Cultivate What Your Critics Don't Like

Listen carefully to first criticisms of your work. 

Note just what it is about your work that critics don't like - 


then cultivate it!!

That's the part of your work that's individual and worth keeping.
Jean Cocteau


Can you think of  better advice for a creative individual?

It takes great courage and confidence of steel to follow through with this advice.
But...think about anyone who is famous probably did (without knowing it), 
or never heard or listened to the critics.
They are unique. No?

I   " 5  fingered "   this quote from Yvette @ In So Many Words

Renee Finberg 'TELLS ALL' in her BLOG..... Interior Design, Palm Beach, Boca Raton,Ft.Lauderdale,Design Service, Window Treatments, TurnKey Interior Design Service,Paint selection, Floor-Plans,Online Interior Design, Cultivate What Your Critics Don't Like
 

Cultivate What Your Critics Don't Like

Listen carefully to first criticisms of your work. 

Note just what it is about your work that critics don't like - 


then cultivate it!!

That's the part of your work that's individual and worth keeping.
Jean Cocteau


Can you think of  better advice for a creative individual?

It takes great courage and confidence of steel to follow through with this advice.
But...think about anyone who is famous probably did (without knowing it), 
or never heard or listened to the critics.
They are unique. No?

I   " 5  fingered "   this quote from Yvette @ In So Many Words

Renee Finberg 'TELLS ALL' in her BLOG..... Interior Design, Palm Beach, Boca Raton,Ft.Lauderdale,Design Service, Window Treatments, TurnKey Interior Design Service,Paint selection, Floor-Plans,Online Interior Design, Cultivate What Your Critics Don't Like
 

2011 DC Design House

After almost completely convincing myself that I wouldn't make it in the Washington DC Design House, (I tend to do that when it gets down to the wire & I get really nervous) I got a call today from one of the Design House Committee members letting me know I'd been accepted.  I was kind of in shock and just so insanely happy when I listened to her voicemail.
I can't even express how truly honored & grateful I am to be able to participate in the Design House.  Here's a photo from the DC Design House facbooke page of the outside of the 2011 home:

The DC Design House benefites The Childrens National Medical Center which is "the largest non-governmental provider of pediatric care in the District of Columbia and treats all patients regardless of their families' ability to pay. Each year Children's provides more than $50 million in uncompensated care.   As a nonprofit hospital, Children's National relies on the generous support of individuals, corporations, and foundations to meet the health needs of children..."

I'll keep you posted as the date nears, but it's set to run April 9th - May8th.

The address is 3134 Ellicott St, NW

 Do you remember this succulent that had me all excited a while back?

It was growing in the garden room of the design house. 

It completely embodies the feeling I'm after for the space I have (an upstair bedroom/ sitting room) and I just love how fresh and luminous it is.  I'll definitely keep you posted on everything and if you're in the area, hopefully you'll be able to make it to see for yourself!  I'm teaming up with some amazing people including local artist John Matthew Moore. 

I'm thrilled & honored to be joining a super-talented group of designers for this year's Design House: 

James Rill (Rill Architects), Liz Levin, Patrick Sutton, Erin Paige Pitts, Nadia Subaran (Aidan Design), Whitney Stewart, Gary Lovejoy, Nancy Colbert, Camille Saum, Denise Willard, Barbara Franceski, Samantha Friedman, Jason Hodges, Cindy McClure, David Mitchell and Iantha Carley

A huge congratulations to the other designers selected and cheers to the 2011 House!

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Politicalgates welcomes Ennealogic, Leadfoot_LA and Blueberry Tart!

By Patrick

Politicalgates has exciting news, and we know that you all will love it:

Our friends Ennealogic, Leadfoot_LA and Blueberry Tart will join us as regular contributors on politicalgates!

We have great plans for this blog, and from now on, it's not just an "European" blog any more (which it never was supposed to be anyway). As many of you know, Kathleen is an UK citizen, and I am a German citizen. With taking three American citizens on board this blog will be an international effort, and can you betcha that there will be more American guest posters and possibly also more American regular contributors very soon as well.

But it's not just this aspect which excites us. Our new contributors have proven in the past to be excellent writers, and they all have their "special interests." We will therefore have a broad variety of topics on politicalgates, which will then hopefully result in lively discussions amongst our already thriving community.

All contributors will be individually responsible for their posts, and it's possible that we all won't always agree with each other on certain topics. But that's what we enjoy and appreciate: An open, stimulating and civil public discussion, ultimately with the aim of educating ourselves and our readers.

I hold the view that citizens are able to push the boundaries when it comes to blogging - the limits haven't been explored yet. Citizens can have a powerful voice, and we all should use this power for the good.

So let's start a new chapter. Especially during the next years, which might be very difficult times for America, a strong voice of the people is needed. Please join and support us in this endeavour.

+++

Leadfoot_LA has already written her introductory post - here it is:

The top 10 most important things I have learned from this community

I am humbled that Patrick and Kathleen have asked me to be a regular contributor to Politicalgates. I already have a lot of ideas swimming around in my head and can’t wait to get to work!

As most of you know, my background is in entertainment PR. So my “beat” will probably be the tabloid-type stories and any area where politics meats Hollywood. I hope to be the more opinion-based yin to Patrick & Kathleen’s fact-filled yang. (Not sure that came out right!)

