There’s something about a bowl of my delicious Hamburger Potato Soup that just feels like home. This hearty soup, made with simple ingredients like ground beef, russet potatoes, and Velveeta cheese, is perfect for those colder months when you’re craving something creamy and cheesy. Whether you’re cooking for your family on a busy weeknight or preparing a comforting soup for a cozy weekend,...

The post Hamburger Potato Soup appeared first on Dear Crissy.

Apocryphal but entertaining: Allegedly the Duke of Wellington sent this letter to the British War Office during the Peninsular War of 1808-1814: Gentlemen: Whilst marching to Portugal to a position which commands the approach to Madrid and the French forces, my officers have been diligently complying with your request which has been sent by H. M. ship from London to Lisbon and then by dispatch rider to our headquarters. We have enumerated our saddles, bridles, tents, and tent poles, and all manner of sundry items for which His Majesty’s Government holds me accountable. I have dispatched reports on the character,...

“We discover in ourselves what others hide from us, and we recognize in others what we hide from ourselves.” — Vauvenargues

(Sorry for the delay: we had a record number of nominations to plow through – over 250 in most categories!) This is the Call for Votes for the 2020 RSPW (Theszie) Awards. You can vote here. The Theszies are the oldest fan awards in pro wrestling history, going back to 1990 (when Mr. Perfect quite […]

This is the Call for Votes for Wait wait wait wait wait. It’s May. You see, May first is International Workers’ Day, and wrestlers are workers, as we all know, so – Not buying that. Well, we were trying to build this new site, and then decided not to do it, and then someone’s work […]

By Matt Solomon Published: November 11th, 2024

By Carly Tennes Published: November 12th, 2024

By Matt Solomon Published: November 12th, 2024

By JM McNab Published: November 12th, 2024

The post 10 Ways to Take Stunning Portraits (Portrait Photography Guide) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

How do you do portrait photography that has the wow factor? Capturing stunning portraits often seems difficult, but it’s actually pretty easy once you know a few tips and tricks. Below, I share my 10 absolute favorite techniques for shooting portraits, including tips for lighting, composition, perspective, and much more. I’ve also included plenty of […]

The post 10 Ways to Take Stunning Portraits (Portrait Photography Guide) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

The post The Essential Guide to Low-Light Landscape Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Natalie Denton (nee Johnson).

Low-light landscape photography offers a unique challenge for photographers. On the one hand, a landscape lit by softer, subtler light can result in the kind of magical shots that go beyond more conventional photos. On the other hand, capturing these scenes requires a careful approach and a keen understanding of camera settings. But don’t fret! […]

The post The Essential Guide to Low-Light Landscape Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Natalie Denton (nee Johnson).

The post 17 Beginner Photography Tips (How to Get Started) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Lea Hawkins.

Talk to an experienced photographer, and they’ll tell you that photography is both incredibly fun and extremely rewarding. When you’re just a beginner, however, it’s easy to become overwhelmed; after all, you have to understand so many details, covering gear, camera settings, post-processing, lighting, and more. But don’t worry! I’ve been exactly where you are, […]

The post 17 Beginner Photography Tips (How to Get Started) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Lea Hawkins.

The post 7 Ideas for Rainy Day Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.

When the weather gets rainy, most photographers put away their gear – but in my view, that’s a mistake! There are literally hundreds of great rainy day photography ideas. They don’t take great technical expertise, fancy equipment, or waterproof housing; in fact, all of them can be done from the comfort of your own home. […]

The post 7 Ideas for Rainy Day Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.

The post How to Use a Graphics Tablet to Edit Photos: 10 Powerful Tips appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by John McIntire.

Photo editing is simpler than ever thanks to the power of a graphics tablet! Explore our top 10 tips to level up your skills. If you’re just getting started with post-processing and retouching, you’re probably using a mouse and keyboard combo. You can get by with this setup, sure. But when the tasks become more […]

The post How to Use a Graphics Tablet to Edit Photos: 10 Powerful Tips appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by John McIntire.

The post Smartphone Photography: The Essential Guide (+ 15 Tips) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Karthika Gupta.

These days, you don’t need professional photography equipment to take stunning photos. The smartphone in your pocket has the power to capture the kind of high-quality shots you can find in magazines – and it’s extremely easy to use, too! That said, smartphone photography involves more than grabbing that iPhone or Google Pixel, turning on […]

The post Smartphone Photography: The Essential Guide (+ 15 Tips) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Karthika Gupta.

The post 12 Tips for Self-Portrait Photography (+ Examples) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Guest Contributor.

Starting a self-portrait project? Want to capture beautiful portrait photos using nothing but a camera, a tripod, and your own ingenuity? Self-portrait photography can be an outstanding creative outlet, and it can be a lot of fun, too. But it can also be very challenging; you have to deal with a variety of factors, including […]

The post 12 Tips for Self-Portrait Photography (+ Examples) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Guest Contributor.

The post 12 Tips for Stunning Urban Landscape Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Leanne Cole.

Urban landscape photography is all about taking the chaotic complexity of a city and turning it into well-ordered, beautiful compositions. But if you’re just a beginner – or even if you’re a more experienced city shooter – you may struggle to get solid results. After all, cities are often messy, unstructured, and full of movement; […]

The post 12 Tips for Stunning Urban Landscape Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Leanne Cole.

Author-illustrator Ken Lamug has created award-winning picture books and graphic novels. Born in the Philippines, Ken moved to the US with his entire family during his teenage years. His debut middle grade graphic series, MISCHIEF AND MAYHEM #1: BORN TO BE BAD, launched this week from Katherine Tegen Books / HarperCollins!

Mischief and Mayhem is about Missy and her cat Gizmo. They were kicked out of superhero bootcamp. Now it's time for some super-villainy! I love the plot twist that the main character, Missy, decides she doesn't really fit into the labels the world she lives in has created; she's not really a villain, nor is she a superhero.  

Links where you can find out more: MischiefBook.com, Ken on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. His website: Rabbleboy.com.

Q. I read that MISCHIEF AND MAYHEM started as a 32-page picture book story. How did it end up as a graphic novel?

Yep! The idea for Mischief and Mayhem started as a 32-page picture book - originally titled "Mischief the Supervillain". At the time, I was focused on my picture book ideas and wasn't even considering graphic novels. I had experience illustrating books, so I knew it was just a matter of time until something clicked for me. I went through the steps book creators are familiar with: writing the manuscript, creating dummies, and many rounds of revisions.

The dummy went through the submission process and even hopped to another agent (when I switched to a new one). We received a few rejections and a few interesting comments. One of the more resounding comments was that the idea was cool and needed to be expanded. But the picture book format limited what we could do.

We finally received an acceptance offer along with a caveat... turn it into a graphic novel! Yikes!

A few things scared me about this: it would have to be in full color, and at least 240+ pages. How does one turn a 32-page picture book into something that big?

And before anything was signed, I had to give the editorial team a few things: a fully illustrated first chapter, and a full outline for the book. This would give them a better idea of the story and my comic style. So I added new characters, expanded the moments from the story, and added a lot of jokes!

Once the editorial team gave the thumbs up, I was off to the races to get my debut graphic novel complete.

EXTRA: You can find out more about Ken's process as well as sample sketches in his Q&A with We Need Diverse Books.

Q. I've been thinking about a graphic novel middle grade project, but am intimidated by the amount of time the ART could take. Do you have any tips? How much time did MISCHIEF AND MAYHEM TAKE YOU in total? Were you working on anything else at the same time?

No kidding. Graphic novels ARE a lot of work. I've easily spent 1000 hours on Mischief and Mayhem (including creating marketing materials, videos, etc.). I also have a day job, so most of my after-hours are spent working on the book (typically around 5 hours on the weekdays). I basically stare at the computer screen all day!

During this time, I was also creating art for a picture book. And since the schedule for picture books are a bit more relaxed, I was able to squeeze it in without much problem.

Here are some tips I hope you'll find useful:

1. Working digitally has helped increase my productivity. It's easier to create dummies, inking, make revisions, and get feedback.

2. Scheduling and planning are very important. Find out the deadline, how many pages you can complete per day, and do the math.

In my case, I've determined that I am inking(outlining) about 1 page per hour. This means it will take me roughly 250 hours to outline a 250-page book. Based on that number, I can then determine if my deadline is a realistic goal. I know, it's a lot of math but it does help and you will be able to strategize how you approach the project.

3. Streamlining your art style. This varies depending on your abilities and time. Some artists are blessed enough to work full-time on their books and with longer deadlines. But if you're not one of them, then I would suggest streamlining the look of your characters, your drawing techniques so you can work faster and efficiently. Some artists are able to also hire a team to help support the rest of the task such as coloring, inking, letter, etc., but a majority of graphic creators are one-person operations.

4. Don't forget to take a break and enjoy life.

Q. What advice do you have for young graphic novel writers and illustrators?

Start small. You don't have to create a big "novel" length book right away. I started my comic book journey when I submitted a 4-page comic to an anthology. After I gained some confidence, I started creating 24-page comic one-shots (single issues). And it just kept growing from there.

Comics should be fun for both the creator and the reader, so make sure to enjoy the process and don't stress out about getting it right the first time.

Q. What's next for you?

I just finished illustrating a picture book called FAMILY BUSINESS (by Lenore Appelhans). It's about a raccoon family who seems to always get into trouble. I'm excited for that to come out (no dates yet).

I'm also in the middle of Mischief and Mayhem book 2. As I write this my hand is hurting from illustrating a "Where's Waldo-Esque" spread. Ha! But I'm proud to say the art has improved and the story is even bigger than the first one.

I've never really had a big plan for my drawing/art career. It's all a blessing and a humbling experience. I just hope that the readers love the stories and connect with the characters. So we'll see what happens next!

~~

For more interviews with children's book creators, see the Inkygirl interview archives.

By Sara Truuvert

When your novel is deemed "the greatest idea for a book ever", you're probably on to something. That certainly seems to be the case for debut author Victor Piñeiro, whose novel Time Villains has garnered a starred review from Kirkus and a spot as an Amazon Best Book of the Month. The book promises time-hopping high jinx, historic and literary Easter eggs, and even some one-sentence Puerto Rican recipes.

Time Villains follows sandwich-obsessed Javi Santiago, who has to nail his homework assignment if he wants to pass sixth grade. The assignment seems simple enough: if you could invite any three people to dinner, who would they be? Plus, Javi has his best friend Wiki and little sister Brady to help him. What could go wrong? Turns out, a lot! The trio accidentally uses an antique dining table to summon the dinner guests for real. Now, Blackbeard the Pirate is on the loose, and Javi, Wiki, and Brady must figure out how to send him back (perhaps with the help of other historical figures...). Time Villains is the first novel in a three-part series. It launched on July 6th, 2021 with Sourcebooks and is widely available to order. 

Victor Piñeiro is an author and a Creative Director at HBO Max. He has also done a multitude of other cool things, like teach, make documentaries, lead content/social strategies for Big Spaceship, YouTube, Hasbro, and Google, and answer these interview questions while caring for his two-week-old child. You can find out more about Victor on his website, Twitter, and Instagram. 

Q. A huge congratulations on your literary debut! Would you tell me a bit about your journey to publication?

A. Thank you! Being a published author has been the dream since I was a kid, so it’s been quite the journey! In my teens and twenties I couldn’t silence my inner critic long enough to write novels, so I turned to poetry and screenplays, writing and producing documentaries for a spell. I finally coaxed a book out in 2017 after writing daily on my (long) commute for three years. It was a very unconventional first book—the only kind I could coax out on my first try—so I shelved it and started working on Time Villains. 

Three drafts in I sent Time Villains to a bunch of agents, and after chatting with a few, a friend put me in touch with Elana Roth Parker. I feel so incredibly lucky to work with Elana—she saw the seed of something in my draft and we developed it into something far more compelling. When Annie Berger at Sourcebooks showed interest in the book, it felt like winning the lottery twice. Annie and the whole team have been the most incredible partners—thoroughly brilliant and a complete joy to work with. And here we are—the book just hit shelves this week and I’m not sure what to do with myself!

Q. Would you please introduce us to the novel’s hero, Javi Santiago? (I must know what level of dedication to sandwiches it takes to be classified as ‘sandwich-obsessed’!)

A. Javi’s an aspiring chef and sandwichéaste (think cinéaste but for sandwiches) who’ll do anything to pass sixth grade. He’s a zany kid with an overactive imagination and a penchant for asking deep questions about food (because what makes a sandwich a sandwich, really?). He peppers in one-sentence recipes throughout the book—some of Puerto Rico’s most delectable dishes, mixed in with his own recipes (like the Spanglish Sandwich aka The Spanglo Sando™). And while he’s fun and eccentric, underneath the silliness he’s a first generation Puerto Rican kid struggling with imposter syndrome as he tries to excel at something in his life. 

Q. You offer us such a hilarious dynamic between your protagonists – we have the almost-failing student, Javi, paired with his best friend, Wiki, the human Wikipedia/young professor (plus, Javi’s little sister, who wants to be the president’s bodyguard!). How did you land on this dynamic? Is it something you envisioned from the get-go?

A. The characters were floating around my head disparately but when I put them together I realized how fun their dynamic would be. 

I know a few folks who are so brilliant they seem weighed down by their intelligence—it’s made them world-weary. I thought that’d be really fun to capture in an extremely-precocious sixth grader. As I was coming up with the character I remembered a line in a hip hop song I love, “Catch me solving mysteries like Wikipedia Brown.” And that’s where Wiki’s name emerged and the character solidified in my head.

In terms of Brady, I knew I wanted a hot-headed sibling/partner to steal the spotlight and do much of the butt kicking because I love that dynamic in stories, going all the way back to Frodo and Sam. I also have a few friends with wild kid sister energy and they’re the life of any party, so I knew I wanted to bring that to the trio. 

Q. You had to develop a wide array of voices for this story, including kid Mozart, the Earl of Sandwich, and Blackbeard the Pirate. Was that a challenge? A joy? A spiralling research nightmare?

A. A spiralling research dream! This series gives me the best excuse to research my favorite folks in history and fiction, and it’s been a blast. I loved reading old texts on pirates, delving into the specifics of Mozart at age twelve and dusting off copies of old novels with iconic characters as I researched this book. And I knew nothing about the Earl of Sandwich before writing this, but how could Javi not invite him?

There was one aspect of research that was a bit frustrating. A big focus of this series is exploring characters more representative of the world’s history and fiction, because I’m hoping this book is ultimately a gateway to other books, characters and historical figures for kids to explore. Finding a wealth of information about some historical and mythological figures from other cultures was incredibly difficult. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but I wasn’t prepared for it to be quite so challenging—which invigorated me to include more of them in the book!

Q. You have such lovely, concise, concrete writing advice available on your website. Is there any advice my-novel-is-getting-published Victor would give I’m-starting-to-write-a-novel Victor?

A. So much advice! I think there are a few super important things that would’ve had me writing novels decades ago, so I take any chance I can get to relay them to other aspiring/young writers.

1. An hour a day can be enough. I always thought I needed to quit my job and write eight hours a day to finish a novel, which held me back for years. Then I read a Murakami interview where he said he completed his first novel by writing an hour a day after work. In that moment I felt like the universe gave me permission to write mine. 

2. Lower the bar far lower than you’re comfortable with for that first draft. (No, lower!) There are passages in the first draft of my books that are barely intelligible, but I now know that’s okay. The first draft is about discovery and getting the story out of your head and onto the page. It’s far too early to be precious about anything. Just get it all out and see what you’ve got when you’re done.

3. Don’t dread rewriting—it’s far more fun than expected. Before writing my first book I was terrified of it, but it’s become one of my favorite aspects of writing. (Which is a good thing considering it’s 75-90% of what you do as a writer!) 

Q. Do you have any advice for young writers in general?

A. Absolutely. Besides everything I said above, read about writing and join online writing communities. Screenwriting books are great for story structure basics, Stephen King’s On Writing is great for process, Brandon Sanderson’s free writing course on YouTube is absolutely brilliant, Neil Gaiman and David Mamet’s Master Class courses are gold, and Reddit’s /r/writing is a fantastic place to learn alongside others in the trenches. I also love John Truby and Lisa Cron’s books. But maybe it’s best to start with this short Ira Glass video. Or this brilliant reflection on writing advice Chuck Wendig just wrote.

Q. Finally, I read that you used to be a documentary filmmaker and a blogger. What are some questions you would ask Blackbeard, if you met him?

A. It’d be one of those long interviews—the kind that take up the entire documentary and usually take the film crew multiple days to shoot—because I’d want to lead up to asking him how many people he actually killed. (Some historians say almost zero!) And I’d also want to ask him a lot of questions about Stede Bonnet, “The Gentleman Pirate” who was an equally fascinating and thoroughly hilarious character. He was rich, had a midlife crisis, became a pirate, and got thoroughly swindled by Blackbeard. (Side note: I was so happy when I heard the news that Taika Waititi would be creating a show about him!) Finally, I’d ask him to get battle ready. Before a skirmish Blackbeard would light fuses or small candles in his beard, since the smoke gave him a demonic appearance. It was his favorite scare tactic. I’d love to see it live!

------------------------------------------------------------------

Sara Truuvert completed her MLitt in Creative Writing at the University of St Andrews. She also holds a Certificate in Creative Writing from the Humber School for Writers and a BA in English, Drama, and the History and Philosophy of Science from the University of Toronto. Her work has appeared in the Literary Review of Canada among other publications.

For more interviews, see the Inkygirl Interview Archive. Also see Advice For Young Writers and Illustrators, a compilation of tips generously offered by children's book creators Inkygirl.com has interviewed over the years.

When I first started working in the big city, my friends and I rented a house. I always tried to make my little room as cozy and personal as possible, beyond the basic bed and wardrobe that came with the place. And I made sure to leave it in as good, if not better, condition than when I moved in. Later in life, I had the opportunity to rent out a property. Unfortunately, I experienced the frustration of having my […]

The post 17 Sneaky Ideas for a Rental Makeover Your Landlord Won’t Spot appeared first on IKEA Hackers.

I couldn’t believe my eyes as I wandered through IKEA’s soft toy section. There, perched among the bins was Hedwig from Harry Potter. It was then I realized I was staring at IKEA’s new SKOGSDUVA snowy owl hand puppet. The resemblance to Harry’s faithful feathered companion was uncanny. While it might not deliver Hogwarts acceptance letters, it certainly brought a touch of magic to my shopping trip. With its fluffy white feathers and expressive eyes, this soft, cuddly version of […]

The post This Must-Have IKEA Item Completes Your Kid’s Harry Potter Costume appeared first on IKEA Hackers.

As someone who practically grew up with ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” as my childhood soundtrack (thanks, Dad!), I couldn’t be more excited to share this news: IKEA launched an album! IKEA just dropped the mic with their first-ever global talent show, and let me tell you, it’s not about building furniture – it’s about building harmony. Earlier this year, they turned the spotlight on their musically gifted co-workers, and did they deliver. Picture this: 150 talented IKEA co-workers from 21 countries, […]

The post Move Over Billy, IKEA’s Got a New Greatest Hit appeared first on IKEA Hackers.

Many people are concerned that they are specifically targeted by hackers, advertisers, and others. Nope.

Why I Keep Saying You’re Just Not That Interesting from Ask Leo!.
Get the Confident Computing weekly newsletter: https://newsletter.askleo.com

Numerous people and programs can track your internet activities. But are you really that interesting?

Can My School See My Email and Other Messages? from Ask Leo!.
Get the Confident Computing weekly newsletter: https://newsletter.askleo.com

This is a system designed to help you recover your email account if something should go wrong... and things go wrong more often than you would like to think.

Why Do I Need Another Email Address to Access My Account? from Ask Leo!.
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CHKDSK can't check an empty drive, and Windows considers RAW to mean empty.

What Does “CHKDSK Is Not Available for RAW Drives” Mean? from Ask Leo!.
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A family friend asked me to work on her home computer.

Friend: “If you can’t fix it, I assume you messed it up beyond repair and will owe me a new computer.”

I stopped then and there.

I’m a year and a half into the development of a new web application for managing complex data sets. Our boss has never been able to provide proper specifications for what he needs, just a flood of vague ideas with no real detail and constantly changing scope.

My job is to try and turn this into a comprehensible list of tasks that the dev team can actually follow. Each month, I have a planning session with the boss where we hash out the next period of work. Each session, I remind him that changing the scope means adding more time.

We agree and sign off the work to be delivered by the end of the month. So far, we’ve hit every deadline.

I thought we had a pretty good system in place until:

Boss: “I can’t believe we’re so far behind and how poorly you’ve managed this project.”

Me: “What do you mean? Haven’t we met all the agreed deadlines throughout the project?”

Boss: “I’ve made a spreadsheet of all the dates I wanted each feature done by. So far, you’ve missed every single one of them.”

Me: “Excuse me? We’ve always delivered what’s been agreed on time. Where have these new dates come from?”

Boss: “This is how long I thought the work should take and I made up my own timeline.”

Me: “I’ve never seen these dates before, let alone agreed to them. At a glance, many of them seem extremely optimistic.”

That’s business talk for “f****** mad”.

Me: “We agreed at the start this would be at least a three-year project.”

Boss: “Well, I decided it should take less time and you’re late. I’m going to have to pull the plug on this project if you can’t have everything wrapped up within the next month.”

I politely remind the boss that there was at least another year and a half of work left to complete the project. I’ll probably be looking for a new job shortly.

My girlfriend works for a state-funded company and was the lead on the re-design of their website. They already had a developer lined up, but his design skills were not on-par with what they had in mind. As a web designer, I was naturally my girlfriend’s first selection for the job. After five minutes of discussing what they need to be done, I know I will have to turn down the job to save our relationship. 

Client: “So we need you to design three different options for the website and it needs to be designed in HTML and CSS.”

Me: “Okay, but if I’m just designing it, what do you need me to do with the HTML and CSS? Am I designing and developing the site?”

Client: “Just designing it, what’s the problem?”

Me: “Well, if I am designing it, why do you need me to use HTML or CSS? I can develop the site too if that’s what you’re asking?”

Client: “No! You’re not listening! You’re just designing the page, but we need it to be designed in CSS and HTML so it can be developed by[Developer’s Name] for our website.”

Me: “I don’t think you understand what HTML and CSS are.”

Client: “Yes I do! I took a marketing class!”

Me: “…”

This story happened a few years ago. A friend refers me to his mother, a real estate agent who wants a new website for her business. I call her to set up an appointment.

Client: “So, what is your expertise in real estate?”

Me: “I’ve done two real-estate websites in the past, and they’ve been quite successful. I can provide you with a searchable database of listings where buyers can filter by price and other factors, as well as a homepage with featured listings, your bio, and anything else you’d like to include.”

Client: “Yes, but have you ever sold a house before?”

Me: “No.”

Client: “Why not?”

Me: “Because I’m not a real estate agent. I’m a web developer.”

Client: “So how do you expect to do a website for me if you don’t know anything about being a realtor?”

Me: “I know enough to build a website with a listing database which you can very easily populate with descriptions, photos, and any other info you wish to provide the buyers with. I can also provide other tools, such as a mortgage calculator and a lead-tracking system that allows potential buyers to contact you with listings they are interested in.”

Client: “I really don’t think you know what you’re doing. I think I’m going to have to pass and find someone who knows how to sell a house.”

Later, I discovered she had finished her website. On Geocities. Yellow background. 50pt font. Seemingly designed by a ‘real’ real estate agent…

Me: “I’ve looked at the brief and it’ll cost [total].”

Client: “I thought you were a freelancer.”

Me: “I am.”

Client: “No, you’re not. You’re a chargelancer!”

Me: “Hey, I’m glad I caught you. I’m calling about that request that I made five weeks ago. You never responded to any of my emails or voice messages. I’m just wondering what the status on that is?”

Client: “Well, the reason I didn’t respond was because your first email about it was unprofessional. We’re all professionals here, and I expect to be treated professionally. You really need to work on your communication skills, and I expect better from you if we’re going to continue working together.”

Me: “I’m looking at the whole email chain right now, and it seems fine to me. What seems wrong with it?”

Client: “Well, for starters, you could ask how my day’s been. Or you could put a joke at the bottom of the email. And you should really get rid of that line with all your company information at the bottom, it looks so unprofessional.”

San Francisco has long been a destination for those who enjoy natural wonders. The incredible bay and sandy beaches, the towering redwoods, the mountains, it all gives this city a look that no other place has. And now, finally, the Bay Area will have a sustainable hotel that celebrates the environment of San Francisco with 1 Hotel San Francisco.[...]

Vacations are an integral part of every person’s life. Following long seasons of hard work, it is well deserved to get away from busy schedules and enjoy nature. The tourism industry is fully built around the need for vacations. While tourism is good, it has its dark side. The entire industry thrives on the existence of nature, yet it tends to erode away what is left of natural resources.[...]

It's the humidity

In this episode I'm joined by Ryan Hunn, co-host of the Stadio podcast, for some Interlull chat. We discuss the start to Arsenal's season, the end of the transfer window, the arrival of Raheem Sterling and what we expect from him during his loan season from Chelsea. Then we answer some listener questions about Leandro Trossard and the midweek bid from a Saudi Arabian club, Arsenal's forward signings under Mikel Arteta, how clubs like Real Madrid build an expectation of winning and success, choosing players from today's era over some from the past, and lots more.

Get extra bonus content and help support Arseblog by becoming an Arseblog Member on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arseblog

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There's no doubt that Mario is king of the video game universe. His many adventures take him to strange places, the latest of which is the Overlook Hotel from the 1980 Stanley Kubrick movie The Shining. This isn't just another castle; it's the setting for weird and creepy hallucinations brought on by isolation. The tricycle is there, as are the twins, the blood flood, and room 237's bathroom. How many other callbacks from The Shining can you spot? There are a lot crammed into this 90-second video, so you'll have to watch this CGI mashup from Mark Cannataro Films more than once to catch all the references. Other characters from the Mario universe take on familiar and frightening roles roles from the horror film, some of them infinitely appropriate; others absurdly contrary. All in all, it's an absurd mashup that is sure to give you a smile. -via Geeks Are Sexy

The Leonid meteor shower peaks in North America overnight from Nov. 17 to 18, with fast-moving fireballs possible in US skies.