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Midwest Catholic-Muslim Dialogue Begins Report on Role of Religion in Civic Life
WASHINGTON (November 10, 2010) —The Midwest Catholic-Muslim Dialogue gathered in Milwaukee for its 14th annual meeting, October 25-26, to begin drafting a report on the role of religion in civic life. The report, which has the working title, "The Role of Religion in Civic Life: Catholics and Muslims Together in the Public Square," will present the insights of the dialogue's work over the last three years. Members of the dialogue noted that in the present cultural environment, in which many people are challenging the right for organized religion to participate in public discourse, a report on the issue is timely.
The prominence of issues involving Islam in the news media—such as the threatened burning of the Qur'an by a pastor in Gainesville, Florida, and the building of a Muslim Community Center in Lower Manhattan near Ground Zero—was discussed by both co-chairs of the dialogue in their opening remarks. Dr. Sayyid Syeed, Muslim co-chair, said how edified he was by the response of the interreligious community to these issues. Reflecting on his experiences at the Interreligious Summit on September 7, he said, "The issue was much bigger than just one mosque. Our partners in dialogue understood it as an attack not just on Muslims, but upon America itself." Syeed went on to discuss how the existence of an "infrastructure of interreligious relationships" is essential to addressing areas of common concern effectively.
Through his delegate, Father Jeffrey Day, Catholic co-chair, Bishop Francis Reiss, auxiliary bishop of Detroit, pointed out how the insights of Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon of the National Council of Churches could shed light on interreligious relations. He appreciated how Kinnamon points out that relationships between followers of different religious traditions tend to progress from competition to coexistence, from coexistence to cooperation, and from cooperation to commitment.
"We Catholics were first persecuted for our faith when we began to arrive in great numbers in this country a century and a half ago," Father Day said. "Thus, we are very sensitive to the situation of Muslims in this country who are facing similar discrimination based solely on their faith. Given the current socio-political environment and what is at stake for all of us as people of faith, I believe that it is necessary for us to continue to strive for a relationship where Catholics and Muslims are truly committed to each other's welfare."
As they begin the drafting process, the members of the dialogue will explore how Catholics and Muslims engage in the civic life and how they might more effectively do that together. The paper, which is expected to be completed in October, 2012, will first look at general principles such as the need for a theological voice in the public square as well as challenges and obstacles to such engagement. Specific topics will include the life and dignity of the human person, the basics of faithful citizenship, human sexuality, family life and immigration.
Dialogue member Scott Alexander, Ph.D., of Catholic Theological Union, Chicago, gave a presentation entitled, "Islam, Muslims, and the Current Global Context: What U.S. Catholics Need to Know." Alexander addressed many of the current questions U.S. Catholics have about Islam and Muslims. He emphasized that while a dynamic of "dialogue and confrontation" was once the norm in Catholic-Muslim relations throughout the centuries, since the Second Vatican Council, the Church "unequivocally articulates [its] position to be one of dialogue and cooperation, especially with Muslim peoples" as expressed in Section 3 of Nostra Aetate, the Declaration on the Church's Relations with Non-Christian Religions in 1965. Zeki Saritoprak, Ph.D., who holds the Nursi Chair in Islamic Studies at John Carroll University, Cleveland, gave a very positive response to the presentation from a Muslim point of view.
Catholic dialogue members present included Dr. Scott Alexander; Father Thomas Baima, University of Saint Mary of the Lake, Mundelein; Father David Bruning, Diocese of Toledo; Father Jeffrey Day; Mrs. Judith Longdin, Archdiocese of Milwaukee; Sister Helene Mercier, OSB, Monastic Interreligious Dialogue; Father Raymond Webb, University of Saint Mary of the Lake, Mundelein; and Father Leo Walsh, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Secretariat of Ecumenical and Interreligious Dialogue.
Muslim dialogue members attending included Dr. Ghulam-Haider Aasi, American Islamic College; Mr. Victor Begg, Council of Islamic Organizations of Michigan; Ms. Insharah Farhoud, Islamic Society of Milwaukee; Dr. Irfan Omar, Professor of Islamic Studies, Marquette University; Dr. Zeki Saritoprak; Dr. Zufilqar Ali Shah, Islamic Center of Milwaukee; and Dr. Sayyid Syeed, co-chair.
The dialogue has been jointly sponsored since 1996 by the USCCB Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs and the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA).
Keywords: Midwest Catholic-Muslim Dialogue, Islam, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs
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Veep Joe Biden says he will have recommendations for gun control measures this Tuesday. The Veep said yesterday that he's seeing a lot of support for a universal background check law. No more gun show loophole. Limiting magazine capacity also appears to be popular.
You might have heard there was another school shooting yesterday, in California. The shooter, a 16-year-old, had a 12-guage shotgun. One student was severely wounded but is still alive as of this morning. Another student and a science teacher were slightly injured. The science teacher was able to talk the boy into putting down his gun.
There is speculation, but no confirmation that I've seen, that the school had an armed guard.
We'll never know, but it's possible that if the young man had been carrying an AR-15 semi-auto military rifle with a 30-round magazine instead of the 12-guage, there would have been many more casualties. This is assuming the shooter had a standard or even a pump-action shotgun — meaning he would have to do something between rounds to make the gun work — and not one of the newer auto-loading types.
There's a push to start using the phrase "gun safety" instead of "gun control," in an effort to win over some of the second amendment absolutists. The theory is that the absolutists are afraid of the word "control" but are likely to feel all warm and fuzzy about "safety." I suppose it won't hurt, but remember who you are dealing with. Don't expect it to work.
In other wingnut news, we see that algebra is a liberal plot. Fox News host Eric Bolling learned that students are being asked to solve distributive property problems in algebra class and assumed this was some kind of socialism. One does wonder if this crew is bright enough to find their own butts.

subset: commoncrawl


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After their elimination, the couple was sequestered at an undisclosed resort for nine days. On the final episode, the pair will appear with all 11 teams at the finish line.
Michelle: I talked to my son last night. He didn't like to see us argue like that. But we've explained to them the amount of stress that you're under, the lack of sleep, the lack of food, and that the situation is just different. They're with us every day, so they know how Lake treats me and how our relationship is. They know we're very much in love and we're committed to them and to our family.
Lake:.... Sometimes on the Race, teams get lucky. I didn't think Chip and Kim were that good of a team, and they ended up winning [Amazing Race 5].
Amazing Race runner takes WSOPC event11:48 AM, Sunday, May 20, 2007 by Christopher HuntTerry Lake Garner, a 37-year-old dentist from Hattiesburg, Miss., known for both his poker prowess and an appearance on The Amazing Race, has won Event 9 - $1,000+$60 No-Limit Hold'em - at the Bayou Poker Challenge.One of the higher buy-in events at this year's World Series of Poker Circuit series stop in New Orleans, the tourney saw 266 players fork over the coin, with Garner - no stranger to winning poker tournaments, having taken a World Poker Tour Season 3 event - eventually riding a final table chip lead all the way to the finish.His final take: $82,566 and a gold WSOP Circuit ring for first place.The rest of your final table looked like this:Place Name Country Prize 1st Terry Lake Garner Hattiesburg, Miss. $82,566 2nd Travis W. Smith Mt. Harmon, La. $45,412 3rd Kevin Kaylor Houston, Texas $23,222 4th Craig Blau Shreveport, La. $18,061 5th Jeffrey Brown Hollywood, Fla. $15,481 6th Adam Green Washington, D.C. $12,901 7th Andy West Atlanta, Ga. $10,321 8th Mark Wilds Biloxi, Miss. $7,741 9th Billy Seber Houston, Texas $5,160 The $5,000 main event at the Bayou Poker Challenge kicks off Monday at noon and runs until Wednesday
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Sunday, March 23, 2008
Easter At the Jobe Abode.....
Posted by Mom to 5...Daughter of the King at 4:16 PM
1 comments:
- Dawn said...
I'm loving those sunglasses! What fun, that was something I forgot (ok that and bubbles, I don't know what I was thinking). I'm guessing those fingernails were a big hit based on the look on her face too!
How fun!!!
- March 23, 2008 at 7:11 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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1600 - 1625
- Cataldi finds the sixth and seventh perfect numbers, 216 (217 - 1) =8589869056 and 218 (219 - 1) = 137438691328.
- Accademia dei Lincei founded in Rome.
- Snell makes the first attempt to measure a degree of the meridian arc on the Earth's surface, and so determine the size of the Earth. He publishes Hypomnemata mathematica (Mathematical Memoranda) which is a Latin translation of Stevin's work on mechanics.
- Kepler publishes Astronomia nova (New Astronomy). The work contains Kepler's first and second law on elliptical orbits, but only verified for the planet Mars.
- Galileo publishes Sidereus Nuncius (Message from the stars) which describes the astronomical discoveries he has made with his telescopes. Harriot also observes the moons of Jupiter but does not publish his work.
- Bachet publishes a work on mathematical puzzles and tricks which will form the basis for almost all later books on mathematical recreations. He devises a method of constructing magic squares.
- Cataldi publishes Trattato del modo brevissimo di trovar la radice quadra delli numeri in which he finds square roots using continued fractions.
- Napier publishes his work on logarithms in Mirifici logarithmorum canonis descriptio (Description of the Marvellous Rule of Logarithms).
- Kepler publishes Nova stereometria doliorum vinarorum (Solid Geometry of a Wine Barrel), an investigation of the capacity of casks, surface areas, and conic sections. He first had the idea at his marriage celebrations in 1613. His methods are early uses of the calculus.
- Mersenne encourages mathematicians to study the cycloid. (See this Famous curve.)
- Snell publishes his technique of trigonometrical triangulation which improves the accuracy of cartographic measurements.
- Briggs publishes Logarithmorum chilias prima (Logarithms of Numbers from 1 to 1,000) which introduces logarithms to the base 10.
- Napier invents Napier's bones, consisting of numbered sticks, as a mechanical calculator. He explains their function in Rabdologiae (Study of Divining Rods) published in the year of his death.
- Bürgi publishes Arithmetische und geometrische progress-tabulen which contains his version of logarithms discovered independently of Napier.
- Gunter makes a mechanical device, Gunter's scale, to multiply numbers based on logarithms using a single scale and a pair of dividers.
- Guldin gives Guldin's Centroid Theorem which was already known to Pappus.
- Bachet publishes his Latin translation of Diophantus's Greek text Arithmetica.
- Schickard makes a "mechanical clock", a wooden calculating machine that add and subtract and aid with multiplication and division. He writes to Kepler suggesting using mechanical means to calculate ephemeredes.
- Briggs publishes Arithmetica logarithmica (The Arithmetic of Logarithms) which introduces the terms "mantissa" and "characteristic". It gives the logarithms of the natural numbers from 1 to 20,000 and 90,000 to 100,000 computed to 14 decimal places as well as tables of the sine function to 15 decimal places, and the tangent and secant functions to 10 decimal places.


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Pubmed du 15/04/19
1. Bobrowska-Korczak B, Gatarek P, Rosiak A, Giebultowicz J, Kaluzna-Czaplinska J. Reduced levels of modified nucleosides in the urine of autistic children. Preliminary studies. Analytical biochemistry. 2019 ; 571 : 62-7.
The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the levels of concentration of modified nucleosides in the urine of autistic and healthy children. The compounds have never been analyzed before. The levels of nucleosides in the urine of both groups were determined by validated high performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. Chromatographic separation was achieved with HILIC column and tubercidin was used as the internal standard for the quantification of urinary nucleosides. The within run accuracy and precision ranged from 89 to 106% and from 0.8% to 4.9%, respectively. Lower levels of O-methylguanosine, 7-methylguanosine, 1-methyladenosine, 1-methylguanine, 7-methylguanine and 3-methyladenine in the urine of 22 children with autism, aged 3 to 16 were observed. The differences were not observed in 20 healthy volunteers, in a similar age group. These findings show that modified nucleosides there are metabolic disturbances and nutritional deficiencies in autistic children.
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2. Damianidou D, Foggett J, Wehmeyer ML, Arthur-Kelly M. Features of employment-related technology for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities : A thematic analysis. J Appl Res Intellect Disabil. 2019.
BACKGROUND : The aim of this study was to identify, extract, summarize and list the features of applied cognitive technology used to support employment-related outcomes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. METHOD : Thematic analysis was employed on a published research base of 41 studies obtained through a larger scoping review of the literature on the same topic. RESULTS : The thematic analysis identified 109 technology features categorized into 14 main categories of features, which were grouped into three over-arching categories, Output, Input and General Features. The majority of the studies comprised "Output" features with "Audio" features being the most frequent category. Studies using more sophisticated technology incorporated a wider range of features and a larger number of references. CONCLUSIONS : Further investigation regarding the association of specific technology features with the enhancement of various cognitive functions will assist the decision making and technology selection process.
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3. DeStefano F, Shimabukuro TT. The MMR Vaccine and Autism. Annual review of virology. 2019.
Autism is a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication, and behavioral challenges. A report published in 1998, but subsequently retracted by the journal, suggested that measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine causes autism. However, autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that has a strong genetic component with genesis before one year of age, when MMR vaccine is typically administered. Several epidemiologic studies have not found an association between MMR vaccination and autism, including a study that found that MMR vaccine was not associated with an increased risk of autism even among high-risk children whose older siblings had autism. Despite strong evidence of its safety, some parents are still hesitant to accept MMR vaccination of their children. Decreasing acceptance of MMR vaccination has led to outbreaks or resurgence of measles. Health-care providers have a vital role in maintaining confidence in vaccination and preventing suffering, disability, and death from measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Virology Volume 6 is September 30, 2019. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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4. Fu Z, Tu Y, Di X, Du Y, Sui J, Biswal BB, Zhang Z, de Lacy N, Calhoun VD. Transient increased thalamic-sensory connectivity and decreased whole-brain dynamism in autism. Neuroimage. 2019 ; 190 : 191-204.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with social communication deficits and restricted/repetitive behaviors and is characterized by large-scale atypical subcortical-cortical connectivity, including impaired resting-state functional connectivity between thalamic and sensory regions. Previous studies have typically focused on the abnormal static connectivity in ASD and overlooked potential valuable dynamic patterns in brain connectivity. However, resting-state brain connectivity is indeed highly dynamic, and abnormalities in dynamic brain connectivity have been widely identified in psychiatric disorders. In this study, we investigated the dynamic functional network connectivity (dFNC) between 51 intrinsic connectivity networks in 170 individuals with ASD and 195 age-matched typically developing (TD) controls using independent component analysis and a sliding window approach. A hard clustering state analysis and a fuzzy meta-state analysis were conducted respectively, for the exploration of local and global aberrant dynamic connectivity patterns in ASD. We examined the group difference in dFNC between thalamic and sensory networks in each functional state and group differences in four high-dimensional dynamic measures. The results showed that compared with TD controls, individuals with ASD show an increase in transient connectivity between hypothalamus/subthalamus and some sensory networks (right postcentral gyrus, bi paracentral lobule, and lingual gyrus) in certain functional states, and diminished global meta-state dynamics of the whole-brain functional network. In addition, these atypical dynamic patterns are significantly associated with autistic symptoms indexed by the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule. These converging results support and extend previous observations regarding hyperconnectivity between thalamic and sensory regions and stable whole-brain functional configuration in ASD. Dynamic brain connectivity may serve as a potential biomarker of ASD and further investigation of these dynamic patterns might help to advance our understanding of behavioral differences in this complex neurodevelopmental disorder.
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5. Hessl D, Schweitzer JB, Nguyen DV, McLennan YA, Johnston C, Shickman R, Chen Y. Cognitive training for children and adolescents with fragile X syndrome : a randomized controlled trial of Cogmed. J Neurodev Disord. 2019 ; 11(1) : 4.
BACKGROUND : Individuals with fragile X syndrome (FXS) typically demonstrate profound executive function (EF) deficits that interfere with learning, socialization, and emotion regulation. We completed the first large, non-pharmacological controlled trial for FXS, designed to evaluate the efficacy of Cogmed, a computer/tablet-based working memory (WM) training program. METHODS : The study was a randomized, blinded, parallel two-arm controlled trial in 100 children and adolescents with FXS (63 male, 37 female ; 15.28 +/- 3.36 yrs.). Participants were randomized equally to adaptive (difficulty level adjusted to performance) or non-adaptive (control) Cogmed training. Participants were assessed at home using objective measures of WM (primary outcome) and EF at baseline, following 20-25 caregiver-supported sessions over 5-6 weeks, and at follow-up 3 months after cessation of training. Parents and teachers provided ratings of WM, attention, and EF. RESULTS : The WM composite and selective domains of EF (distractibility, cognitive flexibility), as well as parent- and teacher-reported attention and EF, significantly improved across the full study sample, with many changes maintained at follow-up. However, comparisons of improvement between adaptive and non-adaptive control conditions did not differ, showing that progressively challenging the WM system by expanding span length did not provide added benefit overall. CONCLUSIONS : Further experimental comparisons are needed before Cogmed working memory training can be considered empirically validated for children with FXS, forming the basis of treatment recommendation. However, given that prior studies show no significant changes on these measures in FXS without treatment, that improvements were maintained for 3 months, and that blinded teachers reported improvements in the classroom, the modest benefits seen in both adaptive and non-adaptive groups overall are unlikely to be attributable to placebo or practice effects alone. Future analyses examining inter-individual differences (e.g., baseline capacity, training efficiency, co-morbidity, training environment, characteristics of training aide) may help to link this intervention to outcomes and potential transfer effects. TRIAL REGISTRATION : US National Institutes of Health (ClinicalTrials.gov), NCT02747394 .
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6. Hornack SE, Nadler EP, Wang J, Hansen A, Mackey ER. Sleeve Gastrectomy for Youth With Cognitive Impairment or Developmental Disability. Pediatrics. 2019.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES : Youth with cognitive impairment or developmental disability (CI/DD) face higher rates of obesity and secondary medical issues. Bariatric surgery may be a helpful tool for health improvement because it has been shown efficacious for adolescents. We aim to contribute to literature regarding bariatric surgery for adolescents with CI/DD and explore the association between cognitive functioning and weight loss outcomes. METHODS : Adolescents (N = 64) received a preoperative psychological evaluation, including cognitive assessment, and bariatric surgery at 1 weight loss program between 2010 and 2017. For these adolescents with measured cognitive performance, CI/DD was defined by an IQ <80 or previous diagnosis. In analyses, we compared adolescents with and without CI/DD. Structural equation modeling was used to assess the impact of cognitive functioning on weight loss 3 to 24 months postsurgery. RESULTS : There were no significant differences between adolescents with or without CI/DD in terms of preoperative BMI, age, and sex. Having CI/DD did not significantly impact weight loss or weight loss trajectory in the 2 years after surgery, although modeling revealed a trend toward individuals with CI/DD losing more weight over time. Similarly, intelligence scores did not predict weight loss after surgery. CONCLUSIONS : Bariatric surgery may be a helpful tool for adolescents with severe obesity and CI/DD. They could benefit from the surgery as much as those with typical development, and having CI/DD should not be used as a criterion to deny surgery. Continuing research with this population can be used to determine long-term outcomes in addition to defining best practices.
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7. Jordan-Quintero MI, Ayala Corredor C, Cepeda Torres JF, Porras Chaparro C, Sanchez Arenas VC. Inter-rater Reliability in Videos of Patients With a Suspected Diagnostic of Autism and Child Psychosis. Revista colombiana de psiquiatria. 2019 ; 48(2) : 80-7.
INTRODUCTION : Diagnosing and treating autism and child psychoses is very difficult ; these pathologies impact not only the child's life but also the family as a whole. Therefore caution is required when giving a diagnosis with prognostic implications. We use the psychodynamic perspective in order to take into consideration both pathological and healthy diagnostic aspects, and to promote evolutionary potential of each patient. OBJECTIVE : To determine the inter-rater reliability and to test quantitatively and qualitatively the variables involved in the diagnoses of patients with suspected autism and child psychoses, based upon psychodynamic concepts. METHODS : An inter-rater reliability study was carried on, based upon the diagnostic evaluation of videos of patients with suspected autism or child psychoses who attended the diagnostic meeting (observation session) at the Instituto de Ortopedia Infantil Roosevelt. RESULTS : Kappa values were obtained, ranging from .24 to .50, with a reliability force varying from slight to moderate, and kappa=.24 for personality organization. This type of diagnosis takes into account both the pathological and healthy aspects which make up personality organization. Finally, limitations and aspects that should be considered in further studies were discussed. CONCLUSIONS : The results reinforce the need to evaluate a child with major disorders in an interdisciplinary team, and but a single observer, in order to allow discussion, and debate, and therefore, avoid partial readings of the patient' s psychological functioning.
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8. Jung M, Tu Y, Lang CA, Ortiz A, Park J, Jorgenson K, Kong XJ, Kong J. Decreased structural connectivity and resting-state brain activity in the lateral occipital cortex is associated with social communication deficits in boys with autism spectrum disorder. Neuroimage. 2019 ; 190 : 205-12.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by atypical social communication and repetitive behaviors. In this study, we applied a multimodal approach to investigate brain structural connectivity, resting state activity, and surface area, as well as their associations with the core symptoms of ASD. Data from forty boys with ASD (mean age, 11.5 years ; age range, 5.5-19.5) and forty boys with typical development (TD) (mean age, 12.3 ; age range, 5.8-19.7) were extracted from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange II (ABIDE II) for data analysis. We found significantly decreased structural connectivity, resting state brain activity, and surface area at the occipital cortex in boys with ASD compared to boys with TD. In addition, we found that resting state brain activity and surface area in the lateral occipital cortex was negatively correlated with communication scores in boys with ASD. Our results suggest that decreased structural connectivity and resting-state brain activity in the occipital cortex may impair the integration of verbal and non-verbal communication cues in boys with ASD, thereby impacting their social development.
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9. Lin AY, Henry S, Reissner C, Neupert C, Kenny C, Missler M, Beffert U, Ho A. A rare autism-associated MINT2/APBA2 mutation disrupts neurexin trafficking and synaptic function. Sci Rep. 2019 ; 9(1) : 6024.
MINT2/APBA2 is a synaptic adaptor protein involved in excitatory synaptic transmission. Several nonsynonymous coding variants in MINT2 have been identified in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) ; however, these rare variants have not been examined functionally and the pathogenic mechanisms are unknown. Here, we examined the synaptic effects of rat Mint2 N723S mutation (equivalent to autism-linked human MINT2 N722S mutation) which targets a conserved asparagine residue in the second PDZ domain of Mint2 that binds to neurexin-1alpha (Nrxn1alpha), a presynaptic cell-adhesion protein implicated in ASDs. We show the N723S mutation impairs Nrxn1alpha stabilization and trafficking to the membrane while binding to Nrxn1alpha remains unaffected. Using time-lapse imaging in primary mouse neurons, we found that the N723S mutant had more immobile puncta at neuronal processes compared to Mint2 wild type. We therefore, reasoned that the N723S mutant may alter the co-transport of Nrxn1alpha at axonal processes to presynaptic terminals. Indeed, we found the N723S mutation affected Nrxn1alpha localization at presynaptic terminals which correlated with a decrease in Nrxn-mediated synaptogenesis and miniature event frequency in excitatory synapses. Together, our data reveal Mint2 N723S leads to neuronal dysfunction, in part due to alterations in Nrxn1alpha surface trafficking and synaptic function of Mint2.
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10. Nunes AS, Peatfield N, Vakorin V, Doesburg SM. Idiosyncratic organization of cortical networks in autism spectrum disorder. Neuroimage. 2019 ; 190 : 182-90.
Neuroimaging studies of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have yielded inconsistent results indicating either increases or decreases in functional connectivity, or both. Recent findings suggest that these seemingly divergent results might be underpinned by greater inter-individual variability in brain network connectivity in ASD. We tested the hypothesis that the spatial patterns of intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) are more idiosyncratic in ASD, and demonstrated that this increased variability is associated with symptomatology. We estimated whole brain functional connectivity based on resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data obtained from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange I & II (ABIDE I & II) repository : 422 (69 females) participants with ASD and 424 (59 females) typically developing (TD) participants between 6 and 30 years of age. We clustered individuals' patterns of resting state functional connectivity into seven networks, each representing an ICN, and assessed the heterogeneity of each vertex on the cortical surface across individuals in terms of its incorporation into a particular ICN. We found that the incorporation of individual anatomical locations (vertices) to a common network was less consistent across individuals in ASD, indicating a more idiosyncratic organization of ICNs in the ASD brain. This spatial shifting effect was particularly pronounced in the Sensory-Motor Network (SMN) and the Default Mode Network (DMN). We also found that this idiosyncrasy in large-scale brain network organization was correlated with ASD symptomatology (ADOS). These results support the view that idiosyncratic functional connectivity is a hallmark of the ASD brain. We provide the first evidence that the anatomical organization of ICNs is idiosyncratic in ASD, as well as providing evidence that such abnormalities in brain network organization may contribute to the symptoms of ASD.
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11. Parish-Morris J, Pallathra AA, Ferguson E, Maddox BB, Pomykacz A, Perez LS, Bateman L, Pandey J, Schultz RT, Brodkin ES. Adaptation to different communicative contexts : an eye tracking study of autistic adults. J Neurodev Disord. 2019 ; 11(1) : 5.
BACKGROUND : Learning through social observation (i.e., watching other people interact) lays the foundation for later social skills and social cognition. However, social situations are often complex, and humans are only capable of attending to one aspect of a scene at a time. How do people choose where to allocate their visual resources when viewing complex social scenarios ? For typically developing (TD) individuals, faces are often given priority. Depending upon context, however, it may be more useful to attend to other aspects of the environment, such as hands, tools, or background objects. Previous studies reported reduced face looking in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but modulation of visual attention in response to contextual differences (e.g., according to social richness, or the presence/absence of communicative behaviors between two people) has only briefly been explored. In this study, we used eye-tracking technology to test the extent to which ASD adults and TD adults use social context to guide their gaze behavior. METHODS : Fifty-five adults participated (28 with ASD). The location and duration of participants' gaze were recorded while they watched a series of naturalistic social videos. Half of the videos depicted two people engaging in non-verbal communication (rich social scenes) while playing with toys. The other half depicted two people playing with toys separately, not interacting with each other (lean social scenes). RESULTS : ASD and TD adults both increased their attention to faces in communicative contexts (rich social scenes) as compared to non-communicative contexts (lean social scenes). However, TD adults increased their attention to faces significantly more when watching two people communicate than did ASD adults, who increased their attention to a lesser degree. Further analysis revealed that ASD adults persisted in looking at hands and toys, even when observing two people communicate in a rich social scene. CONCLUSIONS : Diminished gaze to faces when observing two people communicating may lead to fewer opportunities for social learning and subsequent reductions in social knowledge. Naturalistic measures of contextual modulation could help identify areas of need for individuals learning about the social world and could become treatment targets to improve everyday social learning.
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12. Schlosser RW, Brock KL, Koul R, Shane H, Flynn S. Does Animation Facilitate Understanding of Graphic Symbols Representing Verbs in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder ?. Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHR. 2019 ; 62(4) : 965-78.
Purpose The effects of animation on identification of graphic symbols for verbs were studied using the Autism Language Program Graphic Symbols Set in children diagnosed with mild-to-severe autism spectrum disorder between the ages of 3 and 7 years. Method The participants were randomly assigned to an animated symbol condition or a static symbol condition. Static symbols were spliced from the animated symbols to ensure that the symbols differed only in terms of the absence or presence of movement. The participants were asked to identify a target symbol among foils given the spoken label. Results There were no significant differences between the groups with respect to chronological age, autism severity, and receptive target verb knowledge. An independent t test revealed that animated symbols were more readily identified than static symbols. Conclusions Animation enhances the identification of verbs in children with autism spectrum disorder. Clinicians are encouraged to take advantage of animation when introducing graphic symbols representing verbs. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed.


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ready for Autumn?
Danish House Doctor just released their Autumn/Winter catalog with subtle Christmas themes scattered throughout. Is it too soon to start thinking of Winter for you?
For me I welcome it! The Summer gets too hot in the northwest and I crave the milder temperatures, which we only get in the Fall.
Other Stories
4 comments:
Not to soon at all! I live in Florida where its too hot to do anything and I miss being outdoors. So I start dreaming about cooler temps around June!ReplyDelete
I do love House Doctor! :-)ReplyDelete
OMG. Wrote about that too, also about EST Magazine #10. Is so inspiring.ReplyDelete
Cant wait for Christmas decoration. Is so welcome for me too.
I can't even wrap my head around Christmas yet. But Im smitten with the neutral color pallet they used for the holiday decor, including the pop of copper and black. Very sharpReplyDelete
Thank you for your comments, I love hearing from you!
Questions, comments or sponsorship inquires, please contact me via the 'contact' link.


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Our dedication to pleasing others seriously confuses our sense of purpose in life. There is a voice ...
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Hundreds Get Sick On A Royal Caribbean Cruise, Head Injury Creates A Musical Genius and "The Last Jedi".
Our dedication to pleasing others seriously confuses our sense of purpose in life. There is a voice inside each of us. We need to be true to it instead of paying attention to how others believe we should live our lives.
In the end, following the expectations of others will only limit our experiences in life. We all have that voice inside of us that we are supposed to follow.
We believe most people are living the watered down versions of their lives because they care too much about what others think. They neglect that voice within themselves. Someone once said, "Sometimes the story we're telling the world isn't half as endearing as the one that lives inside us." What an ironic thought. Because we care too much about what others think, we cheat ourselves out of better lives. What if your inner voice is trying to tell a tale of adventure with your life, but instead, you miss out because you're listening to someone who doesn't expect you to have what it takes to do so? Verbal Smash is all about crushing the norm. The norm that says, "Get a good education so that someday you'll get a good job with benefits!" and the norm that says, "Don't make waves, just let people do what they're gonna do, don't try and hold people accountable!". Well, if you're sick and tired of nobody speaking their mind and allowing the norm to grow bigger and bigger, then this show is for you. Enjoy norm crushing. Enjoy Verbal Smash.


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Rooms at the New Sheridan Hotel
Rooms & Suites
Telluride's Historic Hotel, located on Colorado Ave (Main Street) in the heart of town. Just two blocks to the San Miguel river trail, the Gondola, and lift 8 and just steps from Telluride's shops and restaurants.
We offer 26 rooms and suites of varying sizes and views, each individually decorated in Classic Victorian style by Nina Campbell Designs and furnished with modern amenities.
Dining at the New Sheridan Hotel
Chop House Restaurant & Parlor, Historic Bar and The Roof
The New Sheridan Hotel offers plenty of on-site dining options including one of the top restaurants in Telluride, the Chop House.
The Parlor, serving the same menu as the Chop House, provides a more casual dining setting located at the entrance to the hotel and restaurant.
The Roof, opened in 2016, provides patrons with 360 degree views of Telluride and is open during the summer months. A light menu and specialty cocktails make The Roof the place to be during the long days of June – September.
The Historic Bar, with Telluride's only commercial wood-burning fireplace, remains one of the best places to grab a drink in Telluride. Frequented by visitors and locals alike, the Historic Bar has always been the gathering place on Telluride's Main Street.


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Wrestlers prep for big dance
Editor's note: For up-to-date brackets and scoring, visit the CIC tournament page at www.trackwrestling.com
If you've made it this far, wresting finally gets (a little) easier.
Head coaches at both area high schools said they were going a bit easier on their athletes in the final week leading up to this weekend's Cook Inlet Conference tournament, which starts at 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 27 at Chugiak and continues at 9 a.m. the following day.
"We try to stay healthy this time of year," said Chugiak head coach Tom Huffer Jr.
Although wrestlers in-season work out almost every day, Huffer said the final week of practice is more geared toward team-building and basic fundamentals.
"We try to make sure that we stay positive," said Huffer, whose team recently held a "bonding" night at Beach Lake complete with a bonfire and DVDs.
"I think they really enjoyed that," Huffer said.
That doesn't mean they're getting lazy, of course. But Huffer said that most of his athletes are disciplined enough from a season of hard work to not slack off with the season's most important tournament looming.
"It's not about what happened during the season, all anyone's going to remember is regions and state," Huffer said.
Over at Eagle River, head coach Daren Williams said the idea this time of year is not to make big changes, but instead try to get wrestlers to focus on the little things.
"Most of it's just drill work," he said.
Although conditioning is something wrestlers must work on constantly, Williams said he was even trying to have fun with that monotonous chore Monday afternoon.
"Fun conditioning," he said, carrying an armful of gym balls into the team's practice room. "Dodge ball."
Placing in the top six individual spots at the CIC tournament is the only way to qualify for state, and each coach has a pretty good idea which wrestlers will make it through — and which ones have a shot. Huffer said he'd be thrilled to see as many as 14 of his wrestlers earn state berths, while Williams said he's probably got at least 10 who are capable of getting a berth.
Those figures are optimistic, but each team has several athletes who are very likely to reach the state tournament two weeks from now at Bartlett.
That group is led by a pair of defending CIC champions in Chugiak's Garrett Morrison and Eagle River's Dominic Taus. Morrison won the CIC at 215 last year and has been the state's top-ranked 182-pounder all season. Taus won the conference at 135 pounds last season and showed he's just as comfortable at 145 with a narrow 7-5 loss to top-ranked Auston Tennis of Soldotna in the finals of the Glenn Vandergaw tournament two weeks ago.
Huffer said other wrestlers likely to make strong showings at the CIC tourney include several with state experience, including senior Jacob Wenzl (132 pounds), junior Alex Medeiros (195) and sophomore Richard Burroughs (189). Wenzl and Medeiros were each third last season and Burroughs was sixth as a freshman.
Chugiak qualified eight wrestlers last season, and Huffer said he expects some new faces to make their first trip to the big rumble. Several other wrestlers have shown promise throughout the season, and Huffer believes this weekend is the time to take a step up.
"I told the kids you've gotta do something you're not expected to do," he said.
Taus is a defending conference champion for the Wolves, who will have six of last year's nine state qualifiers in action this weekend.
"My expectation is to at least match what we did last year," Williams said.
Senior Logan Sheets (170) finished third in the CIC at 160 last season. He leads a crop of returning placewinners that also includes juniors Zach Luff and Jachi Madubuko and sophomores Ed Hall and Nathan Gorski.
Like Huffer, Williams said he has a number of younger wrestlers who are more than capable of making a deep run in the brackets.
"It's just if they can keep from making that one mistake," he said.
Williams said the local venue will be an advantage for both team's wrestlers.
"It's going to be a lot better being closer to home," he said.
Huffer — who will have to juggle the task of helping run the tournament in addition to coaching his team — agreed.
"It's real exciting," he said. "It's nice for the kids getting to wrestle on their home mat."
Contact Matt Tunseth at 694-2727 or [email protected]


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Welcome to Lebow, Hicks Ltd.
Established in 1974 from predecessor companies, the firm of Lebow, Hicks Ltd. consists of a dedicated group of real estate professionals. The firm is active in the fields of:
Real estate valuation both commercial and residential
Arbitration and mediation for commercial real estate disputes
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Real estate training and education (in association with our related firm, The Real Estate Academy Inc.)
With three decades of continued real estate service, the firm has built a solid reputation as a leader in their industry. The staff members have undertaken assignments for worldwide clients, across Canada and into the United States. From the smallest single family lot to a major mountain in British Columbia , the firm members are recognized authorities in real estate in Canada.
Our staff members belong to the leading recognized appraisal and real estate organizations in Canada and the United States which adhere to a program of constant recertification. All senior staff members have the multiple designations in real estate recognized b y the courts, mortgage lenders and general users or professional real estate services.


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BOSTON - It was as close as predicted, the first game of the Eastern Conference semifinals between two similar teams, the Rangers and Bruins, with the score tied at 2 after regulation.
But then came overtime, which has not been kind to the Rangers in the playoffs. The Bruins dominated, forcing Henrik Lundqvist to make 15 saves until finally, Brad Marchand, cutting down the middle on a rush, tipped Patrice Bergeron's centering pass from the right side past Lundqvist at 15:40 for a 3-2 win.
"I thought it was a great game until overtime, when they took it over," Rangers defenseman Anton Stralman said. "We had a couple of chances, I had one. They had 100, probably . . . Finally, with all that pressure, they got a goal. But it's going to be a tight series."
Game 2 is here on Sunday at 3 p.m.
Coach John Tortorella said that an early penalty, at 2:20 of overtime when Derek Dorsett was called for interference, was a turning point. Lundqvist made six saves, but the constant pressure wore the Rangers down.
"We never regrouped," Tortorella said. "It was a surge and we couldn't stop it. I thought it was pretty even going into the overtime, but we got spanked in overtime."
The Rangers had just five shots in overtime, including one from Rick Nash, who couldn't beat Tuukka Rask (33 saves) with a wrist shot from point-blank range midway through the OT. Nash, who had a team-high six shots on goal, has not scored a goal in eight playoff games.
Lundqvist, who blamed himself for the game-winner, said, "I've got to see the guy [Marchand] in the middle. I was too focused on the puck." Lundqvist made 45 saves, and also got some help. The Bruins hit the iron four times from the third period on, including twice in overtime (ex-Ranger Jaromir Jagr clanged one off the post in OT).
It was the third overtime loss of the postseason for the Rangers, who fell twice to the Capitals in the first round, 2-1 and 1-0, at Verizon Center.
"A loss is a loss at this point," Rangers captain Ryan Callahan said. "We felt like we were right there. Obviously had a chance to win the game with one shot. But at the same time, we've dealt with this before. It happened to us twice in the Washington series; we've got two days to regroup and we go right back at it."
Mats Zuccarello, who was chasing Marchand on the winner, said, "I didn't think we played up to our standards, but in the overtime, of course we want to win. We don't go out there not trying to score goals. Hank did a good job. They scored, we didn't."
The Rangers had a brief 2-1 lead in the third, when 14 seconds in, Derek Stepan's quick shot from the slot, on a pass from Carl Hagelin, went through Rask's pads for a 2-1 lead. It was Stepan's third goal of the postseason. Ryan McDonagh had tied it on a long shot with 1.3 seconds left in the second.
But when Steve Eminger went off for holding at 1:09 of the third, rookie defenseman Torey Krug scored in his first NHL playoff game at 2:55 to tie it at 2. Krug had just been called up from the minors to replace the injured Dennis Seidenberg, the third regular defenseman for the Bruins who was sidelined.
With 3:44 left in the third, the Rangers had their third power play when Bergeron hooked Stepan, but John Moore was penalized for interference with 2:09 left. The Rangers were 0-for-3 in the game and are 0-for-16 on the road in the playoffs with the man advantage.
The Rangers killed off the penalty but then the Bruins almost won in regulation. Lundqvist made a save with 25 seconds left, Dan Girardi slid to stop Tyler Seguin's blast, and Boychuk hit the far post with one-tenth of a second left.


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- 12-07-2011, 06:25 PM #1Member
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Proposed use of Java to enhance asp.net/mssql architecture -- sanity check please
I am relatively new to Java, though not to programming in general. I have an application currently with an asp.net front end and ms/sql back end that I would like to enhance with Java. My question is whether as a general concept this would be an appropriate use of Java? Looking for a sanity check.
The problem:
I manage a web app where many concurrent users access relatively few records from a SQL database and then do a significant amount of manipulation of those records. In general my users access between 10 and 50 records at any one time with approximately 20 fields. In database terms this is tiny. However, each record is then manipulated by a series of stored procedures that evaluates, sorts, updates, etc., fields within each record. All that manipulation is happening within MS-SQL via stored procedures on the server. This is a problem for two reasons:
1) stored procedures are unbelievably inefficient users of CPU cycles. A computer rendering in real time amazing 3d graphics or analyzing sound and manipulating it in real time is getting bogged down by a few thousand lines of stored procedure code. Our server is bogging down with very few users. The problem is approaching critical for us.
2) having the "thinking" happen in SQL ties us to MS-SQL. We want the freedom to move to other databases or apply our algorithms in other situations.
The proposed solution:
What I would like to do is replicate the stored procedures in a Java web app that runs on the client's computer. Ideally, the Java app would:
a) be downloaded onto the client's computer only as needed (i.e. returning clients would not have to re-download every time they access the database).
b) The Java app would be transparent to the user. The user would access the database through our web portal application and never know that the "thinking" was happening on their local computer.
c) A call for data would be made through the asp.net web portal that would invoke the java web app.
d) The Java app would pull the raw data from the SQL database into a local array and then apply the various algorithms to update selected fields (and even add new fields to each record).
d) Finally, the Java app would return to the asp.net call the now manipulated array.
The benefits we anticipate:
We believe that since cpu rather than bandwidth is causing us problem that we can solve that problem by making the data manipulation happen on the client side through a Java app. We think this would speed up significantly our procedures and allow for more concurrent users. We also believe Java is the appropriate vehicle because client side scripts are compiled on the fly and that makes our proprietary processes available to all and greatly slows down the system.
So my question is basically a sanity check from the experienced Java community. Are there any assumptions in what I have laid out that are obviously wrong? For example, is there some reason an asp.net web portal cannot invoke a Java web app to retrieve data from a MS SQL database? Can a java web app be used to manipulate records retrieved from SQL and deliver the results to the web portal? Is there anything about the Java architecture I am missing that would negate any performance improvements of moving the data manipulation to the client? Am I correct that a compiled small footprint app is what is downloaded by the server in a Java web app? Can anyone suggest sample code (from an open source project, etc.) as an example?
- 12-08-2011, 06:07 PM #2Member
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Transparency Market Research published new market report "Adhesives and Sealants (Acrylic, PVA, PU, Epoxy, EVA, Silicones) Market for Construction, Automotive, Packaging, Assembly, Pressure Sensitive Tapes and Other Applications - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2012 - 2018", the global market for adhesives was valued at USD 22.70 billion in 2012 and is expected to reach USD 31.64 billion by 2018, growing at a CAGR of 5.7% from 2012 to 2018. The global sealant consumption was 1,700.5 kilo tons in 2012 and is expected to reach 2,208.2 kilo tons by 2018, growing at a CAGR of 4.4% from 2012 to 2018.
The growth of major end use industries such as packaging, construction and automotive is expected to boost the market for adhesives and sealants. In order to reduce reliance on synthetic (petroleum derived) adhesives and sealants, major industry participants have been shifting their focus towards developing bio-based or environment friendly alternatives.
Asia Pacific dominated the global adhesives market and accounted for over 40% of the total adhesives market in 2012. Asia Pacific is also expected to be the fastest growing market, at an estimated CAGR of 5.2% from 2012 to 2018. The region also led the sealants market with 36.4% share of the global market in 2012. Asia Pacific was followed by Europe and North America, in terms of consumption in 2012. North America is a saturated market and is expected to show moderate growth over the forecast period.
Acrylic based adhesives emerged as the fastest growing and the largest consumed product that accounted for 35.4% of the total adhesives consumed in 2012. Silicone based sealants dominated the market in 2012 and are expected to be the fastest growing product segment, at an estimated CAGR of 5.0% from 2012 to 2108. Polyurethane sealants (PU-Sealants) accounted for 28% of the global sealant demand in 2012.
Adhesives and sealants find applications in construction, packaging, automotives, pressure sensitive accessories and tapes, etc. Furniture is expected to be the fastest growing market for adhesives at a CAGR of 5.9% from 2012 to 2018. On the other hand, automotive industry is expected to be the fastest growing market for sealants at an estimated CAGR of 5.3% from 2012 to 2018.
Some of the key manufacturers of adhesives and sealants include 3M, Henkel, BASF, Dow Chemical Company among others.
The report segments the global adhesives market as,
Adhesives Market: Product Segment Analysis,
- Acrylic
- Polyurethanes
- Styrenic block
- Epoxy
- Other (including silicones, polyisobutylene)
Adhesives Market: Application Segment Analysis,
- Pressure sensitive applications
- Packaging
- Construction
- Furniture
- Footwear
- Automotive
- Other (aerospace, electronics, etc)
Adhesives Market: Regional Analysis,
- North America
- Europe
- Asia Pacific
- Rest of the World (Africa, Middle East and Latin America)
The report segments the global Sealants market as,
Sealants Market: Product Segment Analysis,
- Silicones
- Polyurethanes
- Acrylic
- Polyvinyl acetate
- Other (including polysulphide, EVA, etc)
Sealants Market: Application Segment Analysis,
- Construction
- Automotive
- Packaging
- Assembly
- Pressure sensitive tapes
- Consumers
- Other (aerospace, electronics, etc)
Sealants Market: Regional Analysis,
- North America
- Europe
- Asia Pacific
- Rest of the World (Africa, Middle East and Latin America)
About Us:
Transparency Market Research is a market intelligence company providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers.
We are privileged with highly experienced team of Analysts, Researchers and Consultants, who use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.
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Tuesday, August 20, 2019
Why Maranzano? Why now?
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text: Global Politics Bogota's new mayor proof that disarmament can work for rebel groups The World January 06, 2012 Gustavo Petro was a Colombian guerrilla for years. He was arrested and sent to jail. But now, after he and his group laid down their arms and he joined the political process, he's ascended to the mayorship of Colombia's capital and largest city — often a stepping stone to the country's presidency.


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Sit back, relax, and put your feet up with one of our luxurious pairs of men's slippers. Choose from a wide range of patterns and colours in a variety of materials such as faux fur, soft jersey, suede, and knitted fabric from all the big brands here at Wynsors.
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New tools and tests provide benchmarks to measure progress as you improve the health of your soil
It's a good idea to pay a visit to your doctor every year—even if you're feeling fine. A complete physical exam can give you the piece of mind to keep doing what you're doing, or it could uncover areas of concern.
Soil is no different. "By evaluating the health of soil, we can get an idea of what's good; what's bad; learn where to start making improvements; and set benchmarks to measure progress," explains Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie. "The process can tell you whether a piece of land you're thinking about renting or purchasing will be a sound investment."
There's no time like the present to add a soil physical exam to your arsenal of management tools. "The sicker soil gets, the harder it is to bring it back to health," Ferrie says. "New tools and laboratories offering soil quality analysis enable us to give soil a physical exam."
You can't expect all soils to attain the same level of health, Ferrie points out. "That would be like expecting an 83-year-old person to perform like a 17-year-old," he says. "When you
understand your soil, you can make the most of what you have."
A penetrometer measures soil resistance to penetration in pounds per square inch.
What to assess. A soil health evaluation involves assessing chemical, biological and physical aspects. You're already familiar with the chemical aspect, which is your soil test. The biological aspect includes soil microorganisms that break down old crop residue and make nutrients available to plants.
Physical aspects include soil texture, aggregate stability, available water capacity, surface and subsurface hardness and infiltration rate. Texture and aggregate stability are key factors
that influence the other three traits.
"Soil texture—the amount of sand, silt and clay particles—affects nutrient- and water-holding capacity," Ferrie says. "Farmers know water percolates easily into sand because of its large particles and pore spaces, but it tends to move right on through. It's harder for water to infiltrate into a silt loam soil, but it tends to stay there after it enters. So the silt loam has more water-holding capacity."
Think of aggregate stability as how well the soil maintains a crumb-like structure, in which sand, silt and clay particles are held together by organic matter and glues given off by mycorrhizal fungi.
"A healthy, crumb-like structure provides a stable structure for infiltrating and storing water," says Robert Schindelbeck, Cornell University soil scientist. "The large macropores
between crumbs allow for rapid water intake and air exchange."
A crumb-like structure allows better water infiltration, and downward and upward movement through the soil profile (via capillary action). "If we destroy that crumb-like structure (with abrasive tillage, for example), the soil surface will seal up, and water will run off," Ferrie continues. "The surface will crust over and plants will have a tough time emerging."
How to test. You can determine the percentage of sand, silt or clay by squeezing moist soil in your hand and trying to make a ribbon. "If it won't make a ribbon, it's sand," Ferrie says. "How long a ribbon you can make determines whether it is silt loam, clay loam or some other texture."
USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) offers an online soil survey to help determine soil texture. You can also have it analyzed in a commercial laboratory.
"The online soil survey is an excellent resource," Ferrie says. "Just choose your state and location, and it will tell you your soil types. From that, you can figure out the physical properties, such as organic matter content, bulk density, percent sand, silt, clay and water-holding capacity."
Using GPS technology, an app called SoilWeb lets you stand in a field and pull up information about the field's soil type and associated properties.
Aggregate stability can be determined by a lab, or you can figure it out yourself in the field using a slake test or a rainfall simulator, such as the Cornell University Sprinkle Infiltrometer.
"Degraded soil melts into a gooey mess after water is applied," Schindelbeck says. "This can dry into a sealed surface crust. Well-aggregated, healthy soils have more crumbs, which retain
their structure and functionality after water is applied."
To measure soil hardness, or compaction, you or your consultant will need to go to the field with a soil penetrometer. "Measurements must be taken when the soil moisture is at field capacity because dry soil might show resistance without being compacted," Ferrie says. "Look for resistance above 300 psi because that's the amount of hardness that roots have difficulty penetrating."
There are an array of soil penetrometers on the market, with varying degrees of sophistication.
A logging penetrometer made by Spectrum Technologies measures resistance for every inch of soil. Connected to a GPS unit, it creates a map that identifies density layers in the field. Several years later, the farmer can return to the same spot to see if he has made progress in removing dense layers.
A simple infiltration rate test involves driving a 6" ring into the soil, pouring in a known volume of water and recording how long it takes to soak in the ground.
You can also measure the amount of organic matter in soil by comparing it to a simple color chart—but Ferrie recommends a laboratory analysis for repeatable results. "You need a laboratory to measure the amount of active carbon," he says. "This is the fraction of organic matter that breaks down fastest and makes nutrients available for plants."
"Different labs may use different organic matter tests," points out consultant Dan Towery of Ag Conservation Solutions, West Lafayette, Ind. "It's important to use the same lab each time, for repeatable results. Sampling depth also is important. Soil within 2" of the surface will show changes in organic matter content much faster than soil at 7"."
Another important component of soil health is mineralizable nitrogen. That is ammonium nitrogen, a form that can be used by plants and microbes, which might be provided by soil organic matter during the growing season. "If you know the soil's potential to mineralize nitrogen, temperature and moisture conditions during the growing season, it will give you an indication of how much ammonium nitrogen will become available," Ferrie says. "That will help you decide whether to make a late-season application of nitrogen fertilizer."
Mineralizable nitrogen can be measured using the Illinois Soil Nitrogen Test or the Cornell University Mineralizable Nitrogen Test.
Take a deep breath. Ultimately, soil health boils down to the health of soil organisms, Ferrie says—healthy soil contains more life. "It's no exaggeration to say the "livestock" in your soil are as important as the livestock in your feedlot or dairy, and just as sensitive to their environment," Ferrie says.
"An experienced agronomist actually can estimate the amount of life in soil by smelling it," Ferrie notes. "It's the scent you detect when soil is tilled. But this is subjective and difficult to document. So you need to run a soil respiration test and establish a numerical value that you can work with."
Because microbial organisms breathe (sort of like humans), the soil respiration test reflects how many creatures are present, doing their jobs by decomposing plant residue and releasing nutrients for your crop.
The necessary equipment to measure soil respiration is included in some commercially available soil health kits. "Results will vary, depending on soil temperature and moisture levels," Towery adds.
"The soil respiration test can be done in the field or in a lab," Ferrie says. "For repeatability of results, always use the same type of test."
On the road to better health. Studying your soil health analysis report along with your own yield zone map will show you where to start making improvements, Ferrie says.
Like every aspect of management, soil health requires a long-term strategy. "Take your soil samples and measurements in the spring, when soil moisture is close to capacity," Ferrie advises. "Record locations using GPS, so you can return every three to six years and measure your progress."
Some aspects of improved soil health—such as balancing nutrients and pH, removing compaction layers (and keeping them out), installing drainage to manage the water table and applying manure to increase organic matter—probably will boost yield and profitability quicker. Other improvements will take longer.
"Soil health is somewhat like human health," Ferrie says. "The immediate consequences of being overweight and out of shape may not be a big deal when you're young. But they can shorten your life, or reduce the quality of your life, many years later."
"Improving soil health takes time, maybe several years," Towery says. "Soil improvements you make now may or may not show an immediate benefit to your bottom line. Over time, they will result in a farming system that is profitable and sustainable for you, your kids and your grandkids."
Soil Health Tests and Tools
The following four tests can analyze the state of your soil's health. Most of the tools are included in commercially manufactured test kits.
In many cases, the tests can also be done by commercial laboratories. When tests can be done both ways, it's a good idea to compare the results of both to make sure they are similar.
Soil hardness, or compaction, can be measured with a penetrometer. An Internet search will reveal several penetrometer manufacturers.
Soil respiration is measured with carbon dioxide meters or infiltration rings and Draeger tubes. In the latter technique, air is drawn through the Draeger tube and comes in contact with carbon dioxide-sensitive paper. The test measures the carbon dioxide given off by the microorganisms as they breathe.
Sprinkle Infiltrometer With Accessory Kit
The Cornell University Sprinkle Infiltrometer simulates rainfall onto the soil surface. Apply a given amount of rainfall, and measure how much soil falls through a screen. The more soil remaining on the screen, the better the crumb-like structure and the healthier the soil. You can also use an accessory kit with the Sprinkle Infiltrometer to measure the infiltration rate of water. Drive a ring equipped with a hose that captures runoff into the ground. Use the Infiltrometer to apply a given number of inches of water per hour. Subtract what runs off from what was applied to get the infiltration rate for a given period of time. Or, you can simply drive the ring into the ground and record how long it takes for each inch of water to soak into the soil.
Slake Test
"The slake test involves scraping soil off the surface, dropping it on a screen inside a cylinder and immersing the cylinder in water several times," explains Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie. "If the soil is poorly aggregated, the onrush of water as you immerse the cylinder will blow the structure apart. Then smaller silt and clay particles will fall through the screen." The cylinder on the left in the photo shows properly aggregated soil, and the one on the right shows poorly aggregated soil.
Air Dry Clods
One way to evaluate soil structure is to air dry clods from the same soil type but with different management systems in a jar of water, says Dan Towery of Ag Conservation Solutions, West Lafayette, Ind. With healthy, crumb-like structure (right), soil particles will hold together, bonded by organic matter and by glues produced by mychorrizal fungi, which are found around plant roots. With poor structure (left), the soil falls apart, or "melts away" when immersed in water.
Cornell University Takes Lead on Soil Health
Soil health is on its way to becoming a new buzzword in agriculture, and Cornell University is leading the charge.
The Cornell University Soil Health Team was formed in 2001. The primary goal of the soil and plant researchers was to learn why plants perform poorly in degraded soil conditions, explains Cornell University soil scientist Robert Schindelbeck.
"They concluded soil degradation had reduced the functioning of multiple soil processes," Schindelbeck says. "They realized that soil physical and biological processes, which were not represented in standard soil nutrient analyses, needed to be routinely evaluated."
The researchers set out to develop rapid, reliable and low-cost techniques to measure indicators of essential soil processes. Their efforts resulted in a soil health test that identifies constraints on the functions of healthy soil.
The university's soil health testing service assigns a numerical value to four physical, four biological and four chemical components of soil. The color coded Cornell Soil Health Report report flags a grower's attention to components that are constraining soil health and crop yield.
"I'm not aware of any other soil health test that provides the holistic assessment of soil constraints that ours does," Schindelbeck says.
The university's Soil Health website (http://soilhealth.cals.cornell.edu) describes the test and provides sampling and shipping instructions. A downloadable Soil Health Manual provides more information about the tests. There are links to management strategies farmers can consider to address soil health constraints. For farmers who wish to conduct their own tests of aggregate stability and infiltration, the university offers the Sprinkle Infiltrometer.
You can e-mail Darrell Smith at [email protected].


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Gettin' dirty: Agroecology major excels as member of U.S. soil-judging team
Gettin' dirty: Agroecology major excels as member of U.S. soil-judging team
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The study of agricultural sciences can lead to incredible opportunities. Penn State student Nancy Kammerer discovered this firsthand during her recent trip to Jeju, South Korea, for the first International Soil Judging Contest.
Kammerer, a senior from Gettysburg, traveled to Korea with seven other undergraduate students from throughout the United States. Together, the eight students made up the United States National Soil Judging Team.
"The U.S. team, of which I was a member, was chosen last spring at the National Soil Judging Competition," said Kammerer, who is majoring in agroecology with minors in soil science and horticulture.
"The Soil Science Society of America helped to fund the top-eight individuals at the national competition to make up the U.S. team for the competition in Korea. Two soil scientists also were picked from U.S. universities to be the coaches for the International competition."
The eight students, divided into two U.S. squads, took first and second place at the international competition. Kammerer was on the second-place team.
The group's performance impressed U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack so much that he invited the team to visit him in Washington, D.C., on Aug 19.
"Meeting Secretary Vilsack was an amazing experience, and we also learned about how USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service operates from day to day," she said.
Kammerer's interest in soils developed after taking a class in soil morphology in the fall of 2012.
"That class taught me some of the skills necessary for soil judging. I chose to compete on the Penn State team that year in the regional competition and have been hooked ever since," she said. "I've been a member of the Penn State Soil Judging Team at the regional and national competitions every year since that fall."
Members of the team trained for the international competition using quizzes developed by their two coaches. While these quizzes proved helpful, Kammerer added that "because all the students had previous soil-judging experience, most of our knowledge came from what we had learned at our universities."
The team's trip to South Korea offered many highlights but also a few challenges.
"By far the most challenging part of the trip was trying to coordinate transportation to get myself to Korea, but once I was there, all the amazing experiences made up for those early headaches."
Before the competition kicked off, the organizers held two practice days, setting up soil pits so the teams could get a look at Korean soils and how they might differ from the soils they studied at home.
"I loved seeing the soils of Jeju. They were the first volcanic soils -- andisols -- that I have ever seen and they were fascinating," Kammerer said.
Kammerer found the personal bonds she built with her hosts and other participants to be another highlight of her experience.
"By far, my favorite part of the trip was getting to know other students and scientists who have a similar interest in soil. The Koreans were the most gracious hosts, and I had an incredible time becoming friends with not only the other members of the U.S. team but members of the other teams as well."
Kammerer plans to graduate at the conclusion of the spring 2015 semester. After obtaining her degree, she plans to work full time with a horticulture fruit farm or in the field of soil conservation.
Get information about the soil science option of the environmental resources management major.


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Rosen Nissan helped make these videos
We are still working to obtain content for your car, however the video above is believed to have similar characteristics as your car.
This video shows you how to change the oil and oil filter in your 2008 Infiniti G35. When you change your own oil, you know that you are putting quality oil in your G35 and that the filter is being changed too. Most importantly, you get a chance to look around under your G35 for potential trouble spots. This video shows you the location of your oil drain plug, oil filter, oil fill cap and dipstick in addition to the steps needed to change the oil and filter in your G35. For most Infinitis, you can wrap an old belt around the oil filter and unscrew it by hand. If you can't do this, see our parts page to find a Infiniti G35 oil filter wrench. If your G35 is too low to the ground to access your drain plug and oil filter, be sure to use jack stands and safe jacking procedures before getting under your G35.
Most Infinitis have the oil type printed on the oil cap - it will likely be 5W-20, 5W-30, 5W-40, 10W-30 or 10W-40. If it isn't printed on the oil cap, check your owners manual for the exact type before adding new oil. We recommend wearing safety glasses whenever you are working under your G35. You never know what could be dripping down from the engine, battery acid, engine coolant, brake fluid, etc. All of these fluids are extremely harmful to your eyes and skin so it is important to protect yourself.
Don't send mixed signals - if your turn signal doesn't blink, or blinks rapidly, you likely have a burnt out bulb2008 Infiniti G35 3.5L V6
Learn where your air filter is located and how to determine if it needs to be changed.2012 Infiniti G25 X 2.5L V6
Many cars will burn or leak a little bit of oil. Over time, this adds up and you might need to add some - learn how to here!2009 Infiniti G37 X 3.7L V6 Sedan (4 Door)
Want an easy way to save $500? Rotate your tires at least three times per year2012 Infiniti G25 X 2.5L V6
If your car is leaking a small amount of power steering fluid - see this video on how to fix the leak2009 Infiniti G37 X 3.7L V6 Sedan (4 Door)


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Night Replenishment, Supermarket Assistant
Brackley (Northamptonshire) Teaching
Job description
Job Type
Selling - Non Management
Central England
Preferred Hours
Part Time
Partnership Level
Closing Date
Vacancy Type
Pay in range £8.87 to £10.47. This is negotiable dependent on relevant skills and experience.
Salary Frequency
per hour
Hours of Work
Various hours of part-time work across seven nights, between the hours of 22:00 - 06:00 to include weekends.
Due to working time regulations, applicants must be 18 years or over to apply.
In addition to the pay stated above, you will receive a shift premium for hours worked between 22:00 and 06:00. This will be paid at the minimum recruitment rate for your role.
Waitrose & Partners is all about enriched experiences and that goes for our people - our Partners - as much as our customers. We want you to enjoy your work and share your passion for food with our customers. So we'll train you, treat you respectfully and then reward you by giving you a share in the profits, for pulling it all together and being part of our success.
We are looking for someone who keeps up to date on food and drink trends, knows our products, takes pride in whatever they do, carrying out everything to the highest standards, making sure the shop floor is shipshape, ready for when our customers arrive. Whether they are shopping for a healthy lunch, a top up on fresh fruit and veg, the weekly shop or a special occasion, we want every customer to enjoy their shopping experience, confident in our products and confident in our Partners.
We request that candidates only apply for this position if you can fully commit to the advertised working hours and the full term of the contract, or we will be unable to proceed with your application. We occasionally close vacancies early in the event we receive a high volume of applications. Therefore, we recommend you apply early.
We have a number of different ways to work flexibly so at your interview feel free to talk about what flexibility means to you. There are no guarantees, however, it may open the door to not only a new role but a new way of working.
Duties & Responsibilities
To deliver excellent customer service by working flexibly as part of a team, ensuring stock is replenished and displayed to required standards. To adhere to hygiene and health & safety standards at all times.
Job Requirements
The role of a supermarket assistant involves a range of tasks, moving and replenishing stock, carrying out housekeeping activities. Partners may be expected to work in any are of the branch to support the wider team as required, and will be required to maintain the necessary business dress and hygiene standards. Please note we reserve the right to close the vacancy early in light of a large response. Due to the nature of this role all candidates must be over the age of 18 years to apply.


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Eccles Health Sciences Library is excited to pilot a new series of short, drop-in workshops. These 30-minute sessions will provide an introduction to the topic and present steps for getting started that you can put to use right away. Bring your laptop to follow along as we demonstrate and provide assistance with these tools.
The Eccles Express series will run on Thursdays in February at 11:30am in the Health Sciences Education Building, Room 2120 (Alumni Hall).
February 7: Data Management 101
Presented by: Abby Adamczyk
Not sure what to do with your data once a project is complete? Need to collaborate and share data with a researcher at another institution? Get help and learn about resources and tools to help manage your research data.
February 14: One, Two, Three – Cite!
Presented by: Amy Honisett
Organize your citations, format your paper, and share with colleagues – for free! Join us for a short session to learn about three free citation management tools that can help you get control of your work.
February 21: Measuring Your Impact
Presented by: Jessi Van Der Volgen
H-index, G-index, i-10 index, altmetrics… confused? Learn about established and emerging tools for measuring author impact and steps for measuring yours.
February 28: Research Networking 101
Presented by: Peter Jones
How do you connect with research colleagues at the U or at other institutions? Come discover some of the time-tested techniques and new tools being developed to enable research communication and collaboration.
We hope to see you there!
Questions? Contact Jessi Van Der Volgen: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Gas Heater Maintenance Bronte
Like all other appliances, gas heaters also need to be maintained regularly. Neglecting to do so may mean that the system isn't operating optimally. It also potentially increases the chances of faults, resulting in the release of carbon monoxide (CO) fumes in the indoor spaces. Regular maintenance of the gas heater is the best way to ensure that the unit continues to work safely and efficiently
Regular gas heater maintenance Bronte and inspection on aspects like operating performance are easily carried out by our skilled technicians. These are usually done without causing any inconvenience to you or affecting the system's operation. These inspections are crucial in highlighting whether any further intervention is needed. This can go a long way in preventing unplanned and very costly repairs.
Range of Gas Heater Maintenance Bronte Services
We at Hero Plumbing are a leading company in this industry and have the skills, knowledge and experience to handle all types of gas heater maintenance Bronte.
We have a specific process that we follow and recommend that the maintenance be carried out annually.
If you notice any issues with the system, we can come in at a time convenient to you, to determine what the problem is. The gas heater continually circulates air and dust tends to build-up on its fan component, and that will be cleaned correctly. Also, we will conduct a CO test to make sure the system is functioning as it should.
Our technicians will check the gas-burning pressures, among other things. Our experienced and qualified technicians deliver gas heater maintenance Bronte, of the highest standard. They are accredited and experienced to handle the preservation of different brands and models of gas heaters.
Why Does Your Gas Heater Require Maintenance?
Everyone wants to have comfortable and safe spaces in their homes. But if your gas heater is old, leaking or is showing signs of some other issues, it could also be leaking carbon monoxide into your home. As the summer transitions to winter, you will feel the need to use your gas heater.
This is when you should be alert and check whether you or any of your family members are experiencing symptoms like the ones mentioned below. Sometimes, these symptoms are aggravated when the heater is on, and this is something you need to be watchful about. If that is the case, there may be leak or fault in the system. The common symptoms of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning are very similar to those of the flu, such as:
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Weakness
- Blurred vision
- Vomiting
- Chest pain
- Nausea
- Confusion
- Shortness of breath
- Loss of consciousness
There are many different ways to mitigate the risk of CO poisoning. The most straightforward is to ensure that your gas heater is maintained with regularity by a qualified and technician. For any more information about our gas heater maintenance Bronte services, feel free to call Hero Plumbing at 1300 437 688. You can also request a free quote through this form. We have different specials at different times, find the latest discounts and offers on this page.
Book Online
Special Offers Available This Winter!


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Obama, Putin Smile, Shake Hands and Will Talk Syria Over Dinner
Putin says any Western intervention will spark a wider conflict.
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia, Sept. 5, 2013 -- President Obama and Russia's President Vladimir Putin greeted each other with smiles and a handshake at the G20 summit today and planned to take up a subject that is not on the group's agenda -- Syria.
Putin suggested that the crisis and the U.S. threat to attack Syria be debated over dinner this evening.
"Some of the participants asked me to allot some time for the discussion of other issues which weren't part of our agenda but which are extremely important in the global policy. I'm referring to the situation in Syria. Let's do that during our working dinner so that we do not discuss all the issues at once," Putin said.
The Kremlin strongly opposes Obama's plan to intervene militarily in Syria, suggesting it is only a ploy to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Putin also believes any Western intervention will spark a wider conflict in the region. He has demanded that the United States receive authorization from the United Nations Security Council before taking action, something that Russia would surely block.
"Any other pretext or method which might be used to justify the use of force against an independent sovereign state is inadmissible and can only be interpreted as an aggression," President Putin said in an a joint interview with the Associated Press and a Russian state-owned television channel this week.
Obama, meanwhile, has sought to rally the world around his call to hold Assad accountable for his alleged use of chemical weapons. The United States has presented evidence it says shows Assad's forces used chemical weapons in an Aug. 21 attack on a Damascus suburb that the White House says killed over 1,400 people including hundreds of children.
"I didn't set a red line. The world set a red line. The world set a red line when government's representing 98 percent of the world's populations said the use of chemical weapons are abhorrent," Obama said during a visit to Stockholm, Sweden, on Wednesday.
White House advisers said the president plans to discuss Syria with leaders on the sidelines of the G20 summit.
In a sign that other parties are just as intently focused on Syria at this week's summit, which usually deals with only economic and trade issues, the United Nations' special envoy for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, is now expected to attend the G20 as part of Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon's delegation. Brahimi has been invited to attend a meeting of G20 foreign ministers on Friday morning.
Even before the debate over Syria, the meeting between Obama and Putin was already going to be awkward. The two were scheduled to hold a bilateral summit meeting this week, but Obama backed out last month after Russia granted intelligence leaker Edward Snowden asylum. American officials say the Snowden situation was only the straw that broke the camel's back, citing lack of progress on any of the issues the White House hoped to discuss, including missile defense and arms control.
The last time the two presidents met, on the sidelines of June's G8 summit in Northern Ireland, the differences between the two men and the countries they lead were laid bare. At a joint press conference, Obama was uncharacteristically cold and tense. Putin was perhaps even more so than usual.
That gulf has only widened in the past month, most strikingly over Syria.
Russia has been reluctant to throw Assad, its longtime ally, under the bus. Moscow remains Syria's biggest foreign backer, providing the government with much of the arms and cash it needs to sustain the now two and a half year conflict. Russia has urged the United States to wait for the results of a U.N. investigation into the Aug. 21 attack before taking action.
Obama, however, made clear that he holds Russian intransigence accountable for the ongoing violence.
"I think that international action would be much more effective and ultimately we can end deaths much more rapidly if Russia takes a different approach to these problems," he said on Wednesday.
The White House expressed confidence that Congress will ultimately vote to authorize the use of force in Syria, even as the debate rages within both parties.
"I haven't done any vote counts," Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said today. "We're very pleased with the trend lines."
Putin does not appear content to sit back and watch things happen. Earlier this week he backed a proposal for Russian lawmakers to lobby members of Congress ahead of the vote, urging them to vote no.
The White House is portraying the vote to authorize the use of force as critical to maintaining American leadership in the world.
"The world looks to the United States as a leader on these issues," Rhodes said.
"By necessity we have to be out front in terms of enforcement of international norms and were the United States to not play that role, there would be a significant vacuum in the international community," he added. "We do not want to send a message that the United States is getting out of that business in any way."


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It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around my home. I like to make as many Christmas crafts as possible and this year started with peppermint and candy cane wreaths for my kitchen windows.
One of my 7th grade boys crafted the small wreaths from ferns and brought them to me before Thanksgiving. Isn't that the sweetest thing??
Want to make these for yourself? It's really easy!
Supplies Needed:
10 candy canes
20 Star Bright Mints
Glue Gun
Remove wrappers from ten candy canes and twenty mints. Glue candy canes together to form hearts.
Glue two mints to each heart where the ends meet.
Continue to overlap and glue until you have a wreath.
I sealed my wreaths with some finish that I had on-hand. There may be a better choice to use if you shop around.
Cut ten pieces of ribbon to decorate the intersections of the candy canes and mints.
Wrap the ribbon around and glue into place. Here you can see one with ribbon and one without ribbon.
The ribbon adds a pop of color and it hides some of the glue.
I used fishing line to hang the wreaths in my kitchen windows.
This craft is quick and easy to complete and isn't expensive. An older child could make one for their room or as a gift for a friend or teacher.
Kitchen windows complete, now it's on to the rest of the house!
Have you been busy crafting for Christmas?
Sharing with:
Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch
Tutorials and Tips Link Party at Home Stories A 2 Z
Tutorial Tuesday at Hope Studios
Friday Flair at Whipperberry
Weekend Bloggy Reading at Serenity Now
Weekend Wrap-Up at Tatertots and Jello
Saturday Seven at Positively Splendid
Whatever Goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts
Christmas in July at Stone Gable
Folk Magazine Linky Party


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Welcome to my stop on the Club Scrap blog hop!
This month's hop features projects from the September 2017 Orchard kit. I don't know about you, but I'm so ready for fall!
I usually start my posts with a little story inspired by a quote or image in the kit. This quote was the spark that influenced me today…
Oh yes it does! My kids definitely didn't get their athletic prowess from me! I'm an accident waiting to happen. Both of my ankles have had torn ligaments bad enough to wear casts and I tore the ACL in my left knee jumping in the Spacewalk at my oldest son's 5th birthday party. I'm so glad that my boys got their dad's physical abilities! I'm proud of all of their achievements, but I'm most proud of their character. I have two fine sons with good hearts and beautiful minds. I can't ask for better than that. I love this picture…
They're not any different now, just bigger!
They support each other in everything they do. That makes this mama's heart happy. I sure do love my boys!
They always appreciate my artwork and they love interactive cards. Who doesn't? They are so fun to play with! I started off making some cards for the Club Scrap® 09/17 Idea Deck Challenge. This 8♠ card features cutting and assembly instructions to create a tent fold card and two cards with waterfall folds!
I used some of the sentiments and images from the Jumbo Unmounted and Art Nouveau stamp sets and embellishments and fibers from the kit to create my cards. I love how the tiny round cutaparts fit in the bottle caps!
OK, I'll admit I cheated on the trimming. After I cut the first set of card stock, I didn't like the how the pieces paired together. So, I cut everything again, but I strategically cut some of the pieces for pleasing backgrounds. I like the lone apple with this quote!
Orange is not my favorite color, so I made this one to challenge myself. It kinda grew on me!
I'm partial to red…who am I kidding…I love red! I want some more of this red crinkle ribbon!
Aren't these entertaining?!
Here's a video tutorial that is super helpful in constructing the waterfall fold mechanism and a set of instructions to go with it.
I also made a drawstring gift basket to go with my cards. It was so perfect for the kit theme!
I used the stencil included with the Club Scrap® Deluxe kit to give the green pieces a wood grain look.
Of course I had to fill it with something…caramel apple pops!
Your next stop on the hop is Kelly and you can always find the full list of bloggers on the Club Scrap blog. Thanks for stopping by and come back and visit any time!
Do more of what makes you happy!


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Now that everything is put away and cleaned up I thought I would share some of the samples that we had at the Open House.
This card was made using of the Hostess Exclusive Stamp Sets called Floral Wings. I absolutely love this one!! I combined it with the Brick Wall Embossing Folder, and the CHERRY ON TOP Designer Paper Stack. The pretty new colors on this card are from the NEW 2015-2017 IN COLORS: Watermelon Wonder and Cucumber Crush.
The ladies will enjoy making this card at the July Stamp a Stack classes. Want to join in on our fun? Here are the details:
Monday, July 6th at 7pm or
Wednesday, July 8th at 10 am or
Saturday, July 11th at 10 am
Cost for this class is $12.00 or FREE with a purchase*
Pre order or Pre Pay for your class and receive a small gift from me.
Minimum purchase $25.00
Please bring your adhesive along to this class to help keep the cost of the class reasonable.
Please RSVP by 7:00 PM the evening before any class.
Here are the items you will need to make this card for yourself. Just click on any photo to bring you to where you need to go to place an order.
Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog
Thanks for stopping by!
ChristiPin It Now!