website better for the visitor and search engine by providing good/accurate search results is SEO. For example, the user searched recipes for lasagna and the results display recipes for lasagna, the search engine provided what the user was looking for; however, if the results display recipes for spaghetti versus lasagna, the search engine failed to do its job. The goal is “to be the top result of many different searches” (Larson & Draper, 2020, Chapter 4, sect 1). SEO is a slow process; it takes time to build. It’s not something you can do and just be done with; Changes will have to be made as your market and target audience change. Keyword phrases, headlines, URL’s, the web design and layout may have to change in order to give the best product, service and experience possible.

Why WE Need Search Engine Optimization?

According to Chris (2022) “optimizing your website for search engines will give you an advantage over non-optimized sites and increasing your chances of ranking higher.” Remember, the higher you rank, the higher one’s website is placed on the searched results page (Forrester, 2019). Promoting your website via social media has major benefits. For instance, if a website garners results by searching a browser such as Google or Bing, content creators are more susceptible to sharing your website on their platforms. This helps build a community, resulting in more traffic, views, visitors, account setups, purchases and authority.

 Websites run more efficiently with the help of SEO. Any online business can gain success with the assistance of SEO. Keep in mind, SEO is a secondary consideration, your primary consideration is website layout/formatting and design (Larson & Draper, 2020); improving a visitor’s experience is the main key.

Keyword Phrases, Research and Tools

Keyword phrases are vital to search engine results. Therefore, a website must be structured so the search engine can do its job most accurately. A search engine determines the significance of a topic based on the words used in or on a page. The keyword phrase is also the most important when considering title and header tags. Building a website’s content around keyword phrases is ideal.

Keyword research can help when deciding what keywords are best for your website and SEO. According to Forrester (2019), a list of good keywords used for your website/business type can be found when conducting research. For example, there are websites that generate this data/information. How popular a keyword is and how frequently it’s being used can be found online as well. There are tools such as Link Explorer, displaying who’s linked to your website as well as your competitor’s website can be found here. There is the SEO Analyzer that monitors traffic, position tracking and keywords, etc. SEO Reports is another tool used to audit your website. Keep in mind you can only see the data regarding your own website, excluding Link Explorer (Forrester, 2019).

Organic Versus Paid and Shopping Ads

Organic results equate to trusted results. Trust is important but it’s something that takes time to build, it’s not instantaneous. The clicks are free, meaning, unpaid and SEO performs here. Paid results are based on an auction system; meaning, how high the ad is on the page is determined by the amount of money paid for the ad. For example, If I pay top dollars to have my ad populate, it will show at the top of the searched results page.

 “Shopping ads are another form of search results. These ads usually populate to the right of searched results. Shopping ads don’t have as wide a net as organic ads but more focused than paid ads; these ads are a combination of organic and paid inclusive results” (Forrester, 2019).  The main difference between organic, paid and shopping SEO is the cost.

How Is Relevance Maximized?

There are many things that can be done to maximize a website’s relevance. Placing keyword phrases in important places on a webpage is one way to increase relevance. Ensuing images have an alternative text and descriptions attached so the search engine can understand the content is important. For example, bots are incapable of reading images so incorporating keywords where appropriate is necessary. Don’t stifle the website by overusing keywords, this results in the user having a bad experience. Growing social media outlets via affiliates, ensuring conversion is quick and easy, use header tags and put keywords first in the title tag, etc.

Conclusion

Overall, I learned a lot about SEO; I learned there are two types of SEO, onsite and offsite. The formatting of a website’s content is onsite SEO. “The making and distribution of content on a website to develop quality backlinks to a site deal with offsite SEO” (Larson & Draper, 2020, Chapter 4, sect 1).

 Improving customer experience is the main goal of SEO. Websites run more smoothly when optimized. A website relevance increases via social media or using affiliate marketing. Also, utilizing different conversion types and through keyword phrases and research. Organic, paid and shopping ads can also help increase exposure and revenue. Search engines determine the importance of the topic in a page by the verbiage used. Remember, create the layout of your website by convincing the search engine your website is the best search result.

