Friday, July 25, 2008
Camping at Oquaga Lake
Jeff and I went camping up at Oquaga Lake, which is close to Binghampton. We cooked a ton and enjoyed the fresh air, nature, and our spastic city dog swimming!
Oquaga Lake took about 4 hours to get to/from Brooklyn, so it's a little too far for a weekend. But it is very peaceful up there and there seems to be a small movement up there. We actually found an amazing converted General Store that has all the organic, natural products you'd be LUCKY to find in a market in NYC. So I was hooked!
Oquaga Lake took about 4 hours to get to/from Brooklyn, so it's a little too far for a weekend. But it is very peaceful up there and there seems to be a small movement up there. We actually found an amazing converted General Store that has all the organic, natural products you'd be LUCKY to find in a market in NYC. So I was hooked!
Thursday, July 17, 2008
evolve
i saw ani defranco at the united palace theater in harlem last night. this was on the setlist and one of the motivators in choosing to start writing again.
i walk in stride with people
much taller than me
and partly it's the boots but
mostly it's my chi
and i'm becoming transfixed
with nature and my part in it
which i believe just signifies
i'm finally waking up and there's this moth outside my kitchen door
she's bonkers for that bare bulb
flying round in circles
bashing in her exoskull
and out in the woods she navigates fine by the moon
but get her around a light bulb and she's doomed
she is trying to evolve
she's just trying to evolve
now let's get talking reefer madness
like some arrogant government can't
by any stretch of the imagination
outlaw a plant
yes, their supposed authority over nature
is a dream
c'mon people
we've got to come clean cuz they are locking our sons
and our daughters in cages
they are taking by the thousands
our lives from under us
it's a crash course in religious fundamentals
now let's all go to war
get some bang for our buck
i am trying to evolve
i'm just trying to evolve
gunnin for high score in the land of dreams
morbid bluish-white consumers ogling luminous screens
on the trail of forgetting
cruising without a care
the jet set won't abide by that pesky jet lag
and our lives boil down to an hour or two
when someone pulls a camera out of a bag
and i am trying to evolve
i'm just trying to evolve
so i walk like i'm on a mission
cuz that's the way i groove
i got more and more to do
i got less and less to prove
it took me too long to realize
that i don't take good pictures
cuz i have the kind of beauty
that moves
i walk in stride with people
much taller than me
and partly it's the boots but
mostly it's my chi
and i'm becoming transfixed
with nature and my part in it
which i believe just signifies
i'm finally waking up and there's this moth outside my kitchen door
she's bonkers for that bare bulb
flying round in circles
bashing in her exoskull
and out in the woods she navigates fine by the moon
but get her around a light bulb and she's doomed
she is trying to evolve
she's just trying to evolve
now let's get talking reefer madness
like some arrogant government can't
by any stretch of the imagination
outlaw a plant
yes, their supposed authority over nature
is a dream
c'mon people
we've got to come clean cuz they are locking our sons
and our daughters in cages
they are taking by the thousands
our lives from under us
it's a crash course in religious fundamentals
now let's all go to war
get some bang for our buck
i am trying to evolve
i'm just trying to evolve
gunnin for high score in the land of dreams
morbid bluish-white consumers ogling luminous screens
on the trail of forgetting
cruising without a care
the jet set won't abide by that pesky jet lag
and our lives boil down to an hour or two
when someone pulls a camera out of a bag
and i am trying to evolve
i'm just trying to evolve
so i walk like i'm on a mission
cuz that's the way i groove
i got more and more to do
i got less and less to prove
it took me too long to realize
that i don't take good pictures
cuz i have the kind of beauty
that moves
A new year, a new borough
Testing, testing... is this thing on?
It may be a year later but I'm vowing to try to write... AGAIN. A quick update:
- Not living in NYC anymore... living in Kensington, Brooklyn with my man, Jeff.
- I did adopt Mercedes! But changed her name to Miss Sadie.
More to come! Yay for being inspired again!
It may be a year later but I'm vowing to try to write... AGAIN. A quick update:
- Not living in NYC anymore... living in Kensington, Brooklyn with my man, Jeff.
- I did adopt Mercedes! But changed her name to Miss Sadie.
More to come! Yay for being inspired again!
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Mercedes are quality, yo
I may be adopting a dog! I've been considering it for months but more seriously recently. I have so many reasons why: I am a very good and caring owner. I love walking around just exploring the city... lots of walking for her! I want to love that dog and make her forget that she was once left :(. I have a flexible schedule so I have time to focus on it. I want to nurture goddamit! Rusty needs some stimulation... the old man is actually acting old!!
The lady I'm courting is named Mercedes. She is gorgeous and well-built and simply endearing. She was found in Brooklyn and looks to be 2-3 years old. She's a shepherd/pit bull mix and this tight little body. I took her for a walk and she was amazing walking on a leash, friendly (and not overly) to other people and doggggggs. Totally obedient. When we sat and talked to another dog and man after hanging with them both she came and chilled sitting under me. She trusts me. :)
The shelter I discovered is on 13th in the village. Here's their site with adoptees.
http://www.biscuitsandbath.com/adoptions.php
Mercedes is listed here but probably won't be avail on the site. This is her ad:
Mercedes
Female, 2 years, Shepherd/Pit mix
Not only is Mercedes beautiful, but she is so well-behaved. She is great with other dogs, children, is housebroken, and fine when left alone. Greenwich Village
Some great adoption sites I came across:
http://www.factmonster.com/dogs2.html
http://pets1st.com/articles/00059adoptingadog.asp
The lady I'm courting is named Mercedes. She is gorgeous and well-built and simply endearing. She was found in Brooklyn and looks to be 2-3 years old. She's a shepherd/pit bull mix and this tight little body. I took her for a walk and she was amazing walking on a leash, friendly (and not overly) to other people and doggggggs. Totally obedient. When we sat and talked to another dog and man after hanging with them both she came and chilled sitting under me. She trusts me. :)
The shelter I discovered is on 13th in the village. Here's their site with adoptees.
http://www.biscuitsandbath.com/adoptions.php
Mercedes is listed here but probably won't be avail on the site. This is her ad:
Mercedes
Female, 2 years, Shepherd/Pit mix
Not only is Mercedes beautiful, but she is so well-behaved. She is great with other dogs, children, is housebroken, and fine when left alone. Greenwich Village
Some great adoption sites I came across:
http://www.factmonster.com/dogs2.html
http://pets1st.com/articles/00059adoptingadog.asp
October Mountain State Park - Lee, MA
I went camping and hiking for Memorial Day weekend last month. I was looking for somewhere a few hours out of NYC that would be car camping, safe and close to a lot of hiking. This campground was perfect for this.
I was alone and never felt anything but totally safe. There were kids and dogs running around and except for my deaf neighbors (I'm not kidding) there were people that were close enough to hear me if I was fighting off a bear. Or an axe murderer.
The hiking was beautiful. October Mountain is about a 10 minute drive from an entry to the Appalachian Trail and there are a number of smallers trails all around there. I hiked in on the Finerty Trail to Finerty Pond, which was still and calm and lovely. Then I head over and hiked some of the other winding trails on and around the Appalachian Trail. I'd say about 10 miles total. I only saw 4 people total the whole time. I LOVE THAT! I would definitely go back.
Here is some info on the campground:
http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/western/octm.htm
http://www.berkshireweb.com/sports/parks/october.html
Things to know:
- dogs are allowed
- no booze technically but as long as you keep it in cups and don't act like asshole you're fine.
-It's in bear country... oh my!
Photos to come... and well worth the wait!!
I was alone and never felt anything but totally safe. There were kids and dogs running around and except for my deaf neighbors (I'm not kidding) there were people that were close enough to hear me if I was fighting off a bear. Or an axe murderer.
The hiking was beautiful. October Mountain is about a 10 minute drive from an entry to the Appalachian Trail and there are a number of smallers trails all around there. I hiked in on the Finerty Trail to Finerty Pond, which was still and calm and lovely. Then I head over and hiked some of the other winding trails on and around the Appalachian Trail. I'd say about 10 miles total. I only saw 4 people total the whole time. I LOVE THAT! I would definitely go back.
Here is some info on the campground:
http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/western/octm.htm
http://www.berkshireweb.com/sports/parks/october.html
Things to know:
- dogs are allowed
- no booze technically but as long as you keep it in cups and don't act like asshole you're fine.
-It's in bear country... oh my!
Photos to come... and well worth the wait!!
Friday, February 23, 2007
new york, new world
this life is so surreal.
i'm home! i love it.
i've realized that i am independent by nature. i've learned that having one large group of friends is not in my nature. i've learned that having lots of different friends who i race all over to see not so daily fits me at the core.
i haven't written in forever and don't have the patience or confidence to at the moment. but i sit here, in my new-ish apt, alone and reflective and happy... and it feels great. the only thing static in my life is rusty. my other half. my crutch and my sweet dependent. we've come full circle and it's beautiful. i'm starting to know myself again. i think. i'm starting to know i have yet to find who i really am. but in my shoes today, i stand tall. i have my eyes forward and i really look forward to the next thing in my path.
here's to writing again! here's to wanting to say... it's all GREAT. and it's about time.
i'm home! i love it.
i've realized that i am independent by nature. i've learned that having one large group of friends is not in my nature. i've learned that having lots of different friends who i race all over to see not so daily fits me at the core.
i haven't written in forever and don't have the patience or confidence to at the moment. but i sit here, in my new-ish apt, alone and reflective and happy... and it feels great. the only thing static in my life is rusty. my other half. my crutch and my sweet dependent. we've come full circle and it's beautiful. i'm starting to know myself again. i think. i'm starting to know i have yet to find who i really am. but in my shoes today, i stand tall. i have my eyes forward and i really look forward to the next thing in my path.
here's to writing again! here's to wanting to say... it's all GREAT. and it's about time.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
the wealthy woman
The 8 Qualities of a Wealthy Woman
by Suze Orman
Posted on Monday, February 12, 2007, 3:00AM
What keeps women from achieving the financial security they -- and their families -- deserve? I believe the root of the problem lies in the dysfunctional relationship women have with money.
That's the launching point for my new book, "Women & Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny." My message to all women: Owning the power to control your destiny requires more than 401(k)s and Roth IRAs. It requires reconditioning from the inside. In this excerpt from "Women & Money," I discuss the eight qualities of wealthy women.
Qualities 1 and 2: Harmony and Balance
Harmony is an agreement in feeling, approach, and sympathy. It is the pleasing interaction between what you think, feel, say, and do.
Balance is a state of emotional and rational stability in which you are calm and able to make sound decisions and judgments.
Harmony and balance are perhaps the most important qualities of all, for they serve as the foundation for the remaining qualities. When you possess true inner harmony, what you think, say, feel, and do is one. We are so accustomed to this split-screen state of mind in which we think one thing, say another, feel something else, and act in a way that has nothing to do with what we just thought, said, or felt. When your thoughts, feelings, words, and actions are not in harmony, it shows up as an imbalance -- you feel agitated, uncomfortable, you sense something is off, so you find it difficult to make rational, calm decisions. This is why these two qualities are a pair.
Quality 3: Courage
Courage is the ability to face danger, difficulty, uncertainty, or pain without being overcome by fear or being deflected from a chosen course of action.
Courage gives harmony expression. When your thoughts and feelings are one, courage helps you manifest them in the form of words and actions. When you are afraid to speak or act, courage helps you overcome your fear. Courage gives you the ability to speak your truth, even when it is not what others may want to hear.
Fear is usually what stands between us and our courage. But if we are to embrace this quality of courage to its fullest, we can no longer allow ourselves to hide behind fear. You can meditate on your fear and think about it rationally and try to will it away, but in the end, if fear is preventing you from acting, you must find your courage and act to overcome your fear.
Quality 4: Generosity
Generosity is when you give the right thing to the right person at the right time -- and it benefits both of you.
Generosity is a quality that most women can tap into very easily -- maybe too easily. As women, we tend to be overly generous with our time, support, love, and money -- but giving simply for the sake of giving does not match the definition of true generosity.
True generosity goes far beyond what you give to others. In giving there is a power, an understanding that you are just the vessel that wealth or energy flows through. You allow money to come in through your hands and out through your heart. To be empowered to give, to be moved to give straight from the heart, is a feeling that all the money in the world could never buy. So let me ask you: Is that how you feel when you constantly give of yourself? Do you feel enhanced or do you feel diminished? You think of yourself as a giver, as generous with your time, your talent, your money. Others probably describe you as a generous woman, but if I were to look at you, I might think you give for the wrong reasons. Do you give because you feel that you should? Do you give out of guilt or embarrassment? Understand that true generosity is as much about the one who gives as it is about the one who receives. If an act of generosity benefits the receiver but saps the giver, then it is not true generosity.
Quality 5: Happiness
Happiness is a state of well-being and contentment.
When you find the courage to live your life in harmony and balance, when you understand and practice generosity in the truest sense, happiness spontaneously appears. When you are happy, you are open and accessible. When you are happy, you tend to be more optimistic. You approach new challenges with a clear mind that seeks positive solutions. You see possibilities rather than problems.
Happiness is not a luxury. It is a necessity for true wealth. When you are happy, you have the satisfaction of knowing that your actions come from a place of purity and balance, that they are correct and generous and kind. There are no regrets in this state of happiness -- and that's a goal worth striving for in all areas of your life.
Quality 6: Wisdom
Wisdom is the knowledge and experience needed to make sensible decisions and judgments, or the good sense shown by the decisions and judgments made from an accumulated knowledge of life that has been gained through experience.
The quality of wisdom is more than intellectual, and it is in no way related to how much schooling you have. Exercising wisdom requires cutting through the noise of life and tapping into your core beliefs to make thoughtful decisions. Wisdom results from inhabiting all the qualities that came before it. A wise woman recognizes when her life is out of balance and summons the courage to act to correct it. A wise woman knows the meaning of true generosity. A wise woman knows happiness is the reward for a life lived in harmony, with courage and grace. A wise woman knows how to summon her courage and do what is right, rather than what is easy.
Quality 7: Cleanliness
Cleanliness is a state of purity, clarity, and precision.
Cleanliness is about respecting the importance of order and organization. When you don't know where your money is, when you have no filing system for your important documents, when you dive into your pocketbook to pull out crumpled bills, when your car looks like a garbage can, when your closets are filled with junk and clutter -- you cannot possibly be a wealthy woman. You need to clean up your act -- quite literally -- to bring true wealth into your life. In India, women sweep the front entrance to their home each morning as a way of welcoming Lakshmi, the goddess of material and spiritual abundance, into their home, for there is a belief that she resides at the threshold of every house. In order for her to enter, she must have a clear path.
You might be reading this and thinking that cleanliness is nice but not essential to your financial well-being. I am here to tell you that if this quality is not up front and center, wealth will elude you and you will be left with the mess that you created. Respect the power of this quality of cleanliness. Tell the universe that you have cleared the path for wealth and abundance to enter.
Quality 8: Beauty
Beauty is the quality or aggregate of qualities in a person that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit.
Beauty is what you create when you incorporate the other seven qualities into your life. When you take the steps to have harmony, balance, courage, generosity, happiness, wisdom, cleanliness, and beauty in your life, you will exude confidence in who you are. And there is nothing more beautiful than a confident woman. Remember, when you are confident you feel secure, and when you feel secure you have no fear. And when you have no fear, you have the courage to say what you think and feel in a calm and wise way. And when you are calm, you make wise decisions with your money, which then allows you to be truly generous to others as well as yourself, which, in turn, makes you a happy, powerful, and beautiful woman. Do you see how all of these qualities work together to help you arrive at the goal of being a woman in control of her destiny?
Summoning the 8 Qualities
I've noticed, in my own life and in others', that the more you summon these qualities, the easier they are to access. Harmony yearns for more harmony, and balance abhors imbalance. Courage begets greater courage. Once you are generous in the right way, a lesser form of generosity will feel inferior to you. True happiness will never permit you to settle for a lesser form of happiness. Cleanliness recoils at disorder. Wisdom, once achieved, is with you forever, and beauty inspires beauty in all things.
Carry these qualities with you throughout your life. Write them on a notecard and keep them close at hand -- in your wallet or in your pocket. Make it into a talisman to guide you every day as you make your way through life and all its impossible demands. These qualities will keep you focused and tranquil. Let them and they will offer you constant reassurance that you are acting powerfully and correctly, with love in your heart and the purest intentions, to realize your goals of security and comfort for yourself and all you love.
by Suze Orman
Posted on Monday, February 12, 2007, 3:00AM
What keeps women from achieving the financial security they -- and their families -- deserve? I believe the root of the problem lies in the dysfunctional relationship women have with money.
That's the launching point for my new book, "Women & Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny." My message to all women: Owning the power to control your destiny requires more than 401(k)s and Roth IRAs. It requires reconditioning from the inside. In this excerpt from "Women & Money," I discuss the eight qualities of wealthy women.
Qualities 1 and 2: Harmony and Balance
Harmony is an agreement in feeling, approach, and sympathy. It is the pleasing interaction between what you think, feel, say, and do.
Balance is a state of emotional and rational stability in which you are calm and able to make sound decisions and judgments.
Harmony and balance are perhaps the most important qualities of all, for they serve as the foundation for the remaining qualities. When you possess true inner harmony, what you think, say, feel, and do is one. We are so accustomed to this split-screen state of mind in which we think one thing, say another, feel something else, and act in a way that has nothing to do with what we just thought, said, or felt. When your thoughts, feelings, words, and actions are not in harmony, it shows up as an imbalance -- you feel agitated, uncomfortable, you sense something is off, so you find it difficult to make rational, calm decisions. This is why these two qualities are a pair.
Quality 3: Courage
Courage is the ability to face danger, difficulty, uncertainty, or pain without being overcome by fear or being deflected from a chosen course of action.
Courage gives harmony expression. When your thoughts and feelings are one, courage helps you manifest them in the form of words and actions. When you are afraid to speak or act, courage helps you overcome your fear. Courage gives you the ability to speak your truth, even when it is not what others may want to hear.
Fear is usually what stands between us and our courage. But if we are to embrace this quality of courage to its fullest, we can no longer allow ourselves to hide behind fear. You can meditate on your fear and think about it rationally and try to will it away, but in the end, if fear is preventing you from acting, you must find your courage and act to overcome your fear.
