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ANN CURRY-STEVENS, an assistant professor of social work, expected sobering findings as she began researching social and economic conditions of Multnomah County's communities of color. But what she found was worse than she anticipated: overwhelming, pervasive disparities between people of color and white residents.
The data shocked her. In measure after measure, Multnomah County's people of color lag behind white residents. On average, they earn half as much, and they're twice as likely to live in poverty. Nearly one-third of the county's people of color have not graduated from high school, compared to 7 percent of white residents. The disparities—many of which have their origins in Oregon's early history—are getting worse, and they're more pronounced in Multnomah County than in Washington's King County, which has similar demographics.
Curry-Stevens called the county "toxic" for people of color when she released "Communities of Color in Multnomah County: An Unsettling Profile" this spring.
"This research causes me personally to say, 'How did I come to believe Portland was progressive?'" Curry-Stevens says. "Our progressive identity gets in the way of naming racism."
The Coalition of Communities of Color, whose membership includes more than 40 culturally specific organizations in Multnomah County, requested the research.
This partnership between PSU and the coalition, says Curry-Stevens, is leading to research that is more robust, insightful, and powerful than if either entity was doing it alone.
Lee Po Cha, the coalition's co-chair, looked to PSU for demographic data on people of color, which he says is more sophisticated than the 2000 U.S. Census numbers. He calls the undercount of people of color in the census "unbelievable" and expects even less accuracy from the 2010 census because of changes in the survey format.
The report estimates that people of color make up roughly 26 percent of Multnomah County's population. That includes, from most populous to least, Latinos, Asian/Pacific Islanders, African Americans, Native Americans, and African immigrants and refugees. The Coalition of Communities of Color also made the unusual distinction of including the Slavic community because of the issues and disparities they face in Multnomah County.
PSU is working with the coalition on six more community-specific reports. Armed with better data, coalition leaders plan to press local governments for policy changes that, they hope, will reduce disparities and promote culturally specific services.
We spoke to four alumni and one master's candidate about the challenges they've faced as people of color living and working in Multnomah County. Having a college education means they've already beaten many of the odds highlighted by the report. And today, most of them are working from within Oregon institutions to eliminate racial disparities.
The slow pace of progress
When Margaret Carter '72 (pictured at left) won her house seat in 1984, it was the first time an African American woman had been elected to the Oregon Legislature.
A quarter century later, when she left the state senate, Carter was one of just three people of color in the 90-member legislature. That's not progress, says Carter.
"It is hard for women to raise money, and doubly hard for people of color to raise money," Carter, 74, says. "When I ran, it was a group of white people of goodwill who believed in me. They helped me raise money. They campaigned for me. And I don't see that happening anymore."
Carter's career was slow to take off. Carter says she worked for years in the counseling department at Portland Community College without being considered for an administrative position. All too often, she says, talented people of color are overlooked for promotions and other opportunities that could build their leadership skills and political connections.
"But I have hope... that white people of goodwill will get together, see who is not at the table, and do something about it."
Carter left the Oregon Senate in 2009. Her resignation to take a job as a deputy director for the Oregon Department of Human Services drew some criticism, but not because of her race. It was party affiliation and alleged favoritism that worried a few politicos—issues that those who wield power and influence regularly face.
Equalizing education
Judy BlueHorse Skelton '06, MA '08 (pictured at right) returned to school in her 50s and assumed she'd fit right in. After all, she'd spent 15 years working in schools and on education issues in such positions as cultural student support specialist for Portland Public Schools, a member of the Oregon Indian Education Association board, and a co-teacher for a Portland State Capstone course.
And yet, "I felt like an outsider in higher education. I was surprised that it was like a foreign language to me," she says.
A Nez Perce, Cherokee, and Chickasaw, BlueHorse Skelton says individuals at PSU offered her support, guidance, and encouragement. Her experience gave her greater empathy for young Native students and made her a better educator.
The problem, she explains, is that Native students rarely see teachers or other adults at school who share their heritage. Textbooks teach little about Native contributions to American culture, or they offer cursory, clichéd stories.
"When you don't find yourself in an institution, when you don't hear the stories that speak of you, you automatically disengage," she says.
Now an instructor of PSU's Environmental Education Through Native American Lenses course, BlueHorse Skelton says she's dedicated to improving the system.
"I compare it to a Nez Perce story, where coyote has to enter the belly of a monster to transform it," she says. "We have to go inside institutions, sometimes, to change them."
A life of open doors
For Binh "Jimmy" Le, Multnomah County has provided nothing but opportunities, making this 26-year-old's story a sharp departure from the Communities of Color report's findings.
Le '07, MPH '09 is the son of Be Le and Dung Tran, both Vietnamese immigrants. After settling in Oregon in 1975, Be Le landed a job at Columbia Corrugated Box, where he still works as a box maker. Dung Tran, who immigrated in 1980, is a homemaker.
Neither Binh Le nor his sister, Kim Le '09, spoke English when they enrolled at David Douglas District schools. Still, they thrived. Though he attended school with few other Vietnamese students, Binh says he never felt out of place or experienced discrimination. Both Binh and Kim were awarded PSU's diversity recognition scholarship, which paid their tuition for five years. Today, Binh is on the brink of pursuing either a Ph.D. or becoming a physician's assistant.
"We like to seek out opportunities," Binh says. "We don't wait for them to come to us."
In contrast to Binh Le's experience, the Communities of Color report found that profound differences exist for the local Asian community compared to whites. Nationally, Asian Americans tend to have incomes, poverty rates, occupations, and education comparable to or better than those of whites. Not so for Multnomah County's Asian Americans. According to the report, this community, in comparison to whites, is less educated, holds significantly more service positions and fewer professional ones, earns close to 19 percent less in family median income, and has 8 percent more of its children living in poverty.
Helping to foster change
Oregon's Native American and African American children are far more likely than whites to be removed from their homes and, once in the foster care system, may languish there for years.
Kory L. Murphy (pictured at left), an African American graduate student in social work, is attempting to change that as an Oregon Department of Human Services analyst focused on child welfare racial equity. Murphy, 37, was born and raised in Portland by a single mother and a supportive extended family. He graduated from Benson High School, then played football and earned a degree in sociology at University of Oregon.
Murphy was identified as a gifted student in elementary school, which is rare in Portland Public Schools, where African American boys are disproportionately targeted for special education. Murphy says he had strong African American male role models in his family, at school, and in sports. Still, the conditions that allowed him to succeed are far from systemic, Murphy says.
Murphy's personal and professional experiences convinced him that Oregon's social programs must be overhauled to eliminate racial disparities, and that people of color must be involved in designing new systems.
"What happens more often than not is that we run on Eurocentric tracks," he says. "It is not just overt racism. Whoever is at the table when social policy is made, gets to shape that social policy."
Simmering prejudice
Being born to well-educated, middle-class activist parents all but determined that Shelli Romero MPA '01 (pictured at left) would go to college and become a successful professional.
And so she did. Romero's now a commissioner on the Housing Authority of Portland Board, vice chair of the Portland Parks Board, and a public policy and community affairs manager for the Oregon Department of Transportation.
Romero, 42, acknowledges that an advantaged childhood and her fair skin have protected her from hard-core discrimination. Still, she's experienced feeling less than welcome as a Latina in Multnomah County, most recently in the battle over renaming a Portland city street for Cesar Chavez.
"I'd go to public meetings and some of the things I'd hear out of people's mouths were just disgusting, hateful," Romero says. "At times, it made me disappointed and ashamed to live in Portland. It also gave me more drive and passion to do what's right."
Equity and social justice are tied to income. People of color are more likely than whites to be among the poor and working poor, Romero says, and those who are stuck in poverty are at a lifelong disadvantage. Removing the financial aid and admissions barriers that keep undocumented immigrant students out of universities could chip away at generational poverty and boost the economy, she suggests.
"We need a work force that these kids in a lot of ways cannot be a part of. We have all of these kids who are not contributing to the tax base in the way they could, and who aren't paying tuition the way they could."
Paige Parker is a freelance writer based in Portland.


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Check out the schedule of events at this Saturday's 20 Year Anniversary Bike Fest & Party!
12:00PM – 10:00PM, Vendors – Fun Bike Center Complex
12:30PM – 1:00PM, Stunt Wars Show #1 - Mojo's Outside
1:00PM – 2:00PM, Live Music Featuring "Drive" - Main Stage
2:00PM – 2:30PM, Stunt Wars Show #2 – Mojo's Outside
2:30PM – 3:30PM, Live Music Featuring "Drive" - Main Stage
3:30PM – 6:30PM, Live Music Featuring "Earl Brown's Eruption" - Main Stage
4:00PM – 5:00PM, Mechanical Bull Contest - Fun Bike Center Showroom
4:30PM – 7:30PM, Born to Ride - Custom Bike Show - FBC Service Drive
4:30PM – 8:00, Bikini Contest - Main Stage
7:30PM – 9:30PM, Live Music Featuring "UN4GIV'N" - Main Stage
10:00PM – 2:00AM, Live Music Featuring "UN4GIV'N" – Mojo's Inside Stage
There will also be 2 big prize drawings - the first at 3PM and the second at 7PM on the main stage outside.
Check out the latest event flyer, see you all Saturday!
Attachment 30799
Thank you to everyone that came out to our 20 Year Anniversary celebration this past weekend. That was a great time and we appreciate you being there to help us celebrate!!!

subset: commoncrawl


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A Visual Catalogue of Richard Hattatt's Ancient Brooches
Soft back, 400 pages, last printing 2007
Richard Hattatt had a lifelong devotion to the study and collection of antiquities but his interest finally focued on brooches and he rapidly built an important collection. The lack of easily obtainable reference books prompted him to write his own.
Richard Hattatt died in 1997 and his collection was disbursed to to the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford and in the Devizes Museum, while others were sold privately and at auction.
This is the reference we use to ID all of our brooch and fibula sales. It's a true masterpiece that breaks down brooches from the iron age through the Roman and Byzantine eras, Celtic types, zoomorphic, and more. Each brooch is illustrated with a meticulous drawing.
This esoteric reference catalogue has been out of print since 2007 and we were fortunate to find just three.
Please click the 'images' tab for inside the book photos.
NRC has now lowered the price for our Authentic Celtic/Roman/Byzantine Brooches and Fibulae to an unheard of $4.95 each - that's only a dollar more than you'd pay for one premium uncleaned coin. Are you kidding me?
With this catalog and our inexpensive brooches, you too, can grow your collection to stun and amaze your friends!


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Yorta Yorta painter, sculptor and activist, Lin Onus developed a distinctive visual language from a combination of traditional and contemporary Aboriginal imagery.
Lin Onus was unjustly expelled from school on racist grounds at the age of 14, yet later attended university. He worked as a mechanic and spray painter, before managing his father's boomerang workshop in Melbourne. A self-taught artist, Onus forged a brilliant career and held exhibitions throughout the world.
Onus's political commitment was inherent in his work. His Scottish mother was a member of the Communist Party, while his Aboriginal father, Bill, and uncle Eric were leading lights in the Aboriginal rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s.
After a visit to Maningrida in 1986, Onus began his long and close association with the late Djinang artist, Djiwut 'Jack' Wunuwun and other central Arnhem Land artists, including John Bulunbulun. Onus then developed his signature style of incorporating photorealism with Indigenous imagery. It is a virtuoso effect, in which the landscape is overlaid with traditional Indigenous iconography, reflecting his strong ties with his father's community at Cummergunja Mission, on the Murray River. Onus's works from this period often have a riddling, Magritte-like quality. A memorable motif in his work is the breaking up of a seamless surface into jigsaw puzzle pieces – a metaphor for the sense of dislocation he felt, caught between black and white, urban and rural, worlds.
In Onus's sculptures, irony, wit and whimsy are the predominant features. 'Fruit bats', 1991, is made up of a flock of fibreglass sculptures of bats decorated with rarrk (crosshatching), hanging on a Hills Hoist clothes line. Beneath this icon of Australian suburbia are wooden discs with flower-like motifs, representing the bat droppings. In this powerful installation, the sacred and the mundane combine. The work was inspired by Murrungun-Djinang imagery, which Onus was given permission to use. In 'Fruit bats', the artist shows a head-on collision between two contrasting sets of values, and throws in a few inversions of his own.
The backyard – suburban Australia's haven of privacy – becomes spooked by the formidable presence of these noisy animals. The pre-colonial bats seem to have taken over and reclaimed their place, in a story worthy of Alfred Hitchcock.
George Alexander in 'Tradition today: Indigenous art in Australia', Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 2004
© Art Gallery of New South Wales


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Bodemeister stamped his Kentucky Derby 2012 ticket with a facile 9-1/2 length triumph over stablemate Secret Circle in Saturday's Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park.
G1 Arkansas Derby (4-14-12): 105 BSF (Bodemeister)
Bodemeister broke outwardly from post 11 but quickly straightened himself out and set sail for the lead under Mike Smith, carving out splits of :23.02, :46.55, and 1:11.36. The Bob Baffert trainee increased his advantage at every call and opened up by two lengths after six panels.
Stat started to give up the chase after six furlongs and it was Secret Circle's turn to make his move. The G3 Southwest/G2 Rebel hero was clearly second at this point but Bodemeister was more than three clear after a mile in 1:36.74 and cruised across the line more than nine to the good, stopping the clock in 1:48.71 and paying $6.80 as the post time favorite.
Secret Circle might have distance limitations but he always fights hard to the end and would not let Sabercat and Cozzetti pass him for 2nd. Baffert's runner-up has fired Exacta shots in all seven lifetime starts. I have been a fan for quite some time but do not consider him a viable ten furlong threat on the first Saturday in May.
Sabercat punched his Derby ticket last November when he captured the $1million, G3 Delta Jackpot. He flopped in his Rebel return and showed some late interest to garner the show on Saturday. He is not good enough to win the Derby but has earned the right to participate based on the rules.
Atigun finished 5th and was followed by Stat, Najjaar, Isn't He Clever, Optimizer, Jake Mo, and Raconteur.
As for Bodemeister, he put it all together in Hot Springs but I do not like his chances under the Twin Spires. The unraced juvenile may have peaked at Oaklawn Park and I cannot see him running the same race in three weeks. Yesterday's win reminded me of his maiden tally and after that effort he returned in four weeks to lose to Creative Cause in the G2 San Felipe. Note that he romped the two times he grabbed the early lead and he finished 2nd both times he failed to clear off early.
For final time comparison purposes, Alternation won the G2 Oaklawn Handicap for older horses earlier in the day and completed his nine furlong journey in 1:49.94.
Arkansas Derby Grade: A (94 out of 100)


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Miller & Carter Scunthorpe
Messingham Road, Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, DN17 2QZ 01724 842952
Messingham Road, Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, DN17 2QZ 01724 842952
Producing a great cut of beef can take years – then all too often it's ruined in the last five minutes. Seasoning, grilling and resting the perfect steak isn't rocket science, but it IS a science. All our head chefs don't grill a single T-bone or ribeye until they've graduated from our very own, dedicated Steak School.
We choose specific cattle breeds for their flavour, texture, succulence and size. Some you'll be familiar with, others may sound pretty exotic: Charolais, Limousin, Hereford, Aberdeen Angus, Blonde Aquataine and Belgian Blue. We look for both cross-continental steers and heifers, only accepting cattle 30 months or younger, which ensures the muscles haven't been overworked and the meat is as tender as possible.
Our cattle are fed on both grass and grain, resulting in a fuller flavour and a beautiful marbled fleck of fat – when grilled, this fat melts down into the meat, making them even more juicy and delicious.
Every one of our 30-day aged steaks is hand-cut by our expert butchers. The trained eye can cut a steak to perfection, unlike a machine, ensuring only the top 4% of meat from every animal is given to us –which we then serve to you as part of our famous steak experience.
Unlike many other steakhouses, at Miller & Carter we provide a full steak experience for you without any of those nasty bill shocks.
Once you've decided which of our 13 steaks you'd like, and how you want it to be cooked, you'll also get to choose a steak sauce. Then we'll add our signature crispy onion loaf, a dressed iceberg wedge and a grilled balsamic-glazed tomato to complete your steak experience.
Of course, you may want to go for a luxurious little extra, such as our lobster mac & cheese that'll give your steak that final flourish. And, of course, a great wine to complement it.
So what are you waiting for? Find your nearest steakhouse and book in for the full Miller & Carter steak experience.


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Silicon Valley PowerHome mainHome Menu
Privacy Policy
Your privacy is important to us. We have updated our Privacy Policy and are in full compliance with the California Online Privacy Protection Act of 2003 and California Senate Bill 1386.
Our Commitment to Your Privacy and Security
Silicon Valley Power (SVP) has created this privacy statement in order to demonstrate its firm commitment to privacy and the security of your personal information. The following information explains our policy regarding any personal information you may supply to us when visiting the Siliconvalleypower.com domain.
SVP's goal in collecting personal information online is to provide you with the most effective service possible. By understanding your needs and preferences, SVP will be in the better position to provide you with improved service. Our goal is to protect your online information in the same manner that we protect citizen and business information obtained through other means.
Personally Identifiable Information We Collect
Personal information we collect from you and store in our databases / servers:
- Your first and last name
- Your email address
- Your phone number
What We Do to Secure Your Information
We store your personal information in databases in servers located behind a firewall in order to protect against the unauthorized access to, or the compromise of, information contained on our servers.
To prevent unauthorized access, maintain data accuracy, and ensure the correct use of information, we have put in place appropriate physical, electronic, and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online.
However, you should know that in the present technological environment, no security measures are perfect, and that neither we, nor any other Internet site, can fully eliminate these security risks.
Should there be an unauthorized access or suspected compromise of your personal information on our servers, we will immediately notify you through a written letter or other means so that you will be able to quickly take steps to prevent possible identity theft.
Email Address
On certain occasions, we may request your email address for purposes of correspondence or for SVP business. SVP will not share email addresses with anyone outside SVP or disclose user information to any third party, unless under a court order, including, but not limited to the California Public Records Act.
Log Files
SVP does not release any information about the collection of IP addresses to any third party except under court order. SVP's website archives web server log files in order to create aggregate statistical reports, detect errors at the website, and implement security protocols. Aggregate reports about website visitors are generated. These reports do not contain any personally identifiable information. The web log files are eventually deleted.
Direct Mail
In the future, SVP may use the personal data provided online to send you information about SVP's services and upcoming activities. We will neither sell nor provide your personal information for any other direct mail activities, unless under court order.
To prevent unauthorized access, maintain data accuracy, and ensure the correct use of information, we have put in place appropriate physical, electronic, and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online.
Other Websites
This site contains links to other websites, SVP is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such websites.
Contacting the Website
If you have any questions about this privacy policy statement, the practices of this site, or your dealings with this website, you can contact:
Web Manager, firstname.lastname@example.com
City of Santa Clara
1500 Warburton Avenue
Santa Clara, CA 95050


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Word of the Day, Website of the Day, Number to Know, This Day in History, Today's Featured Birthday and Daily Quote.
Word of the Day
pittance PIT-ns (noun) a small amount or share; a small allowance or sum, as of money for living expenses; a scanty income or remuneration. — www.dictionary.com
Website of the Day
My Boat
A website from Greenpeace International, My Boat works to support sustainable fishermen. Learn more about low-impact fishing and how many boats have been sent to sea.
Number to Know
8: Edward C. King, a member of Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, co-wrote "Sweet Home Alabama," a tune that peaked at No. 8 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1974.
This Day in History
Sept. 14, 1984: Joe Kittinger becomes the first person to fly a gas balloon alone across the Atlantic Ocean.
Today's Featured Birthday
Guitarist Edward C. King (64)
Daily Quote
"When love and skill work together, expect a masterpiece." - John Ruskin


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Are John Mayer's Twitter days over?
The star hasn't posted on the social networking site since Wednesday, when his controversial Playboy interview – in which he used racial and anti-gay slurs – hit the Internet.
"I wanted to be a blues guitar player. And a singer. And a songwriter. Not a shock jock. I don't have the stomach for it," he Tweeted on Wednesday after apologizing for his use of "the 'N word.'" "I just wanted to play the guitar for people."
Though Mayer made another apology on stage earlier this week, some stars have yet to forgive the singer — including one star who Mayer mentioned in his rant.
"I was disgusted and offended," Holly Robinson Peete, whom Mayer mentioned in the interview while discussing why he didn't date black women, told People. "[It's] time for him to really just drop the frat boy act [and] take responsibility for these hurtful comments."
The actress initially told E! she was flattered by Mayer calling her "gorgeous" – until reading the rest of the interview.
"I foolishly and impulsively commented [to E!] on a sound bite from an interview that was sent to me by a girlfriend and I didn't know the context at all," she told People. "Clearly, after I understood how John Mayer's comments were bookended by racial insensitivities and this racially charged, rambling diatribe that denigrated black women, it became a whole other animal."
And the actress said the singer reached out to her – but it wasn't enough.
"He reached out to me via email. … He did not apologize for his comments," she said. "At this point, it doesn't feel right for me to totally accept his apology."
However, in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Rob Tannenbaum, the writer who conducted the Playboy interview, told the newspaper that Mayer's words should be considered in context.
"The dominant version of this story is the reductive one being passed on Twitter, which focuses on about five of the story's 6,870 words," Tannenbaum said. "The [140 character] version of the interview was, 'John Mayer used the N word.' …When a white person uses that word, any words that precede it or follow it are going to be overshadowed. As for his David Duke comment, Mayer was pondering the discrepancy between his dating history, which has been exclusively white, and the attraction he feels for women of different races. He wasn't embracing Duke, or racism; he was noticing a dating pattern that, among white guys, isn't at all unusual.
"I think it may pass because many people who've read the full Playboy interview subsequently say they understand the point Mayer was attempting to make, even as they abhor his choice of words," he added.
Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Stars Who Twitter
PLAY IT NOW: John Mayer's Shocking Remarks In Playboy Reach A Boiling Point
PLAY IT NOW: John Mayer Apologizes Over Racial Remarks In Playboy Interview
MORE ACCESS ON THESE TOPICS: John Mayer - Holly Robinson Peete - Playboy - Music - Twitter


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There are many things about the internet which I dislike intensely. For one thing, it discourages disciplined, linear thought; it's detrimental to the kind of careful, disciplined reading that's critical to understanding something.
Still, this flexibility offers tremendous potential. If you can harness the non-linear, layered, undirected nature of web browsing, then there's an opportunity to create an in-depth learning experience that would be impossible in traditional media.
If you want to see a fascinating example of online history at its best, head over to Raid on Deerfield: The Many Stories of 1704. This marvelous website allows you to immerse yourself in the story of a devastating Indian attack on a Massachusetts town in the early eighteenth century. A series of painted scenes reconstruct the event. Roll your cursor over a scene, and you'll discover that individual people, buildings, and objects in these images are portals to additional information. Hyperlinks in the narrative provide as much or as little background information as you need. Artifacts from the time period are used to illustrate key points. Timelines, maps, and music put the story in perspective.
It's difficult to explain this inventive use of technology in words, so click on the link and explore it for yourself. The research is top-notch, and it's a near-perfect adaptation of medium to message.


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Although the release date is more than 18 months away, it looks like director Rupert Wyatt may be stepping away from Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. Wyatt directed the 2011 reboot/prequel, Rise of the Planet of the Apes and was expected to return for multiple sequels along with star Andy Serkis. Now, reports are coming out that Wyatt is exiting the production with the explanation that he doesn't feel comfortable making the expected release date of May 23, 2014. Hit the jump for much more, including what this move means for the future of the sequel and for Wyatt's career.
Deadline reports that Wyatt may be exiting Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, but Fox has declined to comment. If Wyatt's explanation is to be believed, his departure would be similar to that of director Gary Ross when he opted not to direct The Hunger Games: Catching Fire due to the studio's time constraint, even after the first film's phenomenal success. Wyatt was certainly a major component to the success of Rise of the Planet of the Apes, but much like Ross's situation, we will have to wait until the sequel comes out before we can say whether the directors were integral to the quality of the films or if it was just a rabid fan base for both properties that drove up the box office numbers.
Without Wyatt, Fox will be on the hunt for a director to step in quickly. The franchise is too important to waste any time and the studio is already reportedly satisfied with the script turned in by Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver. The follow-up film should see the apes taking over the world and possibly talking, which the screenwriters talked about briefly.
Don't feel too bad for Wyatt if he leaves the production. He's also attached to direct Agent 13 for Universal with Charlize Theron starring. He may now be able to revisit Londongrad, which was to star Michael Fassbender as former KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko, who was poisoned with Polonium-210 back in 2006.


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Assign chores, track progress, homework, attendance, and more with this Dancing Stars themed incentive wall chart by Trend. Perfect for schools, clubs, offices, and homes. Approx 43 cm x 56 cm in size. Vertical chart has 36 rows/25 columns. Sturdy and durable. Coordinate with a variety of TREND products. Superspot stickers fit perfectly into each square (also available here) Ideas, activities, and reproducible's on back.
- Size 43 cm x 56 cm,
- Durable, sturdy card.
- Dancing stars design.
- Perfect for teachers as a reward record or organisation resource.
Need some Stickers to fit? Check out our huge range of superspot and supershape stickers available
|Trend Enterprises Inc
|Product Code


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D-Day veteran awarded Legion of Honor medal at French embassy
Henry Parham, 91, receives France's highest honor for service during WWII
Sixty-nine years ago, Allied Forces stormed the beaches of Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944.
Each year, the French government honors those who risked or sacrificed their lives on D-Day. This year, a World War II veteran from Pittsburgh was among those being recognized.
"We were dumped off into water up to our necks because the beach was so heavily mined, the ships couldn't come in," Henry Parham told Channel 4 Action News. "Shots were falling all around us as we were trying to make it to the beach from the landing craft."
Parham, 91, received the Chevalier of the Legion of Honor medal, France's highest decoration.
"I don't know if I really feel like a hero, but I'm glad that I was able to come back because many didn't. We lost 15,000 on the beach that day," said Parham.
His wife went with him to receive the honor at the French embassy in Washington, D.C.
"She's so astonished and so proud of it because now she's part of it," said Parham.
Parham was drafted when he was 21 and served in the 320th Antiaircraft Artillery Balloon Barrage Battalion, an all-black, segregated unit.
"What could we do or say? The government itself was promoting that," said Parham.
But now the government of France is recognizing his sacrifice -- something he feels is lost on younger generations.
"They don't understand what we went through. They don't understand what we've done for them that caused them to be here today," said Parham.


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Bussmann 10A 80kA BS88 Fuse Link AAO 550V 13.7 x 85mm
- · Good peak let-through current limitation
- · 1:1.6 Selective coordinate ratio between 'minor' and 'major' fuse
- · Power loss values well within the limits of IEC 60269
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On November 19, thousands of Egyptians took to Tahrir Square once
again in what many called a "second" revolution—or even the "real"
revolution. Within a week, the protest had spread to cities across
Egypt, and the iconic square in downtown Cairo had again become a
space of war and protest, as protesters this time called for the end
of military rule, and a final toppling of the junta that ousted
President Hosni Mubarak left behind. Days of clashes between
protesters and Egyptian central security forces left more than 40
people dead and nearly 2,000 wounded, and let activists and analysts
to draw comparisons to Tahrir's earlier days of fame, when thousands
of Egyptians occupied the square last winter to demand the end of
Mubarak's rule.
This latest unraveling came as authorities tried to clear the square
in downtown Cairo following a mass protest on Friday. Islamists and
young liberals had gathered to protest a proposed set of
"supraconstitutional" principles that would place the military largely
outside the realm of judicial and parliamentary supervision, as well
as giving the institution wide veto power over the development of the
next government and constitution. But the ensuing clashes only drove
more protesters into the square.
Just days ahead of parliamentary elections on Nov. 28, the occupation of the
square became a lynchpin of debate between Egyptian politicians,
generals, activists and regular citizens on the best way forward for
a nation in turmoil. Ultimately, the junta succeeded in holding the
election—a boost to their credibility as interim rulers—even as some
continued to protest.
Voter turnout far surpassed that of previous sham elections, held
under Mubarak, and lines at polling stations snaked around city blocks
as men and women from across the political and economic spectrum
waited to cast their votes.
Monday's parliamentary election — the first relatively free,
democratic race in Egypt's history, and perhaps the biggest bellwether
of a long and turbulent Arab Spring — rang in harsh truths for some, a
tide of satisfaction and new hopes for others. For the majority of
Egyptians, eager to elect a new government that they hope will lift
the country out of post-revolution turmoil, the vote was a tremendous
success. For the liberals, youth, and others who had hoped to usher in
bigger changes through Tahrir Square, the vote signaled that a second
revolution is yet to come.
Abigail Hauslohner is TIME's Cairo correspondent. Find her on Twitter @ahauslohner.
Yuri Kozyrev is a contract photographer for TIME who has covered the Arab Spring since January.


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Faculty Directory
Brother Augustine Towey, C.M.
Late Director Emeritus & Co-Founder of Niagara University Theatre
Brother Augustine (1937 - 2012) earned a Ph.D. in Theatre from New York University, a certificate in Shakespeare and Elizabethan Theatre from the University of Birmingham (Stratford-upon-Avon, England) and a Masters in Dramatic Literature from St. John's University (New York). Brother Augustine directed over 135 plays in the past 50 years at Niagara University and many others in professional venues such as Artpark, The Irish Classical Theatre Co., Opera Sacra, and The Irish Repertory Theatre. He wrote twelve plays for the stage and for television, including "The Guardian" for the NBC-TV network. Seven volumes of his poetry have been published, including his latest collection in 2012, "Jesus, Mary and Joseph – Pieces for the Holy Family." A few years ago a collection of his poetry, "The Poem You Asked For," was published and a CD recording of many of the poems was made available, featuring twenty-three Western New York actors. Brother Augustine gave poetry readings throughout the state, including several sponsored by the New York State Council on the Arts. At Artpark, where he was director for numerous stage productions for several years, he was also Associate Artistic Director for theatre programs and the director and founder of The Artpark Repertory Theatre (A.R.T.) since its inception in 1975 until 2003, at which time it was renamed The Niagara University Repertory Theatre (N.U.R.T.) He wrote and directed the opera "A Beggar's Christmas." Artpark and Company honored him for his contributions to Artpark and the arts in Western New York by naming a chair after him. He was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts Degree from St. John's University and a Medal of Honor by Niagara University, both in 1989. In 1997 he was awarded the "Career Achievement Award" from ArtVoice. For thirteen years he served as a member of the Board of Trustees of St. John's University. In 2004 he was awarded a Brotherhood-Sisterhood Award from the Western New York Region of the National Conference for Community and Justice for his work in the arts. Among other honors, he received in 2006 the "Outstanding Artist Award" from the Arts Councils in Buffalo and Erie County. In 2012 he celebrated both his 75th birthday and his 50th anniversary as a Vincentian brother with family and friends. After a brief illness, he passed away on Nov. 22, 2012 -- Thanksgiving Day -- and we will forever be thankful for his extraordinary contributions and everlasting inspiration to Niagara University Theatre, its theatre studies students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the entire university community.


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The core component provides basic platform infrastructure that does not involve any UI. It is currently comprised of the following principal plug-ins:
These plug-ins are excruciatingly generic -- each provides a basic set of services, and API and extension points for managing and interacting with those services. The contents of resources are never examined in any domain-specific way and the Core can run equally well with and without a UI.
Note that much of the function previously provided by core now falls under the Equinox OSGi project
If you are interested in participating in the development of the Core component, check out the developer's mailing list: email@example.com. Chat with people there about your problems and interests, and find out what you can do to help.
In particular, if you are interested in system level code and are intimately familiar with Java classloading, thread management, filesystem resource management on a variety of operating systems, Windows/Linux filesystem callback management, or programming for speed/space, the Core team wants to talk to you.
Back to the top


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Well, I have finally found a great use for my old magazines that I never know what in the world to do with.
If you follow my blog, you know that we decided to keep Colin home this year, and not enroll him into preschool. There were many reasons for our doing so, and everyday that goes by I am more and more glad for the decision we made. I know there are many who disagree with the idea of home schooling, or say, "I could never do that"; I was one of those people for a long time myself. But, I must say, what I thought it was going to be like really isn't how it has been at all, and I am really enjoying teaching him at home. It is really neat to see him learning right before my very eyes, and being able to watch the wheels turning while he is grasping new concepts and ideas. (Also, let me just say that the decision to keep Colin home was, so far, just for this year. What will we do about Kindergarten? We'll cross that bridge when we come to it, that's what!)
We have been working on numbers (reading and writing them--we're up to 8 already!) and letters/phonics, as well as many other concepts and ideas. Colin's project this morning in our "learning time" was to look through a magazine for things that begin with the letter "A"; cut those items out; and then glue(stick) them onto construction paper.
- An arrow
- A real letter "A"
- 2 different pictures of apples
- An antler (really hard to see, I know)
- An ape
- And then the one I was most proud of--an "accident" (it is a picture of a lady wiping up spilled cereal!)
Keep watch for the presentation of the letter "B"--coming soon to a blog near you!


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Insurance company offers monetary, personal help with events
LAWRENCE -- State Farm Insurance Company has approved a $20,000 grant to support Kansas Wildscape Foundation's Outdoor Kansas for Kids (O.K. Kids) Program. The O.K. Kids program is a growing statewide effort with approximately 50 event locations where youth can participate in a variety of outdoor activities. State Farm has recognized the program's future growth potential as well as the need for additional help.
This year, State Farm has already awarded more than $3 million to various youth-oriented programs, with plans to award another $2 million before the year is over. In addition, State Farm agents are encouraged to offer assistance as volunteers at local O.K. Kids events
"State Farm is clearly dedicated to youth, and it is no surprise that they have stepped up to help the O.K. Kids program continue to grow and improve," says Rebecca Reichenbach, O.K. Kids Event Coordinator. "With about 50 event sites across Kansas and more kids and families participating each year, we knew that it was important to find someone willing to provide us with monetary support and to work hand-in-hand with kids at events.
Each O.K. Kids event location plans its own events and is responsible for finding volunteers to help put the day on. For more information about Kansas Wildscape and O.K. Kids days, check visit www.kansaswildscape.org online or phone Rebecca Reichenbach at 866-655-4377.


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First Ladies of Jazz & Blues: The Music of Etta James, Billie Holiday, Nina Simone & More feat. Emilie Surtees
Jazz has not one queen but three, and impassioned vocalist Emilie Surtees will pay homage to all of them in First Ladies of Jazz & Blues. From scat to breathy ballads, "First Lady of Song" Billie Holiday could do it all while Etta James is considered one of the greatest blues singers who ever lived. And Nina Simone lit the world on fire with a vibrato that stirred souls and moved mountains. Hear some of this Holy Trinity's greatest hits as Surtees interprets them with conviction at Club Bonafide in New York.


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- Description
- Delivery
- Gift Packaging
Havana Club high quality hand made ceramic double cigar ashtray.
FREE NEXT DAY DELIVERY ON ALL UK MAINLAND ORDERS over £100.00 (if ordered before 2pm)Our Postage Prices UK Mainland - Next Day Delivery - £5.50 (Tracked) UK Mainland - Two Day Delivery - £4.50 (Tracked) Please note that our cut off time is 2pm. Any orders placed after this time will not be processed until the following working day. Any orders placed after 2pm on a Friday will not be processed until Monday. For further information please read our full delivery page here.
We offer a gift packaging service for £3.99 per item. If you would like any more information, please contact us here


text:
I just finished up some work on using RoboRealm to guide my robot as it reaches toward a target object. The ultimate goal is for the robot to be able to pick up the object from a random location or take it from someone's hands. For now, I simply wanted to work out the coordinate transformations from visual space to arm space to get the two hands to point in the right direction as the target is moved about. The following video shows the results so far:
I don't have a full write-up yet on how I did this but it basically just uses 3-d coordinate transformations from the head angles and distance to the target (as measured by sonar and IR sensors mounted near the camera lens) to a frame of reference attached to each shoulder joint. The Dynamixel AX-12 servos are nice for this application since they can be queried for their current position info. The distance to the balloon as measured by the sonar and IR sensors is a little hit and miss and I think I'd get better performance using stereo vision instead.


text:
Перевод песни Soulja Boy – Don't Get Mad
Работает на технологии Яндекс.Переводчика
Don't get mad cause the kidz like me Don't get mad cause the kidz like me Don't get mad cause the kidz like me Don't get mad cause the kidz like me dont dont dont get mad cause the kidz like me everybody know i got the kidz yellling dont- get- mad cause the kids like soulja boy tell em and they parents they can't see it they blind they wonder why they kids talking bout soulja boy all the time (all the time) they can't understand they ways they wonder why they son and they daughter got the name on they shades (on they shades) or why they only wear bathing APES or why they sit at they computer watching soulja boy all day if you dont get it it's a movement (a movement) i aint saying that you stupid you just need improvement (improvement) they say the records aint selling no more jus cuzz errbody on the internet on download now it's my turn to hit (my turn to hit it) if you don't get it by the end of the song you won't get (you won't get it) real talk i spit it (i spit it) i got the kidz on lock and it's jus the beginning, let's go! why you mad foe? (why you mad foe) why you hating foe? (why you hating foe)? soulja boy tell em what the street been waiting foe now am sign and it's going down (down) taking over radio tv everything man (man) i aint gon buy my time foe no body if you bug me for your show am a crank up your whole party while you listenin to these songz eaze ya mind if you dont get what am saying press rewind now right now am 16 (sixteen) but when you hear these songz am a be 17 and running things super-man i started that (i started that) but the biggest mam flotery is jus a lotta cappri cats (a lotta capri cats) its all good cuz am on deck (am on deck) its so major what i did with a mic in the internet (internet) new rappers every day world wild no deals jus the fans and the fans they on my side am the kidz favorite rapper (yuh) do tha dance never (yuh) if anyone else can do it i can do it better got the grown folks scratching they head they say wha'z goin on what so special about soulja boy man whats going on this all i got to say in my rap (in my rap) when it spread to the grown folks man its a raw if u hating better pop your breaks (pop your break) dont get madd cuz the kidz fans and they watching my face (we luv u soulja boy) soulja boy my favorite rapper, no his my fav. raper, NO MY FAVORITE RAPPER (yahh)


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The mission of the Albany Chorale is to establish, conduct and maintain a choral music society to entertain and to educate the public. Its further mission is to offer new or less familiar works, as well as old favorites, and to make this music available and affordable to all members of the community.
The Albany Chorale is a community chorus with singers of different ages and backgrounds, a mixture of trained and amateur voices. The Chorale welcomes anyone, high school age and older, who loves to sing choral music. It has become a versatile ensemble with the ability to perform all types of music. New singers are welcome to join anytime. Our season runs from August through May.
Please browse our website to find more information about how you can become a part of the Albany Chorale experience.


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Here at CrazyFree it is our mission to bring you the latest and greatest offers out in the market! Ranging from testing awesome products and samples from leading brands, exclusive competitions and some of the best kept secrets when it comes to making money "on the line".
All you need to do is register your details either here or on any of the offer pages and depending on what area of the site you are on you will be one step closer to your selected offer!
With Product Testing if you are selected you will be in to test & keep your selected product absolutely free! With our amazing competitions, free samples & money making opportunities, simply register your details and check out some great offers to unlock your offer, it's that easy!
If you need further information on just how CrazyFree works, take a look at our FAQs found on any of the offer pages or see our Terms and Conditions.


text:
Hugh Grant blasted the press in a London courtroom Monday, and not just Rupert Murdoch-owned tabloids.
The actor, testifying before a grand jury about the phone-hacking scandal that rocked News Corp and caused the British News of the World to shutter, spoke out against another publication for the first time: the Mail on Sunday, The Associated Press reports.
A 2007 story published in the Mail claimed his relationship with Jemima Khan was "on the rocks" and that he was having flirtatious late-night phone calls with a film studio executive. Grant said the story was untrue but surmised reporters must have based it off of voice mails left for him by a "plummy voiced" woman who was actually an executive's assistant, Grant said. He sued for libel and won.
Grant said he had no hard evidence, but added "I'd love to hear what the Daily Mail or the Sunday Mail's explanation of what the source was if it wasn't phone hacking."
In the two-and-half-hour testimony to the judge-led Leveson Inquiry, Grant detailed years of being chased down by tabloids since his first hit, Four Weddings and a Funeral, in 1994.
Grant has never been shy in taking on the press. The actor famously caught News of the World reporter Paul McMullen admitting to hacking his phone on tape and published transcripts in April. He and Khan won a court order against the News Corp tabloid in July.
The testimony, which The Associated Press called at time "charming and censorious," also included anecdotes about a mysterious break-in at his apartment and a time when he suspected reporters followed him into the emergency room earlier this year.
"I think no one would expect their medical records to be made public or to be appropriated by newspapers for commercial profit," he said. "That is fundamental to our British sense of decency."
Earlier in the courtroom, the parents of Milly Dowler, a murdered schoolgirl who's voicemail was hacked by the Mail on Sunday, also spoke out against the wrongdoing.
Selected Reading: Entertainment Weekly, The Washington Post, The Telegraph on YouTube


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First Lady Michelle Obama told Jon Stewart on Tuesday how her husband's academic ambitions coalesced as a teen — and what sort of would-be uncle Vice President Joe Biden is to their daughters.
The first lady appeared on "The Daily Show" Tuesday to discuss her new book, "American Grown," about the vegetable garden she planted at the White House, and her efforts to combat childhood obesity.
Although Stewart joked about how hard it is to get kids to want to eat well and jotted down some notes as the first lady advised, what he really wanted to know was whether she had been the one to put the kibosh on Barack Obama's youthful drug experimentation.
She wasn't. That phase was long over by the time they met, she said.
"By the time he was in college, like so many young people, he realized that he could do more with his life," Michelle Obama said. "I think when he lost his father, that was one of his click-in moments."
She also ticked off her husband's accomplishments during his first presidential term and touted his decision-making since he took office.
"I kind of watch this thing pretty closely," she joked. "I see him being so consistent in disregarding the chatter and the noise and really moving forward toward a country where there's more equity, more fairness."
And she laughingly stood by her fondness for the gaffe-prone vice president — despite Stewart's doubts about his fitness as a role model for first daughters Malia and Sasha.
"Is it hard though to raise a kid around Biden? Because I would assume that there's a lot of like, 'Joe, language!'" Stewart mused.
"Or he's like the uncle that comes over, and [you're] like, 'Oh, you brought them guns!' Is that tough?" he asked.
"No, he's a great vice president and a great friend. My kids hang around him, and I'm good with it!" the first lady insisted.
See Michelle Obama speaking with Jon Stewart below.


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Hello, my friends! It's KarrieLyne from Freckled Whimsy bringing you another quilt tutorial! I have so much fun putting these together for you. I hope you enjoy them just as much as I do! 🙂
When I saw Kate Spain's new line, Central Park, I knew I had to make a quilt with it. This line is themed around nature, so what better block to use than a flying geese block? I came up with a design using a unique placement of the flying geese to create a diamond effect, or if you'd rather, a zig zag effect.
Also, my good friend Leah over at Burgundy Buttons is offering this as a kit at a special price just for you!! Click HERE to get yours! Also, speaking of Kate Spain…you'll never guess!! She has specially designed a quilt label just for this kit!! {{insert me excitedly jumping up and down!!}} So, hurry on over before they are all gone!
Enjoy…. Geese In The Park
What you will need to get started:
1 Layer Cake – Central Park
1 Layer Cake – White
1 1/2 yards of (27070 14) for border & binding
1 1/4 yard (27065 14) for 2nd border
4 1/2 yards of (27066 14) for backing
**Please read through the entire tutorial before beginning.
**All seam allowances are 1/4″.
**Blocks will finish at 8″ x 4″. (8.5″ x 4.5″ unfinished)
1. Choose 27 printed Layer Cake (LC) pieces. We need to trim these to 9 1/4″ square.
2. Using a ruler that is larger than your LC square, line up the top and right edge of your ruler with the top and right edge of the LC piece so that only about 1/8″ of the LC is showing. We just want to trim off the pinked edges.
3. Trim the edges on the top and the right.
4. Rotate your LC piece 180 degrees so that the top right corner is now at the bottom left corner. Your straight edges will now be on the left and bottom. Using your ruler, measure a square that is 9 1/4″.
5. Cut your 9 1/4″ square. Discard the scraps.
6. Repeat steps 2-5 for each of the remaining 26 LC printed squares. Set these aside for now.
7. Gather 27 of the white LC pieces. We need to trim these to yield four – 4 7/8″ squares per LC piece.
**Note: If you want to cut these from yardage, you will need 108 squares measuring 4 7/8″.
8. Start by trimming the left edge of your LC. Trim just enough to cut off the pinked edges, creating a straight edge. Be careful not to trim too much or you won't have enough fabric to cut 4 squares.
**Note: I cut 3 LC pieces at a time to make this step go faster.
9. Now measure over 4 7/8″ with your ruler and make your cut.
10. Carefully slide the right stack over about 1/4″. Using this newly cut edge, measure over 4 7/8″ and cut.
11. Carefully rotate the stacks you just cut. We need to sub cut these into 4 7/8″ squares.
12. Trim the edge off again. Just enough to cut the pinked edge off. Not too much. We just want to establish a straight edge.
13. Measure over 4 7/8″ and cut.
14. Carefully move the stack on the right over about 1/4″. Using this newly cut edge, measure over 4 7/8″ and cut. Repeat for other strip.
Place two of these on your 9 1/4″ printed LC square as shown below. Be sure to line up all your edges, and your drawn lines should meet. Pin in place.
3. Sew 1/4″ on both sides of your drawn line.
4. Cut on that drawn line.
5. Press to the white triangles. Yields two heart shaped thingies 🙂
6. Place another 4 7/8″ square on the end of each of these heart shaped thingies. Making sure the drawn line begins at the point of the printed LC and falls between the two triangles. Pin in place.
7. Sew 1/4″ on either side of the drawn line on each piece.
8. Cut on drawn lines.
9. Press to the white triangles. Yield 4 flying geese! 🙂
10. Something to watch when making flying geese like these. If you have a directional print, they are going to be a bit wonky. Personally I didn't mind, but if you do, this is how they will turn out. (The trees are all in one direction on the print.)
11. Repeat steps 2-9 for the remaining 26 LC pieces.
12. Chain piecing during steps 3 and 7 will make this process much much faster!
13. Once you have all your flying geese blocks made (you need 105 blocks but will have some extra using this method), arrange them 7 blocks by 15 blocks.
The block in the top left, the point of the "goose" should face down, the next block it will face up, and so on. The next row will be the opposite. Repeat for all 15 rows, arranging your blocks in a pleasing order.
14. Once you have them arranged how you like, sew the blocks into rows, making sure to press each row in opposite directions so the seams will nest when you sew the rows together.
15. Sew the rows together.
16. Cut from the purple fabric, 8 strips measuring 2.5″ x WOF (width of fabric) for your first border. Attach in your preferred method.
17. From the border print, cut 8 strips measuring 4.5″ x WOF for your second border. Attach in your preferred method.
18. All that is left is for you to sandwich your quilt, baste, quilt, and bind it. Oh, and don't forget to throw it in the wash so it gets all smooshy! 😀
19. If you want a completely different look, follow the same instructions, but where I use white, use a print, and where I use a print, use white. This will give you white diamonds and the zig zags will be in the prints. 🙂
This quilt will measure about 68″ x 72″ (before washing). Isn't it cute? 😀
I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial! If you make this quilt, please oh please share it with me? You can email a photo of it to me HERE or you can add it to my Flickr Group HERE. I would love to feature them on my blog! 🙂
Much Love and Happy Quilting!!


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I wrote about camping with hashers in Scotland, and hangovers in Russia and dead computers in Copenhagen and lost wallets in Barcelona and marathons in Athens and dodgy cab rides in Nairobi… and that was only the first half of the trip. I wrote about places and people and things (and food!), and also about how I felt about it all, and about when I got cranky or homesick or just tired of living out of a suitcase. There was also a lot that didn't make it into the blog, but frankly that stuff is none of your damned business. If you wanted to get the WHOLE whole story, you should have come with me (like Laurie and Patti!).
And then I came home. There were a few posts after I got back, but essentially that's where the story ended. Now my life has, naturally, entered a whole new phase. I knew when I got back from the trip that I'd end up living in a new city, with a new job, and that the blog would be over, just like the trip. It all seems like it was a hundred years ago, and now I look back at old blog posts almost as if I'm reading about someone else's life.
I hoped that I'd be able to write some kind of grand summing up post to end it all with great insight and clarity. Clearly that's not going to happen, so instead we exit with a bit of a whimper. As for insight and clarity, I'm not sure I can say that I was profoundly changed by my travels. I'm the same person I was before, except now I'm just a bit more, well, worldly. I think I've got a broader perspective now and I'm definitely more confident and more easy-going. Travelling around the world, especially (mostly) alone for an extended amount of time requires a level of flexibility that was not a big part of my personality before. And now people laugh when I claim that I'm basically an introvert. I mean you just CAN'T be an introvert when you spend a year interacting with strangers all day, every day, so I guess now I'm a recovering introvert. Also, I can sleep almost anywhere, and my hair is longer. But inside? Still Pam.
Of course that doesn't mean nothing's changed. On the contrary, almost everything has changed. I'm not just living in a different city, I'm living on a different continent, and that's something I would never have contemplated if I hadn't taken the plunge, chucked out my old life, and turned my face to something completely new. It's not been a cakewalk so far, this new life, but I think it's got potential, and I'm glad I'm doing it. And I'm definitely glad I did the trip. For all those of you who hear about a trip like mine and say, "Oh, I wish I could do something like that." I say, "You can. All you have to do is quit your job and sell your house." Easy. Ok, maybe not easy, but definitely worth it.
One of the best days of the trip. Or of my life. Standing in the water at the edge of Victoria Falls. Like I said… worth it.
Thanks for coming along for the ride.
(Oh, and for those of you who want to read whatever happens to cross my mind these days… click here.)


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Christopher Hitchens (1949 - 2011) was an Anglo-American author and journalist. His books made him a prominent public intellectual and a staple of talk shows and lecture circuits. He was a columnist and literary critic at Vanity Fair, Slate, The Atlantic, World Affairs, The Nation, Free Inquiry and a variety of other media outlets. He was named one of the world's "Top 100 Public Intellectuals" by Foreign Policy and Britain's Prospect.
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Chomsky's FolliesMay 9, 2011
By Christopher Hitchens
"Anybody visiting the Middle East in the last decade has had the experience: meeting the hoarse and aggressive person who first denies that Osama Bin Laden was responsible for the destruction of the World Trade Center and then proceeds to describe the attack as a justified vengeance for decades of American imperialism."
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Posted by Tom at 21:55 12 comments
Labels: 2011, Christopher Hitchens, Noam Chomsky, Osama bin Laden, Slate
Unspoken Truths
By Christopher Hitchens
"Like so many of life's varieties of experience, the novelty of a diagnosis of malignant cancer has a tendency to wear off. The thing begins to pall, even to become banal. One can become quite used to the specter of the eternal Footman, like some lethal old bore lurking in the hallway at the end of the evening, hoping for the chance to have a word. And I don't so much object to his holding my coat in that marked manner, as if mutely reminding me that it's time to be on my way. No, it's the snickering that gets me down."
Read more (vanityfair.com)
Posted by Tom at 12:45 13 comments
Labels: 2011, Christopher Hitchens, Unspoken Truths, Vanity Fair
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- Safety Gates
- Home Safety
- On the Go
- Health & Hygiene
- Bath & Potty
The Dreambaby® Chelsea Auto-Close Metal Baby Gate combines safety and convenience in one fantastic package. Gates are pressure-mounted, which means fuss-free installation and are perfect for most homes – whether houses or apartments. Designed by parents, for parents, the Chelsea gate is easy to install, allows for one-handed operation, a door that opens in both directions and closes automatically from any distance, every time. For added security, the EZY-Check® indicator shows the gate is securely locked with just a quick glance and the double action locking feature helps keep even the most curious toddlers at bay. Smart Stay-Open feature is perfect for when you need to move freely through the gate, such as when you're carrying groceries or clearing the table. Just swing the door in the stay-open position and it will stay wide open until you choose to close it. Dreambaby® Chelsea gate can accommodate openings 28-39" wide and measures 29.5" tall. Using optional extensions sold separately, the gate can be extended up to 188." Also suitable for top of stairs using the included hardware mounts for added security. Made of strong, high-quality materials it's perfect for even the most eager pets too!
For security, all mounting cups MUST be screwed into place regardless of where it is to be used.
Watch the video for more information.


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A River of Myth & Legend
The Rhine River Valley seems straight out of the pages of a storybook, a land of half-timbered houses, fairytale castles, and ruined fortresses looming atop craggy hills. There's no better way to explore this magical place than onboard a luxurious Uniworld river cruise, enjoying gracious service, Signature Lectures by local historians, and a choice of expertly-led excursions—many exclusive to our guests. Standing on the top deck, watching the scenery turn increasingly dramatic, you'll be captivated by the tale of Loreley, the beautiful maiden who seduced sailors with her siren songs. And who could blame them? No doubt you too will fall under the spell of the bewitching Rhine…
Epicurean Enchantment
Senses stirred and spirits rekindled, you venture down to the ship's dining room to see what culinary delights await. Breakfasts and lunches are lavish affairs onboard every Uniworld journey, with something to tantalize every palate. Relax over pre-dinner drinks in the lounge, where the bartender remembers your companion likes Grey Goose martinis, and that you prefer Glenfiddich served neat. Make it a double—drinks are complimentary on this all-inclusive cruise. Dinner is a sumptuous multi-course feast of regionally-inspired dishes paired with distinctive local wines. For dessert, perhaps a slice of Black Forest Cake or other luscious local favorite is the ideal way to end a meal—and a day—that has truly surpassed all expectations.
Carole, Castles along the Rhine, 2015 (5-star Feefo guest review)
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North Caucasian Mountain Club offers a wide range of individual and group tours not only in the region of Caucasus Mineral Waters but around the entire North Caucasus as well.
You have a unique opportunity to learn interesting history and unusual culture see splendid points of interest, discover traditions, past and present customs of the North Caucasus.
You will be able to enjoy breathtaking landscapes while travelling in a comfortable coaches or a minibus. Our specially equipped off-roaders and experienced drivers will help you easily get through mountain roads and rough terrains. North Caucasian Mountain Club is well-known for organizing jeep tours; we can show you the most unexplored and hidden places of the region where crowds of tourists haven't left traces yet.
We pay special attention to the development of individual tours and fulfillment business clients' requests, for everyone who appreciates comfort but has limited time to get to know the region. We can organize a personalized route taking into account your wishes. You can select the destination, time of departure, duration, stops en route and points of interest you would like to see. We will arrange highly experienced drivers, guides and interpreters who know the region well.
Short tours with North Caucasian Mountain Club offer you the most exciting way to see the true beauty of the Caucasus.


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Royal Caribbean International
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Good morning, sunshine. Wake up onboard Serenade of the Seas®, a dreamlike ship that's sleek and sunlit, with panoramic vistas and wide-open spaces at every turn. Acres of glass enclose a nine-story central atrium, while glass elevators and floor-to ceiling windows ensure incredible views throughout your day. Bask at the tranquil Solarium pool, recharge at VitalitySM Spa, or reach new heights on our signature rock-climbing wall. When the sun goes down, the night heats up with Broadway-style shows, Casino Royale®, plus 16 bars and lounges that never feature a cover.Find Cruises On This Ship
*During inclement weather and select hours, the ship may permit the Solarium Pool to be used by persons under age 16 provided they are directly supervised by a parent or guardian.
**Concierge Club reserved for Diamond Plus and Pinnacle Crown & Anchor Society members, and select suite guests. Diamond Lounge available for Diamond and above tier level members.
*Late night service charge applies to room service orders between midnight and 5:00 a.m. Additional charges apply for specialty dining venues. Specialty beverages, beer, wine and soda are charged separately and are offered at current bar menu prices.
|Gross Tonnage
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Find the perfect ship for your next vacation!


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Audit: Allegheny County Housing Authority fails to notice hundreds of violations
Audit finds violations in 80 percent of units inspected
Inspectors for the Allegheny County Housing Authority have failed to notice hundreds of violations, according to an audit conducted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Federal inspectors randomly chose 70 privately owned units, where the rent is paid by Section 8 vouchers approved by the county housing authority.
With violations in 80 percent of those units, the audit concluded, "program participants were subjected to housing quality standards violations that created unsafe living conditions."
"We, as a housing authority, believe that they are not violations of housing quality standards," said John Joyce of the Allegheny County Housing Authority. "Our tenants are very safe."
Last month, a family was sickened in a housing authority-owned apartment in East Pittsburgh after trying to heat their home with an oven because their furnace didn't work.
Former tenant Audrey Greco told Channel 4 Action News' Jim Parsons she also endured unsafe conditions in her housing authority-owned high-rise in Tarentum.
Greco said she tripped and was injured when the elevator in Rachel Carson tower failed to stop level with her floor.
She's suing the housing authority, claiming the agency had received plenty of complaints about the faulty elevator before her accident.
"Being a senior high-rise, you would think the elevator would be working for us," she said.
The Allegheny County Housing Authority had to pay back $15,000 in federal funds because of the violations. Officials said the violations have been corrected.


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I am an American girl who has seen Tim McGraw live 18 times and as traditional as they come. I do not, however, participate in baby showers. This ceremonial welcoming of a baby rarely treats birth with reverence. I believe women can - and should - birth naturally and breastfeed their babies. The American way of having babies is in crisis. This is an educational blog; exploring birth, breastfeeding, & attachment parenting. I am a Natural Childbirth Educator and this is my voice.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Part III: Mellanie's Story -- Breastfeeding Bekah
24 comments:
- Kara said...
That is such a beautiful story! Bekah is so blessed to have you two as parents. And you are definitely blessed by her. Thank you for sharing your story Mell!
- February 14, 2011 at 9:31 AM
- Apocryphal said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- February 14, 2011 at 10:42 AM
- Rita said...
Such a beautiful story. Arlington is very blessed to have such a wonderful, passionate IBCLC and more importantly such a wonderful mother.
The whole idea of weaning to gain weight flabbergasts me. A doctor would never recommend cutting out all (cow) dairy to put weight on a petite person, so I don't get why they recommend ending nursing.
- February 14, 2011 at 10:45 AM
- Unknown said...
I was lucky enough to be a part of For Babies Sake with my first daughter who nursed for 2yrs and 8mo. Mellanie helped us tremendously and seeing her persevere with Bekah helped me to never give up until one day nursing was just a normal part of our daily lives. Even now that Hannah is almost 5yrs old, she has always been healthier than her peers and has been on antibiotics once for a rash and just now has her first ear infection. I owe that all to Mellanie and the other ladies in my group to help me learn so much and to persevere with nursing my first daughter.
When my second daughter was born with Trisomy 18 and several heart anomilies; I remembered what I learned from Mellanie and FBS. I asked before she was born that if she survived long enough to be fed, that I try nursing. She had a severe cleft palate and could not nurse, but I then asked for donor milk, which our NICU provided her free of charge. She was a preemie and delivered via c-section so my milk took forever to come in; not even colostrum came easy to me. I also knew enough to ask for a hospital pump; also free of charge. I pumped my heart out while mixing what little I got with the donor milk. I was so proud the day I gave her a whole feeding of my milk.
With what I learned from Mellanie and FBS, my second daughter Eva had only breastmilk for most of her 3.5 months of life. Never an infection or illness (which is what usually takes these babies). She remained "healthy for her" until the very end when her heart disease took her life.
While that may seem sad, and it is sad that we mourn her, I am proud that I knew enough to fight to give her the very best nutrition and the very best chance at a full life. I know I did that. We took her out in public with us, let others hold her, let her live her 103 days to the fullest, knowing that her perfect food being fed through a tube allowed us the most possible time with her.
Thank you Mellanie, FBS, and Bekah for all the inspiration and knowledge you gave me to give both of my daughters the best that I possibly could. I've even helped several friends through their struggles with nursing and referred several more to Mellanie in Arlington.
Love you and Bekah and miss you very much!
- February 14, 2011 at 11:25 AM
- Unknown said...
The above comment from Daniel is really from his wife, Jessica Clearfield. I forgot to change the login.
- February 14, 2011 at 11:26 AM
- Annie said...
Beautiful story, Mellanie! Thank you for sharing it.
- February 14, 2011 at 4:06 PM
- Deirdre said...
Having worked with you through all of this, I knew yours and Bekah's story, but it still gives me goosebumps. God has blessed you with an amazing little girl and God has certainly blessed Bekah with an awe inspiring mommy. I'm proud to work with you and call you my friend.
- February 14, 2011 at 10:21 PM
- ~Fort Worth Doula said...
Wow! Thanks so much for sharing. Bekah's first few days of life are amazingly similar to my first daughter's. Emma was 3 weeks early, 5 lbs 6 oz, a 2 vessel cord , hypoglycemic, and couldn't keep her temp. up. We got to take her home after 5 days in the NICU. She doesn't have any specific diagnosis and is a healthy, happy 14 year old but has partial hearing loss and vision problems that were present from birth. I nursed her exclusively for 12 months and am so glad I did. Thank God for my thrift store copy of The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding because that's the only resource I had. She used a nipple shield for 6 weeks after birth. I feel very lucky that I beat the odds because the LC were not good and I didn't have a clue what I was doing...I was only a teenager.
- February 15, 2011 at 11:04 AM
- Cassie said...
Jessica- what a touching testament you have given. I have a dear friend whose son was taken by Trisomy 18 at one day old. What a wonderful, albeit short in our terms, life you gave her. My friend would have given anything for another 102 days with her boy. I know you treasure them.
Mellanie- I am quite sure we attend GCC together and your beautiful daughter is absolutely precious. What a strong beginning she has! I have worked with families with special needs in the past and a strong-minded, self-educated, sacrificial parent makes all the difference!
- February 16, 2011 at 2:45 PM
- Diana said...
Thank you for this excellent story! Great thing to share!!
Also, I am going to mention this condition to our geneticist. Our baby, now 18 mos. old, does not have a diagnosis but shares many of the same issues (hypotonia, tongue-tie, developmental delays, reflux, slow weight gain, sensory issues, etc.). Unfortunately many genetic syndromes share symptoms, so they're hard to tell apart sometimes, but I'll mention it. Thanks!!
- February 18, 2011 at 8:18 PM
- Shauna said...
Bekah is a beautiful little girl! Thank you for sharing this story.
- March 2, 2011 at 8:54 PM
- Barefoot Mama said...
I love this story, and the comments. My son, now 9 months old, had a horrible time nursing at the start. I could not get him to latch as he was a poor sucker, and had limited success with a nipple shield. I finally took him to a wonderful chiropractor that I had also seen with my first son, and he was amazing. He told me to spin in circles as I nursed my son in a sling, as spinning stimulates their brain stem, and causes them to suck. It was the only thing that worked. I spent HOURS nursing and spinning in circles, and over time, we needed to spin less and less. After 12 weeks, things improved. After 16 weeks we got rid of the nipple shield. Today he is a wonderful nurser, and I am SO proud that I did not give up on finding a way to nurse him. I am nothing if not stubborn, especially when it comes to my babies. :)
- March 2, 2011 at 8:56 PM
- Meredith said...
Wow! Thanks for sharing such an amazing story.
- March 2, 2011 at 9:01 PM
- Abby Serio said...
Bekah's only "special need" was to have her mother and father as her parents. She is perfect and whole and God is preparing a way for her that none of us can imagine. congrats to you mom for fighting for her and what is indeed the VERY best for her :)
- March 2, 2011 at 10:22 PM
- M.Elattar said...
Your story is so touching. As a mother whose 2nd baby had posterior tongue tie, high palate, and extremely weak oral motor skills, I can totally relate. We had so many "helpful" people giving us advise, totally unaware of the implications of our severe situation. Even after LCs, PT, pumping/herbs/etc, we dealt with failure to thrive. Though my son couldn't take a bottle to save his life, but it seemed the automatic response when people found out we were "still" breastfeeding. Sadly, we are weaning now, at 16 months, but it has been an extraordinarily triumphal journey.
Peace to you momma.
- March 2, 2011 at 10:26 PM
- Unknown said...
What a beautiful story. I'm sobbing at the moment in response. So great that you stuck to your motherly instincts and didn't give into formula. God Bless. :)
- March 3, 2011 at 5:21 AM
- Marla said...
I am SO glad to have read Mellanie's story. My daughter is 3.5 and has cerebral palsy - and I'm still nursing her. (She's hypotonic but never had major latch issues and we never supplemented - we were lucky in that regard. I didn't recognize that something was amiss until she was around 6 months old, although with 20/20 hindsight I know I had suspicions earlier than that.) Bravo to Mellanie and thank you again for sharing her story, as it is SO important!
- March 3, 2011 at 8:11 AM
- Unknown said...
What a BEAUTIFUL little girl you have! And what a beautiful story! Thanks for sharing it:)
- March 3, 2011 at 8:42 AM
- Unknown said...
What a BEAUTIFUL little girl you have! She looks so happy. And what a beautiful story of challenge and courage. Thanks for sharing it with us:)
- March 3, 2011 at 8:43 AM
- Unknown said...
What an amazing story, thank you for sharing!
We are currently struggling with my 3 month old daughter's slow weight gain. Our pedi sent us to a GI dr this week. He immediately told us it was not a GI problem and called in a breastfeeding expert. We discovered she has a tongue tie and that is why she's gaining so slowly (well, we hope that is the only reason). I am supplementing with formula atm, but we are using an SNS to supplement. I am also pumping after every single feeding trying to build up my supply. We are waiting for her to have surgery. They want to eventually switch the formula out to my stored breastmilk, and then eventually return to a normal breastfeeding relationship as long as she starts to gain weight. It's more work, but so worth it. I breastfed my last child for 14 months and would like to go longer with her. I was so relieved when they said she had a tongue tie, I had heard of it before and knew that it was fixable. If she doesn't start gaining they will be admitting her to the hospital, so we are in a waiting game now, waiting to see if she gains, and hoping it's just a tongue tie issue.
Your story gives me hope and strength, thank you for sharing.
- March 3, 2011 at 1:30 PM
- Teglene said...
Thank you for the awesome post! I can relate to so much of it! I too have nursed a premie (and been shocked about the lack of support and horrible information in the NICU) and have a child with special needs. I know the relief when you get the "label". A beautiful story!
- March 5, 2011 at 3:32 PM
Thank you for this beautiful post. There is nothing like lived experience in order to help others dealing with similar hurdles. I'm so grateful for your courage and persistance and willingness to share
- March 6, 2011 at 2:32 AM
- Summer said...
i feel just so encouraged by reading your story. as a breastfeeding mom to a 16 month old with one on the way, it really helps to even validate my situation, where i know one doing anything close to tandem breastfeeding. i feel sadened that despite your whole struggle, you still had to use the phrase :
supported our desire to make alternative healthcare decisions for Bekah
how sad our country is, that we are DEFENDING the most natural thing in the world- breastfeeding.
thank you again for sharing
- March 6, 2011 at 1:49 PM
- Unknown said...
Very nice post. Greatings Obat Aborsi Manjur
- February 7, 2015 at 3:26 PM


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Dress to kill
Most weapons are familiar from Mass Effect 2 and can be upgraded at workbenches, and customisations can be bought and found. Due to weight restrictions, I can only carry so many weapons, which definitely made me think twice about my load out. Armour upgrades and character appearance add more individual touches – pink armour and having a fist fight in a rubber dress should never be frowned at.
You seem a bit blue, are you OK?
Also recognisable is how experience points are spent from Mass Effect 2. I started with points in Offensive Mastery, fitness and throw. The clean design and functionality of the Mass Effect UI make fiddling with my stats a pleasure. Mêlée attack is thrilling, as Mass Effect 3 introduces a new weapon, the omniblade, for when a husk creeps up behind me. As long as I use cover and keep my shield powered up, things don't get too hairy, even against the biggest mechs.
The gameplay could sometimes come across a little samey, but the depth of the storyline kept me connected. And when someone close to me died – and this happened a lot – I felt a genuine pang of sadness. All this emotional trauma is obviously getting to me, because I am haunted in my sleep – maybe I should lay off the Peruvian whisky?
Shot blocker
Selecting which combination of my teammates would be most useful for backup before I head into battle was important but more often than not I took along Liara. Having her throwing a singularity into enemies with shields made combat with multiple baddies a breeze. Overpowered, you say? Well, I'm not complaining. No flanking tactics needed, even with that improved enemy AI.
Truly epic cut scenes – often with impressively huge beasties – play out a narrative that, at its worst, is a pompous space soap opera, but at its best had me shouting, sighing and laughing. The seamless transition into the combat sequences kept me constantly at the edge of my seat waiting for the next husk to show up and feel the sting of my omniblade.
Got ship all over the screen
Mass Effect 3 features multiplayer for the first time with Galaxy at War. All I can think is: why? I have to admit it is fun and could be more so when my mates come on-line but honestly Mass Effect 3 isn't about the multiplayer. If I wanted multiplayer I would be fragging ass in Battlefield 3. Galaxy at War reminded me of Left 4 Dead but fighting waves of Reapers, instead of zombies. Call me paranoid, but it feels like Bioware is trying to prepare me for the imminent clusterfuck that will be the upcoming Mass Effect movie.
Mass Effect 3 is about choice and that's what drives this immense narrative. Bioware has invited me to be part a story so nuanced with action so compelling that it raises the bar. Building and refining an adored franchise wasn't going to be easy but Mass Effect 3 is everything I wanted it to be and more. ®
More Games Reviews
|The Darkness 2
|Kingdoms of Amalur:
|Final Fantasy
|Soul Calibur


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Change in scenery, standings give Ichiro new life
Adjusting well to New York, Yankees star bringing flair to field, clubhouse
The speedster has rejuvenated his batting stroke, assimilated seamlessly into a clubhouse full of veteran talent and rediscovered a winning smile that seemed to be dampened by those losing seasons with the Mariners.
So what's the issue? Life with the Yanks is working out great for Ichiro and his wife, Yumiko, who are enjoying calling New York home. Now, if only his dog would warm up to the change.
"I'm OK. My wife and I are OK adjusting," Ichiro said through an interpreter. "It's my dog, Ikkyu, that is having a hard time adjusting to the city life. So I'm definitely worried about him, and hopefully he can get used to New York City."
Yes, Ichiro's beloved Shiba Inu may be the only one who might complain about the July 23 trade that shipped his master to the Yankees in exchange for two Minor League pitchers. For a canine, Central Park and its taxi-clogged roadways are no match for the Seattle suburbs.
"He grew up with a lot of greens around and a lot of fields, and he could run around," Ichiro explains. "Now he's in a high-rise building with a lot of noise, so he has a lot of stress."
Otherwise, Ichiro has been thrilled by his first month with the Yanks, delivered into the heat of a pennant race after recognizing that he -- at age 38, and with dreams of winning a World Series -- no longer belonged on a Mariners club that needs to rebuild.
Ichiro has batted .302 with three home runs and 13 RBIs since the deal, including a two-homer game at Yankee Stadium, where the right-field porch is an inviting target for a player who practically trademarked the art of slashing the ball to left at spacious Safeco Field.
It was suggested that Ichiro might raise his game to his new surroundings, and after 29 games, that seems to be the case.
"Obviously you still have to keep your motivations high when you're on a team that's not contending," Ichiro said. "When you're on a team that's contending, it is definitely easier when all you need to do is prepare yourself. You're going to automatically be focused, because everyone is going after that common goal. You just prepare yourself and then the focus is always there."
As Ichiro speaks, he is multitasking: he's about halfway through a rigorous stretching routine on the carpet of the visiting clubhouse at Chicago's U.S. Cellular Field, contorting himself into various pretzel shapes in front of his locker.
This is every day for Ichiro, and a new audience has been introduced to the speedster's dedication to flexibility. His wild wardrobe choices have also become can't-miss theater for teammates.
Before a recent game, Ichiro arrived wearing jeans rolled to his ankles, a yellow-and-black-checked shirt with a silver 1960s tie, a red rubber belt and old-school Converse sneakers. His socks -- green, white and black stripes -- would not have looked out of place in a recreation of "The Wizard of Oz."
Marveling at the scene, outfielder Nick Swisher leans into a nearby microphone and offers in a raspy whisper, "Ichiro is my hero."
"Man, every time I look at that guy, he makes me smile," Swisher glowed later. "I don't know what it is. He's a star among stars in our locker room. I think it's a great fit for him, because he can be himself and he doesn't have to try to do anything else. He can just be him. He's such a true professional."
Of the suggestion that Ichiro can now just be one of the gang on a Cooperstown-bound roster, the 10-time All-Star and two-time American League Most Valuable Player Award winner strikes a note of modesty.
"I really can't say that I was a star in Seattle," Ichiro said. "People say that, and I'm happy and grateful for that. It's not like I'm a fan here, but I have a lot of interest in the guys that are stars here. It's really fun to be here. I really want to get to know what they do and how they do things. That part has really been fun for me."
The Yankees did their best to cool expectations after the trade, making it clear that they did not expect to be acquiring Ichiro circa 2004, when he led the Majors with a .374 batting average. With Brett Gardner out for the season, all the Yanks have asked Ichiro to do is approximate what they had hoped to get from Gardner. So far, he has.
"He's played extremely well," manager Joe Girardi said. "He's added the speed element, defense; hit some pretty big home runs. I think he fits well in our clubhouse. I think that the guys enjoy having him, and I think he enjoys being here."
That seems true. Before a recent game, Yankees captain Derek Jeter was dropping a bag off at his locker. Ichiro looked up with a smile from the carpet and said, in perfect English, "Hey, Sanderson, how you doing?"
Sanderson is Jeter's middle name, and it's not one that's often heard off the cuff. As evidenced by Jeter's wide grin, Ichiro can get away with it, a flash of the kinship developed by sharing all those All-Star Game clubhouses over the years.
"After the first few days, I realized that everybody is adults, and they're just very experienced guys," Ichiro said. "It made it easier for me and definitely less stressful."
Jeter said he knew from their in-game chats at second base that Ichiro had "a fun personality" and spoke English better than he'd let on, and the captain has also seen nothing but positives from Ichiro's production since the trade.
"Ichi has been swinging the bat," Jeter said. "Everybody knows how good of a hitter he is. I don't care what the scoreboard or statistics say. We've played against Ichiro enough. He's tough to pitch to."
Ichiro is a free agent after the season, which raises the chance that all of those No. 31 jerseys and T-shirts sold in recent weeks around Yankee Stadium may be out of date by the holiday shopping season.
Indeed, Ichiro can't say for sure where he'll be when next season begins, but that also isn't much of a concern right now. He's loving where he is right now.
"To be honest, I'm really not thinking about 2013," Ichiro said. "I've been given an opportunity here with the Yankees, and I'm going to give it all I have, all to the Yankees, and then go from there. Right now, I'm just really focused on this season and what I can do to help."


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Author: Audrey Coulthurst.
Pages: 400.
Published: Published November 22nd 2016 by Balzer + Bray.
Source: Edelweiss and publisher, thanks!
Betrothed since childhood to the prince of Mynaria, Princess Dennaleia has always known what her future holds. Her marriage will seal the alliance between Mynaria and her homeland, protecting her people from other hostile lands. But Denna has a secret. She possesses an Affinity for fire—a dangerous gift for the future queen of a kingdom where magic is forbidden. Now, Denna must learn the ways of her new home while trying to hide her growing magic. To make matters worse, she must learn to ride Mynaria's formidable warhorses before her coronation—and her teacher is the person who intimidates her most, the prickly and unconventional Princess Amaranthine (called Mare), sister of her betrothed.
When a shocking assassination leaves the kingdom reeling, Mare and Denna reluctantly join forces to search for the culprit. As the two work together, each discovers there's more to the other than she thought. Mare is surprised by Denna's intelligence and bravery, while Denna is drawn to Mare's independent streak. Soon their friendship is threatening to blossom into something more. But with dangerous conflict brewing that makes the alliance more important than ever, acting on their feelings could be deadly. Forced to choose between their duty and their hearts, Mare and Denna must find a way to save their kingdoms—and each other.
Dennaleia has been betrothed to prince of Mynaria, Thandilimon, ever since childhood. Her marriage will seal an alliance they need as protection from hostile lands, like Zumordan. The only thing that will make this marriage a little hard is the fact Denna has an Affinity for Fire - and she is going to be queen of a kingdom where magic is forbidden. Oh, and not to forget the fact she falls in love with Thandi's sister Amaranthine, called Mare.
This book probably has the most ridiculous names I've ever seen. They are so freaking long! I kept using the short versions (Denna, Mara and Thandi), because good luck with their true names. I understand the need to come up with original names, but after a while they all started to sound like gibberish in my head.
Thandi is the crown prince, future king and husband of Denna, but I feel like he hardly had any role in the story. He sometimes pops up to say a few words, before he disappears again. The story definitely focuses more on Denna and Mare. I get it, because the two of them fall in love, so they need more time together, but I don't think this was the right choice.
BUT, I definitely love the fact that two princesses fall in love with each other - and since the author decided to give Thandi hardly any role, there is no love-triangle. (Although we must not forget that Denna is practically cheating on Thandi, since they are officially betrothed) Denna doesn't even seem to give him a chance and spends all her time with Mare. They were sweet together, but also incredibly stupid. Let's just say that they are not the best in keeping their feelings/sort-of-relationship a secret from the outside world.
I think the author was trying to make Mare look like this rebellious, kick-ass girl, but instead she came across as childish and unnecessarily rude. I can't believe that someone who is 18 would ever act in such a way, especially a princess. I also don't believe for one second that the king wouldn't have given her away in marriage already. Denna is practically betrothed from the moment she was born, so why would Mare be any special? Until the moment where the two of them say they love each other, then suddenly the king decided he wants to ship Mare off. What a coincidence! Let's throw this in for some more drama.
Oh right, not to forget that there is also something going on to give the love story some plot. There are several assassin attempts, and one of them kills possibly the only character I absolutely loved, and Mare/Denna team up to find out who is behind it. For some reason, the king and his council decide that it has to be the Zumordan, without any prove, and they will not listen to reason. Very mature.
There are also some hints to magic. Denna is struggling with her powers, because her mother always forced her to keep it a secret. This leads to random outbursts and the discovery she doesn't only control fire. I liked this aspect, but it could have been explored more properly. I felt it got pushed away to make way for the romance and that is a shame.