I am also a single mother to Bella, age 7 – so I’m sure she will be re-appearing from time to time. Since she is close in age to Piper, I also feel qualified to write about Sarah Palin’s parenting skills. I grew up in a racing family and love fast cars (hence, my nickname), so next time Sarah Palin (or any other teabagger) invades a NASCAR event, I will be all over it.

But I wanted to start my first post by saying that no amount of time investment can ever match what I have already received in return from this wonderful community. I have learned many valuable lessons from you all over the past year and a half – lessons I will carry with me throughout my life. So I thought I’d list them for anyone who might be new:

10. Always put lotion on your neck at night, so you don’t get a turkey neck like Sarah Palin’s.

9. Anyone can buy an empathy belly on the Internet for about $200.

8. If your dishes were made in China and get really hot in the microwave, they probably have lead in them. Throw them away.

7. Teenagers actually have a higher rate of pregnancies resulting in births of down syndrome babies than older women (because they have more babies overall than older women, and because they don’t get the tests for DS that older women get).

6. If your avatar has a cute pink wig, everyone will automatically assume you look just like her.

5. Nearly everyone has a right wing family member (or 5) and it is amazing how many of us have been involved with a sociopath in our families, places or work, or relationships.

4. A spudnut is a donut made from potatoes.

3. If you seek out in-person meetings with other Pogaters (that is what I am calling us now) in your area, you will likely make a new BFF. It is well worth the gas money.

2. Follow the money.Or the emails. Or both.

1. Yes, it is entirely feasible that a sitting governor would fake a pregnancy.

I’m looking forward to a 2011 filled with humor, friendship and justice. If you would like to contribute story ideas, please email me at Leadfootpoliticalgates@gmail.com.

-Leadfoot_LA

.

Room Divider and Fabric Outlets

THIS POST IS FROM ROOM REMIX - THE BLOG .

BHG Storage Fall/Winter 2010 Photo Emily Minton-Redfield

When I saw this flat panel TV stands/room divider in a BHG special interest magazine, I thought it was such a clever and functional idea! It divides the space without blocking the view and creates another "wall" for the TV where there previously wasn't one.  I don't know what is on the other side of the TV stand, but I think it would be a great idea to hang artwork on it to create more interest.

What do you think? Good idea, right?

____________________________________

midwest living

On to fabric outlets. I went this weekend and was reminded of what I love and don't love about them.

First of all, DO NOT go on the weekend. There were so many people it was very hard to even get around. The fabric bolts were pushed all over the place, sometimes blocking the aisles, and the poor people trying to keep them straightened could not keep up. Slightly chaotic.

What I like.
SO much fabric. I love fabric and I love that there's so much of it. So many possibilities and, in a way, I like the challenge of finding the gem among all of the not-so-much gems.

The prices! You can find some really great fabric (if you look hard) for next to nothing compared to retail prices.

BHG.com

What I don't like.
SO much fabric. :-) It's hard to sort through and it's all on the bolt right side in so it's very hard to see. It takes a LOT of work to dig through and find something you can use.
You can cut samples, but there's no guarantee that the same fabric will actually be there when you go back.

Do you shop at fabric outlets? Like them? Any tips?

____________________________________
Thanks to all of you who linked up to the Paint Series Linky Party! I'll be highlighting some favorites later this week.

RELATED POSTS:
- A Unique Room Divider
- DIY Entryway
- Clever Curtaining and Other Great Design Ideas
- Laminated Fabrics
- Design Your Own Fabrics
- Fabric Sources - Expand Your Options

Glomac rides on niche projects

Some of the completed units at Suria Residen, a low-density, gated housing developed by Glomac in Cheras.

PETALING JAYA: Glomac Bhd, a medium-sized property outfit, is on an exciting growth path as it undertakes more niche developments with fast turnaround time in Greater Kuala Lumpur.

The company has a broad range of affordable to higher-end projects. Its 13 ongoing projects include townships in Sungai Buloh and Rawang in Selangor and in Kota Tinggi, Johor, as well as some niche residential and commercial projects in Greater Kuala Lumpur.

For the six months ended Oct 31, 2010, its revenue surged 98.5% to RM267.2mil while pre-tax profit rose 87.5% to RM61.5mil. Net profit attributable to shareholders grew 78.4% to RM31.4mil.

In a recent note, ECM Libra Research said Glomac was on the brink of higher earnings and land bank.

An analyst with a local brokerage concurred, saying the company could look forward to strong double-digit growth of at least 30% over the next three years.

As at end-October 2010, Glomac has unbilled sales of RM572mil, which will be one of its key earnings growth drivers, going forward.

For the financial year ending April 30, 2011, Glomac has set a sales target of about RM500mil.

Going forward, the company can look forward to growing contribution from some of its key ongoing projects like Glomac Tower, Glomac Damansara, Glomac Cyberjaya and Bandar Saujana Utama.

Glomac Damansara Residences, a 2-tower serviced apartment project with an estimated GDV of RM240mil, is set for soft launch in the middle of next month.

Other projects earmarked for launch over the next 12 months will have a combined GDV in excess of RM1bil.

These include a boutique mall in Glomac Damansara with an estimated GDV of RM145mil, Glomac Al Batha Mutiara serviced apartments (RM250mil) and Glomac Utama, a mixed development within the vicinity of Bandar Utama (RM400mil).

One of Glomac's core strategies is to acquire land bank that offers potential for prime and sizeable greenfield developments in Greater KL.

Its recent acquisitions include a 200-acre parcel in Puchong and seven acres in Cyberjaya.

The Puchong land, purchased at RM8.84 per sq ft, has a potential GDV of RM800mil. Glomac will start developing it in about 12 months and the project will comprise terrace and semi-detached houses as well as villa apartments.

The seven acres of commercial land in Cyberjaya were purchased at RM90 per sq ft.

The mixed commercial project planned for this year will have an estimated GDV of RM250mil. It will be an extension of the ongoing Glomac Cyberjaya project launched about two years ago.

Glomac was founded in 1988 by two entrepreneurs, Tan Sri FD Mansor and Datuk Richard Fong.

The company was listed on Bursa Malaysia main board on June 13, 2000. In 2003, it received ISO 9001:2000 certification.

Glomac has completed about 15,000 residential and commercial units with sales totalling RM4bil. It has also completed 5.4 million sq ft of commercial space.

The completed high-end residential developments include gated-and-guarded communities of Aman Suria Damansara in Petaling Jaya, Lakeside Residences in Puchong and Suria Residen, Cheras.


Suria Stonor being developed by Glomac in Kuala Lumpur.

Suria Stonor, a luxury condominium in the vicinity of Kuala Lumpur City Centre, is Glomac's jewel in the crown.

In late 2007, Glomac acquired a 1.3-acre site opposite Petronas Twin Towers and developed it into Glomac Tower, the company's first commercial high-rise project in Kuala Lumpur.


Artist’s impressions of Glomac Tower.

Glomac Tower, a grade A commercial building, has been sold en-bloc at a record price of RM1,120 per sq ft. The project will be completed in the middle of this year.

In 2006, Glomac made two overseas investments. They comprised an office building with car parking lots in Melbourne and a “built-to-suit” warehouse in Bangkok. Both are contributing steady rental yields to the group.

Glomac is now helmed by Datuk FD Iskandar, who is group managing director-cum-chief excutive officer.

The group comprises about 40 subsidiaries involved in every facet of real estate business including property development, property investment, construction, property management and car park management.

By The Star

All eyes and ears on second MRT

KUALA LUMPUR: The second mass rapid transit (MRT) line, which circles the Kuala Lumpur city centre (KLCC) orbital and known as the “circle line”, is already in the final planning stage.

The details are expected to be announced in March.

“Its alignment must depict the current and future business districts in Kuala Lumpur,” said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department and chief executive officer of Pemandu Datuk Seri Idris Jala during an Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) update to analysts and fund managers recently.

In the longer term, a third line to Port Klang was being comtemplated, he said. The circle line is expected to cover the hotspots surrounding the KLCC, Jalan Bukit Bintang, the new Kuala Lumpur International Financial District in Dataran Perdana, KL Ecocity, Pusat Bandar Damansara and Sentul, among others.

Meanwhile, the “blue line” the first line which is a 50km alignment that covers Sungai Buloh to Kajang, via Pusat Bandar Damansara and Bukit Bintang is slated for completion in 2016. The network of all the three MRT lines will be fully operational by 2020.

“Greater KL now has a population of 6 million people. By 2020, we will have 10 million people. If we don't have the MRT, the city will be choked. Right now, nearly everybody drives. This is not sustainable,” said Idris.

He added that currently 13% of people commuted using urban transportation. Under the ETP, Idris said this should increase to 50%, adding that the funding structure for the MRT would be disclosed by end-February.

“Apart from reducing travelling time, the MRT will also cause property prices to appreciate because of better accessibility. If your house is near the MRT station, prices will go up because of the commercialisation created around the area,” said Idris.

Some analysts are wary of the ambitious plans laid out by Pemandu.

“As usual, it's a case of execution. Will the Government be able to actually implement the project? We'll need to see it being done to believe it. More importantly, how is the Government going to fund this project?” asked a construction analyst.

Another analyst said the Government was likely to reduce cost by getting developers to co-fund some of the MRT stations.

On implementation, he said that Pemandu would have learnt from past lessons of the LRT, monorail and commuter train.

Some brokers have notably been able to analyse the impact of the proposed MRT comprehensively.

In a Malaysia Market Strategy Report titled “Property boom-boom” released on Jan 26, global investment bank UBS' head of research Chris Oh said Malaysia was set to enjoy improved connectivity in the coming years with the proposed infrastructure rollout of the MRT system and possible high-speed rail linkage between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

He said the MRT captured the imagination of the people, developers and investors. He expects property value around a radius of 20km of the city centre to rise significantly.

The preference would be on developers who have vast landbank with high-density mixed development around MRT stations.

“Interest in Malaysian property will be fuelled by foreigners looking out for higher returns (via undervalued currency and low entry costs) than their home countries (Singapore and Hong Kong) and the absence of significant restrictions on property ownership by foreigners,” said Oh.

Singapore-based DBS Research was the first to issue a property sector report titled “Entering a Golden Era” on Jan 14, analysing the impact of MRT on the property sector.

The analyst, Yee Mei Hui, said: “The MRT system is expected to be a structural catalyst for the rise in value of the real estate surrounding MRT stations.”

In the report, the firm was projecting boldly that land values in MRT hot spots could jump by up to six-fold over the next five years.

She said the MRT would have a strong structural impact on the Kuala Lumpur real estate, given that the KL city had been under-invested since the last wave of mega-projects in the late 1990s.

The new MRT will create new opportunities for high-density mixed developments, urban renewal and new suburban townships.

