*Jakarta Globe, 6 February 2009

A man climbs quietly from a grave and closes a white burial cloth that shrouds a skeleton. The bones are the color of burned earth and in pieces. A maggot scuttles to hide behind the empty eye socket of the skull. After more than 30 years of interment, all that is left of a once middle-aged adult now fits into a small bundle.

A weathered, wooden plaque with jagged edges bears the name the skeleton once answered to.

At Menteng Pulo Public Cemetery in South Jakarta, the air is fresh with the scent of blossoming trees and rich earth. A lone mottled mutt threads cautiously among the graves, its skin matted and reddish from the rain and earth. She sits on top of a grave, observing as 50 gravediggers calmly go about their work. They are not burying the dead but raising them, literally, from their graves.

Along a large strip of land near the Cideng River, 10,600 square meters to be exact, emptied graves with ragged edges line the cemetery. The workers have been commissioned by the city administration to unearth about 3,500 plots to make way for a highway linking Jalan Soepomo and Jalan Rasuna Said.

“Traditionally, you cannot disturb the dead,” sayd Entong, the head gravedigger. “But this is a city that is developing, and they need to expand the road.”

Inside an open grave, Entong breaks up the damp soil with a rusty hoe. His black jeans and feet are encrusted with red earth. He hands the last of the unearthed bones to his assistant to wrap in cloth and take to another burial plot that has been allocated for the exhumed bodies.

“This one was buried in 1962, so there are very few bones left,” Entong says, pointing to the decomposed bundle of bones about the size of an infant.

Entong climbs out of the grave and begins to break the gray headstone with his hoe. Pieces of stone fly around him. He has to remove the name plaque embedded in the stone so it can be placed with the remains for identification. His skin is burnished from the 32 years he has worked outdoors as a gravedigger.

“People call me first when they want to bury someone,” Entong says.

On this overcast morning, no weeping or hushed prayers for the displaced dead are heard, only the thud of hoes hitting the soil. Entong says it has been two months since the excavation of the graves commenced and it is scheduled to end next week.

“At the beginning there were more relatives,” Entong says. “Now it is rare for families to come even though we have informed them we will be digging up the graves. Maybe they have moved. Maybe they can’t bear the process.”

The majority of the graves are Muslim but Entong estimates 800 Buddhist graves will also be uncovered this week.

The remains are being moved to new burial plots further down the road. Unclaimed remains are moved to a cemetery at Kampung Kandang in Cilandak or to Srengseng Sawah Cemetery in South Jakarta, Entong says.

The ground is soft as paste from the ongoing Jakarta showers and he flings it around him as he hoes. An errant and persistent fly flits around his bare feet.

“We take the remains out, wrap them up and then knock down the gravestone,” explains Suroh, a caretaker at Menteng Pulo since the ’70s. Wearing a red shirt, a large mole jutting from his chin, he watches Entong work in the distance.

“I do not cry at anyone’s funeral,” Suroh says. “I am used to them.

“We are here to fix their homes, their final resting place.”

It is noon when Entong rests inside a makeshift wooden hut in the middle of the cemetery. The soiled clothes of the caretakers hang to dry nearby on headstones and from overhanging trees.
A caretaker chugs on a motorcycle down the narrow dirt road that runs through the cemetery, ferrying four white bundles to an ambulance for relocation.

“It is funny. Kaplok, kaplok, kaplok is the sound of the bodies flapping,” says Suroh as he watches.
“We are all the same. In the end we will die,” he adds as he deeply inhales from a clove cigarette.
Under the cool shade of the hut, the men sit in their mud-caked clothes, sipping hot, milky coffee and talk lightheartedly about death. Entong recounts a time when he had to break the legs of a corpse.

“If I didn’t, they wouldn’t fit into the cloth,” he says.

The kain kapan, or burial cloths, are rough pieces of white cloth two meters in length. “These ones cost Rp 12,000 [about $1],” Entong says, pointing to a pile of fabric in a cupboard. “Cheap ones.”

The hush is disturbed by the arrival of Iwan Suwandi and his family. Together with his wife, Suwarti, his sister, sister-in-law and grandson, he has come to rebury his son Rachmad.

“I was shocked to get the notice from the cemetery,” Suwandi says, of being notified of the disinterment. “I found out at Lebaran,” he adds.

A gentle-looking man with glasses and specks of grey through his hair, Suwandi had been ill for the past three months and unable to come to Menteng Pulo earlier.

Wearing a tan fishing hat and checkered shirt, Ali greets Suwandi, whom he knows. The caretaker has been tending Rachmad’s grave since he was buried here four years ago. An old hand, Ali has worked at cemeteries since 1948 and takes care of 100 plots in Menteng Pulo.

Rachmad, Suwandi’s third son, died of liver problems at the age of 24. “I wanted to move him to Bogor but we have no family there,” says Suwandi, who instead asked for his son’s body to be moved nearby within the Menteng Pulo cemetery.

Entong is called upon to dig up the body.

“It is his job to dig. We each have a duty,” explains Suroh, whose own position is caring for the graves, like Ali.

Entong alternates using his hands and the hoe to scoop out the earth. The burial cloth is laid on the ground beside the grave and he begins to place the unearthed chunks of bone on it. Two assistants crouch nearby to lay them out on the burial cloth. Standing above his son’s grave, Suwandi’s face is placid as he calmly inquires about the whereabouts of his son’s skull.

The wooden headstone reads, Rachmad H. bin Iwan Suwandi, etched black upon painted white wood. Slivers of the skeleton’s rib cage are taken out one by one. Entong continues to dig and finds a hipbone. Finally, he finds the skull. Suwandi places his hand over his mouth and lets out a small gasp. The family begins to pray. A sniff escapes Suwandi as he continues to look at Entong in the grave.

“His legs aren’t here yet,” Suwandi says.

Entong clears the mud from his hoe and continues digging.

The air is hushed and the smell of rain is heavy on the breeze. “We forgot to bring an umbrella,” Suwandi says to his wife, who nods agreement. Their 7-year old grandson, dressed in blue, has his hand on his knees and keeps his gaze intently on the open grave. The women look distressed.

When Ali comes over to help wrap the bones, Suwandi asks if the bundle is heavy. Ali says it isn’t. Three men wrap the bundle tightly and hand the bones to Suwandi. With steady steps on the slippery, rain-soaked earth, Suwandi carries his son to a prepared burial site, mouthing a silent prayer.

A little way up the road from where Rachmad was originally buried, a gaping hole six feet deep awaits. The small congregation stops, and Suwandi hands the bundle to a gravedigger as he jumps in the grave. The body is gently returned to him and the gravediggers tell him to open the bundle. “All of it,” says one as the other balls up chunks of soil with his hands. “It is to prop up the body so it does not overturn,” he explains.

Suwandi carefully tucks his son into his resting place and two men start to fill in the grave. An imam in a black velvet skullcap, propping himself up with a multicolored umbrella, asks for the name of the deceased and begins a low chant. Only the boy’s name, Rachmad, rings out as the imam crouches by the grave. All else is quiet save for the sound of hoes hitting the ground.

The mother opens a prayer book, her face partially hidden under her black jilbab as she prays along with the imam. Her grandson stands behind her, holding her arm.

Suwandi straightens his son’s old headstone and turns his palms up to the sky. The imam moves toward him and they pray side by side. The earth atop Rachmad’s new grave is choppy and uneven but Ali explains it will be tidied later. He takes out a clove cigarette, lights it and stands before this new grave he will also care for.

A warm wind blows. From a nearby mosque, the resonant call to prayers rings out, echoed softly by surrounding mosques.

(photos: JG/Yudhi Sukma Wijaya)

Personnellement, je n’ai jamais réussi à construire un truc potable avec des Lego. Que ce soit un véhicule, une base pour mes personnages ou des créations abstraites, tout ce que mes mains parvenaient à assembler ressemblait vaguement à un tas difforme.

Alors quand je vois cette plaque Link et Zelda (époque NES) réalisée par Naneto avec les petites briques de couleur de notre enfance, forcément, je pleure. Parce que c’est beau, et parce que je me dis que j’étais vraiment bidon quand j’étais jeune. D’autant plus quand je tombe la minute suivante sur la casquette New Era réalisée par Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, que je trouve tout simplement dingue. C’est décidé, à Noël je rachète une boîte de briques.

Via

Pour voir d’autres images de Zelda sur NES et de la casquette New Era x JCDC en Lego, vous pouvez cliquer pour

Photographed by robertbonnin

negatives plates 9×12
This photo is part of my collection of negatives on glass plates between 1890 and 1930 all your information will be welcome!

cette photo fait partie de ma collection de negatifs sur plaques de verres entre 1890 et 1930 toutes vos informations seront les bienvenues !

– License

My husband spent a lot of time in the engine rooms at the National Waterways Museum. Sadly the steam engine is no longer in use via its rather smartly kept boilers. However, there were plenty of photo opportunities for me: lots of little shiny details to pick out. I’m assuming this sign was to remind the operator that the flow of steam from the boiler to the engine needed to be kept within certain limits.

A few tips and tricks to help you cope with the pain of sensitive teeth and prevent the damage in the first place.

What causes Sensitivity and Decay in Teeth?

Your teeth (and mine!) are covered with a hard protective enamel coating. That makes them impervious to most things that we are likely to come across in nature, for a while at least. The problem is that when we eat, we enjoy a lot of sugar -  so do bacteria. The more frequently we eat or drink sugary substances, the more fun the bacteria have and the more prone we are damaged teeth. The bacteria can be hard to get rid of because they protect themselves under a layer of plaque. This is the yellow or brown hard coating most often seen at the base of and between the teeth. You need to get rid of this. Sometimes a visit to a hygienist is required to get rid of accumulated plaque but good dental hygiene at home will help to prevent it gaining a foothold in the first place.

