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The patchwork design on this tablecloth isn't very good I know. I bought a fat quarter of each of the fabrics quite some time ago because I absolutely loved the colours and designs. I cut out the patches you see at the front and the back of the table but then realised I didn't really have enough left to do more with, so, as usual, it got put away. Occasionally I would get it out and look at it, wondering what I could do. Yesterday I decided I would just go for it and make it all up into a tablecloth for my kitchen table. That way it would actually get used up and I would be able to admire the fabric every day. The binding doesn't quite match the other fabrics but it's good enough - I'm not trying to win any prizes with it and I won't be entering it as an exam piece, I just want to enjoy it. (Not that I take exams in anything any more!!!)
Monday, 30 November 2009
Saturday, 28 November 2009
Winter Flowering Jasmine
This scrawny looking climber is in a pot and is growing up the fence outside my back door, what I like to call my back door patio area. All summer it just looks like bare twigs with maybe a few small, pointed leaves on it. Then suddenly it will start to flower. One day there is nothing then I'll look outside and it has these beautiful, bright yellow, flowers on it. It will keep flowering right up until the rest of the garden starts to wake up and it will go back to sleep again.
We thought we'd try begonias in the hanging baskets and window boxes this year.
Yes, the flowers were spectacular but the leaves soon ended up a tattered mess. I think this was because of the torrential rain that we kept getting, it battered these poor plants and spoiled the look of the baskets. Most years we have fuchsias in our baskets, tubs and troughs but we do like to have a bit of a change. Each time we get to the end of a summer when we haven't used fuchsias we always say that next summer we'll go back to fuchsias.
Posted by Ann at 10:05 3 comments: Links to this post
Labels: Garden
Thursday, 26 November 2009
My Stitching Chair
This is where I sit and stitch. I spend a lot of time in this chair, stitching and messing around on my computer. I love my computer and would miss having one. It's like having a huge library, anything I want to know about I can find somewhere on the web. I feel lucky that I have a whole room to keep all my crafty stuff in, though I could do with a room twice the size! I recently got rid of loads of stuff I knew I didn't want to do any more. Now I'm just down to stitching, sewing, card making and maybe, if I feel like it a bit of watercolour painting. I used to do quite a bit of painting but not very well. When I had my clear out I threw loads of my art away and didn't feel a thing! I could still do with a bit more organization in here, I'd love to have cupboards for everything so that it looks tidy all the time.
Posted by Ann at 12:45 5 comments: Links to this post
Labels: House
Wednesday, 25 November 2009
Baking and Stitching
My photography gets worse - think I must have a bit of a shake on just lately, maybe I should get a tripod for my camera. I baked shortcake again yesterday, a very useful item to have in my cake tin. If I make six at a time that means we have puddings for three days and none get wasted. If I make more than this we get fed up with them. This time I used the silicone muffin pan (can't call it 'tin' anymore!). It feels really weird to put this soft, floppy pan in a hot oven. These shortcakes turned out a lovely colour and rose really well, mainly because I used double the amount of baking powder by mistake and because the mixture was a bit dry I added a drop of milk at the end and didn't mix it in thoroughly. They were very light and fluffy.
I'm still doing freestyle embroidery. The light this morning was terrible until a few minutes ago and I struggled to see. I've got my lamp with the daylight bulb on and the ceiling spotlights but it was still a struggle. Now the sun has come out and it's much better. This time I'm stitching what vaguely looks like cow parsley/Queen Anne's Lace, or even giant hog weed. It'll be made up into another little pouch. I love making these pouches, the bigger ones are useful for storage, the small ones are mainly made because I just like them. I have several of them, big and small, scattered around my craft room and bed room. There are several scattered around the world too!!! I love the thought that my work is in so many countries.
Posted by Ann at 10:34 1 comment: Links to this post
Monday, 23 November 2009
Embroidered Garden
I'm in the mood for a bit of freestyle embroidery. My favourite is flowers and I've stitched several variations of the little garden scene you can see on this pouch.
I can't get a decent close up that shows the detail, probably my camera but more likely my photography skills. I wanted to show what stitches I'd used, all there is on here is mostly straight stitching and French knots, with the occasional detached chain stitch - easy. I find this kind of embroidery really quick to do and, as I've said before, I usually stitch on calico. I have got some proper silk fabric that I keep meaning to use but when I decide to do freestyle I just grab a bit of available fabric and stitch, then afterwards wonder why I didn't get some of the silk out to do it on. I don't use a hoop or a frame while I'm stitching. It's kind of like doodling with needle and thread. Have a go and just stitch, you'll be surprised at the result. Don't worry about being perfect and don't unpick anything. Start off with some stems and add French knots, then embellish from there with a few scattered stitches.
Posted by Ann at 17:02 2 comments: Links to this post
Sunday, 22 November 2009
Is It Lost?
This was mailed two weeks ago, so it's either lost in the post or not acknowledged - I think I would rather it be lost than not acknowledged!!! If it is lost it doesn't make any difference that I show it on my blog because the recipient won't be receiving it anyway. Oh well, never mind.
Look at this poor little dog, he's got to lie on a plastic bag - aaaahhh! Dogs certainly know how to make you feel guilty, he wanted to sit on my knee but I was stitching at the time and it's very difficult to stitch with a dog on my knee, I know because I've tried it. You should see him when he curls up on a small carrier bag, it's really pathetic then. There are four dog beds for his convenience around the house but if they aren't within two inches of where I sit he insists that he has to sit on me.
Posted by Ann at 09:08 5 comments: Links to this post
Friday, 20 November 2009
A Mouse
Using the same humbug shape as the chicken, I made this mouse. So far I've made pincushions, bags, Christmas decorations, chickens and now a mouse from the same pattern. Now that is what I call a versatile pattern! If the battery on my camera didn't run out so quickly I'd make a tutorial for my blog like some generous bloggers do. I wish I had a camera that I could recharge on a plug-in charger, but I haven't. Batteries that you can charge are next to useless too, a couple of pictures and they run out. If anyone knows of good batteries that you can charge let me know.
I'm not sure what I'll be doing today. We are waiting in for a spotter scope to be delivered. You can guarantee that if we go out for five minutes it will arrive and we'll have to arrange for it to be delivered another day. We've got binoculars but I've always fancied a spotter scope. Graham did a lot of surfing the web looking for bargains (I think this is a hobby of his but he doesn't realise it, he's a much better shopper than I am). We did order the same scope from another company and when it hadn't arrived after about a week he phoned them. They were out of stock and hadn't let us know - I just hate it when that happens. We might go to Willington tomorrow, depending on the weather.
Posted by Ann at 10:48 1 comment: Links to this post
Thursday, 19 November 2009
Swap News And Other Stuff
I had to borrow the pictures of this extremely tasty Damson Chutney from Nipitinthebud because I forgot to take a picture of it immediately and we ate is so quickly it was all gone in no time.
I'm not a chutney lover but this was just perfect for me, not too sharp and vinegary like some chutneys can be, or completely tasteless like an expensive bought one we had. We ate it with soda bread and cheese but it was gorgeous just on it's own with the bread. I recommend this chutney if Nipitinthebud ever sells it!!!
I'm still in my Christmas decoration making mood. The recent humbug swap I'm in started me off making humbug shaped chickens, bags and now bowl fillers. First I used the printed panel I bought then I decided to try this shape with other designs of Christmas fabric. I'm pleased with how many home made decorations I've made so far this year. The cats in the picture were made a couple of years ago, I think they look good with the other stuff in this basket.
Posted by Ann at 10:22 1 comment: Links to this post
Wednesday, 18 November 2009
First Swap Received
Mangocheeks at Allotment 2 Kitchen sent me this delicious mulled wine plum jam in exchange for a chicken in a bag - that was quick wasn't it!!! As soon as I'd unwrapped it Graham had to try it, he mostly said "mmmmmm" so you can imagine, he loved it. I was going to have some with bread but decided that it would do very nicely as part of our desert this evening and served it with a frangipane tart and ice cream, gorgeous!
I've got the packaged chicken and bag ready to be posted tomorrow, I wonder if it will be welcome in it's new home?
Posted by Ann at 18:58 3 comments: Links to this post
Monday, 16 November 2009
Fancy A Swap Anybody?
Chicken in a bag looking for a new home!!!
In fact I have several of these chickens, so if you fancy a swap I'm up for it. It doesn't have to be sewing related either. What have you got that you could swap? Email me email@example.com
The weather is terrible this morning, the wind is howling and the rain is rattling against the windows, what better way to spend the day than sewing. What do you do when you can't get out and about?
Posted by Ann at 08:10 4 comments: Links to this post
Sunday, 15 November 2009
Lovely Stuff
I know I shouldn't but I just can't stop myself. I went to Leicester today because it was the open weekend at The Fabric Guild. There are other shops selling fabric in my area but none can beat the good old Fabric Guild for variety and price. The two large pieces above were only £3.75 for 3 yards and the fat quarters ranged in price from 60p to £1.75. Fat quarters are usually at least £2.50 in most places. I've got no idea what any of this fabric is for but I know that one day it will all be just perfect for some project or other.
I couldn't come away without some calico, 5 yards for £10. I use tons of this stuff so I must always make sure I have plenty in stock. It's great for so many things, linings, adding to fancy fabric as a contrast, embroidering on and just on its own, I love it made into a bag or sachet with lace and filled with lavender. Then there are the printed fabric panels, I like the ones that have the designs in squares as show above. This way I can cut out individual designs for all sorts of projects - £2.50 per panel. Last but not least I buy my sewing machine thread. I like their polycotton, a very economical thread at 60p, I don't know how many yards of this I must use in a year!
Posted by Ann at 15:33 2 comments: Links to this post
Friday, 13 November 2009
Soda Bread
We're having salad for tea today so I've made some soda bread to go with it. This size loaf is just right for us, the full size one always gets wasted.
150g wholemeal flour ( I used rye flour as I didn't have wholemeal)
150g plain flour
1teaspoon baking powder
half teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 tablespoon caster sugar
half teaspoon salt
1 egg
200 ml yoghurt
Mix dry ingredients together. Mix egg with the yoghurt then combine well with the dry ingredients. Knead on a lightly floured surface for a few minutes then shape into a round. Place dough onto a baking tray and mark a cross on the top of the dough.
Bake for 35 minutes at 190C/375F/gas mark 5
Posted by Ann at 17:13 2 comments: Links to this post
Wednesday, 11 November 2009
Chocolate Cake
This cake is from a new recipe I wanted to try. It's rather dry in my opinion but still nice, I do like a very moist cake.
200g (7oz) Self Raising Flour
225g (8oz) Caster Sugar
half a teaspoon Salt
25g (1oz) Sieved Cocoa Powder
100g (4oz) Butter or Margarine, softened
5 tablespoons Evaporated Milk
3 Eggs. beaten
5 tablespoon Water
few drops Vanilla Essence
Heat oven to 180C, 350F, gas 4 and prepare two 8 inch sandwich cake tins.
Mix all dry ingredients together, add butter/margarine, eggs, evaporated milk, water, vanilla essence and beat for about two minutes using an electric hand mixer.
Divide between the two sandwich tins and bake for 35 minutes.
60g (2.5 oz) Butter, softened
1 tablespoons sieved Cocoa Powder
250g (9oz) Sieved Icing Sugar
3 tablespoons Hot Milk (I used evaporated milk)
Half teaspoon Vanilla Essence
Put all ingredients into a bowl and mix well together until combined. Use to sandwich cake together and spread over the top.
Posted by Ann at 19:59 1 comment: Links to this post
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
One Of Those Days
I just can't get myself going today. Don't know if I'm just tired or if I've got a bit of a cold. On Sunday I shared a stall at a craft fair with a friend. We've had a stall at this venue several times this year. It is a total waste of time!!! I did manage to get the stall fee back plus a couple of quid over. Think I'll stick with swapping and giving gifts, so look out for items next year.
I finished this Christmas decoration yesterday evening. I didn't do the cross-stitch, have I mentioned before that Graham does fabulous cross-stitch? Can't remember. Anyway, about twelve years ago he wanted a new hobby and said that he remembered his grandfather doing some sort of stitching and wondered about having a go himself. Well he really took to it, first of all doing needlepoint but then trying cross-stitch. Now his work would win prizes I'm sure. It is so neat, back and front. And the projects he does are usually huge. He does the cross-stitch and I will make this sort of design into, for instance, a hanging.
Sorry about the poor photography.
We had hoped to get into the garden and do some clearing up and planting but neither of us have felt much like it. We did clear the sweet corn and runner beans from the raised bed. The sweet corn did fairly well considering the terrible summer weather we had. The cobs weren't as well formed as they should have been but at least we got some. It was supposed to be baby sweet corn but turned out much bigger than I expected.
Posted by Ann at 11:29 3 comments: Links to this post
Saturday, 7 November 2009
Best Friends
The other day I mentioned that I had a photo album of my dogs but I also have lots of pictures not in albums. The pictures here were taken about fourteen years ago. Jack the Manchester terrier (deceased), Doobry toy apricot poodle and Perkins a blotched tabby cat (deceased). They all got on really well and would often sit together - the cat was in charge of course.
We would often end up all sitting together like this, Perkins always had first choice of where to sit, then Jack, then Doobry. I had no choice!!!
If I wasn't available to sit on these two would lie on the floor.
I have lots of pictures of my first two dogs that I will show another day.
While I was looking at these pictures it reminded me of how much work we were doing on the house at that time.
Graham working on the kitchen, what a mess! It nearly drove us round the bend.
Me cutting out the wall to make a doorway for the new, upstairs, bathroom.
The stud wall we built when we converted part of a bedroom for the bathroom. Apart from plumbing we did all this sort of work ourselves.
The house is now nothing like it was when we first lived here. We've done a lot of work on it. It was built in 1908 so takes quite a bit of maintenance. When we moved here it had been 'modernized' quite badly so needed a lot of work doing. We put the bathroom upstairs and changed the downstairs bathroom to a wc and laundry room and moved an internal wall so that there is an annexe to the kitchen for my fridge/freezer and further storage cupboards, replaced all the windows and external doors, replaced the floor boards in the main bedroom and built fitted cupboards and wardrobes, installed central heating, replaced the roof and did tons of other stuff. I still don't count it as finished though. Currently we have a problem with a leak over the bay window, I think rain is getting between the rendering and the bricks (why it was rendered I'll never understand). What attracted me to this particular house was that it had a proper entrance hall, the kitchen was big compared to a lot of houses of this type and the size of the garden. The garden is one of those really long, narrow types, it's split into several sections, the back door patio then a gravelled area where my greenhouse is, a slabbed patio, a lawned area with flower borders and old apple tree, the shed and garage area, then my veg plot area. Also it is a few minutes walk from a fairly decent shopping area and our doctor is about two minutes walk away. There is a very good bus service too. All in all it's a great place to live.
Posted by Ann at 09:59 4 comments: Links to this post
Labels: House
Wednesday, 4 November 2009
50 Days to Christmas
Once the clocks go back I start looking forward to Christmas. I've got everything ready for the Christmas swap I'm in, plus an extra set for myself. I've got one more of the gift bags to finish then I can decide what my next Christmas project will be.
Join me for a cup of tea and a cake!!! I'm still practising my cup-cake skills. The piping is looking better and the chocolate truffle centres worked better than the Rolo centres. I think the piping still needs refining, I can't seem to get the icing right to the edge. I bought some blue glitter to sprinkle on them too but I don't know if I like the look of it, I just sprinkled a few with it and when I opened the cake tin I panicked, for a minute it looked like mould!!!
I enjoy reading other people's blogs and love the ones with pictures and writing. That got me wondering why I do my blog. Several years ago I had an online picture album but the provider did away with them, probably switched it to another option, I can't remember. So, I think my main reason for doing a blog is to have a picture record of what I do. We've got tons of photos hanging around our house that never get looked at. I have a photo album of Colin from when he came home from hospital to the age of about two. I have a little album of the dogs I've had and Graham has one of his walking adventures. Also, I make such a lot of things that I forget what I've made so a blog is a good way for me to keep a record. I've never been one to keep a diary either, I tried a few times but quickly gave up, somehow typing out my blog is much easier.
Join me for a cup of tea and a cake!!! I'm still practising my cup-cake skills. The piping is looking better and the chocolate truffle centres worked better than the Rolo centres. I think the piping still needs refining, I can't seem to get the icing right to the edge. I bought some blue glitter to sprinkle on them too but I don't know if I like the look of it, I just sprinkled a few with it and when I opened the cake tin I panicked, for a minute it looked like mould!!!
I enjoy reading other people's blogs and love the ones with pictures and writing. That got me wondering why I do my blog. Several years ago I had an online picture album but the provider did away with them, probably switched it to another option, I can't remember. So, I think my main reason for doing a blog is to have a picture record of what I do. We've got tons of photos hanging around our house that never get looked at. I have a photo album of Colin from when he came home from hospital to the age of about two. I have a little album of the dogs I've had and Graham has one of his walking adventures. Also, I make such a lot of things that I forget what I've made so a blog is a good way for me to keep a record. I've never been one to keep a diary either, I tried a few times but quickly gave up, somehow typing out my blog is much easier.
Posted by Ann at 09:22 4 comments: Links to this post
Monday, 2 November 2009
Our Garden
During the summer I took quite a few pictures of our flower garden. Graham is in charge of this area, I'm in charge of the vegetable plot. Because he was in hospital and was very ill, I took pictures to show him when I visited in the hope that it would encourage him.
This is the area near our shed, this year the geraniums didn't do well at all, it was just too wet.
This tub was my favourite, a couple of weeks after taking this picture it was even more beautiful.
The scented stocks in this picture were a much brighter colour than shown here. At the back of them is a laurel, it was supposed to be just a small bush but grew so much we pruned it into a tree shape. Each year a bird nests in it, I think it is probably a dunnock but it might be a blackbird, I don't poke around too much so as not to frighten whatever bird it is. I know that dunnocks live in the hedge just here.
We planted this up this year and it started to fill out really quickly.
I can't remember the name of this plant. The perfume from it fills the surroundings, it's been in this planter for several years now and has survived the winters.
Even though it was a very wet summer all the plants did well and we had some beautiful displays.
One picture of my veg plot, this is a raised bed and is crammed with plants each year. There are three other raised beds that we didn't do much with this time. We've got big plans for them next year!!!
Posted by Ann at 09:58 3 comments: Links to this post
Labels: Garden
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Time wimped out and made Putin their Person Of The Year. All the right wing media in the U.S. is whining that it should have been Petraeus. But good old Bill O'Riley on Fox last night let the cat out of the bag. The real reason for Time's choice was that they made a choice of the lesser of two evils the real POTY should have been; Al Gore. But that would have driven the American rightwhingnuts even battier.
And Time's Canadian 'Person of the Year' was not a person but a coin; the Loonie. And again that was the lesser of two evils because their real POTY should have been Dion. After all they gave it to Harper last year. And because it has been annus horribulus for the Liberal Leader in Waiting, he should have made Times cover. After all the Liberals adopted a bird as their symbol this year.
Find blog posts, photos, events and more off-site about:
Putin, Russia, Al Gore, Time Magazine, Canada, Person of the Year, Stephane Dion, Liberals, Petraeus,

subset: commoncrawl


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WOW! Another week has flown by and it is time for the Paper Players Challenge! Ann is the hostess this week and she has a trio of Fall hues for us!
Hello Honey, Mossy Meadow and Tangelo Twist are the colors for the challenge this week! We can't wait to see all your wonderful creations! Please stop by each Design Team Members' Blogs to see their wonderful projects!
Please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts. I always love to hear from you!
If you have any questions on my card, please contact me at: Claire.
I would love to be your Stampin' Up! Demonstrator. Let me know if I can help you in any way!
One of the highlights of the week was attending the Disney Frozen on Ice Show in Atlanta yesterday with Miss Addison (Elsa) and Miss Victoria (Anna), I just couldn't resist sharing a few pictures with all of you!


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(Adapted with permission from the March 21, 2013 statement by Hopewell Township Planning Board member Lawrence Clarke preceding his "No" vote on a joint redevelopment)
In 2002, Hopewell Township adopted a governing Master Plan "dedicated to preserving, protecting and enhancing Hopewell's natural and cultural resources." Elected officials expended great resources enforcing those principles and defending strict, science-based zoning that recognized what the land could handle.
Fast-forward to the present. The Township Committee is on the verge of partnering with a private landowner to create the largest subdivision Hopewell has seen in many, many years, on rural land with no existing water or sewer service. The plan would create a brand-new "light-industrial hamlet" of 350 single-family homes, townhouses, and apartment units, plunked between the historic boroughs of Pennington and Hopewell, abutting a tributary of the Stony Brook.
What changed?
Proponents of the plan say it will help fulfill Hopewell Township's affordable housing obligations. They say it makes sense to pool property owned by a private landowner, Kooltronic, with township-owned land in the area known as Marshall's Corner. A partnership, they argue, will allow affordable units to be mixed with market-rate housing. Kooltronic says it has the right to build 255 units on its land under a court settlement. Ideally, a joint project would give the township a say in the character of that development.
Unfortunately, trying to balance the goals of a private landowner with those of the township could have severe unintended consequences. The township has adopted guiding principles aimed at limiting growth. Kooltronic has a stated goal of pursuing maximum development. It has already sued the township once to achieve that end.
As a member of Hopewell Township's planning board tasked with assessing the joint redevelopment plan, I've been watching this balancing act up close. The signs have not been encouraging:
— We have already heavily subsidized the cost for a developer to build high-density residential development in our township.
The proposed plan has cost taxpayers more than $200,000 so far in fees for consultants—a cost that would normally be borne by a developer. That's on top of more than $6 million that the township paid for the former Pennytown property across from Kooltronic's land.
We have a special planner who has defended a plan for dense, large-scale development geared toward the developer's goal of marketability, despite the conflicting goals of our Master Plan. Based on powerful redevelopment authority that would eclipse current zoning, the paid consultants came out of the gate with a plan that included 365 housing units – 40 more than the court-imposed maximum allowed for Kooltronic's land plus the 70 affordable housing units originally envisioned for the Pennytown site.
–The density of the proposed development far exceeds what would result from the township and Kooltronic developing their land independently.
The hamlet zoning created by the township's 2005 settlement with Kooltronic contains some costly tradeoffs in exchange for the high density allowed. It includes a requirement that Kooltronic preserve substantial open space elsewhere in the township to offset any large-scale development. It also mandates on-site open space preservation, and it requires the developer to solve the logistical puzzle of providing fresh water and wastewater service.
In the absence of the township partnership deal, what can Kooltronic really build?
–The extent of the township's affordable housing obligations is unclear, yet its counsel insists that it should proceed as if the old rules apply.
The fate of New Jersey's Council on Affordable Housing is currently being weighed by the state's Supreme Court. The goal of building affordable housing is laudable, but it's foolish to move forward on a major development based on COAH requirements that are in limbo. COAH has been very lucrative for land-use attorneys and municipal planners, but it's been terrible as a public policy tool aimed at making home ownership affordable and equitable in New Jersey.
–-Much of the planning process has aimed at making the proposed project economically feasible, instead of defending and supporting "building only what the land will support."
When a hired engineer found that the site was not well suited for high-density residential housing, we ordered additional drilling and water testing that finally produced a report filled with mixed signals, caveats, and disclaimers. We paid for a financial impact assessment that predicted negligible effects on the school district–even though the quality of local schools would likely be the development's greatest attraction—and buried the observation that the project is not even fiscally feasible at this time.
Finally, township officials have acknowledged that they could waive Kooltronic's open space preservation requirements as part of a joint development project.
How many more compromises will the township be forced to make as we try to balance our interests as stewards of the land with Kooltronic's stated desire for maximum development? The economic goals and concerns of a developer should not be our driving principles.


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Being the exceptionally cool dad that my dad is he has a connection in Calistoga. Doesn't sound very cool right?… but wait, it is located at the Northern end of Napa Valley in California. Now I have your attention. So to add to the story my dad went to college in Utah with Bo Barrett. Once again that doesn't sound that cool but Bo Barrett is the owner of Chateau Montelena Winery which is the featured vineyard in the movie Bottle Shock! So like I said my dad has the connection!
The Chateau
Before you visit this vineyard, or any vineyard in Napa Valley that is, make sure to watch the movie, because it gets you eager to see how wine is made from people who are so passionate about the art of wine making. We were lucky enough to get a behind the curtains tour. Bo took us down in the subterranean wine aging tunnels, which was cool to see, no pun intended (they are stored down there to keep the cool climate controlled).
We tasted Chardonnay, Riesling, Zinfendal, and two different types of Cabernets.
I was a little disappointed when I heard we were going to be trying the Chardonnay and the Riesling, because I'm not a big fan of either, but since the Chardonnay was the star in the movie I figured that was one we would taste. We started with the Riesling; swirl, sniff, and a sip, and I was completely caught off guard. It was not the typical overly sweet flavor I am used to, but instead a crisp fresh flavor with layers of floral notes such as orange blossom, and white melon. The same reaction occurred with the Chardonnay. Instead of the buttery overwhelming flavor, it was full of citrus tones, and rich tropical notes complemented by subtle sweet oak.
After the tasting he drove us around the 254 acres of vines. It was just stunning land filled with vines rolling over the hills! He also showed us his adorable filly!
So now after one online wine class from school, and a quick wine tour from Bo I like to say I am a wine connoisseur! And to end post with the classic words of Galileo Galilei "Wine is sunlight, held together by water." Now grab a bottle of some fine wine, and enjoy a few more of my pictures from the Napa Valley!
Learning about the grapes at Vincent Arroyo Winery.


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My Trading Adventure
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
Ten Years ...
Market crash in 1987 ... then in 1997 ... then in 2008 ... are we expecting another crash ... in 2019?
I do not say it will crash ... I hope it will be 2019 as I will have more time to prepare but we never know ... so, I m preparing now.
I have an 1.5hours of e-meeting to talk about CUT LOSS and how important it is not to get STUCK in market ... and yes, using FLBHD as an example we do not wish to fall-in-love with stocks!!
Time to rest ... night
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Champions are looking to defend their titles at the City Section meet
- By Jason Dougas Lewis
- In High School
Prelims are this Thursday, with the championships next Thursday at Birmingham High School.
Dorsey swept the hurdles last year, with Reggie Bell (5) leading the way. Bell is back this year, and his 14.03 time is one of the fastest in the nation. Photo by Jason Lewis
Carson's Dayna Hurd has won the girl's 300-meter hurdles the past two years, and she leads the City Section again this year. Photo by Jason Lewis
Granada Hill's Sam Marshall narrowly won the 100-meter dash last year, and he is back to defend his title. But two El Camino Real sprinters are slightly ahead of him this year. Marshall leads the City Section in the 200-meter dash. Photo by Jason Lewis
Originally published by the Los Angeles Sentinel www.lasentinel.net
By Jason Lewis
Sentinel Sports Editor (2010-2013)
The City Section is gearing up for the City Finals in track and field, and for some athletes, they are looking to repeat as champions.
Dorsey swept the boy's 110-meter hurdles last year, with Reggie Bell leading the way with a time of 14.69. Bell is back and better than before, as he has led the state in the race this season. With a best time of 14.03 this year, he is by far the clear-cut favorite in this event, as he ranks in the top 20 of the nation.
Also in the hurdles, Carson's Dayna Hurd looks to make it a 3-peat in the girl's 300-meter hurdles. Last year she won the event with a time of 44.89. So far this year she has run a 43.69, which leads the City Section.
In the boy's 100-meter dash, Granada Hills' Sam Marshall won the race last year with a time of 10.88. So far this year he has run 10.86, but that puts him behind two El Camino Real sprinters. Marcos Ferrufino leads the way with a time of 10.78, and teammate Jeremy Boateng is second with a 10.84. Last year Marshall finished 3rd in the 200-meter dash. This year he leads the City Section with a time of 21.89.
In the relay races, Dorsey's boy's teams won both last year, like they do most years. This year does not look any different. Their 4x400-meter relay team is one of the best in the state, with a best time of 3:15.92, and Billy Vaughn has the fastest 400 time in the city at 48.67.
In the field events, Narbonne's Ashley Anderson won the triple jump as a sophomore last year, with a mark of 37-00.00. This year she has jumped 38-00.00, which is second in the City Section. Carson's Marielle Owens leads the city in the event with a jump of 38-02.00.


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The Apple Design Group has been one of Apple's key assets over the years, and at ComputerWare we sold almost all of these at one time or another. How many of these do you remember?
Thanks to Guy Kawasaki for posting this image and story to his blog.
It appears that some of the printer are not covered in the chart, thereby removing my favorite LaserWriter Pro 810 design from discussion! :-)
This site is for Alumni of the Northern California Macintosh-only reseller, ComputerWare: The MacSource. ComputerWare was dedicated to the Macintosh® since 1985. They sold more Apple® Macintosh computer systems, peripherals and software than any other authorized reseller in Northern California. This meant more selection, availability and value for you. When Apple introduced new products, ComputerWare got them first.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Apple Products Through The Years
Posted by Dan Bodenheimer at 8:51 AM
Labels: 2007, Apple, Design, Guy Kawasaki
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Reviewed by Richard C. (age 8) and Daniel M. (age 8)
Richard C.: My favorite part was when Oliver's dad sprayed himself with the spritz. It was very funny. I like it when people go crazy. That's exactly what happened to Oliver's family when they tried to fix his crazy hair. My favorite character was Oliver. I really liked him. I liked him because he was the one who made the story fantastic because of the funny expressions he made!
Daniel M.: I liked "Bedhead" because it was funny and it was a crazy story. The illustrations are crazy too because the illustrator used a lot of colors like pink, purple and green. He even painted a grey ship and put it in Oliver's sink. That looked real! Oliver's parents got out of control too because they looked crazy while they tried to fix his hair. I think that I might get a bad hair day too one day. It just might happen to me too!
Richard C.: I would recommend you read this book. I want you to read it because it's so hilarious that you will laugh and laugh! One real funny part was when dad sprayed himself. If you are a crazy reader, you will certainly like this book. It has crazy scenes like kids doing things such as speaking like a baby, having food fights and dropping water on friends.
Daniel M.: This book is full of surprises and kids like surprises! The biggest surprise was when Oliver woke up and went to the bathroom. He found out his hair was out of control. His hair looked like a cat's coughed up hairball. This part is so funny! I laughed and laughed. It has crazy pictures all the way through the book, like when Oliver brushed his teeth and got scared after seeing himself in the mirror. He had toothpaste all over his mouth and he dropped the toothbrush. You should read this book because you will love it.


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I weighed the whole litter today and can you believe they are 5lbs? Not each, don't get too excited... but that's almost a pound each! Not bad!
After I finished my torture session (handling, weighing, checking them out) I put them back in their hutch and walked over to the chickens... I glanced back and saw this...
Three of them are very brave and are hopping all around, pestering their mother, EATING FOOD and DRINKING WATER. I can't believe how fast they mature!
On a sad note, today (Sunday) I found one of the baby bunnies dead in the hutch. His little bum was all pasted up, it looked like he had some diareah (despite not getting any greens or other strange food)... Maybe he couldn't handle the diet change. I had noticed the other day, when I weighed them, that one of them looked a little smaller and his eyes were a little squinty. I bet it was that one. Poor little guy.


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America First: Ivanka Trump Profits from Underpaid Workers In China, Report Says
While President Donald Trump has long railed against China for stealing U.S. jobs, his eldest daughter's apparel brand allegedly has been profiting from workers earning just $1 an hour, Bloomberg reported this week.
Related: Jared Kushner's new role could be...replacing other staffers
On the campaign trail, candidate Trump repeatedly used the "Buy American" slogan. In a national address that was reminiscent of his campaign speeches, Trump at his inauguration promised to put "America first." He vowed to bring to the U.S. more jobs, strong borders and greater wealth, and to benefit American workers with his decisions on trade, taxes and immigration.
Meanwhile, China Labor Watch tells Newsweek it has investigated two factories in China that produce items for the Ivanka Trump fashion line. On April 27, the nonprofit sent her a letter addressing its concerns. "The working hours run 12.5 hours, meaning four to five hours of overtime work every day," Li Qiang, founder of China Labor Watch, tells Newsweek. "Some workers receive less than a dollar per hour, which is lower than the labor standard stipulated by law." These hours equate to a monthly salary of about $363.
"We are waiting for Ivanka Trump's reply," Qiang says. "We plan to issue the report in June."
Last month, The Washington Post reported on a factory audit that found dozens of workers endured long hours and minimal pay in a factory used by Trump's brand.
A spokesperson for the brand didn't immediately respond to Newsweek's request for additional comment Thursday. Abigail Klem, president of the Ivanka Trump brand, defended its labor standards in a statement to Bloomberg, saying it's "impossible for us to respond to allegations, with no supporting evidence, concerning an unnamed factory."
Keep up with this story and more by subscribing now
Just days after her father's inauguration, Trump announced she would step down from her fashion label. She has since joined her father's administration as an assistant to the president, and thus is now a federal employee with an office in the White House. She and husband, Jared Kushner, another White House adviser, are expected to join the president for parts of his upcoming trip to the Middle East.
This isn't the first time Trump's brand has been a topic of concern during her father's presidency. White House aide Kellyanne Conway apparently was rebuked by government officials in February after she pitched Trump's products on a nationally televised show. During an interview on Fox & Friends, Conway encouraged Americans to "go buy Ivanka's stuff.... It's a wonderful line."


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|Source: ayaka-ch.com
As a vessel of the patient zero of the Apocalypse Virus "Mana", Yuzuriha Inori's blood has the ability to delay the symptoms of those infected by the virus. Her body can be also used to communicate with Mana by unknown means, speculated to be telepathy.
After Mana's consciousness was transferred to Inori, Inori started to display some of Mana's violent instincts, as shown when she attacked Arisa, producing a crystal spike in order to stab her. As time went on, Inori started to display more of Mana's abilities due to her constant contact with Voids containing pieces of Mana.
An amazing, underwater cosplay by the lovely Shooting Star's! Posing for photos is hard enough, but to do it underwater? Absolutely stunning! Thanks to Jennifer for sending this in!
del.icio.us Tags: cosplay, cosplayer, cosplay holic, role, play, roleplay, costume, anime, manga, game, series, character, photographer, photo, photography, feature, guilty crown, yuzuhira inori, inori, constant contact, patient zero, shooting star, telepathy, mana, shu, instincts, apocalypse, stab, spike, consciousness, blogspot, virus, photos, コスプレ, コスプレイ, ギルティクラウン, 楪, いのり


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Friday, January 23, 2009
Friday Finds (January 23)
What great books have you come across this week? Share your Friday Finds at Should Be Reading.
I've been doing slightly funny things in my Friday Finds posts in the last couple of weeks: last week I confused two of Stephanie Kallos's books (I mentioned that her first book, Broken for You, had been on my radar before I spotted it on Carrie's best of 2008 list, but actually it was her second book, Sing Them Home, that I was thinking of) and two weeks ago, coincidentally, my FF post was almost identical to Dawn's over at She Is Too Fond of Books (except we posted different covers for both the books we mentioned!). This week, I feel like I'm cheating a bit since all my finds came from a summer preview post on Sarah's blog, Reading the Past (which I found via DeAnna Cameron's blog, Writerly So)...
According to the author's website, A Trace of Smoke by Rebecca Cantrell "follows a crime reporter through 1931 Berlin as she searches for her brother's killer, a trail that leads from the city's dark underbelly to the top ranks of the rising Nazi party." I'm not 100% sure this book would be up my alley (it might be too dark), but it does sound interesting!
According to the publisher's site, Emily's Ghost by Denise Giardina is "a lustrous, beautifully written reimagining of the Brontë family—and of Emily Brontë's passionate engagement with life." Now that definitely sounds up my alley!
And finally, another novel that focuses on the life of an author: Vanessa and Virginia by Susan Sellers, which is about Virginia Woolf and her sister, the painter Vanessa Bell. I also found a review of this book on the Vulpes Libris blog. I definitely must get my hands on a copy of this one!
14 comments:
- AnonymousJanuary 23, 2009 at 7:34 PM
I would love to read Vanessa and Virginia!ReplyDelete
They all look interesting to me, Avis. You did well!ReplyDelete
I'll be curious to see how you like Vanessa & Virginia -- it sounds great.ReplyDelete
Emily's Ghost and Vanessa and Virginia both sound good to me, I'm interested in Emily Bronte and Virgina Woolf. Great finds!ReplyDelete
These all sound good! I had to make an immediate visit to Amazon to check out Rebecca Cantrell's book. It sounds right up my alley.ReplyDelete
Kathy, I've read quite a few biographies and autobiographies (or memoirs) about the Bloomsbury group (or at least the Stephens and their families), but never any fiction, so yeah, I need this book!ReplyDelete
Thanks, Myckyee! I was pretty pleased to find so many interesting books on the same list.
It's actually not coming out until March, Sherry, and since I don't normally buy hardcover books, I'll have to wait even longer to get my hands on it...
Thanks, Betty. As I mentioned to Kathy above, I've never read any novels about these folks (Virginia or Emily), so I'm really curious about these ones!
Glad to be expanding your wish list too, Wendy! That one's the one I'm least sure of because I'm fairly limited in what I want to read in mysteries, but the setting makes it sound really interesting.
Thanks for the link to the summer preview. Going to have to check that out!ReplyDelete
Thanks for cross-referencing my blog! Don't they all look good? I'm especially interested in Emily's Ghost, as I always enjoy Denise Giardina's work. Amazon seems to have a new cover for it, which I found only yesterday.ReplyDelete
These all sound good...I am especially interested in Vanessa & Virginia.ReplyDelete
Emily's Ghost sounds great! Vanessa and Virginia also intrigues me. I see a theme here! :-)ReplyDelete
Wow, all three of these look interesting. That first one seems like an interesting perspective for someone like me who enjoys reading books set in the 1930's-1940's.ReplyDelete
Wasn't that funny when we mentioned the same books?!? No overlap this week, which means I've added more books to my wish list because of your Friday Finds - *Vanessa & Virginia* looks great!ReplyDelete
You're welcome, Lenore. There are definitely other books that sound interesting on Sarah's list!ReplyDelete
It's a great list, Sarah! I must say I like the cover you posted much better than the one on Amazon. I also hope they come up with a better cover for Vanessa and Virginia!
Jo-Jo and Marie, oh yes, there's definitely a theme, one that will continue in my next FF post!
Yeah, that's what attracted me to it too, Shana!
I know, Dawn, it was funny. It was only when I was writing up this post that I noticed that at least we managed to post different covers for the two books we both mentioned!
A P.S. of sorts:ReplyDelete
I just realized, Sherry, that Vanessa and Virginia is being released in Canada in March, but is only coming out in May in the U.S. (at least according to the respective Amazon sites).
And Sarah, in checking out when the books was coming out on Amazon.ca, I noticed it was published originally in 2008 by Two Raven Press (a Scottish publisher) and they did have another cover for it (although it still doesn't look quite right to me!).


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Hi I'm Grant the Polite Guy and I was homeless for about a year and a half. So much has happened since then. I write here to help bring homeless awareness looking at the world through a homeless person's point of view.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Two weeks to go for BBQ
Now things look bad but I tell you when I think of quitting I just think of what that would mean not to me but others. Here's a few things that go over and over in my mind.
Because of the paper story I got a call from this old lady crying and saying "I want to donate and give you everything I can spare please" I asked why she was crying and if everything was okay. She told me her son was homeless and then went on to tell me about what had happened. When her son was 17 her husband had beaten him up and he ran away. Her and her husband found him a while later living on the streets and put him into a unit on his own. The son left and hit the streets again for about 6 months when the couple again found him and set up another unit. That night the husband beat into him again and he left. The husband has passed on and she has not seen her son for 32 years now. She went on to say she has looked for her son but never found him. She wants to help because maybe her son comes and maybe she might see him. I asked if she has a photo or anything? No she doesn't.
I got a call from a guy which I meet because he ask too. This guy was about 60 year old but very fit and strong. Now the reason he wanted to meet was because his wife has passed on and he was alone. He was asking me to introduce him to someone that was homeless so he could offer free rent to help get them on there feet. He said he don't need the rent money he just wants to help someone and in return he has company and someone to talk too. I asked him to come to the BBQ and meet everyone there and he could offer to whoever he gets along with. I know I shouldn't have but I also told him of some of the risks in doing so. Not everyone is as trusting as me. Remember I'm a nice guy. Ha ha.
There's a company coming to this BBQ and has so many job's on the books to offer, they said they are willing to help with accommodation and things too. I am meeting with them on Tuesday to work out what they need for them to be there. One appointment I'm very much looking forward too. Ha ha. They'll help so many. But really even if the only help one person to get on there feet then it was worth inviting them.
Now there's some really good reasons why I'd want to keep going with putting this together, but really the biggest reason to me is, "I know what it's like to be homeless and if it helps even one person it's worth doing".
This BBQ is at Musgrave Park on the 17th of July from 10am to 4pm. Please all come because the working people are just as important because it's the community coming together as mates. So please invite all you know and enjoy a BBQ as mates.
I have asked if people can collect clothes, toiletries and things to donate to the homeless and bring on the day.
I have been thinking if I should make it even bigger by inviting those on low incomes, I mean if a person has accommodation but only $60 for food and things after paying rent then they are very much Needy. Now I can make this even bigger but I'd need more working people too. So please use the comments box or email me on email@example.com or call me on 0412 190 011.
If any company want to set up a stall that helps the homeless in any way please let me know.
I thank you for reading my stories and I hope you have a great day.
Grant the Polite Guy.
3 comments:
Good luck with the bbq :) I donated some money to youReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 4, 2011 at 9:00 PM
Karen from Knitting for Brisbane's Needy here, Grant.ReplyDelete
Several of us will be there on the day with as many NEW HANDMADE items as we can to give to the homeless and the low income families.
Hoping also to have a fair few toiletry bags to give out.
Many of our members are already giving me good, clean second hand clothes etc.
One question, a couple of our members have an abundance of fruit, mainly oranges and mandarins, on their trees that they can't give away. Do you think they would be appreciated by the homeless/low income families???
Looking forward to meeting you on the 17 th and don't forget to ring me again if you think I (we) can help with anything else!!
And it WILL BE A NICE FINE SUNNY DAY!!!!!
OH it has to be a sunny day. hahaReplyDelete
Karen and all others, please if you want to bring fruit and things then please do as I'm sure it will be used on the day or taken for later.
I want to thank you all for all you are doing to help those when they need it most.
Grant the Polite Guy


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Martin Luther King Jr. remembered
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Americans honored Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday with a traditional day of service as well as a new wave of economic injustice protests by Occupy Wall Street.
On the first King holiday since the now-global Occupy movement launched in New York City in September, the reignited debate over inequality drew hundreds of protestors to march in wintry temperatures in Manhattan, stopping at a Bank of America branch to shout, "The banks got bailed out, we got sold out."
King was organizing a Poor People's Campaign, the next phase in the civil rights movement, before he was murdered in 1968.
"I came here on the one hand to honor (King's) birthday, but also for the things that he stood for," said Jim Glaser, a retired teacher from suburban Nyack, New York, at the march.
"We have to have a government that's responsive to people, ... a government that people can have some influence on," he said.
At New York's African Burial Grounds, schoolchildren played "We Shall Overcome" on violins before protesters marched to the Federal Reserve in downtown Manhattan.
"What Occupy Wall Street is trying to do is exactly what (King) was trying to -- focus on economic injustice and to inform and educate the American public," said Norman Siegel, former director of the New York Civil Liberties Union.
"I think (King) would be very pleased because Occupy Wall Street is the children of Dr King's dream," Siegel said at the 18th century burial ground, part of the National Park Service.
Protesters in the Occupy movement complain that billions of dollars in bailouts were given to banks while many Americans still suffer with joblessness and housing foreclosures. They say minorities were disproportionately affected by predatory lending practices.
The movement has influenced the national political conversation, with President Barack Obama echoing some of its themes in calling for a "fair shot" and "fair share" for all.
Community and civil rights leaders urged Americans to honor King's crusade for nonviolence and racial brotherhood by doing volunteer work.
The President, First Lady Michelle Obama and their daughter Malia marked the day by helping spruce up the library at a school in a predominantly African-American community in northeast Washington.
"At a time when the country has been going through some difficult economic times, for us to be able to come together as a community, people from all different walks of life, and make sure that we're giving back, that's ultimately what makes us the strongest, most extraordinary country on earth," Obama said.
This year's King holiday came as officials in more than a dozen states implement new laws requiring voters to present photo identification at the polls. Critics say the restriction violates the Voting Rights Act of 1965 -- one of the key accomplishments of the movement King led.
Across the nation, formal events such as prayer services, performances and parades were staged for King's birthday, which became a federal holiday in 1986. Post offices, government buildings and most public schools were closed.
King, a Baptist pastor who advocated for nonviolence, racial brotherhood and equal rights and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, was assassinated in 1968 as he stood outside his motel room in Memphis, where he had gone to support striking sanitation workers.
Reposted from mb.com.ph


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Friday, February 12, 2010
Sony Bravia KDL32L5000
Hey guys,
It's been awhile since my last post, this semester is alot more work than last and takes away from blog time. This blog is about the 32" LCD Sony Bravia KDL32L5000 that I picked up on boxing day. At first glance the tv looks very clean and modern. The clean, even width, bevled edges of the frame make it visually appealing even when turned off. The specs of this tv include 13000:1 contrast ratio, 720p resolution, 60hz, and 8ms response time. The colour of this tv is very vivid, and the black levels, though not as deep as a plasma, are very good as well. Blu-ray movies look phenomenal on this TV, and although it is only 720p, with the 32" screen size 1080p wouldn't be very distinguishable. In fast action scenes, you do get a little bit of motion blur, but this can be expected from only 60hz refresh rate. The speakers in this tv also do a decent job of mimmicing surround sound. Another bonus to this tv is that it includes 3 HDMI ports, as opposed to the standard 2 in a tv this size, which is handy when pretty much everything supports HDMI now. One thing that I noticed while watching The Trailer Park Boys: Countdown to Liquor Day on blu-ray, is that the night scenes appeared very pixelated, though this may be caused by the cameras used to film it. Overall I'm very pleased with my purchase and would reccomend it to anyone looking to purchase a 32" tv. Thanks for reading.
Posted by berkvens852 at 8:57 AM
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Spanish Discipline Assessment Report
Fall 2009
The focus of assessment for the 2008-09 academic year was the Research Symposium (Span 4001), our senior level capstone course, which includes a general introduction to critical theory and, for each student, the design and completion of an independent research project related to a particular area of critical theory, accompanied by a public presentation of their research. As a result of our work and discussions last year, we came to some agreement as to ways to improve the course for both the students and the instructors, and potentially make changes to the earlier stages of our curriculum to better prepare students for the capstone experience.
We were, overall, pleased with the results of the course and feel it is achieving the goals and objectives we have set for the program and for our graduates. There is, however, room for improvement. All discipline faculty members attended all of the students' final presentations, and we were able to compare and evaluate the group as a whole. All faculty members also looked at sample written work from the group. Only one student was deemed to have produced less than satisfactory work on the paper and presentation, though in combination with the other components of the course (in class participation and brief writing assignments over the semester) she was able to pass the course. In a group of 14 students, two of the papers and presentations were judged outstanding, two were judged acceptable, if average, and the rest were judged above average.
The majority of the students in the group needed a considerable amount of assistance with the execution of a research project: choosing their topics, collecting resources, and writing and, more importantly, revising their drafts to produce a quality final product. We primarily expected this to be the case, but have begun discussing ways to facilitate the process by providing clearer models of research and writing in the earlier components of our curriculum. Span 3101, Introduction to Hispanic Literature, is a logical place to begin this process. Students in this course are already asked to produce scholarly writing that incorporates effective use of secondary sources and are introduced to basic tools of research in language and literature. In this course, however, students are working with literature in a second language for essentially the first time, and there is often a disconnect between the skills they have developed (to differing degrees) in their first language and their implementation in the second language. There are a number of English language sources available to help develop and enhance research and writing skills, written at a reasonably simple level, that may prove useful in helping students apply the skills they have (or improve them if needed) to their work in their second language. These resources can be introduced at an earlier stage in our curriculum and reinforced over the course of the upper division offerings, so that students reach the capstone level with a level of competence and confidence with regard to research and writing. We have discussed the possibility of introducing some principles of critical theory at this stage, but have not yet reached a consensus on the value or feasibility of this strategy.
The discipline faculty members were somewhat more concerned that a number of students had reached their final course in the major still lacking an appropriate level of grammatical precision, and needed a considerable amount of assistance with revision at this "micro" level. In addition, a number of students had clear difficulty with oral expression. A certain amount of this was likely due to the nervousness often experienced in public presentations, but all the faculty members noted some deficiencies in our students' oral skills, even in cases where the research and writing aspects of the project were above average. We are considering ways to begin addressing this issue in earlier stages of our curriculum. This year, for example, in our intermediate courses, we will be making use of WebVista and Wimba technologies to begin better monitoring and providing feedback to our students regarding their oral communication in Spanish. Naturally this is a normal part of classroom activities in all of our classes, but with groups of 20-25 students, individuals have limited opportunities for oral communication and feedback on a day to day basis. The incorporation of these technologies will allow us to efficiently collect samples of spoken Spanish from students outside of class. The instructors will be able to monitor students on a more "one on one" basis, and students will also have the opportunity to listen to and assess (and ultimately improve) their own work, which will give them more of a sense of accountability and self-motivation in this regard. We have discussed the possibilities of adding a phonetics course to our program, and the addition of modified OPI interviews like those required of students on the Twin Cities campus would be ideal, but neither of these options is feasible at this time given the discipline's current staffing limitations. Finally, we have discussed the option of videotaping selected student presentations this year (on a voluntary basis) and maintaining a file of exemplary work for future students to view.
We have also begun discussion of ways we might modify our 3xxx level language courses to better prepare students for progression of courses in the major. This is a discussion to be continued this year (as the focus of our assessment will be our 3xxx level courses), but at least in a preliminary sense we have considered whether the present structure of a two-part, year-long "Composition and Conversation" course, which uses a text that in some ways de-emphasizes grammar, is the best preparation for our students, since this is the last language/grammar based course in the curriculum. We have discussed the possibility of re-structuring the current course into two clearer components—one course devoted more to writing and oral communication, with less emphasis on structured grammar, then a second course more specifically focused on formal grammar and writing. There is some feeling among the faculty that this might result in students accepting more responsibility for grammatical precision earlier in the program.
One final area of discussion in our assessment of Span 4001 was a faculty work load issue, which affects not only the instructor of the course but ultimately the experience of the students. In Spring 2009, there were 14 students enrolled in the only section offered of the course. In many instances, a group of 14 would be considered relatively small. Given the nature of this course, however, as a collection of individual projects, requiring a considerable (at times inordinate) amount of individual consultation, the work load became overwhelming and excessive. We did an informal comparison with the comparable course (Graduation Seminar) at the Twin Cities Campus, and found that sections there were limited to an enrollment of 10, and in addition, it was made clear in the course description that students are not to expect assistance from the instructor with the editing of the paper. This is, of course, not the kind of model we would suggest adopting for our program, as it runs counter to our goals and the nature of our campus in general. But we do feel that it indicates the need to be realistic about the expectations on the work load of our faculty if we are to continue to maintain our curriculum and include the important capstone component. We feel that, if we continue to have groups of this size in the future (though this year it appears that will not be the case), we need to consider placing a reasonable enrollment cap (8, ideally) per section, and either assigning two faculty members to the course, or allowing one faculty member to fulfill two of his/her required classes toward the yearly teaching requirement. This manageable work load will create a better experience both for the instructor and the students, who will receive needed time and attention from a less burdened instructor.


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Thank you for visiting our past auction result archives. If you have an item identical (or similar) to this auction lot, please call, write or contact us to discuss. We will be able to help you.
Lot # 575 (of 1411) < Previous Lot | Next Lot >
Roger Maris Signed & Inscribed Baseball
Starting Bid - $400.00, Sold For - $2,088.00
Official American League (Cronin) baseball inscribed on a side panel by Roger Maris. The blue-ink inscription, which reads "To Larry Newgard-Best wishes to a good friend-Roger Maris," encompasses the entire panel and grades a solid "9/10." The ball dates from between 1960 and 1973. This is a tremendous Maris single-signed ball. With all the problem "Maris" balls we have seen in the marketplace, an elaborately inscribed Maris ball such as this should be worth a premium. The ball displays a few small scattered areas of light age-toning and the manufacturer's stampings are light but legible. Excellent to Mint condition. LOAs from James Spence/JSA and Steve Grad, Mike Gutierrez & Zach Rullo/PSA DNA. Reserve $400. Estimate $800/$1,200. SOLD FOR $2,088.00
(Click the smaller thumbnails to the left and right (if any) to cycle through each photo in the gallery of images for this lot.)


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Usually dogs that see you regularly get used to you. Our neighbor's dog is so used to me that it now comes into our driveway to bark it's head off at me. I keep myself from kicking it by saying that it's not the dog's fault it was never introduced to discipline and care, and feeling bad that the negligence will probably get it kicked.
I don't really sleep at night anymore. So that means I've been staying in bed till eight or nine trying to make up for it. It hasn't been working. I'm still just exhausted.
I think we had people over or went out with people every day but one last week. Holy scrud my husband is a social bug. If you ever want to hang out, Mike would love to have you over.
Squishy grapes disgust me. I only take 'em crunchy. Mike doesn't eat peaches because he doesn't like the texture, which is weird to me, since they are delicious.
I have lately had the craving to make apple and peach pies, but right now will instead make some soup, find a new crossword or sudoku, and take it to bed.
I could possibly even be asleep by the time Mike gets home from work. Cross your fingers.


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My Bag (with Bob the Tomato on it)
After we all went home, Rachel, my mom, and I went to a Mary Kay make-up party. We got to use this kit called Satin Hands which felt amazing. We all got to try some face cleanser and put on some bea-u-tiful make-up. We did something called Kiss Personality where we all put on some lip gloss and kissed the back of a piece of paper. Our personality was judged by the shape of our kiss. I was a Lucky Charmer. It said I was a fun dinner guest, had a child-like nature that sometimes gets in the way, and that my friends say I am lucky. The funny thing is that Laura Dale and I got the same one. If you know Laura then you'll understand why that's funny. She's hilarious and outgoing, and I'm shy and clumsy. I guess I'm going to be like Laura when I'm older. Sweet! =D


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Here's my BF, Nebula, and me at the Microbe concert! BEST. NIGHT. OF. MY. LIFE.
Cute outfits, right?
Well I made it back to the space stay just in time to save the day. I knew that Lutz and Windom were up to something and thank goodness I was able to figure out their evil plot before the entire space stay came crashing down. Now that I'm back in space, I'm actually a little surprised at how much I miss Earth. I miss Greg and all of my friends (well maybe not Margie) and I miss the fresh air and the scenery. While no one can beat the view of Earth through your window every morning, it is much prettier on the surface than I ever would have imagined. It is even weird for me to be back up here and not feeling so weighed down by gravity. The space stay will always be my first home, but Earth wasn't so bad once I gave it a chance. Well I'm off to the Microbe concert – can't believe that I am the new BF of Proto Zoa. Can my life get any better?!?!?!
Here's us before the concert! Can't wait for tonight!
Greg took me to dinner today and I have to say my life has completely changed. The food here on Earth is amazing. Who would have guessed that something called an o-ring could taste so good? There are so many options here because they aren't limited to what they can grow in space. I had no idea that any of these foods existed. I'm trying to figure out a way to get onion rings into space but I think my parents would have a freak-out major if they knew I was eating fried foods.
Bring these to the space stay!
Zenon's parents are on the Space Stay because they are doing research. The research they are doing on bone marrow density can only be done in space because they need a lab with a weightless chamber. Here on Earth, weightless chambers are called spaces of zero gravity. Zero gravity training is used most often to train astronauts, since our idea of space is one of zero gravity. It is ironic that Zenon is able to walk around and live normally when zero gravity is the norm in space. The cause of this might be that sometime between 2011-2049 we found a way to displace zero gravity and make space a place with gravity. It would be the only way that Zenon could live the way she does in the movie. Since her parents need a weightless chamber, the ability to harness zero gravity in a confined space has also been discovered.
There are also differences in the physical look of computers. In Zenon's time, computers were grey and bulky—they had not advanced from the 1990's model that was probably around when the movie was made. How can they think that in fifty years time computers would look the same? Computers today are lightweight, portable, and desktops are almost obsolete. The laptop that is shown in Zenon is big and clunky, and probably no more portable than a desktop. Computers today are also smaller. It seems that Zenon has not taken account of the growing trend towards nanotechnology. Consumers today want things smaller, and there is no technology that is unaffected by this trend. Zenon's time may have had the theory that the bigger the gadget, the more information that can be captured.
The futuristic aspect of the Zenon movies has inspired some fans' fashion/makeup choices as shown in this YouTube video:
I went on a bike ride and rode a horse with Greg today. I'm doing so many earthly things! Both activities were so much harder than I would have imagined. Who knew that riding a bike on Earth was so different from riding a bike in space? I mean – I know the bikes in space are stationary but you would think they work the same way. And the horse? Zetus Lupetus is that a huge animal. I had no idea how many different species there are because we don't have animals in space. I've only ever seen them in projections and I can tell you that it is a different experience major when you are actually standing next to a real horse.
My parents always told me that everyone on Earth was unhealthy and fat and life in space was a much better way to live. But Earth is so different than I thought. The people here are nice and there are so many things that I didn't know about until I got to experience them for myself.
Here's Greg and me on the horse! Neb – can you believe that I actually did that!


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If you blog it, tweet it, and email it… THE LOCAL NEWS STATION WILL SHOW UP AT YOUR HOUSE!!!!
If you read my post about the Trash Issues we've been having here, you'll know what I was trying to tell everyone I could about our issue here in Toledo, which included me emailing all the local TV stations as well as the Mayor. Yesterday was Day 4 of no pickup for the larger/extra items. Hubby finally called AGAIN last night and spoke with a supervisor, after we had been promised it would be picked up in 24- 48hrs of the last time we called, and again it wasn't. The supervisor PROMISED that it would be picked up in the morning….
Well the supervisor didn't lie. This morning a PRIVATE COMPANY garbage truck (not waste management that the city normally uses) came and pulled up to our house and started to load the garbage into the truck. Unfortunately for them, they were not alone. The local news station WTOL 11 was right behind them taking notes, footage and pics loading up the truck, and even came out and talked to the garbage men as well asking WHY they wouldn't be picking up the other piles in the neighborhood if they were already out here, their answer, we can only do it if we're told to…..
So we didn't know the news crew was out there with them at first. Once the truck left hubby went outside to go put the cans away and there was a white truck outside our house, I said who's that… Hubby came back in and said it's the news; they want to talk to you about the trash situation!!!
It's 9am…. I'm still in my PJs no hair done, no makeup no NOTHING!!!! I run upstairs yelling NO NO NO YOU GO TALK TO THEM!!! And run and hide!
The thoughts run into my head to get 'presentable' and tidy up a bit, oh no there's a child with nutella all over her face and in her pj's with messy hair, what if they come in the house ACK!!! Lol I'm a nutcase apparently! My next thought… Get a picture and tweet! Which I did…
I seriously can't believe they came out here, but our garbage is picked up, and hopefully the city will rectify this HUGE problem going on in this city! Thanks WTOL for actually LISTENING and wanting to cover this story.


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Nicki Minaj has started engagement rumours as she posed for a Instagram snap with a ring on her wedding finger.
Nick has been with her boyfriend for 10 years now and in the Instagram photo that she posed on March 8, you can clearly see that he is wearing the same ring as Nicki.
Traditionally, the man wouldn't wear his finger until after the ceremony was completed but they might be doing it their own way.
So what does this mean??
Are they engaged or are they already married?


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Continuing on from the loft/study area is the Master bedroom. This was decorated by Susan Byrd of Pizitz in Seaside, a must visit home furnishings store in Seaside:
The master dressing/sitting area:
The master bath:
Down the other side of this hallway is the laundry. Cute green chandelier! :
Another view of the laundry. I really liked this tiny space, maybe it was the colors, accessories, or maybe I was thinking of all the laundry I needed to do when I went home from our trip….
Next to the laundry is the guest bath:
Next to that is this colorful guest bedroom:
Then, going up some teeny tiny stairs (as seen from the view looking down):
There is a little kids area on one side:
On the other side of the top floor is a reading area:
Finally, my friends and I went down and spent the most time in this area-the screened porch on the other side of the family/kitchen area:
We liked all these black and white painted sea creatures:
If you can see on the other side of the screened – in porch is an outdoor eating area:
I liked the vignettes on the table in this porch:
We spent a lot of time in this area, partly because we really liked it, and partly because of the sudden torrential rainstorm that prevented us from getting to our car without basically taking another shower!
Thanks for joining me on this tour! I live in Colorado, and it is a treat to see a showhome that is different from the Colorado style I usually see. If you missed parts 1 and 2 of this tour, you can see them here and here.
Designer Credits:
Master Bedroom: Susan Byrd of Pizitz : email@example.com
Master Bathroom: Tamera Massey
West Porch: Eastern Lake Nursery, Holly Shipman
Guest Bedroom: Bill Musso & Todd Falconbury of Musso Design Group: http://www.mussodesigngroup.com/
Laundry Nook: Rachel Craige
Guest Bath: Lynn Nesmith: http://www.eleanorlynnnesmith.com/
Loft: & Playroom: Darrell Russell of a Boheme Design
A sidenote: It's my birthday today – my 40th! (Yikes! How did I get here?!) My husband and I are taking a little trip… pictures to come!


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Thursday, July 7, 2011
A sad day on the ranch...
Last night, Sybil, Helen and Edith were taken by predators. It was stupid in that it fit like a cheesy story...as it was a dark and stormy night. But what is not so cheesy is the intense feeling of disbelief, denial, hope, loss of hope and now the deep feeling of sorrow my wife and I now feel for our dearly departed birds.
They became a part of our life here in Colorado. My daughter who was just coming into speech when we got them called them, "the girls," and would sit and watch them with me as they grazed the yard for bugs and seeds. My daughter is too young to be greatly affected by this loss but my wife and I are so sad. They would let me pet them and hold them while they cooed and clucked softly. I could feed them all manner of things but their favorite food were strawberries. They'd play chicken football with a strawberry...always five minutes of pure joy. They would come up to the screen door and say hi. They would crap all over our deck! But I didn't care, they were chickens and lived happy lives. Their reckless abandonment was a release for me, something I envied. They were beautiful birds, too. And yes, I could tell each of them apart from one another. Their soft colors were pleasing to the eye and their feathers were soft and full...they were amazing.
Sybil, Helen and Edith were the best buff orpingtons I have ever known. People think chickens are stupid but these birds were smart, crafty, and even sneaky in so many ways and it breaks my heart to think that they are gone. They were here for such a short time, but they have left a long-lasting impact on me. And for the happiness and joy you brought into my life, thank you, girls and good bye.
2 comments:
- AnonymousJuly 7, 2011 at 7:40 AM
Oh, I'm SOOOO sorry to hear this! :( :( What happened? Do you know what got them?ReplyDelete
We are still working on finishing Ft. Knox, because I, too, am worried sick about something getting my girls.
I also have three buffs, and can tell them all apart. Hopefully, you won't give up on chickens completely..... {{{{hugs}}}}
So sorry to hear about your girls. We had something similiar happen except that it was partialy my fault. I had accidently left our three bantam gold laced cochins out overnight. They made it till 8am the next morning and then a family member saw them go flying by the window with a coyote hot on the trail. It got LuluBelle sadly but at least our other two were alright. Now the remaining two are very upset that they don't get let out to free range like they did before but I just felt so awful about forgetting them overnight. Now they get strictly supervised yard time only.ReplyDelete


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Further in my series of discontent. This morning I happened across an article in The Australian about a family in crisis. Well, not only is the family in crisis, the State's child welfare system is an appalling mess.
…eight children living in a three-bedroom house with mice and rubbish in every room.
Four had disabilities: some couldn't hear properly; some couldn't walk properly; all were malnourished and had head lice. Several had broken bones, and none could use a knife and fork.
Their mother, a young Sunni Muslim woman, veiled from head to toe, found caring for the children impossible, especially as the older ones grew wilder, and then violent. Her husband, an Iraqi, is believed to have at least two other women he refers to as his "wives" and they, too, have children.
He moves between their different houses. None had paid work.
The NSW Department of Community Services has known of the situation for years; and has surely also known that it was a disaster waiting to happen.
And if you think it's only the NSW system that's a disaster, Victoria's was found to be introducing pre-teen children to drugs and prostitution.
Let's ignore for a moment the implicit criticism of the mother for being a veiled Muslim, particularly since the article goes on to comment on one foster mother who came to the rescue who took veils off the young girls… Who gives a rats what they wear on their heads if we're talking about a situation of domestic disaster? Is it only Muslims who have trouble raising kids? It would be interesting to see the comparative stats on white, Christian families who are in crisis. Considering the Government is funding religious schools who train children in the psychopathology of conservative christianism, there's probably shit loads.
The point is this. The Rudd Government actively discriminates against women and children seeking to leave situations like this. Kevin Rudd denies adequate support for women who are single mothers trying their hardest to provide for their children. He has maintained the bias against women of the Howard Liberal Government and is apparently in denial that he hates women.
Surely if you were in a position to do something about a situation like this, about many, many other people in similar circumstances in Australia right now, you would do something constructive. If you were in a situation to address terrible injustices that had been done previously and make things easier for people to keep their heads above water, you would do so. Yet our Prime Minister, who has been on occasion found drunk in a stripper bar and reprimanded for manhandling the dancers, is too busy criticising a celebrity chef over his abuse of a TV host, to bother addressing one of the worst, most hideous cases of discrimination against women and children in the developed world.
And to make matters worse, not only does Kevin Rudd actively discriminate against women and children who've had to leave violent, dangerous, demeaning or otherwise unnaceptable domestic circumstances, he neglects to support families struggling to support children through high school. While having made apparently non-core promises about improving education and enabling children to further their education, support of families ends when a child turns 16, just when they hit the hardest, most expensive school years. He's also planning to make further changes to welfare law to make it harder for children without jobs to claim any form of welfare. Why on earth, in times when jobs are supposed to be getting harder to come by, would you put pressure on children to leave school and look for work, to compete for jobs with other employees when they could be staying in school and improving their education? And why, if we're having so much trouble looking after the children who are here, would you be paying a baby bonus to encourage people to have more? (Not to mention there's already 6 billion people on the planet!)
The fact that the State Governments are responsible for foster care systems does not distract from the Federal Government's discrimination against single parents. While the children referred to in that article have been living in such dreadful suffering, what has the State Government been doing? Pointing the finger at bikers in an attempt to get re-elected on a law and order platform. Scapegoating bastards.
These are only two of the current hypocrisies of the Rudd Government. And if you think the Liberals would be any better, consider that they created this disgusting, exploitative situation in which we now find ourselves. Why on earth can we not vote for someone who doesn't hate the poor? Why do the two major parties continue to use people who've fallen on hard times and those who are struggling as political footballs to earn themselves points for re-election?
How did Australians become such bastards?


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GIVEAWAY CLOSED. Thanks!
I'm pleased to have Megan from Brassy Apple offering a fabulous giveaway today. The winner will receive two e-Patterns OR two printed pattern booklets. It's your choice which form of patterns you receive, UNLESS you are outside of the continental US, in which case you will receive the e-Patterns.
The winner will receive the Brassy Neck Scarves pattern. Don't you just LOVE those pleats on the one below? Beautiful. There is a wonderful scarf in there made with huge flowers that looks great! This booklet shows you how to make 10 different scarves. TEN! If you don't win, be sure to check out Megan's patterns because they are really a great deal!
The second pattern booklet is the Bunchy Scarf Pattern. This pattern also includes 10 different scarf designs. They look so cute and fun!
So that's 20 scarf designs that the winner will receive! Wow!
Thanks for the great giveaway, Megan! Be sure to check out her blog and her shop, if you haven't already. You won't be disappointed.
To enter:
Leave ONE comment below.
Giveaway ends Friday, November 19th, 5:00 PM, MST. It might seem like a strange deadline to enter, but I don't want to be up till midnight, and maybe if I'm lucky I'll be on a date with my hubby!


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- Booker T. Washington
Akhil Bharatiya Dayanand Sewashram Sangh is a pan-India organization dedicated to educate under-privileged children from various states of India, who are plagued by poverty, illiteracy, insurgency, superstition, and social intolerance. The organization provides resources to children, of the economically and socially backward classes, castes and tribals, so as to ensure that they enter the mainstream society as responsible, educated and confident citizens. These children are educated and trained to a level that they are capable of setting up their own enterprise and be self-sufficient. They would in turn be active contributors to the national economy.
The organization is at present running gurukuls (hostels) housing about girls and boys in many states of India. The children are brought up at no cost to the families as these hostels are fully funded by donations from socially active citizens. Thus the support of the community is imperative for survival of projects of this nature. We are pleased to inform you that the community response has been enthusiastic as regards funds for carrying out this noble activity. The emphasis are on education and moral building with a goal to ensure that the children leave the institution as educated, strong, confident and model citizens of the society. Your support will enable us reach out to a larger number of such needy children.
The work of the organization first started in Assam and Nagaland with a lot of enthusiasm. The movement gradually spread to Odisha, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
Funding Policy
Akhil Bharatiya Dayanand Sewashram Sangh is totally funded by local community and donations. The praiseworthy social work being carried at the various gurukuls run by the organisation has encouraged donations to meet the financial requirements of the gurukuls. We follow a disciplined policy in accepting donations and the use of funds.
read more
Educational Activities
The organization imparts education to under-privileged children using the modern education system along with inculcation of traditional Indian values. They are given in-house training for a year enabling them to enter formal schools.
read more
The objective of the organization is to provide a caring home, shelter, food, clothing and education to the disadvantaged, deprived and needy children, especially from backward tribal areas...
read more
The organization manages hostels housing about 11000 girls and boys. The organization is in the process of building one school in the state of Madhya Pradesh as the organization believes that instead of teaching students in its own school ...
read more
© 2014 .Akhil Bharatiya Dayanand Sewashram Sangh All Rights Reserved.


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What a difference a year makes. I sat in my living room and watched the Super Bowl. The important feature of that last sentence is the verb. Not "watched" but "sat." The year before, I paced wildly about the kitchen and living room, with side trips to each bedroom and still managed to see most every play. I was on my feet for all of SB L. When SB LI rolled around, I was relaxed and confident in the pot of chili we had simmering on the stove. I knew where the chips were, and I had baked cookies with M&Ms in them. A year ago, I remember eating, but mostly as a function of moving about the house. Chewing was punctuation.
The fiftieth Super Bowl was emphatic. Fifty-one was resigned.
Months ago, when it became apparent that there would be no title defense from the Denver Broncos, I looked around the league for a bandwagon upon which I could hop. Maybe it was the overall lack of enthusiasm America had for the National Football League this year. Perhaps our minds were consumed with other things. Maybe after fifty-one years some of the mystery is gone.
Or it could be the mood levelers. The fact that I have been medicated throughout this football season may have something to do with my less than ecstatic reaction to the events that have unfolded over this football season. The peaks and valleys in the Autumn of 2016 have not been as extreme. There has been plenty of joy, and a little despair, but overall professional sports have not held the same kind of vicarious allure they once did. And growing older couldn't hurt. The annual cycle from training camp to Super Bowl repeats itself with such fluidity that I have to review my Roman numerals to keep it all straight.
This does not keep me from being a fan. It keeps me from being a fanatic. This does not keep me from cheering for this team or that, but knowing that my interests are essentially arbitrary in the big picture, I will try and keep my eyes on the prize. Not the Lombardi Trophy, but the continued ability to enjoy life to its fullest regardless of the outcome of some over-hyped sports spectacle. Those are the winners: the ones who are enjoying their lives no matter what the point spread is. Your limbic system still needs a workout, so pick a team and start rooting. But remember: It's only a game. A great big, expensive, lavishly produced game with millions of dollars riding on it.
No worries.
Thursday, February 09, 2017
Just A Game
Posted by David Caven at 7:00 AM
Labels: pop culture, sports
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Today is the last day of Storytime. Storytimes will resume the week of Monday September 10.
Family Storytime at 10:45 a.m.
Location: Hanover Branch Library
Toddler Storytime at 10:15 a.m.
Family Storytime at 10:45 a.m.
Location: Cochrane Rockville Branch Library
Family Storytime at 11:00 a.m.
Location: West Point Branch Library
Programs & Events
Friday Morning Movie at 10:00 a.m.
Location: Goochland Branch Library
See a great movie on the big screen at the library. Popcorn provided by the Friends of the Goochland Library.
Glow in the Dark Crafts at 1:00 p.m.
Location: West Point Branch Library
Light up the night with glow-in-the-dark crafts you can take home. Supplies provided by the Friends of the West Point Library.


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After getting giddy from gushing over the abstract-art of the first room, you enter the main event space dripping in a retrospective of Missoni's delicate collections. Each mannequin has a composition of patterned pieces that are all separate identities in their own right but come together as one complete identifiable aesthetic. Tapestries line the walls as a backdrop palette of yet more knitwear technique and ingenuity. Fragments of samples and sketchbook experiments are all on show to give further insight into the origins of the signature stripes. Its explained perfectly in a quote by Luca Missoni:
"I would like to describe visually the fascination of a creative process that leads to the physical transformation of material. It s the mystique of colour taking shape. There is experimentation, the repetitive process of infinite research, the obsession that builds experience. It is the art of creating a fabric."
Fashion and Textile Museum, 83 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3XF
6 May – 4 September 2016


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Thai Chicken Curry with sweet potato crisps and coconut rice. Fairtrade coconuts? And, if you are in the UK, do you listen to this radio station for Asian Britain?
Wednesday March 23, 2011
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nobel prize
Answer by Balaji Viswanathan:
Under the Nobel Peace Prize
First, start with the members who are deciding the prize – The Norwegian Nobel Committee. You can quickly find out how non-diverse the whole body is – 4 politicians, a lawyer and a professor – all of Norway. It is appointed by the Storting – Norway's parliament. This body doesn't reflect the world, nor understands its diversity. Given the homogenity, it is very likely to reflect the bias of the committee and more than an absolute scale of achievements, it is the causes that this group wants their Western audience to know about.
Some causes are dearer to them – such as Irish and Israeli issues that have generated nearly a dozen Nobel laureates, while other causes not so much. Some groups such as the top US politicians get a disproportionate share of the awards (close to 15 US politicians have been awarded), as this is the only little lever a tiny nation has got over the world's superpower. The committee is made of normal people and succumb to the same set of trends and fads just like any of us.
About the future & less about the past
The Nobel Peace Prize is a very political award that is given mostly for what the committee wants to see rather than what they saw. Or in other words, it is ostensibly about the future than it is about the past. For instance, when Obama was given the prize as soon as he came to the office, it was not for any achievement he did. It was the Nobel Committee's pressure tactic to steer Obama into a path they think as peaceful. In 1993, they gave it to F. W. de Klerk – last South African President of Apartheid era who gave way to Nelson Mandela the following year.
Although it sometimes honors great individuals, the award can often be silly. In 2001, United Nations was given the award at a time when they were getting more dysfunctional & irrelevant than ever. The EU was given the award in 2012 at a time the organization was risking an implosion following the trouble in Greece & Cyprus. Yasser Arafat & Israeli leaders were given in 1994, just for getting into the same room and talking. It is not about what happened, it is about what they want to happen.
In Malala, the committee probably sees a future for Pakistan. They want to remind Pakistan of its responsibilities and inspire other women there. This is right now relevant there at a time when it is at a deep crisis. In case of Mr. Satyarthi, it is mostly for his past work, but is also a gentle reminder for India that it has not fully succeeded in liberating all its children out of bondage & forced labor.
Marketing for Peace
The awards often help certain causes get attention.
- In 1964, Martin Luther King Jr got the award. This got international attention to him and helped put a little more pressure that resulted in range of new acts starting from Civil Rights Act of 1964.
- Aung San Suu Kyi got the award in 1991 throwing spotlight on Burma & the democratic movement.
- In 2007, it was given to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and Al Gore to remind leaders of climatic change.
- In 2010, it was given to Liu Xiaobo at a time when China had grown quite big and protests were in over the country related to land.
For reformers like Satyarti this extra attention can help a long way. For Malala, this extra credibility will help her make better deals. It might make it harder for Pakistan's leaders to ignore her or imprison her. The increased pride in Pakistan will help her market her cause better.
Timing, Timing & Timing
Do you think that it is accidental that an Indian & Pakistani is sharing the award? Do you think it is accidental that they are sharing this at a time when the border clashes are getting more severe? If you think that, think again.
- In 1993, when Mandela got the award at the last stages of the Apartheid, they also made sure the apartheid regime under F. W. de Klerk also got it. This ostensibly made both sides get comfortable & also shone the world's spotlights to force them to come to a quicker deal.
- In 1994, when Yasser Arafat was given the award, they also made sure the Israelis leaders got it. A similar script was played after the 1978 peace talks – between Egypt & Isreal on the same issue. As you might have guessed by now, both leaders got the Nobel.
- In 2013, at the height of a major chemical disaster in Syria, the award was given to Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons – again to remind the world of something.
In case of Peace prize, they also make sure they balance by providing awards to competing countries & ethnic groups at the same time.
It is about themes & groups
Almost all Nobel prizes and especially the Peace Prizes are given thematically. Each year, they pick up a specific theme & honor the great people who fit into that theme.
This year, the theme was protecting children. That's how Malala got it as she is the most prominent child activist out there. And the Nobel committee, like it always does, made sure that an Indian & Pakistani, Hindu & Muslim, Man & Woman got to share the prize at a time when the tensions in the subcontinent is worsening.
It might be that they wanted to give it to Satyarti and then decided to add Malala or it could be the other way around. But, the point is that you need to be in that theme to be given the award that year.
Nobel Peace Prizes are not given by accident. They are engineered, timed and to put adequate political pressure on something.
What has Malala Yousufzai done to deserve Nobel Peace Prize? Did she deserve it?