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Thursday, February 21, 2013
My New Spring Butterick Patterns!
here). It's so hard to find a great shelf bust dress pattern in my size! So I made one, thanks to my friends at Butterick. The "shelf" is a pleated bust inset that's framed by a bias strap. (Interesting tidbit: I had intended the straps to be worn with a twist at the edge of the bodice, but they're straight in these pictures and look great that way too!)
The bodice is steel boned and has a waist stay for support. The skirt is a 3/4 circle with gores at the princess lines. The fabric is divine--an embroidered shantung from B&J. It looks like strawberries, but they're actually little rose buds. The red contrast is silk taffeta.
The next one, B5895, is totally different: casual separates. The perfect thing to wear to a picnic or on a camping trip!
This model is totally doing it for me, by the way. Love that wicked grin.
What do you think? I so hope you like the new patterns. I can't wait to make them in my size (sewing in a sample size is no fun at all!) so I'm sure I'll be writing about them more very soon.
126 comments:
I saw these today on another blog, that was super excited for them to be released.. everyone's comments were pretty much like this..ReplyDelete
AHHHHHHHHH they are adorable!! Can't wait to sew these.. so Cute!! haha :)
Good work
How cute...I love the red-white dress! Makes us feel like a little girl again ;)ReplyDelete
Wow Gertie. These are adorable!ReplyDelete
Cute! I detect a Marilyn Monroe inspiration on both these designs!ReplyDelete
Beautiful designs love them both.ReplyDelete
That dress is just gorgeous! I really like the shelf bust look, but I'm afraid it might look absurd on someone who (like me) is fairly well endowed. I guess I'll have to make it up to find out :)ReplyDelete
I love the dress and the jeans. BUT I wish there was a good front view of the jeans (not a drawing) because I'd really like to see the fit!ReplyDelete
Thank you so much! your ideas are amazing!
- AnonymousFebruary 21, 2013 at 7:39 AM
I love the dress!!!!!! It is simply amazing-such great details. That dress already motivates me to get back behind the machine and try to improve my skills..hope is always thereReplyDelete
How did you know I've been trolling ebay for a dress with a shelf bust in my size that isn't $1,000,000,000,000.00?!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 21, 2013 at 7:47 AM
I saw these yesterday, too, and nearly DIED!!! That dress is a stunner!! And the casual outfit is just precious, and just perfect for my skill level.. I can't wait to buy them!!ReplyDelete
Can I just say, thank you so much for all the hard work that you're doing to contribute to the sewing community. :) Your designs are so inspiring, and they're what make sewing fun for the rest of us!
Congratulations, Gertie!
xo ~ Amanda
Must.Have.Them.Now :DReplyDelete
All these patterns are awesome!I absolutely love the dress, but I was especially on the hunt for a capri/pedal pushers pattern...and this one totally fits the bill! Congratulations!ReplyDelete
Love them and can't wait to give them a try!!!ReplyDelete
I'm so in love with both of these.ReplyDelete
I'm def going to snag them both. I'm interested to see what pants that high waisted will look like on a more "ample" lady like myself.
I love both! I am 21 weeks pregnant so I can't justify making the self bust dress at the moment, but that top with a high waisted pencil skirt?! I think it has to happen. It might not be perfect but it sure will be cute.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 21, 2013 at 8:08 AM
I got the email from Butterick about their new patterns this morning, and the moment I saw your patterns I came immediately to your blog to let you know that this dress is AMAZING and I can't wait to sew it up.ReplyDelete
It's been a long time since I've been this excited about a Big 4 pattern. You are awesome!
Oh Gertie, they are beautiful! Scrumptious, too!ReplyDelete
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee [deep breath] eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee ....ReplyDelete
So cute! I'm with the other folks, I haven't been this excited about Big 4 patterns in a long time.
LOVE these! Congratulations Gretchen! I'm totes making those pedal pushers, I love them so much. In the last comment I left on your blog I think I mentioned Dorothy Malone in Written By the Wind, and this is EXACTLY the look I was talking about - and you'd already done it, brills!!ReplyDelete
Nothing like a good shelf bust too (ahem), shame I don't wear sleeveless tops, but maybe I could add some sleeves if I need a posh dress... xx
I love the retro pants. The model reminds me of Marianne from Gilligan's Island. And the dress - fabulous. When is the next Butterick sale?ReplyDelete
I'll definitely be getting the dress pattern, maybe for my brother's wedding.ReplyDelete
They are both fab patterns...congratulations!
Both are amazing.ReplyDelete
I LOVE it!ReplyDelete
A sew along for the dress would be awesome! :)
Love from ViennaReplies
I agree! I'm sure you had a hand in the directions as well, but Gertie, would you be willing to do a sew-along for people who are beginners and haven't done boning, etc.?Delete
I would love a sew along too! Especially for the capris. I've never made pants before. Even some awesome Gertie tips would be great!Delete
OH GOD I'M DYING.ReplyDelete
Yaba Diba Dam Pam Pam! That's my original uncensored reaction of excitement.. I love the jeans! And the bust shelf.. That's a good one!ReplyDelete
I will definitely be making both separates from B5895, I LOVE them! Good to know the bodice of the blouse can be lengthened too! Congratulations on what I'm sure will be another two successful patterns. xReplyDelete
Congratulations on your success! The patterns are fun! The shirt is my favorite.ReplyDelete
That is one gorgeous dress! Somehow I don't think wearing it around the house to vacuum would do it justice, but who cares? It's too cute not to make!ReplyDelete
Oh! I wanted to make a dress just like that!!!!! :D You're making my life so much easier now that I don't have to try to figure out how to draft a pattern like that!!!!!!ReplyDelete
I would love to see what this dress looks like on a fuller chest as it is a little difficult to imagine.ReplyDeleteReplies
I've made dresses and tops with similar styles before. I would say you might want to muslin the bodice and raise the height of the contrast piece. Otherwise I think that style is great on a bigger bust. It's a sexy look so I think it works if you're comfortable with that.Delete
Aww Gertie yay! I love the dress so pretty but I think I have got to rush out and get B 8595 I have desperately been looking around for a cute pants pattern and tops for myself! Adorable and congrats on your successes!!!!ReplyDelete
ZOMG I LOVE THAT DRESS FABRIC! But I can't find it on the BJ site :-(ReplyDelete
I will definitely be making this once I find the perfect fabric :-)
- AnonymousFebruary 21, 2013 at 9:22 AM
As you probably guessed from your Twitter feed, we love!ReplyDelete
Love that dress pattern! I see they give finished measurements for the bust, hip and back length, but I was curious if you know what the width of the lower edge of the dress is? Vintage skirt/dress patterns always seem to note this measurement which I find really useful, as it let's me determine if the skirt will be too full around the bottom or not. As much as I love me some full skirts, I have learned that TOO full is not flattering on me, and that measurement really helps!ReplyDelete
Love the separates!! Those capris, swoon!ReplyDelete
Amazing patterns!! I love the dress! I think the shelf is a lot smaller than your examples in the blogpost you mentioned but I think that is far more better and much more in time. The separates are lovely. I made a jeans pattern similar to yours by copying my favourite trousers with a raised waist and making jeans of them :)ReplyDelete
YES!!! I have been longing for a pattern with a 'shelf bust' since seeing Suki in a fab dress in True Blood years ago. Not having the skills to draft it myself I have been searching high and low for a suitable pattern - so thank you for reading my mind!!!! Cannot wait to get my hands on this. But I have just started making a hybrid of your B5813 so the shelf bust dress will have to wait for now.ReplyDelete
SO cute, Gretchen! Both patterns are sure to be a hit. Congratulations!ReplyDelete
I am loving the capris so much!! I saw some great polka dot denim the other day that would be great for these!ReplyDelete
Oh my word, these are even more beautiful than the first lot!!!ReplyDelete
I love it all!!! I really need to get cracking on some simpler patterns before I tackle something like this, but I NEED all of those garments! :) Thank you, Gertie!ReplyDelete
The dress is awesome. I was looking for a similar neckline and all I could find was a free pattern that seems risky. I´m so glad you designed that pattern, this is so beautiful. And knowing you, I'm sure the instruction are easy to follow! This is perfect for this summer :)ReplyDelete
The dress is awesome! And comically, I was a bit surprised when I opened this post in my RSS feed this morning to see a girl I went to high school with. Made my day!ReplyDelete
Wow, you have outdone yourself--these are terrific! Both styles are long overdue in the pattern world, and I can't wait to give them a try. Thanks Gertie, for getting out there and making this happen!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 21, 2013 at 11:34 AM
I very much covet both patterns. :)ReplyDelete
Also, I clicked through to B&J Fabrics, when you mentioned the source for the embroidered shantung for the shelf bust dress - and now I am coveting numerous Liberty fabrics and mourning the prices. Alas.
There's a couple that would be exquisite for the shirtdress pattern in your book, so I guess I'll just have to save up. ^_^
Gertie, they are lovely. But they stop at size 20, which is much too small for me. I'll probably pass on these. But congrats!ReplyDelete
Oh my gosh, you're like, famous! The dress is uh-mazing!ReplyDelete
LOOOOVE the new patterns and the new book topic! You are on a roll, indeed :-). I'll add these to my list, for sure.ReplyDelete
The shirt is officially on my need to sew list! Love it!ReplyDelete
As an aside, I am LOVING how they have photos of the models standing straight. Makes it so much easier to see how the garment will look when it isn't over "modeled".ReplyDelete
Oooh...I hope this separates pattern is a taste of what we'll be seeing in your Vintage Casual book! LOVE both of these patterns! LOVE!ReplyDelete
AAHH!! I am so excited! That dress is just amazing!ReplyDelete
Adore the dress! The shelf bust is amazing!ReplyDelete
You did good Gertie :)ReplyDelete
The dress is gorgeous! It reminds me a lot of what I love about dirndls. However, I can't get away with wearing them much outside of Bavaria (except on Halloween). I can't wait to make thisReplyDelete
Love the jeans and shirt absolutely fabulous can't wait to make themReplyDelete
Amazing!! I was JUST thinking I Was going to have to try my hand at dreafting that EXACT DRESS!!! I'm headed to Viva las Vegas at the end of the March and have to make up both the dress and the pants for that!!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 21, 2013 at 2:13 PM
I love the shelf bust!!! I will absolutely be getting that pattern!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 21, 2013 at 2:18 PM
One question, actually - How would you alter the shelf bust dress for a full bust? That model is very slim up top.ReplyDelete
Totes amazeballs!!!!!ReplyDelete
The dress is divine... Will so be making this one up.
Love the top and jeans as well (unfortunately my little pear shape won't work with the jeans but the shirt. mmmm)
As always Gretchen... Your the best.
They are amazing! I love the dress with the steel boning and the separates are tres cute!! Great design work!!ReplyDelete
I couldn't wait to share the pic of that fabulous dress with my vintage sewing group friends on facebook today (most of whom are already big fans of yours!). How soon will it be available in the UK? There's rather a large queue forming for it!ReplyDelete
You have excelled yourself! That dress is truly divine! I had promised myself that I had enough dress patterns but for this I will happily break my promise!
Luv Linda xx
They look FAB!!!!ReplyDelete
Hello, first time commenting here! Just want to say I love that little top and jeans - too cute. Dress is fantastic too!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 21, 2013 at 4:45 PM
I Love that neckline- so pretty!ReplyDelete
I'm pretty sure those separates are calling my name... perhaps closer to summer when I have more time!ReplyDelete
OMG SUPER CUTE!!!!!!ReplyDelete
Gives me more reason to practice sewing so I can get these! Love, love, LOVE!!!
Congratulations Gertie, I just saw them last night on the Butterick site and was super excited. Both patterns are so cute and playful, can't wait to sew them!ReplyDelete
I never wear trousers so will be giving the Capri pants a miss, but I'm definitely getting that dress pattern. Gorgeous, congratulations!ReplyDelete
Love love love! Question: Do you think a woman in her 50s with a bit of a tummy can wear a cute flirty dress like that? I love these retro dresses but worry that they are only for young skinny girls and would look silly on me (the 51 year old woman in question). Would love your opinion on it. I wouldn't wear a tummy-baring top, but I do like those capris. They look slimming.ReplyDeleteReplies
I want those capri pants now!!! Though since losing weight and my butt along with it, I am not sure how they would sit on a flat bum. The model has a cute little butt.ReplyDelete
i adore bothReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 21, 2013 at 7:00 PM
So love your idea for the dress in white for a retro bride!!!! I've been looking for a dress for a while that I adore that could be done in two colors! This is it! Now me and my husband just need to be able to be able to plan our ceremony. Now for just a few muslims..... hehehe!ReplyDelete
I coincidentally was browsing the BMV website today and I spied these 2 patterns. Just gorgeous! I'm certainly adding both to my stash.ReplyDelete
I saw them somewhere yesterday and totally loved them. Especially the pants and top. Didn't realize they were yours, but I'm sure not surprised. DARLING!!!ReplyDelete
congratulations and I LOVE both patterns!! These are defintely both something my middle daughter would make and wear! She designs her own clothing and loves these styles. Keep up the great work!ReplyDelete
Something for you to ponder. Do you think there is a growing interest in apparel sewing nationally? Has sewing interest shifted from quilting back to apparel? Will corporate fabric stores re-adjust materials offered? OR, is the insular world of sewing blogs clouding my view? Hmmmmmm? Thanks.ReplyDeleteReplies
I've been wondering the same thing. If you go onto the True Up fabric blog, you see more and more fabric stands presenting their textiles in clothing form rather than quilts at fairs, and several of the manufacturers seem to be expanding their range with voiles, velveteens, lawns, etc. I'm certainly hoping it's the way forwards!Delete
YES! these are both darling. xReplyDelete
I love, love, love both patterns. The dress is especially gorgeous. I clicked through to the pattern to see if it came with separate pieces for different cup sizes, but alas it does not. Please consider posting about how to alter this dress for bustier women. So many of us are posting asking about it.ReplyDelete
I love the dress! One of my co-workers just bought a wedding dress with a bodice very similar, and it made me think of your hand draped yellow dress right away :). Now I can make my own, woo!ReplyDelete
I am so excited! Just ordered the casual look, thank you Gertie for including us not so dressy, but very girly girls! I am going to blog about your new stuff when I make my vintage jeans and top. I will let you know when I do, but my blog is geniknits.blogspot.comReplyDelete
ok i wrote a huge long comment and it disappeared ?. i was saying i lvoe these! but am worried about that bust treament on a very large bust so dont know if ill go there or not. that said i wont be making abything til i finsih this coat! taht i started on day one of your SAL! :/ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 22, 2013 at 5:15 AM
Like? I am SO in LOVE with these 2 patterns! I want to make both like now.ReplyDelete
Wow! you truly are amazing! Thank you so very much for sharing your talent with the world!ReplyDelete
- CynthiaFebruary 22, 2013 at 9:38 AM
I have to have the pattern with the capris! I love the dress, but it's not for my shape.ReplyDelete
Oh wow I love these patterns - gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous! They're both going straight on order!ReplyDelete
Love these! Especially the dress.ReplyDelete
I LOVE that dress! does anyone know if it work well for a larger size? (my measurements are 44" 34" 46")ReplyDelete
Yay! Trousers!!! They look fab, and the shirt too, this will be perfect for summer. Must have!ReplyDelete
those pants are everything i've been dreaming of. perfect!!!!!!ReplyDelete
I have been DYING for a great pants pattern! When you mentioned that you are working on a casual vintage book and that it wouldn't be out for a couple of years, I was simultaneously delighted and devastated. These patterns make the blow a bit less severe ;) Already on my way to my house. WOOHOO!!ReplyDelete
A.MAZ.ING. Both of them will definitely be added to my Spring/Summer sewing list! Thank you Gertie!! :o) XxxReplyDelete
These are both so cute! I don't know which I like better, the dress or the jeans/shirt combo. These are both going on my pattern wishlist!ReplyDelete
They are gorgeous Gertie. I adore the dress and might have a go in a year or so when hopefully my sewing skills will be up to it. I love the picnic outfit and was admiring a similar outfit worn by your name-sake Gretchen Mol in The Notorious Bettie Page, which coincidentally I watched earlier this week. Great film with gorgeous outfits.ReplyDelete
I can't wait to sew the capri outfit!!!ReplyDelete
I am thrilled about this dress. I love the bodice. Incredible. So excited!ReplyDelete
Ooooooh. That dress is lovely! I usually draft my patterns but I may have to indulge in this one.ReplyDelete
Definitely getting the separates!!!! love itReplyDelete
I absolutely love the top of the first dress, I was after that look too :DReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 23, 2013 at 1:44 PM
I love the top and capris pattern! Definitely on my to sew list for this year :)ReplyDelete
I have spent YEARS lusting after a berry speckled wedding dress and now here it is in a customizable way! So excited for the dress pattern! http://pinterest.com/pin/49680402111861052/ReplyDelete
(sorry for the pinterest link... the MSL link goes to a slide show)
Great job. I like the dress and the top and pedal pushers. I'm going to look out for these too. Congratulations!ReplyDelete
Oh such beautiful patterns. I was thinking of the dress as a wedding dress when i saw it. Since im getting married next summer. Ill have to snatch up the pattern. The seperates are beauitful too. Your so talented.ReplyDelete
I need a good pair of capris! I'll definitely be getting some. I don't suppose there is a download version available? Shipping to Australia can take weeks and weeksReplyDelete
Oh my!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE these 2 patterns.. I saw them 15min ago and have already ordered both patterns. Hope they hurry up and get to germany quickly!!!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 25, 2013 at 10:31 AM
The patterns are beautiful, but I liked your blog better when you were showing us what you are sewing. This is non-stop promotion. Sad.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 26, 2013 at 4:59 PM
Already bought both of these. I'm excited for new summer projects!ReplyDelete
xoxo Lorelai
Seams Unbiased
Loving this dress, absolutely gorgeousReplyDelete
They are just beautiful. Especially the dress.ReplyDelete
I love these! Will this be available as a printable pattern? :)ReplyDelete
I keep giggling to myself about these gorgeous patterns - when I was browsing all the new company patterns online (prior to Gertie posting this) I only found two that I liked. I didn't look closely at WHAT they were and WHO they were from until after I had already chosen them ... then I realized they were Gertie's patterns ... of course! Lovely!!ReplyDelete
Beautiful! I can't wait to get them. I absolutely love the dress, and have been looking for some comfort clothes for summer — the blouse and pedal pushers. Perfect! I love that you are designing for real women.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 5, 2013 at 11:56 AM
The dress is lovely! I just bought it online, I'm just waiting for the postal service to give it me!!! I'll link you to pictures when it's done if that's okay?ReplyDelete
- violiciousMarch 7, 2013 at 6:03 PM
I love those pants! I have been poring over pant fit books for weeks and trying to tweak a homemade pattern for months. So glad I popped over here! Great work! Will have to get those.ReplyDelete
So excited, the patterns have finally reached the UK and mine is winging it's way to me now. :o) I have just bought the perfect shoes for it too, yaay!!ReplyDelete
Hi Gertie, I'm currently on the Butterick website and about to buy the jeans+blouse patterns...but I don't understand how the sizing works. I mean, on most patterns I've seen, you choose your size according to your bust, waist and hips measurement but I can't see these on the website. My measurements are something like this : bust 38 inches, waist more or less 28-29, hips 38-39. As I have once been "between sizes" with one particular pattern brand, I don't know if I should choose size AX5 ou D5. What would you advise me to do?ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 22, 2014 at 9:16 AM
Just purchased the dress pattern!! Can't wait :)))ReplyDelete


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Friday, February 21, 2014
For (the sake of) Grace
There was a very windy, sweeping storm last night. We woke up to sunshine, warmth, birds chirping and the tricky business of believing it could be Spring. Jeff said there was something a little sad about the sunshine today but he couldn't say what exactly. Something sort of sad about Spring. While he sat on the side of the bed with his coffee, (hoping the aroma would coax me to upright) me still buried in blankets, I offered that maybe it's sort of like the sadness of waking up. After sleeping deep in the dark, cold winter. The beauty of the morning however can only be explained one way for me today. Today is my Mama's birthday. She would have been 69. When I think of her and birthdays, I think of all she did for us and her grandchildren. I think of cakes. Presents. The utter joy she had of finding just the right thing for one or the other of us (and on sale too!). But for so many years now birthdays have been about knitting for the grandchildren. She divided the 12 of them (13 now) into two groups of receiving a handknitted gift from her. One year she made something for each of my six children, then the next year she made something for the other 6 (my brother's 4, and my sister's 2). So everyone got a handmade every other year. A pretty sweet deal. We would periodically expect an email from mom asking us to measure one child or another so that she could plan the size, yarn, needles, gauge, and other details. I always, in my limited understanding of knitting from patterns, would overlook those details in our conversations and just wanted to see the color of the yarn and the pattern she had planned. This was typical for mom and I as a pair. I got excited about everything that I could see and dream of, she concentrated on the details of getting it right. She saved the excitement part for seeing her gorgeous grandchildren in the sweaters. She did not love doing color work. She loved intricate stitches. She was a beautiful knitter. She has made amazingly lovely pieces. She said a prayer for the recipient with every single stitch. In the rear view mirror, I think that my slow uptake on knitting over the years has been because I just always wanted her to do that. I wanted it to be hers. I wanted, in very recent years, to not be the one knitting in the family. We needed her for that. I want to call her right now and tell her to check my blog for the pictures of Grace's sweater. I think in the winter of of 2012, I began focusing on finally getting this knitting thing figured out because I felt that she would be handing this work to me at some point soon. And at her hospital bedside last April (knowing that she had two knitting bags back at her hotel), I asked her permission to "help" with her knitting projects for a while. My sister asked to work on the Christmas pajamas. She smiled and blessed us each with a nod. She gave us permission. And so very much more.
I will never knit like her. I can hear her saying in my mind, as she is looking at this, that she would never dream up working the colors this way, but they are so beautiful. It will be perfect for her, she would say. My sweet niece, Grace, is 6 years old today. Yes, she shares a birthday with mom. It is so very appropriate that the first handknit, or as we call them "Nani Knits" that I created, is given on the day that we celebrate them both. It followed a pattern from Mom & Me Knits. But it's not pale solid pink. It is striped and then some. In Grace's favorite colors. It's doesn't have big grosgrain poufy bows on the shoulders, because my niece is not a poufy girl. It is bright and cool and gutsy like her. Like both of us. I made it with as much love & capability as I could muster, and trying to be all that my mama loves in me. It is not perfect. Only perfect in that it is a gift. Still given from Nani. Like the gift Nani continues to be for us.
Happiest of Birthdays, Sweet Grace. A good day to be born. (I hope it fits!)
xoxoAunt Anna
37 comments:
brings tears to my eyes... so precious, perfect, and beautiful.. xoxoxox your mama would be so proud. <3ReplyDelete
So beautiful! The sweater and the story. Thanks so much for sharing. Happy Birthday Grace!!ReplyDelete
This is beautiful - the sweater, the story, how you treasure your mom and her traditions. Thank you for sharing this.ReplyDelete
Love to you all on this day! The sweater is beautiful. As I shared this with my own daughter Elle, she said, "WOW! that's beautiful! Could you order me one like that!" She's five and obviously has great taste! xoxoReplyDelete
Such a cute sweater and so lovely and touching words! There are some tears in my eyes, too. Love to you and your wonderful family and a happy birthday to Grace!ReplyDelete
- Anonymous1:23 PM
Tears . . , in the middle of this restaurant . . Because of your words, story and beautiful knitting. Way to live Anna. XoReplyDelete
It is a beautiful sweater and tradition to uphold. My thoughts are with you.ReplyDelete
Very beautiful! may your Mother's memory be eternal! God's comfort to you all. You are continuing a beautiful tradition of love...ReplyDelete
A gem of a post, Anna. Thanks for sharing your heart.ReplyDelete
As a knitter myself, and recipient of treasured handmade gifts from grandmothers, this post brought me to tears. Blessings to you on this difficult yet hopeful day.ReplyDelete
A truly beautiful story. And such a sweet & spunky handknit! I adore the colors! What a wonderful tradition to continue. :)ReplyDelete
- Anonymous9:59 PM
Wow! You are one clever cookie with the colour choices! Beautiful!ReplyDelete
Thanks too for the lovely words.
- Anonymous4:52 AM
thank you for sharing, it is a honour to have a nani, grandmother, granny or nonna who give us these memories that last forever. I, like you have left sock making to my mother (she will be 82 in March) .ReplyDelete
oh this is beautiful. the story. the sweater. there is such an empty space where someone once was. and even though it gets a little easier, it's always there. that may seem sad, but there is comfort in it somehow for me. of course that empty space will be there..... you know? a love like that hangs on forever in its own way. i'm certain your mama in some way is smiling as you get to know those needles more and more...... xo~ReplyDelete
you are such a blessing to your family, am. xoxoxoReplyDelete
AM, we talked about your Mom a lot on the Lizzie thread yesterday - we do frequently, and miss her daily. Loved your post.ReplyDelete
oh anna, your words are so beautiful (as is your lovely knitting... and my goodness.... the color work.... i have never thought of knitting in this way). your post brought me to tears this morning. what wonderful family bonds you have... you (and your family) are such an inspiration. thank you for inspiring always! -jennyReplyDelete
I think that you are so good at what you do because your Mother loved you so much...ReplyDelete
Teared up to this AM reading this. What a wonderful way to celebrate your Mom. And the colors are so AMH, perfect blend of you and Mom for the next generation to love too.ReplyDelete
I love to hear about your mama, you write about her so very beautifully. How lovely your knitting is, she would be so proud of how you've done it. It must be very hard for you on her birthday, I am thinking of you Anna Maria.ReplyDelete
My mother makes a lot of clothing for my 2 daugthers. I will show her the picture of this beautiful sweater and she can make a similar one :-)ReplyDelete
You are making me all misty. Mother's are a wonderful blessing. You are so wonderful to be carrying on her legacy. I'm sure Grace will love it!ReplyDelete
Tears in my eyes…gorgeous…it's my birthday today...ReplyDelete
Your post today is so beautiful. I believe your mom is so proud of how you carry your love for her, your family and your craft. I feel honored to be able to see this small part of your world. Thank you.ReplyDelete
Beautiful sweater. Beautiful post.ReplyDelete
Anna Maria I am so happy to see you and Eleni are carrying on your moms treasured and cherished traditions. I loved hearing about the next sweater and the yearly jammies :) I was so blessed to have gotten to know her through the WW message boards...we miss her dearly!ReplyDelete
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- Anonymous12:55 PM
Are you planning on putting up a Dowry pool for pictures? Would love to see one! Thanks!ReplyDelete
What a lovely post! My grandmother taught me how to knit and, though long gone, I can't pick up my needles without feeling her presence right there with me. I am sure you feel a similar way with your mother. Blessings to you and your continued knitting for your family.ReplyDelete
- Lorna4:18 PM
This made me cry, for lots of reasons. First, your beautiful writing - the bond between you and your mother shines through every word. Just lovely. Also, memories. My lovely, feisty granny knitted - though never with a pattern. It was all in her head, and she could talk, watch tv and sing songs whilst her needles flashed away on the most complicated, delicate pieces. I have a cardigan she made for my father, but other than that it's all gone - my mother, being a modern gal, put all the lovely knitted clothes and crocheted blankets to the charity shop. Kinda heartbreaking, but the tradition will continue - I crochet, and my three year old is trying to learn too. Thanks for the beautiful writing, and the memories.ReplyDelete
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These Eastern Michigan University area rugs are ideal for the house wanting to show their support for their favorite college. These Ball Shaped area rugs are unique in shape unlike the other rectangular rugs & mats. Ball Shaped nylon area rugs are a striking addition to your home and will show your family, friends, and neighbors that you appreciate the efforts of EMU Eagles to always put forth their best effort. This Ball Shaped area rug also brings both brilliant functionality and hearty sturdiness to your home.
The Eastern Michigan University Ball Shaped area rugs also feature:
Please visit our Cleaning & Care Page for how to care for your new Sports Rug.
This Eastern Michigan University Ball Shaped area rugs comes in a 29" diameter size.
You can purchase this mat in the shape of a football, soccer ball, baseball or basketball.
*Note: As we carry 5000 different styles of sports mats all sports mats are manufactured when they are ordered so production time is 7-11 business days.


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MODELROCK - Pro EDGE-Xtra - Lash Curler - BLACK
The 'MUST HAVE' Beauty Tool !
|MODELROCK Lashes
Orders are processed quickly and dispatched the same day where possible.
ALL CARRIERS ARE EXPERIENCING MAJOR DELAYS ACROSS THEIR DELIVERY NETWORKS SO YOUR PARCEL WILL LIKELY NOT ARRIVE AS QUICKLY AS USUAL. We apologise for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience.
Shipping prices are calculated from your cart or during checkout. Small parcels start from $6.95 for standard post and $10.55 for Express Post
MODELROCK offers two options for shipping and handling. We post every business day from postcode 2256
1. Standard Postage
2. Australia Post Express Post - please check the Australia Post Express Post Network for delivery times (sending from postcode 2256).
Many metro areas will be next business day delivery however Australia Post no longer offer a next day delivery guarantee and we have no control over the delivery times of parcels once they have been collected from our premises by Australia Post.
MODELROCK work hard to pack your orders and 99% of orders received before 4pm business days (NSW - AEST) are dispatched and lodged with Australia Post or Aramex the same day.
Please bear in mind that once your parcel is lodged with the delivery companies we have no control over the delivery process and unfortunately there are sometimes delivery delays - please always refer to the tracking link received when your order is dispatched to track the progress of your order.


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I know what you new vegans are thinking, "Ganache? Authentic ganache cannot be vegan!". Maybe you weren't thinking that, but believe me, when discussing "authentic" ganache with certified pastry chefs (or people who just think they are pastry chefs) the inevitable questions about the compatibility of veganism and pâtisseries or pastries, always rear their ugly head. When I mention that I don't use dairy crème liquide or even cow's milk, accusations and name-calling usually ensue. Seriously.
I realise that in France we have a certain fierté or pride, concerning our pastries and our culinary traditions. This is understandable, given the international reputation our sweet treats have. The general belief is that in order to cultivate the authentic "frenchness" of our recipes, tradition must be respected. Unfortunately, the cult of authenticity often attracts blind followers.
What does "authentic" mean to you? For some people, it's about following the recipe by the book and any derivation is heresy or blasphemy or even worse (is there worse?). For me it's about taste. Taste, and ethics. I don't think it's ethical to "grow" animals (sentient beings) like plant crops (non-sentient beings), impregnate the females (rape anyone?) then pry their babies from them in order to sell their milk. For me as a woman, a feminist and a mother, that is wrong on so many levels.
But you can have your ganache and your "high moral standards"* people! Granted vegan ganache can hardly be called heathful, it's at least less deleterious to the cows than its omni counterpart. Ganache is not an "everyday food" people – be sensible, please.
You're going to need to have some ganache on had for some soon-to-be-posted recipes, so it's only fitting I share my go-to recipe with you. Try it, or make your own favourite ganache. Don't eat it all. Trust me, you'll need it!
Get your soy milk and agave ready!
Easy Chocolate Ganache
200g (about 7 oz) dark chocolate, broken or cut into smallish chunks
1/2 non-dairy milk (I use soy)
1/4 cup agave syrup
Using a small sauce pan, heat the soy milk to boiling (don't let it get crazy boiling or you'll get a layer of soy-skin on top). Turn off heat and add the chocolate chunks. You can either leave this set for a few minutes (maybe wash a few dishes?), then stir, or just stir right away. You'll have a little more stirring to do if you decide not do let it set, but it's ok. When the chocolate is completely melted, add the agave and stir until combined. You can either use immediately, or let it cool. This hardens up to a nice fudge-like consistency if left at room temperature long enough, or refrigerated.
Don't eat it all! You're going to need it for the next few recipes…
* "high moral standards" – that's one of the comments, in an ironic, snarky tone, I've heard when sharing my ganache recipe. Personally, I take it as a compliment!


text: This list shows the peaks climbed by Dennis Poulin, with one entry for every summit attained, by whatever means. Attempts and simple hikes are not shown. Only the first ascent date is listed for peaks climbed more than once. Sortable columns of information about each peak are also provided, including elevation, location, prominence, isolation, and high point status. The "Pol HP" column shows a triangle for country, state/province, and county/etc. high points. The "Range HP" column shows 6 range highpoints based on the Peakbagger Mountain Range Classification Scheme. The "Isl HP" column shows island/landmass high points.The "Pers Iso" column shows the distance of a peak to the nearest higher peak also climbed. Sorting by this column will highlight the geographical diversity of the list, with peaks furthest from other higher climbed peaks showing up at the top.


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Rule #1 - Be Patient - Rule #2 - Don't ask when, if you don't contribute - Rule #3 - You have coding skills - LinuxMCE's small brother is available: http://www.agocontrol.com
Netflix working via Linux is news to me. Using the computing menu to use it is fine. We do that already for many sites. I will have to try this


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Karnataka, India, January 7 (CDN) — Police led by Hindu extremists accused a pastor without basis of forceful conversion, reprimanded him for praying without government permission and stopped the Sunday worship of his India People Ministry church on Dec. 27 in Koppa. The Global Council of Indian Christians reported that police further warned Pastor D.M. Kumar that he would be arrested if he conducted future worship services.
Karnataka – Members of the Hindu extremist Bajrang Dal accused Christian nurses at Pandapura government hospital of forceful conversion for conducting a small Christmas program on Dec. 25 in Mandhya. The Global Council of Indian Christians reported that at about 2 p.m., Sophia Parinamala Rani and two others identified only as Philomina and Bajamma organized a small, customary Christmas meeting for staff members and patients, inviting a guest to speak about Christ. Some 20 Hindu extremists reached the hospital and, manhandling the speaker, accused the nurses of forceful conversion. Pandapura police forcefully obtained an apology letter from the nurses, who received a show-cause notice ordering them to explain the meeting to hospital authorities.
Andhra Pradesh – A Hindu extremist roughed up two Christians at a worship meeting on Dec. 23 in Mahabubnagar. The All India Christian Council reported that a pastor identified only as Prabudas and a doctor identified only as Nehemiah were on their way to a service when a Hindu hardliner and karate master, Satya Narayana, pushed and punched them, threatening to file a case of forceful conversion against them. He threatened them with more violence if they continued Christian activities in the area. Local Christian leaders were taking steps to protect the two men at press time.
New Delhi – Hindu extremists assaulted Christians attending a Christmas program of the Full Gospel Church of God on Dec. 22 at Nagafgarh. A source reported that the Hindu hardliners threatened pastors Benny Stephen, K. Cherian and Stephen Joseph, claiming that the program they were attending aimed to convert people by force, and then attacked them. Pastor Joseph suffered injuries to his left leg and back, Pastor Benny to his back and face and Pastor Cherian to his head. Pastor Joseph told Compass that no police complaint was filed as the Christians forgave the attackers.
Tamil Nadu – Hindu extremists attacked a group of Christians on Dec. 20 in Mangalam, Nagercoil. The Global Council of Indian Christians reported that Hindu extremists objected to a digital sign Christians put up stating details of an impending Christmas celebration and warned them to remove it. When the Christians refused, the extremists beat them, and some of them received hospital treatment for their injuries. A police complaint was filed, but no arrests had been made at press time.
Andhra Pradesh – Police arrested Pastor P. Benjamin after a Hindu extremist filed a complaint against him of forceful conversion on Dec. 20 in Hyderabad. The Global Council of Indian Christians reported that Pastor Benjamin, of Holy Spirit Church, spoke of Christ with about 200 children at a Christmas program organized by a nearby area's Christian youth leader. As Pastor Benjamin reached his home, local Christian leaders informed him that police had filed charges of forcible conversion against him under Section 295/A of the Indian Penal Code. Applications for bail were twice rejected. Area Christian leaders were taking an appeal to a higher court, and the pastor's family was relocated as a security precaution.
Maharashtra – Hindu extremists from the Bajrang Dal on Dec. 20 attacked members of Christian ministry Operation Mobilization in Manchar and took their film equipment. The All India Christian Council (AICC) reported that about 100 extremists attacked the organization's screening of a Christian film, organized by the area pastor with the permission of the village head. As the movie ended, the Hindu hardliners rushed in, verbally abused the Christians for their faith and took a film projector and DVD player. Moses Vatipalli of the AICC told Compass that area leaders of Hindu extremist groups were planning to meet with Christian leaders to settle the matter.
Andhra Pradesh – Hindu extremists in Karimnagar on Dec. 15 beat 65-year-old Pastor S. Devavaram and other Christians, accusing them of forceful conversion. The Global Council of Indian Christians reported that Pastor Devavaram and five youths were distributing Christmas literature after obtaining permission from the deputy superintendent of police. At about 9 a.m. a mob of 20 Hindu extremists stopped their vehicle, dragged the pastor out and accused him of forceful conversion. They beat the pastor, tied his hands and locked him and the other Christians in a room till 5 p.m. On learning that the pastor and the other five had been abducted, 10 Christians reported it to police. Officers arrived at the site of the assault and took the Christians to the police station, where the extremists filed a complaint of forcible conversion against the pastor and his team. Police took written statements from the Christians and released them without charges at 6 p.m.


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Boiler Girls fall in OT to top seed; Annawan, Wethersfield advance to championship game
Class 2A Kewanee Regional
Peoria Christian 55, Kewanee 52 OT
Farmington vs. Knoxville
The Boiler Girls narrowly missed knocking out the top seed in the regional semifinals Wednesday night.
Peoria Christian enjoyed leads of 17-14 at the quarter and 26-22 at the half, then extended the margin to 32-24 early in the third frame.
Sparked by 3-pointers from Jenifer Ensley and Gabby Kubiak, the Boiler Girls trimmed the deficit to 33-32 midway through the third quarter.
Kewanee finally grabbed the lead, 44-43, at the 4:30 mark of the fourth quarter on an Amber Jordan bucket.
PC's Jordan Myroth promptly answered with a trey to put the Lady Chargers back on top 46-44.
Eusebia Quintero's 3-point play at the two-minute mark pulled Kewanee within 50-49, and the Boiler Girls tied the game with 32.4 seconds remaining as Doriane Fontanez made the second of two free throws.
PC came up empty in its final possession of regulation, sending the game to overtime.
Myroth's fifth trey of the night gave the Lady Chargers a lead they wouldn't relinquish in OT. The Boiler Girls had two possessions trailing 55-52 in the closing seconds, but couldn't force another OT.
PC's Taylor Howard led all scorers with 23 points, followed by Myroth with 15.
Jordan topped the Boiler Girls with 16 points, followed by Quintero with 15. Kewanee bows out at 14-17 on the season.
Class 1A Annawan Regional
Annawan 67, ROWVA 20
Wethersfield 57, Stark County 50
The top-seeded and host Bravettes rolled in Wednesday's first semifinal contest, and the second-seeded Lady Geese used a spirited fourth quarter to eliminate the Lady Rebels.
In the opening semifinal, Annawan blitzed ROWVA with a 24-5 run in the opening quarter. The Bravettes never looked back, extending the lead to 43-8 at halftime and 65-12 after three quarters.
In game two, Stark County led 34-33 heading into the fourth quarter, but the Lady Geese went on a 12-2 run to go on top 49-39.
The Lady Rebels trimmed the deficit to 50-45 down the stretch, but Wethersfield held on to beat Stark County for the first time in three meetings.
Sarah Hansen led Wethersfield with 31 points, while Ashley Phillips topped Stark County with 15.
The Bravettes (25-2) and Lady Geese (23-7) meet for the regional title at 7:30 tonight.


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Unlock personalized meal planning tools and features based on your individual and family health goals.Create a Profile
Search by such things as gluten-free recipes, healthy lunch, breakfast and dinner ideas. Then, save your favourites!Search for Recipes
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One Response to "Ideology, Psychology, and Law – Introduction"
April 24, 2013 at 2:04 pm
[…] Ideology, Psychology, and Law – via thesituationist.wordpress.com – Formally, the law is based solely on reasoned analysis, devoid of ideological biases or unconscious influences. Judges claim to act as umpires applying the rules, not making them. They frame their decisions as straightforward applications of an established set of legal doctrines, principles, and mandates to a given set of facts. As most legal scholars understand, however, the impression that the legal system projects is largely an illusion. As far back as 1881, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. made a similar claim, writing that "the felt necessities of the time, the prevalent moral and political theories, intuitions of public policy, avowed or unconscious, even the prejudices which judges share with their fellow-men, have a good deal more to do than the syllogism in determining the rules by which men should be governed." […]


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New 2022-2023 Ford Cars, Trucks, & SUVs in Mendham
- 0 Vehicles
Explore Everything Your Next Ford Explorer, Fusion, F-550 Super Duty, F-150 or Edge Has to Offer
Maplecrest Ford, Serving Succasunna NJ, Basking Ridge NJ and Bernardsville NJ, is Proud to Sell New Ford Models
If you're in the market for a new car, that means you surely have questions. If you do, our website is here to give you answers. Listed above are the new Ford models currently for sale at our new Ford dealership. Have a look, take in all of the details and be sure to consider each trim and optional accessory to see what meets you needs. If there's a specific vehicle you're interested in, our staff will be happy to give you a closer look. Serving drivers is what we do best!
Learn More About Buying a New Car from Our Mendham Dealership
When you've picked a new Ford model that really speaks to you, our biggest priority is helping you get behind the wheel on a more permanent basis, on your terms. That means discussing what's most important to you during the financing process. It also means making sure you leave with a plan in mind for how to properly care for your car, and our onsite service and repair department is more than happy to help. With Maplecrest Ford at your service, you can drive knowing your car is in good hands.


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The Washington Nationals have announced that they will offer behind-the-scenes tours of Nationals Park on non-game days beginning Saturday, April 19. Adult tickets cost $15.00 and go on sale this morning, April 7 at 10:00am.
The 75-minute guided tour of Nationals Park promises an "up close and personal" view of the the Washington Nationals' home dugout and state-of-the-art clubhouse, plus the Nationals bullpen, batting cages, press box, a luxury suite, the PNC Diamond Club, the Lexus Presidents Club and the Stars & Stripes Club.
Participants in Nationals Park tours will have opportunities to throw a pitch in the Nationals Bullpen, among other interactive activities.
A reduced rate of $12.00 will be available to groups of 15 or more, seniors 55 or older, military personnel, and children age 12 and under. Children under the age of 2 will be admitted free. Groups of 25 or more may request a private tour.
Tickets will go on sale at Nationals.com, at the stadium Kiosks near the team store at Nationals Park, and at the Box Office during normal business hours.
Nationals Park bullpen photo by Scott Ableman.


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iOS 5 is now available to the public after having been teased for months. Unlike the last major update to the operating system (iOS 4), we think iOS 5 could be the most significant update to the iDevice line since the rollout of iPhone OS 3 back in 2009. Why do we say that? Simple—because of the sheer number of new and improved features that make the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad more usable than ever.
We're talking significantly revamped notifications, Twitter integration, wireless sync, iCloud, home screen improvements, and more—so many, in fact, that we can't address everything buried within an app or setting in a single review. What we will do, however, is talk about the major updates as well as those tidbits that interest us the most after having used the OS. We did run across a few nitpicks here and there that we hope Apple addresses in future updates. Overall, though, we think it's worth upgrading to iOS 5.
The push notifications introduced in iPhone OS 3 (which we'll refer to as iOS 3, for consistency's sake) were helpful at the time, but only because they were better than nothing. The notification system has long been a sticking point for users who were seeing more robust notifications show up on competing platforms—namely, Android. Under iOS 3, every new SMS or push alert showed up as a modal dialog box in the center of the screen, forcing the user to make a decision immediately. The system also offered no way to see multiple notifications at once—and certainly not on the lock screen, which was essentially useless (except as a timekeeping device) until this point.
Now, however, all that has changed. Apple has completely revamped how the OS handles and displays notifications from its own apps as well as from third parties. Three areas are most affected: the settings, the lock screen, and what Apple calls the Notifications Center.
The notifications settings will tell you most of what you need to know about how they work. The main settings screen lists every app that could send you notifications, and you can control how each app uses them.
A typical app will let you switch its Notifications Center alerts on or off. You might also have the opportunity to choose how many notifications from that app to show.
The Alert Style settings let you choose how you want each app's notifications to appear—this will be when you're already using the phone and a notification rolls in from the Messages app or a Twitter app, for example. The "Alerts" style is the old notification style, with the item in the center of the screen and buttons for you to acknowledge the notification immediately. The "Banners" style is new—it rolls down a banner from the top of the screen with the relevant information, but goes away automatically after a couple seconds if you don't do anything to acknowledge it. When you do tap to acknowledge the notification, the phone takes you directly to the app in question and (hopefully) directly to the message or item that is currently asking for your attention. Finally, the "None" option is for those who want to see notifications on the lock screen or in Notifications Center, but who don't otherwise want to be interrupted by that particular app.
The last two settings are obvious: do you want badges on your app icons showing the number of unread items? (No, thankyouverymuch.) Do you want to see these on your lock screen? Depending on the app and on your personal preferences, you may choose to have some of these show up and others not—our only wish is that Apple would somehow make it possible for us to universally turn on or off a certain type of notification (such as no more
wire hangers badges, ever!)
Notifications Center
The Notifications Center is where you'll be able to find all your notifications. From anywhere within the OS or even various apps (they don't have to be Apple apps, either), you can tap and then pull down from the top of the screen in order to see what needs your attention. In the above example, I have the weather turned on, plus a new iMessage, an appointment on my calendar for later in the day, and two undoubtedly losing moves to be made in Words with Friends.
Tapping on any particular notification will take you directly to that item inside of its related app, e.g., tapping on a calendar appointment will take you to the calendar, tapping on the Words with Friends moves will take you to that game, tapping on a Twitter message will take you to a particular message within a Twitter app. The items that can be dismissed—that is, those not calendar items or the weather—will remain until you tap the X to clear out the notifications for that category. Because of this, I pick and choose what shows up in my Notifications Center screen (and also my lock screen) very carefully; I don't really need to see that 25 new people sent me @replies on Twitter, but I would like to see when I have a missed call or voicemail, especially since I turned the badges for those apps off in the settings.
Generally speaking, Notifications Center has worked great for me, but I have run into a problem with notifications from some (admittedly not very important) apps. One is Words with Friends—though the notifications do seem to show up for me occasionally, they don't always. Many days, I can open up my Words with Friends app to see that several friends are waiting on moves from me, but the alerts won't be in my Notification Center despite the settings clearly stating that they should be. It's not obvious to me whether this is a communication problem between specific apps and the OS, as this doesn't seem to happen for the majority of the other notifications that I have set up (and never with Apple apps).
Those familiar with Android can recognize immediately the visual similarities here; in fact, some of you have been falling all over yourselves to tell us about it ever since Steve Jobs showed off iOS 5 notifications during the 2011 WWDC keynote. Certainly, Notification Center in iOS 5 looks and acts much the same as you might expect to see on a modern Android device, and that's apparently because it's a design that works well. I rarely have personal qualms about any one company mimicking the basic designs of another, but Apple will probably want to keep an eye out for the patent lawyers on this one, as the lawyers are a feisty bunch nowadays.


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Stevie Nicks joining upcoming season of NBC's 'The Voice' as adviser to Adam Levine's team
Stevie Nicks is joining "The Voice" as an adviser to Adam Levine's team for the upcoming season.
Filming is currently underway on the show's seventh season. Nicks, the 66-year-old Fleetwood Mac singer, has been working with Levine and his 12 team members as they assign songs and rehearse with the contestants in preparation for the show's battle rounds.
Levine and Blake Shelton will be joined by Gwen Stefani and Pharrell Williams as coaches when the NBC show returns on Sept. 22.
The network says it will soon announce other advisers for this season.
Fleetwood Mac is set to embark on a 33-city tour starting Sept. 30 in Minneapolis, with Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, Mick Fleetwood, John McVie and his ex-wife Christine McVie.
NBC is a division of Comcast Corp.


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For travel to the United States on a temporary basis, including tourism, temporary employment, study and exchange.
For foreign citizens who want to live permanently in the United States.
The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) allows citizens of participating countries* to travel to the United States without a visa for stays of 90 days or less, when they meet all requirements.
Alerts and Messages for U.S. visitors to France.
U.S. Citizens with emergencies, please call 01.43.12.22.22
Outside of Office Hours, contact: 01.43.12.22.22
Outside of France: 011.33.1.43.12.22.22
Learn more about quality higher-education opportunities in the U.S. that you will not find anywhere else in the world.
Africa Regional Services (ARS Paris) is a branch office of AF/PDPA located in Paris that supports AF posts' public diplomacy activities. It provides materials and resources in French, as well as products and services to all of Africa, Haiti.
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Forests Tree Way Car Forest Autumn Landscape
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Use UK2Abroad when travelling in the USA with a local SIM card. Receive calls on your normal UK mobile number.
Where will you be making calls to?
Call Direct available
Call Direct means that you make calls by dialling a local access number we provide you, available in many countries. The call to our access number will be charged by your local SIM, a standard local landline charge, so get a SIM that offers cheap calls to landlines.
Call Connect available
Call Connect is available globally and enables you to trigger an outbound call via our web app or by dialling a number from your phone that hangs-up and calls you straight back. When you pick up the incoming call, we connect you to your destination. This means that you avoid a local SIM call cost and instead we charge you the Inbound call rate plus the Outbound call rate.
Purchase credit instantly online
Divert your phone to UK2Abroad - a standard UK landline number
Receive calls diverted to your local SIM, and make calls using UK2Abroad


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Today's News: Our Take - Scott Bakula Explores Star Trek: Enterprise's Legacy With Blu-Ray Release
Season 1 of Enterprise, the fifth (and so far final) Star Trek TV series finally arrives on Blu-ray Tuesday. Besides all 25 episodes, the six-disc set is chock full of special features including an eight-part documentary including new cast and crew interviews about the launching of the space exploration prequel series and behind-the-scenes footage, deleted scenes, cast commentary, and a frank conversation with shows creators Rick Berman and Brannon Braga, who admits his true feelings about Diane Warren's theme song. Scott Bakula, aka Captain Jonathan Archer, commander of the Enterprise NX-01, shares some memories and what else is in the stars for him.
TV Guide Magazine: Enterprise was perhaps the most polarizing Star Trek spinoff. Some loved its pre-Kirk early space exploration appeal but other Trekkers complained it wasn't really Star Trek, because it was before Starfleet and the exploration of lots of alien planets.
Scott Bakula: [Laughs] It always cracks me up. It reminds me of a letter we got on Quantum Leap from someone who seriously told us, "You're breaking all the rules of time travel." The rules were mostly the one set up by Mr. Spielberg in Back to the Future. In a funny way, I think our show, as time goes by, is going to resonate and we're going to enjoy it more. I hear it all the time. "I didn't give it a chance when it came out. I'm watching it now and I love it."
TV Guide Magazine: Why was there so much opposition?
Bakula: It was a challenge to do something 100 years before Kirk and Spock. Our world had so radically dramatically changed since 1966 when the original show was on. So we really couldn't use that technology that was available then. We had to make artistic choices that would seem balanced and appropriate. Some people took issue with that. I was very impressed with how the Enterprise crew managed to take the world today, what the near future would look like and blend them into a watchable show. I think they did a great job.
TV Guide Magazine: Tell the truth. Did you ever get that much maligned Enterprise theme song "Where My Heart Will Take Me" out of your head.
Bakula: Oh, no. [Laughs] That's a sign of a good theme song. It's very memorable and fans still ask me to sing it.
TV Guide Magazine: Why do you think Enterprise only lasted four years?
Bakula: The difference between our show and the other franchises was that we were not syndicated. Had we been syndicated and not on UPN, I believe we would have run at least another year, probably the full seven years that the other shows did.
TV Guide Magazine: Were you surprised that your show turned out to be the final frontier, at least on TV?
Bakula: I don't know if it's the last show in the franchise, though a good portion of the people who were big fans are not at Paramount any more. Also, the new Star Trek movie franchise is so incredibly successful that it takes the focus away from TV. Clearly Star Trek and Star Trek fans are not going away. If one thing's true in our business, people tend to repeat successful things as often as they can. So I won't say it's over.
TV Guide Magazine: Would you like to appear in a Star Trek movie?
Bakula: I would love to. I haven't been asked but my dog and I got a mention in one movie. That might have to do. But you never know.
TV Guide Magazine: How did you get involved with the Blu-ray project?
Bakula: I saw Brannon one day and he asked if I had done any commentary for the Blu-ray version. He told me it was unbelievable and I should call them. So I called and wound up talking for two hours about the first season - about the cast, about coming into such an iconic franchise, what it was like the first day as a Star Trek captain. A lot of the cast and technical people were interviewed as well as Brannon Braga and Rick Berman. It's pretty informative.
TV Guide Magazine: What's one of your strongest memories from that first season?
Bakula: It was pretty overwhelming to walk on the stage where all the sets were built for the first time. Henry Zimmerman designed them and they were so well conceived; beautiful to look at, camera friendly and they were real! We were able to go up and down the stars, things were made of steel. The props actually worked because we were set earlier than the Kirk days, we had to manipulate controls and not just talk to computers. We had cool moving pieces that worked for four years. I joked when the show was over we should take the sets and turn them into playgrounds because my kids, who were young at the time, had a blast on the set climbing up and down things.
TV Guide Magazine: Let's move ahead a few years. Did you have the most fun ever working with Ray Romano and Andre Braugher on the sadly short-term TNT series Men of a Certain Age?
Bakula: There's always a certain amount of sadness when we talk about that show. Because we were having such a great time. [Laughs]
TV Guide Magazine: You're guesting on Two and a Half Men in April.Who are you sleeping with?
Bakula: I have an 18-year-old girlfriend. [Laughs]
TV Guide Magazine: And in a cast full of surprises, you play a choreographer in HBO's May Liberace movie, Behind the Candelabra. You've sung and danced on stage. Will we see you hoofing in the movie?
Bakula: I don't get to sing or dance. I'm just the procurer who brings the lamb to slaughter. I bring this young man Scott Thorsen, played by Matt Damon, to see a show starring my friend Liberace, played by Michael Douglas. The kid is bowled over by Liberace's mystique.
TV Guide Magazine From Liberace to Shirley MacLaine! How was playing her son in the upcoming movie Elsa & Fred?
Bakula: It's hard to have words to describe it. I just had a ball with her! It was directed by Michael Radford, who did Il Postino. I was so honored to be part of the project.
TV Guide Magazine: Finally, congratulations on your new pilot with Geena Davis. What can you tell us about it?
Bakula: Geena plays a bounty hunter. I play her ex-husband, a cop and they have an 18-year-old daughter. Marsha Mason plays my former mother-in-law and [Leverage producer] Dean Devlin is producing and directing the pilot. It should be a lot of fun.
Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!
View original Scott Bakula Explores Star Trek: Enterprise's Legacy With Blu-Ray Release at TVGuide.com
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Apple announced on Monday that its current SVP of Retail Operations, John Browett, is "leaving the company." Browett was hired earlier this year to replace former retail chief Ron Johnson, who had been poached by JCPenney in 2011. Browett's hiring came with a fair bit of controversy, perhaps foreshadowing his eventual departure just seven months later.
The changes he introduced quickly infuriated employees and customers alike. Comment threads across the Internet—including our own—exploded with vitriol.
"Layoffs were commonplace, and I can assure you, he was hated—passionately—by many, many people I worked with. People who 'wanted' to help customers were told not to and disciplined when they did. I've both seen it with my own eyes and been on the sharp end of a bollocking for it," wrote one unhappy worker who had labored under Browett in the UK. "So, given that the man was well known for it, what particular brand of Really Good Shit was Apple smoking when it decided he was a shining example of good customer service? I'm not an Apple fan, but really? They thought this was going to raise profits or customer satisfaction/loyalty?"
To these people, Browett's eventual failure and firing were inevitable—but what surprised some observers was that Browett managed to last as long as he did.
From "surly ignoramuses" to "Apple Geniuses"
Johnson left considerable shoes to fill, having largely been responsible for creating and executing Apple's retail strategy since 2000. The company's first stores opened in 2001; since then, Apple has opened more than 350 retail locations worldwide. Apple's retail stores were the fastest retail operation ever to reach $1 billion in revenues, and the company credits the ever-increasing number of visitors to its stores as a major factor in its overall growth, both in the PC market and with mobile devices.
Browett came to Apple from UK retail giant Dixons Retail. That company had claimed to have "become a bit customer obsessed lately," and Apple CEO Tim Cook cited Browett's supposed commitment to customer service as a top reason for his hire by Apple.
"Our retail stores are all about customer service, and John shares that commitment like no one else we've met," Cook said in a statement in January. "We are thrilled to have him join our team and bring his incredible retail experience to Apple."
However, readers on the other side of the pond who were familiar with the Dixons experience were flabbergasted with the news of Browett's appointment, describing the experience at Dixons' various stores—especially the Curry's and PC World chains—as "shite" and the "absolute antithesis" of an Apple Store.
"If you want a dingy shop full of distracting, always-on demonstration units and staffed by surly ignoramuses who only want to sell you an extended warranty, then Dixons was the place to go," Phillip Storry, a systems administrator from London, told Ars earlier this year. "Which probably explains why Dixons has been having real troubles of late—consumers are now wise to them and shop elsewhere."
Ars Technica's own Peter Bright, a UK native, confirmed the many negative reports we received about Dixons' shops. "The staff is unhelpful, the prices absurd, and the store design is hideous," he said.
Still—perhaps the fault wasn't with Browett. Perhaps Cook had seen something others had not. Perhaps the critics were simply carping. Or perhaps not.
Profits and problems
The first hints that things weren't going well appeared in late summer. Browett had implemented a new formula to calculate the optimum staffing levels at Apple's stores, designed to lower costs and increase the retail division's profit margin. That new formula—which reportedly went against the advice of seasoned Apple retail executives—led to widespread layoffs and deep cuts in hours for most part-time employees, and it came just weeks before the launch of the iPhone 5. (Our own experience is that Apple Stores are actually at times understaffed for the mobs of people that seem to always fill them, especially in large urban areas like New York, Chicago, and San Francisco.)
Apple apparently realized the problems with Browett's new staffing strategy, and in mid-August the company claimed it was going back to its old formula. "Making these changes was a mistake and the changes are being reversed," Apple spokesperson Kristin Huguet told Dow Jones at the time. "Our employees are our most important asset and the ones who provide the world-class service our customers deserve."
Despite the reversal, sources within Apple retail told ifoAppleStore, a blog that closely follows Apple retail operations, that Browett was intent on giving the company's stores a Dixons-style makeover. Part-time employees were limited to 10 hours per week, the minimum number needed to work in Apple retail, and employees that had been demoted as a result of Browett's "new staffing formula" were not restored to their previous positions. Space devoted to workshops and training sessions was trimmed or eliminated, and staff performance was increasingly measured by the ability to sell more accessories like cases, hard drives, and AirPort base stations. Even the cleaning budget was cut, the ifoAppleStore source said, leading to a "grimy and less attractive" store appearance in some areas.
These facts were later confirmed by our own source familiar with Apple's retail operations. "Work that's essential to keeping the place looking perfect isn't being done," our source said. "[Training] sessions get shorter and more crammed into the day. The satisfaction of the customers essentially drops."
A current Apple retail "expert" e-mailed Ars just two weeks ago, corroborating the numerous reports that the company's Apple Stores had suffered since Browett took over earlier this year.
"I was drawn to the job initially due to the cachet of working for Apple but stayed because of the company's amazing customer focus and the possibilities for upward mobility. The changes since Steve passed, Ron [Johnson] left, and Browett took over have been palpable," said the source, who still works for Apple and asked to remain anonymous. "Hopefully enough attention [is drawn] to the topic to make positive change, and hopefully it is not too late for course correction."
Browett's singular focus on the bottom line was in stark contrast to the basic strategy that Johnson had used to grow Apple retail, one championing customer experience over short-term profits. "As long as we hit what's known as 'demand,'" our source explained, referring to Browett's metrics, "it's all fine in the eyes of corporate."
But Johnson's strategy had paid off over for nearly a decade; Apple went from a retail laughingstock to a company generating more revenue per square foot—$5,626—than high-end stores like Tiffany's, Coach, and Ralph Lauren.
Browett gets Cooked
The grumbling went beyond a few unhappy sources within Apple retail. Tim Cook has apparently chosen to correct course now by letting Browett go, and Cook will personally oversee retail operations until Browett's replacement can be found.
Cook may not be quite as stubborn as Steve Jobs tended to be when it comes to admitting mistakes. Apple admitted it made a mistake when it pulled its products from EPEAT's green registry back in July, and Cook made a personal apology for the state of iOS 6's Maps in September. Both of these "course corrections" came relatively quickly.
Browett, however, was given several months after it became clear to those working in Apple retail, and even to outside observers, that his strategy wasn't working. Browett's tenure seemed especially long to one of our sources at a high level within Apple's retail division, and the source suspected that Jobs would have been quicker to hand Browett his pink slip.
"The last time someone embarrassed [Jobs], he got the chop," the source told us, referring to former SVP of Devices Hardware Engineering Mark Papermaster. Papermaster was believed to have been blamed for the iPhone 4's well-documented antenna issues.
"If Steve were around and saw what a clusterfuck Browett made of retail, and the image it was projected with, I've no doubt at all Steve would have sacked him on the spot," the source added.
The move may have been a difficult one to make, given that Browett was Cook's first major hire after taking the reins from Jobs last year—but Cook did it, apparently before any major damage was done to Apple's retail brand. Now Cook faces the unenviable task of making another high-profile hire to replace Browett—and to show a watching world that this lapse in judgment was just a regrettable blip on an otherwise smooth trajectory.
Update: We originally described Browett's tenure at Apple as nine months long, which is the time from the announcement of his hire until the announcement of his firing. However, Browett assumed official SVP of Retail duties beginning in April 2012, just seven months prior. We updated the title as we felt it was more accurate.


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Where do the 'Twilight' stars go from here?
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner have walked their last "Twilight" red carpet with the arrival this weekend of the series finale "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 2." Now, they must step into careers of their own using the superstardom the multi-billion-dollar franchise has provided them.
Making that transition from a beloved film series with a fervent fan base can be tricky. Do you stick to the same kinds of roles that people came to love you for and maintain the safety of familiarity? Or do you veer drastically in the other direction to prove to the world that you have range — that you're so much more than just a mopey teenage girl or a hunky set of abs?
"Harry Potter" star Daniel Radcliffe, for example, has successfully made choices that showcase his versatility, from appearing on stage naked in a Broadway production of "Equus" to the gothic horror film "The Woman in Black." His "Harry Potter" co-star, Emma Watson, played a damaged party girl this year in "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," a character who couldn't have been more different from the fastidious Hermione Granger.
The three core "Twilight" stars have all struck while the iron was hot, making a variety of films in between the five "Twilight Saga" installments about high schooler Bella Swan and the vampire and werewolf who competed for her affections.
Stewart was the best known of the "Twilight" trio before being cast as Bella. She'd played Jodie Foster's daughter in the 2002 thriller "Panic Room" and a commune singer who befriends Emile Hirsch's character in Sean Penn's Oscar-nominated "Into the Wild" (2007).
Her choices between the "Twilight" movies have run the gamut, from playing a young Joan Jett in the 2010 biopic "The Runaways" to a fairy-tale warrior princess in this summer's "Snow White and the Huntsman." Next month, she'll appear in "On the Road," based on the iconic Jack Kerouac novel.
"Kristen seems to do a lot of indie movies. 'Snow White and the Huntsman' is more of an outlier in terms of being a blockbuster," said blogger and "Twilight" expert Cleolinda Jones, author of the "Movies in 15 Minutes" series. "But it seems like she's got the kind of personality where she's got to do what she has to do ... she's not thinking in terms of career strategy."
Andrei Constantinescu of the Dallas-based Legacy Casting says he'd like to see Stewart mix it up even more.
"Her non-'Twilight' film choices are bold and different to a point, but her dark and broody acting style, similar to her real-life persona, is a bit played," said Constantinescu, whose work as an extras casting director includes the TNT series "Dallas." ''I'd love to see her in a romantic workplace comedy like 'The Devil Wears Prada.'"
Pattinson has made some of the most daring and impressive choices of the three of them. Before being cast as the swoony vampire Edward Cullen, the lanky British actor appeared in another blockbuster franchise as Hogwarts student Cedric Diggory in 2005's "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire." In 2009, he played Salvador Dali in the barely seen "Little Ashes," and last year he starred opposite Reese Witherspoon in the circus romance "Water for Elephants" — although Associated Press reviewer David Germain wrote there was "barely a spark" between the two.
But Pattinson also has worked with the likes of David Cronenberg, starring this year in the acclaimed Canadian director's financial drama "Cosmopolis," which takes place almost entirely inside a limousine. And he'll soon work with Cronenberg again in "Maps to the Stars," and also begin shooting Werner Herzog's "Queen of the Desert."
Jones says Pattison has wisely chosen to parlay his "Twilight" fame to collaborate with serious directors and actors.
"He knows he has a certain box office appeal so the fangirls are going to see him no matter what he's in," she said. "People are willing to work with him the first time, they see all this potential he has, then they want to come back and work with him again."
Constantinescu echoed those thoughts: "He's the one to watch for additional films down the line," he said. "We are just scratching the surface with Robert."
Then there's Lautner, who was just 15 when he auditioned for the role of the sensitive, muscular werewolf Jacob Black. He'd appeared in a few films by then, including playing the title character of Sharkboy in 2005's "The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D." In between the "Twilight" films, he stuck to lighter fare. He was part of the ensemble cast of 2010's "Valentine's Day" in a romantic subplot opposite Taylor Swift.
But Lautner's leading-man debut was last year's "Abduction," a title that naturally inspired plenty of puns about his famously toned frame. The thriller from director John Singleton found Lautner playing a high-school student who gets caught up in a web of intrigue. AP reviewer Jake Coyle wrote that Lautner "handles himself reasonably well" but the script was the film's "major deficiency."
Constantinescu says he doesn't expect Lautner will stray far from crowd-pleasing fare.
"He's very good at playing the young, muscular jock or hero," he said. "Similar to Kristen, I'd love to see roles that offer Taylor different objectives than to be the hero, take his shirt off and save the day. However, I'm not sure that the public would believe him as anything more than the borderline superhero he has become famous for."
Jones agreed: "He's not going to be in the next mumblecore indie movie," she said of Lautner. "I'm not sure where he goes with this after age 30. His current trajectory is kind of clear, but I don't know what happens when he grows out of his dimples."
AP Movie Critic Christy Lemire can be reached through Twitter: https://twitter.com/christylemire


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Ball Magic
Ball Tricks (21)
- Tricks with balls
Billiard Balls (9)
- Balls that multiply in your hands
Cups and Ball (7)
- Cups and Ball effects
Floating Ball (4)
- Balls that float in the air
Hello Greg,I received the dove through the glass illusion today ,and I'm very pleased with the product hardwood construction and it works perfectly, I owned and performed this effect in the mid-70s,but I actually think this new version is even better than the old one.
Thank you and keep up the good work.
Tim J. Goswick
Greg: Received book today (Abbotts Compendium). WOW WHAT A BOOK. That will give me something to read this winter. If not before. Thanks
Herman Carr
Hi Greg,
I just thought I'd let you know that the box arrived safe and well at it's new UK home yesterday….I 'killed' with it this morning! I am so pleased with the box, it's quality and what I can do using the unique method it uses (I just beamed from ear to ear when I saw the method!).
A delightful effect, thank you so much for getting it to me!
Martin Jones - Shrewsbury, UK
Hey Greg...
Derek Kennedy here from Ft Worth Texas (Les Bartons friend).
I just wanted to thank for a couple of things. First being a Magic Shop owner myself I know how hard it is to "Host" events (while you are open for business) like you did this past May for the Magic Collectors Weekend, so thanks to you and your staff for making it a really fun time!!! Also for going out of your way to help locate the Instructions for the Spirit Paintings!!! Now it makes sense. Again I really do appreciate it. This was only the 2nd time I had been to Abbotts, the first was 30 years ago for the 1985 Get Together. And that year I was lucky enough to have been part of Abb Dickson's "Kitchen Act". 30 years is a long time, I had just opened my Shop in February of 85 and I am not sure how I could get away long enough to drive up and back from Texas!! Being a long (longer than me) time shop owner you would understand that more than most would. But wow, things have change in the last 30 year...we are in a unique business, the Magic business is not quite what it once was.
Anyway I enjoyed myself so much with being in Marshal and visiting Abbotts, (this past May) that I and my other half (Kathy) have registered for this years Get Together.....I figured that I had better not wait another 30 years before coming back!!!
Again thanks for all and looking forward to a fun time in a couple of weeks!!!
Best to you...
Derek Kennedy
Hi Greg, I am very pleased with every single item you sent! I knew I would be happy with the Mammoth Silk and am quite pleasantly surprised at how nice the dark red 12 inch silks and the 9 inch "wand" silks turned out. Please tell Karin for me that she did a wonderful
job on this special order! I don't say this lightly as I am usually pretty particular about
what I want. She really knows her stuff, doesn't she! You are lucky to have her. And I
am lucky to now know who to ask if I ever have another silk dyeing request. (By the way,
thank you for sending the extra 9 inch "wand" silks.)
Carroll Hovland
The best (Strait) Jacket is the Abbott's Jacket. That is the one we use. Email my friend Greg Bordner - He can get you the information you need
Jeff McBride
Hi Greg, received with thanks the floating light bulb. Now I understand the Abbott magic quality, I like the product very much and will surely order more from you. Regards from India,
Greg, I've done business with your company since 1975. I always prefer your craftsmanship over your competitors in that time. You were able to take a worn out homemade mini zig-zag and build a professional one in it's place. I've always have had great reception to this prop which was why it was worn out to begin with. I wish you the same as you put it on the market. I have some other ideas that might sell for you so I'll try to get down some time to see you and maybe even have another prototype to play with. Thanks again for a great job and may this year be a blessing.
Will Holden
Received the slates yesterday. Fantastic service, getting an out-of-stock item to me in record time. This is the first time I've come across and ordered from Abbott's website. However, when I got into magic some 45 years ago, Abbott's was basically the ONLY place for magic - I still remember the 1 1/2 inch thick catalog (or maybe I just remember it that way, as a youth). Anyway, I will reiterate. Fantastic service, getting an out-of-stock item to me in record time. Saved my New Years plans. Thanks so much.
Flip Nehrt
I got my Vapr yesterday and it is WAY more exciting than I anticipated. One
of the best products I've ever purchased. I can't wait for my next show
to plug it in and use it. I am also surprised how easy it really is to use.
So many times, the promo videos make things look easier than they are but
this is simple and well thought out. You have added to my list of blessings
to count this Thanksgiving Day.
Jeff Boren
Dear Greg, The Eight Foot Jet Set arrived on my doorstep this morning. It is magnificent! What a clever design - it folds down to nothing but looks HUGE. I am really amazed at the stability of the Jet Set. You do have to be careful to steady it while putting the curtain over the stand, but once it's up, it is very stable, It only takes ONE PERSON around ONE MINUTE to put up. The stand fits perfectly into my Gator speaker stand case, so it hasn't really added any volume to what I already carry. I am very pleased, Greg. Thank you once again for having the red/black curtain made up - it was well worth the slight wait - and also for your excellent and courteous service. Regards,
Allan Karasavas
Just got the Den-O-Zen and wow...what a nice job! It really looks great and if the paint scheme you did for me isn't now the standard for this trick...it should be. Again, thanks and nice job.
Pastor Roloff
Just received my Mail Bag and wanted to say GREAT JOB! The construction is top notch! Great quality and I couldn't be happier! Thanks Abbott's!!
Bill Blagg
Hi Greg:
I'm loving my new Mutilated Parasol that I bought during the Get-Together! Thanks to all of you at Abbott's for the excellent quality--what a great piece of magic!
Marty Hahne
I have a library of over 4,000 books on magic and I feel qualified to state that it's simply the best Halloween resource of genuine Halloween magic secrets ever published...and you can quote me on that.
Scott Swayze
I got this book in the mail last night and feel like I owe Abbotts some more money. You get a LOT of magic for your money here. Individually these tricks, illusions and effects would have cost you hundreds of dollars. Abbotts is using a print on demand service so you get a REAL BOOK, not some plastic comb binding other dealers use. I can't say enough good things about Dark Secrets, I hope Abbotts does more of these projects. At $25 this book could easily have sold for three times the price and still been a bargain!
Mitchell Leary
In a world where the "good stuff" is hidden in obscure pamphlets and magazines long forgotten, Dark Matter Secrets stands out as a real treasure. This book contains literally hundreds of usable pieces of magic you aren't likely to find on your own - all in one volume. The magic imps at Abbott's combed through their vaults in search of some of the best releases from their nearly 80 years in business, re-type set most of it, and put it in this beautiful volume. From close-up bizarre magic, to major stage illusions, it's all here. It's about time someone puts a QUALITY product on ink and paper for professionals and hobbyists alike. If "Halloween" and "spooky" is your thing, you are going to LOVE this book from Abbott's!
Keith Stickley of Dr. Scream's Spook Show Revival
Greg, Thanks for a wonderful compilation of great Abbott spook magic. It truly is a must for anyone interested in the history or performance of such material, and a perfect product to come out of an old black building with skeletons on the front! Hope all is well in Colon.
Rocky Clements
Got my copy of Dark Matter Secrets on Monday (Ordered on Friday) What a trip down memory lane for me. I actually used the plans for the Burning Alive, Spider Girl and Headless Women back in the late 60's. It's a great book, thanks Greg Bordner.
Rck Allen
"This book is amazing. Its 572 pages of Spook Show information. The book was released by Abbott's Magic and is photo filled. There have not been many books written on the MIDNIGHT SPOOK SHOW but this one covers a large chunk of it. Don't let the name mislead you. Target: Midnight was what Abbotts called any trick destined for the Midnight Spookshow market. The book is full of photos from the Spookshow era and also has a section on Spookshows happening today. I highly recommend this book."
Amazon Review by Dr. Phantasm


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Michigan road funding talks still at standstill
High-level talks over fixing Michigan's deteriorating roads are at a standstill in the Capitol, with Republican and Democratic leaders still unable to agree much on how to even start.
Feeling burned by passage of a right-to-work law five months ago, Democrats won't consider tax or fee increases without public assurances that GOP Gov. Rick Snyder will veto other legislation seen as damaging to their cause. Specifically, they want a repeal of a law guaranteeing better wages on government construction projects taken off the table, along with a potential bill dividing the state's electoral votes proportionally.
Majority Republicans counter that Democrats must move beyond making demands and put forth their own road-funding proposals.
Neither side appears to be budging.
Asked Thursday if any progress has been made, Snyder said "it's going slower than what I'd like" given a goal to finalize the next state budget within a month.
"People are still in talks and discussions. This is a very difficult topic," he said, pointing out that Michigan's gasoline tax was last raised in 1997.
Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whiter, an East Lansing Democrat, said legislative leaders and Snyder haven't all met together since a heated meeting 2 ½ weeks ago.
"If we're going to sit down and hammer out a grand bargain for infrastructure and other issues facing our state, trust has got to be established again or earned," she said.
If Snyder publicly commits to keeping the prevailing wage law intact or not ending the state's winner-take-all system in presidential elections, she said, it would help. Taking both off the table "would be ideal," Whitmer said.
Frustrated Republicans say the negotiating tactic is unhelpful.
"They're saying, 'We want everything we want and then we'll give you no assurance that we'll help you with solving the road problems,'" said House Speaker Jase Bolger. "We're saying, 'Please, give us a list of what you want but participate in providing the solution at the same time.' ... We've continued to reach our hand out and that hand has not been returned."
The Marshall Republican said he understands the bills to repeal prevailing union-scale wages for government construction projects may have to be dropped in any road-funding deal, "but we can't get to that point if we don't know what they're willing to participate in."
Democrats counter that plans being floated by the GOP have minimal support from rank-and-file Republicans, so why should they get onboard.
The most-straightforward proposal — Snyder's call to raise the gasoline tax and vehicle registration fees — wasn't embraced when he made it part of his proposed budget in early February.
The main alternative still appears to be converting motor fuel taxation from a fixed per-gallon tax to one based on price and eliminating the sales tax on fuel, which could be pitched to drivers as not raising their price at the pump and making sure all fuel taxes go to road upkeep. To offset a drop in funding for schools and local governments, legislators would ask voters to raise the sales tax on all other purchases from 6 percent to 7 percent.
The problem is two-thirds votes in the House and Senate are needed to put a sales tax hike on the statewide ballot, one reason Democratic support is seen as crucial. Snyder's plan would need regular majority votes.
Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville, a Monroe Republican, said the prevailing wage legislation won't go anywhere "unless I were to die." The governor has said he's not interested in the bills, either, but has stopped short of publicly promising a veto.
To Democrats, Snyder's reticence is similar to his signing the right-to-work law after saying for at least two years that it wasn't on his agenda. The law prohibits requiring workers to pay union dues or fees as a condition of employment.
"Everything he says sounds like quote-unquote 'not on my agenda,' which means I'll do it later," Whitmer said.
One positive sign was House Republicans recently agreeing to drop threats to punish public universities, K-12 schools and local governments that signed lengthy new labor contracts delaying the effect of right to work. The GOP calls it a show of good faith; Democrats say the funding penalties never should have been pursued and things are only "back to neutral" after December's contentious lame-duck session.
Republicans, in turn, blame unions for putting right to work on Snyder's radar by pushing a failed ballot measure that would have locked collective bargaining rights into the state constitution and prevented right to work in Michigan.
"I don't see any inconsistency and I certainly don't see any reason for a lack of trust," Bolger said. "The governor's got a very reasonable stance when he says we can talk about taking prevailing wage off the table, but he's not going to do so until or unless we know what the solution is and until or unless we know if they're going to support the solution."