Those bacteria produce acids which damage the enamel, the body cannot replace the enamel once it has been destroyed. This damage allows entry to the soft tissues beneath (dentine) which is where decay sets in. This eventually causes pain, the only treatment for this sort of decay is removal of the infected material or even the whole tooth if the decay has destroyed a significant part of the structure. This requires the attention of a dentist. Even worse, the decay can spread to the roots of the tooth. This causes a LOT of pain (I know first hand about this one) and can result in the loss of the tooth if not caught in time. Once the roots are damaged, you are facing a long and laborious, not to mention very expensive, stay in the dentists chair while the roots are drilled out, filled and the tooth refilled or capped. You then have a dead tooth, but at least no gap.

As we get older, after eating a lot of acidic food, which we all do in a lifetime, acid erosion of the enamel takes place. This causes damage to little pockets of enamel leaving the dentine below exposed. Sensitivity can also be caused by regression of the gum line if we have been careless with our hygiene! Anything hot or cold making contact with those exposed areas causes instant pain.

Prevention is obviously going to be better than the often painful cure. Use of a toothbrush to clean all exposed surfaces of the teeth is a key part of the hygiene regime. My personal favourite is the Braun Oral-B Professional Care Total Care 8900 Rechargeable Toothbrush. It has a round head which oscillates at very high speed and does a great job at loosening plaque and sweeping it away. It does a far better job than I have ever managed to achieve with a normal toothbrush. This obviously only cleans the exposed surfaces, another favourite place for bacteria to hide in plaque is between the teeth themselves. You can buy little Interdental brushes to get at those awkward areas or use dental floss. I use TePe Interdental Brush Blue 0.6mm brushes. Those little brushes come in different sizes to match the gaps between your teeth. You might want to ask your dentist which ones are best for you if you don’t feel like experimenting.

If you’ve been attacked by a dentists drill in the past, you’ll know how painful and inconvenient that can be, as well as expensive. A few minutes a couple of times a day can really help to prevent all that aggravation. It also gives you a nice clean breath so you don’t have to worry about meeting the lad or lass of your dreams and scaring them away with bad breath.

What to do about Sensitivity

While gum disease is easily preventable with just basic attention to dental hygiene, there’s little that can be done to prevent acid erosion. A good solution to the problem of this sort of sensitivity is the use of a specially formulated toothpaste. I use Sensodyne Total Care Toothpaste all the time to keep that sort of pain at bay.

If you have really serious pain, and by that I mean something that drives you to distraction, then it’s pretty unlikely that any toothpaste is going to do much for you. That sort of pain indicates a serious underlying condition which needs the attention of an expert, i.e. a dentist, so go see one. You’ll feel much better afterwards and you’ll wonder what all the fuss was about.

If you’ve followed a regular regime of hygiene using this sort of toothpaste, you’ll probably only need to clean your teeth using it normally once or twice a day to stay pain free. If this toothpaste fails to relieve your pain after a couple of weeks, you really should see your dentist anyway.

I wouldn’t recommend brushing your teeth immediately after eating or drinking though. I’ve been advised that the enamel is softened by the acid in some of our foods and drinks and that brushing before it has a chance to naturally harden again causes damage. Safest thing to do is to simply not brush for at least half an hour after eating or drinking. Remember, there’s no way to replace lost enamel so the less you lose the better off you’ll be…

How I do the job

I just clean my teeth normally with the Braun in the morning an hour or so after breakfast and have a rinse with Plax, mainly because I like the way it tastes and it helps keep that breath fresh…at least that’s the claim on the bottle. In the evening, I load the toothbrush with toothpaste and spread it around the teeth without switching it on. I sometimes have to load the brush a couple of times, you don’t need to overdo this – a smear of paste on and between the teeth is enough. I then use an interdental brush to get the toothpaste working between the teeth. Only when I’ve done that, do I turn the Braun on and brush the teeth normally.

It may sound like a lot of faffing about but after suffering pain from poor hygiene in the past, I’m not going there again. A few minutes a day cleaning teeth versus immense pain…it’s a no contest.

Oh yes, I haven’t found that special woman yet but at least it’s not due to bad breath!

Jessica Simpson Women’s Braid Belt With Plaque

Just in time to wish clients, colleagues, employees, family and friends Happy Holidays and Season’s Greetings, Successories has released a new line of greeting cards called PhotoInspire Holiday Cards. We’ve reinvented the greeting card by dipping into our acclaimed inspirational photographic library to find the most stunning and moving images of winter scenes and paired them with seasonal phrases. We have 25 individual designs as well as curated assortment packs. One of the 25-pack assortments is Holiday Animals, featuring cuddly penguins, a baby seal and the endanger polar bear. Another features a variety of stunning winter landscapes. And the final assortment Holiday Card Pack includes the photographic work of renowned nature photographer QT Luong.

The cards ultra-gloss to enhance the inspirational image and message. With a blank inside and perfectly sized to fit any printer, the PhotoInspire Holiday Cards are made for easy personalization.

Happy Holidays! from Successories.

