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Overview of the U.S. Census
This article originally appeared in "Census Records" by Loretto Dennis Szucs and Matthew Wright in The Source: A Guidebook to American Genealogy
When the Founding Fathers of the United States convened the Constitutional Convention in 1787, they had no idea that they would, in the course of their deliberations, create incredible opportunities for generations of American family history researchers. While Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution does not directly mention the preservation of vital personal information for future generations, it does instruct the government to conduct a decennial census in an effort to fairly apportion the number of federal representatives from each state, as well as to decide on the amount of direct taxes to be levied. That effort to take stock of the U.S. population every ten years has produced, as a natural by-product, the greatest source of genealogical information available to U.S. researchers.
Because they contain such important information about individuals, families, and communities, U.S. census records are the most frequently used records created by the federal government. Recognizing their value to researchers, the National Archives began to microfilm federal census records in 1941, and with microfilming came the ability to make duplicate copies, then to digitize them. Because of technological developments, federal census records can now be researched via the Internet from a home computer or at the nearest archives or library.
Beyond the records resulting from the population head counts conducted by the federal government, there are a number of other census records that should not be overlooked by researchers. Agricultural, industry and manufacturing, mortality, slave, and other special census schedules created by the federal government are also worth exploring, as are state and local censuses. Special censuses reveal a great deal about American territories, and some provide hard-to-find details about Native Americans. While the latter vary greatly in content and availability, information not available elsewhere can often be found in them.
- 1 Uses of the Census
- 2 Historical Background
- 3 The Census Bureau
- 4 Strengths and Limitations of Census Records
- 5 Census Taking
- 6 References
- 7 External Links
Uses of the Census
Census records contain the basic documentation for the study of U.S. history, biography, demography, immigration, migration, ethnicity, occupations, economics, social anthropology, medical history, local history, and family history. Social historians, journalists, the media, and government agencies have come to rely on the census as a reliable source for valuable and fascinating pieces of information.
Certain research topics have lent themselves well to the use of the U.S. federal census. Occupational data and property values noted in some census years have been the basis for economic studies, and inquiries regarding Revolutionary War pensioners (1840), Civil War veterans (1890 and 1910), and participants in other expeditions or wars (1930) can aid military research. Reconstruction of historic sites in Philadelphia; an examination of foreign-born farmers, women, and blacks in nineteenth-century Concord, Massachusetts; and regional studies, such as that of Dickinson County, Kansas, have sought support from a combination of records'but notably the census. The 1860 census provided particulars on the domestics in their place of employment, while making possible the reconstitution of their families of origin residing on surrounding farmlands. More recent census records have been used by medical researchers to track families and to study hereditary and communicable disease patterns.
The most popular use of the census, however, is to trace family history. No other source matches the census record's ability to place people in a certain place at a certain time or to provide such a detailed picture of lives and lifestyles at given intervals. The promise of that picture, and of seeing it clearly, keeps researchers going against all odds.
This article will provide a brief history of the U.S. federal population censuses from 1790 to 1940, including a section describing the general strengths and limitations of census records. Suggestions in that section will be useful not only for searching federal schedules, but also for searching special and state censuses.
Historical Background
The actual records of civilization's first population counts have apparently not survived, but there are indications that in early Babylonia, Egypt, and China, inhabitants were counted on a regular basis. There are ancient written accounts of Greek and Romans censuses, but those tallies, too, have been lost over the centuries. On the North American continent, the Spaniards led the way in census-taking, counting heads in 1577 in what was then Mexico.
Since 1790, the U.S. government has taken a nationwide population count every ten years. Though never intended for genealogical purposes, the federal censuses are among the most frequently used records for those looking for links with the past. Unique in scope and often surprisingly detailed, the census population schedules created from 1790 to 1930 are among the most used federally created records. Over the course of two centuries, the United States has changed significantly, and so has the census. From the six basic questions asked in the 1790 census, the scope and categories of information have changed and expanded dramatically.
Article I, Section 2, of the U.S. Constitution required that an enumeration of the people be made within three years after the first meeting of the Congress. In March 1790, after President Washington signed the first census act, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson sent a copy of the law to each of the seventeen U.S. marshals and instructed them to appoint as many assistants as they needed to take the census.
From 1790 to 1880, census districts were aligned with existing civil divisions. The district marshals were authorized to subdivide each district into reasonable geographical segments to facilitate supervision of the enumeration. Enumeration districts were limited in size to 10,000 individuals by the Census Act of 1850, but final tallies show that the number was usually less than 6,000. In 1880, the Census Office appointed supervisors to further subdivide the districts. In that year, the average population of each of the 28,000 enumeration districts was less than 2,000.<ref>Carmen R. Delle Donne, Federal Census Schedules, 1850'80: Primary Sources for Historical Research (Reference Information Paper 67, 1973) is filled with interesting details on why and how the census was taken, 1850 to 1880.</ref>
Early censuses were essentially an enumeration of inhabitants, but as the nation grew, so did the need for statistics that would reflect the characteristics of the people and the conditions under which they were living. The logical means for obtaining a clearer picture of the American populace was to solicit more information about individuals. In 1850, the focus of the census was radically broadened. Going far beyond the vague questions previously asked of heads of households, the 1850 census enumerators were instructed to ask various questions about every individual in the household, including their age, sex, color, occupation, and birthplace, along with several other questions. Succeeding enumerations solicited more information; by 1930, census enumerators asked more than thirty questions of every head of household and almost as many questions of everyone else in the residence. As W. S. Rossiter, chief clerk of the Bureau of the Census around the first part of the twentieth century, stated, 'The modern census is thus the result of evolution.'<ref>U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790'1900 (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1909; reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1967). This resource includes much information about the 1790 census and a list of common surnames and their distribution in the states.</ref>
The Census Bureau
Although the Constitution called for a census every ten years, there was no special government agency to conduct and tabulate the results of this massive survey. Until 1840, federal marshals managed the process as best they could. In 1850, the first Census Office was opened in Washington, D.C. However, it was disbanded after the 1850 census and only reestablished in time to take the census and tally the results in 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890, and 1900.
It was not until 1902 that the Bureau of the Census was established as a permanent bureau in the Department of the Interior. In 1903 the bureau was transferred to the Department of Commerce. The Bureau of the Census is responsible for providing statistics about the population and economy of the nation and for collecting, tabulating, and publishing a wide variety of statistical data for government and private users.<ref>Szucs, Loretto Dennis, and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking, The Archives: A Guide to the National Archives Field Branches (Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1988).</ref>
Strengths and Limitations of Census Records
Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do the U.S. federal censuses. The population schedules are successive 'snapshots' of Americans that depict where and how they were living at particular periods in the past. Census records since 1850 suggest dates and places of birth, relationships, family origins, changes in residence, schooling, occupations, economic and citizenship status, and more.
Once home sources have been exhausted, the census is often the next best starting point for U.S. genealogical research. The availability of statewide indexes for almost every census year makes them logical tools to locate individuals whose precise residence is unknown. While some inaccuracies are to be expected in census records, they still provide some of the most fascinating and useful pieces of personal history to be found in any source. If nothing else, census records are important sources for placing individuals in specific places at specific times. Additionally, information found in the census will often point to other sources critical to completing research, such as court, land, military, immigration, naturalization, and vital records.
The importance of census records does not diminish over time in any given research project. It is always wise to return to these records as discoveries are made in other sources because, as new evidence about individuals is found, some data that seemed unrelated or unimportant in a first look at the census may take on new importance.
When family, vital, or religious records are missing, census records may be the only means of documenting the events of a person's life. Vital registration did not begin until around 1920 in many areas of the United States, and fires, floods, and other disasters have destroyed some official government records. When other documentation is missing, census records are frequently used by individuals who must prove their age or citizenship status (or that of their parents) for Social Security benefits, insurance, passports, and other important reasons.
Problems Created at the Time the Census Was Taken
When evaluating any source, it is always wise to consider how, when, and under what conditions the record was made. By understanding some of the difficulties encountered by enumerators, it becomes easier to understand why some individuals cannot be found in the census schedules or their indexes.
From the first enumeration in 1790 to the most recent in 2000, the government has experienced difficulties in gathering precise information for a number of reasons. At least one of the problems experienced in extracting information from individuals for the first census continues to vex officials today: there were and still are many people who simply do not trust the government's motives. Many citizens have worried that their answers to census questions might be used against them, particularly in regards to taxation, military service, and immigration. Some have simply refused to answer enumerators' questions; others have lied.
In the days before regular mail service, government representatives conducted door-to-door canvasses of their appointed districts. Supervisors subdivided districts using existing local boundaries. The town, township, military district, ward, and precinct most often constituted one or more enumeration districts.<ref>Delle Donne, Federal Census Schedules.</ref> Boundaries of towns and other minor civil divisions, and in some cases counties, were ill defined, so enumerators were frequently uncertain whether a family resided in their district or in an adjoining district. For this reason, it is not unusual to find individuals and families listed twice in the census and others missed entirely. Robert C. Anderson, et al., provide excellent examples and an analysis of this rather common problem in 'Duplicate Census Enumerations.'<ref>Robert C. Anderson, et al., provide excellent examples and an analysis of this rather common problem in 'Duplicate Census Enumerations,' American Genealogist 62 (April 1987): 97'105; 62 (July 1987): 173'81; 62 (October 1987): 241'44.</ref>
Over the years, state, county, township, and city ward boundaries have changed. Any census search can be thrown off by these changes and inconsistencies. For a thorough discussion of boundaries with detailed maps, see William Thorndale's and William Dollarhide's Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses, 1790'1920.<ref>William Thorndale and William Dollarhide, Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses, 1790'1920 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1987).</ref> The introduction to this useful work includes a discussion of duplication in census records.
Census Taking
For a better sense of how census takers carried out their duties in a given year, it is useful to imagine the landscape and the modes of travel available in the specific time period. In the earliest census years, travel was obviously more difficult and sometimes very dangerous'conditions that did not improve for decades in the more rural states and territories of the 'Wild West.'
To complicate the situation further, a large portion of the young nation's population lived in small villages and isolated farms that were dispersed over a large area. It was not uncommon for a census enumerator to make a long trip to a remote farm, only to find no one at home. In these instances, he was left to make a decision'whether to try again on another day, or question farm or household help, neighbors, or even young children. The latter appears to have been an option taken by many. In some situations, enumerators probably found it easier to just guess.
Problems with Accuracy
But obtaining answers directly from the head of household or an adult in the house was no guarantee of accuracy either. For a number of reasons, ages are always suspect in census records. Many people tend to be secretive about their age; women may have been particularly sensitive about revealing the truth. One woman tracked in the census taken in New York from 1850 to 1880 claimed to have aged only twelve years in the thirty-year period. According to the 1850 and 1860 censuses of Springfield, Illinois, Mary, wife of Abraham Lincoln, aged only seven years in the ten-year period (see the accompanying image). She, or someone reporting for her, claimed that she was twenty-eight in 1850 and only thirty-five in 1860. Dozens of cases have been similarly noted; undoubtedly, some honestly could not remember how old they were. If a person's age was not exactly known, it was frequently rounded off to the closest decade, making ages reported as thirty, forty, fifty, and so on somewhat suspect. Therefore, unless an age reported in the census can be corroborated with another source, it should not be considered totally reliable.
When questions were answered by someone other than the subject of the inquiry, the likelihood of error increased. A husband or wife might not always know the birthplaces of a spouse's parents. A child being quizzed might easily be unsure of the birthplaces of his or her parents. Census schedules do not tell us who answered the enumerator's questions.
An important point to remember is that enumerators simply wrote down the responses given to them. They were not authorized to request any kind of proof, such as birth, marriage, or property ownership records. However, every individual contacted by a government representative was required by law to answer truthfully. Anyone refusing to answer or willfully providing false information was guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine. As early as 1790, offenders were fined twenty dollars, which was split between the marshals' assistants and the government. But relatively few individuals were hauled into court for refusing to answer or for not answering truthfully. It would have been an impossible task for the government to follow through and to investigate everyone's answers.
It was not until 1830 that the census office supplied printed questionnaires or 'schedules.' The enumerators of the 1790, 1800, 1810, and 1820 censuses returned the results of their canvassing on whatever paper they had. Each also had to post copies of their censuses in two public places in their assigned areas. Presumably, people who could read would see discrepancies or omissions and call them to the attention of officials. Unfortunately few, if any, of these duplicates have survived.
Competency of Enumerators
Another factor that comes into play in the accuracy of every census record is the competency of the enumerator who recorded the information. Individuals were not necessarily well-educated or qualified for the job, and anyone who has studied census records knows that good penmanship was not a requirement. Census takers were political appointees who were frequently chosen because they were of the correct political affiliation in a particular time and place, or just knew the right people.
Wages were definitely not an incentive for would-be census takers. In 1790, even the highest pay rate, one dollar for fifty persons, barely covered an enumerator's expenses. In 1920, payment was on a per-capita or per-diem basis'sometimes a combination of the two. An enumerator was paid between one and four cents per person, depending on the urban or rural setting of the district to be counted.
Language Barriers
The United States has always been home to a large number of immigrants, and those who did not speak English well presented still another problem for the census taker. Often, enumerators could hardly understand the information given to them by people with foreign accents. Names were frequently misunderstood and misspelled by enumerators, to the extent that many do not even begin with the correct letters, making them hard to find in census schedules and almost impossible to find in indexes. The German name Pfeiffer could easily be heard and committed to paper as Fifer, for example. An Irish census taker in Cleveland recorded the Polish name Menkalski as McKalsky in the 1920 census. Places of birth may have been equally difficult to translate into English.
Whether recording information from a foreign-born or American-born individual, some enumerators took the quickest way to get the job done. Some used initials rather than given names, some used nicknames, and some omitted places of birth, value of real estate, occupations, and other details. In boarding houses, hotels, and clusters of workers' cottages, enumerators could easily overlook entire families.
Instructions for Enumeration
While enumerators were given basic instructions as early as 1820, it was not until 1850 that the Census Office printed uniform instructions for the enumerators, explaining their responsibilities, procedures, the specifics of completing the schedules, and the intent of each question asked. In 1850, the Census Office also provided enumerators with a large portfolio to accommodate the oversize forms (which measured twelve by eighteen inches), pens, a portable inkstand, ink, and blotting paper. Enumerators were instructed not to fold the pages and not to allow anyone to 'meddle with [their] papers.' Pages were numbered consecutively as they were completed. Each page was dated on the day it was begun, even if it was not completed until another day. Every page included room for the enumerator's signature, the name of the civil division, the county, the state and, after 1870, the local post office.
According to the 1850 census instructions, the enumerator, on completing the entry for each family, farm, or shop, was to read the information back to the person interrogated so that errors could be corrected immediately. But if an informant was unclear or incorrect in giving information in the first place, this procedure did little to correct errors. A significant portion of the American population could not read or write in the nineteenth century, so if an enumerator misspelled the family surname it could easily have stayed that way, whether or not the enumerator repeated it.
As the enumeration of each sub district was completed, the enumerator was to make two copies, which were to be carefully compared to the original for accuracy. Hand copying, of course, frequently produces mistakes. Experience with the various copies of the census shows that most copies were not error free. It was cumbersome and tedious to copy names and endless columns of personal information. Most enumerators probably never thought their copies would be read again once the statistical tabulations were completed, so it is easy to believe that many became careless as the job wore on.
