text:
Kathy gave me the idea. Sitting in her office on a beautiful Thursday afternoon, she made a comment that stuck in my head. It was while we were talking about 'net speak and texting, and how the art of writing is being affected by this all. She said (and I'm paraphrasing from memory), "I always imagine I'll be the only one left who can write and people will come to me to write their letters."
I've been writing a lot more recently than in the past few years; I've been writing fiction since I was 13. Inspired by Joan Devin and her writing of short snippets, I decided to share a story. It's been my history that I'm most productive when writing for someone, and maybe posting on my blog will keep me going.
Here's the first part. I have no idea where this story will go, nor how long it will be.
She lived in a small white house near the end of the old Windprancer Lane; her house was the only one that used the old name, and whenever someone referred to her, they simply called her Windprancer. It was her temperament that fascinated them, her preclusion
to dance in her yard under the bright stars above, her blatant refusal
to wear her hair up in the Required Way. She read the Old Letters, and
often sat outside on her front porch, a book held expertly in one hand,
slender fingers balanced along the spine in utter defiance of the Laws.
Some said she grew trees around her home as thick as a woodland forest
to make up for all those slaughtered to create her books, but many
didn't care. She represented all the High Courts had worked so hard to
fix, and yet, she continued to exist.
The reason was simple, and for many, it was worth overlooking her and the tiny wooden house filled with books and an old gas stove. The old car sitting in the driveway, rendered obsolete by the Electronic Revolution thirteen years before.
She could write the Old Letters.
And that, even in such an age, was akin to magic.
clutched a woven bag close to her chest, small pale fingers tight
around each side, the interwoven strands of buckwheat biting into young
flesh. Even with such excitement in her chest, she moved slowly, each
step calculated and measured, the heels of her polished MaryJanes
clicking on the old asphalt pavement the gravel road gave way to this
far down the street. Such material wasn't seen much anymore, the roads
now created by the Earth, pounded by use.Sasheela could remember
driving to her grandparents' house when she was very young, and how the
flat roads she was used to near the city gave way to a winding lane
full of green weeds.
"The Earth is reclaiming this road," her mother had said. "When people no longer need a path, they thank the Earth and let Her heal the wounds."
This alarmed Sasheela -- were these roads hurting Mother Gaia? Why, then, were they still using cars, still treading the same paths over and over again?
"Because," her mother answered, "we are sisters. And don't you hurt your sister in play sometimes? Or sadden her with tasks? It is the same."
Walking on the asphalt, she could finally understand why the roads were no longer built this way. How was Mother to heal wounds that could never close? Here and there, a green plant broke through the old road, but nothing more.Sasheela liked how her shoes sounded on the hard pavement -- she had never heard such a sound! And for a moment, she danced and jumped and played on the road, experimenting with different sounds, creating a song, a beat, giggling into the open air, until her foot came down on a small shoot. She screamed and bent forward, taking the small plant in her hands.
"I'm so sorry!" she sobbed. "Please forgive me!" Perhaps this was a sign that she should turn back and not bother with the odd woman at the end of the road. Maybe Mother Gaia saw the contents of her bag as bad and would punish her for even carrying them.
She stood and turned her back on the house.
No! She'd come so far!
Gathering her inner strength, Sasheela held the bag tighter in her hands and continued on her way.
On the door was an old metal knocker of a bird, the knocker part a
flapping wing. She ran her fingers over the old, worm metal, traced the
tail feathers, then gripped the large, beautiful wing in her tiny hand
and hit it against the bird's breast. It rang around her, on the porch,
into the open air. One. Two. Three. Four. When the door swung open,Sasheela was gripped tightly by fear and she held her breath.
But there was no reason to be afraid. Windprancer was beautiful and her eyes kind. She was much younger than Sasheela expected, perhaps the age of her oldest sister, with pale skin Sasheela had only seen in books. For all the people of the city said about her, they never mentioned she was Foreign. She smiled, wide and cheerfully, and slowly took her in.
"You want me to write a letter," Sasheela told her.
"To whom?" Windprancer asked.
"To God."


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Tucked away in the basement in a container were these little embroideries I did a couple of years ago with the intent of making wallhangings. Good intentions should be carried out, but, alas, that is not always so. I also had four kitchen towels I bought way back when that I was going to applique for Christmas, also. Guess what - that didn't get done either. The other day I got to thinking about ordering some more towels and doing them Christmasy (is that a word?). I do a lot of ordering from http://www.ericas.com/ - they are fast and accommodating. I had a lightbulb moment - why not border the little embroideries and either fuse or sew them to towels which would have nine of them done very quickly.
I have four towels that are white with a red trim and I am going to use four of the figures without the words, etc., on those. There will be some towels left and I ought to be able to do some simple appliques on those. So we shall see if I get this project finished or not. Anymore, I am slower than molasses in January but as long as I keep going, I am content!
(Click to enlarge - this is a different format now so sometimes it doesn't do it, but you can give it a try!)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
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text:
I have many people ask me what I do with scraps but more importantly how I store them. There are many ways to organize them but the one that has worked best for me are plastic bins.
So, once you narrow it down to what to keep them in – then there is the decision of how to break them down: by color, paper type, weight, style. manufacturer, two-sided ? There are so many ways. Just think of how you want to use these scraps and make sure they are accessible. It is like an appliance in the kitchen – if it is hidden, you probably won't use it.
I have so many scraps and I use specific manufacturers that I decided to put them by color for solids and by manufacturer for designs.
If you view many of the papers that are out there, many companies have a "look" or "Signature Vibe" that as soon as you look at it, you pretty much know who it is. Because of that, I like to separate those looks so I can quickly reach for something that fits what I am doing.
As an example, many years ago, Basic Grey was very unique in their look and design and although I can still spot their stuff pretty accurately, many designers/manufacturers have taken that look and made it their own – so it is not as easy to separate that look anymore because it is everywhere.
Graphic 45 is very unique and distinct so I separate those as well when I want that nostalgic, rich color project.
So I have 18+ drawers separated by solid color cardstock (green, blue, black, whites, etc.) and I have several others like Basic Grey, Quick Quotes, and Ideology and Co're dinations. I also have ones that are generic cardstock other which are usually my lower cost cardstocks to draw from or practice on.
This has really helped when I needed that little tag or border, especially if I am using my Vagabond or dies. Of course, no scraps are worth it and just take up space if you forget to use them.
So…. here is your challenge, create an embellishment or tag using only scraps. You will be amazed the inspiration that will come when you remind yourself of some of those papers you bought that still have life left.


text:
To assist you with your financial aid questions, review the FAQs listed below. For further assistance, visit www.fafsa.ed.gov or contact Campus411 All-in-1 at 216.687.5411 or 888.CSU.OHIO or firstname.lastname@example.com.
How do I apply for federal financial aid?
The only way to apply for a federal grant, loan and Federal Work-Study is to complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA may be found at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
Why do I need a federal PIN and how do I apply for one?
A PIN number is necessary for you (and your parent if you're classified a dependent FAFSA applicant) to sign the FAFSA online. Having a PIN allows you to access your FAFSA and other information from the U.S. Department of Education. Applying for a PIN is quick and easy. You (and your parent if you're classified a dependent FAFSA applicant) can apply for a PIN before you submit your FAFSA (at www.pin.ed.gov). You can also apply at the time you submit your FAFSA (at www.fafsa.ed.gov).
What is the federal school code for CSU?
CSU's code is 003032. For quick reference, this number can be easily located in the green navigation bar on the right side of all financial aid web pages. If you do not initially put CSU on your FAFSA, you can always add CSU to your FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. You may also call 800.4FED.AID (800.433.3243) and request that CSU be added to your FAFSA.
I won't qualify for financial assistance. Why should I bother to submit a FAFSA?
Even though you might believe that your family's income is too high to receive financial aid, you may be eligible for low-interest federal loan assistance. They are available regardless of the family income. Also, some scholarship and benefits programs require applicants to submit the FAFSA.
Do I have to be admitted to CSU before submitting the FAFSA?
No, your FAFSA can be completed and submitted, even if you're not yet admitted to CSU. But we will not be able to view your FAFSA application until your admission is complete.
I submitted the FAFSA last year. Why do I have to apply again this year?
Federal regulations require that all students reapply for federal financial aid each year. The primary reason for this is to ensure that your eligibility for assistance is based on the most up-to-date income, asset, and family information.
I completed my FAFSA at a community college. Do I need to file another FAFSA if I transfer mid-year?
No, all you need to do is just add CSU to your FAFSA. You may do so by accessing your FAFSA by visiting www.fafsa.ed.gov or calling 800.4FED.AID (800.433.3243). If you call, you will need to provide the DRN number that is located on your Student Aid Report (SAR) report.
I'm 22 years old and haven't lived with my parents since I was in high school. Why do I have to include their information on my FAFSA?
If you cannot answer yes to at least one of the student Dependency Status questions, the federal regulations require that his/her parent(s) income and asset information be included on the FAFSA.
My parents are divorced (or separated) and neither one has remarried. Whose information do I enter on my FAFSA?
You would enter the information from the parent you lived with more during the past 12 months. If you live equally with each parent, enter the information from the parent who provided more of the financial support from the past 12 months, or during the most recent year that you actually received support from a parent.
Must I include my stepfather's income and asset information on my FAFSA? My mom and he just got married last year.
If you consider your mother (rather than your father) to be the parent you have lived with more during the past 12 months, then both your mother's and stepfather's income/asset information must be included on your FAFSA. Your stepfather is defined as your father for purposes of completing your FAFSA, regardless of whether or not he wishes to assist you with your educational and living expenses.
Both of my parents are deceased and I've been living with my grandparents since I was very young. They even claimed me as an exemption on their federal tax transcripts. Should I include their income/asset information on my FAFSA?
No, only if they have officially adopted you. If they have, then define them as your parents and include their information on your FAFSA. If they have been your guardians (even court-appointed), then you're defined as an orphan, and only your income/asset data should be entered on your FAFSA.
My parent(s) didn't claim me as an exemption on their income tax transcript(s). Can I apply for federal financial aid using only my information?
Maybe, review the Dependency Status questions of your FAFSA. An answer of "no" to all of these questions means that your parent(s) income and asset data must be entered on your FAFSA. An answer of "yes" to any one of the thirteen questions means that your parent(s) data should not be entered.
My family's circumstances have changed since I submitted my FAFSA. What can I do?
If a significant change occurs in your family's (or your) financial situation after you submit your FAFSA, be sure to contact Campus411 All-in-1 in Main Classroom room 116, or call 216.687.5411 or 888.CSU.OHIO or email firstname.lastname@example.com. In many instances, adjustments to your federal financial aid eligibility can be approved. Examples of such instances are a loss of income, separation or divorce and loss of benefits. The form you will need is located at: http://www.csuohio.edu/enrollmentservices/financialaid/forms/2011-2012/12V81.pdf.
I am transferring to CSU and have a Direct Federal Loan with my current school. Can the remaining loan money for this year be transferred to CSU?
No, you must cancel the remainder of your loan at your current school so that CSU can originate a new loan for you. You must notify your current school in writing that you are transferring to another school and would like to have the remainder of your loan cancelled. Be sure you notify your loan guarantor and report any changes in the anticipated graduation date. Once the remainder of the loan has been cancelled, CSU can process you new loan.
I am transferring to CSU and already have a Master Promissory Note (MPN) on file for my loans. Do I have to complete another one?
You only need to complete a new Master Promissory Note if you have not received loan money within the last year or if it has been 10 years since you signed one. All students must file a new MPN every 10 years. However, you will have to complete the loan entrance counseling because it is required for each school you are attending. If you do not complete your loan entrance counseling, CSU cannot disburse your loan.
What type of loans are degree seeking graduate and law students eligible for?
They are only eligible to receive Federal Unsubsidized loans and GradPlus loans. As of July 1, 2012, graduate and law students are no longer eligible for federal subsidized loans.
What is the GradPlus Loan?
The Graduate Plus (GradPlus) Loan is a federal loan program for degree-seeking graduate and law students. Read more frequently asked questions regarding the GradPlus Loan. The GradPlus Loan Request form is located at http://www.csuohio.edu/enrollmentservices/financialaid/forms/2011-2012/gradplus.pdf.
Can I receive federal financial aid if I enroll less than full time?
Yes. If you are enrolled at least half time, you may be eligible for Federal Pell Grant, Direct Loan, PLUS (parent) loan funds, Federal SEOG, Perkins Loan aid, and Work-Study employment assistance. If you enroll in less than half time, you may still qualify for the Federal Pell Grant.
Can financial aid be used to cover the cost of classes that are being audited?
No. Audited classes do not count when determining enrollment status for financial aid.
What kind of financial aid is available to graduate students?
Graduate students are eligible for loans, Federal Work-Study and assistantships. You should check the Graduate Studies web site for more information: http://mycsu.csuohio.edu/gradcollege/students/graduateassistant/index.html.
What is an EFC?
The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is determined from the income and asset data you entered on your FAFSA. This amount is a reflection of your family's financial strength, an estimate of the amount of money that is expected to be available for spending on higher education expenses.
How do I find out how much financial aid I am eligible for?
After CSU receives your FAFSA and (if you are selected) the FAFSA verification process has been completed, you'll be issued an award notification listing the types of aid you have been awarded. An email will instruct you how to access the Fin Aid tab in CampusNet.
Does receiving a scholarship affect my federal financial aid eligibility?
Sometimes. You are not permitted to receive financial assistance greater than the total cost of attending CSU. Therefore, if you qualify for a scholarship after having been awarded federal financial aid, some of your federal assistance (usually loan eligibility) may have to be reduced. If this occurs, you'll be notified immediately. Read more frequently asked questions regarding scholarships.
The total amount of financial aid I'm receiving is greater than tuition invoices. What happens to the extra money?
Any remaining funds available after all your fees have been paid will be issued to you. You may view this amount by going into CampusNet and selecting the Account tab. If you see an amount in parenthesis ( ), that is your refund amount. The Office of Treasury Services issues refunds twice a week. If you refer to your CampusNet account, you will see when your refund was issued. If you have questions or concerns about your refund, contact Campus411 All-in-1 in Main Classroom 116, or call 216.687.5411 or 888.CSU.OHIO or email firstname.lastname@example.com.
Students may use remaining Federal Pell Grant and Direct Loan eligibility, which requires minimum enrollment of 6 credits for summer study. Campus-based aid (SEOG, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Work Study), Institutional Grants (Residence Hall Grant) are not available summer semester.
Students applying for summer financial aid should finalize their registration by the first day of summer classes. To have your eligibility evaluated, please contact Campus411 All-in-1 at 216-687-5411, or email at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Summer semester is considered the last semester of our academic year. Financial aid is based on your remaining eligibility from your current FAFSA results.
What aid is available for Visiting Students (non-degree, visiting, and transient) in the Summer semester?
Visiting (non-degree, visiting, and transient) students who are enrolling at CSU this summer are not eligible for CSU administered financial aid, including alternative/private loans. Visiting students should consult their home institution for aid eligibility. You should make payment arrangements, for instance get on the Budget Payment Plan which you will sign up for in CampusNet. For more information about payment options visit http://www.csuohio.edu/offices/treasuryservices/pay/plans/.
I have a brother and a sister who also attend college. Does this impact my federal financial aid eligibility?
Yes. Be sure to include this information on your FAFSA. Your eligibility for federal assistance, as well as the eligibility of both your siblings, is adjusted due to your family having more than one dependent child attending college.
My dad lost his job several months ago and hasn't yet found employment. Can I have my financial aid eligibility recalculated?
Yes. Your federal financial aid eligibility for the school year is initially based on income and asset data from the most recent 12-month calendar year (January through December). However, if you and/or your parent(s) experience a significant change of economic circumstances during the subsequent calendar year, be sure to contact Campus411 All-in-1 in Main Classroom 116, or call 216.687.5411 or 888.CSU.OHIO or email firstname.lastname@example.com. With proper documentation, your federal aid eligibility adjusted. The petition for this can be found at: http://www.csuohio.edu/enrollmentservices/financialaid/forms/2011-2012/12V81.pdf.
Will my financial aid be affected if I drop or withdraw from a class?
When dropping or withdrawing from class(es) many things are looked at to see how much it will impact your financial aid. The date of you did it, the amount of credit hours for the class(es), and your last date of attendance in the class(es). Based on this information, you may be required to repay some of the grant and/or loan assistance that was credited to your CSU account for the semester. You should contact Campus411 All-in-1 in MC 112, or call 216.687.5411 or 888.CSU.OHIO or email email@example.com to find out specifically how you will be affected.
I'm planning to withdraw from all of my classes at CSU. How does this impact my financial aid?
According to the date you withdrew (and your last date of class attendance), a portion (or all) of the federal grant and loan assistance that was credited to your CSU account for the semester may have to be returned to the U.S. Treasury. If money is returned, it will create a balance in your account and you will be responsible for paying that money to CSU.
What is Verification?
Verification is a federal financial aid requirement in which the federal processor randomly selects FAFSA student/families for a comparison of the information that they listed on their FAFSA with information reported on the tax return(s), as well as, other information the applicant self-reported on their FAFSA.
I've been selected for verification three years in a row. What am I doing wrong? Why do I keep being chosen?
Each year, the US Department of Education will select FAFSA applicants to verify their income as reported. Also, CSU may select students, if we find conflicting information. Make sure that your information is complete and consistent.
Do I need to give CSU copies of tax transcripts?
You should request a copy of your Tax Return Transcript after you file your tax return. It can take up to 10 business days from when you make your request to receive a copy which will delay awarding your financial aid if you are selected for Verification. You will be notified by CSU if you need to submit photocopies of your (and often your parents') federal income tax transcripts. You can take them to Campus411 All-in-1 or fax them to 216.687.9247. Please retain copies of any federal tax transcripts, untaxed benefit statements and asset information that you used to complete your FAFSA. Forms for verification are available to download.
Should I turn in copies of my tax transcripts when I file my FAFSA?
No, do not turn in your tax transcripts until you are required to which will only happen if you are selected for verification.
What happens after I submit the required documents to CSU?
The review of comparing the student's FAFSA information with the IRS tax information and other required documents begins once all documents are received by CSU. If there is a mistake on the FAFSA, CSU will correct the error(s) and forward the information to the federal processor. The corrections may cause a change in the student's financial aid eligibility.
What happens if I decide not to turn in the required documentation?
If you fail to submit all the required information, the Financial Aid Office cannot determine your eligibility for federal and state loans and grants. It is recommended that a student turns in all required verification paperwork to CSU as quickly as possible. This will enable the Financial Aid Office to provide you a Financial Aid Award in a timely manner. Families who have filed extensions or who are self-employed and file their federal taxes later in the year are not excused from submitting required documentation for verification.
What do I do if my family has a change in income after I filed the FAFSA?
Do not make any changes to your FAFSA once you have successfully used the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. If you have a change or a correction to make on your FAFSA, please contact Campus411 All-In-1 Enrollment Services. We can then determine the best course of action.
If you have experienced a change of income from what you earned/received in 2011 to a loss of income in 2012, you may be able to file a Special Circumstance Petition