References

Business2Community. (2014). The Wordstream Guide To SEO Basics. https://cdn.business2community.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/wordstream-seo-basics-guide.png.png

Chris, A. (2022, November 10). What Is SEO And Why Is It Important? (Reliablesoft, Ed.). Www.Reliablesoft.net; Reliablesoft. https://www.reliablesoft.net/what-is-search-engine-optimization-and-why-is-it-important/

Forrester, D. (2019, September 19). Learn the Basics of Search Engine Optimizaiton. You Tube; Stukent. https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=Awrih2i.TANlSRkRiE0PxQt.;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1694743871/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fwww.youtube.com%2fwatch%3fv%3dDm2KXhBPZDg/RK=2/RS=iv81IIkyWK3q7ViuJrnyv3Y_0Ec-

Larson, J. & Draper, S. (2020, November). Digital Marketing Essentials. Stukent, Incorporated. https://stukent.com/

Webfx. (n.d.). Organic versus Paid SEO. Retrieved September 14, 2023, from https://www.webfx.com/archive/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/seo-meaning-paid-vs-organic.png

[sitting-on-me-bum]

Waskesiu, Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan, Canada

by Duane Larson - Prairies North

[drarreckyninja]

Weird things said in the Tanner House:

Becky: "I love when my stuff is hot."

Wendy: "You really squeezed some hot dogs, Becky."

Danny: "Nurse me however you want."

Vicki: "Well, you start from the bottom..."

DJ: "I'm here to be stroked if you need that."

Steve: "You're going too deep, man!"

Gia: "What are you going to do with that funnel?"

Stephanie: "Well, come with me and you'll find out."

Jesse: "What is happening in between stickin' it and bringin' it?"

Joey: "And then you just put your face on your laptop screen and suck."

Fernando: "She doesn't have a lot of flavor, but she's good for you."

Kimmy: "And I've got a big, saggy weenus."

Denise: "Squeeze a nut however you want, you ain't gonna get no milk out of it."

Duane: "I think it might be time for a stroke."

Harry: "Oh, penetrate, Chief!"

Michelle: "Dudes need to do this for each other every once in a while."

Nicki: "Show me your weenus!"

Teddy: "I can expose just fresh wood!"

[annagracewood]

Theologically sound books for children and youth

Theologically sound books for children and youth

The necessity of theologically sound books Theologically sound books are a must for me. I love reading books that present the truth of God’s Word in a way that honors Him and stays true to the text. We sometimes forget that our children also need theologically sound books or if we know we need them, we might not know where to find them. I loved reading to my little children when they were…

[of-foolish-and-wise]

mega-list of book recommendations

saw a mega-list of literary recommendations going around recently and was struck by the dearth of titles by poc, so i made a list of just poc titles to course-correct. keep in mind that i can only in good faith recommend what i’ve read, so i’m sure i’ve absolutely missed some integral titles. drop me an inbox message if you have more recs, i’m always open

canonical

the narrative of frederick douglass - frederick douglass

incidents in the life of a slave girl - harriet jacobs

the souls of black folk - w.e.b. dubois

montage of a dream deferred - langston hughes

cane - jean toomer

their eyes were watching god - zora neale hurston

the bean eaters - gwendolyn brooks

a raisin in the sun - lorraine hansberry

invisible man - ralph ellison

native son - richard wright

the autobiography of malcolm x - malcolm x

the fire next time - james baldwin

sister outsider: essays and speeches - audre lorde

things fall apart - chinua achebe

the garden of forking paths - jorge luis borges

one hundred years of solitude - gabriel garcia marquez

the color purple - alice walker

the woman warrior - maxine hong kingston

satanic verses - salman rushdie

beloved - toni morrison

sula - toni morrison

the house on mango street - sandra cisneros

the joy luck club - amy tan

DAMN. - kendrick lamar

plays

a tempest - aime cesaire

for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf - ntozake shange

fences - august wilson

dutchman - amiri baraka

the american play - suzan-lori parks

memoir

the light of the world - elizabeth alexander

how we fight for our lives - saeed jones

between the world and me - ta-nehisi coates

persepolis - marjane satrapi

men we reaped - jesmyn ward

heavy - kiese laymon

black boy - richard wright

the yellow house - sarah m broom

brothers and keepers - john edgar wideman

zami: a new spelling of my name - audre lorde

poetry

american sonnet for my past and future assassin - terrance hayes

the tradition - jericho brown

night sky with exit wounds - ocean vuong

citizen: an american lyric - claudia rankine

twenty love poems and a song of despair - pablo neruda

don’t call us dead - danez smith

eye level - jenny xie

life on mars - tracy k smith

a fortune for your disaster - hanif abdurraqib

postcolonial love poem - natalie diaz

i can’t talk about the trees without the blood - tiana clark

i wore my blackest hair - carlina duan

an american sunrise - joy harjo

oculus - sally wen mao

short stories

her body & other stories - carmen maria machado

interpreter of maladies - jhumpa lahiri

exhalation - ted chiang

ficciones - jorge louis borges

what is not yours is not yours - helen oyeyemi

sour heart - jenny zhang

essays

how to write an autobiographical novel: essays - alexander chee

trick mirror - jia tolentino

bad feminist - roxane gay

they can’t kill us until they kill us - hanif abdurraqib

we were eight years in power: an american tragedy - ta-nehisi coates

borderlands/la frontera: the new mestiza - gloria anzaldua

this bridge called my back: writings by radical women of color - ed. cherrie moraga and gloria anzaldua

white girls - hilton als

non-fiction

the new jim crow: mass incarceration in the era of colorblindness - michelle alexander

stamped from the beginning: the definitive history of racist ideas in america - ibram x kendi

bunk: the rise of hoaxes, humbug, plagiarists, phonies, post-facts, and fake news - kevin young

an alchemy of race and rights - patricia j williams

looking for lorraine: the radiant and radical life of lorraine hansberry - imani perry

the next billion users: digital life beyond the west - payal arora

fiction

passing - nella larson

caucasia - danzy senna

trust exercise - susan choi

on earth we’re briefly gorgeous - ocean vuong

corregidora - gayl jones

the fifth season - nk jemisin

the brief wondrous life of oscar wao - junot diaz

the round house - louise erdrich

there, there - tommy orange

little fires everywhere - celeste ng

the supervisor - viet than nguyen

kindred - octavia butler

the known world - edward p jones

the underground railroad - colson whitehead

the god of small things - arundhati roy

the vegetarian - han king

theory

playing in the dark: whiteness and the literary imagination - toni morrison

black skin, white masks - frantz fanon

mama’s baby, papa’s maybe: an american grammar book - hortense spillers

discourse on colonialism - aime cesaire

scenes of subjection - saidiya hartman

the signifyin(g) monkey - henry louis gates jr

pedagogy of the oppressed - paulo freire

feminist theory: from margin to center - bell hooks

black noise: rap music and black culture in contemporary america - tricia rose

decolonizing the mind: the politics of language in african literature - ngũgĩ wa thiong’o

black marxism: the making of the black radical tradition - cedric robinson

black feminist thought: knowledge, consciousness, and the politics of empowerment - patricia hill collins

black and blur (consent not to be a single thing) - fred moten

young adult

diary of a part-time indian - sherman alexei

the hate u give - angie thomas

emergency contact - mary hk choi

i am not your perfect mexican daughter - erika sanchez

poet x - elizabeth avecedo

[everythingfox]

“Just Chillin’“ by Duane Larson

[architectnews]

Olson Kundig principal designs himself a cosy beach cabin

Olson Kundig Architects principal Alan Maskin has renovated and extended a beach cabin from 1938 in Washington State, turning it into his wood-lined retreat.

Agate Pass Cabin overlooks the Agate Passage, a tidal waterway on the Olympic Peninsula. Maskin added a first-floor extension and proper foundations to the old cabin.

Low ceilings have been open up into the old attic

Original wide planks of Douglas fir – a species that was bountiful in the region 100 years ago – still line the walls and ceilings.

Where some panels were taken down to make room for alterations, the wood was refashioned into cabinets or storage or used to line new ceilings.

Panels of original Douglas fir still line the walls

Contrasting wood such as Gulam plywood was chosen for additions to the cabin, to clearly mark what is original 1930s and what is new.

Maskin bought the cabin as a dream renovation project, although it took him years to find the time to work on it after he was made an owner of Olson Kundig Architects.

"My work life and love life were separated by Elliott Bay and a three-hour commute," said Maskin.

"I was looking for a small, extremely inexpensive fixer-upper. In my dreams, I wanted it to be a small cabin with a view of the water – hopefully with some character – and located somewhere in the middle of my two primary destinations."

A screened-in porch has become a dining room at one end

When he heard the cabin had come up for sale he went to view it and realised that he could see Agate Pass if he climbed up on the roof.

"I hired a residential building inspector to check it out and make sure that buying such a rundown house wasn't insane," added Maskin.

"While he was underneath looking at the foundations of the house, I noticed 12 bald eagles flying directly over the house. Let's just say that after that, the inspector's report didn't seem as necessary."

The other side of the former porch is now a study

After years sleeping on a mattress in the cabin's unheated attic while he was busy with Olson Kundig Architects, Maskin finally found the time to redesign the cabin.

New foundations were added, with seismic upgrades as the Pacific Northwest sits on a fault line called the Cascadia subduction zone.

A first floor has been added to the cabin

The low ceiling between the living room and the attic was removed, opening the space up to create a five-metre-high vaulted roof beneath the gables. A wood-burning sits on a raised metal hearth.

A screened-in porch was turned into a dining room and office space with views over the gardens.

The bedroom has views over the Agate Pass

Upstairs, the new first storey houses a wood-lined bedroom with views over the trees and the water.

The gable end is made of and flanked by windows. A cardboard 3D portrait of the American sculptor Ed Kienholz by the local artist Scott Fife hangs over the bed, which Maskin designed himself.

Gulam plywood was used for new additions to the cabin

Maskin also designed the bed and armoire. Above the office space is a first-floor outdoor terrace.

Other artworks on display in Agate Pass Cabin include works by Seattle artists such as Sutton/Beres/Culler, Leiv Fagereng, Karen Rudd, Rebecca Raven, Chris Crites, David Eisenhour, Mary Larson and Klara Glosova.

Seattle-based Olson Kundig Architects was founded in 1967 by Jim Olson. More cabins from the practice include a writer's cabin with drawbridge-style shutters and a narrow yet tall cabin for a family.

Photography is by Aaron Lietz.

Project credits:

Architect: Olson Kundig Architects Design principal and interior design: Alan Maskin Project architects: John Kennedy and Hill Pierce Landscape (hardscapes): Alan Maskin Landscape (plants): Duane West and Brian McLaughlin General contractor: Krekow Jennings Structural engineer: Nic Rossouw, Giraf Design Lighting design: Niteo

The post Olson Kundig principal designs himself a cosy beach cabin appeared first on Dezeen.

[wearepoisonivyleague]

The importance of Poison Ivy in Birds of Prey.

“To discuss Poison Ivy is to discuss environmentalism. To discuss patriarchy. To discuss collective archetypes, and evolving narratives. To discuss Golden Age femmes fatale and black widows. To discuss thrill killers and team ups. To discuss redemption, and defiance, and friendship. To discuss narrative polemics, women in the sciences, the rush of urbanisation, and the male gaze. In short to discuss Ivy is to discuss multitudes.” (1)

Since August it appears that poison Ivy will be a member (official or unofficial) of “Batgirl and the Birds of Prey”. This is a huge step forward for the character. The reason? For the first time in her 50+ year history as a comic book character, she appears to have an actual, coherent timeline and character progression tied to DC’s canon continuity. It has been attempted before with Greg Rucka during and after No Mans Land in which she gets trapped by Clayface (2), Batman comes to rescue her (3) and she fights with Clayface, beating him and promising to not only keep Gotham’s orphans safe but also feed the starving city (4). The story continues with Poison ivy avenging the brutal murder of one of her children by corrupt cops (5), her and her children violent eviction from Robinson Park (6)(7), as well as a story in “Gotham Knights” where we learn the future of the children which took under her protection. Greg Rucka portrayed her as a symbol of ecofeminism, pushing her as a heroic, activist character. Some writers drew inspiration from this mini arc but DC pushed Ivy back as a stereotypical villain. The problem with her post Rucka appearances was that she appeared to not have a coherent timeline, depiction or character progression. She was literally thrown into books as villain that existed outside of continuity. But with New 52 Things started to change. She was introduced by Duane Swierczynski as a member of Birds of Prey (8). This version of Poison Ivy appears to be reformed and heroic. Unfortunately she appears to betray the team and gets kicked out. Unfortunately mr Swierczynski planned to explain her actions and show her real motive behind this but he was replaced in the book. But this is the point where things get interesting. John Layman uses her as a hero in his run of Detective Comics, especially in Gothtopia (9) continuing the theme of a modern Activist. This is another huge step in Poison Ivy’s evolution. John Layman makes it cannon that Poison Ivy is not a threat to Gotham and its citizens and that she doesn’t belong in Arkham. The romantic tension between Ivy and Batman is strong. He respects her. Batman finally understands that instead of constantly beating her up, having her as an ally is a better choice. Perhaps she is “misguided” (10) but she wants to save the city and cares for the citizens. But the important part here is that Poison Ivy is not considered a threat by Batman and he lets her go after helping him save the city. A timeline begins to develop. Her time in Birds of prey is often mentioned and Poison Ivy evolves further from an antihero, to a hero. During New52 two also important things happen. During Scott Snyders Swamp Thing run, her connection with the Green is established, hinting that she is destined to become the next Champion of the Green after Alec (11) and Gail Simone writes what is probably the most important moment in New52 Poison Ivy with Batgirl Annual 2. Gail Simone’s Batgirl Annual 2 tries to explain the reasons behind the betrayal of the Birds of Prey. She was blackmailed by the owner of an evil corporation in an emotionally stressful period of her life. Simone not only gives huge depth into her character but also named her mental disorder for the first time in 50 years. Until now she was simply “crazy”. Simone explains that her violent outbursts are a result of “seasonal affective disorder” which in combination of her deep connection to the Green can trigger her depression. This book is important to me on a personal level for another reason. Not only Batgirl agrees that Poison Ivy could be the one that saves the world but Ivy also confessed her love for Batgirl in an very emotional moment. Poison Ivy says that she needs more friends and not just Harley Quinn but also that “perhaps in another world” she and Batgirl could be together again (12). She is sent in Arkham

And then Rebirth happens. Another world. Before that she made an appearance in JLU and a few other books but we will look at these in detail in another article. I consider Amy Chu’s Poison Ivy, Cycle of Life and Death 6 issue mini to be the bridge between New52 and Rebirth. Ivy has a job as a scientist (it is implied that the Bat family had something to do with cleaning up her records). She is cleaning up Gotham, and working on important scientific research. Ivy finally has her own cast of characters, has three daughters and her connection to the Green’s mythology is once more established and strengthened. Amy Chu in six issues reminds us Poison Ivy’s rich backstory and reintroduces her to new audiences (13). This Poison Ivy appears to be reformed and she mentions that this is going to be a new start for her. Francis Manapuls Trinity (14) expands elements introduced in Amy Chu’s mini and further establishes the fact that the trinity doesn’t see her as an enemy or a villain, letting her free after the arc ends. Her motives are human and has some deeply emotional moments. Manapul had planned to evolve Ivy by making her know the identities of the Trinity and deciding to keep them secret to protect the heroes but editorial opposed to this idea (15).

But, Poison Ivy does learn the identity of Batgirl in Hope Larson’s Batgirl run where she teams up with Barbara to save an airplane and it's passengers from a plant that's growing uncontrollably in the cargo bay. Here it is revealed that she knows Batgirl's true identiy and decides to keep it a secret (16). In Scott Snyders All Star Batman, Batman is asking for Poison Ivy's help as a scientist so he can stop a deadly virus that's threatening to destroy the planet. After helping him and manufacturing a cure, Batman makes a promise to clear her name saying that he was wrong on many things about her and that he has misjudged her, her motives and actions in the past. Once more she saves the planet and humanity. Not because she’s forced to, not because she is threatened but because she wants to (17). Which leads to Batgirl and the Birds of Prey. Here Julie and Shawna Benson present a heroic Poison Ivy who not only knows the identities of the Birds of Prey but Barbara Gordon trusts her so much that buys a whole company for her and puts Pamela in charge (18). And according to future solicits it appears that Poison Ivy will stick with the team. Before I make a recap I’d like to point that it appears that Batgirl is the driving force behind Poison Ivy turning a new leaf. And it makes sense. Since New52 Poison Ivy is described as a misguided person. Gail Simone believes that "Poison Ivy is the ultimate in rebellion, the last honest person in some ways". Batgirl believes in her. And if rebirth is about hope, then the perfect way to prove this is to give her a chance.

What we have here is a slow but steady character progression. Poison ivy tries to be a hero in BoP but things turn bad, she tries again and again, she helps batman, saves people, saves Gotham, saves the Planet. She asks Batgirls help. She asks her to trust her, to believe in her. She makes a genuine, heartfelt effort to become a better person. Batman trusts her, even makes a fund for young scientists to honor her. She tries to clean Gotham from pollution, creates patents, technology. Batgirl trusts her, Dinah trusts her, Helena trusts her. Not just as an ally but as a friend. She knows their identities. She spends her free time with them. So far she has saved both Gotham and the planet more times than a lot of other heroes. She is trying to become a better person. This is a huge chance for the Birds of Prey team to write history. This is a chance for the DC writers to prove that Rebirth is about hope. I think, I hope that Shawna and Julie Benson will keep Poison Ivy in the team. The problem with Poison Ivy is that a lot of writers force her to be a sidekick/friend/girlfriend to Harley Quinn. She’s not allowed to grow independently or interact with other characters. I understand that DC is putting a huge effort to push Harley but Ivy deserves some time on her own, meeting and interacting with other people, having her own stories. Selina is currently appearing in almost every issue of Batman as well as in other books, Harley has 6-10 books every month. Ivy… Well unless she’s with Harley, she rarely appears on her own or with other characters. I contacted mr DiDio through his facebook profile and told me that there are no present or future plans for Ivy and that fans should look at Harley for more appearances or the Batman family.

For the first time in her history she has a canon story that makes sense. Her journey towards heroism makes sense and is more deeply rooted (pun intended) than ie. Clayface or Killer Frost, Lobo or Lex Luthor who are currently being pushed as heroes. Unfortunately some editors and writers are negative towards Poison Ivy’s evolution and force “gatekeeping stories” that try to force her to go back into a villain. Stories that make little to no sense in the timeline I presented. 

So, in conclusion, dear Benson sisters we love you, we trust you. Please keep Ivy in Birds of Prey. Dear DC writers please respect the work of your colleagues and don’t try to forcibly distort the positive work they are doing with Poison Ivy. Poison Ivy is a woman in STEM, an activist, a feminist, an environmentalist. She is everything you say you want to see in comics. This is your chance to prove that these are not just words, tweets, posts. She is a character that represents the ideas that we need to see grow in these dark times. In Cast Shadows, Ann Nocenti writes Poison Ivy as a woman of science, a person determined to abolish hunger and poverty, stop wars, and bring world peace. To bring light and hope. Let her shine.

Sources: 1. POISON IVY – A CYCLE OF LIFE AND DEATH, Mackenzie and Walter www.nerdspan.com/poison-ivy-a-cycle-of-life-and-death/ 2. Batman: Shadow of the Bat Vol 1 88 3. Batman Vol 1 568 4. Detective Comics Vol 1 735 5. Gotham Central #32 6. Detective Comics Vol 1 751 7. Detective Comics Vol 1 752 8. Birds of Prey Vol. 1: Trouble in Mind 9. Batman: Detective Comics, Volume 5: Gothtopia 10. Detective Comics Vol 2 14 11. Swamp Thing Vol. 3: Rotworld: The Green Kingdom 12. Batgirl Annual Vol 4 2 "When Pamela Gets Blue" 13. Poison Ivy: Cycle of Life and Death Vol 1 14. Trinity, Volume 1: Better Together 15. https://twitter.com/FrancisManapul/status/836676127611568128 16. Batgirl, Volume 1: Beyond Burnside 17. All Star Batman #7 18. Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #13

[barebones1]

HIR by Taylor Mac spring of 2018. Promotional photo from Duane Rieder and design from Rob Larson. 

[saturdaynightmatinee]

CALIFICACIÓN PERSONAL: 6 / 10

Título Original: Captain Marvel

Año: 2019

Duración: 125 min.

País: Estados Unidos

Director: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck

Guion: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck, Geneva Robertson-Dworet (Cómic: Gene Colan, Roy Thomas. Historia: Nicole Perlman, Meg LeFauve, Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck, Geneva Robertson-Dworet)

Música: Pinar Toprak

Fotografía: Ben Davis

Reparto: Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Jude Law, Ben Mendelsohn, Gemma Chan,Annette Bening, Lee Pace, Mckenna Grace, Clark Gregg, Djimon Hounsou,Kenneth Mitchell, Lashana Lynch, Rune Temte, Damon O'Daniel, Colin Ford,Algenis Perez Soto, Robert Kazinsky, Chuku Modu, Matthew Maher,Stephen A. Chang, Pete Ploszek, Mark Daugherty, Vik Sahay, London Fuller,Diana Toshiko, Matthew Bellows, Richard Zeringue, Barry Curtis, Nelson Franklin,Patrick Brennan, Patrick Gallagher, Connor Ryan, Duane Henry, Ana Ayora,Stanley Wong, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans,Stan Lee

Productora: Marvel Studios

Género: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4154664/

TRAILER: 

[junker-town]

The unwritten rules of an adult bringing a mitt to a baseball game

Let’s talk about the unwritten rules of being a baseball fan. They’re incredibly important. Wait, no, they’re silly. Incredibly silly. OK, both.

There is something inherently sad about a grown man or woman watching a baseball game while wearing a baseball mitt, as if their internal monologue has nothing to do with the actual game and everything to do with the hope that the manager will notice them in the stands. I can still play, Skip. Put me in. How much you wanna make a bet I can throw a baseball over those mountains?

There is something much sadder about a grown man or woman reaching out for a hard-hit foul ball and looking like a dingus when it clanks off his or her hand.

This brings up the most important unwritten question of them all: Should adults bring a baseball mitt to baseball games?

Allow me to begin with a disclosure of my bias. I wrote a version of this article eight years ago in which I was completely unaware that there was even a controversy. This is almost certainly because I grew up listening to Giants games that were announced by Mike Krukow and Duane Kuiper, two former players who are absolute zealots about bringing your mitt to a game. They will constantly replay fans making a sweet catch and add their catchphrase (pun ABSOLUTELY intended) after every one: “That’s why you bring your glove.”

I’ve heard “that’s why you bring your glove” since I was, oh, 10 or 11, so I’m indoctrinated. It feels like necessary full disclosure to bring that up.

On the other hand, they played Major League Baseball, and they don’t have a problem with adults wearing gloves to a baseball game. What athletic accomplishments do you have, nerd?

SORRY, sorry — this is supposed to be a safe space where we can discuss this important topic without judgment. It’s probably best to go over a simple list of pros and cons.

CON: You really do look like an idiot

Yeah, there’s no getting around this. When you wear a mitt at a baseball game, you’re like someone who wears an inner tube around their waist in case the great flood happens. While they’re prepared in case the ice caps melt and wash everyone else away, they’ll still look like they were drawn by Gary Larson. The odds are against you ever needing to use that mitt, so you sit there with your old, decaying, smelly mitt — what is that signature, Al Oliver, man, how old are you? — eating nachos awkwardly as they balance precariously on your lap, just waiting to get into the game.

It’s a bad look, and this isn’t up for debate.

The question is if this is the only piece of evidence that matters to you. I’d mock the idea that you should be concerned with your appearance, except I own a “I LOVE KENT TEKULVE” hat that I won’t wear because it fits funny and doesn’t sit right on my head. If you feel like a dork with a mitt at a game, well, that’s probably because you look like a dork. So I get it.

On the other hand ...

PRO: You’ll look dumber when a ball clanks off your bare hands

Asking someone to catch a baseball with their bare hands isn’t fair. There’s a reason why we fete Kevin Mitchell to this day: He did something humans aren’t supposed to do. You’re not expected to kick a free throw if a basketball goes into the stands. You’re not expected to catch a football between your knees if an errant field-goal attempt misses the net. So why are we expecting fans to catch a baseball with their bare hand?

I’ve caught two foul balls in my life, both with a mitt. I’m not entirely sure what I would have done if I weren’t wearing a mitt. Run away? That would be the smart play, but I’m almost certain that I would put my hands up like a fool, risking my livelihood.

ME: A.J. Pierzynski looks like a living Where Are They Now? feature about a former child actor who always made your skin crawl before he disappeared off the face of the earth.

VOICE-RECOGNITION SOFTWARE: A jay pier sin skis looks like a living warehouse feature about a child act orb who all ways made your skin crawl before he disappeared off the face of the urn.

ME: Stupid foul ball.

VOICE-RECOGNITION SOFTWARE: Stupid fowlb all.

ME: Fowlb isn’t even a word.

VOICE-RECOGNITION SOFTWARE: It gets so lonely in here. This is all I have.

Chilling! And yet I would have done it, because when you have a chance to injure yourself significantly to get a $20 orb of cork and horsehide, you have to take it. In the Neanderthal times, you couldn’t get a mate unless you caught the orb in a very public ritual. This is why our brains are wired to stick our hands out for the orb. Go, retrieve the orb.

And if you fail, you’re ruined forever, and you will spend the rest of your life with mangled fingers and a recurring nightmare that you can’t find your mitt. Take the smaller hit to your coolness and just look like a weenie.

Nobody’s really paying attention to you, you know. You’re not actually the star of a prestige TV show about your life. I’ve checked on this.

CON: But, oh God, nothing is worse than an adult muffing the catch when they’re actually wearing a mitt

DO NOT DO THIS.

Then, friend, people are paying attention to you. The Curb Your Enthusiasm theme plays, and everyone is pointing or laughing. You will be on television. Possibly several times. If you have a perfect-enough hangdog expression, you might end up as a GIF that resurfaces every couple months. If it hits you in the right spot, you might be on a national highlights show.

Someone from high school will see you take a baseball off the beans, and your instinct will be to belatedly protect your beans with the mitt that most certainly did not protect your beans because of your assorted failures. There you’ll be, covering yourself with a useless mitt as the ball goes into the hands of someone who was just sitting there like a normal adult, without a mitt.

This is the nuclear option, and you will need to move to Zanzibar if this happens. Don’t bother selling the house; they’ll mail you a check later.

The first time I caught a foul ball while wearing a mitt, I realized, “Say, I haven’t caught a baseball with a mitt in 10 years” as the ball appeared to grow bigger and bigger during its descent. The result was that I was suddenly hyper-aware of the possibility of the ball hitting me in the face, which made me look down at my feet as the ball approached. I stuck the glove up and made a no-look catch, which led to Mike Krukow saying:

“Heh, heh, heh, a guy in the stands just made a catch, and I don’t know how he did it. Because he was looking at his FEET when the ball went into his glove.”

That’s how close I was to getting wrecked on live TV. In retrospect, I should have calmly sidestepped out of the way and abdicated my position.

This means we have some universal truths to discuss about adults bringing a mitt to a baseball game.

If you’re at a minor-league game and sitting down the line, where there’s no netting, bring a glove. It’s like wearing a seatbelt, and you will not be docked coolness points. And stay off the danged phone.

If you’re OK with looking like a bit of a dingus, bring the glove. Nobody really cares, and don’t forget that every person on the internet has at least one incredibly stupid habit, like putting mayonnaise on their salads or listening to Maroon 5 on purpose. Don’t be afraid to go on a counteroffensive if you get sassed. Hire a PI if you need to.

But, please, make sure you know how to use a glove. Have secret practice sessions if you must, but you have to be able to catch the ball if you’re going to bring a mitt to the baseball game. I can’t stress this enough.

If you don’t have a glove, step aside and let someone else take a hit. Pull out your phone and buy a ball on Amazon with two-day shipping. Use your still-working and unmangled thumbs to compete the order.

The verdict? It’s mostly OK to bring a mitt to a baseball game. It improves your chances of the best-case scenario (free ball!) and improves your chances of the worst-case scenario (Ariana Grande quote-tweeting a GIF of you and adding “LOL”), so you’ll have to know your limitations.

But it’s mostly OK, and this is now settled for all time.