As the process was completed, the enumerator was to sign each page of the census, and at the end of each set of copies, to certify that the census had been taken and copied according to instructions. One set was to be filed with the clerk of the county court, and the other two were to be forwarded to the supervisor. As the supervisor received the completed schedules, it was his or her duty to see that every part of the district had been visited and that the copies were in good order. One set was then sent to the state or territory, and the other was forwarded to the U.S. Census Office for statistical analysis. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to distinguish the original census taken by the enumerator'the one likely to be most accurate'from the copies. While it is usually not possible to know if the original census or a copy was sent, it is relatively easy to recognize the census that was sent to the Census Office. 'Researchers can distinguish the latter set from the other two because the Census Office made tabulations directly on the schedules; consequently, the central office copy bears pencil, crayon, and red ink markings on virtually every page.'<ref>Ibid., xxi.</ref>
In 1880, the procedure of making three sets of returns was abandoned. Enumerators forwarded the originals to the Census Office and did not make copies. In an attempt to correct errors, however, the Census Act of 1880 called for 'public exhibition of the population returns,' and for this purpose it authorized enumerators to make a document listing the name, age, sex, and color of each person enumerated in the district to be filed with the clerk of the county court. If any of these lists have survived, they will be found at the county level.
Labels of Households
In most enumerations, census takers were instructed to number each dwelling consecutively in the order of visit, though it was not always clear how these instructions were changed or interpreted from year to year. It should be emphasized that there was no connection between the household numbers (usually the number listed in the first column to the left of the census page) and the locality or address.
Census instructions defined a dwelling as any structure in which a person was living, including a room above a store, a warehouse, a factory, or a wigwam on the outskirts of a settlement. Institutions, such as hospitals, orphanages, poorhouses, garrisons, asylums, and jails, were counted as single-dwelling houses. It was not until the 1880 census that the character and name of the institution were required to be written in the margin. The 1880 census was also the first to include street addresses in cities.
In most years, census instructions stated that all persons temporarily absent on a journey or visit should be counted with the rest of their family in their usual abode. However, children away at school and living near the school or college should be enumerated with that family or institution. 'Seafaring men,' if they were believed to be still alive, were reported at their homes on land, no matter how long their absence. As such, sailors residing in boarding houses were not to be counted at that location. Expressmen, canalmen, railroad employees, and others engaged in transportation were enumerated with their families, if they returned to their homes at regular intervals.
Census instructions were quite specific as to how enumerators were to map out and proceed through their assigned areas so that no one would be missed. The 1920 instructions, for example, stated
"68. Method of canvassing a city block'If your district is in a city or town having a system of house numbers canvass one block or square at a time. Do not go back and forth across the street. Begin each block at one corner, keep to the right, turn the corner, and go in and out of any court, alley, or passageway that may be included in it until the point of starting is reached. Be sure you have gone around and through the entire block before you leave it.
"69. The arrows in the following diagram indicate the manner in which a block containing an interior court or place is to be canvassed:Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Fourteenth Census of the United States. January 1, 1920: Instructions to Enumerators (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1919)."
External Links
- Search the Census on Ancestry.com
- Search the Interactive Census on Fold3.com
- Census Bureau


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The retooling of the "Three Musketeers" for the big screen is an idea so obvious it's amazing it occurred to anyone in Hollywood.
The new take on Alexander Dumas' swashbuckling tale is being led by "Sherlock Holmes" producer Lionel Wigram, with a script coming from "Men Who Stare at Goats" scribe Peter Straughan, reported Variety.
The arithmetically challenged Dumas' story was actually about four guys, D'Artagnan, Athos, Porthos and Aramis, who come with a readymade tag line and your catchphrase, "All for one and one for all."
U.S. & World
And Dumas was a man of vision, wisely penning two sequels, "Twenty Years After" and "The Vicomte de Bragelonne." This guy knew what a tent-pole franchise was before Hollywood even existed.
There's been no shortage of "Musketeer" films, but it will be hard to match the cast assembled for the 1993 Disney version, which featured Charlie Sheen, Kiefer Sutherland, Oliver Platt, Chris O'Donnell, Tim Curry, Rebecca De Mornay, Gabrielle Anwar and Julie Delpy.
The new film versions will no doubt be titled "The Four and Five Musketeers," because nobody knows what a Vicomte is, it makes it easy to tell them apart and it allows for the introduction of new characters -- mayhaps a lady Musketeer?
All eye-rolling aside, "Sherlock Holmes" was a fun piece of genre entertainment, and "The Three Musketeers" is a classic for a reason -- so there's hope yet for this.


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How to Wear the Boho Trend: American Eagle Outfitters' Back to School 2013
AE stylist Lauren shows you how to wear the Boho trend for Back to School. Channel your inner bohemian goddess with a tiered lace top and vintage-inspired cardigan. Our destroyed Artist jean and floral headband add a bit of drama to the look.
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Wife of Marlon Brown says raffle organizers supported a lie
Fundraiser held for former DeLand officer
DELAND, Fla. – Krystal Brown, the ex-wife of the man run over and killed by former officer James Harris' police cruiser, says organizers of an AR-15 raffle to help Harris have supported a lie.
"Everyone is entitled to their own personal decision, but that just lets you know the type of mentality that person may have if they're willing to support a lie," said Brown.
James Jusick, an organizer of the raffle for fired DeLand police officer James Harris, told Local 6 several of his former co-workers at the department joined him in putting together the controversial fundraiser. Jusick recently retired from the DeLand Police Department.
Krystal Brown says the signs advertising the raffle which stated Marlon Brown "came towards Harris' vehicle, which resulted in the accidental collision," contradict the video which shows Harris' cruiser moving toward Marlon Brown, who's running away.
"We now know, after seeing the video, that that's not accurate," Brown said.
The raffle ended last night, but when a group claiming to be organizers appeared at the Whitehair Bridge riverside park, they sped off in a boat after seeing Local 6's cameras.
Jusick said he wasn't sure who was in the boat. He also said he didn't know who made the flyers, but agreed the wording was incorrect. Either way, he said even though Harris ignored the department's chase policy, he deserves financial and moral support.
Jusick said he believes Harris should have been suspended during the investigation, but instead was wrongly fired immediately after the police chief saw the dash cam video of the incident.
That's why Jusick donated the rife for the raffle. He now works full-time at Tactical Machining, the gun-making company in DeLand that he owns.
According to Jusick, the money collected will go toward Harris' legal fees he incurred before Krystal Brown agreed not to sue Harris in a settlement with the city.
Jusick would not tell Local 6 how much money the raffle raised, but said the group met their goal. They are no longer soliciting donations.
Copyright 2013 by ClickOrlando.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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The Anaheim Convention Center was bulging at the seams, as Natural Products Expo West produced by New Hope Natural Media set record numbers at the four-day event in March. Expo West had at it all; they featured some of the most respected speakers in the world in organics to accompany some of the latest and most creative organic products to hit the market along with just a weekend of celebrations that included concerts and parties galore.
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"LYFE Kitchen was such a great vision, I was on board from the beginning," Janet said. "I went to all of the tastings and helped them in developing their children's menu; it really was a collaboration of minds from all different sides of the spectrum."
Janet had her own children eating healthy right away, but she does find it a challenge whether it is giving her own kids spinach as a snack and having the other kids give a typical kid response of "ugh" and turning it down to going to a birthday party and see it just catered with sugar and processed food. But she does view LYFE Kitchen as a great way to provide people with a chance to see how amazing something that is health and good for you can taste along with her favorite snacks of pineapple and kale.
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Expo West once again provided hundreds of great products, some of the latest and greatest that you might have never heard of and needed to get introduced to and some were just classics that might have had a new product or just love being part of the entire organic experience. We picked a few of our favorites from the weekend and hopefully a few will find their way into your shopping cart.
The pools are opening in Las Vegas and the California sun is starting to nudge people outdoors so that means sunscreen should be out in full force. Even those of you that are still stuck in the snow, you should be applying sunscreen with that snow glare hitting your face and at Expo West regardless of the weather or conditions I will have to say the only thing you should be applying to your skin is Badger Natural Sunscreens. While people are becoming more concerned with what they are eating, not as many people have yet to be concerned with what they are putting on their skin and then in your pores. Badger's new line is natural and organic and use the safest active ingredients and are also hypoallergenic, and non-comedogenic. At Expo West Badger introduced its new line of daily SPF 30 sunscreen lotions to go along with its family of active and sport sunscreens. The new line comes in three varieties; Aloe Vera, Kids with Tangerine & Vanilla, and Baby with Chamomile & Calendula and while they all use USP grade non-nano zinc oxide, they also use a light lotion base that utilizes novel food-grade emulsifiers and natural preservatives. What does this mean for you, well you are getting great protection that is gentle on the skin and it also won't leave that white residue that is associated with zinc based products. In terms of safety all you have to do is visit the independent database website of the Environmental Working Group at www.ewg.org where the have they rate products from 0-10 with 0 being the best and 10 being the worst and you will find Badger with a rating of 1. You will find the common big name brands with ratings that are much higher, so don't grab the first thing you see on the shelf, do a little homework. For more information on Badger products, visit: www.badgerbalm.com
Certified USDA Organic Rooibee Red Tea also is naturally caffeine-free, gluten free, rich in anti-oxidants and has a full serving of Vitamin C. The tea comes from Rooibos, which only grows in Africa and has been used for its medicinal properties for years and to back this up Rooibos provides 1.5 times the antioxidants of green tea. This is certainly a turn away from the many drinks that have caffeine or other additives, Rooibee is a perfect match for the summer season that will soon be upon us, a drink that you can feel safe giving to anyone and any age. Rooibee should certainly be a favorite of any parent as this is the perfect drink to give to your kids and trust me, they will love the watermelon mint, a tremendous flavor combination. For more information on Rooibee Red Tea, visit: www.rooibeeredtea.com
Looking for organic engergy? Well we found it with the Chi Bar™ line of engergy bars. One bite of a Chi Bar and you get an instant feeling of goodness with all of the amazing ingredients. The Chi Bar comes in four flavors: Berry Berry, Papaya Pineapple, Mango Ginger, and Cacoa Cherry. If you like berries, the Berry Berry will not disappoint. Completely organic, what makes the Chi Bar a true engergy bar is that it contatins: Omega 3, potassium, amino acids and complex carbohydrates and unlike a lot of healthy, organic energy bars, the Chi Bars all taste great. For more information on the Chi Bar™, visit: www.organic-energy-bars.com
KeVita formulator Chakra Levy had been looking to add some new flavors to the KeVita family of probiotic sparkling drinks and the new additions, KeVita Mojita and KeVita Daily Cleanse, were greeted with happy faces at Expo West. While the majority of probiotics are in a dairy form, KeVita provides a great alternative with their variety of sparkling flavors. Chakra is definitely a proponent of adding probiotics to your daily diet as they have the ability to support digestive health as well as assist with acid reflux and indigestion just to name a few. The daily cleanse features a combination of lemon and cayenne that makes for a great light flush as opposed to a full heavy cleanse, this allows you to drink this daily and the contrasting flavors makes for a flavorful drink. Both new products also only contain ten calories along with two grams of sugar and all KeVita Sparkling Probiotic Drinks are certified organic and non-GMO. For more information on KeVita, visit: www.kevita.com
Follow Your Heart is already home to some of the tastiest vegan products such as Vegenaise, an egg-free, dairy-free mayonnaise alternative, Vegan Gourmet cheese alternatives and salad dressings, but at Expo West they made your cooking a little easier with the debut of their new dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free, vegan shredded cheese alternative that comes in three flavors. The shredded cheese alternative is great for quesadillas, macaroni & cheese, pizza, there are so many options you can really use it on anything. While that might sound great what sets Follow Your Heart apart from other similar cheese alternatives is the taste. If you put on a blindfold and had a regular grilled cheese and a Follow Your Heart grilled cheese it would be a 50-50 proposition you would know which was which. Follow Your Heart is dedicated to making sure all of their products not only meet their standards but that they also meet the consumers standards in terms of flavor. To find out more about Follow Your Heart and to check out a great vegan macaroni n' cheese recipe, visit: http://followyourheart.com/
It is a bold move to create a chocolate bar and name it "The Most Awesome Chocolate Bar EVER!" But that is exactly what Jeff Shepard, owner of Lillie Belle Farms, did and anyone who tastes "The Most Awesome Chocolate Bar EVER!" never questions the name. The thing you will learn quickly about Jeff and why his entire line of chocolate is so spectacular is that he would rather make just five amazing chocolate bars as opposed to making 100 really, really good chocolate bars. chocolatier, recently was named one of the Top 10 Chocolatiers in North America by Dessert Professional magazine and picked up two honors at the 2013 Good Food Awards for his aptly named, "The Most Awesome Chocolate Bar EVER!"
The energy drink shelves are filled with similar products so NEO Water decided to create a drink that not only separates itself, but would create their own entire niche market. At Expo West NEO Energy, a certified organic energy drink made with electrolytes, was unveiled. NEO Energy is meant to not only resonate with people looking for an organic energy drink, but also with people who want an energy drink that will actually benefit them with their workouts. NEO Energy contains a blend of organic guarana and green tea extracts, B-vitamins, electrolytes and antioxidants, and is sweetened with organic cane sugar, giving you an energy boost while also helping with hydration. For more information on NEO Energy, visit: http://poweredbyneo.com/pages/neo-super-energy
While Expo West was mainly focused on organic products, SIGG bottles was showcasing it's very cool and stylish water bottles which include the new Tony Hawk line of bottles. Plastic water bottles filling up landfills has become a very serious issue in recent years, so finding a water bottle that is durable, easy to use and one that you will love being seen with is what SIGG has created and provides a great alternative to plastic bottles. SIGG offers bottles ranging from Tony Hawk bottles to a number of kids favorites including Hello Kitty to pretty much any design to fit your personality. SIGG Switzerland and Tony Hawk are also recently kicked off the "Design for Tony Hawk and SIGG" contest, which launched on February 19th, 2013. The contest will yield four winning designs, with each winner earning a trip to the 2013 Stand Up For Skateparks event in Beverly Hills and $1,000. Additionally, the design with the most social votes will receive $500 and a skateboard signed by Tony Hawk. If your design is chosen, it will be included as part of the 2013 product offering from SIGG and will be available for purchase worldwide. The contest will take place on the new global SIGG Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/SIGGOriginal. For more information on SIGG, visit: www.SIGG.com
Hyland's Homeopathic Remedies was spreading the word about their amazing product line that is so far ranging that whatever ails you they are sure to have a remedy. But this year Hyland's is promoting the Hyland's 7-Day Sleep Challenge in an attempt to fight the epidemic of sleep deprivation in this country. From stress, to television and electronic gadgets and simply having too much on your plate, people are having a more difficult time not only getting enough sleep, but also actually falling asleep. The 7-Day Challenge provides great tips to help you make small changes in your life that will hopefully allow you to get a better nights sleep and then have a happier and more prosperous day when you wake up. When you do have those times when nothing seems to help however, Hyland's Calms Forté™ is a great product to help you fall asleep and of course it is 100% all-natural and helps you get past simple nervous tension as well as insomnia. For more information on Hyland's, visit: www.hylands.com
Bon Ami is far from a new product, it has been a staple in American homes for more than 125 years and was likely on the organic forefront before anyone even thought about creating an organic product line. Bon Ami is America's original non-toxic home cleaner and they have always stayed that way, avoiding bleach or any other chemicals so you can feel safe what you are cleaning with. There are so many things that you clean that you don't even give a second thought as to what you are cleaning with. Do you want to put a boat covered with cleaning chemicals into the ocean or have your fish swim in a aquarium with who knows what that just made that glass look clean or finally how about that baby bathtub? Although Bon Ami is great for people with sensitive skin or allergies, it really makes sense for everyone. With spring cleaning so near, give the Bon Ami liquid cleanser, all-purpose cleaner, powder cleanser and dish soap a try, you will not only be happy with how clean your house looks but you will also be able to feel good about what you cleaned it with. For more information on Bon Ami, visit: www.bonami.com
Eating organic, vegan or gluten-free are all personal choices, but whatever path you choose eating even a little better or mixing in organics once in a while will certainly benefit you in the long run. Expo West once again proved that eating healthy does not have to mean that you are losing out on flavor or taste, with all of the amazing products on the market you will quickly find that you lose nothing by eating organic but you are certain to gain a lot.


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The following is a direct link to the relevant portion of the previous blog post's video which correlates recent massive short-half-life radiation spikes in North America with recent Fukushima reports as being indicative of "Corium" interacting with ground water in a China Syndrome event.
Marley and Me - This dog needed a prong collar. That pretty much sums up the whole book. "Marley and Me", by John Grogan, is not exactly a book of profound revelation, i...
10 years ago


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What should a mom do if she thinks she has perinatal depression or anxiety? How is this different than the "baby blues?" Find out the answers to these, and other, questions about a mother's mental health throughout pregnancy and during the baby's first year.
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Depression is a common problem during and after pregnancy. Call your doctor if you have any of these symptoms of depression for more than 2 weeks.
Review Date: Thursday, April 02, 2015
Office on Women's Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Locate a Mothers' Center near you to find a community of women, who through mutual support and public advocacy, explore, enrich and value the maternal experience.
Review Date: Monday, May 09, 2016
National Association of Mothers' Centers
Postpartum Support International has more than 175 coordinators around the world. PSI coordinators provide support, encouragement, and information about perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and can help you connect to your community or internet resources.
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Featured recipe
500g (17.5 ounces) goat's cheese semi-dry (Valencay, Pouligny or Ste Maure)
20cl fresh cream
4 egg yolks
80g (2.80 ounces) of flour
100g (3.50 ounces) of butter
80cl of milk
10cl of brandy
5 soup spoons of dry raisins
6 soup spoons of ground nuts
1 bunch of fresh grapes (muscat)
6 sprig of chives (for decoration)
1 clove of garlic
Salt and pepper
Soak, for the duration of preparing the dish,
the dried raisins in the brandy.Melt the butter in a large sauce pan over a slow flame.
Then kneed in the flour and mix for two minutes.
Pour in the milk, keep stirring until the mixture boils.
Take off the flame and allow to stand for 10 minutes…..stir occasionally.
Grate the goat's cheese and add to the sauce.
At this point add the brandy from the raisins.
Add chopped garlic, cream, the egg yolks, a little nutmeg and salt and pepper.
Pre-heat the oven to 210° c (th.7).
Pour a third of the mixture into a cake mould.
Make sure the sides are well buttered.
Sprinkle on the dried raisins that had been soaked in brandy.
On top of this pour another third of the sauce.
Sprinkle with nutmeg. Cover with the remaining sauce.
Place the pan in another pan of hot water. In France this is known as a "bain-marie";
it allows gentle cooking.
Put both in the oven for 45 minutes.
Once finish place in the refrigerator for twelve hours.
Take out the cake pan and decorate with the grapes and chives.
Well done…..must be prepared the day before…well worth the wait.


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Curves, Anytime Fitness and Kelli Calabrese all have something in common: They all have ties to TV shows, they all have ties to Texas and they all have shined a positive spotlight on the industry.
Let's take them in order. First, Curves founders Gary and Diane Heavin (pronounced "haven") starred in ABC's "Secret Millionaire" on Sunday, April 3. In the show, the Heavins left their comfortable Waco, TX, ranch, hopped on a private jet and headed to Houston, not far from where Gary was born. For one week, the Heavins lived in a poor, rough Houston neighborhood while visiting local charities, not revealing their successful backgrounds. Sticking to the premise of the show, the Heavins revisited the charities at show's end, told the organizers who they were and handed them checks. All told, the Heavins distributed $410,000. (Here's a Reality TV Magazine synopsis of the show, and here's ABC's entire broadcast of the episode.)
Through Becky Frusher, Curves' PR director, Diane Heavin told Club Industry in an e-mail that she and Gary watched the show Sunday with a big group of family and friends, even though the Heavins had already watched the episode several times before it aired.
"It was like living through the experience all over again," Diane says. "We cried along with everyone else! And the impact that the show is having is exactly what we had hoped for—that people would realize that we are all one big community and we have a responsibility to help each other. And that it doesn't take a lot of money to do that—just time and a servant's heart."
Diane adds that just days after the show aired, she and Gary have received several e-mails, letters, phone calls and Facebook posts from people telling them how much the show touched their lives and that they are pledging to get involved in their communities.
"After the show, one of the charities we gave to—No More Victims, helping children of incarcerated parents—called to say that they were instigating a new requirement as part of their program," Diane says. "The kids in the program will now be volunteering their time and talents to the other two local charities that we gifted—The Lazarus House and The Sean Ashley House. How incredible is that?"
The following night, just down the dial, A&E aired the reality show "Heavy." The show, which began airing in January, is about morbidly obese adults who are attempting to lose weight with the help of personal trainers and medical clinics. Unlike NBC's "The Biggest Loser," this show is not a contest but rather a documentary of these subjects.
Anytime Fitness trainer David Richardson (pictured here) is one of the featured trainers on the show. Richardson was chosen out of a few hundred trainers who auditioned. Anytime's PR director Mark Daly tells Club Industry that once Richardson told the producers that he worked at Anytime, the producers then called the club to ask if the show could feature the Anytime clubs in the Austin, TX, area. Naturally, Anytime said yes.
Daly says that Monday's broadcast was a follow-up to an earlier episode. During the broadcast, which also included an Anytime Fitness commercial, Anytime's website traffic increased by four times, Daly says. The Hastings, MN-based company and "Heavy" are expected to continue their partnership for Season 2, which could air this fall or early next year.
The exposure has done wonders for Anytime.
"Dozens of (Anytime) franchisees across the country have contacted me to say that people have come to their clubs and joined their clubs because of what they saw on the show 'Heavy,'" Daly says.
Finally, there could be a new TV star in the making, and it's someone who has spoken at Club Industry shows and has served as a judge for several of Club Industry's Best of the Best contests. Fitness coach Kelli Calabrese of Flower Mound, TX, is a finalist to take over Jillian Michaels' spot on "The Biggest Loser." Michaels is leaving the show after this season.
After she was selected from more than 200,000 personal trainer candidates, Calabrese, who says she did not apply for the position, showed her stuff to the show's producers at a local Anytime Fitness, where she was interviewed and trained clients.
"It is a great opportunity to do an interview like this one," Calabrese told The Cross Timbers Gazette newspaper. "It will be a career maker for someone, but I'm not sure if it's me."
If she is selected from among the finalists, Calabrese will fly to Los Angeles later this month for a final round of interviews, the newspaper reported.
"I've got to tell you, I'm excited," Calabrese told the Dallas-Fort Worth NBC TV affiliate. "I would love to get it. I just want to reach more people. This has been my mission for a long, long time."
Go get 'em, Kelli! Keep up the good work, David! And thank you, Gary and Diane!


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by Scott Boyle
In the summer time when the weather is hot,,,,,not. Even though weather might not seem appropriate yet, summer sports are blazing away in Blanding and Monticello. With baseball and softball leagues in both communities from 5 year old to adult, if anyone is bored, you just ain't tryin' my friends.
Monticello sports a T-ball league with four teams, a Peanut league machine pitch baseball league with two Monticello teams and a Dove Creek team and a coach-pitch softball league for first and second grade girls on two teams. Additionally, Monticello has four baseball teams, three softball teams, and 18 adult teams, four fast pitch softball teams, seven men's slow pitch and seven more coed slow pitch teams. Blanding sports even more: Eight baseball teams, seven softball teams and nine adult coed softball teams.
Six teams, three from Blanding, two from Monticello and one from Dove Creek are currently battling for Mustang third and fourth grade baseball supremacy and the right to go to state. Chad McDonald's Braves are leading the league at the moment with a 4-1 record, followed closely by Rick Eldredge's Blanding Angels, Dove Creek, and Chris Baird's Monticello White Sox. Mike DeRosier coaches the Cubs and Ryan Heck the Astros.
The boy's Pinto league boasts seven teams from Monticello, Blanding, White Mesa, and Dove Creek. Monticello rules the Pinto League with RT Nielson's Red Sox undefeated and Steve Draper's Dodgers suffering just one loss at the hands of the Red Sox.
In softball, 13 teams compete in three leagues, including the Fox league with coaches Robin Garner in Monticello and Ron Kirk and Shelby Eldredge in Blanding. The Filly league has two Blanding teams and a Monticello team, while the Falcon League has four teams, three from Blanding and one from Monticello.
Golf results
It's a good time to look for golf balls at the Hideout after the annual MHS/SJH Fundraiser four man scramble last Saturday. The day ended with a two-way tie for first place between J2 Electric and Fleming. Both teams managed to card a 59 in the scramble format. In a scramble, each player hits, the team chooses the best shot and then all teammates hit from that spot, choose the best one, so on and so on.
The J2 Electric team, manned by Jeff Johnson, Keith Ivins, Kyler Perkins, and John Young, won in a scorecard playoff on the second handicapped hole to win the first place trophy. Fleming's second place crew consisted of Danny Fleming, Mike Northern, Jolly Bayles, and Dwayne Black. Wojcik, Hunter, and Blue Mountain Foods teams finished tied for third.
A new Hideout Golf Course superintendent was hired this past week and will begin work in about a week. Tom Cook, from Illinois, was hired from a large list of highly-qualified applicants. Cook, who has a resume that includes 15 years of golf course management, will begin work around June 18 or 19. Golf committee members, city council members are excited about the new superintendent. "He's a worker," said one. More when he gets here.
About the time Cook gets here, the Hideout will join with the Moab Golf Club to host the annual Arch and Horsehead Golf tournament. In a unique format, golfers will participate in a two man scramble at the Hideout and complete the tournament the next day with a two man best ball at Moab. See Director of Golf Terry Eardley to sign up. Fore, please!!!!!


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Defiance Group presents Wine & Dine Wednesday at Artisan Hotel Boutique, a bi-monthly dynamic networking and professional development mixer that combines a live band with social networking and wine sampling. If you enjoy networking, drinking fine wine, and live music, then don't miss another installment of this grown and sexy upscale event every 2nd and 4th Wednesday.
Event posted: March 22, 2013
Last updated: March 22, 2013


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Genesee County cracks down on unlicensed dogs
FLINT (AP) -- Hey, was that a bark?
With 18 full-time enforcers, a Michigan county is going door-to-door to find dogs that don't have a license, an effort that could raise more than $250,000 in fees this summer.
More than 1,700 dog owners in Genesee County bought licenses during a two-week amnesty when delinquent fees were waived. Now the campaign is getting serious with workers prepared to sell licenses on the spot or write tickets in the county 50 miles north of Detroit.
Tommie Johnson, a retiree who coordinates the dog census, tells The Flint Journal (http://bit.ly/MfgUWd) that many roads "have never been touched before."
He said people have told him, "'I've been living here 40 years and nobody ever bothered me."
College student Mandya Burnett wears a necklace of metal licenses as she does her job. Tickets can be dismissed if an owner later produces a rabies certificate and $40, four times the usual fee for a dog that has been spayed or neutered.
"People come to the door asking, 'Why are you coming to my house?' We're going all over Genesee County," Burnett said.
Workers travel in pairs and are told to write down addresses where a dog might live but no one answered. Johnson advises them to avoid conflict.
"In this day and age, people get up on the wrong side of the bed and are just looking for a confrontation," he said.
In a Flint neighborhood, Mark Walker, 51, showed a license for Rocky, his German Shepherd.
"You'll find in this area, 95 percent of dogs are licensed," he said. "It's your responsibility ... but some neighborhoods, people really can't afford it."


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'The Russian Winter': John Forté and the common languages of music and hardship
Established by Robert DeNiro, the Tribeca Film Festival has screened more than 1,200 films from over 80 countries since its first iteration in 2002. The 2012 festival goes from April 18-29. See the schedule of public screenings and purchase tickets here.
Standing with his bandmates on an ice-encrusted platform somewhere in Siberia, as workers chip the ice off of the train wheels, Grammy-nominated artist and producer John Forté uses the word "quixotic," casually, in reference to one of the songs he had been working on. Someone asks what the word means, and Forté provides a definition, adding, "The root is from Quixote. You know. Don Quixote."
"Oh. Of course."
"Quixotic" is a perfect term for Forté's project, as presented in the documentary The Russian Winter, directed by Petter Ringbom. It's an ambitious, rambling nine-week five-city tour across Russia, in which Forté travels by train through the brutal winter, and collaborates with Russian musicians along the way.
The Russian Winter seems at first like it might be a vanity project but becomes something much more in the evocative footage of snow-bound Russia, seen on the ground and out the window of the Trans-Siberian railway. It's a culture clash in some respects, the American musician struggling with the more casual Russian sense of time (which causes much friction with his hard-working Russian promoter), but it's also a great view of the collaborative process, as musicians from different countries reveal that they share a universal language. The scenes of collaboration are some of the best in the film, and also provide an opportunity for audiences to get to know some of the hot Russian musicians of the moment.
The film is certainly a celebration of John Forté himself, who grew up in one of the roughest neighborhoods of Brooklyn, attended Phillips Exeter, went on to perform with and write for the Fugees before launching his solo career, and then was arrested in 2000 at an airport for having in his possession $1.4 million worth of liquid cocaine. He was sentenced to the mandatory 14 years.
After much activism on the part of Carly Simon, who took up his cause (he calls her a "mentor"), his sentence was finally commuted in 2008 by President Bush. He is still on probation. His career as a solo artist took off after his release from prison, and he tells amusing stories in The Russian Winter about how he really found his voice singing in the prison cell, because the acoustics were so good. It helped him to release his natural sound.
The Russian Winter is a hodgepodge of tour footage, black-and-white interviews with a thoughtful Forté, and a Russian travelogue. The group travels to Moscow, St. Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, Ekaterinburg (a map would have been useful), and visits local spots including, chillingly, Ganina Yama, the pit where the murdered bodies of Tsar Nicholas II and his wife and children were dumped in 1918.
In Kazan, they visit an ornate mosque standing right beside an ornate Orthodox Cathedral, evidence of the mix of cultures in the community, and an example of how people can live side-by-side. But The Russian Winter is smart to not to try to "explain" Russia, even though there is a very funny interview in the beginning with a Russian journalist who meets with Forté in his Moscow apartment and goes off on his own country: "It's a great country, blah blah, but it has always been criminally managed: the Tsars, the Communists, the new regime. It's a bad, viciously managed country."
What we see of the Russian music business is identical to what goes on anywhere. Forté finds himself in the middle of a major battle with a composer who arranged one of his songs and insists on authorship credit when the arrangement is published.
"No," Forté says flatly, and gets up and leaves the room.
Interestingly, afterward, reflecting on the confrontation, Forté says that as a black man he is so aware of the stereotypes about black men that he knows he has to be careful when he loses his temper, because of how it may be perceived by others.
The best parts of The Russian Winter are the small observational moments: Forté and a band member playing chess on the train, the moments of collaboration in various studios as the musicians work out their different parts, the very funny "Pushkin's real good" rap Forté comes up in the spur of the moment.
Forté meets with a redheaded singer/pianist named Alina Orlova, who sings with a passionate, unearthly voice, reminiscent of Kate Bush. She sits at a piano and he listens, totally focused on her. He is trying to find a way in, something that he can add to what she has already created. After she finishes her song, he says, "Some pieces of art are too beautiful to touch. The song is perfect."
I knew almost nothing about John Forté going into this film, and I came out of it a huge fan.
All proceeds for his tours went to local orphanages, through Operation Smile and the Happy Hearts Fund, and there is a moving scene in which Forté performs at an orphanage in less-than-ideal circumstances, with a crappy sound system and one mic (he looks at the set-up and says, "We'll make it work").
The orphanage is a huge institution, grimy and bleak, and the kids are bored and yet curious about the cameras in their midst. They loll in the seats, laughing and texting, glancing at the film cameras as Forté performs. Forté has certainly played to more rapt crowds in his life, but in that moment, he was an ambassador of sorts, not just for America, but for a wider world of possibility.
He grew up in a terrible neighborhood, but he got out and got an incredible education. He then found fame and fortune and immediately tailspun into criminal behavior, for which he paid dearly. He resurrected his career, and continues to try to push the boundaries of what he is able to do (he taught himself to play guitar while in prison). And here he is, years later, in a small town in the middle of snowbound Russia, playing for a bunch of bored orphans, having the time of his life.
Come to think of it, the whole thing is incredibly quixotic.


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innovationXchange is DFAT's development innovation hub.
A celebration of Australia delivered in a country or region of strategic significance.
Ensuring Australia continues to build soft power and exercise influence effectively.
To help Australians avoid difficulties overseas, we maintain travel advisories for more than 170 destinations.
The Australian Passport Office and its agents are committed to providing a secure, efficient and responsive passport service for Australia.
The AMI welcomes all applications for projects that further its mission and goals. Applications that do not clearly demonstrate this will not be approved. The AMI specifically considers whether:
Please note that activities that are commercially viable in their own right or that will be of a commercial benefit to the recipient (e.g. promotion of the recipient's business) will not be approved regardless of how well they meet this criteria.
If an applicant requests funding principally to fund an activity they will carry out with no direct financial or goods/services benefit to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (for example to host a conference) to further a shared aim of developing people to people links between Australia and Malaysia then the proposal falls under the definition of a grant.
However, if the funding proposal gives rise to an expectation of a direct reciprocal benefit for DFAT that is financial or 'in kind' (such as goods or services), all or part of the above example would be treated as a procurement and subject to the Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines. In the above example, if a potential grant recipient includes a specified amount for management services, this component would be excluded from the grant process and treated as a procurement. This is because DFAT benefits from the management services provided.
Grant applications that include a confirmed Malaysian/Australian partner or collaboration will be looked upon favourably by the AMI when assessing proposals.
Where projects are to be undertaken in conjunction with, or part funded by, a Malaysian or Australian organisation, applicants must be able to demonstrate on request that the counterpart has confirmed their participation and/or involvement to ensure the success of the project.
Grant applications that have supplementary financial assistance from other sources, including the applicant's own resources or corporate sponsors, will be looked upon favourably by the AMI when assessing proposals.
In-kind support is also looked upon favourably, such as accommodation and other services provided without charge in either country.
Whilst not a factor that will, in itself, rule out an application, potential applicants should be aware that most grants awarded are in the range of AUD$3,000 - $20,000. The AMI has limited grant funds available to award each financial year and the best allocation of these funds across the range of possible AMI activities must be considered.
Larger grants may be considered for approval but only in the case of particularly worthwhile projects.
The AMI also reserves the right to provide less funding than that sought by the applicant.
Commonwealth guidelines restrict the types of expenditure that may be covered under a grant funding arrangement. Applications that include requests for any of the following types of expenditure will not be approved. Partial approval of such applications to exclude these costs may be considered as an alternative.
Is the proposal the responsibility of other funding bodies or other government agencies?
Grants are not normally awarded to proposals where funding would be more appropriately sought from other funding bodies or other government agencies such as Universities, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), Austrade, the Australian Research Council (ARC) etc.
If your proposal is primarily to undertake academic research (e.g. post graduate students applying for travel assistance to undertake field work as part of their thesis), development assistance projects, trade promotion activities, or activities under bilateral science and technology agreements you may wish to seek funding from a more appropriate funding body.


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Explore Our Hotel
Make the Torchbearer, Renovation award winning Holiday Inn Express & Suites Fort Washington – Philadelphia your home away from home when visiting Fort Washington, PA. Moments off I-276 (PA Turnpike) at Exit 339, the hotel is 12 miles north of center city Philadelphia and adjacent to the SEPTA Fort Washington Regional Rail; just a 25 minute ride to center city Philadelphia. In close proximity to the Fort Washington Business Park, Germantown Academy, Trumark Financial Credit Union, and McNeil Pharmaceuticals, the hotel is perfectly located to serve the needs of business and leisure travelers in the northern suburbs of Philadelphia.
Featuring an award winning, modern lobby and breakfast area, 77 new suites and 91 new guest rooms, and a state-of-the-art Fitness Center, our hotel is your perfect base in the Philadelphia region. Take advantage of the Express Start free hot breakfast, 24 hour lobby coffee and free high-speed Wi-Fi. Nearby attractions include the King of Prussia Mall, Valley Forge National Historical Park, Fort Washington Park, Arcadia University, Sesame Place, Keswick Theatre, and many more local attractions and historical venues. Local businesses include Johnson & Johnson, Ditech, Siemens, Honeywell, Prudential, Ally Bank, OCWEN and many others in the corporate parks of Fort Washington, Horsham, and Willow Grove.
- Black-out Shades
- Crib Available
- Iron/Ironing Board
- Separate Hanging Closet
- In-Room Heating and A/C Controls
- Extra Bedding Available
Bathroom/Personal Care
- Private Bathroom
- Bathroom Amenities Available
- Hair Dryer
- Bathtub
- Separate/Walk-in Shower
In-Room Features
- Mini Refrigerator
- Microwave
- Coffee Maker
- Flat-screen TV
- Work Desk with Lamp
- Desk-level Electrical Outlet
- Free Local Calls
- Cable/Satellite
- Direct-dial Phone
- Phone with Voicemail
Added Value
- Connecting Rooms Available
- Oversized Bath Towels
- Complimentary Coffee/Tea Supplies
- Full Breakfast Included
- Breakfast Buffet Included
- Continental Breakfast Included
- Complimentary Coffee in Lobby
- Off-site Restaurant Delivery Available
Business Services
- 3 Meeting Room(s) Available
- On-Site Business Center
- Printer
- Copier
Internet Access
- Free High-Speed Internet in all Rooms
- Wireless Internet service is free for all IHG® Rewards Club members
Entertainment & Recreation
- Outdoor Pool
- Outdoor Pool Hours of Operation: 8:00 AM - 9:00 PM
- Pool Open from: 05-May-2018 to 29-September-2018
Health & Fitness
Complimentary Fitness Center
Free Weights,Treadmills, Stationary Bike, Elliptical and a rowing machine.
Hours of Operation: 12:00 AM to 12:00 AM
Fitness Center Type: EXTENSIVE
Fitness Center Equipment:
- Rower
- Treadmill
- Elliptical Machines
- Free Weights
- Stationary Bicycle
Last Renovation of Fitness Center Equipment: 2015
Housekeeping & Laundry
- Daily Housekeeping
- On-site Guest Self-Laundry Facilities
- Hours of Operation: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Added Value
- Wake Up Calls
- Storage Space Available
Hotel Details
432 Pennsylvania Avenue
Fort Washington, Pennsylvania 19034
United States
Check In: 3:00 PM
Check Out: 11:00 AM
Check-in Age: 21
Parking + -
- Complimentary Self Parking Available
Shuttle + -
- Tropiano will shuttle for a fee to the hotel. Call Tropiano directly.
Accessibility + -
- Public Entrance
- Guest Rooms
- Elevators
- Public Restrooms
- Registration Desk
- Exercise Facility
- Business Center
- Pool
- Number of Accessible Meeting Rooms: 3
Accessible Hotel Areas
- Registration Area
- Accessible Guest Rooms
- Business Center
- Meeting Room
- Exercise Facility
- Pool
Hotel Areas with Accessible Routes from Accessible Public Entrance
- Accessible Self Parking
- Van Accessible Self Parking
- Ramp Access
- Portable Bathtub Seats
- Closed Caption TVs
- Telephone with TDD
- Visual Alarm/Alert in Guest Rooms
- Visual Alarm/Alert in Public Spaces
- Communication Kits with Visual Alarms
Provided by Hotel
Pet Policy + -
- Service Animals Allowed
- No pets allowed, guide dogs and service animals are allowed with the proper signage.
Facility + -
- Smoke-Free Facility
- Number of Floors: 8
- Total Number of Rooms: 168
- Number of Suites: 77
- Number of Non-Smoking Rooms: 168
- Number of Accessible Rooms: 8
- Connecting Rooms Available
- The hotel completed a $12 million renovation in 2015 of the entire hotel.
- Public Spaces Renovated in: 2015
- Guest Rooms Renovated in: 2015
Credit Cards + -
- American Express
- Visa
- MasterCard
- Diners Club
- Carte Blanche
- Discover


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Dagmar Obert's love of color, form, and texture help her transform homes with a touch of elegance and comfort. With her eye for design and more than two decades of experience, Dagmar has become one of the top interior designers in Chicagoland. Today, she is a design consultant in the Seattle area and shares her ideas on the Balsam Hill blog.
In this one-on-one interview, Dagmar recounts how motherhood has taught her to look for longevity in a piece of furniture or home decor. 'The flip side is, if you don't like a particular style, you can change it.' One's decorating preferences have to be realistic. Find out more about Dagmar's decorating style.
BH: What is your favorite part about being a mother? What is the most rewarding and most challenging aspect of it?
Dagmar: My favorite aspect is knowing that your child is a part of you and your spouse. Each child is a new soul, a created being. There's hope in that. Knowing when to bridle your child's passion, when to rein it in, and when to let it flourish or encourage it is challenging. When you see them use their gifts for others in serving and helping the world, you begin to see that motherhood is rewarding. For example, my daughter is magical with words and helps people so much with their writing and marketing while keeping integrity in the product or service.
BH: How has motherhood changed your style and design aesthetics?
Dagmar: I would say motherhood has made me want to have nice things or a specific style, but to have realistic expectations as well. I look for longevity in a piece of furniture or paper or clothing item. I also do not take myself too seriously. The flip side is, if you don't like a particular style, you can change it. I think things like mid-century modern and minimalism are making a comeback; things are kept simple and clean and not so fussy. I like sanded, worn pieces, not to the extent of shabby chic but strong wood, thick leather, and sturdy with lots of room for everyone to be included. I wouldn't have said this prior to having kids.
BH: How has your mother inspired your decorating style? Would you mind sharing some decorating advice she's given you with us?
Dagmar: My mother is very open and does not offer strong opinions. It's annoying and charming at the same time. It has helped me to always think outside of what is expected. She never squelched or laughed at an idea I had. Her advice: just make people feel comfortable. She's amazingly hospitable.
BH: What advice has your mother given you that you would also like to give to your children?
Dagmar: The best one is to laugh at yourself and not take things too personally. If someone criticizes you, it's either true or not. If it's not true, leave it there. If it is, work on it. Another is that self-pity is a waste of time. I believe this is a quote from Anne Sullivan to Helen Keller. My mother said the same version of this over and over. Truthfully, I saw how much it sapped energy to worry about what other people said and I just wanted to move on and get stuff done or work on the next project or adventure.
BH: Is there an activity you do now that still reminds you of something you did with your mother as a child?
Dagmar: She read the golden book Color Kittens to me and I have been fascinated with color ever since. She also put crayons and markers in front of me early on and just expected me to do something. I think it was to keep me from asking questions. I guess I was pretty exhausting that way.
BH: Do you have any springtime traditions you would like to pass on to your children and grandchildren?
Dagmar: I decorate with lots of green for spring inside our home. Go for the cool spring tones in April and then work toward other flowers in May by planting outside. And Easter is hugely important for our faith. The glory and hope of new life, both internally and externally, we see coming to fruition all around us.
BH: How do you and your family prepare your home for spring? Is there a specific piece of decor you put out that signifies spring has arrived?
Dagmar: I have a very regal rabbit, a sophisticated Peter Rabbit that holds spotted robins' eggs. I also have a very neat and tidy tuft of grass that looks lie grazing pasture. I put these little fleece sheep on it. The display is lovely and can go right into summer.
BH: What's your idea of a perfect Mother's Day celebration?
Dagmar: It would be going to tea or brunch and then spending the day outside hiking or exploring a new area or town. I love anything that stimulates memories and thankfulness, and creates special times you can reflect on when you have to be apart.


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Looking for a Job? Apps Take on Hiring Process
Companies are always looking to hire the right candidate, however the search for new employees doesn't always yield results. Can technology change all that? Apploi CEO Adam Lewis discusses how apps are hoping to change the way the hiring process works.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
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Montreal born author Sharon E. McKay is well-known for her novels for young adults including Charlie Wilcox, Charlie Wilcox's Great War, Esther and four novels in Penguin's "Our Canadian Girl" historical fiction series.
Her most recent works for young adults include War Brothers, a story of child soldiers in Uganda and the winner of the Arthur Ellis Award.
Thunder Over Kandahar is the heart-stopping story of two girls making their way across the most dangerous territory on earth.
Whispers from the Ghetto, Whispers from the Camps and Whispers from Hiding, are all short stories dealing with the Holocaust and written with Kathy Kacer, a multi-award winning writer and a child of survivors.
In January 2008 Sharon was accepted into the Canadian Forces (War) Artists Program or CFAP. She is the first children's writer to hold the title. In March 2009 she went to Afghanistan to, in the words of the program description, "capture the daily operations, personnel, and spirit of the Canadian Forces."
See Pictures from Sharon's Trip to Afghanistan


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Event Description
Step up in your Career and into Ashiatsu with the original in source of barefoot bar education!! Learn this unique form of barefoot massage that will change the way you deliver deep tissue massage techniques! We teach our students how to work "smart not hard" and allow gravity to do all the work. This is our introductory course to Ashiatsu Barefoot Bar Therapy. Therapists will have lots of "feet on" time in this 3-day comprehensive class. Barefoot Curriculum includes prone and supine, seated and standing Ashiatsu Techniques. Our methodology is western focused and includes cross-fiber friction, effleurage, petrissage, compression as well as some trigger point and myofascial techniques.
Natalie Petersen
Ashiatsu DeepFeet Bar Therapy