Shannon Eaton, 30, of Houma, retired from roller derby in May, a league she co-founded.

But leaving the sport cleared up lots of time on her calendar, she said — time she spends volunteering for the Houma Regional Arts Council.

“We worked very hard,” Eaton said. “We had practice three nights a week, not including nights spent planning for charity events, fundraisers, etc. So, after coming out of that, to make the free time to give back was no trouble at all.”

Working with children comes naturally to Eaton, an eighth-grade English teacher at Montegut Middle School. She describes her evening and weekend transition to the younger learners as “a breeze.”

Her devotion to the Houma Regional Arts Council is important, she said, as the agency plays a vital role in keeping art at the forefront of the local community and culture.

“I didn’t realize this when I was younger, but I’ve come to notice we are surrounded by creative people in our community,” she said. “There is beauty seen and unseen. That’s part of our local ecology. We come into contact with people who are going to do beautiful things — landscaping, painting, acting and, of course music — and all of it needs to be seen. Beauty shouldn’t be hidden away from the world. And the Arts Council facilitates that and protects artists — even those who don’t know their art is beautiful — instead of exploiting them. That’s a great thing to be part of.”

Eaton has volunteered for the Arts Council for about five years.

The nonprofit’s executive director, Glenda Toups, refers to Eaton as one of the agency’s most “passionate volunteers.”

“She assisted with our Green Tunes children’s section for Houmapalooza and led the hourly kids parade during Houmapalooza,” Toups said.

The Green Tunes section operates by the old saying “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” Eaton said, as the booth is set up for kids to create musical instruments from garbage.

“The adults are just there to make sure everything is safe and sanitary,” Eaton said, humbly, “but the kids are the real creators. The grown-ups are just the duct tape cutters so the kids don’t make any painful mistakes.”

The parade took place every hour for the children to show off the instruments they created. Eaton said she used the time to attract more Houmapalooza attendees to the booth.

Toups said Eaton’s next venture with the Arts Council is her role on the newly formed Creative Communities Initiative Team.

The group’s focus is Houma’s historic district downtown.

“When I was asked to join, they told me it was called ‘Creative Place-Making.’ It basically is what it sounds like. We make a place already there a little more creative than what it was before,” Eaton said. “Expect creative ideas and visually inspiring ideas within the historic district of Houma around the Main Street area. It’s a great form of community outreach.”

Eaton doesn’t plan to slow down anytime soon, she said, because she’s “always been a fan of the arts.”

“It’s therapeutic to be creative,” she said.

Staff Writer Kris Johnson can be reached at 857-2207 or kris.johnson@houmatoday.com. Follow her on Twitter @krisLjo.

THE garden is a very special part of your home.

A great looking garden requires regular maintenance but if you do it with imagination you will see that taking care of a garden can even be fun, it’s a great place for gatherings with family and friends.

1. ​

Most people enjoy the environment and feel more relaxed outside than inside. Social events outside can be totally different and more fun because people are in a more relaxed and natural space.

Inter-line who were awarded National Independent Builders Merchant of the Year 2012 offer a wide range of garden and driveway products to help you create the stunning garden or front entrance you’ve always dreamed of and will make you the envy of your friends.

Our heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery VAT included. Choose from 1000’s of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.

Terms:
Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters much more. All items are free next day delivery.

Contact: 01858 468192

Valid until: Tuesday, April 30 2013

Inter-Line are sole stockists within South Devon and Exeter of a fantastic range of Tobermore Paving and Walling.

The stunning garden in the picture here was designed and built by Jacksons Landscape Design, Newton Abbot, a Tobermore registered installer, you can view more of Kerry Jacksons designs at www.jacksonslandscapedesign.com

Inter-line also stock pre-packed decking kits in five different sizes complete with fixings and assembly instructions, ideal for any DIY project and have just opened an inspirational Landscaping Display Centre at their Torquay branch where you will find products and ideas to fuel your imagination and help you turn those garden design ideas into reality.

They offer helpful advice and ideas on landscaping your driveway or garden and can provide you with an outside area that will help make your house a home.

More than ever over the past 10 years, the outdoors has become an extension to our homes and with Inter-line’s decking and balustrade, garden areas become warm and inviting places to relax with family and friends with safe enclosed play areas for children, all year round.

Their traditional, classic and contemporary decking products, give you more possibilities than you can imagine – even on the tightest of budgets.

All sorts of things can be achieved, depending on how you want to use your space. Just be aware that if you are creating an outdoor structure, it may need planning permission and be subject to certain Building Regulations.

You can be sure all Inter-Line decking products meet every relevant regulation – and if you have any questions, just ask – they will do their best to help you make it happen.

What’s more, Inter-line have their online Trade Directory which will put you in touch with local tradesmen to complete your project.

All landscaping products are available to purchase online at www.inter-line.co.uk or contact their friendly sales team.

Splash Press Release April 18 2013 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

NEW WEBSITE OFFERS HOMEOWNERS IN CALGARY HUGE SAVINGS AND PRACTICAL IDEAS ON LANDSCAPING CALGARY PROPERTIES AND MORE
Homeowners in Calgary can now get landscape ideas and huge savings on landscaping Calgary properties.

Five Star Landscaping is pleased to announce the launch of www.fivestarlandscaping.ca, a website devoted to the latest ideas around landscaping in Calgary, landscape ideas and how to get substantial savings for those looking to embark on new projects this year.

“Not only will homeowners and commercial property owners get inspiring ideas”, said Troy Ryz, owner of Five Star landscaping, “but they will be able to register for automatic updates detailing the latest deals and inspirations directly from landscapers in Calgary.”

If you would like to meet Troy and his team and learn more about Five Star Landscaping, you can visit with them at the upcoming Calgary Garden Show, April 13th and 14th, at Spruce Meadows.  Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.calhort.org/garden-show/purchase-tickets.aspx

Five Star Landscaping has been serving Calgary home and commercial property needs since 1997. We design, build and maintain. We also maintain properties year-round, with lawn maintenance, snow removal and property clean ups.

For more information, please visit https://www.fivestarlandscaping.ca

Five Star Landscaping Troy and Lori Ryz (403)203-4058 Owners info@fivestarlandscaping.ca

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Naples Park, consider yourself notified.

A study is under way that could lead to improved sidewalks and better “walkability” in the neighborhood.

The innocuous-sounding study is raising fears, however, of a repeat of the disastrous 2003 Naples Park Community Plan, an episode that led to no improvements and bitter feelings that linger to this day.

Also known as the Dover-Kohl Plan after the consulting firm that worked on it, the 2003 plan discussed ways to enhance Naples Park. Ideas included more sidewalks, better landscaping, on-street parking and even a new street to be built between Eighth Street and U.S. 41.

The Dover-Kohl Plan was accompanied by a media blitz to get the word out, a weeklong open meeting allowing residents to express their ideas and a door-to-door campaign to pass out fliers explaining the process.

But the ambitious plan that came out of the meetings also drew criticism. Many who hadn’t participated in the early stages later claimed to have been left in the dark. They balked at the fundamental change the plan would have meant for the neighborhood and the price that Naples Park residents would have had to pay through their property taxes.

It eventually disintegrated amid squabbling, accusations and counter accusations.

Now, 10 years later, comes the Naples Park Walkable Community Study. The Collier County MPO, made up of county commissioners and City Council members from Naples, Marco Island and Everglades City, heard an update on the plan last week.

The main similarity between the 2013 and the 2003 plans is that both consider the possibility of more sidewalks. The 2013 study won’t even broach subjects such as elaborate landscaping, better drainage, a new street or revamped zoning, all features of the Dover-Kohl plan. It doesn’t obligate anyone to build anything and funding for any new sidewalks would come from grants, not from residents’ property taxes.

But the mere mention of sidewalks is enough to rekindle the bad memories for some.

At a public meeting held April 3 and through emails and letters, Naples Park residents have been commenting to the MPO staff about the walkability study. Summarizing the sentiments so far, MPO staff member Sarah Layman on Friday told the MPO board, “People do not want sidewalks on the avenues.”

Naples Park resident Chris Carpenter is spearheading the effort to make sure there’s no repeat of 2003.

“It was a very divisive issue. It was horrible,” Carpenter said, recalling an instance when a proponent of the 2003 plan made an obscene gesture to opponents at a public meeting.

“What upset people the most was the lack of communication. People felt like it was done behind their backs. I’m seeing some signs of a lack of communication this time around,” she said.

Carpenter asked the MPO to send out a survey to all Naples Park property owners asking their opinions on sidewalks. A 2003 survey on the issue showed about 68 percent opposed them, she said. If there isn’t enough money to do a survey this time, the entire walkability study should be dropped, she said.

Collier County Commissioner Fred Coyle on NewsMakers 9-23-12.

MPO board members all agree that public input needs to be a part of the 2013 study.

But Commissioner Fred Coyle argued that without a survey of every property owner done early on, any other attempts at engagement will fail.

“My inclination about this, knowing what happened last time, is to say don’t go through this process until you actually poll the people in the neighborhood,” he said. “People will not go on the Internet and seek out information. You can mail them a letter notifying them of a meeting, they will not attend. You can do everything you want to try to get people involved and they will not get involved until you bring it to the board for final approval and then they’ll say, ‘Nobody told me.’ That’s just the way it is.”

Coyle said he doesn’t believe sidewalks will be any more popular now than they were 10 years ago: “Send out ballots to each property owner and ask them if they want sidewalks, if they want lighting. The answer is going to be, “No, I don’t.”

A dilemma arises when the neighborhood doesn’t want sidewalks but safety, in the area around a school for instance, demands them.

“I don’t know that somebody should be able to say, ‘There can’t be sidewalks on the streets because I don’t want them,’ when you’re talking about schoolchildren,” Naples City Councilwoman Dee Sulick said.

The MPO board took no action on the report, allowing the walkability study to proceed without an immediate survey of Naples Park residents.

The question now is will, after whatever public outreach follows, those residents complain that no one told them about it?

__ Connect with Brent Batten at bebatten@naplesnews.com

By
KBJR News 1

April 18, 2013

Updated Apr 18, 2013 at 8:45 AM CDT

Duluth, MN
It may not look like spring, but a few landscaping professionals are already looking forward to start digging in the dirt for a good cause.
This newly formed group has a goal of helping their community through green practices.

Louise Levy, the Owner of Levy Tree Care and the one who brought the group together told me, “So we have 2 main goals of the ‘green industry group” in Duluth. The first one, service to our selves, promoting increased professionalism and knowledge and expertise within our professions but also service to our community.”

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One of their projects will start when the ground thaws is at MAC–V, the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans. They hope to build a better place for homeless veterans to garden and relax.

“Putting in some raised beds that would be accessible for handicapped folks,” Says Keegan Hartley, the Owner/Designer at Bella Terra Landscaping, “and then they can actually plant vegetables and enjoy the maintenance and also the fruits of their labor as far as vegetables and what not. So those are a couple of the ideas here.”

Doing this as sustainably as possible is a big goal for the group. But they also want to help build a sustainable community.

Jeff Grover, the Owner Grover Tree Experts INC said “I think this is a great start, which levy has created and I think that the skies the limit as far as community service goes.”

And with a diverse group of professionals comes a diverse list of ideas on ways to better our community and our environment.

“We can add to that by adding rain gardens to collect surface water runoff, even better. And when we have Lake Superior right here, I feel as a golf course superintendent to be a good steward of the land, it’s good for us to do.” Says Jake Ryan, the Course Superintendent at Northland Country Club.

The second project the group has planned for this spring is trimming brush at the Oneota Cemetery. They will begin once the weather cooperates more.

Meteorologist Adam Lorch

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COURTNEY HERGESHEIMER/THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

The Women’s Board of the Columbus Museum of Art is eager for guests to visit the Decorators’ Show House at 21 S. Parkview Ave. in Bexley, where this private patio is one element of charm in the $1.8-million home on 1.4 acres. Tours of the Show House open Tuesday, April 23 and continue through May 12.

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THISWEEKNEWS.COM

Wednesday April 17, 2013 9:40 AM

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Those who might be decorating or redecorating a home and looking for inspiration — or who just can’t get enough of the home improvements featured on Pinterest and HGTV — will find plenty of ideas at 21 S. Parkview Ave. in Bexley. The $1.8-million home that sits on 1.4 acres at that address is the site of this year’s Decorators’ Show House.

The 20th biennial event, which will be held Tuesday, April 23 through May 12, is hosted by the Women’s Board of the Columbus Museum of Art and will showcase the work of 16 local interior designers and four local landscapers.

“The Show House is a great way to get some really new, cutting edge design ideas while supporting a cultural organization,” said show house co-chairwoman Subha Lembach.

As soon as the show site was announced last fall, designers began cultivating ideas for the rooms. Work started in February and finished in early March.

Each area of the home, from the butler’s pantry and upstairs laundry room to the formal dining room and the guest bedroom, showcases a different design team’s work.

“With two staircases, the house flows wonderfully and the rooms are large and spacious so the designers had a great opportunity to create beautiful rooms,” said Show House co-chairwoman Dawn Franz.

Susan Matrka Interiors contrasted the neutral colors in the living room with pink furniture and blue and white porcelain vases, and John Wilson of CRI/Creations created a dark, masculine bedroom with a custom-painted, bronze-colored ceiling. The master walk-in closet has been transformed by Kellie Toole Interior Design into a vintage sewing room and the formal dining room by Phyllis Craver Fine Designs is set for an elaborate Kentucky Derby party.

Franz said because there inevitably will be guests who want to know the exact paint color of a room or where the rug or bed set were purchased, designers will be on hand to talk inspiration with visitors every Wednesday night. Since the house is for sale, the rooms will be returned to their original condition following the show and designers will be at the house selling their items on May 13, Franz said.

According to public documents, the home has been on and off the market since February 2009, and most recently housed Ivan K. Fong who was sworn in as general counsel for the Department of Homeland Security in May 2009. Built in 1922, it’s also been home to Erie Chapman, OhioHealth’s former chief executive, and M/I Homes CEO Robert Schottenstein.

Jane Kessler Lennox, the home’s listing agent through New Albany Realty, was integral in helping the Decorators’ Show House committee find the perfect location for this year’s event, Franz said.

“We loved the property as soon as we saw it,” she said of the house that is expected to draw as many as 10,000 visitors during its three-week showing. “It’s absolutely a beautiful lot and Bexley is great location that has always been popular.”

The event co-chairwomen were specifically looking for a property that had a lot of landscaping potential. In finding that, they were able to build a new partnership.

For the first time, Dine Originals Columbus has paired with the show to cater an outdoor dinner series that will feature local restaurants Due Amici, Barcelona, G. Michael’s Bistro, The Top Steakhouse, Skillet, Hubbard Grille and The Refectory. Dine Originals will also man the cafe area during the day.

“It makes sense and it gives people a huge dose of what’s available in Columbus,” said Katharine Moore, Dine Originals executive director. “They’re showcasing local designers and we’re showcasing local foods — it’s all about local.”

Dinner tickets are $35 and include a glass of wine. Other special events at the home include the preview party on April 20, which will take on a roaring ’20s theme and feature a live auction, raffle and open bar with speakeasy inspired drinks. Tickets for the preview party are $100 per person or $175 per couple.

On May 5, Cinco de Mayo will be celebrated on the house’s lawn with Mexican food and margaritas for $35 per person.

Tickets to view the house from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday are $20 at the door, $15 in advance.

All proceeds from the Decorators’ Show House will benefit the Columbus Museum of Art.

For more information on the house, details on special events and to purchase tickets, visit columbusmuseum.org/dsh.

Gardeners’ Fair Returns to Fareham

The popular Gardeners’ Fairs is set to return to Fareham for its eighth consecutive year for two Saturdays this spring.

From 9am to 3pm on Saturday 11 May and Saturday 8 June, in West Street’s pedestrian precinct around 30 local horticultural businesses and community groups will sell and showcase everything you could need to enhance your garden this season, whether it be bedding plants, perennials and unusual plants, or new garden furniture and landscaping ideas.

There will be entertainment provided by the Vox Pop Choir on 11 May and by local Irish group Shenanigans on 8^th of June.

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Yes, Walt Disney and Steve Jobs had a lot in common, at least in aspects of business. There were a number of other interesting parallels between their personalities too; however, the two men certainly were not just alike.

In fact, they were very different in numerous ways, each having been born in a different generation: Disney was born in Chicago in 1901, and Jobs was born in San Francisco in 1955. Disney was generally a more formal, suit-wearing, conservative businessman, while Jobs exemplified the counter-culture values of the 1960s.

I can go on with their list of differences, but what is really remarkable are all of the similarities between the two men and how they both impacted the American culture and then the world. Both Disney and Jobs built strong, successful businesses with a variety of creative products, along with unique, standout brands. What is most similar, though, is how they each went about it, what motivated them and what they saw as priorities in doing so.

During my adulthood, I have been a lifelong fan of the Macintosh, Apple and Steve Jobs, but I’ve also been a lifelong fan of Walt Disney. Since childhood, I have been a fan of many of the Disney movies and especially the theme parks, but now as an adult, I am inspired by the man. A similarity between the two men may not be obvious to many, but I came to recognize it some years ago.

I have three framed stock certificates that I purchased in 2004, which hang on the wall in my office. There is one from Apple Computer, Inc., one from The Walt Disney Company and then one from a company which doesn’t exist anymore as a stand-alone corporation: Pixar. My Pixar stock certificate is now even more of a cherished and valuable collector’s item to me.

Those three certificates make up a set that I created: “The Steve Jobs Collection.” The reason I purchased them was because of how cool I thought it was for Steve Jobs to have returned to Apple and to have saved it after funding the wildly successful Pixar, which essentially ended up saving Disney’s soul in the end. Then later in 2006, Disney purchased Pixar for approximately $7.4 billion in an all-stock deal making Steve Jobs, majority shareholder of Pixar, the new largest individual shareholder of Disney. He had a 7% stake in the company and accepted a new seat on its board of directors.The Disney company later issued me two shares of its stock for that one share of Pixar that I owned.

So where to start? I have read numerous books on both men’s lives, but in preparing for this article, I researched their stories again. As I did, I made a wall chart for the major accomplishments of each, and I narrowed these down to what I feel are their most significant career achievements. I also listed out some of their significant failures. Lastly, I started listing words or phrases which seemed to describe both men.

Here’s what I found:

Mondadori via Getty Images

The American cartoonist and director Walt Disney with a plush puppet of Mickey Mouse.

Walt Disney’s Significant Contributions

• Pioneer/innovator of sound-synchronized cartoons – Steamboat Willie, 1928
  • Also formally introduced Mickey Mouse
• Pioneer/innovator of full-color three-strip Technicolor cartoons – Flowers and Trees, 1932
• Pioneer/innovator of the seven-layer multiplane camera – The Old Mill (Silly Symphony) and Snow White, 1937
• First major feature-length animated film – Snow White, 1937
• Television pioneer/innovator – Disneyland, 1954 and The Mickey Mouse Club, 1955
• Pioneer / innovator of modern “Theme” Parks – Disneyland, 1955
  • Full theming of buildings, attractions and lands within Disneyland
  • Disneyland/Walt Disney World, etc. theming has influenced other businesses
    • Other “amusement” parks
    • Restaurants
    • Theaters
    • Shopping centers
    • Malls
    • Town centers
  • Audio-Animatronics
  • Multiple/sister parks

AFP via Getty Images

Steve Jobs poses with Apple Computer’s new iMac during a media event in 1998.

Steve Jobs’ Significant Contributions

• Pioneer/innovator of the consumer computer (with appliance-like plastic case) – Apple ][, 1977
• Pioneer/innovator of the modern graphical user interface, with simplified mouse – Apple Lisa, 1983 then Macintosh, 1984
• Pioneer/innovator of object-oriented programming and operating system environments – NeXTSTEP, 1989
• First feature-length computer-animated film – Toy Story, 1995
• Reinvigorated the landscape of the personal computer and the start of the return of Apple – iMac, 1998 and PowerBook G4 (Titanium), 2001 plus many others
• Innovator of retail — Apple Store, 2001
• First mainstream portable digital music player – iPod, 2001
• First mainstream online music store – iTunes Music Store, 2003
• First fully-realized smartphone (with desktop quality email client and web browser) – iPhone, 2007
• First mainstream tablet – iPad, 2010

Both men were the face of their companies, as well as chief spokesperson and promoter. Yet neither man took total credit for all of the above, instead also recognizing their people. Both of these incredible business leaders had a skill for selecting top creative and business talent. Make no mistake, though, they both were the singular, driving force of their companies, pushing their will to the limit in order to realize their passionate visions.

When each died — Disney in 1966 and Jobs in 2011 — it almost seemed impossible to imagine either of their companies without them. Ironically, in their last meeting, Steve Jobs himself famously told current Apple CEO Tim Cook to, “Never ask what he would do, just do what’s right.” Jobs then spoke of what happened to Walt Disney’s company after he died and to specifically not focus on any “what would Steve do” kind of thinking.

So now let’s take a look at the many shared personality traits, values, actions and attitudes that I listed for both Disney and Jobs:

Quality and a desire for perfection – Both men wanted to make great products for a great experience. Whether cartoon shorts for Disney, or dealing with documents on a computer screen for Jobs, they both wanted their customers to have better than good, and way better than average. Both often held back from releasing products if everything was not just right.

Innovation – Innovation was one of the partners in each man’s drive for quality. In creating the best products, both men often pushed their teams to come up with new solutions to problems and new ways to fulfill the customer’s needs. Both leaders often wanted to create something that hadn’t been seen before.

Attention to detail – This was the third partner to quality and innovation. Disney and Jobs both had incredible attention to detail, while still being able to see the “big picture.” Often thought of as micro-managers, they didn’t micro-manage the process, just the final approval of what was good enough. No detail was too small, like Disney moving a tree five feet over at Disneyland, or Jobs’ concern for what the insides looked like in the Macintosh. Both men were the final arbiters of taste.

Not just driven by money – Neither leader was driven by money alone. Both men cared more about a customer’s experience with their products than the money a product generated. They each enjoyed their financial success, and felt that they had earned it, but their general attitude was that if they created superior products, then customers would buy them and the profit would manifest itself.

Visionary and future-focused – In Disney’s case, he was an eternal optimist in that society itself would continually get better. Many attractions at the Disney parks reflect this. He also loved technology, and felt that technology could always be used to improve the human condition. Jobs was well known for “never looking back” at products or mistakes, as he only focused on what was next and how products could either be improved, or what new products could be innovated. This is one characteristic where it’s interesting to note that the men were also different; Disney was extremely nostalgic. The Main Street USA in all Disney parks represents the idealized main street of Walt Disney’s childhood in Marceline, Missouri, where he lived for four years.

Recreation of entire industries – Disney was first with a modern feature-length animated film. He brought a motion picture quality to productions on television and he changed everything in regard to family oriented resorts. Jobs knew when he first saw the graphical user interface, that it represented the future of personal computing. He later changed the music industry, the cellphone industry and then the personal computing landscape again with the iPad.

Showmen and master pitchmen – Both Disney and Jobs had a flair for an audience and the storyline. Many of Walt Disney’s films and the Disney parks touched people on a personal level, while Apple devices often inspire emotional connections with their users.

Each charismatic leader had a partner – Later in his career, Jobs may not have worked with Steve Wozniak, but they started off as partners. Steve Jobs was the product design and marketing lead, while Steve Wozniak was the master engineer. The “Woz” single-handedly created the Apple 1, then Apple ][, then the crucial Apple Disk ][ floppy drive which elevated the Apple system ahead of competition. Walt Disney was joined early on by his brother Roy. Walt was the product visionary, while Roy was the business and accounting manager behind the scenes. After Walt died, Roy spearheaded the construction of Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in Florida. The park opened in October 1971; Roy died just two months later.

They both knew failure and took risks – Disney’s first venture into animation ended up going bankrupt and he lost the rights to his first successful cartoon character. Then, after gaining success in Hollywood, he risked his reputation and the entire company on making Snow White. After proving that it would not end up being “Disney’s Folly,” he did it again with both television and Disneyland. Jobs similarly met failure with two flopped computer launches, the Apple /// and the Lisa. Then, after a seemingly big success in launching the Macintosh, sales were weak and the Apple board felt that he was disruptive at the company. Running the Mac division, most of his authority at the company was taken away from him and he later quit. That was in 1985, and Steve Jobs was 30 years old. He then turned his focus to two risky startups and invested a lot of his own money into them. One was NeXT Computer and the other Pixar. It took about nine years of patience before Jobs saw the huge success of Toy Story in 1995, and NeXT almost went bankrupt before being purchased by Apple in 1996. Both men persevered after failure and, most admirably, neither man stopped taking calculated risks after achieving success.

A corporate head with fans? – In Disney’s case, it’s a little easier to understand: He became a TV star in 1954 as host of the Disneyland program, something he didn’t really want to do, but proved so good at it that he became known as “Uncle Walt” to many viewers. With Jobs, it was a combination of his pure charisma and stage presence with product introductions that captured the attention of the media and customers alike. He brought some of the most exciting electronic products to the people in the last 10 years of his life. He became a bit of a rock star, as consumers became admirers for the visionary innovation that he represented.

Both died relatively young – Walt Disney was 65 when he died in 1966, and Steve Jobs was 56 when he passed in 2011.

In closing, I would like to speak to the original picture that is presented at the top of this article. Near the very end of each man’s life, they both masterminded large civil engineering projects. In the picture, Disney is standing in front of his EPCOT project — The Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow — and Jobs is seen with a depiction of the Apple Campus 2. The original concept for EPCOT was not the current theme park that now exists, but rather an entire city with a central commercial core to include restaurants, shopping and high-volume residential. It was to then move outward from the center to suburban residential, and then further outward to industrial areas. The city would have incorporated moving sidewalks, PeopleMover tram-like cars and monorails. Unlike his feature films, Disney felt that Disneyland could always be changed and improved, and that it could always be made better. EPCOT would be the city equivalent to the park, always evolving, growing and improving, while the world observed and took notes.

Steve Jobs’ Apple Campus 2 ideas were not quite as lofty as Disney’s idea for an entire city, but in terms of office buildings, it’s certainly spectacular! Its design instantly stands out because of its resemblance to a flying saucer or ring, but this design has a foundational purpose: to flip the more common 80% building and 20% landscaping ratio into a 20% building and 80% landscaping ratio. The office structure will be a massive 2.8-million square feet and house about 12,000 employees. The plans call for a four-story circular design with 40-foot, floor-to-ceiling panes of concave glass imported from Germany. It also features green technology like a huge rooftop solar array. Parking will be in both underground garages and a parking structure. Originally announced to open sometime in late 2015, recent reports now have it pushed back to 2016. Also, where it was originally estimated to cost a little under $3 billion, now estimates are putting it at closer to $5 billion, which is a cool $1 billion more than the new World Trade Center being constructed in New York City. When originally presenting the plans for the new campus to the City of Cupertino’s council, Steve Jobs stated, “We have a shot at building the best office building in the world. I really do think that architecture students will come here to see it.” In later plan updates, Apple added as one of its primary objectives: “Achieve the security and privacy required for the invention of new products by eliminating any public access through the site, and protecting the perimeters against trespassers.”

Recorded in October 1966, Walt Disney made a 25-minute film about his plans for the “Florida Project.” Ironically, it wouldn’t be seen until after his death, less than two months later. The leadership at The Walt Disney Company later decided that only Walt Disney himself could have been capable of bringing such a project to fruition, and that they did not want to be in the business of running a city. The current EPCOT, while still emulating some of Walt Disney’s ideas, is not a city, but closer to that of a classic world’s fair. It balances a focus around technology and the future in the Future World area, while the World Showcase is the world exposition and an embellished version of the EPCOT downtown shopping area.

Steve Jobs made his presentation to the Cupertino City Council in June 2011, and died just four months later. Though Apple has $137 billion in cash reserves, its stock market price has fallen 38% since September amid rising competition, especially in the smartphone arena. Though the $5 billion Apple Campus 2 price tag only represents less than 4% of cash reserves, shareholders are questioning the enormous cost versus issuing much higher dividends. Will Apple executives change plans, or will they do what Steve would do?

David Greelish has studied computer history and collected old computers for over 20 years now. He is a computer historian, writer, podcaster and speaker. He was the founder of the original Historical Computer Society, publisher of the zine Historically Brewed and is currently the founder of the Atlanta Historical Computing Society. He has published all of his computer history zines along with his own story in the book, The Complete Historically Brewed. He is currently the director of the Vintage Computer Festival Southeast 1.0 being held the weekend of April 20-21 in the greater Atlanta area.

If you’re looking for home improvement ideas, landscaping options, leisure activities or other information about the area, you’re in luck.

The Home and Leisure Show is a showcase of businesses in and around our community put on by the Strathroy District Chamber of Commerce. There is truly something for each member of the family.

With everything from financial investors and logo promotions to kitchen renovations and cosmetics, the show is sure to deliver. Held at the Gemini Sportsplex on Saturday, April 27 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m, the show fills the building and attracts more than 2000 visitors each year. This year’s event is expanding to incorporate even more business displays than ever.

Bring the entire family to take part in the always popular Kids Zone where the youngsters can participate in hands on activities brought to you by Strathroy District Arts Council. This year’s performance stage will feature local musical talent and demonstrations including such things as floral designs, home improvements, fashion, fitness and interior design. There is sure to be something to catch your attention.

While visiting the show enjoy a taste of Strathroy provided by a wide variety of food vendors with displays at the show.

Be sure to bring your children to the Child ID Clinic put on by the Masons in the Wescast Room. The process involves gathering photos, dental impression, voice recording and information such as height, weight, and age. All of this information is saved on a CD and handed back to the parents. No information is kept by the Masons but is intended to be readily available for parents to provide to officials should the child ever go missing. The program is free of charge and is an excellent resource.

Admission to the entire show is $2, with children 12 and under free of charge.

Chamber Benefits

The Strathroy District Chamber of Commerce is working hard to serve the business community. There are many benefits to being a chamber member with one of the biggest benefits being the networking opportunities. Biz After Biz is a great opportunity to promote your business each month. Picture an informal wine and cheese event where the purpose is to tell others about your business. Who says every business meeting has to be boring and every promotional activity has to be expensive? Connect with members of the community during the next Biz After Biz.

Membership with the Chamber has many benefits including merchant service discounts for accepting credit and debit cards, fuel discounts and improved rates for health benefits to name a few.

For full information on the upcoming events and Chamber benefits, visit the website at www.sdcc.on.ca, call 519-245-7620 or visit the office located in the Strathroy Area Seniors’ Centre at 137 Frank Street.  

1. Today will be mostly sunny with a high of 60 degrees, according to weather.com. Expect a few more clouds to roll in later in the day, bringing a 40 percent chance of rain this evening when temperatures will drop to 50 degrees. 

2. The Waterford Police Department will be holding a press conference today to give an update on the investigation into the homicide of Kyle Seidel. Seidel, 34, was murdered in Waterford at the end of December, his body found in the parking lot of Waterford’s Family Bowl. According to police, Seidel was shot in the neck. 

So far, police have not yet arrested anybody involved in the incident. Police said Seidel’s wife, Kate Seidel, who works in East Lyme, will be at the press conference this morning. Kyle and Kate Seidel are the parents of three young children.  

3. Okay, so this next item is going to seem like a big non sequitur after such many reports today of mayhem and murder but I thought we could use some more cheerful news too.  

Last week the Niantic VFW Post 5849 Ladies Auxiliary held its annual Young American Creative Art Awards showcasing art work by East Lyme High School students.

Each entry was judged on the originality of concept; the content of how it relates to patriotism and clarity of ideas; the design technique; total impact of work; and uniqueness. The judges were Rita Palazzo, Joan Bengtson,  Seth Bendfelt, Joe Palazzo, Larry Ayer and Richard Bengtson.

The top prize winner was senior Erin Doherty, who won a $10,000 scholarship. Second prize, and a scholarship of $5,000, went to senior Jordan Duerr. Third prize was awarded to senior Taylor Grillo, who earned a $2,500 scholarship.

Eleventh-grader Abby Robbins took fourth place and senior Delia Terry placed fifth, with each student walking away with scholarships of $1,500 and $500 respectively. 

Congratulations to all!  

4. Although the groundbreaking for Lyme’s new library and renovations to Town Hall won’t happen until July, Lyme Board of Selectmen are beginning to make plans. As with any move, the big issue is what to with all the stuff that has accumulated over the years.

Board members agreed that they’ll probably need at least two dumpsters, one for paper and one for larger items, although they’re not sure where they’ll put them on the cramped grounds of the town campus.

During the renovations, they’ll also have to find a place to store the many works of art, primarily from the American Impressionist school that the area is noted for, which currently hang on the walls of town hall. Old Lyme gallery owner Jeff Cooley has offered to store the works and the Florence Griswold Museum may be another option too.

The garden club will be doing a walk-through of the site today to get a sense of which plants and trees should be preserved and possibly relocated. The garden club has offered the services of a landscape designer to help with the exterior landscaping. 

5. While I’m on the topic of flowers, it’s hard to miss the many daffodils that are now in full bloom. In case you were wondering, the daffodils that are growing off exit 74 in Niantic aren’t there by accident. 

About 5 years ago, the Town Beautifucation Committee planted 500 bulbs at McCooks Park, Latimer’s Brook Fish Ladder, the entrance to East Lyme High School and at exit 74 by the Mobil Station on Flanders Road. 

“Our ultimate goal would have been a Spring Daffodil Festival,” Joe Mingo writes in an email. “The section on Flanders Road seems to be have survived the best. On the site next to the Mobil Station we planted two different varieties. The early variety are yellow and the later variety will be white. The State Highway Department has recently helped to maintain the area. The daffodils are in full bloom at this point. Please enjoy.”

Paul Petrone contributed to this article.