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10:20pm on a Wednesday night, i should be showering and getting ready for bed but of course like always im surfing. Its the usual internet search....Tahoe jobs, Tahoe real estate, Facebook, Stephs blog, more Tahoe real estate. I get made fun of quite often about my crazy love for Tahoe, they all want to know what the heck i see and why i like it so much. I think because all of my most cherished memories are there in Nevada...the first time i got asked out was in Reno, engaged in Tahoe, marriage license in Tahoe and wedding in Tahoe. ( guess that explains alot)
I started reading a friend of mines blog which reminded me i had this one, truth is i forgot my link to even write on this until tonight....so thank you Steph!! My thoughts jump from topic to topic and i am not a english major by any means so don't go crazy when you read this because i suck at puncuation and spelling. Now back to the friend thing, sometimes i ask myself what is the definition of a friend....i mean take Stephanie for example, we never hangout, rarely talk on the phone but I do consider her a friend. I would watch her kid and drive 2 1/2 hours to go hangout with her if i knew it would brighten up her day. Who would have known a random email in response to a craigslist advertisement would spark up a friendship. SOOO have I answered my question??? Not really lol
I do know i feel more comfortable sharing private matters with Steph then i would my old friend of 10+ years. Weird lol I think some people can take my friendliness as being strange or even stalkerish....thats not the case. Its just when i find someone whom i can talk to or relate to i like to keep in touch with them. I guess what im trying to say is Stephanie dont think im some weird stalker whose obsessed with you :) I just enjoy being able to be apart of the large group of people who get to day by day be apart of you sharing your life. You motivate me to want to better my life and for that i thank you!!
After meeting you and seeing how hard of a worker you are and how far your business is going you give me hope that someday i can do the same!
SOOO on that stalker note lmao j/k today was a positive day, i finished a cake in which i was actually happy with for once in my life. I took a step back looked at my cake and thought.....i could open my own business with cakes like this :)
It is 7 days until i get to go to Tahoe and 10 days until Zack has a interview. This interview can be a life changing event for Zack and I both. Exciting yet scary all at the same time. Its my dream to get out of Modesto, yet once im there the reality that my family and friends are no longer at my convenience will be strange. Guess ill never know until i try though right?
Friday, June 22, 2012
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Umm wow along time
Well i lost my password to my blog so i haven't written in quite sometime. Since the last time i posted i have lost someone whom i thought was my best friend, gained new friends and married my real best friend!!
I have done quite a few cakes since the last post as well but just started up again after taking a small break on getting married!!
I have bought quite a few extra cake supplies and a cricut was one of them. I think im starting to get the hang of it lol The pictures above are just a few samplers of what i have done, i will try and keep this updated more often!!
Posted by Hipnotiq Cakes at 12:01 PM No comments:
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Who knew Chanel could look so good?
This week i decided to take on a last minute project. Not just any project but one which would feed 150 people and a very hungry two year old. This cake was for a couple whom had named their kid Chanel and she was turning two.
This was the drawing we came up with and after many days of work this was the finished product! It had a matching smash cake to go right along with it!
This was the drawing we came up with and after many days of work this was the finished product! It had a matching smash cake to go right along with it!
Posted by Hipnotiq Cakes at 4:30 PM No comments:
Monday, April 5, 2010
First Entry
After looking at many people's blogs and seeing how fun and interesting they can be, I decided to put together one myself. Yesterday was Easter and we spent some quality time with Zack's family. I decided to make a quick cake to ease the sweet tooth of us all. I think it turned out pretty good considering I slapped the cake together in a matter of a few hours. It was a vanilla sour cream cake with fresh strawberries and strawberry glaze filling.
I also delivered a Thomas the train cake this weekend to a family in Turlock. The cake turned out pretty good until the drive over there then the bottom decided to collapse underneath it. I was so disappointed :( Oh well live and learn!
I also delivered a Thomas the train cake this weekend to a family in Turlock. The cake turned out pretty good until the drive over there then the bottom decided to collapse underneath it. I was so disappointed :( Oh well live and learn!
Posted by Hipnotiq Cakes at 4:51 PM No comments:
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I helped my little ladybug (she thinks she is Ladybug Girl from the book) make this two years ago. I love it so I put it in a frame and we display it every fall.
We painted her hand and part of her arm to make the brown part of the tree. Then she dipped her finger tip in fall colors to make the leaves. I love those fall colors! Next year my little guy will be the right age to make this craft.
I don't remember where I found the idea, but I would guess it probably came from
Family Fun which is where we find most of our fun crafts.

subset: commoncrawl


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Tribune, 5 October 2012
Eric Hobsbawm, who has died at the age of 95, was the last survivor of an extraordinary generation of British Marxist historians who first developed their ideas in the late 1940s and early 1950s as members of the Communist Party Historians Group – among them Christopher Hill, Edward and Dorothy Thompson, Raphael Samuel. John Saville and George Rude.
The group broke up after its majority left the Communist Party in protest at the Soviet invasion of Hungary in 1956 – but Hobsbawm stuck to the CP to the very bitter end in 1991, and never apologised for his decision to do so.
Perhaps it had something to do with his experience as an adolescent. Born into a Jewish family in Egypt in 1917, he spent his early childhood in Vienna before his parents died and he moved to Berlin with an uncle – where he witnessed at first hand the violence of the Nazi party as it rose to power, escaping to Britain in 1933. The story is told well in his 2002 memoir, Interesting Times.
For Hobsbawm, until his death, the hopes of 1917 and the role of the Soviet Union in the defeat of fascism always still trumped the crimes of the Soviet regime, and there was little in 20th-century history (pre-1956 at least) on which he did not take a line that in the end was sympathetic to the official Soviet position at the time. He remained hostile to the anarchists in the Spanish civil war and the 1956 revolutionaries in Hungary and evasive about the Moscow show trials and the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact of 1939-41 even in his most recent writing.
But he was much more than an apologist for Stalinism. In the CP after 1956, though hardly an active member, he took a reform-communist position, criticising the Soviet suppression of the Prague Spring in 1968 and then in the 1970s becoming the leading Anglophone advocate of the Eurocommunism of the Italian Communist Party. He and Stuart Hall played a crucial role in developing a left critique of the militant workerism of the traditional left in the Labour Party, the CP and the trade unions in the dying days of the 1974-79 Labour government, which in turn inspired both the Labour soft left and the Eurocommunist magazine Marxism Today in the 1980s – though the idea that he was somehow responsible for New Labour is quite ridiculous (and something he rejected).
What he will be remembered for above all are his books on world history, epic works of synthesis covering giant swaths of time and geography but never lacking in telling anecdotes. Whatever their lacunae, they are brilliant accounts of the growth and crises of global capitalism.
But just as thrilling are Hobsbawm's more focused works, essays on small aspects of social history that are an utter delight to read even when they're wrong.
Hobsbawm's students remember him as kind and generous as a teacher, and he was indeed a lovely man. He will always be a subject of controversy because he never said sorry for being a communist. But he will be missed.


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It wasn't like Jackie didn't have enough to do. She wasn't filling up her extra hours because she felt lonely or nothing. It was just good, Mandy from the Poundshop said, to give a little something back to society, and that.
But now Jackie was thinking Meals on Wheels maybe wasn't for her.
'Mr Ross? Are you in there?'
She was spending longer each day shouting through his letterbox at him. Old git.
The tray was steaming hot in her hand. The one that wasn't braced against the front door of his flat as she knelt there on the cold concrete.
'And you can clear out of it, too,' she muttered at Mrs Higgins, who came by with her tartan shopping bag. Wondering why Jackie was shouting at Mr Ross again. Maybe it was a mistake volunteering herself for her own block?
'Mr Ross. Please open up. It's mince and dumplings today. And jam sponge. You'll like it.'
The pensioners ate better than she did, actually. Some of them complained about the quality of the stuff they got doled out. Jackie wouldn't have complained. I live off chicken nuggets and Sainsbury's Chardonnay. I'd be glad of a bleedin' home cooked meal, even if it did arrive in foil.
'Mr Ross!' she banged harder.
Course, with Rose gone again it wasn't like it was worth cooking a proper meal in the evening. This was the longest stint her daughter had been away for.
Mr R…!'
The old boy opened the door sharpish, catching her out so she stumbled again. He liked making her do that.
He was there in his front hall. Glaring up at her from his wheelchair.
'Decided to let me in, eh?' she smiled at his cross old face. He really was the worst old sod she delivered to. Some of them were so sweet, the old folk. So pleased and grateful to see you. Others were just evil. Like this old git.
Jackie had been on the Meals on Wheels for a week and it seemed like a lifetime.
'How are you doing today, Mr Ross?' she asked breezily, taking his tray into the kitchen to dish up for him. He slammed the front door with his one good arm and followed her.
'I've been plotting the ultimate destruction of this world and my revenge upon all of mankind,' he said, furiously.
'Oh, yes?' Jackie smiled, and went through the cupboards looking for a clean glass. 'Look, shall I do these dishes? They've been standing here for days.'
'You will all beg for my mercy in the end,' he shouted. 'When my invasion force arrives in Earth's solar system at last. You will all see then what I have planned for this miserable planet.'
'It's mince and dumplings. You'll like that.'
'I will reserve the worst suffering for you, Jackie Tyler,' he cursed in his gravelly voice. That's where a lifetime's smoking gets you, Jackie thought, shaking her head.
'Shall we get you settled at the table? I've ever so envious of your open plan living / dining area. Was it like this when you moved in?'
He followed her miserably, wheeling down the hall. 'You will die horribly in uttermost agony! Rueing the very day you first heard my name! I can promise you that, Jackie Tyler!'
She popped the tray down, with a knife and fork, a glass of tap water and a paper napkin. A Christmas one, but she was sure he wouldn't mind. 'There you are, love.'
'Oh,' he said, wheeling forward. 'Dumplings.'


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We're enjoying being parents to our toddler. She is 2+ years old now and she's at this stage where she tries to be an independent child in terms of deciding what she wants to wear, what to do, etc. She's also at this stage in her life, though, where she would almost always seek for parental attention. She hates it very much when both of us are in front of our computers. So, we make it a point that at least one of us should put off facing the computer until she's busy playing with her toys or until she falls asleep. Time management is indeed an important element in being parents, most especially to toddlers.
Overall, our daughter is generally a happy baby. She's only irritable when she's feeling sick. Just recently, she's had one of those toddler ear infections. Good thing she can already clearly express herself and would quickly tell us the source of her pain - her ears. Her pediatrician explained the usual reason why babies and toddlers commonly get ear infections. This usually happens when their Eustachian tubes are blocked due to common colds. Indeed, we can confirm that her episodes of ear aches came after she's had runny nose or bad cold. She's also had fever along with her painful ears. Thank God, she felt better after 7 days of prescribed antibiotics and 4 days of ibuprofen.
writing about our life as parents, the joys and struggles of parenting, and everything else in between...
on being parents to a toddler
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Research provides a stage for creativity and innovation in the university system. Research is vital for economic and social development of our nation and it is crucial to the mission of our university. A Press Conference organized by the Communication & Media Unit of the University of Kelaniya to highlight the Research conducted by Researchers of the Faculties and the Institutes of the University of Kelaniaya was successfully held on the 25th of July 2017 at the Government Information Department.
At this conference, three Research conducted by the Researchers of the Faculty of Medicine, Gampaha Wickramarachchi Ayurveda Institute and the Faculty of Social Sciences were highlighted. Dr. Menaka Hapugoda and the group of the Molecular Medicine Unit, Faculty of Medicine presented their comprehensive Research on "an operational model to control dengue in Sri Lanka using multiple vector control intervention, new product development and community engagement".
The study on "anti microbial activity, chemical analysis and clinical efficacy of kshara sutra in the management of fistula in ano" was carried out by Dr. D.L. Jayaratna, and the group of the Department of Microbiology, Department of Chemistry, Gampaha Wickramarachchi Ayurveda Institute of the University of Kelaniya.
Dr. M.G. Kularatne Senior Lecturer of the Department Economics, the director of the Research Centre for Social Sciences (RCSS) of the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Kelaniya and Dr. Hemantha Premarathne, Senior Lecturer in Economics of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University discussed on "High-tech Japanese Solution (ERS) for Municipal solid waste (MSW) Management in Sri Lanka".
Present at the Media Conference were Prof. Rohana Luxman Piyadasa, the Director of the Communication and Media Unit of the University of Kelaniya, Cadre Chair and Senior Prof. N.P. Sunil-Chandra, the Chairman of the Research Council of the University of Kelaniya, Prof. Nilmini Silva Gunawardhane of the Faculty of Medicine, Prof. Janitha Liyanage of the Faculty of Science, Dr. Nayana Gunathilake of the Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Ranil Dissanayake of the Faculty of Medicine and the Journalists.


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One of the terms that invariably will get discussed after a favored team loses to an underdog is "Good Loss". It's a term we have heard fans and the media use occasionally to put the loss in perspective to the entirety of the season. "Hopefully, the team will use this loss as motivation to (insert whatever improvement the team needs here)"
Another term we have heard is "Bad Win" if a heavily favored team beats an underdog by a smaller margin than expected. It's a term used to describe the possibility that the favored team is overrated or the favored team didn't perform to it's capabilities.
I think we can all agree that momentum, a positive attitude, or confidence are all very important in sports.
Here's a semi-equation I would like for you to ponder: (w=W)(l=L)
Mark Story in the Herald-Leader and several calls to the Sunday Morning Call-in show on 630 AM said the UK loss to UT on Saturday could fit into the good loss category. This loss should point out to the Cats that starting slow, not playing good defense, rushing shots and falling behind early is not going to work in the post-season. These are all points that Coach Calipari has pointed out throughout the season.
You might ask a lot of fans in Texas about a good loss. After starting the season 17-0 the Texas Longhorns lost to Kansas 71-62. Did this put Texas back on track to the #1 ranking and a #1 seed in the post season? No, Texas has gone 5-7 after that 17-0 start. The exact opposite happened.
The Denver Broncos started the 2009 NFL season 6-0 before losing to Baltimore 30-7. Did this put the Broncos back on track to a successful season and a post season berth in the play-offs? No, the Broncos went 2-8 the rest of the season and missed the play-offs.
When is it easier to make a four-foot putt to win? After you have made four-in-a-row or after you have missed four-in-a-row? When is it easier to make a free throw? After you have swished the last one or after you bricked the last one?
Momentum and confidence is important in any individual. It is also important in a team. Winning can lead to a team attitude that we, as a group, are going to make the sacrifices necessary to win. Sometimes losing leads to a team attitude that we, as a group, are going to find a way to lose.
Before the hate mail comes pouring in, I am not saying that the UK Cats are going to start losing every other game the rest of the year. I am saying that the term "Good Loss" is an oxymoron, and a bad one at that. The same holds true for "Bad Win".
The semi-equation (w=W)(l=L) stands for win equals Winning and loss equals Losing. Put more simply, a win can lead to more winning and a loss can lead to more losing.
As a player or a coach, losing a game you were supposed to win hurts just as bad as a game you were supposed to lose. As a player or a coach, winning a game you were supposed to lose or win is "All Good"!
The NCAA Basketball season is coming to a close and "The Greatest Show On Earth" is about to begin. This isn't the NBA or MLB where you can lose late season games and then play teams the best 4 out of 7. It is "One and Done". The momentum you carry into the post season is important. Losing games in the late season because of mistakes your coach has fussed about throughout the season is "All Bad".
So here's the bottom line: there is nothing "Good" about Losing and there is nothing "Bad" about Winning. Ask any coach or player.


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Last week, millions of Americans tuned in to see their Presidential candidates eloquently explain specific remedies for the challenges that face our nation. Instead, we were treated to the ramblings of a compulsive liar and the emotionless, monotone responses of a thoroughly uninterested President. Disgusted viewers sent over 250,000 emails to the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) demanding immediate change. In response, the CPD has brought in producer Matt Kunitz to "liven up" the debates. Kunitz is the executive producer of the reality game show Wipeout and has also produced The Real World and Fear Factor. According to CPD Chairman Michael McCurry, "Kunitz will be able to implement the changes Americans want to see in the debates."
Kunitz and the CPD say that the new debate format will cover three main areas. First, they want to ensure the veracity of the candidates' statements. According to Pulitzer Prize winning fact checker Politifact, in the 25 examined statements from the first debate, 19 were deemed to be "Mostly false", "False" or "Half true". Mitt Romney seemed to find it particularly difficult to speak the truth. A debate full of lies has no inherent value to the American people. The new debate format will demand 100% honesty by punishing candidates after any dishonest statement. Fact checkers from Politifact and the Washington Post will be present to judge the candidates. The candidates themselves will also be hooked up to a polygraph machine. When a candidate is caught in a lie, a neon "LIAR!" sign will shine behind him and he will be punished by one of several "Poli-Tricks" including moderate to severe electric shocks, being dunked in a tub of ice water and having a bucket of slime dumped on their heads. The more blatant the lie, the more uncomfortable the punishment.
The second change in the debate format is the number of candidates. The CPD, a non-profit organization, was founded by Republicans and Democrats in 1987. Until now, its policies have greatly favored the two parties. To participate, candidates must show that opinion polls have them with at least 15% of the popular vote. Of course, were they allowed to debate they might earn those numbers, however under CPD rules, candidates would never get the chance. The new format will open the debate to anyone who is both running for President and is on the ballot in at least 2 states. Current Presidential candidates, Gary Johnson (Libertarian), Jill Stein (Green), Virgil Goode (Constitution) and Rocky Anderson (Justice) will now be able to share their perspective with the American people. While this has been highly unpopular with both the Republicans and Democrats it seems unconscionable in a free and democratic society to not give an equal platform to every candidate.
The third and final change will be the way in which the debates are moderated. The CPD will be replacing all current moderators with a panel of professors, scientists and economists. Candidates will be given hypothetical scenarios in the areas of the economy, the environment, domestic issues, natural disasters, foreign relations, and military actions. They will be asked to make on the spot decisions on how they would handle those situations. The panel will then vote on the best answer, thus determining a debate "winner". During any response, should a candidate go over his or her allotted time, a mechanized boxing glove will shoot from their podium and pop them in the nose.
The new format has already succeeded in doing the impossible. Republicans and Democrats have actually agreed, on something; they both completely despise the new format. However, both parties feel forced to comply since a Gallup poll showed that 89% of Americans love the new format. While the CPD was unable to arrange the new debate in time for the Vice Presidential debate, it will be unveiled at the next Presidential debate on Tuesday, October 16 at Hofstra University.
Check out more from Orbson Rice:
You can purchase his book "Exposing My Orbs: The Rise of a Liberal Satirist" for only $2.99 on Amazon!
Or read more of his contributions to Free Wood Post:
Campaign Unveils Mitt Romney V5.0
GOP Celebrates New 'PreSin' Pregnancy Prevention Pill
Orbson Rice is the author of the book "Exposing My Orbs: The Rise of a Liberal Satirist". He is also the "Creator" of the blog "The Orbson Oracle" which is thoroughly offensive, often thoughtful and occasionally funny. To read more from the voices in his head, stroke your mouse and visit the Oracle or befriend him on Facebook.
Unedited photograph by Eduardo Frei


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. . . especially when the Red Arrows are doing a display! In Bournemouth last Friday they careered round the sky for half an hour while we ooohed and wowed on the East Overcliff. We also had a stroll on the pier . . .
Featuring all kinds of areas that overlap with and give stimulus to embroidery - colours, shapes, textures, painting, quilting, the natural world . . .
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Oh I do like to be beside the seaside . . .
Posted by Barbara Cheeseman at 12:44 pm No comments:
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Introducing our new garden . . .
I can't believe we have a vine full of these in the greenhouse! And here's a selection of flowers
Posted by Barbara Cheeseman at 6:00 pm 3 comments:
Adding some texture . . .
. . . to the first, monochrome/neutral Sumptuous Surfaces project. Pic below is a bit fuzzy. Enlarging the one above will probably give a better close-up. Packing in stitches is harder than I thought it would be. I do a lot of random stitching that may or may not turn into a finished item. I think the aspect of this project that is giving me difficulty is that it involves working towards a planned design! There is meant to be a recognizable end product. Well, it won't hurt me to exercise a bit of self control.Thank you, folk who have commented on earlier posts, for the encouragement!
Posted by Barbara Cheeseman at 4:51 pm 2 comments:
Labels: Sumptuous Surfaces
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Sumptuous Surfaces, first stitching
I couldn't decide which pic to post so have put both on. This is the first stage in the stitching, outlining the main motif (the outer lines of the leaf) and adding some low relief (the veins within the leaflets). I then forgot to take a photo and began adding the next stage - building up some heavy texture in the spaces left, so ignore those bits for now! It is 6"x4", postcard size, on some linen I happened to have, using a linen thread dyed with coffee, a perlé and a flower thread. Stitches are barred chain for the main outline, stem for the centre veins and long straight stitches for the secondary veins.
A question I have is - the long straight stitches look the way I want, but, if this card were to be sent in the post, might they need couching down, as they might snag something in the mailing process? (Actually, I know that it is the thing to post fabric cards with no envelopes, but I don't think I ever would.)
Posted by Barbara Cheeseman at 11:42 am 4 comments:
Labels: Sumptuous Surfaces
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Texture course . . .
The drawings promised in the last post - first one very rough idea - not so very interesting, I feel. This idea is better, but too complex. It has been recommended we use a fabric postcard format, so this is drawn actual size, but I can't quite see me managing to stitch it. But I like the idea....
Posted by Barbara Cheeseman at 7:00 pm 3 comments:
Labels: drawing, Sumptuous Surfaces
Joggles - Sumptuous Surfaces
I've decided to take one of Sharon Boggon's courses hosted by Joggles - Sumptuous Surfaces. It is about creating texture with stitches, which interests me particularly. It has a strong design component, which is useful, as although I've done design study relating to patchwork and quilting I've not done any directly relating to embroidery, and I feel the lack of it. So I have an idea - to do with moving and the potential for new developments, and a motif to express it - horse chestnut leaves. ( Sounds a bit unlikely? I'll explain it a bit more another time!). For now, here are some of my design exercises, in paint. There'll be some drawn ones next time.
First, made 2 print blocks, incising polystyrene sheet with a knitting needle, and a stencil from thin strong card, preserving the piece that was cut out.
Then I played around with them on the pages of my A4 size sketchbook. This was good fun but they don't say 'stitch me' to me yet.
First, made 2 print blocks, incising polystyrene sheet with a knitting needle, and a stencil from thin strong card, preserving the piece that was cut out.
Then I played around with them on the pages of my A4 size sketchbook. This was good fun but they don't say 'stitch me' to me yet.
Ink wash over the printed pages (acrylic paints btw)
Posted by Barbara Cheeseman at 4:15 pm 3 comments:
Labels: printing, Sumptuous Surfaces
TAST catchup
During our move the only stitching I've managed are the TAST samples. Rather sketchily though, and I will come back to do some more sometime. So here are some pix at last - First, the latest - cast-on stitch. This I have to confess, was done at an EG workshop on Friday, and includes drizzle stitch, both single and double-sided. I will put some on my sampler strip, I promise.
Half and half chevron and cretan - interesting combination, but I wasn't sure what to do with it except stash rows together, and it kept slewing itself sideways. Hmm.
Underneath that - bullion. This is going to be useful for texture pieces. Bit of long/short at the side - can't get anywhere with that for now.
Then I tried a complex seam, which didn't work very well. Wheatsheaf I liked with the vertical lines different lengths, and packing it close is fun.
Arrowhead - just can't get it even, so gave up and went for the squashed effect with different threads, and the all over single stitch look. Also, the irregular lengths wobbly row. Suits me better!!
Buttonhole wheel - I love making the little holes in the middle - on the right. And piling up different sizes. Just started some distorted circles on the left.
I do like this sampling of stitches and wish I'd had more time and ideas. Am aware I've barely scratched the surface with many of the stitches, but I know I will be revisiteng them as time goes by.
Posted by Barbara Cheeseman at 3:49 pm No comments:
Labels: bullion. long/short, buttonhole, cast-on, cretan stitch, TAST, wheatsheaf
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Thank you. Your inquiry has been received.
Nice Corner Lot property in River Town Area of Antioch Close to City Offices, Chamber of Commerce, Marina & Delta. See Attachment Zoning & Use Map Check with city for possible business uses: Cell Phone Store, CPA/Bookkeeper, Attorney, Paralegal, Coffee /Smoothie Shop, Food Trucks, Barber /Beauity Shop


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Relations with Management
(based on 12 ratings in 2016)
"Managers are very open about the performance of the firm and any possible strategic changes that might affect us."Graduate, London
"I've had good mentors, good communication, good appraisals and good feedback (obviously this is manager dependent). We also get opportunities to sign up to lunches etc with senior management."Graduate, London
"Some managers are better than others."HR, Graduate, London
"My manager is very approachable and keen for me to develop."Graduate, Tonbridge
"My line manager is always available and there is a catch-up once every two weeks. That said, they are generally very busy people."Graduate, London
"End of rotation feedback/goals are recognised and important. Feedback and recognition has always been provided in my experience. Generally a very good atmosphere with very friendly senior staff members who always have time for you."Graduate, London
"A senior member of the management team will be assigned to be your mentor from your first day. But you can approach other senior managers and ask them for advice, or to become your mentor."Graduate, London
"Directors of research (your line manager) are very accessible and give honest and helpful feedback, always trying to make you a better investor. Feedback from fund managers is formally given twice a year, but they will praise you in between if you make them money."Graduate, London
"Management interacts very well because of the non-hierarchical structure. Regular one-to-ones and feedback are also part of the routine."Graduate, London
"I have several mentors, apart from my direct manager and they all take very good care of us graduates. They give us interesting projects to work on and they support us. Feedback is not continuous, but every time I ask for it I receive it, (I haven´t had my first appraisal yet)."HR, Graduate, Kronberg, Germany
Our 'Inside Buzz' reviews are the comments and views of recent graduate recruits, giving you a view of what it may be like to work for an organisation. Copyright of all TARGETjobs Inside Buzz material lies solely with GTI Media.


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Svayambh Villa
This 60 year old British Villa is a quaint property located on the Lady Seat Road and is walking distance from the Lake, and major schools like Montfort School and Sacred Heart School. There are two deluxe suites independent of the Villa and one Royal suite, which is a part of the main Villa. The suites are designed with private sit outs, which opens either into the garden or the mountain ranges. Guests can avail the 24hours room service facility. There is also parking facility within the premises.
Check-in time : 12:00 NOON
Check-out time : 12:00 NOON


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I can't claim that this is a British dish in the slightest but it somehow it conjures up a very British aura. Rice pudding is probably about as universal a dessert as you'll find, having a browse on the web I found references to Spain, Scandinavia, Italy and the Middle East. However, to me it conjures up winter in this country, steaming rice pudding with an enormous blob of jam in the middle making the whole dish go pink after you'd mixed it all up. I was thinking about how I'd probably be a bit ill if I attempted to eat that much jam in one go these days and I tried to figure out something that would keep the same vibe but not be quite so sweet. I had some cooking apples knocking around so stewed them with sultanas and cinnamon to add a more adult sharpness to the pudding. Here was a combination that really worked as an autumnal treat, the soft sweet milk tones cut with an apple sharpness and cinnamon warmth, like the smell of burning leaves in November with a hint of Christmas in the air.
Sunday, November 06, 2005
Rice Pudding and Spiced Apple
3 comments:
- shuna fish lydon said...
rice pudding in the air?
i made some recently too. it's really carnaroli rice poached in half & half. mmmmm fat.
because I love the taste of rice mine is only seasoned with vanilla bean.
- 11/08/2005 01:59:00 am
- cookiecrumb said...
Well! Why don't you have a look here?
Or maybe you already have.
(Oh, gosh, look at that cool shadow of the rice on the plate. Pretty.)
- 11/08/2005 02:18:00 am
- anna said...
Hi MG,
Rice pudding is one of the few desserts of this type that school dinners didn't ruin for me (semolina with jam - YUCK). The spiced apple compote (to give it a fancy name - although my husband STILL finds it funny to refer to it as compost) sounds like a very nice accompaniment. I often have something similar with porridge to liven it up.
- 11/09/2005 09:20:00 am
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text:
"As part of a partnership between KFC and Nanz and Kraft Florists, prom-goers who want to bring their date something special now have the chance to surprise them with a chicken corsage.
According to Nanz and Kraft, the corsage will "will make your date`s eyes light up and her mouth water.`
Only 100 chicken corsages are available and the store has already sold 15 of them, according to the New York Daily News. `Just like the last piece of chicken in the bucket, when they`re gone, they`re gone.`"
If your girlfriend is a fat pig, by all means surprise her with a Kentucky Fried Chicken corsage. She might even let you go all the way, if you promise to treat her to KFC after the prom.
But if your date is half-way normal I guarantee her eyes won`t light up if you present her with a chicken corsage. She`ll drop you like a hot potato and she will ring up the school nerd and ask him to take her to the prom.
Dude a chicken corsage is a fowl idea, if you don`t live in the Deep South forget it!
Read more: http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2014/04/14/KFC-chicken-corsage-being-sold-just-in-time-for-prom-season/8661397486883/#ixzz2yskJTNJ1
Photo Credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
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text:
Know more about this business than we do? Cool! Please submit any corrections or missing details you may have.Help us make it right
Be the first AL.com user to add photos or videos of Grayson Valley Family Dntstry
Q: Does this provider ever overbook appointments here?
A: No, They definitely believe in quality over quantity and allow more than enough time in between appointments
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A: Yes, they listen to all complaints and make every effort to correct the situation.
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A: Yes! It was...
Q: Did you feel like this provider's office was understaffed?
A: No, they were fully staffed
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A: Yes, they were well-stocked
Q: Does this provider adhere to the customer is always right policy?
A: Absolutely, the customer is always right here
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Grayson Valley Family Dntstry can be found at Chalkville Rd 5620. The following is offered: Doctors & Clinics. The entry is present with us since Sep 10, 2010 and was last updated on Nov 14, 2013. In Birmingham there are 525 other Doctors & Clinics. An overview can be found here.
Vohler Family Dentistry is a Dentist facility at 5620 Chalkville Road in Birmingham, AL.


text:
The House resumed from April 27 consideration of the motion.
House of Commons Hansard #70 of the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was crime.
House of Commons Hansard #70 of the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was crime.
The House resumed from April 27 consideration of the motion.
InfrastructurePrivate Members' Business
11 a.m.
The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken
When this matter was last before the House, the hon. member for Newmarket--Aurora had the floor and there were four minutes remaining in the time allotted for her remarks. I therefore call upon the hon. member for Newmarket--Aurora.
InfrastructurePrivate Members' Business
11 a.m.
Lois Brown Conservative Newmarket—Aurora, ON
Mr. Speaker, I thank the House for the opportunity to speak to the motion brought forward by the member for Labrador regarding the importance of investing in core public infrastructure in Canada's north.
During previous debates on this motion, my colleagues highlighted significant investments this government has made and continues to make in Canada's northern communities.
Along with our northern strategy, our government, under the leadership of the Prime Minister, is delivering an economic action plan that will stimulate economic growth in economies from coast to coast to coast by creating jobs and supporting Canadian families.
This government has doubled the gas revenue transfer from $1 billion to $2 billion per year, and moved up the first payment from July 1st to April 1st. This money is in bank accounts of municipalities right now so local government can put it to work right away.
Our government continues to work constructively with our counterparts in the provinces and the territories to get shovels in the ground as soon as possible. We are getting the job done for all of our provinces and for the territories. This money is in the hands of our municipalities because we believe that putting the money in their hands is going to create jobs in these places immediately.
We are really glad that we can say that we are getting the job done.
InfrastructurePrivate Members' Business
11 a.m.
Mario Laframboise Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise on behalf of the Bloc Québécois to address Motion M-298 put forward by the hon. member for Labrador. I will take a moment to read it because it is important. It states:
That, in the opinion of the House, the government should work co-operatively with the governments of the territories and of the seven provinces which constitute the Provincial North, and with Aboriginal and local governments in these regions, to develop a strategy to improve transportation and other vital public infrastructure.
I will say right off that, immediately following my remarks, I will be moving an amendment to Motion M-298, which I will explain. I realize, of course, that this amendment will require the consent of the mover of the motion, the hon. member for Labrador. I am moving this amendment simply because one has to be very careful in drafting a text and introducing it as a motion.
The text before us states "the government should work co-operatively with the governments of the territories and of the seven provinces which constitute the Provincial North, and with Aboriginal and local governments in these regions". The problem is with the phrase "with local government in these regions". Where aboriginal people are concerned, the federal government acts as their trustee, and it would automatically be responsible for whatever share is owed by aboriginal communities, should these communities encounter financial difficulties. However, the wording of the motion is suggesting that local governments would be expected to participate financially, since it talks about developing a strategy cooperatively with local governments. These are municipalities and cities. As a former president of the Union des municipalités du Québec, I cannot support a position that might require local governments to participate financially once all is said and done. I would be much more comfortable if the words "and local governments in these regions" were taken out of the motion. This would prevent local and municipal governments from being put in front of a de facto situation and having to participate financially.
We must not forget that, according the Constitution, municipalities fall under the jurisdiction of provincial governments. In any discussions that might take place, since we are talking about cooperation among the governments of the territories and the seven provinces, the Government of Quebec would inevitably be called upon. So, the province itself will undertake discussions with the local municipalities. They could very well be opposed to participating financially, and could tell the Quebec government that since it was the one that held talks with the federal government and since it was the one that spoke about a transportation system in the north, the province should be the one to pay, for the benefit of everyone.
It is difficult to be against the principle of a strategy to improve transportation and vital public infrastructure in the north. That is why I will table an amendment, if the member for Labrador will agree. I am well aware that the sponsor of a motion must consent to an amendment so that it can be debated or be put to vote. I hope that the member is listening, that he hears me, and that he will agree with this solution. I will obviously try to convince him of the relevance of this amendment.
I will come back to this point. When we say that the government should work cooperatively with the governments of the territories and of the seven provinces to develop a strategy with aboriginal and local governments in these regions, this development could inevitably requirement financial participation.
As I was saying, the fact that the aboriginal peoples would be involved does not create a problem, since the federal government has a fiduciary responsibility for aboriginal people and their land. If there were financial needs it would automatically be the federal government that would see to meeting them. This is not up to local governments in Quebec, which have their own taxation system. If there were participation, the local governments could be called on to help improve transportation and vital public infrastructure. I believe that this network should be national and should be funded in part by the federal government and the provinces involved in such talks.
Many of the northern territories are resource rich. They also have tourism because they are beautiful and people can go there. I encourage everyone to do so. That being said, they are rich in natural resources that are important for development. Quebec has hydroelectric dams and mining. I think that a public infrastructure and transportation network is critical for the north, but this motion presented in the House of Commons should not indirectly oblige local governments to participate financially.
We may agree with the principle underlying the motion, but we cannot leave the words "with local governments in these regions" in the text.
That bears repeating. Too often, we try to fix problems by presenting motions like this one. Every word in it is important. The way this motion is written suggests that financial participation will be required because it says "with local governments in these regions". That points to shared costs.
I can tell you that local governments in Quebec are not prepared to talk about financial participation. I want to be perfectly clear about that because, according to the Constitution, municipalities fall under the jurisdiction of provinces and territories. If there were any needs, the fact that the provinces would be at the table to talk, to cooperate, to figure out strategies and funding would automatically enable them to have a conversation with the cities if they wanted to share costs. They will have their debate.
In Quebec, a provincial-municipal round table exists to discuss problems between the Government of Quebec and the municipalities, since the municipalities fall under provincial jurisdiction. Accordingly, I believe that that organization should be the one to decide how the municipalities will participate in any strategy to improve critical public infrastructure, and not a federal round table, which, in any case, could force the provinces, territories and aboriginal communities to contribute financially.
As I said, the federal government has a fiduciary responsibility for aboriginal communities. Accordingly, if it ever had to ask for money, it would surely find a way to give money to the communities so they could contribute financially. Since the federal government has no legitimate authority over local governments, it is not up to the government to determine any action, especially since the municipalities come under Quebec's jurisdiction.
Once my amendment is accepted by the hon. member for Labrador, I will be pleased to discuss it and support it if our amendment is supported by the majority in this House. At that point, we could then support Motion M-298.
I would like to present my amendment with the time I have left.
I move, seconded by the hon. member for Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, that the motion be amended by deleting all the words "and local governments in these regions".
InfrastructurePrivate Members' Business
11:10 a.m.
The Acting Speaker Conservative Barry Devolin
It is my duty to inform hon. members that, pursuant to Standing Order 93(3), no amendment may be proposed to a private members' motion or to the motion for second reading of a private members' bill unless the sponsor of the item indicates his or her consent.
Therefore, I ask the hon. member for Labrador if he consents to the amendment being moved?
InfrastructurePrivate Members' Business
11:10 a.m.
Todd Russell Liberal Labrador, NL
With respect, no, Mr. Speaker.
InfrastructurePrivate Members' Business
11:10 a.m.
The Acting Speaker Conservative Barry Devolin
There is no consent. Therefore, pursuant to Standing Order 93(3) the amendment cannot be moved at this time.
Resuming debate, the hon. member for Edmonton—Strathcona.
InfrastructurePrivate Members' Business
11:10 a.m.
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Mr. Speaker, I am rising to speak to the motion tabled by the member for Labrador. It is a motion of great interest to me due to my long history of work with first nations and other communities in northern Alberta. The motion perhaps raises more questions than answers, and I think it raises a good point for discussion in the House.
What is the north of Canada? What about the communities that are squeezed between the more highly populated developed areas along the southern edge of Canada and our far north, which is getting a lot of attention of late? I think the motion raises a lot of good issues, particularly about the failure of successive federal governments to give enough attention to the infrastructure needs of our northern communities, including those on the northern edge of Nunavut and other first nations communities within Yukon and the Northwest Territories.
There are two issues here. I think the hon. member from the Bloc raised a very good point. What is meant by "cooperatively"? If it means joint funding, that perhaps raises a serious issue. I know that certainly in northern Alberta the municipalities are already extremely stretched financially in trying to deliver their infrastructure needs, particularly the community of Fort McMurray. Certainly the first nations and Métis communities of northern Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec are stressed with trying to deliver education, health care, road construction, housing, wastewater treatment and water treatment. We need to be giving more attention to those issues.
That raises the issue of whether there is synchronicity between the budget, which talks about allocation of infrastructure dollars, and other legislative initiatives going on in the House. One legislative matter of particular significance is the announced federal initiative for new safe drinking water legislation for aboriginal communities. By coincidence, I have been researching a book on the legal aspects of providing safe drinking water to Métis and first nations peoples. There are a lot of unanswered questions and a lot of big issues about whether or not we are adequately delivering on the constitutional and Supreme Court approved decision that there is a duty to better consult, consider and accommodate the interests and needs of first nations peoples.
I have had the opportunity over the last several years to have discussions with the mayor for the town of Fort McMurray, Melissa Blake. On a recent trip there by the Standing Committee on the Environment and Sustainable Development, we had discussions on the potential impacts of the oil sands on water. The mayor clarified in the meeting that she still has serious concerns about meeting the infrastructure needs of her community. She welcomes the infusion of federal dollars to build the highways for the safety of the workers who go to and from the tar sands operations, but she is still waiting for money to provide the basic services of education, health and so forth.
The motion addresses the issue that we have certain communities that are under particular stress. With regard to the first nations communities and the Métis settlements, the Alberta government, to its credit, has constitutionally recognized the Métis, established settlements in northern Alberta and transferred certain money. However, as the laws improve and we have higher standards for providing safe drinking water and wastewater treatment, those settlements are stressed with meeting these regulatory standards and coming up with the resources to deliver that.
I know that the president of the Métis Settlements General Council was here last week, meeting with the ministers and seeking additional support to have better wastewater treatment in the community. It is noteworthy that constitutionally the federal government does have responsibility for both the Métis as well as the first nations peoples. However, thus far the federal government seems to be balking at that.
I think those matters need to be revisited. I think it would be worthwhile to have a good, thorough all-party discussion about whether or not the needs of those "northern communities", particularly the first nations government communities and the Métis settlements in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, where they do not yet have designated settlements, are also getting equal attention and priority.
I commend the member for bringing forward the motion. It raises a lot of very critical issues. We need clarity on whether the suggestion is that these very communities would actually have to cost share. In most cases, these communities' finances are already stretched and that probably would be impossible, unless of course they could get matched funding from the provinces.
It is a very important point. I do not think we should in any way underplay the needs of our far northern communities that are starting to develop and merit a lot of support to build their infrastructure.
I will close by adding one additional point. The House will have noticed last week with the swine flu situation in some of the first nation communities, particularly in the northern provinces, the problem that overcrowding of housing is having with the spreading of the swine flu.
As these issues collide, it becomes all the more important that we recognize that some communities in Canada merit even further attention from us and they should be given careful consideration.
InfrastructurePrivate Members' Business
11:20 a.m.
Rob Oliphant Liberal Don Valley West, ON
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for her support of this private member's motion. I, too, speak in favour of it.
I will begin by talking about my experience in northern Canada, having lived in Yukon for six years and experiencing the challenges one has while living in the north with respect to both public infrastructure and social infrastructure and simply servicing smaller communities as well as the larger cities.
This private member's motion opens up that discussion and allows us to begin to have a comprehensive strategy that involves the stakeholders. This motion is about conversation, about dialogue, and it is about including those people most strongly affected by the lack of infrastructure in the actual debate and discussion about their futures.
The hon. member for Edmonton East and I were recently travelling in the far north on a trip to Greenland. It was exciting to actually see the way a different country has developed some infrastructure and to take time to compare the infrastructure in Greenland with the infrastructure in our Canadian far north.
There is a marked difference between what Denmark has done in Greenland and what Canada has managed to accomplish in the far north. We are sadly lacking in public housing, in the various ways that people are housed and cared for, and the transportation links that keep Greenland together.
They are looking forward, on June 21, to additional self-rule, which will essentially be the autonomy of a province. It will be very similar to what we have in Canada, a little more than our territories have, but probably not as much as our provinces have. This motion begins to look at the way we involve other jurisdictions in the discussion about providing for transportation, housing and medical needs and the social infrastructure that complements that.
I would want to challenge my friends in the Bloc Québécois to open up their understanding of this motion. I do not think there is any challenge to provincial jurisdiction by allowing local economies, local communities and local governments to be involved in the discussion. This is exactly what they would be advocating for to ensure that all participants have a fair voice in what is going on in the way public money is spent and the aspirations for individuals and communities.
I want to challenge them to support this motion, to actually engage in our conversations. This improves the jurisdiction of Quebec in discussions around its north and brings us into a partnership discussion with the federal government to ensure that resource dollars are being spent adequately and fairly so that Canadians all across this country are not discriminated against because of geography.
It is important to note that this motion does not define what we mean by north. I think that the previous speaker could also be challenged to say that this motion is actually inclusive and open. It understands the possibility that the north is more about attitude than it is about latitude. It is the way that people live. Each of our provincial jurisdictions can define that in understanding their own provincial north, to understand that dispersed, rural and isolated communities that have a northern atmosphere, a northern understanding and a northern inclination are included in this discussion.
That may change in different parts. It is not simply north of 60. It is about involving people who share a common way of life. It brings our aboriginal communities, our first nations communities, our Inuit communities into this discussion in a fair and equal way, with eye-level discussions to talk about their needs, their aspirations, their hopes and their dreams. This motion commends to the government an open dialogue to say that all people in Canada are of equal importance.
This motion also stretches our imagination as to what the far north is about. We need to understand that Canada's north is not about sovereignty alone. It is about people, not infrastructure. It is about people who live there, who have a traditional way of life or a new way of life and who are learning to cope together with the changes that are happening due to climate change.
We need to be ready and aware and understand what is going on with respect to the changing boundaries of our country because of climate change. Our people need to be ready. We need to understand the economic opportunities as well as the cultural benefits of being in the north.
Right now, no gateways are working to help transportation and the flow of goods through Canada's north. European goods could be transferred to the Far East much faster if we developed trade routes across Canada's north.
If we had deep sea port facilities, and if we had the necessary infrastructure around those facilities, long-term jobs could be created, not simply seasonal jobs, which would complement the traditional way of life.
We can do this in an environmentally sensitive way so that we do not change the way people live unless they choose to make that change, and unless that change is sensitive to the cultural importance and the cultural determinants in the discussion. This would lead to improved education, improved health and improved economic opportunities for the people of Canada's north.
If we can improve the life of the people of the north, then we can improve our sovereignty stake in the north. We are at risk of losing our sense of who we are in the north as other partners in the global community try to claim it.
Canada's north is not like the Antarctic which has many penguins. The north is filled with people who have made the north their destiny. They seek to live and raise their families in the north because of the economic opportunity and to improve their cultural situation. So far, the government has failed to come up with a comprehensive strategy on an infrastructure program to facilitate that.
I am pleased to support this private member's motion because it does not command the involvement of any province. It invites the provinces to participate in the discussion. It invites the involvement of local communities, first nations governments and Inuit governments in the discussion to further the good for all Canadians.
All of Canada will be better if our far north is better. All Canadians will be better if Inuit Canadians and first nations Canadians are included in determining where they want infrastructure money to be spent.
Infrastructure is about improving the quality of life. Dollars spent on improving our environment will save dollars later in health care. Dollars spent on infrastructure improvement for education will save lives, jobs and money later on in lost employment and loss of understanding of human worth. Money spent on alcohol and drug treatment centres will help to improve the quality of life for people later on.
We must open up Canada's north, protect its culture, protect its people, and involve them in the discussion about the strategy.
I am pleased the member has brought forward this motion. It will take some imagination on the part of the government to support it. I am looking forward to the government's support as well as the support of all opposition members.
InfrastructurePrivate Members' Business
11:25 a.m.
Fort McMurray—Athabasca Alberta
Brian Jean ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to speak to the motion put forward by my colleague from Labrador.
I come from a riding in far northern Alberta. My riding has many people from Newfoundland and Labrador. The estimate is as many as 30,000.
Our government is committed to supporting Canada's northern communities and people.
I took my first trip up to Yellowknife from Fort McMurray by canoe when I was five years old. I had the opportunity at that time see part of the north and to fall in love with it. It is an amazing area with many rivers and lakes, and people who are really proud. Quite frankly, it is a place that needs our concentration on infrastructure.
This government's sovereignty agenda has shown from the very start how important the north is to Canada and to our government.
We have worked closely with our counterparts in other governments, including the provinces and territories, to match and multiply our stimulus for the economy, to get people to work and to establish the north as a very strong area of Canada. That in itself speaks to the sovereignty of our nation and sends a clear message to other countries.
We are committed to these partnerships with the provinces and territories. We believe that the key to bolstering our economy and minimizing the effect of the global recession is partly in the north. Certainly the north is where the future of Canada is located.
In fact, today, I would like to announce that Canada's transport and infrastructure minister is meeting with representatives from communities, big and small, at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities annual general meeting in British Columbia. He is providing them with an update on our actions and is listening to their feedback, which is so important. We work with our partners. We know that working with our partners is the only way to get the agenda that Canadians want through. The minister is listening to them and he is providing information about our government's unprecedented action to stimulate economic growth, to create jobs and to invest in Canada's core public infrastructure.
We are working 10 times faster than any government in modern history to get things going on infrastructure from coast to coast. Budget 2009 is a clear example of this. Canada's economic action plan provides close to $12 billion in stimulus through spending on infrastructure. This includes $4 billion for the infrastructure stimulus fund. This will provide funding to provinces, territories, municipalities and communities for construction-ready infrastructure projects in the short term to provide economic growth.
I am happy to say that fund is up and running from coast to coast to coast. The money is getting out to communities. Included in that is $2 billion for infrastructure development at universities and colleges across this country. Canada's industry minister announced a number of these important projects across the country over the last few weeks. My riding has received some of this money. The people in the universities and colleges in my riding in northern Alberta are ecstatic about this. We are seeing real investment in the future of Canada which, again, is the north and the students, our youth.
There is $1 billion for the green infrastructure fund to support environmentally sound infrastructure projects in every region of this country. I am very excited about that. The environment is very important to me. It is very important to the Prime Minister and this government.
There is $500 million to top up the existing communities component of the building Canada fund. This will provide support to communities of under 100,000 people, which are very important to me. Many of us come from communities of under 100,000 people. Previous governments sometimes ignored those communities. This government is simply not doing that. We are investing in communities big and small across this country.
There is also $500 million for to provide financial assistance to communities to repair and create recreational facilities.
Speaking of the green infrastructure fund, I recently had an opportunity to travel to Whitehorse to meet with officials from Yukon Territory, including the premier, to announce the launch of the green infrastructure fund. I was very proud to announce the first project which was $71 million to upgrade the Mayo B hydro generating facilities and the completion of the Carmacks-Stewart transmission line.
I was advised by officials that that particular project is going to save tens of thousands of GHG emissions per year. It is a very good project for Canada. It is a very good initiative for the health of all Canadians. This project will also help to provide economic opportunities for local residents, employment opportunities and support environmentally sound infrastructure. This is the first of many initiatives nationwide that this fund will support. The green infrastructure fund is very important to me. It is a great example of how this government is working with the provinces, territories and municipalities all across this great nation.
We are delivering on our promises to Canadians as outlined in January's economic action plan. We are getting the job done by working with other governments across the country. That is what is needed. We need other parties in the House to work cooperatively together to get things done and to work with the provinces, the territories and municipalities, not argue and continue to debate things in a negative fashion.
We need support with our budget, as the Liberals did and the NDP and the Bloc should have done, to move aggressively forward with funding and initiatives such as this one for the people of the north. Together we are helping to ensure that Canada emerges from the current global recession sooner than any other country and stronger than ever before.
This Conservative government is getting that job done.
InfrastructurePrivate Members' Business
11:35 a.m.
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to rise today to speak to this motion from the member for Labrador on the need for the federal government to work co-operatively with the governments of the territories and the provinces that constitute the provincial north, and with the aboriginal and local governments of these regions to develop a strategy to improve transportation and other vital public infrastructure.
This issue is front and centre in my region of Timmins—James Bay in terms of the need for development and for dealing with the horrific levels of poverty and lack of opportunities along the vast regions of the James Bay coast.
As lifelong northerners, we always say that sometimes north is a state of mind. It is a state of mind up to a certain point, and then we get down to the realities of what it means to live in a community with no road access, 400 or 500 kilometres from the nearest community that connects us with the urban south.
In the James Bay-Mushkegowuk region, I have numerous communities that are suffering from terrible and unforgiveable levels of underfunding in terms of basic infrastructure. Two of my communities have no schools for their children: Attawapiskat and Kashechewan. These are the result of years of underfunding by the federal government, but also an attitude of negligence, that these communities are simply out of sight and out of mind.
We are seeing is a loss of phenomenal opportunity, not just for the children who grow up in these communities but for Canada as a whole.
We compare the community of Attawapiskat that has fought for 30 years to have a schoolyard cleaned up from massive amounts of contamination, and 30 years later we see the government with no commitment whatsoever to these children, even though these children are clearly at risk. Yet just down the road we have probably one of the richest diamond mines in the western world, Victor diamond mine, opened by De Beers. In the space of four or five years all the regulatory approvals were found, all the engineering studies were done, and now we have this massive diamond mine that is right beside a community that is living in dire levels of poverty.
It is not a question of pitting development against first nations. It is a question of political will to find a way to move forward with development. In representing one of the largest mining regions in the western world, I can say that we are really seeing how industry is sitting at the table when the federal government is not at the table.
When I worked with the Algonquin Nation in Quebec, we were calling it "treaties on the ground". We were able to sit down with diamond companies and forestry companies and we were working out agreements when the federal government was missing in action.
What is needed in terms of furthering development in the far north? Number one, in a region like James Bay, we need to have a plan for something as simple as a road. If we have a road that connects from Cochrane to Moosonee, up to Fort Albany, Kashechewan and Attawapiskat, then we will see the massive levels of unemployment start to drop. Then we will see that it is possible to start doing long-term infrastructure development. Then we will see communities that are not dependent on diesel generators that put people into poverty, but sustainable energy.
One of the drivers for this could be the development of the mining industry, because we see with De Beers the need to move thousands of trucks up the road to supply this mine, and a narrow window on the winter road. It may be two months where suddenly the ice roads of James Bay look like Highway 401 traffic. It is crazy to do industrial development based on such erratic standards.
What we could see, however, is industry working with first nations, working with the provincial and federal governments to say, if there is to be development, number one, we want resource revenue sharing. Number two, we want a commitment to ongoing development, so that if we are to develop infrastructure such as mines, we have to get roads in and we have to get hydro, and we will connect the communities that are dependent on us, so that at the end of the day, long after the mines are gone, we will actually have some basic infrastructure.
I have met with De Beers many times. I have met with the communities. The idea of a long-term road is something that everyone recognizes is in their best interests.
What we are seeing here, however, at both the provincial and the federal level, is a continual dropping of the ball on this. The provincial government, for example, is rewriting the Mining Act right now, and it seems to be more willing to give Muskoka cottagers rights that it will not give to first nation communities who live north of 50°. The only people who live on the territory are first nations.
We have to look at this in terms of Canada taking responsibility to be a 21st century country.
We have heard a lot of talk about protecting the sovereignty in the far north, but running around with pith helmets and flags will not make sovereignty. Sovereignty will come from making a commitment to the children of this generation so that the children growing up in the far north have opportunities of education, have opportunities to participate and direct the development of their territories. That is the way we are going to establish sovereignty. It is not an either/or situation. It is a matter of political vision.
I truly believe, with the leadership in the first nation communities and talking with the various players that I am dealing with on a daily basis and the junior mining companies that have recognized now that they need to start working in a co-operative manner, we are seeing a movement forward in a way that seemed impossible 10 years ago. Yet the federal government is still dragging its feet, lagging behind the provincial governments, especially in Ontario, and continues to miss the mark. It is a tragedy, because when we look at the riches that are coming out of Victor diamond mine, a phenomenal wealth that is driving the economic renewal in northern Ontario, it has to be said that the diamonds that come out of that mine are nothing compared to the wealth of the children on the James Bay coast who are being left in substandard education facilities and overcrowded houses. The potential of these children to transform the northern economy is something that we as a federal government should recognize as the real way that we are going to move Canada, in the far north, into the 21st century, into something that we can be proud of, not something that we have to explain away at the United Nations for failure after failure in terms of the most basic fiduciary obligations.
On behalf of my colleagues in the New Democratic Party, I am very proud to rise and speak on this. I recognize that across the far north there needs to be a plan to ensure proper development. The only way we are going to get that plan is to work co-operatively, to work with our first nations, to work with our provincial counterparts, to work with the municipalities that are the jump-off points of contact for so much of the development in the far north, to recognize that there can be development of resources and that there should be development of resources, that it is not simply shutting off vast areas and saying nobody can explore here, nobody can develop here, but saying that if there is going to be development of forestry, if there is going to be development of mining, if there is going to be development of hydro, that it is to benefit the people who live in that territory and to have their consent and their participation so that when this development does occur we can actually start to employ young people and start to offer hope in communities where there has been no hope. I can tell members that from seeing communities that have been able to participate as partners at the table, the transformation in these communities can be a very positive sign for the development of first nation land.
However, we need a recognition from the federal government that fundamentally it has to move away from erratic, haphazard, press-release-driven announcements and move towards a holistic plan to ensure the sustainable green development that would allow our isolated first nations in the far north of Canada to move out of the horrific levels of poverty and move into something so that they can develop their cultures and that we, as Canadians, whether we live in urban Canada or in far north lands, north of 50 and 60, can be proud that we said we are going to set goals and we are going to finally meet some of those goals.
InfrastructurePrivate Members' Business
11:40 a.m.
Todd Russell Liberal Labrador, NL
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank all members of the House who have spoken to this motion and who I believe support at its core what the motion stands for.
The heart of this motion is about people. It is about their needs, their wants and their aspirations. It is about bringing northern peoples, whether they be Inuit, Métis or first nations, fully into this Canadian federation.
We have heard comments from some members trying to parse out what the particular motion means or whether it impinges upon particular jurisdictions, but I have to say that this motion is about co-operation. It is about co-operation from all levels of government: aboriginal, municipal or local, provincial, territorial and federal, but it does call on the federal government to raise itself up, to raise its game up and to offer some leadership.
In no way, shape or form is it an imposition on any level of government. It is about inclusion and it is about respect for all levels of government.
There should be no conversation where local governments are left out when we are talking about their infrastructure, where aboriginal governments are left out when we are talking about their communities, or the provinces and territories are left out when we are talking about areas of their jurisdiction.
It is not about imposition or about jurisdiction. It is about co-operation, and at its heart, it is about people. It is about what they need. It is about roads, where communities need to be connected in the 21st century.
I talk about Labrador where we have thousands of kilometres of gravel road, hardly any type of hard surfacing or pavement. It is about connecting those communities that want to be connected in the 21st century. It is about having modern airports and airport infrastructure.
I want to illustrate something very sad this morning about the type of challenges we have in the north. Just yesterday we had a fatal accident in Labrador where a small twin-engine plane went down trying to get into a small community. The pilot was killed. He was on a medevac, trying to land on a 25,000-foot gravel runway to get a sick person out to take to a hospital.
That is the type of challenge we have in the north. That is the type of infrastructure that we have in the north that speaks for something better. It speaks for something greater. My heart and my prayers go out to the Hudson family in Labrador for their loss. It is sad. It is tragic.
It is about having good wharves and good docks. It is about good water systems so that every child, every family and every community has safe drinking water and proper sewage treatment. It is about housing, schools, recreational facilities, search and rescue, Arctic and northern sovereignty and the social infrastructure that is required.
If we do not have these things, we will not fully, in my view, be part of the Canadian federation in the 21st century. We will not have the basics that are required for proper development, proper economic and social improvement. If we do not have these things, how can northerners say with any confidence that we are equal to other Canadians who live further south, who enjoy many of these things?
The north has long been neglected. It only seems to be important when somebody from somewhere else wants the resources of the people in the north. Whether it is diamonds, nickel or gas, only when somebody from somewhere else wants something that the north has do northerners start to feel that somehow now the conversation is about them, that they are somehow going to be included. That is not good enough.
We have to be more proactive. We have to do it with respect for all the people who live in the north. It is about the quality of life enjoyed by all Canadians and it is about rural Canada.
I want to commend the Leader of the Opposition, our Liberal leader, in his speech in Whistler, B.C., for saying that we cannot have a united Canada until we include all of Canada: east and west, north and south, aboriginal and non-aboriginal, rural and urban, rich and poor. We have to look at policies through our rural lens and we have to have policies that unite, not divide, this country.
This is what this motion does. It holds up the north and includes all people in this great federation.
InfrastructurePrivate Members' Business
11:45 a.m.
The Acting Speaker Conservative Barry Devolin
Is the House ready for the question?
InfrastructurePrivate Members' Business
11:45 a.m.
Some hon. members
InfrastructurePrivate Members' Business
11:45 a.m.
The Acting Speaker Conservative Barry Devolin
The question is on the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?
InfrastructurePrivate Members' Business
11:45 a.m.
Some hon. members
On division.
InfrastructurePrivate Members' Business
11:45 a.m.
The Acting Speaker Conservative Barry Devolin
(Motion agreed to)
InfrastructurePrivate Members' Business
11:50 a.m.
The Acting Speaker Conservative Barry Devolin
Given that we have completed private members' business, is it the pleasure of the House that we suspend until 12 o'clock when government orders will begin?
InfrastructurePrivate Members' Business
11:50 a.m.
Some hon. members
InfrastructurePrivate Members' Business
11:50 a.m.
An hon. member
InfrastructurePrivate Members' Business
11:50 a.m.
The Acting Speaker Conservative Barry Devolin
It is my understanding that we essentially have two options. One is to suspend until 12 o'clock and the other is to sit here until 12 o'clock. Government orders will begin at noon and not before then.
Once again I would ask, is it the pleasure of the House that we suspend until 12 o'clock when government orders will begin?
InfrastructurePrivate Members' Business
11:50 a.m.
Some hon. members
InfrastructurePrivate Members' Business
11:50 a.m.
An hon. member
Suspension of SittingInfrastructurePrivate Members' Business
11:50 a.m.
The Acting Speaker Conservative Barry Devolin
I will try this again. Given that we have completed private members' business and, one way or the other, government orders will begin at 12 o'clock, is it the pleasure of the House that we suspend until noon?
Suspension of SittingInfrastructurePrivate Members' Business
11:50 a.m.
Some hon. members


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with wifey, the cheerleader!
Not every one can have Malaysia's Queen of Jazz, Sheila Majid as a personal cheerleader for his run! He is of course, married to Sheila. :) Acis, in his own right is a well-known composer, musical director and a member of the popular rock band Gersang in the late 80's/ early 90's. We talked to Acis about his passion - running and why his 21km run in the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore recently is an unforgettable one.
1) How long have you been running? - I've been running consistently just recently, I think it was middle of March this year but I do remember getting 6th place for an under-12 years old category for a Pahang state meet a long, long time ago. I can't remember the distance but it was probably a 5km thing. A long, long time ago. =P
2) Do you still remember your first run? Tell us briefly what you remember. - The under-12? It was hot, sweaty and torturous. I was jus 11 years old. I don't even remember who registered me till this day! For the recent one which was more of a jog and walk, I just told myself please don't have a heart attack.
3) Why do you run? I run because I was looking for a bigger challenge than running on my elliptical machine. I've had a bad injury on my left knee a couple of years ago playing futsal so the elliptical machine was kinder and better for my rehab. That, Pilates and physio helped a lot. Once the knee got better I kept seeing joggers and runners around my area and thought I might be able to give it a go. I find it to be a great and most importantly fun way of staying healthy and keeping fit. The high I get from finishing my runs especially the races are incredible.
Showing off the finisher medal with his friend Arif who did a full marathon
4) Does Sheila run with you? She ran with me once. It was more of a walk/jog and I was very accommodating in slowing to her pace but somehow she complained about having aches for a whole week and I never saw her again on my runs. BUT after the Singapore Marathon she was in awe of the atmosphere and she would like to try again. Perhaps even enter the 10km. I must say she is quite fit as she does the elliptical machine and Pilates 3 times a week.
5) Where do you run? How often? How far? I run mostly in my area Damansara Heights 3 times a week if possible. My normal route is about 6.4km which I would do in 42-45 mins depending on my pace. You should try it. They don't call it Damansara Heights for nothing! My route takes me up 3 long steep ascents which I can handle now. Before it was really halfway stop, if halfway at all. I like the KLCC park as well although it does get crowded in the evenings, especially weekends. Lake Gardens is cool too. But I don't like going up that Rocky Balboa stairs. My knees and quads will not work the next day.
6) What are the must have items that you carry/ have during your run ? I have my SPIbelt which holds my iPhone and I use Runkeeper as my app. I don't use earphones to listen to music nowadays as I would rather concentrate on my breathing, pace and stride. I haven't found a watch device which I like yet so that's on hold. When I'm training for a race I bring my energy gels for the longer runs and some RM to go pop into 7-11 to buy 100 plus.
Finishing photo with pride.
7) What are the memorable (funny, proud) moments in your running experience? Finishing the Singapore Half Marathon with a kind lady helping me cross the line hand in hand. I came into the run injured so I was using a brace on my injured left knee. My pace was slower than usual obviously and felt fine until the 8km marker where I felt it buckling. I went slower and slower until the 18km marker where my left knee could not bend AT ALL. Stiff as a stick! I was walking like Igor from the movie Frankenstein and I lost count of the number of runners that offered to help me. At 19km I had to stop and ask for some deep heat from the volunteers and it really didn't help at all. So I was limping to the finish line and once I saw the actual finish line I got excited and started to limp and hop faster on my right leg and then it cramped!I couldn't move! I was holding on to the side boards and was wondering how the heck am I going to finish this last 100 metres till an angel of a lady stopped and very concernedly asked,"Are you ok?"
"I can't run or walk!", I replied.
"Don't worry", she said. "Let's cross the finishing line together!"
Mere words can't even begin to describe the feeling and emotions that was going through me at that moment. When we almost reached the line, I saw the official timing was going to be 3 hours. I told her, "Let's finish before 3 hours!" and we crossed the line with some seconds to spare. Felt like an Olympian after that. I thanked her and before we separated she said, "I'll see you next year, ok? You must come again." You bet I will.
8) Do you listen to music when you run? If yes, what are your favourite songs? Before I used to listen to Jamiroquai a lot, Madness and some Infectious Grooves but lately I don't anymore to focus on my running. If the traffic is quiet then I can hear my RunKeeper app alerts. If not it's just Chi Running.
9) What was your experience running the Singapore Marathon? Kindness, Camaraderie, Caring runners. It was very well organised. All the horror stories I've been hearing about congestion was really non existence. My lesson learnt is that never try to break in a new shoe 2 weeks before a race. That's how I injured my knee.
10) Do you plan to run a marathon 42km in the near future? Not anytime soon. I plan to run as many halfs as I can before deciding a full marathon. But if I do, I think I would probably do it somewhere cooler abroad.
Photo courtesy of ACIS.
TBR Sun Life Dream Marathon 2019: Application opens on July 21 - So, you've decided to take the big leap and run your first marathon?! Online application opens on JULY 21, 2018 AT 12:01PM on the link below! Be there on...
1 day ago


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Thanks for the comments on my Take It Further Challenge project for February which I posted about here. I'm glad you found it interesting and not perfectly obvious that I was working with an image from a rotary phone. I'm not surprised that hoof prints came to mind. The more I worked with it, the more those straight-on dials looked like horseshoes to me.
Once again, I am opting for closely spaced parallel lines for the quilting. I'm growing very fond of them, and feel each time I use them, I'm building on the idea, not just repeating what I've tried before. They are not unlike the echo quilting found in heirloom antique quilts. No wonder I'm drawn to the modern version. Perhaps my grounding in traditional antique quilts also explains why I'm more apt to pick a color of quilting thread that blends rather than stands out. I think that's where I'm headed here with this one. I think the middle thread is going to win out - a slightly variegated King Tut cotton thread - but I may throw in a few lines of the solid rayon too. I'm planning to sandwich up a sizable sample to try them out on.
I've started marking in my lines with a soapstone marker, using my mock-up on the full-size pattern as a guide. It's reminding me of that zentangle thing, very meditative, very enjoyable. I know, I know. Most machine quilters would not bother to do this, but just freely go for it. But I am not that confident. I've had to rip out too much stitching because I thought I could quilt from the image in my head. These lines take some unexpected turns, and I'm much more comfortable with a good road map to follow. This is part of my resolution to not be bullied into doing something I'm uncomfortable with or can't execute with the expertise I want just because everyone else is doing it.
I am going to have to make a decision though. Am I brave enough to try quilting all these lines with the feeddogs down? I certainly won't be able to manipulate around those tight curves in the centers of the dials with my walking foot. Yet I'm very concerned that the long straight lines and larger curves be smooth; I can't always maintain that smoothness when I have to stop with the needle down to rearrange my hands and the quilt. And I sometimes lose my concentration and veer off the line in an unattractive way. I may use both - use the walking foot on the lines that it can handle, then switch to free motion for the tighter areas.