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Epworth Phenomena
Epworth Phenomena
The psychic disturbances of a poltergeist nature at Epworth Vicarage, England, in 1716 during its occupancy by Rev. Samuel Wesley, father of Methodist Church founder John Wesley. The phenomena lasted for several months and were first attributed to trickery, then to the devil, although Samuel's wife, Susannah Wesley, disagreed with the latter hypothesis. Instead, she connected it with the fate of her brother who, in the service of the East India Company, disappeared and was never heard of again. It was not proved that the rappings were caused by his discarnate agency, but the members of the family took it for granted after a while that "Old Jeffrey" was involved in the manifestations, which appeared to be connected mostly with Hetty Wesley. She was noticed to tremble strongly in her sleep when the knockings occurred.
The main disturbances lasted with intervals for two months, December and January 1716-17, and broke out occasionally afterward. The contention that they still recurred a generation later is based on a letter by Emily Wesley, dated February 16, 1750, containing this passage: "Another thing is that wonderful thing called by us Jeffrey. You won't laugh at me for being superstitious if I tell you how certainly that something calls on me against any extraordinary new affliction; but so little is known of the invisible world that I am at least not able to judge whether it be friendly or an evil spirit."
The records of the phenomena consist mostly of family letters and an account written by Samuel Wesley. The disturbances began with knockings. Susannah Wesley wrote on January 12, 1717:
"One night it made such a noise in the room over our heads as if several people were walking; then run up and down the stairs, and was so outrageous that we thought the children would be frightened, so your father and I rose and went down in the dark to light a candle. Just as we came to the bottom of the broad stairs, having hold of each other, on my side there seemed as if somebody had emptied a bag of money at my feet and on his as if all the bottles under the stairs (which were many) had been dashed into a thousand pieces. We passed through the hall into the kitchen and got a candle and went to see the children. The next night your father would get Mr. Hoole to lie at our house and we all sat together till one or two o'clock in the morning and heard the knocking as usual. Sometimes it would make a noise like the winding up of a jack; at other times, as that night Mr. Hoole was with us, like a carpenter planning deals; but mostly commonly it knocked three and stopped and then thrice again and so many hours together."
Her daughter Hetty heard "something like a man in a loose nightgown trailing after him" coming down the stairs behind her, and sometimes a shape like a "badger" was seen under the bed. The noises answered knock for knock and came in any part of the house. At family prayers they became very agitated at the names of King George and the Prince. Samuel Wesley often tried to speak to them but the only answer he received was "two or three feeble squeaks a little louder than the chirping of a bird, but not like the noise of rats which I have often heard."
Another daughter, Nancy, was once lifted up with the bed in which she sat. She leapt down and said that surely Old Jeffrey would not run away with her. She was persuaded to sit down again when the bed was lifted several times successively to a considerable height. The noise affected the mastiff of the household. It whimpered in terror and strove to get between the people of the house.
(See also Ashtabula Poltergeist ; Cock Lane Ghost ; Drummer of Tedworth ; Enfield Poltergeist ; haunted houses ; and Eliakim Phelps )
Clarke, Ada. Memoirs of the Wesley Family. 4th ed. London: W. Tegg, 1860.
Priestley, Joseph. Original Letters by the Rev. John Wesley and his Friends. Birmingham, England, 1791.
Wilder, Franklin. Good News for Martha Wesley. Hicksville, N.Y.: Exposition Press, 1976.
Wright, Dudley. The Epworth Phenomena. London: William Rider & Son, 1917.


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Today's the end of the second weekend of my sabbatical, and as I unilaterally decided, the end of "Phase 1"…
The assiduous reader will notice at this point that I never mentioned that there would be "phases" during this leave. Well, guess what? That's one of the privileges of sabbaticals: you get to make the rules as you move forward!
So, what was this "Phase 1" that just ended? It was something I needed: two weeks of true nothing, just recharging batteries after what was probably the most intense year of my professional life. In the last two weeks, the only goal I tried to reach was based on a video game.
It was good, I feel much better, but it's also as much as I can take of doing nothing, hence the beginning of "Phase 2".
I am not entirely sure about what this phase will look like, I know I want to make a few changes, among which going out a lot more, doing all the little things that I postponed in the recent past, from home maintenance to doctor appointments, from eating better to ride the bike again.
There isn't a better moment to start with a good idea than right now, so today I applied the new principle and repaired two windows screens that we got installed a while ago to keep our cats safe when the windows are open.
I actually picked up recently two rolls of a much better net, made of fibreglass, that is supposed to be at the same time pet-proof and stop insects. Time will tell if it's either, both, or neither, but at least it looks much nicer.
Day 14


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Remember, Repeat, Inhabit looks at three questions in relation to the idea of the viewer: What happens when one reads someone else's reading of someone else?What happens when something repeats itself in Kieslowski's work?Is there a possibility of an ontology of space?The book attempts to understand the idea of 'viewing' from the inside, not simply as an ontological premise but definitely affected by it. Three differing contexts are looked at-a French madman's notion of the 'self', a Polish filmmaker's notion of the 'everyday' and an Indian performance artist's notion of 'memory'. Through these on-the-surface contrasting artists and texts, a particular idea of a 'viewer' emerges. This viewer is the key to an understanding of something almost elemental in the nature of the idea of 'viewing' in the contemporary context of twenty-first-century Delhi.
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Is a Gas Two Stage Snow Blower The Best Choice For You?
Gas 2-stage snow blowers can handle heavy snow, deep snow and wet sloppy snow. If you live north of Interstate 80 in the U.S. it should be the first type of snow removal you look at.
Two Stage Snow Blowers are far more effective than the other types in handling deep snow, heavy wet snow, and large piles of packed snow that the city snow plow leaves at the end of a driveway. These machines are cost more but are faster and more productive than gas powered single-stage or electric models. Two-Stage snow blowers will clear snow from gravel driveways, paved driveways and turf. Most two-stage snow blowers will throw snow a lot farther than other types. Being able to throw the snow farther allows you to have smaller piles of snow around the end of your drive and lets you spread the snow over a much larger area so you don't get deep drifts across your drive the next time it snows.
Two-Stage Snow Blowers have two sections that break up the snow and then throw it. First, a metal auger grabs the snow and moves it to the center of the machine. This auger spins fast enough that once the snow reaches the center of the front housing it gets thrown into an impeller/fan behind it. This impeller/fan or second stage is spinning at a much faster rate and the blades of the impeller throws the snow up and out the discharge chute. In addition, the intake or mouth of the snow blower is typically two to three times higher than single stage snow throwers and can handle deep snow in a single bite.
Two stage snow blowers come in many different sizes and quality levels. I am going to let you know what I know about snow blowers and that will help you decide which size and quality level is best for you. I'm not going to sell you only the biggest or the baddest or a certain brand but I will go through the many brands and help you sort out the best brand with the best service for you. You don't always need to buy the widest, most powerful, most expensive snow blower to get your snow clearing done. The name brand machines sold in the U.S. and Canada are powerful enough to get the job done for most of you.
2-stage snowblowers are huge! Aren't they hard to use? Two-stage snow blowers have full time powered wheels and pull themselves through the snow. Like a 1949 Willy's Jeep the technology behind the full time power is rude, crude and bulletproof. 2-stage snow blowers give you the maximum traction for blowing snow all the time.
Economy 2-stage snow blowers have a solid axle and can be hard to turn for some people. Mid-priced and deluxe snow blowers have independently powered wheels (power steering) so they are easier to handle and turn. Most have multiple forward/reverse speeds and all good 2-stage snow blowers have 110 volt electric start so they will start easily in all temperatures.
If you can walk and use both hands you can use a 2-stage snow blower with power steering. Some models even offer adjustable height handles for shorter people.
- How big an area will you need to clear; e.g. driveway, walking path, sidewalk, down to the milking parlor, business parking lot etc? A 30 inch heavy-duty snow blower will clear twice the area in the same amount of time as a 24 inch homeowner snow blower.
- How much time do I have to move my snow? The size of the engine will make a big difference in how fast you get the job done.
- How much snow does my area of the county usually get? Average Snowfall For U.S. Cities. Double the amounts in the chart to get your worst winter. For example, Chicago averages 40 inches of snow a year but is common for that area to get 60 inches or more. A residential grade will work for most areas of the U.S. but if you live in a "snow belt" you will want a higher horsepower landowner or commercial grade machine.
- What type of snow do I need to clear; e.g. fluffy, light, make a snow ball (heavy), wet, end-of-driveway slop (extra-heavy)? Do you live out where drifted snow is so hard you can walk on the drift, or loose snow so soft your dog can't dig herself out when she jumps into a drift? Heavy, drifted or hard packed snow needs a heavy duty snow blower to quickly get the job done.
- Where will you store the snow blower? How wide is your doorway? If you have to go through a 32 inch side door a 28 inch is the widest you can buy.
- What type of surface will you be clearing snow? Hard surface; e.g. asphalt, cement, lawn, wood deck, pavers or any surface; e.g. gravel, lawn etc. You can adjust a 2-stage snow blower so it will clear a gravel driveway or a spot on your lawn for the dogs without throwing rocks or tearing up the turf. Most 2-stage machines now have available skid shoes that won't scratch your colored driveway. Larger tires or tracks may be a good option for working "off-road."
- Do I have a sloped driveway? Todays snow blowers no longer use tire chains so you may want a snow blower with large deep treaded tires or tracks.
- How big am I? Can I handle a cheap snow blower with no power steering (can I lift and carry 50 lbs?) If you weigh less than 150 lbs, have a bad back or on lifting restrictions, snow blowers with solid or pin-lock axles can be hard to turn .
- Can you do the maintenance and repairs your own snow blower? Do you even want to work on it yourself? Can you haul the broken snow blower to a repair center or do you want someone to come to your home for the repair?
- Do you know how to look up parts and order them from your local dealer or over the internet?
- A longer defects warranty is nice but it still does not cover starting issues, belts, or other normal parts that wear out. Some brands also offer protection plans that cover wear and tear.
- Don't buy the cheapest machine advertised in the Sunday paper and expect it to last. DON'T BUY THE BLACK FRIDAY SPECIAL AND EXPECT IT TO BE THE RIGHT SNOW THROWER FOR YOU. Be careful with brands you are not familiar with. Manufacturers from around the world are trying to get into the U.S. Many of these manufactures are trying to get you to buy on price alone – a few are quality snow blowers, but at this point in time all lack an extensive parts and service network.
These questions in part will help decide what type of snowblower you will ultimately purchase. Once you determine the best size and type, then we will go shopping for the one that is best for you!
Things to keep in mind when buying a snow thrower or snow blower:
When choosing a snow removing machine, consider the size of the area to be cleared and the typical snow conditions in your part of the country. A snow blower with a powerful engine and wide working width will save time if the area is large and covered in deep, heavy snow. Smaller areas covered in dry, light snow require less power.
A snow blower with power steering is easier to maneuver than other models. Choose a model with power steering if you need to make lots of turns, either while clearing large open areas (where you need to go back and forth many times) or when removing snow from winding walkways.
Features to consider:
- Construction of components for durability – snow removal is a lot of work.
- Engine size – power matters here.
- Intake Height – how many inches of snow can it take in a single pass.
- Clearing Width – larger clearing width for big driveways reduces chore time.
- Drift cutters to cut through deep overhanging snow drifts.
- Large tires for better traction and easy steering – do you need chains or tracks?
- Single-hand operation allows easy adjustments.
- Adjustable chute direction and pitch.
- Skid shoes to lift intake off ground – ideal for uneven or gravel surfaces.
- Work lights to help you see in low light and at night.
- Electric start – for turn key cold starting.
- Heated handles – for more comfortable operation in the cold.
- Length and type of warranty.
Remember it is a machine – all machines break down eventually. It is a mechanical device that works in extreme conditions. It is not always about low price. Saving a couple bucks in the beginning does not always save you money in the end.
Don't fall for sales pitches – Features Tell, Benefits Sell
[alert-announce]The current method to sell you just about anything is to tell you how well you will feel when you own the item. Nike, Apple and others never advertise what a shoe or phone is made of – instead they only tell you how much better you will feel when you wear or use their brand. Current sales pitches are all about the experience – not what the product can do. Please understand, selecting the best snow blower for you is not only about how it will make you feel the also the practical use and features of the machine. You can buy a quality snow blower from a reputable brand but if it is not the right size for you it will leave you hating the brand, hating the dealer you bought it from and wishing for something else. At MovingSnow I will help you wade through the sales "hype" and find the best snow blower for you. Every year companies are trying to invent "a better mousetrap" and every year you will see a new twist in the "grab for your money" game. Don't be fooled by products that appear to be "breakthrough." I will help and guide you through the new and existing snow removal products to help you find the best solution for you. [/alert-announce]
Reviews tell only a small part of the story: I'll tell you right up front – 80% of the people who are satisfied with their snow blower purchase will not write a review but over 80% of the people who are not satisfied will write a review. In addition many people who are not satisfied will write a bad review on many different sites. So be practical when reading the reviews and don't always rule out a snow blower or brand because it has a few bad reviews. Ask me and I'll help you decide.
Cost is relative: The most expensive is not always the best for you and likewise the cheapest is probably not the snow blower you need. Your budget needs to be based on the features you really need and then on how much you want to spend. Let's figure out the type of snow blower you need, then the size you need, the features you want and finally the type of support you require to keep it running for years to come. Then we will go shopping at L&G dealers, retailers and online to get you the best deal.
Engines are not the same: Engines have changed dramatically in the last 10 years. Your dad's favorite old Tecumseh (Snow King) is gone. Engines are now sized by cc's or torque not horsepower. Even more, engine dependability has dramatically improved in the last 3 years to the point where some brands are now offering a 5 year starting guarantee. The engine market has changed so much that just a few years ago Briggs & Stratton snow engines were widely recognized as the best but new manufactures like LCT and PowerMore have leapt ahead in dependability and useful life. Starting this year EFI (electronic fuel injection) is now available on some models. EFI will eliminate starting issues. The change is becoming as drastic as the change in the auto market in the 90's.
Quality is hard to determine: Most of the brands you are familiar with offer a reliable residential grade and a higher horsepower, heavy-duty grade. Some brands and manufactures also offer an economy grade and commercial grade. In addition some retailers and dealers also offer cheap, low quality, price-point equipment. I'll guide you through these differences.
Where do I get Service and Parts? Don't forget that a snow blower is a mechanical piece of equipment and it needs maintenance and repair. Yes, you will break it eventually. Some brands are harder to maintain and some are harder to find parts for. Warranty, parts availability, service and customer satisfaction after the sale are almost as important as what the snow blower can do for you now days.
Two stage snow blower quality:
You do get what you pay for IF you know these quality levels.
Two stage snow blowers range in size from 22 to 45 inches. I divide the huge list into four types, or classes:
Economy: These are the cheapest snow blowers you find at the retailers and online. They have small engines and very few features that make them easy to use. These are not the snow blower that you buy your mom because it's "small." Craftsman gray snow blowers, Huskee, Troy-Bilt Storm 2410, basically any snow blower that now-days costs less than $600 is considered an economy model.
Residential: Some online stores call this grade "entry level." This quality of snow blower will last the typical homeowner with a normal sized suburban paved driveway many years. If you live in the Midwest or any other area of the country that gets 60 inches of snow or less a year these are a good choice. Every major brand makes snow blowers in this quality level. Sizes range from 24 to 30 inches and cost $650 to $1200.
Heavy-Duty: Some brands call this grade Landowner. Some online stores call this mid-grade. Bigger engines to get the job done faster. Bigger tires to give you better traction. Some models in this class give you high speed impeller, heated hand grips, hydrostatic transmissions, power steering, thicker skid shoes, ball bearings instead of bronze, and/or better chute controls. If get a lot of snow or get snow more than once a week in the winter these will last you. If you have more snow to clear than you typical suburban home these are the best choice.
Commercial: There are commercial warranties and then there are commercial snow blowers. Commercial snow blowers are heavy duty (and sometimes awkward) snow blowers capable of moving 10 times more snow in a year than a residential grade machine and still lasting many years. Commercial warranties are restrictions placed by the manufacturer on residential and heavy-duty snow blowers. Basically, if someone pays you to clean their snow, you are using the snow blower commercially and the defects warranty is shortened or void.
What snow blower features can you choose? Type, size, electric start, ease of control, type of transmission, power, and creature features like heated handles. The options you choose will largely depend on your needs, wants and budget. But one thing is crucial: make sure you get an adequate sized and type of snow blower to fit your needs. Follow my advice and do not underestimate, or over-estimate your snow blowing needs. There is nothing worse than purchasing a snow blower and realizing it won't do the job for you. Likewise it can be a real embarrassment to find the "Tim-The-Tool Man" model won't fit through your storage shed door.
Some of the options like, power steering, single stick controls, heated hand grips and hydrostatic transmissions, etc. may look good on paper but think about whether you actually need them. Don't be afraid to ask questions in the comments below.
With proper care and maintenance, a snow blower should last 10 -15 years or more, but like anything mechanical, snow blowers/ snow throwers do need periodic and preventative maintenance.
In addition, snow blowers pick up snow and anything else in their path. There will be "stuff" hiding in the snow that will try to break your snow blower. Boots, doormats, sticks, landscaping bricks, garden hoses, kids toys, and debris from the road out front. (Last winter I found a piece of a car suspension strut hiding in the snow plow drift across the end of the driveway.)
Be certain to ask maintenance questions before you buy! Below is a summary of some of the general snow blower maintenance that you should expect:
Maintenance advice
Follow the recommendations in the owner's manual for changing the spark plug and-for models with a four-stroke engine-the engine oil. Most recommend changing both at least once each year.
Always add a fuel stabilizer to preserve the fuel between storms and storing it for the summer. Stabilizers keep fuel from degrading for up to one year to help prevent gum and varnish deposits from clogging the carburetor and fuel passages.
For two-stage machines, have some spare auger shear bolts on hand. The bolts are designed to protect the gearbox by breaking if the auger hits a hard object. For both single and 2-stage snow blowers keep one set of belts on hand. If you get a lot of heavy, wet snow you may burn out the impeller belt. If you own a 2-stage snow blower made by MTD I suggest keeping a set of control cables on-hand. Both the drive engage and the shift cable.
Snow blowers vibrate more than you lawn mower so periodically tighten nuts and bolts, especially on control linkages, which tend to loosen as a snow blower vibrates.
Learn how to adjust the scraper and skid shoes. Check the skid shoes on the 2-stage snow blowers at least twice a season.
If I can stress only one point, it is do your research before you buy a snow blower. I want you to make the best choice the first time. Educate, educate, educate, yourself and you cannot go wrong. Purchasing a snowblower is a large investment in time and money and it should not be taken lightly. The right choice can last you many years.


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Close Read (and a bit about manuel focus)
I've been spending some more time with the 50mm 1.4 lens lately--it's size, wide aperture, and focal length make it a convenient choice. But the slow and inaccurate autofocus continues to bother me. To try to get around this, I've begun focusing manually, especially in low light. The upside is that relying on manual focus has made me better at predicting the focus distance. I'm nowhere near perfect but my success rate has been improving. Knowing the focal length well, this has allowed me to compose shots fairly accurately without using the viewfinder.
I'm pretty happy with the result here. Using autofocus and composing through the camera, it would be difficult to get a picture like the one above.
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Lori G. Beaman, Ph.D. is Canada Research Chair in the Contextualization of Religion in a Diverse Canada and Professor in the Department of Classics and Religious Studies at the University of Ottawa. Her publications include Defining Harm: Religious Freedom and the Limits of the Law (UBC Press, 2008); "Is Religious Freedom Impossible in Canada?" in Law, Culture, and the Humanities (2010); and "'It was all slightly unreal': What's Wrong with Tolerance and Accommodation in the Adjudication of Religious Freedom?" in Canadian Journal of Women and Law (2011). She is co-editor, with Peter Beyer, of Religion and Diversity in Canada (Leiden: Brill Academic Press, 2008). She is principal investigator of a 36 member international research team whose focus is religion and diversity (religionanddiversity.ca).
This paper encourages a rethinking of the ideas of tolerance and accommodation, suggesting that these concepts may be inappropriate for a country that has a history of diversity, multiculturalism and equality. The paper considers the contexts in which the language of tolerance and accommodation is located. It argues that tolerance and accommodation create hierarchies wherein majorities confer benefits on minorities. Although equality is the preferred framework, sufficient conceptual flexibility allowing for the inclusion of notions like 'respect' is required to ensure the most robust possible protection of creed. Finally, the paper suggests that there is a major stumbling block to identifying best practices both for day to day negotiations of religious difference, for policy and law makers, and for service providers. While there are persistent negative narratives, there are no similar persistent positive narratives that recover success stories of negotiation. It is only from such narratives, or ground up knowledge, that successful best practices and policies can be developed.
Increased immigration, a renewed public discussion about the place of religion in society, and Canada and Ontario's commitment to multiculturalism require a careful crafting of policies and laws related to religious freedom. The language used in human rights protections, policies, and processes, as well as the conceptual frameworks within which disputes are resolved—both in law and in day to day life—convey important messages about the relative value of citizens' beliefs and practices to society.
This paper considers the accommodation of religious belief and practice in diverse contexts. Specifically it will encourage a rethinking of the ideas of tolerance and accommodation, suggesting that these concepts may be inappropriate for a country that has a history of diversity, multiculturalism and equality. The paper considers the contexts in which the language of tolerance and accommodation is located (law, interfaith dialogue and public discourse). It offers a critical exploration of the hierarchies created by the concepts of tolerance and accommodation, and proposes a rejuvenation of the idea of equality as the guiding framework for the negotiation of religious difference, while leaving open the possibility that there is conceptual room for accommodation and respect as important principles in conversations about diversity. Finally, I argue that a robust protection of creed can only be accomplished by drawing from the positive narratives gleaned from those who work out difference on a day to day basis. It is only from such narratives, or ground up knowledge, that successful best practices and policies can be developed. While law can set the standards for dispute resolution, respect for others and commitment to finding creative ways to achieve equality ultimately rest in the hands of those who encounter difference, sameness, and similarity in their day to day lives.
The Ontario Human Rights Code and Policy on creed and the accommodation of religious observances
The Ontario Human Rights Code begins with a preamble that reminds us of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family emphasizing dignity, worth and the creation of a climate of "understanding and mutual respect" so that "each person feels a part of the community and able to contribute fully to the development and well-being of the community and the Province". The Code goes on to prohibit discrimination on a number of grounds, including creed, in a number of areas, including employment, housing, contracts, and vocational organizations. The Code uses the language of equality to establish these rights, in each section beginning with "1. Every person has a right to equal treatment with respect to…"
Creed here is read as religion, although its exact meaning is not defined in the Code. The Ontario Human Rights Commission Policy on Creed and the Accommodation of Religious Observance attempts some clarification which somewhat tracks Charter based discussions of religion, including a subjective approach to the interpretation of what is encompassed under the Code protections and consideration, as long as the beliefs, practices and observances are, in the words of the Policy, sincerely held. While creed does not include secular moral, ethical beliefs or political convictions, according to the Policy, the protection of people from being forced to accept or comply with another's religious beliefs or practices implies a protection of those beliefs as well. Also interesting is the Policy's introduction of the idea of the "needs of the group", which is an explicit acknowledgement of the role of the religious group in this realm. Finally, the policy notes that freedom of religion is the 'basic principle' that informs the right to equal treatment on the ground of creed, and that that includes both the facilitation of religious observances as well as that no person can force another to comply with religious beliefs or practices.
Despite the Code's emphasis on equality and dignity, the Policy implicates the language of accommodation in its clarifications. For example, under the section "Needs of the group" we see "The groups needs must be assessed to accommodate the individual"—which seems to be in tension and contradiction with the subjective approach. It also highlights the goal of establishing religious practice as being to 'accommodate' the individual rather than understanding how to shift policies, practices, and approaches that may create a 'less than' situation in which people feel disrespected and not, in fact, equal. Although the Code mentions the duty to accommodate only in relation to constructive discrimination (s. 11), the Policy introduces accommodation more broadly, when "a person's religious beliefs conflict with a requirement, qualification, practice" and further that 'accommodation may modify a rule or make an exception to all or part of it for the person requesting accommodation (7).
The duty to accommodate rested within the sphere of employment and disability until relatively recently, and while it has been criticized in that realm as well , there may be some good reasons to continue to use it to sort through employer-employee negotiations of religious needs.
However, in instances like membership in community associations, for example, equality rather than an accommodation framework may be a better choice.
The equality-accommodation slide: What's wrong with accommodation?
The Ontario Human Rights Policy on creed is in good company. Courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada, have struggled to develop a formula for the management of religious diversity.
Reasonable accommodation has infiltrated not only law and public policy, but public conversation and discourse about religious diversity as well. Because human rights regimes like that in Ontario are by and large more accessible to the general public than are the expensive and complex mechanisms of constitutional law and Charter protections, they represent amore permeable boundaries between law and society.
Although many people agree that the language of tolerance and to some extent accommodation can be problematic, they also insist that accommodation can imply or be part of equality. My worry is that these terms fix us in place in a way that does not ever quite reach equality. They don't force a rethinking of structural inequality in a way that laying bare difference and a requirement to achieve substantive equality may facilitate. The language of tolerance and, more recently, reasonable accommodation, has come to dominate popular and legal discourse related to the management or response to religious diversity. Although tolerance has been a bit less 'tolerated' recently, reasonable accommodation has gained status as the mode of framing any discussion of the everyday negotiation of religious diversity. What is wrong with 'tolerating' others as the basis for dialogue? Why is accommodating someone problematic?
In his 1689 "A Letter Concerning Toleration" John Locke advocated for toleration, except for atheists and Roman Catholics. This exemption illustrates the core problem with basing the negotiation of religious difference on tolerance or accommodation: both frameworks create a hierarchical positioning of 'us' and 'them' that is conceptually unavoidable. There have been some powerful challenges to the use of tolerance to negotiate difference by such scholars as Wendy Brown (2006, 2010) and Janet Jakobsen and Ann Pellegrini (2004). The latter state: "what does it feel like to be on the receiving end of this tolerance? Does it really feel any different from contempt or exclusion?" (14). Alan Wong (2011) has asked "reasonable according to whom?" Day and Brodsky (1996) wrote an insightful criticism of the legal use of reasonable accommodation almost 20 years ago. Since then reasonable accommodation has expanded rather than contracted in use in the context of law (and elsewhere).
Criticisms have also come from outside of the academic community as some religious leaders have called into question the use of tolerance as a beginning place for interfaith dialogue. Space does not permit a more detailed discussion of these concepts here, which I have written about more fully elsewhere (Beaman 2012).
While theoretical criticisms of accommodation are interesting for academics, those who work on the ground, such as the Ontario Human Rights Commission, the Tribunal and the people who come before them or seek their advice are perhaps more interested in concrete policies that can help negotiate difference on a day to day basis and clear guidelines to help to make fair and just decisions that ensure that the opening statement of the Human Rights Code, which emphasizes dignity, equality, respect and membership in community, can be achieved. There is a wide range of cases that come before the Commission and Tribunal, and one can find a variety of tools employed to interpret creed and its protection, including accommodation, tolerance, formal and substantive approaches to equality, as well as respect.
Although equality in a substantive or deep sense rather than formal sense is the ideal, it too may need to be supported by other conceptual tools in order to ensure that it remains flexible enough to ensure a robust protection of creed. The case Modi v. Paradise Fine Foods Ltd. illustrates this point. The complainant engaged in a discussion at a halal meat counter he frequently patronized. The discussion erupted into an altercation when he responded to the butcher's comment that Africa would soon be all Muslim by replying that that would be for Africans to decide. The evidence suggested that the butcher became angry, threw frozen chicken at the complainant and a fellow customer, and then the owner joined in and threw beer cans at the complainant. The tribunal found in the complainants favour, ordering damages be paid and that the butcher attend a training programme at his own expense. Neither the notion of accommodation or equality works particularly well in this case, thus leaving open the question of how to implement a public policy that incorporates the idea of respect. A similar challenge arises in Yousufi v. Toronto Police Services Board, a Toronto Police service case in which one officer played a practical "joke" on a Muslim colleague, calling in to report that he had been involved in the 9/11 attacks. It is difficult to make either an accommodation or equality framework work in a situation such as this, and it is respect that seems a more fitting ideal.
The range of situations that present before the Tribunal means that approaches and policies must both be clear in their protection of the parties as well as contain the flexibility required to guide employers, voluntary associations, and businesses in relation to creed.
Challenges to achieving an equality model
Although I have raised some of the problems with accommodation and argued for a language and conceptual framework of equality, I am admittedly a little thin on specificities. In my view there is a major stumbling block to identifying best practices both for day to day negotiations of religious difference, for policy and law makers, and for service providers. Specifically, there has been no systematic or social scientific study of the ways in which religious difference is successfully negotiated on a day to day basis. While there are persistent negative narratives, made public most famously by the Bouchard-Taylor Commission, there are no similar persistent positive narratives that recover success stories of negotiation. Further, it is only from such narratives, or ground up knowledge, that successful best practices and policies can be developed. What can the details of the minute practices in day to day negotiation of religious difference tell us? A systematic analysis might tell us how dialogue begins, how it is made possible, what are the conditions under which it empowers. It might reveal the ways in which religion is de-essentialized. How are individuals seen not only as individuals, but as members of religious groups who are themselves social actors in addition to being the context within which individuals sometimes frame their identities? While it is easy to talk about 'too much accommodation', 'too much equality' is less comprehensible in our current constitutional and social contexts. It is here, by tracing the successes of human interaction that we will find a better description and understanding of deep equality.
With these limitations and challenges in mind, what might be some helpful suggestions in thinking about policies related to discrimination on the basis of religion or creed? To some extent the Code and Policy already identify some of the key aspects for an approach that promotes fairness, justice, and equality:
First, The duty to inform. The current obligation on those who have needs related to their religious beliefs to inform those around them is a sensible approach to take. Although it can be criticized for placing the onus on the religious practitioner rather than on those around them, and this in turn can result in a privatization of religion, the research I've been involved in would suggest that this is the best approach. There are at least two reasons for this: i. religion is only one source of identity and for some people it is not one they wish to highlight, or they wish to retain control over when it is highlighted. ii. if we see religion as a subjective phenomenon, or 'lived', it is clear that not everyone practices in the same way. This leads to the second aspect.
Secondly, Avoiding the assumption of orthodoxy. There is a tendency when dealing with religious groups with which we are not familiar to essentialize them, often in orthodox ways. Thus, not all Muslims require prayer space, not all Sikhs wear kirpan, and so on. Religious groups and individuals themselves complain that such essentialization is pushing them toward an orthodoxy of practice that is inappropriate. Thus difference within groups and between groups of the same faith challenges a one size fits all approach. On the other end of the spectrum is the assumption that because some members of a group do not engage in a specific practice that no member of the group should, this type of generalizing also should be avoided.
Thirdly, Developing a multi-layered approach. It may be that 'reasonable accommodation' may be the most sensible approach in the employment context. However, given the emphasis on equality in both human rights codes and the Charter, it would seem to be imperative to ask whether equality can be better achieved in other types of situations with an alternative approach which avoids hierarchical language and promotes a deep sense of equality and respect for difference.
- This research is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, for whose support I am most grateful. Thank you to Morgan Hunter for her editorial assistance and to Heather Shipley for commenting on an earlier draft.
- Lois Wilson, for example, former moderator of the United Church of Canada, challenged the use of tolerance in her keynote address at the Sacred and Secular in Global Canada Conference held at Huron University College.
Beaman, Lori G. 2012. "Deep Equality: moving beyond tolerance and accommodation." Impetus Magazine. Winter. http://www.chicago manualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html.
Brown, Wendy. 2006. Regulating Aversion: Tolerance in the Age of Identity and Empire. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Brown, Wendy. 2010. Walled States, Waning Sovereignty. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Day, Shelagh, and Gwen Brodsky. 1996. "The Duty to Accommodate: Who Will Benefit?" Canadian Bar Review 75:433-73.
Jakobsen, Janet R. and Ann Pellegrini. 2004. Love the Sin: Sexual Regulation and the Limits of Religious Tolerance. New York: Beacon Press.
Locke, John. 1689. "A Letter Concerning Toleration." Constitution Society. http://www.constitution.org/jl/tolerati.htm.
Ontario Human Rights Commission. 1996. Policy on creed and the accommodation of religious observance. http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/resources/Policies/PolicyCreedAccomodEN/pdf.
Wilson, Lois. 2008. Paper presented at Sacred and Secular in Global Canada, Huron University, London ON, 9-12 May.
Wong, Alan. 2011. "The Disquieting Revolution: A Genealogy of Reason and Racism in the Quebec Press." Global Media Journal: Canadian Edition 4(1): 145-162.
Case list
Modi v. Paradise Fine Foods Ltd., 2007 HRTO 12.
Yousufi v. Toronto Police Services Board, 2009 HRTO 351.
Human Rights Code, R.S.O. 1990, CHAPTER H.19.


