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Charter your own Yacht – bareboat or with a skipper!
Imagine anchoring your yacht in a lovely bay to swim or dive into the blue sea. After lunch, you can hoist your sails and set off for another island. In the evening, you can sit in the cockpit sipping a cold drink, watching the sunset, followed by a starry night.
It sounds wonderful, doesn't it?
If you wonder why more and more people choose to charter a yacht for their holiday, the answer is simple: it gives a completely different meaning to the word "holiday".
Chartering your own yacht lets you reach beauty spots, such as beaches, caves, and bays, that are hidden or hard to reach with other means of transport. You are free to go wherever you want, you will have privacy on your own yacht, and – most importantly – you can wake up every morning and, with less than three steps, dive into the deep blue sea.
Charter sailing holidays are popular around the world and, here in Greece, there is no better way to tour our islands. A yachting holiday offers something special; it gives you the feeling of freedom and being at one with nature. The Greek archipelago, with its unique coastline and countless destinations, provides an ideal place to explore. In addition to sailing you can enjoy activities such as fishing, snorkeling, and visiting pristine beaches.
The cost of sailing may be much less than you expect.
It's an affordable way to have a truly memorable summer holiday.
Take along your partner, your friends, or your family, for a custom-built sailing journey. We'll be here at every step, ensuring a unique sailing holiday for you and your loved ones.
In order to charter one of our yachts bareboat, you'll need a recognised certificate, such as RYA Day Skipper Practical. You'll also need at least one other person on board capable of acting as co-skipper, able to assist you with sailing, and using the anchor. If you don't yet have a qualification, why not take an instructor on board with you for the first 5 days for tuition?
Alternatively, we can provide you with a friendly, experienced skipper who will be delighted to show you around the area, and who will know the best places to visit.


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FlightLine is the next step in the evolution of free fall devices. It provides an extended, true free fall sensation and incorporates our advanced magnetic braking technology for a smooth catch to offer thrill seekers a one-of-a-kind experience.
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Designed for high throughput, FlightLine features an exhilarating, true free fall with a soft catch and eddy current magnetic braking for smooth and consistent braking, as well as staged universal braking system for a variety of user weights.
FlightLine is mountable on platforms at least 18.3 meters (60 feet).
* This distance is from the device nozzle to the landing zone and is dependent on the RipCord length. Mounting heights are subject to change.
FlightLine with a 4.5m RipCord provides a free fall of approximately 4.5 m (15 ft).
FlightLine with a 6.0m RipCord provides a free fall of approximately 8m (26 ft).
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subset: commoncrawl


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Hallstatt Cafe
I knew I couldn't stop having fun to create miniature or making them from a kit that I found from store or from online store, since I started the first one ( Castle), I knew this is no ending. haha!
Today, I'm gonna share this European style romantic cafe dollhouse, it took me on and off almost 6 months to finally complete today and I couldn't wait for another second to share it with you.
I had the most fun time while putting this miniature dollhouse cafe together, also had the most hard time ever ! lol
So many intricate details and it makes me wonder since when I have "big and fat fingers" ?!
Besides the intricate items, the wiring connection for total of 10 light bulbs via switches is also a huge challenge ! I messed up for the first time when I try to connect all the messy wires, and I really did a wrong connection and caused all the light bulbs to blow !! It was quite frustrating.
I have been trying hard to think and figuring how does the wiring work..... and luckily I have success for the second try, so so happy !!
The outdoor chairs and tables were another biggest challenge, to bend all the wires in the same shape and fit for all.... It took me very very long time and lots of lots of patience.
The amount of cutting for paper cups, saucer, straws, plates, even pack the tiny macaron in the tiny mini plastic bag and wrapping those display in the shelve with wax paper..... many times I nearly give up!! haha !
Come ! come ! let's have a cuppa while continue telling you the story .....
(It's gonna be lot's of pictures !)
Welcome !
Side view of the cafe
Front view
When the lights on
There is a "huge" chandelier lights hanging above the sofa seats.
Chandelier lights ( made from wire and beads)
Balcony garden seats
Come ! have a seat please ! :D
Please, have a strawberry :D
The outdoor street seat.
After shopping, sitting down and read some books while enjoying a cuppa.
Peek from the window
Let's go in and take a look !
The window display
The whole front part of dollhouse can be open
The interior of the cafe
The coffee counter, cut and glue the paper cup, sauce, plate and muffin cup one by one.
Blender made from wood pieces and beads.
Create the coffee bag from scratch.
Paper cup for take away coffee
Sofa seats next to the window.
Display shelve with books and recipes.
The cakes and pastries shelve.
Lots of 'yummy" dessert.
Coffee bean grander made from wood pieces and beads.
Cookie jar
Coffee creamer
Mini tiny tray with a cup of coffee, creamer and some fruits.
Hope you have a great tour and now, let's have a look at what are the mess that I have created and the making process.
Just took out from packaging.
All the loose pieces.
Start building....
Cut and paste muffin cups
Love the chairs
Outer shell is up.
Fixing coffee counter
Something missing
laying wax paper for the macaron
Building cake shelve
Done !
Arranging tiny food
Packing macaron in plastic bag
The base of chandelier lights before adding beads for decorating
Birdcage lighting
Install light bulbs
Figuring the wiring
Final step, planter
Top view
Installed the switches for the lights
Installed and music box
This is my mess !! lol
Hope you have fun like I do, and if you love dollhouse like me? stay tune for the next coming up dollhouse share !


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In 2010, Brian Bonar was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Trucept, Inc. He also holds a position as secretary, chief financial officer, chairman of the board, and treasurer of the issuer. Trucept offers business's key products and services, such as HR, risk management, and employee benefits.
Trucept tailors solutions to each company's needs and has currently helped more than 900 small businesses with its resources. He has the skills and years of expert experience to go along with his impressive investment portfolio that he's built throughout the entirety of his career.
Bonar is also the CEO of Dalrada Financial Corp. Dalrada offers it clients a broad array of employee products that works to heighten business productivity. Such services include financial management, risk management insurance, employee benefits, promotional and business management services.
His former positions include having held leadership positions at The Amanda Co., Allegiant Professional Business Services, Inc., and Smart-Tek Automated Services, Inc. He's worked for a laser printer company called Adaptec Inc, and served as the executive director of engineering for a color and monochrome printing company called QMS, and was the vice president of marketing and sales for a company called Rastek. He worked for IBM for 17 years when he resided in the United Kingdom.
He has over 30 years of expert management experience, having shown great success in the financial and culinary sectors. In addition to Trucept and Dalrada, Brian Bonar is also the CEO of Imaging Technologies Corporation, a company which developed the leading color management software for digital imagining.
Because of Brian Bonar, Imaging Technologies Corporation has went from simply being a developer to being a marketing organization. Due to his strategic acquisition, he has expanded the corporation's market which has allowed it to offer various products and services.
Bonar graduated from the University of Strathclyde where he received an undergraduate's degree, and an MBA and doctorate degree from Staffordshire University.
In 2016, Bonar received a lifetime award for all of his achievements given his exceptional success throughout his career. It's because of his great work ethic and desire to help people reach the same level of success he has, that Bonar has many who seek to emulate his life.
Brian Bonar, having the willingness to give back, has invested in a variety of charities. Because he feels that local schools have been lacking, he's passionate about investing in the education system so that they receive the needed funding to properly serve students.
He also works within the education system to change policies that better serve how students are being educated. While he does make donations, instead of just giving money, he does prefer to actually invest in the charities he cares about. He also gives back to his local community.


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The crowd at a rally this weekend for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in Fredericksburg, Va., had a strong reaction when they saw representatives of a news network that they view as biased against their candidate.
In a video posted to Twitter on Sunday, the Trump supporters are seen shouting at a CNN crew, "Do your job! Do your job!"
CNN walks in, crowd boos, chants "Do Your Job" – Trump Virginia pic.twitter.com/rInKtm5Nle
— Jack Posobiec❌ (@AngryGoTFan) August 21, 2016
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They then started chanting, "Tell the truth! Tell the truth!"
TRENDING: Schumer Furious That Republicans Are Granting Green New Deal a Senate Vote
Trump Virginia crowd chanting "tell the truth" at CNN pic.twitter.com/S42MKnx9e9
— Jack Posobiec❌ (@AngryGoTFan) August 21, 2016
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Many Trump supporters and other Republicans have called CNN "the Clinton News Network" because they say its coverage is biased toward Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and against Trump.
The response to the videos was overwhelmingly positive.
@AngryGoTFan God bless America! I love this and want to keep watching it!
— Frigga (@hmkwin) August 22, 2016
@AngryGoTFanThis is great, this should happen to CNN wherever they go!
— arcturus88 (@Lord_arcturus88) August 22, 2016
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@AngryGoTFan @vandives such a sham news organization
— lil-mrs-right (@pammy3006) August 22, 2016
Some, however, said there is a good reason that CNN's treatment of Clinton is unlikely to change.
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@AngryGoTFan Clinton News Network tell the truth? Fat chance. Parent, Time Warner, is Hillary's 8th largest campaign donor.
— Alan E. Greenberg (@greenbergae) August 21, 2016
CNN's parent company, Time Warner, has been the source of more than $722,000 in donations to Clinton's campaigns.
As Western Journal has documented, CNN has a history of questionable reporting, including an incident in which it falsely accused Trump of lying.
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In December 2015, just months before President Obama signed executive orders relating to gun control, CNN accused the GOP candidate of not telling the truth about the president's plan to use executive order to control gun purchases and close loopholes.
The most recent CNN controversy was this month, when the network selectively edited statements by Sherelle Smith, the sister of a man who was shot and killed by Milwaukee police. The incident set off a wave of rioting and looting.
CNN edited out calls from Sherelle Smith to take the violence to the suburbs and not destroy her neighborhood, and made her statements sound as though she was calling for peace.
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.


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LONG BEACH — The Sierra Club's annual Wilderness Travel Course will begin Monday, teaching would-be mountaineers about the basics of safe travel on rock, snow and desert terrain.
The 10-week course includes weekly meetings at 7:30 p.m. Mondays at Stanford Junior High School in Long Beach for lectures, films, demonstrations and small-group practice sessions. Four field trips are scheduled on weekends to the local mountains, Joshua Tree National Monument and the Sierra Nevada.
Other subjects taught by an all-volunteer staff include navigation with map and compass, mountain safety and rescue, winter camping, mountaineering medicine, food planning, equipment selection and physical conditioning.
The cost is $115 for Sierra Club members or $125 for non-members, plus $15 for a textbook. The fee includes a student handbook, maps, chartered bus transportation to two of the outings, completion certificate and award patch. Other expenses may be incurred for rental or purchase of equipment for the trips.


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Gate Duty
Our members take turns manning the front entrance of the pool during the season. An adult from each family takes 2 hour shifts checking in members and guests, acting as snack vendor, and generally monitoring what's happening at the club.
Click here for the 2018 Gatekeeping Schedule
As gatekeeper, your responsibilities include checking in members and guests, answering the phone, and acting as snack vendor/cashier.
But, your first and most important responsibility as gatekeeper is to assist the lifeguard in enforcing pool rules, monitoring potential safety issues and maintaining discipline. Should an emergency occur, the gatekeeper will call 911.
Note that this responsibility extends beyond helping the lifeguard maintain discipline around the main pool deck. The gatekeeper must also monitor the areas that the lifeguards cannot while monitoring the main pool, including the baby pool and the tennis courts.
Gatekeepers also ensure that the lifeguards keep timely rest periods (not to exceed 10 minutes), and that they monitor member safety and pool maintenance in a professional, responsible manner.
Opening Gatekeepers must:
- Call/Remind all Gatekeepers on schedule for following day.
- Water plants in planters
- If arriving after swim lessons, ensure all swimmers are members or member guests.
Closing Gatekeepers must:
- Help lifeguard dump/reline trash cans.
- Straighten pool deck and re-tarp the pool.
- You should be the last to leave before Lifeguard.
All Gatekeepers must:
- BE ON TIME and sign in clearly in the sign-in book please indicate you are the gatekeeper on duty in comments section.
- Ensure each member signs in clearly each time they come into the pool — even if they were at the pool earlier that day. Must use first and last names; Nannies use family name. Children who have passed the swimming test and are OK to swim without parental supervision are noted in the back of the sign-in book.
- Have members hosting parties sign their first/last names clearly, and indicate how many guests are attending — this is our record for billing purposes and we cannot have hard to read names or incomplete guest numbers.
- Sit at gatekeeper's desk while on duty and support the lifeguard in enforcing pool rules and maintaining safety. You must be able to see the gate and pool at all times. Must be near phone (911) should an emergency occur.
- Be 21 years old.
- Be fined $100 for not showing up if the pool needs to be closed; $50 if lifeguard is able to find a paid substitute and pool remains open. If you are unable to keep the duty scheduled, either exchange with someone or hire a paid substitute ($15.00 per hour). Changes of duty must be noted on the Master List posted on bulletin board. Do not leave your gate duty until another gatekeeper arrives, or lifeguard clears out all members and locks front door.
- Keep baby pool gate closed at all times. All children in baby pool must be accompanied by a parent or person 16 years or over. Be very strict about no unsupervised children in the baby pool – even older children who can swim should not be playing in baby pool area unsupervised.
- Ensure that all children not yet potty trained are wearing swim diapers before entering either pool.
- Ensure no unsupervised children on the tennis courts at any time. No food on tennis courts at any time. The tennis courts are for playing tennis – no horse play allowed.
- Ensure all rest periods last 10 minutes, except for the 6:00 PM rest period, which should last 20 minutes if adults are swimming laps.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know when I have to do Gate Duty?
Check the Gate Duty calendar. A copy is also available at the pool bulletin board.
What if I am not available to do my gate duty?
You are responsible for trading with one of the other members or paying a substitute gate keeper $15/hour.
How much do I need to pay if I forget to show up for my gate duty?
$50 if the lifeguard is able to find a substitute or $100 if the pool has to close because a substitute was not able to be found.
How old do you need to be in order to be a gate keeper?
You must be 21 years of age in order to be a gate keeper.
What do I have to do during my gate duty shift?
The gate keeper has many responsibilities.
- Make sure there is an adult in the baby pool area when children are present.
- Help the lifeguard if a situation arises.
- Make sure everyone who enters the pool signs in and is either a guest or a member in good standing.
- Be the cashier for the snack shack.
- If it is the first shift of the day, call people to remind them of their gate duty shift & follow Opening procedures document that is posted on the gate keeper desk.
- If it is the last shift of the day, follow the Closing procedures document.
- Make sure the tennis courts are used only for playing tennis.
- Make sure children do not throw rocks on the play equipment
- Answer the phone.
What do I do if the next gate keeper doesn't show up for their shift?
- Call the member and leave a message. If you are unable to contact the member, find a substitute gate keeper.
- If you are interested, you can be the substitute gate keeper and get paid for the time by filling out the substitute gate keeper form at the back of the sign in binder.
- If a substitute gate keeper is not able to be found, notify the lifeguard and the adults at the pool that we need a substitute gate keeper in order to keep the pool open. The lifeguard will contact the lifeguard supervisor if a sub cannot be found.
- If, after contacting the lifeguard supervisor, a substitute gate keeper cannot be found, the pool will be closed until a substitute gatekeeper can be found.


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John Maus Is Making Outsider Pop for the End of the World
After a six-year hiatus, the artist is back with an anxious album about mortality.
After a six-year hiatus, the artist is back with an anxious album about mortality.
The film deviates from standard jungle tropes, both off and on camera.
What's more popular? "Let's Dance" or "Life on Mars"?
The women's-health organization goes after the Center for Medical Progress.
Brimming with viruses and bacteria, Rio's Olympic waters are unfit for humans.
One scheme involved $120,000-worth of Red Bull purchases.
Involving a party foul and pantsless-ness.
The world's most compliant jackass was found wandering the streets of Norman, Oklahoma.
"If what he did isn't cruelty, I don't know what is."
Websites for several major retailers crashed during the digital stampede.
Holiday lights, updated.
"No Turkish prime minister or president will apologize ... because of doing our duty."
When confronted with a machete in Queens.
Here's one thing your entire family can be outraged about this Thanksgiving.
It's just a case of operator error and instrument failure — not a war crime!
The 7,000-ton ship was so badly damaged it had to be scrapped.
"That was a poor choice of words."
The latest from the militants who say they took down the Russian passenger jet.
The crashes in Texas and South Korea both occurred during routine training flights.
Was it an electrical-tape hate crime?


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We had a lovely long weekend away in the New Forest the weekend before last. It was such a wonderful and relaxing few days, neither of us wanted to come home. The break was for Toms birthday, I booked it for him as a treat via Air B&B and I have to say the place I picked was fabulous....you can see it here if you want to have a look. The little barn was situated right in the heart of the forest and there were ponies and deer aplenty every-time we stepped outside. We had some lovely long walks through the forest along with drinks and a meal in the local pub. We also paid a visit to Gun Wharf Quay, Lymington and Lyndhurst. It was just what we needed, a quiet few days relaxing and chilling out in the most picturesque and peaceful surroundings. Below are a few pictures I thought I would share with you.
The last couple of weeks at Weight Watchers haven't been so great as I put on a couple of pounds but I am not overly worried as I know that is due to me not pointing and picking at just about everything over Easter as well as our weekend break. I have been back on track for a week and a half now so am hoping that this weeks weigh in sees a better result for me. I will keep you posted.
This weekend just gone was a lovely one. On Saturday I met up with a very old friend for a brunch/lunch at Le Meridian in Piccadilly. It was a long overdue meet up and the venue was just perfect for sitting and catching up, especially as we had unlimited cocktails!!
Yesterday I went to Ally Pally for the craft show. It was a bit of a last minute decision to go, I usually go with my friend Sarah but she wasn't able to come this time. Anyway I got up and though s*d it, I am going and quickly got myself ready and made my way across London. The show was ok but I have to say I found it a bit flat and it was most certainly lacking in scrap-booking supplies. I managed to get a few new dies, some MDF items to alter, a stamp and a few odd bits of embellishments. My main purchase though was a set of Chameleon pens, something I have had my eye on for ages. I had a quick play with them last night and I have to say that so far I am very impressed. Pictures below are of my purchases....minus the pens which were in the other room when I took these pics!!
Cant wait for this weekend now as we have nothing on so I am planning to get in my room to play with my new stash!!
Thanks for stopping by, love and hugs.


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I recently had the opportunity to sit down with a young, hopeful person who has decided to run for city council. This candidate has focused on issues of inclusion and equity as cornerstone principles. While I fully support these principles in the abstract, I want to know immediately what specific policies would be rolled out to promote these goals. I treasure these opportunities to change minds and dismantle perceptions and expectations. It also gives me a chance to work through theories bouncing around in my head in real time as well.
KWA is back at it in New Orleans, with the latest Iberville Offsite Rehabilitation development underway. If you're unfamiliar with the project, check out this previous post and this video for some background information.
The hard-at-work lady in the before and after photographs (yours truly) went from sweaty summer as-built visits in 2015 to mild winter construction administration visits in 2016/2017 (shout out to global warming). In the time period between these visits, the IOR team has dedicated their various skills to the rehabilitation of 16 historic single family homes in the Treme neighborhood into 30 new affordable housing units. The transformation that has taken place in these houses over the past year and a half is tremendous, and we are so excited to see them become homes very soon. We are very proud to be doing this important work in New Orleans, and we can't wait to see these houses finished later this year!
April CNU T3 Recap
UPDATE: We've uploaded the presentations given at the April CNU T3 for anyone to view. Click here to view and download the presentations.
KWA was excited to host another successful CNU Atlanta event last Thursday night. This month's T3 topic focused on "Streets Designed for Placemaking & Safety."
Edgewood Retail District 15 years in, Leggett + Platt, Jeff Fuqua
This is a post on reflections and lessons learned, and an effort to provide insight and guidance to the Reynoldstown community as they negotiate with Jeff Fuqua on the rezoning of the Leggett and Platt site. It is also a chance for me to collect and organize my thoughts on one of the most transformative urban redevelopment projects in my neighborhood (Edgewood) fifteen years in.
The Cultural value of a parking lot
We feel honored to be part of Atlanta's transformation from a "gangly teenager" into the cultural powerhouse of the Southeast. We are hopeful and optimistic about this transformation. However, every now and then you get the wind taken out of your sails.
Back in October we hosted the opening night of the Small Developer Bootcamp here at KWA HQ in Reyndoldstown. Highlighting the evening were rapid-fire Pecha Kucha presentations from small developers and urban thinkers including Atlanta CNU President Geoff Koski, KWA's own Eric Kronberg, and Johnny Sanphilllippo of the Granola Shotgun blog. We highly recommend taking a few moments to watch these short presentations. To make things easier, we've listed the start times of each speech below. Thanks to our friend Breck Prewitt at Ground Game Media for recording the event.
Thoughts on our current stormwater management policy
I enjoyed a very wet drive dropping my daughters off at school this morning. The ground was already fully saturated before the current rainstorm, so there was significant runoff in the streets and creeks on the East side of Atlanta and South Decatur. One road was impassible from an overflowing creek, others just very, very wet. All of this lead me to mull on our current stormwater policies in for Atlanta and Decatur. Read more
Advice for Mayors
We were given the amazing chance to present to three small town mayors this week courtesy of the Georgia Conservancy. These mayors each are interested in what they can do to make their respective towns thriving, vibrant places.
Popcorn Time: Placemaking 101
We spend a lot of time talking about the specifics of placemaking – parking regulations, zoning ordinances, code clauses – but these are all pieces of a bigger picture. We find that before diving into the details, it is critical to understand the macro concepts behind placemaking. If you're interested in creating great urban places, grab some popcorn (or a turkey sandwich) and take a look the videos below, the first of which are from our friends at Strong Towns, who do an excellent job of summing up these big ideas behind successful placemaking endeavors.
Form Follows Finance
Reflections on the Small Developer Bootcamp continued…as seen by Elizabeth Ward.
Architects all know the phrase "form follows function." It is burned into our brains at a young age: the modernist principle shunning aesthetics for aesthetics' sake and praising the simplicity of functionality. The term was coined by famed Chicago architect Louis Sullivan, who is credited with the development of the skyscraper. But the form of the skyscraper was not merely following function; these tall buildings were shaped by a host of outside forces, including significant economic growth following the Civil War, increasingly intense demands on urban land and the advent of new technologies.
But what exactly does "form follow finance," a term we heard repeatedly at the Bootcamp, really mean? Form has always followed finance, in some capacity, but the legal and financial regulations of the 20thcentury have led to finance actually dictating our built environment. Read more
Big Reflections on Small Development
On October 14th, more than one hundred architects, engineers, developers, and community leaders gathered at the Center for Civic Innovation in downtown Atlanta for the Small Developer's Bootcamp, hosted by the Atlanta Chapter of the Congress for the New Urbanism, the Georgia Conservancy, and Kronberg Wall Architects. This diverse group of individuals was on hand to hear two small-scale development experts – R. John Anderson and Jim Kumon – discuss the practicalities of development that fall within the "missing middle" spectrum: buildings in between the single family home and the looming apartment multiplex. Throughout the day-long workshop, topics ranged from efficient floor plans and building design to loan types and financial negotiation tactics.
The room was full of seasoned developers and designers well-versed in the vocabulary and methods of real estate development, but also present were a large number of newcomers for whom the Bootcamp was a whiplash introduction to the development world.
Three of those newcomers just starting their careers as professional designers at Kronberg Wall – Eric Bethany, Sanaa Shaikh, and Elizabeth Ward – took some time to reflect on the concepts and ideas from the Bootcamp that resonated most with them.
Read more for Eric Bethany's thoughts on the demystification of the development process – check back later this week for more reflections.
Small builder/developer bootcamp
I've been spending a lot of time mulling on both the small developer/builder Facebook group and the upcoming small builder/developer bootcamp coming to Atlanta. Part of the conundrum I have been trying to get my head around is this: what is a reasonable combination of experience, scale, and location that fits a small developer? We work primarily in Atlanta, with most of our clients being seasoned developers. We tackle really messy, hard projects, and we see countless ways that a newbie can get put through the buzzsaw, and quickly. However, we are seeing that there are folks involved in the industry – architects that design these projects, residential and commercial property brokers, and builders – that have experience with some, but not all, of the pieces needed to do their own deal.
In Praise of the Existing Building Code
We are very big fans of the International Existing Building Code. This is a very special code that allows for flexibility in renovating and reusing existing buildings. One major challenge with any new code is that existing buildings often don't meet new requirements. Retrofitting existing buildings to meet these new requirements is generally a more expensive process than constructing a new building. The unfortunate outcome of this process is that useful existing buildings are frequently left fallow and blighted because it is not worth the brain damage and added cost to bring the building up to current codes. Think about that for a minute: these are buildings (often historic) with tremendous intrinsic value that have been standing and functioning for over a hundred years, but are technically unusable according to current building codes.
KWA Back at Work in New Orleans
We are really excited to be digging into another Iberville Offsite Rehabilitation redevelopment. For those that aren't familiar with this, it is a historic, affordable, accessible, sustainable housing redevelopment in the Treme and Seventh Ward in New Orleans, Louisiana. Our last IOR series was awarded a National Trust Award for the best historic and affordable housing project in the nation for 2014 and the CNU Grand Prize Award for 2015.
Our client, Redmellon Redevelopment, put together a great video on the process, which you can see here.
It's been over a month since we moved into our new office in Reynoldstown, and we're now comfortably settled in. The very talented Fredrik Brauer stopped by to shoot some photos after the move-in chaos calmed down, and we're excited to share the results with you below! A big thank you to Fredrik for the photos – we recommend that you take a moment to view more of his work on his website.
LISTEN: Eric Kronberg Interviewed on Atlanta's Business
Over the weekend Eric Kronberg sat down with Jeff Davis, host of 1160 AM's Atlanta's Business, to discuss how parking regulations effect endeavors in placemaking by making it more difficult to foster walkability, bikeability, and affordability. For those who didn't hear the original broadcast, the interview is available here.
We are looking for someone awesome whose talent and dedication will help tackle the great projects on our boards and share some good times in our new office in Reynoldstown!
Wylie Street Open House Was a Huge Success!
Our new office on Wylie street is nothing if not versatile: before we make it our official new home, we turned this historic church on Wylie Street into a music and party venue! Kronberg Wall spent a beautiful Sunday afternoon with friends, family, and our new Reynoldstown neighbors, with food from Oakhurst Market, a jump castle courtesy of Jump N Partei, music from Cadillac Jones and Sleep the Owls, and bike racks from the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition for those who arrived on two wheels. It was great to put our new space to use and make friends in the community that we're excited to be joining very soon! Thanks to all those who helped to make the party happen!
First Steps in Commercial Redevelopment:
Where We Start
We specialize in intown redevelopment. That means that we get called almost daily to help figure out how to turn a blighted property into something amazing – something that will provide value for the developer, the community, and the future occupants.
PLACEMAKING v. PARKING (PART 2)
As an office based in Atlanta, we've often daydreamed about what we could build, if only we weren't so preoccupied with parking requirements. Recently, work in New Orleans gave us the opportunity, to reflect on the nature of parking in Atlanta. The New Orleans Jazz Market is the conversion of an historic 11,000 SF urban market into a purpose-built Jazz performance hall. Originally built in 1849 as a market, the building went through a major renovation at the turn of the last century. It was eventually sold to private owners after World War II, who proceeded to overhaul the facades in a gauche 1960s style. In 2013, when we were brought on to convert the building. It stood as an empty, beaten down, blighted building, most recently serving as a retail store. The newly renovated building now serves as a cultural anchor for the neighborhood.
[Check out PART 1 in this series.]
PLACEMAKING v. PARKING (PART 1)
There are significant differences in the built environment of our neighborhoods planned before World War II, and those developed after. Before the war, and the Great Depression, neighborhoods were designed to focus on walkability — sidewalks, smaller streets, and on-street parking were the norm. After the war, planners were confronted with the twin challenges of the increasingly prevalent automobile, and new zoning ordinances which eschewed earlier priorities and had a significant negative impact on the quality of walkable communities. Today, there has been a shift in desires and priorities towards redeveloping more historic neighborhoods. Still, zoning requirements have a tremendous impact on the viability and adaptability of these neighborhoods.
Current zoning takes the approach of requiring each landowner to provide enough parking within their parcel to satisfy the parking needs of any buildings on that land. Every parcel must be self-sufficient. Zoning mandated parking requirements, often poorly conceived, are like a cancer in otherwise healthy neighborhoods. Parking occupies a significant amount of space, increases development costs, and kills walkability by forcing buildings, separated by parking lots, to be spread across greater areas. The more distance between important neighborhood destinations, the less walkable the neighborhood becomes. This trend forces more people to drive, setting in motion the self-sustaining cycle of off street parking.
Kronberg Wall is in search of a bright and dynamic professional; we are looking for a team member who combines talent, experience and interest in urban placemaking to redefine what's possible through the power of design.
For more details visit our LinkedIn post or send us an email to firstname.lastname@example.com
*Riding your bike to work, using MARTA and/or being passionate about making awesome communities is not required but highly recommended.


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"Should I juice, blend or eat my fruit and vegetables"
This seems to be quite a debate these days. As always at sortofameatlessmind, we like to use a little common sense instead of getting weighed down in "scientific studies" and the like.
Don't get us wrong, certain studies can be really informative but they often contradict each other, leaving you eating grass and not much else.
Only a few years ago, we were told that eating too many eggs was bad for health, as the yolks are very high in cholesterol.
And now? Well it turns out the more cholesterol you eat, the less your body produces it.
So eat loads of egg yolks then?
No, keep it between 2-6 per week. (read more about eggs here)
The NHS informs us that there is no consumption on the number of eggs we should eat, and that high blood pressure is linked to saturated fats. (NHS, eggs and nutrition)
All we're trying to get at is that guidelines are always changing, so if you're in good health eat sensibly, and if you have a underlying medical condition. Then seek advice.
Okay back to blending, or juicing!
As a human being you defiantly have the ability to tell what's good for you and what's not, in most cases.
No matter whether you blend or juice your fruit and vegetables, it's still much better than stuffing a cake in your mouth, or eating a 7am sausage roll at the train station (yes, people do!)
Personally, I don't have much time to spare before work. So I just chuck my fruit and veg in a smoothie maker the night before, and then it's ready to gulp down before I make a dash for the train. And by using a green veg -like kale or spinach – it helps to balance the high levels of natural sugar from the fruit.
(warning, if using beetroot be careful of the carpet and your work attire)
So after much deliberation, we think that while juicing may give you the nutrients quicker than blending, the fact is that you've chosen to consume fruit and veg, rather than that 7am sausage roll. And that's a good start in our book.
If you agree or disagree we us, we'd love to hear your thoughts.
This smoothie was voted the best at sortofameatlessmind:
Beetroot, Spinach and Pineapple Smoothie
- 1 beetroot
- 1 orange (half squeezed, half into blender)
- 1/2 pineapple
- handful of spinach
- coconut water
- ginger (to taste)
Just throw it all in, waz it up (sorry Mr Oliver), and slurp!


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You can extend your comfort and enjoyment to three seasons without special heating. We use prime windows and doors with heavy-duty weather-stripping, single glaze glass, insulated glass, insulated roof, and wall panels.
When used as an entrance, your American Patio Room will help reduce your homes heating costs.


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Crawling out of my hole full of studying (my final exam in Spanish is tomorrow and I'M NOWHERE NEAR READY) to tell all y'all who won the giveaway I've had open for a few weeks.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Congrats, Kelly! I emailed you a few hours ago and I'm waiting for your reply.
Everyone else, expect me back in the normal groove of reviews and such soon. I may have one up tomorrow or Thursday depending on how lucky I am.


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The node-webworker module aims to implement as much of the HTML5 Web Workers API as is practical and useful in the context of NodeJS. Extensions to the HTML5 API are provided where it makes sense (e.g. to allow file descriptor passing).
Why bother to implement Web Workers for NodeJS? After all, child process
support is already provided by the
child_process module.
- A set of standard (well, emerging standard anyway)
platform-independent concurrency APIs is a useful abstraction.
Particularly as HTML5 gains wider adoption and JavaScript developers
are likely to familiar with Web Workers from doing browser
development. The set of NodeJS primitives for managing processes,
child_processprovides a lot of utility, but is easily misunderstood by developers who have not developed for a UNIX platform before (e.g. why does
kill()not kill my process?).In addition, the error reporting APIs in the Web Workers spec are more full-featured and JavaScript-specific than that provided natively by
child_process(e.g. one can get a stack trace, etc).
- Existing communication mechanisms with child processes
involve communicating over
stdout. Use of these built-in streams prevents
sys.puts()and friends from working as expected. Further, these are opaque byte streams and require the application to implement their own framing logic to discern message boundaries.
- HTML5 Shared Workers (also part of the same spec) provide a useful naming service for communicating with other workers by name. Without this, the application must maintain its own metadata for routing messages between workers. Note that shared workers are not yet implemented.
The design that follows for Web Workers is motivated by a handful of underlying assumptions / philosophies:
- Worker instances should be relatively long-lived. That is, it is not considered an important workload to be able to create and destroy thousands of workers as quickly as possible. Passing messages to existing workers to dispatch work items is favored over creating a new worker for each work item.
- In the future, it will be desirable to run workers off-box, and to implement workers in other application frameworks / languages. This is particularly relevant in the choice of communication medium.
- When practical, relevant standards and existing building blocks should be taken advantage of, particularly those that are geared towards JavaScript and/or HTTP. For example, this was one of the motivators for selecting Web Sockets as a messaging layer rather than rolling my own.
Worker processes
Each worker executes in its own self-contained
node process rather
than as a separate thread and V8 context within the master process.
The benefits of this approach include fault isolation (any worker running out of memory or triggering some buggy C++ code will not take down other workers); avoiding the complexity of managing multiple event loops in a single process; and typical OSes are more likely to schedule different processes on different CPUs (this may not always happen for multiple threads within the same process), allowing the application to utilize multiple CPUs.
Of course, there are drawbacks including the cost of context switching between workers being more expensive when using a process-per-worker model than it would be in a thread-per-worker model; passing messages between processes typically requires a data copy and always requires serializing data; and the overhead of spawning a new process.
The worker context
Each worker is launched by
lib/webworker-child.js, which is handed
paths to the UNIX socket to use for communication with the parent
process (see below) and the worker application itself.
This script is passed to
node as the entry point for the process and
is responsible for constructing a V8 script context populated with
bits relevant to the Web Worker API (e.g. the
location primitives, etc). This also establishes communication
with the parent process and wires up the message send/receive listeners.
It's important to note that all of this happens in a context entirely
separate from the one in which the worker application will be executing;
the worker gets a seemingly plane-Jane Node runtime with the Web Worker
API bolted on. The worker application doesn't need to
additional libraries or anything.
Inter-Worker communication
The Web Workers spec describes a simple message passing API.
Under the covers, this is implemented by connecting each dedicated
worker to its parent process with a UNIX domain socket. This is lower
overhead than TCP, and allows for UNIX goodies like file descriptor
passing. Each master process creates dedicated UNIX socket for each
worker the path
/tmp/node-webworker-<pid>/<worker-id>, where
is the PID of the process doing the creating, and
<worker-id> is an ID
of the worker being created. Although muddying up the filesystem
namespace doesn't thrill me, this makes the implementation easier than
listening on a single socket for all workers.
Message passing is done over this UNIX socket by negotiating an HTML5
Web Socket connection over this transport. This is done to provide
a reasonably-performant standards-based message framing implementation
and to lay the groundwork or communicating with off-box workers via HTTP
over TCP, which may be implemented in another application stack entirely
(e.g. Java, etc). The overhead of negotiating and maintaining the Web
Socket connection is 1 round trip for handshaking and the overhead of
maintaining HTTP state objects (
http_parser and such). The handshaking
overhead is not considered an undue burden given that workers are
expected to be relatively long-lived and the HTTP state overhead
considered small.
Message format
The format of the messages themselves is JSON, serialized
JSON.stringify() and de-serialized using
Significantly, the use of a framing protocol allows the Web Workers
implementation to wait for an entire, complete JSON blob to arrive
before invoking
JSON.parse(). Although not implemented, it should be
possible to negotiate supported content encoding (e.g. to support
MsgPack, BERT, etc) when setting up the Web Socket connection. The
JSON object is relatively performant
is quite a bit
faster, particularly
when de-serializing.
Each object passed to
postMessage() is wrapped in an array like so
[<msg-type>, <object>]. This allows the receiving end of the message
to distinguish control messages (
ERROR, etc) from
user-initiated messages.
Sending file descriptors
As mentioned above, this Web Workers implementation can take advantage
of node's ability to send file descriptors using UNIX sockets. As a
nonstandard extension to the
postMessage(obj [,<fd>]) API, an optional
file descriptor can be specified. On symmetric API extension was made on
the receiving end, where the
onmessage(obj [,<fd>]) handler is passed
a fd parameter if a file descriptor was received along with the
specified message.
Unfortunately, UNIX sockets seem to allow file descriptors to arrive
out-of-band with respect to the data payload with which they were sent.
To tie a received file descriptor to the message with which it was sent,
all messages are wrapped in an array of the form
[<fd-seqno>, <obj>],
<obj> is the object passed to
postMessage(). The
parameter starts off at 0 and is incremented for every file descriptor
sent (the first file descriptor sent has a
<fd-seqno> of 1). This
provides the receiving end with enough metadata to tie out-of-band
descriptors together with their originating message.


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Men have bowed to it, fought for it and even died for it. Revered by Christendom, it has come to symbolise the supreme sacrifice of one perfect man for a grossly imperfect world.
Even today, despite determined attempts by militant secularists to efface it from schools, council chambers, courts, colleges and other public buildings, the cross remains a powerful image, a rallying point for some 41,000 Christian denominations.
So it may came as a shock to learn that, according to several respected scholars, Jesus didn't die on a cross at all. Instead, scriptural accounts indicate that Jesus was impaled upon a single, upright stake.
In his Expository Dictionary of New & Old Testament Words, W E Vine distinguishes the Greek word 'stauros' ('stake' or 'pale') as used in Matthew's account of Jesus' death, "from the ecclesiastical form of a two beamed cross". This is backed up by The Imperial Bible-Dictionary which says that the word stauros′ "properly signified a stake, an upright pole, or piece of paling, on which anything might be hung, or which might be used in impaling a piece of ground.......Even amongst the Romans the crux (Latin, from which our cross is derived) appears to have been originally an upright pole." The Catholic Encyclopaedia also admits that "the cross originally consisted of a simple vertical pole, sharpened at its upper end."
Another Greek word used in the gospels to describe the means of Jesus' execution is xy'lon, which in the Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament is defines as "a piece of timber, a wooden stake." This is in agreement with the King James Version at Acts 5:30: "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree [xy′lon]", while other versions, also translate xy′lon as "tree." At Acts 13:29, The Jerusalem Bible at Acts 13:29 says: "When they had carried out everything that scripture foretells about (Jesus) they took him down from the tree [xy′lon] and buried him."
Origin of the Cross
Vine explains that the cross originated from ancient Chaldea where it was used "as the symbol of the god Tammuz (being in the shape of the mystic Tau, the initial of his name) in that country and in adjacent lands, including Egypt."
By the middle of the 3rd century CE, the early Christian faith had been polluted by unscriptural doctrines, many drawn from pagan beliefs. "In order to increase the prestige of the apostate ecclesiastical system pagans were received into the churches....and were permitted largely to retain their pagan signs and symbols. Hence the Tau or T in its most frequent form, with the cross-piece lowered, was adopted to stand for the cross of Christ."
Much of the blame for this can be laid on Rome's sun-god worshipping Emperor Constantine who, it was claimed, had a vision of a cross emblazoned on the sun with the words "in hoc vince" (by this conquer) just before an important military victory. As a result, he supposedly became a Christian, but was not baptised until just before his death 25 years later. Questioning his motives, the author of The Non-Christian Cross stated: "He acted rather as if he were converting Christianity into what he thought most likely to be accepted by his subjects as a catholic [universal] religion, than as if he had been converted to the teachings of Jesus the Nazarene."
Interestingly, the image of the cross is not exclusive to churchgoers. The ancient Egyptians had their own version with the handle-shaped ansate - a T shape topped by a circle - while the 'gamma' cross venerated by Hindus and Buddhists is more commonly recognised by its Sanskrit name: "swastika".


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- Prophet_DNA
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Forum has been archived.
Forum has been archived due to low participation and honestly I just don't have the time to mod or update it anymore. I hope the information gathered here will still be useful so I am going to keep it around for now. Thank you to everyone who did join and participate. We here at The CBF appreciate that.
- Jason
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We're wearing rose-tinted glasses (and everything looks amazing!)
It's the name of the flower with the sweetest scent, the colour of ballet slippers, and our current obsession. And we're not the only ones: the fashion world en masse has fallen in love with this hue. It's been making appearances on the runways (at BCBG Max Azria and Chloé for example) and in so much good street style (like right here, here, here and here) that it's gone from feeling oh-so-girly to ever-so-modern. A pretty neat trick, if you ask us. Was it all those amazing pink coats we saw during the last few fashion weeks? Was it the fact that rose gold jewelry is having a definite moment? Probably! But whatever the reason, we're definitely inspired. The plan? Get as much of this pretty pink hue into our spring and summer looks as possible. Pink and light denim is a winning combination (add a Breton-striped shirt in there for a clean, cool French-girl vibe) or play around with contrast and pair a soft, light pink with something tough and dark, like a moto jacket. We'll definitely be playing to pink's ethereality by pairing it with whites, creams, and light greys for a current yet romantic feel. But the made-in-heaven pairing we're most excited about? Pink and gold! Equal parts hard and soft, sweet and tough. Just like the flower: beautiful and delicate with remarkable strength.
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Any website designers reading this are probably shaking right now after reading that headline. SEO is short for 'search engine optimization' and relates to where your website will show up when people search for things. For designers, SEO and websites go hand-in-hand. SEO is about discovery through searches, and for business this is very important to be competitive. But for parishes, we're not in the competition game . . . we're in the service game. Therefore, functionality is what the website is all about for a local parish.
So what should a parish website look like? What are the core things that should be included? To better see what this looks like, you want to model your parish website after your office. The best purpose of the parish website should be to create it as an extension of all those services your office provides to visitors. So, yes, an attractive appearance is just as important as it is when people enter the parish office. Here are the core things your parish website should have:
- Welcome/Home page should have the parish mission and announcements. Announcements are a great way to alleviate reliance on the bulletin. We all have space constraints in the bulletin and everybody wants their thing in it. An announcements section provides another avenue to highlighting events in a quicker way rather than waiting until Sunday.
- Clergy and staff directory page. I prefer this to have photographs of the individuals because it's more personalized that way. The directory should include phone and email contact information and can include a short bio if you wish.
- Ministry Directory page. Most parishes have several ministries and by listing all of them on the website with who to contact provides for a very easy way to keep the list organized and up-to-date. It should include who to contact in regards to the ministry as well. We enhanced this at our parish and also created individual pages for each ministry as well and linked to those pages in the directory for visitors to get detailed information in regards to each ministry.
- Parish calendar page. This should be an embedded online calendar. I've seen parishes do this as a PDF document that pops up and am not a fan of this. The reason is that it is too many steps. An embedded online calendar such as Google Calendars allows the information to updated by any volunteer or office staff which automatically updates on the website. Enter once and use everywhere approach.
- Mass schedule page. This again should be an embedded calendar that is separate from the Parish Events calendar. The reason is that most of the time Masses remain the same times, but Holy Days and holidays are obviously different. This makes for a very neat and organized way to communicate alternate Mass times.
- Parish history/information page. This is typically the "About" page you see on most websites. It should have the generic address and phone contact information. You can also include an embedded satellite map from services like Google or Bing maps. This way, out of town visitors can easily get driving directions.
- Catholic Links page. There are a ton of great Catholic websites. Create a page that links to them and organize the page by categories. Link to your Diocese, the Vatican, USCCB, etc.
Those are the basics, and they allow you to mimic the information parishioners can get when contacting your office. Once you have those pieces in place, then you can further enhance the website to automate administrative tasks and provide further services. Online forms are a great example of this. By moving forms such as new parishioner registrations online you can then make them available for download by visitors. This in turn reduces requests to the office saving time and saves money that is normally spent on printing and mailing. In turn you do not need to worry about storing blank forms since if you did need to provide a copy to someone visiting the office, you can simply print one from the website.
Sounds great, but what could hold this back? People and the willingness to change. You obviously have to continue to provide the same things from the office for those without internet connection, but the goal is to reduce the need to go to the office for information. You'll need to refer to the website for about 30 days as requests come in. Refer to the information contained on the website in announcements in the bulletin. After about 30 days people will begin to "get the picture".
What are your thoughts?


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Whether you're traveling far and wide this Summer or staying close to home, we've got lots of great travel cut files available in The Cut Shoppe! Today, I wanted to work with the new Any Which Way background cut file. This cut file is great for all of your travel layouts, but can definitely be used for a wide variety of layouts.
I wanted to try something a little bit different with this cut file, so I decided to back it with Vellum and layer it over a patterned paper background. You could definitely back each of the arrows with different patterned papers, use it as a stencil or paint it with watercolors or spray mist. I love having lots of different options when I'm using a cut file. I added just a bit of adhesive to a few spots on the back of the cut file, and then I machine stitched around the arrows on every other row. I love having the added texture in the background.
Once the arrows were stitched, I added four photos and mixed in several different Thickers to add travel phrases next to each photo. It's not often, that you will see four photos on one of my layouts, but I thought this was a great way to include photos that were taken, while we were sight seeing in Downtown Cleveland.
So how about a little traveling right now, right from where you are! You can head over to The Cut Shoppe and check out the Any Which Way background cut file, that's available in 8.5x11 and 12x12 size. You'll also find two other new sets while you're there!
Have fun shopping!
Supplies: Any Which Way cut file: The Cut Shoppe; Patterned Paper, Cork Phrase, Stickers & Thickers: Crate Paper; Patterned Paper: Pink Paislee; Thickers & Date Stamp: American Crafts; Flair Buttons: A Flair for Buttons; Wood Veneers: Evalicious & Studio Calico; Phrase Stickers: Tim Holtz; Die Cut Machine: Silhouette Cameo


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|Meeting Days
|1st and 3rd Saturdays of each month. We welcome guests at our first meeting of each month.
|8:45 AM to 10:00 AM
De Goede Herder Kerk
|TM Site
|Social Media
Amsterdam Early Bird Toastmasters is the newest Toastmasters Club in the Netherlands!
How are we different from other clubs in Amsterdam? We meet on Saturday morning!
Our mission is to provide a supportive and positive learning experience in which our members are empowered to develop their communication and leadership skills. We do this using proven Toastmaster programs and methods.
Please come as early as 8:30 am to get situated and social time before the meeting starts!
You can contact us by using the form below.


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BP Checking app – iCare Health Monitor Pro – No extra devices needed, Your smartphone will do the job. Just try it out!
- iCare Health Monitor Pro could measure blood pressure,heart rate,vision,hearing,SpO2,breath rate only by phone.
- Blood pressure measurement
- Heart rate measurement
- Blood oxygen measurement
- Real-time photoplethysmogram (PPG) graph
- Respiratory rate measurement
- Vision measurement / Eye Test
- Hearing measurement / Hearing Test
- Lung capacity measurement
- Autism-spectrum Test
- Pedometer
- Vision Care Workout
- Unlimited data storage and tags
- Export data for registered users
1. Pressing the screen with your finger.
2. Lightly place your index finger on the rear camera. Make sure the camera is fully covered.
3. Hold until the measurement is complete.


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By Lorin Cutts
It is my opinion that the UFO subject cannot be solved or explained without looking at all of the experiences of UFO witnesses and contactees, no matter how seemingly unexplainable or bizarre. This will inevitably lead us into high strangeness territory.
It would certainly appear that the UFO subject directly relates to other phenomena: synchronicities, dreams, symbology, psychic and other paranormal and spiritual phenomena. For those looking exclusively for a "nuts and bolts" answer to the UFO subject… I ask that you now open your minds.
No matter how hard civilian researchers have tried, we are hardly any further down the road than we were in 1947 in terms of trying to find detailed answers to the UFO subject. Sure, we know with certainty that there is a legitimate phenomenon present, but beyond that, what else do we really know for sure? Only, perhaps, that nothing is as it seems. Towards the end of his life the godfather of modern ufology himself, Dr J. Allen Hynek, talked of the need to put on one's "spiritual glasses" in order to solve the UFO problem.
One thing we do have is a large number of eyewitnesses working to interpret and make sense of highly unusual encounters and experiences, and sometimes these experiences are so far from the Hollywood standard as to seem ridiculous. Are we to simply discount those witnesses whose experiences do not fit neatly into our pigeon-holed, preconceived ideas about what this subject should be about? Do you think that if I were going to make up a tale of alien* contact, I would choose to tell you about a small grey dog turning into a grey being? No! I am highly aware of just how crazy that makes me sound. I would have done anything to have a pretty spaceship with multi-colored lights descend and take me aboard, something comparatively easy for people to wrap their heads around. After all, that is how "alien" contact is SUPPOSED to be, right? Well, in my experience and from my research of others, it rarely is.
Talk to many lifetime UFO experiencers and they may have had a few of those stereotypical scenarios – bright lights through the window, then surrounded by beings before finally being whisked aboard a craft etc. – but often these account for only a small percentage of the paranormal experiences they have throughout their lives. So are we to simply discount and ignore the more nonsensical and way-out accounts? Definitely not, because within these accounts may well lie the information and clues to bring this subject – and all of us – into the 21st century.
Lorin Cutts
Intro – Lorin Cutts – Topanga (demo)
* Please note that whenever I refer to "alien" – I do not automatically assume that these beings or representations of beings necessarily come from other planets or outer-space.
A Question of Time
I thought I'd start out with a subject that is a little light-hearted. Of course anything to do with high strangeness – or indeed UFOs in general – is rarely easygoing and inevitably leads to further questions, not just about the UFO subject but often fundamental questions about the nature of the universe and our place within it.
A few months after I began to work with lifetime UFO/alien experiencers and attempted to make sense of their stories and experiences, something strange started happening to me.
This started creeping into my conscious awareness during the summer of 2011 when I realized that I was waking up at the same time every few nights. I'd stir, look at my phone, and notice it was 3:33. As the days went on, I became aware that I was also looking at the clock during the day to see it was 3:33 in the afternoon. Over several weeks, I made mental notes as to how often – and when – I was looking at clocks wherever I went. I worked out that roughly 80% of the time I was checking a clock or my phone to see that the time was made up of the same numbers – 1:11, 2:22, 3:33, 4:44, etc. About 10% of the time I checked the time when the clocks showed 12:34, 3:45. 4:56; the remaining 10% of the time, the numbers were different and non-sequential.
As I began to research this phenomenon, I was intrigued to find that it had happened to other UFO researchers and experiencers. Greg Bishop of the UFO Mystic blog experienced a similar experience the night before interviewing the late Karla Turner, PhD, back in 1994. Karla was a tireless researcher of the abduction phenomena in the 1990's, and her untimely death was a great loss to our subject.
Greg wrote: "One experience made me wonder about not just Turner herself, but the whole subject of abductions in general. On the night before our interview, I woke up four or five times: at 1:11, 2:22, 3:33, etc. This is the only time this has happened in my life. Turner and others later told me that this was a little-known experience of many who had claimed anomalous interludes with the UFO phenomenon".
The late Karla Turner PhD
Slightly concerned by this, I actually took a few days off from my UFO work to process this information.
My next port of call was our best friend/enemy – Google. Well lo and behold, many other people appeared to be having this experience – and not just us crazy UFO people. In true internet fashion, it was being attributed to everything from demonic possession to guardian angels wanting to speak with us, and all points in between.
My own experiences with this ebbed and flowed. I'd have a week without it, then a week where it was beyond ridiculous. It was also happening to my housemate, in fact it started happening to her before it had started with me. She'd wake up in the middle of the night and see the digital clock was at 3:33. This happened over and over and even affected one of my dogs, Lucy. Normally Lucy was calm throughout the night, but on one particular night she whined to go out. This was highly unusual. My housemate got up to open the door to the backyard thinking duty needed to be done, but Lucy just looked up at the night sky for several minutes and then came back in. As my housemate climbed into bed she noticed that time again.
Both my housemate and I would also wake up needing the bathroom at the same time, only to find it was again that time. Just as my sanity was beginning to crack, something else happened.
At the time I was working on-call for the railroad. The phone rang in the middle of the night and I took my call, only to be told by the dispatcher that my on duty time was 03:33. I arrived at work to find that my paperwork had been issued by the dispatcher at 03:33 (this is the only time that my paperwork has ever been issued at the same time as my call time – one of our duties is to check the time stamp on the paperwork). Fast forward to the end of my trip. I walked into my hotel room to see the bedside clock proudly displaying – yes, you guessed it – 3:33 pm. What the hell was happening to me? It was like I was trapped in an episode of the Twilight Zone. Was Rod Serling about to appear out of the closet and say something smoothly cool and mysterious? I needed something – anything – to break the tension.
Rod Serling of The Twilight Zone
I went to bed, but I was restless and eventually just got up to think, trying to make sense of it all. I decided that if it happened again that night when I was called for my train home, then I would probably need institutionalizing. I went to sleep, shutting my eyes almost in fear. I eventually got to sleep, but not without a lot of brain traffic as I processed my new found reality. A few hours later I gained consciousness but dared not open my eyes right away. I turned to face the place where the digital clock sat on the cabinet and slowly began to squint my eyes open. There in front of me were the large red numbers.
I laid back on the bed and nervously contemplated the situation. It was like I was being played with like a lab rat in a cage. But by whom? What? How did this come to be? And why me? But I still had to get past 3:33 yet. I waited nervously for the call. Eventually the phone rang and I knew that if I was told to go to work at that time, I was pretty much done for… at least as far as my sanity was concerned. After staring at the phone as it rang a few times, I bit the bullet and picked up. The robotic voice of the auto-caller began its monotone, inhuman message. "You are called to work the IG4SE (miscellaneous train symbol) at 03:32 hours… have a safe day".
I had to laugh. Hysterically. I had felt so close to breaking point. I didn't want to be the victim of this cosmic joke any longer, so "they" had spared me… at least for now. Is this how the edge of sanity felt?
I returned home and began to think about it less and less. It kept appearing and disappearing, ebbing and flowing. During this time of relative calm I discovered that one of the very experiencers I'd been working with had something highly relevant to add to all this.
Suzanne Chancellor is a Los Angeles based lifetime UFO abductee/experiencer/contactee and former manager of rock bands. In fact, in a double synchronicity, Suzanne actually used to manage one of my favorite bands of all time, The Alarm (see how this all works?). Suzanne told me that her last experience with "alien" beings had occurred in July 2011 and started with her eyes opening to see her digital clock displaying 3:33! She then turned towards the doorway of her bedroom and there in the doorway stood three typical, small, grey beings. The experience was the most recent of many she has had with various entities and her story is fascinating and varied. What is particularly interesting to me about Suzanne's case is that she has never undergone hypnotic regression, therefore all of Suzanne's accounts are from conscious memory – and free of any possible contamination by this highly controversial practice. This particular experience wasn't stressful or lengthy and the intruders soon vanished into thin air.
I thought about the time synchronicity over and over. I began asking questions about how this could possibly happen. Was this something interacting with our reality, our consciousness, the very fabric of our time? Was it the universe telling me something meaningful? Communicating with me? Or was this just life, the way the universe operates and – in the grand scheme of things – ultimately meaningless? A simple coincidence? After all, are we not programmed to look for patterns in things as part of some innate survival instinct? Wasn't part of the human condition to search for meaning in things, no matter how small or trivial?
I thought about the widespread phenomenon I'm sure a lot of us are aware of: waking a few seconds before ones alarm goes off. Is part of our subconscious mind aware of time and clocks and our need to wake at certain times, even when we are asleep? Was it possible that I was subconsciously training myself to look at the clock at these times? Perhaps there was a relatively rational explanation to all of this somewhere in the mystery of our minds.
But I couldn't completely let go of the idea there was some significance here.
For the past two years I have been working on "The Lockheed Conundrum" – a UFO related article regarding the Lockheed Martin organization. For various reasons, it is now highly unlikely that this will ever see the light of day, but I'd like to take a look at a few things regarding former employees of Lockheed that makes for interesting reading and may be relevant here.
The late Ben Rich was the former director of Lockheed's infamous and highly secretive Skunk Works. In a supposed death bed revelation reported in the MUFON Journal by NASA systems analyst, Tom Keller, Rich supposedly blew the whistle on quite a few top secret subjects during his eleventh hour. When asked how UFO propulsion worked, Rich said "let me ask you this, how does ESP work?". The questioner then answered "all points in time and space are connected?" to which Rich added "that's how it works". Rich is also quoted as saying "Anything you can imagine, we already know how to do."
In isolation this second, third, fourth or more hand account doesn't seem so significant, but it becomes more interesting when we take into consideration the remarks of a couple of other ex-Lockheed employees.
Boyd Bushman
Boyd Bushman is another Lockheed old timer who now talks more like a new age hippy with a PhD than someone who worked on top secret black projects for the military-industrial establishment. To quote Bushman: "What we always have to do.. is walk.. kind of a lonely walk… but a very, very rewarding walk, to listen where languages are not talked and verbalization is not used".
John D. Riley
John D. Riley runs Zero Point Research in Santa Monica, Los Angeles. I first came across John's name while talking with James Gilliland at ECETI. John recently confirmed to me that he had indeed been with Lockheed, where he had worked with "special technology". Curiously, John now posts a love heart to all of his Facebook friends daily, at 11:11 each morning and most evenings. In fact the love heart is positioned just so: 11♥11.
When I asked John about my experiences and why he posts his love heart and numbers at that time, his reply was as ambiguous as Bushman's quote before him.
"I post for the same reason as to why you see those numbers. The first step the guardian numbers are here for us is to look deeper and to become aware of what is. Shifting consciousness and realization allows life to be amazing and yes… true Love reveals."
So let's join the dots. Taken at face value, it doesn't take a rocket-scientist (no pun intended) to work out that something potentially amazing may be happening at Lockheed, and most likely within quantum physics. Will we all have the last laugh and find the mighty men of the military-industrial complex war machine figuratively putting flowers in their own guns?
Is it possible that the universe – far from being the complex and confusing place that we assume it to be – is really quite simple? Is everything simply energy vibrating at varying frequencies? Is it possible that our consciousness interacts with the universe in ways we have yet to understand? Is the universe actually made up of consciousness that we interact with? Or is this some external influence on our consciousness and reality? Considering how little we really know about our universe and how our brains work, I think it would be sensible to keep an open mind.
My time synchronicities continue to ebb and flow. As I wrote this article my housemate came into my studio to tell me that she looked at the clock for the first time since getting home from work at 4:44. Yesterday I can claim to have looked at the clock at 11:10, only to see it instantly change to 11:11; then at 2:21, only to see it change that next second to 2:22; then at 2:34 and finally – of course! – at 3:33.
But now, far from seeing this as something sinister, I choose to see this as life affirming, proof positive that I am awake and alive and experiencing the wonders of the here and now, quite literally. Am I being allowed to glimpse a hint that there is more to life than what we see in front of us? And isn't this exactly how the UFO subject operates? Staying on the periphery of our vision and displaying a calm subtlety, yet giving us enough to question and wonder about our world, our universe, and what exactly is behind the thin veil of our reality?
In one final act of cosmic comedy seemingly tailor made for this article, my housemate poked her head into my studio during the final hour of completing this article to tell me something. Last night she had a dream that there was something wrong with her bedside clock – the clock that has formed the centerpiece for much of this article. She awoke in the night with a start, only to see her digital clock displaying, for the first time ever, a non-existent time:
The clock no longer keeps time.
Lorin Cutts
First Aired: 7pm Thursday 26th January 2012


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As I took the table runner we usually use to the laundry room for a wash the other day I was thinking how I really ought to make more runners for a little variety. The next day inspiration arrived in the mail. You see, I've treated myself to the monthly Kona Solids 1/2 yard club at Canton Village Quilt Works (Shhh…lets not mention it to Handsome). The price was right and I've been wanting to add more solids to my stash but I wasn't sure about what I would get. Would these be 6 ugly half yards per month? All the colors CVQW couldn't sell otherwise? Since I could cancel at any time I wanted, I decided to take a chance, and I'm so glad I did! Look at these pretty colors:
They are perfect for adding a little Valentine spirit to the house and I got started right away. When I saw this table runner in last winter's edition of Modern Patchwork I knew it was only a matter of time before I gave in and made one for myself. Here's my Valentine's version:
This was a great pattern to work with and it was an easy Saturday project.
I wish the lighting and that honey oak table didn't make it so hard to get a good picture!
It's sweet and modern and probably too girly for the men in the house, but it's just right for cheering up a gray February. Even better, I have lots of fabric leftover from this bundle to add to my stash. I can't wait to see what color combination comes in next month's package!


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The race begins! Betty Belts, makers of fine handmade belts, jewelry and accessories and a business with its roots in the surf community, was announced today as one of 50 finalists in the Intuit Small Business United Contest with a chance to win one of five grants valued at up to $25,000. Betty Belts has a reputation as a socially and environmentally responsible business and is a former winner and regular nominee of the Surfer's Path Green Wave Award.
In the Intuit Small Business United Contest, finalists were required to create a video based on their story, competing with over 1900 others. In her submitted video, Betty Belts owner/designer Donna von Hoesslin opens a door to the world of adventure and inspiration which led to her starting a business based on a passion that had changed her life: Surfing.
Donna's company and products make a difference in many people's lives, from the Balinese and US artisans who manufacture them, to the happy customers who wear them and enjoy the compliments on the unique and beautiful handmade belts and jewelry.
"It's already such an achievement to be a finalist in this prestigious contest. I'm excited about the video and having a chance at winning $25,000 which will be a great boost for my little company. Allowing me to do more, grow and continue to make a difference in many people's lives," says Donna, adding "Please watch the video and rate it! Bonus: you'll finally get to hear me sing!"
View Donna's Video here: http://community.intuit.com/contests/aP3kaUx0aqllvkab8P4pmk
How to "vote":
-click on link above and watch the video
-rate it as INSPIRING USEFUL and/or FUNNY (you get THREE votes, one each category)
-Create an Intuit Community ID and password (takes 30 seconds)
-Leave a comment if you want, but not necessary
-Spread it far and wide!
Winners will be announced June 4th.
Please contact Donna for any additional information – www.bettybelts.com; www.twitter.com/bettybelts; www.thebettyblog.net
Contact: Donna von Hoesslin, Betty Belts, 12 North Fir, Ventura, CA 93001, Tel. 805.648.6997, email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Santa with his arm around his reindeer sun catcher - 10 cm high.
Decorate with markers or glass paint to create a wonderful colourful decoration in the natural sunlight
2 per pack
5.7cm x 22.85cm Sinamay Angel Pick - 1 silver & 1 gold in each pack
Lovely accessory for you Christmas decorations - great value for money
Pack of 12 Chenille Peppermint Rounds
These sweet faux candy peppermints are certain to add touches of whimsy to most any holiday project. Little red and white-spiraled pipe cleaners have been twisted and curled into adorable little fuzzy candy-resembling embellishments. Imagine them as buttons on your snowman?
12 pieces per pack
Pack of 10 Ornament Caps with Hanger. Great for your christmas balls - I am going to try these in decorated polystyrene balls for ease of hanging
Miniature rustic tree topper to decorate your mini Christmas tree, dollhouse miniatures or other holiday craft projects. 2.5"
Apple Beads Jelly Jewels in a Christmas Theme
Ideal for scrapbooking, card making or any Christmas project.
Unfinished Wooden Mini Bell
Measures approx 5.7cm H x 2.5 cm W (2-1/4" x 1")
Paint or stain them for an accessory for your Santa or Christmas projects
The wire wrapped wooden spade measures 34cm in length and is 10cm across the width of the spade.
It features a gingerbread man holding a sign "Christmas Cookie Bake Day" - this is very sweet!!
Pack of 6 Felt Candy Cane self adhesive, stiffened Stickers - many uses for your Christmas projects
Measures approx. 5.08 cm high
10 sheets of foam candy cane stickers in each pack
Great to share with family and friends
Decorative red Santa tag to add to your gift wrapping, scrapbooking, quilts....or anything!!
Size: 2.5 cm
What's New
On Sale


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Remember the rose punch out card? Well this is another in the series from Creative Kuts.
Perfect Father's day card.
I really like the papers on this one. I'm pretty sure my husband used to have a shirt just like that!
You make such CLEVER cards, love the shirt and tie.
Such a fun card!
Theresa's Crafty Creations
What a fun card design- love the tie with that shirt design! Great combo of patterned papers:) THANKS for leaving some love on the Virtual Smooches blog for me <3 So glad you enjoyed my video and project <3 Your comment made my day!


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Burbank actors Daniel Roebuck and Jim Roope will have to age 20 years through the magic of makeup for their roles as 70-year-old former vaudevillian performers reuniting for one last TV appearance in Neil Simon's "The Sunshine Boys".
The show opens its two-weekend run on Friday and is a fundraiser for St. Francis Xavier Church and School in Burbank.
Roebuck, a TV veteran best known for his role as Clifford Lewis on "Matlock," has honed his own version of the character Willy Clark by studying his favorite comedians who were still around in the 1970s — Milton Berle, Jack Benny, Groucho Marx, George Burns and Bud Abbott.
"Those were the guys I spent the time watching, so I set my sights on doing this play for a long time," he said.
Roebuck, who's not yet 50, now feels he's finally close enough in age to give it a shot.
"We'll have the miracle of John Goodwin doing our makeup," Roebuck said. "He's also playing the director."