Successories on Twitter and Facebook

Some of you folks have been kind enough to tell me that you think my blog is funny. While I occasionally question your judgment, I nonetheless accept your compliments and strive to continue to deliver content that meets your expectations, however low they might be. Fortunately, my life is usually kind enough to generate, all on its own, enough naturally-funny things that I can satisfy your need for amusement here. For sure, I’ve got one for you now.

Disclaimer: Those of you who follow my Twitter feed or Facebook account may already know about this. As a result, you may find it to be less entertaining than others who don’t. If I’ve told you about this, you’ll also find it to be less entertaining. I’m sorry about that, but it’s your own fault for not having more interesting things to do than follow my Twitter feed, read my Facebook status, or talk to me.

I think I mentioned that I raced in Detroit not only for my own personal effort, but also as a member of a racing team. Front Line Racing Team is affiliated with the Kalamazoo Area Runners (KAR), and KAR members have the opportunity to race for Front Line. Back in the summer, I got an e-mail from Front Line that mentioned the opportunity to participate on a team in the Detroit Free Press / Flagstar Marathon. I thought it sounded like fun, and Fred (the awesome guy who handles all that stuff for Front Line) didn’t mind that I was a first-time marathon runner who would count himself lucky if he finished in four hours. That was that, and Fred put me on a five-person team. Full marathon teams are a bit different than five-person marathon relay teams. The relay teams have five people who each run a segment of the course. By contrast, full marathon teams consist of three to five runners who each run the entire marathon, with the best three times counting toward the team time. As you might imagine, the lowest combined time wins.

Dear Fred,

Thanks for organizing the team. You rock!

Sincerely,

Darrell

Let’s fast forward to race day. I saw some folks wearing Front Line singlets, but I didn’t really know if they were on my team or some other Front Line squad entered in the race, as Front Line put forth a few teams. I finished the race, and didn’t really think too much about the team competition; really, my only concern was that I hoped my time hadn’t dragged down the team performance. I wasn’t terribly concerned about that, either, as I had four teammates. Life was good.

A couple weeks ago, I got a quick e-mail newsletter mentioning that the Front Line men’s full marathon team had won that competition. I was rather happy that the team had won, and e-mailed Fred to express my delight that I hadn’t dragged down the team. The response I got was rather shocking. Fred advised me that two of my teammates had dropped, meaning that my time had, in fact, counted toward the team result.

I laughed out loud. In my personal value system, marathon results over four hours don’t win anything except the admiration of friends and other random folks.

One of my friends today described me as a “kicka** marathon runner.” That felt good, even if I’m not entirely convinced that it’s true. Thanks, Erin!

I wrote back to Fred expressing amusement with a dash of excitement, and asked if there was some sort of plaque or something somewhere to which I could go pay homage at some point. Fred let me know that there is no team plaque to which I can go pay homage. Instead, each member of the team gets his own plaque; it should arrive in the next month or two. I laughed out loud yet again. Apparently, 4:38:08 marathons are not only good enough to win, but they are also good enough to merit their own plaque. Go figure.

A quick check of the times reveals why I was able to be on a winning marathon team. My two teammates both ran rather quick marathons; one finished in 2:41, while the other finished in 2:45. I’m pretty sure they both had probably finished, had a bite to eat, showered, and gone off to celebrate by the time I finished. For sure, I could not have won without them.

Dear Eric and Kevin,

Thank you for being super fast and for letting me ride along on your efforts to get a marathon team championship.

Sincerely,

Darrell

The fun twist to this story is that, while I could never have been on this year’s winning team without those guys, they couldn’t have won without me, either. The team had to have three finishers. Had I not finished, the incredibly fast times posted by my teammates would have looked nice on paper but done nothing to give them fancy plaques.

That’s actually the moral of this story. The running community really does require all kinds. Sure, we need the elite runners who go out and do awesome things in races. They amaze and inspire me on a frequent basis. We also need the average runners, though. They do amazing things, too. They may not do them as quickly as the elite athletes, but they still do awesome things that amaze and inspire me. Just like my full marathon team in Detroit wouldn’t have accomplished anything without both the elite runners and the not-so-elite runner, the running community is a much better place because of the blend of runners who comprise that community.

Before you go and fully embrace that moral, do take a moment and laugh a bit more about the fact that a 4:38 marathon can actually be plaque-worthy.

An amazing innovation in inspiration, The Desk Top Talker. Fuel their confidence, passion, motivation and positive attitude with the touch of a button! This unique device speaks 365 inspiring quotes – one for each day of the year. After a year, it chooses random inspiration for each day. Hear words of wisdom from Abraham Lincoln, Helen Keller, Thomas Jefferson, Martin Luther King Jr. and more. This desk talker makes a unique gift, personal motivator or meeting opener. The same quote repeats with each touch for a 24 hour period before changing to the next quote. It’s a great stocking stuffer, amazing secret Santa gift, and the greatest gift under $20. Give the gift of inspiration everyday.

Successories on Twitter and Facebook

Successories.com is your one stop shop this holiday season with the perfect gifts for personal or professional relationships and in all price ranges. ( Gifts Under $10 – Gifts Under $25 – Gifts Under $40 – All Other Great Gifts ) We’ve even included a beautiful new web page that perfectly organizes our expansive collection of high quality gifts to make your shopping experience easier than ever.

