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Buttonwood Books and Toys has a full day of activities planned for the celebration, to be held on Saturday, Oct. 26 from 11 a.m. to close.
"For us, what we really want to reflect on is to extend a deep appreciation for all the loyal customers who shop here," said co-owner Arna Lewis. "They're the backbone of why we're celebrating; they have been supporting Buttonwood throughout the years."
As Betsey Detwiler, founder and former owner of Buttonwood Books and Toys recently told the Mariner, after spending a quarter-century running a local shop, "You really get a slice of life."
After 25 years in business, the staff at Buttonwood, an independent bookstore, has certainly seen it all. Customers come and go, and many stick around — and bring their children and grandchildren in to enjoy the store that they have grown to love over two and a half decades.
Co-owner and former Deer Hill teacher Arna Lewis said, "I'm meeting kids who are now having children, who are coming in with their grandparents who are original customers. To see the continuity of families shopping in the store is a wonderful aspect of being in business."
Buttonwood Books and Toys has been a Cohasset retail fixture since 1989. Betsey also opened a "kids-only" branch in Hingham five years later, although that store closed after 10 years in business.
Cohasset's Buttonwood, located in the Shaw's plaza along Chief Justice Cushing Highway, is still going strong. Betsey retired this past summer, however remaining an important part of the shop.
The new owners, Arna and Kathy Detwiler (Betsey's daughter-in-law), who took the helm in August, intend to have a special toast to Buttonwood's founder during the store's upcoming 25th anniversary celebration.
"We hope people will stop by, say hi, and take advantage of the sale. It's our way to say thank you to the customers," said Kathy.
The Buttonwood staff has a full day of activities planned for the celebration, to be held on Saturday, Oct. 26 from 11 a.m. to close (see sidebar).
"For us, what we really want to reflect on is to extend a deep appreciation for all the loyal customers who shop here," said Arna. "They're the backbone of why we're celebrating; they have been supporting Buttonwood throughout the years."
To those who have poured a lot of time, energy and love into Buttonwood, it's more than just a store.
"Our tagline is 'rooted in the community,'" said Arna. "That's something we've wanted to enhance over the years — the community spirit. We hope we will be the go-to place in that regard."
Buttonwood's owners hope to offer more to the customers and community than just a place to pick up a toy or book.
"We want to work more closely with the schools and encourage people to use us in a way to come together," Arna explained, adding that Buttonwood hosts around four events per month, around 50 a year, such as a "Coffee with the Authors" breakfast at the Atlantica Restaurant.
Buttonwood also has reading groups and a Wednesday story time for kids.
"We embrace those kinds of events," said Arna, and the staff hopes to have "more programs for teachers and kids."
While Buttonwood has many exciting plans for the future, at the end of the day, the store still provides a fun place for kids and adults to browse the colorful shelves looking for the perfect book or toy.
"We spend a lot of time with our customers," said Kathy, which is "one of the things that's unique about being a smaller, independent store."
Kathy, who has a background in social work for those with developmental disabilities, said that the Buttonwood staff often receives special requests for materials from therapists who are looking for book-toy combinations for children with disabilities. Buttonwood carries a "variety of choices" of toys geared as specific learning tools.
"We're really committed to having the customer leave with what they were looking for," said Kathy.
"We try to match the perfect toy or book with the individual," Arna added.
And if that certain item isn't found in the store that day, Buttonwood's staff is happy to place an order.
"The special ordering process is a really important component of our business," said Kathy.
Arna explained, "A customer can come in and order any book. Depending on the day, there can be a quick turnaround; we can [sometimes] have it in the next day."
While Buttonwood is known for its selection of children's books and unique toys, working directly with toy inventors and creators, Buttonwood also has plenty of books and events for adults, including book clubs and author talks.
Buttonwood also has a new gift corner, encouraging customers to shop local for the holidays. Unlike many other retailers, the shop offers complimentary gift-wrapping — no matter how big or small the gift.
The children's book section was also recently expanded. Arna, a former Deer Hill teacher, brings with her to Buttonwood a background in teaching children's literature.
"I really try to put the right book into the right kids' hands," said Arna. Of the newly expanded children's section, "We put together an area with early and middle readers, and a lot of non-fiction titles. A lot of kids who don't like to read can learn and love to read," she added.
We do have a lot of kids coming in and sitting on our stools and reading."
Longevity – and loyality – seem to be the key to Buttonwood's success.
"We have an incredible, very loyal staff that works here," Kathy continued. "We have one person who's been here almost 24 years and people who have been here well over a decade."
And in the days of online ordering and e-readers, a brick and mortar bookstore has become a rare commodity. Buttonwood's staff is well-aware of this shift, and are doing what they can to stay on top of it.
"What's really changed is we have the internet," said Kathy. "It makes us be on our toes; we have to keep up with what people are looking for, keep things evolving, keep the inventory fresh and stimulating."
E-books are on their way to Buttonwood; Arna explained that they are in talks with their wholesaler to offer a way for customers to buy books to read on their e-readers and tablets.
"We are looking into that, and hope to fill those shoes, too," said Arna.
For now, the store does have wi-fi. Being able to browse the internet and shop is one way to keep customers staying for a long time.
"We want to encourage people to come in" and stay a while, said Arna. "We're all in a rush these days… We put more chairs in to encourage people to sit and browse."
There are also small stools and tables making up a picture reading book area, the former fifth-grade teacher added.
"We really want people to come in and stay."
Toasting to 25 years
Next Saturday, Buttonwood will toast to 25 years in business — but not without taking a moment to recognize the woman who made it all possible.
On Oct. 26, just before 4 p.m., the Buttonwood staff will have a toast for Betsey Detwiler, who founded the independent store 25 years ago.
"We're doing a special dedication to Betsey to honor her years at Buttonwood," said Kathy Detwiler, co-owner and Betsey's daughter-in-law. "We want to invite any of her friends and former colleagues to toast a glass of wine to her.
"It's certainly a celebration of her hard-earned years and efforts, working multiple hours on the computer, working the desk and ordering books," Kathy added. "She's done an incredible job."
For more information on Buttonwood Books and Toys, visit: buttonwoodbooks.com, call 781-383-2665, or stop by the store located at 747 Chief Justice Cushing Highway (Route 3A), Cohasset, MA.


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LIC's Wheelspur Yard / Poultry Market – Past, Present & FutureMarch 11th, 2013 by Bad Guy Joe
On the north shore of Newtown creek lays a plot of land with a strangely unique history - a place that was once a rail yard, then a poultry market and later an office for small businesses and other food distributors. All of these are gone now, and soon this land will become a rail yard once again. In a city where real estate is at a premium - such a full circle transformation is unheard of - especially in an area such as L.I.C. - where the city's industrial past has rapidly been whitewashed to make way for high priced housing. Mix in the drama of flooding and fire caused by Hurricane Sandy, and you've got a unique New York story.
The key ingredient to this most unlikely tale is that the Long Island Rail Road has owned this property since the 1800s. In the early 1900s, L.I.C. was the hub of the LIRR. There were no tunnels built to Manhattan just yet. All of the property south of Borden Avenue, east of where the present day Pulaski bridge is and west of Dutch Kills (a creek), was one huge rail yard for storing passenger trains. This yard was called 'Wheelspur Yard'. (Note, that the passenger yard west of the Pulaski is generally known as the 'LIC coach yard' - a much larger station with canopies and station building once resided here). Some of the land immediately south of Borden was converted to various buildings - most notable at the moment is the headquarters of Fresh Direct. Behind these buildings lays an LIRR track which, up until very recently, was used a few diesel passenger train runs out to Long Island. South of this track is the location we're focusing on today.
According to Arrt's Archive, Wheelspur yard was in use from the 1800s until around 1930. it was reopened from 1939-1940 for storing trains for the World's Fair. After this it was used by the Pennsylvania Rail Road (PRR) (which owned the LIRR at the time) to store their passenger trains - until around 1958. PRR kept these cars warm with steam heat generated by several old steam locomotives which were parked and used exclusively for this purpose. Right around this time is when the poultry market came to be. It didn't seem to last very long though - the internet is currently devoid of any mention of it having existed.
Recent History
At least 2 modern-ish buildings were built here, likely around the 1950s. The furthest to the west was an office building, and the one furthest east was merely a double ended loading dock, where freight cars could be parked on one side and trucks on the other. The middle building may have been a conversion of an old RR shop building - see the photos and judge for yourself. I couldn't find any information on this, and by the time we got in it was too burned up to get a good interior assessment.
Historic maps show these buildings to be 'The NYC poultry market'. One can assume perhaps that the NYC Government tried to run a chicken market here, much like the old Fulton Fish Market or the huge Hunts Point Terminal Market in the Bronx. Whatever the case was, by the 1990s it was being rented out to various food distribution companies. Upon the time of our inspection, leftover cans of Asian food littered the eastern building.
Meanwhile, the westernmost office building hosted a slew of small businesses: a lawyers office, an industrial real estate firm, a messenger service and carpentry shop.
All of these tenants were unceremoniously evicted or otherwise pushed out by the MTA sometime between 2010 and the summer of 2012. They had no idea how lucky they were.
Hurricane Sandy
On the evening of October 29th 2012, Newtown creek overflowed its artificial banks. A surge of at least 4-6 feet of water rushed inland. The buildings on the property were hit hard. Much of the contents of the first floor floated out and pushed up against the western fence. Fresh Direct's delivery truck fleet was parked in the lot next door and also sustained heavy damage, putting Fresh Direct out of business for a short while.
Barely 3 weeks later, a major fire broke out in the middle building, where an auto shop was located. The cause of this fire is unknown to me, but it is very possible that the demolition crew tasked with cleaning out these buildings didn't realize it was flood damaged - and an electrical short brought the building to a full blaze, not unlike all of the homes on the Jersey Shore and Rockaway that burned up during and just after the hurricane. The 2nd alarm fire here even brought a response from one of FDNY's fire boats.
All of the flooding and fire just added drama to the conversion of this property. The buildings were slated to be demolished regardless.
Mere hours after the fire was out, we arrived. We didn't know there had been a fire, but were not terribly surprised with all of the destruction that unfolded post-Hurricane Sandy. Myself and Ntwrkguy made the trip, evading Fresh Direct's rent-a-cop security in order to gain access. Once on the property everything was a breeze.
The most interesting part was the office building. The fire had been confined to the 2nd building, leaving the offices 99% untouched (thanks FDNY). Many of the companies that rented space here left a ton of stuff behind - and the stuff on the second floor was not pushed out of the building by Hurricane Sandy's flood waters. The best of the lot was the construction company that left behind tons of blueprints for various jobs. Who doesn't love staring at blueprints? We could have spent all night foraging that pile for paper gems.
Shocking but true, two of these buildings have now been demolished to make way for a freight yard. The LIRR has been keen on getting their tenant freight railroad - the New York and Atlantic (NY&A)- out of the nearby 'arch street' yard - which they can use as part of their East Side Access project (they already took over most of Arch Street to build a new shop building). In building a new yard for the NY&A at the old Wheelspur yard, the LIRR can trade and get the rest of Arch street. The NY&A, on the other hand, now gets a similar sized property to maintain their existing customers, and the advantage of a transload yard on Newtown creek, enabling potential direct maritime-to-rail transfer. For the first time since the early 1980's there will be freight customers on the track west of the dutch kills creek drawbridge.
This won't be the first time since the 80's that a freight train has come across the drawbridge. Just this last summer (2012), the NY&A used it to park freight cars in the newly rebuilt Blissville yard (the cars have to be backed in from over the bridge).
While it's sad to see the equally old yard at Arch Street taken out of freight service, it's a definitely plus that Wheelspur is being used for it's replacement. NYC is currently (and rather severely) under-served by freight rail. The cost of delivering goods to NYC via truck drives up consumer prices for everything - from lumber to Chinese food. Overall, I'd give this land reuse a thumbs up for smart urban planning. L.I.C. (and NYC on a whole) needs some real estate devoted to moving goods in and out of town. The dwindling space for delivering goods has driven up costs for just about everything when compared to just about every other major city in the US - all of which receive significantly more goods via rail than truck - but this is all fodder for another article.
(thanks to Arrrrt's archive for much of the history info above - as well as the older historic photos)
3 responses to "LIC's Wheelspur Yard / Poultry Market – Past, Present & Future"
The freight customers are also bein relocated from Arch street to the new yard from what I've heard. LIRR wants that whole area from what I know. I remember runnin through sunnyside freight yards (yard A) back in the early 90's.
Would they ever come up with a way tide deliver freight to Manhattan? To reduce truck traffic? Deliver to the Hudson yards? Un load construction and restaurant supplies?

subset: commoncrawl


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Help and Advice: 01782 286046
Pheobe Schecter making her move into Coaching
LETS academy are proud to have Phoebe as our Tutor on the Personal Training Qualification. Great work Phoebe!!
Coach Phoebe has been involved in the British Womens game since its conception. Now making her move into coaching, we talk about her achievements from being the Captain of the Great Britain Womens team to coaching a new Ladies team in Staffordshire. Read more here http://femalecoachingnetwork.com/interviews/phoebe-schecter/.


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NY Daily News reports the former beauty queen who called the Dallas shooter a "martyr" has been suspended from her job at a Florida TV station.Kalyn Chapman James, who was the first black Miss Alabama, is on administrative leave from WPTB2, where she hosted a weekly art program."I don't feel sad for the officers who lost their lives and I know that's not really my heart," the Mobile native said in a controversial two-minute clip posted to Facebook Sunday."I value human life. And I want to feel sad for them but I can't help but feeling like the shooter was a martyr."The Miami public TV station issued a statement on Twitter."We do not condone any suggestion that terrorism is acceptable or that it should be tolerated," it said.
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Idiot on Display: Former Miss Alabama Kalyn Chapman James booted from TV gig for calling Dallas cop killer Micah Johnson a 'martyr'
Clearly this bubble head doesn't know what a martyr is. But, this is the kind of foolishness this chic was taught in schools run by Libs.
More here
3 comments:
Another brain rotted from the inside out from progressivitis.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 13, 2016 at 3:46 PM
You are an idiot Kayln JamesReplyDelete
She is the epitome of America's problems. There are two types of people in this world: good and bad. Color has nothing to do with it. She has shown herself to be a sad human being who wishes innocent lives be taken for the "cause" of her race and justice. She is part of the worst type of war that has been created in this country - a war within this country. Take her crown away.ReplyDelete
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I purposedly bought this Damier Azur Naviglio for my trip to Malacca,Malaysia.Enjoy the pictures!!
wow! finally i meet another hijabbed lv lover! hurrah! where are u from? i m from singapore! and nice bag!
Wow great bag. you look great with it.
wow, that is much bigger than i thought. I love it! It looks like it was great for you to carry around too, especially witht he little ones.
Wow.. nice bag... perfect for teavelling..
congrats! I hope to get a naviglio someday... i can't decide btwn the ebene & azur!
That bag looks great on you! Congrats!
Great bag! Looks great on you!
That bag looks really good on you --- perfect bag to carry when you have your precious little ones with you! Congratulations!! I hope you had a great trip!
Looks great! I always thought it was smaller. Thanks for sharing!
hie.im from kl m'sia..yes the bag is so perfect and nice!!the bag is so spacious as well.. but i really have to take extra care for the bag also..just like having another 'baby'
hermm u should try both of them..but for me, i love azur more,but of course u have to take extra care!
i'm from kl,msia.. i love LV so much!!thanx!!
nice bag


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Los Angeles - A gunman opened fire on motorists in the heart of Hollywood on Friday, wounding a man before police shot and killed him in an incident some witnesses initially mistook for the filming of a movie.The man drew a gun and began firing at motorists passing through the famed Hollywood intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Vine Street, Los Angeles Police spokesperson Cleon Joseph said.The suspect, identified only as a male Hispanic, struck at least one driver with a bullet before he was shot by police officers and pronounced dead at the scene, Joseph said.The 40-year-old driver wounded by gunfire was taken to a local hospital, where he was listed in critical condition, police said.An investigation had not yet determined a motive for the shooting, which touched off confusion and panic in the busy Hollywood intersection.Witness Micah Williams told local KCAL-9 TV that he and a friend were walking nearby when the gunman began shooting "in every which direction".Williams said he and his friend thought at first the gunfire was part of a movie."Then the third one ricocheted right by our head and I was like, 'Dude, they're shooting at us,'" Williams said.A spokesperson for FilmLA, an agency that co-ordinates film and television permits in Los Angeles, said he could not confirm reports an off-duty officer working on a nearby movie set had responded to the scene.Gangster Squad a crime drama starring Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone and Sean Penn, has been filming in the area in recent days, but that set was at least several blocks away, the spokesperson said.A series of videos taken from a nearby office tower and posted on Twitter showed the man, dressed in black pants and a white shirt, walking in the intersection firing what appeared to be a handgun as motorists slammed on their brakes and veered out of the way.Police were then seen arriving on the scene and running in the man's direction, with several more shots fired out of the camera's view.Witness Oscar Herrera told KCBS-TV that when the suspect apparently ran out of bullets, he put the gun into his waistband and took out a knife before he was shot by police.
one less criminal to worry about good work Hollywood PD
You open the border and let them in - deal with it.
Here is a link. It was a muslim. (photos in link - nothing graphic at all)
bloody terrorist rubbish, nuke the scum
DMITRI. i see you prefer your information from some dubiuos sources and not recognized media
@Yusuf, why does your comment not surprise me? There are various sites (across the "religious/political divide) that carry the same story. Would you like a list of links?
judging from your pic,you think you are a modernday crusader.like all rightwing nutters you feed your brain with drivel from likeminded people.the picture clearly shows the man is hispanic,unless you dont know what a hispanic looks like.there is no difference between you and other religious extremists
@Yusuf, you have me mistaken for one of your Jihad friends. It was a picture from a German website, and before you spew your mindless drivel, I am not a Nazi, never have been and never will be.
This site will appeal to you: www.howtoblowmyselfupbymistake.com
Exremist,terrorist,pushed over the edge,manic depressive,whatever he was is a sign the citizens of the planet earth are losing the plot!
Sorry that should be Extremist.
how do you know he was an exremist
Yusuf: read the damned comment I wrote! I never said he was an extremist!!!!!! Before you respond to a comment posted read it properly first! I in no way,shape or form "labelled" the person!You must realy get off your high horse! Another example is your comment to Dmitri.
Dmitri, this is for you.
Dmitri must feel like the dumbest sob on the planet. Just released that the Hollywood shooter was Tyler brehm, a white Christian by the looks of it. What a fool, just like Dmitri


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Altium Limited, a global leader in electronic design automation, has partnered with BQR, a top software provider of Reliability, Maintenance engineering for the EDA market, for integrating fiXtress, an advanced Design for Reliability (DfR) solution, with its products. With the added value provided by fiXtress suite, electronic engineers will be able to design reliable and robust PCBs, shortening time-to-market, improving the design process and reducing field failures.
fiXtress is the only tool in today's market that integrates design error detection with stress, thermal and service life prediction on the schematic-level, before PCB layout.
The new capabilities are integrated with Altium products, supporting data flow from Altium to fiXtress, performing stress and reliability analysis, and enabling back annotations of the results to the schematic view.
The new fiXtress and Altium solution includes:
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"With fiXtress in our products, we can offer electronic designers effective and automated stress analysis and schematic review," said Daniel Fernsebner, VP Marketing at Altium. "Our cooperation sets a new standard for integrating reliability into the design process, using a concurrent engineering model between the designer and the reliability engineer."
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For more information please contact:
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INDIANAPOLIS – Last year marked the first time in Jerry Jones' time as Cowboys owner and general manager that he did not make a trade during the draft.
But that doesn't mean Jones has turned over a new leaf when it comes to draft strategy and will sit tight during this April's three-day draft.
"There's an old adage I have that your phone is ringing to ask you for the trade, then that's when you ought to trade," Jones said Sunday from the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis. "If you do the calling, then you're in trouble. We just didn't get the opportunities like we had in the past."
There was one opportunity and it came in the first round when Jacksonville wanted the No. 9 overall pick to select quarterback Blaine Gabbert and offered the 16th and 49th picks. The Cowboys passed and Washington made the same trade a spot later.
The Cowboys took Tyron Smith instead. They attempted to trade back into the first round and eyed a number of players, like Mark Ingram, Danny Watkins and Cameron Heyward, without success.
"We certainly wouldn't try to revisit that and do something different than taking Tyron," Jones said.


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The BCA program offers student in the company of obligatory skill to build flourishing career by means of satisfying jobs. It in addition puts in order students in the company of obligatory backdrop to continue with poise for higher studies in the form of MCA. The BCA course structure is spread across six semesters in three years. Each semester comprises of five papers with a equilibrium amalgamation of theory in addition to practical. The course curriculum is regularly updated to keep tranquility chances in the business atmosphere. The BCA program both in regular of aim in addition to scope is very alert in its advance to preparing a student for it and other professions, either unswervingly after graduation or after pursuing a suitable advanced degree.An applicant can get admittance in this program after passing higher senior secondary exam or corresponding exam in any subject. After flourishing finishing point of this course, applicantss can do Master of Computer Application (MCA) or Master of Science (Computer Science).B.C.A (First Semester) Computer Fundamental and Programming Mathematics - I Mathematics - II Business Practices Practical B.C.A (Second Semester) Data and File Structure Structured System Analysis Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science Digital Electronics Practical B.C.A (Third Semester) Computer System Architecture Algorithms and Advance Data Structure Micro-Processors as well as Assembly Language Data Base System Practical B.C.A (Fourth Semester) Operating System Organization as well as UNIX Software Engineering Object Oriented Design as well as Programming Financial Accounting Practical B.C.A (Fifth Semester) Data Communicationas well as Networks Computer Graphics Principles of Visual as well as Windows Programming Java Programming as well as Internet Application Practical B.C.A (Sixth Semester) Internet Technologies as well as Application Scientific as well as Statistical Computing Multimedia Information System Management Information Systems Practical


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The Old Crow's Dark Eyes
This story ends with a bottle of whiskey, as any good story should. This story begins in a basement.
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
I always hated saying God, but people looked at me funny when I didn't, despite the dedication to higher power freedom. I found myself in basements of random churches and mansions quite often in those days. I had started to come to terms with my addiction to drink and drug so I joined the ranks of Alcoholics Anonymous. The way I got there is not this story. That story is for a later time.
His name was Jo. I had seen him outside meetings before. He never stayed through the whole hour. He stood in the car lot and smoked cigarettes. He was usually wearing a Misfits t shirt, sleeves cut off, marked with paint. I imagined him a tagger. I never paid much attention to him; I didn't want to be in those rooms so I kept mostly to myself. He was pretty enough to look at, but I never put my hand out to him. I was so afraid of making friends that I barely put my hand out to anyone.
I worked part time at Portland Bagel Works in the Nob Hill shopping district of Northwest Portland. The owner had given me a chance despite my lack of qualifications because I was in recovery. The pay sucked, and the working conditions were worse, but it was something. I was two months clean when I relapsed the first time, and I almost lost my job. Upon the promise of sobriety and hard work she gave me another chance. It was, indeed, the second chances that saved me; that saved us.
I locked up the store one evening and walked across Glisan Street to the Plaid Pantry for a pack of cigarettes. Pall Malls; they were cheap just like our boss. It was a late surge summer; the temperature hadn't risen above the high eighties until that week. It was mid August. I could barely wear more than cutoffs and crop tops. Everything was bare skin and thin lace that summer. Jo was standing to the right of the doors into the market with another guy. His friend was well built. He had bad piercings and worse tattoos. I didn't recognize them at first, and Jo quietly asked me for a smoke on my way back out of the store.
"Asshole," I thought. Of course I had a fucking cigarette. He had been eyeing me through the tall windows. I handed him one. While watching him light up I noticed how attractive he was. He had a strong jaw, dark eyes, and full lips. He returned my lighter and I started to walk away.
"Hey, are you from Eugene?" Upon hearing the full volume of his voice my knees went weak. The rest of the conversation was muted. I watched his mouth move. He asked where I was from, if I "you know, kicked it with the punks downtown," what my name was. I barely answered. I turned, flustered, and crossed 23rd Avenue to the bus stop. Bad Piercing/Bad Tattoo Friend followed behind me and sat down on the bus bench. He looked over at me, smiled, and started to talk.
"My friend is a coward. He only asked you that shit 'cuz, ya know, he thought you were hot. I mean…you are a babe."
I have always hated when men called me a babe. It's always felt uncomfortable, paternal, inappropriate. Like the name caller was pissing on my leg and claiming me as his territory. While I was in my head thinking about how much I hated being called a babe I realized where I recognized them, and probably where he had recognized me. The Serenity Prayer passed behind my eyes.
+ + +
Text message read: "wut r u doin ltr?"
His text shorthand made me cringe, but he was beautiful so I let it slide. Jo and I started talking outside meetings a few nights after the Plaid Pantry run in. He came into my shop and asked for my number. He asked me for a piece of paper and pen, on said paper he wrote "gimme ur #, don't make this weird." That was when I should have walked away, but I had been dreaming of unzipping his pants for days and I've never been good with self-control.
I received this potentially propositional text message two hours before I had to lock up the shop, dump out the stale coffee, and give mixed bags of bagels to the neighborhood bums and traveling kids.
My text message response read: "I'll be off work in two hours. Meet me here. I have bagels. Bring good coffee. I'm taking you to my house." I've always been proud of my full-sentence, fully-spelled text etiquette.
Our bus ride was uncomfortable; silent. We watched each other cross and uncross legs. I fidgeted with my fingernails; pulled on chunks of hair. We might as well have torn each other's skin off.
When we got to my house (my father's house, another second chance thanks to my newfound sobriety) I made more coffee, packed my Pall Mall 100's and went to step outside to smoke. He had been watching me closely, quietly, the entire time. He stood from the recliner which had once belonged to Johnny Cash and grabbed my hand. I hadn't noticed his hands till then; they were strong. He had tattoos across his knuckles that read GRAF LIFE in Olde English lettering. Apparently my tagger identification had been spot on. The palms of his hands were rough. His fingertips were callused. He was so young I couldn't imagine him ever having to work long enough to get his hands to this state. I wanted to grate them across my cheeks. I wanted to kiss them, taste them, and listen to their stories. These hands had tales to tell. This was not the time for telling stories though. I realized this as he smashed his open mouth around mine.
Our sex was rushed and hot. My shirt was off before we reached my room, and he didn't wait for my underpants to fall. His fingers pulled the fabric crotch to the side; I was almost surprised he even took the time to do that. In his haste he could have easily pushed the thin lace into my body. I was sure the sweat all came from his skin, but there was really no way to tell. Both of our bodies were damp; we stuck together. He set his shaved head beneath my breasts, and I could feel his smile.
"Stay with me." My voice cracked. I hadn't invited anyone to stay the night with me since I had first joined the program, especially not another sober person. He declined and stood to put his clothes on.
"I just got out of prison, I live in a halfway house with a curfew, and I don't do sleepovers." He said this as he descended the stairs from my attic room to the living room. I heard the front door squeak open and slam shut.
It took me a long time to ask about his imprisonment. His abrupt statement was all I needed. That night we sat at opposite sides of the meeting room, we were cordial; it was as though nothing had ever happened. I still had the taste of his fingers on my tongue. It was a desperate taste; salty, erotic.
Our affair lasted longer than I think either of us expected. There were arguments that usually ended in increasingly exhausting sessions of sex. Our fights were mostly about the fact that I told my close friends about our affair. He didn't want anyone to know, I would get my feelings hurt because I felt like he was ashamed of me, and to prove to me that he wasn't he would seduce me out of my dented ego. We began exploring each other's pain thresholds. My body was often bruised in shades of purple and yellow. Deep scratches traced down my back and around the outside of my thighs. My battle wounds were proof of my active and subversive sex life. The girls I went to meetings with expressed their concern; they were worried I'd relapsed or gotten into another abusive relationship. A couple of them knew I had a lover, and those few kept a knowing smile on their faces. They were worried, but they knew better than to think I'd stop. Combating with my will was something to avoid.
Work started weighing on my psyche; tending to the needs of upper-class trust fund hipsters and snobby mothers was a daunting task. Getting out of bed became more and more difficult. I made up excuses like meetings and service work to show up late and leave early. I was a terrible worker and a worse member of AA. My sponsor was failing me as a viable support system, and I began to seek solace in male members of the program. My home life was crumbling; my father wanted me out of his house, and I had nowhere else to go. Jo had finally moved out of his halfway house into a tent in his dad's backyard and often let me sleep there. I would catch the MAX train out to Gresham and forget about making it back.
+ + +
I had spent weeks in bed with this man, naked and exposed, tracing every inch of his body with my fingers and my eyes. I was having more sex with Jo than I'd ever had with another man. Somehow it wasn't until I had developed feelings for him and began trusting him that I saw a curious tattoo on the back of his right calf. I had seen many adaptations of this image over the years of living with a mother who was constantly active in race and gender equality movements, and seeing the reverse design as a representation of peace.
A swastika, black and bold, was etched into the skin of my lover.
"What the hell is that?" I glared into his eyes. I searched for the answer so it wouldn't be said out loud.
"You know what it is." He was being defiant. I was out of time.
"Yeah, I do. Now get the hell out of my shop."
Text message read: "hey im sitin outside ur shop, cum talk 2 me. Don b mad. R u mad?"
He had only stepped out far enough to smoke a cigarette. I approached him and promptly noticed the second tattoo. It was on his wrist which was usually wrapped in a black bandana. Another proudly placed swastika.
"Yes, I'm fucking mad. Are you a fucking…Nazi? What the fuck?" I was starting to lose control of my anger. A drink was starting to sound really nice. "I can't fucking deal with this. Especially not out here. Get moving." He just sat there looking at me. His eyes were so clear. His beauty was distracting. Those eyes.
"Can I explain myself, please?"
Against my better judgment I let him come back inside and explain his backwards political views to me. I don't think I listened well enough, or my selective vision was matched with selective hearing, because that night I was back in the tent. He came inside of me and kissed me like we were in love.
The first time I left him my nipples were raw and a blood vessel in my eyeball had popped. The night before we had been in the tent again, all I could think about every time he pushed himself deeper into me were his tattoos, his hatred, how the world would be a better place if he wasn't alive. I grabbed his hand and wrapped his fingers around my neck.
"Choke me." He pushed down. "Harder. Deeper. Hurt me." He did what he was told. He nearly ripped my nipples away with his teeth, he slapped me across the face until my cheeks burned, I stopped breathing, and we came in tandem with my fingernails dug into his back and our eyes locked together.
On the MAX train back into town the next morning, on my way to work, I was putting on my makeup and saw that my eye had turned red; a popped blood vessel. I knew we had gone too far, and I had already begun to question his presence in my life. Despite being the only lover who could keep up with me he was nothing but a constant flow of stress. I left him and he argued. From his perspective all of our problems had been because of me. I had no reason to fight, so I stopped responding to his texts and went on with my life.
+ + +
My sobriety waned. I had lost my job, my dedication, and the taste of whiskey was too sweet to deny. Jo had relapsed as well. He contacted me after his escape from Eugene, Oregon, and he wanted to talk. I suggested we meet at my old neighborhood bar for beers, and I showed up early to finish reading my first collection of Bukowski in peace. When I saw him walk through the swinging, creaking door of Biddy McGraw's I already knew what the night was going to look like.
His eyes were still dark; they were the eyes of a man in mourning. He ordered us beers and sat down across from me with a forced smile on his face.
I wondered how much history was held in this one-word greeting. I was too distracted to care. He was as beautiful as ever and his sad eyes made me miss him even more. We talked for a couple hours; the ever-present shifty smiles and shaky hands underwrote our every word. Suddenly as though we'd both been hit by the same revelation we stopped talking and looked sternly into each other's eyes.
"Do you want to leave here?" The words were falling from my mouth and I wanted to catch each of them, shove them back down my throat, take them back. I wanted to take the night back, to be alone with my books. Not sitting with my past.
"Yes…Yeah. I'm staying around the corner."
We stood in his grandmother's living room, a shot glass hit my mouth, my hair was in his hands, my pants were around my ankles, and he was inside of me. It all happened so fast. This evil: I knew I was smarter than it.
God, grant me the serenity…
He was beating me, clamping his hand over my mouth.
God, grant me…
I could feel him trying to break me. I knew he wanted to take my spirit from me. I fought against it.
We dressed quickly and in silence. His grandmother was standing in the doorway to the living room; her mouth was moving. Words like "Disrespect" and "Get Out Now" and "What Would Your Mother Say" were reverberating against the walls. We walked to his mother's house, also in silence. I walked to the bathroom and out of the corner of my eye I saw his hand shovel pills into his mouth. He was in tears when I got back to where he was standing: in the kitchen, leaning against the counter. Above his head hung a picture of him and a girl; they were young. He looked innocent, and he had those same sad eyes.
I showed up to school with bruises like before, but this time they were matched with hangovers and I wasn't proud. I wanted to keep my renewed affair a secret. My classmate and best friend Hatch often teased me for my indiscretions. I confided in him and most of the time he laughed.
"Stop drinking the Nazi Whiskey," he'd tell me. "It only makes things worse, and you know it."
He was right; I knew better, and he knew I didn't care.
+ + +
Jo stumbled up the stairs to my room after a rainstorm. His eyes had emptied since the last time I'd seen him. His skin was as wet as the pavement. From his bag he pulled a six pack of Pabst and a fifth of whiskey. Nazi Whiskey. Old Crow. I had promised Hatch I'd stopped, but I had no ability to turn away from this man sitting at the foot of my bed.
I wrapped my legs around him, my chest pressed against his back. I ran my fingers down his arms, stopping at every bruise. I had seen these bruises on my own skin and on the skin of my junkie loves. I knew he was high; his hands shook. When he kissed me his mouth was dry.
As he peeled off my clothes a feeling of terror gripped my chest.
"Be gentle with me tonight, please," I begged. My body was always sore for days after he left my bed. I needed to heal. He chose to ignore my request. He had never grasped my wrists so tightly. He ripped hair from my head. The skin across my collarbones bled from his nails. My cheeks stung hot every time he swung his hand across my face. Again, I cried for him to stop. Again, he ignored me. One of his hands crept into my crotch, the other wrapped around my neck. He was so high he forgot his strength. My hands held his face. My eyesight went soft. I suddenly became so sure of my death. I was coming, and I was dying. His face went black.
"Please…" was all I could hear.
I felt a teardrop fall on my cheek, I felt a rough tapping at my jaw, and I heard another plea. Desperation and sobriety poured from Jo's voice as he begged me to not be dead. I opened my eyes and he was still there, above me, hopeless. My crotch was dripping. Indeed, the orgasms had always been groundbreaking. He began to explain what happened after I passed out. I had a hard time accepting the news of a seizure; that I had, in fact, nearly died.
"Please leave. You've been shooting up, don't think I don't know, and you nearly killed me. Get out and never come back." The voice that came from me was not my own; it was terrifying in its conviction. For the first time I asked Jo to leave and really meant it. I still hadn't caught my breath.
Similar to the way he walked out of my house the first time, he descended my creaking stairs and slammed the door behind him. I pulled my knees to my chest and unscrewed the bottle of Old Crow he left at my feet.


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Discover the best practices for Twitter. Learn how to use Twitter and gain followers.
Using Brandwatch To Monitor Your Brands Digital Footprint
Anyone who does anything related to online marketing knows the importance of branding. Growing and spreading a brand is the key to a successful business; however, monitoring the growth of the brand is something that is much harder to measure. ...Read More »


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"two stout little wagtails"
by ymgeisydd
Grey wagtail - Credit: Dan Davison
Pied wagtail - Credit: fs-phil
Wagtails are songbirds belonging to the genus Motacilla. Not surprisingly, one of their main characteristics is that they just can't stop wagging their tails!
Species to be found in Britian include the grey wagtail (Motacilla cinerea); the pied wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrellii) and the yellow wagtail (Motacilla flava).


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River of Dreams
Book 8: The Nine Kingdoms
She is frantic to find both the truth about her future and a mercenary to save her country.
When an offer of aid comes from an unexpected direction, Aisling of Bruadair is relieved her quest is almost complete. But she soon realizes her task is far from over . . . and will include perils she never dreamed she would ever face.
Rùnach of Ceangail has offered to help Aisling with her quest, then he fully intends to take up his life as a simple swordsman far from magic and evil mages. Unfortunately, a chance finding of a book of indecipherable spells tells him that an ordinary life is never going to be his–especially when he realizes that the book he has in his hands belongs to a black mage who will stop at nothing to have it back.
With time running out, Rùnach and Aisling must solve what seem to be unrelated mysteries before others find those answers first and plunge the Nine Kingdoms into a darkness it will never recover from…


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Green smoothies provide a good source of folate, calcium, iron and other vitamins and minerals needed for healthy fetal development, they also make a convenient and healthy snack or meal and if done right, be totally delicious.
Heres my Pineapple Banana Yum Yum
1 c. organic romaine lettuce
1 c. organic baby spinach
1.5 c. coconut water
2-3 frozen bananas
1 c. golden rip pineapples
2 tbsp. ground flax seeds
Blend 45-60 seconds and enjoy!
This fills up my 32 oz. size ninja blender cup.
Here's a video:


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- HubPages»
- Business and Employment
What You Should Know About Cheap Commercial Insurance
By choosing cheap commercial insurance now to keep your costs down you are ultimately costing yourself more money over a longer period of time, that's more money from your business. Insurance should be thought about as a basic expense to run your business, such as payroll, shipping, and inventory are.
However a lot of business owners don't think of it this way. They will quite often think about it as a required action, and of course yes, some things like commercial liability insurance is actually required by statute, however to most of the starting business owners out there a cheap, run of the mill, basic commercial insurance plan is all they can can currently afford, and maybe they think they don't need more then that as well.
It Can't Be That Bad To Cut A Little Money For A Little Coverage
This way of thinking is common in today's business world, we all can understand that! A business has to go through and consider, research and keep track of every one of it's costs, and we can all agree that one of the largest expenses is commercial insurance. Everyone wants to save money in every little or big place that they can, and while this is completely understandable and reasonable, you have to consider that sometimes spending less money up front means lower quality which will often end up costing you much more money in the end. Especially with choosing commercial insurance.
As a business owner, or even if you are a world wide business owner, one of the first things you should think about is how much coverage to do require to protect all of your assets from possible claims that may happen? While you can often times find commercial insurance that meets the standards and requirements of the law for less money spent from your pocket, you have to ask yourself if that coverage will completely cover you in case some unexpected event happens. In Instance, your commercial liability pays claims all the way up to a million dollars, however you're liable for a million and a half.
Your business will have no choice but to have to cover the rest of the difference that is left between what your liability policy did cover and of course what was in the end ordered by the court. You have to think about it. Would you realistically have the extra five hundred thousand dollars to fix this or would it have to be the end of your business? Could your business survive that?
Things To Consider When Looking For Commercial Insurance
Finding and obtaining commercial insurance quotes may be a long, and boring task, I know that, however here are some things for you to consider to help you stay away from falling into the horrible trap of cheap insurance and will help you choose the right package for you:
1. Insurance companies as all other businesses are in this to make money. While often times the commercial insurance agents are representing these companies are portraying themselves as individual people who are interested in your welfare only, keep in mind that just like everyone else they do have to make a living and put food on the table, and they can sometimes send you a policy that won't give you the actual coverage you need if something does happen.
2. Sit yourself down and take a little time to add up your assets. Figure out how much commercial insurance you would need if something bad was to happen to them suddenly. You must also think about how much you will need to keep up on the bills if your business was to stop producing an income for a period of time, make sure you come up will realistic answers. In instance, lets just imagine that part of your building has been burned, you need to find a way to pay the expenses until it was fully repaired and functional again. How would you do this?
3. Meet with a number of various certified insurance plan brokers, and then thoroughly do a comparison of coverages and rates. Keep in mind, that different commercial insurers explain their different coverages in different ways. In the event that you do not fully grasp the complicated, confusing as well as at times tricky terms, consult the brokers about precisely what it means.
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If you've been thinking of making a major change in your life but the fear of failure is holding you back, I really think you're gonna love this post.
This question is from Regani who writes: "Hi, I'm 32, recently divorced, and a mother of a wonderful 3 and a half year old boy. I've been working in the health insurance field for over 5 years now. I work alongside nurses and hearing them talk about their cases and reviewing charts has made me want to go into the field of nursing. The biggest thing that's holding me back is fear of failure. I'm afraid I won't have the motivation to keep up with studying and would fail at my classes. I'm hoping that you can guide me in the right direction. Thank you for all you do."
This is a great question. You know, fear of failure is one of the most common, if not the biggest dream killers of all time. So you are not alone, my friend. But if you're serious about turning this beautiful dream into a reality, which I think you are, there are 2 things that I want you to do.
Number one, follow your fear. Look, it's totally ok to be afraid. All it means is you're about to do something really brave and important to you. It means that you're about to do something that's going to force you to grow as a human.
So don't resist it. I want you to embrace it. I want you to follow it. Because here's the thing that most people don't realize, fear is often instructive and it is directive. Really. It's like a GPS for our souls want us to go. If you haven't seen this episode right over here, my friend, I want you to watch it right after this one.
Let's move on and talk about your fear of failure, which is honestly something that we can neutralize right now. Because I guarantee this, you will have stumbles and missteps. I mean, all of us do. We all make mistakes. It's part of being human. But here's the truth, you can only truly fail if you stop trying, if you stop growing, if you stop learning. So I want to invite you to use a little mantra to help free yourself from this fear of failure. This is something I use in my life every single day and it goes like this: I win or I learn, but I never lose. In other words, no matter what happens, no matter what goes down, what mistakes you make, you can always choose to get back up, to learn something from it, to get stronger, to move ahead, whatever that may look like.
Nothing has to take you down unless you let it.
Number two is work your why. So if you really want to make this career change happen, and I know you can do this, Regani has got to get emotionally connected to why this dream is important to you. She's got to keep it front and center every single day because, as you know, making this happen, it's just not going to be easy. I mean, nothing that's worth it ever is. But if you stay really present to the emotional heart based reasons why this change is so important to you, you are going to find the strength to cross that finish line. I guarantee it.
Here's what I want you to do. I want you to take out a piece of paper and write down all of the reasons why this is important and what impact becoming a nurse is going to have on yourself, is going to have on your son, is going to have on the patients you take care of? I mean, think about this: what is this going to mean to your family?
What's it gonna mean emotionally and financially and spiritually? Who are you going to become by making this a reality?
When I sat down and I was thinking about this for you, I actually imagined you might say things like "I'll become more focused, I'll become more resilient, I'll become a better role model for my son, I'll become a woman who's even more confident and more capable, I'll become a woman who is using my heart and my gifts and my talents and skills to make a difference to others." And I bet one of your big why's, Regani, is your son. So I want you to use that leverage on yourself, get a beautiful picture of him, and put it right on your list of why's, and I want you to look at that list and his picture every single day. Look at it when you're setting up your schedule to take your classes, look at it whenever things get really hard and difficult and you're tired and you want to quit. Because I've gotta tell you, your son is learning so much from you right now.
He's learning it energetically and emotionally, and you're going to teach him either by example to be brave and go for your dreams or you're going to teach him to let fear win. Now, I know this is a really big choice, Regani. You can't make this lightly. And if I could leave you with anything today it would be this quote from Nelson Mandela and, yes, it's a tweetable. May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears. That was my A to your Q, Regani, I really, really hope it helps. And now I would love to hear from you. I want you to tell me, is there some dream that you've been putting off because you're afraid that you might lose motivation or somehow let yourself down? I think all of us have that, right? Well, here's what I want you to do. I want you to tell me one big emotional heart centered why that could actually help you keep going.


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Share the Costa Rica love
Today's photo was contributed by my Aunt Katie. She's not only a huge supporter of my blog, regularly commenting on posts and replying by email, but a world traveler in her own right. She and my Uncle Jay travel regularly to tropical destinations to escape the Nebraska cold and indulge their love of scuba diving. Not only do I love the Costa Rica sunset she captured, but it's a great reminder that you don't have to be a travel blogger to make travel a part of your life.
If you're interested in having a photo featured, please contact me.
I invite you to share a recent post that you loved: either your own's or someone else's, travel-related or not. I'll keep the love going by commenting, tweeting, facebookingand/or stumbling the post. I'm looking forward to building up some good blogging karma and hopefully discovering some gems that I wouldn't find on my own.


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EU Chair: Open
U.S. Chair: Sunday Rubenstein, EY
Staff Contact: Justine Korwek
In the Information Age, skilled workers are vital to competitiveness. The race is on for world-class talent across national borders. Global companies must move talented individuals between company facilities – worldwide & when needed. Labor mobility is not only a necessary component in the provision of many cross-border services. Mobility and the corresponding ability to utilize the skills and competence of employees deployed outside of their regular country of residence are critical elements of the global talent sourcing practices increasingly common within companies on both sides of the Atlantic.
The Skilled Workforce Working Group's mission is to promote government action to facilitate the movement of highly skilled labour into the EU and U.S. on a temporary and permanent basis.
WG priorities:
- Support policies in the EU and US which would promote the development of a skilled workforce to meet the needs of businesses in both regions.
- Support EU-US collaboration for fast-track intra-company visas.
- Support US immigration reform as it applies to movement between the EU-US.
- Promote workforce/mobility issues in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).
- Call for EU policies that facilitate the short term access of business travellers to the Schengen area.
- Call for harmonisation of visas for training schemes between the EU and US (i.e. trainees)
- Facilitate fast-track entry for frequent business travellers (i.e. Global Entry)
- Address youth unemployment, the skills gap and provide recommendations regarding transatlantic cooperation on skills and training schemes.
Instruments (used in Washington and Brussels):
- Position papers and letters
- Events and workshops
- Bilateral meetings with policy makers from the European Parliament, EU Member State Permanent Representations, the European Commission and US administration.
- Collaboration with other interested parties where useful. TABC is open to collaborating with interested organisation and has worked in the past with several partner associations including AmCham EU, BUSINESSEUROPE, CCIA, European Services Forum (ESF), ITIC, Nasscom and TechAmerica on an as needed basis.
Letters, Papers & Submissions:
- TABC Joint Association Letter on the Revision of the Blue Card Directive (June 2017)
- TABC Response: Expert Group on Economic Migration Paper on the Blue Card Directive (May 2015)
- TABC Response: Expert Group on Economic Migration Paper on Labor Migration (May 2015)
- TABC Position Paper on EU Visa Code Reform (February 2015)
- TABC Position on Plenary Vote Regarding Equal Treatment (March 2014)
- Letter on the ICT Directive Urging EP Approval of the Trialogue Text (March 2014)
- Open Letter on the ICT Directive (February 2014)
- Open Letter to European Parliament, Council of the European Union & European Commission on adoption of proposed EU directive on Intra-Corporate Transferees (ICT) (August 2013)
- Letter to Commissioner Malmstrom Calling for the Inclusion of Skills and Labour Mobility Issues in the TTIP (June 2013)
- TABC Trialogue Recommendations on ICT Directive – OVERVIEW (March 2013)
- Position Paper on Negative Consequences of ICT Waiting Periods (February 2013)
- Position Paper on Working Terms and Conditions in the Context of the ICT Directive (January 2013)
- Position Paper on Equal Treatment in the Context of the ICT Directive (January 2013)
- Joint Association Open Letter on ICT Directive Trialogue (October 2012)
- Joint Association Letter on ICT Waiting Periods (May 2012)
- Multi-Association Letter on ICT Directive (June 2011)


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Beds: 5
Baths: 4 | 1
Sq. Ft.: 3,303
Type: Single Family Home
Listing #T2907450
This spectacular model home with a leaseback option comes fully furnished and loaded with upgrades. Located on a gorgeous corner lot in the heart of Oviedo, the Newhall welcomes you home with its charming oversized front porch perfect for catching up with your neighbors in the beautiful Florida evening weather. Enjoy indoor/outdoor living and entertaining with French Doors from your front porch to your dining room and sliding glass doors to your incredible expansive lanai and custom pool. Your kitchen features granite countertops, white cabinets, GE appliances, and an oversized island overlooking the massive family room. This stunning home allows you to entertain overnight guests, as well as the entire neighborhood! After a long day of shopping to fill up your enormous master closet, retire to your luxurious Owner's Retreat and enjoy a spa experience in your indulgent master bathroom complete with extra large shower and a rain shower head. This home also features a charming casita on the detached 2 car garage. It's decorated as a bedroom, but the space allows so many options for a multi-generational family! Make your casita a secondary office, art studio, workout room, private guest area, play room, ore even a pool cabana! Feel confident buying your next home from the largest privately-held home builder in America because of our 40-year reputation for delivering quality new homes, customer satisfaction and warranty service.
Property Features
Location Information
County: Seminole
MLS Area: Oviedo
Community: Fees Required, Irrigation-Reclaimed Water, Park
Latitude: 28.664993
Longitude: -81.212241
Subdivision: EVANS SQUARE
Location: Corner Lot, In City Limits, Sidewalk, Street Paved
Directions: From 417, Take Exit 41 to Red Bug Lake Rd. Cross over SR 434 to W. Mitchell Hammock Rd, turn left onto S. Lake Jessup and Evans Square will be on the right.
Interior Features
Additional Rooms: Bonus Room, Den/Library/Office, Family Room, Foyer, Interior In-Law Apartment
Rooms: Bonus Room, Den/Library/Office, Family Room, Foyer, Interior In-Law Apartment, Kitchen/Family Room Combo, Open Floor Plan
Interior: Built in Features, Ceiling Fan(S), Crown Molding, In Wall Pest System, Inside Utility, Rods, Smoke Alarm(S), Solid Stone Counters, Solid Wood Cabinets, Thermal Windows, Tray Ceiling, VideoMonitoring, Volume Ceilings, Walk In Closet
Master Bathroom Description: Dual Sinks, Shower No Tub
Full Baths: 4
1/2 Baths: 1
Kitchen Description: Island, Pantry
Has Fireplace: No
Heat/Cool: Central, Fuel - Electric
Cooling: Central
Floors: Carpet, Ceramic Tile, Wood
Appliances: Dishwasher, Disposal, Dryer, Hot Water Electric, Microwave, Range, Refrigerator, Washer, Wine/Bar Refrigerator
Community Features: Fees Required, Irrigation-Reclaimed Water, Park
Exterior Features
Is New Construction: yes
Construction: Block, Siding, Stem Wall, Stucco, Wood Frame
Exterior: Fenced, French Doors, Irrigation System, Oak Trees, Outdoor Lights, Patio/Porch/Deck Covered, Patio/Porch/Deck Open, Sliding Doors, Trees/Landscaped
Foundation: Stem Wall
Roof: Shingle
Minimum Age for Community: N/A
Utilities: BB/HS Internet Avail, Cable Available, Electric, Public Sewer, Street Lights
Parking Description: Detached, Door Opener
Garage/Carport: 2 Car Garage
Has Garage: yes
Has a Pool: yes
Pool Description: Salt Water, Spa
Lot Description: Up to 10, 889 Sq. Ft.
Lot Number: 6
Lot Size in Acres: 0.23
Lot Size in Sq. Ft.: 10, 080
Lot Dimensions: 70X144
Possible Best Use: Single Family Home
Zoning: RES
Water Frontage: 0
Has Waterfront: No
Elementary School: Lawton Elementary
Jr. High School: Jackson Heights Middle
High School: Oviedo High
Additional Information
Property Type: SFR
Property SubType: Single Family Home
Year Built: 2017
Status: Active
HOA Common Association: Required
Monthly HOA Amount: 120.00
HOA Fee: 360
HOA Frequency: Quarterly
Pets: Allowed
Community Features: Fees Required, Irrigation-Reclaimed Water, Park
Construction Status: 1
$ per month
Year Fixed. % Interest Rate.
|Principal + Interest:
|Monthly Tax:
|Monthly Insurance:
Based on a fully amortized fixed rate loan. Ask your agent for the tax rates in your area. Insurance estimate is based on an average cost, your final premium cost will be determined by the type of coverage you select. This program only provides an estimate.
Seller's Representative:
Weekley Homes Realty Company
Weekley Homes Realty Company
© 2018 My Florida Regional Multiple Listing Service, Inc.. All rights reserved.
The data relating to real estate displayed on this website comes in part from the Internet Data Exchange (IDX) Program of My Florida Regional Multiple Listing Service, Inc. All listing information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified through personal inspection by appropriate professionals. Listings displayed on this website may be subject to prior sale or removal from sale; availability of any listing should always be independently verified. Listing information is provided for consumers' personal, non-commercial use, solely to identify potential properties for potential purchase; all other use is strictly prohibited and may violate relevant federal and state law.
MFRMLS data last updated at January 23, 2018 10:03 AM ET
Real Estate IDX Powered by iHomefinder


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wedding florist los angeles california
Need help finding low cost suppliers for my wedding ….?
Does anyone know of a florist, photographer, and / or videographer in Southern California in Los Angeles / San Gabriel Valley / Inland Empire area is good, but low cost for both. I married the following summer and did not know where to start to search. Thanks for all your help!
I will extract some of these websites. www.theknot.com www.brides.com I personally liked because theknot.com www.perfectweddingguide.com lists of sellers according to prices. Good luck!


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GOP Lawmaker: Civil Rights Protesters as "Disgusting" as White Supremacists
During a CNN interview yesterday, U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy (R-WI) argued civil rights protesters and Black Lives Matter members are as "disgusting" as the white supremacists (and Nazis) Trump took entirely too long to denounce following his election two weeks ago. The exchange between Duffy and The Lead guest host Jim Sciutto ventured into historically tone deaf false equivalency when Duffy attempted to pin the blame for Trump's lack of actions on President Obama.
During the segment Sciutto pressed Duffy for an explanation as to why Trump waited so long to personally denounce the hate groups celebrating his victory as hate crimes have surged across the country. The exchange began by focusing on the NPI conference held over the weekend that featured overt displays of racism and neo-Nazism.
"Why did it take him so long to condemn this really disgusting hate group?" Sciutto asked noting Trump took more decided and immediate action against other perceived slights such as the cast of Hamilton and Saturday Night Live.
Duffy responded:
He did condemn them and that's a good thing. And someone who says, 'they maybe endorse me, but I don't endorse their viewpoint of the world.' Again, I think it's important that a leader step forward and make the right move, which is what he did. My concern is that Barack Obama, when he had a chance, didn't condemn the riots across America that were in protest of Donald Trump's victory in the election or didn't condemn 'Black Lives Matter.' It might have taken him time in your viewpoint or in another's viewpoint, but he did the right thing.
Before we get to the obvious deflection, it's important to fact-check Duffy's remark. The overwhelming majority of protests following Trump's election were peaceful. In fact, only a handful of incidents occurred in the hundreds of rallies, demonstrations and marches in cities across the country. To characterize the response to Trump's election as 'riots' only furthers a false narrative.
Sciutto left that lie on the table as he interrupted Duffy to strike at the larger problem in the conservative lawmaker's narrative. "You're equating Americans protesting a politician with outright hate and bigotry from a group that was using the Hitler salute to celebrate Donald Trump's victory and are nothing more than white supremacists? I mean, that's not a fair comparison," he said.
"No no no," Duffy began. "What I'm saying…Both are disgusting, for different ways." [Emphasis Mine]
"You're putting them on equal footing? You're putting political protests on a footing with white supremacists?" Sciutto asked, offering Duffy a chance to backtrack on his comparison.
Rather than take that opportunity to clarify he wasn't trying to compare civil rights activists to neo-Nazis and racists, Duffy responded:
Let me explain. So…I think this is a horrible group, don't share their values or their viewpoint. But you have people taking to the streets and damaging property, pulling people out of cars and beating them up, little girls getting beaten up in schools for supporting Donald Trump. This was violence on American streets. So they're different kind of activity by each group, but both groups need to be condemned.
It's one thing if you stand on the sidewalk and hold a sign in protest. That's the American First Amendment right to protest. But when you get violent and you damage property and you hurt people, that's something completely different.
In order for Duffy's argument to hold water, you have to refer back to what we first fact-checked above: there were no mass riots across the United States in the wake of Donald Trump's election. On the contrary, the majority of the hundreds of protests, rallies and marches featured people holding signs and chanting – the very same 'American First Amendment' people he lauded but discounted as being the people who were on the streets for several days following the election.
While he couched his statements in the caveat that he's not comparing one group to the other, he literally is by calling a majority of peaceful protesters violent and destructive and on the same level as white supremacists.
But more to the point, the majority of violence, harassment and property damage inflicted on persons and property following the election has actually been by hate groups supporting Donald Trump. As of November 16, 2016, the Southern Poverty Law Center tracked over 700 hate-based incidents across the nation in mere a one week period.
Of those incidents, only 27 incidents were recorded as being anti-Trump.
Additionally, as Duffy complains about a handful of mostly non-violent crimes against Trump supporters, black teen James Means was just murdered by a white man who the teen bumped into as his offense. According to the criminal complaint, the man shot the teen and then "proceeded to go home, eat dinner, then go hang out at a friend's house." When asked about the murder, he said, "The way I look at it, that's another piece of trash off the street."
This is the reality of Trump's emboldened America.
Fact-checking aside, Duffy's comparison ignores the history of racism, nationalism and nativism in the United States. It ignores the violence against and the harassment of minorities by white supremacists throughout American history. A history where white men feel that the lives of minorities literally mean less – which is the entire point of the Black Lives Matter movement.
As minorities fear for their lives under a Trump administration, privileged conservative white male lawmakers like Rep. Duffy smugly compare the violent, racist scum of the nation to those standing up for basic human rights.
This is the emboldened America we live in now.


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A story about overcoming fear, Reed's First Day of School addresses the anxiety many kids feel before that first day in class. Mom and Skyler do their best to reassure Reed, but it takes a special gift from Molly to make the difference.
Bookwire is a mobile app for your iPhone that gives you the ability to scan a barcode
or enter ISBN, access book records and add titles to wish lists.


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Part of my summer getaway last May 26,2011 is visiting Camp Alfredo in Guimaras. Envisioned to be a one stop family, nature- adventure destination on the island of Guimaras, Camp Alfredo brings in a lot of fun and excitement amidst the serene and lush backdrop.
Camp Alfredo is located along the highway in Brgy. Ravina, Sibunag, Guimaras. Current facilities include:
– 330 meter zip line
– high rope obstacle course (vine walk, mciro log burma log, burma bridge)
– hanging bridge
– restaurant and bar
– camping grounds
– cabins
– rapelling
– "mini" zip line
– tree house
– uphill and downhill trail
Future amenities include:
– infinity pool (chlorine-free) (already constructed as of visit time)
– prayer deck at the highest point of the camp
– stations of the cross (already installed as of visit time)
– airsoft ground
– football area
Entrance fee is Php30, Zip rates are Php425 – 1 ride, Php 625 – 2 rides, Php825 – Unli rides, Php200 – Obstacle Course.
Room rates are Php3,500 maximum of 4 persons with free breakfast and pool for 2, Php5,000 maximum of 8 persons with free breakfast and pool for 4.
For inquiries, you can contact Bing at 09192768259 or visit Camp Alfredo Facebook Page or website: http://campalfredo.com/
How to get there?


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Office28 is a brand new corporate development offering premium, flexible office space – ideally located in the heart of Wolverhampton's City Centre. The building has a total of 32 serviced offices, 2 communal kitchens, Shower and bathroom facilities and Meeting rooms.
The company was about to start Phase2 of the design project which was to build the offices in the upstairs section of the building and find a modern solution to Heating this area that blended with the overall theme for the building.
X-Gen-Heating Limited was tasked with consulting on alternative methods of heating that wasn't costly or difficult to install. The initial design looked at Infrared Heating Panels in great detail and went through the cost savings potential if we was to go ahead and install this type of system. The client also wanted a level of control over the heating of the building and hot water systems and be able to monitor the usage in each zone. The main reason for choosing Infrared Heating was due to the modern look of the panels which could blend in with the building and offer a true space and energy saving solution.
X-Gen-Heating Ltd was best placed to provide this level of detail as the only provider of complete Infrared Central Heating systems. The difficult part of the project was to find a Smart Thermostat system that could communicate with the Infrared Heating Panels and The infrared Hot water. Not many viable options were readily available so we looked to Heatmiser to find a solution that met the client's needs.
We found that the best Thermostats for the job were the neoStat-e and neoHub system as with this being a fairly large office we needed a way for the thermostats to all communicate with the neoHub even from the other side of the building. The Mesh network system worked Really well. As long as the first thermostat connected to the neoHub the other 31 Thermostats could piggy back off each other and connect. This system provided the level of monitoring and control the client wanted overall even when he is not at the office.
Being a new office with new technology this project had many challenges to overcome. The Infrared Central heating system was originally designed for home use so the plans had to be redesigned from the ground up in order to work in exactly same way on a much larger scale. Without the Neostat system we may not have been able to control the overall system the way the client wanted and there would be a high risk that the system was not as energy efficient as was designed thus making it not a viable solution. As it was the system is now performing around 65% more energy efficient than using Electric heaters or Gas boilers and looks far more stylish than either of these options.
X-GEN-HEATING can offer you full service for heating systems, cheap heating alternatives, affordable heating, heating panel installation, infrared heating panel providers in Wolverhampton.
We are using infrared technology to bring the most affordable and healthiest home central heating and hot water systems.
We have future of central heating products. Using the very latest in infrared technology we provide 100% clean energy that produces no co2 emissions.


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Nuzzling Muzzles is the place where I write and exchange news about the large and powerful beasts we call horses.
Saturday, August 13, 2016
August Around the Ranch
6 comments:
- Allenspark Lodge said...
"then they all yipped up a storm" and you got a picture of the storm! Wonderful post!
- August 13, 2016 at 11:21 PM
- TeresaA said...
Thanks for the tour. The bunnies are very cute and I love that cloud photo!
- August 14, 2016 at 4:03 AM
- Linda said...
Great photo journey. I hadn't thought about coyotes and manure, but of course! Our dogs love it, why wouldn't they? Fascinating ecosystem you inhabit!
- August 15, 2016 at 7:43 AM
- C-ingspots said...
Your home is very interesting, and so very different than what I'm accustomed to. Thanks for sharing your world...love your bunny. Everyone likes kindness and comfort. I think the coyotes are beautiful too, and big bro might be "evil" and too rough with his lil sis, but he is beautiful - those eyes!
- August 15, 2016 at 9:28 AM
- Sherry Sikstrom said...
wonderful photos!
- August 21, 2016 at 9:58 PM
- Nuzzling Muzzles said...
I was shocked to see that my local newspaper gave me a half page to display two of these coyote photos! They usually put community photos up in a corner, using no more than 1/6th of the real estate on a page. My husband told me to submit them, and I did, and then immediately forgot about it. Then today I picked up the newspaper to throw in the recycling bin and recognized my photos. I was like, "Wait. This isn't my blog..." then I remembered submitting them.
- August 24, 2016 at 10:44 PM


text: Seller: nharchitectural (5,898) 100%, Location: Milton Mills, New Hampshire, Ships to: Worldwide, Item: 371613555604 This is a pair of heavy solid brass shell design drawer pulls. They measure 5 1/8" wide and have a 2 3/8" on center bolt hole pattern and are in good condition. They would need bolts. We will gladly combine lots whenever possible to save on shipping costs. Material: BRASS / BRONZE, SHELL DESIGN: DRAWER PULLS


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After 90 days, if your purchase is not performing to your satisfaction, or if you believe there to be a problem not caused by expected wear and tear, please contact the manufacturer directly. We recommend you save all packaging, manufacturer's warranty information, receipts and invoices, to facilitate the return process, should the need arise.
* All climbing equipment and food items are final sale. For your safety, we cannot accept returns on these items.
When returning merchandise to Campmor, carefully wrap the items and return them Parcel Post insured or UPS.
Parcels must be returned shipping charges prepaid. C.O.D. returns can not be accepted and will be refused.
Enclose the return form on the reverse side of your invoice or a letter telling us the reason for the return, along with the name, address, and zip code of the person who placed the order.
Advise us if you are looking for a refund, exchange, or repair.
Campmor will refund postage due to shipping errors or defects in merchandise.
We will return ship via surface delivery.
The Giro Jacket Cycling Shoe transforms the flat pedal riding experience, thanks in part to the Vibram MegaGrip rubber outsole. This rubber compound was engineered for exceptional grip for trail riding, dirt jumping and downhilling. Other highlights include a low-profile upper, an EVA cushioning in the midsole which helps to reduce shock, and a Poron XRD heel pad that helps minimize the impact of hard landings and bailouts. With a variety of on-point color options, the Giro Jacket is just as comfortable at happy hour in the Whistler Village as they are bombing down A-Line.
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Exploring Britiain's Castles features a range of spectacular buildings across the length and breadth of the country. Built to intimidate and designed for defence, many of Britain's Castles now stand empty and in various stages of ruin, although some are even more sumptuous and well appointed than they were in their heyday. From the mighty fortress of Dover built to guard the English Channel, to th
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In the next few weeks I'll share you wedding colors trends of the coming 2016, so we start the color of burgundy today. Like Marsala, the Pantone color of the year 2015, burgundy is also named from a kind of wine that native to France. In fact, burgundy and marsala look like similar while marsala is closer to the color of the soil, burgundy closer to chestnut. Burgundy has been popular recent years, and I think it will still play an important role in 2016.
Photo credits: ( from top left ) : Ivan Zamanuhin Photography/ Sarah McEvoy Photography/ Ashley Cook Photography/ dressforthewedding.com
Tracy Enoch Photography
Half Orange Photography
Ashley Cook Photography
via Pinterest
via thepinkpeonies.com
Joshua Aull Photography
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Ira Lippke Studios Photography
Eric Ronald Photography


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November 16, 2017
Meditation Class: Meditations for Inner Peace
Meditations for Inner Peace
Start your day on the right note. Learn to cultivate inner peace and restore your mental clarity through guided meditations and inspirational teachings at this class.
Each class is self-contained so you can come to any class. It is not necessary to have attended the earlier classes. Drop in to a class anytime.
Fee: $12
Wishfulfilling Jewel Puja
Wishfulfilling Jewel Puja
This sadhana, or prayer booklet, includes two practices revealed by the Wisdom Buddha Manjushri. The first is a special Guru yoga in which we visualize our Spiritual Guide as Je Tsongkhapa, who himself is a manifestation of Manjushri. By relying upon this practice, we can purify negativity, accumulate merit, and receive blessings. In this way, we shall naturally accomplish all the realizations of the stages of the path of Sutra and Tantra, and in particular we shall attain a very special Dharma wisdom.
The second practice is a method for relying upon the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden. Through this, we can overcome obstacles to our practice and create favourable conditions so that we can nurture and increase our Dharma realizations. If we rely upon the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden sincerely, our faith in Je Tsongkhapa will naturally increase and we shall easily gain experience of the pure Buddhadharma transmitted directly to Je Tsongkhapa by the Wisdom Buddha Manjushri.
These two practices are the very essence of the New Kadampa Tradition of Mahayana Buddhism. If we practise them regularly and sincerely, we shall reap a rich harvest of pure Dharma realizations, and eventually come to experience the supreme joy of full enlightenment.


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Koch Unit Pledges $44M Plant Upgrades To Resolve EPA Suit
Flint Hills Resources Port Arthur LLC will install new equipment to recover waste gases and burn flares at 98 percent efficiency, according to the settlement. The deal also requires the chemical plant operator to cut so-called fugitive emissions that leak...
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How time flies when you are having fun! It was just yesterday when the air was so hot and we were sweating all day trying to find some shade while working. Now into winter, we feel the chill of the air and dryness from the cold. Most of us here are relieved and continuously giving thanks for a break from the oppressive heat. The farm keeps on ticking and producing so many delights. There have been new radishes, napa cabbage, kale, chard, sweet peas, diakon radishes, parsley, basil, mint, and many tasty lettuces harvested over the weeks. Seeds are being planted and trellises are coming down. The natural rhythm of life hums on.
Our gentle sweet qualls had there last stay at the farm and a feast was lovingly enjoyed last week. The chickens are doing great, producing eggs continuously. A few of the chickens are molting with the onset of fewer daylight hours. Molting is when the chicken sheds its feathers and stops producing eggs during this time to give it more energy to make new feathers. This process happens in cycles throughout the life of the chicken as is appropriate to its age and the weather. Molting helps the integrity of the feathers and keeps chickens warmer in colder weather.
Needless to say our farm chickens have grown on me in the past weeks. I think of them and worry for them as the longer days come when we are not there on the weekends. But rest assured they have a wonderful loving life at the farm and proceed to bring nutritious eggs and lots of love to anyone who sees them.
The farm is always a place of beauty especially in this crazy election year! I am so glad to have it all over and we can accept the journey we are to go on with our new president, good or bad.
A great quote by Mahatma Gandhi to remember…"When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it–always. "
Journey forward in beauty and love…farm pictures to inspire!
Last week I wrote about cover cropping and sure enough Rishi had us cover cropping an area back by the fruit trees and chickens. Sections were planted in the past seasons and we were filling in one section that was still barren. A seed mix of peas, flaxseeds, vetch, rye, wheat and clover were used. They came in premixed bags and one that Rishi made on his own. As a follow up to last my last entry and testimony that it was quite easy, here is what we did. First we just racked the soil to even it out and break it up. Then spread some seeds and covered with manure and mulch. Now it's just a waiting game to see some seeds sprout. That was it! On our road to help with soil erosion, soil fertility, soil moisture, curb weeds and pest and increase biodiversity. Wow, so helpful and so easy! It is always enriching to read about something and then do it!
Here are some pictures:
Cover crops in the most basic sense are crops grown for protection and to enrich the soil between harvests. They are planted to work hard at managing soil erosion by keeping valuable topsoil in place hence increasing soil fertility and quality. The cover crop keeps moisture from leaving and therefore, managing water intake. Cover crops help in suppressing weeds, controlling pests and diseases, as well as, increasing the biodiversity and wildlife in a crop by attracting more species that would not have come before.
Since the 1900's farmers have been using cover crops to restore soil fertility. This old method was lost with the introduction of fertilizers and then plots of land were left barren between harvests. But in recent times with worried farmers with declining soil health, cover cropping has increased in usage. In 2012 the Census of Agriculture report for the first time asked farmers to report using cover cropping. The finding showed only 10.3 million acres (133,124 farms) out of 390 million acres reporting using it. The next census will be in 2017. But between 2012 and today we have seen a positive and encouraging increase just through the sale of cover crop seed and other intermitten surveys. The White House has even recognized cover cropping as Climate-Smart Agriculture. Good to hear this news! We need more positive news in this current news climate.
This method is not just for farmers but can be used by small scale gardens and urban farms. It's an easy task to undertake and requires little care. With a little planning you can cover crop this fall for a more productive and healthier next season. The right cover crop for your gardens depends on looking at the time of year and the species you are growing. A few I have found in general to research are rye, field peas/oats, sorghum-sundangrass, buckwheat, turnips, hairy vetch, sunflower and clover. Try this in your garden and reep the benefits of increasing the health of your soil and production! Let us know what happens…
-Farmer Susan


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Sydney Theatre Company presents Talk
The relationships that bind modern journalism, the justice system and the political establishment come under acerbic scrutiny in Talk, written and directed by Jonathan Biggins. Sydney Theatre Company's latest new play, exploring how the 24 hours news cycle is spurred on by the influence of social media, is at Sydney Opera House from 23 April to 20 May 2017.
John Waters, in his first role at STC in over a decade, plays John Behan, a rampaging radio talkback host filling the airwaves with a daily diet of moralising opinion. As he and his producer Belinda (Valerie Bader) learn that his words have major personal consequences, newsrooms across town are going into overdrive.
On her first day as Acting Editor of the city's major tabloid, Julie (Hannah Waterman) is brazenly determined to get the story that will sell, while over at the national broadcaster, retiring newsman Taffy (Peter Kowitz) has one final tale of his own to tell. But without the right platform, is anyone going to listen?
Peppered with sharp wit, this fast-paced, darkly humorous new play also features Helen Christinson, Paige Gardiner, Lucia Mastrantone, Kenneth Moraleda, Andrew Tighe and Ben Wood. Design is by Mark Thompson, lighting by Trent Suidgeest and sound and composition by Steve Francis.
Talk's writer and director Jonathan Biggins has long been a significant player at STC, not least as one third of the brains behind The Wharf Revue. As playwright, he mercilessly lampooned local councils in Australia Day. As director, he brought to life the manic behind-the-scenes antics of Michael Frayn's Noises Off. And as a performer, as well as in the Revues, he has had roles in Tom Stoppard's Travesties, Andrew Upton's adaption of Bulgakov's The White Guard and Roy Smile's Ying Tong – A Walk with the Goons. His many accolades include the 2010 Helpmann Award for Best Direction of a Musical for Avenue Q.a
With plenty of surprising twists, Talk is laugh-out-loud funny as well as blisteringly topical. An incisive tale that is sure to fire up thoughtful and vigorous debate.
What: Talk by Jonathan Biggins.
Where: Sydney Opera House.
When: From 23rd April to 20th May 2017.
To find out out CLICK HERE.


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How Appropriate Is Appropriate?
Cultural Appropriation. Personally. I Don't get it.
I understand how people may feel caution, from foreign participants, in their native traditions. Similar to being robbed but instead of your Playstation 4 that you saved all year to buy, it's your ancestral uniqueness and pride that took generations to build. In regards to Hip Hop, I don't see how the "term" can affect the "art".
Sorry… You Can't Sit With Us
If we begin to label indigenous attributes such as Hip Hop under the term "Culturally Appropriate" we would first have to discuss everything that relates to Hip Hop and create a category that can be referenced for labeling.
(Hmm, that part sounds like promoting a stereotype)
Hip Hop is a victimizer of Cultural Appropriation its self. Its easy to find a variety of symphonic instruments smothered with cultural samples and vocals. Smush it altogether and BOOMIES! a unique beat for the soul with a foreign hymn. History has shown audiences favor the artist with the outlandish beat.
3 Cultural Appropriated Artist That We're Ok With:
The VA player is no stranger to charting the billboards nor is he a stranger to Indian culture. The early 2000's saw hits from Timbo like "Get Your Freak On", "Put You on Game" and "Indian Flute".
Each song packed with electric dance energy and heart pounding bass coupled with the rhythm of cultural Indian songs laced as samples
Originally from Dade County in Miami, Florida, this southern artist not only mastered his flow for hip hop tracks but also incorporated his cuban heritage with some reggaeton sizzle to generate some of the best party anthems in the last decade with hits like (2009) I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho) and Krazy, another infectious Lil Jon collaboration.
The New Queen of Soul
(Presumably, don't bring out the pitchforks and torches on me just yet).
Originating from Tottenham, London, United Kingdoms. The 28 year old songstress gained much of her influence from the voices of the late Aaliyah, Mary J Blige and Etta James. Lord and behold she brings us back to back to BACK! smash albums that involve tales of love, love lost and love regained.
And Here Comes the Back Hands….
How can an individual challenge another's enjoyment, of cutural participation, simply by the pigment of their skin or nationality of birth? (Hm, that part sounds like racism).
Quick Thought: I can't wait for VH1's rendition of ESPN's 30 for 30: Broke (Rappers)… Narrated by Hurricane Chris
In essence, If we, the people, are unsatisfied with the artist that represent the sound, then we, the people, must decide to back THE REAL artist that have more than a gimmick of luxury to provide; Regardless of race, color, creed, religion.