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Never Underestimate What Can Be Cosplayed
Think a game needs to have humanoid shapes or faces to generate fun cosplay? Look at this awesome Threes couple and think again.
Think a game needs to have humanoid shapes or faces to generate fun cosplay? Look at this awesome Threes couple and think again.
The Kotaku crew spent last weekend at PAX East 2014, and we saw a whole bunch of great games. Take a look at some of the best games we saw, along with other great videos from this week on Watchlist.
Spoiler: the stupid joke-gimmick glasses I'm wearing at the beginning of this video don't do anything to make Not a Hero look any cooler. That's okay, though. The new over-the-top action game doesn't need help looking cool, because it happens in 2.25D.
Listen, Space Partner, if we don't figure out how to work together, the space bunnies are going to die horrible, lonely deaths. Stop screaming at me and upgrade those shields!
Video game movement's the best, isn't it? Jumping higher than possible in reality, dodging, rolling and sprinting with impossible smoothness across precise vectors… it's no wonder you get limitations like a double jump or short dash distances. Fenix Rage takes those strictures away, giving you infinite dash and…
Life is stressful and sometimes even the bravest people shut down under too much trauma. Darkest Dungeon takes that emotional reality and weaves it into the game, giving players a band of warriors who can get so sick and tired of fighting all the damn time that they'll just quit or run away.
Some games ask you to shoot, jump or strategize in ways that are similar to what you've done. Sure, there may be unique tweaks designed to pique your interest but you mostly go in knowing what to expect. Other games are different deep down in their DNA, challenging the way you do even the simplest things. Miegakure's…
Hyper Light Drifter, a game we've been psyched about since we first saw it on Kickstarter last year, continues to look great. Here's some new hands-on video, straight out of PAX East 2014.
Sometimes, you're wandering around PAX East and you find a sweet game that looks like Secret of Mana, so you've gotta check it out. This is Wayward Souls, the next game from the folks at Rocketcat (Mage Gauntlet, Punch Quest). It's out for iOS on April 24, and it looks legit. Hands-on impressions above.
At PAX East last weekend, Team Kotaku went and played Evolve, the upcoming co-op shooter that pits a group of four hunters against one vicious monster. Yesterday, we talked about it. Here's that conversation.
God Only Knows: check out this awesome musical cosplay from PAX East 2014: it's the Barbershop Quartet we see at the start of BioShock Infinite. (via Matthew B)
Meet Chasm, an upcoming indie 2D dungeon-crawler inspired by the likes of Ys III: Wanderers From Ys and other old-school RPG-slash-platformers from the 16-bit days.
Straight out of PAX East 2014, here's Below, a serene dungeon crawler from Capy, the company behind Clash of Heroes and Sword & Sworcery. It's hard to capture just how pretty this game really is, but we did what we could.
Did you know Gearbox Software founder, president and CEO Randy Pitchford started out as a professional magician in Hollywood? He unleashed his magical powers at the Gearbox panel at PAX East earlier today, and the world trembled beneath his might.
Five years ago, Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor became an instant classic in the iPhone games library. The moody, wordless experience turned players into multi-legged predators wending their way into creepy environments and a foreboding meta-story. That game's sequel won't just be debuting on iOS; it'll be on…
Usually, games that happen beyond Earth's atmosphere take you to planets teeming with life. Meeting creatures with tentacles where hair or hands should be or with strangely angled mandibles isn't uncommon in sci-fi games. But, none of that happens in Elegy for Dead World, which we got a chance to see at PAX East…
Thank you, unknown cosplayer, for your furry tribute to the best thing about Call of Duty: Ghosts.
During Gearbox Software's PAX East 2014 panel this morning, fans got a quick peek at the incredibly limited starship that's coming in the equally limited collector's edition of the Homeworld Remastered. So pretty.
Ah PAX, one of the few place you'll find cosplayers like Sheena Duquette dressing up as pre-order DLC.


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Last month we held our club Annual General Meeting. Attendance was lower than in recent years with 21 Members present. A number of Members had given their apologies because of the clash with Schools Half Term in the area which may provide an explanation for the lower than normal numbers.
As most of you are probably already aware, our Chairman of the last 16/17 years (no-one seems to know the exact date), Pete McGuckian confirmed that he would be standing down. Dave Harbottle also stood down from the committee after over 10 years of service. I would like to give my thanks to both of them for their commitment to the club.
Member reports were presented and demonstrated that the club was in good health, with a growing Membership base and some extraordinary performances from Members this year, including John Jackson qualifying for and then competing in Paris-Brest-Paris, Mike Knudsden taking on an Hour record attempt and Chrissy Higgs adding to her Palmares with some more National Championship jerseys.
The Committee then voted in the following officials for 2015. These should be your point of contact for the roles outlined below:
President: Terry Wesley
Chairman: Jill Wesley
General Secretary: Chris Quin
Treasurer: Simon Galgut
Membership Secretary: Vacant (Under review currently - Dave Harbottle will continue in role until the end of the year)
Social Secretaries: Alison Leah and Becky Burns
Road Racing Secretary: Ant Allan
Track Secretary: Christine Higgs
MTB Secretary: Mark Rowson
Cyclo Cross Secretary: Paul Herd
Time Trial Secretary: Robert Foster
Club Captain: Matt Lawton
Runs Leaders: Simon Galgut & Paul Hart (Saturday Road), Mark Rowson (Saturday Off Road) and John Jackson (Sunday Easy)
School age and Junior Representative: Matt Lawton
Media Co-ordinator: Dave Higham
Club Clothing: Cath Burton
It was then agreed that the club will support the following events for 2016:
Open 25 Mile Time Trial
Club 10's, Inter Club 25's and Club Hill Climb Championships
Supacross Cyclo Cross race
Circuit of the Edge and Three Loops reliability rides
TLI Tuesday Night Road Race
Parkinsons Road Race
Finally, the committee have also agreed to adopt a new code of conduct and child protection policy that have been discussed throughout the year these are now being prepared for launch and integrated into our documents and club guidelines. More details will follow shortly.
If you have any questions, desire to discuss any of this with me or thoughts on how your club should be run then feel free to drop me an email, facebook note or a note through the forum and I will respond as soon as I can.
Thanks and happy riding for 2016!
Chris Quin
Gen Sec

subset: commoncrawl


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A water reservoir and supply system has been installed on the premises of Tribhuvan University (TU) in Kirtipur which has capacity of 50,000 liters. The reservoir equipped with a water pump and regular electricity back-up will have a continuous supply of drinking water at the rate of three liters per second. The water supply from the project will be adequate …Read More »
IOM-MBBS Entrance Result 2071
Bachelor Level Entrance Examination Committee 2071, Examination Control Division of the Tribhuwan University (TU), Institute of Medicine (IOM) Dean's Office published the result of MBBS Entrance Examination for the academic year 2071/2072 (2014 AD) conducted on 14th Bhadra 2071 (30th August, 2014) Candidates are required to fill up the admission form and make payments of specific tution and other fees. …Read More »
IOE Entrance Result Published
Tribhuvan University, Institute of Engineering published the final results of E/BArch Entrance Examination 2071 To download the PDF file, click the button down below:Read More »
TU announces center for PCL second year partial examination
Tribhuwan University today published center for PCL Second year Partial examination. Office of the controller of examination, balkhu of Tribhuwan University today published exam center notice for Proficiency Certificate Level (PCL) Second year for the partial examinees. Exam will be held from 1 to 4 pm. The examination is starting from Bhadra 9 and ends on Ashoj 5.Read More »
53,000 graduates to attend TU Convocation in January
As many as 53,178 Tribhuvan University graduates are eligible to participate in the university´s convocation next year, the university said on Sunday. From the Faculty Of Education, the maximum number of students has been registered, with 20,261 applicants followed by 14,503 from the Management faculty and 10,979 students from the Humanities and Social Science faculty for the convocation ceremony going to …Read More »


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Summer has at last arrived here in Orkney – but it would be distinctly unwise to predict the length of stay! After weeks of bitterly cold weather with prevailing wind from north, east, and north-east, we have enjoyed a beautiful week-end of warm sunshine and clear blue sky, with little or no wind.
Orkney is well known for the migratory birds that pass through here, en route to both warmer and colder breeding grounds, but occasionally we enjoy sightings of birds that have absolutely no reason to be here. Such was the case this week when we received a phone call from our neighbour, Ross, urging us to drop whatever we were doing and come round to his garden. My wife and I jumped into the car, and taking cameras just in case, arrived at Ross's house, and there perched in one of the few trees, was a 'bee-eater'. Now I have never before seen this beautiful bird, and if I were to have seen it, I would expect it to have been in the south-west of England where we lived for many years. To see it on Stronsay, one of the northern isles of Orkney, was as unexpected as it was exciting. We watched the bird for several minutes, during which time it obliged us by flying down to the ground, and reappearing seconds later with a bee in its beak! The bird stayed in the vicinity all day, and the following morning I saw it again on a fencepost in a nearby field. I managed to take a few rather ordinary photographs, but one taken by my wife showing the bird with a bee in its beak, is brilliant, and is shown below.
'Bee-eater', Stronsay. May 24, 2013.
I think this sighting must rate with one of a blue-throat seen by me on Stronsay about five years ago, a photograph of which is shown in the heading of this web-site; also a hoopoe which visited a couple of years ago. There have been many other rare visitors over the past ten years, many of which I did not see but others did, Orkney really is a bird-watchers delight.
In spite of the recent vote in the House of Commons on the third reading of the 'Same-sex marriage' Bill, the battle against this proposed legislation still goes on.
The House of Lords has yet to approve this Bill and one hopes that good sense and common sense, combined with an awareness of the grave moral and societal implications inherent in changing not only the definition of marriage, but the whole ethos of marriage, will guide their Lordships to reject it out of hand. This undemocratic and unwanted legislation, steamrollered through the House of Commons by a combination of political manoeuvring, emotional blackmail and self-delusion, backed up by varying degrees of self-interest, represents a distortion of genuine democracy. The manner in which this particularly bizarre and un-natural concept of 'same-sex marriage' has been suddenly adopted by governments world-wide, unannounced, unexpected and for at least 95% of people totally unwanted, indicates a long-term strategy by an immensely powerful but secret lobby with influence in high places, intent on destroying the traditional family unit, the basis of society as we know it, and replacing it with a society governed by ungodly laws and increasingly despotic government. The ramifications of this Bill if approved, will be widespread, with the potential to affect every aspect of life from the cradle to the grave. Freedom of action will be limited and freedom of speech gagged, as those behind this legislation have been careful to ensure by means of previous so-called 'Equal Rights' legislation.
There have been a number of excellent posts on this subject by Laurence England which I strongly recommend
Acknowledgement also to Laurence, for the 'Prayer to Our Lady, for the Conversion of England' with which he heads his web-site, and with which it seems appropriate to end this post:-
'O Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and our most gentle Queen and Mother, look down in mercy upon England, thy Dowry, and upon us all who greatly hope and trust in thee. By thee it was that Jesus, our Saviour and our hope, was given unto the world; and He has given thee to us that we might hope still more. Plead for us, thy children, whom thou dost receive and accept at the foot of the Cross, O sorrowful Mother.
Intercede for our separated brethren, that with us in the one true fold they may be united to the Chief Shepherd, the Vicar of thy Son. Pray for us, all dear Mother, that by faith, fruitful in good works, we may all deserve to see and praise God, together with thee, in our heavenly home. Amen.'
Our Lady of Walsingham
Monday, 27 May 2013
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Actress Michelle Williams is confident the sexual misconduct scandals rocking Hollywood have already inspired a change in onset behaviors, insisting "everyone's more professional."
The Brokeback Mountain star's new movie, All the Money in the World, was directly affected by the recent allegations of inappropriate behavior made against her cast mate Kevin Spacey, prompting filmmaker Ridley Scott to cut the actor from his completed Getty family drama and recast the role.
Christopher Plummer, who had originally auditioned to play billionaire J. Paul Getty, was hastily brought on board as Spacey's replacement, and they raced to re-shoot scenes in November to keep the movie's December release schedule.
Michelle previously revealed she "immediately started to feel better" about All the Money in the World once Ridley shared his re-editing plans, and she insists she was more than happy to do what she could to help salvage the project.
"It's kind of beautiful," she tells People magazine about the rushed re-shoots. "It can be done, rewriting the ending to something. We had the resources to do it and not everyone is lucky enough to be able to rewrite endings. I know that meant a lot to me personally to go from this sort of sad story of what happens in the fallout of this kind of behaviour, and how many other lives are affected, no lives more than the people that Kevin hurt. It was disheartening. It felt so defeatist. And so I've enjoyed being part of this story. It makes other things seem possible."
Spacey, who was initially accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old boy in the mid-1980s, was exposed for his past behaviour shortly after movie mogul Harvey Weinstein was slapped with multiple claims of sexual misconduct and even rape in exposes in The New York Times and the New Yorker in October (17).
Moviemaker Brett Ratner and rap mogul Russell Simmons are among the big names to have since also faced similar scandals, and Michelle believes those in the entertainment industry are already witnessing a positive change as a result of the controversies.
"It's been such an interesting time in the last few months," she continues. "It's been on one hand, brutalizing and traumatizing, and on the other hand, I feel like it's given me this like swoop of energy I'm not really accustomed to, it's amazing. I feel alternate endings are possible all over the spectrum at this point in time. I feel like everything's up for grabs."
"I feel like there's a chance for change and that's exciting I'm going to be a part of it," she adds. "I felt a difference even on the set I am working on now. It's different. Everyone's more professional. It's pretty cool."
Michelle doesn't name the film she is presently shooting, but she stars in Spider-Man spin-off Venom, which is currently in production.


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"These are so yummy!"
Raspberry Cream Cheese Muffins
0 recipe photos
Chef's Note
"These are so yummy!"
READY IN:50mins
YIELD:15 muffins
Ingredients Nutrition
- 2 1⁄2 cups flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3⁄4 cup butter
- 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sour cream or 1 cup plain yogurt
- 2 eggs, divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1⁄3 cup granulated sugar
- 1⁄2 cup raspberry preserves
- 1⁄2 cup chopped pecans (optional) or 1⁄2 cup walnuts (optional)
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In large bowl, combine flour and sugar. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Remove 1 cup of the mixture and set aside.
- To remaining crumb mixture add baking powder, soda, salt, sour cream, 1 egg and vanilla. Beat until combined, batter will be thick. Spoon mixture into greased muffin cups. Make a small indentation in the batter.
- Combine cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar and remaining egg. Spoon cream cheese mixture evenly over batter. Spoon raspberry preserves over cream cheese mixture. Add nuts, if using, to reserved crumb mixture and sprinkle over muffin tops.
- Bake muffins 20-24 minutes.
- This recipe makes 15 standard-sized muffins. If using larger or smaller sized tins baking time will need to be adjusted.
- If you only have one muffin tin with 12 muffin cups, you can also cram all the ingredients into the 12 standard-sized tins, but be sure to grease the entire muffin pan, including the tops so the baked muffins will not stick. They will puff up and spread, and need about 8-10 more minutes baking time. You will probably want to omit the nuts as there won't be room for them
- Another option is to make the 12 standard muffins and use the remaining batter, filling and topping in one of the small-size foil loaf pans, making a little raspberry cream cheese coffee cake! Bake alongside the muffin tins, but allow an extra 8-10 minutes of baking time for the loaf.
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You wouldn't send your pre-schooler to soccer in his dad's size-13 sneakers, would you? Of course not—talk about mismatches! Yet when it comes to discipline, we rarely tailor our approach to our child's temperament. Whether our kid's shy or brash, a great arguer or a genius at covering his tracks, we respond the exact same way when he's out of line, then wonder why nothing changes.
There are legit reasons to assess your child's personality and fine-tune your repertoire. First off, it's for your little one's own good: A recent study at the University of Washington, Seattle found that when you match your parenting style to your child's temperament, his risk of anxiety and depression is halved. And wouldn't it be awesome not to have to keep repeating yourself over and over? And over? OK, maybe you'll still have to with your partner. But your kid? Pick the way he pushes your buttons from our list, based on what experts say are some of parents' most common frustrations. Then dig in for ideas that may actually get your child to listen.
Your Challenge: Clown Control
Is your kid a cutup? You know, the one who's always sticking up two fingers behind his sister's head just before the camera snaps (family photo, take 17…argh!). Jonah Dalton, 4, of Salt Lake City, fits the bill: "He's like our yellow Lab puppy—high-energy," says his mom, Kathy.
In the MOMENT: Your first instinct may be to shout "Knock it off!" but you'll get better results if you're more specific, says Louis Lichtman, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at Alfred University, in New York. "Your child may not understand the impact of his behavior," he says. Take him aside, give him a moment to calm down, then explain the problem ("When you make devil's ears behind your sister, the picture is ruined and we have to do it all over again"). If he shapes up promptly, fine. If not, Lichtman recommends a brief time-out. If he's verbal enough, have him recap what he did wrong and what he'll do differently going forward. If he can't, explain it again.
For the FUTURE: Find ways to channel your child's exuberance. Dalton always tries to give Jonah a little extra running-around time before church or preschool: "It helps him get his wiggles out," she says. She also sets clear expectations before they go into more formal situations, like family gatherings ("You can run in Aunt Sandy's backyard but not inside the house, where it will be crowded"). "If I catch him about to do something he shouldn't, I say 'Now Jonah, you're about to do X. Is that really what you want to do?' That's usually enough to get him to reconsider." But don't stifle that fun-loving personality, adds Laurie A. Couture, parenting coach and author of Instead of Medicating and Punishing. When taking a family portrait, for instance, say to everybody, "OK, we're going to take a few serious photos, then some silly ones." Your child will try a little harder to hang in, knowing the fun stuff is coming. And who knows, Couture adds, "five years from now, the silly picture may be your favorite."
8 Discipline Mistakes Parents Make
9 Things You Shouldn't Say to Your Child
{C}Your Challenge: Energy Conservation
Is your child an Aries? No, not the astrological sign—a kid like Aries Adams, 4, of New York City, who's always on the go: "She's the first kid to leap into the fray," her mom, Alina, says. When she gives her parents grief, it's usually because she's done something impulsive—say, run over to touch a fragile object or climbed up on something she shouldn't.
In the MOMENT: How do you discipline an intrepid kid? The classic time-out's a good option: She needs to take a breather (about one minute per year of age, so four or five minutes in this case) to think over why she shouldn't have done it—with a little help from you, if necessary. It would also be appropriate to revoke a related privilege: If she was running with your iPad in her hand, maybe she doesn't get to use it for the rest of the day.
For the FUTURE: Kerry Kelly Novick, a psychoanalyst in Ann Arbor, MI, and the coauthor of Emotional Muscle: Strong Parents, Strong Children, recommends helping your child develop what she calls an internal traffic light. "When you're out driving, explain how traffic lights work—that green means go, yellow means slow down, and red's a signal to stop," she says. "Then talk about how it's smart to check in with the traffic light inside yourself before running to explore something. Is it a green-light situation—you're at a kiddie gym class where all the toys are for everyone—or is it a yellow-light situation—you're at a new friend's house and would like to pick some flowers in her yard, but you're not sure how the mom would feel? In that case, maybe you should talk to the mom." When you catch your kid exercising her "yellow light" by checking in with you or another adult about something, praise her to encourage it going forward.
Your Challenge: Halting the Hitting
Some little kids, when they're frustrated, can't fight the urge to reach out and touch someone—hard. "My five-year-old daughter, Sydney, recently punched a pal because the girl had a toy and didn't want to give it to her," says her mom, Kate Burch, of Norman, OK. "She's also punched her sister because she wasn't doing what Sydney wanted when they were playing together."
In the MOMENT: Watching your kid go all Kung Fu Panda is enough to make your own blood boil, but never answer violence with violence, even just a swat on the butt, Couture insists. "Kids learn from imitation, so that will only make her more apt to act out physically in the future," she explains. Instead, first comfort the victim, together. You might say "Ouch! That must have hurt!" Then ask your child to help you address the injuries: She can get an ice pack, for example, or go get a toy that can help her friend feel better while you apply a bandage.
The idea here is to build empathy and give your mini-Mike Tyson a close-up look at how her punching bag is suffering. Shari Medini of Lancaster, PA, follows up with a stern "We do not hit" when her 18-month-old, Matteo, lashes out. You can also talk things through when she's calmer. "Sydney and I talk about whether she'd want someone to punch her if he was upset or frustrated. She now realizes she wouldn't," says Burch.
For the FUTURE: Role-play to come up with phrases she can use to express herself instead of through hitting ("I'm angry!" "It's my turn now") and talk about whom she can turn to for help, such as a parent or teacher, when she runs into a glitch with a pal. "We've come up with a bunch of things Sydney can do when she feels like punching someone," says Burch. "Some are serious, like walk away and do something else or try to talk to the person, but others are silly—pretend the other kid is a clown or look out the window at the clouds. We haven't had any more hitting incidents since."
8 Discipline Mistakes Parents Make
9 Things You Shouldn't Say to Your Child{C}Your Challenge: She's Shy—and Sly
Shy kids misbehave just like any others—but you may have a harder time figuring out what to do about it. "People learn to tiptoe around them," observes Couture. In fact, you may blame the wrong kid for the torn-up book if there's a more boisterous child around: "The quieter child is often upheld as 'good,'" Couture says. Even once you've figured out your shy kid's the culprit, dealing with her can be tricky, since she can crumple at a discouraging word.
In the MOMENT: "It's easy to say 'Gosh, she's so sad. I should just leave her alone,'" Couture agrees. But don't. "You need to have a dialogue all the more with a shy kid, or else she may learn she can use her timidity to get out of having to face the music when she misbehaves." A time-out isn't generally the way to go, not with a child for whom alone time is often a relief. Instead, talk over what happened in a cozy way, like Cate O'Malley of Rockaway, NJ, does. "Madeline, my three-year-old, crumbles into tears at a raised voice," she says. "So I usually put her on my lap and quietly explain the error of her ways, or I kneel down till we're eye to eye so she's less intimidated." Try to find out why your child did what she did: Was she trying to get attention or fit in? If there's someone she needs to apologize to, help her do it, holding her hand or even saying some of the words for her.
For the FUTURE: Help her learn good ways to break the ice with a new pal or a playgroup—for instance, by showing them a toy she likes. And when guests come over, have her say hello, even if all she can do is wave and smile. "Shy kids can learn to use shyness as a form of rudeness they can get away with," warns Couture. "Show your child she can't do that. It will also help her see that it's safe to be herself and comfortable around people."
Your Challenge: Dethroning the King of Denial
When Shari McGuire of Maple Grove, MN, asked her 4-year-old, Trevor, who scribbled on the floor, he told a T. rex-size whopper: "He said, 'The dinosaur across the street did it, Mommy!'" she laughs.
In the MOMENT: Hey, maybe someday your kid will become a lawyer worthy of his very own Grisham novel. And that's cool. What isn't cool is letting him off the hook with transparent, if hilarious, excuses. "You've got to let your child know that you have zero tolerance for lying," says Lichtman. But that's not to say your response should be harsh, especially while your child's still so small. McGuire saves her smiles for private and, in the meantime, sets Trevor to correcting whatever he's done. (Better still, outline what the consequence will be next time.) As for the Jurassic juvenile delinquent? "I just tell Trevor that from now on, when the dinosaur across the street comes over, he can't let him misbehave," McGuire says.
For the FUTURE: Watch your own reactions. If someone cuts you off, do you shout, then mutter for a half hour? If so, says Lichtman, you may have helped your King ascend the throne. "If a child thinks he'll get screamed at whenever he does something wrong, then he becomes motivated to lie and keep things secret," he says. Learn to take the small stuff in stride and keep your composure. It's not easy, but the payoff's totally there.
8 Discipline Mistakes Parents Make
9 Things You Shouldn't Say to Your Child


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This sale is valid through 1/17/17.


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Format: eBook
Pages: 272 pages
Genres: Women's Lit
Buy from Amazon, Kobo, iTunes, Audible
Evelynne's rating:
Stella Bain by Anita Shreve is a historical novel that tells the story of Stella Bain, a young American woman serving as a volunteer in WWI France who wakes up in hospital one day with no memory of her identity or her past. It follows her struggle to discover who she is and then to reclaim her life.
What I liked
Engaging characters. I really enjoyed reading about the character of Stella and those who help and hinder her. She was well written and I felt absorbed in her story. The actions and reactions of the characters seemed authentic and consistent. I am not familiar with shellshock, but I can easily imagine its playing out as it did in Stella Bain.
Beautifully drawn setting. The setting changes from a WWI field hospital to post war London and America, and each of them was wonderfully detailed and described. Each was very different, but well written.
Nicely executed concept. Sometimes amnesia story lines can be very cheesy – think Teri Bauer in 24 – but it was well grounded and developed in Stella Bain. I'm not personally familiar with the psychology behind shellshock, but I felt the author had done her homework and it seemed believable and more realistic than other amnesia stories I've read.
What I didn't like
The writing style. Stella Bain is written in the third person present tense (Stella does this, she sees so and so) which is not a common choice for an author. Writing in the present tense can give a sense of immediacy to a story, but it's more often seen in the first person. Presumably, in Stella Bain this is meant to convey that only the present has any meaning for Stella given that she has no memory of her past and her future is uncertain. For me, however, it didn't really work. I found myself becoming involved in the story in spite of this choice rather than because of it.
The love triangle. I wasn't very happy with the way the love triangle played out. I disliked that the first seeds of the romance were sown while one of the parties was still married to a sympathetic woman he claimed to adore. While it may be realistic, I prefer that a kind and gentle character doesn't have to be killed off so that the lovebirds can come together.
I wasn't certain how many stars to give Stella Bain. It's not quite four stars, but better than three and a half. So three and three quarters?
buy from Amazon, Kobo, iTunes or Audible


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(a) IN GENERAL- A local educational agency that receives a subgrant under section 2121 shall use the funds made available through the subgrant to carry out one or more of the following activities, including carrying out the activities through a grant or contract with a for-profit or nonprofit entity:
(1) Developing and implementing mechanisms to assist schools in effectively recruiting and retaining highly qualified teachers, including specialists in core academic subjects, principals, and pupil services personnel, except that funds made available under this paragraph may be used for pupil services personnel only —
(A) if the local educational agency is making progress toward meeting the annual measurable objectives described in section 1119(a)(2); and
(B) in a manner consistent with mechanisms to assist schools in effectively recruiting and retaining highly qualified teachers and principals.
(2) Developing and implementing initiatives to assist in recruiting highly qualified teachers (particularly initiatives that have proven effective in retaining highly qualified teachers), and hiring highly qualified teachers, who will be assigned teaching positions within their fields, including —
(A) providing scholarships, signing bonuses, or other financial incentives, such as differential pay, for teachers to teach —
(i) in academic subjects in which there exists a shortage of highly qualified teachers within a school or within the local educational agency; and
(ii) in schools in which there exists a shortage of highly qualified teachers;
(B) recruiting and hiring highly qualified teachers to reduce class size, particularly in the early grades; and
(C) establishing programs that —
(i) train and hire regular and special education teachers (which may include hiring special education teachers to team-teach in classrooms that contain both children with disabilities and nondisabled children);
(ii) train and hire highly qualified teachers of special needs children, as well as teaching specialists in core academic subjects who will provide increased individualized instruction to students;
(iii) recruit qualified professionals from other fields, including highly qualified paraprofessionals, and provide such professionals with alternative routes to teacher certification, including developing and implementing hiring policies that ensure comprehensive recruitment efforts as a way to expand the applicant pool, such as through identifying teachers certified through alternative routes, and using a system of intensive screening designed to hire the most qualified applicants; and
(iv) provide increased opportunities for minorities, individuals with disabilities, and other individuals underrepresented in the teaching profession.
(3) Providing professional development activities
(A) that improve the knowledge of teachers and principals and, in appropriate cases, paraprofessionals, concerning
(i) one or more of the core academic subjects that the teachers teach; and
(ii) effective instructional strategies, methods, and skills, and use of challenging State academic content standards and student academic achievement standards, and State assessments, to improve teaching practices and student academic achievement; and
(B) that improve the knowledge of teachers and principals and, in appropriate cases, paraprofessionals, concerning effective instructional practices and that
(i) involve collaborative groups of teachers and administrators;
(ii) provide training in how to teach and address the needs of students with different learning styles, particularly students with disabilities, students with special learning needs (including students who are gifted and talented), and students with limited English proficiency;
(iii) provide training in methods of
(I) improving student behavior in the classroom; and
(II) identifying early and appropriate interventions to help students described in clause (ii) learn;
(iv) provide training to enable teachers and principals to involve parents in their childs education, especially parents of limited English proficient and immigrant children; and
(v) provide training on how to understand and use data and assessments to improve classroom practice and student learning.
(4) Developing and implementing initiatives to promote retention of highly qualified teachers and principals, particularly within elementary schools and secondary schools with a high percentage of low-achieving students, including programs that provide
(A) teacher mentoring from exemplary teachers, principals, or superintendents;
(B) induction and support for teachers and principals during their first 3 years of employment as teachers or principals, respectively;
(C) incentives, including financial incentives, to retain teachers who have a record of success in helping low-achieving students improve their academic achievement; or
(D) incentives, including financial incentives, to principals who have a record of improving the academic achievement of all students, but particularly students from economically disadvantaged families, students from racial and ethnic minority groups, and students with disabilities.
(5) Carrying out programs and activities that are designed to improve the quality of the teacher force, such as
(A) innovative professional development programs (which may be provided through partnerships including institutions of higher education), including programs that train teachers and principals to integrate technology into curricula and instruction to improve teaching, learning, and technology literacy, are consistent with the requirements of section 9101, and are coordinated with activities carried out under part D;
(B) development and use of proven, cost-effective strategies for the implementation of professional development activities, such as through the use of technology and distance learning;
(C) tenure reform;
(D) merit pay programs; and
(E) testing of elementary school and secondary school teachers in the academic subjects that the teachers teach.
(6) Carrying out professional development activities designed to improve the quality of principals and superintendents, including the development and support of academies to help talented aspiring or current principals and superintendents become outstanding managers and educational leaders.
(7) Hiring highly qualified teachers, including teachers who become highly qualified through State and local alternative routes to certification, and special education teachers, in order to reduce class size, particularly in the early grades.
(8) Carrying out teacher advancement initiatives that promote professional growth and emphasize multiple career paths (such as paths to becoming a career teacher, mentor teacher, or exemplary teacher) and pay differentiation.
(10) Carrying out programs and activities related to exemplary teachers.
(b) SUPPLEMENT, NOT SUPPLANT- Funds received under this subpart shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, non-Federal funds that would otherwise be used for activities authorized under this subpart.


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Fourteen Examples of Racism in Criminal Justice SystemSubmitted by Eliezer Ben-Joseph on Thu, 2016-07-07 08:48
The biggest crime in the U.S. criminal justice system is that it is a race-based institution where African-Americans are directly targeted and punished in a much more aggressive way than white people.
Saying the US criminal system is racist may be politically controversial in some circles. But the facts are overwhelming. No real debate about that. Below I set out numerous examples of these facts.
The question is - are these facts the mistakes of an otherwise good system, or are they evidence that the racist criminal justice system is working exactly as intended? Is the US criminal justice system operated to marginalize and control millions of African Americans?


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Three of the UK's most popular heavy rock tribute bands have teamed up for a triple bill nationwide tour of classic rock music.
Sack Sabbath, Thin Lizzy Experience and Hi On Maiden have united for the Rock, Paper, Scissors tour as that is how the running order is decided on the day.
Any of the three bands could be on first, second or third and so you have to be there from the off to be sure of seeing your favourite.
The tour is playing right across the UK and lands at the MFN club, Shipley Gate, between Ilkeston and Heanor, on Saturday, May 31.
Each band plays a set jammed with classics from Black Sabbath, Thin Lizzy and Iron Maiden so expect to hear Paranoid, War Pigs, Number Of The Beast, Run To The Hills, Boys Are Back In Town, Rosalie and many many more rock anthems.
There will be a rock disco in between bands, merchandise stalls, hot food, late bar and free camping. Doors open at 7pm with the first band onstage at 7.45pm.
Tickets are priced at £10 advance and £12 at the door, with under 16s getting in for half price. They can be obtained in person from the venue or from Zebra Muzik, Ilkeston, or by post from firstname.lastname@example.com


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NORWICH Cleanup and decontamination efforts at a former New York State Electric and Gas plant located behind Front and Birdsall Streets and adjacent to the Tops parking lot continue to remain on target for completion in June of 2011, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Originally utilized for the manufacturing of natural gas from 1863 to 1953, well over 50,000 gallons of coal tar-water mixture, containing nearly 25,500 gallons of coal tar, have been successfully removed from the site. Pumping for the remaining contaminants, as part of phase two of the project, is expected to resume this spring.
In November of 2010, NYSEG Manager of Regional Outreach and Development James Salmon said that NYSEG will resume pumping in April of 2011 and continue pumping until no more coal tar can be removed.


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Models > Selena Castro > Selena Castro Rides A Thick Cock
Selena Castro tries to get a good fuck in at least once a day. She loves it when he stick his throbbing weiner deep inside her na-na. She's obviously not complaining. He stretches that na-na real good. He's relentless with that beef bayonet. Selena Castro's favorite thing in the whole world is to smack cocks on her face.
Tags: Latina
Pornstars: Selena Castro + Save Video


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The American Federation of Teachers is a union of professionals that champions fairness; democracy; economic opportunity; and high-quality public education, healthcare and public services for our students, their families and our communities. We are committed to advancing these principles through community engagement, organizing, collective bargaining and political activism, and especially through the work our members do.
The American Federation of Teachers, an affiliate of the AFL-CIO, was founded in 1916 and today represents 1.6 million members in more than 3,000 local affiliates nationwide.
Five divisions within the AFT represent the broad spectrum of the AFT's membership: pre-K through 12th-grade teachers; paraprofessionals and other school-related personnel; higher education faculty and professional staff; federal, state and local government employees; and nurses and other healthcare professionals. In addition, the AFT represents approximately 80,000 early childhood educators and nearly 250,000 retiree members.
The AFT is governed by its elected officers and by delegates to the union's biennial convention, which sets union policy. Elected leaders are President Randi Weingarten, Secretary-Treasurer Lorretta Johnson and Executive Vice President Mary Cathryn Ricker, along with a 42-member executive council.
Many well-known Americans have been AFT members, including John Dewey, Albert Einstein, Hubert Humphrey, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Frank McCourt, Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel, former Senate Majority Leader and Ambassador to Japan Mike Mansfield, former Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala, and former United Nations Undersecretary and Nobel Peace Prize winner Ralph Bunche.
See more at aft.org


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It's been almost 3 weeks since the AACT Region VI festival in LaFayette, Louisiana. Our very talented cast from BLT swept the awards program. They won! Yes! They won Regional and will be traveling to Carmel, Indiana in June to compete with God of Carnage in the AACT National Festival. How exciting is that! Pretty darn, that's how much.
Region VI judges lavished the BLT troupe with awards for best production, best ensemble, best costume and best set design. The judges presented Taylor Dobbs' the Best Director award and to our own Amy Miller-Martin they presented the Best Actress award. I'm so very proud of all of their hard work.
Theater is a fun hobby, job and social outlet. To be awarded and recognized for one's unpaid work is certainly gratifying. The Baytown Little Theater for the most part is a volunteer organization with one paid office manager. I think I can speak for most of the organization when I say we are proud of what we do in our little theater. Our talent rivals any of the other community theaters in our area and apparently in our Region which included Oklahoma, Louisiana, Tennessee, and New Mexico. So, yeah…I'm going to brag on these kids.
Taylor, Jamie, Ryan, Amy, Chelsea, Kenny, Stephanie, & Ryan #2., I'm proud of you for hanging in there, rehearsing, making props (including vomit), listening to critique, rehearsing some more and learning to clean up stage dirt. You are #1 in my book no matter what the outcome of Nationals. So, give it your best and know we love you all for trying with such enthusiasm!


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Best places to visit along Scotland's North Coast 500
Explore Scotland's answer to 'Route 66': the North Coast 500 – a breathtaking 500-mile coastal route in the north coast Highlands of Scotland with our pick of the best things to see and do on route
Opened in 2015, the North Coast 500 (NC500) stretches along some of Scotland's most northerly coastal points, including Caithness and John o'Groats.
If you're looking for an awe-inspiring wild landscape, spectacular beaches, impressive Munros to climb, castle ruins or simply want to enjoy the view, then take a trip along the NC500. Here's our pick of the best things to see and do along the NC500.
1. Climb a Munro
No trip to the Highlands would be complete without climbing a Munro or two. The towering peaks of Suilven and An Teallach can be reached from the NC500 and offers breathtaking views of the northern Highlands if you fancy a scramble.
Alternatively, hike Scotland's most northerly Munro, Ben Hope – an isolated mountain, accessible from the village of Tongue on the north coast of Sutherland. Test your legs with a short but steep climb to the top, where you'll be rewarded with a view of the wild northern landscape.
See: www.countryfile.com/walks to plan your walk
2. Take a trip to the beach
You'll find yourself spoilt for choice for beautiful bays and beaches along the NC500, but for a mix of dunes, beach and riverside, then visit Torrisdale Bay in Broch Invernaver. This is in the northern stretch of the NC500 and is also home to rare plants and archaeological remains.
If it's golden sandy beaches you are after, then Shandwick Bay near the villages of Shandwick and Balintore is an expansive sandy beach and one of Scotland's Blue Flag beaches. Explore the extensive coastal paths to the beach and clamber on the dunes and rocky areas to the north and south. Easily accessible from Inverness.
See: www.visitscotland.com to find more beaches to explore
3. Explore a castle
Step back in time and explore some of Scotland's enchanting Highlands castles.
The Castle of Mey on the north coast of Caithness is six miles from John o'Groats and was built by the 4th Earl of Caithness, George for his son William Sinclair. The Orkney Islands can be seen from the castle on a clear day from the castle.
If it's fairytale castles you are after, then visit the majestic Dunrobin Castle in Sutherland. With the castle rising above the North Sea and its numerous spires and turrets and walled gardens it really does feel as though you've stepped into a fairytale. A short drive from the market town of Dornoch.
4. Splash in a waterfall
Take a stroll along the wooded Fairy Glen in the Black Isle to discover two beautiful waterfalls. Keep an eye out and if you're lucky you might spot grey wagtails, dippers and buzzards.
Near Lairg, visit the Falls of Shin – a spectacular waterfall with plenty of forest walking and cycling paths suitable for children. What makes this waterfall so special though, is that it is one of the best spots in Scotland to see leaping Atlantic salmon. Visit in the late summer months to see this spectacular event.
5. Go wildlife spotting
Scotland is home to an incredible array of wildlife. Explore the coast of the Highlands by taking a boat trip from Avoch Harbour, Ross-Shire for the chance to see dolphins, whales and seals. See www.dolphintripsavoch.co.uk to book tours.
The Highlands is also home to the UK's largest popular of red deer and a great place to spot birds of prey.
Main image: The twisting Bealach na Ba mountain pass, Britain's longest continuous ascent and third highest road, on the Applecross Peninsula in the Highlands of Scotland. Credit: Getty


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Culture (Darlene Clover and Laurie McGauley)
From the Canadian Council on Learning conference on Adult Education in Fredericton.
See also the formal report
Darlene Clover
Let start out with the framework that culture matters. It matters to the federal government, because some nations won a landmark agreement to prevent culture from being subsumed under trade agreements. You don't have the right to air and water - these are commodities.
Culture is everything - beliefs, rituals, language, art. Countries without culture are more easily dominated. Language and culture are power. Culture plays a role around economics, social health, and in particular hope.
We needed to narrow it down, and we narrowed it down to the arts. It was more manageable, our strength, and as a natural link. Educators are increasingly seeing the arts as essential to intellectual, social and cultural life.
The purpose of the study was to highlight practices, deepen understanding of theoretical discussions, identify gaps.
We set Canada as a parameter, looked at journals, other studies and reports, government and non-government, convened a focus group (on the lower mainland (BC)), some email and telephone interviews, and developed a series of case studies.
Nothing is every one way or the other - we don't think it's just this or just that. That said, there are two major concepts of arts in adult ed:
- adult arts education and training - the learn about and are exposed to the arts, eg., opera and theatre, or learn to pain to draw, understanding and awareness, and aims to maintain the strength of cultural institutions, training artists in their craft (or industry, depending on who you are), help people see themselves as the artist
- and then there's the rag-tag group that sees art as a tool for socio-cultural change in a community, the arts become a catalyst that brings communities together, use to build community, celebrate cultural identity, address social issues, and promote learning. Etc.; there is an emphasis on the social responsibility of the artist as educator.
The first of these receives much more government interest and support. The first type of arts education is the main one; there are organizations all across the country. We want to say that we are not advocating that artists not be trained. But the focus of our study was not that.
The second group receives far less, with some noticeable exceptions (BC Council for the arts). Interestingly, most of the studies on adult education focused on the latter group, and the majority of community organizations are working in this framework.
Mission statements of many cultural organizations state that no funding is given to community-political work. But it will take a while to change the world reproducing a Monet.
Quebec: the emphasis is on formal arts training. That includes the academic studies. We did find community educators, but they feel even less supported than in other parts of the country. If culture is power, we wondered, is this the way to address Francophone identity? We would guess that this has something to do with it.
Speaking of imperialism, First Nations art learning focuses on the art. A lot of the artists and educators argue that that;s very limited, and it again is not making change, it's more a commodification of the idea of selling art (yet recognizing that that as well is very important). It's a very complex issue as well.
There was little emphasis on the adult artist, with a focus on kids. What is happening is that arts eduction is being abandoned in schools, forcing these organizations to pick up the slack. But this should be done by the state.
Most of the academic programs are fine arts, with a few on arts-based adult education. In the colleges, not so much.
A growing number of community organizations are turning to the arts - Rock Solid Foundation, for example. Also, in the National Gallery, there is a program linking the arts and human rights - they have made some incredibly powerful pieces.
There is a difference between a community-based artist, and an artist in community. One speaks to the community and creates a piece of art, while the other works with the community to collectively create some art.
Community based programs are pressured to focus on children and to seek funding - good way to keep it non-political.
Recommendations: study the impact of arts funding cuts in schools. Also, study community arts organizations to see what they mean by education. Also, look at aboriginal-based arts in the academy. Give greater support for knowledge mobilization studies. Organize a conference for the arts adult education community. Study the role of the arts in developing a pluralistic society. Explore the role of community-based artists as adult educator. And develop a study in Quebec on community arts based learning and the issue of professionalism.
Laurie McGauley
When I first read this review I felt it was speaking to my experience and the work I have been doing. So in that sense, it's a success if it's supposed to represent the state of the arts.
My background: started as an activist, and soon got into popular education, and noticed a lot of similarities in popular education and art. The whole idea of coding your experience, to analyze it and understand it, with the objective of changing it. I got into popular theatre. Took Frierian theory (pedagogy of the oppressed) and created 'theatre of the oppressed'. Why theatre? Theatre is cheap, all you need is your body. And oppression reaches right into the body. So it was a natural. In the 80s there was a lot of popular theatre, but of course the neo-liberal cuts hit and all of that is gone.
Darlene and her team are trying to make the point that they are not opposed to the art institutions and the art academies. But the thing about art is, since 1789, since Schiller, he said beauty is the path to freedom, it is through the aesthetics that we understand what freedom is. Throughout the review there are references to Habermas, 3 ways of understanding the world: scientific, practical, and aesthetics. Aesthetics is a completely different way of knowing the world, it's not just a rational way of knowing the world. So this knowledge is sometimes much deeper and much more transformative.
Some people say all art is subversive. Because it awakens longings in us, longings for beauty, perfection, utopia. We look at also the affirmative status of culture, affirmation of the status quo. That is what has happened to institutional art, it has been claimed by the establishment and held up to create ideas we can never achieve. We are bringing art to use art, to give us a voice, to get our voice our there, to get our experiences out there.
What's happening though in the work that we do is that because we approached it as activity, to create social change, there was counter-culture movement going on, and we were providing the voice for that movement. We didn't need to go there are justify and explain. But that's changed, there are no strong social movements going on any more. So what's happened is we've gone to community-based. It's smaller, it's safer for the funders. The work is starting to shift. But now we are beginning to find a basis of support in the art institutions - but not without resistance. For example - 'art as a tool' drives them crazy, it should be 'art for arts sake'. These need to be negotiated. I find that wht I end up doing is justifying what I am doing as art - but that's not why I got into this.
But I want to emphasize - the funding is shaping the actual work. There is the pressure because funding has been cut in schools. But it's also safer to work with children. Children expressing themselves ith art - that's ok. But adults?
There's a lot of good work going on but it's in the process of being institutionalized, which is good, but we have to be careful.
The focus on funding is very clear, there's very little of it. But I ant to highlight the Bronfman fund - three years of funding, $30K per year, and you were expected to engage the community. It has been chopped, though, and there is very little funding for this kind of work; it's going into the 'arts field'.
Still - we've managed to carve out this little bit of space, but we're not going to let it go.
Example: project we did on water quality in Sudbury with teens. They decided what they wanted to know, who to bring in (aboriginal elder, activists, scientist). They decided, what do we want this mural to represent, what do we want it to say. Then we're drawing and painting like crazy, always discussing, always consensus. That's the kind of work that we do.
Maybe add to this some examples of municipal cultural policies - it's being driven by this idea of creative cities. But it depends on economic indicators proving the economic benefit of the art. It's expected to perform economically, and that's the only language that we're using right now.
Also I want to refer to the study on the effects of study on well-being - the study shows that if you sing by yourself for a couple of hours a week, it's bad for your health. This shows why it's so difficult to quantify. We do have to find a way to gt to that - an idea for further study is the whole idea of aesthetics itself, the aesthetic way of knowing. We don't need to prove the effects in that way, but it is a way of looking at adult education.
Comment: the institutionalization of arts-based education - that's what you said?
Laurie: the institutionalization of the grass roots based arts, yes.
Comment: what will that look like.
Laurie: organizations that don't typically use art are beginning to. Eg., health institutions integrating art. Integrating art into more mainstream institutions. And institutionalizing the organizations that exist - that's what I meant by relying on funding, and funding shaping the way you work. I don't focus on youth, but there's pots of funding there. Endangered youth. Life skills.
Comment: it's more of piecemeal.
Darlene: there's also a curving, a curving of intent. The ministry, eg., said 'could you just not do that part of it because it might upset somebody'. So you start to shape your work so it doesn't upset anyone, say, around the issue of sexual exploitation.
Comment: did you find there was a distinction between between performing arts and 'creative' arts - because in the performing arts, if you do something offensive it goes away, but in visual arts it's more permanent.
Darlene: I didn't see it - but you can get around that permanence by whitewashing it. But it's more - performance is easier, you don't need pops. Vs. quilting, where you need material, which makes it more costly. But in the study itself there wasn't a distinction, but adult education preferred theatre.
Lauire: you learn how to negotiate this stuff. When we did our first mural the city was horrified - the kids picked that wall, a city wall. We brought in a contingent of youth to meet with the bureaucrats. And I respect public art - it's there, people have to see it. I'm not afraid to offend, but I don't want something ugly. Once we get the design up, we bring the community in. It's part of that negotiation that has to happen.
Darlene: it's like, if you look at the adult ed literature that says, if you like art, then use it. But if it's public - there was this play, for example - it really does matter that the art be art. It is too easily dismissed if it is not. Eg. quilts. We took subversive quilts in this traditional quilt show. Amongst this very pretty stuff. They would look at it, they would touch it, they'd feel it. Once they recognized it as quality quilting, they would start to look at the message of it. I didn't understand how important it was that the quality be there before I saw them move up toward it.
Comment: Quebec distinct in culture - their school system has incorporated different art issues in classes.
Darlene: they are complaining there is no arts in schools. We are saying in B.C., are you crazy?
Comment: can you distinguish between art as a subject, and using art in a cross-curricular fashion to teach other subject areas. Because while funding for art as a subject is reduced, there is increased emphasis on using art to teach other subjects. Does this reflect in adult education?
Darlene: it's a good point - I think there's the will to want to do that, but I teach masters and doctoral students, but they're not interested. They say it's not there. I'm surprised you're saying it is there.
Comment (continued): it is. Arts across the curriculum, in part because they're not allowed to teach art.
Darlene: that's goof to hear.
Comment: quilting. They're very curious about other kinds of quilting. They don't necessarily like it; they consider it other-minded.
Darlene: we had more people at our show than anyone else.
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Cycle Commuting
Commute by bike!
Commuting by bicycle can save you time, money and is good for your health. It is becoming a more normal mode of travel in London thanks for the development of the Cycle Superhighways. On some of the roads in central London there are now more bikes than cars at rush hour!
As we love bikes here at Bikeworks and support people to get into various forms of cycling, it seems natural to increase our provision for cycle commuters. We have lots of things going on which will be of interest and help out people to become cyclists and start commuting.
We now offer a Commuter Club and will be running a bike train in the summer months to help people learn to become commuters and show them the best routes into the city from Newham and Tower Hamlets.
Members of this club will also have access to special events and offers in store and in our reuse center.
We also offer cycle training to those who live, work or study in Tower Hamlets, Greenwich, Hammersmith and Fulham or Kensington and Chelsea. If you have been thinking about cycling to work but want to brush up on your skills in traffic, a level 3 Bikeability course is a great way to gain confidence, even if you have been cycling for a while. Our retail store offers some great options for commuter gear and we run a Fix You Own Bike session
Our most recent posts for cycle commuters
Join our Club!
Fill in the form below to join our club and tell us what you want to know about commuting.


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The Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio could make at least $40?million over the next 20 years from the methane gas produced at its landfill.
The Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio could make at least $40 million over the next 20 years from the methane gas produced at its landfill.
The projected revenue is contained in three proposals selected by SWACO's board as finalists to convert the methane into renewable compressed natural gas, according to documents obtained by The Dispatch through the state's open-records law. Compressed natural gas can power myriad things, including engines and home electricity.
If accurate, the revenue would mean fewer rate increases, or less-substantial ones, for everyone who pays for trash disposal in Franklin County, said Ron Mills, SWACO's executive director.
"If you look at our budget, which is about $40 million this year, we are looking at about $2 million a year in profit from this venture, so that would be a 5 percent increase in our budget," he said. "Not only will we not need rate increases, it would allow us to cover things like existing debt."
The three finalists being considered are Atlanta-based Renewco; Landfill Energy Systems of Michigan; and Energy Systems Group of Indiana. They were chosen from 23 proposals received last year.
All three companies have built and operated multiple landfill gas-refining plants across the country. The companies or their parent companies have at least $1 billion in assets and successful track records, Mills said.
All are able to handle the amount of gas produced by the Jackson Township landfill - equivalent to 10 million gallons of gasoline annually, according to their proposals.
The winning company
will be the one that has the best contract already in place to sell the converted methane, Mills said. It is unknown what contracts the three finalists have. Representatives of the companies declined to comment.
"We are not responsible for marketing the gas, and the chosen company must meet an agreed-upon revenue stream, and if they don't meet it, they will be in breach of contract," Mills said.
The winner will be chosen by the end of April or early May.
The proposals mainly contain two plans to refine the methane gas:
In the first, SWACO would issue bonds to finance the construction of a compressed natural-gas plant and pipeline system. The other scenario - the one that SWACO's board prefers - would require the chosen company to finance the entire project and pay "substantial royalties" to SWACO from the sale of the gas.
There has been little, if any, opposition from residents about the plan.
"Everyone I talk to thinks this is the best thing since peanut butter," said Mike Wiles, a Columbus City Schools board member and South Side community activist.
Board members are adamant that no public dollars be spent on building or operating a refining plant. They want the winning bidder to fund 100 percent of the cost, Mills said. SWACO will supply 1 or 2 acres next to the landfill as a site for the plant.
SWACO is not rushing the process. Valuable lessons were learned from a failed venture with FirmGreen Inc., of Newport Beach, Calif., to convert the methane.
SWACO sued the company in 2010, charging that FirmGreen failed to live up to its promise to get a commercial operation running. FirmGreen settled the lawsuit
last year, agreeing to pack
up its prototype operation built at the landfill and allow SWACO to move forward with a new vendor.
Since then, Mills and his staff have revised profit estimates from the operation, first considered to be about $4 million or $5 million annually, because of the oil and natural-gas boom across the Midwest.
That has depressed the natural-gas market in the region, which was about $12 per unit in fall 2005, to about $2.50 today.
Mills said natural-gas prices differ by region.
"If we sold natural gas to California, we could get about $14 (per unit), or four to five times what it sells for in the Midwest," he said. "We will make sure we have a dedicated revenue stream. … When it comes to this project, failure is not an option."


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WPS Health Solutions is the subcontractor to TriWest Healthcare Alliance for Veterans Administration (VA) contracts including VAPC3 Regions 3, 5, and 6. The VAPC3 contract enhances access to health care services for veterans by making a quality provider network available close to the veteran's home. This contract ensures veterans receive coordinated, high-quality care in their community when VA refers behavioral health and specialty care to the network. These regions cover all portions of 28 states, broken down as follows:
These contracts serve the health care needs of nearly half of the eligible veterans in the country.
Your VA claims can be submitted electronically. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires health insurance payers in the United States to comply with the EDI standards for health care as established by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The ANSI X12N 837 implementation guides have been established as the standard for compliance for claim transactions.
The implementation guides for the 837 professional and institutional transactions are available electronically at the ASCX12 website.
For detailed reimbursement or claims questions, please contact 1-855-PCCCVET (722-2838). Choose Option 3 as a provider and then Option 3 to speak to a representative.
Note: If your office submits EDI claims through a clearinghouse, they may already be an approved clearinghouse with WPS. VAPC3 EDI Connection
New VA Receiver IDs (Payer IDs) and Other Important X12 837 Data Elements – Please refer to the Companion Guides.
Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) is available for VA providers. EFT replaces the paper checks you currently receive for claim payments. This process allows your payment to be deposited directly into your checking or savings account, and eliminates the delay or inconsistencies you may encounter with mail procedures.
EFT payments are typically deposited into your specified bank account two business days following the budget approval. Electronic Funds Transfer payments have a different number sequence than your current paper checks.
The number of EFT transactions initiated by WPS is dependent on the number of bank accounts to which your office requires EFT payments to be posted. If you currently use more than one legacy provider number or NPI there will be more than one EFT transaction per day.
Your Electronic Remittance Advice will be your office's notification of the payment that is posted to your accounts. Notification of your payment into your accounts will come from your bank. Contact your bank for their notification procedures. To enroll for EFT, go to our Enrollments page.
The easiest way to receive your Provider Remittance Advice (PRA) is through ERA, which is an electronic version of a payment explanation. ERA is more convenient for you. When you sign up for EFT and ERA, you will find out about your payment via ERA about two days prior to the funds transfer. You can also request to suppress your paper PRAs for even further paper savings.
When you choose to receive Electronic Remittance Advice or ERA directly, your files will be sent to you in the X12 835 format, version 5010A1, and can be downloaded from our secured internet site WPS Gateway Express.
For enrollment to receive and download ERA (835) directly from WPS, you will need to go to our Enrollments page.
To receive Electronic Remittance Advice (ERA) through a clearinghouse, go to our Enrollments page.
We look forward to developing successful relationships with our trading partners. If you have any questions or concerns regarding EDI transition to the new VA contracts for VAPC3 Regions 3, 5, and 6, please contact us at:
Electronic Data Services
P.O. Box 8128
1717 W. Broadway
Madison, WI 53713
800-782-2680, option 1
Email EDI
Fax: 608-223-3824
For further updates visit our EDI website. We also encourage you to contact your clearinghouse, billing service, or software vendor to discuss transition related issues.


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Why Did It Take So Long for Tiffany & Co. to Serve Breakfast at Tiffany's?
When you think of Tiffany's, you probably think "blue," "diamonds," and "breakfast," in that order. The first two can definitely be found at their New York flagship store, and now so can the third thing. The only shocking aspect to that news is that it's only happening now, in 2017.


text: A wild animal has got out of the zoo. People go in the church and there is the wild animal the half beast half man. clawers sharper then as hawks,a neck longer then a griffes,it teeth are razor sharp , its got a mans head. The hero Glaughator he is a Roman gladitor. He sneeks into the church and slays the half beast half man as the sword plunged into the the beasts heart it gives out a squeale of pain then as it tries to move Glaughator cuts of itS head. In its stomach is dead animals and 8 dead PEOPLE (POOR PEOPLE). When he goes back to the village he tells the tale to every one in the village, the tell their children, then they tell their children and so on, and that is legend of THE HAUNTED CHURCH.


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Welcome to Meredith Bay Colony Club
Our residents typically have a personal connection to the Lakes Region (or want to).
Enjoy the daily beauty that the Lakes Region has to offer.
All the services and amenities you expect from a luxury retirement community
Schedule a visit. See for yourself why we are the best place to live in New Hampshire.
Enjoy the comforts of your residence and your community.
Bring your family.
An affordable Short Stay(respite) destination above any other.
Here we provide the setting for you to be just as busy as you want to be.
We cater to the active senior who wants freedom and convenience
Today @ MBCC Blog
CELEBRATING THE MOMENTS is Meredith Bay Colony Club's unique Alzheimer's Care and Memory Support Program that is provided in our State-of-the-Art, safe and secure memory support center that we call The GARDENS. The GARDENS is comprised of 24 all private apartments – each with its own bathroom and private shower. Dignity, Privacy, Safety and Security are the basic building blocks on top of which CELEBRATING THE MOMENTS is built.
Let there be no mistake about it --- Alzheimer's is a terrible disease that affects not just the individual – but the families who so often provide the needed ongoing support and care. The CELEBRATING THE MOMENTS program at The GARDENS at MBCC provides Members and their families not just the sense of security that comes from living in a safe, secure yet friendly residential setting – but also a rediscovered source of joy that can come from being in a setting that allows each Member to find a little bit of success each and every day --- to find something to be proud of and to find something to smile about!
1. We focus on all that a Person is right now and all that they can still be --- not on what they have lost or no longer can do.
2. We believe that each person is wonderfully complex and multi-dimensional including emotional, creative, inquisitive, musical, spiritual and physical aspects – in addition to cognitive and memory based functions. We recognize that although life will be different because of cognitive changes – that it can and should be as interesting, as stimulating and as much fun as possible.
3. We respect the need for some structure and predictability – but we celebrate spontaneity and the opportunity to discover new ways to help make people smile.
4. We believe in 'seizing the moment' even if that means upsetting the 'schedule'. So what if we have lunch an hour late?
5. We respect the individual and acknowledge that there will be changes from month to month and from day to day. We realize that we need to constantly readjust our approach in order to meet our Member's constantly changing needs.
6. Our Member's Family are our friends and we realize that by supporting our Member's families that we support our Members.
7. Our Staff Members are artists who wonderfully balance Caring and Creativity to meet not only the practical needs – but Quality of Life needs as well.
8. A safe and secure social setting that is open and welcoming to all Members is essential to creating an environment that is both fun and uplifting.
Additional Blog Entries:
- No Refurbishment Fees at MBCC! (0)
- Why I Like Fee-for-Service CCRC's (0)
- 5 Steps to Successful Aging (2)
- Elderly Fall Prevention (0)
- Two Flavors of Assisted Living! (0)
- The Male Dilemma in Aging (0)
- Get The Facts About Medicare! (0)
- A MATTER OF PRIDE: Or Why Old Men Can Be So ... (0)
- Heat Stress and the Elderly (0)
- Everything You Wanted to Know About MBCC! (0)
- 3 Myths About Alzheimer's (0)
- Price Protection Plus! (0)
- Why We Provide Our Own Home Care! (0)
- Don't Settle for Just Housing! (0)
- Going It Alone (0)
- Senior Crime Prevention (0)
- Russ Armstrong & Rich Crocker (0)
- Barbara Squared (0)
- Veterans Benefits for Assisted Living! (0)
- Clare from MPHNA on the Radio! (0)
- Why We Never Discount! (0)
- No More Cookies! (0)
- Put a Twinkle in Your Wrinkle! (0)
- All About Pets! (0)
- Western Union Returns!!!! (0)
- Memory Loss & Alzheimer's Care (0)
- Spontaneous Socialization!!! (0)
- Buff Nana's Newspaper Column (0)
- Laconia Senior Center Radio Interview (0)
- Check Out the Terrace Dining Room Menu! (0)
- A Little Push..... (0)
- Continuing Care Retirement Communities Myths (0)
- Transportation and Living at Home (0)
- A Fresh Look at Assisted Living Activities (0)
- Charitable Gift Annuities (0)
- Supportive Independent Living: What is it? (0)
- We Help People Smile! (0)
- 10,000 New Retiree's! (0)
- Our MBCC Goal: SMILES! (0)
- Kripalu Yoga with Manna Stark (0)
- The 3 Plagues - An Eden Alternative (0)
- Christmas Magic (0)
- Our Two Rules..... (0)
- Apples & Oranges (0)
- Competition is a Good Thing! (0)
- Why We Recommend Golden View Health Care Cent... (0)
- Supportive Independent Living: A Lakes Regio... (0)
- The Apartment Advantage! (0)
- Pearl Harbor Day Newspaper Column (0)
- MBCC Voted 'Best Elder Care' (0)
- No Entrance Fee Assisted Living (0)
- No 2nd Person Fees at MBCC (0)
- Respite & Short Assisted Living Stays (0)
- Aquatics Program a Success! (0)
- Home Care Collaboration (0)
- Citizen Newspaper Columns (0)
- Monday November 22, 2010 (0)
AGING IN PLACE: A Staff GuideTue, Jul 24 2012 at 03:36pm
Celebrating the Moments
1. Aging in Place is all about Aging in Control
Traditional continuing care retirement communities provide multiple levels of care - oftentimes in a broad variety of settings. The nature of their contracts is such that residents are financially encouraged to move should greater care is required ----- if the resident moves the monthly costs stays the same --- but if they choose home delivered services it is always at additional cost. A resident is effectively punished financially for choosing homecare and Aging in Place is thus effectively discouraged.
Many continuing care retirement communities through both their stated and implicit policies discourage or prohibit the use of assistive equipment in an effort to present what they feel is a more marketable vision of active aging. In some places wheelchairs are not allowed in dining rooms and the use walkers and scooters are discouraged. The message being sent is very clear: "If you need assistive equipment you need to be in an assisted living setting".
Here at Meredith Bay Colony Club it is very very different. We do not have rules, regulations or policies that in any way discourage a Member from receiving the care that they want, from the provider of their choice and in the setting of their choice. Our job is not to force a Member to do what we might think is best for them --- but to support the Member in whatever decision that they feel is best. And yes --- that means we will support a Member in a course of action that we might disagree with. Members have the right to make what we might consider to be a 'mistake'. Please know that respecting a Member's right to make decisions and respecting his/her dignity as part of that process is always the right thing to do – and is always more important than any particular decision that is made.
So what is 'Aging in Place'? Simply put, Aging in Place is bringing the care to the person instead of bringing the person to the care. It is the complete opposite approach from the traditional continuing care retirement community. Aging in Place is about giving people choices in how they want their care provided.
There are practical, social, psychological and financial implications to all of this.
Psychological/Emotional: Some Elders come to experience a variety of chronic conditions that can make living independently a challenge. For people who are stubbornly independent and who are used to helping others – this change to needing assistance instead of giving assistance is emotionally very difficult. This movement from perceived independence to dependence is very hard to take and many people find it to be very depressing.
How do we address this at MBCC? We encourage our Members to make this very straightforward affirmation: "If you control the problem --- the problem will never control you!". Our job isn't to eliminate the problem --- our job is to maximize our Member's control over the problem. How do we do that? What can we possibly do that can help our Members control sometimes major problems?
We help identify options and choices and we make and keep the promise that our Member will never have to travel a difficult road alone. It is a seemingly simple combination:
Choices and Friendship
But don't let such a simple description lead you to believe that it is not a truly powerful combination in helping to preserve a Member's health and dignity!
Ultimately it will always be less what we do than it will be how we do it. Our Members truly come first and if we just respect them, support them and encourage them – then we have done the most important things.
At Meredith Bay Colony Club it is more than 'Philosophy' it is about 'Action'!
It is afterall 'Not the talk, but the walk that matters'.
Any place can say that they are committed to being resident centered – but are they able to translate that noble goal into action? At MBCC we do!
It begins with providing a safe, convenient and supportive environment. In other retirement communities the emergency call pendants for independent residents go to an out of state call center that then calls either a family member or friend or the ambulance. At MBCC the call goes directly to and is answered by one of our own Staff . Our Members know that if they need to go to the hospital to call 911 – but the vast majority of pendant activations are not for problems requiring transport to the hospital -- it is a call for a little assistance or some comforting reassurance. Please always know that our 'presence' to our Club Members is as important as anything that we actually do. That 'presence' provides a sense of comfort and security that makes all the difference. Surprisingly that 'presence' is not provided in the traditional continuing care retirement community.
Other retirement communities 'allow' a resident to receive homecare services from outside providers --- at MBCC we of course do that --- but by having our own home health care agency ---- Colony Home Care --- we can meet the needs of our Members must faster and at significantly reduced cost. Where other home health care agencies need to charge minimum times of 2-3 hours --- at MBCC we can do it for as little as 15 minutes! With medication supervision – sometimes that is all that is needed --- and so it is all that is paid for.
Seemingly 'little' things can matter a great deal. At MBCC we can deliver 3 meals a day, 7 days a week to a Member's apartment. That might not seem like much --- but it is not typically available at other places.
The 'Spare Tire Effect'
I'm sure that we have Staff who have never had a flat tire. I'm sure that we have Staff who have never changed a flat tire. But because we all know that flat tires can and do happen --- we probably would not drive very far in a car that didn't have a spare tire on board.
A spare tire is a kind of security blanket for drivers. Living at MBCC is exactly the same kind of security blanket for Members. While Members are comforted by knowing the availability of services are there --- they are not any more anxious to use those services than they are to use their spare tire.
Some of our Members also describe it as their 'Hit by the Bus' insurance. They do not have any need for service and hope they never will --- but they also know that when we least expect it that anyone of us can be 'hit by a bus' such that all plans are tossed to the winds.
Continuing with this vehicle metaphor --- other places are willing to send out a tow truck if you break down and bring you to another setting where you can receive care. At MBCC we strive to always give our Members the minimal supports that they need up front so that they can keep on going and keep on doing for as long as they can!
Physical Security is an increasingly important consideration of many people in their choice of a retirement community and having multiple Staff in the building at all times is very important – and not something that all other communities provide. Our Members not only want the scalability that comes with living in this setting – but the sense of security that comes with it as well.
Summary and Conclusion
As Staff our job is not to 'Take Care' of our Members. Our job is to assist when needed, encourage when possible and to respect always. We do this by helping to identify options that allow our Member stay in control of their problems and by supporting our Members in whatever option they choose.
Don't forget: You do make a difference ------ but You make much more of a difference because of 'how' you do something than because of 'what' you do!
I certainly hope that you find working with our Members to be as fulfilling for You as it has been for me!
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text: I wanted to let everyone know that IPTV did a 6 minute feature on geocaching for an episode of Iowa's Simple Pleasures. It features geocaches in Bedford and a couple behind IPTV. I didnt get the name of the geocacher featured, but I believe it is tawner1114. The show will air Friday June 7th at 8:30p and again on Saturday June 8th at 8:00a.


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Steamboat briefs for June 17
June 17, 2008
Steamboat Springs — Art museum seeks to train new volunteers, docents
The Steamboat Art Museum needs new volunteers for two- or three-hour shifts Tuesdays through Sundays. Museum hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. Training will be provided, and volunteers can train to be docents of the upcoming exhibits.
Call Nancy at 846-0504 or the museum at 870-1755.
Immunization clinic open to adolescents, children
The Northwest Colorado Visiting Nurse Association will provide a drop-in immunization clinic for adolescents ages 11 to 18 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Thursday at the Steamboat VNA office, 940 Central Park Drive, Suite 101. Vaccinations will be offered for Tdap, MMR, HPV, Hepatitis A and B, Varicella and Meningococcal. No appointment is necessary. Students younger than age 18 must have a parent present and must bring their vaccine records. A Spanish interpreter will be available. The VNA charges on a sliding scale of free to $14 a shot for children younger than 19. Call 879-1632.
HPV vaccinations offered to young women in need
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Free HPV vaccinations are available to uninsured, low-income women ages 19 to 26, through the Merck Vaccine Patient Assistance program, at the Northwest Colorado Visiting Nurse Association office at Yampa Valley Medical Center. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease and can lead to cervical cancer and other diseases. Completing the vaccination series will provide lifelong protection against the most common types of hepatitis. The cost of the vaccinations will be on a sliding fee scale up to $14.
For all vaccinations, call the VNA at 879-1632 to learn if you qualify.
Volunteers needed for Fourth of July in Yampa
Players, flag ladies and instruments are needed for the marching band in the Fourth of July Parade in Yampa. Players of all abilities are welcome. If you would like to participate, watch for signs at the post office in Yampa. Practices likely will start this month.
Call Nora at 638-4511 or 638-4668 to get the music and ask questions, or to lend an instrument to the parade.


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These days, it seems that you need a strong constitution, a bottle of aspirin and maybe even some hex-breaking abilities to invest overseas. Anywhere you look around the globe-whether across the Atlantic, the Pacific or in the Caribbean Basin-it seems some country is wrestling with economic woes. One day, Brazil devalues its currency. Twenty-four hours later, headlines say Southeast Asia will continue to be an economic no-man's-land. And, as for Russia, it still hasn't found its bearings.
Things at home, though, have never seemed peachier. A bull market that knows no limits-economic growth moves onward with no end in sight. Heck, a mere $1,000 investment in the stocks of the Standard & Poor's 500 five years ago would now be worth $2,939. So why even consider looking outside the good old U.S. of A.?
Well, there are a number of answers to that question, some of which you've no doubt heard repeatedly. Let's start with some figures that should get your attention. First off, there's no better reason to look beyond American soil than the fact that other markets had their day in the sun, too. For proof, take March as a reference point and look back one year. The S&P 500 as a market gained 20% during the 52-week period. Not bad.
Market stats make only part of the case for international investing. Remember that a lot of very good companies, corporations whose products we know, buy regularly and even love, are based outside our borders. You might drive a Volvo, own a Braun blender or listen to your favorite tunes on a Sony system. Well, it should be some comfort to know that some of the best stocks around are those of overseas firms that dominate markets and grow earnings with the best of corporate America. Take Nokia (NYSE: NOK.A). The Finnish maker of cellular phones, which surpassed Motorola a couple of years back, just happens to be the biggest name in its industry. Nokia shares are all the rave on Wall Street, and for good reason: over the three-year period that ended last December 31, Nokia shares soared 544%, a run that would have taken a $1,000 investment to $6,440. The S&P 500 during the same period rose a phenomenal 111%, but still couldn't match the little giant from Helsinki.
Maybe you're a mutual fund die-hard. Then you'll be interested in knowing that according to Morningstar, the Chicago firm that tracks the mutual fund industry, there are six foreign funds that have beat out the 28.62% gain of the Vanguard 500 index-the fund that tracks the U.S. market's benchmark, the S&P 500. That's not to say that the Vanguard fund hasn't had a simply fantastic run-it has. The point is that investing abroad doesn't have to be an act of mercy-it can be a profitable venture and one that's quite worthwhile.
Indeed, while Asia may seem skittish, and Latin America is tied up with economic problems for now, there are some very exciting things happening in other parts of the globe.


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Sacramento, Calif.
A US Air Force B-52 aircraft crashed and exploded Thursday while taking off from Mather Air Force Base on a training flight, killing all nine crew members aboard.
The Pentagon in Washington said up to nine crew members may have been aboard. There was no word from the scene about survivors. Officials said the bomber, able to carrying nuclear weapons, was unarmed. The plane had just taken off from the base east of Sacramento.