text:
myMACT.com simplifies MACT compliance
Instead of wading through pages and pages of complex criteria and compliance requirements, facilities affected by the U.S. EPA's Maximum Achievable Control Technology rules can opt to use myMACT.com, a free online applicability tool that outlines compliance requirements for specific boilers and facilities.
Requiring only simple data inputs and unit information, myMACT.com clearly states whether a unit is affected by the rules and if so, what compliance requirements it will fall under. The final MACT rules, released in February, include standards for four source categories—major source industrial, commercial and institutional boilers and process heaters; area source industrial, commercial and institutional boilers; commercial and industrial solid waste incinerators; and sewage sludge incinerators—as well as an updated definition of solid waste.
With around 30 users so far, feedback about the tool has been positive, according to its creator Dixon Environmental, a compliance management solutions provider. Users have reported it's very easy to use and intuitive, according to Mike Dixon, president of Dixon Environmental. No biomass-fueled units have been registered yet, but Dixon expects that to change soon.
"We think it's a pretty cool thing to offer," Dixon said, adding that the program has already found additional areas of compliance for unit operators who thought they had figured it all out for themselves.
Dixon conducted a soft rollout of the program, which began in March, with input from the American Coatings Association, Society of Chemical Manufacturers & Affiliates and National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers. The company will continue gathering feedback from those trade organizations in the next few days, followed by an open webinar in about a month that will incorporate feedback from all users willing to offer it.
The program will continue to evolve, as well, with the addition of a template for the report for initial notification. Affected facilities will be required to submit the notice in September and Dixon said the template will simplify that requirement.
The EPA estimates its MACT rules will affect nearly 200,000 facilities, and many will undoubtedly be looking for help, as some have not been previously affected by hazardous air pollutant regulations, Dixon said. "When you look at the numbers, there's got to be a lot of people who need help with it," he said. Smaller companies operating boilers subject to the new rules may not have official programs in place to account for such compliance like some larger facilities do, he added.
Dixon said the program will also help his company get its name out in the effected industries as a helpful solutions provider. "It has worked," he said. "A lot of people are registering that we haven't heard of before."


text:
The Colorado Springs Police Department Homicide Cold Case Unit is currently responsible for approximately 90 unsolved homicide cases dating back to 1949. CSPD considers a case to be cold if it remains unsolved for more than one year.
If you have any information that would be of assistance in any of our Cold Case investigations, please telephone us at 719-444-7613,
by email at firstname.lastname@example.com
use our online form or
You may remain anonymous and could earn a cash reward by calling Crime Stoppers at 634-STOP (7867).
Please visit Unresolved Homicides for resources for family members of cold case homicide victims.
Alphabetical Listing Across All Years
|Talahytewa - 1996

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Carroll v. Merrill Lynch, No. 12-1076 (7th Cir. October 16, 2012)
Late in the evening on Thanksgiving Day 2005, plaintiff called her co-worker at home and started yelling profanities. The co-worker's wife picked up another phone on the line and, becoming alarmed at the threatening nature of the conversation, began recording the call.
Plaintiff sued under the Illinois eavesdropping statute, 720 ILCS 5/14. Defendants moved for summary judgment, arguing that the recording was covered under the "fear of crime" exception to the statute. The lower court granted the motion for summary judgment and plaintiff sought review with the Seventh Circuit. On appeal, the court affirmed the award of summary judgment.
The Illinois eavesdropping statute prohibits recording a conversation unless all parties consent to the recording. But that general rule is subject to a bunch of exceptions, such as recordings made:
under reasonable suspicion that another party to the conversation is committing, is about to commit, or has committed a criminal offense against the person or a member of his or her immediate household, and there is reason to believe that evidence of the criminal offense may be obtained by the recording
In this case, the court held that the wife had both a subjective and objective belief that the plaintiff would, at minimum, vandalize their home. Since plaintiff introduced no evidence to create a genuine issue of material fact on the question of the wife's asserted fear of a crime being committed, summary judgment had been properly granted.
Photo courtesy Vincent Van Der Pas under this Creative Commons license.


text:
Tired of a build-up of dust making your car look dirty between wash? If so than our premium car duster is the perfect solution. Our specially designed wax-coated fibers attract and hold dust particles to restore the shine of your vehicle. In just minutes, our car duster will remove all loose dust from your car and give it that look you want.
Coverking takes great pride in the quality of our products and guarantees your satisfaction. From easy returns, industry leading warranties and lifetime repair, you can purchase with confidence.
Return a product within 30 days of delivery for a full refund* minus the cost of shipping. Products must be in resellable condition and in the original packaging. Please note that you will need to obtain a Return Goods Authorization number (RGA) before shipping your product back to us.
Note: Covers are not intended for long term use without periodically inspecting and cleaning underneath. Do not allow liquids to dry while cover(s) are installed. Car covers are not intended for vinyl (or other) wrapped vehicles. Shrin Corporation's liability is limited to the purchase price of the product. Shrin Corporation is not responsible for any other damage.
*Personalized products, including logo and design-your-own products, are subject to a 15% restocking fee.
Manufacturing times vary at different times of the year and depend material availablity and production volumes. Coverking manufactures most custom accessories in California, USA - and has been doing so since 1986. During that time, we have worked vigorously to speed up our production time required to make the word's best covers for your vehicle. Your order will be shipped directly to you from Coverking's facility in Anaheim, CA. USA.
Custom Car Covers – 1-2 weeks
Custom Seat Covers – 3-4 weeks
Custom Dash Covers – 1 week
Custom Molded Dash Covers – 1 week
Custom Sunshields – 1 week
Custom Floormats – 1 week
Universal-fit products ship within 1 week.
Production times are not guaranteed. After purchase, you can track the progress of your order through production.


text:
Award Winning Flavoured Flints Food Tools
Léa André Discloses The Flavoured Flints Food Tools
Léa André, the author of the displayed work food tools by Léa André explicates, "Flavoured flints" is a collection of differents food tools made by conglomerates of salt and sugar with added dried extracts of flavour-enhancing fruits, obtained by cryogrinding. Spices, herbs, mushrooms, vegetables, and fruits are included in the ingredients. The flints prompt consumers to season their meals using ancestral techniques : rubbing the two volumes, as big as your fist and faceted, against each other. By choosing to use differents flints, it becomes possible to combine all sorts of flavours. .
Award Winning Flavoured Flints Food Tools Images:
End of the article, click here to go back to previous page, or alternatively go back to Designer Keep Magazine homepage.


text:
MAN. UNITED challenge all KULUSEVSKI suitors
INTER MILAN new signing HAKIMI: "Real Madrid raised me and taught me a lot. Now I'm one of their fans"
Through his Instagram profile, 21-year old full-back/wide midfielder Achraf Hakimi, who has just joined Inter Milan, on a full basis, from Real Madrid, stated: "I never imagined this moment would have come. It's not a farewell, however, since you can't really say
|Editore: TC&C srl web content publisher since 1994
|Partita IVA 01488100510


text:
Chelsea Plotting Barcelona Ambush in Champions League
Chelsea believe they can stymie the jaw-dropping goalscoring exploits of Lionel Messi and pull off an unlikely upset against Barcelona in the Champions League semifinals Wednesday.
Messi took his season's tally to an astonishing 63 goals in 52 games at the weekend with a double strike in Barcelona's win over Levante, leaving him just four shy of Gerd Muller's all-time single-season European record of 67.
Another goal at Stamford Bridge would see the Argentinian set a new benchmark for goals in a single Champions League campaign, taking him past the record he currently shares with Jose Altafini, who scored 14 for AC Milan in 1962-63.
Referring to Messi's ongoing scoring duel with Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola said recently that the two players were "eating at a separate table to the rest."
The challenge for Chelsea on Wednesday is finding a way to prevent Messi from treating the English club's ageing back four as an all-you-can-eat buffet.
Yet Chelsea's elder statesmen -- almost certainly featuring together in a Champions League campaign for the last time -- are refusing to be cowed by Messi and Barcelona's reputation as one of the best teams of all time.
"From the start of every game, it's 50-50," Chelsea veteran Frank Lampard said. "We are in the Champions League semifinal on merit. We can't show too much fear against them. We have to respect them but also take them on and play the way we play.
"When I watch Barcelona I expect them to win but you have to believe in yourselves. We have given them tough games in the past and we are ready to try to do that again."
Nevertheless Lampard is under no illusions about the scale of the task in front of Chelsea, who come into the game with useful momentum following the 5-1 FA Cup semifinal thrashing of Tottenham at Wembley.
Lampard believes Messi has already surpassed Diego Maradona in the pantheon of all-time greats.
"He has improved since we played them in 2009 and he was a fantastic player then. The levels he has taken his game to is something I have never seen before," Lampard said.
"I grew up on Maradona. He was my idol and I think Messi has taken it to higher levels than him. To get close to 70 goals is crazy. He deserves it. He is the best player in the world."
Chelsea's last meeting with Barcelona came in the semi-finals three years ago, when Andres Iniesta's injury-time equalizer and a string of dubious refereeing decisions denied the English side a place in the final.
Lampard said Chelsea would not be entering the match motivated by a sense of revenge. "That's not really in our thoughts," Lampard said. "They have moved on from three years ago and we have changed as well."
Chelsea's interim manager Roberto Di Matteo is likely to target Barcelona's back four as he attempts to mastermind what would be the greatest win since he took over from the sacked Andre Villas-Boas in March.
Di Matteo is adamant that there are weak links in Barcelona's armor. "We just need to exploit them," he said.
"You look at the way you can hurt Barcelona and create them difficulties. I've seen many games."
Di Matteo was also wary of obsessing about the threat posed by Messi,
"It's not just about stopping a single player, because obviously they have so many players that can hurt you," he cautioned. "It has to be a team tactic, a team strategy, to be able to limit their threat."
Barcelona coach Guardiola meanwhile says he is unfazed by the prospect of a physical approach from Chelsea.
"Am I worried by Chelsea's physical approach? No, I'm not worried," Guardiola said. "I'm used to it.
"We have the mentality to control this situation. It's very important to have this mentality."
Go Chelsea you can make it!! True Blue Forever!!


