text:
Sitting down this morning to discuss the school agenda for the week, I informed the kids of their assignments.
We began with highlights of the history assignments, going over geography and timelines. I explained that this week they will continue to study Ancient Greece, reminding them that they should take note of the prominent character of the times, such as Hippocrates, Pythagorus, Socrates, and Plato.
I made note that there wasn't a ton of reading (of the text) this week and told them they would need to "look up men on the internet."
To which the 13 year-old replied, "Uh, mom, don't you think that's a little inappropriate."
It's going to be a long week.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Parenting a Teenager: Can't Get Away With Anything
Sitting down this morning to discuss the school agenda for the week, I informed the kids of their assignments.
Posted by Unknown at 9:19 AM 4 comments Links to this post
Labels: homeschooling, parenting, teenagers
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Love and a Chicken Pot Pie
I love 'em.
Yesterday my dear friend, K2, celebrated her 29th birthday.
I am just glad she was willing to spend the day with me.
We dined on Homemade Chicken Pot Pie...which is where the title of this post comes in.
I was so excited to show it to you...
And then I forgot to take a picture.
We also had a wonderful salad that was delicious (thanks Becky!) and then we got down to the real reason we had gathered today.
This is the Yellow Cake with Double Chocolate Frosting from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook. And it's as good as 4 sticks of butter can be...really, really delish.
Oh it was rich, but the coffee (with a splash of Italian Sweet Creme) cut the sweetness perfectly.
Here we are, looking happy and sweet.
I love to decorate a table. Really love it, but I never know what the table will look like until the day I put it all together. Usually, 30 minutes before the party starts I am scrambling around the house trying to find ways to make the table look pretty. Very, very rarely is it pre-planned.
Late Thursday night I decided we needed a festive birthday banner so I cut scrapbook paper into triangles and sewed them into some double-sided binding. I just zipped them through my sewing machine...didn't use pins or nothin'.
If that isn't living-on-the-edge, I don't know what is.
The Girl was recruited in some paper-flower making while I threw some scrap fabric on the table. A banner, some tulle, some candles and flowers and, voila! A decorated table.
The Girl wanted to sprinkle fine glitter all over the table, but I axed that idea, as good as it was.
Sometimes there really can be too much of a good thing. Plus glitter is tough to get out of the carpet.
So it was a fun little soirée. Looking forward to doing it again soon!
Posted by Unknown at 10:09 AM 5 comments Links to this post
Labels: baking, birthdays, friends, things I love
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Thinky Thursday
The kids are still asleep and the house is wonderfully quiet.
Last night was family night. We got pulverized by The Boy in Scrabble.
Which is ironic, since he can't spell to save his life...he can read at an amazingly hight level, but spelling? Not so much.
But somehow, in that charming way he has, he won the Scrabble game last night.
It was exhausting.
The Girl was, at first, excited about Scrabble, since she can spell - often words she has never even heard before - she was lamenting our vote over Rummikub. A game in which she rarely loses.
Anyway, we were up a little later than expected...
So, here we are...
I'm sipping coffee, and they get to sleep in.
Its' a win-win if I ever knew one.
Honestly, I'm feeling a little think-y this Thursday morning. All
Been meditating over Hebrews 13:5 -
I know it was Providence that I have been thinking on this verse. Truth is, I've been feeling a little fearful myself.
OK, a lot fearful.
Its not any one-thing that has got me scared, but a culmination of things. This new year has been wrought with issues and situations that have been out of my control. Even when I tried desperately to control them.
Some little things...some big.
Some not even rational fears.
But God is in them all.
How do I know?
Because "God has assured us...
I am at a loss of words this morning to express my heart in a way that is concise. So I will leave you with these words from Spurgeon's Morning and Evening Devotional:
Be thou bold to believe, for he hath said, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."In this promise, God gives to his people everything. "I will never leave thee." Then no attribute of God can cease to be engaged for us. Is he mighty? He will show himself strong on the behalf of them that trust him. Is he love? Then with lovingkindness will he have mercy upon us. Whatever attributes may compose the character of Deity, every one of them to its fullest extent shall be engaged on our side. To put everything in one, there is nothing you can want, there is nothing you can ask for, there is nothing you can need in time or in eternity, there is nothing living, nothing dying, there is nothing in this world, nothing in the next world, there is nothing now, nothing at the resurrection-morning, nothing in heaven which is not contained in this text—"I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Morning, February 23)The things I worry about - situations that make me fearful; the people I love; the friends I cherish; the children I raise; the man I married; the mountains I climb; the storms I must weather...will not be tended to alone.
God will not leave us.
Nor me.
Nor you.
He will not leave.
That is a comfort to me on this thinky Thursday morning. I hope to you too....
Posted by Unknown at 9:11 AM 5 comments Links to this post
Labels: thinking it through
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Ten Things That Make Me Smile
1. Kitty trays given and used with love.
My friend Alison received this many years ago as a wedding gift. She loves it, and uses it, and giggles over it.
Her guests do too.
2. Cozies...with a Zed... that find their new homes.
3. Friends who pray when asked.
4. Preteen girls, who still holds her daddy's hand.
5. Teenage boys who still climb trees.
6. Birthday's and babies...
7. ...and project's in between.
8. My messy recipe box...with treasures from friends far and near.
9. Corn Bread Cake - baked and ready for company tonight (it will be hard not to cut into it)
10. A Texas Dinner Party - tonight we are having dinner with an older couple we have never met with face-to-face...so I'm rolling out the big guns with some Texas Style Brisket, Corn Bread Cake, Salad, and Green Beans... with Berry Cobbler for dessert.
Makes me miss the Lone Star State - (shout out to all my Texas peeps! I miss you!)
Posted by Unknown at 12:42 PM 4 comments Links to this post
Labels: Silly Things I Do
Friday, February 18, 2011
Paper Flowers: A Lesson from my Nana
One of my favorite memories of her was during the time of my 15th birthday.
I had the privilege to celebrate my fifteenth year with a Quincenera.
This is a big celebration in the life a young Latina girl, and its a big deal.
My color theme was yellow. Its my mom's favorite color, and it was perfect for a fall September day in Southern Arizona.
I don't remember the details, but I do remember my Nana coming to the house with tissue paper and white chenille stems (aka - pipe cleaners.)
I remember sitting at our large dining room table and putting our hands to work.
We made a plethora of paper flowers that day, her and I.
I've been making these flowers ever since.
Twenty-three years later the tradition continues...
Grab some supplies and join me around my big (cyber) table...there's plenty of room here...
How to make a Tissue Paper Flowers
Supplies needed:
Tissue paper
Pipe Cleaner (or if you are completely out of pipe cleaners, steal a twisty-tie from the loaf of bread in an act of desperation.)
Tape (to affix to present, optional)
Take several pieces of tissues paper, and stack them on top of each other. It doesn't matter what size...bigger for large flowers, small for petite flowers. (I used three pieces of a large rectangle and cut them in quarters)
My flower started with a 12 layer stack.
Fold your paper accordion style, starting from the longest side.
Use your twisty-tie, or chenille stem, and place it in the middle.
Fold the sides up toward the middle just a bit.
I did a little wave, which will make my flower look a little peony-esque.
Soon it will look like this...
Stick some tape onto the bottom and stick it to a present, or ti anything you want to add some happiness too.
Below is a picture of my Nana, who was probably not much older than I was when she taught me to make these flowers.
For these things, I will always be grateful.
Posted by Unknown at 9:52 AM 6 comments Links to this post
Labels: crafts, flowers, things I like
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Baiting Spring
Several of you asked about what I am doing to prepare my garden for the spring.
It isn't much, but it makes me feel better...like I am doing my part to bring on the spring.
Basically, I stirred up the soil and gave it some fertilizer. Then I covered it with some plastic, and put the windows over it - its my attempt at a little green-house effect.
I'm doing this in part because I want the heat of the sun to bake the moist soil a bit. I also have some hay from last year's garden that I am hoping will break down a bit.
(Last year I did Hay-bale gardening...which I enjoyed but decided not to to this year (I'll post more about that next week.)
The Mister built me another raised-bed to place where last years hay-bales went.
I'll keep them all covered for at least 4 weeks, then I'll turn the soil and fertilize one more time and cover and let rest...that's always the hard part for me.
Hopefully in six weeks time, I'll be planting seedlings and watching my garden grow.
Until then, I followed the advice of my friend The Seasoned Sister, and bought an Amaryllis bulb and some other kind of flower whose package said, "grows quickly" and "suitable for containers". What I really wanted was a Narcissus called a Paper White (also on recommendation of the SS, because they grow fast!) but I went to three different places and was denied...so i just went with what I could find.
So far....this is what I got.
Its' been four days.
And I check on them several times a day like a newborn.
OCD much?
Nah. Not me.
Posted by Unknown at 9:10 AM 9 comments Links to this post
Labels: gardening
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Random Thoughts from Kellie's Brain: Ancient History
In 20 minutes I'm going to be teaching on Ancient Greece to a handful of bright grammar students.
I really should have listened to Mrs. Rod when I she taught on Ancient History in the eighth grade.
I know she taught us all about the war of Marathon and about a guy named Xerxes; I am sure we read about conflict between the Greeks and Persians, but for the life of me, I cannot remember.
So, I'm learning all over again.
What I DO remember is going to retreat many, many years ago when my kids were babies. The speaker was the wife of a professor from Dallas Seminary. She had been married for many decades and was enjoying the retired years.
I have no idea what her theme was that weekend but I remember two things: That in her house, when she was raising kids and set boundaries that were of the utmost of importance, she told them they were bound by the "Law of the Medes and Persians," which meant that that rule could not, under any circumstances, be broken. Or else.
After studying ancient history this week, I finally I understand what she was talking about.
The second thing I took home from that weekend is probably the BEST piece of marital advice I have ever received: Feed your man.
She said that if you ever needed to tell him something important, or ask for something, or generally need him to be attentive...the best way to do that was to make sure his belly was full.
She was absolutely right.
That bit of advice will never be ancient history.
And that is this months installment of Random Thoughts from Kellie's Brain.
Posted by Unknown at 2:31 PM 1 comments Links to this post
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Several years ago The Mister and I were given an entertainment center from some friends.
It was a beautiful oak piece that we enjoyed (and I used as in my office to hold fabric and craft supplies) but eventually I grew tired of its bulk.
Being the supportive and generous wife I told him he could ''do whatever he wanted with it, as long as he kept in his garage.''
Little did I know that he would turn that entertainment center into this:
Our new shoe-holder that sits in the foyer. It opens into three different compartments - one for each of the kids and myself. He built a separate shoe box that sits near the back door for his shoes.
Isn't it amazing?
I don't know how in the world he got this to all fit together so tightly with all the detail and trim.
I'm proud of him.
Many years ago he said he had always wanted to work with wood. To make things for our home and to be part of some creative process. Of course he has always been busy bringing home the bacon, but back then our kiddos were young and it was harder to invest time in the creative side of our lives.
(For you with young children: there WILL be time for creativeness again, I promise!)
Its been so fun to see him build his skills as a wood-worker...to fulfill a longing for creativeness that he has always wanted to pursue.
He doesn't know it yet, but soon he'll be building a new coffee table for our family room.
This weekend I was showing him how I was using the old windowpanes from our house to cover the garden beds after turning the soil.
He casually said, "You know, you could make a small green house using those windows."
Of course, he and I both know that that 'you' really meant 'him.'
I'll be adding that to the list.
Posted by Unknown at 1:27 PM 10 comments Links to this post
Labels: The Mister
Monday, February 14, 2011
A Love Blessing for You
Posted by Unknown at 11:33 AM 8 comments Links to this post
Labels: things I love, valentines day
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Ruffly Return
Although I spent most of the week pining away for warmer weather and trying to get my groove back after being in Arizona, I did manage to get some work done.
Meet Ruffly #2.
Ruffly # 1 was debuted here.
This sweet scarf, we'll call her Heather (since that's the color given on the yarn package: Heather Grey) isn't going to stay here. She's spoken for, and will be going to her new home tomorrow...
But, no one will love her as much as me.
Posted by Unknown at 9:47 AM 5 comments Links to this post
Labels: crochet, Silly Things I Do
Friday, February 11, 2011
The Mercy of Winter
This week has been an interesting blend of catch-up and slow-down.
I think I felt a little bit of Spring fever this week.
I'm ready for some warm weather...
To get my hands out of the yarn...
... and into the earth.
I bought cucumbers and tomatoes this week at the store and longed to just pluck them from my garden.
I found myself looking for signs in the yard that spring is coming...
Where are the daffodils?
The Camellia?
I know its only the 11th of February... but it's that time of year when I long to see an end to cold. I want to feast my senses on the sights, sounds, smells and tangible hopes that come from the thawing of the earth.
Right now, in this resting time, when things are held back in sleep, I must choose to see the Mercy in winter... must plan to remember that... God set the boundaries of the earth, and made both summer and winter. (Psalm 74:17, emphasis mine), for His purpose and glory.
Currently, its 19 degrees outside. Outside my window it looks like this:
But what rests beneath the dull-brown, seemingly life-less, branches is this:
In the fullness of His grace, we cannot have one without the other.
There is Mercy in winter... so I'll thrown on another scarf, a hat, some mittens...
... and patiently wait for spring.
Posted by Unknown at 9:14 AM 8 comments Links to this post
Labels: not-quite spring, not-so random thoughts from kellie's brain
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Veggie Straw Monster
I'll admit it... At first I was skeptical.
I had seen these Sensible Portion Veggie Straws, and assumed they were a fad-snack meant to make vegetables palatable for those who don't like them.
Today I do believe I could be classified as an official Veggie Straw Monster, made worse by the finding of a companion snack of the sweet kind.
Last summer, while having snacks at the pool, my friend Elisa, whipped out a bag of Veggie Straws and offered me some.
I had seen these before, but thought they were some kind of foodie trend. I mean, I actually like veggies, but come on, Veggie Straws? The name just turned me off.
However, being of the snack-y kind, (and not wanting to be rude), I did what any good eater would do: I tried them anyway.
And was immediately hooked.
As a matter of fact, I kept reaching for more, and soon had to remove myself from the picnic bench for fear of embarrassing myself. After-all, my kids were off swimming so I couldn't even blame the near-empty bag on them.
I've pretty much kept a bag in my cupboard ever since.
Don't get me wrong. I know this is a snack food, not meant to be eaten as a vegetable replacement. I highly doubt they would even count as a veggie serving, but they're tasty...very tasty.
Its a sickness, my enjoyment of the Veggie Straws...they are light and crunchy, and potato-y...its like eating lightly salted air. It's replaced microwave popcorn, because you don't have to wait 3.5 minutes for it to cook.
But now, its ten-times worse.
Two days ago I was in my favorite buy-in-bulk-warehouse store and I spotted a new product by the makers of Veggie Straws: Apple Straws.
Seriously, its like eating a crunchy, lightly-sweet apple pie, but without all that unpalatable cooked fruit.
Sensible portions? I don't think so.
Don't let that modest handful of veggie straw trick you in the picture above (for heaven's sake, look at the size of that sandwich.) I ate one or fifty before the camera starting rolling.
So tell me...what is your favorite snack these days?
Posted by Unknown at 9:32 AM 8 comments Links to this post
Labels: Silly Things I Do, things I like
Wednesday, February 09, 2011
Crochet Teapot Cozy Tutorial
Crochet is not an exact science.
At least its not for me.
Yes, there are times when you need to have your count just right, but as my niece (and crochet extraordinaire) says: Crochet is very forgiving.
It's true.
With that said, this is the first time I have ever come up with a pattern... and shared it.
Of course, this wasn't my idea at all...I was inspired by this post (which is a knit pattern) on Crochet With Raymond.
Its the story of my life really: I'm not a visionary, just a copy-cat with skillz.
So here we go.
Base Rows
I used a worsted weight acrylic (and a little bit of 100% cotton on flowers, also worsted) for the entire project.
I also used a size H (5.0mm) hook for the Teapot cozy.
Hooks for the flowers vary according to the patterns (links below). When not specified I used an F.
Beginning the Cozy:
With the color you want for the cozy, chain as many chains as needed (in multiples of two) for the base circumference - this measurement should be generous (meaning not snug.) You don't want it too tight.
For my pot I used 62 chains.
Add two more chains.
This is where the exact science comes in....
It doesn't matter how many chains your circumference is as long as it is an even number. So if you have an odd number of chains round up to the next even number, then (+2).
At this point you can, ever so carefully, joins your ends together (being careful not to twist it) with a slip stitch. Thus begins crocheting in the round.
OR, you can do what I did : Chain 62 + 2 more. Turn.
Chain one, *single crochet in the next stitch* Repeat * to end.
You should have your original number of stitches (i.e., 62 stitches + 2 stitches)
Then I go ahead and join the ends together using a slip stitch (in the first chain) as you would crocheting in the round.
All right. Are you with me?
First Rounds:
At this point you should have your starting chain (row 1), and a row of single crochet (row 2) with enough stitches to circle (loosely) the bottom of your pot; in a chain number divisible by two! And you've brought them together in a happy little circle.
Round 3 - chain 1, sc in the same stitch, sc in every stitch, sl to join.
Round 4 - ? - continue Round 3 until you're rounds reach the height of the bottom of your spout and handle... unfortunately I didn't photo this part but you can sorta see it in the next picture down and the bottom!
For my pot this was about 4 rounds. (Also my spout and handle were at about the same same hight...if yours isn't, go out quick and get another pot!)
When you get your rounds to the correct hight, then you are ready for the start of rows again.
Cozy Side Rows:
This is when you need to remember what your original chain set was!
Mine was original chain 62 + 2 (i promise that +2 is important!) When you do this row you are only going to do half of the original chain)
Row 1 - chain 1, sc in to the same stitch, sc in next (i.e., 31) stitches across, chain 1, turn.
Row 2 - (?) *sc in next 31 stitches, ch 1, turn*, Repeat * until the height reaches the top of your spout and handle.
For my pot this was about 12 rows.
Once you are satisfied with the hight, you need to get the other side done. I just did a slip stitch down the side, like this:
I wish is could tell you how many. I don't know. Just enough to get down to the base of my cozy.
This is where one of those extra stitches (+2) comes in...
Slip stitch into the next chain on the base row. (this will create a little space for the handle and spout to peek through)
Sc crochet in the next 31 stitches.
Repeat Row 1 and Row 2 for 2nd side.
Once you you are happy that both side are of the same hight and it fits your pot the way you like, its time to join 'em up and head to the next....
Second (decreasing) Rounds (top of Cozy)
Round 1 - slip stitch sides together, sc in the same stitch, sc all the way around, closing the other side up with a sc, and continue on.
(next rounds all decrease)
Round 2 - - ch 1, *single crochet in the next 6 chains, single decrease in the next two*. Repeat between * til end.
Round 3 - ch 1, Single crochet in the next 4 chains, * single decrease in the next two*. Repeat * til end.
Round 4 - (?) Keep on keeping on...this is really when I was just ready to be finished and began decreasing about every two stitches, and then every other stitch and then every stitch until the end. Because teapots will vary, you will have to decide how much decrease needs to be done and when...no worries if this part looks a little wonky, because flowers cover a multitude of sins.
Finish off. And weave in ends.
I did do a simple edge on the bottom of the cozy for whimsical looks and fun...
Attach to any stitch in base with a chain one, single crochet into next stitch, *3 sc crochet into the next stitch, sl into to next chain*. Repeat * til end. Finish off. ad Weave in ends.
Make your flowers (my FAVORITE!):
Here are the link to these flowers starting with the middle and then going clockwise:
Middle: Daffodil
Dark Blue Flower/ yellow middle - I made this one up as I went along, but here is a great tutorial on a flower like this one.
Orange/red middle - supposed to be a daisy, but I made a mistake and had to improvise...here's what it's supposed to look like.
Purple Orchid
Red rose
Strawberry Blossoms
Zinnias (Blue and purple) - purple didn't make the cut...
Not pictured, but so very important... Lily of the Valley
My leaves were all a variation on this tutorial I found nearly a year ago...once you get the the basic done you can go WILD and make leaves of all sizes and width!
Leave a long finishing tail on all flowers and leaves.
Once I had all flowers and leaves finished, I pinned the leaves where they told me they should go:
Then I sort of placed the flowers on top to see if the leaves fit.
Then I used the long finishing tails to sew all the leaves and flowers into place with a darning needle.
And soon it looked like this....
And the other side....
And her she is with her sister...
I'm no professional...it's taken me nearly 3 hours to write this thing out...so I am sure its got some holes in it.
If you have any questions feel free to leave them in the comments and i'll do my best to clarify...
Until then, go forth, and make your teapots beautiful!
Posted by Unknown at 3:40 PM 8 comments Links to this post
Labels: crochet, free pattern, teapot cozy, tutorial, yarn


text:
A while back I reviewed Stephen Bodio's haunting eulogy to Betsy Huntingdon and pion to New Mexico 'Querencia'. HERE. So I was delighted when a very nice lady wrote to me to say that I was on the review list for Steve's latest work 'An Eternity of Eagles' .
I first came across SB a few years ago when he started to comment on some other blogs, I started to read his blog, and in conversation another blogger (who I had just complemented on his writing) said
"but we all wish we could write like Steve B". As Steve's blog was largely notes to friends and in-jokes I searched for some more of his writing, found this piece about a trip to the Steppes to hunt with Egales and Kazakh tribesmen, and was hooked. Steve's other works have included highly rated studies of fine shotguns, Pigeons and Long Dogs.
The 'An Eternity of Eagles' is quite different to the works I've read so far, it could be thought of as a tour not of some far-flung lands but of a library collected during many many years as a student of Falconry. It lands pretty squarely between scholarly tome and coffe table book, and is none the worse for doing so. For the casual reader there is a touch more detail than they might be expecting and for the budding Raptor obsessive a tantalising glimpse of where future reading could take you.
"There is so much brute wisdom, sophisticated science, blood magic, and flat out terrific prose in Stephen Bodio's writing that he makes me think of Merlin, educating Arthur by turning him into other animals for a while. An Eternity of Eagles is worthy of its great subject, which is not only eagles but the earthbound mortals who marvel at them."
—Jonathan Rosen, author of The Life of the Skies: Birding at the End of Nature
I was going to type up a few choice examples from the book; or try to give you a compressed version of the chronology of our ancient relationship with these fascinating birds, the evolution of the practices of training and hunting with them, and their roles as totems in so many disparate cultures. But instead I'll make you this offer. Buy the book, if you've read it and dont like it, I'll buy your copy off you and give it to someone who will appreciate it.
More Soon

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Are you in the United States?
Visit our U.S.A. & International site for relevant pricing, distribution and product availability information.Go to StarTech.com
DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter - 4K 60Hz
Connect your DP computer to an HDMI display using this converter, which supports UHD resolutions up to 4K at 60Hz
Product ID: DP2HD4K60S
- Astonishing picture quality with support for UHD 4K resolution at 60Hz
- Maximum portability with a compact, lightweight design
- Hassle-free setup with an active DisplayPort conversion
- No power adapter required
- Plug-and-play installation
- Supports HDMI 2.0 displays
This DisplayPort to HDMI® adapter lets you output HDMI video and audio from a DP device, with support for Ultra HD 4K at 60Hz.
Astonishing picture quality with support for Ultra HD 4K at 60 Hz
The adapter lets you harness the video capabilities that are built into your DisplayPort connection, to deliver the astonishing quality of UHD to your 4K 60Hz display. This makes it easier for you to multitask while using multiple monitors to work on resource-demanding applications.
Unlike many 4K DisplayPort to HDMI adapters that only support a 30Hz refresh rate, this adapter works with HDMI 2.0 displays that can deliver output resolutions of up to 3840 x 2160p at 60Hz. Support for HDMI 2.0 means this adapter can support bandwidth up to 18Gbps, making it the ideal solution for performing high-resolution tasks such as editing 4K video.
The adapter is backward compatible with 1080p displays, which ensures that it will work with lower resolution displays such as TVs or projectors around your home or office.
Ultimate portability with a compact, lightweight design
The compact video adapter is highly portable and lightweight. It's the perfect accessory for your portable DP devices, fitting easily into your laptop bag or carrying case.
The portable adapter is a convenient addition when deploying company computers because it enables your employees to interface with BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) HDMI applications around the office, such as working at a hot-desk with an HDMI display or sharing your laptop's screen on a boardroom projector.
Hassle-free setup with an active adapter that features plug-and-play installation
To ensure compatibility with any DisplayPort output, the DP adapter offers active conversion. Active video conversion is required to maintain 4K resolutions when converting DisplayPort to HDMI. An active DP adapter is ideal for outputting 1080p resolutions because it will work with graphics cards that can't output multimode DP++ signals, such as ATI Eyefinity™ cards.
For a hassle-free setup, the DisplayPort to HDMI adapter allows for plug-and-play installation without any additional software or drivers.
Note: To achieve 4K resolution at 60 Hz, a DisplayPort 1.2 output and an HDMI 2.0 display are required.
The DP2HD4K60S is backed by a 3-year StarTech.com warranty and free lifetime technical support.
- Connect your 4K 60Hz HDMI display to a DisplayPort output port
- Deploy this adapter with company laptops to ensure your employees can interface with BYOD displays around the office
- Use an HDMI display as a secondary monitor for your DisplayPort computer
Product Numbers
Ingram Micro Colombia
UPC Code
Technical Specifications
|Warranty Information
|3 Years
|Active or Passive Adapter
|Adapter Style
|AV Input
|DisplayPort - 1.4
|AV Output
|Chipset ID
|Parade - PS176
|Industry Standards
|DPCP (DisplayPort Content Protection)
HDCP 2.2 (High Definition Content Protection)
DisplayPort 1.2
|Audio Specifications
|HDMI - 32 Channel Audio
|Maximum Cable Distance To Display
|23 ft [7 m]
|Maximum Digital Resolutions
|4K x 2K @ 60 Hz
|Supported Resolutions
|4k x 2K (Ultra HD) @ 60 Hz
1920x1080 (1080p)
1280x720 (720p)
|Wide Screen Supported
|Connector A
|1 - DisplayPort (20 pin) Male Input
|Connector B
|1 - HDMI (19 pin) Female Output
|Special Notes / Requirements
|This video adapter is not compatible with cables that use RedMere™ technology.
|-25°C to 85°C (77°F to 185°F) at 80% - 95%
|Operating Temperature
|5°C to 35°C (41°F to 95°F)
|Storage Temperature
|-25°C to 70°C (13°F to 149°F)
|Physical Characteristics
|Cable Length
|4.2 in [10.8 cm]
|Product Height
|0.4 in [1 cm]
|Product Length
|8.5 in [21.5 cm]
|Product Width
|7.7 in [19.5 cm]
|Weight of Product
|0.8 oz [24 g]
|Packaging Information
|Package Height
|0.6 in [14 mm]
|Package Length
|8.7 in [22 cm]
|Package Width
|7.9 in [20 cm]
|Shipping (Package) Weight
|1.2 oz [33 g]
|What's in the Box
|Included in Package
|1 - DisplayPort to HDMI adapter
Related Products
Mini DisplayPort to HDMI 4K Audio / Video Converter – mDP 1.2 to HDMI Active Adapter for UltraBook / Laptop – 4K @ 30 Hz - Black
Connect an HDMI® Display to a Mini DisplayPort® video source
Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter - 4K 60Hz
Connect your mDP computer to an HDMI display using this converter, which supports UHD resolutions up to 4K at 60Hz
Premium High Speed HDMI Cable with Ethernet - 4K 60Hz - 1 m (3 ft.)
Create feature-rich HDMI connections that are certified to be error-free
Premium High Speed HDMI Cable with Ethernet - 4K 60Hz - 2 m (6 ft.)
Create feature-rich HDMI connections that are certified to be error-free
Premium High Speed HDMI Cable with Ethernet - 4K 60Hz - 3 m (10 ft.)
Create feature-rich HDMI connections that are certified to be error-free
Product Support
Data Sheets
Frequently Asked Questions
Before You Buy
Unfortunately no, this device has an intended source and an intended destination. Refer to the title of the webpage for this order.
If you need to use a video extender with a video adapter or converter, you should position the adapter or converter as close to the video source as possible. For example, if you need to take a VGA signal from a computer and send it 200 feet to an HDMI® projector, you should convert the signal from VGA to HDMI and use an HDMI extender.
Note: For more information on when to use cables or extenders, see the following FAQ: http://www.startech.com/faq/video_signal_converters_when_to_convert.
HDMI 2.0 offers some new features that were not available with the HDMI 1.4 standard, including the following:
- 4K resolution (4096x2160) at 60 Hz
- 21:9 aspect ratio support
- Four audio streams
- High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) version 2.2
Although HDMI 2.0 is backwards compatible with older HDMI standards, newer HDMI devices need to support HDCP 2.2 in order to display new content. If you use an HDMI device that only supports HDCP 2.0, an error will be displayed when you try to display content that has HDCP 2.2.
This device is plug and play. It does not use any drivers, and does not require any setup tasks other than plugging in the source (for example, a computer) and the destination (for example, a monitor).
How to
To arrange extended displays on Windows 10, complete the following.
- Press the Windows key+R, type desk.cpl, and press Enter.
- Under the 'Multiple Displays' selection, select 'Extend Desktop To This Display.'
- Press 'Identify' to determine what number each display is assigned to.
- Drag and drop each display accordingly to the physical layout on your desk.
- Click the Apply button.
To arrange extended displays on macOS, complete the following.
- Navigate to the Apple Menu > System Preferences, click Displays, then click Arrangement.
- Make sure that the 'Mirror Displays' checkbox is not selected.
- Click on each display to determine what number each display is assigned to.
- Drag and drop each display accordingly to the physical layout on your desk.
Check that the device is not being used in reverse.
The display does not support the resolution set within Display Settings. Adjust the resolution to be the exact resolution and refresh rate recommended by the display manufacturer.
When you troubleshoot issues with a video adapter, there are some quick tests that you can complete to rule out potential problems. You can test to make sure that the following components are working correctly and are not the source of the issue:
Video cables
Video adapter
Video source (such as a DVD player or computer)
Video destination (such as a monitor or projector)
To test your setup components, try the following:
Use the cable, video adapter, video source, and video destination in another setup to see if the problem is with the components or the setup.
Use a different cable, video adapter, video source, and video destination in your setup to see if the problem persists. Ideally, you should test a component that you know works in another setup.
When you test your cables, it is recommended that you do the following:
Test each cable individually.
Use short cables when you are testing.
When you test the video source and video destination, it is recommended that you do the following:
Remove the video adapter from your setup and test to make sure that the video source and video destination work together without the video adapter.
Test to make sure that the video source and video destination work together at the resolution that you want to use.
Note: In order for your setup to work properly, the video source, adapter, and destination all need to support the resolution that you are using.
Common Issues
Using the On-Screen Display menu for the display, enter the Menu system and go into "Picture Mode" then "Aspect ratio" and change from "16:9" to "Just scan" or "1:1 pixel mapping." The wording may vary depending on the manufacturer of the display.
Compliance and Safety
Compliance Letters
Safety Measures
- If product has an exposed circuit board, do not touch the product under power.
- If Class 1 Laser Product. Laser radiation is present when the system is open.
- Wiring terminations should not be made with the product and/or electric lines under power.
- Product installation and/or mounting should be completed by a certified professional as per the local safety and building code guidelines.
- Cables (including power and charging cables) should be placed and routed to avoid creating electric, tripping or safety hazards.
* Product appearance and specifications are subject to change without notice.


text:
|Welcome to Topaz Jordyn's World
You must be 18yrs or older to view this site
*By clicking below, you are acknowledging you are 18yrs or older*
Click here to enter: Topaz Jordyn's world of fantasy
|Author Topaz Jordyn
Topaz Jordyn Updates
Tanar's Forbidden Love (CVS)
Publisher: Secret Cravings Publishing
Look for Tanar's Forbidden Love
Dream Lover with new cover,
and new scenes. Available now for purchase.
Click here to purchase.
If you are 18yrs or older. Please come on in get comfortable, and stay awhile. Read
an excerpt or two. Check out the reviews, or send me a message. Don't forget to
join my yahoo group. You can take a peek at the giveaways page to see what
goodies are there. I am so glad you stopped by. Be sure to step into my spot for
updates. Thanks for your continued support.
Topaz Jordyn
|Check out Dream Lover in reprint!
Click here to purchase
Check out Dream Lover Book Trailer on excerpt page
|Dream Lover
CVS Series
Book 1
Reprint August 2011
Publisher: Secret Cravings
|Tanar's Forbidden
CVS Series
Book 2
Book Release: 2011
Publisher: Secret Cravings


text:
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea vowed Tuesday to cancel the 1953 cease-fire that ended the Korean War, citing a U.S.-led push for punishing U.N. sanctions over its recent nuclear test and ongoing U.S.-South Korean joint military drills.
Without elaborating, the Korean People's Army Supreme Command warned of "surgical strikes" meant to unify the divided Korean Peninsula and of an indigenous, "precision nuclear striking tool." The statement came amid reports that Washington and North Korean ally Beijing have approved a draft of a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for sanctions in response to North Korea's Feb. 12 nuclear test. The draft is expected to be circulated at the U.N. this week.
Heated military rhetoric is common from North Korea when tensions rise on the Korean Peninsula and during U.S.-South Korean war games, but this latest statement is unusually specific. It threatens to block a communications line between North Korea and the United States at the border village separating the two Koreas, and to nullify the 60-year-old Korean War armistice agreement on March 11, when two weeks of U.S.-South Korean military drills will draw 10,000 South Korean and 3,500 U.S. forces. An earlier round of drills between the allies began earlier this month.
Pyongyang's recent nuclear test and rocket launches, and the subsequent call for U.N. punishment, have increased already high animosity between the North and Washington and Seoul.
The United States and others worry that North Korea's third nuclear test takes it a big step closer toward its goal of having nuclear-armed missiles that can reach America, and condemn its nuclear and missile efforts as threats to regional security and a drain on the resources that could go to North Korea's largely destitute people.
North Korea says its nuclear program is a response to U.S. hostility that dates back to the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty, leaving the Korean Peninsula still technically in a state of war.
Even amid the tension, however, North Korea has welcomed high-profile American visitors, including former basketball star Dennis Rodman, known for his piercings and tattoos as much as his Hall of Fame career with the Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls.
Rodman met the North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, called him an "awesome guy" and said Kim wanted President Barack Obama to call him. The trip was criticized for giving the authoritarian leader a propaganda boost, but Rodman suggested "basketball diplomacy" could warm relations. Google's executive chairman, Eric Schmidt, made a four-day trip in January, but did not meet Kim.
North Korean propaganda regularly cites decades-old, Cold War-era American threats as the reason for its nuclear efforts and holds that the North remains at risk of an unprovoked nuclear attack. Washington and others say brinksmanship is the North's true motive for the nuclear push.
The North's statement called U.S.-South Korean military drills a "dangerous nuclear war targeted at us."
"We aim to launch surgical strikes at any time and any target without being bounded by the armistice accord and advance our long-cherished wish for national unification," the statement said.
Associated Press writer Hyung-jin Kim contributed to this report.


text:
Rank Info
The Average Score for this picture is: 4.43
This picture has been rated : 7 times.
The Average Score for this category is: 5.91
More Info
State: Connecticut
Country: United States
Description: 55G
Advice: check fish everyday.
Fish Kept: puffers
Corals/Plants: none
Tank Size: 75 gallons
Cultivating a thriving reef tank can be a challenge with all of the requirements you must meet.
Trends in the aquarium trade have an effect on more than just aquarium hobbyists -- they can affect the whole world.
The pet trade gets a bad rap for exploiting wild animals but sometimes the opposite is true.


text:
A pastor who got his start in Cortez plans to start a ministry in Honduras.
Andy Smith and his wife, Jennifer, grew up in Cortez, and when Andy was a junior in high school, God intervened in his life. After that his goals changed radically, and he became the youth pastor at the First Assembly of God. He was also the children's pastor at Evangel Assembly of God.
Now, the two are preparing to go to Honduras to work for Latin American Child Care to help manage 14 missionary schools in the country, Andy Smith said.
The poorest families in Honduras face major challenges as the country struggles with the drug trade. Smith hopes to start after-school programs that would help keep young girls from being sexually abused; and boys, some as young as 10, from being recruited to gangs, he said.
Currently, the schools employ native Hondurans to teach in the schools, and the students are sponsored by donors. The schools have been in place for 50 years, and many alumni come back to teach and sponsor other students.
The Smiths have sons ages 13, 10 and 7.
Andy said he received his call to ministry while traveling to Latin America on shorter mission trips. "Every time I would go, I felt like God was telling me that's where our lives were heading," he said.
The two will spend a year in language school. They also have to raise $45,000 to cover expenses. To learn more, visit smithmissions.net.


text:
This is the original variety of the breed. The Schnauzer has been known in Germany from at least the 14th Century and a painting by Rembrandt features a Schnauzer owned by German artist Albrecht Dürer.
The word Schnauzer translates as 'whiskered snout' which describes the harsh coat, bristly whiskers and beard of the breed. It was originally called the Wirehaired Pinscher but the title of Schnauzer was adopted after the name of the dog which won the first 'breed' class for Wirehaired Pinschers in 1879.
The breed was developed as a vermin killer but proved its versatility by herding livestock and was also used for pulling small carts.
This group consists of miscellaneous breeds of dog mainly of a non-sporting origin, including the Bulldog, Dalmatian, Akita and Poodle.
The name 'Utility' essentially means fitness for a purpose and this group consists of an extremely mixed and varied bunch, most breeds having been selectively bred to perform a specific function not included in the sporting and working categories. Some of the breeds listed in the group are the oldest documented breeds of dog in the world.
Copyright © The Kennel Club Limited 2020. The unauthorised reproduction of text and images is strictly prohibited.


text:
If You Have Chronic Pain, Make These Changes To Your Diet — STAT
As a health coach, I see the concept of food as medicine in action every single day—especially when it comes to chronic pain. If you've been living with pain, I'd encourage you to consider that the foods you put into your body are just as important in managing your pain as what type of medications you may take. It's true that we can change our body chemistry every time we eat.
When approaching pain management from a nutrition perspective, you don't have to be a doctor or pharmacist to know what to do for yourself. You can take your health into your own hands by discovering what foods or supplements do and don't support your health and modify your behavior accordingly to reduce pain.
Dietary changes for chronic pain.
Inflammation is a natural process in the body that defends against disease; however, chronic inflammation can lead to heart disease, strokes, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and even depression. Knowing this, it comes as no surprise that an anti-inflammatory diet is often considered an integrative approach to pain management—along with exercise, stress management, and alternative therapies like acupuncture.
You can find information about the anti-inflammatory diet in numerous books and websites—including mbg's Functional Nutrition Program—but in general, it involves avoiding all processed foods and meats and increasing nutrient-dense plant-based foods. The idea is to replace sugary, refined foods with whole, nutrient-rich foods. The specifics of the diet will vary depending on the severity of your pain and your overall health, but in its strictest form, the diet may involve eliminating the following: simple carbs like sugars and most grains (including rice, corn, and wheat), dairy, and red meat. Instead, you focus on whole fruits, vegetables, and animal proteins like fish and chicken in moderation.
Supplements for chronic pain.
In addition to the food you eat, supplements may also help with pain. Here are a few foundational supplements I often recommend to my clients who suffer from chronic pain of some sort:
1. Turmeric
Turmeric is a root that's part of the ginger family and is famous for reducing inflammation. I recommend taking a minimum of 500 mg daily for back and joint pain. You can find this as a powder, a tea, a liquid, or in capsule form.
2. Glucosamine and Chondroitin
Glucosamine and chondroitin are part of what makes up the cartilage in your body. These supplements are also helpful for joint pain and are often sold together as a supplement. Though evidence is conflicting, many of my clients have found pain relief by taking these daily.
3. Vitamin D
Recent studies have shown that vitamin D in high doses can help reduce pain. But how does this work? According to a 2011 study focused on breast cancer patients, vitamin D helps chronic pain because it puts a lid on how much inflammation can take place. This is because vitamin D is a key nutrient that prevents the immune system from responding excessively, leading to chronic inflammation, which is an underlying cause of pain.
I recommend taking at least 5,000 IUs of vitamin D per day for pain; however, it's important to work with a doctor and get regular blood draws if taking vitamin D in high doses for long periods of time.
4. DHA/EPA Fish Oil
New research shows that essential fatty acids like DHA and EPA promote a class of compounds called resolvins, which restore nerve and immune cell function to normal in a more timely manner, thus getting rid of excess pain. I recommend taking high, therapeutic doses (2 to 3 grams) of fish oil daily. A 2012 study on 380 arthritis patients concluded that taking this dose for more than three months reduced patients' need for NSAID drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen.
5. CBD Oil
If you have chronic pain and you've tried the above with no relief, I also recommend researching the benefits of CBD oil. Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the many chemical compounds, called cannabinoids, found in the Cannabis sativa plant. Most CBD oil is sold without tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis that causes the psychoactive effects of smoking marijuana. Unlike THC, CBD doesn't get you high, but it does have some pretty exciting healing benefits. The research in this area is developing quickly, and we should know more about how CBD oil might be able to fend off chronic pain soon.
Almost anyone with chronic pain can benefit from taking a more holistic approach. No single one of the above recommendations will be a "fix all" for you, but if you blend several of them—in addition to an anti-inflammatory diet, regular exercise, stress relieving techniques, medications, and other alternative therapies—you might find just the combo you need.
Want your passion for wellness to change the world? Become A Functional Nutrition Coach! Enroll today to join our upcoming live office hours.


text:
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical, Acronyms, Wikipedia.
Related to anxiety: generalized anxiety disorder, depression, anxiety disorder, anxiety attack, Social anxiety
anxiety,anticipatory tension or vague dread persisting in the absence of a specific threat. In contrast to fear, which is a realistic reaction to actual danger, anxiety is generally related to an unconscious threat. Physiological symptoms of anxiety include increases in pulse rate and blood pressure, accelerated breathing rates, perspiration, muscular tension, dryness of the mouth, and diarrhea. Freud postulated that anxiety was a result of repressed, pent-up sexual energy, but later came to view it as a danger signal alerting the ego to excessive stimulation and causing repression. Anxiety disorders include observable, overt anxiety, as well as phobias and other conditions where a defense mechanismdefense mechanism,
in psychoanalysis, any of a variety of unconscious personality reactions which the ego uses to protect the conscious mind from threatening feelings and perceptions.
..... Click the link for more information. has been set up to disguise the anxiety from both the sufferer and the observer. In generalized anxiety, the individual experiences long-term anxiety with no explanation for its cause; such a condition may be called free-floating, since it is not linked to a specific stimulus. Panic disorder involves sudden anxiety attacks which are manifested in heart palpitations, shortness of breath, or fainting. The individual with a phobic disorder can identify the stimulus that causes anxiety: such stimuli as enclosed space, heights, and crowds become imbued with greatly exaggerated anxiety and are carefully avoided by the phobic individual. Obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) are characterized by obsessions (mental quandries) and compulsions (physical actions) that engage the individual excessively. Extreme anxiety may be experienced if the person does not carry out the compulsion or attempts to ignore the obsession. Post-traumatic stress disorderpost-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD), mental disorder that follows an occurrence of extreme psychological stress, such as that encountered in war or resulting from violence, childhood abuse, sexual abuse, or serious accident.
..... Click the link for more information. occurs when an individual has recurrent dreams, flashbacks, or panic attacks after a particularly traumatic experience.
See D. F. Klein, Anxiety (1987); D. H. Barlow, Anxiety and Its Disorders (1988); S. J. Rachman, Fear and Courage (1990).
What does it mean when you dream about anxiety?
Worries, fears, and apprehension that may have been discounted or banished from one's mind often find expression in dreams of anxiety.
A physiological and mental state of apprehension and fear of something unknown to the conscious.
Psychol a state of intense apprehension or worry often accompanied by physical symptoms such as shaking, intense feelings in the gut, etc., common in mental illness or after a very distressing experience
Experiencing much anxiety in your dream state may be related to your current difficulties and everyday life. Gaps may exist between the way things are and the way you would like them to be. Older interpretation books suggest that when you dream about anxiety, the contrary is true and that your worries will be lessened. However, always keep the compensatory nature of dreams in mind. If you are not feeling anxiety during the day, it could be that you are ignoring it and that it will appear in your dream. Therefore, look at the details of your dream and attempt to identify the anxiety-provoking situations in your daily life.


text:
President Obama was right Monday when he said "we did not wage this long and contentious battle [over the Affordable Care Act] just around a website. That's not what this was about."
No, it was not. But the credibility of his administration does in fact now rest in part on whether the federally designed site used in 36 states to search and sign up for health insurance can be fixed in reasonably short order. As it is, that site simply isn't up to the task.
It's not as if its architects should have felt rushed. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) passed in 2010 and administration officials have been touting the virtues of the Web portal for months, claiming consumers would be able to shop with ease and then enroll.
Indeed, the president compared the site to Amazon.com in terms of simple navigation as recently as Oct. 1, the date of its debut.
And there's a more substantive reason for concern than political embarrassment. The deadline to sign up for coverage to begin Jan. 1 is Dec. 15, and the initial enrollment period winds down March 31, after which some who go uninsured could be subject to fines.
"The biggest problem now is that the glitches and other technical problems will discourage all but the most eager applicants from signing up for insurance in the exchanges — meaning that older people with pre-existing medical problems will persist in applying while younger or healthier people will throw up their hands and give up," an expert with the American Enterprise Institute told The Fiscal Times.
And while the administration says it is bringing in "the best and brightest" to fix the problems, the issues appear serious. The New York Times reported last weekend that "numerous people involved in the project said the [Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services] did not have the expertise to do the job and did not fully understand what it entailed."
Here in Colorado, the Connect for Health Colorado website appears to have had a smoother debut. Spokesman Ben Davis told us Monday that "our state's effort has been very successful." Still, we'd postpone any verdict until end-of-month data are released, since the only figures unveiled so far cover just the first week, when a seemingly paltry 226 people enrolled.
The president insists "nobody is madder than me" about the shortcomings of the insurance website. That's great, but this isn't a test of emotion. It's a test of competence.


text:
This item is temporarily out of stock. However, we can notify you as soon as this product becomes available.
Thank you
We have received your request and you will be notified as soon as this product becomes available.
In order to keep our prices as low as possible, all CreateForLess order subtotals must be at least $10. This helps us save on labor costs when packing your order so we can extend the savings to you!
Description: Darice Cork Stoppers for home decor and craft projects. Great for sealing bottles, making cork wreaths, decorations and more! The cork stopper tapers from the top to the bottom, to fit in a variety of containers. 2 x 1 1/2 inch. 1 pc.
1Orders placed must have a minimum subtotal of $10. More Info.
See more Darice Cork.
Review this product and Enter
to Win a $100 shopping spree!


text:
News Release
Thursday, July 12, 2012
10-Year-Old Critical Missing NR12323kr
Juvenile (Daniel King) was located at around 12:30 a.m., this morning and has been reunited with his family.
Los Angeles: The family of Daniel King and the Los Angeles Police Department's Wilshire Division are asking for the public's help to locate King.
On July 11, 2012, around 8:00 p.m., 10-year-old Daniel King was last seen in the 1200 block South Victoria Avenue after running out of his residence and has not been seen or heard from since. King is autistic and his family is very concerned for his welfare.
He is described as a male White with brown hair and blue eyes. He stands 5 feet tall, and weighs about 70 pounds. King was last seen wearing a blue shirt, blue shorts, and black "crock" shoes.
Anyone with information on Kings whereabouts is asked to contact the LAPD Wilshire Division at 213-473-0476. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247). Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477). Tipsters may also contact Crime Stoppers by texting to phone number 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) with a cell phone. All text messages should begin with the letters "LAPD." Tipsters may also go to LAPDOnline.org, click on "webtips" and follow the prompts.
4861 West Venice
Los Angeles, CA 90019
213-473-0476 Voice
Los Angeles, CA 90019
213-473-0476 Voice
Wilshire Community Telephone Directory
Community-Police Advisory Boards (C-PAB) Meeting Schedule and City-Wide Minutes


text:
Lunatic Magazine: Inspirational work from Luna Photo Collective March 13, 2008Posted by Geoffrey Hiller in Iran.
Tags: Bruno Stevens, Documentary photograhers, Iran, Luna Photo
Lettres persanes, Tehran by Bruno Stevens
Wonderful presentation and visual sensitivity from the Luna photo collective in their second edition of Lunatic magazine. This issue includes several photo essays from other Luna members including Elizabeth Blanchet, Christophe Smets, Seth Butler, Celine Carnet and others. Outstanding work and presentation.
No comments yet — be the first.


text:
52nd Annual Starbird's Wichita Show - Kustom City Goes Truckin'
Starbird's 52nd Annual Wichita Show
For the past few years we have pointed our compass due east to check out the Darryl Starbird National Rod and Custom Car Show in Wichita, Kansas. As it turns out, the city so entrenched in custom cars also has a knack for churning up some of the raddest trucks we come across.
As we made our way through the front gates we were curious to see what the 52nd annual 2009 show had to offer. After all, we were a bit curious (and should we say worried?) to see what the weekend held, given the economic downfall in recent months. However, as we parted our way through customs, rods, motorcycles, and the like to seek all that has a bed out back we quickly realized that the ever so popular--and rising--truck craze will not be slowed down. For we saw more trucks at this year's event than any previous Starbird show we had been to. Even more surprising, pleasantly surprising we must add, is the fact that 80 percent of all trucks in attendance were nothing we had seen before. On top of that, the quality and creativity of trucks in attendance was far and above what we had seen in the past. Hard times baloney, this show was just another example of undeniable proof that the hot rod truck world will not go quietly into the night.
Besides being engulfed with trucks, the show had plenty else to offer: rods, customs, bikes, and the like. In the middle of the show was also a freestyle motorcross exhibition. These crazy guys set up a 20-foot ramp with a 35-foot gap and jumped over cars. By the way, the ceiling was only 33 feet high, and these guys were backing off the throttle to keep their jumps at near 30 feet in the air. All we can say is we're glad we're into trucks and not highflying motocross kamikaze missions. Anyways, check out this years offering to the truck gods, and if you're interested in next year's extravaganza call direct at (918) 257-4234 or visit www.darrylstarbird.com.


text:
We're on holiday until August 24th. Digital products are still available for purchase
Your Cart is Empty
I Agree with the Terms & Conditions [View Terms]
Due to shipping delays caused by Covid-19 we strongly advise upgrading to tracked shipping for International orders.
New patterns
Pattern collections
Children's books
A carefully chosen range of yarns at price points to suit your budget and project. We love reliable sweater workhorses, breed specific yarns, natural dyes and knowing where our materials come from.
Kits + Yarn packs
Ysolda limited editions
New! Select bases from the Uncommon Thread
Affordable workhorses in a huge colour range from Rauma of Norway.
knitting tools, buttons and notions, project bags and other pleasing little things
Exclusive Scotland needle gauge by Katrinkles
Zippered pouches in two sizes by our studio neighbour Anna Wright
keep small tools accessible with the Maker's Keep
Subscribe to our Colourwork Club for a gift that lasts well into the new year. Your recipient will receive a new colourwork kit in Janurary, February and March
Last minute shopping? Gift cards are delivered electronically - forward the email or print it for your recipient. A range of amounts are available and gift cards don't expire.
Patterns can be instantly downloaded and added to your Ravelry library
Sign up to get the latest on sales, new releases and more …


text:
Is there a way to access the parent through the child object?
For example, imagine a simple game where by if a ball is in a certain position
(eg the goal) a goal is scored and the score for that game is updated.
Imagine also that the score is dependent on the size of the ball.
So a ball of size 3 gives you 3 points.
A ball of size 8 gives you 8 points etc.
Each game object has a ball object.
Code: Select all
(defclass game ()
(score :initform 0 :accessor game-score)
(game-ball :initform (make-instance 'ball)))
(defclass ball ()
(size :initform 1 :accessor ball-size))
(defmethod move-ball (ball x y)
(if (ball-is-in-goal-p x y)
I realize there are various things I could do
like make the ball a global variable or make the move-ball method accept
a game object. However is there something equivalent to


text:
May 3, 2020
November 14, 2019
March 1, 2018
February 8, 2018
Continuing Professional Development Places
About Continuing Professional Development
SIU School of Medicine advocates and supports the continuing professional development of health care professionals. We offer a full range of educational experiences that enhance the practitioner's knowledge base, provide updates and review, and expand professional skills. In the tradition of the medical school, the target audience of our programs includes the broad range of the medical profession, from full-time practitioners to academic physicians with special interests in research and teaching, as well as other allied health care professionals.
Donate to SIU
Help us find a cure. Honor a loved one. Every gift counts.Donate Today


text:
I've been looking forward to it for at least a month. And that might be part of the problem. Because when I look back at Sunday with ancient clay warriors, I kind of feel like I saw the movie trailer and not the main feature film. Oh, but wait, let's not spoil this before I even discuss the event a little bit.
As people in Atlanta probably already know, the Qin Dynasty Terracotta Warrior exhibit has recently opened at the High Museum of Art. (I'm imagining the numerous disappointed sighs out there when they discover that "high.org" is a website for an art museum. Delicious.) I don't remember the price of admission off the top of my head, but it is a heck of a lot cheaper than tickets concerts headlining ancient musicians.
What are these Terracotta Warriors, some imaginary person asks? They are the larger than life clay sculptures of Chinese soldiers and generals that were created to assist China's first emperor in the afterlife. (After kicking a lot ass in life, he looked forward to kicking even more in death.)
In spite of sending out folks to track down his subjects to find all manner of immortality herbs and potions, the first emperor decided to hedge his bets. There was at least a 50-50 chance he'd die one day. He needed to prepare for life on the other side. It just wouldn't do for his army and deathly possessions to fewer than the other kings he met on the other side. I mean, hey, nobody likes to be the butt of jokes. He had options. He could just have his army killed so he could bring them along. But that had been done before. And his warriors, as good as they were in conquering the warrior states, weren't perfect. They could be a little taller. And maybe a little stronger. But he really could do too much about that. So he decided to make new ones. Taller, stronger, faster and decked out with really nice weapons. He was a clever guy, actually. Not only would his afterlife army be larger than everyone else's, they'd be taller by several feet. Guess who will be calling the shots in death-land?
One thing that the first emperor didn't count on was how unpopular he'd be with those who were still alive. His living enemies set fire to his massive burial grounds and stole his warriors weapons. It might have been too big a deal for the recently deceased emperor if all the supports to his subterranean weren't wood. But they were and the roof collapsed, smashing and scattering his now defenseless warriors. Talk about damage during shipping. After all that work over all those years, and look who still is the laughing stock of the afterlife. ("You made your soldiers out of what?")
Fortunately for us, a bunch of smart people with penchants for jigsaw puzzles have reassembled an incredible number of these damaged warriors for our viewing enjoyment. And with the OK of the Chinese government, they've decided to take the Terracotta show on the road, visiting museums all over the world. The show stars crossbow mean, generals, musicians, a chariot driver and even a headless guy with a weight problem. (Known as the "strong man", but I think really just has a thyroid problem.) And to make sure the show is a success, it returns to China after each exhibit to be "blessed". (I don't know what that means exactly, but I'm sure it helps.)
It's a show that's really worth seeing, even if it is a little anticlimactic. I had hoped to see a room full of clay soldiers, but what I saw was merely a sampling of what has been unearthed and reconstructed. Probably 10 actual soldiers in total. It's enough to intrigue and impress, but not to give you a sense of the magnitude of this ancient wonder of the world. To be fair, it would be prohibitively expensive and logistically impractical to ship a small room full of warriors all around the world. And they do try to give you this sense with a massive picture on one wall depicting the warriors in their sunken hallways. I guess it's time for me to start saving up for a plane ticket.
So you're probably wondering if it's worth it to go and see the exhibit. Let me help you in your decision making process with a quick list of pro and con bullet points. (Man, am I helpful or what? Make your checks payable to Brian Hewitt.)
Why you should see the Terracotta Warrior Exhibit:
- You don't have the money for a plane ticket to China or the vacation time to enjoy it.
- How often do you get to see 2000 year old Chinese sculpture? Or 2000 year old anything for that matter? Julius Cesar is younger than these things, and he didn't hold up nearly as well.
- It's always beneficial to admire fine craftsmanship. Whether it be a fine premium cigar, and incredible painting or a clay replica of a ancient Chinese soldier.
- In spite of being made from only 8 different molds, each soldier his striking unique. Different hair styles, clothing and facial features are suspected to represent a variety of the Chinese ethnic groups of the day.
- There's more to see than just the warrior. Coins, replica bronze chariots with horses, birds, art, and even a cool model of the ancient assembly line that assembled the warriors.
Why you might be disappointed:
- If the exhibit in your museum is roughly equivalent to ours, you'll probably be done in an hour. And that's with the audio tour (which is an absolute must). But if you don't have a lot of time, this could be a plus.
- You'll only see 9 or 10 actual warriors.
Like this post?
Help me out by submitting this to Digg (or vote for it if its already there)!


text:
The good news: Luka's recovery is going very well.
The bad news: Luka's recovery is going very well and he's getting quite bouncy. Yesterday he tried to jump up on the chair to watch the garbage men steal our stuff. This morning he reared up on his hind legs (something he does when he's really excited) and later he chased Milo (who ran like hell from the cone-head coming after him).
He saw his regular vet on Thursday and his incision looks "really, really good". His stitches come out next Saturday (October 1). Until then, he's on a bland diet (chicken and rice…he loves this) and is restricted from all activity (he does not like this).
I took Sadie along to the vet to have some recent issues checked out. Now I know why she's looked sad for the past few days: she has an ulcer on one of her eyes (ointment three times a day), allergies are what was making her chew her feet (Benadryl three times a day) and her anal glands were so full they were nearly abscessed (1/2 cup pumpkin once a day). She is much happier now.
Milo continues to hang out with his buddy.
The quality of this last picture isn't great, but I think it's really sweet. They were sitting there dozing together while I watched TV.


text:
mortgage bond(redirected from Mortgage-Backed Bonds)
Mortgage bond
A bond in which the issuer has granted the bondholders a lien against the pledged assets. See: Collateral trust bonds
Mortgage Bond
A long-term bond secured by the payments on one or more mortgages. For example, a mortgage corporation may issue a bond backed by payments it receives from clients. This provides the issuer with working capital while providing a relatively safe investment for bondholders. In the event of default, bondholders have the right to take possession of and sell the property underlying the mortgage in order to recover their investments. See also: Mortgage-backed security.
mortgage bond
A long-term debt security that is secured by a lien on specific assets, usually on fixed assets such as real estate. See also closed-end mortgage, open-end mortgage.


text:
Want to know more about our Partner Program? Questions & answers about Cruise Club Partners program
What is the difference between a Member and a Partner?
An inCruises Member is someone who purchases a membership to save money on booking cruises and travel the world in comfort and style. Partners join our Independent Partner Program (IBP) to promote and earn commissions, bonuses and other incentives by referring others who purchase memberships. We call Partners who are also Members 'Partner Members'. So each time we mention Members, know that also includes 'Partner Members'.
If I am a Member, do I also have to be a Partner?
Although many of our Partners are also Members, it is not mandatory. It is possible to be a Partner, a Member, or both, what we call a "Partner Member." Experiencing the value and personal use of our membership product helps you promote our genuine service to others.
Does a Member have to join as a Partner to sell other memberships and earn a free membership?
Yes. We make a clear separation of the two roles. You cannot earn commissions or incentives for referring others unless you are a Partner. For example, in order to get your own Membership waived, a Member must be a Partner and refer 5 active paying Members to have their own Membership dues waived.
Does your own membership count as 1 of your 5 Members to become Membership free?
Read more about Compensation Program
Sign up: https://viptravels.incruises.com/signup
How much does it cost to have my own inCruises independent business with all the tools necessary to do business?
There's an activation fee of $195 USD and an annual renewal fee of $95 USD each year thereafter. Partners gain access to online recorded training and weekly live training, their very own corporate email , personalized Referral Links and replicated pages, marketing materials and tools, marketing videos, Android and iPhone apps, and downloadable business cards. We estimate the value of our training program to be more than $50.00 USD per month. You're receiving a lot of value for an activation fee of $195 USD during your first year and $95 USD annually, thereafter.
Can I earn back my activation fee within 30 days of upgrading?
We believe you can! By launching your business and successfully referring and enrolling family and friends, your initial activation fee can be recovered – plus some additional earnings as well. There are no guarantees of this and that's entirely up to your efforts and ability to enroll others.
What if I cancel or drop out from being a Partner? Can I get a refund?
The $195 USD activation fee is refundable only during your first 14 days after upgrading.
Are Partners travel agents?
No. Their responsibility is to promote the membership program and the business opportunity that inCruises provides. They do not book travel nor assist members with cruise purchases, using their Cruise Dollars, or anything related to the travel experience. inCruises has a dedicated staff to help members with their cruise purchases. Partners are also forbidden from marketing specific cruises and enrolling Members for the purpose of going on a specific cruise by paying for a specific period of time. This practice is strictly prohibited and can lead to the termination of the Partner who engages in this activity. Partners can only sell the Membership and its benefits and always explain that it designed to be a long-term relationship where Members benefit more and can travel on great cruise vacations more often and with greater savings as they remain a long-term Member with inCruises.
What are the ways you can potentially earn income as a Partner?
There are many ways to earn income as a Partner with inCruises. There are Instant Pay Bonuses, Producer Bonuses, Residual Compensation, Free Memberships, and bonuses based on the income and sales volume of your entire downline organization, as well as several other incentives. Please review our Compensation Program for more details.
Can I get paid for recruiting others?
No. inCruises does not pay for the recruitment of Partners. We only pay commissions for the personal enrollment of Members, including Partner Member memberships. You will only earn downline compensation from Membership sales and not from any Partner upgrades. To be clear: Commissions are not paid for any fees paid by Partners to have access to our business opportunity. We only pay commissions and bonuses for Membership sales.
Read more about Compensation Program
Sign up: https://viptravels.incruises.com/signup
How much can I earn selling inCruises?
Your earnings match your efforts, your passion and the size of your team and their efforts. You have the opportunity to grow your earnings as you grow your number of personal and team Membership sales. Your success is truly unlimited!
How can I be successful?
Building relationships is at the heart of our business. Whether it be face-to-face or online, promoting inCruises gives you the opportunity to build on the relationships you already have – and help you create new ones. Add to that a love of travel and talking to others about travel, a passion for success, and all the amazing support you receive when you become a Partner, and you're on your way to unlimited rewards and success.
inCruises is NOT an opportunity where you make thousands or tens of thousands of dollars in income overnight. It's a viable business similar to other direct selling companies. It would be irresponsible to claim that someone could be successful with inCruises simply by enrolling as a Partner. No one can make such a claim about any business opportunity, and inCruises makes no such claim.
Can I be successful selling online only?
No. Our business requires human interaction beyond digital messaging. However, inCruises is fully integrated in social media and we offer great email marketing tools so there are many opportunities to promote your business online. Plus, inCruises has its own mobile apps so you can connect with and grow your client base from your smartphone to make money anytime, anywhere!
How do I receive my compensation?
inCruises pays its Partners through Payoneer®. Each time a commission is earned, we will transfer your earnings to yourinCruises Wallet and notify you. You can then transfer your wallet balance, assuming it is greater than $50.00, to Payoneer® in order to receive your funds via:
- Bank transfer to your local bank
- Pre-paid Visa or MasterCard issued by Payoneer®
Can I get paid from Payoneer® as a business using my EIN or equivalent business identification number outside the US?
Are cruises considered business expenses for inCruises Partners?
We like the way you're thinking and be sure to check with your accountant.
Can a Partners inCruises business be transferred to someone else if the Partner passes away?
Please consult our Policies and Procedures Manual for complete details. It states:
- Upon the death of a Partner that has achieved the rank of Marketing Director or higher, his or her business may be passed to his or her heirs.
- All the processes and steps to address this are explained in our Procedures Manual found in our Resources (Documents) section of our website (your back office).
Who is our target market?
Only two percent of the world population has vacationed on a cruise. Only 20 percent of U.S. adults have ever enjoyed a relaxing cruise vacation. There is an enormous untapped market. First-time cruisers, which are the focus of inCruises, are important to the growth of the industry. During 2013, the North American cruise industry carried 17.6 million passengers on a global basis. In 2014, that number rose above 20 million and is expected to exceed 25.3 million in 2017.
Learn more about our Membership, the benefits, and about our unique offer in our Membership page.
Read more about Compensation Program
Sign up: https://viptravels.incruises.com/signup
Want to know more about our Members Program? Questions & answers about Cruise Club Members program


text:
|Arriving at Ananta Thai Pool Villas Resort, Arriving at you receive a warm welcome from the shade
of great trees and gentle breezes, inviting you to leave behind the stress of a busy life and deeply
appreciate relaxing in the wonderful atmosphere of simple Thai style serenity.
Among the naturally wooded area, the Villas are designed with the wisdom of ancient Thai traditions and made entirely from richly colored red wood. The open design of the lower level allows the cool breeze to naturally circulate. The authentic Thai wooden furniture is one of the most impressive features of this resort combining natural trends and sumptuous comfort. The serene pool atmosphere and standard full service combine to create an unforgettable experience.
Ananta Thai Pool Villas Resort is located in a quiet area of the Southern end of Phuket, near to Nai Harn and Rawai beach also Promthep cape and facilities. Beyond the peaceful wooden villa in the garden, fresh water streams, natural flowers beds, the sound of the birds and butterflies and vegetable gardens create a wonderful refreshing ambiance. The resort also has many interesting activities waiting for you to fulfill you incredible Thai Style experience. This is the perfect pool villa for your family to enjoy it's leisure time to the full.
1 Bedroom Pool VillaOne bedroom pool villa is designed using Thai traditional wisdom and made entirely from the wood. The open air of the lower level is called "Tai-tun" in Thai language. The high peaked roof and large windows and door combine to create a comfortable relaxing atmosphere. The interior design has northern That influence using rich warm wood colors. Facilities include super king size bed, jacuzzi, your own kitchen plus Free Wifi internet.
The peaceful private atmosphere around your own swimming pool is situated in Thai woodland and natural undergrowth. Each villa is named for the significant Thai tree in its grounds; Kratum, Maplub, Kankrao, Bamboo, Kraton, Mango, Mayom, Peep and Jamjuree.
2 Bedrooms Pool VillaTwo bedroom pool villa is a two level house in Thai Style, providing a large area for your family. Upstairs are the bedrooms with garden view balcony, incorporating Thai northern wooden furniture, and super king size beds for both bedrooms. The upstairs of the house also has a terrace for relaxation. Downstairs is an open area with kitchen, dining area, daybed and swimming pool with garden view. The two bedroom villas are named Sritrang and Samor for the significant tree in their grounds.
2 Bedrooms Pool Villa DeluxeLeelawadee is a two bedroom pool villa deluxe combining simplicity, comfort and trendiness with Thai style Included. This expansive villa is suitable for a large family or group, with Plumaria (Fragipani) garden view for every bedroom. Just a few steps from your bedroom and you are in your private natural woodland and you can jump into the swimming pool any time you want.
|Mung Clay Restaurant
Mung Clay is a local plant found nearby the sandy land. Its purple and fine flower really brightens up the forest in every season. Mung Clay Restaurant brings you an appetite musical ambience for dining. Its architecture style is also neatly designed and taken care to ensure your ultimate happiness while eating. Serving Thai and international cuisine made from fresh local ingredients. Mung Clay Restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner between 10.00 a.m. - 9.00 p.m. however the last order need to receive on or before 8.00 p.m.
|In Villa Breakfast
Standard breakfast is complimentary yet special breakfast can be also prepared in an affordable price. Simply contact our front desk staff and place your order. Breakfast will be served either at Mung Clay restaurant or in your villa. Service is from 8.00 a.m.-11.30 a.m.
In Villa Dining
A variety of Thai and international menus are available for your dining moment. In villa Dining could be set for lunch or dinner. Make sure that you won't miss the romantic dining.
In Villa BBQ
|Cooking Class


text:
World's largest clinical trial on copper a success at Sentara
Sentara Leigh Hospital trial published in peer-reviewed journal, presented at national conference
A 10-month clinical trial at Sentara Leigh Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia has determined that hard surfaces and linens infused with copper oxide compounds contributed to an 83 percent reduction in C-difficile and a 78 percent overall reduction in multi-drug resistant organisms (MDROs) including C-diff, MRSA and VRE in a real-world clinical environment. These results occurred in a hospital with a robust protocol for managing infection risk certified by the health care accrediting body DNV-GL Healthcare.
The results of the trial were published in the peer-reviewed American Journal of Infection Control on Sept. 28, 2016 and will be presented at the annual conference of the Infectious Disease Society of America in New Orleans on Oct. 27, 2016.
"We've just about reached the limit of human processes to control infections in hospitals and Sentara Leigh was already performing pretty well," said Gene Burke, M.D., vice president and executive medical director for clinical effectiveness with Sentara Healthcare. "We owe it to our patients to try new approaches and this clinical trial indicates that copper-infused products are an effective addition to a robust infection prevention program." Sentara is an integrated not-for-profit system with 12 hospitals in Virginia and North Carolina.
"Our experiment with copper products and the clinical trial just published reflects the Sentara commitment to innovation," says Howard P. Kern, president and CEO of Sentara Healthcare. "We are relentless in the pursuit of improved clinical outcomes and an exceptional patient experience and these copper products are helping us achieve both of those goals."
"These results suggest that antimicrobial surfaces and linens may have substantial impact in reducing HAIs due to problematic MDROs in a hospital that has already employed aggressive infection control measures and has low rates of HAIs," according to the study paper, which was co-authored by Costi Sifri, M.D., an associate professor of medicine and director of hospital epidemiology at the University of Virginia Health System in Charlottesville, Va., and Kyle Enfield, M.D., associate professor medicine at the University of Virginia School of Medicine.
Patient data were analyzed from the highest-touch surfaces in patient rooms including rolling bedside tables and hand rails on the sides of patient beds, plus bed linens, gowns and washcloths that came into direct contact with patients.
Three companies engaged in clinical trial
Sentara Healthcare partnered with Richmond, Virginia-based Cupron, Inc., which invented the proprietary copper oxide technology used in the surfaces and textiles, and Norfolk, Virginia-based EOS Surfaces, LLC, which developed the unique copper oxide-impregnated hard surfaces. EOS Surfaces manufactured custom-made countertops, bathroom sinks, bedside tables and bedrails that were installed in 124 patient rooms in the newly-built East Tower at Sentara Leigh, plus copper-infused work surfaces at nursing and charting stations, in soil rooms and other common areas.
Cupron, Inc. produces Cupron Medical Textiles including bedsheets, pillow cases, thermal blankets and patient gowns, plus towels, wash cloths and bath blankets used in patients' private bathrooms. A 1970s-era patient wing which did not receive copper products served as control during construction of the West Tower.
"We went into this study focused on the fidelity of the data," said Gene Burke. "We wanted to find out if these copper products would contribute to additional improvement in our clinical outcomes and they did."
EOScu, produced by EOS Surfaces, LLC, is trademarked as a Preventive I Biocidal™ and the only synthetic hard surface registered by the Environmental Protection Agency as a bacterial sanitizer proven to kill 99.9 percent of bacteria within two hours of contact. The EPA granted federal registration only after EOS submitted 14,000 production samples for rigorous testing and validation of efficacy claims.
"It was all or nothing," says Ken Trinder, president of EOS Surfaces, LLC. "EPA registration gives us credibility and opens the door to real conversations with people looking to improve their clinical performance.
"Put aside the financial aspect of infections," Trinder adds. "Finding out our products really do prevent these pathogens from getting to patients, that's huge, and it's rewarding for everybody who worked on this trial."
The copper-infused linens produced by Cupron, Inc. help prevent bacteria in perspiration and body fluids from contributing to infections caused by direct contact with damp, contaminated cloth materials.
"Studies show that patient gowns and bed linens are the two most contaminated surfaces in a room," says Chris Andrews, CEO of Cupron, Inc. "With our sheets and gowns, all the soft surfaces with which the patient has intimate contact are actively killing bacteria." Andrews adds that the scope and setting of the trial lends credibility to the results.
"We're moving past theory to actual clinical results in a very complicated environment," Andrews says. "We think this is a great opportunity to examine a novel idea for battling pathogens in the healthcare setting."
Copper products require no new processes, staff training or special maintenance, Dr. Burke adds, but still provide an active barrier to infection.
"We sanitize or terminal clean patient rooms every day, but that leaves 23-and-a-half hours for bacteria to proliferate," said Burke. "Copper keeps killing bacteria around the clock and our clinical trial demonstrates that copper-infused products can be a practical, affordable solution to augment disinfection protocols."
Test sites included new and old hospital towers
The first copper clinical trial was conducted in the midst of a challenging on-site replacement for Sentara Leigh Hospital, a 1970s-era facility in Norfolk, Va. As part of the new construction, copper-infused hard products were built into the first of two replacement bed towers and copper-infused linens were deployed. The remaining 1977 wing did not receive copper products. The trial took into account that the new tower housed mainly surgery patients, while the old tower housed mainly medicine patients with chronic conditions. Co-morbidities, demographics and other factors were taken into account in assessing the data.
The study also notes that during the time of the trial, Sentara Leigh Hospital voluntarily undertook a protocol through its accrediting body, DNV-GL, to achieve the agency's certification in Managing Infection Risk. Sentara Leigh Hospital and Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital were the first hospitals in the world to achieve this certification from DNV-GL.
Second study seeks additional clinical data
Sentara Leigh Hospital opened its second new patient tower, the West Tower, to patients in April 2015. To further assess the effectiveness of copper-infused products, a second paper is being drafted on a second clinical trial comparing the use of copper products in all 250 licensed beds in both new patient towers at Sentara Leigh Hospital against two other Sentara hospitals. One of those two other sites is Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital, built in 1965 and incrementally modernized and expanded. The other is Sentara Princess Anne Hospital, also in Virginia Beach, which opened in 2011. Results of the second clinical trial are expected to be published in 2017.
Sentara is committed to copper
Sentara Healthcare is confident enough in the effectiveness of copper in controlling hospital-acquired infections that copper-infused hard products such as bedside tables and bed rails will be retro-fitted in all 12 Sentara hospitals and copper-infused linens will be deployed in all patient rooms. Sentara is also examining the potential for copper products in its nursing and assisted living centers.
"I firmly believe it won't take that many avoided infections before we're on the right side of the ledger here," says Robert Broermann, chief financial officer of Sentara Healthcare. "It's not every day you see these kinds of opportunities to improve patient safety and clinical quality at a relatively modest investment level that stand a good chance of generating a positive return on investment." Broermann adds that the trend toward quality-based reimbursement from Medicare and other payers is an additional justification for investing in copper-infused products.
"Healthcare associated infections are becoming a national dilemma and having an additional tool to help combat those is absolutely vital to meeting the expectations of our patients," says Dr. Gene Burke of Sentara. "This, to me, is the beginning of a new wave of technologies to help solve those problems."


text:
Heading to "the lake" is such a classic Minnesota rite that those who can't claim their own shoreline retreat might feel dejected. Fortunately, there's an easy fix. Throughout the state, lakeside resorts that rent housekeeping cabins offer a sense of ownership without the upkeep and taxes — for a week or as long as the checkbook and vacation time allow. Here are some of our favorites, including details about Ludlow's.
Ludlow's Island Resort
To do: Fish, swim in the lake, rent a boat, hike, play tennis or racquetball, get a massage or just sit on the porch and enjoy the view. The resort has extensive kids' programs, fishing guides and other activities, such as rides in its Amphicar.
Details: Near Cook, Minn., on Lake Vermilion. The 20 cabins, scattered among the mainland south shore, the island and the far north shore, all have well-equipped kitchens. There's a pantry on the island for supplies, but the nearest restaurants are by car or boat. High season rates range from $2,750 weekly for a one-bedroom cabin to $4,325 for a five-bedroom.
Burntside Lodge
At Burntside Lodge, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, many cabins date to the 1920s and 1930s. Because of its numerous well-preserved log resort buildings, Burntside is on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district.
To do: Swim at two small sandy beaches, take a sauna, rent fishing or pontoon boats, canoes, kayaks and hydrobikes. Kids' activities, naturalist programs and guided tours of Burntside Lake and Listening Point, the cabin of naturalist, author and BWCA champion Sigurd Olson.
Details: In Ely, on Burntside Lake. There are 22 rustic-chic cabins scattered across 21 acres; most have kitchens equipped with the basics. The lodge building has a bar, dining room, gift shop, coffee bar and separate library. Breakfast and dinner are served daily; the coffee bar has homemade pastries such as scones, muffins and cookies. High-season rates range from $1,306 to $3,227 weekly.
Camp Van Vac
Rustic log and stone cottages look like they grew out of the wild landscape in the Superior National Forest. The oldest dates to 1917, and the resort tries to keep that old-time feeling alive (though in a nod to modern times, it has a turned one cabin into a communal Wi-Fi center).
To do: Fish, swim at the sandy beach, take a sauna, play ping-pong in the recreation yurt, encounter wildlife on hikes or via canoe or kayak, or just relax in your shaded cottage or on one of the sunny docks.
Details: Near Ely, on Burntside Lake. The 25 cabins have running well water, but no bathrooms, so bring a flashlight for nighttime trips to the restrooms. Kitchens are equipped with small gas cookstoves, refrigerators, dishes and utensils. Beds are furnished with fresh linens; bring kitchen and bath towels. High-season rates from $500 weekly.
Crow Wing Crest Resort
At this delightfully quirky mom-and-pop, a Thursday night potluck luau, an owner who is also reflexologist (think foot massage), another who is an aromatherapist (class offered each week) and a congenial atmosphere make for a devoted following.
To do: Activities range from drum circles and yoga to Norwegian volleyball and craft hours for kids. Try a stand-up paddleboard, kayak, canoe, fish, water ski, eat ice cream or pizza in the century-old lodge, swim from the beach to the floating raft and take a lakeside sauna. A playground and small antique carousel (rides for a quarter) entertain the kids.
Details: In Akeley, on 11th Crow Wing Lake. There are 19 cabins equipped with kitchen essentials, but bring kitchen and bath towels and soap. High-season rates range from $395 weekly for a two-person sleeping cottage (walk to bathroom in the lodge; no stove) to $2,878 for a modern four-bedroom spacious cabin.
northern pine lodge
Rocking chairs line the expansive porch of the 100-year-old lodge and a covered deck overlooks the sandy beach at this old-school lake resort.
To do: Play miniature golf, basketball, shuffleboard, tennis on a clay court and a handful of other games. Swim, kayak, paddleboard, fish, compete in a sand castle contest or hang out at the lodge, the heart of the resort with a library, Wi-Fi and daily programming.
Details: Near Park Rapids, on Potato Lake. The 21 units, including cheerful green clapboard cottages and large log cabins with stone fireplaces and cathedral ceilings, line the lake around a private peninsula. High-season rates range from $825 to $2,595 weekly.
Sugar Beach resort
Peace and quiet — except for the crashing waves of Lake Superior — prevail at this North Shore getaway.
To do: Climb around the resort's 1,000 feet of rugged, rocky shoreline, roast marshmallows at a campfire on the rocks, hike many nearby trails, head a few miles north on Hwy. 61 to Lutsen's Alpine Slide or keep going until you hit Grand Marais.
Details: In Tofte, on Lake Superior. Most of the 14 cottages have fireplaces; all have fully equipped kitchens. Rates range from $66 nightly for Evergreen, a small cottage on the entry road, to $249 a night for a two-bedroom (plus loft) log cabin on the shore. All but Evergreen require a two-night stay.
Kerri Westenberg