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REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. -- For 35 days, the comings and goings of employees in the Von Braun Complex parking lot here were the focus of a group of young engineers involved in an experiment with the first Army-built satellite launched in more than 50 years.
Those engineers weren't spying on employees. Nor were they looking for fodder for gossip or to start rumors. They were simply using the physical movements through the parking lot to test the capabilities of a 10-inch long, 10-pound satellite in orbit 200 miles above ground.
The Space and Missile Defense Command-Operational Nanosatellite Effect, known as SMDC-ONE, was launched Dec. 8, as a secondary payload on a Falcon 9 two-stage booster flown commercially by Space Exploration Technologies.
The nanosatellite remained in orbit 35 days, providing data on its operations, and proving its ability to receive text and images from a ground sensor and then to relay that data to a ground station. The Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command is the Army lead for the SMDC-ONE nanosatellite program.
"The Army is the largest user of data from space than any of the other services," said John London, nanosatellite technology program manager for SMDC/ARSTRAT's Technology Center at Redstone Arsenal. "The Army has been dependent mainly on the Air Force and the Navy for satellites they can use. There are some specific things that the Army needs from a satellite that are not being addressed today in terms of capability for Soldiers on the ground."
"This opens up a new opportunity for the Army to do communications (via satellite) that are more efficient and cost effective, and that can make it safer for Soldiers on the ground in very remote locations. Satellites could give them a communications lifeline," London explained.
The nanosatellite, similar in size to a bread box, launched from Cape Canaveral as one of several satellites that "hitchhiked" or "piggybacked" with the Falcon 9's primary payload, which was going to the same orbit as the International Space Station. Because of that, SMDC-ONE flew in an orbit lower than the 300-mile orbit it is designed for.
"The satellite's performance, the ground station's performance and the team here exceeded our expectations significantly," London said. "Our goal was to develop a satellite this size that could provide relevant capabilities to the war fighter."
In its low circular orbit, the satellite passed over Redstone Arsenal four to five times in every eight-hour period, each time giving engineers about five minutes to download image and text data. Those engineers, many recent college graduates and some still attending college, worked in teams of two to ensure they took advantage of the satellite passes.
The teams worked in a ground station, a simulated Forward Operating Base, at SMDC/ARSTRAT headquarters, using computers to monitor the satellite and to download information. "We wanted to make sure with this mission to demonstrate the direct readiness to the war fighter," London said.
Toward that end, three passive infrared and seismic motion sensors were placed in the shrubbery around the Von Braun Complex, where SMDC/ARSTRAT is located.
"We needed to simulate unattended ground sensor data," Dave Weeks, SMDC/ARSTRAT chief engineer, said. "We simulated monitoring trail activities with a seismic sensor that measured (the movement of) trucks and footsteps. The unattended ground sensors, known as UGS by Soldiers, were triggered just as they are while deployed in theater now."
In a real war environment, infrared and seismic sensors are placed by Soldiers along the parameters of Forward Operating Bases and in remote locations to provide data on enemy movements. UGS can transmit information to the headquarters of a forward operating base, but in remote locations Soldiers often have to get within close proximity to the sensors to retrieve data due to terrain and the area's horizon.
"They have to give up the covert aspect of taking data out of the sensors. If satellites are passing overhead they can't be seen by the enemy," London said. "You can take information out without the enemy knowing it and you don't have to expose troops to getting information in a hostile environment."
The nanosatellite covers a 1,200-mile radius, roughly the distance between the ground station at SMDC/ARSTRAT headquarters and a second ground station at the SMDC/ARSTRAT battle lab in Colorado Springs. The nanonsatellite requested data from the sensors, accepted data from the ground stations and provided data to the ground stations.
The two ground stations communicated with each other via the nanosatellite, a situation that became a point of interest to SMDC/ARSTRAT commander Lt. Gen. Richard Formica.
Antennas on the nanosatellite allowed engineers to track its progress as it orbited the earth, and to determine the times of day when the nanosatellite would pass over the Pacific Ocean, Colorado Springs and Redstone Arsenal. Because of that, engineers scheduled a demonstration time during which Formica would be able to communicate with the ground station in Colorado Springs via the nanosatellite.
The recently appointed commander visited a conference room where the nanosatellite's progress in orbit and the information it was relaying to the ground station could be monitored. The engineers set up an exchange where Colorado Springs sent a welcome message to Formica via the satellite. The Arsenal ground station was able to retrieve and display the message on the conference room monitor.
"We had a tentative schedule and it was nerve-wracking to make sure everything worked like it was planned," said engineer Josh Martin, a recent Auburn University electrical engineering graduate.
The nanosatellite first passed over Colorado Springs before passing over the Arsenal.
"Their pass came five minutes before ours," Martin said. "We set up a text file. When it flew over here we could communicate with the satellite and pull down and display on a laptop a welcome message that Lt. Gen. Formica could see on the screen" in a conference room.
Martin was among a team of young engineers, and University of Alabama-Huntsville math and engineering students who were eager to be in on the "ground floor" of a nanosatellite program.
They are described by SMDC/ARSTRAT officials as "the new core of engineers coming in" to SMDC.
Besides Martin, those engineers included Jacqueline Nelson, a graduate of the University of Central Florida; and Ryan Wolff, a graduate of the University of Louisville; and Kenya McLin, a graduate of Tuskegee University. UAH students included Iris Lin, a sophomore mechanical engineering student; Stephanie Cleveland, a senior electrical engineering student; Amanda Mahan, a sophomore computer science student; and Jenny Horton, a master's student studying math.
"This really is a great opportunity for us," Martin said.
As opportunities go, data gathering from ground stations and sensors was also a major feat for the nanosatellite. The nanosatellite program's initial goal was only to demonstrate its ability to communicate, not to gather data.
"Involving sensors with the satellite was not even on the drawing board for the first mission," Weeks said. "But we decided at the last minute to have it folded in in real time. We had some outside hopes it would be successful. We said 'Let's go for it and see if it works.'"
By so doing, the nanosatellite demonstrated its "relevance to actual fielded hardware," London said.
When it did pass over Redstone, engineers collected temperature and sensor data as well as data on the nanosatellite's position, power generation, battery voltage and signal strength. They would also gather information from the satellite regarding images and sensor data, said Mark Ray, an engineering lead for the nanosatellite program.
Eventually, the nanosatellite lost all its battery voltage. On Jan. 10 and 11, its signal strength was very weak. On Jan. 12, it burned up as it fell out of orbit over southeast Indonesia.
"It died on Wednesday morning," Ray said. "We had met all our objectives before its last two days."
While the one nanosatellite covers 1,200 miles, to get the type of continual coverage of a traditional satellite, the Army would need a constellation of 30 to 40 nanosatellites. But, at a cost of $300,000 to $400,000 each, the nanosatellite is much more affordable than one traditional military or communication satellite that costs in excess of a billion dollars, London said.
The number of satellites needed to fully cover an area varies depending on where that area is in relation to the equator. The closer to the equator, the fewer satellites are needed to provide coverage.
"A traditional military satellite may be more capable than a nanosatellite. But for niche capabilities, for text messages and for reaching remote troops, these nanosatellites could be a lifesaving resource for the Army," London said. "The technology world has allowed us to put a lot more capabilities in a small package."
In addition, the size of traditional military satellites make them an easy target for an enemy while nanosatellites are more covert, he said. Nanosatellites can also be built much faster.
"When a nanosatellite is in orbit, they are hard to detect, hard to track by the enemy," he said.
Currently, there are plans to fly three satellites in the 2012 time frame. The goal is to have regular launches of the inexpensive satellites as secondary payloads aboard other rockets, or put them in orbit by a smaller booster rocket known as the Multipurpose NanoMissile System.
"The next step in testing is to use fielded Army radios to communicate text and image data to and from the satellites," London said.
Engineers would like to test the nanosatellites in an orbit 300 miles above the earth, rather than the 200-mile orbit they were required to use for the first test.
"At 300 miles, the satellite can stay up longer. There is less atmospheric drag and the orbiting circle is bigger," London said. The full operational life of the nanosatellite is more than 12 months when launched in the 300-mile orbit.
While this nanosatellite is a communications satellite charged with retrieving and relaying information from ground sensors, plans call for also developing imaging nanosatellites that can actually take pictures of the ground.
Developing, testing and demonstrating the abilities of the nanosatellite is easy compared to funding issues facing the program, said Steve Casson, deputy director for SMDC/ARSTRAT's Space and Cyberspace Directorate.
"These engineers have done a lot with a little. But there is still a lot of work to be done. In the culture of the Army, we're challenged to get the amount of funding we need to accomplish what we want to do," he said.
"This is low cost and low infrastructure. Its millions of dollars versus billions of dollars for traditional satellites. The challenge is not the technology. We've got the capability and the talent to do the job. The challenges have to do more with internal, with how the Army will adapt to this technology."
Related Links:
Army nanosatellite on first flight
U.S. Army Space & Missile Defense Command
Army.mil: Science and Technology News


text: Joya de Nicaragua Antano, literally meaning the Nicaraguan Jewel of Yesteryear, is a powerful Nicaraguan puro hadmade with robust, spicy tobaccos. The Joya de Nicaragua Antano 1970 Robusto Grande is a full bodied robusto that is beautiful and elegant with its rosado Nicaraguan Habano Criollo wrapper. This cigar is recommended for the seasoned smoker who will better appreciate the strength of this cigar.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
When 'Do Unto Others' Meets Hookup Culture
Traditionalists in the United States have seen their influence over sexual norms wane greatly in the postwar decades. If you believe that birth-control pills represent a historic advance to be celebrated, or that neither homosexuality nor premarital sex nor masturbation should be stigmatized, much of this change is salutary. Observers who support modern social norms surrounding sex should nevertheless ask themselves if any wisdom is being lost as mores shift rapidly and more people react against, dismiss, malign, or simply ignore traditionalist perspectives.
For all my disagreements with Christian norms–the most influential and widely held traditionalist perspective in America—I'm convinced that the religion offers some core truths that would improve America's sexual culture if we only applied them. But you'd never know about what I consider Christianity's most valuable insights from the way prominent Christians in the public square talk about sex, or the ways that Christians are portrayed by nonbelievers in media, politics, and popular culture. When talking about sex, even to general audiences, many prominent Christians emphasize arguments and faith-based frameworks that couldn't possibly resonate with nonbelievers. Meanwhile, critics of traditionalist Christians, including some from within the religion, tend to object to their priorities, arguing that unlike Jesus Christ, they focus too much on sex and too little on social justice. That critique treats the substance of their beliefs on sex as immaterial.
There is, I think, a better way.
Damon Linker recently observed that while Christianity's outlook on sex has changed some over two millennia, "from the fourth century, down to roughly my grandparents' generation, the vast majority of people in the Western world believed without question that masturbation, pre-marital sex, and promiscuity were wrong, that out-of-wedlock pregnancy was shameful, that adultery was a serious sin, that divorce should either be banned or allowed only in the rarest of situations, and that homosexual desires were gravely disordered and worthy of severe punishment."
Today, sex before marriage is the norm; promiscuity is much less stigmatized; masturbation is a matter of moral indifference; birth control is everywhere; out-of-wedlock pregnancy is increasingly common; divorces are frequent and accepted; abortion is legal; homosexuality is mainstream; and porn is ubiquitous. There are websites that facilitate adultery. Moral judgments and expectations "have been almost completely dissolved, replaced by a single moral judgment or consideration: individual consent," Linker says. As he sees it, "all of our so-called cultural conflicts flow from this monumental shift," which terrifies traditionalists. And while Linker usually feels at home in sexual modernity, he sees wisdom in the traditionalists' view and argues that their terror at abandoning old norms may make sense. Here's how he puts it in a passage that understates the gains of sexual modernity and somewhat overstates the likely costs:
We broke from them in the blink of an eye, figuratively speaking. The gains are pretty clear—It's fun! It feels good!—but the losses are murkier and probably won't be tallied for a very long time. Is the ethic of individual consent sufficient to keep people (mostly men) from acting violently on their sexual desires? What will become of childhood if our culture continues down the road of pervasive sexualization? Do children do best with two parents of opposite genders? Or are two parents of the same gender just as good? Or better? How about one parent of either gender? What about three, four, five, or more people in a constantly evolving polyamorous arrangement? Can the institution of marriage survive without the ideals of fidelity and monogamy? What kind of sexual temptations and experiences will technology present us with a year—or a decade, or a century—from now? Will people be able to think of reasons or conjure up the will to resist those temptations? Will they even try? Does it even matter?
I have no idea how to answer these questions.
Various Christian bloggers and commenters nodded along to these temperamentally conservative concerns. But several don't seem particularly concerning to me.
Is the ethic of consent sufficient to stop rape? Well, no, rape is still with us, as it has been under every sexual ethos in human history, but as Mark Kleiman, a professor of public policy at UCLA, has put it, "The rate of forcible rape as reported on victimization surveys peaked in 1979 at about 2.8 per 1000 population. In 2009 the rate fell to 0.5... The theory that pornography causes sex crime would seem to have a hard time surviving comparison with the data." Recent sexual modernity and the rise of ubiquitous porn are correlated with less rape, not more.
What will pervasive sexualization do to childhood? Like rape, this is a subject of legitimate concern, but it's strange to just assume that kids are more sexualized in modern times. The University of Sydney's Stephen Robertson compiled age-of-consent statutes from various American states in 1880. In California, New York, Massachusetts, South Carolina, and most other states, the age of consent was 10. For millennia, the vast majority of children, who lived in close quarters with their parents, were far more exposed to actual sex than today's kids. There is a far stronger stigma against pederasty now than at many times in history. And surveying America and the globe, communities where children lose their sexual innocence at the youngest ages are often bastions of religious traditionalism.
There are, of course, ways in which a kid with an unsupervised Internet connection can see sexual acts that most adults had never seen for most of human history. I don't think concern at the unknown implications of that fact is unreasonable. But the sphere of childhood is arguably better protected and preserved in modern secular America than in all sorts of more traditional settings.
"Do children do best with two parents of opposite genders? Or are two parents of the same gender just as good?" However one reads the available evidence, it seems clear to me that the question is dramatically less important than traditionalists think. If being parented by opposite-gender couples allows the average kid to "do best"—which isn't my read on the evidence at all, but let's say it's true for the sake of argument—so what? Compare kids raised in poor areas of Appalachia or the Deep South with kids raised in Portland, Oregon, or Cambridge, Massachusetts. One could conclude that the latter "do best," on average, by all sorts of metrics. Should those in poor areas stop having kids? Traditionalists certainly don't think so. When a 14-year-old from a family on welfare is raped and decides to keep and raise the baby, traditionalists celebrate this decision, fully aware that the circumstances of the kid's upbringing won't be "the best."
Yet a lovingly married lesbian couple with a house in a safe neighborhood, stable careers, and ample free time for parenting prompt traditionalists to start complaining that hypothetical opposite-sex parents would do better (though they know many particular opposite-sex couples do worse). Alarm at gay parents seems totally irrational. They'll never be more than a tiny minority of all parents in the United States, and there's good reason to think the biggest hurdle they face is anti-gay prejudice.
What if there are far more urgent questions and perspectives for traditionalists to be raising?
The gay Catholic blogger Andrew Sullivan recently responded to the centrality of sex in the culture war between traditionalist Christians and other groups, arguing that "the actual dividing line between modern and traditional Christians in the public square is that I do not regard sexual matters to be that important in the context of what Christianity teaches about our obligations as human beings in the polity and the world. The difference between moderns and trads is that the trads see sex as the critical issue, and we moderns see a whole host of other issues." He goes on:
My mum once told me as a kid that "sex outside marriage is a sin, but not that big a sin." That remains my position. It's up there with over-eating, excessive consumerism, the idolatry of money and profit, and spoliation of our environment—except the powerful sex drive in humans and the absence of any direct harm to another, gives sexual sin, I'd argue, a little more lee-way.
The sexual obsession among trads... can be deeply distortive. It elides and displaces other vital issues. Access to universal healthcare and asylum for children escaping terror, for example, matter far more in traditional Christianity than whether my long-term relationship is deemed a civil marriage or a civil union. Torture is exponentially more sinful than a pre-marital fling—and yet it is embraced by evangelical "traditional" Christians most of all. The Catholic hierarchy has devoted far far less time and effort to combating torture than to preventing birth control as part of the ACA—to its eternal shame. And the centrality of sex to celibate traditional Christians has a lot to do with it.
Though I agree with parts of this critique, I'd add an important caveat: Organized religions are concerned with the everyday lives and souls of every individual in their congregations, nearly all of whom will grapple with sex and sexuality on a daily basis.
For many, the instances when their behavior has the ability to most powerfully affect others for good or ill will involve sex. That's when they interact with other humans at their most vulnerable, when they hold the most sway over their well-being. In contrast, the vast majority of believers confront policy questions—even on matters as important as torture or the environment—only indirectly, at election time. Should religious groups speak out against torture and advocate for environmental stewardship? I think so. Should they also provide guidance on matters of sexual behavior for their congregations and participate in public discourse on these matters?
Yes. Sex is a tremendously important subject! But even apart from my disagreements with traditionalist Christians on sexual matters, I often wish that they would talk about sex differently, emphasizing Christianity's demands to be loving and good to one another rather than its prohibitions. The obstacle to traditionalists being heard in the public square—to persuading people that there's wisdom in their approach—isn't their focus on sex, but what they focus on when sex comes up.
Let's imagine a private, residential college in purple America. It was once an explicitly Christian institution, and while now avowedly secular, the faculty still has a few beloved old-timers who retain a sense that part of their job is moral education. There is also a Christian pastor who lives on campus, runs a campus ministry for Christian students, and sits on a collegiate interfaith counsel. Each year, he plays a role in freshmen orientation—initially, to introduce himself to the students and invite any who are interested to join his ministry; and later, as one voice among many in a half-day session on sex and sexuality. He has 15 minutes to share whatever thoughts he has with the freshmen, who've already learned where to get free condoms and been counseled in consent and sexual assault. This is the only time he'll have the whole class as a captive audience until graduation.
What should he say?
Should he say that abstinence is the only acceptable method for preventing unwanted pregnancy, because premarital sex is always wrong and contraception violates natural law by subverting God's design of the human form? Should he say that while gays and lesbians are as loved by God as anyone and their desires are not themselves sinful, acting on them is immoral? Should he say that gay students should think about a vocation besides marriage, because the institution is inherently procreative and always will be? Or that students who never accept Jesus as their personal savior may be consigning themselves to eternity in hell? Should he say that anyone who aborts a pregnancy is murdering an innocent human? Or that the weight of tradition should cause students to look askance at masturbation? These are all beliefs a particular traditionalist Christian might well hold. You can imagine why he might feel impelled to speak them aloud—to "stay true" to his beliefs, despite their present unpopularity, or to facilitate what he regards as the potential saving of as many student souls as possible.
Now, it isn't my place to dictate what any practicing Christian should say in any setting. They're entitled to speak their minds in any way they wish. And abortion would be a particularly tricky subject for a believer to address in a crowd with fundamental disagreements about whether an innocent human life is at stake. But what follows is the sort of address I'd like to see a traditionalist Christian minister deliver, as someone who thinks that many would benefit from parts of the message:
Hello again, everyone. You didn't expect to spend your first day of college listening to a Christian minister talk about sex. But every year, I ask if I can say something during this part of orientation, because it's such an important subject. Some of you have heard a priest or a rabbi or an imam talk about it back home. Some of you may have talked to your parents about it. Some of you have never talked to an adult about sex. And you're all smart young people, so you've developed your own opinions on all kinds of controversial subjects: abortion, gay marriage, contraception. If you ever want to hear my thinking on those subjects, I'm always happy to talk, whether we end up agreeing or not. It doesn't matter who you are or what you think. I'll love you when you walk in my door, I'll listen respectfully, and I'll love you when you leave.
Since I'm speaking today to people of all different faiths—as well as agnostics and atheists—I want to focus on a desire we all share: We all want to figure out what's right as best we can and to act accordingly. This can be difficult in college. You're living on your own for the first time. Your parents aren't around to enforce rules you've always known—you must choose what code to live by. At the same time, you'll find yourselves in lots of new situations, even as you're exposed to new notions of right and wrong that you've never considered.
Christianity prohibits certain things, like murder and stealing and adultery. But I want to talk today about something that Jesus calls on his believers to do. He teaches us to love one another, to be good to one another, to treat others as we'd want to be treated. Christians aren't alone in preaching that code. I raise it today in part because I expect you all already agree with it. And if you do agree that we have a responsibility to be good to one another, I'd ask one favor: As you proceed through this college, bear that obligation in mind! Do so even when you're deciding how to live your sexual lives here. Doesn't that sound like it's the right thing to do? But of course, it isn't always easy.
The dean of students talked to you about consent. By law and the rules of this campus, you need consent to be intimate with anyone. I want to remind you of something: If we're truly trying to be good to one another, consent just isn't enough. Maybe there's a person who has a huge crush on you. You're at a party. Maybe you've had a beer or two, and in the moment, kissing that person would be a lot of fun. But you know, deep down, that you don't share the same feelings they have for you—that if you kiss, you'll be leading them on, and they'll be all the more hurt tomorrow or the next day when you're not interested anymore. You have their consent. You want to kiss in the moment—but you don't, because you decide it's more important to be good to them.
Say you're dating someone. And you want to have sex with this person. They consent without being pressured. Yet you can't help but sense that they're not ready for intercourse. You understand this is a big decision with many physical and emotional consequences. And so, to be good to them, you hold off, despite their consent. You err on the side of caution, even though you'd rather go ahead.
If you really try to be good to one another, if you earnestly question what that moral code demands and grapple your way toward answers, you may not always like what your reason and conscience tell you. It may tell you to stop slowly taking that person's clothing off even though they haven't said to stop. It may tell you that you need to stay in the room with a friend who'd clearly rather be alone with an intoxicated date. Students are at greater risk of sexual assault at parties where there's drinking going on. Does that mean anything for your behavior if you're obligated to be good to your fellow students? Do you stay sober, or drink less and keep an eye on those who drink more, or serve only beer, not hard alcohol, when you host, or throw a substance-free party?
You'll need to decide. What's truly best for my classmates, and what does it demand of me?
Some students will become depressed after hooking up with someone who doesn't reciprocate the emotional intimacy they sought. Does that fact affect you? How? There's always a chance that sexual intercourse will result in a sexually transmitted disease or the creation of a new life. What does that imply, if anything, about your own sexual behavior as you try to be good to one another?
There are so many situations you'll face—so many more questions I could pose.
I don't pretend that confronting these situations with the question, "How can I be good to others?" will lead all of you to the same answers, let alone to my answers, though I hope that you'll keep your hearts open to the possibility. But if you really wrestle with that question in every situation that involves sex, romantic intimacy, dating, hooking up, whatever you kids call it these days—instead of thoughtlessly acting in whatever way most people seem to be acting—you're much more likely to do right by others, much more likely to be proud of yourselves, and much less likely to remember your time here without the regrets that haunt some people, people who look back at their younger selves ashamed of how they hurt others. You'll also bring about a community with fewer unintended pregnancies, fewer sexual assaults, less depression—just by trying your very hardest to be good to one another!
I won't say I've never seen a traditionalist Christian talk about sex on campus, or in America, like that. Ross Douthat is a prominent columnist who regularly speaks from a place that acknowledges his own orthodox Catholicism while trying to engage folks outside his faith by making discrete points about shared moral terrain. And perhaps there are many traditionalist Christians who talk to diverse audiences about sex by invoking the general moral approach of Jesus Christ, rather than particular prohibitions against sodomy or divorce or contraception. There are, after all, a lot of Christians in America. We're not privy to their conversations.
But the approach I've sketched is very different from the most prominent messages on sex I've heard from traditionalist Christians, and different from any message I ever heard at a Catholic high school or from orthodox friends I know. To me, that's a shame. In theory, "do unto others" is a moral message that secularists could and sometimes do adopt, but it isn't the focus of secular sexual norms or mores. We're more likely to talk about consent or pleasure or self-actualization or gender equity—all important goods, but not the only ones to consider.
Christians would seem better prepared than many to raise and press thorny questions about what "do unto others" implies, and better prepared than most to speak in explicitly moral language about our obligations to one another in the sexual realm. I strongly suspect that approach would win more partial converts to their way of thinking than efforts to persuade the next generation that civil marriage is a procreative institution, or that gay sex is wrong, or that contraception is immoral. But perhaps I'm blinded by my disagreements with those statements. I wouldn't give exactly the same advice as my made up campus minister. But I think his speech captures real traditionalist wisdom that we're now ignoring. With that in mind, let me urge in conclusion that we "do unto others..." I don't always know what that implies, but it's never a bad place to begin.
Reader letters on this subject are encouraged—write email@example.com with feedback, insights, praise, critiques, or damnation.


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Toronto, Canada - A mandatory Quebec school program focusing on the historical significance of various religions and creeds does not harm the religious freedoms of parents and their children, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled on Friday.
Resolving an important test of Charter of Rights values, the Court firmly sided with the province and a school board whose right to administer the plan had been challenged by angry parents.
Far from shoving religious views down the throats of children, the program opens them to a wide variety of viewpoints and beliefs, Madam Justice Marie Deschamps wrote for the majority.
"Exposing children to a comprehensive presentation of various religions without forcing the children to join them does not constitute an indoctrination of students that would infringe the freedom of religion of L and J," Judge Deschamps said, referring to the children of the litigants.
"Furthermore, the early exposure of children to realities that differ from those in their immediate family environment is a fact of life in society," she said. "The suggestion that exposing children to a variety of religious facts in itself infringes their religious freedom or that of their parents amounts to a rejection of the multicultural reality of Canadian society and ignores the Quebec government's obligations with regard to public education."
The contentious program, known as the Ethics and Religious Culture program, was made mandatory in Quebec schools in May, 2008.
Its stated purpose was to expose children to a range of cultures, creeds and religious traditions such as Judaism, aboriginal spirituality and other religious traditions. The goals of the program specified that an emphasis would be placed on the historical significance of French culture and the role Catholic and Protestant Christian traditions.
The parents behind the constitutional challenge, a Catholic couple who reside in Drummondville, Que., argued that the program was at odds with guarantees in the provincial Education Act.
They alleged that the program could expose their two children to harm and disruption, "caused by forced, premature contact" with beliefs that are incompatible with those held by the parents. They said that the program could also have an adverse effect on the religious beliefs the children were being taught in their home.
Judge Deschamps asserted that an individual cannot simply claim that their religious rights were infringed without showing some objective proof of actual interference.
"It is not enough for a person to say that his or her rights have been infringed," she said. "The person must prove the infringement on a balance of probabilities."
Judge Deschamps also said that the litigants did not go beyond claiming that the program damaged their ability to pass on their Catholic precepts to their children - there was no evidence to prove the allegation.
Two judges - Mr. Justice Louis LeBel and Mr. Justice Morris Fish - agreed with their seven colleagues on the crux of the decision but said that documentary evidence furnished to the court of the program's aims and specific teaching was sketchy.
"The state of the record does not permit to conclude that the (program) and its implementation could not, in the future, infringe the rights granted to L and J and persons in the same situation," they said.
The parents cannot be identified because of a publication ban on the names of their children. One of the children was in Grade one and had not yet had the course. The other was part way through secondary school and had completed the program.
The local school board – the Commission scolaire des Chênes – refused to grant the children an exemption from the program based on a directive from the province that stated there would be no exemptions.
Both the school board and the Quebec government were respondents in the challenge.
At trial, a Quebec Superior Court judge refused to grant the children an exemption, ruling that the mandatory program did not violate their Charter right to religious freedom. Their appeal was rejected in 2010 by the Quebec Court of Appeal.
The case necessitated the Supreme Court delving into a key portion of the Charter guarantee of religious freedom – the intersection of provincial education priorities and the independence of school boards.
The case had echoes of a previous case heard by the Ontario Court of Appeal, in which it held that an Ontario regulation imposing mandatory prayer sessions violated the Charter because it forced students to adopt a religious practice.
The Ontario Court of Appeal warned against the imposition of educational material that amounts to indoctrination of students.
In legal arguments in the case before the Supreme Court, lawyers for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association asked the judges to strike a balance between freedom of conscience and religion of parents while, at the same time, protecting the "ultimate interests of the child."
The CCLA said that courts need a flexible legal test they can apply to future cases in order to gauge whether an attempt by government to intervene in education violates the freedom of conscience or religion of either the parents or their children.
It suggested that in many cases, the needs of both sides can be accommodated. For example, exempting students from part or all of an educational program might be reasonable, provided the educational objectives of the program are achieved by other means in the home or at school.
The CCLA argued that any legal test should involve consideration of the moral and intellectual needs of children – even if they conflict with their parents' perspective.
Legal intervenors in the case included the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and an umbrella group representing the Association of Catholic Parents of Quebec, Faith and Freedom Alliance, the Catholic Civil Rights League and the Coptic Christian Association of Greater Montreal.


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At Issue… Content as a Commodity
Geoff Livingston's tweet this morning focused my attention on a post by Sarah Perez entitled, "Content is Becoming a Commodity." Geoff's tweet said that he could not disagree more with the post, so that drew my immediate interest. I've known Geoff Livingston over the years (click here to read his blog, The Buzz Bin), and lately, he has become something of a legend in the social media space. Even though we don't agree on everything (occasionally I can be wrong), I do value his opinion and enjoy working with him.
So, in thinking about Geoff's comment, I sat down to read Sarah Perez's post.
In reading Sarah Perez's post, my initial reaction was that a lot of what she was writing about was not new. The discussion of content as a commodity has been around, as one comment put it, since before the copy machine was invented and placed into libraries. However, "Is my content a commodity?" is still apparently an issue. Can you leverage your blog entries for profit, or is there a more invaluable or incalculable aspect to content?
My reaction to Sarah's post are as follows:
1) Many people in the tech and social media spaces are very focused (some jubilant) on becoming more viral and open through technology, blogs, etc. I recognize there are complaints whenever a company aggregates a blogger's content. However, I often find that these are the same folks who complain about the recording industry's assault on those who illegally download music. To put it simply, you can't split the baby on this issue, folks. In my view, there is a definitive line between intellectual property and self-promotion, but too often we blur that line for our own immediate gratification. Perez is right, in a sense, that the loss of "physical form" plays a roll in the justification of stealing, but as we blog, produce video and other types of content, we need to give some thought as a society to how we protect what needs to be protected.
2) Perez's comment about how individually produced content has less of a value, but "in aggregate, can become something of value" has merit. ActiveAccess, a division of the company I work for, is a producer of a communications platform, a super-widget if you will. We've traditionally worked on widgets for clients, ie, radio stations, colleges and universities. We have a new project on the front-burner that is for a consumer market segment – a direct to consumer application. It's on the horizon (check back in early May), but one of our beliefs is that by coupling content together (RSS, etc) and establishing content partners, we can help build a portal for a community. The idea on our end though is two-fold… a) consolidate content and services into one place for the consumer / reader; and b) establish a revenue-sharing platform for content providers, ie bloggers, which should help expand their brand recognition and value.
3) Perez writes about NBC's Jerry Zucker railing against Apple. This is an amusing quote, but broadcast media has distinct advantages over new media that often gets overlooked – ironically enough – by people in broadcast media. New media is certainly younger, faster and more agile in some respects, but in others – it lacks establishment, audience, capital and other benefits. Rick Ducey (BIAfn) commented on this to an extent (see Rick's blog post at: http://blog.bia.com/bia/?p=26). Rick is at the 2008 NAB Show, and believe me, broadcasters are intensely focused on social media, networks like Facebook, YouTube, etc. If you're interested in NAB – you can follow their blog at: http://www.NABShow.com/blog. They also have a Twitter feed that you can track. It's a great place to read about technology, media and other topics bloggers are interested in.
4) So, how do these two differing perspectives (one often associated with those in broadcast media and the other with those in new media) translate for bloggers in particular? Well, while you can't stop being viral or promoting yourself, you also have to examine how your intellectual property – because that's what we are talking about here – may be valued or better utilized elsewhere. If you are concerned about it being lifted and think that is going to happen, which certainly is taking place, one method is to seek out the established forces and team-up. Certainly, some people view Apple as a corrosive force, but people used to think of that way about Sears. Everyone feared the end of "Mom and Pop" stores. Then along came Wal-Mart, and the same fears were echoed again and again. Of course, we still have "Mom and Pop" stores. The point is that successful businesses learn from their landscape and find a way to either do something no one else is doing or they find a way to do it better. The same is true for bloggers.
5) Last thought, the idea of a blog as a "destination" is a good point. I did not read the post from Mark Evans that Perez references (you can click here to read it if you want), but it sounds accurate. Essentially, this comes back to what I wrote in point 4 – you need to take more ownership of your material and know the marketplace. Of course, if you don't consider your content a commodity that you want to protect and profit from – that's a whole other issue. But if you do, then you need to treat it like any other business asset.
- Published in Media
Television stations need to explore solutions that drive viewers to online content
We've known for some time that the number of people viewing online video is on the rise. With the expansion of broadband and high speed internet access, more people finally have the bandwidth to support video downloads. But where do we really stand?
In 2006, the number of Americans between the ages of 12 and 64 that viewed online video content every day was 9 percent. This year however, that number has grown to 14 percent and could end up being higher. Frequency of viewing online video also is on the rise. Last year, 44 percent of 12 to 64 year-olds watched video online at least once a week. This year – that number is up to 52 percent.
YouTube is driving much of the rise in online video consumption with 20 million or more viewers per month watching over 100 million video clips per day (Let's just not forget there are numerous providers of video content, including Yahoo!). Though YouTube and others provide some news content, they traditionally reach audiences interested in viewing comedy and what some may call "fringe" or alternative content (like Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, which has reemerged as a cult favorite online), as well as those posting personalized content as opposed to news and special interest stories – a backbone of most television programming.
In point of fact, research demonstrates that the most popular video downloads on the Internet are news and special interest stories, with comedy, television programming, movie clips / previews, and weather the next most popular selections.
This means that the interests of Americans who view video online plays directly into the strengths of television stations, which have access to video content that they produce, as well as the ability to offer network and audience produced content that may not normally be aired in regular programming cycles.
Another facet to the trend of people viewing video online includes the growth of people who are online while they watch television. According to a study conducted by the Solutions Research Group (highlighted in a recent Time magazine article), 37 percent of the US population over the age of 12 use their computers while they watch television. This means that close to 100 million Americans are multitasking – shifting between watching television and online computer use. Other research shows that the longer people use the Internet (in numbers of years they have been online), the more their television viewing decreased. Though the time spent online per day remains less than total time watching television, such a trend represents viewers lost from television stations' over the air service, but in fact they could be recaptured with on-demand and download Internet based services delivered to the computer.
One way to both maximize the trend towards online video viewership and combat declining market share and audience is to implement a desktop application or widget to deliver video and other programming directly to the computer desktop. Desktop applications and widgets are particularly effective in driving viewers to a station's website, because they offer one click access to any portion of a website. Desktop applications reside on the computer desktop of a specific viewer giving a television station the ability to stream video and audio content directly to the desktop, as well as alert messages, RSS feeds, weather, and other forms of content. This has the effect of creating a communication bridge between the station and the viewer whenever the viewer is online.Once the communication bridge has been established, a desktop application or widget can then drive viewers back to a station's website for additional breaking news, severe weather bulletins, school closings, community updates or contest and promotional information.
Given the growth of online video consumption by Americans, the growing trend of multitasking between television and online viewership, and the possible decline in television viewing in favor of Internet use, television stations have the opportunity to enhance their online presence by delivering interactive content through desktop applications that also help to funnel these viewers back to their websites.


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Hiiiii friends!!!
You know, I was having a chit-chat with myself a few days ago and these words came out of my mouth… (no i'm not crazy, well at least not yet). It felt like I was giving myself a piece of advice as a young man, and then as a young lady… well let's see how that conversation went 🙂
Dear Young Man,
You know, as a man, sometimes you have to be selective with the lady you share your dreams with. The truth is that it's quite easy for a lady to become "obsessed" with just the idea of your goals and ambitions, without considering the reality of whether she is indeed fit to be YOUR partner. The safest bet for you, young man, is observation! Ask yourself, with or without you being in the picture, is this lady going all out and acting towards this same goal or value? I have seen that the best kind of people to partner with are those who have innate zeal rather than imposed passion. So just in case you are considering who to "date" and eventually spend the rest of your life with, take a deep breath, step back for a bit and OBSERVE. May all your dreams (in Christ) come true. Grace, not luck, is all I wish you dear young man.
Dear Young Lady,
You know, as a young woman, it takes a certain level of maturity to step aside and thoroughly gauge if a man's goals and values match your true, innate aspirations. You might not be totally equipped for it at that point but that innate zeal will see you through the world of learning and growing. A man's dreams, values, or priorities may seem so appealing and nice that all you see is yourself in that spotlight. But hey! don't get carried away, don't rush to take up a role you have not been called to handle. Just in case you are considering who to "date" and eventually spend the rest of your life with, take a deep breath and sincerely judge the state of your heart, the source of your excitement, and the purity of your intentions. Above all, aim to find yourself in Christ and let that guide your choice. May all your dreams (in Christ) come true. Grace, not luck, is all I wish you dear young lady.
I suppose you now understand why I really do enjoy my own company sometimes. Interesting conversations like these are always worth my me-time. What do you think?


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June / 9 / 2016
First Showroom in Germany Officially Launched
Coventry, England (9th June 2016): David Brown Automotive launched its first continental showroom in Germany yesterday evening and showcased a production Speedback GT, alongside the original prototype, in front of media and guests at the British-themed party.
The new showroom, which is based within Classic Remise in Düsseldorf, becomes the second showroom to join the bespoke David Brown Automotive dealership network since the company was founded in 2014.
The beautiful British Racing Green production Speedback GT was displayed at the showroom's launch alongside the original prototype. Speedback GT is made in Britain using traditional coachbuilding methods. The handmade luxury sports cars can be tailor-made to any clients' specification, making it one of the most truly customisable and luxurious sports cars on sale today.
Following the first international deliveries of Speedback GT, which started earlier this year, the all-new showroom further showcases David Brown Automotive's ongoing success within the market and dedication to its growing customer base. The Germany-based showroom will offer sales support and customer care to its customers within Classic Remise's luxury location.
"We've always known that Germany was a key market for us since the very start" said Company founder and CEO David Brown. "We have partnered with Classic Remise a number of times and they certainly share our passion for beautiful automobiles and excellent quality. Their centre in Düsseldorf is a destination for luxury classic and modern car fans from all over the world. I am delighted to be opening a showroom here in Düsseldorf, a place that has gained a reputation for excellence within the automotive world. I can't wait to see what the future in Germany will hold, including many more deliveries of Speedback GT to customers in the region."
The launch saw both David Brown and Marcus Keller, the company's Brand Representative for the region, open the showroom in front of customers, stakeholders and media who were welcomed with British-themed refreshments including Pimms and beer from David Brown Automotive's sister company, The Brewing & Distilling Company (aka. BAD Co.).
David Brown Automotive has a long-standing relationship with Classic Remise, including displaying Speedback GT on its stand at Techno Classica Essen in 2015 and 2016 and showcasing the car's prototype at its showroom location in Düsseldorf in 2015.
The new Düsseldorf-based showroom is open to the public from today, 9 th June from 8:30am to 5:30pm local time. Media are welcome to visit the new showroom within Classic Remise on request by contacting the PR representatives listed below.
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The interior of each Mini Remastered is a thing of beauty, immaculately trimmed from top to bottom in the very fine… https://t.co/2oDIvz4ZAC
- Tuesday Dec 6 - 10:00am


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Become curious?
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As an integral member of the patient care team, the Registered Nurse supports the Chief Nursing Officer in leading the patient care team in providing for the safety, recovery and comfort of patients by implementing the nursing process (assessment, nursing diagnosis, developing the plan of care and the education plan; implementation of interventions, evaluation of interventions and revision of plan as needed); and provides education and advocacy. Practices in compliance with regulatory requirements including CMS Conditions of Participation, Title 22, CDPH regulations, DNV-GL/NIAHO standards, etc.
The Registered Nurse supports department manager and director in quality improvement and growth of unit services; leadership in collaboration with co-workers and other departments; management of efficient services with meaningful and valuable outcomes.
Decision-making authority:
Patient care within the scope of practice
Patient acuity based on patient classification decision-making method
RNs are expected to practice to the full extent of his/her legal scope of practice based on education, training and competency. RNs are expected to make judgments and decisions about patient care and to act on the assessments performed.
RNs are accountable for providing a healing environment for recovery and safe passage of patients through their episode of care in the hospital; for prevention of harm; for educating the patient about their condition and implementation of self-care actions; of educating about abnormal findings and when and how to report to their care-giver; for providing comfort and compassionate care.


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The Mount Saint Joseph Archives is known for preserving the Ursuline Sisters' historic documents. On Nov. 4, 2019, it gave some of them away.
The Archives had copies of The Record – the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Louisville – back to 1890. It also had copies of the precursors to The Record – The Catholic Advocate and The Guardian, from the 1840s and 1850s. All of western Kentucky was a part of the Diocese of Louisville until 1937, when the Diocese of Owensboro was created, and Louisville became an archdiocese.
It turns out the Archdiocese of Louisville did not have those copies. That was discovered when Tim Tomes, who took over as archivist for the Archdiocese of Louisville in July, called Heidi Taylor-Caudill, the archivist for the Mount and the Diocese of Owensboro.
"These will help fill in the gaps we have," Tomes said when he visited the Mount on Nov. 4. The Ursuline Sisters agreed to turn over their collection of the newspapers, and Tomes managed to get four large containers and several bound versions in his pickup truck.
"Even the bound copies we have in Louisville are in rough shape," Tomes said. "This is a wonderful gift from one diocese to another."
Taylor-Caudill said it makes more sense for the archdiocese to have these publications. It will also free up needed space in the flat drawers of the Mount Archives.
Here are some photos from the transfer.


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It's All About Quality Of Life For Your Pets
Spectra Therapy LASERwraps improve quality of life for your pets by taking advantage of the latest in laser therapy technologies. To understand what makes our wrap an effective choice for your family pet, it's important to understand a little more about the effects of laser therapy on the body.
Laser therapy is a surgery-free, drug-free, non-invasive treatment to relieve pain. It accelerates the body's natural healing process. Laser therapy is effective in treating chronic conditions, acute conditions, and post-surgical pain and inflammation in pets. Whether your pet is rehabilitating from trauma or injury, recovering from wounds, or simply aging, laser therapy has been shown to provide relief and promote healing.
Photobiomodulation Therapy (PBMT), which is also know as Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT), has been used for many years on sports injuries, arthritic joints, back and neck pain, and neuropathic (neuropathy) pain syndromes. Hundreds of clinical trials have been published about the effectiveness of Photobiomodulation, mostly around pain relief.
Laser Light Therapy improves tissue repair, and reduces pain and inflammation wherever the beam is applied. Until now, the most conventional way to give this treatment to your dog is to load him in the car and bring him to the veterinarian.
Typically these treatments take about 10 minutes and should be applied two or more times a week. This can be time consuming with a smaller dog, and outright laborious with a larger animal who may not be in 100-percent physical health. Often these trips can cost between $100 and $150/per visit. That's all changed with the LASERwrap.


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The U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi will be closed on Wednesday, December 5, 2018, in observance of the National Day of Mourning for President George H. W. Bush. The President has issued an Executive Order to close all Federal offices on this day.
For any emergencies involving a U.S. citizen, please call (+995 32) 227-7000 and ask to speak with the Duty Officer.


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|List of names as written
|Various modes of spelling
|Authorities for spelling
|Description remarks
|Turfichen Hill
Turfichen Hill
|Mr. Watson
Estate Map
Mr Simpson S. [School] Master of Heriot
|[Situation] At the S. [South] West Corner of Plan, and forming one of the most prominent plateaus on the Moorfoot plain.
A considerable sized hill framing one of the range of the Moorfoot Hills situated on the boundary of the parishes of Temple & Heriot.
|Heat Hill
Heat Hill
Heat Hill
|Mr. Simpson
Mr. Stewart
Co [County] Map
|019 ; 022
|[Situation] About 1 1/4 miles East of Torfichen Hill.
A small hill on the farm of Roughsware.
|Moorfoot Hills
Moorfoot Hills
Moorfoot Hills
|Mr. Watson
Mr. Stewart
Co. [County] Map
|[Situation] Extending in a North East and S. [South] West direction thro' the South East end of the County.
A range of large hills extendg [extending] from West Lock in Peeblesshire to Ruther Law in the Parish of Borthwick. See also Descriptive Remarks in Name Book Plan 19B p. [page] 14
Continued entries/extra infoPage] 13
Parish of Heriot
The name "Torfichen" in Gaelic signifies the hill with the prospect or view and even the word "Tor" is understood in the County among the Lowlanders to mean hill, Threrefore "Tor" not Turis the proper prefix
Transcribers who have contributed to this page.
Location information for this page.


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For patients without teeth or those soon to be without them, there is a solution — the All-on-4 implant treatment. This treatment was created to provide more efficiency to teeth restoration, with a more effective outcome. A full arch prosthesis procedure only takes two to three hours, during which time four or more implants are installed. We at the DH Smile Center are proud to offer residents of Richmond Hill the All-on-4 Procedure from a doctor and staff that is world renowned.
Dr. Hagi has published articles in dental journals on the topic of implants, and his office is also the location of the first teaching centre for ceramic dental implants in all of Canada. Only two dental clinics in the country belong to Leading Dental Centres of the World (www.leadingdentalcenters.com), and Richmond Hill residents we are proud to be one of them. That's just one reason why we're a great dental office to consider if you are interested in the All-on-4 dental procedure. Experience is key when selecting the right provider. The DH Smile Center is truly an authority when it comes to dental implants in Canada.
Zirconia oxide makes up the Prettau dental implant teeth, which is otherwise known as ceramic. Plastics and acrylics of the conventional variety, which are used by many facilities, are not as high in quality. We also provide implants same-day to Richmond Hill residents, increasing your convenience; chip resistant zirconia technology comprises the final set of teeth.
Considering the aforementioned low quality materials used by other clinics, and the longer times it takes to perform said procedures, our services are very cost effective for Richmond Hill residents. Teeth made of zirconia oxide are not affected by corrosion, they look natural, and they're much stronger than conventional materials, in addition to being hypoallergenic. Not only do these teeth look natural, they look attractive as well, so you can go about your life in confidence.
Our advanced planning techniques create part of our value for Richmond Hill residents. Procedures take much less time, as long as three hours. However, we also forego dentures for the higher quality ceramic tooth structure to create solid chip resistance. Furthermore, we don't make you wait for an appointment, providing All-on-4 dental implants same-day complete with MIS Titanium implants.
Experience and professionalism define our mission at the DH Smile Center. Our goal is to give you the best care we possibly can, each time you need us. Do you live in Richmond Hill and need a dental implant alternative? You'll be happy to learn that we are a leader in this area and are happy to help you today. Selecting a provider for this type of procedure is difficult because you want something as serious as All-on-4 dental implants. It's your body and we treat it with respect.
Please contact us now by downloading the attachment or calling. We're pleased to discuss our procedures in more detail.


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Many students are secretly turning to sex work to fund basic living costs while at university, a study has found.
Research by Swansea University shows one in 20 students has worked in the sex industry while studying for a degree, and men are more likely to do so than women.
Students are involved in everything from prostitution and escorting to stripping and internet work, the Student Sex Work Project report found.
The researchers have called on universities to do more to support those involved, which could be as many as tens of thousands of UK students.
Dr Tracey Sagar, who led the study, said: "We now have firm evidence that students are engaged in the sex industry across the UK. The majority of these students keep their occupations secret and this is because of social stigma and fears of being judged by family and friends.
"And we have to keep in mind that not all students engaged in the industry are safe or feel safe. It is vital now that universities arm themselves with knowledge to better understand student sex work issues and that university services are able to support students where support is needed."
The study, paid for by the Big Lottery Fund, involved 6,750 students, of which 5% of men and 3.5% of women said they had worked in the sex industry, while nearly 22% overall said they had considered doing so.
Nearly two-thirds of those involved said their motivation was to fund a particular lifestyle and 56% said it was to pay basic living costs, while two-fifths wanted to reduce their debts at the end of their course.
Money was not the only motive, as three-fifths thought they would enjoy it, 54% said they were curious and 44% cited sexual pleasure as their motivation.
However, up to a quarter reported that they had found it difficult to leave the industry, while a further quarter did not feel safe doing sex work.
The report said the number of those accessing counselling rose to 21% for student sex workers – but universities often had no specific policy to deal with the issue.
Sagar, an associate professor of criminology, said: "Our research has not been about encouraging students into sex work, it has been about supporting students who are in sex work. And this is the reality, students are engaged in sex work occupations – this is a fact. Another fact is that some of them need advice, support and sometimes assistance to step away from the industry.
"At the moment, students feel so stigmatised and judged that they are afraid or at least very reluctant to disclose their occupations to staff and services at universities that could help them. Stereotyping is also a problem.
"Sex work is widely but wrongly perceived to be an occupation that is predominantly taken up by women and this means that males may fall through the student support net because they are not associated with sex work occupations."
The UK student population numbered 2.3 million in 2012-13, according to figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.


text: From: "Mitchell A. Bailey" <firstname.lastname@example.com> Subject: (urth) Butter-fingered Annese Under Every Bed? Or Just 17 Big Brothers? Date: Fri, 02 Apr 1999 21:18:11 In Reference to Robert Borski's "Ascians" of 3/29/99 I made much the same objections to the first draft of Mr. Borski's hypothesis when he published it on his Web site. Since Dan Rabin has stated them more elegantly, I'll try not to be redundant. I raised a point about manual dexterity, to which I guess the remarks on that issue are addressed. I could also bear down on the drastic difference in circumstances: the dwarves ride allies, the Shadow Children ride prisoners. In fact, there are several passages in 5HC which are strikingly parallel to B/UNS, but I don't necessarily think the relationship is one of identity of milieu. I would venture to say that a hypothesis like "Ascian = Annese Immigrant" needs some firmer support, indeed a reason to exist. I believe in an Occam's Razor/KISS approach to these matters. What is explained by this hypothesis which could not otherwise be explained? Does the hypothesis simplify understanding or introduce an unwarranted complication? That is my basic objection. Perhaps, as Mr. Rabin hinted, the two occurences of this image indicate not an identity, but possibly parallel allusions to some sort of symbol or common cultural motif (e.g. "Oz" references). Is something relevant symbolized or evoked by the image of men riding the shoulders of other men? Maybe that's what needs to be explored. I had also pointed out that the alzabo may not have any relationship with the Annese ghoul-bear, but they were probably both manifestations of a big ugly stinking carrion beast which lurks in the back of beyond of Mr. Wolfe's imagination. The alzabo is important to the story in BNS, but the ghoul-bear seems to be merely background to provide texture for 5HC. I think that Wolfe conceived of Ascia as Orwell's Oceania from _1984_ carried to the ultimate degree. The Ascians do not merely speak Newspeak, but are limited to quotes from "The Group of Seventeen's Little Red Book". Yet the boot stamping on the human face has failed after millenia to totally stamp out the humanity. Wolfe is much more optimistic than Orwell was. In my view, to postulate that Ascians are from another planet detracts from that idea. As an aside: I've always found the manual dexterity attribute of the Annese kind of troubling. For one thing, it isn't consistently applied. How can a race which can allegedly craft fishing nets be inherently incapable of using a shovel? How can a race too clumsy to use tools even survive? Even chimpanzees use simple tools. I suspect that the Annese Manual Dexterity Issue is one of those Wolfean Smoking Chekov's Guns which has deep implications going to the very theme of the story (in this case 5HC). It says something fundamental about the nature of the Annese and deserves closer study. *More Wolfe info & archive of this list at http://www.urth.net/urth/


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District Educational Office Nabarangpur Has Published the Recruitment Notification for Junior Clerk Cum Accountant Posts. Eligible Interested Candidates Can Apply Via Online Mode. Last Date for Submitting Online Application form 31 May 2017.
District Educational Office Nabarangpur Recruitment 2017 For Junior Clerk Cum Accountant Post.
Candidates Need to Read Official Notification and they Can Apply if they are Eligible As Per Requirement. Check Details Qualification, Age Limit, Pattern Of Exam, Syllabus & Salary. If all these things suitable for you then Apply.
Name of Organization – District Educational Office Nabarangpur
No of Vacancy- 05 Posts.
Website- www.nabarangpur.nic.in
District Educational Office Nabarangpur Jobs 2016 Post & Vacancy Details-
01. Junior Clerk Cum Accountant -05
Age Limit – Upper Age Limit Maximum 30 years. Other Age Relaxation As per Govt. Rule.
Educational Qualification- Candidates Must Have Graduation From Recognized University/Board.
Selection Procedure – Candidates Will be Selected On the Basis of their performance in Written and Interview Test .
How to Apply-
Interested Candidates Can Apply Through Official Website. After filling Online Application Candidates Need to Send the print out of application on or before: 31-05-2017
Important Dates-
Last Date for Submitting Online Application – 31.05.2017
Click here for Official Notification.


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+ The Music Now Festival is happening in Cincinnati March 11 and 12 and will feature Kronos Quartet (playing two sets, including a new piece by Arcade Fire's Richard Reed Parry), the Books, and Toumani Diabate. The fest will once again take place at the lovely-looking Memorial Hall Theater-- check out our photos from last year's Music Now here.
+ MIA soul star D'Angelo: Still alive...and making music! With Prince!! (Maybe.) According to a press release, the two funk freaks are "expected to create pure alchemy" together; the results are expected to show up on D's new album, supposedly due this summer on RCA/J and called James River, according to Billboard.com. The press release also notes that Raphael Saadiq, Mark Ronson, and Roy Hargrove have all lined up appearances on the album, and a Cee-Lo collab is in the works. If the album actually comes out, it'll be the first new D'Angelo record since 2000's Voodoo.
+ Aspiring music video directors now have a little more time to make their masterpiece for M83's new single, "We Own the Sky". The YouTube contest deadline is now February 20, moved back from yesterday, January 20. Winner gets their clip played on Pitchfork.tv (which is like normal Pitchfork except for the fact that you can see it move). More details here.
+ My first thought after hearing about a band called "Extra Life": Finally, the "Contra" cover band of my dreams! Alas, Brooklyn's Extra Life, featuring Charlie Looker of Zs, have nothing to do with Nintendo. Even so, the group-- think Robert Wyatt-meets-Tool-meets-Morrissey (seriously)-- will bring their New York noize to places other than New York starting February 5.
+ James Blackshaw can finger pick the shit out of an acoustic guitar. Real talk. He's usually picking so fast you need to tape him playing and then rewatch it in slow motion to pick up the exact movements. He so fast hummingbirds take one look and say, "You do you, James Blackshaw." Fast. Picking. Guitar. The man, whose new album The Glass Bead God will be released on Young God this Spring, is heading out on tour next month. Feel that sweet finger-pick breeze.


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When Microsoft announced the Surface Pro 3 they used the phrase, "The tablet that can replace your laptop." Today, in new video advertisements, Microsoft has targeted the MacBook Air. Currently on YouTube, these three ads address misconceptions about tablets and strengths of the Surface Pro 3.
These ads mainly focus on how the Surface Pro 3 has touch, pen, and a detachable keyboard. Microsoft also reminds consumers that the Surface Pro 3 looks like a tablet, but can have an Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM, and a 128GB hard drive. Price is never mentioned when comparing the Surface to the MacBook, which is a small difference in these ads compared to other Surface ads.
The advantages highlighted in these ads may not be attractive for all people, but Microsoft is hoping you will give Surface a second look. Also, comparing their device to the widely popular MacBook Air is a quick and easy way to get the attention of consumers. We'll see if this pays off for Microsoft.
We've embedded all three advertisements for your viewing pleasure below. What do you think? Does Microsoft highlight the proper advantages? Do you like these new ads? Let us know in the comments below!


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A few weeks ago, I came across a quote by a well-known author, "… speaking great swelling words of nothingness." It seemed to jump right off the page! I do a lot of writing and some speaking, so I must be careful not to overstate or wrongfully claim expertise.
Therefore, I've enlisted a great editor, my wife, who checks my verbiage and all. Sometimes, she pulls hard on my chain to indicate "STOP", before I say something regrettable.
Business Owners Steppin' in Messes | Seeking Words of Wisdom
The fact is, I get a little irritable, seeing owners stepping in the same old horse dung; spreading it all over their business. Then they wonder WHY "things" seem to stink so badly. Can they not recognize the stink of errors, miscommunications, and just general business chaos?
Furthermore, when those "things" hit the fan, the air in the business can get foul in a hurry. As a result, business owners want and look for a "quick fix" to clear the air.
Consequently, they often turn to the first person who "seems" to be an expert in stink removal. You know, those who claim to be gurus, consultants and business coaches in the field of cleaning up—horse manure! Please suffer the analogy.
The danger with this is, many so-called experts pontificate by speaking, "great sounding words of nothingness." In truth, they're clouds without rain! Some of them have read business books and taken courses on implementing business management processes; some have given seminars and even written books on the subject of cleaning up messes by systemizing.
The problem is, many of those have never owned a business of any significance; much less systemized a business by turn-keying it from the front to the back!
What to Ask a Consultant or Business "Guru"
All consultants and business coaches are not pretentious bloviators, full of hot-air. But, as with any product or service, questions need answers until satisfied.
So, what is the most important question to ask a so-called guru or expert in the field of removing business frustrations (stink)?
In other words, have they gotten down in the trenches and shoveled the horse manure to remove those business frustrations in their OWN business? Or, are they just telling others how to do it. Seems to me, that's putting the cart before the horse!
Again, can such "experts" prove they've successfully done it?
In conclusion, you might ask them if their business could run without them needing to be on-site?
Regardless, whether you can find an expert in shoveling—an actually qualified business coach—you still need to make the decision to clean up the "stink" in your business!
Did I mention? Great Systems Work!


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"I've never been to Cyrell, but I hear it's quite a sight to see. Whole cities held aloft on the branches of ancient trees... such a spectacle would be worth the journey indeed."
- Olson Pilavin, Grumman trader of the Falkir Clans
|Proper Name
|The Elven Supremacy of Cyrell
|Her Fey Majesty, the Blossom of the Grand Wood, Leader of the Ennathian High Council and Lady of the Elves, Queen Erelicia Syntha
|Estimated Population
|Elven 80%, Human 7%, Dwarven 5%, Grum 4%, Phellysian 2%, Avarian 2%
|Elven 75%, Bathyn 15%, Southern 10%
|Capital City
|Ennathe (Population: 54,500)
|National Colors
|Green and white
|Year Founded
|All currencies accepted. Extensive trade and barter.
|Natural Resources
|Lumber, wind dancer wood, fruit, herbs, vegetables
|Manufactured Goods and Major Exports
|Timber, wood crafted products, longbows, textiles, foodstuffs, emerald wine
|Below Average
|Government Type
|Government Stability
|Very Stable
|Ithell, Uthran, Avar
|Technology Level
|Dark Ages
|Primary Religion
|Other Religions
|Sarreth, Mireldokar, Glavyris
|Approximate Land Area
|1,470,000 square kilometers
|Arable Land
Cyrell is the "official" elven realm. It is their cultural and political center. Some conflict on this point exists with Ethara. Cyrell is a paradox, however. In reality, Cyrell is a blend of elven and human culture with dwarven, khendite, avarian and phellysian influences mixed in.
Cyrell is a forest nation and is entirely confined to the Grand Wood forest. Within this majestic forest, one can find hidden lakes, waterfalls, rolling hills, sharp cliffs and grassy clearings. Cyrell has abundant plant and animal life.
Tree wolves and skyrunners are both very common in Cyrell. One of the top predators in Cyrell is the shimmer cat. Wind fishers (small tree spiders) are extremely common. Arochars (giant forest spiders) can also be found within Cyrell. The enormous Grand Wood forest provides Cyrell with many useful plants. The elves of Cyrell use emerald moss (some of which is cultivated locally and some of which is purchased from Bathynia) to make Emerald Wine. Iron Wood trees grow in great abundance as do forest lords. Goodberry trees, green ice and many other healing plants are harvested.
During the Great War, many small villages deep within the Grand Wood banded together for protection and mutual support. In the heart of that great forest, they hid from the war raging around them. Through the years, the peoples within this mighty forest began to change and evolve as so many others were. By the sixth century, the woodsmen were now distinctly different from the humans of the outside world. The outside world told tales of the "elves" of the Grand Wood. By the tenth century, these elven villages had coalesced into two kingdoms: a northern kingdom of Taeluvia and a southern kingdom Yavandir. These two small nations co-existed, more or less peacefully, from four hundred years. Then in 1517 CY, armies of orcs began sweeping through the great forest lands. The elves and orcs clash in dozens of battles. For a decade both kingdoms lost territory to the advancing orcish hordes. This common threat led the two kingdoms to unite through marriage and formed the Kingdom of Cyrell in the common year 1530 CY. The combined might of the now united kingdom overwhelmed the orcs and drove them from the Grand Wood forever. Over the centuries, the kingdom of Cyrell has only grown in power and solidarity. The only remnant of the two kingdoms as separate entities is the nations coat of arms that clearly shows the historial union.
Ennathe is ruled by Queen Erelicia who is supported by a High Council of advisors. Together, they makes laws, politics, social decisions and appoint public servants to offices. The Queen is an intelligent and strong willed woman who is the niece of the Etharan King. Though she holds the title of queen, her political power is exercised more as a speaker of the council. Each council member has an equal amount of political clout and all, queen and council members, take part in council discussions and decisions. In this, Cyrell is a blend of monarchy and aristocracy. The entire government is greatly in favor of the elven race and laws are set up to favor elves. The government of Cyrell is completely elven. Non-elves are prohibited from serving in a governmental role.
The legal system is blatantly biased in favor of elves. Non-elves never get a fair trial and are always suspected. Most punishment involves fines, light labor, religious counseling and imprisonment. Banishment is possible, but torture and execution are not.
The city is patrolled by elven city guards. These individuals are well trained and equipped with the finest in elven armour and weaponry. Great leniency is shown to other elves. In times of war, the city can muster a small militia to protect itself. In such cases, all races are equally treated as troops, but only elves may be officers.
Moderate and stable. Some items, such as Cyrellian emerald wine and elven bows command great prices due to high export demand.
Although originally elven, Ennathe has become a bit of a racial and cultural melting pot. However, the city and country are still predominantly elven. The city if relatively peaceful despite racial inequalities. Customs and traditions tend to blend at the commoners level. Festivals tend to be small and sporadic, being celebrated by one race or the other. No interracial festival has evolved yet. Elven celebrations tend to be larger and more elaborate than the others.
Elves have only one name - the personal name. Each elves is given a unique name at birth. It is tradition that it be a name no other elf has or has ever had. This is possible due to the structural complexity of the language. Elven names tend to be long. Shortened versions of these names are often used by non-elven speakers. Because of this cultural approach to names, there are no "common" elven names.
|This small elven community is known well for its beauty. It is entirely aloft in the trees, taking after Ennathe. The highest level actually sits atop the highest branches of the Certris trees and is open to the sky above. Erencil is well hidden (having no ground level) and very difficult to find unless one has been taken there before.
|This most unelven city is walled and fortified. It clashes with nature. Its construction employs more stone than wood. A standing army is housed within city walls. This force can be bolstered by a hastily assembled militia whe needed. Very few mages in service to military. This armys strength comes from its excellent training and equipment, though it is small. Irensar has few mages considering that it is an elven village. The rest of Cyrell looks down on Irensar and is slightly offended by its way of life. Often, Irensar is left out, both politically and culturally. Cyrell seems to want to sweep Irensar under the rug and forget that such an aberration was ever built within the Grandwood.
|Laris is a small but popular city in Cyrell at the edge of the Grandwood. It is known for its strong culinary heritage and grumman influences. Laris wine and pastries are traded far and wide commanding high prices. Jannerus and Laris share strong economic and cultural ties.
|Qarell is another small city of Cyrell. A large concentration of terex trees has shaped the economy and character of this elven village. Its site was chosen because of the terex trees. No formal army exists, but a militia can quickly be called. Most of the citizenry are accomplished archers. The backbone of Qarells economy is the terex trees. From these trees, the worlds best bows are made. Archery is a way of life here. Competitions are common. Bowhunting is popular.
|Levati is primarily a farming community that combines plowed fields with several fruit orchards and extensive tree fruit gathering.
Berina, Eiger, Elath, Elem, Forestwalk, Ils, Jaen, Jin, Kucirek, Likasi, Linn, Saar, Searle, Simbel
The nation of Cyrell is entirely confined to the vast Grandwood forest. The major towns of Cyrell are connected by a network of wide and well-maintained dirt roads that wind through the great forest. Numerous forest walking paths connect the elven villages to the major routes. For more information, see the Travel and Distance page.
|Typical Travel Time
|Terrain/Road Conditions
|Ennathe - Qarell
|Dirt Road
|312 km
|14 days
|10 days
|6 days
|Ennathe - Erencil
|Dirt Road
|469 km
|20 days
|15 days
|9 days
|Ennathe - Irensar
|Dirt Road
|432 km
|19 days
|14 days
|8 days
|Ennathe - Laris
|Dirt Road
|278 km
|12 days
|9 days
|6 days
|Ennathe - Levati
|Dirt Road
|312 km
|14 days
|10 days
|6 days
|Qarell - Erencil
|Dirt Road
|342 km
|15 days
|11 days
|7 days
|Erencil - Irensar
|Dirt Road
|335 km
|15 days
|11 days
|7 days
|Irensar - Laris
|Dirt Road
|287 km
|13 days
|10 days
|6 days
|Laris - Levati
|Dirt Road
|312 km
|14 days
|10 days
|6 days
|Irensar - Eastgate (Uthran)
|Dirt Road
|703 km
|30 days
|23 days
|13 days
|Laris - Edgewood (Arkalia)
|Dirt Road
|1,008 km
|43 days
|32 days
|19 days
|Levati - Ithell (Alliance)
|Dirt Road
|720 km
|31 days
|23 days
|14 days
|Levati - Westkeep (Alliance)
|Dirt Road
|938 km
|40 days
|30 days
|18 days
|Qarell - Bonnyweld (Bathyania)
|Dirt Road
|590 km
|25 days
|19 days
|11 days
|Irensar - Taurell's Tower (ruins)
|Dirt Road
|386 km
|17 days
|13 days
|8 days
|Erencil - Myredor (ruins)
|Dense Forest
|412 km
|21 days
|118 days
|19 days
This website was last updated November 19, 2022. Copyright 1990-2022 David M. Roomes.
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TWENTY TWO months old
All around you are spirits, child. They live in the earth, the water, the sky. If you listen, they will guide you.
-Grandmother Willow
Life with Everett continues to color our days here at home with fun, laughs and the perfect amount of frustration. He's discovering how to climb and be cleverly mischievous, sneaking his little hands into everything possible.
I'm learning the balance of when to yell and when to calmly correct him. When he doesn't listen, sometimes raising my voice works, but most of the time I just scare him and then feel terrible. And it makes me upset and worked up. But it's so easy to scream. I feel like you when I do it.
A small part of me likes that, like yes be tough like mom was. And then another part–the softer part, nudges a reminder: that's not you and you don't have to do everything just like her.
What can I say–I'm learning.
When we took a walk a few days ago, he wanted to stop and play in the grass. After waiting there too long, I told him to let's go! but he wouldn't budge. I even tried walking away but he could've cared less. So I dragged him by his arm for a few forceful steps until he laid practically face down on the pavement in a temper tantrum. I forced him to stand and got him to walk by singing a song about what a big boy he was.
You're a walking boy, yes yes yes, going home to see your bunny and eat snacks!
Singing silly felt like a win. Dragging him and yelling did not. But who knows what type of mother I'll be when more kids come along.
Recently I moved my bunny upstairs because he's just trapped downstairs in the dark basement all day, seeing or hearing no signs of life. And it's obviously too cold to return outside in his hutch. So now he's around all of us, and Everett likes to blow him kisses and throw pieces of his leftover lunch through the cage. Yesterday it was potato latkes. Everett can't leave the bunny alone, but I don't blame him. It's cute to see him love his animals so much.
I feel like I'm ready to burst through the walls of our house though, dreaming for warmer air and the ability to go outside for regular walks and playtime. It's nice getting to relax, watch movies and eat–that's honestly what our days revolve around now, but cabin fever is a real term for a stay at home mom in wintertime.
We are going out to eat tonight as a family and I've been thinking about it all week, like it's the outing of a lifetime, because I get to leave the house for reasons other than Target or Trader Joe's.
Everett's favorite movie right now is Hercules. We've watched it too many times to count. I put it on for him the other day and actually snuck a shower in while he was cuddled on the couch with a blanket, sippy cup, and Clifford. I felt like an accomplished superwoman.
He also likes Pocahontas, and spins and sings when the Native Americans do their chants around the fire. I know it's a feminine movie, but I grew up watching all those classics, each having an important lesson. When she runs through the woods and sings about the rivers and the animals being her brothers, and that we are all connected to each other, in a circle that never ends, I repeat the stuck-in-my-head lyrics while wiping down the kitchen counter, feeling dumb, but remembering that you are never far, because even Pocahontas says so.
I recently stopped the early 6 a.m. yoga class I taught on Wednesdays. Chris is going back to school for his masters and cannot go into work late anymore while he watches Everett. So I will now have one class, on Sunday mornings, and something about that just feels right. It gives me more opportunity to practice on my own mat during the week, and it's one less day of getting up hours before the sun.
And it's great timing, because I am in fact pregnant.
This second time around already feels so different than with Everett. When I found out I was pregnant with him, the thought of pregnancy filled every mental second. I immediately read blogs and articles and books, and was so excited to learn as much as I could about what was happening inside my body and what life would be like once the baby was out.
I still get all gooey every time I tell someone the new news, but keep forgetting about those two pink positive lines on my test. I remember when I want to have a beer and think, Nope can't do that for a while. Or when I wonder why I've been so tired in the afternoons or why my mood is for once stable.
The pausing of my menstrual cycle is the best thing about being pregnant. Hormones are whacky while growing a human, but for me personally, it doesn't compare to the ups and downs I feel during my moon cycle.
What's a moon cycle? I can already hear you asking.
I've been reading a lot about the moon and its connection to women's menstrual cycles, trying in any way to understand why I've always been so influenced by my period. Because no one really talks about them. And you certainly never did. The only thing you ever told me about puberty was that you grow boobs.
We were at one of my horse riding lessons and my teacher joked, saying something like, "Oh you just wait until you hit puberty." Not knowing what that word meant, I later asked and you gave that one simple answer. I think back then it wasn't as normal to talk about our bodies as it is today.
My menstrual cycle has had so much control over me, I tried anti-depressants when Everett was eight or so months old–remember? I didn't know what else to do and figured since you'd been on that same medication before during certain times in your life, it was okay for me to be, too.
But after a month, I stopped, knowing I had control over my body and was determined to learn about the power of being positive. It seemed like my only choice. And thus my journey of understanding the Universe and thoughts and appreciation and all that stuff I bore you with was started.
Between when my period starts and ovulation, I'm at my emotional best. This is my "highest highs" phase, when I sing in the car, believe I can write, and feel beautiful in my skin. I'm expressive, happy, have enthusiasm and new ideas–everything just feels good and balanced.
That lasts for about fourteen days and then comes ovulation. This is where the luteal phase begins, a phase I hated for all my teenage years and young adult life. Ever since I started my cycle, I never understood why I felt so different for half of the month. I didn't understand why I felt emotional about everything, why I questioned my decisions, etc. This was always when I missed you the most, the times I'd lay in bed buried under the covers and cry until there was nothing left to empty out.
I'd judge myself and feel lazy and unproductive. My body would bloom a little fuller, especially in my chest and belly, and every month, I always thought I was just getting "fat." So I'd eat less and exercise more, doing exactly the opposite of what my body needed most: rest and nourishment. For half of the month, I hated my body and how it made me feel. If I would indulge into my natural cravings, I'd throw the food right up.
A lot of past problems stemmed from not understanding my body.
But during the luteal phase, instead of hating myself and wondering why I'm crazy, it's my time to reflect and go inward. It's my time for me, to sleep and eat more, journal and stay home–not feel like a piece of shit. This is hard, especially as a mother, but it has forced me to be more kind to myself and not feel selfish for taking a small nap on the days Chris gets home from work early.
In the cycles of nature, there are ebbs and flows within the seasons, the tides, and the waxing/waning of the moon. This mimics the cycle that is within women, the cycle that governs not only the flow of blood, but the flow of creativity and information. It's instinctive and natural and connects us with something greater than ourselves. At least I believe so.
What's amazing about all of this is that the moon phase goes in a circle of 29.5 days, the average length of a woman's menstrual cycle. And the phases of the moon mirror what happens inside our bodies during ovulation. It's even been scientifically proven that during a full moon (representing a ripe and ready egg in our uterus), women are more fertile.
I don't fully understand it all, but that's not the point–I truly believe I'm supposed to feel the highs and lows and work with the monthly cycle within my body, not against it.
These are ideals I want to teach my girls (if I have any, of course–Chris is convinced we'll have all boys). I was educated on periods in middle school, but with the undertone of ew that's so gross and don't ever have sex or you'll get pregnant and die. There was no connection of the physical body and the emotional side. And if there ever was, it was somehow all boiled down into the worst combination of three letters: PMS.
I don't need my kids to pretend they're Pocahontas and sleep outside to sync up their periods with the actual moon. But I will explain to them why they feel a little crazy during that luteal phase. I will teach them how to track their cycles, even if they have irregular periods or what not.
Even though you weren't alive by the time I started having sex, I can tell you now that I never relied on birth control. Well, condoms–but not medicine. I tried it a few times, hoping it would regulate my moods, but never liked how it made me feel. So I learned to track my cycle, became aware of when I was fertile, and always used protection.
And knowing your rhythms makes getting pregnant a bit easier. Boo-ya!
I'm proud of all I'm learning. I'm proud of how far I've come. I know it probably all sounds strange to talk about my period so openly, but I wish someone would've done so when I was younger.
I really feel as if I got pregnant at the right time. As my body is creating life within, I can continue to create this writing into a reality. It's a beautiful comparison if you think about it.
The baby will be guaranteed out by the time Jessie has her wedding in Maryland, and I keep picturing myself with my long hair and a baby on my boob, drinking a Blue Moon set to lips that are finally tinted with my Ruby Woo colored lipstick, on my best friend's big day.
Talk about goals.
Thank you for where I am. Thank you for the timing of my life. Thank you for the sudden clarity I feel in my mind, as my body begins to take on a new form, creating our second child. I can't wait to see what's to come and for the first time in a long time, I am entirely hopeful.


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Nicole von Breunig
Love and Authenticity Coach
Love and Authenticity Coach
Nicole von Breunig is a Love and Authenticity coach and lives in Wassenaar in The Netherlands.
She is married to an amazing man. She has a blended family with 5 wonderful children and each one of them challenges her to become a better version of herself.
She was born in Holland, raised in Spain and educated in a British secondary school and has been to college in the US.
She grew up in an international environment and she realized from a young age that she just loves people. She thinks we are all amazing souls with so much potential. To be love and feel love and sometimes we need to be reminded of it all.
Her mission in life is to guide people to find their light within, to discover their gift and live their potential to do anything they want to pursue.
Her journey has led her to find her passion to serve and she crystallized it by becoming a coach.
Love and Authenticity Coaching is a loving way to go to the root that doesn't serve us and reframe the limiting thoughts and beliefs to make way for the flow of a loving and inspiring life.
Nicole is very honored to be able to serve you and to help raise love vibration in this world at the highest good of all.


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Katazome-shi Journals Made with Stencil-dyed paper
After my visit to Suzuki Shofudo, the 120 year old Japanese paper store in Kyoto, you can imagine my excitement to get home and make some beautiful new journals with my new paper! But how could I showcase the wonderful colors and patterns? I decided to try a new type of cover design that would…read more


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This project took me a lot longer than I expected but I'm pretty happy with the end product. It's pretty simple to make but if I had the option of buying one or making one I would probably just buy it. However, I enjoyed figuring out how to put it together.
I love the glittery fabric and I picked one with a pinkish purple pattern because there is no such thing as too pink!
All done! Can't wait to wear it to Hmong New Year!