Other great gifts Successories offers is Design Your Inspiration, the innovative must give gift of 2009, where you can easily customize and personalize Inspirational Art and give the gift of a lifetime that lasts a life time. Also, Successories unveiled in The Skymall Catalog as well as our very own catalog Gourmet Inspirations which span from chocolate awards to a 5 lb Chocolate bar.

This holiday season, we all need a little motivation, a little inspiration and Successories has delivered the most inspirational and motivational gifts available backed by the Successories 100% Guarantee.

Successories on Twitter and Facebook

Retirez la plaque d’égout la plus proche de chez vous ,

installez quelques cônes d’avertissement pour baliser et sécuriser l’endroit ,

retournez chez vous ensuite car nous allons maintenant apprendre notre leçon du jour :

Comment laver en douceur votre plaque d’égout ?

1- remplissez un arrosoir d’eau déminéralisée et ajoutez quelques pétales de roses fraîchement coupées

2- Déposez délicatement votre plaque dans une bassine en argent (ou inox selon moyens) que vous aurez au préalable remplis de boules de coton en soie végétale

3- Allumez un peu d’encens et faites tourner la stéréo avec un bon vieux truc planant genre Tangerine Dream

4- Munissez vous d’une brosse en poil de Merisier que vous badigeonnerez de lessive douce (ex :Cajolinou)

5- Arrosez votre plaque avec un tiers de l’arrosoir puis brossez délicatement afin de ne pas froisser ou rayer les mailles

6- Laissez agir 30 minutes et allez parler au voisin (Mr Dumeux) qui vous espionne depuis 10 minutes

7- Videz le reste de l’arrosoir sur la plaque et attendez 28 minutes

8- Séchez avec un chiffon doux (poil de chameau) et souriez

9- Vous pouvez ajoutez à votre plaque un peu d’huile de linotte

10- Voilà … c’est fini pour aujourd’hui , demain nous apprendrons à dégonfler un chauffage d’appoint ,

bonsoir.

As we feel the change of seasons, we’ve decided to freshened up our homepage to feature all the great new products Successories has unveiled for this holiday season: 25 New Holiday Greeting Cards, 9 Chocolate Awards, 7 Inspirers, 6 new motivational posters, and 1 desktop talker. Truly Successories has everything except for a partridge in a pear tree.

Successories on Twitter and Facebook

Two minutes twice a day……if I say that once in a day at my office, I must say it at least ten times.  I’m sure that I  sound like a nag or, at the very least, a broken record.  You’d think in this day of ever improving technology, we’d be able to spice up or change that same old song…. two minutes twice a day.  And, if you’ve been to the dentist, you know that I am referring to how long and how often we should brush our teeth. 

There is no question that brushing twice a day for TWO entire minutes is a bit of a pain.  There are so many more important things that we could be doing… like sleep for instance.  The suggested time to brush our teeth is first thing in the morning and last thing before we go to bed so, if we didn’t take the time to brush our teeth, we’d have a full four extra minutes of sleep each day.  Speaking for myself, four extra minutes of sleep is very compelling.  Fortunately, the arguement as to why we SHOULD brush our teeth twice a day for two minutes  is even MORE compelling. 

Simply put, we need to remove the plaque that accumulates on our teeth and we need to remove it thoroughly.  Plaque is that sticky transparent layer of bacteria that coats our teeth and can cause decay and gum disease.  And if THAT doesn’t motivate you, if plaque isn’t removed completely, it turns into tartar (calculus) which is hardened and more damaging to your gums and more difficult to remove. 

So, now that maybe you are a little more convinced that brushing your teeth twice a day for two minutes is a good thing, let me throw some criteria your way.  Yes, it’s true…….putting a glop of toothpaste on your toothbrush and putting it in your mouth haphazardly for two minutes does NOT count.  There is actually technique and method involved in this process.   

• ALWAYS use a soft toothbrush
• Hold the brush at a 45 degree angle to your tooth at the gumline
• Use small and gentle circular motions to “massage” the tooth and gums
• Focus on one tooth at a time
• Make sure to brush all surfaces of each tooth – front, back and chewing
• Use a timer – like an egg timer – set for two minutes

Now, the above recommendations are if you are using a manual toothbrush.  Here’s some fun news.  There are electric toothbrushes out there that have a built in two minute timer, sensors to warn you if you are brushing too hard, and the technology to provide the proper massaging and cleaning movements.  My personal favorite is the Oral B Triumph with Smart Guide (see our website for promotions – www.familydentalcareparkridge.com ) It takes a lot of the guess work out of brushing – you just need to place the brush on each tooth on all sides and the Triumph toothbrush does the rest of the work.  Makes your teeth feel unbelievably clean – like you’ve just been to the dentist

So, I guess we in the dental world  won’t be changing our tune – two minutes twice a day – any time soon.  But with compelling reasons and some fun technology, maybe it won’t be such a dreaded chore. 

And don’t even get me started on FLOSSING

Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.

Successories is the creator of the most iconic motivational images. One that rains supreme is the Attitude Drop. With a single image, Successories has motivated millions to think of themselves not by their size, but by the rippling effect one can create. We encourage everyone to continue to ripple, to disrupt the placid, to make waves. Now with Successories Design Your Inspiration and photographer Martin Waugh, we are encouraging new generations of organizations and individuals to make a difference, to effect others, to be affected by others, and to rise up and change the status quo.

Throughout history, water has calmed the soul, soothed the spirit and healed the wounded. Martin’s free-flowing photography evokes images from rolling, rhythmic oceans to drops of water falling upon a lake, taking one on a spiritual journey bounded only by imagination.

Martin’s creative uses of high-speed photography make it possible to capture the smooth and effortless curves of liquid, eliciting a childlike sense of fun and whimsy. Interpretations of his work often reveal as much about the viewer as the artist. His images are engaging metaphors for life and are as intriguing to the eye as they are thought provoking.

By varying the size, speed and position of drops, as well as the color, viscosity, and surface tension, Martin creates a panorama of color, movement and intrigue.

“Liquid Sculpture images are fluids in motion, frozen in time by a flash of light. They are droplets witnessed in mid-splash. I orchestrate these sculptures by accurately aiming the drops and releasing them with precise timing. As nature takes its course, I photograph the unfolding forms using a digital camera and electronic flash. I instigate the myriad of shapes by varying the drops’ trajectories and manipulating their physical properties. Color, viscosity, and surface tension are controlled with dye, glycerin, and soap. Fluids in motion fascinate my senses. I feel their smooth and effortless curves: structures reflecting a perfect balance of dynamic forces. They tickle some faint physical memory, like a scent evoking a forgotten mix of feelings.” – Martin Waugh

Successories on Twitter and Facebook

After much popular demand, Successories has built out a Successories Classics category in the revolutionary Design Your Inspiration website. The Successories Classic category contains images and quotes from the iconic motivational art collections Successories is known for. With the Design Your Inspiration cutting edge flexibility, you can now take the art you know and love and make it your own with only a couple of clicks.

You can know take the inspiring photograph of a tree growing where others have failed from our Achievement motivational poster and add your own inspiring message. Take the story of a small group of trees, in an act of sheer will, thriving at the pinnacle of a barren mountaintop having achieved the seemingly unthinkable and make it your own with by choosing and inspirational quote and/or writing a personal message.

This is an amazing opportunity for companies and organizations to motivate their teams and spread the organization’s message or motto.

We continuing to build out this category to include all of Successories iconic images. And better yet, we are adding them both with their motivational title and without.

Now you can personalize your priorities. You can brand “Be The Bridge“. You can succeed with your own Successories!

Successories on Twitter and Facebook

]]> http://doodlemeister.com/2009/11/10/orpheus-in-rehab/ Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:30:42 +0000 Jim http://doodlemeister.com/2009/11/10/orpheus-in-rehab/

Even before you enter the gates of Baltimore’s Fort McHenry these days, it’s obvious that there is heavy construction activity going on in and around this popular national monument and historic shrine. As I write this, part of the entrance is blocked for a new sidewalk and curb installation and, just inside the gate, you are directed off to the right to a temporary parking lot. The old parking lot and the public restrooms have been removed and the site is being prepared for the construction of a new Visitor and Education Center, scheduled to open in the fall of 2011.

Meanwhile, the statue of Orpheus, an important figure from Greek mythology, revered for his association with poetry and music, and in this case dedicated to Francis Scott Key, composer of the Star Spangled Banner, was swathed for a time in scaffolding. Both Orpheus and the statue of Lieutenant Colonel George Armistead, commander of the fort during the British Navel bombardment in 1814, were cleaned and treated with a custom wax coating to seal and protect their natural green patina. The same wax treatment was applied to the Francis Scott Key Plaque near the sally port entrance to the fort itself. These chores have been completed. The statues and plaque are looking sharp and await the completion and re-dedication of the new and expanded visitor facilities. Who knows, perhaps that clear blue sky in the “AFTER” image of Orpheus is an omen from the gods, foretelling a happy on-time and under-budget ending for the entire project. (Click images for larger views.)

For information about the company that did the restoration work on the statues and plague, click the ConservationArtisans.com link under the “Art” tab in the sidebar.

Copyright © 2009 Jim Sizemore.

Successories DYI has launched the DYI Weekly Twitter Contest to help our continuous objective of spreading inspiration. The contest is really easy to enter, almost as easy as building your own DYI! And the winner receives their very own Desktop DYI! A $45 value and a lifetime of inspiration!

How To Enter: If you have a twitter account and you are following Successories or 859am, just tweet #DYI. You may enter as many times as you’d like for the length of each weekly drawing.

The Prize: Every Monday morning, for the length of the contest, a winner will be selected at random and receive a gift certificate for a Desktop DYI, a $45 value!

Spread the word of the contest by tweeting the following: CONTEST: Successories Design Your Inspiration: http://bit.ly/TqsQ7 Just tweet #DYI to enter weekly drawing. Winner = desktop DYI

Successories on Twitter and Facebook

Protecting Oral Health including Gums health, dental health, and mouth health are very important to your overall health.
Keeping your family health means prevent them from many health disease including prevent from Oral Disease .

Many type of Oral diseases :
Cavities
Gum Disease ( Gingivitis, Periodontal Disease )
Oral Cancer

What is Cavities ?? …
Cavities

Dental decay is a disease that can damage your tooth’s structure. Decay starts by damaging your tooth’s protective coating, also known as enamel, causing a hole (cavity) to develop in your tooth. If the cavity is left untreated, it can get bigger and, besides causing pain, this could lead to the loss of a tooth.

Everyday you have a thin sticky substance forming on your teeth and gums called plaque.
Some of the plaque bacteria convert sugar and carbohydrates (starches) in the foods we eat into acids. These acids dissolve minerals in the surface of the tooth. This erodes the enamel or creates pits in it that are too small too see at first. But they get larger over time.

The damage can occur anywhere the tooth is exposed to plaque and acid. This includes the hard outer enamel on the tooth crown or parts of the root that have been exposed because of receding gums. Once decay penetrates the protective enamel, it can enter the softer, vulnerable dentin. This is the main body of the tooth. A cavity can even penetrate the soft tooth pulp and the sensitive nerve fibers within it.

Gum disease

Gum Diseases is an infection of the tissues and bones that surround and support the teeth. It is also called periodontal disease.
The two stages of gum disease are called gingivitis and periodontitis.
Gingivitis is mild gum disease that affects only the gums, the tissue that surrounds the teeth.
Periodontitis is gum disease that gets worse and spreads below the gums to damage the tissues and bone that support the teeth.

Gingivitis
Gingivitis is characterized by :
Red and swollen (puffy) gums
Pain in the gum area
Easily bleed when the teeth are brushed or floss
Persistent bad breath

Gingivitis usually doesn’t cause pain, makes many people don’t get the treatment they need. The fact is Gingivitis can be prevented and or reversed by maintaining good oral hygiene practices.

Plaque is soft and can be removed by cleaning the teeth and gums. If not removed, plaque can harden into tartar which can help contribute to a more serious form of gum disease called periodontal disease.

Periodontitis / Periodontal Disease
Periodontitis develops if gum disease gets worse. The gums pull away from the teeth, leaving deep pockets where germs called bacteria can grow and damage the bone that supports the teeth. Gums can also shrink back from the teeth. This can make the teeth look longer. Teeth may become loose, fall out, or have to be pulled out by a dentist.
Periodontal disease severely affects the bone and gums that support and keep teeth in their place.
Periodontal disease can lead to weakening the gums and ultimately to tooth loss.
It is not possible to reverse the damage caused by periodontal disease, but it is possible to prevent it in the first place. Learn what you can do to maintain a good oral health.

Healthy Gums signs :
Pink; not red in colour.
Firm.
Free from inflammation or swelling.
Resistant to bleeding during brushing and/or flossing.

Oral Cancer

Oral cancer is any abnormal growth and spread of cells occurring in the mouth cavity including the:
Lips
Inside of the lips and cheeks
Tongue
Gums
Floor of the mouth
Roof of the mouth

Good morning to everyone.  I’ve know one story of my cousin’s friend and I want to share it with you as you may use it in you spiritual stamina.

My cousin have an unusual friend named Jac—unusual because she has the ability to weather the storms of life without getting pulled under.  During a crisis in of my cousin’s own life, she turned to Jac for help.  She took a plaque from her bedroom wall and handed it with her.

“It’s a program she started in the morning and continue all day,” explaining the list of directions on the plaque.

She copied them down—12 exercises for body, mind and soul.  She changed the emphasis here and there and started using them herself.  In a matter of weeks, she noticed the difference.  Daily irritations no longer upset her;  she gained more patience and confidence.

Perhaps you will want to use your imagination in adapting this spiritual daily dozen to your own needs.

Relax – See your burdens dropping away.

Stretch – Mentally reach for the good that is yours.

Inhale – Breathe in all the beauty your soul can take.

Exhale – Expel critical and negative thoughts.

Think – Develop one healthy, constructive thought and hold onto it all day long.

Look – Seek one good quality in each person you encounter.

Listen – Hear the voice of God in some aspect of nature.

Walk – Let your step follow His direction.

Talk – Speak kindness to one less fortunate than you.

Smile – And watch the effect on each person you meet.

Love – An all-day heart exercise with others.

Pray – Communicate with God throughout the day.

Hi everyone!  Can you all believe we’ve started a new month again?  And now I believe we can say that the holiday season has officially started.  I’m not sure I’m officially ready for it! I’ve been seeing Christmas products out in the stores for quite some time already, but was a bit taken aback today to see the giant Christmas tree going up at our local mall.  Guess that was just a reminder of how little time is truly left.

I am a bit behind schedule already this holiday season. Usually I have all my Halloween decor down and all my Thanksgiving things up by November 1st.  But this year I am slacking.  Here it is the 2nd, and I still have half my Halloween up.  Terrible!  At this rate, I’ll never be ready for Christmas on time!

I do, however, have a crafty project to share today to help welcome November and the season of harvest.  It is a wall hanging I made from a plaque I found recently at the craft store.

The wall hanging measures approximately 10″x7″.  I covered the front with patterned paper from Webster’s Pages and Pink Paislee.  Added a fun die-cut frame from Little Yellow Bicycle’s fall line, a large crepe paper leaf, an autumn pick from the craft store, and layered ribbons.

And finally, I created a Welcome Fall greeting with a combo of tiny American Crafts rub-ons and chipboard Thickers.

You can find this fun hanging and lots of other Fall projects at our Etsy site, Your Crafty Friends.

I also want to tell you all about a very fun event that is coming up soon at Webster’s Pages community blog site, inspireME.  You won’t want to miss out on this!

The Webster’s Pages 12 Days of Christmas Crop is 12 days of projects meant to inspire you! Each day a new project will be featured. And although we are calling this our 12 Days of Christmas Crop, there will be a wide range of projects from a Christmas gift to a Chanukah project to holiday decor to scrapbook pages and cards!

We will also be having chats, games, prizes and an opportunity for one participant to join our design team for 6 months!

Supply lists and sneak peaks will be available before the crop begins on November 12th.  All the information you need, including sneak peeks of the projects and supply lists, is here.  Can’t wait for this party to get started!

Thanks for stopping by everyone!  I hope your Novembers are off to a fabulous start.

Rudy is truly an inspirational figure. His motto: Dream Big! Never Quit! A motto we can all live by. A story we can all be inspired by. That is why Successories has created an inspirational and motivation product line round the icon. However, now with DYI, some inspiration seekers are making their own!

“Most people all struggles and fear of failure to stop them. The key is to learn from your struggles and move on. Failures will make you stronger and give you the information you need to reach your Dream. Struggle will prepare you for success. Without struggle there is no success”

- Rudy Ruettiger

A recent DYI customer paired that incredible quote from Rudy with a stunning image of golden football helmets in the glow of stadium lights being lifted into the air as a sign of victory. A truly inspirational DYI.

Successories on Twitter and Facebook

1. Because Flowers Die, Chocolates get eaten, and Gift cards are so cold! Give a gift that will inspire for years to come!

2. When was the last time you were psyched about a gift you GAVE!

3. Nobody will re-gift this gift!

4. In less time than it takes to get a boring generic gift you can create a personal one – Plus, all items ship within 2 business days of order!

5. The perfect gift for personal or professional giving – or create one for your own desk or wall.

6. A priceless gift at a price within your budget – You’ll be blown away!

7. Stunning images from some of the world’s finest photographers — No hackers here! Plus inspiring quotes from history’s greatest – or use your own words of wisdom.

8. Your name will be “Front and Center” on the recipients desk or wall – Gotta love that!

9. You’’ll be an early adopter of the latest innovation in gifts – handcrafted by Successories^®

10. We have been handcrafting museum quality art and framing pictures for over 25 years – we are so confident you will love this product we offer a 90 Day “No Hassle Guarantee”!

Start creating your DYI Now! Click Here.

Successories on Twitter and Facebook

It is day 4 of the DYI Weekly Twitter Contest. So far hundred have entered. It’s really easy to do just like building your own DYI.

If you have a twitter account and you are following Successories or 859am, just tweet the url of your favorite inspirational image along with #DYI. The winner will receive a gift certificate for the Desktop DYI of their favorite image, a $45 value! The winner will be selected at random and will be announced on Monday!

So get started by finding your favorite inspirational now! Click here!

Successories on Twitter and Facebook

Plaque and tree honoring Stacy Peterson

A tree and plaque commemorating missing mom, Stacy Peterson, were dug up and stolen from in front of the Bolingbrook Aquatic Center overnight, two years to the day after Stacy was first reported missing and the night before another status hearing for Drew.

Members of the Westbrook Christian Church in Bolingbrook erected the plaque and tree outside of the Aquatic Center, at 200 Lindsey Lane in Bolingbrook.

I’m reminded of the Dr. Seuss tale about the Grinch who attempted to destroy Christmas by stealing the Christmas tree.

Flowers and a candle remain at the site of the theft

The plaque’s inscription was a simple one:

Stacy Peterson
Mom Sister
Friend

We’ll be reporting any news from the hearing today, as we learn it. Check the comments on this post.

Larger photos of the plaque and tree (lilac bush?) from Summer 2008 (Thanks, Wayne!):
Tree and plaque
Plaque
Read a report on the theft at WBBM.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~By commenting you agree to be bound by the rules of this blog. If you spot a rule violation, send an e-mail to petersonstory@gmail.com.~

Line and paragraph breaks are automatic in comments. The following HTML tags are allowed: <a href=""> <abbr> <acronym> <b> <blockquote> <cite> <pre> <em> <i> <q> <strike> <strong>