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No more hotels? New housing coming for 'unplaced' Oregon foster youth
Since mid-2016, more than 130 Oregon children have spent at least one night as "unplaced foster youth" — meaning they had no foster family to go home to.
But a soon-to-be opened temporary housing program is looking to change that.
In the past, being unplaced could mean a night spent sleeping in an Oregon Department of Human Services office.
Now, it usually requires a hotel stay accompanied by a child protective services worker.
Nonprofits Youth Villages and New Avenues for Youth announced their collaboration with the Oregon Department of Human Services and the Oregon Health Authority to create a better option: a 12-bed, 24-hour housing facility dubbed Robinswood opening mid-September in Clackamas County.
Housing unplaced youth has been a contentious and litigious issue over the years. In 2016, DHS agreed not to house foster children in hotels or its offices unless it is an emergency, following a settlement reached between the agency and lawyers representing foster children.
Earlier this year, Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said DHS had permanently ceased the practice of housing children in offices.
Some officials have argued that many unplaced youths are older teens who prefer the hotel environment.
But a lawsuit filed on behalf of two minors and by CASA for Children alleges that more than half of the children subjected to hotel stays are under 12 years old. Additionally, the lawsuit states, there is no limitation on the length of the stays. A 9-year-old spent 81 days in hotel limbo; a 5-year-old spent 55 days.
The plaintiffs stated they filed the lawsuit to stop the practice of placing abused and neglected foster children in hotels.
"Unplacement creates serious emotional and psychological harm to foster children," the lawsuit alleges.
The class action lawsuit remains in litigation in U.S. District Court.
Once the program opens, any youth age 9 to 20 who would otherwise be placed in a hotel will instead come to Robinswood, Youth Villages spokeswoman Crissy Lintner said.
But, she added, the facility won't simply be a place to spend the night. New Avenues for Youth will operate the housing program and provide round-the-clock intensive care. Youth Villages will provide transitional services.
Related:Should DHS put foster children in hotels? Legal battle reignited over the practice
"New Avenues will welcome the child, help them settle in, and assess the circumstances that caused them to be there," Lintner said. "Within 72 hours the New Avenues and Youth Villages teams will work with other community partners to determine the supports needed to successfully transition the child back into a family setting."
Their emphasis will be on finding biological and foster care family placement.
Lintner said the services won't disappear once youth leave the facility. Specialists will visit three times a week and provide 24-hour crisis response for another four to six months.
The two nonprofits realized their complementary strengths and resources and joined forces with DHS in early 2017 to solve the longtime problem of unplaced foster youth.
The Oregon Health Authority and DHS decided they like the new approach and decided to invest in it, Lintner said.
DHS spokeswoman Andrea Cantu-Schomus said the collaboration was a "natural fit" and offers a unique, specialized solution.
Between Robinswood and partnerships with Boys and Girls Aid and Maplestar, more than 23 beds will be available to unplaced youth.
This, Cantu-Schomus said, will probably permanently abate the need to use hotels.
"We are proud to be part of this innovative solution for children who need our help in Oregon," said Andrew Grover, executive director of Youth Villages Oregon. "Our work is designed to not only provide for their immediate needs, but goes further to address the root causes of the troubles they face."
More:Oregon Department of Human Services faces $595 million in budget cuts
Sean Suib, executive director of New Avenues for Youth, said their immediate focus will be to provide short-term support. But, he said, their goal is to create longterm, lasting change.
"Young people need to be empowered and have a voice, and by listening to and partnering with youth and their community, we can help create the safety and permanence all young people deserve," he said.
In 2016, an average of 7,600 children were in foster care on a daily basis.
Cantu-Schomus said as of Wednesday, eight foster care youth were unplaced.
From Sept. 2016 to July 2017, their average length of stay was eight days.
"We're excited about this new solution to a serious problem facing Oregon's most vulnerable youth and proud to be coming together to make it happen," Lintner said.
For questions, comments and news tips, email reporter Whitney Woodworth at firstname.lastname@example.com, call 503-399-6884 or follow on Twitter @wmwoodworth


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If you're interested in bicycles and have access to the internet, you'll surely have seen the amazing frames by Herman Van Hulsteijn, which caused quite a sensation upon their launch. Herman is a Dutch designer whose focus has shifted to include frame design. It's been said there's not much improvement that can be made to the traditional diamond bicycle frame, so kudos to anyone who can marry an alternate layout with grace and style.
This is a prototype edition, owned by Hadrien Le Flanchec, who proudly announces it is the perfect vehicle for carousing the streets of his hometown, Paris. I'd imagine the Softride-esque top tube would absorb plenty of the vibrations caused by navigating the cobblestoned rues. Hadrien perfectly matched a pair of H+Son rims and Miche hubs, a San Marco Regal saddle, FSA cranks and MKS pedals, retaining the decorative aesthetic. Hadrien is running a fixed 46×16 gear ratio, but a Van Hulsteijn frame can be configured with a two-speed Sturmey Archer hub, or a derailleur.
Special thanks to Hadrien Le Flanchec for the fine photography. You can find out more about Van Hulsteijn frames on their website.
PS: Now's the time to place an order for the 2012 Cycle EXIF Custom Bicycle Calendar. The pages are filled with the most beautiful and popular bikes from 2011. Click here to preview and purchase.

subset: commoncrawl


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It is such a fun to be dressing up with variety. See here a faithful Muslim husband carrying dutiful wife with Hindu attired son. This is happening in India. The age old concept of unity in diversity is demonstrated in day to day life.
Be thrifty by doing the odd jobs & be own transporter. Safety is taken for granted. Here you the bustling life on road.
Learn to be eco friendly – here a kid shows the way. Satisfying the hunger. See the innovation, how the kid is on to show a direct but funny way to fill up.
This happens when stability goes haywire – clearly a case in which too much weight is loaded much high above the center of gravity. The stability factor should never be overlooked.
The life goes on – a barber is working faithfully to earn his daily bread. The streets are flooded during monsoon in Bihar's city of Sitamarhi. The correct notice is " USE DIPPER AT NIGHT". It is so common to see such misspelled words every now and then in South East Asia.
This must be a funny notice to make people laugh and attract to the attention of all.
Cricket in the street style where genius can come up and reach National and International standard. Such real life situations are found all over. It is these street children who have kept the spirit of game alive. It is the commitment that matters.
Well, here is something to be praising India for its panorama – so much to experience.


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I'm currently working on five book projects at once, three of them under contract:
1) Dearest to my heart is my novel project. It's basically an LDS missionary version of "Brokeback Mountain"--just kidding. It's about a Mormon woman in Boston who meets a man on the subway, converts him, and marries him. But the real story is how some of his past relationships creep into this Mormon woman's life. I just had a blast writing a Wiccan coven scene that the Mormon woman attends (my source was "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Wicca and Witchcraft"). I am literally within 1-2 weeks of finishing up a very solid 100,000+-word draft--by solid, I mean that I worked over each little section several times before moving on, so when I go back and read it all, I'm hoping it will hold together much better than a mere first draft. I've been working on it off and on for over five years, and I've been spending 6-10 hours a week on it consistently over the past year. I hope to get it to my agent soon after "Big Love" debuts on HBO, with which it overlaps somewhat in theme. (I've been wondering if Brady Udall is done yet with his novel about a modern polygamist family.)
2) My next most exciting project is "The Mormon Tabernacle Enquirer," a best-of-the-Sugar-Beet collection of satirical Mormon news under contract with a small San Francisco publisher. It's taking some work to categorize the pieces and prepare them, but we're shooting for an October general conference release. This project causes endorphins to release in my system whenever I think about it or work on it, almost as much so as the novel.
3) Holly Welker and I are gathering missionary memoirs so we can propose a collection to a national publisher. We're still a few months away from getting our proposal together, but our agent is excited to show it, and I think it could be a cool project, if we can find enough good writing.
4) I collected and re-edited all the interviews with Mormon authors I did while editing Irreantum (about 25 of them, ranging from Anita Stansfield to Neil LaBute), and Kent Larsen accepted the manuscript to be published by his Mormon Arts & Letters imprint. However, I haven't heard from him in several months.
5) I'm under contract with an England publisher to write text and gather images for a large, beautiful timeline of Mormon history, from Jaredites to the 20th century. Purchase orders are currently being finalized at Deseret and Costco, and if all goes well it should be out near the end of this year. So far, this is the only one of the five projects that will pay anything worthwhile...
Anyway, that's what I'm currently working on, a little bit at a time each day on whichever of the five projects needs the most urgent attention, either because of a deadline or because I've been thinking about it the most. I think having worked on the Mormonism For Dummies book is helping open some doors for me. Yes, it's just a reference book in an established series and has sold only a little over 6,000 copies in its first eight months, but I know it's helped increase people's confidence in me as an author on all the other projects. Whether or not any or all of these five projects reach their intended destination, it's really a nice feeling to keep the pipeline full.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Book Projects Update
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Volunteers' Camp August 26th – 29th Andrassy University in Budapest
On 9 May 2019 in Sibiu, Romania, the guidelines for EU policy for the next five years were defined and activists from the worldwide "Fridays for Future" movement were also there to push for immediate action on climate protection. Their demands: The transition to a climate-neutral society should take place with immediate effect and should be implemented in a socially balanced and equitable way.
In many of the Danube countries, environmental protection and sustainability are rarely on the political agenda or on the social radar. There is only a limited amount of information available on these issues and there is a widespread lack of sensitivity to the need for a sustainable approach to nature and resources. The countries along the Danube often lack a strong civil society that is committed to sustainability and social responsibility.
This is the starting point of the #DanubeVolunteers Bootcamp, which will take place from 26 August – 29 August in Budapest.
We want to encourage young people from all Danube countries who want to get involved in environmental protection and sustainability. During 4 days they have the possibility to network with one another and realising own projects to make their commitment visible. The goal is the empowerment of a young generation and the sustainable strengthening of civil society.
Instead of a selective workshop, the project aims to enable young multipliers to implement and consolidate long-term projects in their respective home regions. This will enable a large target group of young people in the Danube countries to identify options for action with regard to sustainability and environmental protection and to offer a platform for active involvement. The experiences of peers and experts from the different partner countries should help to build up long-term commitment and to evaluate and consolidate it on an ongoing basis.
The participants bring in their ideas and ideals, the experts bring in their skills and experience, together we will work on sustainable campaigns that will be heard of!
Sponsored by
We are looking forward to meeting you in Budapest


text: Fortis Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi celebrated 'The World Diabetes Day' with an event based on the theme of Healthy Breakfast. The event focused on a healthy breakfast and its importance in the prevention and the effective management of diabetes to avoid complications. The Diabetes Awareness Fair was organised with free RBS screening, display of awareness posters, and lecture on diabetes awareness, in hospital as well as in schools in neighbourhood.


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There is an interesting session coming up at the RGS-IBG meeting in London later this year: Clarence Glacken's 'Traces on the Rhodian Shore' at 50: Nature, Culture and 'Western Thought' (1 September, 2.40pm)
Organised by Philip Conway, it will be a discussion involving Innes Keighren, David Livingstone and Georgina Endfield. The book is a classic of geography and the history of ideas, and still in print. I was supposed to be part of the discussion too, but though we asked the organisers to schedule it any day but Friday, that's the day it ended up. Due to other speakers' commitments, this can't be changed. I have an unmoveable commitment on the 1st.
As well as the book being celebrated, this would also have been a chance to engage with the publication of Genealogies of Environmentalism: The Lost Works of Clarence Glacken – due out any day.


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On our recent oceanside holiday we had regular nightly visitors. Along with twilight came the geese, in several gaggles of varying numbers.
They didn't come ashore, but found convenient logs on which they claimed a spot to settle for the night.
Their attitude toward one another was fascinating. In flight, it's known that the lead bird of the typical V-formation will bear the brunt of the wind resistance, with all the others gaining benefit of the upwash from the bird ahead. The front position is rotated periodically to share the flight fatigue among the others in the flock. It's an aerodynamic thing.
But when it came to sharing a resting spot on that log, some of the more dominant members weren't as cooperative.
This one, for instance. I don't know what the criteria was for a comfortable nighttime perch — most of the others spaced themselves out — but he challenged any bird that approached the log he had claimed. He wanted it all for himself. His attitude eventually was his undoing, when his antics started the log rolling. It became a birling competition… goose versus log. Guess who lost?
Greed, selfishness and envy are very unpleasant emotions, often more so for the person experiencing them than the one to whom they might be directed. In the writer's world there are many opportunities for the green-eyed monster to raise its nasty head. Between blog awards, contest wins, new contracts, best seller list placements, sales numbers and book awards, someone is always mounting a pinnacle of success ahead of others who look on, regretting that it isn't them.
And yet… and yet, I've found there is very little jealousy evident. Oh, I don't mean there's no wishing, but at the same time most writers I've encountered seem genuinely happy about the successes of their peers. Any announcement of special achievement is met with collective happy dancing and abundant congratulations. Maybe it's because we're all well aware of the steep climb everyone has endured on the journey.
There is an expansive community within the writers' circle, one enriched by camaraderie and support. That goose could learn a thing or two from them.
Have you had any experience with envy or jealousy during your pursuit of publication? How did you deal with it?


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When you have fine lines, sagging skin, or hair loss due to aging, it can take a toll on your self-esteem. Although you can't turn back time, it's possible to reverse the signs of aging for certain periods of time. Microneedling provides one way to do this. At MINTS Medical in Lincoln Square, Dr. Iftikhar Ahmad offers microneedling for patients in Chicago, Illinois, who are interested in looking younger.
Microneedling is a procedure that uses your body's natural healing ability to reduce the signs of aging, such as fine lines.
This is a nonsurgical method of facial rejuvenation and hair growth that involves damaging targeted cells or follicles in order to stimulate healing. Dr. Ahmad uses microneedling for minimizing fine lines, making skin more firm, and promoting hair growth.
Microneedling causes low-grade trauma to the skin and sub cutaneous tissue thereby increasing blood flow to the area, stimulating collagen growth and release of growth factors. The healing process regenerates healthier younger looking skin, reduces scarring, helps in reducing skin wrinkles, and promotes hair growth by virtue of increased blood flow.
Microneedling doesn't cause any damage to other cells outside the targeted area.
If you have hair loss or signs of aging that affect your skin, such as sagging skin, microneedling can provide you with a healthier appearance.
Dr. Ahmad offers this procedure for those who are experiencing hair loss or a loss of skin elasticity that causes fine lines and sagging. He can also use it to reduce acne scarring and the size of pores.
Microneedling is safe for many patients. Dr. Ahmad evaluates you to let you know whether or not this type of procedure is suitable for your skin or hair needs.
Keep in mind that microneedling isn't safe for everyone, though, such as patients who have diabetes or compromised immune systems. Dr. Ahmad considers these factors when deciding if you're a good candidate for it.
Although microneedling involves damaging skin cells, you won't be in any pain during your treatment.
You might feel slight discomfort depending on how sensitive you are, but you can request numbing cream if it bothers you. You might also have skin redness after your treatment, which is common during the healing process.
You might need multiple microneedling treatments depending on certain factors, such as how severe the signs of aging are. Each treatment session usually lasts about an hour. Dr. Ahmad lets you know if you need to come back for more and roughly how many treatments you'll need.
If you're interested in finding out if you're a good candidate for microneedling, please contact MINTS Medical for an appointment with Dr. Ahmad.


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Classic aesthetic that can optimise your available space
Start Your Free Online Quote Now!
The traditional Edwardian conservatory offers an expansive design that emphasises that period appeal. This sharp looking conservatory is for homeowners who wish to increase their space in a sleek yet bold fashion. With its symmetrical style, the Edwardian conservatory is for those seeking more from their homes. Although similar to Victorian conservatories, the Edwardian conservatory focuses primarily on lightness and openness, making it an ideal breathable place to relax.
Where the Victorian conservatory uses decorative glass panels, the Edwardian uses plain ones. This is to amplify the amount of light entering the conservatory and thus, helping to create the impression of more space. By employing large windows, the Edwardian conservatory maximises the view of the occupant, giving them the feel of being outdoors whilst still being inside the building. This blissful quality is incredibly desirable and is just within your reach.
This classical favourite accentuates the charm of any home. The Edwardian conservatory can be suited to all homeowners; from those who appreciate the peace a quiet that a garden can bring, to those who enjoy to entertain and be social of others. We are able to fit your Edwardian conservatory to seamlessly complement your property, whether it be a heritage or contemporary. Everyone can have their vision of a dream home with Forest Edge Home Improvement.
At Forest Edge we demand quality, that's why we partner with leading conservatory roof manufacturer Ultraframe to bring homeowners like you the very best on the market.
Visit our quoting engine to get an instant price guide on an Edwardian conservatory, today. There is no waiting time or upfront payment, so you don't have to worry. We here at Forest Edge Home Improvement understand that finding the right one is important.
There is also an online contact form that you can complete to link you to a member of our expert, friendly team. They will endeavour to answer any questions or queries and provide you with any and all the information you desire.
If you're noticing cold draughts, poor lighting and energy inefficiency in your Lymington property, it's worth replacing your old double glazing. ...Read More
Continuing our dedication to the local community, the team here at Forest Edge Home Improvements has focused on fundraising for charity. ...Read More
Forest Edge Home Improvements are proud to announce that we have been awarded a Certificate of Distinction from Which? This award recognises ...Read More


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Below are all of the current Printable Coupons available for the Extra Buck Deals for the CVS Weekly Ad of July 24, 2016. If you see a coupon for something you use, print it now as these often reach their print limit before the week of the sale. I'm working on the coupon matchup list of ECB deals for the Rolling CVS ECBs post and will include all of these there, but I like to post the list early so you can be sure to take advantage of the printable coupons.
- $1.50/1 Playtex Sport Pads, Liners or Combo Packs, excludes 20ct liners : PRINTABLE
- $1/1 or $3/2 Dulcolax : PRINTABLE
- Various Hefty: PRINTABLES
- $1/1 AVEENO® product (excludes cleansing bars, trial sizes and 2.5 oz., lotion sizes) : PRINTABLE
- $2/2 AVEENO® product (excludes cleansing bars, trial sizes and 2.5 oz., lotion sizes) : PRINTABLE
- $1/1 NEOSPORIN® First Aid Product : PRINTABLE
- $0.50/1 BAND-AID® Brand Adhesive Bandages product (excludes trial and travel sizes) : PRINTABLE
- $1/1 BENGAY® product (excludes trial sizes). : PRINTABLE
- $1/1 BENADRYL® Topical product (excludes trial sizes : PRINTABLE
- $0.65/1 Scott bath tissue, 8ct+ : PRINTABLE
- $2/1 Brita : PRINTABLE
You can add this to your Ibotta app. If you're unfamiliar with Ibotta, this post has some info on it (Check expiration dates-may be before ad starts or ends)
For more great printable coupons currently available click the banner below:
Check out this earlier post for an extensive listing of Manufacturer Coupon Resources.
Disclosure: Links in this post may be Simply CVS affiliate partners or personal referral links.


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Rule Wisely - Framed Stretched Canvas - Rainbow Background
What's Your Translation? This is mine...
מלך - King / Rule / Take Advice
צדק - Victory / Deliver / Correctness
One of the things great leaders do is that they are willing to listen and take advice from wise people before they make a big decision. The application of good advice leads to victory. Make the right choices and be willing to learn from others and you yourself can also be called "Melkizedek"!
Full hardwood frame, made of European Pine
Hand stretched and stapled
Scratch-resistant UV coating
Corner bumpers for level hanging and to protect your wall
Includes pre-installed hardware and hanging kit (16x16" and under come with a single 1" sawtooth, 16x16 to 16x24 come with a single 2" sawtooth, while larger canvases get the pair of bracket hangers)
Floating frames give art the illusion of canvas floating inside the picture frame without touching it. Canvas is mounted in the frame using a proprietary combination of tension and adhesive and the image wraps down the sides of the canvas 1.5 inch on each side.
Sizes listed are for the canvases themselves. Frame thickness add approximately 3/4 inch on all sides (3/8 inch for gap between the canvas and the frame, and 3/8 inch for the outward facing frame edge)
Package within a skeleton box then strapped together and enclosed into a larger box. The corners are padded with bubble wrap and secured to ensure a safe delivery.


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Saturday, July 4, 2015
July 4th: Celebrating Our Traditional American Family
14 comments:
2015-07-05 02:31:38
Such a beautiful picture! God bless.ReplyDelete
2015-07-05 07:04:35
ooh, I love the girls' red bootsReplyDelete
2015-07-05 13:17:43
- bernadetteosborneMay 1, 2022 at 8:38 PM
Beautiful prayer, and delicious-looking dessert! The Sound of Music was the first thing that came to mind when I saw that fabulous photo of you and your wonderful family. God bless! :)ReplyDelete
2015-07-05 22:28:42
- Teresa in KansasMay 1, 2022 at 8:40 PM
I like the title! Good for you! - You're looking great, by the way :)ReplyDelete
2015-07-06 05:08:05Replies
Thank you, Teresa!Delete
2015-07-17 13:53:19
- JacintaMay 1, 2022 at 8:41 PM
Amen! God bless your beautiful family!ReplyDelete
2015-07-06 14:43:24
"A picture is worth a thousand words"--as usual, your family is a light to this world! Thank you!ReplyDelete
2015-07-06 16:27:37
- JoannaMay 1, 2022 at 8:41 PM
Amen! Beautiful prayer and beautiful picture!ReplyDelete
2015-07-07 04:05:53
I love your picture! So cute! I hope all is well. We made our move and are slowly making progress unpacking. God bless!ReplyDelete
2015-07-10 18:37:37Replies
Yay! So glad to hear that you are getting settled in your new home! You've been in my prayers!Delete
2015-07-17 13:52:43
Praying everything is well!ReplyDelete
2015-07-16 20:31:47Replies
Thank you for the prayers! Our summer has been unusually full this year and I've had limited access to wifi! I'm hoping that changes soon! :)Delete
2015-07-17 13:51:38
- Mom2SevenMay 1, 2022 at 8:42 PM
Such a lovely picture of your family! Christmas card worthy! +JMJ+ReplyDelete
2015-07-17 18:59:34
You can find my Comment Policy and Guidelines here. Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. I love hearing from my visitors here at Shower of Roses! May God bless you all!
Note: All comments are moderated.


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By harpspeed
Toasted Cheese
Candle-Ends Forum
December 2013
Dear Writers,
Below is a list of films in a variety of genres—biography, comedy, drama, mystery, thriller, horror, etc.—that are about writers or about writing in general where a writer is the star. Curious. It seems that writers are a favorite protagonist in books and films. Why is this? We do have a natural curiosity that may lend itself to the darker genres such as crime dramas, mystery, thrillers, and horror like in the book and film version of Bram Stoker's Dracula, where we see the rise of the "curious" female detective—and the typewriter, as well!
Still, curiosity isn't always a good thing. It often "kills the cat" and sometimes tries to knock off the all-too-curious writer, too. Such is the case in the book and film version of Stephen King's Misery, a psychological horror story about a romance writer and his dead darling. It's a story that one might also consider a cautionary tale to writers about how the stories we write belong to our readers, too.
Writers, indeed, do have a different way of looking out at the world. We have a special lens that is unique to us. Perhaps that is another reason for our protagonist popularity. Writers possess that acute sense of humor and wit that also transfers quite nicely into drama and comedy alike—as in a certain Will Farrell movie on my list.
Do you have a favorite film about the writing life? If so, think about using it as inspiration for a future Absolute Blank article. Your own quandaries and insights can come to light from the big screen.
Do you know of any films that didn't make my list? Visit the Candle-Ends forum and tell us your film recommendations on the subject of writing. Do let us know if a book inspired the film. Some of the best stories were read before they were scenes. (Pun intended!)
In the meantime, if you find yourself home sick or stuck indoors on a rainy day, park yourself in your favorite chair, with your favorite mug, a bowl of comfort, and the remote, and start streaming… then be sure to tell us about it.
Kindest Regards,
Harpspeed's Favorite Writerly Films
In No Particular Order :
- Finding Forrester (2000)
- Capote (2005)
- Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)
- The Hours (2002)
- Adaptation (2002)
- Wonder Boys (2000)
- Misery (1990)
- Deconstructing Harry (1997)
- Almost Famous (2000)
- The Ghost Writer (2010)
- Finding Neverland (2004)
- Freedom Writers (2007)
- Miss Potter (2006)
- Factotum (2005)
- Becoming Jane (2007)
- Julie and Julia (2009)
- Secret Window (2004)
- Ruby Sparks (2012)
- The Words (2012)
- Being Flynn (2012)
- The Man from Elysian Fields (2001)
- Stranger than Fiction (2006)
- Inkheart (2008)


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How Chartbeat wants to help save the media industry
Newspapers and magazines used to publish content into a kind of void: they knew how many people subscribed, but that was about it — everything else was guesswork based on consumer surveys and other mumbo-jumbo. But online, every click and interaction can be tracked and charted and graphed over time, to create a picture of what is happening at any minute of the day. Is that good or bad for the news business? Tony Haile, general manager of Chartbeat, is convinced that the more information a publisher has, the better job they can do, and he has just launched a new service called Newsbeat to help provide that data.
Chartbeat — which was launched in 2009 by Betaworks, the New York-based incubator run by John Borthwick — provides real-time analytics for websites of all kinds, with a dashboard that shows how many people are reading a particular page at any given minute, as well as where they came from and how long they have been on the site. But in an interview with GigaOM, Haile says he wanted to create something specifically designed for publishers, in the hope that more information could help the media industry through the transition it is currently struggling with from the print world to a digital one.
Not funnels but engagement
The way publishers think about analytical data, Haile notes, is very different from the way that e-commerce companies do. Anyone who is selling something is obsessed with "funnels" — in other words, how well their site moves someone to the point where they will buy the product. Publishers, however, are more concerned about where their traffic is coming from and maximizing that (as well as engagement with readers), because for the most part their business is advertising-based. Said Haile:
For me, the most interesting thing was that this is an industry in complete transition. It's moving away from the 'fire-and-forget' model of publishing to one that is much more adaptive and iterative. We thought 'What does the newsroom look like in five years, and how can we help build it now?'
While Chartbeat shows real-time analytics for a site, Haile says Newsbeat has more data that publishers would be interested in — including detailed data about every story on a site (Chartbeat only provides detailed info for the top 20 most-read pages on a site) as well as social-sharing information. For example, one tab of data for each story shows a "sound wave-style" graph of Twitter-related activity related to that story, which an editor or writer can zoom in on and see who has been posting a link or mentioning the story on Twitter. Newsbeat also ranks the tweets based on the Klout "influence score" of the user, Haile says, so that publishers can see which tweets matter.
Chartbeat created Newsbeat by working with a group of mainstream media companies, including Forbes, Time magazine and the Wall Street Journal, as well as some new media entities such as Gawker and Fast Company. But won't focusing so much on real-time data about traffic patterns create a "race to the bottom," as everyone chases the high-traffic stories about Brittany Spears or Lady Gaga? Haile says he has heard all of these horror stories, but he doesn't believe them.
Seeing how readers are responding is good
Traffic data might show that readers are really interested in racy photos of a celebrity, he says, which might help convince Gawker Media or some other outlet to focus on them, but it's not going to make the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal do so. "Journalists deserve more credit than they get," says the Chartbeat GM. "Knowing how readers are responding to what they're writing isn't going to change the way most of them write about the things that matter to them. This data is never going to result in the 'tyranny of the popular' — it's just not going to happen."
Haile said that even some of the most vociferous critics he has run into inside newsrooms are starting to see the value of the information Newsbeat provides. "I heard one of these guys say 'It's not enough for me to write about these important stories — I need to know that people have read them. I need to know if the headline isn't drawing people in, or if they aren't getting to the important point in the fourth paragraph.'"
One of the things the software can do, Haile says, is alert editors and publishers when something unusual is happening in the traffic pattern for a story. After ingesting enough of the data about a site, Newsbeat can predict what kind of readership a specific story will get during a day, Haile says, and if there is a sudden spike in readers it can alert an editor, so they can take advantage of that attention. He notes that Gawker founder Nick Denton has talked about how he built traffic at the network by spotting stories that were spiking in interest and then "doubling down" on them by throwing more resources at them.
The audience may be smarter than you think
And not only will this data not accelerate a "race to the bottom" with respect to content, Haile says it can actually help do the opposite: the Chartbeat GM says that one of the major publishers the company was working with looked at the data from Newsbeat and saw that two stories were getting large amounts of traffic: one about a case of infanticide in France and the other about Iraq. The number one story on the front page of the site was about season two of The Jersey Shore, and it was getting hardly any traffic at all — and neither of the two most-read stories were above the fold on the home page.
"So in that case, the site had an audience that was actually smarter than they thought they were," says Haile. "Sometimes we underestimate our audience, and this can help websites see that and change the way they are doing things."
Will the kind of data that Newsbeat provides allow some editors to become even more obsessed with lowest-common denominator stories? Undoubtedly. But I think Haile is right when he says it can also do the opposite, and show news publishers when they are misunderstanding what their readers are interested in — and it can let individual writers see whether what they are writing is having an impact or not, as well as showing them who their biggest fans are when it comes to referring traffic. As publishers try to become more efficient at serving their markets, that is clearly valuable information.
Post and thumbnail photos courtesy of Flickr user Steve Snodgrass


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Sat: By Appt
As your local Farmers® agent in Keller, since 2006 I have been a part of the Keller Community since the beginning. At the Kirkwood Agency our goal is to provide the highest quality insurance product in a cost effective manner to people from all walks of life, while sustaining the highest moral and ethical values. We not only want to help our clients protect their assets through education but also provide direction that will allow them to grow their assets as well. We strive to live by the golden rule of treating people the way we would want to be treated and have established an office environment that welcomes all that enter in.
We are located in the heart of Old Town Keller, two streets south of FM1709 (Keller Pkwy), east of Hwy 377 (Main St).


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Fill your space with these Guest Room Essentials. This list has everything you need to create a cozy place for guests.
I love hosting people in our home. It's so much fun to have houseguests and show them around our town. Most of the time we host out-of-town family but summertime brings an influx of friends looking to hang out and have fun. Ours friends jokingly call our house, Hotel Deringer because it has all the conveniences of a hotel. So today, I thought I would share some of the guest room essentials I use to make our spare room feel like a home away from home for our guests.
:: Fresh Flowers
There is nothing better than walking into a guest room after a long day of traveling and seeing a vase of fresh flowers. Such a simple touch is so welcoming. Flowers can bring life to a small space or make a large room seem more homey. So next time you have guests, surprise them with flowers.
:: Clean Linens & Towels
This is kind of a no-brainer but the only thing better than sleeping in your own bed is sliding into some crisp, clean fresh smelling sheets. The same goes for towels. Don't give your guests the castoffs from your master bath. Give them their own stack fluffy towels. My favorites are hotel-style towels. They are thick and absorbent and stay fluffy after countless washes. Then I use the Downy Unstopables in-wash scent booster to keep the sheets and towels smelling fresh for weeks after washing. So even if a guest pops in unexpectedly, it smells like the sheets and towels were laundered yesterday.
:: Waste Basket
There's nothing worse than being in an unfamiliar place and not having anywhere for your trash. You don't want to leave the room a mess for your hosts but where do you put your trash!? I've been a guest a number of times and had to use the waste basket in the kitchen because there was no trash can in the guest room or bath. You may not use the space often so it's easy to overlook little things. Don't overlook this one. A waste basket is definitely one of my guest room essentials.
:: Extra Toiletries
I can't tell you how many times I've forgotten things when traveling. If you stay at a hotel it's no big deal to use the provided toiletries or hair dryer. Why not provide the same for your guests? Stocking up on guest room essentials from trusted brands is easy at Walmart. In our guest bath I keep some of our favorites like Pantene Daily Moisture Renewal Shampoo & Conditioner, Old Spice High Endurance Sport Body Wash and Crest Gum Detoxify Deep Clean Toothpaste. Since many of our friends have little ones I keep a pack of Pampers Pure Protection Diapers for them too. And don't forget extra toilet paper! I always have plenty of Charmin Ultra Strong Toilet Paper in every bathroom of our house. Make your home feel like home to them.
:: Luggage Rack
We recently stayed with friends and they had a luggage rack in the room for us. It was so nice to have a place to put my suitcase. I know it sounds silly but the simplest touches are often the best. I'm thinking a luggage rack is one of those guest room essentials I need to get for our guest room. I love this one because it also has a place to put your shoes. But you can shop around! There are many different options. You can find luggage racks anywhere, for any budget.
:: Wifi Password & Chargers
Is your husband like mine? Do you have a crazy wifi password that looks like a toddler banged on your keyboard? You know what I mean: GTch$m16&nQ. Make it a little easier for guests and spell it out for them on a cute little sign. You can find these printables all over Etsy. Find one that matches your decor and style. Make it easy for your guests to get online. And don't forget to leave them an extra charger. It's the little things, remember?
:: Bedside Essentials
Another thing I like to do is make sure my bedside tables have everything a guest might need. In addition to my fresh flowers and wifi code, I like to add a clock and also a book I enjoyed. The next guest that stays can read How to Walk Away by Katherine Center. I really enjoyed it and I love passing books along. If you have guests new to your city, you might include a book or magazine with things to do. Right now Austin Monthly is featuring 101 Fun Things to do in Austin This Summer. I might pick that up and have it in the drawer with the Texas Monthly issue about Central Texas BBQ joints. You might also include a clock or water pitcher. Anything you think might help your guests have a more pleasant stay.
:: A Yummy Breakfast
My last recommendation to make the perfect guest space is to serve your guests breakfast! It doesn't have to be fancy. Whether you slave over homemade cinnamon rolls or make some from a can, your guests will feel loved when they wake up to something delicious! Here are a few of my favorite breakfast recipes I've shared over the years:
- Greek Yogurt Pancakes
- Cinnamon Sugar French Toast Bites
- Strawberry Chocolate Muffins
- Asparagus and Ham Frittata
- Cinnamon Roll French Toast Bake
Make breakfast clean up a breeze with Bounty Select-A-Size Paper Towels and Dawn Original Dishwashing Liquid. Then get out there and have fun with your guests!
Follow these simple steps to make your guest room a place your company will love. Then spend your summer enjoying your guests and showing them everything your city has to offer!
Guest Room Essentials is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of P&G at Walmart. The opinions and text are all mine.


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Caleb Ewan sprints to win shortened Tour Down Under opening stage
Australian sprinter Caleb Ewan out-paces Sky's Danny van Poppel to take early race lead in Tour Down Under
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Caleb Ewan (Orica-Scott) won the opening stage of the 2017 Tour Down Under in Australia on Tuesday – the opening WorldTour race of the season.
The 22-year-old Australian sprinter came out on top in the bunch gallop into Lyndoch in similar circumstances that saw him claim the People's Choice Classic on Sunday.
Ewan accelerate down the left-hand-side of the road to out-pace Team Sky Dutchman Danny van Poppel in second, and Irishman Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe) in third. Bennett was led out by world champion Peter Sagan, who appears happy to play the role of lead-out man for his team-mate.
>>> Tour Down Under 2017: Latest news, reports and info
"I'm super happy to get the win, it was a really close one in the end," said Ewan. "A lot of guys ran out of lead out men in that last straight because there was a bit of head wind.
"There was a lot of pressure coming back here with the same finish as last year. I felt the pressure to do the same thing and win. It's a relief and it's a great start to the week. It'll put the whole team on a high and hopefully we can do something like last year."
Watch: highlights of stage one of the Tour Down Under
Belgian Lauren De Vresse (Astana) was the day's solo escapee, battling through the day's heat before being caught prior to the race's finale.
Organisers of the race had made the decision to shorten the stage from Unley to Lyndoch due to temperatures nudging over 40°C in the Australian summer.
>>> Riders praise Tour Down Under as stage shortened with temperatures nearing 50ºC
Riders completed two rather than three of the planned finishing circuits.
"It was really stinking hot out there today," said Ewan. "I think everyone felt the heat and it was probably a good idea for organisers to shorten it a little bit."
Ewan wears the race leader's jersey going into stage two of the 2017 Tour Down Under on Wednesday, running from Stirling to Paracombe over 148.5km.
Defending champion Simon Gerrans (Orica-Scott) showed himself during the stage, claiming two bonus seconds to sit in sixth place behind his team-mate Ewan.
The race concludes on Sunday, January 22.
Tour Down Under 2017, stage one: Unley to Lyndoch
1. Caleb Ewan (Aus) Orica-Scott, in 3-24-18
2. Danny van Poppel (Ned) Team Sky
3. Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Hansgrohe
4. Marko Kump (Slo) UAE Abu Dhabi
5. Niccolo Bonifazio (Ita) Bahrain-Merida
6. Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Sunweb
7. Baptiste Planckaert (Bel) Katusha-Alpecin
8. Edward Theuns (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
9. Miles Scotson (Aus) BMC Racing
10. Sean De Bie (Bel) Lotto-Soudal, all same time
General classification after stage one
1. Caleb Ewan (Aus) Orica-Scott, in 3-24-18
2. Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Team Sky, at 4 secs
3. Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 6 secs
4. Jay McCarthy (Aus) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 7 secs
5. Nathan Haas (Aus) Dimension Data, at 8 secs
6. Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica-Scott, at 8 secs
7. Jos Goncalves (Por) Katusha-Alpecin, at 8 secs
8. Marko Kump (Slo) UAE Abu Dhabi, at 10 secs
9. Niccolo Bonifazio (Ita) Bahrain-Merida, at 10 secs
10. Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Sunweb, at 10 secs
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This was a challenging implant restoration case due to the alignment of implants. In order for the implant to osseointegrate firmly into the jaw bone we like to place the implants where the jaw bone is the thickest and strongest. In this case the best bone was not lined up nicely so we had to stagger the implants. I was still able to make the final implant crowns line up perfectly in the mouth.
Before and After


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Jet into Las Vegas on a private aircraft , and have your luxury rental car waiting for you in the wings at Go Rentals. We are an exclusive car rental agency that offers this elite and upscale jet-in and drive-off car rental service. For two decades , we've wowed and dazzled our private clients with our unique white-glove service. Pilots , crew and aviation passengers can book their preferred rental car , including the signature Chevrolet Corvette. We also take care of all the paperwork and retrieve the rental car when your visit to Las Vegas is over. It's uninterrupted traveling , upclass and convenient.
The Chevrolet Corvette sports car rental is sleek , sporty and stylish. Engineered for top speed and power , it's equipped with a standard 6.2 liter LS3 aluminum-block V8 engine that delivers 430 horsepower and 424 pounds of torque. This sexy coupe performs like an Olympic and reaches 190 mpg in less than five seconds. In addition to its distinctive exterior , the standard removable roof panel offers freedom on the road. Just easily store the panel in the rear cargo area , and you've still got plenty of roomy space.
The Chevrolet Corvette car rental is elegant at every touch. Seat design includes large neck supports and well-padded areas for ultimate comfort and support. Engineered with modern technology , the Chevrolet Corvette features GPS navigation , Bose premium audio system , Sirius XM , satellite radio and Bluetooth wireless connect. Hands-down , this road machine is speed , power and gorgeous wrapped up in one pretty package.
Cruise the streets in Las Vegas in high style with the Chevrolet Corvette car rental. Try your luck at gambling at the famed Caesar's Palace or view the great water shows at Bellagio Fountains. Other popular attractions include the Eiffel Tower , Adventuredome , Stratosphere Tower , Las Vegas Springs Reserve and Shark Reef at the Mandalay Bay Hotel.


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A federal court in Manhattan sentenced the founder of a $25 million ICO scam to 87 months and a fine of up to $250,000.
Robert Farkas, the founder of a cryptocurrency firm Centra Tech that raised more than $25 million from its initial coin offering scam, pled guilty in a federal court in Manhattan on Tuesday.
The official statement accused Farkas of conspiring to commit securities and wire fraud and ordered a sentence between 70 to 87 months and a fine up to $250,000. The date of the sentence is yet to be determined.
A company built on lies
Farkas launched the Miami-based company along with two other "co-founders," Sohrab Sharma and Raymond Trapani, whose trials are due in November this year.
The very foundation of Centra Tech was based upon misrepresented facts and lies about the company's core team members. The company promised to launch a "Centra Card" that could be used to pay in cryptocurrencies to all merchants accepting Visa or Mastercard payment cards. However, it was later found that they had never formed a partnership or licensed with either of the two payment companies.
The founders also made false claims about the company's non-existent CEO "Michael Edwards." They said Edwards was an alumnus of Harvard University with a Master's degree in business administration and had more than 20 years of experience in the banking industry. They also lied about other team members of the company and about having a money transmitter license in 38 states so as to dupe investors into betting more money on their ICO.
Backed by well-known celebrities
The Centra Tech ICO, that went on between July and October 2017, was backed by Floyd Mayweather and DJ Khaled.
In 2018, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission charged both celebrities for unlawfully promoting crypto coin offerings without revealing to their followers that they had been paid to do so.
Mayweather, who was involved with two other ICOs, ended up paying $300,000 in disgorgement, a $300,000 penalty, and nearly $15,000 in prejudgment interest. DJ Khaled, on the other hand, had to pay $50,000, a $100,000 penalty, and nearly $3,000 in prejudgment interest.
Source: cointelegraph


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For those that have invested in a classic car, it is understood that it takes much more than age to make a car a classic. A collector car is an investment that will continue to appreciate in value throughout the years.
We understand that classic and antique cars are unique and require a unique policy. RIGHTSURE is dedicated to working with customers to find the appropriate policy for their car. Some of the factors that are taken into consideration are miles driven, vehicle age, and the modifications that have been made to the vehicle. We will work hard to ensure your investment has the perfect coverage.
Here are some features you should look for when shopping for classic car insurance in :
Whether you are in possession of a classic Mustang, Camaro, Charger, Corvette, Thunderbird, or any other collector car, talk with us today to identify create an insurance policy that combines the best coverage, value and price for your situation.
Our offices are conveniently located at:
5151 E Broadway Blvd Ste 100
Tucson, Arizona 85711


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Are Calcium Supplements A Lie?
For many years, calcium supplements have been touted as a THE preventative measure against osteoporosis, a debilitating disease that affects some 44 million Americans. 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men suffer from this bone disease, which causes chronic pain and bone fractures. But are calcium supplements worth the hype?
Many people now take calcium supplements daily, and many grocery items like orange juice are now fortified with extra calcium to "keep bones healthy." We all know that bones are made up (in part) by calcium. But do calcium supplements really keep bones healthy, and even make them?
Dr. Robert Thompson, M.D. doesn't think so. His book The Calcium Lie asserts that, in fact, our bones are comprised of a dozen minerals - calcium being just one. Exclusively focusing on supplementing just one of these minerals, Thompson says, can actually decrease your bone density and increase your risk of osteoporosis!
Adequate calcium intake is needed for healthy bones. However, consuming supplemental calcium such as 1500mg per day, may in fact inhibit its absorption rate into your body. The medical community is divided on this subject, as are the studies that show the effects of calcium supplements on the human body.
Our bones need calcium, but they also need many other minerals. If you flood your body with calcium but deny it the so-called "trace" minerals that it needs, you might be setting your skeleton up for a break down.
Before you toss up your hands and calcium supplements in confusion, know that there are steps you can take to prevent osteoporosis:
Unprocessed salt: Dr. Thompson recommends using unprocessed salt such as Himalayan salt to provide your body with the trace minerals that your bones need.
Klamath's Best Organic Blue Green Algae Supplements: In addition to providing chlorophyll and alkalizing your body environment, this nutrient-rich whole food is an excellent source of the vitamins, amino acids and trace minerals that your body needs.
Omega-3: This nutrient not only prevents cognitive decline associated with aging, but recent studies in the British Journal of Nutrition show that these essential fatty acids also enhance bone mineral content. If you only take one nutritional supplement, make it omega-3. Krill oil provides a safer option than fish oil, which may be tainted with mercury and other toxins.
Vitamin K: Found in broccoli, Brussels sprouts and leafy greens like spinach, kale and collard greens, vitamin K helps bones retain calcium and develop the right structure. Crucial for infants, vitamin K can only be absorbed with fat – another reason a no-fat diet is not the best idea. The healthiest diets consist of pure water, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins.
From the Organic Authority Files
Exercise: Strength training helps to counteract the effects of aging on bones, which become less dense and more brittle as time goes by. Weight-bearing exercise is perhaps one of the best preventative measures one can take against osteoporosis, as the pressure on bones make them create new bone material. Here are 5 Yoga Poses for Osteoporosis to get you geared.
Sunshine: A cheap and easy treatment that improves your physical and mental health, sunshine provides the vitamin D that your body needs. If you live in an overcast climate and do not get the recommended 15-20 minutes of sunshine a day, consider taking a Vitamin D supplement to ward off deficiency.
As bone loss has recently been linked to increased risk for Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia, maintaining bone density is more important than ever. Although popping a calcium pill to prevent osteoporosis is an easy and attractive option, a better idea is to maintain a healthy diet rich in nutrients and to exercise with strength-training regularly.
Sources/For More Information:
image: Sara Bjork


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I was a little surprised when the Burke-Gaffney Observatory informed me it had shot an image as I did not think the conditions were good. Regardless, BGO imaged 33 Orionis, a multi-star system, aka Struve 729. I was trying to tag the C companion.
Luminance only, 1 second subexposures, 20 stacked shots. FITS Liberator, Paint.NET. North is up; east is left. Centred on GSC 00118-2404.
Wow. The C star is barely visible to the north-east of the AB pair, forming a zig-zag with some magnitude 14.8 and 15.0 stars. The other stars are north of C. C is slightly brighter than these.
SkyTools 3 Pro reports C is mag 14.7 while hovering in the Interactive Atlas. The Object Information box says 13.4. The Washington Double Star database says 13.9. I believe 14.7 is the appropriate value.
Not a great image... A tracking problem? Or wind? Or exacerbated collimation issues? The target is extremely low. ST3P says it was 19° above the horizon at the time.
Thursday, April 05, 2018
aimed at 33 Ori (Halifax)
Posted at 9:14 pm
Labels: Apogee, double stars, photography
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I love the holiday season. Something about that time of the year brings people together. My favorite holiday would definitely be thanksgiving, so many delicious meals to eat and spending time with loved ones are few reasons why it's my favorite. Christmas is approaching soon, and a lot of people are going to be going gift shopping for family members, friends, and significant others. So I decided to film a video on holiday gift guide and wish list to help anyone that's looking for gift ideas. Also don't forget to subscribe to my Youtube channel, the links below.
Christmas Wishlist
1. Adidas stan smith sneakers
2. Macbook pro-2016
3. Scented candles
4. Canon G7x
5 Ugg boots
6. Gift cards
7. Perfume
8. Workout clothes
9. Chocolate
10. Headphones


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Pricing for the China Chevrolet Cruze Hatch was announced on Feb. 7, according to General Motors. Five trims with a choice of 1.4T or 1.5L engines are available for a price range between RMB 109,900 and RMB 169,900.
Cruze is Chevrolet's best-selling nameplate worldwide, with 4.4 million sold since the first generation's launch in 2008. It is also a key member of Chevrolet's lineup in China, with nearly 1.7 million delivered since it initially went on sale in 2009.
The Cruze Hatch offers the design, engineering and technological advances of the 2016 Cruze sedan in a functional, sporty package with up to 1,189 liters of cargo space.
The new model maintains the Cruze sedan's classic powertrain combinations. It adopts a 1.4T top-mounted SIDI engine as well as a 1.5L top-mounted SIDI engine. The powerplants are paired with a choice of an intelligent seven-speed dual clutch gearbox (DCG) transmission with the start/stop function, an all-new six-speed Dynamic Start/Stop Shift (DSS) transmission or a six-speed manual transmission. The Cruze Hatch delivers efficient output and combined fuel economy of 5.7 L/100 km.
Chevrolet's new-generation MyLink intelligent infotainment system and OnStar's new-generation Smart Driver, as well as 4G LTE in-car Wi-Fi, combine to form the intelligent "nerve center" of the all-new Cruze Hatch. The technology monitors vehicle conditions for ultimate safety while enabling occupants to maintain real-time connectivity with the outside world.
The Cruze Hatch comes with a range of advanced safety technologies, such as Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) and Automatic Park Assist (APA). They are accompanied by the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), reverse radar, cruise control and an electronic handbrake.
The Cruze Hatch is one of the more than 20 new or refreshed products that Chevrolet will introduce in China by the end of 2020.
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The Charlotte Chapter of Speedway Children's Charities is located in Concord, NC. We host events and promotions geared around race weeks and other activities at Charlotte Motor Speedway, as well as events within the Charlotte community.
Speedway Children's Charities has had a huge effect by raising hundreds of thousands of dollars that stay right here in the Charlotte community. We dedicate our efforts to funding a wide range of charities - because communities have a wide range of charitable interest and needs. Our goal is to reach as many children as possible by supporting those agencies that are the unsung heroes in many communities.
If you have any questions, please contact our staff at 704-455-4426.


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I'm making some Valentine's Jewelry for the Open House on Friday at the Liberty House.
Lots of Love and Kisses.
You can now purchase them from my etsy shop if you can't come to the Open House.
(Thanks for asking, Bon!)
LOVE them!!
How can people on the left coast get hooked up with a necklace?
good to see you ladies tonight. I hope the open house was a success. They Valentine jewelry is very pretty!
I need to know all about the glass charm with the orange splotchy thing in the middle (it looks like Africa:)


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Slow Food USA is a growing movement formed to protect many aspects of our food supply. Community work, activism, and sensual enjoyment of food are part of this grass roots movement, which is a part of the larger, global Slow Food community and movement. The focus is on "good, clean, and fair food," as they put it directly.
One key tenet of the slow food movement is diversity in our food system. As a part of this, Slow Food has been active recently in a "sloweb" movement, "Biodiversity Hangs in the Balance," which involves Slow Food joining in the protest against the planned destruction of Europe's largest repository of rare berries and fruit (to make way for a residential development).
Diversity and honoring the cycles and slow evolution of nature is part of synchronicity with the environment. This cannot be replaced easily. Keeping natural diversity in our food supply is critical to the holistic health of one's body.
You can help the Slow Food movement and future humanity by signing and sharing an action petition on Change.org and another one on Food Democracy Now about the threatened loss of this "crown jewel" seed bank of biodiversity. 90% of this seed bank's collection cannot be found anywhere else on the planet — protecting this seed bank is protecting the dwindling diversity in our food system. According to Food Democracy Now, food scientists are calling this "an assault against biodiversity and the memory of the bitter struggle that kept this renowned seed bank alive during the darkest days of World War II." The issue isn't only the seeds, though, it is also those tender plants that cannot be raised easily from seeds….
Slow Food is About Appreciating and Enjoying Your Food
The second part of the equation in Slow Food's message is simple but wholesome pleasure. Think about eating a peach — you will enjoy it more if you consider the great labor of the people and the tree that helped that peach to grow and make it to your mouth. That pleasure is probably multiplied many times over if you picked it, and also if you stop to consider how that peach carves out strength in your body to move forward and grow in life. And, this appreciation can be even greater if you worked the orchard that it grew in.
So, that one bite into the peach is shared and multiplied in pleasure with patience, perseverance, and sweat. That is delicious! You can enjoy it more just by stepping back and reflecting, and also by delving into the process that helped it to mature and become ready for your consumption. But even more so, a key thing to understand about this movement is that it is about considering ourselves as co-producers, not only as consumers, and finding your role in that production process.
"Fast food, fast life, is what threatens the environment and landscapes," according to Slow Food. In order to improve the environment and ourselves, we need to slow down. What a progressive movement to help balance out the imbalances of modern life and create positive, helpful change in our lives! Let's all slow things down a bit.
Photo Credit: jcoterhals via flickr


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Nov 08, 2010 (LBO) – Higher electricity generation from both thermal and hydro power plants helped Sri Lanka's Hemas Power make a net profit of 124 million rupees in the September 2010 quarter, a stock exchange filing said. The company had made a loss of 3.5 million rupees in the same period a year ago.
Earnings per share were 0.98 rupees in the September 2010 quarter compared with a loss of 0.07 rupees the previous year.
Sales of the firm, which is a unit of the Hemas Holdings group, rose 39 percent to 889 million rupees during the period.
Its thermal power plant generated a 76 million rupee after-tax profit compared with a loss of 6.5 million rupees the year before while profit from hydro rose to 52 million rupees from 11 million rupees.
"Importantly, more than 40 percent of our net profits for the quarter and the half-year derived from the hydropower sector," Hemas Power managing director Kishantha Nanayakkara said in a statement.
"Though hydropower is seasonal, the fact that it now influences our net profit considerably signifies the positive impact of our efforts to striking a balance between the hydropower and thermal sectors."
Work on the firm's Magalganga hydro power project was "pro


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All Resolutions
- Name:
- Bessa, Pancrace
- Dates:
- 1772-1846
- Country:
- France
- Subject:
- Plants
- Technique:
- Metal engraving
- Engraver:
- Gabriel, (Louis?)
- Format:
- Portrait (taller)
- Source:
- University of Pittsburgh Library System, The Internet Archive
- Title:
- Histoire des arbres forestiers de l'Amérique septentrionale, vol. 2
- Author(s):
- Michaux, François-André
- Publisher:
- Paris: Imprimerie de L. Haussmann, 1812
- Open Library:
- View record
Stipple engraving showing leaves, acorn, and tip of a branch of the swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor), a tree in the family Fagaceae native to North America. This tree is described as follows by the author:
The swamp white oak is a beautiful tree, more than 70 feet (21 m) in height, of which the vegetation is vigorous and the foliage luxuriant. The leaves are 6 or 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) long and 4 inches (10 cm) broad, smooth and of a dark green above, downy and lighter coloured beneath; they are entire towards the base, which is cuneiform, but are widened and coarsely toothed for two thirds of their length towards the summit. The tree is distinguished, when young, by the form of its base and by the down upon its leaves, which is more sensible to the touch than on any analogous species. At a riper age the lower side of the leaf is of a silvery white, which is strikingly contrasted with the bright green of the upper surface; hence the specific name of discolor Was given it by Dr. Muhlemberg.
The acorns are sweet, but seldom abundant; they are rather large, of a brown complexion, and contained in a spreading cup edged with short slender filaments, more downy within than those of any other oak, and supported by peduncles 1 or 2 inches (2.5 or 5 cm) in length. The trunk is clad in a scaly greyish white bark. The wood is strong, elastic, and heavier than that of the white oak.
Translation by Augustus Lucas Hillhouse.
Keywords: 1810s, 19th century, color, Fagaceae, green, leaves, reference book, tree


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Define your personal and business credo to rapidly move towards your goals.
You need clarity of purpose, sharp focus, and determination to achieve your goals, but the hustle-bustle of day-to-day life can hold you back. Executive coaching gives you the space to reflect, gain clarity, reassess your beliefs, and create actionable plans to accelerate your growth and enhance your positive impact.
I have over 25 years of experience helping senior executives and business owners succeed. As a former investment banker, CEO, and entrepreneur, I know the challenges and pressures you face. As a Professional Certified Coach, I know how to help you overcome these challenges.
Examine and reshape your beliefs, define your credo, and learn to deliver your powerful message.
Become the formidable leadership team that delivers success.
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I find Sonali a reflective coach, I witnessed her curiosity and exploration in many case studies brought during supervision. She is a coach with compassion and composure. I found her coaching with load of humility and care - an unconditional positive regards for her clients. I see many corporate clients engaging her in coaching and mentoring programs locally and globally.
Dr. Paras
Master Certified Coach (MCC-ICF), EIE-MP (Master Practicioner-EMCC) ESIA-EMCC (Accredited Coach Supervisor)
It is rare to come across a coach who offers you perspective and insight like Sonali does. Sonali's ability to simplify and yet be sharply focused sets her apart. She helps you cut through the clutter and focus on the key aspects of your business.
Shailesh Kantak
Founder, Flexi Ventures Pvt Ltd
Sonali has a great presence as a Coach. Her depth of knowledge and rich experience helped me to reflect and explore deeper. The awareness she created has helped me become a better person and be more at peace.
Tiru Singh
Agile Transformation Consultant, TCS
It was a pleasure to be coached by Sonali. She creates a safe, supportive space and asks some wonderful, thought-provoking questions that had me thinking deeply and with greater clarity around the areas we discussed. She encouraged me to explore areas important to me, and also to consider my next steps.
Laurenne Di Salvo
Leadership & Professional Development Coach (PCC), Corporate Trainer
Recently, I had the privilege of working with Sonali as my executive coach. It was a new AND fulfilling experience for me. I enjoyed and looked forward to our sessions and found her to be very attentive and insightful. Some of her strengths as a coach are her ability to listen and ask probing questions. A coach needs to make the client feel very comfortable to open up and at the same time not be judgmental. I found Sonali to be rich in these qualities.
Dilip Balakrishnan
CEO, Serendebyte Inc.
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London Orbital
by Iain Sinclair
500pp, Granta, £25
For a couple of years now, the writer, critic and deeply lovable polymath Kevin Jackson has not returned my phone calls. The possible reasons were worrying, and in descending order of probability they were: he had become disgusted with me, he had nothing to report, he had been sectioned.
Now I know the real reason. He has recently completed the last section of a walk round the M25 in the company of Iain Sinclair, ending up in the bar of the Welsh Harp in Waltham Abbey. He had accompanied Sinclair and other companions on two other sections, and each time had come heroically misprepared: boots when he needed trainers, trainers when he needed boots, a leather jacket which "will cook him if he wears it; cripple him if he carries it". For the first leg he carries a rucksack filled with books. At a pub his socks have to be cut from his feet. "His blisters have blisters." By the time of the final stretch - including a terrifying twilight march through Epping Forest - he still hasn't learnt. His hair, says Sinclair, "turned grey in the course of the walk from Theydon Bois". Still, he is alive in the Welsh Harp:
"We leave him where he is. As far as I know, he's there still. He's probably taken out membership at the Waltham Abbey library. Signed up for night classes in runic prophecy and Pataphysics. He'll never make it across the market square to the mini-cab office. And they haven't got any available cabs."
Why walk around the M25? To kill freelance journalists? To oblige a publisher? Or, as one of his early companions says, to find out where it leads? The answer is, of course, the last. It's a pilgrimage, and the expiation sought, the spiritual agenda, is "a ritual purpose: to exorcise the unthinking malignancy of the Dome, to celebrate the sprawl of London". Sinclair is not the first to hate the Greenwich meniscus, and won't be the last - but we're only reminded of it when he gives it a savage mention. So he can be said to have succeeded. The act was pious: "walking is virtue", as he reminds us.
As for the London sprawl: that's celebrated inspirationally, as you might expect from Sinclair's mind. As all his books are book-length footnotes to his other books; you can also expect obsessions to reappear, to criss-cross the text like ancient drovers' tracks: he bumps into Rodinsky's final resting-place, Hawksmoor's ditto.
The M25 may be modern but Sinclair is only tangentially interested in modernity, saluting JG Ballard's prophetic fictions when interviewing him in Shepperton. Sinclair: "'Then' and 'now' are distinctions I can't make." Which is great for us: this is a walk through time as well as territory, and if he finds a gap in his encyclopaedic fund of arcana, then he will find someone who can fill him in - which is one reason why Jackson is a co-dedicatee, along with the painter Laurence "Renchi" Bicknell, whose highly Blakean illustrations separate the chapters - and who seemed to have suffered not so much as a muscle-twinge during the course of the whole 127 miles.
At one point I nearly dropped the book - and not just because of its heft, its roughly quarter of a million words packed into a volume not much smaller than the A-Z Master Atlas of Greater London, which I used as an enhancement to the text, and to stop myself from getting lost. They work together very well: in fact they're indispensable to each other, and when marking my place I would interleave the two, relevant page to relevant page. When I picked them up I had to remind myself which one I was reviewing. Anyway, where it nearly fell from my disbelieving hands was when I saw the walk described as "our amnesiac circuit".
Amnesiac? I've never met a structured book that forgets less, from Renchi's childhood memories of his grandmother's house - which they visit, in what is now a cordoned-off colony of paranoid retirees - to almost every conceivable cultural byway.
The circumference of the M25 was always liminal ground, even before it was built: turf either for bandits or those who needed to get out of London but stay within its reach. The motorway has made life easier both for criminals and nobs; the two come together in the building of exclusive golf courses, where the shady dispersal of toxic waste meets the "hermetic exclusivity" of the club.
At Merstham, a month before Sinclair crossed it, unknown persons dug up the fairways (designed by Jack Nicklaus) and drew cabbalistic diagrams with weedkiller. By the time you reach that bit, you're hardly surprised: weirdness seems to follow Sinclair around like an invisible dog. He doesn't seem to seek it out: it's just the way he tells 'em, the tone of voice supremely suited to representing chaos, to calming it down just enough for it to be readable. And very readable it is, more than the epithet "writer's writer" often applied to Sinclair would suggest. In fact, it's a hoot. But you'll need that map.
· Nicholas Lezard is writing a book about fun


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HOUSTON -- Investigators now believe a fire at a southwest Houston mosque was intentionally set.
On Saturday, the Houston Fire Department upgraded the investigation to incendiary.
The fire broke out Friday afternoon at a mosque in a shopping center on Wilcrest. No one was hurt.
Firefighters said they were suspicious because the fire appeared to have more than one point of origin. Officials had not said how the blaze started, but firefighters said they're putting significant resources into the investigation.


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Minecraft Metropolis Champs Season 3
Above: Noxcrew's Summer time Mini-Video games Competition is a hit on the Minecraft Market. Give it a chance. There may be an odd sense of retro magnificence to Minecraft's aesthetics. There are numerous blocks which are used to symbolize completely different kinds of substances, like grime, rock, wooden, water and metal, and they are all used as literal building blocks to craft these massive and complicated worlds. After a while, Minecraft appears to be like less like a primitive mess and extra like a digital Lego set. There is a allure to its model.
Play in Inventive Mode with limitless sources or mine deep into the world in survival mode, crafting weapons and armour to fend off the damaging mobs. Two of the best video games ever come together. Welcome to the Minecraft Halo Mash-up Pack, which incorporates new Skins, new Textures, classic Halo music, and an incredible Halo world filled with iconic moments to explore. Buy and install Minecraft. You can buy and set up Minecraft on both the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4.
Second, we will not say enough good things in regards to the Minecraft mod Optifine Even if in case you have no intention of doing anything however taking part in vanilla Minecraft. it is best to absolutely and indubitably install Optifine. It's a assortment of code optimizations that, frankly, ought to be within the default Minecraft code. Whether or not your laptop is wimpy or beefy, Optifine will make Minecraft run so much smoother. – This examine goals to explain a library project exploring innovative choices for embedding info literacy expertise within the elementary school library by utilizing Minecraft, a virtual world three-dimensional (3D) building game atmosphere.
First, have the participant with probably the most powerful laptop host the game. Minecraft is a very useful resource hungry sport (even if the graphics look very retro and easy). If you happen to're experiencing poor playback across the board (not simply on the weaker machines) it might be that the internet hosting laptop is not up to snuff. Play with your pals in Wizards to seize factors or shoot them down in Bow spleef. We also have TNT Run which tests your endurance and parkour abilities. And lastly, TNT Tag which brings the basic sport of Hot Potato into Minecraft.
Presumably the most effective on-line survival recreation but. We're talking about "Minecraft" right here, AKA the sport's Bedrock Edition – the newer cross-platform version presently out there on Xbox One, COMPUTER and smartphones. Create your individual levels and share them with different players utilizing Roblox, which is becoming a very popular different to Minecraft and will get a number of reward on App Stores. It is distinctive in that levels can have different game styles, together with journey, RPG, battle arenas and first-person shooters.


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Wednesday, March 26, 2008
The Mainstream Art World is Really Far Gone!
Looking at the dreadful "Redrawing the Art World Women who are expanding the boundaries of how we see, what we see and where we see it" in the March 23 New York Times Magazine, I was reminded of just how corrupted by capitalism the mainstream art world has become. On the cover Muccia Prada in some sort of pricey black dress( the devil wears Prada?) is framed by John Baldessari on the left, and a variety of other well known men and one young (little known) women. Notice that the woman looks like a child and is covering her mouth as though she has been caught by surprise. The many men adopt various confident poses. The photographic style purposefully imitates Irving Penn in several places in the magazine, angular black poses against a blank background. No context, no connection to what is going on in the world. Clearly these artists and this patron do NOT expand boundaries at all!
Then there are the art haulers modelling multi thousand dollar (leather) jumpsuits. Can we have a clearer message that art is meant to play the fashion/style game, rather than actually say something important.
Mari Ramirez is one bright note in the issue, but her show "Inverted Utopias" primarily priviledged abstraction rather than the deep social engagement that characterizes most of Latin American art.
Fortunately, there are many artists out their who are not embedded with capitalism, or who are turning it on its head, as reported in this blog and in other alternative sources. I am also writing on it in my upcoming book, Art and Politics Now: Cultural Activism in a time of Crisis.
The reporting on visual art in the New York Times is embarrassing. Other arts, theater, literature, poetry, dance, all of them are engaged with current political issues and that engagement is reported in the newspaper. Visual artists are represented as completely disengaged.
A review of the amazing book by Roberto Bolano, Nazi Literature in the Americas reviewed in the New York Times Book Review, is focusing on the power of literature to create myths that support fascism. The book contains entirely imaginary writers who are preoccupied with mythmaking as the junta tortures people in Chile, the point is the fact that writers have power to create stories that can either support fascism or resist it. Bolano's book suggests that most writers' preoccupation with aesthetics and other academic concerns feed into the acquiescence to power that corrupts us and makes us passive instruments, rather than active resisters. For Roberto Bolaño . . ."literature is an unnervingly protean, amoral force with uncanny powers of self-invention, self-justification and self-mythification. The mythmakers, he suggests, certainly do matter." While I would have liked a review of a book that focuses on mythmakers who are resisting capitalism, at least political context is included. All art has a political context, but you would never know that from reading mainstream art coverage.
Peter Schjeldahl in the New Yorker, for example, whose reviews of shows such as the Whitney Biennial celebrate the most vacuous, empty art in the show. Surprisingly a non art reviewer caught up on Julia Meltzer and David Thorne, who actually made an effort to address something current, although their most political work was shown outside the Biennial at the Armory.
These two artists got multiple grants to try to represent Syria through their lens. Narcissism has been placed at bay at least a little bit. NEIL MACFARQUHAR who wrote the article writes on Muslims, the Middle East, and other important topics for the New York Times. He recognized that these two artists know that there is a world out there. What he didn't tell us is why they chose Syria and why they chose the particular format that they came up with a type of mime by an actor responding to questions. "We will live to see these things or Five Pictures of What might come to pass" seemed colonizing to me, but at least the artists went to Syria on their own, outside of the system and filmed subjects according to their own choices, not based on pressures from the international art world. The theme is intense, a culture caught between Islamic Fundamentalism, US pressures ( I would say the war in Iraq) , and a "repressive regime" as they refer to it ( that is an unexamined generality that could be further elaborated on in order to avoid a cliche perspective) . Of course the Syrians might see the pressures quite differently. It is not clear how they came with this triad of concepts.
Julia Meltzer has done other socially engaged work. She cares about the world. I would love to know how she decided to make the jump from the LAPD to Syria! But at least she cares.
Monday, March 24, 2008
4000 Americans and thousands and thousands of Iraqis have died in this war
Here 's an example of "news coverage" This is from Navy Lt. Patrick Evans a military spokesperson in response to raids on the Green Zone today. " There have been some significant gains. However this enemy is resilient and will not give up, nor will we."
What are the gains? The destruction of the entire country and the killing of probably over a million Iraqis. The gains? fewer Americans killed?? Many fewer would be killed if they all left. The enemy?? Who is the enemy, the enemy is us. Why are we there ?
This particular article which has already been buried online, blamed the attack on "probably tensions between rival Shiite groups" What on earth does that mean? More prominent online is the article blaming Iranian backed militias. More propaganda for Cheney's next campaign to start a war against Iran. Later on we have Mosul where the area is "the last major urban area where the Sunni extremist al-Qaida group maintains a significant presence>" What are they talking about here?
For a revealing view of the resistance from their own perspective, see the excellent movie Meeting Resistance which interviews the resistance and finds out their motives. Steve Connors and Molly Bingham embedded with one community of resistance fighters, not a "group" but a series of individuals affiliated in different ways, for ten months. They gained their trust enough to be able to interview them about what they were doing. The immediate impact of the movie is that we see the occupation by the US from their perspective, huge machines, soldiers, heavily armed invading every street, action, neighborhood. We look up at these enormously armed men and wonder what on earth do we think we are doing.
Steve Connors one of the filmmakers commented to me "I think a major problem for people attempting to remain informed by reliance on the media here in the United States is that only rarely are Iraqi's as motivated human beings, driving events, taken into consideration. The view from here is that they lay passive as Americans enact their policy decisions upon them."
This is so true.
Friday, March 21, 2008
New York Artists Against the War in DC
The Embedded Blanket of Lies
This quilt is a compilation of some of the lies we have heard from the government and the media over the last five years. Many of the lies were taken from this website
They have been recorded in plays like David Hare's "Stuff Happens", poems, performances, and even in books.
The symbolism of putting them on a comfortable quilt on a bed is obvious and layered. Not only is a quilt covered bed one of our primary escapes from reality for many hours every night, but the softness of the material is also echoing the softness of the information, all based on fabrication and the desire to frighten the American people as well as Congress into supporting the war. And of course the lies continue every day.
The New York City Artists Against the War are a large group of artists who are deeply committed to using their skills to create agit prop in protest against the war. I have posted their work here on several occasions.
Beginning the Sixth Year of the Iraq War
Washington DC
March 19
The Dead Marched in front of Blackwater
on the National Mall , near the White House, and around the city. Each Marcher wore the name of a person who had died in Iraq. They were silent and haunting. This is the simple, but effective statement that brings home the reality more than any slogan.
The power of the visual, the power of performance, the power of bringing protest into everyday life.
In addition there was a Freeze In at Union Station. Here is the video link. Again it was a protest that was part of daily life, hundreds of people just stood still in the midst of an action, then after about five minutes, they all shouted, end the war.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Controversy at the Northwest African American Museum
There seems to be quite a bit of planning for youth at the museum. Brian Carter, the Director of Education, in Northwest Colors Magazine, is reported to have these plans just for a beginning.
"Carter has brought together students from four local high schools to create a Youth Docent/Curator Program. They will not only give tours of exhibits, but will also work with museum professionals to create their own exhibits. "It's pulling the curtain back from museums," Carter says. "Because I know as a youth I thought they were unapproachable and they're really institutions and you're just kind of brought there for 30 minutes twice a year."
That can change, Carter says, by giving youth a say in how the museum operates. After being introduced to the museum and exploring a topic that they themselves chose, "they'll fabricate the exhibit and then mount it in the gallery, and then they'll act as tour guides and they'll give tours of their exhibit to school groups, to organizations or individuals. What we want them to do is once they go through they program, they can be ambassadors for the museum."
According to the protesters this isn't directly engaging with the current crisis for black youth. A discussion with Kwame Garrett was broadcast on March 13
His perspective is that the museum fails as a community center because it has no places for community activities, performance, film and video production, radio. He calls it a high class exhibit with some housing. The class issue is fundamental to the disagreement. What constitutes culture, what constitutes community? Hip Hop is a huge community in Seattle, but it seems to have no connection to the NAAM so far. UMOJA is a Central District community festival which includes many types of arts is another example of community. But I am sure most of the participants in that festival came to the opening of the museum. And the gift shop is offering lots of community based art works.
It seems to me that the museum and the protesters aren't really very far apart. Culture as a means of intervening in the oppressions and lack of hope for black youth seems to me what both sides want. The museum is embracing the community, and can easily accomodate all types of culture. It isn't even one week old!
Monday, March 10, 2008
Inside the Northwest African American Museum
One of the featured artist is James W. Washington, Jr. painter and sculptor, born in Gloster Mississippi in deep Jim Crow, moved to Seattle in 1944 to become a successful artist. Here is the symbolic portrait of Mark Tobey with whom he studied for a few years in the 1940s. The James Washington Foundation put together the exhibition of this important artist's paintings and sculpture. At the opening the Foundation also gave a scholarship awards to two art students, Theresa James at Garfield High School and the Hugo Shi at the University of Washington.
Next is the Jacob Lawrence Exhibition with his large tile mural of "Games" formerly in the King Dome and then the Convention Center.
The exhibition is dazzling. Also included is his George Washington Bush series, the story of an African American pioneer who came on the Oregon trail with five wagons.
The exhibition has selections from his Builders series
Finally, is the Journey Gallery which tells of the accomplishments of African Americans who traveled from all over the world to come to the Northwest. It comes up to the present including present day East Africans.
Northwest African American Museum Opens in Seattle!
After so many years this was a landmark event. It began with eight years of sit ins by Wyking Kwame Garrett, his father and many other activists who saved the building from demolition at the time of the construction of the I 90 tunnel lid. Then it went into a transition when the city planned to sell it to this group, but then backed out ( according to the activists). Finally, in 2003 the Urban League took it on and brought it to fruition, complete with low income apartments.
Barbara Earl Thomas as Curator
was a central spirit in the final creation of the museum, and she presented a brilliant metaphor at the grand opening. It is like the pickle jar at Thanksgiving she said, as it passes around the table each person tries to open it, until finally the last person opens it easily. She declared that the Museum was the work of everyone there.
The galleries include the Journey, which tells the story of Northwest African americans journeys to the Northwest in so many ways, and their accomplishments once they arrived. Two art exhibitions, Making a Life, Creating a World, feature Jacob Lawrence and James W. Washington Jr. and finally there is a superb cafe and gift store.
It is a thrilling beginning. Programming and future events are in the works, primarily a benefit for the Museum education program next Sunday night honoring Quincy Jones at the Paramount Theater.
At the opening Wyking
came to the podium and decried the museum as a sham because it did not address directly the current problems of black youth. He was asked to leave and eventually even put in jail, which is way over the top and not appropriate at all. But perhaps if he had gone inside, he might have felt differently. The inspiration of seeing Black History on the walls, and the amazing accomplishments of so many talented people was thrilling and the large crowd obviously felt that way as well.
The politicians turned out in force. Here is Maria Cantwell shaking the hand of someone yet to be identified, behind her Jim McDermott, Ron Sims, and even Gov Gregoire spoke, although she doesn't show up here.
Carver Gayton is the executive director.
And everyone was happy !
See the next entry for the inside
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
The College Art Association honors Chicana Artists, Yoko Ono, and Donny George
Santa Barraza in pink at the other end of the second row, received an award from the Women's Caucus for Art. Finally, Yolanda Lopez next to Santa Barraza also was honored. Laura Perez, front row right, has written a new book on these artists, an invaluable contribution to our understanding of the range and variety of their work.
Also receiving an award was Yoko Ono! This is not her look at the Conference, but close, she had on a big white cowboy hat.
She created a "love in" with all the people who came to hear a conversation with hard core white haired art historian Jonathan Fineberg. Instead of a serious interview, she showed some home movies, handed out little lights and taught the audience to spell "I love you" with them.
Quite an accomplishment. If art historians and artists can say "I love you" with flashing lights, anyone can! One friend of mine who was there said it went right past the brain to the heart and she found herself so moved she was crying.
Also honored was Donny George, one of my personal heroes. He was director of the National museum in Baghdad when it was looted and described the events of those disastrous days almost hour by hour as he tried to save the many treasures in the museum. His narrative was easy on the criticism of the US Forces (since he is currently living here), but he told how it took a phone conversation with a curator at the British Museum and eventually a phone call from Tony Blair directly to George Bush to get the museum protected.
George finally left Iraq in September 2006. The current state of the looting of antiquities in Iraq is no longer even discussed in the press here, but we can be sure that it is ongoing and disastrous.


text: I was thinking that I'd like to try a pocket holster. The CCW gun I carry the most is a Colt Cobra 2". Has anyone tried the Safariland Model 25? Does anyone have a different one that they really like that I should look into? Since the Cobra is a 6-shot, the cylinder is slightly larger than, say a Chief Special and similar five shot revolvers. Would this be enough difference to eliminate some choices? Any help or opinions would be appreciated.


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The New Yorker, April 17, 1971 P. 120
In the museum of the Manned Spacecraft Center outside Houston there is a real lunar module - one used in training - rather than a model. As aspirations become realities, the Apollo program is becoming a museum piece, and so is the moon itself. The way the Apollo program looks at the moment, there will be nothing left of it in two years' time, outside the exhibits in the museum. The scientists may be the only people who have a chance of getting an appreciable return from the 25 billion dollars the U.S. is spending for manned exploration of the moon. Tells about scientists studies of the moon rocks at the Lunar Receiving Laboratory. Also tells about theories about tektities - some scientists think they come from the moon. On the mornings of Feb. 5th & 6th writer went to the Goddard Space Flight Center outside Washington to watch the Apollo astronauts, Cmdr. Edgar Mitchell & Capt. Alan B. Shepard, make two excurions at Fra Mauro on television. Writer was in the company of Dr. John A. O'Keefe. Tells what he saw on TV.