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In my last post, I shared tips on making the most of China's 72-hour visa-free transit, allowing you to explore a little bit of China without having to pay for the expensive visa. This time, I am sharing tips on making the most of your layover in China. These tips can also be used for any other country you may have a layover in. Layovers or stopovers, can be an inexpensive way to travel to more destinations for less or getting an intro to a city without investing too much time or many. A layover/stopover allows you to stay in a connection city for greater than 24 hours but less than the duration of your planned trip. Planning in advance means that you can add an addition country or city with ease. Things like making sure you have an idea of how long the journey is from the airport to town, having a little bit of local currency will make sure you can get exploring quickly without using up your layover time queuing up for currency exchange booths.Below are some tips on making the most of your layover in China and any other country you may have a layover in.
Tips to Make The Most of Your Layover In Beijing
1. Pick One of 2 Things/Activities
Of course, this is a city with the world famous Great Wall of China, Tiananmen Sq, Temple of Heave, Forbidden City and many more interesting places that are I am sure on many a bucket list. With a short layover, though, you cannot see everything. So pick one of those places that you can fully take in and enjoy without rushing around. You can also book tours for the Great Wall of China but I would advise you to at least be on a 10-hour Layover or more before doing this tour as the drive to and back takes a while, also factoring in the traffic in China. It would not be wise to miss your flight on the 72-hour Visa as the Chinese immigration officials will not be understanding about that.
2. Research The Best Way To Get To The Chosen Location
On this occasion, we thought best to visit Lama Temple during our layover in Beijing. We looked at the closest station to Lama Temple. From there on we looked at what train line that station was on. How many times we needed to change trains to get to Lama Temple as well as the train from the airport into the city.
3. Look At Cost Of Transportation To Chosen Location/Activity
Transportation from Beijing Airport requires you to take the airport train into the city before being able to use any of the underground train links. The train from Beijing Airport into the city take about 25 minutes. Factor in the return and you are now just under an hour as well as any wait time you may need before the train arrives if you have to wait for one.
4. Print or Have Ready Screenshots(On Mobile) With Underground/Transport Mapping
When we arrived in the city from Beijing Airport, we were now able to join the underground train network. I had pdf versions of the underground map as well as used Google street maps to help me prepare for how to get there. By the time we got there I had done enough research that I was able to navigate from the airport to Lama Temple without needing to look at my map or seek directions. Stations in Beijing have a mix of Chinese and English signage so you will be ok if you can read English or Chinese. The stations are also marked with signage directions to tourist attractions in this case directions and exits to Lama Temple were clearly marked. Also, note, that preparation will serve you well as there may not be a lot of people who speak English.
5. Have The Right Currency For the Country(Chinese Currency In This Case)
Even if you are not spending the night in China and are in for a layover over a few hours, ensure you have currency before you arrive. Before leaving London, I changed about £70-80 in Chinese currency. This allowed me to quickly buy tickets for the airport shuttle/train without having to now search for a bureau de change. You don't want to waste precious exploring time queuing up for currency, so make sure you change the money before your arrive. Trains from Beijing Airport to the city were 50RMB each person. We then bought singles to the stations to Lama Temple and back to the station with airport station. I would highly recommend you either pick up a map or have one on your phone as its easier to point to the stations you want the ticket for when asking for tickets should there be any language barriers. Having some local currency also means you can quickly pay for entrance at the chosen attractions or check out small markets and cafes that may not be accepting card payments.
6. Have All Your Required Documents Needed For A Swift Exit And Return
As I knew we were going to be exploring Beijing on our 7-hour layover, I ensured most of our luggage was checked in and only had a small carry-on suitcase to refresh ourselves after the long London-Beijing flight. I also made sure we had easy access to documents need to exit and return to the airport. You also don't need to re-check so head straight to security. Make sure you have your passports and boarding passes ready
7. Book A Hotel For Any Layover over 24 Hours
If your layover includes a night's stay in the city you have your layover, ensure you have your hotel booking to hand. If you have to book your hotel stay last minute, you can check out Beijing hotels on Booking.com, which always has great deals. I make pretty much all my hotel bookings through Booking.com when I travel.
Exploring Lama Temple In Beijing
Yonghe Lamasery(Harmony and Peace Palace Lamasery), now known as Lama Temple was built in 1664 during the Qing Dynasty and was the residence of Emperor Yongzheng when he was just a prince. It was later changed to a Lamasery in 1744 before becoming the national center of Lama administration. As you enter the gates there are stone lions, symbols which show that it was originally the dwelling of an Imperial Family member. Lama Temple is one of Beijing's most famous monasteries. I wrestled with the decision of choosing between Tiananmen Square and Lama Temple considering the time we had with our layover. I was glad we ended up sticking to the Temple.
Your tickets into the Temple include a box of incense to light and burn at censer of Yonghe Temple. It's fascinating how each and every spot of the temple has meaning and purpose to it. Like how you have particular roads that were specifically used for carriages of emperors and their wives during the Qing Dynasty between 1644 and 1911. To having 3 archways and having the center one for exclusive use of the emperors. I love learning about those little details when I visit a place. Below are some of the pictures from our visit. For more on making the most of your Beijing layover see here.
Entrance to Lama Temple in Beijing
|Coat by M&S (sold out), Boots by Office, Bag by Regent(below). Similar items below
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|A censer at Yonghe Temple
|The three large archways, the central one of which was for the exclusive use of the emperors.
|Chinese Guardian Lion, symbols which show that it was originally the dwelling of an Imperial Family member. Statues of guardian lions have traditionally stood in front of Chinese Imperial palaces, Imperial tombs, government offices, temples, and the homes of government officials and the wealthy, from the Han Dynasty , and were believed to have powerful mythic protective benefits.
|The Hall of Harmony and Peace
|The Hall of Everlasting Protection
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We brewed for the first time at Bissell Brothers Brewing Company on Nov. 21, 2013. When you finally experience something that you've been working toward for two years, you tend to be quite lucid. I remember many things about that day. The standout was the arrival of Rob Tod and Jason Perkins to our little garage bay brewing operation. The two beer celebrities next door at Allagash had shown up unannounced with some bottles to congratulate us and hang out! Even though Noah and I had met both before, on that day, for us scared, greenhorn kids, it felt incredible and validating. To bastardize a Jay-Z line, we knew these two men could've been anywhere in the world that day, but they were there with us.
Peter Bissell is the co-founder of Bissell Brothers Brewing Company.
Over the next few years, our Allagashian neighbors embodied numerous examples of why they're an industry leader across all metrics. They helped us troubleshoot in emergencies, sent their own guests over to our broom closet of a taproom, and were always gracious and welcoming to Noah, myself, and our staff as we grew. We recounted these experiences with our neighbor many times to visitors and family friends during our burgeoning early days. "Don't worry, that will be you one day," they'd often respond, gesturing across the street to the sprawling campus of one of the largest craft breweries in the country. These loved ones had the best of intentions—and they assumed we had a desire to grow Bissell Brothers into a regional brewery with nationwide distribution. We'd always politely nod and change the subject, knowing that, even in the early days, our path to growth would be quite different than our friends next door.
In most sectors of business, there exists a collective assumption that everyone operating in that industry must have the same, or at least very similar, goals. This form of illusory correlation is easy to understand. In an era of laptop entrepreneurship, commercial brewing still has all the trappings of red-blooded classical American Capitalism—tangible assets, investors, bank loans, supply chains, and distribution networks. As such, there's overwhelming acceptance and enthusiasm behind the "growth is good" and "more is better" capitalistic war cries resonating in the beer world with every announcement of a major expansion, distribution into a new state, or corporate acquisition.
And growth is good. As we have all heard hundreds of times at this point, "craft" beer consumption still represents a small percentage of total beer consumption worldwide. There is, indeed, still lots of potential for the industry to grow in volume. But what happens when the long tail gets infinitely long? What happens when the rate of new breweries and increased capacity at existing breweries is far outpacing even the most optimistic estimates of "new" craft beer drinkers? What happens when there are 7,000 breweries in the country? How can you plan for growth in this environment?
In this arena of unprecedented saturation, we must come to accept that "growth" will mean different things for different people. Producing more beer doesn't necessarily mean a better situation for your company. Indeed, we've never in history had so many communities be able to tout their neighborhood breweries as producers of world-class products. For many of us, producing more beer is not just a question of tank and floor space, hop contracts, and brewery staffing, but of where else could this beer go that people will buy it? In the last few years, I've watched as numerous brands—respected, even legendary, in their home areas—enter the Southern Maine market only to see permanent, gigantic pyramids of their products sit on the floor of Whole Foods in perpetuity. Indeed, it seems that regions known for great beer attract out-of-market brands looking to expand—but demand for these beers wanes in lieu of local options.
So then, how do you make the right decisions regarding growth, when it's very clearly a fluid, subjective concept in the totally splintered beer market of 2018? For Bissell Brothers, and for many breweries in the Northeast and elsewhere, the answer was, and is, the taproom. The taproom! The on-premise experience. Putting the taproom first and building the rest of your business around an own-premise model gives a brewery unprecedented control, insight, and flexibility—all crucial tools when navigating this exciting and complicated time in the beer business.
The advantages to building an own-premise model start with attracting the people who are going to love you. This is especially crucial in a market with lots of beer like our hometown of Portland, Maine. It allows you to draw lines in the sand regarding your products, taproom environment, and overall vibe, thereby fostering regulars and repeat customers that already love you and are telling all their friends about you. Kevin Kelly's "1000 True Fans" essay opened my eyes, and it resonates now more than ever before.
Own premise allows you to not water yourself down for the masses. Indeed, now is the time to lean more than ever in the opposite direction, and make less concessions as to what kind of beers you're brewing and what kind of world you're creating. These things should be coming from inside you, from someplace authentic, that will attract like-minded people. At this stage of saturation, you're selling to a very specific group of people within your market who love what you're doing: the flavors of the beer, the execution of the styles you offer, the personalities of the people making and selling the beer, the brand, the culture that is exuded. All of these things matter immensely in a world of plenty, and the taproom allows you to build your world, to find your people.
The second crucial advantage to own premise, and perhaps ultimately the most important, is the control and insight it gives you over your entire cash flow, demand, and place in the market. There is simply no substitute for having this information so within reach. As we watch the declining sales and buyouts/closures of regional craft breweries who have suddenly become the most vulnerable sub-designation, one can't help but realize the benefit of eschewing complicated distribution networks—in which your product, now far from home, will languish on the shelf, competing with dozens of other brands in the exact same position—in favor of a lemonade-stand-style business model where you can make choices regarding expansion, product development, and other sales questions with much of the guesswork eliminated.
In 2017, Bissell Brothers received just under 90% of our revenue from our taproom, showing a predictable Pareto distribution (a power law that demonstrates 80% or more effects coming from 20% or fewer causes, also known as the "80/20 rule"). If we were located in a more rural setting, or not located so close to so many amazing bars and restaurants where we're proud to be on tap, I'd be willing to bet the skew would be even greater.
Applied, these numbers mean several things. One, obviously, is greater economic health. When you don't need to have salaried salespeople fighting for shelf space in some distant locale, that revenue can go right back into the company—and the numbers can be eye-popping. Also, the data that will help you decide how to grow is clear and present and right in front of you via your taproom's POS analytics. With own premise, there are no third-party consulting firms, no expensive cost-analysis plans, no diluting your brand's value by begging accounts or distributors to sell more of it.
A third benefit to own premise is actually a bunch of benefits: the soft, intangible advantages. There's the peace of mind of having all your beer relatively close by. There's not having to worry about date codes and acceptable shelf life as your product collects dust in some distant bottle shop where your brand carries little-to-no value. There's sleeping well at night knowing your beer is being consumed fresh, and the vast majority of it is being sold in an environment where you control everything and can give the customer the exact experience you desire. There's enjoying the family environment of a staff brought together by the mutual feeling that they're creating something special, something worth traveling for. The list goes on and on.
You might think "it's easy for him to say that now," so allow me to take you back to the beginning. Our first taproom was little more than a broom closet—two tiny anterooms to the twin garage bays that made up the first iteration of Bissell Brothers. Two 20-barrel FVs and a corresponding brite tank were the only capacity we started with. Music was played through computer speakers, beer—one option, The Substance—poured from a junkyard fridge we painted green and fit with taps. The tables were ketchup drums and cable spools banged together by friends. (And those are still going strong in our current taproom!). Hodge-podge sheets of handwritten brewing recipes and calculations, tap handle sketches, and various other documents made up the wallpaper of our tiny bathroom. It was janky. It was DIY. It was all we knew how to be. But it was us. We hid nothing and we were who we are, all the way.
As we began selling cans from this place, we saw the aforementioned benefits appear. We were finding our people, day by day, largely due to this world we had created, where we controlled everything. What was happening at the taproom was used as an indicator for how we should pursue growth, because there were so few variables. People were coming there for our beer, on our terms. Another side effect of this type of mentality is that, due to our focus on the taproom, even when that taproom was tiny and akin to a kid's clubhouse, the company was able to birth a legendary front-of-the-house team. We are incredibly proud of their attitudes, abilities to handle crowds, beer knowledge, and the way they help make guests' experience the best they can possibly be, while politely maintaining order simultaneously. The reason we were able to do this is because, from early on, the majority of our sales came from our taproom.
There are, of course, numerous other variables, the largest and most obvious being beer quality. I can confidently say most of what I have stated regarding own premise with certainty largely in part because my brother Noah makes excellent beer that both locals and flatlanders come to get. An own-premise operation that is peddling swill won't last long in this climate. But we're not talking about the subjective nature of beer quality in this article, we're talking about the objective benefits to own premise: the advantages of catering to a smaller, like-minded demographic using the increased revenue from eliminating much of the cost to get the beer to market and using the time it frees up to focus on other crucial aspects of the business.
When you remove any real need to attempt sales, you're awarded options. Options on how to make your business better and distance yourself from the competition in ways that those who must sell more beer to make their business work simply cannot. Since we do not need to worry about selling more, we've been able to build out, at our own pace, a whole new facility for producing sour and barrel-aged beers in our hometown of Milo, with absolutely zero debt. I have also gone on to open a restaurant with separate partners. Meanwhile, our staff enjoys excellent pay, great opportunities for travel, and comprehensive benefits. We pick and choose what events to do and where to travel with our beer based on personal interest—there's never a "need" to "get exposure." Every choice we make is entirely in our control, because at this time we are helping to define the market instead of chasing it.
I worry about some of these beer makers I see jumping into distro deals that will land them in the end caps at the supermarket, all while tripling down on equipment and space. Moves like that will put you on a fast track to get Green Flashed real quick in this climate. Thirty thousand barrels and up is incredibly shaky ground to stand on nowadays.
PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel posits that all companies are either in what he calls "perfect competition" or they're monopolies. He goes on to say that the average person tends to think of monopolies as the realm of mega-corporations, but in reality, if you create or define a sub-niche, you can easily monopolize it. So with respect to those options I mentioned a couple paragraphs up, when you're in perfect competition with the market, you're a brewery with sales reps in polar fleece vests bugging bar buyers about free samples, while their product—which is oftentimes very good—suffers, sitting on a grocery store shelf next to dozens of other indistinguishable brands. On the other hand, these redefined monopolies foster their own die-hard fans and define markets and sub-markets through both product innovation (read: hazy IPAs in 2014-2015) and having the financial freedom to deliberately not cater to everyone.
All of which is to say: own premise has proven invaluable to Bissell Brothers and numerous other breweries operating in this country today. It's certainly not the only viable way to operate a brewery. Nomadic staples and personal favorites Mikkeller and Stillwater are just now getting into the own-premise game (and physical brewery ownership) after a decade of building their respective labels into worldwide brands. Regional New England brewery Narragansett continues to push forward with the "low-cost-yet-still-craft" mindset. (We proudly sell two Narragansett brands at my restaurant, Highroller Lobster Co.) But for breweries just starting out, eager to grow and enter distribution, I would offer words of caution and, perhaps most of all, patience. Think of it as a lemonade stand. Keep all variables within arm's reach, and build a practical growth plan based on real-world, real-time data that doesn't rely on speculation or unnecessary partnerships.
Locally, as an industry member, I can't help but notice the actions of other nearby operations. A handful of breweries in the Northeast U.S. are attempting to double, triple, or quadruple their outputs. For some of them, I wonder where they think the demand exists for these huge increases in supply of their products. Or if they're aware of all the hidden costs (in money, but also in company and brand identity, time and quality of life as a manager/owner, etc.) and infrastructure problems that will likely appear with such large pivots.
At the same time, I see another group of Maine breweries operating lemonade stands. They're developing a following, however small at first, and catering to these people. Making beer, selling all of it, and repeating the process, fine-tuning things as they go based on real-time feedback and observations that are completely accessible to them. When I think about the future of beer, and who the winners and losers are going to be as growth continues to level off, all my money is on that latter group.

