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February 27, 2015
Obtaining Social Security Disability Benefits for PTSD
Many people with severe mental disorders are unable to work, and post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is one of many mental disorders Social Security might consider disabling. In my practice, I have represented numerous clients suffering such severe PTSD symptoms that they are unable to work, even though they might be physically healthy enough to meet the demands of various types of jobs. PTSD symptoms typically arise after a patient has experienced or observed a terrifying event. Many factors contribute to these symptoms, and all patients experience PTSD differently. While symptoms vary in type and intensity, many that I see in my Indiana Social Security Disability practice include: Recurrent memories of a traumatic event Mentally experiencing a traumatic event over and over (flashbacks) Nightmares about a traumatic event Avoiding situations that are reminders of a traumatic event Concentration difficulties Anger outbursts Hypervigilance Self-destructive behavior The Social Security Administration (SSA) addresses post-traumatic stress disorder in its Listing of Impairments. PTSD is evaluated under Listing 12.06: Anxiety Related Disorders. Social Security reviews your medical records for documentation of the types of symptoms you have, as well as the severity of your symptoms and their effect on your daily life. In my experience it is important to have medical records, including progress notes from a qualified psychiatrist and therapist, showing you have been receiving regular treatment. Unlike many physical conditions, where objective testing can be used to help prove the cause of your symptoms, mental health conditions must be proven using treatment records. Many of my clients with PTSD have told me that one of their major hurdles in finding and maintaining employment is their inability to interact appropriately with other people. They explain that they have difficulty leaving their homes and interacting even with their families and friends; they would be unable … Continued
Filed under: Qualifying Disabilities and Impairments || Tagged under: anxiety, attorney, disability, Indiana, lawyer, mental, ptsd, social security, ssa
0 comments || Author: Scott Lewis
February 18, 2015
Why Do they Ask All of those Questions at Social Security Disability Hearings?
The day of your Social Security disability hearing has arrived, and you are probably filled with anxiety and wondering what it is going to be like. Although I can't cure my clients of all of their hearing-day jitters, I do make sure I spend about an hour talking to my clients prior to the hearing date so they will know what to expect. I describe what the hearing will be like from the time they enter the hearing room to the time they leave. We also go over all of the questions that the Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) tend to ask during the hearing. One reason I go through these "practice questions" with my client is to prevent the client from being surprised by what the questions are. Another reason is to prevent me from being surprised by how the client answers them. The first questions the ALJ asks you will typically be very easy, including your name, address, and Social Security number. He might ask about your height and weight and whether you are right- or left-handed. The judge may also ask you about your living arrangements – whether you live in a house, apartment, or mobile home; who lives there with you; and your source of income. The best way to answer these questions is honestly and simply. Remember to stay on topic. Most of my clients are itching to talk about their disabling conditions right away, and that is understandable, but the judge needs to get through these questions before moving on. Next the ALJ will most likely ask you about jobs you have performed in the past. Social Security's disability rules say that if your condition allows you to return to any of the work you have done in the past fifteen years, you are not … Continued
Filed under: Hearings Process || Tagged under: disability, hearing, Indiana, indianapolis, questions, social security, ssa
0 comments || Author: Scott Lewis
February 6, 2015
Receiving Social Security Disability For Crohn's Disease
Crohn's disease is becoming a much more commonly diagnosed problem for the clients I represent in my Indiana Social Security disability law practice. When I see an influx of certain types of cases, I am never sure whether the increase is due to the disease occurring more often, or to doctors making more accurate diagnoses. Whatever the reason, my clients with Crohn's disease are unable to perform full time jobs. If you suffer from Crohn's disease or any other gastrointestinal disorder that prevents you from working, I believe it is important for you to investigate the possibility of qualifying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. While the symptoms associated with Crohn's can vary among individuals, many of my clients complain of the following: Diarrhea Fatigue and weakness Fever Abdominal pain Weight loss The Social Security Administration (SSA) recognizes gastrointestinal disorders in Section 5.00 of its Listing of Impairments. Crohn's disease is often evaluated under Subsection 5.06: Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Many of my clients, though, do not meet all of the specific requirements of this listing. In those cases, we must show that the symptoms they experience reduce their Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) so much that they cannot perform all of the duties required in full-time work. Typically, my clients are unable to stay on task because they require frequent bathroom breaks or have debilitating abdominal pain. They have days in which they are unable to leave their home due to the severity of their symptoms. I have attended many Social Security disability hearings at which the Vocational Expert (VE) has testified that employers, as a rule, will not tolerate excessive bathroom breaks or two or more absences per month. If a claimant's medical records support a finding that he or she would leave the … Continued
Filed under: Qualifying Disabilities and Impairments || Tagged under: attorney, bowel, crohn's, disability, disease, ibd, Indiana, indianapolis, lawyer, social security, ssa
0 comments || Author: Scott Lewis
February 4, 2015
Schizophrenia And Disability Payments From The Social Security Administration
The symptoms of severe mental illness may prevent an individual from being able to work. Schizophrenia is one such illness that the Social Security Administration recognizes as a disabling condition in its Listing of Impairments. Schizophrenia is addressed under Listing 12.03: Schizophrenic, Paranoid, and other Psychotic Disorders. To meet this listing, you must be able to provide medical documentation of symptoms consistent with schizophrenia, including: Delusions or hallucinations Catatonic or other grossly disorganized behavior Incoherence, loosening of associations, illogical thinking, or poor speech content Emotional withdrawal or isolation Not only must you show that you have symptoms of schizophrenia, but you must also show that these symptoms cause at least two of the following: Marked impairments in your activities of daily living Marked impairments in your ability to maintain social functioning Marked impairments in your ability to maintain concentration, persistence, or pace Episodes of decompensation lasting at least two weeks that take place at least three times per year Some people who have been dealing with schizophrenia for a long time have been able to find medications or highly supportive living arrangements that allow them to be able to function relatively well day-to-day. If your symptoms of schizophrenia are not currently severe enough to meet the previously-mentioned requirements, you might still be disabled under Listing 12.03 if one of the following applies: You have episodes of decompensation lasting at least two weeks that take place at least three times per year You are coping fairly well on your present medications and in your present environment, but you would decompensate if you experienced even a minimal increase in your mental demands or a change in your environment You have been living in a highly supportive living arrangement for over a year, and you are unable to function outside of it Even if … Continued
Filed under: Qualifying Disabilities and Impairments || Tagged under: attorney, disability, Indiana, mental, schizo, SCHIZOPHRENIA, social security, ssa
0 comments || Author: Scott Lewis
January 28, 2015
Peripheral Neuropathy and Your Social Security Disability Claim
I represent many of my Indiana neighbors who cannot work because they suffer from peripheral neuropathy in their arms, legs, hands, or feet. Peripheral neuropathy occurs when the nerves that relay messages from other parts of your body to your spinal cord and brain are damaged. The effects of that damage can have a devastating impact on a person's ability to function in the workplace. While peripheral neuropathy occurs in conjunction with a variety of medical conditions, the most common cause I see in my Indiana Social Security Disability Law Practice is diabetes. Diabetic neuropathy can occur when consistently high blood sugar levels damage the nerves that transmit pain and other types of signals to the brain. My clients who suffer from peripheral neuropathy in their legs and feet often have difficulty standing and walking because they have trouble feeling their feet or because standing for too long causes pain. The inability to stand and walk for at least half of a work day typically means that a person is limited to sedentary (sitting) occupations; people who have been told by their doctors that they must also elevate their legs when sitting to prevent swelling and pain are often prevented from performing sedentary work as well. Additionally, pain, tingling, and numbness often prevent my clients from being able to concentrate long enough to meet the demands of full-time work. Peripheral neuropathy also occurs in the hands. Hand pain, weakness, and numbness can be quite disabling, as the majority of occupations require the ability to perform fine and gross manipulation with the hands. People with peripheral neuropathy in their hands may find themselves unable to do things most of us take for granted like writing, typing, buttoning, zipping, and grasping even the lightest of objects. In many of the Social Security … Continued
Filed under: Qualifying Disabilities and Impairments || Tagged under: attorney, disability, Indiana, peripheral neuropathy, social security, ssa
0 comments || Author: Scott Lewis
January 23, 2015
Hearings at the Indianapolis Social Security Office of Disability Adjudication and Review
You probably have seen television or movie depictions of courtrooms, so you may expect your Social Security disability hearing to take place in a big, old courtroom in a big, old courthouse with lots of pomp and circumstance. Every hearing office is a different, but if you have a disability hearing scheduled in Indianapolis, Indiana, your hearing will most likely be held at the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR) located at 151 North Delaware Street, Room 400, Indianapolis, Indiana. The Indianapolis ODAR is on the fourth floor of a regular downtown office building. As you leave the elevator on the fourth floor and turn left, you will see a security officer sitting at a desk. He is there for your safety as well as that of the Social Security staff and Administrative Law Judges (ALJs). The security guard will ask you for valid picture identification, such as a driver's license, state identification card, or passport. Before the date of your hearing, make sure your identification has not expired! Also be prepared to empty all of your pockets and remove your hat if you are wearing one. You will be scanned with a metal detector, and the security guard will inspect any bags or purses you are carrying with you. You may not carry deadly weapons, such as guns and knives, into the Social Security office. Women carrying pepper spray in their purses will also be turned away. If you have any of these items with you when you come to the hearing office, you will most likely be asked to take them back to your vehicle. Once you have passed the security check, you will be directed to give your name to a staff person at the office window. The staff member will confirm that you have a … Continued
Filed under: Hearings Process || Tagged under: alj, attorney, disability, hearing, judge, odar, office, ssa
0 comments || Author: Scott Lewis
January 16, 2015
I Can't Work a Full Time Job; Can I Get Social Security Disability?
Many people think of a "disabling condition" as one that prevents a person from performing the physical requirements of a job, such as lifting a certain amount of weight or being able to stand at a work station. However, many of my clients suffer from impairments that, rather than affecting their physical strength, prevent them from being able to work a full eight hour day or make it in to work every day of the work week. For example, some of my clients deal with debilitating fatigue; they can perform all the aspects of a job for a few hours but then are too exhausted to continue. Others suffer from episodic illnesses in which they might be fully functional for a few days or even a few weeks at a time, but they have frequent flares of their symptoms that completely debilitate them for days. Some of these clients are able to hold down a part-time job but would never be able to work a forty-hour workweek. If you have a severe medical impairment that prevents you from working a full-time job, you may be entitled to Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. It is important to remember, though, that Social Security has rules about how much you can earn while working part time. If your monthly earnings are higher than their rules allow, Social Security will automatically find that you are not disabled. Social Security calls this cutoff "Substantial Gainful Activity" (SGA); in 2015, if you make more than $1,090.00 per month gross (before taxes are taken out) your earnings are above SGA. If you are statutorily blind, the income threshold is quite a bit higher; you can make up to $1,820 before you exceed the SGA level. If you are working part-time and … Continued
Filed under: Qualifying Disabilities and Impairments || Tagged under: attorney, disability, Indiana, indianapolis, job, lawyer, sga, social security, ssa
0 comments || Author: Scott Lewis
December 24, 2014
Time Constraints on Appealing Your Indiana Social Security Disability Case
All too often, people call me for help in appealing their Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claims, only to find out they have waited too long. If Social Security denies your claim for Social Security disability benefits, you have sixty days to appeal that decision. (Actually, Social Security allows five extra days for mailing time, so you have a total of sixty-five days from the date of your denial letter.) If you have not submitted the appropriate forms before the deadline, Social Security will very likely dismiss your claim. If that happens, you will probably have to start all over with another initial application. There can be times when the Social Security Administration (SSA) will accept an appeal filed after the deadline, but they will only do so if there is "good cause" for the late filing. If you forgot the deadline, lost the paperwork, or just didn't get the forms filled out on time, Social Security probably will not find that you have good cause. On the other hand, if you were hospitalized, had a death in your immediate family, or never received the denial letter because Social Security sent it to the wrong address, there is a good chance that the SSA will accept your late filing. Social Security makes a decision about good cause on a case-by-case basis. The best thing to do is to file the appeal as soon as possible after you receive the denial. How can you make sure you don't miss Social Security's filing deadlines? Here are some tips: Keep your Social Security office informed about changes in your address and/or telephone number. Follow up with Social Security regarding your claim. In my office, we follow up about once a month during the initial application and reconsideration stages … Continued
Filed under: Appeals Process, Claims Process, Evaluation Process, Hearings Process || Tagged under: appeal, attorney, constraints, deadline, disability, Indiana, lawyer, social security, ssa, time
0 comments || Author: Scott Lewis
December 12, 2014
Consultative Exams: What Are They And Should You Go?
Many disability claimants are caught off guard when they receive a notice from the Social Security Administration (SSA) for a scheduled doctor's appointment. These doctor appointments are called consultative examinations (CE's). The SSA will sometimes send SSDI and/or SSI claimants to these examinations if they feel like more information is needed to determine a disabling condition. It is important that the claimants attend these CE's. Failure to appear at a CE may result in the SSA denying the claim. Who are the doctors? The doctors that perform the CE's are not employed directly by Social Security, but are private doctors that are contracted out by the SSA. In my experience, this can be good and bad. The good part is that since the doctors are independent physicians, they should be evaluating the claimant's condition objectively. The flip side of this is that since these physicians only see the claimants for a single short visit, (usually around 15 minutes) a thorough evaluation may not be performed. What is the purpose of these exams? The most likely purpose that a claimant is sent to a consultative examination is because of a lack of medical records. If a claimant is claiming a disability, but there are not any or enough medical records to back it up, or the records are from a long time ago, the claimant's case reviewer will most likely send the claimant out for a CE. Hopefully the SSA will attempt to give the claimant a fair shot despite the lack of medical records, but it is usually best not to rely on a consultative examination to prove your disability. Another scenario that my office sees is when the case reviewer or the judge wants a specific test done that they think could prove or disprove the claimant's case. … Continued
Filed under: Appeals Process, Claims Process, Evaluation Process, Hearings Process, Medical Treatment, Social Security Disability Benefits Claims Process || Tagged under: attorney, ce, consultative, consultative exams, dds, disability, exam, examination, Indiana, lawyer, social security, ssa
0 comments || Author: Scott Lewis
November 26, 2014
What Is The Timeline For My Social Security Disability Claim?
Many claimants wonder what the timeline looks like for a Social Security disability claim from start to finish. The waiting time for a claim can depend on many factors and can vary greatly from case to case. Step 1: Initial Application In my experience, the average waiting time for a decision on the initial application is about 4 months, but this is only an estimate. This wait time can depend on multiple things. One factor is how quickly your medical providers respond to the Social Security Administration (SSA)'s requests for medical records. The SSA will request any relevant medical records from the medical providers you listed on your initial application. In my experience, the turnaround time for medical records can range from one week to a few months. Another factor that impacts the waiting time at this stage is how long it takes the SSA to obtain additional information it needs about your disabling conditions. This additional information can come in the form of consultative exams (one-time assessments by doctors who examine you on the SSA's behalf) or questionnaires about your work history and your activities of daily living. Finally, the wait time can be longer or shorter based on the SSA's current workload. Step 2: Request for Reconsideration In my experience, claimants wait approximately 3 months for a decision on a request for reconsideration, but this is only an estimate. The waiting time at this step has the greatest variation among my clients. Some clients receive a decision within a few weeks, especially if they have not received any additional medical treatment since they completed their initial application. Others wait months as their adjudicators work to obtain additional information, especially if the claimants have experienced big changes in their disabling conditions since completing the initial application. Usually this step simply entails a medical records update and … Continued
Filed under: Appeals Process, Claims Process, Evaluation Process, Hearings Process, Social Security Disability Benefits Claims Process, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI) || Tagged under: attorney, disability, Indiana, indianapolis, lawyer, social security, ssa, timeline
0 comments || Author: Scott Lewis


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Cuba is one of the richest pipelines for world-class baseball talent. It's also one of the most treacherous places for Major League Baseball teams to recruit. Thanks to the embargo, defectors have to risk perilous journeys across the Straits of Florida or through Latin America before they can snag big-money contracts in the United States. Agents, meanwhile, operate in that murky world, shepherding them along through illegal coyotes — often at great risk to the players.
Today, one of the biggest local agents in that gray-market business has been arrested on human-trafficking charges in Miami. Bart Hernandez, an agent who now works for singer Marc Anthony's Magnus Sports, was reportedly arraigned this afternoon in federal court.
The indictment against him hasn't been unsealed yet, but Yahoo Sports got its hands on a copy. It shows that Hernandez has been charged in connection with a particularly contentious client, Seattle Mariners outfielder Leonys Martin.
Martin has already spelled out his ordeal in a federal civil complaint. The ballplayer says when he defected in 2010, he was spirited away to Mexico, where he was essentially held hostage until promising a huge chunk of his future earnings to the shady men holding him there.
There have already been other criminal charges linked to the case: In 2013, federal prosecutors charged three conspirators in Martin's extortion: Eliezer Lazo, Joel Martinez Hernandez, and Yillian Hernandez. Lazo pleaded guilty last year and received 175 months in prison and $144,000 restitution; Yillian got one year behind bars; it's not clear how Joel Martinez Hernandez case was resolved.
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At that time, Bart Hernandez — who acted as the Miami-based agent while Martin went through that ordeal — wasn't charged. But according to Yahoo, his time has come today. (Magnus Sports didn't immediately respond to New Times' request for comment on the case.)
His arrest is a significant blow to the U.S.-Cuba baseball industry. Hernandez has long been among the best-known connections in Miami to big-time players on the island. Here's how the Miami Herald described him in 2014:
Bart Hernandez [has] become synonymous with Cuban players by leading them through the convoluted process and signing many to rich contracts.
Martin's case isn't the first to cast open a window on the dark side of Cuba's baseball exports. In 2014, another South Florida man was charged with smuggling star slugger Yasiel Puig out of Cuba. Puig was held hostage by a Mexican drug cartel until he signed away millions of future earnings.

subset: commoncrawl


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Wednesday, 29 June 2016
The House of Black and White
The challenge this week is Black and White.
No prizes for guessing where the inspiration came from. Go team Arya!
I've used Miss Snottie
and Night.
I'm still on my holiday so I will catch up with you all when I get back.
Have a fun week, and thanks very much for looking x
9 comments:
Another fun card! Hugs, ValerieReplyDelete
This is terrific and very arty. Enjoy the rest of your holidayReplyDelete
Love Chrissie xx
FAB as always Sue. Hope to still see you and your beautiful creations around the cyber highways. Best wishes, your old teamie! XxxReplyDelete
- Anonymous29 June 2016 at 19:09
Fabulous Sue, I have loved looking at your Stampotique designs and look forward to seeing your designs in the future. Hope you enjoy your holiday :) xxReplyDelete
Will miss you Sue!ReplyDelete
Lovely last project !
Corrie x
Brilliant card and design Sue, love it. Hope you are having a wonderful holiday and have found that sun, I'm sure your not sad about missing all the rain we've had! XxxxReplyDelete
Oh yes! this is great Sue, as soon as I saw it I knew who it was and where she was. I know you are on holiday but did you see the season finale?? Wow!!! I shall say no more. xxxReplyDelete
I will not say more either than this:ReplyDelete
This make is absolutely gorgeous work, even brilliant as all you do Sue... I have loved seeing each and every of your amazing creations for Stampotique from very long now; I confess that you and two or three others in the eam were A LOT in my decision to continue to stay in Stampotique FB group, and still follow all the makes done week after week... It was pure delight with you!
So of course, I remain your friend and your follower in all your next adventures to come. :) Hugs xxxx
WONDERFUL Sue!!ReplyDelete
Thank you so much for visiting and for your comments, it is very much appreciated. Please be aware that by leaving a comment it will be visible along with your user name, allowing others to read and access information you have supplied within your profile.


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CSC Reports First Cycle Results for North Carolina Medicaid Management Information System Program
News Release -- November 01, 2010
Under Supplemental Drug Rebate Program, the State Can Save More Than $90 Million Annually
FALLS CHURCH, Va., Nov. 1 – CSC (NYSE: CSC) announced today that the first cycle of its Supplemental Drug Rebate Program for North Carolina's Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) netted the state more than $2 million in savings. When fully implemented, the new program can save the state more than $90 million annually.
CSC operates both the Supplemental Drug Rebate and the Medicaid Retrospective Drug Utilization Review (RetroDUR) programs under a contract awarded to the company in 2008. The contract calls for CSC to replace the state's current Medicaid Management Information System with a new healthcare administration system that will manage other state agency health services as well.
The CSC-managed Supplemental Drug Rebate Program allows the state's Medicaid program to obtain reduced prices for covered medications on the North Carolina Medicaid Preferred Drug List through the use of rebates. The RetroDUR program retrospectively evaluates Medicaid recipients' prescriptions to help improve the prescribing and use of appropriate and cost-effective medications. The program also enables DHHS staff to evaluate and prevent adverse drug events caused by drug-drug interactions, drug-disease interactions, therapeutic duplication, over- and under-utilization of drug therapies, and misuse of controlled substances.
"We are pleased to work with CSC and are confident that our solutions will increase Medicaid customer satisfaction and, ultimately, improve the quality of healthcare for our constituents," said Dr. Craigan L. Gray, director of the Division of Medical Assistance for North Carolina's DHHS.
"By providing our operational expertise and world-class information technology services for these two Medicaid programs, CSC proudly supports the state of North Carolina's mission to protect the health and safety of all North Carolinians, as well as save the state money," said Mike Gaffney, president of CSC's North American Public Sector Civil and Health Services Group.
About CSC
CSC is a global leader in providing technology-enabled solutions and services through three primary lines of business. These include Business Solutions and Services, the Managed Services Sector and the North American Public Sector. CSC's advanced capabilities include system design and integration, information technology and business process outsourcing, applications software development, Web and application hosting, mission support and management consulting. The company has been recognized as a leader in the industry, including being named by FORTUNE Magazine as one of the World's Most Admired Companies for Information Technology Services (2010). Headquartered in Falls Church, Va., CSC has approximately 95,000 employees and reported revenue of $16.2 billion for the 12 months ended July 2, 2010. For more information, visit the company's website at www.dxc.technology.


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The Chow Chow in Southern Africa from 1895 to present day
It is with grateful thanks to the ladies in the KUSA (Kennel Union of Southern Africa) office who looked after me while I went through the archives, Carol Immelman who loaned me her boxes of gazettes and magazines as well as the many Chowists from the past and present who assisted with information.
The information within this book has been cross- verified and where information has been passed down by word of mouth, it is fortunate to be able to compare this to the official gazettes.
Written information collated over the years has been compared to at least two sources.
While I know that this information is by no means complete and I am quite sure there will be inaccuracies in some people's opinions – but it comes from the only reliable sources available and for that reason I believe it to be mostly correct.


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Canadian X's
Part 2 of 2: From Here to There and Back Again? Canadian artists and producers gone to Berlin
Joanne Thompson - June 30, 2011
In a city filled with tourists and Internationals, Berliners have a joke that the British get drunk, the Spanish do drugs and the Italians run in groups. And Canadians? They blend in. Everywhere you turn it seems, there are Canadians working in the arts, making themselves at home; collaborating with each other and with German friends.
Berlin also offers other modes of employment and opportunity in music and technology related fields, partly as a consequence of the city being an epicentre for innovation and home to a number of important music software and hardware companies. These days, Jeff Milligan works at Ableton, frequently touring for them and doing workshops. Scott Monteith has worked for Native Instruments. But the Canadian contingent are also busy doing their own music business from abroad. Hawtin's M_nus label, Shannon's Cynosure, and Jonson's Wagon Repair are headquartered there, as is Caulfield's Dumb-Unit imprint, Adam Marshall's New Kanada and Deadbeat's new label BLKRTZ.
Milligan on 4 turntables
As one of Berlin's circulating flavours, the Canadians are often seen playing together at clubs like Watergate. Last spring, Mike Shannon threw a birthday celebration there for his friend Deadbeat, which ran well into the morning and included a bad-bwoy jungle set by Mathew Jonson with brother, Nathan, aka Hrdvsion, fist-pumping on stage. Somehow it felt more like being in someone's house than a club. Shannon acknowledges that there is a strong sense of community amongst the ex-pats, "I think it's easier to make moves like that when you have old friendships all around you. It's been really interesting because I've seen friends from all parts of Canada come together in Berlin now and become closer friends".
Techno has had a long run and many in the city feel a need for change. UK Bass and Nu-disco have become popular new 'Berlin flavors'. Live instrumentation combined with electronic wizardry and a willingness to experiment is something Jeff Milligan believes is key to moving the various electronic genres forward. Berlin provides a context to keep trying new things.
Shannon's new album, as Blue Fields, intended for Mathew Jonson's Wagon Repair label, debuts a studio project featuring Fadila on vocals and Takeshi Nishimoto on guitar. "It's not really like the dance floor stuff that I'm known for but more of a jazz influenced listening album. Something similar to the work I did for ~Scape in 2005, but with some even deeper explorations with the help of Takeshi's virtuoso skill." There are cameos from a few different musicians, including Berlin's Paul Kleber on bass and Montreal's Patrick Watson on piano. Shannon hopes to bring the project to Canada in the near future for some live shows.
Most of the ex-pats plan to continue making Berlin their home for the foreseeable future, though as Shannon says, "I always have dreams of coming back to Canada, but as long as I continue to be apart of the international circuit, Berlin really is an easy place to be based. Most of my best friends are based there as well and the community that we have is really something that would be very hard to find elsewhere." Berry agrees that it would be difficult to make a living in Canada at what he does. The real reason for leaving Canada is opportunity, or as Gardner puts it, is, "purely desperation. I mean, why else would we abandon this beautiful country?"
The usual reasons can be cited; Canada is a vast country with a small population and it's expensive to fly between cities. But, as Milligan observes, "there is support from institutions if you are a singer-songwriter." The international profile of Arcade Fire and Broken Social Scene has certainly been helped along by a funding and radio infrastructure as well as a culturally determined preference for rock/pop and folk. A category recognizing electronic music has only just this year been added to the Canadian music industry awards, the Junos, and it's still struggling with definitions for a form of music that falls outside of conventional song constructions.
The electronic music genres however, as a kind of international musical Esperanto, unconstrained by language, reach all around the planet, and Canadians take up a significant part of this contemporary space.
The king of things M_Nus, Richie Hawtin, is arguably one of the most successful DJs and producers in the world today; taking the top spot on RA's annual Live Act poll for 2010, and second place (to Ricardo Villalobos) for best DJ - positions he's been toggling between for years now. Hawtin had his 40th birthday last year and has been producing techno for more than two decades. Even after all that time, and over 500,000 Facebook fans, you'd be hard pressed to find a commercial radio station in Canada that plays his tracks.
Plastikman at MUTEK 2011, photo by C.Hayeur.
Milligan feels that Germany has many conditions conducive to a thriving electronic music community which Canada lacks. "Germany is just better, period. In regards to policy, arts support, personal freedom, more people and close to more countries that are NOT the USA." He adds that the barriers to working in the US are prohibitive (visas, fees, brokers).
Daniel Gardner is quite direct, about the lack of support for electronic music from cultural institutions, record labels and commercial radio in Canada. "Yeah, that totally sucks. I mean how many producers and electronic performers are hailing from Canada? TONS! It's absolutely ridiculous that there is no support or even recognition of the amazing resources of talent. However, this new category at the Juno's is a step in the right direction. Thank god, we have had MUTEK pushing the agenda of this music. Otherwise we'd be worse off than we are now."
Not everyone feels it's necessary at this point to make a permanent move. As Koesch from De:bug says, "These days it doesn't take any longer for an album from Canada to land in my inbox than from anywhere else." Many still come to the city for its relaxed atmosphere and for inspiration, choosing to make extended visits to Berlin rather than decamp.
Michael Pettit and Jamie Drouin from Victoria's Overcast Sound spent three months in the city last year and plan to spend another three this coming fall. Overcast's recent album, Beneath the Grain, takes its inspiration from time spent there. Pettit explains, "Berlin is much more mature than what we are exposed to here in Canada, so there was a desire to be in a place where we could be immersed in a creatively stimulating environment - both as an audience member and performer. It can be a bit of a vacuum living here on the west coast of Canada. We wanted to see if the Berlin we hear so much about is a myth or reality." And did it live up to their expectations? "Yes and then some. You hear the stories and see the pictures, but I don't think it really does it justice. And for myself there was a level of disbelief about the whole thing. I do recall thinking before arriving - that there was no way it could be like everyone said... it's all hyperbole. But it really wasn't. Being there and living in it, especially when compared to what goes on in our hometown, is really unlike much else."
For Nathan Jonson, aka Hrdvision (and Midnight Operator with his brother Mathew), a more recent arrival, the decision to move to Berlin came after spending a couple of months there and in Switzerland. Returning to his hometown of Victoria, he says he could feel the conservatism everywhere. "Things I might have done anyway in Canada despite laws, were suddenly legal in Europe. Smoking, drinking, nudity to some degree. I just get a feeling that people would rather live their lives here than police each other."
Living in Berlin has definitely affected his music. "Here I don't feel those walls. I don't feel I have to prove anything to anyone anymore. That means that I don't have to make things too nerdy or complex or even perfect."
For Shannon, the change is more subconscious. "Sometimes not seeing the sun for over a month in the Berlin winter can really effect the mood of your music. People say that the Berlin sound has always been melancholic and deep and that's almost exactly where I've been many times in the past with my productions."
In Berlin you can hear what other producers are up to, the current music trends, what the Djs are playing in the clubs or hit a record shop like Hard Wax. "Personally, I try and use that information to do things creatively that I haven't heard ten times the weekend before."
Canadian producers seem to get a lot of love and respect from the foreign media, including airplay and regular features and profiles, not to mention well attended, well paying gigs. So, why no love at home? For anyone in Canada wanting to keep up, BBC1 has long been the place to keep current, especially after the cancellation of the long running and much beloved Canadian radio institution, Brave New Waves. Jonson says, "The dumbest thing imaginable for that station was to cancel that show."
With the decline of traditional and broadcast media like radio, internet stations and magazines with their own podcasts like Resident Advisor, Fact and XLR8R are all responding to new opportunities and niche tastes. These are all places that Canadian content regulations do not apply, or even make sense anymore.
Like Gardner, Milligan wishes he could have stayed in Canada. He misses the food and the multi-culturalism, which he says is good for both music and talent. But he feels the Canadian content laws are counter productive and only serve to devalue the work.
As Shannon says, "Canada is that place that will always be my real home and I hope that one day I can make it possible for myself to return comfortably."
Joanne Thomspon curates kanadische inhalte : canadian content, a program dedicated to Canadian DJs and producers. She is based in Berlin and Toronto. Archives of the show are here, and here.


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Source: radicalparenting.com
By: Radical Parenting Intern
What does it really mean when teens 'misbehave', do something 'wrong' or 'mess-up.' I think that all parents have a fundamental dilemma when thinking about 'punishing' their children.
Parents Take Their Children's Mistakes Personally
The first part of this argument is that many parents take their children's mistakes personally. I cannot tell you how often I hear a parent tell me:
"My daughter is getting in trouble at school and not doing well with grades…what have I done wrong? I must be a bad mother."
Parents are not blameless for their children's actions, but taking your children's mistakes as a mirror for your parenting style, puts the emphasis on the wrong issue and therefore makes it harder to solve.
Parents View Their Children as a Misbehaving, Dysfunctional Version of Themselves
This is the tough one. I have found that some parents view their children as mini-versions of themselves. I do not mean this in the typical sense (usually this is said in reference to parents wanting their children to fulfill their dreams). I mean that parents expect their children to behave like them. Therefore, when their children misbehave, they feel like a part of them is misbehaving or that they are dysfunctional.
Parents View Their Kid's Using a Lens
I call this the parental lens. Parents viewing their children's misbehavior as a personal failure, through their own lens. Children are different not wrong. It is important for parents to realize that children are not a version of themselves and that their mistakes are different.
Parents Punish By DePowerizing Children
When children misbehave parents often castrate, emasculate, and make smaller or less than. I call this depowerizing because the punishment often means taking away power. We do this by:
1) Criticizing
2) Complaining
3) Comparing to other malfunctioning people
4) Correcting them
5) Withholding some kind of pleasure
6) Compliments to others (ie. "It is so refreshing to meet a teen who is so responsible…")
Often this depowerization can happen with something as small as an emasculating tsk or eye roll.
Parents De-Powerize But Demand Grown-Up Behavior
This is a terrible cycle because de-powerization makes children even less incentivized to meet your needs, it makes them trust you less and want to be less like you.
Here is the kicker:
Parents take children's their power as a punishment for them not being more like you, but by doing this you are highlighting your differences. We want them to be themselves and an ideal version of ourselves, but also want them to stay less powerful than us. We punish them for being different by making them more different.
I bring this up because I have recently begun to see how I apply this in my relationships and the effect it has had on making them more genuine. I challenge you to think about how you depowerize people in your life and how it affects your relationship and what you need from them.
Clearly, this is not all parents. This isn't even some parents all the time. But, I think we all do certain aspects of depowerization and hypocritical demands on others as ideal versions of ourselves.
– See more at: http://www.radicalparenting.com/2009/08/17/parents-dilemma-depowerizing-children/#sthash.K6F0uACW.dpuf


