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Volume 2, Number 4—October 1996
Traditional Healers and Global Surveillance Strategies for Emerging Diseases: Closing the Gap
A recent position paper by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stresses that surveillance is critical to an effective defense against new and reemerging infectious diseases and indicates that current international monitoring of such diseases is fragmentary and inadequate (1). Other major studies have also recorded the weaknesses in the present disease reporting system (2-4).
The concept of "global surveillance" implies the coordination of existing networks as well as the addition of state-of-the-art electronic networks to ensure close monitoring of and rapid response to outbreaks, even in the most remote locations (1,2,5-8). Plans for strengthening current surveillance efforts include a global consortium with specialists in epidemiology and infectious diseases working in close collaboration with international agencies, ministries of health, universities, and research laboratories (1,2,6,9-11). Existing programs at the World Health Organization, CDC, the Pan American Health Organization, and elsewhere will be reconfigured to work as a more cohesive system (1). Secure networks will be developed for 1) the transmission of sensitive information; 2) automatic reporting from physicians' offices, hospitals, and laboratories; and 3) the integration of existing and planned information systems. The field application of computer technology, satellite imagery that allows geographically oriented information to be visually and analytically linked to images of the environment, and the development of new statistical and mathematical modeling methods are under discussion (1,3,12).
As medical anthropologists, we note the absence in current plans for global reporting systems of "traditional" or non-Western health care providers, who in communities worldwide are usually the first, and often the only, health specialists to see patients with new or reemerging diseases. These local health specialists, called traditional healers, may have a role to play in the early identification of new or reemerging diseases and could assist in coordinating responses to outbreaks and providing public health education at the local or regional levels.
Most people around the world have little access to modern medical systems (13-15). Even though immunizations and antibiotics increasingly find their way into indigenous systems, healers, midwives, bone setters, herbalists, and other traditional health experts provide most or all medical care. The more remote, indigent, or traditional the population, the greater the likelihood that it will have little access to modern medical care (13,16). If such care is sought, it will be only as a last resort, should traditional healers prove unable to address the illnesses (16) . In many communities, modern medicine is not perceived as better than traditional healing, and it is often more costly. Distance from modern medical resources is another barrier. Medical care that is not sensitive to cultural differences as well as the belief that some types of diseases are not treatable by modern medicine are also prevalent. These beliefs are particularly common in developing countries; however, traditional healers also practice in many ethnic and minority communities in industrialized societies throughout North America, Europe, and Australia (17-19).
A primary dependence on traditional healers continues in areas that, until recently, were considered largely untouched by modern development. It is in just such areas that much of the recent economic development has triggered rapid ecologic change. These once sparsely populated areas, now being pulled into the global economic sphere through logging, mining, and agriculture, are precisely the areas where it is anticipated that many new infectious diseases will originate, as increasing populations come in contact with previously undisturbed vectors of infectious diseases. In such areas, traditional healers are often in a unique position to identify new and reemerging diseases. Whatever their specialty, traditional healers are 1) familiar with diseases commonly found locally; 2) aware of an increase or decrease in the incidence of such diseases in their patient population; 3) among the very first to see cases of new diseases; and 4) cognizant of the recurrence of a disease they have not seen in some time. If traditional healers are not tied into the global reporting network in a systematic and effective manner, their knowledge of new or reemerging disease information may reach the outside world late or in many cases, not at all. Traditional healers differ not only from country to country, but often from region to region and from one ethnic or minority group to the next. An adequate surveillance system must ensure that in each instance the most appropriate traditional healers are included in some type of timely warning system.
Including traditional healers into a global system does not mean that scientists and clinicians must agree with indigenous explanations of the causes or treatments of infectious diseases. Nor does it require that traditional healers accept modern assumptions about the causes, presence, or treatment of such diseases. However, a complete surveillance system does require that participants cooperate and maintain professional respect and courtesy. The goal is a surveillance system that is sensitive to cultural differences and in which new or unusual medical events can be reported quickly and accurately from the traditional healer to the local medical officials in the hospital or laboratory linked to the global surveillance system.
In recommending the inclusion of traditional healers in a global surveillance network, we do not seek to minimize the differences, or the animosity, between these healers and modern medical practitioners (14). Moreover, the relevant strengths and weakness of traditional healing are not the issue here. Critical time, however, may be lost unless all resources are tied into a disease reporting system.
Lines of communication must be established between traditional healers and local health care systems that serve as the "up-links" to the regional, national, and international early warning systems. A system in which traditional healers know whom to contact and how to establish contact quickly is essential. Traditional healers must be taught why, what, when, and how to report unusual symptoms in their patients to local officials. Training for traditional healers must include explaining, (in terms that are culturally relevant to their understanding of illness and health) why scientists outside their communities need timely medical information from their local practices. What to report is of equal concern. Healers must be briefed in what is reportable. A checklist of specific symptoms, such as new or unusual fevers, rashes, or lesions could be developed for reference. Such a checklist could also include questions on the apparent mode of transmission of the disease, (whether it is appearing in members of the same household; in specific parts of a local area, such as households that share a common water source or are located near a forested area; or in sex partners). The development and circulation of a pictorial reference guide of diseases found in an area might facilitate communication between healers and local officials. Specific guidelines should ensure that reporting is done quickly. Finally, a clear and workable reporting system, with specific information about whom to contact at the local level should be established.
An effective surveillance program must include a systematic educational component for local health officials, with specific discussion about the need to include traditional healers, what information these healers are asked to provide, and how this information, once conveyed to local health officials, must be transmitted to the regional hospital, universities, and ministries of health quickly and effectively. Because many local health officials have heavy demands placed on their time, the more straightforward this transmission link is made, the better for all concerned. The local health official is the key "up-link" between the remote field and the regional or national surveillance centers where a more careful and systematic evaluation of the new or reemerging infectious disease should begin.
Finally, training for both healers and those to whom they report must be comprehensive, and its effectiveness must be evaluated often. A communications bridge must be established and maintained if global warning is to be truly effective.
We thank Mark L. Wilson, Infectious Disease Division, Yale School of Public Health, for his helpful comments on this manuscript.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Addressing emerging infectious disease threats: a prevention strategy for the United States. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, 1994.
- Wilson ME, Levins R, Spielman A, eds. Detection, surveillance, and response to emerging diseases. In Disease in evolution: global changes and emergence of infectious diseases. New York Academy of Sciences 1994;70:336-8.
- World Health Organization. Emerging infectious diseases: Memorandum from a WHO meeting. Bull World Health Organ. 1994;72:845–50.PubMedGoogle Scholar
- Hughes J. Conference on "Emerging infectious diseases: meeting the challenge.". Emerg Infect Dis. 1995;1:101. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
- Bartlett C, Gill N. International surveillance of disease. Lancet. 1993;341:1003–6. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
- Henderson D. Surveillance systems and intergovernmental cooperation. In: More, SS, editor. Emerging Viruses. New York: Oxford University Press, 1993.
- Marwick C. Effective response to emerging diseases called an essential priority worldwide. JAMA. 1995;273:189–90. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
- Institute of Medicine. Emerging infections, microbial threats to health in the United States. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1992.
- Pan American Health Organization. Combating emerging infectious diseases. Washington, DC: PAHO, June 1995.
- LeDuc J, Tikhomirov E. Global surveillance for recognition and response to emerging diseases. New York Academy of Sciences. 1994;740:341-5.
- O'Brien T, Stelling J. WHONET: An information system for monitoring antimicrobial resistance. Emerg Infect Dis. 1995;1:66. DOIGoogle Scholar
- Vacalis T, Bartlett C, Shapiro C. Electronic communication and the future of international public health surveillance. Emerg Infect Dis. 1995;1:34–5. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
- Foster G, Anderson B. Medical Anthropology. New York: Knopf, 1978.
- Velimirovic B. Is integration of traditional and western medicine really possible? In: Coriel J, Mull JD, editors. Anthropology and Primary Health Care. Boulder, CO: Westview Press 1990.
- Gumede MV. Traditional healers: a medical practitioner's perspective. Braamfontein: Skotaville Publishers, 1990.
- Pillsbury B. Policy and evaluation perspectives on traditional health practitioners in national health care systems. Soc Sci Med. 1982;16:1825–34. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
- Galanti GA. Caring for Patients from Different Cultures Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1991.
- Lynch E, Hanson M. Developing cross-cultural competence. Baltimore: Paul Brooks 1992.
- Brown K. Mama Lola: A Vodou Priestess in Brooklyn. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1991.
Table of Contents – Volume 2, Number 4—October 1996
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Appen has openings for Linguist Lead positions in London, Seattle, or the San Francisco Bay area.
This is an opportunity for linguists with native language skills in Italian (also German, European Spanish and French, and in UK, AU, NZ, and Indian varieties of English). In particular, they are looking for candidates who have strong linguistic awareness along with leadership qualifications.
In addition to the Linguist Lead role, annotators and project managers for the same projects:

subset: commoncrawl


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Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Sanwo-Olu, on Thursday, signed into law the state's 2021 Appropriation Bill.
The budget christened the "Budget of Rekindled Hope" consists of Capital Expenditure and a Recurrent Expenditure at a ratio of 60 to 40 per cent.
Sanwo-Olu assured that his administration would not relent on rebuilding the state.
He said, "With the passage of the bill, we will continue our work of rebuilding Lagos, advancing economic growth, and expanding opportunities for Lagosians to flourish despite the economic challenges caused by the coronavirus.
"As we already know, 2020 will go down in history as a peculiar year largely defined by the COVID 19 Pandemic and the ENDSARS protests, which were recklessly hijacked by those who destroyed some of our public assets and private businesses.
"We are, however, fortunate to be going into the New Year, with an already passed budget, which will help to expedite our recovery process.
"A significant portion of the budget has been committed to human capital development, youth engagement, social intervention initiatives, and the completion of ongoing projects that are critical to achieving the objectives of our T.H.E.M.E.S agenda.
"The Honourable Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget will present to the general public the full details and breakdown of the budget in due course."


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Ask the Experts: Can HCV Be Transmitted Through Sex?
Hepatitis C (HCV) is passed through contact with contaminated blood. We've noticed that many people new to the hepatitis C community want to know if HCV be transmitted through sex. So, we asked our experts and here's what Corinne and Sue had to say:
Ask the Expert: From Corinne
Hepatitis C is spread from blood to blood contact; generally this happens when blood from a person infected with the Hepatitis C virus enters the body of someone who is not infected. Today, the most common route of HCV transmission is through intravenous or sharing injection drug equipment. Prior to 1992, many people contracted HCV through blood product transfusions. HCV can be transmitted through sexual contact, however, the risk is considered to be low.
According to the National Institutes of Health, for heterosexual discordant couples in monogamous relationships, the risk of HCV transmission is estimated only to be 0 to 0.6 percent. Based on the low risk of transmission, couples in a monogamous relationship do not need to use condoms, although it is important to know that condoms reduce the risk of transmission even more so.
However, there is increased risk for sexual transmission among individuals who have multiple sex partners and when sexual practices result in blood to blood exposure. The risk of sexual transmission is also more common among HIV-infected individuals, and men who have sex with men, especially if those partners are co-infected with HIV. If an individual has a sexually transmitted disease, engages in rough sex, or is co-infected with HIV it is recommended to use condoms to prevent the transmission of HCV as well as other sexually transmitted diseases. As always, it is important to discuss any risk factors with your doctor for appropriate education and counseling as each person's situation is unique. It is important to know that there is no evidence that kissing, hugging, or casual contact without exposure to blood is associated with HCV transmission.
Ask the Expert: From Sue
Hepatitis C virus is not considered a sexually transmitted disease. In order for hepatitis C to be contracted, blood from an infected partner must enter the bloodstream of a non-infected person. Unlike hepatitis B or HIV, the virus is not found in infective amounts in sexual body fluids.
On the rare occasion that someone is infected through sex, it is usually due to the person having a sexually transmitted infection that causes lesions or cuts in the genital tract or the female partner is menstruating. It is also transmitted more frequently between men who have sex with men, and in people who have sex with prostitutes, and in sex between couples who have more than 5 sexual partners. Anal sex puts a person at higher risk than the people who engage in vaginal sex. Rough sex increases risk of transmission, as well. In long term monogamous couples the rate of transmission is less than 2%. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not recommend the use of barrier protection in long term monogamous couples. Some of that 2% statistic may actually be because married couples take care of each when there is illness or an accident and blood may be exchanged during those times.
The important thing to remember is that if you have more than one sexual partner, or are not in a long term monogamous relationship, barrier protection should be used. In fact, safer sex should always be practiced between unmarried couples as there is a much higher likelihood of hepatitis B or HIV being transmitted. The Mayo Clinic also cautions that if a person is infected with HIV, they are at higher risk of contracting HCV. Condoms are approximately 99% protective. Get vaccinated for hepatitis A and hepatitis B. It's the best protection for those two viruses.
Ultimately, it's always beneficial to talk with your doctor or counselor about any concerns or ways to stay safe.
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Artists > Mike Davis
Mike Davis was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. He currently lives in Cleveland, Ohio and creates at his studio in Midtown. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Cleveland Institute of Art in May of 2012. Davis uses many small pieces of colored glass, called murrini, that are applied to the glass while hot. Those pieces of glass are combined to create patterns that Davis uses in one of his designed vessel series.
In 2014, Davis was nominated as a finalist for the Niche Awards – a nationally recognized publication of the outstanding achievement of American Craft.


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By Dustin Rowles | Lists | September 19, 2013 |
By Dustin Rowles | Lists | September 19, 2013 |
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, in support of his new movie, Don Jon, which arrives in theaters next week, appeared on Reddit to answer questions for an hour or so. These were his best answers.
1. Why aren't you Batman?
We're all Batman.
2. In the early seasons, your character seemed to fit in with Earth life the best and often seemed set up as a contrast to the stupidity of the older Solomons and this created humor from you having to deal with the consequences of their bumbling. In later seasons though, your character's apparent intelligence took a nosedive and you seemed to be just as clueless as the others about things, which to my mind made your character superfluous. What can you tell us about this apparent shift in tone for your character and your feelings about it then and now?
I suppose the longer anyone spends on earth, the closer we all get to becoming superfluous characters.
3. First movie? Favorite cartoon growing up? Most embarrassing on his playlist? Favorite Pokemon character?
Dumbo. Thundercats. The Sign, ACE OF BASE. Magic: The Gathering FTW.
4. Explain to me why I should go see Don Jon in a Haiku
fap fap fap fap fap / fap fap fap fap fap fap fap / fap fap fap fap fap // No just kidding um… hm… that's a hard one. no, that didn't come out right. shit
5. I know you're going to get this a lot but…will you marry me???
Yes. I'll marry you. It will be in the spring. In Italy. I'll wear Paul Smith. You, Chanel. We will ride off together on two white horses, and have a thousand orgasms as the sun sets over the golden horizon.
6. What every woman is wondering - what do you look for in a woman? Are you single?
I do my very best to not have any rigid expectations. I think the best, juiciest, mind blowing love comes as a surprise. If you're already looking for the items on your wish list, you're doomed. This is exactly what DON JON is about. Both my character and Scarlett's character are blinded by unrealistic expectations they've learned from pornography and Hollywood movies.
7. Hi Joe! Would you ever do a musical or act on stage in a play? Is the Guys and Dolls film just a rumor or is that really happening?
Chan and I definitely want to do a musical together. Guys and Dolls is one idea we're playing around with. Not sure if it'll happen, we'll see. But whatever it ends up being, it's gonna be frickin rad.
8. What was your inspiration behind Don Jon? Where did the storyline of porn come from?
I've always paid a lot of attention to the way media affects how we see the world. Probably because I've worked as an actor since I was a kid. I often find it funny (and occasionally horrifying) the way we are all influenced by the images we see on screens. Especially when it comes to love and sex and relationships. So I thought the story of a boyfriend and a girlfriend, where he watches too much pornography and she watches too many romantic Hollywood movies would be a funny way at talking about these sorts of things.
9. Why did you choose Scarlett Johansson for the female lead in Don Jon?
First of all because she's hilarious. See her on SNL? And she balances comedy and sincerity with a delicacy few actors can. Besides that, I thought she'd be a powerful presence in the movie because she's an acute example of what the movie's about. Scarlett is an extremely smart person, and a very talented artist. And yet most of what gets talked about is her looks. This part of our culture is what DON JON is poking fun at.
10. If you weren't in the movie/showbiz industry, where else do you see yourself? AKA have you ever re-assessed your life or ever thought that this industry wasn't for you?
This industry is definitely not for me. But I love making movies. Story telling never used to be wrapped up in a bunch of glitz and glamour. And soon enough, it won't be again.
11. How do you feel about giraffes?
If giraffes made a sound I would write it as an onomatopoeia in this reply.
12. Was Bane a big guy in real life? I mean, for you?
Tom is pure murder. Seen Bronson?
Hey man, would you consider singing a Barney song and uploading it to youtube?
Hate to be a hater, but I never liked Barney. One time I sang a sesame street song called I DON'T WANT TO LIVE ON THE MOON. Hold on, lemme find it.
See more Celebrity Facts.


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(By Ray D.)
In a speech given April 13 at an SPD forum on "Democracy, Participation, Future Sustainability and Justice," SPD party Chairman Franz Muentefering sharply criticized "the internationally growing power of capital and the total economization of short-winded trade for profit." He also lashed out at those calling for leaner government and less bureaucracy, accusing them of wanting to starve the state, which he sees as the great protector and guarantor of social democracy and democratic rights.
Here are the Muentefering money quotes:
"The internationally accelerated profit maximization strategies endanger our democracy long-term. (...)
Our critique is aimed at the internationally growing power of capital and the total economization of short-winded trade for profit. Because, through that, individual people and the future sustainability of entire firms and regions are lost from sight."
This is an absolutely fascinating statement from the chairman of the German SPD (Social Democrats), the party that currently runs Germany's coalition government. If Mr. Muentefering is so passionately concerned about the threat "short-winded trade for profit" poses to democracy worldwide, how can he explain SPD Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's plans to lift the EU arms embargo on China?
Is that what Muentefering means when he talks about putting people (thousands of political prisoners imprisoned and put to death in China on a yearly basis) and democracy (oppressive Chinese dictatorship, Tiananmen Square massacre, threats against Taiwan) ahead of trade and profit?
How can he explain the billion dollar deals signed (so recently the ink still hasn't dried) to sell German trains to Russia while securing German access to Moscow's vast natural gas and oil supplies? Is that another example of putting the "future sustainability" of firms and regions (Yukos going bankrupt, Chechnya a disaster) and human rights (thousands raped, tortured, imprisoned, dead and missing) ahead of profit maximization?
Oh yeah...let's not forget Saudi Arabia and other Arab states. The SPD and the German left never get tired of attacking American politics and business dealings in the Middle East. But just over a month ago, SPD "peace" Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder visited the Arabian peninsula with 70 German business leaders for an entire week. Business deals worth hundreds of millions of Euros were signed for everything from tanks to trains to communications systems. Is that yet another example of the SPD's concern for democracy in the face of the growing menace of international capital? Did "social democracy" and human rights really matter to Gerd Schroeder and his entourage while the cash registers were loudly ringing down in the land of one-thousand-and-one nights?
Down with international capital and short-winded profit...up with Social-Democracy! Viva la Revolution!
Errr...Would you like another tank, high-speed train or chemical plant to go with that order, Mr. Dictator, Sir?
Or were they worried more about German jobs, German industry, German exports and the German tax base? It seems that "the internationally growing power of capital" is not such a bad thing after all...as long as German companies and the German government are the ones making the money.
This much we know: The German left certainly has a remarkable aptitude for forgetting about human rights, democracy and social justice when it is convenient to do so. This is especially so when they are in power and German money and jobs are involved.
So let's get real comrades: SPD Chairman Muentefering's condemnation of "short-winded trade for profit" and "the internationally growing power of capital" is nothing but the desperate, tired and false rhetoric of a failed Socialist party that cannot see the prodigious extent of its own hypocrisy.
Update: Not surprisingly, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and his "Superminister" in charge of the Economy and Labor Wolfgang Clement support Muentefering's rhetoric.