In turn, this has boosted the potential for land prices to reach new peaks with higher plot ratios and more commercial developments. Other than existing prime areas, she identified KL Ecocity, Pusat Bandar Damansara and Sentul as new locations for high-density developments to watch out for.

By The Star

Sunway adds shine to REITs

The real estate investment trusts market is expected to be an attractive investment with positive macro economy numbers and higher disposable income.

More property groups are likely to set up real estate investment trusts (REITs) in Malaysia this year as the market continues to stay attractive, said the manager of a major property trust.

"With positive macro economy numbers and higher disposable income, we expect the REIT market to be an attractive investment," said Datuk Jeffrey Ng, the chief executive officer of Sunway REIT Management Sdn Bhd (5176), the manager for Sunway REIT.

Sunway REIT is Malaysia's largest REIT, and it is also the largest REIT initial public offering in Asia, excluding Japan, since 2007.

It was launched by Sunway City Bhd and Sunway REIT Management last July, with eight assets worth RM3.7 billion.
Sunway REIT is expected to double its asset size to RM7 billion in five years, which will comprise 60 per cent of retail properties.

Ng said it is looking for properties to buy, but he declined to elaborate.

Pipeline properties include the two new phases to Sunway Pyramid mall, now known as SP3 and SP4.

Ng said Sunway REIT has helped to bolster the equity market and made it more attractive to foreign institutional players.

"Before the entry of Sunway REIT, the Malaysian REIT (M-REIT) market was never on the international radar screen as the players were too small to attract foreign investors.

"With Sunway REIT coming in, I think we have been catalytic to put M-REIT back on the global funds' radar," he said on Friday in Bandar Sunway, Selangor.

Sunway REIT's assets are Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall, Sunway Carnival Shopping Mall, SunCity Ipoh Hypermarket, Sunway Resort Hotel and Spa, Pyramid Tower Hotel, Sunway Hotel Seberang Jaya and two office towers.

Sunway REIT is 58 per cent held by institutional funds like the Employees Provident Fund, Permodalan Nasional Bhd, Government of Singapore Investment Corp and Great Eastern Life Assurance (M) Bhd. Some 26 per cent of the trust is held by foreign unit holders.

By Business Times

Property loans growth may taper off

ECM Libra Investment Research expects the loans growth to taper off in anticipation that property sales growth may slow down in late 2011.

Residential and non-residential property loans which accounted for 44 per cent of loans growth in 2010 are already showing signs of growth moderation, it said in a research note today.

Residential loan approval has contracted 3.8 per cent year-on-year in December while non-residential loan approval slowed to 30.2 per cent from 47.3 per cent in November.

"Loans growth will also be dampened by an impending statutory reserve requirement (SRR) hike and imposition of macroprudential lending measures as guided by Bank Negara Malaysia in its latest monetary policy statement on Jan 27," said ECM Libra.

In the near term, it said, loans growth is expected to remain intact as lending indicators continue to be in positive territory with loans application and approvals in December 2010, increasing by 36.5 per cent and 17.4 per cent year-on-year, respectively.

"That said, loans disbursement contracted by 2.8 per cent year-on-year in December," it added.

Loans grew by 12.8 per cent to RM883.6 billion in 2010.

Both household and business loans growth moderated in December at 13.4 per cent and 12.1 per cent, respectively.

The loan-deposit ratio remains high at 81.4 per cent from Nov 10 at 81.3 per cent, which is close to the seven year high of 81.7 per cent reached in Oct 10.

"This was due to deposits growing at 7.3 per cent as compared to the loans growth of 12.8 per cent. We believe the lagging deposit growth may curb loans growth momentum going forward," ECM Libra said.

ECM Libra said it has maintained the neutral call on the banking sector as loans growth is tapering while net interest margins is under pressure going forward.

Meanwhile, OSK Research Sdn Bhd has maintained its view of loans growth for 2011 as remaining robust, with the rise in interest rates from record lows unlikely to dampen pent-up credit demand spurred by a recovering economy.

"The banking system's capitalisation remains sufficient, with the risk weighted capital and core capital ratio, standing at 14.6 per cent and 12.8 per cent, respectively," it added.

By Bernama

SP Setia remains a 'sell', says ECM

SP Setia Bhd remains in the 'sell' zone despite the positive acquisition of a 106.2 hectare (262.5 acres) land in Tebrau, Johor, last Friday, ECM Libra Investment Research said today.

It target price was at RM6.00 per share. "We are not imputing any earnings from this new project into our model yet, until there is more clarity on the development timeline," the research house said in a note.

The land, to be developed as a mixed township, is expected to
generate a gross development value (GDV) of at least RM700 million, ECM Libra added.

It also expects the project to be launched in FY12 with the contribution commencing from FY13 onward.

With the new acquisition, SP Setia will have six projects in Johor.

By Bernama

AZRB, Jasa Bakti JV awarded RM125m public housing project

KUALA LUMPUR: AHMAD ZAKI RESOURCES BHD and Jasa Bakti Sdn Bhd have been awarded a RM125 million contract to undertake a public housing project in Kuala Terengganu.

AZRB said on Monday, Jan 31, it had received a letter of acceptance from the Housing and Local Government Ministry to build 1,002 flats under the public housing program (PPR-for rental) in Changang Tiga, Kuala Terengganu.

“The award for the works amounted to RM125 million. The works are to be completed within the period of 30 months; that is commencing from Feb 16, 2011 to Aug 15, 2013,” it said.

By The EDGE Malaysia

Challenging times ahead for Iskandar

JOHOR BARU: Iskandar Regional Development Authority (Irda) chief executive officer Ismail Ibrahim says attracting new investments to Iskandar Malaysia is going to get tougher and more challenging.

He said although the country's first economic growth corridor was making significant progress and moving in the right direction, albeit uncertainties in the global economy, Iskandar could not afford to rest on its laurel.

“The intensity of the competition is becoming greater and we have to prove our sceptics wrong that Iskandar is indeed taking shape as planned,'' Ismail said in an interview with StarBiz.

He said the challenge was not only in attracting new investments to Iskandar, but also receiving financial support from the Government for infrastructure development projects.


Ismail Ibrahim … ‘We have to prove our sceptics wrong, that Iskandar is indeed taking shape as planned.’

Under the Comprehensive Development Plan 20062025, Iskandar is set to transform into a metropolis of international standing.

Iskandar, launched on Nov 4, 2006, is located in the southern most part of Johor and spans over 2,217 sq km. It is three times bigger than Singapore and has five flagship development zones JB City Centre, Nusajaya, Eastern Gate Development, Western Gate Development and Senai-Skudai.

The corridor has attracted investments totalling RM67.68bil up to November last year. A total of RM39.42bil, or 58%, of the total investment was from domestic investors and the balance from foreign investors.

Of the overall investment received, RM6.28bil was from the public sector; RM14.45bil went to tourism, utilities and others; RM20.25bil for properties; and RM26.38bil for the manufacturing sector.

During the same period, RM27.61bil or 40.8% of the total committed investments have been spent on development projects in the region.

Ismail said Irda would continue to work closely with government agencies like Malaysian Industrial Development Authority and Malaysia External Trade Development as well as foreign missions to promote Iskandar.

He said Irda also had a good working relationship with the Johor State Investment Centre (JSIC) although Irda's coverage was limited to Iskandar only, while JSIC covered the entire state.

Irda is the regulatory body mandated to plan, promote and facilitate the development of Iskandar. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman are the co-chairmen.

“We are mindful of the growing Asia-Pacific region and we are coming out with programes to attract more investments from China, India, Indonesia and Singapore,'' Ismail said.

He said besides these countries, Irda would continue to woo investors from Europe, the United States and the Middle East, and would likely to extend its reach to Brazil, Russia and South Africa.

Ismail said although the economies of Europe and the United States were still in the doldrums, Irda believed that they still offered good investment opportunities for Iskandar as not everyone there was affected by the downturn.

He said Iskandar was now in the second phase of its road map which focused mainly on attracting new investments and the completion of phase-one projects.

Ismail said Irda would have more outreach programmes this year with the private sector, which would not be limited to meeting them as groups in seminars or conferences, but would be on one-to-one basis.

“We want to engage them better and intensively so as to share our plans for the private sector in Iskandar and vice versa,'' he said.

Ismail said the private sector stakeholders included property developers, investors, chambers of commerce, small and medium-scale enterprises and land owners.

On why the Government decided to allocate an additional RM600mil for Iskandar in November from the RM339mil announced by Najib in Budget 2011, he said the Government must have its own reasons for that.

Ismail said the bulk of the allocation would be spent this year on ongoing projects like the New Coastal Highway, Iskandar Malaysia public housing project and river cleaning works.

“We believe (the extra allocation) has got to do with our timely delivery of our infrastructure projects and the commitment shown by us and the new projects already in the pipeline,'' he said.

By The Star

Housekeeping

{new cubbies in my office studio...  "studio" sounds so much better, doesn't it?}

Just enjoying the last spec of the loooong snow-filled weekend before bed. Last week was such a nutty week that I totally forgot to post that I was a guest blogger/ designer over at Room Remix! PK's going a great series on paint with some of my favorite blog friends so check it out if you have a minute:

ROOM REMIX PAINT SERIES

Many of you asked about the driftwood hanging above the cubbies.  My dad found it 20 or so years ago while fishing in Georgia.  It's a cypress tree root.  There used to be bass mounted on it but he gave it to me  so they're gone :)  It used to be in the shape of a star but a piece of it fell off over the years.  He's wants me to reattach it but then I wouldn't have room for my cubbies!

Also, you might have noticed a few changes around here. My blog's been getting a few tweaks including a some new buttons on the sidebar. I haven't linked everything up yet but as soon as I do, I'll be sure to give you a little tour.

Is anyone going to the design bloggers' conference in LA? I'm all signed up so let me know if you're in!

And... I find out tomorrow yes or no for the design house. Am so nervous and can't wait for the pit in my stomach to leave. ( it has to go away whether we get it or not, right?? ;). I might be in need of virtual hugs so I'll keep you posted. Finger crossed.



If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Sarah Palin: "Mr. Caribou has to take one for the team for the sake of energy independence" - UPDATE

By Patrick

Sarah Palin spoke at the Safari Club International on Saturday to an audience of 2500 people, and "The Daily Beast" published an excellent article about the event. Palin did her best to woo the hunters, and it appears that the event was a huge success for her. Her core base still goes mad for Sarah. I doubt very much that these people care for facts, figures or inconvenient revelations. They just love their Sarah.

In a recent brilliant article, which should be recommended reading for every journalist who examines Sarah Palin, Andrew Halcro, a moderate Republican and well-know Alaskan Palin critic, shares his observations from the 2006 Alaskan gubernational campaign about this phenomenon:

Voters loved Palin for who she was, not what she knew and therefore gave her a pass and accepted her glittering generalities as public policy gold. All her vague talk about new energy and transparency were more important than specifics on improving education or public safety.

During an August 2006 candidates forum, opponent John Binkley asked Palin what her vision was for the University of Alaska. For the next forty five seconds Palin prattled on about travelling Alaska, talking to Alaskans. "I've been travelling the state in a Jetta, not a jet (an obvious swipe at former Governor Murkowski's ill-fated jet) and they understand the importance of education."

However, nowhere in the answer did she ever give any indication that she had an inkling of the role the University played in Alaska's future. In return, the audience swooned, as if she had just uncovered the cure for cancer.

If you read the article in "The Daily Beast", it appears that Sarah was in paradise during her speech. She found again the adoration that she feels is missing from the "lamestream" media, here it is:

Back in the Tuscany Ballroom, Palin is doing her part to cheer up the congregation, punctuating her remarks with one-liners that wouldn't have been out of place at Wednesday's dinner with Larry the Cable Guy. "My family loves animals in the wild—and also next to the mashed potatoes. "For most of these frou-frou, chi-chi types, the extent of their experience is in the Tiki Room at Disneyland." "We eat organic—we just have to shoot it first. And it comes wrapped in fur, not cellophane." The Safari Clubbers are going wild. (...)

Within seconds, Palin has pivoted to the real point of her remarks. "I'm knowing too, though," she continues, "how important it is, for their sake, for America's sake, that we do not allow the evil acts of one mentally deranged murderer [to] change America's way of life. We must not allow this tragedy to stifle our constitutionally protected rights, including our Second Amendment rights. Beware of what's coming. I really do believe that God has shed his grace on thee. We can't blow it. We can't allow an atrophy of the foundation that is America, that is so exceptional." With that, the Safari Club is on its feet again, and its keynote speaker is waving her way offstage.

But what was particularly interesting from my point of view were Sarah Palin's remarks about her TLC "alternate reality show", and how politics were included. "The Daily Beast" writes:

Warm welcome or not, it still takes a few minutes for Palin to hit her target. At first, she seems to address every topic except the aftermath of Tucson. She admits that she "threw a little politics" into her recent TLC reality show by dragging the crew to the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge on the pretense of hunting caribou. Her real purpose? Showing viewers that ANWR is a "barren, desolate, less-than-pristine place"--perfect, in other words, for lots of new oil drilling. "If a caribou needs to be sacrificed for the sake of energy independence," she adds, "I say, 'Mr. Caribou, maybe you need to take one for the team.'"

Well, isn't that interesting. Mr. Caribou needs "to take one for the team?" Isn't this how Sarah always conducts politics, that one need to take one for the team - meaning, "for Sarah?" If for example a caribou has to die, because Palin needs to prove on TV that she is a tough killer - no problem at all. The animal is just there to be eaten anyway. If caribou have to die in ANWR for oil - who cares? Sarah doesn't. It seems to me that this is also the concept that Palin applies to her "staff members", who always have to be prepared to "take one for the team" as well. Ask Rebecca Mansour. Ask Frank Bailey. Ask Glen Biegel. The list goes on. It's a long one.

Finally, Sarah Palin doesn't hide her real ambitions during her speech: The White House has to be hers:

In public, Palin tends be guarded about her plans for the future. But earlier in the evening, she dropped a small hint about her potential ambitions. After some boilerplate comments about how "local government is the most responsive and responsible to the will of the people" she paused for a moment and stared out across the ballroom. And then came this: "that's why I think every president should have a run at gaining experience by being a councilmember, a mayor, a governor, a VP candidate, a commercial fisherman, a hockey mom." As the attendees cheered, Palin made a halfhearted attempt to quiet them down. "No, I'm kidding," she said, beaming. "I try to be funny some times. I'm kidding." But they hoped she wasn't.

The faith is still strong in Sarah - certain parts of the population still adore her and they always will. Sarah Palin's "WTF moments" and the inevitable and justified harsh criticism won't rattle their beliefs. The upcoming presidential campaign promises to be a very rough ride.

(h/t to Juicy76 for the article in "The Daily Beast")

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UPDATE:

I forgot to mention other interesting fact from this event - Sarah told a new version of how she named her kids, this time specifically designed for the hunters.

"The Daily Beast" reported her remarks as follows:

She even cites her children's Christian names as evidence of her outdoorswoman cred. "Piper was named after Todd's airplane, the Piper cub, which gets us to the hunting grounds," she explains. "Bristol, Bristol Bay fishing grounds. Willow, a local sport-fishing stream. Trig, I pull the TRIG-ger. Track... I remember when we told my dad that his grandson was named Track, he said, 'Like TRACKing an elephant?'"

"Yahoo News", as a comparison, wrote in an excellent comment about the event:

Earlier in her speech, Palin proudly told stories about how her children have hunting names associated with Alaska. Bristol is named after Bristol Bay. Piper is named after an airplane, Willow after a stream.

The kicker is her son Trig. Mommy and Daddy Palin lovingly named him after the part of the gun which fires the weapon. Just pull the trigger.

So she claimed on Saturday to have named Trig for "pulling the trigger", and Track for "tracking an elephant."

How strange! In October 2008, Huffington Post reported the following, quoting a KTUU-story which is not accessible any more:

The grandfather says Trig is named after his great uncle, a Bristol Bay fisherman, while the name Paxson comes from the well-known snowmachining area.

