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Here are some questions I answered about writing last week over at Tom Rizzo's blog: Rizzo Historical Adventure Fiction. I thought I'd post the interview again here, since I haven't offered many writing tips lately. The pic below of course is not Mean Pete, but I found it when looking for a general "Writer" pic to post. It's Patricia Highsmith, and while I'm not a huge fan of her writing, I do love this writerly pic of her with the coffin nail and old typewriter, hammering it out. She probably has a bottle of vodka in hiding.
StoryTeller's Seven Questions
1. You've written a ton of books over the years as Peter Brandvold and as Frank Leslie. How many novels so far and in what circumstances do you use your Frank Leslie pen name?
I lost track several years ago of how many books I've penned under those two names. I'd say around fifty. I chose to work under a pen name when I started writing for Signet, which is under the same Penguin umbrella as my original publisher Berkley.
Those two companies didn't want to compete with each other, thus Frank Leslie was born. I don't really see much difference in the books I write under those names, but I will admit FEELING differently when I write as Frank rather than as Pete. Not sure what that is. Under the Leslie name, Yakima Henry, Spurr Morgan, and Colter Farrow were born. Over the years, those characters have made guest appearances in my Berkley books. That's always fun to do.
I'm currently not contracted with Signet OR Berkley--we couldn't agree on money--and that's given me the opportunity to really fire up my own Mean Pete Press, which you can read about at my blog: www.peterbrandvold.blogspot.com. (The only contract I currently have with a traditional publisher is with Simon & Schuster.) Mean Pete in all his frenzied, industrious nastiness intends to issue an e-book and possibly a pub-on-demand book a month until he's a hundred years old, possibly longer. Which would be roughly 50 years from now. (Mothers, hide your children!)
2. What's your latest project, and the "inspiration" behind it?
My latest project is/was (it just went live at Amazon and B&N) is a Rogue Lawman book: HEED THE THUNDER. I really can't talk about "inspiration," but I've been wanting to write another Rogue Lawman for several years but the bean counters at Berkley didn't want me to because my other series were selling better. But I know that the Rogue Lawman has a loyal following, and I personally love ole Gideon Hawk, and I've wanted for a long time to set a book in the Superstition Mountains with the Dutchman of the "lost mine" fame as well as Geronimo...so HEED THE THUNDER went snapping and crackling onto the computer screen. It's doing pretty well now, too, as an ebook original. I describe it as one part Edgar Rice Burroughs to one part Fawcett Gold Medal with a good dose of Mean Pete Brandvold thrown in to really keep things moving!
3. I read an interview where you mentioned the newer writers of westerns don't much appeal to you because of "cornball dialect" and characters that are "way too goody-goody." Would you elaborate on that a bit?
No. They'll get drunk and drive by my house yelling nastiness or mess with my lawn ornaments. But I will tell you that some of my current FAVORITE western scribes are James Reasoner (I just finished WEST OF THE LAW and loved his take on Bill Tilghman) as well as Wayne Dundee, Matthew P. Mayo, and my adopted mother, "Ma" Kit Prate. She is absolutely the best western writer I've ever read from any time and it's a shame she hasn't written more. But we're remedying that--wink, wink.
4. Tell us something about your work habits. What kind of planning is involved for someone who seems to have lots of irons in the fire? Outlines? Charts? Do you move from beginning to end?
I just take long walks up and down Horsetooth Mountain and ride my mountain bike (I'm a mountain-biking fiend) and let the movie in my head get going and come back and write it down. For one book I take about as many notes as can fit on one legal pad page and most of those are just so I can keep guns and horses straight and remember names I come up with. ("Claudia" as opposed to "Claudine" and that sort of thing.) I don't plan very far ahead. I just get the overall gist of the story and the opening scene--imagine it down to the finest detail including what that spider looked like that crawled over the hero's dusty boot, and then I roll up my shirtsleeves, pour a cup of coffee, and burn up the keypad, laughing maliciously.
5. You started your own eBook publishing company called "Mean Pete Press." Give us an idea of what you're trying to accomplish with in.
I'm just publishing everything that Berkley and Signet used to publish. Very little difference except that the books might be a little shorter and definitely much cheaper. I'm a curmudgeon and I love going rogue, having all the control myself. So Mean Pete is really snickering in his dingy offices right now, getting the old virtual grease can out with which he's oiling his virtual presses with which to publish his next wild ride!
By the way, Graphic Audio is currently negotiating with me and Penguin to put out almost all of my books in audio format. I'm very excited about that. For years, people have been asking me why they can't listen to my books in their rigs as they're wheeling down the Interstate. Soon, they'll be able to.
6. Your books tend to be fast reads with little interruption storyline. What's the trick or technique to keeping a story moving and compelling?
Coffee and bourbon. (he-he) Really, I just see the story in my head like a movie playing on a screen. Movies can't slow down for much backstory, or they have to include backstory in more artful ways than with flashbacks and long passages of dry expository dialogue. So in my books as in good action movies, the story has to keep plunging, plunging forward. Just when the reader thinks it's going to slow down...that's where you kick it into an even higher gear. You, as you're writing, have to feel the tingle of creativity, which I guess is adrenaline. Go ahead and be a ham. Entertain the crowd! Make the girls gasp and giggle, the men suddenly jump up and whoop and start shootin'! Don't let up! Another secret is to make the writing as spare and breezy and lucid as you can, and that's hard to do and there's really no way to teach it. You just have to want to do it and keep trying till you get it so that your prose is as transparent as a newly cleaned window.
7. You've written about the west for a long time. If you had the opportunity, what three individuals would you have liked to have met from the Old West era and what one – and different – questions would you ask each one?
I can't think of any off hand. I have a feeling most of those guys wouldn't be very good conversationalists. But I WOULD love to sit down and have a beer with some of my own characters one day. Lou Prophet, especially. Now, that'd be fun! Gideon Hawk, however, probably wouldn't say a whole lot and I'd be kind of worried that if he got to drinking too much he might suddenly go off on me.


