More than three thousand different images appeared on United States postage stamps from the middle of the nineteenth century to the end of the twentieth. Limited at first to the depiction of a small cast of characters and patriotic images, postal iconography gradually expanded as the Postal Service sought to depict the country’s history in all its diversity. This vast breadth has helped make stamp collecting a widespread hobby and made stamps into consumer goods in their own right. Examining the canon of nineteenth- and twentieth-century American stamps, Laura Goldblatt and Richard Handler show how postal iconography and material culture offer a window into the contested meanings and responsibilities of U.S. citizenship. They argue that postage stamps, which are both devices to pay for a government service and purchasable items themselves, embody a crucial tension: is democracy defined by political agency or the freedom to buy? The changing images and uses of stamps reveal how governmental authorities have attempted to navigate between public service and businesslike efficiency, belonging and exclusion, citizenship and consumerism. Stamps are vehicles for state messaging, and what they depict is tied up with broader questions of what it means to be American. Goldblatt and Handler combine historical, sociological, and iconographic analysis of a vast quantity of stamps with anthropological exploration of how postal customers and stamp collectors behave. At the crossroads of several disciplines, this book casts the symbolic and material meanings of stamps in a wholly new light.
More than three thousand different images appeared on United States postage stamps from the middle of the nineteenth century to the end of the twentieth. Limited at first to the depiction of a small cast of characters and patriotic images, postal iconography gradually expanded as the Postal Service sought to depict the country’s history in all its diversity. This vast breadth has helped make stamp collecting a widespread hobby and made stamps into consumer goods in their own right. Examining the canon of nineteenth- and twentieth-century American stamps, Laura Goldblatt and Richard Handler show how postal iconography and material culture offer a window into the contested meanings and responsibilities of U.S. citizenship. They argue that postage stamps, which are both devices to pay for a government service and purchasable items themselves, embody a crucial tension: is democracy defined by political agency or the freedom to buy? The changing images and uses of stamps reveal how governmental authorities have attempted to navigate between public service and businesslike efficiency, belonging and exclusion, citizenship and consumerism. Stamps are vehicles for state messaging, and what they depict is tied up with broader questions of what it means to be American. Goldblatt and Handler combine historical, sociological, and iconographic analysis of a vast quantity of stamps with anthropological exploration of how postal customers and stamp collectors behave. At the crossroads of several disciplines, this book casts the symbolic and material meanings of stamps in a wholly new light.
In Japan today, women are the primary drivers of religious re-enchantment, and they are exerting pressure on shrines, temples, and the media industries to accommodate their interests and aesthetic tastes. Employing a semantically broad meaning of “occult” to include the mysterious or supernatural, Laura Miller examines how it manifests to offer avenues of self-exploration and spiritual capital that fundamentally appeal to women. Female seekers have had a major impact on the fashioning and marketing of spiritual sites, texts, and objects, often through encoding the kawaii, or cute, aesthetic. Miller makes the case that the gendered nature of occult hunting has been neglected in research and that greater attention to gendered perspectives reveals significant facets of sociality and recreation. Written from an interdisciplinary cultural studies perspective, Occult Hunting and Supernatural Play in Japan interlaces history, art, literature, religion, media studies, and anthropology to explore ubiquitous yet understudied activities such as having one’s fortune told; visiting “powerspots,” locations thought to hold exceptional supernatural energy; and playing with new types of tarot decks. Book chapters also focus on material religion, including objects like good luck amulets and votive plaques, Taoist paper talismans, pilgrim stamps, and ancient curved beads called magatama. Tracing their histories and transformations, Miller insists that these forms of visual and material religion and their related activities are neither trivial nor simply commercial gambits. Rather, they provide insights into the realms of creative exploration, pleasure, and spiritual development in the lives of girls and young women.
Die Erdöl-Moderne ist ein lokales Phänomen der Geschichte Kuwaits, aber auch ein globales Ereignis und massgebliche Ursache des Klimawandels. Die Studie untersucht die Rolle von Erdöl in der visuellen Kultur Kuwaits im Kontext von Ideologien wie Modernisierung und politischer Repräsentation. Der Begriff des Irisierenden, eines in Regenbogenfarben schillernden Farbenspiels, dient als analytisch-ästhetisches Konzept, um den umstrittenen Beitrag von Erdöl in der Moderne zu diskutieren: sowohl Wohlstandsversprechen wie auch destruktive Kraft in soziokultureller und ökologischer Hinsicht. Das Buch versammelt eine Fülle historischen Bildmaterials, darunter Luft- und Farbfotografien, Briefmarken, Stadtpläne und Architekturdarstellungen, um unter Berücksichtigung von zeitgenössischer Kunst aus der Golfregion das visuelle Erbe der Erdöl- Moderne kritisch zu hinterfragen.
Efforts to promote work have been the centerpiece of welfare reform over the past ten years. In signing the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, President Bill Clinton pledged that the sweeping overhaul would "end welfare as we know it" by promoting work, responsibility, and family. To accomplish these goals, policymakers relied on two sets of tools: strict limits on eligibility for traditional benefits and a set of programs designed to make work pay. When Work Is Not Enough presents the first comprehensive analysis of the work support system. Drawing on both state and national data, Robert Stoker and Laura Wilson evaluate a broad range of policies that provide cash or in-kind benefits to low-wage workers, low-income working families, and families moving from welfare to work. These programs include minimum wage rates, Earned Income Tax Credit programs, medical assistance programs, food programs, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families earned income disregards, childcare grants, and rental assistance. Stoker and Wilson break new ground by examining the adequacy and coverage of the work support system in all fifty states and the District of Columbia. They address the prospects for reforming the system, as well as its impact on the politics of redistribution in the United States. Rich in analysis, Wh en Work Is Not Enough will be essential reading for anyone interested in the impact and future of welfare reform.
A Choice Outstanding Academic Book In the decade since President Clinton signed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 into law—amidst promises that it would "end welfare as we know it"—did the reforms ending entitlements and moving toward time limits and work requirements lift Texas families once living on welfare out of poverty, or merely strike their names from the administrative rolls? Under welfare reform, Texas continued with low monthly payments and demanding eligibility criteria. Many families who could receive welfare in other states do not qualify in Texas, and virtually any part-time job makes a family ineligible. In Texas, most families who leave welfare remain in or near poverty, and many are likely to return to the welfare rolls in the future. This compelling work, which follows 179 families after leaving welfare, is set against a backdrop of multiple types of data and econometric modeling. The authors' multi-method approach draws on administrative data from nine programs serving low-income families and a statewide survey of families who have left welfare. Survey data on health problems, transportation needs, and child-care issues shed light on the patterns of employment and welfare use seen in the administrative data. In their lives after welfare, the families chronicled here experience poverty even when employed; a multiplicity of barriers to employment that work to exacerbate one another; and a failing safety net of basic human services as they attempt to sustain low-wage employment.
From Scratch: A Journey into the World of Everyday Cookies" is a delightful and comprehensive guide that takes readers on a mouthwatering adventure through the art of baking cookies. This book is designed to inspire and empower both novice and experienced bakers to embrace the joy of creating delicious homemade cookies every day. With a focus on simplicity and approachability, this book covers a wide range of cookie recipes, from classic favorites like chocolate chip and sugar cookies to unique and creative creations like lemon poppy seed and almond crescent cookies. Each recipe is accompanied by detailed instructions, tips, and variations to suit different tastes and preferences. But "From Scratch" goes beyond just providing recipes. It dives into the essential techniques and principles that underpin successful cookie baking, ensuring that readers understand the "whys" behind each step. From selecting the right ingredients and mastering different mixing methods to understanding the impact of temperature and baking time, this book equips readers with the knowledge they need to achieve perfect cookies every time. Beyond the recipes and techniques, "From Scratch" also explores the joy of sharing homemade cookies with loved ones and the importance of creating lasting memories in the kitchen. It encourages readers to embrace their creativity, experiment with flavors, and even develop their own cookie recipes, providing guidance and encouragement along the way. Throughout the book, stunning photography showcases the beauty of each cookie, inspiring readers to unleash their inner bakers and create visually appealing treats. The book also includes helpful tips for troubleshooting common baking issues, ensuring that even the most novice bakers can overcome challenges and achieve baking success. Whether you're a passionate home baker or someone who has never baked a cookie before, "From Scratch: A Journey into the World of Everyday Cookies" is your go-to guide for creating delicious, homemade cookies that will delight family and friends. So grab your apron, preheat the oven, and embark on a cookie-baking adventure that will fill your home with warmth, sweetness, and the aroma of freshly baked goodness.
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This book offers comprehensive coverage of vessels that cruise the region and what they offer--service, cabin details, amenities, passenger/crew ratio, dining options and itineraries. The guide covers: Antigua, St. Lucia, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Puerto Rico, St. Martin, Guadeloupe, St. Thomas & Martinique. The author tells you how to get the most out of your 8-10 hours in each port the ships will be calling on. Information covered includes taxi tours, where to find the best shops, tour operators who are familiar with the ships' schedules and will get you back to your ship on time. For most ports, suggested walking tours are detailed, and out-of-town attractions are described as well.
HAPPY HUNTING™ ON eBay Aunt Fannie's cameo pin collection...the cartoon-character lunch boxes you had in third grade...that cast-iron doorstop you bought for $2 but is really worth $200....Whether you're a busy buyer, an avid seller, or just a fun-loving browser, you'll find countless collectibles like these on eBay, the world's largest person-to-person online trading community. Now -- in this official primer from the popular Internet site that has revolutionized the collecting world -- the experts at eBay unlock the secrets of successful online buying and selling, for everyone from the enthusiastic beginner to the seasoned pro. Featuring an introduction by Pierre Omidyar, eBay's founder and chairman, and packed with tips and stories from "eBaysians" all over the country, The Official eBay™ Guide is the only authorized book that shows you how to * BUY SMART -- unraveling the mystery of value, bidding to win, and learning how to spot the really good stuff * BE A SAVVY SELLER -- from writing the perfect item listing to collecting payments from your happy customers * LEARN FROM THE EXPERTS -- top eBaysians, Ambassadors, Power Sellers, and eBay employees lend advice and share secrets for success * FIND THE GREAT STUFF -- how to work garage sales, flea markets, tag sales, estate sales, and even the other kind of auction Packed with invaluable resources, information, and practical tips, The Official eBay™ Guide also features entertaining stories about the millions of people who make up the eBay community. It's your must-have companion for mastering the art of buying and selling an astounding range of collectibles and items, from the practical to the whimsical.
When a mysterious runaway van crashes into St Smithen's on the first day of the new school year, Poppy knows it's going to be an action-packed term! With the Christmas holidays looming, secrets lurking in every corner and rumours of a dangerous beast on the loose, Poppy must unravel her biggest mystery yet.
This bumper book of 100 boredom-busting craft activities is all you need to be inspired during those long rainy afternoons, or times when the little ones are climbing the walls, and so are you.
Indigo Tea Shop owner Theodosia Browning is finally invited to a social event that she doesn’t have to cater—but there’s more than champagne bubbling… Theo is mingling with the cream of Charleston society at the engagement soiree of the season. But as they eagerly await the dazzling young couple’s arrival—the groom meets with a freak accident. The exquisite wedding ring—a family heirloom from the crown of Marie Antoinette—is mysteriously missing. Theodosia suspects that trouble is brewing. But when she goes to the authorities, they treat her like she’s been reading tea leaves—and that’s the surest way to put Theodosia’s kettle on the boil…
Welfare mothers are popularly viewed as passively dependent on their checks and averse to work. Reformers across the political spectrum advocate moving these women off the welfare rolls and into the labor force as the solution to their problems. Making Ends Meet offers dramatic evidence toward a different conclusion: In the present labor market, unskilled single mothers who hold jobs are frequently worse off than those on welfare, and neither welfare nor low-wage employment alone will support a family at subsistence levels. Kathryn Edin and Laura Lein interviewed nearly four hundred welfare and low-income single mothers from cities in Massachusetts, Texas, Illinois, and South Carolina over a six year period. They learned the reality of these mothers' struggles to provide for their families: where their money comes from, what they spend it on, how they cope with their children's needs, and what hardships they suffer. Edin and Lein's careful budgetary analyses reveal that even a full range of welfare benefits—AFDC payments, food stamps, Medicaid, and housing subsidies—typically meet only three-fifths of a family's needs, and that funds for adequate food, clothing and other necessities are often lacking. Leaving welfare for work offers little hope for improvement, and in many cases threatens even greater hardship. Jobs for unskilled and semi-skilled women provide meager salaries, irregular or uncertain hours, frequent layoffs, and no promise of advancement. Mothers who work not only assume extra child care, medical, and transportation expenses but are also deprived of many of the housing and educational subsidies available to those on welfare. Regardless of whether they are on welfare or employed, virtually all these single mothers need to supplement their income with menial, off-the-books work and intermittent contributions from family, live-in boyfriends, their children's fathers, and local charities. In doing so, they pay a heavy price. Welfare mothers must work covertly to avoid losing benefits, while working mothers are forced to sacrifice even more time with their children. Making Ends Meet demonstrates compellingly why the choice between welfare and work is more complex and risky than is commonly recognized by politicians, the media, or the public. Almost all the welfare-reliant women interviewed by Edin and Lein made repeated efforts to leave welfare for work, only to be forced to return when they lost their jobs, a child became ill, or they could not cover their bills with their wages. Mothers who managed more stable employment usually benefited from a variety of mitigating circumstances such as having a relative willing to watch their children for free, regular child support payments, or very low housing, medical, or commuting costs. With first hand accounts and detailed financial data, Making Ends Meet tells the real story of the challenges, hardships, and survival strategies of America's poorest families. If this country's efforts to improve the self-sufficiency of female-headed families is to succeed, reformers will need to move beyond the myths of welfare dependency and deal with the hard realities of an unrewarding American labor market, the lack of affordable health insurance and child care for single mothers who work, and the true cost of subsistence living. Making Ends Meet is a realistic look at a world that so many would change and so few understand.
Together with the Olympics, world's fairs are one of the few regular international events of sufficient scale to showcase a spectrum of sights, wonders, learning opportunities, technological advances, and new (or renewed) urban districts, and to present them all to a mass audience. Meet Me at the Fair: A World's Fair Reader breaks new ground in scholarship on world's fairs by incorporating a number of short new texts that investigate world's fairs in their multiple aspects: political, urban/architectural, anthropological/ sociological, technological, commercial, popular, and representational. Contributors come from eight different countries and represent affiliations in academia, museums and libraries, professional and architectural firms, non-profit organizations, and government regulatory agencies. In taking the measure of both the material artifacts and the larger cultural production of world's fairs, the volume presents its own phantasmagoria of disciplinary perspectives, historical periods, geographical locales, media, and messages, mirroring the microcosmic form of the world's fair itself.
Looking for Learning: Mark Making is a full-colour, practical guide linked to current policy and the EYFS framework. Laura England, creator of Little Miss Early Years, uses theory, cases studies, real-life images and accessible ideas to inspire child-led learning using mark making. This book will help you spark children's natural curiosity in seeing what happens when they make marks with their fingers, bodies and toys, as well as materials from nature and from your art supplies. From drawing around shadows and swirling paint in water, to printing animal footprints, Laura England, creator of Little Miss Early Years, provides a wealth of creative ideas for incorporating mark making into all child-led play, both indoors and outside. Developing mark making and building language skills are crucial as young children begin to build their confidence in communicating. This dip-in-and-out book is linked to the Characteristics of Effective Learning and presents real-life examples and images as well as practical pointers. With tips from setting up the environment to the adult's role in this child-led play, Looking for Learning: Mark Making is ideal for all Early Years practitioners searching for accessible ideas for using mark making in their settings. Looking for Learning books are the number one tool for identifying learning opportunities in child-led play. All four books are packed full of tried-and-tested ideas for indoor and outdoor activities, helpful hints and tips and full-colour photographs. Written by Laura England, known as Little Miss Early Years, these are a must-have for any nursery or pre-school.
NOW IN ONE VOLUME—A DEADLY BLEND OF THE FIRST THREE TEA SHOP MYSTERIES FROM NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR LAURA CHILDS Charleston tea shop owner Theodosia Browning always seems to find herself steeped in mystery and murder. Death by Darjeeling Theo is serving tea for two hundred or so at the annual historic homes garden party when one guest is found dead clutching a teacup. Gunpowder Green While unveiling her newest flavor of tea at a yacht race, Theo hears the crack of an antique gun and a member of Charleston’s elite falls dead. Shades of Earl Grey Theo attends the engagement soiree of the season where a wedding ring—a family heirloom from Marie Antoinette’s crown—goes missing. Includes a new foreword and 16 new recipes!
Colorful instruction in decorating paper and other "found" objects to create things like a veggie print apron or a milk carton treasure box. All of the projects involve inks and/or stamping in some way.
The fictional characters Dracula, Madeline, and Lois Lane were all inspired by real people. There really is a Nathan behind Nathan's hotdogs, a Cliff behind CliffsNotes, and an Anne behind Auntie Anne's, but J. Crew is just a figment of a marketing director's imagination. Monica, Sandra, Rita, and the other girls of "Mambo No. 5" fame are Lou Bega's real-life ex-girlfriends. For those of you who have wondered about these names and those who never thought to, Laura Lee details the stories behind them, and many others, in her new book, The Name's Familiar II. This sequel to her book, The Name's Familiar, contains over 350 entries that tell the origins and originators of words, characters, brand names, and even towns. Elmira, New York, for instance, was named after a rambunctious little girl whose mother was constantly calling her. Neighbors heard her name so much they decided to call the town Elmira. The names explained in this book range from those of contemporary pop culture to ancient legend. Whether it's Smokey the Bear or Julius Caesar, you'll be given new insight that will change the way you look at names forever.
This book explores the relationship between middle-class fathers and sons in England between c. 1870 and 1920. We now know that the conventional image of the middle-class paterfamilias of this period as cold and authoritarian is too simplistic, but there is still much to be discovered about relationships in middle-class families. Paying especial attention to gender and masculinities, this book focuses on the interactions between fathers and sons, exploring how relationships developed and masculine identities were negotiated from infancy and childhood to adulthood and old age. Drawing on sources as diverse as autobiographies, oral history interviews, First World War conscription records and press reports of violent incidents, this book questions how fathers and sons negotiated relationships marked by shifting relations of power, as well as by different combinations of emotional entanglements, obligations and ties. It explores changes as fathers and sons grew older and assesses fathers’ role in trying to mould sons’ masculine identities, characters and lives. It reveals negotiation and compromise, as well as rebellion and conflict, underlining that fathers and sons were important to each other, their relationships a significant – if often overlooked – aspect of middle-class men’s lives and identities.
The heart of this working guide is the three chapters dealing with techniques and the chapter on conservation. "Basic Techniques" detail the fundamental skills that are applicable to all hand bookbinding. "General Techniques" include those practices that, with minor variations, cover the early stages in all types of bindings. "Specific Techniques" describe the steps primarily used is producing a specific type of hand binding. The basic principles of conservation work cover one of the more important areas in the field of hand bookbinding today.
Thoroughly revised after 16 years in print, this indispensable handbook gives step-by-step instructions for over 200 easy and imaginative activities, including arts and crafts, cooking, games, exercise, storytelling, and more for anyone involved with child care--parents or playgroups. Line art throughout.
With StarBuilder Inspirations, Laura Murray's breakthrough method puts breathtaking stars within the reach of everyday quilters and sewers. Laura's simple recipe of paint, cut, and fuse opens the door to a galaxy of possibilities.
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