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When creating a birthday party for two sisters turning 5 and 8, Los Angeles-based event planner Sonia Sharma looked to the toy box for inspiration. Because the event included adults, too, "We wanted to keep the party elegant while still catering to the children," Sharma says. "And since the children were young, we wanted to connect something from their playtime to the party theme." With that in mind, Sharma and her team, which included L.A. floral designer The Empty Vase, found their muse in the beloved board game "Candy Land."
However, re-creating Queen Frostine and Gramma Nut was definitely not on the design agenda. "We were inspired by the game, but did not try to re-create specific items from it," Sharma explains. Instead, in keeping with her client's request to combine fanciful with fancy, Sharma looked to the game's candy-coated color palette, specifically fuchsia, red and orange — along with the ubiquitous lollipop — as her guiding design elements.
Gerbera daisies, a whimsical flower if there ever was one, were the primary blooms used for the decor, which included two giant, free-standing foam board lollipops covered with jewel-embellished daisies. Jeweled daisies also appeared in tall buffet arrangements at the food stations, which featured daisies plus hydrangeas in clear, cylindrical vases. More daisies appeared to float inside the vases, a trick accomplished by stringing the flowers with wire and securing them to the bottom of the vases with weights.
Two long dining tables — one for the kids and one for the adults — were set up under custom-made white-draped cabanas and featured simple white boxes brimming with bright red and fuchsia daisies. Dining tables were covered with white linens accented with custom-made red and fuchsia silk dupioni napkins created by Resource One, which also made matching silk dupioni pillowcases for the lounge area.
Elegant crystal chandeliers were given playful panache with more jeweled daisies dangling from fuchsia ribbons. Guests sat in white chiavari chairs, while the birthday girls' seats were designated by clear chiavaris adorned with their initials in red and fuchsia daisies.
A Tuscan-themed menu created by Il Pastaio of Beverly Hills, Calif., pleased multi-generational palates with tray-passed mini pizzas, bruschetta and polenta-stuffed mushrooms to start, followed by a buffet featuring assorted fresh pasta dishes and vegetables, as well as kid-friendly pollo alla Milanese (breaded chicken). And for dessert? A sweet table adorned with chocolate cake, fruit tarts and, of course, lollipops.
Sonia Sharma Events 310/802-9216; www.soniaevents.com


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Call For Papers
IEEE Network Magazine
Special Issue on Communication Infrastructures for Smart Grid
Important Dates:
Manuscript Submission: February 1, 2011
Notification of Acceptance: May 1, 2011
Final Manuscript Due: July 1, 2011
Publication: September 2011
The papers in this special issue will focus on research and experiments in various aspects of smart grid communication infrastructures. We solicit papers covering various topics of interest that include, but not limited to the following:
• Demand Response
• Network Resource Optimization
• Congestion Management for Smart Grid Communications
• Self-healing and Self-optimizing Networking
• Networking for Smart Grid (e.g. ROLL, 6LoWPAN, IP)
• Cyber Security and Privacy
• Field Trials
• Regulatory Issues
• Standardization and Interoperability
Manuscript Submission
Articles should be of tutorial in nature and authors must follow the IEEE Network guidelines for preparation of the manuscript and its format. For details, please refer to the "Guidelines for manuscripts" at the IEEE Network magazine web site at http://dl.comsoc.org/ni/. Manuscripts should be submitted in PDF format with a separate cover letter, which contains the paper title, authors, affiliations, complete contact information (indicating the primary contact author), a 250-word abstract, and 3-5 keywords, via an e-mail to all of the guest editors. Papers outside of the scope of this special issue will be rejected; authors uncertain about the relevance of their paper should inquire with the guest editors before submission.
Guest Editors
Woon Hau Chin
Toshiba Research Europe Limited
Rose Qingyang Hu
Research In Motion
Nada Golmie
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Yi Qian
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Sunday, November 28, 2010
CFP - IEEE Network Magazine - Special Issue on Communication Infrastructures for Smart Grid
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BWW Reviews: ME AND MY GIRL - Madcap Midsummer Mirth
Me and My Girl Book and Lyrics by L. Arthur Rose and Douglas Furber, Music by Noel Gay, Book Revisions by Stephen Fry, Contributions to the Revisions by Mike Ockrent; Original Production Directed by Mike Ockrent and Choreographed by Gillian Gregory; Scenic Design, Richard E. Schreiber; Lighting Design, David Wilson; Costumes, Kansas City Costumes; Technical Director, Lori E. Baruch; Production Stage Manager, Olivia Gemelli; Dialect Coach, Carole Healey; Conductor, Jeffrey P. Leonard; Music Direction, Dan Rodriguez; Direction and Recreation of the Original Choreography, Cynthia Thole CAST (in order of appearance): Shonna Cirone, Devon Stone, Harold "Jerry" Walker, Catherine Lee Christie, Chris Charron, Jack F. Agnew, Carole Healey, Rishi Basu, Daniel Forest Sullivan, Joshua Holden, Jamie Buxton, Alyssa Surrette, Jackie Theoharis, Maya Murphy, Tom Richardson, Alex Marz, Danny Meglio; DANCE ENSEMBLE: Noa Baker-Durante, Michael Baskowski, Joseph Cullinane, Nicholas Davis, Leonardo Galletto, Lenni Kmiec, Matthew Kossack, Emily Loewus, Danny Meglio, Allsun O'Malley, Bretten Popiel, Jillian Rossi, Sarah Warrick, Brittany Zeinstra; VOCAL ENSEMBLE: Serge Clivio, Paul Marchesiani, Alex Marz, Tyler Morrill, Maya Murphy, Lindsay Ortmeyer, Tom Richardson, Alyssa Surrette, Jackie Theoharis, Nicole Vander Laan, Mara Wilson, Gary Vincent Performances through July 20 by Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston at the Robinson Theatre, 617 Lexington Street, Waltham, MA; Box Office 781-891-5600 or www.reaglemusictheatre.comCombine the madcap banter of the Marx Brothers with a twist on the Pygmalion theme, mix with some Three Stooges-like antics, and sprinkle liberally with malapropisms, and you've got the makings of the surprisingly refreshing British musical comedy Me and My Girl, the second offering in the 46th Summer Season of the Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston. Originally a success in England in 1937, the revival became a Broadway smash in 1986, garnering eleven Tony Award nominations, and it proved to be a crowd-pleaser on opening night at the Robinson Theatre in Waltham. Music Director Dan Rodriguez sits in with the twenty-piece orchestra conducted by Jeffrey P. Leonard and they make the lively score soar from the first notes of the good, old-fashioned Overture through the rousing Finale. Whether it is in spite of or because of the often groan-worthy one-liners and some rather stereotypical characters, this battle of the classes, as the doyenne of Hareford Hall in Hampshire tackles the challenge of turning a Cockney slob into a gentleman, works on so many levels. And at the top of the heap is leading man and Peabody native Joshua Holden who embodies the many sides of the Earl-in-training, Bill Snibson. Whatever the role calls for him to be - lowlife guttersnipe or suave, debonair man-about-town; clown, puppeteer, or song-and-dance man - he's got it all and runs away with the show. Jamie Buxton is Sally Smith, the My Girl to Holden's Me, and she matches him step for step in their tap dance to the title song, reminiscent of Eleanor Powell with her relaxed, confident style. Buxton is also gifted with a beautiful singing voice that wrings all of the emotion from "Once You Lose Your Heart," but the sound system does her no favors as the amplification is uneven and tinny. (In a Saturday morning live appearance on 88.9 WERS-FM's "Standing Room Only," the special quality of her voice received its due.) Carole Healey plays the overbearing Duchess in the fine tradition of Margaret Dumont, spending most of her time looking down her nose at the Cockney clan. Healey also deserves credit for fine work as the dialect coach for the ensemble, with the result being that everyone sounds authentic and you can still understand what they're saying. Rishi Basu is the blustery, pompous Sir John Tremayne, a virtual eunuch lingering at the Duchess' side. Known for his resonant baritone, Basu impressively trips the light fantastic and shows crack comedic timing alongside Holden in a masculine pas de deux ("Love Makes the World Go Round"). Other ridiculous members of the upper crust household include Lady Jaquie (Shonna Cirone), engaged to Gerald Bolingbroke (Devon Stone) but with designs on the soon-to-be Earl, the family solicitor Parchester (Chris Charron), Charles Heathersett (Daniel Forest Sullivan), the butler with the obligatory stiff upper lip, and various assorted Lords, Ladies, and downstairs help. Cirone delivers on her vocals and shows that she's ready for anything in the comically seductive "You Would If You Could," while Stone has a terrific voice and turns out to be a snappy dancer with quite a spring in his steps fronting the ensemble ("The Sun Has Got His Hat On"). Director/Choreographer Cynthia Thole appeared in the original Broadway cast of Me and My Girl and her staging reflects her deep familiarity with the musical. The big production numbers are exhilarating, none more so than "The Lambeth Walk" when the actors venture into the audience, and she seamlessly moves the large company (and sets) around the stage with artistry and without incident. As is the custom for Reagle productions, the cast is a mix of professional performers and regional talent, many of the latter being students from local high schools and colleges getting the opportunity to learn and practice their craft. Some of the smaller roles are filled from the ranks of the dance and vocal ensembles (Jackie Theoharis is deliciously common as Sally's landlady Mrs. Brown), and Joseph Cullinane (Dance Captain) and Allsun O'Malley stand out among the troupe of well-trained dancers. Richard E. Schreiber's scenic design includes several painted backdrops to evoke the rooms and grounds at Hareford Hall. My favorite is the Library where large portraits of the family's ancestors conceal actors who come alive when the lighting changes the fabric from opaque to a gauze effect. David Wilson's lighting design draws our focus to individual performers while other things happen around them, such as capturing Buxton in a tight spotlight so that the set can be changed behind her with little disruption. With the addition of some theatrical fog, he also creates an ethereal mood for Bill and Sally's fantasy dance sequence ("Leaning on a Lamppost"). The cast is very well-dressed by Kansas City Costumes, from the fancy party clothes of the swells to the eclectic threads of the hoi polloi. The action occurs in the late 1930s, but Me and My Girl is both a timeless and time-tested tale that is not diminished by its familiarity. The recognizable characters all possess some quirk that sets them apart from stereotype and the actors make them easy to like despite their human flaws. The songs are sung and the dances danced with brio, the orchestra provides rich accompaniment, and Thole and her company guarantee that the Reagle Music Theatre audience leaves the auditorium doing the Lambeth Walk.Photo credit: Reagle Music Theatre/Herb Philpott (Joshua Holden, center, and Ensemble)


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The Nonprofit Association of Oregon
As the sector-wide network representing all Oregon nonprofits, the Nonprofit Association of Oregon (NAO) works across the state to strengthen and connect nonprofit leaders, organizations, and the sector as a whole. NAO accomplishes this by giving voice to the collective achievements and aspirations of nonprofits; growing organizational and leadership capacity and diversity; and facilitating knowledge exchange among nonprofits and across the nonprofit, public, and private sectors. Building on its rich history of capacity building over more than three decades, NAO ensures a future in which Oregon nonprofits are visible and valued as essential contributors to our society.


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Wallis Giunta
Wallis Giunta
Canadian Citizen
Irish-Canadian mezzo, Wallis Giunta, has been named "Young Singer of the Year" in the 2018 International Opera Awards, and was named both "Young Artist of the Year" by The Arts Desk and "Breakthrough Artist in UK Opera" in the What's On Stage Opera Awards for her work in 2017. She has been praised by OPERA NEWS for her "delectably rich, silver-toned mezzo-soprano, with a beautiful sense of line and effortless, rapid runs", with her recent performance as Mozart's Sesto for the Canadian Opera Company celebrated as "a triumph…remarkable in its combination of intelligence and beauty". Some of her upcoming 2019/20 engagements include appearances in Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek's Breaking the Waves for Scottish Opera at the Edinburgh International Festival, a return to the titular role in Rossini's La Cenerentola for Seattle Opera, and singing Bradamante in Alcina at Deutsche Oper am Rhein. Her 2018/19 season included debuts with the BBC Proms Festival in a program celebrating Leonard Bernstein, with the Grange Festival at The Barbican, London, and with the Oregon Music Festival as Anna I in Weill's The Seven Deadly Sins. She also debuted the principle roles in Carmen and Der Rosenkavalier, along with Rossini's Rosina for Oper Leipzig, and Idamante for Toronto's Opera Atelier. She began the 2017/18 season with two role debuts for Opera North, the title role in Ravel's L'enfant et les sortiléges, and Dinah in Bernstein's Trouble in Tahiti, both to great critical acclaim. She returned to Oper Leipzig, where she has been an ensemble member since 2015/16, for her house roles of Angelina, Cherubino, Rossweise & Wellgunde, and debuted Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus and Der Gymnasiast in a new production of Berg's Lulu. She also returned to the Munich Radio Orchestra, Toronto's Koerner Hall and the Music & Beyond Festival in concert.
In the 2016/17 season, she made debuts with Opera North, performing the title role in Rossini's La Cenerentola, with Teatro Communale di Bolzano as Cherubino, and with the Munich Radio Orchestra, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, and Symphony Nova Scotia in concert. Wallis returned to Opera Atelier to debut the title role in Purcell's Dido & Aeneas, and to both the Toronto Symphony and the Real Orquesta Sinfónica de Sevilla for new productions of Weill's The Seven Deadly Sins. The 2015/16 season saw her make several major European debuts, including for Teatro dell'Opera di Roma (Adams' I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky), Oper Frankfurt (Carmen), Oper Leipzig (La Cenerentola, Le Nozze di Figaro, Faust, Der Ring des Nibelungen), the Hamburg Symphony (Candide), and the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in concert. She also returned to the Edmonton Symphony for Messiah and had her first experience teaching, with a series of masterclasses for Toronto's Tapestry New Opera.
Early in 2015, she returned to The Metropolitan Opera as Olga in their new production of The Merry Widow, directed by Susan Stroman. Other recent highlights include returns to the Canadian Opera Company as Dorabella in Atom Egoyan's new production of Cosí fan tutte (2014), to Opera Lyra Ottawa as Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro (2015), and to Opera Atelier as Bradamante in a new period-production of Alcina (2014), along with debuts at Madison Opera (2014) and the Taipei Symphony Orchestra as Annio in La Clemenza di Tito (2013). In June 2014, she recorded her first album with the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra in Dublin (NAXOS), of a new work by American composer, William Perry. Wallis also debuted in 2014 with Toronto's 21C Music Festival in Louis Andriessen's one-woman-opera, Anaïs Nin, and brought her acclaimed recital program of Kurt Weill's The Seven Deadly Sins to Miami, New York, Toronto and Ottawa. She had a whirlwind 2012/13 season, making her Metropolitan Opera debut in Rigoletto, debuting the roles of Sesto & Annio in La Clemenza di Tito with the Canadian Opera Company, making her Paris debut with Le Théâtre du Châtelet as Tiffany in John Adams's I Was Looking at the Ceiling…, and singing Dorabella in the Met + Juilliard production of Cosí fan tutte at Lincoln Center. She also made debuts with Fort Worth Opera, L'Opéra de Montréal, the Edmonton, Seville and Nuremberg Symphonies, the Stuttgart Festivalorchester, and the National Arts Centre Orchestra.
Wallis is a passionate recitalist, and has recently performed for the Aspen, Caramoor, Banff, Luminato, Music & Beyond, and Ottawa Chamber Music festivals. She is the grateful recipient of the 2016 Bernard Diamant Prize from the Canada Council for the Arts, the 2013 Novick Career Advancement Grant, the 2013 Sylva Gelber Music Foundation Career Development Award, and multiple prizes from the George London Foundation. Wallis is a 2013 graduate of both the Metropolitan Opera Lindemann Young Artist Development Program & the Juilliard School's Artist Diploma in Opera Studies, and a 2011 graduate of the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio. She has also studied at The Glenn Gould School, the Ravinia Festival's Steans Music Institute, and the International Meistersinger Akademie in Germany, and continues her private studies with Edith Wiens.
Wallis is also devoted to animal rights, particularly the rescue and rehabilitation of abandoned domestic rabbits. She is an active rabbit foster parent, and finds opportunities to foster and volunteer at shelters as she is performing around the world. She is a volunteer and supporter at Rabbit's Rest Sanctuary & WildRescue in Denton, Texas, and works to draw attention to our societal responsibility towards domesticated animals. Please get in touch if you are interested, and would also like to help!
September 2019
|Nancy T'ang
|The English Lady
|Zweite Dame
|King's Mistress
|B minor Mass
Choral Fantasy
Mass in C minor
Zwei Gesange Op. 91
Chantes D'Auvergne
Salve Regina
Missa Asumpta est Maria
Chanson Perpetuelle
La Bonne Chanson
Cinco Canciones Negras
Combat del Somni
|Stabat Mater
|Op. 103
Die Sieben Todesünden
Vaughan Williams
Serenade to Music
SCHUMANN LIEDERABEND – Westben Festival, 2018
"Giunta was a magnificent story-teller. He[r] clear mezzo voice brought out every emotion from the delight of a frenzied teen to the despair-stricken grief of a young widow. Giunta's theatricality combined with her magnificent vocal skills have taken her to some of the most prestigious opera stages of the world."
David Richards, Toronto Concert Reviews
DIDO AND AENEAS – Music & Beyond Festival, 2018
"The evening's special guest was internationally ascendant Canadian mezzo-soprano Wallis Giunta […] Her performance was marked by real passion and her own undeniably glamorous charisma […] Her high Gs in Dido's 'Lament' had spine-tingling power and a rich, varnished topcoat of opulent colour […] Giunta's characterization of the tragic Queen was intensely charismatic and highly defined, shifting between haughty, statue-like grandeur and deeply wounded emotion."
Natasha Gauthier, Opera Canada
SEVEN DEADLY SINS – Toronto Symphony Orchestra, 2017
"This is possibly the best I've ever heard Giunta. I may have said that before, but I mean it this time too. I feel like she has found her niche and I believe she has a lot more tricks up her sleeve. She brought Anna to life, in living colour, while using every tool Weill provides. As her counterpart, Nichols was the perfect match for Giunta. They reminded me of sirens as the show progressed. Beautiful, yet devastating."
Greg Finney, Schmopera
"Centering the vocal dynamic of the evening, mezzo-soprano Wallis Giunta brings immeasurable strength of purpose and continuity to this highly charged Seven Deadly Sins as the ever caustic, eternally unimpressed Anna I. The role, created by Weill expressly for his wife, Lotte Lenya who sang the part to great effect well into old age, is a taxing one demanding almost equal measures of worldliness and spirit. Snarling, catty, weary, admonishing, Giunta bounces from scene to scene with palpable vitality, an omnipresent dramatic force, sharp-eyed and even sharper tongued."
Ian Ritchie, Opera Going Toronto
"Top vocal honours went to Giunta, whose high mezzo sounded fantastic, and she sang with impeccable German — her tenure at Oper Leipzig has helped her honed her German in no uncertain terms."
Joseph So, Musical Toronto
RECITAL with Hinrich Alpers – Schloss Holdenstedt, Germany, 2017
"What a magical flower! Like a spirit from another world. One thinks – perhaps – of Rusalka, and is rapt and silent with admiration. Her singing is highly dramatic and touchingly simple, delicately tender in the piano sections, powerful and determined in the forte. She does not need a score because she lives the songs. She has you at her feet from the first note! …The flexible voice of Wallis Giunta never even came close to exertion. In the highest points, the crescendi were never forced, but flourished effortlessly in a floating lightness…And with the Andalusian sounds [of De Falla], one no longer thought of a delicate mermaid, but of the racy, self-confident Carmen!"
Barbara Kaiser, Die Neue Barftgaans (original in German)
LA CENERENTOLA (Rossini) – Opera North, 2017
"the grand finale gains strength from the introduction of two exceptional new faces…the Canadian mezzo Wallis Giunta has an incipient star quality that positively explodes with the ornamental cascades of her concluding aria, which pops the cork on a successful season like a champagne bottle that has been shaken for a very long time."
Alfred Hickling, The Guardian
"Making her UK debut, the Canadian singer Wallis Giunta is superb as Angelina, her control of the mezzo coloratura lines apparently effortless, her acting totally natural and her sense of enjoyment never far away. In the final "Non piu mesta" some Angelinas use its elaborate ornamentation as an affirmation of power; Giunta just finds it full of joy and fun, dancing a few jaunty steps while negotiating the aria's complexities."
Andrew Hirst, The Examiner
"Take young Canadian mezzo Wallis Giunta, for example, as Angelina, an aristocratically delicate cinder-girl, wide-eyed and appealing, whose considerable acting skills bring realism to her drudgery when she is sweeping the floor…and casually regal when she is finally attached to the prince. Her voice was smooth and warm in the uncomplicated song in Act 1 which outlines the plot, "Una volta c'era un re"…and truly impressive by the time she reached her cabaletta "Non più mesta" in the finale, in which the daunting demands are managed to near perfection."
Richard Wilcocks, Bachtrack
"Some day my prince will come" may be a vain hope in real life but…As portrayed by Wallis Giunta in this production there is no wonder. What prince could resist her looks, demeanour, personality and coloratura…Canadian Wallis Giunta has what it takes. So effortless and liquid were her runs she gave the impression of being born with coloratura skills. Even more important was being able to fit in the ornamentation while, in the more lyrical moments, maintaining the integrity of an aria's melodic line. With her lyrical Mezzo and slight, graceful physical frame, it came as quite a shock when she hit high notes that carried real decibel punch."
John Leeman, Seen and Heard International
"In the title role the rising Canadian mezzo Wallis Giunta is touching, credible, and gets round the notes too. More than that, she gauges her performance from demure reticence…to a commanding cascade of coloratura in her final aria."
Richard Morrison, The Times
"Rossini's Cinderella offers ample opportunity for performers to demonstrate their musical and comedic chops, and the calibre of singing and acting in this production is exceptional. Canadian mezzo-soprano Wallis Giunta brings warmth and likeability to the central heroine, and demonstrates a superb coloratura voice."
James Ballands, British Theatre Guide
"Singing with commendable accuracy and touching personality, Canadian mezzo Wallis Giunta shines in the title role."
George Hall, The Stage
"Wallis Giunta (Cinderella) is a Canadian mezzo-soprano and actress who combines her fabulous voice with fine acting. She conveys all the fears and frustrations of her life of domestic servitude to great effect"
Richard Trinder, The Yorkshire Times
DIDO & AENEAS (Purcell) – Opera Atelier, 2016
"We have been blessed with great operatic performances in Toronto this fall. Sondra Radvanovsky's Norma. Alice Coote's Ariodante. Well, add another one to the list, one to value just as highly. And that is Wallis Giunta's Dido…Giunta was superb – dramatic, mesmerizing, with an expressive mezzo voice, fully in command of her character every moment she was on stage. It didn't hurt her that Purcell wrote for her one of the great affecting moments in all of music – When I am Laid In Earth, Dido's Lament…Giunta inhabited this music and its accompanying drama perfectly – with restraint when needed, emotion when necessary, fully in command of its musical and passionate truth. And Giunta's performance was the highlight of a wonderfully fine and affecting Opera Atelier production of Henry Purcell's masterpiece…The world of baroque theatrical gesturing, at its best, is at once highly artificial and completely natural and Giunta especially brought the two – artifice and nature – into perfect resonance….If Wallis Giunta's star is the brightest in the sky of this Dido and Aeneas, it is set off by many other wondrous sights and sounds in the evening glow of this production, a tribute to a team of artists who keep pushing themselves every time they approach their art."
Robert Harris, The Globe & Mail
"Canadian mezzo-soprano Wallis Giunta gave a ravishing performance as Dido…Making her role debut as Dido, Giunta displayed a voice of extraordinary power and beauty. Her mezzo-soprano has both clarity and depth, and her exceptional control allowed her to color key words and phrases to achieve the greatest dramatic effect. She had completely mastered Opera Atelier's stylized acting technique and made it seem a natural expression of emotion. Encouraged by Pynkoski's reading of the Aeneid, Giunta's account of "Ah! Belinda" did not portray Dido as somehow intimating Aeneas's departure, as is commonly the case, but showed her oppressed by the weight of overwhelming love. Giunta's moving account of "When I am laid in earth" was exquisite in its attention to detail and shading of tone."
Christopher Hoile, Opera News
"In the lead, mezzo-soprano Wallis Giunta offers a performance that… is sung with total conviction and a breathtaking precision."
Catherine Kustanczy, The Toronto Star
"Giunta shines whenever she's onstage, her intentionally stylized acting never overshadowing Dido's honest, changing emotions…Giunta controls the last scene, believably going through a series of moods from madness and pain to disdain and finally resignation. Pynkoski builds her last number (and the opera's most famous aria), a lament, to a show-stopping finale worthy of a 19th-century diva… it's not a bravura piece, but rather a quiet number where Purcell's music and the performer's intelligent, communicated feeling are sufficient."
Jon Kaplan, NOW Toronto Magazine
"Appearing as Dido, mezzo-soprano Wallis Giunta weaves her own brand of enchantment with a striking, vibrant depiction of Purcell's doomed queen…Giunta infuses the character with enormous purpose and resolve. Dignity and poise pour from her voice, slapping down Aeneas' hypocrisy, defying him, clear-eyed and independent. Remember me, the inexpressibly haunting aria that closes Dido's life, a simple, soaring release of spirit, is poignantly rendered by this exceptionally accomplished artist."
Ian Ritchie, Opera Going Toronto
"Giunta scored a big success last evening as a youthful, beautiful and alluring Dido. At the final curtain, all the artists were showered with audience accolades, with Giunta singled out for extra torrents of bravos…Wallis Giunta in her sumptuous costume was a youthful and stunningly beautiful Dido, with a gleaming, rich sound to match, in an entirely winning performance…Giunta's big set piece, "When I am laid in Earth" came near the end. At that point, the stage dimmed completely, with only a spotlight on her shining directly on top, not unlike a chanteuse singing a torch song! Her tone was beautiful, with the requisite pathos. In the few moments when she sang forte, her sound filled the Elgin"
Joseph So, Musical Toronto
"As to the singers, the star was clearly Wallis Giunta. She has a lovely voice and it was most effective when it really mattered i.e. in The Lament where she really took advantage of the freedom from a dance rhythm. She also took some of the classic lines with real relish "Thus by the fatal banks of Nile, weeps the deceitful crocodile" with a real snarl at the end. She also, of course, looked fantastic."
John Gilks, Opera Ramblings
"As the Queen of Carthage, Dido, mezzo-soprano Wallis Giunta lights up the stage. In this outing you really see why she's so in demand around the world…Giunta's skill and stage presence are on full display. Obviously, everyone wants to know how the lament went – and it was stunning. I really appreciate the singer and/or the conductor's decision to keep a quicker tempo on the aria. It gave Giunta a chance to use her full (and wide) range of dramatic expression and let the bright colour and quick action of her voice show off a longer line and more grounded delivery."
Greg Finney, Schmopera
"Mezzo-soprano Wallis Giunta was stunning in every aspect of her performance in the role of Dido. Giunta's appearance marked a return to Opera Atelier by a much sought-after Canadian singer who has gained an international reputation. "When I am laid, am laid in earth" commonly known as 'Dido's Lament', was performed with such heartfelt beauty that the audience was left breathless in grief."
David Richards, Toronto Concert Reviews
LA CENERENTOLA (Rossini) – Oper Leipzig, 2016
In this ethereal role Wallis Giunta gives her Rossini debut at the Leipzig Opera. And one can understand why Don Ramiro falls in love with this delicate and aristocratic beauty at first sight. She sings Rossini as if she had never done anything else than to help bring to life the simple melodies and ornamental coloratura of this magnificent role with humanity and dignified musicianship…her velvety mezzo, when combined with her wonderful "Non più mesta" results in the final triumph three hours later, and you wish she would never stop. You can hardly get enough of the beautiful bel canto singing in this production." [original in German]
Leipziger Volkszeitung, Peter Korfmacher
"The virtuoso title role of Rossini's Bel Canto fairy tale was sung by new ensemble member Wallis Giunta, who turns out to be absolutely ideally cast. The mezzo soprano masters the demanding coloratura, as well as the legato passages, with wonderful ease and feeling, and breathes musical life into the endearing heroine. As she leaves nothing to be desired either vocally or dramatically, one would wish to hear this singer in other Rossini roles." [Original in German]
Mephisto 97.6, Eva Hauk
"Wallis Giunta as Angelina succeeds with great ease in the change from sooty Cinderella to a noble and generous lady. With her youthful and svelte mezzo soprano she also achieves the difficult coloratura and parlando sections with seemingly effortless ease. It is and impressive role debut that Giunta delivers here, after having already made a fierce debut as Cherubino in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro at the Leipzig Opera." [Original in German]
Opernnetz, Andreas H. Höscher
"As Cenerentola/Angelina, Wallis Giunta is the star of the singing, as her voice rises like a siren song." [Original in German]
Leipziger Internet Zeitung, Karsten Pietsch
LE NOZZE DI FIGARO (Mozart) – Oper Leipzig, 2015
"The performers were each incredibly compelling and well suited to their respective roles. Especially outstanding…dramatically and also vocally enriching the entire performance was mezzo soprano Wallis Giunta as the amorous, adolescent young page, Cherubino who is involved in everything, making trouble." [Original in German]
Mephisto 97.6, Caroline Schnelle
"Wallis Giunta, on the other hand (new to the ensemble this season) brings to the part of Cherubino a perfectly controlled clearly radiant voice, and she performs so characteristically, winningly and specifically that one feels this youth is going to become a star." [Original in German]
Frankfurter Allgemeine, Eleonore Büning
"I wish to highlight from the total outstanding ensemble performance…the Cherubino of Wallis Giunta." [Original in German]
Tamino Klassik, Misha Saxony
"All the singers shine, especially…Wallis Giunta, a very lively Cherubino, and on top of (performing) her trouser role, a Godsend of a young woman, who can play a young man playing a woman." [Original in German]
Neue Musikzeitung, Joachim Lange
"… Wallis Giunta…with the poetry of her pure/unfussy singing. For Cherubino, Mozart composed two of his most beautiful pieces: the arias 'Non sò più' and 'Voi che sapet' …Both (arias) leave Giunta, with Oper Leipzig only since the beginning of the season, guilty of nothing. Warm and smooth rings her mezzo, gently trembling with inner excitement." [Original in German)
Leipziger Volkszeitung, Peter Kortmacher
"Wallis Giunta provides all the cheerfulness/mirth, and excellently masters her rewarding trouser role both vocally and dramatically." [Original in German]
Leipziger Ineternet Zeitung
"Mezzo Wallis Giunta steals the show"
"Mezzo-soprano Wallis Giunta made her Madison Opera debut before some 14,000 people at Opera in the Park on Saturday. Her high notes soared; her embellishments sounded effortless. When she finished, dozens of audience members jumped from their blankets and camping chairs in effusive praise."
Madison.com, Lindsay Christians
"Soprano Maghan McPhee and Mezzo Wallis Giunta, emerging Canadians, acquitted themselves brilliantly. Both have voices which are strong, technically solid and project well, and both showed genuine dramatic artistry." [A Midsummer Night's Dream, National Arts Centre Orchestra]
"Over more than two hours of lovely music on a perfectly balmy summer night in Garner Park, just one solo earned a spontaneous "popcorn" standing ovation. Mezzo-soprano Wallis Giunta made her Madison Opera debut before some 14,000 people at Opera in the Park on Saturday. Giunta's jewels flashed from the stage as she swept her hand across her forehead during a romantic, lively performance of "Una voce poco fa" from "The Barber of Seville". Her high notes soared; her embellishments sounded effortless. When she finished, dozens of audience members jumped from their blankets and camping chairs in effusive praise."
Capital Times, Lindsay Christians
"Giunta's rich, expressive voice is already well known to Ottawa audiences, and her dramatic powers seem more evolved than ever. She also has the power to produce a sound that's suited to whatever particular repertoire she's singing. For example she could switch effortlessly between the angular sound of Weill to the baroque luxury of Handel or the world of John Lennon."
Ottawa Citizen, Richard Todd
[Concert, Ottawa Choral Society]
"Soprano Layla Claire and mezzo-soprano Wallis Giunta are ideal as Fiordiligi and Dorabella. Both have amber-coloured voices, with Claire's simply brighter and more transparent that the beautiful dark shade of Giunta's… each of their frequent duets seems more exquisite than the last."
Opera News, Christopher Hoile
[Cosi fan tutte (Dorabella), Canadian Opera Company]
"Wallis Giunta, was an adorable Dorabella, earthier, sexier, and more willing than her sister, beautifully acted as well as sung."
The Globe and Mail, Robert Harris
[Cosi fan tutte (Dorabella), Canadian Opera Company]
"But all in all, a great commitment from… Wallis Giunta (Tiffany) with her strong voice and remarkable stylistic accuracy. In addition to a perfect balance a cappella in the Bad Boys trio, Wallis Giunta (voice dark and amber coloured, balanced with a feather-weight tone) remains perhaps the musical highlight of the evening, with her jazz ballad How Far Can I go."
Translated from French L'Avant-Scene Opera, Chantal Cazaux & Mail
[I was Looking at the Ceiling and then I Saw the Sky (Tiffany), Theatre du Chatelet] The Globe
"The fine young Canadian mezzo soprano, Wallis Giunta… she is a wonderful singer and her touching Act 2 aria [Torna di Tito a Lato] almost stole the show."
Globe and Mail, Robert Harris
[Clemenza di Tito (Annio), Canadian Opera Company]
"The greatest pleasure… was the performance of Wallis Giunta as Sesto… It was a triumph for Giunta. She has a delectably rich, silver-toned mezzo-soprano with a beautiful sense of line and effortless rapid runs. Every one of her arias was a delight, but her sensitive account of "Parto, parto, ma tu, ben mio" was especially remarkable in its combination of intelligence and beauty. At the curtain call the audience deservedly accorded her the greatest acclaim."
Opera News, Christopher Hoile
[Clemenza di Tito (Sesto), Canadian Opera Company]
"The cast of soloists was magnificent, but we would like to highlight the mezzo Wallis Giunta, who gave us a different, higher view of the role (in the past it would be sung by a counter tenor) and has a magnificent voice." Translated from Spanish
[Messiah, Real Orquesta Sinfonica de Seville, H. Rilling cond.]
"The standouts in the principal cast were Canadian Wallis Giunta…as a saucer-eyed redheaded stunner, sang and cavorted with star-quality grace and point and offered delicious comic timing."
Opera News, E. Paul Driscoll
[Cosi fan tutte (Dorabella), Juilliard School]
"Wallis Giunta, with her chocolaty and penetrating mezzo-soprano voice, is a more down-to-earth Dorabella."
New York Times, Anthony Tommasini
[Cosi fan tutte (Dorabella), Juilliard School]
"Wallis Giunta in the famous Cherubino "pants role" more than nailed the overly comedic character. Giunta let her full mezzo-soprano voice sing out, creating a wonderful performance within her Non so più cosa son, cosa faccio aria in the first act. Between her hilarious over-the-top antics and the way she used a full, round sound, with strong initial phrase attacks in a seemingly-effortless manner to deepen her voice, she was able to portray a believable, girl-crazy, young boy."
[Marriage of Figaro (Cherubino), Fort Worth Opera]
"Mezzo-soprano Wallis Giunta was physically lithe and vocally magnificent as Cherubino, the girl-crazy adolescent boy who disguises as a girl."
Front Row – Wayne Lee Gay
[Marriage of Figaro (Cherubino), Fort Worth Opera]
"One of the subplots of the production concerns the page, Cherubino sung by mezzo soprano Wallis Giunta. Highly physical, Giunta has to sing while on her back, under a couch, and almost every other position imaginable. Through all of this, she manages to maintain a beautiful tone and excellent diction."
Theatre Jones – John Norine Jr. [Marriage of Figaro (Cherubino), Fort Worth Opera]
Wallis Giunta makes her role debut as Idamante in Mozart's Idomeneo for Opera Atelier from April 4 through April 13, 2019. operaatelier.com
Mezzo-soprano Wallis Giunta sings romantic art songs in Schumann Liederabend at the Westben Festival on July 6, 2018. westben.ca
Baritone Geoffrey Sirett was Aeneas and Mezzo-soprano Wallis Giunta was Dido in Music & Beyond Festival's Dido and Aeneas on July 5, 2018. On July 8, Wallis was back in a tribute concert to Leonard Bernstein. musicandbeyond.ca DIDO & AENEAS || musicandbeyond.ca BERNSTEIN
Koerner Hall: 8PM, Friday April 6, 2018
Distinguished Mezzo-Soprano Wallis Giunta performs at the Royal Conservatory's Koerner Hall alongside Jamie Bernstein, Sebastian Knauer, and the ARC Ensemble for a centennial celebration of Leonard Bernstein. The concert will be narrated by Leonard Bernstein's daughter Jamie Bernstein in a dazzling musical journey through the late master's career and life. Tickets and info
"Geistliches Wiegenlied" from Brahms' Zwei Gesänge Op.91
Wallis Giunta (mezzo-soprano), Marina Thibeault (cello), Frederic Lacroix (piano)
Anaïs Nin (one woman show) by Louis Andriessen
"Wie du Warst!" from Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier
Prologue from Kurt Weill's Die Sieben Todsunden
"Una volta c'era un re" from Rossini's La Cenerentola


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The doForms "Excel Add-in" is a special addition to Excel that allows it to directly download doForms data into a worksheet on your PC. This means that you can set-up a worksheet to download doForms data, save the worksheet, then update the doForms data from time-to-time by pressing just one button. The worksheet can be used by itself, or to populate calculations and charts in other Excel worksheets. This BETA version is FREE for PAID ACCOUNTS ONLY.
For more information please see http://support.doforms.com/hc/en-us/articles/202679190-Excel-Add-in


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Stateless Doesn't Mean No State!
As you know, Lambda functions run in a contained environment. But, what you may not know is that this environment is also often reused for subsequent invocations.
To demonstrate this, we created a Node.js Lambda function with the following code and ran it multiple times. We encourage you to follow along and do the same.
var someGlobal;
exports.handler = (event, context, callback) => {
if (someGlobal) {
console.log('Global variable:', someGlobal);
} else {
console.log('Global variable not set, setting it now');
someGlobal = 'First invocation at ' + new Date();
callback(null, 'Success');
**This is the result from running the above code twice.**
First Invocation:
START RequestId: 3c48ced7-9616-11e6-bed8-cb583a02e96a Version: $LATEST
2016-12-19T16:08:12.759Z 3c48ced7-9616-11e6-bed8-cb583a02e96a Global variable not set, setting it now
END RequestId: 3c48ced7-9616-11e6-bed8-cb583a02e96a
REPORT RequestId: 3c48ced7-9616-11e6-bed8-cb583a02e96a Duration: 40.26 ms Billed Duration: 100 ms Memory Size: 128 MB Max Memory Used: 5 MB
*Second Invocation:*
START RequestId: 46d7bf5f-9616-11e6-b4a9-bdf95f494d0c Version: $LATEST
2016-12-19T16:08:30.354Z 46d7bf5f-9616-11e6-b4a9-bdf95f494d0c Global variable: First invocation at Wed Oct 19 2016 16:08:12 GMT+0000 (UTC)
END RequestId: 46d7bf5f-9616-11e6-b4a9-bdf95f494d0c
REPORT RequestId: 46d7bf5f-9616-11e6-b4a9-bdf95f494d0c Duration: 0.88 ms Billed Duration: 100 ms Memory Size: 128 MB Max Memory Used: 5 MB
**There are two things to notice with this.**
First, be careful using global variables. If you are developing and running the function locally, perhaps using something like lambda-local, node-lambda, or the Serverless Framework, global variables will be uninitialized on each run. But, when running functions deployed on Lambda, global variables can retain their state from one invocation to the next. This can bite you in the aws if you're not careful.
Suppose you want to time how long your function takes to run. You could write code like this:
var startTime = +new Date();
exports.handler = (event, context, callback) => {
console.log('The work took %d milliseconds', (+new Date() - startTime));
callback(null, 'Success');
It will work correctly the first time, but for subsequent times, the start time variable could retain it's value and give incorrect times in the log. Instead, you should move the variable declaration or initialization inside the handler function.
Second, you can use a global variable for caching. For instance, say we've developed a serverless API for a client and one of the functions looks up user permissions in a DynamoDB table. Because we expect the number of users to remain small, instead of looking up the user who invoked the lambda function in the DynamoDB table each time the function is called, we just scan the table (let's say it only consumes 1 read unit) and cache the result for up to 15 minutes.
This drastically reduces the required provisioned reads needed on the users table, and reduces the Lambda execution time and overall API latency.
Like the sound of that? Check out our implementation on GitHub to learn more.


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When my son, Ezra, was born, my husband and I had no idea what we were doing. The first night of his life I think we got one hour of sleep.
Aside from the nurses constantly checking on us, we kept leaning over his bassinet to make sure he was still breathing. When I did drift off to sleep in those first few weeks of his life, I would wake up in a panic if he wasn't crying.
The sad truth is, SIDS is still a real problem in America, not to mention SUID (Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths). Combined, 3,500 infants die every year in America from accidental suffocation, strangulation or unknown causes.
From what I've heard, nearly every parent experiences anxiety about this. I thought I wouldn't worry so much with my second child, my daughter. But I do. I still put my hand on her stomach at least once a day to check and see if she is breathing—but only when she isn't wearing her Owlet monitor.
The moment I saw the Owlet advertised online I was pretty convinced I needed one. Then I saw the price, and I wondered, "Do I really need this?" $250 can be hard to reconcile when you are already purchasing necessary baby equipment like a car seat and a crib.
The way the Owlet works is pretty genius.
It's a tiny sock (you get three sizes when you purchase) that has a monitor inside. The monitor measures the baby's heart rate and oxygen level. It's actually the same technology as what they use in hospitals. (My nurse brother-in-law confirmed this!) All of the information monitored feeds into an app on your phone and also back to the docking station.
When baby is hooked up to the monitor and all is well, the docking station is green.
When the monitor is disconnected indicating the sock has fallen off, the alarm will sound and the docking station turns yellow. If the monitor is not within range of the docking station, it will turn blue, letting you know there's a technical problem. If your baby's heart rate or oxygen level were to drop into the unsafe zone, the alarm would sound and the docking station would turn bright red.
There are some cons to the Owlet monitor.
You have to incorporate it into your bedtime and naptime routine. So it's one more step, making sure it is charged and on your child when naptime and bedtime roll around.
You also have to make sure you stay in range of the docking station. It's not usually a problem when your baby is young and still sleeping in your bedroom, but if your house is large and you are putting your infant to sleep in another room, you may have to move the docking station from your bedside. You can work around this problem because the alarm is quite loud and the app will still notify you on your phone if there's a problem.
Although you get three sock sizes, if your baby is particularly small, getting the sock to fit snugly and stay could be an issue. In those first few days of my daughter's life I found that putting her to sleep with footed pajamas helped keep the monitor in place.
We all know the death of a child is one of the worst things that can happen to a family.
And it's sad that with all of our technological advances that this is a problem we haven't been able to solve. I think the Owlet is a step in the right direction. In my opinion, it is one of the most amazing new products on the market and I'm thankful I have it this time around.
The makers of the Owlet want parents know that using the Owlet is not an excuse to use unsafe sleeping conditions. It's not intended for use so your baby can sleep on his stomach or with a blanket in the crib. Safe sleeping guidelines should still be used.
After Ezra was born I remember thinking "I would literally pay for sleep right now."
And that's essentially what the Owlet does. You are paying for sleep. For peace of mind. For a less anxiety-ridden journey as a parent. I love that when she's wearing the monitor, I can open the app on my phone and see all of her stats instantly.
Just last night I woke up at 1:30 am. My 5-week-old hadn't woken up for her first feeding. Instead of waking in a panic and checking on her instantly, I remembered she had on her socklet and the docking station was lit green—letting me know all was well with my newborn.
If you have more questions, the Owlet website is a wealth of knowledge. You can chat instantly with one of their reps or you can watch videos of real parents telling their stories of how the Owlet saved their babies' lives.


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Privacy Policy
At LBCJobs.com, we respect and want to protect the privacy of the users of this Web site (the "Site"). This privacy policy describes how we collect, use, and protect the information you provide to us.
When you register on the Site, submit an employment application, or when you submit a question, comment, or request for information to the Site, you are providing us with certain personal information about you or your business. Such personal information may include your name, address, telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address. This information may also include social security numbers, credit card information and other billing and financial information. We use this information only for the purpose of establishing and administering your account, processing your applications, and otherwise responding to your inquiries or requests for information. We will never sell, rent, or provide your personal information to any third party, unless you previously consent, or unless we are required to do so by a court or other legal authority. When you submit an application in connection with a specific job posting, you are deemed to have consented to the sharing of your personal information with the prospective employer, solely for the purpose of processing your application.
We also use non-personal, general sales and demographic information about our users, for internal marketing and planning purposes. We may also share such non-personal information with our vendors and other business partners.
We track your IP address to diagnose problems with our server and to administer our system. We also use your IP address to gather broad demographic information concerning the use of the Site and to prevent fraud. We may use cookies to deliver content specific to your interests and to otherwise specifically tailor your experience on the Site.
We use reasonable security measures to ensure against unauthorized access to the information under our control. We periodically review the effectiveness of these security measures.
The Site contains links to other sites on the Internet. We make every effort to only link to sites that share our high standards and respect for privacy. However, we are not responsible for the content or privacy practices of any other Internet sites.
If you have questions about this privacy policy, or if you would like to correct or update your personal information, or remove it from our data base, you may contact us as follows: email@example.com or (717) 569-7071 ext 5581.


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WOMEN-omics launched last week, but it's not just for women. This new global web portal is smart, slick, and focused on the economic power of women. Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, corporate gender expert, publisher, and founder of the new www.WOMEN-omics.com says this:
"Women are business's secret weapon, and the world's highest performing companies — and smartest men — are realizing and acting upon the opportunity."
The site includes a great blog written by Wittenberg-Cox. A quick skim and you know this woman has much to teach us all, men and women. I loved her take on the leadership style of the new leader of the free world:
On his acceptance speech: Obama was careful not to focus the speech on the charismatic and immensely talented orator giving it, but on the committed and determined population that had elected him. He did not shine the light on himself. His speech was not as eloquent as he could probably have made it had he wanted to. He kept it simple. Like a real star, he chose not to absorb all the light, but to deflect it back onto the people who were responsible for making him President. He made them feel powerful and responsible. A real leadership skill.
WOMEN-omics makes the business case for gender balance and the economic power of women, provides exclusive global reporting on women's growing economic impact on companies and countries, and aggregates the best information, ideas, and insight in the field. It's designed for corporate leaders, top executives, policymakers, journalists, researchers, business schools, and women in the workplace.
According to Wittenberg-Cox:
"WOMEN-omics shifts the debate from 'What's the matter with women that they aren't reaching leadership positions?' to 'What's the matter with companies that haven't optimized the other half of the talent pool and marketplace — the female half?' Putting gender balance in the diversity bucket to redress 'glass-ceiling' issues, rather than seeing it as an incredibly powerful sales and strategic proposition, misses the opportunity."
I love that this site shines light on the fact that ignoring gender differences, or failing to include women at the highest corporate levels is no longer a diversity issue – it's an economic issue. Finally.


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Total N. American rail traffic rose last week to 663k cars despite another fall in coal shipments. We have documented the "why" as to coal's decline before, the massive switch to natural gas for electric generation. For proof simply look at January's data from the EIA, we see the YOY collapse in coal and a corresponding rise in Natty for electric generation (full report here):
Since gas is transported by pipeline and coal by railroad, the weakness in the data is not due to an economic slowdown but by a shift in fuel and and way it is transported. In reality, all other categories of rail traffic, the "what is being hauled" sit at or above multi-year highs telling us the economy is still improving.
To see the effect of coal, I have graphed shipments from 2010 to now:
Notice the disconnect from '10-'11 to today through 13 weeks.
Here is the chart on total rail traffic. Had coal traffic be even near last year's numbers total carload would be well ahead of last years numbers. So, while we may start to see some weakness from the rial companies due to to collapse in coal shipments, this in no way should lead one to correlate that to overall economic weakness.
By Todd Sullivan of Value Plays……


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Starring : Sammo Hung, Kenny Bee
Directed : By Takkie Yeung - 1998
Copyright ©1998 B & S Films Production Limited
As its Sammo Hung month here at Kick 'Em, I thought I'd have a wander through one or two of the lesser known endeavours in the wonderful world of Sammo Hung's exceptional career.
The Pale Sky, which also features Millionaires Express co-star Kenny Bee, is a quirky drama made just before Sammo relocated to LA to make CBS show Martial Law. Hung plays Yan, a working class man struggling to make money in a competitive job and win the respect of his young girlfriend's father (played by the fantastic Richard Ng/Woo).
An unfortunate accident sees Yan rushed to hospital where, being pronounced dead, his male organ is taken and transplanted on another man named Michael Wu (Kenny Bee). Yan wakes up however, making medical history in the process, to find his friend and fellow struggling co-worker Jacky had been the one who cheekily amended his organ donation card. Yan is understandably embarrassed and devastated, while friend Jacky is determined to help Yan get his organ back, no matter the route or cost.
Skipping two months on we see Yan unable to tell girlfriend Man-Sum what has happened. However, as he threatens to sue the hospital for maiming him, he and Jacky are read a letter thanking the surgeons for the new 'attachment'. Yan and Jacky trace the man through the letter to see he is rich, quite pleasant and charming, but unwilling to give back the transplanted organ.
The Pale Sky wonders uneasily between comedy, Yan insists on visiting his organ whenever he likes and indisposes Michael in male toilets, and social commentary, trying to address class issues within modern
The friendship with Michael is tested by their reluctance to back down, as well as Jacky feeling maligned by his friend's abandonment of him for the richer man. For a while we see glimpses of a tortured lonely man in Yan who is hemmed in by strict rules and money whose without the will and resources to fight back. Unfortunately he doesn't well up with anger or the will to fight, instead simply seeming to allow it all to happen to him.
The Pale Sky promises a clean ending, yet it falls away, not allowing either man to ultimately make the sacrifice, and each character being pleased with the unexpected outcome.
Although perhaps too long, The Pale Sky is still a joy in the sense it allows Sammo Hung to act without having to fight some bullish bruiser in every other scene. He's given freedom to show his fans a wider scope of the subtler emotions he can showcase, and for dedicated Sammo enthusiasts it's a movie worth re-visiting often just to see him play a fresher contemporary role. It may not be powerful, perhaps a film about transplanted male organs can never be viewed without a snigger and cringe, but it's still watchable and gentle enough to engage.
Jay Morey
Review Date: 07/2010


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Spring is just around the corner and it will be here before you know it. Now is a great time to start preparing your garden bed or pots. Turn the soil in your garden, and add more if necessary. You may also sprinkle nutrients such as organic compost, manure and peat moss over the garden […]
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Managing Stress and Anxiety Through the Holidays
As wonderful as each holiday season is, it also brings an added level of stress. Everyone is busy rushing here and there, trying to catch the SALES, or volunteering your time to those in need, on top of keeping up with the everyday year-round responsibilities! It's enough to stress anyone! According to Wise Lifestyles, "Over […]
Juicy Gello Flu Shots
For our readers who are not in favor of flu shots via a needle, this is an alternative flu shot using juices, teas and herbs. Be creative and play around with your favorite fruit and herbs. Recipe and variations below. Most Common Immune Boosters CALENDULA – Is a popular herb for stimulating the immune system […]
The Top 10 Natural Alternatives for Ibuprofen
Although Ibuprofen is a very effective anti-inflammatory, side effects such as ulcers or stomach and digestive tract damage, along with long term circulatory system and heart damage through constant use, make the need for a natural alternative without side effects more desirable and necessary. We remind you to always check with your Doctor before taking […]
Flavors From Around The World
Time Saving TIP: At the beginning of the week roast a batch of your favorite veggies. Cut into bite size pieces, toss with your favorite vinaigrette or seasonings and cook on a parchment paper lined baking sheet at 450 until tender. Use this handy chart to create new veggie mixes and flavors!
Naturally Calming Remedies
Anxiety disorders affect 40 million adult Americans, making anxiety the most common mental health problem in the United States, according to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America. You may have experienced this yourself– your palms are clammy, you become shaky, you break into a cold sweat and your brain fogs over. When you're anxious or […]
One Pan Tomato Basil Spaghetti
Don't you love it when someone comes up with a delicious recipe, that can be made in one pan? MyFrigFood.com did just that and we promise this is a true keeper!! One Pan Tomato Basil Spaghetti Ingredients 12 ounces pasta (I'm going to try a gluten free pasta) 1 (15 ounces) diced […]
Healing Herbs and Spice Chart
10 Tips For Your Own Organic Garden
It's becoming harder and harder to avoid GMO food. Nearly 90% of corn and soy in the United States has been genetically modified to resist insects and disease. Much of the food we eat today has some form of these two plants alone, but because the FDA does not require labeling for GMO's, you may […]
Grilled Salmon With Mustard & Herbs
Millions of Christians around the globe are observing Good Friday tomorrow by not eating meat. We've got a mouthwatering salmon recipe you could easily find in the best of restaurants. The salmon cooks over a bed of lemon and fresh herbs to infuse it with flavor and keep the fish tender and moist. This recipe […]
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Lou S.Thank you for the presentation you gave for our ladies meeting. It was informative, practical and eye-opening! You know the ladies received the message by the good questions they asked and the fact that they lingered to talk with you afterward. You are appreciated and gifted.
On behalf of the Shepherd's Center Board of Trustee I want to thank you for graciously coming to share with our community the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle.All who attended were touched by the warm and gracious manner in which you presented "Seven Keys to Unlock Your Health Potential". After your presentation many expressed desires to turn over new leaves regarding their eating habits and other issues related to health. It was a real pleasure meeting you, Denise and I pray God's continued blessing on your life.Deborah
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I recently had a Nutritional Counseling appointment with Denise. I basically needed some reassurance that I was doing 'everything' ok. Sometimes when we are not perfect with our daily consumption of food and supplements we think we are not making a difference. I explained my personal situation with her and she reassured me that I was doing a great job. Denise also provided me with some great advice that will help benefit my overall health both now and the future.Paulette K


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The Law Shop is now closed. Please click here to find out more.
The Law Shop is now closed. Please click here to find out more.
Dangerous machinery is a huge risk to employees and can cause numerous work accidents.
There are several types of machinery that can cause harm, so it is important you understand how they work and how to go about claiming compensation if you do have an accident at work.
Machines can be very dangerous so employers are required by law to take the necessary measures to ensure you are safe around them.
You are at risk from numerous injuries when operating machines especially your hands. Your employers must provide you with enough protection, assistance and training to try and prevent any accidents from occurring. The same can be said for all types of machine related injuries, you should be provided with goggles if your eyes are in danger from any loose parts flying off the machine, you should have protective clothing in case of spillages and even have protective barriers if there are any hazardous parts coming of the machine. If anything may seem dangerous to you which you are not sure about it is advised you seek your employer for help.
Injuries to your hands are rather common when operating machinery, and compensation is constantly being awarded for various injuries. Here are some examples of the best likely rewards for common injuries;
It is important to know what work equipment is defined as and how it may be faulty or defective. You should also be aware of how your employer may be responsible and how to make a claim based on faulty equipment. Information will also be provided on who you should turn to and the best type of solicitor to use to make sure you get all of the compensation you deserve.
Work equipment includes any machines, tools or devices such as elevators, which help you carry out your job. A defective work equipment compensation claim can be made if the equipment does not work or if the defect causes you an injury.
When making a claim, all you have to do is show how the equipment you were given was faulty and that you suffered an injury as a result. Although your employer is responsible for your injuries, it is important to know that you do not have to prove that your employer was at fault but just show the defect. This is known as 'strict liability'. So no matter how new your equipment is, how recently it was serviced or how well it was maintained, if it has a defect then you may be entitled to make a claim in compensation.
The amount of compensation to receive will depend on your case but will also depend on your solicitor. To obtain the best results and claim the maximum amount of compensation the way to claim is to use a specialist work related accident solicitor. If you are successful you will also be able to claim the costs spent on your solicitor.
Compensation claims can be made for injury caused by defective maintenance or operation of a forklift truck. There are numerous types of forklift truck used so it is important to know whether the type of truck you use can claim compensation for an accident which was due to a defect.
A common truck used is the pallet truck. The pallets are wooden structures to help transport heavy items. Counterbalance trucks are vital for transporting heavy objects as the truck will lift from the front. Therefore a substantial counterbalance is needed to ensure it doesn't topple over. Side loader, telescopic and bin tipping trucks are also widely used in the workplace. These consist of many attachments on the truck which depend on what is being transported. Another type is a high low loader, which is simply used to raise and lower heavy objects.
The injuries you can suffer as a result of forklift accidents also vary. Types of injuries include:


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ETA: bumping this for the daytime crowd - YOU GUISE HAVE GIVEN ME SO MUCH TO WATCH! This terrible and awful burden must be shared.
Ok, so one way I knew that the entertainment industry was probably not for me, is that I stopped watching narratives (exceptions always made for extraordinary writing) and began gobbling documentaries.
Inspired by I am Marsupial's post, I'm really curious to find out your favorite documentaries and why. I have four that I am completely in love with, all for completely different reasons, and by the power invested in me by way of the authority I just made up for myself, WATCH ALL THESE*:
Thunder Soul - The story of the Kashmere High School Stage Band
I don't even know where to begin with this one. Basically, this docu makes you believe in the power of one great teacher, music, and community. The film follows two storylines: the history of the band and its leader, Conrad Johnson, and a modern day story of former students celebrating the same teacher and play a tribute concert for him. The music is INCREDIBLE. After the Captain and I saw this the first time, we downloaded all of their albums off iTunes.
Murderball - Personal stories from the 2004 Paralympic Quadriplegic Rugby Team
It's hard to categorize this one - it's both a really exciting sports documentary (seriously, the action camera work on the games themselves are fucking rad), and it's also...to be honest, it was the first movie I saw about PWD and it finally clicked in for me that no one is their circumstance. So, for obvious reasons, I love it for what I learned. Also, these guys are FRACKING HAWT.
Dear Zachary - A man makes a documentary for the son of his friend that was murdered
If you've seen this docu, please do not discuss the twists and turns of this story in the comments. The movie is lyrically haunting, disturbingly beautiful, and aspects of this story NEED to be as shocking as they are to understand the depth of love that friends have for each other, for family, for children, and the devastation when any of it was taken away.
Girl 27 - One of the most important documentaries about rape you can see, ever. Hands down. If you watch nothing else, WATCH THIS.
I'm just going to take the synopsis from Rotten Tomatoes, because it's better than anything I could write about it:
In 1937, Patricia Douglas was a 20-year-old living in Hollywood with her mother, a dressmaker. Patricia was a talented dancer who had landed bit parts in several movies when she was hired for what she was told would be a day's work at the Hal Roach Studios in a project for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. However, the truth was Patricia was one of 120 young woman hired as hostesses for a wild party being thrown by MGM for 282 regional sales men from distribution branches around the country. The eveningturned into a drunken free-for-all, and Patricia was raped by a salesman from Chicago. MGM was determined to keep the incident quiet, but Patricia was equally determined to bring her attacker to justice and see that the most powerful studio in Hollywood was held accountable.
I have a personal vested interest in this documentary, as I have been through some disgustingly similar situations during my time working in entertainment. Maybe someday I'll write about it, but for now, this docu, and the outrage you'll feel watching it, says it all better than I can.
Didn't realize how late it got while I put this together. If people are interested in the topic, I'll bump again in the AM for more replies.
* All available on Netflix


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Bello Machre Bello Machre
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Bello Machre, founded in 1972, is a non-profit organization in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Bello Machre means "home of my heart" in Gaelic. We nurture, teach, and care for hundreds of children and adults with developmental disabilities. Some are as young as three months old. Some are seniors. Many are struggling with severe medical conditions. But they all have one thing in common: the need for a loving family and for a home where they can feel safe and loved. We serve children and adults without regard to race, religion, gender, or national origin.
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Imagine you're a caveman (this will be easier for some of you than others). Now, you're handed an iPod. How do you think you would think about it? Would you even be able to think about it? Yes, I know, a deep thought for a Tuesday. But it's actually relevant to this week's Big Idea, from author Patrick Lee. No, his new thriller The Breach is not about cavemen with iPod, but it does think on how disruptive technology can be if you've never seen it before — and aren't prepared for it. Take it away, Patrick Lee.
It was almost Clan of the Cave Bear meets The Dirty Dozen. That was the first half of the big idea: what would happen if stone-age humans somehow came upon a stash of 20th century weapons and equipment, without meeting the people who'd designed and built it? Imagine a hundred crates of the stuff just magically showing up in the woods outside one of their camps, twenty-five thousand years ago. What impact would our technology, all by itself, have on their lives?
Most of it they'd never make sense of: socket wrenches, volt meters, hard drives. Hell, a toilet plunger would leave them scratching their heads.
But I bet they'd figure out the guns. Maybe not the first day, but in time — certainly. Someone smart enough to shape a spear-head from stone and fix it to a shaft with vines — I don't know how to do that, do you? — would eventually work out that the little open-topped container full of shiny blunt-ended things fits neatly into this opening down here, and then when you move this big thing on the side until all the clicks are done, set the little red/green thing to red, and put pressure against the part that's unusually well-shaped for a fingertip… yeah, I think they'd eventually get it. The early lessons would be costly (God help them when they got into the grenades), but they would learn them. Given time, and a few batteries among the supplies, they might even puzzle out some of the electronics — significant, considering that a two-way radio is still among the most powerful weapons a soldier carries into battle.
These ancient people would never grasp how any of this stuff worked. Most of us don't know how it works. But what little they learned to use would be enough to make life interesting. I imagine the next few decades of interaction among their tribes and clans would be rather eventful. And if I'd felt like studying paleoanthropology for a few years to prepare myself to write a book like that, I may well have charged ahead with it. Actually, no, I wouldn't have. So here's the second half of the big idea:
What if it happened to us?
What if we came upon a supply — in the case of The Breach, an ongoing one — of technology crafted by someone thousands or even millions of years more advanced than us? How much of it could we make sense of? How eventful would our next few decades be, among our tribes and clans?
From the beginning, working with this idea, my goal was to root it as realistically as possible in our present world. I wanted it to feel as if these events could actually be happening. I wanted the story to creep the hell out of people, the way reports about Groom Lake and Roswell used to, before they got a little too familiar — a thing can only be so scary once it's been a successful teen drama on The WB. Think back to the days when Peter Jennings would do an ABC special on Project Bluebook, and your uncle would take a swig of his Michelob and say, "You know, some of that shit's probably real." That's the feeling I wanted, without actually using Groom Lake or any of its contemporaries.
So that's the approach I took: a real-as-I-could-make-it tone, and a premise that effectively makes hunter-gatherers out of the modern human race — the select few who are in on the secret — as they try to understand technological relics that are, in most cases, simply beyond them. And as they deal with the political and global consequences. And hope like hell they can distinguish the toilet plungers from the grenades.
The Breach: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell's
Read an excerpt from The Breach. See the book trailer. Visit Patrick Lee's blog.


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Theresa May and the Conservative Party have confirmed that the UK will leave the EU's single market and Customs Union. The European single market is the most ambitious part of the whole "European project". It aims to break down all barriers to trading across the 500 million-person area by ensuring the "four freedoms", being: free movement of goods, services, capital and labour. Currently, as an EU member, the UK has signed up to each of those freedoms which, as Brussels has repeatedly made clear, are non-negotiable. Being part of the single market gives UK businesses access to 500 million customers in all states within it and in turn allows British consumers and companies to purchase goods and services from across the continent. It eliminates tariffs and reduces costs and administrative burdens by applying one set of rules across all member states.
A huge 44 per cent of Britain's exports go to the EU - £220bn out of £510bn - according to the Office of National Statistics. If David Davis fails to negotiate a favourable trade deal with the EU, those exports would be subject to import tariffs as well as extra administrative costs. In the period before any potential trade deal is implemented, the UK would probably have to trade on standard tariffs under World Trade Organisation rules. Which many studies have found that would cost Britain's exporters (in extra tariffs alone) at least £4.5bn per year.
A favourable deal or otherwise known as access to the single market as a non-EU member is to be the deal the government are pursuing when negotiations on trade start in December. It is possible for the UK to have access to the single market without being a member of it, or being part of the Customs Union. The UK could negotiate a deal with the EU that allows access to trade freely with the bloc. The EU has 56 free trade agreements with countries around the world, and is in the process of negotiating several more. On the face of it, this sounds like the option most amenable for the UK; it would avoid the "post Brexit gloom" which would see tariffs imposed on businesses as soon as the UK leaves the EU, and prevent damage and shock to the economy. But, it seems likely impossible for any such deal to be agreed without accepting free trade and paying a net £10bn a year, these being some of the biggest political issues that saw 52% of Britons to vote 'leave' last year.
Furthermore, leaving the single-market and Customs Union allows Britain to sign as many free trade deals around the world as it wishes, there are already countries world-wide lining up who want such a deal with the UK, including the world's largest economy the United States. Remoaners and pro-EU MP's argue that loosing trade with the EU is not picked up by other trade deals around the world. However, PWC state that a new free trade agreement actually increases trade with countries by 30% on both sides. This would act as a huge boost to British exports and would help businesses and consumers massively as imported goods will become cheaper from emerging markets, (like India). This in turn, would most probably see a surge in demand for goods, growing the economies of the trading nations.
Every country in the world has access to the EEA. Over 50 non-EU countries have free trade agreements with the EU which don't involve annual payments or the freedom of movement of people. Hong Kong is the EU's 7th largest single market and so is much less important to the EU than the UK is and yet the Hong Kong has its own free trade agreement with the EU which gives it free access to the EEA. This deal took just over 2 years to negotiate. If this is possible for Hong Kong, this should be possible for Britain. We already have 100% regulatory equivalence with the EU, we've no tariffs or quotas to negotiate away and are the EU's most important export destination. This would in fact still benefit the EU and the people of the other 27 nations, in terms of jobs and trade. If the EU were to counter-intuitively block a free trade agreement (as speculated) it would cause more harm than good on their side too.
What does leaving the Customs Union and single-market mean to UK trade? | Callum Murphy Reviewed by Student Voices on 21:15 Rating:


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The Scroll
Welcome to AIPAC, the Greatest Show on Earth
The first day brings sound and fury, but signifying what?
Yair Rosenberg
· March 3, 2014
The New 'Morethodox' Rabbi
Asher Lopatin succeeds Avi Weiss at an influential seminary, offering a pluralistic version of Orthodoxy
Allison Hoffman
· April 29, 2013
A School for D.C.'s Jewish Elite
The Jewish Primary Day School is now the place to be for the kids of Washington's politically connected Jews
Allison Hoffman
· April 3, 2013
The Scroll
Daybreak: U.S. to Give Syrian Rebels Aid
Plus Jack Lew gets confirmed as Treasury Secretary
Adam Chandler
· February 28, 2013
The Scroll
Today in Testy Senate Confirmation Hearings
Jack Lew, Obama's nominee for Treasury Secretary, faces tough questions
Adam Chandler
· February 13, 2013
D.C.'s Missing Kosher Food
Washington's restaurant scene may be booming, but D.C. still isn't a capital place to find good kosher eats
Allison Hoffman
· January 31, 2013
United States
Treasury's First Orthodox Chief
Jack Lew, Obama's pick for Treasury secretary, is the highest-ranking Orthodox Jew in U.S. government history
Yair Rosenberg
· January 10, 2013
The Scroll
Sundown: Hagel Backs All Options on Iran
Plus Jack Lew to be named Treasury Secretary tomorrow
Adam Chandler
· January 9, 2013
The Scroll
Sundown: Resources Grow Scarce in Syria
Plus Jack Lew to be named treasury secretary?
Adam Chandler
· January 8, 2013
United States
How We Freed Soviet Jewry
Twenty-five years ago today, a rally of 250,000 people changed the fate of Jews worldwide. An oral history.
Allison Hoffman
· December 6, 2012
The Scroll
Daybreak: The Last 30 Days of the Campaign
Plus Jack Lew as Secretary of Treasury?
Adam Chandler
· November 8, 2012
The Scroll
Jewish Surrogates Make Final Case to Ohio
Obama's Jack Lew and Romney's Tevi Troy Spar, Then Pray, In Cleveland
By Rebecca Meiser · November 2, 2012
United States
Politics on the Pulpit
As the presidential election nears, rabbis debate whether partisanship is part of their job description
Yair Rosenberg
· October 19, 2012
United States
Talking to W's Chief of Staff
At the GOP convention, Josh Bolten reminisces about introducing President Bush to
shmurah matzo
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· August 30, 2012
United States
The Most Jewish Election
The 2012 presidential campaign will be a landmark for U.S. Mormons. It'll also be the most Jewish election in history, argues a Mitt Romney adviser.
Tevi Troy
· April 24, 2012
Middle East
Washington should back the Free Syrian Army in its insurgency against Bashar al-Assad, since toppling his regime would strike a blow against Iran
Lee Smith
· February 15, 2012
United States
Tribal Chiefs
Jack Lew, Obama's new chief of staff, is the third Jewish official in the last 10 years to run the White House, after Rahm Emanuel and Josh Bolten
Yair Rosenberg
· January 11, 2012
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When cancer-ravaged Birmingham mother-of-two Charlene Harper made a dying wish to get married, she was able to take her vows with her partner and childhood sweetheart Lee within two days. Hospice workers also rallied around to make sure that Charlene's final days were her happiest. Health Correspondent Alison Dayani reports.
'TIL death do us part' was a poignant marriage vow for couple Lee and Charlene Harper on their wedding day.
It was 28-year-old's Charlene's dream come true, but also her dying wish.
For this was no ordinary wedding. Organised in just two days with a special marriage licence, the bride had been too ill to pick her own dress and the venue was a hospice.
But happiness that day was overflowing as Charlene and Lee, with their eight-year-old son Ryan as ringbearer and 18-month-old toddler Ellie by their side, made their eternal vows of love, in sickness and in health, knowing that they had little remaining time.
Within weeks, the young mum, of Redditch Road, Kings Norton, died surrounded by her family at St Mary's Hospice, in Selly Park.
"It was Charlene's best day ever." recalls 37-year-old Lee, with a smile. "Charlene was laughing and smiling all day and for a few days afterwards. We were so happy we had the chance to do it with all the people we care about."
Charlene was diagnosed with an incurable cancer of the soft tissue, called metastatic sarcoma, in May last year after suffering with severe pains.
Scans showed Charlene, a catering assistant at Edgbaston's Priory Hospital, had unknowingly suffered with the cancer for some time and it had moved into all the soft tissue around her body, putting pressure on her vital organs.
"When Charlene went into the hospice in March, she had been given three days to live as she was in so much pain, but she fought it and pulled through," adds Lee, who works as a car valet contractor to the motor industry. "We had talked about getting married before Charlene found out she had cancer, but that put everything on hold.
"One day, we were just chatting in the hospice about it and Charlene said 'I'd really like to get married' and a doctor overheard and made it happen. That was on the Tuesday and we were married by Thursday.
"The hospice chefs made the cake and food, the nurses dressed up the conservatory, the doctor arranged a special licence from Birmingham Register Office. Charlene's sister, Claire O'Gorman, was trusted to go and pick a dress and we just had to let people know we were tying the knot.
"The nurses even dressed up her bedroom at the hospice with signs saying 'Honeymoon Suite' with balloons and a camp bed for me next to her bed."
THE wedding was on a wishlist of things Charlene, who grew up with her mum Jennifer O'Gorman, in Kings Norton, wanted to do when she realised that there was no cure and chemotherapy had failed to make an impact.
She managed a Valentine's Day romantic getaway in Stratford Upon Avon with Lee and the children's first beach family holiday to Great Yarmouth but was unable to finish a memory box for Ellie and Ryan.
"You can't imagine what it is like being told you are going to die," says Lee. "I couldn't believe it at first. We had some really tough moments during that final year.
"After having the first bout of chemotherapy, it made Charlene feel worse. She wanted to stop it, but continued for the children. She thought that if it gave her the glimmer of hope of another few years with them, it was worth it, but that didn't happen.
"The cancer came back with a vengeance. It's such a cruel thing to have. Charlene got weaker and weaker but she always kept happy and joked about dying and coming back to see me. I used to say: 'If you come back, don't just jump out on me, give me some warning'.
"On the night she died, I didn't think she was going to die, but everyone was there. Her parents, me and the children.
"She reached out her hand, lay back, clenched her fists up by her chin tightly towards her and that was it. I felt at least she wasn't going to suffer any more."
Lee, a former butcher at Priory Meats, in Priory Square, city centre, met Charlene, a former pupil at St Thomas Aquinas Catholic School, when she was 17 at a social club in Cotteridge.
"Charlene had the biggest heart in the world and would do anything for anyone," adds Lee.
"The nurses and staff at St Mary's Hospice are wonderful. They see hundreds of people a year but they made us feel special and really care about each and every person.
"I think because Charlene was so young and they were seeing the children all the time, it hit a chord with the young nurses and we still go back and see them now.
"I am doing a memory box with Ryan and Ellie. It's small things, like her wig and a glass that Charlene used to take her tablets with.
"Ellie doesn't know where her mum is but that makes it easier as she is so young, I don't have to explain it to her. We went back to the hospice a few days ago and when we pulled up in the car park, Ellie said 'Are we going to see mummy now?' and I just froze.
"We practically lived at the hospice when Charlene was there and Ellie associates it with her mum. I took her to the empty room where Charlene was to try and explain her mummy isn't here any more.
"I have made sure me and the kids are very open about it and we talk about their mum all the time."
Ryan, a pupil at Fairway Primary School, Kings Norton, plays for the Santiago Colts football team.
Last weekend, Ryan's football coach Aidan Thompson raised money for St Mary's Hospice in Charlene's memory by running the length of the Malvern Hills, which are ten miles in length and 1,394ft at their highest point.
St Mary's Hospice opened in 1979 and has cared for tens of thousands of people and MS, but bosses must find half of its £6.3 million running costs from donations.


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Cheryl L. Sovern - Partner
Cheryl L. Sovern is a partner in the firm of DuCharme, Clark & Sovern, LLP. She earned her Juris Doctor degree from Albany Law School with a concentration in the field of Family/Elder Law. She won the Albany Law School Client Counseling Moot Court Competition. Her areas of practice include labor and employment matters, civil litigation, business and corporate law and family/matrimonial law. She also represents clients on appellate matters in the Third Department.
She represents plaintiffs in employment discrimination matters against both public and private employers. She has represented plaintiff-employees against municipalities pertaining to Civil Service status. Ms. Sovern's employment law experience includes EEOC and New York State Division of Human Rights' investigations where Ms. Sovern has represented both employers and employees. Ms. Sovern also extends her experience to litigation in the federal courts where matters of federal law are at issue.
In representing businesses, Ms. Sovern has assisted her clients in forming the corporate entity, purchasing/selling a business and even closing down their business following a sale. She has applied for and obtained liquor licenses as well as tax exempt status for businesses she represents. Ms. Sovern's hands-on approach with her clients allows them to be a part of the process which, in turn, educates the client on the corporate responsibilities which are needed to maintain corporate protections against personal liability.
In representing family and matrimonial clients, Ms. Sovern takes a pragmatic approach to the issues and works on determining what her clients' goals are and then implementing an approach that assists the client longterm. The process includes keeping the client involved as well as informing and educating clients on the issues at hand. Ms. Sovern practices primarily in Saratoga and Schenectady Supreme and Family Courts, but has also represented clients in Albany, Fulton, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Warren and Washington County.
Volunteerism is an important part of Ms. Sovern's life. As such, Ms. Sovern currently provides pro bono legal assistance through the Adirondack Women's Bar Association DV Clinic and also participates in the family court appeals program in the Third Department and takes occasional cases from the Legal Aid Society.
Ms. Sovern resides in Saratoga County with her husband and touts her greatest accomplishment as her part in raising their two children, Amanda and Andrew. Ms. Sovern also enjoys hiking and camping with her two german shepherds, Oshie and Mischa.
Court and Bar Admissions:
Professional Experience, Community Experience and Volunteerism:
DuCharme, Clark & Sovern, LLP
10 Maxwell Drive - Suite 205
Clifton Park, NY 12065
Phone: (518) 373-1482
Fax: (518) 373-8758