From the summer Olympics to the 100th anniversary of the Titanic’s sinking, several major events will make great Britain and Ireland popular destinations in 2012. from July 27 to August 12, London will host the Olympic Games. Leading up to the games, visitors can see the Olympic Stadium and other major landmarks from the View Tube, a covered shelter with a lookout tower and café that sits at the Olympic Park’s southern perimeter. from here, visitors can also stroll along the Greenway, a 500-yard-long sidewalk atop a berm, providing other viewpoints. Blue Badge guides continue to lead Olympics-themed walking tours, though you won’t see any more of the park itself than you would on your own.Brits will be partying before the games even start. This year marks the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, commemorating 60 years of Elizabeth II’s reign. Museums will host special exhibits, and various events and pageantry will take place the first week of June. as always, restoration work continues to keep visitors to London on their toes. at the Tate Britain, much of the museum’s permanent collection will be stored away in 2012, though you can still see a few key paintings and the J.M.W. Turner collection. After a two-year renovation, Kensington Palace will reopen in late March with a new permanent exhibit, “Victoria Revealed,” which showcases the life and times of Britain’s longest-ruling monarch. Barclays Cycle Hire, London’s citywide bike-rental program, is now up and pedaling. the bikes, known locally as “Boris Bikes” (named after mayor and cycle enthusiast Boris Johnson), are available for rent from stations scattered throughout the city. Though most of the Olympics action takes place in London, the rest of Britain is also preparing for an onslaught of tourists. In Greenwich, the Cutty Sark is slated to reopen in spring after a five-year restoration. the new display space allows visitors to walk above and below the suspended ship in which Sir Francis Chichester sailed solo around the world. Visitors to the south of England will find a few changes along the tourist trail. Dover Castle has new exhibits that bring its secret World War II tunnels to life, including a look at the command center for the 1940 evacuation of Allied soldiers from Dunkirk and a 30-minute guided tour of a re-created WWII hospital ward. at Stonehenge, construction of a long-awaited visitor’s center, designed to blend in with the landscape, may begin in April. since the highway next to the stones will be closed, visitors will park farther away and ride a shuttle to the site. Trendy Liverpool opened the new Museum of Liverpool, which details the town’s history. Blackpool, a coastal resort for workaday Brits, is nearing the end of its own, lengthy redevelopment. its promenade has been spiffed up with new tram lines, landscaping, and a wedding chapel, and Merlin Entertainments (the force behind Madame Tussauds and the London Eye) has refurbished the landmark Blackpool Tower. While the town is still really cheesy, it’s a nicer cheesy.at Hadrian’s Wall, two formerly so-so sights have received a major grant and substantially improved their offerings. at the Roman fort Vindolanda, armchair archaeologists can sift through ancient dirt at an ongoing “dig.” the Roman Army Museum now uses engaging video clips to explain both the structure and the lifestyles of the military force that built the famous wall. Across the Irish Sea, relations continue to heal between Ireland and Britain, and Catholics and Protestants. In 2011, Queen Elizabeth II became the first British monarch to visit the Republic of Ireland since it broke away from Britain in 1921. In Northern Ireland’s Derry, a curvy new pedestrian bridge over the River Foyle has been dubbed the “Peace Bridge” because it links the predominantly Protestant east side with the mostly Catholic west bank. Several sights will commemorate the centennial anniversary of the Titanic’s maiden — and only — voyage. In the modest port town of Cobh, the ship’s final anchorage (and the last chance to get off), the Queenstown story will include beefed-up coverage of the Titanic. In Belfast, a $150-millon visitors’ center opens on March 31 on the site where the ship was built. the high-tech attraction holds the world’s best collection of relics from the ship’s short but opulent existence. Finally, if you’re a first-time visitor to Dublin, a free service called City of a Thousand Welcomes arranges short meetings with local volunteers over a cup of tea or a pint of beer to help you get oriented to the city.This is a big year for great Britain and Ireland. While traveling here will come with more crowds, it will also offer unforgettable experiences.

Rick Steves (ricksteves.com) writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio. Email him at and follow his blog on Facebook.

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Artists’ Cooperative Gallery, 405 S. 11th St. “Art: the World through our Eyes,” open Tuesday, through Feb. 26. artistsco-opgallery.com.

Burkholder Project, 719 P St., Lincoln. new Works open Wednesday, through Feb. 28. 402-477-3305 or burkholderproject.com.

Hastings College Art Gallery, 710 N. Turner Ave., Hastings, Neb., 2012 All-Student Juried Exhibition, open Monday, through Feb. 17. 402-461-7784 or hastings.edu.

House of Loom, 1012 S. 10th St., Drink and Draw, Wednesday, 7-9 p.m., $5. 402-505-5494 or houseofloom.com.

Joslyn Art Museum, 2200 Dodge St. “Bravo! Chris Raschka” now open. Admission: adults, $8; senior citizens (62 and older) and college students, $6; children 5 to 17, $5; children 4 and younger and members, free. Museum free to public 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. 402-342-3300 or joslyn.org.

Kaneko, 1111 Jones St. “Your Creative Brain” discussion with Shelley Carson, Thursday, 7 p.m. 402-341-3800 or thekaneko.org.

Workspace Gallery, 440 N. Eighth St., Lincoln. Nicole Jean Hills “Artifacts and Incidents,” through March 1. Gallery hours, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, 724 S. 12th St. Placemakers, through March 31; Transceiver through Feb. 11. 402-341-7130 or bemiscenter.org.

Bemis Underground, 724 S. 12th St. 402-341-7130 or bemiscenter.org.

El Museo Latino, 4701 S. 25th St. St. Visiones del Arte Mexicano: Visions of Mexican Art through Feb. 11. Admission: adults, $5; senior citizens and students K-12, $3.50; children younger than 5, free; college students, $4; members, free. 402-731-1137 or elmuseolatino.org.

