text: Share: Comments Print April 4, 2012 at 12:24 PM Sarkisian quotes, day two of spring ball Posted by Bob Condotta Here are some quotes from UW coach Steve Sarkisian's session with the media following Wednesday's practice: On what is "Turnover Wednesday:" "Well there's just more of an emphasis. Every practice is themed, but a lot of the emphasis on our individual drills, a lot of the drills we do offensively, defensively and when we are in our team periods there is an emphasis on the football. So there is a difference that way. It's a mindset. Obviously, offensively we weren't very good toady at taking care of the football. We had the interceptions, but even more importantly the opportunities to take care of the ball when we were running with it weren't very good. The defense wasn't able to capitalize on that. But in time, they will be able to if we don't fix it offensively. So, a great emphasis for stuff that we need to work on moving forward. " On the importance of turnovers: "It's huge. It's huge. It's the No. 1 stat in football. Our guys did a study here and since 2009, when we've won the turnover battle we are 13-3. If you look at it that way and you really understand the value of the ball in: 1. taking care of it and 2. creating turnovers and the effect it can have on you winning and losing, it has to be a huge emphasis for us." On Derrick Brown's dropping a couple of snaps: "There were two snaps when he was under center and one in the gun, quite honestly I was surprised we didn't have more of that on Monday, it just being new and rotating some centers. I think there is a little bit of anxiousness there and wanting to do really well and trying to play a little faster than you need to. There's going to be better days and there are going to be days when it's not as good. The point being, is understanding why those things are happening – I think he's just a little excited. And two, how are we going to fix it come Friday, how can we make it better. Obviously, his understanding what we are trying to get down from drill to drill so he can play confident and calm and make his plays when they come." On playing more man coverage in the secondary in the new defense: "I think so, and I think that plays to our strengths — we are pretty talented at that position. It allows for us, even when we are calling some zone coverages to have some man principles on the outside with our corners and I think we are seeing that and reaping the benefits of it now two practices in." On what he has seen of the new coaches: "I like the way they teach. For two practices in we've got quite a bit of defense in. It's not like we are running one or two calls — we've got quite a bit of defense in. And for our guys to be playing at a high level and not having a major amount of busts, we have a few here or there and that's going to happen, but we are playing at a high level and our guys are playing fast, so that means our guys are teaching really well so that our kids can perform when they get an opportunity to perform. I like the energy that they are bringing but I really like their ability to teach — that's been the biggest thing that has stuck out to me." On getting the players to play fast without thinking: "Well that's the biggest challenge, where we are not thinking and we are playing slower than we are. We want to appear even faster than we are, and to do that you have to know what you are doing and I think our guys have been able to do that so far. We are seeing that, especially in the back end, to have the amount of interceptions we have had in two practices is obviously very encouraging from a defensive standpoint — it's not the best thing we want to see offensively but in spring football there has to be some give and take so I am very encouraged that we are getting those turnovers, getting those interceptions and those kids are playing fast and hopefully we can continue to build on that as we move into Friday." On the challenge of an offense facing standup ends: "It creates some hesitation, there communication that is critical and paramount for us on the offensive side of the ball ID'ing who is who to make sure we are on the same page with that. Fortunately for us to be dealing with this now in April and the second day of spring football and all the way through spring football, this should benefit us offensively come fall when we play teams that have 3-4 principles and we should feel more comfortable when we get those teams and inevitably kind of reap the benefits of this now. It can be challenging on some of our young players and we are seeing that now — we have to continue to teach and to coach. But ultimately this should make us better come the fall when we face those teams that are 3-4 principle teams." On the defensive risks of keeping the ends up instead of down: "Well, I mean, it depends on how you are built and how you recruit. You may not be as big as maybe you would like and you recruit some bigger interior guys and things. I don't think there is so much of a down side. I think it's just a philosophical approach of who you want to be and who you are. There have been great defenses for years that have been 3-4 principled defenses, and there have been great defenses for years that have been 4-3 principled defenses. We've chosen to be more of a 3-4 feel to what we are doing. I don't think there is necessarily there's a bunch of down sides to it. It's just philosophically, who are you and we will continue to play to that, coach to that and recruit to that." On the 3-4 being a good way to go against Pac-12 offenses: "I think so. In general what we are seeing, you look at the coaches that have been hired, I think there is an emphasis on throwing the ball. I think there's an emphasis on spread-out teams, on shotgun-running teams. If you want to defend those guys you have to defend your edges and you can't let the ball get on the perimeter. I think it can create some confusion in pass protection, creating some more rush lanes for our guys. But ultimately we have to make sure we can hold up against the two-back, power-running teams, as well. There's a lot of give and take. And I think for our defense going against our offense, that's a little bit of the beauty of facing us, because they get both. They can get a lot of stuff on film. There is a lot of stuff to teach." On Drew Schultz deep snapping: "Drew has committed himself to wanting to do that. He started that last year and it's showing up to be holding true for us. We'll have a few guys come in the fall that will challenge for that, but in the spring it'll be Drew." On Cody Bruns: "He's got a sore ankle, rolled his ankle here so we're trying to get him healthy. And John Timu kind of tweaked his hamstring, so that's why he was out today." On James Johnson's play so far: "I think James is great. James provides a great deal of leadership at the wide receiver position. He's kind of our veteran guy there. He's matured in his time from Day One to where he is today. There's a calming feel to him for the younger players, and he sets a great example…making plays and is playing all over the field, so I'm excited about what he's done and the prospects for him as we head to the fall." On Keith Price being big enough to handle the hits right now: "I think he's plenty big enough. What's funny is that the first injury to his knee, nobody touched him. He fell down and banged his own knee into the ground. It wasn't about the pounding that it takes. He's never had any shoulder injuries or ribs or anything where you need to be a big guy – it's just about strengthening around the knee – which I think we've done a good job of – so that the overall wear and tear of landing on that stuff…he can handle the weight as he moves on. I think he's plenty big enough. There have been a lot of guys smaller than him played the position and gone on to do great things. He'll continue to grow and mature, but I think he's plenty big enough." On if he had anything structural with his knee after the season: "No…he just had to get healthy. I think we saw it in the bowl game, honestly, where he was close to 100 percent. I think we're seeing it now; we saw a couple runs where he got out and ran and looked explosive and looked good. So it's just a matter of keeping that place, keeping that level of health where he's at." On Kasen Williams not doing track this spring: "No. He's just going to focus on football. I think he realizes the opportunity that's ahead of him and where he can fit in at the wide receiver position, and I think he wants to seize the opportunity." On if the intensity bumped up today due to the weather: "It wasn't about the weather. We've been preaching to our guys that it's not about where we're playing or what we're playing in or who we're playing against – it's our ability to bring the energy needed and the focus needed and the passion needed to compete on a daily basis. So rain, sleet, snow, sun – whatever it is, we should bring it every day. I don't expect that to change, whether we're inside or outside or what the conditions are – we should bring it every day." On being pleased that the energy has come around so quickly this spring: "I think the energy has been awesome. It's been great. And again, this is what I thought would happen, I'm not surprised. I thought getting our guys up – this is what they are used to. This is normal for them." Comments


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Become a Business Mentor! - SCORE Ellsworth
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OSLO, NORWAY – January 26, 2016 – Induct AS has signed an agreement with Sykehusapotekene HF, the enterprise that manages all hospital pharmacies for the Southern and Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority ("Helse Sør-Øst"). The Authority operates nine hospital trusts and five private hospitals, and supplies healthcare for more than half of Norway's population.
Helse Sør-Øst is the third (out of four total) and largest Regional Health Authority in Norway, where Induct is enabling hospitals and health organizations to better capture, process, and manage ideas, best practices, and improvements from employees, patients, relatives, and other stakeholders. The purpose is to become more cost efficient, drive higher levels of quality, and increase patient- and employee satisfaction. Sykehusapotekene HF will also be part of the large Induct network where health organizations share ideas and successful innovations across similar challenges.
"Connecting innovation communities in a network enables healthcare workers at every level to find and adopt solutions that other hospitals have successfully implemented to solve similar challenges," said Alf Martin Johansen, CEO of Induct. "This dramatically reduces duplicated effort, lowers cost, and supports the rapid diffusion of best practices across the entire healthcare network. We are proud to offer our innovation network solution to Sykehusapotekene HF."
Norway's two largest hospitals, Akershus University Hospital and Oslo University Hospital, both part of Helse Sør-Øst, have been users of the Induct platform since 2015 and 2011 respectively. In addition, Norway's Western Region ("Helse Vest") implemented Induct during the autumn of 2015, and the Central Region ("Helse Midt") recently signed up as a group of five hospitals. These healthcare contracts are due in part to Induct having won the national framework agreement in Norway for innovation management software within healthcare in 2015.
Induct has an international presence and has global ambitions. In October, Induct signed agreements with eight hospitals in Spain's Catalonia region, and with BJC HealthCare, one of the largest non-profit healthcare integrated delivery organizations in the United States. Induct is working with the UK National Healthcare Service (NHS) where an Induct innovation community has been implemented at the Surrey and Sussex Healthcare Trust.
About Induct
Based on eight years of collaboration with over 250 organizations, Induct offers innovation communities, delivered as "Software as a Service," that enable organizations to create, manage, track and measure the innovation process from idea creation through to final implementation and impact reporting. Induct enables its customers to connect with each other in larger networks to share best practices, while deploying and monetizing initiatives - all within a secure, collaborative, and access-controlled cloud-based network. Induct is listed on the Merkur Market list on the Oslo Stock Exchange with the ticker INDUCT-ME.
Induct: "Connecting Innovation Communities™"
Alf Martin Johansen
+47 90 17 94 35
2016 Induct AS – Induct ™, The Open Innovation Company™, Connecting Innovation Communities™, and the Induct four-colored Induct logo are trademarks of Induct Software AS. Copyright © Induct Software AS. All rights reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.


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Posts Tagged: amazon
Why Hydrogen Will Benefit Autonomous Cars
Imagine fleets of autonomous ride-share vehicles powered by hydrogen. It's not a big leap when you consider Amazon is replacing battery electric forklifts with hydrogen fuel cell electric alternatives. As we discussed in our last article, lowering the Total Cost
Posted in News Tagged amazon, automotive, autonomous cars, BMW, eco-friendly, ecofriendly, futurism, GM, hydrogen, hydrogen economy, hygen, los angeles, robocars, Sustainable energy, zero emission vehicles, zero-emission
Why Hydrogen Forklifts have a New Home with Amazon
The market for hydrogen fuel cell forklifts is booming despite the many myths and Amazon is not afraid to tap into it. The online retailer agreed to buy $70 million of fuel cell forklifts from Plug Power in April this
Posted in News Tagged amazon, automotive, eco-friendly, forklifts, futurism, hydrogen, hydrogen economy, hygen, innovation, plug power, Sustainable energy, zero emission vehicles


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(This was a comment to a blog post by Corinne McKay – Agencies won't pay my rates, and I can't find direct clients": what to do?)
What about this kind of situation: rates acceptable in the country where I live (Ukraine) are sometime 8-10 times lower than the rates paid even by Indian and/or Chinese translation agencies. In order to be precise, I have just visited a web-site of one of numerous translation agencies in the city of Dnipropetrovsk (Ukraine). 70 UAH per page of EN-RU translation, which is about 0,009 USD per word (now imagine how much a translator will get in this case). Actually, the same situation is in almost any other country of the ex-USSR (it would take too much time to tell you why, and it is not only about GDP-per-capita indices of these countries).
Which means that direct clients here will never accept something as high as 0,1 USD per word (which is 11(!) times higher than the number above offered by a translation agency – a company with several project managers and dozens of freelancers ready to offer their help).
Which in its turn means that once you start working with translation agencies in Europe or the US (thanks to proz, or similar platforms), you will no longer accept those ridiculous rates local market offers you. In other words, you just don`t have both direct and "indirect" clients here ready to pay you the rates even the most, well, "greedy" Western agencies can offer you (ca. 0,06 USD).
In other words, there is no way back. In order to raise your rates, you have now to look for direct clients in the US, Western Europe, etc. Which is not an easy task. Some businesses (like IT startups, video game producers) are accustomed to working with people living thousands of miles away. But the general attitude is not very favorable. It is just too risky to hire a freelancer living in a country you heard about only a couple of times.
I have managed to come up with several marketing ideas – talking to my colleagues located in these countries (I now have several translators who outsource me their projects regularly). Another strategy I made use of was a direct mail campaign to some 100 companies abroad who cooperate heavily with Russians (no leads for now, but that was a nice try, I think). Google Ads – well, it is good for highly commoditized products, but it is almost useless for sophisticated services like translation.
BTW, that is exactly why I am shocked to hear translators living in, say, in Canada who "just can`t find (direct) clients".
Well, I mean, as Corinne puts it, you have to change your mindset first. There is always a way out – just notice the pains one has to take in order to get some direct clients here.


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Stephen King's famously possessed '58 Plymouth Fury car, Christine, is getting the remake treatment thanks to "Disturbia" co-writer Christopher Landon.
Speaking with Coming Soon, Landon says "If it happens or not we'll see, but when I came in what I wanted to do was really go back to the book, the source material. I'm a fan of the Carpenter version, it is fun. But the book was much more of a possession story than it was just a killer car."
He adds "That's what made the book so great is that what was so terrifying was that it wasn't just about an inanimate object running around and killing people, it was a boy who was sorta being taken over by the former owner of the car – and there was something more terrifying about that."
Things are still early it seems – "Right now it's way too soon say anything else about it. We're so in the thick of deal-making, I don't want to blow anything else"


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I started this podcast in April, and have managed to produce four episodes in two months. I didn't know what I was doing at first, technically (as I've noted elsewhere, I taught myself how to use GarageBand by editing the first episode), but also in a larger sense. I wasn't sure what this even was, but I knew I needed to do something creative, and that I had to start making it in order to figure it out.
I think I'm still figuring it out (technically, and otherwise), but the response has been encouraging (thanks, you guys!), at least encouraging enough that I've decided to try something. Since the beginning of the year, I've been working a job which more or less ends today. I have nothing planned, work-wise, starting next week (although I do have a book coming out in September and I figure I'll probably need to devote some time to asking people to pay attention to it around then). So, for the next two months, I've decided to do nothing except for work on this podcast. My goal is to try to crank out one episode per week, beginning next week (although realistically, the episode I've just started to work on might not be ready for publishing until Monday June 9) and continuing through the end of July. I want to get faster, in terms of how long it takes to make these, and I want the storytelling to be a little tighter. Most of all, I want to see if it makes sense to treat this like a full-time job.
Wish me luck! And if you haven't already, please subscribe to the podcast, check out our website, and/or rate and review us on iTunes.


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iStar Announces Second Quarter 2016 Results
Second Quarter 2016 Results
iStar reported net income allocable to common shareholders for the second quarter of
Adjusted income allocable to common shareholders for the second quarter was
Adjusted income represents net income computed in accordance with GAAP, prior to the effects of certain non-cash items. Please see the financial tables that follow the text of this press release for the Company's calculations of adjusted income and reconciliation to GAAP net income (loss).
Investment Activity
During the quarter, iStar funded a total of
Portfolio Overview
At June 30, 2016, the Company's portfolio totaled
Real Estate Finance
iStar's real estate finance business targets sophisticated and innovative investors by providing one-stop capabilities that encompass financial alternatives ranging from full envelope senior loans to large scale mezzanine and preferred equity capital positions.
At June 30, 2016, the Company's real estate finance portfolio totaled
iStar invested
At June 30, 2016, the Company's non-performing loans (NPLs) had a carrying value of
Net Lease
iStar's net lease business seeks to create stable cash flows through long-term leases to single tenants on its properties. The Company targets corporate customers with mission-critical facilities, offering solutions that combine iStar's capabilities in underwriting, lease structuring, asset management and build-to-suit construction.
At the end of the quarter, iStar's net lease portfolio totaled
During the quarter, the Company sold net lease assets for proceeds of
Operating Properties
At the end of the quarter, iStar's operating property portfolio totaled
The Company's commercial operating properties represent a diverse pool of assets across a broad range of geographies and collateral types including office, retail and hotel properties. These properties generated
During the quarter, the Company sold two commercial operating properties for
"The gains we recognized through this quarter's sales serve as a good example of our maximizing value as we monetize our operating properties," said
During the quarter, the Company executed commercial operating property leases covering approximately 115,000 square feet.
At the end of the quarter, the residential operating portfolio was comprised of condominium units generally located within luxury projects in major U.S. cities.
Land & Development
At the end of the quarter, the Company's land & development portfolio totaled
The Company has recently completed construction on two projects within its land & development portfolio:
1000 South Clark
In addition, the Company completed significant phases within two of its land & development assets:
"We're pleased to see momentum continue to build within our land & development portfolio as evidenced by the completion of these four high-profile projects and the receipt of
Capital Markets
During the quarter, iStar entered into a new
Separately, the Company repaid
The Company's weighted average cost of debt for the second quarter was 5.6%. The Company's leverage was 2.1x at the end of the quarter, within the Company's targeted range of 2.0x – 2.5x. Please see the financial tables that follow the text of this press release for a calculation of the Company's leverage.
The Company continued its stock repurchase activity, completing open market purchases during the second quarter of 3.6 million shares for
At the end of the quarter, iStar had
During the quarter, the Company welcomed
* * *
iStar will hold a quarterly earnings conference call at
Note: Statements in this press release which are not historical fact may be deemed forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Although iStar believes the expectations reflected in any forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, the Company can give no assurance that its expectations will be attained. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from iStar's expectations include general economic conditions and conditions in the commercial real estate and credit markets, the Company's ability to generate liquidity and to repay indebtedness as it comes due, additional loan loss provisions, the amount and timing of asset sales, changes in NPLs, repayment levels, the Company's ability to make new investments, the Company's ability to maintain compliance with its debt covenants, the Company's ability to generate income and gains from operating properties and land and other risks detailed from time to time in iStar
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To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/istar-announces-second-quarter-2016-results-300309155.html
SOURCE iStar
Jason Fooks, Vice President of Investor Relations & Marketing; 1114 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036, (212) 930-9400, email@example.com
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Splashstorm wrote:O_O Wowoww. What school did you go to? The most "hands-on" class we ever had was biology where we dissected animals for like, 1 week. lol. The only other time I had anything even remotely close to learning about animals was in 4th grade for like, 1 or 2 weeks.
Spring High School in Spring, Texas.


text: Green Acres Cemetery opened in 1957, founded by the Hawkins family when Scottsdale was still a young town. The mortuary was built at the current location in 1962, making us the first combination mortuary and cemetery in the state of Arizona. Green Acres Mortuary and Cemetery has served more than 25,000 families from the Valley of the Sun during our first 45 years of service.


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Heinemann pbk 2009 £12-99
The period between the NME C-86 movement and the dominance of Britpop in the mid-90's really established the character of the British indie scene and also produced a lot of good music and groups, before succumbing first to the Grunge scene and then to "Britpop" (mainly after Kurt Cobain's death, as Luke Haines observes). This is the period and musical scene covered in this very enjoyable book - but this certainly isn't any kind of balanced musical history. It's as biased a book as you're ever likely to read, and what you make of the book - and Luke Haines (LH) himself -will depend largely on whether you agree with LH's view that he should have been much more successful than he was (other than critically) and his fury at seeing the dullards, bandwagon jumpers and plodding donkeys cash in big-time while he's left in their wake.
LH started with as impeccable a list of influences as you could want - Only Ones, Velvet Underground, Television, Jonathan Richman/Modern Lovers, Fall, Wire, Go Betweens... Some of the early Auteurs singles, such as "Showgirl", are still breathtakingly good. There's an eloquence, insight and sharpness to his lyrics that most indie student bands (see Lloyd Cole and co) couldn't approach. LH has no time for false modesty, and if you go back to the Auteurs work, you'll see he's generally justified. Later he was prepared to take on more and more ambitious (and sometimes taboo) subject matter for his songs. If you haven't got any of the originals, the 3cd LH set (see below) is a great soundtrack for the book.
But this doesn't begin to describe this book - it's just so sharp and witty, and generally spot-on with its targets. It's not often that I laugh aloud when I'm reading, or punch the air in agreement, but this book constantly hits the spot. Of course, if the Blur reunion is the highlight of the year so far for you, you won't be chuckling much here. He's razor sharp on the Creation/Alan McGee scene, and is ruthlessly accurate with his barbs about trying-too-hard-to-be-decadent Suede, eternal bandwagon-jumpers Blur, mad-for-it Chris Evans and most of all the join-the-dots Beatles karaoke machine, Oasis, still lumbering on to this day. He's just as tough on himself tho, and spares no details of failures, breakdowns and drunken madness (a blind jump off a wall mid-tour, result: 2 broken legs), and an ability to mess up at crucial times unseen since the Only Ones.
All this is set against a narrative background that conveys the day-to-day group experience of rehearsals, gigs, tours, problems with labels and management, and the eddying flow of personnel and relationships within the group. Personally I'd like to have heard more about (and from) Alice, his partner for most of the book - tho' her shrinking presence towards the end of the book suggests their relationship didn't survive. The chapter headings are good too for setting the scene with what else was happening in the charts and press, and for remembering some long forgotten groups (Jesus Jones, anyone?) and Number Ones (Whitetown?).
The book does fade a little towards the end as the finishing line comes in sight. There are a couple of fantasy sequences that don't quite work, tho' there's also a hilarious evocation of a chaotic LSD trip in Surrey (tho why he's so coy about the psychedelic freeloader involved is odd - if you're going to give Michael Hollingshead a pseudonym, "Ashton Hollingshurst" won't fool anyone). There's also an intriguing allusion to a group who behaved so badly at a Swedish festival in '94 that he won't name them - reckon it might begin with a P....
If I'm going to make any criticism of the book, it's that sometimes he tries too hard and it's like he feels he's got to say something funny or outrageous on every page. This isn't necessary when there's so much brilliantly sharp writing there - and the more serious introspective passages are usually just as good - and sometimes feels like he's trying to shock for the sake of it. In the same way, when I went to his MySpace, there's a new song "Bad Reputation" - about
However, this mostly a very funny and provocative book. LH has paid his dues musically and earned the right to express his views more than most. It's also a very valuable insider's view on a scene at a particular time and place, and how it developed. Take a listen again to some Auteurs/Baader Meinhof/Black Box Recorder and you'll see that most of the time LH really is as good as he thinks he is.
Suggested accessories:
"Luke Haines is Dead" 3 cd's
Jonathan Richman and Modern Lovers
Only Ones "Darkness and Light"
Suede "Dog man star"
(Sorry no Blur or Oasis in this house, thank you)
And if you really want to get deep with LH's interests: Stefan Aust's book "The Baader Meinhof complex"
Reviewed by Den
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"Why would I want to stop smoking? I enjoy it. It makes me feel good. It helps me when I'm stressed. It keeps my weight down. I've tried and it's so hard to quit."
Let's face it smoking is a tough habit to break. The good news is that it can be done.
There are many reasons why you should quit. According to the American Lung Association, smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke is the leading preventable cause of death in the U.S. There are more than 480,000 deaths a year in the U.S. from tobacco which is more than all deaths from car accidents, alcohol, illegal drugs and murders combined. Smokers are more likely to develop heart disease, stroke and lung cancer. Cigarettes cause at least 12 other types of cancer including cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas. If no one smoked, 1 in 3 cancers could be prevented.
Many people don't know that tobacco smoke contains toxic chemicals, including arsenic that is used in rat poisoning, tar, lead, methanol and formaldehyde. Ammonia found in cigarettes is also found in dog pee and used in household cleaners.
And it's expensive. For many families, the cost of cigarettes is a significant part of the monthly budget. In Florida, the average cost of a pack of cigarettes is between $6 and $7. A one pack a day habit costs almost $2,500 a year. Think of what you could do with the hundreds of dollars smokers "invest" in cigarettes each month.
Many people feel like smoking relieves stress but it actually does the opposite. The habit of grabbing a smoke when the pressure is on is offset by the negative physical effects of smoking And, last but not least, it ages us faster.
What happens once you quit smoking? In 2 weeks to 3 months your risk of heart attack starts to decrease and after a year it decreases sharply. Within 5 years, your stroke risk is the same as non-smokers and the risk of many cancers will decrease by half. By 10 years, lung cancer risk is cut in half. And, you'll see the benefit in your monthly budget immediately, kind of like giving yourself a raise. Finally, you benefit those around you friends, children and grandchildren by eliminating the impact of second hand stroke.
As you can see there are so many reasons why you should quit. You don't have to do it alone. There are many tools to help you do this. One of the first things is to make a plan so you can get over the hurdles. Know how to prepare for cravings, learn about coping skills, how to stay motivated, how to handle withdrawal symptoms.
There will be a 2-hour class on Saturday, Feb. 2, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the Beacon of HOPE. You will learn about the different tools available to help you quit and stay that way. It will teach you how to use these tools and where to get help if you need it.
To register - call 877-819-2357. It could save your life.
For more information, call the Beacon of HOPE at 239-283-5123 or visit beaconofhopepineisland.com
The Beacon of HOPE is located at 5090 Doug Taylor Circle in St. James City.


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Who are we
Cardiff YMCA Housing Association is a charitable Housing Association and a Registered Social Landlord. We are registered with the Welsh Government and we directly manage board and lodge hostels in the Roath area of Cardiff. Please see below our Welsh Government Regulatory Judgement Report as of March 2019.
Cardiff YMCA – Regulatory Judgement – Report 2019 – English
Cardiff YMCA – Regulatory Judgement – Report 2019 – Welsh
Who can stay
At our hostels, we provide temporary accommodation for homeless people of both sexes, all ages and various backgrounds. We also provide support to our residents in their search for permanent accommodation as well as support for a range of other identified needs.
Some of our accommodation is accessible for people with disabilities and includes wheelchair access. We also have two pet rooms. Anyone who finds themselves in housing crisis may apply. This includes:
- people of all ages
- men and women
- people from different ethnic origins
- people leaving prison or other institutions
- people with mental and/or physical health problems
Support and Services Offered
We offer a variety of accommodation options which can be accessed once you are a resident in the main hostel. These include a resettlement project to help with life skills development, and self-contained flats.
You will be given a named support worker who will be there to help you address any support needs you may have. This may include advice on benefits, finding permanent housing, giving useful information, helping to gain training or skills, and working on tackling problems. It is the expectation of the organisation that you will engage with these services and be proactive in completing a meaningful support plan during your stay. However, where the Association cannot meet needs directly, the support worker will help find that support by making a referral to another organisation.
All public areas of the hostel are covered by CCTV and at nights and on the weekends there are security guards present on the premises to ensure the safety of the residents and staff.
Support Workers are available during office hours from Monday to Sunday inclusive. The Hostel Team Workers are available between 7.15 a.m. and 9.15 p.m. daily. The Reception office is staffed 24 hours a day by Reception staff for normal office hours and early evening every day, and by Night Duty Officers who also patrol the buildings every night
Rooms are for single occupancy. They are furnished and have their own hand wash basin. Bed linen is provided and washed by the Association. Toilets, bathrooms and showers are located on each floor of the hostel. Each resident has her/his own key. There are no time limits to enter the building, but visitors / non-residents have to leave by 10.30 p.m.
The Association supplies breakfast every day (cooked on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays), evening meals Monday to Friday inclusive and lunch on Saturdays and Sundays. Menus for the week ahead are on display in the dining room. Any special arrangements are detailed in the Residents' Handbook.
Accommodation Charge (rent) is between £120 and £211 per week (depending on the accommodation unit). If you are entitled to full Housing Benefit, you are expected to pay no more than £31 per week of the charge out of your benefits or earnings. This is for various service charges including water rates and catering. When you complete an application the housing officer will explain these charges in more depth. If you are in employment, training or volunteering then you may be eligible for our Work Incentive Scheme which means that you may receive a reduction on the weekly service charge. Details will be given once you move into the hostel. If you are working you will be expected to contribute towards housing benefit however the amount will vary dependent on your earnings. Accommodation charges are reviewed annually.
Consultation with residents takes place on a regular basis through residents' meetings, satisfaction surveys and newsletters.


text:
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — Approximately 100 people met last Saturday to clean up four beach bays in Sandy Point to make them more enjoyable for residents while enhancing the natural environment.
The Department of Youth Empowerment organized the event with the Volunteer Corps, community residents and workers from the Skills Training Empowerment Programme (STEP). Officials from Parks and Beaches, the Ministry of Health, the Solid Waste Management Corporation (SWMC) and the Red Cross also contributed to the effort.
Pierre Liburd, Acting Director of the Department of Youth Empowerment, thanked the large number of volunteers who help enhance the areas at Pump Bay, Alley Bay, Cleverly Hill Bay and School Bay. The beaches were littered with plastic ware, bottles, household waste, discarded furniture and appliances.
"Largely we did a good bit of clean up," Liburd said, noting that there were some smaller areas that were not accessible. In all, the group filled more than 100 bags of garbage from the four bays.
"It is disappointing, upsetting and frustrating that [some] people [are] so negligent and have so little value for the natural beauty, the natural environment and cleanliness of the place and just see it as a place to dump their trash," Liburd stated, noting that mosquitoes, cockroaches, flies and rodents are typically found in filthy areas.
He warned that the rodents and insects grow and thrive in such conditions and can introduce illnesses into nearby communities.
"On top of all of that it is also poisoning the fish and the reef," Liburd explained. "Sandy Point is a fishing community and we are poisoning ourselves." Liburd said. "Fish that eat the garbage are often caught by local fishermen, sold to community residents, who then eat them."
The government official implored St. Kitts and Nevis citizens and residents to dispose of garbage using proper methods and ensure that all surroundings are kept clean "I think we can do better and we need to start doing better," he said.
The Department of Youth Empowerment has recently increased emphasis in environmental protection. Earlier this year, the department staged its 35th Annual Summer Residential Camp under the theme "Preserving Our Land of Beauty." A number of activities encouraged preserving the environment.


text:
IDBI Bank Ltd
IDBI Bank Ltd., a banking company under the Companies Act, 1956, having majority share holding by Government of India, is a leading provider of complete range of retail and corporate banking services to its clients. The Bank is aggressively expanding its operations.
IDBI Bank has entered into a MoU with Manipal Global Education Services Private Limited, to provide training in Banking and Finance to prospective candidates aspiring to join IDBI Bank as Assistant Manager Grade 'A'. The Bank invites applications from young, dynamic graduates for admissions in IDBI Manipal School of Banking, Bangalore for 1 year Post Graduate Diploma in Banking and Finance (PGDBF). After successful completion of the course, the candidates will be awarded PGDBF from Manipal University and will be inducted into IDBI Bank as Assistant Manager Grade 'A'.


text:
A little closer to the end...
>> Wednesday, January 20, 2010
We are only a year and four months away from my stepdaughter graduating. That'll end the legal relationship we have for her with the ex. That leaves us right now at 3 years, 4 months (my stepson) until it is ALL over. Do the happy dance!
I love seeing the time disappear. I wish it'd go faster but whatcha gonna do? We made it through 14 years...a few more should be no problem.


text: The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is meant to bring spiritual strength, comfort, and healing to those who are ill, elderly, or facing surgery. It may be celebrated individually when a priest visits the home of the sick person. Please call the Rectory at 718-359-0417 to request a priest to visit and anoint the ill person. It may also be celebrated communally within the context of Mass. The sacrament is celebrated communally at St. Andrew Avellino Parish in October and March.


text:
Across the white banner on the blue circle of the Republic of Brazil's flag is the motto "Ordem e Progresso," which translates to "Order and Progress." The motto is inspired by Auguste Comte's words that translate to "Love as a principle and order as the basis; progress as the goal."
The flag was adopted in 1889 and modified to add six stars in 1992. Each of the 27 stars in the flag's blue circle represents the Federal District and a different Brazilian state. Together, the stars depict the sky as it appeared over Rio de Janeiro on Nov. 15, 1889, the night the Republic of Brazil was established.


text:
Vermont Department of Taxes Creates Tax Technical Working Group
Montpelier, VT – The Vermont Department of Taxes is proud to announce the creation of the Tax Technical Working Group. Composed of thirteen tax professionals, the Tax Technical Working Group will provide a regular forum for communication and collaboration between Vermont's Commissioner of Taxes and representatives of the tax professional community. "As Tax Commissioner, I am committed to improving taxpayer engagement and communication," said Tax Commissioner Mary Peterson. "Tax professionals represent key strategic partners in this effort."
Members of the Tax Technical Working Group will keep the Commissioner apprised of developments and concerns within the tax professional community on matters of tax administration, policy, and outreach. Beyond relaying the concerns of taxpayers and the tax professional community, working group members may be asked to participate in periodic activities and projects to enhance the Department's administration of taxes and general operations.
The Tax Technical Working Group is not the only new effort to connect the Department of Taxes with taxpayers and its key strategic partners. The newly formed Vermont Tax Advisory Board and new Division of Policy, Outreach, and Legislative Affairs represent complementary initiatives designed to strengthen the Department's communication and collaboration. "Overall, our new outreach initiatives are designed to provide timely information and education, and great customer service in an increasingly complex world," said Peterson. "I am grateful that so many Vermonters continue to be willing to step up to volunteer their time and talents."
A complete list of Tax Technical Working Group members is below:
- Joseph Bilodeau, CPA, President of Bilodeau, Wells & Co.
- Patti Bisson, Compucount Inc., Chair of the Government Relations Committee of the Vermont Chapter of the National Association of Tax Professionals
- Ray Cota, CPA, President of the Vermont Society of CPAs
- Michelle Eid, CPA, Hall & Holden, PC
- Robert Holden, CPA, Hall & Holden PC
- Donald Hunt, Enrolled Agent, Vice President of Pat Hunt Inc.
- Lauren Jarvi, Enrolled Agent
- Kim Loewer, Enrolled Agent, Managing Partner of Loewer and Associates; President and Founder of the Vermont Chapter of the National Association of Tax Professionals
- Donald Murray, CPA, Fothergill, Segale, & Valley CPAs
- Russell North, CPA, Wilder Business Services
- Claude Phipps, AARP Tax-Aide
- Carol Tremble, CPA
- Rick Wolfish, CPA, Gallagher, Flynn & Company


text:
Outsourcing Manufacturing to...Bees
My wife keeps bees so I was particularly intrigued by these new vases from Libertiny, which are made of wax honeycomb, and literally created by 40,000 bees. Each vase takes a week to make. Bees have experienced a sharp population drop in recent years and months, so if this helps keep more of them around, great. They are amazing little buggers and essential to a lot of agriculture. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be much detail on how these are created. The Dutch firm refers to the process as "slow prototyping", in contrast to the typical "rapid prototyping" techniques like SLA and material deposition.
Libertiny's homepage (literally just one page)
Tip of the hat to Core77


text:
Walking down the aisle seems to have been a form of exercise for Marjorie Merriweather Post, who got married four times. An index to changing fashion trends, her wedding dresses are at the heart of the exhibit "Wedding Belles: Bridal Fashions from the Marjorie Merriweather Post Family, 1874-1958."
This compact fashion show offers the perfect excuse to visit Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens, the northwest Washington estate that stands as a testament to the cereal heiress' taste.
A famous socialite and philanthropist, Post (1887-1973) has a name that is most familiar to people in Maryland owing to the concert pavilion that bears her name in downtown Columbia.
A walk through this exhibit and the rest of Hillwood makes one wonder what she would have made of the contemporary rock music that now predominates at the concert pavilion, because her own traditional collecting habits ranged from sumptuous imperial Russian art to fancy, fussy and frilly 18th-century French decorative art.
Her impressive mansion and its 25 acres of landscaped gardens and dense woods reinforce her reputation as a member of what amounted to American aristocracy.
It seems like her entire aristocratic family was blessed with a sense of style. Besides showcasing what Post wore for her weddings, the exhibit also includes wedding dresses worn by her mother and her own daughters. Incidentally, Post's youngest daughter is the actress Dina Merrill. These wealthy women cut quite a figure through decades of American history.
"This exhibit encapsulates her personal story, but also the evolution of American women," noted Kate Markert, executive director of Hillwood. "It's a family of strong women that we get to know."
Basically, we get to know them through their choices in bridal gowns. The exhibit's opening section includes the wedding dress worn by Marjorie's mother, Ella Merriweather, when she married Charles William Post in 1874. This gray taffeta dress has an extensively ruffled, very full design incorporating the tight corset favored in the Victorian era.
For Marjorie Merriweather Post's first wedding in 1905 to attorney Edward Bennett Close, she wore a white satin gown embroidered with an orange blossom design. This Edwardian-style dress emphasized the 18-year-old bride's hourglass figure.
When Post married her second husband, financial investor E.F. Hutton, in 1920, she opted for a lighter gauze dress that seems to anticipate the upcoming flapper era with its relatively higher hemline. By this time in her life, she was the toast of New York and Palm Beach society.
Husband number three was attorney Joseph E. Davies, whom she married in 1935. When Davies was appointed the American ambassador to the Soviet Union, Post began collecting the Russian art that now fills so much of Hillwood. The dress she wore for this third wedding was purchased at Bergdorf Goodman in New York. This peach velvet dress with white fox fur trim on its considerable train looks like something you'd see in a Hollywood movie of that era.
For her fourth and final wedding to businessman Herbert May in 1958, the veteran bride wore a relatively restrained pale blue, ballerina-length dress befitting the then-71-year-old socialite. The wedding reception, which was held right there at Hillwood, included an orchestra and a ballet performance.
Marjorie Merriweather Post knew how to express herself through her wardrobe choices, so looking at the displayed outfits really does give you a sense of her personality.
"She had a very gracious sense of self. She knew what was her style and she created her own style," says Howard Vincent Kurtz, assistant curator of costumes and textiles at Hillwood, who curated this exhibit.
Just as Post carefully preserved and archived the decorative art she collected, she kept her old dresses. Kurtz relates a story he heard from Dina Merrill attesting to how Post loved to take out these dresses and try them on again: "Dina Merrill says that she and her mother played dress up and then put everything away again for another day of play. Starting her theatrical career, Dina was drawn to the idea of dressing up and presenting yourself."
Post, who was proud of the fact that she retained her corset-enforced hourglass figure throughout her life, evidently never had difficulty fitting into her wedding gowns and other by-then antique dresses.
Dresses worn by Post, Merrill and other family members aren't the only wedding-related items in this exhibit. There are hats and veils, wedding invitations, newspaper accounts of these major social events, and even a Cartier wedding purse.
The wedding dresses and accessories brought out of storage for this small exhibit are but a tiny percentage of Post's overall wardrobe holdings. Hillwood possesses a total of 175 dresses and 400 fashion accessories. Consider those numbers the next time you look into your own closet. Some therapeutic shopping may be in order.
"Wedding Belles: Bridal Fashions from the Marjorie Merriweather Post Family, 1874-1958" remains through Jan. 1, 2012 at Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens, at 4155 Linnean Avenue in northwest Washington, D.C.. Call 202-686-5807 or go to http://www.HillwoodMuseum.org.


text:
Happy 4th of July!
Hi everyone,
Simple dresses like this are perfect for the summer. I love being able to just throw it on and go! Sometimes, the best outfit doesn't have to have a million layers, or cost a million dollars. This is a perfect example of looking good, even when you put in minimal effort! What's your favourite "quick" outfit?
Sorry for the super short post, but I just want to wish everyone a happy 4th of July! Be safe and most importantly, have an amazing time with your family or whoever you are spending this day with! Do you have any special plans, or are you just relaxing at home? Let me know in the comments. :)
Dress: Forever 21
Heels: BCBGirls
Yana Kasekamp


text:
Photographer Converts Grandma's Old Van So He Can Travel North America (27 Photos)
Adventurer Travis Burke is traveling North America recording its beauty and intrigue to share with those who haven't been there on Instagram and beyond.
And he's doing the trip in his grandmother's 1994 Dodge Ram van, after he spent three months and ~$8,000 converting the vehicle.
The 28-year-old has spent 16 months and 60,000 miles touring stunning locations and capturing jaw-dropping imagery in the hope of inspiring others to look further than their own backyard.
Travis, from California, says: "The vehicle is now my own dream adventure-mobile, which allows me to work and travel full time, continuously photographing diverse locations.
"So far I have driven about 60,000 miles around the US and parts of Canada. I'm hoping for a few bigger projects outside of the country to come together this year, I'm even looking into renting another van to continue life on the road abroad."
The Dodge Ram van has been customized with solar panels, a sink, a fold out bed and even a mini fridge.
Travis says: "My grandmother has admitted she would never have imagined the final design and definitely wouldn't want to drive it the way it is now. But she completely supports my choice to travel.
"Being an adventure photographer is an opportunity to have a blast and see the world, but there are also sacrifices that accompany traveling full time.
Travis is able to make his journey, which is currently open-ended, thanks to a few select companies who sponsor what he does.
"Being supported by the right companies makes a substantial difference. It's beneficial for both parties and we can work as a team to gain more exposure and help each other build a stronger brand."


text: It's all hands on deck right now in preperation for Lifebuilders month-long summer day camp! Day camp will be June 22nd through July 16th Mondays through Thursdays. Preparations are being made for our largest summer day camp ever. The curriculum is titled "Jesus the True Super Hero." We still need volunteers, meals, counselors, and lots of prayer. Don't have time to serve? Consider making a financial contribution. Call us at (313)401-5433 if you want to be part of this exciting ministry.


text:
Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp. has received a contract from the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) to build 100 MB-65 commercial bus chassis for Veterans Administration hospitals.
The chassis will be customized by Farber Specialty Vehicles in Columbus, OH. Farber will be using Glaval Bus bodies on the MB-65 chassis.
"We needed a rail-style chassis in order to outfit the buses with coach-style bodies, and we needed diesel engines and air suspensions," said Ken Farber, president of Farber Specialty Vehicles. "We've done business with FCCC for a long time, and we knew the FCCC MB-65 would provide an ideal solution for the GSA."
The chassis will be powered by an EPA 2010 Cummins ISB 6.7L engine with up to 300 hp. mated to an Allison automatic 6-spd. transmissions.
The FCCC MB-65 is designed with a lowered engine for a flat-floor cockpit that offers convenience and flexibility to bus body builders, FCCC said. The vehicle includes front and rear Hendrickson Softek taper leaf suspensions with a 55-deg. wheel cut.
The contract calls for 72 MB-65 chassis with 190-in. wheelbase and a 26,000 Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) for a 26-ft. body, which will not require a CDL to operate. The remaining 28 FCCC MB-65 chassis will have a 276-in. wheelbase and a 32,000 GVWR for a 32-ft. body.
We are pleased to partner with Farber to accommodate the commercial bus order by the GSA," said Jonathan Randall, director of sales and marketing for FCCC. "We continue to grow our presence in the commercial bus market primarily because of our focus on meeting customers' specialized needs, and Farber recognized this. We are confident that passengers being transported to and from VA hospitals will notice the comfortable and smooth ride, while the GSA will be pleased with the MB-65's durability and reliability."


text:
Today I left some dishes dirty
The bed got made around 3:30
The diapers soaked a little longer,
The odor grew a little stronger.
The crumbs I spilled the day before
Are staring at me from the floor.
The fingerprints there on the wall
will likely be there till next fall.
The dirty streaks on those windowpanes
will still be there next time it rains.
Shame on you, you sit and say,
Just what did you do today?
I held a baby till he slept,
I held a toddler while he wept.
I played a game of hide and seek,
I squeezed a toy so it would squeak.
I pulled a wagon, sang a song,
Taught a child right from wrong.
What did I do this whole day through?
Not much that shows, I guess thats true.
Unless you think that what I've done
Might be important to someone
with Big Blue eyes and Bright Blonde hair.
If that is true...I've done my share.
I Love being a Mommy and love what I do all day long!
I love my boys oh so much and wouldn't trade
being a mommy for anything in the world.


text:
- 1 beds
- 1 baths
- $868 price
- 233285004 mls id
- Square Feet: 851 sqft
Soho Parkway is an upscale apartment community in an unbeatable McKinney location. Our proximity to US 75 and SH-121 means were close to major employers, great shopping and excellent schools. Were close to leading employers which include Raytheon, Lattimor Materials, McKinney Medical Center and United American Insurance. Nearby historic downtown McKinney combines a small-town feel with an abundance of unique shops, restaurants, art galleries and apparel boutiques. Soho Parkway is located within the Frisco ISD, one of the top rated and most innovative school districts in Texas. We offer a variety of one, two, and three bedroom homes with exquisitely appointed interiors. Popular features include: nine-foot ceilings, private patios/balconies, gourmet kitchens and full-size washer/dryer in every unit. Our residents enjoy resort-style amenities, including a beautiful swimming pool, 24-hour state of the art fitness center, community clubhouse and a fully equipped business center.
- Property Name Alta Misa
- Site Link
- high_price 1033
- pricing_type range
- Amenities Granite Countertops , Black Appliances , Cultured Marble Vanities In Bathrooms , Recessed Medicine Chests , Brushed Nickel Fixtures, Garage Parking Available, High Speed Internet Access, Cable TV Hookups, Oversized Roman Tubs*, Storage Closets On Balcony/patio *, Laminate Wood Flooring*, Oversized Two Car Garages *, Utility Room *, Clubhouse, Wi-Fi Internet Hot Spots, Gaming Station , Resort Style Pool With Underwater Speakers, Grilling Plaza, 24-Hour Fitness/Health Center With Cardio Equipment, Business Center, Urban Streetscape Architecture, 24-Hr Emergency Maintenance, Lush Landscaping , Easy Access To Major Highways, Restaurants, Shopping And Entertainment
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text:
Today, we're opening registration for Google Developer Days in the UK, France, Germany and Spain.
- Bangalore, India (Oct 11)
- Milan, Italy (Oct 21)
- Prague, Czech (Oct 24)
- Moscow, Russia (Oct 28)
We'll be there to discuss our APIs and developer tools, diving into topics around App Engine, OpenSocial, Android, and much more. There will also be ample time for mingling with fellow developers and Google engineers. We hope you can join us for these events.


text:
Only after several years safe in Christchurch was first-time novelist Andrea Eames able to look back and write about the violent Zimbabwe she grew up in.
'I don't think I'll ever become someone who can't check a door is locked seven times," says Andrea Eames – one legacy of living through the violence and farm invasions of Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe, before she and her family fled for a new life in Christchurch in 2002.
The first thing Eames saw on arriving at Christchurch Airport was a Canterbury Draught ad shaped like a giant beer can. Given the beer-swilling culture of the white Zimbabweans in her newly published first novel, The Cry of the Go-Away Bird, a giant beer can might have made her feel right at home. "Yes, I should really have embraced that," she says, "but on a cold drizzly day when you're 16 it seems a bit depressing."
The cold was especially hard to take after Zimbabwe. "We moved right in the middle of winter as well and it was a bad winter. We were house-sitting in a house in Merivale and it was wooden and had no heating. I wore all my clothes to bed and put on six pairs of socks and my winter coat and a hat and I slept in all of that."
The drop in the social, racial and political temperature was more welcome. The heated situation in Zimbabwe is wonderfully evoked in The Cry of the Go-Away Bird through the eyes of teenage narrator Elise, a white Zimbabwean living on a farm with her mother and stepfather. Eames shies away neither from the shortcomings of the whites – including Elise – nor the actions of the blacks attacking them. And with striking descriptive language and an acute attention to detail, she conveys what it is like to be "a White with a capital W", rather than "just another white person", and eventually "Whites, and nothing else. We did not have lives outside our whiteness."
"My skin had such power, good and bad," says Elise. What was it like for Eames to shed that power when she arrived in Christchurch and lose that sense of difference?
"It was such a strange feeling being in the majority, and not standing out. In some ways, it was a huge relief to be invisible and anonymous and not have my skin proclaim all these things true or false about me. But in other ways it was quite disconcerting. It felt like we just vanished and were swallowed up into this big crowd."
In the novel, Elise talks about obsessively watching TV reports of the escalating troubles: "Our own lives had all but disappeared – absorbed into the wider drama." In that respect, Eames got her life back in Christchurch.
"Yes, and I think that's a good thing and a bad thing. Because there's that 'all pull together' camaraderie of being in a situation like the one in Zimbabwe. It's kind of a Blitz spirit, where there's a feeling of belonging and a feeling of community. Even though it's sad and scary, you feel very close to everyone that you go through that with. And it gives a higher emotion to life, it makes it grander and more dramatic, which can be sad but can also be inspiring.
"And then we moved to New Zealand and I suddenly had all this adrenalin that had nowhere to go. And we were all sitting there looking at each other, thinking, 'Well, it's all gone quiet. What do we do now?' I did still jump whenever I heard fireworks and check the doors were locked a million times, and acted as if I was still living in Zimbabwe. It was very hard to shake that feeling."
Now 25, Eames, who recently moved to Austin, Texas, for her husband's new job, is especially good at capturing the sights, sounds and smells of Zimbabwe – but that's because she never really left them behind.
She writes in the novel of "the sickly, greenish tinge that white skin could have, the way it made us ghosts in a vivid country".
"It was like watching a movie in full colour and everywhere else feels like black and white," she says. "So it's hard not to remember. I might forget things that happened last year but I still really vividly remember exactly what it was like in our back garden in Zimbabwe.
"It's still home. It's the only place I feel I know by heart. And the only place where the landscape feels like it's part of me. It's the backdrop for all my experiences and the dreams I still have. It's still the place that feels like my natural setting even though in some ways I am an interloper."
In the novel, Eames is clear-eyed about the hubris of older white Zimbabweans, for whom, beneath a veneer of good relations and mutual respect, blacks are "like children, but also … cunning and not to be trusted". Black women are "girls", black men are "boys", and pretty soon they are all "bluddy kaffirs".
"I tried to be really honest," she says. "I didn't want to have any position. I just wanted to report how it had seemed to me growing up. And it did seem like there was a veneer, post-independence, there was a glow of 'We're all living together now in this new Zimbabwe' … but it wasn't real, there was no depth to that. There was always something beneath the surface. It was always a matter of time."
That time came in 2000 with the violent and in some cases murderous raids on farms instigated by Mugabe and his Zanu-PF political party to evict their white owners.
Given time and a different set of circumstances, without the malign influence of Mugabe and his cronies, one wonders whether the antagonising attitudes of older whites might have given way to a younger, more liberal generation, like Eames's, and as a result the catastrophe that has ensued in Zimbabwe might have been averted.
"When I think about my friends, white and Shona [the majority group of black Zimbabweans], Indian and all the different nationalities there were in Zimbabwe, I feel that if we had stayed in Zimbabwe, gone to university there, grown up, got jobs, things would have changed. Because we were all in it together as young Zimbabweans, we'd all laugh at our parents – whether they were Shona or white – and their attitudes. I like to think if we had been left to our own devices and had been able to stay, then … but maybe that's a bit naive. Perhaps there was just too much old blood."
The Cry of the Go-Away Bird began life as a short story Eames wrote as an undergraduate at the University of Canterbury (which won the university's Macmillan Brown Prize for Writers) and then, in 2008, she started to develop it into a novel under the auspices of the university's master of fine arts programme run by Patrick Evans. It has been published by Random House imprint Harvill Secker in the UK, after New Zealand publishers she approached told her "it would sell about 50 copies and not do very well and people wouldn't be very interested".
Before writing the novel, Eames admits, she had not looked back and had tried to move on from her experiences in Zimbabwe. "It was just too hard. It sounds really cowardly but it seemed easier to compartmentalise it and shut it away." And while she was writing it, she got sick. "If I was a superhero, I'd be Psychosomatic Girl. I got really ill and had a lot of resistance and avoided it a lot."
She has since completed a second novel set in Zimbabwe, however, and is at work on a third.
The finished novel is written more from a Shona perspective. "It is challenging, obviously, and opens you up to scrutiny and criticism, rightly so. But I suppose if I didn't do it I'd only ever be writing about white Zimbabwean girls and I want to try to understand my country better and have a fuller understanding of all the different people in it and how things came about. I will never wholly succeed but I want to at least make the attempt."
THE CRY OF THE GO-AWAY BIRD, by Andrea Eames (Harvill Secker, $37.99).


text:
ALAN v36n2 - 'Roses are Red Taking a Leap of Faith'
The High School Connection
Roses are Red
Taking a Leap of Faith
Roses are red;
Violets are blue.
I'm a Baptist, Muslim, Mormon;
How 'bout you?
With an opener like the one above, you may have guessed the subject of this article: Religion and Young Adult Literature: I began thinking about this topic and about writing this article seven months ago. Truthfully, I had never stopped to think about the duality: religion and literature for teens. Except for reading my own religious texts, I had never considered if there were any young adult titles that centered their plot and characters smack dab in the middle or even on the periphery of religion. Undoubtedly, my lack of exposure to such literature shaped an opinion that it must not be a popular approach. The genre, if you will, was not bursting with titles, so as part of concrete preparation, I thought long and hard about my own adolescent reading. Initially, that led me nowhere. I then visited English and reading classrooms, surveyed young readers, and searched for titles that seemed religious in nature. I talked with my college students, and I obtained membership in a religious book club. But after months of research and study, I only guardedly believe the situation may not be as desperate as I once thought.
It is true that while craning my neck around library and classroom bookshelves and poring over electronic files, I found only a few books that mentioned a spiritual journey of any kind. Although I understand the difference, that one quality can exist without the other, I found myself referring to "religious" and "spiritual" as synonyms, as there are simply not enough words to describe either of the words. So, after investing this time on "religion" and its books, I was naturally focused on the lack thereof. As a reader and, well, a "seeker," I became curious about the dearth of spiritual content couched in young adult books. I wondered why. What made this topic, unlike so many uncomfortable topics, taboo? Do students opt out of religious material? Do parents discourage these reading selections? Consider this irony: In my research, I found no books which explicitly embraced the Sermon on the Mount, yet I found numerous selections with content that might offend even the most liberal parent. It bears investigating that in this extensive world of young adult literature, much that is brimming with controversial subjects of incest, abuse, murder, sex, the supernatural, violence, cutting, inhumanity, and much more, what hinders religious literature from being abundantly produced by writers, and what hinders it from being fully embraced by young readers?
Yes, that would be a whale of a topic for another time, but my interests lie in the here and now. I put on my teacher's hat and focused on the three most pressing questions on my mind:
- What types of religious literature are teens reading, in and outside of school?
- What in-school reading can be considered (or do students feel) is religious in nature?
- What do teens consider to be religious literature?
I knew straight away that the second question—what in-public-school reading can be considered (or do students feel) is religious in nature?—was problematic. The question itself had backed me into a corner with prospects of few answers. Why? The answer is found in the First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. With this amendment and in terms of text, teachers and legislators are aware of the separation of church; nevertheless, schools continue to remain a playing and/or battlefield in terms of religion, i.e. prayer, devotionals, Bible clubs, etc. For purposes of this study, the question was relevant, but for me to assume students might be universally assigned a book steeped in religious considerations, was, at best, naïve or misguided. I had no choice but to step back and reconfigure my question.
But "of whom" was I asking the questions? I wanted to explore answers from librarians and teachers of YAL, but to know what teens were reading seemed far more useful and informative. Wisely we have learned and accepted that the reading habits of the two are not always synchronized, and to sample one population and not the other might provide a hopeful yet inaccurate assessment of the actual reading situation. Well-intentioned teachers and tutors of reading may suggest titles "until the cows come home," but if a reader is not tantalized by the genre, the book will probably remain on a dusty bedroom shelf.
Anonymous Survey
My investigation of the situation, I must admit, was far from hard research. I conducted a casual and anonymous survey of 500-plus students, which was arguably small-scale, but I was more interested in a spot-sampling rather than one with deliberate cross-cultural considerations and large-scale probability. In other words, I was putting a little Utah-toe into new and national waters, and pursuing tiresome quantitative or rich qualitative research was not my goal. I wanted to poll my community, the kids who live in my town, and the teachers I know and see from time to time. I took heart in the realization that should the question of YAL and religion again surface, deeper considerations can be made by a true researcher. So, with that being said, this was my protocol: A questionnaire was electronically sent to a list serve of approximately 150 English teachers who had recently begun a career in teaching secondary English and language arts. The questionnaire contained six broad questions about reading preferences, and all respondents remained anonymous. Teachers mailed the responses back to me in plain envelopes which prevented me from knowing what schools the responses came from and the names of the participating teachers and students. As merely an exploratory tool and one that provided answers that allowed me to make inferences, I surveyed the responses and made loose categorizations of answers.
By my calculations and because Utah teachers usually teach large classrooms, I could have received more than 1500 responses, but as I counted my piles of papers, I had a hand-count of 500 responses. Even so, the number thrilled me, but the caliber of the responses left a great deal to be desired. I began to wish for answers written in volumes rather than "Don't know" or, sadly, the "I don't read" response. As I considered the categories and quality of the responses, I was reminded of survey research that speaks to types of responses usually found within samples. Many of my responses appeared to align with the bulleted information below, and like every researcher, I tried to minimize the problems associated with sampling, non-responses, and biased.
- Reactivity—respondents tend to give socially desirable responses that make them look good or seem to be what the researcher is looking for
- Sampling Frame—it's difficult to access the proper number and type of people who are needed for a representative sample of the target population
- Nonresponse Rate—a lot of people won't participate in surveys, or drop out
- Measurement Error—surveys are often full of systematic biases, and/or loaded questions (O'Connor).
In addition to a healthy amount of authentic "I don't know" responses, I enjoyed reading the majority of responses which gave other thoughtful and explicated responses to the questions. It is their responses that shed light on the "whys and why nots" of religion and young adult literature. Let's consider a sampling of all the informative and representative answers:
|1. What type of young adult literature do you read? Why?
|2. Have you recently read a book that dealt with a religious theme? What was its title? What was the book about?
|3. Would you like to read a young adult book that dealt with the issues of religion, beliefs, morals, etc.? Why or why not?
|4. Would your parents like you to read a young adult novel/book that dealt with a religious topic? Please explain.
|5. What book have you recently read IN SCHOOL that taught you a moral or lesson about life? Please explain.
|6. How comfortable would you be reading a book about all types of faith? Please explain.
I was fascinated with the breadth of these responses, and yet even after I considered the maturity level of the students, I was surprised by answers that remained superficial or logically flawed. Even within my liberal view that any type of meaning may be derived from a book regardless of its pre-designated genre, student answers stumped me. I have never categorized such novels as Go Ask Alice or Old Yeller as books written to specifically teach morals, ethics, or religious principles. In the responses to question #5 seen above, we see that many students muddle the distinction between a book with religious content and one that includes a theme that encourages readers to live reflective and compassionate lives. In fairness to the respondents, public schools are not the venue for religious materials, but even when given the opportunity to share titles of books with a religious slant, many students struggled to remember the names of any such book. It seems apparent that either spiritual or religious books are rarely in the hands of our adolescent readers or that teens don't make the fine distinctions among religion, ethics, or morals. A book that emotionally speaks to an individual's quest for life-meaning can most certainly be regarded as a book that is profound and a guide. Experience as a reader can help label those distinctions.
Breaking Trends
In my search for YAL situated within a religious context, I came across several new-to-me books that unquestionably fell within the parameter. These texts were not easy to find and were not on the top of popular book lists, yet each book made for a thoughtful and pleasant read. My reactions to the books were positive, and I was immediately attracted to the stories, the characters, the dilemmas, and the unmistakable religious context. When I questioned university readers in my YAL course, no one had heard of the books. When I also questioned literacy teachers who are familiar with young adult literature, the books were also unfamiliar. Perhaps the suggestion of a few titles will help open the door to a faith-genre that has been pushed aside, forgotten, or untapped for whatever reason.
The Tent by Gary Paulsen is a story that unfolds squarely within a religious context. A down-and-out dad named Corey and his 14 year-old son Steven find themselves without employment. After stealing a motel Bible and getting an old army tent, father and son set out to provide tent revivals to the local Texan believers. Even though Corey is anything but a minister, he has a knack for giving sermons, performing faith healings, passing the collection plate, and making a living as a religious sham. As their riches and Bible-reading sessions increase, so do their consciences. Father and son turn their lives around, and in parable style, the story shows readers how faith and honesty can grow when we listen to the Word of God.
Using beautiful poetic free verse, Nikki Grimes has written a book that juxtaposes the biblical story of Hagar, Ishmael, and Abraham with a modern story of African American Sam, his father, and the father's new Caucasian wife and child. Dark Sons is a captivating novel that speaks to a modern conflict by using the Old Testament story of mother Hagar and son Ishmael who are exiled by Abraham when a child is finally born to Sarah, Abraham's first wife. Religion is more than just a theme found in this book; it is the central backdrop for this story, and it would be impossible for readers to miss the Old Testament parallel. The on-going parable of Sam and Ishmael explore their lives within the context of both God's relationship to them and with their earthly father who has "replaced" them with a new family
Send Me Down a Miracle , by Han Nolen, is a riveting novel that reminded me of my impressionable adolescent years. I loved reading about the daughter born of an Alabaman preacher. Perfectly named for her perfect behavior, Charity Pittman had always believed her father was infallible. But at age 14, after an eccentric and artistic young woman with crazy ways moves into town, Charity finds herself at odds with her father and his God. She befriends the new girl, Adrienne, over her father's objections. After a self-imposed deprivation experiment of three weeks of solitude, no food, and meditation, Adrienne emerges with the confession she has seen Jesus sitting in her living room chair. Soon the town is in an uproar. Predictably, Pastor Pittman believes Adrienne is the devil, or at least controlled by the devil. In contrast, Charity is overcome with faith; she believes in the heavenly visitation and in the power of the Jesus-chair, and she defiantly stands up to her father. In this book, one which asks readers to question the depth and security of our belief systems, a young girl is required to test and then stand by her own religious convictions. A great read!
In an action-filled story told by 9th-grader Genevieve, Fallout by Trudy Krisher packs a punch that will invite all teens to examine their social and religious beliefs. As a destructive hurricane nears North Carolina, and as a suspicious McCarthy-loving father prepares to fight communism, Genevieve meets Brenda Whompers, a California girl whose radical social beliefs and atheism oppose all that Genevieve has ever known. By the book's end, fallout occurs for everyone. Brenda becomes interested in faith, and Genevieve realizes she must live by her own convictions.
Buddha Boy by Kathe Koja (2003) examines the unlikely friendship between a hip teen and bald Buddhist teen who goes to temple after school, begs lunch money like a monk, and wears no coat in the winter to build inner discipline. Out of awe and wonderment, Justin befriends Jinsen as they work together on a school project. When peer pressure affects them both, readers learn how Karma works for both boys and how Buddhism calls upon a "god inside" and eliminates "hungry ghosts" to make living more moral and peaceful.
Kindness: A Treasury of Buddhist Wisdom for Children and Parents by Sarah Conover (2001), wry and interesting short stories of traditions in India, Japan, and Tibet are told in fable form. Each story is prefaced with words of wisdom, and adolescent readers read through lyrical and delightful voices that share an ethos of Buddhism that relates to everyone's life journey.
Does This Thing Make My Head Look Big? by Randa Abdel-Fatthah (2007), readers are introduced to the struggle of Amal, a normal yet faithful Muslim teenage girl. Knowing she will set herself up for discrimination at school and with peers, Amal decides to show her unwavering faithfulness by wearing the hajib everywhere every where she goes. This powerful book for teens, regardless of their beliefs in any religion, shows the strength of Amal. She is ridiculed, loses friends, and upsets the dress code of the school. Nevertheless, Amal remains true to her convictions. As a great role model for teenage girls, readers identify with Amal's struggle to courageously stand in a world of peer pressure, the allure of television, and designer clothing trends.
Making a Difference: Putting Jewish Spirituality into Action, One Bar Mitzvah at a Time, by Bradley Shavit Artson (nonfiction, 2001) asks and answers universal questions from adolescents: in this faith, what will my life be like when I grow up? Stating that the Torah teaches that God made a sacred promise to the Jewish people, young readers can learn how to make a commitment between themselves and God.
A Final Word
The consideration of this question—to read or not to read spiritual/religious YAL books—has not only been fascinating but also a bit problematic. If we subscribe to the philosophy of theological professor Vigen Guroian who believes "the moral imagination needs to be cultivated like the tea rose in the garden. Left unattended and unfed, the rose will languish and a thistle will grow in its place" (178), then we must as literature teachers consider the role literacy plays in our moral development. Many of us have been raised on some "good soup" for the soul, but many of us, including today's teens, have not. It is also natural that we further acknowledge that many teens are seeking spiritual indicators. Can they turn to a text for lessons on faith, repentance, or of multiplying their talents? Indirectly and if they read with a desire to know, I believe they can.
Nevertheless, with so many parties at play—parents and friends; teachers and pastors; creationists and evolutionists; Democrats and Republicans; Christians, Jews, and Muslims; and liberals and conservatives—I would never assume to know religious literature that would please all people. At face value, an enlarged understanding of how any religion works in the lives of others sounds innocuous enough, but for a Born-Again girl to be swept away by Hare Krishna literature would likely upset any set of Christian caregivers. I would, however, encourage going the first mile: ask each of us to re-examine the value of text, all text, and their abilities to accompany an adolescent on a spiritual quest. What lessons can be learned? What human attributes did we see evident in the story, and can we attribute those to our or any other value system? This is a bold but earnest statement: moral development can and does occur outside the context of organized religion, and teachers can, no, we must, use literature to support the spiritual quests.
As a final thought, we should read once again the important words of M.L. Mendt, "Spiritual Themes in Young Adult Books," printed in the spring 1996 edition of the ALAN Review.
. . . many young adults are dealing with new understandings of concepts such as death, their own mortality, spiritual transcendence, and the soul. Young adulthood can be a time of loneliness, emotional turmoil, and confusion. However, it can also be a time of spiritual growth, introspection, and values clarification, especially when young adults can exercise their capabilities for formal operational thought through spiritual themes in young adult literature. Through such literature, their experiences are enhanced by exposure to information about various belief systems and the humans who subscribe to them, to characters in search of spiritual understanding or knowledge, and to characters integrating various beliefs into their emerging adult identities. All too soon, the crises of adulthood will be upon today's young adults; they need now to begin building the spiritual foundations that will sustain them through the uncertain future. Staying within the safe and secular genres does not always make for a smooth ride through life. In adolescence, when days are filled with self-doubt, loneliness, anger, feelings of betrayal, and any number of real or perceived emotions, there must be self-help somewhere. I believe the help can be found on a bookshelf. As adults, we have known that for a long time, and may we have the courage to dig deeper in the shelves and suggest a spiritual book that highlights the teen's world and the challenges inherent in young adult culture.
In conclusion, let's return at this point to teen response from the anonymous survey. In question 5, when asked what school book has taught a moral or lesson in life, the final response illustrates our duty as teachers: "Most of the books I read don't teach lessons." Fortunately, we know this is not the case. Much of what we teach and read is grounded in social and religious mores, and as teachers, we must make those explicit text connections that engender qualitative changes in the way young individuals think and then act. We have accepted a moral duty to care for our children. We are bound by this concern, and undoubtedly many of us are bound by the promise of an ancient theologian: "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you" (Mathew 7:7).
Works Cited
The Holy Bible , King James Version. Salt Lake City, 1988.
Guroian, Vigen. Tending the Heart of Virtue . New York: Oxford University Press: 1998.
O'Connor, T. "Survey Research Design." Megalinks in Criminal Justice . 4 Sept. 2008. http://www.apsu.edu/oconnort/3760/3760lect04.htm


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We confirmed our 2017 class on Sunday Nov. 29, at the 8:30AM worship service!
Confirmation Students can sign up for Confirmation in the sixth grade. It is a four unit class over the course of two years (fall and spring). At our Confirmation classes two Sundays a month, we study the Old and New Testaments and Martin Luther's Small Catechism. That includes the Holy Sacraments of Baptism and Communion, the Lord's Prayer, the Apostles' Creed, and the Ten Commandments. Classes involve skits, videos, small group discussion, and hands on activities to support the main idea. We have fun!
Confirmation students at our Lutheran church are invited to assist with worship as lectors, ushers, and communion assistants. Each summer, we travel to Sky Ranch for a fantastic five days of youth ministry at church camp complete with cabins, counselors, campfires, crazy songs, and great new friends!


text: At 10:11 AM 7/24/2001, Peter W wrote: >Quick notes I was unable to add to the ITS ticket: >- suggested fix does not work because... >- isn't (q <= p) an assertion about logical memory addresses? Yes, it looks like someone (me?) copied some code from another normalizer which doesn't apply here. >- does it mean to assert something like newval->bv_val being no shorter than > val->bv_val see above. >- which would be "assert( (q - newval->bv_val) <= (p - val->bv_val) );", > right? That assertion *instead* of the two current assertions, right? The previous was likely intended to check two different things. >- shouldn't the code ensure that the ch_malloc() calls succeeded? That's a *big* TODO list item. Kurt


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We made it home!
Going on a mini-vacay with Punk and the little sisters is always an adventure--luckily at least one of knows how to read a map.
Remember the table clothe-to-rug tutorial from last week? While in Utah I found a fun table clothe and I can't wait to show it off, until then here are some of my favorite projects from last week!
Girl in Air-Rustic Boy/Girl Sign
I'm a Mom not a Professional-Sparkler Writing
Can-did-ly Kate-Homemade Oreo Cookies
{Twenty}Something-Gallery Wall
Peace, Love, 2 Sisters-DIY Pennant Banner
Great job ladies!!!


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Real Hats! Original mesh hats, by Johnfrancis Laville
Aug 1, 2016
The WOMENstuff hunt starts today!
The WOMENstuff hunt will be on the entire month of August. 150 designers, it's not to be missed. This special edition of the Boho-chic floppy hat is my gift fot the hunt. Join the WOMENstuff group to get all the info about it.
inwolrd store
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Julien Macdonald has praised Kate Middleton's maternity style and says that pregnancy has made the Duchess sexier than ever.
Speaking exclusively to Grazia Daily at the launch of his new swimwear line with 'Ferrari of bikini labels', Melissa Odabash, Welsh fashion designer Macdonald explained, "Kate Middleton has an effortless style. I love how short her dresses are now she's pregnant. It's not something you normally see on pregnant women and it's bound to start a new maternity trend. Those dresses are actually very short, shorter than she ever wears usually. That's been her trick, and it's working – pregnancy has made her sexier."
Julien Macdonald praised the Duchess of Cambridge's Maternity Style
But the outspoken designer, who sent his models down the rooftop catwalk for the Ibiza beach party-inspired launch was less impressed with Madonna's style, attacking the singer for her 'insensitive' use of guns and adding that as a mum she needs to 'think about doing other things'.
Madonna Holding a Gun to a Dancer's Head in Trailer For New Project
The Queen of Pop has defended using weapons in her MDNA tour, and a new video trailer shows the iconic performer pointing a gun at a man's head. "Madonna likes to create controversy," continued Macdonald, "and sometimes what she creates is great, and sometimes it's not so great," he said talking backstage at London's swanky ME hotel.
Julien Macdonald with Melissa Odabash (left) and Mollie King (middle) at the launch
"She should be more sensitive to other people's feelings. Especially with children being killed in school shootings in America - it's insensitive. Parents taking their children to her concerts don't want to see guns. The world's trying to move away from that. She's a woman of a certain age, she has kids, she needs to think about doing other things."
By Claire Rees
Has the Duchess of Cambridge's really gotten sexier? Check out her fashion evolution below...


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Review: Donald K. Sharpes (2006). Sacred Bull, Holy Cow: A Cultural Study of Civilization's Most Important Animal
From drawings in prehistoric caves to fast food hamburgers, SHARPES takes the reader on a journey across the world and over time. He weaves his vast knowledge of religion, history and cultural practices with concrete examples drawn from his experiences to help us understand the "human context of the cow". He argues that cattle are an indispensable part of civilized life. The author brings humor and an engaging style coupled with detailed notes and references to his unusual topic.
URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0703248
URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0703248
cattle-history; cattle-religious; cattle-social and cultural
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17169/fqs-8.3.304
Copyright (c) 2007 Marilyn Lichtman
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.


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Welcome to the 11th annual
Winter Harbor Music Festival
August 4th- 18th, 2019
In case of rain, the Pinafore on the Pier performance will take place at
Hammond Hall, 427 Main Street, Winter Harbor
Located on the spectacular 'Downeast' tip of the Schoodic Peninsula in the northern section
of Acadia National Park
Where the pounding surf meets the rockbound coast of Maine!
Check out our events
WHMF photo gallery
Our two week-long festival
Offers instrumentalists and singers a unique opportunity to study and perform with artist faculty, as solo, chamber and choral musicians.
Participants work with internationally acclaimed artists and teachers, in ensemble coaching sessions, master classes and choral-orchestral rehearsals.
Private lessons and Alexander Technique sessions are available by separate arrangement with faculty.
Our mission
To bring together musicians of different ages and stages, with world class artists, in performance, amidst the beauty of Downeast Coastal Maine.


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Scottsdale Real Estate - Find Your Perfect Home For Sale!
Scottsdale - Town vs. County Stats
Avg Price in Scottsdale: $1,184,100 / County Avg $665,500
Avg Taxes in Scottsdale: $4,900 / County Avg $3,200
Avg Sq. Ft. in Scottsdale: 3,328 / County Avg 2,697
Avg Price per/ft2 in Scottsdale: $356 / County Avg $247
Avg Walkscore in Scottsdale: 29 / County Avg 27
Avg Year Built in Scottsdale: 1993 / County Avg 1994
Avg Days on Website in Scottsdale: 109 / County Avg 74
Scottsdale Real Estate Market Health
Scottsdale promises you a vacation experience unlike any other. The magic begins with our setting in the heart of the lush Sonoran Desert. Here, light takes on an ethereal quality, bathing the sky, desert and mountains in rich, vibrant hues. Trails laced with whimsically shaped cacti, playful wildflowers and fragrant desert plants invite exploration and adventure. And glittering star-filled skies create the perfect backdrop for a romantic dinner or exciting night out on the town. This is the magic of Scottsdale – experience it today!


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Many of you are aware by now about the passing of Proposition 8 in California on November 4, 2009.
According to Wikipedia:
Proposition 8 was a California State ballot proposition that amended the state Constitution to restrict the definition of marriage to a union between a man and a woman. It overrode a recent California Supreme Court decision that had recognized same-sex marriage in California as a fundamental right. The official ballot title language for Proposition 8 is "Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry." The entirety of the text to be added to the constitution was: "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California."I found the best response to the passing of Propostion 8 to be by Keith Olbermann who did a special comment about it on his MSNBC show Countdown with Keith Olbermann.


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