text:
CALL FOR PAPERS: The Third International Conference on Government Performance Management and Leadership will be held from September 22nd - 23rd, 2013, at Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan.
* * *
We would like to inform you that on-line registration is now open for The 3rd International Conference on Government Performance Management and Leadership.
Please visit the conference website <http://www.icw2013.org> and register.
* * *
PAPER PRESENTER AND/OR VISA APPLICANT DEADLINE : * July 22nd, 2013 * (Midnight Japan Standard Time)
ABSTRACT SUBMISSION DEADLINE : * May 7th, 2013 *
DEADLINE FOR FULL PAPER SUBMISSION : * August 20, 2013 *
Some importance notices:
・Registration for paper presenters and/or visa applicants closes on July 22, 2013 (midnight JST).
*A registration confirmation email from us might be wrongly classified as spam. Please check your spam box in case you do not receive it.
・Deadline for full paper submission is August 20, 2013. All the papers should be written in English. There are no specific guidelines for the full papers except the 10,000 words limit.
・More practical information will be communicated via website or by email.
・Please check the conference website from time to time for the latest information.
You can always contact us by email (email@example.com) in case of questions or remarks.
This year's theme is:
Government, Leadership, and Performance: Accelerating Innovation in Government Performance through International Partnership.
The main goal of this international conference is to convene leading scholars and practitioners to consider existing and future innovations in public sector performance management, leadership and governance. Public and nonprofit leaders across the globe are facing a varied range of challenges: "managing and measuring for results", "meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the needs and aspirations of future generations", "building the global and local partnership and collaborating for public value", "managing more with less", "being customer-driven" etc. These pressures have already resulted in major new initiatives, some of which include the creation of new performance measurement, monitoring and evaluation systems. Other new initiatives include the development of new governance processes and structures as well as new modes of leadership.
In addition to submissions from academic scholars, practitioners, and students that explore these issues in local, national, and international context, especially welcome will be submissions that illuminate some long-standing themes important to conference sponsors. These include:
- Conceptual and working models of governance that covers the normative models of social, political, and administrative perspectives to contribute to policy implementation and public service delivery for result-oriented public management.
- Conceptual and working models of "Performance Management" that go beyond measurement and operational issues, and which speak to broader concepts of accountability, civic engagement, government legitimacy, and trust;
- Research and scholarship around initiatives that integrate "management" and "leadership" innovations, rather than viewing the two concepts as inherently separate or even dichotomous;
- Innovations grounded in and/or which promote sustainable development objectives across economic, environmental, and social dimensions
In addition to specific topics relating to one or more dimensions of Governance, Leadership, and Performance, conference sponsors are also looking for content that speaks to ensuring the collaborative partnership of performance management and leadership strategies, including at the international level. Other approaches and questions of interest include the following:
Evaluation of Current State of the Art.How well do existing governance, performance management and leadership practices contribute to creating public value? What are some of the major limitations of such practices to making progress in this arena?
New Innovations.What emerging new governance structures and processes, performance management, and leadership tools hold significant promise, and/or have shown demonstrated success?
Major Challenges.What are the major challenges and obstacles to the effective use of existing and new governance, performance management and leadership practices? How do such issues as data gaps, jurisdictional complexities, and public awareness pose challenges to effective performance management? What lessons have we learned about overcoming such challenges?
Global context.What are the major challenges and obstacles to the effective use of existing and new governance, performance management and leadership practices? How do such issues as data gaps, jurisdictional complexities, and public awareness pose challenges to effective performance management? What lessons have we learned about overcoming such challenges?
>> Download the Call for Papers:


text: Pictometry International Corp., inventor of measurable, aerial oblique imagery and analytics tools, launched Pictometry Integration for Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 and 2012 products at Autodesk University the last week of November. Now users' high resolution geo-referenced aerial imagery can be accessed from directly within the AutoCAD Civil 3D workspace, enabling users to visualize and take measurements of real-world field environments, helping reduce the need for field visits. AutoCAD Civil 3D use has grown phenomenally over the past two-three years, and continues to climb, according to experts in the field. It will also certainly benefit Pictometry to gain access to Autodesk's millions of users.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Ubuntu is based on Debian. Mint is based on Ubuntu (except for Linux Mint Debian Edition, which is based on Debian.)
When one distro is based on another, in what ways is it different from the parent distro? What has been added or taken out or changed?
EDIT: After reading the answer from Chris Down I wonder if I should have approached this from a different angle, asking, What are the components of a distro other than the kernel and and applications?


text:
High Performance Computing Research GroupThe HPC team works on extremely exact and fast solutions of homogenous differential equations, nonlinear ordinary and partial differential equations, stiff systems, large systems of algebraic equations, real time simulations and corresponding software and hardware (parallel) implementations.
Research interests
The new approach to the simulation of dynamic systems, distinguished by a high accuracy and speed of solving differential equations, which is especially suitable for parallelization has been the subject of interest of several companies and universities from abroad: University of Auckland (prof. J. Butcher), University of Pelloponese (prof. T. Simos), ETH Zurrich (prof. R. Jeltsch), University of Geneve (prof. Hairer), Imperial Collage of London (prof. J. Cash), University of Glamorgan (prof. K. Al-Begain), Applied Dynamics International (J. Baynham), Rapid Data Ltd.(B. Havranek), University of Roma (prof. Maceri), University of Vienna (prof. Breitenecker, prof. Kozek), University of Michigan (prof. Howe), University of Lyngby (prof.Thompsen).
The solution of flow with contact problems is being cooperated on by VŠB-TUO (prof. Kučera), MFF-UK (prof. Haslinger), FSI BUT (prof. Pochylý) and Université de Caen (prof. Sassi).
Supporting circumstances
The work of the HPC team is related to the scientific conception of department, which is now, following the latest trends in the world, focused on parallel and distributed computations and systems.
The members of the HPC team are available for consulting in:


text:
In an interview with ABC's Barbara Walters, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said it was "ridiculous" to think he was too fat to be president, though he did acknowledge concerns about his weight.
When Walters' asked Christie about "the elephant in the room," the New Jersey native admitted to being "more than a little" overweight. But he rejected claims that his size would bar him from the nation's highest office.
I've done this job pretty well. I think people watched me for the last number of weeks during Hurricane Sandy doing 18-hour days and getting right back up the next day and still being just as effective in the job, so i don't think that will be a problem.
Walters' interview with Christie, part of her "10 Most Fascinating People of 2012" yearly special, airs Wednesday night at 9:30pm. You can watch a clip of the segment, which begins at the 1:50 mark, below:


text:
Baltimore City College is celebrating another historic title this week, as national champions of the prestigious National Association for Urban Debate League Championship, held in Washington, D.C. last week.
The school's team won the title after engaging in a heated debate about whether the U.S. federal government should substantially increase its transportation infrastructure investment in the country, according to a release from the school.
The school's debate team--students Sophie Bauerschmidt Sweeney and Dikshant Malla successfully--took on the affirmative, using the federal government's response to Hurricane Katrina, to seal its victory against Chicago's Whitney Young High School in a 2-1 decision.
"We discovered that the last train left the station without people and only the equipment," said Malla, a senior at City, in the release. "We believe that is wrong and that the government needs to have a new way of looking at its citizens."
Bauerschmidt Sweeney and Malla, along with another City Policy Debate team of Amena Begum and Joseph Gaylin, will compete at the Tournament of Champions--a level that only 0.8 percent of more than 17,000 debate students reach.
The team's coach, Patrick Daniels, said that he was proud of the team, but more importantly, was proud of what the students demonstrated about the power of public discourse.
"We believe that through the activity of policy debate, we can begin to fundamentally change the way that the poor and disenfranchised are dealt with in society," Daniels said.
"The [City College] Speech and Debate team are winners and represent dedication, competitiveness, pride, and intellect," said the school's principal Cindy Harcum, in a statement. "We at City College honor them for their commitment and how they showcase the merits of reason and argument in policy making and planning."


text:
Matt Lauer Urges Bachmann to Bash Perry; NBC Debate Coverage Promotes GOP Infighting
In an interview with Michele Bachmann on Tuesday's NBC Today, co-host Matt Lauer actually delayed discussion of job creation as he pushed her to attack Texas Governor Rick Perry: "We'll talk about jobs in a second, but I do want to stick on this controversy over...Perry mandating vaccinations for HPV."
Bachmann had attempted to begin on the subject of President Obama's jobs plan, but Lauer quickly steered her toward Republican infighting: "You not only question the policy [of mandating the HPV vaccine], but you questioned the motivation behind it, suggesting rather strongly that this could have been an attempt to appease a big drug company, Merck, because they contributed to his campaign. So I want you to lay this out for me. Is that what you are asserting?"
Bachmann maintained her criticism of Perry on the issue and Lauer continued to promote the division: "Do you feel he placed the health and safety of young girls in the state of Texas behind or below the need for campaign funds?...Do you think that you're going to continue to hammer away on this subject? Do you think there's traction to be found here?"
When Lauer finally asked Bachmann about her plan to create jobs, he skeptically wondered: "Part of your solution is to cut corporate taxes, cut spending, kill certain regulations, and repeal health care reform and Wall Street reform....there was high unemployment before health care reform and Wall Street reform were ever voted on. So why do you think that's so important? Where are the jobs there?"
Prior to Lauer's interview with Bachmann, chief White House correspondent Chuck Todd offered a report on Monday's Republican debate that focused solely on their attacks on each other, without a single mention of the numerous criticisms leveled against the Obama administration.
Todd noted Perry being the new front-runner in the race and declared: "...the Tea Party debate turned into a Texas bashfest." The headline on screen throughout the segment read: "Rick Perry on the Defensive at Tea Party Debate."
In between multiple sound bites of the GOP candidates going after each other, Todd interjected with observations on Perry's predicament:
Front-runner Rick Perry began his second-ever presidential debate trying to reassure seniors his 'Ponzi scheme' comments about Social Security were taken out of context....Unlike last week, Romney wasn't alone in going after Perry. Michele Bachmann hammered the Texas governor for his support of mandatory statewide vaccinations for girls 12 and over against infections that can cause cervical cancer....And it didn't get any easier for Perry when the issue of immigration came up, as the crowd let him know that they didn't like the Texas policy of giving in-state tuition benefits to the children of undocumented Mexican immigrants....It was that kind of night for Perry. It wasn't just from Romney and Bachmann, Santorum jumped in. Ron Paul hit him.
Here is a full transcript of Lauer's September 13 interview with Bachmann:
MATT LAUER: Piling on. Michele Bachmann and the rest of the GOP presidential field lash out at the front-runner Rick Perry during a heated debate.
RICK PERRY: And if you're saying that I can be bought for 5,000, I'm offended.
MICHELE BACHMANN: Well, I'm offended for all of the little girls and the parents that didn't have a choice. That's what I'm offended for.
LAUER: This morning Michele Bachmann speaks out in a live interview.
LAUER: GOP presidential hopeful and Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann is with us now from Tampa, Florida. Congresswoman Bachmann, good morning, nice to have you here.
MICHELE BACHMANN: Good morning, Matt. Thanks for having me on.
LAUER: It's our pleasure. Going into last night's debates, a lot political analysts said that you in particular needed to throw some punches and make some waves to get your campaign back on track. We heard some of your questions for Governor Perry. Did you accomplish that?
BACHMANN: Well, I think that the debate last night showed the real distinctions between the candidates and what I was trying to do is let people know also what my positive agenda is for moving the economy forward and job creation. And I think, in particular, with the jobs plan that President Obama just put forward, we'll hear more and more of those distinctions.
LAUER: You – we'll talk about jobs in a second, but I do want to stick on this controversy over the Governor in Texas, Governor Perry mandating vaccinations for HPV to prevent infections that could cause cervical cancer for girls as young as 12. You not only question the policy, but you questioned the motivation behind it, suggesting rather strongly that this could have been an attempt to appease a big drug company, Merck, because they contributed to his campaign. So I want you to lay this out for me. Is that what you are asserting?
BACHMANN: Well, it's very clear that crony capitalism could have likely been the cause because the Governor's former chief of staff was the chief lobbyist for this drug company. This was an issue that could have gone before the legislature, but rather than putting it before hearings and before the legislature, the Governor chose by himself, unilaterally, to sign an executive order and put through the requirement that all innocent little 12-year-old girls or 11-year-old girls in the state of Texas would be forced by the government to take an injection of what could potentially be a very dangerous drug. And after the debate last night-
LAUER: So do you feel – do you feel he placed the health and safety of young girls in the state of Texas behind or below the need for campaign funds?
BACHMANN: Well, I will tell you that I had a mother last night come up to me here in Tampa, Florida, after the debate. She told me that her little daughter took that vaccine, that injection, and she suffered from mental retardation thereafter. It can have very dangerous side effects. The mother was crying what she came up to me last night. I didn't know who she was before the debate. This is the very real concern and people have to draw their own conclusions.
LAUER: Do you think that you're going to continue to hammer away on this subject? Do you think there's traction to be found here?
BACHMANN: Well, I think that this was traction with a lot of people and we'll see what people say about this. But again, it's drawing the very real distinctions that you can't abuse executive authority with executive orders because there could be very negative consequences that the American people have to pay. And again, there is no second chance for these little girls if there's any dangerous consequences to their bodies or for their parents.
LAUER: You – on the subject of job creation – part of your solution is to cut corporate taxes, cut spending, kill certain regulations, and repeal health care reform and Wall Street reform. Now, on the last two there, there was high unemployment before health care reform and Wall Street reform were ever voted on. So why do you think that's so important? Where are the jobs there?
BACHMANN: Well, we know from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, their estimate is that over 800,000 jobs will be lost as a result of the government takeover of health care, otherwise known as ObamaCare. That's a very real number, 800,000 jobs lost, and I can verify that when I'm going from business to business to business. Job creators tell me that they're holding back on hiring because the costs of ObamaCare are so high. I also talked to a number of people in the financial services industry on the Dodd-Frank bill and they're telling me also that they aren't hiring because of the Dodd-Frank bill. In particular, banks are telling me that they're closing big branch banks and they're letting people go. So this – these bills aren't without job losses.
LAUER: In just the 15 seconds I have left, when you run for president you promise people a brighter future. So if you were lucky enough to be elected president, the unemployment rate right now at about 9.1%, what would it stand at after a year of a Bachmann administration? What could you promise?
BACHMANN: Well, I can tell you what I would do to bring it down and then, of course, the marketplace would have to prevail. And I would bring in money that's been earned overseas into the United States by having a 0% repatriation tax. There's 1.2 trillion in money that we could wash across the United States tomorrow if we would have this 0% tax rate, and then I want to permanently bring those jobs back to the United States by lowering the tax on job creators. That's the very first step, because we need permanent solutions in the private sector, not temporary government fixes.
LAUER: Congresswoman Michele Bachmann. Congresswoman Bachmann, thanks for your time this morning. I appreciate it.
BACHMANN: Thanks, Matt.
- Kyle Drennen is a news analyst at the Media Research Center. Click here to follow Kyle Drennen on Twitter.


text:
Coloring Book and Crayon Set: A Fun Pack! Make it Easy with the coloring book conveniently packaged with a 4-pack of crayons in a sealed poly bag. No assembly required. Teach your children School Bus Safety with this fun, educational activity book. Featuring a full color cover and 16 pages of coloring, games and activities, this book will teach kids valuable lessons such as staying in your seat, and keeping your hand inside the bus as they travel to and from school. Recommended for children ages 3 and up. Ideal for schools, day care centers, and community safety programs.
Ordering Information
The minimum order for bulk personalization and customization of this item is 250 pieces. A free order proof with your logo or design on the product will be emailed before production begins.
Product Information
*Most orders are charged a production set-up fee.
**Purchased samples may include random imprint to evaluate imprint quality and location.
***Some logos, designs, and imprint methods may require additional charges. This may include additional run charges, set-up fees for extra colors, stitch counts and/or locations.
Why am I charged a set-up fee on most orders?
Imprinting and customization require special screens and plates for the imprinting and personalization process.
Do I get a proof before my order?
Yes, all orders recieve a FREE art proof in a PDF format for you to approve prior to production that comes from our art team.
What art formats do you accept?
We prefer high quality vector artwork in .eps, .ai (adobe illustrator), with fonts converted to outlines. We may also accept high resolution .jpg, .gif, .psd, or .pdf files. We can fix your art for free!
Are there extra charges for additional imprint colors?
Yes, in most cases unless it is digital and 4-color process printing, there are additional run charges and set-up charges.


text:
WAG Walking Tour Looks at Downtown Modernist Buildings
The Winnipeg Art Gallery is considered one of the finest examples of Modernist architectural buildings in the country. However, there are many more Modernist buildings in Winnipeg and the WAG has organized an hour-long walking tour of the city's core at 2pm on Sunday, October 14 with Serena Keshavjee, Associate Professor at the University of Winnipeg.
2012 marks the anniversary of two important late-modernist buildings in Winnipeg: The Winnipeg Art Gallery, designed by Gustavo da Roza (Number Ten Architecture Group), and the University of Winnipeg's signature building, Centennial Hall, designed by Lewis Morse (Moody, Moore and Partners). As mid-century buildings age and hit the 50 year mark, the concept of "modernist heritage" is becoming more important. This tour will examine the state of preservation of Winnipeg's modern buildings, situating the Winnipeg Art Gallery building in its architectural context and look at the role architecture has played in rejuvenating Winnipeg's downtown since the 1970s.
Serena Keshavjee is an associate professor at the University of Winnipeg, teaching European art and architecture. She is interested in the relationship between art and science in late-nineteenth century Europe. Keshavjee edited a book on Winnipeg Modernist Architecture in 2006, and often tours her students around Winnipeg's historic and modernist heritage buildings.
Admission is free but there are limited spaces. To reserve your spot, call 204.786.6641 ext 227 or email email@example.com.
The Winnipeg Art Gallery is grateful for the support of the following centennial sponsors: BMO, The Winnipeg Foundation, the Department of Canadian Heritage, TD Bank, James Richardson & Sons Ltd., MTS Allstream, Johnston Group, Air Canada, RBC Royal Bank, PACART, Great-West Life, Friesens, Manitoba Culture Heritage and Tourism, City of Winnipeg, Investors Group, Volunteer Associates - Winnipeg Art Gallery, Storm Bistro, Manitoba Lotteries Corporation, Ernst & Young, Fort Garry Hotel, KPMG, Lawton Partners, Loewen, Parrish & Heinbecker, Aikins, AON, Cambrian Credit Union, Manitoba Blue Cross, National Leasing, CP Loewen, North West Company, NRG Management. Media sponsors: Winnipeg Free Press, CTV, CBC, Pattison Outdoor Advertising, 103.1 Virgin Radio, 99.9 BOB FM, Doowah Design, Visual Lizard, Esdale Printing, Radio-Canada, Travel Manitoba, Tourism Winnipeg, Midcan Production Technologies.
For the latest WAG updates, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
The Winnipeg Art Gallery is celebrating its centennial year with an unparalleled series of exhibitions, programs, and events promoting the power of art in life. As Manitoba's leading art museum, the WAG is home to over 26,000 works of art spanning ten centuries, including the world's preeminent collection of contemporary Inuit art.
- Recent
- 2019 (18)
- 2018 (34)
- 2017 (44)
- 2016 (49)
- 2015 (57)
- 2014 (61)
- 2013 (59)
- 2012 (72)
- 2011 (70)
- 2010 (51)
- 2009 (24)


text:
Top 20 Designers
Valentino Soul Rockstud Clogs Leather Black
We are sorry, but this product is no longer available.
- Color: black
- Material: leather
- Weight: 1.074 kg
- Heel height: 8 cm
Upper: leather
Insole: leather
Sole: leather
Pattern/Details: gold-colored pyramid studs, black leather details, brown heel in wooden optics
Heel type: block
Toe-Cap: oval
Closure type: slip/ open
What our style experts say
Shoe love is true love - especially if we speak about the iconic styles by Valentino. The brand's signature pyramid-shaped studs, fine leather and the unmistakable design convince fashionistas around the globe. Find your favorite pair for day or night!
fashionette Editor
The fashionette promise
Next-day delivery available (only £12.95)!
30 days return period guaranteed!
Free standard delivery and returns!
Secure Payment and Delivery
Certificates & Awards


