cane chair makeover

Good gracious. I've been cussing more than usual and my hands look like I've been working on a barge. This can mean only one thing - I'm reupholstering again.<br /><br />Remember <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2012/06/watch-out-im-armed.html" target="_blank">these beauties</a>?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80Z1JH8zgu3zrBuJP8tCRDGmHq3vON7F0v8sG8ZPCFFVBXGAXYKoR0GG-PPZi8juNKuuXW_sSVux2ejdwDYREa47-YVGj7s6uP9vkXAIFc0J9aQ3FFS_YqBONYsEjEO91Rgj8kP6oa_ep/s1600/chairs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80Z1JH8zgu3zrBuJP8tCRDGmHq3vON7F0v8sG8ZPCFFVBXGAXYKoR0GG-PPZi8juNKuuXW_sSVux2ejdwDYREa47-YVGj7s6uP9vkXAIFc0J9aQ3FFS_YqBONYsEjEO91Rgj8kP6oa_ep/s640/chairs.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Oy what a labor of love they became. They took far longer than I had planned. I'm distracted easily. But wahoo, they are finished. Now no sense in prolonging the reveal even longer, let's get to it.<br /><br />First step was stripping both chairs, some very light sanding and then painting them black. For some reason I had always envisioned these painted white, but my mom suggested black and I think it was a rather smart choice. Good work Jan.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnhA5EOuaWux7ktqqeOrE_CkmHw3Gve5uc23L3UWqipW8G15kZMSOTIT696Id9FNy3plpbvTK0X2D-oUN9PMa4wr8RBXLHjlCa_Mt2JXBCTnRp3eHHSdLwARJHh-FOHud0nbuo56Rf29BG/s1600/LBDChairbefore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnhA5EOuaWux7ktqqeOrE_CkmHw3Gve5uc23L3UWqipW8G15kZMSOTIT696Id9FNy3plpbvTK0X2D-oUN9PMa4wr8RBXLHjlCa_Mt2JXBCTnRp3eHHSdLwARJHh-FOHud0nbuo56Rf29BG/s640/LBDChairbefore.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">newly painted chairs against my newly painted walls</td></tr></tbody></table>Now compared to <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2012/04/now-you-really-can-take-seat.html" target="_blank">the couch</a>, this project was a dream. No guessing on what part of the furniture to start with or thinking ahead about how each section would relate to the other. Nope. There is a seat and there is a back. Easy peasy lemon squeezey.<br /><br />The outside back goes first. I made sure to rip off the old fabric pieces as much in tact as possible to use those pieces as templates for my new pieces.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQC5KE0yvYs8s4bMMMg9CFrRsi6sWtIWDCaaz05T0GBXNKHCw5-5LMMFIyEk6gBm1xZjZwy3bXuddTg0MqKSj7jM8W8Cfn5JRTOWu1-zRN1OdIGMW66dx5cw-R6fnnmgB2evzrk9h-mW6J/s1600/cutfabric.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQC5KE0yvYs8s4bMMMg9CFrRsi6sWtIWDCaaz05T0GBXNKHCw5-5LMMFIyEk6gBm1xZjZwy3bXuddTg0MqKSj7jM8W8Cfn5JRTOWu1-zRN1OdIGMW66dx5cw-R6fnnmgB2evzrk9h-mW6J/s640/cutfabric.jpg" width="630" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hubs helped me out on the inaugural cut.</td></tr></tbody></table>These chairs have the same grooves as the couch did so following the staple line was really straight forward. After stapling the piece in place, I trimmed off the excess.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHl0cQiq2Ae5DzErWkwQl6q4OynKvvOGt02oUWW7aw7TCcxkuiQHltjljJbYDmzO0D4IKWUTwsXl-tcvNWM_WunBs18ITXDwoZcoFLs8a_zYL7aigAo7vaGbRaMeYzAac8ljxaBDe2HgCE/s1600/ChairBack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="590" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHl0cQiq2Ae5DzErWkwQl6q4OynKvvOGt02oUWW7aw7TCcxkuiQHltjljJbYDmzO0D4IKWUTwsXl-tcvNWM_WunBs18ITXDwoZcoFLs8a_zYL7aigAo7vaGbRaMeYzAac8ljxaBDe2HgCE/s640/ChairBack.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />That band in the middle of the chair was there when I stripped the fabric. It is sturdy as can be and helps to keep the front cushion from pushing thru the back of the chair. If the first upholsterer was smart enough to put that in, who am I to argue? So back in it went.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtJBZInX8L64uQzHFdeNmXr_7NVxlK1wW6mmX2P6fCfyf8ycAfdiWy6exVvYTqr4KLglRn-tZ7d0XW4lmtMX1yUfnlAJhpNy5Xe2Pqk6uMlnA8BDVV_NSGP5L8TIXTLpKBEz3GSOtL33Ue/s1600/IMG_0269.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtJBZInX8L64uQzHFdeNmXr_7NVxlK1wW6mmX2P6fCfyf8ycAfdiWy6exVvYTqr4KLglRn-tZ7d0XW4lmtMX1yUfnlAJhpNy5Xe2Pqk6uMlnA8BDVV_NSGP5L8TIXTLpKBEz3GSOtL33Ue/s640/IMG_0269.JPG" width="472" /></a></div><br />With the outside back in place, next came the inside back... or the front back. The terminology on this chair got very confusing. Luckily the back cushions were in great shape, so I could reuse them. Score.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4YwQG9K656Fq2Ug0VYmP09XOOnfWfw4PjN5jwEJ0L9dZ7b-A7lGnRUORqMjMrgyA_eObIDQTJKl4DcpJIJ29o-EP4z2ov1mfS2jS7WXInfcwxQpGbzgzQqlh8Un5f1GPan_lW_FtUtTgz/s1600/IMG_0266.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4YwQG9K656Fq2Ug0VYmP09XOOnfWfw4PjN5jwEJ0L9dZ7b-A7lGnRUORqMjMrgyA_eObIDQTJKl4DcpJIJ29o-EP4z2ov1mfS2jS7WXInfcwxQpGbzgzQqlh8Un5f1GPan_lW_FtUtTgz/s640/IMG_0266.JPG" width="472" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">that's fabric. laying on top of a piece of foam. photographic genius.</td></tr></tbody></table>After stapling and more stapling, I landed here. Staples showing but piping was in the works.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCpTyRjO4wX2MH-CtOwrAzf1k29Bz2u1-LNg-hKX3UZ-YbsHznz6gAbJ0tg2AYCT6cmL3e4jUcQsbp6NMCTBkT1glN9GtoeHfTweZktLdJBa30tHtCrNhL4VM-olEZ3RdSO-XuJWr6miNo/s1600/CloseUp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCpTyRjO4wX2MH-CtOwrAzf1k29Bz2u1-LNg-hKX3UZ-YbsHznz6gAbJ0tg2AYCT6cmL3e4jUcQsbp6NMCTBkT1glN9GtoeHfTweZktLdJBa30tHtCrNhL4VM-olEZ3RdSO-XuJWr6miNo/s640/CloseUp.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />The base below the seat cushions were easy as well. Just a matter of covering the old base and stapling. Just like wrapping a present. Or riding a bike. Pick your analogy. And a cheat I made - you can see the rip in the fabric in the very back of the seat. I ran out of fabric. But a cushion is going over top of this so I didn't sweat it. If you come over and pull up your seat cushion to see the 'not all the way covered' base I'll be happy to pay for the extensive therapy you'll need to get over the horror. I'm a generous host.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjomE7RnejqYDdIe8nlcaJiP2PBK-SEFxQvTz9jao_y32OJmc9A4p4PIGEboSY7oDRRs3FY3PdRz5kdQ6nqMsi4amwKGvOit69h6tiYyjKtjdZNrE-292ju_dJgbDRKYPRGeIaJ9-5MdGND/s1600/PA300657.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjomE7RnejqYDdIe8nlcaJiP2PBK-SEFxQvTz9jao_y32OJmc9A4p4PIGEboSY7oDRRs3FY3PdRz5kdQ6nqMsi4amwKGvOit69h6tiYyjKtjdZNrE-292ju_dJgbDRKYPRGeIaJ9-5MdGND/s640/PA300657.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />Next up came the cushion. And as many of you know, I'm not sewing. <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2012/06/watch-out-im-armed.html" target="_blank">I bought a sewing machine</a>, but haven't yet taken it out of the box. Don't judge. There have been a lot of good Real Housewife franchises that require my attention. So, I sent them out to a local genius by the name of Catherine Healey (if you are local let me know and I'll give you her info). She made my cushion vision a reality.<br /><br />I couldn't be happier with my little babies. Two words - contrast piping.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzQfOBXWqQhe8KWceGr16pDWn3cNTwBkSLZXdiCjFsOjn-xkQoHn9JSmIWx0yqCR6kDHcEHvU2dGlqC1EMBIRqp_32OVZibYZJnfWvEAD_aY8B1drIzf-UNP7JcMNb0IKJm5tL4ubcSkIU/s1600/Contrastpiping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzQfOBXWqQhe8KWceGr16pDWn3cNTwBkSLZXdiCjFsOjn-xkQoHn9JSmIWx0yqCR6kDHcEHvU2dGlqC1EMBIRqp_32OVZibYZJnfWvEAD_aY8B1drIzf-UNP7JcMNb0IKJm5tL4ubcSkIU/s640/Contrastpiping.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />I also used some of the leftover piping for the back cushions. No more staples.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvsBSJbe4_EEjMsrNSD6pqWkt1h6B7xQgb50heyfYNHNS-A98IcdTBRhl_I5sdM1BqkjLn_GHCDQaV2DFSYMKhqD7DLSHfuxC0b3pRMr9NDvoyU_AGQiLDjF8JaXNIgBLt1kPMCFGPP-qR/s1600/Pipingcloseup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="582" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvsBSJbe4_EEjMsrNSD6pqWkt1h6B7xQgb50heyfYNHNS-A98IcdTBRhl_I5sdM1BqkjLn_GHCDQaV2DFSYMKhqD7DLSHfuxC0b3pRMr9NDvoyU_AGQiLDjF8JaXNIgBLt1kPMCFGPP-qR/s640/Pipingcloseup.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />And with that, these chairs went from this<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80Z1JH8zgu3zrBuJP8tCRDGmHq3vON7F0v8sG8ZPCFFVBXGAXYKoR0GG-PPZi8juNKuuXW_sSVux2ejdwDYREa47-YVGj7s6uP9vkXAIFc0J9aQ3FFS_YqBONYsEjEO91Rgj8kP6oa_ep/s1600/chairs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80Z1JH8zgu3zrBuJP8tCRDGmHq3vON7F0v8sG8ZPCFFVBXGAXYKoR0GG-PPZi8juNKuuXW_sSVux2ejdwDYREa47-YVGj7s6uP9vkXAIFc0J9aQ3FFS_YqBONYsEjEO91Rgj8kP6oa_ep/s640/chairs.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />to this<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitbLr99WdA8OuttM1ZjnNuvpgOuvQ_GT_7tPYaStWh5dDf-_YARFv9EbmzAbGaiA0Ya6ciTIaMAg0fMIbBfCdELPrsUW7B1s-K_8RKQH7EOvklGmlqQXVMwajduAUBfIwySvLo7DdUU7Al/s1600/CaneChairsafter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitbLr99WdA8OuttM1ZjnNuvpgOuvQ_GT_7tPYaStWh5dDf-_YARFv9EbmzAbGaiA0Ya6ciTIaMAg0fMIbBfCdELPrsUW7B1s-K_8RKQH7EOvklGmlqQXVMwajduAUBfIwySvLo7DdUU7Al/s640/CaneChairsafter.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Holla! Big difference.<br /><br />A few things I learned this time around.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCbNKHw9rgCR7_QdJmwyZDrViL38nK51DLM0lOOzjV9PQRsN3R6ZDRgVR-UFNxllbbwglEm79lbuWBzYs2YKcDZjs6vIUzF64A70OcG_PanDlp2hJUP6nOkY18T5n3sWP9CGhWYkKwbWrV/s1600/CaneChairMakeoverTutorial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCbNKHw9rgCR7_QdJmwyZDrViL38nK51DLM0lOOzjV9PQRsN3R6ZDRgVR-UFNxllbbwglEm79lbuWBzYs2YKcDZjs6vIUzF64A70OcG_PanDlp2hJUP6nOkY18T5n3sWP9CGhWYkKwbWrV/s640/CaneChairMakeoverTutorial.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br />Although the couch was far more daunting in size, this project seemed to be harder because there are two. So everything I did, had to be done again. A big downer when you are on your third straight night of staple pulling and your hand is turning into a claw.<br /><br />A chair like this, which doesn't have to be a 'central/big furniture' piece is the perfect opportunity to have some fun with fabric and patterns. For example, check out the fabulous junk in this chair's trunk.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQa93Kxb6yR2O8ldD6SmSm_-evZExYgxCxUE4o1hxhochz7FaQbKWrWB0GcHSE3D27yLSCHk_-8CRkytspvY5bd6PkkT1J-T9mm8aAAYTAMvUV2aHuM3jx6smV4cmnIJScOgqd5wTRN1Ae/s1600/CaneChairback.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQa93Kxb6yR2O8ldD6SmSm_-evZExYgxCxUE4o1hxhochz7FaQbKWrWB0GcHSE3D27yLSCHk_-8CRkytspvY5bd6PkkT1J-T9mm8aAAYTAMvUV2aHuM3jx6smV4cmnIJScOgqd5wTRN1Ae/s640/CaneChairback.jpg" width="606" /></a></div><br />This chair looks just as good from the back as it does from the front. And from their position in the living room they will be enjoyed from both directions. (more on that with the living room reveal)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>And most importantly, embrace color. Live a little. It's good for the soul.<br /><br />And now, just like with childbirth, I will promise that I will never again go thru the labor of reupholstering. Until this weekend when I see a sweet little chair in need of a little love.<br /><br />And please keep your thoughts and prayers with everyone in the northeast who are dealing with the effects of Sandy.

cane chair makeover

Good gracious. I've been cussing more than usual and my hands look like I've been working on a barge. This can mean only one thing -...

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President Obama Comes to Springfield, Ohio

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Cheers and Hail to the Chief Bitches!!  President Obama is coming to Bagwine, Ohio Friday at Noon.<br /><br />And do you know why he is coming?<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO2dP9oU1FFqLrYgAyT5xmUJxmceRuVI6Fp9fibQR78ad4qORfm3yUMjKvsfDsYxwtk4lLORzWO1m5vmHEmfeRdJFYGXT3xN8RjQ5txS1DDZiPgn0aws8oLY6op7NjXQb8WKfXDjXWjU8/s1600/Springfield+High+School.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO2dP9oU1FFqLrYgAyT5xmUJxmceRuVI6Fp9fibQR78ad4qORfm3yUMjKvsfDsYxwtk4lLORzWO1m5vmHEmfeRdJFYGXT3xN8RjQ5txS1DDZiPgn0aws8oLY6op7NjXQb8WKfXDjXWjU8/s400/Springfield+High+School.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />Because, he has openly spoken of his drug and alcohol use during his early years, and he knows that he can easily get hooked up here wit dat type uh shit here in Bagwine.  Hey-Ooooooo.<br /><br />Ha-Haaaaaa…Kidding, of course.<br /><br />But seriously…<br /><br />If President Obama truly wants to know his audience here in Bagwine, Ohio and how he should act when he comes here Friday to address Bagwinians at Springfield High School, I have a few pointers for him.<br /><br />Here in the Greater Bagwine Metroplex people don’t mind numbers, but keep it relatable.<br /><br /><i>DON’T</i> say…<br /><br /><i>“If re-elected, I will produce 8 Million jobs over two years which will yield an economic growth of 3.2 percent per quarter and ultimately lead us to a GDP of a gazillion dollars.”</i><br /><br /><i>DO</i> say…<br /><br /><i>“If re-elected, I will produce so many muthafuckin’ jobs that even if the price of a 40 of Busch remains at the outrageous price of $2.45, all y’all, or at least a family member or two, will have no trouble getting more than their share of the American Pie and can pass some of the sharing and thereby savings, not to mention the buzz, on to you!!”</i><br /><br /><i>DON’T</i> say…<br /><br /><i>“While world oil markets are tenuous at best, I will try to hedge, barter, and bargain to keep the cost of gasoline below four bucks a gallon.”</i><br /><br /><i>DO</i> say…<br /><br /><i>“While those Romney freaks say that I am trying to over-regulate business and commerce, nothing could be further from the truth.  Springfielders?  In my second term, I will make the siphoning of gasoline from your neighbor’s car legal, and your fuel costs will plummet overnight!!”</i><br /><br /><i>DON’T</i> say…<br /><br /><i>“To the ladies in the audience…Regardless of what you think or your religious disposition, Birth Control for women is a right, and if your employer won’t offer it to you, the government will.”</i><br /><br /><i>DO</i> say…<br /><br /><i>“Yo Bitches…Regardless of what you think or what the pimp whom you are working for thinks, he needs to offer you Birth Control, and if he doesn’t, the government will.”</i><br /><br /><i>DON’T</i>  say…<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKImH1PgbSt-G9AQYQnhyEGyeJJxIxj0k7SvYbcjSSlsfgPus8GPZATh3FS8WqmMz6HZ3BIXdT6cuzTeHdtJwn5P-bSGcs5mgAIL4pEJOq3ZnuuDq7qk0iGwYbO8J3T38e-YHHA0-_VwY/s1600/obama+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKImH1PgbSt-G9AQYQnhyEGyeJJxIxj0k7SvYbcjSSlsfgPus8GPZATh3FS8WqmMz6HZ3BIXdT6cuzTeHdtJwn5P-bSGcs5mgAIL4pEJOq3ZnuuDq7qk0iGwYbO8J3T38e-YHHA0-_VwY/s400/obama+2012.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>“I will try to finally get Republicans to be serious about our out of control illegal immigration problem and develop a plan that is both compassionate and strong.”</i><br /><br /><i>DO</i> say…<br /><br /><i>“Yo Paco!!  Great to see that the Dole plant here in Springfield let you off for the afternoon to come and see me.  Viva Packaged Salads!!”</i><br /><br />And then President Obama, you could make a joke about your “Kenyan” birth, because knowing these people here in Bagwine as I do, you would get support from at least half a dozen people who would yell…<br /><br /><i>“That’s okay Mr. President, my momma told me that I was born half  Thalidomide, half Asbestos…It’s cool.”</i><br /><br />So there you go Mr. President…do these things, and Friday’s event in Bagwine, Ohio will go over like gangbusters, or if you want to be more real with your audience, it will go over like gang bangers.<br /><br /><i>Cheers!!</i><br /><br /><i>Matt-Man</i><br /><i><a href="mailto:mattmaniws@ymail.com">mattmaniws@ymail.com</a></i><br /><i><a href="https://twitter.com/MattMan_IWS" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">@MattMan_IWS</span></a></i></div>

