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I'm Emma J, 40-something writer and Editor-in-Chief of Mayfair Mum from 2011-2014 and now here at Em's Life After 40. I've also guest blogged here.
I chose to leave full-time corporate life in 2010 after 15 years in professional services marketing and business development, hoping for a more balanced lifestyle while Mr J and I raise our son, The 9yo. I chose to pursue a new career largely due to the lack of part-time roles in my profession, so I've worked three days a week as an Executive Assistant in London's West End ever since. A role which allows both of us time to make the most of our family responsibilities.
When The 9yo was a toddler, I missed the creativity of my previous marketing role, so set up Mayfair Mum, a parenting blog, with my laptop, my initiative and my desire to write and keep learning. In just three and a half years, writing about our experiences raising a Little Chap, I learned how to use WordPress and social media, indulged my love of writing, grew a substantial readership and built new relationships with bloggers and PRs as I reviewed and shared quality brands with my readers.
Then, just before Christmas 2014, rain stopped play. My father had a massive heart attack and stroke and by the time I felt the urge to write again, the parenting platform I'd created didn't feel like it fit anymore. However, sharing my experience with a friend on holiday this year, I realised how much I'd given up & how much more I have to offer (Many thanks, Marli!).
So on 1 August 2018, Em's Life After 40 was born! A lifestyle blog for others like me.
Who's like me, you ask…?
Well, perhaps not completely unlike you…?
We are living – Unafraid to admit to being in our mid-life, with hopefully as many good years ahead as behind, quality, healthy, real food is our passion, but we lack time to cook. Me, I prefer tea (but drink the occasional coffee), I'm loving the Gin Revolution but still enjoy a quality wine and love a cocktail – more than I can drink them and still walk a straight line!
We love a new restaurant or bar as much now as before we had to negotiate the childcare! We love nothing better than to read a good book and listen to great music. We enjoy a great film, play, concert or show whenever possible but we're also short on time, carefully allocating increasingly squeezed funds to the many demands of busy 40-something family life!
We are loving – As "older" mothers, we're passionate about our child/ren, their well-being and happiness, their personal development and education but enjoying helping them grow in independence to give us just a little more time for everything else!
Wives/partners or girlfriends, wanting (but rarely finding the energy!) to be passionate for our other half but also to enjoy family time – ever increasingly precious as kids grow up faster each year – building treasured memories of fun times with loved ones when we can all relax and get away from it all.
We're "always busy" women. Managing a career, continually juggling employer needs with ours, with the inevitable guilt that comes from having it all. Balancing the demands of career, family, friends, home and local community and hoping to make a little time for us too!
We are learning – 40-something women with full and busy lifestyles, we know we have to take care of ourselves first, physically and mentally. We're learning to love the endorphin rush and results associated with regular exercise but if we're honest, going to the gym still feels like another chore.
Having to look our professional best for work we're learning to invest in key pieces that build a hard-working capsule wardrobe to take us from office to rugby pitch and drinks with the girls but rarely find time to shop. The older we get, the more products we find in our bathroom cabinet, though we need a zippy, streamlined routine!
Wiser women who have grown to understand that as that famous bear once said, we're braver than we believed, stronger than we seemed and smarter than we thought.
We're women who get things done, whose goal for #LifeAfter40 is to focus on the good things, big and small.
I hope you'll find something for you here at Em's Life whether wisdom, entertainment, ideas or friendship and I warmly invite you to rest up, make a drink, browse, read and enjoy!
I reply to all comments however long it takes, so please stop and chat and please sign up – I won't blitz your inbox – I'll be too busy clearing my own!
I look forward to meeting you!
Em x


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NASA funds search for past life on Mars
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has awarded a $750,000 grant to a U.S. researcher for help in searching for evidence of past life on Mars.
NASA is funding the work by University of California-Santa Barbara organic chemist Luann Becker to further develop the Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer -- an instrument nicknamed MOMA that will search for the remnants of life on Mars.
The analyzer -- a mass spectrometer -- will examine soil samples taken from up to 6 1/2 feet below the surface of Mars. It will be one of a suite of 10 instruments in the European Space Agency's ExoMars "Pasteur" payload, scheduled to arrive on Mars in 2013.
Becker is the principal investigator of a team that includes French and German scientists, as well as two co-investigators from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
NASA said ExoMars is to be launched from the Kourou space port in French Guiana and will deploy a highly mobile rover equipped with a drill to provide the first subsurface vertical profile of Mars.
Copyright 2007 by United Press International
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BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA, the fourth largest city in South America, with seven million residents, is home to a vibrant restaurant scene, world-class museums and a charming colonial quarter. It is the country's capital and intellectual hub, an enlightened, pedestrian-friendly city with 75 miles of urban arteries turned over to cyclists and walkers every Sunday. And to top it off, the weather is temperate, with highs in the 60's year round.
In other words, Bogotá is a great place to visit.
No, seriously, it is.
Violent reputations can take a long time to shake -- just ask tourism officials in Beirut or the Bronx -- but Bogotá has been shaking hard for about a decade. Several mayors engineered an urban rebirth; since taking office in 2002 the Colombian president, Álvaro Uribe, cracked down on violence. Unesco awarded it the City for Peace Prize for 2002-3, given for developing "a true urban conviviability," and named it the World Book Capital in 2007. And in January, the United States State Department issued a Travel Warning for Colombia that said, "Violence in recent years has decreased markedly in most urban centers, including Bogotá."
"The situation in Bogotá seems to be greatly improved in terms of security and public safety from five years ago, and the atmosphere is much more relaxed," said Marshall Louis, a spokesman for the United States Embassy there.
Bogotá can be dangerous, to be sure, but the primary concern is theft, not kidnappings. And extortion-related kidnappings are becoming rarer across the nation, with the government reporting a 51 percent drop: 369 in 2005, down from 747 in 2004.They remain far more frequent in rural areas.
Visitors should avoid public transportation and call taxis instead of hailing possibly unauthorized cars. Hire a taxi for the day if possible; it is relatively cheap (12,000 pesos an hour -- just over $5 at 2,300 pesos to the dollar), eliminates waiting and the driver can serve as an informal tour guide. Do not wear fancy jewelry and keep a hand on your wallet in crowds.Continue reading the main story
Once you get the safety drill down, the city is yours to explore. It is laid out in an easy-to-navigate grid of carreras and calles. Here are a few places you'll find:
The Gold Museum (Museo del Oro, Calle 16, 5-41 -- meaning between Carreras 5 and 6, No. 41; phone 57-1-343-2222; entrance 2,500 pesos) with its 34,000 pre-Columbian gold items. The Botero Museum (Calle 11, No. 4-21, 57-1-343-1223), a collection donated by the Colombian painter and sculptor Fernando Botero, including 123 of his own works and others by Picasso, Monet, Renoir and the like. La Candelaria, a colonial neighborhood of steep streets that is practically a museum in itself.
Then there are the fine restaurants in the hot new restaurant district known as the Zona G, and those with a more edgy feel in the Bosque Izquierdo neighborhood. And romantic Usaquén, a small town swallowed up by the fashionable northern reaches of the city, has excellent restaurants, live music venues and a Sunday flea market. (For an introduction to the city see www.english.bogotaturismo.gov.co.)
Colombian food, largely unknown to Americans, has plenty to offer: steaks; corncakes known as arepas; cheese buns called almojábanas; and the Bogotano specialty, a chicken, potato and avocado stew called ajiaco, seasoned with guascas leaves. Where to find the best ajiaco is a matter for debate, but to start, there's Casa Vieja (Avenida Jiménez, No. 3-62, 57-1-334-8908, and two other locations); and on weekends, Entrepués, north of the city (Carretera Central del Norte, kilometer 23, vía Sopó, 57-1-865-0020).
Bogotá is a typical Andean high-altitude polluted city-in-a-bowl, so physical beauty is not its forte. But taking the funicular (at Carrera 2 and Calle 21) to the top of Monserrate hill is a must, along with a visit to the Museo del Oro and Plaza Bolívar (the requisite central-plaza-with-cathedral). Sports fans will want to check out a soccer game at El Campín stadium, where both Millonarios and Santa Fé play (at Calle 57 Avenida 30, 57-1-315-8726; tickets 8,000 to 30,000 pesos). In January or February, go to the bullfights at the Plaza de Santamaría (Carrera 6, No. 26-50, 57-1-334-1482 for tickets, which are 60,000 to 380,000 pesos).
There is as much to do just beyond the city limits, in the lovely rural surroundings that Bogotanos call the Sabana. Rustic restaurants with traditional food abound, and 30 miles from the city in Zipaquirá is the popular Salt Cathedral, literally a cathedral carved from a salt mine.
And then there's Andrés Carne de Res in Chía (Calle 2, No. 11a-56, 57-1-863-7880), a restaurant in name but really a riotously decorated spectacle of art and music and eccentricity (check out www.andrescarnederes.com, to get an idea).The endless menu is heavy on the beef (that's what Carne de Res means, after all) but they also serve everything from ajiaco to banana splits. Those wanting relative calm should eat in the afternoon; those going at night should go early to get a table, and stay late as the mayhem (eat, drink, dance, dance on tables) ensues.
The Andrés experience is representative of what the world misses out on by not going to Colombia: it manages to be profound, spellbinding, beautiful, tumultuous, confusing and fattening all at once.Continue reading the main story


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Veterans Benefits FAQ
If you were injured or developed a serious illness as a result of your military service, veterans disability benefits may be your only option for paying your bills and taking care of your family. And while the government frequently provides these benefits to injured veterans like you, it's not always easy to get them, as many first-time applications are denied due to insufficient evidence, missing paperwork, and more.
At Norris Injury Lawyers, our Alabama veterans disability benefits lawyers want to help you navigate the complex red tape of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) application and appeals processes by removing as many obstacles as possible that separate you from the money you deserve. To learn more about how we help our clients during this process, check out our frequently asked questions below—and don't hesitate to contact us if you're ready to get started today.
Am I eligible for veterans disability benefits?
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, you may be entitled to compensation for disabilities:
- that were received or aggravated during active military, naval, or air service,
- which occurred anytime between the date of entry into active service and ending on the date of discharge from active service, and
- if you were discharged under other than dishonorable conditions.
If you're unsure whether you're eligible to receive VA disability benefits, the Alabama veterans disability benefits attorneys at Norris Injury Law are here to assist you. We can review all aspects of your military service, the severity of injuries or illnesses you suffered while serving our country, and the manner in which your disabilities affect your daily life and ability to earn a living.
Contact our Norris Injury Lawyers today. We'll review your military and disability history and walk you through your options. And if you're eligible to receive veterans disability benefits, you can count on us to fight for your rights—even if it means appealing the VA's decision. Just dial (800) 477-7510 or fill out a free online form.
Can I receive VA disability benefits while I am receiving SSD benefits?
While the Social Security Administration (SSA) considers your income when determining your Social Security Disability (SSD) benefit, VA disability benefits are not considered income, so you may still be eligible for SSD benefits.
Can I work while receiving VA disability benefits?
Yes. Many veterans continue to work while receiving disability benefits. Only veterans considered "unemployable" due to their high disability rating are unable to continue working.
How can I obtain a copy of my military records?
Most veterans (and their next of kin) can obtain free copies of military records from the National Archives and Record Administration (NARA), where military records are now filed (no longer with your local VA office). You can request your military records electronically using the eVetRecs System, or by mailing or faxing the NARA a copy of SF-180 to:
National Personnel Records Center
9700 Page Avenue
St. Louis, Missouri 63132
or by Fax: (314) 801-9195
What benefits are available to my family?
Beneficiaries of veterans (spouse, former non-remarried spouse, dependents) may be eligible for benefits from the VA. These benefits may include:


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Joint pains and swollen feet can be painful and restrict you from giving your 100% performance and output. Joint pain, muscle pain and back pain can be very irritating.
If you are unable to manage your excessive inflammation, try free supply of Anatabloc Anti Inflammatory Support. The product is a dietary supplement support to relieve you from muscle pain and joint pain.
The supplement is a revolutionary breakthrough and a scientific formulation to abet with managing excessive tenderness.
How does the supplement work?
The supplement assists the body's natural procedure of normalizing its own soreness. The ingredients blended in the supplement are-
- Anatabine
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin D3
These ingredients facilitate the body in reduced inflammation and inhibit the pro-inflammatory alleyway. In this manner it helps in maintaining subordinate levels of inflammation.
More about Anatabloc Diet supplement…
The supplement is a no prescription required drug and contains a good mix of each of its ingredient. Each capsule contains 500 units of vitamin A, 40 units of vitamin D3 and 1 milligram of anatabine.
The outshining features of the product are-
- Safe and easy for daily extended term use with no side effect at all
- This is also available in easy to carry expedient dispenser pack!
- Helps body in providing anti-inflammatory support
- Assists endurance to athletes and fitness freaks
- Available in mint flavored lozenge and also as unflavored/unsweetened tablet
- Gluten free product
- To have great results take lozenges three times a day
- 200 servings per container
The anti inflammation supplement is a great product to reduce inflammation, aches and pains. Those who are athletes or fitness freaks can benefit a lot from the regular supplementation.
Also if you feel pain in back, or joints, back pains, or if you are a patient of painful arthritis or muscle pain, then Anatabloc Anti-Inflammatory Support is going to help you.
This is an incredible joint support dietary product and can reverse the inflammatory effects in muscles. The supplement has an added advantage of assisting you with weight loss. It prohibits the unwanted weight gain.
You can receive your free 7-day Trial Pack Online now!
You can order your trial pack for free by simply logging in at the official website of Anatabloc Anti-Inflammatory Support.
To see for real life testimonials for the satisfied customers, and to have some more details, you can visit the company's website. http://www.prlog.org/12118381-anatabloc-anti-inflammatory-reviews-does-it-work-for-join-pain.html


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Mosaic Tiles
Your selection:Clear All
- 1'' x 1''
- 1'' x 2''
- 1/2'' x 1''
- 2'' x 2''
- 3/4'' x 3/4''
- 3/8'' x 3/8''
- 5/8'' x 5/8''
- 7/8'' x 7/8''
- Mini Uniform Brick
- Uniform Brick
- Aqua
- Beige
- Black
- Blue
- Brown
- Copper
- Gold
- Green
- Grey
- Multi Color
- Orange
- Peach
- Pink
- Purple
- Red
- Silver
- Stainless Steel
- White
- Yellow
- Glossy
- Glossy/Frosted & Iridescent
- Antique
- Brushed
- Frosted & Iridescent
- Glossy & Brushed
- Glossy & Frosted
- Glossy & Iridescent
- Glossy & Matte
- Glossy & Unpolished
- Glossy, Frosted & Unpolished
- Matte
- Matte & Iridescent
- Polished
- Tumbled
- Absolut Glass
- Botanical Glass
- Champion Tile
- Euro Glass
- Fusion
- Horizon Tile
- Matrix Mosaics
- Millenium Products
- Ocean Pool Mosaics
- Quest
- Regency
- Royal Tile & Stone
- Tuscan Glass
- Universal Glass Designs
Blue Copper Blend 3/4'' x 3/4'' Glossy Glass TilePrice per sqft. $8.08Price per sheet $9.30
for $3.95
Teal Blue Glossy Glass TilePrice per sqft. $24.73Price per sheet $26.88
Ocean Blue Illusion 1" x 1" Glossy Glass TilePrice per sqft. $19.91Price per sheet $21.60
for $3.95
Steel Silver 5/8'' x 5/8'' Glass and Metal Glossy TilePrice per sqft. $19.73Price per sheet $18.92
for $3.95
Sea Green Glossy Glass TilePrice per sqft. $5.65Price per sheet $5.89
for $3.95
Turquoise Blue 1'' x 1'' Glossy Glass TilePrice per sqft. $22.36Price per sheet $24.30
for $3.95
Mother of Pearl White 1'' x 1'' Shell TilePrice per sqft. $39.90Price per sheet $39.90
for $3.95
Pearl White 3/4'' x 3/4'' Glossy Shell TilePrice per sqft. $27.78Price per sheet $26.71
for $3.95
Brown,Grey, Green & Yellow Brown 1'' x 1'' Glass Glossy TilePrice per sqft. $22.39Price per sheet $24.30
for $3.95
Bling Silver Mirror 1'' X 1'' Glass TilePrice per sqft. $19.66Price per sheet $18.90
for $3.95
Silver Uniform Brick Mirror Glass TilePrice per sqft. $13.38Price per sheet $12.74
for $3.95
Antoinette Blue Mini Uniform Brick Glossy Glass TilePrice per sqft. $22.94Price per sheet $22.94
for $3.95
Serene Sea Blend 1'' x 1'' Glossy Glass TilePrice per sqft. $13.70Price per sheet $13.70
for $3.95
Bamboo Bronze 3/4'' x 3/4'' Glossy Glass TilePrice per sqft. $9.16Price per sheet $8.98
for $3.95
On the Rox Silver 1'' x 1'' Glossy Glass TilePrice per sqft. $26.83Price per sheet $25.18
for $3.95
Prairie Blue 5/8'' x 5/8'' Glossy Glass TilePrice per sqft. $16.20Price per sheet $16.20
for $3.95
Silver Mirror 1" x 1" Glass TilePrice per sqft. $11.68Price per sheet $12.67
for $3.95
Scarlet- Red 2'' x 2'' Glass Glossy TilePrice per sqft. $16.77Price per sheet $16.94
for $3.95
Jewel Bright Ice White Uniform Brick Glass and Stone TilePrice per sqft. $25.39Price per sheet $21.83
for $3.95
Jet Black 1'' x 2'' Glass Glossy TilePrice per sqft. $24.73Price per sheet $26.88
for $3.95
Beach Sand Blue 1'' x 1'' Glossy Glass TilePrice per sqft. $17.37Price per sheet $18.88
for $3.95
Sea Mist Blue 2'' x 2'' Glossy Glass TilePrice per sqft. $21.60Price per sheet $20.71
for $3.95
Mother of Pearl White Mini Uniform Brick Shell TilePrice per sqft. $17.73Price per sheet $17.05
for $3.95
Hot Pink 1'' x 1'' Glass Glossy TilePrice per sqft. $16.57Price per sheet $15.38
for $3.95
When beginning a new tiling project, don't overlook the details. Small mosaic tiles can add a punch of color to a room, or provide the main focal piece in the design. Choosing the best type of mosaic tiles requires an understanding of what's available, and then picking out the best type for the room.
Accents Done Right
Mosaic tiles are primarily used as accent pieces. You will commonly find them used as a border or edging material or you may prefer to create an entire mosaic design to cover a wall or floor, or a mosaic tile backsplash in your kitchen or bathroom.
By their very nature, mosaic tiles are small. They usually measure between ½ and 1 inch square, although small rectangular 1-by-2-inch tiles are also available. This means that you will get more tiles per square foot, but you will also need to to plan for extra grouting and installation time.
Tile Choices
Mosaic tiles come in a large range of materials. These include:
Aluminum and metal
The type of material you choose depends on several factors. Ask yourself these five questions before you begin looking at tiles:
Are you installing them on a wall or floor?
Will they be exposed to moisture or high humidity?
Is staining a concern?
What other tile types are you using in the project?
Do they work with the overall design plan for the space?
For example, ceramic, porcelain and stone tiles are a better option for the floor, due to increased durability. If you are placing them in a bathroom or kitchen, where moisture and stains are a concern, skip porous stone for a more impermeable material.
Mosaic tiles used as an accent in a larger tiled surface should have the same cleaning requirements as the surrounding material. For example, stone tiles are more likely to suffer damage from harsh cleaners, so if you mix them in with ceramic tiles you will need to depend on mild, nonabrasive and non-acidic cleaners to wash the entire surface.
Room-by-Room Design
If you still need inspiration to narrow down your mosaic tile choices, consider the room and how you use it.
Kitchen: In the kitchen, mosaic tile is typically used in the backsplash. Ceramic, glass and porcelain are the best choices, because they easily wipe clean. They also won't absorb stains and odors. If you want stone, it's best to choose darker colors and mix them in with other mosaic materials so they won't show wear or stains.
Bathroom: Glass is a popular mosaic choice in the bathroom, because it reflects the light and can make the space look larger. Porcelain, ceramic and shell are other excellent choices. A mosaic tile backsplash can add a pop of color to a room that is often tiled in neutral tones.
Floors: Floor mosaics are usually limited to border accents or small spaces, such as entryways, halls, or bathrooms. Durable tiles are necessary so they can withstand traffic and frequent cleaning. Ceramic and stone hold up well, but you can use glass if it's in an accent border where foot traffic isn't a concern.
Ceiling: Ceiling applications are becoming more popular. Metal tile, especially those with stamped designs, can give your ceiling a exquisite and unique appearance. Generally, larger tiles are used on the ceiling, but you can add in smaller mosaic tiles to create a decorative border.
Mosaic glass tiles take your project from boring to bold, with very little additional cost. When selecting the tile, examine the different materials and colors available so you can find the type that will work best in the room and with the design.


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There Are Always Exceptions
Some folks really like rules. I am not really one of them. But there are some folks who see rules as a guide or compass that makes life straightforward and easy enough to manage. The basic idea is that if you follow the rules, you will be safe and have opportunity for a good life.
My trouble with rules is that there are always exceptions. Its like learning spelling or grammar in school. You can learn a general rule, but there are always a number of words that simply do not fit with those neat and tidy rules. For example, that infamous spelling rule: "i" before "e"…EXCEPT after "c"…and EXCEPT words like neighbor, science and deity. There are just so many exceptions to this rule that it really is not a hard and fast rule at all. It's more like a "rule of thumb."
Jesus is not a big rule-follower. He always seems to find exceptions to the rules of his day. And so he breaks rules all the time, such as those about Sabbath observance and healing. He changes and modifies rules, such as all the "You have heard it said…, but I say to you…" passages. So, I feel like I am in pretty good company with my reluctance about rules.
And yet…even I realize that life would be dangerous, frightening, and simply crazy without some guidelines to show us the way forward. This is probably why Jesus says that his intent in breaking and changing the rules is not about getting rid of them, but instead about fulfilling them. Jesus shows us a way forward that is about focusing on the spirit of a rule, not the letter of the law. And, as I said on Sunday, I believe the spirit of all the rules in the Bible has to do with choosing life. (And if you missed Sunday, listen here)
Now, the Bible is filled with rules -in fact, that is a reason why some folks have such a hard time with the Bible. And no where are more rules found than in the book of Leviticus, which, coincidentally, just happens to be the least read book of the Bible. (Apparently most of us have a reluctance about rules!) In fact, this is the only week where the Lectionary, our weekly list of scripture readings, has us read from Leviticus.(Clearly, the Lectionary does not like rules either.)
Here's the thing: Leviticus has some great rules in it! Here's some examples from our reading this week:
- you must not steal nor deceive nor lie to each other (Lev 19:11)
- do not withhold a hired laborer's pay overnight (Lev 19:13)
- you must not act unjustly in a legal case (Lev 19:15)
- do not show favoritism or go around slandering Lev 19:15)
- you must not take revenge nor hold a grudge (Lev 19:18)
These are all great rules or guidelines for working people like you and me. And yet…there are other rules in Leviticus that we would struggle with. For example,
- do not crossbreed your livestock or plant your field with two kinds of seed (Lev 19:19)
- do not wear clothes made from two kinds of material (Lev 19:19)
- do not cut off the hair on your forehead or clip the ends of your beard (Lev 19:27)
- no man who has any defect may come near [to make an offering to God]: no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed no man with a crippled foot or hand (Lev 21:18-19)
I bet we could find an exception or problem with every one of these rules. And, of course, Jesus does. For example, in Matthew 5:43, Jesus modifies the rule in Leviticus 19:18. We cannot just love our neighbor, as Leviticus commands. Jesus adds that we must love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. So, we cannot read any of these rules in Leviticus without understanding:
- the spirit of the rules it gives to us and
- the trajectory of all scripture, ie God's story (as we spoke about this past Sunday)
The spirit of Leviticus is about establishing a way of life for Israel that is lived in the image of God. And, in the instance about loving others, Jesus makes the trajectory of the Leviticus rule clear: love cannot stop with just neighbors, it must be extended to all, even enemies.
So, check out Leviticus, especially our Lectionary verses this week (Leviticus 19:1-2,9-18). And as you read this "rule book," be sure to consider the spirit of the rule and the trajectory of God's story. You never know, one day you might find that you are the neighbor who needs the exception.
Don't forget…
Valentine's Brunch for Children & Families – This Saturday, 9-11am at The Cellar
Be sure to invite a family with small children to attend!
Recommended Posts
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November 04, 2019
All You Have to Do is Call
October 28, 2019


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OEM Navigation retrofit guide
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Florida
Posts: 2,003
My Ride: 2015 320i
View My Garage
Originally Posted by
technic, an absolutely wonderful job!
i am going to order the retrofit kit from the ebay seller you recommended, but i was wondering
if his kit included everything in order to do he install?
i know you said that you had sourced some parts from overseas, but then found this seller.
excellent write up, thank you again.
oh and what's the difference between bmw business and professional radios?
Thanks guys!
M3ryder: his kit includes all the electronics, software (CD and DVD) and installation hardware (harness, brackets, botls, screws, tie wraps, T taps, connectors and foam insulator). Compared to the OEM kit part number 65 90 0 391 113, which his kit is based and the intruction manual refers, the difference is that he is including the 16:9 display and CD player unit in his kit, whereas the OEM kit does not.
You still have to buy from the BMW dealer the left trunk trim for CD Changer/Navigation (some $50.00) if you do not have it already in your car and the front storage console to reposition the climate control unit (some $40.00).
The main difference that I can notice between the Professional vs. Business is a better frequency response in the audio. The tweeter have better definition and the bass is less forced and better punch, IMO. Professional also have a couple of features on top of the ones in the Bussiness, like the RDS section which have two more options. I cannot find an updated user's manual for Navigation that explains all the Professional and Navigation features for 2004 (a new manual is expected to be released next month), nor I have the specs of the two units to compare so I cannot give you more details other than it sounds much better than the Bussiness unit that I used to have.
Good luck...
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Gerrard gave up the captaincy and retired from international football after England's pathetic performance at the World Cup in Brazil and feels Rooney would be an excellent choice to succeed him.
Roy Hodgson is due to name a new captain on Thursday when he announces his squad for the Euro 2016 qualifier against Switzerland on September 8, and it is expected that Rooney, who was recently installed as Manchester United captain by Louis van Gaal, will get the nod.
And Gerrard believes there is no worthier candidate
"Wayne... is a natural leader. Aside from being a top player, one who commands respect within the group, Wayne is passionate about representing his country and won't be fazed by the responsibility," Liverpool captain Gerrard wrote in his Mail On Sunday column.
"Before a game, he is one of the most vocal players in the dressing room. He wouldn't be afraid of speaking up and talking to someone one to one, telling them what is expected.
"When he was my deputy, he gave me great support and during our 11 years with England I saw him blossom. There were times when, as a young lad, he didn't always say the right things in the dressing room but he has matured and chooses his words carefully."
Rooney appears to be the obvious choice given that Frank Lampard, who was England's vice-captain in Brazil, is no longer a guaranteed starter for the national side.
The 28-year-old captained England in a friendly against Brazil in Qatar in November 2009 and in a World Cup qualifier against San Marino in October 2012.


text: Another entry for People of Note, to introduce you to a business whenever I do a head shot. Earlier this year I photographed the crew from Magnolia Matrimonies, wedding officiants helping to spread the love in Knoxville. Colleen, its owner, and Nikki and Evan are bringing joy to all couples in our fair city!Read More


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Dinner by César Aira (tr. Katherine Silver)/ New Directions. $13.95; softcover, 96 pp.
It has been a good year and some months for César Aira readers, as New Directions has released translations of a collection of short stories, The Musical Brain and Other Stories (spring 2015), and two of his novels: Conversations (summer 2014), and, this fall, Dinner. Some of Aira's novels start out with a wild premise, while others lull readers for a while before changing into something unexpected. We are a fair number of pages into his newest work before the unnamed male narrator, an almost sixty-year-old bachelor, tells us what he witnesses on a live television news program in his hometown of Pringles, Argentina (Aira's birthplace), as a small news crew investigates a rumor: "They were on their way to the Cemetery, because they'd been told that the dead were rising from their graves of their own accord. This was as improbable as an adolescent fantasy. It was, however, true." The "living dead" are after the brains of the living, as many as they can ingest, for the endorphins. From their graves they make for the nearest homes:
The inhabitants of these modest houses were sleeping, many of them didn't even wake up when their doors and windows came crashing down, and those who did only had time to see, or guess at through the darkness, the nightmarish bogeymen who leaned over their beds and opened their skulls with one bite. No house was spared, nor a single occupant therein, not even the babies in their cribs. Immediately after completing the cerebral suction, the corpses left and rejoined the cadaverous march, always in the direction of town.
News of their ravaging soon reaches the ears of other residents, and panic ensues, as well as preparations. On most occasions when facts meet speculation in an Aira novel the ground shifts under the feet of even the most resolute and rational citizen:
The movies and, before the moves, the ancestral legends those stories are based on, had produced in the population a basic state of incredulity; at the same time as it prepared them for an emergency (they had only to remember what the protagonists of those movies had done), it prevented them from reacting because everybody knew, or thought they knew, that fiction is not reality. They had to see with their own eyes somebody who had seen [the living dead] (with their own eyes) to be convinced of the terror of reality, and even then they weren't convinced. It was one of those cases in which the real is irreplaceable and not representable. Unfortunately for them, the real was instantaneous and without future.
The phrase "without future" is a pregnant one in Dinner, as the narrator is a bankrupt, "fat, wrinkled, stooped" man forced to return to his mother's home and live "off her retirement income (if you can call that living)." However, his mother won't say or hear a negative word about him: "In short, a complete denial of reality was in play. And her life was reduced to that denial; I had reduced her to that." What is true, for "Mama," is knowing the names, and so the history, of the townsfolk, and this is an ability missing in her son. "Perhaps that's why I'd done so poorly in business. Someone who didn't know the name of the neighbor he saw every day couldn't possibly be trusted." The night before the attack they had been dinner guests of a man who knew the people of Pringles like Mama, but his collection of automatons, oversize dolls, and atlases—"junk," in her word—everything, in fact, even down to his way of lighting his home, disgusts her. This is the dinner that occupies the narrator's mind until he sees the broadcast that shows his fellow citizens killed in savage ways.
At the point where the living dead appear, the first-person narrative tapers off and we are moved into an omniscient narrative where the movements of town officials—the mayor, the medical examiner, and so on—their frantic deliberations, and their internal thoughts, are presented to us via the medium of the television. Caught up in the rhythm of the telling where we wonder how things will turn out, we are also aware that Aira is doing something with the narrative. The suspension of disbelief we can experience when reading is not something, to my mind, that Aira is interested in creating for his audience; it's more likely that he wants the tension of two opposing forces—what we might call the narrative drive that propels the story and critical appraisal of how material is being shaped—to coexist. We know we are reading a fiction that we were led into thinking might be about the dinner given by a generous host to his friend and his friend's ungrateful mother, and the fall-out of that, though as it turns out, the word dinner applies equally to what the undead make of the living.
Dinner originally appeared in 2005, and it revisits, briefly, aspects of The Seamstress and the Wind (1994; English edition 2011), where Aira has a sentient wind fall in love with the female character and that defends it against "the Monster." One of the other characters looking on is "unhinged and dazed as a zombie." The figure of speech there is given more depth here. In the opening pages of Dinner an "old windup toy" that their host shows them spurs the narrator to recollect a visit to the home of seamstresses as a child. What has stayed with him is that "the floor was missing from the room where the seamstresses were working… the entire room was one great big pit, very deep…" Later that same night the Cemetery's pits empty their contents. The automatons that bring joy to their unnamed host parallel the living dead, whose actions are as monotonous—soulless—as the intricately made figures controlled by springs and cranks. The living dead also have a parallel in the narrator who, as mentioned, doesn't think of his existence ("if you can call that living") in a positive way. "I didn't go out anymore. . . . I lived like a shut-in," he tells his friend, which is akin to being entombed.
If that sounds like reductionism, then it should be emphasized that in the hurly-burly of the killings there is little time for the reader to draw these threads together. It is after the final page that these echoes, variations, and explorations of what it means to be dead to or in the world stand out. In 2009 Bomb magazine conducted an interview with Aira, and he talked about how happenstance can enter his fiction and what he then does with it:
For example, if I'm writing a scene about a couple, a marital spat in a house with closed windows and doors. . . . So, I make the bird appear flapping around among the furniture, and I find a way for the bird to have a reason for appearing in the story. It could be a mechanical bird designed by an engineer who was the woman's first husband, whom her present husband thought was dead, but the engineer faked his own death to escape justice—he had invented killer mechanical pigeons. He continues to live under a false identity, and she's discovered him and is blackmailing him. . . . It could be this or anything else. In spite of all my admiration for Surrealism and Dadaism I never liked the mere accumulation of incongruous things. For me, everything has to be sewn together in a very conventional fashion. I always think of something. And what I think of also changes the course of the plot. Since the next day something different will happen at the café, the plot continues to change accordingly. That sinuous thread in my novels is more interesting to me, more writeable, than a linear plot.
Despite sudden intrusions, Aira's attention doesn't waver from the main lines of his books (it helps that the novel form is capacious), and, in the case of Dinner, its main thematic concerns: the hapless, self-immuring narrator is mirrored by the automata and the audacious assault by the living dead (on a larger scale, a defunct society attacks the current society); childhood pits lead to the opening of fearsome graves (buried memories, both individual and familial, burst into the open); and domiciles double as tombs. Anything incongruous would bury these links.
Just as important as establishing parallels is Aira's sense of humor. The pulpy, sensational plot gives him new fields to explore, as in these passages:
The metaphor of the [living dead's] hunt didn't actually fit very well; it was more like a flower tasting, or a tasting of juicy statues immobilized by terror and surprise.
There was nobody who didn't lament the community's insistence on lining the streets with trees.
Some improvised struggles during the desperate fury of contact; others waited and readied themselves with sticks, irons, chains, and furniture to hurl. Half a dozen sons in the prime of their youthful vigor defending their old parents against one moldy arthritic corpse didn't necessarily have to be a battle lost before it began. Yet, it was.
Humor goes from surface to bottom of Dinner. When the narrator—and it's a nice touch that he never mentions the names of his mother and friend—is dumbfounded by the appearance of the undead he calls it "improbable," and the omniscient narrative voice, to repeat, describes the Pringlesians as needing "to be convinced of the terror of reality, and even then they weren't convinced," even as the skulls of their loved ones are ripped open before their eyes. (For an Argentinean writer—Aira was born in 1949—perhaps the country's Dirty War of the 1970s is alluded to here. Grim humor indeed, if this is so.) The medical examiner can only speculate on why the dead are eating brains, but offers no reason as to how they arose. "Perhaps ancient and latent wisdom deep in humankind knew what science still didn't." Since death is not the end then nothing can be fixed.
Early in Dinner it's shown that the narrator is somewhat envious of the ability of Mama and his friend to have fixed in their heads who is who in Pringles: "on the lips of my mother and my friend, each [name] sounded like a chime of memories, empty memories, sounds." He has a few recollections of his own, but none attached to people's identities, and they are therefore useless in the context of what happens as the novel goes on. Central figures in many of César Aira's novels are alienated from others for a variety of reasons (and often internally confused as to who they are and why they behave as they do), and though they live in groups (societies seem simultaneously theoretical and actual) they are unable to get along easily in what is agreed by others as the real world. There may be no real world possible if the dead can re-appear and slaughter their descendants.
Canadian writer Jeff Bursey is the author of two novels, Mirrors on which dust has fallen (Verbivoracious Press, 2015) and Verbatim: A Novel (Enfield & Wizenty, 2010). His articles, interviews, and reviews have appeared in Numero Cinq, The Quarterly Conversation, The Winnipeg Review, and other print and online journals.
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Following a separation, you will have important decisions to make concerning your children, including decisions about sole custody, shared custody, visiting rights, outing rights. Parents may enter into an amicable agreement with the help of a free family mediator.
If you cannot agree with your former spouse, the court will take parenting ability into account. It will assess whether you are able to meet your children's needs, whether you can provide them with stability, and if are willing to maintain a connection with the other parent. Your children's ages are other factors that will be considered.
When parents separate, they must decide what sort of custody arrangement they will have for their children. It can be shared custody or sole custody. With the help of a family mediator, parents may be able to reach an amicable agreement. If they are unable to do so, they can file a motion before the court with the help of a legal advisor. A judge will then determine the awarding of custody rights, and of visiting or outing rights in the case of sole custody. These rights are awarded by the judge in the best interests of the children, taking into account their:
Certain criteria regarding the parents are also considered, in particular their respective:
A judgment may be reviewed if a child so wishes. Sole Custody Sole custody is when a child spends more than 60% of the year with one of the parents. The other parent can then obtain visiting or outing rights, to maintain his or her relationship with the child. This right must be respected by both parents. Otherwise, depending on the situation, a parent can:
Parents can also use family mediation to help resolve their conflicts. Shared Custody Shared custody is when a child spends at least 40% of the year with each parent. Child Abduction A parent whose child has been abducted by the other parent can ask for help in locating and returning the child (if he or she is being held abroad) from the Central Authority for Québec, under the Ministère de la Justice.
Organization or Protection of Visiting or Outing RightsWhen a parent with sole custody moves, making it difficult for the other parent to exercise his or her visiting or outing rights, the noncustodial parent can request the organization or protection of those rights. In Camera Proceedings involving the awarding of custody and of visiting or outing rights are always held in camera. The public is not admitted to hearings and the identity of the persons concerned is not disclosed.


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Hey my dear people. I was sure I will get back to regular blogging after I return from Hong Kong and Vienna and yet, here I am, writing one post per month still. It is interesting, how I was obsessed with blogging every day first year and a half, and now I often forget about it completely for days. Life got in the way, so I do not feel bad about it at all, just find it interesting. And on a hot day like today, when I am waiting for sundown, so it will cool off enough to go jogging, and then back to studying (yes, I am still a week away from finishing the exam period), I thought it will be a good thing to get through my unposted pictures. Big Universo looked pretty good on swatches, so here it is.
I am cheating a bit with the title, on my nails it's actually Bourjois Turquoise something polish, but my camera cannot capture the right shade, so I gave up.Plus, a week ago two of my nails snapped very painfully right in the nailbed, so I do not like the shape of my nails at all ATM, since I cannot really shape them, until they grow a bit.
It can't be really seen on my photos, but this polish is quite the chameleon. Actually ... it reminds me of snakeskin of some awesome snake that can change colour depending on light that is hitting it. Very cool indeed. One of the amazing Brazil polishes. This was three coats, great formula and brush.
Thank you for reading and commenting!


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Dress: Zara Jumper: Zara Coat: Zara Boots: Topshop Bag: Zara
Here is a quick post of what I wore over the weekend. I have been dying to get my wear out of this Zara dress for a while, but I always feel slightly 'on show' whilst wearing it, as the top is lacy and strappy. It's such a beautiful dress though, it deserves a day out.
I thought I would brave the elements and get my pins out over the weekend, as I am a bit sick of black tights. I did feel like I was getting a few funny looks, possibly because most people were wearing their furry hats and ski wear. But anyway, I thought this jumper was perfect for throwing over this dress to totally 'casual' it up. This jumper is so versatile and cozy, it is a definite wardrobe staple this winter.
I went for a bit of 'grey on grey' this weekend, as this coat is another staple I just can't stop wearing. And I have to say, despite the bare legs, I was nice and toasty in my layers.
I also seem to have found a FAB pair of patent style boots, that I have been searching for for an age. I will make sure I share these with you guys in the next couple of days.
So what do you think, can you get away with bare legs in December?


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Each consultation attracts a fee, which is reimbursed in part from Medicare. The consultation fee will be advised to you at the time of booking your appointment.
Payment is to be made at the time of your consultation.
Surgical procedures
If you require a surgical procedure, a detailed outline of the surgeon's fees will be provided, including the amounts rebated by Medicare and associated private health fund, and an estimate of your remaining out of pocket expense. This will also include your anaesthetist fee and surgical assistant fee if required.
Suite 8
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Level 2
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Miranda NSW 2228
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The Case Against the Cuban Embargo
Much has changed for the United States in the last fifty years. We won the Cold War, suffered a great and defining national tragedy on 9/11, and today are in the midst of our third military action in Iraq. However, US foreign policy has remained constant throughout the last half of a century in one major way: the Cuban embargo. While this important centerpiece of US foreign policy has grown less topical in the last few years, its continued existence is more controversial than ever. A survey commissioned by the Atlantic Council released in February found that 56% of Americans and 62% of Latinos believe that the United States should alter its foreign policy toward Cuba. At the same time, US-allied nations in the European Union are in the midst of trade talks with Cuba after decades of holding to US-led trade restrictions. The Cuban embargo began in the early 1960s following Fidel Castro's rise to power in the Cuban Revolution of 1959 and the corresponding government seizures of US-owned property. By implementing the embargo, US officials intended to isolate Cuba diplomatically and economically while attempting to overthrow the new communist regime of a traditionally US-allied country. Particularly following the infamous Bay of Pigs event in 1961 and the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, the embargo on a clearly hostile communist state—for better or worse—matched the larger goals of US foreign policy during the Cold War.
But the conditions that originally led to the Cuban embargo could not be further from the reality that the United States now confronts in 2014. The Cold War is over, and while both Russia and China are demonstrating increasing interest in forging diplomatic and economic ties with Latin American countries, neither country plays anywhere near as great a role in the region—or in the world order, for that matter—as the United States. Furthermore, while the US State Department maintains Cuba's classification as a state sponsor of terror, the Department's most recent annual report on the subject released in May demonstrated no evidence that the country was providing assistance to terrorist groups. Simply put, Cuba no longer poses a threat to the US government or its security interests.
On the contrary, Cuba's government has demonstrated clear signs of liberalization. While the country is still decidedly communist, it recently inaugurated a reform of its real estate sector that allows the sale of homes and other property. In addition, the government has begun to give its citizens increasing flexibility to start their own businesses. Although analysts from the Center for Democracy in the Americas still expect these reforms to continue slowly, it seems that the Cuban government is formulating policy with greater attention to economic results and less to the communist ideology from which its policy had typically been wholly derived in the past. Even Cuba's relatively weak human rights record has shown signs of improvement in recent years, notably when it released over fifty political prisoners and foreigners in 2010 and 2011. While on this account Cuba has far to go, the United States would be far better equipped to support human rights in Cuba by establishing diplomatic ties with Cuba and advocating for them directly.
Moreover, Cuba is making an increasing effort to play a positive role in both Latin America and the world. Since 2009, Cuba has maintained diplomatic ties with every other country in Latin America. It also plays an important regional role by providing much-needed doctors and medical expertise to Venezuela and Brazil, in addition to having worked in recent years to help the Colombian federal government negotiate a peace with the revolutionary FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia People's Army) forces. Cuba also participates in important regional organizations like the Rio Group and CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States), of which it is a founding member. In this inclusionary chapter in Cuba's foreign relations, basing US policy in Cold War thinking makes less sense than ever.
But perhaps the most important way in which the status quo fails to serve the present lies in its indirect results, namely by propagating the notion that the United States consistently writes off its Latin American neighbors and interferes in their affairs. Indeed, the Cuban embargo is just one example of how the United States has failed repeatedly to foster a productive relationship with its Latin American partners. Most recently, the US government failed to do anything to prevent or minimize the fallout of the second Argentinian government default since 2001. The summer 2013 forced landing of Bolivian President Evo Morales' plane similarly demonstrated the degree to which the United States continues to push around its Latin American neighbors even after its military incursions of the 20th century have stopped. By removing the embargo and establishing diplomatic ties with Cuba, the United States would relieve itself of long-standing regional animosity generated by its policy of isolating Cuba.
The United States needs a new policy toward Cuba. So much has changed since the original imposition of the embargo that the policy no longer has any strategic goal; it is merely a holdover from the past. Without a renewal of diplomatic and economic ties with Cuba, the United States only stands to lose both by continuing to live in an anachronism and by further distancing itself from the emerging Latin American powers with which Cuba enjoys strong relations.


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Everyone thinks otters are cute and harmless because they sleep holding hands and smash food on their bellies.
Everyone is wrong.
Otters are vicious.
Technically, they are cute but they're also really dangerous -- lethal, even. Just take a look at these recently released photos showing an otter killing an alligator, which it then ate.
The photos were taken by Geoff Walsh in 2011 at the Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge in DeLeon Springs and were published to the organization's Facebook page on Tuesday. Since then, they've been shared across the web and published by several media outlets.
And this isn't the first account of an otter being unexpectedly violent.
In 2010, a rabid otter attacked a 96-year-old Venice man for nearly six minutes as two good Samaritans tried to pry it off.
Otters are also known to rape and drown baby seals.
Click here to see a gallery of more cute animals that can kill you.


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Dear PTSA Members,
In an attempt to not overwhelm our parent volunteers and families, we have scaled down the number of events and fundraisers. Having said that, our PTSA is committed to our children to provide them with resources and tool to succeed at Woodridge Elementary School. This kind of education comes at a price way beyond what the State provides.
On Monday 11/2, our PTSA is kicking off a two-week fundraiser - Direct Fund Campaign. This is the most important fundraiser for the school and our goal is to raise $41,000 from November 2 through 14. This important fundraiser will help us raise much needed money that will be used to continue to provide for PTSA-funded programs like classroom support and enrichment grants. We are encouraging our families to give at Silver Eagle donor level, which is $100 per student.
Please be on the lookout for the Direct Fund Campaign parent letter and envelope that will be coming home with your child on November 2. During the campaign, we will update you via eBlast as well as our Direct Fund Campaign wall at Woodridge Elementary School.
We choose to send our children to Woodridge Elementary School because of all the things that set it apart and make the school so special. Now it is up to all of us to keep it an exceptional place to go to school! We look forward to a very successful year, supported by our great Woodridge families.
Amy Alpeza & Kristin Neibert PTSA, Co-Presidents


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I am super excited about my "Monthly Virtual Paint Party"…. my ONLINE group where YOU will paint a new door hanger every month without going to a class and without leaving your home. So fun!
As part of your membership, you will get:
- A new blank door hanger every month shipped to your door
- A new video each month showing you how to paint the new door hanger
- Access to me and a community of other creatives to give you feedback and ideas
I will be painting a lot of seasonal and holiday pieces as well as others that can be left up for multiple months or even given as a gift!
I will explain and show how to paint every detail of each piece. You can ask questions and get my advice on your pieces and/or challenges and problems.
This is a great way to learn about a variety of painting techniques from someone who has been professionally painting for years!
Are you a newbie painter? I welcome you. I teach in a very easy manner…. you will get it!
Do you want to paint door hangers for an income? You are welcome here and this will keep you in the loop with new techniques, trends, and styles


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New Sensations has always been phenomenal about showcasing some of the best Asian performers around with stand out releases including: Big Dick In An Asian Chick, their popular I Love Asians series. In their latest Asian themed release: Asian Fever, they've got the stunning rising star Alina Li on the cover and front in center in what looks like an amazing scene (read our XCritic Interview with Alina Li).
In Asian Fever Alina Li is joined by a solid cast which includes: Angelina Chung, Sharon Lee and Saber Heart all under the direction of Award Winning Director Eddie Powell. It's clear from the Asian Fever Photos and Trailer that Asain Fever is another high quality, HD release shot in a way that only Eddie Powell could!
Check out our Exclusive Asian Fever Photo Gallery, watch the Asian Fever Trailer and pre-order Asian Fever at Adult DVD Empire.
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From cars to co-working spaces, the Pacific Northwest certainly welcomed its fair share of new tech organizations and entrepreneurs to the fast-growing region this year.
We're kicking off our GeekWire Awards online voting today for Newcomer of the Year. This award recognizes a company or organization that has arrived in the community in the past 18 months. Last year's winner was Amazon's Treasure Truck.
The nominees this year are impressive and Seattle has already felt their impact. Finalists for 2017 include Airbnb and its new engineering center; BMW's ReachNow car-sharing service; M87's relocation from Austin; the Bezos Family Immunotherapy Clinic; and The Riveter, a co-working space for women. Read more about each of them and vote for your pick in the poll below. And a big thanks to First Tech Credit Union for sponsoring this year's Newcomer of the Year category.
Over the past few days, we've opened voting in various GeekWire Awards, and we'll continue to do so over the next 10 days, with GeekWire readers choosing their top picks. Check back on GeekWire each day to cast your ballots, and go here to vote in previously announced categories.
All of the winners will be revealed at the GeekWire Awards — presented by Wave Business — on May 4 at the Museum of Pop Culture. Tickets are selling fast, and we do expect to sell out, so make sure to go here to grab yours.
Airbnb establishes new engineering center in Seattle
This past June, Airbnb became the latest Silicon Valley tech giant to open up an engineering center in the Seattle region. The alternative accommodations company, which last month closed a $1 billion investment round at a $31 billion valuation, set up shop in downtown Seattle and tapped two experienced executives — engineering manager Ari Steinberg and product director Ian McAllister — to lead the office.
This is Airbnb's second remote engineering center and sits right in the backyard of Expedia, which acquired HomeAway last year and has been positioning the Austin, Texas-based company as more of a direct rival to Airbnb.
San Francisco-based Airbnb opened its first remote engineering office in Portland, Ore., two years ago. The company is hiring frontend, backend, machine learning, and full stack engineers for the Seattle outpost.
"We recently kicked off a new initiative of distributed engineering teams at Airbnb," the company noted in a Seattle job posting. "There is much more that we want to build and so much that we could improve."
Airbnb also just launched Trips, a feature that allows local experts to sell activities to guests, in Seattle.
BMW launches ReachNow car-sharing service in Seattle
BMW picked Seattle as its first city for the company's new ReachNow car-sharing service, launching this past April as a direct competitor to Car2go. ReachNow, led by former INRIX executive Steve Banfield, lets customers use a smartphone app (iOS, Android) to find available vehicles, hop in a car, drive to a destination, and park in any legal city parking spot. Fuel, insurance, and parking costs are included.
BMW has since grown its coverage area, added more vehicles to the fleet, and expanded into Portland and Brooklyn. There are now 45,000 ReachNow members across the three cities.
Beyond the basic car-sharing service, BMW also launched a pilot program for a ride-hailing service last year, setting it up to compete directly with Uber and Lyft. The company also just debuted corporate fleets and designated drop-off zones in busy neighborhoods. In addition, Seattle could soon be a testing ground for BMW's driverless cars.
Former T-Mobile exec Cole Brodman takes helm of mobile networking startup M87, moves headquarters from Austin to Seattle
Longtime telecom leader Cole Brodman took the leadership reigns at fast-growing startup M87 this past November and decided to relocate the team from Austin, Texas, to the Seattle area.
The former T-Mobile executive, who spent 17 years at the wireless carrier and held positions as CMO and CTO, is now CEO of M87, a mobile networking startup that late last year announced a $5 million fundraising round led by Seattle-based Madrona Venture Group, with participation from Qualcomm Ventures and Trilogy Equity Partners.
M87's technology, born out of research done by founder Vidur Bhargava and Dr. Sriram Vishwanath at the University of Texas in Austin, helps wireless carriers improve network performance by creating dynamic device-to-device mesh networks. The idea is to expand network capacity for wireless carriers without adding physical infrastructure by creating what the company calls "proximate internet," which utilizes device-to-device discovery and improves connection in poor coverage areas.
M87 now finds itself in the Seattle region, which is home to decades of wireless infrastructure innovation and has served as Brodman's homebase since 1995.
The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center opens the Bezos Family Immunotherapy Clinic
The field of immunotherapy, which uses the body's immune system to kill cancer cells, could be the key to treating cancers and that are hard or impossible to cure with other treatments.
But despite some incredible successes, there are many more questions to address about this therapy. Finding answers is one goal of the Bezos Family Immunotherapy Research Clinic, a new facility that opened this past December at Seattle's Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. The clinic is named for the family of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, which has donated about $30 million to immunotherapy research at Fred Hutch, in addition to a separate record-breaking $35 million gift that came in last month.
The clinic is designed specifically to fuel the research of immunotherapy treatments, and will likely be a boon for Seattle's Juno Therapeutics, a startup that spun out of Fred Hutch and licenses immunotherapy techniques produced in several Fred Hutch labs.
Dr. David Maloney, medical director of the Bezos Family Immunotherapy Clinic, said the new clinic will allow Fred Hutch to greatly expand its ability to run clinical trials, speeding up the process of developing these treatments and finding solutions to persistent issues.
The Riveter, a co-working space for women, launches in Seattle
Kim Peltola and Amy Nelson are out to challenge bias and the status quo with a new co-working space where women don't feel excluded from the business world because of their gender.
Called The Riveter, the space — which GeekWire covered last month — is designed as a haven for female founders and freelancers. After continuously running into "bro-working" spaces, Peltola and Nelson were inspired to build a female-focused collaboration center where they would be happy working every day.
The Riveter has raised a $760,000 seed round to open a flagship facility in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood. A soft launch is planned for mid-April and The Riveter will officially open its doors May 1. The space will have nine offices, room for 120 collaborative desks, a fitness studio, meditation room, retail space, and other amenities. Daily yoga classes, wellness seminars, and community events are key to Nelson and Peltola's vision.
Although the space is designed for female founders and freelancers, men are also welcome there. The Riveter has taken on male employees and encourages its members to bring diverse teams into the facility.


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Recapture your Renovation Costs
With a renovated kitchen you will regain almost a full return on your investment.
With a new deck you will more than likely regain an average of 86% of your initial investment.
Check out your return on other renovations on Remodeling Magazine's 2004 Cost vs. Value Report.


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European leaders are pushing to impose measures that would ensure the Greek government lives up to its promise to deliver €50 billion ($70 billion) in privatization proceeds, amid skepticism that Athens can carry out the sell-offs.
The privatization plan, spelt out in detail for the first time by the Greek government on Monday, has become a central issue in Europe-wide deliberations over how to overhaul Greece's faltering €110 billion bail-out programme.
With political opposition to new loans to Greece growing in several northern eurozone countries and the European Central Bank adamantly against any restructuring of Greek debt:, European leaders see the privatization plan as the best hope of staving off insolvency.
Officials involved in the discussions believe far more than €50 billion could be raised in sales of state-owned assets, with estimates ranging from €250 billion to €300 billion - or almost all of Greece's outstanding debt.
But several diplomats and officials said repeated failures by Athens to start such sell-offs have convinced them of the need to impose new conditions on the program, including the possibility of an international agency running the divestments. "The state is not functioning," said one senior European diplomat.
Officials familiar with the deliberations said the idea of attaching conditions to Greece's privatization program was one of the central topics at a secret meeting of some European Union finance ministers in Luxembourg this month.
Greece's ability to manage the program on its own was called into question again on Tuesday when the government's main opposition party rejected new austerity measures proposed by George Papandreou, the Greek prime minister, and questioned the way he was proceeding with privatizations.
EU officials have emphasised that they want cross-party agreement on any overhaul of the bail-out.
The drive for an outside agency to run Greek privatizations is being spearheaded by the Netherlands, whose finance minister, Jan Kees de Jager, raised the issue at a meeting of EU finance ministers last week. Under the plan, Greek assets would be put into a fund managed by international experts.
Such a plan is likely to raise opposition in Greece, but Mr De Jager said such considerations should be set aside. "Right now, we're beyond sensitivities. Our common predicament is simply too serious," he said.
Germany has signalled its support for such a plan but is reluctant to publicly back the approach for fear of provoking the Greek opposition.
Germany itself used a similar agency, called Treuhand, when it sold off state assets held by the former East Germany in the 1990s. Officials said it is not the only plan under consideration, however.
Finland is pushing for Greece to place state assets into a single government-owned company that could then be used as collateral for another round of EU loans - an approach that could prove more palatable for Athens.


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{Warning: Between now and April there will be numerous weekend rewinds about me snowboarding. I promise to post amazing scenic shots while trying to make them interesting.}
|With the girls at Red Poets and Skyhawk Lanes Wines tasting room.
FYI: Heavenly spans two states – California and Nevada
Welcome to TAHOE!
Linked to:
Leeann at Join the Gossip
Life Lately, with Hayley at Weekend File and Alli at Life on LeRoy


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Out of the Classroom
Because Lehrman concerns itself with the whole child, we also devote our considerable energies to activities outside of the classroom. The physical, emotional, and social welfare of our students is apparent in the plethora of programs offered.
Check out our rich Arts lineup, our active Athletics agenda, as well as the After School Program (ASP) that changes each season. Activities are geared to different age groups and are offered in two session until 5:30pm, four days a week.
Our summer camp, Camp Lehrman, entertains, educates, and enlivens every child's summer.
Check out, as well, the roster of school-wide activities that enrich our students' lives at Lehrman.


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The more I talk to the people of #PowerShiftMsia 2014 and listen to their adventures, the more inspired I become. – Nurul Nabila
#PowerShiftMsia, Testimonial
Amalina Ariffin
Power Shift Malaysia was a path of enlightenment for change makers – Amalina Ariffin
#PowerShiftMsia, Testimonial
胡燕珊 Woo Yin San
以 Bachelor of Environmental Technology 畢業, 當初的想法很單純, 只想為這片土地做點事。 環境學幫助我了解自然界的 美好同時也被人類種種活動所破壞。後來開始留意關於環境的課題, 開始改變生活習慣, 減低自己的 water footprint 和 carbon footprint 。
#PowerShiftMsia 2014
After the success of 2013 version of #PowerShiftMsia, the volunteers got together and began talking about hosting another training in 2014. This is indeed very necessary and vital to the growth of the youth climate movement in Malaysia. Glad to report that we have completed the 2014 version roaringly victorious. This is what #PowerShiftMsia meant…
In The News, YouthStatement
Fuel price hike statement — Persatuan Belia Perubahan Iklim
OCTOBER 3 — The recent increase in fuel prices has been received with frustrated, aggravated, disappointed responses from citizen of Malaysia. However, as a group of Malaysian youth hungry for cleaner power sources and a greener environment, the Persatuan Belia Perubahan Iklim stands with the Government of Malaysia in its decision to cut the dirty…
What ASEAN leaders said at the UN Climate Summit?
Climate change is not a far-off problem. It is happening now and is having very real consequences on people's lives. Climate change is disrupting national economies, costing us dearly today and even more tomorrow. But there is a growing recognition that affordable, scalable solutions are available now that will enable us all to leapfrog to…
Event, UNFCCC
CLIMATE PICNIC Sembang-Sembang!
# To Change Everything, We Need Everyone # In the early Sunday morning of 21st September 2014, nearly hundred of people attended "Climate Picnic". This gathering is in-solidarity with the People's Climate March, to pressure Malaysia's leaders to take action on climate change now. This picnic highlights the importance of opposing climate change for the sake…
#PowerShiftMsia, In The News, Testimonial
We've Got The Power – TheStar
By ROXANNE LOW email@example.com THE word "power" in #PowerShiftMsia serves as a double entendre, representing not just our energy sources, but also the power of the people to address and mitigate climate change. The five-day #PowerShiftMsia event was part of the Global Power Shift (GPS) movement. The first phase of the movement started with a summit…
#PowerShiftMsia, Testimonial
Ibrahim Abdul Mugis
Gone are the days of procrastination. When the world used to leave the remedy for climate crisis in the hands of the politics. My participation in the Global Power Shift Malaysia came out with some eye opening discoveries.
#PowerShiftMsia 2013
We've Got The Power & We're Fully Charged! From rare earth plants to megadams, rainforest depletion to lack of policies and enforcements, the otherwise beautiful and culturally unique land of Malaysia has been catching headlines lately with news of strong environmental campaigns fighting for climate justice and stronger political support in the conservation of the…


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No Sun for Fun? Things To Do on a Rainy DayAug. 4th, 2015 1:11 pm
Summer is a time for fun in the sun, but every now and then the rain forces us to stay indoors. Rainy days offer a great chance for students of Catholic schools to get a jump on their summer reading, but it also gives a chance to check out some of Western New York's coolest things to do! The Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium, Albright Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo Museum of Science, and Explore & More Children's Museum are all a great way to spend a rainy day seeing some cool stuff, having fun, and learning!
The Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium
Have you ever been inside of a planetarium? It's out of this world!
Buffalo State College features a spectacular planetarium on campus, featuring displays and events that run throughout the summer. Parents can assemble a group of fellow private school students and make a reservation to attend the facility, or take a tour. For students of Catholic high schools in Buffalo, it would be beneficial to see a college campus up close! This site will offer great insight into your child's science portion of the STREAM curriculum. More information can be found on the website or check out this video to see what they will be showing this summer!
General Admission is $8, and kids under 17 are $6. They also have group rates for groups over 10 for $5 each.
1300 Elmwood Ave. Buffalo NY 14222
Buckham Hall, D-Wing off Rockwell Rd
Albright Knox Art Gallery
Did you know we have one of the best art galleries in the Northeast, right here in Buffalo?
Your little ones might think an art gallery doesn't sound very fun, but Albright Knox has a never-ending schedule of events for Catholic school students of all ages. There are hands on experiences that enable kids to create their own art. The STREAM curriculum of Buffalo Catholic Schools includes art, and Albright Knox will help brush up on your student's creativity skills. Check out their website for more information on what's going on at Albright Knox!
Hours: Tues-Sun 10am-5pm
General Admission - $12
Kids under 13 and Up - $8
Ages 6-12 - $5
Under 5 - Free
(716) 882-8700
1285 Elmwood Ave. Buffalo NY 14222
Buffalo Museum of Science
A rainy day won't prevent WNY Catholic school students from a fun, intriguing, and educational trip to the Buffalo Museum of Science!
With daily events for anyone from elementary school students to Grandma and Grandpa, there is something to do for everyone in the family. Check out the stunning National Geographic 3D Theater to see a film about real life robots, or an adorable family of pandas. There are also several summer camps available at the museum. A trip to the museum will definitely help build your child's interest in the science portion of the STREAM curriculum. With everything from bugs and insects to the physics of a race car, the Buffalo Museum of Science is a wonder for everyone to enjoy. There is something to do for private school students of both elementary and high school age. For full information, visit the museum website.
Hours: Mon-Sun 10am-4pm
General Admission: $10
Children, Students, and Military with ID: $8
Kids Under 2: Free
1020 Humboldt Parkway
Buffalo NY, 14211
(716) 896-5200
Explore & More Children's Museum - WOW Wednesday's
Students of WNY Catholic Elementary schools will love WOW Wednesdays at The Explore & More Children's Museum in East Aurora.
Every Wednesday at 11am the Museum offers a new fun and educational activity for kids. See the calendar for full details on specific programs and workshops. The museum is a delight for the younger kids, ages 1-10, and is open Wednesday through Sunday. There is an art room where your child can create their own masterpiece. Visit the Culture Corner to learn about diversity and different cultures from all over the world! You can even learn about rocks and fossils in the Exploration ROCKS! Exhibit. This museum is a fabulous way for your younger elementary school students to explore different facets of the STREAM curriculum, and have a wonderful time meeting new friends. Check out the website for directions, or to learn more about the museum.
Hours: Wed-Sat 10am-5pm
General Admission: 7$
Children Under 1: Free
300 Gleed Ave.
East Aurora, NY 14052
(716) 655-5131


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VANCOUVER - Cole Cheveldave made 24 saves as the Kamloops Blazers blanked the host Vancouver Giants 6-0 on Friday in Western Hockey League play.
Colin Smith, Brendan Ranford and Cole Ully had a goal and an assist each for the Blazers (41-16-5) and Joe Kornelsen had two assists.
Dylan Willick, Chase Souto and Kale Kessy also scored to round out Kamloops' offence.
Cain Franson and Jackson Houck were a team-worst minus-3 for the Giants (15-45-2), who are winless in four games.
Vancouver's Payton Lee took the loss after allowing five goals on 17 shots in 28 minutes of action. Jared Rathjen replaced Lee midway through the second period and stopped 11-of-12 shots in relief.
Kamloops went 1 for 5 on the power play while Vancouver failed to score on seven chances with the man advantage.


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Boxwood Photography to Abie Livesay Photographer
I'm glad you asked!
Boxwood was exactly what I needed it to be when I started it in 2010. I'd been photographing weddings "part time" for three years at that point. I originally started Boxwood with my brother Josh, remember that?! Josh was an amazing help in getting the business end of things off the ground and I'm so glad I had his support.
He taught me so much. SO MUCH, ask me in person some time about all the embarrassing things I should have known in starting a photog biz but had NO CLUE about. That's me, Willy Nilly. Josh, not so much. He had the business end down!
Moving forward, once Boxwood got her feet on the ground my brother stepped out and onto other things. So I was flying solo, with a killer foundation and lots of support, Boxwood took off and I've never looked back.
But now, with looking at a big scale change like expanding and moving and growing, somehow it just seems fitting to also have a new start name wise. It's still me, but more of just me. And that's a lot.
So, Boxwood Photography to Abie Livesay Photographer
0-60 in seconds flat.


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GE Class F, Aluminum Alloys Etching Solution, 250 mL
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- Item #: 1024
GE Class F, Aluminum Alloys Etching Solution.
We only make this product upon request. Please allow 1 business day to fill the order.
User Instruction:
Shelf life is one year.
Nalgene® Leakproof Bottle, HDPE.


text: Maharashtra Institute of Technology (MIT), Pune is offering Distance education / Online programmes which are at par and equivalent to Full-time courses. Recognized by Distance Education Council of India, GOI and MHRD. Vision"MITSDE embraces a vision to enhance the scientificand cultural vision of the society while developing andsustaining the institute's identity as one of the bestdistance learning institutions of the highest internationalquality." Mission"As India's leading center of academic excellence, MITSDE is committed to imparting productivity,entrepreneurship & creativity among the student throughan outstanding educational environment. The institutealso aims to develop learners equipped with highpersonal and professional skills for the corporate worldby supporting study across a wide range of academic disciplines and serving the major professions.To harness the knowledge of science and technology for the welfare of the society."


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Nissan + Star Wars AR Experience, early 2017.
Collaboration through Animatic Media with Critical Mass on visualizing a Star Wars Augmented Reality Experience for Star Wars: The Last Jedi at Nissan showrooms. Using AR as medium, potential buyers and general customers had the chance, using their mobile devices, to witness a Star Wars battle and see their vehicle of choice turn into a spaceship and most importantly, through this educational tool to test Nissan's Intelligent Mobility Technologies.
The experience was visualized using the Nissan Rogue, Maxima and Titan at Nissan Showrooms. The experience debuted in Nissan Dealerships across the US in early December 2017. Visit Nissan to learn more by clicking HERE. To read more details on how this came to life, read HERE.
Here are some of the sketches done for the pitch to Lucas Films:


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Subscribe To Watch The Walking Dead's Michael Rooker Kill More Zombies In New Clip Updates
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Michael Rooker is back to his walker-fighting ways. You can watch him get back in action in this clip below:
Okay, so if you've watched the video, you'll notice this is not a clip from AMC's hit series The Walking Dead. This is actually a clip from a web series starring Rooker called Driving Dead. Since December 18, there have been 881 deaths on Illinois roadways, so to combat the large number of deaths on the roads, the Illinois Department of Transportation has started the web series. Driving Dead, which stars Michael Rooker (minus the knife hand he wielded as Merle), basically uses walkers to teach people about the dangers of various driving hazards like drunk driving and driving without a seatbelt. Of course, the message behind the Driving Dead series is fairly obvious, with the characters making sure to tell one another to buckle up prior to driving, and the long lecture about drunk driving fatalities.
Basically, the Illinois Department of Transportation is officially the coolest government department out there, utilizing zombies and Michael Rooker to teach us about safety on the road. Because really, it might be the zombie apocalypse, but it doesn't mean that the rules of safety on the road don't apply (we're looking at you, Carol, always look both ways before you cross).
Speaking of The Walking Dead, there will be spoilers ahead, so heads up if you aren't caught up on the zombie drama.
It is certainly nice seeing Michael Rooker back in the land of walkers. We haven't seen Rooker face off with zombies since his character, Merle's, very tragic death at the hands of the Governor (and then his reanimated corpse was gut-wrenchingly put down by his brother, Daryl). Of course, the Driving Dead gang would have a thing or two to say about Merle's death. If you remember, prior to facing off with the Governor, Merle was drinking rather heavily while driving to meet up with the Governor. Hopefully on his run with Driving Dead, Rooker's character can make some safer choices--and a happier ending.
Driving Dead is a pretty creative idea, bringing in bits of pop culture into the very present dangers of driving recklessly. Unlike a lot of driving safety programs, Driving Dead is actually recommended for viewers that are 18 or older, not kids. As I said before, the transition from zombie-fighting to discussing the dangers of drunk driving might come off a bit awkward and heavy-handed, but I have to applaud the Illinois Department of Transportation for attempting to reach an older audience with the very real threat of driving drunk or driving without a seatbelt.
Right now, there are only two episodes in the Driving Dead series. You can like the Driving Dead facebook or subscribe to the Youtube channel to be sure you catch the latest safe-driving, zombie-slaying adventure in the Driving Dead web series.


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email@example.com or (512) 942-0335
Find parts by hot tub manufacturer below or see all spa part brands:
Topside spa control panels for Len Gordon control systems.
Len Gordon was a pioneer in the spa control industry and many of these controls use air pulses generated with a button press on the control panel. These buttons, or bellows are connected via air hoses to the circuit board where the pulses are converted by air switches to electricity.
See our collection of Len Gordon control panels below. We also offer the air buttons, air switches, complete paks and parts.


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- Significant loss and/or disappointment my life has been full of this and thought that It would never end.
- Loss of control over eithier the environment I was living In, and feeling as though nothing can be done to change the unfortunate events In my life all my life I have felt that I had to have control over everything and the unfortunate happenings In my life only to eventually realize that whatever is going to happen will happen and there will be no stopping It and have come to realize as well that for everything that happens In life there is always a reason behind It.
- Negative thoughts about myself that gradually became self defeating this Is nothing new to me negative thoughts and self defeat was all that I never knew.
- Unrealistic expectations and my percieved failure this Is definitely me there were many times when I had unrealistic expectations of myself I guess I thought I was wonderwoman or something and when It did not work out I know I had failed at what I had set out to do and consequently saw myself as being a neverending failure.
Here are some of the symptoms that one might feel along with many others these are some of the ones I had experienced:
Emotional symptoms:
- Neverending sadness
- Constant anxiety
- Guilt all the time
- Anger
- Constant mood swings
- Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness
Some of my physical symptoms were and still are to this day:
- Sleeping too much or too little In my case sleeping too much and starting to think there is some underlying health problems I might have.
- Overeating or a loss of appetite well this one for me would be overeating, for the last few months I have come to realize that when I am very upset and angry all I want to do Is reach for the cupboard and eat and since I left my last partner I think I have gained over 100 pounds because now that I no longer smoke there seems to be nothing else that is Immediate except food that I can access and now that I realize It Is a problem I am now being mindful of what I put In my mouth and starting to lead a much more healthy lifestyle.
- Weight gain this would tie Into the above with overeating
- Gradual loss of sexual desire okay well this one may be shocking to many of you but I have no desire to be Intimate with anyone I have many reasons for this, one of which was when I was raped when I was around 17/18 and no I did not report It because I thought I deserved It and would be frowned upon, I have also had relationships where I was Intimate once and then no one wanted anything to do with me afterward not so much as a phone call so I finally decided that Instead of feeling like I was being used I ended Intimacy alltogether so therefore I no longer have an Interest In It.
Some of the behavioral symptoms I had encountered:
- Crying for no apparent reason I had this happen to me sometimes and think It had to do with me being so overwhelmed with so many different things all at one time and not having anyone I could turn to that would understand and help me.
- Withdrawl from people and situations I never used to be like this many years ago, the people that knew me and still do Im sure would agree to that and now after 18 months I have become very mellow and sometimes do not like to be around many people as I need my space and no longer wish to be around drama now I just want to go out and enjoy what life has to offer me.
- Getting angry easily boy did I ever have a short fuse and was labeled as a "bitch" looking back now and not that I am justifying my getting angry and sometimes taking It out on others but when a person Is so depressed and trying to reach out to someone to talk to on numerous occassions only to find out that they dont understand and didnt care this Is when I was starting to get angry and take It out on others the frustration was just starting to build more and more.
- Being unmotivated depression really had that effect on me and did not realize just how bad that It had become there were times that It was hard enough to get out of bed and get coffee and had no motivation to do the things that I had once really enjoyed doing.
- Loss of Interest In one's physical appearance after being depressed for so very long It just came to the point where honestly I did not care what I looked like and what I was to wear.
- Loss of Interest In activities that I had previously enjoyed In my case I had no desire to do housework which I enjoyed doing as well as listening to my music which usually had a very soothing effect on me.
- Turning to drugs and alcohol after having left my partner I could have turned to drugs and alcohol and came close but never did and because I have been homeless I now have a better understanding of why people on the street do, I think one of the reasons that they do Is because they find It hard to cope, no one will talk to them, they feel so alone, In my case to add to that I had no family to turn to and I wanted to end It all felt like my life was worth nothing and that god had put me on this earth just to make my life a living hell and was mad at him for It thinking I must have been really mean In a previous life to deserve this kind of shit needless to say I was well on my way to the dark side.


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Your Brain On Storytelling: Foreign Language Learning Through Stories
"The universe is made of stories, not atoms," the poet Muriel Rukeyser once stated. Human beings are storytelling creatures. We use stories to make sense of both ancient history and daily experience. While stories are often specific to a certain culture or language, the power of storytelling is universal.
The art of storytelling is much older than formalized language. Even 40,000 years ago human beings told their stories in the form of cave paintings, portraying their own experience to themselves and transmitting it through the ages.
Precisely because the principle of storytelling is so much older than language and much more ingrained in our being, we can use it as a pleasant and effective boost for language learning.
1. How Stories Create "Mirror Worlds"
Human minds yield helplessly to the suction of story. No matter how hard we concentrate, no matter how deep we dig in our heels, we just can't resist the gravity of alternate worlds. – Jonathan Gottschall
In the 1980s and 1990s, scientists at the University of Parma Italy made an interesting discovery by monitoring the brain activity of monkeys. What they found was that when a researcher, observed by the monkey, picked up a banana, the same neurons were activated as when the monkey picked up the banana itself.
These so called "mirror neurons" are a key component of effective storytelling. They recreate a certain experience or action in our own brains just from observing it in another person. When we read a great novel or watch an engaging movie, our brains sync with the story, causing us to experience the protagonist's fear, sadness or joy as if it were our own.
In that sense, storytelling is the original HoloDeck, a primordial virtual reality which is always accessible.
By reading and listening to stories in a foreign language, we are not just learning about the target language and culture from the outside, we are actually experiencing it from the inside. Pulled along by the arc of storytelling (we want to know what's next) and our empathy with the characters in the story, we quickly start recognizing patterns, picking up on phrases and pronunciation just as if we were in a "real" situation.
Storytelling Changes Our Brain
Stories are powerful because they transport us into other people's worlds but, in doing that, they change the way our brains work and potentially change our brain chemistry — and that's what it means to be a social creature. – Paul Zak
Paul Zak, director of the Center for Neuroeconomic Studies, once conducted an experiment in which he showed participants a short animated story about a boy and a father struggling with cancer. The researchers took blood from the participants before and after showing the clip, and found that watching the story raised both cortisol and oxytocin levels in the brains of participants.
Cortisol is a chemical that focuses our attention and is also linked to experiencing distress. Oxytocin is connected with care, connection and the feeling of empathy.
Researchers asked participants to donate money to strangers in the lab and they found that those who produced both cortisol and oxytocin were more likely to donate generously.
This experiment shows that storytelling can create real behavioral change by altering our brain chemistry. Anyone who has ever committed themselves to learning a foreign language or brooded over grammar books and vocabulary lists knows that acquiring a new language is a lot of work. Regular large doses of caffeine might help to keep us awake, but cortisol and oxytocin (produced by our own brains) may be much more effective, not to mention healthier.
3. Stories Make Us Feel Connected
Keith Oatley, Canadian novelist and professor emeritus of cognitive psychology at the University of Toronto, found that "people who read a lot of fiction tend to have higher levels of empathy and better social skills than those who don't."
When learning a foreign language, we sometimes forget that language is embedded into specific social situations and culture.
Through storytelling we cannot only recreate "virtual" social situations in our brain but actively develop our social skills through cooperation and empathy, broaden our awareness of cultural peculiarities and find a sense of belonging.
img: CC by K. Peter Schmidt / sources: Brain Pickings, British Council


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The Ramon di Clemente Rowing Centre was opened in 2012, named after Olympic Bronze Medalist and Old Boy Ramon di Clemente (Class of 1993). The Ramon di Clemente Rowing Centre was built in place of the existing After Care Centre. It was created in order to give St Benedict's Rowers a home - a place whereby all off water training and uninterrupted regatta preparation could take place.
In the coming years, Mr Oosthuysen and Mr Roff intend on raising funds in order to develop the Ramon di Clemente Rowing Centre into a state of the art Gym, Rowing Tank and Ergo Room, which may be pivotal in moving St Benedict's Rowing into the next era of success.


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Deep-fried delights on Glasgow Games menu
Paris is where fine dining was founded, Tokyo serves up succulent sushi and Napoli is the pick for prize-winning pizza.
In Glasgow, you can buy a packet of haggis-flavoured chips that actually taste like stale coffee.
The Scottish city hosting this year's Commonwealth Games is by no means an international culinary hot spot for high society.
But that doesn't mean food won't be a major talking point for overseas fans visiting the Glasgow Games.
The most obvious, and perhaps intriguing, item on the menu is that Scottish staple, haggis - a weird concoction of the most unpleasant parts of a sheep (think heart, liver and lungs) mixed with onion, oatmeal and various spices.
But unless you actually think about what you're eating, which is probably not much different to what's in a humble Aussie meat pie anyway, you'll be fine.
Haggis tastes like the inside of a sausage roll with plenty of spice thrown in.
Not that pleasant to the uninitiated tongue, but not terrible either.
Although, the Scottish love haggis so much they even flavour other foods to taste like it.
That's where the stale-coffee-flavoured chips come in.
Described as Haggis and Cracked Pepper flavour, I'd suggest skipping over these ones in the vending machine.
There are some Scottish cuisine gems to be found though.
I assume whoever thought to combine hot chips with lashings of curry sauce, which is popular across the UK, is probably already knighted.
Scotland's most popular soft drink, Irn-Bru, a sort of orange and creaming soda hybrid, is also a hit.
But I'm still yet to prepare my already overworked stomach for the pinnacle of Glaswegian gastronomy - deep-fried everything.
While news of deep-fried Mars Bars might have already reached Australian shores, a whole pizza dipped in batter has to take the cake.
I'm yet to come across deep-fried haggis, but I have no doubt it exists.