text:
home > archive > 2003 > this article
Zero patience for zero tolerance
By Wendy McElroy
News shows recently showed video of 14 police officers charging a crowded high-school corridor with guns drawn in a drug sweep. Students at Stratford Creek High School in Goose Creek, S.C., were forced onto their knees or against walls, while dogs sniffed their backpacks for drugs.
None were found. Although the incident was extreme, it was not an aberration but the logical consequences of "zero tolerance" policies, defended by both the school and the police. Zero tolerance must be abandoned, especially in connection with children.
Zero-tolerance policies have resulted in some children being placed in the criminal justice system. Two examples currently in the news: A Missouri judge ruled that a 6-year-old boy suspected of killing his grandfather could be charged as an adult; a New Jersey prosecutor's office has charged a 7-year-old boy with molesting a 5-year-old girl in an incident that the defense attorney describes as "playing doctor."
For most children, zero tolerance is experienced in schools with administrative rules that purportedly enforce safety and discipline. Arguably, the administrative rules are actually a reaction to federal threats to cut funds. For example, in 1994 Congress passed the Gun-Free School Act by which states had to implement zero tolerance on weapons or lose federal money. Many schools rigorously interpreted zero tolerance to include the prohibition of anything even looking like a weapon. They adopted broad definitions of dangerous behavior, which allowed for no exceptions.
Soon the media spilled over with stories of young children being suspended or treated like felons for playing with water pistols, paper guns or even for pointing their fingers at each other and saying "bang."
The punishment for possessing an obvious toy became the same as for possessing a real weapon because zero tolerance means zero distinctions. Zero tolerance takes discretion and evaluation away from educators and mandates responses that can be wildly inappropriate. Behavior that used to be corrected by detention or a trip to the principal's office now receives suspension, expulsion or even police involvement. What used to be the last resort has become the first and only option.
In Madison, Wis., Chris Schmidt, a sixth-grader with a spotless record, faced a year's suspension because he brought a kitchen knife to school for a science project. Asked about the case, Valencia Douglas, an assistant superintendent of schools in Madison, said, "We can't say, 'You're a good kid, so your mistake doesn't have as much force, or importance behind it.'"
And so, an 11-year-old is taken away in handcuffs for drawing a picture of a gun; an 8-year-old faces expulsion for a keychain that contained a cheap nail clipper; a fifth-grader is suspended for drawing the World Trade Center being hit by an airplane ... The stories go on and on.
The quantity of these incidents illustrates that the vicious consequences of zero tolerance are not isolated events. They are embedded into one of the most important institutions of society: the educational system. When the school principal in Goose Creek justified police pointing guns at innocent students, he did so by saying he would use "any means" to keep his school "clean."
A backlash is developing among students who are reportedly saying the same thing nationwide. Many schools now resemble prisons with hidden security cameras, metal detectors, guards, random searches, drug-sniffing dogs, and searches without warrants.
Zero tolerance is commonly justified on the grounds of children's safety. But, in studying "unsafe" schools that had enforced zero-tolerance policies for four years, the National Center for Education Statistics found little change (Skiba & Peterson, 1999).
In commenting on the study in the journal "National Association of Elementary School Principals," Roger W. Ashford wrote, "The study concludes, however, that even though there is little data to prove the effectiveness of zero-tolerance policies, such initiatives serve to reassure the public that something is being done to ensure safety. Therefore, the popularity of zero-tolerance policies may have less to do with their actual effect than the image they portray of schools taking harsh measures to prevent violence. Whether the message actually changes student behavior may be less important than the reassurance it provides to administrators, teachers and parents."
Everyone recognizes that zero-tolerance policies were developed in response to legitimate concerns, such as those raised by the high-school shootings at Columbine. But, increasingly, people are also recognizing that zero tolerance creates as many -- and perhaps more -- problems than the original difficulties they were meant to solve.
Alternatives are being suggested. For example, Richard L. Curwin and Allen N. Mendler have co-authored a book entitled "As Tough as Necessary: Countering Aggression, Violence, and Hostility in Schools" (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1999). They advocate a wide range of responses to school violence, which depend upon an evaluation of the circumstances surrounding each incident. The responses include "counseling, restitution, behavioral planning, behavior rehearsal, suspension with training or educational experience, and police referral."
Another alternative is homeschooling.
There is little evidence that zero tolerance produces safety. Instead, it strips away the safeguards of a peaceful society: compassion, due process, good will, presumption of innocence, tolerance, discretion, humor ... It victimizes the most vulnerable citizens: children.
Wendy McElroy is the editor of ifeminists.com and
a research fellow for The Independent Institute in Oakland, Calif. She
is the author and editor of many books and articles, including the new
book, "Liberty for Women: Freedom and Feminism in the 21st Century" (Ivan
R. Dee/Independent Institute, 2002). She lives with her husband in Canada.
Get weekly updates about new issues of ESR!
© 1996-2020, Enter Stage Right and/or its creators. All rights reserved.


text:
Dell Inspiron 15z review: This Ultrabook packs a touchscreen, but not much performance
Today's Best Tech Deals
Picked by PCWorld's Editors
Top Deals On Great Products
Picked by Techconnect's Editors
Dell Inspiron 15z
The Dell Inspiron 15z joins a growing group of Windows 8 laptops offering a touchscreen display option, so you can either point and click or swipe your way around Windows 8 Home Edition on its 15.6-inch, 1366-by-768-pixel screen. It's a nice-looking package that also boasts a built-in 8x DVD+-RW drive and above-average audio and webcam hardware. But its performance, while certainly adequate, isn't stellar—and along with poor battery life and somewhat high power consumption—render it unremarkable for its $800 price tag (as of mid-February 2013).
Good looks, nice audio
At nearly 5.5 pounds (a non-touchscreen version weighs just over 4.75 pounds), the Inspiron 15z is on the heavy side for an Ultrabook. The weight comes as a bit of a surprise since it's actually fairly slim—less than an inch thick—-for its rather large wide-screen footprint.
The Inspiron 15z makes a fine first impression, with a gray brushed-aluminum finish set into a silvery matte frame with pleasingly rounded edges on its top and interior surfaces. The black island chiclet keys light up when you touch them, and the display itself is very bright—though not as crisp as it would be on a smaller screen with the same resolution.
I loved the keyboard's backlight and the keys are well spaced, but I would have liked some sculpting to help keep my fingers more firmly anchored. Dell provides a large, responsive multi-touch touchpad for those who prefer traditional point-and-click navigation, but the display itself is also pleasingly responsive.
Aside from the keyboard and touchpad, there are only a few hardware buttons on the inside surface. The power button is set into the left-side hinge, and Dell's usual trio of laptop buttons are on the top right: one summons Windows Mobility and Dell customization settings, one cycles through the Waves Maxx Sense audio presets, and one launches a user-assigned program or function.
The Skullcandy stereo speakers are located on the underside of the chassis, but towards the front edge where it gently curves up so they aren't blocked when you place the Inspiron 15z on a flat surface. It's not ideal—it would be better if they were completely exposed—but the audio was quite robust for a laptop. The built-in high-def (720p) webcam proved capable, capturing sharp images and adjusting for ambient lighting.
Four USB 3.0 ports, but no 5GHz Wi-Fi
Disappointingly, the Inspiron 15z only supports 2.4GHz 802.11n Wi-Fi; it can't connect to 5GHz networks, which are much less congested. In my tests in downtown San Francisco, YouTube videos frequently paused as I was knocked offline.
On the plus side, you get four USB 3.0 ports (one with PowerShare, meaning it can charge peripherals even when the laptop is powered down). Two (including the PowerShare port) are located on the left edge, behind the headset-mic jack and in front of HDMI and gigabit ethernet ports; the other two are on the right edge, between a SD/MMC/Memory Stick Pro card reader and the optical drive.
Performance: Not bad, not terrific
The Inspiron 15z didn't shine on our tests—nor would we expect it to, given its configuration: It's based on a midrange mobile CPU—Intel's 1.7GHz —Core i5-3317u (see Editor's Note, below) and relies on that chip's Intel HD Graphics 4000 core. It's outfitted with 6GB of DDR3 memoryand a 500GB, 5400 rpm hard drive.
It's not that the 15z ever tanked; it just generally lagged a bit behind similarly configured competitors (and it certainly suffered by comparison to systems equipped with discrete graphics). Startup, for example, was a bit slow for an Ivy Bridge system with SSD caching—nearly 16 seconds—but that's a much startup than systems that don't have SSD caching. Scores and times on pretty much all tests we perform, for everything from video and audio encoding to browser scripting and file compression, were all low compared to the competition.
And the 15z is definitely not a gaming notebook: Its gaming scores, were also mediocre. Finally, the 15z's power consumption was a bit on the high side, averaging 9.4 watts when idle—and its less than 3.5 hours of battery life makes it a poor choice for travelers.
The Inspiron 15z might appeal to people interested in using Windows 8 with a touchscreen at locations where they can plug in to a wall outlet, but it's too heavy and its battery life is too skimpy for people on the move.
Editor's Note: Dell recently updated the Inspiron 15z lineup with newer Intel CPUs. At this price point, the Inspiron 15z is now outfitted with an Intel Core i5-3337U, with a clock speed that's slightly faster (1.8GHz versus 1.7GHz) than the CPU installed in the machine we reviewed.
Dell Inspiron 15z
The Inspiron 15z might appeal to Windows 8 users in search of a touchscreen option that won't break the bank, but its mediocre performance and subpar battery life fail to impress.
- Large and wide touchscreen
- Good audio performance
- HD (720p) webcam
- Built-in rewritable DVD drive
- Sluggish performance
- Poor battery life
- Heavy for an Ultrabook
Coupon Codes
Doordash Promo Code
Free small plate at Cheescake Factory with DoorDash coupon
H&R Block Coupon
Refund Season: 25% off H&R Block Online Tax Prep
Dell Small Business Coupon Code
Dell coupon: 10% off laptops
Eastbay Promo Code
15% off $75+ with Eastbay coupon
AT&T Wireless Promo Codes
AT&T offer - $700 off iPhone 11 Pro Max
Hp Coupon Code
Extra 20% off OMEN Gaming Apparel: HP coupon


text:
• sultry •
sêl-tree • Hear it!
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: 1. (Weather) Muggy, oppressively hot and humid, stiflingly hot. 2. (Women) Steamily sexy, seductive, exuding sexuality.
Notes: Given the sultry summer weather in various parts of the world this year, but particularly in the US, we thought today's Good Word would be quite apropos. It comes with a rather awkward sounding adverb, sultrily, and a better noun, sultriness.
In Play: Today's word comes in handy on the stiflingly hot and humid days of midsummer: "Today is so sultry, I'm not sure if I am perspiring or the steam from the plants and people around me is simply collecting on my skin." Of course, this word skidded off course back in the 40s to apply to "steamy" women: "That sultry Lucy Lastik has seduced Matt Tremoni and dashed the hopes of June McBride."
Word History: Today's Good Word arose from a now obsolete verb sulter "to swelter", a variation of swelter. (Swelter also has an adjective sweltery.) [U] and [w] are two sounds that often change into one another over the course of history. The sound [w] has been described as a consonantal variant of [u]. Notice that we pucker our lips when we pronounce either of them. So, before a vowel like E, we would expect the consonant W, as in swelter. Between consonants, though, we would expect the vowel U that we see in sultry. Of course, this doesn't tell us where swelter came from; no one seems to know that. (Let's now thank Jackie Strauss for suggesting today's steamy Good Word and hope she avoids sweltering in the sultry weather many of us are experiencing this summer.)
P.S. - Register for the Daily Good Word E-Mail! - You can get our daily Good Word sent directly to you via e-mail in either HTML or Text format. Go to our Registration Page to sign up today!
Come visit our website at <http://www.alphadictionary.com> for more Good Words and other language resources!


text:
Closure evenings are held on the last Thursday evening of each Process and are an amazing way to reconnect and revive your Process experience. Closure is open to all Hoffman grads, so feel free to come with a Hoffman buddy. Many Process groups return on their anniversary and we are always delighted to meet Hoffman graduates who did their Process overseas.
Closure starts at 5pm prompt, and we aim to finish by 10pm (in time for the last train back to London). Dinner is on us.
If you know someone on the Process (whether a friend or family member), please share that with the office when you book, as we'll need to check with them that they are happy for you to come. They may prefer to keep their Process separate from their personal world for a bit longer, and we ask you to be respectful of their wishes if that's the case. It's also not possible for you to attend the Closure of a spouse/partner or child, although we would love to see you at any Welcome Home.
- Experience the peace and beauty of your Ceremony of Integration again.
- Re-experience the visualisations around forgiveness, connecting with your parents and spirit.
- Meet up with Hoffman facilitators and other graduates attending Closure.
- Hear inspiring stories from other graduates and share your own.
- Enjoy the celebratory dinner with participants who have just finished the Process.
Numbers are sometimes limited, so please book in advance with the Hoffman office by email: firstname.lastname@example.com or call us +44(0) 1903 88 99 90. A list of dates is below and we look forward to seeing you soon.
'Attending Closure is my favourite post-Process activity. I reconnect with my own Process in ever different ways, and at the same time, am able to take great pleasure in knowing that my experience and even my presence plays some small part in the never-to-be-forgotten memories of the new graduates.' David Levy
- Closure: Ceremony of Integration
December 3, 2020
5:00 pm - 10:30 pm
Venue: Florence House
Venue Phone: 01323 873700
Venue Website: http://www.florencehouse.co.uk/Address:
Florence House in Seaford has accommodation and living space for up to 24 participants. The house is set in an area of outstanding natural beauty and has views of Seaford Head, the golf course and the sea.
Florence House provides different levels of accommodation, so it's important to speak to the Hoffman office if you require a single room. These are available on a first come first served basis at an additional supplement – please discuss availability during your enrolment.


text:
The InVent development and technology centre is divided into 3 wings. The central air and noise test chamber for fans, the motor test bench with trial area, and the area for development teams with direct access to the test benches. The wing housing the air and noise test chamber assumes overwhelming proportions: the 1,250 ton concrete structure is supported by springs to prevent environmental influences such as vibrations and external noise during the sensitive noise measurements carried out on the fans.
InVent Development Centre
Test chamber
Volume flow rates of up to 100,000 cubic metres per hour as well as pressures of more than 3,000 Pascal can be generated by a measuring line weighing 325 tons. The measurements prevent any reflections occurring as would be the case under open air conditions. The base level is well below 15 decibels at 15,000 cubic metres. The test chamber procedures are certified and guarantee extremely high quality standards:
- Noise measurements according to DIN 3745 Class 1
- Air measurements according to DIN 24166 Class 1
- TÜV-SÜD certification according to ISO 5801
- AMCA 210 certification


text: Did you know Air New Zealand can take you directly from Los Angeles to London? They just hosted a AirNZ London Ready SoCal Tour in a truck with our green screen photo booth. The truck traveled to several locations including Santa Monica Pier, Long Beach Aquarium, Four Seasons, San Diego, and many other Southern California locations. It was a great opportunity for everyone to take a close up look at the premium economy space seats inside the moving truck and take a photo as if they were in London. Guests were also able to share their photos on Facebook, Twitter, and Email through the social media iPad sharing stations.


text:
- June 27, 2010
- TURCK Inc.
June 27, 2010 - TURCK introduces the FAS20 family of IP20 rated, in-the-cabinet, block I/O stations for AS-interface (AS-i) networks. The FAS20 stations' compact size and DIN-rail mounting option makes them suitable for upgrading existing panels in batch processing, pharmaceutical and material handling applications.The FAS20 stations are available with either four inputs or with both four inputs and four outputs. All I/O ports are contained within terminal blocks, offered in removable and non-removable versions. The AS-i bus and AUX power connections may be made via the terminal blocks or an optional integrated M12 eurofast bulkhead receptacle, ideal for connections required outside of an enclosure.The full AS-i version 3.0 is available with these stations, doubling the maximum number of slaves under one master on the AS-i network from 31 to 62.TURCK is an industry leader providing superior quality sensing, connectivity and network products to help manufacturers improve their automated processes.
Go to TURCK Inc. website
Learn More


text:
RailsConf 2009 is a wrap!
Thanks to everyone who came and made it a great event! Check out all the highlights from Las Vegas:
- Speaker Presentation Files
- Photos from James Duncan Davidson
- RailsConf in 34 Minutes (by Rails Envy)
Four Days Dedicated to Ruby on Rails
Happening May 4-7, 2009 at the Las Vegas Hilton, RailsConf is the official event for the Ruby on Rails community. If you're passionate about Rails and what it helps you achieve—or are curious about how Rails can help you create web frameworks better and faster—RailsConf is the place to be. This deeply technical conference connects developers and other IT professionals with the information they need to stay competitive in a changing, challenging environment. Learn more about RailsConf.
Exciting Changes for 2009
In addition to moving RailsConf to the Las Vegas Hilton—with restaurants, shows, casinos, shopping and more—we're making a couple more changes designed to enrich your conference experience.
RailsConf 2009 will take place entirely during the work week. We recognize that most of you are professionals as well as fans, so this should make it easier for more of you to attend without giving up your weekend.
We kept the Call for Participation open longer—three months longer—to accommodate late-breaking news on up-to-the-minute Rails topics. Having a longer call for presentations for RailsConf 2009 means you'll gain an edge on the latest updates and versions, get your hands around brand new skills, and meet up with the people doing cutting edge work with Rails and related technologies.
Rails 3 Tentatively Scheduled to Be Released during RailsConf
In December, it was announced that Merb would be merging into Rails 3.0, putting an end to the rivalry between the two communities. As David Heinemeier Hansson put it on the Ruby on Rails blog, "We all realized that working together for a common good would be much more productive than duplicating things on each side of the fence. Merb and Rails already share so much in terms of design and sensibility that joining forces seemed like the obvious way to go."
While tentatively scheduled to release during RailsConf in May, DHH recently noted that the flow of Merb ideas into Rails 3 is already under way.


text:
Both the budget and the teachers contract address large issues within city schools, such as overcrowding and universal pre-K, both of which have allocated funds in the proposed executive budget.
The Department of Education is also devoting $480 million to remove trailers that are being used as classrooms throughout the city.
"We are making unprecedented investments in our children through an historic expansion of universal pre-K, and ensuring that from early education through high school, our focus is on preparing students for the future," Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina said.
Middle school after-school programs are also receiving a boost from the executive budget, with $145 million going towards 34,000 new spots in the programs.
"These aren't pilot programs that help a lucky few, they are foundational changes that will lift up schools in every neighborhood," de Blasio said. "The strategic investments we are making recognize parents as true stakeholders, empower our educators and help students succeed."
The UFT contract will address parents' involvement, as it gives teachers 40 minutes each week to dedicate to interaction with parents.
Lavern Maison, a parent of a P.S. 69 student and an after-school director in District 30, thanked the mayor for the reforms and funding.
"I'm really excited that the mayor's here supporting arts education, paying attention to some of the issues that we have been working on so hard in the educational council, such as overcrowding in our schools," Maison said.
"A little over a year ago, Mayor de Blasio – at that point, Advocate de Blasio – came to the school that I was working in, I.S. 126, and promised that if he was elected, he would expand middle school after-school programs," Maison added. "And he did. So I want to say thank you for that, and for sticking to your promises."
She also spoke about the importance of arts education for her daughter, who is in kindergarten. The mayor's executive budget allocates $20 million for arts education in schools across the city.
Her sentiment was echoed by many of the elected officials present, including Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, who also serves as chair of the Cultural Affairs Committee.
"We want to make sure that the city is one where there's equity and there's access to the arts for everybody, every child in every school in every neighborhood," Van Bramer said. "And this plan starts us down that path, because if you have arts in our schools, in every single neighborhood, in every single class, we get to that very, very special and magical place where every child experiences the power and wonder of the arts."


text:
|Chevy Cruze Diesel Discussion Forum for the 2014+ Chevy Cruze Diesel passenger car.
|Thread Tools
|Display Modes
End of the road.
Our Cruze Diesel was a fabulous car, without a doubt. However, nearly 3 years and 55K miles into it, the complicated decision to part ways was made. The end of "free" service and the upcoming need for tires and interval servicing, now on my dime, made the math right to trade (up or down, yet to be seen). My only regret is, I wish I had taken the time to sell it, rather than trade.
We were planning on trading into a 2017 Cruze Diesel, however they wouldn't be available until after January, even for orders. Anticipating the trade within a few months, we went to the dealer lots to have a look and get a feel of the new body style and interior, as well as a closer look at the Cruze Hatch, now on lots. It only took seconds to remove the Hatch as an option, so back to the sedan (for several reasons, GM screwed the pooch on that one, IMO). Enter the 2017 Volt Premier. The dealer had a few of them on the lot. It looked intriguing, stylish, and (very) sporty. Took a 20 minute test drive, did a little research and crunched the numbers. It was a done deal from that point. The end cost was actually less than moving into a new Cruze, all told. Prepared to order one when our salesman located one exactly as what we were preparing to order. They brought it, and we bought it, 3.5 weeks ago. So far, we're very impressed with the whole package. It works as advertised. I won't go into details, but will answer any questions anyone may have. 90 MPG average (compensated for grid power costs), so far, and it only looks to get better as we get more familiar with the car and are able to take advantage of lower grid power cost strategies. Wife's happy, so I'm happy!
I'm closing the chapter on this one now. It was a fine car. No problems with it, whatsoever. There were some issues with exhaust sensors, but the dealer handled that quickly with little inconvenience. The car returned 50+ MPG highway, with an average 44 MPG mixed hwy/city/mtn. Well above the EPA estimate, but from what I've heard from other Cruze Diesel owners, not unusual.
If anyone is interested in this fine vehicle, it's for sale at Liberty Chevrolet in Selma, CA, at a fair price. Their online listing doesn't do it justice (other than the excellent pics), so don't hesitate to contact me with any questions. It has many features (OEM) they didn't list.
1985 Blazer 6.2
2014 Chevy Cruze Diesel - Fabulous car, no problems at all, but sold Nov. 2016 @ 55K miles.
You mention the end of "free" service - is service for the vehicle that much of an issue for this vehicle?
'94 GMC 6.5TD K1500 4L80E 2-Door Yukon SLE 221K
'93 Chevrolet 6.5TD K2500HD NV4500 Std. Cab Longbed 187K
'85 Toyota 22R RN60 4x4 Std. Cab Shortbed 178K (Currently retired for rebuild)
Diesel Page Member #2423
No, not an issue, or anything unusual. The car came with 2 year, dealer provided, no-charge scheduled maintenance warranty. The service is more costly than gasser models, in that, the oil is more expensive (dexos2, vs, dexos1, with the only aftermarket being Mobil Series 3000, which isn't typically available, anywhere), and also required DEF (no biggie, really, about $15 every 10K). I did two services out of the warranty. The oil filter is a PITA to access, and the oil costs $50-60, and isn't available just anywhere (dealer only in my area, no alternatives, and nothing reasonable online). The filter is typical, at around $10. I also did the fuel filter, but it was unremarkable. Boring, really.
The "free" service was only a very small part of the decision. We were at the point of, stay in it for another 3-4 years (end of extended warranty), or move into a new vehicle. We were planning on doing this in early 2017, but just moved faster now, only for the financial angle (the majority of the Volt rebates/credits are tax-year dependent, didn't want to wait until 2018 to cash in, and some of the CA rebates will sunset by then), and were so impressed with the Volt. The car gets about 20K miles a year, so trade-in value also played a part. The car went away "like new" (KBB excellent), with the only drawback being the miles and the need for new tires (the appraisal hit was less than half the cost of new tires).
Ultimately, for a hands-on DIY'er, the car was quite boring. Nothing broke, wore out, or required any attention. No squeaks. No rattles. Nothing. The car performed as well at 55K as it did new. Even the brakes were at 90%. I suppose (hope) I can expect the same from the Volt, as the fit and finish quality is at least up to the same standard. This speaks well for the quality of the cars, but leaves an old wrencher with nothing to do but look at it.
I'm not here to talk up the Volt, but the "normal" wear items just won't wear, or simply don't exist. The ridiculously long warranties cover almost everything out of sight (8 years, 150K for the high voltage systems, for example). The engine rarely runs (hard to tell without instrumentation, since it's almost always completely silent, even when it's running), it doesn't have a transmission to speak of (there's a purdy, basket ball size thing hanging off the engine), and the service brakes are only used to hold a complete stop (automatic regen, and regen-on-demand are VERY effective), or an unexpected hard stop. Almost everything on the car is electrically driven by the high voltage system. The engine has one (short) acc. belt, and that only drives an external water pump (something I can repair, if it breaks). It has 3 separate cooling systems, engine, high voltage system, and power electronics system, each with its own coolant reservoir and radiator. Every system is sealed from the elements, and are climate-controlled. At the going rate, it looks like I won't have to lay a wrench on it for 7 years or so. Maybe I'll rotate the tires and change the oil at some time, but there's just nothing more to do that isn't warrantied during that time. Another boring car, I think. Looks to be more boring than the Cruze, but it's actually more fun and comfortable to drive, by a lot. I have only 2 gripes about the car, and they're trivial. Like the Cruze Diesel, this car delivers everything promised, in spades, with an end-cost significantly less than a new Cruze Diesel.
1985 Blazer 6.2
2014 Chevy Cruze Diesel - Fabulous car, no problems at all, but sold Nov. 2016 @ 55K miles.
It's funny that in the last couple of weeks I've been thinking about posting here to ask how the Diesel Cruze owners like yourself have been doing with their cars!
I can understand your purchase. Makes sense/cents!
I've not read about the Volt for a few years, (I read about it in the engineering journals at the time it was being designed) so I'm not up to speed on it anymore. What does a road trip look like in one? Does it charge as it goes so you can drive all day?
Dave, N9LOV
Member #242
Dave's Diesels:
Sold June, 07 '82 1/2 ton 4X4;340k miles
'97 2 Dr Tahoe, Intercooled,
Kennedy ECM, 4" Exhaust
Right about now, I could do with "boring" a bit more. I've been doing quite a bit of work on the K2500 lately. I was rear-ended a couple years ago and I have a strong feeling that contributed to the broken rear spring pack even though it didn't show up until later. A bad rear axle seal lead to new seals, bearings, and brake shoes (due to the oil leakage). While I was back there, I replaced the parking brake cables as they weren't working well (a couple off-road snags didn't help them). Replacing the front brake hoses led to replacing all the brake lines. And now I'm welding in a patch panel for the driver's side of the radiator support. I looked at what all had to be removed to replace the whole panel and decided that patching was the better option, but I'm not so sure now…
Then again, it's closing in on 200K miles after twenty-three years and at least one previous owner of questionable maintenance skills, so I can't exactly complain about its service.
'94 GMC 6.5TD K1500 4L80E 2-Door Yukon SLE 221K
'93 Chevrolet 6.5TD K2500HD NV4500 Std. Cab Longbed 187K
'85 Toyota 22R RN60 4x4 Std. Cab Shortbed 178K (Currently retired for rebuild)
Diesel Page Member #2423
The Volt got a significant facelift for the 2016 MY, both in the appearance and technology. It's much more refined and "sporty" than what we looked at in 2013. 30%+ greater battery range, and much more efficient all the way around, while much more "luxurious" at the same time. It's worth a serious look if the range and other features work into a strategy. EPA rated range on the battery alone is 53 miles. We range between 48 and 70, depending on driving style and conditions. The lifetime MPG is north of 90 MPG (2200 miles, currently), which takes into account charged energy usage compared with an equivalent cost of gas. This will improve as experience improves. It's a simple matter of efficiently balancing economy with comfort, and battery charging strategies.
Road trips are unremarkable, to say the least. It has 4 driver-selectable drive modes to accommodate just about any condition:
Normal: uses the available battery charge, then switches to the gas engine for power. It charges/discharges the battery as necessary to maintain the most efficient use of energies. The engine will start, stop, rev, idle, depending on the actual energy demands and stored power. We easily get 50 MPG on gas only on the open highway.
Sport: It is what it says. Fast! Quicker than it deserves to be. Fun! Responsive. Aggressive. The car has 2 high voltage traction motors, and usually uses only one at a time. Sport makes them both available, as well as gas engine power, simultaneously. Uses more battery and gas. E-ticket ride, to be sure! A guilty pleasure, at a $$ price. Tesla-mode, as I call it.
Mountain: It will either hold a minimal battery charge (usually about a 10 mile range), or make one, to assist with steep grades. It works like the battery-depleted "normal" condition, except it keeps a charge in reserve.
Hold: It will "hold" whatever battery charge it has, and will charge/discharge as needed to keep up with power demands. It can be selected at any time there is battery capacity available (above zero).
1985 Blazer 6.2
2014 Chevy Cruze Diesel - Fabulous car, no problems at all, but sold Nov. 2016 @ 55K miles.
1985 Blazer 6.2
2014 Chevy Cruze Diesel - Fabulous car, no problems at all, but sold Nov. 2016 @ 55K miles.
Very interesting read, this one, D Max. I mean, regarding both cars. Been wondering about these for a long time, without having read anything on either in the publications.
Sure wish I'd held off in 13, when we bought our 011 Malibu flood car. I'm thinking that the intent that I had, regarding a Cruze, was passed up too easily.
Now, I'm spending money like a drunken sailor on other stuff and will be out of the market for a couple of years at the very least.
One question. Did/does the Cruze have the same electronic power steering as the Malibu? Sure hope not.
2008 Jaco Seneca 35' motor home (Kodiak 5500 chassis). Pulling 18' Wells Cargo enclosed trailer, with 2016 Miata in it.
1985 Blazer 6.2
2014 Chevy Cruze Diesel - Fabulous car, no problems at all, but sold Nov. 2016 @ 55K miles.
I always thought the Volt was promoted badly. Like low energy light bulbs, the government gets involved and makes it seem like (or is in actuality) a mandate. This is why Obamacare was so hated.
Like the LED light bulbs, there is a genuine conservative argument to be made for the use of electric assisted cars, but the argument has to be based on a good outcome - "you'll save money and not experience inconvenience."
You can bet that if I still commuted, I would likely have a Volt. Keep us updated... I like hearing about it.
|Thread Tools
|Display Modes
Linear Mode


text:
- "The Riverlands is our home and Gods help us we love it. Still...they say "The King eats and the Hand takes the shit". The same is true of the Riverlands. The Seven Kingdoms piss and the Riverlands change clothes."
- ―Ser Brynden Tully
The Riverlands is one of the constituent regions of the Seven Kingdoms. They have been a frequent battleground in the civil wars that have afflicted the Seven Kingdoms and also in the wars that took place between the old nations of the continent before the Targaryen Conquest. During the time of the First Men, the Riverlands were an independent kingdom known as the Kingdom of the River and the Hills.[1]
Located roughly in the center of the continent, and with few geographical boundaries such as mountains, for centuries it has been a borderland between surrounding strong kingdoms. The Riverlands were ruled by the ironborn at the time of the Targaryen Conquest, and Aegon the Conqueror's assault was assisted by a popular uprising led by House Tully. For this reason, the Riverlands didn't have a king at the time of the invasion, and the Riverlands are not technically counted as one of the "Seven" Kingdoms (instead essentially making up the eighth "kingdom") . However, for administrative purposes, the Riverlands and their rulers are equal to any other region of the realm. Bastards born in the Riverlands are given the surname Rivers.
During the War of the Five Kings, the riverlords hailed Robb Stark, who was the grandson of Hoster Tully through his daughter Catelyn as their King in the North, thus becoming part of the resurgent Kingdom of the North.[2] However, Robb, Edmure Tully, and their bannermen were betrayed at the Red Wedding by two of their own bannermen: Roose Bolton and Walder Frey.[3] House Frey was then elevated to rule of the Riverlands.[4] However, the Freys were actively opposed by many of the riverlords, including Ser Brynden Tully who managed to retake Riverrun though eventually lost it when a Lannister host arrived to assist the Freys in their siege of Riverrun.[5][6] Walder Frey and the rest of the Frey men were eventually assassinated by Arya Stark in retribution for their treachery, leaving the Riverlands in disarray and their political status ambiguous.[7][8] The ensuing power vacuum eventually allowed the Tullys to regain control over the Riverlands, and by the time of the Great Council of 305 AC, Edmure had reclaimed his rightful position as Lord of Riverrun.[9]
The Riverlands are dominated by the watershed of the Trident River, so-called because of its three major tributaries - the Green Fork, the Blue Fork, and the Red Fork - which converge at Ruby Ford in the east. The Green Fork is the northernmost, running north-to-south almost up to the Neck near the entrance to the Stark-held North. The Green Fork is only traversable via the castle-bridge complex known as The Twins ruled by House Frey. Thus, large armies attempting to move into or out of the North are faced with only two, predictable choices: travel along the Kingsroad as it crosses the Ruby Ford to the east, or cross the Green Fork at the Twins to the west, which requires paying an often steep toll to House Frey. The Blue Fork is south of the Green Fork, and terminates near Seagard. The Red Fork is the southernmost and winds its way through the heart of the Riverlands, between the Red Fork and the Gods Eye lake further south. After it passes Riverrun castle, the capital of the Riverlands, the Red Fork passes further to the south and west until it reaches the borders of the Westerlands held by House Lannister.
On the whole, the Riverlands possess few natural defenses or borders. They are bordered to the west and the east by mountains, but these are possessed by the Westerlands and the Vale of Arryn respectively. Rather, these are natural defenses that the Westerlands and Vale possess against the Riverlands. The extensive swamps and narrow isthmus of The Neck also form an effective natural barrier, but these are part of the North under the Starks, again more of a defense against invasion from the Riverlands than the other way around. The southern border of the Riverlands is more or less formed by the upper reaches of the Blackwater River, but this is not a particular impediment to travel between the Riverlands and the Reach to the south. To the southeast, the Riverlands border the Crownlands, but this is purely administrative and not a geographical border. Further, the northwest coast of the Riverlands sits on Ironman's Bay, and is thus open to raiding from the Iron Islands.
All told, the Riverlands border five other regions of the Seven Kingdoms, six if the water border with the Iron Islands is counted (and which due to frequent ironborn coastal raids, it usually is). Thus the Riverlands match the Reach in bordering the largest number of other regions in the Seven Kingdoms. However, the Reach has some natural defenses, such as the Red Mountains along its eastern border, and a large coastline which (while open to ironborn raiding) isn't as open to attack as the long land borders of the Riverlands, which are not very defensible. The Reach is located in the southwest corner of Westeros, while the Riverlands are surrounded on all sides by powerful neighbors. Further, the Riverlands are still fairly close to the Stormlands, to the point that the Stormlands conquered and ruled the Riverlands for 300 years before the Targaryen Conquest (before being pushed out by the Iron Islands).
The Riverlands have a true temperate climate with warm summers and moderately cold winters, which increase in severity north of the Neck. Rainfall is moderate and adequate providing for the fertility of the region.
- Riverrun, the seat of House Tully, the ruling house of the Riverlands. Located on the Red Fork of the Trident. The Tullys were attainted following the Red Wedding, and Riverrun and its lands were bestowed upon House Frey. The Tullys again hold the castle after Walder Frey and his male heirs were assassinated by Arya Stark
- Harrenhal, formerly the seat of House Whent, the largest castle in Westeros. Thought by some to be cursed, as every noble house that it was given to died out. Formerly held by Petyr Baelish, its current owner is unknown.
- Raventree Hall, the seat of House Blackwood.
- Seagard, the seat of House Mallister.
- Stone Hedge, the seat of House Bracken.
- The Twins, the seat of House Frey.
- Pinkmaiden
- Acorn Hall, the seat of House Smallwood.
Towns and Settlements
- Maidenpool, the seat of House Mooton, a port-town near the borders with the Crownlands
- Stoney Sept
- Saltpans
- Pennytree
- Mummer's Ford
- Wendish Town
- Fairmarket
- The Crossroads Inn
Forests and hills
- The Hollow Hill, a hideout for the Brotherhood Without Banners
- High Heart
- Whispering Wood
Coastal areas
Lakes and rivers
- The Trident
- Blackwater Rush
- Gods Eye
- Isle of Faces, an island in the Gods Eye
In the books
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, the Riverlands is relatively small in size but high in population. It is fertile due to the numerous rivers that run across its expanse, most notably the massive River Trident and its numerous tributaries.
The people of the Riverlands are known as 'rivermen'. They are a mixture of hardy warriors, peaceful fisherfolk and devout smallfolk. The Riverlands possess a number of middling-to-large towns, such as Maidenpool, Saltpans, Fairmarket and Stoney Sept.
The borders of the Riverlands are held to be the marshes of the Neck in the far north, the Mountains of the Moon to the north-east, the Blackwater Rush to the south and the hills of the Westerlands to the west.
The Riverlands used to be a kingdom in its own right, but centuries before the Targaryen invasion they were overrun and conquered by the armies of the Storm King. The Storm King couldn't hold such a large territory, especially when the ironborn invaded in force from the west, and was forced to cede the Riverlands to King Hoare of the Iron Islands. The ironborn set about erecting a massive fortress on the lake known as the Gods Eye, completing it on the very day that Aegon the Conqueror set foot on the shores of Westeros. Aegon's dragons burned out the castle, Harrenhal, killing King Harren the Black. Lord Edmyn Tully of Riverrun led a popular rebellion of the river lords against the ironborn, helping Aegon drive them out. For this act, Aegon made House Tully the rulers of the Riverlands in his name.
See also


text:
The forecast for Spain ́s economy seems to sustain further consumer durables sales in 2015. However, for some segments growth could be lower, given high purchase levels already seen in 2014.
- Growth expected to continue in 2015
- Fewer non-payment cases in 2014
- The insolvency environment remains stable
The rebound of the Spanish economy is gaining momentum, and this bodes well for the consumer durables retail sector, as this recovery is mainly driven by domestic demand. Spanish GDP is expected to increase 2.2% in 2015 after 1.3% in 2014, while private consumption is forecast to increase 2.8% in 2015 after growing 2.3% last year (in 2011 and 2012 private consumption contracted). Accelerating job growth and a better economic environment have lifted consumer confidence, as well as the fact that households´ expectations of their own financial situation has improved. Another important factor for the 2014 rebound was the more favourable pattern of consumer financing. Financial institutions have developed a greater willingness to grant loans to small businesses and to households for consumption.
Vehicles: The extension of the PIVE (Efficient Vehicle Incentives Programme) led to higher sales in H1 of 2014, while demand softened in H2. In 2014, around 860,000 units were sold in Spain, a 19% year-on-year increase. It is forecast that close to 900,000 units will be sold domestically in 2015, assuming the PIVE is maintained and the economic rebound continues.
Furniture: In 2014, the first increase in housing investment since 2007 boosted activity in the furniture sector, and turnover increased in each of the first three quarters of the year (by 5.3%). The rebound forecast for the housing market in 2015 should sustain furniture sales increases.
White goods: In 2014 turnover increased 7.5%, with all segments recording growth. However, sales prices decreased.
Brown goods: Sales of mobile devices increased in 2014. In the consumer electronics segment, sales increased mainly in H1 of 2014 due to the FIFA World Cup.
Looking forward, the forecast for Spain´s economy seems to sustain further consumer durables sales in 2015. However, for some segments growth could be lower, given high purchase levels already seen in 2014. At the same time, competition throughout all sectors is high, and profit margins remain low.
The consumer durables retail sector has shown relatively good payment behaviour in 2014. We registered decreasing notifications of non-payments in 2014, and expect that payment delays will decrease further in the coming months. In any case, we monitor payment behaviour closely in all subsectors and inform our customers immediately of any deterioration. The insolvency environment is stable, with no major increases expected.
While our underwriting approach is still cautious, due to the recovery of the consumer durables sector and businesses' better access to external financing, we are more comfortable in increasing our exposure. However, in the white and brown goods segments, margins are generally low, and due to the higher sales in 2014, turnover growth could be more modest in 2015. Therefore, this subsector requires more attention and monitoring.


text:
NY rafting guide pleads guilty in drowning
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- An Adirondack whitewater guide pleaded guilty Monday to criminally negligent homicide and two other charges following the Sept. 27 drowning of a client, authorities said.
Court officials said 37-year-old Rory Fay of North Creek also admitted Monday to charges of aggravated unlicensed operation and driving while intoxicated. Fay, who has been in jail since the drowning, faces up to a year in jail and five years' probation under the plea bargain.
State police said he was drunk when he and 53-year-old Tamara Blake of Columbus, Ohio, fell out of their raft on the Indian River. Her body was found a few miles downstream in the Hudson River. An autopsy showed she drowned, despite wearing a properly attached flotation vest and helmet. Her boyfriend, 53-year-old Richard Clar of Columbus, also was in the raft.
Fay was a guide for the Hudson River Rafting Co., which has been temporarily shut down by court order.
Owner Patrick Cunningham faces misdemeanor charges of reckless endangerment, accused of sending clients down the Hudson without state-licensed guides. Cunningham, who has run his rafting company for 30 years, has denied the charges.
Thousands of rafters ride a 17-mile stretch of the Hudson and a handful of other fast-running Adirondack rivers from spring through fall with professional outfitters and licensed guides. Whitewater kayakers also do it without guides. Drownings are rare.
Calls to Cunningham and to Hamilton County District Attorney Marsha Purdue were not returned.
Purdue told the Adirondack Explorer magazine Monday that Fay's other charges stemmed from driving clients in a van without a license and being under the influence of alcohol.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation recently suspended Cunningham's and Fay's guide licenses, saying they would be revoked if they broke applicable law.


text:
Here is another recipe from my huge file of bookmarked blog posts. This one is from A Southern Grace. Grace's sense of humor and southern sensibilities, not to mention her eye for tempting recipes, makes her posts a must read for me. Sometimes I think we must be from the same home town.
Twickers Bars
2/3 cup butter
1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup peanut butter (I used chunky)
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup butterscotch chips
Line a 9 x 9 inch baking pan with enough foil to extend over each end.
Line the bottom of the pan with a single layer of saltine crackers (approximately 16 squares).
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the next four ingredients and bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and pour half the mixture over the saltines, spreading to coat evenly. Place another layer of saltines on top of the caramel and pour the remaining caramel on top of those, again spreading until even. Top with a third layer of Saltines.
In a small saucepan, combine the peanut butter, chocolate chips and butterscotch chips. Melt over low heat stirring constantly. When melted and smooth, pour over top of the bars, spreading evenly. Refrigerate the bars for at least one hour, until completely set.
Lift the bars from the pan using the foil overhang. Cut into 1½ inch squares. Store in the refrigerator.


text:
Jonny Lang
Wielding his Gibson Custom Shop 1958 Les Paul reissue, Jonny Lang rips through the Hendrix classic "Fire."
Jonny Lang first got attention for being something of a prodigy. Between the time he picked up the guitar at age 12 and the 2010 Experience Hendrix Tour, he's accomplished more than most musicians twice his age. His aggressive, soulful playing and gritty vocals have earned him a Grammy nomination, tour slots with the likes of the Rolling Stones and Jeff Beck, and even a call from Eric Clapton himself to play at the Crossroads Festival. His obvious Hendrix influence makes him a perfect fit for the Experience Hendrix Tour.
However, of all the guitarists on the tour, Lang was a standout because he didn't use Strats, single-coils, or Marshalls. "I was thinking about taking out a Fender Strat with a Marshall and a Fuzz Face, but I just couldn't do it without feeling like I was trying to copy Jimi," he confessed. "So, I just brought out the rig that I would normally use for my own music. It makes me interpret his music in a way that sounds like me. That's what makes a tour like this really cool, because everybody interprets Jimi's music in their own way."
Still, Lang has a rather traditional rig for a blues-rock guitarist. "For guitars, I normally use my Custom Shop Fender Thinline Telecaster with humbuckers," he said. "I've recently been using a '58 Gibson Les Paul Standard reissue that was custom made for me. I'm running them through two Fender Deluxe Reverbs, and the sound of that setup kills me!" For effects, he turned away from an old friend—the Ibanez TS808— and plugged into a Route 66 Overdrive. "They're similar, but the Route 66 has more headroom."
Lang's pedalboard was a rather simple one: It featured a Boss TU-2 Tuner, a Visual Sound Route 66 Overdrive, a Vox reissue wah, and a Boss DW-3 Dynamic Wah.
Lang's amp setup consisted of two handwired Fender Deluxe Reverb reissues. This one is mic'd with a Shure SM57. He plugged into both the Normal and Vibrato channels simultaneously for extra thickness and texture.
Lang's second Deluxe Reverb reissue was mic'd with a Shure SM27. He prefers to have the amps facing to his left, not directly to his back.


text:
Achhhooooooo! Not Another Cold! Tips on Avoiding Colds and Flu
Don't Think It Can't Happen to You
Educating Parents about Conferences
Getting Ready for That First Day on the Job
Get to Know Your Partners in Education
"Mrs. Smith, your son is a joy to have in class," Or "How To Survive Parent Conferences"
I Don't Know What I Need to Know
Include the Association in the Evaluation Process
It's Your First Day of Classes
Let Parent Volunteer Groups Help You
Sub Insurance: Preparing Everyone for Your Absence
Take Advantage of an Educator Deduction
The Care and Feeding of Your Mentor
They Didn't Tell Us This in College!


text:
Tim Duncan And Tony Parker In Serious Trouble Over This Scandalous Photo.
Tim Duncan and Tony Parker in trouble for this joke caught on camera and we've got the pic.
HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: This is horrible timing for the Spurs and I doubt David Stern can take a joke. (full pic inside)
Read More


text:
Milwaukee police officers train to react with force when necessary
A man killed by Milwaukee police after he robbed a beer truck and pulled a gun on an officer Wednesday night was free on bail at the time.
The 19-year-old was charged in November with burglary.
WISN 12 News reporter Nick Bohr went to the Milwaukee Police Department training academy on Thursday, where they use dummy weapons as they prepare for such a situation.
VIDEO: Officers train for situations where they may have to use force
Milwaukee police returned to the scene near 58th Street and Villard Avenue looking for evidence hours after a veteran officer shot and killed the 19-year-old masked suspect, who the officer said pulled a gun on him as police responded to the armed robbery of two beer delivery men.
For the dozens of recruits at the police academy, it is a poignant case-in-point from training officer Lt. James MacGillis.
"The deck can be stacked against us. We are forced to always react to other people's actions. And that's something we keep first and foremost in how we do our training so officers go home at the end of the day," MacGillis said.
At the Milwaukee Police Academy's street scene, they regularly train deadly force scenarios that could one day threaten their lives.
The scenarios with fake guns are part of refresher training, too, preparing to react with force when they must.
"I've never met an officer that wants to harm another person or end a person's life, but that's the reality that we face every day as police officers," MacGillis said.
Photos of officers killed in the line of duty hang there, too, as a reinforcement of how important the training is.
Police have not yet released the dead suspect's name, saying they're still trying to notify relatives.
The officer involved is on standard administrative duty as the shooting is investigated.


text:
Izturis activated, Wood to DL
The Angels have activated infielder Maicer Izturis from the 15-day disabled list (right shoulder inflammation) and placed third baseman Brandon Wood on the 15-day DL retroactive to May 24 with a hip flexor strain.
The team also optioned reliever Bobby Cassevah to Triple-A Salt Lake and recalled from the same team right-handed reliever Francisco Rodriguez.
Izturis is batting .256 in 14 games and leads the team with a .500 average (6-for-12) with runners in scoring position. He is in Tuesday night's lineup against the Blue Jays, batting eighth, with Reggie Willits in center field batting ninth, giving Torii Hunter a day off.
Wood is batting .156 in 122 at-bats with two homers and seven RBIs. — Lyle Spencer
3 Comments
no shock there. a broken bat like that often takes a few weeks to recover from. hoping wood takes some time to get his game right, and i'm glad izzy's back. i think he may be the spark plug the angels' offense needs. if he can just stay healthy for a few months.
im a huge angel fan, and glad to have a break from watching Wood strike out! This kid is not ready for " big boy play". Im not on that "figgy trip" but we need serious 3rd baseman who could at least not be a definite out every time he is up to bat, i do appreciate the bathroom break i take every time he is up, but how long do we wait for him to "get it"? Is'nt that what the minors are for?
How can there not be a blog entry about Morales yet?


text:
Misspelled rental truck company and more
Last week's cover story, "Whatever happened? 10 updated stories," had these errors:
• The rental truck company, U-Haul, was misspelled as U-Hall.
• Andy Thomson's book is entitled Why We Believe in God(s), not Why We Believe in the God(s).
• Frank Stoner is still involved with the rehab of Jefferson School, but he's now with Milestone Partners LLC, not Stonehaus, as originally reported.
In the map accompanying the June 14 cover story, "Fast track: Western Bypass shifts into overdrive," the name of Greer Elementary School was misspelled as Green Elementary School.
Read more on: fatal roll
2 comments
Thomas K July 7th, 2011 | 11:55am
and you screwed up the crossword last week too, nice.
hawes July 7th, 2011 | 12:09pm
What's wrong with the crossword?


text:
BENEFITING: Our Clubhouse
EVENT: Pittsburgh Marathon 2016
EVENT DATE: May 01, 2016
By joining Team Our Clubhouse you will be running for those touched by cancer.
You'll be helping a local charity, right here in Pittsburgh. Every penny raised here, stays here, and goes towards helping our friends in the community who have been impacted by a cancer diagnosis.
As a Charity Runner, you'll receive:
- Free race entry
- Training opportunities (for all levels!)
- Invitation to workshops and events with Our Clubhouse members so you can meet some of the people you'll be helping
- Your own personal Fundraising Coach
- Our Clubhouse Runner Swag
- Opportunity to earn incentive items
- Loads of encouragement
Team Our Clubhouse is a family. We're a blend of beginner walkers and regular runners, but we're all trying to make a difference in the community. We are all in this together.
For more information on Team Our Clubhouse, contact Angie Byrnes at firstname.lastname@example.com or 412.338.1919 or visit our website ourclubhouse.org/2016-pittsburgh-marathon


text:
On Thursday, July 4th at 12:00PM, HST, Hilo listeners will be introduced to RESONATE HAWAII's newest radio station, 102.7 The Beach. Featuring a unique blend of beach music, island rock/reggae and alternative rock from the late 80s to today. 102.7 The Beach will be a true "alternative" to radio listening in Hilo and the Big Island creating a absolutely unique listening experience for Adults 18-44.
Available on-air at 102.7 in Hilo and online at http://www.1027thebeach.fm 102.7 The Beach will feature a wide array of artists such as Jack Johnson, The Black Keys, 311, Iration, Dave Matthews Band, Ziggy Marley, Muse, Sublime, The Green, Incubus, Jason Mraz, Pepper, Nirvana, Sublime, Pearl Jam, The Cure, Bob Marley, No Doubt, The Dirty Heads, Soja, Foo Fighters along with many others.
Complementing the station will be a launch party to follow in Hilo, concerts, an online connection to local events, music videos, photo galleries, concert updates, and multi-functional streaming player. Fans of the station can also stay connected through instant messaging, Twitter, Facebook, and other social networking sites.
"I have been looking forward to launching this station for nearly three years. This is going to be Hawaii's first true Alternative dedicated to playing music you won't hear on other stations." said Matt Stone, Operations and Programming Manager, RESONATE HAWAII. "People have been longing for something different on their radio dial here in Hawaii and we are very pleased to finally be able to give them a choice. 102.7 The Beach is The Alternative for Hawaii Island." Resonate Sales Strategist, William Zucker added "When you can effectively blend bands like the Cure and the Black Keys, still deliver ska and rock, all while maintaining the island lifestyle and identity that makes Hawaii so unique…you've got something magical, something that hasn't been done and something truly unique to the market."
Programming and presentation of 102.7 The Beach is being directed by: Matt Stone, Director Of Programming, RESONATE HAWAII.
About KTBH-FM
Owned and operated by RESONATE HAWAII, 102.7 The Beach "The Alternative" is Hawaii's new rock/alternative/reggae radio station. Broadcasting to Hilo at a frequency of 102.7. RESONATE HAWAII, also owns and operates KHBC 92.7 Hilo / KHWI 92.1 Kona – The Wave @ 92fm.
Filed under: Announcements, Big Island, Community, Entertainment, Hawaii, Hilo, Something New? | Tagged: 102.7, Alternate Music in Hawaii, Hawaii, Hilo, Radio Stations in Hawaii, The Beach Radio Station | 4 Comments »


text:
As a female singer-songwriter Harmer sits in the upper tier with newer artists like Jonatha Brooke and Patty Griffin and recalls the warmth and intimacy of Suzanne Vega. While All Of Our Names doesn't cut any new ground in terms of her style, Harmer continues to focus and hone her craft. Songs like "Pendulum," "Greeting Card Aisle," "Silver Road," "Tether," "New Enemy," and "Almost" are the highlights, however for just over 40 minutes, Harmers seduces you into a world of intimacy and melodic enchantment.
All Of Our Names is near perfect acoustic music from an artist near and dear to XPN listeners' hearts.
Written by Bruce Warren
Release Date: 3/23/2004
Track List
1.Pendulums - 3:26
2.Almost - 3:57
3.Greeting Card Aisle - 4:37
4.New Enemy - 3:54
5.Silver Road - 3:38
6.Dandelions in Bullet Holes - 6:02
7.Things to Forget - 3:34
8.Came on Lion - 3:10
9.Took It All - 4:41
10.Tether - 3:21
11.Go to Sleep - 3:38
Buy it now at our CD Store
Visit artist's official site.
Check out our other Featured Albums of the Week


text:
Consider the following thought experiment:
Imagine an object of a certain mass density which allows it to float in water.
Now if this object is viewed from a moving frame with high speed, it will look Lorentz contracted hence its density will look greater than the rest density.
So from the rest frame it floats but from the moving frame it sinks!
What am I missing?


text:
Correction Appended
On paper, Toxoplasma gondii looks as if it ought to be the most famous parasite on earth. This single-celled pathogen infects over half the world's population, including an estimated 50 million Americans. Each of Toxoplasma's victims carries thousands of the parasites, many residing in the brain. As if that were not enough of an accomplishment, Toxoplasma is equally adept at infecting all other warm-blooded animals, as disparate as chickens and kangaroos.
Scientists are now discovering some of the secrets of Toxoplasma's success. Researchers in Sweden report that the parasite fans out through the body by manipulating mobile cells that are part of the immune system. Toxoplasma hijacks these so-called dendritic cells and makes them race around the body and ignore commands from other immune cells to commit suicide. The dendritic cells sneak the parasites into the brain and other organs, acting much like a Trojan horse.
Strategies like this one have made Toxoplasma incredibly widespread and incredibly obscure. Mention the parasite to most people and chances are you will draw a blank. Pathogens that infect far fewer people, like the Ebola and West Nile viruses, are far more famous.
Toxoplasma's obscurity is in fact a great tribute to its powers. "To the parasite's credit, it's incredibly successful," said Dr. Lloyd Kasper of Dartmouth Medical School. "It's adapted itself to be a benign infection."
For the vast majority of people, Toxoplasma causes no serious effects. It manages this feat by hijacking our cells and immune system, and establishing a careful harmony between parasite and host. "Once you get infected with Toxoplasma, you're infected for life," Dr. Kasper said.
Toxoplasma can, however, cause serious brain damage in those with weak immune systems, like fetuses and adults with AIDS.
Cats play a major role in the parasite's success. They can carry it in their intestines, where they can produce egglike cysts called oocysts. A single infected cat can shed 100 million oocysts in its droppings. The oocysts can survive in the soil for over a year and can contaminate drinking water.
Oocysts can infect humans, as well as other mammals and birds. Undercooked pork, chicken and other meat is another route Toxoplasma can take into our bodies.
Once Toxoplasma enters a host, it spreads quickly. Within hours it can be detected in the heart and other organs. It is even able to infect the brain, which is protected from most pathogens by a tight barrier.
Antonio Barragan and his colleagues at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm were puzzled at first about how Toxoplasma managed this swift journey. "When we looked for parasites in the blood, we found very few that were just swimming around," said Dr. Barragan, an associate professor. But the scientists observed many of the parasites inside immune cells known as dendritic cells.
Dr. Barragan was intrigued. Dendritic cells, common in the gut, often come into contact with pathogens. They respond by crawling to the lymph nodes or the spleen, where they communicate with other immune cells.
"That led us to think, what if this parasite is directing these cells to move and to disseminate through the body?" Dr. Barragan said. He and his colleagues put dendritic cells in a dish and injected them with Toxoplasma. They noticed that the parasites triggered a peculiar change: the dendritic cells became hyperactive, crawling for an entire day.
Next, the scientists observed how Toxoplasma spread through a living animal. They added a firefly gene to the parasites so that they produced a glow. When they injected the parasites into mice, a little of the light escaped from the animals. By putting the mice in a darkened box, Dr. Barragan and his colleagues could track the parasites as they spread.
Injecting dendritic cells carrying Toxoplasma spread the parasites to the brain and other organs far faster than injecting Toxoplasma alone. The researchers concluded that Toxoplasma was taking charge of the dendritic cells and riding along with them. Their results are published online in the journal Cellular Microbiology.
As Toxoplasma spreads through the body, it invades cells. Unlike other pathogens, Toxoplasma can enter almost every type of cell in the bodies of thousands of host species. The parasite slips into a cell by latching onto its surface and pulling the membrane over itself. "You can think of it like sticking your finger into a balloon," said Vernon B. Carruthers of the University of Michigan.
David Sibley, an associate professor of molecular microbiology at Washington University in St. Louis, said, "It just sits there, and the host doesn't recognize it as a foreign body it should destroy."
If Toxoplasma simply spread from cell to cell, it could cause serious harm. But killing its host is not in the parasite's best interests: its goal is to get into its final host, cats, the only creature in which Toxoplasma can reproduce by making oocysts that are shed in feces. And cats do not like eating dead animals. Instead, Toxoplasma has evolved to be extremely contagious, but not very harmful.
"This is an organism that has very cleverly worked out a way to go from one host to another," said Alan Sher, chief of the Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases at the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Sher studies how Toxoplasma manipulates its host's immune system. In the early stages of infection, the parasite sets off the production of signaling molecules called cytokines. They cause the immune system to attack Toxoplasma, killing off free-floating parasites.
The parasites that happen to be inside cells during the attack somehow recognize what is happening and enter a kind of hibernation. Their host cell turns into a cyst in which they can hide from the immune system.
The strong response Toxoplasma provokes from the immune system carries a risk of its own. "These cytokines just get out of control and cause tissue damage," Dr. Sher said. In experiments with mice, this response can be fatal, he said.
Toxoplasma steers its hosts away from this danger, Dr. Sher has found. It causes its host to make molecules that rein in the immune system.
An infection with Toxoplasma may feel like nothing more than a mild case of the flu, and the symptoms pass once the parasite has snuggled itself away in its cysts. In later years, cysts occasionally break open, but the immune system quickly destroys most of the free parasites. The few survivors invade new cells.
"That's the key of this infection," Dr. Barragan said. "I think this is why this parasite is so tremendously successful worldwide."
Toxoplasma becomes a menace when it does not have a healthy immune system to control. Pregnant women infected for the first time by Toxoplasma may pass it to their unborn children. Without a strong immune system to keep the parasite in check, a fetus can suffer massive brain damage. Up to 4,000 children are estimated to suffer toxoplasmosis in the United States each year.
Toxoplasma is also dangerous to adults with weakened immune systems. The cause may be AIDS or immune-suppressing drugs given to people who receive organ transplants. A quiet Toxoplasma infection can suddenly explode.
For decades, most scientists believed that people with healthy immune systems had no effects from Toxoplasma. But some studies in recent years have hinted that the parasite can exert surprising effects on behavior, at least in animals.
In 2000, British scientists demonstrated that rats infected with Toxoplasma lost their fear of cats. They proposed that this strategy increased the parasite's chances of getting into its final host.
Scientists at Stanford University recently followed up on these experiments, studying rats and mice. "They actually show a mild attraction to the cat odor," said Ajai Vyas, a Stanford neurobiologist. "It's not just the loss of an old behavior. A new behavior is being induced."
Dr. Vyas and his colleagues found that Toxoplasma's effects were precisely aimed at cat odor. The rats were still afraid of dog odor but not of rabbit odor. They could also acquire new fearful responses. "Only the innate fear to the cat was different, which was very surprising," he said. "We don't really know how fear of a cat is hard-wired in the brain."
How Toxoplasma incites this change is a mystery. It is possible that the parasite alters the production of certain neurotransmitters. "But I don't know how some global change could have such a specific effect," Dr. Vyas said. He reported his results in May at the annual meeting of the International Behavioral Neuroscience Society.
Some scientists suspect Toxoplasma may influence the human brain. Several studies suggest a correlation between Toxoplasma and schizophrenia, but the claims for a connection are not widely accepted.
Dr. Robert H. Yolken, the director of the Stanley Laboratory at Johns Hopkins University, and his colleagues reviewed military medical records. They found that soldiers who developed schizophrenia were twice as likely as other soldiers to show signs of Toxoplasma infection in blood samples.
Toxoplasma's dangers, both proven and potential, are cause for concern, experts say. "It's a substantial public health risk," Dr. Sibley said.
Recent studies suggest that Toxoplasma is rare in meat sold in stores in the United States. However, experts still recommend cooking meat thoroughly to kill any parasites.
Dr. Milton M. McAllister, a parasitologist at the University of Illinois at Chicago, has called for controlling the spread of Toxoplasma by cats. He notes that oocysts from cats can also infect wildlife. Toxoplasma has even been detected in sea otters, suggesting it can reach the ocean.
"It's perfectly safe to keep a cat," he said. "Just keep it inside."


text:
We can't beleive that we are on the doorstep of another Holiday Season at DrapeStyle. This is our busiest time of the year. Everyone want their custom drapes and they want their custom drapes fast! Well, since opening our newest production facility in Costa Mesa, CA this year, we are are better prepared to get your orders out quickly than ever. But, if you are considering ordering custom curtains for this years Holiday Season, please don't wait! Order early for fastest delivery!
And, of course, Happy Holidays from all of us at DrapeStyle!!


text:
Andrea of hula seventy
It's Show & Tell Home Tour time again here in Home & Garden Buzz.
Today, we are popping in on creative mama, photographer, collector, and blogger Andrea Jenkins, otherwise known as girlhula of hula seventy.
Come on inside...
It's hard for me to remember when I fell in love with the world that is hula seventy. Andrea has such a eye for finding amazing colors and patterns in the everyday. I joke they must only exist in Andrea's world. For a few years, I have gazed amazed over her lovely photographs, and here and there she's given us small peeks into her family home. But I just had to get a better look around and talk to Andrea about the home she and Ward have made for their family. You're going to love this...
1. Andrea, tell us a little about your family and the size of your home.
We are a family of four living in a three-bedroom 1920s-era cottage in Portland, Oregon. There's my husband, Ward (a freelance animator and illustrator), my daughter Ava (age 8), my son Ezra (age 4), and me, Andrea.
Family time on the green couch
2. How do you approach decorating in your home? What's the most important thing and how do children and their tastes fit into that approach?
For me, bringing together a space (or an entire home) is a slow, thoughtul process. The most important things to me are color, comfort, functionality, and individuality. We're artists and collectors and I think our home represents that. There are pieces of the four of us all over the house—artwork, personal collections, photographs, favorite things.
A peep into the bright kitchen
Mostly, I like a sense of ordered chaos; I like repetition, pattern, and large groupings of similar objects. I am constantly shifting things around. I think a space needs time to breathe, to evolve. We've also put a lot of thought into the livability and comfort of each space. For example, we opted to convert the formal dining area into a family room. This is where we do most of our living—this is where we draw, read, hang out, watch movies, and end the day together. It also gives us the space we need to spread out.
Collection of art
And while we've put a lot of thought into the comfort and functionality of our home, we've also devoted a good amount to the visual aspect. I want us to feel inspired by the things we see everyday, the things we surrounds ourselves with. Which is why color, artwork and personal collections are so important to me. I don't pay attention to trends. I'm a big fan of 'if you love it, you'll find a way to make it work.'
Books, globes, and photo booth fun!
And I also believe that kids need some sense of ownership in the process, whether it has to do with choosing where their drawings and paintings will be hung or what vase the flowers will go into.
Ava's lovely bedroom
Ezra's cool bedroom wall
As you can see, I collect many things, but I have chosen to focus on the personal collections I think the kids will enjoy most. For example, the kids love the letters that hang on the walls. My old cigar box collection houses the kids' art supplies. The vintage world globes are meant to be picked up, touched and spun around and around. They aren't really breakable, which means they can withstand a fair amount of abuse. Plus, both the globes and the old maps serve as great teaching tools.
Collection of vintage world globes
The vintage pennant collection represents places we've lived or visited, places we'd like to go. Everything is personal. Every choice reflects some part of who we are.
Vintage pennants from, oh, the places they'll go (or have been!)
3. You like to make lists. How do lists function in your household?
I like to joke that my lists are the workhorse of our everyday life. I have a list for everything—daily to-do, weekly to-do, things that need to be organized, things the kids are working on, art projects we want to try, places we want to go, recipes that might work. You name it, I have a list for it. It's how I keep my head from going in a million different directions and how I'm able to function on a daily basis. It's also how things get done around the house. I'm pretty sure I've converted both my husband and my daughter into list-makers. Still working on Ezra. But he'll come around.
Old maps and a bowl full of Polaroids
4. How important is a clean house to you? Do you pick up for guests or do you let them see how things really look day to day?
Pretty important. A sense of order in the house sets the tone for the day. I don't necessarily clean so much as I tidy. I straighten and tidy the house in the mornings and clean weekly, if I can. And I usually feel best if I can pick up before guests arrive, but I won't freak out if I can't.
Family photos
5. What household chore do you tend to back burner most so you can tend to your creative life?
Laundry. Laundry gets me every time. I'll let the laundry go if it means a little (or a lot) of extra creative time. And I've been known to put off the the more labor-intensive housework as well.
Vintage desk by the window
6. What is your most important everyday ritual at home?
Our family time together in the evening, right before bed. We all end up on the big green couch in the family room. Couch time is for reading together, talking about the day, the week ahead. It's when we slow down and transition into bedtime. I'm thankful to have a space that lends itself so perfectly to this daily ritual.
Formal dining room turned family room
7. Do you have anything in your home brought over from your own childhood home? Tell us about this item.
We have a stack of old books from my childhood. The kids know those are special so we only get them out every once in a while. Mostly, I have things from my grandmother's home, things I grew up loving, things I was completely fascinated with. A little yellow honey pot (that I was never really allowed to touch), an old mirror with pink flamingos on it. These are just a few things that have made their way into my home. They fit right in with our vintage things and are pieces with such personal history. They remind me of summers spent at my grandma's house. And I love that.
Grandma's yellow honey pot
8. What is one indulgence you give into?
Fresh flowers. Although, since moving to Portland, I have a bigger garden than ever. The previous owners (our landlords and friends) planted so that there'd be something in bloom almost all year round. And I plant my own flowers as well. There's almost always something to cut and bring inside. When there's not, I love to bring home a small bouquet from the market. Flowers are absolutely essential during the long bouts of rain and grey that hover over Portland a good part of the year.
Cigar boxes and fresh flowers
9. What are your favorite stores to shop for home?
I love a good flea market. And by good, I mean junky. The majority of our furniture and collections have come from years and years of combing flea markets. Unfortunately, I have yet to find a good one out here in Portland. Lucky for me, there's an abundance of thrift stores (RERUN is my favorite) and antique shops. Also, I love IKEA. It's my go-to place for things like rugs, pillows, picture frames, and the like.
10. What are your favorite Home & Garden blogs or websites?
I love Poppytalk—I've been following Jan since she first started her blog back in 2005. She always posts the most amazing things. Also love: Sfgirlbybay, The Selby, Apartment Therapy's Ohdeedoh, shelterrific, and Design*Sponge.
Thanks so much for the tour of your home, Andrea. That was good and pretty fun.
Don't miss: