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I used the picture since I had none of a fish to hand and I remembered the time that this little one here emptied a neighbours pond of fish in a very systematic afternoons work. Just for fun. I don't believe there was a mark on any of the fish. I think she just liked the way they jumped about when she pulled them out of the pond and left them flopping on the crazy paving.
Anyway, the reason that I wanted a picture of a fish was something occurred to me about them. Nothing terribly profound, I'll grant you, and not terribly original, but I started to think about national fish. Your staring blankly, I can tell.
When I was a kid, we had an enormous and stupendously erroneous encyclopedia in the house. My dad had bought it hoping it help his children be educated, we leafed through the naughty bits and pretty much left it at that. As is the way of things, on lazy Sunday afternoons I would pick on of the volumes at random and read. The one thing that always impressed me what the huge lists that would accompany any entry regarding one of the United States. Ludicrous lists, detailing the state bird, the state fish, the state colour, the state thistle, the state hat, the state tree, the state grass, on and on these lists would go. I remember thinking it was seriously amiss that the entries for the UK and Spain didn't have equally thorough lists, but it was an American encyclopedia and it was the '80's, what ya gonna do?
Anyway, some stray synapse returned this memory to me and particularly within the context of fish. Don't ask. So, what is an English fish? The best fish for my money caught in our waters is turbot, close sweet tender flesh in tidy flat form, a true winner, but not a fish you associate with us as a group. Now, your obvious choice is Cod. Battered, it fed the hungry during the war, is synonymous with our most hackneyed of national dishes. Yeah, but I can't help thinking, that like eels, there is too much of the East End about it, it does not truly represent. Salmon? Scottish. Trout? Irish, dunno why, just feels that way to me. Hmm, I'll come back to that.
Other countries are easy. Spain? Hake. Not sardines I hear you shriek? Nah, not even salt cod. Merluza is the dish I always associate with Spain. Great thick steaks thrown into the pan, massive meaty flakes that soak up the olive oil and garlic, their huge ugly heads a permanent fixture of any market in Spain. The French? Something like carp I imagine. Italians? I'd probably spark an international incident if I tried to peg them down to one.
Now that I think about, I reckon the most English of fish is the finger. Yup, the fish finger. Dunked into ketchup it very fails to bring a smile and even better between soft buttered bread and a cup of splosh. The fish finger which I am sure we eat about a billion of a year wins out. I know it's not actually a fish, but it's probably as close as most get to one, so I'll go with it. Fish Finger, King of English Fish.


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MATARAM, Indonesia, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Eight suspected terrorists were killed in two police actions in Indonesia, authorities said Saturday.
A special anti-terror unit shot three suspects to death about 5:30 a.m. local time Saturday in the Trei mountain area in Dompu District, the state-run news agency Antara reported.
The other five suspects were shot to death about 7 p.m. Friday in a raid at their hideout in Sila Rato, Bima District.
Details of the operations by members of the elite Detachment 88 squads were unavailable.

subset: commoncrawl


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On another note, those of you ladies who like to dress comfortably might be happy to know that granny panties are the new thong! For real, read it here. ; ) #grannypanties
Wearing: Factory vest - c/o Gentle Fawn, cropped pants - Joe Fresh, t-shirt - James Perse,
purse - Mini Mac by Rebecca Minkoff, sandals - F2, watch - Michael Kors, necklace - H & M, ring - Simons
Stylist's Tip: A vest is the perfect alternative to a jacket, especially when the weather is warm. It's also a great layering piece! Wear it under a tee, a tank top or even a long-sleeved shirt.


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Walk-in Bathtubs
At Herl's Bath & Tile Solutions, we offer a diverse line of walk-in bathtubs for homeowners throughout the Delmarva Peninsula region. Also known as step-in bathtubs, walk-in tubs are specifically designed for the elderly, the disabled, and others with limited physical mobility. They allow for greater independence plus the peace of mind that comes with knowing the risk of injury is minimized. Whether you live in Salisbury, Dover, Seaford, Exmore, Cambridge, or Cape Charles, a walk-in bathtub from Herl's is an excellent investment. We have the expertise it takes to install walk-in bathtubs, walk-in showers, and a wide variety of other bathroom fixtures. In fact, our company is CAPS-certified by the National Association of Home Builders, which makes us one of the few Delmarva Peninsula bath remodelers that's qualified to build home modifications for those with unique needs.
We are also skilled at helping homeowners get the most out of their bathroom remodeling budgets. At our showroom in Salisbury, we always have a range of different products on display such as Marazzi tile, TOTO toilets, and Woodpro bathroom cabinetry. The following is a list of just some of the bathroom remodeling services that we offer:
- Tile installation
- Walk-in shower installation
- Fiberglass crack repair
- Shower repair
- Bathtub reglazing
- And more
Contact Herl's Bath & Tile Solutions today to schedule a consultation with one of our very own expert bathroom remodel contractors. Whether it's our line of walk-in bathtubs or our collection of elegant wood cabinetry, you are sure to find the perfect items for your upcoming remodeling project.


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Meditation and mindfulness aren't easy. Most people quit, usually frustrated by problems concentrating -- the result of outdated, ritualized, dogma-based instruction. Here is a complete and practical guide that takes a groundbreaking new direction in the instruction of meditation and mindfulness. Over a decade of research at the Roosevelt University Stress Insitute has found that learning one type of meditation, meditation, or relaxation is not enough. Different approaches have different effects and work for different people. A balanced combination is more effective than a quick fix of one technique or ritual. In this program, the student first masters six foundation skills of yogaform stretching, muscle relaxation, breathing exercises, autogenics, and imagery. Then simple and fun instructions guide one through the adventure of developing a personally tailored relaxation and meditation program, one that is based on individual strengths and needs.Day Effects (Record at the end of the day) A few years ago one of my graduate students, Mia, conducted a study on two relaxation ... Often the most powerful effects of a technique were delayed and didna#39;t happen right after an exercise. Anotheranbsp;...
|Relaxation, Meditation & Mindfulness Personal-Training Manual
|Jonathan C. Smith
|Lulu.com - 2006-02
You must register with us as either a Registered User before you can Download this Book. You'll be greeted by a simple sign-up page.
Once you have finished the sign-up process, you will be redirected to your download Book page.How it works:


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Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Julien Stranger #14.
From the SMA days to his stint in the Underworld to Real and Anti-Hero, Julien has always been a favorite of mine. It's hard to believe he's been pro for over twenty years now. Of course since he's in his low forties and running Anti-Hero, the in-print on-board sightings become fewer, but Julien is always good for a great photo every so often. Take the Anti-Hero ad from a couple months ago of the frontside air in the bowl for example. His trick selection is timeless. Coupling that with a bit of necessary obscurity adds to the Stranger's mystique.
I'll be back on Monday with one more week of the year 2000. Have a good Thanksgiving and/or rest of the week.
Thrasher - February 2000 Volume 20 Number 2
5 comments:
- Sean said...
never realized how funny that first frame looks.
- November 24, 2011 at 5:32 AM
- Keith said...
yeah... I have the same sentiment about the first frame! How weird looking. Super big air though! Julian's awesome!
- November 24, 2011 at 12:24 PM
- Rifas said...
second pic at right top corner look weird, hmm... nice one thought.
btw: i (blog) walking throught the wrong path here :(
- November 24, 2011 at 2:51 PM
Hello. Stranger rips!
On last post's mention of the crailtap video: fuck those guys, basically. I just watched the trailer. I was sure that with the addition of Berle and Tershey (spelling, sorry) and also Alvarez as pro that they would move on from the chick music and slow mo. So bummed. Who cares about exposure levels and slow mo anymore? I have noticed a definite general shift back towards more basic representations of skating, i.e a more hesh aesthetic, but the trailer looks like a Beyonce clip. Watching Tershey in mega ultimate slow mo is the opposite of how he should be seen. It looks like a video clip by some non skating big wig director. Sorry, I'm just really disappointed. I really want to like Chocolate again, and I thought now, with their team, I would be able to. How, after the ridiculous hyperbolic production of Fully Flared (after which everyone who was cool quit Lakai almost immediately) can they not want to strip things back? Papplardo must be embarrassed. No wonder he is keeping a low profile. He and Berle and Tershey (Perez I know nothing about) and Alvarez are way too cool for this played out shit.
Thanks if you made it through my rant.
- November 25, 2011 at 3:58 AM
- Sean said...
Obviously nothing can be said about the video until the final cut, but maybe Ty has been confusing people being stoked on the skating in his videos for being stoked on the editing? Somebody up top needs to tell him...
- November 25, 2011 at 5:44 AM


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I pause, frustrated that I've forgotten already about this anticipated evening ritual, frustrated at the rush that pushes thankfulness aside and focuses on the urgent. Shouldn't there always be time for gratitude? Then, I stand thankful for the young one of my own to remind me of the important, thankful for time to give thanks, and thankful for so many blessings to record.
As the pen is passed and the leaves are chosen, we smile at one another's blessings for the day:
books and warm blankets
Pizza King
a brother and sister to play with
wipes in the car (to clean up The Princess when she cried so hard she vomited)
Small gifts, some amusing and some serious, fill our walls each November. And as the trees outdoors lose their leaves, our tree inside branches out.
Our hearts branch out too -- towards each other and toward the Giver of all good gifts.
For shared gratitude is the best sort of gratitude.
And the gifts go on. Praising a generous God for gifts #401 - #418:
gratitude lists of many kinds
people to remind me to give thanks
spots of color on my wall as evidence of blessing
remembering that giving thanks allows our lights to shine before men
a phone call with an old friend
pajamas with a pink tutu
Baby Girl's bowed head and folded hands
"1, 2, 3, 5, 5, 6 . . . " is the way she counts
family that are also friends
loving my husband more each day
a clean floor (even if only for a few minutes!)
a Sunday dinner without having to cook a thing
ladies at church who pick up my slack
movie night at home with my family (Toy Story 3 this time)
texts from my brother
a son who writes "I love you" on my to-do lists
A Giver who gives even when we forget gratitude


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"What is public theology?" I was asked this question during week seven of the "Introduction to Public Theology" course. It was one of those moments when you take a deep breath and wish that there was someone else in the room to answer the question. Twenty pairs of eyes looked my way and I couldn't help but wonder why the question came up in week seven instead of week two? And where was my co-leader with the PhD?
For seven years, I had been listening to faculty, students and staff talk about the seminary's commitment to public theology, but for at least six of those years, I wasn't sure I knew what they were talking about. It had to be more involved than doing theology in public. Right?
It's not. At least that's what I told the student who asked me the question. It's talking about God and doing God's work in the public forum. It's being straight forward about who you are and what you believe, with whomever you encounter in daily life.
The next question came. "Well, why is that important?" I wondered if it was a trick question until I realized the student was sincere. I took one more deep breath and hoped I would successfully make my point. Public theology is important because we aren't just called to do theology inside the church. We're called to go out into the world and share the good news of Jesus Christ.
I think he wanted a more complex answer or permission to just deal with the folks inside the building. But I don't believe that's how it works. All theology if it is going to be effective has to go public at some time or another. If we only talk to each other, we're only doing half the job.


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Children laying down,
broken, exposed and frail beyond comprehension.
Shadows strike within the glass,
reflecting the reflections of the tiny,
fragile souls,
up towards the sky.
They lay,
defeated, consumed
lost in the mystery of deception,
haunted beings,
screaming with no perception
of what happens next.
Locked and bound
to their everlasting demise.
The only memory left of them,
the one reflected towards the heavens,
where heaven is nowhere to be reached.
Their hands tangled into one another,
with the footsteps getting closer,
they pray to the heavens.
They pray to the only thing that can save them,
yet the prey,
the prey devours them inside the house of heaven.
The Children shrieking their confessions,
shouting at the haunted curse,
that took their childhood away.
The curse approaches them,
noises made like the sound of skulls
rattling and signaling,
the voices of a null, beast-like,
and unforgiving savage.
The clock is ticking
and the Children pray,
as the prey gets closer.
Skulls and bones.


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LePluDu took just a little break from the net.
I'm dreaming about a new spring time.
Need it for my drawings that are now just tasteless.
I started new year without energy.
That's not possible... and I also put on weight.
I fell like an older Bridget Jones - (without a teeny diary and ugly pink sweaters).
I met someone during my holidays.
I was walking after the traditional Christmas lunch.
Everything was so white and soft. My mother, inside, was entertaining her guests with one of her bizarre stories and I couldn't stop thinking 'bout job, burocracy and everythink you shouldn't think during festivities.
So I decided to go outside, even if the fireplace was lovely and warm.
Immediately I forgot all my thoughts. Quiet. Only my footsteps.
I walked far from all cars parked in front of the house.
And then I heard about a "piouuuuuuuch".
He was there trembling, scared.
A little robin bird, alone without his family.
And then I felt in love another time... with nature.
He joined our family lunch too!
He's gone away after few days, just like me.


text:
Who sported these adventurous tassel earrings on the red carpet last night?
The jewelry fan was none other than Meryl Streep, who made an appearance at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards and scooped up a "Best Actress" award for her turn as Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady."
Clad in all black and a navy scarf and navy heels -- leave it to Meryl to mix black and navy and still look amazing -- the acclaimed actress punched up her outfit with a pair of dangly tan tassel earrings with blue beads.
We think even Miranda Priestly would approve.
We're always big fans of Meryl's refined yet chic red carpet style, and it must run in the family, because lately we're also loving the sartorial choices of her lookalike daughters. Is it too early to put in a request for a family Vogue cover?
In the mean time, check out Meryl's outfit (and her fun earrings!) below.


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Date: 11/1/2011
Opponent: Rangers
Location: New York
Win: 2-1
Habs Goalie: Auld (W)
Opposition Goalie: Lundqvist (L)
Habs goalscorers: Spacek, Pouliot
Opposition goalscorers: Dubinsky
The play of the game lasted a while tonight, it wasn't just a few seconds. The net result was a goal, but the play was so much more than that, it was everything that led to that. On the ice were Plekanec, Darche, Pouliot, Weber and Spacek and they all did amazing jobs of attacking New York and at keeping the puck in. Each time that I thought the play was dead there was a player there to force a turnover and keep it going. I am sure, hadn't we scored, that this could have gone on for minutes. In the end a great pass from Pleks to Spacek and a nice move by Jaro had the puck going to the net. Both Ben and Mathieu then did great jobs at crashing the net and, so, the play was done!
Benoit Pouliot - Game Puck
Ben was solely responsible for the winner and played a very big role on the tying goal too. When a player shoots top-shelf, from the outside on one of the world's best goalies with the intention of scoring you know that his confidence is high. He does look comfortable out there and a promotion to Plekanec's wing was just what the doctor ordered as it resulted in two goals and a win.
Mathieu Darche
I don't think that Darche is a long-term fix on Plekanec's wing, but when it isn't going well with Eller, Kostitsyn or Cammalleri it is worth a try. Tonight he was the band-aid and the band-aid held. He did a very good job of supporting and contributing to the top line throughout the game; a line that took 16 of our 38 shots.
Tomas Plekanec
Pleks played a nice game tonight as he was certainly involved offensively - 1 assist, team-high 6 shots. He also led the team in ice-time and seemed to be in on almost all of our good plays. Maybe he has found new linemates, or maybe he just needed waking up. Either way we're going nowhere without #14 playing like a #1.
Jaroslav Spacek
If I was Spacek and I had just read that Topham was giving me a 'B' for the first half (lowest mark of the D-men) then I would be fired up. Now, a B is not a horrible mark (at least that is what I told myself throughout school), but being labeled as the worst in our group (or least good) must sting. So, what did Spacek do? He played one of his best games of the season, narrowly missing out on the game-puck. He was, surprisingly, only used for 16+ tonight, but I certainly noticed him when he was on. He made countless great defensive plays, scored a goal and was the only Hab to end at 2.
James Wisniewski
James was less of a standout than Jaro tonight, but with no one else really impressing me I gave him the nod. The main factors were the numbers and the fact that I never really noticed a screw-up (although not many players had many anyway). In all he led the team in blocked-shots (4), led the D in shots and hits (4 and 3 respectively) and picked up his 7th point in 6 games as a Hab.
Alex Auld
Could playing Auld really kill two birds with one stone? I think that it is getting to the point where we not only want Alex in nets in order to rest Carey, but also because he is playing some seriously good hockey. Tonight, in just his 5th start he picked up his 3rd win and bettered his numbers to .941 and 1.74. Price still deserves the majority of starts and his job is certainly secure, but why not exploit this unexpected strength a little more? Tonight he got lucky at times, but did exactly what a goalie has to do to win games on the road. The win (and regulation loss for New York) is very valuable and I anticipate it meaning quite a bit down the road.
No Camms, Markov or Gorges, but still we can be competitive, why? The reason is that no team is that great, no team is that bad. I have said it before, but it is worth saying again. New York is ahead of us in the standings, yet didn't look that great, did they? They looked a bit like us really - strengths, weaknesses, good spurts, bad spurts, just an average team really. Well, that is the point. The league is filled with teams that can win 6 in a row and then go 5 games wondering if they will ever score again. Prust, Sauer, Stepan, Boyle, Weise - these are all names that are comforting; it is comforting to know that other teams carry bad players too (Moen, Pyatt) and that other teams have good players who get injured and good players who can't score sometimes. Tonight was a repeat lesson that we'll always be in the hunt and with the right coaching, desire and execution we'll beat out those teams that are built remarkably similar to ours.
I thought that we played a good game tonight. Our defence was tight (apart from Gill at times) and Auld did what he had to. Our forwards applied pressure which, at the very least, limited New York's time in our end. Neither goal was that pretty, but who really cares, all that matters is the win and our remaining 39 games. We now have 51 points in the bag meaning .500 from here on in would give us 90. A bad finish would give us ~82 and a strong finish would bag us ~98. So, it looks like 5th-12th here we come (with the possibility of finishing 3rd thanks to the league's silly 1st, 2nd, 3rd rules) which means the usual February, March and April of super-stressful hockey is just around the corner.


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XP tweaks…1
April 28, 2012 Leave a comment
Hi friends…
In this series, we'll work on the XP(windows) tweaks…lets boom it..
1) Make the Columns Fit
Want to quickly see all the column in explorer without having to resize them individually? This tip does it for you.
Simple press CTRL + + (press the plus button twice on the numeric keypad), this will adjust the column width so you can view the info in each column.
This tip may also work with programs based on the Windows explorer interface. Try it out!
2) Setting the Windows Temporary Directory
Depending on which version of Windows you run, temporary files are usually stored in C:\WINDOWS\TEMP. This tweak shows how to move the location of the temporary file directory.
Open up AUTOEXEC.BAT with a text editor, it is normally found at C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT. If you're run Windows 9x it maybe possible to right-click the file in explorer and choose 'Edit'.
Add two new lines, or modify the existing lines if they are already there, as follows:
SET TEMP=[directory]
SET TMP=[directory]
e.g. SET TEMP=C:\GARBAGE
Save AUTOEXEC.BAT, create the directory entered above and reboot.
3) Modify the Duration that the Startup List is Displayed
This setting allows you to change the default 30 second timeout for the Startup List which normally allows you time to choose and boot an alternative operating system.
Using Windows explorer find the file called BOOT.INI on your system drive. Change the attributes of the file from read-only, by right clicking on it and choosing Properties, and then under Attributes, uncheck 'Read-only'. Then double-click on BOOT.INI and it should open in Notepad.
Under the [boot loader] section is a value called "timeout=". The number after the "=" sign is the time in seconds Windows will wait for a selection. Change the value according to the options below.
Set the value to the number of seconds between 1 and 999.
To make Windows boot instantly change this value to "0" (i.e. timeout=0).
To make Windows wait indefinitely change this value to "-1" (i.e. timeout=-1).
Save the file, and restart Windows for the change to take effect.
4) Change the Default Operating System
This setting in the BOOT.INI file controls which operating system the NT Boot Loader launches by default if none is selected.
Change the attributes for BOOT.INI so it is not 'Read Only', BOOT.INI is found in the root directory of the first partition. Then open the file using Notepad or another text editor (not Microsoft Word or any word processor).
Under the [boot loader] section change the 'default=' option to one of the operating systems listed under the [operating systems] section that you wish to use as the default.
For example, to load Windows NT from the first partition on the first IDE hard drive in the /WINNT directory the option would look like:
njoy the simplicity…….


text:
How do you deal with a market correction? We're experiencing a severe correction in my town. There are 17 resale homes on the market, at this time. That's as close to being VOID of inventory in a town as I've ever experienced. It's not a pretty sight.
What I'm doing is meeting with the new team members and coaching them on how to secure expired listings and fsbo listings. We'll be seeing both, especially the For Sale by Owners. When there are not many real estate signs visible, homeowners who need to sell are "flexing their muscles." Those muscles usually fatigue quickly, but they feel their oats at the onset.
I'm searching for land. We have three subdivisions secured, and one of them will go live in a couple of months. There are two going through approvals, and two new offers being negotiated. That's a total of 5 subdivisions that will be priced according to the current market with a few "loss leaders" to get them off the ground.
Those who have subdivisions will always have resale properties on the market. Those who search for land will always have subdivisions. The key is to keep the cycle going and not have any voids. The voids will bring a real estate agent to his/her knees in a changing market.
Just a thought to end my day….and I do hope to end it soon from a 4:30am start!!!


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Chapter 5 – The Million Bitcoin Question
Sergio did some research on Satoshi's bitcoins and published the article on blog
Sergio says "I estimate at eyesight that Satoshi fortune is around 1M Bitcoins"
Coindesk also published an article related to the same topic
One can check Satoshi's unspent BTC at Block Explorer. Keep clicking on the next block or previous block, all wallets with 50 BTC (U) unspent belongs to him. Start with Block number 1 to Block number 36285
What happened to the 1 Million BTC Satoshi mined?
The bitcoins are still unspent and the only possible explanation could be any of the following
- He lost his private keys to the wallet.
- He deleted the wallet accidentally during the development phase of bitcoin 2009-2010.
- Bitcoin was not worth it during that period. He did not care much about saving the wallet when he decided to quit.
- He is scared of CIA and thus deleted the wallet, when Gavin told him that he is meeting CIA on April 2011 .
- He still holds the wallet and saved it for the future as retirement fund.
- He is not using the wallet as he want to stay anonymous and do not wish to reveal his identity by using it.
- He still have access to the wallet but he did not care much to use it for himself because Bitcoin was more about a revolutionary break-through for him.
I quote Satoshi Nakamoto from the forum
"If you send to a recipient who has abandoned or lost their wallet.dat, then the money is lost. A subtle point can be made that since there is then less total money in circulation, everyone's remaining money is worth slightly more, aka "natural deflation"."
By avoiding his money (1 Million BTC) in the wallets, He is helping the bitcoin community.


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All Things Valentine
It's already mid-February, folks, and you know what that means? It's time to eat excessive amounts of chocolate again! But for those of you looking to indulge in something a bit more figure-friendly, treat yourself to some cupid-inspired decor ideas. Valentine's Day gets all the pretty colours, with its sea of pinks and reds and little hearts, so in honour of this short-lived celebration of affection, I present to you a collection of all things stamped with love.
Here's a crafty idea for a love-themed display that doesn't scream Valentine. Assemble heart-shaped cutouts from an old book (use glue or thread to hold the hearts at the seam) and place it off-centre in a pretty shadow box. For a romantic look, place the frame on some old leather-bound poetry books. Super simple and not season-specific.
For a more subtle approach to decorating with hearts, try an anatomical line drawing instead of a graphic icon. This silk-screened human heart sprouting flowers has all the elements of romance without the cheese factor. You can purchase this one on Etsy.
Perhaps you're looking to add some romance in the bedroom? Step away from those scented candles and reach for a real showstopper: this pretty pink duvet from Urban Outfitters. And if the cascading ruffles bruise your husband's manly ego, give him the plain side of the duvet!
If your weekend plans include hosting a Valentine's party, here are some ways to lend some love without reaching for the helium balloons:
During cocktail hour, use these burlap and linen napkins, also from Etsy, to keep drinks off your furniture.
Dinner time! Ditch the red tablecloth — these lace placemats from Urban Outfitters add texture and colour to the table.
I like these heart-shaped photo clips for year-round use, but place them on the table this weekend; they'll look lovely as cardholders.
Hosting brunch? Heart-shaped eggs should be on the menu! Don't limit yourself to eggs — be creative! These rings from Williams-Sonoma can also be used to cut out cookies, sandwiches, pancakes, or as a mould for no-bake mini cheesecakes!
This blog wouldn't be complete without a mouth-watering dessert from the queen of decadent food, Nigella Lawson. Don't be too predictable this Valentine's Day; spoil your loved one with this over-the-top, rum-soaked, cream-filled, coffee and chocolate-flavoured Rococoa cake. Kisses guaranteed.
Happy Valentine's weekend!
Photo credits:
1. Sarah & Bendrix
2. Pillow, Etsy
3. Corner Ruffle Duvet Cover, Urban Outfitters
4. Cocktail Napkins, Etsy
5. Doily Placemat, Urban Outfitters
6-7. Sweet as a Candy
8. Heart-shaped egg fry rings, Williams-Sonoma
9. Nigella Lawson


text:
Last week, I finally took down the snowflakes that have been decorating my bulletin board for months. After all, it was post-Spring Break. It was April. Leaving them up would be just asking for it to snow.
Apparently, Mother Nature didn't get the memo. I guess she didn't realize that I took down my snowflakes. Last weekend, it was 80 degrees. This Monday, it snowed. And, I'm not just talking a flurry or two. It snowed for two-three solid hours! It melted on contact, but still - snow in mid-April?!? Craziness!
Just last weekend, I was taking pictures of all the beautiful spring flowers at my parents' house.
|Spring Flowers
|Origami Letters to Students
They are origami, Easter egg colored, letters. Every January, I have my students celebrate Universal Letter Writing Week. I've blogged about it before, and it's one of my favorite projects. I truly believe there is power to a written note.
Since my Algebra 1 students were testing, I decided to write a note to each one of them - all 41 of them. To make life slightly easier on me, I wrote each letter on a half-sheet of paper. This made it easier to write a note to fill up the paper, but it made it a tad trickier to fold the note.
|Bundles of encouraging letters to hand out right before state testing
I didn't time the project exactly, but it took me between 4-5 hours to write and fold and address and pick out stickers to place on each letter. I watched live tornado coverage, a special on the Boston Marathon Bombing, The Amazing Race, The Good Wife, and an episode of M*A*S*H in the time it took me to write a note to each student. By the end of my marathon writing session, my hand was about to fall off! I had to alternate between writing letters and folding letters since they used different muscles. (I also shouldn't have waited to write these Sunday night for Monday morning's test!)
Since I would only be administering the test to one group of students, I wanted to be able to give a pep talk to all of my students right before they tested. I've yet to master the art of cloning myself to be in three places at once, so I decided to write letters that could be handed out by the test administrator right before they tested. This allowed me to be there and encourage them without physically being there.
After all, who doesn't like to receive a letter? I know I love getting letters and mail. I got the sweetest letter from a student earlier this month. It's now hanging on my wall as a daily reminder. I doubt my students realize this, but I keep all the letters they write me. When I'm having a bad day, it's an awesome thing to be able to be reminded of the positive difference you have made in the lives of your students. So many of them wrote me letters in January. It was time for me to write letters in return.
|Letter From A Student
(I love that she's a freshman, and she's already thinking about coming to visit me after she graduates!)
Note to self: when a student tells you that they ate cricket pizza at the state fair, don't mention that you hate crickets. Two of your freshman boys will fill an empty water bottle with bugs. You will get an e-mail from the science teacher warning you about said water bottle. You will think to yourself, it's okay. I know the bugs are coming. They're in a water bottle. These boys think they are going to scare me. But, it's going to be okay. The bugs are in plastic. They can't hurt me in plastic. (Can you tell I HATE bugs?!?) When they come in your room at lunch, you will remain calm. And, you'll stay calm until the lid comes off the water bottle. One minute, you're sitting at your computer, minding your own business. The next minute, there is a cricket in your face. Then, it's in your lap. Then, you're standing up. You're screaming and hysterical. The students eating lunch in your classroom find this whole thing hilarious. You are being videotaped as you threaten the student that he better remove the crickets from your room if he wants to remain living. He eventually acquiesces. The bugs are rebottled. The bottle and the freshman boys leave your room. The video is dubbed as hilarious and shown by this one student to every other student in the school who will take the time to watch their math teacher scream and go into a tizzy over a cricket. You hope that the video doesn't get posted on the Internet. After all, you did threaten the student. But, then again, he did shove a cricket in your face and drop it on your lap. Later in the year, you will laugh at this incident. But, it will take a while.
As I wrote the letters, it became clear to me that there were a number of students that I never formed that personal connection with this year. And, that's sad. Their letters were kinda generic, and they could tell. To all my students, their letters contained a variant of the following: "Good luck on your Algebra 1 EOI today! You've worked hard this year, and I am positive that you are going to rock this test! Take your time on the test. Answer every single question! Pay special attention to your positives and negatives! Check and double check your work! I've enjoyed having you in class this year. Now, go and show this test who's boss!" For some students, I would add reminders of things they often struggled with. For example, I have a few students who have a terrible time remembering the formula for point-slope form. So, I added a reminder of that in their letter.
The students in my testing session thanked me for the letters right away. I could really tell that my gesture meant a lot to them. Others who had other testing sessions hunted me down later in the day to tell me how much they appreciated the note. One student stopped by my room and said, "I didn't think I was going to be able to pass my EOI, then I read the letter you wrote me. And, I knew that I could pass the test after reading it. Thanks for the letter!" Then, the same student thanked me again when his class period came around. My kiddos deserve to know how proud I am of them! And, I need to make an effort to tell them that more often! Letters truly do make a difference!
I also treated my kiddos to peppermints and a last minute pep-talk before the test.
|Pre-Test Peppermints
I could tell that they were stressed. Algebra 1 is their first high-stakes standardized test. The state of Oklahoma says that they must pass the Algebra 1 test to graduate. They've been taking standardized tests since third grade, but this is the first one that really and truly counts. Though, if they can't get a driver's license without passing their 8th grade reading test. So, that's a pretty important test for them, too. I was stressed, too, but I tried to hide it. I'm not sure how great of a job I did of that.
Since I was administering a test all morning, my morning classes had to report to the gym. They were excited for this, but after a week of testing, hanging out in the gym has lots its appeal.
Earlier this week, I wrote that pass rates don't tell the whole story. So, I'm going to share my Algebra 1 pass rate this year, and then I'm going to try to share the amazing stories that the pass rate doesn't communicate.
I have 26 regular education and 15 special education students in 3 sections of Algebra 1. All of my regular education students tested on Monday. Some of my special education students have tested, and others won't test until next week. What I'm about to write applies only to my regular education students. I have yet to get scores for my special education students. I teach in a school district that does not have the manpower or resources to offer remediation classes. Every 9th grader is automatically enrolled in Algebra 1. There is no Remedial Algebra 1. There is no Honors Algebra 1. We have no Pre-AP classes. There is no Pre-Algebra. There is no Algebra Concepts. There is no extra Math Lab. We simply have Algebra 1. If a student failed 8th grade math, they take Algebra 1. If they made a 100% in 8th grade math, they still take Algebra 1. If a student isn't prepared for Algebra 1, there's no class to send them to. They get to stay. If I could change things at my school, this would be among the first of my changes.
22 out of 26 passed. Of course the math teacher in me has to convert that to a percent. 85% of my students passed. Last year, 90% of my regular education students passed. So. that hurts. One student missed passing by one question. One more question right would have changed his label from "Limited Knowledge" to "Proficient." That hurts. Another student who didn't pass missed 9 weeks of school. Still, I feel like I could have and should have done more to help her.
One of my students who didn't pass was the one I was hoping more than anybody else would pass. She moved into the district part-way through the year last year. She was in my Algebra 1 class. She tried to follow along with what we were doing, but she was so far behind that she never could quite catch up. She scored "unsatisfactory" on the EOI, answering only a fourth of the questions correctly. This year, she retook Algebra 1. She had our other math teacher for the first semester, but she ended up transferring into my class second semester. She still struggled greatly, but I could see glimpses of understanding. She worked hard. She asked a ton of questions. And, she decided, I think, to take charge of her own learning. When we were reviewing point-slope form, she would ask for more and more practice questions. The expression on her face when she got the equation correct was PRICELESS! I can remember thinking, "This is why I teach. These moments are the reason why I put up with all the not-so-nice things that come with teaching."
She worked hard during the EOI. She took her time. She did everything I asked her to do. When her score came up on the screen at the end of the test, she covered it with her hands because she was too afraid to look. I pulled her hands back to take a peek; I was ready to congratulate her on passing. The number on the screen made my heart sink. She had gotten just under half the questions right. The screen said "Limited Knowledge." She was oh so close to passing. Yes, I share in her disappointment. But, more than that, I am incredibly proud of her. Our instinct is to look at the score and say she failed. We should be looking at the fact that her score almost doubled in one year. Doubled! That's something we should be jumping up and down about. That deserves to be celebrated!
Instead of looking at my pass rate, I will picture the face of my student who went from Unsatisfactory to Limited Knowledge in one year. I think about another student who scored Unsatisfactory on her 8th grade math test. This week, she surprised herself by scoring Advanced on her Algebra 1 EOI. That calls for a happy dance! Her hard work paid off big time! This student and I started out the year as enemies. It was a hassle to get her to do anything. She would much rather talk to her friends and play on her phone than do algebra. And, we battled over this daily. She made it clear that she didn't think she was good at math, and apparently I wasn't a very good teacher because she still didn't understand. I bit my tongue and held back words so many times. Then, something happened, and she started participating. She started asking questions. She changed seats to get away from people who distracted her. She started pairing up with the students who excelled in class. Instead of copying their work, she would pick their brains and ask for help. Our relationship took a complete 180. When I would unsuccessfully try to quiet the class (something I'm working on!), she would yell at the class to be quiet so we could learn. Somehow, they would always listen to her. I can't tell you how many times I've heard her say, "Guys! We're trying to learn!" And, learn she did! (She also had my back when other students would say not so nice things about me. "Ms. Hagan, someone said you were a snob, but I stood up for you and told them that you were not a snob!" I kinda doubt that my students even really know what it means to be a snob...) Though, she still makes it clear that my jokes are NOT funny. That itself is funny because I have her sister in Algebra 2, and her sister thinks my jokes are hilarious! I also can't help but picture the three students who scored Limited Knowledge on their 8th grade math test and pulled off a Proficient this year in Algebra 1. They worked hard this year, and they passed. I'm so happy for them! And, I can't forget the six students who scored Proficient in 8th grade math and scored Advanced in Algebra 1. Growth happens when you push students beyond what they think is possible.
It's been a year with a lot of success stories. My freshman have matured so much over the course of this year. I was worried earlier this year that I hadn't made the type of connections with them that I made with my freshman last year. But, the connections and relationships came.
I'm already looking forward to next year. I'm thinking about things to change. Things to keep. Things to do differently. Things to stop doing altogether. As the rest of the year winds to a close (less than a month left!), I'll be sure to blog about my reflections and ideas for next year.
Thanks for reading this! And, thanks for giving me an opportunity to share the stories behind the testing. It means a lot to me. My students are more than the label given to them by the test, and, as a teacher, I am more than my pass rate.


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EDWIN LEAP, MD | PHYSICIAN | FEBRUARY 12, 2015When I was in residency, sexual assault exams were part of our training. We spent a lot of time learning how to ask the right questions, how to be gentle and empathetic, how to gather evidence appropriately and thoroughly.
While many hospitals now have SANE programs (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner), I have never enjoyed the privilege of working with one of them. I have, for two decades, performed sexual assault exams on my own.
In 21 years of practice, I have been in court (as far as I can recall) no more than three times to testify in a sexual assault case. That suggests to me that one of two things may have happened in the cases that involved me. First, the case was never prosecuted for any number of reasons (the alleged victim recanted, law enforcement felt the case was too weak, the story was good but the evidence was inadequate, procedural problems, etc.). Second, the case was prosecuted, and the evidence was so damning that my testimony (separate from the evidence gathered) was irrelevant. Third, the case indeed went to court but the story and evidence were so poor that no prosecution resulted, and it was deemed unnecessary to involve me. I am not of a particularly legal mind, so excuse me if I have missed other reasons.
I was recently thinking back to a patient I saw some years ago, who alleged that she had been sexually assaulted. And then I thought back to residency. And I remembered something that always troubled me. In residency, I recall being told not to comment, in my chart, on whether or not the alleged victim had been using alcohol or drugs. I seem to recall (and I may be wrong on this point) being discouraged from obtaining blood alcohol levels or urine drug screens. (In like manner I was told to note in the chart whether I saw live sperm in samples, but not to remark on their absence.)
Back to the case at hand: The patient I saw had been drinking copious amounts of alcohol and was clearly very intoxicated. While I saw her, and law enforcement officers spoke to her, her story changed wildly from assault by multiple men to assault by no men.
Now, I ask you wide and gentle reader, was her alcohol use relevant to the situation? When asked, "Who assaulted you and describe what happened," would her recollections be trustworthy? Would they be sufficiently lucid to possibly put a man, or several men, or a woman for that matter, in prison for years for what could have been consensual sex? And before you accuse me of sexism, remember that in an era of equality, both men and women are capable of sexual adventure as well as being capable of deceit and vindictiveness.
I believe that an alcohol level and drug screen was relevant. Not in order to punish someone for substance use, not to "slut-shame," but because like sexual assault, arrest, and prison are serious, life altering things. And because one's ability to recollect what happens clearly can be influenced by drugs.
If I were intoxicated and said that I had seen young man commit a crime, and if my story varied wildly with each telling, it would be evident to all that my impairment was an issue in terms of the validity of my testimony. I don't see how it can be any less in sexual assault.
Sexual assault is a problem. False accusations of sexual assault are also a very real problem. But covering up reality to attain a particular end, however gilded our intentions, is never the right thing to do.
Edwin Leap is an emergency physician who blogs at edwinleap.com and is the author of The Practice Test and Life in Emergistan.
from http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2015/02/relevance-drugs-alcohol-sexual-assault.html
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
"The relevance of drugs and alcohol in sexual assault"
3 comments:
- JC said...
The US Justice Dept recently produced the facts on record of rape on college campuses around the Republic.. its 0.5%.
Yet Obama, all college administrators and feminists are still telling the country that 1 in 5 college women are being raped and have set up Kangaroo courts on instruction from the White House to counter this near non existent problem.
In most cases brought before these kangaroo courts alcohol has been a factor and almost universally dismissed as a mitigating defence because it is assumed that the young men are responsible for any female intoxication.
I've often wondered if young Maori males suffer more court consequences from their stronger or at least more prevalent male/female drink culture.
- Lindsay Mitchell said...
"The US Justice Dept recently produced the facts on record of rape on college campuses around the Republic.. its 0.5%"
O.6% according to this article. Just 6 in 1,000:
Wendy McElroy exposes the shonky use of statistics.
"Fully 73% of the women identified as rape victims in the pivotal Koss study said they had not been raped. Koss deliberately dismissed them and categorized them according to her own perceptions and needs. Otherwise stated, only 27% agreed with Koss's assessment of their experience.
How does a researcher justify the unmitigated arrogance and dishonesty of dismissing data in order to fit an agenda? By claiming the participant does not understand the meaning of their own words or feelings ... but the researcher does. In an unskeptical Newsweek article (09/01/15), Edwards claimed that "the No. 1 point [of the study] is there are people that will say they would force a woman to have sex but would deny they would rape a woman." This statement was meant to explain the extreme discrepancy between men who reported a willingness to use force but not to rape; 31.7%, on which 1 in 3 is based, as opposed to 13.6% or 1 in 14. Edwards stated the conclusion of the 'study' as "when survey items describe behaviors ... instead of simply label[ling] them ... more men will admit to sexually coercive behaviors in the past and more women will self-report past victimization."
Footnote. I would be interested to know what definition of 'force' the 31.7% admitted to.
- JC said...
Over a number of years I bookmarked many sites showing the prevalence of false rape statistics in NZ and the US. These ranged from the original myth of only 4% of false rape accusations to media reports on police stating how often false rape was reported to numbers of men incarcerated for years but exonerated by retrospective DNA analysis to surveys of women who admitted (after the fact) that they had lied.
I formed an impression that in both the US and here that false rape complaints amounted to something like 15-50% depending on the survey or police chief comments.. thats the sum total of formal or informal investigation.
For example a police chief comments in Christchurch was that something like 80% of rape complaints made over a weekend were withdrawn the following week or a Palmerston North chief saying there were occasional epidemics of false rape complaints to formal US military surveys where women freely admitted that 50% of their complaints were baseless.
Couple that with the more recent rape blaming epidemic in US colleges where the email trails show women happily arranged meets with their alleged rapists and continued with friendly emails and invitations till the day they made accusations.
I don't profess to fully understand what's going on here but it seems that in a good many instances sex is consensual until it is a social disadvantage.. eg, when Mum or friends find out or the boyfriend loses interest.
Whatever, the Sexual Revolution appears to have run slap bang into a continuing conservatism of friends and family and rape complaints are sometimes a way of regaining support.


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Plug-in Hybrids are making news. What is a plug-in hybrid? Why should we care? Are our cars not sufficient?
Hybrids have long been around, using a variety of schemes to try and stretch gas, break dependency from gas, and to be more efficient. Reasons for this include environmental protection, independence from foreign oil, and cheaper transportation. The combustion engine has been around for over 100 years, and during that time, the principal still remains the same. Gas has long been the most efficient of these means, but the affects on the environment, price of oil, long term forecast that we are running out of oil have brought about a change in the way the automotive industry thinks.
Hybrid electric vehicles or HEV's achieve their high gas mileage through an electric engine, smart electronics, and gas. Some achieve over 60mpg, compared to their counterpart non HEV's of 25mpg. There are tax incentives to purchase these as well, making them an attractive option. They are never required to plug into the wall and for all intents and purpose behave the same as non-HEV's. They incorporate new technology to save fuel, use battery when applicable.
Now the push is on for Plug in hybrids (PHEV). These differ from HEV's in the fact that they are required to plug into a wall for re-charging. Currently they can get around 8 miles before requiring a charge, which takes around 2 hours. Not very efficient, not even practical, but it is a step in the right direction.
Currently battery technology is holding this back.
With Ford, GM and Chrysler jumping on the HEV/PHEV technology, it shouldn't be too much longer until they start making their ways into more homes, reducing our dependency on oil, and helping the environment as much as possible.


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Shanghai Overview Shanghai Travel Shanghai Shopping Shanghai Restaurants Shanghai Transportation Shanghai Special Local Products
Shanghai Transportation
shanghai subway, pudong airport, shanghai taxi-2010 shanghai world expo
Shanghai transportation is considered both convenient and satisfactory. As an international metropolis with the largest population in China, Shanghai will inevitably face the problem of overpopulation and traffic congestion. However the situation is currently somewhat better than in Beijing. To relieve the transportation pressure, the government has done a lot of work including constructing a large number of roads, subways, and opening more new bus routes. Now, the city has the world's largest public transportation system handling the largest daily volume of passengers.


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I've previously noted how hard it is to kill a standards project in the past.
The easiest way to kill a bad standards project is before it starts. But how do you know that a standards project is a bad one? There are a few signs that you can look for that mean you need to do more investigation:
- Does the project leadership come from within the consensus body or share the same values as it, or does it come from outside expecting the consensus body to adopt its values? If the latter, ensure that the values of the leadership are aligned with the values of the consensus body. If they aren't, investigate further. It may be that you are experiencing Not-Invented-Here syndrome, but it could also be a sign of a misfit project.
- Is the project one-sided or designed principally to benefit a single organization or type of organization? Do benefits of the standard accrue to only one of the consensus bodies stakeholder groups and not others? There's almost never a complete balance, but if both parties don't get something, it needs further investigation. I wrote about this idea briefly with regard to how HQMF can help take those costs out of the system 5 years ago. I find it interesting that we are still expecting EHRs to do the heavy lifting with regard to computation, but I also see many organizations centralizing that capability to make life easier.
- Is the project within the main area of expertise of the consensus group, or is it stretching the edges and would fit better elsewhere. This can be a sign of the proposer cherry-picking the consensus body that would approve the project. This happens all over. Sometimes it happens within an SDO, and other times it happens across SDOs.


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The other day driving down Gratiot I spotted this nifty Hulk paint job. Makes me miss auto body. Never got the chance to learn all about painting before I had to quit. Lately I've been confused as to what it is I want to do with my life. Circus arts, auto body, sculpting, phlebotomy, writing...can't I just master them all and make serious bank?!
Something on my bucket list I have yet to cross off is collecting old comics to read. Superheroes and villains have definitely caught my attention. More so villains, hehe. I've been asking the question Superman or Batman to pretty much everybody. The explanations I've gotten as to why the preference is quite interesting.
Who do you favor over the two, Superman or Batman?


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This is a pic of our sweet, sweet girls in the Easter dresses I made for them. Excuse the rumpled hair and unkempt feet, but I put them into the dresses to try them on at the end of the day just before they got into jammies.
I just think they have the sweetest smiles. The dresses came out very nicely, even though I am not a true seamstress by any means. They are made from embroidered pillowcases. I did the embroidery -- which took about four times as long as the sewing of the dresses.
I am so excited for them to wear them on Sunday. I love Easter....it is my absolute favorite holiday. I like it even more than Christmas. It's all about new beginnings and the abundance of grace. I appreciate Easter so much more since I became a mama. I don't know that I really understood the love that Christ has for me, until I saw it reflected in my children's eyes when they look on His cross and sing about His name.


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Rosemary Morris is interested in all things historical and organic gardening. New release. Tangled Love a romantic historical 27 01 2012 MuseItUp publisher
Wednesday, 26 August 2015
Rainy Day
Yesterday, the weather didn't look too bad but the minute after I hung the washing on the line in the garden it started to rain. I left it on the line overnight. Today the rain poured as though a monsoon had arrived. The laundry's still outside. Unable to finish tidying up the front garden, I made more plum cordial and mango ice cream as well as starting to tidy my office aka the spare bedroom.
Posted by Rosemary Morris at 10:04 No comments: Links to this post
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A grandmother who oversees the bus system for Broward schools keeps her family and friends close, very close.
Over the years, at least 13 of Lucille Greene's relatives plus six close family friends have found work in the Transportation Services Department, district records show. They drive and fix buses, type, file and plan routes, among other tasks. Together they earn about $500,000 a year.
Some of the staffing choices appear questionable. Greene's grandson was fired for various infractions in District Maintenance, including sleeping on the job, then rehired by Transportation. He now repairs tires.
And a granddaughter became a bus driver despite prior citations for speeding, driving with a suspended license, failing to comply with child restraint rules and leaving a child unattended in a vehicle.
How the Transportation Department's organizational chart came to resemble Greene's family tree is now of widespread interest within the school system.
"We don't know of any other department within the district where a director has so many relatives and close associates, such as godchildren and children of godchildren, working within their area of supervision," said Broward Teachers Union spokesman John Ristow. "It defies logic that having this many people working within her department is just a coincidence."
Shortly before Thanksgiving, Greene and her boss, Transportation Director Ruben Parker, were reassigned. The district launched an internal investigation of the department but won't say why. This week School Superintendent Jim Notter said the investigation was "too big" for the district to handle and was turned over to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
While FDLE declined to discuss the nature of the investigation, the union says there have been accusations leveled involving kickbacks in exchange for jobs, bus safety, sexual harassment - and nepotism.


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The Best of the Music & Art Scene In New York From A to G. Daily!
Posted by The G on November 6, 2011 under Street Art | Comments are off for this article
Photo by G.
Under lock and key!
Tags: 2011, Graffiti Sticker Bug, New York, Photo, Sticker, Street Art
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© 2018 According 2 G | All Rights Reserved


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Dear Great Pumpkin,
I am looking forward to your arrival tonight. I hope you will bring me lots of presents and some shrimp meal. Everyone tells me you are a fake but I believe in you.
P.S. If you really are a fake, don't tell me. I don't want to know.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Photo Finish
So, I go on safari for some fun, relaxation, and sight-seeing, when this guy comes up to me and says, "Hey, wanna race?" I tell him no and he has the nerve to call me "chicken." Now, I'm not sure what a chicken is but it sure didn't sound good. So I say, "Yeah, I'll race ya." Someone yells, "GO!" and we both take off like banshees. The whole race is neck and neck. I thought I really had it in the bag. But no, the photo finish says that guy won by a nose. Now, I ask you, what the hell is a nose? And, if I don't have one, shouldn't that guy be disqualified for cheating? Come on!!!!
Posted by JACQUES LE FEESH at 7:07 PM 9 comments:
Monday, August 17, 2009
I went to get my fortune told and you'll never believe what that gypsy told me.... that I will be visited by a tall, dark, and not-so-handsome stranger. Geez! I hope it's not that lagoon creature from next door coming to borrow sugar again!!!!
Posted by JACQUES LE FEESH at 8:55 AM 12 comments:
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Something Smells Fishy
Posted by JACQUES LE FEESH at 8:19 AM 6 comments:
Monday, August 3, 2009
I'm Back!!!
Boy do I hate it when the sand gets in between my fins. Yuck.
Posted by JACQUES LE FEESH at 8:54 PM 5 comments:
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Posted by JACQUES LE FEESH at 8:28 PM 4 comments:
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Extreme Weekend
Dudes, if I must say so myself, I'm awesome on a skateboard! I started off with a gnarly kick flip and then went into a wicked ollie. Then, from the quarterpipe I transied onto the vert ramp. Fer sure, that's where the trouble started. Some dweeb didn't wait his turn so I had to speed up to avoid him.......... Dudes, my speed was off the richter!!! Fer sure I wiped out mondo! I'm okay though. I had my fin pads on.
Posted by JACQUES LE FEESH at 9:25 AM 3 comments:
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Damn Neighbors
You know..... it's one thing to be friends with the neighbors in the lagoon next door, but for them to keep borrowing a cup of sugar........... Come on!!!!!!
Posted by JACQUES LE FEESH at 6:42 PM 5 comments:
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Hot Diggity Dog!
Posted by JACQUES LE FEESH at 9:52 AM 2 comments:
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monkey Business
Posted by JACQUES LE FEESH at 7:44 PM 3 comments:
Friday, June 26, 2009
Posted by JACQUES LE FEESH at 6:44 AM 3 comments:
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Posted by JACQUES LE FEESH at 9:03 PM 1 comment:
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Posted by JACQUES LE FEESH at 2:55 PM No comments:
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Posted by JACQUES LE FEESH at 8:45 PM 1 comment:
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
World, Here I Am!
It took a while, but I finally sprung for a laptop and am able to post my life for the world to see. Yeah, like you care! Now stop watching me, I'm trying to eat my dinner!!!
Posted by JACQUES LE FEESH at 6:53 PM No comments:
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NORFOLK NAVAL BASE — A Navy officer pleaded not guilty Tuesday to all charges related to his alleged sexual misconduct at the 1991 Tailhook convention in Las Vegas.
In a crisp, matter-of-fact hearing that lasted barely 20 minutes, 47-year-old Cmdr. Thomas R. Miller, assistant director of air operations aboard the Japan-based USS Independence, also chose a trial by ``members,'' a jury of officers senior to him, over a trial by a judge. Miller's attorney, Don Marcari of Virginia Beach, said after that hearing that he wants to see some fliers, Miller's ``peers,'' on that jury.


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Sunday, August 1, 2010
Jim Lauderdale: Patchwork River
I first heard Jim Lauderdale a few years ago on an album with Ralph Stanley's Clinch Mountain Boys (Lost in the Lonesome Pines). I really liked the album and Jim's voice and delivery on the songs. For whatever reason, primarily the fact that I never got to see him live and this was before I knew of independent radio, that was the only album of Jim's that I ever bought. I saw him occasionally on televised music specials and I would see his name credited as a writer or backing vocalist on other albums from time to time.
Jim has an new album out on the Thirty Tigers label called Patchwork River, and you can hear much more of his blues influences coming through instead of the country/bluegrass tendencies I am more familiar with. There's some soulful blues guitar backing Jim's great vocal on "Patchwork River", one of the album highlights for me. There's one chord in the verse that makes the song. There are also some traditional country songs featuring great harmony ("Between Your Heart and Mine") thrown in that make the album really listenable all from start to finish. Jim sounds right at home in this style, and if this is album is any indication of the sound of some of his past albums I've missed, well, I have a lot of catching up to do. You can listen to two complete tracks below and buy the album here. Check out Jim's tour dates on his website, and listen to his monthly broadcast concert Tennessee Shines.
Jim Lauderdale - Patchwork River
Jim Lauderdale - Winnona
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I was inspired by a friend of mine's recent experiments in abstraction, so thought I'd give it a stab with my digital fakery... eh?
Labels: landscape
a while back I helped out Tyler Kirkham by penciling some backgrounds for him. there were a few interior panels I did, and these 2 covers, the military tech in the top one and the buildings in the bottom one. of course they look a lot cooler after he brought everything together with his distinctive penciling style; the inks and color don't hurt either :)
good times.
drive by
was driving by the Great Salt Lake today on I-15 before going into work. there was this little sliver of blue beyond the farmland with the mtns in the distance. just wanted to capture this palette in a quick study this morning, and some FX to give it that driving by at 80mph feel...
Labels: landscape
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French Delegation Visits Penn Engineering, Establishes Research and Education Exchange
Penn Engineering hosted a large delegation from the Rhone-Alpes Region of France in order to explore mutual interests in research and education. Led by Jean-Jack Queyranne, President of the Region, the delegation included representatives from government, industry, and the region's higher education institutions. Their visit to Penn was preceded by stops in Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, where they were hosted by Pennsylvania Governor Thomas Corbett. After presentations from leading Penn faculty on research activities in nanotechnology, energy, advanced materials and education, several Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) were officially signed. The team also received a tour of Penn's new Singh Center for Nanotechnology.
This occasion provided the venue for Penn Engineering and the École Centrale de Lyon (ECL), one of France's leading engineering and technology institutions, to sign a MOU to formalize an institutional relationship. This linkage will give students and faculty from both schools the opportunity to share in the exchange of information and scholarly publications, develop and implement cooperative research and educational programs, and receive students and scientists from the partner institution for periods of study and research. Present to sign the exchange agreement were Eduardo D. Glandt, Nemirovsky Family Dean of Penn Engineering, and ECL researcher Sandrine Bec, representing Frank Debouck, Director of the École Centrale Lyon. This international agreement is part of a continuing series of program initiatives that supports the Penn Compact's commitments to global engagement and integrating knowledge. "Penn Engineering welcomes this opportunity to share ideas with new students and colleagues across the world," Glandt said. "We look forward to a strong and growing partnership between our two schools."
Penn Engineering and ECL currently have a research project supported by both the National Science Foundation in the U.S., and the Agence National de la Recherche in France. This collaboration is led by Robert Carpick, Professor and Chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, and Julien Fontaine and Sandrine Bec, research scientists from École Centrale's Tribology and Systems Dynamics Laboratory. The team is studying how to achieve low friction and wear in thin film coatings made of carbon and silicon, which has applications in automotive technology, aerospace components, and computer hard disks."This agreement will let Penn and École Centrale build on our successful interactions to create new opportunities for international exchanges and collaborations between two great Engineering schools," said Carpick. "I'm excited to move forward and welcome everyone's participation."


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This past week I have been poring over some amazing books that we purchased for our physical commons, many of which will also be available on Overdrive! These books mostly Canadian will invite wonder, encourage imagination and allow your students to start making and creating, and learning more about God's diverse world. They will also work really well to fit into our new learning outcomes 2016/17.
Elementary school
An Inuksuk means Welcome by Mary Wallace. A central image in the Inuit culture is the inuksuk which frames this lovely book in an acrostic. Readers will learn seven words from the Inuktiat language as they spell out Inuksuk. The richly textured paintings will have you in awe! K-3
Good Morning Canada by Andrea Lynn Beck.This book invites students to reflect on their beautiful country with gorgeous illustrations and multicultural symbolism. Gr 1-3
Journey by Aaron Becker. This luminous colourful book brings flights of fancy to any young reader. As students journey through this book they will encounter their own amazing adventure as the book does not have any text. Gr K-4.
The Legend of the Beavers Tail by Stephanie Shaw. This lovely story encompasses the message "pride goeth before the fall" as Beaver learns that bragging does not beget friends. Gr 1-3
The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires. This beautifully illustrated book is a wonderful story about the art of making, the process of project based learning and how growth mindset is so integral in the early years. I read this one with my reading buddies and they were all happy to go and MAKE something. Gr 1-5
Rosie Revere Engineer by Andrea Beatty. This engaging picture book tells the story of Rosie who dreams of being an engineer. Rosie constructs inventions from odds and ends and afraid of failure hides them away. But a visit from a great aunt shows Rosie that she does not need to fear failure. K-4
The Elders are Watching by David Bouchard and Roy Henry Vickers. This beautiful book created to enhance the natural beauty of our land and waters, brings a plea to respect the natural treasures we have been blessed with in British Columbia. Gr 5-7 and High school.
Pirate, Viking and Scientist by Jared Chapman. This inter-disciplinary picture book teaches science concepts in an engaging story as Pirate learns some fun terminology, creates a hypothesis and observes his experiment. Gr K-2.
Middle School
Fatty Legs and sequel A Stranger at Home by Christy Jordan-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton. These chapter books deal sensitively with the topic of residential schools and social justice. Both of these books inspire great conversation in the classroom, and are based on true life. Gr 4-9.
Hiawatha and the Peacemaker by Robbie Robertson and David Shannon. The true story of Hiawatha with enclosed CD sharing music by Robbie Robertson. The journey of Hiawatha as he moves towards peace is brought to life with stunning oil paintings and lots of details. With Hiawatha and the Peacemaker young people can as Robertson said learn about the real Hiawatha. And given that Robertson includes the fact the Peacemaker had a speech impediment, I think people within the special needs community will find this book an invaluable addition to their shelves.


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1. The thing I am most anxious about at Edina High School is the new people I am going to meet. I am anxious to meet all the kids from south view that I have hear so much about. Iam also very anxious to see and the varsity basketball and footbal players walking around in the hallways and maybe i ll get to share a lunch pierod with them.
2.The main goal I have for myself is to stay focused all year long. Last at the start of quarters I would loose focus and my grades would start to drift. I would hae to scrable just to get my grades back up to a C or B. A couple of year ago I won a acidenic award for haveing a B average but ever since then my grades have sliped a little.I think if I work hard all year I can stay at a B average or higher.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
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A Walk Down Memory Lane just got Heidi Swapp September Skies (it's in the Brick & Mortar store and will be in the on-line store very soon). It came in just in time for me to scrap the annual photos I took of my silly boys last month. This photo is what I'd consider an outtake, but I love how it captures their personalities: My youngest being silly while my oldest tries not to laugh.
This was actually the last of 3 layouts I made with this collection. I built the layout from bits and pieces I had left over. When I build a layout from leftovers, I often end up with lots of small pieces layered on top of each other to build my background, just like I did here. It's a great way to use up scraps and create a layout with visual interest.
September Skies is a bright, fun collection that is really quite colorful. I especially love the mix of navy blue with bright green. Since I have boys I gravitated towards the blues and greens in the collection, but you'll find shades of pink and orange in it, too.
I created my title from a mix of alphabet stickers and words cut from paper in the September Skies Collection.
While I created from leftovers, I actually saved this card to put with this picture. I knew it would be the perfect card to add to this photo of my silly, amazing, happy boys.
Thanks for stopping by!


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Novella Vogue
About a year ago, I got a bee in my bonnet: I was going to write a novella. I've written a couple dozen short stories and five novels, but I've never attempted the oft-marginalized, in-between story form known as the novella. I was a fan of the form, certainly—some of my favorite works by Stephen King are his novellas (The Mist, The Body, Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption), and one of my favorite 'novels'—Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness—is, in fact, a 30,000 word novella. So, why shouldn't I give it a go, I asked myself. It's a respectable and challenging literary form (in the words of Ian McEwan, "the beautiful daughter of a rambling, bloated ill-shaven giant"—the novel); it won't be as long or involved as a novel would be; but it would give me more room to move in than a short story might (full disclosure: I love reading short stories, but I find drumming up short story ideas and writing short stories to be a kind of torture. I mean, really, why would anyone who wrote fiction want to be so… so… brief?). As I do when undertaking any new literary foray, I took it upon myself to try and do some research to see just what other writers had to say about novellas—their pitfalls, things to remember when tackling them, how to develop and approach them, things to aspire to. But, I ran into a small problem…
Very little has been written on how to write a novella.
So, what is a novella?
Perhaps, before we go on, we should take a moment to define just what a novella is (for those of you not in the know). While the demarcations are fuzzy, the general consensus is that a novella is a work of prose fiction that is longer than a short story but shorter than a novel. While everyone has their favored numbers, the general consensus suggests that a novella seems to be between 15,000 and 50,000 words (that's quite a range, when you think about it). While modern publishing tends to discount and ignore the novella because the costs of printing are often not worth the scant sales such a brief work might yield (unless it's part of a collection by a writer who already has a strong following), novellas were, in the 19th and early 20th century, an important part of any writer's oeuvre: a work that, in the words of the bestseller Dan Simmons, "allows the writer—and, with luck, the reader—to breathe deeply of character, setting, theme, and unrushed narrative without the added pollutants of subplot, ancillary characters, chapter breaks, and the inevitable digressions which cloud the atmosphere of all but the most perfect of novels." (I really couldn't have said it better.)
In the days when most fiction was published in magazines, the novella was a sought-after writer's bread-and-butter, short enough to be featured in a single issue—or serialized in two or three—but long enough to make readers feel they were getting ample bang for their buck. To sweeten the deal, the form was equally popular in both high-brow publications ('the slicks') and low-brow ('the pulps'). Some of our most famous and enduring literary works are novellas, from Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol (about 30,000 words) to Henry James's The Turn of the Screw (43,000 words) to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's most popular lengthy work featuring Sherlock Holmes, The Hound of the Baskervilles (okay, Hound is 60,000 words, which is technically outside the limits I set forth above; still, 60,000 words is a pretty short novel, and some have claimed that novellas actually top out at70,000 words, so I'm going with it as an example). Other famous novellas include James Joyce's The Dead (16,000 words), Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis (22,000 words), Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (26,000 words), John Steinbeck's The Pearl and Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea (both about 30,000 words).
What do we know about novellas?
So, we've got a respectable form practiced by everyone who's anyone on the literary landscape, from old guard masters like Henry James to fantastically popular modern writers like Stephen King (who ironically refers to the novella as "an anarchy-ridden literary banana republic"). June is, apparently, National Novella Month (who knew?). If the novella is so damned popular among writers, why, then, is there such a dearth of material concerned with how to write them? Writers from Edgar Allan Poe to John Gardner have opined on the virtues of clarity, economy and unity of effect when composing a short story; and writers from E. M. Forster to Walter Mosley have offered us book-length works about how to construct and then beautify the complex architecture of a novel. Why hasn't anyone taken the time to address the no-less particular—if less-often practiced—discipline that is the novella? Is it simply because no rules or prevailing theories exist? Or could it be that great writers simply don't know what makes the puzzling but piquant form that is the novella so attractive when undertaken, or so effective when successful? Could it be that, since it is an intermediary form, the novella is something of a mystery? A mixed bag necessitating the clarity, economy, and unity of effect of the short story, couched in the load-bearing architecture and craftsmanlike accentuation of the novel?
That could be it. But that doesn't help me. I'm a conscientious writer who doesn't undertake anything until I've done my homework first. How could I even attempt a novella (I bemoaned) without first considering some prevailing theory on the hows and whys of its composition? (It could be argued that I'm just being too fussy and using a dearth of research as an excuse to avoid starting. I'm just going to ignore that suggestion in my best passive-aggressive fashion and carry on…)
Alas, all the bemoaning in the world—coupled with lots of internet searches—yielded me little of value aside from a number of blogs and essays either praising the form, or celebrating its current vogue status (writers continue to work in the milieu, and one small press publisher—Melville House Books—has an entire line dedicated to classic and contemporary novellas). But, as for how to's? Very few in sight.
So, in the tradition of any number of do-it-yourselfers, I decided that if notes and theories on the composition of the novella didn't exist, I'd just create my own. Below, then, is what I offer: what I've gleaned about the writing of a novella, based upon ample reading, some practice, and some interdisciplinary considerations. Take this primer for what it is, and feel free to comment upon or add to it.
It Might Be a Novella If…
The first question to answer is this: does the story I envision fit the novella format? There's no easy answer to that. Admittedly, you might only start to think you've got a novella on your hands once you've begun what you thought was a short story and found that it keeps growing, and growing, and growing…
But, nonetheless, there might be some indicators that what you're writing (or what you'd like to write) is suited to the novella form. Consider:
• Does the story have between three to five settings, or set-pieces (for instance: the sheriff finds that the outlaw escaped from the county jail; he follows the outlaw into the wilderness; they finally have a showdown in a box canyon)? A short story can't always support so many, and a novel can support far more. Thus, if what you're envisioning falls in this range, you might have a novella on your hands.
• Does your story involve a limited cast of characters? Say, three major speaking roles and only a handful of others to add some color?
• Is the emotional or psychological journey of a certain character at the heart of the story? Is your story, in the words of English professor Warren Carriou, "concerned with personal and emotional development rather than with the larger social sphere"? (To revisit my example with the sheriff—does the sheriff's pursuit of the escaped fugitive and final showdown with him bring about some sea change in the sheriff's self-image or worldview?)
• Does your tale require a slow burn to effectively reach its climax? A slow burn that won't work in the cramped confines of a short story, but that might bog over the course of a novel? A slow-burn tale of suspense with a powerful climax—think Algernon Blackwood's The Willows or Henry James's The Turn of the Screw—is ideal for the novella form.
• Is your tale best understood as an oral history? Put another way: lots of short stories and novels are told from the first person POV, with the vague understanding that the narrator is telling us about something that happened to them in the past. I've found, though, that the novella is particularly inclined toward this conceit: the tale told by a narrator who is, themselves, a character in the story, said tale being long enough to unfold at a luxurious pace, but short enough to unfold in one sitting. Thus, many novellas have this sense of being oral histories: someone's reminiscence of an important episode in their lives. While this is not a requirement, I would suggest that a tale that seems to cry out for such treatment might, in essence, be crying out to be born as a novella.
Now that you've decided that your tale is a novella, we move on to more technical considerations, such as—
Finite space
One of the most particular requirements of the novella is length. The novella falls within a broad but fairly well established range of word counts. It's definitely longer than a short story, and it's definitely shorter than a novel. When dealing with finite space, it behooves one to keep the plot focused, the subplots minimal (or nonexistent), and the dramatis personae limited. In this regard, one could see writing a novella as not dissimilar to writing a screenplay: you've only got about 120 pages of heavily formatted prose to work with in a screenplay, so you've got to make sure that every line of dialogue, every slug line of action or description, every scene and every set piece supports and encourages the momentum of the story. There is no room for long digressions about cetology or the whaling industry (Herman Melville!), no excuse for virtuoso run-on sentences that carry on for pages and pages (William Faulkner!), and limited narrative resources, making large, sprawling casts of characters hideously impractical (Leo Tolstoy!). No, like the screenplay, the novella should be guided by a single problem or central conflict; should remain focused on a small, manageable cast of characters; and should, at the best of times, adhere to the dramatic unities of a brief timeline and limited settings. Which brings me to—
—questions of construction! Screenwriter William Goldman once said that in screenwriting, structure is everything. I would argue that the same could be said of a novella. Whereas a short story can simply show us a slice of life, and a novel can sprawl about in a hundred directions across decades of story time, a novella should probably have a very definite through-line that unfolds in a very tight, sturdily-constructed narrative space.
A screenwriter's trick that I've long utilized when building story architecture is this: boil down the main thrust of the story into four simple statements.
• Who is the protagonist?
• What do they want?
• Who/what opposes them?
• What happens if they fail to get what they want?
Even if you eschew writing a formal outline, answering those questions and keeping them before you like a compass and map will help guide you through the wilderness that is your in-progress story.
If you want to go further, you might want to look closely at dramatic structures (three act or five act), or perhaps metanarratives like Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey to help you structure your novella before writing it. An especially effective form that might be helpful is Drew Snyder's Save the Cat! beatsheet, which was designed for screenwriters but which offers a narrative skeleton perfectly applicable to a tightly-plotted work of fiction like a novella. No matter what form you want to employ to help you in the planning stages, I would argue that the exigencies of finite space and narrative structure demand some sort of outlining before the writing begins.
Unity of effect
Beyond issues of space and architecture lie fuzzier atmospheric considerations, such as unity of effect. This is a concept first articulated by Poe, in his The Poetic Principle. Therein, the great master insisted that a short story or tale is most effective when it can be read in one sitting, and thus impart a unity of effect upon its reader: a concentrated feeling, supported by the tale's diction, syntax, atmospherics, and subject matter. While a novella may or may not be readable in a single sitting, it will be consumed over a shorter timespan than a novel, and thus, unity of effect should be considered. Per Ian McEwan, "the demands of economy push writers to polish their sentences to precision and clarity, to bring off their effects with unusual intensity, to remain focused on the point of their creation and drive it forward with functional single-mindedness, and to end it with a mind to its unity."
So, are you setting out to thrill the reader? To titillate? To oppress or horrify? To urge laughter or tears? While a novel can wring all these feelings and more from their readers, your novella will probably be more effective and pack more punch if it goes for just one overall effect and really sticks to it. When revising, take great care that every word, every sentence, every paragraph, every scene supports that single feeling. Want to make sure you stay focused? Write that feeling you're after—in a single word—at the top of your outline. Horror! Pity! Terror! Irony! Revelation!
Whatever it is, keep it foremost in your mind as you compose and then rewrite.
Okay, I've Got a Novella. Now What?
Well, that's entirely up to you. Chances are, no major publisher will care a whit for your intermediate-length work of genius because, as both Dan Simmons and Stephen King pointed out in their most famous novella collections (Simmons's Lovedeath and King's Different Seasons), publishers hate novellas, even from established writers. Sure, sure, literary lights like Ian McEwan and Denis Johnson occasionally get to publish a stand-alone novella, but generally, you're S.O.L. unless you've got enough novellas to fill a book-length manuscript, or unless your name is Stephen King and people will gladly buy copies of your grocery list.
But all is not lost. In the brave new world of e-books and self-publishing, it's never been easier to make your novella available for mass consumption at almost no cost to yourself, and very reasonable cost to your potential fan base (99 cents seems to be the magic number when it comes to pricing novellas). Thus, the novella is to writing and publishing what the self-pressed single or EP was to the indie rock scene: a handy way to reach potential fans, to spread the word on your literary intentions, and to test the mettle of your product in a cutthroat marketplace. You may not make enough from the sales of your self-published novella to buy a pizza, but isn't it worth it if you manage to attract a few more fans, or glean some feedback as to what worked and what didn't about your not-so-magnum opus?
So, what are you waiting for? We finally live in an age where a novella need not lie helplessly in a drawer for want of a venue, and tackling the form is a great way to put your writing through its paces and use all the narrative tricks and tools at your disposal. Getting writing, already!
(And if you're still wondering what ever became of the novella I wanted to write—well, I abandoned the first but finished a second. It's mellowing, awaiting a rewrite as we speak. Perhaps, when I dive back in to polish it, we can revisit the novella again and talk about some of the finer points of mastering this most mercurial of literary forms…)


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But still a lot of fun. There's no wind and no real waves in Sotavento/Fuerte at the moment, so instead of freestyling on our windsurf gear, we're ripping the waves in La Pared and started some improvisational photo shootings in our backyard.
We have hot days, long nights and awesome parties!!!
Fuerte Crew rocks!


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My local news covered a story this week about a Pittsburgh area mother who is being charged with simple assault for slapping her child's hand off her shirt after her child grabbed her shirt while shopping at a local grocery store.
The witness (and several others) called the police to report abuse and claimed that the mother could have disciplined in a better way and took the incident as abuse.
The mother, in her own interview, states that she doesn't see anything wrong with chastising her kids as long as she isn't leaving bruises or marks. In this interview, we hear the mother speak out and a demonstration of the slap in question from the accuser (I can't figure out how to embed it!): VIDEO
It's Feedback Friday...
Do you think this mother should be charged with assault?


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Soy sauce, it's omnipresent--in our kitchens, on our restaurant tables, even in our snacks. But how much do you really know about soy sauce?
The world of film has depicted the dangers of many drugs from "Mary Jane" and "horse" or "skag" to the esoteric consciousness modification of Videodrome, Strange Days and just plain jacking yourself in. John Dies at the End promises to be an object lesson on the dangers of seemingly harmless soy sauce.
|I'm waiting for my Kikkoman. $3.59 in my hand.
Kikkoman, Kimlan, it's more than a packet here or there--or even a bottle. Master Chef Martin Yan breaks down the vast Lee Kum Kee network that manufactures and distributes soy sauce on an unbelievable scale. Worse yet, the network has been able to respond to market demand with new varieties of soy sauce: Low Sodium, Chili, even "Panda."
It seems like a shake here and there, maybe a dish with wasabi adding a little piquancy to your sushi, but soy sauce overdose is not a pretty sight.
Watch what happens to a man who ingests over 150ml / 5oz of pure, uncut, high sodium shoyu.
Soy sauce does more than season your life.
JOHN DIES AT THE END screening times:
Sat., Sept. 15, 11:59pm: RYERSON
Sun., Sept. 16, 5pm: CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 2


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Residential Support Worker for Adults with Learning Disabilities
Salary: £9.00 to £10.00 + Sleep allowance
Flexible Shift patterns available
Job Type: Temporary
A fantastic opportunity to work with a forward thinking social care agency. You have the chance to make a real difference caring for various clients with EBD, complex needs and learning difficulties, including challenging behaviour.
For this temporary opportunity, we are looking for engaging, friendly, and calm individuals. Ideally you will hold NVQ Level 3 Health and Social care or equivalent but this is not essential as we can offer training, as the business believe in investing in their staff to help realise their full potential.
Temporary Staff registered with the agency can enjoy other perks such as discounted cinema tickets and shopping vouchers.
- Promote and provide a variety of appropriate and stimulating activities
- Be aware and alert to signs of distress or abuse, ensuring that the clients are safeguarded from harm
- Engage and develop relationships built on mutual trust via communication and active listening
- Observe behaviours & record significant features including routines and triggers
- Contribute to the planning and implementation of individual care plans
- Participate in reviews and meetings with relevant professionals
- Implement strategies of behavioural control with clients
- Where appropriate encourage the independence of physical needs
- Maintain professional development with policy, procedure and training
- Personal care may be required
- Work under current Government Legislation
Job Location:
- Worcestershire (rural locations own transport is required)
Preferred licences or certifications:
- NVQ Level 3 Health & Social Care
- Driving License with access to transport
- An up to date DBS preferably on the update service


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तुम्ही गेलाय या कटकटीतून...?
i am born and brought up in pune.i am regular reader of sakal. so i am finally coming to sakal for help. after trying all possible ways of registering my mobile and residence phone number i am not yet satisfied. like many others , i am disturbed by the unwanted phone calls on mobile from various telemarkaters throughout the day. thanks to some hope of national do not call registry.
i registerd on all possible websites and banks sites individually.
still i am getting calls and someone told me that its not yet applicable in pune. please help me out , i dont know where to complain. may be you people could enlighten this issue and find a solution. i am a proffesional doctor and am really getting disturbed by these bank/creditcard/ insurence/mobile co.etc calls.
i will be thankful to you if you could open up this issue.
dr shashank behere, pune


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Once again Labor Day will be rolling around, and here are 5 songs that I think reflect the spirit of Labor Day and why.
Allentown by Billy Joel really tells the story of the modern worker. We have been made promises, but nobody seems to be keeping up their end of the deal. While the song doesn't offer much hope, it does show how many workers feel. They feel left behind by the politicians, businessmen, and the unions.
My Home Town by Bruce Springsteen is a song about how the closing of businesses is towns is killing our small towns. Springsteen's lyrics talk about how you can see the changes in a small town just by driving through it.
Chain Gang The Pretenders
While this song wasn't really written for workers, it does fit the theme. It's about the loss of a good friend and for many workers in this new economy we've lost the stability in our jobs that we once knew.
Working 9 to 5 Dolly Parton
Dolly sings the workers anthem. She tells how hard it is to stay motivated, and how workers are barely able to survive on what they are making. But somehow they manage to keep their dreams.
She Works Hard for the Money Donna Summer
Donna sings about how even though many individuals don't see a person's job as important. The job is important to the worker. She sings about an individual who shows up and works hard for not much money. She is unappreciated and overworked, but she knows she's needed so she goes to work and works hard for the money.
Did I leave out any songs that are fit for Labor Day?


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Entertainment of Friday, 27 February 2015
Source: GhanaWeb
The Gorgeous Confidence Haugen, Chief Executive Officer of Aphrodisiac Night Club, has started saving money to replace her breast implants which will expire in three years from now, sources she confided in have told News One.
Confidence, currently 37 years old, had the boob job when she was 30 and reports say she was cautioned to replace them every three years. She suffered a few complications after the fist implant and had to jet in and out of Ghana a couple of times for 'specialist treatment' before the situation was brought to normal but with a stern warning that she can get them replaced every ten years. "One other thing Confidence talks of very passionately is the desire to have a daughter. But she says if she does not get a baby girl before she goes for the boobs thing again, then she would rather remain a mother of one," the source disclosed.
Though breast implants go a long way in boosting one's self esteem and can transform sagging breast into well rounded and firms ones, with erect nipples, they come with all sorts of complications if not properly fixed by a specialist.
The cost of breast augmentation varies. Some quack surgeons charge between $3000 and $15000 whilst specialist surgeons charge between $20,000 to $45,000 or even more. Normally, the cost depends on the caliber of the surgeon, the type of anesthesia used and where the surgery takes place. Sometimes, the cost of boob implants by a specialist may cost as much as $50,000 aside travelling and accommodation expenses. The treatment may however cost more if the implants are not replaced on time and complications set in. Out of an apparent fear of further complications, Confidence is said to be preparing to meet her deadline and that explains why she is saving towards the operation.
At age 37 and blessed with a 7-year-old son, Troy, Confidence still possesses the looks of someone far younger than her age. Her boobs though artificial, cannot be avoided by the eyes of any right thinking male adult.
They are well rounded, luscious and seem firm. Confidence has always loved fashion, glitz and glamour. She is a former Miss Volta and nearly became Miss Ghana in 1999. Her high sense of fashion, style and class is perhaps the first thing any visitor to her Aphrodisiac Nigh Club will notice. She has curvaceous waitresses who even seem more appealing when they stand on high heels. The clubs interior lightening and furniture have over the years remained the best in town.