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SOUTH BEND, Ind. – It isn't often that a player like Emily Tubert enters a USGA final and can be considered the underdog.
After all, the dark-haired, easy-talking Tubert stands at 5-foot-11 and boasts a 270-yard driving average. Still, when Tubert took to the first tee on a drizzly Saturday morning at the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links, she had far less championship golf experience in her corner than her opponent, Lisa McCloskey. In fact, Tubert, barely 18, had far less golf experience, period. The Burbank, Calif., native has only been playing the game for five years, but as the week progressed, she drew more and more confidence with each passing match.
It was a shaky start for Tubert at the beginning of a long Saturday, as she struggled to find the fairway with her booming drives and was unable to convert out of thick, wet rough.
"I got off to a really rocky start," Tubert said. "I didn't think I was that nevous, but you know, seeing how my shots ended up, there were definitely some nerves there."
McCloskey struggled early, too, but took a 2-up lead at the fifth hole after a tap-in birdie at the par-3 fourth and a par at the fifth. It was the biggest lead McCloskey, a former Pepperdine standout who will transfer to USC for her junior season, would take all day, and it lasted just one hole.
Tubert, an Arkansas commit, started a seven-hole charge with a birdie at No. 6, where she chipped in from just off the front of the green. Two more pars followed, before a string of four birdies at Nos. 9-12. It's the longest string of birdies Tubert has made in championship conditions during her short career.
Once she got to 5 up after the 12th hole, Tubert continued to apply pressure. After playing it safe at the par-5 10th and 17th holes during the first four days of the championship, Tubert successfully hit both greens in two during her quarterfinal and semifinal match. She went for both holes in two during the final, after well-struck drives left her with the green light.
McCloskey, who averages 240 yards off the tee, lost both holes to the junior power player, and knew there was little she could do about it.
"She's definitely the longest player I've played with," McCloskey said. "… She's just like in-her-own-league long. At the par 5s, that's where it kind of gets to you."
Tubert finished the first 18 holes 4 up, and McCloskey never was able to get back in the match. She would claw to within 3 down twice during the final 18, but couldn't make enough birdies to stop Tubert.
"I was happy with how I came back," she said. "I was 6 down at one point, so I mean, at least bring it back down to three, that's a little better."
One of the biggest holes for McCloskey was at No. 15, when she dropped a 15-footer for birdie to extend the match another hole. Knowing Tubert was still dormie, McCloskey figured she would have to birdie out to have a chance at the title, and that was with another trip to the 17th looming. After both players hit the green at the par-4 16th, McCloskey conceded Tubert's 2-footer, a gift Tubert didn't expect.
"With all the pressure, I thought she'd make me putt it," Tubert said after the round, a bit wide-eyed. "It was nice of her, giving it to me."
Despite her length from the tee, Tubert has struggled to believe that she can compete with the caliber of player she encountered at this week's WAPL. When she showed up for her first USGA championship four years ago, the U.S. Girls' Junior, she was awed by the experience, right down to getting her own locker for the tournament. This week, she took it all in stride, enjoying the company of her dad and caddie, Marcelo, as they logged a total of 154 holes in soggy South Bend. Tubert spent the week chatting with the volunteers and officials, and joking about the many errant drives that were perhaps the only flaw in her final match.
Speaking with wisdom beyond her years, Tubert acknowledged that her confidence is at a high right now, but that it could ebb down the road.
"I was looking at some of the names on the trophy, and there are some big names on there," she said. "So for my name to join them is awesome."
The WAPL win ranks at the top of Tubert's list of accomplishments on the golf course, and those include a maiden AJGA win in May. Now in her third consecutive week on the road after graduating from high school May 27, Tubert will try to channel some of her success into a high finish at the AJGA's Rolex Tournament of Champions next week.
Marcelo, who works as an actor in Burbank, has been with his daughter every step of the way, which worked out to a lot of steps during the week-long WAPL.
"There was no way I wasn't going to do it," Marcelo, 58, said of his role as caddie. "I've never walked this far in my life. I've never carried clubs! I don't know how she does it."
Marcelo usually doesn't offer swing advice, but the intangibles meant much more to Tubert during a week in uncharted waters. When Tubert won on the 16th, Marcelo had tears in his eyes as he raised his arms in the air, took off his ballcap – the one with an Arkansas logo, no less – and walked right off the green with the flag still in his hand. It was his first experience as a caddie, and though his nerves peaked during the morning, it was an experience neither will soon forget.
"It was so great to have him standing there with me for support," Tubert said. "He's not really going to be able to help me with shot selection or reading putts, but that's exactly what I needed this week was somebody to talk to, and somebody I felt comfortable with."
As for McCloskey, well, she had a small posse in her corner at the Warren Course, as well. Future USC teammate Lizette Salas and former Pepperdine teammate Jessica Wallace both popped in and out of the gallery Saturday as McCloskey continued to battle for her first USGA major title.
Even though McCloskey said her ballstriking got progressively worse as the week wore on, she stepped up her short game, making several crucial up-and-downs during the final.
"It could have ended a little better, but I thought coming in to today if I would have shot even, I thought that would have been maybe good enough, but Emily just played really well, didn't make any mistakes really," McCloskey said.
It seems Tubert just shed her underdog status.
• • •
Results from the finals of the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links, played June 26 at the Warren Golf Course at Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind.:
Emily Tubert def. Lisa McCloskey, 3 and 2
Results from the semifinals:
Emily Tubert def. Sara Grantham, 19 holes
Lisa McCloskey def. Ellen Mueller, 3 and 2
Results from the quarterfinals:
Sara Grantham def. Cydney Clanton, 1 up
Emily Tubert def. Victoria Sungmin Park, 19 holes
Ellen Mueller def. Martina Gavier, 2 and 1
Lisa McCloskey def. Brianna Do, 1 up
Results from the Round of 16:
Cydney Clanton def. Ariya Jutanugarn, 1 up
Sara Grantham def. Allie White, 1 up
Victoria Sungmin Park def. Kimberly Kim, 2 and 1
Emily Tubert def. Annie Park, 4 and 3
Martina Gavier ef. Caroline Powers, 21 holes
Ellen Mueller def. Joy Trotter, 3 and 2
Lisa McCloskey def. Rachel Rohanna, 6 and 5
Brianna Do def. Stephanie Kono, 3 and 2
• • •
Results from the Round of 32:
Ariya Jutanugarn def. Karen Chung, 3 and 1
Cydney Clanton def. Kelli Oride, 5 and 3
Allie White def. Bonnie Hu, 1 up
Sara Grantham def. Janine Fellows, 1 up
Victoria Sungmin Park def. Mercedes Germino, 19 holes
Kimberly Kim def. Gyeol Park, 4 and 3
Emily Tubert def. Anna Kim, 4 and 3
Annie Park def. Tiffany Lim, 1 up
Martina Gavier def. Becca Huffer, 20 holes
Caroline Powers def. Alice Kim, 3 and 1
Ellen Mueller def. Nicole Zhang, 2 and 1
Joy Trotter def. Victoria Fallgren, 5 and 4
Lisa McCloskey def. Lizette Salas, 4 and 2
Rachel Rohanna def. Lakareber Abe, 4 and 3
Brianna Do def. Kelly Fuchik, 3 and 2
Stephanie Kono def. Candace Schepperle, 23 holes
• • •
Results from the Round of 64:
Ariya Jutanugarn def. Augusta James, 7 and 6
Karen Chung def. Grace Na, 4 and 2
Cydney Clanton def. Kathryn Rogner, 4 and 3
Kelli Oride def. Shamira Marshall, 2 and 1
Bonnie Hu def. Aimee Neff, 19 holes
Allie White def. Samantha Morrell, 2 and 1
Janine Fellows def. Jessica Wallace, 3 and 2
Sara Grantham def. Kristi Cardwell, 5 and 4
Victoria Sungmin Park def. Brittany Altomare, 1 up
Mercedes Germino def. Alexa Kim, 4 and 3
Kimberly Kim def. Simone Hoey, 4 and 3
Gyeol Park def. Aurora Kan, 3 and 2
Emily Tubert def. Maggie Yuan, 3 and 2
Anna Kim def. Allisen Corpuz, 2 and 1
Annie Park def. Alexandria Buelow, 1 up
Tiffany Lim def. Alyssa Shimel, 3 and 2
Martina Gavier def. Jessie Jordan, 3 and 2
Becca Huffer def. Joanna Coe, 4 and 3
Caroline Powers def. Kaylee Imel, 6 and 5
Alice Kim def. Hayley Hammond, 5 and 3
Nicole Zhang def. Kristin Paulson, 2 and 1
Ellen Mueller def. Suzie Lee, 1 up
Victoria Fallgren def. Tiffany Lua, 3 and 1
Joy Trotter def. Karlin Beck, 4 and 3
Lizette Salas def. Kuriko Tsukiyama, 2 up
Lisa McCloskey def. Samantha Formeck, 3 and 1
Rachel Rohanna def. Alex Stewart, 3 and 2
Lakareber Abe def. Moriya Jutanugarn, 3 and 2
Brianna Do def. Kristina Wong, 1 up
Kelly Fuchik def. Victoria Trapani, 20 holes
Candace Schepperle def. Lindsay Danielson, 5 and 4
Stephanie Kono def. Seohee Moon, 1 up

subset: commoncrawl


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Delilah Marquis Flower of Life Opal Silver Earrings
This stunning Delilah Marquis Flower of Life Opal Silver Earrings are so dainty and sweet!
Once studied by Leonardo DaVinci, the Flower of Life is made of 19 overlapping circles said to represent the interconnectedness of all living beings. The oldest known representations of the Flower of Life are found in the Temple of Osiris in Egypt.
These earrings are just one of these circles that make up the greater Flower of Life.
Ancient Romans thought that opals were the most powerful gemstones because they contain so many colors. Bedouins believed opals contained lightning.
Opals are said to strengthen and reinforce positive thoughts. In addition, wearing opal jewelry inspires creativity.
The overall length of these earrings is just shy of 1.25". The diameter of the circle is 0.5". We offer these flower of life earrings in many other gemstones.


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Available from Lexus Carlisle
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I've been cleaning the house all week. Currently I'm Organizing candles by seasonal scents. Can you tell we like Yankee Candle?
We moved into our house on the 20th, and life has been a bit chaotic as we start to move everything in and get things settled. However, waking up this morning, I looked at the furniture, pictures, and all our belongings, and it really started to feel like a home.
8am, May 20. Movers arrive, and help us move our belongings to our new house. We say goodbye to our tri-level townhome (which I loved) of two and a half years. We pack up our furniture, clothes, washer/dryer, glass statues, Disney figurines, kitchen appliances, and much more. It was so strange staring at the North Star moving truck, and realizing that a large portion of our lives was in that truck. True, they were only belongings, but many of those belongings carry along special memories with it. One can point to any object and I can tell you where I got it from and what it represents.
We then arrive to a freshly painted house, new flooring, new light fixtures, and nothing else. It's been a very busy time as we do everything from placing liners in the kitchen cabinets, to setting up our home theater surround sound system, to getting new furniture installed. However, its finally starting to feel like home, and its exciting!
I have to say, I also am learning so much about being more "handy" around the home. Those that know me know that I am good with computers, technology, etc, and I'm not handy with my hands at all. I have been learning so much lately about so many things I never thought I'd ever know, and to be honest, once I do work on the house, it really feels rewarding. It's this feeling I haven't had before, but it feels good to say that I installed our new toilets, and I replaced this light fixture, and I did this. Mike and I have been an excellent team, and I can only wait a few more weeks until the rest of our rooms are finished. For now, only our living room is ready to go, but its getting there.
The other night, we were laying in bed falling asleep, and Mike turned over to me and said, "Kyle, can you believe it, we really did it. We bought a house and we're living in it." At that point, it really sunk in. All the weekends we spent looking at homes and writing up offers, we were finally in our home, and it was such a powerful feeling.
It's been about a week since I last updated, and I have to say its been an adventurous one at that. We officially closed escrow on the 4th of May, and we are homeowners. It's an exciting time, but we didn't have much time to enjoy that feeling because we are now focusing on getting the house move-in-ready.
I picked up new flooring, picked up paint, sorted through many choices of light fixtures, and our remodel is underway in less than 24 hours. We are having painters re-paint the entire house, we tore our the carpet and are having new flooring put in, we had a new front door replaced, we changed the locks, and much much more.
It's been a bit chaotic, but its finally starting to get exciting as our move in date quickly approaches. The most difficult part of moving is the packing. Over the years, Michael and I have collected many items, each carrying its own special significance to us. Packing is not only very frustrating, but very time consuming. We've had many long and late nights trying to finish a particular task up, and it's a bit difficult when you have to get up early to let the painters in, and then go for a full day of work.
Our move in date is the 20th, so we have about a week and a half to go. We've only been homeowners for a few days, and have already learned a few of the many things we will learn as new homeowners. Many of our friends are also new homeowners as well, so its exciting to learn from their experiences and maybe we'll get to teach them a few tricks too. 😉
I'll post an update shortly, so keep those fingers crossed and let's all hope that the move goes smoothly.
As I eagerly wait the close of escrow, I completed my purchase of a home alarm system. As with any major purchase, I have done my share of homework and have researched alarm systems fully. I've checked the major alarm companies, the smaller "small business" ones, and a few online providers. After comparing everything, I know that Front Point was the choice for me.
I checked out the large companies, mainly ADT and Brinks (now Broadview security. They frequently advertise specials such as $99 installation, etc. However, when you delve in the fine print, this usually includes 2 sensors. By the time you add everything up, you are looking at around $1,000.00. In addition, it requires a phone line, which is difficult since Mike and I are a cell-phone only household. Even if we did have a landline, they charge extra for cell phone backup. So the monthly price is somewhere around $45-$55 or so. Also, I've seen hundreds of negative reviews scattered all across the web.
I've checked out a few small local businesses, but unfortunately they just can't compare with some of the bigger retailers. While their customer service can sometimes be superb due to the extra personal touch, they also don't have the flexibility of having a large workforce with greater support hours.
Then I began checking out several on-line companies. I found some, but there was always a catch. Their equipment was cheap but monitoring was high. Their customer service received horrible ratings, or their service required a phone line. I found one that used one's Internet, but what if a burglar cuts my Internet connection or cable line? I needed a solution that was far superior.
I found Front Point Security, which uses the Alarm.com monitoring center for its service. Not only is it perfect for cell-phone only households, but it never needs a landline. It is cell only and uses both AT&T and T-Mobile for its backbone. The benefit is that I don't have to have a landline that could be cut by an intruder, and its always active. Another benefit is that any time a door or window is opened, it sends a signal to the main monitoring station. With traditional alarm systems, a signal is only sent to the central monitoring station after 30-60 seconds, meaning a burglar could quickly cut the line rending a system useless. With Front Point, it sends a signal as soon as it is tripped, and unless you enter your code and the bypass signal is sent to the monitoring station, the alarm is tripped even if the burglar "cuts the cord."
I know that people will be skeptical because it is cell based and we all know how well ATT is, but it uses data, not voice. Data is much more reliable, which is why text messages usually go through when a network is overloaded and you cannot make a phone call- data uses almost no bandwidth and is easy for the network to handle.
In addition the having a strong backbone, the equipment pricing is fair and the customer service so far has been superb. I am pleased with how friendly each interaction has been with their sales department. I'll give it a test in a few weeks once I'm a customer and see how their technical support is. However, I"m almost positive that my experience will be pleasant and I've seen nothing buy positive reviews about them online.
Here is my favorite part, there is an iPhone application that allows me to control virturally any aspect of my system from my device. I can arm, disarm, receive alerts, receive text messages, and find out the current status of my alarm from anywhere in the world. If I forget to arm my system, I can open the iPhone application from work and turn it on.
I finally placed my order yesterday and I'll have it next week. I probably won't install it for about two weeks or so until our house is fully painted and our new flooring is installed, but I'll definitely post a review once I've had the system for a few months.


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IWF: Three short letters that make a big impact
I might as well have IWF tattooed on my forehead. There's certainly enough room.
For the last six months or so, I've just about worn out my keyboard typing those three letters. This month especially, since it's our IWF preview issue, accompanied by our IWF "Black Book" show planner.
It could be worse. I was contacted by IWF management, asking that we only refer to the IWF by its full name, the International Woodworking Fair. This would put my arm in a sling. The IWF doesn't need to be spelled out. The IWF is the year's biggest trade show, it's happening in August and it's going to be huge.
The 2014 IWF should easily retain its ranking among the largest trade shows in the world with roughly 900 exhibitors sprawled across the vast Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. The booth of Stiles Machinery alone will occupy more than 20,000 sq. ft. Advanced registration is ahead of the pace set at the 2012 event, according to the IWF.
"We are up across the board, more exhibits, more products and more attendees," says Rick Hannigan, director of marketing for Weinig/Holz-Her and chairman of IWF 2014. Attendance at IWF and its counterpart, the AWFS in Las Vegas, is a good barometer of the health of the woodworking industry and a strong turnout should signal that we're in a growth period following the Great Recession.
"The importance of seeing products firsthand and engaging face-to-face with industry experts is key to our industry's growth," Hannigan adds.
From my perspective, the amount of new products is a good indication of the health of the industry. When the economy is struggling, manufacturers tighten their belts and spend less on marketing and new-product development. I'm seeing much more product promotion this year. Plus, there were 61 entries for the IWF Challenger Distinguished Achievement Awards, suggesting the green light has been issued for the development of new technologies.
Another clue is offered by the IWF education conference schedule. At recent shows, a common theme was survival as presenters focused on doing-more-with-less strategies. This year's topics include managing multiple jobs, expanding into new markets and methods to increase production — all pretty much taboo subjects back in 2010.
In July, the IWF announced a discount program for attendees participating in the educational conference. Attendees who sign up for one of the all-day finishing, veneer, countertop, closets and woodworking inventors symposiums on Aug. 19 receive a complimentary pass to another educational seminar. Meanwhile, purchasing a seat at one educational session gets you another at half price.
I've circled four seminars of interest at IWF (for the complete schedule, visit www.iwfatlanta.com):
"3-D Printing and the Return of the Cottage Industry," presented by Ralph Bagnell, who writes on the subject in our Cutting Edge column on Page 23.
• "Lean Manufacturing for the Small- to Mid-Sized Shop," presented by the Cabinet Makers Association.
• "Combustible Dust: An Explosive Issue" (a free session), presented by Jamison Scott.
• "Selling to Generation Y," presented by Jon Goldman.
And for those keeping score at home, I've typed IWF another 15 times in this column alone. Make that 16.
This article originally appeared in the August 2014 issue.


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Desperately in need of a home design change-up? Looking for a few shades of inspiration? Often, we become stuck in a design rut in which we overuse the same palettes in nearly every room. If you're looking for a more vibrant option, you'll be happy to know that we've compiled a list of four of the hottest color couples in modern design. Consider the following sets of shades for your home —
Yellow and Gray
by Intexure Architects
You might call this color combo a winning pair. Lately, it's hard to cast a stone without hitting a home, showroom or design boutique that doesn't display these colors together in at least one spot. Consider gray walls with a couple pieces of eye-popping lemon-colored furniture, or a gray table accompanied by banana hued tableware. This color partnership is sweet and sleek all at the same time.
by Michelle Hinckley / Photo by Michelle Rasmussen
by Chelsea Atelier Architect
by NOA Architecture Planning Interiors / Photo by Berkay Demirkan
Brown and Green
Yaletown Loft by Maria Killam
The most natural of combinations, these two hues repeat the same color pair we see in our own backyards. Consider sage colored walls with brown iron sculptures or a mint bedspread against a natural wood headboard.
Interior Design by id 810 design group / Photo by Alexander Johnson Photography
Red and Turquoise
by Niche Interiors / R. Brad Knipstein Photography
It can sound a little zany at first, but this tropical amalgamation can give your living space the liveliness you've been seeking. Picture ocean colored walls next to a barn-red lamp or a red vanity topped with a turquoise vase. If this combination is too bright for your tastes, tone it down with blocks of white or ivory.
by betsy burnham
Purple and Gold
The most royal of the color combinations, this duo can transform any space into a room fir for a queen. Consider rich purple walls marked with accents of gilded gold, or an ornate gold patterned sofa complemented with plum colored throw pillows. Because these tones are opposite on the color wheel, they almost always mix well.
By Jessica-Haley
by B Fein Interior Design


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These rules are designed for playing with two Commanders instead of one. During play, only one of the two Commanders can be on the battlefield at a given time, creating the analogy to tag-team wrestling, where only one part of a team can legally be involved in the action at a given time. It can be played either with purpose-constructed decks or by adding a second Commander of the same colour identity to an existing deck to add variety to play.
- Players have two legendary creatures in the Command Zone, either can be played for their mana cost as per normal rules.
- The colour identity of a deck is dictated by the combined colour identity of both Commanders.
- When one of a player's Commanders is in play, if that player's second Commander into play, the first will return to the Command Zone as a state-based action. A change in zones produced by this rule doesn't not increase the Commander Tax (we have been referring to this as 'bumping').
- E.G. 1: Jacques Le Vert is in play. My friend tags in Wydwen by paying her mana cost + tax. Jacques bumps into the Command Zone as a state-based action. Nobody can respond, and taxes don't increase.
- E.G. 2: Wydwen is in the graveyard and Jacques is on the battlefield. My friend casts Twilight's Call. When Wydwen comes into play, Jacques will be bumped into the Command Zone because he was first on the field. Taxes don't increase.
- Commander Tax applies to both Commanders as one.
- If you are using this rule, make sure it is clear that players can use commanders with different colour identities so make decks with more colours (E.G. Thromok the Insatiable and Endrek Sahr for a three-colour R/G/B deck).


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After Atlas (A Planetfall Novel) by Emma Newman (book review).
The first novel by Emma Newman, 'Planetfall', was a masterpiece in characterisation. It could have been set anywhere and at any time and still made an impact. A bonus was the way the society had been set up as a very believable colony on an alien planet. The second novel is not exactly a sequel but takes the same universe but takes a totally different approach. 'After Atlas' is the story of some of those the left behind on Earth. It takes place about forty years after the colonists left.
The premise of the technology that most of the inhabitants of Earth use is similar to that used in novels by other authors in that everyone is connected to a universal information network. A chip allows access, though there are some areas that need higher security clearance than others. The information is projected visually onto the eye. Society, though, has kinks unique to Newman's universe. People remain the same in their desires and behaviours.
The people who left on the spaceship were part of a cult who went seeking the truth. One was the mother of the main character, Carlos Moreno. She left when he was a new-born and his life has not been easy. His father, also left behind, didn't cope well and it was only when the cult leader, Alejandro Casales, recruited him that life took a different direction. Life in the commune left lasting marks on Carlos, even though he resented his father's choices.
He left as soon as he was old enough but had developed a taste for real food. The food supply for most of humanity was solved by having 3-D printers turn nutritious gloop into something resembling acceptable food in appearance and taste. Events since Carlos left the cult have given Carlos a job as a Gov-corp detective but he is not a free man. Gov-corp owns him by means of a contract, a subtle means of slavery and he spends most of his income on real food.
The novel opens when Casales, in a rare visit to England, is apparently murdered. At least, his dismembered body is discovered in a hotel room. Because Casales is not chipped, his last movements have to be ascertained by old-fashioned techniques of interviewing witnesses. The hotel concerned is remote and caters for the very rich who like their privacy. It is one of the other guests, the obscenely wealthy and arrogant Stefan Gabor who irritates Carlos. So when Gabor convinces himself that Carlos has colluded in helping Gabor's husband run away, Carlos finds that with money you can do the impossible by buying Carlos's non-transferable contract from Gov-corp he is given an ultimatum.
The death of Casales, and the immanent opening of the capsule the colonists left behind set a chain of events in motion that sweeps Carlos along. These two events change many lives.
With the rate of advance of technology the society depicted is all too plausible. When everyone is chipped, there can be no hiding place. Gov-corp has permissions to locate you wherever you are and monitor all communications. Technophiles may well be comfortable with this but others would consider it a nightmare scenario. With the advent of 3-D printers, how long will it be before someone finds a way of using them to turn nutritious gloop into palatable food?
It solves the food problem but skills such as cookery are lost. Restaurants for the average person doesn't need a chef, just a technician. Like now, if you have money, you can have what you want and make your own privacy. Naturally, there will be rebels, which is why Casales cult is either desired or regarded with suspicion. Within the enclave, no-one is chipped or can be connected and all food eaten is grown.
The problem with a high-surveillance society is that the technology can so easily pinpoint the perpetrators of crime. Newman gets round this with the high-end hotel where most of the action takes place and privacy is at a premium and that key players are not chipped, allowing Carlos to unravel the mystery the old-fashioned way, thus making for a more suspenseful story. It also forces Carlos to reassess his past and his relationship with the dead man. This is a delightful study of characters in a high-tech society.
Pauline Morgan
February 2019
(pub: ROC, New York, 2016. 385 page paperback. Price: £15.00 (US), $20.00 (CAN). ISBN: 978-0-425-28240-3)
check out website: www.penguin.com/acerocbooks/


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Volume III: The Recovery of Meaning
August 23, 2011 § 1 Comment
The Lateral Articulation of Meaning
'relationships can be seen as degrees of articulation, each of which is a corresponding part of a single spectrum or range'.
David Leatherbarrow
The work collected in this volume represents an interest in how meaning is carried in the articulation of human situations. We are interested in architecture that operates as a framework for human action; in rooms that orientate inhabitation with respect to cultural and natural horizons; in relationships articulated by urban artefacts or equipment (furniture); and in the iconographic representation of use (permanent statues and ritual objects). One working definition of meaning could be that it sits somewhere between the orchestration of use and performance, and crystallised representation….
Download Volume III here (copyright Methexis Press/University of Nottingham)
Dialogue or collaboration?
September 2, 2010 § Leave a comment
The cultural richness that once made Leonardo's Paragone possible quickly waned in the wake of the 18th century separation of natural science and fine art into competing systems of knowledge, leaving architects to contend with 'gaps' and fragments of unity. Arguably these gaps are the cause of much uncertainty in a discipline that, weakened through autonomy is enriched by engagement and multidisciplinary praxis. If traditional architectural treatises that once took art and science to be intertwined skills held together by a higher order of design intelligence are difficult to conceive in our present culture, what valid mode of discourse remains to assist architects think through the future continuity of art and science? This paper does not support the view that systematic methods are easily transposed onto architecture in order to reduce its unpredictable phenomena to stable predictable facts. Contemporary thought is sufficiently mature to realise that the generalisation of specialist knowledge, instrumentality and expertise always leaves something out. The ongoing challenge to architecture today is therefore how to re-articulate the relational space between art and science in a way that enhances their symbiosis within design. Symbolism, metaphor, analogy and geometrical abstraction once supplied architecture and creative discourse with intermediate links and devices, but what other tactics are available to the architect today? The primary objective of the paper is to recover traditional dialogue as a legitimate and meaningful mode in this regard. Secondly, the paper critically differentiates dialogue from its more contemporary version, collaboration, with which it is often confused. The question at stake is whether the now ubiquitous notion of collaborative practice can actually fulfil the purposes of mediation and enrichment associated with dialogical intelligence, or is it yet another functional adjunct for streamlining technique and labour?
Download the complete paper here (Copyright Darren Deane 2010)
Volume II: Praxis
July 27, 2010 § Leave a comment
The distinction between academic research, design teaching and professional practice is now a thing of the past. The view that the studio realm is somehow a less-intelligent sphere than the book-lined interior restricts the potentially rich interplay that can often between the two. If design and textual knowledge are seen not as opposites but as intertwined 'research modalities', then insights originating within the concentrated 'thick space' of the studio environment can easily become the potential ground out of which intellectual analysis and interpretation can be drawn.
A recent example of this reciprocity is the pedagogical research into the problem of integration that has emerged directly from the work of the third year Lateralisms unit contained – amongst other things – in this volume. Not only is this an example of studio-driven design research, but it also demonstrates that teaching can both instigate a research topic and provide theory with an essential feedback loop (the studio as 'weak laboratory'). Divided into three parts (making, discourse and research), this volume juxtaposes staff and student output in order to communicate the potential continuities that can occur between design research (the oral culture of studio) and scholarly writing.
Darren Deane & Adrian Ball
Download Volume II here
Volume I: Intense-Immense Rooms
June 26, 2010 § Leave a comment
Lateral can refer to many things including peripheral field, overlooked surfaces and 'edge programme'. It can also point to qualities which fall below the radar of a prevailing 'scopic regime'. Our pursuit of non-retinal architecture goes beyond visual spectacle in order to develop a subtle yet powerful material language. The research of the studio involves a radical reinterpretation of the 'public building' in the widest sense. We are curious about, and would like to wrestle with, the theoretical and philosophical problem of how public buildings perform in light of the following statement by David Leatherbarrow from the University of Pennsylvania:
"When the building is freed from technological and aesthetic intentionalities, we discover its lateral connections… [Public] performance in architecture unfolds within a milieu that is not of the building's making. A name for this milieu is topography, indicating neither the built nor the un-built world, but both. Three characteristics of topography sustain the building's performativity: its wide extensity, its mosaic heterogeneity, and its capacity to disclose previously latent potentials. There is always more to [urban or non-urban] topography than what might be viewed at any given moment. Excess is implied in its ambience, for what constitutes the margins of perceptual concentration always exceeds the expectations of that focus."
(Architecture's Unscripted Performance)
Download Volume I here


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This is a collection of electronic components available on ebay or IC station. Most of these electronics come from sellers who I buy my components from or if I haven't bought from them I've tried to find items which have a high sell count as that usually means they are a reliable source.
Hover the mouse pointer over an item and arrows will appear allowing you to scroll through the different items in a category. If you hover over the picture you can get a slightly zoomed view.
I use the 5 volt Arduino pro mini modules in the lower half of a tractor build to control the servos and motor drivers.
Arduino Shields
The Joystick shield plugs straight into compatible Arduino boards very quickly giving you control via a joystick and push buttons. The shield also has a socket for the NRF24 radio module.
Programming Tools
A programming tool for a wide range of Atmel microcontrollers. This is compatible with the Arduino IDE.
Radio Modules
I use NRF24L01 modules in my models as they are very cheap and there are many Arduino examples. Supply voltage is 3.3 volts MAX.
Motor Drivers
N20 gear motors have many uses from drive motors, steering motors or part of a screw mechanism.
This is the servo used in the lifting arms of the Massey 8680. It is very small but also very weak so it is good for lifting lighter accessories and hitching to trailers but not long heavy objects like large ploughs.
I'm using these 3.7 Volt 240mAh batteries in my Massey 8680 model and it seems to have reasonable battery life, around an hour but obviously battery life depends on whether LEDs are on or if you're pulling a load.
I used pure white straw hat LEDs on the front of my Scania R620. Pure white is blinding while warm white is a more realistic incandescent look.
A 16x2 character LCD is an easy way to add a user interface to your RC controller. Cheap LCDs usually aren't very good but they do the job.
Starter Kits
When you are getting started with electronics it is best to have plenty of the basic components like resistors, LEDs, jumper wires and a breadboard. These are very useful for testing out circuits before you start soldering.


text: As a Bergen County CPA firm that provides Bergen County tax and accounting services we are happy to share helpful information this tax season. Check out our tax tip below: If you provide more than half a parent's support in 2012, you may be entitled to a $3,800 dependency exemption. If other family members help to provide support,… (more…)


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Avoiding refined carbohydrates and wheat? If so, then you are probably familiar with zucchini noodles as a pasta substitute. Today, I want to introduce to you a new pasta alternative that is even more nutritious, very low in carbohydrates and super sustainable.
We're talking about seaweed pasta. You might have sprinkled some dulse on your salad or had some nori sheets in your sushi rolls, but this is a different type of sea vegetable. It's called himanthalia and it really is an amazing pasta replacement.
I first discovered sea pasta from a guy called Willem. Introduced by a mutual friend when he was visiting London, we went for a coffee and got to chat about food and wellness. Willem told me his story about trying this sea pasta at a restaurant in Ibiza. He was so impressed with its resemblance to pasta, that he got an idea. What if we could replace half the pasta in the word with seaweed? Sounds crazy, but we're talking about a sustainable food source that also happens to be super healthy. Cut long story short, Willem now runs a company that harvests and sells I Sea Pasta – a seaweed vegetable that I reckon is going to become the next big thing in the wellness world.
Willem gave me a couple of packs to try (by the way, this is not a sponsored post) and after following his instructions and making my own sauce to go with it, I made the dish I am sharing with you today. I had no idea what it would taste like – in fact, I thought it would be quite sea or fishy tasting – but it was surprisingly mild in flavour and, here is the best part, it actually resembles tagliatelle pasta noodles. It's a little firmer to bite but if you like your pasta al dente, then you will really appreciate the texture of seaweed pasta. I really liked it.
A little bit more about this seaweed pasta
Himanthalia Elongata, sea thong or sea spaghetti is an algae species that only grows in Portugal, Spain, Ireland, Brittany, the south of England and Norway. It grows on rocks and can reach 2,5 meters in length. Underwater, it looks like a really tall grass. It's been cultivated and consumed for a very long time, and used to be the food for the poor (at least in Ireland).
European chefs and restaurateurs have been on to it for a while but seaweed pasta is only now starting to reach everyday cooks and kitchens, mainly thanks to people like Willem. In a nutshell, it comes as dried long seaweed strands that you rehydrate in cold or how water or cook for 15-20 minutes. The strands expand in size and become neutral smelling and tasting, with a slight umami flavour. It literally looks like dark green tagliatelle, almost like squid ink pasta. You can serve it with flavourful sauces, add to it soups, stews and curries or make raw salads. The soaking or cooking liquid gains a slightly umami flavour too and can be reused as a broth for soups and stews.
Now, I've saved the best part for last. Seaweed pasta is super nutritious. Its nutritional qualities compare with the best veggies on land, plus it has a few extras from the sea. It contains iodine, sodium, antioxidants, proteins, vitamins (B1, B2, C, E) and minerals such a calcium and iron, and essential Omega-3's. Above all that, Himanthalia Elongata contains lots of fibre, which is vital for good gut health, healthy metabolism and weight loss. It's low in calories if you're watching those number, yet it's very satiating. And the carbs? About 5 grams per serve. Pretty impressive if you ask me.
So, where do you get this seaweed pasta. At the moment it's still not widely available, however people like Willem are working hard to scale the harvesting and production to be able to bring this product to many more countries. I know it's available to buy no Seamorefood.com and they ship around Europe and the UK (you can als0 see stockists in Australia and Europe). I am hoping it will soon be available in the rest of the world too because it really is an amazing food.
I soaked and cooked the dried seaweed for 15 minutes in boiling water, then strained the broth and rinsed the cooked seaweed before adding it to the sauce. I decided to serve it with a simple Italian sauce called Amatriciana – onion, garlic, chilli, bacon, lots of olive oil and tomatoes, and a few olives for good measure. This 'pasta' works really well with Bolognese sauce or any other meat ragu, or used in a delicious superfood salad (try this Ottolenghi recipe for seaweed, ginger and carrot salad ).
Sneaky tip: If you're unsure about serving this pasta to kids, try making a mix of regular tagliatelle with a few of the seaweed strands tossed through and see if they notice it or say anything. Then gradually build to more seaweed and less pasta.
If you can't find any seaweed pasta, you can still use good old zucchini noodles with this sauce.Print
Seaweed Pasta all'Amatriciana
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 35 mins
- Yield: 2 1x
- 45 grams of dried seaweed pasta tagliatelle
- 1 medium brown onion, finely diced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 rashers of bacon, finely diced
- ½ long red chilli, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon dried mixed Italian herbs
- 1 ½ cups tomato passata or tinned chopped tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- handful of marinated olives of choice
- grated Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast flakes to serve
- Soak dried seaweed in cold water for 10 minutes. In the meantime, bring a medium pot of water to boil and dice the ingredients.
- Rinse the pre-soaked seaweed and add to the boiling water. Cook for 15 minutes then strain (you may want to keep the broth for soups) and rinse under warm water.
- Prepare the sauce while the seaweed pasta is cooking. Add the onion, olive oil, bacon and chilli to a hot deep frying pan and sauté over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, until golden brown and softened. Add the garlic and Italian herbs and mix through. Then add the tomatoes, salt and olives and stir. Cook over together over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring a few times.
- Stir the cooked seaweed pasta into the sauce and serve with or without shaved Parmesan on the side.
So, let me know what you think about seaweed pasta. Is this something you'd like to try? Or perhaps tried? What are your favourite ways to prepare it? Leave a comment below.


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It might be hard to believe, but some women experience depression after their wedding day – and this might be more common than you think. According to a U.S. research, about 1 in 10 women experience post-wedding blues. The finding also showed that more couples today are seeking counseling after their wedding. But what causes this phenomenon among newly-married women? As it turns out, there are a number of significant reasons that make women prone to depression after their weddings.
If you'd like to stay happy on the days after your wedding, please read this article.
Liza Lowinger was one such bride who felt depressed right after her wedding. She and her husband Simon Isaac brought in their family and friends from all over the U.S. and even as far as Korea to Vermont for their wedding day. But after such a climactic event in their lives, Liza says the sudden end was quite a plunge that brought her the blues. She recalls that as soon as they got home from their mini-moon she felt sadness, which made it difficult for her even get up and seek help from her friends. Allison Scott and Laura Stafford, researchers at the University of Kentucky, say that post-wedding blues, or the "blue bride" phenomenon, is actually not very uncommon among post-brides.
In their research, Scott and Stafford interviewed women who experienced depression after their wedding. The researchers found that these women see their wedding as the most important day of their lives and the culmination of months of hard preparation. These brides saw their weddings as the height of all their planning, thus they feel a sudden end to the excitement and happiness as soon as that day ends. Scott says that the brides who had this view were more likely to feel depressed after their wedding. She believes that by changing one's perspective of the wedding as a new beginning, instead of being an end, women can avoid experiencing post-wedding blues.
Liza Lowinger eventually reached out to her friends and learned that she wasn't alone with how she felt after the wedding and that it was a normal feeling. She also sought the help of a therapist that led her to completely overcome her post-wedding depression after a few weeks. The sessions made her realize that this phenomenon doesn't mean that something is wrong with her marriage. She explains that she felt extremely joyful on her wedding day that she ended up feeling a sense of loss on the succeeding days when she couldn't keep that happiness anymore. She now knows that the sadness she felt wasn't due to the status of her marriage but stemmed from her perspective of her wedding day.
After confronting the physical, mental, and emotional demands of your wedding and the months spent to make that one day special, there will most likely be a vacuum in the coming days. That emptiness may lead you to feel sad and blue.
The way to overcome this is to create activities or plan trips that you can both look forward to as a couple. Or you can also lineup the things you've always wanted to do but have set aside for your wedding. Take the days that precede your wedding as an opportunity to a good start of your marriage as well as to make yourself prepared for the journey ahead of you and your husband. The important thing here is to have things to look forward to in order to keep you from feeling empty.
Lowinger points out the lack of transition from her big wedding to the events that followed. Your post-wedding events might not be at par with your wedding but it is up to you to make them exciting and serve as a transition from all the exhilaration.
One factor is almost immediately being away from your family and friends who surrounded you on your wedding. But that doesn't need to be the case. One way to avoid this feeling of being lonely as a couple is to postpone your honeymoon at a later time so you can be with your closest friends and family for a while longer. You can organize a post-wedding tea party where you can share with everyone your cake while looking back to the best moments of your wedding.
Having difficulty leaving your bed and not talking to anyone may be your initial reaction to your predicament. The problem with depression is it makes you dwell on your negative thoughts and feelings making it difficult for you to open up. But expressing your thoughts and emotions is important to be able to overcome your blues.
For Lowinger, opening up with her friends made her discover that she wasn't alone. If you ever fall on the same situation, talk to your closest friends about how you're feeling. Or you can join in online forums for newly-wed brides to have an interaction on the pressing issue. You will not only find women who will most likely know what you're going through but you can also gain more friends.
Most important of all, talk to your husband about it as he is the most important person who will be affected by your behavior. Making him understand what you're going through will not only help you but your marriage as well. Overcome your blues to spare your marriage from trouble and make yourself happy.
Copyright © 2016 Perfect Weddings, All Rights Reserved.


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mom & pop the return of
Couple brings cycling, coffee, AND good cheer to CHICAGO.
'll be honest. The first time I visited Heritage Bicycles General Store, I was in a lousy mood. It was one of those chilly June days when you're forced to wear a jacket and mutter to yourself about the meaninglessness of it all. Everything seemed gray. Gray sky. Gray sidewalk. Gray world.
Then I walked in the door. And, like Dorothy leaving Kansas, color washed over me. Shiny, handcrafted bicycles in red, blue, and yellow hues graced the front window as light bounced off pristine hardwood floors. The welcome aroma of fresh-brewed coffee wafted through the air. Laughter rang out, punctuated by the tiny staccato of a spoon gently tapping sugar into a mug.
Story by Brooke E. O'Neill, Photography by Rebecca Hill
Owners, Michael, Melissa and Bennett Salvatore


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Pelješac Bridge
- Service:Technical supervision / Quality control and laboratory services
- Sector:Engineering structures
HRK 2.08 billion
2018 / 2022
Institut IGH was selected as the holder of the contract on technical supervision during execution of works on construction of the Pelješac Bridge, a project of strategic importance for the Republic of Croatia, on which the China Road and Bridge Corporation is the contractor. The value of the construction supervision contract amounts to HRK 49.4 million (VAT exclusive), and the construction of the project of total value HRK 2.08 billion (VAT exclusive) is co-financed from EU funds with a grant covering up to 85% of the cost. The construction of the bridge itself, 2.4 km in length and 55 m in height with 4 traffic lanes should last 36 months from the commencement of works. Designed by Marjan Pipenbaher, the Pelješac Bridge has been designated "one of the civil engineering ventures that will mark our generation".
At the Laboratory for Materials of Institut IGH, extensive research of different compositions of concrete was carried out in order to fulfil requirements from the Pelješac Bridge project. Since this is a very demanding structure with special requirements for the execution, a requirement was stipulated that concrete consistency shall be maintained at least 4 hours, which also required additional attention during design development.
The testing programme included development of the concrete mix design with a different share of mineral additions to cement, such as slag, fly ash and silica fume. In addition to fulfilling the criteria for mechanical properties of concrete, special emphasis was placed on determination of durability properties of concrete. Concrete permeability tests were carried out – several methods of chloride diffusion, gas permeability, capillary absorption, microscopic analysis of voids, freezing and thawing cycles in the presence of defrosting salts. Testing of long-term deformations due to shrinkage and creep are also being performed.
Next reference
Kupari Tourist Resort, Dubrovnik


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If you're just beginning then no doubt you will come across the conditions, recreational and directional inline skates and become confused. Both hockey and figure skates can be obtained in sizes from children by adults, in both men's and women's fashions. Her friend began skating in her 40's and is at the LP hockey hall of fame because she changed the face of adult rivalry. The longer ones also doubled as a sword, that broke the first time it was struck during battle with a buddy. These are reputable brands which will last more %26amp; offer more ankle support than the one you linked to. I am sure that folks who have been around figure skating much longer than I've know Carrie's work and Web site. The past centuries have contributed the lands of Kazakhstan historical monuments.
- Switch and push down on the ice
- better support to your ankles, and increased stiffness while still allowing flexibility
- Softer topline for increased comfort
- Wide-mouthed funnel or a rolled-up piece of paper or a narrow drinking glass
- A Song Request by Birthday Child
Use this when a jump goes awry as well as the skater lands on her poduka using a thump. There are loads of skate guards that re being sued by gamers as well as NHL hockey players use them to protect their skates. Lighting up the interior & exterior of your home can be exciting and fun, and it's easy to keep it from being harmful, frustrating, or expensive. Many considered that those shoes were quite vital to help a child understand how to walk and also to keep the foot forming as it should. First, most recreational skates operate near or 1/2 size under shoe size; nonetheless, to be safe, you can always give us a dimension in inches of the duration of your longest foot. Players of all skill levels are invited to attend, however, graduation by a Learn to Skate and/or Learn to Play Program, in addition to registration using a youth baseball association to the 2018-19 season is recommended in order to participate.
Decisions, that folks, may or may not like, based upon what side of the fence you sit on.
Our staff is committed to providing an outstanding customer service experience from order to completion. If you need help interpreting this information, you can always call our customer service reps. If you plan your trip, know that the first-class staff is well trained to help to make your stay in the mountains one that will be a lasting memory. In the winter months a few folks can choose to remain inside and hibernate watching old movies on TV or renting some movies on DVD. Decisions, that folks, may or may not like, based upon what side of the fence you sit on. Cheap figure skates may draw a few buyers; nonetheless, when it comes to figure hooks, you do get what you pay for. The best costumes of the entire show, however, belong to the famous Wizard of Oz event. However, it's essential to ask with locals about the current conditions for skating at least one of these areas before venturing out yourself. As current and former baseball players ourselves, the staff in Pro Stock Hockey understands you don't have an unlimited budget for hockey equipment.
Additionally, there are companies that specialize in the production of ice skate bags and they have developed bags which cater for the various ice skate boot types and design styles. Since the rink has a number of other events happening (synchro hockey), adult skaters could find themselves with early ice daily and day ice the following. These events take place on a regular basis so you may want to do some searching online to comprehend what can be gotten. And outside of the significant relocations, responsibility was the primary driver of where I went on a daily basis. I've seen high end hockey teams compete on a regular basis without a dryland warm-up. ISI is for the recreational ice skater that is seeking to learn and have fun. The next step might be to find out how to ice skate. Might satisfy the marriage evaluation.
After a test or a contest, it is a massive deal for the kid to get back to the ice. It's a fun and laid back action and it doesn't matter if either of you're great golfers. Regardless of what a casual sports enthusiast will let you know, hockey has gained legitimacy as a sport since its inception in Montreal. This sports after school course hosts a variety of ice hockey for kids ages 3 and up. Thrilling matches and dramatic duels out in the open air – excitement is guaranteed during an ice hockey match. Russ Edwards 54 Contributions Would you skate on your hockey skates before you bake them? Be aware that all shoes sold by Jackson Skates are black or white, with light brown heels. Blue and black marks, swelling and bruising will often result when a skater falls into the ice. Figure skates although very ideal for young men and women who only want to choose regular skating courses, they're equally perfect for use for more advanced areas concerning ice figure skating.


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North Carolina appears before NCAA infractions committee panel
INDIANAPOLIS — North Carolina appeared before an NCAA infractions committee panel Friday for a procedural hearing in the multiyear academic case.
Athletic director Bubba Cunningham told The Associated Press the meeting lasted about five hours in Indianapolis but wouldn't comment on details.
"We are now looking forward the next phase of the process," said Cunningham, adding there was no timetable for a ruling.
The hearing was focused on procedural arguments made by UNC in response to five charges, including lack of institutional control. In a letter last month scheduling the hearing, the NCAA had said Friday's hearing wouldn't focus on the "underlying facts or allegations" of the case.
UNC had challenged the NCAA's jurisdiction by saying its accreditation agency — not the governing body for college sports — was the proper authority for academic questions.
The school also said some material from an outside investigator's report shouldn't be used because interviews weren't performed to NCAA protocols while also pointing to an expired four-year statute of limitations.
In addition, the school had argued a March 2012 ruling in an earlier case focused on the football program should have precluded some of the current charges, which are centered around years of irregular courses popular with athletes on the Chapel Hill campus.
Baylor regents reveal shocking information surrounding sexual assault scandal
Specifically, UNC has said the NCAA was aware of key issues in 2011 during the original probe, yet chose not to file additional charges before issuing the 2012 sanctions and had determined no violations occurred at various points in the following years before reopening an investigation in 2014.
In documents released this week, the NCAA enforcement staff said UNC's arguments were "without merit." Noting that information has "trickled in slowly," the NCAA has regarded findings from the 2014 investigation by former U.S. Justice Department official Kenneth Wainstein as new information that triggered the second look.
Wainstein's report focused on irregularities that included independent study-style courses in the formerly named African and Afro-American Studies (AFAM) department. The courses required only a research paper or two while offering GPA-boosting grades, though many were misidentified as lecture courses that didn't meet.
Wainstein estimated more than 3,100 students were affected between 1993 and 2011, with athletes across numerous sports accounting for roughly half the enrollments.
None of the NCAA charges is tied solely to the existence of the problem AFAM courses. Rather, charges against the school are focused on failures in oversight, as well as for conduct by a former women's basketball academic counselor and two former AFAM staffers.
The timeline is likely to carry this case well into 2017, approaching seven years since NCAA investigators first arrived on campus in the original football case focused on improper benefits and academic misconduct.
Friday's hearing came exactly five years after UNC's hearing in that first case.


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Come to The Dubliner to enjoy your favorite drink while getting creative with the KraftyLab soap workshop! Our instructors will walk you through the process of creating your unique bars of soap deisgned the way you want it. The KraftyLab process will provide you with the tools and ingredients you will need to produce soap bars that are unique for your skin care needs.
We will provide you with fresh and organic essential oils, all natural exfoliants, and oil based colors. The process is simple:
1. We will help you choose a soap base that is best for your unique skin.
Our Variety of soap bases come in 3 varieties: Shea butter, coconut oil, Hemp
2. Pick a shape
3. Pick your fragrance
4. Pick colors
5. Mix the ingredients
6. Pour and wait for the soap to mold!
Our process allows you to create your own customized bar of soap!
Tickets are limited, We hope to see you at our event!
What you Get:


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Arguably, the SAFC's most memorable period in living memory ....
Just the very mention of it to any Sunderland fan, and eyes glaze over. Porter's goal, Monty's save, Stokoe's hat ... all great great memories.
This section of theRokerEnd.com will be dedicated to that cup run, and everything that went with it. We'll publish pictures, anecdotes, copies of 'paper clippings, programmes - and your own memories, too.
E-Mail us with your stories and recollections of that fantastic FA Cup run, which saw Bobby Kerr, our own "Little General", lift the Trophy at Wembley Stadium.
We'll start with the top man, himself, Bob Stokoe.
Bob Stokoe, "The Messiah"
29th November 1972 - Bob has just been appointed manager. No-one could have predicted the incredible events that were about to unfold in the months that lay ahead.
3rd Round memories


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The late Kathy Kasten was a feisty and outspoken contributor to the now-defunct online discussion forum, UFO Updates. Much of Kathy's research was focused on the ever-controversial Roswell affair of July 1947. And, as Kathy's investigations progressed, she found herself looking more and more into a certain installation in New Mexico that, she came to believe, was directly connected to the Roswell enigma. Its name: Fort Stanton, which is located in Lincoln County, New Mexico - the same county in which the Roswell affair occurred, at the Foster Ranch.
During the final stages of the Second World War, Fort Stanton served as a place where more than a dozen Japanese internees were held (along with various Nazi POWs). Kathy's papers make it very clear that, as she saw it, Roswell represented some kind of dark and disturbing experiment, one in which Fort Stanton played a still-classified role.
After Kathy's death in 2012, I inherited (from her family) all of her files, notes, correspondence with UFO researchers, documents and much more, including hundreds and hundreds of pages and boxes and boxes on her Roswell/Fort Stanton research. And then there is Kathy's unpublished book on her Roswell research, too, which makes for fascinating reading, and which, one day I hope, will see the light of day and get published. But there is something else, too.
Kathy's notes show that between the mid-1990s and the early-to-mid-2000s, she spoke with a number of "interesting" characters of a somewhat shadowy nature who advised her that if she wanted to know what they termed the real story of Roswell and Fort Stanton, she should direct her studies to a certain William Randolph "Randy" Lovelace II.
That Kathy's dossier on Lovelace is about three inches thick demonstrates that she carefully followed the advice of her sources and left pretty much no stone unturned when it came to the matter of trying to uncover a possible Roswell-Lovelace connection. Of course, for those who aren't aware of the man himself, there is a big question that needs answering: who, exactly, was William Randolph Lovelace II? Well, let's take a look.
To say that Lovelace was a fascinating character is an understatement. Born in 1907, he was a physician who graduated from the Harvard Medical School in 1934, and, in 1938, took up a position with the Aeromedical Field Laboratory at Wright Field, Ohio (today, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base). It was at Wright Field that Lovelace undertook groundbreaking research to understand how exposure to high-altitudes could affect the human body and nervous system. Experiments with new and novel oxygen masks and parachutes were the order of the day.
A colonel with the Army Air Corps in the Second World War, Lovelace was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and - in 1947 - helped to establish the Lovelace Foundation for Medical Education and Research, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Then, in the late 1950s, NASA invited Lovelace to chair its Special Advisory Committee on Life Sciences.
Such were his skills in aviation medicine, Lovelace worked closely alongside the original NASA Mercury astronauts. Then, in 1964, Lovelace was appointed to the position of NASA's Director of Space Medicine. The Lovelace Crater, on the surface of the Moon, is named in honor of the man himself. William Randolph Lovelace died (along with his wife and the pilot) in a plane crash in December 1965, in Aspen, Colorado.
Kathy Kasten's files suggest there was another side to Lovelace - nothing less than a highly-classified connection to the analysis and study of the Roswell bodies. I'm still digging deeply into Kathy's massively extensive papers on the Lovelace-Roswell connection, but I can tell you that she made some fascinating, eye-opening discoveries. It's an important story that will surface in the future. But, until then, I can also tell you that this seldom-discussed aspect of the Roswell controversy is definitely going to raise eyebrows. Stay tuned.
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You are currently browsing the tag archive for the 'Burl Cain' tag.
The Prison Rodeo at Louisiana State Penitentiary (aka Angola Prison) is a controversial event. Is it an opportunity for the prisoners to be more than invisible bodies and maligned felons, or is is gladiatorial and the worst of capitalist exploitation? I veer toward the latter but I'm not inclined to yell too loudly at those that err toward the former. Indeed, as Lee Cowan find out for CBS, even prisoners hold conflicting views.
I'm posting this here because I think in 8-minutes Cowan is about as fair as fair can be on this topic.
Articles on Prison Photography about Angola, the prison I contend is the most photographed in the United States.
My own visit: The Visual Culture of Angola Prison
I wanted to share some PPOTR snapshots with you. Angola Prison (Louisiana State Penitentiary) is the state's maximum security prison. An 18,000 acre former slave plantation, Angola is the size of Manhattan. At the time of my visit, Angola was "home" to 5,400 men, over 4,500 of whom will die within its razor wire.
Angola is a strange place. Burl Cain, warden since 1994, has blurred the lines between church and state by implementing a regime of "moral rehabilitation". Of the six interfaith chapels on prison grounds, four have been constructed under his watch.
As well as providing God, Cain also provides as many programmes as possible to keep the prisoners active. From harvesting tonnes of crops ("We never open a can of food in our kitchens," said prison spokesperson Gary Young), to refurbing wheelchairs for charitable use; from the twice annual rodeo season to the dog-training facility; from the horse breeding programme to the prison hospice; and from the prison newspaper – The Angolite – to the prison's own TV station, prisoners who tow the line are kept busy.
Of course, on my media tour, I wondered what I didn't see: the death row, the solitary confinement cells, the staff quarters.
I did see worklines in the fields guarded by armed correctional officers on horseback. I was also provided a meal of beans, rice and fried chicken at the Warden's Ranch House. I visited shortly after Thanksgiving so the Christmas decorations were going up.
All in all, on that sunny late autumn day, I was driven through what outwardly appeared to be a pastoral idyll. I focused my lens at the signage, the murals, the markings of the regime. I present this little snapshot not in an ironic way, but that it may confound some viewers and we might wonder what lies behind these very surface-level illustrations.
"At one time Angola was well known as the bloodiest penitentiary in America. And now you don't have nearly as much as the violence as you woulda had."
Troy West, Angola Inmate
Louisiana has the highest incarceration rate per capita of all US states. over 1,100 per 100,000 – that's more than 1 in a 100. Angola (Louisiana State Penitentiary) is the mother of all prisons, carrying a weighty reputation and weightier history.
Only Georgia has a rate above 1 in a 100, as Louisiana does. The other Southern states make up the top five (Texas, Alabama and Mississippi).
These stats are due in most the more frequent sentencing of men to life without parole. The disproportionately high rate of prisoners who die within Southern prisons as compared to other state institutions makes for a very different culture.
Many photographers including Damon Winter and Lori Waselchuk have focused on the unique aspects of Angola culture. The rodeo is well known, the hospice less so, but least well known may be the football league.
I have noted before the value of sports in prison, and Angola Prison Football a film-short by Charlie Gruet supports my position.
In it, Angola warden Burl Cain states his philosophy, "Good food, good medicine, good play and good pray. Lose any of those elements and you'll have violence in your prison, but you would in your home. You think about it."
The inmates back up the third point. It's a well done documentary and to think that over 70% of the men in the film won't ever get out just blows my mind. (Source: 2008 LSP Report).
Watch closely from 4.03 onward.


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Political cynicism and religious hypocrisy
While most eyes in the nation were focused on former FBI Director James Comey's testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday, some 1,500 evangelical Christian activists gathered in a Washington, D.C., hotel ballroom to listen to President Donald Trump tell them, "We are under siege."
It was Trump's way of keeping his most loyal supporters fired up to fight the "forces of evil" that many of them believe are trying to take him down. One YouTube viewer commented online after the speech, "And the winner is: Our Glorious President Trump! with God's help."
In a lifetime in politics, I can't recall a more disturbing display of political cynicism and religious hypocrisy.
How is it that a man who is a walking advertisement of the seven deadly sins -- pride, anger, lust, covetousness, envy, gluttony and even sloth, when it comes to learning what he needs to know to govern — is a hero to those who consider themselves devout Christians? And how can these acolytes follow a man who lies as easily as most men breathe?
Sure, most of us have uttered the rare lie, but only the sociopaths among us are proud to repeat the behavior on a regular basis. All politicians make promises or claims that stretch the truth, but few presidents have lied knowingly, directly and repeatedly. (Yes, Bill Clinton looked us in the camera eye and said, "I did not have sexual relations with that woman." But Clinton's lies about his relationship with a White House intern eventually led to articles of impeachment.)
President Trump has not only lied to the American people dozens of times but also corrupted virtually everyone around him into spreading those lies.
Thank goodness, Comey didn't mince words in accusing the president. Comey didn't say the president was "misleading" or "misrepresenting" the facts. He said the president and his team told "lies, plain and simple." Indeed, Comey swore so under oath.
A president who lies cannot be trusted. A president who lies and corrupts others into repeating his lies on a regular basis should not remain in office. Inevitably, Trump's continual lying will lead to abuse of power and obstruction of justice — if it has not already — and those are impeachable offenses.
Trump is banking on protection from impeachment from his core supporters, those such as the evangelicals gathered in the ballroom to hear him speak. He knows that impeachment is a political process, not a solely legal one, and success depends on bipartisan support. If the president can keep the voters typified by those in that ballroom faithful, his grip on the presidency remains steady. He must convince them and the millions like them that the criticism of him is really an attack on them: "We are under siege."
The president claims that Comey's testimony was "total and complete vindication" and accused the former FBI director of committing a felony, lying under oath, with "many false statements and lies" in his testimony. Trump's legal team says that it will be filing complaints against Comey with the Department of Justice's inspector general and the Senate Judiciary Committee early next week, ostensibly over Comey's releasing a copy of his notes of discussions with the president to a friend, who then leaked the contents to The New York Times.
Trump's minions are applauding and repeating the president's language. But is this not an attempt to intimidate a witness? If special counsel Robert Mueller believes that Comey acted improperly, it is up to him, not the one who is accused of lying, to act. Members of the president's team, in their attempt to get even on their client's behalf, may be walking the president into obstruction of justice.
A presidency built on lies cannot stand. At some point, it collapses. Those inside the administration who are good and honest people must stand up to the president. They must refuse to repeat untruths when asked to do so. It only takes one person to do what is right, and others will follow. Our democracy depends on it.
Linda Chavez is the author of "An Unlikely Conservative: The Transformation of an Ex-Liberal."


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The Nottingham Post has teamed up with The Halifax and Gem 106 to find out what home means to the people of Nottinghamshire and why we love living here. We'll be celebrating the special places in people's lives and sharing those stories of home with #HalifaxLoveYourHome. Every week between now and Sunday 24 June 2018 one lucky person will be chosen by the judges to win £500 for sending in the best story - so congratulations Laurie Carter! You can read her story below.
But first, with his award-winning Robin Hood Town Tour visitor events, Ade Andrews brings Nottingham's most famous resident to life as he leads walkers around the city centre. Here, he reflects on why he loves living and working in our vibrant and historic town.
Nottingham is a cool city. It's had a hard, turbulent past, been scarred by industry and unsympathetic redevelopment, but is now becoming a European city for the 21st century.
As well as developing my other alter ego, Ezekial Bone, for historic tours of famous places such as the Theatre Royal, deciding to do a series of visitor tours for all ages in the guise of Robin Hood was a no-brainer for me.
Robin Hood is world famous and a great hook to draw people from all walks of life and to inspire them with all Notts has to offer. My tour puts our hero on the pedestal he deserves.
I think the failure of the city in the past has been my opportunity. To wear the mantle, or Hood, requires a responsibility that the content of my tour has to be great quality otherwise it undermines the value of both the city and its famous son.
I love my work but it's never easy. As for coming up with ideas for my tours, Nottingham - with its cool bars and ancient pubs, green spaces, hidden gems and mix of architecture - is the perfect place to summon the muse. It inspires "out of the box" thinking and is where all my original ideas come from.
Folk also always ask about my costume as if it could be 'bought off the shelf.'
But I spend a lot of time at home looking after it and taking care that it looks its best. It represents 25 years of my life.
Pieces come and go, and it has evolved over time and been covered in mud from Sherwood Forest, been baked in blazing sun and soaked in rain and sleet in winter, as I fight the good fight and put outlaw culture on the streets of Nottingham.
It has, like my work, integrity, and that can't be bought.
As a resident myself, I'm excited by what the future holds for Nottingham and those living here.
The £250m South Gate development is the latest project heralding a new era as a major British destination.
Nottingham is already sitting on a gold mine with its fantastic cave network. We're starting to realise the potential of these wonderful and unique features, with more caves being opened up to the public as well as a Cave Festival and great bars opening inside the caves too.
There are exciting times ahead as people are waking up to the dynamics and potential of this subterranean world.
This week's winner is Laurie Carter who wins £500 thanks to The Halifax
There's nothing quiet about the Nottingham home Laurie Carter shares with her husband, Gary, and their three children Joseph, 13, Scarlet, 12 and Lucas 10. But the family wouldn't have it any other way…
To say that our home is hectic is an understatement! My husband and I have three children who are 10, 12 and 13. Gary works full time as a bench hand joiner and I work two jobs, and I go to university three days a week, where I'm studying to become a social worker. So you can imagine things get pretty chaotic. Busy, busy all the time. The kitchen is a focal point in our house because I'm forever cooking. As soon as I get home I start making the packed lunches for school, then help with the homework around the table before walking the dog and cooking the dinner.
There are always friends or cousins around. On a Sunday we'll have my nieces and nephews over for a roast and get the board games out. Even though it's a small house, we all squidge in to the living room and it's really cosy. It's also where you'll find my eldest son and his friends gaming or my youngest son watching the football on the big screen. While it's rare to have five minutes to yourself in our house, it's a home full of love… and clutter!
We have football medals hanging over the fireplace, and at this time of year you'll find birthday cards all around the house because it is my son's birthday, then my daughter's and then mine - all in May.
We don't have too many pictures on the walls, funnily enough. Perhaps I'm just too lazy to dust them all! How do we fit it all in? I've often wondered that myself. I'm one of 10 children and so is my husband.
Being from big families means we're used to being in busy households. There's also our little pug running around the house. Like all pets, he's an extended family member and his toys will often be across the living room floor. We also like to collect mementos and trinkets - bits and pieces that we've bought when we've been on holiday.
We own a foot-long carved crocodile which we picked up in Kenya. It's actually become the focal point of the living room now and whenever people come in they always ask: 'Where's that from?'. When I have some rare time off I can't think of anything better than to sit down with a box-set. But for me, home really is all about love, happiness and making memories.
Why you can always bank on Rachel who's a consultant for The Halifax in Beeston
It's a lovely family community here in Sandiacre. I've lived on the same street for eight years and we all look after each other and know each other's stories. I'm not sure how I'm going to feel when I leave. It's exciting buying our first home in Long Eaton, but this house now was my first home with my husband, it's where we got engaged, came back to after our wedding, where our daughter came home to, where she said her first words, took her first steps... it's going to be hard to leave those memories behind!
I grew up in Lincolnshire, which is really rural, so it's very different living here. Growing up, all of my friends learned to drive as soon as they were old enough - you had to, otherwise you were stranded! The buses weren't great! I'm one of four and we're all really close. In fact, my younger brother lives with me! He came to stay for a couple of weeks and two-and-half-years on, he's still there.
My siblings are everything to me. There was always someone to chat to when I was growing up or to argue with! My older brother and I even had one bike between us. I think children are very expressive when they're comfortable. My daughter can be quite shy when we're out and about but at home, one minute she's a Disney princess and the next thing she's a tiger on the prowl! Our branch is a bit like a family too. It has a really good community feel. We do a lot of charity work and our customers are all really supportive.
Tell us why you love your home and you could win £500!
The Nottingham Post has teamed up with The Halifax and Gem 106 to get Nottingham talking about why we love our homes and what they truly mean to us.
How to enter: Tell us what you love about the place you call home and you could be in with the chance of winning £500, and be featured in our weekly Halifax Love Your Home round up, just like Laurie. Simply visit our competition page where you will be required to submit up to 200 words alongside a photo on 'what home means to you' by 23.59 on Sunday 24 June 2018. You will find our full terms and conditions by clicking here. You can also enter below.
Halifax is a division of Bank of Scotland plc. Registered in Scotland No. SC327000. Registered Office: The Mound, Edinburgh EH1 1YZ.