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Armed Minor Shot by Police During Investigation
2013-01-02 · By Editor
On Saturday, December 29, 2012, at approximately 5:00 a.m., Long Beach Police Officers were dispatched to the 6800 block of Beechley Avenue regarding gunshots heard.
An officer arrived on-scene and saw several subjects in front of a residence. As the officer made contact with the group, one subject pulled out a firearm and an officer involved shooting occurred. A firearm was recovered at the scene.
The preliminary investigation has revealed that the suspect, who is a minor for a few more days and therefore will not be identified, was involved in a confrontation with several people at a residence according to witnesses. During the confrontation, and prior to police arriving, the suspect fired off several rounds from a handgun. This caused a nearby resident to call the police.
After the officer involved shooting occurred, the suspect was transported to a local hospital where he received treatment for a minor wound and was released to police custody. The minor is being booked for assault with a deadly weapon against one of the residents and exhibiting a firearm in the presence of a police officer.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office is conducting an independent investigation of the shooting, as they do with all officer involved shootings that occur in Los Angeles County that result in injury or death.
Anyone with information regarding this incident should contact Long Beach Police Homicide Detectives Scott Lasch and Donald Goodman at (562) 570-7244. Anonymous tips may be submitted by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), texting TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or visiting www.lacrimestoppers.org.


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Updated August 2019:
We are currently hiring for our Live-In Assistant position, there is space in our homes.
Live-In Assistants
Live-In Assistants are people who choose to live in a L'Arche home with adults who have intellectual disabilities, the "core members" of the community, sharing life, laughter, and friendship. They offer hands-on assistance with daily living skills, finances, and health care; they also are open to being cared for by the core people.
Live-In assistants participate in community prayer, spiritual retreats, and celebrations. They receive room, board, health insurance, and generous stipend. Along with access to local fitness center, yearly retreats and the opportunity to explore future life vocations.
To apply:
Please read the job description and qualifications below.
Complete the application and return it to firstname.lastname@example.com, or by email or fax.
Job Description
Live-In Caregiving Assistant Purpose: Assistants accompany core members (clients) in their activities of daily life: creating home and supporting core members in sharing their gifts within the house and the larger community.
Responsibilities relating to:
Community Development
Uphold and share the vision and hope of the community and try to live out the simple life style of the community
Help extend warm welcome to visitors, including community members, families, neighbors, and merchants
Encourage households members to develop and nurture friendships within and especially outside the community
Attend team and community meetings, community night, and community activities. Attend Regional Gatherings for assistants and Regional/Zone Gatherings for communities
Help plan celebrations for birthdays, anniversaries, and days of special importance to household members
Accept community accompaniment from a more experienced community members
Core Members (Clients)
Develop caring and loving interpersonal relationships. The most important aspect of the "living with" spirit of L'Arche is that of fostering relationships. This area calls forth both the assistant and the core member in their personal growth, as well as the growth of the community. It is a process of discovering one's own gift and helping the other to find theirs.
Carry out core member training programs where applicable and teach skill needed to be learned (personal hygiene, personal appearance, laundry, room management, household cleaning, cooking, budgeting, job skills, shopping skills, appropriate behavior)
Help core members to look at alternatives, anticipate consequences, make decisions, and accept responsibility for their actions
Listen to and respect the desires of the core members.
Home Management/Administration
Assume responsibility for the health, safety, and care of core members
Do assigned housekeeping chores and take initiative to keep house (inside and out) clean and in repair. Assist core members with their chores if needed. Aid in motivating core members to complete needed tasks
Plan and prepare balanced meals. Assist core members to help cook and prepare meals. Prepare meals using daily dietary requirements.
Maintains and operates house vehicles in a safe manner, with a valid driver's license.
Maintains accurate financial records of core member and house money
Conscious of budgeting and keeping within house and community budgets
Take initiative, be resourceful and creative, think out problems, be willing to use own judgment when deemed necessary
Spiritual Life
Supports the community and carries in prayer the homes, each member of the Community, their families, friends, and concerns, as well as L'Arche around the world.
Maintains and respects the home as a Christian home in terms of values and prayer. Encourages prayer in the home and in the community with assistants and core members.
Respect days of worship. Attend with core members their choice and place of worship.
Share faith life with the community. Be responsible for making known and meeting personal worship needs.
College education preferred
Interest in living in a faith community founded on the Beatitudes
Desire to work with individuals with disabilities(Experience with people with disabilities is not a requirement)
Creativity, flexibility, attention to detail, and ability to organize time
Verbal and written communication skills
Ability to work as part of a team

subset: commoncrawl


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A 37-year-old man allegedly took a woman from her Hemet home and handcuffed her, then intended to put her on a plane to the Philippines -- all while posing as a federal officer, Hemet police said Monday.
Gregory Raymond Denny allegedly took the woman into "custody" on Jan. 15, when he went to a home in the 1200 block of Stepstone Court and handcuffed her, telling the other residents in the home he was deporting her, according to Hemet police Lt. Duane Wisehart.
Denny wore clothing with what appeared to be a federal logo on it, a badge around his neck and a gun belt and holstered pistol, Wisehart said.
Denny took the woman in his vehicle to the U.S. Border Patrol station in Murrieta but officers there said there was no warrant out for the woman and they refused to take his "prisoner," said Wisehart, so Denny drove to San Diego International Airport, Wisehart said.
At the airport, the suspect escorted the victim to a gate, took the handcuffs off and sent her on her way to board the plane, which she did, Wisehart said.
"Near as we can tell, a family member purchased the ticket at the request of the suspect," Wisehart told City News Service.
After the home's other residents reported the incident, police asked Denny to come in, which he did, and they questioned him.
Denny claimed to be a federal officer and told police the same story the woman's roommates had told them but an inquiry into his would-be status with the U.S. Marshals Service determined he has never been employed with the agency, or any other law enforcement organization.
Denny was booked into the Southwest Justice Center on suspicion of impersonating an officer, kidnapping, false imprisonment and residential burglary.
Denny was released on bond for $50,000, and is scheduled to appear in court Feb. 16, according to sheriff's jail records.
The case has been turned over to the District Attorney's Office and notifications made to various other law enforcement agencies which might want to launch their own investigation.
No charges have been filed by the District Attorney's Office, court records indicate, and there are no prior cases pending in Riverside County for Denny.
It was unclear how Denny could travel through an airport with a woman in handcuffs and his credentials not verified.


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Court Swartz, Fraction / 290.6
sold out
Court Swartz, Fraction / 290.6
The Fractions are hand-cast acrylic glass sculptures. Sculptural forms of acrylic paint are suspended within prisms of acrylic glass. Selectively affecting the surface clarity allows elements to be concealed and revealed.
MATERIALS: Acrylic paint/Acrylic
SIZE: 3.5 x 4 x 2.5 in
Flat rate shipping within North America: $15
Contact us for expedited holiday shipping within North America.
All prices are in USD. Contact us for purchasing options within Canada.
This artwork ships worldwide, please inquire for international shipping.
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OOCORP Travel provide information, pricing, availability, and booking facility for domestic and Cheap International Air Tickets, railway reservation, hotel bookings, holiday packages, buses, and car rentals. We offer a host of travel services designed to make business and leisure travel easier.
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Workshop: How to Get Ridiculous Press (Without a PR Firm)
Mike Del Ponte is a social entrepreneur, speaker, and health hacker. Mike is the co-founder and CEO of Soma. Soma makes make products to positively impact millions of lives. The first product is an award winning glass water filter. For every filter sold, Soma donates clean drinking water to people in need through charity: water.
Previously, Mike led marketing at BranchOut, the largest professional network on Facebook. As an early employee, Mike helped grow BranchOut from 0 to 25 million users in 16 months.
Mike is the founder and former CEO of Sparkseed, a global nonprofit investing in the most promising young social entrepreneurs. Mike's leadership earned Sparkseed a Financial Times Social Innovation Award and recognition in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Inc Magazine, and CNN.
In 2010, Mike and the Sparkseed team hosted Dangerously Ambitious, the highly praised, invite-only summit for social innovators, investors, designers, and thought leaders.
Before founding Sparkseed, Mike served as a Christian Peacemaker in the West Bank, an orphanage volunteer in Jamaica, a micro-finance consultant in Nepal, and a part of the team that created a child health care program to help 355,000 kids in Kutch, India. Mike has degrees from Boston College and Yale University.
For more information please visit:
Twitter: @mikedelponte
Instagram: @mikedelponte


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Charlie Sheen Reveals Which Famous Friends Have Reached Out in '20/20' Interview
The troubled actor also admits to ABC News that he's going to have to find work to "get me through the summer" in the absence of his "Two and a Half Men" paychecks.
In the latest stop on Charlie Sheen's media blitz, the troubled actor revealed to ABC News which of his celebrity friends have reached out to him amid all the recent hoopla.
"Colin Farrell, Sean Penn, Mel Gibson," he said in an interview with 20/20 that aired Tuesday night. "They didn't give me any advice. Within that there's great advice. There's just love. Just seeing what's up."
During the interview, which was taped before the wave of recent interviews with Sheen but didn't air until Tuesday, reporter Andrea Canning asked Sheen how much money he's suing CBS and Warner Bros. for.
"Tons. They're going to put it on the scale and be like, a little more, a little more," he said. "Add some gold, all your toupees. Bingo! I'm here to collect, and they're going to lose."
The actor has repeatedly expressed his displeasure over the fact that he and the rest of the Two and a Half Men cast and crew aren't getting paid for the eight remaining episodes of the season that won't be shot.
Warner Bros. on Monday announced it would pay the crew for four more episodes (the episode order had been reduced following Sheen's recent rehab stint, which forced the show into hiatus).
Sheen's lawyers on Monday sent Warner Bros. and CBS a letter threatening legal action if the studio doesn't resume production of Men or pay Sheen the money owed on his contract.
Sheen admitted to ABC News that he isn't broke but could use the money; he signed a new contract in May making him TV's highest-paid actor at $1.2 million an episode.
"I'm not [broke] but I was kind of counting on some of that money to get me through the summer," he said. "Now I've got to, like, work. But that's alright. Work's good. Work fuels the soul."
Production was shut down on the remainder of Men's eighth season last week following Sheen's angry tirade against series co-creator Chuck Lorre. For his part, Lorre has kept mostly quiet about Sheen, addressing the situation only in a vanity card at the end of one of his other shows, Mike & Molly (though he didn't mention Sheen by name).
Sheen told ABC News that he would be willing to work with Lorre again.
"Maybe two guys just sit in a room and say, 'Look, we hate each other, let's continue to make some great television."
He also had choice words for CBS executives regarding their visits to the Men set.
"When you walk into the house of Two and a Half Men you can smell the love," he said. "The fun stops at one. That's when they roll in. They just puke all over it. They're not welcome to be in the presence of what I'm delivering."
Sheen added that his Men character isn't based on his real life.
"If the true story was ever told, of course, it would have to be on cable," he said.
As for the different side of Sheen's personality that TV viewers are being introduced to during his media blitz, Sheen said: "I've been the aw-shucks guy with this bitchin' rock-star life, so now I'm going to completely embrace it. I'm going to wrap both arms around it and love it violently and defend it violently, through violent hatred."
Sheen also once again called out to his father, Martin Sheen, to "back off with your judgment."
He also addressed his rash of crazy comments, which have inspired a slew of Internet parodies.
"The words just sound cool together. They come from my grand wizard master," he said, adding: "You borrow my brain for five seconds and just be like dude, can't handle it, unplug this bastard. It fires in a way that is, I don't know, maybe not from this terrestrial realm. When you've got tiger blood and Adonis DNA, it's like, get with the program dude."
As he has in previous interviews, Sheen insisted he is drug-free -- he even took a drug test after the ABC News interview and passed -- but he still said he was "proud" of his most recent drug binge, which ultimately led to the Men shutdown.
"I'm proud of what I created," he said. "It was radical. I exposed people to magic. I exposed them to something they're never going to see in their boring normal lives."
He added that he's able to survive such drug binges "because I'm me. I'm different."


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The Craftsmanship merit badge was one of the original 57 merit badges issued by the Boy Scouts of America in 1911.


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Inkerman Lime & Gypsum
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About Us
If you're looking for a Fertilizers & Chemicals in Home Hill, QLD, then Inkerman Lime & Gypsum can definitely help you. Offering a varied range of products and services like safety and including lime and crop dusting they can be contacted on 0417 19# ### to discuss these or any additional services or products.
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Cumberland Produce
"i stopped off at this business and found the service excellent , the staff were very knowledgable and friendly plus they carried the goods to my car , am now a regular customer please try it out you wont be disappointed ."
sarah toale on 6th Dec 2011


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Farmer field schools for improving farming practices and farmer outcomes in low- and middle-income countries
Additional Info
- Authors: Hugh Waddington, Birte Snilstveit, Jorge Garcia Hombrados, Martina Vojtkova, Jock Anderson, Howard White
- Published date: 2014-09-01
- Coordinating group(s): Education, International Development
- Type of document: Title, Protocol, Review, Plain language summary
- See the full review: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.4073/CSR.2014.6
About this systematic review
This Campbell systematic review examines the effectiveness of farmer field schools in improving intermediate outcomes (such as knowledge and pesticide use) and final outcomes (such as agricultural yields, incomes and empowerment) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), as well as implementation factors associated with programme success and failure. The review sythesises evidence from 92 impact evaluations, of which 15 were of sufficient quality for policy-oriented findings, and 20 qualitative studies.
What are the main results?
Farmer field schools improve farmers' knowledge and adoption of beneficial practices, and reduce overuse of pesticides. This leads to positive outcomes for farmers: on average, a 13% increase in agricultural yields and a 20% increase in income. Farmer field schools also reduce pesticide use and environmental degradation. However, the evidence for these outcomes comes from short-term evaluations of pilot programmes, and no studies with a low risk of bias are available.
In programmes that were delivered at a national scale, studies conducted more than two years after implementation did not show any positive outcomes from the programme. For large-scale programmes, recruiting and training appropriate facilitators was problematic.
After almost three decades of decline in public support, agriculture is now back on the development agenda. Since the late 1980s, support to agriculture has shifted from top-down approaches to those identifying technologies and methods of communicating technologies which are suitable to support farmers' livelihoods in a sustainable manner, including participatory approaches based on the notion of creating spaces for farmer self-learning. One such approach is the farmer field school (FFS), an adult education intervention which uses intensive "discovery-based" learning methods with the objectives of providing skills in such areas as integrated pest management (IPM) and empowering farmers and communities. FFS have been implemented in 90 countries worldwide, reaching an estimated 10–15 million farmers. Farmer field schools may appear to be the latest tool, but what does the evidence say regarding their effectiveness?
This systematic review synthesises evidence on interventions identified as "farmer field schools" conducted in low- and middle-income countries. The review aims to provide answers to the following research questions:
Review question (1)
a) What are the effects of farmer field schools on final outcomes such as yields, net revenues and farmer empowerment?
b) What are the effects of farmer field schools on intermediate outcomes such as knowledge and adoption of improved practices (e.g. reduced use of pesticides)?
c) What are the effects on outcomes for non-participating neighbouring farmers living in the same communities as FFS farmers?
Review question (2)
What are the enablers of and barriers to FFS effectiveness, diffusion and sustainability?
Study selection criteria
Studies included in the review satisfied the following criteria.
Eligible participants included farmers growing arable crops, living in low- or middle-income countries at the time of the intervention. The review included those participating directly in the field school and also non-participant neighbour farmers who may benefit through spillover effects or more formal dissemination methods.
Eligible interventions were those identified as "farmer field schools," regardless of the design or implementation, including FFS programmes providing training in IPM and other techniques. Studies combining FFS with other intervention components, such as input or marketing support, were also included.
Comparisons eligible for the effectiveness review were farmers who received no intervention, or access to agricultural extension services from another source, including IPM (or equivalent) training.
All outcomes reported were eligible for the review.primary Primary outcomes were agricultural outcomes , including yields and profits (net revenues). Secondary outcomes included other final outcomes such as environmental outcomes, health status and empowerment; and intermediate outcomes, including farmer knowledge and adoption of practices. Qualitative evidence on barriers to and enablers of effectiveness and sustainability were also included, including process and implementation information and measures of beneficiaries' attitudes and experiences with FFS.
Eligible study designs for the effectiveness synthesis (review question 1) were measurable using counterfactual impact evaluations, including experimental or quasi-experimental study designs and methods of analysis. Studies eligible for the synthesis of barriers and enablers (review question 2) were based on primary data collected from FFS participants, extension agents or experts, analysed using qualitative methods or descriptive statistics. The qualitative studies needed to report at least some information on the research question, procedures for collecting data, sampling and recruitment, and at least two sample characteristics.
Search strategy
The search included electronic academic databases, internet search engines, websites and theses, as well as handsearches of key journals and literature snowballing. Searches included general social science sources as well as agriculture subject-specific sources of published and unpublished literature. All searches were updated in October 2012.
The farmer field schools evaluation community has generated a large number of evaluations. We screened the titles and abstracts of over 28,000 papers, the majority of which were irrelevant to the topic. Four-hundred-sixty (460) relevant papers on FFS were assessed for inclusion based on full text. After the final screen by two authors, 134 quasi-experimental studies comprising 92 distinct evaluations meeting the inclusion criteria were eligible for the review. The impact evaluations provide quantitative estimates of effects on outcomes for 71 FFS projects. However, only 15 of the impact evaluations meeting the inclusion criteria were judged to be of sufficient internal validity to make predictions for policy. The review also includes 20 qualitative evaluations meeting the inclusion criteria, which discuss the barriers to and enablers of change in 20 FFS projects. A portfolio review of 337 project documents was also conducted.
Data collection and analysis
Two independent reviewers assessed the full text papers against the inclusion criteria; discrepancies were resolved by consensus or by a third author if needed. Two reviewers extracted data from included studies. Quantitative impact evaluation studies were critically appraised according to the likely risk of bias according to threats to internal validity (causal identification), external validity (generalisability) and file-drawer effects (publication bias). Qualitative evaluations were assessed according to adequacy of reporting, data collection, presentation, analysis and conclusions drawn.
We used a hypothesised programme theory of change (White, 2009) as the framework for integrating the evidence. We collected data on programme design, implementation, targeting and contextual factors, and linked individual studies by programme in order to assess whether heterogeneous programme effects were correlated with study design, implementation and context.
For the quantitative synthesis (review question 1), we extracted effect size estimates from included studies, calculating standard errors and 95 per cent confidence intervals using data provided in the studies, where possible. We used random effects meta-analysis, estimating average effects of farmer field schools on the different outcomes, and examining heterogeneity. The results of the publication bias analysis suggested under-reporting of small sample studies with negative or insignificant findings for studies reporting evidence on agricultural yields, which is evidence for possible publication bias.
For the synthesis of qualitative evidence (review question 2), we used a thematic approach (Thomas & Harden, 2008), combining predetermined themes based on the links and assumptions in the theory of change model, as well as any other themes emerging from the detailed coding of the included studies.
In the final stage of analysis, we used an iterated approach in which some effect moderators identified during the qualitative synthesis were tested in meta-analysis and meta-regression.
Review question (1)
No studies with a low risk of bias were identified for the review of effects and only 15 (out of 92) quasi-experimental studies were assessed as being of medium risk of bias and therefore policy-actionable. The results of these medium-risk-of-bias studies (reported in Summary of Findings Table 1) suggest farmer field schools impact positively on intermediate and final outcomes for participating farmers in the short to medium term.
Findings for intermediate outcomes were as follows:
- There was a significant increase of 0.21 standard deviations on knowledge about beneficial practices among farmer field school participants over comparison farmers (SMD=0.21, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.07, 0.35; Q=5, Tau-sq=0.008, I-sq=55%; evidence from 3 studies).
- There was a significant reduction in pesticide use by 23 per cent for IPM and IPPM FFS participants over comparison farmers (RR=0.77, 95% CI=0.61, 0.97; Q=40, Tau-sq=0.07, I-sq=83%; 8 studies). Effects on pesticide use were particularly large and consistent for cotton IPM projects in Asia.
- There was a significant increase in indices of adoption of other beneficial practices by 0.22 standard deviations over comparison farmers (SMD=0.22, 95% CI=0.06, 0.38; Q=10, Tau-sq=0.02, I-sq=80%; 3 studies).
- For final outcomes, the findings were as follows:
- A significant increase in agricultural yields was estimated among FFS participants, by 13 per cent over comparison farmers (RR=1.13, 95% CI=1.04, 1.22; Q=53, Tau-sq=0.008, I-sq=81%; 11 studies).
- A significant increase in profits (net revenues) was estimated, by 19 per cent among FFS participants over comparison farmers (RR=1.19, 95% CI=1.11, 1.27; Q=1, Tau-sq=0, I-sq=0%; 2 studies). The increase in profits was higher for FFS projects which also included complementary interventions involving input or marketing support (RR=2.51, 95% CI=1.51, 4.16, Q=1, Tau-sq=0, I-sq=0%; 2 studies).
- There was a 39 per cent reduction in estimated environmental impact quotient (EIQ) score as a result of reduced pesticide use among FFS farmers over comparison farmers (RR=0.61, 95% CI=0.48, 0.78; Q=3, Tau-sq=0.01, I-sq=33%; 3 studies).
- We could not identify any studies which provided valid estimates of impacts on farmer health outcomes.
- Very few studies assessed empowerment using quantitative counterfactual methods, and only one provided estimates of statistical precision.
However, there is no evidence of effects on outcomes over the longer term (follow-up surveys greater than two years after implementation) in programmes which have been scaled up nationwide.
For IPM farmer field schools, there is no evidence that diffusion from FFS participants to non-participating neighbour farmers usually happens:
- Overall, studies found no significant change in knowledge among FFS neighbours over comparison farmers. There was also no evidence for improvements among neighbours on pesticide use, yields or environmental impact quotient.
- When relatively better-educated farmers are targeted to participate in the IPM field schools, diffusion may occur for simple practices (such as reduced pesticide use) and yields. However, even in a few cases where diffusion appeared to occur, the evidence does not suggest diffusion to non-participants is sustained over time.
Review question (2)
Qualitative evaluations (reported in Summary of Findings Table 2) in the review helped us to understand the different types of farmer field schools implemented around the world, the reasons for heterogeneous impacts among FFS participants, and the limited diffusion to non-participating neighbour farmers. FFS use discovery-based learning methods which differ from agricultural extension interventions that tend to focus on disseminating knowledge of more simple practices, for instance application of fertiliser and pesticides, or adoption of improved seeds. However, there are several barriers to spontaneous diffusion of knowledge and practices. The FFS curriculum is complex and the training should be experience-based, so that farmers are able to observe that FFS practices have a relative advantage over conventional farmer practices. Existing levels of social capital, the reach of social networks, and approaches to targeting FFS participants were found to be potentially important factors in influencing diffusion. More generally, the studies identify some of the more common problems in implementation, notably where a top-down "transfer of technology" approach has been implemented for an intervention which is intended to be based on a "bottom-up" participatory approach. All qualitative evaluations presented some evidence of use of triangulation to verify their findings, although most studies had weaknesses in reporting on sampling, analysis, and presentation of data, making quality appraisal of this evidence base challenging.
Implications for policy and programmes
Farmer field schools can have beneficial effects for participating farmers, in pilot programmes in the short term. The impacts on agricultural outcomes may be of substantial importance to farmers, in the region of a 10 per cent increase in yields and 20 per cent increase in profits (net revenues). The effects are particularly large when FFS are implemented alongside complementary upstream or downstream interventions (access to seeds and other inputs, assistance in marketing produce) for cash crops. However, the few studies of scaled-up programmes measuring outcomes over the longer term (more than two years post-training) do not find any evidence of effects of FFS. Farmers may also feel more confident, but again very few studies have assessed empowerment outcomes rigorously.
There is little evidence of diffusion of improved practices or outcomes from FFS participants to non-participating neighbour farmers. Field schools targeting more educated farmers may be better able to diffuse simple practices, such as on reduced pesticide use, than field schools that target less educated farmers. However, there is no evidence that any diffusion of practices is sustained over time, nor any evidence for adoption of more complex IPM practices via diffusion.
As a method of rural adult education, FFS appear suited for gradual scale-up provided there is a clear focus on ensuring local institutionalisation (i.e. favouring intensiveness of coverage in each community over geographical breadth of coverage). On the other hand, FFS seem unsuited to solve the problems of large-scale extension. The approach may not be cost-effective compared with agricultural extension in many contexts, except where existing farming practices are particularly damaging, for example due to overuse of pesticides. This is because of the highly intensive (and therefore relatively costly) nature of the training programme, the relative successes in targeting more educated farmers as compared with disadvantaged groups, and failures in promoting diffusion of IPM practices.
Targeting FFS participants: Proponents of FFS have recommended targeting more highly educated farmers, those with greater land endowments, younger farmers and women, favouring those with relatively low opportunity costs of labour or farmers with relatively high pesticide costs. Problems were highlighted in targeting women who lived in household where they were not in a decision-making position, and youth who were unable to dedicate sufficient time to the FFS plot or their fields.
Where the aim is to include women and disadvantaged members of the community, implementers may need to tailor the intervention to enable their participation in the programme. The curriculum needs to be relevant and consistent with the needs and opportunities of women and the poor. Most obviously, in contexts where women are primarily responsible for growing subsistence crops, a curriculum that covers only commercial crops is unlikely to attract women participants. More generally, the curriculum and crops covered in FFS should also be adapted according to the local agricultural system and the needs of the farmers targeted by the programme. Curricula need to deal with the major challenges facing farmers. In most cases, these challenges will be multifaceted, highlighting the need to balance comprehensiveness with being able to cover all issues in sufficient depth to ensure appropriate learning. A cumulative approach over several seasons, including exchanges between field schools, may be preferable.
FFS facilitators: The evidence also suggests that appropriate targeting and training of FFS facilitators is important. The theory of change suggests FFS should be delivered according to a participatory and discovery-based approach to learning, including opportunities for farmers to experiment and observe new practices, particularly if farmers are to be empowered with lifelong skills capacity development. Attempts to target facilitators based on education or literacy levels may be less effective than targeting based on ability to communicate, and appropriate training which enables facilitators to use a bottom-up approach. This is most obviously a barrier in scaled-up programmes where FFS facilitators are recruited from extension staff who previously used more top-down agricultural extension methods. Recruitment of facilitators should take into account personal attitude, maturity, literacy, leadership skills, knowledge in local language and experience with farming. In many contexts the gender of the facilitator should be carefully considered. Facilitators should have access to ongoing support and backstopping from supervisors and technical experts connected to local research centres. Regular monitoring of facilitators may help to identify schools where additional support is required.
Complementary policies: Institutional actors involved in FFS should consider farmers' needs and interests in the design and implementation of the FFS programme. In some contexts stronger policies and regulatory measures may be necessary to counteract the activities of the pesticide industry, including the promotion and sale of pesticides by extension workers who are promoting FFS. New policies facilitating participatory agricultural extension approaches, replacing earlier extension policies aimed at promoting off-the-shelf technologies and input packages, may also be necessary.
Local institutionalisation: Formal support and encouragement of FFS alumni, including technical assistance and backstopping, may be important for the sustainability of FFS practices and related activities. Given the skills-based nature of the practices promoted in FFS, formal community-building activities, support and successful attempts to institutionalise the approach, to encourage FFS graduates to train other farmers, are likely to be needed for any broader diffusion to non-participating neighbour farmers, although the evidence base does not indicate that such attempts have been successful in the past.
Implications for research
The majority of FFS impact evaluations (68 out of 92) use designs of questionable internal validity, and are therefore of limited value in determining whether farmer field schools have made a difference to outcomes. We were not able to locate any completed evaluations which used randomised assignment, an approach which is feasible for FFS. In three-quarters of evaluations, no serious attempts were made to control for confounding through statistical matching or other statistical analysis, and in one-third of cases statistical significance tests were not reported. The likely consequence, as indicated in the meta-analysis, was the systematic overestimation of effects for all outcomes. The extent of resources that has been devoted to farmer field schools evaluations might therefore be usefully re-allocated to conducting fewer but more rigorous impact evaluations, particularly those based on a solid counterfactual, with prospective cluster-level assignment (randomised or otherwise) to allow measurement of community-wide diffusion and to assess effects on agriculture and empowerment outcomes in the medium to longer term (three years or more).
Evaluations should report information on both intervention design and implementation processes so that it is possible to assess whether programme causal chains break down because the intervention design is simply not appropriate for the context or because of poor implementation.
Many qualitative evaluations need to report aspects of the research process in greater detail to allow users to assess their credibility and applicability. In particular, clear reporting on objectives, on methods of sampling, data collection and analysis should be provided. Greater use of structured abstracts will facilitate easier access to quantitative and especially qualitative research. Future studies should include data on views and experiences of FFS facilitators and agricultural extension workers.


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¡HOLA! Bienvenido a Spanish Club!
Spanish is spoken by about 350 million people worldwide as a first language, with a further 70 million speaking it as a second language.
It is the main language of Spain, and is also spoken as a first language in most countries in South and Central America (excluding Brazil), North America, and some other countries around the world.
So why learn Spanish?
- Develop essential skills
Learning a foreign language perfectly complements the work we already do at Springfield House School to develop pupils communication, particularly in the areas of speaking, listening and recall.
- Travel
Having the knowledge of another language can make visits to Spanish-speaking countries more enjoyable.
- Easy to learn
Spanish is relatively easy to learn. The pronunciation takes some mastering but is regular in the sense that, once having learnt how to pronounce a certain sound, it can be applied consistently to other words.
- Develop cultural awareness
Enriched learning to widen pupil's knowledge of the world we live in and foster positive attitudes towards other cultures and speakers of other languages.
- Improve self-esteem
Having the confidence to speak and understand another language, even if it is only a few basic words, really helps to make pupil's feel good about themselves and their learning.
Although learning a Modern Foreign Language (MFL) is a compulsory element of the KS2 curriculum, in Spanish we always emphasise and ensure that learning Spanish is FUN!!!
We learn through speaking and listening, singing, using PC software, DVDs, interactive activities and lots lots more…!!
Here are some useful internet links to sites to help you practise Spanish.


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The Spartanburg Transition Alliance is presenting a Transition Services Family Night on Thursday, April 13th from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm at the South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Department's Spartanburg Area Office (353 S. Church Street, Spartanburg, SC 29306).
Join other Upstate families in exploring available resources in our community to assist youth with transitioning from high school to college, careers and beyond.
Meet With providers of local resources for:
- Independent Living
- Housing
- Recreation
- Assistive Technology
- Education
Come gather information about:
- Job Training
- Employment
- Medical Needs
- Advocacy
- College and Career
FREE for the entire family. Food and beverages provided. RSVP by Friday, April 7th.
For more information, contact Yushica Padgett by phone at 864-585-3693 or by email using the form below.


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In Progress
If the spelling is a little off, for example, without an accent in spanish á then the person or organization won't appear, maybe there could be a way for these things to show up even with spelling mistakes, like google does.
Alonso Lobato Jimenez
● 2 years ago
I totally back you up on this Camila!
If you search for a show, for example, and spell the words 'I am' with apostrophe, the system gives you different results depending on the type of apostrophe you use. See pictures attached for more information.
Of course, a wide range of other variations and results appears if you search with/without acents or other characters from different languages.
That means a lot to me when it comes to talk about a efective directory.


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Sold Out
Rock it! Men's Bean trousers with Luis Trenker details in genuine leather. Twill stretch fabric: combination of viscose and cotton Comfortable fit One pocket in...View full product details
Sold Out
In any case, with this chic knit Wilma sweater by Luis Trenker, you're dancing out of line! It comes with a smart fringe collar and hood. Material...View full product details
Stand out with this Luis Trenker Bodo Karo shirt in colour blocking design! 100% cotton Classic collar, exceptional stylish colour mix Small "LT" embroidery on...View full product details
Luis Trenker Marcel Backpack FW18View full product details
Valbruna Spring Progressive Sale!
Buy 1 item get 30% off!
Buy 2 items get 40% off!
Buy 3 or more items get 50% off!
This Sale applies only to Winter clothing only, shoes, socks, bags, hats, gloves, scarves, books, etc. are not on Sale. Final Sale only.
And always free domestic shipping on orders over $100!


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After the Ark by Luke Johnson
NYQ Books, 2011; 84 pp
Reviewed by Dana D. Livermore
"Someone told me an adult life/ does not begin until you see a parent die/ and know it's possible."
Dedicated to his mother, Reverend Katie Finney (1948–2002), Luke Johnson's first collection of poems, aptly titled After the Ark, is at once deeply personal and ubiquitous. Johnson skillfully interweaves domestic scenes that reveal the complexity of family relationships in the aftermath of loss with those of the various pastoral landscapes to which we are compelled to return, again and again. Through the lightness and malleability of language, these poems balance the weight of loss, the oft times alienating grief that ensues, and the uncertainty that our faith in remembrance is a means for atonement. For anyone who has lost a parent, this collection belongs on their bookshelf because it offers readers the opportunity to appreciate what remains after the flood: the ark as a vessel brings forth a pure awareness of life in all its struggles and triumphs.


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Kiss TV Channel Rebrand
We were asked by the folks at Kiss and We Are Seventeen to provide original music and sound design for the rebranding of the Kiss Channel.
We had four different ident styles that related to four different music styles, all modern pop oriented with a little scrunch, glitch or twist. All the music was created in house at Zelig.
The sound design was a process of creating, editing and layering (up to 20-30 layers at some points) custom made sounds in the studio using various sophisticated, simple and novel processes and techniques.
Zelig Sound: Music composition, sound design, broadcast mix and delivery.
Composition / music production: Matthew Wilcock, ass. Aleah Morrison
Sound Design / Mix: Matthew Wilcock
Creative and Visuals: Weareseventeen
Client: Kiss TV


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Round-up of Daily Violence in Iraq-Saturday 20 December 2008
The daily Iraq violence report is compiled by McClatchy Newspapers Special Correspondents in Baghdad from police, military and medical reports. This is not a comprehensive list of all violence in Iraq, much of which goes unreported. It's posted without editing as transmitted to McClatchy's Washington Bureau.
- Around 7 a.m. a roadside targeted Iraqi police vehicle in Allawi area in central Baghdad. No casualties were reported.


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California law makes it a crime to intentionally transmit or expose others to highly contagious and deadly diseases. California also has a law that specifically makes it a crime to intentionally transmit HIV, the virus known to cause AIDS. Under Health and Safety Code Section 120291, you could be charged with a felony if you have unprotected sex with someone if you know you have HIV and do not tell…
Stephen Klarich | February 16, 2017
In many criminal cases, whether someone is guilty often comes down to intent – not whether the person intentionally committed…
Stephen Klarich | February 9, 2017
Imagine you come home from work and turn on the local news. The station runs a story on a new…
Stephen Klarich | February 18, 2016


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Roasted Pepper and Feta Pasta
I wasn't planning this post, but after I finished eating, I knew that I had to post the recipe on my blog. What started as a quick and easy pasta dish turned out to be sooo delicious! Spoiler alert: it's probably due to the not small amount of feta and cream that went into the very rich sauce.
Ingredients (serves 3):
300 g pasta (I used pappardelle)
half a 280 g jar of dried tomatoes
one 280 g jar of roasted peppers (mine was mixed red and yellow peppers)
1 chunk of feta cheese (150 g)
2 shallots
1 clove of garlic
1 courgette/zucchini
1 cup of cream (200 g)
a small handful of parsley
a big handful of basil
smoked paprika
cayenne pepper
salt & pepper
rapeseed oil
Bring a pot of salted water to the boil and add the pasta. Cook according to instructions.
Drain the tomatoes and peppers and put them into a small pan on medium heat.
Chop the garlic and add it to the small pan. Stir occasionally; don't let the garlic burn.
Cut the courgette into bite-size pieces and put them into a medium pan, with a little bit of oil, on a medium to high heat.
Cut the shallots into thin slices and add them to the pan with the courgettes. Stir occasionally and keep an eye on the shallots so they don't burn. Turn down the heat a bit if you have to.
When the shallots are soft and the courgettes roasted to your liking, season with salt and pepper, turn the heat off and set aside.
When the tomatoes and peppers have softened, cut the feta into small pieces and stir them in. Give the feta time to melt a bit, then turn off the heat and add the parsley and about half of the cream.
Blend everything with a hand blender and keep adding cream or water until the sauce has the right consistency.
Stir in the courgettes and shallots, season to taste with smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper, and heat up the sauce again on a medium heat.
Drain the pasta and serve everything up with some roughly chopped basil on top.
This isn't exactly a light dish, but omg this sauce! I might have to go for a second helping in a minute or so. Or now. Bye bye!


text: Yes, it's that time again! Time for my annual Halloween Dollarbie Hunt! This year's offering is 6 makeups in light and dark with Omega, Lelutka Bento & Catwa appliers as well as system layers and 6 sets of eyes with Lelutka & Omega appliers and Mesh, Petite & System Eyes. I have to say, this is one of my favorite makeups I've made so I hope you guys like it! Happy Halloween!


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I know I already made one lengthy post this morning but I just have to make another one.
Back in January on one of those online yard sale sites on Facebook someone posted that they had a large old trencher bowl for sale in perfect condition. She was offering it at a good price. She did not post a photo but said you could see the bowl if you looked at her Facebook photos. I went through all her Facebook photos & saw only 1 picture of 1 trencher bowl & it was breathtaking. The wood was a rich brown color & it shone like the sun. I saw no cracks, no chips, etc. I immediately wrote to her & said I was interested in it. I also asked her what I thought was probably a dumb questions ... is the trencher you are selling the one you have pictured in the photo with the green trunk? When she responded she didn't answer my question so I figured she thought it was dumb too since again that's the only photo she had in her albums of a trencher.
Apparently I was the first person who actually said "I want the trencher" & so it was mine. The thing is, she was living in the mountains of West Virginia & I was living here in central Kentucky. I checked on Mapquest & found it would be about a 6 hour drive from here to her house. In January. Through the mountains. And back again. I thought "no problem" ... especially since she mentioned that she was downsizing & getting rid of a lot of other primitive things. I was giddy fantasizing about the van load of wonderful prims I would be bringing home.
John insisted on coming with me & driving which of course was fine. We got up early & drove the 6 hours to her home which was way back in the country & rather difficult to get to but we made it on time. I knocked at the door. No answer. Cars were in the driveway & I could hear voices inside. I knocked again ... no answer. I then tried the door which was unlocked. I opened it a crack & called out "hello?" Then a little girl came to the door to let me in.
As I walked from the entryway through the kitchen & into the dining/family room I was in awe of all the wonderful prims this woman had & wondering just which ones she wanted to part with! She came to greet me & we talked for a while & then she said "Here's your trencher!" I looked at it & my heart sank. I thought "that's not the trencher I saw in the picture." It was not a rich brown color at all. It did not shine like the sun. It was, in fact, pretty beat up. However, I didn't make waves. I figured (1) if I walk out of this house without a trencher after driving all the way here & back to get it John won't be happy, & (2) she has all these other wonderful prims that she won't sell to me if I make a fuss. Turns out she didn't have much to sell at all. All the wonderful things I saw she was keeping. What she was parting with was a few old jars (nothing special), some old candy tins (not prim), a couple old kitchen utensils, & a broken trunk. She acted as though they were special treasures. Talk about disappointment.
She was going on & on about how she could've sold 10 of these trenchers if she had them. She told me to take good care of it by rubbing it down with vegetable oil every couple months.
I decided I was happy to have the trencher anyway, beat up or not. I posted a photo of it on the Country Sampler forum & mentioned her instructions to wipe it down with vegetable oil. I immediately got a comment to my post saying no-no-no! Don't use vegetable oil! It builds up on the wood & isn't good for it at all. This person told me to scrub the trencher with a good dish soap (like Dawn) to remove as much of the vegetable oil as possible, put the trencher in the sun to dry thoroughly, & then rub it down with mineral oil.
Here it is, 5 months later, & today I decided (while the landscapers are here) to scrub the trencher. I literally scrubbed it over & over & over again with rough sponges, hot water & Dawn. I even used an old hairbrush to scrub away at it. The sponges were turning black time & time again. The hairbrush was chipping away at the oil build up. It was disgusting. I scrubbed away for 2 hours & just couldn't scrub anymore even though my sponges & drying rags were still turning black in some places. I will go at it again another day. It reminded me of scrubbing the kitchen cabinets when we moved into this house. The woman who lived here literally did not clean anything for the entire 2-1/2 years she lived here. I ended up having to use a single edge razor blade to scrape the grease off all the cabinets in order to wash them down. Can't do that with the trencher : (
So the moral of the story is (1) Don't buy something if it's not what you were led to believe it was ... even if you drive 6 hours there to get it & 6 hours back home again, & (2) Never, ever, ever wipe down wood with vegetable oil.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Vegetable Oil & Wood Don't Mix
I know I already made one lengthy post this morning but I just have to make another one.
Posted by Shirlee at 4:03 PM
4 comments:
- cottageprims said...
I usually use linseed oil on my wood.I know the feeling when you are so excited about finding the treasure they talked up and arrive and think I can't believe they did this to me.Been there a few times myself.Hopefully it cleand up for you.My heart goes pitter patter at the thought of trenchers too.Warm Blessings!~Amy
- Thursday, June 30, 2011 6:09:00 PM
- Angela said...
I loved the part of the trencher I saw in a previous picture you shared. Can't wait to see it when you are finished. Glad to hear the landscaper folks showed up. Hope they do a great job for you. Have a great and safe holiday weekend.
- Thursday, June 30, 2011 8:43:00 PM
- A Primitive Homestead said...
A few years ago I saw a Lane four poster bed with canopy. I just had to have it. I bid on eBay & won. That was the start of one problem after the other. From not receiving all the pieces to it being damaged. The seller tryed to collect the insurance behind my back. I was notified & sent the insurnce check with instructions to never purchase from the seller again. He had many claims filed against him that week. Learned the hard way. I have taken home things I did not really want after seeing them because I did not want to hear the complaints from hubby. Blessings!
- Thursday, June 30, 2011 9:26:00 PM
- Robin at The Primitive Hutch said...
So sorry to hear it was not the trencher your heart so desired after driving all that way.
You'll have to post a pic for us.
Enjoy your weekend.
Prim Blessings
- Friday, July 01, 2011 1:15:00 AM


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A focus on conservation and high value / low volume tourism ensures that Zambia's wildlife is plentiful, National Parks are crowd-free, and a sense of natural wilderness prevails.
The South Luangwa National Park offers Zambia's most prolific game viewing. In the dry season the banks of the hippo and croc-filled Luangwa River see elephants in their hundreds march down seeking water and shade under the majestic mahogany and ebony trees. Whilst game-viewing is generally done from open 4x4 vehicles, the South Luangwa National Park is also known for its legendary walking safaris which offer guests a more slow-paced and intimate way to connect with wildlife without causing disturbance.
Further south, lodges in the Lower Zambezi National Park offer canoe and boat safaris as well as game drives, before the waters of the mighty Zambezi river form a curtain of falling water at the world-famous Victoria Falls. An action-packed safari holiday in Zambia combines perfectly with chill-out time at lakeside beach retreats in neighbouring Malawi. Our handpicked Zambian and Malawian camps are mostly owner-run, offering guests a 'home away from home' experience, personal service, and expert guiding.
- When visiting the Victoria Falls be sure to take a trip to Livingstone Island - access is limited but the views are unequalled (for the more adventurous a swim in Devil's pool will be something you remember forever)
- In September the Carmine Bee-eater colonies on the banks of the Luangwa River are one of the avian world's most spectacular sights
- Be sure to go out on a walking safari, "From a vehicle you see Africa, on foot you feel, hear and smell Africa"
When on safari in Zambia, a stay in one of the small remote bushcamps is to have your own special piece of the African bush all to yourself. Old Mondoro is owned by the Cummings family who have aimed to create the Lower Zambezi National Park's only 'proper' bush-camp with an overall impression of rustic openness. In the South Luangwa National Park the pioneering spirit of the late Norman Carr lives on through Norman Carr Safaris which includes the four remote bush camps of Mchenja Camp, Kakuli Camp, Luwi Camp and Nsolo Camp, all offering an authentic African wilderness experience and some fabulous walking opportunities. Similarly The Bushcamp Company have succeeded in designing and building six bush-camps in the southern end of the South Luangwa National Park that all have a very different feel to them. Billimungwe in particular is quite different from its sister camps, the four rooms have a rustic feel, constructed of reed and thatch, and the open sided central area sits beneath a stunning Winterthorn tree.
The simple yet elegant Chiawa Camp was the first camp to be established in the Lower Zambezi National Park by the Cummings family and over the years has earned itself an excellent reputation, offering day and night game drives, walking, boat and canoe safaris. Guests at this owner-run and operated camp benefit from having an experienced team of long-serving staff (our excellent walking guide Paul had been with Chiawa for 10 years) who have perfected the art of welcoming guests in to what feels like a family home. Nothing is too much trouble here, with lots of extra touches and surprises thrown in, from floating lunches to a medley of game drives snacks and private bush dinners. Anabezi Camp is located in the quiet eastern end of the Lower Zambezi National Park, and people who like their space will be right at home here – the eleven luxurious tents are 1000 sq feet and are spaced so far apart that the camp can justify having two different communal areas; Zambezi and Machika Deck, both with dining area, bar, chill out deck and swimming pool (it's like getting two camps for the price of one). Smaller sister-property Amanzi Camp is set on one a channel of the Zambezi a few kilometres downstream from the main camp and is of an equally high standard - with just eight beds it's a wonderful choice for larger families or small groups of friends. Chongwe River Camp's location on the confluence of the Zambezi and Chongwe rivers evokes the same peace and tranquillity you experience on the islands in Botswana's Delta. Guests can canoe the channel as hippos bob underwater, drift downstream on aluminium boats spinning for tiger fish and drink in in the scent of wild jasmine on 4×4 game drives whilst tracking lion and leopard. Finally in South Luangwa, the crème da la crème, Chinzombo Lodge was designed by Silvio Rech and Lesley Carstens, the architects behind North Island in the Seychelles. It is made up of just six villas, each with a private plunge pool and sweeping deck, hidden in the canopies of ancient ebony and mahogany trees.
One of the Wilderness Premier Camps, Shumba Camp accommodates 12 guests in as much luxury as you are going to find in the Kafue. It is set in the central part of the Busanga Plains in the north of the Park. The rooms are joined to each-other and the central area by raised wooden walk-ways so you quite literally don't touch the ground when you are in and around camp. Those looking to wander completely off the beaten track and have a traditional Zambian safaris will love Phil Jeffery and Tryone McKeith's Musekese Camp, which consists of four simple tents each with bucket showers and flush loos, set on the East bank of the Kafue River in the central area of the Park. The North Luangwa National Park is unknown to most travellers - a 45 min flight north of Mfuwe Airport - and has a number of hidden secrets such as the stunning Mwaleshi Falls and the conservation of Zambia's only black rhino population. Here we recommend Mwaleshi Camp which overlooks the Mwaleshi River (sandy and shallow so no hippos and wonderful to use on a walking safari) and is refreshingly simple and full of character. For a longer off the beaten track itinerary you can add in either the Chikoko Walking Trails or link with an experience in Liuwa Plain (think tree climbing lions, the famous Lady Liuwa and the home of Africa's second largest wildebeest migration).
Set on a sweeping bend in the Zambezi about 10 miles upstream from the Victoria Falls, Tongabezi is Livingstone's "original" private camp, built by Ben Parker who still lives on the adjacent plot. Tongabezi offers a variety of accommodation styles, but for those in search of something a little special there are 4 individually named and designed open-fronted houses as well as the Dog House which comprises of two large bedrooms and a separate living area with extensive deck and private pool overlooking the river. A short distance downstream, sister property Sindabezi Island offers a more rustic 'Robinson Crusoe-esque' camp set up under canvas. Both Tongabezi and Sindabezi come with an abundance of character, and are renowned for their innovative design, stylish décor and excellent cuisine as well as special touches like romantic dinners on the riverbank and floating lunches. The spacious elevated rooms at Sanctuary Retreats Sussi & Chuma are billed as 'tree-houses', as many of them are set in amongst the tree canopy overlooking. Finally, Thorntree River Lodge is the latest addition to the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park and offers a wonderful connection to the bush having been completely rebuilt with an environmentally-conscious design. Just as our Zambia safari itineraries often start with time spent relaxing and unwinding around Victoria Falls, they often finish with time relaxing at a lakeside beach retreat in land-locked Malawi, a small but beautiful country affectionately known as the 'warm heart of Africa' for its friendly people and laid-back lifestyle. Here we can highly recommend beach retreat Kaya Mawa on Likoma Island where you can swim, dive, snorkel and sail in the crystal-clear waters of Lake Malawi or explore the island by bike and on foot.
Looking to extend your trip?
With so much on offer Zambia works as a stand-alone destination, but those looking for rest and relaxation can take a short hop across to the lakeside beaches of Malawi...


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Lia Cinquegrano's Very First Bag Designs
There was screen-printed leather involved. Yup, you're going to want to see.READ MORE
the book
Lia Cinquegrano is not a black bag kind of girl. "I saved up some money and really wanted to spend it on a bag," explains the RISD grad from Sarasota, Florida. "So I was looking, shopping in the market, trying to find a bag that represented me and would go with my style sensibility, and I couldn't really find anything. I knew it had to be something bright and colorful, and I knew I had to keep it simple. That was about a year ago." Unlike most of us, Lia had the skills to take on this task herself: On top of her degree, she had five years experience at Nanette Lepore, where she had gained some solid insight into the production side of things. She dove into the development of her first pieces—soon to be called Thomas IV—working from an old school in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, she was renting space in to explore creative side projects. Soon enough, she landed on that look she was trying to pin down: a combination of fabric and leather
with lots of structure and little-to-no hardware. For her first collection for spring 2011, she played with ikats (woven specially for her in Guatemala), and from there, she's ventured into oversize houndstooths, denim-y stripes, and the kind of bold Hawaiian prints you can't imagine on a purse until you see them. The other key feature of her bags: They are not ginormous things meant to tote heels and umbrellas and multiple hand lotions. That's not the Lia way: "Phone, wallet, mascara, lip gloss, keys—I don't carry much." —erica
There's LOTS to see here.
The designer likes to keep things nearby.
There was screen-printed leather involved. Yup, you're going to want to see.READ MORE
This might be a one-woman operation, but the designer has plenty of trusted advisors.READ MORE


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TIFF14: Scarlet Innocence
Scarlet Innocence is mostly what you'd expect from a South Korean thriller and not much more. It has the concern about moral and social corruption, the characters driven by revenge, the raw (not Hollywood glossy) sex, and the abundance of strange and slightly twisted moments that you'd expect if you're familiar with the genre. It also embodies the variety and unpredictably of Korean cinema in general (at least from this Westerner's perspective), presenting unapologetic cliché alongside the bizarre and the unexpected. There's always that sense that things could go anywhere in Korean thrillers, in contrast to the Hollywood strain that rarely surprise even with their surprises. Unfortunately, as Korean thrillers go, Scarlet Innocence is too unremarkable to recommend to just anybody, but, for those who have a penchant for this country's electric new cinema or a taste for East Asian revengers, it's worth a watch if easily available.
As a PhD candidate, the element I found most surprising actually was that the dissolute, charismatic protagonist is a literature professor. (Apparently, the humanities are still going strong at Korean universities.) No bumbling ivory tower academic, Professor Shim Hak-kyu's profession seems to carry a level of cachet throughout the film. He also becomes a bestselling author. Of course, all of this makes sense because Shim is played by South Korean movie star heartthrob Jung Woo-sung (women screamed for him during the Q and A).
Star professor Shim, under investigation for harassing a female student, retreats from Seoul (and his wife and daughter) to the spend his winter of discontent in a Korean country town. There, he meets a young girl (Esom) and leads her on, only to eventually leave her. Of course, years later she reenters his life.
The film was introduced as an adaptation of the famous Korean fairy tale about the devoted daughter Shim Cheong. Any non-Korean not told this would have had a hard time guessing at the folk tale element, since the film has little interest in fairy tales as a theme, and the tale of Shim Cheong exerts more influence on the second half. Scarlet Innocence is one of those modern attempts to explore the psychology behind traditional tales, and while, as a thriller, the film is admirably more interested in psychology and emotion than blood and sex, I don't quite understand the film's interest in the tale. Studio Ghibli's adaptation of The Tale of Princess Kaguya, which I saw the day beforehand, offers a more complex modern reading of folk tale psychology while at the same time managing to capture the feel of fairy tales.
5 out of 10
Scarlet Innocence (South Korea)
Directed by Yim Pil-sung; written Yim and Jang Yoon-mi; starring Jung Woo-sung and Esom.
Scarlet Innocence is playing at the Toronto International Film Festival as part of the City to City program.


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Cold Weather Protection for Vegetable Gardens
March 31, 2014
Home Grown New Mexico
Cold Weather Protection for Vegetable Gardens
Protecting your crops in spring
Date: Saturday, prescription mind April 5, cialis 2014
Time: 10 am-12 pm
Instructor: Jannine Cabossel
Location: Whole Food's Community Room (St. Francis location) Santa Fe
Jannine Cabossel, a Master Gardener and 'The Tomato Lady' at the Santa Fe Farmers Market will teach a class about how to use row cover, cloches, hoop houses, wall of waters, and other items to get your garden in earlier with protection from our cold spring nights.
Jannine has extensive experience in growing vegetables on her 3000 square foot garden using all organic methods. Follow her blog at giantveggiegardener.com.
Suggested $5 donation. Become a 2014 Member- membership includes for free all classes, potlucks and 1 Home Grown New Mexico Kitchen Garden & Coop Tour ticket.
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On the painting table ... Order of the Chimera/
Malifaux – Right now I'm painting two crews (Order of the Chimera/Miners and Steamfitters Union) for a commission. I wasn't happy with the way the sabertooth heads were fitting so I modeled a mane on it. The models themselves are amazing sculpts and didn't need to much clean up. Assembly on the other hand was more difficult because of the small joins I made sure to pin everything and fill any gaps with greenstuff. Below is a work-in-progress shot of the Order of the Chimera. They of course need some work but the base colors are there.
The Steamborg was a greater challenge because the legs need to support the model and connect it to the base. After pinning everything I reinforced the joins with greenstuff. Hopefully that will strengthen the joins enough as these models will most likely see significant handling
The bases were created using cork sheets and my own mix of ballast. I prefer to use wood glue when creating this type of base because it dries harder and if need be is sandable. Once the models are painted I plan to add lichen, grass and some water effects in the recesses.


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So I bet you're wondering what's going on. First I had a dating blog and then I had a lifestyle blog and now I have another lifestyle blog with a new name. Why? Well, let me explain.
When I started my new blog Last Call last year I was in a confused state. Not my life state, but in my blog and writing state. I had written about dating for so long and I just assumed that my new blog would be about the next chapter in my life. Still about relationships and an easy transition.
But I found that wasn't as easy as I thought it was. Coming up with new content weekly was a struggle. And since I like to write a few times a week it was almost impossible. I don't want to share everything about my relationship, but I do like sharing the things that I am learning and realizing. But obviouslvI don't learn and realize things everyday in my relationship so I felt like I was just trying to write the same articles over and over again. And none of that makes for very good fodder.
After talks with Mr. T I decided to write about things that I enjoy. Things that I am good at. I love organizing, crafting, and cooking. And I think I have a lot of great tips to share. I gradually started to intro those things into the blog and my passion was reborn again.
However, the title of the blog was a problem. As time went by I realized it didn't really fit the direction of the blog and it definitely didn't fit who I am as a person. Honestly, it just never felt like home to me. I didn't love it the way I loved my dating blog. It might seem weird that a title would have that much weight since it's more about the content, but since this is my little home on the web, I think the title is just as crucial.
So, after a lot of thinking (and a whole lot of fear of what would happen if I reintroduced my blog again) I decided that I needed to woman up and just change the title. I would never feel as attached to my blog as I wanted to (and should be) if I didn't.
Over the weekend I sat down with Mr. T in hopes of figuring out a new title. I suck at titles. I've never actually thought of a single blog title in all my years of blogging. We thought of a few ideas and Chaotic & Collected was born. I can't totally take the credit because it was mostly Mr. T. I feel like it sums up my life (and me) perfectly. A little bit of smooth awesomeness and a little bit crazy. And I adore it (the blog and my life).
Nothing else about the blog has or will change. I've transferred everything over. I'll still be bringing all the same ideas, tips, and thoughts as before. It will just be from a different URL.
So welcome. Feel free to look around and make yourself at home. I promise it will be here awhile.


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This page is dedicated to tiny houses for sale along with anything related to building a tiny home that would be valuable for those of us who want to build our own micro cabin, etc.
If you're looking for anything tiny house-related for sale you're at the right place. In fact, bookmark this page right now because I constantly keep it updated with the latest micro homes and such for sale all over the world.
If you happen to have a little house for sale whether it's on wheels, on land, or whatever- just get in touch with me about listing your tiny house for sale here too.
Tiny Houses For Sale
September 2014
- Paul's Steel Framed Tiny House on Wheels For Sale ($25k)
- DIY School Bus Conversion to Motorhome For Sale ($4.5k)
- Shepherds Hut Micro Cabin For Sale ($13.9k)
- Indian Blanket Tiny House For Sale ($35k)
- Modern/Rustic Tiny House For Sale ($36k)
- Little Barn House with 3 Tiny House Parking Spots ($89k)
- Tiny Cabin For Sale with Land ($79k)
- 576 Sq. Ft. Cabin For Sale with Land ($59k)
- LE1 420 Sq. Ft. Transforming Apartment in NYC ($995k)
- Micro Vardo Camping Trailer For Sale ($2.5k)
- 160 Sq. Ft. 'Studio' Tiny House For Sale ($37k)
Do you have a tiny house for sale? Let us know and we'll feature it on Tiny House Talk and add it to the list.
August 2014
- 160 Sq. Ft. Tiny House in East Hampton, CT for $4,500
- 208 Sq. Ft. Tiny Cabin – Burleson, TX – $28K
- Couple's 250 Sq. Ft. Tiny House – Cedar Park, TX – $25k
136 Sq. Ft. Molecule Tiny Home – Bethesda, MD – $20k(sold) 416 Sq. Ft. Cabin w/ 2.79 Acres – Eureka Springs, AK – $83k(sold)
I'm just getting started so stay tuned for more! Thank you.
If you have a tiny home for sale let me know so I can list it here for you!
If you enjoyed these micro houses for sale you'll LOVE our Free Daily Tiny House Newsletter with more!


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I just got home from New York City. Yep, that's me in the photo, relishing in the weird madness of Times Square, my plaid coat swimming in a sea of black jackets. This was my first trip to NYC, and let me tell you, I drank it up. Site-seeing and aimless wandering aside, the main reason for going was my appointment with Dr. Bernard Raxlen, a well-known LLMD who specializes in the treatment of tick-borne illnesses. The appointment was wonderful; the office was private and quiet, and he was supportive and knowledgeable. In short, it was a great relief to finally feel like I have answers to all those questions I had. I realized, once again, that I have a whole lot of stuff going on that I had learned to ignore or write off to "other things", whatever I thought those things were, who knows.
During the appointment, I had an incredibly thorough discussion of my health history, symptoms, and general well-being. He is very concerned that the Lyme has crept its way into my neuroendocrine system, given many of my symptoms, and he wants me to get a SPECT scan, which will show a 3D picture of the way my brain functions. I will happily make the appointment, since it was increasing presence of neurological symptoms that finally drove me to pursue Lyme testing in the first place. We did strength testing with antigens and on my thyroid. This not only supported what I already know about my allergies from blood testing, but also indicated I probably have both Babesia and Bartonella (lovely...). and a major thyroid deficiency caused by the Lyme (explains the weight gain, dry skin, hormone issues, and among many other things). He figures, based on my symptoms, that I have probably been harboring this for at least 10 years.
Sometimes my mind feels like I'm trying to see through pea soup. I forget words, I lose track of what I'm saying, I have a hard time getting back on track if I'm interrupted. I put things in strange places (phone in the fridge), forget things (I left my sweatshirt behind three separate times while at the doctor), and I'm easily distracted (totally screwing up some stuff at work the other day). Other times, I'm quick as a whip, no problem. My mental acuity comes and goes. On Saturday at the appointment, I was probably running at about 70%; it was a bit rough. Probably a good thing to be there in that state, all things considered.
Then, I had 18 vials of blood drawn, roughly 3/4 cup. All that blood is getting sent to three different labs to test for Babesia, Bartonella, thyroid function, and about 8 million other things that will help give a clear picture of what my body is doing, where I have deficiencies, and other things that indicate certain immune responses that are often lacking in Lyme patients.
Then I drank two big glasses of water.
After all that, we went back into Raxlen's office, and he started writing my prescriptions. Added to my regimen of herbal medicines and supplements, I will gradually be phasing in five new pharmaceuticals. This is requiring a bit of a shift in my brain regarding pharmaceuticals; I generally avoid them like the plague. In the past, I have said out loud many times that I will never take them. Now I need them in order to get my life back. I'm learning that you can really, truly NEVER say never, because you just don't know what life will throw at you. He is starting me on oral antibiotics, along with a couple other things. It is important to gradually ease the body into taking all the antibiotics, because die-off can be really intense. I will, very likely, experience some major Herxheimer reactions. What's that? It is a temporary worsening of symptoms that happens when bacteria die and your body is suddenly given a huge toxic load to process. For many Lyme patients, this die off reaction lasts months and months and months, and as treatment progresses, die off reactions suddenly surface again. I had some pretty intense die-off reactions when I was treating Candida last fall, and I know I'm sensitive, so I can only expect that this will be a very intense experience that could be somewhat debilitating. Only time will tell.
So, on Wednesday, I start the following pharmaceutical program, along with all the other stuff I'm already taking.
Weeks 1 & 2:
- Diflucan: anti-yeast prescription. It will help clear up my ever-present yeast imbalances and prevent the development of further yeast overgrowths while I'm taking long-term antibiotics.
- Armor Thyroid: thyroid medication
Week 3, add:
- Omnicef: antiobiotic. Start with 1 pill per day, then after 3 or 4 days, start taking 2 pills per day.
Week 4, add:
- Zithromax: antiobiotic. Start with 1 pill per day, then after 3 days, take 2/day, then after 2 days, take 3/day.
Week 5, add:
- Minocin: antiobiotic. Start with 1 pill per day, then after 3 days, take 2/day, then after 2 days, take 3/day.
I'm also supposed to double my intake of probiotics to help keep my gut bacteria in balance through all this. And you can be darn sure I'll be hitting the cultured vegetables really hard.
Granted, after we get back my test results, this may all change a little, it all depends on what we find. I'm going to have a check-in with my naturopath after 4 weeks, and a phone consult with Dr. Raxlen after 8 weeks. Then in March, at the 12 week point, I'll be going back out to NYC so we can monitor my progress. Then we either continue with oral, or we look at the option of IV antibiotics, depending on my symptoms and how I'm doing.
I cried a lot. But I left smiling. Why? I have a clear direction now. Finally. While it is scary to acknowledge that there is the need for some major action to deal with some potentially somewhat serious issues, I was reassured that there is hope.
Hope, my friends, is much stronger than fear.
I don't know what this experience will be like, but I do know that I am hopeful. I know that I am supposed to do so many things in this lifetime; I feel it deep in my body with much more intensity than I feel those damn little microbes. This process needs to happen in order for me to be able to accomplish my dreams. So, plod on I must. It is really exciting, actually, like opening a door to the rest of my life.
[Note to self: reread this post when I'm Herxing so bad I want to throw up, have chills, and can't get out of bed.]
As for the rest of my weekend, I absorbed New York big time. I fell in love; it is a city of many cities, each neighborhood unique. I was staying with a dear friend who lives near Columbia in the Upper West Side. He was a total darling, and gave me the grand tour. I'm a wanderer when I travel, not a planner, and he has the same approach, so we travelled together swimmingly. We went all over the city, hitting up his painting studio, checking out films in Harlem and Chelsea, hitting up all the tourist wonderment of Times Square and Rockafeller Center, and wandered over to the East Village for vintage shopping. We shared a table with a stranger at dinner, got invited to a party at his apartment that evening, attended the party, and had an amazing time. We wandered Chinatown, Little Italy, saw the South Sea Harbor, the site of the Twin Towers, and the Financial District. We walked through Central Park. I learned to use the public transit system there, even navigating it on my own! I combatted my blood sugar crashes by packing a ton of me-friendly snacks and carrying them around with me on our adventures (an extra big purse beats passing out anyday). I worked around my dietary restrictions by seeking out restaurants with menus I could negotiate (I love Google). I dragged myself up stairs, stairs and more stairs, taking breaks when I needed to (I get winded and totally exhausted with stairs these days...thanks, Lyme Disease). I had fun and felt totally confident with new people at that apartment party without drinking a drop of alcohol (I stopped drinking a couple years ago because it was making me feel terrible). I felt more like my old self again; adventurous, carefree, spontaneous.
I did New York. I did whatever my heart felt. And that felt amazing. I felt free. I laughed. I got out of my daily pattern and was distracted from my anxieties and concerns. I took photos. That alone was medicinal, the way a vacation should be. I can't wait to go back. I'm trying to figure out how I can live there at some point; I want to experience New York as a citizen of the city, not just a tourist. It is the most dynamic place I've ever been.
I took a little time out from all this excitement to have my admissions interview at the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine for their master's of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine program. It's weird; my application process and Lyme journey seem to be existing together in this strange sort of balance. I sent in the application the same week I got my diagnosis; the school received my application the same day I had my first Lyme appointment with Leslie, my Lyme naturopath. then, while I was in New York for my appointment with Raxlen, I have my phone interview for school. The timing is uncanny, I see it as the Universe's way of telling me that these two things can coexist. My future need not be put on hold, but rather, these two things acting as strange counterbalances. Anyway, I had a phone interview with three people from the college. I think it went very well, and I should hear from them this week regarding my acceptance to the program. I told them about the Lyme, and my fears of not being able to start the program next fall if I'm accepted, whether for health or monetary reasons; it felt good to be honest. They were extremely supportive and understanding, and informed me I have a year to defer my acceptance if I need to. I've come to realize that my life is under no one's calendar but my own; if I need to wait another year longer so I can complete the program to the absolute best of my ability, I can. For a long time, I felt like my life was on hold because I was sick - I've come to realize that is totally wrong. My life is richer now than it ever was before, each moment providing endless opportunity to see something new. Life is not here to be rushed. It is here to be experienced, and there is so much to love and learn and live as I work toward my goal of attending school.
In the spirit of experience, I was running on total adrenalin in New York City. And now that I'm back hom, I feel my body crashing hardcore. I've got chills, feel a little queasy, and am very sleepy. I pushed it a little too hard, I think. So, I plan to take a bath and go to bed very early tonight. But hey, if I can do New York with Lyme, imagine what I can do when I get this crap out of my system? I'll be unstoppable, right? :)
If you want see a few more selected photos from my adventure, check out my album on flickr.
Okay, friends, let the journey begin.


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