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First Lady Michelle Obama has created a high-pressure environment and a few people who used to be on staff don't like it. That's one of the apparent messages from former White House speechwriter Reid Cherlin's recent article on her called "The Worst Wing."
It's clear from his conversations with staffers that Obama is a perfectionist who demands high performance from her staff. "Former staffers describe a high-stress, high-stakes workplace," he writes, "in which Mrs. Obama scrutinized the smallest facets of her schedule." She conveyed that her time wasn't to be wasted. "Mrs. Obama made it clear to her staff that…her time was a valuable asset and requests to use it would have to meet an exceptionally high bar," he says. One ex-aide said the message conveyed about events was, "Don't do it if it's not going to be perfect."
That certainly sounds stressful. One ex-aide told Cherlin that the situation "just made you super anxious." But would the situation have been different if, say, they worked for the president? Or for a Senator? The nature of working in a high-stakes political environment is that you have to cope with a lot of intense demands.
Yet there's something about Michelle Obama creating this environment that seems to grate at Cherlin.
Perhaps the problem is that people don't like to work for demanding female bosses. No doubt her husband expects incredibly high performance from his staff and gets frustrated when his time is wasted. But the article hints at one potential problem for Michelle: a former employee told Cherlin that employees "don't want to work for her; they want to be friends with her."
This is a trap that ensnares many women in leadership roles. As sociologist Marianne Cooper writes, "decades of social science research…has repeatedly found that women face distinct social penalties for doing the very things that lead to success." We stereotype women as warm, friendly, nurturing — but "if a woman acts assertively or competitively, if she pushes her team to perform, if she exhibits decisive and forceful leadership, she is deviating from the social script that dictates how she 'should' behave," and that leads to a backlash. Americans prefer working for a male boss over a female one by 12 percentage points — although the good news is that a growing number say they don't care. But the backlash doesn't just come from male underlings. Two-thirds of women in a British survey said they preferred a male boss. Both men and women say they prefer a man to fill a senior executive role or to be president of the United States.
Another problem is that, it seems, she's a perfectionist who doesn't like to take risks or go off message. This may in part come from her time working as a corporate lawyer. One alum from her staff says, "[S]he's a lawyer. She's really disciplined. She cares about the details. She's never going to wing it." She has also always held herself to a high ideal. "She's your ultimate straight-A student," one former aide says, "she was used to being perfect."
And it makes sense that Michelle Obama has had to hold herself to the highest standards and stay disciplined. Women and people of color have the odds stacked against them in the workplace, particularly in high-wage professions like the law, and Michelle Obama faces both sets of barriers. Black job applicants are half as likely as equally qualified whites to get callbacks or offers. In one experiment looking at women's chances of getting hired for a math job, they were half as likely to get the offer based just on their gender. Nearly a third of women say they have experienced discrimination at work. It takes intense determination and peak performance to overcome those barriers as she has.
Michelle Obama also has to tackle these double standards in a role that is already rife with antiquated sexism. Cherlin acknowledges that "the position of first lady has become embarrassingly anachronistic," filled with banquets and social engagements and representing an uncharted sea of how to take on an agenda with substance. In her book on the Obamas, Jodi Kantor writes that Obama "knew the history of first ladies — like Nancy Reagan and [Hillary] Clinton — who had been deemed meddlers, unelected figures who wielded unearned power."
But like them, she came to the role with her own personal accomplishments and interests. Cherlin is clearly in the camp of those who were disappointed that she wasn't able to transform the role to suit those accomplishments. He had hoped that her "political appeal and charisma would enable her to transform it into something that reflected the role of modern women as equal participants in the political process" — a daunting task given what has faced past first ladies who tried the same.
And even so, it's hard to say that she has failed. Cherlin accuses her of "outlin[ing] a distinctly narrow vision," but on her resume are Let's Move, a campaign to tackle the problem of obesity among the country's children, and Joining Forces, which helps military families and veterans. Next up is her new effort to tackle inequalities in our college system. While the article note that it has "so far fallen short of one of the strategic plan's key recommendations — that it be supported with substance, like proposals for legislation or policy changes," it has only been public since November. And as some have noted, like MSNBC's Melissa Harris-Perry, simply being mom-in-chief is a radical act for a black woman, busting the Mammy stereotype.


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Please plan to join us as we spend the evening hearing how the Lord is working in and through the Powell family in France. We will end our time with a special time of prayer for the Powell family.
When: 8/12/2015 @ 6:30 PM
Dessert to follow!
What's Happening >

subset: commoncrawl


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By Barbara E. Marczak, P.E., Prein&Newhof Last September, I became Chair of the Michigan Section of the American Water Works Association (AWWA). With over 50,000 members, including 1,600 in Michigan, AWWA is the nation's largest non-profit organization dedicated to managing and treating water. Little did I realize then that one of the biggest public drinking […]Learn More >
Muskegon Avenue and Webster Avenue construction is complete! Lots of benefits from this project for downtown Muskegon, including: More walkability to the downtown area. New 'bump-outs' at street corners will shorten the crosswalk almost by half, so walkers can cross the street quickly and safely. Narrowing the streets allows for more trees and grass in […]Learn More >
2016 Applications Now Open for MNRTF, LWCF & RPGP The application period for the 2016 grant cycle is now open for the following programs: Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Recreation Passport Grant Program (RPGP) Grant Application due date for these programs is April 1, 2016 at 11:59pm (midnight). […]Learn More >


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- View the latest Porsche news and reviews
- Why the four-cylinder Porsche Boxster won't be a failure
- 2016 Porsche Boxster revealed
- Porsche Boxster to be re-named
"There is no four-cylinder engine that sounds as emotional as our new Porsche Boxster."
It is marketing rhetoric almost akin to claiming your fast food burger is healthier than any competitor's. The words 'emotion' and 'four-cylinder' don't traditionally go hand-in-hand, but Porsche is staunch in the belief that it has mastered the note of the new four-cylinder 718 Boxster.
The official word is the horizontally-opposed four-cylinder sounds very different from its six-cylinder predecessor, but a good kind of different. That's the biggest relief.
During our first impression of the new model in France this week, the distinct sound of air being sucked through monstrous side vents as the engine draws power, a real emotional hallmark of the Boxster, remains. A muted growl is ever-present at idle and the engine's petrol-powered symphony resonates deliciously through the cabin with or without the roof in place. But it's a distinctively different kind of noise, less shrieking six and more Mercedes-AMG bellow, with added crackle on over-run and a synthetic shade to its tone.
Or as our test driver opines, "it's naughtier than before".
In any case, the Boxster feels more masculine; no great surprise for a vehicle which is faster and purportedly more precise but uses less fuel.
The result of a three-year program which paralleled the development of the new turbocharged six-cylinder engine family for the 911 Carrera, the drop-top is more muscular in the skin. Cleaner, more defined character lines are punctuated by new headlights and tail lights a bolder rear flank and more purposeful air scoops channelled through scalloped door panels.
The reworked exterior panels reflect inherent changes to the Boxster's underbody, such as brakes which pull its slightly heavier (by 5kg) 1355kg kerb weight to rest faster. New electro-mechanical steering lifted from the Turbo S and adapted to the 718 is claimed to be 10 per cent more direct. Porsche's adaptive suspension and stability control programs now have a greater propensity for performance and more lateral leeway than before.
Other than the new engines, the mid-life update is rounded out by small changes inside the cabin, like the new steering wheel based mildly on the 911 and 918 Spyder, and a new infotainment system.
Both engines feature a single turbocharger which employ a traditional wastegate, with engine gases passing through a single oval tail pipe on the base model car or two centrally located round tailpipes on the upscale model.
In the case of the standard Boxster, power has been ratcheted up to 220kW and 380Nm from the previous model's 194kW and 280Nm.
The higher-placed Boxster S featured here ups the ante again. Its 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine generates 257kW/420Nm outputs reached across a broader rev bandwidth of 6500rpm and 1900-4500rpm respectively. That's also 26kW and 60Nm more than before.
The more telling numbers here are the Boxters' acceleration times. The regular model will launch to 100km/h in a claimed 4.9 seconds (4.7 seconds in automatic PDK guise), while the Boxster S will notch triple figures in 4.4 seconds (4.2 seconds automatic). Those figures represent 0.8 second and 0.6 second gains over their predecessors.
The company recently completed a 7min42sec lap around the gruelling Nurburgring Nordschliefe circuit in the new model; 16 seconds faster than the predecessor.
"About 75 per cent of that is due to the engine and about 25 per cent is due to the chassis," Joachim Meyer, chassis manager for the Boxster, said.
Our passenger rides this week are limited to numerous laps of a Michelin tyre proving ground near Marseille. Even from the passenger seat on a staged circuit, the experience presents a compelling case for the Boxster and its new compact powertrain.
The first component of the drive, a casual lap of a high-speed bowl with the roof up, presents no nasty surprises from the new model both in terms of road noise or scuttle shake. At one stage, we forget we're riding in a convertible, it's that serene with the cloth-lined metal structure in place, as active engine mounts limit vibration of the engine and the dampers iron out road bumps. Our car was down into the 8.5L/100km fuel consumption range in normal driving, proving the down-sizing mission wasn't done in vein.
The engine's low-down urge is quite remarkable. From sitting at just under 2000rpm at 110km/h, the driver floors the accelerator in top gear and the engine pulls smoothly and gradually to north of 250km/h without flinching.
We decelerate back to under 70km/h before stowing the roof and repeating the same process. The cabin feels mildly well protected from the open elements, pushing air over occupants and retaining its composure at speed.
Switching the optional steering wheel mounted Drive Mode selector to Sport is where the fun really begins. Instantly, the Boxster becomes more resolute in its gear changes, its ride characteristics and presumably its steering sharpness, as the four-piston Brembo speed quickly wash off speed before we hit the same bowl at a lazy 190km/h.
We attempt the same process in Sport Plus and finally in Sport Response, a "push to pass" button which primes the engine for 20 seconds of hyperactivity. The transmission kicks down almost maniacally to ensure the engine sits above 5000rpm, and the Boxster's reworked chassis and sublime engine take on another level. Even during a series of high-speed lane changes the vehicle feels remarkably well planted from the passenger seat.
Our test ride finishes on a low friction track which snakes its way through a non-descript paddock. The driver plays with the respective parameters within the vehicle's excellent PSM (Porsche Stability Management) programming, holding either tight and Teutonic lines on water-soaked bitumen or performing impressive power slides with all systems switched completely off. It's a sight to behold, especially from a mid-mounted four-cylinder.
The whole experience leaves an impression that Porsche may have a point after all. The updated Boxster feels faster and more masculine than before, and even provides occupants with a surprisingly visceral experience.
It's hard to image a four-cylinder engine sounding emotional, but it certainly has this passenger intrigued.
Porsche 718 Boxster and Boxster S
On sale: June 2016
Price: from $113,100 plus on-road costs (Boxster), from $143,400 plus on-road costs (Boxster S)
Engine: 2.0-litre turbo petrol four-cylinder, 2.5-litre turbo petrol four-cylinder
Power: 220kW at 6500rpm/257kW at 6500rpm
Torque: 380Nm at 1950-4500rpm/420Nm at 1900-4500rpm
Transmission: Six-speed manual or seven-speed PDK automatic
Fuel use: 6.9-7.4L/100km and 7.3-8.1L/100km
- Interested in buying Porsche Boxster? Visit our Porsche showroom for more information.


text: Chances are if you are a part of the endurance running community, you've heard of Heartbreak Hill. Located between mile 20 and 21 of the Boston Marathon, Heartbreak Hill is a name synonymous with the race itself. As Editor - in - Chief of Runner's World Magazine, David Willey, says: "Heartbreak Hill exerts a pull on runners that is way out of proportion to it's size. It's widely noted that the Continue reading →


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If you watch TED Talks it's pretty likely that you have seen one of the most viewed presentations: "How great leaders inspire action" by Simon Sinek.
The model proposed by Simon explains where the leadership success comes from. Apple, Wright brothers, Martin Luther King — they all have one thing in common. Something that makes people follow them — their dreams, their vision, their plans.
It is the well-explained reason why.
Continue reading "Why you do the code? What is your reason for doing maintenance, tests, CI/CD, refactor?"


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If you would like to add or update your information listed please contact the webminister.
Awards: Award of Arms (2014)
david AT oakhaven DOT org
Interests: Dance
Awards: Award of Arms (1993), Pearl (2006), Opal (2016)
theredbearded AT gmail DOT com
Persona: Born in Birka to a Geat father and a Dane mother, I spent my younger, wilder years a-Viking with the Danes. Now that I'm older, I've settled into the life of a wine merchant on the Östersæ (Baltic Sea).
Interests: Brewing, Feasting, Viking culture.
Awards: Companion of the Opal with Award of Arms (2007), Award of the Fountain (2007), Companion of the Coral Branch (2012)
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Awards: Award of Arms (1988), Opal (2006)
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enequy AT comcast DOT net
Awards: Award of the Silver Bow (2000), Companion of Saint Roch (2000), Award of Arms (2000), King's Award of Excellence (2001), Companion of the Yew Bow (2001), Companion of the Silver Heart (2002), King's Award of Excellence (2003), Companion of the Opal (2003), Award of the Silver Compass (2003), Holder of the Dreamer's Cup (2003), Companion of the Golden Dolphin (2003), Companion of the Coral Branch (2005), Award of the Fountain (2005), Award of the Undine (2007)
Awards: Award of Arms (2002), Undine (2004), Opal (2004), Coral Branch (2007), Pharos (2008), Pearl (2013)
Awards: Grant of Arms (1994)
Persona: Scottish Lowland Archer, circa 1497. Lord Mungo's Story
Interests: Archery, arrow making, pilgrims and pilgrimages, holy wells, saints, The Tower of London, and all thing Scottish (except haggis).
Awards: Award of Arms (2009), Companion of the King's Missiliers (2011), Companion of the Yew Bow (2013), Order of the Opal (2014), Award of the Fountain (2017); Fellow of Atlantia University (UA 77), Bachelor of SCA Studies (UA 82), Master of SCA Studies (UA 84)
knschmid AT gmail DOT com
Interests: Dance
Awards: Coral Branch (2007), Pearl (2017)
Blog and class documentation
Awards: Award of Arms (2002)
Awards: Award of Arms (2015)
Persona: Scottish Lowland Gentlewoman, circa 1497
Interests: Archery, cookery, pilgrims and pilgrimages, and all things Scottish
Awards: Award of Arms (2009), Companion of the King's Missiliers (2014), Companion of the Yew Bow (2019), Bachelor of SCA Studies (UA 79), Fellow of Atlantia University (UA 98), Master of SCA Studies (UA 101)
Awards: Award of Arms (2014)
Awards: Award of Arms (2001), King's MIssiliers (2008), Silver Nautilus (2011)


text: At Trinity Dental Center we happily provide dentures in Anderson, South Carolina, to finally replace your missing teeth with a functional yet removable product. Dr. Robert Berkowitz gives you this option to give you the strong, durable teeth you need as well as the smile that improves your appearance. To schedule an appointment with our dentist regarding dentures, please contact us 864-642-4630.


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My Story
I used to take Spinning class all the time. Then suddenly, after a year or so of going to class I started to experience a burning itch and by the end my crotch hurt so much I could barely stand it. So naturally, if my crotch hurts, everyone else's must hurt too, right? So suck it up! And I could never wear tampons. They were uncomfortable. Tampon commercials always boast, "Now it doesn't feel like a diaper anymore!" Yeah but it feels like a big metal rod lodged in between my legs. So naturally, everyone else must be crazy for wanting to wear them! Unbeknownst to me at the time there is a condition that affects millions of women, but that nobody seems to know about. I like to tell people, "My vagina is broken".
Lots of times VVS can be caused by little ridiculous things like using scented soaps to wash up, or wearing non-cotton panties. Even drinking too much caffeine, STD's, and cancer are on the list of possible reasons why you might be having problems under the hood. However after you run down the list, try some creams, and use a cookie cutter on your vagina to make sure you didn't pick up something creepy from the toilet, its official. You have vulvar vestibulitis.
At first I thought it was just something I was doing wrong or wasn't getting aroused enough. Plus, it was such a weird, awful feeling I thought it would be impossible to find an actual name for what I was feeling. It was too . . . esoteric to try and put into words. But after one night of sensual pain, I went on the internet to see what I could find. I sat at the computer for a while, at a loss for what to type in the search field. When you have a pain in your back, you type back pain. Or when you have a pain in your stomach you type stomach pain. So, skeptically, I typed "vaginal pain". "Vulvodynia" began to appear in a lot of the web pages that came up. (Note: the more correct term is now vulvar vestivulitis. You will still see vulvodynia around, though.)
But there wasn't a lot of information. I thought the possibility was high that this could be my answer to all my burning questions. And they were literally burning. After the pain started during sex and bike riding it cropped up in other situations, too. Of course these were usually public situations where it is not all that common to grab your crotch and craddle it. Sitting in class, standing in line for something, or hanging out with friends became common burn times. I eventually developed a subtle wiggle, where I could be sitting and look like I was moving to some rhythm in my head or on my headphones or being particularly happy. When really I was trying to relieve my vagina of the itching and burning in a nice, pleasant way, so as not to disturb or distract those around me.
I have been through the gamut of tests with two different doctors, and apparently nothing else was causing my pain. In fact, doctors aren't really sure why vvs occurs, which is why treating it is just as fun as having all the tests to make sure you have it in the first place. Some gynecologists know more about it than others. Some specialize in it completely, though they are few and far between. The two that I have seen so far were very lovely ladies. However, they seemed more interested in making sure my pain wasn't being caused by something else, than actually trying to treat me. I wanted to scream at them, "Well I'm glad we've pinpointed it girls, but now what? It still hurts!" I was finally diagnosed by a gyno that I went to just because my mom went to him. He delivered my brother. He said, "I can give you steroid cream or surgery. The surgery works 50/50 and you can only use the steroid cream for so long before it starts to errod the walls of your vulva." That's ok. I'm full, thanks. There were no vulva specialists anywhere near me, so I figured I was relagated to a life of pain. My pain never went away during sex, but I got to the point where I could try different things to where the good feelings outweighed the bad. During non-sex times, mine was a mild-moderate case. It popped up a little every day to remind me it was still there in case I forgot, which is so nice.
And then out of the blue, with no explanation, and no treatment, it went away. About two years after that first spinning class the pain went away. During sex, during bike rides, sitting down. It just stopped. I have no idea why. I have no idea if it will come back. I am constantly afraid of doing something that may trigger it again. I kind of have survivor's guilt. Going back and reading some of the things I wrote in the midst of it, I can't even remember what it was like anymore. To feel that every day. To have sex ending in intense pain, overflowing, snot-driven crying, and emotions heightened through sexual tension. Other women, my other NVVO women, are still experiencing pain everyday. I have been pain free for almost two years. I had started to forget. Then I had a scare about 6 months ago where I thought it might be coming back. It turned out to be an extremely minor yeast infection. But that's what set me to thinking, millions of women still suffer from this and I cannot take that lying down. Even if it never comes back for me, I have to do something to help all of those who still feel that burning and itching. Who cannot have sex and cannot ride bikes. I plan to help save the world. One vagina at a time.
My husband and I are trying to have a baby, even though my VVS could come back. You can read about updates HERE.


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The education union wants the federal government to fix the underfunding of students with a disability following the release of fresh data.
Figures released by the COAG Education Council this week show 469,000 students have a disability or learning difficulty but schools are only receiving funding to help 200,000.
"That is over a quarter of a million children with disability that schools are not funded to support. The question now is what action will Education Minister Simon Birmingham take to deal with this chronic underfunding?" Australian Education Union president Correna Haythorpe said in a statement on Saturday.


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Having visitors that have been to Finland several or more times has really upped our hosting game, forcing me to find new places to visit. Or in this case revisiting old haunts to discover a hidden gem.
Helsinki Päivä, Helsinki Day, is on June 12th and somehow in our first six years here it has passed us by. I've been vaguely aware of it, but this year someone on my expats' board posted a link to the programme which is massive and includes hundreds of events of all types.
We decided to head back to Herttoniemi where we lived our first two years here. It's still one of my favourite areas in Helsinki, lots of green spaces, friendly people, easily accessible to the city and lots of different things to do. We started out with a quick visit to an open day at Gymi, a children and teens' sport club that specialises in gymnastics type activities. My 3 eldest attended sessions there and loved it, unfortunately the open day was so popular they had to limit everyone to 30 minutes which had Bump in tears.
We then headed out to Herttoniemi Manor Herttoniemen Kartanon which includes a manor house, a large formal gardens with a duck pond and the Knusbackan farm behind the manor house.
The manor wasn't open when we arrived and usually is only open on some Sundays for a few hours, so please check the website if you want to go inside. We had a picnic lunch in the gardens and then went back to the farm. The tractor trailer ride was lots of fun and there was no real waiting time even though the place was jammed with people.
They had a working horse and a small petting farm.
Knusbacken was my favourite bit, an old farm museum with a preserved farmhouse. We've recently been reading the Laura Ingalls Wilder series so it was nice to be able to show the kids all the things we've been reading about that are totally foreign to 21st century kids like a loom, butter churn and harrows. I can't find any info on the website about when the farm is open normally so might be worth contacting them before going if that's what you're interested in.
There's also a popular restaurant on the grounds called Wanha Mylly The Old Windmill, but we didn't stop as we had remembered to bring a picnic lunch for once. The gardens are both formal and wild and the ducks a nice distraction.
The manor did open after a while and the kids did a run through, old furniture is just not their thing, but one of them took some random photos for me.
We finished off the day at a local cafe we used to frequent for ice cream and a visit to a favourite park. We all enjoyed Helsinki day and being back in the old neighbourhood.


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Taipei, Sept. 14 (CNA) Taiwan's domestic gasoline and diesel prices are forecast to move higher next week for the fourth consecutive week to push up the price of the benchmark 95 octane unleaded to hit NT$31 (US$1.01) per liter, market sources said Friday.Worries over escalating tensions between the United States and Iran, and a fall in crude inventories in the U.S. market prompted energy traders to bet on higher crude prices, which is expected to lead CPC Corp. Taiwan, the state-own gasoline supplier in the country, to raise fuel prices by NT$0.5 per liter, the sources said.The state-owned company, which hiked its gasoline prices by NT$0.1 per liter and increased its diesel prices by NT$0.2 per liter this week, is scheduled to announce its prices for next week at noon on Sunday and put them into effect 12 hours later.If CPC raises its fuel prices as forecast, prices at the pump will rise to NT$27.7 per liter for super diesel, NT$29.5 for 92 octane unleaded gasoline, NT$31 for 95 octane unleaded and NT$33 for 98 unleaded, the sources said. CPC calculates its fuel prices weekly.International crude oil prices continued to move higher this week in the wake of sanctions imposed by the U.S. against Iran, one of the major oil producers in the Middle East, the sources said.Under the tough sanctions, Washington has told its allies to reduce imports of crude produced by Iran, and several Asian buyers, including South Korea, Japan and India appear to be falling in line, the sources added.A weekly report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), pointing to a fall in U.S. crude inventories, pushed up crude oil prices higher, the sources said.According to the EIA, crude inventories in the U.S. market fell 5.3 million barrels to 396.2 million barrels in the week to Sept. 7, the lowest level since February 2015.Due to the rise in international crude oil prices, CPC has calculated the average price of crude oil at US$77.02 per barrel this week, up from NT$76.06 per barrel a week earlier, according to its website.CPC calculates its weekly fuel prices based on a weighted oil price formula made up of 70 percent Dubai crude and 30 percent Brent crude.Formosa Petrochemical Corp., a private Taiwanese rival to CPC, is expected to announce a similar price hike on Sunday. (By Pan Tzu-yu and Frances Huang)Enditem/cs
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Taking shortcuts is often saves valuable time and in many cases, these shortcuts often a significant amount of thought and creativity. When someone doesn't take any shortcuts and goes above and beyond the standards, it is impossible to not be impressed by the effort and creativity that went into the project. In the case of the HKS Dallas Headquarters, there were many opportunities and indeed, logical reasons, for the designers to take shortcuts. However, the design team didn't take shortcuts and the resulting structure is an inspiration for those who are looking to create Green Buildings that push innovation forward.
A Gem in the Heart of Dallas
The HKS Headquarters is located in downtown Dallas, TX and managed not only to achieve LEED Platinum Certification, but a rare dual certification via the LEED v3 and the LEED v4 rating systems as well. As opposed to building a new building on a greenfield or in the suburbs, rather, the company choose to redevelop a bankrupt high-rise in downtown Dallas. By building in downtown Dallas, HKS wanted to set a higher standard in terms of Green Building, as many of the other buildings were performing very poorly. In transforming the nearly vacant and distressed property into, the designers hope to set a standard for the rest of the city of Dallas and encourage redevelopment of the area so more buildings utilize sustainable practices and attempt to achieve LEED Certification.
The Benefits of Not Taking Shortcuts
The architects set high standards for themselves from the very beginning of the project, believing that it was their responsibility to design and build sustainable environments for their clients. The HKS Headquarters demonstrates their commitment to sustainable building practices for their clients as well as their own working spaces. Indeed, this building displays their commitment to Green Building, as LEED's standards are stringent and obtaining certification isn't easy. In order to obtain LEED Platinum and the dual certification, when designing the building the architects focused their efforts on water reduction, energy efficiency, and utilizing sustainable materials. Out of the 110 points the LEED Rating Systems offers, the HKS Headquarters achieved 83 out of the possible 110 points.
Notable Features
When designing the HKS Headquarters, the designers placed a lot of emphasis was placed on energy efficiency, particularly in regards to the office lighting which consumes about thirty percent of the total energy on average. The building was designed with highly efficient LED lighting and controls were installed to achieve a Lighting Power Density of 0.6 watts/ sq. ft. In addition to this, there is a fully integrated lighting and shade system which takes advantage of the natural light and controls the window shade system. Sensors are included in all of the lighting and are designed to shut off when people are not present. Energy efficient lights are implemented at each of the work stations, to reduce the need for overhead lighting. In addition to these features, all appliances that are utilized within the building have been approved by Energy Star. These features are expected to reduce the overall energy consumption by more than ten percent.
Besides lighting, another major consideration that the design team had to consider was the air conditioning system. Considering the location of the HKS Headquarters, it was very important to have a high quality air conditioning system that ensured the comfort of the occupants and conserved energy. The designers a new Variable Air Volume (VAV) HVAC system is going to be paired with a base building York chiller. The quality of the air indoors was also considered by the designers and a high quality ventilation and filtration system was implemented in order to enhance the quality of the air inside. The energy consumption of the whole building will be monitored on every floor, giving occupants the opportunity to compete for the lowest energy consumption.
HKS is firmly committed to implementing and promoting sustainability and setting an example for other companies. They will continue to utilize their HKS Green Operations Policy to promote the importance of sustainability and Green Building. The building will also have a single-stream recycling program, where the recycled materials are picked up each night as opposed to every week. Recycling bins will be located by each trash bin and each workstation will have its own recycling bin provided on behalf of the company. Educational programs will be offered to their clients and employees in order to promote sustainable practices.
Future Possibilities
Taking a close look at the HKS Dallas Headquarters and studying the designs and innovative techniques that went into creating the building, it is possible to look past the rather bleak forecasts for the environment. It is undeniable that the standards set by LEED are stringent and that achieving certification from LEED is expensive. However, when one looks past the short-term costs of achieving certification, it is easy to see that the long term effects of obtaining certification from LEED far outweighs any downsides. The fact that from the beginning of the project, the goal was to achieve the groundbreaking dual certification reveals that there are people who are dedicated to preserving the environment.
The HKS Headquarters is a truly inspiring building, not just because of the rare dual certification or the LEED Platinum rating. The passion of the designers and the commitment to sustainability is truly inspiring. They are fully committed to sustainable building practices and educating others as to why implementing these practices is so vitally important. HKS clearly understands that it is one thing to know, logically, that sustainability is important, but it a completely different thing to understand why it is so important.


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Green Cars' is the term used for zero, low and ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVs) - with pressure being applied to lower global emission levels, the need for "eco-friendly" vehicles is on the rise. Many countries now have plans in place to abolish the use of combustion engines before the turn of the century and so more and more vehicles we see on the roads will be Electric, hybrid or very low emission petrol and diesels.
Although beneficial to the environment, 'Green Cars' are also beneficial from a taxation view. The lower a vehicle's emissions banding, the lower the taxation placed against it. Many manufacturers have tapped in to this ever-growing market with their own offerings, however, Volvo were the first manufacturer to state that every one of their models will be either electric or hybrid options from 2019.


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Use the booking form at right to find the best deals and book a room online with IrishTourist.com!
Alternatively, browse all of the accommodation by selecting from the links below:
Click on an icon to see full details of that listing, or scroll down to view all listings.
Ashe Quay, Fermoy, Co. Cork, P61 TR99
The Grand Hotel perches on the banks of the River Blackwater, in the centre of Fermoy. With en suite rooms with cable TVs, there is also a restaurant and bar.
Read more about Grand Hotel Fermoy | Check Availability | View Map of Area | Photos
Millvale Road HillValley House, Ballyhooly, Co. Cork, P51 YR53
Set in Ballyhooly, The Lodge at HillValley House is a chalet featuring a barbecue. The property is 27 km from Cork and free private parking is featured. Free WiFi is offered throughout the property. The kitchenette comes with an oven.
Read more about The Lodge at HillValley House | View Map of Area | Photos
Abercromby Place, Fermoy, P61 K859, Co. Cork
Abbeyville House is located in Fermoy, County Cork. The accommodation offers free WiFi and parking, and has purpose built dog kennels for those travelling with pets.
Read more about Abbeyville House | View Map of Area | Photos


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Francis, the first Pope from Latin America, led a mass with a mixed group of young offenders at the Casal del Marmo prison outside of Rome.
He washed and kissed the feet of a dozen inmates aged 14 to 21, two of whom were female.
No pontiff has ever washed a woman's feet before and, in another break with tradition, one of the female prisoners was also a Serbian Muslim.
"Among us the one who is highest up must be at the service of others. This is a symbol, it is a sign – washing your feet means I am at your service," he told them.
Source: APTN


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Dear Sir,
I wanted to write to you and express my feelings on your film Burying the Past. I was very impressed with how you put the film together to tell this amazing complicated story, and show all sides and parties involved. I wanted you to know that I think your film is just awesome, and I enjoyed it very much. I believe that your film is and will be a historical treasure.
I live in Alabama, but was born and raised in Idaho with LDS background. I have always been interested in U.S. history and read and study that subject. I especially enjoy Civil war and Indian wars. I had not really knew much about the Mountain Meadows Massacre unit recently. About a month ago I purchased a Frontier Classics Series book Massacres of the Mountains by J.P. Dunn Jr. at Books A Million book store. After reading the Mountain Meadows chapter in the book I was intrigued. I then began to research the subject on the internet and was excited when I found that a document film had been made of this on going story. I believe in history speaking for itself, and I believe that this incredible true story needs to be told for history sake no matter how painful it is. Just as JP Dunn Jr. educated me one hundred and eighteen years later from his writings, your film will do the same for generations to come. It is my hope that your film will have a national audience. I wish you well in your endeavors and appreciate your film. Sincerely, T.M. <>
Dear Mr. Patrick,
I was one of the fortunate people that received a copy of your documentary "Burying the Past" a couple of weeks ago at the Ken Sanders gathering in Salt Lake City. I have been interested in the Mountain Meadows Massacre for the better part of my adult life and have read everything I could acquire about the subject. I have to say that nothing has touched me as deeply as your film. I found myself close to tears at several points while viewing the film. You have certainly done a fine job of capturing the wide spectrum of emotions associated with the massacre and its legacy.
I compliment you on your objective view. No doubt that was a challenge for you, considering the pressures you no doubt encountered from a variety of camps. I must agree that your film will likely outlive all of us, and I thank you for making such a documentary available to future generations. The fact that interest in the massacre has survived 150 years of suppression suggests that your film will be a major reference source for years to come.
I certainly hope that distribution of the film will be widespread, I will do my part to get the word out. Many thanks, -West Valley City, UT
Last night, my wife and I watched your documentary "Burying the Past".
Thanks to Gerald and Sandra Tanner, for their very speedy service, as we ordered it Friday, September 10th at 3 PM and it arrived yesterday on Monday, all the way out to Roseville California! Today, I have recommended many folks purchase this DVD video from the Tanners.
I will tell you up front that both my wife and I were raised in the Mormon church myself near Salt Lake, my wife, out past Park City.
Recently, we have began investigating the history of our church. We have been troubled by what we have found and are still finding. As we traveled further down this road of our own church history, we have found many skeletons, but this was no skeleton that we ran across, it was a festering dead carcass which we found to be known as the Mountain Meadows Massacre. Truly the ugliest piece of Mormon history.
We Mormon kids were never taught about this horrible stain that penetrates deep into the historical soil which Utah and Mormon history are built. This event is NEVER discussed in church, and is simply glossed over in public school history classes. Since Utah is a Mormon theocracy of sorts, I can see why it is glossed over in public schools.
If I had one wish, it would be that ALL Mormon seminary students watch your documentary.
Brian, you really did this piece of history pure justice. You simply reported what happened. You gave those victims of this horrific event what the Mormon church will never give them, respect and honor by telling the truth about their tragic demise.
Your documentary style is very powerful. No sugar coating, just pure simple historical facts. Facts are a powerful thing.
We have never felt such a range of emotion as we did watching this horrific piece of Mormon history unfold before our eyes. My wife and I were so moved by this, we felt deep sorrow, shame for our church, and even guilt for not knowing this terrible piece Mormon history. How could this have happened.
Lately, I really don't like calling the church I was raised in) anything else but MORMON, because it is the real name of the history of this church that the leaders would rather have us call "LDS" or "The church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints". I was raised a Mormon in the theocratic capitol of Mormonism, Salt Lake City UTAH.
You were more than fair to the Mormon church in reporting this event. There was no bias, none was needed.
In the end I see the Mormon leadership was guilty of two crimes, one in 1857 when this slaughter was carried out in the name of the Mormon god and one in 1999 when President Hinkley stood completely void of grief, compassion, and emotion as he delivered what the lawyers wrote for the dedication of "their" new monument really made him stand out as a shallow, patronizing characature spouting platitudes. His delivery sounded no different than when he speaks at general conference... I thought there would be SOMETHING in his voice that showed how he felt.
The church should have simply funded the rebuilding of the site by a team led by a non-Mormon archeologist. After which, turned it over to a non-Mormon historical society, and pledged to pay for the upkeep into the future. Instead they looked at it as a PR stunt, forced by the families and the association. "We don't want inaccurate information being disseminated at the site"??? What they really mean is they don't want the truth to be told, just like the rest of their history. Sorry for rambling on so long. Thank you for listening.
Your talents as a documentary film maker have touched the lives of two people who were blindly raised Mormon You have delivered truth to us. We thank you for that.
Here is how I presented it to my family and friends in an email:
September 11th.
Innocent men, women, and children are mercilessly slaughtered.
Their bodies left to rot.
Their personal belongings pillaged.
All in the name of a religious god, to avenge and destroy.
Was this the year 2001?
Did this occur in New York?
Were the murderers Muslim?
120 innocent men, women, and children were slaughtered in the name of the Mormon God September 11, 1857 near Cedar City Utah.
You all need to watch a documentary about the involvement of our church in this horrific event
Thank you again Brian.
Roseville, CA
Dear Mr. Patrick:
I wanted to take this opportunity to commend you on your documentary,
'Burying the Past.' I saw this film at the Heartland Film Festival and was
truly enthralled by the story and how this event has affected generations.
I am ashamed to say I have never heard of this tragic event, although it
seems many have not, so I am thankful for the work you have done to get this
story out to the public.
I also want to commend you on your presentation of this event and the
stories of the family involved. It really had me on edge and wanting to
know more about this event and those affected by it as the story unfolded.
This was really more than a documentary.
I also want to thank you and your assistant for staying afterwards to
provide us with more details on the film and answer questions, even though
it was a late night showing. I truly enjoy the Heartland Film Fest, and
look forward to it each year. It is wonderful to see such great films and
be able to hear details regarding the project from those involved.
I wish you continued success on this film and your future endeavors.
Melissa Mullen


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The Thinking Viking was in, shall we say, dire straights. St.Patrick's day, San Francisco Bay, adrift under the Bay Bridge. The trip home on board the 39′ sailboat was..not going to plan. The plan did not include sails. Thing has a diesel engine that is called by many "bulletproof". But…the silver bullet – the engine was over heated, fan belt broke, radiator boiling, the main sail was completely stowed for long term berthing, and we were adrift, under the Bay Bridge, in the path of the various SF Bay Ferrys and the big freighters heading for Oakland.
The internet meme joke about "How to Avoid Large Ships" suddenly has meaning. (ed: The correct meme is "
How to Avoid Huge Ships") wow – font copied, too.
I try to keep us pointed towards home, but with no power, it's barely possible. Captain breaks out a knife and the cursing begins. Zip tie after zip tie is cut to free the main sail. Cursing continues.
More cursing. Coast Guard almost runs us down.
That motherfucking sail has to be lined up like a 60 foot zipper to get started. Frustrated Captain can't get it in place. I take over because I see the stress is getting to him, he's rushing in a mild – and well deserved – panic.
The sail starts to raise. Damn this thing is heavy, it'sjust not going up more than an inch or so at a time. Fuck the winch. I grap the ropes coming from the mast and basically lean my full weight on them. Sail raises a foot. Again. and Again. And again. My hands are chafing.
But at half sail, the boat starts to aim and drive. The dry stiff rope are loosened and the winches start to work and the two of us get that damn thing up.
At this point, we return to the cut version of "Adrift" Adrift. And there was much rejoicing.
Thank Neptune the tide was coming IN.
And we had a goram SPARE FAN BELT -that the Captain installed while I was sailing us slowly home.
Thinking, still better than being eaten by zombies, eh?


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CineVera Pictures puts JVC ProHD 100 to good use
Chad Terpstra and his Grand Rapids, MI-based cinematography company CineVera Pictures have had a good run during the past 14 months winning three awards at the Compass Academy 24-hour Film Festival for "A.R.T.I.F.A.C.T." and being selected for the Independents' Film Festival for "Lucky Day." Both were shot with the JVC ProHD 100 Series camcorder.
Terpstra created the cinematography company to facilitate a higher level of production values for independent films. "Lucky Day," shot during two days, was the first production the company completed with the ProHD 100 Series camera. Terpstra credits the ergonomics of the camera in helping with the short shoot. "Complex focus pulling was far easier with a manual lens," he said.
Terpstra combines the ProHD 100 series camera with a Brevis35 adapter and Nikon lenses, which he credits with producing "a new level of excellence in HD video quality."
For more information, visit www.cineverapictures.com and pro.jvc.com.


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This is part II of my Canadian pain summit experience. Click here for part I.
First thing's first though, if you haven't done so already, click this link to endorse a national pain strategy in Canada. Do it, do it, do it. You're going to be hearing that a lot from me for the next while, and that's because my future and the futures of many people I love are directly tied to the success of the pain strategy. So, dare I say it again, do it.
After I finished my speech at the summit I was immediately asked to do an on camera interview, and on the way was stopped every few steps by summit attendees, professionals, saying thank you, telling me I'd done well, giving me their business cards and asking me to contact them. I was asked by Warriors of Pain to possibly be a spokesperson for their foundation and was given an autographed book by another writer – a woman also suffering from chronic pain. I felt like a celebrity for a few moments! I was told by two separate delegates that my words were what decided their support for the pain strategy for them. If it sounds like I'm gloating, it's because I am!
I was also honored to be able to meet Dr. Allen Finley a pediatric anesthesiologist who has worked for 20 years in pain research and management. Now here is the kind of doctor that Canada needs to have in every city, someone who knows and cares about his patient's pain. He had also done a presentation about the prevalence of pain in pediatrics, after which he came up and asked me what I thought about the speech because I am the type of person he was speaking for and that my opinion was the most important one to him. His presentation really hit home for me, he even said at one point "the teenager in pain, who no one believes", and I had been there. I had been told that it was in my head by my pediatrician, that I was making it up, trying to get out of school. He's seen the same thing too many times. He's an amazing health professional, if I had known him 5 years ago my story may have been quite different. His speech deeply affected my mom too. Especially during the points where he discussed the deep pain a parent experiences when their child is suffering and there's nothing they can do to fix it. For me though, just having the relationship that I do with my mom and having her there for me the way she is, is more than I could hope for. And whether it cures the pain or not, it makes a huge difference in my life to have that constant support.
I met too many amazingly kind, supportive people to list here. People that will always hold a place in my heart, people who've walked the same long road of chronic pain that I have, people who work tirelessly to improve our lives. Not one person I encountered during the summit showed me anything less than pure kindness and compassion. Something, as someone living in the stigma of chronic pain, I don't normally experience.
There was a running theme presented at the summit, one echoed by many of the presentations we saw: "Access to pain management without discrimination is a fundamental human right". One doctor who spoke (who I also very much liked) suggested that failing to provide, or denying a patient in pain, proper pain management was equivalent to criminal negligence, and technically should be able to be tried in court. Now, that doesn't mean we should start bringing our doctors to court whenever we have a bad experience with them, but it does provide vision of how wrong, how inhumane it is to deny someone who's suffering a means of relief, when possible.
After the summit concluded me and mom gathered up enough energy to walk around the outside of the parliament buildings (just a block from our hotel). I had no idea how huge the buildings were, neither did I know how completely breathtaking they are. I wanted to just sit and stare at them for hours. The detail and the work that must have been put into them, not to mention the history behind them. I took pictures (which I'll put up soon) but they're nothing in comparison to the real thing.
As for later that night, I can't even explain how much I was dreading the trip home. The amount of pain I was in during the trip to Ottawa was unbearable, but this time we had been going non stop for days beforehand, not to mention an extra 4 hours being added in layover time. But, thankfully my pain medications actually did their job better than usual, for once. The trip wasn't even a fraction as hard as I thought it would be, and I was so excited to get back to the comforts of home. But I was also sad that I couldn't bring all of the wonderful people I met back with me. I should also mention, I don't like flying in planes nearly as much as I thought. The trip to Ottawa I spent a good deal of time thinking this was it, we were going to crash. The trip back I felt calmer, I think if I flew more often I'd get used to it. It just feels weird, that humans have the power to get in this huge machine and fly 35,000 feet above the ground. But I will say this, the views are incredible.
All in all the summit was incredible. I learned a lot, not only from other people but from myself as well. I learned that I can do things I never thought I could, and that there is great reward in pushing yourself beyond your boundaries. The summit gave me something I often never have, hope. Hope that maybe one day people across Canada in pain, myself and those I love included, will no longer feel stigmatized by it. Because, like one doctor at the summit said: "what a cruel thing to do to someone who's already in pain". I have hope that one day I may be able to lead a semi normal live, and receive the proper pain management. And lastly, hope that no other young person, no other person period, has to go through what I did, while trying to get help.
I'm extremely thankful to have been able to experience the things that I did during the summit. To be reminded that there are people out there who understand and who care. And that they're working hard to improve our lives.


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Saturday, November 12, 2005
selling the closet
Posted by Anthony Saluto Productions at 7:32 AM
Labels: anthony saluto, bloomington il, commercial photography, delray beach, palm beach, portrait photographer
commercial photography, ceo's, models, head shots, portraits, from my early 70' dark room to photo shoots from la to miami, people places and things, reach me on my cell 561 801 TONY (8669) or email@example.com located in south palm beach. i still spend several summer months in central il. all images are copyright anthony saluto, in association with any authorized usage or if you have any questions please give me a call


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Here is the latest cool comic book moment in our year-long look at one cool comic book moment a day (in no particular order whatsoever)! Here's the archive of the moments posted so far!
Today we look at a sad death scene from Amazing Spider-Man #400.
This story was written by J.M. DeMatteis and was drawn by Mark Bagley (no offense to Bagley, but I really think he should have just ended his run on Amazing with this issue - he stuck around for another year or so of more or less awful stories - he should have just went out on a high note with this issue) and Larry Mahlstedt.
This issue was directly caught up in the whole "Clone Saga," but DeMatteis still somehow managed to make it a heartfelt and tear-filled issue, even in the midst of the Clone Saga.
Aunt May is sick, and as it turns out, she is deathly ill.
So this leads to a remarkable five pages, where she reveals that she always knew Peter was Spider-Man, which she tells Peter right before she goes on to the light at the end of the tunnel...
Beautifully done.
And later in the issue, a wonderful moment with the revelation of her grave next to Uncle Ben's...
Excellent work by DeMatteis.
I don't really blame the writers/editors who decided to bring Aunt May back later, as she IS a pretty darn important part of the Spider-Man mythos, but it was still a shame to "lose" this story. But then again, it still exists, so I guess we never really "lost" it, did we?


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As I slowly begin to heal, I come back to my comfort place, a blog that has given me comfort.
The weather is changing here (even though it's cloudy and rainy), you see it in the buds of the trees, in the chirping you hear in the morning and in the energy around you. And what better way to celebrate the heralding of spring than with a refreshing salad.
I have been making this barley salad for a year and it's finally ready to be shared. The raw garlic that I put in the first time, has been replaced with toasted garlic chips. Chickpeas have been added, so it can be a hearty lunch in itself. It has served as a side with roasted chicken and had as a main lunch with some tandoori shrimps.
The herbs are what make it perfect for spring, it brings that freshness right in your spoonful.
1 cup barley (you can also choose quick cook barley)
1/2 cup cooked chickpeas
1 small onion - chopped finely
3-4 radish - chopped finely
6-8 garlic cloves - thin slices
handful cilantro - chopped
handful parsley - chopped
1lemon - juiced
2 tbspoon olive oil
1/4 tspoon black pepper
1/2 tspoon cumin seeds
3-4 cardamoms
Cook the barley in a saucepan in water till the barley is soft. Drain the barley and then set it aside to cool.
Dry roast the cumin and the cardamom. Take the cardamom seeds out and grind it with the cumin seeds to a fine powder.
In a small pan, add a tablespoon or olive oil and toast the garlic cloves till they turn golden. Take then out and set on a paper towel to drain.
Once all the chopping is done, the next thing is to assemble the salad.
Now take a big bowl, add the barley, chickpeas, onions, herbs, and the radish. Top it with the garlic cloves and then add the dressing to the salad. Now mix it all together. I like to mix it with my hands.


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Victorville Events, Coupons, Reviews!
Victorville Events, Coupons, Reviews!
Ok, so a few weeks ago, I wrote about Medieval Times. Right now, they have an incredible deal, CLICK HERE and use this exclusive promo code MT3629 through 2/17/17 and receive Adults for just $36.95 and children (12 and under) only $29.95.
That's an incredible deal! Dinner at Medieval Times would make a great gift for the little knights or maiden on your gift giving list!
Lil' Man and I headed up on Sunday with our friends, and we had a great time!
When you enter the King and his chancellor speak and knight the birthday kids, you can grab a drink at the bar (they have non-alcoholic drinks too!), and check out the horses while you wait for your show to start. Here we are sitting on the Royal thrones! Lil' Man loves making goofy faces!
(BTW, yes, his shirt says Property of One Awesome Mom)
The food was cool! You eat off metal plates and bowl with handle, no silverware (I snuck plastic spoons in- I didn't want the kids to melt down because they couldn't eat their soup).
We sat in the Red & Yellow Knight's section, hence the weird orange tint to the photo of our dishes!
The show starts after you are seated (You are "sorted" into cheering sections as you enter the castle). The knights are introduced and food service begins.
The King's feast includes garlic bread, tomato bisque soup, roasted chicken, sweet buttered corn, herb-basted potato, pastry of the Castle (Lemon pound cake for us!) and beverages. It was great! Our server was so cool.
Overall, the show was great- so much excitement and drama. The kids were riveted for the entire show. They almost didn't eat because of how much they enjoyed the show.
There were a lot of people celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, and other special events.
But really, no one ever needs a reason (or excuse) to visit the King's Castle at Medieval Times!
If you don't live in Southern CA, fret not! There are locations all over the country!
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What gift is best to give for a wedding anniversary?
What wedding anniversary gift is best for friends and relatives to give to the couple?
You know what, if you write poetry that is a special gift.
I did that for my brother and sister in law. I wrote them a poem and added pictures and put it in a nice frame.
If that is not what you want you can always just give a money gift, sometimes they get so much, they return or re gift. So this is the best way at times.
The poetry gift sounds lovely for people who can write poetry. I think the money gift is good when you just don't know what to buy someone but is probably more appropriate for close relatives to give. Thank you for these ideas.
How about giving the anniversary couple a weekend get-away gift package? Bed-n-breakfast, posh hotel at a casino resort, or a nice cabin in the woods. If it's from the whole gang, it could be a decent gift that would give them something memorable.
I'm not sure we are the average couple but here is a short list of things we'd love. Bowling gift cards, restaurant gift cards, bar gift cards, tattoo shop gift cards, a nice bottle of liquor, home made vouchers to watch our children for us for a night, voucher for a couples massage, Already loaded cards for Frankies fun park or other theme type park, or any other things that would give us a break from parenthood and work.
This sounds a bit too practical, but if people have been married a long time, 20, 30, 40 years, all of the things that they received as wedding gifts have worn out! I remember using the last of the fluffy wonderful towels I had for a shower gift 25 years later. Towels CAN last that long! But things wear out. And pretty towels have become really,really expensive. So if you're looking for practical gifts for an older couple, I'd ask them if there original wedding gifts need "refreshing".
That's a terrific idea, especially if they're monogrammed towels. After that many years, you presume the marriage will last.
Writer Fox, That might be a big assumption (tee hee).
Bedding is a great idea so nobody feels left out or something both partners can make use of. A video camera, or smart television set
by JP Carlos 6 years ago
What is the best wedding anniversary gift you can give your spouse?
by Linda Liebrand 7 years ago
How do you select a wedding anniversary gift?
by Ginger Meow 8 years ago
Ideas for wedding anniversary celebrations?
by Anoop Aravind A 7 years ago
What may be you gifted to your partner in first wedding anniversary?
by Esther Shamsunder 6 years ago
How To celebrate your parents' Golden Wedding Anniversary ?
by Paper And Pen 2 years ago
What's the best gift for your husband on your wedding anniversary?I've been running out of wonderful ideas what gift should I give my husband on our wedding anniversary, maybe you could give me new ideas to surprise my husband.Thanks
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Abundant wild garlic down the lanes around Gallows Corner, near Dewlish
Recipes (BBC)
A beginner's guide to wild garlic (Telegraph)
"Dewlish, an old Celtic name, is believed to mean 'devilish'. It is named after the stream that runs through the village, which is now called Devil's Brook" (BBC).
Devil's Brook:


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LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) — The Lafayette Police Department have made an arrest with a possible connection to Friday's fatal Virginia Street shooting.
Related: LPD: "Shooter interviewed and released" in Friday's 9th Street homicide
According to a press release, on Tuesday detectives arrested 22-year-old Brooke Stichter for a preliminary charge of conspiracy to commit armed robbery resulting in bodily injury. A class three felony. It is unclear at this time what, if any, role she played in the shooting. Lafayette Police Sgt. Matt Gard has said she is not the shooter.
On Friday, March 2, Lafayette Police responded to a report of a shooting in the area of South 9th Street and Virginia Street. Officers arrived and located the victim, 30-year-old Thayer Summers. The case is being investigated by police as a homicide.
The Lafayette Police reiterate this was not a random act and there is no threat to the public.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Lafayette Police Department at (765) 807-1200 or the anonymous We-Tip Hotline at (800) 78-CRIME.
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- I-65 traffic stop leads to marijuana arrest
- Investigation finds natural gas caused fatal house explosion
- Woman arrested following Lafayette shooting
- Frankfort investigation into park funds leads to firing


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While we've known for a while that Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) will return for Captain America: The Winter Soldier, HeyUGuys got the scoop on another character from the original film that we'll be seeing again: Arnim Zola.
The website caught up with actor Toby Jones Sunday at the London Critics' Circle Awards, where he revealed he will indeed play a part in the Marvel sequel. This might seem a little tricky considering that Zola was a very human scientist in that film, but comic fans know the character eventually figured out a way to transfer his consciousness into various robotic forms, designs of which can actually be glimpsed in Captain America: The First Avenger.
Directed by brothers Anthony and Joe Russo, The Winter Soldier is believed to be based on the Captain America storyline of the same name, which revealed Captain America's sidekick Bucky Barnes didn't die as expected during the war. Instead, an amnesiac Bucky got snatched by the Soviets, fitted with a bionic arm and programmed to serve as an assassin known as the Winter Soldier. The secret is revealed in the present day after Barnes attacks the Red Skull and blows up part of Philadelphia. The film opens April 4, 2014.


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Belfast bomb victim Adrian Ismay gentle giant who didn't live to see new grandchild
The feelings of outrage and anger that gripped the Cregagh Road area of Belfast after the dissident republican bomb attack on a prison officer 12 days ago were compounded yesterday by a sense of shock after the victim, who was due to become a grandfather, died from a suspected heart attack.
Adrian Ismay had been recovering well after the bomb partially exploded underneath his van on Friday, March 4, just yards away from his home in Hillsborough Drive.
The 52-year-old father-of-three had even been able to talk to First Minister Arlene Foster about what had at first been perceived as his lucky escape in the blast.
All that tragically changed yesterday morning as Mr Ismay, who was described as a gentle giant, became ill at his home. Local people said they watched in horror as doctors and paramedics rushed to his semi-detached Hillsborough Drive house, where they battled in vain to save the prison officer's life. The PSNI later said that Mr Ismay passed away in hospital yesterday morning.
Leading members of the Prison Officers Association (POA) who had been planning to visit their colleague were stunned to discover that he had died.
"I was preparing to go to see him at his home, but when I rang a colleague I was devastated to be told that Adrian had literally just died," said Finlay Spratt, the chairman of the POA, who had visited Mr Ismay in hospital last week.
"It's desperate news for his family. He was a lovely man - a gentle giant."
PSNI Chief Constable George Hamilton insisted police would have to wait for medical evidence before confirming the death would be treated as murder.
But Mr Spratt said: "I hold the person who planted that bomb responsible for Adrian's death."
On the Woodstock and Cregagh Roads furious residents agreed with Mr Finlay's assessment. They said the New IRA, which claimed responsibility for the bombing, was guilty of murder. "Adrian would be alive today if those animals hadn't put that bomb under his van," added one man who wished to remain anonymous. "What else was it that killed the poor man?"
On Hillsborough Drive, beside the spot where Mr Ismay was injured in the blast just after 7am on March 4, a simple floral tribute was left only a short time after his death was reported on the news. "I just cannot believe it," said Norman Calderwood, who was returning to his home from a morning shopping trip with his wife Patricia.
"We were all relieved to hear the police saying that Mr Ismay had escaped with his life from the explosion," he added.
"People around here were obviously upset about the blast, but we all thought he would be okay.
"It was just heartbreaking to learn from passers-by on the road this morning that Mr Ismay had passed away."
Patricia added: "What makes it even worse is that Mr Ismay's daughter is expecting a wee baby. She works just up the road.
"I think it is absolutely terrible that someone would do this. I thought these days were supposed to be gone.
"To bomb a man on his way out to do a day's work is despicable."
Another of Mr Ismay's daughters, who has Down's syndrome, is believed to have been volunteering at a charity shop just around the corner from where the bomb exploded.
However, at the Marie Curie shop a member of staff said: "I'm sorry, but I can't confirm anything like that."
A few doors away, at a card shop on the Cregagh Road, neighbours had already started buying sympathy cards for the distraught Ismay family.
"They are a very well-respected family here," said one man.
A woman who lives close to the Ismays in Hillsborough Drive added: "Adrian was a lovely, quiet big man. You would never have heard him raise his voice or see him losing his temper with anyone.
"He was a hard-working man who tried to help the community."
A friend told how the Ismay family had been devastated by the death, particularly as they thought he had come through the worst of his ordeal.
"They were allowing themselves to think that he would get over this nightmare and rebuild his life," they added. "But no one knows what is going on in the body after the sort of trauma that Adrian suffered."
The PSNI was also briefing journalists last week that Mr Ismay's injuries were not as extensive as initially thought earlier this month, when it had also said the fact that the bomb had fallen from Mr Ismay's van after he drove over a speed ramp in Hillsborough Drive had probably saved him from immediate death.
Mr Ismay had worked in the Prison Service for 28 years and was a trainer based at Hydebank Wood training college, where officers, like those at Maghaberrry and Magilligan Prisons, have been put on a state of high alert.
"We've been told that there will be more attempts to kill prison officers as the dissidents in Maghaberry try to put pressure on the authorities to get control of their part of Roe House," said one jail source.
At Hydebank yesterday morning visits were going ahead as normal, but one man who works there said: "People here are distraught. Adrian was very popular and there have been more than a few tears shed for him."
Mr Spratt said that dissident claims that Mr Ismay had been training prison officers on how to handle the situation in Roe House were nonsense.
"He was a trainer pure and simple, and he treated everybody the same no matter who they were."
Police are investigating reports that Mr Ismay's work beyond the Prison Service may have made him particularly vulnerable to dissident attacks.
He had received widespread publicity in May 2010 after he was recognised for 12 years' service with the St John Ambulance organisation, though his association with the group ended several years later.
His address was readily available on the internet and many of his details were listed along with his photograph in a website called Remote Emergency Care, which said Mr Ismay was a professional staff trainer and an associate lecturer at the Ulster University.
It added he was a former Royal Navy officer who had a keen interest in the outdoors, including providing medical cover for racing events.
He was also described as a volunteer with search and rescue teams.
Belfast Telegraph
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- Police widow Kate Carroll urges family of prison officer Adrian Ismay to 'hold their heads high'
- Cameron 'saddened' by death and sends his condolences to family
- Belfast bomb: Prison officer Adrian Ismay dies after dissident attack


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Anything For Her
Lisa (Diane Kruger) and Julien (Vincent Lindon) are married and lead a happy uneventful life with their son Oscar (Lancelot Roch). But their life radically changes one morning, when the police comes to arrest Lisa on murder charges. She's sentenced to 20 years of prison. Convinced of his wife's innocence, Julien decides to act. How far will he be willing to go for her?
1hr 36mins long
R16 Contains violence
Vincent Lindon
Olivier Marchal
Lancelot Roch
Hammou Graia
Fred Cavaye
Diane Kruger


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What Do You Know About Experts
Some Tips for Rat Removal There are many of those homeowners who would require some pest control and mice removal. You have to understand that the rats would look for a warm place where they can live if the weather gets cold and the home is really a great place for them. There are many ways that rats can get inside the house and such can take some knowledge and time to get them totally out. The processional knows what should be done. The mouse traps are an excellent way to get rid of the rats which are presently in your house. But, it is required to make sure that more rats won't come back. This is where a lot of the homeowners don't know how to proceed with it. It is very important that you stop up and seal the area wherein the rats could get inside the house. The rats may access the home by the ductwork or the plumbing. This is certainly where the professional is very useful since they know where and what to find.
News For This Month: Removals
It can be necessary to use those special seals as nailing woods over the openings but such may not be enough. The professional would use spray foam, steel sheets, steel wool and others.
If You Think You Get Removals, Then Read This
Know that the use of sprays around the house is also another method to discourage the rats from getting close to the house. Spraying around the base of the home can make it hard for the rats to approach the house and get in it. It is not required to use those chemical products and also baking soda as well as peppermint extract is going to work well as deterrents. Know that a lot of the homeowners will also try to deal with the rats all by themselves. However, the use of the professionals services can surely save a lot of time and money. The rats can cause damage to the property and when you don't know how really get rid of them in the right way, then you may damage the property as you get rid of them. A lot of times, the cost of getting a professional will be a lot less than the cost of fixing a damage. Well, what you can do to get rid of rats is that you must get professional help. There are so many professionals which you will be able to find out there and such is really a great thing that you know more about them first so that you can be sure that you will get the right rat removal services from them. Surely, you don't want to be worried about such unwanted visitors at home. For this reason, you need to be sure that you look for the right company that offers you the best outcome.


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Just a quick post to share this card that I made uing Retro Die Cuts. I am not sure if it is Cosmo Cricket or Crate brand. I needed to make a Birthday card for a special person but it needed to be a quick one. So I decided to use some of my die cuts and to be honest, I can't remember which one these are now. So I used paper from Micheals, both patterned paper called "Utensil" and gingham print. Ribbon was from my stash. I popped everything with glue dots and added some bling in the flower centers. That's it! Using diecuts can create some really great cards and it so much faster!!
This card is being submitted for the Birthday card challenge in the Moxie Fab World.
I hope that your all enjoying your summer and making many memories with you families & friends.


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Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the wonderful people at The Broke and Bookish!
It seems that book to movie adaptations have been pretty popular recently (YAY!). And the film industry has begun to show a lot of interest in in YA, and even some MG, fiction with many movies based on YA books in the works. (YAY!!!)
Well, this isn't just a new phenomenon and there are still quite a few book to movie adaptations that I haven't seen yet. Usually when I read a book and a movie is made I immediately rush to see it. With that in mind, not only are the titles in this list movies I have yet to see but they're also books I haven't yet read (for whatever reason).
based on the book Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
based on the book War Horse by Michael Morpugo
based on the book Beastly by Alex Flinn
I did read this one…and wasn't a huge fan….
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
based on the book The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
based on the book Holes by Louis Sachar
Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging
based on the book Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging by Georgia Nicolson
Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief
based on the book The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
I did read this one. You can read my review here.
based on the book Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist
based on the book Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
based on the book Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanan
I've heard some of the movies on my list are "meh" although the books are good…but that's pretty normal right? Have you seen any of these? What are your thoughts on these book to movie adaptations?


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Title: Muffled Drum
Author: Erastes
Cover Artist: Croco Designs ( Frauke)
Publisher: Carina Press
Buy Link: Buy Link Muffled Drum
Genre: M/M historical romance
Length: 43,000 words
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
A guest review by Jenre
Summary Review:
A super historical romance which is strong on character and situation.
Bohemia, 1866
They met in a port-side tavern, their lust-filled moments stolen from days of marching and madness. After eighteen months, Captain Rudolph von Ratzlaff and First Lieutenant Mathias Hofmann have decided to run away from everything they hold dear. Resigning their commissions is social suicide, but there's no other choice. Someone will eventually see Rudolph's partiality toward Mathias.
Now their plans have gone horribly awry… When Mathias goes to Rudolph's tent after their last battle, his lover looks at him without a hint of recognition. Mathias can hardly believe the man he knew is gone. He wants to fill in so many of Rudolph's missing memories, but the doctor says a shock could result in permanent damage. The pain of seeing Rudolph on a daily basis, when Rudolph doesn't remember their love, is excruciating. Now Mathias must decide whether he wants to fight for the man he loves or forget him completely…
I'm not sure what it is about Erastes' writing which resonates with me as a reader. Maybe it's the spare, clean prose which manages to get across a wealth of emotion without the fussiness that you sometimes get with historical romance. Maybe it's that her historical settings are seeped into the bones of the story without any need for unnecessary information because the characters are just there, in that moment of time. Maybe it's that character and setting are so interlinked, so ingrained that I know I can trust her to produce something historically accurate as well as emotionally satisfying. Whatever it is, Muffled Drum certainly worked for me and I can highly recommend it to lovers of historical romance.
The story is set partly in Bohemia (which is mostly the Czech Republic today) and Prussia (which is now mainly Germany). The heroes are two soldiers fighting in Austro-Prussian war, but who are taking part in their last battle. They have made plans to escape the madness of war and resign their commissions so that they can be with each other. Despite the scandal this will inevitably cause, their love for each other is too strong to ignore. After the battle Mathias resigns his commission, much to the disgust of his superior officer, but when he goes to Rudolph, he is disturbed to find that, due to a fall from his horse, Rudolph has no memory of the last two years. Mathias is determined to stay close to Rudolph in the hope that he regains his memories soon and so decides to accompany him back to Berlin, but revelations about Rudolph's life in Berlin threatens to break them apart.
The story follows two strands: Firstly there is the lost love between Mathias and Rudolph. The opening scene where we see the men together, and are shown the depth of their love was wildly romantic. I felt all their frustration at going to war, their fear that all may yet be lost and the nervousness of what they are about to do, to give up for each other. When everything goes wrong, my heart ached for Mathias when he takes the brave, and perhaps a little foolish, step of resigning his commission, only to find that Rudolph can't remember him. It's a poignant moment in the story which brought a lump to my throat. The love that Mathias feels for Rudolph keeps him going through the story, even after it seems that he is betrayed and all is lost. I found Mathias to be a most sympathetic character, one who does what he thinks is best, even above his own desires and wishes.
The second strand is the amnesia story which is seen mostly from Rudolph's point of view. I'm quite partial to amnesia stories, particularly if the time is taken to show the effects of amnesia. In this story, Rudolph's disorientation, his headaches and his general confusion at times are well shown. He remains cheerful most of the time, mainly because he's living two years in his past. In some ways I found his narrative heartbreaking for Mathias, as Rudolph struggles to work out their relationship, thinking of Mathias as only a friend, whilst anticipating seeing what he thinks is his current paramour in Berlin. Mathias knows that he cannot tell Rudolph about their love for fear that it may make his condition worse, and I felt all his sorrow and frustration over that sitaution.
The setting itself moves from the battlefield, where we see the aftermath of battle in brief, accurate, bloody detail onto the opulence of Berlin and the rich lifestyle enjoyed by Rudolph. There's enough in terms of description to ground the story and give a vivid sense of place, but we're not overwhelmed by paragraphs of detail. I liked this because it meant that the story was focused on the characters, without the distraction of setting to get in the way of emotion. It also meant that the historical setting comes through strongest in the attitudes and feelings of the men. Prussia in the 1800's is slightly more permissive than Britain, but the men still have to be circumspect and careful with their relationship for fear of scandal.
My only niggle about the story related to the character of Ernst. I felt he was a little hard done by considering that he was the male equivalent of a kept woman and therefore only doing what he felt he needed to do to survive in society. I quite liked his pragmatic character, although I knew he was supposed to be the villain. Maybe other readers wouldn't like him as much as I did and would therefore feel he deserved everything coming to him!
My feelings for Ernst and his fate weren't enough to spoil what was a compelling book for me. I was hooked by the characters and situation from page one and couldn't put it down. Muffled Drum is chock full of emotion and romance and I highly recommend it.


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DOP012 Impact on clinical practice of Epstein-Barr virus infection in patients with inflammatory bowel disease
de Francisco R.*1, Riestra S.1, Pérez-Martínez I.1, Castaño A.1, Martínez-González S.1, Jiménez S.2, González A.J.3, Morais L.R.3, Suárez A.1
1Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Gastroenterology, Oviedo, Spain 2Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Pediatrics, Oviedo, Spain 3Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Hematology, Oviedo, Spain
Under immunosuppression, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection has been associated with severe complications. The real-life impact of EBV infection in patients with IBD is not well known. The present study was designed to know the prevalence of past EBV infection in patients with IBD; to analyze the percentage of seroconversion according to age; and, to describe the complications associated with acute and latent EBV infection.
All IBD patients attended between 2007 and 2016 in a tertiary hospital underwent a baseline determination (at diagnosis or at the first visit in the IBD unit) of IgG antibodies against the viral capsid antigen of EBV (VCA-IgG). In seronegative patients, this determination was repeated, at least at the last visit. The presentation of acute infection (mononucleosis, hemophagocytic syndrome) and complications associated with latent infection (lymphomas) by EBV are described.
1516 patients were included in the study (44% ulcerative colitis, 52% Crohn's disease, and 4% unclassified colitis; 50% female, median age at IBD diagnosis 37±16 years, 847 previous or current treatment with thiopurines). 1463 patients (96.5%) were VCA-IgG positive. Figure 1 shows seroprevalence by age intervals.
Sex (97.5% in women vs. 95.5% in men, p=0.036) and age (98.5% in >35 years vs 90.2% in ≤35 years, p<0.0001) were associated with IgG-VCA seropositivity. In 51 of 53 seronegative patients the determination was repeated after an average of 3.5±2.4 years; 11 of 35 (31%) patients ≤35 years in the first determination presented seroconversion (2 mononucleosis, 6 pharyngitis and 3 asymptomatic); 9 of them were receiving thiopurines and 8 antiTNF. 5 of 16 (31%) patients >35 years of age also presented seroconversion (1 pharyngitis, 1 hemophagocytic syndrome plus diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with fatal evolution, and 3 asymptomatic); 4 of 5 (one of them the case of lymphoma) were receiving thiopurines in that period. During the prospective follow-up, 8 patients with lymphoma (7 with past infection and 1 with acute EBV infection) were diagnosed in a total of 1.22 cases/1000 patient-years; 6 of them had been treated with thiopurines, and another one received immunosuppressive treatment for liver transplantation by primary sclerosing cholangitis.
The prevalence of past EBV infection is high. The risk of complications associated with primoinfection by EBV persists in patients older than 35 years. The risk of lymphomas in a population of IBD with a high rate of EBV infection and widespread use of thiopurines is high.