subset: commoncrawl


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DEFENDING German Masters champion Ali Carter suffered a shock 5-4 first-round exit to Thailand's Dechawat Poomjaeng on Wednesday in Berlin.
World No17 Carter enjoyed one of the best moments of his career at the Tempodrom 12 months ago when beating Marco Fu 9-6 in the final.
But the 34-year-old from Chelmsford lost the final three frames from 4-2 ahead against the world No60 to slump to a disappointing defeat.
Poomjaeng, who caused a sensation at the World Championships last year by knocking out world No5 Stephen Maguire, will now play Xiao Guodong for a place in the last 16.
Afterwards Crohn's disease sufferer Carter, 34, admitted that he still had plenty more to worry about than an early exit.
He said: "It isn't the way I wanted to come back and defend my title here after what was a great moment for me 12 months ago.
"But everything has been pretty terrible for me from this time last year. The medical problems I have are not going anywhere.
"Mentally it has done my head in a bit, I have other problems to deal with so I just have to keep punching and hope it gets better.
"I came here knowing it might catch up with me, it is hard to churn out performances. Was it right for me being at the Shootout and not practising before a big tournament? Maybe not.
"I went up there on the Thursday, played 10 minutes Friday, 10 minutes Saturday, 10 minutes Sunday, and it's five days without playing proper snooker before a big event.
"I was sitting out there today thinking I am going to have to have a real look at how I do things from here on."
Jimmy White's battle to save his tour place became that bit harder after a comprehensive 5-1 loss to this season's Shanghai Masters finalist Guodong.
The Whirlwind stands 62nd on the provisional money list from which spots will be allocated, with just the top 64 guaranteed to stay on.
White has enjoyed an illustrious 34-year career, winning 10 ranking titles – but is still if anything better known for losing six World Championship finals at the Crucible.
The 51-year-old now has the World Open in Haikou, the Welsh Open, the China Open, the World Championship qualifiers and the European Tour event in Poland in February to boost his earnings and chances.
Guodong, 24, took full advantage of a couple of kicks suffered by White, and finished with a flourish and a clearance of 138.
White said: "I am not even thinking about the possibility of losing my place on the tour, or having to go to Qualifying School.
"I had two horrendous kicks that cost me two frames – it is sickening, because I am playing well and in the position I am in I need to win.
"One kick came when I should have gone 2-2, and then another later in the match. It is very disappointing.
"You have to take it one match at a time, and hopefully I can get to Sheffield at the end of the season without the pressure of trying to win to stay on the tour.
"What gives me hope is that I am playing okay, it would be worse and I would be more concerned if I was struggling with my game.
"I have tournaments coming up to get myself out of the situation. I have been here before and under pressure have won to stay on the tour."
It was a good day for Yorkshire in Berlin, with both Paul Davison and Peter Lines springing surprises. Pickering's Davison upset Marco Fu 5-2, while Leeds' Lines saw off the in-form Stuart Bingham 5-3.
World No2 Mark Selby knocked in breaks of 105 and 80 in reeling off five frames on the spin against Jimmy Robertson to secure a 5-1 victory.
And there also comfortable 5-1 wins for China's Ding Junhui against Mike Dunn, and Wales's Mark Williams over Ireland's David Morris.
In the first match on the only table of the eight set up away from the main Tempodrom arena Kurt Maflin beat Tom Ford 5-2.
Both players were unhappy both with the playing conditions and the surreal atmosphere in front of a sparse crowd.
And Leicester's Ford was formally warned for using bad language in expressing that dissatisfaction to referee Greg Coniglio.
Photographs by Monique Limbos


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India, Day 6 - Dinner and Photography
My skill set lends itself to fun as much as it does documentation. It so happened that photography is an interest not only of my host's, but of his close friends and colleagues as well. After the children's meeting on Saturday night, we met back at the flat for me to give them some instruction in the operation of manual cameras after dinner.


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Jalonnie WoolfolkMilwaukee High School of the ArtsMilwaukee, WISponsored by the Wisconsin Chapter of PSA
PHOTOGRAPHERS CHOICE, COLORMainstay of an Angel
Michael FugalloEast Meadow High SchoolEast Meadow, NYSponsored by the Photographic Federation of Long Island
Megan WeigoldEast Troy High SchoolEast Troy, WISponsored by East Troy Viewfinders
ARCHITECTURE:Calm Before the StormBEST OF SHOW
Madison GaleHighland High SchoolPalmdale, CASponsored by the Lancaster Photography Association
SCAPESGod's Grandeur
Mohamed MahdyHassan Ebn ThabetAlexandria, EgyptSponsored by the Adasa Photography Club
PHOTOJOURNALISMThrough the Childhood
Anika StockingSouthwest High SchoolMinneapolis, MNSponsored by the St. Paul Camera Club
PEOPLE / ANIMALSLaughing Lilli
ABOUT PSAThe Photographic Society of America (PSA) is a worldwide organization for anyone with an interest in photography. Founded in 1934, the Society is for casual shutterbugs, serious amateurs, and professional photographers.
PSA has members in over 80 countries. Individual and photo organization memberships offer a wide variety of services and activities: a monthly journal; online photo galleries; image evaluation; study groups; courses; competitions; an annual conference; opportunities for recognition of photographic achievement and service; and discounts on photography-related products and services. To learn more about PSA and its activities, visit About PSA.


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Perisylvian GABA levels in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder
UMMS Affiliation
Department of Psychiatry
Publication Date
Document Type
Mental and Social Health | Mental Disorders | Neuroscience and Neurobiology | Psychiatry | Psychiatry and Psychology
The aim of this study is to measure GABA levels of perisylvian cortices in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder patients, using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS). Patients with schizophrenia (n=25), bipolar I disorder (BD-I; n=28) and bipolar II disorder (BD-II; n=20) were compared with healthy controls (n=30). 1H-MRS data was acquired using a Siemens 3T whole body scanner to quantify right and left perisylvian structures' (including superior temporal lobes) GABA levels. Right perisylvian GABA values differed significantly between groups [chi2=9.62, df: 3, p=0.022]. GABA levels were significantly higher in the schizophrenia group compared with the healthy control group (p=0.002). Furthermore, Chlorpromazine equivalent doses of antipsychotics correlated with right hemisphere GABA levels (r2=0.68, p=0.006, n=33). GABA levels are elevated in the right hemisphere in patients with schizophrenia in comparison to bipolar disorder and healthy controls. The balance between excitatory and inhibitory controls over the cortical circuits may have direct relationship with GABAergic functions in auditory cortices. In addition, GABA levels may be altered by brain regions of interest, psychotropic medications, and clinical stage in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Auditory cortex, Bipolar disorder, GABA, Magnetic resonance spectroscopy, Schizophrenia
DOI of Published Version
Neurosci Lett. 2017 Jan 10;637:70-74. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2016.11.051. Epub 2016 Nov 24. Link to article on publisher's site
Journal/Book/Conference Title
Neuroscience letters
Related Resources
PubMed ID
Repository Citation
Atagun, Murat Ilhan; Sikoglu, Elif M.; Soykan, Caglar; Serdar Suleyman, Can; Ulusoy-Kaymak, Semra; Caykoylu, Ali; Algin, Oktay; Phillips, Mary Louise.; Ongur, Dost; and Moore, Constance M., "Perisylvian GABA levels in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder" (2017). Psychiatry Publications and Presentations. 764.


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MOT Meltdown: Struggle To Issue Certificates Via New System
New, multi-million pound, MOT computer system leaves garages unable to issue certificates which causes legal worries for drivers.
New MOT Computer System Leaves Garages Unable To Log Results
UK garages are struggling to issue MOT certificates thanks to problems with a new, multi-million pound, computer system which leaves drivers worried their cars cannot legally be taken on the road. This technology – when it works properly – enables test centres to electronically record which cars passed the test. Unlike the previous system, it can be accessed via standard and low cost computer equipment such as laptops and tablets. But no such entries can be made when it malfunctions and recent reports suggest it is prone to crashing and running slow. About sixteen of the nation's twenty-four thousand test centres currently operate this new system with the remainder expected to follow suit over the next few weeks.
A garage might compensate by issuing a paper certificate the motorist shows the police if challenged. The expectation is that the electronic confirmation can be completed later. But this contingency could be problematic. If a police officer stops a car he/she tries to find out – via a computer in the police car – whether it has an MOT. In other words, the police consult a database that might not be up to date. A paper certificate that can be replicated via a home computer is unlikely to be considered proof of legality. Further, when a driver pays for road tax there is an electronic MOT check before the transaction can be completed.
New MOT Computer System Failing
Suffolk garage owner Howard Watts - of Riddelsdells Garage in Boxford – told the Daily Mail: "We have been having problems since last Thursday and just can't get the system to work". Gary Stapleton - of RGS Motors in Langley Mill - added it has: "Been off and on all day" and: "I've got ten cars in and can't do any of them". Garage owner and former software consultant Richard James - who runs DHM Services in Merthyr Tydfil – said: the system has not worked properly since installation. "It's in meltdown", he claimed.
A Driver Vehicle Standards Agency spokesperson said: "We are rolling the service out gradually over the summer to ensure we can address any issues during the transition phase. We will continue to update and improve the service in line with feedback from users." The Agency's Chief Executive, Alastair Peoples, added: "There is a well-established contingency process in place and all garages can still carry out tests and issue MOT certificates." Mr Peoples concluded: "We are bringing in additional resource to resolve the issue as quickly as possible and are sorry for any inconvenience."


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The Store
You have the opportunity to meet owner and master shoe repair specialist Alphonso Gallo who has been repairing and restoring the city's finest designer shoes for both men and women for over 30 years.
Check out the gallery →
Take a look at this video which shows Alphonso at work in his Yorkville area luxe shoe repair shop. He is a master who really enjoys what he does.
Alphonso Gallo takes pride in making the smallest repairs of daily wear and tear, to the complex and delicate designer shoes that need utmost care and concentration.
He says that the biggest challenge is repairing the very expensive designer shoes. "If you make a mistake, then you have to eat the shoe." Namely, the customer would be inconsolable if her Louboutins or Manolo's is not correctly fixed and therefore damaged. That of course doesn't happen with Alphonso Gallo.


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The big shopping rush is about to set upon us and as a local shop or an e-retailer, you know you need a certain percentage of this holiday buying momentum to make your year profitable. The good news is that based on Internet Retailer reports, the e-commerce holiday sales are set for double-digit growth for 2014. Even if you are a local shop and may not have a website or sell online, there are affordable online marketing tactics you can do to ensure you'll get some of that holiday spending spirit!
1. Online & mobile advertising
Whether you are an online store or a local shop, now is the time to increase or invest in your online presence, specifically in advertising. Branding Brand reported that in August 2014, a 51% of traffic to leading retailers came from smartphones and tablets and expect a steady increase in mobile shoppers.
Action #1: Invest in Mobile Advertising for this holiday season. This can be a solid tactic for a local retail shop who may not have a website.
Action #2: Test Facebook Advertising as they too report that 66% of their sales come from mobile users. Test early to ensure that during the holiday season you get your advert just right!
2. Optimize check-out
Now it not the time to skimp out on enhancing the check-out process on your e-commerce site. Remove hidden costs and make them any additional costs clearly visible these during "adding to card" step. Also make it easy to buy, remove the requirement that buyers 'have to register' and finally, add images of what they are about to buy.
3.Develop a Holiday Gift Guide, or two!
We like it easy. As a stressed-out holiday shopper, we look to our retailers to do the work for us. That's why an annual Holiday Gift Guide, as well as gift packages, are very popular. To create a branded experience, one where customers wait for every year, you need to start with holiday packaging materials, new products, different product sizes. Don't forget to hire a top-notch photographer, one who has experience in product photography.
Make enough photos so you can create a general holiday guide and then another one for either the rush period or a dedicated guide, like just for men, depending on what you offer. Also, hire a graphic artist to create a beautiful layout because you want people to share your guide!!
4. Introduce new products with a holiday promotion
According to Retail Information Systems News, 43% of us will pay full price in order to get the "perfect gift" for someone on their list. In other words, it pays to invest in creating your yearly Holiday Gift Guide as well as introduce new products. Take advantage of the buying mood.
If you are an e-Retailer, you have the opportunity to stretch beyond your traditional categories and introduce new categories that normally would not fit or you won't have space in a brick and mortar location.
5. Expand your social platforms
I'm sure you know that we share the stuff we love to our families and friends via social media. This year, 44% of us will also spend the time to discover new products via social networks! In fact, more of us will check out items online, primarily on social media and specifically on Facebook and then go to the store to buy them, primarily to avoid shipping costs.
6. Create excitement for your store!
Today's shoppers put more hours into online research before they make a purchase. Creating a giveaway is a great way to build excitement and fun to your customers during this special time of the year. Include deals, specials, free shipping or home delivery.
7. In-store visits increase in value
True, many shoppers will be turning to smartphones while shopping at your store, however, these shoppers, according to Caltech, will spend 50% more for items they can see and touch. This suggests that that while foot traffic to stores may have declined, the value and experience of in-store visits has increased. This suggests that in addition to introducing new products at your store, promotions just for the holiday season, home delivery, include something dramatic, like a stylist or develop service excellence attitude.
8. Expand your sales channels
As a local shop, you may need to expand your sales channels. This can easily be done by selling your products on Amazon or creating a Facebook page and promote that you offer home delivery.
photo credit: freepix


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Debian GNU/Linux, the open-source operating system that's proven more influential than any Linux flavor this side of Red Hat, recently hit the Internet's FTP mirrors in the form of an updated 5.0 release.
Version 5, which is also known by the Toy Story-inspired name "Lenny," sports the same excellent software management tools and broad processor architecture support that marked previous Debian releases. In addition, the new release includes a host of updates to the open-source components that comprise it.
Unlike the Debian 4 release that I last reviewed, which impressed me with its disk encryption leadership among rival Linux distributions, Lenny doesn't significantly advance the state of Debian or of Linux in general. Beyond its slate of software package refreshes, the best reason for existing Debian users to upgrade to the new version is that, as per the project's security policy, version 4 will fall out of security fix coverage one year after Lenny's Valentine's Day release date.
Stability and long life are frequently cited as the chief reasons for choosing Debian, particularly in server roles for which administrators might wish to "set and forget" their machines. However, the roughly three-year security fix window that applies to Debian releases falls short of the five years of coverage that Ubuntu offers for its Long Term Support releases, or the seven years that the similarly free-to-acquire CentOS derives from the Red Hat Enterprise Linux releases on which CentOS is based.
Further reading
Still, Debian is a great fit for server deployments, and is particularly well-suited for hosting applications that draw on open-source components, such as Apache, MySQL, or any of the other thousands of applications that the Debian project has packaged up for easy installation over one of the project's many repository mirror sites.
I often turn to Debian as a foundation for assembling virtual servers for my testing, since the distribution's very good text-based installer makes it easy to spin Debian into whatever arbitrary sort of Linux server I seek, and since I find the configuration applets that come bundled with many Debian packages handy for setting up unfamiliar components.
Debian 5.0 can also work well in a desktop role, thanks in part to what appear to be contributions drawn from the Ubuntu Linux releases that are themselves based on a Debian foundation. For instance, during my Lenny testing, I recognized the system's Update Manager and Software Add/Remove tools from my use of Ubuntu.
Debian 5.0 defaults to GNOME 2.22.2 as its desktop environment, but offers KDE 3.5.10 and Xfce 4.4.2, among other, lesser known options, as desktop alternatives.
Finally, Debian's broad processor architecture support-which spans 12 architectures and sets the distribution apart from any other Linux flavor of which I'm aware-makes Debian a natural fit for the fast-growing class of embedded Linux implementations.
Debian is freely available for download from the Debian project or from one of its mirrors via www.us.debian.org. As a noncommercial entity, the Debian project doesn't offer support beyond community resources, although the project maintains a directory of companies offering support services here.
The entire Debian distribution, which includes all the freely redistributable packages in the project's main repository, spans 31 CDs or five DVDs. I typically download the distribution's 180MB network install image and pull down the packages I need from a friendly neighborhood mirror site.


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I had a wild weekend of park rangerin'. Saturday, I was bioblitzing (more on that coolness later) and Sunday...well, let's just say it was off with a bang when Non Birding Bill was dropping me off and said, "Hey, isn't that Darth Vader?"
Yes, yes it was. The Science Museum has the Star Wars exhibit going on and since the Mississippi River Visitor Center is there, we get to see some of the fun. Several people were walking around the museum in full costume.
The Star Tribune set up right outside the visitor center to take photos of all the characters and we got to see everyone from Storm Troopers to Boba Fett to Sand People.
There was even a remote controlled, life size R2D2! It was fun to watch the guy running the controls maneuver him. A couple of times you would see R2 following a kid and the kid would nervously walk faster and faster, not sure what to make of the beeping little bot trailing behind.
Vader tried to get out of hand, but never fear, Ranger Birdchick kept him in line with her mad Jedi skillz. I didn't even need a light saber.
I was talking to one of the Jedi's and she said that all the people who came in character are part of a volunteer organization. They make their own costumes and make appearances for events like the Science Museum exhibit and even parades. I asked if they were going to be at CONvergence in a few weeks--NBB and I will both be there. Sure enough, they are going too.
I should mention, that NBB's play and his movie will be at CONvergence too. On Friday, July 4th at 7pm, the play THACO will perform on the main stage. On Saturday, we're both busy. I'll be doing a Raptor Center program with my buddy Amber from 5pm - 6pm and then NBB debut's the movie version of THACO at 7pm. If I understand it correctly, you have to be signed up for CONvergence to see the play and The Raptor Center program, but you can see the movie for free and not be signed up for the convention.
So, if you don't have plans that weekend and would like to experience a sci fi convention, stop on out.


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Heavy metal legends Metallica have announced that their 3D film, "Metallica Through the Never," will be released September 27, 2013 in North America as a limited engagement in IMAX theaters. The film will expand one week later on October 4, 2013. The film was written and directed by Nimród Antal (Predators, Kontroll) and produced by Charlotte Huggins (Journey To The Center Of The Earth).
Drummer Lars Ulrich comments, "IMAX! It doesn't get bigger or cooler than that!. For four guys in a rock band of average height, to get a chance to unleash their 3D film on IMAX screens the size of buildings across the country is a mind-blowing thought. 'Hey look, Mom, I'm 50 feet tall (finally!)' There is no better way to experience film and when you throw in the spectacle of music and sound this should amount to an unprecedented, unique and truly next level experience.â€
The film tells the story of, "…band crew member (played by Dane DeHaan) who is sent out on a mission during Metallica's roaring live set in front of a sold-out arena. While on this mission, he unexpectedly has his life turned completely upside down."


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This will be our third time sponsoring this AMAZING charity event, put on by some of the most generous men and women of Hollywood. One of our very favorite events to do, and for an amazing cause. Please consider donating to the EAA, or better yet, purchasing a ticket to this incredibly fun event filled with music, food, and best of all a KNEADY dessert bar!
VIP $175 per person
Premium Admission $65 per person
General Admission $35 per person until June 1


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So you are at Sephora and you are dying to try on the latest and greatest in makeup, but you are afraid of what might be lurking on them? Here is my InStyle.com article on how to maneuver around these types of stores to keep your health in check!!
Please share if you want more like this!


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Preparing for HAP Termination (e-Learning)
Description: This session will focus exclusively on the concepts and methods used to best prepare for the termination of voucher benefits for a client. Attendees will identify steps to comply with regulations and agency policy regarding the preparation of the termination letter, file documentation, agreements, statements, witness accounts, and understanding such important topics as reasonable accommodation. This e-Learning will review the requirements for an informal hearing and preparation but, is not a training that provides instruction for hearing officers. Discussion will center upon best practices and idea sharing on methodology is encouraged. Legal advice and opinion will not be provided during the training.
- Learn the required elements, best practices and components of termination of housing assistance benefits specific to Housing Choice Vouchers;
- Identify the relevant federal requirements identified in 24 CFR 982 for the voucher program, termination notices, informal hearings and consideration of reasonable accommodation and fair housing;
- Determine the processes that your agency is required to set forth and the components that require the agency to establish standards and protocols
Schedule & Agenda: 1 Online Session (1:30 pm ET - 4 pm ET)
NAHRO Continuing Education Units (CEU's): Training Completion = 0.25
Please visit our Training Calendar to register for the next available session.
|Registration Type
|NAHRO Member
Important Notes for All Online Sessions:
Online Registration Only:
Only online registrations are accepted for NAHRO Professional Development's e-Learning seminars and e-Briefing sessions. Payment for online NAHRO Professional Development offerings must be made via credit card (Visa, MasterCard, and American Express) at the time of registration.
After registering, attendees will immediately receive important login information at the email address on file. It is the attendee's responsibility to confirm system requirements and test connections prior to the start of the session.
Registration for each online offering closes at 11:59pm ET the day before a session's scheduled start date. Registered attendees will be able to download a copy of the presentation and additional resources after the online session commences.
For more information regarding our registration & cancellation policy.
For more information please contact the NAHRO Professional Development team at (877) 866-2476 or firstname.lastname@example.com


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I try not to compare myself to others, but as a blogger, numbers are important. When someone has similar page views as me, I can't help but look at their social media stats to see how I measure up. When I realized how much I was falling behind on Pinterest, I made it my mission to up my numbers…and quick! Here's how I doubled my Pinterest followers in just 4 weeks.
When I decided to up my Pinterest game, I had 1600 followers. Could have been worse, but there was definitely room for improvement. Here's how I began.
Clean Up Your Boards
I started by going through each pin one by one. If it had a dead link, poor photography, or didn't represent my blog's message, away it went. Another clincher? If it had zero likes or re-pins. If those fit all my other criteria, I re-pinned them to a secret board so I could re-pin in the future.
I also condensed my boards. If they didn't have many pins, I figured out what other board they could work on and placed them there. I cut my boards in half this way. Unfortunately, I cut my followers down this way too. Some of them were only following a board I cut, so my followers shrank to under 1400. Ouch! But I knew it had to get worse before it got better.
Rename Your Boards
When I first named my boards, I gave them clever names like Caveman Cookin' and Polish Pretties. Though I thought they were witty, it didn't give people the best indication of what the board was really about. I simplified the names to Paleo Recipes, Nails, etc. Now people know exactly what's on there.
Sort Your Boards
Having your boards in some semblance of order creates flow. It will be easier for your followers to see how your they relate to each other. If they follow one board, they may look to the next coordinating board and follow it too.
Pin…a lot
The most important part to upping your Pinterest followers? Pinning 50+ times a day. After I cleaned up my boards, I wanted to get them all above 50 pins. I took one board each day and re-pinned quality content to that board. Once I reached that goal, I decided to get them all above 100 pins. Next goal? 150 pins per board. (I skipped some seasonal and holiday boards since pinning to them wouldn't be timely and people aren't searching them heavily right now.)
The key is consistency. Pinning a lot at a time in one topic gets more of your pins seen in searches. Hence, more re-pins. But, again, make sure you're pinning quality content with attractive pictures, and working links. I can't guarantee that your followers will double, but you will see an increase.
When I decided to pin 50+ times a week, was at 1810 followers. Here's the breakdown week by week…
- 2085 followers (275 new) = 13% increase
- 2385 followers (300 new) = 24% increase
- 2797 followers (412 new) = 35% increase
- 3373 followers (576 new) = 46% increase
I had a total increase of 1563 followers in 4 weeks. From the time I started the process, I went from 1600 to 3373…an increase of 53%!
I'm still not where I want to be in my Pinterest following, but I know how to get there! How do you get more followers on Pinterest?


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Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum
This project is located on top of a remote mesa in far north Queensland in outback Australia.
It was created as a visitor centre for people to witness first-hand one of the world's most significant and cohesive dinosaur collections and it is remarkable for two reasons.
The first is its gestation. Twelve years ago, a cattle grazier David Elliott accidentally stumbled on 100 million year old dinosaur fossils while mustering cattle. Since then, he has become Australia's leading palaeontologist who has engaged Winton's whole community in the excavating, assembly and conservation of large dinosaurs. Through these operations, Winton's fragile farming economy has been transformed.
The second is its making. So enthralled were we by the phenomenon, we agreed to design it pro-bono, with the Elliott family and community to build it. They asked only that the Centre captures the essence of the ancient landscape and entices visitation by its forms and spaces.
The building is designed to unfold from the mesa, tapering back down to it. It is composed of only two materials – multiple large interlocking precast concrete panels imbued with the texture and colour of the red earth, and hand-made perforated iron screens.
The architecture is inspired by the site's deep rock fissures. Its plan is a journey from a narrow entry aperture to a spatial sequence that fans out to embrace the alluvial dinosaur plane below.
Through this project, we evolved a new Australian architectural ethos of evolving from the landscape.
- Awards
- Technical Information
- Cox Team
State Award for Public Architecture, AIA QLD 2013
Queensland State Award, CCAA 2013
Kevin Cavanagh Medal for Excellence in Concrete, CIA 2013
Shortlisted in the World Architecture Festival 2012


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Birth Asphyxia Leads to Sizeable Jury Verdict
Article posted on:10/29/2007
Earlier this month, a DuPage County, Illinois jury awarded the family of a seven-year-old boy who was crippled at birth $12 million dollars. In making this award, jurors agreed that Dr. Steven Ambrust was responsible for a 45-minute delay during the Benjamin Hayes' birth that deprived him of oxygen and caused his disability. An attorney for Hayes' parents says the boy has normal or above-average intelligence but cannot control his limbs, must use a wheelchair and requires a feeding tube. The jury saw the boy's physical limitations during the trial, but he didn't testify. Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield settled a claim by the family out of court.
Cerebral palsy is a complex medical condition that ranges in severity from mild to severe. Typically, those afflicted with cerebral palsy have an inability to control their motor function; i.e., they lack adequate muscle control and coordination. Common symptoms that can lead to a diagnosis of cerebral palsy include: involuntary movements of limbs; muscle spasticity (tightness), inability to walk properly (gait); seizures, breathing problems or difficulty swallowing; bladder and bowel continence issues; learning disabilities, and the impairment of one or more senses (sight, hearing, etc.). More severe cases may also result in a child having difficulty speaking.
In many instances, cerebral palsy is preventable. Perhaps the greatest risk factor associated with cerebral palsy is a lack of oxygen flowing to the child (asphyxia) during the birthing process. This can occur if the umbilical cord becomes wrapped around the infant's neck, or if the infant's head becomes stuck during the delivery. In essence, when an infant is deprived of oxygen for a prolonged period of time, brain cells die, causing injury.


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What Actually Gets Used in the Real World
You know that age old saying "I'll never use this in the real world?" Well, I hate to burst your bubble, but you actually use more of it than the you thought. In the ad world, you can have clients who operate in any industry, and you will become a near expert on everything about that company. So, knowing how a seed becomes a plant or where that one city is on a map suddenly becomes handy. Oh, and those acronyms you either learned or made up in your head to pass that one class in your major? You might not want to get rid of those yet. So, here are five things I thought I would never use in the real world, but used in the short six weeks as an intern.
Somewhere in the early days of journalism school, a professor will tell you that this acronym will help you narrow down and build an audience. And you probably sat there thinking "Why would I remember this long acronym. I'm never going to use this." Week 2 into the internship and I found myself googling the acronym for building a target audience, because not only did I not remember what the letters stood for, but also what the letters were in general. This one acronym makes it a lot easier to think beyond just demographics and psychographics of an audience to really put yourself into their shoes, which, trust me, helps a lot when you're struggling for that big idea.
The 5 Why's -
I had a management professor who spent a good three hours lecturing on the 5 why's and how it helps one problem solve. Admittedly, I may have scrolled through countless social media apps on my phone while it lay hidden behind a notebook, but that topic would soon become a reoccurring theme. A month later, my mass media research professor started asking why to nearly every student answer in class (Yes, it drove us all nuts). And here I am as an intern doing that same exact thing.
In particular, the 5 why's is a method to discover the actual problem and not the surface level one. Let's say the problem is that Coffee Shop A doesn't have enough sales, so they ask you to create a campaign that will increase sales. Start off by asking why sales are low and then ask why after every answer; the end result is the actual problem.
Segment. Target. Position. Although I remembered this acronym, I do also remember sitting in class wondering if real world people sat down and did this or just went through the motions of it. Week 4 and I'm sitting at my computer typing STP into a google doc. If you have a new product or a new campaign objective compared to what the client has done in the past, this really helps you figure out what makes them so great, because you obviously know why the client is amazing, but their target audience may not.
Math -
If you majored in journalism, I guarantee you thought you would never use math. Wrong, but don't worry. It's not the really hard calculus stuff, but basic math and those annoying worded math problems suddenly become real. All you really need to know is addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. (That's a lot, I know). The catch is that sometimes you have to use all of that just to get one number, and if you are like me, you haven't done that in two or three years.
Even worse: time sheets. You will have to figure out how to add up hours, and for some of us it is really difficult adding hours when numbers are on a scale of ten and hours go up to twelve. If you have no idea what I tried to explain there, then consider yourself lucky, because you don't suffer from this problem. Hint: google time calculator to help you.
SWOT Analysis -
I cannot tell you how many SWOT analyses I have done in my life, but college will not be the end. It's not just an exercise to get you thinking like the advertiser and not the consumer; it's a process that helps build a campaign. Shortly after receiving our first creative brief, we found ourselves repeating and bickering with one another because we all knew the same thing but no one had written it down. So SWOT analysis went up on the very helpful whiteboard in the Launchpad room.
On a side note, during our first client pitch, the client told us how refreshing it was to see a SWOT analysis as he hadn't seen one in years. Either it normally gets excluded from the presentation or simply goes unused, but either way it is very helpful and we interns recommend it.
I mainly showed you guys just the things that come from your major courses here, but in reality you never know what client you'll have in the future. So, try to remember the random facts in that bio class you took as a gen ed freshman year or maybe keep that notebook from the one history course you almost always fell asleep in, because it might just be handy somewhere down the line.


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Life is Brutiful
Two videos I've enjoyed watching this week, accompanied by the words that struck me most from each of them:
"...I've finally accepted the fact that sensitive is just how I was made; that I don't have to hide it, and I don't have to fix it. I'm not broken. And I've actually started to wonder if maybe you're sensitive too. Maybe you feel great pain and deep joy, but you just don't feel safe talking about it in the real world. And so now, instead of trying to make myself tougher, I write, and I serve people, to help create a world where sensitive people don't need superhero capes. Where we can all just come out into the big, bright, messy world and tell the truth, and forgive each other for being human, and admit together that yes, life is really hard, but also insist that together, we can do hard things. You know, maybe it's okay to say, "Actually, today I'm not fine." Maybe it's okay to remember that we're human beings, and to stop doing long enough to think and to love and to share and to listen."
...And life is beautiful. And life is brutal. Life is brutifal, all the time, and every day."
"...and there are people who think that the existence of my family somehow undermines or weakens or damages their family, and there are people who think that families like mine shouldn't be allowed to exist, and I don't accept subtractive models of love, only additive ones, and I believe that in the same way that we need species diversity to ensure that the planet can go on, so we need this diversity of affection and diversity of family in order to strengthen the ecosphere of kindness."
Happy Tuesday!


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This morning we woke up at 5am to be able to sit in on morning meditation with the nuns. It was such a wonderful, relaxing experience. The hum of their prayers reverberating through the brightly frescoed walls depicting peaceful and wrathful gods. The nuns line up sitting crossed legged and sometimes stop to drink tea, or have a snack. There are intermittent pauses in the chorus, and then they will all start up again, almost all at once. There were occasional breaks where there would be playing of instruments like horns, cymbals, and drums, then back to the humming of prayer. It felt very human. Though they are a group of nuns, and a few monks here and there, it was a serious business, but not too serious for being friendly or human. When someone would walk up to take their place, smiles and sometimes a brief conversation would ensue. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500"] Morning meditation at Thuptenchholing monastery.[/caption]
We walked around and took in the sights. And the sights are extraordinary. The monastery is perched high above a valley with streams and tall pines everywhere. There are Tibetan prayer flags strung across valleys of immense distance. The monastery is not too old, so the buildings are in quite good condition, and they are beautiful in a beautiful setting. We walked through numerous kitchens, all preparing food for the 600 or so nuns. That means a lot of potatoes, since those are the staple here. They grow a lot of spinach here too. It really is a beautiful, magical, peaceful place.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500"] Dried yak cheese, it's just as tasty as it sounds..[/caption]
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450"] A testament to their patients, nuns peal thousands of potatoes every day.[/caption]
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450"] Massive wood burning ovens that feed over 600 people 3 meals a day![/caption]
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450"] A nun making roti.[/caption]
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450"] We had a lot of free time to go on walks and poke around the monastery.[/caption]
In the late afternoon we met with the herbal medicine doctor to have our pulses read. After gripping our wrists for a while, every now and then asking to see our tongues, we learned that Seth is having stomach issues and should lay off the sugar, and that I have hurt my back and should keep it warm. Alrighty! I wonder if the pained expressions on my face while stretching my back or the snickers bar wrapper in the trash can had anything to do with our diagnoses?


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In This Section
Expression of interest is now open for the 2019 Maribyrnong Youth Advisory Committee (MYAC)
The Maribyrnong Youth Advisory Committee is a committee of young people between the ages of 12-25 years who are passionate about being young leaders in their community.
MYAC represents local young people in the City of Maribyrnong and advocates on issues that affect them. Being a part of MYAC is an opportunity to build skills and lead change.
If you are interested in being a young leader in your community and having lots of fun, express your interest to be a member now!
To be considered for membership for MYAC, please express your interest by completing the Expression of Interest form below.
Applications close midnight 17 February 2019
For more information please contact us on 9091 4700 or email firstname.lastname@example.com
(03) 9091 4700


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RADIO Stations
Peterborough & Surrounding Area
KAOS Radio
Category: Entertainment, Radio, Youth Services
99.5 FM Peterborough & Surrounding Area ON
Phone: 705-876-0404
Website: http://fm905.ca
King's Kids Promotions is a charitable organization that has been in operation in Peterborough for the last 13 years. For many years our focus has been giving the youth of Peterborough and area the opportunity to experience both foreign and local missions. In the last couple of years King's Kids Promotions changed the focus of their organization to our own city. We began working on a project that took four long years to bring to fruition, but in November 2004 we launched Kaos Radio.99.5 FM .The New Music Alternative as part of our plan to reach out to our own community.I invite you to view the following promotional video produced in preparation for our launch that gives an awesome indication of what this station is all about. www.kaosradio.com/video/mainvideo.mov
Kaos 99.5's emphasis is on new, current music and offers its listeners a blend of current hits from a number of different genres. This most definitely separates Kaos 99.5 from Peterborough's other radio stations.
Kaos 99.5 is local and an independent station with the Kaos team consisting of young, fresh and vibrant individuals who are connected and extremely active in the community you are trying to reach. For instance; Kaos 99.5 has the support and endorsement from both the public and Catholic school boards and is currently working in conjunction with community social service agencies in our community, which should indicate that, although Kaos 99.5 is a new station "on the air", we have cultivated extensive relationships within our community prior to actually opening up the microphone.
We appreciate your consideration in assisting King's Kids Promotions and Kaos Radio 99.5 to reach the youth of our great city.
Laurie Eccles
Kaos Radio 99.5
reaching, building, activating


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Bodhisattva Clothes
Bodhisattva Clothes
One snowy evening in January 1974, Seung Sahn Soen Sa was invited to speak at the Boston Dharmadhatu. He came with several of his students who, like him, were wearing long gray robes and brown kasayas. After the Dharma talk, one person asked, "Why do you all wear uniforms?''
Soen Sa said, "Did you eat supper?''
"To relieve pain.''
Soen Sa said, "I am a monk." There was a long silence. "Okay, I will explain. Look at our face. The nose has two holes, the eyes have two holes, the ears have two holes. Only the mouth has one. Why only one? It would have been very easy to have another hole in back of our head. We could eat rice in front and drink wine in back. But we have only one hole. This is people-karma. The cat catches the mouse -- that is cat-karma. The dog barks at strangers, wong wong wong wong!-- that is dog-karma. It is all karma. Do you understand?''
"I understand that I have two holes in my nose. But I choose to wear a uniform or not."
"I am not finished yet. This is only on the way.... So life is karma. In our past lives we have made karma, and the action of this karma is our life now. I like this uniform, so I wear it. It is Bodhisattva clothing. The Bodhisattva wears necklaces and bracelets and earrings and beautiful clothing. He doesn't wear them for himself, but only for all people. These robes have the same meaning as Bodhisattva clothing. Do you understand?''
The person said, "Is everyone in your party a Bodhisattva?''
Soen Sa said, "What do you think?"
''I think not.''
Soen Sa pointed to one of his students and said, "You ask him.''
"Are you a Bodhisattva?"
The student shook his head.
Soen Sa laughed and said, "Very good.''
The person again asked Soen Sa's student, "Why do you wear these robes?"
"Why do you ask?''
"Because I have a great deal of difficulty dealing with uniforms.''
Soen Sa said, "You asked these clothes a question, and they are already teaching you. If I hadn't worn them, you wouldn't have asked me about them. I am wearing them, so you asked me your question. So I am teaching you. So these are Bodhisattva clothes.''


text: kalin m wrote: > > > hi all .... > > this is really weird. > i've must have set up the root password on this new machine i got at > least 5 times and after a few reboots this thing forgets it. > i have to go in single user and reset it again and again?!? > > what can be the reason? Can you clarify a bit? Do you mean, "after rebooting I can get in without a password", or, "after rebooting it refuses the password I type", or something else? Are you logging into the console, or into something like xdm/gdm? What about normal (non-root) accounts, do they also have this problem? And, for that matter, why have you done "a few reboots"? This isn't Windoze ;-) > while i'm on here... the machine comes with an ethernet card <snip> Sounds like, possibly, a newer variant of the device? Occasionally a manufacturer makes a new variation on a chip/device and the FBSD driver doesn't recognize it. If you can get the thing to work, or maybe use another card and update, it just might. Can't say for sure, but you might check the CVS Web Interface for changes to the msk(4) driver in the last $n months. At any rate, the suggestion to read the manpage for msk(4) isn't a bad one. It could be that you need to add a KLD to loader.conf or something ... at the very least, it should say what variants are expected to work with msk(4). HTH, Kevin Kinsey


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In 1998, marketing guru Seth Godin estimated that the typical consumer came in contact with an average of 3,000 marketing messages per day. Even though that sounds like a lot, that number is only accurate for a world before social media, before smartphones, and before our dependence on e-mail was fully developed. The number has likely skyrocketed.
Because of the rapid growth of channels and the additional marketing messages that accompanied them, today's consumers don't take kindly to sales-related interruptions. The CMO Council found that 86% of people skip TV commercials, 44% of direct mail goes completely unopened, and 91% of people have unsubscribed from company emails they once voluntarily opted into. Clearly, today's consumers won't listen to a sales pitch or sit through a phone call that isn't relevant to their specific needs at that moment.
That's why, to close sales today, you need to know exactly to whom you are selling, and provide them with tailored messages that address their individual concerns. It's a matter of getting the right message in front of the right person at the right time—specifically, a time when they are open to hearing it. To do this you must have more information about your prospects and what they need during each phase of the buying process.
So, how can you learn more about your prospects without overwhelming them with messages and marketing? Look to your online community platform.
Using Your Online Community to Learn More About Prospective Customers
Once you have an active online customer community established, carving out a dedicated section for prospective customers is a natural next step. While you don't need to grant access to the entire community, you can create and fill a prospect segment with discussions about your industry, informational content relevant to their current stage in the buying process, and access to forums where they can connect with experts and peers.
By making the experience valuable, you can encourage prospective customers to participate in your community throughout their research and decision-making process, which keeps them engaged and earns their trust.
Engaging potential customers is intensely valuable, but the biggest bonus of having a prospect section in your online community is leveraging the activity data you collect to gain insight on how to make better sales decisions and messages.
4 Insights About Prospective Customers in Your Online Community
Insight #1) What Information Is Most Valuable to Prospective Customers
To earn a prospect's business, give them all the help they need to make a decision. Doing this effectively means that you have to understand what information will best help your prospects accomplish their goals, learn about your products and services (especially the value they provide).
Since each buyer is unique, making assumptions and blanketing them with general content can quickly cause you to lose their interest - and their business. Fortunately, with activity data from your online community, understanding the individual interests and needs of your customers doesn't have to be a guessing game.
By tracking a prospect's behavior and engagement in your online community, you can learn more about their challenges and which factors are impacting their buying process. Tailor your communication, including sales and marketing messages, based on this information. For instance, if a prospect posts a question about customer satisfaction or product reliability in a discussion forum, you can send a follow-up email directing them to a case study or customer testimonial on that topic.
Insight #2) Where Prospective Customers Are in their Buying Process
Understanding where your prospective customers stand in the buying process allows you to create a custom experience that makes them feel comfortable. Since they need different types of information at different points in the research and buying journey, prospective customers can get the information they need for their specific mindset.
For example, if a prospect's behavior clearly indicates he or she isn't ready to be contacted by your marketing or sales department, you can send a low-pressure invitation to read through a few educational blog posts or check out the comments on a discussion board. As prospects begin to engage further you can continue to help them move down the sales funnel by providing more detailed information on your product or an opportunity to ask a company executive a question.
Prospects' online behavioral data helps you learn how far along they are in the buying process so you can respond to their needs appropriately, and help your sales team and support teams nurture customers.
Insight #3) Who Is Ready to Buy
It is likely that most prospects that you invite into the prospective customer areas of your customer community will not be ready to make a purchase immediately. Your goal is to educate them and give them the resources they need, so that when they are ready to buy, you know it and can reach out to them or show them the path to purchase online.
As you track your prospective customers' behavior in your customer community through the buying process, you'll be able to identify who is ready to make a purchasing decision and who still needs more time. Use this to determine which prospects should be nurtured and which should be passed along to your sales team.
This distinction will likely become even easier to make the longer you collect data on prospective customers within your online community. Eventually, you'll have a list of behaviors and patterns clear patterns that indicate how prepared a prospect is to make a purchase.
Insight #4) When Your Sales Team Should Contact a Lead
Your sales team will have a much better chance of closing the deal if they are contacting a lead who wants to talk to them. According to Marketing Sherpa, 79% of leads never convert into sales, often because they are not ready to talk to sales people and are not adequately nurtured.
When you do nurture your prospects and they begin spending more and more time in your online community, you'll be able to gauge how their interest is transitioning from curiosity to sales-ready lead.
These insights can help set your sales team up for success. Not only will they know the right time to make contact, but they'll also have key data about each lead, including what product the lead is interested in, their potential concerns, and the research they've completed. With that, your sales team can ask the right questions, provide personalized information, and make a quicker sale.
Online Community Insight Takeaway
The process for attracting and nurturing prospects has drastically changed over the last several years. What worked 10 years ago doesn't work as well today.
Prospective customers want to engage with valuable resources when they are researching a product, and opening a segment of your online community to serve their needs can help them reach a purchasing decision.
Your current customers aren't the only ones who benefit from having access to your community. The insights you gain from their behavior allow you to market better, communicate better, and identify the most promising sales opportunities.


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It's interesting how often you can ask an entrepreneur if they have any competition and they will say, "no" or "not really." They will be aware of others out in the marketplace, but believe that what they offer is totally unique, special, or different. They started their business because they saw an opportunity or a hole in the market place. They will also respond that "the market is so big and we only need a tiny percentage so we aren't even impacted by the business cycle." Because they look at their industry from an insider's perspective, the idea that they are totally unique may seem to be true. They may have come up with a unique product or service as Apple did when they essentially invented the smart phone category or they might be like the restaurateur who originates a food trend. Not surprisingly, "me toos" crop up incredibly quickly and often outdo the originators. Even more common now is the competition coming from "disruptors" from outside the industry.
There are two important dimensions to the issue of competitors that leaders must think about. First, it's incredibly important to take the time to see your competition and the marketplace from a customer's point-of-view as best you can. If you ask a potential customer whether or not you have competition, they will absolutely say "yes" because their perspective include choices and options that you probably have not have considered in the mix.
Customers don't divide up the marketplace the same way that insiders do. They don't know and don't care about the insider language and distinctions. They don't necessarily see, understand, or care about the details that the insiders care about when it comes to products and services. All a customer knows is that they have a problem, issue, or pain, and they want it solved. Is your product or service easily recognizable from their vantage point as the solution at the lowest cost/value point? If not, they will move on very quickly to a competitor.
The second dimension to be concerned about is - what is your real competitive advantage? When you ask an entrepreneur what their point-of-difference vs. the competition is, it's amazing how often the answer is quite vague and actually fluffy. Something along the lines of, "well we're the best," or "we don't hard sell," or "we have the best people." While these features and benefits might be true, they are rarely what the customer is trying to buy.
Are you taking the time to find out why customers are really choosing your products or services, or maybe more importantly, why they are not? There are ways to get this information and it's incumbent upon leaders to make the effort to find out these answers.
Make the effort to talk to outsiders. Ask your new employees and your customer service and sales people and be open to really hearing what they say about the marketplace. What are they hearing from your customers about the issues and problems they are facing? What are the questions they are asking? What are they really trying to buy? Learn how you can improve your products, services and how you are communicating about them. Ask people about who they see as your competitors, how those companies are reaching out to customers, and how are they presenting themselves. You might be surprised what you find out.


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In a Home Trust, How Does One Beneficiary Buy Out the Others?
Sean O'Hare discusses what to do if there are more than two beneficiaries in a trust.
Personal Finance: Tax-Filing Tips for Freelancers
Sean O'Hare was quoted in PR Newswire's Journalist and Blogger Community Blog that shares useful tax tips for freelancers.
How to expand your business fleet
Sean O'Hare of O'Hare Associates shares information on how to expand business fleets in a Washington Post / General Motors video. Watch the animated video featuring him as a cartoon by clicking the "Read More" link below.


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The Thekla Archives: 2013
Frank Hamilton, Thekla Top Deck presents Frank Hamilton: 14+ EVENT
- Sunday 28th April 2013
- Supported by: Natalie Holmes
Hamilton isn't exactly your typical singer-songwriter. His songs ooze a freshness and honesty that is rarely encountered in these times of crunching credit, with their effortless delivery very much sharing the same attributes. His first record, 'You Your Cat and Me' cost just £800.00 to make and market and has sold over 10,000 copies to date, prompting unconditional love from XFM and mass support from Edith Bowman, Steve Lamacq and Huw Stephens at the BBC.
Support from:


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Plastic cribbing system from Enerpac optimizes heavy load stability.
A new system of plastic cribbing blocks and wedges has been introduced by Enerpac to optimise safety when stabilising heavy loads after they have been lifted.
The blocks - developed as a more stable, longer-lasting and easily cleaned alternative to wooden blocks - feature an aggressively patterned slip-resistant pyramid locking surface for superior stability in cribbing, chocking and shoring.
Typically applied in energy, mining, maintenance, construction and infrastructure tasks, the new systems complement Enerpac's broader ranges of powerful but compact lifting and load handling technologies including heavy duty load skates, low clearance machine lifts and vertical lifting wedges requiring only 10mm tip clearance to apply 700 bar hydraulic force. Enerpac is the recognized global leader in high-force tools and 700 bar hydraulic equipment used in industrial markets, where its technologies are used to safely hoist loads as large as turbines, ships, railway locomotives, bridges, mining shovels and entire buildings.
"Our total ranges are keyed to safety and cost-efficiency, which is the case with plastic cribbing being used when maximum crib stability and material durability is required," says Enerpac General Manager, Australia and New Zealand, Mr Tony Brooks.
"Plastic offers a stable, predictable load capacity which deforms slowly under load because of the homogeneous material used. Enerpac's cribbing system won't splinter doesn't absorb most fluids (subject to chemical compatibility tests) and can be used for interlocking box cribs, parallel cribs and triangle cribs."
Available in three sizes of cribbing blocks and two sizes of wedges, the system, made from recycled plastic, is available in different combinations of wedges and blocks in nylon carrying totes.
Enerpac, which has been established in Australia and New Zealand as a major supplier of 700 bar hydraulic and extreme force tools 50 years. having nationwide service backup and a strong distribution network.
Contact Supplier for more information


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Vision Plus
Shop Rank: #1788
|Frequency Range UHF 470-860 Mhz
|Amplifier Gain Max 18db
|Gain Adjustment 15db
|Output Impedance 75ohms
|Power Supply 10.8-28v DC
|Power Consumption 85ma
|Dimensions 115wx46hx28d (mm)
Our delivery charges are based on the overall weight of your complete order. The packaged weight of this product is approx. 0.6250kg. Different delivery options are available depending on your location.
We offer a FREE DELIVERY service (5-day despatch time) if this product is ordered as part of an order totalling £75, or more (UK Mainland Only).UK Mainland
Alternatively, avoid delivery charges by collecting from our shop in North Norfolk!
Copyright © Chris Ashwell 2014-17


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Journal and photo credit: Bruce Edwards
It's a little hard to focus on my writing now at the end of the day. The team is laughing too hard. They deserve it.
It's been a great day. Eliezel Soto forewarned us this church was remote, and small, and probably hot inside. The day began a little overcast but there was a beautiful view of the Panama Canal as we made our way over the bridge spanning this important waterway. We've made that crossing on our way to work sites everyday and we don't get tired of it.
The church is small, but not too small. The pastor, his wife and church members have gathered all of the tables and chairs they could scrounge to facilitate our makeshift medical clinic. In the end, we have all we need including a table made of wood scraps. God is good. The people come. They come along the red dirt foot paths and and red dirt road that winds its way off the pavement a quarter mile away. They come with patient hearts and easy smiles. One hundred and fifty-eight come throughout the day. They come and wait. They have a lot of need but they don't complain. The kids color with crayons on pages we've brought. They get a bit of candy. They wait inside when they can but the church gets too full and they escape to the breeze outside.
Mid-day, a tropical rain storm blows in. We can hear it coming and it finally hits the tin roof creating a deafening roar that makes us laugh. It's so loud that the doctors are having trouble hearing the intricacies of the heartbeat. It lasts long enough that an amplifier and microphone is set up just so the patients can hear their number alerting them their wait is over and they can now see the doctor. But the rain brings a cool breeze that makes us smile for a while.
It was a good day in that we saw a lot of patients in a short while. There was peace in that hot little church and everyone that came was served.
The group has become a team. Everyone is focused. We care about each other and try to help when and where we can. They're laughing because of the week's experience thus far and because we love each other. There's joy in our days. No one dreads tomorrow, our last day of medical clinics. We look forward to being with each other and with the people of Panama and we love serving our Lord.


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Related Items
|Related pages:
|Related documents:
ILO Min Wage JAN 2016 - Consolidated Interpretation (40kb XLS)
|view larger image
|Photo: Steven Bruijneel,www.dockwork.be
Seafarers who work offshore - most usually on oil and gas mobile offshore units and their support vessels – have to cope with a unique set of working and living conditions.
Why are offshore conditions unique?
Workers employed offshore often spend time in constant motion, are subject to extremes of weather, noisy working conditions, excessive hours of work and demanding shift patterns – with night-working common.
These conditions put offshore workers at increased risk of accidents, poor health, anxiety and stress, and general fatigue. A survey of seafarer fatigue by Cardiff University, published in November 2006, found that workers from offshore oil installations had higher levels of fatigue and poorer health than other seafarers.
Offshore workers are often unorganised and unprotected by national agreements covering their minimum pay and conditions, health and safety standards, and living conditions. ITF has been successfully campaigning to ensure such agreements are now put in place.
How does the ITF protect the rights of offshore workers?
ITF is working to protect seafarers in the offshore industry through negotiating for offshore collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) to secure acceptable working and living conditions. To view an ITF standard offshore collective bargaining agreement, use the link on the right of this page. ITF set up its Offshore Task Force in 1997 to assist with this campaign, and the task force has helped broker the following model CBAs for offshore workers:
- CBA for all seafarers serving on Norwegian-owned offshore support and diving vessels. As a result of this agreement, reached in 1997, the ITF 2008 minimum wage benchmark for an able seaman working in the North Sea (whatever their nationality) is now $3,291per month, with many other benefits for seafarers
- The Norwegian agreement was instrumental in helping ITF to negotiate implementation of a CBA in a range of companies. Based on the ITF's standard offshore CBA of 2004, this sets minimum rates of pay, working hours, public holidays, overtime, rest, sick pay and minimum safe crewing levels. Companies now covered by a CBA include: Acergy (Norway), Saipem (Italy), Havila (UK), Farstad (Norway), Subsea 7 (Norway), OSM (Norway), Great Eastern (India), Greatship (India), Ravenscroft (USA), Technip (France), NMM Ltd (UK), Bibby Offshore (Isle of Man), Gulf Offshore (UK), BJ Offshore (UK), Prosafe (Singapore), Heerema (Netherlands), Harms Offshore (Germany) and Gardline Survey (UK)
- Worldwide CBA covering crews on offshore pipelay construction barges (including many Indonesian seafarers) employed by Saipem (Italy), Acergy (Norway) and Heerema (Netherlands) – this agreement was reached in October 2007 and will be reviewed annually
Plans are currently in progress with ITF's Australian, UK and Norwegian affiliates to develop a worldwide CBA to cover the offshore diving industry.
What else is the ITF doing?
ITF's offshore campaign has also supported successful agreements ensuring minimum wages and conditions for offshore workers in: Australia, USA, Canada, Mexico, Nigeria, East Timor, Brazil, Indonesia, Trinidad & Tobago. Talks are also currently under way to establish a CBA in Singapore.


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Sewcial Bee Sampler Block #3
Hello, friends! It's Wednesday and that means a new block is available for the Sewcial Bee Sampler sew along co-hosted by myself and Maureen Cracknell. If you're just now joining us, welcome! Please take a moment to catch up by reviewing all my earlier posts, beginning with the January 30th, 2017 post The Start of Something Sewcial.
The rest of you, let's get sewing! Block #3 is called Flock. You'll enjoy it because we're reviewing the two different half-square triangle (HST) techniques we've learned about in blocks #1 and #2. You've got this, but if you'd like a refresher, follow these links to my tutorials: 8-at-a-time HST units and the traditional HST units (2-at-a-time).
I've started a series of tutorials to accompany this sew along that covers very basic patchwork sewing skills. If you've missed the first installment and want to perfect your strip cutting and seam allowance sewing skills, pop over to my Perfect Patchwork post here.
Just so you know, there's always several ways to accomplish the same end result in patchwork piecing and quilting. The methods I give you are my go-to methods and have served me well over the years. I'm not saying this is the absolute and only way to do things--this is just how I prefer to sew my patchwork quilts.
Perfect Patchwork
Pressing and Pinning
A question I'm asked a lot is do I wash my fabrics before I sew with them? The answer from me is, NO. Again, this is a personal preference. I like to sew with fabric that still has the mill sizing finish on it. I feel the fabric is easier to handle and work with in a crisper state. Yes, I could pre-wash and then starch--but why go through that extra work?
Second big question is about pressing seams to one side or pressing them open. If you'd have asked me this question 6 months ago I would have gasped in horror at the very thought of pressing patchwork seams open. But, this fall as I was sewing a quilt for my Utility Style quilt book, (in print later this year) I had a scrap quilt project that I just HAD TO press the seams open for it to work. This was the first quilt I ever, ever had done that way and was pleasantly surprised how it really helped make this particular quilt go together so nicely.
I've since been using a hybrid of pressing seams to one side and pressing seams open. If you put a little thought into the construction of each section of your block and how they fit together like a puzzle, you can get into a bit of a rhythm when piecing and start to instinctively know when to fold them (press to one side) and when to hold them (press open).
Let's Practice on the #3 Block
1. Always start cutting and sewing with wrinkle-free fabric. When piecing you'll want to press not iron. Pressing is the motion of picking the iron up and putting it down rather than sliding it across the surface. Use the correct setting for the type of material and keep the iron clean. When pressing a unit or block press the seam from the back first to set the seam then open the unit or block and press the piece open. Press as you piece so the block stays true to size. I do not recommend using a steam iron. Steam could distort the shape of pieces by loosing the weave. I inevitably burn my fingers from the steam and it just messes up my iron no matter what, it's not been my friend.
2. To press the seams for the #3 Flock block like I've done, press the seams on all the HST units open. Trim the dog ear corners to reduce bulk.
3. After sewing the 2 small HST units together, press the seams to one side so they can be nested when joining the two rows of two small HST units. I find when joining sections like this the nested seams are invaluable for locking the seams in place. Nesting seams before sewing means the seam allowances of each unit are going in the opposite direction. After joining the small HST units, this now becomes a section of the block; press the seams open on all sections.
Pressing tip: When the pressing direction is important, place the fabric to be pressed toward face up when pressing and opening. This trick will save time and result in the seams being pressed in the direction of the face-up fabric.
Pinning tip: I always pin when nesting seams and joining sections. Pinning helps to keep pieces and units from shifting when sewing. Pin seam allowances on a diagonal from right to left as shown, locking the seams in place. Do not sew over pins. Instead, stitch up to the diagonally placed pin, catching the leading seam allowance. With the needle in the down position, stop and remove the pin before proceeding.
4. Join the 2 large HST units and 2 HST sections into 2 rows of 2 units/sections each. Press seams to one side for nesting. Pin, stitch, and press the seams open.
5. When adding the frames, I press after each frame is added toward the frame strip because it will have the least amount of bulk in that direction.
Once my entire block is pieced and if I feel it needs to be flatter, I have a spritz bottle of regular tap water. The water, reactivates the mill sizing that will now act like starch (without the mess to your ironing board and iron). Your block is now (hopefully, a square) and if the pieces have been cut on the straight-of-grain, the straight-of-grain outside edges of the block will help to keep the shape of the square. I lightly mist my block and give it a good pressing with a hot iron (be sure to use the appropriate setting for your fabric). Remember, do not iron, this will distort and pull the block out of shape. Instead, press with an up and down motion and the block will remain true to size. If you'd prefer to use a steam iron, this would be the time to use it to make your block nice and flat instead of the spray bottle technique.
I've enjoyed watching your blocks as you post them to Instagram. Be sure to use the hashtag #SewcialBeeSampler when you post and tag @maureencracknell and myself @sharonhollanddesigns so we can see all your hard work. Any public IG account posting that uses the official hashtag will automatically be entered into the hashtag pool for our weekly giveaway drawings.
This Friday, February 17th, 2017 is my turn to host the weekly giveaway. I'll have a new post introducing you to this week's sponsor Sharon McConnell of Color Girl Quilts and all the details on how to enter on Friday.


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[Pronounced "MOH~ZAZZ"]
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Who Do We Help?
Our passionate team of professionals and trained experts will guide you in selecting and implementing the right solution for your organization.
We work with many organizations and care settings to deliver the best in Behavioral Health services including:
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