text:
Austin D. "Augie" Kowell, 78, of 84 Valley View Rd., Emporium formerly of Monessen died at Elk Regional Health Center, St. Marys Wednesday, (June 22, 2011) afternoon.
He was born February 23, 1933 in Monessen a son of the late Paul and Mary Watovich Kowell. On January 3, 1960 in Emporium he married Janice Broker Kowell, who Survives. He and his wife were married over 51 years.
He graduated from Monessen High School and served with the US Army reserve. Augie had worked at Sylvania, for over 38 years, where he was a tool and die maker. He later worked at Caldwell Corporation for 10 years. He was a member of the American Society of Tool Engineers (ASTE). He was a the owner of the former Kowell Family Restaurant in Emporium and also the caretaker of Newton Cemetery for over 21 years. He had been a member of St. Johns Russian Orthodox Church in Monessen. He was a avid Pittsburgh Steeler fan.
In addition to his wife Janice Broker Kowell
Son: Daniel Kowell, Emporium
Daughter: Kim, Mrs. Dave Hallowell, Emporium
Daughter: Jackie, Mrs. George Sams, Emporium
4 Grandchildren
Sister: Anna Mae Kerr, Monessen, PA
Preceded in Death By:
Parents: Paul and Mary Watovich Kowell
2 Brothers: Paul and Joseph Kowell
Visitation will be at the Barnett Funeral Home, Emporium on Friday from 6-8 PM followed by the Funeral Service at 8:00 PM with Rev. James Eastman, Pastor, Abundant Life Tabernacle, officiating.
A Military Service will be accorded by the Cameron County Memorial Detail following the funeral.
Burial will be in the Newton Cemetery, Emporium.
Memorial Contributions may be made to Community Nurses Inc., 757 Johnsonburg Rd., Suite 200, St. Marys, PA 15857
Online Condolences may be placed at www.BarnettFuneralHome.net
BARNETT FUNERAL HOME, Inc. entrusted with arrangements.
Helen L. Dale, 67, of 4 Front St., Apt #4, Emporium died at her residence on Monday evening (June 20, 2011).
She was born May 18, 1944 in St. Marys a daughter of the late Harold and Francis Linsey Bailey Haskins
She married Dave Dale of Emporium, who survives.
Mrs. Dale was a member of the First United Methodist Church.
In addition to Dave Dale
Daughter: Dana B. Moore and her husband Raymond, Myrtle Beach, SC
Son: Daniel Eckenroad, Myrle Beach, SC
Son: William Eckenroad, PA
Several Grandchildren
Preceded in Death By:
Parents: Harold and Francis Linsey Bailey Haskins
Son: Dwayne Eckenroad
Brother: Harold Bailey
There will be No Visitation. Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Memorial Service to be held at the First United Methodist Church, 306 S. Spruce St, Emporium on Monday (June 27, 2011) at 11:00 AM with Rev. Gary Atkinson, Pastor, officiating.
Burial will be in the Donahey Cemetery, Halton, PA
Online Condolences may be placed at www.BarnettFuneralHome.net
Saturday, June 18, 2011
William L. "Triple P" Summerson Sr., 81, 214 Columbus St., St. Marys, died Friday at the home of his son, William Summerson Jr., Cuneo Road, Kersey.
Born Oct. 10, 1929, in Sterling Run, he was a son of the late Fred Leroy and Mary Devling Summerson. He was married to Jo Ann Means July 5, 1954, in the Shiloh Presbyterian Church. She preceded him in death July 29, 1997.
He retired from the Bureau of Reclamation and had also been employed at the Mallery Lumber Company in Emporium and at Keystone Carbon Company.
He attended Sterling Run Schools and lived in St. Marys since 1992.
He was a veteran, having served in the Army during the Korean War.
He was a member of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 6221 in Emporium. He enjoyed traveling, his trips to Salamanca, and being with his family and friends.
He is survived by a daughter, Elizabeth (Lisa) Wehler of DuBois, two sons, William L. (Melissa) Summerson Jr. of Kersey, David M. (Lynn) Summerson of Emporium; a sister, Bibanna Park of Emporium; three brothers: Donald Summerson, of Dover, Robert "Jerry" (Cindy) Summerson of Cameron, Steve (Marge) Summerson of Emporium; 10 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
SUMMERSON: William L. "Triple P" Sr., St. Marys, died June 17, 2011. Friends will be received from 5-8 p.m. Monday at the Lynch-Radkowski Funeral Home in St. Marys. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home with the Rev. Loren Conklin officiating. Full military rites will be accorded by the St. Marys Servicemen's Burial Detail. Burial will be in St. Marys Protestant Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, Elk Unit, P.O. Box 403, St. Marys, PA or to the Community Nurses, Inc., 757 Johnsonburg Road, Suite 200, St. Marys, PA 15857.
Kenneth E. Rees, 74, of 218 Summit St., Austin, PA died at Elk Regional Health Center, St. Marys on Friday night (June 17, 2011)
He was born September 9, 1936 in Costello a son of the late Roberta Rees Cooney.
On March 12, 1955 in Coudersport he married Janice Williams Rees, who Survives.
Mr. Rees graduated from Austin High School. He retired from Walmart in St. Marys where he worked for over 9 years. He enjoyed carpentry work.
In addition to Janice Williams Rees
Daughter: Roxana, Mrs. Terry Setzer, Austin
9 Grandchildren
23 Great Grandchildren
Sister: Joan, Mrs. Wesley Plotts, St. Marys
Sister: Susan Cooney, Austin
Preceded in Death By
Mother: Roberta Rees Cooney
Step father: William Cooney
Son: Kenneth "Scotty" Rees, Jr.
Son: William K. Rees
2 Grandson: Brian Plant & Nathan Setzer
There will be No Visitation.
Services will be at the convenience of the family.
Burial will be in the Reesville Cemetery, Costello.
If desired, Memorials may be made to Austin Ambulance Service, 42 Main Street, Austin, PA 16720
Evelyn J. Kavulic, 88, formerly of Emporium, died Friday, December 10, 2010, in Sena Kean Manor, Smethport.
Born October 22, 1922 in DuBois, she was the daughter of Andrew and Margaret Mould Watt. On November 2, 1945 in Port Allegany, she married Martin N. Kavulic who died December 1, 1988.
A longtime resident of Emporium, Mrs. Kavulic relocated to Limestone, NY in 1990 to be near her daughter.
Mrs. Kavulic was employed for many years by The Warner Hotel in Emporium as a waitress until the hotel was closed. In 1964 she went to work for Penn Vend in Emporium and was employed there for many years until they also closed.
Mrs. Kavulic attended the First United Methodist Church in Emporium.
She is survived by: one son, Frederick (Catherine) Kavulic of Henniker, NH; one daughter, Phyllis Montgomery of Allegany, NY; four grandchildren, Janet (Don) Sutton of Hinsdale, NY, Kellee (Chris) Gangemi of Concord, NC, Jessica (Mike) Brandow of Jamestown, NY, and Sgt. Jesse Montgomery of Fort Drum, NY; seven great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
In addition to her husband, Mrs. Kavulic was predeceased by six sisters and four brothers.
Visitations with video tribute will be held in the Coppersmith-Condon Funeral Home, Emporium on Saturday, June 18, 2011 from 11 a.m.-12 noon at which time a Memorial Service will follow with the Rev. Gary Atkinson, pastor of the First United Methodist Church, officiating.
Burial was in Newton Cemetery, Emporium.
Memorials, if desired, may be made to Evelyn's favorite charity, the McKean County Special Olympics, PO Box 101, Bradford, PA 16701
Annabelle G. Platt, 97, of Sweden Valley Nursing Home, Coudersport formerly of Emporium died at Sweden Valley Manor, Coudersport on Saturday (June 11, 2011) morning.
She was born June 26, 1913 in Wharton, a daughter of the late Lewis and Sylvia Sunderlin Wilson. She married the late Ira Platt. Mrs. Platt had worked for several years at Sylvania. She loved flower gardening.
Daughter: Lila Sassman and her husband Bernard, Erie
Two Grandchildren: Allan Sassman and his wife Carol of Erie
Terri, Mrs. Will Thompson, Duncansville
6 Great Grandchildren
1 Great Great Granddaughter
Preceded in Death By:
Parents: Lewis and Sylvia Sunderlin Wilson
Husband: Ira Platt who died in1988
Son: Ira in infancy
Brother: Martin Wilson
Sister: Isabelle Sherman
There will be No Visitation.
A Private Funeral Service will be held at Barnett Funeral Home, Emporium
Burial will be in the Gilmore Cemetery, Austin
Mary Jane Pleak, age 89, of East Sixth Street, Emporium, died Monday, June 6, 2011, in Elk Regional Health Center, St. Marys.
Born October 12, 1921 in Port Allegany, she was the daughter of the late George and Ann Sullivan Holden. On June 28, 1947 in Coudersport she married Horace C. (Bud) Pleak who survives.
She was a US Navy veteran having served in the WAVES during WWI, officially the US Naval Reserve (Women's Reserve) but the acronym from Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service is the recognizable name. Before her marriage she was employed as a secretary by Sylvania Electric in Emporium, and was later employed part time for attorney John Gresimer, also in Emporium.
Mrs. Pleak was a member of St. Mark Catholic Church in Emporium where she also served as secretary of the Cemetery Association for over 30 years. She was an avid bridge player and as a past member of the Ladies Auxiliary of Emporium Country Club she was the Thursday Bridge Club coordinator for many years and also taught many others the game.
Surviving in addition to her husband are: two sons, Robert G. (Joanne) Pleak of Salinas, CA, and Andrew Pleak of New York City; three daughters, Mary Ann Weber of Billings, MT, E. Jane Pleak-Alquist of Statesboro, GA, and George Ann Pleak of Emporium; three grandchildren, Kathleen (Betsy) Weber and Daniel Weber of Santa Barbara, CA and Jesse Weber of San Francisco, CA; and two sisters, Pauline Lewis at Pinecrest Manor in St. Marys and George Ann Holden at the Guy & Mary Felt Manor in Emporium.
Visitations with memorial tribute will be held Friday, June 10 from 4-7 p.m. in the Coppersmith-Condon Funeral Home, Emporium where a Wake Service will be held at 6:45 p.m.
A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Saturday at 10:30 a.m. in St. Mark Church with Father Paul Siebert, pastor, as celebrant. Burial will be in St. Mark Cemetery, Emporium.
Military honors will be accorded by the Cameron County Memorial Detail.
Memorials, if desired, may be made to the Cameron County Ambulance Service or the Guy and Mary Felt Manor
Neil E. Donovan, 86, of West Allegany Ave., Emporium, died Sunday, June 5, 2011, in Elk Regional Health Center, St. Marys.
Born March 18, 1925 in Olean, NY, he was the son of William and Iva Carlson Donovan. On July 5, 1952 in Emporium he married Charmaine Streich who died March 18, 2001.
A resident of Emporium almost his entire life, Mr. Donovan was a veteran of the US Navy having served in the Pacific Theatre during WWII. He was employed for many years as a lathe operator by Stackpole Corporation of St. Marys retiring in 1987.
He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Emporium, VFW Post 6221 In Emporium, Emporium Country Club and Bucktail Rod & Gun Club.
Mr. Donovan is survived by: one son, David N. Donovan and wife Sheri of Emporium; two grandchildren, Darren Donovan and Cody Donovan also of Emporium; and many nieces and nephews.
Visitations with a video tribute will be held in the Coppersmith-Condon Funeral Home, Emporium, Thursday, June 9, 2011 from 4-7 p.m. at which time Funeral & Committal Services will be held with the Rev. R. Scott Melott, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Emporium, officiating.
Burial will be in Newton Cemetery, Emporium.
Military honors will be accorded by the Cameron County Memorial Detail.
Gertrude A. Smith, 80, of 407 W. Allegany Ave., Emporium died at Charles Cole Memorial Hospital, Coudersport on Wednesday (June 1, 2011) afternoon.