So I guess Chuck Heath, the "grandfather", didn't get the memo.

We even have another version - from msnbc news on April 19, 2008:

Palin spokeswoman Sharon Leighow would not elaborate on the special challenges. She said the governor would talk with reporters early next week.

The governor went into labor Thursday while in Texas at an energy conference. Her contractions let up enough for her to fly home on Alaska Airlines to deliver her baby in Alaska, Leighow said.

The name Trig is a Norse word meaning "true" and "brave victory," Leighow said. Paxson is an area of Alaska that both Palin and her husband, Todd, feel is "one of the most beautiful spots in Alaska," she added.

Sarah Palin, always the woman of many stories.

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A Makeover, Thank You and the Party Continues!

THIS POST IS FROM ROOM REMIX - THE BLOG .

Hey there! Hope you all are having a good weekend so far...

Have you seen this makeover by designer Tyler Colgan that is currently featured on Southern Living?

It's a light and airy home with a cozy vibe that feels like you could just walk in the door, kick your shoes off and be comfy.

What makes it even more impressive is that they show what it looked like before, and you won't even remotely recognize it as the same house!

For example the breakfast nook went from this...

BEFORE

to this. An awesome transformation!

AFTER

(To see the rest of the images as well as sources (some very affordable ones like Ikea, World Market, etc.) click here.)
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THANK YOU

Thank you once again to Janell, Lauren, Maria, Sherry, Erika, and Emily for participating in the Paint Series! I really appreciated them taking the time to share their tips and favorites with us and I know you all did too!

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And thank you so much to these very kind bloggers who've awarded me the Stylish Blogger Award!

Sherri - Inside Out Design

Le - Third on the Right

Libby - An Eye For Detail

Pamela - Be Colorful

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The Paint Linky Party will be open for you to add your links until midnight tonight. Thank you to all of you who have already linked up! If you want to link up, or just check out all of the great projects, you can click on the button below to get to the party...

Which Tree For Me?

I have narrowed it down to one of these trees.

The yellow,

the purple,

or the orangie-red????

This last tree is called an african tulip tree.

I have wanted one of these for years,

but they get huge.

Which tree do you like?

Renee Finberg 'TELLS ALL' in her BLOG..... Interior Design, Palm Beach, Boca Raton,Ft.Lauderdale,Design Service, Window Treatments, TurnKey Interior Design Service,Paint selection, Floor-Plans,Online Interior Design,my tree - african tulip tree

Which Tree For Me?

I have narrowed it down to one of these trees.

The yellow,

the purple,

or the orangie-red????

This last tree is called an african tulip tree.

I have wanted one of these for years,

but they get huge.

Which tree do you like?

Renee Finberg 'TELLS ALL' in her BLOG..... Interior Design, Palm Beach, Boca Raton,Ft.Lauderdale,Design Service, Window Treatments, TurnKey Interior Design Service,Paint selection, Floor-Plans,Online Interior Design,my tree - african tulip tree

Civil unrest continues in Egypt - Will there be an "internet kill switch" in the USA's future?

By Kathleen

I had hoped by now that the civil unrest that is taking place in Egypt might have calmed down. It hasn't. Since Tuesday it has been estimated that approximately 100 people have been killed and the unrest continues to escalate.

On Friday the government shut down internet and telephone services. The services were blocked from receiving signals in a bid to suppress images and posts from revealing the full extent of the anti-government protests. You can see from the following graphic how the internet in Egypt suddenly "died" on January 27, 2010:

(h/t to our reader "nomadicjoe, who runs the blog "A Nomadic View" and published a post about this subject)

Despite the protests Hosni Mubarak refuses to step aside leading to tens of thousands of protesters congregating in the streets calling for his resignation and burning images of him. Earlier they ignored night curfew limits and attacked police vehicles, setting them on fire. The military were brought in to control the crowds and patrol the streets and the numbers killed rose dramatically. Despite the rising death toll the demonstrators are determined to stay until Mubarak steps aside.

Many western leaders have called for reform including President Barack Obama who called upon the Egyptian authorities to "refrain from attacking the protesters" and further added "those protesting in the streets have a responsibility to express themselves peacefully". He also stated that:

"Now, going forward, this moment of volatility has to be turned into moment of promise. The United States has a close partnership with Egypt and we've cooperated on many issues, including working together to adbance a more peaceful region. But we've also been clear that there must be reform -- political, social, and economic reforms that meet the aspirations of the Egyptian people."

President Obama also told the Egyptian government to "reverse the actions that they have taken to interfere with access to the Internet, to cell phone services and to social networks that do so much to connect people in the 21st century".

Watch his speech:

Coincidently, according to news reports, a bill was in the process of being floated by Senator Susan Collins, the Republican ranking member on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which would grant the President similar internet killing powers.

According to wired.com, an aide to the Homeland Security committee described the bill as one that does not mandate the shuttering of the whole internet. Instead, it would authorize the president to demand turning off access to so-called "critical infrastructure" where necessary.

It seems clear to me that "critical infrastructure" can be interpreted to mean just about anything that the Government may want it to mean. If this legislation is passed Americans may wake up one morning to find their internet is no longer available to them and that their phone has stopped ringing.

The discussion about an "internet kill switch" in the USA has been stirred up by the events in Egypt. Dan Costa, Executive Editor of "PC Mag", commented on January 28:

"The U.S. telecommunication industry is much more complex and far more decentralized. To do something similar in the U.S. would require a lot more than four phone calls. There are simply too many connections inside the nation already for them to be silenced. Also, since our economy is more dependent on the Internet obstructing the free flow of information would be disastrous. Still, the push for a U.S. Internet Kill Switch is here, but no one understands the consequences.

The fact is, no one in the U.S. should ever have the right or the ability to take the Internet offline. As an editor of a purely online publication (we made the switch from print a few years ago), it's very clear to me that freedom of the press relies more than ever on the Internet. No one in the U.S.—or anywhere—should have the right to shut it down."

CBS reported about the internet shut down in Egypt in the protests:

It is clear that Egypt is in turmoil and that the problems there may only be settled by the people via free and democratic elections. How likely is this to take place? Mubarak shows no signs of leaving Egypt despite being advised to do so by the powerful Arab Cleric Yusuf al-Quaradawi cleric of the Muslim Brotherhood. It seems that until Mubarak leaves there will be no peace. And whilst Mubarak stays the violence will continue and more people will be killed or seriously injured.

"The Daily Dish" provides excellent "live" reporting about the situation in Egypt.

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Bringing condo living to Perak

Artist’s impression of The Haven Lakeside Residences in Tambun, Perak.

It takes a foreigner to help us appreciate what is available in our backyard. It also takes the can-do spirit of Australian Peter Chan to do the unthinkable.

The limestone rocks and hills around Ipoh have so enchanted the co-principal of Superboom Projects Sdn Bhd that he is building three blocks of luxurious condominiums The Haven Lakeside Residences in Tambun, 15 minutes' drive out of Ipoh.


Peter Chan ... ‘This is a little Guilin.’

“This is a little Guilin,” says the CEO of Superboom Projects, referring to China's famed holiday destination Guilin. “Limestone hills and formation are unique. They do not happen just anywhere and The Haven is surrounded by them.”

The area that Chan has set his sight on forms part of the Malaysian Main Range, which stretches from southern Thailand to Johor. Limestones have today become synonymous with Ipoh, just as the Melawati Range is synonymous with Taman Melawati, Kuala Lumpur which also is part of the Main Range.

Leveraging on the green factor and old money looking for new lifestyles, Chan will be building what will be Ipoh's most luxurious condominium priced from RM330,000 to RM2mil a unit. It will also be the tallest building in and around Ipoh. The tallest building is Tower Regency, a 20-storey hotel in Ipoh. The project is expected to set a new benchmark for the Perak property market.

“Property prices move up quite a bit in the Klang Valley and Penang but there is this perception that it should be low here (Ipoh). It is just that there is little population growth here. The young people keep leaving home to seek work in Kuala Lumpur and Penang. So, when there is no population growth, there is no demand. But environmentally, Ipoh is an ideal place to retire in. The cost of living is not as high as in Kuala Lumpur or Penang,” he says, adding that there are several hospitals and a supermarket chain within a short drive of the project.

For years, developers in Perak have concentrated on building double-storey terraced and semi-detached houses. Because of the abundance of land, the idea of building luxurious high-rise condominiums did not figure.

Chan looks at the market demand with new lenses. There are many empty nesters in and around Ipoh, with a population of about 800,000. Increasingly, security has become an issue. There is no room today for a five- or six-room house, unless two or more generations stay together, he says.

His target audience is the retirees' market in and around Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. The other market segments are those in search of a holiday home.

“Ipoh is a quiet and serene place to retire and to holiday in. Penang and Malacca are oversold but little is known about Ipoh. I would like to change that,” he says.

He is offering 11 layouts with built-ups ranging from 1,000-3,000 sq ft. Although there are about 500 condominium units, Chan is offering about 300 covered car parks in a three-storey parking podium with lifts. There will be two separate covered parking facilities with additional bays on ground level.

Chan does not expect full occupancy all year around. Hence, he is working with Best Western Hotels group, one of the world's largest hotel chain to manage, market and lease out some of the properties. Maintenance charges for the first 1,000 sq ft is 22 sen, the second and third 1,000 sq ft at 16 sen and 12 sen per sq ft.

On the issue of the terrain housing the three 26-storey blocks, Chan said the site has been tested by three independent engineering companies working on structure and foundation. Prof Bernard Pierson, the Shell chair for Geosciences at Universiti Teknologi Petronas was reported to have vouched for the safety of the residences.

This will be Chan's third project. His previous two projects are double-storey terraced housing at Subang Galaxy in Subang 2, Selangor and Permai Lake View Apartments, located adjacent to the 14-acre Haven site. Chan completed the apartments in 2006. Fronting the Permai Lake View apartments later on will be about 30 shops. The concept to build the condominiums came in 2008.

The three blocks will be sited around a 4-acre lake on the foothills of the Main Range, where a 14-storey limestone rock stands. Chan's 14-acre site, inclusive of the lake, is adjacent to Sunway's plot of land which includes a hill. On the other side of the hill is Perak's famed spa resort, The Banjaran.

“Things are moving in Perak. It is just that this place has long been overlooked, with Penang and Malacca oversold as a retiree's home and a retreat,” he says.

The project, with a gross development value of RM250mil, is being constructed by Bina Puri Holdings Bhd and Beijing Construction Engineering (M) Sdn Bhd, two top contractors in Malaysia and China respectively. The leasehold project is expected to be completed in 2013.

By The Star