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MADISON [Wisconsin] - Robert A. Gruber, age 74, of Madison passed away on Monday, April 18, 2011. He was born on Jan. 25, 1937, the son of Richard and Dorothy (Rowe) Gruber. He married Sharon Herschleb on Dec. 28, 1961. Bob graduated from Madison Central High School in 1955. He served in the U.S. Army. Bob was a 32nd Mason, and a member of Masonic Lodges Commonwealth #325 and Daylight #362. He was a member of the Zor Shrine, Starlight Chapter #283 OES, and a life member of Scottish Rite. Bob was also a member of the VFW #1318 and the Luther Memorial Church where he taught Sunday school and served on many committees. He received honors from the three Masonic youth groups (Legion of Honor for DeMolay, Member of Honor of Job's Daughters, and the Grand Cross for Rainbow for Girls). Bob was a Wisconsin PGA official, and loved spending time on the golf course. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, woodworking, and was a lifelong Badgers fan. Bob is survived by his wife, Sharon; four children, Bob Jr. (Cindy), Tom (friend, Debbie Benicek), Kris (Doug) Engbring, and Kevin; 10 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and many other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; and sister, Betty Lee Gloe. Funeral services will be held at LUTHER MEMORIAL CHURCH, 1021 University Avenue, Madison, at 11 a.m. on Monday, April 25, 2011, with the Rev. Brad Pohlman presiding. Burial will be held at Roselawn Memorial Park with a Masonic service at the gravesite at 2 p.m. Visitation will be held at the church from 10 a.m. until the time of service on Monday. A special thank you to Dr. Paul Wertsch, Dr. Ed Pendergast, and Dawn from HospiceCare, Inc. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Luther Memorial Church or HospiceCare Inc. Gunderson East Funeral and Cremation Care 5203 Monona Drive.
Originally published in the Wisconsin State Journal on April 20, 2011 (submitted by Michael Vahldiek, Class of 1968)
Obituary: Sara (Radbil) Schwartz - MADISON - Sara Schwartz, beloved wife of Robert; and devoted and loving mother to Lawrence (Barbara), Frederick (Sylvia) and Steven; and grandmother to Ste...
6 years ago


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also known as my future home, well for the next 4 years at least. My family and I went on vacation to the grand old city to get a good feel for it and pick out my dorm room! eep. yes, my dorm room. I am a true college kid. well almost (i do have an email also).
Montreal is such a beautiful city. It has the big city feel with the small town charm. or at least thats how i look at it. You can be in the city with the hustles and bustles of people, and then hop on a subway and be in Old Montreal which feels like your average old town. Then you can walk to the pier and look over the river, then hop on a bus and it will take you up to Mont Royal.
It has the best of both (or four) worlds.
As you can tell i highly suggest visiting. And if your up there next year send me and email!
Tonight I finished getting all my immigration papers together so they will be sent off tomorrow and i will be on my way to getting a visa! o boy its all so exciting.
now all i have to do it get through high school, we seems to get harder everyday. everyone tells me to enjoy the ride and such but seriously it is so much harder than you would think. i am just too excited.

subset: commoncrawl


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It seems there is a new crop of Android phones every few months, which is great if you're in the market for a new phone.
I got separate pitches from ATT and T-Mobile a few weeks ago about new phones from HTC.
First, T-Mobile sent me the HTC One S, which arrived promptly and sat on my desk for a week.
Then ATT sent me an email about its HTC One X. I read that email on my iPhone when I was away from the office and quickly replied that I had that same phone from T-Mobile.
It seems I was mistaken.
The phones look similar, cost the same and share a lot of the same features, but there are differences internally and externally.
The One S from T-Mobile retails for $199 with a two-year contract and after a $50 mail-in rebate.
Anchored by a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED touch screen, the One S has a 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor with 16 gigabytes of internal storage and 1 gigabyte of RAM.
The screen resolution is 960 x 540 pixels.
The body of the One S is aluminum, is 7.8 mm thick and weighs just 4.22 ounces.
The One S has two cameras — an 8-megapixel rear camera with a 28 mm f/2.0 wide-angle lens that captures 1080p HD video, and a lower-resolution camera on the front for video chats.
The One S was the first phone I've seen with Beats Audio, a sound-enhancement software to "enrich" the listening experience.
The One S runs on T-Mobile's 4G network and is the first T-Mobile phone to ship with Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich).
PROS: metal body, slim, fast network, Android 4.0
CONS: no card slot for extra storage; the screen resolution could be better
BOTTOM LINE: a good phone for the money
The One X, offered by ATT, is the big brother to the One S in that it sports a larger display and a slightly larger battery.
With a polycarbonate body, the One X is 8.9 mm thick and weighs 4.6 ounces. The display resolution is 1280 x 720 pixels.
The One X also has a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor.
The phone has the same 8-megapixel rear camera as the One S, but it has a slightly better 1.3-megapixel front camera.
The X also has 16 gigabytes of storage and 1 gigabyte of RAM, and runs Android 4.0.
Neither phone has an external slot for extra storage.
The One X also has Beats Audio enhancement.
The One X features NFC (near field communication), which allows the phone to support Android Beam or Google Wallet, two technologies for device-to-device data transfer. Think of it as a way for the phone to act like a credit card.
Both phones can act as a Wi-Fi hotspot for other devices.
I used the One X as my Internet connection for a weeklong business trip and found the 4G LTE network to be very fast.
I did have to hunt for the setting that disconnected the Wi-Fi hotspot after a few minutes of inactivity, but once I did, the One X had more than enough battery power to last an entire day of surfing with my laptop and iPad.
The One X is $199 with a new two-year contract and a qualifying data plan.
PROS: screen size, NFC, fast 4G LTE, Android 4.0
CONS: no card slot for extra storage
BOTTOM LINE: This is a flagship phone for ATT. One of the better choices for Android devices.
Article source: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/business/technology/product-review-htcs-android-40-phones-are-not-identical-twins-638694/
Tags: ATT, Beats Audio, NFC, Product Review, PROS, RAM


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Making Time : Jennilee Marigomen
Do you have a day job? What is it?
I work in the art department at a clothing distribution and marketing office.
Do the people you work with know you are a photographer?
Yes! My boss was actually a big part of how I got into photography. We sponsor a lot of music shows, and in exchange for passes, I would take photos for him using a little camera that I borrowed from the office. When I upgraded my equipment, I took photography classes, and I eventually made the shift from event to art photography. Everyone here has always nurtured my love for photography, and some of my work is hung up in our showroom and printed as wallpaper in our director's offices. I'm very grateful.
Does the work you do during the day affect your personal work?
A little bit, but not too much.
If you could rearrange your time, what would be the ideal balance between your personal and professional work?
It would be nice to have my mornings free so that I could be taking photos when the sun is out.
Images: Jennilee Marigomen
See also: Happy Accident


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Experiment; Eating off my diet
After GraylinBee posted her results in what happens when she "experiments" with certain foods, I thought it was a neat and informative idea. Recently Bamberg added a twist to it, and wondered what happens if you are well controlled and eat beyond your normal diet. His results are here http://www.diabeticconnect.com/discussions/15...
In that thread I stated I'd join him in finding out. Now I tested like crazy in the early years to see what food did to me, and how I could maintain a good A1c. Over the years I've strayed from time to time, and even gotten myself sick from it. This time I thought I'd watch closely what happens, and I was surprised.
Saturday I mainly fed on small amounts of protein the whole day – hard boiled egg for breakfast, nuts in between, a brat on a mini whole wheat tortilla for lunch, beef jerky in the afternoon – and I stayed in the mid to high 80's all day (even though I was fruit and veggy shy).
Saturday evening we went out for catfish (one of my favorites) at a local seafood restaurant/oyster bar. I typically have it pan fried, with a salad, slaw and green beans (this ain't a fancy place), but this time I ordered what is a "normal" meal on this menu. Deep fried catfish "fingers" – about 3/4 pound when done which means roughly 1/3 fish and 2/3 breading. French fries (about a whole large potato's worth), about a dozen hush puppies, salad (small but loaded) for an appetizer, with a side of slaw (about 3/4 cup). Water for a beverage. This meal was way more carbs than I typically consume in even one day, and again I'll say this is a normal meal for this place. We were seated at 6 and were finished by 6:45. I will say that I was physically uncomfortable after this meal for the rest of the night. I tested over the next 19 hours about 18 times and was somewhat surprised at the results. I spiked as predicted out of the normal range, and as is typical for me I hit a low, but not as low as usual.
Now I'm not drawing any conclusions, I'll let you do that, but I think I bounced back pretty well. On page 2 of the photos section on my profile you can find this in graph form.
6:00 pm 84
6:30 pm 92
7:00 pm 101
7:30 pm 116
8:00 pm 142
8:30 pm 154
9:00 pm 135
9:30 pm 128
10:00 pm 110
10:30 pm 79
11:00 pm 80
11:30 pm 74
12:00 midnight 66
4:00 am 75
more sleep
8:00 am 86
2 cups coffee (I was still full from the night before)
10:00 am 73
11:45 am 83 (lunch of sliced chicken on a mini whole wheat tortilla)
Exercise (one hour walk on treadmill)
1:00 pm 98
Remainder of the day stayed in the mid 80's
107 replies
Wow.. This is very interesting. However, anything 80 or below takes a toll on me. At this point i am getting shakey, light headed, unstable. I noticed you were 66 at midnight then went to sleep. For me at that low I would be totally wacked. I was told by my doctor to never go to bed under 100 and if I am 100 to eat first. I could not function with those numbers. I am ok at 90 plus but under that I star feeling the low blood affects. Lately i have been in the high 30's to low 40's, and that is when I can barely be coherent. Ty so much for what you have written. Very enlighting.
Sometimes it isn't just the carbs, but what you eat to get them. For example, if most of your carbs are from breads, rice, pasta, you can get that "withdrawl" feeling you mention. However, if you've added a good amount of protein (like say fried chicken) it doesn't happen as much. In my case, my body slowly adjusted to the lack of carbs. With all your side issues, reducing as low as i have wouldn't be ideal, but doing it slowly would take off some weight, and with that some of those others issues might clear up also.
Oh, almost forgot, I went to bed at 66 because i knew i had plenty of food in me to last the night. i would not do that normally.
ty. I am slowly giving up the carbs. It's tough. Especially giving up pasta after eating it so often. Its been a year for that. I do not eat bread, also instead of having pasta several times a week, i now only have it once a month if that.
About 6 months to a year of before being diagnosed I got into eating bread. Was mad when I found out that this was on the no no list. finally got over it, because wasn't missing much anyways. Pasta is another story. I know it's bad for me but I still eat it. just not in the quantities that I used to. Ive learned to eat less…or eat it with something else. try mixing some spaghetti squash with wheat spaghetti (if u can stomach the glutin). gradually introduce more squash and less pasta. trust me …it works.
Good test you did. I learned last week I neded to test cheese tostadas for their 4 hour effect. Previously I stopped after 2 and a half hrs and it was smooth sailing. Then I found out the spike was slower due to the fat in the cheese effect.
Our Bg is wascally wabbits!!
Over the past couple years I also have found a few meals that will give me a 4 hour ride. Sausage McMuffin w/egg & cheese and hashbrowns. I suspect the protein/carb ratio does it. While it's not something on my diet, i found it's good for the days I need to be on the road for extended times (10 hours sometimes). Because I don't like to eat and drive, it keeps me from having to snack every few hours. The spike isn't terribly high, and the resulting low isn't bad either. Wascally wabbits indeed!
For me, pizza does that. I was so thrilled the first time I tested after eating pizza. My levels were not bad at all...but they were very high later on. I didn't think it would be that bad, but it is a long lasting venture for me.
Brixx Pizza http://brixxpizza.com/ has gluten free for $2 extra. Wife has to work today (it's her weekend to cook) so I'm not making her cook, we'll go there instead. I'll have a mediterranian salad, she'll do something with fruit and we'll split a 10" greek pizza. This is my very last hope to stay connected to pizza
A local guy here Barry Wofman makes a mean Cali style.
His Mojo specialty pie is probably responsible for a good portion of my 170+ BG's over the past years. He misses me, and i miss him!
I like my home made pizzas too. That has more control. My hubby adores the meat lovers...more meat...more meat. At least I get him to eat them on a thin crust. Though when I did the comparisons of carbs between thin crust and a thick or pan pizza, the difference was not that much.
Well, I did a mini test last night.
We ate at 7:00 p.m. (Brixx Pizza) I had a large (dinner size) Mediterranean salad of chopped romaine hearts, feta dressing, roma tomatoes, kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, feta cheese and banana peppers. We split a 10" Rustica pizza which consisted of prosciutto, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, kalamata olives and whole roasted garlic (note there was no pizza sauce). I was completely full after the meal.
Before we left for dinner I was at 83 and my spike lasted 2.5 hours and hit a high of 107. Around 10:00 last night I ate a handful of pistachios to ward off any possible low, and I woke up to 83 again this morning.
The reason i noted the lack of tomato/pizza sauce is that for some reason, I react to it like concentrated orange juice.
Last night was my mini test at Tuesday Supper at The Cake Lady's. She served pizza from Little Ceasar's. I tried to not eat much of the sauce, ate all the cheese and meats (pepparoni, sausage and bacon) from two slices and about 2/3rds of the crust of 1 piece. She also served fresh fruit (apples, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries) with blueberry greek yogurt for a dipping sauce. We took a short walk along the canal after eating. I tested at 94 about 2 1/2 hrsa after eating. Maybe there is sometthing about the tomatoes being condensed and whacking us with more sugar than anticipated.
After the good BG I did indulge in a small slice of Red Velvet Cake with no icing.
I usually liked my cake topless. The icing/frosting was usually too sweet.
Interesting, I would have thought the fruit would have pushed you higher, but that's really a pretty good result. Maybe pizza's not completely off the table. It is kind of fun being all "sciency" and seeing how we react down at these minute levels isn't it?
Over the weekend I cooked for myself and returned to my more "Paleo" diet – a 6oz. sirloin, 2 cups raw vegetables (cauliflower, carrot, broccoli) with about 2 tbl. French onion dip, a cup of coleslaw, and a glass of a good red petit verdot wine. I was stuffed, but the whole meal was about 20 carbs and 40 proteins. Started at 84, but after 1.5 hours was at 78. If I did spike, it couldn't have been much.
Red velvet cake? There are only 2 cakes I like. That and German Chocolate. You know that red color comes from crushed up beetle shells right? Can we count that as protein?
Finally did some research. Cochineal are scale insects, not beetles. The carmine dye is from the females. Mainly the abdomen and fertilized eggs. Since they are so small the entire insect is crushed, cooked, dried, etc. Sometimes calcium is added to the dye. The protein they add to the food is minimal.
At least now I know why Cochineal was chosen for the name of the computor program I use for charting designs for weaving and beading. The dye is used for both food and textiles.
Thanks for your interest. I posted a few photos I have on my laptop. I was goofing off last December with my new camera. I took some detail shots of some of my weavings. I was trying out its close up feature in anticipation of Bee season.
I did avoid the pineapple and oranges in her fruit selections. The berries are supposed to help regulate BG (from discussions I've read here on DC) and I just love apples.
Maybe the wine helped. Jim Edwards swears by Vodka as a spike buster.
Been meaning to research what beatle shells are considered but haven't yet. My husband thinks they are similar to what our fingernails are composed of.
Never heard of berry fruits regulating BG, but then, I haven't been around berry fruits much (allergies). Wine for me can lower sugars absorbed (I tested this ALOT), I think it may be the anti-oxidants, and vodka is about the only hard liquor I can drink without an effect.
I think, like Carol said, the shells are primarily calcium. Would explain why all the lizzards and skinks around my house are so strong. They're always munching the beetles. Some 3 times their size!
Allergies keep me from eating too many strawberries and blueberries. If I avoid other problem foods I can eat some. Oranges and coconut give me more troublesome allergic reactions.
Haven't tried the alcohol effect yet to learn if it lowers or raises my BG. Maybe I'll have to break down and get some cinnamon schnapps or cinnamon vodka for the big test. But then something with a little chocolate flavor…
Too many options and way too many lliquor stores in the nighborhood.
Never heard of cinnamon vodka, but hey, cinnamon is supposed to be good for you right! Cinnamon schnapps? I see some german blood running through those veins. The wife brought some back from a trip to Munich with her sisters. Took one shot of it, and it's still on the shelf 4 years later.
Great results.
It could be some tomato/pizza sauces have added sugar. Or it could just be the concentrated tomato is too high in fructose for you.
Mom does serve an artichoke and chicken pizza once in awhile. It seems my BG was lower afterwards than I expected. You have inspired me to try a more controlled experiment to check out if the tomato suce may be causing some of the BG spike. Then maybe I can have a few more bites of the crust.
Yeah, I'm pretty pleased with the results also. I'm not sure what it is with tomato sauce - it's not terribly high in carbs or sugars in the amount/portion on a pizza, but somehow it either goes right to my blood or allows other carbs to get in quicker, so it could be a combo effect. I just try to stay away from it. If I get real curious, i might just eat a half cup and do a check.
I've heard the same, but therein lies the problem, cooked tomato products seem to spike me. I'm getting too old and lazy to try to balance the lycopene vs spike issue. I may just have to start on a supplement. I go for another full lipid panel next month, so we'll see where I stand then.
There are many ways to skin a cat as you and I both know! So understand that I realize that my solutions may or may not apply to you.
There are many foods that have been recommended to me by a dietician as part of my food plan. When I explained that some of these foods spike me, she said do some exercise. When I said I can't always exercise when I eat those particular foods, she said, that is the time to not eat those foods. Her point in general is variety in quality foods is a way to assure or at least increase the odds of proper nutrition.
I have used Lycopene supplements for years. I also include cooked tomatoes, raw tamatoes, tomato juice and tomato sauce in my diet. I consume tomatoes and tomato products frequently. Could be a coincidence, but I have no prostate problems so far. Most guys my age or even close usually have some problems in this department! It's so common that my doctors are amazed.
It's guys like me that cause them to waste their examination gloves!!
Oh no doubt. I realize that a lot of my diet I make up as I go along, and I'm going to have to adjust some with age. I do need to get more tomatoes in my diet because *knock on wood* I don't have prostate issues so far. Hopefully I'll be as healthy as you at your age! I'm scheduled for some of those male age apropriate procedures this year and really not looking forward to them.
This info has been a real help so thanks for that!
Do you cook your tomatoes?
check out these links, you just might get something out of them!
Gabby, go to the recipes section. I believe I posted a way to de-juice tomatoes without a lot of cooking them down. And I was able to keep the juice to drink as well. In fact the results were so condensed that we found it necessary to add some juice back in when we made spaghetti sauce. When it comes time, take a look for that method in the recipes section.
EDIT: the link to the recipe is here ~ http://www.diabeticconnect.com/recipes/3686-t...
Good articles, especially the first one. I just realized that I missed the part about fat adsorption — didn't scroll down the page where I should of. I knew cooked increased lycopene. I didn't know it was mashed/cooked as opposed to lightly cooked in chunky state like I do or that it involved fat which is always present in my tomatoes dishes to some degree. Nice tip.
Yes, that did open my eyes as well. I'm going to try to find other articles supporting that, because that sure would explain a lot about what I've experienced.
That's what's nice about DC here, it's like having your own little personal team of crack researchers. I never would have found that article otherwise, so again, thanks guys!
Well that certainly answers some of my absorbtion questions - riding in on fats makes sense. I do use a concentrated tomato paste in many of my sauces which seems to have little effect on me (the amount is usually minimal anyway).
Thanks for these, and see my response to James above as well.
That's what still has me puzzled. No problem with fresh tomatoes. I have done spaghetti sauce with a small amount of angel hair pasta and got a 60 point spike in the past. I assumed a good portion of that spike was due to the pasta. Recently we did swiss steak, about the same amount of tomato sauce, but more protein and i went up by 30 points. Weird thing is, if I only eat pasta with lets say pesto, I only go up 40 points. That's why I'm thinking its a combination thing, tomato sauce with any other carb kind of acts like a intraveinous delivery system.
I think Carol may have found the culprit…sugar. I don't know about you but I don't make my own sauce, so I'm at the mercy of whatever amount of sugar the brand I use puts in theirs (11g), which is why I never add any to it. Might even be higher than that at some restaurants.
Here's an article I found from LiveStrong.com.
Note that it says, on average 1/2 cup of sauce usually contains 9-10g of net carbs, but doesn't go into how many sugar carbs. I find it funny that it says it's not uncommon for people to use 1-1 1/2 cups of sauce at one sitting. Who are these people? Even before diagnosis, I know I've never used that much sauce on one plate of pasta.
Sugar sure is the main culprit which Is why I've really been shying away from these products, and why I react like it's concentrated orange juice. I often make my own from fresh tomatoes, but add no sugar. Who are these people eating 1 1/2 cups sauce? Well formerly fat folks like me of course! I have sat down to a bowl of pasta and that much sauce frequently at the local Italian community center dinners, and with the additional nearly full pound of pasta as well. Its unbelievable to me now what I ate back then.
Thanks for all the help on this guys!
It's really any cooked tomato product, homemade or not. Even Zoe's delicious tomato bisque. I think Jigsaw landed on the issue that once cooked, the lycopene rides in on the fat, which i suppose could be pulling in carbs as well. So for me anyway, it's pizza or pasta without sauce the few times I eat it, or tomato soup with a salad rather than a wrap.
Aint it fun being a chemistry set. We are all kids turned into mad scientists. Ingest iingredients, prick finger, watch BG have wierd and wacky reactions. Just need to photo shop dry ice smoke effect to be back in High School Chem Lab. Maybe my Lab partner could accidently ignite my BG meter to complete the scenario.
The Gene Wilder one?
On Tuesday Nights at The Cake Lady's it's pizza at least once a month. My BG can be good if I stick to the topping and only eat a few bites of the crust.
My diet is similar to the south beach diet. I have found the just eating less portions but more often in general helped me maintain stable levels. My only issue was what to drink with my diet since I hate water. ALthough I still drink large amounts of water daily, I also found a great Powdered drink that comes in packets which is Diabetic Friendly. Its called VITAZEST and it has the Diabetes Research Institute's logo on each packet. I carry at least 5 of them with me at all times and I just add them to my bottle of water or tap water I get if I am eating out. THey are loaded with Vitamins and sugar free, so far its the best tasting powder packet out there that is safe to consume, I used to drink crystal light as well but they don't have the vitamins and they don't support diabetes cause like Vitazest does… I recommend for everyone to try it out…
Hey Sammy. I follow what i call a modified Paleo/Low GI program (I hate to use the term diet) as we discussed in a post Carol started a while back here http://www.diabeticconnect.com/discussions/14...
I was never a "sweets" type person, so i don't miss things like soda and fruit juice, but when i get a craving I'll use Propel Zero (like Crystal Lite). It kind of gives me the false sense that I just had something sugary, and at least mentally boosts me for exercise. I'll look into the Vitazest, never heard of it, thanks for the tip!
Next Discussion: Healthy Eating »


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a cropped cotton t-shirt, weaved at back paired with a long black maxi shirt.
i would love to cover an entire jacket in bells, time to start collecting :)
statement headband..
via my tumblr
sorry i have been away for so long, uni has been busy but all over for the year now..which means more time for
creating instead of writing endless essays. all the pictures above are my inspiration for some projects that will keep
me busy over the holidays. i will post any progress and keep you filled in as i go..i also hope these ideas inspire you,


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"Canada is gravely concerned by indications that the execution of Mr. Ghassemi-Shall may be carried out imminently," Baird said in a joint statement Sunday with Diane Ablonczy, the junior minister for foreign affairs.The move is being criticized, however, for coming at a late date in Hamid Ghassemi-Shall's detention and in the face of imminent execution (see CTV report here). Still, it is good to see.
Baird called on the Iranian government to grant clemency to Ghassemi-Shall on compassionate and humanitarian grounds and to respect its international human rights obligations.
No such plea, however, with another high profile case that has been in the news, where Canadian Ronald Smith is facing the death penalty in Montana. Smith's clemency hearing is on May 2nd and the Harper government has signalled that they won't speak during the hearing despite having the opportunity to do so. The government has sent a tick the box form of letter and had to be ordered to do so. There is no compelling plea from our government given their view of the facts of the case and the fact that it is the U.S. in which Smith was convicted. The state of Montana is even thinking of doing away with the death penalty yet that doesn't move our government.
The two cases highlight how wrong this government has it when it comes to the death penalty and Canadian citizens who face it abroad. Our government should be actively pursuing clemency for Canadian citizens abroad whenever required, consistently, and wherever Canadian citizens are. Does the Harper government think that other nations don't notice our inconsistent application of our clemency policy?
Here is a letter sent to Montana's Governor that speaks to Canada's traditional position on the death penalty abroad. Canada's moral authority on the death penalty, when speaking to Iran, would be so much improved if, as a matter of principle, we opposed it thoroughly in all cases on the international level.


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Undefeated Melinda "La Maravilla" Cooper and Ada "Ace" Velez meet to fight for the vacant IBF junior featherweight world title on Thursday. It could very well be the Fight of the Year.
The two former world champions are heading at full speed toward Costa Rica where they'll determine who will be one of the heirs to the throne as the best super bantamweight female fighter today.
Will it be the youthful blockbusting power punching of Las Vegas's Cooper (21-0, 11 KOs) or the slick counter punching experience of Puerto Rico's Velez (18-3-3, 6 KOs) when they meet on the under card of Hanna Gabriel and Melisenda Perez's junior middleweight title fight?
"I'm ready to get it on," said southpaw Velez, adding that she had plenty of sparring. "I've practiced my speed and timing for Melinda. She's young and fast so that's two things I been practicing a lot with my boys."
Like Velez, Cooper also spars with male boxers when preparing for a fight.
"She hates sparring with girls," said James Pena who trains Cooper. "She says they're too easy."
Most experts in the female fight world are predicting a very competitive and explosive battle between the two.
Cooper has long been considered one of the best female fighters in the world but her talent has remained rather mysterious due to her lack of opponents in the past three years. Last minute cancellations are common for the speedy power puncher from the gambling Mecca of Las Vegas.
"Lot of people don't know that she has been boxing since she was 10," says Pena who has trained her since then. "Guys like Eddie Futch were always giving her tips and showing her what to do. How many people can say that?"
In this past year there have been three fights cancelled for Cooper. So back to the gym she goes honing her craft.
Now here comes Velez who has fought the top female fighters in her weight class for the past 11 years while picking up world titles in both the bantamweight and junior featherweight divisions.
"Power she has but I too have power," said Velez. "It's going to be the better skilled person in this fight and I know I've proven to lots of people around the world who is the best."
Cooper is simply anxious to return to the ring and fight for a world title again. It's been six years since she defeated Anissa Zamarron for the flyweight world title. Now she's ready to fight for the junior featherweight title.
"Every fight that I have had so far has been difficult in its own way. Each fighter has her own style, strengths, and drive," said Cooper whose last prize fight on U.S. soil was three years ago. "I'm really excited to be fighting for a world title again."
The Velez-Cooper showdown is beginning to warm up now. At first, many felt the match would evaporate like so many others that Cooper was scheduled to engage. But Velez is just as anxious to fight for the world title again.
"I will prove once again who is the best. Melinda Cooper, I give much respect, but neither coach or manager will be inside that ring," says Velez. "Get ready because here I come."
The ever quiet spoken Cooper relishes the idea of fighting a world class fighter again like Velez. She also sees a clear path to her objectives:
"It's a goal of mine in boxing to win as many titles as possible and to continue making history," she says.
It just might be the Fight of the Year.


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Easy dinner ideas for busy families
If you're tired of coming up with dinner ideas every day, scrambling to get meals on the table only to hear your family complain about the evening offering, you're not alone. Fortunately, we've got some tips and tricks that will help your kids buy into the dinner choices offered -- and even ease your workload a bit.
The dinner hour strikes fear in the hearts of many a mom. And yet, what is arguably the most chaotic meal can actually become a time you look forward to each day. With a little preparation, you can almost automate the dinner preparation process, save money and lighten your workload all at once. Interested? Read on.
1. Get the family buy-in.
Want satisfied customers at the dinner table? Your job starts before a single ingredient has been purchased. When everyone is relaxed and in a good mood, that's when you ask about what they
want to eat.
Get each family member to list three or four favorite meals and write them down, along with the ingredients necessary to make each meal.
For each meal, figure out a way that each family member can contribute. Even very young children can at least set the table and help with ingredient prep. Older kids can handle part or all of the cooking. Write down the member's contribution next to each meal.
2. Plan out your week.
You'll find that dinner planning is much easier if you plan for at least a week at a time. So, assign each family member a night of the week (or two, depending on how many people are in your
family), and have each person tell you what you're eating on his or her night. Your lists will come in handy to prompt kids, but it's okay to get creative and add new meals at times,
There's one rule: You have to eat everyone else's meal without complaint in exchange for the right to choose your own meal on your night.
To ease any family squabbles (and sneak in some healthy food), check out our RealMomsGuide.com article: 15 kid-friendly ways to prepare vegetables.
Make your shopping list based on the ingredients you listed earlier. Then post the week's meals and the helper's contribution on the fridge -- a dry erase board works well for this, but a computer-printed list works, too.
3. Follow the list.
Shop for meals based on the list. You can see at a glance what's needed for tomorrow, so you can defrost meat in the fridge instead of in the microwave at the last second. Your helpers know
their responsibilities, and you don't have to rack your brains night after night.
You also have the satisfaction of knowing that at least one person will like the meal each night. And over time, you may even find that your whole family adopts a better attitude toward the evening meal.


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Friday, May 18, 2007
On the road to the Bolivian Salt flats, in challapata
We are at the end of the paved road from La Paz to Uyuni, did about 220 miles today
after the Brazilian embassy lied to Clara about getting our visas and we wasted the morning there. There is a definite anti-american vibe with some people here in south america. There is also definitely an anti-spanish vibe, which was confirmed by a great spanish couple from bilbao whom we spent a couple days with on the islands in Titicaca, Eva and Jaro.
Our hotel tonight will cost almost 8 dollars, plus 36 cents extra to park our bikes in a secure storage. Bolivia is clearly the poorest country to date. Some shoe shine boys who showed me the way to the bathroom at lunch today were very grateful when I gave them my left over french fries and they gnawed away at my left over chicken breast, and then fed the remains of that to their dog. A good shoeshine for motorcycle boots is 25 cents. The boys even were honest with us and pointed out that the chicken restaurant woman over charged us. Normally the meal is 7 boles (88 cents) but she took advantage of us and charged us 8 boles, which is one dollar! We confronted her, and she just made up an excuse about giving us real potatoes with our food!
The scenery from the sacred valley in Peru until here has been flat altaplano between mountain rages, width of which ranges from half a mile to several miles. The ground is reddish dirt, which gives the sheep an interesting pinkish tone to their wool. Today the dirt started turning white, the remnants of great salt lake which was here millions of years ago. The air is really thin and we get winded going up just a couple flights of stairs. The bikes are hard to start in the morning, and they don´t have much power but once up to speed we cruised at about 75 mph today seeing another vehicle about every 5 minutes. Deep, clear blue sky behind the old, rounded off mountain peaks on either side of us, and flat lakes which look like mirage´s in the distance. La Paz is the home of the red block building, even more than the red bricks in Boston. This style is similar in the cities and towns of Bolivia, but in the countryside it is the same as Peru: mud brick homes with mortar of brown mud. Many, many, maybe 75 percent of the mud homes we passed today are abandoned with no roofs. There is not much here except some minor wheat and grain farming, and sheep, llama, and cattle grazing on the stumps of grass here and there on the altaplano.
It looks like all dirt roads and salt flats from here to Chile, maybe a few days, so I think I am going to try and figure out the GPS tonight.
Spiderman 3 is out on DVD here on the streets for about $1.50. I was a bit disappointed in Peru, it took them 4 days after the release to have bootleg copies on the streets. You hear all about China and copyright violations but from Mexico to hear, I´ve only seen two legitimate stores that sell cd´s and dvd´s. Instead every city and town has street vendors which sell them for around 2 dollars.
Go Sox! (by the way I have a whole story about red sox-yankees. About 90 percent of the baseball caps down here are yankees hats, it is very depressing. However, I´m having a great time letting the Yanks fans know about their last place position!)
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I took the decision of starting to wear high heeled shoes, and send to hell the self-conscious feeling I get when people stare at me as if I were a freak in the streets whenever I attempt to wear a pair (I live in a country were women rarely grow past 5'4", a man who's 5'6" is already considered tall and I'm taller than that, so you get the picture). And ever since I've stayed up until 3 or 4 a.m. just browsing shoes online and drooling all over my keybord, wishing I could afford a pair of beautiful Jeffrey Campbell wedges. At some point, during one of my late nights, the idea of getting a part time job just so I could buy some of his shoes cruised my mind, and it didn't seem too wacky. But oh God, just take a look at these cuties...
(Tickle open toe slashed booties. Picture from Shopbop.)
(99 fur in leopard. Picture from Solestruck.)
JF has became my favorite shoe designer. I loved every single one of his shoes, but those 2 were my favorites. Also, the selection in Acne was beautiful, but these wedges took my breath away...
(Atacoma black metal A/W 09. Picture from Acne.)
But they're really expensive (a little bit more than $500 USD), and Acne does not deliver to my country. Anyways, dreaming costs nothing though. On the brighter side of this situation, I also took a look at the shoes from the stores where I normally buy clothes and found some that were gorgeous AND affordable.
(Pictures from Pull and Bear)
(Picture from Zara)
The Pull and Bear sandal wedges, and the Zara clogs are the ones I like the most.


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To avoid this, just make sure you "force save:" control S or however you do it for your original doc, rather than relying on the computer's program to save.
Why do I post at odd times of the early morning? Maybe it's like tapping on the computer screen. I'm pretty alone here, except for my DH's snoring. Hello, is anybody out there? Sounds like a song, but I'm too tired to think of what or who wrote it. Good news: After counting my words for the month. My grand total so far: 25697.
Since I only had part of a novel to write (not officially following NaNo, but I have editing to do for the second half) he better news is that I've virtually finished a draft of Lawnmower. STill have to go back and fill in some holes, and need more conclusion, but the climax is done. I like how I've done it this time: I keep my "outline" file open while I'm writing. When I think of something I need to make sure happens, like a plot thread to tie up, or a question I have to research to get and answer (does soda pop ignite or put out fires?) I put it in my outline file so I don't forget.
Best news: I'm sleepy now. Back to bed.


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Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Love in Bloom Giveaway Hop
55 comments:
My favorite book genre is paranormal romance.ReplyDeleteReplies
I too, love a good paranormal romance! ~ ShelDelete
My favorite romance is Pride and PrejudiceReplyDeleteReplies
Who doesn't love Darcy, right?! ~ ShelDelete
I don't have any one particular favorite, but Amy A Bartol is at the top of the list.ReplyDeleteReplies
I haven't read her, I will have to check her out. ~ ShelDelete
I've got a big list or favorite romances, my go to genre would be PNR and if I had to pick one book I'd say Denying Ecstasy (Guardians of the Realms, #3) by Setta Jay.ReplyDelete
new adult romance!ReplyDeleteReplies
Ah, New Adult. There are some fantastic NA books! ~ ShelDelete
One of my favorites is Die for Me by Amy Plum; thanks for the giveaway. :)ReplyDeleteReplies
Die for Me has been on my TBR forever. I really should read it. Thanks for stopping by! ~ ShelDelete
Gone With The Wind.ReplyDelete
My favorite romance novel is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.ReplyDelete
Such a great book! ~ ShelDelete
I used to read Anne Stuart a lot, its been a while but I really enjoy reading her books.ReplyDeleteReplies
I've never read Anne Stuart. I will have to check her out. Thanks for stopping by! ~ ShelDelete
I love along for the ride by sarah dessenReplyDeleteReplies
Oh, that one looks good. Going to have to add it to the TBR. Thanks! ~ShelDelete
I love reading romantic suspense or mystery storiesReplyDeleteReplies
Joanne - I agree - I love a good mystery with a romance thrown in! Happy reading! ~ ShelDelete
It's cliche to say this, but Pride and Prejudice is my favorite romance novel EVER!ReplyDelete
I don't have a favorite romance I like them all the same.ReplyDelete
favorite is second chance or paranormal romanceReplyDelete
The fault in our stars! :)ReplyDelete
- Connie KlineMay 19, 2016 at 9:34 AM
My favorite is Emma by Jane Austen, but I'm happy to curl up on the couch with a Debbie Macomber as well.ReplyDelete
Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson!ReplyDelete
My favorite romance is Captain Jack's Woman by Stephanie LaurensReplyDelete
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins.ReplyDelete
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen has always been my favorite book!!ReplyDelete
My favorite romance of all time is Love Story by Erich Segal :)ReplyDelete
I read a couple hundred books a year, so it is hard to pick a favorite. I guess Outlander is one of my favorites because it crosses so many genres.ReplyDelete
- CarolynMay 22, 2016 at 12:33 AM
I honestly cannot decide. Each time I think I have one, I think about another one. It's fun seeing others' answers, though.ReplyDelete
I love the book The Windflower by Tom & Sharon Curtis.ReplyDelete
I love the Desperate Duchesses series by Eloisa James.ReplyDelete
I love the Outlander series.ReplyDelete
My favorite romance is Slammed by Colleen Hoover. I absolutely 110% LOVED that book my heart, my soul!!! Ah, I recommend it to everyone ever.ReplyDelete
Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson!ReplyDelete
i dont have a fav genera in romance but my fav book of alltime is after the night by linda howardReplyDelete
The Time Travelers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger ♡ Thank youReplyDelete
I love The Notebook. Such a great book!ReplyDelete
I can't pick a favorite because I have so many books that I love.ReplyDelete
Even though I burned out on historicals, I still love them by Lisa Kleypas.ReplyDelete
Oh I have to say Gone With The Wind is one of my all time favorites! Have read it so many times...always so good!ReplyDelete
I love the romance where the two at first cant stand each other! Usually those plot lines are hilarious and sweet!ReplyDelete
Samantha D
I read so much I think I add a new favorite every week!ReplyDelete
- BookLadyMay 28, 2016 at 7:10 PM
Written In My Own Heart's Blood by Diana Gabaldon is one of my favorite romances. Thanks for the great giveaway!ReplyDelete
I don't have one favorite book. I have many favorites in PRN/urban fantasy and historical romance.ReplyDelete
It's hard to pick, but right now it is probably the After series by Anna Todd.ReplyDelete
I like The Notebook by Sparks.ReplyDelete
Thanks for the contest.
slehan at juno dot com
I love Me Before You by Jojo MeyersReplyDelete
Me Before You by JoJo Moyes.ReplyDelete
Anything by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, especially The Wolf and the Dove.ReplyDelete
RC- Tara Woods
I like to read mostly contemporary romance but do like a good historical romance occasionally.ReplyDelete
The Notebook by Nicholas SparksReplyDelete
Thanks :)


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Download TubeMate APK if you want to get YouTube video downloader for Android. The latest version is 2.1.2 and i will update it if the developer releases the new version. Surely we want to save the video that we have download from YouTube in the smartphone or tablet. Certainly appears constraints how to save videos downloaded on the tablet or smartphone. So we can see the content without connect to the internet in the next time.
TubeMate 2.1.2 APK is the latest version application that helps you to download video on YouTube in your android device. Here I share how to use this application.
1. The main thing you do is download and install TubeMate for Android, it's not yet available in the Google Play Store. So you have to download the official apps. There are many similar applications of its containing any viruses, malware. Similar applications are found in many other websites contain malware or apps TubeMate is a fake. This site contains official version. So, you can check MD5 of the app if you want to check it.
2. Immediately install the app. Do not forget to ticking the option 'Unknown sources' in the settings to ensure the app can be installed smoothly. If not, then this application will not be installed on your Android device.
3. After the installation is finished, immediately activate it and find your favorite videos through the search.
4. Click the download button and select the option 'Save' and the download will begin.
TubeMate APK Features
- Fast download mode(with multiple connections for a download)
- Multiple download resolution optionsBackground, multi-download
- Resume downloading
- Convert to MP3 (powered by MP3 Media Converter)
- Playlist as video/audio(powered by Meridian Player)
- Share your video finds via Google Buzz, Twitter or e-mail at the tap of a button
- YouTube search and related videos suggestions
- Save favorite videos to your YouTube account, create playlists


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College Guy #1: "How'd you do?"
College Guy #2: "Awesome! I got a 71%!"
College Guy #1: "I wouldn't say a 71% is awesome, but it's good that you passed."
College Guy #2: "Whatever, bro. Degree eligible passing means I get a diploma. That diploma proves to my dad that I'm not as retarded as he says I am."
- Loyola University
-- Submitted by Ramblin' Man


text:
Update on my new kit i received last week and have almost finished it, just need to do the tulips and the white background and am finished.
Have enjoyed doing it and i think its going to mum when finished as she likes the picture.
So will need to frame it for her.
Was away for the weekend again to seton sands, and had a great time this time around more than last time but then last time i was down in the dumps as had split from the new so called boyfriend.
So on the look out again, think i had a lucky escape to be honest, and so does everyone else to be honest.
However thats men for you, they never learn.
Hope everyone is all ok and catch up with you all onn.
Take Care


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Last Tuesday, October 6th, John Kerry turned over the finally declassified documents on the Letelier assassination to the current government in Santiago. It included a document that directly shows that the dirty deed was ordered by Pinochet himself. Since many of us lefties suspected this was the case, it is nice to know we guessed right.
Most of the time, I sincerely believe that if people were exposed to the economics that ruled when I was growing up, they would categorically reject neoliberalism and all its many mutations. It is a fiction that keeps me going. But I also understand the lengths Predator economics will go to maintain its grip. While it is often painful to be ignored, it beats the hell out of the kind of attention the neolibs can direct at those who try to get in their way.
Pinochet directly ordered killing on US soil of Chilean diplomat, papers revealThe Obama administration has declassified documents showing that the Chilean dictator personally ordered the assassination of Orlando Letelier in 1976
General Augusto Pinochet was so concerned about covering up his involvement in the assassination that he considered murdering his own spy chief, Manuel Contreras.
Jonathan Franklin in Santiago. 8 October 2015
General Augusto Pinochet directly ordered the 1976 assassination of a Chilean diplomat who was killed in a car bomb in Washington DC, according top secret US intelligence documents declassified by the Obama administration.
The documents, which were handed to the Chilean president, Michelle Bachelet, on Tuesday in Santiago by the US secretary of state, John Kerry, also show that the former dictator was so concerned with covering up his role in the murder that he planned to assassinate his own head of intelligence, General Manuel Contreras.
Orlando Letelier, a former defence and foreign minister under President Salvador Allende, was tortured and incarcerated after Pinochet's 1973 coup. He later fled to the US and worked at the Institute of Policy Studies in Washington DC.
Letelier, who had once been Chile's ambassador to the US, was murdered on 21 September 1976 by a car bomb planted under the driver's seat of his vehicle just a mile from the White House.
Ronni Moffitt, an American colleague, was also killed in the blast. Her husband Michael survived but was badly wounded.
Letelier's son, Senator Juan Pablo Letelier, confirmed to the Guardian that he had received copies of the newly released documents, which are understood to include papers from the CIA.
Letelier described reading the declassified documents and discovering a memo from George Shultz, who served as secretary of state in the 1980s, to President Ronald Reagan.
"[Shultz] informs [the president] that there is a conclusive document from the CIA that shows Pinochet ordered the murder of my father. This is concrete information about how Pinochet covered up his responsibility," he said.
According to Letelier, who is among the first to have read the newly released documents, they also included evidence that the dictator intended to have his own spy chief murdered to cover up his role in the assassination.
"In his [Pinochet's] predisposition to defend his position he planned to eliminate Manuel Contreras to keep him from talking," said Senator Letelier in an interview with the Mesa Central programme on Tele13 Radio. Asked to clarify, Letelier said "physically eliminate".
Peter Kornbluh, author of The Pinochet File: A Declassified Dossier of Atrocity and Accountability, said the documents "help provide historical accountability in the killing of these two wonderful people" and called them "the missing documents" in the ongoing efforts to unravel one of the most notorious acts of international terrorism in the US capital.
Kornbluh, a senior analyst at the National Security Archives, called for the full release of all the intelligence documents on Pinochet's role in the Letelier-Moffitt bombing.
Investigators in the US and Chile are poring through the records searching for evidence that CIA officials had forewarning but did not stop the assassination plan.
Speculation that the CIA was aware of the plot to kill Letelier is based on previously declassified records showing that Manuel Contreras was paid by the CIA before the bombing and was in regular contact with top officials at the spy agency.
The US eventually sought to extradite Contreras of the murder, but Chile's supreme court blocked the extradition.
Pinochet removed Contreras from his post under US pressure and dismantled and replaced the Dina spy agency he had once run. After Chile returned to democracy in 1990 Contreras was indicted in the Letelier case and eventually served seven years for the assassination.
Contreras, who died in August, always denied responsibility and blamed the CIA for the bombing.
"It is very important that these documents have been declassified," said the Chilean foreign minister, Heraldo Muñoz. "It helps us to clarify a painful historical moment for our country." more


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We've been Scrooged.
We've been Scrooged.
That is the only way to describe the series of revelations that have come forward in recent days about the corrupted bailout of America's banking system with hundreds of billions of dollars of taxpayer money.
You no doubt remember the stories about Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson getting on his knees to beg Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, to approve a bailout and not allow the nation's big commercial banks to fail. The risk, Mr. Paulson said, was nothing less than the world's entire financial system.
Congress gritted its teeth and approved the money with a number of caveats, one of which was that the deal include limits on the grotesque bonus and stock packages that were being doled out to the top executives of these failed banks. But because the Bush administration was demanding immediate action, the Congress hastily approved a measure that lacked sufficient checks on the banks' use of the money.
These failing banks paid their 600 top executives approximately $1.6 billion in salaries, bonuses and perks this year. Not a nickel of the $700 billion Congress approved went to help distressed homeowners avoid foreclosure, despite estimates that 2.25 million Americans could lose their homes this year.
This should hardly be a shock anymore given the excess and avarice of the Wall Street crowd that includes Mr. Paulson and his buddies, who have shown again and again that they watch out for themselves first, last and always.
That wasn't the end of it, of course. The Associated Press decided to ask the 21 banks that each had received at least $1 billion of the $350 billion in taxpayer dollars already released how they spent our money, and each refused to answer questions.
Imagine going to any one of those banks, asking for a big loan and then refusing to tell them how you intend to spend it. You would be bounced out the door before you could say "pretty please."
But that is just what the banks have done to us. We just gave them $350 billion to make them solvent. It's our money. And they had the arrogance to tell us we have no business asking them what they are doing with it. And they are expecting the Treasury to give them the other $350 billion Congress approved.
JPMorgan Chase got $25 billion of your money as its share of the bailout. Here's what they told the AP when it asked where the money went:
"We have not disclosed that to the public. We're declining to," a corporate hack said.
Excuse us? You are "declining" to?
Try this on, bank executives.
Not a nickel more of our money until you account fully for what you have done with the first installment of the bailout, agree to a detailed plan to start lending the money and to swap the risky sub-prime and adjustable-rate mortgages that are in trouble for conventional fixed-rate terms at lower rates and reduced principal, plus an absolute guarantee on limited executive pay.
If you don't like that, Mr. and Ms. Banker, go pound sand.


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J.R. Montgomery is not a household name. Yet.
His first book, however, is ground-breaking for its telling of the Attawondaronks who lived in Southern Ontario at the beginning of the sixteenth century. And Rick adds to the excitement with his story of a life-long preoccupation with these early peoples, so much so that he is an authority on the topic.
I have known Rick for many years but I never knew about his writing or his interest in history, two interests that we definitely share. Today I take great pleasure in giving my readers the gift of a new historical author about whom we shall definitely hear more.
EC: People often want to know how long the writing of a book takes. Would you discuss that but include all the work and research that went on before you ever started writing, perhaps even telling the story of how you became interested in this topic?
JRM: I became interested in the first inhabitants of Southern Ontario as a young boy, when I found three rock-covered graves in a walnut grove on our family farm. They should not have been there as no towns or settlements have ever been found within miles of the hillside where these people were buried. This mystery led me to read everything I could find about the Attawondaronks and other First Nations peoples of North America.
Thus my research for the story "Attawondaronk" has really been a lifetime of fun and discovery. The actual writing of the story took a year … a time during which my home office was full of open books for quick factual references on a multitude of topics.
EC: What is the derivation of the title, Attawondaronk, and how did you settle on this for your title?
JRM: These people were referred to by many names, such as, Attawondaron, Petuns, and Neutrals, to name a few. I settled on the Sennikae name for them, which was Attawondaronk. The Sennikae (known today as Seneca) play a very significant role in this story. In the Iroquoian language, Attawondaronk means "talks crooked." So … even though each nation spoke the same language, the Sennikae felt that the Attawondaronks had a decidedly strong accent and were a bit hard to understand.
EC: Your novel begins in 1538 with tribes in the land which is today Southern Ontario. How plentiful was research material for this time period?
JRM: The Attawondaronks were only visited for a few days by Europeans, so firsthand knowledge of this culture is limited to a few inaccurate maps and brief accounts by Jesuit priests. The Attawondaronks disappeared shortly after these visits. Thus, most of what is known today has been gleaned from the archaeological record – the artifacts and items of everyday use that they left behind. For those wishing to learn more of how these people lived, "The Archaeology of Southern Ontario to AD 1650" is a wealth of information.
EC: You include a list of the main characters and the towns at the beginning of the book. How original are those which you have picked? Did you find them in your research or are some your creation?
JRM: The Jesuit accounts by Brebeuf and Chaumonot give some names of towns and leaders at the time of their visit, and Nicholas Samson's map of 1656 names towns and rivers, but the locations that he showed were terribly inaccurate. Ounontisaston (Lawson site) and Tontiaton (Southwold Earthworks) have been found and excavated … you can visit these sites in London and St.Thomas today. The sites that have not been located, I placed along rivers where I felt they could best control the territory against enemy incursions. I used the known names of towns, rivers and people, wherever possible. Only a handful of the character names are actual recorded names however, the majority coming from my imagination and my pen.
EC: The shamans are not shown in a very positive light in Attawondaronk. Have you had any reaction to this? Did you find historical evidence to support this characterization or is this part of the author's imagination, given the historical facts at hand?
JRM: I have had one person who felt I was a bit heavy-handed with the shamans. In reading about ancient societies and First Nation peoples however, it is fairly obvious that shamans all down through time have used spiritual beliefs to bend people to their own wills, and generally for their own benefit. This is not just an historical phenomenon, but still goes on today with people like Jim Jones and David Koresh. No-one today can be certain just how much control the Attawondaronk shamans really held over their people. The shamans were very useful however, as malevolent antagonists, allowing me to reveal the unusual beliefs and rituals of the Attawondaronks.
EC: The point of view shifts in your book. Can you tell us how you decided on point of view and what problems you had with this shifting from inside one character's thoughts to another's? Did you consider any rules such as starting a new section or chapter when a new POV was used?
JRM: I used scene breaks whenever I shifted the story to another person's actions or thoughts. The reader needs to know what is going on in other people's minds. Even when getting into someone else's head … such as Poutassa's … can be somewhat disturbing. Frankly, I never considered rules for this, but simply wrote as the story came to me.
EC: Is the map of present-day Ontario at the beginning of the book accurate as to rivers and lakes? How necessary do you think the maps are to the reader in historical fiction?
JRM: Yes, the rivers and lakes have not changed much, and if you look at a modern map you will be able to see that the Tranchi is today's Thames River, and the Kandia is now known as the Grand. I like to have maps in historical books that I read so that I can visualize the location of each scene. In Attawondaronk, I wanted the reader to be able to take a modern-day map and see exactly where the towns are located, not only to visualize the local, but to go and visit the site if they want. In the case of Ounontisaston for instance, you can go and stand on the bluff and see the Entry River, and Snake Creek, almost exactly as Taiwa and Sounia saw them almost 500 years ago. (The rivers are about 50 % smaller today than they were in 1538.)
EC: What was your experience with getting your book published? Will you continue to use iUniverse?
JRM: Publishing for a first-time author is an exercise in frustration. iUniverse is discussing the second book with me, but I haven't made a final decision yet. iUniverse has just been purchased by Penguin, so their approach to authors is bound to change.
EC: I know the story goes on from the end of Attawondaronk. How many books are in the series and are they written or still in the planning stages?
JRM: Attawondaronk is a trilogy. The second book "The Reckoning" is written and undergoing its first edit. Book number three is still in my head.
EC: What has been the hardest part of creating this wonderful book? Have you learned things that will make the next one easier?
JRM: The writing was the easy part – and the most fun. I have learned so much through this process, I couldn't begin to discuss it all … except to say with confidence, that next time will be much easier. The editing and proofreading by the publisher seemed to go on forever, back and forth constantly as the author must approve and agree with all changes. We actually had more trouble with the covers than any other part of the process. The covers took three months to lay out to everyone's satisfaction.
EC: Is there anything else you think my readers might like to know about your writing and your books?
JRM: Attawondaronk is a story of a lost and almost forgotten people. The story follows a family who try to change the direction that their nation is taking, and what happens to them for their efforts. As we follow this family's ordeals, the daily lives, spiritual beliefs, and rituals of this fascinating culture come to life. A story of courage, romance, betrayal and revenge … when you finish Attwondaronk, you will know more about Southern Ontario's first nation than most scholars.
Born in 1953, J.R. Montgomery grew up on a small farm in Southern Ontario. At an early age he found three archaic graves and several artifacts on the property. In subsequent years he became an avid student of the first inhabitants of the Americas.
He still resides in rural Ontario, and has studied the known archaeological sites brought to life in this story. He has written articles and short stories for local newspapers and hang gliding publications. Attawondaronk is his first novel.
Consider leaving a comment below to connect with Rick or myself.
Click here to buy Attawondaronk.
Click here to download A Free Giveaway of Tips for Writers! by Elaine Cougler


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Monday, March 30, 2009
Blog Hop with Hope Stamps Eternal
Hey there. As I've mentioned before, Rachel re-opened her store Hope Stamps Eternal back up and she organized a fun blog hop today. The participants were to use stamps from The Greeting Farm and the ever so fabulous Bella Blvd. paper. I'm the last stop on the hop, so if you haven't viewed the rest of the cards, please go to the beginning here on Rachel's blog. Don't forget to leave comments along the way because one lucky person will be chosen to win a 6x6 Basic Grey paper pad of their choice!!! WooHoo.
The Greeting Farm stamps are pretty popular at the moment and I can see why. The are all cute. I'm so excited that Rachel is carrying them in her store. I chose to use the Miss Anya set by The Greeting Farm. Rachel wanted me to let y'all know that she has already sold out of this set (because it is so uber adorable), but the good news is she has a new shipment coming in April. So if you're interested in it, be sure to email her so she can put you on the pre-order list!! I chose to use this Anya first. She is just too perfect for Spring, Easter, Mother's Day, Get Well or Thinking of you cards! I colored her in with Copics (my first time using them, did I do okay?). The little tulips are cut out and raised with dimensionals. I also added Stardust Stickles here and there to give it some sparkle. Check out the little pearls too. I added one to the middle of her bow and two down in the corner. Who wouldn't love little pink pearls!!! They are by Memory Box and a ton come in a little package! Remember we were to use Bella Blvd. paper. Have you ever heard of this company? You must check out off of their super cute paper. I can't wait to use the rest of the ones I bought! Especially the Jet Lag and April Showers papers- soooooo cute! Well I used two here: Little Buds and Growing Up. So perfect for this time of year and I love all the details. My card measures 6x3.5! (Details at the end of this post).
I had a little extra time on Saturday, so I sat down and came up with another card using this set. I'm telling you I absolutely love these little girls and they are so much fun to color! I've seen a lot of samples out there and they all look different. I colored this one with Prismacolors and OMS. Her hair with the headband was cut out and raised with dimensionals. I then added some sparkles with Stardust Stickles and drew n a ground with my Micron pen. Again the fabulous paper is Bella Blvd. This one is called Stardust. Isn't it perfect for a girly card? I also couldn't resist using those Memory Box pearls again. These fit neatly into the pattern on the paper. I followed Mojo 79 for the layout.
So there you have it. The end of your hopping. I hope that you had fun and enjoyed all of our samples. I know that we had a blast sharing them with y'all. Enjoy shopping at Hope Stamps Eternal and don't forget to use the coupon code GRANDRE10 for 10% off; plus all orders over $50 get free shipping. Both offers end Mar. 31st!!!!
Card 1
Stamps: Miss Anya (The Greeting Farm), Little Things (TAC)
Paper: TAC white, Bella Blvd - Little Buds & Growing Up, Chocolate Chip, Pink Pirouette
Ink: Palette Burnt Umber
Other: Copics, Memory Box Baby Pink pearls, Stardust Stickles, dimensional, scallop scissors, Kraft Taffeta
Copics: E00, E21, E31, E33, E35, R81, R83, V12, V15
Stamps: Miss Anya (The Greeting Farm), Fairy Tales (TAC)
Paper: Bella Blvd. - Stardust, Kiwi Kiss, Chocolate Chip, TAC white
Ink: Palette Noir
Other: Prismacolor pencils, OMS, dimensional, Micron pen, Kraft Taffeta, Stardust Stickles, scallop scissors, Memory Box baby pink pearls
15 comments:
- Jessica said...
I love them both!! And yes, you did MORE than ok with the Copics - and you're so good for remembering to write down which ones you used!
- March 30, 2009 at 8:19 AM
- Colleen Wold said...
Umm...WHAT? Your first time with Copics??? Your coloring is GORGEOUS! You did an awesome job! Your cards are awesome as well! You know I just love that second one with her glittery shirt and headband! I knew this Anya was cute...but after seeing your cards I am SOLD! Must get this set! :)
- March 30, 2009 at 9:02 AM
- Chris & Karen Gale Family said...
These are adorable. Great choice of paper on "Thinking of You". The green really grounds the trees and makes the layout cohesive. Your embellishments are darling.
- March 30, 2009 at 9:47 AM
- Barb said...
These are so cute! Your coloring is just fantastic, Kim... and love the sparkle of the Stickles!
- March 30, 2009 at 9:59 AM
- Rachel Hope said...
SHUT UP!!!! That is your first Copic coloring???? You ROCK the Hizouse Girlie!!!!
I love everything...great colors, details...LOVE IT ALL!!!
- March 30, 2009 at 10:53 AM
- Heather said...
Your coloring is AWESOME! Both of your Miss Anya cards are absolutely fantastic!
- March 30, 2009 at 10:57 AM
- Anna said...
Super cute, Kim! Love the popped out hair! Looks like your a pro with the copics too!
- March 30, 2009 at 12:00 PM
- Martha said...
just beautiful!
- March 30, 2009 at 1:31 PM
- 2Bis2DO said...
I'm glad you did a close up of this picture to show the details. Awesome job.
- March 30, 2009 at 3:24 PM
- Cindy Karasz said...
So cute, I like how you popped up her hair/headband. Great coloring!
- March 30, 2009 at 3:51 PM
- Tammi said...
Oh what adorable cards, love them both! You did great with the copics, aren't they fun to use!
- March 30, 2009 at 4:51 PM
It's totally not fair that you use the Copics for the first time and it's fabulous!!!!! Love the dimension to both your cards. I need to order this set.
LOSTie Debbie
- March 30, 2009 at 5:12 PM
- Lynda Benden said...
Dang Kim, you did a FANTASTIC job with the Copics!!! Both cards are AWESOME! Your coloring, colors, details, everything are wonderful!
- March 30, 2009 at 8:28 PM
- Michelle said...
Holy Heck these are FABULOUS!!! Oh my gosh I want them!!! CUTE, CUTE, CUTE!!! Your coloring is AMAZING!!! I just love all the details too - pearls, glitter - YOU ARE AWESOME!!!
- March 30, 2009 at 10:25 PM
- Brandi said...
Wowzers! This is the first time you used copic?? Are you joking? Awesome job! I love the glitter too!
- April 1, 2009 at 11:12 PM


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Valuable Life Lesson Learned: Pay your taxes.
This is where I will dump all my Pop Culture related rants and raves that don't fit within the confines of Facebook and Twitter.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
How Had I Not Seen This Movie!? Part 9: The Untouchables
Valuable Life Lesson Learned: Pay your taxes.
1 comment:
In general, I'm not a huge De Palma fan. (In fairness, though, I've only seen maybe five of his films...)ReplyDelete
I haven't seen The Untouchables in a while, but I remember being underwhelmed. I don't care for Costner in general and I thought they mishandled De Niro (who basically just popped up every now and then to chew scenery). The sequence on the steps in the train station is fantastic though. I just feel like De Palma, for all of his stylistic excellence, is kind of clunky storyteller.
In comparison, Scarface is also a flawed movie, but it's so extravagantly over-the-top and insanely excessive that its existence is justified. It's an undeniable classic, if only for the way it's permeated pop culture. You really need to see this if you're going to watch more De Palma.
Last point: Carlito's Way. Stop sleeping on this! I just re-watched it two weeks ago for the first time in years. De Palma's directing is in absolute top form - he nonchalantly tosses of amazing shot after amazing shot like it's nothing. I like the way the story flows here way better than The Untouchables or Scarface. Don't get me wrong, it's not perfect, and it' a little long, but it's definitely worth watching if you like De Palma. The last act is great. Pacino, Leguizamo, and especially Sean Penn are all great. Make sure this is on your list.
Also, I'm surprised you like The Untouchables more than Blow Out.


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Cain Wins Tulsa GOP Straw Poll
A straw poll among Republicans at the Tulsa State Fair resulted in (surprise!) Herman Cain first, Ron Paul second and Rick Perry third.
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Named Oklahoma's top political blog by Stateside Associates and now in its 32nd year, The McCarville Report (banned in Red China) is produced and edited to merit the respect of political, governmental and business opinion leaders.


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You don't have to be a tinfoil-hat-wearing paranoiac to be worried that the electromagnetic radiation from modern wireless devices may be harmful to your health. But are the "smart meters" being installed by utilities throughout the state frying homeowners' brains, as many consumers and even municipal governments fear? The risks are vanishingly small, while the economic and environmental benefits of smart meters are wide and obvious. In fact, we wish L.A.'s municipal utility would get busy installing the devices, though that isn't likely to happen any time soon.
Smart meters have the potential to change the delivery of electricity as profoundly as the Internet changed the delivery of information.They contain radio transmitters that send real-time information about power usage directly to utilities and consumers — and, in the future, to smart appliances. This boosts efficiency in myriad ways.
Utilities save money because they no longer have to employ meter readers. Smart meters will also eventually enable utilities to raise and lower the price of electricity based on demand, allowing consumers to adjust their power use accordingly. So, for example, on hot summer days when power demand is high, consumers would save money by waiting until evening to run the dishwasher. If this causes them to reduce their overall usage, it should also lower their bills. Someday, smart air conditioners might be programmed to respond to these signals as well, turning themselves down when the price of power soars. The nationwide "smart grid" enabled in part by smart meters would cut the risk of blackouts, ease the integration of clean power sources such as wind farms and solar plants (these are tough to accommodate on the current grid because they produce power intermittently and the old-fashioned system can't quickly react to changes in output), and reduce the need to build polluting fossil fuel power plants. Everybody wins.


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Today I am going to give away one book that I really want. I haven't read it, and I haven't won it from anyone, so I may have to purchase it for myself. So to my followers I am giving a book that I would LOVE to read. :)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thank you so much! And thank you for making this international. More power to you! I'm excited for Dragonswood =)ReplyDelete
Thanks for the sweet giveaway! <3ReplyDelete
Thank you for opening this giveaway internationally :)
Book sounds great so good luck to everyone!
Kel xx
Thanks so much for the chance to win Dragonswood!ReplyDelete
thanks you for this international giveaway. I'm really intersted in this book so so a big thanks you for this opportunity to win it
all the best
Thanks for the giveaway.ReplyDelete
Thanks for the giveaway!ReplyDelete
Thanks a lot for the International giveaway!ReplyDelete
Thanks for participating in the hop and for the giveaway opportunity.ReplyDelete
Thanks for the giveaway!ReplyDelete
Thanks for the giveaway! <3ReplyDelete
Thank you for the giveaway :DReplyDelete
Thanks so much for the giveaway! :)ReplyDelete


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I'm organizing my craft room. Without actual fixtures to sort things into, I didn't get much done for the first month we lived here. And, since things always cost more than you expect, they're out of the budget for awhile. (Plus, the room really needs painting. It looks like an Easter basket threw up in there.) Then John got the bright idea to take the milk crates he collected in college (and has moved with over & over) and zip-tie them together.
After (click any pic to see bigger).
It still needs to be organized better, but now everything is out of boxes. There are some tools to find and some books still to bring over from the old house, but it's so much better than a stack of totes!
I'm identifying yarn that I can give away, and some that I think I can sell. A bag of thrifted yarn is already set aside for SIL C, since she has a greater use for it than I do. (It's enough for a baby blanket, which she can crochet pretty quickly; I've promised myself to never knit a blanket of any size!)
I've also managed to empty and sort out several other boxes. I have one little unit with plastic drawers; one is set aside for tools and one for punches. Now I'm going to see exactly how many hole punches I actually have!
Finally, a little knitting action. I'm still working on Christmas socks, but my goddaughter, Sarah, walks to work every night and asked for a hat, so I think the sock recipients will understand why I stopped to attempt the "slouchy beret" she asked for. Her head is much smaller than mine, so I couldn't tell if it achieved the right amount of slouch. It's in the mail today and we'll just have to see.
Sarah: don't forget - if it fits, I want pictures!
Yarn: Paton's Classic Merino in "That's Pink," held doubled.
Pattern: Laurie Perry's Super-simple fast and easy chunky hand-knit beret!
Needles: 11 & 13 (I'm pretty sure)


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A blog about sex worker rights, the sex industry, rape culture, slut-shaming, & everything in between (your legs and mine!)
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Faking it for a living
6 comments:
- AnonymousMarch 20, 2012 at 6:33 PM
Thanks for sharing.ReplyDelete
I guess I just have a quick comment. I do a highly paid job, wear a suit and shut my mouth against all the idiots who get paid more than me. Hate my job, get home every day and rip off my clothes, put on my trackies and relax. What's so different between me and you?
Apparently, not much :)ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 22, 2012 at 2:28 PM
So AdvocateGrrl,ReplyDelete
Why is this issue so close to your heart?
Are you a sex worker now?
You know the label sex worker
is very limited. I think
happiness coach is better.
Because many workers are better
therapists than so called licensed
therapists. They work with the body
and all the emotions that become
trapped in the cells. They often are
wounded healers who have a lot of
compassion and heart.
Just like with anything there are
those who are "on the take",
but many want to "make a contribution"
I wonder how many rapes and assaults
by men who feel powerless would not happen
if they had someone who could take care
of their needs?
What consenting adults do should be their
private business. We don't need the
self-righteous Sanctimonious bible
thumpers shoving their ideas of
denial of life in our faces.
Keep up the good work. ;-)
I prefer the term "sex worker," as it is a great umbrella term that includes escorts, prostitutes, exotic dancers, porn performers, etc. I believe that happiness coach would be very vague, and I also don't want to discredit the work of trained professionals; people who go to school for years to become psychologists- that's what I do :). Like any profession, there are plenty of good and bad therapists, and good/bad sex workers. The two jobs are quite different and difficult to compare. Anyways, I've always been interested in working with stigmatized populations, and am doing my doctoral dissertation on the stigma around stripping. This led me to my interest in sex worker advocacy. :)ReplyDelete
- CarrieJune 2, 2012 at 1:15 PM
You are doing a great thing, & it is difficult defending the sex industry. This week, I was defending Sasha Grey (online) to people against porn. One person said she was nothing more than a cum-dumpster & the other sent me millions of "facts" about porn, which were not actually "facts" (he was a Shelly Lubben fan). All & all, some people are very judgmental about the porn industry & will believe anything they are told.ReplyDelete
Carrie- I agree. I have had people quote the bible of Lubben in the past, and as soon as they do, I tell them that they have absolutely no credibility if they are citing her. At that point, I started to send them videos from Michael's youtube channel.ReplyDelete


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Fortunately some members of the minority community are not celebrating the so called "victory" in federal court this past week when a new map was created by federal court to replace the originally submitted, and grossly gerrymandered, Texas Congressional map. The accepted Congressional Map submitted for approval, and then rejected by the courts, was planC185. It is viewable here on the Texas District Viewer. The demographic statistics from planC185 are here.
If you study the planC185 numbers you will note that there are actually 13 districts wherein minorities are in the majority, contrary to what was printed on most of the news media stories on the originally approved plan. See http://dallasredistricting2011.blogspot.com/2011/12/texas-congressional-redistricting-plan.html . Some of the news reports were specific in stating that in the current congressional districts, that have been in force for a decade, there are 10 out of 32 districts that are majority minority. Most of the media was not that careful. They left the impression that the new map passed by the legislature only created 10 such districts. In Planc185 there are 13 minority majority districts out of 36 districts, which is still terrible!
The new map ordered by the judges, Plan220, can be found here. It only adds one more district wherein minorities are in the majority. It is an improvement, but still does not achieve voting rights the U.S. should be proud of on the world stage. Just look at these numbers! This district by district report on the numbers produced by Planc220 shows the packing and fragmenting that was was used in the original map, and was continued in the replacement map. Texas will still be a state wherein 45% of the population can remain as the majority group in 61% of the districts. That is the power of gerrymandering.
Notice that half of the 14 districts wherein minorities are in the majority are over 80% minority, meanwhile in the 22 Anglo majority districts there are none with more than 77% Anglo population, certainly proof of the packing of minority districts so that fewer minority candidates can be elected. Such packing is a central technique in gerrymandering.
The 2010 Census of Texas shows that 55% of the population of Texas is made up of people who are classified as minorities, leaving only 45% who are white, non-Hispanic. Meanwhile we have a map, Planc220, that has been "improved" by the federal court from having 13 out of 36 districts that have minorities in the majority, to having 14 out of 36 (or 39%) which have minorities in the majority. Thus a state that is only 45% Anglo, non-Hispanic, has a redistricting plan that provides 22 districts (or almost 61%) wherein the majority population are Anglo, non-Hispanic. Is that fair?
Anyone who considers it is justified for 55% of the population to only be majority in less than 39% of the districts may not understand the difference between the voting booth and the redistricting table. The redistricting table is where everyone is counted. A very different counting should happen at the voting booth. That is where citizenship counts. That is where the right to vote counts. We will not have justice in redistricting until this difference between voting and redistricting is reflected in redistricting.
Gerrymandering must be identified by functional laws that are enforced! Compact districts encourage voters to vote. Who benefits by discouraging the general public to vote?


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Mike Konczal and Peter Frase on Bloggingheads.tv
Mike Konczal (aka the mighty Rortybomb) and Peter Frase (aka editor of Jacobin Mag), two of my absolute favorite bloggers on the internets, recently engaged in an iteration of Bloggingheads.tv's Fireside Chats. The entire discussion is fantastic as expected, but of special note is the discussion of the future of work in a post-capitalist social formation, and the reference to Frase's brilliant Anti-Star Trek post from awhile back. Do engage, dear readers.
Edit: If anyone knows how to embed this clip in wordpress, that'd be of some assistance.


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Oh, those pagan Irish Anglicans?: Get Religion, November 18, 2013 November 19, 2013Posted by geoconger in Church of Ireland, Get Religion, Press criticism.
Tags: Diocese of Cashell & Ossory, Fellowship of Isis, Olivia Durdin Robertson, paganism, syncretism
Was it a case of good manners?
Did the editors at The Irish Times print the obituary of Olivia Durdin Robertson, who it described as, "the self-styled 'high priestess' of a Co Carlow-based cult devoted to an ancient Egyptian goddess, [who] has died aged 96," without any comment or further investigation to avoid a scandal in the Church of Ireland? Or were they unaware of what they had in front of them?
The Church of Ireland is in a delicate state in terms of its unity. Divided roughly along North/South lines over the culture war issues — homosexuality, abortion and the like — the church funeral of Olivia Durdin Robertson might tip the church over the edge.
This Irish Times story marks the passing of a generation: English aristocratic eccentrics (in this case Angl0-Irish) with oddball country house antics. While Miss Durdin Robertson appears not to have aspired to the cat suits of Dianna Rigg, the conversion of her ancestral home, Huntington Castle in the Irish village of Clonegal in County Carlow, into a temple dedicated to "the Goddess" would not have been out of place in an episode of the '60s television show, The Avengers.
The Irish Times reported:
Ms Durdin Robertson came to international attention in the 1970s when she co-founded the "Fellowship of Isis" with her late brother Lawrence Alexander Durdin Robertson – a former Anglican clergyman — and his wife Pamela.
And noted:
Her nephew David Durdin Robertson, a craftsman and sculptor who predeceased her in 2009, created an Egyptian temple for her in the dungeons of the castle. In recent years this has been opened to the public for tours at Halloween.
Intrigued? Click this link to learn more about the Fellowship, which appears to have drawn heavily from Robert Graves' The White Goddess. The article notes:
Her funeral on Wednesday will begin with "a private ceremony in the temple, organised by the Fellowship of Isis, by invitation only" followed by a public Church of Ireland service at St Fiacc's in Clonegal.
And then closes with odds and ends about the Fellowship and the castle.
Well, "what of it?", you might ask. Why would the obituary of the priestess of an Irish-Egyptian cult come across GetReligion's radar? Titillation value?
No — the two funerals notice is the clue. Anglican churches have a difficult time as it is permitting Freemasons Christian burial. But a church burial for a leader of a pagan cult, even if she is the local squire, is contrary to canon law.
Canon 32, "The burial of the dead", of the Church of Ireland states in part:
(2) A member of the clergy may however exercise discretion in refusing to read the burial service in full where the deceased died unbaptised or had committed some grievous or notorious sin and not repented of it or had been excluded from Holy Communion under Canon 16 and had not been readmitted thereto.
And in such circumstances:
(3) And where this is not reasonably practicable such member of the clergy shall report the matter to the [bishop] thereafter.
I wrote to the priest in charge of St Fiacc's (which is part of a larger conglomeration of parishes) asking whether questions had been raised about the propriety of holding a church service, and via email he responded:
Re your query, I am as alarmed as you are at the turn of events. The Christian gospel is compromised. The woman deserted Christ for paganism years ago and a Christian Church is no place for her funeral. Alas I am not the Rector, Just his assistant. I have been away for the w'end and have no details other than what you know already. I understand the Bishop was informed and his advice sought. I take it he has given permission. …
And I wrote to the bishop — and he did not respond.
This funeral has all the makings of an ecclesiastical row. The bishop in question, the Bishop of Cashel and Ossory, has led the charge in the Church of Ireland on liberalizing abortion laws in the Republic and on changing church teaching on homosexuality. (He is also the brother in law of the Archbishop of Dublin, but that wouldn't influence things would it?) In 2011 the bishops of Northern Ireland refused to participate in a ceremony where the Bishop of Cashel and Ossory would be present, due to his allowing one of his priests to enter into a gay civil partnership. That crisis appears to have been smoothed over, but the hard feelings remain.
Will the bishop's permission, or indifference, to the church funeral of a pagan priestess reignite the fires?
The moral of the story, from a journalistic point of view, is to pay attention and to have knowledge about the subject you are covering. It could well have been discretion that prompted the silence from the Irish Times on this oddball bit of news. But a religion reporter in Ireland would know that the Roman Catholic Church, and the principle Protestant Churches — Anglican, Presbyterian and Methodist, would forbid a funeral under these circumstances. An analogy might well be reporting a marriage between two persons of the same-sex in Ireland, and not noting that such a marriage would be unlawful under civil and religious law.
The Church of Ireland's standing committee meets this week, and I expect this issue will be raised (unofficially) amongst the bishops. Let's wait and see what happens.
First printed in Get Religion.
- 1. The Rt. Rev. Richard Palmer - November 19, 2013
O dear, why should the Church be bothered by all this? There is much in the Church from paganism which has been 'baptised into Christ', and the early Fathers seemed unconcerned. The old battles over Theosophy are still raging! Unless the Church is to survive another generation it is about time its preoccupations are seen to be broader and the message relevant. The fragmented world is tearing itself apart and Christians are concerned about what constitutes an acceptable funeral. Get real for Heaven's sake!
- 2. Knox - November 20, 2013
It is always the business of the Church to shine a spotlight on sin, error and idolatry (and also the remedy therefor). That is the first step towards redemption and the fact that a "Right Reverend" fails in his duty to affirm this merely underscores the need for the Church to remain more vigilant than ever.
There is no salvation without confession and repentance of sin. To be concerned about "broader" and "more relevant issues" is to consign souls to hell. Not exactly loving.
Sorry comments are closed for this entry


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Monday, March 2, 2009
The BOAR 6-Hr AR (2009)
The BOAR is a 6-Hour adventure Race named for the location of the first time the race was held, at The Big Oaks Ranch. Since then the race has moved to a few different locations. This year's race it was held in the Orlando Wetlands / Seminole WMA area right near Ft Christmas. For this race our team (Team Nature Calls) was Jason, Lori, Matt (Lori's son, Erica's brother) and me.
We knew this was going to be a competitive race. The team's list before the race was loaded with some strong racers. Team " Shake A Leg" was there. A very tough and fast team from South Florida. Team "Badfish," also a very strong team. And others like Team "Punch Junkies" and Team "Up a Creek Without a Seat." Anyway, lots of fast and strong teams. So we knew it would be competitive.
From the word go the race was fast. We started with a short 3/4 mile run down to CP1 where we had to collect a chip and bring it back to TA. From there, we'd be getting on our bikes for a short stroll up to our bikes (with two CP's along the way). Since the run was so short, most of the teams were on the bikes right behind each other.
Just a few miles after getting on the bike we made it to CP2 with about 4 other teams, and several other close behind. The trail then turned into this rough, rooted up trail, which was very muddy in some spots. It was tough going at times. We picked up CP3, and bout 25 minutes after we started, we reached the boats, where we would start our first major leg of the race. What would turn out to be an incredibly tough paddle.
The Paddle
We were the first team to put our boats in the water, with team "Shake A Leg" (SaL) right behind us. The paddle was kinda like a loop with several points along the way. We decided to attack it in a counter-clockwise loop. Team BadFish did as well. Teams SaL and Punch Junkies decided to go at it clockwise.
The water level on the river was pretty low. On our way up there was a lot of getting out of the boat, pushing, getting back in and paddling again. Finding the CPs was pretty easy. Jason was spot on with the navigation as usual. Just a little slow going because of the water level.
Somehow we made it to the northern most points at the same exact time that some of the other fast teams did. From there tough, things got rough!
The way back south to get the other points was basically a trek, with a couple canoes along to make it a little harder. The water level on the other side of the river was almost completely gone. It was basically a very small canal with about 2 inches of water, or no water at all some spots. So we had to pull or push our canoes almost the entire way. To make it even better, the ground was this nasty quicksand like muck that sucked your legs in and made it hard to walk. Needless to say, it was not fun. But we made our way through it, picking up a few more points along the way.
And finally, after about 2 hours and 15 minutes, we reached the end of the paddle at the exact same time that the other front teams did. I couldn't believe it.
The Bike
So we got back on the bikes we headed off for the next leg. All the front teams started the leg together. IN fact, at one point all four of us were looking for the same CP at the same time. We spread out a little bit over the course of the bike section, but not by too much. Our team did pretty well in finding all the points. Only lost a couple minutes with one, where we overshot our attack point by about a hundred yards. But no biggie. Everything else was spot on.
The bike was short and only took us about an hour. We reached the main TA almost at the same time that teams SaL and Punch Junkies did.
The Trek
The final leg of the race was a trekking section with about 5 points along the way. We left the TA at the same time SaL did. Except they went at it again on a clockwise type loop, while we decided to go at it counter-clockwise. Team Punch Junkies was in the TA about to leave as well.
Finding the CP on the trek was fairly easy. Only one was slightly misplaced, but still easy to spot. We kept a pretty steady pace going, knowing that a couple other teams were right on par with us.
The last two points we came to were on the Florida Foot Trail. As we headed up the FFT, we came across team Punch Junkies who was heading in the opposite direction. There was one point right on the trail, and another which was a bushwhack off the trail about 500 paces east. We quickly found the point on the trail and started bushwhacking. After about 8 minutes, we came right to it.
Race was done. Now all we had to do was make our way back to the finish. Instead of going back to the FFT we made our way straight north to the main trail that would lead us to the finish. Once on the trail, we had about 1 mile to go. This is where it gets interesting.
The finish line was located in what you can call an intersection between two trails. We were coming at it from the East, while teams Punch Junkies and SaL were coming at it from the South. We had no idea where each other was. And so after 55 minutes of trekking, we made it to the finish line just three seconds (yes, 3 seconds!) behind team Punch Junkies. About 1 minute later team Shake A Leg made it in. And about 7 minutes after that team Badfish came in. Amazing!
I have done a lot of races, but never one so close and so competitive. My hats off to Punch Junkies, Shake A Leg and Badfish for making this a very fun and exciting race!!
And as always, many thanks to my team, Nature Calls. Jason and Lori were strong as bulls like always. And our AR semi-rookie, Matt, raced like he's been racing for years. Very fast and very strong, never complaining and pushing as hard as he could.
So another great and fun race in the books. Next up is the short Squiggy race, followed by the tough and long 30-hour ACC in April. Can't wait!!
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