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Halloween is just around the corner!!
I never feel like I am, I still have to pull my 9 year old's stick man costume together...
But in the meantime, because procrastination is my best friend,
I decided to put up my construction paper bats instead...
They really bring the Halloween vibe home, and my boys LOVE them.
They are so easy to make too!
All you need is....
A Template (click here)
Black Construction Paper
Painters tape (it's easier to take off after Halloween)
1. Simply print out the template (it's fun to print them out in 2 different sizes)
2.Cut the bats out of the construction paper
Side note: I like to cut them out while watching Sixth Sense
I . see. dead. people.
3. Fold them in 1/2 so they will look more like they are flying off the wall..
4. Attach tape sticky side out
5. Apply them to the wall in a flying formation
(I usually group a cluster together and then have them gradually spaced further and further apart..)
In the end, you have some pretty spooky bats!
Another plus? you only need to make them once!
After Halloween I take them down, take the tape off and store them for next year...
Have a Safe and Spooky Halloween!
Muah hahaha hahahaha hahahaha!


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Independent advisory group reviews immunization developments in Europe
The independent European Technical Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (ETAGE) provides independent review and expert technical input to WHO/Europe's vaccine-preventable diseases and immunization programme (VPI).
At its 17th meeting, held on 26–27 October 2017, ETAGE considered progress towards the achievement of European Vaccine Action Plan 2015–2020 (EVAP) goals, including efforts to control hepatitis B, increase the transparency of vaccine prices, address vaccine shortages and strengthen evidence-based decision-making related to national immunization policies and schedules.
Following presentations by VPI and consultation with the attending chairs of national immunization technical advisory groups (NITAGs), ETAGE:
- noted that the variation in prices paid by Member States for paediatric vaccines has narrowed following work carried out by WHO on vaccine price transparency, and that several countries have been able to procure vaccines at lower prices than those previously paid;
- endorsed WHO efforts to help countries respond to vaccine shortages more rapidly;
- endorsed the establishment of a regional network of NITAGs;
- underlined the importance of the upcoming EVAP midterm review, which will require timely submission of all necessary data by every Member State in the WHO European Region;
- approved the terms of reference for an ETAGE hepatitis B working group, supported the proposed approach to validate achievement of hepatitis B targets, and supported the allocation of resources to this work programme, anticipating that these efforts will contribute positively to achieving the EVAP goal of controlling hepatitis B infection; and
- approved the development of technical documents and guidelines in the areas of life-course immunization, financial sustainability, integration and equity, and financial sustainability of immunization programmes in middle-income countries.
ETAGE further discussed the possible establishment of an ETAGE working group on vaccine acceptance and demand to address increasingly apparent challenges in this area.
Rotating membership
ETAGE is made up of independent experts in a range of fields, including epidemiology, clinical medicine, laboratory surveillance and psychology. In line with its terms of reference, the 17th annual meeting was the last for several veteran members (Dr Cornelia Betsch, Professor Paolo Bonanni, Dr Vladimir Chulanov and Dr Hans Houweling). For the coming period, ETAGE comprises its chair, Professor Adam Finn, and 6 additional members: Professor F. Nur Baran Aksakal, Dr Antonietta Filia, Professor Alenka Kraigher, Dr Federico Martinón-Torres, Professor Roman Prymula and Dr Ole Wichmann.
The 2017 annual meeting was also attended by Dr Kari Johansen, representing the Strategic Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE), and chairs of NITAGs from 43 Member States of the Region. This brought together the 3 tiers of independent advisory committees (global, regional and national) that contribute to evidence-based policy-making on immunization.
A full report of the meeting will be posted on the WHO/Europe website.

subset: commoncrawl


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How to: Copy Summary Dashboards from one Mgmt group to another
Objective: Provided a way to copy over Summary Dashboards from one SCOM mgmt. group to another. Notes: Dashboards created with the Live Maps Authoring Console are saved in management packs. In order to move them to a new SCOM mgmt. group, it is as simple as exporting the MPs and importing them in the new…Details


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IT was not exactly a victory for the underdog, but chalk it up as a triumph of the unexpected.
The idea for the Dining section's tasting panel was to sample a range of the new high-end unflavored vodkas that have come on the market in the last few years in their beautifully designed bottles and to compare them with a selection of established super-premium brands. To broaden the comparison, or possibly as a bit of mischief, our tasting coordinator, Bernard Kirsch, added to our blind tasting a bottle of Smirnoff, the single best-selling unflavored vodka in the United States, but a definite step down in status, marketing and bottle design.
After the 21 vodkas were sipped and the results compiled, the Smirnoff was our hands-down favorite.
Shocking? Perhaps. Delving into the world of vodka reveals a spirit unlike almost any other, with standards that make judging it substantially different from evaluating wine, beer, whiskey or even root beer. A malt whiskey should be distinctive, singular. The same goes for a Burgundy or a Belgian ale. But vodka? Vodka is measured by its purity, by an almost Platonic neutrality that makes tasting it more akin to tasting bottled waters, or snowflakes.
Yet in just a few decades vodka has become the most popular spirit in the country. It is now the default liquor in cocktails once made with gin, and with its glossy merchandising it has set a marketing standard for high-end spirits that the other liquors are all struggling to emulate. It's quite an achievement for something that the government defines as "neutral spirits, so distilled, or so treated after distillation with charcoal or other materials, as to be without distinctive character, aroma, taste or color."
A lack of distinctiveness is a separate matter from a lack of distinction. The vodkas we tasted had character and their own flavors and aromas, even though the differences among them were often subtle and difficult to articulate.
"I'm looking for interest," said Eben Klemm, a cocktail expert who joined me for the tasting, along with my colleagues Florence Fabricant and William L. Hamilton, who writes the Shaken and Stirred column for the Sunday Styles section. "Some were so unique that they stood out," he added, "while others were pure, simple and austere."
Mr. Klemm, whose heady title is director of cocktail development for B.R. Guest, a restaurant group that includes Dos Caminos, Fiamma and Vento in New York, found himself torn in two directions in assessing the vodkas. Because we tasted them straight, he judged them as solo beverages yet could not help extrapolating how they would taste in cocktails, which are overwhelmingly the vehicle for consuming vodka.
Mr. Hamilton, too, wondered whether his perceptions might change. "When deployed in mixed drinks, these slight flavor profiles that I enjoyed might cause trouble," he said.
Ms. Fabricant, on the other hand, dismissed such existential issues. "Go with the flow," she suggested, adding that the qualities she sought in the vodkas included elegance, neutrality and balance. "As a vodka drinker who likes vodka on the rocks, I picked out what I would want to drink," she said.
I'm not much of a vodka drinker myself, although I do like a good bloody mary. I prefer gin in classic gin drinks like martinis and gimlets that have largely evolved into vodka cocktails. But I appreciate the purity and depth of a fine vodka. Those I liked best were all smooth rather than harsh, and balanced and harmonious rather than burdened by alcoholic heat. They had a presence in the mouth that we sometimes referred to as texture or substance.
That being said, at the end of our tasting it was Smirnoff at the top of our list, ahead of many other names that are no doubt of higher status in stylish bars and lounges. Some of those names did not even make our Top 10. Grey Goose from France, one of the most popular vodkas, was felt to lack balance and seemed to have more than a touch of sweetness. Ketel One from the Netherlands, another top name, was felt to be routine and sharp, although Mr. Klemm did describe it as "a good mixer."
More than 300 vodkas are on the market now, and of course we could not taste them all. Notable brands that we omitted included Chopin, Finlandia, Rain and Tanqueray Sterling. But our tasting included 5 of the 10 best-selling unflavored vodkas in the United States and the 5 best-selling imported vodkas.
What set Smirnoff apart, we agreed, was its aromas and flavors, which we described as classic. Smirnoff of course has a long history. The company was founded in Russia in the 19th century, and after the Russian Revolution the family, then spelling its name Smirnov, left the country and eventually ended up in France. The brand, now owned by Diageo, was introduced in the United States in 1934 and eventually became the best-selling brand with the slogan "It will leave you breathless."
Perhaps our description of Smirnoff as classic was nostalgic, possibly a result of the imprinting of its flavors and aromas on our brains in some early quest through our parents' liquor cabinets. But its smooth neutrality and pleasing texture also won it points, and its success illustrates a vital truth about vodka.
Unlike most other spirits and certainly unlike beer and wine, vodka does not necessarily benefit from artisanal manufacturing. The bearded bumpkin who minds the barrels in the ad campaigns for bourbon has no place in the production of vodka. In fact most so-called vodka producers do not even distill their own spirits.
In the United States almost all vodka producers buy neutral spirits that have already been distilled from grain by one of several big Midwestern companies like Archer Daniels Midland. The neutral spirits, which are 95 percent alcohol or more, are trucked to the producers, where they are filtered, diluted and bottled. In our tasting only one brand, Teton Glacier Potato vodka, was distilled by the producer. Another producer, Hangar 1, distills a portion of its spirits and buys the rest.
What sets vodkas apart from one another are essentially the base ingredients used in the distillation and the water. Most spirits can be made only from certain prescribed ingredients, but vodka can be distilled from just about anything that can be fermented into alcohol: grains, vegetables, even fruits.
Our tasting included vodkas made from wheat, rye and potatoes, even a couple that used grapes. Hangar 1 is distilled partly from wheat and partly from viognier grapes, which perhaps lend the slight sweetness the panel detected. Possibly the combination results in a complexity, which we all liked. Another vodka, Cîroc Snap Frost from France, is distilled entirely from grapes, but we sensed a disjointedness in it that kept it off our list.
Like gin, vodka can be produced just about anywhere, and our tasting included four from the United States; four from Poland; three each from Russia, France and the Netherlands; and one apiece from Switzerland, Estonia, New Zealand and Sweden. Russia and Poland both claim to be the originators of vodka. None of the Russians made our list, but two of our Top 3 were from Poland. The Wyborowa, which comes in a striking bottle designed by the architect Frank Gehry, was elegant and mysterious and seemed to keep drawing us in. The Belvedere was exceptionally pure and smooth.
All four entries from the United States made the list. In addition to Smirnoff and Hangar 1 they were Skyy, which Ms. Fabricant suggested would be superb ice cold, and Teton Glacier Potato vodka, which seemed to conform to the government definition of tasteless and odorless.
While we chose to focus on unflavored vodkas those blended in the factory with flavorings like lemon, black pepper and even chocolate may be the fastest-growing category of all. Given the government definition of vodka, the success of such flavored vodkas may raise the philosophical question one day of exactly what constitutes a vodka.
The prices of these vodkas ranged from a low of $13 for the Smirnoff to a high of $34 for Potocki, a Polish vodka that did not make our cut. The Belvedere also cost $34, but that was for a liter rather than the usual 750 milliliter bottle. Imported vodkas tend to cost more, partly because of taxes levied by various governments, currency exchange rates and, not least, marketing concerns: as has been proved in many industries, wine not least of all, raising the price of a product increases its status among consumers.
Possibly with that in mind Stolichnaya has just introduced a new vodka, Elit, for $60 a bottle. Because Elit was not available in New York at our tasting, the panel did not sample it. Its marketers say it is "carefully crafted using a centuries-old Russian recipe and a revolutionary 'freeze filtration process."' The bottle is certainly sleek. What's inside may be another matter.
Tasting Report: In the Best-Selling Category, a Best Seller Stands Out
BEST VALUE Smirnoff United States Grain $13 [Rating: Three Stars] 80 proof Pure, clean and ultrasmooth, with pleasing texture and classic vodka aroma.
Wyborowa Poland Single Estate Rye $30 [Rating: Three Stars] 80 proof 1 liter Elegant and intriguing, with mild flavors and great persistence.
Belvedere Poland Rye $34 80 proof 1 liter [Rating: Three Stars] Great smoothness and purity, with good texture and body.
Absolut Sweden Level Grain $24 80 proof [Rating: Two and a Half Stars] Smooth and substantial, with flavors of flowers, lemon grass or nuts.
Hangar 1 United States $30 Straight Wheat and Grain [Rating: Two and a Half Stars] 80 proof Pleasing, with complex flavors and a suggestion of sweetness.
Vox Netherlands Wheat $23 80 proof [Rating: Two and a Half Stars] Smooth and neutral, with savory flavors and a touch of alcoholic heat.
Olifant Netherlands Grain $17 80 proof [Rating: Two Stars] 1 liter Subtle, yet rich and complex.
42 Below New Zealand Wheat $24 84 proof [Rating: Two Stars] Straightforward, pure and smooth.
Skyy United States Grain $16 80 proof [Rating: Two Stars] 1 liter Unusual flavors of mint and lime.
Teton Glacier United States Potato $20 80 proof 1 liter [Rating: Two Stars] Clean and light on the palate; odorless and tasteless.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN (None) Pass it by * Passable ** Good *** Excellent **** Extraordinary
Ratings reflect the panel's reactions to the vodkas, which were tasted with names concealed. The panelists this week are Eric Asimov, Florence Fabricant, William L. Hamilton and Eben Klemm, director of cocktail development for the B.R. Guest restaurants. The tasted vodkas represent a selection generally available in good retail shops and restaurants. Prices are those paid in liquor shops in the New York region.
Tasting Coordinator: Bernard Kirsch nytimes.com
Recent wine columns from the New York Times are online: nytimes.com/wine. This week, members of the panel discuss their favorite vodkas.


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On this day in the Olympics, whatever day it is, politics continues to influence events, but more on that in a bit.
Not realizing this is the 20th anniversary of this bit of nonsense: D
Realizing it's the 20th anniversary: F+
Competition your humble editor should hate but can't stop watching: Curling
OAR vs Norway Curling Mixed Doubles bronze medal match : A-
Your team being called OAR: F
Winning to get bronze: C
Losing to get silver: F
Canada vs Switzerland Curling Mixed Doubles gold medal match: A
Calling the match when you're way behind: A-
Keeping hope alive: A, except when it prolongs an ass-whoopin', then F
Killing hope dead: F, except when it shortens an ass-whoopin', then A
Gettin' your ass whooped: F
Abandonin' "G" in your writin' as a mere affectation: F
Favorite Curling announcer exchange:
Announcer 1 (with English accent): "Beautifully played again."
Announcer 2 (with Irish accent): "Delightful really."
Accidentally watching NBC's Olympics coverage: F
NBC's Coverage: NA for lack of actual sports coverage.
Coming out bigly against your country's leaders on the world stage in a country that discriminates in the exact way you're complaining about: F
Backtracking even more bigly: F
Wanted attention: B-
Unwanted attention: F
Dragging politics into the Olympics: F
Believing the Olympics isn't political: F
Basically repeating same comment as before: F, for lazy.
Slopestyle vs Halfpipe: Slopestyle by far.
Shaun White: A
Ayumu Hirano: A-
Shaun White with short hair: push
Chloe Kim: A
Jamie Anderson: A
Seventeen-year-old competitors claiming two medals: A
The Olympic medal designs: A. Your humble editor likes that design and the detail on the edges


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Hey everybody how is the water?
peppsie Posts: 1Member (+)
Hey has anyone taken a swim yet? Is the water warm?
helentoo Posts: 8Member (+)Still coolish, but I love it like that, much more refreshing and of course it does mean that there are fewer people in the water still so you don't have to dodge in out of the ballgames and the floating lilos etc. It will warm quickly over the next couple of weeks, and then stay warm well into the end of October, early November.0
xkebabx Posts: 4Member (+)Hi, Does anyone know the best place to go snorkelling on the Island?
Cheers :-)0


text: Please help! My situation is the following: I am running EX5.5, SP4 in WIN2K server sp2. When users get an email from the outside and this email goes to several users and they click on reply all the user replying to the email gets added to the to field. Can anyone tell me where and how I can get rid off this "feature" Thanks in advance. Juan


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With The Program
I finally got with the program and added my instagram feed to my sidebar. I know, I'm a little late to the party, but this girl has been busy! At least if I'm not able to post to the blog as often as I'd like, you can still see a little glimpse of what I'm up to via instagram.


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Search For:
President's Message
Annual Report
Charity Care
Office of Fund Development
Notice of Privacy Practices
Patient Rights and Responsibilities (pdf)
Washington County Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA Report)
Concierge Service
Send a Card
Visiting Hours
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Authorization for Release of Protected Health Information (pdf)
Outpatient Registration
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Patient and Visitor Guide
Bariatric Surgery
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Cardiac Catheterization
Central Scheduling
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Mon-Vale Primary Care Practices
Lauren H. Ayersman, D.O.
John Eisley, D.O.
Diane E. Emes, M.D.
Tim Hohman, CRNP
John Holets, M.D.
Laurie S. Molinda, M.D.
Joanna R. Swauger, D.O.
Mon-Vale Specialty Practices
Breast/General Surgeon Natalie Furgiuele, M.D.
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Mon-Vale Oncology
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Monongahela Valley Hospital and Parent Organization Elect Boards
Pictured (l to r.) are the newly elected officers of the Boards of Monongahela Valley Hospital and Mon-Vale Health Resources, Inc. including Chairman R. Carlyn Belczyk, Vice Chairman Jeff M. Kotula and Secretary John D. Fry.
(June 23, 2015 - Carroll Township, Pa.)
Monongahela Valley Hospital (MVH) and its parent organization, Mon-Vale Health Resources, Inc. (MVHR), elected new officers including Chairman R. Carlyn Belczyk, Vice Chairman Jeff M. Kotula and Secretary John D. Fry.
Mrs. Belczyk is a certified public accountant who is accredited in business valuations and a certified valuation analyst. She was first appointed to both boards in 2005. She was elected secretary in 2007 and vice chairman in 2010. During her tenure on the boards, she served on many committees such as the Executive, Finance and Medical committees.
Mr. Kotula was elected to the Board of Directors of Mon-Vale Health Resources, Inc. in 2008 and to the hospital's Board of Trustees the following year. Mr. Kotula began serving as the secretary to both boards in 2010. As president of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, he leads the activities of the second largest chamber in the region.
Mr. Fry was elected to the MVHR Board of Directors in 1998 and to the MVH Board of Trustees in 2000. He was elected chairman in 2010. During his term as chairman, Monongahela Valley Hospital expanded its services and enhanced its facilities by completing a $25 million construction project and the largest and most successful fundraising campaign in its history.
In addition to the election of officers, eight directors were reelected to the MVHR board including: John A. Holets, M.D.; Jeff M. Kotula; Michal Lementowski, M.D.; William J. Miller Jr.; Chuck Muia; Karen L. Qunito; Kurt R. Salvatori; and Charles W. Zubritsky.
Four new members were elected to the MVHR board including: Archie Allridge, vice president of Mon Valley Foods; John T. Glaneman Sr., director of Retail Customer Service for Dominion Retail, Inc.; Mark D. McGinley, senior vice president of McGinley Maintenance, Inc.; and Matthew M. Pitzarella, director of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs for Range Resources who also was elected to MVH's Board of Trustees.
Kevin M. Lee, who was a member of MVHR's Board, was also elected to MVH's Board of Trustees.
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Monongahela Valley Hospital: 1163 Country Club Road, Monongahela, PA 15063,
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| All rights reserved.


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With some foot-tapping folk music playing, I had the chance to go into Rug & Relic to interview Steve and Tove Bormes. The time spent speaking with the Bormes was incredibly informing and entertaining! Right away when you walk through the doors, they make you feel welcome. It's almost as if I was chatting with some long time friends that I hadn't spoken to or seen for years, but still have such a fun connection with them. Even in conversation, they play off of each other's strengths and make each other better. You can see they take humble pride in their work with Turkish art, and the local and regional artists displayed in the building. It's clear that they are personable people that love to take the time to chat with anyone about what they love: art. I encourage anyone to stop by to take a longer look into the fantastic pieces presented here, or even just to ask some questions. -Hannah
How would you say that Rug & Relic is unique compared to other Sioux Falls stores?
Tove: "No faux." Honestly, I think that's what makes us distinct. I don't do anything reproduction. I don't do anything faux. If it [the products] looks like something, that's what it actually is. If it looks old, it is old. It looks new, there's a possibility that it's old anyway. I think we have a world populated, these days, with things that are not what they appear to be. And I think authenticity matters. I think we live better, our lives feel better, when they're real and not fake. That's really the hallmark of what we do. Whether it's original art, in the traditional sense: sculptures, paintings, that kind of thing. Whether it's rugs. Whether it's, you know, these old pots, they're all utilitarian but they're also all hand thrown. Potters come in here and look at some of the pots that are four or five feet across and they go, "how in the world is that hand thrown?" Then they get their hands inside of it and, "oh my, it is. How is that even possible?" But the Turks have been using those pots as storage and as refrigeration for 5,000 years. It's a tradition that is dying, but it's still alive today.
I've definitely heard a lot of great things about your space, so I'm glad I'm able to stop in. Along with that, how long have you been at your current location? Have you been located anywhere else before?
T: We opened here in September of 2004. So, we've been about 13 years. Prior to us opening here, I was a college professor. Steve had just sold his business. He's an arborist and he was trimming trees. When he had his knee replaced, he went out on the road traveling with a guy from Turkey. We had just bought rugs, he said to me, "So what would you think if I went on the road for a couple of weeks? We're going to go see my brother, Jerry, and then I can learn more about this. It's just a really interesting art form." I had said, "cool, that's good with me. See ya'." And three and a half years later, I said, "are you ever coming home?" Well, I made him a deal: you come home from traveling and I'll quit teaching. Then we'll move somewhere we could do what we ended up doing.
Steve: Yeah it was really fun. Imagine you're in a city, Phoenix, Boston, L.A., Chicago, Rapid City–it doesn't matter, when we go by a gallery we want to go in. I don't know what's in there, but I know it's going to be a pleasant surprise. Who knows which artist is which. Well, here in America, when you buy a rug it has a claim of being one-of-a-kind. When you say that's a little small, and it comes in all sizes, we understand that's a print. No, I'm not interested in prints. I want originals. The same thing goes for when I buy a painting for the wall. I love that it's an original. If someone came in and said, "oh, this same one is two sizes bigger…naw." That's what the rug world is like. So, we skip that. We want original art. When you buy original art, nobody has the other one; it's yours forever. Same with the rugs that we buy here: when you see one, that's it. We're different than buying rugs in mainstream America. The one thing that we know here: a lot of times when you're buying furniture at a furniture store you pay for the really expensive story of what might've been. But I can look at it and realize that there's no story, they might not be telling the real story. Here, every rug has a story. And when you look at the rugs and like them, right away, I see the lady that made it and the place where it was made: oh, this village is going to feed us good, this one cooks their meat a little longer, and this village has the best raisins. Every rug has a story. Look at it and we tell you what she's [the women that make them] like. She's got three kids running on the porch. Just like when you buy a painting from a local artist whom you like, you like finding out who he/she is. You end up knowing all about the artist, that's the same with the rugs here. We go right to the source, we're buying from them. Our prices are nice, compared to "furniture price" where it's a giant price to make you feel good like you've got a special piece. We know better.
T: In their defense too, they have several layers of people between them and the person who weaves it. So my weavers make probably double what most weavers make, but my rug is half. That's because there's four people in the middle that aren't there. [As far as business purchases go.]
S: Our weavers, too, they have a different mindset. This is their art form. All the paintings and things around here, is all museum quality–it's all nice paint and the frames are perfect. These are meant to last. It's not mast produced with something like, "they'll never know we'll put it on a cheap canvas, they won't that after a month they warp half way off the wall." Our ladies in Turkey aren't thinking like that. They're using fantastic wools. Whereas some areas are using sheep, some goat, some hemp. Depending where you are in the country, they're using different things. But their mentality is to make a beautiful original piece, because people like us are coming to take a peak. We want to snag her piece, like an artist when you get a great piece, "I want to put this in front of somebody. I know this is going to sell." That's what we're looking for, those pieces in Turkey. And those ladies are still producing them for us, luckily.
T: I'm going to add a bit to that.
When we started, we were first all about rugs. We were doing pretty much exclusively rugs and a number of different local artists. It was just Steve traveling in the beginning, but the farther that he got out into countryside there was just so many incredibly interesting things. We did our first container full of artifacts in 2005, and that kind of opened a whole new direction for us. Before that we were called, Warp and weft, which are rug terms. Warp is vertical, where weft goes "weft" and right. When we were expanding and we relocated, we decided that we need to rename ourselves to broaden what we're doing. Again, some of the rugs we sell are fine arts, more of them are folk art (a lot of the older pieces would be more folk art than fine art.) Like I said, out in the villages you see stuff like beautiful doors. This big panel, [pointing to a short door standing on the floor] that's a panel for a kitchen in one of those houses. It's all hand carved. The way Turks live is a lot the way we used to live, but we don't anymore. Even the most utilitarian things in their homes are beautiful. A bag for holding feed for their horse, who would embroider that? Well, remember our mothers, grandmothers, great grandmothers embroidering all the dish cloths that used to be used in the kitchen? I remember the first time I used one that was from my grandma, and I got a stain on it. I about died. You know, you just can't use something that beautiful, but they all did and they used it all the time. That's just a way to enhance your life. Your life was simple, but it was beautiful. That's very much what you see in the village homes and the things that they're building even for the most utilitarian purposes. I mean, the barn doors are spectacular, absolutely gorgeous. Who does this? The Turks do. Good art holds up.
How long have you two, in a personal sense, been interested in this type of work?
T: The Turkish thing started when we bought our first rug. Buying rugs is like an addiction, there's no question about it. The first time we bought art was when we got married, so maybe 30 years ago.
S: It was just buying art, having fun. Now 30 years later, it's a pretty cool collection. Most of it is from local or regional artists, besides the Turkish things.
T: Art is one of those passions that once you get it, it's real hard to settle for less. We've collected in some of the strangest ways. One of our weirdest stories is probably 25 years ago. I got a birthday card from somebody that was a picture of a woman walking a bulldog. I absolutely loved the art that was on this card. So, we flipped over the card and called the company and asked who did it? They told us who did it, called her to see if it was okay if they gave us her contact information. Then we got a hold of her, Erica, and said, "you've never met us, we're in South Dakota, but we love your work. Would you consider doing a commission for us?" So she did. Her stuff is pretty well known. And she thought we were hilarious because these two little kids in South Dakota went, well, all she could do is say no by asking. She sent it to us and then called and went, "did you get it?" I'm like, "yeah, I love it!" And she goes, "oh! I was so worried because you're really pretty but that picture I drew of you isn't very pretty." I'm like, it's art, Erica. I don't need to be pretty. I mean, acquiring art can be a really fun thing. You get to meet interesting people. Real art inquires all sorts of things, especially when you're connected to the people. I think it places certain qualities into the art that makes it more intensely personal. Better than it being just a pretty picture, you know.
Wow. You're hitting that right on the nail. Art, to me even, is supposed to be personal. Yes! So, do you have any other interesting things that you would like to add?
T: I have two artists, well, if we count Steve, three on staff. I think that shows in how the gallery presents itself. I am not an artist. I like art, I'm a lawyer by training, but I love it and I appreciate it. We try and stay connected into the local arts community as much as we can. Rugs and folk art from Turkey is really our big thing, (this sounds so sappy) but I think it's important that the local arts community be supportive of each other. Art is a positive thing, even if it's about a negative subject, it's a positive thing. It's about drawing people together, and you can't do that in a spirit of jealousy or disharmony. It's true, positive energy draws positive energy, and negative energy drains you. That's something we try as best we can to be supportive of the local arts community, and Laura Jewell has been showing with us since before she graduated from USD; she's our gallery manager now. We have Amber Pate. I absolutely love her work. She's been with us probably for five years. So we do the best we can. We have a show coming up for somebody local in the next few months.
S: Don't tell yet…
T: I'm not going to tell…but, he's flipping amazing! He moved here recently and we saw his work and went, "Oh my God! Who are you? We want a show!"
S: I'll give you one clue: not only is he a great artist, but he salsa dances.
T: Yeah, there's so much talent in Sioux Falls. It just blows me away! We're kind of lucky because we draw from so many smaller towns around here that have pretty decent art programs. So everybody ends up in Sioux Falls, and we're the better for it, I think.
Other than just stopping in and talking with you, how can people find out about different events, like the surprise artist, that's going on?
T: You know, I use Facebook a lot. Probably one of the most fun things I do with it is post pictures of our trips to Turkey. The last time we were there I posted almost 200 photos, some were of a guy throwing and painting the large pots. Facebook is a really good outlet to find out what's going on with us. We're on Instagram, as well.
How would an artist, such as local artists, get involved with the gallery here?
T: I'll tell ya', and I'll say this as a general rule for galleries, it's a really good idea to come in and take a look around the gallery to see if it looks and feels like you, because galleries are very different in what they do and how they present things. We're a little more quirky than most. I will say this is true, do that walk through, then go back home and sit down and write a letter. Say, here's who I am, here's what I do, throw a disc, and either walk in and hand it to somebody or put it in physical mail. So that somebody has the opportunity to sit down when they have fifteen minutes, grab a cut of coffee, and review what it is you do. It feels professional to the gallery; they have more confidence in who you are as an artist. I need to know that you care enough about your work and that gives me confidence that you are a producer. It's like, "I take myself seriously, so please take my stuff seriously." And that goes a long long ways. That doesn't mean you don't make great connections in just spur of the moment, but as a professional gallery, it makes my life a lot easier. So, that would be my recommendation. Is it a little more work? Yup. Does a gallery wanna see and repeat your work enough to do that? Yup.
S: For me, if you submitted something and we realize that we don't have the space, or we're not the right fit, but look at what you did. This is so cool, then now I know the person you should talk to.
T: Absolutely true. I've seen some gorgeous work that I've gone, "wow! This is incredible…but it's just not us. It's just not what we do." If I've got something in front of me that somebody's presented to me in a way that makes me believe that they're serious about what they're doing, that gives me the desire to go, "okay, who do I know? Who can I connect you with?" It's just that I feel compelled to find a way to help them. I don't know if that's true for everybody, but it's true for us.
How willing are you to look into new artists, or is it mainly artists that have been around for years?
T: Oh no, no. We're always open to, especially, emerging artists. We have a heart for that around here because I understand what it is when you're trying to open doors for yourself. And opening those doors is not an easy thing. We do maybe two or three shows a year where we do somebody for a month or two months that's new into the scene.
How regularly do you have space available?
S: Usually about twice a year.
T: Yeah that sounds about right. I think we did two or three shows last year. Even having a short show can help people build a resume.
What are some of the top goals with your business?
Any time you're working in a retail business, you're looking to grow. A lot of our opportunities come from outside of South Dakota, which makes it very odd we're located where we are. I don't want to live somewhere else. I like South Dakota. This is where I want to be. We're here on purpose, we chose Sioux Falls on purpose. That presents its own set of challenges because we have to present ourselves on a national level rather than purely just on a local level. From that, we have a huge website. We have about 2,700 pieces on our website, which is an enormous catalog of products. So I'm in the middle of doing a revamp of that. We're doing a rebuilding and going to launch a new platform this year. That's a huge undertaking. That's really our push for this year.
Who are the traditional artists that you're working with right now in your gallery space?
T: Well, Steve, obviously, Laura and Tim Jewell, Amber Pate, Debbie Curtis, Chris Vance, and then the show we have coming up.
What general advice would you give to artists?
T: It's really simple, take yourself seriously. Believing in yourself and taking yourself seriously, if you take yourself seriously, then others will take you seriously. And confidence is not the same thing as arrogance. Arrogance is confidence built on belittling somebody else. Confidence is just having a positivity that you're doing what you're supposed to be doing. Push with that.
S: And hang out with other artists, whom you can trust, and share your ideas and like what they're doing. If you dig it, say you dig it. Don't just blow it off because it's human nature that I want to be doing something really good. It'll all work out for you.
T: You've got to be positive about what you're presenting.
What do you look for when looking into artwork?
T: I've had realists that have been with us, but we tend to be a little more abstract, a little more quirky. We've had a real eclectic mix of artists that have shown here over the years, very eclectic.
On your website there's a lot of mention of Turkey being a large inspiration, how come primarily?
T: Why Turkey? The simplest way to put this, the rug world is not a very pretty picture. In Turkey, I can guarantee no slaves, no prisoners, and no children making what I sell. And that is not true for the rest of the world. Most of the rugs that are sold in America are made in conditions that, I think, if most people knew what the conditions were they wouldn't be comfortable buying it. But they don't know, and it's pretty well hidden. There's been a real movement in about the last 15 to 20 years to change that, and I hope they're successful. It's poor quality made in ways that I don't find morally acceptable. So, my ladies are my ladies, they're my friends. These are people we know and we care about and are treated with respect. And treated with the respect that they deserve, they're artists. They're not nothing. That's why Turkey. It's an incredibly friendly, open principle culture. This point in the game really some wonderful, some of our closest friends are there.
What, as a business, do you hold most important to you?
S: I try to do business when I'm chatting, as if my mother is standing over my shoulder listening to my every word. So, I want to make her proud.
T: I would boil that down to honesty. The people that buy from us, I consider to be our friends, if that makes sense? I mean, they are supporting me and I appreciate that. I appreciate it enough to be scrupulously honest. That's huge to me. We build relationships.
S: First you build the relationship and the rest comes easy.
T: We've had people that come for seven years. They stop in three times a year to see what we're doing, and then they come in and go, "okay, we're finally ready." Well, they arrived here because we spent seven years building a relationship with them. We're friends, they trust us. They believe us, in what we're doing, and in what we're trying to promote enough to give us their money. To me, that's a sacred trust. That's the only way I can do business.
Is there anything else that you would like to add?
S: Here, when we talk about artists, we try to help them find their way. Whether it's here or somewhere else. We give them any advice we can give them and we set them free.
Can you give three words that describe you and your business as whole?
T: Sustainable, purposeful, ethical.


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Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua
Need to repurchase this, I miss it. A lot. Its £31 but I can get it for £27 at the airport in two weeks so might purchase it then.
Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Purfume
Again, going to buy this at Gatwick to get it duty free. I've worn this purfume for years now, absoutely gorgeous and I never try anything else because I love it so much!
Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish
I love my No7 Hot Cloth Cleanser but I think its time I try the Liz Earle which has SO much hype.
ASOS Swing Dress
A few days ago, I saw that the lovely Holly celebrated her 20th birthday and wore this dress. I instantly fell in love and want it as my 'christmas dress'.
iPhone 4S White
Okay, I haven't actually asked for this but my contract is running out really soon and I need to change phones. My whole family have iPhones and I think its time I get one too, especially for blogging and vlogging! I was going to invest in a new digital camera but I might as well just use the camera on the phone as its pretty god dam good.
Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm
I LOVE Burt's Bees. It's saved my life and I'm nearing the end of my current one. When I found out they released a 'tinted' range, I really wanted to try one! Maybe Santa can pop it in my stocking.
Yankee Christmas Candles
Ah, how many times I hear and see these candles. I have never tried or smelt them but would absoutely love too. Tanya from Pixi2woo on YouTube said they are divine!
So there we have it, a few bits and bobs I have on my mind at the moment. I'm lucky enough to be going away skiing so not expecting lots of pressies. Therefore, I will try my best to buy these with my own money, christmas money and maybe the boyfriend can 'accidentally' see this post on his laptop...


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I am attempting to do what C.S. Lewis did in "The Screwtape Letters", only I am going in the reverse, characterizing angels, not demons.
Dearest Company,
What a delighted to hear from you! We return our warmest greetings. We are overjoyed to see that you are doing well and have been staying in communication. Thank you for your reply.
It is to our understanding that you are discouraged with the responsibility you feel in ministering to others. You are afraid to pour time and energy into loving people because you seriously doubt your capability and their receptiveness. You remember in the past you have failed to witness any growth from the seeds you tried to plant, and as a result you are disheartened to venture out again.
Dearly beloved! Do not forget your purpose. Your purpose is not to find success--in anything. We will remind you again, you are not measured on the level of hearts you save, you cannot save anyone. No. Also, never forget that what you might consider defeat or victory your Father may see as something completely different.
What matters is that you remain faithful. Remain faithful in your relationships. Refuse to base your gratification on the change you see in others. It is not your responsibility to change them, only to remain faithful to what you are able to do today.
It is not right to take on the responsibility of another's salvation. If you believe it is your duty to convert the nations, then you will likewise believe it is to your credit they are converted. It is not. The credit belongs to God and God alone.
This does not mean you forget about the call of discipleship. By no means! You are indeed commanded to seek after the Kingdom. Yet, we warn you, be careful to what standard you would hold yourself. Do not discredit the situation you are in today as an opportunity. Do not wish you were somewhere else. The reality is you are not somewhere else, and you are called to be faithful in all circumstances. So love unconditionally, minister with no expectation. Remember it is not your responsibility to make the seed grow, only to plant it. It is not your responsibility to make the sheep come, only to feed them. It is not your responsibility to change the world, only to remain faithful in it.
Be encouraged. Pride would have you believe your ministry aught to look just so, with these specific components, or else you are not pleasing God, and what you are doing is not truly ministry. Everything you do is ministry, beloved. Everything. If your heart truly drives you to reach the thousands, then by all means, reach them. But you will not, indeed, you cannot, until you are faithful in the small, thankless ministry he has called you to right now, in this place, at this hour.
We will not neglect to reply again soon.
God be with you always,
Your Host


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German 19th century classical composer and virtuoso pianist. Beethoven was one of the most influential composers of all time and one of the most popular.
Born: 17 December 1770, Bonn, Germany
Grandfather: Lodewijk van Beethoven, Flemish. In 1733 emigrated from Flanders to Germany. Became Kappelmeister at the Court of Bonn.
Father: Johann, a musician at the Court of Bonn. A weakness for alcohol.
Mother: Maria Magdalena Keverich. Quiet, gentle, kind woman.
Siblings: There were 7 children but only 3 boys survived. Ludwig was the eldest.
Partners: None
Children: None. Co-guardian of his nephew Karl
Death: 26 March 1827, Vienna, Austria.
Cause: cirrhosis, jaundice, liver failure.
Grave: Zentralfriedhof, Vienna
The correct spelling of his name is Ludwig van Beethoven.
'von' instead of 'van' is incorrect.
Common misspellings are Bethoven, Betoven, Betoben - all incorrect.
Grumpy old man. Irritable, manic depressive, disdainful of authority and social rank. Probably suffered from bipolar disorder. Short and stocky with a paunch, dishevelled. Red face, small piercing eyes, bushy eyebrows.
He had liaisons with several women but never managed to get one to marry him.
He apparently also had problems with his various landlords and was continually having to move, together with his five legless pianos. Jonah Winters has written a book The 39 Apartments of Ludwig van Beethoven
Style/period: Late classical/Early Romantic
9 Symphonies
5 Piano Concertos
1 Violin Concerto
16 String Quartets
1 Opera
32 Piano Sonatas
Influenced by: JS Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Palestrina, Salieri
Influenced: every composer that followed!
Reviews of featured works:
Moonlight Sonata
A fascinating collection of images - art, portraits, caricatures, cartoons, album covers and postage stamps.
- Childhood: his musician father was his first teacher, recognised his talent and tried to exploit his potential as a child prodigy like Mozart.
- Age 7 : First public performance - age 9: began studies with Christian Gottlob Neefe the Court organist in Bonn.
- age 12 : First published work
- Age 17 went to Vienna to study with Mozart but after a couple of weeks his mother was dying so he returned to Bonn where he looked after his two younger brothers for the next 5 years, his father having become an alcoholic.
- Age 22 Returned to Vienna to study under Haydn. They didn't get on together so he studied under others including Salieri. He was a virtuoso pianist and gave private recitals to the socialites of Vienna. He remained in Vienna for the rest of his life, travelling very little.
-Age 25: First public performance at which he premiered one of his Piano Concertos.
- Age 26: began to lose his hearing, suffering a severe form of tinnitus.
- age 32 This marks the end of his 'Early Period' which was strongly influenced by Mozart and Haydn. It includes his first two symphonies, first two piano concertos and the first 12 piano sonatas.
-Age 45 Marks the end of his 'Middle (Heroic) Period' characterised by large scale, powerful works describing struggle and heroism. It includes symphonies 3 - 8, piano concertos 3 - 5, his only opera Fidelio and several piano sonatas.
- Age 45: Brother Carl died. Embroiled in a bitter and prolonged battle with his sister-in-law over the custody of his nephew Karl. This problematic family matter of course influenced his work and his health adversely.
- His 'Third Period' is complex, deep, imaginative and innovative. It includes his 9th symphony (commissioned by the Philharmonic Society of London), the Missa Solemnis and the last 5 piano sonatas.
- Age 56: His declining health finally ended his life. 20,000 Viennese attended his funeral and Schubert was one of his pall bearers (he died the following year).
For more biographical information see Links below
- "To play without passion is inexcusable!"
- "Beethoven can write music, thank God, but he can do nothing else on earth."
- "Music should strike fire from the heart of man, and bring tears from the eyes of woman."
Ludwig on Amazon
Books and CDs on Amazon.com (USA)
for UK go to Amazon.co.uk
Ludwig on FacebookShare your views and preferences with other Beethoven fans on his facebook page
On eBay you will find bargains galore but more interestingly there is a treasure chest of old items. Out of print books, old recordings no longer available, memorabilia and goods no longer sold on the High Street.To see what is currently on offer take a look at:
Beethoven on eBay - what's on now!
ClassicFM: Beethoven content curated by John Suchet the BBC newsreader who is also an expert on Beethoven.
a comprehensive site by Dominique Prévot
The Beethoven Museum in Bonn
ClassicalNet - a brief biography
Beethoven at Favorite-composers.com a biography and essays on his music
ArtsAlive.ca - a lesson plan
National Arts Centre Teacher Resource Kit (pdf)
- German Composers
Other profiles of German composers here at 52composers.com
and of course Wikipedia
Here are links to the German composers on our site:
Hildegard von Bingen
Schumann, Robert
Schumann, Clara
Richard Strauss


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Neltharions Lair is a dungeon whose entrance is located in Highmountain on the continent of The Broken Isles in the World of Warcraft game. The minimum level for this dungeon is 100. The main anagonist race in this dungeon are Drogba. The dungeon contains 4 bosses. The end boss of Neltharions Lair is Dargrul the Underking.
Neltharion's Lair forms the end of the Highmountain questline which sees you go up against Dargul, the Underking. Those who haven't played the game before, Neltharion is also know as Deathwing. Deathwing was the main antagonist in the Cataclysm expansion. Neltharion was a large dragon who broke free from his underground prison and sought revenge on the planet, changing the landscape forever. The only time you see Neltharion is through flashback quests in the Highmountain quest line.
Rokmora is a giant rock monster that is awoken from underground when you reach the boss. He'll be summoned by a NPC so don't worry about it. He's an easy boss, the difference between the normal and heroic levels is that he'll create a large area of damage that you will need to mitigate and move out of the way from.
When you reach this boss, he'll be standing on a ledge high above as you can see from the screenshot. Clear the trash that is round the area before engaging the boss, its easier that way. Ularogg will jump down when the fight starts. His main weapon is his staff.
During the fight, he'll disappear and giant stone totems will appear in his place. You need to destroy one of the totems for him to reappear. The amount of times that the totem will appear will be dependant on how long you take to kill him.
Naraxas is the giant worm at the back of the room. Clear the trash before you engage this boss. The main things to be worried about is to move out of the way from when he spits his green acid. The melee dps will need to move the most but the ranged dps, if you're at a safe distance, it shouldn't be too much.
Once you have killed the boss, you need to run and fall down the hole. At the bottom of the hole is a pool of water so you won't kill yourself. Also at the bottom is the loot.
Dargul is the main antagonist in the Highmountain quest line and this is where you finish him once and for all. Remember to clear the trash but if you're high enough and fancy a challenge, take on both Dargul and the trash.
There are two things to be worried about here, the first is the giant lava monster that he summons. The monster will follow someone around the area but the monster is easily defeated. If you're skilled enough, you won't need to kill the creature, you just take on Dargul.
The second thing you need to worry about is if you're not high enough, is that he'll create rock spikes which you'll need to hide behind to prevent being damaged from the AOE.
There's no register feature and no need to give an email address if you don't need to. All messages will be reviewed before being displayed. Comments may be merged or altered slightly such as if an email address is given in the main body of the comment.
You can decline to give a name which if that is the case, the comment will be attributed to a random star. A name is preferred even if its a random made up one by yourself.


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A program as mobile as you are
Organizing your life to attend a traditional bricks-and-mortar school at set hours can be next to impossible. At Athabasca University (AU), you can schedule your school hours to fit the rest of your life, and your program travels with you, wherever you go.
All of your course activities take place in one online environment you can access on your laptop, home computer, work computer, tablet, even your smart phone if need be. Some courses do have physical textbooks, which will be sent to you, but otherwise, everything you need to read, discuss, collaborate, and submit work will be organized online in one spot.
What you earn
Graduates earn a Master of Business Administration degree with a specialization in Hockey Management, awarded by Athabasca University.
Graduates who have hockey management and leadership experience also are eligible to earn the Certified Hockey Professional (CHP) designation from the Business of Hockey Institute.
The MBA in Hockey Management is divided into two phases:


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Samsung Galaxy Tablet Charger Boards
Escolha seu modelo de Samsung Galaxy Tablet:
Peças que funcionam com Samsung Galaxy Tablet:
Nexus 10 Charging Assembly
Replace the charging assembly for the Google Nexus 10 includes the vibrator motor, headphone jack, and micro USB port.
Galaxy Tab S 10.5 (Wi-Fi) Charging Assembly
Replace a broken or damaged charging assembly for your Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 tablet with this part. This assembly includes the charging port and SD card slot. This is...
Galaxy Tab S 8.4 (Wi-Fi) Charging Assembly
Replace the USB charging port and flex cable connector assembly.
Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 (Wi-Fi) Charging Assembly
Replace the USB charging port, home button switch, and flex cable connector assembly.
Galaxy Tab S3 9.7 Charging Assembly
Replace a broken, malfunctioning, or corroded charging circuit board assembly for a Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 9.7 tablet.
Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 (Wi-Fi) Charging Assembly
Replace the USB charging port daughter board assembly for a Wi-Fi model Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 tablet.
Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 Charging Port Assembly
Replace a dirty or corroded charging port for a 3G model Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 and fix problems with charging or USB data connections. This assembly includes the char...
Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 Charging Assembly
Replace a damaged, dirty, or corroded charging port in a Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4.
Galaxy Tab Pro 12.2 (Wi-Fi) Charging Assembly
This part is the charging assembly for the Wi-Fi model Galaxy Tab Pro 12.2 portable tablet.


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Hello! Once again I bring to you a new episode of My Side of the Laundry Room: LIVE. In this weeks episode Chris and I discuss some of the "cult" films from our childhood that Continue reading "LIVE: Episode Six – Cult Movies of the '80s"
Month: May 2017
No Monstrous Monday This Week.
Let me begin by apologizing. I'm sorry there will be no Monstrous Monday This week due to…life. I guess you could say that LIFE is this week's monster. Continue reading "No Monstrous Monday This Week."
F.N.V. – Night Time is the Right Time
Happy Friday everyone! This weeks Friday Night Videos is all about the Night. We start off slow with a classic from the Commodores and from there the party goes into full Continue reading "F.N.V. – Night Time is the Right Time"
LIVE – Episode Five: Gelflings, Guardians, and Geek News
Episode Five of My Side of the Laundry Room is now up and ready for your viewing pleasure (?). This week we talk about the Dark Crystal Netflix news, Guardians of the Continue reading "LIVE – Episode Five: Gelflings, Guardians, and Geek News"
Monstrous Monday – Grell
Name: Grell
From: Dungeons & Dragons (1977)
Classification: An otherworldly beast that floats through dungeons looking for prey. Continue reading "Monstrous Monday – Grell"
I really don't think I need to write an introduction. It's rock music and it's AWESOME. This weeks theme is all songs that feature the word ROCK in their titles. There are so Continue reading "F.N.V. – R-O-C-K!"
LIVE: Welcome Video…Tell Me What You Think!!
Happy Friday!! Just sharing a little "Welcome" video I made to welcome visitors to my YouTube channel. Please let me know what you think!! Continue reading "LIVE: Welcome Video…Tell Me What You Think!!"


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It's been almost a year since my last post. Typical.
During the past year I have become very excited about artificial intelligence. I have both read a ton of articles about it and had the opportunity to meet and interview the best minds in Finland on the topic. It has been a ride.
It took me a while to understand the magnitude of the change AI is going to make in all of our lives. I had heard the big predictions before, but when someone is telling all jobs will be forfeit, you very soon lose interest if there is nothing concrete behind these accusations. It takes time and effort to understand what is going on.
The key to understanding AI and its implications is in fact time. If we look far enough to the past, we can see the big changes in human history. A hundred years ago 70% of the population was farming and nobody went to the gym. Now about 2 % of workforce gets their bread from agriculture (pun intended) and 70 % of people go to the gym (I have no evidence of the gym-going percentages, but it sounds cool and the point is more important than exact figures). Yet the 68 % of people are not unemployed. The industrial revolution happened gradually and everyone found new occupations. In time.
We are approaching similar kind of disruptive age (now I'm preaching doom). This time the change will happen much faster, which will cause more trouble to people, but eventually everything will get better. Following the industrial revolution, there is one important thing to understand, however. The machines are not stealing our jobs. They are merely helping us with routine jobs that machines are better at. We, the people, will have to learn new skills to work with the AI-operated systems and at the same time find new things to do. Starting a gym for example.
So, instead of being afraid of super-intelligence, self-driving cars or robots, be curious and think of all the dull things in your own job. Those are the first ones to be thrown to the AI-lions and we need to help that happen sooner rather than later.


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The conference programme can be found here
The conference programme can be found here
26 Nov 2015
This one-day conference was aimed at researchers, funding and governmental agencies and other stakeholders in Sweden who want to find out more about how to get involved in Future Earth Core Projects, Programmes and Networks. Future Earth and SSEESS both work to expand and support Global Environmental Change research – but from two different points of entry. SSEESS invited scientists, agencies and Future Earth Global and Sweden Hub representatives to:
1. Develop a common understanding of Future Earth and its research agenda among Swedish researchers.
2. Discuss the Swedish research relevant to Future Earth.
3. Increase knowledge about Future Earth Core Projects/knowledge networks and increase Swedish participation.
4. Present SSEESS and its role in relation to linking Swedish research with Future Earth.
Bruce Campbell from CGIAR-CCAFS presented 'Food security programme' where he started off by stating that 19-29 precent of green houses gases come from agriculture. He also demonstrated why Climate Smart Agriculture is context based.
"It's less important where the knowledge is produced, than where it can be used and be relevant" said Ruben Zondervan, Executive Director of the Earth System Governance Project (ESG) during his presentation. A report on geographical flow of knowledge was discussed during the conference breakout sessions.
SSEESS is a meeting point for Swedish scientists and stakeholders working with Global Environmental Change (GEC) research. It is a direct link between individual researchers in Sweden and Core Projects and other research bodies/networks associated with international research programmes. Through its work, SSEESS aims to facilitate for researchers in Sweden to get involved in relevant international programmes, including Future Earth, thereby improving both Swedish and international GEC research. SSEESS aims to:
i) improve opportunities for GEC researchers in Sweden to work with international GEC programmes, for example via grant opportunities, events, and the Swedish GEC Science Gateway,
ii) raise awareness of international GEC organisations and research programmes, and
iii) facilitate collaboration between international GEC research programmes and Swedish key-players such as funders, politicians, and science managers.
Future Earth is a major international research platform providing the knowledge and support to accelerate our transformations to a sustainable world. Future Earth aims to act as an international hub to coordinate new, interdisciplinary approaches to research on three themes: Dynamic Planet, Global Sustainable Development and Transformations towards Sustainability.
Future Earth builds on four international research programmes – IGBP, DIVERSITAS, IHDP, and ESSP – which are now combining into one global research initiative. The Future Earth Secretariat is distributed across five countries: Sweden, France, Japan, Canada and the USA.
Summary Report of the SSEESS Conference on Future Earth in Sweden, 26 Nov 2015
1. Magnus Tannerfeldt – SSEESS
2. Thorsten Kiefer – Future Earth global
3. Kevin Noone – Research funding
4. Interdisciplinary sustainability research – Lennart Olsson
5. Food security – Erik Karltun
6. Hazard and disaster risk management – Sven Halldin
8. Environment and health – Elisabet Lindgren
9. Ecosystems and society – Line Gordon
13. CGIAR-CCAFS – Bruce Campbell
The conference was recorded and broadcast live. You can find filmed sessions from the SSEESS Conference on Future Earth in Sweden here:
1. SSEESS and Future Earth in Sweden. Introduction by Magnus Tannerfeldt, SSEESS and Rebecca Oliver, Future Earth, hub in Sweden.
2. Future Earth Global. Thorsten Kiefer, Future Earth Secretariat Hub, France.
3. Swedish research relevant to Future Earth. Lennart Olsson, Erik Karltun, Sven Halldin, David Simon, Elisabet Lindgren and Line Gordon. Introduction by Magnus Tannerfeldt. Chaired by Kevin Noone.
4. SSEESS – Future Earth Conference: Research funding. Panel discussion with Lisa Almesjö, Thomas Nilsson, Magnus Friberg, Lars Wärngård, Bengt Sundelius and Thomas Rosswall. Chaired by Kevin Noone.
5. International programmes, projects and networks. Catherine Machalaba, Ruben Zondervan, Hans Christian Hansson, Albert Norström, Bruce Campbell, Qian Ye, David Simon, and Einar Svendsen. Introduction by Magnus Tannerfeldt.


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Fire Fighter Spring Assisted Opening LED Light Tactical Rescue Pocket Knife
$ 22.14
$ 36.90
- Overall Length: 8 Inches
- Blade: Clip point, 1045 Stainless steel, Black anodized, Partially serrated
- Blade Length: 3.75 Inches
- Blade Thickness: 2.75mm
- Handle: Cast metal, Steel bolsters, Steel inner lining, Industrial grip
- Handle Length: 4.75 Inches
- Includes: Steel pocket clip, LED mini flashlight
Providing 4 different useful tools, this heavy duty spring assist knife is just what you need in an emergency/survival situation. Featuring a serrated segment useful for cutting more coarse materials like rope or burlap, the 3.75 inches long clip point blade is razor sharp and up for any task- a contoured finger groove along the spine allows for the application of more force for that extra bit of cutting power. The 4.75" handle is well designed and carries three separate tools with a very bright LED flashlight joining the more familiar glass breaker and belt cutter. The LED is activated by a quick twist of the cap and shut off in the same manner. A raised pocket clip on one side of the handle makes it easier to slip on or off when needed while the reverse features the words "Firefighter" with an accompanying emblem imprint.
NOTE:This product will be shipped from our US warehouse. If you purchase other products, it may come in separate packages. This product can only ship to the USA. (Please do NOT purchase if you're outside of US) Sorry!! :(


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About Us | Leadership Bios | Recent News | A Code of Our Own | Licensure | Projects Map | Join the Team | Links
Poole Fire Protection's engineers maintain a record with the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) to expedite obtaining reciprocity licensure in additional states as needed. Poole Fire Protection is currently licensed in 49 states, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Guam.
Projects Gallery:


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Kalogris Donation
Now it's easier than ever to give back and help provide nutrition to malnourished children all over the world through the Reliv Kalogris Foundation!
Option 1: Make a Cash Donation
Note on cash donations to the RKF: There will no longer be BV attached to cash donations, however the PV will remain in place. For every 75 pence or 85 cent you will receive 1PV Please note that these prices could fluctuate based on exchange differences at the time of donation. Your discount will also not be applied to either methods of donation.
Option 2: Donate a "Now We Can" Pack
By choosing this package, you will be donating €51 to the Foundation, providing nutrition to 12 children for one month! What an amazing impact you will have for just one donation.
Master Affiliates — who currently donate to the Reliv Kalogris Foundation using PVQ — will now switch to the new "Now We Can" Pack.
- Your monthly credit card charge will remain unchanged.
- Each Pack will be 100 PV/45 BV/45 RV — no discounts will be applied.
- No sales tax and no freight will be charged for this pack.
- This continues to satisfy your monthly PVQ.
- Non-MAs may also purchase and donate the pack!


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Colonsay Housing Initiative
Colonsay Community Development Company, Highlands & Islands Enterprise, Scottish Homes, West Highland Housing Association, Argyll & Bute Council, Colonsay Estate, Rural Housing Service
The Colonsay community took the initiative to improve housing opportunities on the island for local people and to provide housing for new families to the island.
A Colonsay Housing Strategy was developed by the Rural Housing Service in partnership with the community, Colonsay Estate, Scottish Homes, Argyll & the Isles Enterprise and Argyll & Bute Council. This will see the building of new housing association houses, the renovation of estate properties, support for self-builders and the development of accommodation for incoming families.
Island Profile
The beautiful Hebridean island of Colonsay lies off the coast of Argyll. Colonsay, together with Oronsay is approximately ten miles long and two miles wide. It is one of the smallest and most remote of the inhabited Hebridean islands.
The island is served by a ferry service from Oban three times a week in the winter, and has an additional service to Islay in the summer months.
Colonsay is largely owned by the Colonsay Estate which operates holiday accommodation and has an interest in most of the farms on the island. There are a number of independent bsuinesses, mostly tourist related. The small number of non-tourist businesses include a publishing company (The House of Lochar), an oyster farm and honey producer.
The islands of Colonsay and Oronsay have a population of almost 100. The population is split between 3 main settlements: Scalasaig, the port, Kilchattan, the main crofting community and location of the Primary School, and Kiloran, the location of Colonsay House.
The island has its own primary school (7 pupils and 3 nursery children), a hotel, a shop and post office and a cafe/restaurant. The island has a resident doctor and a district nurse. From the age of 12 children must go to the mainland for high school, where the majority board in a hostel in Oban. The limited number of boats make it very difficult for children to come home for the weekend.
Lucy McNeill, a local artist and Initiative at the Edge Project Officer explained some of the islands difficulties " One of the greatest restrictions on the island is choice. There is no choice in accommodation, access to the mainland, education, entertainment or general services. The island suffers from a co-dependency on the estate and upon a transport service shared with much larger islands".
Initiative at the Edge
Colonsay is one of eight remote and fragile areas of Scotland that were part of the Initiative at the Edge/ Iomairt aig an Oir.
Iomairt aig an Oir aims to secure priority support for remote and fragile areas from public sector agencies. The initiative brings together Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the Crofters Commission, Scottish Homes and Scottish Natural Heritage and local authorities to develop integrated approaches to the problems facing fragile and remote communities.
The focus of Iomairt aig an Oir is to promote community based development, to enable communities themselves to develop their own ideas and to work in partnership with government agencies and the local authority to develop successful projects.
Colonsay was selected to be part of the Iomairt aig an Oir because of the fragile nature of the island economy and community. The population of the island has been in decline for a number of years and the population is ageing.
" When the Initiative at the Edge was established the community identified two areas fundamental to the survival of the island- housing and transport. These continue to be the biggest challenges faced by the residents of Colonsay" Lucy McNeill
Background to the Housing Initiative
In May 1999, the Rural Housing Service received a call from Andrew Abrahams an oyster farmer on Colonsay asking for help to highlight the housing problems on the island. He related how he wanted to take on someone to work at the Oyster Farm but that there was no housing for them on the island. He also highlighted how poor housing and limited housing choice was causing local families to leave the island and contributing to its depopulation. He asked if the Rural Housing Service could help to solve some of the island's housing problems.
In September 1999, Derek Logie from the Rural Housing Service visited Colonsay to meet with local people and discuss what they saw as the main housing related problems on the island.
The main problems identified by the community were:
- limited housing choice – 38% of the islands households live in Colonsay Estate houses
- limited social rented housing on the island
- external pressures on the owner occupation market from holiday homes
- limited access to land to build new housing and high cost of building
- poor condition of Colonsay Estate houses
- short and insecure tenancy agreements from Colonsay Estate
- lack of housing available for incoming families
The community identified an increase in the housing options and choice available to islanders as essential to meeting housing needs, reducing dependency on Colonsay Estate and creating housing opportunities for people to come to the island. The increase in the housing options and security of the population would they hoped help to stabilise the population and lead to further sustainable development of Colonsay.
Despite the many housing problems facing the island there were no plans to develop further social housing there. The local housing association, West Highland HA had only two people on its waiting list for the 4 houses it had developed in 1994 at the cost of £400,000.
However with support from Scottish Homes and Argyll & the Islands Enterprise it was decided that the Rural Housing Service should develop a housing strategy for the island, to investigate housing conditions and needs and to suggest ways in which the different housing issues could be addressed.
Colonsay Housing Strategy
The main points from the Housing Strategy are outlined below.
Colonsay Housing
There are a total of 89 houses on the island of Colonsay. These are split between the settlements of Kilchattan (27), Scalasaig (24), Kiloran (15), Glassard (8), Uragaig (4), Machrins (3) and the small settlements at the south of the Island (8).
There are 50 houses that are fully occupied on the island – 55% of the total stock. The remaining 39 houses are holiday homes/lets (34:38%), church properties (2:2%), empty properties (2:2%), and 1 part -occupied (1:1%).
Holiday homes make up the largest single category of housing on Colonsay- 38% (34), the next largest is Colonsay Estate rented property which accounts for 25% (22) of the stock, owner occupied housing represents 22% (20) of the stock. Public sector housing on the island accounts for just 9% (8) of the total stock. The last council house let was in 1987.
Colonsay Estate
Colonsay Estate owns the majority of the island of Colonsay. The land holding includes the Estate Farms at Garvard, Scalasaig, Balnahard, Baleromindubh and Machrins. There are small parts of the island, which are not owned by the Estate, mainly croft land in Kilchattan and the Glebe land at the Church of Scotland Manse in Scalasaig.
Colonsay Estate dominates the housing market on Colonsay. The Estate owns 44 properties on Colonsay- 49% of all housing on the island. Currently, 22 of their properties are let to island households, 19 are let as holiday houses, 2 are empty and 1 -Colonsay House – is occupied by the Estate Owner, the Howard family. The Estate owns all the houses in the settlements of Kiloran and Machrins and substantial amounts of property in Kilchattan and Scalasaig.
Holiday Homes/Lets
There are 34 houses on Colonsay, which are used as holiday accommodation. This represents 38% of all housing on the island. In addition there are holiday chalets at Scalasaig and holiday flats in Colonsay House.
Colonsay has over 5 times the level of holiday homes in Argyll & Bute generally, where 7% of housing are second and holiday homes.
Nineteen of the holiday properties are owned by Colonsay Estate and let as holiday houses[1]. Eight other properties are let as holiday homes; four by island residents. The remaining 7 houses are used by their owners as holiday homes and are generally not let commercially.
The last three houses sold on Colonsay were bought for holiday homes or to let as holiday houses.
The main impact of this pressure from external buyers on the Colonsay Housing Market is to raise the cost of housing for sale and the price expectations of house sellers
Owner Occupation
There are 20 homes that are occupied full-time by their owners including three houses which were bought through Right to Buy from Argyll & Bute Council by their current owners. Three houses were built by their owners, one with a Rural Home Ownership Grant from Scottish Homes.
There is currently a substantial amount of house construction being undertaken on Colonsay. However construction costs are high £75,000 – £100,000 because most tradesman and all materials have to be imported on the ferry. Land for sites is difficult to get and when available sites tend to be expensive £15-20,000 per house plot.
Rented Housing
Colonsay Estate owns all the private rented housing on Colonsay. The estate let 22 houses on a permanent basis; 15 are let on assured or short assured tenancies, four are let as part of Agricultural Tenancies and a further three are croft tenancies. The lack of long term tenancies is the main reason people did not feel confident in their housing futures on Colonsay, and in turn their ability to remain on the island.
The rents charged by the Estate depend on the type of tenancy agreement. Assured tenants generally pay between £100 – £150 per month. Short Assured tenants can pay between £300 and £400 per month in rent.
The private rented sector represents 44% of the occupied housing stock on the island, compared to 16% in Argyll & Bute as a whole and 8.5% in Scotland.
West Highland Housing Association have 4 houses on the island at Scalasaig built in 1994. The houses are three bedroom semi-detached and barrier free and were first let in November 1994. There has subsequently been one re-let in July 1996.
WHHA currently have one applicant on their waiting list with Colonsay as an area of first choice.
Argyll & Bute Council Housing Department have two houses (4% of occupied stock) on the island. The council originally had 5 houses, which were bought, from Colonsay Estate in 1980. Three have been sold on to sitting tenants through Right to Buy with discount- the last in 1994 for £16,400.
The last re-let of a council house on Colonsay was on 4 June 1987. The council currently have eleven applicants registered on their waiting list for housing on Colonsay- 11% of the island population.
There are also two houses on the island, which are let to the schoolteacher and the Doctor. The District Nurse is a tenant of Argyll & Clyde Health Board who sub-let a house from Colonsay Estate.
House Conditions
The main problems with house conditions are concentrated houses in the private rented sector. Six tenants described their homes as being in either a poor or very poor condition. The remaining eight stated that they were in reasonable condition. Nevertheless these tenants also highlighted a range of problems with their homes ranging from dampness to poor heating and bad insulation
Common problems highlighted by tenants were Dampness (8), Poor Heating (7), Poor Insulation (7), Poor Drainage (4), and Condensation (3). Six tenants over 60, mostly single women, are living in houses that are damp, are poorly heated and badly insulated.
Housing Needs
All (14) of the private tenants who responded to the survey have a measurable housing need, based on their insecurity of tenure, occupation of Below Tolerable Standard housing, overcrowding
and medical conditions aggravated by current housing conditions.
- 7 households are living in Below Tolerable Standard housing as a result of rising and penetrating damp
- 1 house is Below Tolerable Standard due to damp and the location of the WC
- 4 households have insecure tenancies
- 1 household is overcrowded
- 2 households need adaptations to their homes
Six of the tenancies are single female households where the occupants are over 60 and living in poor housing conditions which may be detrimental to their health.
There are two tenants in housing need currently in public sector housing. One is living in overcrowded conditions (6 people in a 5-person house). The other has a medical condition that is aggravated by their current house. There is one owner-occupier in housing need – who currently lives in a caravan. There are two households – one at present off the island- who are living c/o another household.
Total Housing Need
There are a total of 18 households on Colonsay who have a housing need.
Housing Demand/Aspirations
There are three distinct housing demands/aspirations amongst those in housing need:
- 3 elderly housing
- 8 housing association/council housing
- 6 building/buying own house
The Housing Strategy had the following conclusions and recommendations:
Housing Choice
There is limited housing choice on Colonsay. The housing market is dominated by holiday homes – the largest single "tenure". The demand for holiday homes on Colonsay inflates the price of housing for sale – 3 out of 4 recent house sales have been for holiday homes. The market is also very small, 4 houses have been sold on the island in the last 6 years.
The alternative route to owner occupation, building a new house, is expensive. The price of land is high – £12 –15,000 for a 1/3 acre plot being typical. The cost of importing materials on the ferry is high and the cost of subsistence and accommodation makes labour expensive. The average recent cost of the new houses built with Rural Home Ownership Grants on the island is £69,000. The cost of building makes access to owner occupation extremely difficult for households on low incomes, even with support from Rural Home Ownership Grants.
The rental market is dominated by Colonsay Estate which lets 72% of all housing for rent on the island. The only alternatives are 4 housing association houses and 2 council houses. The last re-let of a council house was in 1987 and only one re-let has occurred in the housing association houses since they were built in 1994.
The lack of alternatives mean that households have effectively two choices: to rent property from Colonsay Estate- which may be in poor condition and for a high rent; or to build a new house if they are able to afford a mortgage for the high cost of building on the island.
Housing Need
A total of 18 households were identified by the Housing Needs Survey as being in housing need. The majority of housing need on the island relates to the condition of the properties which households occupy. Although there are also households in insecure accommodation, elderly households in poorly located and adapted property, a household living in a caravan and households who are overcrowded.
To resolve the variety of housing needs on the island requires a number of different solutions:
- housing conditions in Estate Properties need to be improved
- the security of tenure of island households also needs to be addressed to provide households with strong footholds on the island
- greater housing choice is needed to break down dependence on the Estate for housing
- more social housing for rent will extend the stock available and increase alternative housing choices to the Estate.
- more housing suitable for elderly and disabled people is required
- a more flexible assessment of Rural Home Ownership Grant guidance is required to help households to purchase their current homes, houses for sale and to help facilitate greater benefits from self-building
- shared ownership or the coming flexi-tenure may help make owner occupation available to those on limited or insecure incomes
- a form of temporary housing is required to help incoming households to come to live on the island without the commitment to buying/building a house
Iomairt aig an Oir
Colonsay is an Initiative at the Edge area. The purpose of this initiative is to bring public sector agencies together with the community and the private sector to develop partnership approaches to resolving the issues that threaten the sustainability of the community.
On Colonsay, one of the main issues is housing and the solution to this issue will require co-operation and partnership between all the agencies that are partners in Iomairt aig an Oir with the local community and the Colonsay Estate. There is no one solution to the housing problems of Colonsay rather there are several, all interlinked, and requiring financial and time commitments from all of the partners.
Recommendations for Action
4 new houses at Scalasaig built by a housing association with grant funding from Scottish Homes on land bought by Argyll & the Islands Enterprise. (Scottish Homes, Argyll & the Islands Enterprise, Lorn & the Isles Housing Association)
Up to 7 tenanted houses leased from Colonsay Estate by Argyll & Bute Council or purchased by Colonsay Community Development Company with tenant approval and improved with grant from Argyll & Bute Council.(Colonsay Community Development Company, Colonsay Estate, Argyll & Bute Council, HIE Community Land Unit)
4 Rural Home Ownership Grants provided to enable islanders to buy their current homes from Colonsay Estate and build new houses. (Scottish Homes, Colonsay Estate)
1 house bought by Colonsay Community Development Company to be let to incoming workers (Colonsay Community Development Company, Colonsay Estate)
Progress with the Housing Strategy
The recommendations for action were accepted by all the housing partners to the Initiative at the Edge; the community, Scottish Homes, Argyll & Bute Council and Argyll and the Isles Enterprise.
The first recommendation; 4 new houses built by West Highland Housing Assocviation is currently being developed.
The houses will be built on a site adjacent to the existing housing association houses which was bought by the Community Land Unit from Colonsay Estate. This site will also locate 2 workshop units to encourage craft and other business development on the island.
The new houses are being designed by John Wilson Associates from Oban and will incorporate several energy saving measures suggested by the local community at consultation meetings. These include solar panels, extra thick wall insulation and southerly aspects with large glass areas to encourage passive solar gain.
The houses are also designed to fit with island life and incorporate large porches for wet outdoor clothes and shoes and stoves in the kitchen to provide heat. The houses are also designed to be flexible in the size of households which can be accommodated.
The houses will be built with two bedrooms on the ground floor, in two houses the upper floor will be developed to incorporate two further bedrooms whilst in the remaining two the upper floor will be left unfinished but expandable to meet the needs of a larger household. In this way it hoped that the houses will meet a variety of housing needs on the island at present and in the future.
Leasing Scheme
The second recommendation that some Colonsay Estate houses are leased to Argyll & Bute Council is currently being progressed by the Council. An in principle agreement has been given to the scheme by both the Council and Colonsay Estate and a legal agreement is currently being drawn up by the Council legal department. It is hoped that this will be in operation by the end of 2001.
Rural Home Ownership Grants
Two households in housing need have decided to go down the route of building their own home with the help of Scottish Homes Rural Home Ownership Grants. One is now nearly complete whilst the other has had difficulty buying a site. The Rural Housing Service has been advising this family in their negotiations with the Church of Scotland over a piece of Glebe land.
Community House- Gateway House
This aspect of the strategy is taking longest to develop. However the community recently decided that the Colonsay Community Development Company should progress this development. It is planned to seek funding to build a new house which will be let on a short assured tenancy to new families who wish to come to Colonsay to make their home. It is likely that the house will be made available to local businesses which require housing for new employees.


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Mumbai, July 3 – Actor Irrfan Khan, who is busy promoting his forthcoming film "Madaari", says he doesn't enjoy promotional activities as they don't come naturally to him.
"I don't enjoy promotions, but it's my responsibility," Irrfan told.
"The most difficult part of filmmaking is promoting it. It doesn't come naturally to me. I am not a very good talker. I don't enjoy talking so much, but I have to do it because this is my responsibility," he added.
Irrfan even went to his hometown Jaipur to spread a buzz about the film, apart from going to the set of TV show "Chidiya Ghar".
Miraj Entertainment and Bharat Shah, in association with EaseMyTrip.com, are presenting "Madaari", a Paramhans Creations production. The film is directed by Nishikant Kamat and is all set to release on July 15.


text: Home Living Solutions offer buyers the opportunity to be a part of a number of unique housing developments. Working closely with some of Nelson's most experienced, trusted building providers, Home Living Solutions strives to take all of the stress and hassle out of building a new home. Offering house and land packages featuring immaculately designed homes, Home Living Solutions manages the whole process - from site creation, through to design and build. Through their expertise and relationship with Nelson builders, Home Living Solutions are able to minimise a lot of the costs associated with each stage of the building process.


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First Thursdays is a community-conscious collaboration of artisans and art lovers whose ultimate goal is to showcase new and exciting talent in the fields of visual arts, music and performance. On the first Thursday of four months a year, K Road comes alive with visual artists, performance artists and photographers. Whitecliffe lecturer Matt Dowman and Whitecliffe students donate their time and Whitecliffe art supplies to support this community effort.
Image: Stencil Workshop


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It seems wrong to call Eleanor Simmonds a hopeful given everything she has achieved already; having already won two gold medals in swimming at the Beijing Paralympics when only 13 years old.
Eleanor began swimming at age four and entered her first competition just four years later. After watching the 2004 Paralympic Games on television, Eleanor was inspired to take her sport to an elite level and stepped up her training with the aim of qualifying for Beijing 2008.
She achieved this and, competing in S6 disability category, Eleanor swam in the 50 m, 100 m and 400 m freestyle, 50 m butterfly, and 200 m individual medley. Despite Beijing being her first games and, at 13, being the youngest athlete in the competition, she went on to win gold in both the 100 m freestyle and 400 m freestyle.
This incredible achievement gained wide recognition and in 2008 Eleanor was awarded the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year. Not only that, but a year later she made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). At 14 she was the youngest person to have ever received this honour.
Eleanor has not rested much since winning in Beijing and has gone on to take ten gold medals at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Swimming World Championships in 2009 and 2010, five golds at the IPC European Championships, and a gold at the Paralympic world cup
Eleanor might be one of Britain's best hopes winning, not just one, but a number of gold medals at this summer's games. She says that she hates to lose, but looking at her career, you don't imagine it's much of a problem for her.


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Do a Fundraiser
Leverage your talents and abilitiesto make a difference for our cause!
Mollee Mygrant decided to put on a Chalk-the-Block fundraiser leveraging her role as Mrs. Howard County 2013 (pictured is an event participant).
Each fall, Oakbrook Student Ministries puts on a dodgeball tournament to raise money and have fun!
Pettit Park Elementary School invited us to share our story with over 300 students and raised over $300 for our cause!
Micaela Crites LOVES dance and decided to use her passion for teaching dance to raise money and awareness!


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DURHAM — Bobby Butler will keep playing even if the University of New Hampshire hockey team won't.
The former Wildcat star, whose college career came to an end Saturday night in the final of the NCAA East Regional in Albany, N.Y., agreed to terms with the Ottawa Senators of the NHL on a two-year contract Saturday night, shortly after UNH was eliminated by Rochester Institute of Technology.
According to the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, he's scheduled to fly to Washington today, where he'll sign the deal and join his new teammates in preparation for their game Tuesday against the Capitals.
"I'm pretty pumped up," Butler told the paper. "I can't wait to get back out on the ice. It stinks that we couldn't make it to the Frozen Four like we were hoping to, but this is a pretty good ending to the weekend."
The Senators, who are in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings, have six regular-season games left, and Butler is expected to remain with the team for the rest of the season.
"They were very interested and it seemed like it was a perfect fit for me," Butler said. "It was probably the best opportunity for me to play right now. They said they really liked me and they could see me helping them in the future."
He went undrafted at New Hampshire and that made him a free agent. He scored a Division-I high 29 goals this season and was named Hockey East player of the year.
Butler played in 153 of a possible 154 games for UNH and had 61 goals and 60 assists.
UNH's Butler to sign with Senators
DURHAM — Bobby Butler will keep playing even if the University of New Hampshire hockey team won't.


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4 Loves
Beautifully different.
Cooking Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Add roughly chopped onion and crushed garlic cloves. Fry until soft.
- Add chopped rosemary and fry for 1 minute or so.
- Add parsnips (peeled and cut in 1cm thick slices).
- Add vegetable stock. Bring to boil, then cook covered under medium heat for 15-20 mins until parsnips are soft.
- When the parsnips are soft, add 2/3 frozen peas and cook for 8 mins until peas are cooked.
- Puree the vegetables with a liquidiser until the soup is smooth. Add more water or stock to desired consistency. Season to taste.
- Add a 1/3 of frozen peas left. Bring back to the boil and cook for another 8 mins under medium heat until peas are cooked.
- Serve with a slice of chunky bread.


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Today's Everyday Fashion: Ivory Jeans/
|Inspiration: Pinterest
|Inspiration: Limited
I skipped a post this weekend so today I'm bringing you two outfits. ;-) Both contain the ivory skinnies I scored on Black Friday. White jeans have been my favorite staple for many summers, so I'm not sure why I waited so long to buy an ivory pair for winter! They look great with boots, aren't breaking the "no white" rule, and yet they add a certain lightness to the usual somber winter colors. Which outfit is more your style? Would you wear ivory jeans in the winter?
Sweater: Express, old (similar)
Scarf: c/o Happy Scarf, $24 sold out
Jeans: Limited, $37
Boots: Bakers, $90 see my top picks under $200 belowMichael Kors, family gift
Rings: My Stella & Dot website $69 and $39
Bracelets: My Stella & Dot website $59 and $79 and $32
Bracelets: My Stella & Dot website $59 and $79 and $32
Jeans: Limited, $37
Necklace: c/o Ily Couture, $39
Purse: Juicy Couture/Neiman Marcus Last Call, $120Boots: c/o Chinese Laundry, $150
Jewelry: same as above
|1. Chinese Laundry 2. Charlotte Russe 3. Old Navy 4. Nine West 5. Dolce Vita 6. Novacas