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Saturday • 2012.12.22
Ontario Registrar is Stonewalling Trans* Birth Cert Applicants; Citing False, Unpublished Requirements
By Christin Scarlett Milloy
Once upon a time, a legal change of sex was available in Ontario only to those Trans* persons who could prove with documentation that they had completed "transsexual surgery." Early in 2012, that requirement was found to be discriminatory in a human rights ruling. Consequently, the Ontario Registrar General was given six months to provide a new process for legal change of sex which would be accessible to all Trans* persons, as opposed to just "post-op" individuals.
The Registrar's office released their newly revised requirements in October, less than one week before their tribunal-imposed deadline was set to expire. As I reported then, the new requirements are grossly dissatisfactory for a variety of reasons.
In addition to the points I raised at that time, anyone under 18 is outright banned from having a legal change of sex (even if their parents are cooperative). This blatant form of age discrimination, targeting already disadvantaged Trans* youth, is a fact which I unfortunately omitted in my earlier piece on the topic. Thanks go to blogger Catherine (at ex puero ad puellam) for pointing this out.
As it turns out, the problems don't end there. I've received a very disturbing report which indicates the registrar is summarily rejecting applications based on nebulous requirements that are not published anywhere. Whether they are doing this on purpose or by mistake, the effect is the same.
When my source, "Illiana," had her application rejected (after a two month wait), she wanted to know the reason why. So Illiana emailed the Deputy Registrar General and requested an explanation, and was contacted the next day by a customer service rep from the specific department of the registrar's office tasked with verifying that applications are "complete and correct."
The first problem with Illiana's registration was relatively straightforward. "I didn't provide them with the birth certificate I was issued 20 years ago… (because it was) lost 15 years ago," she says.
In defense of the registrar, the change of sex form does say "please send … all previously issued birth certificates and certified copies of the birth registration." Illiana's impression from the form was that since her certificate was long gone, there weren't any copies left to submit. However, what is really meant by the form is "must send," and "at least one copy." Indeed, when I legally changed my name (my parents lacking the foresight to name their son Christin), I actually had to first specifically order and pay for a replacement birth certificate, in my male birth name, only to then turn around and remail it back to the registrar to be destroyed as part of the name change process. Typical government efficiency.
Now, the legal sex change form isn't really as clear about this requirement as it could be, so we can easily forgive Illiana. Nevertheless, the requirement to send in the old certificate is reasonable (chalk it up to security). To the registrar's credit, rather than requiring Illiana to fork over cash for a replacement only to remail it back for destruction, the customer service rep advised her instead that she need only include a letter explaining that she isn't in possession of a birth certificate. Fair enough, lesson learned, she can re-submit her application and move on. Right? Not so much.
Turns out there were other "problems" with Illiana's application, revealing some previously unknown and gravely troubling barriers for Trans* persons trying to access this process.
"(The) next topic was that I didn't include a physician's letter," explains Illiana. The letter Illiana did include was written not by her medical doctor, but by her psychologist. It was therefore unsuitable, explained the CSR. What? The application form clearly states "A letter (on the medical professional's letterhead) signed by a practicing physician or a psychologist (including a psychological associate) authorized to practice in Canada."
Illiana explains, "(the CSR) said this had to be on letterhead of a physician certified by the college of physicians and surgeons Ontario." Unfortunately, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario does not certify psychologists; that would be a job for the similarly named, but distinct, College of Psychologists of Ontario.
This issue may have been simply due to miscommunication. However, best case, the rep is just confused, but is incompetently providing misinformation to Trans* clients. Worst case, the application form is actually erroneous, and a psych letter won't get your application through the process.
Admirably keeping her wits about her, Illiana pointed out the discrepancy to the CSR. "Nowhere is that criteria stated on the Service Ontario website… and the application form clearly states… psychologist (is acceptable)." Of the CSR's reaction, Illiana had this to say: "She seemed to relent, and I'm not sure whether she was trying to purposely mislead me, or she had no idea what the form read, or what psychology is."
Based on my own experiences with government bureaucracy, I find it most likely that the rep was simply in error… however, Illiana's reaction underscores the fundamental truth: Trans* people have little motivation to trust agencies of federal and provincial governments which – have – consistently – failed – them – at – almost – every – turn.
But wait, there's more.
That was not the only problem with Illiana's letter, the rep told her. In addition to the misunderstanding as to whether or not a psychologist's letter qualifies as a letter written by a "doctor or psychologist," apparently the registrar also disapproved of the particular phrasing in Illiana's letter. She explains, the rep told her "the letter isn't accepted without an explicit statement that the birth certificate change is 'male to female.' The Registrar rejected (my psychologist's) letter… because it only said that the birth certificate sex designation is incorrect as it is, and should be changed."
Really? The published guidelines given to Trans* people on the Registrar website, and on the application form itself, state that the text of the doctor or psychologist letter "c. confirms that the applicant's gender identity does not accord with the sex designation on the applicant's birth registration; and d. is of the opinion that the change of sex designation on the birth registration is appropriate." Illiana says her psychologist wrote "…the birth certificate sex designation is incorrect as it is, and should be changed." And the registrar's office canned it because it didn't use the magic words "male to female," a requirement which is not published anywhere.
Infuriatingly, Illiana further reports "(the CSR) also said that several other applications such as mine have been similarly rejected."
Are you kidding me, Registrar General? Since the Ontario registrar does not recognize non-binary identities, one wonders what could possibly be the source of confusion here. Especially given that the separate Statutory Declaration form, which must also be submitted in the same package, is explicitly filled out by the applicant with a request to change sex designation "from (fill in blank) to (fill in blank)". Illiana's read "male" to "female," and her existing birth record read "male," so it's not as if there was any potential for misunderstanding.
Regarding the entire debacle, Illiana suggests "I have doubts that the current published criteria are understood by the Registrar's office staff, and since they reject complete applications based on unpublished criteria, (they) are not honoring the ruling of the tribunal in good faith." Hear, hear.
Some clarity, and a post-nonsense happy ending for Illiana?
Illiana is to be commended for challenging the transphobic discrimination she experienced at the hands of the Registrar's office. Whether it was caused by wilfully disruptive anti-trans staff, or perhaps just institutional ignorance, it is unacceptable regardless. Because Illiana had the courage to follow-up with a challenge, she was contacted soon afterward by the Deputy Registrar, Sandra Leonetti.
"She was very nice and explained that they are in a learning mode with regard to the new requirements, and I should resubmit the package with a letter stating that I don't have the long form birth certificate, and with the psychologist's letter that accompanied the original application."
That is a bit of good news for Illiana… As for anyone else who has had their application rejected under murky circumstances, you might want to get in touch with the Office of the Registrar General.
"After talking with Ms. Leonetti, I feel that she is sincere about providing fair service, including Changes of Sex Designation applications. I feel that not all people in the Registrar's office are up to speed on everything to do with the new process. I expect that things will improve with regard to application processing as the people in that office get better acquainted with what is really required."
It is a shame that the "learning process" at the Registrar's office has come at the expense of Ontario Trans* people. Let us hope that they get their staff training issue under control.
Have you had a similar problem? Anyone who would like my help, or who has a story they'd like to share, please contact me.
6 Comments
hi Christin. thanks for writing such a detailed account of this issue. Here are a few words of wisdom i have recorded for our lovely friends at Registrar office… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL-txByLWYU
Christin, thank you so much for posting this. I will share it on Facebook and with a friend of mine who came out to his friends earlier this year and is in the process of transitioning, an act of great courage (he has known for forty years that he was male, and has kept it under wraps until now).
This is infuriating, even for someone who is just on the sidelines (friend, ally, but not myself transgender). With all the crap that people face every day the last thing they need is the government office charged with helping them officially change their gender not being properly trained and up to speed in official government policy.
Christin, I had my application first got rejected, even after I had my surgery. The government web site is misleading on the information. They sent me more forms to get fill out. Lucky they just approved my application. But you need the Birth Cert. in order to change your health card, passport and your record dealing with your Social Insurance Number (Federal). I'm still trying to find out about my DND file as well. There is lot of hoops and barriers that we need to do in order to move forward with our lives.
I have been trying to get my incorrectly register name by the Ontario registrar office since late Feb of this year and so far they have rejected fives times. They even rejected one application because they didn't know that in french the name Rock is spelled with an H as Roch, each time costing me more notaries fees.I have been misinformed by the staff and each time I called I received conflicting information from various employees. In fact I once called several times and asked the same question and received several different answers. Our government should seriously start thinking of moving this agency to another city.
Roch, I'm sorry too, for what it's worth. 🙁


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After 42 years at the helm of his oil-rich nation, Muammar Gaddafi, the Arab world's longest-ruling leader, has been reported dead, with his body now moved to Misrata, Libya.
Officials from the NTC have confirmed Gaddafi's death, with reports saying the former dictator died from injuries sustained in the battle against the transitional government's forces.
Libyan Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril has announced the Libyan government's chairman Mustafa Abdel Jalil will declare the liberation of Libya later on Thursday, or on Friday at the latest , according to Reuters.
"We have been waiting for this moment for a long time. Moammar Gadhafi has been killed," Jibril said at a news conference in Tripoli.
Reports also suggest that Jibril is also requesting that Algeria hand over the Gaddafi family members who have taken refuge there, which include Col Gaddafi's wife and three of his children Aisha, Muhammad and Hannibal.
Gaddafi's son Mutassim was also found dead in Sirte on Thursday, a commander of the new regime forces told AFP.
"We found him dead. We put his body and that of (former defence minister) Abu Bakr Yunis in an ambulance to take them to Misrata," Mohamed Leith told the AFP.
There are now reports that Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, was spotted trying to flee Sirte in a convoy, but was rapidly encircled by the Libyan fighters coming under attack from the anti-Gaddafi troops.
The news of Gaddafi found in Sirte came as latest reports located him in the desert, near the frontier with Algeria, but despite their surprise Libyans inside and outside of their country gathered in the streets to celebrate the death of their former leader and the beginning of a new era for Libya.


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Bees reproduce by swarming. In nature and in apiaries, sooner or later a strong hive of bees will run out of room, and will feel the urge to swarm. A swarm generally has the old queen with it, who will accompany a large group of foragers and nurse bees to a new location a scout finds for them.
The hive left behind will have newly laid eggs, from which they will hatch a new queen. Every egg laid by a queen bee has the potential to be a queen, it is the nurse bees who decide when to create a new one, either to supersede a queen which doesn't live up to their standards, or to replace one that has been injured or has died.
|A strong hive booming with bees
Making a split allows a hive to grow without going through the swarming process. Beekeepers who are paying attention in the spring know that splitting a hive will both a) give the bees the space they need and b) give them yet another free hive of bees!
It's a pretty simple process, but you do have to pay attention. The way my friend N does it is to start by inspecting a hive to ensure it's healthy and has a booming population.
|Choose four frames with
newly laid eggs and brood
Once she moves the four frames, N uses sliding dividers in the hive to close the frames up, which ensures the bees don't have too much space to try to keep warm, which can be problematic. Brood needs to be kept warm, and if the bees have to protect too much space as they're doing so, the brood might suffer and the new queen not hatch.
In a week or so N will check the new split to ensure they've made a new queen, and take other steps if they haven't. Simple and effective, making splits is a skill every beekeeper should know how to do.
|A finished split


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Lucille L. Schaible, age 79, of Howard Lake, died Thursday, Feb. 7, 2013, at Good Samaritan Care Center in Howard Lake.
The funeral service will be Monday, Feb 11 at 11 a.m. at the Peterson Chapel in Buffalo, with visitation one hour prior to the service at the chapel. Interment will be at Glen Haven Cemetery in Crystal.
Lucille was born Nov. 2, 1933, in Bowdle, SD, to Henry and Lydia (Schlepp) Leidholt.
She married Delbert G. Schaible Feb. 13, 1955, in Bowdle, SD. The couple moved to Oklahoma while Delbert received his engineering degree.
Following Delbert's schooling, they moved to the Minneapolis/Crystal area, where Lucille raised her family. Delbert passed away in July of 1990.
Lucille was a wonderfully skilled seamstress. She enjoyed cross-stitching, card parties, and the daily neighborhood coffee parties. She was a great friend to everybody, a very special grandmother, and had a wonderful sense of humor.
She is survived by her son, Todd (Michelle) Schaible of Orono; daughters Ranae Gates of Maple Lake, and Becky (Clark) Connell of Ashland, WI; grandchildren Jamie Gates, Benjamin Connell, Nicholas Connell, Jennifer Schaible and Julia Schaible; a brother, Jerry (Corrinne) Leidholt of Pierre, SD; and a sister, Janice (Danny) Bergeson of Ft. Pierre, SD.
In addition to her husband, Delbert, Lucille was preceded in death by her parents.


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Sunday, January 3, 2016
Posted by Lynn Put at 6:16 PM
Labels: Paper Smooches, Sketch Challenge, Thank You Cards
5 comments:
- Linda Callahan said...
Funky and fun! Love these happy flowers! So glad you shared this at FMS!
- Sunday, January 03, 2016
- Georgiana said...
Looks wonderful! I like that you heat embossed your flowers before adding the watercolor. I am definitely going to try this technique.
- Sunday, January 03, 2016
- Jen Timko said...
I love how you colored these flowers, Lynn!! So glad to see you at FMS and Happy New Year!
- Monday, January 04, 2016
- Jen Mitchell said...
This is so pretty. I love the way you've watercolored the images with the colors bleeding outside the lines. It's so artsy! Thanks for playing along with us at Freshly Made Sketches!
- Monday, January 04, 2016
- Narelle Farrugia said...
Oh so pretty! I adore these flowers and the bright colours you've used. Thanks for joining us at FMS!
- Tuesday, January 05, 2016
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Interview with Ella Photography
Montreal has its share of photographers, but none like Isabella of Ella Photography. She believes that "no matter who you are and what you look like, you ARE beautiful". She has been running her wedding and lifestyle photography business, Ella Photography, for a number of years now which she started after deciding that the fashion world contributed to a broken view of beauty. Fashion is fickle, and its images it promoted to young girls, such as her niece, gnawed on her conscience to the point where she realized she was part of the problem. "So I quit", Ella recounted.
In a rebellious spirit, Isabella launched her photography business offering wedding packages and expanding into the growing market of boudoir photography. Boudoir photography is more elegant, sensual and quite intimate in comparison to weddings. Isabella believes that she captures what is already there. Her goal is to prove to her clients that "they are awesome just the way they are, right now". By making her clients feel comfortable and "real" in front of the camera, the images could completely change their own perspective of "Beautiful". Two years into her photography business, she was diagnosed with a thyroid condition that affected her eyes and challenged her personal view of beauty. The journey to her self rediscovery was challenging but made the belief in her cause even stronger. She understands the value of her company's philosophy in making her clients look and FEEL beautiful.
For Isabella, photography was something she just did ever since she was a child. She hadn't thought of photography as a career until one day, in her marketing job, she was given the opportunity to shoot fashion. Since then, she evolved and made it her mission to make the world a better place.
Her photographic style focuses on redefining the term "beautiful" to her clients and touches on emotions. "I like photographs that speak to the viewer, photos that evoke emotion", she says. She makes her clients feel beautiful and she captures couples on their most beautiful day, their wedding day. With two lovable dogs and great clients, she says she wouldn't change anything in her life right now.
Isabella says she landed in photography by fluke, but we all know effort and work was involved. Coming from a marketing background she starts off with key advice, "Word of mouth is the best marketing strategy". With that said she also believes you must be genuine and provide great customer service so that people remember you and talk about you. Isabella doesn't believe in competition amongst other photographers, because there is a client for every kind of photographer.
To keep the business side running smoothly, an accountant is the first thing you need to find. They can help you set up your systems, give you tips on managing money, and keep all the compliance work such as business filing, registrations, income tax filings up-to-date and orderly, helping you avoid penalties or fines for non-compliance.
Starting any business is challenging. She adds, "If you want something to happen, you will stop at nothing to make it work. Money should never be an issue. When starting out, everyone feels just as lost as you". The best advice for that, she says is "Don't give up!".


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At Université de Montréal, students are guaranteed the best studio experience. It's one of eight top-ranking programs around the world that we have identified as shaping the next generation of interior visionaries. (See our instalments on NYSID, the University of Manitoba, Domus Academy, SCAD, Parsons School of Design and Ryerson University).
Université de Montréal is a relative newcomer to the field of interior design: its first class graduated in 2001. Since then, the faculty of four full-time professors, along with some 20 adjunct professors, has built a strong research and theory-based foundation, and it has expanded its offerings to provide more hands-on experience with basic yet essential fabrication tools. Students are immersed in real-world scenarios that require multi-disciplinary collaboration. Delivered entirely in French, the three-year degree prepares them for the job market, or to pursue postgraduate studies at the School of Design.
Foundation courses are mostly academic, including those that take a historical look at interior design and architecture, in Quebec and beyond. In studio, students can acquire and hone problem-solving skills. This fall, Tiiu Poldma, one of the full-time professors, is leading a group of 12 students on a project to develop universally accessible design that will improve lives for an aging community north of the city. It involves working directly with the borough and neighbourhood stakeholders. Last winter, the central project involved developing emergency housing ideas for Syrian refugee camps in Jordan, with the final studio projects presented at SIDIM, Montreal's annual interior design show. Real-world experience and exposure is what many students value most. "The faculty helps graduates find internships in third year," says Jessica Rivière Gomez, former grad and founder of Index-Design, an industry guide that helps link Quebec talent with manufacturers. "It was a great opportunity and a great help."
Location: 2900 Boulevard Edouard-Montpetit, Montreal
Program: Bachelor of interior design (BDI), three years
Tuition: $1,147 in Quebec, $3,515 elsewhere in Canada, $7,853 international
Notable alumni: Jessica Rivière Gomez (founder of Index-Design), Laurie Bedikian (co-founder of Samare), Frédéric Morin (designer at Inside Studio)
For more information about education in architecture, industrial design, interaction design, interior design and landscape architecture, visit our Top Schools section.


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In 1997, a tiny company in Scotts Valley, Calif., came up with a radical business model. The big idea was to use data to change the way average people consume media.
That company was Netflix (NFLX). Founders Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph started with a humble DVD rent-by-mail website. It took off. However, growth caused a dilemma: It didn't have enough new releases in its inventory. So, Netflix developed an algorithm based on members' interests that de-emphasized popular titles.
By 2006, new releases represented less than 30% of its new rentals.
That's the power of the New Gilded Age. Data analytics and predictive modeling empower entrepreneurs to build new business models with greater certainty. They deftly navigate traditional bottlenecks as competitors become stuck.
Jonathan Cohen, principal brand analyst at Amobee, a global technology marketing firm, points out that Netflix's success stems largely from "using analytics to understand audiences" better than less-savvy competitors. And as the company made the transition from rentals to streaming media, it pressed those advantages.
When I'm chilling on the sofa, scanning my Netflix queue, ecosystems are the furthest thing from my mind. But Netflix knows what summaries I'm reading, how long I spend surfing titles, what I ultimately watch, and for how long.
It's using all of that network data to keep me engaged and to enhance my experience with recent favorites like the Mexican political thriller Ingobernable, the British police procedural Paranoid, the animated spy spoof Archer, and the animated Hollywood spoof BoJack Horseman.
It's also using that data to develop, license and market new content. That's where Ted Sarandos comes in. He's the chief content officer. He knows network data is invaluable because it allows Netflix to build a business model around narrow-casting, a personalized experience for each of its subscribers. It doesn't need blockbusters like ad-dependent networks.
That creates a lot of leeway.
Even when it spent $100 million for 26 episodes of House of Cards, Netflix knew the deck was stacked in its favor. The political drama could be marketed to fans of the original British show. It could also be sold to the network's built-in fan bases for director David Fincher and actor Kevin Spacey.
Netflix understood what its viewers wanted before they knew.
It's an unconventional calculus Sarandos used to build a wildly successful content portfolio. In March he extended the network's four-picture deal with Saturday Night Live alumni Adam Sandler.
Recently Netflix crossed 100 million subscribers. That is roughly a threefold increase since the original House of Cards content deal in 2013. Since that time, sales have increased from $4.37 billion to $8.83 billion.
And Netflix has become a powerhouse in the motion picture business. It will spend $6 billion on content in 2017. That is second only to Disney-owned sports broadcaster, ESPN. More telling, it is an important part of the secondary market for episodic content.
Off-beat shows that originally aired on other networks like Mad Men and Breaking Bad gained cult followings on Netflix. And that success allowed the independent network AMC to do more edgy content like The Walking Dead.
That's a long way from a tiny company that shipped DVDs by mail.
Netflix's algorithmic recommendations and personalized queues are now widely copied. In 2017, they're standard procedure for doing digital-media distribution.
The New Gilded Age is an exciting time for investors because so much is possible. Makers are not bound by old business models. Data analytics allows them to dream up new ones.
I spend much of my time researching data scientists at companies that have cracked this code. They are taking products or services and reimagining what they could be when looked at through the lens of proven preference.
The good ones see the future. And I recommend those to my members.
"We could see that eventually AMC was going to be able to do its own on-demand streaming," Netflix CEO Hastings told the New York Times in 2016. "We knew there was no long-term business in being a rerun company, just as we knew there was no long-term business in being a DVD-rental company."
Best wishes,
Jon Markman


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Restoration Suite at our Bed and Breakfast in Williamsburg
Rates $189.00 – $239.00 (1 – 3 guests)
Note our holiday discounts.
The Restoration Suite is a two room suite with a queen four poster bed in one room and a twin bed in the other.
The two rooms share a bath. The bath is fully tiled, has a pedestal sink, tiled, seated shower with European shower massage, and a private, closeted toilet. There are wonderful shower amenities and hair dryer provided.
The restoration of a whole town involved and affected all of the citizens. The main relic in this suite is the Victorian era front door from the 1895 Peninsula Bank and Trust building. The bank originally stood on the Market Square Green near the octagonal shaped Public Magazine. There were over 400 structures removed from the historic area during the restoration. On the wall is a reprinted account of an event involving the burglary of this bank in 1905. Although written at the time in all seriousness, the story gives a vivid and comical picture of life in sleepy, small town Williamsburg before the restoration.There is a pocket door to separate the two rooms for privacy. Guests can adjust their room temperature with the wall mounted thermostat. Please enjoy the embroidered cotton bathrobes located in the closet.The TV/DVD is tucked away in our signature birdhouse cabinet. This room has beautiful original hardwood floors and opens directly on to the back porch.
<< Previous Room | Next Room >> | View All Rooms | Book Now


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TLC - A Community campaign to buy locally.
When you shop and purchase services locally, the sales tax dollars go back into building our neighborhoods though our city, town and county governments. Sales tax dollars fund our roads, parks, schools, fire departments and so much more. Our quality of life depends on it. In Lenoir County that adds up to over $12.2 Million. When you shop elsewhere, you fund their community projects.
TLC and ThinkLenoirCounty.com is a grassroots initiative developed by the Business and Tourism committee of the Kinston-Lenoir County Chamber of Commerce led by Wade Layton of BB&T. The group of community minded members talked about how important it would be to have a campaign that reminded residents to spend their dollars in the communities where they live, work and play. The group brainstormed a variety of slogans and tag lines and decided that TLC, Think Lenoir County might create the necessary buzz to catch the attention of Lenoir County residents.
The committee built a tool box filled with the necessary items to help create excitement and sustain momentum. "This initiative is for everyone!" says Wade Layton. "We hope to reach out to all parts of our community, individuals and businesses, and get them involved and excited about the power we have to create a healthy community by shopping locally."
So help us TLC and remember that when you
SHOP LENOIR COUNTY, "The Buck Stays Here"
Here is information on how you can participate:


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Published by Laurie Pender on April 12, 2016
Cumberland County Board of Education
The Cumberland County Board of Education met in regular session on Tuesday, March 8, 2016 at 6:30 p.m., in the Central Services Board Room, with the following board members present: Susan Williams, Carrie Sutton, James McLauchlin, Macky Hall, Judy Musgrave, Donna Vann, Greg West, Alicia Chisolm and Rudy Tatum. Others present were Superintendent Frank Till, Associate Superintendents Tim Kinlaw, Betty Musselwhite, Ron Phipps, Clyde Locklear, Allison Violette, Ruben Reyes and Mary Black; Board Attorney David Phillips; Ft. Bragg representative, representatives of the principals association, district PTA representative, representatives of the NCAEOP and representatives of the teacher assistants association.
Chairman Susan Williams called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm. Our Pledge of Allegiance was led by Susan Williams, followed by the invocation by Alicia Chisolm.
The Board heard from seven speakers during the Public Forum portion of the meeting:
Randy Fredricks
The Board RECOGNIZED Student Representatives Malia Henry, Student Government representative from Gray's Creek High School and Hannah Pritchard, Student Government Representative from Cape Fear High School. Malia and Hannah were given the opportunity to address the Board on a topic of their choice.
The Board RECOGNIZED the following student for Amazing Acts of Character:
Bryson McClure Glendale Acres Elementary School
Chairman Susan Williams called for a motion to approve the CONSENT AGENDA.
Upon motion by Greg West, seconded by Carrie Sutton, the following Consent Agenda items were approved unanimously by the Board members voting. (Donna Vann fully supports all Consent items however she abstained from voting because her son is on the Personnel list this month)
DISCUSSION AGENDA: Curriculum Committee Report – Judy Musgrave
DISCUSSION AGENDA: Personnel Committee Report – Donna Vann
CONSIDER CLOSED SESSION Pursuant to N.C.G.S. 143-318.11(a)(6) to discuss the qualification of a prospective public officer.
Upon a motion by Donna Vann, seconded by Greg West, the board voted unanimously to go into CLOSED SESSION at 7:14 pm
Upon a motion by Alicia Chisolm, seconded by Susan Williams, the board members present voted unanimously to come out of CLOSED SESSION at 7:45 pm.
Board Chair Susan Williams called on Dr. Till.
Dr. Till asked the board for approval of his recommendation to name Tim Gardner as principal of Rockfish Elementary School
Upon a motion by Greg West, seconded by Donna Vann, the board voted unanimously to approve Dr. Till's recommendation.
DISCUSSION AGENDA: Auxiliary Services Committee Report – Macky Hall
DISCUSSION AGENDA: Student Services Committee Report – Susan Williams
DISCUSSION AGENDA: Budget Committee Report – Rudy Tatum
DISCUSSION AGENDA: Policy Committee Report – Carrie Sutton
DISCUSSION AGENDA: Legislative Committee Report – Greg West
Superintendent's Update:
Dr. Till shared three important reminders / updates:
Terry Sanford High School Boys' Basketball team will play for the state championship this weekend in Chapel Hill. Best of luck to these athletes and coaches.
The Student Government Association State Conference will be held this weekend. The event is hosted by Terry Sanford High School.
The 'Anti-Sexting' campaign will roll out upon the return from Spring Break.
Chairman's Update:
Mrs. Williams thanked our student officers for sharing their time and attention with us tonight.
Mrs. Williams thanked everyone for their attendance tonight and hopes to see everyone again next month.
With no further business the meeting was adjourned at 7:48 p.m.
Frank Till, Superintendent
Board Minutes – 3.8.16


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Day of Prayer: May 13
Let's Pray!
"and they devoted themselves to…the prayers." – Acts 2:42
A healthy church is a praying church. Grace Baptist Church has many reasons to praise God and numerous reasons to seek God's gracious provision. You are invited to join the church family of Grace Baptist Church for a day of prayer on Wednesday, May 13.
Each person is encouraged to pray during the hour for which they sign up. You do not need to pray the entire hour. By signing up you are making a commitment to spend some time during that hour in prayer for this church. We will conclude the day by praying together during our midweek gathering at 7pm with any who are able to attend. Let's plan to pray!
- Please sign-up! Signing-up is simply a way to set an appointment to pray for Grace Baptist Church.
- To assist your praying consider using this list of some helpful prayer requests.
Remember this truth as we plan to pray:
""Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" – Matthew 7:7–11


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Overview of Intensive Care
Intensive care units (ICUs) are specially equipped hospital units that provide highly specialized care to patients who suffer from a serious injury or illness. A multidisciplinary team (physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, pharmacists) trained in care of critically ill or injured patients provides continuous observation and monitoring as well as specialized care. There are over 5000 ICUs in the United States, and different units may specialize in specific areas such as neonatal, pediatric, and cardiac care.
Patients are admitted to the ICU from an emergency room, from an operating room, from another care area within the same hospital, or after being transferred from another hospital. Admission is based on a physician finding that close observation or specialized monitoring and/or therapy is necessary. Once close observation and monitoring or specialized therapies are no longer required, the patient is discharged from the ICU to either a regular hospital room or a concentrated care (step-down) unit where modified observation or therapy can be administered.
Because the level of care required of critically ill patients does not diminish during the night, critical care units are busy 24 hours a day. There are many alarms on the monitoring equipment that sound at all hours, often making rest difficult. As patients improve, one of their first complaints is the lack of sleep they receive. This is usually a good sign that they have improved enough to move from the ICU.
Patients in the ICU
In addition to being closely monitored, patients in ICU often require medication to keep them comfortable, which may diminish their level of responsiveness. The level of sedation will vary from person to person, depending on their condition. Some patients are easily arousable and are able to converse, while others may need to be sedated enough that they are unresponsive to verbal stimulation.
It is important to remember that although ICU patients may not be able to respond to a voice or touch, they may still be able to hear and feel. Visiting family members should talk to them, hold their hand, and let them know they are loved.
ICU Team
Care in the ICU is provided by a multidisciplinary critical care team, which is composed of specially trained physicians, nurses, and other professionals. Each individual brings his or her particular expertise to the team. Members of the team may vary from hospital to hospital.
Physicians: The critical care attending, or intensivist, is a physician who is fully trained in internal medicine, surgery, or anesthesiology. In addition, the physician has received one or more years of specialized training in all aspects of care of critically ill patients. The critical care attending supervises the care of ICU patients. He or she constantly communicates with the other members of the critical care team as well as the primary admitting physician. The critical care attending may also consult with other physicians who are specialists in particular areas of medicine (e.g., heart disease, kidney disease, gastrointestinal disease) or surgery (e.g., general, vascular, or thoracic surgeons).
Nurses: Critical care nurses have received specialized training in caring for critical care patients. The nurses provide around the clock bedside care and monitoring. They are in close contact with the physician in charge as well as other members of the critical care team.
Respiratory therapists: Respiratory therapists are trained in monitoring the respiratory system and in handling any equipment required to assist in respiration. They will monitor all aspects of respiration, from oxygen delivered through a nasal cannula (tube with two short tubes that go into each nostril) to mechanical ventilators. They also administer any respiratory treatment used to improve a patient's respiratory status.
Pharmacists: The ICU pharmacist assists and provides information on drug dosing and drug interactions. This is particularly complex in the critically ill patient.
Physical therapists: Physical therapists are involved in the care of critically ill patients early on in their ICU stay. They help prevent disabilities and facilitate rehabilitation as soon as possible.
Nutritionists: Nutritionists are involved in calculating the nutritional needs of the critically ill patient and monitoring the nutritional balance on an ongoing basis.
Social workers (patient care managers): Social workers assist families in dealing with all aspects of the illness from financial, to accommodations for family members, to long-term planning following ICU and hospital discharge.
Pastoral care workers: Pastoral care workers provide emotional and spiritual support for patients and family members of all denominations.
Pain Control & Sedation in the ICU
Comfort of ICU patients is a major goal. The two most commonly used medications used for patient comfort are pain medication and sedation.
Physicians order the lowest amount necessary to achieve the desired effect. Patients are continuously assessed for adequate pain control or level of sedation. The sedation and pain medications may make patients less responsive, and at times, they may be totally unresponsive. Although this may be disconcerting to families, it is important to have patients adequately sedated for necessary care to be administered. As patients recover and the medications are decreased, the ability to respond appropriately will return.
Local anesthesia causes a loss of sensation in the anesthetized area. A local anesthesia is often used in conjunction with a sedative during certain procedures such as insertion of a central venous catheter.
Occasionally, soft restraints are used in order to prevent patients from inadvertently pulling out their tubes or catheters. The nursing staff constantly monitors restraints.


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|Carroll Stowe, a longtime resident of Heath, has organized the "wagon train" every year since 1981.
A loose-knit group of "horse people" meet every year at the Heath fairgrounds on the Friday before the last full weekend of September. They camp there for the weekend and make two wagon train excursions, one on Saturday and one on Sunday.
|There are generally more riders on horseback than there are wagons. The "wagons" are a hodgepodge of home-built and home altered horse-drawn equipment, usually wearing rubber tires. Those of us with only TWO legs have to hitch a ride wherever there is room. Carroll lets some of us actually DRIVE the wagon when the going is easy!
My favorite one of the trips is the one they make to the "Burnt Hill" blueberry farm.
The view from the hill is fantastic! You can see the hills of Vermont and New Hampshire. To the south you can see as far as Amherst Massachusetts and beyond.
There is usually a stop at the top of the hill to rest the horses. This year we found out that this is the only spot in the whole area where a cellular phone can reach the rest of the state! See the cellular phone addict standing atop the rock??!!
Many of the hills in the Berkshires are wooded and the view from the top is obscured by the trees.
Burnt Hill is an exception; it is covered mainly with "low-bush" blueberry bushes.
In several places there are stones arranged in "Stonehenge" fashion.
If you stand in the right spot, they line up with the points of the compass.
The trip to the hill is made on backroads and dirt roads. The first part of the return trip is made on virtually NO road at ALL!


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25+ year veteran of the world of financial services, the last 10 doing the same thing under his own name. We work with families all over the UK and in Switzerland and, indeed, on 2 other continents. If interested in our Wealth Management work, cast a glance at the firm's website.
From time to time media folk call me and ask me to rant live or in the press. JD in the media.
I don't buy hype. I don't believe it's the end of the world but I do believe, within a generation, the West will have no welfare state. The maths don't lie. We're toast. It's obvious if you think about it.
Me on Sky News March 2011:
If they raise rates we're toast. If they don't it's BECAUSE we're toast.
I believe the only system that can possibly bring equality and freedom is Capitalism. Bring Back Capitalism is what I often say. We haven't had it for decades. The only time in the UK, in the last 100 years, was the 1980s. The US had it very briefly under President Warren G Harding in 1920/21. During these periods inequality fell and opportunity grew. The elite got a good kicking as did trade unionists. Other than that hardly at all. Hence, why we're bankrupt and society is hugely unequal, we're gradually (bit by bit) losing our freedoms and the rich are getting richer, the poor remain poor and the middle class becomes poorer and poorer.
Also I believe it's no longer Left v Right (not that probably it ever was). It's Politicians, public sector (especially Civil Service and Local Authorities), Central Bankers, Landowners (now including multiple property owners), Banksters, multi-nationals and Mainstream Media v us. Not every single person in these areas. Only 95% of them.
I am proud to call myself a true Capitalist (not a crony capitalist as the bulk of so-called capitalsts actually are) and a Libertarian (19th century Liberal, not the Marxist Liberal Democrats today).
My economics and societal changing heroes include (in date order) Adam Smith, Warren Harding, Friedrich Hayek, Margaret Thatcher and Ron Paul.
Live in East Herts, between Cambridge and London, UK. Work from home 70% of time, the rest I'm out with clients, at seminars or public speaking. Sometimes folk ask me to do that too. Which I do if I like the event – whether or not a fee is involved. If I don't particularly like then I'll likely still do it for a fee.
Nothing in these articles can be taken as financial advice. Neither Jonathan Davis nor Jonathan Davis Wealth Management will be held responsible for action taken or not taken from reading these articles.
We recommend investors seek bespoke advice before acting.


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Horace P. Bass Family Tree Copyright 2006 Bagley, Bass, Brooks, Cooper, Lunsford and Hart Families – Covington County, Alabama by Danny P. Bass, Villa Rica, GA, 2006. Lunsford's Ephraim Sihon Lunsford – Married Recently I found a posting on Genealogy. Com from Frank Lunsford, a
Valentine H. Hart . great grandfather of Amanda (Hart) Grace . these are related to email@example.com and email@example.com . Johann Valentine H. Hartz Sr. b. c1730 in Germany d. before July 3, 1792 in Rockbridge, Va.
White Family Genealogy Children of Jeremiah White & Mary Martin Mark B. Arslan D. 6 Feb 1833 @ (Elbert [Hart] Co., Georgia)? [3037, 5035, 7236, 22109] Diary of Jeremiah White (see Bible Records and Other Family Data Contributed by the Peaks of Otter Chapter, DAR 1834-1952, Vol. 2)
Partial Genealogy of the Harts (of New Jersey & Ohio) = Mary Shoemaker (1604-after 1659) John Hart I (1597?-1671) (Emigrated from London, England to New York) (moved to Connecticut and back to NY) 10 Others 4 Others 4 Others 4 Others John Hart II (1636-1712)
The Fields Family (Note: Edith Ora Jacks copied this record in 1968 in Birmingham, Alabama) (Copy of Fields Family History in possession of Claudia Fields Kraemer-1981)
Bushnell Genealogy 1 The sudden and untimely death of the family historian, George Eleazer Bushnell, of Nashville, Tennessee, who devoted so many years to the completion of this work, necessitated
From the files of Vicki Barron Kruschwitz (firstname.lastname@example.com ), February 2012 Permission is granted to reprint, quote from, or repost "Descendants of William and Prudence Barron" only if
Genealogical Information at the Colebrook Historical Society Thompson Family Genealogy, East Haven, Wallingford and Colebrook (These are the Clement Thompsons of North Colebrook). Compiled by Henry Hart Vining
Maud Hart Lovelace's Family Tree – Page 2 of 2 15. Hannah SMALL was born about 1812 in Springfield, Penobscot, ME. She died on 7 Apr 1895 in Mankato, MN.
THE BALL FAMILY The Ball family is English. The earliest 'American' members came first to Connecticut, and then to New Jersey where Edward Ball was one of the original founders of Newark, New Jersey.
FREE FAMILY TREE TIPS: 23 SECRETS TO ORGANIZE YOUR GENEALOGY 9 Habits of Highly Organized family group sheet and a five-generation ancestor chart, which Five-Generation a ncestor c hart Chart # ___
Sen. Thomas Hart Jesse Samuel Nathaniel m. 1810 Dorothy Branch Susan Catherine Benton Genealogy Direct Line Family Tree . Title: Genealogy Small.pub Author: nrsiegj Created Date:
Compiled by Jack and Sylvia Sonneborn………………………………………………. OUR GIFT TO JESUS. As we approach the holidays, we should think about the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.
PALMER PAPERS INDEX 2 Alter Fred, 404 Altman Solomon, 520 Alvey Julia Jones, Mrs., 2492, 2497 Julia, Mrs., 2479 Richard H., 2479, 2492, 2497 Alwine
KITTOCHTINNY HISTORICAL SOCIETY PAPERS TABLE OF CONTENTS VOLUME ONE Read before the Society during the year ending March 1, 1899 THE OLD CHURCHYARD by B. L. Maurer………………………………….5 The New Churchyard The Indian Burying Ground
Whose avocation is genealogy. He will tell you of a love for family and extended family that has led him private family databases on the Internet. He will discuss Pennsylvania genealogical (concentrating on York County
The Fields Family (Note: Edith Ora Jacks copied this record in 1968 in Birmingham, Alabama) (Copy of Fields Family History in possession of Claudia Fields Kraemer-1981)
SURNAME INDEX – FRANKLIN COUNTY CEMETERIES 2 Harriet E. (Rhea), 16:15 Harriet J., 7:223 Harriet, Mrs., 30:3 Harvey, 30:1 Henry, 30:1 Isabella A. (Slaymaker), 16:15
December 2003 Earliest Fields Ancestors Page 1 of 4 Prepared by Theron L. Smith (email@example.com) for the Hueytown Historical Society Earliest Fields Betty Ann Fields is named as wife of John Fields – this provides strong reinforcement for this family being the one of
JOHNSON GENEALOGY. RECORDS — — OF THE DESCENDANTS — OF— John Johnson Of Ipswich and Andover, Mass. 1635—1892. WITHANAPPENDIX CONTAINING RECORDS OF DESCENDANTS OF TIMOTHY JOHNSON, family, the descendant number is placed before the name of


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Virgina Satir, a family therapist, developed a model for change (Satir et al, 1991) from her work with individuals and families. She observed individuals and families that were confronted with a wide range of changes. From her observations she distinguished a number of phases when individuals are confronted with change.
The initial state is one of reasonable status quo. The normal state of our (human) mind is chaos. Contrary to what we would like to assume, our mind is in disorder (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990). Since this state of psychic entropy is far from pleasant, we keep searching for ways to re-establish a purposeful order in our minds. This results in the "status quo" Satir refers to. But the negentropy (state of order) is threatened when something new enters the system. This foreign element, as Satir calls it, causes a period of chaos. During this moment of chaos, all kinds of feelings enter the world of the individual: anxiety, despair, anger, all kinds of fight or flight reactions. But at some point, often when things have reached their worst, an insight or idea emerges and provides a direction of "the way out". Interesting remark: in Chinese, the word "crisis" consists of two symbols: one representing danger, and the other represents opportunity.
The period of chaos turns into an opportunity to learn, the foreign element that disturbed the order is accepted for what it is and is no longer perceived as dangerous. Interesting would be to look at that turning point in the perception of the individual.
When exactly did it turn over to the positive side?
That kind of waking up, seeing the change in a different,
more optimistic light? Also important: in what conditions did this take place?
Can we create the right conditions so that the "danger" becomes "opportunity"?
Because, after this mental click, the individual can begin the journey of
integration (Satir, 1991. Weinberg, 1997). So, the flipping of the mental coin
is an essential turning point in the process of transformation. From then
onwards, the foreign element can be integrated through practice, and the new
status quo is born. Note that the new status quo is of higher performance level than the late status quo.
Imagine an experienced teacher who has got it all under control. At a certain point, the young, new headmaster comes up with a number of innovations. I'm sure you can think of an example, perhaps something to do with a flat mobile 10 inch device. The enthousiastic head "saw the light" in some workshop at a conference, and immediately takes action (phase 5 of Kotter's 8 steps, remember this post). What is the effect of this foreign element on the mind of the experienced teacher? It threatens to dis-order his balance, his mental order. An order that was preciously, cautiously and probably very wisely constructed. Hopefully, the experienced teacher can quickly flip the mental coin and start to look at the innovation from the integration perspective. But better would be, imho, that the head was aware of the process at hand, and was able to create the right conditions (trust, curiosity, connectivity and tenacity) for the experienced teacher to limit the feelings of distress in the chaos phase.
First, the head needs to know this. This is a matter of knowledge. When you don't know that it works this way, it is a very logic reaction to fly off, and force the innovation down people's throats. Are heads of school departments trained in these matters? I don't think so. Considering the importance of leadership in schools (please don't confuse with authority) and the upcoming educationaI reforms in Flanders, I would place my bets at the professional development of headmasters, ás well as the professional development of the teachers. For the sake of our biggest treasures: the kids themselves.
Cameron, E., & Green, M. (2012). Making Sense of Change Management: A Complete Guide to the Models Tools and Techniques of Organizational Change. Kogan Page Publishers.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). The psychology of optimal experience. Harper & Row, New York.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1993). Why we need things. History from things: Essays on material culture, 20-29.
Roels, J. (2012). Cruciale dialogen. Maklu.
Satir, V., Banmen, J., Gerber, J., & Gomori, M. (1991). The Satir model: Family therapy and beyond. Palo Alto, CA: Science and Behavior Books.
Weinberg, G. M. (1997). Quality Software Management: Anticipating Change (Vol. 4). Dorset House, New York.
Image Satir's model: http://genshigenbutsu.blogspot.be/2007/11/satir-change-model.htmlImage crisis http://www.accountability-central.com/enterprise-risk-management-news-articles-research-accountability-central/enterprise-risk-management-intro/


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When being on summer holiday, you don't need to become completely out of shape and get loose. I mean, you shall enjoy your vacation with sweets, drinks, etc. but then you still have the opportunity to spend 30 min. a day to do a little workout at the hotel, house, boat, or wherever you stay. You can always find a park or a parking place to show the public some moves. You can even bring your sister, friend, mother, or whoever you are traveling with to join you to make it more fun.
So being on vacation (to me) means enjoying time with the people you are traveling with but also keeping up with your shape. You don't need to process your personal records in sprints or numbers of push-ups, but you can still push yourself to the limit where you feel it burns.
I prefer to work out between breakfast and lunch, then I feel amazing in my body for a long lunch and don't need to stress more about getting it done.
So guys, here are some of the exercises that I do, which I have found in this month of Cosmopolitan UK:
Do 5 rounds of these exercises which focus on your core and you will feel amazing – I promise you. You can thank me later 😉
Julie Pallesen


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What is it that your recall of your summer holidays?
What is it that I recall of summer?
A mixture of sweet and bitter flavors, aromas of berries and figs and occasionally a butterfly hoovering above mid air.. A late morning, an early evening..there is no time and no space.. everything seems to melt, become fluid and stream towards the coolness of a shadow…
Summer Lunches that turn into brunches bring early summer dinners in the sunlight breakfast room..
After a good breakfast that serves as a brunch and a few hours under an umbrella, reading your book while he goes in and out of the water, its time for the meal of the day. The opportunity to sit down and enjoy a summer dish with fresh seasonal ingredients and a glass of wine.
This summer, somehow this pasta dish became our favorite. It is perhaps the tomatoes..perhaps our first olive oil production in a few years or maybe its just that we really like slurfing our pasta.. I wouldnt know for sure. Yet there is something both simple and primitive in the way the ingredients are treated making a pasta sauce.. Something far from pretentious. Something simple, direct, honest and relaxed. So pasta it is.
But not any pasta! A good pasta!
A good pasta has to be filling. It's sauce has to be aromatic. All ingredients have to be fresh. And the pasta has to be slurfed! Forget the spoon.. Just twirl some pasta around with your fork and approach the later to your palette.. Let the aromas reveal their intensity as you taste the ripe tomatoes, the salty bacon, the caramelised onions and the freshly grated parmesan cheese on the smooth al dente spaghetti pasta.. Close your eyes and try to identidy each and every flavor of the herbs that play happily with the heavier flavors of the garlic, the onions, the tomatoes and the olive oil..A glass of local wine chilled as it must, now and then bringing your palette to a sweet, melodic intermezzo… until the next bite..
Did you know?
"Most restaurants (and hostesses) that feature pasta provide guests with a large spoon as well as the knife and fork. The fork is used to spear a few strands of spaghetti, the tips are placed against the spoon, which is held on its side, in the left hand, and the fork is twirled, wrapping the spaghetti around itself as it turns. If no spoon is provided, the tips of the fork may be rested against the curve of the plate." "The New Emily Post's Etiquette," Elizabeth L. Post, 1975 By CRAIG CLAIBORNE


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|By Omar Sultan
Article Rating:
|December 7, 2008 03:50 PM EST
Omar Sultan's Blog
Once we cut through the cloud-hype and start looking at the practicalities of implementing things like workload portability, I think the lessons of the past will re-assert themselves, this time with things like security and L4-7 services.
Quite a few years ago, when we we positioning the concept of the intelligent network, we had a slide that showed how features moved from servers or dedicated hardware to the the network over time. The trigger was usually when a service, say name resolution, became broadly used. At that point, it was seldom workable to have that service delivered by a place in the network--it needed to be ubiquitous...and highly available...and scaleable...and manageable...and usually ended up as a network service.
Reading a recent post by the ever fearless Christofer Hoff and the related Twitter exchange got me thinking about this again. Once we cut through the cloud-hype and start looking at the practicalities of implementing things like workload portability, I think the lessons of the past will re-assert themselves, this time with things like security and L4-7 services. There was a time when security=firewall, in essence, security was associated with a specific place in your network. Now, to be effective, security needs to be pervasively deployed and deliver security services that ubiquitous and consistent--no matter where a workload runs (my desktop, my data center, someone else's data center) the security policy must be consistently implemented.
In short, models that depend on services such as security or load-balancing being associated with a specific place in the the network or a specific piece of infrastructure will not survive the transition. We need to be able to implement services wherever they are needed--the ability to provide security services to a given workload cannot be constrained by whether that workload happens to be running on a server that happens to be plugged into a firewall--it would be like saying you can only call certain area codes from certain certain extensions in your house--"Oh, you want to call New York? You'll have to use the phone in the guest bedroom..."
For us, this is in our DNA--you plug into the network, you get access to all its goodness. As an example, our SAN solutions are built upon the concept of and intelligent fabric, where critical services are a function of the network,not a specific box. This means that I don't have to worry about a server dying and taking my VSAN routing with it. It also means my capacity and performance automatically scale-up and scale-down with the number of switches in the network.
Unified fabric is an extension of this concept: plug into a unified fabric and you automatically have access to all your storage resources--no HBAs, no fiber runs, no fabric switches--access to storage is no longer a function of having specific infrastructure deployed. VN-Link and the Nexus 1000V are also a logical extension of this concept: no matter where a workload (VM) ends up running, its security policy will stay with it, so application of security policy is no longer a function of having a workload running in a specific location.
As you may guess we are continuing to expand on this concept, so expect to see some interesting things in the future around services for the virtualized data center.


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25 Jul 2012 20:21
This war ship paper model is Norwegian Sleipner Classdestroyer, the papercraft is designed by Louis R. Coatney. The Sleipner class was a class of six destroyers built for the Royal Norwegian Navy from 1936 until the German invasion in 1940. The design was considered advanced for its time, and it was the first class of vessels for the Norwegian Navy that used aluminium in the construction of the bridge, the mast and the outer funnel. Extra strength special steel was used in the construction of the hull. Unlike the earlier Draug class the Sleipner class had comparatively good capabilities in both main guns, anti-aircraft artillery and anti-submarine weapons. The class was named after Sleipnir, the eight-legged horse of Odin.
WWII Sleipner Class Destroyer Free Ship Paper Model
More papercrafts, paper models, paper toys and origamis at www.papercraftsquare.com
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ReWa Mission, Vision and Values
Mission Statement
Enhancing our community's quality of life by transforming wastewater into renewable resources through responsible and innovative solutions.
vision statement
Through the passion of our workforce, ReWa will be a community partner and an industry leader safeguarding our water environment for future generations.
Core Values
ReWa's core values are professionalism, unity, integrity and trust, safety, accountability and dedication.
About ReWa
Since 1925, Renewable Water Resources (ReWa) has been committed to providing high quality wastewater treatment services to the Upstate of South Carolina. ReWa's goal is to promote a cleaner environment, and to protect the public health and water quality of the Upstate waterways, while developing the necessary sewer infrastructure.
ReWa has eight water resource recovery facilities (WRRF), 343 miles of collection lines, and services Greenville County and portions of Anderson, Laurens, Pickens, and Spartanburg Counties. In addition to keeping our Upstate waterways free of contaminants, we are continually making system improvements to meet increasingly stringent environmental regulations. This continual improvement means we are responsible for the health, rehabilitation, and replacement of aged sections of our current system to proactively help protect the aquatic environments of three Upstate waterways: the Reedy, Saluda, and Enoree River Basins.
We seek to promote a cleaner environment through our treatment process, which means that in addition to treating wastewater and replenishing our Upstate rivers and streams, we are continuously seeking new ways to recycle our by-products. Furthermore, the clean water can be used for irrigation of recreational areas such as golf courses, and ultimately conserves our drinking water. ReWa uses clean water to irrigate the lawn at its administration building as well as multiple uses at our WRRF.
Our recycling initiatives are key to water preservation and include a biosolids program allowing farmers to utilize a safe organic material that is a by-product of the wastewater treatment process as an agricultural fertilizer.
As you might imagine, cleaning wastewater is both complex and expensive. Each day, approximately 42 million gallons of wastewater travel through 343 miles of trunk sewer lines to eight WRRF. At these WRRF, the water is cleaned as it passes through a series of biological and chemical processes. Once the recycled water meets environmental standards, ReWa returns the water to area rivers and streams for future use.
We feel it is important for public utilities to evaluate how they can become more effective, especially in the face of certain challenges, like aging infrastructure and increasingly stringent regulatory requirements. Recognizing this need, we adopted the effective utility management strategies as developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in conjunction with six national water and wastewater associations.
We are implementing these strategies throughout all organizational levels. You can learn more about the Ten Attributes of Effectively Managed Water Sector Utilities and Five Keys to Management Success by downloading the Effective Utility Management Primer.
The incremental customer rate structure covers ReWa's increasing financial obligations, which include operations and maintenance, as well as capital improvements. ReWa does not receive funds from local or state taxes. All expenditures are funded through a combination of user fees, state revolving loans, and revenue debt issues.