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Will the ECHR force religious bodies to conduct same-sex marriages?
During the recent Government consultation on introducing civil equal marriage the Church of England and the campaigning group Liberty gave responses. Given one was against and one was for, I thought it'd be interesting to look at what the legal opinions they relied upon in their decision actually said about the ECHR. Let us start with the Church of England, whose response and legal opinion can be found in full here.
If the proposal to redefine marriage were to be implemented, it must be very doubtful whether limiting same-sex couples to non-religious forms and ceremonies could withstand a challenge under the European Convention on Human Rights. Page 10I feel this paragraph is the cause of a great deal of confusion. It is clarified in depth on the link above. The Church has quite a problem, and I very much share their concerns, with the Government proposing to create two-tiers of marriage in separating the legal concept of religious and civil marriages. Their concern shown above relates to this problem and what they are suggesting is that IF the Government only legislates on civil marriage equality they will leave that law open to challenge (the success of the challenge remains questionable).
If opposite-sex couples were able to enter into the (newly-defined) legal institution of marriage in accordance with either religious or civil forms and ceremonies but same-sex couples were able to enter into that institution only in accordance with civil forms and ceremonies that, of itself, would be unlikely to amount to a breach of article 12 because such an arrangement would not deprive same-sex couples of the substance of the right to marry.
But there would be a serious prospect of a successful challenge to that arrangement under article 14 taken in conjunction with article 12, on the basis that same-sex couples were being discriminated against in relation to matter that was within the ambit of article 12.No, they don't provide much evidence for the "serious prospect of a successful challenge" but I think their legal reasoning is pretty good here. Clearly the Government should pursue full equal marriage (religious and civil) rather than focus on civil marriage alone. I hope their legal opinion has influenced the Government into expanding its proposals accordingly.
But these are NOT arguments stating churches will be forced to perform equal marriage. The Church then moves on to arguing over if the Government allows religious marriage how this might affect them but that is more an issue of domestic legislation and I'll look at it in its own section below.
So the Church of England's legal opinion seems to be that the ECHR may well not be amenable to denying same-sex couples, and the religious organisations that support them, religious equal marriage. But nowhere do they suggest the ECHR might force religious organisations opposed to equal marriage to perform same-sex marriages.
Liberty, fairly predictably, offer a robust defence of the proposals here. Karon Monaghan QC summarises her opinion here:
In my view, therefore, any requirement upon a church or religious organisation to conduct same-sex marriages, contrary to the religious convictions of its members', would violate their Article 9 rights (and those of any person compelled to take part, for example a minister).
Merely permitting the solemnisation of same-sex marriages on religious premises, as with opposite–sex marriages, would not, of course, intrude upon the Article 9 rights of any religious organisation.Ergo, the European Convention on Human Rights should protect the rights of those who oppose equal marriage rather than force them to do things against their will.
The ECHR covers many countries that offer marriage equality and some of those have established churches. I've done lengthy searches through sources in both English and in the native tongues of the countries concerned, but have yet to find one case of the ECHR becoming involved with this question once equal marriage has been legislated for by a national Government.
Will domestic laws force churches to carry out equal marriage?
It is extremely difficult to argue one way or another on this as the relevant legislation has not even been proposed yet. However some have raised this as a concern as well. My main argument would be that any domestic law can be amended by the new marriage equality bill so as long as this is dealt with properly there should be nothing for opponents to worry about.
Karon Monaghan QC, on behalf of Liberty, looked at this in some detail.
In particular, I am asked to consider the following questions:
a. Were Parliament to enact provisions that would allow religious bodies willing to do so to conduct legally binding marriages in the same way that they can currently conduct marriages under Part III, Marriage Act 1949, would the decision of a body opposed to same-sex marriage not to do so, or the refusal of an individual minister not to conduct such a ceremony, be challengeable under the Equality Act 2010, under another antidiscrimination provision or on human rights grounds?
b. If so, would a provision similar to section 6A(3A) Civil Partnership Act 2004 be sufficient to protect a religious body and/or individual members of the clergy from such legal challenges?
c. Are there any additional safeguards that could be built into the legislation to forestall such a risk?
d. Would provisions similar to those in the Marriages and Civil Partnerships (Approved Premises) Regulations 2005 be adequate to prevent a maverick clergy member conducting a same-sex marriage that might arguably be legally binding?
e. Again, are there any additional safeguards that could be built into the legislation to mitigate the risk?
f. Would the Article 9 rights of religious bodies that do not wish to conduct same-sex marriages on doctrinal grounds reinforce any safeguards built into the legislation?She then summarises her responses here:
a. A refusal by a minister or a body opposed to same-sex marriage to conduct same - sex marriages would not violate the Equality Act 2010 so long as they could demonstrate that to do so would be in conflict with the strongly held convictions of a significant number of the religion's followers. Further, it is very unlikely that a refusal to conduct a same-sex marriage in such circumstances would unjustifiably violate the Convention rights of any other person, in particular those of a same-sex couple seeking to marry.
b. For the avoidance of doubt, provision could be made in any legislation (permitting same-sex marriage) analogous to that seen in s6A(3A), Civil Partnership Act 2004.
c. Again for the absolute avoidance of any doubt, the Equality Act 2010 could be amended so as to add a clause to Schedule 23 (paragraph 2(14)) making it clear that nothing in the Equality Act 2010 "should be taken to require a religious organisation or minister to solemnise a same-sex marriage if they do not wish to do" or similar.
d. Provisions similar to those in the Marriages and Civil Partnerships (Approved Premises) Regulations 2005 would be adequate to prevent a maverick clergy member conducting a legally sanctioned same-sex marriage.
e. No further safeguards are required to address the "maverick clergyman" other than those described above (requiring or dispensing with consent in each case at the behest of the governing authority) and those that are ordinarily and already found in this context.
f. The Article 9 protection afforded religious organisations is strong. This too would provide real safeguards to a religious organisation that did not wish to conduct same-sex marriages on doctrinal grounds.The Church of England looks at this area too, being that it is important to them due to the complex legislation covering our established church and its duties.
These assurances are all based on the position being as proposed in the consultation paper: i.e. the limitation of same-sex couples to non-religious forms and ceremonies. If, however, that position were not upheld – either because it was held to be unlawful by the courts or as a result of changes to the applicable legislation during its passage through Parliament or by way of subsequent amendment – the basis for those assurances would fall away.
In that scenario a considerable amount of further legislative provision would be required in order to protect the position of the Church of England and other religious bodies. In particular the whole range of rights and duties that exist in relation to marriage and the Church of England would have to be reexamined.
Even if a mutually acceptable legislative solution could be found by way of limiting such rights and duties, it cannot be assumed that any such solution would itself withstand subsequent challenge, whether in our domestic courts or in Strasbourg. The ultimate outcome for both Church and State would be quite uncertain.The Church of England's considered response to this then is that it'll be a difficult process in ensuring their rights are protected but possible.
Doesn't the Church of England have a legal responsibility to marry any eligible couple in their own parish?
Much has been made of this responsibility by those opposed to equal marriage and the Church of England's legal opinion mentions it too.
Anyone who is resident in England has a legal right to marry in his or her parish church irrespective of his or her religious affiliation and the minister of the parish (the rector, vicar or priest in charge) is under a legal duty to conduct the marriage. 2 The existence of this right is recognised by the Marriage Act 1949 (which governs the procedure for all marriages in England and Wales).I have a question regarding this however. If they have a legal right, how can the Church of England legally turn away divorcees (at the discretion of the minister involved)? I feel the situation is a little more complex than is being presented and that the pertinent laws covering the Church of England in this regard can be amended if necessary.
Feel free to fire back examples that show I'm wrong. I've written this post mainly out of a sense of frustration with opponents failing to provide proof for their claims. I decided to seek out the evidence myself and, after so doing, feel a lot more confident that they are wrong. However, I will be very happy to hear considered opposition to what I've presented here!
If you feel benevolent and particularly generous, this writer always appreciates things bought for him from his wishlist


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richkid needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 14 designs submitted by 10 freelance designers.
i need a total redesign of my current logo, as we are rebranding our image. current logo can be viewed here: http://www.webpros.com.au.
Why Settle For Less?
Desired Color Scheme:
Black, Red (possible with white and silver)
Desired Style:
professional, and classy.
Accepted File Formats:
we are completely rebranding our image, and looking for a new logo. We want something more professional then our current design, and something that can standalone by itself.
i am open to all suggestions, and ideas. So expose youre creative genius.
I am looking forward to seeing what you guys can do for me.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.

subset: commoncrawl


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These days most of the big supermarkets will have their own beauty ranges – cosmetics, skincare and haircare! I know that Sainsbury's ,Tesco, Aldi, Waitroise and even Asda have their own beauty ranges! They're very affordable, these days they look chic and not at all cheap, and are of course handy to pick up when you're doing your weekly shop.
Now…to be fair…in reference to this post, I didn't go to any old supermarket, I went to Wholefoods in London. So it wasn't remotely cheap! But I was excited to find it because I've never been in before. They sell groceries, alcohol, dried foods, all healthy organic stuff. The store is HUGE.
I picked up a ton of stuff – I can't resist food and snacks. Some of the more interesting bits I picked up include, Himalayan Pink Crystal Salt which has a richer flavour than table salt (it had been recommended to me earlier in the day), Grasshopper Organic Porridge (not worth it, don't bother) and Teapigs Popcorn Tea (like brown rice tea but slightly more burnt).
They also have a really cool section downstairs with loads of organic skincare, haircare and make up! So many nice organic brands….
I tried Avalon Organics Lemon Shampoo and I LOVE it. I decided to buy another one to try whilst I was there so chose Shine (rather than dry hair or scalp care). Ylang Ylang is such a nice scent.
I got the conditioner too and it was about £6.50? Not a bad price because there's no shipping changes.
Since Argan oil is all the rage, I bought this spray which contains it. It also contains alcohol, eek, but still I like how light it feels on the hair:
I really like Alba products. I bought their coconut cream lip balm as it smells SO GOOD. Like fresh coconut. Yum!
Tell you what – it's not cheap shopping organic but I loved going to the shop, it was like a treasure trove, allbeit a really huge one. So in a way it's not really a frugal friday…rather a organic friday! Also, the man at the till was rude to me…but that's a given in organic food stores, I guess it's the price you have to pay for pink coloured salt!
Would you buy beauty products from a supermarket?


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|All text and images ©2000 by Jason, Kai, Dan, Tony, and Mecha Gaijin. He WILL kick your ass. Instant superfine!
|All characters are & © their respective owners. All Rights Reserved. Some Comics Ex Machina (CXM) strips are satirical in nature, and are not intended maliciously. CXM has invented all names and situations in its strips, except in cases when public figures are being satirized. Any other use of real names is accidental and coincidental, or used as a fictional depiction or personality parody. CXM makes no representation as to the truth or accuracy of the preceding information.


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nice hit, but mine made more glue +rep
lol, tis true cush, ill look for a guy with more horse now in 5k just to beat that now too....lol
All around me are familiar faces
worn out places, worn out faces
Bright and early for the daily races
Going nowhere, going nowhere
Current Sig Song
Originally Posted by Revoltion
Thank You Acer for taking the time to check it out and sticky...shouldnt be long before someone beats this one and we gotta do it all over again...lol
that must have hurt him lol very nice hit +rep
lovely hit . poor defender.
wmd w15
Kissi - DeathInc s137
shivi Wmdelite s144 (fun char, just to chat with aeitus)
you shouldnt have used any foot troops just balls and pults and some trans if needed for cap. best wave will be 62k balls 62k pults 1k trans the balls and pults kill more alone than with foot troops REMEMBER to put a horn on will kill lots more to


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In a likely preview of the general-election argument to come, Vice President Joe Biden and GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney traded barbs Friday over whose economic policies are best for the country.
It's an opening salvo of the presidential campaign, minus actual presidential nominees.
Vice President Joe Biden unleashed a biting critique of Mitt Romney's policies Friday and the Republican came swiftly back at him — a full-contact preview of what the general election might look like should Romney win the GOP nomination to challenge President Barack Obama.
All this, before a vote is cast in the Republican race, The Iowa caucuses, looming Jan. 3, are the first step in the voting to pick a Republican nominee.
In an opinion piece published in The Des Moines Register, Biden portrayed the Republican frontrunner as the purveyor of failed, retreaded economic ideas. Romney shot back that Biden and Obama live an economic "fantasyland" out of touch with the real world.
Biden's jabs mark a major escalation in Obama's re-election campaign and refocus his political team on Romney, the former Massachusetts governor whom Obama advisers have long considered his most likely opponent. And it switches Obama away from his just-concluded tax cut victory over House Republicans to the GOP presidential field just 12 days before the Iowa caucuses.
"Romney appears satisfied to settle for an economy in which fewer people succeed, while the majority of Americans are left to tread water or fall behind," Biden wrote.
The Obama team may be betting on Romney, but his Republican rivals were conceding no such ground.
Campaigning in South Carolina, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich derided Romney as a "Massachusetts moderate trying to come down and pretend to be a conservative. But I'm not going to say anything stronger than that. I'm going to focus on positive things."
Asked later how that wasn't being negative, Gingrich said: "I didn't criticize him. I described him accurately."
And he swiped at rival Ron Paul for wanting to shut overseas military bases, a stark departure from the Republican mainstream and one not bound to sit well in pro-military South Carolina. "The only person I know who is for a weaker military than Barack Obama is Ron Paul," Gingrich told 300 people outside a Columbia restaurant. "If we become isolationist, the world would become a more dangerous place overnight."
Rep. Michele Bachmann's campaign said Friday she would start radio and TV commercials in Iowa, her first since her straw poll victory in the state in August. In them, she stresses her Christian values and that she's "an Iowa girl from Waterloo."
Biden's words, meanwhile, summed up a running story line about Romney that Obama's campaign and the Democratic Party have been refining for months. The piece also was a direct rebuttal to Romney's recent claim he wants "an opportunity society" versus what he called Obama's "entitlement society."
Biden reiterated a major theme of Obama's re-election effort, one the president spelled out in a recent speech in Kansas where he declared that the middle class was at a make-or-break moment. In taking on Romney, Biden defined "opportunity" in his own terms.
"We believe deeply in opportunity — that if you work hard and play by the rules, no opportunity should be out of reach," he wrote. "This is a fundamentally different vision than what the other side has proposed."
Romney, speaking at the Tilt'n Diner, quickly countered that it was Obama who is hurting the country and expressed astonishment that Biden would have the "chutzpah ... the delusion" to write such a piece.
"This president and his policies have made it harder on the American people and on the middle class," he said. "And I don't think they get it. I don't think they understand from fantasyland what's happening in real America. They need to get out to diners like this."
The timing, placement and direct response to Romney represented a remarkable early volley from the Obama camp, using the most potent voice next to the president himself to set a new signpost on the re-election season. And it signaled an aggressive strategy to challenge his GOP opposition and engage even though the Republican nomination could remain unsettled for months.
In the opinion piece, Biden said Romney's proposals for the economy "would actually double down on the policies that caused the greatest economic calamity since the Great Depression and accelerated a decades-long assault on the middle class."
"Romney also misleadingly suggests that the president and I are creating an 'Entitlement Society,' whereby government provides everything for its people without regard to merit, as opposed to what he calls an Opportunity Society,' where everything is merit-based and every man is left to fend for himself," Biden wrote.
In essentially placing its bets on Romney, the Obama camp elevated his stature in the race, particularly in Iowa where he is running neck-and-neck with Gingrich and Texas congressman Ron Paul.
Romney was clearly ready — and eager — to engage with the White House. While he generally has to be asked, or even pressed, to criticize Gingrich, he hit back at Biden at the first opportunity.
"I think they realize what's coming," he said. "I hope they're right. I hope I'm the nominee."
Romney aides said campaign days like this help him against his GOP rivals, positioning him as the candidate best able to take on Obama in the fall and addressing a top Republican goal: selecting a nominee who is electable against the president.
The Obama campaign also chose Iowa to deliver the Biden message because it is an epicenter of national politics and where it was sure to get intense attention.
Moreover, Iowa is a general election swing state that Democrat Al Gore won in 2000 but President George W. Bush won in 2004. Obama beat Republican John McCain in the state in 2008 by 8 percentage points. Biden's message clearly aimed for the state's general election voters as well.
Earlier this week, Romney accused Obama of deepening the economic crisis and backing policies that would redistribute wealth instead of creating equal opportunity for people to do well.
Romney said his policies would turn the U.S. into an "opportunity society" while Obama's vision for an "entitlement society" would make more people dependent on government welfare.
"The only entitlement we believe in is an America where if you work hard, you can get ahead," Biden wrote in the op-ed.
Biden's piece hinted at another line of attack on Romney — that the former governor is a man of wealth and privilege. Biden, in his piece, stressed his own family's working class roots and how his father's pride was "put to the test when he found himself struggling to make ends meet."
Romney, by contrast, is the son of former American Motors Corp. chairman and Michigan Gov. George Romney. Romney also made his own fortune as a venture capitalist, a point Obama's Democratic surrogates have used to portray Romney as out of touch and elitist.


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What Phenomenal Results Can We Generate Together?
What if you had infinitely more power than you can even imagine? If you could be, do and have absolutely anything? If you could walk in your power, own it, be it?
Imagine what your life would look like. Where would you be living? What would you be doing? Who would you be spending your time with?
What if you could completely shift your mindset from what you believe you know to be true – such as the fact that you are limited by how much money you make, which is also limited by what education you have, which is limited by the opportunities you believed you had as a child, etc. etc. – to what is actually true?
What is true?
The truth is that you are an infinite being. Here is the definition of infinite*:
- Extending indefinitely : endless <infinite space>
- Immeasurably or inconceivably great or extensive: inexhaustible <infinite patience>
- Subject to no limitation or external determination
- Extending beyond, lying beyond, or being greater than any preassigned finite value however large
Could that really be you?
Could your capacity for power, love, joy and bliss be infinite?
Could you really have infinite energy, capacity and space to grow fully into the magnificent greatness you were born to be?
Could you really live your life without limitations, whether self-imposed or imposed by others?
We say ABSOLUTELY!!! Now, the question becomes…are you ready? If you are, then go sign up for my free gift to you on the top right hand side of this page!!
Huge Gratitude for Gary Douglas and Dain Heer for the Access Consciousness tools that I use, teach and share. How did we all get to be so lucky?


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Salve Regina is a vibrant learning community where intellectual curiosity and ethical responsibility converge. Professional and liberal arts-based programs offer limitless opportunities for academic challenge and growth. Small classes, dedicated faculty members and rigorous courses cultivate the knowledge and critical thinking skills required for men and women to succeed.
Learning begins in the classroom but knows no boundaries as students explore life on campus, the surrounding community, and the world through year-round educational partnerships, study abroad and service opportunities. In an ever-changing world where standing still is not an option, Salve Regina continues to evolve to meet the educational and spiritual needs of today's students and tomorrow's leaders.
Spring classes begin01/21/20
Add/drop deadline01/29/20
Presidents Day (classes canceled)02/17/20
Monday classes meet02/18/20
JD Swanson recruited for 2-year rotational post at National Science FoundationNEWPORT, R.I. (Nov. 16, 2017) – Dr. JD Swanson, associate professor of biology and biomedical...
'Encountering Wonders' exhibition launches virtual archive of curiosities from Newport CollectionsNEWPORT, R.I. (Nov. 3, 2017) – A collection of historic and curious Newport artifacts displayed...
Science faculty awarded $400,000 in federal funding for research, collaborationNEWPORT, R.I. (Nov. 3, 2017) – Salve Regina's science faculty have been awarded a five-year, $...
Interdisciplinary concentration in cyber resiliency designed for students in all majorsNEWPORT, R.I. (Oct. 25, 2017) – Salve Regina University is launching an interdisciplinary...


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Wild & Scenic Film Festival includes film on the Truckee River Watershed
One of the largest environmental film festivals in North America, the Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival returns to South Shore today for the seventh consecutive year.
With a growing public awareness for the environment, the Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival – On Tour aims to increase the awareness through inspiring and educational films, which hopefully will motivate people to go out and make a difference in their community and around the world.
The seventh annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival – On Tour will be shown from 7-10 p.m. Friday, March 9 at MontBleu Resort Casino and Spa. Doors open at 6 p.m.
Presented by the Sierra Nevada Alliance, Patagonia and the South Lake Tahoe Earth Day Committee, the Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival combines award-winning environmental and adventure films with the energy of local activism. This year, the festive has chosen powerful environmental and adventure films, attendees are inspired to take further action regarding issues that impact our environment, ourselves and our world.
A few of the films we selected include "With My Own Two Wheels," the feature film, which weaves together the experiences of five individuals into a single story about how the bicycle can change the world one pedal stroke at a time.
"Things Worth Saving" the Tahoe feature, outlines the proposal for Wild and Scenic designation for the Upper Truckee River Watershed. It highlights the area and talks to local experts about this proposal.
In "Chasing Water," photojournalist Peter McBride sets out to document the flow of the Colorado River from source to sea.


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It's not uncommon for guests at TradeWinds Island Resorts to use up their vacation time long before they run out of things to do at this family-favorite Florida destination, where the St. Pete Beach activities are endless. Sand or surf, full throttle or all idle, TradeWinds offers up a good dose of recreation like tennis, golf, fishing, diving and more. Here, some of the best Florida family vacations happen. Guests can splash the day away in the Gulf of Mexico's warm waters, or opt for something more adventurous, like learning to surf, soaring with JetLev or playing at the Gulf's only offshore water park. So pack your things. We'll pack your stay!
For fun, JUST LET GO!
Time to relax, turn off the phone and make memories together!Explore Your Activities >
vView Offers
At TradeWinds Resorts, you can do everything … or do nothing at all. With each resort having its own unique vibe, you'll find that letting go may take on a different meaning 200 flip flop steps away.
With two resorts on one of America's top beaches, plus seven pools and a list of beyond-the-beach activities, fun comes in heavy doses at TradeWinds. Here's a look at the highlights:
TradeWinds Island Resorts features 14 distinct dining options. Here is a look at our Top 3 picks from TradeWinds Island Grand and RumFish Beach Resort.
You won't find more kid-friendly beach resorts in Florida than at TradeWinds Island Resorts. Both resorts feature kids activities centers with Island Grand offering the drop-off KONK Club.
Both St. Pete Beach hotels offer an array of rooms and suites. Choose a room with a Gulf View, check into one of our pet-friendly accommodations or feel at home in our multi-room suites.
- A lively island experience:
- With 20 resort acres, an island vibe and endless beach activities, Island Grand leans toward lively fun with a touch of sand-in-your-toes relaxation. It's the resort experience that happens to be at the beach.
- An inspired aquatic experience:
- Offering 5 resort acres, a laidback feel and ocean-inspired experiences, RumFish Beach Resort slants toward chill with most thrills found on or under water. It's the beach experience that happens to be at the resort.
- JetLev Flyer:
- Soar up to 30 feet in the air above the Gulf Coast with a water jet pack rental
- Floating Water Park:
- Play at a 15,750-square-foot floating ocean water park
- High Tide Slide:
- Zip down a three-story, 200-foot-long inflatable slide located on the beach
- Tank experiences:
- "Swim with the Fishes" in our Tanked aquarium or visit the Touch Tank
- Fishing charters:
- Enlist the expertise of our RumFish Grill for a memorable charter
- Fire pits:
- Roast marshmallows, a teen-favorite activity, at The SandBox Beach Lounge
- Palm Court Italian Grill:
- Dine at the No. 1-rated St. Pete Beach restaurant on TripAdvisor
- Bermudas Steak & Seafood:
- Savor aged cuts of Angus beef and the freshest gulf seafood
- Flying Bridge
- Visit an authentic Florida cracker cottage docked over Island Grand's waterway
- RumFish Grill
- Experience Florida's finest seafood, plus a 33,500-square-foot aquarium
- The SandBox Beach Lounge:
- Eat at a toes-in-the-sand bar with light cuisine, plus s'mores!
- GulfSide Grill:
- Enjoy beach breakfasts, poolside eats and sunset dinners at this grill
- KONK Activities Center and Drop-Off Camps:
- Enjoy daily crafts for all ages or drop off the kids with the Adventures team while you recharge
- Kid's Activities:
- Enjoy beach walks, Sea Turtle Talk, experience the Touch Tank and indulge in nightly campfire s'mores
- Island-inspired accommodations:
- The rooms and suites at TradeWinds Island Grand feature a serene island vibe with a décor that reflects the feel of a classic British West Indies plantation with crisp white linens, dark wood furnishings and nature-themed artwork.
- Art-inspired accommodations:
- RumFish Beach's iconic artwork lends a splash of color to the décor of the RumFish Beach Resort rooms and suites, creating a vibrant feel you would expect to find in a Florida beach resort. Crisp white linens complete the package.
- Large-scale meetings and weddings:
- With 20 resort acres and spacious group venues, TradeWinds Island Grand is the perfect place to host large meetings and grand weddings.
- RumFish Grill intimate occasions:
- While most of our group activities are steered toward TradeWinds Island Grand, RumFish Grill provides venue space for small group events


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How to Cook Artichokes in the Microwave ♥
~more recently updated recipes~
ORIGINAL 2008 POST So the Year 2008 will go down as the Year Alanna Finally 'Got' Artichokes. When I stuffed artichokes, my friend Cindy wrote, "Your artichokes look great. But please don't tell my girls because all I do is throw them in the microwave."
My friend Ann, too, after we both received an artichoke primer at our bookclub last week, found cooking artichokes in the microwave pretty
The microwave? Can dense and prickly thistles really cook in the mike? Yes, said my source of all questions about vegetable cooking techniques. So yes, but then, how long do we cook artichokes in the microwave? In minutes! (Detail below.)
Dead easy. Dead fast. Dead delicious. I've died and gone to artichoke heaven.
2012 UPDATE So I've joined the ranks of those who only cook artichokes in the microwave. That probably means I don't really "get" artichokes but for once or twice a year, this works for me. And even earns an exclamation point! or two!!
"I just tried it and tested a couple of leaves - worked well!" ~ Lin
"I had no idea it would be that easy." ~ Magpie
"So yummy and so simple!" ~ seashell
Time to table: 10 minutes
Per artichoke
Prep the artichokes. (Don't worry, this is way easier and faster than the number of steps would indicate.)
Rinse the artichokes. Even if they've been washed before, rinse again so there's some moisture.Place the artichoke in a microwave safe dish that's deep enough to hold the artichokes. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. (I used a Corning dish with a glass cover, it worked perfectly. UPDATE Readers also report wrapping in double layers of waxed paper and wet paper towels.) Place in the microwave on high for --
Tear off any lower outside leaves that are a little wrangly looking.
Cut off the stem. UPDATE: A reader suggests trimming the stem but leaving it on, since the inside of the stem is really an extension of the heart and thus quite edible and often quite delicious. I've tried this twice, both times the stem's interior was dark and a little icky. Perhaps this works well with just-fresh artichokes?
With a sharp knife, slice off the tip of the leaves, about an inch. UPDATE: A reader suggests drizzling a tablespoon of lemon juice into the innards of the artichoke, eliminating bitterness.
With scissors, snip off the sharp tips of the outside leaves, turning the artichoke as you go.
Large globe artichokes, about 8 - 12 ounces each
1 artichoke - 7 minutes
2 artichokes - 10 minutes
4 artichokes - 15 minutes (arrange in a circle)
6 artichokes - 19 minutes
Small whole artichokes, about 2 ounces each
4 artichokes - 10 minutes
8 artichokes - 11 minutes
16 artichokes - 14 minutes
Microwaves do vary in power so check one before serving.
To serve, tear off the leaves. Between your teeth, scrape out the fleshy part at the base of each leaf, discarding the rest. (It helps to keep a big bowl handy.) The leaves will become increasingly more tender toward the middle. Once the leaves are gone, there will be a thistly, hairy-looking center (this is the 'choke') that is not edible. With a grapefruit spoon, scoop out and discard the choke. At its base is the artichoke's heart, a moist, dense nibble of deliciousness.
~ Spinach & Artichoke Gratin ~
~ Spring Garden Vegetable Soup with Asparagus, Artichokes, Peas & Spinach ~
~ Spinach, Artichoke & Bacon Dip ~
~ more artichoke recipes ~
from A Veggie Venture
© Copyright 2008


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Karen and David Bergman are close siblings—they shared an apartment in New York City for several years before they married their respective spouses. So when Karen Bergman and her husband John Thyfault moved into a 1960s ranch in Menlo Park, California, of course Karen called upon her big brother for renovation advice—even though he still lives in New York. An architect for 25 years, David increasingly specializes in sustainable design and teaches a class on the subject at New York City's Parsons the New School for Design. "We see green design as an inseparable part of good design," David says. "Green principles—promoting both our own health and the health of the planet—are woven into all our projects, incorporated so that they enhance rather than compromise design."
David's eco message struck a chord with Karen and John, who have two daughters, Julia, 6, and Isabelle, 4. "Karen has some allergies, and she and John wanted their kids to grow up in healthful surroundings," David says.
The existing L-shaped kitchen and family room were torn down to the studs and about 150 square feet of floor space was added to "fill in the elbow of the L," David explains. (Some of the old cabinets were installed for storage in the garage and others were given to a friend who reused them.) The new floor plan opened the kitchen more fully to the adjacent family room and allowed for more natural light as well as improved access to the patio and outdoor areas.
Karen Bergman and the architect she trusts completely: her brother David Bergman.
New cabinets were built at a nearby shop, eliminating the need to transport manufactured cabinets cross country. Door faces are made of Lyptus, a brand name for a fast-growing eucalyptus hardwood raised on managed Brazilian plantations. The trees are planted in reclaimed rain-forest areas, and the plantations meet Brazil's national sustainable forestry standards. "It is not an exotic wood from virgin rain forests, but a managed-growth wood," David explains. Cabinet interiors are built using non-formaldehyde plywood.
Countertops are IceStone, a product manufactured in Brooklyn, New York, containing 75 percent recycled glass and 25 percent concrete. Tints are added to color the material. Although David prefers using locally made materials to avoid fuel-consuming transportation, in this case he decided IceStone's virtues outweighed the negative impact of cross-country shipping.
"IceStone represents, for me, a company that aims to encompass everything I teach my students in sustainable design: a truly eco material that does not compromise on design, produced by a company with high standards of ethics and social responsibility," David says. "I take my students to tour the factory every semester.'' The material comes in a broad range of colors and is comparable in cost to mid- to high-end granite, he says.
Translucent backsplash tiles are made with recycled glass too. Because recycled glass tiles tend to be more costly than those made of virgin materials, David limited their use to a strip under the windows, along one side of the refrigerator, and around the cooktop. Stainless steel covers the backsplash behind the cooktop, coordinating with the stainless-steel built-in ovens, refrigerator, and other (energy-efficient, of course) appliances.
Water-conserving faucets were installed at both sinks, and a designated tap provides filtered water so the family can avoid drinking bottled water. (Empty plastic water bottles are a growing litter and environmental issue.)
Energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamps were used in the recessed ceiling fixtures. Because most fluorescent lights are not dimmable, David put the recessed fixtures on two separate switches or lines. That way, when less light is needed, only half of the recessed lights—interspersed throughout the room—are turned on. (Lighting manufacturers are developing dimmable fluorescent lights for residential use, but traditionally dimming fluorescent bulbs requires adding expensive controls, and is mostly done in commercial buildings.)
Countertop task lighting in the kitchen is provided by halogen lights, which can be dimmed.
For the family dining area, David designed decorative pendants made of recycled materials. Circular fluorescent tube lamps are housed in two translucent boxes fashioned from resin of 40 percent post-industrial recycled content. David designs eco-minded light fixtures for his business, Fire and Water.
Existing skylights were repaired and new energy-efficient windows installed. Air quality was also improved with a new central air- conditioning system equipped with a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate arresting) filter.
Karen Bergman and John Thyfault's daughters Isabelle and Julia.
"We didn't operate from an all-out, green-as-we-can-be, off-the-grid idealism, but from a more pragmatic time- and budget-oriented approach," David says. "We made things as green as could be within those constraints."
As for Karen and John, they are now are spreading the green message. "We have started to entertain in our new kitchen and renovated home, and we are sharing sourcing, materials selection, and design thoughts with many friends who are, in turn, considering alternative materials for their projects," Karen says. "The greening of our suburban California ranch may be infectious."
To view another kitchen in our GreenSpace series, click here.
Design: David Bergman Architect, and Fire & Water, 241 Eldridge St., #3R, New York, NY 10002; 212/475-3106, cyberg.com.
Photography: Michael Skott
Produced by Doris Athineos and Heather Lobdell
Lyptus cabinetry: The Village Collection, 650/594-0152.Hardware (9464 series): Omnia Industries, 973/239-7272.
Countertops (recycled glass and concrete): IceStone, 718/624-4900, icestone.biz.
Backsplash tile (recycled glass): UltraGlas, 800/777-2332, ultraglas.com.
Ovens; range hood: Viking, 888/845-4641, vikingrange.com.
Cooktop: Sub-Zero/Wolf, 800/332-9513.
Microwave: Dacor, 800/793-0093, dacor.com.
Main sink ("Orca'' #ORX-110); island sink ("Regatta'' #RGX 110): Franke Kitchen Systems Division, 800/626-5771.
Faucets ("Stratos'' #06695000): Hansgrohe, 800/334-0455.
White oak flooring: Bruce Bauer Lumber, 650/948-1089, brucebauer.com.
Wall paint ("Norfolk Cream'' #261, Eco Spec Low VOC); trim paint ("White Dove'' Eco Spec Low VOC): Benjamin Moore & Co., 888/236-6667.
Windows ("Integrity''): Marvin Windows & Doors, 888/537-8268, marvin.com.
Table, chairs: Ligne Roset, ligne-roset-usa.com.
Light fixture: Fire & Water, 212/475-3106, cyberg.com.
Bar stools ("Compasso d'Oro''): Design Within Reach, 866/377-0825, dwr.com.


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The designation or establishment of national IHR focal points
The International Health Regulations (2005) entered into force on 15 June 2007 and the establishment of a national IHR focal points network will be key to their successful implementation.
The WHO Secretariat is aware that Member States may have varying perspectives concerning the appropriate roles for their national IHR focal points and the appropriate site for it in their national governmental structures. Given the differences in national governmental structures and roles, some variation is inevitable regarding the implementation of this obligation, consistent with the specific requirements of article 4 of the IHR (2005). At the same time, a level of global standardization is required for the network of national IHR focal points to operate effectively. To this end, and in fesponse to requests from WHO Member States, the IHR Secretariat has produced the guidance below.
This guidance is intended to assist Member States in understanding and clarifying how they can meet their relevant obligations under the IHR (2005). It is anticipated that this guidance may be revised as experience is gained in the process of establishing the national IHR focal points network.


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GHG presentation- John Allen
Published 21 July 10
Dairy UK - DairyCo Conference
"Carbon and Farming - Myths, Challenges and Opportunities"
The dairy industry is addressing the environmental agenda by meeting its challenges head on, as the pressure to reduce carbon emissions will inevitably return in full force, once the economy begins to recover. That's why it is important for farmers to identify how they can tackle their carbon emissions in developing their businesses.
To brief the industry Dairy UK, in full partnership with DairyCo, held a conference on Carbon and Farming at the Sixways Stadium in Worcester on 22 June 2010.
The conference set out the policy background to the issue, looked at the measuring tools available to the industry and then set out the solutions farmers could deploy to address their carbon footprint. The conference reaffirmed that tackling carbon emissions is fully consistent with continued improvements in business efficiency.


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Eric Greenberg MD CPT Personal Training Studio
Friday, November 05, 2010 • Bethesda, MD 20814
cell 301-852-8090
0305 Old Georgetown RD Bethesda MD 20814
Training programs are designed by the trainer working in concert with the client based upon the client's goals, current level of fitness, experience, personal preference, medical and physical limitations, and time, and financial restraints.
Our training programs are ideal for everyone from beginners to triathletes and bodybuilders and will enable you to reach one or more of the following common fitness goals (or other goals as set forth by the client):
1. Weight loss or decrease in percent body fat (improvement in body composition)
2. Increase in muscular definition or muscle tone or in muscle mass.
3. Improvement in performance including increased strength, speed, endurance, quickness, or athletic performance.
4. Improvement in health including decrease in cardiac risk factors such as cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity. Also improvement in bone health; decrease in risk for osteopenia and osteoporosis.
5. Improvement in energy.
6. Improvement in function after injuries. (post-rehabilitation)
7. Improvement in daily function and maintenance of independent living. Particularly important for elderly. Includes improvement in stability, strength, agility and flexibility.
Training programs involve cardiovascular training, core training, weightlifting: strength training and endurance training and bodybuilding, weight loss training, and stability, agility, and flexibility training.
Techniques such as circuit training, interval training, and conventional techniques will be employed.
Solo Training
Our workouts are designed to convert your body from a soft, sedentary, calorie storing reservoir into a lean, mean, calorie burning machine. Workouts are not merely designed to burn calories. The workouts will increase your lean muscle mass, convert fat to muscle, and thereby increase your basal metabolic rate, which is the rate at which your body burns calories at rest or also called your metabolism.
In addition the workouts will increase your muscular strength and endurance and cardiovascular capacity making it much easier to exercise and burn calories.
Our workouts are dynamic, fast moving, energizing, efficient, and focus on major muscle groups. When you are finished with your workouts you will feel exhilarated. You will have a sense of accomplishment, satisfaction, and confidence.
Workouts are designed based on a clients current level of fitness, goals and personal preferences. Dr. Greenberg is willing to work with his clients to design an optimum workout based on the clients personal preferences. For instance Dr. Greenberg can modify your training program to reach the same goals by using different exercise modalities, including body weight exercises, floor exercises, free weights, machines, stability balls, medicine balls, the bosu, resistance bands, and other modalities. We cater to everyone from beginners, the elderly, the obese, and those with medical conditions and injuries to tri-athletes and bodybuilders.
Dr. Greenberg's extensive background in internal medicine is instrumental in designing programs for people with health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and muscular skeletal injuries.
Dr. Greenberg's understanding of exercise physiology is instrumental in designing programs for athletes to increase their strength, speed, and quickness, and to improve their body composition. Workouts continue without rest but move from muscle group to muscle group to avoid premature exhaustion, and move from dynamic high intensity exercises to more focused exercises to enable clients to catch their breath and recover from a cardiovascular standpoint while maintaining a heart rate in a fat burning range. Workouts provide the benefit of both the aerobic and anaerobic metabolism. Your workout and diet will be designed to increase lean muscle mass, increase energy, and burn fat.
For beginners, after your first workout you will be exhausted but relaxed and very satisfied. The next day you may experience some muscle soreness. The muscle soreness will lesson after each workout and will no longer occur on a regular basis after the second or third week. You will notice an almost immediate increase in energy.
Soon after you start training your body will feel more solid and you will notice an increase in muscular definition. By the sixth week you will see remarkable changes in your body, and by three to four months, your body will have taken a full transformation. Of course if you have a large amount of weight to lose or if you are trying to gain a large amount of muscle mass your goals will take longer to achieve, but by this point you will be well on your way.
If you are working out less than three times a week results will take longer to achieve. We are able to motivate and encourage our clients in order to get the highest level of effort and performance; your results will be in accordance with your effort.
Strength Training, Body Building, and Sports
Dr. Greenberg has extensive experience in strength training and bodybuilding and will design very efficient programs that can help you build a large amount of muscle and greatly improve your strength.
This is particularly important for most competitive athletes including off-season college athletes, golfers, tennis players, and even runners who want to improve their speed.
This program is also great for men or women who want to develop a more muscular physique.
Functional Training for the Elderly
The solo program as well as the train with a friend program below includes functional training for the elderly. This includes exercises for improvement in stability of gait, strength, agility and flexibility and functional exercises for improvement with ADLs, improvement in daily function and maintenance of independent living.
Post-Rehab Training
The solo training program includes post-rehab training for people who have recently recovered from injuries such as rotator cuff tears or back injuries. Programs will be designed to develop the musculature in the area of the injury without causing recurrent injury.


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My inability to cook anything more than rice and eggies-in-a-basket has been a running joke in my family since my brothers learned how to grill steak circa age eight.
I called it my feminist anti-domesticity clause. "I don't cook because i don't adhere to gender roles!" i'd stomp and snap. Meanwhile, all my self-prepared dinners consisted of frozen pizza or my tried-and-true favorite eggie snack.
So much for self-reliance.
I knew, in spite of my claim to anti-domesticity, that cooking is not inherently an anti-feminist thing. Obviously, all people have to eat. And i was growing older and pizza for dinner was getting to be repetitive and unhealthy. When i moved into my own flat for the first time on January 11th here in Edinburgh, i knew this was to be the semester of learning and growth abroad.
Fundamental to the growing pains? Learning how to make a balanced meal for myself.
It started slow, tortellinis cooked in slightly salted and oiled water. A few days in i was making sautéed spinach salad, and my first foray into baking chicken was an endeavor of it's-still-pink-so-five-more-minutes? (For the record, it turned out pretty moist and edible and non-salmonella-filled). I then tried my father's go-to: honey mustard chicken. A few rounds into those baked delights, i was feeling more assured of my own abilities.
The time had come. My friend Megan and i decided to undertake cooking what we Southern ladies missed the most: fried chicken.
It was a semi-disaster. We knew, vaguely, that it was best to soak the chicken in some kind of egg-or-butter wash before slathering it in flour and bread crumbs. I always hated how warm the milk was after my mom had kept it beside her while frying up her famous Second-Helpin' recipe, so i figured milk went in there somewhere.
With a decidedly eff-it-we'll-make-it-work attitude, we threw all the ingredients together in one bowl. Which turned into dough.
Half an hour of packing dough onto chicken legs ensued. Merlot was drunk. Potatoes began to boil. At last, dough dripping off those once-running legs, we threw our concoctions into a pan of oil and prayed to the Almighty Steal Magnolia that She would help us make our mothers proud.
Having no tongs, Megan expertly wielded chopsticks to flip the chicken over until, all but surrendered, we popped them into the microwave to ensure they were fully cooked.
In the pan floated the remains of our dough.
As we sat down to the table, we contemplated our creation. The mashed potatoes and corn, if nothing else, looked exquisite. Bravely, we took a bite of the chicken. Not bad, i thought. Not too bad at all, for making up the recipe on the fly. Sure, it was no Hannah's Second-Helpin' but it certainly was good enough for the bone to be licked clean. Megan and i exchanged smiles of victory.
When i told J, the other fried-chicken-master-maker of my life, how our endeavor had gone i think he actually wiped tears from his eyes he chortled so much. My pride mildly wounded, i emailed my mother for her Most Secret Recipe for Hannah's Second-Helpin' Fried Chicken.
A Tesco trip later, i was armed for round two.
And this time, i must say, it went peach-pickin' perfect. I'd had to improvise slightly, because Bisquik isn't exactly available in Scotland (to my knowledge). But one sizzling pan later, i proffered the generously full plate to one of my flatmates, a hopeful grin tucked into the corner of my cheek.
"Daaaa-aaaamn!" she exclaimed. There was a pronounced diphthong in her reply, even with a mouth full of chicken. Paula Dean would be downright green in the face.
I'm not sure which was more satisfying: the fact that i'd finally made something worth craving (and not just edible) or the chicken itself. As delicious as the food in Amsterdam was, nothing really compares to the warmth of my Southern Mama's cuisine.
I'm sure there are immeasurable numbers of my peers who scoff at my simple pride in learning how to balance a budget, much less cook a meal (again, my brothers could grill sirloins before middle school). But i think growing up sometimes can be so taken for granted it's hard to remember a time when you didn't know what you know now.
So i'm taking time to appreciate the learning, even if it involves clumps of should-have-done dough and try-harder-next-time chicken. Because nothing tastes so sweet as knowing my own capability, domesticity and all.
current jam: 'kiss you' one direction (unashamed!)
best thing: self-reliance is the new sexy, ya'll.
other cookery blogs: cheese buns & rice.


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SEJournal Online is the digital news magazine of the Society of Environmental Journalists. Learn more about SEJournal Online, including submission, subscription and advertising information.
The U.S. Geological Survey is expected to release in the next few months three reports that should provide a good snapshot of more than 220 contaminants considered possible health threats in representative U.S. drinking water supplies.
The first report is scheduled for release Dec. 5, 2008. It will document the occurrence of about 270 substances in both the surface water supply and treated drinking water for nine representative water systems, each serving anywhere from 3,000 to more than 1 million people. The contaminants being evaluated are primarily synthetic organic chemicals such as pesticides, volatile organic compounds, and ingredients in personal care and household products. Drugs aren't included, since USGS is studying those separately.
The contaminants are largely unregulated in drinking water, and treatment processes usually aren't designed to handle them. Although this analysis should provide insights about source-water contamination and the mitigating effects, if any, of typical treatment processes, it won't provide any information on contamination that occurs in the distribution system after treatment.
USGS officials say the system operators are eagerly cooperating so they can find out what's coming into and getting through their plants.
Over the course of the next four years or so, USGS is expected to release, in a couple of phases, its findings for about 20 other similar systems.
The second report will be on a companion study that is looking at nearly identical factors, but for well water supplies, instead of surface water. This study covers 25-30 systems of similar size, with almost no overlap with the surface water systems. The first phase is expected to be released this spring. As with the surface water studies, reports on the remaining well water systems will be released over the next four years or so.
For a brief overview of both the surface and well water studies, see:
- National Water-Quality Assessment Program; Source Water-Quality Assessments, August 2007.
On the map that is included in this document, you can begin to get an idea of where about half the surface and well water systems that eventually will be analyzed are located. Those expected to be included in the report released December 5 include systems in the Washington, DC, area; western MA; east-central NC; west-central GA; south-central IN; northeastern TX; north-central CO; west-central NV; and northwestern OR.
The third report, expected to be released in late February or early March 2009, will focus on about 220 contaminants, nutrients, and trace elements in more than 2,000 representative domestic wells in 48 states. Each of the wells serves a small number of customers. The contaminants include various chemicals, metals, radioactive substances, microbials, and mixtures of some or all of these. This will be much more comprehensive, both geographically and for substances covered, than smaller USGS studies released in the past couple of years (such as the 2007 report here). More information on the current study.
Since all three of the types of water systems studied are supposed to be representative of those around the country, the utilities that serve your audience, and individual well owners, may be spurred to investigate their own situation, as happened earlier in 2008 when numerous drugs were found in dozens of water systems around the country:
- "Drugs in the Drinking Water: States Weigh Whether to Act," National Conference of State Legislatures, April 14, 2008.
- "Illinois EPA to assess presence of pharmaceuticals in water supplies and to promote disposal alternatives," State of Illinois, March 12, 2008.
- About 50 related stories can be found in the archives of Environmental Health News.
For fallout from the upcoming USGS studies, check with local utilities, or your state or county health, environment, or public works departments in the case of wells, to identify potential contacts and get their response. Another information source could be the many companies that provide water testing services. Typically, you can find these in the Yellow Pages or in lists from state certifying agencies.
For more information on all three studies, contact USGS's Pixie Hamilton, 804-261-2602. All three reports are expected to be posted prominently here.


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The best known stock markets in the U.S. are the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ.
Have you ever heard somebody say "miss the point?" Watch this program to find out the meaning of this phrase in American English.
What does this phrase mean in American English? Watch this program to discover what this means in American English.
What would you think if something cost a pretty penny? Watch this program to find out what this phrase means in American English.
Have you ever heard this phrase in American English? Watch this program and find out what this means.


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Tuesday, 24 March 2009
Where happiness is made
Here are s-son and s-daughter at our leopard print-themed hotel in Minneapolis.
It was actually the Comfort Suites Hotel right in the downtown. There we swam in a pool on the 10th floor that overlooks the city. It was so gorgeous at night. My sister and her fiance joined in the fun. And only $61 for the room and free breakfast!
Then we visited the Children's Museum in St. Paul. None of us had been there before. But what a fun place! I felt like such a pathetic mom there, though. Man, talk about power moms with tupperware lunches and wipes, plenty of diapers and toys (and lots of other things I'd never even think of bringing).
Anyway, I loved seeing them all play together.
The Lorax was soon occupied for 30 minutes playing with one water spout. In the meantime, the other kids enjoyed the games and exhibits and we laughed so hard about the rude kids there who pushed them out of the way and skipped them in line. Geez louise.
Man, do I love being a step-mom. Sometimes I think I'm better cut-out for that role than an actual mom. I get to play and laugh with the kids and challenge them and yet get away with less responsibility.
Here we are at yet another children's museum in La Crosse, WI.
S-daughter is hilarious at times. She began calling everyone "skunk bags" at some point. We were getting along so well that at one moment she said "Everyone is a skunk bag except sealegs girl. I want to spend the rest of my life with her." Talk about a happy step-mom. Not that I want her to think everyone else is a skunk bag, or a scum bag for that matter.
Here's s-son at the Deke Slayton Memorial Space and Bike museum in Sparta, WI.
Some beautiful runs on our trip:
1. Heading south down the Mississippi river path from downtown Minneapolis (wow!).
2. Hixon forest trails in the beautiful, warm sun of La Crosse, WI.
My mom spent lots of time with us. Especially The Bois. She even slept with him two nights! That was the first time I slept in a different bed than him since he was born. I felt like a new person after such good sleep.
And now we're back to Denmark with a new forhold to life. The days are getting longer and sunnier. SR and I work on the same floor of the same hospital overlooking a forest and a beautiful river in Næstved. And when The Bois is in a good mood and helt oppe at køre, he repeats step-daughter's name over and over.
Beautiful run in Denmark:
Along The Suså to Friheden Skov in Næstved
SR and I are having a discussion about whether having lived in multiple countries makes you happier with what you do have or more frustrated with what you don't have. What's your opinion?
I concluded that it probably just makes one more realistic because you know you'll never find a perfect place to live. Perhaps the only perfect place is somewhere inside of us. And our surroundings can only help us find that. On a day like today, I feel like I'm almost there.
Running Song of The Day: 8-6-6-0 by Peter Sommer
8 comments:
- Abbie said...
Looks like such a fun trip! I'm glad you had such a wonderful time. Don't worry, I'm not a "power mom" either. These days, I don't even take extra diapers with me on errands less than 2 hours. I'm bad.
I think living in multiple countries makes me more frustrated with what I don't have. I agree... it makes you realize there is no perfect place. When I have lived in Europe I have missed American things and here in America I miss European things. Such is life. The grass always seems greener...
- 24 March 2009 at 23:57
- Kate said...
"On a day like today, I feel like I'm almost there."
Wow. Cherish the moment. Hold on to it forever in your mind so you can taste it again later!
- 25 March 2009 at 04:08
- Danni said...
I'm glad you had such a great trip. I think that where you live, to the extent that it impacts your quality of life and such, can affect your happiness. Ultimately though hapiness is found within, no matter where you live. But sometimes it's a lot easier to find inner happiness when you love where you live.
Not sure about how living in multiple countries impacts this. I lived in France for a year in college but I'm not sure that counts. It was more like a long vacation.
- 25 March 2009 at 15:36
- SteveQ said...
The Science Museum is in St. Paul, not Minneapolis. Those of us who live on the "proper" side of the river hate when people mistake the two. It doesn't matter where in the world you live - unless you live in Minneapolis. That's just wrong.
- 25 March 2009 at 16:25
- Olga said...
What sweet, sweet time it was. Kids look very happy! It's sad that we as adults often make them sad because our lives get twisted. I guess we are all trying to do the best we can?
- 25 March 2009 at 16:41
- Olga said...
Oh, and I agree that the only perfect place is inside. We also say - it's always better where we are not. Kind of like grass is greener on the other side:)
- 25 March 2009 at 16:43
- sea legs girl said...
Ha. I lived in France during college, too. Where were you?
Don't I feel like a rube. But wouldn't it be easier to just call both cities Minneapolis? Just kidding.
You are so right on about adults lives becoming twisted. That makes me think of a Nada Surf song. "Always love. Hate's what gets you every time." Simple, but if only we could all lead our lives that way.
- 26 March 2009 at 06:44
- Danni said...
Besancon, Franche-Compte (in the Jura mountains) -- my keyboard lacks the proper keys so that looks really wrong.
- 27 March 2009 at 01:28


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Key West Vacation Home
A consummate conch cottage is one of the island's oldest homes
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In 1846, what would have roared in today as a Category 5 hurricane (think Katrina) pummeled Key West, Florida, leaving only eight of the island's 600 houses standing. The unassuming yellow clapboard cottage with a long, sloping metal roof, black louvered shutters, and a white picket fence is one of those resilient rarities that survived the storm.
Now the vacation home of Tennesseans Melinda Story and her husband, Jim, the house was built in 1841, only 20 years after the Spanish land-grant island was sold off--twice--to unsuspecting Americans in one of southern Florida's earliest land scams. (Land-grant holder Juan Pablo Salas first traded the island for a sloop valued at $575 before turning around and selling the same land to another individual for $2,000.) Early in its history, the house was moved to its present location in the heart of what is now the island's historic district. Conveyance was smart and relatively labor-friendly: The house was rolled across logs to its new site.
"Its construction of Dade County pine, which is now extinct, is why this house survived the move and all those horrific hurricanes," theorizes interior designer Todd Richesin, who, like the homeowners, is from Knoxville. He collaborated on the meticulous restoration with Key West architect Tom Pope.
"The pine is notched, and it bends with the winds," explains Richesin. "Dade County pine is considered a hardwood, and if you've ever driven a nail into it, you understand why. We broke countless nails just trying to hang pictures."
Fully exposed, those dense pine walls and ceilings are the centerpiece of Pope's restoration, which received the Historic Florida Keys Foundation's 2009 excellence award for a residential restoration. Starting at the entry, the horizontal thrust of the wide honey-hued planks transports the eye from room to room in an envelope of warmth, antiquity, and craftsmanship.
"The restoration was so exacting that when we rebuilt the windows, we not only recycled all of the original rolled glass, we made repairs using old wood," Pope explains.
Antiques were a natural against these original backdrops."Our goal was to honor the age of the house with a collection of European and American antiques," says Richesin. "But at the same time, we wanted to make the house feel like Key West, which meant keeping it very fresh and light." Modern fabrics and upbeat colors were the answer. "I love color," notes Melinda, "and Todd chose a palette of my favorites."
It wasn't hard. This is the third home Richesin has designed for the couple. "Dusty blue, pale rose, and butter yellow are the colors Melinda likes to live with," he says. "I know her taste."
Even in picture frames. "One day when we were out shopping, I narrowed down the choices in picture frames for Melinda. I gave her options but knew exactly which molding she'd pick," recounts the designer. "She always goes for what's prettiest. As she confessed to the shop owner, she's 'addicted to pretty.'"
Richesin also knew that feminine toiles and florals in soft colorways were the right direction for fabrics. "But I always like to give my clients choices so that it becomes their home, not mine," says the designer. Melinda's favorite pick for this house--a blue-and-rose floral pattern in a luxurious lampas weave--was the foundation. "We really started the whole design with this fabric," says Richesin. "The weave is fancy, but the coloration makes it playful and fun."
Not only did he cover a pair of custom club chairs for the great room in the cheery pattern, he extracted portions of the fabric's motifs to include on a wool braided-and-hooked rug he designed for the space. With only a bit of the fabric's pattern repeated, the rug stitches the room together without making it appear too matched. "What I like about these rugs is that they're an old-fashioned product, recolored and made fresh," adds Richesin. "Yet still, it's a classic look." Classic enough for heads of state--the small North Carolina mill's stunning rugs decorate the public spaces in the White House.
A pale blue Ultrasuede custom sofa and toile-covered teak- and-cane chairs complete the great room's seating. "Comfort was of the utmost important," stresses Richesin. "Jim and I are both readers," injects Melinda. "It was important to us that every chair be comfortable enough to curl up in with a book."
Practicality figured in, as well. "This house is our escape," says Melinda. "We ride our bikes everywhere, we sit by the pool, we relax. We didn't want anything so precious that we wouldn't feel comfortable sitting on it in our still-damp swimsuits." And when their grown children visit or Melinda entertains a small group of friends over wine, low-maintenance functionality is even more important.
"Every fabric is durable but high quality," observes the designer. "The lampas weave on the club chairs has a very luxurious hand," he notes, "and the wool rugs in all the rooms are extremely soft on bare feet." Other fine touches appear quietly in the details--the elegant trim that finishes the great room's simple pull-back drapery panels and the delicate blown-glass fruit in the foyer's pair of jewel-tone chandeliers.
Amazingly, the restoration occurred within the house's existing footprint. "It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity because the house was relatively untouched and in its original configuration," says Pope. "There were three downstairs rooms originally. The front room, now used as an office, was a parlor that you entered from the front hall, just as now. The other two rooms were a kitchen and bathroom behind the parlor. We combined those rooms into a great room by removing the walls and adding a structural beam above the ceiling line so the ceiling is continuous," explains the architect. The downstairs master suite, adjacent to the great room, is part of an earlier addition.
Pope opened up the back with French doors, created a covered porch, and built a pool. A small outbuilding that had served as a kiln for a previous owner was transformed into a charming guesthouse. Richesin picked up where the architect left off, extending the palette outdoors with draperies and all-weather upholstered furniture.
Antiques like the great room's Louis XV step-back cupboard--the first piece collected for the home--underscore the house's historic quality. "We wanted a mix of antiques," says Richesin. "Melinda's a passionate collector of nice antiques of all periods and styles." In addition to 18th- and 19th-century French and English antiques, a 1790 Kentucky pine cupboard furnishes the great room. "We needed large pieces for storage because there is not much cabinetry in the small galley kitchen behind the living area," Richesin observes.
Much of the home's personal feel, however, emanates from its smaller pieces--art and accessories. Tropical-bird prints dress the entry; rooster paintings and figurines honor Key West's legendary free-roaming chickens. Displayed as art, old plates serve up a healthy dose of pretty, and even new pottery features Melinda's favorite azure glaze. "You'll notice that not every wall is covered in art," says Richesin. "That's because the collection is still evolving. Every piece must have meaning."
More than any other space, the master bedroom says retreat. "It's light and ethereal, like being in a cloud," says Richesin of the sky-blue room with a cloud painting behind the bed.
But despite the vacation home's sense of airy escape, it remains rooted in terra firma--grounded, charmingly, in history.
Photography: Werner Straube
Architect: Thomas Pope, Thomas E. Pope Architect, 7009 Shrimp Rd., Key West, FL 33040; 305/296-3611, thomasepope.com.
Interior designer: Todd Richesin, Todd Richesin Interiors, 10005 Casa Real Cove, Knoxville, TN 37922; 865/675-5828, toddrichesininteriors.com.
A luxurious Scalamandré floral weave on custom club chairs sets the home's palette. Sofa fabric is Osborne & Little; drapery fabric is Robert Allen, with custom fringe. Just behind the chairs (not pictured) is the kitchen island. A Visual Comfort floor lamp between club chairs supplements table lamps created from 19th-century Italian balustrades.
Braid-and-hooked area rug (custom): Todd Richesin Interiors, 865/675-5828, toddrichesininteriors.com.
Sofa ("Weston" #0533-85); lounge chairs ("Colefax" #0509-21): Hickory Chair, 800/349-4579, hickorychair.com.
Fabric on sofa and lounge-chair pillows ("Mezzola"/Sea #D1090/28, by Designers Guild): Osborne & Little, 877/322-7420, osborneandlittle.com.
Quilt: Bobby Todd Antiques, 423/337-3837, bobbytoddantiques.com.
Fabric on lounge chairs and sofa pillow ("Bali"/Lampas #26734-002): Scalamandré, 800/932-4361, scalamandre.com.
Trim on pillows: Todd Richesin Interiors, 865/675-5828, toddrichesininteriors.com.
Occasional chair ("Lord Clive Lounge Chair" #362, The British Khaki Collection): Robert Lighton New York, 212/343-2299, britishkhaki.com.
Chair fabric ("Toile Villageoise"/Rouge Fond #B1731-1):Pierre Frey, 866/707-1524, pierrefrey.com.
Round table (antique); coffee table (antique): Bobby Todd Antiques, 423/337-3837, bobbytoddantiques.com.
Drapery ("Paolo"/Oyster): Robert Allen, 800/333-3777, robertallendesign.com.
Drapery fringe (custom): Todd Richesin Interiors, 865/675-5828, toddrichesininteriors.com.
Table lamps (antique, Italian balusters); small table (antique): owner's collection.
Floor lamp by table ("Twist Balustrade Floor Lamp"/Fence Post Wash on Bronze, museum-mount base, with natural paper shade #SL1142FPW-NP); floor lamp by lounge chairs ("Adjustable Reeded Floor lamp"/Antique Burnished Brass #CHA9127ABV): Visual Comfort & Co., 713/686-5999, visualcomfort.com.
Paint ("Pale Almond" #OC-2, satin impervo finish): Benjamin Moore & Co., 888/236-6667, benjaminmoore.com.
The great room's petite 18th-century French table and the Pierre Frey toile-covered British Khaki Collection lounge chair segue to the porch's Brown Jordan rattan sofa covered in a Lee Jofa stripe.
Rattan sofa ("Eastlake"/Rattan #2370-6300): Brown Jordan, 800/743-4252, brownjordan.com.
Striped fabric on sofa and drapery ("Marina Stripe"/Aqua #2005235-13, discontinued): Lee Jofa, 800/453-3563, leejofa.com.
Coral drapery ("Guadeloupe" solid/Coral #36235-015): Scalamandré, 800/932-4361, scalamandre.com.
Round table (antique, iron); wall sconce (vintage): Bobby Todd Antiques, 423/337-3837, bobbytoddantiques.com.
Exterior wall paint ("Hepplewhite Ivory" #HC-36); exterior ceiling paint ("Teardrop" #2060-70, custom); shutter paint ("Black Forest Green"); trim paint ("Brilliant White"): Benjamin Moore & Co., 888/236-6667, benjaminmoore.com.
Pine walls and ceiling are original.
Console table (custom): Amy Howard Collection, 901/547-1448, amyhowardcollection.com.
Carved figure (from Bali): owner's collection.
Italian faux bamboo mirror (vintage): Bobby Todd Antiques, 423/337-3837, bobbytoddantiques.com.
Tabriz rug: Persian Galleries, 865/558-8777.
Chandeliers ("Ceiling Mount Crystal Chandelier with Fruit"/Dark Stained Bronze #1447/F/FRT): New Metal Crafts, 312/787-6991, newmetalcrafts.com.
Paneling (Dade County Pine): original to house.
Flooring (antique heart pine): through Todd Richesin Interiors, 865/675-5828, toddrichesininteriors.com.
Vintage Copeland Spode plates and ornithological prints on the original 1841 pine walls team up with a New Metal Crafts chandelier in the entry.
Plates and bird art: owner's collection.
Chandelier ("Ceiling Mount Crystal Chandelier with Fruit"/Dark Stained Bronze #1447/F/FRT): New Metal Crafts, 312/787-6991, newmetalcrafts.com.
Paneling (Dade County Pine): original to house.
Ceiling paint ("Pale Almond" #OC-2): Benjamin Moore & Co., 888/236-6667, benjaminmoore.com.
Originally the parlor, the front room now is Jim's office. An antique English trunk services a leather Hancock & Moore sofa. Clarence House fabric at the windows mixes with Cowtan & Tout's animal print on the Minton-Spidell cane chair.
Desk ("Dutch Writing Table" #F-DE01): Formations, 310/659-3062.
Sofa ("Robinson Tufted Sofa"/Lineage finish #4236); leather sofa fabric ("Lambskin Walnut"): Hancock & Moore, 828/495-8235, hancockandmoore.com.
Orange pillows on sofa ("Blink"/Orange #8354.270): Zimmer + Rohde, 866/627-6899, zimmer-rohde.com.
Orange-pillow trim ("Pom Pom Fringe" #T30394-324): Kravet, 888/457-2838, kravet.com.
Plaid fabric on pillows and stool ("Elysia Plaid"/Yellow, Pink #2005106-407): Lee Jofa, 800/453-3563, leejofa.com.
Plaid pillow loop fringe (#T30395-724); trim on stool ("Ball Fringe" #T30390-24): Kravet, 888/457-2838, kravet.com.
Stool (antique): Bobby Todd Antiques, 423/337-3837, bobbytoddantiques.com.
Trunk (antique); round table (antique) shelf table (antique): owner's collection.
Celadon lamps ("Resolution Table Lamp"/Celadon Crackle #6633): Currey & Co., 877/768-6428, curreyco.com.
Lamp on desk ("Parrot Lamp" #L91): Patina Inc., patinainc.com.
Cane chair ("Brighton Chair"/London Black finish #6146.11): Minton-Spidell, 310/836-0403, minton-spidell.com.
Chair fabric ("Ocelot"/Brown, Black #10877-02): Cowtan & Tout, 212/647-6900, cowtan.com.
Drapery ("Jembala Print"/Brown #34054-4); drapery fringe ("Eugenie Candle Fringe," custom color): Clarence House, 800/803-2850, clarencehouse.com.
Area rug (custom): Todd Richesin Interiors, 865/675-5828, toddrichesininteriors.com.
Chandelier (custom): Ironware International, 800/850-0460, ironwareinternational.com.
Candle sconce above sofa: Bobby Todd Antiques, 423/337-3837, bobbytoddantiques.com.
At the back of the house, off the great room, the master bedroom includes Amy Howard mirrored bedside chests, Clarence House drapery fabric, a Brunschwig & Fils bed-skirt fabric, and a painting by Susan Sugar.
Bed (custom, by Lewis Mittman): Edward Ferrell-Lewis Mittman, 212/888-5580, ef-lm.com.
Bed skirt ("Spring Time Linen Sheer"/Robin's Egg #53572.01, discontinued): Brunschwig & Fils, 800/538-1880, brunschwig.com.
Floral pillows and scaldino ("La Fenice"/Robin's Egg #34175-3): Clarence House, 800/803-2850, clarencehouse.com.
Bed cover (discontinued): Anichini, 800/553-5309, anichini.com. For similar: Todd Richesin Interiors, 865/675-5828, toddrichesininteriors.com.
Mirrored bedside chests ("Stanley Mirrored Nightstand"/Silver Gilt, with antique mirror #1109): Amy Howard Collection, 901/547-1448, amyhowardcollection.com.
Glass lamps: Visual Comfort & Co., 713/686-5999, visualcomfort.com.
Art over bed (by Susan Sugar): Susan Sugar, 646/458-1438, susansugar.net.
Bench ("Simon" #5409-29, in custom cream lacquer finish by Todd Richesin): Hickory Chair, 800/349-4579, hickorychair.com.
Bench and desk-chair fabric ("Ocelot"/Aqua, Sand #10877-06): Cowtan & Tout, 212/647-6900, cowtan.com.
Braided area rug (custom): Todd Richesin Interiors, 865/675-5828, toddrichesininteriors.com.
Writing desk ("Trieste Console" #F-CN15, in 30-inch custom height): Formations, 310/659-3062.
Lamp on writing table (vintage); iron chair at writing table (vintage): Bobby Todd Antiques, 423/337-3837, bobbytoddantiques.com.
Embroidered sheers ("Florence"/Ivory #F3223-01): Cowtan & Tout, 212/647-6900, cowtan.com.
Glass bead trim on sheers (#T30391-35): Kravet, 888/457-2838, kravet.com.
Blinds: Hunter Douglas, 800/274-2985, hunterdouglas.com.
Wall paint ("Green Cast" #842, satin impervo finish); trim paint ("Super White," satin impervo finish): Benjamin Moore & Co., 888/236-6667, benjaminmoore.com.
Part of an earlier addition, the master bedroom opens onto a private side of the house. The secretary is from Patina Inc.
Secretary ("Palazzo Secretary," Venetian Teahouse Collection): Patina Inc., patinainc.com.
Wall paint ("Green Cast" #842, satin impervo finish); trim paint ("Super White," satin impervo finish): Benjamin Moore & Co., 888/236-6667, benjaminmoore.com.
A Niermann Weeks chandelier, Cowtan & Tout fabric on the valances, and Hunter Douglas blinds decorate the master bath. In addition to a shower stall, the room includes a deep soaking tub from Victoria & Albert LLC.
Tub ("Marlborough"): Victoria & Albert LLC, 800/421-7189, vandabaths.com.
Faucets (Perrin & Rowe): Rohl, 800/777-9762, rohlhome.com.
Chandelier ("Italian Chandelier"/Chalk Rust #10-01590): Niermann Weeks, 212/319-7979, niermannweeks.com.
Valances ("Sutton"/Aqua #J376F-04, by Jane Churchill): Cowtan & Tout, 212/647-6900, cowtan.com.
Trim ("Ribbon Braid" #214-203-392): Décor de Paris, 800/221-6453, decordeparis.com.
Blinds: Hunter Douglas, 800/274-2985, hunterdouglas.com.
Area rug (antique Kirman): Persian Galleries, 865/558-8777.
Wall paint ("White Down" #OC#131); ceiling paint ("Green Cast" #842); trim paint ("Super White"): Benjamin Moore & Co., 888/236-6667, benjaminmoore.com.
Sunny Scalamandré linen toile dresses Hickory Chair's cane chairs and the pillows, duvet, and bed skirt in a guest room.
Bed ("Lord Mountbatten Tester Bed"/Dark teak #451, The British Khaki Collection): Robert Lighton New York, 212/343-2299, britishkhaki.com.
Bed pillow, scaldino and bed-skirt fabric ("Aviary"/Yellow #16352-001): Scalamandré, 800/932-4361, scalamandre.com.
Plaid scaldino lining ("Bahar"/Daffodil): Robert Allen, 800/333-3777, robertallendesign.com.
Braided rug (custom): Todd Richesin Interiors, 865/675-5828, toddrichesininteriors.com.
Bedside tables ("Regency Etagère" #259, with custom finish "Toscana Tiffany Blue" with "Mollie Yellow" decoration): Amy Howard Collection, 901/547-1448, amyhowardcollection.com.
Bedside lamps ("Parrot Table Lamp" #6791): Currey & Co., 877/768-6428, curreyco.com.
Bed cover: Anichini, 800/553-5309, anichini.com.
Bench ("Bamboo-Style Bench"#BCH1204/6/Faux Bamboo finish): Louis J. Solomon, 212/545-9200, louisjsolomon.com.
Striped bench fabric: discontinued.
Cane chairs ("Cane-back Chair"/American Antique finish #5917-10): Hickory Chair, 800/349-4579, hickorychair.com.
Chair fabric ("Aviary"/Yellow #16352-001): Scalamandré, 800/932-4361, scalamandre.com.
Drapery ("Barnveld"/Oyster): Robert Allen, 800/333-3777, robertallendesign.com.
Braid trim ("LouisXV Braid"/Wedgwood, Cream, Gold #V741-003): Scalamandré, 800/932-4361, scalamandre.com.
Wall paint ("Hawthorne Yellow #HC-4); trim paint ("Super White"): Benjamin Moore & Co., 888/236-6667, benjaminmoore.com.
An old studio is now a guesthouse.
Round table (antique, iron): Bobby Todd Antiques, 423/337-3837, bobbytoddantiques.com.
Dining chairs ("Florentine"/Iron Age #2240-2000, finish discontinued): Brown Jordan, 800/743-4252, brownjordan.com.
Aqua seat-cushion fabric ("Guadeloupe" solid/Aqua #36235-017); coral seat-cushion fabric ("Guadeloupe" solid/Coral #36235-015): Scalamandré, 800/932-4361, scalamandre.com.
Decking: Ipe Decking, 877/896-3884, ipedecking.com.
Homeowner Melinda Story and designer Todd Richesin sun by the pool in front of coral Scalamandré draperies.


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Corporate Governance
Masco Corporation is committed to the highest standards in corporate governance principles. Our Corporate Governance Guidelines state that our Board shall have at all times an Audit Committee, an Organization and Compensation Committee and a Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee and that the membership of these Committees shall qualify under the independence and experience requirements of applicable law and the New York Stock Exchange. These Committees are comprised exclusively of independent directors. Masco's corporate governance documents, including the charters of the three Committees, our Corporate Governance Guidelines and our Code of Business Ethics, are found below.
- Corporate Governance Guidelines 102.58 KB
- Code of Business Ethics 76.95 KB
- Related Person Transaction Policy 89.68 KB
- Director Independence Standards 68.9 KB
- Charter of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors 115.96 KB
- Charter of the Organization and Compensation Committee 86.33 KB
- Charter of the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee 96.53 KB


text: I'm still going through camera photos and recovering from our weekend travelling to The Snow. It was definitely a life list experience for us and the kids and as sick as I am now, I am so glad we were able to cross this one off. In Part 2 I'll share the rest of the photos as well as our story, plus the kids of toys one brings to the snow when when is not accustomed to playing in it. The kids loved being in the snow, but not so much walking around in it. That part was for suckers who had to pull the rented inner-tubes.


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Friday highlights at Goodwood Festival of Speed
Scuderia Ferrari driver Marc Gen├® will be demonstrating the F10 (chassis no.285) as part of the Contemporary Grand Prix Cars class at this yearŌĆÖs Goodwood Festival of Speed which starts today. Chassis no.285 was piloted by Fernando Alonso to four grand prix victories in 2010: Germany, Italy, Korea and Singapore.
A handful of beautiful historic Ferraris are also on display on the Cartier Style et Luxe lawn, throughout the weekend; two are particularly notable due to their unique history.
The first is a 1955 Ferrari 250 GT Speciale originally commissioned by actress Ingrid Bergman, who was known as one of Ferrari's best clients in the 1950s. In fact, the 250 GT is even finished in her own personal paint colour called Grigio Ingrid but sadly, Bergman never actually took delivery of the car.
Next is a 1953 Ferrari 250 Europa Pininfarina in a striking colour combination, finished in Bordeaux with a contrasting Bianco roof and sills. The car was personally commissioned by a friend of Battista Pininfarina, founder of the Carrozzeria Pininfarina coachbuilding company, one of FerrariŌĆÖs longest-standing design partners.
Spectators on Friday will see the Goodwood debut of two Ferraris: Eric ClaptonŌĆÖs one-off SP12 EC driven by Gen├®, in addition to the 740hp F12berlinetta. Also participating in the Michelin Supercar Run are an Ice White Pearl ŌĆśTailor-MadeŌĆÖ 458 Spider and a FF sporting a special ŌĆśGrigio FFŌĆÖ exterior and a beautiful navy blue semi-aniline leather interior. Follow the action on Twitter through @FerrariRaces and with Goodwood @FoSGoodwood
A complete timetable for the Formula 1 demonstrations and the Michelin Supercar Run on
Friday are below:
Friday 12th
- 1st F1 @ 11:05
- 1st Michelin Supercar Run @ 12:40
- 2nd F1 @ 14:15
- 2st Michelin Supercar Run @ 17:20


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For Parents
LifeLongLearn helps you make the best choices specific to your child.Learn more
LifeLongLearn helps you build award winning effective learning environments that stand out.Learn more
LifeLongLearn helps you expand your education to the latest educational innovations.Learn more
All of Ingrid's books for parents, children, educators, and universities are available here. Many now in eBook format.Learn more
Working with children, youth, or adults in workshops or courses Ingrid follows an intentional approach; she discovers the needs of the groups then creates teachings that will meet those needs.
Thank you Ingrid for the beautiful book, memory and security that my son required to engage in a book.


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The Board of Trustees of the Portland State University Foundation has elected its officers for 2013-2014 and appointed eight new trustees to its board.
"The Foundation is excited to add these leaders and their talents to the team working to connect the campus and our community," said Pete Nickerson, outgoing chair of the Foundation's Board of Trustees. "PSU is Oregon's largest educational institution. We're dedicated to helping make it world class."
The following members will join the board on July 1, bringing the total number of trustees to 34.
David H. Anderson, executive vice president of Operations and Regulation for NW Natural, joined NW Natural in 2004 as its Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining NW Natural, he held numerous officer positions at TXU Corporation in Texas for 16 years and practiced public accounting in Texas. Anderson is a past board member of the Northwest Gas Association, Oregon Mentors, past president and secretary-treasurer of Oregon Partnership, and past chair of the American Gas Association's Finance Committee. Anderson holds a B.B.A. in accounting from Texas Tech University and is a Certified Public Accountant in Oregon, Washington and Texas.
Liz Fuller is the director of client services at Gard Communications in Portland. A former dancer at Oregon Ballet Theatre and active in cultural and political circles of Portland, Fuller holds a bachelor's degree from PSU. She serves on the boards of p:ear and the Creative Advocacy Network.
Rupa Jack is a senior vice president and family wealth director and has been with Morgan Stanley since 1987. Jack has the following certifications: Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA ®), Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania; Certified Wealth Strategist (CWS ®), Cannon Financial Institute; Estate Planning Consultant, The American College in Pennsylvania; and Certified Public Accountant. She earned her B.S. in Business Administration from Oregon State University and her master's degree in Taxation from Portland State University. Jack also serves on the Foundation Board of Self Enhancement Inc., the Maurice Lucas Foundation Board, and the Association of Professional Investment Consultants Board.
Alex Sokol Blosser, co-president of Sokol Blosser Winery in Dundee, Oregon, has a lifetime of experience working in the family vineyards and winery. He holds a B.A. and an M.B.A. from PSU. Sokol Blosser also serves on the Board of the Willamette Valley Wineries Association.
Lindsay Stewart, the former general counsel, senior vice president and chief of staff of Nike Inc., retired from full-time duties at Nike after 25 years of service in 2007. At Nike, he worked with the Board of Directors on a wide range of issues and provided counsel at Nike's senior executive level on a variety of corporate issues. After retiring from full-time duties, Stewart continued to serve Nike as a consultant through 2011 and served as Nike's representative director on the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association Board through 2011. He also served as a director on the Board of the World Federation of Sporting Goods Industries in Geneva Switzerland, becoming a lifetime director in 2012.
Prior to joining Nike, Stewart was in private practice and served as corporate counsel to Georgia-Pacific Corporation. Outside of Nike, he has served on the Oregon State International Trade Commission and the OHSU Foundation Board, as well as serving as a trustee of Willamette University. Stewart holds a B.A. and J.D. from Willamette University.
Wally Van Valkenburg, the managing partner of Stoel Rives' Portland office, has been a member of the Oregon State Bar since 1978. He practices in the firm's Technology and Intellectual Property group, where he focuses on transactions and business counseling. He has served as the chair of the Oregon Business Development Commission since he was first appointed by the governor in 2003. He also is a board member for the Oregon Business Council, the Portland Business Alliance and Greater Portland Inc. and is a member of the Oregon Innovation Council. Van Valkenburg holds a B.A. from the University of Washington, as well as a J.D. from Willamette University and L.L.M. from Columbia University.
Don Vollum, a co-founder and managing partner of Vista Ridge Capital Partners in Beaverton, Ore., has over 15 years of experience investing in private equity and venture capital funds as well as direct investment experience. Vollum is board chair and a trustee of the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry and a trustee of the Catlin Gabel School. He previously served as the board chair of the Portland Children's Museum and a trustee of the Oregon Graduate Institute. He holds a B.S. degree from PSU.
Jon Wiener, a principal at SRG Partnership in Portland, has more than 35 years of architectural experience focused on buildings for colleges and universities. Wiener holds a Masters of Architecture and B.A. from the University of Oregon. He previously served on the board of the Oregon Independent College Foundation and is active with the Society for College and University Planning.
Members of the Board of Trustees are selected for their business, civic, and philanthropic leadership, their professional expertise, their ability to provide representation from a broad spectrum of community interests, and their commitment to the advancement of PSU. The incoming trustees will serve three-year terms on the volunteer board.
In addition, the Foundation Board has elected the following officers and committee chairs for 2013-2014:
Board Chair: Jon Mitchell
Immediate Past Board Chair: Pete Nickerson
Chair Elect: Mark Rosenbaum
Secretary: Kimberly Cooper
Treasurer: Tamara Neitzke
Committee Chairs:
Board Recruitment & Stewardship Committee: Mark Rosenbaum
Board Recruitment & Stewardship Committee: Tamara Neitzke
Development Committee: Kimberly Cooper and Ray Guenther
Gift Acceptance Committee: Erik Lawrence
Investment Committee: Mark Rosenbaum
Strategic Planning Committee: Don Mazziotti
Real Estate Committee: Skip Stanaway
Chair-At-Large: Peter Stott
The PSU Foundation, an independent, tax-exempt organization, strives to enhance the development of Portland State University through relationships, resources, and guidance. The Foundation administers all private gifts to the University, manages the University's endowed funds, and promotes philanthropy for the benefit of the University. Gifts to the Foundation advance PSU by providing scholarships for outstanding students, supporting faculty research and instruction, and enhancing facilities and program development and growth.
For more information, contact Fred Granum, PSU Foundation president & CEO, (503) 725-5922, firstname.lastname@example.com.


text: "If you truly want to win over a woman, the real key is the cuddle," says the timelessly handome John Stamos in his video tutorial explaining his patented "Stamos Snugglefest." His silly moves include The Stamos Soother, The Stamos Spoonful, and The Stamos S'Touching (Her With Your Fingers); and his advice is pretty forward-thinking: "Traditionally, a man plays the role of the big spoon. But folks, it's 2011 and even the most feminine woman can feel equally at home spooning her man." High five, Uncle Jesse.


text: "I love to sing and I wanted to hear what I really sound like to other people. So one day I was home alone and I called my number from our second phone line and sang to the answering machine to hear my voice. I thought I had deleted all of the messages by the time my parents got home, but I had accidentally left one on there. My stepdad asked if it was me and I told him my cousin had called and left those funny messages. He didn't believe me though, and now whenever he checks the messages, he asks if I've left anything on there that I might want to get rid of!"


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Jennifer Greer & Aashish Rajguru
Jennifer Greer & Aashish Rajguru were married on June 2, 2012 at Grand Geneva resort in Lake Geneva, WI. Images in this gallery are a sample of the favorites from their day. In the first week a few more will be added to the gallery but the couple will receive a disc set with all the photos from the day in a few weeks. Photographers for this event were Matt Mason, Kerry Trampe and Jon Stankevitz. Thanks for stopping by our site to view this gallery.Read More


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New Westminster and Surrey
Clayten Hamacher
Tamara and I walked across New Westminster to get to work amidst the foggy wonderland. The images were taken with the Canon 20D, 28-135 IS, handheld, ISO 3200. For four days the fog has been so thick it's been difficult to see across the street. The day after these pictures the fog lifted completely - well, about 200m straight up, where it will likely stay all winter.