Quality 4: Generosity
Generosity is when you give the right thing to the right person at the right time -- and it benefits both of you.
Generosity is a quality that most women can tap into very easily -- maybe too easily. As women, we tend to be overly generous with our time, support, love, and money -- but giving simply for the sake of giving does not match the definition of true generosity.
True generosity goes far beyond what you give to others. In giving there is a power, an understanding that you are just the vessel that wealth or energy flows through. You allow money to come in through your hands and out through your heart. To be empowered to give, to be moved to give straight from the heart, is a feeling that all the money in the world could never buy. So let me ask you: Is that how you feel when you constantly give of yourself? Do you feel enhanced or do you feel diminished? You think of yourself as a giver, as generous with your time, your talent, your money. Others probably describe you as a generous woman, but if I were to look at you, I might think you give for the wrong reasons. Do you give because you feel that you should? Do you give out of guilt or embarrassment? Understand that true generosity is as much about the one who gives as it is about the one who receives. If an act of generosity benefits the receiver but saps the giver, then it is not true generosity.
Quality 5: Happiness
Happiness is a state of well-being and contentment.
When you find the courage to live your life in harmony and balance, when you understand and practice generosity in the truest sense, happiness spontaneously appears. When you are happy, you are open and accessible. When you are happy, you tend to be more optimistic. You approach new challenges with a clear mind that seeks positive solutions. You see possibilities rather than problems.
Happiness is not a luxury. It is a necessity for true wealth. When you are happy, you have the satisfaction of knowing that your actions come from a place of purity and balance, that they are correct and generous and kind. There are no regrets in this state of happiness -- and that's a goal worth striving for in all areas of your life.
Quality 6: Wisdom
Wisdom is the knowledge and experience needed to make sensible decisions and judgments, or the good sense shown by the decisions and judgments made from an accumulated knowledge of life that has been gained through experience.
The quality of wisdom is more than intellectual, and it is in no way related to how much schooling you have. Exercising wisdom requires cutting through the noise of life and tapping into your core beliefs to make thoughtful decisions. Wisdom results from inhabiting all the qualities that came before it. A wise woman recognizes when her life is out of balance and summons the courage to act to correct it. A wise woman knows the meaning of true generosity. A wise woman knows happiness is the reward for a life lived in harmony, with courage and grace. A wise woman knows how to summon her courage and do what is right, rather than what is easy.
Quality 7: Cleanliness
Cleanliness is a state of purity, clarity, and precision.
Cleanliness is about respecting the importance of order and organization. When you don't know where your money is, when you have no filing system for your important documents, when you dive into your pocketbook to pull out crumpled bills, when your car looks like a garbage can, when your closets are filled with junk and clutter -- you cannot possibly be a wealthy woman. You need to clean up your act -- quite literally -- to bring true wealth into your life. In India, women sweep the front entrance to their home each morning as a way of welcoming Lakshmi, the goddess of material and spiritual abundance, into their home, for there is a belief that she resides at the threshold of every house. In order for her to enter, she must have a clear path.
You might be reading this and thinking that cleanliness is nice but not essential to your financial well-being. I am here to tell you that if this quality is not up front and center, wealth will elude you and you will be left with the mess that you created. Respect the power of this quality of cleanliness. Tell the universe that you have cleared the path for wealth and abundance to enter.
Quality 8: Beauty
Beauty is the quality or aggregate of qualities in a person that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit.
Beauty is what you create when you incorporate the other seven qualities into your life. When you take the steps to have harmony, balance, courage, generosity, happiness, wisdom, cleanliness, and beauty in your life, you will exude confidence in who you are. And there is nothing more beautiful than a confident woman. Remember, when you are confident you feel secure, and when you feel secure you have no fear. And when you have no fear, you have the courage to say what you think and feel in a calm and wise way. And when you are calm, you make wise decisions with your money, which then allows you to be truly generous to others as well as yourself, which, in turn, makes you a happy, powerful, and beautiful woman. Do you see how all of these qualities work together to help you arrive at the goal of being a woman in control of her destiny?
Summoning the 8 Qualities
I've noticed, in my own life and in others', that the more you summon these qualities, the easier they are to access. Harmony yearns for more harmony, and balance abhors imbalance. Courage begets greater courage. Once you are generous in the right way, a lesser form of generosity will feel inferior to you. True happiness will never permit you to settle for a lesser form of happiness. Cleanliness recoils at disorder. Wisdom, once achieved, is with you forever, and beauty inspires beauty in all things.
Carry these qualities with you throughout your life. Write them on a notecard and keep them close at hand -- in your wallet or in your pocket. Make it into a talisman to guide you every day as you make your way through life and all its impossible demands. These qualities will keep you focused and tranquil. Let them and they will offer you constant reassurance that you are acting powerfully and correctly, with love in your heart and the purest intentions, to realize your goals of security and comfort for yourself and all you love.
Friday, December 29, 2006
Saddam hanged
This is a moment for the history books. I wish I felt more proud to be part of this piece in history. But all of this is so convoluted with the war still going on, it just makes me numb.
By CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA and QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA, Associated Press Writers 10 minutes ago
BAGHDAD, Iraq -
Saddam Hussein' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> Saddam Hussein, the shotgun-waving dictator who ruled
Iraq' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> Iraq with a remorseless brutality for a quarter-century and was driven from power by a U.S.-led war that left his country in shambles, was taken to the gallows clutching a Quran and hanged Saturday.
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In Baghdad's Shiite enclave of Sadr City, people danced in the streets while others fired guns in the air to celebrate the former dictator's death. The government did not impose a round-the-clock curfew as it did last month when Saddam was convicted to thwart any surge in retaliatory violence.
It was a grim end for the 69-year-old leader who had vexed three U.S. presidents. Despite his ouster, Washington, its allies and the new Iraqi leaders remain mired in a fight to quell a stubborn insurgency by Saddam loyalists and a vicious sectarian conflict.
President Bush' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> President Bush called Saddam's execution "the kind of justice he denied the victims of his brutal regime."
State-run Iraqiya television news reported that Saddam's half-brother Barzan Ibrahim and Awad Hamed al-Bandar, the former chief justice of the Revolutionary Court, also were hanged. However, three officials said only Saddam was executed.
"We wanted him to be executed on a special day," National Security adviser Mouwafak al-Rubaie told state-run Iraqiyah.
Al-Rubaie said Saddam "totally surrendered" and did not resist. He said a judge read the sentence to Saddam, who was taken in handcuffs to the execution room. When he stood in the execution room, photographs and video footage were taken, al-Rubaie said.
"He did not ask for anything. He was carrying a Quran and said: 'I want this Quran to be given to this person,' a man he called Bander," he said. Al-Rubaie said he did not know who Bander was.
"Saddam was treated with respect when he was alive and after his death," al-Rubaie said. "Saddam's execution was 100 percent Iraqi and the American side did not interfere."
Sami al-Askari, the political adviser of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, said: "Saddam was taken by force to the gallows but he was composed when taken to execution."
He said the government had not decided what to do with Saddam's body.
Mariam al-Rayes, a legal expert and a former member of the Shiite bloc in parliament, told Iraqiya television that the execution "was filmed and God willing it will be shown. There was one camera present, and a doctor was also present there."
Al-Rayes, an al-Maliki ally, did not attend the execution. She said Al-Maliki did not attend but was represented by an aide.
The station earlier was airing national songs after the first announcement and had a tag on the screen that read "Saddam's execution marks the end of a dark period of Iraq's history."
The execution was carried out around the start of Eid al-Adha, the Islamic world's largest holiday, which marks the end of the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, the hajj. Many Muslims celebrate by sacrificing domestic animals, usually sheep.
Sunnis and Shiites throughout the world began observing the four-day holiday at dawn Saturday, but Iraq's Shiite community — the country's majority — was due to start celebrating on Sunday.
The execution came 56 days after a court convicted Saddam and sentenced him to death for his role in the killings of 148 Shiite Muslims from a town where assassins tried to kill the dictator in 1982. Iraq's highest court rejected Saddam's appeal Monday and ordered him executed within 30 days.
A U.S. judge on Friday refused to stop Saddam's execution, rejecting a last-minute court challenge.
Al-Maliki had rejected calls that Saddam be spared, telling families of people killed during the dictator's rule that would be an insult to the victims.
"Our respect for human rights requires us to execute him, and there will be no review or delay in carrying out the sentence," al-Maliki's office quoted him as saying during a meeting with relatives before the hanging.
Human Rights Watch criticized the execution, calling Saddam's trial "deeply flawed."
"Saddam Hussein was responsible for massive human rights violations, but that can't justify giving him the death penalty, which is a cruel and inhuman punishment," said Richard Dicker, director of Human Rights Watch's International Justice Program.
The hanging of Saddam, who was ruthless in ordering executions of his opponents, will keep other Iraqis from pursuing justice against the ousted leader.
At his death, he was in the midst of a second trial, charged with genocide and other crimes for a 1987-88 military crackdown that killed an estimated 180,000 Kurds in northern Iraq. Experts said the trial of his co-defendants was likely to continue despite his execution.
Many people in Iraq's Shiite majority were eager to see the execution of a man whose Sunni Arab-dominated regime oppressed them and Kurds.
Before the hanging, a mosque preacher in the Shiite holy city of Najaf on Friday called Saddam's execution "God's gift to Iraqis."
"Oh, God, you know what Saddam has done! He killed millions of Iraqis in prisons, in wars with neighboring countries and he is responsible for mass graves. Oh God, we ask you to take revenge on Saddam," said Sheik Sadralddin al-Qubanji, a member of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq.
On Thursday, two half brothers visited Saddam in his cell, a member of the former dictator's defense team, Badee Izzat Aref, told The Associated Press by telephone from the United Arab Emirates. He said the former dictator handed them his personal belongings.
A senior official at the Iraqi defense ministry said Saddam gave his will to one of his half brothers. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
In a farewell message to Iraqis posted Wednesday on the Internet, Saddam said he was giving his life for his country as part of the struggle against the U.S. "Here, I offer my soul to God as a sacrifice, and if he wants, he will send it to heaven with the martyrs," he said.
One of Saddam's lawyers, Issam Ghazzawi, said the letter was written by Saddam on Nov. 5, the day he was convicted by an Iraqi tribunal in the Dujail killings.
The message called on Iraqis to put aside the sectarian hatred that has bloodied their nation for a year and voiced support for the Sunni Arab-dominated insurgency against U.S.-led forces, saying: "Long live jihad and the mujahedeen."
Saddam urged Iraqis to rely on God's help in fighting "against the unjust nations" that ousted his regime.
Najeeb al-Nauimi, a member of Saddam's legal team, said U.S. authorities maintained physical custody of Saddam until the execution to prevent him being humiliated publicly or his corpse being mutilated, as has happened to previous Iraqi leaders deposed by force. He said they didn't want anything to happen to further inflame Sunni Arabs.
"This is the end of an era in Iraq," al-Nauimi said from Doha, Qatar. "The Baath regime ruled for 35 years. Saddam was vice president or president of Iraq during those years. For Iraqis, he will be very well remembered. Like a martyr, he died for the sake of his country."
Iraq's death penalty was suspended by the U.S. military after it toppled Saddam in 2003, but the new Iraqi government reinstated it two years later, saying executions would deter criminals.
Saddam's own regime used executions and extrajudicial killings as a tool of political repression, both to eliminate real or suspected political opponents and to maintain a reign of terror.
In the months after he seized power on July 16, 1979, he had hundreds of members of his own party and army officers slain. In 1996, he ordered the slaying of two sons-in-law who had defected to Jordan but returned to Baghdad after receiving guarantees of safety.
Saddam built Iraq into a one of the Arab world's most modern societies, but then plunged the country into an eight-year war with neighboring
Iran' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> Iran that killed hundreds of thousands of people on both sides and wrecked Iraq's economy.
During that war, as part of the wider campaign against Kurds, the Iraqi military used chemical weapons against the Kurdish town of Halabja in northern Iraq, killing an estimated 5,000 civilians.
The economic troubles from the Iran war led Saddam to invade Kuwait in the summer of 1990, seeking to grab its oil wealth, but a U.S.-led coalition inflicted a stinging defeat on the Iraq army and freed the Kuwaitis.
U.N. sanctions imposed over the Kuwait invasion remained in place when Saddam failed to cooperate fully in international efforts to ensure his programs for creating weapons of mass destruction had been dismantled. Iraqis, once among the region's most prosperous, were impoverished.
The final blow came when U.S.-led troops invaded in March 2003. Saddam's regime fell quickly, but political, sectarian and criminal violence have created chaos that has undermined efforts to rebuild Iraq's ruined economy.
While he wielded a heavy hand to maintain control, Saddam also sought to win public support with a personality cult that pervaded Iraqi society. Thousands of portraits, posters, statues and murals were erected in his honor all over Iraq. His face could be seen on the sides of office buildings, schools, airports and shops and on Iraq's currency.
By CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA and QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA, Associated Press Writers 10 minutes ago
BAGHDAD, Iraq -
Saddam Hussein' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> Saddam Hussein, the shotgun-waving dictator who ruled
Iraq' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> Iraq with a remorseless brutality for a quarter-century and was driven from power by a U.S.-led war that left his country in shambles, was taken to the gallows clutching a Quran and hanged Saturday.
ADVERTISEMENT
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In Baghdad's Shiite enclave of Sadr City, people danced in the streets while others fired guns in the air to celebrate the former dictator's death. The government did not impose a round-the-clock curfew as it did last month when Saddam was convicted to thwart any surge in retaliatory violence.
It was a grim end for the 69-year-old leader who had vexed three U.S. presidents. Despite his ouster, Washington, its allies and the new Iraqi leaders remain mired in a fight to quell a stubborn insurgency by Saddam loyalists and a vicious sectarian conflict.
President Bush' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> President Bush called Saddam's execution "the kind of justice he denied the victims of his brutal regime."
State-run Iraqiya television news reported that Saddam's half-brother Barzan Ibrahim and Awad Hamed al-Bandar, the former chief justice of the Revolutionary Court, also were hanged. However, three officials said only Saddam was executed.
"We wanted him to be executed on a special day," National Security adviser Mouwafak al-Rubaie told state-run Iraqiyah.
Al-Rubaie said Saddam "totally surrendered" and did not resist. He said a judge read the sentence to Saddam, who was taken in handcuffs to the execution room. When he stood in the execution room, photographs and video footage were taken, al-Rubaie said.
"He did not ask for anything. He was carrying a Quran and said: 'I want this Quran to be given to this person,' a man he called Bander," he said. Al-Rubaie said he did not know who Bander was.
"Saddam was treated with respect when he was alive and after his death," al-Rubaie said. "Saddam's execution was 100 percent Iraqi and the American side did not interfere."
Sami al-Askari, the political adviser of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, said: "Saddam was taken by force to the gallows but he was composed when taken to execution."
He said the government had not decided what to do with Saddam's body.
Mariam al-Rayes, a legal expert and a former member of the Shiite bloc in parliament, told Iraqiya television that the execution "was filmed and God willing it will be shown. There was one camera present, and a doctor was also present there."
Al-Rayes, an al-Maliki ally, did not attend the execution. She said Al-Maliki did not attend but was represented by an aide.
The station earlier was airing national songs after the first announcement and had a tag on the screen that read "Saddam's execution marks the end of a dark period of Iraq's history."
The execution was carried out around the start of Eid al-Adha, the Islamic world's largest holiday, which marks the end of the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, the hajj. Many Muslims celebrate by sacrificing domestic animals, usually sheep.
Sunnis and Shiites throughout the world began observing the four-day holiday at dawn Saturday, but Iraq's Shiite community — the country's majority — was due to start celebrating on Sunday.
The execution came 56 days after a court convicted Saddam and sentenced him to death for his role in the killings of 148 Shiite Muslims from a town where assassins tried to kill the dictator in 1982. Iraq's highest court rejected Saddam's appeal Monday and ordered him executed within 30 days.
A U.S. judge on Friday refused to stop Saddam's execution, rejecting a last-minute court challenge.
Al-Maliki had rejected calls that Saddam be spared, telling families of people killed during the dictator's rule that would be an insult to the victims.
"Our respect for human rights requires us to execute him, and there will be no review or delay in carrying out the sentence," al-Maliki's office quoted him as saying during a meeting with relatives before the hanging.
Human Rights Watch criticized the execution, calling Saddam's trial "deeply flawed."
"Saddam Hussein was responsible for massive human rights violations, but that can't justify giving him the death penalty, which is a cruel and inhuman punishment," said Richard Dicker, director of Human Rights Watch's International Justice Program.
The hanging of Saddam, who was ruthless in ordering executions of his opponents, will keep other Iraqis from pursuing justice against the ousted leader.
At his death, he was in the midst of a second trial, charged with genocide and other crimes for a 1987-88 military crackdown that killed an estimated 180,000 Kurds in northern Iraq. Experts said the trial of his co-defendants was likely to continue despite his execution.
Many people in Iraq's Shiite majority were eager to see the execution of a man whose Sunni Arab-dominated regime oppressed them and Kurds.
Before the hanging, a mosque preacher in the Shiite holy city of Najaf on Friday called Saddam's execution "God's gift to Iraqis."
"Oh, God, you know what Saddam has done! He killed millions of Iraqis in prisons, in wars with neighboring countries and he is responsible for mass graves. Oh God, we ask you to take revenge on Saddam," said Sheik Sadralddin al-Qubanji, a member of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq.
On Thursday, two half brothers visited Saddam in his cell, a member of the former dictator's defense team, Badee Izzat Aref, told The Associated Press by telephone from the United Arab Emirates. He said the former dictator handed them his personal belongings.
A senior official at the Iraqi defense ministry said Saddam gave his will to one of his half brothers. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
In a farewell message to Iraqis posted Wednesday on the Internet, Saddam said he was giving his life for his country as part of the struggle against the U.S. "Here, I offer my soul to God as a sacrifice, and if he wants, he will send it to heaven with the martyrs," he said.
One of Saddam's lawyers, Issam Ghazzawi, said the letter was written by Saddam on Nov. 5, the day he was convicted by an Iraqi tribunal in the Dujail killings.
The message called on Iraqis to put aside the sectarian hatred that has bloodied their nation for a year and voiced support for the Sunni Arab-dominated insurgency against U.S.-led forces, saying: "Long live jihad and the mujahedeen."
Saddam urged Iraqis to rely on God's help in fighting "against the unjust nations" that ousted his regime.
Najeeb al-Nauimi, a member of Saddam's legal team, said U.S. authorities maintained physical custody of Saddam until the execution to prevent him being humiliated publicly or his corpse being mutilated, as has happened to previous Iraqi leaders deposed by force. He said they didn't want anything to happen to further inflame Sunni Arabs.
"This is the end of an era in Iraq," al-Nauimi said from Doha, Qatar. "The Baath regime ruled for 35 years. Saddam was vice president or president of Iraq during those years. For Iraqis, he will be very well remembered. Like a martyr, he died for the sake of his country."
Iraq's death penalty was suspended by the U.S. military after it toppled Saddam in 2003, but the new Iraqi government reinstated it two years later, saying executions would deter criminals.
Saddam's own regime used executions and extrajudicial killings as a tool of political repression, both to eliminate real or suspected political opponents and to maintain a reign of terror.
In the months after he seized power on July 16, 1979, he had hundreds of members of his own party and army officers slain. In 1996, he ordered the slaying of two sons-in-law who had defected to Jordan but returned to Baghdad after receiving guarantees of safety.
Saddam built Iraq into a one of the Arab world's most modern societies, but then plunged the country into an eight-year war with neighboring
Iran' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> Iran that killed hundreds of thousands of people on both sides and wrecked Iraq's economy.
During that war, as part of the wider campaign against Kurds, the Iraqi military used chemical weapons against the Kurdish town of Halabja in northern Iraq, killing an estimated 5,000 civilians.
The economic troubles from the Iran war led Saddam to invade Kuwait in the summer of 1990, seeking to grab its oil wealth, but a U.S.-led coalition inflicted a stinging defeat on the Iraq army and freed the Kuwaitis.
U.N. sanctions imposed over the Kuwait invasion remained in place when Saddam failed to cooperate fully in international efforts to ensure his programs for creating weapons of mass destruction had been dismantled. Iraqis, once among the region's most prosperous, were impoverished.
The final blow came when U.S.-led troops invaded in March 2003. Saddam's regime fell quickly, but political, sectarian and criminal violence have created chaos that has undermined efforts to rebuild Iraq's ruined economy.
While he wielded a heavy hand to maintain control, Saddam also sought to win public support with a personality cult that pervaded Iraqi society. Thousands of portraits, posters, statues and murals were erected in his honor all over Iraq. His face could be seen on the sides of office buildings, schools, airports and shops and on Iraq's currency.
Monday, December 18, 2006
you CAN hike in NY
It's mid-December and over 50 degrees in NY. Global warming is the topic of so many conversations. I am just happy I have been able to outside so much. Knowing that winter will come dump on us soon I took the opportunity to head up to the upper west side to walk over the George Washington Bridge and hike a few miles up the Palisades, hugging the river.
It's relieving how easy it was to get into the woods. It's not quite what I'm used to - litter, sounds of traffic, a scary woods that I'm in alone... BUT it was a gorgeous and clear day and there is nothing quite like the view of Manhattan from across the river.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
more cross-country photos
not sure if you can see these, but here are many more from my road trip. they're pretty great!
http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?mode=fromshare&Uc=80hrciv.89lyjzvv&Uy=5f7g1n&Ux=1
http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?mode=fromshare&Uc=80hrciv.89lyjzvv&Uy=5f7g1n&Ux=1
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Union Sq
so. living so close to union square --((but not THAT close))-- is great. yeah it's busy and touristy but really - it's on the mellow side. i never feel like running when i'm around it. and i like the shopping, bars and all that that stems out from it. you know, there's 5th ave. but it's nothing like 5th ave uptown. yes many randoms flock to it. but i still don't feel like i'm claustrophobic when i'm there. and there is the perfect mix of funky business chicks, chelsea hottie couples and proud apple butts.
Today out of nowhere I discovered the Union Sq Holiday Market. Coming in clueless and just ready to walk through the park I was totally amazed by this holiday establishment that I guess is set up for the next month. I found myself wandering through these tent aisles and gleaming at the hard workers/artists in their booths, proud of their stuff and excited for customers. I want to support all of them. I'm such a nerd like that. They smile at me, I see their hard work behind them, I see them bunded up in small open tents in the cold, with tiny space heaters giving them the smallest bellow of life on their ankles. And I just want to support them.
i don't agree with this conviction.
http://nyc.metblogs.com/archives/2005/12/union_square_ho.phtml
Today out of nowhere I discovered the Union Sq Holiday Market. Coming in clueless and just ready to walk through the park I was totally amazed by this holiday establishment that I guess is set up for the next month. I found myself wandering through these tent aisles and gleaming at the hard workers/artists in their booths, proud of their stuff and excited for customers. I want to support all of them. I'm such a nerd like that. They smile at me, I see their hard work behind them, I see them bunded up in small open tents in the cold, with tiny space heaters giving them the smallest bellow of life on their ankles. And I just want to support them.
i don't agree with this conviction.
http://nyc.metblogs.com/archives/2005/12/union_square_ho.phtml
Gobo, West Village(ish)
http://www.goborestaurant.com/
So far this is my favorite vegi restaurant and by FAR my favorite delivery place. Everything is vegitarian and they have amazing MEALS, not dishes. And organic smoothies, juices, etc. And cheap for an amazing gourmet, vegitarian place. Love Gobo.
So far this is my favorite vegi restaurant and by FAR my favorite delivery place. Everything is vegitarian and they have amazing MEALS, not dishes. And organic smoothies, juices, etc. And cheap for an amazing gourmet, vegitarian place. Love Gobo.
i just turned 30!
5 minutes ago!
OH. the pure ecstasy of this moment is beyond the means of speech. or writing. 30 is not a goal. it's not a fearful ending. it's not something i've even thought, worried, feared or theorized about at all. to me, it's within the blurr of ages that you are when your life is all coming to a point. when you get who you are, way more than you got who you were in all those other years that you did (get...). you're just you. and for me, and i hope most people are at this place in their lives, it's beautiful. it's lovely.
i have a lovely world. i play a lovely role in it. it never ceases to amaze me... shock me... kick me... make me feel like the best person on it... confuse me... rain on me... challenge me... bliss me out... make me really busy...
it shares it's beauty with me in so many forms. it serenades me. it makes me smile. it keeps me company when i am alone and smiles back at me... it makes me laugh. all the time. ALL the time! yayyyyy for that~!
ok a lot of the time. my birthday wish for myself is:
(WOW, this is challenging)
be strong
smile
allow your heart to open constantly. a friend and a stranger will appreciate it.
just love. love. love.
keep learning. you are not a retainer. don't feel like you are close-minded when you can't remember all the worldliness you've been exposed to.
work hard, because you love how you feel when you do.
don't let yourself stay in bed because it's so cozy. wake up. go into the world.
remember... today could be your last day. if you were gone tomorrow, would you regret anything about today?
do every little thing you feel a spark to, unless your real ethics tell you it's not ethically right. don't hurt anyone or anything. but if you want to try something... experience something... prove something to yourself or someone else... do it with all your heart. your big, big heart.
happy birthday to me :)
i'm blushing!
OH. the pure ecstasy of this moment is beyond the means of speech. or writing. 30 is not a goal. it's not a fearful ending. it's not something i've even thought, worried, feared or theorized about at all. to me, it's within the blurr of ages that you are when your life is all coming to a point. when you get who you are, way more than you got who you were in all those other years that you did (get...). you're just you. and for me, and i hope most people are at this place in their lives, it's beautiful. it's lovely.
i have a lovely world. i play a lovely role in it. it never ceases to amaze me... shock me... kick me... make me feel like the best person on it... confuse me... rain on me... challenge me... bliss me out... make me really busy...
it shares it's beauty with me in so many forms. it serenades me. it makes me smile. it keeps me company when i am alone and smiles back at me... it makes me laugh. all the time. ALL the time! yayyyyy for that~!
ok a lot of the time. my birthday wish for myself is:
(WOW, this is challenging)
be strong
smile
allow your heart to open constantly. a friend and a stranger will appreciate it.
just love. love. love.
keep learning. you are not a retainer. don't feel like you are close-minded when you can't remember all the worldliness you've been exposed to.
work hard, because you love how you feel when you do.
don't let yourself stay in bed because it's so cozy. wake up. go into the world.
remember... today could be your last day. if you were gone tomorrow, would you regret anything about today?
do every little thing you feel a spark to, unless your real ethics tell you it's not ethically right. don't hurt anyone or anything. but if you want to try something... experience something... prove something to yourself or someone else... do it with all your heart. your big, big heart.
happy birthday to me :)
i'm blushing!
Friday, November 17, 2006
Westside Market
Massive organic and gourmet food market less than 1 block away? Check.
www.wsmarketnyc.com
All I have to say is 10 different kids of fresh, prepared tofu salad. Ya hear that? Brilliant.
www.wsmarketnyc.com
All I have to say is 10 different kids of fresh, prepared tofu salad. Ya hear that? Brilliant.
Union Sq Greenmarket
Farmers market 2 blocks from apt? Check.
http://www.edinformatics.com/culinaryarts/food_markets/union_square_greenmarket.htm
Union Square Farmer's Market operates year-round and is open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.
http://www.edinformatics.com/culinaryarts/food_markets/union_square_greenmarket.htm
Union Square Farmer's Market operates year-round and is open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
emotions of color
(from creativebehavior.com. thanks bok bok!)
Applying color principles fosters desired audience response. Warm colors tend to "move toward you" while cool colors tend to "move away from you." So a designer can use warm colors for emphasis and cool colors to minimize emphasis. Brighter colors attract our eyes first, and if overused, can cause visual confusion. Overusing a bright color as an accent reduces its effectiveness.
Emotional responses influence color considerations, and differences in color value and intensity can evoke very different emotional reactions. Light red is associated with cheerfulness, but bright or dark red can induce irritability. Light yellow-green is associated with freshness and youth, but the darker shade olive is associated with drabness and decay. Light sky blue is associated with tranquility, but the deeper value indigo is associated with depression.
Basically, in North American mainstream culture, the following meanings are signaled by color:
Red: urgency, passion, heat, love, blood, excitement, strength, sex, passion, speed, danger
Yellow: warmth, sunshine, cheer, happiness, cowardice, brightness
Blue: truth, dignity, power, coolness, melancholy, heaviness, trust, reliability, belonging, coolness
Orange: playfulness, warmth, vibrant
Green: nature, health, cheerfulness, environment, money, vegetation, nature, fresh, cool, growth, abundance
Purple: wealth, royalty, sophistication, intelligence, royal, spirituality, dignity
Pink: soft, sweet, nurture, security
Black: sophistication, elegant, seductive, mystery, death, rebellion, strength, evil
White: purity, cleanliness, lightness, emptiness, pure, virginal, clean, youthful, mild
Gold: prestige, expensive
Silver: prestige, cold, scientific
List above compiled from www.ergogero.com/FAQ/Part5/2Meaning.html and www.keysteps.com/Tips&Articles/feature3.htm
Notice how a particular color may have both a positive and negative connotation? This emphasizes the importance of careful color selection and coordination.
Different cultures interpret colors differently, and a savvy Web designer can avoid disappointing results and costly re-works by some upfront cultural research. "White is the color of death in Chinese culture, but purple represents death in Brazil. Yellow is sacred to the Chinese, but signified sadness in Greece and jealousy in France. In North America, green is typically associated with jealousy. People from tropical countries respond most favorably to warm colors, people from northern climate prefer the cooler colors" according to Keysteps. [www.keysteps.com/Tips&Articles/feature3.htm]
Imagine the negative first impressions made by selecting a culturally offensive site color scheme. That's only one example of why it's time well-spent considering how color choices support a site's message, its target audience preferences and demographics.
Written by Maura "Chip" Yost'sThis article originally appeared in WebReference.com
Applying color principles fosters desired audience response. Warm colors tend to "move toward you" while cool colors tend to "move away from you." So a designer can use warm colors for emphasis and cool colors to minimize emphasis. Brighter colors attract our eyes first, and if overused, can cause visual confusion. Overusing a bright color as an accent reduces its effectiveness.
Emotional responses influence color considerations, and differences in color value and intensity can evoke very different emotional reactions. Light red is associated with cheerfulness, but bright or dark red can induce irritability. Light yellow-green is associated with freshness and youth, but the darker shade olive is associated with drabness and decay. Light sky blue is associated with tranquility, but the deeper value indigo is associated with depression.
Basically, in North American mainstream culture, the following meanings are signaled by color:
Red: urgency, passion, heat, love, blood, excitement, strength, sex, passion, speed, danger
Yellow: warmth, sunshine, cheer, happiness, cowardice, brightness
Blue: truth, dignity, power, coolness, melancholy, heaviness, trust, reliability, belonging, coolness
Orange: playfulness, warmth, vibrant
Green: nature, health, cheerfulness, environment, money, vegetation, nature, fresh, cool, growth, abundance
Purple: wealth, royalty, sophistication, intelligence, royal, spirituality, dignity
Pink: soft, sweet, nurture, security
Black: sophistication, elegant, seductive, mystery, death, rebellion, strength, evil
White: purity, cleanliness, lightness, emptiness, pure, virginal, clean, youthful, mild
Gold: prestige, expensive
Silver: prestige, cold, scientific
List above compiled from www.ergogero.com/FAQ/Part5/2Meaning.html and www.keysteps.com/Tips&Articles/feature3.htm
Notice how a particular color may have both a positive and negative connotation? This emphasizes the importance of careful color selection and coordination.
Different cultures interpret colors differently, and a savvy Web designer can avoid disappointing results and costly re-works by some upfront cultural research. "White is the color of death in Chinese culture, but purple represents death in Brazil. Yellow is sacred to the Chinese, but signified sadness in Greece and jealousy in France. In North America, green is typically associated with jealousy. People from tropical countries respond most favorably to warm colors, people from northern climate prefer the cooler colors" according to Keysteps. [www.keysteps.com/Tips&Articles/feature3.htm]
Imagine the negative first impressions made by selecting a culturally offensive site color scheme. That's only one example of why it's time well-spent considering how color choices support a site's message, its target audience preferences and demographics.
Written by Maura "Chip" Yost'sThis article originally appeared in WebReference.com
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
i want blue walls
and i found the most amazing paints on the ralph lauren site... and i can go here for them... (must remember, must remember)
RRL Bleecker
390 Bleecker Street
New York, NY
10014212-462-4390
and if it will work, this is what you NEED to see. right now. http://rlhome.polo.com/rlhome/products/paint/items.asp?haid=48&f=lp&start=0
if you go there you can scroll to the bottom and from the hint of red, through the purples, and into the deep blues... you see what i have been seeing in my head. i love this pallet. ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
RRL Bleecker
390 Bleecker Street
New York, NY
10014212-462-4390
and if it will work, this is what you NEED to see. right now. http://rlhome.polo.com/rlhome/products/paint/items.asp?haid=48&f=lp&start=0
if you go there you can scroll to the bottom and from the hint of red, through the purples, and into the deep blues... you see what i have been seeing in my head. i love this pallet. ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Monday, November 13, 2006
more ideas for apartment decor
The beautiful rooms featured here were the result of a joint project undertaken by the National Paint and Coatings Association and Woman's Day magazine for an article in the May 1981 issue of the magazine. Themed, Paint Tricks, Techniques and Treatments, the idea of the project was to actually transform a new, unadorned home with interesting uses of paint. The association hired an interior designer to create a houseful of fresh and exciting paint uses for the Virginia home chosen for the project. The result was a house with paint that looks like paneling and paint that looks like a satin wallcovering — rooms that were architecturally bland became stunning with rich new color combinations and clever paint tricks. The house became a showcase for the special versatility and beauty that only paint can offer in home decorating.
Perhaps the best aspect of the paint treatments used in the house is that they can all be done by the do-it-yourselfer with this explanation of how the techniques were done — a helpful guide whether you plan to do the painting yourself or oversee a contractor's work.
Living RoomThe living room in the house selected for the project was long and narrow. It had only two small windows at the front of the room, and no architecturally redeeming features.
Color and unique paint treatments were used to change the room from average-looking to something special. The walls were painted peach and the ceiling became sky blue — to brighten the dark room. A deeper peach was used to paint a ceiling border, since no decorative molding had been built into the room. The final distinction was made by outlining each window with a floral stencil to accentuate the floral fabric of the draperies. The back wall of the room was painted a shade lighter than the other walls. This helped to offset the problem of limited natural light
StencilingThe stencil pattern used in the living room is versatile — designed to work well with many different floral prints simply by changing the colors. Other stencil designs may be purchased at decorating centers and craft stores. Or, if you aren't satisfied with what is available in stores, you can make your own stencil using materials available in most office or art supply stores.
Here's how:
Find a design that you like or use your creativity to design your own. A simple pattern is best — one that will be easy to trace, cut out, and paint.
Transfer the design onto a piece of clear acetate by tracing it with a wax pencil.
Using an artist's knife with a #11 blade, carefully cut out the design.
To apply the stencil design to a wall:
Measure the stencil as well as the distance of the area you will apply it to.
Compute how many times the design will be repeated, allowing for a neat arrangement at corners.
Hold the stencil in place and lightly mark the wall where the design should appear. You might want to reverse the design by flipping the stencil over each time it is painted, creating a more interesting pattern.
Before painting, tape the stencil to the wall to keep it in place.
Using fine artist's brushes, a sponge brush, a regular bristle brush, or even your finger, outline or completely fill in the design with either a latex or oil-based interior paint in your choice of colors.
Work slowly and use a small amount of paint on the applicator.
Wipe off the stencil each time it is moved to prevent paint smears.
Painting a Ceiling BorderBuilders rarely include crown molding in a new home these days. Homeowners can install it themselves as a decorative accent, or they can paint a border at the ceiling line as the designer chose to do in the living room, master bedroom and study of the house. To paint a ceiling border in a room of your house:
Prime the ceiling and walls.
Measure the border using a wooden yardstick to ensure a straight line. Mark the outer edges with a pencil or chalk. (Our living room border extended two inches onto the ceiling and three inches down onto the wall. In the master bedroom and study, the border extended two inches onto the ceiling and four inches onto the wall.)
Cover the sections of the ceiling and wall adjacent to the border with plastic tape. (We suggest using a plastic tape designed for painting racing stripes on automobiles. Unlike paper masking tape, the special tape will not allow paint to seep beneath its edges. It can be purchased at well-stocked paint stores or auto supply stores.)
Paint the border in your choice of interior wall paints.
Allow the border to dry, then remove the tape from the ceiling and walls.
Tape the border for protection while painting the walls and ceiling. Remove the tape when all walls have dried.
Dining RoomThe dining room in the home had similar beginnings to the living room — it was a bland room with no architectural details. The designer decided to remedy that situation by continuing the tudor theme found on the home's exterior. She had the ceiling painted mauve for a flattering dining atmosphere and she suggested a sand finish textured paint on the main part of the walls for a stucco effect.
A special paint treatment which simulates fine wood paneling was used for trimwork and the lower third of the walls and became the room's best feature. Without fail, first-time visitors to the house thought the dining room had been paneled and had difficulty believing that it was a creative paint treatment instead!
Simulating Wood PanelingThe simulated wood paneling effect was achieved with wood molding and tinted glaze. Glaze, a versatile coating used for many special paint techniques, can be purchased in ready-mix form at good paint stores. To get a certain color, the clear gaze is tinted with universal tinting colors — also available at well-stocked paint stores. Here's how you can use wood molding, paint and glaze to achieve the same wood paneling effect in your home:
Install crown molding along the ceiling line and chair rail molding about one-third of the way up the wall. Between the chair rail molding and baseboard, install strips of panel molding in evenly spaced rectangles.
Prime the molding with an alkyd enamel undercoat tinted slightly with universal tinting colors to match the color of the base coat of paint.
Lightly sand over the primer coat.
Caulk the molding at the joints.
Fill all nail head holes with putty.
Apply the base coat of paint to the crown molding, window trim, chair rail molding, baseboard, and the wall section below the chair rail. To determine what color base coat to use, select a sample piece of real wood paneling you would like to copy. Match the base coat to the lightest shade in the sample. A paint retailer will match and mix it for you.
Next, tint your glaze with universal tinting colors. Match the glaze coat to the darkest shade in the sample piece of paneling. Use a ratio of between 5 and 10 percent tinting color to the amount of paint -- or, less than one pint of tinting color per gallon of paint. We recommend adding a small amount of tinting color and then testing the mixture on sample wallboard. Keep adding the tint and testing the glaze until you get the exact color you want.
After the paint base is completely dry, brush a coat of the tinted glaze over it.
Allow the glaze to set about 10 minutes so that the solvents it contains may evaporate. Timing is important the glaze should set (it will begin to look dull), not dry.
Using coarse, dry brushes brush the surface in the order and directions shown in figure 2. You will probably need both a two-inch and a four-inch brush. The brushing directions are important in achieving the wood grain effect, so work carefully. If a section of the wall is too long for one smooth brush stroke, brush in from each end and blend the strokes by overlapping them near the middle of the panel.
Next, splatter a small amount of glaze lightly onto the wall and molding with a stiff-bristle brush. This prevents a too-perfect look by creating slight variations in the depth of color and by subtly adding texture to the finish.
Let the glaze dry for 24 hours and protect the finish with a low lustre/satin varnish.
Master BedroomA shimmering deep blue wall created with a special paint combing technique — lent luxury to the master bedroom. A putty color paint used for trimwork and the adjoining dressing room worked well with the blue to add a warm, welcoming feeling.
Combing A WallThe bedroom wall looked as if it were covered in moire -- an expensive, satin-like fabric — but it was actually combed paint. The technique of paint combing is done by first covering a wall with one or two coats of regular paint. Next, a coat of glaze is applied over the paint base. Then a toothed instrument is used to comb through the glaze. The result of this special paint technique is so beautiful that it may seem difficult to achieve, but you'll be surprised how easily you can create the same effect:
First, apply a primer-sealer to the walls, tinted to match the color you plan to paint the walls.
If you are combing only one wall as an accent, paint the other walls first.
For the paint base on the wall to be combed, mix the color you used on the other walls with white paint. (Combing will darken the color of a wall.) A 50/50 ratio is recommended. However, if you choose to make your accent wall darker than the others, don't lighten your wall paint.
Tint a ready-mix glaze with universal tinting colors to match the color of the wall (see glaze tinting instructions).
After the paint has dried, brush the glaze over the entire wall.
Allow the glaze to set about 10 minutes — until the surface begins to look dull. Be careful to let the glaze set not dry — or it will be impossible to comb.
Combing, or striating is done with a metal paint comb made specifically for this type of work, and available at well-stocked paint stores. (Although the bedroom wall was combed straight down, combing can be done in any direction. Another popular version is cross-hatching — combing the wall once straight down and once across the wall horizontally. Or, comb the wall diagonally — starting at the upper left hand corner and working toward the lower right hand corner. If you are really adventurous, comb in wavy lines instead of straight ones!)
Comb the wall twice, overlapping the second line between adjacent comb strokes
Wipe the glaze off the comb after each stroke to prevent glaze from building up. Don't worry about keeping a steady hand or applying consistent pressure — these inevitable irregularities help create the satiny appearance you want.
Allow the glaze to dry for 24 hours, then apply a low lustre/satin varnish for protection.
Perhaps the best aspect of the paint treatments used in the house is that they can all be done by the do-it-yourselfer with this explanation of how the techniques were done — a helpful guide whether you plan to do the painting yourself or oversee a contractor's work.
Living RoomThe living room in the house selected for the project was long and narrow. It had only two small windows at the front of the room, and no architecturally redeeming features.
Color and unique paint treatments were used to change the room from average-looking to something special. The walls were painted peach and the ceiling became sky blue — to brighten the dark room. A deeper peach was used to paint a ceiling border, since no decorative molding had been built into the room. The final distinction was made by outlining each window with a floral stencil to accentuate the floral fabric of the draperies. The back wall of the room was painted a shade lighter than the other walls. This helped to offset the problem of limited natural light
StencilingThe stencil pattern used in the living room is versatile — designed to work well with many different floral prints simply by changing the colors. Other stencil designs may be purchased at decorating centers and craft stores. Or, if you aren't satisfied with what is available in stores, you can make your own stencil using materials available in most office or art supply stores.
Here's how:
Find a design that you like or use your creativity to design your own. A simple pattern is best — one that will be easy to trace, cut out, and paint.
Transfer the design onto a piece of clear acetate by tracing it with a wax pencil.
Using an artist's knife with a #11 blade, carefully cut out the design.
To apply the stencil design to a wall:
Measure the stencil as well as the distance of the area you will apply it to.
Compute how many times the design will be repeated, allowing for a neat arrangement at corners.
Hold the stencil in place and lightly mark the wall where the design should appear. You might want to reverse the design by flipping the stencil over each time it is painted, creating a more interesting pattern.
Before painting, tape the stencil to the wall to keep it in place.
Using fine artist's brushes, a sponge brush, a regular bristle brush, or even your finger, outline or completely fill in the design with either a latex or oil-based interior paint in your choice of colors.
Work slowly and use a small amount of paint on the applicator.
Wipe off the stencil each time it is moved to prevent paint smears.
Painting a Ceiling BorderBuilders rarely include crown molding in a new home these days. Homeowners can install it themselves as a decorative accent, or they can paint a border at the ceiling line as the designer chose to do in the living room, master bedroom and study of the house. To paint a ceiling border in a room of your house:
Prime the ceiling and walls.
Measure the border using a wooden yardstick to ensure a straight line. Mark the outer edges with a pencil or chalk. (Our living room border extended two inches onto the ceiling and three inches down onto the wall. In the master bedroom and study, the border extended two inches onto the ceiling and four inches onto the wall.)
Cover the sections of the ceiling and wall adjacent to the border with plastic tape. (We suggest using a plastic tape designed for painting racing stripes on automobiles. Unlike paper masking tape, the special tape will not allow paint to seep beneath its edges. It can be purchased at well-stocked paint stores or auto supply stores.)
Paint the border in your choice of interior wall paints.
Allow the border to dry, then remove the tape from the ceiling and walls.
Tape the border for protection while painting the walls and ceiling. Remove the tape when all walls have dried.
Dining RoomThe dining room in the home had similar beginnings to the living room — it was a bland room with no architectural details. The designer decided to remedy that situation by continuing the tudor theme found on the home's exterior. She had the ceiling painted mauve for a flattering dining atmosphere and she suggested a sand finish textured paint on the main part of the walls for a stucco effect.
A special paint treatment which simulates fine wood paneling was used for trimwork and the lower third of the walls and became the room's best feature. Without fail, first-time visitors to the house thought the dining room had been paneled and had difficulty believing that it was a creative paint treatment instead!
Simulating Wood PanelingThe simulated wood paneling effect was achieved with wood molding and tinted glaze. Glaze, a versatile coating used for many special paint techniques, can be purchased in ready-mix form at good paint stores. To get a certain color, the clear gaze is tinted with universal tinting colors — also available at well-stocked paint stores. Here's how you can use wood molding, paint and glaze to achieve the same wood paneling effect in your home:
Install crown molding along the ceiling line and chair rail molding about one-third of the way up the wall. Between the chair rail molding and baseboard, install strips of panel molding in evenly spaced rectangles.
Prime the molding with an alkyd enamel undercoat tinted slightly with universal tinting colors to match the color of the base coat of paint.
Lightly sand over the primer coat.
Caulk the molding at the joints.
Fill all nail head holes with putty.
Apply the base coat of paint to the crown molding, window trim, chair rail molding, baseboard, and the wall section below the chair rail. To determine what color base coat to use, select a sample piece of real wood paneling you would like to copy. Match the base coat to the lightest shade in the sample. A paint retailer will match and mix it for you.
Next, tint your glaze with universal tinting colors. Match the glaze coat to the darkest shade in the sample piece of paneling. Use a ratio of between 5 and 10 percent tinting color to the amount of paint -- or, less than one pint of tinting color per gallon of paint. We recommend adding a small amount of tinting color and then testing the mixture on sample wallboard. Keep adding the tint and testing the glaze until you get the exact color you want.
After the paint base is completely dry, brush a coat of the tinted glaze over it.
Allow the glaze to set about 10 minutes so that the solvents it contains may evaporate. Timing is important the glaze should set (it will begin to look dull), not dry.
Using coarse, dry brushes brush the surface in the order and directions shown in figure 2. You will probably need both a two-inch and a four-inch brush. The brushing directions are important in achieving the wood grain effect, so work carefully. If a section of the wall is too long for one smooth brush stroke, brush in from each end and blend the strokes by overlapping them near the middle of the panel.
Next, splatter a small amount of glaze lightly onto the wall and molding with a stiff-bristle brush. This prevents a too-perfect look by creating slight variations in the depth of color and by subtly adding texture to the finish.
Let the glaze dry for 24 hours and protect the finish with a low lustre/satin varnish.
Master BedroomA shimmering deep blue wall created with a special paint combing technique — lent luxury to the master bedroom. A putty color paint used for trimwork and the adjoining dressing room worked well with the blue to add a warm, welcoming feeling.
Combing A WallThe bedroom wall looked as if it were covered in moire -- an expensive, satin-like fabric — but it was actually combed paint. The technique of paint combing is done by first covering a wall with one or two coats of regular paint. Next, a coat of glaze is applied over the paint base. Then a toothed instrument is used to comb through the glaze. The result of this special paint technique is so beautiful that it may seem difficult to achieve, but you'll be surprised how easily you can create the same effect:
First, apply a primer-sealer to the walls, tinted to match the color you plan to paint the walls.
If you are combing only one wall as an accent, paint the other walls first.
For the paint base on the wall to be combed, mix the color you used on the other walls with white paint. (Combing will darken the color of a wall.) A 50/50 ratio is recommended. However, if you choose to make your accent wall darker than the others, don't lighten your wall paint.
Tint a ready-mix glaze with universal tinting colors to match the color of the wall (see glaze tinting instructions).
After the paint has dried, brush the glaze over the entire wall.
Allow the glaze to set about 10 minutes — until the surface begins to look dull. Be careful to let the glaze set not dry — or it will be impossible to comb.
Combing, or striating is done with a metal paint comb made specifically for this type of work, and available at well-stocked paint stores. (Although the bedroom wall was combed straight down, combing can be done in any direction. Another popular version is cross-hatching — combing the wall once straight down and once across the wall horizontally. Or, comb the wall diagonally — starting at the upper left hand corner and working toward the lower right hand corner. If you are really adventurous, comb in wavy lines instead of straight ones!)
Comb the wall twice, overlapping the second line between adjacent comb strokes
Wipe the glaze off the comb after each stroke to prevent glaze from building up. Don't worry about keeping a steady hand or applying consistent pressure — these inevitable irregularities help create the satiny appearance you want.
Allow the glaze to dry for 24 hours, then apply a low lustre/satin varnish for protection.
Walls, Windows and Floors
advice from move:
The designer's motto is: If your walls, windows and floors are well taken care of, all else will fall into place. You'll be surprised how attractive curtains, a tasteful arrangement of artwork and thick, quality rugs on your floors really make your room feel warm and complete.
Put these on your shopping list:
Collection of a series of old botanical prints, maps, paintings of animals or ceramic plates
Curtains or shades in colorful, quality fabrics
Architectural salvage to create a "built-in" dimensional feeling
Paint on the walls, if your landlord agrees
Large area rugs in living room and bedroom, even placing on top of wall-to-wall
Create a custom look with highly-styled designer curtain rods and finials.
Make good use of unique scatter rugs for kitchen, hallways, bathroom.
Whether braided ovals, flat dhurries or bound Wilton remnants from your local carpet shop, rugs add warmth and color while absorbing noise. Be sure to use a quality pad.
Curtains are apartment essentials for privacy in living room, bedroom, kitchen and bath. Make yours full and dramatic in olive velvet, shapely and natural in burlap or muslin, romantic and ruffled in chintz. Curtains let your personality shine through and suggest a polished finish. Create a custom look with highly-styled designer curtain rods and finials. Look for elegant gold-brushed artichokes, acorns, lions' heads and abstract geometrics.
Tricks of the TradeSearch for four tall, old shutters at a garage sale or flea market. Prop them up on the windowsill, gently leaning their tops against the window frame to create a fitted wooden "curtain."
Instead of hanging one lonely picture, cover your walls with a collection of photos.
Create a "wallscape." Instead of hanging one lonely picture, cover your walls with six botanical prints arranged in rows, a collection of rich green majolica plates, 12 black-and-white art photographs framed with extra-large matting. A collection is better for filling the big expanse of walls often found in newer apartments.
Use old architectural salvage crafted from wood or iron. Find an interesting piece the width of your door and hang directly above it to fake a molding or door surround. Seek out interesting, carved pieces featuring fruit, eagles, cherubs or iron grillwork.
Not enough can be said about the power of color. In many states, a landlord is required by law to paint an apartment before any new tenant moves in. Ask him if a pale shade of blue, salmon, yellow or cream could replace the stark "apartment white" (paler colors are easier to paint over later). Painting even one wall gives a room an immense lift and acts as a mood enhancer—it's worth asking your landlord.
Use storage solutions that do double duty as display. Hang eight attractive hat hooks in your tiny entryway to show off your straw and woolen hats. An iron pot rack hung from the kitchen ceiling displays your basket collection. A coat rack in the boudoir turns into an elegant display of lacy lingerie and silk robes. Use tables that have shelves beneath for holding books, magazines and pottery.
The designer's motto is: If your walls, windows and floors are well taken care of, all else will fall into place. You'll be surprised how attractive curtains, a tasteful arrangement of artwork and thick, quality rugs on your floors really make your room feel warm and complete.
Put these on your shopping list:
Collection of a series of old botanical prints, maps, paintings of animals or ceramic plates
Curtains or shades in colorful, quality fabrics
Architectural salvage to create a "built-in" dimensional feeling
Paint on the walls, if your landlord agrees
Large area rugs in living room and bedroom, even placing on top of wall-to-wall
Create a custom look with highly-styled designer curtain rods and finials.
Make good use of unique scatter rugs for kitchen, hallways, bathroom.
Whether braided ovals, flat dhurries or bound Wilton remnants from your local carpet shop, rugs add warmth and color while absorbing noise. Be sure to use a quality pad.
Curtains are apartment essentials for privacy in living room, bedroom, kitchen and bath. Make yours full and dramatic in olive velvet, shapely and natural in burlap or muslin, romantic and ruffled in chintz. Curtains let your personality shine through and suggest a polished finish. Create a custom look with highly-styled designer curtain rods and finials. Look for elegant gold-brushed artichokes, acorns, lions' heads and abstract geometrics.
Tricks of the TradeSearch for four tall, old shutters at a garage sale or flea market. Prop them up on the windowsill, gently leaning their tops against the window frame to create a fitted wooden "curtain."
Instead of hanging one lonely picture, cover your walls with a collection of photos.
Create a "wallscape." Instead of hanging one lonely picture, cover your walls with six botanical prints arranged in rows, a collection of rich green majolica plates, 12 black-and-white art photographs framed with extra-large matting. A collection is better for filling the big expanse of walls often found in newer apartments.
Use old architectural salvage crafted from wood or iron. Find an interesting piece the width of your door and hang directly above it to fake a molding or door surround. Seek out interesting, carved pieces featuring fruit, eagles, cherubs or iron grillwork.
Not enough can be said about the power of color. In many states, a landlord is required by law to paint an apartment before any new tenant moves in. Ask him if a pale shade of blue, salmon, yellow or cream could replace the stark "apartment white" (paler colors are easier to paint over later). Painting even one wall gives a room an immense lift and acts as a mood enhancer—it's worth asking your landlord.
Use storage solutions that do double duty as display. Hang eight attractive hat hooks in your tiny entryway to show off your straw and woolen hats. An iron pot rack hung from the kitchen ceiling displays your basket collection. A coat rack in the boudoir turns into an elegant display of lacy lingerie and silk robes. Use tables that have shelves beneath for holding books, magazines and pottery.
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