She was born June 23, 1930 in Emporium a daughter of the late William H. and Virginia Woodring Gibbs. She married the late Martin H. Smith. Mrs. Smith graduated from Emporium High School. She retired from Cameron Manufacturing where she worked for many years. She enjoyed spending quality time with her grandchildren, especially Tasha & Trae.
Daughter: Linda, Mrs. Donald Armstrong, Florida
Daughter: Patricia Hunt, Emporium
Son: Thomas Smith, Emporium
Daughter: Joyce, Mrs. Glenn Lyon, Emporium
Son: James Smith and his wife Beverly, EmporiumSon: Michael Smith and his wife April, Emporium
17 Grandchildren
Brother: John "Mick" Gibbs and his wife Barbara, Emporium
Sister: Patricia Zofrea, Ohio
Sister: Mary Jane, Mrs. Dan Paterson, California
Preceded in Death By:
Parents: William H. and Virginia Woodring Gibbs
Husband: Martin H. Smith
Daughter: Mary Ann Smith in infancy
6 Sisters: Louise Rutz, Virginia Russell, Bessie Neenan, Lois Brown, Susan Kline & Nina Shadman
4 Brothers: Robert, William, Jr., James and Amsey Gibbs
Visitation will be at the Barnett Funeral Home on Saturday from 11:00 -1:00 PM. Burial will be in the Newton Cemetery, Emporium.
Funeral Service will be held at the Barnett Funeral Home, 207 E. Fourth Street, Emporium on Saturday (June 4, 2011) at 1:00 PM with Rev. James Eastman, Pastor of the Abundant Life Tabernacle, officiating.
Online Condolences may be placed at www.BarnettFuneralHome.net BARNETT FUNERAL HOME, Inc. entrusted with arrangements
Please Visit Our Site Sponsors
We also want to thank these generous site members for their donations!
If you are a business owner or member, that would like to be a sponsor of this site, please contact me at firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
In this update:
- The Minister for Foreign Affairs 13th Annual Statement to the Australian Parliament
- Publish What You Pay Campaign Update
- Global Corruption Report 2005
- OECD Convention Enforcement
- Resignation of John Githongo
- Teaching Integrity to Youth
- Coming Events
The Minister for Foreign Affairs 13th Annual Statement to the Australian Parliament
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer, in the 13th Annual Statement to Parliament, gave considerable space and commitment to corruption prevention. The Minister said, �We will expand our assistance in political governance to enhance the integrity and transparency of decision makers and to build the internal demand for accountable government.� He added that Australia would expand its �assistance for anti-corruption activities. These will build on the partnerships we have developed with organisations such as Transparency International, ASEAN and APEC.� In his speech the Minister made special mention of NISPAC (National Integrity Studies of Pacific Island Countries), a TI initiative in the Pacific region.
Publish What You Pay Campaign Update
The Measuring Transparency project has developed a standard to assess the performance of companies and governments in support of revenue transparency. It also provides a framework to track their progress over time. The project's results highlight the leaders and laggards in both the oil and gas industry and between several countries. These will be used by investors, NGOs, ratings agencies and other relevant actors to pressure companies and governments for greater transparency.
The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) High Level Conference, held in London on 17 March 2005 and hosted by the British Government, brought together over 300 representatives from civil society, government, international financial institutions, the extractive industry and the media. The main purpose of the conference was to allow participants to renew commitments to greater transparency and to agree to a set of criteria for the implementation of the Initiative by host country governments. PWYP members are pleased that the five minimum requirements have been adopted. These criteria, which include independent auditing of payments and revenues, consultation by governments with civil society at all stages of the EITI process, and identifying capacity building needs, will help ensure that there is a common baseline to which all implementing countries adhere. Further information about the conference is available from the PWYP website.
Global Corruption Report 2005
Transparency International�s Global Corruption Report 2005, launched on 16 March 2005, shows how corruption in the construction sector undermines economic development, and threatens to hamstring post-conflict reconstruction in Iraq and beyond. Peter Eigen, Chairman of Transparency International (TI) said, �Corruption in large-scale public projects is a daunting obstacle to sustainable development. Corruption in procurement plagues both developed and developing countries. When the size of a bribe takes precedence over value for money, the results are shoddy construction and poor infrastructure management. Corruption wastes money, bankrupts countries, and costs lives.� The Report includes a special focus on post-conflict reconstruction in Iraq, and highlights the urgent need for governments to ensure transparency in public spending and for multinational companies to stop bribing at home and abroad. TI has also launched its �Minimum Standards for Public Contracting�, setting out a blueprint for transparent public procurement and calling on public contracting authorities to ensure that contracts are subject to open, competitive bidding.
OECD Convention Enforcement
A TI report released on 7 March 2005 has found that fifteen OECD Countries are making a �promising start� in the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention, but calls for accelerated enforcement. Prosecutions or investigations are underway in 15 of 24 countries surveyed, but governments need to do more to enforce the laws criminalizing bribery of foreign public officials that came into force in most signatory countries in 1999 and 2000. The report is based on information provided by TI national chapters in 24 of the 35 OECD signatory states. These 24 countries account for 95 per cent of OECD exports.
Resignation of John Githongo
In early February 2005, John Githongo resigned as Permanent Secretary for Governance and Ethics in the Office of the President of Kenya. As the founder of the Kenyan chapter of Transparency International (TI), Githongo brought to the government ethical credibility and legitimacy. John Githongo's resignation sheds a bleak light on hopes for a re-asserted commitment of the Kenyan Government to the corruption fight. John Githongo gave no reason for his decision, saying only he �was no longer able to continue serving the government of Kenya�.
Teaching Integrity to Youth
Teaching Integrity to Youth, a special edition of TI�s Corruption Fighters� Toolkit, has been released. The kit includes examples of youth education experiences from 11 countries, all of which foster a zero-tolerance approach to corruption.
Coming Events
7-8 April 2005: Indian Ocean Tsunami Relief Conference: an initiative of TI Berlin together with the Asian Development Bank and the OECD, this conference in Jakarta, Indonesia aims to develop standards in relation to transparency and corruption prevention in the use of relief funds.
11-14 April 2005: TI Pacific Regional Meeting, Suva, Fiji: attended by representatives from TI chapters in the Pacific region, including Australia.
15 April 2005: TI-WA meeting: a seminar, �Courage Without Mateship�, presented by Associate Professor Kim Sawyer, who conducts research in the areas of corporate governance and corruption. Centenary Room, 1st Floor, Parliament House, Perth from 3.00 � 4.30pm. RSVPs are essential. Please email Miss Aya Kelly at email@example.com or telephone her on 6488 2918 no later than 05 April 2005.
14-17 August 2005: International Conference on Engaging Communities: to be held in Brisbane, this conference is a joint promotion of the UN Dept of Economic and Social Affairs and the Queensland Government.
14-15 June: Anti-Money Laundering Conference, Avillion Hotel, Sydney, organised by LexisNexis.
21-22 June: Anti-Money Laundering Conference, Stamford Plaza, Melbourne, organised by LexisNexis.
14-17 August 2005: International Conference on Engaging Communities: to be held in Brisbane, this conference is a joint promotion of the UN Dept of Economic and Social Affairs and the Queensland Government.
3 November: TIA AGM Sydney: The distinguished guest speaker at this late afternoon meeting will be Jerrold Cripps, the recently appointed Commissioner of ICAC. His topic will be New Developments and Issues for ICAC.
11-14 November: TI Annual Members� Meeting, Berlin.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
With the stress and demands of daily life, staying on a path of mindfulness takes some effort. Many of us feel pressure to be on 24/7. Mindfulness is considered the intentional, accepting and non-judgmental focus of one's attention on the emotions, thoughts and sensations occurring in the present moment. When we are mindful we notice details---an expression, a flower or leaf. How do we quiet the mind to create this kind of centering peace?
We can cultivate and develop our own ability to be mindful through practice. I enjoy helping my clients develop their own, unique strategy for keeping balanced and mindful. There are many ways to get there. We each need to develop practices we can use daily, as mindfulness needs to be gotten fresh daily, like showering.
When we are mindful, we have more energy, higher levels of compassion for ourselves and others, we are calmer and more relaxed, and are less vulnerable to anxiety and depression. Mindfulness increases self-acceptance.
Here are some ideas for creating mindfulness in your daily routine:
1. Create quiet time for yourself. Silence is powerful, and helps heal and give you clarity.
2. Exercise, to burn off stress and nervous energy.
3. Get outside. Try to spend a little time outside, on a walk or in your garden every day if you can.
4. Create sacred rituals--- a cup of herbal tea and some inspired reading first thing in the morning, a Saturday bike ride, play time with your dog after work, a fireside chat with your partner each evening.
5. Journal daily. Writing allows you to process emotions and events and give you perspective.
6. Take time for quiet prayer or conversations with God.
7. Meditation. Sit quietly and usher out any thoughts that come up. Don't worry about 'doing it right'. Consider this time your daily meeting with yourself.
8. Reconnect with life: do something creative with your hands, observe animals and nature, focus on your breath.
9. Make note of 3 different things you are grateful for daily. Consider your friendships, your body, your home, happy memories, things about yourself.
10. Lie down and do nothing. Be aware of your breath. Scan your body for any tension and let it go.
11. Let yourself feel--anger, sadness, or loss.
12. Challenge yourself to accept what is.
13. Eat with mindfulness--slowly, and with reverence.
14. Taking time for a cup of tea.
15. Express appreciation.
If you are needing some help with getting started, you might check out the simple exercises in The Little Book of Mindfulness: Ten Minutes a Day to Less Stress, More Peace by Dr. Patricia Collard (Gala, 2014).
I also love the free downloads of guided mindfulness practice you can find through UCLA's Mindful Awareness Research Center at marc.ucla.edu. Their 9 minute meditation on loving kindness is one of my personal favorites, and would make anyone have a better day filled with more compassion and less edges.
Set your mind to cultivating mindfulness in your everyday life. It's all in the details of consciously creating rituals that slow you down and open up your heart.


text:
This episode gets quite sexist as we delve into the idea of dude food. Inspired by the article Top 20 Dude Food Recipes by Taste.com we take a look at what makes certain foods more manly than others. Why do men need thier own class of foods? and can we get manly men to eat girly foods?
A trip to the health food store has us trying gluten free beer in honor of St. Patty's day and the idea that beer is "manly"!
Want to have your question answered? Send us a message!
Support Prescription For Flavor on Patreon


text:
Montreal, April 14, 2016 – Discovery Air Defence Services Inc. ("DA Defence"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Discovery Air Inc., recently flew in the first-ever German Air Force ("Luftwaffe") Eurofighter Fighter Weapons Instructor Course (FWIC). Two DA Defence A-4N Skyhawks flew a number of support missions as Red Air to provide aggressor and dissimilar air combat training (DACT) for Eurofighters from Tactical Flying Wing 73 "Steinhoff" in Laage, Germany.
"These missions mark an important achievement in our German program," said Rolf Brandt, Senior Program Manager – German Operations, DA Defence. "The Luftwaffe has placed their trust in Discovery Air Defence to deliver professionally operated, highly-representative adversaries to train Germany's elite Eurofighter pilots in advanced fighter weapons skills and tactics."
"We are really pleased to be a key contributor to the success of the new Luftwaffe Eurofighter fighter weapons training program," said Daniel Gibeau, Chief Operating Officer, DA Defence. "Our modernized Skyhawks flown by highly-seasoned pilots continue to provide positive training outcomes for the German military."
DA Defence began its contracted airborne training services for the German Armed Forces in January 2015. Flying embedded with the German Air Force, DA Defence is delivering critical air combat training and combat support for the German military at home and on deployment.
DA Defence and its U.S. subsidiary, Top Aces have the world's largest privately-held, operating fleet of combat aircraft. The training provided supports the operational readiness of both current and future generation fighter aircraft. To discover more on how DA Defence is changing the face of air combat training In Germany, Canada, U.S. and worldwide, visit us at experiencematters.ca.
About Discovery Air and Its Subsidiaries
Discovery Air is a global leader in specialty aviation services. We deliver exceptional air combat training; medevac equipped aircraft services; airborne firefighting services; air charter services; helicopter operations; and transport and logistics support to ensure operational readiness, health, safety, and vital lifelines for our clients and the communities we serve. Discover more at discoveryair.com.
Discovery Air's Class A common voting shares and unsecured convertible debentures trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (symbols DA.A and DA.DB.A, respectively).
For further information:
Sheila Venman
Discovery Air Inc.
VP, HR & Communications


text:
The department has been authorized to confer master degrees and M. Ph. D.
The classic Pediatric of Xuan's family, Zhan's family and Ma's family enjoys high reputation in Zhejiang.
This department accumulated outstanding experience in treating such diseases as refractory asthma, anaphylactic purpura, chronic thrombocytopenic Purpura, childhood restless syndrome, nephritic syndrome, lead poisoning, chronic diarrhea, chronic cough, aplastic anemia, sexual precocity, microsoma, anorexia etc. The department has gained remarkable achievement in treating these diseases by means of integrating TCM with western medicine, such as Refractory Nephritic Syndrome, Refractory Asthma.


text:
Oh dear, I've let time slip by again without updating my website. It's been a very busy 8 months since my last update:
Grange Festival- Albert Herring
We had a wonderful few weeks at the brand new Grange Festival with John Copley's delightful production of Albert Herring. It's was a huge hit with the critics, and a joy of a job, from start to finish, with such a great cast. It was the fourth time I have played Nancy. She's such a fun character to play. Cheeky and flirtatious, but with touching empathy. All my favourite roles so far have been the Britten ones actually. I have played Kate in Owen Wingrave several times, and she's a fantastic character; very different to Nancy. She's hard and cold, and yet reveals a very tender side. Hermia too, is great fun to play with her fiery temper, and her emotional hand god and lows across the span of the opera, A Midsummer Night's Dream. Lucretia is very high up on my list of dream roles.
Three Choirs Festival Recital
After Grange Festival, it was on to the Three Choirs Festival in Worcester, for a recital with Simon Lepper. We presented a programme of songs, all by living composers, including the world premiere of a song cycle which was written especially for us by Sally Beamish. Sally had teamed up with the author of the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency, Alexander McCall Smith, to produce a delightful set of songs on the theme of birds, which was an honour to have written for us, and a joy to perform.
The recital also feature two other song cycles which have been written especially for me: 'Hold This City All Night' by Tarik O'Regan, was commissioned for me to perform at the Ludlow Festival in 2017 to texts by Alice Goodman, and Nights Not Spent Alone by Jonathan Dove, which was commissioned by BBC Radio 3 for Simon and I to premiere at the Cheltenham festival in 2015. These are settings of Edna St Vincent Millay, and feature on our album of the same title, along with all of Jonathan Dove's other fantastic songs for Mezzo Soprano. (Available to buy here)
Wigmore Hall Recital
That was a very busy weekend, as the very next day I had the great pleasure of performing at Wigmore Hall, with a huge group of some of the best UK singers of my generation, to celebrate the final song recital of the season. Conceived by Graham Johnson, we each performed solo lieder, but the highlight was to all sing together, Vaughan Williams's heavenly Seranade To Music.
English Touring Opera- Giulio Cesare
After this I was straight into rehearsals with English Touring Opera, for their ambitious and spectacular production of Handel's Giulio Cesare, performed in its entirety, without cuts! It had been several years since I had played a trouser role, but with great guidance from our director, James Conway, we found ways to make my character, Sesto, very three dimensional and sympathetic. I enjoyed it so much, and the production was a huge success with the critics; hailed as one of English Touring Opera's best productions in years. A real thrill. We toured it from as far North as Keswick and Durham, right down to Exeter, and everywhere in between.
English Touring Opera is a fantastic company to work for. It was my fourth tour with them, and I have learnt so much from each of those jobs. I started with them when I was still as student at the Royal College of Music, and learnt so much, gained so much experience and stagecraft that just cannot be taught at conservatoires. The chance to work with professionals in all departments, and repeat the role over and over again until you know it so well and it is so built into your body, having had the time and freedom to experiment with things, and make observations about what does and doesn't work. It's wonderful that ETO are so supportive of young singers.
Concerts from Birmingham to Berlin
A busy few months of concerts followed, including Messiahs at Cadogan Hall and with City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Then just before Christmas I made my Berlin Philharmonic debut, in a beautiful concert of Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream, under the baton of Ivor Fischer. It's a favourite piece of mine, since I studied it for A-level, and to be sat amongst some of the best orchestral players int he world, hearing their almost deafening and glorious sound, was one of the absolute highlights of my career so far, even if mine was only a small role. Berlin is a fascinating city, and it was lovely to be there at Christmas time, and to enjoy the Christmas markets and Glühwein.
Recitals in Hexham and Glasgow
In January I had the pleasure of performing with Malcolm Martineau, in a recital in Glasgow for BBC Radio 3, as part of Malcolm's 'My Life In Song' series there at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music there; and then a lovely recital with Joseph Middleton, in Hexham, for an audience including many lovely supportive family members who live in Northumberland. This was very special for me.
La Nuits d'Ete
I performed my first 'La Nuits d'Ete' by Berlioz, with the Bedford Sinfonia at the end of April. Bedfordshire is the county in which I grew up, and the orchestra included several teachers that I had been helped and encouraged by as a teenager. Bedfordshire has always been an outstanding county for music, but sadly these days the music service receives less and less funding, which is an absolute tragedy as far as I am concerned. Read more here https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/music/tomserviceblog/2010/nov/02/save-council-music-services-bedfordshire
I am looking forward to returning to Bedford with Joseph Middleton in a few weeks, for a recital at St Andrews Church on March 10th, with a lovely programme of English and French songs, Lieder, and some favourite show songs.
Royal Opera- Coraline
I'm now enjoying rehearsals for the world premiere of Coraline by Mark Anthony Turnage, which will be my Royal Opera debut. Its going to be a spectacular show, with some exciting special effects and fantastic jazzy score. It's a favourite story of my eldest daughter, Ivy's, so I really can't wait for her to see it. I play Coraline's mother, and also her 'Other Mother', who a pretty terrifying, witchy character, so I hope Ivy won't be too spooked. Mark Anthony dropped in this week, which was a little nerve wracking, but it was great to meet him, and he seemed pleased with our work so far.
My other great passion at the moment, is a project that I have been setting up with four colleagues; a charity in support of women and parents, working in the opera industry. Performing can be a solitary job sometimes, and I often feel it is a little selfish, not really helping anyone else. Read more here. I am so thrilled to be a part of something that I believe in so passionately, and which I really feel has the potential to make a big difference for people. Read more here: http://www.swap-ra.org
Opera Holland Park- Cosi Fan Tutte
Later this year I look forward to returning to Opera Holland Park, for a new production of Cosi Fan Tutte there which I am really looking forward to. It will be the fourth time I've played Dorabella, and although she can be a bit of a silly character, it's a great fun ensemble piece to be a part of. My husband and I fell in love playing Dorabella and Ferrando at RCM in 2011, so the music holds a special place in my heart. It was directed by the late Lee Blakely, who we tragically lost last year. It was an excellent production, and we learnt so much from Lee. He found great depth in the character of Dorabella, and had some great ideas to make her more than just a stupid girl.
Candide- Twice!
I'm really looking forward to returning to The Grange Festival again in July for a concert performance of Bernstein's fabulous Candide. I adore musical theatre, and so rarely get the chance to perform some of my absolute favourite repertoire. Candide is not one that I know well, but I'm so looking forward getting to know it, which I should do by the end of the year because I'll be doing it again this Autumn.
My husband, Anthony, and I are excited to get the chance to work together, which we haven't done for about six years. We're off to Bergen in Norway for another Candide. The whole family will be heading out there, as Anthony is playing the title role, I'm playing Paquette and my dad will be playing the Narrator, so it's a real family affair. I spent a very happy 6 week's in Bergen in 2015, doing Britten's Midsummer Night's Dream. It's a beautiful place and a wonderful company to work for. I'm so looking forward to returning.
Vaughan Williams CD
Shortly after that I will be recording some stunning songs by an absolute favourite composer of mine, Ralph Vaughan Williams. William Vann and I will be recording several stunning song cycles, some of which have never been recorded, as part of Albion Records' Complete Works of Vaughan Williams anthology.


text:
CarsBase has a great collection of new Lotus car photos. 18 HD Images of Case autos include exterior, interior, spy pictures and new photos from motorshows.
Gallery with 18 high quality Case photos. Last update date: at Case photogallery.
Don't forget to come back, new Case pictures and photos updates weekly.


text:
Lars von Trier returned to the Cannes Film Festival on Monday night and became the first director of 2018 to see mass walkouts take place.
The controversial director's CV is chock full of disturbing and disgusting films; Antichrist featured scenes of increasingly violent sexual behaviour and sadomasochism while Nymphomaniac dealt with themes of pedophilia and organised crime.
But his new film The House That Jack Built stars Matt Dillon, Riley Keough and Uma Thurman, has been branded perhaps the worst of all of his films – and reviews have not been kind.
Set over 12 years in the life of a serial killer, the film jumps around in time as Dillon's Jack tells his story to an unseen man, played by Bruno Ganz, whom the audience does not see until the end of the film, and although Jack has over 60 killings under his belt, the film focuses on five of them.
And there are some particular scenes that have stood out for critics.
The first kill – that the audience sees – happens to Uma Thurman's character, a whiny woman who claims straight away that Jack 'looks like a serial killer'.
She's flagged him down as her carjack has broken and she has a flat tire but eventually he gets so bored of her that he decides to smash her head in using – you guessed it – the broken carjack; this scene is repeated throughout the film.
In another scene we see Jack drag the dead body of a widower he has killed down the road until she is a bloody and unrecognisable mess, and a third scene – a flashback to Jack as a young boy – sees him pick up a young duckling and cut off one of its legs with a pair of pliers.
He then sets the duckling back in the water and watches it struggle to swim.
The realistic nature of this scene reportedly left many retching.
One of the most graphic sequences sees Riley Keough play a girlfriend of Jack's, whom he decides to call Simple because he believes she's dumb.
Throughout their time together the audience discover she has 'perfect tits', which Jack is obsessed with – until he decides to strip her, draw dotted outlines around each breast and then allows her to scream and escape to the police.
Not that any one is helped in a von Trier film, and so Simple is forced back to Jack's house – where he removes her breasts.
However the scene that has really shocked audiences in one that comes in the middle of the film, when Jack takes a woman and her two sons out for a 'hunting trip', where Jack is the hunter and the family are the prey.
As Jack uses a hunting rifle to track the two young boys, the scene is shot through the periscope of the gun, so the audience become the gun as it finds the children and then shoots.
If that isn't gruesome enough, the scene that follows sees Jack lay the boys on the picnic cloth and forces their mother to continue feeding them lunch – before he hunts her as well – but the amount of time von Trier spends on the bodies of the dead boys has been picked up on.
The House That Jack Built does not yet have a UK release date.
MORE: Steven Yeun refuses Cannes interviews after being slammed for liking Japanese Rising Sun flag photo


text:
I wore heels for the first time in months and it was an experience. I felt so wobbly and unstable, time to start rocking them more often so I don't completely fall on my face the next time.
I really like how the color of the shoes complement the graphic print on this maxi dress which I wore with a white button up blouse tied at the waist (my summer uniform). The whole look made me feel so lady like.
Top, Rings– H&M | Dress– Spense | Shoes– Bamboo (10dollarmall.com) | Earrings– Forever 21
Piniel S


text:
You might have read on many zines and blogs about the kind of new monetary policy of our "beloved" social network Facebook. Those guys seem to not stop surprise me with their abyssic hunger for financial capitals and do whatever it takes to brutally rip off everybody who is depended on the platform. Let me elaborate. For those of you who have got a clue of edgerank, Facebook first changed its way of functioning to asssess the preferences of users and show them only the content that is relevant/interesting to them. Or in other words, an algorithm decides for you what you'll like to see and what not.
Why is this so important and takes place on SBM? As we clearly stated in the "about" page "we want to show you the best of the underground.." and with those tweaks that Facebook has implemented, it's getting harder to do. Our bigger fanbase (comparing FB and G+ pages) is on Facebook with a total of 10 431 fans – a significant number BUT only a small percentage of them is able to actually see the post updates. Why? Because we don't pay for promotion.
Generally, the reduction of posts reach (without boosting/paying for higher exposure) is down to 1-2% and puts huge pressure on all the struggling underground bands, labels and zines to spread their content. That's a big deal because most of them cannot afford spending cash on running personal websites (they already have enough spendings on shit load of other stuff), not to mention for advertising.
Other blogs and zines such as No Clean Singing (NCS) reported a number of times about Facebook's extortions leading to the bottom line – pay or suffer. Although, the last article by NCS provides more shocking insights where you can also watch a video (if you dare to damage your nerves).
The commonly asked question is "what to do then?" Well, in regards to Support Black Metal this is how we're gonna fight back. The best and most certain way to receive every update is through newsletters. It's always worked and it is absolutely for free. Nobody else interferes and decides what you may want to see or not. We post and you receive an e-mail – point A to point B. Simple as that. Instead of sharing individual tracks, we're gonna make selections of several of them and present them to you in an article. This way, you, as a subscribed member, you will surely see the updates without fearing of missing out new bands and overall news.
The procedure to become a subscribed member to Support Black Metal is a piece of cake. You have to enter your e-mail address in the newsletter form and click the button. Then you'll receive an activational letter to confirm and voila – you are ready to go.


text:
Outdoor Color Match. For a fun time, put paint chip cards of different colors on a binder ring, and punch a large hole in each shade.
Go outside and try to match all the colors!! Clara is always up for any excuse to go outside, so this activity was an instant hit! We brought our swatches to a nearby park for some coloring matching fun!! There was lots of running — great exercise!! …and excitement when colors were matched! Some colors may be harder to find than others. So many different hues were found! You may even notice little things like the different shades of green on each side of the same leaf, or…. ….that larger dandelions are a shade darker than little ones.
And when you're all done, why not take a break on a park bench to rest for awhile?? Have fun!! I linked this post to:Sunday Showcase @ Mom to 2 Posh Lil DivasLink and Learn @ No Time for Flash Cards. Quiet Time Boxes. I saw the best idea on another blog... i dont remember where or i would tell you, but anyways the idea was for quite time boxes.
They are little activity kits for your childs quiet time. Hudson very rarely takes a nap any more, but he needs the down time and at least the opportunity for a nap. So i bought bins from wal-mart for about 2 bucks each and filled them with stuff we have around the house. There ends up being so many toys around our house that while the kids like the toy, they just dont get a chance to play with it very often. I put 2 or 3 books and a toy or activity in each box and labeled it with the day of the week.
They fit great in his closet so i can have easy access to them. Quiet Book. I'm really excited to share this project with you.
Several months ago someone put the idea into my head that I should make some quiet books. This is one project that I've never really had the desire to do, but that little seed kept growing until one day I found myself drawing up the templates and then at JoAnn's buying the supplies. It really was an easy project, but extremely time consuming (and I was making two at once.)
Here are the results: Covers and cover page Circus Monkey The balloons velcro on and the wheel turns to reveal different colors. Paint Pallet The paint splotches velcro on and you can use the paint brush to pretend to paint everything in the quiet book! Season Tree and Barn Snap on flowers for spring, green leaves for summer, and autumn leaves for fall--or take them all off for winter. I love these little finger puppets that were inspired from Homemade by Jill. To have a surprise when you open the doors. Road Map. Wacky Sacks. Hopscotch. Car mat. Flannel Friday: Letter Puzzles. [Edited to add: I cannot upload these puzzles, as I do not have the right to distribute Microsoft Office clipart.
They are fairly easy to make; give it a try! My apologies for not being able to help more!] A few weeks back, I started doing outreach storytime to some local daycares. These are the daycares that walk over to the library during the nice weather seasons (April though October), and I really wanted to continue doing storytimes for them even during our off-weather-season. Since I'm doing the storytimes in different rooms (three different rooms), have only crayons or glue as supplies available, am doing different age groups instead of an all-ages storytime, and I don't have my flannelboard easel or shelf or seats or a thousand other things — I decided to do an alphabet series only for my outreach kids.
Like I did with my colors series, I wanted to repeat a flannelboard activity from week to week. I probably won't be posting any more of these (at least for Flannel Friday!) Church Busy Binder.


text:
Don't make irrational fleshly decisions that you will regret the very next day or sooner…
The flesh will cause us to be so full of pride that
if we don't get our way immediately or in our timing, or
if someone embarrasses us, or
if we "look foolish" to the world, then
our prideful flesh compels us to make irrational decisions.
The flesh will cause us to make decisions just to "save face" in front of and prove a point to others. "Who does she think I am? No one does this to me!" The flesh will cause us to make a decision to run from situations that God orchestrated for us to grow us. The flesh will cause us to dismiss someone from our lives who God intended to be there.
Do you recognize that spirit of fury when it surfaces inside you? Do you recognize that it is a spirit of the enemy? The enemy wants you to make a decision to delay you from your destiny or to keep you from it permanently. Stay out of your flesh. Stop making decisions in the heat of a spiritual attack. Stop allowing the enemy to cloud your spiritual thinking with fleshly pride.
The enemy also uses people around you to validate the fleshly irrational decision you are about to make and cheer you on. Reflect on times you have been in the presence or counsel of others when you decided to do something crazy. They were inciting you to make the decision for one or more of a variety of reasons: 1) they wanted to see you do something foolish for entertainment, 2) the decision would benefit them personally, or 3) the decision would cause you to fail which is what they secretly desire. Be wary of those around you whose counsel is just as fleshly as your potential irrational decision.
King Xerxes was embarrassed when his wife refused to come to his party so he could showcase her in front of his guests- dignified dignitaries and distinguished guests mind you. So, he issues a royal decree which could not be repealed. His wife, Vashti would never again be allowed to enter his presence.
After the anger subsides and the decision has been made, the regret seeps in. Will you allow your pride to make you issue a decree that can't be reversed? Will your tongue issue a check that your mouth can't cash? When the flesh cools and you begin to operate in the Spirit, you will realize that you have allowed the enemy to use you against yourself. When the fury subsides, you will then remember the spirit. Will it be too late? Stay out of your flesh and in the spirit. This is warfare. We can't afford to keep making fatal fleshly mistakes.
Esther 2:1 NIV "Later when King Xerxes' fury had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what he had decreed about her."


text:
Positioned 67 Kilometres from Gangtok, Mangan is a small town is the district headquarters of miraculous North District. It is a mesmerizing place offering beautiful vistas and it is a transit point to other tourist attractions of the region. In December, there is held a three-day music festival in Mangan. Music, mountains and cold weather of Mangan make tourists amazed. There is a throng of tourists visiting this enticing region every year.
Mangan is blessed with many hotels offering a comfortable accommodation options with all the contemporary amenities needed to make a stay heartwarming. The well-appointed rooms equipped with topnotch facilities make the stay highly relaxing.
Some of the major facilities offered by those relaxing properties are Wi-Fi, room heaters, door assistance, restaurant & bar, parking, tea/coffee maker, etc. The room facilities incorporate running hot and cold water, attached bathroom, direct dial, etc. In a nutshell, hotels in Mangan are perfect for a memorable refuge in the lap of nature.
At Tour My India, we believe in making your vacation the ideal one by allowing you to choose the best hotel in Mangan. So scroll down to find the complete list of hotel in Mangan.


text:
NAPLES — Cattle rancher Russell Priddy knew panthers roam his cow pastures south of Immokalee.
He had never tried to count them, but he and his wife, Liesa, started counting calves as they went missing from their JB Ranch last fall.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission confirmed at least two of the Priddys' calves and one on a neighboring pasture were killed by panthers and dispatched trackers to the Priddys' 9,000-acre ranch to try to get a handle on the problem.
Over six days in November, the team combed 3,000 acres southeast of Oil Well Road and State Road 29 and treed nine panthers, according to the trackers' report to the Conservation Commission.
"That number surprised even me," Priddy said.
Trackers said at least one of the panthers might have been counted twice, but the discovery added fuel to the debate about whether the Conservation Commission has been undercounting the number of endangered panthers in South Florida, their last holdout.
Now, in a "Statement on Estimating Panther Population Size" quietly released last week, the Conservation Commission has put a new number on the books _ 163.
State biologists say that is the upper limit of the panther's population range, replacing the old estimate of 100 to 120 panthers.
In the carefully worded statement, the Conservation Commission said the new number doesn't represent a sudden jump in the number of panthers and that the range of 100 to 120 panthers was always meant to be a minimum estimate.
Livestock protection from panthers in Golden Gate Estates
That's not how it's always been understood, though, including in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's official recovery plan for the panther. That plan, updated in 2008, uses the estimate of 100 to 120 panthers in several places but doesn't hedge it as only a minimum.
The Conservation Commission has been working on the new estimate for about a year — before last year's reports of panthers killing calves — in response to calls for a more accurate panther count, said Kipp Frohlich, imperiled species coordinator for the Conservation Commission.
"By providing only the minimum number, it kind of leaves the question open," he said. "I don't expect the debates to subside, but maybe they'll be better informed with this."
Still, he called the new estimate little more than a "mathematical theoretical exercise."
It was derived by figuring how many panthers had been counted in 2009 in the Big Cypress National Preserve, the Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park, Picayune Strand State Forest, Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge and the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation.
That came to 58 panthers over about 1,300 square miles. The Conservation Commission then applied that ratio to the larger primary panther zone to come up with 163 panthers.
The upper estimate "is based on the idealized and unlikely premise" that panthers are evenly distributed even though panther habitat varies by type and quality, the statement said.
The statement also admits that counting panthers isn't a perfect science and that techniques can miss panthers or double-count them.
"I think their new estimate is very much on the low side," Priddy said.
The Conservation Commission is looking at other ways to get a better estimate of the panther population.
One method would use trail cameras, but there are questions about whether that would create scientifically reliable estimates, Frohlich said.
Biologists also are working with statisticians to try to develop a model that would estimate the panther population based on the number of dead panthers found with tracking collars.
About 25 percent of the panthers' range is on private lands, like the Priddys' ranch, that aren't surveyed by the annual count used to figure the new upper estimate.
Frohlich said the Conservation Commission is preparing research proposals to present to landowners in hopes of gaining access to more private lands to capture panthers and put tracking collars on them.
The Conservation Commission and Big Cypress National Preserve monitor 23 panthers with tracking collars, but that number could grow to 30 or so by the time teams have completed this winter's panther capture season on public lands, Conservation Commission panther team leader Darrell Land said.
For Priddy, the panthers on the JB Ranch are a source of pride in his stewardship — to a point.
He estimates that panthers have dragged off at least 35 of his calves. The true toll won't be known until he gathers up his calves to take to market in April.
Frohlich had a first meeting Friday in Collier County with a working group of landowners and conservation groups to discuss options for stemming panther predation and compensating landowners for calves that are killed by panthers.
"I certainly don't mind them being there," Priddy said. "But I can't be put out of business from feeding them."
Connect with Eric Staats at www.naplesnews.com/staff/eric_staats
Show Comments (0)


text:
On Oct. 3, former LCC Spanish instructor Maria Gutierrez filed a $300,000 lawsuit against Lane, claiming that they canceled her classes because of her race, then fired her for speaking out about it.
According to the Register Guard, the lawsuit states Gutierrez,a Hispanic woman of Mexican descent, was hired by the school in 2004 to teach fashion design classes. She began teaching Spanish the following year. The guard also reported that, according to the suit, Gutierrez claimed she was treated differently than her non-hispanic colleagues and after complaining to the school's human resources department, had her hours gradually reduced.
The Lane human resources department refused to comment, due to the school's policy that states the school does not comment on pending litigation.The school also refused to comment on the Nadia Raza lawsuit that The Torch has previously reported on. The lawsuit Nadia Raza filed in January is still in a pending state.
Another lawsuit arose over the summer, with a former teacher claiming he was fired in retaliation for reporting another teacher's ethical violations. This lawsuit, filed by Frank Plaisted, was for $200,000 in damages.


text:
Audubon Society
Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary
Come enjoy the fresh air! The Estero Country Club golf course has achieved designation as a "Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary" through the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses, an Audubon International program. Estero Country Club is the 100th course in Florida and the 696th in the world to receive the honor.
"Estero Country Club has shown a strong commitment to its environmental program. They are to be commended for their efforts to provide a sanctuary for wildlife on the golf course property," said Jim Sluiter, Staff Ecologist for the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Programs.
The green and lush landscape of southwest Florida belongs to all of us; creatures large and small. We area lucky enough to be sharing our lives in one of the most beautiful tropics in the world, with some of the rarest flora and fauna. At Estero Country Club, we believe that it's not only our duty, but our responsibility to do what we can to ensure the sustainability of our course. Achieving certification was a natural step for our community. We respect nature and love the game of golf…and it shows.
Our Wildlife
The Florida Green Article
Audubon Press Release


text:
Let the donor beware
Many fraudulent charities go unnoticed for years
Dana Lacey, Financial Post September 19, 2009
New Hope Ministries Institute, a Calgary charity, lost its charitable status recently. That means none of the people who donated money will be able to claim it on their taxes. Turns out New Hope was part of an "abusive" tax shelter scheme, which diverted millions of dollars from the charitable sector while issuing receipts worth three times the value of the donations themselves.
In Canada, a charity can't give out tax receipts unless it's registered with the Canada Revenue Agency. But with tens of thousands of charities and only 1,000 audits per year, companies like New Hope can operate for years before being stripped of their status. Even without their registration number, most continue to operate.
So far this year, the CRA has revoked the charitable status of 37 organizations for failing to comply with the Income Tax Act. The agency only offers reasons for 18 of them, which include everything from "nonexistent books and records" to illegal tax shelters to spending large chunks of donated cash on fundraising.
They have legit-sounding names like The Children's Emergency Foundation and Truth Foundation Ministry Inc. Some borrow credibility from established charities, like the Wish Kids Foundation, which lost its status in 2005. Wish Kids allegedly claimed donated money would go to granting sick kids their dying wish, much like the Children's Wish Foundation of Canada. Allegedly, not a penny of the $900,000 donated to Wish Kids went to a child in need.
So, what's a donor to do?
The first and most obvious way to make sure you are donating to a legitimate charity is to do your homework. The more you donate, the more you should research to ensure your money is being used as advertised. When fundraisers come knocking, ask for the charity's registration number (which should also appear on any tax receipts they issue).
Charities Directorate, the federal charities regulator, offers a searchable database of all Canadian charities. Each listing provides a yearly financial overview, including balance sheets and details on employee compensation, real estate, etc. The truly savvy donor can go through these listings and look for any red flags, such as a high percentage of donor dollars going toward fundraising.
Cathy Barr, vice-president of operations for Imagine Canada, a registered charity that represents the philanthropic sector, warns that many people have unrealistic expectations when it comes to the cost of running a charity. "You hear people say, 'I want 100% of the money to go to the cause.' If that's the case, give it to the guy on the street. You don't know what he'll do with it, but it will have gone 100% to someone who needs it. But if you want infrastructure, decision making — who is going to get what — then there's going to be some cost to that."
You can't easily compare one balance sheet to another, she says.
While large charities with wide-reaching and common issues, like heart disease or cancer, attract a strongly dedicated volunteer force, it's not feasible for most charities to run that way.
The ultimate catch? There is no guarantee that the information provided is accurate until an audit by the CRA, which could take years (although it's a pretty safe assumption that any charity offering receipts for more than the value of your donation is not legitimate).
The good news is the CRA appears to be stepping up to the challenge: Nearly 40% of revoked charities in the 16-year-old database were revealed in the last two years.


text:
#StartupsEverywhere Profile: Matthew Marcus, Executive Director of Kansas City Startup Foundation, Kansas City, KS.
This profile is part of #StartupsEverywhere, an ongoing series highlighting startup leaders in ecosystems across the country. This interview has been edited for length, content, and clarity.
What's your role in your ecosystem?
I am the Executive Director for the Kansas City Startup Foundation (KCSF). My role is to lead and build the foundation so that we can continue to grow and advance Kansas City's startup ecosystem.
Can you tell us a little about the Kansas City Startup Foundation?
KCSF's mission is to unify and champion Kansas City's startup ecosystem. The organization was born from the efforts of the Kansas City Startup Village (KCSV) back in 2014 as a 501(c)3 nonprofit to support the village and the broader KC startup ecosystem. For those unfamiliar with the KCSV, it's an entrepreneurial micro-community that was founded in 2012 after a string of serendipitous events brought together a number of entrepreneurs in the (at that time, nascent) KC startup and hacker community centered around the first neighborhood in the world to get Google Fiber.
Today, KCSF does a variety of things for the community, such as provide continual support and connectivity to participants within the ecosystem who fall within these core stakeholder groups: entrepreneurs, schools, governments, corporations, investors, and startup related nonprofits. Additionally, we welcome visitors who wish to engage with the ecosystem and direct them to the appropriate resources. Furthermore, we create programs and host events which continually activate the entrepreneurial stack and foster collisions, co-learning, and community.
What's the most exciting thing that has happened in Kansas City in the past year?
It's difficult to pick just one, but I would say EyeVerify's acquisition by Ant Financial (a subsidiary of Alibaba) was quite exciting. EyeVerify was once a small KCSV-based startup. I remember when they were just a team of five and one of the first startups in the village. Toby Rush and his team advanced the technology and grew the company to the point where it became Alibaba's first U.S. acquisition (and one with a nine figure sales price).
What is the biggest challenge you face in Kansas City?
As ecosystem builders, I think the biggest challenge we face is education. By that, I mean educating absent stakeholders about the importance of Kansas City's startup ecosystem and how they have an crucial role to play. For example, some local corporations think of the startup community as being a zero-sum game. That they must lose in order for the startups and entrepreneurs to win. But that's just not the case. It's our job to help them realize we can all win. That a rising tide lifts all boats, and if we all participate and work together we'll get closer to a Kansas City that is "America's most entrepreneurial city."
Who are some of the major players that have helped your ecosystem grow?
The growth and success of Kansas City's startup ecosystem is the result of collective efforts among many stakeholders. For example, Maria Meyers and her team at KCSourceLink, a local entrepreneurial resource center, have made great strides to better KC's investment landscape. Think Big Partners and Kansas City, Missouri's government have led efforts to make KC a leader in the smart city industry by creating the Kansas City Living Lab. Aaron Deacon and KC Digital Drive continue to showcase Kansas City in a variety of ways as being a leader in the gigabit revolution. Adam Arredondo and his team at Center of Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Development (CEED) has helped grow the ecosystem in many ways through their coworking, education, and informational efforts (which includes Startland News). These are just some examples of organizations doing amazing things for Kansas City and beyond.
We talk a lot about the importance of connectivity for startup growth. Kansas City was one of the first Google Fiber cities. How has that impacted the KC startup community?
Without a doubt Google Fiber has played an important role in the growth and prosperity of KC's startup ecosystem. Their selection of Kansas City to be the first city in the world to receive their gigabit ISP service couldn't have come at a better time for the city. The then nascent startup community was beginning to find its legs, and Google Fiber provided the perfect boost to accelerate and intensify the startup energy. Of course, having access to 1Gbps Internet connectivity has been fantastic in many ways for residents and startups alike. Google Fiber continues to give local innovators, idealists, and entrepreneurs the opportunity to dream, invent and create next generation applications and services.
What are the most unique features of your startup community?
Collaboration trumps competition in Kansas City. Not to say that healthy competition doesn't exist here, but organizations and individuals tend to work together for the greater good rather than stifle one another for individual gains. Also, the cost of living and access to resources are both benefits of living and working in KC.
Are there specific public policies that have enabled innovation or startup growth in Kansas City (or Kansas, more broadly)?
There have been a few. One government provision by the state of Kansas which has seen tremendous success is the $6 million Kansas Angel Tax Credits program. It's been a big draw for startups to base themselves on the Kansas side of Kansas City. Participating in this program provides angel investors with a 50 percent income tax credit when they invest up to $50,000 in KS-based startups. Since its inception, the program has helped 343 companies to raise $369.7 million in capital and create 1,427 jobs.
Have you had interactions with local or national policymakers?
To a small degree. Thankfully, there are other startup ecosystem builders in Kansas City who continuously have their finger on the policy pulse and engage with lawmakers. People like Melissa Roberts with ECJC, Ryan Weber with KC Tech Council, Adam Arredondo of CEED, Maria Meyers of KCSourceLink, and Sherry Turner of OneKC for Women are consistently engaging with policymakers.
What is your goal for the next year? The next 5 years?
Over five years ago, the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce created the Big 5 Initiatives, one of which was to make Kansas City "America's most entrepreneurial city." It is certainly a lofty goal, but over time the goal has morphed into a kind of North Star for Kansas City's startup ecosystem. What can and should we be doing to ensure Kansas City remains one of America's premier startup cities? Our mission this year and in the years to come is to keep learning, keep experimenting, and keep delivering value to ecosystem participants, especially the entrepreneurs so they continue to build successful ventures.
What are some of the startups to watch coming out of Kansas City?
Definitely keep your eye on these startups in 2017 and beyond: EyeVerify, C2FO, Blooom, ShotTracker, Athlete Network, SpiderOak, DivvyHQ, IdleSmart. Also, a few newbies and hidden gems include Bungii, CaddyX, MyCroft, SquareOffs, and Stackify.


text:
To come
Sometimes things happen that I don't want to write down here—either things that are personal but don't belong to me (i.e., family matters) or things that are personal in a particularly personal way. Not things that are "TMI personal," because I blab about those all the time, but things that I'm afraid will float away if I open my arms too wide and let in too much air.
For example: last Monday was the 10-year reunion concert of The Light in the Piazza at Lincoln Center, performed by the original cast. It's been 10 years since I sat in the Vivian Beaumont and heard those voices singing that score, and at the end I closed my eyes for a couple of seconds, during "Fable," and let myself believe I was back there again, still living in Chicago, still excited about my future in New York, still hopeful, still hoping. I walked alone through the plaza afterwards and all I could think about was how tightly I wanted to hold it all in. Not to go backwards, exactly, just to remember that feeling of anticipating my own future.
I've thought a lot lately about what that time meant to me, because I remember 2006 as a very sweet and sort of golden year. I had so much to look forward to! I had something tangible to work toward yet no idea of what I would actually find once I got there. Everything was possible. And I think most of the malaise and general discontent I've felt over the past couple of years isn't so much a midlife crisis as realizing that I've lost that sense of anticipation, of having something new to plan for and be excited about. I suspect that is in fact the dictionary definition of midlife crisis, but whatever. Just because it's a cliché doesn't make it untrue. I also realized that as with most things in life the only person who's going to save me from it is me.
And I decided that's fine. Everything is fine! I'm happy to live here again in a way that I haven't been in a really long time! Instead of buying myself a little red Corvette I bought a bike helmet. Instead of moving to London or Paris or Seattle I'm taking a cooking class and picking up my camera again. I'm resetting my expectations and reminding myself that everything I need right now is here, right outside my doorstep. What I look forward to doesn't have a date attached to it, or any kind of timeline or even an end goal, and it's not some perfect vision of some perfect future, it's just... future. I'll try to keep my arms open, but who knows. That can be so exhausting.


text:
In today's economy, business has become increasingly uncertain. Customers are becoming more cautious of every dollar they spend; if at all they are spending. The business owners' main task, among others, is to give customers assurance that every dollar they spend is worth it. A happy customer makes for a happier bottom line.
To ensure that your customers are spending their dollars with you, here are a few ideas to keep your customers happy:
Promise only what you can keep.
When you are trying to win over a client, avoid promising them the moon and the stars just to get their business. Know what you can really do, then deliver what you promise. The relationship with your client will be doomed if you give them false promises and expectations right from the start. If you are a public relations specialist, don't tell your clients that you can get them featured at the Today Show when the most you can do is to publish their press release in your local newspaper. Clients will be happy when you deliver – and go beyond — their expectations.
Read the article Secrets of Selling: Build Trust and Rapport
Be reliable and consistently good.
If you want your customers to patronize your business again and again, the only way is to provide a consistently good performance. Your restaurant can't serve customers a fantastic full-flavored steak one day, and offer a hard-to-chew steak the next, and expect these customers to come back again. Set high standards of service right from the start, and make sure that all your employees (if any) adhere to that same high standard.
Read the article How to Get and Keep Customers and Clients
Avoid giving customers the run-around.
Customers complain for a variety of reasons, some of which you may consider valid, while others trivial. Nonetheless, you need to make your customers feel that they are important to your business by listening to their complaints and to the extent possible, solving their problem quickly. Do not give them the run-around, passing them on to one person, then to another, as this will only heighten their frustration. If you or your employees cannot immediately solve your customer's problem, assure the customer that you will be looking into the problem. Then devise a follow-up system to appraise the customer of the status of their complaints. You will have happy clients if they know that their opinion and concerns are important to you.
Read the article What to Do When a Deadline Can't Be Met
Open your lines of communication.
Make it easy for your customers to contact you. Technology should be used to provide logistical support, not create logistical blunders. If your business is online, have a "contact us" form at the very least; or put the contact numbers that customers can use to reach you. Avoid the voice mail trap, where your customers are put through an endless stream of voice mail options. If you are using voice mail it is advisable to offer an option that would allow your customers to speak to you or your employees. If you would rather use an answering machine to receive calls (e.g. you do not want customers to hear the cry of your infant), be sure to return calls promptly, preferably before the day ends.
Read the article Are Your Telephone Manners Turning Off Customers?
Have a comprehensive customer service policy.
Customers should be your number one priority. Hence, your business must have clear guidelines on how to effectively please – not just serve – your customers. Your policy should cover every touch points with the customer – e.g. giving customers as much information as you can, extending them courtesy and respect, even admitting your mistakes. Make sure that your staff and employees are all aware (and practice) your customer service guidelines.
Read the article How to Create a Bond With Your Prospects & Clients
Recommended Readings:
- How to Keep Customers Happy: 40 Do's and Don'ts of Customer Service
- 10 Ways to Secure Your Customer's Satisfaction
- Building Customer Engagement
- Customer Service: How to Knock the Socks Off Your Customers
- How to Foster Loyalty and Get Repeat Customers for Your Online Business
Recommended Books on How to Keep Customers Happy:
- Happy Customers Everywhere: How Your Business Can Profit from the Insights of Positive Psychology
- The Best Service is No Service: How to Liberate Your Customers from Customer Service, Keep Them Happy, and Control Costs
- Customers for Life: How to Turn That One-Time Buyer Into a Lifetime Customer
- Satisfied Customers Tell Three Friends, Angry Customers Tell 3,000: Running a Business in Today's Consumer-Driven World
- The Cult of the Customer: Create an Amazing Customer Experience That Turns Satisfied Customers Into Customer Evangelists
Similar Posts:
- The Enthusiastic Employee: 16 Myths on Employee and Performance Management
- Hiring and Retaining Good Employees
- Top 10 Ecommerce Mistakes
- 12-Step Template to Write an Effective Sales Letter
- How to Create an Effective Marketing Plan


text:
People typically operate on five distinct levels of awareness. There are many ways to describe these levels. Cooper's colors, for example, is a system frequently used in law enforcement and military training. At Stratfor, however, we have found that the most effective way to illustrate the differences between the levels is to compare them to the different degrees of attention people practice while driving. For our purposes here, we will refer to the five levels as "tuned out," "relaxed awareness," "focused awareness," "high alert" and "comatose."
The first level, tuned out, is similar to when a person is driving in a very familiar environment or is engrossed in thought, a daydream, a song on the radio or even by the kids fighting in the backseat. Increasingly, cellphone calls and texting are also causing people to tune out while they drive. A person experiences tuned-out driving when they arrive somewhere without really thinking about their trip.
The second level of awareness, relaxed awareness, is similar to defensive driving. This is a state in which one is relaxed but is also watching the other cars on the road and looking ahead for potential hazards. For example, if one is approaching an intersection and another driver looks like he may not stop, tapping on the brakes to slow down is a good defensive move. Defensive driving does not make a person weary, and one can drive this way for a long time if they have the discipline to keep themselves from slipping into a tuned-out mode. While practicing defensive driving, one can still enjoy the trip, look at the scenery and listen to the radio, but they cannot allow themselves to get so engrossed in those distractions that they ignore everything else. Although relaxed and enjoying the drive, one is still watching for road hazards, maintaining a safe following distance and keeping an eye on nearby drivers.
The next level of awareness, focused awareness, is akin to driving in hazardous road conditions. One must practice this level of awareness when driving on icy or slushy roads — or the pothole-infested roads populated by erratic drivers that exist in many developing countries. When driving in such an environment, one needs to keep two hands on the wheel at all times and have their attention totally focused on the road and the other drivers around them, never taking their eyes off the road or letting their attention wander. There is no time for cellphone calls or other distractions. The level of concentration this type of driving requires makes it extremely tiring and stressful. A drive that would normally seem routine is exhausting under these conditions because it demands prolonged and total concentration.
The fourth level of awareness is high alert. This is the level that induces an adrenaline rush, a prayer and a gasp for air all at the same time when one sees a car run a stop sign and pull into a busy intersection. High alert can be scary, but at this level one is still able to function — they can hit their brakes and keep their car under control. In fact, the adrenaline rush one gets at this stage can sometimes aid their reflexes.
The last level of awareness, comatose, is what happens when one literally freezes at the wheel and cannot respond to stimuli, either because they have fallen asleep or, at the opposite end of the spectrum, because they are petrified. It is this panic-induced paralysis that is most important for situational awareness. The brain ceases to process information and one simply cannot react to the reality of the situation, risking shock. Many times when this happens, a person can go into denial, believing "this cannot be happening to me," or the person can feel as though he or she is observing the event rather than actually participating in it. Often, the passage of time will seem to grind to a halt. Crime victims frequently report experiencing this sensation and often note they were unable to act as a crime unfolded.
Finding the Right Level
Now that we have discussed the different levels of awareness, we can focus on identifying which levels are ideal at a given time. The body and mind require rest, so we have to spend several hours each day at the comatose level while asleep. When we are sitting in our homes watching a movie or reading a book, it is perfectly fine to operate in the tuned-out mode. However, some people will attempt to maintain the tuned-out mode in decidedly inappropriate environments — for example, when they are out on the street at night in a Third World shantytown. Other times, they will maintain a mindset wherein they deny that criminals can victimize them, thinking, "That couldn't happen to me, so there's no need to watch for it." This attitude tunes them out to any potential threats.
If one is tuned out while driving and something unexpected happens — say, a child runs into the road or a car ahead stops quickly — one will not see the problem coming. This usually means that one either does not see the hazard in time and hits it, or they totally panic, freeze and cannot react to it; neither is good. These reactions — or lack of reactions — occur because it is very difficult to change mental states quickly, especially when the adjustment requires moving several steps, say, from tuned-out to high alert. It is like trying to shift a car directly from first gear into fifth, making it shudder and stall. Many times when people are forced to make this mental jump they panic and stall, going into shock and actually freezing up, rendering them unable to take any action — they go comatose. This happens not only when driving but also when a criminal catches someone totally unaware and unprepared. While training does help people move up and down the alertness continuum, it is difficult even for highly trained individuals to transition from the tuned-out to high-alert stages. This is why law enforcement and military personnel receive so much training on situational awareness.
It is critical to stress here that situational awareness does not mean being paranoid or obsessively concerned about security. In fact, people simply cannot operate in a state of focused awareness for extended periods, and high alert can be maintained only for very brief periods before exhaustion sets in. The fight-or-flight response can be very helpful if it can be controlled. When it gets out of control, however, a constant stream of adrenaline and stress is simply not healthy for the body and mind, and this also hampers awareness. Therefore, operating constantly in a state of high alert is not the answer, nor is operating for prolonged periods in a state of focused alert, which can also be demanding and completely exhausting. The human body simply is not designed to function under constant stress. All people, even highly skilled operators, require time to rest and recover.
Because of this, the basic level of situational awareness that should be practiced most of the time is relaxed awareness, a state of mind that can be maintained indefinitely without all the stress and fatigue associated with focused awareness or high alert. Relaxed awareness is not tiring, and it allows one to enjoy life while rewarding one with an effective level of personal security. When people are in an area where there is potential danger (which, in reality, is almost anywhere), they should go through most of the day in a state of relaxed awareness. If they spot something out of the ordinary that could be a threat, they can "shift up" to a state of focused awareness and take a careful look at that potential threat while also looking for others in the area. If the potential threat proves innocuous or is simply a false alarm, they can shift back down into relaxed awareness and continue on their way. If, on the other hand, the potential threat becomes a probable threat, detecting it in advance allows a person to take action to avoid it. In such a case, elevating to a higher alert may become unnecessary because the problem was avoided at an earlier stage.
However, once a person is in a state of focused awareness, they are far better prepared to handle the jump to high alert if the threat does change from potential to actual — if the three thugs lurking on the corner do start advancing and look as if they are reaching for weapons.
Of course, when a person knowingly ventures into an area that is very dangerous, it is only prudent to practice focused awareness while in that area. For example, if there is a specific section of highway where many improvised explosive devices detonate and ambushes occur, or if there is a part of a city that is controlled and patrolled by criminal gangs — and the area cannot be avoided — it is prudent to practice a heightened level of awareness when in those areas. An increased level of awareness is also prudent when engaging in common or everyday tasks that present increased risk, such as visiting an ATM or walking to one's car alone in a dark parking lot. When the time of potential danger has passed, it is easy to shift back down to a state of relaxed awareness.
Honing situational awareness skills can be done by practicing some simple drills. For example, one can consciously move one's awareness level up to a focused state for short periods during the day. Examples of this can include identifying all the exits when entering a building, counting the number of people in a restaurant or subway car, or noting which cars take the same turns in traffic. One trick that many law enforcement officers employ is taking a look at the people around them and attempting to figure out their stories — in other words, what they do for a living, their mood, what they are focused on and what they are preparing to do that day, based merely on observation. Performing such simple focused-awareness drills will train a person's mind to be aware of these things almost subconsciously when the person is in a relaxed state of awareness.
This situational awareness process also demonstrates the importance of being familiar with one's environment and the dangers that are present there. Such awareness permits some threats to be avoided and others to be guarded against when one must venture into a dangerous area. The process of constructing a baseline understanding of one's environment will be the next building block we will discuss.


text:
Pinkyshop Online Store is a privately owned business that has been operating online for more than 7 years now. We have always dedicated ourselves to providing a large selection of novelty items and baby products for our customers at discounted prices. The company's comprehensive approach as a wholesaler and retailer allows them to cut costs in order to offer the best available prices.
For novelty items and baby products that make you stand out from the rest, Pinkyshop Online Store is your best choice. With their fast and efficient delivery, you can enjoy shopping at home and have the goods delivered right into your doorsteps.


text:
This soft and naturally absorbant bamboo nursing top by Sophie & Eve will be a favorite! Soft pleats skim the body and allow for changes to your post-partum figure. Pretty 3/4 length sleeves and a wider rounded neckline and polish. Easy nursing access by pulling aside the pleated fabric to reveal hidden nursing slits.
The Sophie & Eve bamboo pleated nursing top is available in black, burgundy, or navy, in sizes XS-XL (fitting sizes 0-14).
Image Credit: Figure 8 Maternity


text:
Maya Breeze Inn (Maya Breeze Inn)
Maya Breeze Inn (Maya Breeze Inn) Property Location
With a stay at Maya Breeze Inn in Placencia, youll be near the beach and minutes from Maya Beach. This hotel is within the region of Placencia Beach and Silk Caye National Park.
Make yourself at home in one of the 8 guestrooms. Rooms have private balconies or patios. Complimentary wireless Internet access is available to keep you connected. Bathrooms have showers and complimentary toiletries.
Enjoy recreation amenities such as an outdoor pool or take in the view from a terrace. This hotel also features complimentary wireless Internet access, concierge services, and babysitting/childcare (surcharge).
Quench your thirst with your favorite drink at a bar/lounge.
Business, Other Amenities
Featured amenities include laundry facilities, a library, and a safe deposit box at the front desk. Free self parking is available onsite.
- Final price! No hidden fees.
- Annulation gatuite
- Le meilleur taux garantis
Available now over 600,000 hotels worldwide


text:
Black PVC Catwoman Catsuit
This sultry PVC catsuit will have you at the centre of attention all night.
Small: UK Sizes 6/8,
Medium: UK Sizes 8/10,
Large: UK Sizes 10/12,
XL: UK Sizes 12/14.
If you're in the mood to be a sultry little minx, then we have the ideal catsuit for any and all occasions you might have! A firm favourite at adult parties and Halloween celebrations, this black PVC catsuit is a firm favourite with everyone who buys it.
The zip of the catsuit stretches from the small of the back to just below the collarbone. The neckline has a Swan styled collar that sits open, exposing a little chest. As the model is demonstrating, the zip can also be undone lower to more flesh, if desired.
Chest 28"
Waist 26"
Hips 34"
Inside leg 29"
Neck to crotch 28"
Chest 30"
Waist 27"
Hips 36"
Inside leg 31"
Neck to crotch 29"
Chest 32"
Waist 28"
Hips 38"
Inside leg 31.5"
Neck to crotch 30"
Chest 34"
Waist 30"
Hips 39"
Inside leg 32"
Neck to crotch 31"


text:
Ireland has four regions - Ulster, Leinster, Munster and Connacht. Within Connacht lies captivating Connemara and glorious Galway, where Dubarry is based.
Each region is unique with landscapes of contrasting beauty, steeped in legend and history. From rugged grandeur to gentler pastures and hills, the Irish countryside provided the inspiration when we created our superb range of Tweeds.
The designs of our Tweed are unique to Dubarry. The patterns have been developed in association with Lovats tweed mill in Scotland, and are crafted from 100% pure new wool.
Unlike Scotland, where there are family tartans, the many dozens of Irish Tartans are mostly arranged by county and district. They are reminiscent of each particular area with soft warm colours. Most people of Irish heritage wear the Tartan of the Irish county/region from where their families originated.
When it came to selecting the names of the Dubarry Tweeds we wanted to celebrate our special Irish heritage, landscape and nature. We wanted names that would not only recognise the regions in which we live and work, but also capture a feel for the elements that harmonise into the wonderful natural palette of colours that typifies our homeland.
And so, by combining our native regions with natural elements and Irish flowers, plants and trees, we were able to create a rich and evocative selection of names for our Tweed Collection.
Our Tweeds are enhanced with Teflon® fabric protector, which provides durable, long-lasting protection against oil- and water-based stains, dust and dry soil. Fabrics with Teflon® stay looking newer longer, and are easier to care for. All without impacting the look, touch, feel, colour or breathability of the fabric.
The Dubarry garments engineered with GORE-TEX® Product Technology are durably waterproof and windproof combined with optimised breathability. Enduring products that maximise wearers´ protection and comfort.
GORE–TEX® is the ultimate waterproof membrane for Performance Footwear & Outerwear. It is the most durably waterproof and highly breathable bi–component material available. In addition to its waterproof and breathable characteristics, perspiration is also wicked away from the foot ensuring a dry and comfortable environment, even in the most extreme conditions.
A GORE-TEX® membrane is bonded to a lightweight fabric and a liner is freely suspended between the outer fabric and the lining. The benefit: fewer sealed seams means manufacturers have more freedom for fashion applications. This construction can be combined with insulation.
Ideal for a wide range of outdoor activities, with this construction a GORE-TEX® membrane is bonded to the outer fabric only. The benefit: the separate lining inside improves wearing comfort and versatility. This construction can be combined with insulation, keeping the wearer dry and warm.
A GORE-TEX® membrane is bonded to a lightweight fabric and a liner is freely suspended between the outer fabric and the lining. The benefit: fewer sealed seams means manufacturers have more freedom for fashion applications. This construction can be combined with insulation.
Dubarry Products with GORE–TEX®
We offer a range of performance footwear and outerwear which are engineered with the GORE–TEX®.
Including a full range of leather country boots, performance sailing boots, deck shoes and waterproof men's & women's jackets.
PrimaLoft® is soft, extremely lightweight and breathable with excellent water repellence to keep you comfortable, warm and dry. It absorbs 3 times less water, is 14% warmer when dry and is 24% warmer when wet than the competitive insulation.
Setting the benchmark in high-performing synthetic insulation, PrimaLoft® is thermally efficient, keeping you warm without weight or bulk while resisting water. Making it the ideal choice for Dubarry performance outerwear.
Breathable: Encourages the passage of air and moisture to keep you warm and prevent you feeling clammy.
Fast Drying: Acclerated dry rate for comport on the go.
Lightweight: Maximum freedom of movement with all the warmth you need.
Packable: Packs down easily to allow you to store in small spaces.
Superior Softness: Unsurpassed softness which offers a flattering fit and feels great.
Warmth Without Bulk: Offers a high warmth to weight ratio.
Water Resistant: Absorbs less moisture ensuring you stay drier and warmer.
Dubarry of Ireland offer a range of outdoor clothing filled with the benefits of PrimaLoft® synthetic insulation. This includes stylish women's winter jackets and gilets plus a range of men's outerwear.


text: Today, winds will decrease as low pressure departs heading for Greenland. The cold air mass however, takes firm hold today with temps only in the 30's and 40's. Looking ahead, a warm up is in store late this week before another cold front passes through with another round of rain. Beyond that, early next week looks even colder.


text:
James is a special needs student who is an easy target for bullies, but five boys are on a mission to put an end to it. They promise to protect James from bullying, but what they end up doing goes way beyond that. Their camaraderie and friendship provides James with a new, bright outlook on life. Heck, it even gives me hope!
Because of James's learning disabilities, he's forced to work in a different classroom than the rest of the kids his age. As a result, making friends is difficult. But the boys featured in the video below did not let James's differences stand in the way of getting to know him. After seeing James get bullied, they vowed to never let it happen again.
Click on James's story to watch this incredibly touching video.


text:
Almost finished
This shawl is not for the faint of heart. Not that the pattern is difficult or hard to follow, just a lot of knitting. 200,040 stitches so far, not counting the 40,000 that I had to rip back when I found a mistake So glad that I did that, as I would have always been bothered by it, nobody else would have noticed. This number also does not count the 4,816 stitches for the applied I-cord that I have to do yet. I first started to do the row calculation by hand, and quickly realized that was going to take me forever, and be mistake prone. Enter Excel who did the calculations in 3 minutes.
I changed the end color to a beautiful dark eggplant. I like how it looks so far, it will be interesting to see how it looks when wearing. I also found that I had to add an additional lace row. I have looked over and over at the pattern, and I think that if you do not add that additional lace row, you will have puckering at the edges, as there will be too many straight garter stitch rows at the end before the I-cord. After a few early mistakes, I discovered the key to working this pattern, because you do not want to have to rip it back, or correct a mistake from several rows below. I figured out how each new lace row was suppose to align with the one 8 rows below, and focused as I was knitting that row. If the alignment became off, I knew I had a mistake in that quadrant of the shawl (as the shawl is picked around a center knit square, and knit in 4 sections with an alternating slip stitch at the corners). On the next row, I counted the 8 yarn-overs and 8 deceases over and over and over. My second insurance policy. Mistakes were easy to rectify at that point.
The last 6-8 inches I used a 60″ circular needle. Addi Turbo are the only ones who make that length. I was a bit concerned at first, as I normally prefer a wood needle, especially for socks and lace knitting. I was pleasantly surprised with how well this worked. I did have a few times where the stitches slid off the end when I put it down, an issue that does not really occur with wooden needles. Grace Anna told me she did the whole shawl on 40″ circulars, I don't know how. I had some room on the needles at the end, but definitely had to push the stitches around.
Now on to the I-cord edging, another 4,816 stitches. Pales by comparison. We are in the car for a long drive this weekend, so I plan to work on that portion then.