Joslyn Art Museum, 2200 Dodge St. Art in America: Colonial Times to Present, now open; Admission: adults, $8; senior citizens (62 and older) and college students, $6; children 5 to 17, $5; children 4 and younger and members, free. Museum free to public 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. 402-342-3300 or joslyn.org.

Museum of Religious Arts, 2697 Niagara Trail, Logan, Iowa. 712-644-3888 or mrarts.org.

NONCOMMERCIAL GALLERIES

Bone Creek Museum of Agrarian Art, 575 E St., David City, Neb. “Jean Terry: Upstate new York Farmstead” through Feb. 26. 402-472-6459 or bonecreek.org.

Cass County Museum, 646 Main St., Plattsmouth, 402-296-4770.

Columbus Art Gallery, 2504 14th St., Columbus, Neb. 402-563-1016 or artscolumbusne.org.

Corning Center for the Fine Arts, 706 Davis Ave., Corning, Iowa. 641-322-4549 or corningfinearts.org.

Danish Immigrant Museum, 2212 Washington St., Elk Horn, Iowa. 712-764-7001 or dkmuseum.org.

Governor’s Mansion, 1425 H St., Lincoln. 402-471-3466 or governorsresidence.ne.gov.

Hastings Museum of Natural and Cultural History, 1330 N. Burlington Ave. Call for photographers to display works in upcoming exhibit “Life Up Close.” Exhibit and sale are Feb. 4 through March 25. 402-461-4629 or hastingsmuseum.org.

Homestead National Monument of America, 8523 W. Nebraska Highway 4, Beatrice, Neb., 402-223-3514 or nps.gov/home/index.htm.

Jewish Community Center Gallery, 333 S. 132nd St. 402-334-6426.

Kaneko, 1111 Jones St. 402-341-3800 or thekaneko.org.

Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts, 801 third Corso, Nebraska City, Neb. 402-874-9600 or khncenterforthearts.org.

Lincoln Children’s Zoo, 1222 S. 27th St., Lincoln. Artists needed for 2012 Rain Barrel Art Project. Applications due Feb. 3. For more info contact Ellen Wright at 402-441-7075 or gov.

Love’s Jazz & Arts Center, 2510 N. 24th St. 402-502-5291 or lovesjazzartcenter.org.

Michael Phipps Gallery at W. Dale Clark Library, 215 S. 15th St. 402-444-4838.

Moorhead Cultural Center, 120 Oak St., Moorhead, Iowa. 712-886-5017.

Nebraska Department of Aeronautics, P.O. Box 82088, Lincoln, Aviation Art Contest 2012, now accepting entries from ages 6-17. 402-471-2371 or .

Norfolk Arts Center, 305 N. Fifth St., Norfolk, Neb. Blazing the Wax Trail: Nebraska Encaustic Artists through March 1; 402-371-7199 or norfolkartscenter.org.

Souix City Art Center, 225 Nebraska St., Sioux City, Iowa, 712-279-6272 or siouxcityartcenter.org

Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer, 3133 West Highway 34, Grand Island, Neb., 308-385-5316, stuhrmuseum.org.

SunderlandArt Gallery at Cathedral, 100 N. 62nd St., 402-558-3100 x 3007 or cathedralartsproject.org.

the Art Farm, 1306 W. 21 Road, Marquette, Neb. Artfarmnebraska.org

W. Dale Clark Main Library, 215 S. 15th St., 402-444-4800.

For additional gallery listings visit omaha.com/go

COMMERCIAL GALLERIES

Abbott/Pinkoff Gallery, 614 S. 11th St. 402-345-1576.

Against the Wall Gallery, 6220 Havelock Ave., Lincoln. 402-467-3484 or againstthewallgallery.com.

Anderson O’Brien Fine Art, 1108 Jackson St. Gallery hours: Tuesday and Wednesday 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Thursday-Saturday 11 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sunday noon-4 p.m., 402-884-0911 or aobfineart.com.

Ankeny Art Center, 1520 SW Ordnance Road, Ankeny, Iowa. Members Art Collections Exhibit, ends Friday. ankenyartcenter.com or 515-965-0940.

Art Frankly, at the Architectural Offices, 4610 Dodge St., main level.

Artists’ Cooperative Gallery, 405 S. 11th St. new works by painters Judith Anthony Johnston and J.K. Thorsen, ends Sunday. artistsco-opgallery.com.

the Art mill, 15514 Spaulding Plaza, Suite D09. 402-932-7846 or omahaartmill.com.

Arts on Grand, 408 N. Grand Ave., Spencer, Iowa. artsongrand.org.

Avenue Gallery, 105 S. Ninth St. 402-551-0220.

Bancroft Street Market, 2702 S. 10th St. 402-651-2327 or bancroftstreetmarket.com.

the Benson Grind Gallery, 6107 Maple St. Gallery Hours: Monday-Saturday, 6 a.m.-3 p.m., 5 p.m.-9 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m.-noon, 402-932-4040 or bensongrind.com.

Birdhouse Collectible, 1111 N. 13th St., Suite 123, , 402-577-0711.

Blue Pomegranate Art Gallery, 6570 Maple St. 402-502-9901 or bluepom.com.

Bluffs Art Council, 100 Block of West Broadway, Council Bluffs, Call for artists and musicians for Dine Out for the Arts, Tuesday, February 21, call 712-328-4992 or email .

Brownville Lyceum, Brownville, Neb. Thomas D. Palmerton exhibition. 402-825-4321.

Burkholder Project, 719 P St., Lincoln. January 25th Anniversary show, ends Saturday. 402-477-3305 or burkholderproject.com.

Caffeine Dreams, 4524 Farnam St., 402-932-2803 or caffeinedreams.net.

Carnegie Arts Center, 204 West 4th St., Alliance, Neb., 308-762-4571 or carnegieartscenter.com.

the Center, 714 S. Main St., Council Bluffs, 712-328-4992 or bluffsarts.org.

Creekside Framing and Gallery, 120 N. Washington St., Papillion. 402-493-7263 or creeksideframing.com.

the Columbus Art Gallery, Columbus Public Library, 2504 14th Street, Columbus. Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday 10-4:30, and Saturday 1:30-4:30 or by appointment. artscolumbusne.org.

Dundee Gallery, 4916 Underwood Ave. 402-505-8333 or dundeegallery.com.

the 815, 815 O St. Suite 1, Lincoln, Photographers Wesaam A-badryat and Rob Liliedahl and Artists on the Edge. 402-261-4905 or the815.org.

Everything Them, 1105 Howard St. 402-341-1156.

Florence mill Art Loft, 9102 N. 30th St., Open 1-5 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday. 402-551-1233.

the Foundry, 6051 Maple St. 402-558-0725 or omahafoundry.com.

Fred Simon Gallery, 1004 Farnam St. 402-495-2334.

Gallery 616, 11th and Jones, Old Market. Gallery open Thursday through Saturday, 2-7 p.m., or by appointment. 402-214-3061.

Gallery 72, 2709 Leavenworth St.

Gallery 92 West, 92 W. Sixth St., Fremont. 402-721-7779.

the Gallery at Prouty place Dos, 4825 S. 25th St., Omaha. 402-731-0962.

the Gallery by Wendy Deane, 207 N. Spruce St., Valley, Neb. 402-660-7040 or wendydeaneartist.com.

Gallery Nine, 124 S. Ninth St., Lincoln. 402-477-2822 or gallerynine.com.

Garden of the Zodiac’s Moving Gallery, 1042 Howard St. 402-341-1877.

Glass Harmony Gallery, 1108 Jackson St. 402-960-4255 or glassharmony.com.

Glimpse Gallery, 4225 Cuming St. 402-614-7597 or glimpsegallery.com.

Great Plains Art Museum, 1155 Q St., Hewit place, Lincoln. 402-472-6220.

Handmade Modern Studio and Gallery, 1416 O St., Lincoln. sarabucy.com

Hardware Gallery, 1801 Vinton St., Brian Tait and Gerard Pefung’s “Calabro” and “Catch & Release” both through February 14. 402-216-1008.

Heart of Gold Jewelers, 2701 N. 48th St., Ste. 1, Lincoln. Gallery opening. 402-325-0465.

Hot Shops Art Center, 1301 Nicholas St. 402-342-6452 or hotshopsartcenter.com.

Images of Nature, 1115 Harney St. 402-341-8460 or mangelsen.com.

the Kent Bellows Studio & Center for Visual Arts, 3303 Leavenworth St. kentbellows.org.

Kiechel Fine Art, 5733 S. 34th St., Suite 300, Lincoln. 402-420-9553 or kiechelart.com.

Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts, 801 third Corso, Nebraska City, Neb. Privacy and the Plains, through March 1. 402-874-9600 or khncenterforthearts.org.

La Casa Gallery, 44th and Leavenworth Streets. 402-553-6082

Laurie and Charles Photographs, 1412 Howard St. 402-391-3471 or laurieandcharles.com.

Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft St. Admission: adults, $7; children 6 to 12, $3; children younger than 6 and members, free. 402-346-4002 or lauritzengardens.org.

Lewis Art Gallery, 8600 Cass St. 40th Anniversary Celebration and new works by Jane Scott, Todd Matson, Bob Ransley and American Craft Guild Artists. 402-391-7733 or lewisartgallery.com.

Louisville Art Gallery, 230 Main St., Louisville, Neb. 402-234-2867 or louisvilleartgallery.com.

LUX Center for the Arts, 2601 N. 48th St., Lincoln. Architectural Elevations, new exhibit through February 28; “Changes: UNL Ceramics 1987-2011,” ends Saturday; “Rock, Paper, Scissors” through February 25. 402-466-8692 or luxcenter.org.

Main Street Gallery, 521 Main St., Plattsmouth, Neb. 402-296-2229.

Michael Forsberg Gallery, 100 N. Eighth St., Suite 150, Lincoln. 402-477-5030 or michaelforsberg.com.

Milestone Gallery, 1005 O St., Lincoln. 402-438-6474.

Modern Arts Midtown, 3615 Dodge St., Larry Roots: new Work and Selections from the last Decade featuring paintings and sculpture, ends Tuesday. moderartsmidtown.com or 402-502-8737.

Modern Arts Midwest, 800 P St., Suite 300, Lincoln. 402-477-2828 or modernartsmidwest.com.

Nebraska Showcase Gallery, 1004 Farnam St. 402-595-2122.

Nomad Lounge, 1013 Jones St. 402-884-1231 or nomadlounge.com.

Noyes Gallery, 119 S. Ninth St., Lincoln. Environmental artist Charlene Potter works, ends Monday. 402-475-1061 or noyesartgallery.com.

Old Market Artists Gallery, 1034 Howard St. 402-346-6569 or oldmarketartists.com.

Omaha Artist, Inc. @ the Designers, 12123 Emmet St. omahaartistsinc.com.

Omaha Clay Works, 1114 Jones St. 402-346-0560 or omahaclayworks.com.

Omaha Healing Arts Center Gallery, 1216 Howard St. 402-345-5078 or omahahealingarts.com.

the Parrish Studios, 1410-1416 O St., second floor, Room 8, Lincoln. “Collaboration in Junk and Other Artfully Repurposed Stuff” by Melanie Falk, parrish-studios.com

the Passageway Gallery, 417 S. 11th St. 402-341-1910 or passagewaygallery.com.

Peerless Gallery, 3157 Farnam St. Gallery hours: Tuesday-Saturday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. wearepeerless.com.

Phillip Schrager Collection of Contemporary Art, 4405 S. 96th St. 402-505-6553 or schragercollection.org.

Polyester, 1618 Harney St. 402-345-0231 or polyestergallery.com.

Prairie Winds Art Center, 112 W. third St., Grand Island. 308-381-4001 or prairiewindsart.com.

P.S. Collective, 6056 Maple St. 402-884-8680 or pscollective.com.

Pulp Gallery, 1026 Howard St. 402-319-7857.

Rick Anderson Gallery, 15418 West Center Road. 402-778-9829 or rickandersongallery.com.

Robert Henri Museum, 218 East 8th Street, Cozad, Neb. 308-784-4154 or roberthenrimuseum.org.

RNG Gallery, 1915 Leavenworth St., 402-214-3061.

Schoolhouse Art Gallery, Main and Fifth Streets, Brownville, Neb. 402-274-4146.

Skylight Gallery, 1312 S. Sixth St. .

So-Oh Fine Art Gallery, 7121 Pioneers Blvd., Lincoln. 402-499-0215 or so-oh-art.com.

Springfield ArtWorks, 183 Main St., Springfield, Neb. 402-301-9162 or springfieldartworks.com.

Stonehouse Publishing co., 1508 Leavenworth St.

Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer, 3133 West Highway 34, Grand Island, Neb., 308-385-5316, stuhrmuseum.org.

Thomas Kinkade Gallery, 13059 West Center Road. 402-330-3100 or thomaskinkade.com.

Tugboat Gallery, 116 N. 14th St., Lincoln. “Exquisite Slop Swap,” ends Saturday. 402-477-6200 or tugboatgallery.com.

Upstream People Gallery, 5607 Howard St., or 402 991 4741.

Weiss Studios and Gardens, 13603 Pflug Road, Springfield. 402-680-0642 or carlweissart.com.

White Crane Gallery, 1302 Howard St. 402-345-1066.

Workspace Gallery, 440 N. Eighth St., Lincoln. Gallery hours, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

Bellevue University Art Gallery, 1000 Galvin Road South, Bellevue, Works by Amy Cerra, Laurie Mason and Dalhia Cavazos through January. bellevue.edu.

Chadron State Main Gallery, Memorial Hall, 1000 Main St., Chadron, Neb., 308-432-6372.

College of St. Mary Hillmer Art Gallery, 7000 Mercy Road. 402-399-2621 or csm.edu.

Concordia University Marxhausen Gallery of Art, 800 N. Columbia Ave., Seward, Neb. “Commemoration Art from the Sheldon Museum” ends Wednesday. 402-643-3651.

Creighton University Lied Center for the Arts, 2500 California Plaza. “Le Point Vierge: Mary and the Catholic Imagination” through Feb. 17. 402-280-2509.

Hastings College Art Gallery, 710 N. Turner Ave., Hastings, Neb., 402-461-7784 or hastings.edu.

Metropolitan Community College Gallery of Art and Design, Elkhorn Valley Campus, 204th Street and West Dodge Road. 402-457-2369.

Musuem of Nebraska Art, 2401 Central Avenue, Kearney. the Oregon Trail: Images of the Journey West through March 11.; NEBRASKA NOW: Wendy Weiss and Jay Kreimer: Against the Sky, through April 8. 308-865-8559 mona.unk.edu.

Nebraska Wesleyan University Elder Gallery, 50th Street and Huntington Avenue, Lincoln. 402-465-2273.

Nordstrand Visual Arts Gallery, Wayne State College, Peterson Fine Arts Building, 1111 Main St., Wayne, Neb. 800-228-9972.

Peru State College Art Gallery, a.V. Larson Building, Peru, Neb. Randy L. Waln “The Degeneration of the Family Farm,” through Feb. 9. 402-872-2271.

University of Nebraska at Omaha’s H. Don and Connie J. Osborne Family Gallery, 6001 Dodge St. Main floor of Criss Library. “Art by Cassiday” by Bud Cassiday, through Feb. 4. 402-554-2640 or library.unomaha.edu.

University of Nebraska State Museum, 14th and Vine Streets, Lincoln. 402-472-2642.

UNK’S Frank House Museum, 2010 University Drive, Kearney, Neb. Hours: Monday-Friday 2-5 p.m., Saturday noon-5 p.m. unk.edu/offices/frankhouse/Frank_House.

UNK’s Walker Art Gallery, Fine Arts Building, 905 W. 25th St., Kearney. 308-865-8353.

UNL’s Eisentrager-Howard Gallery, Stadium Drive and T Street, Lincoln. Biennial Faculty Art Exhibition, through Feb. 23. 402-472-5522.

UNL’s Great Plains Art Museum, 1155 Q St., Lincoln. “Marking the Prairie Sublime: Painting & Prints” by Jonathan Gooding, through April 1; “Transported with Wonder” through April 1. Call for artists for a juried exhibition focusing on Native American culture in the Great Plains region. For more information call 402-472-0599 or visit unl.edu/plains/gallery/juriedexhibition.shtml. 402-472-0599.

UNL’s Hixson-Lied College of Fine & Performing Arts, 102 Woods Art Building, Lincoln, For more info visit go.unol/nyaa or 402-472-9355.

UNL’s International Quilt Study Center and Museum, 1523 N. 33rd St., Lincoln. “What’s in a name? Inscribed Quilts”; “Yvonne Wells: Quilted Messages” through February 26; 402-472-6459 or quiltstudy.org.

UNL’s Lentz Center for Asian Culture, 1155 Q St., Lincoln. 402-472-6220 or unl.edu/lentz.

UNL’s Robert Hillestad Textiles Gallery, 35th and Holdrege Streets, Lincoln. 402-472-2911 or textilegallery.unl.edu.

UNL’s Sheldon Museum of Art, 12th and R Streets, Lincoln. 402-472-2461 or sheldonartgallery.org.

University of Nebraska State Museum, 14th and Vine Streets, Lincoln. Admission: adults, $5; children 5 to 18, $3; children 4 and younger and anyone affiliated with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, free; family (up to two adults and children), $10. 402-472-2642 or www-museum.unl.edu.

UNO’s Weber Fine Arts Building Art Gallery, 6001 Dodge St., Julie Green: the last Supper, hrough February 8. 402-554-2796.

IN PERSON

HAYDEN - with a name for his business like”Atomic Threads,” it’s no surprise where Andrew Willis findsinspiration.

Go back to World War II and “The Manhattan Project.”

“They took something from the idea stage to actually developingwhat they needed, building the tools, to make what they were tryingto make,” he said.

“We’ve done that here. We’re a Manhattan Project-inspiredoperation,” he added. “We literally have all kinds of inspirationfrom that.”

While the Manhattan Project under the direction of Major GeneralLeslie Groves resulted in the first atomic bomb during World WarII, they aren’t making any explosives at 2195 W. Dakota Ave. inHayden.

What they are producing is custom embroidery and screenprinting, mainly on apparel such as T-shirts, sweats and caps. Buttheir work can wind up on luggage, safety gear, boats and cars.

“Anything that you want your company logo on, just something funfor a family reunion, events, shirts for races,” Willis said.”Anything you could possibly want on a shirt.”

The owner of the three-year-old business has guided it to stronggrowth based on a simple principle: Quality.

He speaks often of a meticulous and methodical approach.

“We are all about quality and service,” he said, smiling. “Weshould have a sign made for that.”

Willis, 29, often asks customers about their focus – quality orrock-bottom prices.

If they want to save the most money on their order, they mightwant to consider a business other than Atomic Threads.

“You can look for it, and you can find it cheaper anywhere,” hesaid. “The real trick is, finding real quality work and someonethat will follow through and actually do it. That’s our lot inlife. That’s why we’re here.”

The Hayden man and California native talks about buildingrelationships with people and referrals in his business. he speaksof sales of more than $300,000 last year, a 60 percent increaseover 2010. he repeatedly credits Atomic’s success to the staff offive and a commitment to excellence.

Atomic has customers at local, state and federal levels, even asfar as Dublin. Orders range from a single item to a thousandpieces. Clients are families, recreation departments, smallbusinesses and corporations. Products are, Willis says proudly,made in America.

He returns to the Manhattan Project and speaks of a book heread, “Now It can be told: the story Of the Manhattan Project,” byGroves.

“It’s really inspiring, all the things this guy had to keepunder control,” Willis said, noting that Groves managed resources,personnel, innovation and speed.

“That’s the way it’s been around here. We have to make thesethings work, now, like yesterday,” he said.

So what’s your secret to success?

We stick to what we do. We use the latest and greatesttechnology We put in the time, money, sweat and tears to figure itout. It’s kind of hush-hush stuff. We do it that way. That’s how weget the quality that we get.

Has it gotten any easier?

Nothing is automatic. It’s literally one piece at a time, byhand. these guys have done all of that. They’ve helped build thework flow up.

What can you say about the group picture of your staff?

We always wear red shirts on Friday, support our troops.

It looks like Manhattan period photos. everything is clean,tidy, the flag in the background, equipment on both sides.

How big is your shop here?

Fifteen hundred square feet. It’s not the biggest shop in theworld. We keep it going, night and day, literally.

How busy are you?

It slowed down after Christmas. Summer is just crazy, weliterally work over three shifts, nonstop.

How many hours do you put in?

Seventy-five in the busy season, 50 hours a week now.

Are there some late nights?

We were recently here until 2 a.m. Sometimes it’s necessary.

Is this a difficult business?

This is a tough business to be in. It’s cuthroat. Margins areslim. Efficiency, consistency. Consistency means quality.

What led you to this field?

I’ve always been into drawing, painting, anything creative I’vebeen naturally inclined toward. I went to college, took classes,learned methods of screen printing, etching, engraving, basics. Itook one look at screen printing and embroidery and saw thepotential for making artwork. It had more possibility for justdoing cool stuff than any other process.

I taught myself from that point how to do it. I decided I couldcan get a job doing this, I can get paid doing this, and learn thejob. That’s what I’ve been doing ever since.

It’s been completely my dream.

What do you like most about what you do?

Every job is something different. It presents a new challenge insome way. It’s never, ever routine. new person, new art, process.It’s really actually complicated, the stuff that we do. There’s somany steps to it.

We make it easy for customers. We like to do all the work soit’s a simple process for them and whatever that entails, we’llfigure it out. We’ll do exactly what you need.

Do you ever get to just sit back and relax at work?

Nothing happens unless we do it. these guys have put in somemajor, major efforts. When we started, it was right when theeconomy was going in the toilet, we felt a huge impact. It wasalmost panic mode at that time. do all they can, as quickly as theycan, as best as you can. Even now, rarely does a day go by whenwe’re not faced with something new, overcoming challenges.

The Wallington Lions Club will hold a beefsteak dinner and tricky tray Feb. 18 at 6:30 p.m. at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 85 Summit Ave., Garfield. There will be music and more than 50 prizes available. $40. for tickets send a stamped self-addressed envelope to 335 Mount Pleasant Ave., Wallington, with a check payable to the Wallington Lions Club.

The Church of the Holy Communion will hold a jazz concert and Mardi Gras dinner Feb. 18 at 66 Summit St., Norwood. The event will follow a “Jazz Mass” which begins at 5 p.m. $20. 201-666-0145.

Family Promise of Bergen County will hold a tennis benefit Feb. 18 from 8 to 11:30 p.m. at the Maywood Tennis Club, 263 West Passaic St. There will be a round robin for players of all levels, food and a silent auction. $50 players; $25 non-players. for reservations or sponsorship, Susan Payne, 201-384-4446 or bergenfamilypromise.org.

Angels of Animals will participate in an Uno Partner program fundraiser Feb. 21 at the Uno Chicago Grill, River Front Center, 426 Route 3 west, Clifton. Present a special coupon after dining, pay the full price and 15 to 20 percent of the total pre-tax check will be donated to Angels of Animals. Coupons obtainable from or angelsofanimals.org., 973-287-7797, or Uno Chicago Grill at 973-574-1303.

Community Blood Services is in need of AB male plasma donors and O-negative blood donors. Donors should call 866-228-1500 to make an appointment to donate at 970 Linwood Ave. west, Paramus; or Lincoln Park, 63 Beaverbrook Road, Suite 304. The organization is also offering free gifts for donating blood, platelets or plasma at the Paramus location, Feb. 13 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Feb. 14 from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and at the Lincoln Park location from noon to 7:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. Those who donate on these days will receive a heart-shaped box of candy. Donors will receive a TGI Friday’s gift card on Feb. 21 in Paramus from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Feb. 22 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Lincoln Park Feb. 21 and Feb. 22 from noon to 7:30 p.m. communitybloodservices.com or 201-251-3707.

Holy name Medical Center will present “Heartstrings – Creative Ways to Protect your Heart,” a heart health program Feb. 16 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Marian Hall Conference Center, 718 Teaneck Road, Teaneck, in observance of American Heart Month. Free; registration required. 877-465-9626.

The Ridgewood YMCA is now accepting applications for its 2012 Volunteer Awards, which will be announced March 9. Applications are available at ridgewoodymca.org/volunteer_awards. Deadline for submission is Feb. 17 at 5 p.m.

Friends of Lodi Memorial Library will hold a book sale Feb. 18 and 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 1 Memorial Drive, Lodi. Books, DVDs, CDs and video games will be available. Donations for the sale may be dropped off in advance of the sale during regular library hours. The organization will also host a Valentine’s basket raffle Feb. 18 at 3:30 p.m. at the library. The basket has a retail value of $325 and includes restaurant, movie and beauty certificates. Tickets are $2 each and are available through Feb. 18 for those 21 and over. 973-365-4044, extension 7 or lodi.bccls.org.

AMMAN/BEIRUT (Reuters) – Twin bomb blasts hit Syrian military and security buildings in the northern city of Aleppo on Friday, killing 25 people in the worst violence to hit the country’s commercial hub in the 11-month uprising against President Bashar al-Assad.

Mangled, bloodied bodies as well as severed limbs lay on the pavement outside the targeted buildings, as shown in live footage on Syrian television, which consistently portrays the revolt against Assad as the work of foreign-backed “terrorists.”

No one claimed responsibility for the attacks in Syria’s second city, as officials put the total death toll in the two blasts at 25. But they came as Assad’s forces grow more ferocious in operations to stamp out the popular uprising.

On another front, army tanks massed outside opposition neighborhoods in the western city Homs on Friday morning after a week of bombardments that have killed dozens of civilians and drawn condemnation from world leaders.

Activists in Homs said shelling resumed sporadically in the morning and they feared a big push was imminent to storm residential areas of the city that has come to symbolize the plight of the anti-Assad movement.

The unrelenting bloodshed only highlighted the difficulties that Western and Arab powers faced in trying to resolve the crisis in a country which has a key place in the strategic balance in the volatile Middle East.

Bolstered by Russian support, Assad has ignored appeals from the United States, Turkey, Europeans, fellow Arabs and other governments to halt the repression and to step down.

Foreign ministers of the Arab League, which suspended a monitoring mission in Syria last month because of the violence, will discuss a proposal to send a joint U.N.-Arab mission to Syria when they meet in Cairo on Sunday, a League official said.

The European Union’s foreign policy chief added her voice to international calls for Russia, Syria’s strongest ally, to support a United Nations resolution demanding Assad halt the crackdown. But Russia, with a recent history of sending tanks into its own rebel cities, has said no one should interfere in the country’s affairs.

“My message to my Russian colleagues is that they too need to recognize the reality of the situation on the ground and we can’t go on simply allowing this to happen,” the EU’s Catherine Ashton said during a visit to Mexico.

But having ruled out intervening military, as NATO did decisively in Libya nearly a year ago, the foreign powers arrayed against Assad have few good cards to play.

Many analyst believe that although the uprising has evolved from peaceful street demonstrations into an armed insurgency, Assad can count on a powerful military and a certain degree of popular support to survive for several months before he might join the list of deposed Arab leaders like Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi and Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak.

The fragmented leadership of the revolt also poses problems for those who would support it.

The Aleppo blasts contrasted with the carnage in Homs that has gripped world attention in recent days and played into the government narrative that it is only defending the state against violent foes.

In a live television report, a correspondent lifted blankets and plastic sheets which had been laid over corpses on the pavement to show a body with its head blown off. other bloodied human remains included a limbless torso and a severed foot.

“We apologize for showing these pictures, but this is the terrorism which is targeting us,” the reporter said.

Private Addounia Television said 11 civilians and security force members were killed in the explosion at a military security building and six more at a base for security forces. State television later quoted the Health Ministry saying a total of 25 were killed and 175 wounded in the two blasts.

A concrete wall around one building was badly damaged and its windows were blown out. At least one car appeared blackened and destroyed and several more were damaged.

The TV reporter said children were among the dead, showing a single roller skate left on the pavement.

“Is this the freedom of Hamad and Erdogan?” one man shouted, referring to Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim and Turkey’s Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, who have led the chorus of regional criticism against Assad. “Hamad, you dog,” he said.

Aleppo, Syria’s main commercial city close to the northern border with Turkey, had been spared most of the bloodshed which has hit other parts of the country during the uprising against 42 years of dynastic Assad family. But it has seen increasing protests and violence in recent weeks.

AWAITING AN ONSLAUGHT

Meanwhile in besieged Homs, activists said shelling began again in the morning. Outgunned rebels loosely grouped under the Free Syrian Army were preparing to counter an onslaught.

In a message of defiance during the overnight lull, activists staged a rally against Assad in the Homs neighborhood of al-Bayada. YouTube footage showed hundreds of youths holding hands and dancing to the tune of a songs chanted by Abdelbasset Sarout, a 22-year-old soccer star turned activist.

“You oppressor, go … great Homs, Syria will be free,” Sarout sang from a makeshift stage while white and green rebel flags fluttered overhead.

Activist Mohammad Hassan said the brief respite in the shelling had allowed him to leave his basement and survey the extent of the damage: “There isn’t one street without two buildings or more that are badly damaged from the shelling,” he said by satellite phone.

Artillery barrages had been directed at Baba Amro, Inshaat, Khalidiya and other districts of the city where rebels have been lying low while mounting hit-and-run guerrilla attacks on the rear of Assad’s troops, he said.

“Four tanks or armored vehicles were destroyed today on the edge of Baba Amro and some bread and medical supplies were delivered there for the first time in days by activists who crossed from Brazil Street,” Hassan said.

Witnesses said makeshift hospitals in Homs were overflowing in the besieged areas with the dead and wounded from nearly a week of government bombardments and sniper fire.

Medical supplies and food were running out and, in the streets, some of the wounded had bled to death as it was too dangerous for rescuers to bring them to safety.

The Local Coordination Committees, an opposition group in Homs, put the death toll on Thursday alone as high as 110 by nightfall, though it remains impossible to verify such accounts.

(Writing by Angus MacSwan; Editing by Alastair Macdonald)

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office honored a deputy who wasshot in the line of duty with the Law Enforcement CongressionalBadge of Bravery. Deputy Herman Michael Villalobos Garcia wasawarded the Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery for hisheroism in the line of duty.

The award is given to law enforcement officers who performedexceptional acts of bravery in the line of duty and presented bythe recipients’ congressional representatives.

Garcia received his award Jan. 27 from U.S. Senators mark Udalland Michael Bennett and U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman. Garcia, 29, is oneof only 12 local law enforcement officers to receive the award inthe program’s first year.

He was given the award for his response to a 2 a.m. shooting onAug. 8, 2010, at the Stagecoach Saloon in Franktown. Garcia was inthe area on patrol, filling in on a shift he had volunteered forextra duty. Dispatch had radioed that the suspect, RichardAnderson, was northbound on Parker Road and Garcia positionedhimself to pull up behind Anderson.

When Anderson pulled over, he immediately got out of his vehicleand began firing at Garcia. Garcia took a bullet to the arm and gotbehind his patrol car. Anderson emptied his gun on the patrol car,firing 13 rounds at Garcia. When Anderson stopped to reload hisgun, Garcia stepped out and shot Anderson two times.

Garcia secured the scene and waited for his backup. When hecalled in for help, he was later told it sounded as if he wasmaking a call to order a sandwich.

“They told me I sounded very calm,” Garcia said. “It was themost intense pain I’d ever felt.”

Garcia started with the sheriff’s office as a 17-year-oldExplorer and is a 2001 graduate of Highlands Ranch High School. Hisparents got the early-morning phone call that he had been woundedin the line of duty, and his father Herman Garcia describes thewalk down the hospital hallway as the longest walk of his life.

The saving grace was the family of officers waiting at the endof the hallway, Herman Garcia said.

“They were all there. every commanding officer, the chaplain,his entire sheriff’s office family,” he said. “I knew he was ingood hands.”

Mike Garcia’s mother Mary Helen Garcia resolved to be strong forher son and never left his side during his long hospital stay. Sherefused to cry in front of him because she “wanted to be as strongas he was,” she said.

Mary Garcia held her tears until award day. When her son got hiscongressional award, he also got his original sheriff’s badgereturned to him. The badge that he received the day he wasdeputized was taken as evidence in the case against Anderson. Itwas released from the evidence locker in time for the awardsceremony.

Sheriff David Weaver asked the U.S. representatives, senatorsand elected officials to line up while Garcia’s mother pinned thebadge on his chest, tears on her face.

“Someone tried to tarnish it, but they never will,” Weaver said.“You’re getting your badge back.”

NEWBURYPORT — until now, they were almost considered contraband in Newburyport schools.

But a philosophy that had students leaving their smartphones and mobile devices in their locker or backpack for fear they would distract from learning is about to change.

With the rollout of wireless capability at the high school and a similar upgrade planned this spring at Nock Middle/Molin Upper Elementary School, educators will instead be encouraging students to tote their iPads and other tablets, smartphones and laptops into the classroom.

The plan, dubbed from Home Technology Program, is intended to increase students’ access to learning tools on the Web, while decreasing demand on the district’s inventory of computers.

Students without personal access to a laptop or tablet will be able to use one of the computers available at the school. the Newburyport Education Foundation, which is footing the bill for increasing the district’s wireless capabilities, plans to provide schools with additional electronic devices in the future.

“The superintendent was working on his plan and what his priorities were going to be, and wireless came to the top really fast for him,” NEF board member Cindy Johnson said of the group’s recent gift. “That’s largely because, what it’s going to do is increase the access to technology, because students can bring in their own technology. You’ll have more flexibility on where you could use it, because you won’t have to go to a hard-wired computer anymore.”

Superintendent Marc Kerble this week told the School Committee that students and faculty are anxiously awaiting the official opening day for wireless access. It’s currently up and running with password protection, but Kerble said that since policies regarding acceptable usage are still being hammered out, complete access probably won’t happen until students return from February vacation.

The policy will include language similar to one in place for the Burlington School District, which requires students to restrict their use of the Internet to searches related to their coursework. Burlington provides devices to all its students through a lease or purchase program.

Unlike Burlington, Newburyport will not employ an entire department to police student activity on the Net during school hours. the network will be open to all.

“The expectation would be that students would use the wireless network for the classroom and for no other reason,” Kerble said.

Kerble said that the addition of the new wireless will ease the burden that technology costs have placed on the district’s budget — both now and in the future.

According to Johnson, the cost to install wireless at the high school fell in the $85,000 range, after about $10,000 in supporting electrical infrastructure that was required to make the changes was installed.

Given that local installer Peter Katavolos offered to throw in the wireless installation at the middle school for no additional cost, Johnson said that funding the purchase was a no-brainer for the NEF.

“This was something they wanted, and compared to the other bids, getting the middle school for free was huge,” she said.

With improvements planned in the high school library, which is moving toward the 21st century by investing more heavily in technological resources and devices, officials said the opportunities to pilot new ways of learning are endless.

Johnson said pilot programs are under way at the schools that use technology like never before. the improvements will likely prompt more teachers to consider new programs to better engage students and increase their understanding of course material, using methods familiar to them, she said.

While some teachers in the past may have hung back on implementing new technology plans, Johnson thinks they’ll be more inclined to think along those lines now that wireless will be available.

“You’ve doubled your capacity,” Johnson said. “The goal was to give more access and tools that students expect to be able to use. That’s the vision, whether it’s an iPad or laptop or a smartphone. If someone has to work on a paper or their homework, they won’t have to jockey for one of the computers in the library.”

As part of its three-year campaign to raise funds from the community for technological and other upgrades in the district, the Newburyport Education Foundation stands ready to help the schools purchase additional machines for those who need them, Johnson said.

“The feeling was, across the board, that there would be a significant go-ahead by having access all the way through the school and it would encourage people who had been holding back from trying,” Johnson said. “I think a billion flowers will bloom.”

Q: I’m not impressed by the Web browser that came with my Android smart phone. When I looked in the market, I saw a bunch of alternative browsers, but it’s impossible to tell which are the best ones. Any thoughts?

A: all mobile browsers do the same things, but there are differences in the way they handle tasks – things like creating and managing bookmarks and handling multiple open pages. if you use the Internet a lot on your phone, you should check out some free third-party browsers. Popular ones available for both Android phones and iPhones include UC Browser, Dolphin, Skyfire and Opera Mini.

by the way, it’s interesting that the stock Android browser was not developed from scratch by Google – the company that created the Android operating system. Android phones use technology spawned by Apple that’s also used in the Safari browser built into the iPhone. It’s a small world after all.

Q: I think I may need an ergonomic keyboard, because my wrists start to ache after typing on the computer for a couple of hours. what do you think is the best one?

A: Let’s start out by noting that nobody really knows whether ergonomic keyboards can prevent or cure repetitive stress injuries resulting from too much typing. on the other hand, nobody’s proved they don’t help.

The most popular ergonomic keyboard is the Microsoft Natural, which has been around for years. The latest flagship model, which goes for around $50, features a keyboard that is split and “humped” in the middle, putting your wrists in a more natural position than you can achieve with a normal keyboard.

The extreme example of that approach is the Advantage keyboard from Kinesis, which will set you back more than $200. It’s got a space-age look that conjures up Captain Kirk sitting in his chair on the bridge of the Enterprise. “Scotty … my … wrists!”

Kinesis lets you convert another of its models into a “vertical” keyboard divided into two halves that can stand straight up facing each other or be “tented” at an angle (think of holding a basketball or playing an accordion). The idea is to reduce or eliminate the need to rotate your forearms inward in order to type.

Bottom line: if you type continuously for long periods, you’re asking for trouble. take a break now and then.

Q: I have an old spiral notebook filled with addresses and notes, which I would like to put on the computer. I also want to include information such as kids’ birthdays, and I want to be able to use the addresses to create mailing labels. What’s the best way to do all that?

A: Any e-mail software or Web-based e-mail service will let you create an address book and flesh out contact information with stuff like phone numbers (including mobile phones), e-mail addresses and birthdays. they also provide space for miscellaneous notes so you can remind yourself that it’s not a good idea to bring up the subject of ex-wives with Uncle George.

The easiest way to create mailing labels is with the Mail Merge feature in Microsoft Word. Mail Merge can pull addresses directly from Microsoft Outlook, but if you don’t have Outlook it’s no big deal. Gmail, Yahoo Mail and other free online e-mail services let you export your addresses as CSV (text) files that work with Mail Merge.

The Parent Trap, part Two: Last week’s item about a mobile phone app that helps monitor children’s behavior seems to have struck a nerve with readers:

One reader wrote, “I’m glad you ended your column with the question about whether others find the Portable Parenting app creepy. as someone who’s been involved with computers for over 50 years, I certainly appreciate all the great things that computers can do, especially how they can simplify our lives. but, come on folks, parenting children? I know young parents can be stressed out, but I hope they don’t relegate parenting responsibilities to apps, no matter how well designed and/or intentioned. No matter how much the world changes, we still need to be able to communicate face-to-face. The first step in learning that is through communication with parents, not computers.”

And this from another reader: “I am appalled and saddened by the way electronics have taken over peoples’ lives. ‘Tune in, drop out’ … I don’t think Timothy Leary had our current culture in mind when he stated that. He didn’t see this form of revolution coming. it doesn’t take an Einstein so see the greased downhill slide that could destroy face-to-face communications.”

This article appeared on page D – 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle