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By Daniel Kunitz Zhang Huan - Blessings, Published by PaceWildenstein, 2008 ISBN: 978-1-930743-89-2 The Circle of Zhang Huan's "Blessings," Embodied Something began to coalesce for the Chinese artist Zhang Huan around the turn of the millennium. In 2000 he made his first acknowledged sculpture, Rubens , which grew out of a performance piece of the same title. Life-sized and with a gold patina, the sculpture was a bronze cast of Zhang's nude body, to which some twenty cast hands had been attached, touching the artist. The artist's figure copies the posture of the famous Chinese terracotta warriors, standing rigid with fists forming open circles, while each of the attached hands assumes its own pose: a banker's hand counts money, another, says Zhang, "makes the 'fuck you' sign." This hand might be taken as a reminder of the artist's punk-spirited youth in Beijing 's East Village . That he chose to make this first sculptural work a type of self–portrait was characteristic of Zhang's interests; he had used his body, usually nude, in the numerous performances for which he had come to be known over the course of the previous seven years. And that focus on the body—on himself—remained a trait of his rebelliousness, the punk individualism set against the group think of the Cultural Revolution. It's an attitude alluded to by Richard Vine in an essay on Zhang's 2007 retrospective at Asia Society in New York: "almost every one of the show's 20 works features Zhang's own compelling likeness—a fact at odds with the dearth of self-portraiture in his nation's earlier art and contrary to stereotypical notions of self-effacing 'Chineseness.'" And while China is not a homogeneous culture, Zhang's work has consistently reflected its many facets; he is very much a Chinese artist, yet one who freely mines many cultural veins, both Eastern and Western. He has, for instance, spoken about his love of both Kurt Cobain's music as well as Tibetan Buddhist temple music, though he understood the words of neither.
The performance of Rubens took place in Ghent, hometown of the painter, with whom Zhang has said he felt "a special connection," and it is particularly interesting because it seems to foreshadow later developments in his life—not just his sculptural work, but his studio practice as well. Over the course of an hour, sixty people dressed in 17th-century clothing enacted scenes inspired by The Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus , based on Zhang's "impressions of Rubens and his many assistants." The work ended with the artist writing out a poem by Li Shang Yin, from the Tang Dynasty: "Sunset is so beautiful, but it is close to dusk." In an interview, Zhang has remarked on the poem, "It's about getting older, about beautiful things ending."
He didn't stop creating performances until 2005, and what one might call the third, or mature, phase of his work didn't begin until he moved from New York back to China in 2006, when he established a large studio and began creating the sorts of sculptures, ash paintings, and Memory Doors presented in this exhibition. But Rubens marked a turning point in another way: with that first sculpture, he "concretized the performance," he has written. And while his later object-based work—his paintings and sculptures—might seem remote from the performance-art pieces, the two modes are in fact interconnected. Indeed much of his recent object-based work can be understood, at least partly, as embodied, or concretized, performance.
Consider Giant No. 1 , an enormous sculpture, more than thirteen feet high, of a cowhide-covered colossus upon whom a small Zhang figure climbs. It turns out the sculpture relates to My Rome , Zhang's 2005 performance at the Capitoline Museum . For that piece, the artist, clad only in a white sarong, climbed up and lay down on the huge, bearded and tendril-tressed marble river god, from the 2nd century CE, in the Marforio fountain. Zhang's actions in the performance inform the imagery rather than the content of Giant No. 1 —it is not, in other words, a direct concretization, though it does obliquely explore some of the same terrain. The procedures in all Zhang's performances evolved out of such quotidian actions as eating, sleeping, and using the toilet; photographs of My Rome , for example, capture the artist kissing the statue, embracing it, climbing on it, and reclining next to it. Being performances, however, they tend to situate such actions within a theatrical or dramatic context; they establish a mise-en-scène: when he was pelted with bread in My America (Hard to Acclimatize) , to take one particularly clear example, it occurred while he sat amidst a sort of three-sided stage made up of triple tiers of nude men and women. A sculpture like Giant No. 1 also partakes of this dynamic, expressing basic actions or facts within a dramatic context: it addresses birth and death, as well as survival (clothing) through the cow hides that cover the figure, while its monumental size magnifies these basic themes to the level of spectacle.
The concretized performance of a work like Rubens seems to be an expression of Zhang's broader interest in mixing or unifying artistic modes. If, for instance, employing real bodies and everyday actions in a performance art piece blurs the distinction between art and life, Zhang's Memory Doors , begun in 2006, extend the metaphor of the blurred distinction by mixing photography and sculpture. In these works, historical black-and-white photographs depicting pre-capitalist Chinese scenes—workers unloading grain from a truck, a cannon standing in a field, butchers in a slaughterhouse, the flensing of a whale—are enlarged and affixed to large wooden household doors culled in Shanxi Province. Areas of the photographs are then carved into, creating low reliefs of the photographic images. "When I was a child I lived on a farm," Zhang has said. "These doors remind me of my life and reflect my life experiences." One finds indications of those experiences even in the wrinkled and bubbled surfaces of the photographs—they are left imperfectly applied in order to recall the notices slapped on the doors of the homes of people condemned during the Cultural Revolution.
The juxtaposed positive and negative sections of the doors enact a clash of illusions—photographs of "reality" bang up against artful sculpture made from real, or functional, objects. What should we call real, they seem to ask: the convincingly carved gun and tendrils of smoke in Cannon or the soldiers photographed fighting alongside? At the same time, the Memory Doors cause us to question the distinction between artistic modes: should we call them paintings or sculptures or photographs?
Or, perhaps, embodied performances? For there are several dimensions of performance one can discover in these works. One might point to the way the daily actions of life were performed for the camera, which are then ultimately transformed into three-dimensional representations. But to fully grasp all the aspects of performance in the Memory Doors , as in all of his object-based work, one needs to consider Zhang's studio practice.
After moving to Shanghai two years ago, Zhang established a multi-site studio of some 75,000 square feet with as many as a hundred assistants. No surprise, then, that people began likening it to a factory, with a "production line" rivaling that of "Damien Hirst or Jeff Koons." Yet artists such as Hirst or Koons suppress evidence of the "hand" in their work in favor of their brand ; they aim at replicating the uniformity of mass production. One could argue, however, that such comparisons to the rather soulless, quasi-corporate fabrication plants of his Western counterparts miss key aspects of Zhang's studio practice. That similar charges were levied against him long before he had an object-producing studio, back to the time of his performance work—"some artists think that I am only an organizer, which I believe is unfair" —suggest that both these and the later characterizations might have more to do with current assumptions than observed facts. Perhaps we might find a more apt parallel in the practice of his admired Peter Paul Rubens, who also operated a studio with numerous assistants. Here is the art historian Hans Vlieghe situating Rubens's studio practice in a tradition stretching back through the Renaissance to the late Middle Ages:
Rubens could never have produced the immense body of work that bears his name without the help of a properly organized studio. . . . The Italian Renaissance had stressed the difference between disegno , the actual intellectual constituent of the artistic creative process which belongs fully to the responsibility of the master, and the execution which up to a certain point was the work of trained assistants. . . . Rubens considered a composition painted by his assistants to his own design, and finally touched up by himself, as ' originale da mia mano .'"
Like Rubens, Zhang touches and works on every piece that leaves his studio. He employs numerous assistants in order to realize the extraordinary fecundity of his ideas, of his disegno . When, in a video about his practice he says, "My brain is my studio," he is indeed referring to his role in creating the intellectual content—the design—of his works.
But there is another, arguably unique aspect of Zhang's studio practice, which connects it to performance—and that is its collaborative nature. Although, as in a Renaissance studio, Zhang works with highly skilled assistants, his is a far more cooperative facility than those of the distant past. His workers, for example, have considerable latitude in deciding what parts of the photographs on the Memory Doors to carve out. Thus the all-too-real collector in Paying the Grain Tax is seen in a photograph, though his hand, depicted in relief, reaches into the sculpted realm; and the nearby grain, rendered so accurately one seems to feel the wind brushing across it, allows the carvers to show off their considerable abilities.
Still, the collaborative and performance-based nature of Zhang's studio practice is not all limited to the Memory Doors : it is at least as richly evident in the ash paintings as well. To highlight this dimension of his studio practice, one of Zhang's assistants will be present in the gallery during the exhibition, at work on an ash painting. But before discussing the performance of the painting, we should look at the medium, subject matter, and style of these pictures.
The ash comes from incense burned in Buddhist temples in the Shanghai metropolitan area—incense is lit during prayer rituals, and the ash produced represents a literal manifestation of the dreams and wishes of the temple-goers. One might say that for Zhang, the ash paintings also signify a sort of collaboration with his countrymen: "How many millions of peoples' dreams are completed in this light ash . . . ," he marvels. As with the simple actions of Zhang's performances, the ash is part of the basic daily life of people in China , and as in the performances, the ash paintings situate these humble facts of daily life within a theatrical or dramatized context. In fact, the most recent of them are based on propaganda photos, scenes that were staged and directed and then distributed to the populace. And when translated into the paintings, that staged, photographic look might be described appropriately as cinematic. The spotlighting, which illuminates the face and helmet of the Pilot , for example, produces a dramatic, and distinctly filmic—indeed almost noir —play of shadows in the picture. Its tight framing, giving the pilot a close-up, also has a filmic quality. By contrast, another ash painting, Going to Work , utilizes a soft-focus, high-angle shot to sentimentalize the camaraderie of the group heading out to their labors. And look carefully at a canvas such as Battlefield , which also employs a cinematic, dramatically lit mise-en scène, in this case showing tank warfare, and you'll see bits of stick and other detritus from the ash pile—a reminder at once of the "real" world and the world of the spirit from which the ashen material comes.
It is, however, in the extraordinary Canal Building that all the embodied performative elements and mixed modes discussed above come together. A 59 x 19-foot monolith of compacted ash that appears to be cement, nearly six feet high, supporting a history painting in ash of the construction of a canal—a symbol, one could say, of the building of China with the dreams of its populace as its material. The epic tale here, with its "cast" of hundreds, unfolds along an extensive horizontal vector, like a cinematic reel or a traditional Chinese scroll. Simultaneously a massive, minimalist sculpture and a painting, the work will also entail a sort of performance demonstrating the artist's collaborative studio relationships: an assistant will be present in the exhibition, working on the piece.
In a recent interview conducted by Arne Glimcher,11 Zhang describes the work as representing "who I am as an artist." It is indeed a unification of who he is and has been as an artist; a unification of artistic modes; a concretization—in painting and sculpture—of a lifetime's performance. And one senses in it a circle being completed, the rebel punk artist who began with a performance in a toilet, and who needed to leave his country in order to find his history, has come back: the prodigal son has returned home.


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Thanks for choosing to Get Lost with us. You are one click away from securing your place in nature.
It is probably good for us to let you know that when you book online on our site you are guaranteed the best rate and the most flexibility.
While you will find our listing on other online booking sites. By booking directly with us you are ensuring that our small, family run business can continue to offer you the best experience possible.
We should also let you know that our site is totally secure (see the https and the little lock icon in the address bar?) and that your credit card info and financial data is not kept by us, but are securely encrypted and kept by the processing banks only.
NOW….what are you waiting for????

subset: commoncrawl


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The 100-page handbook Facebook gives to moderators reveals the social network receives swathes of reports regarding abusive sexual material, an area where they "make most mistakes".
The documents, leaked to the Guardian, show Facebook users reported almost 54,000 incidents of sexual extortion and revenge porn in January, with the company disabling 14,130 accounts as a result. Moderators escalated 33 cases for involving children.
Revenge porn, which involves intimate images being shared online after a relationship ends, has been a criminal act in the UK since 2015.
Offenders face up to two years in prison if convicted of sharing "private, sexual images of someone without consent and with the intent to cause distress".
It is not clear how many cases Facebook passed to the police.
The figures for sextortion and revenge porn, which Facebook deems as serious as child exploitation and terrorism, are international and only reflect incidents that have been reported by users.
The scale of the problem could be significantly greater if there are a large number of cases not reported.
The company relies on users to report most abusive content, meaning the real scale of the problem could be much greater.
But the Guardian has been told that moderators find Facebook's policies on sexual content the hardest to follow. "Sexual policy is the one where moderators make most mistakes," said a source.
"It is very complex."
Facebook admitted this was a high priority area and that it was using "image-matching" software to stop explicit content getting on to the site.
It also acknowledged it was difficult to draw a line between acceptable and unacceptable sexual content.
"We constantly review and improve our policies," said Monika Bickert, head of global policy management at Facebook. "These are complex areas but we are determined to get it right."
The company declined to comment on the figures in the document. "We receive millions of reports each week but we do not release individual figures," it said.
The use of Facebook for the proliferation of pornography as well as the rise of revenge porn and sextortion have become some of the biggest challenges for social media groups.
They are coming under huge political pressure to do more to keep abusive and illegal content off their platforms or face substantial fines.
Documents seen by the Guardian, which form part of the Facebook Files, show for the first time the detailed rules applied by the company to police sexual content published on the site – as well as the scale of the challenge faced by moderators tasked with keeping Facebook clean.
One slide showed that in January moderators alerted senior managers to 51,300 potential cases of revenge pornography, which it defines as attempts to use intimate imagery to shame, humiliate or gain revenge against an individual.
In addition, Facebook escalated 2,450 cases of potential sextortion – which it defines as attempts to extort money, or other imagery, from an individual. This led to a total of 14,130 accounts being disabled. Sixteen cases were taken on by Facebook's internal investigations teams.
One 53-slide document explains Facebook has introduced two "hotkeys" for moderators to help them quickly identify potential cases of sextortion and revenge porn, which it refers to as "non-consensual intimate imagery".
Besides these two areas, which Facebook ranks alongside child exploitation and terrorism in importance, the Facebook Files set out various issues facing the service when it comes to sexual content.
They explain that the social media site allows "moderate displays of sexuality, open-mouthed kissing, clothed simulated sex and pixelated sexual activity" involving adults. The documents and flowcharts then set out what is permitted on Facebook in detailed sub-categories called "arousal", "handy-work", "mouth work", "penetration", "fetish" and "groping".
The use of sexualised language is also addressed. Facebook decides whether to allow or ban remarks based on the level of detail they contain.
One Facebook document, titled Sexual Activity, explains it is permitted for someone to say: "I'm gonna fuck you." But if the post adds any extra detail – for instance, where this might happen or how – it should be deleted if reported.
According to this 65-slide manual, other general phrases allowed on Facebook include:
"I'm gonna eat that pussy"; and "Hello ladies, wanna suck my cock?"
Facebook also allows sexual references that have a "humorous context".
The example it uses to illustrate the point involves a joke about a little boy interrupting his parents having sex.
Facebook said some of these examples "appear to be out of date", but it declined to say which ones or when the policy had changed.
Until recently Facebook had allowed comments such as "I'd like to poke that bitch in the pussy"
and "How about I fuck you in the ass girl?"
Asked specifically about these comments, Facebook said it would now remove them if they were reported.
"Not all disagreeable or disturbing content violates our community standards," said Facebook.
"For this reason we offer people who use Facebook the ability to customise and control what they see by unfollowing, blocking or hiding posts, people, pages and applications they don't want to see.
"We allow general expressions of desire but we don't allow sexually explicit detail."
The files also show Facebook is constantly updating certain policies – reacting to criticism that it has been too slow to delete some sexually graphic content, while simultaneously being too strict about other material.
Last September, Facebook was condemned for removing the Pulitzer-prize-winning "Napalm girl" photograph from the Vietnam war because it showed a naked child. After a row over censorship, Facebook relented.
The files reveal that Facebook has tried to avoid similar situations arising again by issuing fresh rules.
One document explains that under Facebook's new "terror of war" guidelines, there are "newsworthiness exceptions".
Though the documents does not define newsworthy, it says Facebook now allows, among other things, "photographs of naked babies so young they clearly cannot stand unless the photo closes in on the baby's genitals … [and] images of adult nudity in the context of the Holocaust".
However, Facebook says images from the Holocaust depicting naked children should be removed if users complained.
The moderators are struggling to make sense of other guidelines on sexual imagery.
Under these rules, Facebook says it will "allow all handmade and digital nudity … [and] allow handmade sexual activity".
But moderators are told to "remove digital sexual activity" if reported.
However, the accompanying slides make clear it is sometimes difficult to draw a distinction between the two.
One allowed artwork shows a topless woman riding on a giant, erect penis.
The document explains: "We allow nudity when it is depicted in art like paintings, sculptures, and drawings. We do not allow digitally created nudity or sexual activity.
We drew this line so that we could remove a lot of very sexual digital nudity, but it also covers an increasing amount of non-sexual digitally made art.
The current line is also difficult to enforce because it is hard to differentiate between handmade art and digitally made depictions."
In an earlier document, Facebook moderators had been warned to delete images of Giambologna's 16th-century statue the Kidnapping of the Sabine Women in the Loggia dei Lanzi in Florence if reported.
They were also told to delete, if reported, images of the Rape of Europa – paintings that depict the mythological story of the abduction of Europa by Zeus.
The updates seen by the Guardian do not make clear whether these images are allowed or not.
Facebook has also developed detailed policies around "sexual solicitation" on the site. According to its rules, providing contact information is allowed, and solicitation using acronyms is also permissible.
But if the post includes any extra information – such as mentioning sexual acts "in a non medical/ scientific/ educational context" then the post should be deleted if it is flagged up.
Facebook said it was "building better tools to keep our community safe", adding: "We're going to make it simpler to report problems to us, faster for our reviewers to determine which posts violate our standards and easier for them to contact law enforcement if someone needs help."


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Accreditation is a voluntary, non-governmental, peer-review process which provides a means of assisting schools and colleges to become stronger and better institutions by setting standards of educational quality.
Accreditation seeks to assess and enhance the educational quality of an institution, ensure consistency in institutional operations, promote self-evaluation and institutional improvement, and provide for public accountability within a peer-review framework. ACCSC accreditation promotes institutional accountability by systematically and comprehensively evaluating institutions based upon criteria established via the Standards of Accreditation.
The Standards of Accreditation and the accreditation process provide a foundation and framework for ACCSC to assess the quality of education offered by accredited institutions.
Through the accreditation process, ACCSC strives to ensure that accredited institutions continually assess and evaluate the education provide and demonstrate acceptable levels of institutional, student, and graduate success.
Ensuring the quality and integrity of institutions and their programs as well as student success are of paramount concern for ACCSC.
Accreditation also serves an essential role in institutional and programmatic quality assurance as a critical component of the regulatory "triad" in partnership with federal and state governments that are responsible for the oversight of higher education institutions.
Accordingly, ACCSC is committed to the important role of ensuring the integrity of educational programs as a means of serving the public interest and public accountability.
For initial applicant schools only.


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Do You Have Intestinal Parasites?
It's a myth that parasites only exist in foreign countries on different continents! You might have one, right now! Or more than one. In fact, most people have at least some eggs or larvae present in their bodies at all times, and it doesn't matter if they are clean, hygienic people or not! The only way to prevent this is by doing a parasite cleanse on a regular basis.
Intestinal parasites
Intestinal parasites are organisms that live and feed off your food or your body. They are usually called "worms": roundworm, pinworm, whipworm, tapeworm, hookworm, etc. They come in all shapes and sizes, and can cause a wide range of symptoms. Some eat your food, others your red blood cells.
So how do they get in? Well, through contaminated food and water, and through touch. Yes, everyone you touch, or anything you touch, might be passing you a nice present.
Particularly watch out for undercooked meat, unwashed fruit and veg, and walking barefoot in foreign lands. If you don't wash your hands after using the toilet, you may pass those parasites on to your family and anyone else you come into contact with.
Parasites can be found on:
- money
- electronics
- toilet seats
- sink knobs
- doorknobs
- pets
- anything else used by people!
How do you know if you have one?
There are 10 signs to look out for when it comes to those wiggly worms:
- Unexplained constipation, diarrhoea, gas, or other IBS-type symptoms.
- Having food poisoning and never really recovering.
- Grind your teeth during the night.
- Achy muscles and/or painful joints.
- Never feeling satisfied or full when you eat.
- Anaemia, feeling weak and tired a lot.
- Skin irritations, like rashes, eczema or rosacea.
- Trouble sleeping.
Eat type of worm has its own set of symptoms, so look them up. However, if you think you might have a parasite, get tested. It's a quick and simple test you can pretty much get done anywhere, but you will need to provide the surgery with a little stool sample.
Nutrition is key
Nutrition is key when it comes to parasites. Parasites just love bread, pasta and other refined carbs. They can even make you crave those things! The cleaner your diet is, the less likely worms are to stick around!
Nutrient density is the key, as parasites love empty calories that will get them nice and fat. Eat dark green veggies of all kinds, big salads, and nuts and seeds. Eat as many low glycaemic fruits as you can muster: berries are great, as are lemons and grapefruit. Reduce portions of meat, refined carbohydrates and fill up on lean proteins.
Parasites don't like spices much: ginger, garlic and hot peppers are their worst nightmare. Cooking with these spices has been a traditional way of preventing parasites in warmer climes for centuries. You can also use this age-old trick for yourself!
Intestinal care
Calcium montmorillonite clay is a wonderful way to naturally cleanse out parasites of all kinds. The clay gets into the entire body, so it kills all parasites and their eggs, everywhere! It also brings your digestive tract back into balance, absorbs toxins and helps you detox your whole body. It's non-allergenic, and strengthens the immune system.
Another natural remedy to try is neem. In powder form, it can be taken every day. It's very bitter and very powerful, so take a tiny amount to begin with. Neem has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries. It also kills sperm, too, though, so avoid it completely if you're trying to conceive or you're pregnant.
The only downside to using natural remedies like this is that when the parasites start to die off, you may experience detox symptoms while your body deals with all their little decomposing bodies.
This can include tiredness and fatigue, weakness, spots, going to the toilet more often, gas and low moods. Just keep an eye out for them, rest when you need to, and go easier on the treatment. Take less until you start to feel better. At least you know that you're killing those nasties!
All of the recommendations for a healthy bowel are applicable for parasite prevention. Exercise regularly, eat a lot of high fibre foods and drink lots of water. Get yourself a high quality water filter, or buy spring water to avoid ingesting more parasites!


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Come on down to the Portland Expo Center on Marine Drive this weekend for the Oregon Hemp Convention. Portland NORML is a sponsor of the event and we'll have our 10×10 booth set up for you to get great Portland NORML merch, like t-shirts, bumper stickers, pens, lighters, and more.
Portland NORML Executive Director Russ Belville will be delivering an address on Saturday from the Main Stage on Oregon's role as the national standard for marijuana legalization. Russ will also be moderating a panel on Sunday about Cannabis and Employment, featuring former Alaska TV anchor Charlo Greene, former Eugene TV anchor Cyd Maurer, and Viridian Staffing co-founders and human resources professionals Kara Bradford and David Muret.
The lineup at the Oregon Hemp Convention reads like a who's who of top Oregon cannabis expertise, including attorneys Leland Berger, Courtney Moran, Bradley Steinman, Ted Roe, and Paul Loney; THCF's Paul Stanford, Hemp Shield's Dave Seber; Hemp Industry Association's Joy Beckerman Maher; Measure 91 chief petitioner Anthony Johnson; best-selling hemp author Doug Fine; CAN! Research's Todd Dalotto; and many more experts who will be speaking on the Main Stage, presenting in the Education Room, and taking your questions in an amazing learning and networking opportunity for anyone looking to get in on the Oregon Green Rush or just better understand the new land of legal marijuana.
The Oregon Hemp Convention will also be presenting the winners of the Oregon Medical Marijuana Cup for Best Indica Flower, Sativa Flower, Hybrid Flower, CBD Flower, Concentrate, Non Solvent Concentrate, CBD Concentrate, and Edible.
Tickets are $10 online or at the door for all ages – and you'll get that back in more in free swag and priceless education. Stop by the Portland NORML booth and if you show your Portland NORML Membership Card, we have a special surprise for you.
Oregon Hemp Convention 2015 Program Schedule
Source: Portland NORML – make a donation


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Here to There
In 36 hours I went from my apartment in one low-to-the-ground, brown, sprawling river city to my hotel in another low-to-the-ground, brown, sprawling river city. Albuquerque to Bamako. From walking the green Bosque of the Rio Grande to looking down at the great green trees on the River Niger. I AM SO HAPPY. My brother and I talk about how we miss the highs and even the lows of youth. How our emotions and passions seem to live along a satisfactory but not particularly exciting median. But then I arrive in Africa, this time in Mali, and I look out my hotel window at the RIVER NIGER and the flat line effect is gone, disappeared by the event of travel to Africa.
I am in Mali for 8th edition of Danse l'Afrique danse!, a magnificent series of festivals held biennually throughout the African continent and supported by each country in turn, by the French government and by various African and European government agencies and corporations. Here are a few cogent words from the Ministre de la Culture du Mali, Mot de Mohamed Elmoctar. (Why can nearly every country in the world have a ministry of culture except us? Just asking!)
The Minister says:
Dear choreographers and dancers,
Today Africa is in Bamako, through dance and in dance.
This is the appointed time and place for you to express the many facets of Africa, as you project them into the world, a reflection of your art.
Show us this choreographic art, as you create it here and now.
Shape what we see; make us travel and dream; take us with you in the performances of your respective artistic creations.
Show us the creation's path and let us share your disturbing works, perplexing to our novice eyes.
Show us how you create, so that your artistic approach finds its place on the continent and the world. (Italics mine: they express so clearly what GLOBAL DANCEFEST is meant to be)
Dance from Mali, Congo, Madagascar, Mozambique, Kenya, South Africa, Burkina Faso, Tunisia, Benin, Nigeria, Niger, Cote d'Ivoire, Morocco, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, and Ghana. Companies, solos, experience, emerging, men, women, explosive, contemplative. It is a feast, a true feast for the eyes and ears and heart and brain. Did I mention I feel so very lucky to be here?
From the Sublime to the Mundane
I had to get here—ah yes 'there's the rub' as the expression goes. You must fly. In a dirty airplane frequently. I am thinking of submitting a suggestion to the airlines—500 frequent flyer miles if you clean out the seat pocket and another 500 if you pick up the trash along the edge of the floor, no I think that's a free round trip to Vegas, it's nasty down there. At least it was on Delta to Paris! And the food. OMG. Food on all US airlines is quite awful—of course I'm talking about overseas flights since there is no more in-country food—which is really just as well.
But on a long overseas flight food is a good thing to keep us from getting too cranky or bored. Passes the time, provides a break in the monotony, etc. HOWEVER. I just had two comparable meals. Vegetarian pasta and vegetarian risotto, salad, bread and cake on Delta to Paris and Air France to Bamako. There were no more expensive ingredients in one than the other. Delta's meal was INEDIBLE. Air France's actually enjoyable. On the latter, the mushroom risotto was creamy, not dried out and hot only around the edges; the little pasta tomato salad contained no wilted lettuce and the bread was a crusty baguette with real butter. I broke my 'no drinking on the plane' rule by celebrating French food with some nice French red wine.
In defense of US airlines. They are cheap. Comparatively. So…will it kill you to go eight hours without food!
I am here. It is Africa. I am content. From the Hotel El Farouk on the banks of the River Niger. A lovely poem.
Description of the Geni Baana from Gibbal's Genii of the River Niger
He is afraid neither of God or of
the Prophet… Neither is he afraid
of lightning bolts nor of lightning,
because he is their master and
unleashes them at will. He comes
during times of storm, dressed all
in black. He announces the tempest
following him. When the storm
explodes, he is crazy with happiness.
He screams facing the sky, against
which he is seen in profile, his two
arms outstretched. One of his favourite
slogans is…"Baana, if the sky rumbles,
it is because you have unleashed the
lightning by beating your chest." And,
people add "If the rain falls, it's also
thanks to you, Baana."
The River Niger (All of this River Niger info from Panda.org and Wikipedia. Org)
In the floodplains and delta wetlands along the river, a specialised flora has evolved that is adapted to extreme fluctuations in water levels. These communities also support a wide variety of fascinating animals. Black-crowned cranes, a regional symbol of beauty and authority, rely on floodplain wetland habitat throughout the basin. In addition, the braided wetlands that form Niger's "Inner Delta" in Mali support hundreds of thousands of transmigratory birds. Manatees can still be found in several pockets of suitable habitat that still remain along the river. Mythology indicates that these gentle giants appeared on Earth when a woman bathing by a river was startled by strangers and jumped into the water to hide. Hippopotami and crocodiles are still present in the Niger, and can sometimes pose danger to those who trespass unaware. The river's true delta in Nigeria contains West Africa's largest mangrove forest.
Pulse of West Africa
The Niger River shapes a corridor of productivity that has, for thousands of years, provided people with dynamic and rich livelihoods, and has made human survival possible even in times of desolate drought. People have always followed the rhythms of the rivers flow, which can sometimes vary dramatically from year to year. Within the harsh and frequently unpredictable Sahelian climate, people wove their productive activities together in patterns that were compatible with the environment and mutually reinforcing. Floodplain pastures of bourgou grass supported livestock, wildlife and nurseries for fish. Harvested rice fields were grazed by livestock, which in turn fertilised the fields with their manure. Farming of millet, vegetables and rice; livestock herding; fishing, hunting and gathering of wild plants to use as food and medicine co-existed, waxing and waning in response to changes in climate and river flows.
The Niger River system has also sustained remarkable biological communities. The river harbours 36 families and nearly 250 species of freshwater fish, of which 20 are found nowhere else on Earth. Eleven of the 18 families of freshwater fish that are endemic to Africa are represented in the Niger River.


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As you may have gathered from my haphazard posting over the last two weeks, we took a little post election vacation. Hubby works in election politics so September and October are a tad bit crazy in our house. This is our first major election cycle with 2 kids and hopefully it was as bad as they come with the kids both being so young. 2 years from now, I think/hope things will be different. So, we planned a little trip away... Riviera Maya!
We stayed at the Iberostar Paraiso Maya near Playa Del Carmen. I highly recommend all-inclusives with kids - no need to worry about spending $15 each for a hot dog when the kids eat only 2 bites each! This was our first all-inclusive experience and we would definitely do it again - like a cruise with a beach and no sea sickness!
Even the few cloudy days were great!
And the hotel was gorgeous, but still kid-friendly!
We just couldn't get enough of this...


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Fighting pandemic without TP requires mental toughness
A FEW weeks ago, when the COVID-19 pandemic first hit America and I was out trying to find toilet paper instead of vitamins, I reached out to some Navy SEALs for their advice. I put that advice into an article and received an amazing response. But now, as the "stay at home" wears on, I have more questions. So, this time I asked a Marine, a Green Beret and an Army veteran.
First, Mark "Oz" Geist, a retired Marine, law enforcement officer and American hero. Oz fought for 13 hours in Benghazi, Libya on Sept. 11, 2012. Badly outnumbered, Oz and the small Annex Security Team never gave up and saved 25 American lives. Oz reminded me that "things have changed and we can't undo this. So use this time to evaluate everything you are doing."
In times of adversity, it's easier to see what is really important in your life. I know that some things that I was dealing with prior to this pandemic suddenly aren't so important.
"Choose whether to have a positive outlook on things. Being negative is easier, especially if you spend all your time absorbing the fear mongering that the media puts out," he said. Oz wants us to set an example for our kids to be resilient and not panic stricken.
Speaking of American heroes, I called retired General Don Bolduc. Over the course of a 36-year career in the Army, Bolduc rose through the ranks from private to brigadier general. He is one of the Green Berets sent into Afghanistan right after 9/11, who fought with Hamid Karzai on horseback. Bolduc reminded me that "contrary to what is being said, these are not tough times. We have experienced tougher times. We have a challenge and we have to solve it together. And we will overcome it together!"
Bolduc pointed out the generations of Americans that came before us that battled two world wars, the Great Depression, fought in Korea, Vietnam and the War on Terror. It really isn't so tough to fight this pandemic from home in our sweatpants and slippers. Here is hoping my regular work clothes still fit when we go back to the office.
Then I contacted another American hero, retired Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Pitts. Ryan was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Barak Obama for his extraordinary acts of heroism during the Battle of Wanat in Afghanistan in 2008. Pitts explained that some of my anxiety comes from the unknowns. Like the unknown of when this will all be over.
Often we can't wrap our minds around what we are about to take on. Ryan said that taking on a big task is like trying to eat an elephant. How do you do that? "Well you just eat it one bite at a time." Focus on today and take it one day at a time.
And don't lose sight of the big picture. "The idea here is to work together to win against the virus. The tactics to win are so simple. Wash your hands. Cover your face. Practice social distancing. Don't cough on people. Help each other," he said.
My favorite piece of advice from Pitts was "when this is all over, we are all going to miss some things about this." He told me to picture in my mind that this is now over. Then looking back, what would I do differently?
Instead of worrying about toilet paper, I am going to take it one day at a time, stay vigilant, optimistic and gain strength from focusing on everyone else around me. Thank you Oz, Bolduc and Pitts for your service, sacrifice and great advice!
Phil Taub is a corporate lawyer at Nixon Peabody LLP and co-founded a charity with his wife to support Veterans called Swim With A Mission. They bring a large group of Navy SEALs to NH every year in July to raise money for Veterans. www.swam.org.


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Never the less, the experience of writers and filmmakers who won prizes and entered the Amazon development and test-film process was mostly positive (see: An Amazon Studios Screenwriter.) What I found interesting about Amazon was that they were willing to adjust their policies and the process based on feedback from the writers and filmmakers themselves, which struck me as unique in the closed world of Hollywood studios and production companies.
A week ago, Amazon announced additional changes to address writers' concerns, and as a result, "Amazon Studios 2.0" (as one blogger put it) has been met with cautious enthusiasm by several of its most prominent critics (Read the reaction of The Bitter Script Reader, and listen to John August's Podcast.)
So once again, I spoke with Amazon Studios head Roy Price to gain a little insight on the studio's intentions...
SH: Last Friday, April 6, Amazon Studios announced a major revision in the deal it is offering to screenwriters and filmmakers. Does this indicate a major shift in Amazon's core philosophy and goals?
RP: Our core philosophy and goals have stayed the same--we still believe that an open door and a large scale feedback driven development process will help us make great movies that audiences will love. We received a lot of great feedback from writers last year, and we listened. The changes we have made were all done to present a more desirable offer to screenwriters and filmmakers.
SH: One of the major stumbling blocks for screenwriters had been the "18 month option" that scribes had to agree to just to upload their scripts. How has that option agreement changed, and why do you think it's a better deal?
RP: Now, when you upload your script we automatically have a 45 day exclusive option and evaluation period, instead of the 18 months. After 45 days we will either pay you $10,000, or you can take your script back. You can also stay to get feedback from the community and exchange ideas with other writers on the site, but you can take your project down at any time. You're not tied to us. I think people will prefer that.
SH: Previously, writers belonging to the Writers' Guild of America could not submit scripts, because Amazon Studios was not signatory. This caused a lot of criticism from writers worried about residuals, screen credit, and other rights protected by the union. Now Amazon has signed with the WGA, and members can submit. What prompted this change?
RP: At Amazon Studios we have an open door for all writers and we want to make sure that any writer can share their story with us. Making our production affiliate (People's Production Company) a signatory to the WGA allows us to hear ideas from more writers. We're about being open to everyone.
SH: Amazon will be no longer holding screenplay contests and giving away prize money. What is the reasoning behind this shift? Was Amazon Studios being confused with traditional "screenplay contests?"
RP: We found some great projects last year through the screenplay contests and met some great people; 14 of the scripts on our development slate were award winners. We realized that we could just have an open door and option things like a normal production company. It doesn't have to be a contest.
|Amazon Studios' New Deal
SH: Writers can now submit scripts to Amazon "privately." Do you expect most writers to submit this way in the future? Who would be better off submitting their screenplay "openly" so that anyone could see and comment on it?
RP: We don't know how many people will submit privately versus publically but we heard last year that some writers would have preferred a private option, so we listened. The public submission option is great for any writer who wants to get community feedback on their script and get additional insight on how it could improve. Over the last year, we built a community of involved and active writers and they can be a great resource for someone working on a new project idea. But some people would prefer not to share their ideas that broadly, in which case the private option is for them.
SH: What is the best way for an aspiring screenwriter to get noticed on Amazon. Do positive community reviews and feedback help?
RP: The best way to get noticed is to write a great script. Public reviews and ratings are meant to give the writer feedback so they can improve their script. Good reviews can't hurt, but public reviews don't drive stage one.
SH: A major focus of Amazon's initial approach was the "open screenplay," visible to anyone and revisable by anyone, and "test films." Have you abandoned the "crowd sourcing" approach to developing screenplays?
RP: I think the key was always that our door was open to ideas and that we would be very focused on fan feedback in our development process. This hasn't changed.
We still believe that there is the opportunity for writers to create great screenplays by writers working together; in fact, last year we had a script win a monthly award after being improved through community feedback. However, we want writers to have the choice on how to develop their work. So, in the public part of Amazon Studios (those scripts not on the development slate), writers can set their collaboration options to open, closed or by permission.
SH: How can a writer, whether aspiring newbie or WGA vet, land a writing assignment with Amazon Studios, and rewrite one of its scripts in development?
RP: Open assignments can be found at http://studios.amazon.com/opportunities and we hope people will visit regularly.
WGA writers should have their agent contact People's Production Company to discuss these opportunities. Non-WGA writers can upload their rewrite proposal through the site according to the instructions there. We have two open assignments now and I am sure there will be more to come.
SH: Has Amazon decided to switch its focus from "test films" to "trailers?" Are trailers a more effective way to sell the film's concept and workshop its visual design?
RP: Actually, we're still very focused on test films. We plan to test all our movies before we make them. That's the way we do it. But in 2012 we're going to commission test movies rather than soliciting them through contests, meaning that we'll provide the filmmaker with the budget. This worked well last year. We will announce commissioned test movie opportunities on our Opportunities page as Open Directing Assignments as they become available and we hope filmmakers will reach out through those listings and express their interest.
Trailer contests are our opportunity to meet new filmmakers who may be interested in future open directing assignments. But it goes a bit beyond that, too. Trailers present interesting opportunities to explore creative ideas for a project. You can look at movie ideas in different clothes by seeing different visions for the movie in trailer form, and you can test those with audiences early on. So that is useful for development. Right now we are having a contest inviting people to make a trailer for I Think My Facebook Friend is Dead, reimagining it in a more comedic vein. I hope that will be fun for filmmakers and I think it will shed light on the project.
More broadly, we believe there are many other many ways to test ideas -- trailers, posters, premises, comic books -- and we plan to use all these formats throughout the year to approach stories in different ways and learn. We are currently testing a storyboard of Zombies vs. Gladiators prepared by the great Neal Adams with audiences, and we are delighted to announce that we are working with Ron Marz, Matthew Dow Smith and 12 Gauge Comics to develop a comic book based on Blackburn Burrow, which felt like it was an interesting world that could stand to be explored in greater depth in another narrative form. The comic book will be distributed for free and we expect that Ron and Matthew, and the comic book community in their feedback, will really help give this world dimension. So we have a lot of ways to get audience feedback and we have a lot of interesting story experiments going on down in the story lab. Trailers are part of that.
You know, the other day I was speaking with a producer who said he or she had limited interest in original screenplays because the worlds of books and other properties tended to be much deeper and more thought through. We hope the process of working a story out very deliberately in various formats and media, including trailers, can help with that.
SH: This seems to be a major difference between Amazon and other film companies. Why, instead of relying on pre-branded concepts (remakes, sequels and adaptations), do you think that work-shopping original projects (via test films and trailers) will lead to more successful movies and movies satisfying stories for fans.
RP: At the end of the day people want to see great movies. They don't necessarily prefer to watch adaptations or originals. But the tough thing about making an expensive original is that the idea hasn't been tested at all. So studio executives look for signs of audience enthusiasm, and a fairly modest sign is better than none. For instance, it is not unusual to look to sales of picture books or comic books. Comic book sales are modest and it's a different medium, but it's some evidence. Evidence is good, and we think that because video production costs have declined in recent years, we can get some good evidence in new ways -- trailers, test movies, etc. -- and incorporate that into our development process. That could unlock a lot of interesting stories.
Look at the bold stories that were told and great characters created in the 70s, from Harold and Maude to Star Wars. It's not that writers can't think that stuff up anymore. The ideas are out there. Our job is to make the road smooth for them.
SH: None of the other major Hollywood studios and production companies have an "open" submission policy, allowing literally ANYONE with an internet connection to submit a script or to pitch a proposal for a writing assignment. Why are you committed to this "wide net" approach?
RP: We believe there are a lot of original ideas, but not everyone can get their work into the right hands. Good stories can come from anywhere and we can develop them. At Amazon Studios we are focused on creating opportunities for people worldwide to make better movies, a core component of making this happen is having the right story. So the more ideas the better.
SH: Many screenwriters who submitted to Amazon Studios felt that they "didn't know what Amazon was looking for." Do the changes respond to this criticism? Has AS gained clarity about just what kinds of genres and subjects they are interested in producing and will the new approach allow them to better communicate "what they are looking for" to writers?
RP: Amazon Studios is a fan-driven development process. Our Amazon.com and IMDb customers love all kinds of movies, so we don't want to limit ourselves. Our goal is to make movies that fans love and we are open to stories from all genres.
But I would say that in the last year we have gained some clarity in a couple ways. First, we want to make movies that stand out—that really feel like they need to be made. For any movie fan, there are four kinds of movies: movies they think should not be made, movies they're indifferent to, movies they think probably should be made, and movies that are awesome and MUST be made— we want to make that fourth movie. Taking a smart and fresh approach to a genre can be a good way to wind up with a movie that must be made. By smart by the way I mean fresh and new, not, like, intellectual. For example, I would say American Pie was a smart approach to the teen comedy.
Second, as you know we take customer feedback very seriously in development and I think we're discovering that a large scale fan feedback system works a bit better for broadly appealing shows than ideas that attract an intense but smallish following. If you're looking at feedback from 50,000 movie fans across several projects, it's easier to spot broadly appealing projects like a Bridesmaids than to spot projects with narrow but intense followings like a Winter's Bone. We'll try to modify our system over time to be more sensitive to those projects, many of which, of course, are great.
So to boil it down: we hope to produce smart, broadly appealing movies.
Sean Hood (my final thoughts): Ultimately the success of Amazon Studios will turn on movies that actually make it to theaters, but for many screenwriters with original ideas, it is becoming a more viable and attractive option.
Here are the reasons that writers, both novice and WGA veteran, should consider submitting to Amazon Studios.
- Amazon's Policies are Transparent, and in order for their system to work, the writer must be treated with respect. The established studios, production companies, and producers in Hollywood don't publish their policies on websites, they don't read writer blogs and websites and adjust their deals based on what writers would prefer, and aren't interested if a writer feels "screwed over." They don't have to. They work top-down on branded material like Hunger Games, and have no financial motive to cater to the financial or creative concerns of screenwriters (which is why so many bitter scribes whine about being the abused stepchildren of Hollywood.) Amazon's "wide net" business model, by contrast, necessitates that a large population of screenwriters (the 99% who aren't A-list writers working with the major studios) approve of the deal they are proposing and are willing to submit and engage in their process. And when the final films are made, if writers don't like the process, or feel "screwed over" by the results, then word gets out, nobody submits, and the system collapses. If nothing else, the policy changes Amazon keeps making based on screenwriters' feedback are reasons for optimism.
- Amazon Studios is optioning and buying original screenplays; the others in Hollywood are not. For the most part Hollywood producers and executives are looking to option novels or comic books, remake rights, and established "brands" like say, Battleship or Transformers. There are still spec screenplay sales and options, usually from established A or B list writers, but the primary focus of the industry has shifted. Amazon seems to be looking to create brands, not recycle them.
- Amazon will read unsolicited material. I'm often asked by aspiring scribes, "I've finished a screenplay. Now what do I do?" Submitting your script to Amazon is not a bad place to start. Most screenplay contests don't lead to much, even if you win, and Hollywood production companies and studios won't read your script unless it is submitted by an agent.
- Are regularly payed more than double WGA scale and/or regularly get large payments up front for options, rewrites and flat deals. By casting a wide net with the intention of building a large slate of movies, Amazon can't compete with the major studios for million dollar specs, but there are quite a number of struggling WGA writers who wouldn't turn their noses up at a $10,000 option on a $200,000 purchase price. And with work hard to find, many would jump at the opportunity to do a rewrite for WGA scale.
- Who have original material that can be shopped directly to studios by established producers or agents. If there is excitement brewing around your script, it makes sense to shop the major buyers first. You just might hit the jackpot.
- Just want feedback for a script in progress. Feedback and revision is an essential element of a "fan driven" development process. I still hope that Amazon's screenwriting/community emerges as a place to get feedback on works-in-progress, but the Amazon screenwriters I've talked to have been lukewarm about the public "reviews" they get on their work. For writers, it may make more sense to workshop the script at other websites like triggerstreet.com and only submit to Amazon's 45 day evaluation when the script is ready. For Amazon, the fan-feedback loop may be more important for test movies and trailers than for rough drafts of scripts.
- Auteur writer/filmmakers who work with unique, personal and/or difficult subject matter. At present Amazon is a fan driven, not filmmaker-driven, development process, and they are looking for films with broad, not niche, appeal. If you aspire to the Sundance Screenwriting Lab, you are probably not doing Amazon Studios Film. While this could change in the future, the development slate does seem to bent towards crowd-pleasers like "Zombies v. Gladiators." If you see yourself as as the next John Cassavetes and your favorite film in the last year was A Separation, then Amazon is not for you.
Now, I'm not naive enough to think that Amazon is different than any other large corporation: there goals are ultimately profit, not art. However, if their business model is centered on original material, created by and work-shopped by filmmakers, and if the success of that model means giving screenwriters a deal that most think is fair, then its reasonable to be optimistic.
And face it, that script sitting in the bottom of your drawer isn't doing anything for the next 45 days anyway. Why not give it a shot?


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Museum of Maritime Navigation and Communication
1208 Bay St Shore Acres
Founded by a marine service company that dealt with sales and service for the marine industry for over 30 years, the Museum of Maritime Navigation & Communication is comprised of a historically significant collection of maritime navigation and communication equipment and has made in available in its exhibits. The exhibits and displays have a dual-focus: electronics and local maritime history. Objects from the collection are shown with their purpose, function, and provenance described. While all of the equipment on display was previously installed on ships, an interactive exhibit helps visitors understand how each piece relates to their own everyday lives. An electronics-specific exhibit shows how technology has evolved over time with both enclosed and hands-on displays to help demonstrate each object's functionality.
Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.


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Aerobrush Handlettering Brush Script displays the impression of a modern and youthful font, and of course, it doesn't escape the natural impression. Aerobrush has a detailed texture brush that makes it even more distinctive. This font is accompanied by Lowercase and Uppercase alternates and is equipped with swashes that you can access by typing the A-E character. This font is very capable of making your design more attractive, such as T-shirt, banners, posters, packaging, merch, branding, and many others.
Thanks to Letteralle for creating and sharing this free demo! However, this is just a sneak peek of Aerobrush Handlettering Brush Script with basic characters and personal license only. So, if you wish to access more features and use it for commercial work, go get the full version as well.
- AuthorLetteralle
- FormatTTF
- File Size427 KB
- License Personal Use Only


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Recent reports from MarketWatch reveal the economy is showing signs of growth with help from government subsidies for cars, higher gas prices and more shoppers spending money.
U.S. retail sales rose a seasonally adjusted 2.7% in August, the largest increase in more than three years. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had predicted a 2.3% rise in retail sales for August, which ended up being stronger than expected because of widespread sales gains outside of gas stations and auto lots.
Meanwhile, sales were down 5.3% compared with a year earlier. Auto sales grew 10.6% bolstered by the government's cash-for-clunkers program. Excluding auto, sales rose 1.1%, the largest increase since February, while gas station sales increased 5.1% due to higher prices. Excluding autos and gas, sales rose 0.6%.


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Your assignment:
Here you will find out what we are up to every week. Want to learn to build a website or be a journalist? You will get your chance! :)
What do our fairytales mean? I am asking you to be a Grimm. Choose your fairytale from the tales provided. You are on an adventure to find the truth.
Choosing Sources
We noticed some real mistakes when looking at Ancient Monster Hunters. Why did archaeologists throw out bones of dinosaurs? Why did so much literature, culture, and history get ignored? How do we prevent those mistakes?
Be aware of the pros and cons of each and decide what is best for your paper. Remember a bad source makes for a bad paper and a bad reputation- no matter how skilled the author.
Greek Mythology
Greek Mythology can be fun, scary, exciting, thought provoking, frustrating...and everything else! But as the foundation of the Western World, it not only shows us more about our society and how we came to be, its deep psychological questions teach us more about ourselves and being human, too.
Symbolism, Archetypes, and Motifs
Chapters 11 and 12
In class we will read chapters 11 and 12. There are four questions to answer in MLA format on Google Classroom. You may write the answers on a hard copy or type.
Arguably beginning with Freud, Jung, and Campbell, the symbolism and archetype discussion has become fundamental, not only to literature, but to sociology, psychology, and religion, etc. Archetypes are symbols, or even structures, that are fundamental to how our brain thinks, remembers, and connects ideas. They are apart of our DNA, spirit, psyche, or wherever you feel comfortable locating them-- because science is still unsure. What we do know is that they seem to be similar (though not exactly the same) across time periods and cultures. They link and connect our mind to our body and our environment. They seem to be a secret psychological code to understanding story and ourselves. Because they are inherent to you, we just need to tap into them and create our own lists of symbols, archetypes, and motifs. Begin with: what does the archetype remind you of, and how does that make you feel...
African Mythologies
Chapter 10
If is important to feel into the way a culture tells a story and to understand the beliefs or ideas of that culture to really listen to them. It doesn't mean that we suppress our own ideas, but that we look at another's to help articulate our own ideas and beliefs and find community together. When you learn about someone else, what also do you learn about yourself or what is human ?
ALWG: The Importance of Naming
Literary devices are brushes that word artists use to paint their pictures, tools with which they carve our our experiences. This book is an excellent piece to use as a literary cornucopia of devices. Here are the devices we are focusing on today: flashback (review), juxtaposition, genre, tone, symbol/archetype, and motif. We are also starting a soundtrack for our lives. I will give the teacher directions later, for now just think about the music that defines your life. :)
A motif is a reoccurring image or idea in a story. It may reoccur in a single story, an author's work, the work of a cultural period or place, or seem to be a part of a human story. The idea that someone out there is thinking of us under the same moon or across an ocean seems to be a human experience, but also have a special place for people who have had to leave homelands behind. Another motif from A Long Way Gone Chapter 2, is the idea of having to face your own reflection. Some other examples are below. What can you come up with?
A Long Way Gone - Chapter 1-Listen
Literary Device- Flashbacks
Literary Devices are the meaning- how do flashes of memory overtake you? How do too many flashbacks in a piece of literature make you feel? How does the author feel? How does the method of storytelling help you understand the story?
A Long Way Gone
Destiny is the theme of our unit. How much of our lives are affected by things outside of our control or how much can we change our lives...or the lives of others...when it matters most? How brave are we? What would our ancestors want for us?
December 2019


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At our university I teach students to work with different CAD systems. Part of substantive work is connected with the AutoCad software product, so I agreed on the license for students with the company Autodesk. This software product is installed in several specialized laboratories, but we need to work with drawings practically on all computers. For some period of time we had a problem with design-and-engineering documentation. Our student suggested a solution to this problem, it was a software product developed as an application to the master's thesis.
The essence of the created application is that a user can open a DWG file in the web-browser on any computer of the Department and, if it is necessary, print it.
We thank CADSoftTools for granting a license to our university, for their contribution to the development of our Department, also our special thanks go to Evgeny Chuzhakin and Elena Reznikova, who were very helpful.
Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University, Galina Kozub, Associate Professor, PhD


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There is one exhibit above all others in the Signal Tower Museum in Arbroath (one-time home of the lightkeepers) which I have always pondered over - what's more even greatly admired -and that is an old cast-iron hand grip, . . . a relic from the early days of the Bell Rock. It was one of number which once adorned the outside of the old-style pre-1902 lantern. They were there to steady keepers when cleaning the outside glass or effecting any repairs required on the lantern. Although much painted over decades of use, the shape is unmistakeably that of a mythical sea serpent!
By courtesy of
Arbroath Signal Tower
In Newfoundland, over 2000 miles away, work had begun in the early 1830s on their own lighthouse building programme. Cape Spear, leading light for St John's harbour, was one of the first, and is now their oldest surviving lighthouse. In consultation with the Commissioners of Northern Lights, they bought in 1836 the revolving mechanism from Inchkeith island lighthouse in the River Forth, off Edinburgh. In Scotland the age of replacing the older catoptric systems with the new Fresnel lenses had begun. Today the original Cape Spear lighthouse is little more than an empty shell, and nothing remains of the old Inchkeith mechanism.
The old 1816 chandelier originally from the Isle of May - now to be seen in situ at the Cape Bonavista Lighthouse in Newfoundland, Canada.
Courtesy of Cape Bonavista Lighthouse.
In 1843 the Bell's old revolving chandelier and Argand lamps of 1811 were sent out to Cape Bonavista on Robert Stevenson's advice, and continued there until 1895 when it was finally retired after 84 years' service. No one there seems to know the eventual fate of the Bell's old revolving chandelier . . . probably rusting in someone's backyard was one of the possible suggestions! Their "new" light, however, began its service at the Isle of May lighthouse in 1816. From there it went to Harbour Grace (1837), before finally coming to Cape Bonavista. It served there between 1895 to 1962, capping a remarkable 146 years' of operation, both in Scotland and Newfoundland. Today, although only a museum piece, it is the only light of its type on display in situ in eastern Canada.
Serpents galore!
The lighthouse at Cape Bonavista, Newfoundland, Canada.
Note the serpent hand-grips clearly visible on the lantern astragals.
When visiting Bonavista in 2007 and being shown round the tower by Don Johnson the curator, there much to my surprise was the same serpent-shaped hand-grip adorning the lantern astragals . . this one even more heavy painted than its Arbroath counterpart! In fact there were 16 of them (one on each vertical astragal) - a full complement no less. I don't think I ever heard tale of a lantern also going out with the light mechanism from Scotland. We do know that the Bell still had theirs in 1902 when it was replaced by the standard diagonal variety. So where did the one at Bonavista originate? There are a few possibility - but in all probability it must have come from Scotland - most likely from Stevenson's engineering works in Edinburgh. It obviously requires more research, so any comments would be appreciated.
An interesing exhibit at Cape Bonavista . . . the signalling flags and red glass funnels for the Argand lamps.
Courtesy of Cape Bonavista Lighthouse
In 1846 Alan Stevenson developed his new style of lantern with diagonal instead of vertical framing and installed the first one at Noss Head. Made of gun metal, it is stronger, slimmer and less liable "to intercept light in any particular direction". It was adopted as the standard for the service, and this no doubt also sounded the death-knell for the heavier iron-wrought serpents. However, there are still a few of these pre-1846 lights still to be seen . . . Buchanness, Covesea Skerries and Cromarty and no doubt a few others. Between 1811 and 1846 24 lighthouses would have been topped with the self-same old-style lanterns - all with their full complement of serpent hand grips. The Bell's have long disappeared in major renovations of 1902 (except one which can still be seen in the shore Signal Tower). The Skerryvore serpents (left) can also be seen even after the devastating fire of 1954.
Scan above - RCAHMS
Scan below - Ian Cowe
Have a look now at one completely restored (left), to be seen Cromarty (who said a sea serpent is ugly!). Truly a work of art - graceful and beautifully wrought. Now coming up for 200 years old, it is a relic of the grand workmanship which was once lavished on these early Georgian / Victorian lighthouses. It is my favourite, and if anyone knows of a sea serpent that is looking for a good home, please let me know. I have a place for it!
Another Commemorative Plaque
for Cape Bonavista
Last year (2009), the Bell Rock/Cape Bonavista connection was back in the news in Canada.
At the ASCE/CSCE/ICE Triennial Conference in St John's, Newfoundland, a new plaque was unveiled to commemorate Cape Bonavista Lighthouse as one of Canada's International Historic Civil Engineering Sites!
This had come about as a result of a suggestion made by Prof. Roland Paxton, of Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh. Cape Bonavista with its Scottish Bell Rock connections had been accepted by all parties as a suitable site for this honour.
It seems the Bell Rock and Cape Bonavista continue to remember aspects of their common ancestry!


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Looking for nutritious meal kit companies that care about various dietary restrictions? The US market is full of interesting delivery services that may satisfy your healthy-food cravings. Green Chef is a trendy food delivery company offering exclusively fresh and qualitative recipes to cook, eat, and follow a healthy lifestyle. After acknowledging every single review on this service, I have decided to make my own independent and sincere Green Chef review. Read about my experience of ordering with them, pricing policy, dietary offerings as well as delivery nuances.
Introduction to Green Chef Home Delivery Service
As per their official website, the service positions itself as the #1 meal kit provider for eating well. The idea behind establishing it in the food delivery market is to cut down environmental impact when it comes to wasting food, and minimize carbon emission. A company mentions that they provide the clients with recyclable packaging, and ensure food safety is always on top. You receive your parcel without any damages, and the temperature of the prepared foods matches the requirements.
When I came across the service, I wondered whether they offer meal kits for non-vegetarian people, as similar companies try to promote meatless recipes. I reviewed their plans, and want to say that if you love meat, seafood the way I do, Green Chef is worth your attention and money.
It traces history back to 2014 and is owned by HelloFresh, a German meal kit service operating in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and Western Europe.
Review of Green Chef Pros and Cons
Before I was lucky to try Sun Basket, Chefs Plate kits, and I did not expect something extraordinary with Green Chef products, however, they greatly hooked me on their "organic certification". Below, you may find my little research on what makes them good competitors on the market, and what pulls them down.
- Meal kits for specific dietary restrictions;
- USDA-certification, organic food composition;
- A go-green company which cares about environmental impact;
- Meals with a focus on low-saturated fat content;
- Excellent taste.
- You are tight to one meal plan;
- More weekly meals will be good to offer;
- Shipping is paid separately;
- Pricey compared to the main competitors;
- Cooking is still required.
I want to emphasize that dishes are very tasty for my liking, however, many other reviews on Green Chef prepared meals described them to be just okay, or above average. Thus, it is up to you to decide.
Green Chef Food Delivery Pricing
As I said above I find Green Chef quite pricey but reasonable compared to other companies including Sun Basket. Like with similar delivery meal kit companies, the price policy depends on the meal plan you go for, and servings.
I could choose from the following plans:
- Keto+Paleo Plan – $6.66;
- Balanced Living Plan – $5.66;
- Plant-Powered Plant – $5.66.
These low prices come from introduced discounts for everyone.
If believing other reviews, there is a Green Chef family plan as well, which is $10.99 per servings for 4, however, I have decided to try my luck with the Balanced Living Plan.
Shipping is $8.99, though they offer an additional discount and free shipping for the first order, and discounts for the second, third, and fourth orders. It is a great marketing ploy, and it worked for me and I bet it will do for you.
Choosing Meal Plan and Ordering
To order your healthy meal kit, you should only proceed with the button "Get Started" on the official website. The whole interface seemed to be super user-friendly, convenient, and easy, and I did not require any help like it usually happens when you are hungry and cannot keep calm entering much data. If you have a promo code, do not forget to indicate it during the first step. It will help to save even more.
The ordering process starts with picking up the preferred meal plan. I chose Balanced Living which cost me only $5.66. I could order for 2 or 4 people, choose 2-4 recipes, and it was convenient for me. Afterward, you will need to indicate shipping details, as well as you may continue with the Facebook sign-up (it is great for those who want everything filled automatically). Once you indicate the address, it also automatically generates the city, state, and zip code. It is a nice approach to saving not only the environment but the patience of potential clients.
The next step is a checkout, where I saw convenient and available delivery dates and chose a password. This step also included an indication of my preferred payment method. There is a choice between card and PayPal, and I saw a pleasant bonus for my pocket saying – $32.01 Off + Free Shipping on 1st Order + $20 Off Your 2nd Order + $10 Off Your 3rd Order + $10 Off Your 4th Order for 2 Servings of 3 Recipes. After I selected the recipes and waited for them right at my door.
If you want to edit the subscription, you may easily do it through the website.
Now, I want to say about the reverse side of the coin. I could not choose meal preferences from different plans due to the difference in their prices. It means if I choose the Balance Living Plan, a Keto meal should be ordered separately. Nevertheless, I was satisfied with my selected plan and full, as there are many tasty options.
Green Chef Meals Reviews: What Are Available Diets?
Below, I hinted on what are the three main plans including Keto+Paleo, Balanced Living, and Plant-Powered. Therefore, they fit different dietary requirements.
Keto+Paleo Plan
This plan fits those people who are into "filtrating" their carb consumption and those who try to avoid gluten and grain foods. The company's calculations claim that available weekly recipes contain no more than 35g of net carbs where most recipes do not even go below 20g but include various proteins and fats to nourish you and your stomach. It sounded very healthy and persuasive for my stomach because I wanted to feel happy after eating rather than craving for more snacks.
Speaking of the recipes, I found the following weekly options interesting:
- Chimichurri chicken;
- Blackened shrimp with cheesy cauliflower;
- Pork chops alongside Tahini;
- Fried eggs with Cheddar;
- Chicken thighs;
- Greek salad with sausages;
- Beef bowl;
- Shrimp with pesto.
Balanced Living Plan
It was my YUMMY choice because I love meat, seafood and may go sometimes for some vegetarian options. If you do not know what to choose, this plan is the best option to start with the service.
I could order from the next options:
- Chicken with pasta;
- Korean burger;
- White bean soup with sausages;
- Trout with roasted potatoes;
- BBQ Chicken bowl;
- Roasted zucchini;
- Black bean and corn quesadilla;
- Italian shrimp with pasta.
Plant-Powered Plan
Last but not least offer fits those who love following complete vegan or vegetarian mode.
It contains the next weekly recipes:
- Roasted zucchini;
- Black bean and corn quesadilla;
- Butternut squash spaghetti;
- Chickpea bowl;
- Peanut udon noodles;
- Roasted carrot bowl;
- Cabbage slaws with mango sauce;
- Green pea falafel;
- Squash and farro bowls.
It all sounds tasty, and the authentic names for their recipes look over nourishing and tantalizing. I could find what I want to eat in each plan, hence, the absence of flexibility between choosing recipes from one plan and adding some from another one did not frustrate me anymore.
If you feel the variety of dishes is limited, think about the next statement – Green Chef and similar companies allow you to avoid spending long hours in front of the oven and mixing ingredients. Thus, you only win by minimizing the waste of time and eat delicious dishes half-prepared by yourself.
Green Chef Reviews on Delivery Areas
This meal delivery service may easily deliver your meal kit across the United States except for some areas including Alaska, Hawaii, and certain parts of Louisiana.
I ordered my recipes on Wednesday and wanted my delivery to come on Monday the next week. The box arrived at 11 am. The company mentions that the average timeline of all the deliveries occurs between 8 am to 9 pm on the chosen scheduled day. The exception is a Sunday.
A company may fastly deliver your box to a working address by 5 pm as well. Believe me, you will go back home happy with a recipe, or cook it at work and share it with colleagues later.
By the way, I hope they will introduce something like a Referral program because my friends enjoy their recipes to the extreme.
To track your parcel, Green Chef sends you tracking information via email. For deliveries, they have their own shipping partners. If you want to track the departure and arrival on the website, this option is available as well. I did it using email.
If you hesitate about the security of your parcel, the company ensures to deliver it seamlessly. I did not experience any breakage or other inconveniences.
To my surprise, the delivery company did not require my signature on the box, and the parcel waited for me at my front door. It is also convenient.
Those who want to figure out more about a delivery, shipping, payment, and the company mission itself may go for checking their FAQs page and learn more.
Green Chef Meal Delivery Reviews: Should You Go For It?
My experience with Green Chef was excellent because I found meal kits that fit my diet preferences. Before ordering, I read multiple reviews on Green Chef and came across sayings that their recipes are just okay. My Balanced Living Plan was fantastic, nourishing, and obviously HEALTHY and it did not require me to stand cooking long hours.
As for me, Green Chef is the best delivery service. I did not have any trouble registering, ordering, or receiving my parcel on time. Those who are into an extremely healthy lifestyle may find this company interesting as well. It fits vegan, vegetarians, and those who want to have a nutritious gluten-free meal and/or, Keto, Paleo recipes, while meat and seafood lovers may satisfy their cravings without any boundaries too.
During the checkout process, I was happy to know I have a discount for 1st, 2, 3, and 4th orders. I was like WOW, and wanted to order more and more.
If you still hesitate whether it is worth your try or switch from your current food delivery services, go through numerous reviews meal delivery Green Chef, and try to identify more pros based on independent opinions. The only thing, as for me, which may frustrate you is a relatively high price for meal kit BUT AGAIN, it is high only compared to other companies providing healthy delivery services.


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Participants learn biomedical and Chinese medicine diagnoses and treatment protocols for complications associated with menopause. Biomedical topics include the risks and benefits of bioidentical hormone therapy, phytoestrogen supplementation (e.g. soy products), and conventional hormone replacement therapy. Chinese medicine topics include acupuncture and herbal medicine for perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause. Two important acupuncture point prescription research papers are included. Download the course, complete the online quiz and receive immediate acupuncture license credit.
To view a sample of course materials, click the following: Course Sample >
Purchase the course and it will be downloaded to your computer in PDF format. PDFs work on Apple Mac, Windows PC, iPad, iPhone, Android and other platforms. After reviewing the course, take the online quiz and a certificate of completion will be automatically generated for INSTANT credit. You may re-take the quiz as often as is needed and there is no time limit.
Continuing Education Credits
15 NCCAOM Diplomate PDAs (15 core: AOM-BIO)
15 California Acupuncture Board CEUs (category 1)
15 Texas CAEs (3 herbs, 2 biomed, 4 gen. acupuncture therapies, 2 ethics/safety, 4 general)
15 California Board of Registered Nursing contact hours
15 Florida Board of Acupuncture CEs (5 biomed, 10 general)
15 CTCMA British Columbia acupuncture CEs
15 BCNA & CNPBC (British Columbia Naturopathic Assoc.) credits
15 CAAA Alberta CEUs
15 CTCMPAO (Ontario, Canada) continuing education credits
15 OAQ CEUs (Board of Acupuncturists of Quebec)
15 NZASA Chinese Medicine CPDs, Category 2 (New Zealand Acupuncture Standards Authority)
15 Acupuncture NZ (NZRA) New Zealand CEUs
15 NS-CMAAC Nova Scotia acupuncture CEUs
15 CMBA CPDs/CEUs (Chinese Medicine Board of Australia)
15 IVAS CEs (International Veterinary Acupuncture Society)
Massachusetts: applicable towards the acupuncture & herbs requirements
Excellent, very useful information .
Good content!
It is very easy to learn and make so knowledgeable.
Very informative
great course!
loved this course! highly recommend it.
This was a great course - lots of useful information to use in my practice!
This was a really helpful course, and so important to have a number of studies showing the benefits of acupuncture. Thank you.
good for recert
good formula and point review for menopause
happy with course
It is a good review.
meet expectations, would recommend
Great specifities esp with the formulae. It will be an ongoing re-read and reference for me in diagnosis and treatment.
The research supporting acupuncture's effects to help menopause was nice to read
Helpful review of acupuncture and herbal protocols for menopause management. Dietary information would be a great addition to this course.
Good information on current research, treatment recommendations for patterns in TCM
It met the basics for covering menopause.
Very helpful for what i want to know.
very good
Learned a lot. Good blend of eastern and western knowledge
Great course with great practical applications.
Clearly presented information and I liked the discussion of individual herbs.
Good - comprehensive West and East paradigms
Very good summary of both Western and Chinese Medicine perspectives of Peri-menopause, menopause and post-menopause. I especially enjoyed the herbal and acupuncture protocols and the supportive evidence based research articles.
Very informative!
Excellent. Very useful information and well organized.
This was a very well researched course. Enjoyed learning about both Western and Chinese aspects of menopause.
great clinical reference material and information, very concise and to the point
Useful and well in accordance with Western Medical stereotypes of the avoidance of estrogen for menopause.
Great course! Good info on treatment with herbs and acupuncture. Great info on phytoestrogens and current research on hormone replacement
Good basic course
Very helpful
Very interesting topic. I appreciated both the Western medicine information as well as the Chinese medicine information.
Information is very useful
It was a great review and reminder of acupuncture points and formulas for the various conditions.
Great course. Lots of supportive research material.
Useful information!
Great course and well balanced with western biomedicine and TCM.
Good course, a good combination of herbs and acupuncture
very useful info
Very useful, and will use info!
It was great!
It's usefull for our practice. Many women come for menopause symptoms.
Overall not bad course for the beginner. Too basic if one wants to gain more advanced skills.
Great Information
An amazing class! Good western medical information and an excellent TCM and herb review as well. Easy to read and then use this information clinically.
Clear overview of menopause and the use of TCM to treat symtpoms
explained the process of menopause and the treatment from both Western and Chinese medicine perspectives
Information is very clearly laid out...well organized!
Very good course. A lot of very useful information.
loved the easy to understand content and lay out of course
Good clear presentation and outline
Great and helpful information
Overall good; yet surprised that there was no research perspective on using topical bio-identical progesterone cream used safely and effectively to balance estrogen dominance
Very good information!
very informative
good review of menopause issue which includes symptoms, pattern differentiation and treatments.
Informative on both Western and TCM research on menopause. Good review of TCM patterns and treatment methods for menopause.
It was an informative and interesting course.
This course was very thorough. I appreciated the background information in western understanding of hormonal changes during menopause. The TCM approach was comprehensive and provided treatment approach from both the acupuncture and the herbal medicine branches. Very good course.
Great course for overview of menopause and how treat it with acupuncture and herbs.
great informative course
Very informative
Very informative course... Thanks
Great info, very organized
Excellent, concise andinformative
Good course.
Great way to fill in CEU's for license renewal at your own pace.
Excellent course.
Very useful intreating women over 40.
great details
Very Good
it's great
Very clear, straightforward information. Good for an entry into the topic, or for a valuable review for seasoned professionals.
very informative course in both western and eastern medicine. I enjoyed reviewing both allopathic and Chinese med causes and treatments
Course covers the basics and is well organized with a nice table of contents so you can easily find a page you read and want to re-read
Well done
Very good course
good class!
What a great refresher course!
great content
great info
Very detailed.
great refresher course
Excellent course!
Very efficient for some of us that live too far to travel for continuing education courses.
I found it useful and concise!
Excellent review of both Western and Chinese medicine research, patterns and syndromes, and treatments.
Good basic info backed by scientific studies
Great useful and practical information.
Great course! Highly recommend it!
Best one yet!
Good course
good information
Thanks for another informative CEU course.
Love this course!
It was informative & relative to my practice & a good review.
This is an excellent, clear summary of menopausal treatments, both biomedical and Chinese medical.
Very easy to follow and pertinent information.
Informative. Very well organized.
It is a helpful review for menopause !
Organized, informational.
Very informative, good to review information and very well organized.
It was very good
Great quiz
An worthy review!
It helped me to refresh what I learned at school about menopause. It has additional information about published research.
concise, informative
great course and very educational
Really well-done
Lots of very useful information!
nice refresher.
Great! It is uesful
Very useful information--thanks!
Great course--lots of useful info.
Very easy to follow. Great research analysis.
pleasant and informative
Great course
Covered bio symptoms, western, and Chinese medicine aspects.
fantastic course!
Excellent information
loved it! very comprehensive and balanced
It was very informative.
good and helpful
Excellent course for bio-medicine and TCM
super helpful
Helped western and OM Dx and Tx. Thourough
Great course!
Great class - Thoroughly presented material - organized well - covers all aspects of menopause
Information provided in this course is is beneficial to any health care provider that treats menopause.
This course went above and beyond with information. I thought it was extremely helpful not only for TCM purposes but also for the biomedical side of menopause.


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Do-it-yourself may be fine for some projects - minor auto repair or even home brewing - but when it comes to home pest control, should you always leave it to the professionals?
For some, the question may not be easy to answer. There are a number of commercial pest control products available, which can give the impression that the solution to a pest control issue is as easy as buying a spray can or setting a trap.
But these DIY remedies come with various concerns, according to a Penn State report. They may be the wrong approach to the problem, contain a chemical that is dangerous when used under certain conditions or actually result in a larger infestation.
Here are some of the problems that can result from do-it-yourself approach to home pest control.
In their haste to be rid of their pest problem, some do-it-yourselfers may grab whatever pesticide is handy or even cheapest. But not all pest control equipment or sprays control all pests. For instance, a pesticide for flying insects may not work on crawling bugs. And even an ant spray may not be effective on all varieties of ants. Finally, spraying the wrong pesticide may kill the pest but also all of the plant life near it.
Selecting the proper pesticide requires research and planning, including accurately identifying the pest you want to control, the size of the infestation, the location, etc.
Pesticides come in range of formulas and applications methods - sprays, solutions, traps, baits, powders, concentrates, granules, etc. Some are relatively harmless to humans and pets, others are harmful to animals only and still others are dangerous to both, even in small amounts. And still others can kill the pest, but also any plant life that is in the application range. Then there's the question of where to apply the pesticide or position the trap. The place where you most frequently see the pests may not be where they live. Despite having instructions, a do-it-yourselfer may not fully understand the potential dangers of improperly applied pesticides or pest inspection.
Even after selecting the right pesticide for the infestation and applying it in the right amount, it can still pose a danger to humans. Just because the spray is designed to kill ants doesn't mean it can't cause harm to humans. Many do-it-yourself exterminators approach the task without the proper clothing: masks, gloves, eye protection, etc. Indeed, DIYers may not realize that the "PPE" on a pesticide label stands for "personal protection equipment." They may also fail to properly prepare the area for the process, such as by covering furniture, keeping children away and noting wind conditions. Without the recommended precautions, problems affecting health and infestation could occur.
There is also the issue of storing or disposing of the pesticide once the application is completed. Improper storage or disposal can be hazardous to humans and pets.
In many instances, DIY pest control can result in higher costs than hiring a professional, particularly if the pesticide is not applied properly. Treating the wrong area can mean the infestation quickly returns, requiring another treatment and the purchase of additional pesticides. In addition, some commercial pest control products are sold in lower concentrations than those used by professionals and may not be as effective.
When it comes to DIY pest control, there are many questions to ask. While there are simple, non-toxic measures homeowners can make to reduce pest infestation (seal cracks, fill openings and remove debris, among others), hiring a professional pest control service such as Abell Pest Control may be the best way to ensure the job is done completely and at a reasonable cost. They can administer the right pesticide and traps for the specific conditions.
As the weather cools, you'll probably see fewer pests than you did during the warmer months, but that doesn't mean they're all gone just yet. Some insects can actually come out in full force during the autumn, while others might seek refuge in your warm home. Here are some key tips to keep in mind as fall gets underway:
As the middle of summer approaches, you need to be vigilant about keeping your garden free of pests. Many insects breed during the summertime, which means they're on the lookout for great places to lay their eggs. For many bugs, that means near a source of food. In fact, some species of insects will lay their eggs inside budding vegetables and fruit so their larvae have something to eat as soon as they hatch. That's why you have to keep harmful bugs out without damaging the bugs that could help you, such as bumble bees.
You might have noticed that, with the exception of the kitchen, you find more pests in your bathroom than in the rest of your home. This is because insects and rodents see the bathroom as a convenient watering hole. Pests love leaky pipes and standing water because these offer them a hydrating oasis in the otherwise dry biome that is your house or apartment. And if your bathroom develops mold, all the better for pests, who may eat fungus or use it to lay their eggs.
The kitchen is largest gathering place for pests in a residential home. The reason is simple: pests can grab a bite to eat and take a sip of water while they're here. And when they find such a bountiful place, they will return home to their nests and report the finding - before you know it, your whole pantry is a buffet for ants! The problem could get even worse if a piece of food falls somewhere and begins to rot. Similarly, fruit and vegetables you bring into your home may be harboring unseen pests waiting to hatch.
It's finally here - sweet, sweet summertime at last! But has your time outside already been rudely interrupted by swarms of pesky bugs trying to take a stab at you? This season, let's say no more to swatting, slapping or clapping at these insects who seem to be tormenting innocent outdoors enthusiasts every year. Fortunately, the solution isn't as chemical ridden as you might think. As it turns out, some of your favorite scents are insects least favorite.
Not every creature that visits your property is a dangerous nuisance. Many animals actually offer a number of benefits that keep your yard healthy. Predatory animals, in particular, actually offer natural pest control. Here are five common suburban creatures that can help keep more difficult or annoying animals at bay:
Discovering a mouse is loose in your home can be a real headache, and for restaurant owners, such an infestation can be an even bigger problem. Mice may be cute, but they simply do not belong in the kitchen, attic or anywhere else. If you've noticed any of these signs around your house or business, it may be time to call in a professional rodent exterminator:
The customer is always right, and this is especially true if he or she is complaining about seeing a mouse or cockroach. Pests have no place in your organization, as bugs and rodents will turn away potential business or even lead to a possible lawsuit. Keeping your company protected requires a proactive approach. Work with a pest removal specialist to identify the best ways to stop creatures from infesting your business. Here are just a few ideas for successfully mitigating and preventing any issues: