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Sioux woman
Credit: Image courtesy of Photographs from the Collection of the Denver Public Library
The term 'Native American' includes over 500 different groups and reflects great diversity of geographic location, language, socioeconomic conditions, school experience, and retention of traditional spiritual and cultural practices.
—Debbie Reese, "Teaching Young Children About Native Americans"
Children's literature, movies, and other media often perpetuate generalized stereotypes, whether positive or negative, in their representations of Native American peoples. Teaching children about the First Americans in an accurate historical context while emphasizing their continuing presence and influence within the United States is important for developing a national and individual respect for the diverse American Indian peoples, and is necessary to understanding the history of this country.
By the time children in the U.S. begin school, most have heard and developed impressions of "Indians" from books, movies, or in the context of the Thanksgiving holiday. This lesson helps dispel prevailing stereotypes and generalizing cultural representations of American Indians by providing culturally-specific information about the contemporary as well as historical cultures of distinct tribes and communities within the United States. Teachers can divide the class into groups that each study a tribe from a different region, or the class can select one region to study, such as the geographical region in which the school is located.
Please note that this lesson plan alternates among the three terms, "Native American," "American Indian," and "Indian people" so as not to privilege one designation over the others. In her essay, "Teaching Young Children about Native Americans," Debbie Reese explains that she uses the term "Native American," but also "recognizes and respects the common use of the term 'American Indian' to describe the indigenous people of North America. While it is most accurate to use the tribal name when speaking of a specific tribe, there is no definitive preference for the use of 'Native American' or 'American Indian' among tribes or in the general literature."
The Bureau of Indian Affairs states in its "Answers to Frequently Asked Questions" : "The term, 'Native American,' came into usage in the 1960s to denote the groups served by the Bureau of Indian Affairs: American Indians and Alaska Native (Indians, Eskimos and Aleuts of Alaska). Later the term also included Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in some Federal programs. It, therefore, came into disfavor among some Indian groups. The preferred term is American Indian." The issue of designating terms is still evolving.
This lesson requires you to access web pages through EDSITEment-reviewed websites. You may share these pages with your students at individual computer stations, assign small groups to share several computers, display computer-projected images to the whole class, or print out the pages and distribute copies to the students.
You may want to review some of the following background literature on teaching about American Indians, as well as the lists of recommended fiction and non-fiction books for young children:
The following vocabulary appears in this lesson; you may want to go over these words with the students as part of the introduction or as they come up in the lesson. If possible, obtain and provide pictures of the items, or ideally, bring in examples of the actual items to display and allow students to handle them in class.
Before offering information about Native American Nations and cultural groups, introduce the terms "Indian," "Native American," and "American Indian," and ask students what they know about these terms and about the people they represent. Create two columns on the chalkboard or a piece of paper, and write down student responses in the first column. This first column shows students' preconceptions about Indian peoples; the second column will reflect information students receive through the lesson.
Have students draw two pictures: one representing an "American" and one representing an "American Indian." Line the two sets of pictures in two rows, and ask students to compare the "Americans" to the "Indians." Add their observations about the "American Indian" pictures to their initial responses on the board or paper.
After students have offered their first impressions about Native Americans, explain to the class that the words "Indian" and "Native American" refer to a diverse set of Native American tribes or nations who lived for centuries across the lands that Europeans claimed later to have "discovered," which are now called the Americas -- the Caribbean islands, Canada, the United States, Mexico, the countries of Central and South America.
Read one or more of the books from the following list of Fiction Books about Contemporary Native American People, recommended by Debbie Reese. American Indian's in Children's Literature is Reese's website that provides lists of the best in children's literature about American Indians.
Each of these books portrays Native American characters in a contemporary context in ways that challenge common stereotyping representations. After reading one or more stories, ask students to describe the characters they have heard about. Write their responses in the second column of the board or paper. Ask the class to compare their original ideas about American Indians with the portrayals offered in the book(s). Do the stories and the people represented alter their views about Indian peoples?
You might point out to your students that, through much of the 20th century, Indian peoples came under intense social and economic pressure to assimilate into mainstream American society, and as such had to make difficult choices between identifying with their native communities and finding a livelihood in the larger society. Today, by contrast, increasing numbers of Native Americans are able to participate more fully in traditional community activities, which in many locations are thriving, while at the same time attending college and obtaining jobs in non-traditional settings.
To introduce the five cultural bands of American Indian tribes and the general regions of the United States in which they live, display or print out and distribute to students copies of the History page of the First Americans website, available through the EDSITEment-reviewed resource Native Web. This page contains a map of the United States divided into five Native American cultural bands, including Plains, Northwest, Southwest, Southeast, and Northeast. The text explains that areas in which people share similar environments and customs due to their proximity to one another are called cultural bands.
Print out and distribute to students copies of a map of the United States, available from National Geographic Education. From the Atlas page, select North America, then United States of America, and you can choose whether or not to have state borders displayed. As students acquire information about the regions of the U.S., Native American tribe names, and cultural aspects and traditions of their assigned tribe, they can fill in the information on the map by writing words and/or drawing pictures.
Depending on the reading and writing level of your class, you may choose to have students fill in the blanks on a chart or answer questions and write a paragraph describing one tribe. This activity can be done by the entire class for one tribe, or by small groups each for one of the five tribes.
The Tribes page of the First Americans website displays images of clothing, housing, and food items from the five cultural groups of Native Americans. When you place the cursor over an image, the word describing the image appears, and the object's corresponding Native American cultural band is highlighted on a small map of the U.S.
From the Five Tribes page, you can click on the name of a tribe to get information about the land, clothes, housing, and other cultural aspects of the following five tribes: Tlingit, Dinè, Lakota, Muscogee, and Iroquois. When you click on an image, it takes you to a page with information about one tribe from the indicated region. Using the information provided through each of these tribes' pages, have your students identify the traditional customs of one tribe. On their maps, students can shade in the area of the U.S. in which their tribe lives and can write the words or draw a picture describing the clothing, house, and food of their tribe. They can then complete the following written exercise:
For Kindergartners, have students fill in the blanks on the following chart available in pdf format. Students can then draw a picture to illustrate the chart information for one tribe.
Information on the Native American Tribe__________
For the following sentences, fill in the blanks:
For first and second graders, ask students to read the descriptions of the land, food, housing, and other social and cultural aspects listed for their geographical region. Students can use the information to answer the following questions and write the facts on note cards. They can use the information they record to write a paragraph about their group and draw a picture to illustrate their paragraph.
Questions about the Native American Tribe__________
Background Information About Native American Tribes from the Five Cultural Bands of the United States
(Note: Information is taken from the First Americans website, unless otherwise noted.)
Tlingit Information
Tlingit live in the American Northwest Coast that is now part of Alaska.
Dinè (Navajo) Information
Information from Photographs of the Dinè (Navajo) by Ilka Hartmann, available through the EDSITEment-reviewed resource Native Web:
Muscogee (Creek) Information
Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Information
Lakota (Sioux) Information
2 class periods


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Learn about Lions activities
Written by Barry McDiarmid, club secretary Thursday, 26 April 2012 14:21
Gothenburg Lions Club was founded in 1942, and has served the Gothenburg community throughout each year since.
Have you ever wondered who puts out the flags on holidays and special occasions? The Lions do. Have you been to the Christmas matinee at the Sun Theatre recently? The Lions sponsor that
Did you know that the Lions take out Meals on Wheels regularly, set up the Bloodmobile equipment for blood donor days, pick up trash with the Adopt a Highway initiative, provide for vision and hearing screenings at the Gothenburg Public Schools and offer scholarships to Gothenburg High School Seniors?
Members of the community can learn about these and the many other activities the Lions are involved with at an ice cream social that is being held in Ehmen Park next Monday from 7 p.m. Come along and enjoy the treat that the Lions are offering, and if you want to know how you can get involved in serving your community through your local Lions organization, members will be on hand to encourage you.

subset: commoncrawl


text: I am looking for a network security scanning software much like Retina (What I use now) to replace it. The company doesn't want to pay for it next year. So the verdict is .... no money, find something that does the same thing, and is free. I know there are some Unix tools out there, but I'm not much of a unix person so I need something that runs on windows and will pretty much the same thing Retina will. Any Ideas?


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Leaders Matter
The fortunes of every organization, whether great or small, rise and fall based on the effectiveness of its leadership. Leaders fundamentally shape the destiny of their organizations.
At Westmont, we want our students to develop effective and transformational leadership with a global perspective. Building on existing programs, we intend to launch the Westmont Institute for Global Learning and Leadership. This institute will serve emerging and existing leaders and help them develop leadership skills by pursuing intense intellectual work, meeting with mentors, and engaging in internships. Participants will blend thoughtful study and practice to prepare for strategic leadership positions worldwide.
Westmont also seeks to influence current leaders by establishing the Montecito Institute. This professional, nationally recognized leadership program will increase the effectiveness of mid-level and senior executives and executive teams while encouraging them to embrace biblically-based, values-driven leadership. This extensive, unique program in executive education will attract great minds from every sphere of society seeking to enhance their global leadership and impact.


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Since the initial release of the adidas Ultra Boost earlier this year, it's quickly rendered a mass following among a widely diverse audience. A performance-based runner with sartorial greatness bursting at its (Primeknit) seams, it gave adidas the footing they needed to navigate a growth fueled 2015.
That said, it didn't take long before they knew they had a hit on their hands with the Ultra Boost. Similarly, little time would pass before they updated the model, as its budding "wave" iteration is now trickling about to retailers. First introduced in a vibrant women's colorway, the latest makeup takes on a more traditional yet equally impressive tonal approach. Incorporating grey, white and off-white coloring, gradient fades throughout the breathable base give the shoe a layered stance while full-length Boost cushioning remains a constant below.
Carrying the same name as its predecessor though clearly an enhancement, give this striking adidas Ultra Boost a look below and pick up a pair now at Sneaker Politics.
adidas Ultra Boost
Colorway: Grey/Off-White-White
Price: $180


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I rarely get writers block, but I've aborted multiple attempts to write about the leadership change at TechCrunch yesterday. So I'm going to keep it simple.
I'm exceptionally bummed that so many people have left TechCrunch. Of the top ten all time tech writers according to TechMeme, six were from TechCrunch: myself, MG Siegler, Erick Schonfeld, Leena Rao, Jason Kincaid and Robin Wauters.
Of that group, only Leena remains at TechCrunch. And many other stars have left as well – Paul Carr, Sarah Lacy, Vaughn Brown, Heather Harde and Greg Kumparak.
When I was fired from TechCrunch I at least knew what was coming, and I tried to position it for the best possible outcome. Or at least to avoid the worst outcome. I failed, that worst outcome has absolutely materialized, but I had a fighting chance.
With Erick gone all of the top leadership of TechCrunch, and the majority of the writing talent, have left.
Putting the why aside, one thing's clear to me. Arianna Huffington seems to enjoy fucking with TechCrunch in her leisure time. She put all her weight behind Schonfeld when I left. But within a few weeks the rumors were that she was furious at him for the way the news broke about MG Siegler joining CrunchFund.
I doubt Erick even realized, but he was a marked man from that day on. Yes, something that petty can piss her off.
So now Eric Eldon is in charge, who joined TechCrunch after I left. I've known Eldon for years, and I think he'll be really good at running TechCrunch. The kumbayah moments have already appeared. The staff, out for blood a week ago with Kincaid leaving, for now, is sated.
But when Jonathan Abrams joked yesterday that "In the future, everyone will be editor of TechCrunch for 15 minutes," it was funny because it rang true. It's hard to keep your job running TechCrunch these days.
In the old days of TechCrunch we were pretty good at deflecting the constant gripes from the old school press and the mobs they occasionally kicked into existence.
TechCrunch still has to deal with that, but in the modern era they also have to watch their back, because they have a very touchy psychopath conducting a game of musical chairs to the death. In other words, she has the TechCrunch staff running around in circles, afraid they'll be the next one out.
As Paul Carr quipped yesterday, a good first move by Eldon would be to refuse to hire a number 2 who's name is Eric(k). That hasn't worked out too well for the last two people to run TechCrunch.
But more seriously, Eldon does have a tough job. He has to get page views up, which have declined by around 50% since I departed last year (with Siegler singlehandedly the majority of the loss). TechCrunch has never cared much about page views. But AOL cares a lot about page views. So TechCrunch needs to start caring about page views too.
He also needs to try to keep TechCrunch on the top of the TechMeme leaderboard. It's an important indicator of the quality of writing, and the number of scoops.
If he can avoid embarrassing Arianna and do those two other things, he should be able to keep his job for a good long while.
Next I could write about how pleasing Arianna and having editorial independence simultaneously is impossible. But I won't.
I could also write about what TechCrunch could do to bring some of the shine back, but I won't do that either. I gave my advice on that to Eldon privately by phone yesterday, along with my congratulations. He can take it or leave it. But either way, I won't take credit, or bitch if they fail. Like Sarah Lacy at PandoDaily, this is his show. His era.
Now, if things do go sideways, I do have some public advice for him. Don't bring a knife to a gun fight with Arianna. She's smart and she's mean as hell and she tends to win her fights. I lost. Erick had no chance whatsoever. The poor guy woke up yesterday thinking that everything was peachy. He went to bed without a job.
Good luck to you.


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NH fugitive captured in Massachusetts
March 04. 2013 8:56AM
CONCORD - A man wanted as the U.S. Marshals Service's "Fugitive of the Week" was captured Thursday morning as he tried to cash a fraudulent check in Methuen, Mass., according to a release from U.S. Marshals.
According to the U.S. Marshals, David Macrae, 38, most recently of Salem, was arrested by Methuen, Mass., police when a bank clerk called them after becoming suspicious when he tried to cash the check.
Methuen police learned only after arresting Macrae that he was featured as a "Fugitive of the Week" on Feb. 21.
Macrae was wanted on several arrest warrants including a parole violation stemming from earlier convictions for larceny and escape issued by Salem police. According to authorities, while Macrae was on the lam, he allegedly was involved in the theft of a vehicle and committed other thefts and frauds.
Macrae is charged with being a fugitive from justice on the outstanding New Hampshire warrant and was also arrested on several Massachusetts warrants. He is being held pending his initial court appearance and eventual transfer back to New Hampshire.


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It would be nice to credit John Turturro -- a hero of an actor who elevates every film he graces -- with a triumphant directorial turn. Unfortunately, Fading Gigolo is a few degrees shy of that, though it contains enough nuanced grace notes and charm to sustain interest. Turturro's ambitions don't feel large -- while Gigolo is the fourth full-length feature he's written and directed, it feels like a first effort -- and he seems to lean heavily on his mentors (the ghost of his frequent collaborator Spike Lee hovers at his shoulder; Woody Allen co-stars and probably wrote his own dialogue) but the result is a pleasant if forgettable film that tantalizes its audience with the prospect of a world beyond the frame; a world that might be even more interesting than what the director chooses to photograph.
Another character actor might be accused of self-aggrandizing if he chose to cast himself as a much-in-demand Lothario, but Turturro gets away with it because he's so obviously not a good-looking stud. He looks pretty much like the character he plays, a florist named Fioravante who moonlights as a clerk in the Upper West Side rare books store owned by his friend Murray (Allen). There's an honest ruggedness to Fioravante, though he's no one's idea of Hollywood handsome.
Turturro's looks have led him to be cast as jumpy cartoon villains in You Don't Mess With the Zohan and The Big Lebowski, but his greater asset is his way of conveying a certain weary working-class gravitas beneath his humility. His intelligent hangdog eyes suggest there's more to him than we can apprehend at a glance, a quality that allows him to play both deeply flawed and impossibly principled men.
As the movie opens, Fioravante and Murray are packing up the inventory at the bookstore, which is closing. Both are looking for a way to replace the lost revenue stream. As it happens, Murray reports that he recently overheard a conversation between his dermatologist (Sharon Stone) and her girlfriend (Sofia Vergara) about the possibility of arranging a menage a trois if they could find an appropriate male partner. Murray volunteered to help — for $1,000.
And he put forth Fioravante as a candidate.
This isn't a promising premise, but to its credit the film blows right past it. Fioravante needs the money. They're all consenting adults. So he shows up, bearing flowers, and charms the dermatologist, who becomes a satisfied customer. And Fioravante and Murray have new careers.
But far more interesting than the flimsy sex farce aspects of the script are the lonely, striving characters who wait in the story's wings. Murray, besides being another Allen manque, has an interesting domestic situation that never gets explored or even remarked upon, but is taken for granted by the camera and all the characters. And there's something a little wonderful in that.
And Liev Schreiber shows up as a Shomrim officer — a Jewish community-based policeman — patrolling a Brooklyn Hasidic community while pining away for a young, unworldly widow (Vanessa Paradis) whom Murray, somewhat unwisely, introduces to Fioravante. A bit of slapstick intrudes near the end, but Turturro's compassionate direction ultimately redeems the film.
And Turturro — who played a very different sort of moonlighting florist in John Slattery's God's Pocket — is the still, calm center of it all. He might have done more with a better script — writing is this triple-threat's least impressive tool — but it's hard to imagine doing more with what he had. In synopsis, Fading Gigolo might sound a little trashy; in its execution, it's gentle and sweet.
MovieStyle on 06/13/2014
Print Headline: Fading Gigolo


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Greystar/Polaris;Charles Sykes/Invision/AP
The last time Jennifer Hudson went short we debated whether or not it was a wig. This time, we're pretty sure it's the real deal.
The singer debuted a sleek pixie at BET's Black Girls Rock event in Newark on Saturday, which showed off her striking features. And judging by the side view (see here) it definitely looks like a major chop, not a wig. Hudson selected a V-neck Balmain mini and lace-up Christian Louboutin boots to complete her new look. (If that coy grin is any indication, we think she feels pretty confident without her long strands.)
RELATED PHOTOS: Vote on major star hair changes in our Better Before or After gallery!
At the VMAs in August, Hudson sported a chin-length asymmetrical bob with a deep side part, but she quickly returned to her long, flowing hair. We hope her latest short style sticks around for a while.
How about you? We want to know:
–Brittany Talarico


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COVINA – A driver who stopped to help after two cars collided Friday had his sport utility vehicle stolen by a couple involved in the crash.
The collision happened at 3:13 p.m. on Vincent Avenue and Cypress Street which is in the unincorporated county area near Covina.
Sheriff's Sgt. David Buckner said one vehicle rolled over and ended up lying upside down. The three male occupants were trapped, he added.
A man and a woman in the second vehicle got out and were standing around, Buckner said.
A Baldwin Park man driving a 2003 green Nissan Xterra came upon the crash scene. He left the Xterra running when he rushed to help the trapped people, according to Buckner.
The couple from the other vehicle involved in the crash decided to flee. They drove off in the Good Samaritan's Xterra.
Buckner said deputies haven't found the suspects or the stolen SUV. The suspects were only described as a Latino and a Latina in their 20s.
The three men hurt in the crash were taken to hospitals. Buckner said the injuries weren't critical.
Deputies are investigating the car theft while the California Highway Patrol is handling the crash.


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As more politicians get ready to hit the stage during the presidential nominating conventions, they should be cautious about what they say -- and what they don't. Body language can speak volumes.
Whether it's blinking too frequently (a sign of discomfort) or gesturing frenetically (a sign of dishonesty), body language analysts say that perfecting the text of a speech is only one of many hurdles good speakers must master before approaching the microphone.
One man who has become somewhat of a public speaking guru, according to Greg Hartley, a former Army interrogator and author of "I Can Read You Like a Book," is former President Clinton, who spoke Wednesday evening at the Democratic National Convention.
"Bill is a pro," Hartley said. "He uses his face and hands to draw people in to what he's saying."
Hartley, who watched the former president and the Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden speak, said that Biden's authenticity was shown through something as seemingly insignificant as his lips.
"Biden was licking his lips a tremendous amount -- it shows genuine emotion," Hartley said. "It's the human side of him and the animal side of him.
"When you see someone purse their lips, that's a typical male response to choke back emotion," he said. "It was good and genuine."
For those who plan to watch speaker after speaker take the podium, Hartley and other public speaking analysts said there are several cues one can look for when trying to determine the truthfulness of politicians.
Watch Charlie Gibson, Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos at the Democratic National Convention TONIGHT at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.
As a general rule, Hartley encourages people who are unsure of a speaker to pay attention to the way his or her body moves, perhaps even more so than the words coming out of the speaker's mouth.
"Illustrators, or body movements, are indicators of what your brain is thinking," Hartley said. "It's your body punctuating your thoughts. A person should have synchronicity between the two."
Politicians Should Listen to Their Mothers: Pointing Is Rude
There are few politicians, Hartley said, who are capable of keeping their pointer finger under wraps during a speaking engagement, despite the negative effect on an audience.
"Pointing makes people feel like you're accusing them of something," Hartley said. "It shows the person is trying to make you believe something."
Last night, Clinton managed to reel in his desire to point at the audience, Hartley said.
"He whipped people [in the air with his finger] at times, but then he remembered to change off and use the closed hand instead of the finger," he said.
Kevin Hogan, the author of "Psychology of Persuasion," said that people who point while they speak are often questioned by listeners.
"People who point when they're speaking -- I always put a big question mark after whatever they have just said," he said.
"Pointing has always been a cloak of true feelings -- sometimes it's lying or trying to look intense when you're really not," Hogan said. "It's never accepted well."
The Other Pitfalls of Public Speaking
Patti Wood, a public speaking expert who has analyzed speakers for more than 25 years, warns viewers that political conventions are notorious for being some of the hardest-speaking engagements to analyze because of the charismatic nature of those who headline the events.
"When someone has a lot of charisma, friendliness, attractiveness and power, we tend to disregard any lying or deception," she said. "We don't even see it."
But "intoxicating" as a speaker can be, Wood said, that person can also make mistakes that will poke holes in the legitimacy of the speech.
"One of the deception factors to look for in these kinds of conventions include where the speaker is looking when he is speaking," said Wood, who is not attached to the presumed Republican presidential nominee John McCain or the Democratic nominee Barack Obama.
"Notice whether someone looks straight forward when they say the most important statement," she said, adding that she has noticed that Obama often looks off to the side during his speeches.
Blinking, said Wood, especially when a speaker begins to do so at a faster pace, is often a sign of waning confidence.
"Frequent blinking would indicate that they don't feel comfortable with their statement," Wood said. "The timing is the tell: If a person's blink rate goes up drastically during one part of their speech, that would send a certain message."
It may seem minute, but even the way speakers interact with the podium can say a lot.
"Look for where their hands go on the podium as they are saying certain messages," Wood said. "If they grip the podium tightly when they say certain things, they may be indicating that they don't feel good about what they're saying. If you feel good and honest, your hands usually come up and open."
Wood criticizes McCain's tight grip of the podium, which, she estimated, he does "to keep his anger down but still appear energetic."
Body language expert Hogan said that the speed at which someone talks can also indicate how truthful the speaker is.
"When McCain is most genuine is when he speaks slowly and thoughtfully," said Hogan, who said he's a libertarian and does not support either candidate.
"When he gets rattled, his voice raises up in pitch and he'll sort of speak in spurts," Hogan said.
Pitch in voice is an issue onetime Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton battled with quite a bit, according to Wood.
"If a person's voice goes high on certain words, listeners become skeptical," she said. "Hillary's biggest tell was her voice, but really, almost everyone when they're under stress sees their voice go up [in pitch]."
Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden lowered his voice several times during his speech Wednesday night, a technique Hartley said is a sign of a great speaker.
"It's a great technique; the quieter you get, the more important the information is," Hartley said.
"We tell secrets in very low tones so it's a good communication tool," he said. "People listen more intently when people speak softly."
And as Americans get ready to watch Obama speak and officially accept the Democratic Party's presidential nomination tonight in Denver, Hartley has some advice for viewers: No matter how captivating the speech, pay attention to the way he moves.
"When in doubt, trust his body language."


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Give her away?
Devyn, our oldest, got married on Saturday. Kurt walked Devyn down the aisle to her groom. When the officiant asked the traditional question, "Who gives this woman to be married?" This was Kurt's response:
Give her away?
We've been asked to drop her off. Let her be. Leave her there. Sometimes for a day, a week, a semester.
Each time we prepared ourselves, and truthfully we didn't do so well.
Preschool. We just hung in the parking lot until the half-day was over, ducking below the dash when they went out to play.
Summer camp. I drove 4 hours back up to camp mid-week to see her for 4 minutes.
Semester at Sea. Of the 700 parents, we were the last to leave the wharf, staring at that speck on the horizon until the sun set.
Give her away?
Devyn changed us.
As some of you know, Alison and I have been together since our early teens. We were the class couple.
"Kurt 'n Al" became one word, as in "what's KurtAl doing?" "Where's KurtAl"
For over a decade we were a single identify, a couple. And then she came home.
No longer a couple, we were now forever a family.
Every decision we made. Every plan we developed. Everything we did, now as a family.
Give her away?
Devyn got our trial run. We were rookies, barely her age when we brought her home.
Yet we never felt more responsible for something, someone.
We were to protect her. Provide for her.
We were to encourage her, set an example for her.
We were unprepared for the love a parent has for a child. The unequal joy received in return from a giggle, a smile, the grabbing of your hand or a head sleeping on your lap.
Nothing changed us more.
Give her away?
Every new experience for her, we'd worry
Who's going to know her like us?
Know the wit behind that quiet.
Know the determination behind that demeanor.
Know the loyalty behind that uneasiness.
Know the smarts behind that smile.
We worried that others might not "get her".
Like Caleb got her in Elementary School.
Like Mr. Howland got her in High School.
Like Cammie got her in College.
Give her away?
Give up one of life's treats for dads?
It's practically a sport not to like boyfriends, none of them would ever dream of asking me to give her away.
And if they did, Maddy would never allow it. This is her sissy-boo. The one who when scared, without even asking, reaches her hand out to her, and and Devyn's hand is always there.
Talk about sport. Maddy can scare away boys with the best of them.
Then Maddy says, "Ben loves her, Dad. The way you love her. I never seen her so happy."
So, Maddy, are you ok giving her away?
Alright, well, girls like that whole wedding thing...the boys will surely help me
Then Jemby says, "Ben's cool. He plays whiffle ball with me. And he looks like Captain America"
So, Jem, are you ok giving Devyn away?
(Jemberu nodded his head solemnly and said, "Yes.")
Ok - running out of votes.
Truth be told, Ben wasn't the first to ask for Devyn in marriage. Mikias proclaimed early after coming home, that he would marry her. What high school senior would devote so much time, with so much happening in her own life, to building a relationship with a new brother? She did, and because of that, they are inseparable, 4 years away at college couldn't change that.
Mikias, the most sensitive, caring member of our family told me, "Ben is very thoughtful of Devyn. I like the way he talks to her and I like the way he treats her. Ben takes me to the gym with him. I like being his little brother"
Miki, you ok giving Devyn away?
(Mikias responded with, "Absolutely!")
She's technically loved her longer than anyone else. She sat for a few hours, hands over her belly, smile on her face, after the pregnancy test, until I arrived home from work that summer day. That day she became what God knew would be her calling, her gift. her legacy, a mom. Alison would give up her career to be a full time mom. She'd give up everything for her, for them. They've been blessed with a relationship that seems only true in a fantasy. Devyn and Alison have, from that summer day, been best friends. Alison told me that it wasn't long after Ben came along, that she realized he loved Devyn in a big giant way, he loved her like we did. She told me that Ben was the center of her heart, as he should be.
Alison, you ok giving her away?
(me: "I am.")
Devyn has long prepared me for this day. We must have role-played 50 times that day in Disney, at Sleeping Beauty's castle.
At least 100 times I recall coming home from work to find her dressed as the Little Mermaid. She greeted me with, "You be Eric, and I'll be Ariel". Poor Mom always had to be Ursula, the Sea Witch.
But who could protect her like me?
And then her heart got broken and it wasn't me, but Ben, that was there for her. It was Ben that loved her and let her love him.
And then she got sick, and when I was away, it was Ben that came for her and sacrificed for her.
There is nothing you pray more for than your kids.
For their happiness.
For their protection.
For their confidence.
For their peacefulness.
Devyn doesn't just resemble me, she reflects me.
Our sensitiveness, our industriousness, our anxiousness.
Regrettably, along with the good, I also passed along the bad.
Life doesn't give you a do-over...but God gave her a do-better.
Ben is the perfect partner for her
He's calm.
He's confident.
He's comforting.
He's compassionate.
He has made her happier than any time in her life.
I give thanks to God for finding him for her.
Devyn, you found your Hondo, and you both have my blessing, and our support. Forever.
We give you away.
("Hondo" was an old western television series that Devyn woke up every Saturday at 6:00 am to watch when she was little. To her, Hondo, the main character, was the perfect man.)


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HOUSTON, TEXAS -- On June 24, 2018 I drove down the AutoZone at Fondren and Bissonet where I have been a loyal customer for years. The store manager (Freddie) sold me the wrong spark plugs and told me to gap them at .045 instead of .045. As a result of this, the motor ran hotter and caused hundreds of dollars in damage. I contacted the store, district manager and corporate office about this matter several times.
I was recently notified that AutoZone has decided not to take responsibility for the employee's mistake that's proven very costly and been extremely stressful as well. I have been a loyal customer of AutoZone for many years but as a result of how disrespectfully, unprofessionally and being treated I as if I were the one at fault.
MOORE, OKLAHOMA -- Anyone who has worked in a service-related industry could rattle off a long list of DOs and DON'Ts as it pertains to providing good customer service. Customer service is one of the most important aspects of sales. It is one thing to make a sale once, but if a company wishes to continue in business year after year, how it handles customer service makes the difference in longevity and profitability.
As any sales person should know, it is easier (and generally costs less internally) to sell another item to an existing customer than to continually spend the money and put for the efforts to find new prospects to turn into sales. The fact is, it costs a business much less to keep a customer than to make a new customer. This is why customer service is important.
In theory, if a business provides good customer service to a customer, the customer will continue to purchase from that company. Therefore, a large portion of a company's business usually comes from repeat customers, and in general a smaller portion comes from new customers who are then converted into long-term customers. Businesses who do not understand this concept, and who provide poor customer service, will find that their profits dwindle.
AutoZone is an example of a retailer that has seen a loss over time due to their inability to provide good customer service. "Operating in a mature and fragmented marketplace, AutoZone's growth has been largely dependent upon increases in store count rather than its same store sales which have been lagging over the past 5 years" according to Wikinvest (whose stock information is sponsored and provided by E-Trade). While still the largest player in the industry, O'Reilly Automotive is quickly gaining ground, most likely due largely in part to the service one receives at O'Reilly's.
Inputting the phrase "AutoZone customer service" into google.com brings up about 5,650 results with pages upon pages of links, the largest portion negative comments. In fact, their customer service rating on Customer Service Board is a 66.87 out of 200 points possible, while putting in the phrase of "O'Reilly Auto Parts customer service" warrants only about 463,000 results, with a large portion being positive experiences.
The service, level of expertise, warranty backing, and overall commitment of O'Reilly's has given this company the momentum to be ranked as one of the best retail service providers in the auto parts business. Go ahead, do the Goggle search yourself and check out the feedback you read - by and far you will see the majority of the AutoZone links to be negative, while the majority for their competitor remain extremely positive.
Personally, I have been an AutoZone customer for more than 15 years. In general, most every car I have ever owned as being a lemon, thus I have spend a good portion of time and money buying parts at the local AutoZone threw out that span of time. Finally reaching the age where I can buy a reliable car, and one that doesn't need repairs, I kept my loyalty for the company that has taken care of me over the years...AutoZone. That is, until now.
In one horrific customer service nightmare of a move, AutoZone, whom I have relied on and been loyal to for years upon years, lost my business...FOREVER! I am sharing my experience here because I want people to fully understand the magnitude that poor (albeit in this case it was worse than that) customer service can have on a company. Sub-par customer service can be the catalyst that literally creates the ripple that starts the wave, which eventually becomes the tsunami that wipes a company out. AutoZone, consider this your storm warning...the wave is coming.
At the age of 36, I have finally graduated the stage of getting a car that I DON'T have to work on (at least for a while). However, with a new snazzy car (love my PT Cruise) I decided that while I didn't have to invest the money in "fixing" the car, I could instead "invest in pimping out my ride" instead. I first stopped in at O'Reilly's Auto Parts, only because it was literally next door to the grocery store I had just left. I was on the hunt for Supergirl accessories for my ride. O'Reilly's had Supergirl floor mats for the (front seat), key chain, and decal, which I purchased.
While checking out, I mentioned that that I had been initially looking for Supergirl seat covers and matching back mats. The man immediately offered to special order me the items, and mentioned a few more other Supergirl items he had already in stock. I told him that it was okay, I usually shopped at AutoZone anyway and I wanted to check and see what Supergirl items they had in stock to purchase before I special ordered items. I even added, "Besides, I can just order the items there if they don't have them either." The gentleman at the counter simply smiled, thanked me for my business, and invited me to come back and shop anytime. I spent roughly $25 there before I left, driving a to the west side of the city, AutoZone bound.
When I arrived at AutoZone I went directly to the car accessories, after all, I know how to navigate around the store well...I should as many times as I have been there! They didn't have any Supergirl items in stock, but they did have a catalog on the aisle that I glanced through and found the items I needed to order. In addition, I found a fuzzy pink steering wheel cover that I simply had to have. I grabbed it and the catalog and headed to the counter.
The assistant manager, and another younger fellow helped me. The younger fellow didn't know how to special-order items, so the assistant manager walked him through the process. The young man informed me that my custom-ordered car seat covers and backseat mats would be in within two days since they had to order them from the manufacturer. But since they were coming direct from the manufacturer, I had to go ahead and pay for them in advance.
I did, but while I was checking out I mentioned a heater core that I had purchased there about 3 months ago that I had never taken out of the box. I told the assistant manager that I didn't have a receipt since it wasn't provided to me at the time of purchase (I had purchased it over the telephone) and I wasn't given one when I picked the product up either. The assistant manager told me not to worry about it, that I was a good customer and to just bring the product (still sealed in the box) back and that worst-case scenario, I would only be given in-store credit.
In addition, he told me to check my bank statement that had the transaction recorded on my card and that he would most likely be able to trace the transaction back that way if I wanted to get cash back instead. He did go ahead and check my account on the computer, I apparently have a few of them since they reference them with your phone number rather than directly by name, and I have had many phone numbers over the last 15 years.
He said the transaction wasn't tied to my accounts but that I was a good customer and he would take care of it...no problem. I left the store very excited about the prospect of having my new car "Supergirl'd out" before the upcoming weekend's end.
When Saturday came, I gleefully took my receipt, credit card, and heater core in its sealed boxed to the local AutoZone. A man who didn't know how to look anything up on the system waited on me first. He apologized for his lack of computer knowledge, explaining to me that he was an AutoZone delivery driver normally. He went and got another young man who was able to look on the system to see my order. The young man went to the back to get my items but came back a few minutes later empty-handed.
He then grabbed another AutoZone associate (the young man who had actually placed the special order) who then checked the computer and went to the back to find my items. This associate too came back empty-handed. Apparently, my order had not come in on the day promised, but he assured me that someone would call when it did arrive. While I was somewhat disappointed, I have ordered enough items from AutoZone to know that this is often times the case and that most likely my stuff would arrive by Monday or Tuesday.
I told the associate that I would like to go ahead and return the heater core while I was there. He looked at me and said, The assistant manager "(name withheld for this site) isn't here. He is at lunch. I don't suppose you would like to wait about 30 more minutes for him to return, would you?" I told him that I had a lot of things to get done and would prefer it if I didn't have to wait. He went to the back to get the store manager.
The store manager came to the counter. He was probably 6-foot tall and I am guessing about 400 lbs. He looked inconvenienced from the get-go, but did ask what he could help me with. I explained the situation, and gave him the information from my bank statement that even included the store's number (which is store # 0522), the total amount including tax spent for the part, and the date the transaction went through my bank account.
The manager told me upfront he probably couldn't do anything but that he would go back and research it. I stood at the counter for 20 minutes. While I couldn't see the manager, I could hear him laughing, cutting up with employees, and in general taking his time as though my time held no value. Eventually he came back to the counter and informed me that he couldn't trace the transaction as one that came from "his" store. I pointed to the store number and asked him if that number was for the location we were at. He agreed it was. I showed him the unopened box with the part inside and the side of the box clearly had an AutoZone tag on it, with a tracking number, part number, and many other items of reference that I am sure meant something to him. He wrote down some number off the box and headed to the back once again.
He came back a few minutes later and informed me that there is no way I got that part from "his" store because the only one of those particular heater cores that was sold at his store was sold in November. Was this man calling me a liar? It sure did seem like he was calling me out as being up to something underhanded.
I then recounted the entire experience. Telling him how I had ordered over the phone, he then wanted to know the name of the associate I had spoken to as though I was going to remember that from 3 months ago. He then questioned why the order wasn't attributed to my account. I informed him I hadn't a clue, and how did I have control over that...wasn't that his associates' job to ensure that he tied an order to my phone number not my job as the customer?
I explained again how I had ordered the part over the phone and how the man on the other end of the line told me it would be in for me to pick up within two days. I gave him my credit card over the phone since it wasn't being ordered and wasn't in stock...see a pattern here about what they DON'T have in stock (basically anything that I need it appears). I had gone to the store to pick it up two days later, however the part hadn't come in yet.
A week or so later, I came back to pick the part up only to find that someone had shipped it back since I didn't pick it up in a timely manner. They then re-ordered it to return back to the store (note they never refunded me even after they sent it back, but claimed they didn't have the stock room to continue to hold it in the store for me even though it was paid for). Once the part was back in the store, I picked it up.
After all that, I ended up not even needing the part as once my mechanic tore into the car, we realized it wasn't the heater core that had been leaking into the front passenger floorboard but another issue entirely. When I finally finished recounting the details, the manager simply looked at me and shrugging his shoulders he said, "Well, why do you keep coming to us for things if we keep messing up your orders?"
It was then that I realized he had a point. I told him I would take care of the issue myself and asked him for the district manager's number and the number for AutoZone headquarters (which he didn't give me but instead gave me a cell phone number claiming it was the number I asked for). I asked him to look up my accounts so that I could have the numbers of how much money I had spent at the store in the past. He informed me I could have the district manager look that information up and that he had already spent more time working on my account than it was worth.
I then told him that he could go ahead and credit me back for the special order that I had made since it wasn't in any way. He asked for my receipt, which I immediately handed him. He did whatever he needed to do in the system and then informed me all that I needed to do was "click OKAY" on the credit card machine and the money would be credited back onto my bank card. I told him that I wanted to look at my receipt first to ensure that he didn't leave an item off. This apparently upset the manager who was clearly at a loss for patience with me by this point. He reiterated that I simply needed to "click OKAY".
I told him as soon as I checked my receipt that I would. He added that there was no need to check my receipt that the tax wouldn't show until after I clicked on okay. I told him that was fine, but I was still checking my receipt first and then I would click on okay. He simply couldn't allow me the time to do the math I guess, because the man actually took the credit card plastic pointer pen and started reaching over the counter to "click OKAY" for me.
He asked him to stop, "let me do my math and I will click it!" He was persistent, still trying to click the virtual button on my behalf, disregarding my asking him to give me a moment to look over the receipt. I finally put my hand where he couldn't touch the credit card machine and asked him (very firmly) to stop it and give me a chance to look over my receipt. He was still trying to get around my hand to "click OKAY", so I finally grabbed the plastic pointer pen from him. In the process, my hand slightly touched his thumb, lightly touching him as I reached for the pen. The manager lost it from there.
He started yelling...I mean loudly. "YOU HIT ME!", he screamed over and over. I was flabbergasted. "Are you serious?", I asked with blatant sarcasm. I looked around and everyone in the store was now staring at us, who knows if they had been before or not. "YOU HIT ME! YOU HIT ME! I AM CALLING THE POLICE AND MAKING A REPORT AGAINST YOU!" The manager is screaming at this point. Spit is flying from his mouth; he is practically foaming.
I didn't yell, though my voice got firmer as I said to him, "You are really that worried about having to deal with a little girl that you are going to pull this?" "YOU HIT ME!", he interjected again. I looked the man dead-panned in the eyes and said, "Mister, if I had you, I assure you that you would know it. Everyone would know it." He then started jumping up and down, pointing his finger at me, and spitting as he exclaimed, "THAT IS A THREAT! YOU ARE THREATENING ME! I AM CALLING 911!"
He started reaching for the phone to dial, and I looked at him and informed him that I was leaving, never coming back, and he lost a lot of money based on his behavior. I informed him I was never coming back, which of course he informed me I was never welcome back so that wasn't a problem.
This is an example of how NOT to treat a customer. There are so many other, more productive, ways that this manager could have handled the situation. He certainly didn't need to infer that I was lying. Next he could have been very apologetic about the situation, explaining that it was out of his hands and given me a number to call, thus wiping his hands of the situation but in a professional manner. There are truly a number of ways he could have handled it that would not have escalated the situation to such a point.
In no way, shape, or form, however should the manager have attempted to complete any transaction on my credit card on my behalf without my permission, and this includes "clicking OKAY". Nor should he have caused a scene, claiming to be hit when he wasn't and to further that, threaten to press charges against a customer on false grounds.
This man, the manager of the Moore, OK AutoZone should not be allowed to work with the public if this is how he handles customer relations as it pertains to issues. I do not know what motivated this man to behave this way, or to pull such an underhanded display of manipulative attention-getting stunt. Perhaps it is due to a borderline personality that cannot handle the stress of dealing with the public, or maybe it was his way of trying to discredit my complaint that was surely going to be made against this his manager. I do not know, but it doesn't matter at this point because the damage is done.
I made a phone call to my mechanic who has probably spent close to $100,000 with company. He says they just lost his business. I called several of my best friends and told them the story, again with the same promises that they will NEVER go there again after how I was handled.
The fact is, I have never been known as a violent person. NO ONE who knows me would say that I am one to pick a fight, or one who is generally known for creating conflict. I am known as the person who avoids conflict. I do not like to fight, be it with a fist or verbally. People who know me, know me to be a very honest person. I am the girl who tells on herself because if I didn't, the guilt would eat me alive otherwise. I have no record of ever getting in a fight in my entire life, so this man claiming these things really upset me. I take it as a direct insult.
The fact that this man made a scene with false allegations and put my reputation, integrity, and my personal professionalism on the line in such a way angers me so much more than not receiving a refund could ever have done. No one should be treated the way this man treated me, let alone a customer. I will never darken the doorways of AutoZone again, and if I have anything to do with it, no one I know will - without at least hearing my story and making an informed decision to work with a company that allows someone with ZERO interpersonal and customer service skills - to manage a portion of a billion dollar Enterprise!
O'Reilly's can thank ** at AutoZone located on 12th Street in Moore, Oklahoma for their new found customer. It didn't cost O'Reilly Auto Parts one penny to earn my business or gain me as their newest loyal customer. AutoZone simply handed their 15-year customer over to them on a silver platter - the catalyst: poor customer service!
DANBURY, CONNECTICUT -- Can't even begin to believe the customer service I experienced tonight in the Danbury, CT store. I literally went home talking to myself about how terrible the experience really was. And what makes it worse is I used to work for the company, a fact I'm now even ashamed to admit.
Here is what happened...I went into the store to get a battery warranty. My friend has a commercial account, and although it was late, commercial is supposed to always be available, and for something as simple as a warranty swap, I didn't think I would have nearly as many problems as I had.
First we went to the Brookfield, CT store which was helpful in telling us they saw the battery under warranty but couldn't figure out how to swap it and because it was near closing time, we decided we'd go to the store in the next town over to do the swap as they were open later. We got to the store and as we walked in the door, we were greeting by a VERY rude employee who said, "Nope sorry nothing I can even do for you, this trip was a waste of your time..." I replied, "Well the battery is under the warranty, we came here for you to do a swap. It was bought less than a year ago..." She said, "Nope I looked I saw it but can't help you."
At this point we walked out of the store and I made a phone call to the commercial manager of the Brookfield store. She explained that the employee would simply have to call the district manager to get approval because it was a commercial warranty which required approval. I went back into the store and waited to explain this to the Danbury employee...when I did, she slammed around on the keyboard mumbling about how ridiculous it was that I was even there.
She got through a few screens and said, "Nope sorry, still nothing I can do and I'm sure as h**l not calling anyone at 9:30 at night..." And then she WALKED AWAY. Just left me standing at the counter while she went on to do other things. At this time I said ok, I'll call the district manager myself but he didn't answer. Through this time, another employee in the store was waiting on a customer who was looking at the situation confused.
I said something to my friend about how we would just need to call someone in the morning and the employee started cursing at me...telling me how ** ridiculous it was that I was even there, and how could I be ** serious. And then started saying, "Well you never have anything nice to say anyway. You wanna see a **, I'll show you one. You need to get out of this store." This is now with a customer standing at the checkout register and others in the store.
Now I can be sympathetic to the situation to a certain degree, I can be decent to people who treat me rudely or unfairly, but now here it is the following day and I have no ride to work...I have to wait until my friend gets out at 5 to try to go to AutoZone to do this all over again.
I am beyond mad. I worked for this company. I was a sales manager. No matter what type of transaction I had to deal with, I had to be courteous. I dealt with past employees trying to use their discount cards, or get merchandise cheaper because they knew the system...I still had to maintain a level of professionalism and decency because that was MY JOB! You can't just go into a grocery store and ask a question and have the cashier walk away mid-transaction because they don't want to deal with you. If it's not acceptable there, it shouldn't be acceptable anywhere.
I feel like because I was a past employee who left on good terms - mind you, that I was treated differently - and I'm beyond infuriated. I am making sure today to let everyone I know NOT to shop at AutoZone. The ONLY reason I will EVER enter this store again is for something I ALREADY have under warranty. I will never go in there for any other reason. And I will continue to find places online to warn others of the experience you might encounter especially if you go to the Danbury AutoZone and have the "pleasure" of meeting a lady named **.
GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA -- I went to your store on Guilford College Road today to get new windshield wipers for my car. A nice man named ** helped me check out and then he put the wipers on the car for me! You don't know what a help this was since I didn't quite know how to do it myself. I didn't even have to ask for his assistance. Your staff is very nice (another young man helped me look up the wiper sizes I would need for my car) & I would just like for you to know about the outstanding customer service that ** gave to me today. I will definitely return to your store & I hope he is there to help me!
BOISE, IDAHO -- I have purchased my last item from AutoZone. On Tuesday, 1-22-13, I called them to see if they had a part for my F-150. It was needed for an emergency repair and I had a short amount of time to pick up the part and get the vehicle to the shop. I called them on the way to the store and asked them to pull the item and have it ready, and the clerk said they would.
When I got there, however, I had to wait nearly 5 mins before anyone even acknowledged I was there. 2 clerks were arguing in back, 1 was on the phone, and another was chatting with a customer. Finally, the one chatting finished his conversation and asked me what I needed. I told him a clerk had said the part would be waiting for me. He said, "Oh we never pull the parts because 90% of customers who call never show up".
I again said the clerk had promised to pull the item. He wouldn't even look for it. I had to give him all the vehicle info again, and then off he went looking for it. 5 min. later he came back saying he couldn't find it. He then asked another clerk if he had pulled the item and the clerk said, "Yes, it's right there under the counter". The 1st clerk didn't even apologize, just said, "Well, that's the 1st time he's done what he said he would do". Finally, I got out of there, but it took 20 minutes, far longer than it should have. It turns out the part was the wrong one and so we ordered the right part online.
I got an email from AutoZone stating that the order was ready for pickup. 2 days later I went to pick up the part. The same rude clerk as the first time told me that he didn't know anything about it. I showed him the email and he went off to find the part. Finally, he came back and said the part wasn't there, that they had to order it from somewhere else.
I asked him why I was sent an email, stating it was ready for pickup if they didn't have it. He said that was just the way the company did it so they could clear their books. I told him that was a stupid policy and it had wasted my time. He then said that the stores do not even have internet access and so are unable to check with other stores to see if they have the right parts or even to see the status of someone's order. I told him to refund my money, I called O'Reillys and got the part from them.
The service was completely unacceptable. Three other customers who entered the store after me or walked up to another checkout were helped before me. A woman who was working on restocking shelves looked at me but turned away without saying anything to me. Another customer came into the store and she stopped what she was doing and went and asked him if he needed help. He said he did and she got a part he needed and walked out of the store to help him.
A cashier that had been helping another customer finished with him and walked over to another checkout and helped 3 other customers. After checking out the other 3 customers, the same cashier (male, older, northern accent) looked at me and asked if I needed help. I told him that I certainly did - that I needed help with finding a headlight. He told me he would show me where the headlight was that I was looking to purchase. I told him that I knew nothing about headlights and if he couldn't help me, then I'd go somewhere else.
He stated that he was trying to show me where to find the headlight. He apparently didn't know where the headlights were kept as we went back and forth down isles searching for the headlights. He finally found the isle and of course, the headlight I needed was not in stock. I also needed a plug and grease (which I had asked help with) and he offered no help in finding those items. I left the store at that point. My husband has bought many products from AutoZone over the years. I am here to tell you, our last purchase has been bought with them.


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Niki Caro
Niki Caro is the New Zealand-based writer and director of Whale Rider, the mythic story of a little Maori girl who could ride whales, which nabbed an Oscar nomination for its 12-year-old star. Caro's new film, North Country, starring Charlize Theron, which opens this Friday, tackles sexual harassment in the workplace. It is based loosely on the book Class Action: The Story of Lois Jenson and the Landmark Case That Changed Sexual Harassment Law by Clara Bingham and Laura Leedy Gansler. The book recounts the 25-year legal ordeal behind Jenson v. Eveleth, the first successful sexual-harassment class-action lawsuit, in which Lois Jenson, a female iron miner, battled misogyny in the northern Minnesota iron mines. Caro was in Los Angeles when we spoke by phone.
Slate: Have you ever had to deal with sexual harassment or sexual discrimination in the workplace?
Caro: Only at a very minor level. I've worked in all kinds of jobs and in environments in which crude things have been said on the job, and I've been embarrassed. But nothing at the level of what was in this film.
Slate: Why did the movie stray so far from the real events surrounding the landmark case, Jenson v. Eveleth, as depicted in the book, Class Action? Was it for legal reasons?
Caro: The movie doesn't stray far from the case at all. The real court case was incredibly convoluted and took over 20 years. With a good dramatic script, you don't need 20 years to tell this story. So I stuck to the 1989 to 1991 period when the Anita Hill testimony was going on.
Slate: You didn't write North Country yourself. I've heard you say there was one scene you added that you fought over with screenwriter Michael Seitzman. What scene was it, and why was it so important to you?
Caro: Most of what I did was character work. For a film that is so much about men in the workplace and in society, I didn't think you could tell the story without talking about the men in [lead character Josey Aimes'] life—particularly her son and her father. To me, it was really important to show the scene at the union hall where her father finally speaks up.
Slate: For a story in which so many men behaved so horribly, did you feel you needed to show a few "good men" in order to balance things out?
Caro: Definitely. One of the things that attracted me to this story was that the other women who worked in the mines testified in the trial, but they testified against her. The most abusive moment in the story is not when Josey is physically attacked, but afterwards, when she steps towards the women for their help and they turn away from her.
Slate: Both Whale Rider and North Country are stories about female empowerment. Do you worry about being marginalized as a woman director of films for women?
Caro: Yeah, I do, because that's not what I do. I don't see myself as a crusading feminist filmmaker. Not at all. I have the luxury of coming from New Zealand and I've had moments in my life where being female is considered to be a tremendous advantage— emotionally, career-wise. Personally, I have nothing to prove. But I'm tremendously curious about human nature. Female life is so incredibly underexplored in cinema, so these stories feel very exotic.
Slate: Was it that element of risk that attracted you to both stories?
Caro: Yes, very much so. When I take on something, there's always an element that I don't think has been done before that I want to explore. With North Country, I was so shocked that these events had happened in such recent history. I was very intrigued by the fact that every person in every industry I've talked to has heard of sexual harassment. And yet, in a cinematic culture that damages and demoralizes female characters with embarrassing regularity, making a film about sexual harassment seemed like a bold act. Nobody's made this film before.
Slate: Michelle Monaghan, one of the actresses in the film, referred to North Country as a "chick flick." Do you see it that way?
Caro: No, I don't. Not at all. It surprises me that she said that. I mean, maybe she said it because of the way the women were on the set—all the shenanigans that went on.
Slate: What shenanigans?
Caro: Well, I have to say, for a movie that's about a subject like sexual harassment, it was the least politically correct set ever. These actresses were sexually harassing everyone.
Slate: You've said before that you would never consider taking on violent material. And yet there are scenes in North Country that are incredibly violent towards women.
Caro: Well, look. Violence that has basis in fact and truth is different for me. If you look at the way something like the rape scene is shot, it doesn't shrink from the emotional and physical horror of it, but it doesn't exploit the woman involved. I have no problem telling a story that involves violence. But I draw the line at exploiting it or in any way sensationalizing it.
Slate: It seems a tough market for female directors. Kimberly Peirce hasn't made a film since Boys Don't Cry. Jane Campion hasn't made a film since 2003's critical disappointment, In the Cut.
Caro: I can't speak for any of them. Jane has elected to take some time off for family. If it's a hard time out there for women directors, well, we shall see what it will be like for me. But I think it's tough for any director.
Slate: In the DVD commentary for Whale Rider, you said that Maori women "lead from behind." Would you say the same for New Zealander women?
Caro: It's not at all the same for New Zealander women. We lead from in front!
Slate: Is "leading from behind" really a position of strength? I mean, looking at what happened in North Country, it seems impossible for a woman like Josey Aimes to have gotten anywhere by "leading from behind."
Caro: It can be a position of strength. The Maori culture is highly specific and stems from 2,000 years of tribal behavior, so I don't think you can make a comparison at all. Those women have it tough, but they're tough themselves.
Slate: You've referred to a "colonial mentality" in New Zealand in which talent fights for recognition amid fierce competition. How have you experienced this in your own career?
Caro: I've experienced this. But it's not any different for women. It's difficult for any creative person in New Zealand. The New Zealand culture and nature is such that we find it very difficult to celebrate creative achievement. In order to get New Zealanders' respect you have to dominate the world like Peter Jackson has done. He is absolutely revered.
Slate: Is that something you would like to achieve?
Caro: It's not a goal that I set up for myself.
Slate: Have you had a mentor?
Caro: I never had a mentor. God, it would have been nice, but I just didn't. I look up to Jane Campion. And my most favorite director Lynne Ramsay [Ratcatcher, Morvern Callar].
Slate: Recently in the New York Times, the critic Caryn James included North Country in what she called "a genre of timid films with portentous-sounding themes, works that offer prepackaged schoolroom lessons or canned debates." She wrote, "It seems to be a film with a cause [because] it refights a battle that took place long ago." How would you respond to this?
Caro: Yeah, I read that story. I don't know that's it a watertight argument for North Country. How is North Country relevant today? It's relevant because this case was resolved only six years ago. And there's female suffering—human suffering—going on right now. People talk to me all the time about sexual harassment. This sort of behavior did not only happen in the past. And it's not in just the working class. It's in every industry. It's in the military. It's in politics.


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Thread: The Lone Ranger Story
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#1 The Lone Ranger Story01-27-2013, 02:04 AMIt's not how old you are, it's how you got here.
It's been a long road and not all of it was paved.
A man is but a product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes. Gandhi
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Im a displaced Seahawks fan in Birmingham, Alabama. One of the reasons for me being so far away is my job. I'm a reporter/producer with the local CBS station.
I did a story about women being bullied through online gaming recently and need some feedback on the topic. If you have a minute could you take some time to watch/read the story and let me know what you think. Is this issue being overblown or is there really a problem? Would you allow your son/daughter to play these games with this kind of behavior going on?
BTW this is purely for my own information. Nothing said here will be broadcast or used away from .net.
http://www.cbs42.com/mediacenter/local. ... id=3824172


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Spring at CIU: Elegance and Chocolate Syrup
April events include a formal and a bath in syrup
A little Friday night stress relief from studies at Columbia International University includes guys in ties and ladies in long flowing formals. It also includes a bath in a kiddie pool filled with chocolate syrup.
Elegance was on display at the annual Junior/Senior Formal this year, held outdoors at the Lace House on the grounds of the South Carolina Governor's Mansion. Only a couple weeks later, some of the same students donned zany costumes to take part in the annual Sadie Hawkins Throwdown. This event, which is unique to CIU, starts with a female student who asks a guy to be her partner in a series of creative games including gunny sack races, speed jigsaw puzzle making and sliding through a kiddie pool filled with chocolate syrup. The couple that compiles the most points in each event is declared the winner at the end of the night.
Check out the fun on CIU's Flickr site:
(Photos by CIU student photographers Timothy Wolff and Alex Dugas)


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DEL NORTE – Favorable weather conditions Wednesday allowed firefighters to improve protection around houses and subdivisions that are threatened by the West Fork Complex, which has reached 81,331 acres.
No structures have been lost.
U.S. Highway 160 over Wolf Creek Pass remained closed for the seventh consecutive day despite some talk from fire officials that it might reopen in a limited capacity to the public.
Businesses on both sides of the pass are pushing to get the pass open, but fire officials and county sheriffs have to balance those concerns with public safety, said Pete Blume, a West Fork Complex incident commander.
"That's one of the considerations out there," Blume said of the economic interests.
The West Fork Complex consists of three fires. The West Fork Fire, started by lightning June 5, is the biggest at 54,714 acres. The goal for that fire was to improve a bulldozer line about 1½ miles from the town of South Fork, which has been evacuated since Friday.
The Papoose Fire, at 25,236 acres, is causing the greatest concern because of its potential to harm waterways and reservoirs with ash from the fire.
The Windy Pass Fire, near Wolf Creek Ski Area, was at 1,381 acres.
There was no containment on any of the fires Wednesday night.
"This isn't one of those fires that lends itself to that," Blume said.
Helicopters and hot-shot crews worked Wednesday to slow the advance of the Papoose Fire's northwestern flank, where several homes and subdivisions are located.
Scott Arthur, a firefighter from Snowmass Village, watched as fire sprinted 1,000 feet up a mountainside in 30 seconds, producing 400-foot-tall flames.
"Every day in the afternoon, we usually get a big blow-up," he said. "It's rockin' and rollin'."
Helicopters dropped buckets of water at the top of a ridge in hopes of stopping the fire's advance down the backside into a subdivision. Firefighters also did what is called a back-burn Tuesday night, in which they set fire to a hillside to remove fuels.
"The overwhelming majority of work being done is structure protection," Arthur said.
Often, firefighters can set a perimeter and try to contain it. Not on this one. The terrain is too steep, and the fuels are too combustible. So firefighters have to look for natural fire breaks – for example, areas where vegetation simply runs out. They can use air resources to help guide the fire to those locations.
The West Fork Fire was burning parallel to Highway 160, but it hadn't reached the highway as of Wednesday. Fire officials don't want to send firefighters to the fire's edge because of rugged terrain and dry fuels. They were discussing whether to set a controlled burn from Highway 160 toward the fire, Blume said.
But doing so is tricky. If the controlled burn gets too hot, it could get out of control. Likewise, fire officials don't want the fire to make a hard advance on Highway 160 because then it could cross the road.
"I kind of like the idea of having it on (Highway 160) because then we've got some pretty hard control lines," Blume said. "It's kind of a nice situation, because then I don't have to put firefighters out in the dead spruce and expose them to that.
"We don't want the fire hitting the highway hard because the fire will go over it," he said.
Light wind and cooler temperatures have slowed the growth of the fires. They haven't put up massive columns of smoke since Monday.
The fires have consumed thousands of acres of beetle-killed spruce trees. They likely will smolder for months without a significant rain. The blackened landscape will be a change, but it won't take long for new life to take root, said Mark De Gregorio, a fire information officer.
"The good news is, in three or four years, it's going to be all aspen up in there," he said. "It's going to be beautiful."
Blume said a lot of people want to know what they can do to help firefighters. Baked treats are nice, he said, but the biggest thing residents can do is create defensible space around their homes.
Blume said homeowners who do not thin vegetation or clear space basically are asking firefighters to risk their lives because they've left their homes in an indefensible condition.
"We're having to do things that could have been done in advance."


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For over 30 years the leading pallet and sawmill magazine in America.
Foreign Markets Drive U.S. Biomass Demand
Biomass demand from other countries, especially wood pellets, prompts quick growth in exports.
By DeAnna Stephens Baker
Date Posted: 2/1/2014
Although woody biomass still has its dissenters, it has gained acceptance around the globe as a reliable source of renewable energy.
But despite the ramping up of demand in other countries as part of meeting renewable energy goals, consumption of wood-based energy in the United States is not increasing as quickly, a fact that many blame on regulatory and policy issues. Because of this reality, a majority of increased demand for U.S. biomass is expected to continue to come from other countries.
Domestic Demand
Consumption of wood-based energy in the U.S. is expected to see only small increases or even decline slightly in most energy sectors. The total usage of woody biomass by all energy sectors is expected to be 1.977 quadrillion Btu (quad) in 2014, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration's (EIA) most recent Short-Term Energy Outlook. This is an increase of less than 1% compared to 2013. Next year is not expected to be much better, with a forecast of 1.999 quad.
The one significant exception to this trend is the electric power sector which is expected to be the biggest driver behind domestic consumption of wood-based energy. The EIA predicted that the electric power sector will consume 0.266 quad of woody biomass this year, which is a 27% increase over last year. The EIA expects around 120,000 megawatt hours (MWh) per day of electricity to be generated from woody biomass in 2014 and 123,000 MWh per day in 2015.
At first, these numbers don't seem to add up when taking into account the number of biomass plants and projects that recently have been announced or are in the works in the United States. If all of the currently planned projects were to come online, they would consume an estimated 122.6 million green tons (MGT) of wood by 2023, according to Forisk Consulting. However, many of these projects may not ever actually start production. Based on its screening method that estimates the viability of projects by availability of needed technology and by status, Forisk predicted that viable projects will consume only 80.9 MGT of wood by 2023.
Wood Pellets
Out of 80.9 MGT of wood expected to be consumed by viable projects, wood pellet production is expected to hold the largest share at 34.2 MGT, most of which is expected to be exported. Electricity generation comes in second at an expected 32 MGT, combined heat and power (CHP) places third at 14.2 MGT and thermal places fourth at almost 0.5 MGT. This anticipates that liquid fuel will not consume any wood, as the technology is still not commercially viable.
"Pellet plants in the U.S. today have two primary markets: domestic U.S. home heating and European industrial markets for electricity and cogeneration," said Amanda Lang, senior consultant at Forisk Consulting. "While a surge of proposed domestic projects occurred in 2009 and 2010 to take advantage of pellet use from increased petroleum prices, most recent investments have supported pellet plants intent on exporting to the European Union, especially the United Kingdom. These projects are larger than their domestic counterparts, consuming hundreds of thousands to over one million tons of wood per year, versus the typical fifty to two hundred thousand tons per year for domestic plants."
Exports of wood pellets have grown quickly, especially to Europe which has more than doubled since 2011. As of November, the United States had exported 2.5 million tons of wood pellets in 2013 compared to 1.75 million tons exported over the same period in 2012, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). Total wood pellet exports are expected to triple between 2013 and 2018. The largest increase has of course been to the United Kingdom, where analysts expect that the majority of future pellet development will be centered. During the first 11 months of 2013, the United States exported 1.5 million tons of wood pellets to the United Kingdom, 60% of total exports and almost triple the amount of wood pellets exported there during the same period in 2012.
The quickly rising demand is a result of the U.K.'s 2012 renewables obligation certificates (ROC) rules which are issued to power generators for producing renewable energy. The rules are favorable to dedicated biomass power generation, awarding two ROCs for dedicated biomass electricity generation with combined heat and power and 1.5 ROCs for dedicated biomass electricity generation, but only 0.5 ROC for co-firing. Several power plants in the country, including its largest coal-fired power station have already been converted from coal to biomass or are in the process of doing so.
Demand has been ramping up and analysts expect it to continue increasing over the next few years. Most of the demand is being met by imports; due to the limited supply of domestic raw material, the power stations have no choice but to import most of their biomass material.
Many of the new biomass facilities that have been announced in western Europe will be coming online by 2016, after which demand may start leveling out.
Renewable Energy Standard
Though domestic demand is not growing at the rate seen in Europe, things are happening that could trigger a rise in biomass use within the United States. Many analysts and industry members agree that one of the top ways for biomass to grow here would be passage of a federal renewable electricity standard (RES).
"Biomass would be a crucial renewable energy source under any RES," said Bob Cleaves, president and CEO of the Biomass Power Association (BPA). "This is because biomass is a baseload energy source that produces consistent, around-the-clock power independent of weather conditions, as opposed to some other renewables which are intermittent. Also, biomass technology is already developed and does not need significant R&D."
A federal RES is currently being considered in Congress. An RES was proposed in the Senate in October and a similar bill was introduced in the House of Representatives in December. The Renewable Electricity Standard Act of 2013 (H.R.3654), would require utilities gradually increase renewable energy production over the next twelve years from 6% by 2014 to 25% by 2025.
Twenty-nine states already have renewable generation standards, but some believe that the chances of a federal RES being passed in the near future are slim.
"A federal RES would be a significant step forward but is probably not likely any time soon given the political climate," said Cleaves.
Tax Parity
An issue that many industry members believe has a chance moving forward soon is tax reform. Right now, other forms of renewable energy are eligible for tax credits that exclude wood-based energy.
The thermal biomass sector is pushing for the passage of the Biomass Thermal Utilization (BTU) Act of 2013 (H.R. 2715, S. 1007). The BTU ACT would recognize biomass thermal technologies within the renewable energy provisions of the tax code. One provision would make high-efficiency biomass heating technology eligible for the residential renewable energy 30% investment tax credit. Another provision is a tiered tax credit for 15% or 30% of the installed cost of biomass-fueled heating (or cooling) systems for commercial or industrial applications. These are temporary tax credits that would expire at the end of 2016 intended to provide a jump-start to an energy source that has high upfront equipment costs, according to Joseph Seymour, executive director of the Biomass Thermal Energy Council (BTEC).
"We're promoting parity just to get the industry over that critical point of market saturation," said Seymour. "A tax credit would be able to reduce the price of the appliance and mainstream it."
If put into place, the BTU Act would cause an increased demand for wood fiber, but according to an analysis by BTEC, it would only be a modest amount. The analysis, which covers the forecast for growth in biomass demand over the three years that the tax credits would be in place, forecast that the new demand for biomass by 2016 would be about 400,000 tons per year, which is well below sustainable harvesting limits.
Efforts to achieve tax parity for biomass have been ongoing for several years now, and have met with limited success. However, several recent events at the federal level signal that biomass is starting to receive recognition as a renewable energy that can help the country reach alternative energy goals. In December, a memorandum from President Obama called for 20% of the federal government's power consumption to come from renewable sources by the year 2020, including biomass. Earlier in the fall, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) signed an agreement with several biomass associations and organizations to collaborate on ways to promote energy from wood.
Emissions Regulations
Another issue that the industry is watching closely is the treatment of emissions from biomass conversion energy. The EPA is in the middle of a rule-making on how it will count emissions from commercial and industrial sources. How this plays out is critical as some have promoted the idea that biogenic emissions should be treated the same as emissions from fossil fuels.
"In the U.S. biomass carbon emissions are, and would be in the future, overwhelmingly offset by biomass regeneration and growth," said Roger Sedjo, director of the forest economics and policy program at Resources for the Future, an environmental, energy and natural resource research organization. "This is because biomass carbon emissions flow in a closed loop, generating no net emissions into the atmosphere and therefore should be treated as carbon neutral. To provide the same treatment for biomass emissions, which are carbon neutral, as we do for fossil fuels would be a serious mistake. Indeed, such treatment would provide incentives in the wrong direction, that is, in the direction of promoting net carbon emitting fossil fuel use and against carbon neutral biofuels."
Other Challenges
Legislation and government policy are not the only issues that create difficulties for wood-based energy. The socio-cultural issues may be the hardest to address, according to Bill Cook, a forester and biologist at Michigan State University's Biomass Innovation Center,
"Among the socio-cultural challenges, the toughest three may be: One, too many people think cutting trees is bad; two, misperceptions of the economic and environmental impacts; three, humans are innately resistant to change," Cook said.
Concern about environmental degradation is often cited when trees are cut, usually because it causes a visual change, despite the fact that visual quality is not a scientific measure of ecological integrity."
"The notion persists that cutting trees is inherently bad," said Cook. "Errant perspectives such as this are not based on knowledge of science. They come from elsewhere."
Other misplaced concerns often voiced in opposition to wood energy include the ideas that wood energy facilities create significant air pollution and that forests will be devastated. Some of these misconceptions are the result of the public simply not knowing how far biomass technology has advanced.
"People often have misconceptions of what biomass energy is and immediately think of old antiquated technology belching out smoke at very low efficiency," said Adam Sherman, a consultant with the Biomass Energy Resource Center (BERC).
In addition to public misconceptions, some biomass industry struggles are due to there being little coordination between the different sectors, especially when addressing policy issues. This is something that many in the industry would like to see changed as they believe that more could be accomplished if all parts of the industry banded together.
"There's a need for broader industry collaboration through trade associations and recognizing that a rising tide floats all boats," said Sherman. "Right now in the biomass sector, there are a lot of different camps and oftentimes there is not a whole lot of coordination amongst the various camps that all have more common purposes than they have differences. Also, the forestry and fuel supply sector is rarely working in lockstep with the energy project, finance and engineering end. There needs to be better collaboration and integration within the industry between the sourcing, grading and processing – the whole supply chain of the fuel."


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Contrary to what the idiot who writes this blog told you the St. Louis Cardinals did not play Monday night. The did however begin their three game series with the New York Mets last night by winning decisively 9 to 2. Michael Wacha picked up his first major league win and pitched very well. The Cardinals and Mets continue their series tonight, (I checked to make sure) before wrapping up with a game tomorrow afternoon. The Cardinals then head to Miami to play the Marlins.
Contrary to what the idiot who writes this blog told you the St. Louis Cardinals did not play Monday night. The did however begin their three game series with the New York Mets last night by winning decisively 9 to 2. Michael Wacha picked up his first major league win and pitched very well. The Cardinals and Mets continue their series tonight, (I checked to make sure) before wrapping up with a game tomorrow afternoon. The Cardinals then head to Miami to play the Marlins.
I failed to mention on Monday that Jake Westbrook had his second successful rehab start on Sunday and is expected to rejoin the team on Friday. I would suspect that Tyler Lyons would be sent back to the minors once Westbrook is activated. I have not actually heard or read that but that would seem to be the most logical choice. Lyons pitched well his first couple of times before struggling his last two outings. Keep in mind though that he was called up from Double A Springfield and I think that taking that into account he has pitched extremely well.
The Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers are stuck on 3 to 2. That was the score of Monday night's game which the Royals won and last night's game which the Tigers won. I was able to catch the end of last night's game and it doesn't appear the Tigers are the same team they were last year. They are leading the AL Central but that isn't really saying much. The Royals simply can't or don't hit. They had an excellent chance to win the game last night in the bottom of the 9th but stranded a runner at second while their three best hitters all either struck out or grounded out.
Somebody forgot to tell the San Antonio Spurs they were supposed to roll over and play dead and let the Miami Heat win their second NBA title in a row. The Spurs totally dominated the Heat last night in a way that few teams have. The Heat struggled on both ends of the court and although it was 43 to 42 whenever I started watching it that was as good as it would get for the Heat who would go on to be outscored by almost forty points. Game 4 is on Thursday in San Antonio and if the Heat lose that one they will be in serious trouble. The Spurs currently lead the series 2 games to 1.
Yesterday had to be a very tough day for LeBron James who not only had his second bad game in a row while the Heat were getting hammered by the Spurs but James also had to deal with the tragedy of ESPN talking about someone other than him. The folks in Bristol spent considerable time yesterday talking about Tim Tebow who signed with the New England Patriots yesterday. The move which had been rumored for a while is in my opinion a good one for both Tebow and the Patriots. Tebow needs structure and a solid organization to thrive and he will have that with the Patriots. The Patriots have a solid backup to Tom Brady and also someone who is versatile enough that he could possible be used at other positions. I don't know how likely that is to happen but Tebow is very athletically gifted and the Patriots have shown the ability to get the most out of the players they have. Tebow is widely ridiculed for his time with the New York Jets but that in my opinion is unfounded as it was an impossible situation for him to be in. The Jets were in total disarray on and off the field and they in my opinion signed Tebow because of his popularity and not because he fit into their system or they head any idea what to do with him. His mistake was going there in the first place, the rest of what happened is entirely the responsibility of the Jets in my opinion. I didn't buy into all the Tebow Time hype when he was with the Denver Broncos but he did lead them to the playoffs and one year with a dysfunctional team like the Jets is not enough to take all that away. He never had a chance with the Jets from the day he got there.
While I was wasting my time watching the NBA Finals the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks were literally fighting it out at Dodger Stadium. It appears the issues began when Diamondbacks pitcher Ian Kennedy hit the Dodgers rookie sensation Yasiel Puig in the face with a pitch. Zach Greinke then retaliated against one of the Diamondbacks players which should have been when it ended. However, Ian Kennedy who was pitching for the Diamondbacks then hit Greinke and that's when the Tuesdaynight fights started. Both benches cleared and several players and coaches were eventually ejected as the fight spilled all over the field and almost went into the stands. One of the coaches ejected was Mark McGwire who was seen screaming at the Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson as well as their third base coach. Obviously these events caused a roid rage for McGwire and he had to be physically removed from the field. I suspect that several players and coaches will be fined and suspended over the fracas. I don't remember Greinke having these types of problems when he was with the Royals but this will be the second brawl he has been a part of since signing with the Dodgers. I of course missed the whole thing and will have to see if I can find it on YouTube or something.
We'll be back on Friday with a look ahead to all of this weekend's sport action plus whatever else we can find. Thanks as always for checking out this blog and please do the same for all the blogs on this site.
Have a wonderful Wednesday!