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UFOlogist Unearths Rare Footage from 1980's UFO Abductee Interview
This video was taken by Henry McKay, one of the early UFOlogists in the 1970's and 80's, back when alien abductions were a relatively new concept. Watch it to see a compelling interview with Budd Hopkins, a witness in a UFO sighting who went on to become a UFOlogist and UFO author. He was also a prominent artist; his works are displayed at the Whitney Museum, the Guggenheim Museum, Hirshhorn Museum, and the Museum of Modern Art.
In the interview, Hopkins describes himself as "essentially, an artist," and claims that he never had any interest in UFOs until he and two others witnessed a "small, circular, grayish disk" in the sky over Cape Cod. He explains that the object "hovered and flew very quickly away from us." Over the next three minutes or so, he and the other witnesses attempted to explain the object's origin, but then saw it speed away behind a car.
Hopkins then explains that he began seriously investigating the phenomenon starting in the mid-70's, and found that people who experienced UFO abduction not only experienced missing time during the alleged abduction, but had recurrent episodes of missing time starting in childhood. He and several other UFOlogists concluded that abductees are first abducted by the aliens as children in order to serve as a sort of "tagged animal" in a longitudinal study.
He stated, "Samples are taken from the body, there are often very deep incisions made which are painless most of the time... which leaves a certain pattern of scars which we run into over and over again."
He also found in his research that alien abduction often ran in families, which seemed to indicate a genetic component to the aliens' choice of subject, which he called "genetic curiosity."
He clarified that hoaxes do happen, but they're "very, very rare." He also worked closely with psychiatrists and psychologists in order to discern as much as possible whether the abduction was a hallucination. Many testimonials were given under hypnosis, and were then "confirmed" through analysis of the physical evidence left on their bodies.
(Bonus: Check out 2:06 for a random woman giving him an awesome skeptical face.)
The footage, taken from Henry McKay's considerable collection of UFO information, was recently digitized under the oversight of his niece, Michelle McKay. She wrote to i09:
"My great-uncle, Henry McKay, was a pioneer UFOlogist. He was the very first Director of MUFON for Canada. He was also one of the first modern-day UFOlogists to specialize in investigating physical traces associated with UFO landing sites and 'close-range' UFO sightings. He was an electrical engineer with the Air Force. He was also on the Board of Directors for the 'North American UFO Federation' (headed by Richard Haines), was an associate of CUFOS, and also investigated for NICAP. He was good friends with Dr. J. Allen Hynek. He also gave a briefing at a hearing to the 'Royal Commission of Electric Power Planning' in regards to UFO related power disturbances. When he passed away, all of his hundreds of UFO files were passed down to me."


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About ArborTech Tree Services
ArborTech is locally owned and operated and is passionate about delivering exceptional customer service. We approach every job with care and value building lasting relationships with our customers.
Are you building a home, reclaiming a view, installing a pool or patio? Call ArborTech to remove or trim your trees. If you're interested in ornamental pruning, preventive maintenance or strengthening an existing tree, we can take care of that too! ArborTech has the training and equipment to care for your trees/shrubs from the roots up and we get the work done safely and efficiently.
Meet The ArborTech Team
Randy Sample - Owner
Randy's career in the tree service industry began in 1996. In 2004, Randy and his wife, Meredith, started ArborTech Tree Services. Randy's extensive experience as an arborist and his unique vision for his company enables ArborTech to be a leading residential and commercial tree care company.
Meredith Sample - Owner
Meredith's previous experience as owner and operator of a landscaping company broadened the services that ArborTech could offer its customers when the business started in 2004. As their company has grown, so has their family. Today, Meredith's time is spent overseeing the operations at ArborTech and raising four, future "ArborTechies".
Shauna Dobek - Accounting/Financial Manager
Shauna has been with ArborTech since 2007. She graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a Bachelor's in Business Administration and is a CPA. Her business experience coupled with her accounting background support ArborTech Tree Services continued growth in the tree industry.
Christine Blair - Office Manager
Chris is the professional and friendly voice you hear when you call ArborTech Tree Services. She joined the ArborTech team in 2016. She is committed to ensuring that our customers are always satisfied and "treated like family". Chris' background is in banking and retail. She also was an active member of the local school's PTO's and the High School Hockey Booster Club. Chris values working for a company where everyone works as a team.
Vladmir Shabunin - The Man that Wears Many Hats
Vlad's career at ArborTech started in 2009 after many years of experience in the tree industry. He operates ArborTech's log truck and stump grinder and is responsible for overseeing the repairs and maintenance of ArborTech's fleet. His technical and mechanical skills are the key component in keeping the wheels turning at ArborTech.
A.J. Stagnaro - Tree Climber
A.J. Stagnaro joined the ArborTech team in 2013. A skilled climber, he has over 12 years experience in the tree care industry. A.J. is EHAP certified and has completed the OSHA 10 hour training course. A.J's climbing experience and leadership abilities help to round out the crew with unique skills and a commitment to professionalism.
Randy Sample, Sr. - Yard Manager
Randy "Senior" has been with ArborTech since 2015. He has played an integral part in getting ArborTech's yard up and running and renovating the office space. Senior has worked in the construction industry, both commercial and residential, for over 30 years. He is a "jack of all trades" and can be found in the yard assisting customers with landscape materials, repairing equipment, splitting firewood and manufacturing loam & compost.
Danny Briggs - Plant Health Care Technician (CT and MA Applicator)
Danny's love of trees started at an early age. He often climbed trees and played in the dirt as many young boys do. 20 years later he realized he could do those same exact things for a career. Danny has extensive landscape, nursery and arboriculture experience. His eye for detail, coupled with his passion for trees and plants, makes him a great addition to the ArborTech family.
Local tree services in your area – servicing Western MA and Northern CT


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Organizables for boys eliminates mismatched selections and ensures clean clothes every day…
Frogs and Snails
and major wardrobe fails…
His new Darth Vader pajamas are cool at bedtime, but not for school! You can win the clothing wars in this millennium by starting the week with 5 pre-selected matching outfits to make it unnecessary to "use the force" each morning.
Peaceful Mornings
Do you dread waking up in the morning because you know your boy will not want to let you decide what he wears to school? Organizables clothing organizers for boys is the solution for peaceful mornings.
Fresh Start
Clothing remains protected and comes out neat, clean and free of wrinkles. Zippered bags organize accessories
and protect against mildew and spills.
No Surprises
When the bus is coming and breakfast is on the table, you can be certain that your child will arrive dressed in appropriate school clothes each morning. Children always have a preselected outfit ready for each day of the week.
Boyz Graphics
Individual 5 piece clothing bag sets have custom graphics designed to appeal to young boys. Brightly colored hanging clothes bags easily organize your child's clothing for the week ahead. They complement any child's room or closet space.
On the Move
Don't forget the weekend boys clothes organizer sets are perfect for sports activities on the weekends or a consistent clothes selection in shared custody families.
Organize Girls Clothes Order Organizables Now


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• Stainless steel dinner knife• Matte pewter finish• Engraved with the Soho Home logo• Durable and stain-resistant making it ideal for everyday use• Used in Soho Beach House Canouan
Availability: In stock
Dimensions: H23 x W2 x D1cm
Material: Stainless Steel
Care Instructions: We recommend that you handwash your new cutlery before its use. Rinse foods from cutlery, especially those with high salt content like butter. Avoid soaking in water for a prolonged period of time.
Please be aware that Next Day Delivery is not available during sale periods.
Standard Delivery - £6.95Delivered within 3-5 working days.
Larger Item Delivery - £39.95Our delivery partners Ash Logistics will be in touch within a few days of you placing your order to arrange a delivery date that's convenient for you.
Find Out More
If for any reason you aren't completely satisfied with your goods, contact our Customer Care team within 28 days of receipt and we will help you in every way possible. Any unwanted item, unless faulty, must be returned, undamaged and unused, in a re-saleable condition, with all original packaging and labels.
To return your order please contact our Customer care team on 020 3819 8199 to organise the correct return method for your unwanted goods.
For more information on delivery including international shipping charges please see our Delivery & Returns Page


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Please Click Your Refresh Or Reload Button If
It's Been A Few Days Since You've Visited Page!
|Not all of Roly's MIDI may contain his signature, but the files herein are confirmed as his.
Consider ALL posts here as Copyright and/or All Rights Reserved
NON commercial use only please !
And the Angels Sing (1939)
17kb - 2:39mpt
Written by Ziggy Elman & Johnny Mercer
Performed by Benny Goodman w/ Martha Tilton
Anytime [1921]
26kb - 3:12mpt
Written by Herbert "Happy" Lawson
Performed by Eddie Fisher [1952] and many others.
Black And White Rag (1908)
20kb - 1:49mpt
Written by George Botsford
Performed by JoAnn Castle
Blues For Trumpets And Things
21kb - 3:36mpt
An Original Blues, Jazz, Soul, Composition
Performed by Roly Wright
Bridge On The River Kwai (1957)
aka: "The River Kwai March"
20kb - 1:56mpt
Written by Malcolm Arnold
Performed by Mitch Miller
Cabaret (Dixieland Style) [1966]
57kb - 3:59mpt
Written by John Harold Kander
Performed by Liza Minnelli [1972]
Christoper Columbus(Big Band Swing Style) [1936]
25kb - 1:40mpt
Words by Andy Razaf; Music by Leon Berry
Performed by Willie Lewis
Early One Morning Jazz Version (c1803)
23kb - 2:38mpt
English Rennaissance Folk SongTraditional
Performed by George Evans Orchestra, Nana Mouskouri, & Various Others
I'm Getting Sentimental Over You [1932]
52kb - 2:09mpt
Words by Ned Washington; Music by George Bassman
Performed by Tommy Dorsey
Golden Wedding [1884]
46kb - 3:15mpt
Music by Gabriel Marie; (Original Composer)
Performed by Woody Herman [1940-41]
MIDI © 1997 All Rights Reserved - Roly Wright-Music Unlimited
Have You Met Miss "Wright" [1937]
20kb - 2:11mpt
Words by Richard Rodgers; Music by Lorenz Hart
Performed by Ella Fitzgerald
MIDI © All Rights Reserved - Roly Wright-Music Unlimited
I Only Have Eyes For You (Rag Ver.) [1934]
23kb - 2:07mpt
Words by Harry Warren; Music by Al Dubin
For the film "Dames"
Also part of the soundtrack for the 1973 film "American Graffiti"
Performed by Dick Powell (1934), The Flamingos (1957) and others.
Memory (1981)
21kb - 4:32mpt
Written by Andrew Lloyd Webber & Trevor Nunn
From "Cats", Broadway 1982
Performed by Betty Buckley, Various Others
Moonglow [1934]
25kb - 2:15mpt
Words by Eddie DeLange; Music by Will Hudson
a.k.a. Theme from "Picnic"
Words by Steve Allen, Music by George Duning [1956]
Performed by Benny Goodman, The McGuire Sisters, Many Others
Song Of India (1937)
57kb - 2:37mpt
From the opera "Sadko" by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
The Song of the Indian Guest was arranged by Tommy Dorsey
and made into a famous 1937 recording called Song of India.
Strike Up The Band (1927)
16kb - 0:44mpt
Written by George Gershwin, Lyrics by Ira Gershwin
Performed by Ella Fitzgerald, Boston Pops, John Williams
The Gambler (1978)
47kb - 3:34mpt
Written by Don Schlitz
Performed by Kenny Rogers
The Shadow Of Your Smile (1965)
6kb - 1:18mpt
aka: "Love Theme from The Sandpiper"
Written by Johnny Mandel, Lyrics by Paul Francis Webster
Performed by Tony Bennett, Various Others
This Guy's In Love (With You) (1968)
17kb - 2:44mpt
Written by Burt Bacharach & Hal David
Performed by Herb Alpert
Twinkle "Swingle" Little Star
41kb - 3:41mpt
Based on a popular [1761] French melody
and an 1806 English poem, The Star by Jane Taylor
A Childrem's Lullaby, Turned "Swing" by Roly
Whistling Rufus (A Dixieland Classic) [1899]
81kb - 2:15mpt
Words by W. Murdock Lind; Music by Kerry Mills
Performed by Dan W. Quinn
|Song Title
|File Size/Runtime
Bye Bye, Blues
Roly Wright & Jenny B.
"Bye Bye Blues" is a popular and jazz standard written by Fred Hamm, Dave Bennett, Bert Lown,
and Chauncey Gray and published in 1930.
|2.42 mb - 3:26 mpt
|Cry Me A River
Roly Wright & Jenny B.
"Cry Me a River" is a popular American torch song, written by Arthur Hamilton and first published in 1953.
|2.28 mb - 2:50 mpt
|I Know Him So Well
Roly Wright & Jenny B.
"I Know Him So Well" is a song from the concept album and subsequent musical Chess by Tim Rice, Benny Andersson
and Björn Ulvaeus. In this duet, two women – Svetlana, the Russian chess champion's estranged wife, and Florence,
his mistress – express their bittersweet feelings for him and at seeing their relationships fall apart.
|1.44 mb - 3:36 mpt
|Second Hand Rose
Roly Wright & Jenny B.
Clarke (Songwriter); Hanley (Songwriter)
A classic from the 1920s, "Second Hand Rose" was from the Depression-era New York City school of songwriting
that begot many classic writers such as Cole Porter.
|1.85 mb - 4:02 mpt
This page created July 21, 1998 by me, myself, and I. Page design © 1998-2009
~ End Page ~


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Hey friends,
Thanks so much for stopping by. In case you haven't heard, I started a new blog and soon will have some other snazzy additions as well. I'll still be posting here periodically, but I'd love to have you come over and visit me at TravelingwithPurpose.com and tell your friends, too.
I'm sharing regularly over there on these topics and even more.
- Learning for Fun while Traveling
- Service-oriented and Volunteer Travel
- Money-saving Mondays
- Travel-related Gift Ideas (just in time for the holidays)
- Travel Inspiration – Photos and Quotes
- Travel Gear Reviews
- Travel-related contests, giveaways, etc.
Please sign up for my newsletter there, so you won't miss a thing. I hope to see you soon!
You can also follow and like TWP on Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter.
Here's a bit of autumn inspiration for today.
This is a bench at the former home of the great American poet, Robert Frost.
And this is the view from his front porch out onto the mountains of New Hampshire. Now wouldn't that inspire you to write like a poet all the time?
Do you have plans for Thanksgiving? We'll have lots of family time with both sides of the family. Have a blessed holiday!


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Dr. Ed Lu: Protecting Earth from Asteroids - Why We May Not See Them Coming
Ed Lu, Ph.D., Former NASA Astronaut; CEO and Co-founder, B612 Foundation
Brian Hackney, Meteorologist and Reporter, KPIX 5 Television, San Francisco - Moderator
In a recent "60 Minutes" interview, Lu pointed out that more than a million "near-Earth asteroids" are larger than the asteroid that struck Tunguska, Siberia, in 1908 – and about 1,000 times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. The 1908 asteroid was only about 40 meters across, yet it destroyed an area roughly the size of the San Francisco Bay Area. Nature magazine has just reported that "the risk of similar objects hitting our planet may be ten times larger than previously thought. What can be done, if anything, to identify and combat threats? Dr. Lu flew three space missions, including six months on the International Space Station. He will discuss his mission to detect and track the million asteroids with the potential to destroy any major city on Earth and how his B612 Foundation plans to build, launch and operate a deep space telescope with an infrared lens – the first private-sector deep space mission in history.
Also know: In association with the Club's Science & Technology Member-Led Forum


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I had too many things to share to narrow down to one this week, so I hope you enjoy them and find inspiration for your Holiday look.
- Kool-aid: You will need 3 packets of color. For Bella's blue I used 3 Ice Blue Raspberry Lemonade. Shelby's red... 2-Cherry 1-Strawberry. Packets were 4 for $1
- Misc: Water, Measuring Cup, Rubber Bands, Paper Towels, Sauce Pan, Spoon
- Wear a shirt that can get messy.
- Color lasts about a week. This depends on your hair color, and the dye color.
- Flowers: I went to Michaels and Hobby Lobby. I bought cheap flowers. If flowers are not on sale, make sure to print a coupon or use an app with coupon!
- Leather: I bought a bolt at Michaels for $4 You could use a huge variety of things instead of leather. Ribbon, string, wire, etc.
- Felt: 1 square of felt is about $.20
- Misc: glue gun, scissors, hot glue
In this video you will see that I make Bandana print "No Sew" Fabric Hair Bows. I will post the link for this video as well for instructions. I would love to see what you make for 4th of July! Please share your photos with me. My social media links can be found at the top of this page.


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It's Mother's Day, ostensibly the day we pay homage to our mothers. If one is in fact a Mom, you might assume the day is about you and your needs. The greeting card industry and television commercials certainly promote this notion. Perhaps this is an accurate representation for some. But what is simultaneously so is the fact we often are daughters to Moms/Step Moms or there is a daughter person in the family who is a Mom, which, if you are fortunate enough, makes you a grandmother. So, already the day is fraught with complications. As women we are particularly prone to feeling responsible for holidays and special occasions, even those supposed to be about us. More often the day finds us hosting family dinners, running errands for others, or schlepping to spend the day with relatives. (A friend confided she spent the morning perusing Craig's List and emailing possible subletting opportunities for her daughter whose moving to Portland for three months) Let me pause for a moment and pose the following question- how pampered and relaxed do you feel as this day comes to a close? Like many Moms I have spent some perfectly wonderful Mother's Days, but generally, they were not entirely about me. Last year I had the good fortune to share the day with my darling daughter who treated me to brunch at the Baltimore Museum of Art. I must add, however, we spent the remainder of the day searching for a new apartment for her. Is this resonating with anyone? Please let me know. I need company.
Part B of this Mother's Day review are those pesky expectations. Just as Charley Brown vows not to get tricked once again by Lucy moving the football, we get tricked into thinking this year will be different. We just know on this Mother's Day (1) the kids will remember the day- the second Sunday of May (although aren't we entitled to a designated date so we don't leave this to chance?) (2) at least one of them will plan a gathering, usually involving food, where we can relax and spend time together, (3) the Happy Mother's Day call will be the first one they make that day; (4) maybe the ding-a-ling of the doorbell will usher in a bouquet of blossoms from our babies; (5) they will understand the way the way the postal service works and your card or package will actually arrive in a timely fashion. Now, don't get me wrong- I HAVE THE GREATEST KIDS IN THE WORLD. They have actually performed many of these loving gestures throughout the last 30+ years. I guess the hardest part is when they live so far away. The greatest Mother's Day present is sharing the day with our kids. When they live in Chicago and Baltimore, however, it makes quality time logistically difficult. The other injuries- whether the card comes on the following Monday or the call is in the pm instead of the am, is small stuff compared to their absences.
A really good Mom (I've been told) encourages the kids to thrive on their own and fly the nest. Maybe we should not have done such a good job.


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Robert Al-Chokhachy
Ph.D. Aquatic Ecology. Utah State University
B.S. Biology. University of Utah
B.A. Economics. Bates College
Research interests:
I am a research fisheries biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey's Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center and an adjunct faculty in the Ecology Department at Montana State University in Bozeman, MT. I am an applied biologist with goals of providing robust information to inform the management and conservation of aquatic ecosystems. My specific research focuses on improving our understanding of how natural and anthropogenic disturbances influence aquatic ecosystems, the interactions between native and non-native species, and how the life-history patterns and template of aquatic systems will be altered under anticipated changes in global and regional climates. Within this framework my research program consists of a combination of field studies and analytical studies to advance conservation and management and at the same time develop new paradigms in aquatic ecology. My research is built upon a premise of strong collaboration and interaction to facilitate effective research.
Mendenhall Project Title: Forecasting the Effects of Climate Change on the Interactions of Native and Nonnative Salmonids.
Science and Products
Integrated Ecohydrological Science in the Northern Rocky Mountains — the variability of water availability and the effects on ecosystems
Our primary goal is to better understand and characterize how stream environments and the ecosystems they support are influenced by climate change and drought in the Northern Rocky Mountains.
Predicting Climate-Induced Expansions of Invasive Fish in the Pacific Northwest: Implications for Climate Adaptation of Native Salmon and Trout
The headwaters of the Columbia River Basin in the Northern Rocky Mountains region is widely recognized as a stronghold for native fish, containing some of the last remaining connected cold-water habitats for species such as the threatened bull trout and native westslope cutthroat trout. However, as temperatures rise, non-native invasive fish species could be poised to prosper in the region as...
Understanding Climate Impacts on Native and Invasive Fish for Conservation, Management, and Economic Goals in the Northern Rockies
As the origin of three major basins that drain the Columbia, Missouri, and Saskatchewan rivers, Montana is the hydrologic apex for North America. The Northern Rocky Mountain region is home to some of the last remaining interconnected habitats for many native fishes, including the threatened bull trout and native westslope cutthroat trout. The Northern Rockies are also experiencing rapidly...
Western Waters Invasive Species and Disease Research Program
Researchers at the Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center's Western Waters Invasive Species and Disease Research Program work extensively with federal, state, tribal, regional, and local partners to deliver science to improve early detection and prevention of invasive species and disease; understand complex interactions that promote invasive species and disease, and their impacts (and...
Improving our understanding of forest-road effects on substrate in headwater streams of the Southwest Crown of the Continent
In 2010, Congress established ten decade-long Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program projects to carry out fuel reduction and ecological restoration treatments on public lands across the country. The Southwest Crown of the Continent was selected as one of the locations under this initiative, given the importance of this region to the economic vitality of local communities and the...
Developing stream temperature networks for the Greater Yellowstone to aid in managing aquatic resources under a changing climate
The topographic diversity and extensive area of protected public land within the Greater Yellowstone demonstrate the importance of this region as a natural resource reserve. Understanding the effects of anticipated changes in climate on aquatic resources and means for managing these resources will ultimately require accurate linkages between empirical data and regional climatic patterns. This...
Evaluating the linkages between regional climate patterns, local climate data, and native Yellowstone cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri) and non-native brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) growth, survival, and life-history expressions.
Beyond large-scale climate models, it is becoming increasingly important to quantify how regional climate patterns link with in situ stream temperatures and hydrologic regimes and concomitantly, fish behavior, growth, and survival. Here, we are using comprehensive mark-recapture techniques to evaluate how changing climatic conditions are likely to influence native westslope cutthroat trout and...
Food web and Pyramid Lake fishery evaluation
Lahontan cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii henshawi) is an important cultural and economic resource to the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe and a Threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. Here we are integrating the food web information with field estimates of Lahontan cutthroat vital rate and growth information to guide future management and recovery efforts within Pyramid Lake and...
Forecasting the effects of climate change on the interactions of native and non-native salmonids
Changes in temperature and precipitation patterns under global climate change are expected to expand the range of suitable habitat for non-natives within stream networks, resulting in significant increases in the distribution and abundance of non-natives. However, our understanding of how landscape attributes can affect local thermal and hydrologic patterns suggests that changes in global...
Evaluating the reintroduction potential and limiting factors associated with anadromous fish reintroductions in the Upper Lewis River, WA
Hydropower facilities on the Lewis River, WA eliminated historic runs of anadromous species to the headwaters of the Lewis River. As anadromous reintroductions are considered and implemented, there remains considerable uncertainty in the viability of reintroductions in reservoir and tributary systems where large populations of non-native species persist and where spawning and rearing habitat...
Modeling species response to environmental change: development of integrated, scalable Bayesian models of population persistence
Estimating species response to environmental change is a key challenge for ecologists and a core mission of the USGS. Effective forecasting of species response requires models that are detailed enough to capture critical processes and at the same time general enough to allow broad application. This tradeoff is difficult to reconcile with most existing methods. We propose to extend and combine...
Improved detection of rare, endangered and invasive trout using a new large-volume sampling method for eDNA capture
Environmental DNA (eDNA) detection probability increases with volume of water sampled. Common approaches for collecting eDNA samples often require many samples since these approaches usually use fine filters, which restricts the volume of water that can be sampled. An alternative to collecting many, small volume water samples using fine filters...Sepulveda, Adam J.; Schabacker, Jenna; Smith, Seth; Al-Chokhachy, Robert; Luikart, Gordon; Amish, Stephen J.
Social–ecological mismatches create conservation challenges in introduced species management
Introduced species can have important effects on the component species and processes of native ecosystems. However, effective introduced species management can be complicated by technical and social challenges. We identify "social–ecological mismatches" (that is, differences between the scales and functioning of interacting social and ecological...Beever, Erik A.; Simberloff, Daniel; Crowley, Sarah L.; Al-Chokhachy, Robert; Jackson, Hazel A.; Petersen, Steven L.
Impacts of nonnative Brown Trout on Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout in a tributary stream
Nonnative trout are a considerable threat to native salmonids, yet our understanding of the mechanisms behind interspecific interactions remains limited. We evaluated the impacts of nonnative Brown Trout Salmo salar on a population of Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri in Montana. We contrasted diets,...Al-Chokhachy, Robert K.; Sepulveda, Adam J.
A portfolio framework for prioritizing conservation efforts for Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout populations
Managing and conserving native taxa are becoming increasingly challenging because of mounting threats and limited resources, predicating the need for frameworks to prioritize conservation actions. We integrated attributes of population persistence, genetic status, threats from nonnative species, and threats from climatic shifts to prioritize...Al-Chokhachy, Robert; Shepard, Bradley B.; Burckhardt, Jason C.; Garren, Dan; Opitz, Scott; Koel, Todd M.; Nelson, Lee M.; Gresswell, Robert E.
Development of new information to inform fish passage decisions at the Yale and Merwin hydro projects on the Lewis River, Washington—Final report, 2018
The reintroduction of extirpated salmonids to historically occupied areas is becoming increasingly common as a conservation and recovery strategy. Often, reintroductions are implemented after the factors that originally led to species extirpation have been reduced, eliminated, or mitigated. For anadromous Oncorhynchus spp. (Pacific salmon) and O....Al-Chokhachy, Robert K.; Clark, Christopher L.; Sorel, Mark H.; Beauchamp, David A.
Status and conservation of Yellowstone cutthroat trout in the Greater Yellowstone Area
No abstract available.Al-Chokhachy, Robert K.; Shepard, Bradley; Burckhardt, Jason; Opitz, Scott; Garren, Dan; Koel, Todd M.; Nelson, Lee M.
Quantifying long-term population growth rates of threatened bull trout: challenges, lessons learned, and opportunities
Temporal symmetry models (TSM) represent advances in the analytical application of mark–recapture data to population status assessments. For a population of char, we employed 10 years of active and passive mark–recapture data to quantify population growth rates using different data sources and analytical approaches. Estimates of adult population...Budy, Phaedra; Bowerman, Tracy; Al-Chokhachy, Robert K.; Conner, Mary; Schaller, Howard
No evidence for ecological segregation protecting native trout from invasive hybridization
We appreciate the comments of Young et al. (2017) on our recent paper (Muhlfeld et al., 2017) concerning spatiotemporal dynamics of hybridization between native westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi; WCT) and introduced coastal rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus; RBT). Nevertheless, we believe there is no evidence for "...Kovach, Ryan; Muhlfeld, Clint C.; Al-Chokhachy, Robert K.; Amish, Stephen J.; Kershner, Jeffrey L.; Leary, Robb F.; Lowe, Winsor H.; Luikart, Gordon; Matson, Phil; Schmetterling, David; Shepard, Bradley; Westley, Peter A. H.; Whited, Diane; Whiteley, Andrew R.; Allendorf, Fred W.
Evaluating species-specific changes in hydrologic regimes: an iterative approach for salmonids in the Greater Yellowstone Area (USA)
Despite the importance of hydrologic regimes to the phenology, demography, and abundance of fishes such as salmonids, there have been surprisingly few syntheses that holistically assess regional, species-specific trends in hydrologic regimes within a framework of climate change. Here, we consider hydrologic regimes within the Greater Yellowstone...Al-Chokhachy, Robert K.; Sepulveda, Adam J.; Ray, Andrew M.; Thoma, David P.; Tercek, Michael T.
Legacy introductions and climatic variation explain spatiotemporal patterns of invasive hybridization in a native trout
Hybridization between invasive and native species, a significant threat to worldwide biodiversity, is predicted to increase due to climate-induced expansions of invasive species. Long-term research and monitoring are crucial for understanding the ecological and evolutionary processes that modulate the effects of invasive species. Using a large,...Muhlfeld, Clint C.; Kovach, Ryan P.; Al-Chokhachy, Robert K.; Amish, Stephen J.; Kershner, Jeffrey L.; Leary, Robb F.; Lowe, Winsor H.; Luikart, Gordon; Matson, Phil; Schmetterling, David A.; Shepard, Bradley B.; Westley, Peter A. H.; Whited, Diane; Whiteley, Andrew R.; Allendorf, Fred W.
Climate, invasive species and land use drive population dynamics of a cold-water specialist
Climate change is an additional stressor in a complex suite of threats facing freshwater biodiversity, particularly for cold-water fishes. Research addressing the consequences of climate change on cold-water fish has generally focused on temperature limits defining spatial distributions, largely ignoring how climatic variation influences...Kovach, Ryan P.; Al-Chokhachy, Robert K.; Whited, Diane C.; Schmetterling, David A.; Dux, Andrew M.; Muhlfeld, Clint C.
Life history characteristics and vital rates of Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout in two headwater basins
The Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri is native to the Rocky Mountains and has declined in abundance and distribution as a result of habitat degradation and introduced salmonid species. Many of its remaining strongholds are in headwater basins with minimal human disturbances. Understanding the life histories, vital rates,...Uthe, Patrick; Al-Chokhachy, Robert K.; Zale, Alexander V.; Shepard, Bradley B.; McMahon, Thomas E.; Stephens, Tracy


text:
Average Yield
3kg per 3m row
10cm apart
Distance between rows equal to height
Forget about frozen peas, nothing compares with the super-sweet flavour of freshly harvested, tender, home-grown peas. Apart from the taste, they're an attractive crop to grow and won't take up too much space.
Growing peas from seed
How to sow and plant peas
Peas are generally sown between March and early July and harvested in summer. For earlier crops that are ready from May onwards, they can be sown in autumn or late winter but you may experience losses from cold weather or mice.
Choose a sunny, well-drained spot as pea plants dislike cold, wet soil. Dig in plenty of garden compost, well-rotted manure or mushroom compost before sowing to improve the soil.
Use a hoe or spade to make a shallow trench, roughly 22cm wide and 3cm deep. Sow peas in two parallel lines, spacing the seeds about 10cm apart. Cover the seeds with soil, water well and label the row. The seedlings should appear in one or two weeks.
Alternatively, start plants indoors in autumn to avoid seeds being eaten by pests. An easy way to ensure you end up with a straight row is to sow into a length of guttering.
How to care for pea
To stop plants flopping about on the ground, put supports in place while they're still young. Peas climb using shoots called tendrils, which they wrap around just about anything they come into contact with, so choose supports that are thin enough for the tendrils to wind around. Large twigs, known as pea sticks, are the traditional choice, but a row of netting makes a good alternative.
How to harvest peas
Peas should be ready to harvest about three months after sowing. Pick mangetout when they're just beginning to show signs of peas forming inside the pods. Other types are ready once the pods are swollen with peas.
Pick the pods from the bottom of the plant upwards as the lowest are the most mature. Use two hands to avoid damaging the plant. Peas have a habit of hiding under the foliage, so hunt around to make sure that you get them all.
How to store peas
Peas have the best flavour if they're picked and used straight away, but they'll keep for a week in the salad compartment of a fridge. If you have a glut, peas can be frozen.
How to prepare and use peas
Peas can be steamed or boiled and served with mint and a knob of butter. Add them to recipes, such as risotto or pasta, during the last few minutes of cooking.
Peas: problem solving
Pea moth can lead to an unpleasant infestation of maggots, but the risk is reduced if you sow early (October to mid-February) or late (June and July). You can also cover the crop with horticultural fleece or fine mesh as soon as you transplant the seedlings or see them emerge.
If slugs are a problem, try copper rings, gritty barriers or biological control. It helps if you grow peas in huge pots, but do keep them well watered.
Sow pea seeds indoors
An alternative to sowing peas outdoors is to raise plants under cover. You can then plant them out as soon as space becomes available, and there's less risk of mice or other pests leaving gaps in your rows. One of the easiest methods is to sow the seeds in a length of guttering, then simply slide the whole row into the ground once the plants are big enough.
Great pea varieties to grow
- 'Canoe' – long, curved pods with tender, sweet-tasting peas
- 'Greensage' – heavy cropper, peas are tender and sweet
- 'Kelvedon Wonder' – early dwarf variety with sweet, tender peas. A prolific cropper
- 'Purple Podded' – showy purple pods and medium-sweet peas, heritage variety
- 'Show Perfection' – good yields, sweet peas