President Obama Comes to Springfield, Ohio

Cheers and Hail to the Chief Bitches!!  President Obama is coming to Bagwine, Ohio Friday at Noon. And do you know why he is coming? Because...

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Nurses, Addicted to Helping People - NYTimes.com

<base href="data:"><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">When a book is heavy with glossy photographs, you seldom expect too much from its words. In "The American Nurse," though, it's the narrative that hits you in the solar plexus.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Take the comments of Jason Short, a <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/health/diseasesconditionsandhealthtopics/hospice_care/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">hospice</a> nurse in rural Kentucky. Mr. Short started out as an auto mechanic, then became a commercial trucker. "When the economy went under," he says, "I thought it would be a good idea to get into health care." But a purely pragmatic decision became a mission: Mr. Short found his calling among the desperately ill of Appalachia and will not be changing careers again.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">"Once you get a taste for helping people, it's kind of addictive," he says, dodging the inspirational verbiage that often smothers the healing professions in favor of a single incontrovertible point.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Some of the 75 nurses who tell their stories in this coffee-table book headed into the work with adolescent passion; others backed in reluctantly just to pay the bills. But all of them speak of their difficult, exhilarating job with the same surprised gratitude: "It's a privilege and honor to do what I do," says one. "I walk on sacred ground every day."</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">They hail from a few dozen health care settings around the country, ranging from large academic institutions like Johns Hopkins in Baltimore to tiny facilities like the Villa Loretto Nursing Home in Mount Calvary, Wis., home to 50 patients and a collection of goats, sheep and other animals on a therapeutic farm. Some nurses are administrators, some staff wards or emergency rooms, some visit patients at home. Many are deeply religious, a few are members of the military, and a handful of immigrants were doctors in their home countries.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">All describe unique professional paths in short first-person essays culled from video interviews conducted by the photographer <a href="http://www.carolynjones.com/" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">Carolyn Jones</a>. Their faces beam out from the book in Ms. Jones's black-and-white headshots, a few posing with a favorite patient or with their work tools - a medevac helicopter, a stack of prosthetic limbs or a couple of goats.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">But even the best photographs are too static to capture people who never stop moving once they get to work. For a real idea of what goes on in their lives, you have to listen to them talk.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Here is Mary Helen Barletti, an intensive care nurse in the Bronx: "My whole life I've marched to a the beat of a different drummer. I used to have purple hair, which I'd blow-dry straight up. I wore tight jeans, high heels and - God forgive me - fur (now I am an animal rights activist). My patients loved it. They said I was like sunshine coming into their room."</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Says Judy Ramsay, a pediatric nurse in Chicago: "For twelve years I took care of children who would never get better. People ask how I could do it, but it was the most fulfilling job of my life. We couldn't cure these kids, but we could give them a better hour or even a better minute of life. All we wanted to do was make their day a little brighter."</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Says Brad Henderson, a nursing student in Wyoming: "I decided to be a nurse because taking care of patients interested me. Once I started, nursing just grabbed me and made me grow up."</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Says Amanda Owen, a wound care nurse at Johns Hopkins: "My nickname here is 'Pus Princess.' I don't talk about my work at cocktail parties."</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">John Barbe, a hospice nurse in Florida, sums it up: "When I am out in the community and get asked what I do for a living, I say that I work at Tidewell Hospice, and there's complete silence. You can hear the crickets chirping. It doesn't matter because I love what I do; I can't stay away from this place."</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The volume is not entirely about selfless service: It was underwritten by Fresenius-Kabi, a German health care corporation and leading supplier of intravenous drugs in the United States. Presumably, crass public relations motives lurk somewhere in the background. But that's no real reason to be meanspirited about the result, a compelling advertisement for an honorable profession.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); position: static; z-index: auto; ">Young people with kind hearts and uncertain futures might just sit themselves down with the book, or wander through the <a href="http://americannurseproject.com/" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">Web site</a> featuring its video interviews, <a href="http://www.americannurseproject.com/" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">www.americannurseproject.com</a>, and see what happens.</div></div><a href="http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/29/nurses-addicted-to-helping-people/?src=rechp">http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/29/nurses-addicted-to-helping-people/?src=rechp</a><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div>

Nurses, Addicted to Helping People - NYTimes.com

When a book is heavy with glossy photographs, you seldom expect too much from its words. In "The American Nurse," though, it's...

Read more »

USA - RAISING THE STAKES IN ASIA

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font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style><![endif]--> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1HxRXMmf4ksBhnN8jYdRi6C45UR2zzwnxiw33JM8s3kbPaf-negmWXCPKkQLPDXdO3mQrSVSfbdOnUD13LMnXDsr0G1Syo3kfx3k4Vcp0UPQ4U2EqmUXZC5i16A_pbUbn8AhE4uhaS8HT/s1600/d5929fe584.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1HxRXMmf4ksBhnN8jYdRi6C45UR2zzwnxiw33JM8s3kbPaf-negmWXCPKkQLPDXdO3mQrSVSfbdOnUD13LMnXDsr0G1Syo3kfx3k4Vcp0UPQ4U2EqmUXZC5i16A_pbUbn8AhE4uhaS8HT/s320/d5929fe584.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">AMERICA’S SO-CALLED “PIVOT TO ASIA”</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Depending on one’s ideological bent, AMERICA’S so-called “pivot to ASIA” could be interpreted in varying ways. However, one thing that is increasingly clear is that the Obama administration is intent on re-asserting AMERICA’S strategic centrality in the ASIA-PACIFIC. This was very explicit in Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s <a href="http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/10/11/americas_pacific_century?page=full"><span style="color: blue;">2011 piece</span></a> for <i>Foreign Policy</i>, entitled “AMERICA’S PACIFIC Century.”</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The U.S. pivot to ASIA is motivated and shaped by both economic and military-strategic factors. Essentially, it is still an ongoing process that will depend on the cooperation of regional allies as well as the evolving patterns of SINO-AMERICAN relations.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">AMERICA’S GROWING MILITARY PRESENCE IN THE REGION COULD BACKFIRE</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinIzw_v4Py6gNN3JPi5_6uwrxQ8MOWbUPxYXvvfhdZQbsZtwCr5n18ZNx0QaIvjASrAeaHzkYmfDfQNbfLPDhptNQypN81mhUlnq9c3ZbB4f5WcGGbnMBGoVDEOF5vivsO30Jr2zYgc42h/s1600/raising-stakes-china-us-pacific-pivot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinIzw_v4Py6gNN3JPi5_6uwrxQ8MOWbUPxYXvvfhdZQbsZtwCr5n18ZNx0QaIvjASrAeaHzkYmfDfQNbfLPDhptNQypN81mhUlnq9c3ZbB4f5WcGGbnMBGoVDEOF5vivsO30Jr2zYgc42h/s1600/raising-stakes-china-us-pacific-pivot.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">While the proponents of the pivot argue that it enhances regional security, it is in reality precipitating a much more explicit SINO-AMERICAN rivalry, thus undermining the prospects of an amicable and pluralistic regional order. Ultimately, AMERICA’S growing military presence in the region could backfire, giving birth to what it dearly seeks to prevent: as it tightens the noose around CHINA, the pivot could become a self-fulfilling prophecy by encouraging Beijing to take more drastic and aggressive counter-measures.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">China’s growing naval assertiveness in adjacent disputed waters is already an indication of this ominous trend.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">THE ANATOMY OF THE PIVOT</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">There are two dimensions to AMERICA’S pivot to ASIA. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">First, it is a logical “rebalancing” of AMERICA’S global strategic-military commitments in light of a sober recognition of the country’s overextension in the EURASIAN region. This rebalancing gained its initial momentum with the U.S. withdrawal from IRAQ in 2011 and the planned withdrawal from AFGHANISTAN in 2014. It explains why the UNITED STATES played a “supporting role” rather than occupying the center stage during the LIBYAN military campaign early last year. It also explains AMERICA’S hesitance to take drastic actions against the SYRIAN regime, while mainly focusing on a diplomatic resolution of the IRANIAN nuclear conundrum.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Second, it is a response to the growing importance of the ASIA-PACIFIC region in both economic and strategic-military terms in the 21^st century. As the region transforms into the center of global economic output and productivity, AMERICA’S embattled economy is in desperate need of growing export markets and trading partners to rejuvenate its shaky foundations.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">U.S. ECONOMIC PRESENCE IN BOOMING ASIAN MARKETS</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In this sense, it is essentially a continuation, or resuscitation, of earlier attempts by the Clinton administration to enhance the U.S. economic presence in booming ASIAN markets. After all, the region hosts industrial giants such as JAPAN and CHINA; “newly industrializing countries” (NICs) such as SOUTH KOREA, HONG KONG, THAILAND, SINGAPORE, and TAIWAN; booming emerging markets such as INDONESIA, INDIA, VIETNAM, and the PHILIPPINES; and vast investment opportunities in places such as BANGLADESH and MYANMAR.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Obviously, it is the strategic-security dimension of AMERICA’S pivot that is most controversial. While the Clinton administration pushed for the accommodation of CHINA as a “strategic partner” and witnessed the drawdown of the U.S. military presence in the PHILIPPINES, the Obama administration is instead increasingly concerned with “constrainment” of CHINA—preventing the emergence of CHINA as a strategic competitor through the deployment of diplomatic, economic, and military assets.  </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN DEEPENING ITS STRATEGIC PRESENCE IN THE REGION, EXPANDING ITS BASES IN AUSTRALIA</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">, </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">re-asserting its commitment to forward-deployment bases in JAPAN and SOUTH KOREA, upgrading facilities in Guam, <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/02/us-asia-security-idUSBRE85100Y20120602"><span style="color: blue;">re-concentrating U.S. naval firepower</span></a> (i.e. aircraft carriers), and extending its rotational presence across SOUTHEAST ASIA. Looking at the Pentagon’s 2012 Defense Strategic Review, CHINA (along with IRAN) is clearly identified as a key challenge to U.S. global supremacy in the 21^stcentury.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">AN UNFOLDING PROJECT</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidMobRmxwqhCIs7T9LZF3eDURVqcDd71YnRO_cHwXicnfHjFKYt0tToj1j-tfPxfTKTjz0s9oPCwCXvJsvMm5c9K922G1l3cocFidTNPt6pO6WmVUCESTcvgLM-f8fADAaPmF4PlisnMFs/s1600/Ownership_Claims-Middlebury.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidMobRmxwqhCIs7T9LZF3eDURVqcDd71YnRO_cHwXicnfHjFKYt0tToj1j-tfPxfTKTjz0s9oPCwCXvJsvMm5c9K922G1l3cocFidTNPt6pO6WmVUCESTcvgLM-f8fADAaPmF4PlisnMFs/s400/Ownership_Claims-Middlebury.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The pivot is more of an evolving strategic disposition than a fixed and concrete element of a broader “grand strategy” for the 21^st century. It is a reflection of a UNITED STATES that is catching up with the march of history after almost a decade of strategic fiasco by the Bush administration.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Washington has realized that its global war on terror (GWOT) has brought it close to the brink of fiscal collapse and strategic overextension, allowing countries like CHINA (and even RUSSIA) to gain significant ground in ASIA. Thus, the Obama administration is simply trying to re-assert AMERICA’S century-old foothold in the region, while hedging its bets against a rapidly rising CHINA.   </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">But we no longer live in a world where a group of powerful countries can treat the globe like a chessboard. In an era of “smart power,” the UNITED STATES is at best a stage master, influencing events on the ground without explicitly dictating the terms of action or unilaterally determining the course of history. Thus AMERICA’S pivot to ASIA is an ongoing project that will require the growing cooperation of its allies to succeed.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Fundamentally, it is an evolving strategy that will greatly depend on two inter-related developments: the U.S.-CHINA relationship and Beijing’s military posturing in the WESTERN PACIFIC.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">MORE REACTIVE THAN PROACTIVE </span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">AMERICA’S pivot to ASIA is an evolutionary process, especially in the strategic-security realm, primarily because it is a reaction to <a href="http://www.fpif.org/articles/the_south_china_sea_conundrum"><span style="color: blue;">CHINA’S growing military assertiveness</span></a> in recent years.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">However, this view represents only half of the story, since the pivot is characterized by a constellation of dynamic “threat perceptions” straddling CHINA, on one hand, and the UNITED STATES and its allies on the other. To put it simply, CHINA is as much as an architect of the so-called pivot as the UNITED STATES.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The more aggressive CHINA is in expanding its naval capabilities and asserting its territorial claims, the more determined is the UNITED STATES to re-assert and deepen its foothold in the region. From CHINA’S point of view, the U.S. pivot is a provocative process, which in turn fuels Beijing’s growing assertiveness, especially in territorial disputes in adjacent waters.</span></span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiskpg5V5ZW7tIMaXsuvF_CCWL7TuUCSmsUKYjsJOjD4NbaMaH5V0JojUk5s6pt9T__6mfMVDTxk2ryopyWmCowj1l2_mB6vC3XqcYrmK1aQKBu-b1DdKtg7-HPS1985sl44arX5s4qTOT9/s1600/sea-lanes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiskpg5V5ZW7tIMaXsuvF_CCWL7TuUCSmsUKYjsJOjD4NbaMaH5V0JojUk5s6pt9T__6mfMVDTxk2ryopyWmCowj1l2_mB6vC3XqcYrmK1aQKBu-b1DdKtg7-HPS1985sl44arX5s4qTOT9/s320/sea-lanes.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Major Sea Lanes </span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Additionally, U.S. allies—from the PHILIPPINES to VIETNAM and JAPAN—are playing their own strategic games, simultaneously testing AMERICA’S commitment to regional (or bilateral) security and CHINA’S ability to exercise self-restraint.<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>Of course, on the other side of the fence you have CHINA’S quasi-satellite states in INDOCHINA—namely LAOS and CAMBODIA, and to a certain degree MYANMAR (although MYANMAR has begun to distance itself from CHINA since the onset of its liberalization process).</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Outside this theater of strategic jostling, states such as INDONESIA—the informal leader of the ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS (ASEAN)—are most interested in preventing a brewing SINO-AMERICAN rivalry from turning into a direct confrontation, desperately trying to manage a region splintering along conflicting allegiances and competing national interests.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">TAKING ON CHINA </span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Since 2009, CHINA has stepped up its military operations in the region’s seas, intimidating neighboring countries—and key U.S. allies—like VIETNAM, the PHILIPPINES, and JAPAN. But encouraged by AMERICA’S growing focus on ASIA, U.S. allies have also become much more confident in asserting their territorial claims against Beijing. A confident Beijing, in light of AMERICA’S growing economic woes in the aftermath of the 2008 Great Recession, has also spared few punches to assert its antiquated and notorious “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine-dotted_line"><span style="color: blue;">nine-dash line</span></a>” doctrine, which grants CHINA, albeit symbolically, “inherent sovereignty” over practically everything in the energy-rich SOUTH CHINA SEA (SCS) basin.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In 2010, in response to CHINA’S growing belligerence in the disputed territories, the Obama administration—also encouraged by regional allies—found an opportunity to carve out its place as a direct stakeholder in the ongoing conflict. By committing itself to maritime security and the freedom of navigation in the SCS, the UNITED STATES has practically declared its pivot to ASIA as a form of deterrence against CHINESE-sponsored aggression. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">INCREASING THE CHANCES OF CONFLICT</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Mindful of their tight economic relations with CHINA, AMERICA’S regional allies have touted the pivot as an attempt to improve regional security, tackle “non-traditional security” (NTS) issues (e.g., piracy, terrorism, human trafficking, etc.), and enhance the minimum deterrence capability of less powerful countries like the PHILIPPINES.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Crucially, there has been hardly any explicit reference to CHINA as a motivating factor behind growing security cooperation between the UNITED STATES and its regional allies. This is obviously an attempt to allay CHINA’S anxieties about the emergence of a U.S.-led, regional effort to contain its rapid rise.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">However, facts on the ground put lie to such caution: VIETNAM and the PHILIPPINEs are clearly seeking AMERICAN military assistance in the form of greater rotational presence, joint military exercises, arms sales, and increased military aid. JAPAN—facing renewed clashes with Beijing over disputed territories in EAST CHINA SEA—has sought the UNITED STATES’ explicit reiteration of its commitment to their Mutual Defense Treaty. Both sides of the simmering conflict are fully aware that CHINA’S rise is at the center of the pivot.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIRlIdzpJ5R4P1zgLgO6ls5qq4afGq9booTS1aNf4ftHL84SS9hnUsFPS-vH1zSeP2DF_I4x8FfRMXFsKfkUXJeH-c88iJiNnS_EFXmtVnUsE3Ymg6ncr72zFC41vxkz_f6dlrUQLhuVPi/s1600/USA+Pivot+to+ASIA+MAP-701058.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIRlIdzpJ5R4P1zgLgO6ls5qq4afGq9booTS1aNf4ftHL84SS9hnUsFPS-vH1zSeP2DF_I4x8FfRMXFsKfkUXJeH-c88iJiNnS_EFXmtVnUsE3Ymg6ncr72zFC41vxkz_f6dlrUQLhuVPi/s400/USA+Pivot+to+ASIA+MAP-701058.png" width="298" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Ironically, the whole pivot phenomenon is encouraging all stakeholders to take bolder positions vis-à-vis regional territorial conflicts. Amidst their own leadership transition phase, CHINESE leaders are intent on shoring up domestic popular support by taking a tougher stance towards neighboring countries. They have been using a combination of paramilitary elements (fishing boats and surveillance vessels), diplomatic-economic intimidation, and threat of force to assert their territorial claims.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">AMERICA’S allies are meanwhile invoking the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2002 ASEAN-CHINA Declaration of Conduct of Parties in the SOUTH CHINA SEA to place further pressure on CHINA and establish a more binding regional Code of Conduct (COC) to constrain its behavior.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">ASEAN itself, supposedly a pan-regional mediator and an anchor of regional cooperation and security, has been the casualty of this brewing conflict. Cambodia, ASEAN’s current chair, spared no effort to prove its loyalty to its main economic partner—CHINA—by blocking the inclusion of the SINO-FILIPINO conflict over the Scarborough Shoal in the final communiqué of the ASEAN foreign ministers meeting. The fate of the provisional guidelines for a more binding regional COC is also in limbo.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The incident was a sobering reminder of how hopes for a peaceful resolution of territorial disputes in the SCS are being undermined amidst growing assertiveness among the parties, all against the backdrop of an intensifying U.S. pivot to the region.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The growing U.S. military presence may have boosted the morale of allies such as the PHILIPPINES, but it is also shifting the focus away from diplomacy and dialogue towards brinkmanship and competitive alliance-building. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">By Richard Javad Heydarian, via <i>FPIF</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

USA - RAISING THE STAKES IN ASIA

AMERICA’S SO-CALLED “PIVOT TO ASIA” Depending on one’s ideological bent, AMERICA’S so-called “pivot to ASIA” could be interpreted in varyin...

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Today's archidose #630

Here are some photos of <a href="http://www1.stuttgart.de/stadtbibliothek/">Stadtbibliothek Stuttgart</a> in Stuttgart, Germany, by Eun Young Yi (<a href="http://www.yiarchitects.com/">Yi Architects</a>), 2011. Photographs are by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/formsache/">Frank Stahl</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/formsache/8131616516/" title="Stadtbibliothek am Mailänder Platz, Stuttgart by frank formsache, on Flickr"><img alt="Stadtbibliothek am Mailänder Platz, Stuttgart" height="800" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8055/8131616516_8989c10526_c.jpg" width="534" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/formsache/8131600673/" title="Stadtbibliothek am Mailänder Platz, Stuttgart by frank formsache, on Flickr"><img alt="Stadtbibliothek am Mailänder Platz, Stuttgart" height="800" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8335/8131600673_2058ee9cfe_c.jpg" width="535" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/formsache/8131647600/" title="Stadtbibliothek am Mailänder Platz, Stuttgart by frank formsache, on Flickr"><img alt="Stadtbibliothek am Mailänder Platz, Stuttgart" height="1024" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8469/8131647600_ef6bf18170_b.jpg" width="569" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/formsache/8131618237/" title="Stadtbibliothek am Mailänder Platz, Stuttgart by frank formsache, on Flickr"><img alt="Stadtbibliothek am Mailänder Platz, Stuttgart" height="800" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8051/8131618237_fa890fe429_c.jpg" width="573" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/formsache/8131604647/" title="Stadtbibliothek am Mailänder Platz, Stuttgart by frank formsache, on Flickr"><img alt="Stadtbibliothek am Mailänder Platz, Stuttgart" height="483" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8056/8131604647_5bef3deeda_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/formsache/8131635942/" title="Stadtbibliothek am Mailänder Platz, Stuttgart by frank formsache, on Flickr"><img alt="Stadtbibliothek am Mailänder Platz, Stuttgart" height="429" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8465/8131635942_f33f749dc8_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just:<br /><blockquote>:: Join and add photos to the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/archi-dose/">archidose pool</a>, and/or<br />:: Tag your photos <span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/archidose/">archidose</a></span></blockquote>

Today's archidose #630

Here are some photos of Stadtbibliothek Stuttgart in Stuttgart, Germany, by Eun Young Yi ( Yi Architects ), 2011. Photographs are by Frank ...

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buffalo soldier

Do you think Bob Marley had any buffalo check pillows? Where does 'buffalo check' come from anyway? Totally off topic. Moving on...<br /><br />Many of you were super curious about this teaser pic I shared last week.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1Wm1dKUDT7VrqaPGsF9yt-zu1JRJU4K2wVgd7sNZOwocTgs7BsVnp86vYi2m1hBDjshz9oDvI3MIGdiGK89y7Y5awuJiRKyHeZfhqa_u0RnmOtg5Us9-F-z2GAjXvQXiN2araPJC8f9u/s1600/IMG_0457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1Wm1dKUDT7VrqaPGsF9yt-zu1JRJU4K2wVgd7sNZOwocTgs7BsVnp86vYi2m1hBDjshz9oDvI3MIGdiGK89y7Y5awuJiRKyHeZfhqa_u0RnmOtg5Us9-F-z2GAjXvQXiN2araPJC8f9u/s400/IMG_0457.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />Well, I would love to say that these beauties are now sitting pretty in my dining room but actually I recovered them for a client. I'm working with a cute and energetic young family on their new to them house. We'll call them Family F (for fun).<br /><br />Mrs. F inherited her mom's dining room furniture and wanted to give it a refresh for her family. Here is what we started with.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxxknjrXbqOs5WJe7PC8yS47_fBouHDr7MjgFNz-j-X3x8pefVtRSEi2x3XsKRXp2HfMfstnyUE8cRKoVgiXGa2YpVppN5ovui-BIehrChXZXuAAeL5TwF_-xTJ0mNqSrlC1trC3XgzlVR/s1600/P7148376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxxknjrXbqOs5WJe7PC8yS47_fBouHDr7MjgFNz-j-X3x8pefVtRSEi2x3XsKRXp2HfMfstnyUE8cRKoVgiXGa2YpVppN5ovui-BIehrChXZXuAAeL5TwF_-xTJ0mNqSrlC1trC3XgzlVR/s320/P7148376.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />The chairs are in great shape, but the fabric had seen one too many dinners.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijQsmdPioD_4lwRyXy1x2EMg7THLzg5ibXNDZW6rLPg6GBGZAdUxYTTbgL8onbflYK8z3gHB3x_MCylCUaROEEYmBjrvCrGjudHt-WR9X6MovgbLMdbizlWZ3kSPavQDZfc6c1yUUKIKGy/s1600/P7148378.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijQsmdPioD_4lwRyXy1x2EMg7THLzg5ibXNDZW6rLPg6GBGZAdUxYTTbgL8onbflYK8z3gHB3x_MCylCUaROEEYmBjrvCrGjudHt-WR9X6MovgbLMdbizlWZ3kSPavQDZfc6c1yUUKIKGy/s320/P7148378.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />We are going to be working with blues thru out the kitchen, dinning room and living room so this navy and white buffalo check was a great base. Me and Mrs. F love a good buffalo check.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCjA7nolQxNV2g9uxXvk3drmb2G0L-1LbzVP9X2l2YKE4O7cyvauhgQPVi0Hm0vjWj9hY1b1OfYptQ74PqUpCRwldiT-i4dn2cUGfpJX0LkXydv9QzTNVKkdvjWCqhH4JqsASWX-Jb4nKY/s1600/imgres.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCjA7nolQxNV2g9uxXvk3drmb2G0L-1LbzVP9X2l2YKE4O7cyvauhgQPVi0Hm0vjWj9hY1b1OfYptQ74PqUpCRwldiT-i4dn2cUGfpJX0LkXydv9QzTNVKkdvjWCqhH4JqsASWX-Jb4nKY/s1600/imgres.jpeg" /></a></div><br />Now there are 6 of these suckers, so it took me the better part of a week to get them all done. Sadly though I didn't take pictures during the process. Bad blogger. I was just too busy concentrating.<br /><br />But no worries, I'll reenact it for you - unscrew, rip fabric, pull staples, many staples, cut fabric, attach new foam, staple fabric, staple more, re-screw. Repeat. Thank god for Bravo and DVR.<br /><br />There were many squeals and happy jigs when the chairs were delivered. And Mrs. F loved them too!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqegUP-2ev889n2-NuKpe9QIgWO6qvT9Wvdtm1FE1FLtVr0L-Q7o_stRl0vuMkFUTcn3xzy7IEsuar3pOCA9LVyllOLHuYZTXVbnt3CndzJCwDSH_WuSkVtWqIU-26aY8tR4k80CkYmeTD/s1600/IMG_0461.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqegUP-2ev889n2-NuKpe9QIgWO6qvT9Wvdtm1FE1FLtVr0L-Q7o_stRl0vuMkFUTcn3xzy7IEsuar3pOCA9LVyllOLHuYZTXVbnt3CndzJCwDSH_WuSkVtWqIU-26aY8tR4k80CkYmeTD/s640/IMG_0461.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I love a good furniture refresh! This room is off to a great start and I'll be sure to share more as it progresses.<br /><br />So what about you? Any fabrics or patterns you are in to lately? C'mon now, wouldn't these look great in my dinning room?

buffalo soldier

Do you think Bob Marley had any buffalo check pillows? Where does 'buffalo check' come from anyway? Totally off topic. Moving on... ...

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30 days of Google #1: Get to know the Chrome browser

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYQ-73szuIETfbv4RWz6jWQX2yPS0rIwVt590v0eZ6mgoR5Ilkc4aPnIjDnBq2lxJ5HZMQC4dLp9HQPun9tCOxFGsd7oOFi3-LK7xkLHfD9jQIxSJuxvdN2SXQP7YKk3o6Ili4JTCVLEA/s1600-h/image%25255B4%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjCAbEowFeNwxzwpCr2uLmrF5BEnSOKHapEISvmMCTltuj0XyZPGtJtgBypDfo8IBsWme2qeFAvRm_hEEKr1BKU8QSRBbU14gbmfbbpaei8MK-RpuMs9tCfsEubX0gzHv71HArdTxf6A/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="217" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Today I am starting a series of 30 posts about Google tools that I just love! Having<span style="font-size: small;"> recently </span>returned from the Google Teacher Academy in New York and still basking in the memory of it all, I thought a 30 day series in conjunction with a short free online SchoolNet course on Google products would be very apt.  (Oh New York! I can hardly believe that thriving metropolis is being ravashed by Hurricane Sandy.)  To get back to Google products, for me there is no better place to start than the Chrome browser.  Have you tried Google Chrome? I have three browsers installed on my computer (Chrome, Internet Explorer and Firefox) but Google Chrome has fast become my firm favourite because it is so much more than a browser. Not only is it fast but all these amazing extensions make it a BRILLIANT surfing experience. </span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>How can I get started with Chrome?</b></span></span> <br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I met so many technology legends at the Google Teacher Academy, one of whom is Amy Meyer of ‘<i>Fried <span style="font-size: small;">T</span>echnology</i>’ fame. I learned so much from her – she was actually one of the Lead Learners as they were called in charge of a group of 6. I really couldn’t explain Chrome better than her. Just tune in to the screencast <span style="font-size: small;">video below </span>– you will be amazed at what this browser can achieve.  Amy (@friEdTechnology) calls her presentation ‘<i>Google Chrome tips and tricks</i>’.  This is a very good start to getting to know Chrome – but it also shows other aspects that I didn’t know about although I was a Chrome user. </span></span><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PHQ5lo5W9xk" width="420"></iframe> <br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you haven't tried Chrome, why not download it to your computer and explore a little<span style="font-size: small;">? Try following all the steps in Amy's screencast. The great thing about Chrome is that when you sign in it syncs with all your devices and all the extensions are available on each one. </span></span> </span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In the next post I will show you some of the Google extensions that will make your life (and your students' lives) so much easier, right there in your browsing experience. I’ll start with my favourites!  The sign up form for SchoolNet’s short free online Google course for our South African teachers will also be posted tomorrow.   </span></span></div>

30 Days of Google google 30 days of Google #1: Get to know the Chrome browser

Today I am starting a series of 30 posts about Google tools that I just love! Having recently returned from the Google Teacher Academy in N...

Read more »