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Published: 2001/07/06
by Aaron Kayce
Panic Stricken: 6/13-6/24
Well, I am finally pulling my mental baggage together enough to sit down and try to recap one hell of a West-coast Widespread Panic run. I have sat and reflected quite a bit about what I just witnessed between San Diego and Colorado, and I finally think it's safe to say that Panic is without a doubt the greatest rock and roll band alive. Not only are they the greatest rock band touring, they are the last true bastion of rock and roll. They are IT! No one opens it up like Panic, and no one tears the roof off like they do, and no one can touch their down south, whiskey drinking grit. With their new sound, lights, and equipment, they are as good as I have ever seen. Panic is tighter than I thought possible, and with the creation of their hot, edgy, and heavy, new album, "Don't Tell The Band" it appears that WSP has stolen the stage.
With Phish stepping down the "jam" crown is up for grabs, and Widespread Panic has just laid claim to the throne. But it takes more than just great music to make an epic tour. It also has to do with the people following the band, and the energy that radiates through these kids. And the kids on this 2001 summer Widespread tour have been truly wonderful. Whether it was an 18-year old kid or a 40-year-old kid, almost everybody I met over the past two weeks was soul. Yes, of course the ugly, tour rat, element that was clinging to Phish since Jerry's passing was also represented thus far on the Panic summer freak out, but I am glad to say that these jaded youthes are far from dominant in the Widespread world. The type of people that I continued to encounter were kind southerners offering you a tug off their Jim Beam, or cool cats from the north west, stacking fat. Panic fans really are different from other musical fanatics. They fill their lives with Panic, as they root for them like a baseball team. I remember walking into Paolo Soleri amphitheater in New Mexico and overhearing my friend Devan say, "Ya, Panic is 5 and 0, they've been blowing everyone away. Heavy favorites again tonight." And when the lights go down, and the players take the field cheer they do. When you look back at the scene of a Panic show people are pumping their fists, screaming the lyrics, jumping in unison, and pushing their heroes onto victory. The type of energy that this creates between band and audience is a recipe for joyous mayhem, and I suppose that's exactly what you want from a band called Widespread Panic.
The nine show jaunt began on a Pier overlooking the San Diego harbor on Wednesday the 13th of June, in which we were treated to an opener off "Don't Tell The Band" entitled, Sometimes, which is actually a Firehouse song, if you can believe that. From the appropriate opener, which was far better than any Firehouse song ever performed, we were treated to a first set closer that looked like this, Arleen>Driving Song>Genesis>Driving Song>Climb To Safety, which really got the tour off the ground.
At set break it was obvious to everyone who was at Widespread's last S.D. appearance 2 years ago that Panic was not going to let San Diego be another flat show. The second set only got better with highlights including Coconuts, yes Coconuts in SAN DIEGO, a wonderful Vacation and a Weak Brain Narrow Mind with local sax man, Karl Denson sitting in. The show was far better than their last stop at Cox Arena, and by all accounts a great kick off for the summer. The fact that San Diego wasn't sold out had both a positive and a negative effect, as anyone who wanted to get up front could, but the vast open spaces made me long for the loud, hot, atmosphere found within the Wiltern in L.A.
The entire San Diego set went as follows, I: Sometimes, One Arm Steve, Please>Waker>Arleen>Driving Song, Climb To Safety. II: Papas Home, All Time Low, Coconuts, Stop Breaking Down Blues, Vacation>Drums*>Weak Brain Narrow Mind*, Greta>Traveling Light. E: Old Joe, Chunk Of Coal. *With Karl Denson on Sax.
Friday night in L.A., the first weekend night of summer Panic tour, Ya, it went off. The boys wasted no time letting us know what kind of night it was going to be as they opened up with the instrumental inferno, Disco. The difference between a half full outside show in San Diego and a packed indoor show at the ominous Wiltern Theater in L.A. was obvious. By the end of the first set people were freaking out, running up the alley ways, and causing the balcony to shake in unison with School's bombs. The first set ended in true Panic fashion with Rebirtha, Ride Me High, and a nasty Imitation Leather Shoes, off the new album.
As the lights came up the sweaty heads and dark eyes made it clear that the Panic party in L.A. was certainly Widespread. The anticipation for the second set was well worth the wait as they opened up with Wondering. The second half of the show was complete chaos. Definitely one of the more rocking shows I've been to. The Blackout Blues that they closed the set with was by far the best one I have ever seen. I was looking around and every single person in the Wiltern was getting down. My friends and I were literally shaking the wood bars separating the two front sections. I was riding the rail like a cowboy and shaking the foundation, basically out of control. It was hot, sweaty, and grimy, as people seemed to slither in and out of one another, raging to the music, screaming at the top of their lungs as they fell onto one another. The second set was so ripping, and insane that I experienced sensory overload and almost went down, but I was able to keep it together until they encored with Cream Puff War, (paying homage to Jerry, as he frequented the Wiltern himself.) Cream Puff always does me in. The transitions are so schizophrenic, and the composition so intense that it always puts me over the edge. But with Panic, that's exactly what I'm looking for.The whole show on that Friday night looked like this, I: Disco, Dyin' Man, Henry Parsons Died, C.Brown, Hatfield, Help Me Somebody, Rebirtha, Ride Me High, Imitation Leather Shoes. II: Wondering, Sleeping Man, Space Wrangler, Casa Del Grillo, Tall Boy, Drums*>Porch Song>Blue Indian, Blackout Blues. E: Hope In A Hopeless World, Cream Puff War. *Carrot Top, (a.k.a. widespread red) on percussion.
Now you know Widespread wasn't messing around on Saturday night in L.A. when they open up with Chilly Water, and give you Fishwater in the same set. We were also privy to some great J.B. rambling during one of the better Pigeons I've had the pleasure of seeing. They ended the set with a heart stopping Give, repeating the phrase, "Now I know it may sound funny but, how dare you show up on time." And when considering that people were running into the show late both in San Diego and L.A. it seemed ever so appropriate to close the first set with Give on Saturday night. In my opinion people were not quite as fired up on Sat. as they were on Fri. but I think that had a great deal to do with the all night parities that were flooding the city all weekend long. You know that Panic fans party, that's no secret.
Now don't get me wrong, people were getting down, especially when the second set came out blazing with Surprise Valley, into another great new song, Little Lily. Then we got our first Pusherman of the tour as J.B commented on both L.A., and the scene inside the Wiltern. The whole set was great, but the encore really knocked me out again. Tom Waits's Going Out West, into Ain't Life Grand. It was borderline insane, I think I may have even seen some people jumping off the balcony, or maybe it just seemed that way.The rest of the mayhem looked like this, set I: Chilly Water, Thought Sausage, Visiting Day, It Ain't No Use, Pigeons, Fishwater, This Part Of Town, Love Tractor, Give. Set II: Surprise Valley, Little Lilly>1X1, Pusherman>Drums*>Christmas Katie>Radio Child, Makes Sense To Me. E: Going Out West, Ain't Life Grand. *Carrot top, again not doing much on percussion.
O.K., it's the Sunday after 2 hot-hot shows, everyone is burnt, probably a little flat right, WRONG. There is no off night that opens with Lets Get Down To Business, then proceeds to give you Impossible, and the beautiful, and rare Gradle. It was obvious that the Wiltern was taking off again as Conrad finished off the first set giving us "a little room to fly."
In the second set we were treated to a wonderful Rock, followed by the always enjoyable Diner. During this great second set Lonnie Jordan, who I am assuming is from War, came out to play keys on Four Cornered Room, and Low Rider, then duoed with JoJo to finish the set with Red Hot Mama. Now you know your at a good show when beautiful women start to strip down, take off their shirts and swing them over their head frantically yelling the lyrics. And when Red Hot Mama came pouring out of J.B.'s mouth, that's exactly what happened. I looked back and saw bouncing, bare skin moving to the dirty beats of Todd and Sunny, as the growls of John Bell resonated throughout the audience. Apparently "red hot mama was really bad." And if that wasn't enough this same hottie, got naked again during the Big Wooly Mammoth encore, which began with the genius of David Byrne's Heaven. That's a great encore, Heaven into Big Wooly, help me out. You got the beauty and serene qualities of the classic Heaven, falling into the swaying antics of the Mammoth.
Paolo Soleri is a natural amphitheater set into the side of a dry dusty hill. It couldn't hold more than 1500 people, (my guess is a lot less). Seeing how it was Tuesday and Wednesday in the middle of the desert, there were no stragglers, no one there just to be on tour or party, it was all Spread Heads. The mid-week desert blow out was more than any one could have expected.
Tuesday night began in old school Widespread fashion with classics like, Take Out>Space Wrangler, but the highlight was certainly Who Do You Belong To>Proving Ground>Do What You Like>Proving Ground. This was some crazy shit. As the crowd was hooked into the layered rhythmic beat, they were screaming the words, "Who do you belong to, because it sure is not yourself." The skies clouded over and began to sparkle with brilliant flashes of lightning, as Proving Ground slipped in and out of Do What You Like. By the time Proving Ground had come full circle the place was on fire. J.B. stepped to the mike with his classic, harsh whiskey soaked voice and said, "We're gonna let this rain pass, but we'll be right back, don't go no where."
The conversation during the extra long set break revolved around whether that was actually the full set, and if the boys were really coming back. The set music was eventually turned off, and the gear on stage was covered up, sending the message that the party might be over. As I sat preaching that we got a full set in light of the Proving Ground sandwich, which is a classic closer, I saw Houser walking back to the stage. Who incidentally looks and sounds better than ever. As the remaining five members of Panic took the stage, Paolo Soleri erupted as people flooded the stage, overrunning any attempt the security guards had to keep the walk ways clear.
J.B. picked up his guitar and began singing the Neil Young song Don't Be Denied. I had goose-bumps all over my body, it was absolutely perfect. We were all questioning if there would be a second set, and out comes Panic with Don't Be Denied. These guys sure can pick a set list. This second set was flat out epic, giving us Bowlegged Woman (We Want The Funk Jam), Driving Song>Guilded Splinters>Drums>then when I had completely forgotten, back into Driving Song. They held out just long enough for me to think that maybe they wouldn't play Hatfield, but with rain in the dessert, they busted out a second Hatfield for the loyal fans. The encore left nothing else to say, Contentment Blues, Postcard. And a sick-ass Postcard it was.
No one could stop talking about the Don't Be Denied, which mind you was only the 23rd time ever played. As I slid over to shakedown I ran into the David Byrne girls who I saw after just about every show. These two chicks from Boone, North Carolina were cool as can be. Every time I saw them they were blasting David Byrne, (or Talking Heads) and giving away veggie quesadillas. I rocked out in the lots, drinking in the love vibe, satisfied. The lucky few who had come to the desert were basking in the light.Night two in the little dusty party bowl was kind of the repeat show, as Panic began to run out of songs, yet they managed to make the show possibly even better than the previous evenings. They came out with the perfect opener for what surely must be a spiritual center of the states. "Kiss the mountain air we breath, now it's time to fly" AHHH Surprise Valley! It was ON, from the first note you heard it was obvious that things were going to get crazy. By the end of the first set I was lost in the thick grooves, stuck in a trance with Arleen, then rescued by Climb To Safety, only to be smacked in the face with my second Imitation Leather Shoes.
The second set was again highlighted by exquisite song selections. We opened up with Stop Breaking Down Blues, and made our way to the 10th Sharon ever played. The Sharon really got the hard core fans freakin' as they went from Drums>Mr. Soul. Another Neil Young classic in the desert, like I said, brilliant song selection. The insanity was far from over as the gorgeous, melodic; Last Straw went straight into Cream Puff War. Every single person in Paolo Soleri was pulsating to the machine on stage. They rarely missed a beat, and if they did it was in the midst of an emotional rampage. They played with conviction, touching each and every soul in the area. It was a very spiritual evening, one that I will savor for years to come.
The two sets on 6/20 in Santa Fe slid from song to song, barely stopping for a breath of air; I: Surprise Valley>Tall Boy>Chilly Water>Casa>The Waker>Arleen>Climb To Safety>Imitation Leather Shoes. II: Stop Breaking Down Blues, Party At Your Mama's House, Wondering, Rebirtha, Henry Parson's Died, Sharon>Drums>Mr.Soul>Last Straw>Cream Puff War. E: Nobody's Loss>Give.
A true Panic run wouldn't be complete without some obstacles to overcome. So of course as I found a ride from an old friend to Colorado we broke down, on a blind curving on ramp in the middle of the night. We popped it in reverse, and to make a long story short, had a twisted sleep in some farmer's yard. With a little perseverance and dedication we worked under the hood and made it to Golden, Colorado. There we fell asleep immediately, knowing that this would probably be the last chance to rest before the Red Rocks blow out.
Friday, I found my friends, got my tickets and went into one of the most famous venues in the world. If you haven't been to Red Rocks it would be very difficult to try to explain the aura, mystic, and history that radiates between the huge rocks that look as if they fell from Mars. People poured into the natural wonder in order to catch some of the North Mississippi All-Stars, who proved to be as good as all the down south Panic fans indicated.
Set one kept the fans on their toes as they basically played the album, "Ain't Life Grand." It was certainly great and featured a bunch of songs that hadn't come out yet, but it was not what I necessarily expected for Friday night at Red Rocks. But in defense of the opening Red Rocks set it's tough to sneeze at a band busting out a whole album for the first time. The second set opened up with a song I had been waiting for the entire tour. Action Man, but not just Action Man, it was the first Action Man with words ever played. Not only did they sing in Action Man, but School's teased a little 3rd Stone From The Sun. I thought they might have kicked off the tour with Action Man because it is such a fat opener and it's on the new album with words. Once again, that's Panic, giving you what you want and need, but never what you really expect. We got some other songs off the new album that were sick, bordering on the dark, like Thought Sausage and Little Lilly. Widespread then gave the crowd another first performance ever, one that I didn't even know existed, entitled Boogie Chillin.
The set list for Friday night 6/23 looked like this, I: Little Kin, Ain't Life Grand, Can't Get High, Heroes, Junior>LA>Raise The Roof>Fishwater, Airplane>Jack>Blackout Blues. II: Action Man, Thought Sausage, Little Lilly>Blue Indian, Pigeons, Boogie Chillin*>Drums**>Love Tractor>Pilgrims>All Time Low. E: Low Spark*** *Cody Dickinson on washboard, Luther Dickinson on guitar. **Cecil Daniels on percussion and Sax, Cody on Washboard. ***Cecil on Sax.
The show was great, that goes without saying but it wasn't all time, at least not for me. Although the show wasn't a top five personally, it did highlight the amazing keyboard work of JoJo Herman, who in my opinion hadn't really stepped into the limelight yet. While JoJo was on fire, the rest of the band played strong, but not out of control. The slight lack of energy crossed over to the Chief Hosa camp ground, again, if you're not familiar with Red Rocks Hosa is where all the heads go to camp, bang drums and rage until the wee hours of the morning. But on Friday the party just wasn't popping. We sat around, sedated ourselves, and tried to get a little shut eye before the sun chased us out of our tents.
If Friday night wasn't the best ever, perhaps Saturday was. Immediately the energy was way up from Friday, and when you open with the rocking Radio Child you know you're in for it. We got the first Barstools And Dreamers of the summer tour, and a raging Ride Me High out of J.J. Cale's song book. They finished off the first set with yet another first time song with the same name as the new album, Don't Tell The Band. The tight, transition-oriented song glided through lyrics about putting a band together, and had a slight Grateful Dead feel.
By set break it was evident that this was what everyone had come to see. People were into it. I mean really into it, raging hard, nervous energy ruled as the crowd waited for the music to come into focus once again. Just as a Radio Child opener indicated a crazy set, when they opened the second half with Disco, into the fairly obscure North, you better strap yourself in. During this Saturday night at Red Rocks we were treated to another Greta, but this was unlike any other Greta ever played. Todd Nance and Domingo Ortiz built up the foundation as JoJo continued to stick laser key licks into the set up. Meanwhile the words to the Widespread staple Greta were bouncing off the huge rocks, but the music accompanying the lyrics, was not Greta. It was slowed down, dragged out, very thick and held back. It wasn't the fiery hopped up, aggressive Greta that everyone is used to, it was a new intro, one that blew the entire crowd away. People were going off, as Panic again kept the die hard heads on their toes. Eventually Greta found her more traditional groove, but the mixed up tempos and slightly off kilter transitions were enough to make me forget what state I was in. We then got a sick Pusherman with another We Want The Funk jam mixed into it. Then as people were shaking uncontrollably to the beat and drinking in the southern rock, Picking Up The Pieces came out of nowhere. It was perfect; Panic had pushed us over the edge, and switched it up from complete insanity to the beauty of the mandolin found in Picking Up The Pieces. As the 9,000 plus people in Red Rocks hung on J.B.'s every word they switched gears again busting out the cover, No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature. As J.B. and Houser crossed their sounds up, spiraling around one another, Schools was shaking my bones, and JoJo continued to trample the array of keys laying before him. I found myself laid out, flying above the crowd shaking ecstatically. In the same vein that Cream Puff tends to short circuit my neurons, so does No Sugar, which I hadn't heard in years.
They walked off stage but the cheering didn't stop until they returned. It seemed that any lack of energy from Friday was doubled up for Saturday. The encore was Me and The Devil Blues, followed by the good time party song, Flat Foot Flewzy, which held a Turn on Your Lovelight jam within it. J.B. was able to draw the entire crowd into his stream of consciousness during Me and the Devil, as his poetic ramblings shrunk the massive venue to a small Athens club. It was true John Bell genius as his gritty voice rolled through impromptu lyrics like, "I don't care what you do with me when I'm gone. I don't care if you bury me on the side of the road." It was amazing, something I will never forget. As the lights came up, I just sat down, smiling; reveling in what I knew was a special evening.
The entire, sick as all hell show went like this, I: Radio Child, Machine>Barstools and Dreamers, Ride Me High>Tie Your Shoes>I'm Not Alone, Dyin' Man, Down, Don't Tell The Band. II: Disco>North, Visiting Day>Porch Song>Diner>Greta>Drums*>Jam**>Pusherman***, Pickin' Up The Pieces**, No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature. E: Me and The Devil Blues, Flat Foot Flewzy. *Cecil Daniels on drums **Cecil Daniels and Cody Dickinson ***Cecil on sax
As I floated out of the amphitheater JoJo Herman's keyboards and organ were still ringing in my head. It really was JoJo's weekend thus far, and I don't think he could have stopped if he wanted. My friend said it best as we passed by a whole lot of elated Panic fans, "Those guys are great, but they gotta change the name to JoJo and The Boys."
By the time I got back to Chief Hosa's campground there was a raging party in progress. Shakedown was packed, and there must have been twice as many people there as the night before. The parties went all night on Saturday, and I think most people probably saw the sun rise, but that's Panic.
Sunday was a day time show, starting at four. I anticipated a good show, but nothing like Saturday night's performance. And although I was right that it wasn't like Saturday, it certainly wasn't a let down. It was actually one of the most spiritual days of my life. Just look at how the second half of the first set went; Better Off, followed by the Cat Stevens piece Trouble. Better Off into Trouble, perfect right?! But that's only half the story, from Trouble it went, Driving Song>Can't Find My Way Home>Driving Song>Travelin' Light. The song selection and conceptualization of the entire weekend was highlighted right here. Better Off into Trouble, both talking about the hardships we all must endure, then as the trials of our life become too much we go to Driving Song, where we are reminded "that it's time to move my life again." But the ingenious choice of songs doesn't stop there, from moving our lives with Driving Song, we cover Can't Find My Way Home, back to Driving, into another song based on moving, Travelin' Light.
I was overwhelmed; I couldn't even believe what I was witnessing. I almost cried during Trouble and found myself swept to another land during the meshing of all these traveling, moving songs. It was almost too much to handle, and it was only the first set. Part two opened with Lets Get Down To Business, so for anyone who knows Panic, set two was off and running. The mix of songs on Sunday was all time. It went from fast paced energized songs like One Arm Steve, into mellower ballad types like Old Joe. The entire show was like that; intense, then beautiful, hot and sweaty, then held back, it was ideal for a Sunday day show after eight massive performances. We got the first Happy of the summer, which eventually led to a new song, This Part Of Town, which again almost brought tears to my eyes. Coming out of This Part Of Town we got the extremely rare Talking Heads song, Swamp, which bled into Climb To Safety for a set closer.
What a show, first we got Trouble, only the fifth time ever played, and Swamp only the eighth time ever, a treat for sure. The fact that we got both of these songs in the same show is amazing. It speaks volumes for what type of show it was. In the 16 years Panic has been together they have only played Trouble and Swamp 5 and 8 times respectively. That's less than once every two years. On this Sunday afternoon, they played them both in the same show. If that didn't seal the deal the encore proved to be absolutely perfect. It began with Papas Home>Surprise Valley, which they had to play in the inspirational setting of Red Rocks, the spirits in the boulders were calling for it all weekend. Now sure that would have sufficed, but then they went back into Papas Home, and closed with more David Byrne, City Of Dreams. Even now, days later as I relive the encore I am getting all worked up. As City Of Dreams was funneled through our modern day poet J.B. I saw hugging and kissing, people loving one another and realizing that this truly is the city of dreams, and these are "our favorite times." I couldn't have asked for more. From the high energy craziness of Saturday to the church of Widespread Panic for Sunday. The overwhelming notion was certainly that this last show at Red Rocks was a spiritual encounter. It wasn't just another rock show, it was the medicine we all needed.
Over the course of these 9 shows I learned a great deal about how truly amazing Widespread Panic is and the scope of emotions they can conjure up. I became more and more impressed with the subtleties of J.B., both in his hallow body inflections and his off the cuff words. I know it's not for everyone but for those who like that dirty, edgy, borderline scary sound, Widespread Panic is IT. They are able to blow your mind one night, knocking you literally on your ass, and then come back with a beautiful lyric based song to sooth the soul. As I am still reflecting over these shows I find myself completely amazed by what I saw. I know one thing for sure, Panic gives it to me, and they fix whatever is ailing you. Long live the kings of rock. Love the Spread, and Spread the love.


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X-POSITION: Latour Teases "Wolverine & The X-Men" Post-Wolverine
Writer Jason Latour has had a somewhat challenging assignment when it comes to "Wolverine & the X-Men." From the title's start, it was clear that events in the "Wolverine" ongoing series were going to affect it in a big way — but so far, the title's first arc has taken place in the past, before "Wolverine" #1. However, events are about to catch up with the Jean Grey School-centric title, as "Death of Wolverine" is right around the corner — along with Marvel's mega-event "AXIS."
X-POSITION: Latour Channels the Phoenix in "Wolverine and the X-Men"
Latour joined X-POSITION this week to answer lingering reader queries about the big changes facing "Wolverine & the X-Men" as it catches up to the Marvel Universe's current status quo, including the quieter nature of the second arc, the characters he hopes to focus on in future issues, the challenge of taking on the Phoenix for his first arc and much more.
CBR News: Jason, there's a lot of curiosity out there as to how "Wolverine and the X-Men" will play into some of the larger events that are coming down the line for the Marvel U — namely, "Death of Wolverine" and "AXIS." While I know you can't give away any spoilers, can you tease how "Wolverine and the X-Men" will be affected by these two events?
Hey don't worry, you're going to love "Ghost Wolverine & the X-Men!"
No. In all seriousness. Every moment since the decision was made to kill Wolverine came down, we've kind of been dealing these events in one way or another. There's an elephant in the room we really had to stop and address. Fortunately, I think that's led to a good new direction for the book in a lot of ways. This second arc is a much slower, quieter kind of story, and in it you'll see the seeds planted for where this book is going to be headed post-"Wolverine."
In fact, be sure to keep an eye on the "AXIS" issue, as some of the characters in this book like [Quentin] Quire and Storm are big players in that event. The aftermath of will not be forgotten moving forward.
Folks were also curious about a complete roster of students and faculty currently at the Jean Grey School. That's somewhat of a tall order, but would you be able to discuss a bit about some of the characters behind the scenes that are still wandering around the halls of the school?
Well, in our first arc we were dealing with a summer school, and that continues in the opening pages of arc 2. But as we move closer and closer to catching back up with the events in the other X-Books and "Wolverine" in particular, you'll see more and more familiar faces start to populate the halls again. As we've seen Broo, Kid Gladiator and even Globb Hermann are back. I just wrote my first scene with Shark Girl. I'm really trying to find space to dig back into Rockslide & Hellion. To give Nature Girl's origin. On and on. I'll address a bit more of this in my answers to the questions below…
RELATED: Latour's "Wolverine & The X-Men" Fights the Future
Speaking of those questions, rutog98 kicks things off with a Storm-related powers question.
I love the story where you called Storm, "God's own x-Man." You said in a previous interview that she can do far more with her powers than we have seen. I have a few questions about the character in your book:
1) Will we see Storm using her powers in creative and devastating ways outside of just tossing lightning bolts?
If you go back to the opening of "WATXM" #3, there's a little presentation given by Evan that I find to be a rather interesting theory on Storm's powers. That is, her control of the weather is by nature a psionic gift. Molecules rearrange and form storm clouds at her will. That's an amazing, powerful concept that we've barely had time to explore, but I really hope to moving forward.
2) How large of a role will she play in the story arc dealing with the aftermath of Wolverine's death?
She's going to be as important, if not more so than ever. But her role and relationship to the school is going to dramatically change. As I said above, keep your eyes on "AXIS" and our tie-in issue. There's some complex character stuff coming out of it…
pixie_solanas wants to know more about the location of the recent graduates of the Jean Grey School.
Are we going to see more of a diverse scope in terms of cast? Other students? What about recent graduates? Where did the recent graduates go? Pixie? Is there a postgraduate curriculum at the HVAC Repair School that is JGTech?
There's a lot to juggle in this book and while I understand the desire to see more characters, it's a big priority of mine to make sure that the school as a whole is headed in an entertaining direction as we move into and out of "Death of Wolverine."
As for what characters who've graduated are up to? Armor's still around. Quire too, sort of. But perhaps we will see some grads like Pixie stick their head in moving forward. The school is definitely going to need some help…
Next up is cora reef, who wants to know more about introducing new characters and coming back to old ones.
Dear Mr. Latour,
"Wolverine and the X-Men" is uniquely positioned as one of the best ways to introduce new characters in the X-Men universe through its connection to the Jean Grey school. How do you plan to take advantage of this positioning as your run on the series progresses?
You're right, this book does offer a tremendous opportunity to widen the diversity of the cast and create new characters. "Nature Girl" was intended as my first step towards that but her larger story and the things we were going to spin out of that have had to be postponed for now. But there's at least one more new character I really want to introduce given time, so hopefully the winds will favor us.
Fantomex is a character that has proved challenging for many writers since his creation. What have you found most challenging about writing him in "Wolverine and the X-Men"?
I find what's fun, but is also very challenging about Fantomex is dealing with the several incarnations of him that are not only currently running around the Marvel U, but exist within him. He's a walking existential crisis, and that's something we've been trying to explore. If he's here now trying to do right by Evan, then how much does it matter who he's been? How much does it matter who he is away from the school?
To my mind he's also a nice mirror on Wolverine and to some degree even Storm. He's certainly got an ideology that lines up with theirs in the grand scheme but it's not one that is hindered by what he'd view as Xavier's sentimentality. The question moving forward will be, "What sort of impact does that have on the kids?"
X-POSITION: Latour Opens "Wolverine and the X-Men" for a New Semester
AJpyro hopes for some clarity on bringing in some fresh characters and the challenge of tackling the Phoenix.
1) Can you give a hint on the characters you would like to bring to the forefront?
There will be some new characters, as well as some returning faces. It's been kind of nice to have Beast and Broo and Iceman back. We'll likely see a lot more of Armor as she explores the changes in powers and her new status quo. But moving forward there is a pretty out of left field addition to the cast coming up. One that might seem strange at first, but I think is as natural a decision as they come…
2) Was it hard making the Phoenix-centric arc for the new volume?
Yes. The Phoenix can be a very difficult concept to understand. One of the things that I tried to do was make its connection to mutantkind a little more concrete. Edan Younge tells Quire that after the big bang The Phoenix was spread across all existence and all life. Mutants are one of the life forms adapted enough to harness the little spark of the Phoenix they contain, which makes them catnip for the larger more concentrated Phoenix Force that sort of roams the spaceways seeking to become whole.

Now, I'm not sure how much space we'll have to mine them, but those weren't intended as throwaway ideas. They're things I really want readers to be cognizant of long term, especially in regards to its connection to mutantkind.
mr_infinite wraps up this week's X-Po with a few questions about the future of the series.
Hi Jason,
Why do you think a book like "Wolverine and the X-Men" can survive beyond the death of its title character?
I think the heart and mission of this book can, yes. Logan has left such an impact on these kids that his absence will almost be a character itself in any story about them moving forward.
The entire first arc of "Wolverine and the X-Men" currently has taken place before the events of "Wolverine" #1. When should we expect the series to jump to present day events? What are you most excited about for the time jump?
We catch up to things around issue #9, which is one big final showdown between Logan and Quire. One that doesn't go so well for either of them. Issues #10 and #11 feature Melita Garner visiting the campus to finish the book on Wolverine that we saw her start in issue #7. These are two gloriously drawn jam issues that come of the heels of "Death of Wolverine" and really are intended as a remembrance of Logan's life at the school. Â I don't think anyone needs to fear wading into those issues expecting 50 pages of superheroes crying. There will be some heavy heartedness, sure, but in large it's a celebration of the character.
We've got some amazing artists on these books: Robbi Rodriguez, Jake Wyatt, Kris Anka, Declan Shalvey, James Harren, Jim Rugg, Chris Brunner and hell even I'm jumping in to play. They're shaping up really nicely and I think they'll be the kinds of evergreen comics that even people who don't read our book, or current X-Men comics might enjoy as just as a way of reconnecting and remembering a couple great decades of Wolverine comics.
Special thanks to Jason Latour for answering this week's questions!
Next week, it's time to get back to the villain side of the equation as Cullen Bunn returns to "X-Position" for a discussion about all things "Magneto." Looking to get some clues about "March to AXIS" and Magneto's continuing solo mission? Go ahead and send in your questions in an e-mail with the subject line "X-Position" or if 140 character questions are more your speed, try Twitter. But get 'em in quickly, because the deadline's Friday! Do it to it!
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Shuzak is a geek social network for stimulating intellectual discussions within an environment that also encourages geek-to-geek networking. Shuzak provides unique tools that let programmers, scientists and mathematicians communicate more efficiently. Shuzak aims to foster discussion on various topics including but not limited to science, mathematics, computer technology, philosophy, military, politics, economics, religion, art, and is a social network solely for the purpose of intellectual discussion and socialization.
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Skylines the Limit!
Do you want a skyline on your card to let your guests know Hey were partying downtown or Hey, its a NYC-themed Bat Mitzvah? We have you covered with an extensive variety of fun cityscapes from across the country and world. The skylines can be die-cut or printed on the invitation. We can also design a custom skyline if you had something unique in mind.
Hot Inspiration of the Week!
We have been eagerly experimenting with different print processes and absolutely love these wedding invitations! These cards are gallery printed with distressed watercolor designs then letterpressed with deep gray ink. The gallery printing really makes saturated patterns stand out as true art reproduction quality prints. We can print any pattern with our gallery inks, as well as photos!
Gorgeous new wood paper!
Are you looking for a new medium for your next invitation or holiday card? We have super cool single and double-sided wood veneer that can be printed and die-cut. Check it out!
All That Glitters
This holiday card showcases the word love in an elegant script and die-cut from our Ruby Glitter paper to give the card added dimension. We chose this design because of its simplicity, when sometimes you may not want to showcase a photo, just a nice sentiment for the holiday season.
Hot New Holiday!
Our gorgeous 2015 Holiday Collection has officially been released! We are so excited about this collection because it truly is original and stunning. There are tons of new patterns, glitter, party invitations, hot new photo options and so much more. Each piece is a tiny work of art on its own. Imagine how your friends, family, colleagues and associates will feel when they open one of our cards!


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To stimulate the development of new vaccines that low-income countries can afford, the advance market commitment (AMC) requires donors like the GAVI Alliance to commit money to manufacturers in the pre-development stage. This money guarantees a commitment among manufacturers to make low-cost vaccines available in sufficient quantities as they are demanded by developing countries.
"Supply and demand are thus brought into better balance sooner than would have occurred in the absence of this mechanism," wrote PATH president and CEO Dr. Christopher J. Elias in commentary published in this month's edition of Human Vaccines. "There is simply no justification for making children in poor countries wait for next generation, more affordable, vaccines for [pneumococcal pneumonia and rotavirus-induced diarrhea] when market-shaping mechanisms such as the AMC can help ensure that access to vaccines is not just a privilege but a right for all children today."
Dr. Elias's commentary was written in response to an editorial published in the February edition of Human Vaccines by Donald W. Light, which criticizes the GAVI Alliance's obligation to the AMC, particularly its decision to sell new global pneumococcal conjugate vaccines at a deep discount.
Posted March 14, 2011.


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George Lucas Explains Why He Edited the 'Han Shot First' Scene
<span>"Should he be a cold-blooded killer?"</span>
J.J. Abrams might be partial to the idea of Han having shot first, but George Lucas is adamant about his hero's purity. The Star Wars creator explained his defense and reason for re-editing the infamous Greedo-Solo scene in a newly published Washington Post profile, noting that the idea of Han shooting first in the Mos Eisley cantina simply doesn't mesh with SW's principles.
"Han Solo was going to marry Leia, and you look back and say, 'Should he be a cold-blooded killer?'" Lucas told WaPo (though it's arguably still unclear if this is a clarification edit or a script-changing edit). "Because I was thinking mythologically — should he be a cowboy, should he be John Wayne? And I said, Yeah, he should be John Wayne. And when you're John Wayne, you don't shoot people [first] — you let them have the first shot. It's a mythological reality that we hope our society pays attention to." Here's the scene in question:
For more from the profile, which also talks about the filmmaker's upcoming Kennedy Center honor and Star Wars "divorce," head here.


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Recording Related Facts
Lesson 2 of 12
Objective: The SWBAT identify related facts within 20.
Big Idea: In this lesson the children begin to make the connection that two addition sentences are related through the commutative property.
Activating Strategy
I like to start this lesson by giving students 20 connecting cubes (10 each of two different colors) and allowing them to create their own addition sentence. I then ask them to break off one color to represent the corresponding subtraction fact. I like to then have a discussion about how their addition fact is related to the subtraction fact.
The idea of this lesson is to get the students to begin to understand that a subtraction fact is related to two addition facts. Begin by giving the students a simple addition problem.
(Can also be found in the resources section Recording Related Facts model) For example: Mike has 7 cookies. He gets 1 more cookie. How many cookies does he have now?
Guide the students to determine what information they need to find, and how they can make a model to show it. For example:
- What do we need to find? (how many cookies Mike has now)
- How can we use our connecting cubes to find the answer? (I can make a cube train of 7 cubes and then add 1 more)
In order to get the students to understand the related subtraction fact, using the same example above, I like to then introduce a related subtraction fact. For example: Mike has 8 cookies. He gives one to Jane. How many cookies does he have now?
I guide the students to understand how the two examples are related. For example, using the following questioning techniques:
- How is this problem like the first one? (Mike gets 1 cookie in the first problem, and he gives away 1 cookie in the second problem.)
- Since we added in the first problem, what do we need to do in the second problem? (we need to subtract 1 from 8)
- How can we use our cubes from the first problem to find the answer to the second problem? (we can take 1 cube away from our cube train)
Resources (1)
Resources (1)
Teaching Strategies
The next step is to get students to model two related addition facts and two related subtraction facts. By using models, the students will see a visual representation of how fact families are related.
For example, using connecting cubes have students model another addition sentence using two different colors (4 red + 5 blue and 5 red + 4 blue). The point of this is to get students to understand the commutative property by using a model. I would then ask the students how the cube trains look the same, and how they look different. The idea is to guide the students to understanding that the addition sentences are the same, but in a different order. I like to write the two addition sentences on the board, using two different colored markers to add to the visual representation. We then explore the related subtraction facts. Using the same cube train models, we show that 9-5 and 9-4 are related to our addition models.
Continue guiding the student using cube train models to demonstrate how addition and subtraction facts are related. Here are some examples:
8 + 7 = ___ 7 + 8 = ___ 15 – 8 = ___ 15 – 7 = ___
5 + 9 = ___ 5 + 9 = ___ 14 – 9 = ___ 14 – 5 = ___
7 + 6 = ___ 6 + 7 = ___ 13 – 7 = ___ 13 – 6 = ___
Once students have an understanding of the concept of related facts, I like to put them with a shoulder partner. Have students create an addition sentence and their shoulder partner will write the related subtraction fact. The benefit of having students create their own addition sentence will further deepen their understanding of fact families.
We then gather back on the carpet and learn the song about fact families:
Independent Practice
For the independent practice portion of this lesson, I use the Recording Related Facts worksheet
For those struggling students, I pulled them in a small group and used number cards to demonstrate fact families. Each student had a set of the same number cards, we then manipulated the cards to show the two addition sentences and two related subtraction sentences.
For example: I used 7, 3, and 10 cards (or index cards, or post it notes)
Resources (5)
To close out the lesson, I like to gather back on the carpet. I then have students share with their shoulder partner how knowing an addition sentence will help them know the related subtraction sentence.


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Baby crib recall figures have surpassed 11 million since 2007, and many play yards and bassinets have also been recalled for safety reasons, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). If your child has been injured by a dangerous crib or other bedding, you should speak to a product liability attorney in Texas.
Safety Tips for Baby Cribs and Bedding
To help your baby sleep safely, you should follow these tips provided by the CPSC:
- Keep pillows and thick quilts out of the crib to prevent suffocation. Additionally, make sure any gaps between the sides of the crib and the mattress are no larger than the width of 2 fingers.
- Make sure your crib is installed correctly. Read the instructions and call the manufacturer for help if necessary.
- Don't use a crib that's more than 10 years old, broken or modified.
- Don't add extra padding to a play yard.
- Never place a crib near window blinds, curtain rods or baby monitor cords. These are all strangulation hazards.
Watch out for baby crib recall news and news of any other child product recalls. If your child has already been injured, a Texas product liability law attorney may be able to help you recover damages.
Contacting a Texas Product Liability Law Attorney
Before you take the important step of hiring an attorney, educate yourself about what you can expect from a Texas injury case. Order this free guide for Texas accident victims and learn:
- What to ask a lawyer before hiring him or her to take your case.
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Not every accident case requires the help of an attorney and we can help you to determine whether yours is one of those cases! If you are ready to get started with your case, we urge you to contact us today for a FREE case evaluation - 1-512-472-7799.


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Welcome to the July Carnival of Natural Parenting: Parenting Philosophy
This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama. This month our participants have shared their parenting practices and how they fit in with their parenting purpose. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.
Please visit Natural Parents Network to read about how I distilled my parenting philosophy Part 1: the Yamas and break down the Yamas.
Without much further ado, I present the Niyamas portion of my parenting philosophy:
The Yamas and Niyamas are two of the eight limbs in traditional Yoga. They are meant to be incorporated into any belief system that works for you. The idea is to gain better understanding of yourself and how you wish to live in the world. To me, this means exploring my Self and my role as parent. Nothing I have encountered in my life has forced me, in a wonderful, at times painful, way to really see my Self as I really am. The Yamas and Niyamas are my tools to accept and love the truth of who I am and how I act.
The Niyamas are much more fun for me to practice. While the Yamas (please see part 1) are tools to gently contain the inner tantruming ego-mind, the Niyamas are concrete ideals that you can dance with. They balance one another, especially when practiced in concert. I have included the Sanskrit names of the Yamas and Niyamas for precision. Interpretation is a very personal thing and these particular Sanskrit words are said to bring inner knowledge just by being read or held in the mind. They encompass ideas far larger than the tiny meanings I have listed. As with all Yoga philosophy, the Yamas and Niyamas are there for you to dance and play with, to sometimes challenge yourself with.
Take what you need, be open to what you think you might not need, and leave what doesn't increase your joy.
The Niyamas: fixed observances or precepts
Saucha: cleanliness, purity, clarity
I enjoy Saucha a lot because it means several things. One of the interpretations is clarity of needs. I can use saucha to remember to shut my mouth and connect with my kids. For example, instead of lecturing (and probably being ignored by) my kids to clean up their room, I can take cleansing breaths then remember that we all want to do the best by one another. This will clarify my actions and help to align my needs and theirs. My needs for cleanliness and organization can better be served by observing how we can work together to clean up the space. Since my kids are young, this probably means making a game out of it. It always calls for patience and remembering their developmental stages. My kids and I read Tiger, Tiger, Is it True? to help them understand what I mean when I take my deep breaths to let go of emotions and get in touch with my needs.
Saucha also refers to routines for family rhythms and care for the body. I work on flowing from one activity to another with as much gentleness as possible in regard to transitions. I try to plan ahead to have things ready and put things in their place when I can for this reason. I've been totally failing at this part of saucha lately. As for hygiene, well I make sure my family is clean, although most likely not neat.
Santosha: contentment
Santosha is the practice I use to remind me to live in the now. It helps to remember that no matter how challenging a situation feels, I am not my feelings. I can take a breather and detach myself from my anger or annoyance, then feel comfortable with accepting whatever happens. Modeling contentment with what I have, both material possessions and my limitations, means helping my kids. They see that what they have is enough. They see that they are enough. I like this book when we're sharing about contentment.
This is another one of the principles that performs best in modeling for me. I find I'm lecturing or making evaluating pronouncements about contentment if I try to explain them, especially in the moment. The most I will do is to say something like, "I really enjoyed it when you decided you had enough train cars. The other children were able to play with you."
Tapas: burning desire, passion and discipline
Tapas is something that comes naturally to me. At least the burning desire part does. The discipline part is what I work on most days. My interpretation of discipline is to use passion as a way to learn something new, as opposed to passion that can burn itself out. For example, my kids are born with the burning desire to learn new concepts. I help them harness this desire through homeschooling. My oldest son is passionate about Star Wars. It's easy for him to memorize every character and ship in the movies.
It is therefore easy to learn every subject through the lens of his passion for Star Wars. He can read Star Wars books, learn about space travel with the Millennium Falcon, or create art and use his imagination to build droids out of recycled paper. It's truly endless how passions can be used to learn.
Discipline is also something I use only to support my children's natural passion. I would never want to practice a form of discipline that would quash their normal uninhibited exploration. Gentle discipline and redirection are two important tools I've used to keep their fire lit without letting them burn down the house.
Svadhyaya: study which leads to knowledge of the self
This is a big one for me. I am constantly learning about mindful parenting and gentle discipline techniques in books, blogs, and in conversations with other parents. Parenting has become my path to find and accept my true Self. There is nothing like parenting to really spotlight all of those uncomfortable parts of myself that I would like to remain hidden. It can also bring out the best in me as a parent. The trick is to completely accept all of it, love myself, and keep chugging along to break patterns and replace them with new ideas. Have You Filled a Bucket Today? is a fun book to read with kids so they understand this concept
I have also learned that taking time to practice Yoga and meditation are ways I can mentally palpate what I have learned and take it with me off the mat and into the day to day of parenting. On days that I cannot fit in Yoga or meditation, I try to find little pockets of time to read something. I usually end up with a child or two curled up on my lap asking me to read out loud to them. This often invites fascinating conversation as I hear their viewpoints on parenting.
Isvara pranidhanani: surrender to the knowledge that your inner Self is always reaching toward the good
This one is key. It also brings me full circle to the Yama of Ahimsa and practicing self compassion. All I have to do is look at my children sleeping to recall that our innate nature strives for goodness. You can interpret this to be in line with your spiritual or religious practices as well-or not. It can mean surrendering to your/universe/deity/etc highest, best good. Either way, trusting in myself and in my children that we always strive to give to our best to one another. Sometimes we fail and sometimes we succeed.
It is all okay. Everything is love. We are one.
The Yamas and Niyamas seem overwhelming, at least to me, when I think of them all together. This is what is so lovely about how they fit into the principles of Yoga. Of course, here I have pulled them out from the rest of the text, but they work within a lovely flow of family life. Sometimes one principle is emphasized over another. One principle may be extremely challenging for a time and then suddenly it relaxes into place. It is an ebb and flow of the tide, with the ocean of connection as the constant. I keep this framework to use for positive effect in parenting. Whenever I notice I've travelled away from being the parent I strive to be, I take another look at the Yamas and Niyamas.
And I must not forget about the red pajamas in my title (this paragraph was the first I wrote by the way.) Many times my sons and I stay in those pajamas all day and are just happy to be present with one another. Wearing pajamas reminds me to have fun and radiate joy as a parent. This is not something that comes to me automatically. I have to work to stay in the moment and be my true self. Of all the Yogic lessons I have learned from the Yamas and Niyamas, it's the red pajama days that put it all into practice. I'll be exploring the Yamas and Niyamas for the rest of my life. And I plan to always have a pair of red pajamasas my badge of "compassionate work in progress."
Hey, if you can't hide it, paint it red.
This post is in two sections, Part 2: The Niyamas is here at TouchstoneZ. It begins at Natural Parents Network with Part 1: The Yamas, which are kind of like Llamas wearing red pajamas, in that they don't really mind which part you read first, as long as you give them a carrot. So, here's a carrot: please stop by and leave some comment love on Part 1, as well.
Do any of these principles resonate with you? Do you ever rock your red pajamas? I'd love to hear from you.
More Information about the resources that inspire this parenting philosophy post:
- • Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by BKS Iyengar
- • Yoga from the Inside Out by Christina Sell
- • Living Your Yoga by Judith Hansen Lasater
- • Meditations from the Mat by Katrina Kenison and Rolf Gates
- • What We Say Matters by Judith and Ike Lasater
- • Respectful Parents Respectful Kids by Sara Hart and Victoria Hodson
Websites and Blogs:
- Judith Hanson Lasater: Writings
- Elephant Journal: Yoga Articles
- Attachment Parenting International
- Aha Parenting
- Blogs from CarNatPar: I've learned so much from other parents. Thank you!
Visit Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!
Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:
(This list will be live and updated by afternoon July 12 with all the carnival links.)
- Between Love and Fear: On Raising our Children Sensibly — Mamma Earthly at Give an Earthly discusses the fear factor in parenting and how she overcame it, despite societal pressures.
- really, when do i get my cape? — Sarah at small bird on fire is a working city mama trying to learn how to set aside her expectations of perfection and embrace the reality of modern parenting.
- Baby, Infant, and Toddler Wearing — Child wearing is part of Sarah at Nourished and Nurtured's parenting philosophy. In this post, Sarah describes benefits of child-wearing and gives tips for wearing babies, infants, and toddlers (even while pregnant).
- First Year Reflections — As her daughter's first birthday approaches, Holly at First Year Reflections reflects on how she and her husband settled into attachment parenting after initially doing what they thought everyone else did.
- Making an allowance — Lauren at Hobo Mama welcomes a guest post from Sam about the unexpected lessons giving a four-year-old an allowance teaches the child — and the parent.
- How to be a Lazy Parent and Still Raise Great Kids — Lisa at Granola Catholic talks about how being a Lazy Parent has helped her to raise Great Kids.
- Philosophy in Practice — Laura at A Pug in the Kitchen shares how her heart shaped the parenting philosophy in her home.
- What is Attachment Parenting Anyway? — Gaby at Tmuffin describes the challenges of putting a label on her parenting philosophy.
- Of Parenting Styles — Jenny at Chronicles of a Nursing Mom talks about how she and her husband tailored various parenting styles to fit their own preferred parenting philosophy.
- Moment by Moment Parenting — Amy at Peace 4 Parents encourages those who care for children (including herself) to explore and appreciate parenting moment-by-moment with clarity, intention, trust, and action.
- Maintaining Spirituality in the Midst of Everyday Parenting, Marriage, and Life — Sarah at Nourished and Nurtured shares her perspective on finding opportunities for spiritual growth in every day life.
- Parenting Philosophy — Lily, aka Witch Mom's parenting philosophy is to raise child(ren) to be compassionate, loving, inquisitive, and questioning adults who can be trusted to make decisions for themselves in a way that avoids harming others.
- Long Term — Rosemary at Rosmarinus Officinalis thinks about who she would like to see her daughter become — and what she can do now to lay a strong foundation for those hopes.
- Connection, Communication, Compassion — She's come a long way, baby! After dropping her career in favour of motherhood, Patti at Jazzy Mama discovered that building solid relationships was going to be her only parenting priority.
- My Parenting Inspirations – Part 4 — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama looks at her biggest parenting inspiration and how that translates into her long-term parenting philosophy.
- A Parenting Philosophy in One Word: Respect — Jenn at Monkey Butt Junction summarizes her parenting and relationship philosophy in one word: respect.
- Knowledge and Instinct — Kat at Loving {Almost} Every Moment believes that knowledge and instinct are super important … as are love, encouragement and respect. It's the ideal combo needed to raise happy and healthy children and in turn create meaningful relationships with them.
- THRIVE! — The Sparkle Mama wants to set a tone of confidence, abundance, and happiness in her home that will be the foundation for the rest of her daughter's life.
- On Children — "Your children are not your children," say Kahlil Gibran and Hannah at Wild Parenting.
- This One Life Together — Ariadne aka Mudpiemama shares her philosophy of parenting: living fully in the here and now and building the foundation for a happy and healthy life.
- Enjoying life and planning for a bright future — Olivia at Write About Birth shares her most important parenting dilemmas and pours out her heart about past trauma and how healing made her a better parent.
- My Parenting Philosophy: Unconditional and Natural Love — Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama shares what she has learned about her parenting philosophy from a year of following her instincts as a mama.
- An open letter to my children — Isil at Smiling Like Sunshine writes an open letter to her children.
- My Starter Kit for Unconditional Parenting — Sylvia at MaMammalia discusses her wish to raise a good person and summarizes some of the nontraditional practices she's using with her toddler son in order to fulfill that wish.
- Responsiveness — Sheila at A Gift Universe has many philosophies and goals, but what it all boils down to is responsiveness: listening to what her son wants and providing what he needs.
- Tools for Creating Your Parenting Philosophy — Have you ever really thought about your parenting purpose? Knowing your long-term goals can help you parent with more intent in your daily interactions. Dionna at Code Name: Mama offers exercises and ideas to help you create your own parenting philosophy.
- Be a Daisy — Becky at Old New Legacy philosophizes about individuality and how she thinks it's important for her daughter's growth.
- What's a Mama to Do? — Amyables at Toddler in Tow hopes that her dedication to compassionate parenting will keep her children from becoming too self-critical as adults.
- grown-up anxieties. — Laura at Our Messy Messy Life explains her lone worry concerning her babies growing up.
- Why I Used Montessori Principles in My Parenting Philosophy — Deb Chitwood at Living Montessori Now tells why she chose Montessori principles to help her now-adult children develop qualities she wanted to see in them as children and adults.
- Parenting Philosophies & Planning for the Future — Momma Jorje considers that the future is maybe just a fringe benefit of doing what feels right now.
- Not Just Getting Through — Rachael at The Variegated Life asks what truths she hopes to express even in the most commonplace interactions with her son.
- Parenting Philosophy? Eh… — Ana at Pandamoly shares the philosophy (or lack thereof) being employed to (hopefully) raise a respectful, loving, and responsible child.
- Parenting Philosophy: Being Present — Shannon at The Artful Mama discusses the changes her family has made to accommodate their parenting philosophy and to reflect their ideals as working parents.
- Who They Will Be — Amanda at Let's Take the Metro shares a short list of some qualities she hopes she is instilling in her children at this very moment.
- Short Term vs. Long Term — Sheryl at Little Snowflakes recounts how long term parenting goals often get lost in the details of everyday life with two kids.
- Parenting Philosophy: Practicing and Nurturing Peace — Terri at Child of the Nature Isle sets personal goals for developing greater peace.
- Yama Niyama & the Red Pajama Mama — Part 1: The Yamas — In part 1 of a set of posts by Zoie at TouchstoneZ, Zoie guest posts at Natural Parents Network about how the Yoga Sutras provide a framework for her parenting philosophy.
- Yama Niyama & the Red Pajama Mama — Part 2: The Niyamas — In part 2 of a set of posts by Zoie at TouchstoneZ, Zoie explores how the Niyamas (one of the eight limbs in traditional Yoga) help her maintain her parenting and life focus.
- Our Sample Parenting Plan — Chante at My Natural Motherhood Journey shares hopes of who her children will become and parenting strategies she employs to get them there.
- Philosophical Parenting: Letting Go — Jona at Life, Intertwined ponders the notion that there's no right answer when it comes to parenting.
- Unphilosophizing? — jessica at instead of institutions wonders about the usefulness of navel gazing.
- Parenting Sensitively — Amy at Anktangle uses her sensitivity to mother her child in ways that both nurture and affirm.
- how to nurture your relationships — Mrs Green at Little Green Blog believes that sometimes all kids need is a jolly good listening to …
- Philosophy Of An Unnatural Parent — Dr. Sarah at Good Enough Mum sees parenting as a process of guiding her children to develop the skills they'll need.
- Life with a Challenging Kid: Hidden Blessings — Wendy at High Needs Attachment shares the challenges and joys of raising a high needs child.
- Flying by the Seat of My Pants — Heather at Very Nearly Hippy has realized that she has no idea what she's doing.


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Conveniently located right by the train station and international bus terminal, the colourful Central Market in Riga, Latvia, is housed in 5 gigantic Zeppelin hangars, and all the sidewalks and side streets all around and in between.
Like the other large markets we visited in Central and Eastern Europe this past August (such as Dolac Market in Zagreb, Croatia, and Stary Kleparz Market in Krakow, Poland), there was a wealth of local and seasonal produce on display by large traders and small home-producers alike.
Its clients too were equally mixed, between leathery babushka-ed housewives with old-school wicker baskets, and a peppering of younger Latvians like this leggy brunette on the right.
The mood among the vendors here, however, swung more widely than at other markets. Several fruit and vegetable sellers shoved samples at us regardless of whether we were buying, while a few dour lady butchers in their token hair-bands (think doily tiaras rather than proper hairnets) waved me away upon seeing my camera.
No matter. It was all rich pickings for a pocket-friendly picnic lunch by the river (and as it turns out, breakfast the next day as well).
Yes please to some very pretty aboli -- a kind of minature apricot as far as I could tell. No thank you to some not-so-pretty bull's ballies.
Yes please to some house-soused pickles. This lovely lady cut us a wedge from every jar at her stall to try before she let us pick what we wanted. Turns out I like 'em half-pickled and Babs likes 'em fully pickled, but we're both fans of generous use of dill and garlic.
Like shooting fish in a barrel, so they say.
We pick up a couple of smoked mackeral fillets, a little bag of seaweed salad (at least I think that's what it was) and this amusing short loaf of "boomerang bread" to make a couple of hefty sandwiches.
Wash down with a cup of kvass, preferably bought on tap from a barrel in the back of a truck! Kvass --the Slavic fast-food drink of choice since ancient times -- is made from a fermentation of bread made from wheat, rye, or barley, and sometimes flavoured with fruit, berries, raisins or birch sap.
According to Wikipedia, kvass was first mentioned in Russia over a thousand years ago, and has always been a popular drink with the working class and the clergy. Right after the fall of communism in the early the likes of Coca Cola swept into the market. In the late 90s however, a huge kvass revival emerged, partly fuelled by regional patriotism and anti cola-nisation, knocking back Coke's market share in Latvia by some 20 percentage points!
Kvass appeals without any need for patriotism, really. It has a sweet malty yet refreshing taste that hasn't yet crossed over into booze territory. I'd like to say it tastes a bit like flat root beer or saspirilla, but have decided it's a taste unto itself. Maybe those of you out there who have tried it can suggest a better description or comparison!
I fall into a fun old picnic habit: sharing the last of my sandwich with the local duckies, and then looking around, half-jokingly wondering if anyone would notice if I bagged one or two for dinner. I feel yet another Goldmine craving coming on...


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Ensuring Sustainable Seafood
Join us in telling supermarkets and commercial fishing companies to play their part in protecting our oceans
As consumers, our choices matter—especially for the health of our oceans.
We took on the biggest tuna company and won! Support the next win for oceans!
The U.S. is one of the world's largest consumers of seafood, and the largest market for canned tuna. This means our supermarkets—where we buy about half of our seafood—are one of the strongest connections to our oceans.
Overfishing and destructive fishing practices have caused the populations of the ocean's top predators—like sharks, tuna, and swordfish—to drop by as much as 90 percent over the past 50 years.
But this isn't about forcing consumers to make tough choices. It's about forcing companies and supermarkets to make meaningful and necessary changes so that the sustainable seafood option is the easiest choice for shoppers.
That's why we're telling the companies and retailers that make billions off of the demise of our oceans to change their practices and offer you more sustainable seafood.
Visit our Seafood Hub to learn more about sustainable seafood shopping.
Spotlight on Tuna
Tuna is one of the world's favorite fish and a staple in many U.S. households.
Unfortunately, most of the tuna found on supermarket shelves—including well-known brands like Bumblebee and Starkist—come from destructive fishing methods that injure and kill other marine animals and may put workers at risk.
The global tuna industry is out of control. It is emptying our oceans of fish, harming other marine life and exploiting workers in shocking ways.
Workers have reported being beaten, abused and forced to work on ships for months or years at a time. Fishing vessels use methods that wreak havoc on marine life. Tuna is even being stored in the same shipping containers as the dirty fuel the ships use, then sold to consumers.
One of the largest tuna brands in the U.S., Chicken of the Sea, is owned by the world's largest canned tuna company — Thai Union Group. After two years of global pressure, the company recently announced reforms to clean up its supply chains to help protect workers and our oceans. These commitments from Chicken of the Sea send a signal to the rest of the industry that it's time to do better. Bumble Bee and Starkist must now follow suit.
The United States is the largest canned tuna market in the world, so consumers and ocean advocates here have a major role to play in making things better.
That's why pushing supermarkets and big tuna brands to switch to sustainable tuna is a critical first step to protecting all marine life.
Already, several progressive retailers are offering sustainably caught and affordable tuna options. Here's a hint: look for "pole-and-line" or "FAD-free" on the label.
Learn more in our sustainable tuna shopping guide.
Guides and Rankings
Our Carting Away the Oceans report spotlights which major grocery chains are leaders in sustainable seafood and which are falling behind.
Applauding industry leaders and exposing those lagging behind is key to getting supermarkets to take responsibility and play their part in protecting our oceans.
Is your supermarket selling sustainable seafood? Find out by downloading the Carting Away the Oceans 2018 report.
2016 ranking of U.S. foodservice companies
As many major retailers improve their operations, foodservice companies historically have not. Largely invisible to the general public, foodservice distribution (e.g., Sysco, US Foods, Performance Food Group) and management companies (e.g., Compass Group, Aramark, Sodexo) are part of a massive industry providing for nearly half of the food purchases Americans spend away from home every day.
Greenpeace's inaugural U.S. foodservice report will identify which companies are leaders in sustainable, ethical seafood and which are falling behind. The report will applaud leadership and expose those failing on many fronts. The foodservice industry must to take responsibility and play its part in protecting our oceans and the people who depend on them.
Stay tuned for Greenpeace's findings and what you can do to help.


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From Busker to ClownBusker...results
I am an infrequent Busker and infrequent Clown!
I've been watching allot of youtubes on clowning and improving my hat juggling skills. some gigs as a clown have came in recently (paid & unpaid) So I thought I'd better get more experience.
Yesterday I went to our local market, which is quite an established big affair!
I clowned and busked for 2 hours up and down the various isles in front of stalls, great reactions, this was the best fun I've had as a clown, I was mime-ing and playing Saxophones, some juggling with balls, as per watching the videos I copied peoples walk or stance and this worked very well. I used my Soprano sax as a fishing rod trying to real money into my hat, I raised smiles where ever I went (I was totally speechless....mime)
This felt great, I had a blast, I connected with people, I was very creative and in the moment.. but here's the kicker..... zero money.
I did get some free product from some of the stall holders, i.e. Chocolate, Fudge, and fresh Corriander.
Walking out past several other traditional musical buskers. I see plenty of dosh in their hats...... so I'm confused.
As clown in this years Santa Parade (which I've done for the last three years I get $100 per hour) and other fairs and festivals I've done for free for experience, what to do..... as I love the complete freedom of Clown Busking,....
Maybe I'm just not suited to the streets and need to take this into a more intimate polished arena.
It's not about the money...but some would definately feel good????
Advice please
Jimu & Kokopelli
"Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no Art" Leonardo da Vinci
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- 1
Rinse the barley and soak it for 12 hours in cold water.
- 2
Boil the barley in lightly salted water for 30-35 minutes, until tender. For taste add the rapeweed oil, apple vinegar, salt and pepper while it is still warm.
- 3
Pick the rowanberries off the stem and chop them up. Mix with sugar and a little salt and let them soak for 10 minutes until they make a red, course puré.
- 4
Peel the Jerusalem artichokes, apples and carrots and dice finely before folding them in with the barley.
- 5
Open and check the oysters, chop coursely and add the oysters and their juice to the barley.
- 6
Add the whole mussels. Gently stir in chopped chervil and rowanberries in the barley salad and mix well. If you like, season with a little honey and some extra apple vinegar


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1 to 6
Primary School at CIS is the perfect international environment for students in Grades 1 to 6 to develop their inherent curiosity into a passion for lifelong learning. Reflecting our international context, our curriculum draws from the best primary curricula globally and is delivered within the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) framework. Teaching instruction caters to each student's needs, abilities and learning styles, resulting in a community of happy, confident and engaged learners.


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Con*ven"tion*al*ism (?), n.
That which is received or established by convention or arbitrary agreement; that which is in accordance with the fashion, tradition, or usage.
All the artifice and conventionalism of life.
They gaze on all with dead, dim eyes, -- wrapped in conventionalisms, . . . simulating feelings according to a received standart.
F. W. Robertson.
2. Fine Arts
The principles or practice of conventionalizing. See Conventionalize, v. t.
© Webster 1913.
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via press release:
Fans of ABC's popular drama series "Pan Am" will be able to submit questions and receive real-time responses from Karine Vanasse, who plays Colette. She will be up on Twitter at @karinevanasse during the East Coast broadcast of the show on SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, from 10:01-11:00 p.m., ET. She will also offer commentary on the exciting action taking place, as well as behind-the-scenes anecdotes.
On Sunday's episode, "Unscheduled Departure," as the crew flies to Caracas, a dashing, wealthy passenger, Miguel (Latin superstar Aaron Diaz), charms the stewardesses with invitations to his yacht. Meanwhile another passenger, Henry Belson, suffers a heart attack, but there is no doctor on board to help out. The only hope of saving his life is to land in nearby Haiti to seek medical help. However, Haiti is a hotbed of local political unrest, reeling from tropical storms which downed trees and affected power — including the lights on the damaged runway. Colette and Ted team up to make the dangerous trek for medical help.
For more information on "Pan Am," please visit ABC.com/PanAm.
Passion, adventure and espionage… They experienced it all – and they experienced it at 30,000 feet. The style of the 1960s, the energy and excitement of the Jet Age and a drama full of sexy entanglements deliciously mesh in, "Pan Am." Welcome to the Jet Age. It's 1963. The world is poised on the brink of a cultural revolution, and everywhere change is in the air. In this modern world, air travel represents the height of luxury, and Pan Am is the biggest name in the business. The planes are sleek and glamorous, the pilots are rock stars, and the stewardesses are the most desirable women in the world. Not only are these flyboys and girls young and good looking, but to represent Pan Am they also have to be educated, cultured and refined. They're trained to handle everything from in-air emergencies to unwanted advances – all without rumpling their pristine uniforms or mussing their hair. These pre-feminist women form a powerful sisterhood, as they enjoy the rare opportunity to travel outside the country — something most women in this age can only aspire to – and one of the few career options that offers them empowerment and respect.
"Pan Am" stars Christina Ricci as Maggie, Margot Robbie as Laura, Michael Mosley as Ted, Mike Vogel as Dean, Karine Vanasse as Colette, and Kelli Garner as Kate.
Series creator Jack Orman, Thomas Schlamme, Nancy Hult Ganis and Steven Maeda are executive producers. "Pan Am" is produced by Jack Orman Productions, Out of the Blue Entertainment and Shoe Money Productions in association with Sony Pictures Television.


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Jordan 2 "Quilted" "Don C" (LS)
Color: Varsity Royal/Metallic Gold-University Red
Style Code: 717170-405
Release Date: 01/31/15
Air Jordan brand collaborates with the Chicago's Don C in producing high quality Just Don X Air Jordan 2 retro. This shoe model is predicted to be launched on January 31st, 2015. Before you buy this model, you need to read all related sneaker news about this model. There are some important things and details that you have to know about this model. This sneaker will be offered at about $209. This price is considered as an affordable price for most users these days. You should be able to enjoy this comfortable sneaker without spending a lot of your money. Here are some features from this shoe.
This sneaker comes with fashionable design and style. It is made from super premium materials that are very durable for long time use. It features upper quilted royal leather that comes with soft and smooth surface. This sneaker also has royal blue suede on the panels and tongue. There are some additional features that are added to improve the overall look of this model. You can also find two beautiful gold pins that are available on this model. These gold pins can increase the exclusivity of this beautiful model. This model is packaged with beautiful printed dust bag and red shoe box.
When you are wearing Jordan 2 Retro shoes, you are going to feel comfortable in your basketball game. Its thick sole is very comfortable for all users. You will never feel tired when you are wearing this basketball shoe. The materials of this model are very comfortable for you. You can also adjust the shoelace, in order to get your ideal size for your shoe. It is very comfortable to wear this beautiful basketball sneaker today. Make sure that you notice the Just Don logo on the back side of this sneaker. This logo can represent the authenticity of this model.
They are some good features that are added to Just Don X Air Jordan 2 Retro. This model is recommended for all basketball players who want to find beautiful basketball shoes. This model will be available in many different places, such as retailers, online stores, and many other places today. You can visit your favorite stores for finding this model easily. It is important for you to buy this model from authority stores, in order to avoid getting any low quality shoes. This product will be launched at very limited amount. Therefore, you need to buy this model on its release date to enjoy all features from this model.


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Don Fluckinger covers customer relationship management (CRM), Salesforce and content management technologies for SearchCRM, SearchSalesforce and SearchContentManagement. His 25 years of journalism experience includes covering topics such as data security and forensics, document technologies, health IT, healthcare management, medical devices, nutrition and clinical research regulations. A music diehard and rock blogger, his interests include listening to rock, jazz, blues and funk -- both live and on vinyl. His articles have appeared in publications and websites including SearchHealthIT, PDFzone, Briefings on Hospital Safety, The Boston Globe, Billboard and Antiques Roadshow Insider.
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Karolina Kiwak is a site editor for the Business Information and Applications Group at TechTarget, working primarily on SearchContentManagement and SearchCRM. Before joining TechTarget in 2016, Kiwak helped manage the editorial process for college textbooks at Cengage Learning.
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Dave Bernard is News Director for TechTarget's Business Information and Applications Group.
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Raising funds for Camp del Corazon
UCLA aims to help kids with heart disease attend summer camp
When the No. 9 UCLA women's gymnastics team hosts No. 25 NC State on Monday afternoon, the Bruins will be holding the first annual Heart of a Champion meet to help raise funds for a cause very near and dear to their hearts – Camp del Corazon, a non-profit organization that provides a summer camp to youngsters with heart disease.
Heart disease is an issue hits close to home for the Bruins.
Assistant coach Chris Waller was born with a congenital heart defect, and underwent his first open heart surgery at the age of 15. He went on to win several NCAA titles as a gymnast for UCLA, and eventually competed for the United States in the 1992 Olympics. Waller had his second open heart surgery five years ago, and is scheduled for another one in the near future.
So, when UCLA head coach Valorie Kondos Field met a woman involved with the camp, the cause pulled at her heartstrings. Kondos Field and Waller met with the folks at the camp to see how UCLA women's gymnastics could help.
"We thought it was a great fit for us to inspire these kids and do whatever we could to help a remarkable camp," Waller said.
Senior gymnastics Niki Tom and Mizuki Sato were so touched by the camp's mission they volunteered to work there last summer. While they were working, Waller and Kondos Field went to visit and speak at the camp.
"It was one of the most moving experiences I've had. I've done a lot of motivational speeches – maybe 500 in my lifetime – and that was the first time I spoke to a group of people who had a heart condition," Waller said. "When I spoke, the way that they were riveted with what I saying I realized the kind of positive impact we could have on these very impressionable young people."
What really struck Waller was the kids have almost no restrictions despite their health limitations.
"If you have a heart condition as a kid, it's pretty unlikely that you'll be able to attend a summer camp," Waller said. "This provides the opportunity for kids that wouldn't otherwise go to a summer camp.
"There are some kids have had one open heart surgery, and they're not looking at having another one. But a lot of them just feel emotionally different than everybody. Then, you have other kids that are on 20 medications a day, have a nurse with them 24 hours a day, who are extremely high risk and have had eight or 10 surgeries, and it is just unbelievable that they get an opportunity to be a kid for a week."
Tom and Sato were also moved by the experience.
"It was the most amazing experience of my life," Tom said. "Misuki and I talk about it at least once a week. To be a part of these children's lives and let them experience life and try new things that they wouldn't otherwise get to try because of their health issues. This camp lets them get out of the house and out of the hospital. It is really the safest play they can be because there are so many doctors and nurses with them at all times. I worked with kids between eight and 10 years old, and I never thought someone that young could teach you the value of life. It allowed me to appreciate every little thing we get to do in life."
"You go to this place and you don't recognize the doctors and the nurses because they all look like counselors," Waller said. "There are almost as many staff people as there are kids. They are all volunteering their time and efforts -- not only their medical expertise, but also jumping in and doing the activities and the skits that the campers are doing."
UCLA partnered with Camp del Corazon in order to raise funds and give the organization exposure by dedicating the NC State meet to the cause. Heart of a Champion t-shirts will be sold for $10 and give the buyer free general admission with all proceeds from sales going to Camp del Corazon.
Fourteen campers will sing the National Anthem for the meet, while iCarly star Noah Munck, a former camper, will speak about the camp at the meet. Munck and the UCLA team will sign autographs following the meet.
"I've been looking forward to this meet the whole entire year, more so than even the postseason because the kids get to come out and we can see them and interact with them again," Tom said.
The Heart of a Champion meet will be held on Feb. 21 at 1 p.m. PT (4 p.m. ET). UCLABruins.com will host a free live video and audio feed, along with live scoring.


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I love books, I love reading. The thrill of entering a different reality, the turning of the pages, a beautifully published book, well, simply books. I love them and am always interested in what others are reading so in case anybody would be interested in what I have recently read, here is a list put together in no particular order and without full bibliographical data but hey, there's google. I hope you enjoy it and feel free to ask me about any of the belowmentioned as many of the books have just recently appeared on the market. I am certain I have forgotten some books because I do not keep a list and am relying on my memory. I will also make sure to post brief comments about them, hopefully soon. I have bought many of the books after meeting the authors at the Shakespeare and Company Bookstore in Paris so if you're here, do stop by on any Monday at 7 p.m. It's worth it.
So there, the list:
Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast
Albert Camus, L'Etranger
Irene Vilar, Impossible Motherhood, Testimony of an Abortion Addict,
Polar Bear, Path of the Creator (available in pdf on quest7.org)
Janet Skeslien Charles, Moonlight in Odessa
Dom Gabrielli, Parallel Body (Poetry, and a link to his MySpace page: http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=484368267&blogId=529811589)
Chloe Aridjis, Book of Clouds (here, a link to the first chapter http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/15/books/chapters/chapter-book-of-clouds.html )
William Cliff, U.S.A. 1976 (in French)
Cynthia McEnloe, Bananas, Beaches, and Bases: Making Feminist Sense of International Politics
currently reading:
Naomi Klein, Doktryna Szoku (Shock Therapy)
Margo Berdeshevsky, Beautiful Soon Enough
Betty Friedan, the Feminine Mystique
Joseph Conrad, Typhon (French version translated from English by Gide)