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A friend recalls that when Paul Thomas Anderson's 2014 film Inherent Vice was to be shown to the media for the first time during the New York Film Festival, hacks were camping out in lawn chairs overnight to be assured a seat in the theater — for a film that, when it hit commercial movie theaters a few weeks later, turned out to be a tiresome dud.
Anderson's new film, Phantom Thread, which hits theaters at Christmas, is likely to follow a similar trajectory: frenzied anticipation followed by widespread disappointment. Anderson's problem is that he believes his own legend and keeps writing thematically askew, structurally lumpy, frustratingly unsettled films that earn him just enough hosannas from just enough critics to convince him that he should keep doing what he's doing. He shouldn't.
Phantom Thread, as its writer-director made clear in comments after the film was shown to industry types in New York on November 26, is Anderson's idea of a love story. But it comes out more like a querulous mockery of that. The second half of the movie, as is often the case in Anderson's world, seems designed to invite the audience to blow raspberries at the screen as they exit. "Feel-good" is not the sensation Anderson seeks to induce; more like, "Feel inclined to burn down the movie theater." He is one of the most gifted filmmakers of his generation, but of that group, he is also the most frustrating.
In what the age's greatest screen actor has declared will be his final film role, Daniel Day-Lewis plays Reynolds Woodcock, an imperious, curt, and forbidding genius modeled after (among many others) the Spanish fashion designer Cristóbal Balenciaga. He makes finely tailored but somewhat fussy frocks for society ladies right in his London townhouse, where a platoon of seamstresses work for him under the eye of his sister and business partner, Cyril (an icy Lesley Manville). The clockwork efficiency is interrupted by the injection of an element of love: Woodcock, on a visit to the country, is beguiled by a Continental waitress, Alma, who makes him hungry — literally hungry, not full of lust. Also she has the perfect long, lithe frame to model his dresses. Cue a really strange first date: "You have no breasts," he tells her, as he takes a measuring tape to her every curve and starts making a dress for her on the spot. Just what every girl wants to hear.
Vicky Krieps recalls the early films of Alicia Vikander in her ability to command the attention even when she isn't doing anything.
As Alma, Vicky Krieps is by far the most magnetic element of the film. A previously little-known actress from Luxembourg who is quietly enthralling in every scene, she recalls the early films of Alicia Vikander in her ability to command the attention even when she isn't doing anything. In a movie that stars the best actor working, it's startling how easily, how effortlessly, she dominates it. She richly deserves an Oscar nomination, and Phantom Thread is an important film for no other reason than the attention it brings to this luminous starlet.
Yet Anderson's method once again dooms the movie. Anderson has said he was inspired to write it by the way his wife (Maya Rudolph) looked at him when he was ill, and that he and Day-Lewis hammered out the story together as they went along. Anderson is an inside-out filmmaker: Unlike a conventional director such as, say, Steven Spielberg, he doesn't start with a story and then deploy the most effective costumes, sets, photography, and music in its service. Instead, he starts with a feeling or mood, works obsessively on costumes, sets, photography and music, but is content to leave the story half-baked. The way this movie ends is simply preposterous. Yet many critics are on Anderson's exact wavelength; unlike most people, they watch movies over and over again, and so they actually prefer ambiguity to resolution, ragged edges to a tidy three-act structure. How would Anderson direct a great story for the screen? I suppose we can only suppose. Insistent as he is on writing all of his films solo, he doesn't realize how much his career would benefit if he hired a disciplined screenwriter to help him shape his unruly visions.
Steven Spielberg's The Post Is Good, But is It About Trump?
Why The Godfather Endures
How The Shape of Water Caters to The Social Justice Warriors
— Kyle Smith is National Review's critic-at-large.


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The YMCA is accepting applications for summer camps at Jasper County schools for children entering kindergarten through sixth grade.
The camps blend literacy and math instruction that prevent summer learning loss with traditional camp activities, according to a school district news release.
Camps will be from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday, June 17 to Aug. 1 at the Hardeeville and Ridgeland school campuses. Busing is not provided.
Cost is $20 per week for the first child and $10 per week for each sibling. Breakfast and lunch is included, but participants should pack a snack.
To register, drop off registration forms at the front office of your child's school. Spots are limited.

subset: commoncrawl


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I think i have to come clean,
the reason why i haven't blogged much in the past years was because i was battling with depression.
It is something that i've been battling for the last couple of years, a demon inside me that i battle to each and everyday. I have been treated accordingly but being on the meds and getting through life is not easy. There are times that i just couldn't cope with things, even the slightest task.
I moved back home with my folks and It made me feel better but there are always new challenges with living with parents.
I am anxious most of the time, anxious about life, the future. about love, about carrer, about everything that matters and things that shouldn't matter to me.
I often think of an escape from this jail that i've built but it's not easy to go through the blueprint that i've built. I felt powerless.
It took a toll on relationship that i had with people among me. I've been distant with my friends, family, and lovers.
I realised that i coped my anxiety with sex and dating, hoping that it would make myself feel better, but no. it made me feel even more empty.
That room in my heart that is not filled with anything, it was just contempt.
I think i've come to term to learn to love myself first than the others.


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The United States has included Brazil in a watch list of countries which are considered not to be doing enough to curb the manufacture and sale of counterfeit consumer products. Pirate industries have flooded the Brazilian market with their fake copies.
Music CD's, videos, designer-label clothing, tennis shoes and hundreds of other products are falsified and sold throughout Brazil, usually by street vendors. The prices for these counterfeit products are far less than the original and this makes them attractive to consumers, especially in a developing country like Brazil.
The problem has become so extensive that an estimated five percent of Brazil's Gross Domestic Product, or some $21 billion, is lost to pirated products. Certain industries, like computer software and music CD's, are especially hard-hit.
Manoel Antonio dos Santos of the Brazilian Association of Software Companies says the industry has seen its market decline dramatically over the past 13 years. "Our statistics show that 58 percent of the income we could be earning is lost to piracy. For every ten copies of software, five are counterfeit…In 1989 we supplied 91 percent of the market, now it is less than 60 percent, and despite our education campaigns, our campaigns on TV, radio, and in the Congress we haven't managed to reduce this amount of piracy at all," he says. "The levels have stayed the same over the past two years because of the lack of effective enforcement."
The association estimates the software industry lost $900 million in 2000 because of counterfeit products. Mr. dos Santos says some of the fake computer products come from abroad, while others are made domestically. "There are two main sources: For console games like Dreamcast and Play Station, 99.9 percent are made abroad, by the Asian Tigers: Singapore, South Korea and Hong Kong. Then there are the CD's for computers which include games and software applications; 99.9 percent are made here inside the country in tiny domestic workshops," he says.
As for the music industry, half of all CD's sold in Brazil are counterfeit, causing a loss of close to $300 million for the industry last year. Once considered the seventh largest music market in the world, Brazil is now in 12th place because of the inroads caused by commercial piracy.
The problem has become so great that the U.S. Trade Representative's Office recently included Brazil in its priority watchlist of countries that are not doing enough to stop commercial piracy and counterfeiting. A spokesman at the U.S. embassy in Brasilia, Terry Davidson, says the main problem is the lack of enforcement. "Brazil actually has good intellectual property rights laws but the enforcement aspects are prompting the concern on the part of the U.S. trade Representative. We're just not seeing effective enforcement of the laws that exist on the books," he says.
Besides Brazil, the priority watchlist includes 14 other U.S. trade partners, including Argentina, Egypt, India, and Russia.
Spokesman Davidson says while Brazil does not run the risk of sanctions, being included on the Trade Office's watchlist should be considered a warning. "The placement of Brazil on the priority watchlist does not, in itself, mean that the U-S is in the process of preparing any kind of economic or trade sanctions," he says. "What it basically is is an alert to the Brazilian government and to Brazilian society that this is a very serious problem and needs to be addressed."
U.S. companies lost an estimated $700 million last year because of counterfeiting in Brazil the largest loss for American firms in the hemisphere.
But Brazil, with a population of 170 million, is a huge and attractive market for pirate industries, meaning that the commerce of counterfeit products is not likely to disappear any time soon.


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Mr. Canada Post came in while I was out with a box from Blue Sky Alpacas. I ordered three sizes of double pointed needles at TNNA. Only two arrived (2mm and 2.75mm) and the third (2.25mm) should be a couple of weeks. We can special order 3.25mm, 3.5mm, 3.75mm and 4mm.
Hand-lathed from Dalbergia Rosewood, Blue Sky Alpacas Five Inch Double Points are handcrafted by skilled artisans in Vietnam. These petite needles come in collectible, award-winning tins.Kim finished her second Color Play Mohair Wrap last night and brought it in today to show me. It is the same 4 colours as mine (Herb Garden) but she used them in a different order.
I made it to the stocking stitch on my vest last night. I love the colour! Big Brother was awesome. I love it when the cocky person gets sent home.
Sorry but that's it for today. Something just arrived that I have been waiting for which means Beth and I are going cruising tonight.


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As a member of the United Church of Canada, my wife receives The United Church Observer, a monthly publication offering an array of interesting pieces and interviews. This month's issue has an interview with renowned journalist and activist Chris Hedges, a man whose deep social convictions and activism I deeply admire and have written about previously.
In the interview, echoing a theme found in his Death of the Liberal Class, Hedges discusses the failure of the so-called 'liberal churches' to confront the deeply entrenched problems we face today such as poverty, climate change, and the abuse of power that seems to define political systems everywhere. I hope you will take a few minutes to read his thoughts and to be reminded that the pursuit of justice requires commitment and action, not just the holding of views that challenge the status quo.


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This Giveaway is now closed! 9/6/10
Jamie #83 won our drawing:
Jamie will have 48 hours to respond or I will pick another.
Thank you Jamie!
I'd like to thank everyone for joining us. It got a little competitive there at the end. LOL =D
The Easy Lunchbox system is a Streamlined Solution for packing lunches, benefits adults who want to eat a healthy meal away from home, saves time!, is eco-friendly, saves space and the the cooler is so large you can fit up to 3 containers in it! Perfect for clean eating, a day on the town or the park, or school.
- Yummy Lunch Ideas
- Back to School Lunch Ideas - Print this chart out and post it for the kids to refer to for ideas.
- Snack Packs - now this is a great idea!
- Kid Friendly Snacks for Staycations or Vacations
- O'Boy Organic's Blog
The system comes in 2 parts: a set of lunch box containers (set of 4 w/ 4 different colored lids). If you have 4 kids - each kid can have an assigned color so they always know which color box is theirs.
There are 2 ways to get your HOT little hands on a Lunchbox System!
1. Go to EasyLunchboxes.com and then come back and tell me something you learned. Alternatively you can visit the Yummy Lunch Ideas and tell me what looks Yummy to you!
2. Follow ME on GivingNSharing publicly on GFC (look on the right sidebar). Thanks!
Optional entries:
{Go to Easy Lunchbox's blog and sign up for their newsletter. It's packed with recipe ideas, lunch making resources, product updates, and special offers for our valued customers! Come back and leave a comment that you have signed up.
{Follow Easy Lunchbox on Facebook. (Leave your FB handle in your comment)
{Follow Family Literacy on Facebook (family literacy).
{Follow Family Literacy on Twitter and leave this message. (3 entries)
" @familyliteracy WIN an Easy Lunchbox System at GivingNSharing, Ends 9/5, US only http://ning.it/9piPVx " (You can leave this up to 3 times daily for 3 entries each time) Leave the link with your comment so I can track it.
{Follow GivingNSharing on Networked Blogs (look on the right sidebar).
{Tell me what color of cooler you would like if you win and who will use it.
{Add my button to your sidebar or my link to your blog roll - 5 entries! (right sidebar near the top)
{Add Easy Lunchboxes button to your sidebar and blog about this giveaway w/ a link to this page. - 5 entries
Please note:
- Each entry requires a separate comment.
- Giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian residents only.
- Giveaway ends on Sunday, September 5th, 2010.
- Winner will be selected by Random.org and contacted by email. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to claim your prize!
- Please do not enter this giveaway if you have won or received free product from Easy Lunch Boxes within the past 3 months.


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"Terrorism is a threat to America."
No it isn't... Only Americans can threaten our freedom. Attacks, like the one in Boston yesterday only serve to bring us closer together, more American, more willing to reach out to our fellow citizens, regardless of age, sex, race, religion, or sexual preference...in that moment of attack, we are at our strongest. Thereafter, our resolve is only strengthened as well wishes nation-wide pour in.
I don't think our enemies full understand the way we think. We come from forefathers who fought and died for freedom, successfully. We know nothing of kings or priests, but rather minute men who's job it was to answer immediate the call to arms at the sight or sound of danger. Our enemies believe you can cast a few stones and overpower by mere threat of continued slings and arrows. We are not a people easily dissuaded from unity in crisis.
What we are really in danger of is granting executives and representatives greater authority over our persons out of fear. The Patriot Act was nothing of a kind. Franklin said something along the line of 'those who sacrifice liberty for security would soon have and deserve neither.' The same is true today, and yet so many continue to be molested by TSA agents, just to see a relative.
We have only ourselves to fear...


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Rating: 5 out of 5
The Story
In a perfect world, sixteen-year-old Phoebe Martins' life would be a book. Preferably a YA novel with magic and a hot paranormal love interest. Unfortunately, her life probably wouldn't even qualify for a quiet contemporary.
But when Phoebe finds out that Dev, the hottest guy in the clarinet section, might actually have a crush on her, she turns to her favorite books for advice. Phoebe overhauls her personality to become as awesome as her favorite heroines and win Dev's heart. But if her plan fails, can she go back to her happy world of fictional boys after falling for the real thing?
The Review
Chick lit is hard to write. Well, let me rephrase. Good chick lit is hard to write. Love stories, for all of their excitement, can be a little predictable to say the least.
A tall handsome man is lusted after by the quirky self -conscious girl. After some awkward but sexy encounters, they both realise they were meant to be together and they then live happily ever after.
For a writer to come up with not only a novel twist, but an interesting twist on this ancient recipe is a pretty hard task, particularly when the subject matter is one (I hope) everyone has had at least a little experience of.
Therefore it gives me great pleasure to introduce Isabel Bandeira and her new novel, Bookishly Ever After… it's a GOOD chick lit book!!
As a not-so-secret bookworm, Phoebe grabbed my interest straight away. She loses herself in novels every day, and romance will do no good unless it comes straight off the pages of the latest paperback. You can't really argue with that – men in books are the very best.
By creating a character I instantly connected with, Bandeira quickly drew me in. I love Phoebe's independent, I-don't-care-what-you-think attitude. Although she does fit in with the classic personality of many women in romantic novels, she has enough about her that she still feels like a tangible person.
We've also got a really charming love interest, a great cast of supporting characters, and most importantly a plot which is perfectly paced and teases just enough in all the right places.
You'll not find any x-rated bedroom scenes, but it doesn't need them to keep things exciting. A tastefully written story that keeps you turning pages, and one that I would highly recommend.


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A Life of Service: Honoring Imam Ali (A.S)
SHAFAQNA- The English vocabulary while expansive suddenly finds itself too poor to produce sufficient words to describe the character of Imam Ali (A.S). The examples of his piety are an endless ocean that scholars have devoted their time to seeking. His worship remains the summit of submission to God and his humility: an everlasting illustration of how power can be used in the path of God.
Most remarkable to those who have studied the praise-worthy life and legacy of Imam Ali (A.S), however, is the fact he lived his in service. Many conscious Muslims should look no further than the absolute examples left by Imam Ali (A.S). What more does a person requires when choosing a role model than a person who lived a life in service of God, humanity, and the truth?
In Service of God
In his final will, Imam Ali (A.S) said, "Fear Allah in relation to your prayers. It is the pillar of your religion." Before attempting to engage in various domains of service and activism, one should consider the qualities and levels of our worship. Imam Ali (A.S) provides a model of leadership and service based on the key principles of prayer, fasting, and charity. Prayer is substantial and should be used as a foundation for our work and service. Imam Ali (A.S) was steadfast in the fulfillment of his prayers and fasts. Neither power nor other responsibilities distracted him from this duty. In fact, Imam Ali (A.S) was the kind of man that could only be assassinated in his prayers because even his enemies were aware just how engrossed in prayer he would become.
During the Battle of Siffin, Imam Ali (A.S) would despite the danger, spread his prayer mat between two rows of fighters and perform his prayers even as arrows rained from all sides. He did not display fear of the arrows, nor the ongoing battles surrounding him. He would then complete his prayers and remain on the prayer mat to perform additional supplications. What does this teach us? The most significant lesson we can gain from this is that conviction and submission to Allah (S.W.T) are not defined by circumstances. Rather, they are a set of principles that we must protect and value as individuals before attempting to impose them upon others through our service and leadership.
In Service of Humanity
Imam Ali (A.S) said, "Verily part of worship is to talk to people in a gentle manner and to spread the greeting of peace among them" (Ghurar al-Hikam).
Unfortunately we live in a profane society that many of us have subconsciously grown to tolerate and accept. While we may not use cursing to get our points across to others, we find little issue with degrading, humiliating, and disrespecting others who may disagree with us. How is it that we who run small and insignificant projects and organizations find the audacity to treat other humans with such disgrace and yet the man who at one point led the Islamic world, spoke to even his enemies with the utmost respect?
Imam Ali's commitment to humanity and just leadership is recognized by Muslims and Non-Muslims alike. In 2002, the United Nations used quotes and sayings by Imam Ali (A.S) in its report on Arab Human Development in hopes of inspiring its leaders to move towards treating citizens with respect and justice. Among the sayings quoted in the report was one that focuses on qualities of those who should lead others, "He who has appointed himself an Imam (ruler) of the people must begin by teaching himself before teaching others. His teaching of others must be first by setting an example rather than with his words, for he who begins by teaching and educating himself is more worthy of respect than he who teaches and educates others."
Derived from: Ahlulbayt Islamic Mission


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For more information about our girls visit our site www.footfetish-girls.com (english language)
or www.fussfreude.de (german language)
Laura teaches a sports lesson. In the spandex leotard and golden wet look leggings, she works her fingers to the bones. The leggings even have a foot strap and flatter Lauras bare feet very much. Of course, Laura also puts the ballet slippers on her bare feet. She completes the standard program for a start.
The ballet slippers are already properly under stress. Then comes the special program with the balloon. The seat exercises on the balloon activate all muscle groups.
Crushing In Linen Shoes With Jenny
Jenny steps down into the basement with her chattered Chucks. She wants to test the new Adidas canvas shoes today. Said and done!
Jenny quickly takes off the old, stuffy Converse Chucks from her bare feet and puts on the Adidas Cannes. In order to practise with the new pair, Jenny starts a big crushing inferno. Plastic cups, toy cars, plastic cans, hygrometers, and much more. Then there is a huge amount of inflatable rubber balls. Jenny destroys everything in very different ways. In the end, she pulls her sweaty, bare feet out of her shoes. Gorgeous!
Balloons are Leonies great passion. First, Leonie rubs off the balloons with her sock feet really well. Her feet, in green socks, press and squeeze the balloons properly. She rubs her sweaty socks on the balloons. Then she stuffs as many balloons as possible under her T-shirt. If that works out? Yes! Not a single balloon bursts. At the end, Leonie rubs the balloons off again with her stockinged feet, and her upper body is involved in the balloon stuffing. Gorgeous!
With lots of colourful, inflatable rubber balls, Penelope has made herself comfortable in the attic. First, she puts the Adidas Cannes on her naked feet in order to squeak and jump around on the rubber balls with the rubber soles. You think the balls are bound to burst at every moment. Then she kicks the balls across the attic. There are nails in the beams, and Penelope tries to kick the balls against the nails so that they burst. This does not work so well. So she pushes the balls against the nails with her Adidas linen sneakers until the air evaporates. Another nice scene arises when Penelope stuffs a pair of rubber balls into a half-transparent bag and then tortures them with her soles.
Water Balloons And Sexy Nylon Feet
Water balloons and nylon feet For a change, Penelope tortures filled water balloons with her feet. On this occasion, she wears pantyhose and a tight-fitting wet look bikini. The water balloons shine beautifully in the sun. All sizes and colours are there. Penelope pushes her nylon feet into the water balloons, she steps on them and rubs her soles on them. This balloon crushing scene in the fountain can be considered as one of Penelopes particular ideas. Neither will anyone forget the balloon stuffing scene where she pushes a water bomb underneath her tights, from her hips down to her feet. Wet nylon, hard balloons and hot foot fetish action.
Pantyhose and nylon fans, watch out. Monique put on two pairs of pantyhose, one on top of the other. Flesh-coloured and black gleam pantyhose. This looks so jolly! Underneath her pantyhose, Monique wears panties as well. Monique also makes seat tests on a shiny, transparent donut balloon. The pantyhose and the balloon glisten so strongly that there is no more looking away. Monique then takes off her black pantyhose. One can now see her black nylon panties under the flesh-coloured pantyhose much better. Of course, the balloon will get a treat by Moniques bottom. Of course, Moniques nylon soles are always fully effective, too. To round things off, Monique will take a shower and draw her black pantyhose over her wet, flesh-coloured pantyhose later. A celebration for all foot fetish friends, looners, and nylon enthusiasts.
Naked feet and hard balloons are always a topic for Penelope. She drills her toes, nails first, into the thick balloons until they burst. It looks coolest when Penelope drills her feet into the transparent balloons. Pene knows exactly how to handle these balloons. Some are being tormented for a long time, while others are simply being kicked flat. Suitable for the shiny balloons, Penelope wears skin-tight, black wet-look leggings. A slap-up video for every barefoot friend and balloon-enthusiast.
Helena likes to play with balloons. This time she has great trouble stuffing the plump balloon under her shirt. After some attempts she manages, and Helena is happy about the result.
Balloons, Spandex, Lycra and tights are are great! Jack wears glossy Lycra leggings and tights. Jack is going to torture some balloons. She is flattening them with her fingernails, her bum or her entire body. It looks awesome if Jack tries to get her nylon feet inside of the balloons or she is sitting on them, riding them. Shiny, big balloons, the silver, glossy leggings and the pantyhosed feet make this a brilliant movie!
Mirjana shows her new, shiny, tight lycra clothes. A hot, white lycra body and a blue spandex hotpants - of course high glossy. Also Mirjana wears a black, opaque pantyhose. And what more do you want? Some big, colored balloons. Mirjana want to destroy the balloons in different modality. For example with her feet, with her ass, with her stomach, with her back. You will see a lot of hot bursting / popping scenes.
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This really has been a wonderful year for the opera lover.
To cap it off, tomorrow, theatres across Canada (and the UK, the USA, Norway, Denmark and Japan) will be presenting a live, Saturday afternoon at the opera (in the theatre!) broadcast of Mozart's The Magic Flute, from the Metropolitan Opera in New York.
According to Alex Ross of the New Yorker, many theatres have already sold out in the US ( tickets are still available at the Paramount in Toronto!). Unfortunately, it seems that the Maritimes and Newfoundland have been completely shut out of this (perhaps owing to their theatres not having the technology), but west of New Brunswick, 28 theatres will be showing Julie Taymor's production of this Mozart masterpiece.
If you read this page often, you'll know that I'm a firm optimist when it comes to believing that there are a whole bunch of people out there who would like to go to an opera, but for a variety of reasons, can't. I can't think of a better opera to go to for the first time than the Magic Flute. This is your chance!
And one could argue that watching it live at a cineplex isn't the same thing as really going to the opera, but who cares? It's the Met Opera in Ste Foy and Victoria all at the same time, a kind of giant touring production. To boot, your seats to the opera come with cup holders!
Snap up those tickets! And remember, there will be five more operas after this one. Next up will be Bellini's I Puritani with Anna Netrebko.
Go ahead gentlemen, click on the link, and wonder why watching hockey is manly and wathcing opera is for sissys. Look what you've been missing! Shameless, I know, but this is opera we're talking about, not hockey or politics.
By the way, would anyone mind looking to see if this has been publicized at all in their area? I've checked a number of Canadian locations and there are still tickets available. Has the media picked up on this at all? I find nothing in the Toronto Star nor the Globe and Mail.
Just curious, so that if they pull the plug in Canada due to low ticket sales, and it's taken as a sign that no one wants to go to the opera, I can point out the fact that the major newspapers couldn't squeeze a Paris Hilton story out of the entertainment section for this.
And Richard Bradshaw, take note. Now that the opera house is done, and everyone here in the arts media loves you, why not capitalize on this and do a production next year of Harry Somer's Louis Riel for its 30th anniversary and broadcast it live across Canada via the theatres?
And your excuse that it should be a national co-production doesn't wash, and I have only two words in response to it - Calgary Opera. More on that later.
Happy Holidays and have a wonderful New Year!


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Our wilderness is under an unprecedented attack from Trump and anti-conservationists in Congress. Help us fight back.
Thanks to the passage of the Wilderness Act in 1964, the U.S.
The youngest of nine children, Zahniser was witness to the act that would set our nation's highest standard for public lands protection. She typed the first handwritten draft of the Wilderness Act in early 1956.
Howard Zahniser was the legendary leader of The Wilderness Society who authored the original Wilderness Act.
WASHINGTON –Today, President Obama issued a proclamation declaring September as National Wilderness Month. The proclamation comes at a time of opportunity for our wildlands: the conclusion of America's Great Outdoors listening sessions and National Public Lands Day, which kicks off Wilderness Week at the end of September.


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Yo, I play Pirates Vikings and Knights II Beta 2.0 [HL2 MOD]. I make maps for PVKII, and have my own 20 Slot server, called Banjo Boys *SEXY* PVK STATS | Blood | RTV Server, come in and check it out sometime ;).
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'Bitter Seeds' probes suicides in India
The release of "Bitter Seeds" completes an intriguing trilogy about globalization, some dozen years in the making.
San Francisco filmmaker Micha X. Peled got started in the late 1990s with an expose of Walmart's effect on local American communities in "Store Wars: When Walmart Comes to Town," which was released in 2001. He then tackled cheap Chinese labor, following a teenage factory worker through her long hours, in "China Blue" (2007).
Now Peled has capped the trilogy by examining the rash of suicides among farmers in India, and how it's tied to the international conglomerate Monsanto, in "Bitter Seeds," which opens Friday.
"Thematically, they're very nicely connected," Peled said over lunch in San Francisco. "The first was about us - the American consumers. The second was about how the cheap goods that we buy get made, and the third is about the raw materials - the farmers who grow the cotton that gets exported to China's factories to make the jeans that we buy."
Peled found that in India, a farmer reportedly kills himself every 30 minutes because of a vicious circle, in which Monsanto has taken over the seed market with a genetically modified seed with hybrid technology that produces high yields but cannot renew itself. Thus farmers have to buy new seed for the next planting season, but can't afford it, so they borrow from loan sharks. Confronted with mounting debt and family shame, many kill themselves.
Peled found a young woman, Manjusha, who dreams of being a journalist and whose father was a farmer who committed suicide. Peled gave her a camera and encouraged her to find her own story; he also follows her on her inquisitive journey.
They meet Krishna, a farmer whom Peled follows through an entire season. They help Peled flesh out a dimensional portrait of a rural farming family and the dynamics of their village.
"Keep in mind that these farmers have been growing cotton for centuries, and were always able to eke out a living," Peled said. "That was with conventional seeds, which are suited to the region and don't need much water, because there isn't any."
Peled believes globalization can be a force for good, but that there should be a balanced approach that respects local communities. (Incidentally, he supports California's Proposition 37, which mandates labeling of genetically modified foods.)
"I'm just a dumb filmmaker," Peled smiles. "I don't have all the answers. But I wanted American viewers to spend a little time living with the experience of what it's like for other people in other parts of the world to deal with what globalization brought them mostly as a result of what our multinational conglomerates are able to do.
"Hey, we like the cheap prices of shirts, and like the fact that the price of cotton is low. We're benefiting from it, but what does that mean for the millions of other people?"
Starts Friday at the Roxie Theater, 3117 16th St., S.F. (415) 863-1087. www.roxie.com.
G. Allen Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: email@example.com Twitter: @BRfilmsAllen


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Decades before the American Revolution, Virginians were crossing the Cumberland Gap and other rugged roads to the rich bluegrass farmlands of Kentucky. Records are scarce for early "squatters," who later had to apply for rights to legally own their homes and lands. And land claims give little personal information. Formalized land grants after service in the French and Indian War and in the Revolution provide more help in finding Virginia ancestors who went to Kentucky.
About 30 years ago, William L. Litsey of Hampton, while ill at home, helped lay a foundation for Virginians researching their ancestry in the throngs who had "gone to Kentucky." Litsey, a descendant of Colonial Virginia through the Chiltons and other families, grew up in a home filled with ancestral portraits, furniture and genealogies. He continued the family traditions and combined it with a deep interest in helping others.


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Everything you said is null when the US is involved. They have the logistics in the area to have non stop air attacks, with cruise missiles and MIRV's from the subs behind them, for days on end (which is all it would take).
US would take base losses in the area, from Iranian missiles no doubt.
Iraq + Iran fought for a full decade and ended in a stalemate with heavy loses; US took down the Iraqi army and infrastructure in 2 weeks.edit on 23-7-2012 by CALGARIAN because: (no reason given)
Originally posted by CALGARIAN
More and more evidence that they will, but chances are not until after the US elections. If Obama wins, he may have more leiency because he won't be up for re-election again or if Romney wins, he will most certainly hand over his military for use.
Side-Questions, do you think the Iraqi Army would help Israel/US if the Greenzone Embassy and other sites in the country get attacked? I mean, US did liberate/equip/train them.
(visit the link for the full news article)


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1 onion, chopped
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (12 fluid ounce) chicken broth
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
Taco Seasoning (recipe below)
3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
Sour cream (optional)
Crushed tortilla chips (optional)
Place the onion, beans, corn, tomato sauce, chicken broth, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours (I ended up cooking this for over 9 hours and it turned out delicious).
Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, and continue cooking for 2 hours. Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired. Makes GREAT leftovers.
Taco Seasoning:
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper


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Why IT Jobs Are Never Coming Back:
The combination of more automation, increased offshoring, and better global IT infrastructure has taken its toll on the U.S. IT profession, resulting in a net loss of 1.5 million corporate IT jobs over the last decade, according to recent research from IT consultancy and benchmarking provider The Hackett Group.
The barely bright side for the American IT worker is that the total number of annual job losses will diminish slightly in the coming years, down from a high of 311,000 last year to around 115,000 a year through 2014, according to Hackett which based its research on internal IT benchmarking data and publicly available labor numbers. The really bad news? It's unlikely that IT will contribute to new job creation in the foreseeable future. "To succeed over the next five years, companies need to understand how to reposition existing talent; jettison or rationalize current jobs that have no place in the leveraged organization; and source, develop and retain still others to fill the need for new skills, both offshore and in retained onshore staff,"


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Saturday, July 05, 2008
SF Folks: Got bass?
King Jammy$, Redman Productions, Bobby Digital, Steely & Clevie Witty's, Techniques, Mr. Doo...
Those were the producers and labels doing all the ill
Casio-driven 1980s dancehall music
with artists like Daddy Lizard, Wayne Smith, Admiral Bailey, Cocoa Tea, Pompidoo, Clement Irie and others.
I'll be playing a special '80s Casio-dancehall set for
Kid Kameleon
's b-day this Sunday July 6 at the Transfer Bar, 198 Church Street/Market in San Francisco. It's free!
Do hope you can join us. Set times listed below...
8:15-9:00 - Kid K
9:00-9:45 - Maneesh
9:45-10:30 - Tomas
10:30-11:15 - Tones
11:15-12:00 - Subtek
12:00-12:45 - Ripley
12:45--close - Kid K
Newer Post
Older Post


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Special teams key in quick starts for Flamesby Aaron Vickers / Calgary Flames
CALGARY, AB -- The last time the National Hockey League emerged from a lockout, referees wasted no time digging whistles out of their pockets, calling infractions at a fast and furious rate.
And while little has been verbalized in the way of a similar crackdown this season, Calgary Flames players and coaches alike are preparing for what could be a special teams start to the season.
"There's always a bunch of penalties for some reason," Alex Tanguay said. "The referees were just handed their rulebook and they seem to apply it a little bit better the start of the year."
When play resumed in 2005, power plays skyrocketed to 11.7 opportunities a game. Last season, referees dolled out 3913 power plays, an average of just 6.36 every 60 minutes, nearing the lowest figure since 1978-79, when the NHL averaged 6.77 power plays per game in a 680 game, 17-team schedule.
The Flames haven't seen that surge just yet. Averaging just three power play opportunities per game through the first two games of the season, the parade to the penalty box hasn't yet begun for the opposition.
Mike Cammalleri, who earned 26 minutes in penalties last year split between the Flames and Montreal Canadiens, expects an increase in called infractions but nothing like the league saw coming out of the last lockout.
"I don't know if it'll be quite the same as coming out of the last lockout," he said. "There was definitely a mandate to tighten things up and create more power plays, more penalty killing. Those are important all the time. I believe they could be more this year."
With a projected increase in man-advantages coming, special teams will be key for the Flames to get their season rolling in the right direction.
Calgary's already started pushing in that direction, clicking at a 50 per cent rate with the man advantage.
"Certainly for us, special units are going to be huge," Tanguay said. "The power play is the part of the game that's going to be huge at the start of the season."
Though the power play gets the glory, the penalty kill will be equally as important to weather the wave of oncoming whistles.
Cory Sarich, who spent almost a minute a game shorthanded last season,
"You see it both ways," Sarich said. "For the most part in this league, power plays are pretty even throughout a game so your penalty kills, you end up having to kill as much as you're on the power play. Everything has to be ready to go. Special teams are such a crucial part. Five-on-five, obviously important, but special teams now in our game has become first and foremost."
Which is why head coach Bob Hartley's Flames have dedicated much of their training camp time to both the power play and penalty killing units.
According to Hartley, winning the special teams battle will more often than not be difference between a victory and a loss.
"Special teams, lots of time, they generate confidence and generate momentum in games," Hartley said. "When you have a good power play, it seems your five-on-five play is better, your positional play is better because on power play, they are your most skilled guys. If your most skilled guys, they feel good about their game, suddenly it gets contagious.
"If you want to frustrate an opponent's team, you frustrate their best players off the power play and suddenly lots of times the team is going to get worse five-on-five, they're going to get frustrated and usually you beat those teams."
Which will make special teams all the more significant when whistles are shrieking to start the season.


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Gorgeous Mini Book
Karola is from Poland and I just fell in love with the beautiful soft colours and tones she uses in her stunning creations. The details of each piece are just beautiful. To see all of Karola's work visit her blog HERE
WOW Dawn Karola's blog is amazing!!!!
I have fallen in love with this layout too
This is so beautiful, what wonderful colours and composition :) Kimx
Totally gorgeous!
Love the LO Julie picked out too :)
These cards are beautiful!
wow, what beautiful creations, these are stunning!


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(CNN) -- It happens only once in a blue moon -- and scientists say a blue moon is exactly what we'll see in the skies this New Year's Eve.
Don't expect an azure glow over our lunar satellite, however. The term "blue moon" simply refers to the second full moon in a calendar month, something that hasn't happened on a New Year's Eve for nearly 20 years, NASA says.
"The phrase 'blue moon' has been around a long time, well over 400 years, but during that time its meaning has shifted," he said. "I have counted six different meanings which have been carried by the term, and at least four of them are still current today. That makes discussion of the term a little complicated."
Full moons used to have 12 names, one for each month, such as "harvest moon," NASA said. The term "blue moon" referred to the 13th full moon in a year.
A blue moon on December 31 is rare.


text: Why Dogs Are Messy Drinkers —But Cats Aren't Canines 'smash their tongues on water': researcher By Matt Cantor, Newser User Posted Nov 25, 2014 10:44 AM CST 14 comments Comments Why Dogs Are Messy Drinkers —But Cats Aren't A dog drinks in slow motion. (YouTube/Discovery) (Newser) – When grabbing a drink, neither cats nor dogs are able to squeeze their cheeks closed to suck up liquids the way humans can. Instead, they have to use their tongues in processes researchers didn't understand until recently, Reuters reports. Cats, researchers found a few years back, put their tongues on the surface of water and quickly pull it back out. This leads to a column of water that the animals grab with their mouths, shutting them over the water four times per second. "When we started this project, we thought that dogs drink similarly to cats," a researcher says in a press release, as per Discovery. "But it turns out that it's different, because dogs smash their tongues on the water surface—they make lots of splashing," he adds. When dogs do this, they drive water upward with an acceleration some five times that of gravity. Researchers investigated the process by placing a camera under the water's surface. A large portion of a dog's tongue hits the water, as opposed to just a small bit of a cat's tongue. And the bigger the dog, the more water it can bring up, Discovery notes. Once the water is moving, a dog, like a cat, closes its mouth over the water column. So that's drinking; as for eating, here are some common foods—like grapes—you should never feed your dog or cat. View 1 image My Take on This Story Report a story error Show results without voting | 6% Hilarious 35% Intriguing 1% Depressing 56% Brilliant 0% Scary 3% Ridiculous


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Okay, so here are the dirty details. I've purchased a round-trip ticket from LA to Brussles. (We'll take the train from Brussels to Amsterdam right away and then come back to Belgium for a few days at the end of our trip before we fly home) The damage for the tickets was $889. Frankly, I was thrilled to find a round trip ticket to Europe for under $1,000. I used my emergency fund to buy those tickets, since I didn't plan on such a big trip ahead of time.
I'm budgeting another $1500 for the rest of the trip. This will include my train ticket from Brussels and Amsterdam and back, transportation once we're there, food, and hotels. We both want to keep the trip cheap, so I think we'll be on the same page. We'll share a hotel room, and we're talking about doing a hostel in Belgium in order to save a little more money. I don't do souvenirs (other than postcards, a little something for BF, and Christmas ornaments for me), so I don't need to budget too much for that.
Here's how I'll make it happen, without derailing other goals:
*My National Boards back pay should come in February's check, which I believe will be about $600 (three months worth, since I've been certified since December and have yet to be paid).
*I'll also have around $200 on National Boards money in March's paycheck, so I'll add that to my travel fund.
*I'm going to use the money in my ING Direct account as my travel fund. It's been my house fund, but I'm okay raiding it for my trip. Once my $100 sharebuilder bonus posts, that will be just over $200.
*I think I can also save at least $100 a month out of my regular budget, which gives me $300 more.
*For those of you keeping score, that's $1300. For the last $200 I'm hoping that my tax refund will allow me enough to put $2000 towards my student loans and still have the other $200 I need for my trip. If it's comparable to previous years, I should have that and a little extra for my E-fund, to start to make up for raiding it to buy plane tickets.
When I get back, if I put the National Boards money towards my E-fund, and keep finding an extra $100 to save each month, I should have it to six month levels by August, which is only two months off of my original goal. I'm okay with this minor setback in my goals. Once my student loan is paid off in October I will focus on my house down payment fund goal for the last few months of the year.
From 2009-2012 I paid off 28,000 of my own debt. During that time I moved from Long Beach back to Whittier, met the man who is now my husband, and learned tons about how to manage my money. I'm back to blogging now that I'm married and my husband and I work to pay off his student loans. We're adding a baby to the mix this year, to keep things interesting. I don't own a home (and I'm just past 30) but I've come a long way on my financial journey!
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Europe Budget
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Rylan Clark to star in Gordon Ramsay Christmas show
- Bang Showbiz
- 5 December 2012
Axed 'X Factor' contestant Rylan Clark may is being lined up to appear on Gordon Ramsay's festive cooking show this Christmas
Rylan Clark has been lined up to appear on Gordon Ramsay's Christmas cooking show.
The axed 'X Factor' contestant is rumoured to be joining the TV chef on his festive cookalong programme on Christmas Day (25.12.12).
The annual cookalong - which airs live from Gordon's home on Channel 4 - has attracted stars such as 'Strictly Come Dancing' contestant Russell Grant in the past, and producers are hoping the flamboyant pop wannabe will inject some fun into the programme.
A show insider told The Sun newspaper: "The production team have been speaking to Rylan and a number of other celebs about appearing live on the show on Christmas Day.
"Rylan is a big fan of Gordon's and was thrilled at the approach. If he can do it he will."
The 24-year-old singer regularly clashed with judge Gary Barlow on 'X Factor', and will likely give as good as he gets with the notoriously foul-mouthed chef.
The source continued: "Can you imagine Rylan having Christmas lunch with Gordon and his family - it would be an absolute scream."
The former 'X Factor' act has been inundated with TV offers since leaving the show last month.
Rylan is in the midst of a stint as guest entertainment editor on ITV1's 'Daybreak' this week, and he is said to have turned down a spot on Monday's (03.12.12) live episode of 'The Only Way is Essex' on ITV2.
'Celebrity Big Brother' producers have also reportedly made him an offer to appear on the next series of the Channel 5 show in January.


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Rialto Theater
5 E. Main Street,
5 E. Main Street,Canton, PA 17724
No one has favorited this theater yet
Built in 1912, the Rialto opened as the 308 seat Crawford Theater. The Rialto showed movies until 1979 when it was sold and used as a church. In March of 1994, the Rialto was purchased by the Bradford County Regional Arts Council (BCRAC). BCRAC renovated the theater and it is now a 150 seat movie and live performance theater.
Contributed by Lost Memory
Recent comments (view all 1 comments)
rivest266 on January 3, 2013 at 9:34 am
Website moved to http://www.bcrac.org , still active as of the time of this post.
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Cameron Highlands Resort, Pahang, Malaysia.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Jim Thompson Tea Room @ Cameron Highlands Resort
Cameron Highlands Resort, Pahang, Malaysia.
18 comments:
Afternoon tea looks amazing....sob sob! So envious.....Cameron is indeed one amazing place to enjoy afternoon tea set. I would like to visit cameron again..ReplyDeleteReplies
Sycookies: oh yeah, there's a special feeling that having tea in Cameron gives us. The weather up here doesn't seem to be as cool as it used to be a decade ago, but it's still an enjoyable experience =)Delete
- AnonymousMarch 16, 2013
Oooo...English cream tea! I like... I really wonder what happened to the guy. They never did find out, right? A mystery.ReplyDeleteReplies
Suituapui: ya, lost since the 1960s. wonder if we'll ever find out what happened...Delete
Ahhhhh, think I need that random drive up to Camerons now...to escape the KL heat and to enjoy some good afternoon tea!ReplyDeleteReplies
Missyblurkit: yeah, all our air-conditioning appliances in KL have certainly been getting a full workout this month! camerons seems kinda hot these days too, unfortunately. maybe we need to escape to frasers instead, heh =)Delete
Will go Cameron highlands soon, will go enjoy my tea time here! Thx for sharing ...ReplyDeleteReplies
"追食富迪": yay, i hope you have a very enjoyable trip :DDelete
RM60+ for that is reasonable! I hv Swich cafe 's high tea to benchmark against now.. Reasonably priced and yummy. So seeking similar high tea offerings!ReplyDeleteReplies
TNG: that could be cool! try a different high tea every weekend, and i think by mid-2013, you would have sampled all the best ones in KL :DDelete
One of my fav places for afternoon tea, I think especially so cos of the cool weather.ReplyDeleteReplies
Baby Sumo: heheh, i'd like to add a cocktail into the afternoon tea. that could cool me down some more :DDelete
Cajun crawlfish, Cajun Jambalaya, I miss the Cajun food ... Yes, 4 years in Louisiana, I do miss it even I cannot recall the taste, as that was 30 years ago !!!!ReplyDeleteReplies
Wong: wow, four years! That must have been an interesting time, with a lot of good memories! But ya, most of the 'Cajun-style' dishes offered in Malaysia might not come close to the authentic intensity of flavors =)Delete
Hah finally. This was from, what, 4 months ago? That was a really good weekend.ReplyDeleteReplies


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Ajax Messages
• Good command / proficient in spoken and written English
• Call center experience minimum for 2 years (UK accent) will be preferred
• Good typing
• Able to generate Invoices
• flexible in timings
• Answers inquiries by clarifying desired information; researching, locating, and providing information.
pEvamp & Saanga is a leading developer of Web, Mobile, Voice and Telecom related applications and solutions in Pakistan. Our focus since 2001 has been to design and develop innovative applications in this niche. In addition to our own product development, we offer development services, system integr ...Read More


text:
Dial-up networks existed prior to this time and people were using time-sharing networks in the late 60s and early 70s. Networking led to the development of operating systems such as UNIX which allowed multiple users to access networks from remote terminals and over telephone lines. The first email was sent by Ray Tomlinson of BNN in 1971. He was also responsible for the introduction of the
@ sign in email addresses.


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New! Biore Facial Foam series has….
1) High cleansing ability vs. competitors.
2) Low irritation as cleansing chemical does not penetrate skin.
3) The first cleanser that works to rebalance skin – reduce oil at T-zone (forehead and nose) and replenish moisture at Uzone (cheek and chin).\
And it is proven by Biore's research team that the skin rebalances and show improvement in 14 days of continuous usage, and it is said that you will observe these results on your skin:
1) More hydrated skin after 3 weeks of usage
2) Less clogged pores and reduction in sebum
3) Lighten marks and blemishes after 4 weeks of usage
The product that I've been using is the Biore Scrub which is suitable for all skin types and it's said to give clean, smooth and refined skin after 14 days of usage.
The unique selling points of this Biore facial foam are the Skin Purifying Technology and ultra fine beads that are smaller than pores. The Skin Purifying Technology ensures that Biore facial foam has high cleansing efficacy and no penetration to the skin (= no damage to the skin).
Biore facial foam product comes in a tube form, and the opening of the tube is just nice to squeeze out suitable quantity for each use. I use about a large pearl size for each wash.
The facial wash comes in a white, cream like texture with fine pink beads. The beads are really tiny till I could hardly feel it with my palms when massaging the facial foam on my face.
The facial foam lathers up easily and when using a lathering net, it actually lathers into a thick foam.
Here's my face before using this Biore facial foam, scrub version.
Here's how my skin looks like after wash.
Biore facial foam makes my skin feels really clean as it removes all oil and dirt, and a thin layer of my dead skin cells, hence revealing a slightly brighter skin after use. I love how well Biore facial wash cleanses away all the unwanted impurities and leave my skin feeling so smooth after each wash. However, the downside for me is that it makes my dry cheeks feel a little tight after using it. But for my forehead and T-zone, it works fine without giving me tight skin. I love the refreshing scent of this facial foam too!
The beads from the scrubs feel really gentle on my skin that I can't really feel the scrubbing while I cleanse my face, but after cleansing, I do notice that the scrubs did help to cleanse away dead skin cells. After using Biore facial foam for 10 days, I noticed that the blemishes on my skin lightened and my pores looked more refined which I believe it's because the scrub lifted the impurities away from the skin.
Overall, I am a satisfied user of Biore Skin Caring Facial Foam - Scrub and I won't mind repurchasing it after I've finished this tube.
Thanks for reading. Have a great week ahead!


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I dropped in on the parent-teacher chat (#ptchat) on Twitter last night for the discussion on homework. Joe Mazza (@Joe_Mazza) did a great job moderating a discussion topic that often gets very robust! I caught a tweet by Antony Sinanis (@cantiague_Lead) during the discussion that expressed the following, "Can I tell my son's teacher how I feel about weekend homework? I am always hesitant because I don't want to be "that" parent!" (He has agreed to my sharing his comment in this post.) It's a concern I hear a lot — being labelled "that" parent. Later I realized that Antony is also a principal. This concern is not limited to "just" parents. So it all got me thinking some. What is this really about? Why does education create this "that" parent thing? Are there different kinds of "that" parents? Is the concern about being "that" parent different if you are also an educator? How many good questions aren't asked about schools and education because of the apprehension of being "that" parent? I am not sure there is straight-forward list of things that would guide anyone in the attempt to never be "that" parent. What if the area of concern that we want to express, at the risk of being "that" parent, is actually a direct result of conditions created, whether knowing or unknowingly, by a decision-maker?
So I am left wondering about about how many good changes and supports for kids may have been missed because of the "that" parent concern? What happens to the unsaid questions and concerns of parents when they are no longer parents in the education system? Do they become "that" community member making a difference, or has some really great input been missed completely?
Please share if you have suggestions that might help others concerned about this.


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Photo: Kristina Wagner, January 22, 2015. This week, earth work began for a duplex at 2612-2614 Corralitas Drive. (Click on photo to enlarge.)
After only 3 days of construction, the neighbors are already fed up. Complaints came in a steady stream to me from neighbors... street blocked; not allowing neighbors to drive up the hill to turn around; failure to control "fugitive dust" in an area where the wind comes up every day around 1:30 PM, carrying the dirt all the way up the street; no water of their own because it's not hooked up yet; workers' trucks parked on the sidewalk completely blocking it, including parking in the red zone on a blind corner; no sidewalk access on the blind corner.
A couple of the neighbors asked to speak to an on-site supervisor about parking & street access. Workers ignored their request.
Neighbors began calling Parking Enforcement and Building & Safety. At least one neighbor has called the contractor with these issues. According to the neighbor, none of his promises have been kept.
Corralitas Drive is a narrow, winding ,substandard Hillside street. It is not a through street, with limited parking. It's also a No Parking on Red Flag Days street. Let's hope they hired people who've built in the hills before or this could be one of those projects that takes 5 years to complete.
Saturday, January 24, 2015
Corralitas Drive: The Joys Of Hillside Living
Posted by Corralitas Red Car Property at Saturday, January 24, 2015


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Saturday, December 03, 2011
Sights from Austin on a Saturday
Here were just a few things that I came across before leaving Austin today, the first of which was just a place that I happened to notice while driving by (it was too early in the morning to have gone in). Yes, the sign suggests that they managed to serve phở alongside Vietnamese-Cajun crawfish. How is that for one stop shopping? I thought that the Vietnamese-Cajun thing was more in Houston instead of Austin, but I suppose that they are not that far from each other.
Next up were these stacks of Three Wishes at the flagship store of Whole Foods. The interesting thing was that these were $2.99 rather than the $1.99 that they are priced at back home in order to compete with Trader Joe's. Otherwise, this store was huge, with a lot of various cooked food counters for you to sit down at. It was almost like they were able to surround the supermarket with a bunch of stations from Marché.
Finally, I went to the downtown location of the Austin Sustainable Food Center's Farmers' Market. It was much smaller than I thought it would be: just two rows of a parking lot rather than the gigantic sprawl that we saw in Portland. But I managed to grab this bowl of South Texas Antelope Chili from a stall called Dai Due. It tasted as good as it looked, with a rich and crumbly cornbread to go along with it. Actually, those red chili peppers were more sour than they were spicy, but either way, it worked for me.
Digested at 1:34 PM
|This made me feel:
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Well, guess what happened on our walk? I talked to people! I knew it would happen.
Daisy wanted to play on the playground, so we loitered for just enough time for neighborhood kids to come by and pet Rufio, which led to a little toddler coming to pet Rufio, which led to me talking to toddler's mom for an HOUR! I came home very happy about my accomplishment that was forced upon me. I thought, "I'd like to do that again tomorrow, but I don't want to ever do that again." I have all these ideas of amazing friendships in the neighborhood, but I don't want to leave my house. Oh, the internal conflict!
Amy's accomplishments this month included chuckling, holding her feet, pulling off her socks, putting the pacifier in her mouth (by accident), and rolling over once (possibly by accident).
I'm constantly torn between wanting her to grow up and be more independent (finding her pacifier on her own) and staying a baby. She's so adorable and squishy. She's also VERY snuggly. We have been much less strict on her about scheduling. She's pretty scheduled on her own, but there's lots more rocking and less crying with Amy. NOT that she doesn't cry, because she does. We just don't have her cry it out yet. Not sure what our plan is there.
Honestly, we still watch a lot of TV. I have limited our shows. SO many kids' shows are about social interactions, which usually include one character being mean to another. Daisy is absorbing everything, and I don't want her picking up rude habits.
Zane is a HUGE help. He has basically taken over all Rufio-related duties and Daisy's bedtime routine. He also cooks about half the time and does ALL our grocery shopping. Am I blessed or what?!
There are still days where I feel like I could pull my hair out at the end of the day, but I don't even have enough energy for that.
I nostalgically remember the days when I could paint, sew for fun, read novels, play video games, act, and blog about it all. I have lots of ideas for creative projects, but very little time to do anything without toddler interruption. My days often feel like survival mode, but I do NOT want to wish away the little years. Creative endeavors will be there when I'm an empty-nester. I'm doing my best to enjoy the life that God has given me right now and file away my dreams for the future.
I've also been working out more since the beginning of January, which has helped me lose a good chunk of pregnancy weight. I did a Beach Body challenge, which was really fun, and helped me to jumpstart healthier habits this year.
It has been a great month, and we have lots to look forward to next month: my birthday, the Strawberry Festival, Renaissance Faire, and who knows what else. Maybe I'll blog more often too. Soon this baby will be eating solids and sitting up and next thing I know, she won't be a baby anymore. Which is simultaneously a happy and sad thought.
Daisy just winked at me and said, "Cheers." My life is awesome.


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This page describes the manner in which the museum deals with visitation of the museum and use of the church.
First of all, visitors are asked to put their large bags in lockers, which are available in the reception area of the museum.
In terms of security of visitors, collection and building, the museum has taken certain measures. There are no fixed room stewards – cameras throughout the building monitor the public. The staff of the internal service department operate a rotation schedule between manning the cash register and surveying the building by walking around.
The museum has a liability insurance – however it is not a Dutch custom to sue when somebody gets injured. There have been some accidents, usually minor but last year a lady had to be collected by ambulance after tripping.
General house rules (PDF, 89KB)
Rules for use of church (in Dutch) (PDF, 56KB)
The museum has general house rules. Visitors are asked above all not to touch and not to approach art objects too closely. Photos and video are permitted in the museum, provided no flash is used. Large bags, umbrellas and bottles containing liquids may not be brought into the museum rooms and should be left at the reception desk where lockers are available. Smoking is prohibited throughout the building.
The museum has more detailed and stricter rules for use of the church for weddings and events. The people renting the church will have to sign these as part of the agreement. The use of candles is not allowed because of fire danger and incense is only burned at Christmas. Flowers are not allowed because of the risk of water and pollen stains. Apart from these guidelines, there are also instructions for the bride and groom, which are meant to make them aware of the historic setting.
The museum considers schoolchildren the most risky visitor group. In order to reduce risk of damage to the collection, the children are given instruction and information before hand, and they have to leave their belongings in the cloakroom. They are given a wooden pencil to complete their tasks and handkerchiefs to collect their chewing gum.
The museum has an emergency plan, which is actively maintained and which relies upon the expertise of a recognized consultancy company. The museum has a fire detection system with smoke detectors, which are of the 'intelligent' type, meaning that they measure smoke density and are also able to indicate a technical failure. In addition there are manual fire alarms on every floor near to evacuation routes and emergency exists. In case of fire, there is a direct alarm signal to the fire brigade, without delay.
Larger groups and events are cause for concern and the local fire department plays an essential role in determining the maximum number of visitors that can be in the building at any given time. Evacuation of the building is complex, even though there are two separate staircases that run to and from the church. Interestingly enough, the second staircase (5) was installed already in the 18th century after a fire in a public building in Amsterdam claimed many lives.
The fire brigade uses three criteria for their assessment:
In addition, they consider compartmentalization of the building - in this case the assessment is negatively influenced by the fact that the building is not compartmentalized. Smoke can easily reach into all the rooms.
The fire brigade stipulates for this building with its current use that:
For the other rooms, which are very rarely used for events the maximum number of people that may be present at any given time is set to:
Carrying capacity assessment (PDF,34KB)
Carrying capacity of the sael (XLS, 68KB)
Visitation records (XLS, 49KB)
Report on the carrying capacity of the galleries (2007) by the engineering firm De Prouw BV (PDF, 1.5MB)
Apart from fire regulations that stipulate visitor numbers, their are other factors that establish the number of visitors in the museum, the so called carrying capacity of the museum. The carrying capacity of the rooms was determined by staff of Our Lord in the Attic museum using a methodology developed by the National Trust (UK). In each room the staff team discussed the maximum number of people that they think should be allowed per room. For this assessment the most important criterion used was the visitor's experience: "How many visitors can each location take before the individual visitor's experience is being negatively affected (optimum carrying capacity)." The next question raised was: "When is the absolute maximum number of visitors reached in each location" - which was assessed by imagining the visitor's experience when a space would have 1 extra visitor, 2 extra visitors, etc. present.
The outcome of the carrying capacity could subsequently be linked to actual visitor numbers. To get more information about visitor flow, CC-TV footage showing visitors in the sael on Thursday 22 March 2007 was analyzed for the whole day. The data shows that on three occasions the maximum carrying capacity is surpassed.
The carrying capacity of the church galleries was reassessed in 2007 by the engineering firm De Prouw BV.


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Ryan wanted to take the girls on a hike this summer. He printed out a map of the Cougar Mountain trails and had planned to go there, but then we found out there was some bike ride/race there the day we wanted to hike.
New hikers with short, slow legs + bike racers = bad idea.
So, Ryan suggested "hiking" around Lake Wilderness. The first part was wooded and the girls thought it was great.
Eventually the trail came out of the woods and wasn't shady.
New hikers with short, slow legs + hot sun, no shade = unhappy New Hikers.
Ryan said he thinks the Lake Wilderness trail is about 2 miles. Does anyone know for sure? I'd love to know. If it is a 2 mile trail, the girls were done hiking at exactly .75 miles. Hannah was a trooper and kept her complaints to a minimum. Emma made no attempts to hide her dissatisfaction with the situation, exclaiming, "I don't like hiking!" Note her sour expression in this picture.
Luckily, Ryan sang a rousing version of "Boom, boom ain't it great to be crazy" and saved us from a full on mutiny. Lesson learned: never doubt the power of a well-timed, totally nonsensical camp song. If I remember correctly, Ryan may have even tried to sing "The Bear in Tennis Shoes" song, but I was in no mood for providing his echo at that point.
Eventually, we got to a park so we could sit and the girls could play a bit. Emma, though crying, dragging her feet, and being "tired of WALKING!!!" was miraculously cured of all her ills.
Hot, tired family + park = perfectly happy family
On second thought, Miriam wasn't perfectly happy. She'd fallen asleep in the back pack just about the time the girls' hiking revolt began. She'd slept through the whining, but had woken up when Ryan sat down at the park.
Sleeping baby in back pack + sitting, non-walking Dad = awake baby
After the park, when we were almost back to the car, the girls took their shoes and socks off and walked through the water on the beach. We were all tired and ready to be done, but we're pretty sure we'll be able to talk the girls into going hiking again. Anyone know of any .75 mile hikes?


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The next day Matt and I finished Sara's flooring and decided it would work out fine to host a student considering we had one week to put the house back together. I did not get all the projects complete that I had hoped; however, we were able to put together a guest area for our exchange student to have his own space.
Rintaro joined us Tuesday evening. He's studies English for 3 years, now to put it all to work! The biggest challenge is that he has learned proper English and we speak with a Utah accent. A perfect example of this was the morning after his arrival I asked Rintaro, "How're you doin' today?" He gave me a funny look. So I said, "How are you?" He said, "Oh, I'm good!" I just needed to enunciate and not slur my words together. Imagine that!
The cultural differences in some situations are huge! We were told when we picked up our exchange student to be sure to explain how the shower works. In their culture, they don't have a tub or a shower. Instead they have a drain in the floor and the shower head and simply shower in the middle of the bathroom. So if we don't teach them how to use the tub and keep the curtain inside the tub, we're due to have a flood in the bathroom. Also, in America our children are allowed to eat pretty much at any time. If they need a snack after school, they get one themselves. But in Japan, children only eat what their mother gives them. So we were told to be sure the students understand they are welcome to eat when they are hungry, especially since we don't serve big bowls of rice with every meal!
When we arrived home the first day with Rintaro I wanted him to see the food so he could know where to forage when hungry. I opened one side of my double door pantry and gave examples of snacks and then opened the other side of the pantry to show him other options. "Woah!" Now I'm not sure this was an English word he was taught, I believe this was a natural cross cultural response as he was surprised to see the amount of food we have on hand. Then of course adding to that the fridge full of fruits and veggies due to my wonderful bountiful basket purchases!
Another cultural difference is our beds. I think the Japanese sleep on mats, they don't have mattresses to sleep on. My guest room has a queen size mattress, which is super convenient for my folks when they come visit! Rintaro is about my height, 5' 6" but he is very skinny, probably 100 lbs. soaking wet....maybe. So this bed is huge compared to the little space he takes on it. Also, I left a smaller blanket on top of the bed in case the blanket on the bed was not enough. But I have neglected to tell him that he is supposed to sleep under the bigger blanket, so he has simply covered up with the smaller blanket each night. I asked him if he's been warm enough and he says yes, so I guess being summer he's fine. I'm thinking I should show him how the bed turns down with soft sheets inside for cozy sleeping! Why have I waited this long? Well here's why:
The Japanese exchange students want the full American teenager experience. I figure why not? He is Zack's buddy so to speak, so he is to do everything Zack does. After being here only a day we sent him off to Youth Conference! The youth in our stake went up to the stake property not far from Park City to camp for Youth Conference. Our ward leaders were more than accommodating and even bought Rintaro a Japanese Book of Mormon. How cool is that! So Rintaro has been able to experience the craziness of young Mormons camping as well as experience the Spiritual aspect of Mormonism being taught to our youth. I honestly don't know how he feels about it all, but I do know that he is reading the Book of Mormon!
The boys arrived back home Saturday just before noon and were very tired. After Zack took a nap, I shipped the boys off to the pool at the Rec Center for some swimming! We've got to keep Rintaro busy so he doesn't get too homesick. Matt and I went on our date so the boys had to walk home. Nobody seemed to mind at all.
My three boys are very much into playing "Wizard 101" on the computers, which is an online multiplayer game for youth. I figure, why not? Rintaro should experience it all, right? We had him open an account and create a character! Any time he doesn't have something to do, he heads to the computer to play. I figure it's great exposure to American fantasy linguistics, right? LOL! I don't even know what they're talking about as my boys play. They have cool names for everything.
The Japanese are big on gift giving. We were warned in advance so that we could have gifts ready for Rintaro as well. Holy Cow, he brought a lot of gifts. Matt was given a bandana, which has a cool fancy name and can be folded in cool ways. It's rectangular in shape rather than square like our bandanas. I received a beautiful key chain made of cloth. It looks kind of like a bell. So once the keys are attached, they can be pulled inside the fabric. The little boys each received a ceramic frog on a leaf that holds a picture as well as some fancy Japanese paper. Sara was given some paper flowers that are meant to be window decorations. Zack was given a Japanese hand fan and Japanese chess game, which has a cool name. In case that is not enough, he gave the family two kites, and three pieces of hand made artwork made by his grandmother. Besides all that, he gave us a scrapbook about him, showing his home, his town, and things about his culture. SO awesome to learn about his home and lifestyle.
Some foods we eat are common world wide. For example, I was excited to take the kids to In N Out Burger for dinner the first night. But McDonalds is worldwide so Rintaro has eaten hamburgers in Japan. Darn it! Other foods are new to him. Tonight we had Bratwurst, which I typically serve with hot dog buns. We also had baked potatoes and salad with dinner. Rintaro took a bun and left it on his plate and was going to eat the bun separate from the bratwurst. So I showed him mine all tucked in with some mustard. He had a heck of a time figuring out how to open the bun. After tearing the bun into two, he tried to put the bratwurst between the two pieces and added some ketchup. In the end he ended up eating them separate anyway, the bun with ketchup on it, and the bratwurst. Oh well. He loved the baked potatoes, though! We oil the potatoes, sprinkle them with salt, then bake them. YUM! Apparently he thought so, too!
Rintaro likes playing games. Besides the Japanese chess game, he played American chess with Zack, who enjoyed having a good opponent, opposed to a younger brother who's not so great at the game. Rintaro also likes card games like Pokemon, YuGiOh, and several others. He brought some Japanese Pokemon cards and gave them to Elijah, who was excited to receive them. I'm hoping Rintaro can help my younger boys learn to play these correctly!
Week one down, three weeks to go. We have a long list of fun activities to do in order to help Rintaro experience American culture!


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BOSTON -- JetBlue for years built a reputation for customer service and accountability, but a 2007 ice storm that left flyers stranded and angry showed the company it needed a better way to measure customer feedback.
JetBlue was one of several companies to present at the Text Analytics Summit being held here this week, detailing how the technology has made a difference in its CRM initiatives.
While the market for text analytics software is still emerging and many companies are still focused on getting a handle on their structured data, a handful of businesses are simultaneously examining their unstructured data. Framingham, Mass.-based IDC predicts that the market for enterprise search technology, which includes text analytics software and applications, will reach $3 billion by 2012, up from a current estimate of $2.25 billion.
Two years ago, JetBlue found it had a wealth of unstructured information that needed analysis. The company relies heavily on net promoter scores -- the likelihood of a customer to recommend a service or product to others. As a result, JetBlue gathers customer feedback in a number of ways. It sends out surveys to 35 customers on each of its flight (taking special care to ensure that no one receives a survey more than once every 90 days). It consults with VisionCritical, its select customer panel, and with JetViews, its online customer community. All of that is paired with text analytics software from Palo Alto, Calif.-based Attensity Corp.
It was the Valentine's Day ice storm of 2007 that brought home the power of text analytics. The storm left JetBlue customers stranded on the runway for hours, leading to nationwide coverage in the press, a sudden backlash and the company's creating a customers' bill of rights.
"This really opened our eyes to the need for text analysis," said Bryan Jeppsen, senior analyst, customer feedback with the Forest Hills, N.J.-based airline. "The day after that storm, we had 15,000 emails. We're staffed to read 400."
With executives pushing for customer feedback and not enough staff to sort through the flood of email, text analytics became a natural experiment, Jeppsen said. JetBlue ran a test implementation and got a report in three days.
"It was eye-opening to see there's technology that can read and categorize huge amounts of data that fast that you could use," Jeppsen said.
With the ice storm, JetBlue knew why there was a sudden drop in its net promoter scores. That's not typically the case. A number of factors can influence that score, ranging from competing fares to on-time percentage.
"We learned that taking text analytics and structured data together is the most powerful way to [measure customer feedback]," Jeppsen said.
For example, JetBlue knows where people who took surveys flew to and from and knows which cities JetBlue members live in and how often they fly. Managers at each of the airports it serves receive their own weekly net promoter score.
Text analytics also allows JetBlue to better focus its efforts. While the company's overall net promoter score is generally high, analysis of customers with the higher scores found that there were still more negative comments than positive.
"They want us to do well, only they're asking us to do something," Jeppsen said. "We found they are the most important people to pay attention to."
Customers are always going to be frustrated by delays and cancellations when flying.
"Some will say there is nothing we can do about that, but that's not true," Jeppsen said. "During that ice storm, there were a lot of compliments to our crew."
With that feedback, JetBlue is changing the way it deals with customers faced with delays and cancellations.
Similarly, JetBlue can run reports on which planes have the most complaints about the entertainment systems and can alert ground crews. The company also runs reports on which airports get the most complaints about rude staff (JFK in New York is first, followed closely by Boston's Logan).
Jeppsen conceded, however, that determining ROI has been a challenge. Much of the savings from the program comes from efficiencies, and Jeppsen was reluctant to bring that to the finance department, lest they then ask him how many people he could get rid of.
"We finally just appealed to the fact that we are going to read each of our customers' feedback, and to our executives that was enough," he said.
JetBlue plans to extend its analysis to social networks. The company has established a Twitter account and is working with Attensity to figure out how best to use that data, Jeppsen said. JetBlue also monitors airline-based online communities.


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Dodge Viper could be sacrificed for new Sebring
click above for more images of the 2008 Dodge Viper
Cerberus has had a chance now to fully inspect Chrysler LLC's offerings, and the private equity firm wants to make fast changes. The equity firm owners recognize that a complete overhaul of the relatively new Sebring with its cheap interior and eye-sore looks needs to happen immediately. Unfortunately, some of the cash necessary to fix the Sebring may come at the expense of the Dodge Viper. Inside Line reports that Cerberus is prepared to make an instantaneous decision regarding the future of the Viper, both because of a cash crunch and because the $85,000 snake may be losing its bite anyway with the passing of a new national energy bill and higher CAFE standards around the corner. It's hard for us to imagine Dodge and parent company Chrysler LLC losing its halo car like this. We're no auto execs, but the Viper does nothing but make money and fans for Chrysler, and since it's new for 2008, another redo isn't required for at least a four-year life-cycle or so. In other words, we don't like the idea, and likely very few of you do either. Thanks for the tip, Gustavo!
(Via Autoblog.)
Label: Dodge


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Mobile and wireless devices are rapidly advancing to connect patients and data, resulting in tremendous changes in our healthcare system. The Capitol Hill "Steering Committee on Telehealth and Healthcare Informatics" brought together experts from Congress, government, and industry on July 28th to present their newest ideas and thoughts on the wireless revolution.
Honorary Co-Chair Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) said, "Healthcare issues are foremost on the minds of the American people since the country is faced with healthcare costs going up every year. If we make the right improvements to the system, then it is possible to achieve a saving of one trillion without decreasing the quality of healthcare. However, if we reduce costs by just cutting benefits, we will achieve savings but the methodology is deeply wrong and deeply lazy."
He stressed that the healthcare system needs to operate with a robust health information infrastructure, aggressively support quality improvements, address prevention methodologies, and reward physicians for providing good outcomes. If we accomplish these goals, then our country will be able to make monumental improvements in the system.
According to H. Stephen Lieber, CAE, President, & HIMSS CEO, "A key strategic area for HIMSS involves mobile and wireless applications since this is a dominant form of delivery and is truly changing the culture. The role for HIMSS is to help doctor's offices, patients, and policy makers not only understand how mobile and wireless applications will develop, but also to help our society understand how all aspects of health IT can truly be effective in providing healthcare."
Adam Darkins, MD, Chief, Consultant for Care Coordination at the Department of Veterans Affairs, reports that the VA's responsibilities to provide healthcare for veterans is enormous and today, the agency provides healthcare for 5.3 million veterans, operates 153 medical centers, and 900 community-based clinics.
He explained that the veteran population is aging with much of the veteran population over 80 years old which means that many aging veterans will be living with chronic conditions. This new generation of aging veterans will need to rely on mHealth to obtain care in the home.
Presently, the VA's use of telehealth technology has helped 55,400 veterans receive care in their own home. By putting monitoring devices in the home, patients with medical problems such high blood pressure can have their blood pressure reviewed and helped by the healthcare staff at a distance facility.
Darkins explained how the VA's "National Center for PTSD" and DOD's "National Center for Telehealth and Technology" were instrumental in developing the "Mobile App PTSD Coach". The App is helping veterans manage their symptoms that commonly occur after trauma.
The App provides reliable information on PTSD and treatments, has tools to help screen and track symptoms, is convenient and easy-to-use, and provides direct links to receive help. The VA reports that the mobile App has been so successful that 16,000 veterans have already downloaded the App.
To help coordinate activities in the mHealth field, Yael Harris, PhD, Director of Office of HIT & Quality at HRSA was instrumental in establishing the "Federal mHealth Collaborative. The Collaborative enables agencies to share information, provide a mHealth learning environment, be able to keep current on recent federal activities in mHealth, and opens new opportunities for further collaborative efforts. The listserv currently has 90 members represented by many HHS entities and other Federal agencies.
As Harris explained, one of the federal government's goals is to promote "Text4Baby" which today is the largest mHealth program in the U.S. It is a free text messaging service in both English and Spanish to provide pregnant women and new moms with up-to-date information. A new initiative based on "Text4Baby" concept called "Text4Kids Health" is now in place to help patents take good care of their children and is specifically directed to parents that have children from 1 to 5 years old. Also, a new program "Text2Quit is available to help people quit smoking.
Harris is excited about the new workgroup FedTel that was formed to examine federal telehealth activities across federal agencies and so far, the attendance has been overwhelming. The workgroup is looking closely at what telehealth can offer through both wired and wireless to provide care. Specifically, FedTel is going make an inventory of telehealth Federal activities, collaborate across agencies, and identify key barriers that prevent providing healthcare for everyone/everywhere.
Several companies came to the Capitol Hill Steering Committee event to showcase new mobile and wireless technologies :
• Bruce Brandes, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer for Air Strip Technologies, reports that "Air Strip OB", a new healthcare app gives physicians the ability to monitor vital waveform data of their patients, including fetal heartbeat and maternal contraction patterns, in virtual real-time on the physician's smartphone or tablet. Air Strip OB is now in use by a fast-growing number of obstetricians at labor and delivery units across the country
• Masatake Eto, Managing Executive Officer, Deputy Chief Director of Sales at A&D Medical, gave a clear picture of how devastating the March 11 earthquake was for Japan with many lives lost and many still missing as a result of the disaster. The earthquake resulted in the population experiencing enormous stress resulting in a rise in blood pressure. At this time, A&D Medical was able to supply blood pressure technology with real-time communications capabilities to take blood pressure readings on individuals in the disaster area and forward the data to healthcare professionals elsewhere
• Andy Sallee, Director of Business Development for MedApps Mobile Health Monitoring, demonstrated how "HealthPAL" an effective tool is used to provide information on the go to help manage patient populations afflicted with chronic diseases. The device is small about the size of a cell phone, lightweight, and able to automatically collect and transmit health readings to healthcare professionals
• Steffan Johnson Senior Consumerism Lead for Highmark Inc. explained how the "Health@Hand iPhone" provides Highmark members with access to health and wellness features at their fingertips. The system is equipped to provide information on participating Highmark medical facilities and provider locations and also provides interactive health information so that members can look up information on illnesses, symptoms, and medical conditions
The lunch briefing and mini-demonstration was sponsored by HIMSS, American Telemedicine Association, and Continua Health Alliance. Honorary Co-Chairs Senators Kent Conrad (D-ND) , Mike Crapo (R-ID), John Thune (R-SD) Sheldon Whitehouse D-RI) and Tom Udall (D-NM) and their staff provided logistical support.
The "Capitol Hill HIT Showcase: Patient Safety and Quality Issues" on September 12th will be conducted as part of "National HIT Week" September 12-16, 2011. Over 350 to 400 attendees are expected to attend from government, industry, and academia throughout the day.
For more information, email email@example.com or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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edna in the garden, originally uploaded by suzeesjubileez.
Here is a picture of Edna getting ready for a garden karaoke party! Shea has been practising her rendition of I Never Promised You a Rose Garden. Edna is very out going as you may recall from the previous post. She is a wire armature doll with nifty lavender boots. She is bound to show up in my etsy store sooner rather than later.


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I had to make it bigger than the original pattern so she could wrap up in it. I added 11 or 12 blocks ... some were repeats with the colors rearranged and 2 of them I just 'made up' on my own.
I think you can see the quilting pretty good here. I just love the long arm quilter I found .... she is soo nice and did a superb job!
The back is a pretty flower sculptured Minkee pattern. Just right for curling up with to read a book or watch TV ..... altho it was over 100 here today!! That is uncommonly hot for this area.
DGD has laid claim to the most recent D9P I did last month. It is all cherry print fabrics and she asked if she could have it for her bed. I was just playing with the fabric & 2 layer cakes when I made it just for fun. I already have a taker!
No progress on the Puzzle Quilt .... been working too much again. It is on the sewing table for my day off tomorrow. Gonna be a fun day!!!
Would love to hear from you all ... Hugs and love, Joanne


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Wednesday, February 15, 2012
RECENT performances
I have performed MUSE more than fifty times now—from Chicago to Halifax and Baltimore to Boston. In 2011, I returned to tour Maine, where one evening I had the privilege of presenting MUSE at the Monteux School, on the very stage where many of the events depicted in the play took place, sixteen years—to the day—of Maestro Bruck's death there in 1995. The bas-relief of Bruck (pictured) now hangs near the stage in the Monteux Forest Studio, a important reminder of the man and his legacy.
Another evening in Maine returned MUSE to the Conductors Retreat at Medomak, where Maestro Ken Kiesler, esteemed Director of Orchestras at the University of Michigan, invited me to again share the play and its message with his international student body. Ken has invited me to the UofM campus for a performance there this spring. (For more about my visit to the Conductors Retreat, please click here.)
MUSE of FIRE also received its New York state debut last season, on the campus of SUNY—Fredonia, where the Fredonia Leader called it "a one-man epic," and the president of the university labeled the performance "phenomenal." A large and enthusiastic audience cheered the play (and more than one hundred stayed for a lengthy Q&A following the show.) Next up is a return to the midwest (with performances in the Detroit area and Ann Arbor in March), then back to the east coast for summer and fall run-outs later in 2012.
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