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1335 Gusdorf Rd. Suite i
Taos, NM 87571
[ 575 ] 751 - 1262 - email: firstname.lastname@example.com
| David
Solomon (1976-2017)
David Solomon was born in 1976 in Kingston, New York,
and studied at the San Francisco Art Institute. Solomon
is one of the most active artists now emerging from
Santa Fe's young art community; his work has shown in
exhibitions and one-person shows at galleries around the
country, including Gerald Peters Gallery, 707
Contemporary and Jay Etkin Gallery in Santa Fe, Dean
Jenson Gallery in Milwaukee, and Brown Art Space in San
"The artist's
forte is the depiction of space without defining it,"
writes Kathryn M Davis in THE Magazine. "He likes to
suggest dimensionality without showing it, thus enticing
the viewer to engage. Once the vocabulary of lyrical
abstraction and symbolism emerges, the playfulness of
the forms becomes clearer, while their significance
education in art is an organic blend of life and formal
experiences. His father, who had attended Parsons in New
York, would often engage young David in tandem doodling
sessions. His artist grandmother took him to the
Metropolitan Museum of Art, where the eight-year-old
stood, dwarfed, in front of a Jackson Pollock gesture
painting, and the impact was unmistakable. Growing up in
Florida, swamps and scrapyards became a playground for
Solomon's inquisitive mind and provided endless hours of
study. An avid reader, he also developed a deep respect
for mysticism and a longing for the natural environment
in Florida; all of these elements remain evident in his
At the first
opportunity, Mr. Solomon escaped west, eventually
landing a job as studio assistant to John Henry Waddell,
sculptor laureate of Arizona. Encouraged, Solomon
attended the San Francisco Art Institute and then worked
as an assistant to preeminent abstract expressionist Bay
Area painter Frank Lobdell, before returning to the
"For nearly a
decade, David Solomon has been assimilating the fresh
air, extraordinary light, and magical visual spirit of
Santa Fe," writes long-time friend Bruce Helander. "He
has meticulously mixed these inspirational components
together, producing remarkably simple and well-balanced
works which seem to celebrate his unique style and
sensibility for organic shapes that are locked together
within rhythmic and often colorful compositions."
Solomon has also served as independent curator within the contemporary arts community of Santa Fe, helping to stimulate a more vibrant and supportive atmosphere for the city's many artists, as well as director/curator at the William Shearburn Gallery, 707 Contemporary, Bang! and Underground Gallery.
|Selected works
currently in our inventory :
|"Directional Markers"
oil on aluminum panel - 2015
30" H x 22" W
oil on aluminum panel - 2015
36" H x 32" W
|"Headless in the
White Heat (Cut 1)"
oil on aluminum panel - 2013
36" H x 30" W
oil on aluminum panel - 2014
30" H x 22" W
oil on aluminum panel - 2014
30" H x 22" W
oil on aluminum panel - 2015
22" H x 17" W


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Darn cat is a set of fun cat characters by Nicole LaRue. These unique and artistic drawings will make amazing greeting cards, art posters and blog designs.
The clip art set contains:
– 14 separate png images on a transparent background
The images are large, high resolution (300dpi) and suitable for print.
EPS vector file is available from the options above.
By purchasing and downloading these files you agree to the License Agreement.

subset: commoncrawl


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Photo Courtesy: NOPD News
Comments following my article "Peer Intervention Interoperability" on www.lawofficer.com and some LinkedIn group conversations helped me realize I was operating with a blind-spot bias when discussing peer intervention in a policing context. Many of the comments indicated an interpretation of "peer intervention" as relating to co-workers doing an intervention with someone having a problem with depression, substance abuse, suicidal thoughts or some other officer wellness concern. While that kind of intervention is important, it is not what those of us promoting peer intervention in the law enforcement industry mean in this post-Ferguson era of policing.
The confusion is understandable because the phrase is used in a variety of contexts. In recent articles and publications, the phrase "peer intervention" has been used in reference to employee assistance programs1, anti-bullying campaigns2, dealing with the mentally ill3, peer-to-peer recovery4, teen suicide prevention5, sexual assault prevention6, and a host of other wellness and relationship issues.7
The concept, as we are using it, also does not equate to early intervention systems (EIS) that have been in place in many departments since the 1980's. The purpose of an EIS is to systematically analyze behavior patterns in individual officers with a view toward preventing future incidents of misconduct and identifying trends that suggest the need for training and/or policy and procedure adjustments. Hopefully, I can share some thoughts in this article that clear up the misconceptions and move the discussion about this important topic forward.
Michael Quinn, of the International Ethics and Leadership Training Bureau, recently released a 3rd edition of his 2005 book, Walking With The Devil: The Police Code of Silence, with chapters on peer intervention. In the book, Quinn explains that peer intervention is about an officer's intentions and actions to ensure another officer's survival – survival of their career, their family, and their freedom. Peer intervention is not a new concept. It is an operational tactic that has been around, under different names and in a variety of work environments, for some time. In law enforcement, peer intervention is a promise to correct and/or accept correction before the conduct becomes misconduct.8
As Quinn points out, ultimately, peer intervention is not just an officer survival tactic, or a safeguard for individual or departmental reputations. It is a critical element of every police agency's mission: to protect the constitutional rights of every citizen, preserve police legitimacy, and promote procedural justice for all.9
Quinn was instrumental in the development of the first-of-its-kind peer intervention program developed by the New Orleans Police Department under the direction of Jacob Lundy. EPIC (Ethical Policing Is Courageous)10 is a program incorporated into every level and every department of the NOPD that not only explains what peer intervention is but instructs officers on how to do it. "EPIC is a peer intervention program; a program that teaches officers how to intervene to stop a wrongful act before it occurs."11
Certainly, many of us have seen this type of peer intervention in the past when one officer starts to lose it, starts tossing F-bombs, maybe cranks down a little too hard, and another officer pulls him back, steps in between and diffuses the situation. I have done it, I have seen it done, I've heard of it being done and I'm sure you have as well. But these occurrences are incidental, not institutional. We need to move toward the time when this kind of peer intervention is the norm, the taught, the expected, and not the exception.
What do I mean by making peer intervention "institutional?" Departments need to implement policies and develop (or adopt) programs that give permission to and protection for officers who intervene to stop or prevent the misconduct of other officers. Every officer on the force needs to understand, explicitly, that being a part of the department means you agree to accept and receive intervention when appropriate. Peer intervention will truly be institutional when everyone understands that it can take place regardless of rank. Every officer will know that if an officer sees his partner, or sergeant, or captain or any other officer about to step over the line, he has the right and responsibility to intervene, for the sake of that officer, the department, and the community, without fear of discipline, retribution or reprisal.
Peer intervention and police climate management, which I discuss in my book Officer Up!, are two sides of the same coin. We need to understand the impact of culture and the dynamics of the work climate to effectively create and maintain a work environment that promotes the kind of appropriate police behavior intervention represents. These two factors are not the only aspects but are necessary aspects of how we, as the police, police ourselves.
Peer intervention, as defined here and in other programs like EPIC, needs to become the industry standard in policy, training, and practice. Police peer intervention must become the industry standard for appropriate police behavior if we are to reduce incidents of misconduct and transform misconceptions of how police operate, both within the community and within our own ranks. Developing, implementing, and maintaining a peer intervention component to police practice is an essential part of creating a culture of integrity with respectful, fair, lawful, effective and constitutional policing that increases police legitimacy and builds community trust.
Sergeant Tim Tremaine is a patrol supervisor with the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office in Fort Worth, Texas and author of Officer Up! Creating a Climate for Appropriate Police Behavior.
8Quinn, Michael. Walking With The Devil: The Police Code of Silence, 3rd Edition – The Promise of Peer Intervention. Midpoint Trade Books, Inc., New York, 2016. p. 125-143.
9 Ibid.
11EPIC Instructors Manual, copywrite 2016 New Orleans Police Department.
Sgt. Tim Tremaine is a 30 year veteran law enforcement officer currently serving with the Tarrant County (Texas) Sheriff's Office as a patrol supervisor. Sgt. Tremaine was previously with the Arlington (Texas) Police Department, retiring after 22 years of service. Tremaine holds a BA and MA from Hardin Simmons University in Abilene, Texas.


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One of the stranger parts of working on weddings and events is the disassembly process. So much time and thought goes into making sure the flowers are faultless on the day: Hairdryers are turned on stubborn blooms not wanting to open, flowers that blow quickly are ensconced in the cool bathroom, ribbons are matched with fabrics, candles placed on every available surface… And then it's over. Before you know it you're back at the venue, assuming the role of creator / destroyer, dismantling the whole she-bang. Sometimes the flowers are spirited away, sometimes they cannot be so they're loaded back into the van and end up back at the studio whence they came.
This weekend's flowers came back in pretty good shape despite the humidity - they were just at that stage where they look perfect but then you touch them and they fire petals every which way. And this is no bad thing.
I dismantled the pieces which came back and started to arrange the short stems into a zinc planter, some of them made it, some exploded to the touch leaving a trail of delphinium and peony petals.


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Research on Agents and Multi-Agent Systems has matured during the last decade and many effective applications of this technology are now deployed. PAAMS provides an international forum to present and discuss the latest scientific developments and their effective applications, to assess the impact of the approach, and to facilitate technology transfer. PAAMS started as a local initiative, but has since grown to become the international yearly platform to present, to discuss, and to disseminate the latest developments and the most important outcomes related to real-world applications. Right now, PAAMS is classified as B2 by CAPES Qualis CC-Events and C by CORE Ranking. It provides a unique opportunity to bring multi-disciplinary experts, academics and practitioners together to exchange their experience in the development and deployment of Agents and Multi-Agent Systems. PAAMS intends to bring together researchers and developers from industry and the academic world to report on the latest scientific and technical advances on the application of multi-agent systems, to discuss and debate the major issues, and to showcase the latest systems using agent based technology. It will promote a forum for discussion on how agent-based techniques, methods, and tools help system designers to accomplish the mapping between available agent technology and application needs. Other stakeholders should be rewarded with a better understanding of the potential and challenges of the agent-oriented approach.
The proceedings of PAAMS 2019 conference are available!
Advances in Practical Applications of Survivable Agents and Multi-Agent Systems: The PAAMS Collection
17th International Conference (PAAMS 2019)
Editors: Yves Demazeau, Eric Matson, Juan Manuel Corchado, Fernando De la PrietaMore information
Highlights of Practical Applications of Survivable Agents and Multi-Agent Systems. The PAAMS Collection
17th International Conference (PAAMS 2019)
Editors: Fernando De La Prieta, Alfonso González-Briones, Pawel Pawleski, Davide Calvaresi, Elena Del Val, Fernando Lopes, Vicente Julian, Eneko Osaba, Ramón Sánchez-IborraMore information


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The heavens declare the glory of God. Sunrise, June 18th
It's ironic that the theme of Family Camps '12 is "The Intentional Family"...and it's not lost on me that though I've had good intentions to write an update for weeks now, I've not followed through very intentionally. Not that I've been sitting around eating many bonbons...but still. This late night attempt to catch up guarantees unusual brevity...and I'm counting on these pictures to paint many thousands of words.
I'm writing from the sacred cove of Campus by the Sea on Catalina Island, where we've been hanging out for the past 4.5 weeks in our 37th summer of being here as a couple. We arrived June 18 along with our summer staff team to serve for 7 weeks — running six weeks of family camps, preceded by our orientation week. As this would be our first summer with no daughters on staff, I'll admit that we arrived with at least a bit of sadness...and though we have missed them greatly, God has been more than faithful in bringing a wonderful team around us. But first....
For the third year in a row, Lisa and I ran the Covered Bridges Half Marathon in Woodstock, VT, June 3. This is such a beautiful race course and under robin-shell blue skies, we completed our 5th run together (and my 6th half marathon since Nov. 2009.) Paul, as usual, was our escort and he makes it so easy for us!
|Just after crossing the finish line, we were awarded our medals and were already talking about our next race.
We flew to Lancaster, CA, the next weekend to speak at Central Christian Church, and were honored to speak in this new venue. We also consulted with Grace Baptist Church of Santa Clarita on developing a family ministries model at their church, which gave us some time with our dear friends and ministry partners, David and Cherylyn Hegg. And we managed to squeeze in a lunch date with our mentors, John and Grace Tebay. Rich, full days!
Back to Boston to get things wrapped up before the summer, we counseled, cleaned, and packed, and on Sat., June 16, we flew to CA to be with my folks to celebrate Father's Day. My mom's health is much improved (PTL) and my dad seems to be holding his own. Though brief, it was wonderful to be with them.
Happy Father's Day, Papa!
We arrived at camp on Monday, June 18, and we were off and running immediately. Our program team gathered every morning to dive in to God's Word and to discuss the passages that would be used for the summer study. We were immediately impressed with these college students and their insights into scripture, their character, and their openness. We bonded fairly quickly and are really enjoying being in community "spurring one another on to love and good deeds." We feel very blessed and very met by God to be partnering with them.
A highlight of our first days at camp was having Lou and Grace Charette join us for a bit. They were on our staff in the late 80's, when Grace served as the head cook and Lou as the mechanic. We have been fast friends ever since and have have watched God do amazing things in their marriage and family. The staff were all deeply touched by their testimony, which they generously agreed to share during our all staff training time. It was so good to catch up with them and celebrate God's faithfulness as they celebrated their 56th anniversary. They inspired us all.
What a treat to have Lou and Grace Charette visit camp, 24 years after serving with us!
The program staff takes a photo break during staff training week. They're a great group!
Family Camp 1 arrived June 24 and for the first time in our history, Paul and I were not at camp to welcome the campers. That was strange! We were in Aspen, CO, doing a wedding, and thankfully had very capable hands to carry on at CBS. We were very happy to get back on the island before lunch on Monday, so we fortunately didn't miss much.
We love family camps! Everything about them. The multi-generational presence. The distraction-free environment. The expectation and joy of the campers. The way God works. The beautiful setting. The simplicity. The purpose. The transforming impact.
"The Intentional Family" theme has been powerful. It has provoked reflection and recommitment. Each week we've heard testimony upon testimony of God's work in lives. Humbling.
Family Camp 1 was extra special for us as Paul's oldest sister, Sandra, and her clan were in camp, as well as his sister Beth Smith, as well as our nephew Brian Rottschafer and his family. We loved having late night hang-outs with them, sharing old memories, and making new ones. Sweet times.
|Extended Friesen family attended Family Camp 1, launching the summer with lots of laughter and energy.
Family Camp has many traditions . . . like singing the "Butterfly Song" every day, young and old; the annual original Game Show; great teaching from our wise speakers; the square, line, and swing dance; worship under that stars and around the fire ring followed by s'mores; the hike into Avalon; the milk carton boat race; the banquet. Traditions connect the generations and create a secure foundation for changes that allow family camp to be fresh and inviting. The mix of the known and unknown produces ongoing engagement and ownership.
|Game Show hosts Vanna and Paul Barker.
Each week we celebrate God's work in our midst. Great teaching. Worship. Baptisms. Reconciliations. Confessions. Prayers.
|Paul had the privilege of baptizing Baker and Turner Welch in the chilly Pacific.
Family Camp 3 brought Kari, Gabe, and Brandon, as well as Lisa (who had just returned from Israel where she served on a summer missions project with Fellowship of Christian Athletes.) It was SO wonderful to have them in camp with us (though all of us deeply missed having Derek and Julie with us, too) and Brandon managed to keep us all entertained with ease. What a difference a year makes! He was fully engaged in all the activities available, and especially enjoyed anything the included a ball. We hiked, talked, swam, laughed, and had a blast. It was hard to let them go after a week.
|Gabe, Kari, Lisa and I hiked the loop together.
|Brandon helped Papa with announcements at every meal.
|Lunch at Antonio's Pizzeria in Avalon.
|Loving playing on the mostly rocky beach at CBS.
|Banquet night! By now, Brandon was down with an ear infection and wasn't too chipper, but the party continued.
|Sending our little man back to Sacramento. The week passed way too quickly.
Family camp 4 at CBS is almost history and we have only 2 weeks left before we fly east to run our two family camps at Berea. I wonder if the summer has passed as quickly for you as it has for us. We'll cherish each day we have left in this beautiful place and be very intentional to maximize the opportunities unique to Campus by the Sea.
I'm also committed to being very intentional about my intentions to post more often.
|Sunset on the same day, July 18. Wow.


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Winter Paddling
£20 Adult
£15 Child (16 years and under)
November – March
2 hours
Winter Paddling
Available from November – March
During the cold winter months we appreciate the thought of heading out onto the water might not appeal quite so much however, the Beaulieu River offers some of its more stunning views on a cold crisp day, so wrap up warm and get out on the water this Winter! With our fantastic Winter Paddling price, you really have no excuse. Suitable for those aged 18+ months (kayaks only available to those aged 12+ years). All children must be accompanied by an adult.
- Half hour for arrivals and initial kitting up
- Up to two full hours of guidance and instruction
- Use of easy to paddle 2 & 3 seater canoes or stable single seater kayaks
- Instruction from a qualified coach to help you master the basics and feel confident on the water
- A guided journey out and back from Baileys Hard river depending on tides & weather
- Chance to find out about future courses and other activities
- We recommend to layer up and bring a hat and gloves however, we can provide you with additional waterproofs should you need them
- Toilets and changing facilities available on-site


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Anti-Itch point massage oil
Reduces skin itchness, moisturises skin; calming and relaxing; improves circulation; reduces scarrings; aids in sleeping; reduces headaches and migranes as well as aches and pain.
Note on item availability:
If you can't find the products you want at our online store, you can Whatsapp us @ +65 9816 3981 to check for stock availability. We can arrange delivery to your home at a flat rate of $7 if purchased below $200.


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The Children Of The Adams On The Star Wars Re-Releases
Hello nerds!
The boys pine away for the theatrical versions of the original Star Wars trilogy, and if you'd like more be sure to check out the latest podcast.
Click here for
#39: Go Snoke Yourself -
A Review of Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Rate the show, like and subscribe! Please and thank you.


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Poll will show that the general public has fears about putting health and education provision under independent control
Labour is ideally placed to turn the patriotic spirit displayed during the Olympics into a sense of national purpose that can help end David Cameron's premiership after one term, says Ed Miliband's new political guru.
Writing in the Observer, the Australian political philosopher Tim Soutphommasane argues that Labour can use the wave of national optimism to drive Miliband's plans to "rebuild Britain", based on responsible capitalism and a strong civic society.
The 29-year-old, who has been drafted in to Labour's policy review, says Cameron's "pursuit of austerity" and belief in a smaller state make it difficult for the Tories to realise their "big society" vision and exploit post-Olympics patriotic sentiment. Instead it is Labour, a party that has been shy of promoting patriotism in the past, that is best positioned to channel national optimism, he says.
"Miliband and Labour seem best poised to convert patriotic sentiment into national purpose," he says. "Miliband's signalled intent to 'rebuild Britain' through a responsible capitalism has the early signs of a leftist agenda of nation-building. The circumstances are ripe for such a programme. The economy continues to languish. Youth are faced with limited prospects for work. Families are confronted with rampant cost-of-living pressures. Britain is still looking for a durable political economy beyond just the City."
Jon Cruddas, the head of Labour's policy review and a long-term friend of Soutphommasane, said the Olympics had helped to crystallise Labour's mission to "rebuild Britain" and showed that conditions were in place to build a sense of national purpose through civic participation.
"We will be contrasting our plans with the coalition's dismantling of public services and management of decline. Ours is an optimistic, positive view that tells a story about collective involvement in, and enthusiasm for, rebuilding our country," said Cruddas.
Labour's "rebuilding Britain" mantra will be fleshed out next month, where it will highlight the unpopularity of much of the coalition's effort to reform public services.
This week a poll will show that Cameron's drive to open up state schools and NHS hospitals, along with other public services, to competition from private firms and charities has failed to win over the British people.
The prime minister has called for an end to "top-down" government and is pursuing reforms to allow independent providers to challenge the state's monopoly in providing services. But the YouGov study for the Fabian Society shows that nearly two-thirds (62%) believe public services should be provided wholly or mainly by national or local government.
Two out of five believe the changes will lead to waste, duplication and profiteering and will ultimately be unfair by providing services of differing quality around the country. This compares with fewer than one in five (17%) who believe they will "drive up efficiency". A third believe that when a politician talks about choice in public services, they really mean they are "going to privatise this service", with just 8% taking the words at face value.Nearly two-thirds (60%) are "totally convinced" that services such as health and education "should not be run like businesses".
In response to Cameron's call for localism, generally defined as allowing people in communities to take over their public services, 56% say it will mean "the richest communities will have better services and there will be a postcode lottery".
Andrew Harrop, general secretary of the Fabian Society, said: "It is clear that the state remains most people's preferred provider for delivering public services. Cameron's position that there should be "no default" between the public and private sectors simply does not enjoy public support.


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Likir Monastery or Likir Gompa is a Buddhist monastery located near Leh. It is an isolated monastery, which is famous for architecture and culture.
View of the monastery from the foothill is the first attraction to enjoy here. As you enter the monastery, you will enter the courtyard with a verandah. The verandah is filled with paintings and a wheel of life. There are two assembly halls inside the monastery. You can find monks in the halls. There are many statues of Buddha inside the old assembly hall. There is a large Jupiter tree in the courtyard. It has bookcases, thangkas and others. You can find many thangka collections, manuscripts, ancient pots, old dresses and others in a collection room. The new assembly hall is 200 years old and it holds images of mythological figures, books and others. Walk past the new assembly hall to enter a courtyard. There is a glass room in front of the Gonkhang house, which is open only during the dance festival.
The monastery is open from May to October. There is no entry fee for the monastery. Summer is the best time to visit the monastery, as the climate will be pleasant. It will not take more than 2 hours to explore the monastery. Make sure to reach Leh before sunset or, stay back in the village and travel in the morning.
The monastery is located 52 km away from Leh. You can find buses, cabs and jeeps from Leh to Likir village. The monastery is located 6 km away from the Srinagar Leh highway. From the village, you need to hike to reach the monastery. It takes 90 minutes to reach the monastery from Leh. The last bus from Likir to Leh starts at 3:30 pm.
You ought to visit the monastery during an annual festival. This festival is famous for exhibition of monastery collection, procession, masked dance of monks and others. This festival starts a couple of days before the Tibetan New Year.
The village is famous for Pashmina shawl, apricot, woolen clothing and others. There are no restaurants in Likir Monastery.


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Cardinal Tuscanini was a Vatican priest in the late 18th century.
When some of the Collection of Necessary Secrets came to life due to the influence of the Carnival Queen, Cardinal Catilin at first thought the noise was Tuscanini yelling at the unholy relics. (PROSE: Christmas on a Rational Planet)
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.


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Moving Forward!
Glenn Fleishman
Back earlier this year, I was all ambitious like about getting started, and then a series of terrible, no-good, awful, crummy things happened to my main computer, a second computer, and several hard drives. It was a mess that I won't bore you with. This set back everything I work on by months.
The Magazine: The Complete Archives is finally out, however! (You can purchase a copy at this destination.)
And with that done, I'll have the time to start working in earnest on Old & New, which will start with me writing up the editorial philosophy so I can start soliciting pitches from authors. A few dozen people have been itching for me to take their pitches and assign work. I have a nice sum raised from the Kickstarter for the Archives that wasn't spent, so that will go towards writers' fees in this phase.
Watch this space!


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Hey There.
I am recent graduate from the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelors in Visual Communication. I like to make cool and creative designs regardless of what medium I am using. I specialize in photography and illustration.
After graduating high school I started my career by going to Culinary School. While I liked cooking, what I found was that I loved the challenges of plating and presentation more! With a love of art and problem solving, I pursued my new dream to become a designer.
I love all my work and enjoy each new project as I get it. Feel free to look at my portfolio and do not hesitate to contact me if you think I can be in any way of service to you.


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"It is your desire for God and your capacity to reach for more of God than you have right now that is the deepest essence of who you are." - Ruth Barton
"Blessed is (s) he who expects nothing for (s) he shall enjoy everything." - St. Francis of Assisi
"The most important thing about you is not the things that you achieve; it is the person that you become". –Dallas Willard
"Everything you need is either in you or around you, pay attention!"
— Felecia Pearson Smith
"My soul becomes shallow when my interests and thoughts go no further that myself." – Ortberg
"Someone said that if the devil can't make you sin, he will make you busy because either way your soul will shrivel." (anonymous)
"The more I know about God the less I know about God" – St. Thomas Aquinas


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Online Deal: 20% Off All Tree Of Life Jewelry Kits
Online Deal: 20% Off All Tree of Life Jewelry Kits
Spring has sprung and it's time to celebrate everything that this amazing time of year has to offer. It's all about rebirth, rejuvenation, and celebrating life…a fabulous time to re-evaluate our lives and shake things up a bit! What's a better way to start anew than with a fresh, new jewelry project?? You can't go wrong with 20% OFF all of our Tree of Life jewelry kits. They are the perfect project to celebrate March, as the Tree of Life reminds us to stay grounded in our roots, but encourages us to always keep growing and evolving!! (Offer available in our online store only and is not valid in our physical stores. Offer expires March 31, 2017 at 11:59pm.) Our popular Tree of Life jewelry kits include our:
Pacific Tree of Life Bracelet
Moss Agate Tree of Life Pendant
Metallic Tree of Life Bracelet
Winter Frost Tree of Life Pendant
Shiraz Sparkle Tree of Life Bracelet
Blooming Bonsai Tree of Life Pendant
Black and Silver Tree of Life Bracelet
We're so excited to offer you this deal!! Head in to our online store HERE to find each of these fabulous kits!


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Set up this year our Einstein inspired idea is for those in ongoing education and work place training #moneyball. We are the digital ADHD medication alternative, originally created to address widespread Misuse, Abuse & Diversion of Prescription study drugs.
Our digital training works in tandem with prescription drugs or as a stand alone long term intervention. Aimed at prescription and non-prescription users of smart drugs Adderall, Modafinil. Ritalin, Vyvanse, and Concerta .


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Sunday, January 17, 2010
Introduction to Pakistan Hindu Foundation (PHF)
The Pakistan Hindu Foundation (PHF) is one of the leading socio-political representative organization of the Hindu community in heavily Muslim Pakistan.
Pakistan Hindu Foundation (PHF) is a Representative Body of Hindus residing in Pakistan. PHF president DM Maharaj says that far basic aim of the (PHF) is to develop unity among the scared community scattered in the nook and corner of the country and establish relations between all the factions of the community specifically the low income group of the society habited in the urban and rural areas of all the four Provinces, mainly in Sindh.
Hinduism in Pakistan
Hindus in Pakistan make barely 2% of the total population, roughly 3 million people. The Hindu minority has reserved seats in the National Assembly and can also vote for their local candidate.
Hindus are mainly concentrated in the Province of Sindh where they form around nearly 8% of the population.
Posted by Gopichand Rajput at 4:52 PM
2 comments:
Masha Allah. Wonderful site. All the best.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 8, 2010 at 2:53 AM
Good do some useful work beyond Caste & religious. bcz we all are first human beings rest all next.ReplyDelete
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Reyner Banham
Reyner Banham lost review of the designs of crash-test dummies.
Places Journal
The late architecture critic Reyner Banham and social historian Mike Davis had opposing viewpoints regarding Los Angeles' ecology, but in many ways their disparate takes complemented each other, writes urban planner Jonathan P. Bell.
Gabrielle Esperdy tags along on the travels of Reyner Banham, the British historian and critic of modern architecture and design, connecting them to the great historical travel accounts of Europeans abroad in America.
Writing on the topic of Los Angeles Times Architecture Critic Christopher Hawthorne's year-long series exploring the city through its literature, Nate Berg talks to the author about his critical touchstones and common themes.
The Atlantic Cities


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Intro/Outro - "Dragon Wings" composed and performed by Pat Klein
Ambiance Music and Sound Effects by Syrinscape.
https://store.syrinscape.com/what-is-syrinscape/?att 1
The app putting sound into the hands of gamers.
The crew digs deeper into the mysterious Cultores Daemonum cult they've uncovered. Tasked with getting to the bottom of what is believed to be a high-reaching conspiracy, the team takes to the streets of Candrash looking for clues.


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This award ceremony is rewarding French startups and companies that are leading digital innovations.
This year the PTN rewarded startups and small growing companies taking part in the building of the future of mobility.
The chair CENE takes part in the jury and involves three students in the selection of the startups every year. This year Hortense de Bray, Benjamin Lazard and Florent Votte screened and analyzed around 250 innovative startups in the field of transportation and mobility. The jury members then selected the nominees, based on students' analysis and their own expertise in the field.
Prophesee won the Innovation Award. Prophesee is developing the first bio inspired machine vision
The two other nominees were :
- Karos : using AI to adapt carpooling for short distances
- Stanley Robotics : conceived a robot able to park cars in airports
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Dear Brethern,
I bring good news of 3 upcoming events in our District.
The first event will occur on October 24 at the Greensborough Masonic Centre (7pm start) and is a presentation by Grand Lodge of the major changes in the separation of the Grand Secretary and CEO roles and the numerous Constitutional Rules that we will be voting on at the December Communications of Grand Lodge. This is your Members opportunity to ask questions directly to Grand Lodge and should be taken up by all concerned.
The second event is the live-streaming of the December Communications of Grand Lodge to be held at the Greensborough Masonic Centre on December 14 with registrations starting at 7pm. With the major Constitutional Rule changes to be voted on, I expect a larger turnout than the first live-streaming event held on September 21. I will say this, if you do not turn up and vote in December as is your Masonic privilege, then you will have missed your opportunity to have your say on the matter. I am pushing that all Communications are live-streamed there with a rotational Greensborough Lodge hosting the event with me, so let's get our number up and show that we are the dominant District.
The third event is the District Trivia Night to be held at the Greensborough Masonic Centre on Saturday March 18 at 7pm. The Flyer for the event is attached and the Raffle tickets will be on sale within the next few weeks. We have 1,000 tickets at $5 each or 5 tickets for $20 if purchased in one transaction. The Enlighteners Masters Group have agreed to assist in the selling of the tickets. 1st Prize is $1,000, 2nd Prize is $200 and 3rd Prize is $100. The profit will be donated to the winner of the Trivia Night to boost their winnings and thus apply to the Freemasons Foundation for an even larger Grant.
Brethren, this is after all your District and it is up to each of you to support me in these events if you so choose to support them.
Warmest regards,
WBro. Eric Williams WM
District Co-ordinator ND116.
Master of The Lord Northcote Lodge No. 191.
Proud Member of the Enlighteners Master Group.


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7 Simple Ways To Motivate Your Core Employee Base
All right, let's kick this thing off with a strong nautical metaphor. You, the manager, are the captain of your company-ship. And your core employees base is the engine. Well, not all ships have engines. They're… the sails? Or… the crew? Okay, wait, let's
Does Anybody Even Care About the Oscars Anymore?
Ah… another year, and another litany of hot takes about how the Academy Awards are in trouble. Dwindling viewership, hosting issues, and a whole lot of controversy surrounding who did or did not make the final cut. Maybe award shows
Recession-Proof Sales: Keeping Employees Motivated no Matter the Markets
Recession-Proof Sales: Keeping Employees Motivated no Matter the Markets Call it a "trend," but it seems like the hottest new fad in business outlets is to write about the it's-possible-but-we're-not-totally-sure-when-it-could-happen recession. So are we headed that way? Should we be pulling
8 Employee Motivation Strategies You Can Use This Week
We've got a tailor-made list of employee motivation strategies that you can really, truly, effectively motivate your employees this week. Check them out, try some on for size, and see how you can turn that team-wide case of the Mondays into a workweek win that everyone's excited about.
Stuck in a Sales Slump? Here's How To Stay Motivated All Year Round
There's probably a good excuse for that sales slump. Probably. You had a great Q1, of course it's going to be a little slow at the start of Q2. Hey the markets aren't so hot either, of course clients are going
5 Holiday Productivity Tips to Keep the Office Merry this Season.
The Holiday Season is upon us! With all of the bows, boxes and holiday cheer everywhere, balancing our work and personal lives can be difficult. Whether you are working remotely, traveling, or in the office, here are 5 holiday productivity
Use Digital Sales Leaderboards to Supercharge your Team's Motivation
Salespeople are by nature competitive and focused on accomplishing a goal. Employers can use these positive traits to the company's advantage while offering a fun, engaging way to build a team atmosphere in the workplace. Using digital sales leaderboards in the sales bullpen not only amps up competition among coworkers, but it also encourages collaboration, especially between office staff and outside sales representatives
Public Employee Recognition is more important than private. Here's why.
It's long been a corporate practice that employee recognition is left for annual reviews or company anniversary programs. These once or twice a year moments are important, but are not going to be what motivates employees to work smarter. An annual increase in compensation and a t-shirt marking someone's 10th year at a company is not what improves company morale or reaching new goals.
Creative Sales Incentives for Motivation: Our Top 3
While job-related incentives have traditionally been used to boost sales performance in the past, companies are now looking to break the mold with new and ingenious rewards packages such as vacation getaways or the latest in highly coveted gadgets. A new dawn of non-cash incentives is upon us and they're sexier, more fun, and help employees strike a better work-life balance than previous. Best of all, they'll keep employees happy and sales at an all time high.
Create Healthy Competition – The Science of Sales Motivation #3
So far we've gotten the straight dope(amine) on the biology of motivation in part 1 of the series and learned how to put the power of progress to work for us in part 2.This week we turn to something familiar to all of saleskind - competition. Is there anything better for sales team motivation?


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Conley Top
This shirt reminds me of a peplum top, but in a more relaxed style. The fabric feels like a thicker linen. I have a short waist so it's a little longer than most of my tops–it's more of a tunic on me. It's not too tight on my boobs which I often have problems with.
Brand: Ella Jayms Boutique
Body Type: Triangle
Reviewed by: Madeline
Height: 5'2"
Madeline is wearing a Medium.
Fabric: 85% cotton, 12% polyester, 3% spandex
Care Recommendations: Handwash cold, tumble dry low. Do not bleach. Cool iron if necessary.
This post has been sponsored by Ella Jayms Boutique.


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LIVE REVIEW: Peking Duk Perform an Exhilarating Show at Metro City
Photos courtesy of Patrick Stevenson
The dynamic duo Peking Duk put on an exciting, high energy show at Perth's Metro City, leaving everyone in the crowd pumped up and sweaty at the end of the night.
The show kicked off at 8:30pm, with hip hop artist Kwame easing the audience into what was about to be a big one with some laidback beats and smart feel-good lyrics, including Friends', 'WOW' and 'Feel Good'.
At 9:30pm, Melbourne-based indie singer and songwriter Samsurah captivated the audience with her full voice and unique sound. The audience seemed to recognise some of her songs, particularly 'Beautiful Killer', but also 'Gunpowder' and 'Golden to Thrive' — all recently released by the young artist.
After Samsurah the crowd became increasingly impatient awaiting the headliners due to come on. Peking Duk finally emerged and started off with a bang, performing 'Wasted' for the beginning of their 'Wasted' tour. Dressed in all-white, the duo performed some hilarious synchronised dance moves and maintained this outrageous energy all night. Adam had all the ladies excited when he whipped off his white tank… and who could ignore Reuben's luscious mullet?
Michaela Baranov provided her incredible vocals for 'Let You Down', 'Fake Magic', 'Elliphant' and 'High'. She had a great presence dancing around on stage and performed beautifully. Some enticing audiovisuals were also expected — and they were provided. Light production and the usual confetti machines and smoke cannons got the audience excited at all the right times.
Peking Duk is unique in that they have always relied on releasing chart-topping singles, and have never released an entire album. This made their concert interesting as you could never quite tell what was up next, but also called to question how they would maintain an hour and a half long show, and how the songs could flow together so seamlessly.
The reality was that some of the song changes were a little jarring, and they also relied on some universally known and loved songs — including 'Mr Brightside', '7 Nation Army' and 'My Heart Will Go On'. While the nature of their show was as such, it was overall a really fun and light-hearted night.
If you're looking for a night of thought-provoking and nuanced music, head elsewhere. But if you're after a night packed full of dancing and entertainment, you've come to the right place. The audience seemed stoked the whole time and I, for one, had an amazing time. These two definitely know how to put on a show.


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Thursday, July 13, 2006
The US President George W. Bush agreed to sign a bill that would allow for a limited judicial review of the National Security Agency's controversial eavesdropping program, said the Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R). A White House spokeswoman also confirmed the same.
Sen. Specter said that the bill will clear the way for a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) court to "consider the program as a whole and to make a decision on it."
Under the "Terrorist Surveillance Program", NSA conducts surveillance on international and domestic phone calls without FISA court authorization, an action the text of the FISA act calls a Felony. The Bush administration maintains that the program is legal, arguing that FISA is an unconstitutional violation of the President's "inherent powers" and/or that FISA was implicitly overridden by other acts of Congress. Revelation of the program by a New York Times newsreport triggered a controversy over the legality of the program and the scope of Congressional oversight.
The Senate Judiciary Committee is currently considering two bills proposed respectively by Sen. Specter and Sen. Mike DeWine (R) over the issue. The Specter bill provides for retroactive amnesty for NSA's actions and brings the program under the FISA court, whereas the DeWine bill provides a legislative foundation for the program.
Sen. Specter said that the bill will allow greater flexibility in emergencies by updating legal language to reflect recent technological developments such as cell phones, allowing NSA a seven day period for obtaining retroactive warrants and allowing "roving wiretaps" which target an individual rather than a particular phone connection. He added that the bill will require government officials to explain why they suspect intercepted communications involve terrorism and creates penalties for misuse of the powers.
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D), the Judiciary Committee's ranking Democrat said that the proposed bill is an "interesting bargain" in which the President "is saying 'if you do every single thing I tell you to do,' I will do what I should have done anyway,".Sen. Charles Schumer (D) is reported to have proposed a different bill.


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tree of life = जीवनवृक्ष
22 February 2014
Sanskrit Translation of English Phrase for Tattoo of Jean Michel Huet - John
Posted by Kiran Paranjape at 10:03 PM
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Sanskrit translation is done by a human Sanskrit Translator and can be used as an online Sanskrit Dictionary.
It is offered free of cost for up to 3 English words including numbers and initials for the first time only.
For Translation Requests, please send an email to email@example.com
Donors get high resolution image of the translation done in calligraphic fonts which you can print and take to the tattoo artist.
tree of life = जीवनवृक्ष
Posted by Kiran Paranjape at 10:03 PM


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Highly Addictive "Rope Escape" Hits Mobile Gaming Platforms
[MobilePRwire] – Deemedya are excited to announce the release of their arcade adventure game, "Rope Escape. Challenge Yourself, Friends and the Entire World to Find Out Who is the Top Escapee! The game is free to download and play worldwide on both iPhone and Google Android mobile devices from their respective marketplaces.
"Rope Escape" is a simple yet challenging adventure showpiece, requiring the gamer to swing between the trees and the sky in order to advance through the game as far as possible. Despite "Rope Escape" being based on a relatively simple concept, the utilisation of amazing, visually engaging graphic effects makes this a gaming experience like no other.
Due to the easy to understand and quick to get going nature of "Rope Escape," the game is suitable for all age and gender demographics, as well as being perfect for both casual or more committed gamers.
Players of "Rope Escape" simply need to utilise the touch screen function on their display, hitting where their character should swing to next, ensuring that they keep up with the continuously scrolling game screen. Although the gameplay of "Rope Escape" is built on a simple pick up and play concept, the fast and furious nature of this makes the game an addictive, impossible to put down arcade adventure.
In "Rope Escape," the gamer selects one of the colourful in-game characters with which to play, before tackling the one continuous level using power ups collected throughout the game in order to aid their quest, making them speed up and increase their game score. To upgrade these power ups the gamer needs to earn in-game coins or complete specific challenges. Dedicated and hard-core players can purchase coins via IAP, should they be seeking the quickest route to the highest possible score.
"Rope Escape" contains in-game Facebook integration, meaning users can encourage their friends to try the game, boast about their own achievements, and compete against their friends and worldwide gamers in order to be the supreme "Rope Escape" gamer on the leaderboards.
The simple gameplay interface and social sharing features are set to make "Rope Escape" one of the most addictive gaming releases of 2012.
Deemedya is an international developer, publisher and distributor of mobile content.
With Deemedya's unique understanding of the marketplace and over 10 years of experience in digital media, we have a proven track-record of developing, publishing and marketing digital products that will maximize the potential of the product itself.
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Golden Apple
by Diana Knudson
Hello Everyone
I have been taking on-line webinars, talking to educators, and reading and have had my beliefs reinforced that we have to change the way we teach to maintain relevance and importance of our K-12 public education for students and parents. One set of skills that explains what our focus should be with students are the 21st Century Skills. They are:
Critical Thinking Creativity
Collaboration Communication
Information Literacy Media Literacy
Technology Literacy Flexibility
Leadership Initiative
Productivity Social Skills
Of course, our students need a well-rounded knowledge about all the classes they take, but focusing only on knowledge will not cut it to prepare our students to step into a complex job market. Each Skill is unique, but all have one enormous thing in common. They are all ESSENTIAL in the age of the INTERNET.
My oldest son is a vice president and head of global sales and marketing for a large, international company. Part of his job is to hire engineers and technicians for several divisions of his company. He and I have had several conversations about the hiring process that his company uses and the type of skills prospective employees must have. His list includes: collaborators, productive thinkers, presenters, writers, and those who are flexible, risk-takers, and know how to persevere. All of these characteristics come under the heading of several of the 21st Century Skills.
Think about your classroom. How much of your school day would be spent helping students internalize the 21st Century Skills? Would you be proud to explain how you are preparing your students to step into the fast-pace of today's market? Our schools will only remain relevant and important if we prove to the public that we are truly giving our students what they need. Project-based learning and personalized learning are a couple of ways to intrigue students so they learn to apply what is takes to start with an idea and follow through to a great product.
With these heavy-duty thoughts, and they are heavy-duty thoughts, we need to have a November drawing. Send your name to Brianna (email@example.com) and it will go into the hat. We will draw at the end of November for a $100 gift card.


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Esther 8
Read in the NKJV Join Discussion
On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the Jews' enemy unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was unto her.
2 And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.
3 And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews.
4 Then the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther. So Esther arose, and stood before the king,
5 And said, If it please the king, and if I have favour in his sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king's provinces:
6 For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?
7 Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews.
8 Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring: for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse.
9 Then were the king's scribes called at that time in the third month, that is, the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day thereof; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia, an hundred twenty and seven provinces, unto every province according to the writing thereof, and unto every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language.
10 And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus' name, and sealed it with the king's ring, and sent letters by posts on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries:
11 Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,
12 Upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.
13 The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, and that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
14 So the posts that rode upon mules and camels went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king's commandment. And the decree was given at Shushan the palace.
15 And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.
16 The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour.
17 And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.
See Previous Reading See Next Reading
Esther and Mordecai cannot rescind Haman's evil decree. They must write a new one, one that made his original decree undesirable. In verses 3 and 5 we are again reminded of Haman's ancestry and the ancient struggle between the Jews and the Amalekites. God had ordered Saul to destroy the Amalekites, and he had refused. Mordecai and Esther did not start that war, or this one, but their decree clearly stated that the Jews had the right to gather together, to defend themselves and protect their lives. If attacked, they would fight back. The decree was translated, transcribed and delivered by royal horses swiftly throughout the land.
Now for the Jews,light replaced the darkness; gladness replaced fear; joy replaced despair; and most significantly, God gave honor back to His people.
Interestingly, some in the Persian Empire reversed their own situations and many became Jews. Their conversions were undoubtedly motivated by fear and thoughts of self-preservation. Perhaps some of the conversions led to genuine changes of heart, and souls were saved in the process. Only God can transform a life of shame to a life of honor. He is the only safe place in the midst of any war.
Jean Boonstra
Voice of Prophecy


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Blog Archives
Man Booker 2016:my wishlist
There was no way I could read all 13 of the long listed titles for this year's Man Booker Prize in the short time available until the shortlisting is announced on September 13. But I did want to get a flavour of the contenders so read a few of them and then a sample of the rest.
Here are my reactions….
Paul Beatty – The Sellout: described as a satire of post-racial America. I couldn't get hold of a copy of this or a sample. But having read the review by Mookes and Gripes I'm glad because I doubt I would have appreciated it and probably not been able to finish it.
J.M. Coetzee – The Schooldays of Jesus: Coetzee is a two-times Booker winner so it's no surprise to find he is being strongly tipped for the shortlist. This novel is a follow-up to his 2013 novel, The Childhood of Jesus. It's set in a nameless country where everyone speaks Spanish and where refugees arrive on boats, are given new names and identities, and are "washed clean" of all their old memories and associations. The plot is rather thin – this is more a novel about ideas than a story. I've only just started reading it so it's hard to give a verdict other than I find the narrative style irritating at times particularly so in the middle of dialogue where we get this clumsy construction of 'He, Simon …' repeatedly.
A.L. Kennedy – Serious Sweet : a London love story between two decent but troubled individuals that is told over the course of 24 hours. I read the first two chapters as a sample of this novel. By the end of the first chapter I decided I wasn't interested enough to read on – it focuses on Jon Sigurdsson, a civil servant who seems to be going through an emotionally disturbed period. He's in his garden early morning and is trying to free a bird trapped in some netting. The metaphor for his own situation is clumsy and over-blown. The second chapter where we meet Meg Williams, a bankrupt accountant is far more interesting. Will I read it? Probably not.
Deborah Levy – Hot Milk: another novel I sampled. It's described as a"richly mythic" tale of mothers and daughters but the first chapter seemed rather banal to me. The narrator Sofia is in a rented beach house in Spain where she is accompanying her mother who is seeking a cure for a mysterious illness that confines her to a wheelchair. Sofia is clearly dominated by her mother so escapes to the beach where she encounters Juan, the beach guard and has a boring conversation with him about jelly fish. Will I read any more of this one – absolutely not. Will it make the shortlist? It doesn't deserve to but stranger things have happened with the Booker.
Graeme Macrae Burnet – His Bloody Project: Features a brutal triple murder in a remote northern crofting community in 1869. This is an odd choice for the judges, maybe not quite as highbrow literary as many of the choices in the past. The chapters I've dipped into have been fast paced and chock full of atmosphere. I have an electronic copy that I snaffled up as a bargain the day after the long-listing so yes, this is one I plan to read. Sometime. I don't see it making the final list however.
Ian McGuire – The North Water: a closely detailed story of violence that breaks out between desperate men on a doomed whaling expedition into the Arctic. This was the second of the Booker list I read and what a scorcher it proved to be. A page turner but one that has more literary merit than most page turning novels. It might make the shortlist – a short while ago it was a favourite with the bookies. But if it makes it to the ultimate prize then I promise to go and read Moby Dick as a penance.
David Means – Hystopia: the novel imagines a history in which John F Kennedy was not assassinated, the Vietnam war drags on and there is a government initiative to wipe the trauma from the memories of returning soldiers.I read a sample of this and was thoroughly confused. It has multiple editor notes as the preface which supposedly explains the story but I ended up more confused and felt it was just trying to be too darn clever for its own good. Many blogger reviews I've seen since then all indicate that the confusion doesn't go away the further you read. I don't mind being challenged by a book – its the easy novels that frustrate me – but when someone is just trying to show off their ability and they forget they have a reader, I get annoyed. So no I will not be reading this one. I suspect it will make the shortlist though just because the Booker judges do like novels that try to be be inventive.
Wyl Menmuir –The Many: this a short novel that punches above the weight of its page count. It tells the story of a man who moves to an abandoned house in an isolated Cornish village whose future is threatened by pollution of their fishing grounds. The longer he stays, the more uncomfortable and bizarre life becomes. It took me a while to get hold of a copy because the novel is published by Salt who had only printed 1,000 copies and were overwhelmed by demand when The Many got long listed. But oh boy was this worth the wait. It's atmospheric in a chilling sense because we don't get to know why the fishing waters are polluted and there is some mystery about the previous occupant of the house. Will it make the shortlist – it deserves a place I think.
Ottessa Moshfegh– Eileen: set in the 1960s, this tells the story of an unhappy young woman and a bitterly cold Massachusetts winter. The sample I read did intrigue me – it is a first person narration by Eileen who is living a pretty miserable life with her alcoholic father in a squalid home. Her only escapes are the trips she takes in her battered down car to the liquor store and her work at at a correctional facility for boys. I've seen mixed reactions to this novel but it might be one that I'm interested to read more about. Whether it makes the shortlist I have no idea, not having read enough of it to judge.
Virginia Reeves – Work Like Any Other: Set in rural Alabama in the 1920s, it tells the story of a pioneering electricity engineer sent to prison for manslaughter after a young man stumbles on one of his illegal power lines. I don't know what it is about the synopsis for this book but it didn't encourage me to even get a sample…….
Elizabeth Strout – My Name Is Lucy Barton: a striking story about a relationship between mother and daughter. Simply one of the best novels I've read so far – see my review here. Will it make it to the next round? Maybe.
David Szalay – All That Man Is: This is an odd novel. Actually I'm not even sure that I can call it a novel though that's the description used by the publishers. It felt to me a collection of stories about nine different men, all at various stages of their lives. There is only one really clear connection between them – and that's between the young man in story number one and the old man in the final story who turns out to be his grandfather. Some of these pieces have appeared either in full or partially in either Granta or the Paris Review which makes me think that rather than conceived holistically from the start, the author is trying to make connections between each character in retrospect. Not one I expect to see on the shortlist even if Szalay has been named previously as a Granta Best Young British Novelist.
Madeleine Thien – Do Not Say We Have Nothing: relates the story of musicians who suffered during and after China's Cultural Revolution. Another case where I had to rely upon a sample since it's not available through the library system or NetGalley and I refuse to shed out a lot of money on hard cover fiction even though I am a sucker for novels that pull back the curtain on Chinese culture. The first chapter introduces us to the narrator Li-ling lives with her mother in Vancouver. Her father disappeared some years earlier, and subsequently committed suicide. His wife keeps all his papers in boxes under the kitchen table which she pores over to try and make sense of what happened to him. The arrival into the Vancouver apartment of a teenage relative forced to flee China following the suppression of the Tiananmen Square uprising, enables Li-ling to assemble the story of her father and his profound but troubled relationship with his wife's family. What I've read was enough to whet my appetite to this is going onto the wishlist for when I can find a reasonably priced copy. Will it get shortlisted – maybe….
Other bloggers have been far more diligent than I have in reading the longlist so do go and check out their reviews.
Snapshot August 2016
July came and went in a blink of the eye. August will likely go just as quickly and then all we'll hear about for the next few months is that dreaded word Christmas. I've already seen promotions from a hotel and a local restaurant even though some people have only just headed off for their summer holiday. I know retailers in the UK have been moaning about low sales because of the crap summer weather so far but it's depressing how the commercial world seems intent on pushing the Christmas season earlier and earlier. I'm going to turn a blind eye to it all and just focus on the month ahead.
So as a new month begins this is a bit of a wrap up of what's I've been reading recently and what I'm planning or the month ahead.
Just Finished
July was a good month during which I managed to read 4 books for the #20booksofsummer challenge and make a little space in the TBR pile.
It's taken me a few years to get around to reading Sheri Fink's Five Days at Memorial.(reviewed here). The subject matter made it challenging but it was worth the effort – the issues raised by Fink about medical ethics during times of disaster have made for some heated discussions among friends and relatives. I also read the wonderful Bel Canto by Ann Patchett -my first experience of her writing but I know it will not the be the last. July saw the completion of two Booker prize winners – Last Orders by Graham Swift and The Life & Times of Michael K by J. M Coetzee. I had planned to read to short story collections but so far have managed just one of them – The Thing Around My Neck by Chimamanda Adichie with the help of advice in response to my question on how to approach a collection of short stories. Most people recommended I read them in bite size pieces which helped hugely.
Reading Currently
I have two books on the go at the moment. Tree of Life: A Novel of the Caribbean is a 1992 novel by the Guadeloupean writer, Maryse Condé. It's the story of three generations of one family and their rise from poverty against a backdrop of racial tension and world events like the construction of the Panama Canal and World War 1. It's my choice for #womeninliterature month. I'm about a third of the way through and finding it OK but not that engaging. Certainly not as riveting as my other read which is Moskva by Jack Grimwood. Set in the 1980s it features a British intelligence officer sent to Moscow to avoid an investigation over his actions in Northern Ireland. Shortly after his arrival he gets roped in to help find the Ambassador's daughter who has gone missing. This is a page turner that was highlighted by the Daily Telegraph as one of the best crime novels of 2016.
On the Horizon
If it's August then it has to be AllAugust/AllVirago of which I'll be reading A Favourite of the Gods by Sybille Bedford and posting a few reviews for Viragos I read earlier in the summer but haven't got around to reviewing yet. I have a few NetGalley review copies requiring my attention including The Sleeping World by Gabrielle Lucille Fuentes which is set in 1970s post-Franco Spain and The Explosion Chronicles by Yan Lianke. What comes after that I haven't yet decided since I don't like making detailed plans which feel constraining. There'll certainly be a Booker title in the mix but I know I'm not going to get around to making much of an impression on the 2016 longlist other than reading some samples of each title.
The 20 Books of Summer Referendum
The in/out debate over UK's membership of the European Union is nothing compared to my own debate on whether to join the Twenty Books of Summer Challenge. I've been in a quandary ever since Cathy at 746 books announced the challenge is about to begin. "Out" says the rational part of my brain which knows that a) I have no hope in hell of reading 20 books in three months and b) I don't do all that well with reading to a list. "In" screams the emotional side of my brain which argues that it sounds like a lot of fun.
Maybe it was the influence of today's sunshine but the two sides seem to have reached a point where they agree to disagree and have signed a compromise pledge allowing me 50% participation. Step forward the "BookerTalk not the 20 books of summer list" whereby I read just 10 books. Which means I join in with the fun but have none of the angst if I don't make it. And just to give further protection, right brain has allowed me to pick more than 10 books so I don't feel the need to go off piste.
My list is a mixture, mainly of Booker Prize titles (still trying to get that challenge completed by year end), short story collections and Viragos. With the exception of the first two, they are all part of my TBR collection.
- This Must Be the Place by Maggie O'Farrell – Read –review posted here
I've loved O'Farrell's work ever since a friend gave me The Disappearing Act of Esme Lemmox so of course when I learned she had a new novel out (that the Guardian newspaper called "technically dazzling", I immediately got my name on the library reservation list. Good news is it's arrived just in time for me to make this the first one I read for the challenge.
- The Female Detective by Andrew Forrester. did not finish
This is a new title in the British Library Crime Classic series. I have an advanced copy via NetGalley. It was first published in 1864 and is said to be the first novel in British fiction to feature a professional female detective.
- NW by Ali Smith Read
Smith is someone I've long felt I should get to know better. Her last novel "How to be Both" was stunning so I'd like to read some of her back catalogue. I just happen to have NW on the bookshelves.
- High Rising by Angela Thirkell Read – review posted here
Thirkell's name keeps cropping up amongst bloggers but I've never read her. This is probably one of the least demanding of the books on my list.
- A Favourite of the Gods by Sybille Bedford
A Virago copy I picked up in a charity shop. Should be good for the All August All Virago themed reading month.
- Frost in May by Antonia White
Another Virago. In fact the first Virago I ever read. I was fairly young at the time. Will it hold my attention as much the second time around?
- Last Orders by Graham Swift. Read
Swift won the 1996 Booker Prize title with this tale of a group of friends who set off for the seaside to scatter the ashes of one of their members who just died. I enjoyed the film. Mr Booker Talk tells me I'll enjoy the books just as much
- The Old Devils by Kingsley Amis.
Another Booker winner – this time from 1986. It's set in my home country of Wales
- Life & Times of Michael K by J M Coetzee. Read
My third and final Booker winner, from 1983. This will be the third Coetzee book for me to read. The previous two have been superb. Hope this makes it a hat trick.
- The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimanda Adichie Read
I'm guilty here of the 'save if for a rainy day' syndrome. I am eking out Adichie's work because it's so good but now I have only Half a Yellow Sun left to read. I somehow don't want to start it because then it will be over. Stupid I know. In the meantime I shall enjoy this collection of her short stories that I picked up on my first visit to the Hay Festival Oxfam shop.
- An Elergy for Easterly by Petina Gappah
Another short story collection, this time from a Zimbabwean author. Gappah made the 2016 Baileys Prize longlist with her novel, The Book of Memory, becoming the first author from her country to reach this stage of the award.
- Fear and Trembling by Amelie Northomb Read – review posted here
I regularly ask work colleagues for recommendations of authors from their home country. For Belgium, the name of Amelie Northomb was mentioned regularly and was recommended in the View From Here feature on Belgium. Fear and Trembling is actually set in Japan but is the only one of her works I have.
- Tree of Life by Maryse Conde
Conde is a French (Guadeloupean) author who was a finalist for the Man Booker international award a few years ago. Tree of Life is a multigenerational story about the emergence of the West Indian middle class and tells the politics of race and immigration, and the legacy of colonialism in the Caribbean. It will be the first book I've read by an author from that part of the world.
So there you have it. 13 titles that should keep me quiet over the summer months. If I do make it to 10 I'll consider it a miracle but the fun isn't really whether I make it – it's the getting there.
Sunday Salon: Looking back Looking ahead
As Spring has officially given way to summer time in the UK, it seems a good time to think about the year so far and take a peak at what's next on my reading horizon.
Let's start with the good news. My TBR pile is shrinking (round of applause please). I've read eight from the list of 139 books that were on my shelves or on the e-reader as of January . Despite many temptations I've bought only one book so far this year. My wish list has exploded however.
Of all the books I've read so far this year only two really stand out for me: L'Assommoir by Emile Zola and the 1999 Booker prize winner Disgrace by J. M Coetzee. If I was the sort of person that used a star-rating system they would be in the 5 star category. They couldn't be more different in terms of setting or themes – Zola's focus is on the miserable condition of the poor in nineteenth century Paris whereas Coetzee looks at the issue of life after the ending of apartheid in South Africa. What they have in common is the way they make you pause from whatever else is going on in your life and to think instead about the condition of the human race.
It wasn't a surprise that the Zola was so good because I've enjoyed three other novels by him (Germinal is one of my all-time favourites) but I'd never read anything by Coetzee. Based on this experience I was getting fired up to read two of his works that I already have on my shelves − his 1983 Booker Prize winning Life & Times of Michael K and Summertime published in 2009. On closer inspection however I found that the latter is the third in a series of "fictionalised memoirs" so isn't going to make much sense until I read the first two. I'll have to check whether I can get them from the library.
Looking back over the last few months I think I've neglected my Booker Prize project a little. I'm not following any deadline for this project but since this was what prompted me to start blogging, I feel I should be making rather more progress than I have of late. So I am rectifying that right now by starting The Bone People which won the Booker Prize in 1984 for the New Zealand author Keri Hulme.
It's a story of relationships in which Maori myths and folk traditions are blended with a modern day setting of life. The mystical tones of the opening didn't give me great hope:
It is all silence.
The silence is music.
He is the singer.
They were nothing more than people by themselves. Even paired, any pairing, they would have been nothing more than people by themselves. But all together they have become the heart and muscles and mind of something perilous and new, something strange and growing and great. Together, all together, they are the instruments of change.
Fortunately we've had less of this as the story got underway though I sense it will not go away entirely. Interesting to note in the author's introduction that she refused her publisher's guidance about editing the book, declaring she would rather have the book "embalmed in Perspex" than re-shaped.
After that, it's a toss up between Graham Swift's 1996 winner Last Orders or the 1992 winner— Michael Ondaatje's The English Patient.
Any of you read either of those and can give me a recommendation?
Life after the Booker – postscript
Apparently my knowledge of Booker prize winners is somewhat unreliable. In my last post I commented that no-one has won the prize twice. Fortunately Laura at http://completebooker.blogspot.co.uk/ is considerably more clued up and tells me that in fact two people have achieved that honour.
Peter Carey won in 1988 (Oscar and Lucinda) and 2001 (True History of the Kelly Gang)
J M Coetzee won in 1983 (Life and Times of Michael K) and again in 1999 (Disgrace).
Glad that someone could help me set the record straight.


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כתיבת הטסט הראשון Selenium Webdriver - יוני פלנר (גיליון#1)
מאמר זה הופיע בגיליון#1 של מגזין עולם הבדיקות - לצפייה בפורמט המלא כולל קישורים וכד' ובשאר מאמרי גיליון זה:
כתיבת הטסט הראשון Selenium Webdriver - יוני פלנר (גיליון#1)
מאמר זה הופיע בגיליון#1 של מגזין עולם הבדיקות - לצפייה בפורמט המלא כולל קישורים וכד' ובשאר מאמרי גיליון זה:
חובה להיות משתמש רשום במערכת בכדי להגיב - ההרשמה/כניסה בכותרת האתר
Good ideas come back around. As I sit here re-reading my notes from Let's Test 2017, I remember the thrill of coming across so many new ideas there, and realize how much these three things stick out to me even now.Causal loop diagramsIt's possible I'd seen a causal loop disgram before, but it wasn't until I went to Jo Perold and Barry Tandy's "Visualize your way to better problem solving" workshop that I knew the name for them. Here's an example of how connecting nouns with verbs via bubbles and letters really clears things up.During the workshop, Jo and Barry talked about how drawing a diagram of your software in this way can help you discover interaction points between systems. Sharing the diagram is one way to take the invisible software you're building into a visible space. That allows us to have a conversation about the model, discover if we're on the same page, and take steps to improve the model and ultimately the software. The more visualizations I see of process and influence on the job, the more I realize they're exposing Conway's Law.Elisabeth Hendrickson wrote in Explore It! about how causal loop diagrams can help you discover interesting areas to test. She pointed out that transitions from one state to another take time, and there's lots to be discovered during the moments of transition about interruptions, errors, and incomplete states.Nelson Repenning and John Sterman used a causal loop diagram to display a human problem: not prioritizing time for improving. Read their whole[…]15.09.2019 | 12:50 קרא עוד...
I've just returned from POST/CON, the annual Postman users' conference, and I am so excited about everything I learned there! So excited, in fact, that I'm going to devote not one, but TWO blog posts to sharing my findings.If you aren't already using Postman for your API testing, why on earth not? It's the best API testing tool out there! My opinion was reinforced this week, when I learned just how easy it is to create API examples and mock responses. I'll be teaching you how to do both things in today's post.The instructions in this post will be for the free version of Postman, and I'll be using version 7. Your results will look slightly different in version 6; and the Pro version of Postman will have more functionality for the documentation and mocks than will be described here.First, examples: why would you want to create an example of a request? Because it's a great way to show other people on your team how the request is supposed to work. It can also be used to create documentation for your API. The request I'll be using for today's post is one of the GET requests from Mark Winteringham's wonderful API, Restful-Booker. Here is the request and the response:You can see that this is a GET request that is asking for the booking with the ID of 1, and that the response returns the booking with the first and last name, checkin and checkout dates, and other details. If we wanted to[…]14.09.2019 | 9:31 קרא עוד...
TestBash came back to Munich again this year! Despite taking place at my home town, I had planned to skip this edition due a full conference schedule this year. However, when I learned that Parveen Khan will present as well, I instantly bought a ticket. She was one of the first persons that exchanged thoughts about my #CodeConfident challenge with me last year so I was eager to hear her speak.This year was the first time that workshops were offered the day before the conference. I did not join them yet I only heard good things about them, so that's an option to consider next year. For me, TestBash Germany started with a nice pre-conference meetup where I met many people also from the local community again!The next day, the conference started. The wonderful Alex Schladeback agreed to live blog again so check out her great posts linked below to get a good impression of the presented talks. Besides that, here are the sketchnotes I created on the day. "(Mis)Using Personas with the Seven Dwarfs" by Cassandra H. Leung "(Mis)Using Personas with the Seven Dwarfs" by @Tweet_Cassandra #TestBash pic.twitter.com/eIkhMk4aYB — Elisabeth Hocke (@lisihocke) September 13, 2019 "When to Say No to Automation" by Jack Taylor "When to Say No to Automation" by @jack_taylor24 #TestBash pic.twitter.com/lCMXgGGj9F — Elisabeth Hocke (@lisihocke) September 13, 2019 "A Tester's Survival Guide for Agile Transition" by Parveen Khan "A Tester's Survival Guide for Agile Transition" by @Parveen_Khan10 #TestBash pic.twitter.com/V1Ag0aD2HX — Elisabeth Hocke (@lisihocke) September 13, 2019 "Performance Testing of Web Applications[…]14.09.2019 | 3:18 קרא עוד...


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A winery that needs no introduction, Columbia Crest remains one of the most popular wineries in the United States. There is good reason behind this, as I have had sampled hundreds of great bottles from this winery over the past ten years plus years. I can say that consistently the winemaking has been excellent, especially considering the price of these wines. There is a reason why these wines sell so well – because the winemaking is excellent, the fruit is good and the attention to detail is clearly there. If you are out in the Columbia Valley, be sure to check out their tasting room, outside of Patterson, Washington. It is literally in the middle of nowhere but it is an absolutely gorgeous country setting that provides a nice respite from the city.
I had the chance to interview Columbia Crest superstar winemaker Juan Munoz Oca a few weeks back. His new release wines were absolutely gorgeous, none more so than their impressive 2013 'Walter Clore Reserve' (WWB, 93), which over-delivers at its price point and offers gobs of rich dark fruit and a silky texture. Another new release red wine that impressed for the price is the 2014 Columbia Crest 'Gold Label' (WWB, 90) that continues to be one of the great values in wine. It is hard to find the density and fruit weight in a red wine at this price. Consistently one of the best bargains in Washington wine, their 2014 Columbia Crest 'H3' Cabernet (WWB, 90) shows nice dark fruit flavors and remains one of the best value Cabernet wines in the United States today. Look for these wines at Costco as well as most Northwest supermarkets. Learn more about Columbia Crest wines at columbiacrest.com Here are the great new value release wines by Columbia Crest.
2014 Columbia Crest 'Grand Estates Unoaked' Chardonnay- This bright colored wine opens with aromatics of peach pit, vanilla custard and hints of brioche. There are rich flavors of banana, pineapple, white peach and creme brulee. With a rich texture and polished mouthfeel, this is just an awesome value Chardonnay. Drink 2016-2021- 90
2014 Columbia Crest 'Crowdsourced' Cabernet-Columbia Crest has created this wine through the ideas articulated by their online community, as the online members consistently weigh in regarding the winemaking of this Cabernet. This inaugural vintage is a huge success. The 2014 'Crowdsourced' Cabernet by Columbia Crest is an excellent bottling, sourced from the Horse Heaven Hills, which sat 16 months in 30% new oak barrels prior to bottling. Coming from a great vintage for Cabernet, the wine is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Malbec, 4% Petit Verdot, and 2% Merlot. This wine opens with aromas of black tea, coffee grounds and black cherry with black olive accents. The palate has a nice mineral streak, with rich flavors of black olive, black cherry, anise and coffee grounds. This Cabernet shows nice poise from this hot vintage. Drink 2016-2021- 90
2014 Columbia Crest 'Grand Estates Gold' Red Wine- The 2014 'Grand Estates Gold' is a compellingblend of 46% Cabernet Franc, 36% Syrah, 17% Malbec, and 1% Other. The red blend comes out of the bottle an inky, glass staining dark purple. There are dense aromas of boysenberry, wet gravel, and violet on the nose. The wine spent 14 months in 58% new oak, and the mild coconut and vanilla flavors enhance rather than overwhelm this wine. The finish offers the minerality from the Syrah and the herbaceousness from the Cabernet Franc. This is a surprisingly complex wine and a fantastic value buy. Drink 2016-2021- 90 (S.L.)
2014 Columbia Crest 'H3' Merlot- This well-made Merlot bottling begins with aromatics of tasted herbs and boysenberry on the nose. This Merlot offers a surprisingly complex but harmonious palate with notes of blackberry, raspberry, bramble, dill, and vanilla. The wine finishes with velvety tannins and a little bit of cocoa powder. Drink now, but like previous H3 Merlots, it will cellar well in the short-term .Drink 2016-2021- 89 (S.L.)
2014 Columbia Crest 'H3' Cabernet-Columbia Crest has gained a sterling reputation for outstanding values out of Washington State, and this wine is no exception. This excellent Cabernet is blended with 16% Merlot. Immediately you'll notice the aroma of cherries and blackberries bursting out of the glass. The wine continues to exude more ripe berries and cherry pie on the palate with the subtle addition of leather and even a hint of tobacco. The Cabernet finishes with a moderate tannic structure and a smooth, ripe fruit ending with a slight mineral streak in the background. This Cabernet would pair beautifully with most red meats, but the Cabernet also has potential to pair nicely with chocolate focused desserts. While the blend of the Columbia Crest 'H3' Cabernet changes from year to year (typically it's well over 90% Cabernet), the winemaking has resulted in a remarkably consistent wine and if you've enjoyed H3 Cabernet in past years, you're sure to enjoy the 2014 as well. Drink 2016-2022- 90 (S.L)
2013 Columbia Crest 'Walter Clore Reserve' Red Wine- The 2013 Columbia Crest 'Walter Clore Reserve' Red Wine is an exceedingly good wine from this estate and is up there with the best 'Walter Clore' wines that I have sampled in the past decade. The wine is a silky blend of 64% Merlot, 34% Cabernet with the remainder Cab Franc and Malbec. This impressive red blend begins with baking spices, prune, black cherry and black olive on the nose. The palate has dense flavors of blackberry pie, black cherry, black olive and mocha. Dense, chewy and balanced, this is gorgeous right now and shows nice viscosity on the mid-palate. There is a seamless quality to this wine that reminds me of the rich, yet elegant 2004 'Walter Clore' bottling. Drink 2016-2026- 93


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By Priyanka Ghosh, Manager, Communications and Marketing, EngenderHealth
The annual Social Good Summit is always an event I'd catch online, but this year was different because I had the opportunity to attend in-person, and it did not disappoint. One of the great sessions that I attended was the Social Good Master Class, which offered some great insight into the role of men and boys in family planning.
The class is an opportunity for global bloggers and development practitioners to learn from thought leaders who "defied norms to make a difference." The session was entitled "Family Planning: Not Just for Women" and focused on the need to engage men and boys as clients, partners, and agents of change to achieve global sexual and reproductive health goals and equality. Here are some highlights:
Elman Nsinda, journalist, citizen activist, and member of the White Ribbon Alliance from Uganda, sparked the conversation by sharing a recent incident in Uganda when a man refused to pay a medical center 50,000 Ugandan shillings (around $20 USD) to help his wife, who was in labor. In the absence of skilled medical care, his wife died—a tragic and needless death. According to Nsinda, in most families men are the decision makers when it comes to sexual relations and reproductive health, including whether or when women can seek health care. He said, "In Africa, men decide. It is therefore important to reach out to them, as they exercise control over critical decisions." Nsinda recommended that social and health programs be more welcoming to men and boys, who need to play constructive roles in promoting health.
Jenifer DeAtley, Director of U.S. Programs and the Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Advisor at EngenderHealth, shared her experiences from the Gender Matters (Gen.M) project in Travis County, Texas. This state currently has the third highest teenage pregnancy rate in the United States, with more than 73,000 girls becoming pregnant each year. The project works toward preventing teenage pregnancies by engaging young people in discussions around healthy relationships, consent, gender, sexually transmitted infections, and contraceptive options. Jenifer shared a key takeaway from EngenderHealth's long-standing work with men, which is that synchronizing programs to focus on both men and women, girls and boys, increases the likelihood of success and leads to better health outcomes. She added, "It is important to make young people see where gender norms come from in their daily lives, recognize these influences, and empower them to redefine who they want to be as young men and women. When we engage them in such conversations, it helps them to build more stable homes inside their own relationships."
To date, however, reaching young men has been challenging: "Young fathers [have] often been one of the hardest communities to tap into. There are few services designed for young men, particularly young fathers. Young men are hesitant to go to health clinics because there is fear and stigma associated with accessing health care services. It's understandable, because often advertisements for clinics are designed in a way that gives the impression that it is a woman's space. It is important to have messaging that's welcoming, particularly for young men. They should be able to walk into these spaces and not feel that they are in the wrong spot. It is important to have a human-centered approach that puts young people first."
The moderator, Alencia Johnson, from Planned Parenthood Federation of America, wrapped up the session by asking Elman and Jenifer what they hoped would be the impact of their work involving men and boys. Elman reinforced that since men are often the decision makers in his community, it is important that they are encouraged to be responsible and held accountable for their behaviors. Jenifer mentioned that she hopes EngenderHealth's work in sexual and reproductive health and rights will help move the needle on many of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Based on the recurring theme throughout the session, it was evident that in the future, countries and donors must increase investment in and create programs that focus on engaging both men and women as part of the solution to achieve health and equality.


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King Willem-Alexander was spotted walking the streets of The Hague on Thursday afternoon. He was on his way to Palace Noordeinde by car when a bus broke down and blocked the road. Not wanting to be late for his appointment - a staff reception at the palace in honor of his upcoming 50th birthday - the Dutch King completed the journey by foot, ANP reports.
The reception at the palace for the staff is a tradition around the King's birthday. It also kicks off a week of celebrations for King Willem-Alexander, who turns 50 on April 27th.


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Sorry about the lack of Offside update - I do hope to get one out this evening. Real life has struck pretty hard this week. As some of you may recall, I've been battling the school soccer coach regarding my son's hair length. That battle is in full force now, and it's taken up all of my spare time the last couple of days. It's also given me a doozy of a headache. :)
Good luck to my Columbus Crew playing against Newcastle tonight! My husband is apparently torn with his allegiances - he's wearing his Newcastle jersey and a Crew scarf. They clash. Big time. I'm not going to make the game myself, so hopefully that means a bit of writing time this evening.
Hope everyone is having a great day, and staying out of the heat! It's still really bad here.


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Master of Arts in Ministerial Leadership
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