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Rutu's graceful characterizations and subtle palette give her the ability to engage with all ages. Her roots in comic book art influence her compositions and her regular travels to international conferences keep her work fresh and contemporary. Rutu has enjoyed work with publishing, design and editorial clients and also works as an author. A full range of her striking images can be seen on our Behance pages.
Please follow and like us:


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|Salt Mephit CR 3
N Small outsider (earth)
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +6
AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+2 Dex, +1 dodge, +3 natural, +1 size)
hp 19 (3d10+3); fast healing 2 (works only in arid environments)
Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +3
DR 5/magic
Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft. (average)
Melee 2 claws +5 (1d3+1)
Special Attacks breath weapon (15-foot cone, effect based on type, Reflex DC 13 for half)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th)
1/day—summon (level 2, 1 mephit of the same type 25%), glitterdust 1/hour.
Str 13, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 6, Wis 11, Cha 14
Base Atk +3; CMB +3; CMD 15
Feats Dodge, Improved Initiative
Skills Bluff +8, Fly +10, Perception +6, Stealth +12
Languages Common, one appropriate elemental language (Aquan, Auran, Ignan, or Terran)
Breath Weapon (Su)
Each type of mephit can unleash a particular breath weapon every 4 rounds as a standard action. The DC is Constitution-based and includes a +1 racial bonus.
The breath weapon of a salt mephit is a cone of salt crystals that deals 1d4 slashing damage. The salt also causes living creatures to be sickened for 3 rounds. A Reflex save halves the damage and negates the sickened effect.
Dehydrate (Su)
Once per day a salt mephit can draw the moisture from an area in a 20-foot radius centered on itself. Living creatures within range take 2d8 points of damage (Fortitude DC 14 half; caster level 6th). This effect is especially devastating to plant and aquatic creatures, which take a –2 penalty on their saving throws. This ability is the equivalent of a 2nd-level spell
Environment any (elemental planes)
Organization solitary, pair, gang (3–6), mob (7–12)
Treasure standard
Salt mephits are commonly found on the Plane of Earth. These mephits are cruel and aloof.

subset: commoncrawl


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I don't know about you, but I feel like I've been bombarded with reasons not to eat bacon! This is an interesting article, on Holistic Blends, that gives a different perspective. Granted, it does still say that we need to be careful how we buy and then how we cook bacon, but it does give guidelines for keeping bacon as a healthy option for breakfast!!
Is bacon bad for you? (And other fat advice)
Unfortunately many people are completely in the dark when it comes to saturated fats like bacon (and other red meats for that matter), and have come to believe they should be avoided at all cost because they cause heart disease.
Well, that's not exactly correct.
Let me explain why the belief that bacon is the devil is not accurate, as well as enlighten you about the health benefits of bacon (and other forms of fat too!).
Read on for reasons why bacon can be a healthy food…


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I thought for sure after I had gotten married I would be rescued from the judgment of smug married people (SMPs) after all I'm in the club now. I'm an SMP! Huzzah! I can't wait to be insufferable and offer wisdom-filled gems to the poor singles of the world, like "when you stop looking, you'll find love" and "you really have to love yourself first," and "you just have to open yourself up to love," and "he didn't deserve you." Okay that last one is always dripping with truth, so I get a pass when I say that.
Anyway. I found I was not immune from the judgement of SMPs fairly quickly after our the nuptial glitter settled to the floor of our apartment. (It turns out all people are terrible, all the time, who knew.)
The first true twist of judgement came on our honeymoon, in fact. We had spent much of our Jamaican adventure free of both stress and side eye. (Despite feeling like Disney had designed everything we encountered on the island. Thanks, Cool Runnings!) We had even met a number of pleasant fellow honeymooners and retired snowbirds (because those are the only demographic groups who go to Jamaica) who lavished us with well wishes.
Then on the last day, the judgement came. From a Canadian couple no less. We met them in the hot tub and started chatting about our time in Jamaica. He was a firefighter who apparently gets more than a month of vacation each year (so, moral of the story is, move to Canada if you can stomach it). She was a stay-at-home mom who eventually worked part time as a waitress or secretary or sales associate or something. That part wasn't entirely clear.
The judgement seeped in quietly as she insisted that The Guy (I'm still trying to figure out a husband pseudonym that isn't gross, so work with me here) and I use social media too much. She had no idea how much this was at this point, mind you. The Guy hasn't logged into his account in months and when he told her as much, she loudly exclaimed that he uses it too damn much, showing the world our business and invading the worlds of others by perusing their profiles and life was much simpler when she was a kid, etc., etc.
I thought little of it because she was a generation older and with kids who were just entering or now exiting the precarious teen years, I can understand how she might fear the vast and oftentimes depraved and unfiltered world we live in via social media. She continued to question various decisions we made as we discussed our recent wedding, but, unruffled (with no where else to go), I continued the exchange as the menfolk headed to the bar for another round of Dirty Monkeys or some other such ridiculous rum-based and vaguely racist drink.
It was then that she found out I was 30. And put together the fact that I had not been married before that fated age. "You're 30? And you just got married?" Her question was saturated with judgement. "Do you have kids?" When I replied "nope," she immediately went into the "when are you having kids?" line of questioning.
I should note that this is one cliche I successfully avoided the entire wedding weekend. Despite having more right to the answer than this stranger, people who I've known intimately my entire life didn't think to ask such an audacious, none-ya-business kind of question. When I politely explained that we were going to wait a couple years, she looked horrified and matter-of-factly said , "your mother must be heartbroken."
At this point I was done. I replied that my mother was fine with my choices and I couldn't be happier with my life. And then, like an answered prayer, The Guy appeared by my side and whispered frantically, "we have to get out of here."
I look to the firefighting husband and notice he's jawing. I immediately think he just offered my husband coke and that's why we had to leave. But, the fact that he was coked out was apparently the least of our worries.
Turns out The Guy was having a very different conversation with this sanctimonious woman's husband at the bar. It seemed the firefighter was woefully disappointed with the beginning of his month-long Jamaican vacation because they had been displaced from their intended resort due to a booking error.
Yep. Apparently while his wife was criticizing my life decisions, her husband was proposing some truly terrible ones to mine. I don't know if she was unhappy with her marriage and that's why she felt the need to speak out against my sparkly new one or if she was completely satisfied with her husband's equal opportunity sex life, but only because they had done the right thing by getting married at 20 years of age.
Whatever her twisted reasoning was, I just can't understand how she could reconcile these two apparent truths in her head:
- It's wrong to wait until you're 30 to get married.
- It's right to sleep with other people when you're married.
The mind boggles, man.
All I could conclude from this encounter is that people are weird. And they will always feel their weirdness is more right than yours. So you do you, you freak. Just don't push your freak streak on honeymooners if you can help it. It makes them uncomfortable.
Cover image via.


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Check here regularly for constantly-updated events all around Pittsburgh
Sewickley Light Up Night is a longstanding holiday tradition! Bring the whole family to Sweetwater on December 1 for our Let the Men Cook Fundraiser! Enjoy holiday music, Holiday mART shopping, and a gourmet meal provided by our all male volunteer-chef team! The evening menu includes many original family recipes that won't disappoint! All ages welcome!
*Shopping extended until 10:00pm.
TICKETS AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR ONLY. $15/adult, $5/children 12 & under
Holiday mART is a fundraiser. As a nonprofit organization, Holiday mART proceeds support Sweetwater's numerous art programs and scholarships for children and adults held throughout the year in addition to providing support to participating artists.
Our holiday tradition of Amahl returns December 15 & 17 with a new production at the Charity Randall Theatre at the University of Pittsburgh starring Aspinwall native Liam McCarthy! Alongside this family favorite, we are thrilled to feature regular Resonance Works artists Marissa Knaub Avon and Andrew Genemans as soloists in lush contrasting works of Debussy and Vivaldi.


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I am an artist, designer, and art director with a masters degree in art, and over 15 years experience as a graphic designer.
The work showcased on this site draws from my work as a freelance designer, as well as two long tenures at IKEA, and with the Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Organizing committee.
I'm currently working as Art and Design Director at banter grace & lollipop, and taking on freelance design projects.
I was once quite addicted to television, the subject of many of my drawings. Currently, I'm addicted to fiction; It feels healthier.
Let's talk if you'd like any more information on rates and availability, or if you need some advice on which YA novel to read. I consider myself a bit of an expert in that area.
<--My kid drew that.
I owe much of my success as both an artist and a desiger to extraordinary opportunities for collaboration with amazingly talented people.
<--My other kid drew that. Yes, those are Twilight vampires.
The VANOC Brand & Creative Services team that created and developed the Look of the Games Graphic system included Jackie Boucher, Karen Clark, Melanie Kimmett, Shawn Parkinson, Ben Hulse, Chloe Douglas, and myself, under the Design Direction of Leo Obstbaum.
The Look of the Games design team included Jackie Boucher, Karen Clark, Jenny McCleery, and myself. The four of us shared the responsibilities of development, art direction, design, and production design.
I am forever indebted to David Benson and Jon Wayne Cummins, my long-term artistic collaborators, and most formative creative influences in my life.


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Branchable can now use Lets Encrypt to get https certificates.
We plan to eventually use this for all sites hosted at Branchable, but if you'd like to help test it with your site, you can now. Just go to the Control Panel, click on the Setup button for your site, check the box for "use Lets Encrypt to generate http certificate", and save the change.
It may take a day or two for your site to get a certificate from Lets Encrypt, depending on how many others are requesting a certificate. Once your site gets a Lets Encrypt certificate, it should be renewed every 90 days automatically from then on.
Today we've enabled login by email address on Branchable, as an alternative to openid login.
So, all you need to make a site on Branchable now is an email address! Also, users can log into your sites on Branchable using their email.
We know that some Branchable users were relying on now defunct openid providers like Google and MyOpenid. We can switch your sites over to use an email address instead if you want; just get in touch.
On Saturday, May 16th, Branchable will be upgraded to the new Debian 8.0 release. We do not anticipate significant downtime during this upgrade.
Update: Upgrade has completed successfully. Sites were down for 5 minutes.
Update 19 May: Branchable was overloaded this morning, due to some config changes that happened as part of this updated. This should be fixed now.
Google's Openid login support has been discontinued. Many Branchable users relied on it to log into your sites, and you'll find that once your existing login cookie expires, you can't log back in via Google.
We recommend getting an openid from a different provider, such as http://pip.verisignlabs.com/. If you created a Branchable site using a Google openid, you should email us with your new openid, so we can update your site to use it.
Update: Seems that Google has changed their minds and their openid is going to continue to work until April 2015 or possibly 2017. We still recommend changing to a different openid provider.
Update: Discontinued for real as of 23 April 2015. See login using email address for a new way to log in.
Branchable's web server was vulnerable to the heartbleed openssl vulnerability. It's possible that https private keys could have been leaked to attackers.
We've upgraded Branchable, closing the security hole. However, to regain security, any https certificates need to be regenerated, and the old keys revoked. We're working to do that for Branchable's own https certificate.
Branchable users who installed their own https certificate should consider updating it too.
Update: Branchable's SSL certificate has been replaced. We have pre-emptively closed all existing login sessions to all Branchable sites, in order to guard against session hijacking. It is now safe to log back in.
We now support use of https for Branchable sites. Every site under *.branchable.com has https enabled now. Go try yours!
If you have your own DNS for your Branchable site, you will need to get your own SSL certificate to go with it. For details, see using https.
We've also made the Branchable controlpanel be accessed using https by default.
On Thursday, May 9th between 11 am and 12 pm, Branchable will be down for scheduled maintenance of its hardware. It will probably not be down for the entire hour.
On Saturday May 11th, Branchable will be upgraded to the new Debian 7.0 release. We do not anticipate significant downtime during this upgrade.
Update: Pushing this back until May 18th. --Joey
As part of the Debian 7.0 upgrade, some new ikiwiki features will become available. The most notable feature is the addition of avatar pictures of users who post comments.
Branchable's hosting provider, Linode, recently had its security compromised by an attacker.
So far we have no evidence that the attacker could have gotten access to Branchable due to this compromise. We're continuing to investigate, and if we do see any indication that our security could have been breached, we will immediately inform our users, and reinstall Branchable from secure backups.
We'll also be evaluating how Linode deals with this security breach going forward, and deciding whether to remain at this hosting provider.
While we have no reason to believe an attacker got into Branchable, this is a good time to review our security practices. As far as your own data stored at Branchable goes, there are basically three things to think about from a security perspective:
git repository security
The git repository that stores your site prevents an attacker from modifying a file without it being easily noticed. They would have to make a git commit with any malicious changes. If you have cloned your git repository to your own computer, you can examine this clone to verify your data at Branchable has not been tampered with.
Since your site's configuration is also stored in git, in the
setup branch, git can also be used to verify that it has not been
tampered with.
authentication security
We don't use passwords to control access to the Branchable control panel, or to your Branchable sites. We consider passwords a security hazard and like to avoid them whenever possible.
Some Branchable sites may be configured, by their owners, to allow users to
log into them with passwords. This is not a default configuration. You can
check if your site allows this by checking if it has the
plugin enabled in the Setup page. Sites that do use
passwordauth do not
store the passwords, but only a salted hash (using Eksblowfish). Any
attacker who compromised Branchable would not be able to access the
passwords of your site's users.
personally identifying information
A small amount of personally identifying information is stored about Branchable users. This includes the name and email of our customers. It also includes a few days of web access logs.
Once again, we have no reason to believe any attacker has compromised Branchable. If we see any indications of a compromise, we'll immediately let you know.
It's my birthday today. Our hosting provider, Linode, has recently upgraded our disk space, bandwidth, memory, and CPU for free. I'm passing this upgrade on to Branchable's users.
- The basic plan has been upgraded from 2 sites to 3 sites.
- The pro plan has been upgraded from 10 sites to 15 sites.
So, go and make more sites here at Branchable! Enjoy! --Joey
Recently Branchable was having a problem, most often in the early morning (US Eastern), where pages would take a very long time to load. We've diagnosed this, and put in a fix.
What was going on was that when certian very large ikiwiki sites would be rebuilt, this blocked attempts to modify them. Behind the scenes, ikiwiki processes piled up waiting on the build to finish. While Branchable handles such load without difficulty, Apache has a limit to the number of clients it can serve at a time, and this would sometimes reach the limit. When it did, all web page accesses would slow to a crawl.
We've fixed this problem at multiple levels. Our web server now has a much higher limit to the number of clients. At the ikiwiki level, it's been modified so it can detect this situation, and, rather than waiting around, display a "Please wait" page that periodically refreshes.
The "Please wait" page is currently only enabled for a few sites that were causing the problem, as we test this new feature, but we anticipate enabling it by default. Since the user was waiting anyway, and this page can display a nice image, I feel it's overall a user interface improvement. That said, I continue to hope that one day ikiwiki will be modified to not block other site modifications while a long rebuild is going on.
We've changed the focus of Branchable, away from being a for-profit corporation. Branchable's parent company, Braawi Ltd is closing down. Branchable will continue as a service run by Joey Hess and Lars Wirzenius.
This change will be reflected in the bills we send our users going forward. The PayPal buttons on the control panel will make payments directly to Joey.
message from Joey
The above is the essence of the change, but I wanted to say something personal as well.
When Lars and I started working on Branchable two years ago, our goal was not to get rich quick. We hoped to provide ourselves with a small income that would supplement our other work and add some flexability to our lives, and we wanted to build a service for people who valued freedom from proprietary lock-in, while wanting something easy to use. I think we've succeeded well at the latter goal; as to the former, we've only made enough money to pay for operating expenses, but not for our time.
And to me, that's ok. I'd rather build something that is done right than make money. And I'm proud that there's a very easy hosting service for Ikiwiki available now, in Branchable.
So I plan to contine operating Branchable, and hope that the users keep paying its operating expenses. And if our current slow growth in new users continues, then who knows, it may still put some food on my table. Until and unless that happens, Branchable isn't a business venture for me, it's a labor of love.
message from Lars
I originally started Braawi as a backup service company, and then did several years of consulting through it. However, I'm now working in a normal job, and it takes a bit of time and money to keep the company alive, so that's why it's shutting down.
I love Branchable. It is wonderful to have a sensible hosting service for my own web/wiki/blog sites, and I enjoy being able to help others host their stuff the same way. I plan to help Joey keep Branchable alive for a long, long time to come.
Today I've installed a new version of ikiwiki, which uses a faster markdown engine called "discount". It's been benchmarked to be up to 40 times faster than the old engine, so enjoy the speed boost! --Joey
On Saturday, 26 November, at 12 pm EST (17:00 GMT), Branchable will be transitioned to new hosting. During this time we expect sites to remain accessible, but in a read-only mode. We expect the move to take less than an hour, and will post updates on identi.ca and twitter.
The move involves an IP address change. Some sites hosted here that have their own domain names hardcode our current IP address. We will contact the owners of such sites to help them move to the new IP address after the transition. To keep such sites from breaking, our old IP address will continue to work too, for the next month.
Update: The move is complete.
Our new IP address is:
Our new IPv6 address is:
Update: The old IP address was decommissioned on January 5th 2012.
Users of Blogger had a scare on Thursday and Friday when their last post or two seemed to go missing. We feel for users who pour their heart into a site, and how they must feel when that happens.
While the Blogger posts were later restored, this made us wonder: Could users of Branchable experience the same uncertainty about data they have entrusted to us?
Well, the two of us behind Branchable bring our own perspectives to keeping your data safe. Actually, we both care so much about backups that each of us felt we had to set up our own backup strategy for Branchable, even though that was redundant work for us. In total we keep at least six copies of all data.
So, we have pretty good backups (we think!), but then so does Blogger (we hope!) The key difference is that we are very interested in making sure you have a copy of all your data, no matter what happens to Branchable. That's why we built Branchable on git, and provide the entire content, including all of its history, of your site as an easy git checkout.
To make that even easier and more automated, today we've added a way to make Branchable push changes from your site out to other git repositories. So every change can be automatically pushed to Github, Gitorious, your own personal server, and as many other places as you can think of.
To turn this on for your site, see setting up git pushes from Branchable.
Remember: Many copies keep bits safe!
Today we enabled IPv6 for all sites hosted at Branchable.
We decided to take this step three months before World IPv6 Day, because we saw no reason to delay -- our IPv6 connectivity is solid; and we delight in bringing world-changing technology to our customers ahead of time.
While IPv6 is enabled by default, we do make it easy for you to opt out of using it on your site. Just go to the Control Panel, click on the Setup button for your site, and check the box to disable IPv6.
Also, of course, if you are using your own domain name, you can choose to point it at only our IPv4 address and not get IPv6.
We will be keeping a close eye on the results of enabling IPv6 this week and going forward, and if it does cause problems we may turn it off. We welcome your feedback about this.
On this Valentine's day, let's talk about commitment.
Today we've updated our pricing for Branchable. Commit to a year's service, and we'll provide it at half of the normal price. That means you can host three sites at Branchable for an entire year, for just $59.99.
To sign up for a year's hosting at this new rate, just visit your Control Panel.
Yesterday evening (December 14, UTC time) Branchable was offline for a couple of hours. This was due to a Denial of Service (DoS) attack on the ISP where Branchable is hosted. The server stayed up, but the ISPs network access was flaky until they got things under control.
To provide an out-of-band way to inform customers of any further such events, we have created identi.ca account for Branchable, and also on Twitter.
To be informed of future issues, please subscribe to one of them, either via your identi.ca or Twitter account, or via the corresponding RSS feed.
Branchable blogs were vulnerable to a cross-site-scripting issue involving comment posting. The underlaying security hole in Ikiwiki is CVE-2010-1673.
This hole has now been fixed on all Branchable sites, and as far as we know, was never exploited in the wild. --Joey
Now your sites hosted at Branchable can be translated into multiple languages. The translations are stored using standard PO files, which makes it easy for translators to use their normal tools to update them.
This is thanks to Ikiwiki's excellent po plugin written by intrigeri. We've fixed it to be configurable via your site's Setup page, and tweaked Branchable so it will Just Work. Getting this kind of advanced stuff working can take some tweaking; Branchable takes care of that kind of thing for you.
Make a translated site today!
Branchable is built entirely using Free Software, by two guys who are also involved in many Free Software projects. Naturally, we're super excited to be able to use Branchable to host wikis and blogs for our own projects. We're especially pleased that it uses version control, and that branches of sites can be easily created by anyone. These things are a perfect fit with Free Software, and are the reason why Branchable's wiki engine Ikiwiki is already used by many Free Software projects such as DragonFly BSD, Monotone, and GNU Hurd.
So, while Branchable is in beta, we're letting Free Software projects sign up with a special, free hosting plan. Once we get out of beta, we'll continue to provide free hosting to projects that signed up in time. So now would be a good time to sign up!
The procedure to get a free site hosted by Branchable for your Free Software project is pretty simple:
- Get an OpenId or email address that will only be used for this Free Software project. (Don't use your personal OpenID or email. This is important.)
- Sign up using that OpenId or email address, and the "Basic" price plan. Since the first month is free, you have a few weeks to build your site and see if Branchable will work for your Free Software project.
- Email email@example.com with "free software" in the subject, and a link to your site(s). We will check them, and convert it to a free account.
Q: How many sites can be hosted for a given Free Software project?
A: For now, we're limiting it to 2, but we may raise that.
Q: How much disk space/bandwidth can we use?
A: We don't enforce hard resource limits, but please keep disk usage to a reasonable amount, and don't plan to use this to serve up disk images!
Q: Branchable is just a startup. What if it fails?
A: You can back up your entire site at any time using
git clone.
And move it, if needed, to any other system with ikiwiki.
(That's what the Franklin Street Statement
is all about.)
Or, if you'd like to help us not fail, please consider also paying
Branchable to host your blog or personal website.


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Islamabad (February 13, 2018): The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has directed all the federal and provincial public sector entities to submit details of contracts costing over 500 million rupees.
The decision was taken in anti-graft watchdog high level meeting presided over by chairman Justice retired Javed Iqbal as it also discussed NAB's awareness and prevention division performance.
Click Play Button To Watch This Video
The chairman NAB taking the notice of the governments' department for not submitting of details of contracts more than 500 million rupees ordered the issuance of notice for submission of details.
"All the Director Generals of NAB make sure the scrutiny of public sector departments contracts and directed the departments which reluctant to submit details action must be taken against them," Chairman said.He also directed the NAB officials to work hard with more concentration, using all abilities and merit to promote transparency.
Related News:


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Nordstrom Anniversary Sale: Best Buys + My Faves
LMents of Style uses affiliate links. By clicking on certain hyperlinks and buying a product, you may help me make a small commission off your purchase. It's links like these that keep this site going. Thank you for your support!
Madewell 10" High Waist Button Front Skinny Jeans | Madewell Crop Anorak Army Jacket | Vince Camuto Kochelda Suede Over The Knee Boot (also has a flat leather version Vince Camuto Patamina Boot | BP Raw Edge V-Neck
It's heeeeere y'all. The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale! I can let the n-sale anxiety out, because once it starts, I can sleep a little easier. I like the share the nordstrom anniversary sale, because I use it to shop for basics...things that are versatile and will last a while. Hey, I like the ring of that...should it be made into a jingle for me or something?! ;) I'm going to cover the sale the entire time, but today I'm going to share:
- my favorite items from the current sale
- my favorite items from previous sales + their updates
- what I'm shopping for
Coming soon, you can for sure expect to see posts on Best of Shoes and Top Picks under $100, anddd other things I'm sure, as I get inspired by the sale! I'm also going to try an incorporate sale looks into everyday blog posts, so you don't just see SALE SALE SALE. Ya feel me?! Before we get into the crazy of "must-have" items, I just wanted to say thank you for coming to my blog to shop the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. I use commissions like these to keep my blog running and cranking out new content. It means so much that you use my little corner of the internet. XOXO
Favorite Jeans:
- Madewell 10" High Waist Button Front Skinny Jeans (On sale for $89!, TTS for Madewell, I wear a 28) ALSO Madewell jeans are NEVER this cheap, so I'll link all 4 pair. I already own the black pair on sale.
Favorite Shoes:
- Rebecca Minkoff Galyn Mules ($99, SO comfy. TTS)
- Madewell The Elinor Loafer Slides ($98, Classic, cute, and comfortable TTS)
- Vince Camuto Kochelda Suede Over The Knee Boot ($159, TTS as last year's boots, so if you sized up then, size up here. I didn't size up at all, but I know some people did LY)
- Vince Camuto Patamina Boot ($159, comes in suede, but also flat leather as well)
- Vince Darlington Flat ($189, a little bit of a splurge but great quality and classic look, TTS
Favorite Jackets
- BlankNYC No Limits Suede Moto Jacket ($125, TTS, I wear a small)
- Madewell Crop Anorak Army Jacket (Under $64, size small I will say it's a little thinner than a denim jacket...more shirt like, but I still consider it a jacket. I love it!)
Favorite Activewear
- Sweaty Betty Cross Train Jacket ($82, A great weight -an all around really pretty workout jacket, I got a small)
- Zella Mira Tank ($24, I swear it looks like a Lululemon tank!, TTS, I got a small)
- Zella Sun Salutations High Waist Legging ($42, TTS, I got a Small)
Favorite Cardigans: (something I noticed about a lot of the cardigans is that they had bubble sleeves (the sleeves have elastic at the cuffs)...which is NOT flattering on me. It seemed to be a trend in a lot of cardis, so just be aware if that's not your thing)
- J. Crew Oversize Wool Blend Cardigan ($65, TTS)
- Halogen Varsity Stripe Cardigan ($59, TTS)
- Madewell Ryder Cardigan ($64, TTS)
- Halogen Long Open Front Cardigan ($42, TTS)
Favorite Basic Tops
- Madewell Oversize Ex-Boyfriend Plaid Top ($52, I got a small)
- Madewell Province Crossback Knit ($45, I already have this in olive! I want it in oatmeal)
- 1State Chiffon Trim Camisole ($38, TTS)
- Spaghetti Strap Lattice Back Tank ($52, TTS)
- BP Lace Trim Satin Camisole ($22, TTS)
- BP long sleeve Raw Edge Scoop Neck Tee (18, TTS)
- BP short sleeve Raw Edge V-Neck Tee ($11, TTS)
Favorite Workwear (I was a little disappointed with what I saw yesterday, but I'll see if I can find more!)
- BlankNYC A-LIne Mini Skirt ($64, plenty of length! I wear a 29)
- BlankNYC Shift Dress ($78, I got a size small. The medium was slightly better length, but too big in the armholes/chest. I don't plan on bending over, so should be fine.lol)
- Vince Darlington Flat ($189, a little bit of a splurge but great quality and classic look, TTS
- Cece Scallop Edge Top ($58, TTS)
Cruelty-Free and Nontoxic Beauty (I haven't had a chance to search everything yet, but these were the only brands I already know and love)
- Tata Harper Complete Skincare Regimen Set ($144, an inexpensive way to try several of her products! I love her resurfacing mask.)
- Herbivore Botanicals Rosewater and Gemstone Trio ($52, a great introduction into the Herbivore line!)
Favorite Accessories (I don't usually buy a tonnnn in this category, but these items caught my eye!)
- Kendra Scott Diane Drop Earrings ($62, I have these in the solid version and I get SO many compliments on them)
- Kendra Scott Miku Earrings ($39, a great twist on the hoop that is coming back in style)
- Shiraleah Tyler Scarf ($21, the perfect neutral, fluffy scarf!)
- Treasure and Bond Printed Silk Square Scarf ($25, fun fall colors!)
1) BlankNYC Suede Moto Jacket - I bought my tan one 2 years ago and it is AMAZING. I would 100% pay full price for it because it's #thatgood, but lucky for you it's on sale! Last year I purchased a black one, because I knew I needed it in my basic arsenal. I feel like this year I need a grey or green?! The silhouette is perfect and the jacket is worth more than the full price they list in my opinion. You can throw it on with a dress or pair it with jeans. It goes with pretty much everything!
This year they switched it up and are offering a hooded suede jacket (hood is fleece) and a drapey suede cardigan. The are offering a mandarin style collar jacket which I think is cute!
2) BlankNYC Suede Mini Skirt - I bought this from the sale last year and I LOVE IT. It is the perfect little fall skirt! It is perfect for a Texas winter, because it's usually still kinda warm, so you only have textures like suede to play around with when it's the "colder" months.
It's back this year in a tan and a grey hue. Love it! I wear a 29 in it for size reference. Not a ton of stretch, because it's suede! Side note, they added a dress this year and I LOVE it.
3) Vince Camuto Suede OTK Boots - These were probably my FAVORITE items I purchased last year. I bought the black over the knee boot in the high heel and the brown over the knee boot in the flat heel. I needed to update both colors of boots and these were style perfection, not to mention super comfy! Dolce Vita is one of my favorite shoe brands because they are so comfy, yet also chic.
This year there is only a flat version offered and the colors are grey, black and a light khaki. The shaft of the boot does not come up as high as last year's (a little lower where it hits the knee) and the leather isn't as thick. I still like them though. They are super comfy! They also are offering another boot that comes in flat, non-suede leather in black and brown!
4) 1901 Loafers for Nick - Nick actually has these in TWO colors. We originally just bought the black pair before the sale, but we ended up getting him the brown pair during the N-sale last year. It's like an "upgraded" sperry look. He wears them all the time! They are perfect for a suit w/o socks or just a casual Friday look. A great buy for the men in your life!
They added a couple new colors this year, so that was cool!
5) Halogen Nude Flats -Like most things, Nordstrom updates great items for the sale, from year to year. I bought my favorite nude flats 3 years ago from the sale an I'm looking to update mine this year, because I wear the tar out of them! Halogen is one of their private label brands, so be sure to check out their halogen sale product!! You'll find better prices ;)
I honestly haven't found a replacement pair, but I did fall in love with these Vince flats!
6) Moonlight Pajamas - This is probably my favorite thing to sleep in! It's pretty much a less expensive Eberjey pj! I have the night shirt in several colors, but it also comes in a short set and a pant set. I seriously want one in every color.
It looks like the traditional dress isn't apart of the sale this year, but they did add an embroidered pocket set to the mix! Available in plus size as well. If you are set on a dress, J. Crew has one in their pj section, but it's a woven instead of a soft jersey cotton. I'll link them here as well.
- New nude flats (like I mentioned above)
- Army green jacket (I borrowed one for our Santa Barbara trip and now I want one! I good alternative to have besides denim and black!)
- Loafers (I have worn the tar out of my brown and black loafers. Looking to update them! I'm not really happy with the selection, but i do love these slides and the snakeskin pair also come in a classic black. Was just hoping for more options for a true loafer.)
Sweaters (You know, some good basic sweaters that I can keep for a while)
- Weatherproof shoes that are chic (In previous years I have bought the sperry small rainboots and I love them for days I want to be a little warmer and/or don't want to lug my Hunter Boots around, but I want a boot that is chic and you can't tell it's a waterproof boot. Ya feel me?! I swear whenever I try to be prepared and wear rain boots, it ends up not raining and I look silly.
- Basic White Camisole. (I have a couple I love, but I feel like they get kinda dingy quickly. Looking for a nice would I could layer to work or wear out.)
- Olive Jeans (I actually bought some last year, but recently ripped a hole in them on my belt loop, which can't be fixed. I love wearing these in the fall, so I need to go ahead and replace them :( )
- Suits (Nick doesn't have a black suit and needs it for an upcoming wedding. We are also looking at navy suits too, to replace his current one)
- Mavi jeans (He LOVES these and they are budget friendly. He has a couple pairs already, but I like to be sure to have some for when he rips the butt while playing ping pong...because he has actually done that!)
- Work shirts (He wears his shirts really hard, so I like to grab more each N-sale. His neck size isn't offered in store, so we order them online.)
Do you have anything you want me to specifically cover? Thinking of doing a workwear post, since y'all love stuff like that! Not sure if there will be much clean beauty for me to share, but I'll check.Let me know if there's anything you want help with!
Here are some of my favorite Nordstrom posts from last year to give you some inspo!
Nordstrom Anniversary Sale: Best of Shoes
Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Dress Styled 4 Ways
Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Top Picks in Every Category
Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Picks under $100
Like what you read? Click here to subscribe and receive every post in your inbox!


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Antimicrobial Susceptibility and Multiplex PCR Screening of AmpC Genes From Isolates of Enterobacter cloacae, Citrobacter freundii, and Serratia marcescens
Chih-Chauan Kao, Meei-Fang Liu, Chin-Fu Lin, Yi-Ching Huang, Po-Yu Liu, Ching-Wen Chang, Zhi-Yuan Shi
Received: April 30, 2009 Revised: May 14, 2009 Accepted: June 23, 2009
Corresponding author:
Zhi-Yuan Shi
Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Taichung Veterans General
Hospital, 160 Section 3, Chung-Kang Road, Taichung, 40705 Taiwan.
E-mail: email@example.com
Background and purpose:
The emergence of multiple drug resistance in Enterobacteriaceae is of particular concern. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial susceptibility and screen for the ampC gene in three members of the Enterobacteriaceae family (Enterobacter cloacae,Citrobacter freundii, and Serratia marcescens) found at Taichung Veterans General Hospital during the past 5 years using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
The susceptibility of thirty isolates from each of the three Enterobacteriaceae family members to five antimicrobial agents (ceftazidime, flomoxef, imipenem, moxifloxacin, and colistin) was assessed. The susceptibility was analyzed by disk diffusion, screening and confirmatory tests for extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL) and minimum inhibitory concentration tests according to the recommendations of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. The detection of ampC genes (3 families, including DHA, EBC and CIT) was performed by multiplex PCR. To detect the coexistence of ESBL genes, PCR was performed using five primer pairs: TEM, SHV, SHV-5, CTX-M-3, and CTX-M-14.
Of the 90 isolates, 53 (58.9%) were positive in the screening test for ESBL. Resistance genes were detected in 12 (22.6%) of these isolates: ampC gene of DHA type in one E. cloacae isolate and EBC type in three E. cloacae isolates; ampC gene of CIT type in four C. freundii isolates; CTX-M-3-like in one C. freundii isolate and one S. marcescens isolate; TEM in three E. cloacae isolates, three C. freundiiisolates and two S. marcescens isolates; SHV in one C. freundii isolate.
Antibiotic phenotypes cannot accurately distinguish the resistance mechanisms caused by ampC or ESBL, and especially in ESBL-ampCcombinations. However, PCR is a useful technique for the identification of the different types of resistance genes.
Key words:
AmpC , Citrobacter , Enterobacter , extended-spectrum β-lactamases , Serratia
CommentsRespond to this article


text: My wife Ronnie and I have been working together to build what you see today with BMWK for more than 7 years now. It's been anything but easy, but every ounce of it has been worth it. This journey has solidified not just our marriage but our family. On a daily basis we are forced to […]Continue reading


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Nigerian writer Ziki Nelson on his upcoming comic book featuring 15 African artists
Jul 24, 2018 | By Sarah Housley
Oct 19, 2010
With vintage nautical graphics featuring heavily at the recent Vegas trade shows the stylesight graphics team spotted this collection of sea-worthy visuals.
These inspiring hand-drawn graphics are the work of Jon Contino, a New York-based designer, illustrator and typography master. Contino is the co-founder and creative director of design studio Onetwentysix and upcoming menswear brand CXXVI Clothing Company.
Authentic detail and true vintage aesthetics give Contino's artworks a real genuine look. Steadily developing a reputation for his hand lettering, Jon continues to blur the boundaries between traditional and digital design methods.
To view more of these rum-laced beauties visit Jon Contino's site.
Know what's next. Become a WGSN member today to benefit from our daily trend intelligence, retail analytics, consumer insights and bespoke consultancy services.


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The RSS reading service Feedly has become a popular services in the wake of the Google Reader shutdown. Quite a number of factors attributed to the success of the service: the willingness to listen to the user base, web and application support, an API, and a monetization strategy that generates revenue required to support the service and further development.
While you may not agree with all decisions made, for instance the lack of full article search options or the delivery delay of smaller sites, it is seen by many as one of the best web-based RSS reading services out there.
The company behind the service has announced new features that it has integrated into the service. Three of the features are reserved to Feedly Pro users, while the remaining three new features are available to regular (free) users as well.
All users benefit from the following three new features that are enabled for all user account levels on the Feedly website.
1. Popular section
A new popular section is displayed on top of each feed listing popular items based on Feedly community engagement. The new feature is displayed regardless of display style and updated automatically by the service. At the moment, three popular articles are displayed in the section.
Note that these articles are not displayed under latest for the time being.
2. Different Home Views
It is now possible to change the home view -- the listing of all subscribed RSS feeds -- to a different view style. If you prefer titles only or cards view, you can change that here now.
3. Improved feed search
The feed search engine has been completely redesigned promising better and more accurate search results no matter if you are searching by title or topic.
It is interesting to note that you may get multiple listings for a single website or service. If you search for ghacks for instance, you get more than ten listings and different subscriber levels.
4. Speed Boost (Pro)
Feeds are refreshed about 30% faster for Pro users according to Feedly thanks to optimizations of the polling speed. Smaller feeds, those with fewer followers, may be updated up to four times faster as well.
5. Custom Sharing (Pro)
The new custom sharing feature enables you to add a custom send to url to your account. You can configure this feature under Preferences > Sharing > Custom Sharing.
The feature uses variables, e.g. $(url) or $(title) that you need to add to the web address of the sharing service that you want to use. A recent blog post on the Feedly blog provides you with examples.
6. Pro Roadmap (Pro)
Pro members can suggest new - pro - features and vote on which features they want the most so that development is prioritized based on those votes.Advertisement
Advertising revenue is falling fast across the Internet, and independently-run sites like Ghacks are hit hardest by it. The advertising model in its current form is coming to an end, and we have to find other ways to continue operating this site.
We are committed to keeping our content free and independent, which means no paywalls, no sponsored posts, no annoying ad formats or subscription fees.
If you like our content, and would like to help, please consider making a contribution:
Paid Features?
I've changed my feeds to InoReader.
The free search is definitely better! I keep nagging Feedly to get filtering out (hiding) of posts by keyword. I hear Chrome has some kind of a filtering addon. I really miss that old Greasemonkey Google Reader script. If Feedly EVER builds filtering in, they'll probably put it as a pro feature.
Please click on the following link to open the newsletter signup page: Ghacks Newsletter Sign up
Ghacks is a technology news blog that was founded in 2005 by Martin Brinkmann. It has since then become one of the most popular tech news sites on the Internet with five authors and regular contributions from freelance writers.


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IT'S SIMPLE. You want to work in a hospital setting where you are valued and appreciated - where you receive respect from your superiors and co-workers as well as the patients you treat.
You want to be challenged by your job without being overwhelmed by it. You want to play an instrumental role in helping a patient recover, sometimes against strong odds, and go home. What you want is Kindred Healthcare.
Our mission is to promote healing, provide hope, preserve dignity and produce value for each patient, resident, family member, customer, employee and shareholder we serve. Join us!
The Pharmacy Technician under the direct supervision of the Director of Pharmacy or Registered Pharmacist - and according to the standards procedures-dispenses additives for IV and irrigating solutions, mixes IV additive solutions as required using aseptic technique with the laminar air flow hood, types labels, prepares and files charge slips, and performs other related duties. Reports to the Director of Pharmacy.
Education: High School diploma or equivalent.
Licenses/Certification: State Certification/Licensure as required by state.
Experience: Minimum of 1 year of experience as a Certified Pharmacy Technician in a hospital pharmacy setting. Basic understanding of the role of and use of a computer in the processing of prescription orders with minimum word processing skills. Proven experience with maintaining positive relationships with coworkers and customers.
Remember Me
6/20/20182018 Meeting Celebrates Senior Care Pharmacists as Health Care Heroes
5/1/2018Press Release: Older Americans Month
6/28/2018MD Chapter Meet & Greet
7/13/2018 » 7/15/2018ASCP Midwest 2018 Regional Meeting
The American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP)
© 2016-2018 ASCP | Contact Us | Privacy Policy
ASCP Foundation | BCGP


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Our New Orleans Chapter has been busy this month! They've moved to a new location, participated in Ochsner's LGBTQ Health Summit, and are getting ready to launch a nonbinary support group!Read More
Earlier this month, we went to Decadence in New Orleans. It was great to have such a young crowd join us this year for our first year participating in the parade! We can't wait for the costumes next year!Read More
Louisiana Trans Advocates wants to send our youth leaders to the 2019 Creating Change Conference in Detroit, but we need your help. Hear from our youth leaders Peyton, Elliot, and Alexander in their own words why investing in trans youth leadership is importantRead More
Shreveport, LA - Earlier today in Shreveport, a young transgender woman was murdered. She is sadly not the first transgender woman of color to be killed in Louisiana this year.Read More
Libraries have a long-standing history of fostering learning. Learning broadens our horizons, shapes our understanding of the world, and allows us to evolve. You wouldn't move through the world as you do without being taught how to navigate through it.Read More
Since the days of our founding, Louisiana Trans Advocates has been a home to strong and resilient trans people throughout our state who work hard to support each other in our everyday lives and advocate for the rights of our community.Read More
On Saturday, May 26, members of Louisiana Trans Advocates gathered for our annual statewide membership convention in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
At the convention, Louisiana Trans Advocates' membership voted to elect Dylan Waguespack to serve as President of the Board. Alexander Andersen was elected to serve as Vice-President of the Board.Read More
All children deserve a family. Too many LGBTQ youth come out to family members only to face rejection, hatred, and violence. Those facing the most extreme levels of family rejection and maltreatment are often forced out of their homes, or will run away, becoming homeless or entering the foster care system.
Tomorrow is the first day of May, which is National Foster Care Month. In Louisiana, 4700+ children are currently in foster care. Throughout May, we'll be reaching out to share with you the stories of youth in foster care and the actions you can take to support them.Read More
Please mark down your calendars for the first annual statewide LTA membership convention! Join us in Baton Rouge as we discuss what LTA has been up to this year, plan for the future, swear in our new chapter-nominated board members, and elect our 2018-2019 Board President and Vice-President. RSVP on Facebook today if you'll be attending or email firstname.lastname@example.com!Read More


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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) sent a letter to Dr. Kathryn Sullivan, Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, expressing his concern that the results of new proposed seismic testing off the coast of New Jersey could potentially be used to open up the Atlantic Ocean to oil and gas exploration. He requested that the agency grant a 60-day extension of public comment and hold a public hearing to sufficiently review the application submitted to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to conduct marine seismic surveys off the coast of New Jersey. NMFS has proposed granting permission for the tests that would potentially be conducted this summer.
Congressman Pallone, an outspoken critic of seismic testing and offshore drilling off the Atlantic Coast due to its potential threat to New Jersey's shoreline, stated that an extension of the public comment period was absolutely necessary so that residents have sufficient time to voice their concerns regarding the testing. Pallone also stressed the need for additional time in order to evaluate the application and determine what implications the seismic surveying may have for the New Jersey coast.
"An environmentally sound coast is critical to New Jersey's economy, and I remain concerned with any activity that could lead to oil and gas drilling off our coast," said Congressman Pallone. "Any proposal to conduct seismic surveying in the Atlantic Ocean must be reviewed with the utmost care and diligence. Otherwise, we risk injuring and disturbing critically endangered species and threatening the Jersey shore, a center of recreational and economic use."
The full text of the letter is below:
April 4, 2014
Dr. Kathryn Sullivan
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
1401 Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20230
Dear Administrator Sullivan:
I am writing to express my opposition to seismic surveying in the Atlantic Ocean and to highlight my concerns with a proposal to perform seismic surveying off the coast of New Jersey currently being reviewed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Seismic surveying can injure or kill fish and marine mammals and puts at risk endangered species, such as the North Atlantic right whale. I am also concerned that the seismic surveying results could be used in the pursuit of opening up areas off New Jersey's coast for oil and gas exploration—an area President Obama has clearly designated as off-limits.
I request that NOAA grant a 60-day extension of public comment and hold a public hearing to review the National Marine Fisheries Service's (NMFS) proposed Incidental Harassment Authorization for takes of marine mammals incidental to marine seismic surveys off the coast of New Jersey. An extension of the comment period and a public hearing are absolutely necessary so that the public can evaluate the application, the draft Environmental Assessment (EA), the purpose and goals of the seismic survey and any implications the seismic surveying may have for New Jersey and its coastal area.
In addition, given that the proposed action relies on a 2013 draft Environmental Assessment and a 2011 final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS), additional time is needed to review all of the documentation. The potential for significant harm, along with the unique biology and environment of the proposed area within 15.5 miles of the Jersey shore, demand careful consideration as to whether the proposed action and corresponding draft EA prepared by the applicants are in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act and the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations.
While I support scientific endeavors to better understand climate change, I believe that it is NOAA's best interest and that of the people of New Jersey that the agency grant a 60-day extension of public comment and hold a public hearing on the proposed authorization in the near term. Therefore, I call on NOAA to act expeditiously in taking such action.
Thank you for your consideration of this letter.
Member of Congress


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ExpiredTransatlantic Antigua to UK
- Transatlantic Antigua to UK
May 5, 2018 - June 6, 2018
10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Transatlantic Antigua to UK – Join yacht 'Skyelark' on this ocean passage as she crosses the Atlantic, back from Antigua to Southampton, in May 2018.
About the event:
Skyelark is a well known Adventure sailing /ocean charter yacht with a very experienced skipper and mate. This transatlantic 3600nm passage should take just under a month, and is suitable for those wishing to qualify for their Ocean Yachtmaster certificate.
Sailing across the Atlantic Ocean, from Antigua via the Azores, there will be the opportunity to take some time to explore the beautiful and dramatic island of Faial and for the adventurous why not climb Pico, the highest mountain in Portugal! Setting sail once again, for a final leg of approximately 10 days, to reach the U.K, Southampton.
This transatlantic passage departs from Antigua and includes a brief stop in the Azores, before heading on to the U.K., Southampton.
· Starts May 5th 2018
· Approximate finish: 6th June 2018
Details of Transatlantic Passage
You will be expected to take a full role as a crew member within a watch system. You will therefore be involved in all aspects of sailing the boat; including duties both below and above deck.
Highlights include: sailing in a variety in weather conditions, including some heavy weather, sailing in a watch system, opportunities to practise celestial navigation skills, amazing seascapes and sunrises, fabulous opportunities to experience marine life close-up with a high chance of spotting whales, as well as a warm and wonderful welcome in the Azores and arrival back into the UK.
- Professional and Experienced Skipper
- Professional and Experienced First mate
- All food when on open passage
- All safety equipment
How to Book:
· Email firstname.lastname@example.com
· Phone (+44) 01983 242 033
· You can also use the secure online booking facility by clicking 'join a crew' below.
Crew Fee – £2,995
Use the booking system below to pay to secure your crew place.


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The New Architecture Center
The new Architecture Center is prominently located on the Southeast corner of Commerce & Travis in a historic 1906 B.A. Riesner building. The 5,400 SF gallery/lecture space is significantly larger than what ArCH previously had and offers an excellent storefront connection with the street. The larger space will allow for more attendees at events and exhibitions. The restored façade, and the storefront, on the other hand, will provide visibility and the connection with the street ArCH has never had. Prior to Harvey, the ArCH gallery attracted approximately 13,000 visitors every year. Since the opening of the gallery space, the interest in organization's programs has increased and, considering the advantages of the new offices, ArCH is ready to take the next step in its development and growth.
Traditionally, ArCH gallery space has been used for architectural exhibitions, community engagement events, lectures, presentations, K-12 programs and networking events. The new offices will provide outstanding opportunities to continue and offer more initiatives of this kind by being accessible to the public and by leading the way in refreshing the architectural fabric of this historic part of downtown. ArCH is an important and attractive destination for designers, architects, tourists and Houston's public. Located near the light rail and 3 major highways, the new Architecture Center will effectively connect with the entire Houston area.
ArCH's programs are designed primarily by members of AIA Houston. Research shows that majority of design professionals and AIA Houston members live and work in areas close to the northern part of downtown. Moving to the new location is essential for ArCH, as it will provide members and Houston public with more convenience and opportunities for involvement.


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Cancer Warrior Donna May
My name is Donna May. I am 49 years old. I am a mom, wife, daughter, aunt, friend and also, I am a 4x cancer survivor.
In 1998, I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer when I was 28 years old. On December 26, 1997, I felt a lump in my right breast. Because I was in charge of the mammography van at my job as a Human Resources Assistant, I read all the pamphlets to learn how to help everyone who would participate in the service. Little did I know I would need that same exact help for myself. When I called my doctor's office to report the lump and make an appointment, they refused to allow me to make an appointment. They stated because of my age, I had to wait until my period came because my breast was probably just 'lumpy' due to my menstrual cycle. In January 1998, my period came and went but the lump in my right breast remained. I was finally granted an appointment on a Monday. The doctor tried to aspirate the lump but to no avail. I knew something was wrong when I saw her face. She asked me if I had any plans that afternoon and I told her I was going on a job interview for a promotion. She told me I'd have to reschedule it because I needed to get an ultrasound that afternoon. When the ultrasound was over, the doctor who performed told me he wasn't sure what the mass in my breast was but that it would need to be removed immediately. By Wednesday that same week, I was meeting with a surgeon and that Friday, I was having a lumpectomy and bilateral dissection. The results came back as Stage I, Triple Negative Breast Cancer. I underwent chemotherapy (cytosine-Adriamycin) and radiation therapy. My daughter was three (3) years old at the time. In 2002, I was blessed to have my son.
In 2013, I had a throat pain that wouldn't go away, no matter how many medicines the doctor put me on. As I was feeling my throat one day, I felt a lump in my throat. Instantly I knew something was wrong. I told my doctor my medical history and she told me that it was nothing and that I just needed to exercise and lose weight using the diet regimen she was selling at the time. I insisted on getting an ultrasound. The results came back that there was a mass in my throat that needed to be removed immediately. When the biopsy was done, I was initially told that the lump was benign. I was ecstatic until I received a call three (3) days later telling me it was misdiagnosed and that it was actually a Stage I throat cancer. I then received a call a week later telling me that I did have cancer again but the diagnosis was incorrect. The final diagnosis was a rare form of salivary gland cancer that generally only white males, over the age of 65, who are heavy smokers, get. I am none of those things. The cancer went through one of my salivary glands on the right side and one of my nerves. Both the salivary gland and nerve were removed. I underwent radiation therapy where my head and neck were securely locked down to the table every day I underwent treatment. I was, and still is, one of the most traumatic things I experienced.
In 2014 and 2015, I felt another lump in my right breast. My oncology surgeon at the time kept telling me she didn't see anything and that she'd just 'keep an eye on it'. In September 2015, I became fed up with the answer and knowing what I knew previously, I made myself an appointment at a 3-D mammography clinic to get a second opinion. The results came back that there was definitely a lump in my right breast again. I had another lumpectomy in my right breast and the results came back as cancer. My oncologist at the time told me I should just have the right breast removed and not both because the left wasn't impacted. I insisted and had to sign documentation to have a bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction. In January 2016, after examination of both removed breast, the results came back that I had estrogen positive in my right breast. Upon further examination of the left breast that I insisted they remove, they found another lump.I was diagnosed with fourth cancer, DCIS, in my left breast. I was initially put on hormone therapy but because my body doesn't tolerate medicines beyond an ibuprophen 800, I needed to have a hysterectomy to reduce the estrogen in my body.
All of my genetic testing came back negative. I recently found out my biological father's family has had nine (9) family members, both female and male, diagnosed or die of different forms of cancer. f I can share one thing it is to please get to know your body well and intimate enough to become your own health advocate. When you know something isn't right, do not accept anything less than a firm and medically validated answer on what you are experiencing. Get a second, third, or even fourth opinion, if you must. No one knows you like you know you.My kids are now 23 and16, I've been married for almost 25 years, my fight with the after effects of cancer surgeries and treatments is daily. My family is worth it. I am worth it
I hope this can help someone.
In Love and Light,
Donna May - Survivor and Thriver!


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Hacienda Bambusa's Olivier Dufeu & Diego Ruiz - The People Behind the Experience
Hacienda Bambusa is a hidden gem in Colombia. It's remote, tucked away at the foothills of the Andes in the lush central coffee region, a position that is equal parts magically charming and logistically challenging. Colombian Contemporary artist Santiago Montoya owns the property; he and his family still keep a house nearby and used to oversee the management of the Hacienda personally. But balancing a hospitality role with the demands of an escalating international art career proved impossible and four years ago, the Montoya family decided to suspend operations at Hacienda Bambusa, closing it to the public.
Enter Olivier Dufeu, a Frenchman who worked in Chile & Argentina and Diego Ruiz, a Cali native who became a Buenos Aires restauranteur. Partners in business and in life, they were traveling through Colombia three years ago while in search of potential business opportunities and fell in love with the Coffee Triangle Region. With backgrounds in hospitality, tourism and restaurant management, their skill set and passion were exactly the magic that Hacienda Bambusa needed to reopen her doors. Through Clark Kotula, Olivier & Diego connected with the Montoya Family and Hacienda Bambusa reopened under their creative vision and detailed management.
Olivier and Diego have a compelling story and were kind enough to answer a few questions for us. We hope you enjoy this interview with the People Behind the Experience at Hacienda Bambusa!
First, the most important question. How did you two meet each other?
We met five years ago in Buenos Aires and while we tell people that we had an initial great connection, in truth is was love at first sight! I (Olivier) was working for a travel agency & tour operator in Buenos Aires after traveling around South America for several years and Diego owned a restaurant. We met at a bar in BA and bonded over our love of travel, music, excellent food and South America as a whole.
Why did you make the leap from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Armenia, Colombia?
Diego is from Cali, Colombia, and I was always interested in exploring more of that particular country beyond what I had already experienced during my backpacking days. We took a trip together three years ago and just really fell for the friendliness of the Colombia people and the beauty of the country, especially the mountains surrounding the Coffee Triangle. That's when the idea of relocating to Colombia and taking on a project in the destination really started to form. Colombia also had and has a really positive energy; tourism is increasing and with the opportunity to work together to reopen Hacienda Bambusa, all of the stars seemed to align. It was just the right time to make the move.
Today, we spend most of the year at Bambusa and live just ten minutes away from the property. We have full autonomy to manage the hotel but the Montoya Family still owns and cultivates the 500 acres surrounding the house.
What are the most challenging and most rewarding aspects of operating a high-end boutique property in a fairly remote and somewhat obscure location?
First, its the limitations of the location itself as well as clearly setting expectations for what the Hacienda Bambusa experience is. It is sometimes a struggle to convince travelers that they should stay at a property that is somewhat remote, in the middle of a farm and surrounded only by nature, though fortunately Avianca offers good flight schedules so we aren't too far out of the way. Also, Bambusa is a rustic countryside house made out of Bamboo (Bambusa actually refers to a type of clumping bamboo.) We simply don't have all of the comforts and luxuries that a 5* city hotel offers. Weather can affect the wifi, our verandas aren't screened and bugs are a fact of life when surrounded by flowering plants, and we don't have an elevator so all eight of our Jr. Suites must be accessed by stairs.
The greatest reward is when our guests leave with a huge smile in their faces, sad to leave but assuring they will not forget the days they spent staying with us. We recently hosted a lovely newlywed couple from the UK and arranged a surprised private dinner for them in the middle of the garden, surrounded by candles and flowers. They loved it!
Or, last year, we hosted a French family who adopted twin girls from Colombia thirteen years ago. This was their first trip back in Colombia since the adoption. The parents wanted to show the girls what a beautiful country Colombia is and the trip was very emotional for everybody.
What do you feel is often a surprising and unanticipated highlight of guests staying at Hacienda Bambusa?
I think our customers are surprised with our attention to detail and the balance between the relaxing countryside atmosphere and world class service. We try to get to know our clients in advance so we can surprise them with attention to personal details during their stay.
A highlight for guests is undoubtedly to walk around the property with Camilo, our naturalist guide, through the cocoa plantation and the bamboo forest. And many guests are surprised that much more than just coffee is grown here!
What are you most proud of since reopening Hacienda Bambusa?
Bambusa was already known when we arrived; the hotel had developed a niche following among guests with fond memories of their time there. We started with the goal of reconnecting with those guests, recreating those memories and going beyond that. And we've added lots of details to improve the stay of our guests, from AC and WiFi in each room to expanding the types of activities and experiences that guests can have on the property. We've also managed to attract more media and industry attention so Hacienda Bambusa is more recognized than before.
We are always thinking of ways to improve our experience and stay fresh. This exercise of constant renewal goes from the smallest detail in the garden to making adjustments to our menu or training our staff.
Tell me why someone should experience the Coffee Triangle without using the word "coffee."
As our guests discover, the region produces way more than its namesake! It actually also produces also cocoa, plantains, pineapple, avocados, etc! The area is very lush and ideal for growing a variety of fruits and vegetables.
As we are at the very foot of the Andes, the green mountains surrounding us offer amazing views and many options for activities. There is excellent hiking, birdwatching and horseback riding right beyond our doorstep.
And last but not least, the culture of the region is phenomenal. People in this part of Colombia are especially friendly and welcoming and are very candid about sharing their history. They have their own culture, food and identity which sets this area apart for the rest of Colombia, much in the same way that Salta feels very different from the rest of Argentina. When people think of Colombia, they tend to focus on the cities like Cartagena, Bogota, Medellin and Cali. These are great and should not be missed, the the countryside surrounding us offers a more complete and complementary picture of Colombia as a whole.
Lastly, please share some of your Insider's Tips on Colombia! What are your favorite places to eat, hike, stay and experience Colombian culture (aside from Bambusa of course!)
Aside from Bambusa? This is a hard question...
When we want culture and great food we go to Bogota. The city is not one of those cities that strikes you at first glance, but as you grow to know it you appreciate it more and more. Bogota has a very vibrant and up and coming food and art scene.
I also love the region of Santander to the north of Bogota, especially Barichara village. The whole region is perfect for active adventures and we've done some amazing hikes and white water rafting there.
Olivier and Diego look forward to welcoming your guests at Hacienda Bambusa. Make sure to get in touch with personalized traveler details so that they can prepare special touches in advance!