text:
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
7 motherhood ideas I love
1. Movie Night
Our friends the Farnsworths introduced us to this one. Dave and I try our best to schedule our dates and other social stuff on Saturday so we can be home with the kids on Friday because Friday night is sacred. Friday night is "Movie Night." We pop popcorn, always make chocolate chip cookies, and watch a movie. Sometimes it's an amazing movie we're all spellbound by, sometimes it turns out to be a dumb show we thought we'd try, sometimes it's one Dave picked up in China with annoying subtitles covering part of the screen, but none of that really matters so much. What matters is that we're together. And we all LOVE it. Inevitably there will be a time in the future when our kids won't think it's so cool to stay home with their parents on a Friday night to watch a movie, but for now, we're superstars to them and we're eating it up while we can!
2. Interviews
This is something I'm not good at, but I sure want to be. My Dad started this tradition when we were little. He'd corner us (usually in the bathroom since that was the most quiet place he could find with nine kids running around) and have a little interview with us once a week. He'd ask all kinds of questions. He'd help us figure out our goals. When we were really little he'd write the initial of our best talents on each of our ten fingertips (I was "good" at art so he'd write a little "a" for art with a ballpoint pen on my thumb, then move on to my next "talent" that he'd add to my index finger). He'd make us feel so great about ourselves. He'd ask what he could help with. And the amazing thing was that when we grew up and moved away he'd still call us for our interviews. Since I was the second girl the second Sunday was always mine. He'd call and just give me my traditional "interview" over the phone.
This is a tough thing to carry on with my kids because I'm not anywhere near as organized or as amazing as my dad. But I do enjoy writing occasional letters on my kids' fingertips and I have cornered them for an "interview" on occasion. This year I've decided to try to do interviews on our monthly lunch dates, which is the next idea...
3. Lunch Dates
I know there will be a time I'll need to take school time more seriously. Soon they will be in junior high, then filling out college applications before I know it. But this is elementary school for crying out loud. Shhh, this is a secret. I let my kids miss some of it sometimes. I take them out to long lunches one by one once a month. It's the only time I could figure out to have more one on one time together. Yes, Lucy and Claire tag along, and yes, sometimes they're enough to upset the good people who thought Wendy's would be a nice quiet break from their work day and don't want to be hampered by two kids throwing French fries around in the air. But that child I took out of school still knows that it's their special day, and their eyes sparkle with the excitement of getting to order whatever they want and having me just concentrate on them. I love that Max still begs for it to be "his" day.
This year I'm trying to have a little "interview" with each child while we're at lunch (amidst the chicken nuggets and fighting over who gets the last bites of the McFlurry...yes, sadly it's usually Wendy's or McDonalds with an occasional Jack in the Box thrown in there, but it's their choice and I have to live with it). I go through what my parents call the "5 Facets" with them. How are they doing 1) spiritually, 2) physically, 3)mentally, 4)emotionally, and 5)socially. We make monthly goals of how they can do better in each of these categories. And then ideally I schedule these things in on my calendar so I can help them (not so good at that yet). But I love connecting with them. I love telling them I love them over our "gourmet" food.
4. Mother's Day Letters
Being the fanatic about record keeping that I am I love to write letters to my kids. I want them to have a record of how much I adore every little thing they do. When Max and Elle were little I was great at it and I'd write to them all the time. But then it got harder and harder to set aside time to do it. So a few years ago I decided I'd ask for a couple hours alone in my room each Mother's Day so I could write a special love note to each of my kids. I love knowing that I have those compiled for them. I want them to forever remember how much I love them at every stage and what I've noticed about them each year.
5. "Happies" & "Sads"
Another one of my parent's great ideas (I'm a little bit biased but I think they are amazing. They do have a great website here). Each night at dinner the kids tell us what their "happies" and "sads" were from the day. Claire's are inevitably that she was happy a friend could come over and she was sad when that said friend had to leave. But most of the time it leads to good discussions and helps the kids tell us what really happened during the day instead of just saying it was "fine" or "good"...or "bad." I like to hear the details and this is a good way to squeeze them out.
6. Late Nights
We were really good at this last year but not so hot at it this year...I think this is something that works better when your kids all go to bed around the same time, and our kids are more staggered at bedtime as they are getting older. But I love it anyway so I'm including it. "Late Nights" are when the kids get to rotate each getting a turn once a week to stay up ten or fifteen minutes later than the others. They eat this up. It's such a short amount of time, but they think it's the luckiest thing ever when it's their turn and we love to give them some undivided one-on-one attention.
7. "Clean Ten"
This really doesn't have much to do with cherishing the moment with kids, but it sure makes things less chaotic when it happens and then you can cherish the good stuff, and "be still" more often. I have no idea where I heard this but I love it. Whenever things get really cluttery...Saturday afternoons, between when the kids get home from school and dinner, Sunday afternoons, etc. (ok, pretty much a few times a day) we just say "clean ten" and the kids have to each pick up and put away ten things. I LOVE it because they just know to do that. Not only does it help to get the house clean quick but it helps the kids know where everything really goes so they can be better at putting things away in the first place.
So these are a few things from my motherhood idea "collection" so far. I'd love to hear any other great ideas.
73 comments:
I love love love all those ideas!!! Thanks for sharing them. We started something similar with Highlights and low lights of our day(I actually got this idea from my friend)We each take turns around the dinner table. It's fun to listen to their highlights and lowlights. I love the interview idea. Your parents just have a wealth of knowledge that I love to tap into whenever I can. I like reading stuff from their website. You are a lucky girl to have such great role models, that's why you are so amazing.ReplyDelete
I love these ideas so much that I just jotted them all down on paper so I wouldn't forget even just one of the things you shared. You are so inspiring and I love reading your blog. I have done a similar thing with the letters except I write a letter to each of my kids every year on their birthday. We also are going to have a tradition that on a child's 5th birthday they get to go do a day trip at Disneyland all by themself just with mom or dad. That will be their special birthday gift, some one on one time with us at the happiest place on earth! :) Every night I also take the time to read to each of my kids in their bed and that is "our" time and they eat it up!! I have an obcession with children's books but as a result, my kids love, love to read! Anyway, I only have my two little kids so I am still learning how to be a good mom ... thanks for your example!ReplyDelete
We are going to do the special plate thing. We are going to decorate a plate as a family and when someone does something really great that week they get to eat off the special plate. Also My husband has an old football jersey that is huge. Your kids are probably too big to start this but every year around her borthday we put Sophie in the Jersey and take a picture so we can all see how much she has grown.ReplyDelete
What a great list! I am motivated to do likewise. Thanks for taking the time to give us all a nudge in the right direction.ReplyDelete
go gravy! i really like these and i am not even a mother. blog it up.ReplyDelete
So motivating! Really thankyou. I was ready to go to bed and should of, but this post was the reason to put that offa little bit longer. You have such inspirational words of wisdom. I am now ready to go to bed on a positive note. Can not wait to try all of the ideas.ReplyDelete
No wonder you and Melissa are friends, both such great role models.
Hi my name is April, I can't even remember how I came across your blog,but it's one of my favorites,I'm new at this whole thing. I have to tell you how inspiring you are. This post along with others, had me in tears. I wonder if you even know how you touch other peoples lives, and make them want to do better. Keep up the good work, your kids are so lucky to have a mom like you!!!!ReplyDelete
April Hickman
Of course I'm not surprised at all by this post...I've always know how AMAZING you are!! I LOVE your ideas. I really need to get it together in the areas that matter most. Thanks for the nudge in the right direction.ReplyDelete
I have to admit that I've been reading your blog for some time now. I really enjoy it so much, I think I saw a comment from you on Jill or Julies blog. Anyway, I don't read anyone's blog that I don't know...except for you, because you just sound like a fabulous person, and I love the way you put things. I hope you don't mind that I do.ReplyDelete
I had to come clean now, because I love this post. My mom would take us out of school for lunch too and I can't wait to do that one day. I also love the love letters to your children on mother's day, that is a great idea.
I wrote a post back in August about some of our traditions, but since I'm commenting I'd better share an idea right? :) Our girls are much smaller than you kids, but I'd bet they'd love it still, but a fun thing we do is turn out all the lights in the house and get flashlights. We'll either play hide-n-go-seek, or read a story, or make dessert, anything. It's just a great way to simplify the chaos around us and focus on being a family. It's another great Friday night activity. My 3 year old LOVES it.
I'm a little embarrassed I finally commented, but thanks for allowing us to see what a great person you are.
WOW! These are so awesome Shawni! I can't wait to be a mom and try some of them out. (I try some of them with nieces and nephews... not quite the same.)ReplyDelete
Amazing. That's all I can say. You are totally amazing. How do you do it? I am so envious of your control.ReplyDelete
I love your idea of lunch dates. I think I will start making them with my children. I agree, it's only elementary school...except that Bryton will be in HS next year. I should probably start taking him out of school for lunch soon! (If he'll let me)
Thanks for so many great, insightful ideas!! I would love to do them all, but for now? One at a time. Baby steps. Maybe I'll stay somewhat sane that way :) Thanks Shawni!
Hi Shawni,ReplyDelete
This is Anne Garner's sister (& Melissa F.'s cousin, and on the other side, Andrew(Elizabeth)F.'s cousin--how's that for a small world?...and I grew up w/the Pothier's--like half of Mesa!) Love reading your blog. I've met you once or twice when visiting my sister's ward. Anyway, LOVE your ideas. We do alot of the same ones. Just thought I'd share our take on the "interviews" because I too am seeing time speed up and the precious days of childhood racing by...
We do a once a month Sunday "talk and treat." (Usually on the fourth Sunday, and it takes all afternoon, so its a huge sacrifice for those of us that indulge in the Sunday afternoon nap...) One on one, we have the kids come into our bedroom and just talk about anything and everything. We always start and end with a prayer, and before we really "get started" with our chat, the child will record in a (cheap, marble composition) journal, some of the highlights of his or her month. It starts out small, with lots of "I can't think of anything to write" but then the juices really get flowing. We write for the ones that can't yet, and they draw a picture. (I love that they will have this simple once a month record of their childhood, since I am terrible at the daily or even weekly journaling.) We also use it to record our monthly goals for that child, so that the next month we can check back and they can see that they've really made some progress or achieved something really great. We also have used this time to check on cub scout requirements or faith in God (etc.) that they may have passed off. Then after they talk to us about whatever they want to, we end with another prayer and they get to choose a treat (usually a big candy bar-- or maybe something else they don't normally get to have.) The kids LOVE it and I actually feel like I'm doing something right for a change! ;) Your kids ARE lucky to have you. Thanks for sharing.Replies
Wow! This idea is wonderful! We chose to have a big family (5 kids but oldest boy is at college and then ages 1, 3, 4, 9-all girls) and it can be hard to have one on ones! Thanks for sharing your idea!Delete
What a gorgeous family! Great ideas, which I will try on my beautiful Grandsons aged 5yrs &10mths. I have started a time capsule for them saving newspaper headlines & random invites, postcards & stuff which may be deemed important when they turn 21. Each birthday I have given Judd a photo album named " when I was 1"etc. He loves looking at them & they give us all great memories. Now I have another Grandson Jack , so I better get organized. Happy 2015 to you all!Delete
Thanks for all the great tips! Keep them coming I love trying out new ideas when old ones wear out. You are a great mom Shawni!ReplyDelete
Shawni, these are fantastic ideas and I am so glad you shared. I do some variations of these, but I like yours a whole lot more! I need to write these down.ReplyDelete
Hi Shawni, I am totally blog surfing right now because I am laid up in my bed. Kara, is one of my good friends. That is how I landed here. I love your ideas. They are great. I especially love the lunch date. We have gone to the school and had lunch with them there, but we all know how great that food is. I am such a believer in "traditions" so I don't think it matters what you do with your kids as long as you make it the "thing" your family always does. They love consistancy.ReplyDelete
Our family does movie nights, just not every week. I think that is something we are going to have to make a tradition!
Thanks for all the great and inspiring ideas. You make me want to be a better mom. I will be trying out a few of these. I say a few because i know I can't possibly tackle them all at once. Baby steps, right?ReplyDelete
Thanks for all the great and inspiring ideas. You make me want to be a better mom. I will be trying out a few of these. I say a few because i know I can't possibly tackle them all at once. Baby steps, right?ReplyDelete
These are such great ideas Shawni! Thanks for sharing such personal insights on mothering.ReplyDelete
When I was growing up we made the plate together at a pottery shop and that is probably what we will do with our kids. You know one of those places you decorate it and they fire it and you pick it up later. I bet your kids would love it. Ours had sparkles on it too.ReplyDelete
Wow Shawni! You have such great ideas. You really are such an example to all of us of a great mom. I am going to have to try a few of your ideas. My kids love new things. Sometimes it is so hard to find the one on one time with each kid so thanks for the great ideas!ReplyDelete
I love the lunch date idea. I loved it when I was in school and got pulled out to go to lunch with one of my parents or grandparents. I definately want to do this with my children. You're such a brilliant mommy, your list is awesome. :)ReplyDelete
Hi Shawni,ReplyDelete
I'm friends with Melissa F. & loved the photos you did of their family. She referred me to check out your blog for more info but I don't see a contact number or e-mail so I'm commenting here! Your photos are amazing, I'd love for you to take some of my family too. Looks like you've got a crazy busy life, so when you find the time, you can email me @ firstname.lastname@example.com....
Look forward to hearing from you soon,
Shawni, how cute! Thanks for the cute ideas, we might steal some! Thanks for helping us be extra excited about having our own kids.ReplyDelete
Like everyone before me, wow, Wow, WOW! What great, and I mean GREAT, ideas! I love them all.ReplyDelete
It is true that kids just simply grow up too fast. Yes, I wouldn't have it anyother way, and often in the chaos of the day I just can't wait until bedtime arrives, but if we don't grab little moments now and then, soon we'll have missed those priceless opportunites.
I am going to totally copy you on these. (Hope you don't mind). This is why keeping a blog is so powerful- you can share ideas and stories which in turn can affect others lives for good. What an incredible thing.
I love how you don't just do big family things. It's the little moments alone with each child that make their faces light up with delight and they know that they really matter as an individual. I struggle so much with this one.
It's hard to have my kids so close together and throw in the 2 sets of twins bit and it seems like I never get to do much alone with them. Anytime I can escape with one of the boys, even with the girls tagging along, they love it. My Matt calls it our "special" day. And that really is what is does- makes they feel like they are you're #1 guy right then.
I go to lunch once a week at school with them, but think taking them out is a great idea. I love your happies and sad because everyone need to talk things out with a listening ear.
Tbanks for taking the time to share such wonderful traditions and helping us all to pause and take the time with our kids while we can.
my best buddy, April Hickman, told me about your site.... ohhhh...you have a way with words. your list of ideas was exactly what my kids needed ME to know. my life is so busy right now and priorities are a bit mixed up, but you have just given me 7 simple ways to make sure that my jack, luke and kate have some mommy time. thanks for sharing, shawni. may your tomorrow be extrememly happy.ReplyDelete
kris hansen
I love your ideas and love your writing. You are inspiring, sometimes I think I spend too much time on cleaning and cooking instead of taking the time to just talk with them.ReplyDelete
Thanks for the reminder!
I love these ideas left on the comments and thanks so much for the kind words. I'm sure everyone has great motherhood ideas to share and I love blogs because I get to hear some of them. Although I know this will happen, I dread the day I'll look back and say, "oh I wish I would have known that, or I wish I would have done that with my kids." So I'm trying to gather as many ideas as possible to really cherish the moments that happen every day. I'm sad that some of these comments are from private blogs so I can't write back, but thanks so much for the insights from everyone who left them!ReplyDelete
Love this post. Thanks for sharing your ideas. We do a lot of the same things. I love that you give your Friday nights to your kids. I'm still a little too selfish to do that, but I think it sounds like you are making lots of great family memories together.ReplyDelete
it's so great getting these words of advice from you, shawni. i kind of feel like i've got a bit of a "heads up" of what's to come and love that i can start practicing things now that will make it easier for when we have more (assuming we ever get that far :)) now there's just the "doing." sad how much easier it's said than done in my case!ReplyDelete
So, after silently reading and admiring your blog for a while --your beautiful pictures and moving words--I am finally leaving a comment. Looks like I'm not the only one who appreciated your ideas. Thanks for sharing! Sometimes I feel like I have ideas floating around out there, but until I write them down they don't have a chance of becoming a pattern or tradition. Thanks for motivating me to pick some things to start "patterning" and for the great ideas!ReplyDelete
ps--enjoyed book club!
I just discovered your blog and I love you already! I leave inspired and excited to be a better mother and person overall. Thank you!ReplyDelete
Some of these remind me of this post and study: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304450004577277482565674646.html?mod=lifestyle_newsreel#printModeReplyDelete
Basically, it says that many parents are so ridiculously busy that "family time" becomes this fakey planned event that is one out of guilt.
I LOVE this, thank you so much for this post, I am glad I found your blog!! <3ReplyDelete
wow, these are FANTASTIC! saw this on Pinterest and I am so glad I clicked it. I can't wait to start doing some of these. Thank you.ReplyDelete
Love this. Thank you SO much for taking the time to type it up! I plan to put them all into practice. Thank you!!!ReplyDelete
Your "clean ten" idea reminds me of what my Mom used to do. She usually tried to make a game out of cleaning up around the house. She's say, "Okay, let's play pick up!" And we all knew what to do. We counted as we put stuff away. Whichever one of us (four kids) put away the most got a prize. (It might have been extra change in our personal change jar, a popsicle, or extra play time, etc.) It always took the "chore" out of the work, and made it more like "play" and fun to see which siblings you could beat. lol. I plan to use the same thing on our kids. (Our first is in my oven with only 5 more weeks to go!) :)ReplyDelete
These are FANTASTIC ideas! I saw this on Pinterest and wondered if they really were great or not. As I began reading I realized just how much I love them! They are either things I am already doing (with a twist) or things I always wanted to do with my kids. I am going to have fun implementing some of the new things. I also checked out your parents blog and when I read their names I realized they sounded familiar. That's when I realized I had read their book,"How to Talk to Your Kids About Sex." I used it with my first child and it was a GREAT experience. I highly recommend it!ReplyDelete
What great ideas! Thank you for sharing! I am going to start clean 1o in my home!ReplyDelete
Tamika @ www.notimefortea.com
These are fabulous ideas! I've been trying to soak up all the moments and make the most of all of them lately, because I too have realized that things are just going WAY too fast!!! It sounds like you're doing a fabulous job with your kids! :)ReplyDelete
I love these ideas! Each is such a special way to make a memory!ReplyDelete
This is an amazing list . Thank you for sharing. I'm inspired after reading it through.ReplyDelete
Love that I came across this blog (Pinterest is a wonderful thing!)ReplyDelete
I have a boy - and he's only 5 months - so I'm stocking up on as many ideas as possible! Love all these ideas!
A couple things we did that I cherished when I was a kid...
1. When I started my period...the next week I got surprise taken out of school by my mom and taken for a day of fun outings as a celebration of my woman-hood. We had lunch, and got pedicures/manicures, went to the mall and I got to pick out a purse...simple girly things
2. My husband cherishes the fact that on opening day his dad would take him out of school to go see the Royals and he plans to do that with our son.
Obviously, not all the time things - but wonderful memories we have to pass on to our children!
Great ideas! I do birthday letters to the kids, similar to your mothers day letters idea, every year on their birthdays I write them a letter telling them about the things I love about them and talking about their favorite things and talents so we can have a record of those things and for their enjoyment (and maybe even their kids) when they are older. We also try to find time to do something one on one with each of the kids. Plus my husband is really good at making up "special" things to do- it's usually something simple, but it's different and fun.ReplyDelete
Hi Shawni! My name is Sarah Nuttall, I'm Mike and Kathy Holt's daughter. I just recently found this post on pinterest and absolutely love the ideas you posted! I put a link to your blog from mine to come check out all your fun ideas! Thanks for sharing such fun ideas!ReplyDelete
oh, my blog address is www.sjscrafts.blogspot.comReplyDelete
Love all your ideas, I wanted to share my twist on you letters. My husbands mom wrote in a journal for him, she only did it for the first few years of his life, but I loved it so much I wanted to do it or my kids. I buy a nice journal for them and I write at least once a year on their birthday, but as long as I have one out I usually write in the other 2 at the same time, so they get written at least 3 times a year. My girls love them and like to read or be read to what is in them already. :) I will usually take them to church with my when I am trying to write in all of them and take that time when no when can really bug me to write to them from the heart. thanks!ReplyDelete
Fun list! We do almost all of those. I loved the stay up late with one child each night! My kids are going to love that. We also do kid of the day, and that child gets the family privileges for the day; remote, first in line, mom's special helper, sitting in the front seat, etc. Cuts down the fighting and me having to remember each time!ReplyDelete
Great list! I recently started "happies and sads" with mine, but we called it "cherries and pits." I really want to do more of these.ReplyDelete
We call it 'thankfuls' when we share at bedtime one thing we are thankfulbfor, one thing we are sorry for, and aomething we are going to do for others the next day. I like the idea of doing it at dinner though!ReplyDelete
The letters I write to my kids are in a journal that I took to the hospital when they were born. I try to write as often as I can and we get them out for special occasions for family to add a note as well. Still don't know when we'll give them to them but I know I treasure looking back at what I wrote to them.
I'm going to start the letter on the finger today!!!!!
My dad was amazing-he did lots of the things above you said, but one thing I loved was we would get a letter around Valentines day that my dad would mail to each of us individually from loveland Colorado and have it returned to us -- still not sure how--but inside was a card and invite to a daddy/daughter (or dad/son) date. We got to choose what we did most of the time. Dad and I went to a baseball game, a movie, a swing dance professional competition, a restraunt where they make the food right in front of you, a dinner theater--he did it for years and I loved it. He passed away due to an accident 4 years ago and I miss him a lot.ReplyDelete
Also when he passed away we found gifts all over his office hidden away for each of us--Movies, cards, small things like that--we felt his love for us even after he passed.
One thing we love doing is letting a different child say the family prayer each night. After the prayer is done, everyone takes a turn telling the child (or parent!) something they love about them.ReplyDelete
We do a couple of things that have become family traditions. One is what we call a Woods Family Slumber Party. We make a whole meal out of snacks (though most of it is fruit and veggies, then popcorn and usually pizza rolls or something else savory and less healthy more fun), we all get in our pjs and watch a movie on the pullout couch while we eat. When the movie is over we go to sleep all together in the same room. The kids love it.ReplyDelete
The other thing we do we call Gallery in the Woods. We make a good deal of art, and then we hang/display it all in the "gallery" complete with tags including the title, artist, and medium. We make another special hors'derves meal and eat while we peruse the art on the walls. We all pick a favorite by each artist and we all tell which of our own is our favorite. We all love this one.
It's so important to make memories that tie you to each other. Love your list. I write letters to my kids too.And we try to make sure we take the kids out on individual dates.
wow! these are fantastic! just discovered your blog through pinterest. I look forward to following your blog.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 27, 2012 at 1:51 PM
Really fantastic! I can't wait to be a mom! My fiancé and I are about 2 years away from babies, I will def keep this post around to refer back to. Thank you!ReplyDelete
Although my kids are grown ups, I have six grandchildren that I can use these ideas with. One great idea is to put notes in places they least expect it, under their pillow, around the toothpaste, on the mirror, and of course, in the lunch bag.ReplyDelete
We do "special days" and it is great at resolving any issues with whose turn it is for something. Each child has one day of the week, from the time they are two (or when they can actually understand) till forever. On their "special day" they get to say our meal and family prayers, pick the movie, pick the car seat they want, go on errands with mom or dad, pick the game, pick whatever it is we are doing that day. Each child knows they get a day (turn) and it helps with arguing, complaining and it makes sure mom and dad don't leave anyone out and everyone has equal opportunities, etc.ReplyDelete
thanks for your ideas as well.
Fantastic ideas! Thanks for this. I have a 2 year old so he is still young enough to enjoy. I'll keep this ideas in mind as he gets older. I really love the writing to your child idea. I've done it too. I even get postcards when we go on vacation and write out cards for each holiday. I hope that enjoys them when he gets older!ReplyDelete
Feel free to connect with me at my blog, Couponing 4 a Differing http://couponing4adifference.blogspot.com
Take care!
Hi, I hope you don't mind but we have adopted one of your traditions! We loved the finger writing during Daddy/child interviews. I wrote a post in my blog about your blog. I love your blog! I only found it at Christmas and have been back everyday. Thank you!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 27, 2013 at 9:06 AM
oh my...i have discovered you...and these wonderful pieces of inspiration...for family, spirit and home...thank you...for them....ReplyDelete
It is easy to make your own traditions... From secret handshakes to family nights... I was so desperate to get rid of the horrible 3's, that I had to do something fast! I invented "Shake the Crabbies"... It is simple. When they get crabby, they shake their heads and throw their crabbiness onto a passing car or house... It works every time. Something we do, that no one else does. My kids laugh later about it once my plan has finally worked! he heReplyDelete
Love these ideas just discovered them on pinterest and completely in awe of the simple things you can do to make differences in your household! Thanks for sharingReplyDelete
Sparkles of everything design and events!
What kind of questions were in you Interviews? I love this idea but when I try it I always seem to hit a wall.ReplyDelete
Thank you for sharing such wonderful ideas! I am grateful. I would also love a list of ideas to ask for the interviews. (This is my first time on your blog. I came from Pinterest. So I haven't had time to explore and know if you already addressed the questions. Thanks again!ReplyDelete
We do a version of some of these but they are awesome ideas! The years go by so fast, something I am all too aware of now that our oldest just graduated and I am committed to making the moments last with our younger ones.ReplyDelete
For whatever reason, your Mother's Day letters idea made me tear up. It is a tradition I will be starting and I only wish I had started it years ago. Thank you so much for sharing this.
- AnonymousAugust 9, 2013 at 2:38 PM
Hi! Thank you for this post! I would love some ideas for questions for the interviews. I love that idea! Thanks again!!ReplyDelete
This is wonderful! Thanks for sharing!ReplyDelete
Shawni... I love this! Thank you so much for sharing. So I will share something my son and I do. A couple years ago our Pastor at church challenged us to be thankful for the entire month of November, instead of just on Thanksgiving.ReplyDelete
So we did. Every night as I was tucking him into bed I would ask him what he was thankful for that day and I too would share my "thankful's" with him. This past thanksgiving we did the same thing and I wrote them down... I too keep track of most everything. And then as December started my cousin suggested a M month of blessings. So for December we shared our daily blessings. Well it is September and it is now part of our nightly routine to share our "thankfuls and blessings".
Thank you for sharing!! They do grow so very fast.
Thank you for sharing! I love these! I have 3 little girls...One 4 year old and 14 month old twins. Life has been very busy and this post just made me realize how fast this time goes and how precious it is! Some of these are going on my to-do list...and on repeat!ReplyDelete
Leigh Ann Houston
THank you so much for sharing these!!! I think mom's need to do more sharing ! I love that :) What special memories you are making!! I smiled so big at your family picture...I did the opposite...a girl & then 4 little boys....I 'm actually STILL surprised cause I grew up with inly sisters :) But I love your ideas & am always looking for ways to build these lil babes up :)ReplyDelete
I love this post so much... Thank you for sharing! Pinning :)ReplyDelete


text:
Not really, but check out this astounding video of Richard getting roughed up by a Ruffed Grouse.
Here's what this beauty of a bird looks like in The Crossley ID Guide: Eastern Birds. Seeing the plate side by side with the video really demonstrates the strength of the Crossley style plate in illustrating the way a bird looks and how it acts:


text:
Miyabi Evolution Paring Knife, 3½"
Features Hide
- Exclusive to Sur La Table, Miyabi Evolution knives represent the next refinement in East-meets-West cutlery
- Designed to exacting standards exclusively for Sur La Table, Evolution melds expert artisanship with ground-breaking technology
- Revolutionary FC61 Steel pairs fine carbide distribution with an astonishing 61 Rockwell hardness that has never before been used for kitchen cutlery—despite many attempts
- Fine carbide distribution results in a blade that holds an incredibly sharp angle and is extremely durable, with no risk of chipping under normal use
- Double Friodur hardening improves the microstructure of the steel for improved cutting performance, corrosion resistance and astonishing durability
- Each forged, full-tang blade is touched by 46 artisans and is hand-honed, via a three-step, dry-sharpening process, to an exceedingly sharp 22 to 24 degrees— blades are polished to a mirror finish and have sand-blasted katana edges
- Each triple-riveted handle features striking red spacers and is individually weight adjusted; handle undergoes a rigorous nine-step finishing process to ensure perfect ergonomic design
- Comfort-oriented features such as rounded spine, bolster and heel reduce cutting and slicing fatigue; knife is easy to hold in either an Eastern or a Western grip
Specifications Show
- Manufacturer: Miyabi
- Material: High-carbon stainless steel; polymer handle
- Dimensions: 3½" blade
- Warranty: Limited lifetime warranty
- Made in Japan
Care & Usage Show
- Hand wash
Companion Products
New An heirloom-quality gift for your favorite tech-minded chef (even if that's you), this set of advanced knives, designed exclusively for Sur La Table...See product page for full details »
Customer Reviews
- Was this review helpful? Yes (0) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
11 months ago
- Was this review helpful? Yes (0) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
- Was this review helpful? Yes (1) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
1 year ago
- Was this review helpful? Yes (1) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Questions & Answers


text:
Marcantuoni scores SO winner as the Rangers edge the Attack 3-2NHL.com @NHLdotcom
KITCHENER, Ont. - Matia Marcantuoni scored the lone goal of the shootout as the Kitchener Rangers beat the visiting Owen Sound Attack 3-2 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action.
Matt Puempel had both goals in regulation for the Rangers (7-4-1), who won their fourth game in a row.
Kyle Hope and Gemel Smith scored for the Attack (8-2-2), who have dropped back-to-back contests.
John Gibson turned aside 42-of-44 shots for the win as Jordan Binnington stopped 33 shots in defeat..
Kitchener was 0-for-3 on the power play while Owen Sound failed to earn any power-play opportunities.
After a scoreless opening 20 minutes, Hope finished off a passing play with Joseph Blandisi and Kurtis Gabriel with less than five minutes left in second period to make it 1-0 Owen Sound.
The Rangers pulled even with 21 seconds remaining when Puempel scored his first of the night.
Puempel gave the Rangers the lead before the third period was three minutes old, beating Binnington along the ice from the slot.
Smith tied the game with an extra attacker on the ice with 1:06 remaining in the third, firing a shot off a face-off in the Kitchener end over Gibson???s shoulder.
Overtime solved nothing and both teams went to the fifth shooter before Marcantuoni ended the game.


text:
Cakespy: Can you tell us a bit about how your cupcake obsession started?
Sandy Ploy: Believe it or not, it only started about 18 months ago. I was researching cupcakes for the April/May 2007 issue of Taste of Home. I was blown away at all of the great cupcake shops and blogs I came across online. But..the clincher was JOHNNY CUPCAKES. (sigh…excuse me while I have a Mrs. Robinson moment). When I saw that cupcake and those cross bones I knew I had found my niche. A little sweet and a little rough…just like me!
CS: How do you feed your cupcake obsession?
SP: Well, aside from collecting awesome Cakespy art – a little schmoozing never hurts – I am an addicted cupcake cookbook collector. I check out several blogs (Chockylit, Cupcakes Take the Cake, All Things Cupcake, Bake & Destroy) on a regular basis. In March I entered and then won my first cupcake competition - the 2nd Annual Cream City Collective Crazy Cupcake Competition. My winning cupcakes was a coconut cake with a sweet curry lemon curd filling and a sweet basil cream topping. Now, I have found myself embroiled in IRON CUPCAKE, which is basically an ongoing cupcake challenge between myself and a local chef. So far our challenges have included wasabi, mustard and next is cocktail.
CS: Although Milwaukee does not have a cupcake-specific shop, there are bakeries which sell cupcakes. Are there any that you suggest?
CS: Do you have a favorite cupcake shop outside of Milwaukee?
SP: Hands down, it is MOLLY'S CUPCAKES in Chicago. It is like a playground, a cupcake shop, a bar and a toy store all rolled into one. Two brothers own the shop, named it after their elementary school teacher and have injected their favorite toys and lunchboxes as décor in the
SP: The best frosting ever is at Swirlz in Chicago – they use an Italian buttercream – it is light and exotic and absolutely incredible. Dot's Cupcakes in Pasadena, CA makes a delicious Caramel Apple cupcake that is so indulgent, I like to visit them whenever I go to CA to visit my family. And, I won't brag too much, but I love most of what I create at home.
CS: Tell us about the worst cupcake you ever had (shudder).
SP: Well, that is easy and not at all surprising…grocery store cupcakes make me ill. 'Nuff said.
CS: You've made some pretty crazy cupcakes yourself--ummm, the dark chocolate bacon ones (pictured left) come to mind. Tell the truth--were they delicious?
SP: The combination of pork fat and chocolate is rockin'! Although, one of my latest creations – the corn dog cupcake – is probably the one that I have gotten the most praise for (pictured above). Regardless, I love the challenge of combining unexpected ingredients in anything I cook.
CS: Getting away from cupcakes for a moment (don't worry, it won't be long), can you tell us what bakeries or regional baked good specialties can't be missed in the Milwaukee area?
SP: I have lived in Milwaukee for about 12 years now. By far and away the most coveted baked good is the Racine Kringle - a danish pastry similar to a buttery phyllo filled with fruit, nuts and other sweet gourmet fillings. EVERYone knows a Kringle and loves to nibble on them!
CS: You work at Taste of Home--pretty much any foodie's dream office! In our minds, your office is a magical land full of free food samples, bustling with flambees being tested, chock full of double crust pies and of course, rows and rows of cupcakes, all just there for the taking. Can you confirm or deny this vision?
SP: Minus the flambees, that pretty much sums it up. We receive over 90,000 reader submitted recipes per year. Between the test kitchen and the photo studio. Food is abundant – and snack can almost always be found. More often than not, the amazing smells of various baked goods, meats, sauces, soups, etc. are wafting up the hallways…and occasionally there is fish – and whether it is a fantastic recipe or not, that rarely smells good amongst the cubicles.
CS: What do you see as the next big thing in the cupcake baking world? Or, what would you like to see?
SP: I am a big advocate of 'grown-up' cupcakes. Unique flavors and combinations that are not necessarily your run of the mill kiddie cupcake.
CS: *If* a baker looking to open a cupcake shop in Milwaukee were reading this, would you have any suggestions or words of advice?
SP: PLEASE COME! Keep it accessible, not too prissy. There is definitely an audience for them, I am amazed we don't have any. I wish it were me doing the opening - If there was a cupcake angel out there wanting to finance my dream, I would love for them to land on my shoulder.
CS: If someone ever tried to challenge your status as the Cupcake Queen of Milwaukee, would you settle it once and for all through A) A dance-off B) A Bake-off, C) Knock them upside the head with your (cupcake-shaped) scepter, or D) All of the above?
SP: By all means, steer clear of my cupcake shaped scepter, it flings sprinkles into the eyes of anyone who challenges my royal status.
CS: Some say that "pie is the new cake". What do you have to say to this?
SP: I was never good at math, so I will pass on the pie.
CS: What will be your next cupcake adventure?
SP: I am dying to get to NYC and visit the overwhelming selections of cupcakeries in a city just throbbing with life and excitement! I suspect another trip to LA is more likely to happen first.
Eager for more? Check out Sandy's photos at flickr.com, and of course check out her blog at mkecupcakequeen.blogspot.com!


text:
Today, Irene is a Category 2 storm moving through the northern coast of Haiti. By this weekend, it could be a Category 4 that's ravaging the east coast from South Carolina to NYC. Gulp.
Irene has already left a million people without power in Puerto Rico, and it's expected to make a run at the Carolinas by Saturday morning, sweeping up through the Mid-Atlantic before petering out just past New York City on Sunday night. It's impossible to say exactly where and when a hurricane will go, of course, but the Cone of Uncertainty (which is actually, kind-of-wonderfully what it's really called!) shown below projects major landfalls ahead.
The most recent comparable is Hurricane Floyd, which came inland over Cape Fear, NC in 1999 and went on to cause an estimated $4.5 billion in damage and 57 deaths. As you can see below, its path looks remarkably similar to the one Irene is charted for.
But most of all, my goodness, would you just look at that thing, swirling and churning its way towards our shores? Nature, we get it. You're terrifying. Now if we give you our lunch money, will you leave us alone? [NOAA, Miami Herald]


text:
My mother is coming to visit in a few days so much to everyone's delight; I decided that it's time to clean out the fridge. I really hate to admit this, but instead of a place to cool fresh foods, all too often mine is relegated to being no more than a food graveyard. As I have grown older and wiser, I have started putting my leftovers in Ziploc bags that can easily be tossed into the trash so the likelihood of running across a well loved dish tucked in the back, full of the dreaded blue/green hair, is dramatically diminished. Well, as hard as I try not to let this happen, I still managed to run across a lovely little Cameoware dish (hey, I've been looking for that!) full of what appears to be a collection of mossy rocks. My best guess is that it must have at one time been either bleu cheese dressing or a cure for cancer. Either way, I quickly chased it down the disposer with the sink sprayer all the while holding my breath.
After the fridge ordeal even my next chore seemed pleasant in comparison, scrubbing the many indoor water features in our home. It seems like we spent the first part of our lives climbing up the ladder striving to have that large home with 5 toilets and now that I have it, I long for a house with only 2 or 3 to spruce up for company. Multiple toilets are highly overrated in my opinion. After cleaning my son's bath, I have decided that it should be sealed off permanently. Personally, I am suspicious that there is a family of bears sneaking in at night and using it. All I will say about my daughter's is it would have made Sid and Nancy proud. I'll just leave it at that and let you use your own imagination.
After dusting, vacuuming and sorting through the mountains of mail that had accumulated on our dining room furniture, everything seemed pretty much in order so my daughter and I headed up the street to pick some cherries off of our neighbor's trees. I have to admit that upon tasting the tart little cherries I didn't have much hope for the jam that I was planning on making, but my neighbor assured me that they were well worth the effort. We picked about three pounds and brought them home and spent hours pitting them before we started our jam making process. I had made jam before many moons ago, but not often enough to have a great recipe down pat so I hit Google for help. After pouring over several recipes, I decided to use David Lebovitz's as a base because I like the idea of reducing it down instead of using packaged pectin. I cooked the cherries and added the sugar and instantly my whole house smelled of cherry pie, hmmmm, delightful. My neighbor was right; they are well worth the effort. I highly recommend giving this recipe a try sometime. You can either freeze the finished jam or if you are adventurous, process the jars for extended shelf life but either way you'll have a taste of summer all year long.
Tart Cherry Jam
3 pounds tart cherries, pitted and stemmed (once pitted this yielded about 6 cups of cherries and juice for me)
Zest and juice of 1 – 2 lemons
4-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1/2 cup Serrano pepper or 1/4 cup Habanera pepper, thinly sliced across with seeds and membranes (optional)
Coarsely chop about 2/3 of the cherries and then place all of the cherries with their juice and the lemon zest and juice in a large stockpot over medium heat. Cook until cherries are soft and cooked, approximately 20 minutes.
Add sugar and simmer over medium to medium high heat, stirring frequently until it begins to thicken and coats the back of a spoon. If you would like to make a Tart Cherry Pepper Jam, stir in the Serrano peppers at this time and cook for just a few minutes longer. Place a small white plate in the freezer to chill. Remove the jam from the heat and place a spoonful of jam on the frozen plate and return to the freezer for a few minutes. After a couple of minutes, push your finger through the jam. If the jam is thick and "wrinkles" on the end of your finger it is done. If not, return it to the heat and cook for a few minutes longer and repeat. You want your jam to be thick but not too thick so cook it in short increments of time and test it often. When it is done, add the almond extract if desired.
Pour jam into very clean dry jars and either freeze or process in a water bath for approximately 5 minutes before storing for later enjoyment.
This recipe yields about 8 – 8 ounce jars of jam.
My newest CSN Giveaway
The folks at CSN have once again given me a $60.00 gift card to give to one of my lucky followers. Just leave me a comment and I'll throw your hat into the ring. If you're not already a follower, I'd love to have you click on the "Follow" button and join my blog. I'll be chosing a winner on August 10th in honor of my son's first day of school. YAY!
Welcome to those of you who found my giveaway listed on Online-Sweepstakes.com.


text:
Not Including Labor
It's not often-as in this was the first time-that we run across an owner who has kept track of every dollar he ever invested into his truck, let alone the exact date he had spent it. To say we were impressed when the tech sheet for Browny Cooksey's '71 K5 Blazer arrived and the Mesquite, Texas-resident had accounted for every single detail would be an understatement.
Cooksey bought his two-wheel-drive Blazer-the third vehicle he ever owned-in 1973 for $2,400 and then sold it some years later to his grandfather for $600. At the age of 79, Cooksey's grandpa decided it was time to stop driving and returned the trusty workhorse back to Cooksey's growing stable of vehicles that include Cooksey's first and second cars: a '67 GTO and a '70 440 Six-Pack 'Cuda that he owns to this day. On November 15, 1992 Cooksey bought two shop manuals for $40 and the '71 Blazer's build was officially under way.
The next purchase Cooksey notated on the build list was on December 26, 1992, when he bought a gold-colored Blazer for parts from Azle Auto Salvage for $400. Once Cooksey had accumulated all of the best examples he could locate for body parts and set them aside, the next step was to strip the '71's original frame down to the last few bolts and then have it sandblasted. Ultimately, the Blazer's chassis and all of its components were powdercoated black, but that wasn't until a 4-inch narrowed 9-inch Ford rearend with an Auburn posi and 3.70:1 gears was adapted. Up front a pair of 21/2-inch AIM drop spindles were placed in between Air Ride Technologies Strong Arm upper and lower control arms damped with Shockwaves. The finishing touch to the '71's suspension was the installation of Classic Performance Products front and rear swaybars tucked closer to chassis with CPP's super trick, special mounting brackets. The steering chores are handled via a rebuilt stock Blazer power-steering box connected to an ididit steering column capped with a Billet Specialties Torque-thrust steering wheel. For stopping power, the Blazer relies on a front disc-brake conversion kit Cooksey bought on November 14, 2000 from Master Power Brakes. The rear disc brakes are from a Cadillac Eldorado adapted to fit the 9-inch Ford rearend. From front to rear, the wheels on the Blazer are 20- and 22-inch KMCs mounted on BFGoodrich g-Force tires.
On September 30, 2003 Cooksey paid Young Chevrolet $7,882.65 for an '03 Z06 Corvette engine to use as the '71's powerplant. As evidenced by the receipt dates, the buildup of Cooksey's Blazer wasn't an overnight effort-as it wasn't until March 27, 2006 that he bought an LS6 computer-programmed wiring harness from Street & Performance to be able to fire the engine up. To handle all of the other electrical duties, an American Autowire harness is in place. Cooksey modified the stock Blazer gas tank to work with the Z06 fuel-injection by using parts sectioned out of a fuel-injected Cadillac tank. The Caddy fuel pump, as well as the brake plumbing, rely on stainless steel lines from Inline Tube.
Predating the LS6 harness, it was on November 11, 2005 that a set of headers were bought from Street & Performance to form the basis of the A&B Muffler Plus exhaust system that was completed with mufflers and pipes ordered from Summit Racing Equipment. A 700-R4 transmission takes care of gear changes.
With the exception of the leather interior done by Wayne Bayless during the fall of 2007, the Blazer was entirely homebuilt by Cooksey along with his wife and friends. Cooksey credits Jerry Pike for pitching in the most, followed by Gary Waller, Matt Waller, Rodger and Bobby Garcia, brought up by John and Zack "during the very last days."
Some of the custom interior features include a billet dash cluster sourced from No Limit Engineering and then packed with Auto Meter gauges. To handle the Texas heat, Cooksey installed an air-conditioning system from Vintage Air.
Further interior amenities include a high-end sound system featuring the best that Pioneer, Alpine, Infinity, and Cerwin-Vega have to offer.
The finish on the '71 was Cooksey's first attempt at trying his hand at body and paint. After constructing a paint booth to provide a dust-controlled environment, he shot the Blazer in PPG Viper Blue. After more than a decade of intense work on the stubby little C-10-based truck, Cooksey's Viper Blue show truck is on the roll. The last we heard, Cooksey and his wife Pam were driving the '71 Blazer halfway across Texas to enter it in a show.


text: Henley, the Japanese Chin who is adopted by Lulu Ziminski, "fashion maven extraordinaire" is the creation of our own style maven and MFA candidate, Julie Muszynski. Henley- and Julie- get a special mention on Petite Sophisticate. Henley enjoys the life of luxury in New York, and on Safari in his second adventure- but look out, Henley is going Hollywood soon after Julie and her class visit LA this June! Weare star-struck, Julie!


text:
Get PGWARE Coupons
SoftwareCoupons.com serves up the very best PGWARE Coupons and Offers. If you're searching for a good deal on PGWARE products, look no further than SoftwareCoupons.com for the best PGWARE Coupon codes. PGWARE gives us with the most significant promotions & coupons so we can pass on sizable price savings instantly to you.
Active PGWARE Discounts & Coupons
August 21, 2019
Never miss coupons for PGWARE
Enter your email below and we will send you the latest and greatest PGWARE discounts.
Sort PGWARE Coupons by Product
- GameBoost Coupons
- GameGain Coupons
- GameSwift Coupons
- PCBoost Coupons
- PCMedik Coupons
- PCSwift Coupons
- SuperRam Coupons
- SystemSwift Coupons
- Throttle Coupons
About PGWARE Coupon Codes
Step 1: Discover the PGWARE discount offer you want to use and click on the coupon button listed above.
Step 2:Two windows will pop-up. One will be a second SoftwareCoupons.com page and this window will show you whether or not the discount coupon has become activated. It will provide the PGWARE discount code in the center of the page. This is the promo code you will need when checking out the item from the PGWARE web-site.
Step 3: The second page that appeared will be the shopping cart on the PGWARE website. Check the box that reads, "I have a Coupon"!
Step 4: Enter the PGWARE discount coupon code that was supplied from the first pop up window.
Step 5: The discount will be deducted in your total. Carry on as usual with your check out.
Step 6: Should your discount code worked properly, please be sure to supply feedback so we understand that all of our discounts are up to par.
Step 7: If you wish to receive software news and deals on more SoftwareCoupons.com software products, submit your e-mail to sign-up for our Free Software newsletters, continue shopping or simply just leave and enjoy your final savings.
(Some of the coupon codes really need to be precisely inputted on the check out web page that we supply you with in order to work correctly and give you the discount your looking for.)
Giving away illegitimate copies of software is illegal. Softwarecoupons.com refuses to publish PGWARE key, PGWARE cracks, serial number generators, hacked versions or PGWARE cracked versions. Our site only will deliver PGWARE deals that are reputable and sanctioned by PGWARE.
SoftwareCoupons.com is definitely the foremost supplier of software discounts, voucher codes and offers.
Related Software Coupons
Easy iPod & iphone Transfer Coupon. Simply click the Coupon Button to locate your own personal promotion!...
Click on the deal button to gain access to our favorite DriverHive - Keeping Your Drivers Up to Date Deal....
Easy iPod Transfer Coupon Code. Definitely click on the Coupon Button to uncover your own personal promotion!...
This is a Extra Special 25% DriverHive - Keeping Your Drivers Up to Date Promo Code. Simply click the Coupon Button to locate your amazing promotion!...
That is certainly our Best VideoWizard Coupon - All-in-One DVD & Video Converter Discount Code. Click on the ACTIVATE Button....


text: Products This product has variants and can only be added to the cart by viewing the product details page. Search: HS1332TAS - Manufacturer: Honda $3,399.00 This item can only be picked up in store. Average Rating: Quantity: Product Reviews Add Review No reviews have been added yet, be the 1st to add a review! Your name: User name to be displayed with this review. Rating: Rating for this product. Comments: Comments for this product. Update Cancel Return To Category


text:
LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas is the seventh most obese state in the nation, according to a national report released Tuesday.
The state ranked ninth last year in the annual report by Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
The study said the state's obesity rate of 30.9 percent is .3 percentage points above last year, and that Arkansas is one of a dozen states where nearly 1 in 3 adults is obese.
Mississippi has the highest adult obesity rate at 34.9 percent, while Colorado has the lowest rate at 20.7 percent. Twenty-six of the 30 states with the highest rates of obesity are in the South and Midwest.
More than two-thirds of adults in the United States, 68 percent, are either overweight or obese, according to the report. Among children ages 2-19, 16.9 percent are obese and 31.7 percent are overweight or obese.
A person with a body mass index of 30 or higher is considered obese. The report's rankings are based on data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Michelle Justus, director of disease prevention health promotion at the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement, said the study shows that the state has a lot of work to do to address the obesity problem.
"We do know that obesity is a critical problem in our state and this report … does tell us that we have more work to do," Justus said.
The state has made strides in promoting better nutrition in schools, "but an area we can improve upon is increasing physical activity within schools," she said.
Justus said grant programs are available for elementary schools and middle schools that double the amount of physical activity by students.
Also, the state is promoting more community-based programs to improve physical activity among children and adults, such as Growing Healthy Communities, which encourages local communities to reduce obesity by increasing physical activity, increasing access to health foods and implementing other changes in an effort to support healthy living. Eighteen communities across the state are currently participating in that program.
In Northwest Arkansas, a program called "Energize Northwest Arkansas" focuses on "all different aspects of obesity, what the economic impact is, and all different aspects, not just health."
Justus said that if Arkansas can reduce its overall obesity rate by 5 percentage points, the state could save about $6 billion in medical costs.
On the Net:


text:
Welcome to the CRG Discussion Forum!Forum registration problems: Make sure you enter your email correctly and you check your spam box first. *Then* email KurtS2@gmail for help.Classified ads are not allowed on the forum.
I thought the X11 was proof of the style trim package in a base model.Tom
John,Thnaks, I continue to learn. Looks like i HAVE THE Z23 as well. The deluxe steering wheel with wood insert, wood trim - only on the drivers side of the dash, stainless trim on the pedals, and the grab handle on the passenger side. Should I be looking for anything else?Tom


text:
(This post is by Christine McCann)
Here's the latest of our news bulletins from the ongoing crisis at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
This past Sunday, March 11, marked one year since the devastating earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster occurred in Japan. Greenpeace offers condolences and support to the victims, along with hopes for a nuclear-free future.
State of Nuclear Politics in Japan
This week marked the one-year anniversary of the devastating earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster in Japan last March. In addition to a national moment of silence and ceremonies commemorating the victims, anti-nuclear demonstrations were held across Japan and around the world. In Koriyama, 16,000 people joined Nobel Prize Laureate and anti-nuclear crusader Kenzaburo Oe to protest the restart of nuclear reactors in Japan. In Tokyo, 14,000 people formed a human chain around the Japanese Parliament, demanding an end to nuclear power. And in Osaka, 15,000 anti-nuclear protesters gathered. More protests were held in Aichi, Aomori, Fukui, and Hokkaido Prefectures. Previously, demonstrations were uncommon in Japan. People protested in Europe, Canada, Asia, and the United States, as well. In France, where 80% of electricity comes from nuclear power, protesters formed a human chain along the River Rhone. Social media played a large part in organizing many of the demonstrations.
A year after the nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, Japan's government has done little to improve safety at nuclear plants around the country, and no reforms have been made to curb cronyism between the power industry and government regulators. Efforts to separate the regulatory entity from that which promotes nuclear energy have stalled in Parliament, and a long-standing practice of allowing government officials to take high-level jobs with utilities after retirement continues. Although new regulations have been proposed to protect reactors from earthquakes and tsunami, including building seawalls and installing vents to prevent hydrogen explosions, plant operators have put few into place. Stress tests designed to establish plants safety have been criticized for being too lax.
The Japanese government has finally released a 76-page account of events that took place during 23 sometimes chaotic taskforce meetings in the days after the meltdowns occurred, through December 2011. The account was cobbled together from notes taken by meeting attendees, because no officials minutes were kept, in spite of a mandate to do so at all government meetings. Yukio Edano, the head of the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) admitted, "We should have been prepared for an emergency by [providing a system] to tape-record meetings that take place in confusing situations, so the recordings could be used to create ex post facto minutes." The notes show that officials were aware on the first day that a meltdown was likely, when at least one unidentified participant pointed out that possibility, but failed to alert the public of the danger. Government officials did not publicly admit that a meltdown occurred until June. In addition, the notes reveal that officials engaged in contentious debate about how far evacuation zones should extend and whether reactors should be vented to release accumulating radioactive steam. Unfortunately, the account, which was compiled after the fact, offers no insight into how decisions were made.
Greenpeace is criticizing International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Yukio Amano's pronouncement that "nuclear safety is stronger than it was a year ago. We know what went wrong and we have a clear course of action to tackle those causes—not only in Japan, but anywhere in the world." Amano made the statement in spite of the fact that no conclusive reports on the causes of the Fukushima disaster have been released, including any fully studying the effects of the massive magnitude 9.0 earthquake. Jan Beránek, leader of Greenpeace International's Energy Campaign, warned, "Industry and politicians around the world quickly conducted so-called stress tests, only to conclude that not a single reactor in the world is unsafe and needs to close. No doubt, even Fukushima Daiichi would have passed those tests." Beránek added, the IAEA "even said that the main problem was how to restore public confidence [in nuclear power]—instead of looking into how to better protect people. This must change, or the next nuclear disaster is inevitable."
Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda announced on Sunday that he will personally take the lead in working to gain public approval for restarting idled nuclear reactors around the nation. Noda was speaking at a press conference on the anniversary of the disasters that took place last year, including the meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi plant.
Nuclear power production in Japan fell to a record low of 6.1% in the month of February, the lowest level since such record keeping began in 1977. In spite of the reduced production, Japan has not experienced blackouts or power loss, contrary to doomsday predictions by some nuclear industry insiders.
The head of Japan's Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC), Haruki Madarame, said that he will resign at the end of this month, even if the proposed Nuclear Safety and Security Agency (NSSA) is not yet established. The NSSA was originally supposed to begin operations in April, but the bill to create it has stalled in the Diet, where some members are questioning whether the agency will be independent enough to withstand influence from the nuclear industry.
Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and Ukrainian Parliament Chairman Volodymyr Lytvyn met this week to finalize a nuclear safety agreement, which will allow the two countries to share information in the case of a nuclear crisis. The Ukraine was the site of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.
Reactor Status
TEPCO will announce in March whether or not it will shut down all of its reactors in Fukushima Prefecture. That number includes reactors #5 and #6 at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, where reactors #1 through #4 were damaged by the earthquake, tsunami, and hydrogen explosions last March, as well as all four reactors at the nearby Fukushima Daini plant.
Contamination (Includes Economic Impact and Human Exposure)
A study of residents living close to the Fukushima Daiichi plant shows that 80% showed evidence of exposure to radioactive iodine, and 8% were exposed to more than the international limit of 50 millisieverts per year. The highest exposure rate in adults was 87 millisieverts per year; the highest in children was 47 millisieverts. Exposure to radioactive iodine can cause thyroid cancer, and children are more susceptible to its effects. Fukushima Prefecture plans to conduct thyroid screenings on residents, but because of equipment shortages, that process may take decades to complete.
Officials in Fukushima Prefecture have banned rice growing on one-eighth of prefectural farms, affecting 10,500 hectares of land. Rice grown on an additional 4,000 hectares will be subject to conditional approval, pending submission of management plans and inspections of all bags of rice. The new regulations will become effective in April.
Officials from South Korea say that increasing numbers of seafood shipments from Japan are contaminated with radioactive cesium, although the levels are still below the international standard for radiation and no products have yet been banned. An official from South Korea's Animal, Plant, Fisheries Quarantine and Inspection Agency noted, "The frequency of radiation detection appears to be rising as two reactors at the Fukushima plant are currently leaking radiation."
A survey of kindergartens and pre-schools in Fukushima Prefecture reveals that 80% continue to restrict children's time outdoors, in response to concerns about radiation exposure. Educators have raised concerns about children's lack of physical activity, and consequently, increased stress levels.
Decontamination and Radioactive Waste Disposal
New estimates of debris from the tsunami and earthquake in Japan, much of it radioactive as a result of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, place total amounts at 1,113,000 tons. The government continues to struggle with how and where to dispose of it.
Nuclear Crisis Minister Goshi Hosono announced this week that nuclear waste will be stored in three towns in Fukushima Prefecture, probably for the next 30 years: Futaba, Okuma, and Naraha. Although the mayor of Naraha agreed to the plan, the move was met with vehement opposition from the mayors of Okuma and Futaba.
A survey of victims of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, conducted by the Nuclear Damage Liability Facilitation Fund, shows that 57% have not applied for compensation because they found the process too confusing, or think that the amount that TEPCO has agreed to pay for expenses and mental suffering—100,000 yen ($1,200)—is too low.
Other Nuclear News
In a draft of a yet-to-be-released report, officials from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) have declared that a fire that broke out at the Fort Calhoun nuclear power plant near Omaha, Nebraska last June posed a serious safety threat. Although the plant is currently in shutdown status, the report points out that the fire could have easily occurred when it was active. The blaze occurred after workers incorrectly fitted an electrical breaker; grease built up around the breaker and then caught fire. Workers also ignored an odd odor, which could have led to discovery of the problem before the flames erupted. Smoke knocked out the plant's backup generator, endangering cooling systems. Fort Calhoun, which is operated by Omaha Public Power District, has been cited with numerous safety issues, including failure of electrical equipment and inadequate protection against flooding.
Justin McKeating has been blogging the meltdown of the nuclear industry for Greenpeace International since 2008. He is based in Brighton, UK.
(Unregistered) boris324
It's great to see that Japanese people are protesting nuclear power. They certainly have been through enough heartache. Great reporting, God bless...
It's great to see that Japanese people are protesting nuclear power. They certainly have been through enough heartache. Great reporting, God bless Greenpeace.
13 March, 2012 at 14:39
Flag abuse
To post a comment you need to be signed in.
(Unregistered) Oh
"In spite of the reduced production, Japan has not experienced blackouts or power loss,"
The voluntary power rationing might ha...
"In spite of the reduced production, Japan has not experienced blackouts or power loss,"
The voluntary power rationing might have something to do with that. Clean green future! Yay!
Then again Greenpeace would know about incorrect doomsday predictions considering the junk spouted by sympathisers of your lunatic organisation in the mass media last March, though.
15 March, 2012 at 15:06
Flag abuse
(Unregistered) Beppe
@Oh: Japan experienced some sort of energy rationing last summer: some industrial plants moved some working shifts into weekends in order to trim peak...
@Oh: Japan experienced some sort of energy rationing last summer: some industrial plants moved some working shifts into weekends in order to trim peak demand.
I live in Tokyo and I did not experience any rationing.
For the upcoming summer, after several mothballed thermal plants have been brought back in line, the government expects no shortages even if no nuclear power plant is restarted.
Nuclear power? No thanks, Japan can do without it today.
16 March, 2012 at 22:52
Flag abuse
1 - 3 of 3 results.
Are you sure to remove this comment?
Are you sure to report this comment as abuse?


text:
- Home
- News
- Sports
- Opinion
- Obituaries
- Features
- Special Sections
- Classifieds
- Public Notices
This Memorial Day has special significance for me.
My father, Beale Todd of Independence, a World War II veteran, passed away in February at age 84.
As a child I was always aware my father had been in the Navy during the war but I would be much older before mere awareness would be replaced with true appreciation.
At age 19 he entered the Navy and served aboard a destroyer escort engaged in anti-submarine warfare in the Atlantic and anti-aircraft warfare in the Mediterranean.
If you currently subscribe or have subscribed in the past to the The Gazette, then simply find your account number on your mailing label and enter it below.
Click the question mark below to see where your account ID appears on your mailing label.
|ZIP Code:


text:
Top Manufacturers
Product Lines
Specials / Deals
Buy from Paragon
Sell to Paragon
About Us
Paragon Websites:
Used Enterasys Gateways
Paragon carries a wide selection of quality used Enterasys gateways from the entire line of Enterasys Products.
All used Enterasys gateways are offered at discounts of 50-85% off of manufacturer list prices, backed by a 30-day return policy and come with one of Paragon's standard limited warranty programs, including our Standard 1-Year Limited Warranty to domestic end-users.
Used Enterasys Networks - Product Lines: