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Last week's news that the Palm Beach County Convention and Visitors Bureau had awarded its 23rd Providencia Award to Palm Beach historian Jim Ponce sent me searching through my archives for a cartoon.
In 1996, the Palm Beach Town Council bestowed the title of "two-legged historical landmark" on Ponce, who has been the official historian for the Breakers and the Chamber of Commerce, and the founder of historical walking tours on Worth Avenue. It was a much-deserved honor, but still I thought the concept of a two-legged landmark was pretty funny. After all, a landmark is meant to be a stationary reference point to find one's way.
All jokes aside, Ponce really is a historical landmark for South Floridians, many of whom are transplants. Walk certain neighborhoods in New York, Boston, Philadelphia and just about any other town in the Northeast or Mid-Atlantic, and you are immersed in 200-year-old history. A sense of heritage is all around you. But our oldest building in Palm Beach County is only 150 years old, and it's a lighthouse — more of a picture postcard than a neighborhood.
The caustic tropical environment, hurricanes, boom-and bust-development cycles and a transient culture have all conspired to rob us of tangible history. Having a living landmark such as Jim Ponce, with his unique ability to make the past come alive for an audience, isn't so outlandish after all.
The Convention and Visitors Bureau, in a partnership with The Palm Beach Post, made voting for the award more accessible this year by moving it onto the web. Typically, you wouldn't think a 94-year-old history buff would stand a chance against a gigantic tourism engine such as the Palm Beach International Boat Show or an attraction that's been around for 47 years — Lion Country Safari — but Ponce got a lot of Palm Beach community support online.
It just goes to show the power of storytelling. Ponce's enthusiasm and ability to use historical details as a window into human nature has made history come alive for many people over the years. It's no wonder he became a voting cause celebre on the web.
Plus, giving a tourism-booster award to a historical presenter who frequently dresses up as Henry Flagler isn't that much of a stretch. If it weren't for Flagler's railroad and hotels, there wouldn't be much tourism here in the first place.
Better luck next time to the Lion Country Safari and the Palm Beach International Boat Show. On second thought, the boat show getting an award named after a shipwreck might not be such a good idea after all.
Join David Willson at his Palm Beach Daily News Editorial Cartoon Page on Facebook for more stories, regularly posted cartoons from the archives and cartooning news.


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Beyond PlayPenn: Former conference interns come into their own, part 3
Former PlayPenn interns come into their own as theater professionals.
Former PlayPenn interns come into their own as theater professionals.
Toby Zinman gives bullet reviews of nine Shakespeare-ish shows in this year's Fringe.
Brett Mapp knows his Fringe. His itinerary would be a good starting point for anyone considering what to see.
Can't decide what to see in the 2016 Philadelphia Fringe Festival? Check out Deb Miller's recommendations in her annual top picks preview.
This is a solidly accessible MACBETH, with comprehensible delivery and an easy-to-follow story—the kind of Shakespeare you go see with your high school class.
This production offers gore, unconventionality, and laughs, and certainly strikes up debates about the meaning of the play's profound poetry.
In the wake of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, Shakespeare is summoned to take on a play commission for the Crown.
DISHWASHER exposes a reality of life: Performing a monologue can be a service just like washing a dish
Shakespeare blindfolded: In the darkness, Shakespeare is illuminated.
Warning: Don't see this erotic-thriller-parody if you take life too seriously! Also: Don't take life to seriously.
Local theater writers vote for their favorites in twelve categories!
The elements which displease other writers are what makes this production a success, according to Michael Fisher in review five of the ongoing Critical Mass series.
"The magic of Shakespeare is not in his plots. Shakespeare's genius is his poetry,"
It's the fourth installment of the Critical Mass review of MACBETH at the Arden, but Julius Ferraro thinks too many works have already been written about an unremarkable piece of theater.
Jessica Foley gives this week's critical mass take on MACBETH at the Arden, part of a new review series on Phindie.
Alexander Burns' production of MACBETH at Arden Theatre Company is energetic and visually engaging, but it lacks ferocity and substance.
Burns maintains the energy and pacing of his best work for Quintessence and takes full advantage of the Arden's high production values to create an exuberant and understandable version of Shakespeare's masterpiece.
Readers of Phindie will know that I'm a big fan of William Shakespeare. Yet in the Fall, when I got an invitation to see a favored young Shakespeare group, Revolution…
This fall sees Revolution Shakespeare's first full production: a New Orleans-inspired MACBETH, from October 1-12.
Director Patrick Mulcahy takes a modernist approach to the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival's production of MACBETH, with a 20th-century minimalist aesthetic that compels the audience to focus on the emotions and actions of the characters and the power of the playwright's language. It's stark and intense, and also, at times, oddly anachronistic and comical, performed in attire that suggests a peculiar mash-up of wartime Berlin and dance club chic, military and punk.

subset: commoncrawl


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Jean-François Millet - Biography and Legacy
French Painter
Movements and Styles: Realism, The Barbizon School, Naturalism
Born: October 4, 1814 - Gruchy, in Gréville-Hague (Normandy)
Died: January 20, 1875 - Barbizon, France
Table of contents> Summary
> Key Ideas
> Artworks
> Biography & Legacy
Influences and Connections
"A peasant I was born, a peasant I will die."
Biography of Jean-François Millet
Millet was the second child of Jean-Louis-Nicolas and Aimee-Henriette-Adelaide Henry Millet, modest peasants who were part of a large extended family in the rural community of Gruchy. His father appreciated music and beauty in nature, as he would show the boy a blade of grass and say, "Look, how beautiful this is." Millet was his grandmother's favorite, and she encouraged a love of reading and a deep spirituality in him. He attended the local school where he studied Latin and read Saint Augustine and Virgil as well as classic French authors. He also learned other aspects of country life, as he was challenged to fight by older boys at school, and worked long days on his family's farm. His somber sensibility was fundamentally shaped by rural work, as he said, "I have never seen anything but fields since I was born, I try to say as best I can what I saw and felt when I was at work."
Early education and training
Recognizing his talent for drawing, his family sent him to Cherbourg in 1833 to study portrait painting. Millet's studies with the artist, Paul Dumouchel, were interrupted by his father's death in 1835, and he returned home to run the farm, as custom required of the eldest son. His grandmother, however, encouraging him to believe in signs from God, pressed him to return to his art studies, though she admonished him, "I would rather see you dead, my child, than rebellious and unfaithful to God's commandments...Remember, Jean Francois, you are a Christian before you are an artist." His family's stoic faith forever affected him, as he said in later years, "The joyful aspect of life never appears to me. I do not know what it is...The most cheerful things I know are calm and silence."
Millet went on to study with the artist Lucien-Théophile Langlois whose support helped him receive a stipend at the École des Beaux-Arts. In 1837, often destitute in "black, muddy, smoky Paris," as he called it, Millet felt socially alienated and said, "I will never be made to bow. I will never have the art of the Parisian drawing rooms forced upon me. A peasant I was born, a peasant I will die." Trying to find inspiration for his own artistic impulses, he frequented the Louvre and was drawn particularly to the work of Nicolas Poussin and Michelangelo Buonarroti. Millet began studying with the noted history painter, Paul Delarouche, an unhappy experience as his teacher dubbed him derisively "the wild man of the woods." When Delarouche refused to support his candidacy for the Prix de Rome, Millet left the artist's studio in defiance and lost his school funding in 1839.
The early 1840s were marked by Millet's occasional artistic success, personal turmoil, and moving back and forth between the rural life of Cherbourg and the artistic world of Paris. After rejecting his first submission in 1839, the Salon accepted one of his portraits the following year. He married Pauline-Virginie Ono in 1841, and the young couple moved to Paris where he hoped to become a successful portraitist. When Ono died in 1844 from tuberculosis and his work was rejected by the Salon, Millet again returned to the family farm.
In 1845 Millet began a relationship with Catherine Lemaire, a young woman who worked as a domestic servant, and their first child, a daughter, was born the following year. Influenced by the revival of interest in Rococo art and hoping for artistic success, he began painting compositions in the Romantic style. The erotic-tinged subject of his new work and his association with Lemaire strained his relationship with his religious family, and he moved with Lemaire to Le Havre and then to Paris in 1849.
In Paris, he became friends with the artists, Théodore Rousseau, Constant Troyon, Narcisse Diaz de la Pena, and Charles Jacque, with whom he was to later form the Barbizon School. Millet continued to struggle to form his own artistic style, while still working in established styles. He competed unsuccessfully in a contest to create an allegorical painting for the Republic and showed a historical work, The Captivity of the Jews in Babylon, at the 1848 Salon, where the work was negatively received. He also began to suffer bouts of ophthalmic migraine and debilitating rheumatism that would affect him all of his life.
Mature Period
An outbreak of cholera in Paris, combined with the unrest of the February Revolution in 1848, prompted Millet to move Lemaire and their three children to Barbizon, where he joined his artist friends in establishing the Barbizon School. His family settled into a farmhouse that became their permanent residence. In his letters, Millet often wrote of his episodes of ill health and his worries about money, writing at one point, "I really don't know how I'm to fulfill my obligations and go on living." William Morris Hunt, an aspiring artist from a wealthy American family, who hoped to study with Millet, described how, "I found him working in a cellar three feet underground, his canvases covered with mold because of the moisture and because the floor is clay." Millet struggled with poverty all of his life, trying to avoid creditors and bailiffs, worrying about how to obtain the necessities, farming all morning and painting all afternoon so that he felt, as he said, "condemned to hard labor without end."
Friends lent what support they could. Alfred Sensier, a French government official and later Millet's biographer, agreed in 1850 to provide all of Millet's artistic materials in exchange for occasional artworks. Millet's landlord built a small barn-like building on the property to serve as a studio. In the spare setting, Millet kept a collection of rags and clothing that he called "his museum." Keeping their unique colors as suggestions for his paintings, he was particularly fond of blue faded by time to near whiteness.
In 1853 Millet married Catherine Lemaire in a civil ceremony and they eventually had nine children. Millet was to live in Barbizon the rest of his life and his primary friendships were with the artists who also lived there. American architect, Edward Wheelwright, wrote of Millet, "he did not make his society of peasants his neighbors, nor take the peasant...for an ideal of virtue. He had no illusions about the inhabitants of the village...More than once I heard him talk about their defects, their insensitivity to the charms of nature, the narrowness of their feelings, their petty spirit and their low jealousy." Millet was full of contradictions; while he kept a number of farm tools and would demonstrate how to use them to visiting artists, he also impressed them with his erudition, reciting passages from Shakespeare, Dante, La Fontaine, and other classical authors from memory.
He continued painting scenes of rural labor, such as Harvesters Resting in 1852, and The Gleaners, shown in the 1857 Salon where it was heavily criticized for its depiction of poverty. In America, however, his work attracted more favorable attention, as Hunt, who had begun collecting Millet's work, introduced it to the public, and Millet began receiving occasional commissions.
Later Period
After the Salon of 1864, where his Shepherdess Guarding Her Flock was favorably received, he began to experience a measure of success. In 1867 he exhibited nine paintings at the Paris Universal Exposition, and in 1868 Millet was awarded the Legion of Honor. However, disruption again threatened with the outbreak of the Franco Prussian war, and he and his family sought refuge at Cherbourg where he remained until 1871 and where his work began also to focus on landscape.
After a period of declining health due to migraines and sciatica, Millet arranged for the parish priest to marry him and Catherine Lemaire in a religious ceremony in order to ensure her rights of inheritance and enable his family to have a religious funeral for him. He died on January 20, 1875 at home in Barbizon.
The Legacy of Jean-François Millet
The influence of Millet's art is wide ranging in both the art and literary worlds. Impressionists, like Georges Seurat, admired his draughtsmanship and his depictions of light. Post-Impressionists, most notably Vincent van Gogh, were influenced by his subject matter, sculptural figures, and expressionistic brushwork. His work had an impact internationally upon Janos Thorma, Max Liebermann, Rosa Bonheur, Paula Modersohn-Becker, and William Morris Hunt, among others. Salvador Dalí's obsession with Millet's The Angelus coincided with his own later religiously themed work.
Millet's work also greatly influenced photography and film. Henri Cartier-Bresson, studying his paintings and drawings intensively, was not only inspired by him but passed that inspiration on to other photographers such as Werner Bischoff, Josef Koudelka, Constantin Manos, and Sebastiao Salgado. In particular Millet's The Gleaners has been a creative impetus to subsequent artists. In 2000 the French New Wave filmmaker Agnes Varda made the documentary, The Gleaners and I. The painting was also used by the artist Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook in her 2008 performance video The Two Planet Series and appropriated by Banksy in his 2012 work.
The noted American writer, Mark Twain wrote a farcical play, Is He Dead? in which the protagonist, an impoverished Millet, fakes his own death to achieve fame and thus, raise the value of his paintings releasing him from a life of penury. Edwin Markham, Oregon's first poet laureate achieved fame in 1889 with his poem, "Man With a Hoe," based upon Millet's painting. The famous American poet, Walt Whitman, said of his ground-breaking Leaves of Grass," The Leaves are really only Millet in another form - they are the Millet that Walt Whitman has succeeded into putting into words." The theory of noted critic and author John Berger was influenced by Millet's work, writing that "Millet, without a trace of sentimentality, told the truth as he knew it."
Millet also had an inadvertent impact upon the laws affecting the art world. When The Angelus sold for a half million francs in 1889, fourteen years after Millet's death, awareness of the dismal poverty of his family led to droit de suite laws that allow an artist's heirs to receive part of later resale prices.
Most Important Art
Jean-François Millet Artworks in Focus:
The Sower (1850)
A man with a bag of seeds across his chest strides, long-legged across the extreme foreground of the canvas as he flings his right arm out to scatter handfuls of seed. As he works a flock (properly known as a 'murder') of crows circles behind him on the left, and highlighted in the distance on the right, a man behind a plow drives his team of oxen, preparing the soil for planting.Read More ...
By the time Millet created this work, he had already fled Paris that was going through political upheavals and settled in nearby town of Barbizon. What sets Millet's work apart from his Barbizon school compatriots is that, while they emphasized landscape, particularly of the forests, he emphasized the human figure, often a rural laborer isolated in the fields. As he said "My dream is to characterize the type," and here, he creates the common man as laborer. The art historian Alexandra Murphy wrote, "among countless prototypes, the illustrations for October in the Très Riches Heures of the Duke de Berry, depicting a similar sower - capped, wearing leggings, and holding his seed bag in his left hand - is often suggested as a source for Millet. But as with so many of his images, The Sower is more likely to have evolved from the conflation of several well-studied visual memories."
At the Salon of 1850-1851, the painting was both praised and attacked. While the art critic Clement de Ris saw it as "an energetic study full of movement," the critic Théophile Gautier described it as "trowel scrapings." The American poet, Walt Whitman, praised its "sublime murkiness and original pent fury," and saw in it the prototype of Creative Man, sowing the seeds of a new age.
As muscular and heroic as Michelangelo's figures, and looming over the landscape like Goya's giants, the figure occupies much of the foreground, dominating the canvas. Art historian, Anthea Callen, noted, "Millet intentionally transformed his human laborer into a sinewy giant of a man by elongating his proportions...Reinforced by the sower's dominance of the pictorial space and our low viewpoint, his menacing appearance to the Parisian bourgeoisie in 1850 is thus readily explicable."
Despite Millet's liberal use of shadow his use of primary colors allows the figure to stand in stark relief against a field of earth tones. This is a practice used often and to great effect by great renaissance masters including Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael Sanzio. The painting's sense of vigorous movement is underscored by the wealth of dynamic angles that radiate outward from its central figure. The small figure rendered vaguely on the sunlit horizon, tilts back, its angular line further emphasizing the downward movement. The placement of the day's waning light behind the sower emphasizes the shadowiness of foreground. His eyes obscured by his hat, his clothes dirty from his labors, and the crows wheeling after him, eating up the seeds, undoing his efforts all create the sense that he is 'everyman' trying to outrun the gathering darkness.
Content compiled and written by Rebecca Seiferle
Edited and published by The Art Story Contributors
" Artist Overview and Analysis". [Internet]. . TheArtStory.org
Content compiled and written by Rebecca Seiferle
Edited and published by The Art Story Contributors
Available from:
First published on 15 Aug 2017. Updated and modified regularly.
[Accessed ]


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January 2017 Climate Summary for Northern and Eastern Maine
January 2017 finished much warmer than average with mostly above average precipitation and below average snowfall.
The region as a whole averaged 6.5 to 8.0 degrees above average with mild overnight lows being the largest contributor to the departures. Bangor,
Caribou, and Houlton had their 4th, 5th, and 8th warmest Januaries respectfully of record.
Precipitation was generally 100 to 130 percent of average with the largest contribution from the event of the 24th and 25th. The late month event produced 4.2" of sleet at Presque Isle, and was likely one of the all-time biggest sleet storms on record across northern Maine. Snowfall finished below average ranging from 25 percent of average along the Downeast coast upwards to 75 percent of average across the Saint John Valley. At Bangor, the monthly total of 6.0 inches finished as the 5th least snowiest January. This distribution of snowfall is typical of La-Nina winters.Subsequently, it should be no surprise that average monthly snow depth varied greatly from little or none along the Downeast coast upwards to 24 to 30 inches across the far north with northern areas able to build upon above average snowfall/snow depth from December. At Caribou, the average snow depth of 24.8 inches for
January was the 7th highest, while at Bangor the average of 3.1 inches was the 15th lowest.
The Climate Prediction Center outlook for February indicates that there are no strong climate signals that would point toward an unusually cold or mild February. There are also no strong climate signals that would favor an unusually wet (snowy) or dry month. On average, snowfall during the month of February ranges from around 2 feet across the Crown of Maine, with higher amounts across the higher terrain, and around 1 foot along the
Downeast coast.
Average temperatures begin a slow upward swing during the month of February. The average highs rise from around 20 degrees at the start of the
month across the Saint John Valley to upper 20s in the greater Bangor region. By the end of the month, average highs rise to the mid to upper 20s in the Saint John valley and to the mid 30s at Bangor. Average lows during the month rise from near zero at the start of the month in the far north to 5 to 10 above by the end of the month. At Bangor, average lows rise from 7 degrees on the 1st to 14 degrees by the end of the month. There is a gain of just over an hour of available daylight during the month of February.
The all-time lowest temperature ever observed at Caribou occurred on February 1, 1955, with a low of 41 below. At Bangor, the all-time record low of 32 below was observed on February 10, 1948.


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December 22, 2010
A dispute over a key mobile telecoms patent in Germany and the Netherlands is the latest to highlight divergence between Europe's patent courts
The USPTO cited access to major research institutions, skilled engineers and scientists, and high volume of patenting activity as the reasons for choosing Detroit as the site of its first satellite office
This year's top 10 cases, selected by Managing IP, highlight the direction of IP practice around the world
The Federal Circuit's decision to uphold Prometheus's diagnostic method patents despite Bilski should elicit "a sigh of relief" from clinical and research diagnostic companies
Bilski has done little to change the Federal Circuit's approach to assessing the patent eligibility of diagnostic method claims, according to an opinion issued last week
December 21, 2010
IP practitioners have until March 1 to submit evidence to the UK's latest IP review
The UK's latest IP review will focus on how IP rights can help "drive economic growth", according to the man tasked with leading it
December 17, 2010
The city of Detroit will host a branch of the US Patent and Trademark Office, which will open next year
December 16, 2010
The Federal Circuit has overturned a patent invalidity finding, citing the Bilski judgment, in an opinion authored by Chief Judge Randall Rader
December 15, 2010
Unilever is to get rid of paper records for all its patent prosecution documents as part of the company's Sustainable Living Plan
It has been confirmed that a WTO row over the shipment of generic drugs through Europe had been resolved following an EU-India summit last week
December 14, 2010
The Supreme Court of India has dismissed an appeal filed by Bayer in a case that dealt with the question of whether the country's IP office and its drug regulator should be linked
December 10, 2010
Eleven member states are to press ahead with discussions that could see detailed plans for an EU patent by the end of next year
The EPO's Enlarged Board of Appeal yesterday clearly decided that the process of crossing plants or animals cannot be patented. But questions remain over the patentability of plants themselves
Stuart Graham, the USPTO's chief economist, has launched an economic research agenda to measure the effect of IP on the US economy
December 07, 2010
"It is no longer a matter of if other Latin American countries will join the Patent Cooperation Treaty, but when," Matthew Bryan of WIPO said last week
There is much work to be done to improve the PCT system, Matthew Bryan of WIPO told attendees at the ASIPI meeting in Santiago, Chile last week
December 06, 2010
A Bill introduced into the Australian Senate that would rule out patents on human genes and biological materials has been strongly criticised by patent practitioners
An Australian Senate Committee has published a report that criticises gene patents but stops short of recommending an outright ban
December 02, 2010
The European Commission will respond to a request to create an EU patent based on enhanced cooperation "within a few weeks", Internal Market Commissioner Michel Barnier said today
December 01, 2010
Guidelines for the production of biosimilar antibody drugs in Europe released last week focused on safety rather than efficacy, setting a lower hurdle than had been feared
November 30, 2010
Google will work with the European Patent Office to improve machine translations, after the two organisations signed a memorandum of understanding today
GlaxoSmithKline will invest more than £500 million in the UK, after the government confirmed it would provide a tax incentive for patents
November 25, 2010
China is still failing to meet its WTO commitments, including to IP, according to a US Commission
The first case management conference in London's Patents County Court under new rules showed how Judge Birss will apply them to minimise costs wherever possible
A packed room listened intently last night as Judge Colin Birss reflected on his first month sitting in London's Patents County Court, which is under new rules
The Chinese government has published a 10-year patent strategy to encourage filing and commercialisation and improve coordination with national policies
The Supreme Court is expected to decide on Monday whether or not to hear Microsoft v i4i, a case that could change the standard for proving invalidity in certain patent infringement cases
November 16, 2010
Kenya published Anti-Counterfeit Regulations on August 27, implementing the 2008 Anti-Counterfeit Act. How they affect the debate over generic medicines, however, will have to wait for a decision from the High Court. Until then, say John Syekei and Haanee Khan, generic manufacturers should beware the risk of being labelled counterfeiters
November 15, 2010
The Hyatt v Kappos decision is particularly significant, as the number of appeals being heard by the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences (BPAI) has increased exponentially in recent years
The creation of an EU patent covering just some of the single market is increasingly likely, after member states failed to agree on translation requirements
Practitioners in India have praised the latest draft patent manual for examiners but called for more clarity over software and pharmaceutical patents
A full panel of the Federal Circuit ruled last week that patent applicants may present new evidence in civil actions challenging decisions by the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences
November 11, 2010
The Belgian presidency of the EU made a raft of proposals in an ultimately futile attempt to break the deadlock over translation arrangements for the EU patent yesterday
November 10, 2010
European ministers fell just short of unanimity on a plan to create an EU patent this evening, effectively killing the decades-old project
EPO President Benoît Battistelli said the Office must be a key player at the global level in his first speech in the UK this week
November 08, 2010
Senior patent policy makers in Europe expressed optimism last week regarding the outcome of the referral pending before the Court of Justice of the EU
In recent interviews with Managing IP, Chinese counsel discussed filing strategies, standards, litigation and choosing outside counsel
Chinese companies are poised to start building international patent portfolios, a Managing IP survey has shown
The Supreme Court agreed last week to clarify the scope of the Bayh-Dole Act with respect to ownership of federally funded inventions
Patent practitioners in Europe are eagerly awaiting the opinion of the Court of Justice of the EU on the viability of a pan-European litigation system for IP cases
SIPO commissioner Tian Lipu has explained how increasing IP protection has helped China's economic development and called for greater international cooperation
Managing IP provides an at-a-glance guide to the issues in Stanford v Roche
Stanford v Roche, which is heading to the US Supreme Court, is a case about patent ownership rights under the Bayh-Dole Act. Managing IP examines the patents involved
November 05, 2010
In the wake of the 2010 elections, the fate of patent reform may hinge more on changes to congressional staff than on the newly elected and reelected Congress members themselves
November 04, 2010
Professor Christopher Holman dissects the claims behind the Myriad case
Belgium has gone a long way towards achieving consensus on a language regime for the proposed EU patent, but at least one member state still needs convincing
The EPO is "ready and prepared to implement the EU patent", a senior official at the Office said yesterday
In a surprise move, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) has broken with the USPTO's view that isolated DNA sequences should be patent-eligible
Internal Market Commissioner Michel Barnier yesterday said he is "really determined" to see agreement between member states on an EU patent in the coming week
November 02, 2010
The International Chamber of Commerce has called on governments to create workable, transparent structures for businesses to work within the Nagoya protocol on biodiversity
Biotech firms will have to get consent from indigenous communities to exploit genetic resources under a landmark agreement last week in Nagoya, Japan
Although the protocol on biodiversity agreed last week in Nagoya, Japan was heralded as a breakthrough, many of its controversial points were fudged or excluded in a last-minute attempt to reach agreement.
November 01, 2010
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Yeah, it's kinda dumb, totally screwy and in as dubious taste as a PG-13 rating will allow. What did you expect Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance to be? As I pointed out when the first movie came out, this is about a guy who turns into a flaming skeleton and rides around dispensing justice on a demonic motorcycle. Knowing that, why in the name of Roger Corman would you expect anything but pulpy nonsense? This is a movie with Ciarán Hinds as the devil, Idris Elba as a hard-drinking holy man, Christopher Lambert as a heavily tattooed monk, and with a skull-faced hero who pees fire. That the hero is played by Nicolas Cage at his Cagey-ist and was directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor (or Neveldine/Taylor as they sign themselves) should tell the rest of the story. It was exactly what I expected it to be, and I was fine with that.
Of course, it's managed to piss off the comic book contingent by not being faithful to the comic book (I couldn't say) and the more "serious-minded" critics who take obvious and deliberate trash a little too seriously. I don't really care. I had a good time with its nonsense—especially when Cage sometimes edged toward his The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call—New Orleans level of nutso. Neveldine/Taylor—whose speciality is over-the-top bad-taste trash like the Crank movies—are a little restrained by both the PG-13 rating and ambitions that exceed their budget, but they bring as much cheeky cleverness as they can to the party. I will say, however, that their eye for 3D composition appears to be less artful than that displayed by Patrick Lussier in Cage's Drive Angry from last year. (In other words, if you see this, see it in 2D.)
The film's story is admirably simple and straightforward. The devil—or Roarke, if you will—made a deal a few years back to save Nadya (Violante Placido, The American) if she'd play Rosemary for him and produce a son. Said son, Danny (Fergus Riordan), is now approaching that awkward age when old Scratch can make use of his unholy issue. Some monks are trying to protect the kid till that time is past. But this doesn't go so well, so Nadya goes on the run with Danny—and with villains in Roarke's employ in pursuit, of course. Heading up the campaign to save the Son O' Satan is Moreau (Idris Elba), a dipsomaniacal monk who enlists the aid of our hero, who—for purposes of personal isolation and well-known low film-production costs—is hiding out in Eastern Europe. Of course, he doesn't want to play Ghost Rider for this or any other purpose, but he does because Moreau promises to remove his curse afterwards. (And, well, frankly, there'd be no movie otherwise.)
Naturally, the safe haven turns out not to be such a swell idea in terms of safety—one look at Christopher Lambert's Methodius tells you that—and much mayhem ensues. A lot of this mayhem is courtesy of Satan's minion Ray Carrigan (Johnny Whitworth (TV's CSI: Miami), who the Prince of Darkness has brought back to life while making him look like Edgar Winter in the bargain (deals with the Devil always have a catch). In addition to being reanimated, Carrigan has been given the "touch of decay," which makes for a nifty, though illogically applied, effect. (If he causes anything to decompose by touching it—except for a famous snack food—why doesn't the steering wheel of his vehicle crumble to dust?) This all ends up in a ruined amphitheater where it looks like they're going to stage the last number of Jesus Christ Superstar. (A production number at this point would have been pretty cool, come to think of it).
Is it any good? Well, not in any truly meaningful sense, I don't suppose it is. The bigger question with junk like this is whether it's entertaining, knows what it is and isn't bloated out of all reason. (Yes, I am thinking of you, Michael Bay). In that regard, I'd say it succeeds admirably—assuming you're in the market for this brand of claptrap. Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, some disturbing images, and language.


text:
After his Florida loss, Gingrich sounded angry, but channeled it well, speaking at length about what he would do on his first day as president. In that speech, the villain was Obama. Gingrich would be undoing Obama's evil or mistaken deeds. Then Gingrich was still full of optimism and big plans and big ideas.
His news conference after his Nevada loss was a different kind of affair. Gingrich was alone on the stage, but not at all outmanned. The event was billed as a news conference on the new direction for his campaign, but that wasn't how it turned out. If anything, he used the tactics that won S. Carolina, but on a different target. He focused his ire onto his archenemy, Mitt Romney, and all the various demons that are lesser enemies.
So in the news conference, there was a complaint against Mitt, then another against Mitt, then an unemotional comment on Ron Paul's advantage in caucuses, then rising anger at Romney central HQ in Boston, then a shot at the establishment, then disdain for the bankers on Wall Street who will be pouring money into Mitt's campaign, then a comparison between his situation in an underfunded campaign and Reagan's. Some other targets: Nancy Pelosit, Obama, George Soros, the reporter who asked if "Romney was in [his] head," Trump, but most of all, the "fundamentally dishonest" Mitt Romney.
Listening to Newt is like attending a Romantic symphony: he has changes in tempo, in mood, in tone, flourishes and crescendos. It's certainly a more interesting soundfest than Romney or Santorum. It's more emotional than Obama, and more varied than Paul.
So perhaps it's forgivable that Newt himself doesn't know he's dead. Or maybe he's just a dead man walking. He thinks he still has a chance. No, he's certain of it. There will be a reprieve, his truth and honesty are so incontestable, it has to be recognized. He will win the nomination.
What the rest of us know is what we've known all along. Newt has too much baggage to win or even compete. If Newt keeps fighting and his numbers revive a little, Romney will certainly unleash another onslaught. There is no end of the negative information (and video!) that can be turned into 10 minute news profiles or 30 second attack ads. Gingrich never had a chance, most of us knew it, but somehow Gingrich convinced himself otherwise.
Extras: Comments from Hot Air (conservative blog site) are turning decidedly against Newt:
"Newt pretty much ruined his own speakership. Pushing to impeach a President for perjury related to an extramarital affair isn't wise when you are having an extramarital affair. As my daughter, a College Republican told me last weekend: Anyone who thinks U.S. voters are going to elect a fat old guy who likes to hear himself talk, resigned from Congress under a cloud, has been married three times and has more baggage than O'Hare is crazy."
"George Soros and Donald Trump called to say 'Hi!'…"
"... It's called politics. And I'm tired of Newt playing hard ball when it suits him and t-ball when someone hits back."
"You Mitt-wits need to back off. Romney has been one nasty SOB trying to diminish what Newt accomplished while he was Speaker of the House. Newt takes a lot of pride in his accomplishments there-as he should-and Romney really is only trying to twist the knife in Newt. I cannot stand Romney's style of politics. If he wins the presidency, he will not have done it honorably IMO."
"I didn't get a chance to check the closing market prices. Can anyone tell me what Newt's dignity is selling for?"
"Newt Gingrich has revealed himself to be nothing but a desperate, power-hungry, angry, lying, petulant, petty windbag with zero class whatsoever."
Update 2/7/12. While researching my next post on Newt, I found Newt's web page explaining or refuting the many attacks on him. It's a must-read.
And laugh at how wrong my crystal ball was here.


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One of my fondest memories growing up was the time I spent with my Mom-mom. She was a wonderful woman who loved her family and adored her grandchildren. But, what made Mom-mom so special is that she also had an uncanny love for animals. When we were kids she would always tell us, "Never trust a person who doesn't love dogs." I suppose that advice truly stuck with me, and her love of animals has become a right of passage in our family—both immediate and extended.
When I think about her now, I'm reminded of her passion for people and animals, and it pushes me to be a better person from one day to the next. I'm not quite there yet, but I try to help out as much as I can, and it almost feels like I'm honoring her life in the process. Since she passed, I feel the love and desire to help animals; its one that she so graciously passed along to all of us. I suppose that's why we have so many animals of our own.
Since we've collected so many herding dogs, my wife and I have developed a true love for those breeds in particular. Although we love all dogs, all breeds, and have a deep respect for all animals, these dogs seem to light up our lives every single day. Even our Aussie, Lee-C, who is extremely reactive and difficult to train, has wormed her way into our hearts—cute little nub tail and all.
And, in fact, we recently acquired a rescue dog named Casper who is also an Australian Shepherd.
I suppose I should introduce our friendly Australian Shepherd, Casper, since I have yet to include him in this blog. When we acquired him, we had planned to foster for several months until he found a home. But, we fell in love with him. I don't think we can bear to part with our brown-eyed baby, who is nine years old but still behaves like a sweet little puppy.
Truth be told, these types of dogs aren't for everybody. My Border Collie, Eddie, holds a very special place in my heart, but even working with him took a lot of time, dedication, exercise, and patience! They're intelligent, sentinel, and exceptional animals. Just like our Australian Shepherds, and they've brought us more love and happiness than I could ever explain.
We found Casper through an incredible non-profit organization called Australian Shepherds Furever. It's a small organization, and the employees who work there are all volunteer based, which means they make no money—at all. Day-in and day-out these dogs are rescued, rehabed, vetted, transported, fostered, and eventually adopted to the right family. It's not a perfect science, mostly because there are some dishonorable people out there who take in dogs and then fail to care for them adequately, abuse them, or simply refuse to pay their adoption fees. It's really quite sad considering all the sacrifices these women make on a daily basis to care for hundreds—if not thousands-—of stranded animals.
We have been so impressed with the devotion and tenacity that these women put forth to rescue helpless animals in very dire situations. And, I can honestly tell you from experience that rescue dogs are by far the best animals to bring into a loving home—but only for the right owners. I won't bog you down with details about what constitutes the "right" home for an Australian Shepherd or any other herding dog for that matter. But, I will outline some of the many hurdles that organizations like ASF face each time they rescue an animal and provide medical, behavioral, and homing services.
As many of you know, LB and I decided to donate money in honor of each guest who attended our wedding to two very special causes that are close to our hearts—Autism Speaks and the Australian Shepherds Furever foundation. When we made our initial donation, the CEO of the organization gave us the incredible honor of sharing our names with two of their newest rescues.
Ironically, the rescue dog they named after me was pregnant with a litter of puppies.
She had been mistreated, malnourished, and neglected. The entire litter of puppies was born healthy. When their foster family took them to the vet to get their shots, the parvo shot had an adverse effect. Now, all of the pups have the disease, which is extremely deadly for any dog, let alone newborn pups.
When ASF took them to the vet, they found that the cost associated with their treatment was $1,500 per puppy. There were ten of them. I'm no mathematician, but that's a lot of dollars. People have donated small amounts and large amounts, whatever they can afford, and those donations have gone a long way. But, not nearly long enough. The first puppy to be born, Uno, died quickly after he was diagnosed with the deadly disease, and his sister Raine died shortly after. Now, there are eight puppies left.
If you aren't familiar with the association, you don't know how heartbreaking these losses are for the women who spend their hard-earned money and precious time trying to save as many dogs as possible. For the most part, every single dog that is rescued was put in harm's way by their owners. Perhaps it's because of irresponsible breeding, neglect, abuse, or just down right cruelty. I can't really wrap my head around it, but it's really gut-wrenching to imagine how someone could be so cruel to an innocent animal. For the dogs who don't need behavioral therapy due to the trauma they've endured, they are so grateful when they're finally rescued. But, rescuing thousands of dogs requires money—lots of it.
Here's the thing, I'm aware that not everyone cares about helping animals—although I'm not sure why you are still reading this blog if that pertains to you. But, we do. And, these women do. This organization does. They've made it their entire life. In fact, it dominates every minute, every hour, and every day of their lives.
Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." So, here I am…talking. And, I'm going to keep talking. Because there are so many incredibly giving, kind, and gracious people out there who just aren't aware that these kinds of problems exist.
So, without further ado, and to avoid manipulating you with the lyrics from In The Arms Of The Angel, I just have one small request. Please, please, please share this blog post. Visit their site. Visit their Facebook page and like it. Share it. If you have the means, even if it's five dollars, please donate to this organization so that we can save the remaining puppies. These little babies were born with a disease that will kill them if not treated immediately.
I'm not asking that you donate large sums of money—although I will love you FUREVER and ever if you do—but I am asking that you check out their work, consider making a donation, and keep these puppies in your thoughts an prayers. Gandhi said, "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." What better way to counteract all of the hatred and cruelty that plagues our world today? Let's move our moral progress to the next level.
You can visit the Australian Shepherds Furever website at http://www.australianshepherdsfurever.org, and make a donation directly through the site or through paypal. You can also visit their Facebook page and make a donation there. A little bit goes a long way. Thanks for reading, and I hope you can contribute in some way—be it through sharing, writing , fostering, adopting— or most importantly—donating to help save these incredible dogs from a life that no living creature should have to endure.
"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." –Immanual Kant


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I made this painting several years ago when I had just starting painting, it was part of a Life Book 2014 lesson taught by Tamara Laporte, I made my version into the goddess Ostara and she is carrying the springtime in her hair!! I love this painting so much, I might even turn it into a greetings card!! :)
Category Archives: Lifebook 2014
TBT** Ostara carrying the springtime in her hair :)
Filed under Art, Lifebook 2014, Nature
Life book 2014 final lessons
Hi all, I've finally finished all my Life Book 2014 lessons.. YAY!
Here is one of my favorites, it was a Serena Bridgeman lesson that I used as a prompt, it looks nothing like the original lesson as I want to start developing my own ideas using Life Book as a spring board :)
I will be starting Life Book 2015 very soon, after I've finished redesigning my website :)
Filed under Art, Art journaling, Lifebook 2014
New painting – Brave courageous
This was a life book lesson where we had to show the passage of time by painting a young face with white hair.
It was also a celebration of everything we have learnt during our year long course, which is now coming to a close.. However I have also signed up for Life Book 2015 YAY!!!!!
I thought that looking back on my first life book lesson in April 2014 would be a good way to show my progress throughout the year.
This was my first ever painted portrait made 9 months ago :) I really didn't know what I was doing and was too scared to add much paint. I remember not really understanding the shading at all and feeling utterly out of my depth, but I did love the painting and hung it on my wall in amazement of what I had just created. :)
Filed under Art, Art journaling, Lifebook 2014
Starting something new
New Life Book Painting – Whimsical Wizard
This is a recently completed Life book lesson from October, I added a funky whimsical wizard to this Halloween inspired painting..
Filed under Art, Lifebook 2014
Life book week 40: Goddess
Hi all, hope you had a fantastic xmas and got some lovely arty presents :)
I've been catching up with my Life Book lessons in preparation for starting Life book 2015 in January, YAY!!
This lesson was given by the lovely Kate Thompson who is known for her Fractured Angelics paintings. It involved using a variety of mediums that are not usually used together, and some of which are not normally used in paintings.
I made this lesson my own by adding paper cuts and ink drips..
Here are some of the previous stages
I added paper cuts made on my electronic cutter, here it is in action :)
Filed under Art, Lifebook 2014, paper cut
Lifebook Lesson Week 41
Hello, hope you are all looking forward to the weekend and have lots of arting planned :)
Here is my latest lifebook lesson artwork.
It is supposed to represent inner strength etc etc.
The moon was made using a gorgeous mother of pearl modelling paste, inktense and acrylic.
The background is water-soluble crayon and acrylic.
The house is a collage element I cut from some paper sprayed with Dylusions ink spray.
And the Whale and mouse are acrylic and coloured pencil.
Filed under Art, Lifebook 2014


text:
Fun Facts About Australia
Australia is the sixth largest country in the world and has the lowest population density per square kilometer. The continent is made up of six states: New South Wales (NSW), Queensland (QLD), South Australia (SA), Tasmania (TAS), Victoria (VIC), and Western Australia (WA); and two territories: the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and the Northern Territory (NT).
Australia has 16 world heritage listed properties with its historic townships, bustling cities, vivid landscapes and exotic flora and fauna all adding to its unique appeal.
Much of Australia's exotic flora and fauna cannot be found anywhere else in the world and the lifestyle is one second to none.
The culture and customs consists of a rich tapestry of nationalities including traditions, legends, myths and folklore. The indigenous 'Dream time' forms the base of tens of thousands of years of spiritual aboriginal art and culture.
Language In Australia over 200 different languages and dialects are spoken, including 45 indigenous languages. The most commonly spoken languages (other than English) are Italian, Greek, Cantonese, Arabic, Vietnamese and Mandarin.


text:
In one of our projects we needed to analyze email stored in outlook or office365 mailbox. We have written this utility in VBA that helped us do the job.
Download this macro enabled spreadsheet: InboxCalculatorV3
VBA script reads outlook mailbox. Read outlook mail (you can specify which folder to process) into excel for further pivotting.
The results are written into Excel cells. You can adjust what is read and how it is written into Excel.
VBA script reads outlook mailbox
Simple and generic sourcecode to connect to an outlook mailbox (local or office365) and read mail.
The sourcecode is free of use. Adjustments or improvements are always welcome. If you need support just leave a comment in this post.


text:
IT capabilities used to be a strategic differentiator. It provided companies with new and unique ways to process business transactions and information. These unique capabilities provided organizations with a competitive advantage that allowed them to leapfrog their peers.
So far the only way to gain the benefits from IT was to 'build' these capabilities in-house from scratch. To take full advantage of IT capabilities, organizations had to master the art of developing, operating, and maintaining information systems. Since each organization is different, unique solutions were built to meet those special needs. This, in turn, led to dedicated teams of specialists who developed and operated dedicated complex information systems.
As technology progressed, it became possible for organizations of all sizes to possess these same capabilities. Commercial, off the shelf solutions have become more powerful and available. Organizations were now able to buy solutions instead of building them. It was no longer necessary to hire specialists to build applications.
Today, IT is more like a utility that is no longer a strategic differentiator. The advent of powerful flexible yet affordable systems has made it possible for even the smallest organization to acquire the same capabilities that only large companies possessed only a few years ago. IT has moved from being a differentiator to being a necessary part of doing business.
The commoditization of IT has transformed the issues facing organizations. Instead of the challenge of acquiring new capabilities, organizations are now faced with the need to manage complex systems and keep up with change. Technology has introduced an era of 'hyper change': a time of rapid and increasing rate of change. Companies need to have the ability to change their infrastructure and resources rapidly in order to keep up with the changing business environment. In addition, the reliance on complex systems to run the business has created the need to ensure that IT systems and applications are available at all times.
If done properly, IT outsourcing can address both the above challenges. By choosing the right outsourcing partner, and negotiating the appropriate terms, an organization can get access to a flexible infrastructure and resources, and at the same time receive consistent and high levels of service.


text:
|Fifty Years' War
|Final Fantasy Tactics
|Ordalian victory
|Armies of the Northern Sky
Armies of the Southern Sky
Armies of the Eastern Sky
Corpse Brigade
|Armies of Ordalia
|Unknown, presumably heavy
|Unknown, presumably heavy
The Fifty Years' War is a conflict from Final Fantasy Tactics. It takes place prior to the plot of Tactics, and is fought between Ivalice and Ordallia, its neighboring kingdom to the east. At the end of the war, many peasant soldiers were denied their pay, leading to the formation of the Corpse Brigade.
Ivalice was ruled by King Denamda II, while its neighbouring kingdom Ordallia is ruled by King Devanne III. Ivalice is defended by the Order of the Northern Sky Knights, led by Ramza's father Barbaneth Beoulve, and the Order of the Southern Sky Knights led by Cidolfus Orlandeau. Another squad, the Order of the Eastern Sky also serve Ivalice under the leadership of Goffard Gaffgarion. Gustav Margriff also served within the Order of the Northern Sky.
Strife erupted at Zelmonia, a once independent province near to Ivalice's border and now under Ordallian rule. About a century ago, Ordallia invaded and assimilated Zelmonia as part of its territories. Ivalice had secretly provided means to weaken Ordallia; however, the Zelmonian nobles decided to petition for King Denamda's direct intervention. King Devanne III died without naming a successor. His cousin Varoi VI was named as successor, but King Denamda II proclaimed himself as rightful heir to the throne, being Devanne's uncle, and declared war against Ordallia.
King Denamda II led the Ivalice army towards the Ordallian capital of Viura. On their way, knights of the three Orders fought valiantly, winning battle after battle. However, just as they were reaching the Ordallian border, King Denamda II fell ill. He died soon after, never able to return to his kingdom.
The Ivalice army became lost and confused due to their leader's death. The confusion was used as an opportunity for Ordallia to strengthen their army and defend the Ordallian borders. The war was fought fiercely, reaching to the point of stalemate. A successor to Denamda II, Denamda IV, was quickly pulled to the throne to replace his father.
During the stalemate, Romanda's armies crossed the Rhana Strait in an invasion upon Ivalice. Romanda is a military nation ruled by King Varoi VI's blood relative. King Denamda IV and his Ivalice army held off the invasion through the aid of Fovoham's ruler Grand Duke Gerrith Barrington and his assassination squad Khamja.
After three years of continuous fighting, Romanda was forced to retreat. King Denamda IV was a fearless warrior who personally led his armies in battles against the combined forces of Romanda and Ordallia. The outbreak of Black Death within Romanda also led to their retreat.
With Romanda's retreat, Ivalice continued on with the war against Ordallia. However, Demanda IV died suddenly, believed to be assassinated. He was succeeded by King Ondoria Atkascha III, although the king was a weak-willed man and unfit to rule, and all his decisions are made by Queen Louveria.
Ordalia's ruler Varoi VI also died, and was replaced by Prince Lennard. Due to Ondoria's weakness, Ordallia forced Ivalice to cease fighting in the war.
The last battle fought between Ivalice and Ordallia took place in Zeltennia, and though the Knights of the Orders fought bravely, Ordallia manages to invade Zeltennia. Finally, Ivalice and Ordallia agreed to a treaty, in which mutual peace was acknowledged between them, though whispers persist that in reality, Ivalice had surrendered.
After the Fifty Years' War ended, Ivalice suffered a great loss as the people began to harbour ill-feelings and dissatisfaction to the nobles and the royal family who placed them into the meaningless war. Farmers frequently staged riots and revolt, and many had turned banners to join the Corpse Brigade.
Ivalice's economy suffered as payments could not be made to the knights who had fought in the war due to the large amount of spending on weapons and defences. Due to this, many were discharged from the army, and with less food and little money, there were high unemployment rates and higher disloyalty to the ruling factions.
King Ondoria's two sons died, and the king adopts his own younger sister Princess Ovelia as his daughter. Soon after, Queen Louveria gives birth to Prince Orinus, which caused a conflict over who to become King Ondoria's successor. This will be the starting point for the War of the Lions.
Rumors were spread of King Ondoria's failing health. Since his collapse during Prince Orinus' birthday celebration, it was obvious he was on the brink of death. His advisers, the Board of Chamberlains delivered news that he was getting better, but the people knew better. Soon rumors surfaced that Queen Louveria and other nobles had argued over his successor.
Goffard Gaffgarion was dismissed from the Eastern Sky, and Gustav from the Northern Sky, both on true charges of misconduct during the War. Gaffgarion then turned to the life of a mercenary, claiming allegiance to the highest bidder.
|v · e · d
|The War of the Lions
|Playable characters
|Ramza Beoulve - Mustadio Bunansa - Lady Agrias Oaks - Rapha Galthena - Marach Galthena - Cidolfus Orlandeau - Meliadoul Tengille - Ladd - Alicia - Lavian - Boco - Luso
|Guest characters
|Alma Beoulve - Orran Durai - Ser Goffard Gaffgarion - Delita Heiral - Argath Thadalfus - Princess Ovelia Atkascha
|Secret playable characters
|Beowulf Cadmus - Reis Duelar - Construct 8 - Cloud Strife - Byblos - Balthier
|Knights Templar
|Folmarv Tengille - Loffrey Wodring - Isilud Tengille - Cletienne Duroi - Barich Fendsor - Aliste Rosenheim - Wiegraf Folles
|Ultima - Hashmal - Adrammelech - Belias - Cúchulainn - Zalera - Elidibus - Celia - Lettie - Archaeodaemon - Ultima Demon
|Other characters
|Queen Louveria Atkascha - King Ondoria Atkascha III - Prince Orinus Atkascha - Duke Bestrald Larg - Duke Druksmald Goltanna - Chancellor Glevanne - Marquis Messam Elmdore - Barbaneth Beoulve - Dycedarg Beoulve - Zalbaag Beoulve -Tietra Heiral - Ludovich Baert - Grand Duke Gerrith Barrington - Besrudio Bunansa - Saint Ajora Glabados - High Confessor Marcel Funebris - Cardinal Alphonse Delacroix - Valmafra Lenande - Confessor Zalmour Lucianada - Simon Penn-Lachish - Germonique - Milleuda Folles - Gragoroth Levigne - Gustav Margriff - Lezales - Arazlam Durai - Master Darlavon - Aerith - Celebrant Bremondt Freitberg
|Eagrose Castle - Magick City of Gariland - Merchant City of Dorter - Ziekden Fortress - Brigands' Den - Mandalia Plains - Siedge Weald - Lenalian Plateau
|Lionel Castle - Castled City of Zaland - Port City of Warjilis - Clockwork City of Goug - Golgollada Gallows - Tchigolith Fenlands - Balias Swale - Balias Tor
|Limberry Castle - Dorvauldar Marsh - Lake Poescas - Beddha Sandwaste
|Zeltennia Castle - Trade City of Sal Ghidos - Finnath Creek - Mount Germinas
|Riovanes Castle - Walled City of Yardrow - Yuguewood - Fovoham Windflats
|Royal City of Lesalia - Mining Town of Gollund - Free City of Bervenia - Orbonne Monastery - Fort Besselat - Zeklaus Desert - Mount Bervenia - Araguay Woods - Grogh Heights - Zeirchele Falls - Dugeura Pass
|Mullonde Cathedral - Necrohol of Mullonde - Lost Halidom - Airship Graveyard
|Nelveska Temple - Midlight's Deep - The Kingdom of Ordallia
|Baert Trading Company - Battle of Fort Besselat - Battle of Ziekden Fortress - Church of Glabados - Corpse Brigade - Durai Papers - Fifty Years' War - Holy Ydoran Empire - House Beoulve - House Tengille - Khamja - Knights Templar - Knockback - Mossfungus - Order of the Eastern Sky - Order of the Northern Sky - Order of the Southern Sky - Pharism - Poachers' Den - Scriptures of Germonique - Tavern - War of the Lions - Warriors' Guild - Zodiac Braves - Zodiac Stones
|Aries - Taurus - Gemini - Cancer - Leo - Virgo - Libra - Scorpio - Sagittarius - Capricorn - Aquarius - Pisces - Ophiuchus
|Original Soundtrack
|Accessories - Armor - Artefact - Characters - Enemies - Enemy Abilities - Errands - Items - Jobs - Locations - Soundtrack - Wallpapers - Weapons - Wonder - Random Names - Rumors - Rendezvous Missions - Zodiac Brave Story Sound Novels
|v · e · d
Battles in Final Fantasy
|Final Fantasy II
|Siege of Fynn - Liberation of Fynn
|Final Fantasy III
|Saronia Civil War
|Final Fantasy IV
|Siege of Fabul - Battle of the Giant of Babil
|Final Fantasy V
|Battle on Xezat's Fleet
|Final Fantasy VI
|War of the Magi - Siege of Doma - Battle for the Frozen Esper - Battle over the Floating Continent
|Final Fantasy VII
|Wutai War - Siege of Fort Condor - Battle of Midgar - Jenova War
|Final Fantasy VIII
|Sorceress War - Siege of Dollet - Battle of the Gardens - Siege of Esthar
|Final Fantasy IX
|Siege of Burmecia - Siege of Cleyra - Siege of Lindblum - Battle of the Iifa Tree
|Final Fantasy X
|Machina War - Operation Mi'ihen - Siege of Home
|Final Fantasy XII
|Battle of Nabudis - Battle of Nalbina Fortress - Battle above Rabanastre
|Final Fantasy Tactics
|Fifty Years' War - Battle of Ziekden Fortress - Battle of Lesalia Plain - The Horror of Riovanes - Battle of Fort Besselat - War of the Lions


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I have a xen machine (
DomU) hosting a few VMs.
One of the VMs is called
router (10.0.0.1) and is the only one of the machines supposed to be reachable from the outside.
There are other VMs which are going to recieve traffic, but it has to be filtered.
Let's call one of these machines
web (10.0.0.2), as it serves a webpage.
Packets coming to
web follow this routing path:
xen DomU ->
router ->
DomU's configuration:
-A PREROUTING -d <external_ip> -p tcp -m tcp --dport 80 -j DNAT --to-destination 10.0.0.1:80
-A POSTROUTING -o xenbr0 -j MASQUERADE
router's configuration:
-A PREROUTING -d 10.0.0.1 -p tcp -m tcp --dport 80 -j DNAT --to-destination 10.0.0.2:80
-A POSTROUTING -o eth0 -j MASQUERADE
Everything works as expected.
Port 80 from the external IP is routed via
router all the way to
There is a problem tho:
web sees
10.0.0.1 as the source for the connection, rather than the real client IP.
I guess this is caused by the fact that there are two DNATing iptables.
But why?


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Susan explains how she helps her patients feel at ease
Charlotte talks about her experience at Orchard Dental
Gum Disease
Gum disease is extremely common and affects three out of every four adults over the age of 35 in the UK. The main symptom is sore, bleeding gums during tooth brushing.
Gum disease, not tooth decay, is the biggest cause of tooth loss, and only 60% of women in the UK aged 45 have all their own teeth.
Obviously, eating and smiling with missing teeth is much harder and it is our commitment to help you avoid this outcome wherever possible. Gum disease is a progressive disease that's often linked to poor oral hygiene. It is important to be aware of it because it can creep up on you steadily until the point of no return.
Gum disease is caused when bacteria in the mouth breaks down the tissues that surround the tooth, leaving the root exposed and at risk of decay. Bacteria usually thrive when there is an excessive build up of plaque on the teeth due to poor oral care, but can also be exacerbated by an over active immune system.
Even if you keep your teeth really clean and floss regularly, you will still get a build up of plaque and bacteria, which is why it is important to have a regular professional clean. Signs to look out for are bleeding gums and bad breath. Smokers are at particular risk.
There are also further health implications to consider with the progression of gum disease. Ongoing inflammation in gums and jaws can allow the infection in your mouth to enter the bloodstream and travel to vital organs such as the heart, putting them under stress.
New studies show that fat deposits in stroke sufferers' bodies often contain bacteria from the mouth. Gum disease has also been implicated in premature births and identified as an additional risk factor for diabetics.
Gum disease is usually treatable but at the very least it's controllable. This is why we insist on the importance of maintaining a healthy cleaning regime at home and on regular check ups with us, where we can examine your mouth, monitor any changes and clean your teeth professionally. Children should also be routinely checked for gum disease.


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Three artists: Demi Lovato, Shawn Mendes & John Newman. Three tracks: "Body Say," "Ruin" & "Olé." Three track reviews…linked below. See who tickled my fancy the most.
On Demi Lovato's latest single "Body Say," it's clear that sex is the M.O. It's not merely innuendo, but brutal honesty from the gifted pop singer. 16 more words
via Track Review: Demi Lovato, 'Body Say' — The Musical Hype
Shawn Mendes shines on latest single "Ruin." It's a soulful, memorable, and well-written. The single that shows Mendes maturing and "stepping up his game." The post… 13 more words
via Track Review: Shawn Mendes, 'Ruin' — The Musical Hype
John Newman has some nice ideas happening during "Olé." That said, the single isn't nearly as electrifying as "Love Me Again" or "Losing Sleep."


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Attorney Profile
Joseph D. Klenofsky, Attorney at Law
Joe Klenofsky attended the University of Missouri-Columbia where he earned his Bachelor's Degree. Following graduation, Joe attended Western Michigan University's Thomas M. Cooley Law School earning his law degree.
Joe founded The Klenofsky Law Firm in St. Louis, Missouri. Joe concentrates his practice in the areas of Personal Injury, including, Automobile Accidents, Workers' Compensation, Wrongful Death, Brain Injuries, Spinal Cord Injuries and Paralysis, Motorcycle Accidents, Trucking Accidents, Medical Malpractice, and Nursing Home Negligence.
Joe has tried numerous personal injury and workers' compensation trials throughout the State of Missouri. He has also handled cases in the US District Court- Eastern District, Missouri Court of Appeals- Eastern District, and has had articles published in Missouri Lawyer's Weekly, detailing favorable outcomes he has achieved on behalf of his clients.
Joe is a member of the United States Supreme Court Bar. Joe is also a member of the Missouri Bar and Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys, an organization wherein its members are dedicated to protecting injured people's rights and hold themselves to the highest standards as "Trial Lawyers." Joe also serves on the Missouri Trial Lawyers Care Committee, participating in community service events and contributes his time and efforts to the MLR OPEN which raises money for young women with breast cancer.
- J.D. Thomas M. Cooley Law School- Michigan
- B.S. University of Missouri-Columbia
Bar Admissions:
- U.S. Supreme Court Bar
- The Missouri Bar
Professional Associations and Memberships:
- Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys
- Association of Plaintiff Interstate Trucking Lawyers of America
- The Klenofsky Law Firm, LLC
- Meyerkord & Meyerkord, LLC- St. Louis, Missouri- Of Counsel
- Meyerkord Law Firm, LC- St. Louis, Missouri
- Washtenaw Co. Office of Public Defender- Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Numerous Trials, Mediations & Settlements


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A.A.S Borough of Manhattan Community College With Honors
MBA GPA 4.0 Ellis College of New York Institute of Technology
I have been everything from a United States Marine to a Concert promoter. I spent the past ten years as a web programmer for a large Fortune 500 company. My most important role has of course been wifey, Mommy and Grandma, so you'll hear me talk about that too.
I have spent almost 20 years of my life with my best friend/husband bass-player extraordinaire The Woodchuck (check him out on India Arie's "There's Hope" or here) and we are finally able to spend time together in the same house and the same city and the same country – wasn't always like that.
I am blessed with three boys (and now that a guy named Barack Obama is POTUS, I don't feel so bad about their names) :
Rahsheen - social median (en?) , singer, speed rapper, check him out on "Gone" a song I love . Father to my three beautiful grandchildren, the guy who helped me get my degree in CIS when he was just 16. I didn't raise him, we raised each other.
Khalil – name inspired by Kahlil Gibran artist and author. He is a choreographer and dancer (TLCs Girl Talk, some Monica video, tons of live stuff) and can be credited with keeping me young and the house fairly clean. And yes he is spoiled – but deservedly so.
Jalen is my baby (no more) who aspires to be both a musician and a game designer. He took two years of German and now thinks his name is Uwe (oo-vay) whatever that means.
I started this blog because when you work from home there is no one to talk to and this is a sneaky way to talk to people who are not related to me. More importantly the last few years of my life have been a spiritual, emotional, financial journey and I want to share what I have learned.


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Welcome to our hostel
With the banks of Europe's longest manmade beach right on your doorstep of this hostel, it makes Vienna the perfect location for mixing sporting activities with the sight-seeing opportunities of a city break. The Danube Island is within easy reach and is a little piece of paradise suitable for all types of groups. Here friends and families can take advantage of the beach, the free waterpark or the climbing frame. Trails surrounding the island are perfect for cycling, skating or jogging. And if you prefer a spot of retail therapy then the Millennium City – a huge shopping and entertainment centre – is also within a short stroll of the hostel. Combine this with the historic delights that Vienna has to offer anyway and you are guaranteed a groups trip which can tick all boxes.
A variety of rooms are available at the Brigittenau Hostel which are suitable for all types of groups, some with private bathrooms and some with shared facilities. There is also a big common room which would be suitable for giving a morning briefing before you start your day's activities. The hostel also has a large garden which is great for relaxing in after a hard day on the beach or seeing the sights.
Breakfast is included within the price of this hostel and there is also the option for groups to have a fully catered service – at reasonable rates - should they book in advance.
Why not find out today is the Brigittenau Hostel could welcome your group?


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כיצד הקהילה היהודית רואה את השליחים? לינטון טראביס, חבר הקהילה ביוהנסבורג שיתף אותנו בנושא.
Jewish communities all over the world have an inherent connection to Israel, not just from the roots of our Judaism, but also from our Zionist beliefs. This connection is maintained through visits to the Holy Land by a number of individuals, but what really gets Israel into our hearts and homes, our conscience and activities is the ability to get a bit of Israel in South Africa.
That 'bit' of Israel is often represented by the Shlichim who come voluntarily to share their knowledge, experience, faith and beliefs. Through communal integration, our Shlichim become part of our communities, part of our families, and continue to do so, even when they return to their homes.
Our youth grow up in a world that changes on a daily basis, but the one constant is the role of Netzer in our community. The Youth Organisation is integral to our community, to strengthen the bonds of our children, to educate them on the Progressive values and ideals, to create a kinship with Israel and to practice Tikkun Olam. This is probably the most important role that the Shaliach plays – they are educators, leaders and representatives of both Israel and our movement.
I believe that the Shaliach is a special kind of person – you have to be in order to leave the familiar place you call home, and adopt a new home – and the experience of volunteering undoubtedly brings about personal growth, enables the Shaliach to experience a different country, its culture and lifestyle.
The first hand intimate knowledge a Shaliach has of Israel is invaluable to us in the Diaspora – the information we receive is sometimes biased, often does not deal with the real issues, and leaves one questioning what the truth is. The Shaliach makes it real, they talk to us in layman's terms, and they interpret the nuances, the subtleties and the realities.
Netzer South Africa has experienced tremendous growth over the past years, and this is attributable to the work that our local leaders and our Shlichim have undertaken. They have made it a point to be visible, to be active, to participate, to debate, to represent our interests, to be the voice of reason, to fight for the right causes, but more importantly, they have made it their mission to engage with our youth, and to give them a place to grow, and achieve their highest goals.
Without a doubt, we have had some incredible people who seized the opportunity to volunteer, they came out to South Africa, and they have made a difference.
The South African Union for Progressive Judaism (SAUPJ) marks its 80th anniversary in June 2012, and the theme is Infinite Progress. Our Shlichim have been part of that progress, and have contributed to the success of our movement, and the growth of our children.
לינטון טראביס הוא ה"סופרוויזר", האחראי בקהילה על השליח הן מבחינה מקצועית והן מבחינה אישית. לינטון הוא חבר הקהילה הרפורמית ביוהנסבורג ובתוקף תפקידו אחראי על נתנאל גוזלן, שליח נצ"ר למקום.
- תגובות
כל הכבוד , מאוד מרגש . איך ניתן להתקבל לתוכנית
תשובות לשאלות ניתן למצוא בעמוד הבא - http://shlichut.org.il/%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%A6%D7%94-%D7%9C%D7%94%D7%99%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%A9%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%97%D7%94/ או בטלפון 02-6216455
loans fair credit payday loans bad credit personal loans in san antonio


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Available in Broome and Darwin – 4WD Camper Hire and Offroad Trailers/Trucks/Campers
Are you dreaming of heading north to warmer weather? In Western Australia, holiday-makers often travel north to Broome and Darwin seeking warmth, sun and sand. If you're looking to hire a campervan, 4WD or 4WD camper from April-September, we'll be pleased to help.
- Pickup Your 4WD or Camper in Perth, Broome or Darwin
- Drop-Off Your 4WD or Camper in Perth, Broome or Darwin
Where Would You Like to Go?
It's easy to start in Perth and travel north, finishing your trip in the warm weather. Of course, you can also start in Broome or Darwin and travel South, returning to Perth airport. We also offer long term hire, so you can feel at ease taking a round trip of Western Australia.
Long Term 4WD Hire Deals
If you do decide to hire for more than a few days, ask for our best deal. We provide custom quotes, tailor made for your needs. That means you'll get a fantastic deal, especially if you're planning a longer holiday.
We have 4WD vehicles – including trucks, campers and offroad trailers – available in Perth, Broome and Darwin.
Give us a call today or use the easy quote form on this website. We'll be glad to assist you in planning a fantastic Western Australian holiday.


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Product Recalls
When a product that is made available to the public is discovered to pose health or safety risks to consumers, then product recalls can be ordered. These actions will result in companies removing an unsafe product from the market. Recalls can be ordered by federal regulatory agencies or by the makers of the unsafe product. These actions are often an effort to reduce the legal penalties associated with compensating injured victims for corporate negligence. Unfortunately, many consumers are injured before unsafe products have been removed from the market. When this happens, victims can file personal injury claims in an attempt to hold companies responsible.
Corporate Negligence and Product Liability
Product liability law can hold corporations and manufacturers responsible for the negligence they exhibited in making an unsafe product available to consumers. Depending on the product that caused injuries, recalls may be ordered by different federal agencies or the maker of the product.
Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
The CPSC regulates the sale and manufacture of more than 15,000 different consumer products. From children's toys to vehicles, this government agency has the ability to order recalls of products that are deemed dangerous for public use. If you have been injured by a product because of a design defect or manufacturing flaw, then you have the right to seek compensation.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
The FDA oversees consumer safety concerning products such as food, pharmaceutical drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics. It has the power to remove products from the market, including the authority to order drug recalls.
Regardless of the product you used, any recall shows that there was enough evidence to support claims that a product has the potential to cause injuries or illnesses. Whether you or a loved one has been injured by a children's toy, a defective auto part, furniture, appliances, or any other type of consumer product, Stern Law Group can assist you in filing a claim and fight aggressively to protect your right to fair compensation.
Discuss Your Case with a Houston Product Recall Lawyer Today
Companies must be held liable for cutting corners and pushing dangerous and unsafe products onto the public market. If you are unsure whether a product you have used has been recalled, you can visit the federal recall website or bring your case to the attention of our legal team. We also encourage injured victims to seek legal representation as soon as possible because product recall and liability cases can be very difficult and labor intensive. These cases also raise a number of legal issues that require experienced attention in order to achieve successful results. If you would like to discuss your case with a proven legal team that has extensive experience with product recall claims, contact Stern Law Group today.


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Ottawa condos are some of the most desired properties in the eastern region of Canada. They are often located primarily in the city's downtown core, surrounded by the culture of the capital of the nation, a thriving business community that also acts as Canada's showcase for tourists from around the world. Ottawa condos are just steps away from the annual festivals, nightlife, and cultural events the city has to offer, as well as national landmarks like the National War Memorial, Rideau Canal and Parliament Hill. While condos are at the heart of this, they also offer quick and convenient access to the beautiful green spaces, parks and natural sights that make help make Ottawa into a unique and picturesque city.
As more and more condominiums are being built in Ottawa, not only downtown but in the surrounding neighbourhoods as well, more and more buyers are beginning to consider condos when they begin their search for a new home. Even just a decade ago it seemed that condos were only for urban dwellers and that they were too expensive for what they offered. However, that attitude is certainly changing in Ottawa.
The increase in demand for condos has many buyers – both experienced and first-time buyers – looking at condos in a new light. Many buyers are now asking themselves what the benefits of condo living are, and how those benefits might suit their lifestyle. Luckily for Ottawa buyers, the city offers a wide selection of different types of condos to match anyone's needs. Once you are open to the possibility of condo ownership, it's time to make some decisions about where you'd like to buy.
When deciding whether or not condo ownership is right for you, some of the most important aspects to consider are your lifestyle and where you see yourself living. You may be a young professional searching for a high-rise condo downtown, or a retiree browsing Ottawa condos in search of the ideal retirement destination for when you're ready to downsize. Or you may be looking to own a townhome that offers a true sense of community while you raise your young family.
One of the perks of living in a growing city such as Ottawa is that finding your next home does not need to become an overwhelming chore. Ottawa offers a wide variety of condominiums, lofts and townhomes, and they are located all throughout the city, either downtown or in regions surrounding the downtown core. This fine selection can range from small efficiency lofts and apartments to sprawling, luxurious penthouse suites overlooking the city.
Your first step towards the search for your next condo is deciding where you want to live and recognizing your lifestyle. Once you have done that, Patricia Chiarelli can step in to help with the extensive knowledge, skills and expertise needed to ensure your success. With all the options the city has to offer, it is imperative to have the assistance of a real estate professional who knows the local market. Please do not hesitate to call or e-mail!


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Saturday, June 13, 2009
How Long?
I know weight loss slows down after the initial big losses you have at the beginning, but I don't think it should be slowing down this much. My average weight loss per week since starting back in October 2008 is .6 lb. I know I can increase this if I just try harder! The important thing for me is to not look at this as a diet or I will definitely fall off of the wagon. I cannot forbid myself foods or I will come to breaking point and eat too much of the forbidden food (i.e. Chocolate).
The cool thing is, I used to have this addiction to chocolate and if there was chocolate in the house, I would eat 10 pieces before I knew it. Now, I can have a bag of Dove Chocolate in the house and it will be there for a month. Amazing. There are little changes taking place that hopefully will make a big difference in the long run. Last week, my husband and I went through 4 lbs of strawberries, 7 peaches, 1 pineapple one bunch of bananas, and many veggies on top of that. Pretty good considering the fact that I had a hard time incorporating fruits and veggies into my diet at the beginning of this journey.
I want to lose faster and I know if I try harder, I will lose it faster! I need to work out more and eat less sweets. But more importantly, I made a promise to myself (to all of you and to my family) at the beginning of this journey that this time was THE TIME. I am going to lose the weight and keep it off. Does it really matter how long it takes me to get there? Probably not. Do I want to see results RIGHT NOW? Yes, I do. But what's most important is that I keep on walking (running, biking) on this journey, not only to thin, but most importantly, to HEALTH.
3 comments :
amen sister! I've been struggling this week, too much beer and wine but I'm back this morning. The thing that you said that I agree with most is that you are making better choices...do you still make the occasional bad one..yes...but you think before you eat.ReplyDelete
Struggles are a pain in the rear end.ReplyDelete
They happen to the best of us!
Keep trucking and remember you made it this far don't turn around.
Sometimes when we get into a typical routine we tend to get off track. Keep things new and interesting and you will be rocking the scale!
I am always feeling "behind" my goal. Always. When I put a time line on it, or some kind of cut off- or whatever. I don't follow it and get really down on myself. When I started with the bodybugg thing in April I started losing three pounds a week for six weeks! On my calendar I wrote out a three pound loss for the rest of the year; I was so excited that I left no room for error, plateaus, or anything human! I think that is why I fell hard and fast into a slump. I know that the more rigid I am with time, the more I find myself feeling bad.ReplyDelete
I hope you set moderate goals for yourself, but still keep in mind that you are a human being!


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Friday, May 19, 2017
100 Missing News items
Our list of ABC's missing climate news is now over 100 items long (this despite our extended WEB). To find out what you may have missed check out our Missing News page on the right. Or simply Click the link: MISSING NEWS.
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Happy Mother's Day to Me!!!
Be Authentically You Like Rudolph!
You know Dasher and Dancer
And Prancer and Vixen,
Comet and Cupid
And Donner and Blitzen.
But do you recall
The most famous reindeer of all?
Even Rudolph flew to a beat of a different drummer didn't he. He was authentic and himself even when he wasn't popular! My Christmas wish for you is that you will always stay authentic to who you are and you"ll go down in history for being the best you ever!
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
Had a very shiny nose
And if you ever saw it
You would even say it glows
All of the other reindeer
Used to laugh and call him names
They never let poor Rudolph
Join in any reindeer games
Then one foggy Christmas Eve
Santa came to say
Rudolph with your nose so bright
Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?
Then all the reindeer loved him
And they shouted out with glee
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
You'll go down in history!
Mosaic Mermaid in Creating Vintage Charm Holiday Edition
I am honored to once again be a part of Creating Vintage Charm Magazine. OMGosh Sonia Cardona Crouse has worked her magic and has truly out done her self with the holiday issue. It is absolutely the biggest and best issue ever. I am so honored to be a contributor of this magnificent publication this Holiday season! I can't stop looking at it <3 It is absolutely lovely. Now this is how you do it. This is the sneak preview bracelet that the article teaches you to make.


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NCIL needs your help. We are calling on you, our greatest weapon, in the fight to advance the Independent Living Movement. What is at stake today is the legislation that establishes Centers for Independent Living and Statewide Independent Living Councils. To move beyond the status quo for IL, we must reauthorize the Rehabilitation Act now.
NCIL made historic gains last year pushing the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), which contains the Rehab Act, through Congress. In order to better serve CILs and SILCs, NCIL has identified several priorities we would like to see included in reauthorization. Of those priorities, creation of an Independent Living Administration (ILA) remains our chief concern.
America needs an ILA and through your efforts, the ILA was written into legislation in both the House and Senate! However, because a new Congress began this year, we must push hard to get this legislation moving again. NCIL's focus is on the House of Representatives.
The good news is that Congressman Tierney (D-MA) has just reintroduced a bill to reauthorize WIA and the Rehab Act (H.R. 798), with included language establishing the ILA! The bad news is that another bill has been introduced by Congresswoman Foxx (R-NC) called the "SKILLS Act" (H.R. 803), without included language establishing an ILA.
Not only does the SKILLS Act leave out the creation of an ILA, it doesn't do a single thing to update or improve anything regarding CILs and SILCs. This legislation is extremely important, and the creators of the SKILLS Act have thus far ignored CILs, SILCs, and the concept of Independent Living altogether.
Take Action
Call the House Education & the Workforce Committee: (202) 225-4527
We need NCIL members to call the House Committee on Education & the Workforce and tell them that the SKILLS Act must include language updating CILs and SILCs, and that it must establish an Independent Living Administration.
NCIL members should make no mistake: H.R. 803 does absolutely nothing for us. No effort was put into updating Independent Living provisions, and we want our members to let the Committee know how unacceptable this is to our community and Americans with disabilities.
There is a markup hearing on the SKILLS Act that will likely be held Wednesday, March, 6, 2013. We need you to call the Committee before then and make your voice heard for the sake of the Movement. We ask a lot of our members, but know this is a big deal. You are the advocates that built this organization and this Movement, and in 2013 we stand together at the edge of IL history and more than ever need you to fight with us to make our demands clear. The SKILLS Act must update Independent Living provisions including the establishment of an ILA.


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You would think this would go without saying – and you might be shocked to learn how often people mess this up – but proofreading your event marketing materials is just so darned important. If you are a professional, then hopefully either you are an excellent proofreader or you can pay someone to do it for you. If you are an amateur, getting things right is still so important, and you need to recognize it if you need help, and then get it.
Here are some of the reasons it is so important to proofread and make sure everything in your marketing materials is right.
- When people see mistakes, it reflects poorly on you and on your event, decreasing the chance that people will want to come.
- If you get little things wrong, someone could show up at the wrong time, day, or location.
- Send something to the printer with an error, and you might have to pay for costly reprints.
- Make a mistake in the cost of an event – yes, I have seen this – and you can make less money, or have disgruntled guests, feeling that they were charged more than others.
There are other reasons, too, and the bottom line is that uncaught informational errors are nothing but headaches waiting to happen.
- Be sure you are paying attention to your spell-check. These days, most computers provide automatic spell-check, but we do not always pay attention to those squiggly red lines. Pay attention and catch the obvious spelling errors. Keep in mind, though, that spell-check does not catch anywhere near all mistakes; this is just your first step.
- Ask someone else to read your materials. A second – or third, or fourth – set of eyes can catch mistakes that yours may be missing.
- Leave some time between the writing and the proofreading. Looking at things with fresh eyes can make a huge difference.
- Proof separately for spelling, grammar, layout and dates. Focus on one thing at a time.
- Once you have checked times, dates, street numbers, and other essential numerical information, check again. You really can't do this too much. Get someone else to take a look.
- Read your materials from the end to the beginning, one word at a time. Believe it or not, this forces you to focus on each word and you will catch a lot.
- If you are working online, print what you are writing so you can read it on paper. This tends to make us skim a little less.
- After you have proofread the hole thing, go though it again, just looking at the headings. People often pay less attention to these and miss even the most obvious mistakes.
- Definitely have someone else check the names, especially since they mostly can't be spell-checked.
- Give extra attention to words in smaller type or italics.
Many who read this are going to disregard it, thinking it is obvious and could never relate to a problem they might have. But let me tell you that I see people all the time who seem to totally skip good proofreading, and are sorry they did. Don't be one of those people.


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Local communities
97% of our employees are hired locally in the 80 countries where we operate. By establishing long-term partnerships, Sodexo seeks to play an active role in local community development.
Local community development
We will support local community development in all the countries where we operate by 2015.
CANADA – Sodexo is working with aboriginal communities to develop fair, harmonious relationships. These relationships have developed into 30 creative partnerships with investments in training and development programs.
On Remote Site projects, Sodexo's workforce comprises 63% aboriginal community members on average, with some sites employing as many as 95%. For the fourth time in July 2010, Sodexo received a gold medal for Progressive Aboriginal Relations (PAR) from the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business.
SOUTH AFRICA - Over the past few years we have improved the Quality of Daily Life in the underprivileged local communities through various actions such as donating groceries to an after school care centre, preparing and serving meals at a shelter for the homeless in downtown Johannesburg and distributing over a 100 grocery hampers to pensioners in the rural village of Embo in KZN.
In 2013 Sodexo were Corporate Sponsors for the World Chefs' Tour Against Hunger "Climb Kilimanjaro" initiative. Apart from sponsoring the gear for the team of 6 of South Africa's most awarded and recognised chefs, 20 cents of each meal sold in our accounts were donated to WCTAH fund over a period of two months.
We will promote and contribute to the economic and social development of the local communities in all the countries we operate by 2020.
Since 2010, Sodexo offered learnership opportunities for unemployed youth in South Africa. Over the past three years, more than 30 unemployed youth obtained a National Certificate in Professional Cookery which is recognized and accredited on the National Qualification Framework. Almost all of these learners were offered permanent positions within Sodexo and are now contributing to the social and economic welfare of the local community.
PERU - Sodexo strives to procure products and services in the localities where it operates. The Sodexo Association for Sustainable Development identifies local companies and producers and helps them progress through training and technical assistance in hygiene, health and management. Once their products meet Sodexo standards, they are certified to sell their products to all Sodexo sites and in other markets. In 2009, $ 1.4 million in supplies was sourced from local communities.
United Kingdom - In december 2011, Sodexo starter to provide schools across the country with grow-your-own kitchen gardens. With 50 schools garden today, the project will expand to benefit more than 200 schools within the next months.
Learn more on "School kitchen gardens project"


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The "View with Optimizer" is a toggle which you can flip on or off to see how much of each field we can append and enrich. It can be used to understand how Company Optimizer can add value to your customer data-set.
The light blue is the original data that was provided before any matching or enriching. Dark blue is where your company data has something different from what Dun & Bradstreet has (eg. company address). This will give you an opportunity to fine tune your data as some company information may need to be updated. Lastly, green is where we are able to provide data in a field you had a blank or no information provided.