Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

The employee art exhibition during installation (all photos Elaine Velie/Hyperallergic unless otherwise noted)

Every other year since 1935, New Yorks Metropolitan Museum of Art has presented an exhibition of its employees art. It has always been a relatively private affair, with the works on view for staff members eyes only until now. This year, the museums beloved employee art show is back, and for the first time ever, its open to the public.

Of the Mets staff of 1,700, over 450 employees contributed works to the show, which opens today, June 6 and will run through June 19. Titled Art Work: Artists Working at The Met, the presentation is held in an exhibition space next to the museums Ancient Greek sculpture hall and includes pieces by workers across departments, from security guards and technicians to librarians, registrars, and volunteers.

Daniel Kershaw, an exhibition design manager at the museum, has directed the shows curatorial process for more than 20 years. Every piece of art submitted is traditionally included in the show, and staff members like Kershaw work after hours to install the exhibition in time.

As the works come in, Kershaw looks for common threads to tie the diverse and eclectic pieces together. Its terrifying, and then as it goes along, it starts to make some sense maybe only to me, Kershaw told Hyperallergic. Im sure that a lot of the artists are thinking, Are you kidding, you put my masterpiece next to that awful thing? But thats okay, everybody seems to behave relatively well together.

Curating the exhibition thematically allows Kershaw to perceive how artists areas of interest change from year to year.

I think you see a pulse of what artists are going for right at the moment in a way that I dont usually see in anything else, Kershaw said. Compared to previous years, for instance, he observed less nudity in this years artworks. What happened? Theres almost no nudity, sex is way down this year, Kershaw said. Maybe Covid took a toll.

Kershaw explained that some of the artists in the exhibition are professionals who work at the Met to pay their bills. Others are hobbyists creating art in their spare time.

For Rachel High, a manager of editorial marketing and rightswho has been at the Met for eight years, its her second time participating in the employee art show. This year, High contributed two small sculptural vessels to the exhibition. She covered a tin can and glass jar in clay and painted them to look like monsters, brushing resin onto the eyes to create depth. Both of the pieces are functional, and in addition to giving her artwork to friends as gifts, she uses the objects she creates in her daily life.

High said that seeing the museums displays of decorative arts helped changed the way she thinks about her own work. Even though I think of it as craft, its still technically art, she told Hyperallergic.

Jeary Payne, who works in the education department, contributed a photograph titled Juke Joint, which he shot this year on the patio of one of his favorite neighborhood bars. The picture is from his series Finding Here, which Payne started in 2016 after moving to the Brooklyn neighborhood of Crown Heights.

Its about being able to capture actual moments of actual Black people in rest, in living their lives, Payne told Hyperallergic. Especially living in Brooklyn but not being from Brooklyn, a lot of my questions behind my work which is primarily about Black collective memory have been about asking, Whats my responsibility? How do I lend myself to the space, how do I record those moments?'

Rebecca Schear, who submitted an image she captured during a trip to Cuba, has been taking photographs for about 15 years. She also works with photography and film crews in her job as senior production manager at the museum.

In an interview with Hyperallergic, Schear described feeling awe-struck as she walked through the exhibition and saw her coworkers names on wall labels alongside stunning works of art.

You just dont even realize, I work with him all the time, she said, gesturing to a photograph hanging near hers. I didnt even know thats something he can do.

Michael Gallagher, the chair of the paintings conservation department, contributed one of his own oil on canvas works to the show. He told Hyperallergic that being a painter has illuminated his work as a conservator. Thanks to his personal studio practice, he can better understand artists instincts, and he knows not to overcomplicate someone elses work the application of two-layered paint colors might have a deeper meaning, he says, or maybe the artist just didnt like the first shade of green.

Being a conservator has also influenced how Gallagher behaves as a painter. He related a story of painting en plein air, as he normally does, when his canvas fell face-first into the dirt. Gallagher said he immediately picked it up and started pulling off the dirt as a conservator would.

But for years, Gallagher kept his painting practice to himself.

The reason you keep this private is because its so important to you, Gallagher said. Its because you feel very vulnerable, and also, when you work for one of the greatest arts institutions in the world and you deal with some of the greatest paintings, it just seems hugely presumptuous to be like, Oh, I paint, too.'

There are some great artists walking the halls of the Met, Gallagher added.

More:
The Met Hosts an Exhibition of Employees' Art, Open to the Public for the First Time - Hyperallergic

Abodu, a company focused on building prefabricated Accessory Dwelling Units, installed its first North Bay unit in unincorporated Sonoma County roughly two weeks ago. The company says more units will be coming to both Sonoma and Napa counties in the coming months.

ADUs are small, self-contained living units that can be attached or detached to single family homes, within the single family lot. A statewide boom in ADU approvals started up roughly five years ago, when California legislators required local municipalities to relax their regulations on ADUs approvals. Further legislation, particularly in 2020, has made building such units even easier.

Legislators have framed opening up the approval process for ADUs as one part of an effort to take on Californias housing crisis. Though getting ADU plans approved by local governments has become swifter and easier, thats only one part of the process. The time and financial burden of building such units falls on homeowners who typically have no experience with construction, said John Geary, CEO of Abodu.

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Thats a problem because even if a homeowner has sufficient money and interest to build such a structure in their backyard perhaps because doing so could give them needed rental income, because theyd like to move a family member in there or a variety of other reasons they might see the time commitment and uncertainty of trying to learn how to navigate the process as too much of a burden.

Abodu designed its business around taking stress out of the process by handling most of it themselves, Geary said.Rene Schomp, director of the Napa Sonoma ADU Center nonprofit, said that similar options are offered by a several other prefab ADU companies.

Construction is tough. Its dirty. Its expensive. Its confusing. And when the average homeowner is building an ADU, theyre essentially building a home in their backyard, Geary said. What we saw is most homeowners arent equipped to do that well. Its a scary endeavor; theres a lot of opacity in the industry. And so our goal was, how do we make this as simple as buying a car or a product; how do we make it easy as possible for folks?

Cindy Loughridge and Seth Restaino, owners of the ADU in Sonoma, said that when they bought their home roughly a year ago, there was already an old, run down ADU on the property. The homeowner at the time was working with another company to replace that with a new ADU, which Loughridge said was a selling point for the house.

The state of the old ADU was almost a deal-breaker, Restaino recalled. It was an eyesore, and it had to either come down or be reworked.

But the company that wouldve built the ADU ended up busy for at least a year, perhaps because of supply chain delays, Loughridge said. Loughridge then discovered Abodu as a replacement option that would get the new ADU installed there relatively quickly. Restaino said the unit the most expensive model out of three possible Abodu choices, a two-bedroom unit with some upgrades cost roughly $425,000 in total.

Loughridge said they began talking with Abodu in August 2021 and signed a contract for the ADU in October. Abodu started building the unit at a factory in November, Restaino said, and it took three months for the custom build to be finished. Owing to various permitting and code compliance delays, the unit was installed in late May, and it will be ready to serve as a residence for the bride and groom during a wedding June 25.

We knew we were the guinea pigs, Restaino said. Im just also a realist about permitting and stuff going to take a little while.

Restaino said the main point of the ADU for now is that it will serve as a guest house to the two-bedroom main house. He added that its possible they might move their parents into the unit when they get older, or it could serve as a long-term rental should they decide to sell the property.

The speed of building such prefab units depends on whether homeowners buy in-production units or wish to design various aspects of the unit. Geary said the organization has installed more than 100 units in California over the past two years, and has several hundred in production behind that.

Schomp said she sees prefab ADUs as one important way to fill California's extreme need for housing. (Though ADU approvals have been picking up in Napa County and across the state in recent years, the number of total ADU approvals is still minuscule compared to the state's housing need.)

Schomp added there's essentially three categories of prefab unit: manufactured, factory built and panelized.

Manufactured housing is certified and regulated on the federal level through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. That means building requirements are less onerous than factory built, or modular, housing which is what Abodu builds because it's certified at the state level and must be built to state building code standards. As a result, manufactured ADUs tend to be cheaper than factory-built, Schomp said.

Panelized ADUs allow a greater level of customization because only the outer shell of the house is prefabricated, and it's delivered in flat panels that then have to be assembled.

All prefab ADUs have the advantage of generally being built more quickly than traditionally constructed units and taking a much shorter time to be installed on the property, Schomp said.

"What we do is we manage the ADU process from start to finish, the home is built entirely off site," Geary said. "So there's no months and months and months of construction in a homeowner's backyard. We're talking about two weeks before delivery, one day of delivery and then about two weeks after delivery, and that's all the homeowner sees of us in that backyard."

But, Schomp added, it's important to recognize that other ADU options traditional "stick-built" ADUs, junior ADUs that convert areas inside an existing home into housing, multifamily affordable housing have upsides as well.

And there are also a few limitations to prefab units to consider, she said. Having a flat lot and enough access to the site that a truck can drive in there with the unit, or so a crane can place it, is essentially a requirement.

The ADU center recently launched a Standard Plans Program which features a gallery of plans that at least some of 16 Napa and Sonoma county jurisdictions have pre-approved. That allows for a diversity of options for interested buyers, and helps the center pursue a goal of saving homeowners and cities time and money on the design and permitting process for ADUs, Schomp emphasized.

And though organizations like Abodu also work with local governments to have their ADU options essentially be pre-approved to cut down on delivery time and hassle, the ADU Center's program attempts to solve another potential flaw of prefab ADUs: the relative lack of options most prefab companies offer on their own. Those looking for ADUs can see options from a variety of companies: Abodu, Villa, Connect Homes, Inspired ADUs, Homes for Sonoma and more.

What I have seen time and time again in the housing space is theres no single silver bullet solution, Schomp said. You cannot say prefab is the answer; its one of the tools in the toolkit. And were going to be the most successful to meet our housing crisis if we approach with a diversity of housing options.

Schomp added that she initially skeptical of prefab ADU companies given that many of them started up, backed by venture capital, after the state's 2020 housing laws that made local permitting processes for ADUs more uniform came into effect. Those processes still aren't entirely uniform, she said, which means that in order for the companies to be successful, they need two teams of employees that work closely with every jurisdiction they're building ADUs in.

Schomp said she didn't anticipate that she'd feel the prefab companies have proven themselves this quickly, but she now feels confident referring people to them. And she believes prefab ADUs are a vital part of solving California's current housing puzzle.

Im pleasantly surprised by how successful these companies have been so far, and Im seeing homeowners significantly shifting from wanting to do traditional construction to wanting to do prefab, Schomp said.

You can reach Edward Booth at 707-256-2213.

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Prefab Accessory Dwelling Units are coming to the North Bay - Napa Valley Register

June 9, 2022

By Ethan Weinstein, VTDigger

RANDOLPH Gov. Phil Scott signed two key pieces of legislation Tuesday meant to address the states housing crisis.

The press conference and bill signing for S.210 and S.226, held at an in-process housing development at Salisbury Square in Randolph, highlighted legislation that will collectively invest over $45 million.

Building more housing to address our critical shortage has been a top priority, Scott said. In the aggregate, this will amount to the largest state investment in housing weve ever seen.

According to Sen. Alison Clarkson, D-Windsor, who also spoke at the event, the Legislature passed about $300 million in housing-related funds in the recently concluded biennium.

S.210 includes $20 million for the Vermont Housing Improvement Program, which seeks to bring houses and apartments in disrepair back into the market.

Having run up against the governors veto of a statewide rental registry, the Legislature passed S.210, which provides funding for the state Division of Fire Safety to enforce health and housing codes in rental units. In most towns, housing code inspections currently fall to the local health officer, often a volunteer.

S.226 will fund middle-income housing and eliminates the need for developers to get water and sewer permits from both a municipality and the state. It raises the cap on units allowed in projects in densely populated areas from 25 to 50. And it prohibits municipalities from imposing parking requirements of more than one space per bedroom on accessory dwelling units.

The legislation also will offer subsidies to contractors building homes that cost more to construct than their market value. It provides $1 million to assist first-generation home buyers and includes $4 million in grants to make upgrades to mobile homes and mobile home parks.

I know its usually the areas of disagreement that get the most attention, Scott said. Here is a great example of how people of different parties can agree on a fundamental problem, put differences aside and work together to find solutions that will benefit our state for decades to come.

The governor pointed to Springfield and his hometown of Barre as examples of communities that, having lost population, will benefit from the new funding to update vacant properties.

Money for the two new laws comes from both state and federal sources.

In a press release, Senate President Pro Tempore Becca Balint, D-Windham, celebrated the bills as an example of a hard-earned compromise.

Im proud of the work weve done to meet housing needs at every level, from affordable housing to middle-income homeownership, and that includes critical updates to rental units and manufactured homes, she said.

Weve also updated policy to make it easier to build housing where we want it, in our downtowns and village centers, and to better ensure that no Vermonter lives in substandard housing.

Phase I of the project involved developing 14 pedestrian-friendly apartments and one permitted home.

The second phase, now underway, seeks to create 19 solar-powered, net-zero units at the site of the former Ethan Allen furniture plant.

Julie Iffland, the groups executive director, highlighted the effort in Randolph to create mixed-income housing within walking distance of downtown. The units, powered by solar panels, will be connected by a microgrid, sharing power and even allowing the storage of solar energy, Iffland said. The project, she said, works toward the common-sense desire to make our communities livable.

During his remarks at the bill signing the first of its kind since the pandemic began Scott praised the Randolph initiative as a community-supported way to help ease Vermonts housing crisis.

The crowd, which numbered about 100, tells a lot about support you have in Vermont and for housing, he said.

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New laws will invest $45M into housing - Addison County Independent

BEDFORD, Texas, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Legacy Housing Corporation (the "Company," NASDAQ: LEGH) today announced thatDuncan Bates, a member of the Companys Board of Directors and Senior Vice President, Mergers & Acquisitions of Arcosa, Inc. (NYSE: ACA), has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer, effectiveJune 7, 2022.

Curt Hodgson, Executive Chairman of Legacy, stated: I am thrilled to name Duncan as the President and CEO of Legacy. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in corporate finance and capital allocation that will assist us in operating as a public company and strategically growing our business. Duncan has a proven track record of leadership and is an important step in Legacys succession plan.

Mr.BatesreplacesKenny Shipley, who, as part of the management reorganization, will remain with Legacy as Founder and Executive Vice President. Mr. Shipley will also remain a member of the Companys Board of Directors (the Board). Mr. Bates resigned from the Companys Board effective June 7, 2022. Effective June 7, 2022, Francisco Coll was appointed to the Companys Board as an Independent Director and will also serve on the Audit Committee.

Mr. Hodgson added, We are excited that Kenny remains a key part of our team, and I look forward to the new roles both Duncan and Francisco will play in the leadership of Legacy.

Duncan Bates Bio

Duncan (34) most recently served as Senior Vice President, Mergers & Acquisitions of Arcosa Inc., a publicly traded infrastructure products company, since August 2018. Under his leadership, Arcosa executed 16 acquisitions and 2 divestitures in a 3.5-year period to reposition its portfolio around growth-oriented, high-margin products. Previously, he served as a Vice President in the Industrials Investment Banking Group at Stephens Inc. from June 2015 to August 2018. From February 2012 to June 2015, he worked in the Energy Investment Banking Group at Seaport Global Securities, LLC. Mr. Bates began his career in New York at Willis Re Inc. in July 2010. Duncan received his B.S. Management degree with a double major in Finance and Legal Studies from Tulane University.

Francisco Coll Bio

Francisco (37) was appointed to our Board of Directors on June 7, 2022. He has served as the President of Universal Air Conditioner, Inc., a wholesale distributor of aftermarket auto parts, since March 2015. Previously, he was the US Head of Sales for BTG Pactual, a Brazilian investment bank and asset manager that operates throughout Latin America, from March 2011 until March 2015. Mr. Coll began his career at UBS Investment Bank in the sales & trading and wealth management rotational program in July 2007. Francisco received his B.S. degree in East Asian Studies with a minor in Financial Economics from Vanderbilt University.

About Legacy Housing Corporation

Legacy Housing Corporation builds, sells and finances manufactured homes and "tiny houses" that are distributed through a network of independent retailers and company-owned stores. The Company also sells directly to manufactured housing communities. Legacy is the sixth largest producer of manufactured homes in the United States as ranked by number of homes manufactured based on the information available from the Manufactured Housing Institute. With current operations focused primarily in the southern United States, we offer our customers an array of quality homes ranging in size from approximately 390 to 2,667 square feet consisting of 1 to 5 bedrooms, with 1 to 3 1/2 bathrooms. Our homes range in price, at retail, from approximately $22,000 to $140,000.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. As a result, our actual results or performance may differ materially from anticipated results or performance. Legacy Housing undertakes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements after the date hereof, except as required by law. Investors should not place any reliance on any such forward-looking statements.

Investor Inquiries:Shane Allred, (817) 799-4900investors@legacyhousingcorp.com

or

Duncan Bates, (817) 799-4837duncanbates@legacyhousingcorp.com

Media Inquiries:Kira Hovancik, (817) 799-4905pr@legacyhousingcorp.com

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Legacy Housing Corporation Announces Appointment of Duncan Bates as President and Chief Executive Officer - GlobeNewswire

Within hours after a tornado wreaked destruction on Gaylord, the Otsego Community Foundation sprung into action, launching a relief fund to help victims of the disaster.

The non-profit organization, which manages charitable funds to support local causes, is spearheading the Tornado Response Fund, raising money to help hundreds of residents as well as businesses impacted by the May 20 tornado that swirled along a two-mile-stretch of the city.

The foundation hopes to raise $1 million, a goal not too far off after just three weeks. To date, nearly $800,000 has been raised through individual donors from across the country as well as a host of businesses in Gaylord, the surrounding region and Michigan. The money will be used for immediate relief, short-term recovery and long-term rebuilding efforts.

The response has been incredible. Its so heartwarming, says Dana Bensinger, executive director of the Otsego Community Foundation. I think as a nation weve been pretty divided the last couple of years, but this has been absolutely uniting.

Even her 14-year-old son, who has helped with clean up efforts, remarked about how it was really cool to see all different kinds of different people working together.

Gaylord, a city of about 4,000 off Interstate 75 in Otsego County, is a year-round tourist destination and highway stopover, welcoming outdoor enthusiasts to the surrounding state parks, forests and rivers, as well as ski areas and golf courses.

The help from outside Gaylord has been amazing, including a lot of letters and notes with Bible verses, offering hope, Bensinger said. They come with checks of all sizes.

According to the National Weather Service, the tornado first touched down in eastern Antrim County and strengthened as the funnel moved west across Otsego County. The tornado was deemed an EF-3 -- a severe rating -- with winds of up to 150 mph in and around Gaylord.

Two people were killed and 44 people were injured as the tornado swept through Gaylord that Friday afternoon, according to news reports. The tornado damaged numerous homes -- tearing through a manufactured home community and businesses, mostly along Route 32, west of downtown Gaylord. Trees were knocked down and cars were flipped.

Initially, with those that were impacted, they were devastated. There was a lot of shock, said Erin Mann, executive director of Otsego County United Way, which is partnering with the Otsego Community Foundation in relief efforts and organizing volunteers. Other community organizations and churches are helping as well.

The community rallied together quickly, she added. We jumped into action. There is a lot of support and a sense of connection, people wanting to help one another. There is hope but we have a long road ahead of us.

Mann noted that about 1,000 people from across the state initially volunteered to help in the aftermath. Hundreds of volunteers have helped with cleanup, sorting and organizing supplies and distributing food.

Local officials cannot recall Gaylord sustaining a weather-related disaster of this magnitude. In all, the tornado damaged 210 homes, about half of them were completely destroyed. Thirty percent had 50 percent damage. Nearly 40 commercial properties sustained damage, and dozens of cars were damaged or destroyed.

We are only 20 days in and while hopeful, we have a long road ahead, Bensinger said. Recovery is not only about the restoration of structures, systems and services although they are critical. It is also about addressing sources of inequitable and unjust outcomes, and individuals and families being able to rebound from their losses and sustain their physical, social, economic, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being.

The Tornado Response Fund is aimed at providing relief on three different levels.Immediate relief has targeted providing the basic needs of the victims. Those needs include shelter and food. The fund was able to get money out right away to the Refuge, a nonprofit focusing on emergency shelter. To date, the Refuge has served 32 families, placing them in hotels and rentals. Other basic needs included helping people repair damaged cars so they can get to work.

To keep people out of the poverty cycle, we have to keep them working, Bensinger said.

Short-term recovery, she said, moves beyond immediate relief to help with longer-term issues such as housing. A lot of families in hotels are going to have to stay there awhile -- they have nowhere to go, she said. In addition, the fund was recently awarded a grant to hire two case workers to help victims navigate through the assistance system.

Were spending a lot of time in discussions to figure out what long-term building looks like, she said. We dont know what we are going to need as a community yet. We are not far enough in the process yet. We do anticipate that we will need a large chunk of money -- $500,000 -- for long-term building effort, leveraging federal, state or private grants to help out with the communitys needs.

While short-term housing is a huge need right now, affordable housing for those who have lost their homes will be an issue down the road. And there are a host of other concerns, including the mental health of those impacted by the tornado.

There are so many other aspects. Were still learning. This is all really new to us, Bensinger said.

The Oil and Gas Industry Friends of Otsego County made up of 11 producers quickly joined forces to put up a $180,000 match to the community, which was not only filled in less than 72 hours but really created momentum for the fund.

Donations have come from corporate and fraternal foundations, including Consumers Energy Foundation, $25,000, the Michigan Elks Association Charitable Organization Fund, $10,000, as well as other community foundations and businesses, including Meyer Ace Hardware, a hardware chain in northern Michigan. The family-owned business donated $15,000, matching donations contributed by customers.

We were very fortunate our store in Gaylord was not damaged and none of our employees were directly affected, said Jonathan Meyer, whose family owns and operates the stores in Petoskey, Harbor Springs and St. Ignace. Each store participated in the fund drive.

Meyer said customer response was overwhelming.

Meyer Ace Hardware presents check to the Tornado Response Fund.I think we really had an excellent response. We had more than 3,000 customers contribute, he said. Customers were asked to donate $1, $3 or $5 during checkout -- the average donation was $3.80. There were a lot of people contributing $5 or more.

Meyer, whose hardware has been in Gaylord 12 years, praised the Otsego Community Foundation for its efforts.

Dana (Bensinger) and her team are doing a tremendous job, rallying the troops and collecting money for the fund, he said. Im amazed what that team is doing for the community.

Its not the first time the Otsego Community Foundation has sprung into action because of a community-wide emergency. The organization raised money for its COVID19 Response Fund during the pandemic. The fund provided more than $100,000 to organizations, nonprofits and small businesses.

Ironically, that fund closed in mid May we spent that down, just in time to start the fund for the tornado response, Bensinger said.

To donate, go to the Tornado Response Fund.

Read the rest here:
Gaylord: A community comes together - Second Wave Media

Dr. Arthur Edward Waite (1857-1942) was a genuine scholar of occultism whose published works include The Holy Kabbalah and The Key to the Tarot first issued in England in 1910. Waite utilized symbolism as the key to the Tarot pack. In The Key to the Tarot he writes: The true Tarot is symbolism; it speaks no other language and offers no other signs. What are the Tarot cards about which Waite so skillfully writes? What is the message of each card and when and where did these fascinating cardboard symbols first originate?

The precise origin of Tarot cards in antiquity remains obscure. Court de Gebelin writing in Le Monde Primitif in 1781 advances the theory that Tarot cards derived from an ancient Egyptian book, The Book of Thoth. Thoth was the Egyptian Mercury, said to be one of the early Kings and the inventor of the hieroglyphic system. Gebelin asserts that it is from the Egyptians and Gypsies that Tarot cards were dispersed throughout Europe.

The emergence of Tarot cards in Europe predates by over five centuries the work of Waite. A German monk, Johannes, describes a game called Ludas Cartarum played in the year 1377. Covelluzzo, a fifteenth-century chronicler, relates the introduction into Viterbo of the game of cards in the year 1379.

In the year 1369 playing cards are not mentioned in a decree issued by Charles VI of France against various forms of gambling; however, 28 years later, the Prevot of Paris, in an ordinance dated January 22, 1397, forbids working people from playing tennis, ball, cards, or ninepins excepting only on holidays. It is generally accepted that playing cards emerged in Europe in the latter half of the fourteenth century, probably first in Italy as a complete 78-card deck or some inventive genius subsequently combined the common 56 cards known as the Minor Arcana with the 22 esoteric and emblematic Tarot cards known as the Major Arcana to form the 78-card pack.

During the fifteenth century Tarot cards were generally drawn or hand painted for the princely houses of Northern Italy and France. Subsequently, the card packs became more numerous because they were reproduced by techniques using woodcuts, stencils and copper engraving. By the sixteenth century a modified Tarot pack called the Tarot of Marseilles gained popularity.

There exists today, in the archives of the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris, 17 Major Arcana cards generally believed, probably erroneously, to have been hand painted about the year 1392 by Jacquemin Gringonneur for Charles VI of France. These cards are likely of later Venetian origin, possibly mid-fifteenth-century Tarocchi of Venice cards.

Link:
Rider Waite Tarot Deck | Tarot.com

The summer Tribute Store at Universal Studios Florida is now selling skateboard decks by The Hundreds inspired by the hoverboards in Back to the Future II.

There are two decks. One is pink, inspired by the Mattel hoverboard Marty uses. The other is black, inspired by the Pit Bull hoverboard used by Griff Tannen.

This deck is shaped like a standard skateboard.

Its pink, with a dotted background, and solid stripes across it.

The stripes are yellow, green, pink, and white.

The Hundreds is across the yellow stripes in the center, instead of hoverboard. There are two red bombs pictured against the background.

Circles resembling the hover tech are on the bottom of the deck.

Wheels can be installed at the center of the grey circles.

The Back to the Future and Amblin Entertainment logos are on the bottom, too.

This deck is black, with an angry pit bull pictured in the center.

The back of the deck is rounded, while the front comes to a point. It has indents along the sides.

There are silver designs at the back, resembling the rockets on the movie version of the board.

Instead of Pit Bull, it reads The Hundreds in red and white lettering. The dog is wearing a spiked collar and is pictured with a reddish tint.

The rocket design continues on the bottom.

It also has circles where the wheels can be installed.

Will you be using one of these Back to the Future skateboard decks? Let us know in the comments.

For more Universal Studios news from around the world, follow Universal Parks News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news, visit WDWNT.

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New 'Back to the Future' Hoverboard Skateboard Decks at Universal Studios Florida - WDW News Today

Cats are a lot more scrappy and resourceful than we humans ever thought -- and the evidence is right here ... a whiskered warrior that wouldn't let a coyote get the best of it!

Check out this insane video of a house cat being chased around a beach house deck in Surfside Beach, TX -- where it's about to be torn to pieces by a wild canine that made its way onto the property ... which belongs to a guy named Tony Gray.

In his original post, he writes ... "Someone almost lost a cat." Keyword there is almost -- because this kitty put up one hell of a fight to survive. And, in the end, it won.

Watch how the feline outsmarts its opponent. It uses a foldable chair to its advantage and successfully evades the critter. After a lot of back and forth -- and some close calls -- the tabby goes all Sly Stallone on a nearby wooden beam ... hanging on for dear life.

It seems the cat might've ended up with a few bite marks here and there ... but it lived to fight another day, as the coyote trots away. Garfield here wasn't taking any chances though.

There's one life gone ... 8 more to go.

More here:
Cat Fights Off Coyote on Deck of Texas Beach House - TMZ

Collecting skateboards is a pain in the ass. Boards are heavy, you need a lot of space to store them, and they will happily catch fire if your house ever burns to the ground. But that hasnt stopped a small group of hardcore collectors who have spent thousands of dollars and countless hours finding and preserving iconic boards from the past. Were not talking about your average skater who has a couple of old scratched-up decks lying around in the garage, were talking about the big fish the guys who could put a downpayment on a house if they were to liquidate their collections.

As we have very little experience ourselves collecting decks at that level, we hit up three collectors to learn the basics and how they found themselves deep down the rabbit hole. If you ever wanted to reclaim a piece of your childhood and cop that elusive Muska deck or Think board you saw in a CCS catalog, hopefully, this guide will be a solid place to start.

Happy Hunting!

How long have you been collecting, and how much have you spent on decks so far?Ive been collecting seriously now for the last six years, but my love for certain graphics started when I first started skating. I dont really like to talk about money but hey, this is Jenkem, right? So lets just say I have over 600 boards. Most of them are worth over $400, some a $1000, and I didnt pay anything close to that for any of them. Also being single with no kids at 42 allows me to indulge more than your average collector.

If someone were to get into collecting decks, where would one start?Some people hate eBay but Ive had nothing but amazing luck on there! The thing is, you have to check every day, even twice a day. I also love Facebook collectors groups because you are dealing with fellow collectors who are not looking to get rich off each other.

How do you figure out deck pricing?Getting to know the right prices is just like anything else, it takes a little time and observation. It usually breaks down to rareness, age, artist, rider, and company. Any combination of those variables will produce desire and value but it also changes from collector to collector. For example, I collect boards that give me a feeling of nostalgia for the time I started skating in the early 2000s. Because a lot of my guys feel the same way it makes these boards highly collectible and therefore valuable, at the moment.

Are there one or two whale collectors that everyone knows about?Oh for me its Tim Anderson, aka Bobshirt. Him and his amazing wife started the charity Deckaid. His collection is so huge and amazing that they put on traveling gallery shows with his boards covering the walls. It was at one of his shows that I knew I wanted to start collecting. So to me, it gets no bigger than Tim hes my Yoda.

How many buyers and sellers do you think are actually out there?Oh wow, thats a tricky one because just when I think I know everyone someone pops up with an amazing collection Ive never seen. That being said Id say the scene is less than a quarter of the number of people who skate, but almost every skater has a favorite pro and they might have one of their boards on their wall that they can bring to market at any time. So its tricky, dude.

What do you focus on collecting most?I focus mainly on my favorite artist and brands from the early 90s to around the 10s. I love Chocolate, Girl, and Anti Hero because the art direction and artists they used during that period were just amazing. They just drip with those nostalgic vibes to me. Artists like Evan Hecox, Tony Larson, Andy Jenkins, and Todd Francis combined with style masters like Gino Iannucci, Paulo Diaz, Stevie Williams, and Keenan Milton just spark memories, and inspiration that says so much without saying a single word.

What are the most expensive or sought-after decks? Whats the holy grail?Lately, its the boards and series that are done by artists like Evan Hecox and Don Pendleton that have been bringing in the highest prices. A seven-board series was selling in the high four-digit. Ive talked to people paying these prices and they say its all about that nostalgic feeling for them too.

Do you ever worry about rare decks being re-issued and their value going down?[laughs] Yes at times I have, but with most collectibles, having the first edition of anything is always going to bring the most value. This is why collecting for the love is better than for money, but I wouldnt want them to just reissue everything because the hunt for these rare Holy Grail boards is my favorite part of collecting.

Whats something for a first-time collector or buyer to look out for? Any tips?I always tell new collectors to make sure its not gripped thats like a sticker on a Ferrari. Get plastic storage bags. I actually have a saying, Wood 2 wood: no good! Wood 2 Plastic: FANTASTIC! The only time you will get scuff marks is when the boards have direct wood-to-wood contact.

I find that starting with a goal or focus will keep you from buying just to buy and then regretting it later. If a price seems off but youre not sure just ask an experienced collector for their opinion. Im always down to help fellow collectors find their footing.

How do you store decks?I keep my boards in a dry place in plastic bags. Some are in boxes but most are stacked. I dont worry about the boards warping a little because Im never gonna skate them, so none of that matters. If you store or display them in direct sunlight they will fade, so be mindful of that.

Other than that, buy what makes you happy and have fun.

How long have you been collecting, and how much have you spent on decks so far?I have approximately 400 complete skateboards in my collection. I couldnt exactly tell you how much Ive invested in my collection, but my ex-wife certainly could guess [laugh].

Ive been collecting boards since about 2004, so over 18 years so far. You guys interviewed me in 2015 when I used to live in NYC. I am lucky to still have my first professional skateboard which is a 1988 Powell Peralta Lance Mountain. Ive saved some other decks Ive skated growing up, but not many, I wish I saved them all.

If someone were to get into collecting decks, where would one start?eBay is still the best place to get started on collecting vintage boards. You can still find deals on things if you stay glued to your screen, and always know what is ending and what is newly listed.

Facebook and Instagram are also good for finding decks. Putting feelers out and asking questions about boards you like can lead you to other collectors and lead you to boards you might not know about. Finding other collectors and keeping up conversations helps, because you kind of look out for each other when boards of interest pop up.

How do you figure out deck pricing?Looking at completed listings on eBay is a good indicator of current market prices. A lot of sellers really gouge their prices with really high Buy It Nows, but they rarely get bought at that price.

Are there one or two whale collectors that everyone knows about?I know collectors that own jaw-dropping, totally bonkers rare decks. For some people, they started collecting in the 90s, and have held onto their hoard since. They wouldnt want me blowing them up so I wont. I can tell you about fellow Canadian, James Lamb, who has a very thorough 80s collection. He proudly displays his skateboards in shadow boxed picture frames organized wall to wall inside his two-story classic car mechanics shop. He built a bowl inside as well. Hes got some rare boards for sure.

Also Chris Rice, aka @destroyedwood. Hes a pal and the best dude with a fantastic collection of very rad professional personal riders of the 80s and 90s that would melt your face off. Personal riders [boards that were skated by a pro] are the sickest decks to own, in my opinion.

How big is the market, how many buyers and sellers do you think are actually out there?The market is exponentially huge. I have no idea how many buyers and sellers there are. How many life-long committed skateboarders do you think there are in the world? Most skateboarders have a collection of some type naturally, but they wouldnt call themselves collectors. Collecting relates to the nostalgia and to the physical history of that love of skateboarding.

What do you focus on collecting most?I have boards from all eras of skating, but I tend to focus on the 80s. The discovery and development of so many varieties of deck shapes were so experimental and magical and important. Also, the board graphics were pretty fresh too.

What are the most expensive or sought-after decks? Whats the holy grail?Generally, there are three ways to distinguish the most expensive and wanted decks the condition of it, what pro is it, and how rare is it. The best condition boards get the most money. The sickest pros get the most money. And if its low production numbers its worth more money.

Do you ever worry about rare decks being re-issued and their value going down?Nothing beats the original artifact. Im not too concerned about reissues. They have been making reissues of boards for over 20 years now. Some people only collect reissues- let them do their thing. I think it brings up the value of the original. Fakes and reissues that are sold as originals are lame as hell- newbie collectors have to be wary of this.

Whats something for a first-time collector or buyer to look out for? Any tips?Its always best to do research to see if a board you are interested in was ever reissued. For example, a skated reissue that might be five years old and left out in the shed might look like a 35-year-old vintage board when its not. The seller might not be telling the truth or might be misinformed themselves.

How do you store decks?You do need to be aware of how you store your decks. I store my extra decks in plastic sleeves, then in cardboard boxes that hold about six decks each. Then I stack those boxes neatly on industrial shelving in a heat-regulated room. Cold or heat changes can warp your decks. Hanging decks on the exterior wall of a house, hanging decks on uneven walls, and hanging decks in direct sunlight, can all cause warping.

How long have you been collecting, and how much have you spent on decks so far?I have around 500 decks. The majority of my collection was collected from 1996 to 2003. I have no idea how much Ive spent, but Im really fortunate that the majority were picked up for $15-$200 bucks. @TheSkateBoardMuseum is my Instagram, and I also make decks the old-fashioned way with Sean Cliver over at StrangeLove Skateboards.

If someone were to get into collecting decks, where would one start?Facebook collector groups are where a majority of the networking goes down. Instagram too, of course. When I started I went right to the source skate shop owners, ex-pro and AMs, company dudes, skate mag employees, and artists.

How do you figure out deck pricing?You really dont. Especially these days. You can follow online auctions and discussions in collectors groups, but a deck is worth what someone is willing to pay. Most collectors still skate or consider themselves lifers. Just start talking and networking. Collecting skate decks comes from a place of love. Its a part of the passion of loving skateboarding. Dont be scared. There are a few antique dealers out there though. Beware of the money lovers.

Are there one or two whale collectors that everyone knows about?Of course. Brian Flynn is known for his early 80s decks and impressive Powell Pig collection. James Lamb is the dude with all the Vision stuff. Ed Moncanda has amassed one of the nicest 90s collections Ive ever seen. Tim Anderson has a great collection of art and decks support DeckAid when it comes through your town.

How big is the market, how many buyers and sellers do you think are actually out there?A whole bunch, but how many are bat shit fanatics? Theres a small group of 75 or so that communicate with each other often. There are new collectors every day. Especially as the 30-year-olds get more financially comfortable and want their first deck or that deck that Santa never got them. Start gobbling up those Wet Willy, Birdhouse, and Shortys decks now folks.

What do you focus on collecting most?It changes every year. My friends pro models are what I get really excited about these days. Thats really how I got started collecting. Most often its the stuff from 89-96. I get really stoked on the 90s DLX stuff. Original art created for decks and tees has been my focus. That stuff was easier to find than decks for the last 20 years. People are finally getting hip to collecting that as well.

What are the most expensive or sought-after decks? Whats the holy grail?Theres a Stereo team board thats #1 on the list. A purple Gonz and Roses would be an incredible find. Everything is expensive lately. I cant even afford to buy anything anymore.

Do you ever worry about rare decks being re-issued and their value going down?Not at all. There are a lot of reproductions floating around. They are fairly easy to spot. Its great that you can ride your first deck again. Skate those things because they are tomorrows Beanie Babies.

Whats something for a first-time collector or buyer to look out for? Any tips?Collect what you love. The world is about to end and we will all be fighting for water and gas. If youre collecting for the money youre about to be seriously bummed. Hoard bearings. They will be currency once the apocalypse comes.

How do you store decks?Climate control storage is a must. Mine are carefully packed away and protected by an old Greek curse. Oh, for gods sake, take the shrink wrap off any decks youre hoarding. That cheap plastic does funky stuff to paint and transfers.

Interviews by: Ian MichnaIllustration by: Jeff WheelerPhotos courtesy of Nick Halkias, Dave Skoot & Colin SussinghamShare this with a beanie baby collector on FacebookReport this as a reissue on Instagram and Twitter

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THE INS AND OUTS OF DECK COLLECTING - jenkemmag.com

The Steam Deck is absolutely stuffed with features, settings, and configuration options, and you might not know about all of them. Ive pulled together nine Steam Deck tricks and tips that you can use to get around the machine faster, save battery life, and make the most of of Valves handheld gaming PC.

TheSteambutton will quickly become your best friend with the Steam Deck, but it does more than open your menu. Hold it down for a couple of seconds longer to pull up a list of Steam Deck shortcuts that show you how to take a screenshot, force quit a game, and more.

Youll find the full list of shortcuts by holding down theSteambutton, but here they are for quick reference:

You have access to four back buttons on the Steam Deck, but they dont do anything by default. You can customize your controls in any game by launching it and pressing theSteambutton. Scroll to the right and selectControllersettings to rebind any of the buttons on the Deck, browse community layouts, and create your own layouts. Valve even includes several controller templates to get you started, regardless of if a game supports controllers or not. You cant do that on a Nintendo Switch.

The Steam Deck automatically sorts your library and provides a Great on Deck category thats a little misleading. These are all of the Deck Verified games in your library, which means theyve been tested by Valve and provide a seamless experience when playing on Deck. That doesnt mean the rest of your Steam library is out, though.

Swap over to your full library and press theXbutton to selectFilter by Verified and playable.Countless titles work perfectly well on Steam Deck but dont have full verification due to a pregame launcher or a minor configuration issue. Although you should explore your full library, I recommend starting with the best Deck Verified games first.

The default Steam Deck keyboard theme is boring. Head to theSettingsmenu and selectKeyboardto change it. Youll have a few themes by default, plus an extra if you have a 512GB model, and Valve sells more themes in the Steam points shop. There arent a ton of options now, but I expect well see a lot more keyboard themes in the future.

The Steam Deck now supports half-rate shading, which can massively improve your battery life. Half-rate shading basically cuts the resolution of pixel shaders in half. Although half-rate shading is available in every game, I recommend using in pixel art games in particular.

If youre a big fan of platformer games and indie titles like me, half-rate shading will save you a ton of battery life (hours, in many cases). The lower resolution doesnt matter in pixel art games, but be careful with half-rate shading in more graphically complex games it can really hurt image quality.

You can use AMDs FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) with any game on Steam Deck, but enabling it is a little confusing. FSR improves performance and saves battery by upscaling a game from a lower resolution. To turn it on, lower your resolution in any game and open theQuick settings menu. Scroll down toPerformanceand select FSRunder theScaling Filtersection.

There are a ton of other options here, too make sure to read our guide on how to check your frame rate on Steam Deck to see what some of them do.

You can use Xbox Game Pass on the Steam Deck, at least a little bit. You can only stream Game Pass titles through Microsoft Edge, which you need to access the Steam Deck desktop for. To get there, press theSteambutton, select Power,and chooseSwitch to Desktop.

Once youve gotten Edge working and youre signed into your Game Pass account, make sure to check out our roundup of the best games on Xbox Game Pass to know what to play first.

Battery life is a big issue, so if you cant pick up a power bank for Steam Deck, youll have to find other ways to save power. Open theQuick settingsmenu andscroll down toPerformanceto limit your graphics power (listed asThermal power TDP). Turning the power down can save you massive battery life while traveling (though, the TSA might still make fun on your Steam Deck at the airport).

Open up a game likeCivilization VI,and youll quickly see the problem with the size of the Steam Decks screen. Thankfully, you can use the Magnifier to zoom in on areas that may be hard to read. To use it, hold downSteamandL1and use the right joystick to select the area of the screen you want to zoom in on. Let go and itll stay there. You can turn off the Magnifier by using the same Steam+L1shortcut.

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9 Steam Deck tricks and tips you need to know about - Digital Trends