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The truth about UX design
You may have mastered slick interfaces – but if you want to really affect a user's experience, get out of Photoshop and into the boardroom, says Paul Boag
When you think about user experience design, what do you think of? A beautifully crafted interface? Sketching out a wireframe? Cracking open Photoshop or Sketch? In fact, user experience design starts not in Photoshop, but in the boardroom. If we want to call ourselves user experience designers then we need to expand our horizons.
Many of us like to call ourselves user experience designers, when in fact we are user interface designers. As soon as things beyond the interface come up we get uncomfortable. We claim that content is the client's problem, or that we don't have the authority to interfere in business processes. To become user experience designers we need to learn how to shape the entire experience, from beginning to end. That means moving beyond our comfort zone.
How they will make you spend…
Traditional ads are on their way out. We explores how tech is enabling brands to get more personal
Advertising has long been a dirty word. It's all too often an unwelcome invasion into our lives – whether breaking up our favourite TV shows, splashing all over the website we're trying to read or assaulting our eyeballs as we walk down the street.
One thing that all of these examples have in common is that they're old school one-way broadcasts that target the mass market. What savvy brands now know is that shouting in someone's face is rarely as effective as taking them by the hand and leading them somewhere. Everything is changing.
OpenPi
Ever intrigued by little boxes and blueprints, Jonni Bidwell explores a Pipowered Internet of Things hub that you can redesign yourself.
Wireless Things is the new name for Ciseco, the Nottingham-based Internet of Things company responsible for the critically acclaimed EVE Alpha device. EVE is a compact device that fits snugly on top a Raspberry Pi, connecting via the GPIO pins. There are a plethora of modules that can be fitted to the EVE board: SRF or RFM12B radios, real-time clocks (RTCs), temperature sensors and more. With the OpenPi, Wireless Things hope to take this idea one step further and it's in the middle of a crowdfunder as we write this (http://bit.ly/KickstartOpenPi).
Mad Catz Strike M
A tiny keyboard that packs a big punch
With the launch of the M.O.J.O., Mad Catz is making a name for itself as the undisputed king of the Android-powered micro console. Because of the nature of Android, though, and the fact that the M.O.J.O. is really just a tablet on your TV, there comes the inherent difficulty of entering text.
The issue isn't just with the M.O.J.O.; it's with every device that's hooked up to a TV and uses some form of controller as the main method of input. A smart TV, for example, uses the remote, a PS3 uses its controller and so on. What's needed in these situations is a good old-fashioned keyboard.
H1Z1 Early Access
After the apocalypse, the undead are the least of your worries
We're not cruel or callous people here at Micro Mart. In fact, despite the constant pressures of getting a weekly magazine out on time, we're actually quite well tempered. That pretty much went out of the window, though, when we came across our first 'real' person deep in the wilderness of H1Z1.
H1Z1, if you're not aware is the newest zombie infested MMO from Daybreak Games (formally Sony Online entertainment). It's still in the early access alpha release stage, but we were given the opportunity to see what all the fuss is about with regards to a zombie apocalypse.
Tesoro Kuven Pro 5.1 Headset
The Helm of Darkness is surprisingly comfortable
Before we begin, Kuven, in case you're wondering, was the name for the helmet of Hades, also known as the Helm of Darkness. It apparently renders the wearer invisible to all, even the eyes of the gods, and it was forged for Hades by the cyclopes during the war against the Titans, alongside the trident of Poseidon and Zeus's thunderbolts.
The Tesoro Kuven Pro 5.1 headset unfortunately doesn't render you invisible, and we can confidently state that it wasn't forged by a cyclops -although we have been known to be wrong in the past. It is, however, a very well designed, comfortable and exceedingly good headset.
Acer Predator XB270HA G-Sync Gaming Display
Nvidia G-Sync is the latest feature for Acer's gaming monitors
Computer displays are going through an odd phase at this time.
For those who like strong colours and excellent viewing angles, there are amazingly priced IPS panels. And for gamers, there's enhanced twisted nematic film (TN) technology. It might have less colour saturation and poor viewing angles, but it can also deliver the high refresh rates that gamers need to work with the high frame rates modern video cards can easily generate.
The Acer XB270HA is a TN panel made for that specific gaming market, offering a 1ms response time and a 144MHz refresh rate on a sizeable 27" screen.
Toshiba Canvio AeroCast 1TB
Toshiba blends a 1TB hard drive with a wireless access point
Both Seagate and Western Digital have released wireless external drives in the past year, and now it's Toshiba's turn with the Canvio AeroCast.
This sticks firmly to the same model we've seen previously, where you need an installed app to access any contents from mobile devices. Technically you can attach the drive as a mountable drive on the PC, but \\10.10.10.254\share isn't an obvious location, and a web interface might have been much more helpful.
Backupper
Prepare for disaster but hope it never happens. Roland Waddilove tries a handy backup solution
Only a small percentage of computer disk drives fail, and many people never encounter a problem, but just as you wouldn't drive a car without an insurance policy that will replace it in the event of a crash, you really shouldn't use a computer without a backup solution in place that can replace the contents if it crashes.
There are many backup programs, but one you may not have heard of is AOMEI Backupper. There are several versions, and the one on test is Backupper Professional. There is a free version that is surprisingly comprehensive, but the Pro edition has a few extras that make managing backup jobs easier.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Everyone Has A Badass Woman From History Who Matches Their Personality — Here's Yours
You must have heard the saying, "behind every great man is a great woman", or at least a variation of that. We celebrate the history-making achievements of men over the years, but rarely do we hear about the strong women who have accomplished similar feats. Here, we will put a spotlight on them.
The feminist movement is going strong today, but before it gained popularity, there was a lot of hard work to get it started. Gloria Steinem essentially began this movement by advocating for equal rights and cementing her status as a feminist icon. Mindy Kaling is a familiar name in the entertainment industry, but the multi-faceted artiste didn't have it easy. For an Indian plus-sized woman, the industry was extremely hard to break into, but she broke all boundaries and managed to lead her own sitcom.
Find out which strong woman from history you are most like in this quiz. Answer the following questions with your honest opinions. Based on your answers, we will tell you the badass historical woman you're most similar to.
Which historical site would you like to see in person?
I want to see something else!
Which form of humor is your favorite?
I like other kinds of humor!
Uh-oh. That was incorrect.
Choose a present-day badass woman!
Someone else comes to mind!
Which extinct animal do you wish would make a comeback?
Japanese sea lion
Western black rhinoceros
Spix's macaw
I wish something else existed!
Which of these art is most appealing to you?
Composition with Red Blue and Yellow
None of these appeal to me!
Wanderer above the Sea of Fog
Which of these cities would you want to tour around?
I don't want to see these places!
Pick a vintage form of technology you miss using!
I don't miss these!
Boom Box
Rotary dial telephone
Which was your favorite subject in school?
I didn't like these subjects!
Pick a member of the Royals that you relate to the most!
I don't relate to them!
Choose a historical method of transportation to use today!
I wouldn't use any of these!
Was that too easy for you?
Which period film do you enjoy watching?
I don't like these films!
Which Shakespearean piece do you enjoy the most?
I don't really like his work!
Which male historical figure do you admire?
I feel someone else is more admirable!
Which female-led movie do you enjoy the most?
Choose an iconic moment by a woman that you are most proud of!
Billie Jean King winning the Battle of the Sexes
Rosa Parks refusing to move from the front of the bus
I'm thinking of something else!
Malala Yousafzai becoming the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner
The first woman going into space
Aretha Franklin becoming the first woman to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Everyone Has A Deadly Mythological Woman That Matches Their Personality — Here's Yours
What Period In History Do You Actually Belong In?
Everyone Has A Famous Introvert That Matches Their Personality — Here's Yours
👗 We Know Who You'll Take To Prom Based On The Prom Outfit You Design
Only 1 In 10 People Will Be Able To Pass This Basic Math Test Without Using A Calculator


If you ever want to get good and sad, do a search in your iTunes for the word "home." I trimmed the playlist to 50, but that's 3:30:06 worth of accompaniment for where I'm not. I've got quite the assortment - from the Peasall Sisters to Coheed and Cambria, from Matthew Mayfield to Waterdeep and from Eliza Doolittle to Trent Dabbs, from Mark Scibila to Iron & Wine and Mates of State to Sarah Jarosz. Simon & Garfunkel even make an appearance, followed by Phil Wickham and William Fitzsimmons.
And they are all singing, desperate and hopeful, about home.
I can't really explain it, but these melodies rustle up a restlessness that says, "You're not home in this moment" and it doesn't even matter where my feet are currently planted. I could be standing in the middle of my childhood home or lounging in one of 10 places I've called "home" since then and it wouldn't matter. There's something distinctly not home-y about life and there are reasons to be discontent about it.
Come on, join in with me. Throw your discontent in my kettle and we'll stir us up some comfort food.
I don't know what makes where you are not home, but it's a funny science - this discontent. I think I realized as my heart beat along with the rhythm of these tunes that I need to add home and here and there to the list of "things to hold loosely."
When we are tempted into discontent about the place we find our two feet (for all the pages of reasons we rush to number), it's okay to be honest. It's okay to sing sad songs about home and speak our discontent into the unforgiving air.
But discontent will become our sin when we hold too tightly and hope too strongly for what we don't have.... then discontent becomes a bitter root or a seed of jealousy. Our comfort in the most desperate, sojourning moments is that our always home is not attached to location or city or nation.
In those kind of moments - when I think about all the places I am not - I breathe deep and trust that God is.
If you need to speak your wandering, sojourning spirit into the unforgiving air today, here are some tunes. But, please, don't hold too tightly or hope too strongly for what you don't have.
You have an invitation to always home.
Here is the one you listen to when you realize where you are always home.


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Phone Shop Finder Holmfirth mobile phone shops page, We have listed several phone shops and mobile phone shops in Holmfirth. If you know of a phone shop in Holmfirth that we missed please submit it at our: Listings Page. The listings below will help you find cheap phones and cheap mobile phones in Holmfirth. Phone Shop Finder will help you find all cheap mobile phone shops and phone shops in Holmfirth. We also have Holmfirth mobile phone shop reviews and ratings.


Summer is here! Cool down by riding this wave known as the "Rip Tide" - it injects a multitude of fun into any event! So the next time you're organising an event, don't forget to put this on the list! Don't think and just do it! You'll thank us later dude!
The cool blue and white colours represents the waves of the ocean. Seeing this slide on land is like witnessing an oasis in the desert! The wavy design mimics nature in action and may even attract the surrounding wildlife!
Don't be surprised if a herd of animals come your way! Like Noah's ark are to animals, the Rip Tide are a human magnet! We can't help but to be drawn to this magnificently designed inflatable slide.
If you'd like to book this awesome slide, please click on the booking button to the right of this page. Got questions to ask? No sweat! Just fill in this form here.


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Rocky Mountain National Park begins centennial celebration
By Colorado Public Radio Staff
The National Park Service is getting a jump start on celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Rocky Mountain National Park in northern Colorado.
An open house will be held on the east side of the park Wednesday with the event repeating on the west side Thursday.
The celebration begins 99 years to the day the park was dedicated. It will continue for a year to mark the centennial of the dedication.
The movement to create a national park began in the early 1900s when a national conservation movement reached the Rockies.
The founder of the Rocky Mountain News, William Byers, extolled the virtues of the mountains in his newspaper.
English naturalist Isabella Bird explored hundreds of miles of the Rockies and wrote letters of her experiences that were later published as a book.
Then, protecting some of the Rockies from mining and hunting became the cause of an Estes Park resident, naturalist and photographer, Enos Mills.
"Enos Mills we consider the father of Rocky Mountain National Park," says park ranger Sam Forsythe.
Mills presented lectures about the cause to any group that would hear him out. He also shared hundreds of photographs.
Others joined his crusade and Congress passed legislation creating the national park and it was signed into law by President Wilson on Jan. 26, 1915.
The legislation was a compromise. The park ended up smaller than some had hoped, but it still covers 265,000 acres.
In its earliest days, it was a challenge getting to the park. "Rough riding back in those days," Forsythe says.
Some national parks boasted railroads but not Rocky Mountain National Park. "You had these somewhat treacherous roads," Forsythe says.
But people made the journey in their Model Ts and Stanley Steamer automobiles to convince others it was possible.
Throughout its history, the park service has wrestled with balancing conservation and recreation.
The park has added about 11,000 acres that were in private hands when the refugee was created.
Forsythe says the biggest change over the last century is reflected in the wildlife in the park.
Elk were introduced when the park was founded and now flourish there.
He says wolves and grizzly bears are no longer found in the park because they were overhunted.
But other predators do call the park home since they have been protected, including black bears, mountain lions and coyotes.
In the years ahead, climate change is a challenge.
"We have on-going research on how our animal species and plant species are changing," he says.


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The Ease Of Applying For A Loan Online
Latest Auto Loan Articles
Usually when you go out and apply for an auto loan you will have to either go out to a local bank or a dealership and fill out all kinds of forms, have them do a credit check, and after all of that you have no guarantee that you will get approved for the loan. All this is going to do is stress you out more than anything else especially if you have a poor or damaged credit score. Once you do all of that though if you are denied for a loan then you will just have to suck it up and do it all over again somewhere else and this will go on and on until you finally get that approval you have been spending days, weeks, or months trying to get.
Why put up with that though? Most people deal with that because they think that it is the only option they have available, but there are now more options available. You are now able to apply for a loan online and it will actually be one of the easiest and safest ways for you to get approved. The best part about applying for a loan online is that it will give even people with bad credit the chance to get approved.
How It Helps People with Bad Credit
People who have bad credit are going to feel lost when it comes to where they can get approved to finance the car that they need. You can spend all day trying at different banks in your area and you will probably have nothing to show for it, but that is where services like Funding Way will be able to help.
We know that there are dealers out there that are more than happy to help people with bad credit get approved, but where are those dealers? This is where we come to save the day. Those dealerships typically do not have big signs or advertisements (sometimes they do though) declaring that they can get you financed for a bad credit auto loan. We know where all of those dealers are across the country and will get you approved at one of them in as quick as just a few hours! What do you need to do? Fill out an application on our website, it will be as simple as that. So if you want to get approved for a bad credit car loan you will need to look no further than FundingWay.com.
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Online Security Requires More than a Secure Certificate
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Car Loan Financing Tips
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The Information Security Forum is an educational conference bringing together security and IT professionals from public sector organizations across the state of Texas.
This premier conference focuses on security trends and upcoming technologies. Don't miss this great opportunity to network and promote your products and services to security leaders and personnel. We estimate an attendance of approximately 500 people including up to 400 security and IT professionals.


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Christmas Tree è un brano musicale elettropop cantato da Lady Gaga insieme al DJ francese Space Cowboy. È una canzone natalizia scritta dalla cantante in collaborazione con Rob Fusari e pubblicata come singolo il 16 dicembre 2008, esclusivamente in formato digitale. È stata prodotta da Martin Kierszenbaum e dallo stesso Space Cowboy. Questa canzone è un remake pop della canzone natalizia Deck the Halls.

Pubblicazione
Christmas Tree è stata distribuita in formato digitale il 16 dicembre 2008 dall'etichetta Interscope Records,. Tuttavia, non è inclusa in The Fame, l'album di debutto della cantante, ma è presente nell'EP The Cherrytree Sessions, più precisamente nella versione del box set The Singles. Il 3 gennaio 2009 è entrata nella Billboard Canadian Hot 100 grazie alle forti vendite digitali, rimanendovi per una settimana alla posizione 79.

Note

Collegamenti esterni

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Presales for the band's new album are now available! Head over to the merch page to get your pre order in! Each person who orders a pre package will be entered in the daily drawing for a FREE pair of Justin Boots!


When it comes to livestreaming it doesn't get much bigger than Dr. DisRespect. During the past couple years he's risen as one of the most popular streamers in history, with over 1.4 million followers and more subscribers than Boost Mobile.
To many, he has the dream job; he gets to sit at home playing video games while pretending he's an 80's badass with a moustache and sunglasses.
Yet, today he jeopardized all of that when he came on stream for no longer than four minutes. During that short period of time he confessed to cheating on his wife, and announced that he'll be "taking a break from the channel to focus on his family", all while keeping his head down and fighting back tears. Keep in mind he's not only married, but has a kid.
Viewers are used to seeing the 6 foot 8 Guy Beahm in-character at all times, with a masculine 37" vertical leap capable persona that reeks of testosterone and whiskey. This is the first time he has ever come on stream in normal attire, without his legendary mullet or bright orange bullet proof vest. Clearly it's very serious.
Our best guess is that his wife found out he was cheating and demanded that he confess on stream, especially given the financial implications, which he mentions briefly in the video.
Another content creator, Burger Planet, mentioned a month ago that he saw Dr. DisRespect flirting with a girl, and went as far as to call him a cheater. Most people didn't believe him at the time, with some calling him a "crackhead" for making the suggestion. Dr. DisRespect ended up catching wind of it and threatened him the next day.
Dr. DisRespect has been wildly successful, making this news downright shocking. Most recently he won Streamer of the Year 2017 and gave a powerful acceptance speech (seen above) where he mentioned how he gets a ton of private messages from people who say that watching his stream has helped them deal with suicidal thoughts. Interestingly enough, he thanked his wife for her support during the speech.
Dr. DisRespect is the original prodigy of Twitch, crowned the first streamer to ever earn one million followers. It'll be tough for him to reconcile with his fanbase and earn the amount of respect that he had before today. But hey, at least he has a Lamborghini.


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Battery Energy Storage Systems help UK power efficiency
Posted on 3 April 2017 by Nick Denbow
Nidec ASI, of Milan in Italy, part of the appliance, commercial and industrial motor business of Nidec in Japan, has won an order from the UK-based EDF Energy Renewables business for the installation and supply of a second Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), for use on the British National Grid.
EDF ER, a renewable energy developer, is a JV company between EDF Energy in the UK and EDF Energies Nouvelles in France. As a result of this new contract, Nidec ASI will act as an EPC (engineering, procurement, and construction) contractor to supply the 49 MW BESS system that EDF ER is building to serve the National Grid, the British electricity distribution company. The contract, which follows closely after an earlier large-scale deal for a 10 MW battery energy storage system (also for National Grid) makes Nidec ASI reach a 33% market share in the British BESS systems market.
As renewable energy resources are more widely used – to reduce the environmental impact of power generation – investments in battery energy storage systems are becoming increasingly prominent. These stabilise the power grid by temporarily storing any surplus electricity generation, and discharging the saved electricity during power shortages. Last November Nidec ASI delivered the world's largest (90 MW) BESS system to major electricity firm STEAG of Germany. As a leader in the BESS market, Nidec is committed to stabilizing the world's power grids and contributing to realizing a low-carbon society via the spread and expansion of battery energy storage systems and high-quality state-of-the-art equipment.
The BESS will be installed at the EDF Energy West Burton site in Nottinghamshire, pictured above, to support the UK's National grid.
Filed under: Application story, battery technology, Company Press Release, Power industry news, Solar power, Technology developments | Leave a comment »
Advances in battery technology
The opportunities for spin-out businesses and industries from university research projects are multiplying. The growth in this sector comes from the acceleration of technology in general, but also because the increased investment in education means there are a lot more research students, some with good ideas, but others just looking for topical subjects to latch onto for their research project. Also, industry has learnt that by funding some low cost university research, other ideas might emerge that might be of benefit.
A lot of attention is being given to new designs of battery, as there are some well-known major commercial projects where new systems are needed. First to come to mind would be batteries for electric cars like the Tesla. Here, low-cost, lightweight and relatively compact devices are needed, with high-power output and fast charging. Second are the batteries (or systems) needed to store the power generated by solar farms or wind turbines, during the hours when it is not needed, so that it is available for different times of the day. Possibly lower down the priority list are the small long-life battery systems needed for IIOT sensors and industrial sensors in general. These do not have the major numbers, or the (relatively) high price, so do not attract as much attention.
Eliminating standby power drain
So, it was all the more interesting to hear of research at Bristol University, in the UK, where Dr Stark and his colleagues in the Bristol Energy Management Research Group have developed an electronic chip that can switch on a sensor only when that sensor is being asked to provide or monitor data: for the rest of the time the chip and the circuits which it controls consume no energy at all. It may not be a new battery development as such, but it would allow a much extended battery life, by eliminating all stand-by current drain.
The principle is that the chip uses the small amount of energy transmitted in the interrogation signal from the system asking for the data, to trigger a circuit that switches the device on. The interrogation signal could be from an infrared remote control, or a wireless signal. The team developed their circuit using the same principles as those used in computers to monitor their internal power supply rails – to ensure the voltage does not dip below a certain threshold. The trigger signal uses a few picoWatts of energy, and a signal threshold level of 0,5 V, which is achievable from a passive sensor, just using the received wave energy.
The natural follow-on from this concept is that the trigger signal on some sensor applications could be derived from the event being monitored, such as a rapid increase in the sound or vibration levels of plant machinery. Also, for a security alarm, the movement of a hinge or similar could be sensed magnetically. Conventional power management techniques would be used to switch the sensor off once the data has been transmitted to, and acknowledged by, the monitoring systems.
Power storage
With solar and wind energy providing such a large part of the power used by the National Grid in certain areas, many ways are being researched to achieve power storage over the short term, such as 24 hours. There are already companies providing large storage systems with banks of conventional batteries, acting like very large uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems. In Spain and the USA there are solar collector systems where the sun's heat is concentrated onto a central collector, melting sodium salts: the heat is later used to drive a steam turbine. Further systems are being trialled where surplus energy is used to liquefy gases, or compress them in a high pressure chamber, later the stored gas can be used to drive a turbine generator.
A novel development of a battery cell reported recently is the use of a low cost electrolyte for use with aluminium and graphite electrodes. Dr Dai, at Stanford University, in collaboration with Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute, demonstrated such a battery powering a motorbike in 2015, but the electrolyte was expensive. The new electrolyte is 100 times less expensive – it is based on urea. Dr Dai sees this as a useful solution for storing solar power, even domestically – maybe new houses will have such a system underground, and call it a "Power storage pit"!
This article was first published in the April issue of "South African Instrumentation & Control", a TechNews publication. This journal is kind enough to publish an article from Nick Denbow every month, as a report on stories of interest from Europe.
Filed under: battery technology, Power efficiency, Power industry news, Publishing, Solar power, Technology developments | Leave a comment »
New ABB inverter boosts solar performance
Posted on 21 June 2016 by Nick Denbow
The new ABB PVS980 central inverter – an essential component in every solar installation that converts direct current (DC) produced in solar panels into alternating current (AC) for use by electricity grids – allows the amount of incoming solar power connected to a single inverter to be increased by as much as 40%: a dramatic improvement that completely changes the economics of a solar installation. Thanks to its increased power, the PVS980 inverter also means a site needs 30% fewer inverters than previously.
The PVS980 high power 1500 VDC central inverter is capable of processing more incoming DC power from photovoltaic (PV) panels through one inverter, reducing the total number of inverters needed on-site, which helps reduce overall costs across the lifetime of a solar plant. Central inverters are used for applications such as large field installations as well as large arrays installed on buildings and industrial facilities. Originally introduced at the Intersolar exhibition as a concept last year, the PVS980 is now shipping commercially and has already seen strong interest among customers, with a number of pilot projects in place. The new inverter is designed to seamlessly integrate into digital smart grids and operate efficiently, while reducing the carbon footprint of the installation.
ABB engineers have improved the compactness of the device, enabling a power density increase of more than 40% – making it possible to build large power rated inverters in the same physical size. Avoiding external air entering the critical compartments of the inverter, the equipment can operate from below freezing to extreme heat in 100% humidity without jeopardizing functionality. The very wide temperature capability offers full performance without derating at up to 50°C, in a waterproof and dustproof enclosure.
Filed under: Company Press Release, Power efficiency, Power industry news, Solar power, Technology developments | Leave a comment »
648MW solar project in India
ABB has successfully commissioned five substations to integrate a 648 megawatt solar project at Kamuthi in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu to the national transmission grid. The project was awarded by independent power producer the Adani Group in 2015, and completed on schedule. The solar photo-voltaic project – made up of five plants in a single location – is the largest of its kind in the world. 360 MW from the solar project is currently grid-connected and at full capacity this facility will account for nearly 10 percent of the country's current solar capacity of around seven gigawatts.
The Adani 648MW solar power plant
The project contributes to India's vision of achieving 100 GW of solar power by 2022, with the overall aim of diversifying its energy mix to meet growing demand while minimizing environmental impact. As part of this plan, the government has issued a proposal to implement 25 ultra-mega solar power projects with capacities between 500 and 1,000 MW over a period of five years. The government of Tamil Nadu is also pursuing a solar policy which envisages a solar generation capacity addition of 3,000 MW.
"We are proud to support the country's clean energy vision and push for solar power which demonstrates its commitment to sustainable growth," said Claudio Facchin, President of the ABB Power Grids division. "This project exemplifies our end-to-end power and automation system integration capabilities and reinforces our commitment to the renewable energy sector, a key component of the ABB 'Next Level' strategy."
The ABB project scope included the design, supply, installation and commissioning related to the solar plant electrification and automation systems. This includes two 230 kilovolt and three 110 kV outdoor switchyards to connect to the local transmission grid and will enable clean power supply for around 150000 households, based on average national per capita consumption.
ABB to strengthen the power infrastructure in Indonesia
ABB is to support the Indonesian state-owned utility Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) to strengthen the reliability and enhance the efficiency of its Java-Bali transmission and distribution networks to meet the growing demand for power in Java, the most populated island on earth.
ABB will design, engineer, supply and install the substation extensions, including switchgear, transformers, state-of-the-art control and protection systems as well as ancillary equipment. The product scope will include 11 units of 60 megavolt-ampere (MVA) transformers, high-voltage air-insulated switchgear for eight substations, high-voltage gas-insulated switchgear for one substation as well as the replacement works and control systems for uprating the transformers in three other substations. Financed by the Asian Development Bank, the $11m project is scheduled to be completed in 2017.
@ProcessingTalk
Filed under: Company Press Release, Power industry news, Solar power, Uncategorized | Tagged: abb | Leave a comment »
Power and water for the developing world
Posted on 11 May 2016 by Nick Denbow
In the Journal 'South African Instrumentation and Control' I provide a regular column giving some commentary on the I&C scene as seen from Europe, wherever possible referring to items that could be of relevance to their South African readers. This was the story published in the May 2016 issue.
Some of the products created for the consumers in the developed world have had perhaps surprising benefits in the less well-developed countries too. One example has been the use of mobile phones throughout Africa, enabling the development of a simple banking and payment system.
But there are other engineering developments that are specifically designed for use by people living far from the normal facilities offered in an urban setting, and many universities, philanthropists and aid organisations are active in supporting these ideas. One such development idea from the UK is known as a 'Desolenator'. This is a portable, solar-powered water purification system, designed to produce clean drinking water, starting from seawater, or polluted groundwater. The device is the size of a flat-screen TV and is equipped with rugged all-terrain wheels to assist transport: it can produce 15 litres of distilled drinking water per day, enough for one family to use for drinking and cooking.
The device uses a solar panel to produce electricity: a thin layer of the water to be treated flows over the photovoltaic surface, absorbing the heat also produced by the sun, and cooling the panels to improve their efficiency. The heated water passes into a boiler, powered by the electrical output from the panel: the steam is condensed to produce distilled water, giving up its latent heat to the incoming water flow. A small drain from the boiler discharges a concentrated dirty liquid stream.
The Desolenator device is claimed to have a life of 20 years, and requires little maintenance: it has recently won two Innovation Award prizes from the UK's Institute of Engineering Technology.
Further harnessing solar power
Whilst the Desolenator shows one potential application of solar power, making electric power available from such a widely available source is a major objective in both the developed and under-developed world. This is particularly needed in areas without any other source of power at night, when it is dark, which is a slight problem. How can children do their homework, or study anything, without some light?
In the developed world there is a need to store the power generated by wind farms and solar farms, to make it available in periods of high demand, or when the wind or sun are not there. So there is a lot of research into storing large amounts of power. Hopefully some of this might spin-off and make smaller domestic or small village units available soon.
At the Technical University of Vienna (TU Wien), current research is following the principles of photochemical cells, as used in nature, where plants absorb sunlight and store this energy chemically. The main problem was that quoted above, in relation to the Desolenator design, that at high temperatures, the efficiency of any current photovoltaic solar cell decreases. While the electrical energy produced by a solar cell can be used in an electrochemical cell to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, the energy efficiency of this process is limited, because of the high temperatures involved.
At TU Wien researchers have now developed new highly specialised materials, which form a photovoltaic that operates at a high temperature (400°C), so concentrated light beams can be used to produce a large energy output: currently achieving 920 mV. These cells use Perovskite metal oxide materials in the photovoltaic, which creates free charge carriers – electrons – that travel into the electrochemical cell. Here they ionise oxygen into negative ions, which can travel through a membrane, separating hydrogen and oxygen. Work continues to increase the power further and produce an industrial prototype, where a hydrogen cell would be used later to produce on-demand electrical power.
Other techniques
More conventional techniques, such as those having banks of rechargeable batteries, and even mechanical flywheel systems, are being installed in areas where short-term interruptions in supplies are common. But the spin-off from such university research will eventually lead to novel ideas to help the less-developed world as well.
Filed under: Application story, battery technology, Developing world markets, Power efficiency, Solar power, South Africa, Technology developments, Water treatment | Leave a comment »
When the wind does not blow….
If you have a large proportion of wind turbines providing the power to the electricity grid, maybe in parallel with solar farms, and the wind suddenly dies down at sunset, when the solar power really subsides, you have a crisis – just as the evening peak energy demand develops. This is despite the fact that through the day the wind blew hard and the sun shone, and there was a surfeit of green energy available.
The answer has to be that you store that daytime energy, and bring it out of the store in the evening. There is much research going on to find more efficient ways of dealing with this "peak shaving" to fill up the troughs in the supply. Back on 18 December 2015 this blog reported on the Yokogawa control system in Northern Ireland that drives a peak shaving system that puts energy into a big (mechanical) fly-wheel! Really ultra-modern technology successfully driving C19 mechanics.
So there is now a US press release that advises that AES Corporation has signed a deal with Eaton Inc, for Eaton to sell the AES Energy Storage technology in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
So who are 'AES' ?
As with any press release, it is difficult to actually understand what is actually available, and what it is based on. The 'AES' letters, undefined on their website, seem to relate to a company providing Alternative Energy Systems, wherever they might be profitable, be it coal, oil, gas, bio-fuels or other power generation methods. Their new offering is of the Advancion (sic) Energy Storage platform, which is what Eaton will be selling: "Eaton will supply the energy storage systems, provide support and ensure long-term operation directly to utilities, industrial and commercial customers, independent power producers and power system operators across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA)."
AES says that 'Energy storage has become a key factor in helping countries manage both grid stability, as renewable energy sources continue to be integrated into the grid, as well as peak demand, limiting the need to build dedicated peaking power plants and minimizing CO2 emissions. The energy storage market is therefore entering a new growth phase and Navigant Research (www.navigantresearch.com) projects that more than 11GW of energy storage capacity will be installed annually by 2020 in 22 countries.'
Installations in Europe
The Netherlands-based UPS battery storage facility, and staff.
Advancion systems have been installed in two arrays in Europe, located in The Netherlands and in Northern Ireland. These are described in a recent AES.com press release. "Advancion 4, released November 2015, is a complete, battery-based alternative to traditional peaking power plants and pumped hydroelectric storage projects that provides a dependable, smart and cost-competitive means to modernize power systems. It features best-in-class Advancion pre-certified suppliers, including Samsung SDI, who supplied the array with more than 45,000 batteries in its first Advancion deployment. Additional project suppliers and partners include the inverter supplier Parker Hannifin." So the Advancion system would appear to be a rather large battery-backed UPS.
The Netherlands facility will provide 10MW of interconnected energy, providing balancing services to the electricity grid in The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland and Austria via the TenneT system. In addition to the Netherlands array, AES recently completed its Kilroot Advancion Array in Northern Ireland, also providing 10 MW of interconnected energy storage.
AES quotes that it introduced the first grid-scale advanced battery-based energy storage solution in commercial power market service in 2008, presumably in the USA, and claims to operate the largest fleet of battery-based storage assets in service today.
(c) Nick Denbow, Processingtalk.info
Filed under: battery technology, Company Press Release, Power industry news, Solar power | Tagged: UPS system | Leave a comment »
US climate change contribution
….65 tonnes per hour of methane, discharging to atmosphere for 6 months!
The Climate Change conference in Paris, in December, was bracketed by yet more "once in 200 year" floods in Northwest England, and followed, or maybe even preceded, by the UK Government announcing the cancellation of CCS research support, and all subsidies to solar power. OK they are now rethinking solar power subsidy.
But the USA was already digging itself deeper into the mire by having a major methane gas leak in California. Already, the methane gas leak from underground storage tanks had been venting to atmosphere for two months when they sat down at the table. The problem is, current plans to stop the leak will take three further months, if it works. Why can't the US machine do it faster?
So at 65 metric tonnes per hour of gas discharge of methane, this is 1560 T per day; 46,800 T per month; and 234 thousand tonnes over the five months of the leak, all things being well.
Now methane is 70 times more damaging to the atmosphere than CO2, so that means the leak will be equivalent to 16 million, 380 thousand tonnes of carbon dioxide, released into the atmosphere because of a leak that was not 'controllable by the US industry involved', from natural gas storage, presumably it was storing their fracked gas. We don't get told the equivalent of this air pollution in terms of vehicle emissions or power station homes supplied with power: maybe we should measure it in terms of numbers of houses flooded, and cyclone casualties instead?
Actually, it can be measured against one of the biggest coal fired stations in the UK, Longannet in Scotland. Longannet power station is closing because it consumes 1000 Tonnes of coal per hour, say that is 4000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per hour. It does not have any CCS capture technology, so it is closing because it is a major source of European pollution.
The gas leak in California is 65T per hour methane, equivalent to 4550 Tonnes per hour of CO2 equivalent.
So this one gas leak is more polluting than one of the UK power stations that is now paying fines for its pollution emissions!
Are the US owners of this methane storage facility paying any fines for their climate damage? Does anyone in the USA care about this enough to put a major effort in to close the leak in less than another three months, maybe, if everything works like they hope?
See http://www.hazardexonthenet.net/article/107539/Massive-gas-leak-from-California-underground-storage-reservoir-causes-1-800-families-to-relocate.aspx?
The leak rate has slowed considerably over the past months, and the Californian Air Resources Board reckon the total discharge to date has been about 83,000 tonnes of methane. They consider the well storage is being exhausted. This equates to 2.1 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent. SoCalGas suggest the leak capping process will be completed in the month of March.
February 2016 Update:
On Feb 11th SoCalGas announced that they had completed the drilling down to intercept the base of the leaking well, and they had succeeded in plugging the flow with heavy mud followed up by cement. So the leak had been stopped – but it was probably stopped anyway, all the gas having been exhausted. 11,300 residents can now return to their homes.
More important is that attention has now been focussed on the problem of these leaky old wells used for gas storage, and the Los Angeles Daily News has the bit between its teeth and is turning investigative reporters onto similar stories. Main focus is on the Hattiesburg Gas Storage site in Mississippi and Lake Gas Storage site in Texas.
Filed under: Effluent Monitoring + Control, gas detection, LNG, Oil and Gas Industry, Solar power | 1 Comment »
PV Inverters from Schneider Electric
Schneider Electric, the global specialist in energy management, is honored to have been distinguished by GTM Research as one of the Top 3 most "Competitively Positioned PV Inverter Companies", in their most recent research "The Global PV Inverter Landscape".
"This is a great recognition of the positioning of Schneider Electric as a leading company in the solar power conversion market", noted Laurent Bataille, SVP for the Solar Business of Schneider Electric. "This ranking of Schneider Electric as one of the leading specialized inverter manufacturers is a reflection of the changes at play in the solar industry. In the new phase of the solar market a few major criteria are now influencing customers' decisions on their power conversion choices: bankability, global capabilities, competitive & reliable solutions".
As the solar market goes through a rapid wave of bankruptcies and consolidations, the industry is increasingly concerned about securing the long-term future of installations. Suppliers that can provide that security bring an added value. Peace of mind is key and not every solar PV company today can offer certainty that spare parts, service and technical support will be continually available over the 20+ year life of a solar installation. Suppliers that combine long-term security along with reliable designs, efficient manufacturing processes and neatly integrated solution packages are especially valued.
Also critical in today's global solar market is the ability to ramp up execution and field service capabilities in new geographies. Comprehensive product offerings that cover the whole electrical and monitoring & control systems and can be deployed globally in a variety of different local environments are essential. Schneider Electric's localized PV box that comes with integrated power conversion substations, pre-qualified for all local standards and suitable for local environmental conditions is an especially welcome innovation.
"Schneider Electric is a uniquely bankable PV supplier, with proven global reach and infrastructure and best-in-class competitive and reliable solutions. We're excited to be part of the next wave of Solar and our recent project wins in Thailand, India, Canada, France and Japan demonstrate we've secured our position as one of the leading PV equipment suppliers" says Mr. Bataille.
In times of rationalization and uncertainty in the solar industry, Schneider Electric is committed to invest in even better products and Mr. Bataille expects to unveil new product ranges in all segments throughout 2013 and 2014:
"We recently announced the launch of our new best-in-class inverters for the residential and commercial building markets in Grid-Tie or Off-Grid versions (respectively Conext RL, Conext TL in Grid-Tie and Conext SW and Conext XW in Off-Grid). In utility scale we completed our suite of plug and play equipment with a new range of array boxes, the Conext Control SCADA system and new PV boxes with Conext Core XC inverters offering efficiencies of up to 98.9%."
Filed under: Company Press Release, Power industry news, Solar power | Tagged: Solar power | Leave a comment »


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How About a Literature Unit on Cats? 20 books & ideas to get started!
I've written many posts about Key Themes in children's literature. While cats haven't taken over the children's literature field quite as much as they've seized the Internet, there are MANY books about them. Here is a sample. I'd love to hear of some of your favourites as well.
A unit on cats would be a lot of fun. There would be so many angles. You could consider:
the adventures of cats
ways cats 'change' our world
the many personalities of cats
cats from many nations
their relationship to people
the world through the eyes of cats
1. 'Sam, Bangs & Moonshine' by Evaline Ness
Sam (short for Samantha) is a fisherman's daughter who dreams wonderful dreams, Her father calls them moonshine. But when her 'stretched' stories bring a disaster to her friend Thomas (and her cat Bangs). Sam learns finally to judge the difference between reality and moonshine.
Sam, Bangs & Moonshine was the winner of the 1967 Caldecott Medal
2. 'Moses the Kitten' by James Herriot and illustrated by Peter Barrett
James Herriot is well known to us as a storyteller. 'Moses the Kitten' is a story about a tiny and scruffy kitten found beside a frozen pond. It is nursed back to health on a nearby farm.
3. 'The Cat in the Hat' by Dr Seuss
Dick and Sally are stuck inside on a cold and wet day with nothing to do. That is until a very large cat in an absurd hat turns up. This transforms a dull day into a crazy adventure that almost wrecks the house while their mother is out.
'The Cat in the Hat Comes Back'
This is a follow on from 'The Cat in the Hat'. It's a snowy day and Dick and Sally are stuck shovelling . . . until the Cat in the Hat arrives to liven things up (to say the least!).
4. 'The Tale of Tom Kitten', Beatrix Potter
This Beatrix Potter classic tale is set in the cottage garden Beatrix created herself at Hill Top, the farm she owned near the village of Sawrey. It is the 8th book in her well-known 23 book series of little books. Tom and his sisters look so smart in their new clothes. But when their mother sends them outside, she couldn't possibly guess what a mess they will get themselves into.
'The Tale of Ginger and Pickles'
Ginger (a dog) and Pickles (a ginger cat) have a very popular shop. Their customers loved to buy their provisions there, but they don't like to pay and are always after credit. The Tale of Ginger and Pickles is book 18 in Beatrix Potter series.
5. 'Catwings' by Ursula K. Le Guin and illustrated by S.D. Schindler
Mrs Tabby can't quite explain why her four kittens were born with wings. But she is grateful that they use their flying skills to soar away from the dangerous city also have its difficulties.
6. 'Slinky Malinki' by Lynley Dodd
Slinky Malinki is a character that first appeared in Dodd's famous story of 'Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy'. This rascally cat gets up to lots of mischief. At night he turns into a thief. There have been a number of other Slinky Malinki stories from Dodd (here).
7. 'Where Is Catkin?' by Janet Lord and illustrated by Julie Paschkis
Catkin jumps off Amy's lap and heads out for his daily hunt. He hears the creatures hidden in the yard cricket, frog, mouse, snake but cant find them. But the hunter becomes the hunted before Catkin gets safely back home.
8. 'My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes' by Eve Sutton and illustrated by Lynley Dodd
The Internet is filled with cats from around the world that do exciting things. This simple picture book tells of some of the many and simple adventures cats can have. This ordinary house cat, likes to hide in boxes. This is a wonderful rhyming story that is perfect for beginning readers.
9. 'The Boy Who Drew Cats: A Japanese Folktale' by Arthur A. Levine and illustrated by Frédéric Clément
This is a mystical traditional Japanese tale. In it, we follow Kenji on a journey to a mysterious mountain, an eerie, abandoned temple, and the threat of the terrible Goblin Rat. The beautiful illustrations (paintings) add greatly to drama of the story.
10. 'The Church Mouse' written and illustrated by Graham Oakley
This was Oakley's first book in the series of books about the life and adventures of some mice that live in an old church and get up to many adventures and was written in 1972. Since this many have followed including 'The Church Mice Adrift' and 'The Church Cat Abroad'. In the initial book Arthur the church mouse is living in the Wortlethorpe church vestry, but he gets very lonely with only Sampson the church cat for company. So he decides to search for some new companions.
11. 'Come down, cat!' by Sonya Hartnett and illustrated by Lucia Masciullo
The day is ending, night is falling, and Nicholas's cat won't come down from the roof! She licks her paws while he worries about her. How will he coax her back to his safe and warm house?
12. 'Madeline and the Cats of Rome' (from the Madeline series) by John Bemelmans Marciano
This is one of the well-known Madeline books. The Paris skies are grey, so Miss Clavel and the twelve little girls are leaving for the better weather of spring in Rome. As well as the great sites of Rome Madeline has an unexpected adventure, that involves a thief, a chase, and many, many cats.
13. 'No Kiss for Mother' by Tomi Ungerer
Tomi Ungerer is a genius as an author and illustrator. This book might not be as well known to some as some of his other works, but it is a wonderful book. The central character is Piper Paw, a feisty and mischievous cat. Hi rebellious ways are a challenge to his parents with some interesting outcomes.
14. 'The Lighthouse Keeper's Lunch' by Ronda and David Armitage
I've always loved this book, and so does every child who hears it or reads it. It's a simple plot, The lighthouse keeper gets his lunch every by flying fox that holds a basket that his wife has prepared for him and sends down the wire from home on the cliffs to the lighthouse. But the seagulls begin to steal it so serious steps need to be taken to solve the problem. This includes one with Hamish the cat.
15. 'Dog In, Cat Out' by Gillian Rubinstein and illustrated by Ann James
This delightful word concept book is as simple as its title suggests, but there is linguistic complexity in the words and depth to every illustration. Cat and dog jostle for favour and precedence in this family. So, if Dog is out, Cat will slip in. And on it goes. The book has just four words. 'Dog in, cat out', with just one variation, on the last page just one is in. You'll need to read the book to see who it is.
16. 'John Brown, Rose and the Midnight Cat' by Jenny Wagner and illustrated by Ron Brooks
This is one of my favourite picture books by a star team. Rose lives alone with her faithful dog John Brown, but one day things change when Rose sights a black cat out side and wants to invite it in. John Brown doesn't think Rose needs a cat and so resists her efforts to bring it in. Once day Rose just refuses to get up. This is a story with many levels of meaning that will suit readers from 4-8 years.
17. 'Mog the Forgetful Cat' written and illustrated by Judith Kerr
Mog is always in trouble because she is very forgetful. She forgets that she has a cat flap, and even when she has already had dinner. One night when an uninvited visitor turns up her forgetfulness is helpful. In every book that has followed, Mog gets into a different situation with another new character.
Judith Kerr wrote her very popular 'Mog' series over a period of 42 years. She finally killed off this delightful little cat in 2002 ('Goodbye, Mog') as she neared the age of 80. In her final Mog book she dies of old age and goes to heaven. She based her illustrations on her own family home in London. The two children in the books were named after her middle names.
18. 'The World that Jack Built' by Ruth Brown
This wonderful book draws on the well-known rhyme and gives it a significant twist and an ecological theme. We follow a cat as it chases a butterfly across a section of its world and as we do so we see a transformation in the ecology of the world 'that Jack built'. In stark contrast to the beauty at the start is a world polluted and degraded by the end of the book.
19. 'Crikey and Cat' by Chris McKimmie
This is a story centred on a cat that speaks of the centrality of creativity and friendship to life. It is an intriguing and captivating book. When the stars don't come out, sometimes all you need to fix it is a ladder, some friends and a hardware store.
20. 'Millions of Cats' by Wanda Gag
There was an old man and an old woman who were lonely. They seek a cat, but the old man finds not one cat, hundred and thousands, millions and billions and trillions of cats. How can he decide which one will be the best pet? He brought them all home. A tale about an old couple and how they came to have just one cat to call their own. This is classic story that has been loved by many generations. Winner of the Newbery Medal in 1929.
Labels: cats, children's literature, key themes
Children's Book Council Awards for 2015: Winners & Honour Books
The Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Book of the Year Awards were announced on the 21st August. This event always marks the beginning of Children's Book Week. As usual, the winners and honour books are a fabulous collection. But for every book that wins or is an honour book, there are many more worthy books. Thankfully, the CBCA publishes a set of category lists for approximately 100 notable books each year. You can find the lists HERE.
This year we have superb books and memorable successes. Perhaps the stand out is the success of illustrator Freya Blackwood in winning not one but three awards. Readers of this blog will recognise that her talent was spotted long ago on this blog and that I have featured many of Freya Blackwood's beautifully illustrated books, including My Two Blankets written by Irena Kobald, which I reviewed in my last post. This of course has now been named Picture Book of the Year. Amazingly, Freya has no formal training in art and took up illustrating while she was working on The Lord of The Ring's film trilogy as an effects technician. Freya began a collaboration with well known author Libby Gleeson on the book 'Amy & Louis' that won Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the Year in 2007. This was published as 'Half a World Away' in the USA.
As well as best picture book, Blackwood won in two other categories with Libby Gleeson. In the Early Childhood category for Go to Sleep, Jessie! In the Younger Readers category Gleeson's wonderful story and Blackwood's beautiful pencil and watercolour illustrations are magical in 'The Cleo Stories: The Necklace and The Present'.
1. Older Readers
'The Protected' by Claire Zorn (University of Queensland Press)
This is the story of one girl Hannah who lost her sister Katie in a terrible car accident. Her family is torn apart by grief and guilt and such wounds can take a long time to heal. "I have three months left to call Katie my older sister. Then the gap will close and I will pass her. I will get older. But Katie will always be fifteen, eleven months and twenty-one days old."
Hannah's world is in pieces and she doesn't need the school counsellor to tell her she has deep-seated psychological issues. With a seriously depressed mother, an injured dad, and a dead sister, who wouldn't have problems? Hannah should feel terrible but for the first time in ages, she feels a glimmer of hope and isn't afraid anymore. Is it because the elusive Josh is taking an interest in her? Or does it run deeper than that?"
'Nona & Me', by Clare Atkins (Black Inc.)
'The Minnow' by Diana Sweeney (Text Publishing)
2. Younger Readers
'The Cleo Stories The Necklace and the Present', by Libby Gleeson, Illustrator Freya Blackwood (Allen & Unwin)
This is a wonderful collection of stories about Cleo a little girl with a giant imagination and curiosity. She is a wonderful character that five to six-year-old emerging readers will love. The situations and characters will be well known to these young readers. The stories cover friendship, life's frustrations and patience when waiting for special times, giving and receiving, being accepted.
Beautifully illustrated by Freya Blackwood with her characteristic watercolour images. A wonderful book for 'first' readers.
'Two Wolves' by Tristan Bancks (Random House Australia)
'Withering-by-Sea: a Stella Montgomery Intrigue', by Judith Rossell, Judith (ABC Books, Harper Collins Publishers)
3. Early Childhood
'Go to Sleep, Jessie!', by Libby Gleeson, illustrator Freya Blackwood (Little Hare, Hardie Grant Egmont)
Why can't Jessie go to sleep? She stands in her cot, and protests. Her sister can't sleep either, why does she have to share a room with her anyway? This is a familiar situation with a more significant deeper layer. It isn't just about sisters cohabiting. This book taps into the theme of sibling rivalry and love.
Freya Blackwood's illustrations once again help to produce a memorable book. Her watercolour, and pencil images give an insight into the frustration of the big sister. Her work with Gleeson is a wonderful collaboration.
'Scary Night' by Lesley Gibbes, illustrator Stephen Michael King (Working Title Press)
'Noni the Pony goes to the Beach', written and illustrated by Alison Lester (Allen & Unwin)
4. Picture Book of the Year
'My Two Blankets', illustrator Freya Blackwood, text by Irena Kobald (Little Hare, Hardie Grant Egmont)
This is the story of a young girl called Cartwheel. She leaves her war-ravaged country and heads for somewhere seen as safe. But the new country is so strange and foreign that she is confused and wonders who she is. She finds comfort in a metaphorical blanket. This is a blanket of blue-grey words and angular sounds. A young girl offers her friendship and teaches her some words. Cartwheel takes these words and begins to create a new blanket. And from these words and sounds she learns new things. At first it is all too hard, but over time her angular world develops a smoother and more comfortable form and is as warm and familiar as her old blanket.
Freya Blackwood is a brilliant illustrator and she takes this complex text and weaves her magic to create a very special book. In the illustrator's words:
"The metaphorical blanket was a difficult concept to illustrate and took me a long time to solve. But I was really attracted to the idea of a visual interpretation of feelings, sounds and words."
'One Minute's Silence', illustrator Michael Camilleri, text David Metzenthen (Allen & Unwin)
There were many books about war and conflict in the shortlist this year, one in which we remembered that it is 100 years since the Gallipoli landing that is such a significant part of Australian, New Zealand and British history. As such it was fitting to see 'One Minute's Silence' named as an honour book. I suspect that this wonderful book might have won but for the brilliance of 'My Two Blankets'.
'The Stone Lion', illustrator Ritva Voutila, text Margaret Wild (Little Hare, Hardie Grant Egmont)
5. Eve Pownall Award for Information Books
'A-Z of Convicts in Van Diemen's Land', author/illustrator Simon Barnard (Text Publishing)
This is a wonderful book that many primary aged readers will love. In the early days of white settlement in Australia 70,000 convicts were transported to Van Diemen's Land (which we know today as the Australian state of Tasmania). These dislocated and damaged people played a key role in the building of Australia as a nation.
Simon Barnard's 'A–Z of Convicts in Van Diemen's Land' is a wonderful account of the lives of men, women and children who were transported to a strange land for varied crimes. The details of their lives are fascinating, including their sentences, punishments and achievements.
Barnard's illustrations are also memorable with intricate details that will have young readers returning again and again to the book.
'Tea and Sugar Christmas', by Jane Jolly, illustrator Robert Ingpen (National Library of Australia)
'Audacity: Stories of Heroic Australians in Wartime', by Carlie Walker, illustrator Brett Hatherly (Department of Veterans' Affairs)
Posted by Trevor Cairney at 3:48 PM 1 comment:
Race, Racism & Equality: Children's Books for all Ages
It is difficult to grow up in any urban area within any open society without being confronted by people different from yourself. Whether it's social class, race, ethnicity and language, we can all feel isolated and different. In fact, even different cultural and social practices as basic as fashion and popular culture, can make us feel unequal. I've written previously on racism, civil rights and also 'The Other' because these are critical themes for children to tussle with. I suspect that while schools have been good at stressing and celebrating multiculturalism, there is potential and perhaps an imperative to push the boundaries to more explicitly address racism and equality. We need to do more than just make children aware that other races exist, there is a need to encourage them to understand people and gain some sense of what it might mean to live in their shoes. As I've suggested in various previous posts on this blog literature can do many things including serving as "a vehicle to other places", "a source of ideological challenge", "a mirror to enable readers to reflect on life problems and circumstances" and a means for the "discussion of social issues" (here).
Below I look briefly at some books that offer the potential to consider these issues. Many of them have appeared on this blog at some earlier stage and some are new. I hope that as a collection they will be a good resource. At the end of the post I offer some ideas for how the books might be used. I have included a range of books from simple picture books to adolescent novels.
1. Young Readers (aged 4 to 8 years)
'My Two Blankets' written by Irena Kobald and illustrated by Freya Blackwood (Little Hare Books)
This is the story of a young girl called Cartwheel. She leaves her war-ravaged country and heads for somewhere seen as safe. But the new country is so strange and foreign that she is confused and wonders who she is. She finds comfort in a metaphorical blanket. This is a blanket of words and sounds. A young girl offers her friendship and teaches her some words. Cartwheel takes these words and begins to create a new blanket. This is a blue-grey blanket of angular sounds. And from these words and sounds she learns new things. At first it is all too hard, but over time her angular world develops a smoother and more comfortable form and is as warm and familiar as her old blanket.
'The Sneetches' by Dr Seuss
Dr Seuss has written a number of stories that deal with the difficult topic of racism. 'The Sneetches' is an obvious one that tells of two types of creatures (Sneetches) one with a Star on their bellies and the other without. Needless to say one felt superior and the other inferior. One day a man arrives with the perfect solution, a machine that can add a star to the belly. But without the stars how could the 'superior' group differentiate itself? The man had the solution; his machine could take the stars off (!) the Sneetches who were the original 'Star Belly' kind.
But perhaps an example even closer to the theme is 'What was I scared of?' a funny story about a small creature who while walking at night is confronted by a pair of pale green pants that are out walking by themselves. He is terrified when on each walk he sees them. But of course it turns out that the pants were just as scared of him and finally all is resolved.
'Henry's Freedom Box', by Ellen Levine & illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Henry 'Box' Brown lived in 19th century America and was a slave who escaped to freedom by mailing himself to some northern Philadelphian Abolitionists who were against slavery. This brilliantly illustrated picture book for readers aged 5 to 8 years is a retelling of the true story. Henry Brown doesn't know how old he is because nobody keeps records of slaves' birthdays. He dreams about freedom, but that dream seems farther away than ever when he is torn from his family and put to work in a warehouse. When Henry grows up and marries, he is again devastated when his family is sold at the slave market. Then one day, as he lifts a crate at the warehouse, he knows exactly what he must do: He will mail himself to the North. After an arduous journey in the crate, Henry finally has a birthday — his first day of freedom.
The book was a 2008 Caldecott Honour Book.
'The Resurrection of Henry Brown' Wiki Commons
"Let the Celebrations Begin!", Margaret Wild and Julie Vivas (1991).
This wonderful Australian picture book was inspired by some simple toys made by Polish women held in the Nazi prison camp of Belsen. It tells of the life in Hut 18 and the planning of celebration as they anticipate their liberation from the camp towards the end of the Second World War. This is a narrative with a setting that is so specific that the narrator (Miriam) identifies her bed number (Hut 18, bed 22). This powerful story could not be told without the place, and yet, the place (or setting) is very much secondary to the story told.
'Where the Buffaloes Begin' by Olaf Baker and illustrated by Stephen Gammell
This is a mystical story that is a retelling of an old North American Blackfoot Indian legend. It was originally published in 1915 and retells a Blackfoot Indian tale. A young boy is curious about Nawa, the wise man, who tells a story about the origins of sacred buffaloes from the centre of a nearby lake. The fearless young boy, Little Wolf, sneaks away in the middle of the night to keep watch over the lake. He waits with his pony for the buffalo to appear from beneath the waters. As he does, he contemplates the fate of his tribe if the enemy Assiniboins should attack. As he watches, the myth of the buffaloes becomes a reality and he runs as the buffaloes stampede towards him. Little Wolf tries to outrun them, but notices that suddenly the buffaloes surround him; he has become part of the stampede.
Stephen Gammell's illustrations are wonderful. The use of lead pencil sketches of great detail adds greatly to this mystical tale.
The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles
When Ruby Bridges was 6-years-old, she was the only African American student to attend a newly desegregated school in Louisiana. Her extraordinary ability to withstand a hostile environment while viewing her tormentors (adult and child) with forgiveness makes her an inspiration to us all. I devoted an entire post to this story as well as books about this remarkable life that demonstrates how racism can be conquered. My post on Ruby Bridges and civil rights can be read HERE.
'The Beatitudes: From Slavery to Civil Rights' by Carole Boston and illustrated by Tim Ladwig
Since the earliest days of slavery, African Americans have called on their religious faith in the struggle against oppression. In this book the Beatitudes -- from Jesus' famous Sermon on the Mount -- form the backdrop for Carole Boston Weatherford's powerful free-verse poem that traces the African American journey from slavery to civil rights.
Tim Ladwig's stirring illustrations showcase a panorama of heroes in this struggle, from the slaves shackled in the hold of a ship to the first African American president taking his oath of office on the steps of the United States Capitol.
This is a remarkable picture book that can be read at many levels. Tim Ladwig's stunning images of the oppressed African Americans in the 18th century as they clung to all that they had, life and a faith based on love and hope are set against the famous text of the Beatitudes. Carole Boston takes the beatitudes and addresses them to African Americans of these dark times:
I was with Harriet Tubman when she fled slavery.
As she led others out of bondage,
I was the star guiding them north.....
Suitable for readers aged 6 to 12 years
2. Independent Readers (aged 9 to 12 years)
'Courage Has No Color: The True Story of the Triple Nickles. America's First Black Paratroopers' Tanya Lee Stone (Candlewick Press, 2013)
This is a true story that has been a long time coming. It tells in a fair but powerful way of the racism that has often existed in armed forces around the world. Americans may well have heard of the Tuskegee Airmen, but few would know of the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion - the Triple Nickle. These were the first US black paratroopers. They showed that black soldiers could do anything their white counterparts could do. The text and over 100 carefully labelled photographs in this 150 page book offer us an insight into how some brave and persistent African American men paved the way for others to be a full part of the US armed forces.
Tanya Lee Stone (author of 'Almost Astronauts') has done extensive research to tell her true story for readers of all ages. Boys in particular will love reading and looking at the historic photos. The work took Stone almost 10 years and the meticulous care and passion shows in this wonderful book. This amazing story will challenge all readers irrespective of age, race or ethnicity. The book recently won the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction. It is a very worthy winner.
'The Burnt Stick' (1995) by Anthony Hill & Mark Sofilas (illustrator)
This novel for younger readers (8-10 years) is set in Australia prior to the 1960s. It is the story of a young Australian aboriginal boy named John Jagamarra, who had been taken (like thousands of other Indigenous children) from his family. John was taken from his mother by the Welfare Department of the day, and sent to live with his white Father at the Pearl Bay Mission for Aboriginal Children. He grew up in this beautiful place, but he knew it was not like being home with his mother and his people. He remembers how the 'Big Man from Welfare' had come and taken him away. His story illustrates how well intentioned government policy at the time failed to deal with the problems of Indigenous communities and failed to understand the full needs of people 'other' than themselves. While the story positions us as reader to see the tragedy of the 'Stolen Generation' through John's eyes, at the same time it offers child and adult readers the chance to consider the issues of racial difference and how we understand, live with and when necessary, reach out to people other than ourselves.
Mark Sofilas' wonderful charcoal images add a haunting and powerful additional dimension to the story. The Children's Book Council of Australia named it Book of the Year for Younger Readers in 1995.
'The Jacket' by Andrew Clements & illustrated by McDavid Henderson
A white boy (Phil) wrongly accuses an African-American boy of stealing his brother's jacket. He realises that he is racist and asks his mother the question: "How come you never told me I was prejudiced?" This incident forces Phil to confront his inner prejudices and ultimately leads to a great opportunity to learn for the sixth grade boy. He recognises that there is prejudice in his neighbourhood, his family and even himself. In the process he finds a new friend in the process and is changed. The book is suitable for children aged 8 to 12 years.
'Peaceful Protest: The Life of Nelson Mandela' by Yona Zeldis McDonough & illustrated by Malcah Zeldis
This is a biography written for upper primary children (aged 8-11) that tells the story of Nelson Mandela. It commences with his childhood and ends with his retirement in 1999. It covers the major events you would expect, including his imprisonment for opposing apartheid, his election as the first black president of the Republic of South Africa, and his award of the Nobel Peace Prize for his struggle against racism and apartheid.
Mother and daughter Malcah Zeldis and Yona Zeldis McDonough have worked together to create a wonderful and challenging tribute to Nelson Mandela's "long road to freedom" that helped to free an entire nation. The illustrations by McDonough are striking and unusual, using gouache on watercolour paper.
3. Older Readers (Aged 12 to 14+ years)
'Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice' by Phillip Hoose.
This multi-award winning book - including being named as a Newbery Honour book in 2010 - is about Claudette Colvin. On March 2, 1955, this inspirational teenager, fed up with the daily injustices of Jim Crow segregation, refused to give her seat to a white woman on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Instead of being celebrated, as Rosa Parks would be just nine months later, fifteen-year-old Claudette Colvin found herself shunned by her classmates and dismissed by community leaders. Undaunted, a year later she dared to challenge segregation again as a key plaintiff in Browder v. Gayle, the landmark case that struck down the segregation laws of Montgomery and swept away the legal underpinnings of the Jim Crow South.
'Requiem for a Beast' by Matt Ottley
Another more recent exploration of this theme is Matt Ottley's epic picture book 'Requiem for a Beast' (which I have reviewed in full here). Essentially, Ottley wrote, drew, and composed a work that uses the Australian Stockman's life as the centrepiece of a work that offers a different story of this much romanticised figure in the Australian psyche. In his own words, shared just after the award announcement when responding to some of the controversy surrounding the choice of the book, he suggested that:
"We have a romanticised view of what a stockman's life is like, a Man From Snowy River-view, and I wanted to present life in a stock camp as it really is, in all its grittiness."
And 'gritty' it is. As he explores the parallel lives of a young man working on an outback station coming face to face with a rogue bull, the story of his childhood, and the stories of dispossessed Aboriginal people. Within this narrative he explores other significant themes - the stolen generation (international readers might need this link), conquering one's demons, loss, separation, guilt and forgiveness, separation and loneliness, family and community.
The book is in four parts, each with a title in Latin. Part one is Dies Irae (Day of wrath), presumably tied intertextually with the 13th Century hymn about the day of God's judgement. The opening pages, with its five magnificent oil paintings of the Australian landscape and three haunting statements, offer some clear clues to the reader:
"It's our memories that make us"
"This country, these hills you see; this is my mother's country, and her mother's too."
"I'm supposed to be a fully initiated woman, but that knowledge, that memory, is gone. Aboriginal Elder"
Ottley's ambitious work is set against the backdrop of Indigenous suffering and alienation. Ottley weaves multiple narratives of the boy's life and Indigenous memories. This work is a riot of rich visual and verbal imagery.
The book won the 2008 Children's Book Council of Australia Awards for a Picture Book.
'Somehow Tenderness Survives: Stories of Southern Africa', by Hazel Rochman
This South African book is about the reality of Apartheid and the impact on real people. It shows the ugliness of racism played out in the stories of people who suffered and experienced violence. It includes ten stories and autobiographical accounts by a range of writers from southern Africa writers of various races (five black and five white). It includes well-known writers like Nadine Gordimer, Mark Mathabane and Doris Lessing as well as writers who mostly won't be known outside South Africa. The stories together and individually are a moving and challenging set of narratives that do not hide the ugly side of racism. At times they offer a shocking and powerful portrait of life under the oppression of racism that is sustained by the law.
'Sounder', by William H. Armstrong
This is the story of an African-American boy who lives with his family. The boy's father is a sharecropper and the family is struggling through hard times. He has a dog, named 'Sounder', mixed a coon/bulldog. Sounder goes out hunting with the boy's father each and every night they come back empty handed. But one morning, to his amazement the boy wakes to the unfamiliar smell of his mother cooking a hambone. Everyone is overjoyed, but a few days later the joy is shattered as three white men arrive and take his father for stealing a ham. The sheriff cruelly shoots Sounder who chases the cart that takes his father away and life suddenly becomes even harder. But he hungers for an education and his resilience and perseverance is remarkable.
'Sounder' won the Newbery Award in 1970, and was made in to a motion picture in 1972.
'Number the Stars', by Lois Lowry
This fictitious story recounts the real life salvation of 8,000 Danish Jews who escaped to Sweden by sea. It is 1943, during the German occupation of Denmark, and ten-year-old Annemarie learns how to be brave and courageous when she helps shelter her Jewish friend from the Nazis. Annemarie and Ellen are best friends. Their life is ordinary. Annemarie is Christian and Ellen is Jewish and they are good friends. But there is a great threat from the Nazi soldiers who have invaded and are on their streets. The girls believe that the Danish King Christian will protect them. One night their families learn that all Jews of Denmark are about to be sent to concentration camps. With the help of Danish Resistance Annemarie's family hides Ellen and attempt to get her to safety in Sweden. This is a gripping tale that will be enjoyed by 10-14 years old children.
Using the books in the classroom
The major purpose of the post is to show that there are many good books for children of all ages that focus on the theme of racism. My aim in presenting such books is straightforward.
a) I want children to experience books that offer narratives that deal authentically with the issue of racism. The initial aim is simply for children to enjoy the books as good stories.
b) I also want children to engage with the story at a deeper level and be able to see the characters as authentic and at times to even to identify with them. This might be as a victim, or as someone who struggles to understand and deal with people other than themselves.
c) My aim is not to indoctrinate, but I do want to raise the issues, provide historical and factual details as appropriate as supplementary material.
d) I want children to have an opportunity to respond and discuss the literature as narrative and in relation to the themes and issues raised. This might involve a variety of formats for response:
Structured and guided response in discussion groups
Free written response
Aesthetic response through drama, music, drawing (see for example 'Sketch to Stretch' here)
Opportunities for further research on time periods, events and people
One final comment. All literature needs to be experienced as narrative not as enabling material for lessons on topics that may or may not be related to the author's story and intent. I always want to trust the story to teach and try to avoid turning a wonderful narrative, with an authentic treatment of an important issue, into a series of decontextualised lessons. Such lessons can easily destroy the enjoyment of the story and fail to engage children at the deep level necessary to grasp and deal with complex life themes.
All previous posts on 'Key Themes in Children's Literature' HERE
Ann M. Neely (2011). Literature of Social Transformation: Helping Teachers and Students Make Global Connections. Language Arts, Vol. 88, No. 4, pp 278-287.
Labels: children's literature, inequality, key themes, racism
'Hiroshima' (70 years today): Remembered with Children's Books
On the 6th August 1945 the first of two atomic bombs were dropped on Japan. The first was on Hiroshima and led to the death of an estimated 140,000 people. A second was dropped on Nagasaki on the 9th August that is estimated to have killed 80,000 people. However, it is difficult to estimate numbers as people are still dying from the effects of the two explosions. Debates rage still about the justification for the bombing and its use to end WWII. Irrespective of our views on this, today at the very least, we should consider the impact of such weapons and their potential to do even more catastrophic things given their even greater power today.
To mark this anniversary I would suggest the following four books are worth sharing with children aged 6-11. The first is a picture book that tells the story of Junko Morimoto who stayed home from school on the 6th August 1945 and lived, while many friends died. The second is a picture book by Toshi Maruki that recounts a story that a woman told her when she visited an exhibition of Maruki's atomic bomb paintings. The third is a short novel for younger readers that tells the story of a nine year-old girl who died just seven years after the explosion from Leukaemia as a consequence of the bombing. The fourth tells the story of how Aboriginal Australians living in remote parts of Australia died as a result of atomic testing in the 1950s. I share this because it shows that in spite of the catastrophic impact of the atomic bombs on Japan, efforts were still occurring to develop weapons of this kind by Britain with the support of Australia. All offer opportunities to reflect on these powerful stories and the challenge of achieving peace.
1. 'My Hiroshima' by Junko Morimoto (1987)
This is the true story of how one little girl survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on August 6th 1945. Junko Morimoto narrates the story of her family, her early life and memory of life in Japan during the second World War, and the day she was hit by a "thunderous flash and an explosion of sound" and the miracle of her survival. This moving simple retelling of that day in word, family photographic record and illustration, uses the place and her experience to recall an event that changed her life and that of the world.
2. 'Hiroshima No Pika' written and illustrated by Toshi Maruki
Toshi Maruki (1912-2000) was born in Hokkaido and studied Western art. In 1950 she began painting significant works about the impact of atomic weapons. With her husband and fellow artist Iri Maruki they produced the 'Hiroshima Panels'. Later paintings also focussed on wartime atrocities such as Auschwitz, the Nanking Massacre, and also environmental disasters. The Marukis received a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize as a result of their pacifist work. Toshi produced many children's books with vivid and colourful illustrations.
The story was motivated by a woman who entered an exhibition of her atomic bomb paintings in Hokkaido one day and seized the microphone to tell her emotional story of the day the bomb dropped on her home town of Hiroshima. The book is based largely on this woman's story. The story tells of the heartbreaking experience of seven-year-old Mii and her parents that began at 8:15 a.m. on the 6th August 1945, when the atomic bomb "Little Boy" was dropped on their city.
3. 'Sadako and the Thousand paper Cranes' by Eleanor Coerr and illustrated by Ronald Himler
This amazing and moving book is based on the true story of an 11-year-old Japanese girl diagnosed with leukaemia as a consequence of the bombing of Hiroshima. Sadako Sasaki was just 2 when the atom bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. For a number of years she is a normal child and the star of the school running team. But one day there are dizzy spells and eventually, a telling diagnosis. This true story tells how a little girl faces her future bravely by drawing on the encouragement of a Japanese legend. The legend suggests that if a sick person folds one thousand cranes, the gods will grant her wish and make her healthy again.
This is a story of extraordinary courage that made one young woman a heroine in Japan
4. 'Maralinga: The Anangu Story' written and illustrated by the Yalata and Oak communities with Christobel Mattingley
This is the story of the British atomic testing of the 1950s in Central Australia. It is told and illustrated by Indigenous Australians who are the traditional owners of Maralinga that was used for the testing. In words and pictures the community members, describe what happened in the Maralinga Tjarutja lands of South Australia before the bombs and after. This is an important and tragic account of human folly and its consequence for a people who were there first, but whose needs counted for little.
The book was an outcome of the collaboration of well-known Australian author Christobel Mattingley's collaboration with these two remote Aboriginal communities in South Australia.
Labels: children's literature, history, peace, war
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Metal Wild Horse topper is cut from steel about as thick as a nickel. Tabs are bent for easy attachment to mailbox.
This large mailbox topper is 8 1/2" tall. It fits onto standard mailboxes and looks size-appropriate on large boxes as well! Sign has been powder-coated matte black for a durable and long-lasting finish.
Everything about this order was great! I had a question prior to ordering, once it was answered I ordered it ASAP. It came quickly. It was easy to install and looks great! I've received many compliments from my neighbors.


Having a fun casino at a charity fundraiser event always generates large donations. At Viva Vegas, we have supplied casino tables for hundreds of charity events across the UK. Fun casino nights are really simple to arrange. Check out our guide below to hosting a casino fundraiser.
1 – How many casino tables do I need?
Having selected your venue you will now be ready to book the casino tables. The first point to consider is how many casino tables you can fit in your venue. Most casino tables can cater for around 10 people at anyone time and with this in mind they are quite large. So make sure you book a big enough space! Below is a guide to the dimensions of our casino tables.
2 – Which casino tables do I choose?
Roulette tables and blackjack tables tend to be the most popular games. These games are simple and exciting and because they are so quick are the best games to generate donations.
Craps, Poker and Wheel of Fortune are also popular and if you are looking to replicate a full casino pit, then having one of each looks fantastic and will guarantee a huge earner for your chosen charity.
3 – Do I need a gaming license?
It is legal to hold charitable fun casino nights anywhere you like. There is no need for a temporary gambling license to host a casino night fundraiser, nor do you have to hold it in a venue with a gambling license. All that is required is that the money taken in on the night goes towards the charity.
4 – How do I go about selling the fun money?
We will provide you with fun money for the evening. Fun Money is basically a replica of a $100 bill that guests can use to exchange for gaming chips at the casino tables. The best format for a charity casino night is to have a temporary 'cash desk'. Here a representative from the charity will have a stall to sell the fun money to guests. Guests simply hand over a set amount per fun money bill and then take their fun money bill to the casino table they wish to play on. No money is exchanged at the casino tables. This way only the charity handles the cash on the night. If guests lose their money they can return to the cash desk to buy more fun money.
5 – Do the winners on the night cash their fun money back for real money?
Absolutely not! Firstly this is not legal. Secondly you stand to potentially lose money on the night! Remember you are running a casino night for charity! Once guests part with their money it is in the hands of the charity and stays there. To provide an incentive for guests it is good to offer prizes for the winners on the night. We have seen everything from bottles of champagne, to Playstations to 7 night holidays in Las Vegas itself!
6 – How long does the night last?
Running a successful casino night fundraiser is all down to the generosity of those attending. The optimum length of time is around 3 hours but you can always have them in operation longer.
7 – Can I get someone to Sponsor the event?


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