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After nine Madea films, only two of which I've seen, Tyler Perry has chosen to pull the plug on the "iconic" character with this latest outing, A Madea Family Funeral. Having experience with two of the least popular films in the franchise, it's safe to say that I had more fun with this than either of the Boo! films.
Tyler Perry returns to direct, star, and write once again for A Madea Family Funeral. While aspects of this film may not be top notch cinema, I have to give praise to Perry for being able to properly orchestrate dramatic (more so melodramatic) scenes and a majority of the time having them hit in some capacity. I wouldn't say his direction is the most fluent, as there's a lot of focus on himself and Madea's friends and relatives instead of locating the shot on the situation that's being spoken of. This is most noticeable during a scene at a hotel where you can't see the main reason the scene exists and instead get an entire scene of jokes revolving around the thing we can't visibly see to understand the humor completely. His film isn't incoherent though, it just doesn't feel like it belongs in a modern cinema or arthouse, instead seemingly more meant for a straight to television movie.
I think I've more or less figured out Tyler Perry's secret to making these films...he takes a Hallmark/Lifetime movie plot and just adds Madea/friends for commentary. The writing is incredibly predictable, and the humor falls flat a vast majority of the time, however when it works, it actually works quite well. When it comes to dialogue and plot scenarios, the film is lacking entirely of great quality, with plenty of the scenes feeling as though the actors, namely Perry, made the dialogue up on the spot. For those curious of the plot details, after a secret affair within the family is revealed to several relatives, they must keep the secret to themselves after the cheating relative passes away. During this scenario, Madea and family have a difficulty controlling themselves while hijinks occur during the ceremony. Predictable, slightly cliché, and certainly the quality of something you would find on network television, it's not something you should race out to see; on the tv it may be worth a watch, and that's exactly where it's meant to be.
In many people's eyes, Madea is either overdone by now, or on the contrary, a "classic" character. But everyone knows Madea whether they want to or not. For myself, with this being the third time seeing the character in action, I actually found her to be quite funny. While sure, her dialogue at times fell completely flat on the curb, other times it had me struggling for air. I had several really enthusiastic chuckles during this final film, and that's in part for Perry's performance as Madea and Joe particularly. However when it comes to Madea's friends, Hattie and Bam, Hattie is inexcusable as a character - she is literally one of the worst character in feature film history, and Bam is just kind of there, as she really never causes too much trouble. But placing Tyler Perry's characters aside, the Hallmark movie we are left with is less than thrilling with poor performances all around, which makes the one strong performance near the film's finale by actress Jen Harper as the mother shine so thoroughly. Her monologue with her children giving confessions is possibly the only reason the film held up for me besides the hilarious occasional joke from Madea or Joe. Lots of wasted talent and flat jokes ruin what this film could have been with much feeling rushed and improvised on the spot for the scene.
The score resembles that of a made-for-TV drama: generic and unoriginal. It has nothing to offer people who want something even slightly different than the usual affair. The sound effects are average at best, but nothing stands out as being particularly clever or decent in my mind, so I'd say it missed several opportunities with its audio choices.
Since back when Norbit debuted, it's not that often that we see an actor other than Tyler Perry putting on and taking off this much makeup to play several crucial roles in a film. The makeup is fantastic; it's clearly prosthetics and the movie magic may be wearing thin on these character designs, but the performance given by Perry makes them come to life. Perry's characters get a big thumbs up in the makeup and costume department, while Madea's friend Hattie is not only annoying, but looks awkward as well. It amazes me that Perry can look great in his makeup as both a woman and a man, while smaller characters such as Hattie and even Bam look nowhere near the level that Perry does. However, beyond Perry's four characters, the makeup is either lackluster on the smaller characters, or simply just doesn't exist.
A Madea Family Funeral is the final film in the franchise, and while I personally don't believe it to be true, we have to take it at face value. So as a final film in a long running series, I have to say that this film is average at best; sure I chuckled, sometimes belted out laughing, but a majority of the runtime I was looking at my watch for the time. For fans of Perry's Madea series, you should probably check this one out, but just be warned that this feels like another adventure with the character and not at all like a conclusion to her or any of Perry's characters' stories.


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All the Way from Outer Space
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Landing in an open field near Cleveland, Pod automatically cloaked and began collecting data. Sphere remained in deep space. Our Earth identities would surely keep us inconspicuous as we separated and blended into the population. After a time, we re-established contact and set about creating our very own blend of music using terrestrial instruments. Electric and acoustic guitar, bass and synthesizer formed our core sound. A little percussion was added here and there and of course some really cool singing. Since it's customary to name things on this planet, we named our band Buzz Forward and Space Boy and call our music 'Space Music'. We then used our imagination and added some really spacey sounds recorded during our travels to impart a cosmic flavor. As humble intergalactic music icons, we always dedicate ourselves to being different and creating new forms of musical entertainment wherever we visit. So after traveling more than 470 light years just to visit Earth, here we are - and there you are - so stand back - brace yourself - take a deep breath - because... All The Way From Outer Space...it's...Buzz Forward and Space Boy. THE EARLY YEARS In the beginning, we were searching. Searching for that unique combination of music and insanity. We finally called it Space Music. Band names that preceded Buzz Forward and Space Boy: N.B.S. Angel, Alfred and Crow 13th Hour The Vomit Pigs The Crew Balls Dreaming In Delta Our equipment, Then and Now.......What the %$#@ was that??? * still in service! Gibson E-B3 Bass Gibson Les Paul Fender Stratocaster* Fender Bass* Echoplex Phase Shifter* The Box (frequency generator with a ten turn potentiometer) Arp Odyssey* (used in Cruisin') Wah-Wah Pedals Other Pedals* Lowrey Organ* (used in Nomad) Roland D-50 Roland Drum Machine Roland XP-50* (most of our drums) Roland XP-30* (wow) Maracas Tambourine mic dragging on carpet various forced gastrointestinal sounds* staple gun versus screen door bugs and frogs over distant traffic at night* lightening*, thunder actually, real close by out in the street (used in Cruisin') a plane flew over garbage can Marty's cowbell Pam's organ golf balls in a bucket of water (in the giant story) and an occasional Tennis Shoe.


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If you love language and you enjoy retellings of the old fairy tales have I got a treat for you. Neil Gaiman has a decidedly delicious tale to share. He knows that kids love to be scared, and his retelling of the Hansel and Gretel story fits that bill, with a vengeance. Lorenzo Mattotti matches the feelings the story evokes in his haunting dark silhouette images.
Mr. Gaiman wastes not a word as he brings this old story to a brand new generation of readers. I love it from first page to last, having read it numerous times to savor each and every word. It's design is stunning and will captivate readers with each turn of the page. Two pages of glorious text are consistently followed by a double page spread which provides a perfect backdrop for the dark tale of desperate parents putting themselves before the welfare of their children. Their lives have been enormously changed by the war that has ravaged their country. The family now lives a life of misery.
"If you do not eat," said his wife, "then you will not be
able to swing an axe. And if you cannot cut down a tree,
or haul the wood into town, then we all starve and die.
Two dead are better than four dead. That is mathematics,
and it is logic."
"I care for neither your mathematics nor your logic,"
grumbled the woodcutter. "But I can argue no more."
And Hansel heard only silence from his parents' bed."
Mr. Gaiman's witch has few of the characteristics we might know from earlier stories. She appears to be a softer, gentler version: appearances can be deceiving. Her house is just as appealing, enticing the very hungry children to eat. The witch has poor eyesight, a bad temper and explains that she no longer has any skills for hunting the meat she craves, She expresses sadness at their plight. She may be old; she is undeniably strong. Soon, Hansel is caged and Gretel is chained.
"The old woman was stronger than she looked - a sinewy,
gristly strength: she picked Hansel up, and carried the
sleeping boy into the empty stable at the rear of the little
house, where there was a large metal cage with rusty bars.
She dropped him onto the straw, for there was only straw
on the floor, along with a few ancient and well-chewed
bones, and she locked the cage, and she felt her way along
the wall, back to her house.
"Meat," she said, happily."
If you are a fan, you will know that Neil Gaiman loves to tell a dark and fantastic tale. He does not leave us in darkness, thankfully. Lorenzo Mattotti matches his storytelling with some pretty decent storytelling of his own in the dark, often forbidding images he creates to accompany the text. Only when the father is finally reunited with his children does he allow a more generous light.
Master storytellers? Indeed, they are. Bravo, gentlemen!


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Seattle Mayor Ed Murray's housing affordability plan needs to go on a road show.
SEATTLE Mayor Ed Murray presented the city with a brokered deal to increase affordable housing over the next decade. The deal was cut by a 28-member committee mostly consisting of developers and advocates. Just one neighborhood representative was in the room when the plan was cooked up.
No such deal has been cut with city residents, who are being asked to accept many concessions in pursuit of the mayor's goal of lower housing prices and rents.
On behalf of their interests, City Hall needs to hear a clear message: Slow down. Resist boiler-room pressure from the city's activist fringe to rush this plan into law. No vote should take place on this proposal until the next City Council — with members elected from newly created districts — is seated. Remember, voters embraced district elections to increase the voice of the city's neighborhoods.
The purported fix to the city's housing affordability problem, as presented by Murray's Housing Affordability and Livability Advisory (HALA) Committee, would add a historic 50,000 new housing units to Seattle within a decade. An estimated 20,000 of them would be reserved for low-income tenants (at the high end, that means affordable for a family of four earning $65,800 annually). Among the proposed 65 specific recommendations are vigorous building requirements, more contributions from developers and fatter public subsidies.
Restoring some semblance of affordability is a crucial goal, or else the city will lose its working class roots. And the growth is coming regardless because Seattle is a winner in the global jobs market.
Restoring some semblance of affordability is a crucial goal, or else the city will lose its working class roots."
But the mayor's focus has been on expanding affordable housing, and not on the broader consequences to Seattle embracing more tower cranes with a bear hug. The HALA committee proposes bigger, denser neighborhood cores, less parking in new buildings and more fees by developers.
On the most contentious issue — changing development rules in single-family zones — Murray engages in thick spin. The mayor said Tuesday that 94 percent of those areas won't be upzoned — or allowed to grow more dense — suggesting no change in housing density. But the HALA report recommends code changes that would, in fact, open lots in single-family neighborhoods citywide to duplexes, triplexes, row houses and town homes. If Murray is actually going to convince the city homeowners to accept this change, he needs to be straight with the facts.
In isolation, many of HALA's recommendations make sense. Seattle, however, is already spasming with years of blind growth. Development has not been tightly linked to amenities and services needed to make growth palatable. About 6,000 Seattle public-school students are housed in portables today, due to overcrowding. How prepared is the city and its government partners for many, many more people?
Inside City Hall, these kind of questions are dismissed as NIMBY protectionism — or, as the Planning and Development Department Director Diane Sugimura said this week, it's simply "opposition to change." Actually, neighborhoods often merely want design standards to protect against ugly or poorly constructed town homes popping up like pimples.
Murray and the City Council should take the HALA report on the road. Hold a hearing in each of the new Seattle City Council districts. The council must recognize that it is a lame-duck council. Representatives of the seven new city districts will be seated in January, and will be better positioned to reflect neighborhoods' perspectives.
The housing crunch in Seattle is a whale of a problem, years in the making. But if city leaders rush a plan unvetted by their constituents, they risk squeezing out the unique character and way of life that make Seattle a place worth living in.
Slow down. And make the case.


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If you've been watching our shows these past couple of days, then you know we're celebrating "State Fair Foods" all week long! Since we all love the food offered at state fairs so much, we thought you'd love learning how you can make them in your own kitchen (that way you don't have to wait a whole year to eat some of your favorites!).
Yesterday, Howard showed you how to make tasty Root Beer Dogs, which were so good everyone in the office had their fair share. But today, I was extra-excited about something that we were going to make using this classic beauty:
We've got quite a few popcorn lovers in the Test Kitchen, including my coworker Amy, who can usually be found carrying her favorite popcorn salt in her purse! So, when we found out Howard was going to be making Irresistible Caramel Corn, you know we had to get a front row seat!
If you've always wanted to know how to make caramel corn at home, check out these behind-the-scenes, step-by-step photos of how Howard made it in the Test Kitchen:
Step 1: Gather all of your ingredients, including some plain popped popcorn. You can make your popcorn any way you want, or purchase it already popped. (We used our fancy popcorn machine, and the smell was incredible!)
Step 2: Make your caramel sauce by cooking brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, cream of tartar, and salt, stirring constantly while it cooks.
Step 3: Remove your caramel mixture from the heat and stir in the baking soda. You'll notice that the baking soda will start to make your caramel mixture foam up a little (and maybe lighten up a bit), that's 'cause the baking soda is reacting to the other ingredients. Adding baking soda will help give your caramel mixture a softer texture when it finally sets.
Step 4: Immediately pour the caramel sauce over your popcorn (so it doesn't harden up!) and stir the popcorn until it's evenly coated.
Step 5: Place your caramel popcorn mixture onto a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, stir, then continue baking for another 30 minutes. Once it's cooled, you can go ahead and enjoy it right away, or store it in an airtight container for future snacking! (Caramel corn can be stored for 1-2 weeks.)
I don't know about you, but now that I know how to make caramel corn I may need to look into purchasing some stocks in popcorn, because I'm going to be making this all the time. In fact, I'm already thinking ahead of time and imagining what an amazing gift this would make during the holidays!
In case caramel corn isn't your thing, or you love popcorn so much you need new ways to eat it all the time, here are some other tasty, coated-popcorn treats, from bloggers, you could try!:
Clockwise from top left: PB&J Popcorn | Churro Popcorn | Muddy Buddy Popcorn | Cookies and Cream Popcorn | S'mores Popcorn
I hope that you'll give our caramel corn recipe a try, but before you start poppin' those kernels, I'd like to know:
What's your favorite state fair food?
P.S. Be sure to check back soon for another state-fair-favorite how-to! And don't forget to check out our collection of State Fair Food Favorites!
- Vegetarian Party Appetizers for the Holidays - December 1, 2017
- How to Make: Ham and Cheese Lasagna - September 5, 2017
- How to Make: Ice Cream Sundae Cupcakes - July 5, 2017


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Atherton Caltrain station
Atherton Station is a weekend-only Caltrain station located in Atherton, California. It serves all 32 and 28 weekend Caltrains and does not serve weekday trains. This station has two tracks, one side platform and one island platform. Because of the narrow center platform, a hold-out rule had been instituted at this station, allowing only one train to enter the station at a time. Car and bicycle parking is avaliable. The preceding station is Redwood City, the following station is Menlo Park.
California Avenue Caltrain station
California Avenue Station is a Caltrain station in Palo Alto, California. The current structure was built in 1983. The preceding station is Palo Alto, the following station is San Antonio toward Gilroy. Platforms are wheelchair accessible. This station has two tracks and two side platform. Car and bicycle parking is avaliable.
Downtown Mountain View station
Downtown Mountain View station is an intermodal passenger transportation station that serves the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority light rail system, Caltrain commuter rail line, and numerous bus and shuttle routes, located in Mountain View, California. This station has two tracks and two side platforms for Caltrain railroad line as well as for VTA light rail. Platforms are wheelchair accessible. Car and bicycle parking is available. The preceding station is San Antonio, the following station is Sunnyvale. This station is a terminus for VTA Light Rail Mountain View–Winchester line. The following light rail station is Evelyn.


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I did not go to Malaysia just to see the Twin Towers of KL or visit a theme park in Genting Highlands, or to splurge in the popular Langkawi Island. Peninsular Malaysia is more than just all of those famous places. The adventurer and the nature-lover in me chose to trek in a jungle and sunbathe in a far away tropical paradise.
I was prepared to travel solo all the way. In the middle of my planning stages, a Malaysian guy friend offered to accompany me to Perhentian where he does his diving and a very kind woman invited me to celebrate the Hari Raya with her family. I received more genuine and kind offers after that. They also gave me a lot of help on my itinerary. I'm telling you, Malaysians are one of the nicest people in the world. Well, based on my experience. ;) Two months before the trip, I met a travel buddy from Europe. Plans and some destinations were changed.
I'm glad I met Moon in Couchsurfing. I instantly got a friend and a travel buddy. It was so awesome that our travel dates matched and that we love to do the same stuff. She lives and study in London but her parents are Chinese-Malay. She was born and raised in Holland, thus she has a Dutch passport. She spent her two-month vacation in Malaysia for 2012. That was how we met. :)
|with Moon :)
Our initial plan was to explore the more off-beat Endau Rompin National Park down south, then head off to Tioman Island. Endau Rompin looks more exciting and challenging. It was so off-the-beaten that there are only a few travel agencies that offer tours and it is almost impossible to do-it-yourself. Even my local Malaysian friends had a hard time getting its info for me. We checked the tours and it was ludicrously overpriced! Package rates ranges RM 400-700 (PHP 5-9K). Like, are you effin kidding me? Unfortunately, they weren't. So we changed our plans and settled for the more tourist friendly Taman Negara.
Malaysia Day 3
Our call time that day was 7:00 AM for the registration. I left one of my bags in my KL Hostel (Sunshine Bedz) so I can travel lighter ahead. Moon and I just paid for our one way transportation and boat transfer. The tour type will be decided upon when we reached their main office in Jerantut.
|our 1st destination
It was a 2-hour ride from KL. In Jerantut, we were given the chance to book our tours and onward transportations and have lunch. We ended up just booking a 4D3N tour instead of our original plan to stay longer for some reasons. Then we also pre-purchased our tickets back and onward to Kuala Besut and ultimately to Perhentian Islands.
When everyone was all set, we rode the coach again and were transported to Kuala Tembeling where we will ride a boat to Kuala Tahan, Taman Negara. It was 30-40 minutes from the booking office. Before boarding the boat, you have to pay for a "Camera License" for RM 5 each. You will not be allowed to use your camera in the park vicinity if you don't have it.
|all set to sail
This is the boat. It is a long wooden one with no outtrigger, but motorized. It has a tin roof but God, it was still so hot!
|river cruise under the midday sun
Believe it or not, it takes 3 long hours to get to Taman Negara National Park from Kuala Tembeling. At first, you'll feel fascinated and you'll be enjoying the river and the forest landscape. But after an hour or so, you'll start to feel the intense heat of the sun and the numbing sensation in your butt.
|local fishermen
There's actually a road going the National Park and traveling through it, is much faster. The tourism authority just wanted the visitors to experience and see more by cruising the river.
|water buffalos
While on the river, we saw how rich Taman Negara is. Malaysia seems to be doing a very good job at preserving it. It is evident by the thick trees and the very clean river. I secretly wished it was the same here.
|the riverview from Floating Resto
We finally arrived after 3 hours! We were dropped off at the LBK Floating Restaurant. This is NKS' Taman Negara headquarters. We ironed out our tours with them before looking for accommodation. We scheduled ourselves for the Inner Jungle Adventure for the following day.
|chilling at the resto
When we were settled with our Chalet niche, we went down to the restaurant to chill and have early dinner. We actually had joined the Night Safari thing that night too. But I was disappointed that there was nothing much to see. I am not posting the unsatisfactory photos I took that night. Do not get that offer! It'll just be a waste of money.
Malaysia Day 4
Taman Negara Canopy Walk
We woke up early, excited for our Inner Jungle adventure. We're not leaving until 9:00 AM, so we all went to Canopy Walk first. It's on the other side of the river though so we had to be brought across there.
|adventurous ladies :)
It only takes about 5 minutes to get there. There is a RM 1.00 admission fee for the Canopy Walk.
|it starts here
As I've mentioned earlier, don't forget to bring your camera license. The authorities are checking it. The photo below is the view of what you'll be looking at while at the canopy.
|deep and dense
Taman Negara is said to be the world's oldest tropical rainforest dating back over 130 million years ago. Its location is far enough away from the ice during the Ice Ages so these forests are said to be even older than the Amazon (in Latin America) and Congo (in Africa).
|canopy walkway
|fearless :)
They initially created these suspension bridges for biological research purposes before they turn it into a tourist attraction. They said it is the longest canopy walkway in the world. For me, it wasn't scary at all. The bridges were very safe and secure. You can tell by the way it looks and feel while you're walking. It is very steady.
|view of Tembeling River from the tree top
I've never seen trees that many and a forest so thick without traces of human intrusion. Everywhere you look is just brown and green. Just Mother Earth and Nature. It felt so nice just to close your eyes for a second and breathe from that tree top.
|hiking back to the river
It was an eye-opening experience. It will show you how important it is to preserve the trees and the forests. It will also remind you of how beautiful it is to live in a world where man and nature can co-exist. Then this Jason Mraz song played on and on in my mind...
♪And this place it will outlive me
Before I get to heaven I'll climb that tree♫
♪And I will have to give my thanks
For giving me the branch to swing on♫
~Jason Mraz
This is Part 4-1 of my Peninsular Malaysia travel series.


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Caperdonich is not a very well known distillery, actually it is quite obscure. It started its life way back in 1898 with the very un-unique name of Glen Grant No. 2. Not exactly an inspiring name for a single malt whisky distillery. But Glen Grant No. 2 is what it appeared to functionally be, an additional production facility for Glen Grant. The distillery was initially only open for 4 years before being shut down and it remained closed for over 60 years. Then in 1965 it was reopened and renamed Caperdonich. It stayed in production until 2002 when it was closed again and has remained silent since then. Most of Caperdonich's output ended up in blends so it is not often that you will find a bottle of single malt Caperdonich.
Distilled 1996 and bottled in 2008
Cask No. 82228 (Hogshead)
Bottled at 43% ABV
Color: The whitest of white wine – hell its almost clear!
Nose: Lots of malt, straw, grass, Mott's apple sauce, licorice notes in the back.
Palate: Doughy but thin, hints of oak and heather. Not much to it at all though.
Finish: Short, really short – where did it go? Was it even here?
Comments: The nose was really nice, straight forward, but nice. I was expecting there to be a lot more on the palate. But unfortunately it just wasn't there. This expression is entirely pedestrian and rather forgettable. This is my first and only Capperdonich, I really hope that there are some better expressions out there. Anyone???


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In the period of October 30-31, 2008 in Lisbon, Portugal took place the international Forum "Geographical Indications and Appellations of Origin" organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization" (WIPO) under the support of the National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) of Portugal. The Forum was dedicated to the 50-th anniversary of the approving the Lisbon Agreement for the protection of appellations of origin and their. international registration.
The Lisbon Agreement concluded on October 31, 1958 in the frame of the Diplomatic Conference conducted to the creation of the system of international protection and registration of the appellations of origin. The Lisbon system administered by WIPO entered in force in 1966 and today numbers 26 members-states, giving possibility to extend the protection of the origin in the member-states by a single procedure of registration.
The Republic of Moldova is the member of the Lisbon Agreement for the protection of appellations of origin and their. international registration from April 4, 2004 (Law of the Republic of Moldova No. 1328-XIV of October 27, 2000).
In the frame of the Forum there took place an exchange of views on the best practice of the Lisbon system implementation, importance of the international system of appellations of origin registration, trends of the development and necessities of reformation the system from the point of view of the last evolutions in the field of geographical indications and appellations of origin on the international level.
The Republic of Moldova was represented in this reunion by Ion Daniliuc, vice-director general of AGEPI.


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On Wednesday, Patreon started to email creators and patrons that they were changing their fee structure. First, they were increasing their transaction fees from "once monthly for all pledges" to "once per pledge". Second, they were going to stop charging transaction fees to the creators and start adding them to the patrons' bills.
This effectively ended Patreon's relevance to the microtransaction problem.
The "microtransaction problem" is that there is no good long-distance way to pay someone a dollar. Small transactions take as many resources as large transactions, so payment processors, whether they're credit cards or Paypal or a bank, often charge a flat fee per transaction.
Patreon's old model solved this problem by aggregating all the pledges a single patron made, and thereby paying one processing fee for all that patron's pledges. They then split the cost of that single processing fee across all creators that patron supported. Patreon also charged a flat 5%, which was to cover the cost of the service Patreon provided. This meant that what fraction of each pledge a creator received depended on the how many other creators their patrons patronized. For instance: if a creator had a patron who pledged $1 to them and had no other pledges, that creator would get 60 cents of the $1 because there was no one else to split the fee with. If one patron pledged $1 each to 30 different creators, then the transaction fee on $30 would be $1.22 split across 30 people, or 4 cents each. Each creator would get 91 cents of the dollar pledge. So creators' take-away was a variable number. According to Patreon's own post, creators got 85% to 93% of their pledges. That appears to be an "on average", since I spoke with one creators who'd had only one pledge for $1 in their first month, and they only got 60% of that dollar.
Under their new model, Patreon plans to bill separately for each pledge, instead of grouping them all together. They are also adding the transaction fees to the pledge: 2.9% + $0.35 each. So a patron pledging $1 each to 30 creators will now see 30 charges of $1.38 each on their statement from the credit card/Paypal/whomever, instead of a single $30 charge. Since the new model doesn't pass transaction fees to the creator, the creator gets exactly 95% of the pledge.
I have seen a lot of people argue that Patreon made this change because they were previously losing money on transaction fees. As far as I can tell, this is not accurate. They're changing from a model of "we aggregate charges to minimize processing fees and split whatever processing fee there is between creators" to "we do not aggregate charges and we pass the resulting higher processing fees to the patron".
Initially, Patreon attempted to spin this as purely a benefit to the creator: "We're going to give them 95% of all pledges! More money for them!" But on low-dollar pledges, most creators will now receive a lot less of the money their patrons spend. A typical creator might have gotten 85% of money spent on $1 pledges before. Now they get 70%.
That 5% for Patreon plus 2.9% + 35 cent transaction fee on every pledge amounts to a 45% surcharge on $1 pledges. It's big, and it stays at more than 10% until you get to single pledges of $15 or more per month.
On Thursday, Patreon amended their post to say they are no longer aggregating the pledges because they want to fix the problem of "patrons start a subscription after the 1st of the month and then cancel it before the start of the next month, in order to receive the monthly rewards without ever paying the fee."
I want to be clear that this is a real problem that Patreon wishes to fix. You can see it in action at Graphtreon. Note how pledges rise sharply throughout the month and then crash horribly on the first? A lot of people are bailing the day before they are billed.
Graphtreon also shows how bad this move was for Patreon's subscription rate: instead of getting a smooth upward climb for December the way there was for prior months, we get a smooth curve through the 6th --- and then it falls on the 7th, the day after the news hit.
It's not clear why Patreon decided de-aggregating the pledges was the best fix for the cancellation problem. It is clearly not the only fix: they could do pro-rated charges for a fraction of the first month, or do a full charge for the 1st month and then pro-rate the second month (which is a little confusing to the consumer but probably the ideal solution). Either way, they'd still be able to aggregate subsequent months and minimize transaction fees.
One person hypothesized that Patreon doesn't want to be regulates as a money-services provider, and that aggregating and disbursing funds as they did was too much like one. I don't know enough about the relevant law to tell whether or not this matters. It seems a little weird for it to be, since that would kind of make, say, Amazon a money-services provider every time I buy multiple e-books by different publishers in one transaction. But laws and regulations are weird things, so maybe.
It's also unclear why Patreon decided to pass the increase in transaction fees on to the patron. This looks like a particularly bone-headed move from a tax standpoint, because the creator is a business owner who can write off the transaction fee as a business expense, and the patron can't. Maybe this route allows Patreon to get the tax write-off themselves? I don't know, but it seems unlikely that it changes Patreon's tax equation. Regardless, all the creators I've talked to would rather have absorbed the higher fees than made their patrons do so. If this was a PR move because Patreon thought patrons would be less price-sensitive than creators: huge miscalculation there. Some creators would have chosen to fume quietly about it rather than causing a public uproar, but this method meant Patreon had to contact all their customers and FOOM. Now everyone's mad at them.
I'd like to note that while I think it highly unlikely that Patreon was losing money on transaction fees, that is not the same as saying they weren't losing money on small-dollar pledges. It may be that Patreon wants to drive off the small-dollar pledges because they consider them unimportant to their business model and more costly in terms of bandwidth/customer service/something else than they are worth. Patreon may want to focus on only creators who want pledges of $15 or more. Whether that's right or not, this article makes it clear that
Patreon wants "financially successful" creators who bring a large fanbase with them before they launch on Patreon. Conversely, they want to drive low-earning creators off their platform.
This isn't a very effective way of accomplishing either of those particular goals, however. Increasing the per-pledge fees doesn't target specifically creators who make a small amount OR patrons who don't pay much to Patreon total. It hurts the creator who makes $10,000 a month on 9,000 pledges a lot more than the creator who makes $30 on 2 pledges. It hurts the patron who donates $100 a month to 50 creators more than the patron who donates $15 to one. It's targeting pledge size. And per Graphtreon, Patreon's biggest creators do not have average donors of $15+. The ones who don't have their income hidden largely make $5 or less per patron.
However interesting Patreon's stated or possible reasons for the change may be, bottom line: they are not likely to change course now.
For creators who use Patreon as a tip jar for their work elsewhere, Patreon is all but pointless now. You might as well use Paypal, because it's cheaper. Creators who use Patreon's ability to provide locked content to incentivize donors have a harder problem to solve. But I suspect we're going to see people working to solve it again.
I've cancelled all but a couple of pledges through Patreon already, and my last two will go before the end of the month. I will find other ways to support creators (and in three cases, already have). For me, Patreon doesn't bring enough value for what they now cost, and I want to vote with my wallet on the matter. I never had a Patreon myself, so it doesn't affect me as a creator.
The things that annoy me most about it now are Patreon's terrible messaging on the subject, and that they rolled it out in December. Seriously? "We're chasing off half your customers, creators! Happy Holidays!"
This entry was originally posted at https://rowyn.dreamwidth.org/621547.html. Please comment there using OpenID.


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درس چهار
A man was travelling abroad in a small red car One day he left the car and went shopping When he came back its roof was badly damaged Some boys told him that an elephant had damaged it The man did not believe them but they took him to a circus which was near there The owner of the elephant said 'I am very sorry!
My elephant has a big round red chair He thought that your car was his chair and he sat on it!' Then he gave the man a letter in which he said that he was sorry and that he would pay for all the damage.
When the man got back to his own country the customs officers would not believe his story They said 'You sold your new car while you were abroad and bought this old one!' It was only when the man showed them the letter from the circus man that they believed him.
1: What was the man doing at the beginning of the story?
2:Where did he leave his car?
3: Why did he leave it there?
4: What did he see when he came back?
5: What did the boys say?
6: Where did they take him?
7: What did the owner of the elephant say?
8: Why had the elephant sat on the car?
9: What did the owner of the elephant do then?
10: What did he write in his letter?
11: What happened when the man returned to his own country?
12: What did the customs men say?
13: How did the man make them believe him?


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Mippin Brings the Web to Mobiles
Mippin (formerly Refresh Mobile), whose browser-based site presents content specially designed for mobile consumption, says it has named a new CEO and reached a milestone of 500,000 users. But I question its ability to survive.
The London-based startup's service also learns what users like and recommends stories based on their previous interests. I call it a mobile portal analogous to Yahoo, MSN, Netvibes or PageFlakes, but Judy Gibbons, the new CEO, has a different definition. She says it's a mobile media services company, in that it optimizes PC content for consumption on a mobile device. "We believe there is only one Internet – there is not a separate mobile one," Gibbons told me via email. "But mobile presents different challenges and opportunities and there is real user value to having all this content in one place in the same consistent format with a great fast user experience."
Whatever you call it, Mippin needs to gain wide adoption in a crowded area to support its advertising-based revenue model. The market includes efforts by Yahoo, Microsoft and Google, and according to ad network AdMob — which does business with Mippin — the number of mobile portals is steadily rising (see graph). Obviously the mobile world cannot support 500 varying portals. Even in the PC web world, portals have problems.
Despite impressive growth from its October 2007 launch, averaging 110 page views per user and advertising click-through rates of 3 percent and 15 percent for contextual ads, (way better than the .5 percent rates on other mobile sites), I'm not sure Mippin will deliver the audience advertisers need given the amount of competition fighting for consumers' eyes. It's a nice service, but unfortunately that doesn't always win out.


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Last month when ArtistData was gobbled up by Sonicbids there was more than a few sad faces at NRP offices. But Brenden from ArtistData assured us this was for the best. Sonicbids had more resources, could reach a bigger audience and bring a better product to the musical middle class as Sonicbids caters too.
Well recently Brenden made a welcomed announcement, Sonicbids will be moving to FREE gig submissions. Yippe!
As some of you know it costs money to submit to most (bigger) gigs. SXSW, NXNE, Pop Montreal, CMJ, etc., all cost you around $30 a go. In the course of a year for an up and coming band that can add up. Especially as Sonicbids stores your credit card info and applying is crazy easy to do, so you can do some damage to your pocket quite quickly (These submission fees come on top of your monthly Sonicbids membership).
Sonicbids claims "We eventually want the vast majority of the gigs on the site to be free, but we are going to roll things out slowly so we can test how things work." This sounds like a great intention, but I'm skeptical on how this will work. SXSW for example, is able to pay for much of their back line setup from the thousands of submission fees bands send in. If you take that away a large chunk of revenue will be lost.
Update: Panos from Sonicbids let us know that premium gigs like SXSW and CMJ will continue to have fees… because they always have, predating the creation of Sonicbids. Sad face
So I wonder, with the addition of free gig submissions and the acquisition of ArtistData, will a price increase be coming down the pipe for Sonicbids users? It doesn't seem that unlikely. But for now you're still going to be paying for most gigs. No free SXSW just yet.


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AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 15, 2012 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Blings, Inc. releases details for its crowd-funding project on Indiegogo.com for intelligent lighted shoes. Blings™ are the world's first illuminated shoes that will interact with an iPhone or Android device. The idea was to bring together the elements of style, functionality and technology into a coherent product that can be worn anywhere, which will stand out in a crowd.
To communicate with the Blings, simply pair them with an iPhone or Android device via Bluetooth, then download and install the free App and they're ready to go.
Once the App has been launched, it will give you several options on how to control the Blings. Press the "ON" button to turn all the lights on. Press the "Preset" button to cycle through the programmed sequences. Press the "Music" button and the Blings will react to audio or your step.
However, one of the coolest features is when you receive a call, the blue lights will flash continuously until you pick up or the phone stops ringing; and when you get a text message, the blue light will flash the word "TEXT" in Morse code three times.
Blings are equipped with blue LEDs in the heel and orange EL (Electroluminescent) lighting along the sides.
"Ever since I first saw 'TRON' as a child, I've been fascinated by the computers, technology and fashion in that movie," said Victor Wong, CEO, Blings. "I am glad to have the opportunity to merge high-tech and fashion into something new and cool."
Blings are made from the highest quality materials including an all leather upper section. The EL lighting is extremely flexible and waterproof. The LED lights are embedded into the sole of the shoe, making Blings very durable and capable of being worn daily.
A push button switch on the brain in the tongue of the shoe allows the user to select various functions and presets for the Blings so they can be used without a smart phone.
Blings will be offered in all standard sizes for both men and women as well as in white and black colors.
[ Stale/invalid URL removed ]
News issued by: Blings, Inc.
# # #
Original Story ID: 2012-10-1015-002 (8251) :: Blings-Indiegogo-Crowd-Funding-Project-Lights-Up-iPhone-and-Android-Interactive-Sneakers_2012-10-1015-002
Original Keywords: Blings, Inc. Austin Texas AUSTIN, Texas
Alternate Headline: Blings Inc Crowd-Funding Project Lights-Up New Sneakers with iPhone and Android Interactive Connection
NEWS ARCHIVE NOTE: this archival news content, issued by the news source via Send2Press Newswire, was originally located in the Send2Press® 2004-2015 2.0 news platform and has been permanently converted/moved (and redirected) into our 3.0 platform. Also note the story "reads" counter (bottom of page) does not include any data prior to Oct. 30, 2016. This press release was originally published/issued: Mon, 15 Oct 2012 12:53:34 +0000
News Source: Blings, Inc.


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Dubious has created history with his Breeders' Plate win at Randwick as the first Victorian-trained horse to win Sydney's first juvenile race of the season for colts and geldings.
Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace for Aquis Farm, Dubious was a $19 chance in Saturday's 1000m sprint despite his win in a Randwick barrier trial 12 days earlier.
After the colt held up the start of the race to be re-shod, Michael Walker was positive out of the gates with Dubious sitting off Covert Ops ($11) as they turned for home.
The pair settled down to fight out the finish with Dubious getting the better of his rival by a short head.
Krameric ($7) was another 1-1/2 lengths third.
"He was our most precocious colt," Maher said.
"Shane McGrath from Aquis mentioned the idea. It's a stallion-making race and that's what we aim to do with this horse. So he's started career very well.
"I'm just rapt to be able to win. If it's history, that's even better. Michael Walker does a lot of work for us at home also, so great for him to be on board."
Maher said he intended to concentrate more on Sydney racing.
"You'll" definitely see more of me in Sydney," he said.
"I might leave Dave in Melbourne. That is the plan. We are looking to settle and grow in Sydney."
Dubious has spent the past three weeks staying with Rosehill trainer Gerald Ryan, trainer of the runner-up.
"My bloke was brave," Ryan said.
"He had to go forward otherwise he would have been stuck four-wide.
"The winner has been staying with us and he turned out to be the one to beat us."
"Really good run, obviously just got picked up on the line, he's got a very sensible race brain, little horse but gutsy effort."
Covert Ops' jockey Tye Angland concurred it was a brave effort.
"He's got a very sensible race brain," he said.
"He's only a little horse and it was a gutsy effort."
Want more racing news? Cups Betting delivers you the latest horse racing news from all the major thoroughbred cups and feature races.


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Cottage piePosted: March 30, 2013 Filed under: Beef, Pastry and Baking | Tags: Baking, Beef, Carrots, England, Minced, Pie, The Hairy Dieters, Winter Leave a comment
I could be writing about lovely Spring dishes, with plenty of asparagus, rhubarb and green stuff all around. But not – cottage pie it is. No Spring, no Spring food. Anyway, it is either this or start a monumental rant about the weather on Facebook… The pie itself, is delicious, warming and comforting.
Cottage pie (adapted from Dave Myers and Si King's The Hairy Dieters: How to Love Food and Lose Weight)
- 400g of lean minced beef
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 2 celery sticks, finely sliced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 400g can of chopped tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon of tomato purée
- 500mL beefstock, made with 1 beef stock cube
- 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
- 1 teaspoon cornflour
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Leeky potato topping
- 750g of floury potatoes
- 2 teaspoons of olive oil
- 2 slender leeks, timed and cut into 1cm slices
- 150mL of low fat milk
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place a large non stick sauce pan or casserole dish over a medium heat. No need to add olive oil – it is a non stick pan, after all. Put in the minced meat and cook it together with the onions, celery and carrots for about 10min, until lightly coloured. Use a couple of wooden spoons to break up the meat as it cooks
Stir in the tomatoes, the tomato purée, the beef stock, the Worcestershire sauce and the mixed herbs. Season with a generous pinch of salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat. Cover loosely and simmer gently for about 40min, stirring occasionally until the meat is tender.
You can start preparing the potato topping. Peel the potatoes and cut them into rough 4cm chunks. Put them in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, then down the heat slightly and simmer for 18-20min or until the potatoes are very tender. Heat the oil in a non stick frying pan and fry the leeks for 5min until softened but not coloured, stirring often. Drain the potatoes, then tip them back into the pan, season to taste and mash with the milk (and a little butter) until smooth. Stir in the sautéed leeks and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 220oC. When the beef has been simmering for 40min, mix the cornflour with the cold flour to make a smooth paste. Stir this into the beef and cook for another 1-2min or until the sauce is thickened, stirring often.
Poor the beef mixture into a 2-liter shallow ovenproof dish. Using a large spoon, top the beef with the mash potatoes and leeks. Spoon the mixture all around the edge of the dish before heading into the middle, then fluff it up with a fork.
Bake for 30min until the topping is golden and the filling is bubbling.
Chicken casserolePosted: March 27, 2013 Filed under: Chicken | Tags: Carrots, Chicken, cider, England, Mushrooms, Stew, The Hairy Dieters Leave a comment
I have promised not to complaint about the weather on Facebook and extended the ban to all other social media outlets I normally hang out. In here, I shall just carry on posting Winter-appropriate dishes until the weather gets finally better, as a sign of protest. It is a good thing I have plenty of unpublished dishes, as it might be a while before we can move to lighter food… This casserole dish says comfort food all over – it is delicious, filling and feels like something my Mother could have done for Sunday lunch. What else would you want to eat while the snow is slowly pilling outside?
Chicken casserole (adapted from Dave Myers and Si King's The Hairy Dieters: How to Love Food and Lose Weight)
- 3 tbsp plain flour
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 4 chicken thighs, skinned and cut in half
- 2 tsp of olive oil
- 4 smoked bacon stripes, fat cut off and cut cut into 1cm-wide bits
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 celery sticks, thinly sliced
- 150g of button mushrooms sliced
- 500mL dry cider
- 300mL low fat chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 large carrots, cut into 2cm slices
- 1 large leek, cut into 2cm slices
- salt and black pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 180c/Fan 160c/Gas 4
Mix the flour and the thyme with a good pinch of salt and pepper into a large freezer bag or bowl. Place chicken into the bag, a few pieces at a time and shake until evenly coated. Reserve the left over flour.
Heat oil in a non stick frying pan until is piping hot. Add the chicken a few pieces at a time and let it fry until golden brown (saving any remaining flour in bag). Transfer to heat proof casserole, like a le creuset or equivalent.
In the same frying pan you used for the chicken, put the bacon, onions and celery . Sauté for 4-5 mins until lightly browned, stirring often. Add the mushrooms to the frying pan and cook for 2 more min. Tip everything into the casserole with the chicken pieces. Sprinkle with the reserved flour.
Pour half the cider to frying pan and stir well to deglaze and remove all the sediments. Simmer for a few seconds, and add to the casserole. Finally, drop in the remaining cider, the stock, carrots and bay leaves.
Cover with the lid and place in the center of the oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and add in the leeks.
Return to the stove and let it cook for about half hour, until the leeks are soft.
Three root mashPosted: March 21, 2013 Filed under: Vegetables, Vegetarian | Tags: carrot, England, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Mash, Parsnips, Potato Leave a comment
Perfect for a winter meal or a Sunday roast….
Three root mash (adapted from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's River Cottage Every Day)
- 500g carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
- 500g parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
- 500g potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 100ml milk
- 50g butter
- bay leaf
- nutmeg to taste
- salt & pepper
Put the carrots and parsnips together in a pan with salted cold water and bring to boil. Cook until tender.
Put the potatoes in another pan with salted water, bring to boil and cook until tender.
Drain the vegetables leave to steam off for a couple of minutes.
Put the carrots and the parsnips on a food processor with half the butter and blend to a creamy purée. Alternatively, you can use a hand held mixer.
In the same pan you used to cook the potatoes, warm the milk and what is left of the butter. Then add the potatoes and mash until they are smooth.
Combine both mashed vegetables adding plenty of seasoning and the nutmerg. Mix until you have a creamy golden mash.
Blitz the carrots & parsnips in a food processor with a knob of butter and enough milk to give a smooth finish.
Warm the milk and remaining butter in a large saucepan and mash the potatoes using a mouli or potato ricer into the pan. Stir the potatoes into the milky butter and add the carrot and parsnip puree, season well with salt and pepper and mix well to incorporate.
Rich beef and ale casserole with leeks and potato mashPosted: March 13, 2013 Filed under: Beef, Vegetables | Tags: ale, bay, bear, Beef, Carrots, England, Leeks, Mash, Stew, The Hairy Dieters, Winter Leave a comment
The calendar claims Spring will be here in a few days, but the weather man (and the knees) say otherwise. As snow starts falling again, it seems Winter will be here forever. It is definitely time for another comforting stew…. Believe it or not, each portion has less than 500 calories.
Rich beef and ale casserole with mash potato (adapted from Dave Myers and Si King's The Hairy Dieters: How to Love Food and Lose Weight)
Beef stew
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 2 medium onions chopped
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons mixed herbs
- 1 kg lean braising beef, trimmed from hard fat and cut in 3cm chunks
- 1 bay leaf
- 500 mL of dark ale or stout
- 250 mL of beef stock
- 2 tablespoons tomato puréee
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 5 carrots (about 275g), peeled and thickly sliced
- 2 parsnips (about 300g) peeled, halved lengthways and sliced
- freshly ground black pepper
Leeky potato mash
- 750g floury potato, peeled and cut in 4cm chunks
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 leeks thinly sliced
- 100 mL low fat milk
- Salt and pepper
Beef stew
Preheat the oven to 180oC
Put the flour and dried herbs in a large bowl. Season with salt and lots of freshly ground pepper. Fold in the beef chunks and toss in until they evenly coated.
Heat the oil in a oven- and flame- proof casserole dish.When the oil is pipping hot, drop in the onions and season then with salt and pepper. Fry them over medium heat until they are lightly browned (about 5min).
Tip in the beef and mix until coated.
Add the bay leaf, ale, stock, tomato purée and sugar. Stir well and bring to boil. Cover with the lid.
Transfer the casserole from to the oven and cook for 1 1/2 hours. At the end of this time, take the casserole out of the oven and stir in the parsnips and carrots. Put the lid again, and return to the over for about 45min until the vegetables are tender.
Leeky potato mash
Put the potato chunks in a large sauce pan and cover them with cold water. Bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and let boil for about 20min, until the potatoes are very tender.
In the meanwhile, put the oil in a frying pan and heat. When is hot, drop in the sliced leeks and sautée until soft and tender, stirring often.
Drain the potatoes, and put them back in the sauce pan. Season with salt and pepper and mash with the milk until smooth.
Stir in the sautéeed leeks. Mix until they are well incorporated.


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Donald Trump's state visit to the UK set for 3 June
- Published
US President Donald Trump will make a three-day state visit to the UK from 3 to 5 June, Buckingham Palace has announced.
The president and First Lady Melania Trump will be guests of the Queen and attend a ceremony in Portsmouth to mark 75 years since the D-Day landings.
He will also have official talks with the prime minister at Downing Street.
Mr Trump previously met the Queen at Windsor Castle when he came to the UK in July 2018 on a working visit.
The White House said the upcoming trip would reaffirm the "steadfast and special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom".
The president was promised a state visit by Prime Minister Theresa May after he was elected in 2016 - but no date was set.
Mrs May said June's state visit was an "opportunity to strengthen our already close relationship in areas such as trade, investment, security and defence, and to discuss how we can build on these ties in the years ahead".
But shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry voiced concerns about the visit, saying: "It beggars belief that on the very same day Donald Trump is threatening to veto a United Nations resolution against the use of rape as a weapon of war, Theresa May is pressing ahead with her plans to honour him with a state visit to the UK."
Representatives of other countries invited to the Portsmouth event on 5 June include those from Canada, France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, Greece, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
Portsmouth was one of the key embarkation points for many of the landing craft on D-Day, when, during World War Two, Allied forces invaded Nazi-occupied France marking the beginning of the end for Adolf Hitler's domination of Europe.
The June gathering on Southsea Common will involve live performances, military displays and tributes to the Allied troops who fought in Normandy, including at least 11 Royal Navy vessels in the Solent and a flypast of 26 RAF aircraft.
After leaving the UK, Mr Trump and his wife will travel to France for a series of D-Day anniversary events on 6 June itself.
The president's last visit to the UK - when he had talks with Mrs May at Chequers before heading to Scotland, where he owns the Turnberry golf course - was marked by demonstrations.
In London, thousands of people took to the streets to voice their concerns.
And in Scotland, people showed their displeasure, both in Edinburgh and at Turnberry.
The National Police Chiefs' Council estimated that the police operation for the president's 2018 visit cost nearly £18m.
It said 10,000 officers from across the country were needed to cover the occasion.
The campaigners behind the 2018 protests - the Stop Trump Coalition and Stand Up To Trump - have vowed to mobilise "huge numbers" once again in response to the visit.
Shaista Aziz from the Stop Trump Coalition criticised the US president's "politics of hate and bigotry", while Sabby Dhalu from Stand Up To Trump called for people to "take to the streets and say clearly that Donald Trump is not welcome here".
But Sarah Elliott, chair of Republicans Abroad, denied that President Trump courted the support of racists, telling the BBC he won in many areas that had elected Barack Obama twice. "He spoke to the people and what they wanted to hear," she said.
A spokeswoman for Commons Speaker John Bercow said a request for Mr Trump to address Parliament - an event often associated with a state visit - would be "considered in the usual way", but did not say whether a request had yet been received.
Mr Bercow - who, as Speaker, has the power to veto who addresses Parliament - previously said he would be "strongly opposed" to Mr Trump addressing the Houses of Parliament during a state visit.
The President of The United States of America, President Donald J. Trump, accompanied by Mrs Melania Trump, has accepted an invitation from Her Majesty The Queen to pay a State Visit to the UK. pic.twitter.com/e3ANW9bUKa— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) April 23, 2019
BBC royal correspondent Jonny Dymond said Mr Trump avoided London on his last visit and made it clear he did not particularly want to come to the capital if he was going to face protests.
However, our correspondent said a key part of a state visit is the procession down the Mall in front of Buckingham Palace and it is thought protesters will gather there - not a first for a state visit.
Once inside Buckingham Palace, it is expected the Queen will host a banquet for around 150 guests in Mr Trump's honour.
The Queen has hosted two previous state visits from US presidents - George W Bush in November 2003, and Barack Obama in May 2011.
What is a state visit?
A state visit is a formal visit by a head of state and is normally at the invitation of the Queen, who acts on advice from the government.
State visits are grand occasions, but they are not just ceremonial affairs. They have political purpose and are used by the government of the day to further what it sees as Britain's national interests.
Once the location and dates are confirmed, the government, the visiting government and the royal household will agree on a detailed schedule.
So what is involved?
The Queen acts as the official host for the duration of the trip, and visitors usually stay at either Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle.
There is usually a state banquet, and a visit to - and speeches at - the Houses of Parliament may be included. The Speaker of the House of Commons is one of three "key holders" to Westminster Hall, and as such, effectively holds a veto over who addresses Parliament.
The Queen usually receives one or two heads of state a year. She has hosted 112 state visits since becoming monarch in 1952.
The last state visit to the UK was in October, when King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands came for two days.
The official website of the Queen and the Royal Family has a full list of all state visits since then, including details of how the ceremonies unfold.


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In the past couple of days I have received some amusing email spam.
I own ten different domain names, mostly in the .net TLD. The spam emails in question all offered to sell me the domain "exnic.com" on the grounds that I already own "exnic.net" (not an unreasonable sales pitch). It turns out that this particular domain has expired and is currently "pending deletion". This means that the original registrant has failed to renew ownership of the domain and the registrar is about to release it back to internic for resale. This process often happens and usually results in the sort of irritating website I noted a while back when looking at linuxdoc.org.
But, as I said, the domain name in question is not actually for sale yet, just "pending", and it is always possible that the original owner will wake up to the fact that his domain has gone awol and will claim it back. The interesting thing about the emails I received was that two of them (purportedly from one "Arthur Simmons") came from two completely different domains ("underforge.com" and "thewingsofhope.com" – both of which appear to be owned by "InTrust Domain Names") and seemed to be competing with each other to sell me the domain. A third email came from somewhere calling itself "premierdomainbrokers.net" which at least has the decency to look like a brokerage. That email amused me because it said:
You may have received emails from other companies offering to sell you exnic.com.
That is misleading information. The domain cannot be purchased at this time.
It is actually in the pending delete stage and will be available very soon.
Oh yes indeed. Shame I'm not interested.


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There are no reviews yet.
Carbon Amp Platform | CAP
Amplifier/speaker cabinets produce energy, lots of energy. That energy leaves the amplifier and enters the room. Once in the room, it interacts with the room and excites all the relevant room modes. We must attenuate or absorb as much excess energy as we can as close to the source or cabinet as we can. This will insure a tight and defined presentation as the signal enters the room.
Amplifier cabinets vibrate. The sound that emanates from the cabinet is the product of the speakers, electronics, and cabinet. If we reduce the cabinet vibrations, we allow the speaker and electronics to come through better. Our carbon amplifier platforms reduce vibration and absorb energy. It will provide you the one two punch you need to get the best sound out of your cabinet, speaker, electronics, and room.
These are custom sized to your cabinet. You tell us the height requirement along with the cabinet width and depth. They can be painted or skinned with a wood veneer. We will custom build it to suit your individual requirements.


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As I type this, the outside temperature is -17 degrees F and wind chill is -42.
That's insane.
Schools and businesses are closed. Even mail delivery is suspended.
I'm hunkered down at home, thankful for a reliable furnace.
Overall, we've had a mild winter. Today is an unusual extreme.
But winter in northern Indiana is no joke.
I scour all the winter survival strategies I can find to add to my bag of tricks. Modern Mrs Darcy makes it easy, by collecting lots of great advice in one place.
Here's what's working for me this year:
Email letters to my mom and dad
From August through April every year, my parents live and work in India. For four months of the year, they live close by.
Long-distance relationships are an accepted part of my life. Maybe too accepted.
In the natural rhythm of life, there's no obvious time gaps to invest in long distance relationships. For me, I found I had to be intentional.
My mom and dad both like to read, but their tastes in reading material differs. Fortunately, a lot of what they like overlaps with I like.
I decided every month I'd send them links to books I thought they'd enjoy. Since they have a membership to our local library, I can send them the link to the ebook and they can check it out.
Game changer.
I like sharing books. I love sharing free books. And, twice a month I have an easy excuse to catch them up on family news. It's been so fun.
Who knew such a little tweak to my monthly rhythms could bring such joy?
Protein smoothies in the morning
I started drinking protein smoothies in the morning on the advice of Izabella Wentz, the thyroid pharmacist. Her nutrition advice impacts my health in huge ways since I found out I have Hashimoto's.
I still eat breakfast, but after a protein smoothie, morning cravings disappear.
I always put homemade kefir in my smoothies– until the day we accidentally ate the grain and couldn't make more.
Then I stumbled onto my favorite smoothie hack. Pour boiling water on frozen strawberries so they blend easily. Now I do half boiling water and half homemade kefir for the liquid.
I buy my Pea Protein from Thrive Market, which seems to have the best price. I'm new to Thrive Market, but I'm pretty excited about the automatic shipments. I'm still tweaking my monthly staples.
Another favorite is adding Hershey's Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder. Chocolate strawberry smoothies for breakfast? Yes, please.
Note: Frozen fruit, boiling water and glass could be a hazardous combination. Use caution.
Jesus Always and 20 minutes a day focusing on a loving God
Non-religious studies have found that decision making is positively impacted when you spend 20 minutes a day focusing on a loving God.
It's easy to believe that there's so much to do you can't spare 20 minutes, especially on rushed mornings.
But think for a minute about the returns on investing in eternity. Taking time to Be still and know that I am God helps the rest of the day to fall in place. There's enough time for everything. At least everything God has planned.
This winter, I'm reading both Jesus Calling and Jesus Always large print editions and I don't limit myself to the daily selections.
Intentional Gratitude
Maybe because I'm glass-half-empty sorta girl, I have a hard time seeing the positives.
I have to regularly remind myself of the blessings.
Top of the list these days is our first grandchild, Caroline. I might be biased, but I think she's the sweetest baby ever.
What's saving your life this winter?
PS Just for fun, I'm adding links to past posts.