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Date: Friday, April 5 – Sunday, April 7, 2019.
Time: Friday and Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Location: Westfield Countryside – 27001 US Hwy 19 N Ste 1039, Clearwater, FL 33761
Admission: $5, children 12 and under free.
The Clearwater Boat Show is the only spring boat show in Pinellas County. If your boat fever is too big to wait for summer, visit this show!
Shop an unmatched selection of new boats, fishing gear, apparel and more at discount prices. Sit in on a class at the Captain Joe Fishing School for hands-on learning from expert anglers.
A dozen new boat dealers will be selling their latest models. No need to battle spring break traffic on busy bridges and interstate highways. Save your gas money for your new boat!
Parking is free all weekend.
Contact TOMG Boat Shows at (727) 894-3644 for exhibitor information.
Find more information on the event's website or stay up to date with the newest boat models available following TOMG Boat Shows' Facebook page.


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Ice Shelf
Johnny Weir's penchant for outré athletic garb—fox fur trim, mesh cutouts and lots o' glitter—is essentially a given. But the figure skater, reality star and sometime model will soon be kicking it up a notch, courtesy of Rodarte. This Sunday, Weir will appear in a New York Times Magazine spread helmed by Ryan McGinley (who first mentioned the shoot to us at Art Basel), clad in a full-body, crochet knit jumpsuit. Suffice it to say, the image reveals more than just Weir's facility with a double axel; the outfit shows quite a bit of skin (not unlike the duo's new men's sweaters), including a very tight and taut Olympic posterior. Something tells us the Lady Gaga-loving, high heel-wearing enemy-of-PETA is totally in his element.


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Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more.
On 12-11-21, a theft was reported at the Wal-Mart located at 2450 NW Loop 338. Investigation revealed that an unknown male subject took approximately $162 worth of property and exited the store without making any attempt to pay. Anyone who recognizes the suspect shown in the surveillance photo is encouraged to contact Detective Y. Medrano at 432-333-3641 or Odessa Crime Stoppers at 432-333-TIPS and reference Case #20-9000562.


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People Are Making Fake Homophobic Memes About Millie Bobby Brown And It Needs To Stop
12 June 2018, 12:21 | Updated: 14 June 2018, 09:42
This has GOT to stop.
Will the internet ever leave Millie Bobby Brown alone? The Stranger Things' star is constantly under a ridiculous amount of scrutiny, whether it be about her red carpet fashion or her relationship with boyfriend Jacob Sartorius, and now people have turned her into a violently homophobic meme - for literally no reason at all.
Millie Bobby Brown Has Deleted Her Twitter Account After "Disgusting" Meme Spreads
Back in November 2017, a hashtag started circulating on Twitter called #TakeDownMillieBobbyBrown which contained tweets ranging from fake stories about violent "fan encounters" with Millie to "screenshots" of homophobic, racist and body-shaming quotes and slurs photoshopped to appear as if they've come from her account. It wasn't cute, it was high-key disgusting and it wasn't even remotely funny.
Unfortunately, the memes have not gone away and now, they're back on Twitter with more and more people are sharing them across social media. (Please note: These are, of course, not real.)
dear parents,— Gorgis (@IDontKnowHer6) June 11, 2018
just because your child is smiling at their phone doesn't mean they have a boyfriend or a girlfriend. maybe theyre just looking at memes of Millie Bobby Brown photos with homophobic captions pic.twitter.com/66lhbt5WLM
The homophobic @milliebbrown meme is literally the most stupid yet the most hilarious thing ever pic.twitter.com/hKztKYW7ta— pink samosa (@ahmaffff) June 10, 2018
"Why is it a meme? Because it's hilarious." "Are these real?! Lmao they're just funny memes" "It's funny because it's a nice person saying some horrible shit."
Mmmmm, no. Let us just say this again for the people in back: No matter how fake they are, making offensive and homophobic memes at the expense of a 14-year-old girl ain't cute and it ain't clever. When they circulate without context, people will just assume. You might not, but others will. One simple search of Millie's name on Twitter has already pulled up hundreds of different tweets from people asking if she's actually homophobic. Her Instagram comment section is also flooded with homophobic slurs and false accusations.
Millie has since deleted her Twitter account and turned off her Instagram comments after people started @-ing her with the fake images. Millie never officially responded to the original hashtag but there were a few supportive tweets liked by the person running her account back in November.
Millie is also a huge anti-bullying advocate and supporter of the LGBTQ+ community and this kind of online harassment isn't something she (or any 14-year-old) needs to see or be involuntarily involved in. It needs to stop.
Oh and by the way, if you have to explain a joke in the @ replies, kids... it's a bad joke. Bye.


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Living Word Ministries
Early Morning Prayer
Every Sunday Morning at 8:30am group meets to pray over the service. Anyone is welcome to join.
Men's Prayer
The men meet every Tuesday night at 5pm to pray for the church and for each other. Afterwards they go to eat and fellowship. Any guy of any age welcome to join.
Women's Prayer
The women meet every Friday at 10am to pray. Any lady welcome to join.
The Secret Place
Our Prayer room is named The Secret Place, as we want it to be a place that people can pursue God in personal relationship with him. All of our prayer meetings are in this room and it is open during the week for anyone who wants to come and pray in private or corporately.
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Regular Features
Enrichment: Key to Childrens Intelligence and Creativity
by Robert Sanders, Public Affairs
Marian Diamond knows brains. As a mother she raised four of her own two female and two male and is one of only a few scientists to study Einsteins brain cells.
For more than three decades, much of that time as a Berkeley professor of integrative biology, she has delved into the workings of rat brains and has been known to lug a human brain around campus in a flowered hatbox for instructional purposes, of course.
So when she and science writer Janet Hopson write a book on how to nurture and enrich childrens minds, parents should take heed.
Magic Trees of the Mind: How to Nurture Your Childs Intelligence, Creativity, and Healthy Emotions from Birth through Adolescence, published this year by Dutton, is full of advice distilled from years of research and culled from interviews with scores of brain and behavioral scientists.
It is a handy guide for parents as well as teachers on how to get the most out of childrens brains, from fetus to teen.
We have to catch the brain while its growing rapidly after birth, said Diamond, who served as director of UC Berkeleys Lawrence Hall of Science from 1990 to 1996. If you provide early enrichment while the brain is growing rapidly, you can get larger changes than after it has reached its peak of growth.
The magic trees referred to in the books title are the branches of the tree-like nerve cells in the brain, each twig almost touching another nerve cell branch in a vast, interconnected network. These branches grow enormously during childhood, making a childs brain a highly dynamic organ that feeds on stimulation and experience and responds with the flourishing of branching, intertwined neural forests, the authors write.
Diamond and Hopson explain how the brain develops and how this correlates with the behavioral changes in the child. Along the way they survey the many studies of human and animal brain development and draw inferences about the best way to enrich a childs brain.
I havent seen any other book on the developmental sequence of a childs brain and early adolescence anywhere, said Hopson, a Berkeley-based science writer with more than half a dozen books and textbooks to her credit. We bit off a bigger chunk of science than anyone else has tried to do in a popular book, based on interviews with neuroscientists, child development experts, teachers, parents and physicians.
They answer questions such as: Is there any danger of over stimulation? Does enrichment benefit all children? How can schools and teachers help? And they include more than 100 pages of learning resources.
Diamond said previous books on the subject have either been too technical or wrong. What spurred Magic Trees of the Mind was the feeling that parents and educators were just not getting the message.
Ive given over 800 lectures in my career and still its as if the idea that the brain can be enriched is new, she said. The initial discovery that branches of nerve cells could develop with enrichment was made 34 years ago in my laboratory. You just have to keep repeating the message.
Knowledge of the effects of enrichment has advanced since then, but the basic message is the same as in 1964 a stimulating environment breeds better brains.
I do believe its essential to share research findings with the public, she said. I was determined that these studies should not sit on the library shelf.
Though the book stops at the teen years, around the age of 18, learning does not stop then. While the outer layers of the brain the cerebral cortex begin marked pruning of the nerve cell branches around 10 years of age, the role of stimulating or deprived environments is important in determining the destiny of the nerve cell branches at any age, Diamond emphasized. As a model, she is learning the piano at age 71.
[ Back to top ]
Copyright 1998, The Regents of the University of California.
Produced and maintained by the Office of Public Affairs at UC Berkeley.
Comments? E-mail firstname.lastname@example.com.


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I have enjoyed reading all about your adventures on your blog website. You are one busy pug. If you ever have a free moment come check me out at:
The Misadventures of Riggs the Pug – http://riggsthepug.blogspot.com
I would love to have you as a follower if you find my blog worthwhile."


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Sometime within the next couple of months, SJ Games will set up its own computer bulletin board system. We plan to run T-Net BBS software on an Apple II+ with 10-meg Sider and Prometheus Promodem. We will be open 24 hours at 300/1200 baud.
There will be no charge for membership, and all but the highest clearances will be open to anyone who wants to call in. At least one sub-board will be devoted to MTM/GURPS.
There should be more information – and maybe a number – in the next issue of Roleplayer.
(Back to Roleplayer #1 Table of Contents)
Copyright © 1997-2023 by Steve Jackson Games. All rights reserved.


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Holly Williams for Art-Sheep
A slightly bizarre, but most certainly artistic "experiment" was conducted by New York-based photographer Kyoto Hamada. The 42-year old, inspired by some volunteer visits to lonely elderly people, decided to transform her own self to a senior and become the center of a 2-year series of photographs titled 'I Used To Be You'.
Kikuchiyo-san, Hamada's extremely believable elderly alter ego, aspired to become acquainted with the differences of life in New York as a senior citizen, something that, according to the photographer's claims, has always been a great source of curiosity to her. Indeed, as Kikuchiyo-san, Hamada managed to experience both the respect and deference an elder is supposed to enjoy by society, as well as a senior's prevailing feeling of total invisibility.
Apart from satisfying her curiosity as to what it is like to live life as an older person, the photographer also derived some valuable lessons from her experience. "Each stage of our life is a temporary experience. There are different kinds of beauty in different periods of our lives. Beauty in a 5-year-old child, a 25-year-old, a 45- or 75-year-old woman is all different", she states and hopes to impart that knowledge, along with her experience to a 99-page photo book, after succeeding in collecting $10,000 with her Kickastarter campaign.
via mymodernmet


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To mark this occasion, I've got 2 freebies for you to grab. First of all, this beautiful lightweight cotton. It's 2.50m long and 1.10m wide - don't you just love the delicate pattern? It would be perfect for a summer dress, or a cute little top (the Alma Blouse, anyone?)
Sunday 1 September 2013
Giveaway - blogiversary and 100th post!
To mark this occasion, I've got 2 freebies for you to grab. First of all, this beautiful lightweight cotton. It's 2.50m long and 1.10m wide - don't you just love the delicate pattern? It would be perfect for a summer dress, or a cute little top (the Alma Blouse, anyone?)
44 comments:
Congratulations on your blogiversary! That's just gorgeous fabric - I'd love to win it. Thanks so much for the giveaway :)ReplyDelete
Ooh, that is beautiful fabric! I wouldn't say no to the lavender, either. Happy blogiversary! :)ReplyDelete
Congrats! I love seeing your work. And thank you for thinking of all of us readers and offering a giveaway!ReplyDelete
Happy blogiversary! I'm not sure I could make use of the lavender but would love the fabric, thank you :)ReplyDelete
Happy Blogiversary, 100th post, and 100 followers! And such a generous way to celebrate - love the look of that fabric! More happy blogging days to come...JReplyDelete
Congrats!! I'm such a fan of your sewing adventure. Good luck and great giveaway :)ReplyDelete
Woo, worldwide! I've loved reading about your sewing exploits and seeing your wedding dress makes me feel that one day maybe I could tackle that! :-) hello from Adelaide, AustraliaReplyDelete
Very pretty fabric...thanks for the giveaway :)ReplyDelete
Pretty fabric. I would love to win either one. Happy Blogiversary.ReplyDelete
Hope you have many many more successful years of blogging to come. I would love that wonderful fabric :)ReplyDelete
I'd love to win the fabric! I can imagine a gorgeous vintage dress with that. Thanks! xReplyDelete
I'd love to win the lavender! Thanks for the giveaway.ReplyDelete
- Kathleen5 September 2013 at 00:08
Thanks for the giveaway, I read anonymously you have made some real cool stuff.ReplyDelete
Hi Alice! Happy blogiversary! Just wanted to say that as a novice sewer, I love your blog and find it really inspiring :-) I particularly love your version of the Alma blouse, it's definitely on my to-do list for when I finally get my head around those dreaded fitting issues!! Louise xxReplyDelete
I like your clothes. I actually have some of those same patterns; it's fun to see other people's executions of things I hope to make some day. You crank them out at an impressive rate!ReplyDelete
Congrats Alice. Your blog is so impressive & a huge inspiration to me. How do you find the time to do all of these incredible clothes & items? I am just starting to sew with the help of my mum & aunt. It is going to be so rewarding once I complete anything. I have decided to make a skirt for work, quite plain but practical. I look forward to more amazing posts. I will be bugging you about sewing advice in the near future.ReplyDelete
Hi Alice, I would love to win either the lovely fabric or the lavender (which would be a great start to practicing christmas presents!). After seeing your favourite dress creations I bought the pattern and am mid-way through construction so thank you for the inspiration to try sewing my first dress! xReplyDelete
Congratulations on your 100th post! I'd love to enter for the floral fabric but I think someone else would make better use of the dried lavender :)ReplyDelete
- Anonymous16 September 2013 at 22:28
Congratulations on your anniversary!ReplyDelete
congrats dear :) great giveaway,i love the lavender so pretty fabricReplyDelete
Congrats Alice. Thank you for the giveaway. I bought a sewing machine 2 months ago and made a Sorbetto top and now I'm hooked! Friends and family are surprised about my new hobby (very different from my geeky job too!). I'm happily building my stash and would love to have the beautiful fabric. =))ReplyDelete
You have been very much an inspiration, the self made wedding gown is AMAZING! Wishing you all the BEST and keep those posts coming!
Hello. I just found your blog when I googled "how to add lining to a skirt". Your blog is very helpful. I am following you via Blogloving.ReplyDelete
I hope I am not too late for the draw... CelesteReplyDelete
Thank you, Jennifer!ReplyDelete


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Melting Glaciers Do More Than Raise Sea Levels
The movement of meltwater from ice to the ocean carries some surprising cargo.
Article body copy
Novels and blockbuster movies that tackle climate change gravitate toward the dramatic, especially when it comes to melting ice. In these stories, mountainous glaciers crumble and cities flood as the sea rises. But a lot more happens in between the mountains and the sea, as meltwater passes through the liminal space of the coast. Here are five ways the slow, non-dramatic drip of melting ice changes our coastlines and oceans.
Released Toxicants
Glaciers, like many venerable objects, can act as time capsules. Like a dusty vinyl record holds an era's songs, ice holds very old molecules—not just the H2O of snow, but traces of airborne particles like dust, ash, and chemicals that hitched a ride on falling flakes. In the Antarctic, Adélie penguins harbor consistent levels of the pesticide DDT even though it's been widely banned since the 1970s. The source: glacier meltwater that trickles past the penguins on its way to the sea, eventually making its way into the penguins' food webs. That means at least some of the ice now melting inland was once snow that fell before DDT was restricted in the 1970s. Many other once-airborne and now-banned pollutants are reappearing in glacier meltwater, such as PCBs and CFCs, the latter of which were a component of hairspray and other aerosols until they were phased out in the 1980s. Thanks, Van Halen.
Re-emerged Diseases
In 2016, an anthrax outbreak killed a young boy and decimated reindeer herds in Siberia. The source of the disease puzzled scientists since the area had been anthrax-free for 75 years. Eventually, they traced it to an anthrax-bacteria-ridden reindeer carcass once locked in the permafrost and now thawed due to climate change. The story raised fears that global warming might resurrect other once-vanquished diseases. Viruses can lurk in frozen bodies for a long time, which may not be an entirely bad thing. In 2005, researchers carefully reconstructed the virus that caused the 1918 flu pandemic from a corpse buried in the icy Alaskan ground, allowing the study of the virus's genome for the first time. In reality, the chances of these diseases re-infecting humanity are very small, but millions of microbes live on and within ice sheets and glaciers.
Smothered Sea Life
As the volume of meltwater increases, it erodes more sand, dust, and rock. One Norwegian study projected that the volume of sediment in the meltwater of one mountain glacier will double between 2070 and 2100. Once deposited downstream, the extra sediment can change a river's shape and function, causing channels to shift or widen, and waters to flood over the banks. And the impacts go all the way to the ocean. Sediment can smother animals living on the seafloor and murkier water means there is less light available for photosynthesizing phytoplankton. But those same sediments can also carry nutrients, which could fuel plankton growth. Either way, the extra sedimentation can cause ripples throughout marine food webs.
Flooded Rivers
Glacial lake outburst floods, or GLOFs, are one of the few fast and dramatic events in a field devoted to things that are literally glacially slow. GLOFs usually happen at the edges of the ice. When glaciers grind forward, they plow up the sediment leaving long ridge-like piles of sand and gravel—called moraines—at the glacier's toe and along its sides. If the glacier then retreats, meltwater can pool in the open space between the ice and the moraine, forming a lake. But these new lakes can suddenly burst through weak spots in the melting ice or moraines, sending water barreling downstream. As well as delivering pulses of sediment, GLOFs can cause rivers to flood, widen, or alter course. The impacts can be significant in some mountainous regions where climate change is making GLOFs more common. In 2008, after 21 GLOFs tore down the coast of Chile from melting Andean glaciers, the water widened the country's largest river by more than 40 meters and carried 25 million cubic meters (enough to fill 1,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools) of sediment downstream.
Changing Coastlines
When all this meltwater finally reaches the coast, it causes the sea to rise. Sea level rise is already subsuming coasts around the world, including many sandy or low-lying islands. But sometimes, if the coasts are steep, jagged, and formerly ice covered, melt can actually expose coastal features including whole islands. That's because many glaciers and ice sheets spill over from the land into the sea. Their retreat reveals the underlying coastlines. And the more convoluted the terrain, the more dramatic the effect. Dozens of islands emerged in the past few decades as ice sheets receded along the crinkled edges of Greenland; Svalbard, Norway; and Novaya Zemlya, Russia. Cartographers scramble to keep up, but it can take several years to update digital maps and charts with high-tech satellite data, especially for remote places. With ice melt accelerating, just a few years can usher in a total sea change on the coast.


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I regularly encounter references to the indigenous peoples of Africa,
usually as part of a string: "indigenous peoples of the Americas, Asia,
and Africa."
So how does the term indigenous peoples apply to Africa. Sure, the Black
South Africans are indigenous compared to the white South Africans, as
are the Kung to the Bantu. And many African peoples have oral history
that they were invaders or were conquered by invaders. But the case is
not nearly as clear cut as one find s in the Americas.
I would appreciate hearing the thoughts of others on this subject.
Joseph M. O'Neal
St. Edward's University
Austin, TX 78704
Ph: 512-448-8745
e-mail: email@example.com


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Drip coffee makers is one of the most popular coffee making machines on the marketplace. This unit has lots of benefits for all customers. Many coffee lovers want to use this type of coffee machine because it can be use to deliver rich flavor coffee everyday. There are several types of coffee makers that are going to use drip coffee production technology. This article can show you some of the most popular drip coffee making units on the marketplace.
10. DeLonghi DCF2212T Drip Coffee Making Unit – Drip Coffee Makers
It is one of the most efficient coffee makers on the marketplace. This device has unique access design. You can simply pull the handle at the front part from this machine, in order to get easy access to your water and also coffee filter. This coffee maker can also be programme, in order to help you use this device easily. This coffee making device has about 12 cup capacity, in order to support your needs.
9. Hario Drip Decanter VDD-02B – Drip Coffee Makers
This is a popular drip coffee makers that you could buy from the market. This drip coffee maker can allow you to have maximum coffee expansion during the brewing process. It has removable silicone band that can be use to ensure comfortable use for all customers. Its high quality material can provide cool touch design. You can also wash this drip coffee maker in your own kitchen easily.
8. Kitchen Selectives CM-688 Single Serve Coffee Maker – Drip Coffee Makers
When using this drip coffee making unit, you could enjoy great coffee quality everyday. When you buy this unit, you can also get 12 oz mug that is include in this kit. Its removable dripping storage area allows you to clean this type of coffee making unit easily. Its illuminated power light can let you know the overall status from this coffee maker.
7. Molla Perfect Drip Programmable Coffee Maker – Drip Coffee Makers
It is easy to start using this type of programmable coffee maker nowadays. This device can deliver genuine coffee taste and flavor. This machine is going to use its original paper filter, in order to function normally. This coffee maker can be programme within 24 hours. This coffee making unit is going to use the latest temperature dynamics, in order to provide good and fresh coffee.
6. Rednax Manual Coffee Brewing Machine – Drip Coffee Makers
This coffee maker has lots of features and benefits, so you can make the best coffee in your own kitchen easily. You can start grinding your coffee bean, drip brew your own coffee, and also enjoy great tasting coffee everyday. This device is going to use manual technology, so you don't need to use electric system for turning on this machine.
5. Hario Buono Coffee Drip Kettle – Drip Coffee Makers
It is another popular drip coffee maker that you could buy from the marketplace. This device is make from stainless steel material. This reliable material can ensure that you can use this drip kettle for a long time. It is going to use its 27 ounce capacity, in order to provide good and convenient experience for all coffee lovers. It can be use to deliver professional experience for all users.
4. Melitta Coffee Maker – Drip Coffee Makers
When you would like to use a good and powerful coffee making device for your needs, you should never forget about this device. This coffee maker is going to use plastic cone drip brewer that is very convenient for all users. This package also comes with six cup of carafe that is make from glass material. You can brew your favorite coffee at the perfect temperature when using this type of coffee maker.
3. Bodum Pour Coffee Maker – Drip Coffee Makers
It is a good coffee making unit on the marketplace. When using this coffee maker, you would be able to make the best coffee with great aroma and taste. It is not going to remove the essential oils from your coffee on its paper filter. As the result, you can still enjoy great flavor from your coffee when using this coffee maker.
2. BEST Hand Drip Coffee Making Unit from Coffee Gator – Drip Coffee Makers
This is a great coffee making unit that can be use in the kitchen. This coffee maker is make from stainless steel. Its stainless steel filter can improve the best coffee filtration system from this unit. You don't need to spend your time and effort whenever you would like to create the best coffee for your needs.
1. OSAKA Pour Drip Brewer – Drip Coffee Makers
When using this type of coffee maker, you would be able to get the best benefits from this unit. It is make from borosilicate glass that can withstand against high temperature. It also comes with permanent stainless steel filter. This filter can ensure that you can have pure and also high quality coffee in the kitchen.


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Pink Geode Slice Artmark
Sale Sold out
Regular price $ 16.00 USD
Regular priceUnit price per
Sale price
A selection of unique large pink geode slice artmark. Plated in gold. Thin black stretch ribbon. Customers love these large beautiful geodes. Fitting snugly on nearly any size book, notebook, or planner you can be sure an artmark will never fall out and lose your place, no matter where you bring your new read. The soft elastic ribbon ensures your pages will never be torn or folded over. Can be worn on the cover of your book or placed on the spine.
Not suitable for children under six. Choking hazard/strangulation hazard. This listing is for one geode slice artmark, each are one of a kind.


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Qty : 1
Do you admire elegance and style? Let your darling Cane Corso take joy in wearing such accessories on! Present him this fashionable leather dog collar with decorations from FDT Artisan . This accessory is crafted for those who just adore stylish things. In this extraordinary collar, your doggie will have more strict, but beautiful look. Your adorable Cane Corso will get the gentlest treatment when wearing this collar. Full grain genuine leather is hypoallergenic and absolutely eco-friendly.
Click on the pictures to see bigger image
Strong natural leather dog collar for your beautiful four-legged friend
Full grain natural leather dog collar with stylish design adornments
Leather dog collar with studs for your beautiful dog
Key features of this Dog Collar:
Intended use of this Dog Collar:
Sizes available:
Available colors:
Natural leather collar with designer studs for your dog
Please be advised that:
Cane Corso decorated natural genuine leather dog collar for comfortable wearing
Full grain leather was chosen to provide maximum comfort and safety while wearing. The material is carefully oiled that saves it from cracking. Among the benefits of full grain genuine leather are flexibility, tear-resistance and sturdiness. The layer of leather is quite thick that prevents the tool cracking. It allows you to walk even big and strong dog safely. Rounded and smooth edges of the collar are non-cutting and don't rub the dog's skin. Besides, full grain leather doesn't contain any harmful elements being totally safe.
Full grain leather dog collar with decorations for your stylish doggie
This is how the package looks
Order a present for your dog
* 1-5 business days on average once the order is shipped (not including holidays and weekends)** 3-5 business days on average (not including holidays and weekends)
* 9-20 business days on average (not including holidays and weekends)** 3-7 business days on average (not including holidays and weekends)
You can return all items (except close-outs and custom made products) within 21 days after delivery. Please, contact us before you send item/items back to receive a return/exchange authorization number.
Wait a minute!
You can take this promo code for a realy good deal


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The Ultimate Guide to Eliminating Harmful Cleaning Products From Your Home
Are your favorite cleaning products harming your health? This guide will make eliminating harmful cleaning products from your home easy!
We are being bombarded with chemicals in our environment on a daily basis. Many of these chemicals have little to no effect on our health or overall well being.
But there are some chemicals and toxins that can do some real damage. If you want to know what some of those are, just take a quick look under your kitchen sink.
Most household cleaners contain harmful chemicals and ingredients.
That's why whenever someone asks me how they can eliminate harmful chemicals in their home, I always suggest they start with their cleaning products.
It's really easy to do.
When I first learned about the dangers of cleaning products there were hardly any natural alternatives available.
You had to make everything yourself and it was hard to find DIY recipes on the internet. But things have changed so much over the years, in a good way. And now you have so many more options.
So you really have no excuse. It's time to ditch and switch for your health and the health of your family.
(This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure statement here.)
I am not a doctor and the statements on this blog have not been evaluated by the FDA. Products mentioned here are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please do not ask me for medical advice. Click here to read my full disclaimer.
Dangers Of Household Cleaners
Many store-bought cleaning products contain dangerous chemicals. These chemicals can cause headaches, irritate the throat and eyes and cause respiratory problems. Some have even been linked to cancer.
Click here to learn more about the dangers of household cleaning products.
Breathing in chemicals from household cleaners can cause damage to the lungs.
Studies have shown that women who work around cleaners showed a greater decline in lung function than women who haven't been exposed to cleaners on a regular basis.
You can check out the study here.
But household cleaners are not only harmful to your health, but they're also really bad for the environment.
When you use toxic cleaners to clean your sinks or showers, those chemicals are then washed down the drain.
The majority of chemicals are removed at the waste water treatment facilities but not all. And unfortunately, many of the chemicals end up in our lakes and rivers.
The plastic bottles used to store household cleaners also harm the environment by contributing to the already massive landfills.
Click here to learn more about the harmful effects of cleaning products on the environment.
Dangerous Ingredients in Cleaning Products
If you look at the list of ingredients in your favorite cleaning products, you'll most likely find a list of words you can hardly pronounce and you probably won't have any idea what these ingredients actually are.
Below is a list of ingredients to be on the lookout for. These ingredients are commonly used in many cleaning products and can be very harmful to your health and your environment.
- Triclosan – Triclosan is an aggressive antibacterial agent. So aggressive that it can actually promote the growth of drug-resistant bacteria. Also, the EPA is currently investigating whether or not triclosan is possibly an endocrine disruptor.
You can check out this study for more information.
- Phthalates – Phthalates are known endocrine disruptors. Many researchers have also linked phthalates to asthma, breast cancer, autism and a very long list of other conditions and illnesses.
Click here for more information about phthalates.
- 2-Butoxyethanol – 2-Butoxyethanol can cause sore throats when inhaled. At high levels, it can contribute to severe liver and kidney damage.
Click here for more information about 2-butoxyethanol.
- Ammonia – Ammonia can contribute to the development of asthma and chronic bronchitis. Ammonia can also create a poisonous gas if mixed with bleach.
Click here to learn more about the dangers of ammonia.
These are just a few of the dangerous chemicals that might be lurking in your favorite cleaning products. Honestly, I could keep going but I think you get the idea.
If you are unsure whether or not you should keep or toss your favorite products just give them a quick search on the EWG website.
What is The EWG?
I'll be mentioning the EWG pretty often throughout this post. The EWG stands for the Environmental Working Group. Their mission is to empower people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment.
They create guides to help consumers make smarter choices about the items they bring in to their homes.
I like to use their Guide to Healthy Cleaning when deciding which cleaning products I should use. In their cleaning guide, they give products an A-F rating. A being the best, meaning the product is considered very safe. And F being the worst, meaning it contains highly toxic and dangerous ingredients.
A warning About So-Called "Natural" Cleaners
Many so-called natural cleaners aren't quite as "natural" as they would like you to believe.
Check out the EWG rating for this popular tub and tile cleaner from Method. Or this countertop cleaner from Mrs. Meyer's. They definitely are not the ratings I would expect from a brand claiming to be "natural" or "planet-friendly".
And a quick disclaimer, I'm not saying all of the products from these brands are terrible. I'm just saying if you're going to stick with store-bought, please do your research.
The EWG has a super handy app that you can download on your phone. All you have to do is search the item or scan the barcode and it will give the item a grade based on its environmental impact as well as health concerns.
Toxin Free Cleaning Alternatives
Ditching and switching your toxic household cleaners has never been easier. There are so many DIY recipes and toxin-free products to choose from.
So below I've listed common household cleaners and my favorite natural alternatives. Some are DIY's and some are store-bought. And some are both.
But all are completely toxin-free and work great!
1 | All-Purpose Cleaner
I can't live without my all-purpose cleaner. This is my go-to cleaner. I go through it like crazy.
Many popular all-purpose cleaners like 409 and Clorox contain ingredients like didecyldimethylammonium chloride and ethanolamine.
Instead, I use my own homemade all-purpose cleaner. It is super easy to make and works so well.
I also have an awesome DIY Thieves cleaner that I also use as an all-purpose cleaner.
A store-bought alternative that I really like is Aunt Fannie's Cleaning Vinegar.
You're going to notice Aunt Fannie's mentioned a lot. They're a great natural cleaning brand.
I prefer to make my own cleaners most of the time because they cost a lot less money but from time to time I'll purchase store-bought products.
Aunt Fannie's Cleaning Vinegar gets an A rating (the highest it can get) from the EWG.
You can buy it on Amazon but I usually order it from Thrive Market because it is usually cheaper there.
Right now you can get up to $20 in shopping credit when you purchase a Thrive Market Membership! (1 month, 3 month, and 1 year memberships are available).
If you are not familiar with Thrive Market, you can read my full Thrive Market review.
2 | Window & Glass Cleaner
If you are using Windex, please do you and your family a favor and throw it out. Windex contains ingredients like hexoxyethanol and ethanolamine which are both known endocrine disruptors.
The good news is I have a homemade glass and window cleaner that I believe works way better than Windex.
A great storebought alternative is Aunt Fannie's Glass & Window Cleaning Vinegar Wash. It also gets an A rating from the EWG and works great.
You can buy this glass cleaner on Amazon or Thrive Market where it is usually a few bucks cheaper.
3 | Sink & Toilet Scrub
I have yet to perfect a DIY sink and toilet scrub recipe. But I am working on it.
For now I use Bon Ami Powder Cleanser. It's natural and earth-friendly.
It works well and is a great alternative to products like Comet which currently has a D rating on the EWG website.
Bon Ami is super affordable too. I purchase it on Thrive Market. It only costs 1.29 for a 14oz container.
And remember, right now you can get up to $20 in shopping credit when you purchase a Thrive Market Membership! (1 month, 3 month, and 1 year memberships are available).
You can also buy it on Amazon. But it costs a little extra there.
4 | Floor Cleaner
I am not very picky about my floor cleaner and I usually just use my homemade all-purpose cleaner or DIY Thieves cleaner whenever I clean my floors.
But if you want something specifically created for floors, Aunt Fannie's has a fantastic floor cleaner. It's perfect for hardwood, ceramic tile, bamboo, vinyl, and laminate floors.
It's been awarded the highest health and safety rating for cleaning products by the EWG.
Floor cleaners like Mop & Glo and Murphy Oil Soap both have F ratings on the EWG website because they contain harmful chemicals.
You can buy this on Amazon or Thrive Market. Like a lot of the other cleaners on this list, it is a little bit cheaper on Thrive Market.
5 | Wood Cleaner
Pledge is a very popular product for cleaning wood surfaces. It's actually not quite as dangerous as many other store-bought cleaners but it's definitely not super safe either.
It contains naphtha (petroleum) which has been linked to DNA damage and cancer.
A great alternative is Earth Friendly Furniture Polish. I really, really like this stuff! And it gets an A rating according to the EWG.
This furniture polish is ammonia-free, phosphate-free, chlorine-free, glycol and glycol ether-free, enzyme-free, dye-free, and free of petroleum ingredients.
You can buy it on Amazon or Thrive Market.
6 | Tub & Shower Cleaner
A good, natural tub and tile cleaner is hard to find and even harder to make. I've been trying to make my own for a while now but everything I come up with doesn't quite do the trick.
But I refuse to use products like Arm & Hammer and Clorox. Both of which contain harmful chemicals.
Luckily, I have found one natural tub and shower cleaner that I really like and the EWG gives it an A rating. It's the tub and tile cleaner from Seventh generation.
It works great and it is free from dangerous chemicals. You can buy it on Amazon.
7 | Dish Soap
It is super important that your dish soap is free of toxins because it is coming in direct contact with your dishes and utensils and also your skin if you hand wash your dishes.
When it comes to dish soap Ajax, Dawn and Cascade are some of the worst offenders. They contain ingredients such as anionic surfactants, sulfuric acid and artificial dyes and fragrances. All of which can have harmful effects on your health as well as the environment.
Fortunately, there are many natural alternatives to toxic dish soaps. Aunt Fannie's Microcosmic Probiotic Power Dish Soap is amazing. It is free from dyes, petroleum, sulfates, phthalates, parabens, and gluten.
It also contains probiotics which I think is super cool.
You can buy it on Amazon. But I usually buy it from Thrive Market because it's cheaper.
If you have a dishwasher than I highly recommend Seventh Generation dishwasher packs. They are free of fragrances, dyes, phosphates, and chlorine bleach and have an A rating on the EWG website.
You can buy them on Amazon or Thrive Market.
Tips for Using Natural Cleaning Products
I just want to mention a few important tips before I end this post in regards to using natural cleaning products. I think these tips will be especially helpful to those of you who will be using natural, toxin-free products for the first time.
Clean and sterile are two different things. Many store-bought cleaners that contain very powerful, chemical ingredients eliminate all bacteria from your home and in essence create a sterile environment.
You do not want that. Good bacteria are extremely beneficial to your environment and your health.
So if your goal is to create a sterile environment, you need to do some research and shift your mindset.
Here is a great article about the benefits of good bacteria.
Our culture is obsessed with cleanliness and it can actually do more harm than good.
So if you're hesitant to switch to natural cleaners because you don't think they're powerful enough, you need to remember that is actually a good thing.
You do not want every bit of bacteria wiped from your home. We need good bacteria to fight against bad bacteria.
The second thing is natural cleaning products might cost more than the cleaning products you're used too.
That is why I prefer to make homemade cleaners if I can because they tend to cost a lot less.
But unfortunately, I haven't found a homemade alternative for all my favorite cleaners. But I am working on it.
So there are quite a few products I buy instead of making. I get most of them from Thrive Market because they almost always cost less than other retailers including Amazon.
Right now you can get up to $20 in shopping credit when you purchase a Thrive Market Membership! (1 month, 3 month, and 1 year memberships are available).
With that being said, if you have to spend a little more money on natural cleaners just remember your health and your family's health IS WORTH IT!
Final Conclusions
I hope this guide helps you eliminate the harmful cleaning products from your home! Remember, no matter how well a cleaning product works its not worth using if it contains harmful ingredients.
Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below!


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Tristan Song Project
The Tristan Song Project is a collaborative venture between St Mary's School, Tristan and the Norfolk Music School run by Tony Triggs
Songs written by pupils of St Mary's School have been set to music by the Norfolk Music School and are available as a song book.
Money raised contributes to music education on Tristan da Cunha
Tristan Song Project Update by Tony Triggs
The Tristan Song Project continues to take its inspiration from poems by St Mary's pupils which my (mainly) young composers in England turn into songs. Among recent songs are The Moody Sea with words by Dean, Natalie and Kimmy, and The Sea at Night, with words by Caryn.
I've featured three or four of the songs in a Tristan Song Project lecture-recital and Jim sometimes leads performances to cruise ship passengers visiting Tristan.
With this in mind, the Project is giving all the young Tristan poet/performers Song Project T shirts. With luck, they will have reached the island before or with this Newsletter. The five guitars sent earlier took up to seven months, so one never knows!
Photos from Tony Triggs above show:
Above: Project T-shirt Logo;
Left : Project T-shirt worn by Marisa Cordoba who set Dean's poem 'The
Far Left: Bethany Whitaker, recital soloist (and Tony's grand-daughter) singing
The BBC will feature the Project and the exile of 1961 in a radio programme expected to be broadcast in 2013. This presents an enormous opportunity! The BBC would like one or two 'Volcano' songs to include in the broadcast and island-born poets of any age are welcome to contribute poems for setting, especially if they're in regular verses. No one in the world can write about volcanoes like the people of Tristan! The Project songbook Rockhopper Penguins and Other Songs, published last year, is still on sale at
Introducing the Project
We should like to thank Ingrid van der Merwe who, before she left Tristan in March, enjoyed taking Class 3 for some English lessons, including leading the children in the writing of poetry that could be turned into song. Her efforts were rewarded and all the pupils in the class produced entertaining poems linked to their life on Tristan. I sent the poems to Tony Triggs who runs a music school in Norfolk. Tony is keen for the Norfolk Music School to develop links with St. Mary's School and he and his students set about writing music to accompany most of the poems.
This project has been very successful, members of Class 3 are delighted with the results and we have started to learn some of the songs starting with 'Rockhopper Penguins', written by Kimberley Green and Tony Triggs. This project has resulted in some new friendships and some of Class 3 have started to communicate regularly with their partners in Norfolk. Tony has gathered the songs together in a book entitled 'Rockhopper Penguins and Other Songs', and Tristan pupils will be working enthusiastically on some new poems motivated by the lovely music from Norfolk.


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Gillard unveils expanded Cabinet
Bill Shorten, one of the so-called faceless men who engineered Julia Gillard's leadership coup last year, is the biggest winner in her ministerial reshuffle today.
Mr Shorten will move into Cabinet, shifting from Assistant Treasurer into the key Workplace Relations portfolio, with another "faceless man", Mark Arbib, becoming Assistant Treasurer and Small Business Minister.
Nicola Roxon will be Australia's first female Attorney-General, taking over from Robert McClelland, who will remain in an expanded Cabinet as Minister for Emergency Management and Housing.
There will be five women in a 22-member Cabinet, with Tanya Plibersek taking over Ms Roxon's Health portfolio.
Industry Minister Kim Carr, a supporter of Ms Gillard during the leadership challenge, has been dumped from Cabinet but has been given the Manufacturing and Defence Materiel portfolio.
Also demoted is Chris Evans, who has lost Workplace Relations but retains his position in Cabinet with the Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research portfolio.
Mark Butler moves into Cabinet with the Mental Health and Ageing role along with Social Inclusion.
Greg Combet, who successfully shepherded the controversial climate change legislation through Parliament takes over Industry from the demoted Senator Carr.
Sydney MP Jason Clare, a member of the influential NSW Right faction, has been promoted from Defence Procurement to Home Affairs.
Former Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor is appointed as Minister for Human Services and Minister Assisting for School Education.
No reward
A new face in the ministry is Tasmanian MP Julie Collins in the Community Services portfolio, meaning the state retains a face in the Government's executive after the resignation of Nick Sherry.
Ms Gillard denied the changes reward her political backers.
"Anybody making that assertion was incapable of logical thought," Ms Gillard told a press conference.
"The key new appointments here are the new appointments into Cabinet.
"Yes, other important changes have been made like Julie Collins coming into the ministry, but I would direct your attention to the people joining Cabinet - Tanya Plibersek, Bill Shorten, Mark Butler."
Of those, only Mr Shorten was actively supporting Ms Gillard during the leadership coup.
Ms Gillard says the changes are designed to provide a "mix of new energy talent and wise heads" in a time of "profound economic change".
"I believe it's the right mix of experience and new blood," she said.
"This new mixture will give us new focus and the fire power we need in 2012 to pursue the Government's priorities."
The reshuffle was made possible by the resignation of Senator Sherry, the Small Business Minister, who told Ms Gillard of his decision during the ALP conference a week ago.
He says he resigned to spend more time with his family of three young children and because he had a very long parliamentary career.
"I am fit and energetic, I enjoy being a Minister but when I considered the interrelated factors I came to the conclusion it was time," Senator Sherry told reporters.
But he emphasised the decision was his and his alone.
Ms Plibersek says she is grateful for the opportunity to become Health Minister.
"I think it's really important to have a Cabinet that reflects the diversity of the Australian community, and that means men and women, it means older and younger people, it means people who have had all different sorts of life experiences."
'Buying loyalty'
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says Ms Gillard had to expand the Cabinet because she could not afford to upset any of her ministers.
"The Prime Minister had to buy the loyalty of the faceless men but she couldn't afford to sack anyone, so now the worst government in Australia's history has the biggest Cabinet in Australia's history," he said.
Mr Abbott says he is not considering a reshuffle of his frontbench, saying he will be taking his present team to the election, unlike Ms Gillard.
"Her problem is that she's got fundamentally bad policy and she's trying to mask the lack of good policy by changing personnel," Mr Abbott said.
"You never rule out change if there are retirements, but I am very satisfied with my team and my team is the team I expect to lead into the election."
Key winners and losers
Bill Shorten
Previously: Assistant Treasurer; Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation (outer ministry)
Now: Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations; Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation (Cabinet)
Mark Arbib
Previously: Minister for Indigenous Employment and Economic Development; Minister for Sport; Minister for Social Housing and Homelessness
Now: Assistant Treasurer; Minister for Small Business; Minister for Sport
Nicola Roxon
Previously: Minister for Health and Ageing
Now: Attorney-General
Tanya Plibersek
Previously: Minister for Human Services; Minister for Social Inclusion (outer ministry)
Now: Minister for Health (Cabinet)
Mark Butler
Previously: Minister for Mental Health and Ageing (outer ministry)
Now: Minister for Mental Health and Aged Care (Cabinet)
Jason Clare
Previously: Minister for Defence Materiel
Now: Minister for Home Affairs and Justice
Robert McClelland
Previously: Attorney-General
Now: Minister for Emergency Management
Kim Carr
Previously: Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (Cabinet)
Now: Minister for Manufacturing; Minister for Defence Materiel (outer ministry)
Chris Evans
Previously: Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations
Now: Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research
Kevin Rudd
Previously and now: Minister for Foreign Affairs