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But maybe I should. World Environment Day (Sunday, June 5) sounds pretty interesting. What better time to address the needs of Mother Earth?
Sure is a heck of a lot better than humming the words to Rebecca Black's viral video: "Friday, Friday, Friday; Everybody's lookin' forward to the weekend ..." But I digress.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sent out an alert that it's celebrating World Environment Day with the Department of the Interior, the Department of Agriculture and the White House Council on Environmental Quality. All of them are partners in something else I've never heard of called America's Great Outdoors initiative.
The initiative's theme this year is "Forests: Nature at Your Service." Not bad. The intent is to get people to spend the weekend enjoying national parks and forests, wildlife refuges and cultural and historic sites -- as well as neighborhoods and city parks, community gardens and school yards.
"Forests are one of our world's greatest treasures, bringing us natural beauty, clean air and a place our cherished wildlife can call home," EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson says in a statement.
Of course, this comes straight on the heels of the news that carbon dioxide emissions reached a record 30.6 gigatons (giga is billion) in 2010, according to a report by the International Energy Agency.
Fatih Birol, IEA chief economist, says the situation "represent(s) a serious setback to our hopes of limiting the global rise in temperature to no more than 2 degrees Celsius."
A friend of mine, Wade Erickson, spent several days last month driving up the Alaska-Canada Highway and passing through some of the most beautiful and undisturbed country in North America. He made video posts along the way, posting them on facebook.com. And while I remember the grueling hours behind the wheel, the scenery brought back memories.
The boreal forest is gnarled and nasty, something out of a cautionary fairy tale. Yet to me, it's paradise. Mushy tundra. Were-mosquitoes. Moose. Rabbits. Bent alder. Streams you can safely drink from. Kluane Lake is surreal. Color reveals itself in a canvas of tiny flowers. Birds flit everywhere.
There's a hot springs outside Whitehorse that's worth the dip even in the dead of winter.
Wade and his brother Paul love the outdoors and like me tend to feel more at home outside than on the couch. I grew up in rural Alaska -- Fairbanks, Kodiak Island and Valdez. But I must admit preferring the big city of Anchorage as I got older.
Much of this is under atmospheric assault. In Alaska, we like warm winters. The statement in Fairbanks, "It was below 20 below only a couple weeks this winter," meant you were living in the tropics.
But in reality, this ain't a good thing. "We now seem to be nearing tipping points past which truly cataclysmic damage would be inevitable," writes climate activist and author Bill McKibben. "The only good news is that we are now also beginning to see some political drive for real change."
McKibben's pushing the envelope with the a group he founded, 350.org, and through activism. I've begun to view him as a seer, taking in what he says and trying to adapt to a new way of looking at energy, life and particulate-laden air.
So, Sunday. Give going outside a shot. Hang out in a park. Go see the massive General Sherman Tree in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. For me it's an hour away. So there.
World Environment Day was launched in 1972 back when I was 11. Must have missed that press release. Now it's celebrated, or at least observed in some way, in 80 nations.


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Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Stinkin IPhones
25 comments:
Too funny! I usually text my mom "otay" instead of ok and one day it autocorrected it to pray!!! She thought something bad had happened!ReplyDelete
That´s a great one! I don´t have an iPhone but isn´t it possible to get rid of autocorrect?!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousAugust 15, 2012 at 3:40 AM
Seriously. I WISH I were as cute as you. DAMN girl!ReplyDelete
ps.. I totally had the like 15 yr old boy moment "hahah testicles hahahah!"
I was going to comment on the dress, but then I saw the shoes! Love them!ReplyDelete
Autocorrect is the one and only reason I am glad I have a droid versus an iphone. :)
That is hysterical and i keep hearing these kinda stories more and more..hasn't happened to me yet.. that I know of! I am loving that dress. the fit is perfect!ReplyDelete
Sheree x
Hahaha that's awesome! My friend and I call autocorrect "auto guess" and we play a game where if our phone changes a word we just leave it, lol!ReplyDelete
And also...LOVE that black dress! Gorgeous :)
that is hilarious! SO funny!!! and again with a stunning dress! I am in LOVE with this one and love the belt with it too - BEAUTIFUL!ReplyDelete
Hahaha I hate touch screens! Great outfit...Love your shoes & sunglasses....:-)ReplyDelete
That is why Damn You Auto Correct is one of my favorite sites!ReplyDelete
Hahaha Now THAT is funny! Did you point out her mistake when you e-mailed her back!? How embarrassing; but we've all been there!ReplyDelete
PS - LOVE that dress! I wish I had legs like yours to rock it. It looks kinda short! Where are you going all dolled up??
xo Meg
haha thanks for the warning! good thing i'm on mute for this meeting i'm on! And I can't remember what I'm usually trying to say but tits like to come up a lot on my phone. Cute dress lady!ReplyDelete
autocorrect always gets the best of me :/ But very cute outfit!!ReplyDelete
You look great! Super cute dress and shoes.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousAugust 15, 2012 at 1:23 PM
hahahahah I love autocorrect I think it is hilarious!!ReplyDelete
My best friend (whom I call Room...we lived together for a while) was about to deliver her first child. Her and I were texting all day. The last one I sent meant to say "good luck Roomie" but autocorrect snuck in and changed it to "good luck rookie" hahhaah I text back apologizing and laughing of course!
Autocorrect is evil. I swear it just messes with me! At the beginning of one friendship, I was texting and cooking at the same time. Once things started to get busy at the stove, I asked her to "Wait a sec. Hot stove needs me". Which autocorrected to "Wait a sec. Hot chic needs me." Umm, although very funny I was mortified to be sending that incorrect text. However, friendship survived!ReplyDelete
Purple testicles would be scary :) Gotta love auto correct!ReplyDelete
Hope to see you linked up at What I Wore Wednesday Just grab the badge or link and comment and you're good to go!
I heart your blog! Thought you might be interested in my giveaways I'm hosting for Brushlove & Blue Sky @ www.domesticsweetheart.com .ReplyDelete
P.S. I'm a new GFC follower :)
This is hilarious... my phone is great for misspelling words or just making ones up along the way... too funny! :)ReplyDelete
<3 Melissa
Auto correct is freakin' awesome. I have read some funny stuff on damnyouautocorrect.com. There are some major LOL moments. Ha. And let's just take a minute to talk about how cute you look in that black lace dress. Franchesca's has the cutest clutches. Love your cream one!ReplyDelete
Blahah... autocorrect mistakes are always hilarious. Love your pretty outfit, lady!ReplyDelete
Hahaha, we live near Fort Collins, and one time I texted my boyfriend to let him know where I was... it auto corrected to "fur colons". I about died on the spot.ReplyDelete
That's hilarious...I haven't had one quite like that! I adore this outfit. And those shoes look amazing. Popping over from WIWW.ReplyDelete
totally made me giggle ;) lol today ... you're awesome. nothing good to report, other than "HIIIIIII" on my phone autocorrects to bouillon. very exciting.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousAugust 20, 2012 at 12:56 PM
OMG! I just burst out laughing! While I do not have an iPhone, some of my texts etc. have just been plain nonsense! Too funny! PS. I LOVE your shoes!!! They are adorable!! I want!! Love your blog! I am still a newbie!!ReplyDelete

subset: commoncrawl


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Futh asked:
Consider the following SecRule, which takes a feed from a lua script that is executed:
SecRule &TX:SQLI "@eq 1" "id:'129793',phase:2,t:none,redirect:http://www.example.com/failed.html,msg:'SQLi Injection Payload Found'"
SQLi is found in a request parameter, the
tx.sqli variable is populated and the user is redirected to a specific webpage :
This process works well. However, I would like to redirect the user back to the
referrer address or simply refresh their page or send them back to the previous page they were on.
This may involve, for example, populating the redirect address with the referrer value. Is it possible for
ModSecurity to execute this?
My answer:
You don't necessarily know what the referring page is. And most likely there isn't one at all! Such attacks generally come from automata, not humans.
View the full question and any other answers on Server Fault.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.


text:
With UCSB moving to google for e-mail, you also have access to google drive for storing, and sharing files. While it's certainly not as easy to use as a local filesystem, it's free, and a great place to park data that you aren't currently working with. There are several ways to get files there from the cluster.
'gdrive' - this is good for moving a few large files, we've heard it doesn't work as well for a lot of files - see rclone info below for that. However in both cases, you'll do better (in terms of reliability and speed) if you create a few big files, rather than trying to keep a directory structure with many small files. You can either tar, or zip, these directories and then transfer the single larger file. We're assuming you're using google as a place to park data that you aren't actively working on - but it's a great place to park files that you'll need again at some point.
tar cf - MicroscopeData2017 > ./MicroscopeData2017-dir.tar (will create a single 'tar' file of your directory) You can also then 'gzip MicroscopeData2017-dir.tar' to make it a smaller file if you like
and, of course,
zip MicroscropData.zip -1 -r MicroscropData2017 (will create a single 'zip' file of that directory, the -1 makes it do a faster, but still pretty good, compression).
========Using Gdrive==========
The first time you use 'gdrive' you'll need to authenticate to your google account, so it knows you are allowed to upload files. You just need to cut and paste a URL into a browser, to get that URL type 'gdrive about' and you'll see something like this
gdrive about Authentication needed Go to the following url in your browser: https://accounts.google.com/o/oauth2/auth?access_type=offline&client_id=3b3a15a0-bdb7-4cb0-abb4-3cb390278020.apps.googleusercontent.com&redirect_uri=d8a4cd5d-9700-482c-9c7e-9e91d4591e78&response_type=code Enter verification code:
Now take that line beginning with https and put it in a browser. You'll login to your google account with firstname.lastname@example.com and it will give you another code back, and that you just cut and paste back into your command line on the cluster where it's asking for your verification code. That's it!
Once you've set it up the first time, you can use it directly, e.g.
gdrive upload somefile.tar (which will upload the file 'somefile.tar' to your google drive).
you can upload entire directories with
gdrive upload --recursive some-directory-name
you can get more info on other commands with
gdrive help
note that gdrive works well with larger files, so if you have a directory with a lot of data that you want to back up, you're probably better off to make it into one large tar file and to transfer that. Note that you won't have access to the files unless you download and untar it, but presumably you're putting stuff in google that you aren't actively working on!
e.g. if you have a lot of files in a data directory named 'MicroscopeData2017'
=========Using Rclone===========
Again, as with gdrive, the first time you use rclone, you need to initialize it so it can login to your google account.
You can do this by typing
rclone config
you can just answer the questions with the defaults (although on the first one - make sure to select 'google drive', not 'google cloud storage'). When it asks for Autoconfig, if you have a graphical interface open (e.g. X2Go, etc., say yes, otherwise say no. If you said yes to autoconfig it will automatically open a browser window for you to login to your Google account (firstname.lastname@example.com), if you say no, it will give you a URL to cut and paste into any browser on your desktop/laptop computer. Then you return to your command line window and finish answering questions (just hit return if you're not sure what to answer).
If you've used the default, you'll now have a gdrive connection named 'Google' - think of it like a drive letter in Windows, e.g. D:. From that you can do various things, e.g.
rclone lsd Google:
to list your directories.
or to copy files up to it
rclone copy somefile Google:
and to get it back,
rclone copy Google:somefile .
To get more speed (i.e. if you are going to move a lot) there are a number of other settings to adjust, for a good description, see


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Power Pole With Transformers
Wooden power pole shot in Tucson, Arizona
Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi 1/200s, f 11.0, ISO 100, 46 mm
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The FRIENDS continued its work on the Harvey and FRIENDS Bookshop. We purchased new display racks for the mass market paperbacks, re-installed a self-serve payment box and, with the help of the library's custodians, enclosed most of the east wall of the shop. Bruce Feher, Board Member, built a display wall on the exterior of that side for which we will be seeking proposals for a mural. Our monthly First Friday Sales continued to be successful and eagerly anticipated by a core group of loyal shoppers! And we held two very profitable Mega Sales in and around the Bookshop, in November and again in May.
We held four branch book sales over the summer. The FRIENDS also shared books with many non-profits for free, including the Men's Shelter, HealthSpan at Severance, the Mentor Senior Center, Hopewell, resident facility for adults with mental illness, various Little Free Libraries, the West Side Women's Shelter, The CH-UH Public Schools for the summer reading program, and the Thea Bowman Center in Cleveland's Mt. Pleasant neighborhood.
Thanks to our tech-savvy Board Member Russ Rucky, the FRIENDS website was updated to reflect our current operations. With an up-to-date calendar on the home page, and in-depth archived materials, http://friendsof heightslibrary.onefireplace.com is an active, go-to resource for both our members and the public.
Additional activities this year included: The African-American Read-In, a member gathering at the WineSpot, and co-sponsoring a new resident welcome with Future Heights and Reaching Heights. Members of the FRIENDS have also been actively supporting the library's 2.2 mill levy which will be on the ballot in November.
This year the FRIENDS gave 4,432 volunteer hours to support our 5 star Heights Libraries. Thank You to all of our members, and all who volunteer.
Financial Report, 2013-14 Margaret Poutasse, Treasurer
Book Sales $ 27,705
Merchandise 8,147
Events 1,074
Memberships 5,550
Donations 3,243
Investment Income 443
Total Income $ 46,162
Book Sales 3,663
Membership 2,111
Merchandise 1,759
Operations 4,035
Total Expenses $ 11,568
Net Income $ 34,594
2013-14 Grants to the Library
Director's Discretionary Fund $ 1,500
General Library Programming 9,000
Special Library Programs 3,000
Scholarships 1,500
Levy Promotion 2,000
Spelling Bee Entrance Fee 500
Coventry Children's Room Mural 3,960
Total Grants $ 21,460
Louisa Oliver, President


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Check out this bacon gift-giving round-up on Serious Eats, featuring one of my favorite cookbooks, The Bacon Cookbook by James Villas. It goes a long way to make up for the above recipe I got from their site the other day. The recipe, adapted from the Babbo web site, sounded great, but it was a mess of errors. I don't want to sound like a Serious Eats hater, because I'm quite the opposite. As you may have noticed, their's is the only RSS feed on my blog.
Anyway, the recipe was for pasta all'Amatriciana. Actually, the headline said spaghetti, but the photo showed ziti. Bucatini is traditional, and I went with another shape altogether. It's no matter — you start off cooking up some bacon with ribbons of onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. I opted to add 14 ounces of crushed tomatoes, although the recipe posted was a little vague about that part as well. Cook it down, toss with pasta, and finish with chopped parsley and grated Romano cheese, and you have an incredibly satisfying, and easy-to-prepare dinner that your friends and family will love you for.


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Over dinner this week, my sister-in-law (Calla's mother, and a fellow writer) and I discovered that we share a common fear: the bedtime story. "Tell me a story," Calla will say on nights when I babysit. She'll look at me imploringly, tucked in her bed alongside her stuffed warthog and plush pygmy lemur.
This is when the cold sweat begins. "Will you help me tell it?" is my response, every time.
"Okay. Great. Once there was. . . a banana," I'll start, choosing my words haltingly. "A banana named Jim."
Usually, at this point, Calla is staring at me, eagerly awaiting what spellbinding fate might befall an anthropomorphized fruit. "And then what?"
"Hmm. And then. . . and then. . ." I'll stammer, before inevitably admitting defeat. "You know what? That's a great question. Why don't you tell me?"
In the tenth grade, I wrote a short story for my English class that was told from the point of view of a man on death row. The same year, I wrote another piece from the perspective of a little boy who heard voices. I followed that with yet another, about an inner city teenager who'd been kicked out of school. (Clearly, at fifteen, I was interested in exploring the darker side of the human experience.)
I received good marks on these stories at the time; still, they're pieces that embarrass me now---full of vague details and street slang I didn't know how to use.
These were stories I didn't know how to tell.
Today, as a writer, I still doubt my story-telling abilities. Essays, I can handle. Interviews are no problem. But a story is a different animal.
I once overheard a college classmate of mine wonder aloud, "do you have to live like a rock star in order to be a good writer?"
At the time, I understood exactly what he meant. We were being told in our workshops to write what we knew. But in order to tell good stories, did this mean we had to live them first?
There came a time last summer when, in the midst of a sort of quarter-life crisis, I decided to prioritize adventure above (almost) all other things. Whenever I was invited out---or presented with a new experience, big or small---I resolved to say yes.
As I've shared with you at times here, the results of that decision have often come at the expense of comfort. I can't think of a more tumultuous time in my life, but then again, I can't think of a period more exhilarating, either.
My friend Megan sent me a quote yesterday morning from Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible, which reads, in part: "to live. . . is to acquire the words to a story."
Yes. At the very least, what I'm doing now is collecting stories. "Sometimes," I told Megan," I'm so interested in certain emotions that I'll put myself in situations---even if they're uncomfortable---just so I'll know what they feel like."
If I live them, I'll be able to write about them. Share them. Use them.
Whether or not this will improve the quality of my bedtime stories remains to be seen.


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Balls, Bullets & Boots takes you from rugby field to battlefield and back, exploring the impact the hostilities had on New Zealand's signature sport and its sportspeople. Rugby players during the Great War were athletes turned soldiers, making noble sacrifices for their country as they traded the cheers of spectators for the roar of artillery fire.
This exhibition explores the impact on colonial sportsmen (and their loved ones) of war's harsh realities as they were transplanted from the rugby fields of home overseas to fight for the 'mother country'. It takes you through a rugby changing room, down into the trenches and more, while viewing a selection of historic objects, memorabilia, multimedia dramatisations and interactive exhibits along the way.
This will be the last chance to see this exhibition before it is decommissioned.


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About the Scheme
The Motability Scheme enables disabled people to get mobile by exchanging their mobility allowance to lease a new car, scooter or powered wheelchair.
Why join?
Find out how the Motability Scheme provides worry-free mobility and whether a car, scooter or powered wheelchair is most suitable for you.
Who can join?
Use our tool to help you find out if you can join the Motability Scheme.
How to join
If you are eligible, you can join the Scheme in three simple steps.
Use of your car
It's important to understand the Scheme guidelines for using a Motability Scheme vehicle and to make sure you're happy to lease a vehicle within the terms and conditions.
Financial help
Motability, the Charity, may be able to provide financial help to Scheme customers who would otherwise struggle to afford the mobility solution they need.
Information for carers and appointees
If you are not the disabled person, but are acting on their behalf as an appointee or nominee, then you may find this information useful.
Information for professionals and advisors
Motability, the Charity, provides free information and resources about the Motability Scheme to help you advise disabled people and their families.


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Recently, I watched the A&E miniseries Bag of Bones, based on the Stephen King novel of the same name. The story is about a popular novelist who, following the death of his wife, escapes to a lake house to overcome a serious bout of writer's block.
I don't believe writer's block exists in the way it is commonly misunderstood—that is, a writer can't put words on the page because the muse hasn't filled the well of inspiration.
In actuality, the block is a psychological manifestation of one or more of the following factors:
- Fear of failure
- Laziness—because writing is a difficult task
- Perfectionism—when you think you should be writing Shakespeare instead of a mediocre first draft
- Pure depression—which can result from any of the previous three
Every creative person experiences some form of these psychological blocks throughout their life. In the case of Bones' Mike Noonon, played by Pierce Brosnan, he embodies two of them:
- Depression over his wife's death
- Doubting his abilities, a form a fear, which leads him into to an even deeper depression
He explains that he no longer has "the energy or the talent to do what [he] thought [he] was born to do." As a writer stuck in my own rut at the time, this line perfectly explained my mindset.
My current novel has taken way longer than anticipated to write, and I've struggled with properly fleshing out a few important plot points. In the eight years since I wrote the short story version, I've built up this project so much in my head that I routinely battle the desire to make it perfect, fear that I won't live up to the story's potential, and too often slip into an unproductive depression that grinds my progress to a halt.
For those of you keeping score, that covers all four manifestations of so-called writer's block, even when I know each of the excuses are possible for me to solve.
The conflict between knowing your purpose in life and lacking the ability to fulfill that objective is one of the most frustrating states imaginable. While the details of our particular projects differ, we writers hit the same roadblocks along our respective journeys. Even Stephen King, author of more than fifty books, has felt the sting of doubt and used it as the central problem in several of his narratives. Still, knowing that I am in good company rarely helps. That's the head trying to reason with the heart. Each problem feels individual, not communal.
The writing process is like being dropped in the middle of a lake and forced to swim to shore. If you think you're too tired, you have two options: give up or keep swimming. In the former, you drown. In the latter, you work toward salvation. So, if you want to quit, keep swimming. If there's a shark/deadline, swim faster. The point is to keep progressing because the more you condition yourself, the stronger a swimmer you become.
Two moments empowered me to escape my recent rut.
First, I am blessed with some great friends. When in dire straights, I call my war council (a.k.a. Meghan). She's my no-nonsense voice of reason and among my first, trusted readers whenever I complete a project. I told her that my frustration was knowing I was meant to be a writer and fearing that, maybe, I had only one book in me. Now that I'd written that book, maybe I was creatively spent. Without hesitation, and with vigor, she replied, "I don't believe that for a second."
Second, I chose to verify the Bag of Bones quote and discovered that I had remembered it incorrectly. Mike Noonan said that he lacked "the energy or the talent to do what [he] thought [he] was born to do." The way I recalled the line—that is, the words that spoke to me and the way I reported it to Meghan—is that I lacked "the energy or the talent to do what I was born to do."
Notice the key deviation?
Writing is not the vocation "I thought I was born to do." Writing is the vocation "I was born to do."
The confidence to carry on is always somewhere inside, even when you can't see it, even when the lake wants you to quit so that it can consume you. However, you must keep swimming to overcome the block and reach the shore.
Don't listen to the voice that says you can't make it.
Beware the lake.


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Lance HenriksenVerified
Photos of Lance Henriksen
Lance was born under the official name Henriksen, Lance James on May 5th, 1940. He has been a credited actor since the 1978 film Damien: Omen II.
Lance Henriksen is a bankable leading actor on the silver screen. He has starred in eight films including the 2015 horror film Dark Awakening as the character Father Donovan O'Malley, the 2013 action movie Gemini Rising playing Colonel Stephen Cencula and the 2012 drama release It's in the Blood cast as Russell.
Lance has made such a successful career in supporting roles, that it actually surpasses most leading actor's careers. He has appeared in thirty-five films including: the 2015 action film Daylight's End as the character Frank Hill, the 2014 horror movie House at the End of the Drive playing Skip Johansen and the 2013 action release Blood Shot cast as Sam.
His most commercially successful project to date has been the 1999 adventure film Tarzan, which brought in $171,000,000 at the box office.
Lance is a fan favorite, having been featured on the cover of at least three magazines, interviewed in over ten publications and featured in three magazine articles. He has been the subject of at least one book.


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Not in Kevin's Corner
Today some old friends and familiar faces reconvened in Brisbane's Land Court as two conservation groups and graziers from Central Queensland began a challenge to GVK Hancock's proposed Kevin's Corner mine in the Galilee Basin. Member Wayne Cochrane presided.
All objections to proposed mega mines in the Galilee, and mines anywhere else for that matter, come down to irreversible groundwater impacts. It was the same in the Alpha case of 2013 and the Carmichael case in April this year, and it is the same in the battle for the Liverpool Plains of New South Wales. Will farmers' bores dry up once the mine is operational; will spring systems cease to be; and will the Great Artesian Basin (GAB), arguably Australia's most crucially important water source, be compromised beyond recovery.
Water is unquestionably the nation's most valuable resource. This continent has an arid climate in more regions than not, and, since climate is changing, drought will become more severe and prolonged. There is currently what has been described as a Godzilla El Niño developing, which will exacerbate the drought already being endured by many farming communities across Queensland and other states.
Other key matters in this case are ecology, economics and cumulative impact assessment (CIA).
Appearing in Court are the North Queensland Conservation Council (NQCC) and the Coast and Country Association of Queensland (CCAQ), the latter represented by the Environmental Defenders Office (EDO), along with Bruce and Annette Currie, beef farmers from near Jericho who are once again bravely representing themselves. Bruce explained why he was fighting the case to the ABC outside the Magistrates Court (top).
Kevin's Corner mine is projected to produce 30 million tonnes of thermal coal a year for 30 years. It is situated in the south Galilee Basin, 360 kilometres southwest of Mackay. The project will have both open-cut and underground operations.
As Damian Clothier (for GVK Hancock) began his opening statement, familiar names, acronyms and issues cropped up: the Rewan Formation and Dunda Beds; disputes between expert hydrogeologists about folding, faulting and recharge; aquifer parameters and groundwater modelling; monitoring bores and trigger levels; EISs, SEISs and MES; the Co-ordinator General's conditions and the Precautionary Principle.
Member Cochrane has a very different style from the judges in previous cases I've attended in the Land Court. He frequently interjected with questions, or required clarification or elaboration. He shared his thoughts with counsel and other representatives: are cumulative impact assessments beyond his remit? Where is the security for landowners (with regard to unpredicted impacts on water)? Modelling is only as good as the extent to which its assumptions are based on reality. Isn't everything he's going to hear from expert witnesses speculative? (Mr Clothier preferred the word predictive.) Could Mrs Tubman (for NQCC) give him an example of a social cumulative impact?
Before Dr McGrath of the EDO began his opening statement, he raised possibly the most intriguing matter of the day, and a conundrum. References had been made earlier by Mr Clothier to how Hancock's lack of a water licence permitting, for example, any impact on the GAB, would protect landowners against an unpredicted loss of water from their artesian bores, and thus necessitate a halt to mining if it occurred. Dr McGrath pointed out that changes to the Water Act introduced by the Newman government (the contentious Water Reform and Other Legislation Amendment Act) due to take effect by default from 6 December this year unless the current Queensland government repeals them (as promised prior to its election last January), mean that mining companies will no longer be required to obtain water licences in order to extract large quantities of water for their projects. This has huge implications for the handing down of Member Cochrane's recommendations in conclusion to this case.
The day's proceedings culminated with Ms Tubman's opening statement and main concern – the failure of GVK Hancock to provide a CIA as specified in the SEIS for Kevin's Corner.
We start half an hour earlier than usual in the morning…


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Category: League of Legends
Ezreal has always been a very versatile champion with many playstyles and even more ways of building him. Even since his release, there were people who bought AD, AP or even the combination of both for him – not mentioning Saintvicious' famous jungle Ezreal. Of course, different items mean different gold value and different damage. In this short summary, I only focus on the AD-carry builds.
Continue reading: Calculating the damage of different Ezreal builds


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On today's show, Adam and Scott finish their interview with Joe Friel. We help with keeping training motivation high, and discuss things that make you a triathlete.
On this weeks show, we interview best selling endurance author, coach, and co-founder of TrainingBible coaching Joe Friel . We take audience questions in part 1.
On today's show, Scott and Adam give direction on how to set an effective race schedule to fit your needs as an athlete, also we talk about how to focus on cadence to improve your run training. Lastly, we have an interview with 2-time Kona qualifier, Jay Druml who set an Ironman PR less than 12 months after major back surgery!!!
On the first show of the new year, Adam and Scott discuss the why's and how's of base training, how to establish your training zones, and simple goal setting. Plus we are giving away $500 to start the new year off right!!


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Summer Holidays 2017 – Package Holiday to Crete £1544 per Family
Planning your Summer Holiday 2017?
Over at Thomas Cook there are some great holidays and this deal to Crete is no exception for those looking for a relaxing family holiday.
You can secure your Thomas Cook Package holiday with a £75 deposit now and spread the cost with regular payments.
There are various options available to choose from which you can check out HERE.
The following prices are based on 2 adults and 2 children sharing however you can easily adjust the party size requirements to suit your needs:
Flying from Gatwick on 25th July = £1544 per Family
Flying from Birmingham on 25th July = £1920 per Family
Flying from Bristol on 25th July = £1916 per Family
Flying from Glasgow on 25th July = £1900 per Family
Flying from East Midlands on 19th July = £1400 per Family
Flying from Manchester on 25th July = £1756 per Family
Flying from Newcastle on 25th July = £2056 per Family
If you're looking for a friendly place to relax only footsteps away from the beach then we highly recommend the Andreas Apartments in Gouves. Quiet, cosy and family-run, there's plenty of rustic charm here and it proves very popular with couples.
The Andreas Apartments have good reviews over on TripAdvisor and an average rating of 4/5.
CLICK HERE to read what other visitors have to say about this hotel.
Included in the Price:
- Return Flights
- All Taxes & Charges
- 15kg Luggage each
- 7 Nights in an Excellent Hotel
- ATOL Protection
- Return Coach Transfers
- Based on Family of 4 (other party sizes available)
Car Hire:
If you are wanting to get out and about during your holiday then maybe car hire would be a good option? We would suggest checking out Carrentals.co.uk whose easy to use site always has great prices.
Airport Parking
For Cheap Airport parking check out Airparks who have awesome prices and are the company I use almost every time I travel
Trip Advisor is not just great for reading reviews on hotels that you have your eyes on but also for checking out local attractions in the area and I recommend a good browse over there before you travel!
Like My Page on FACEBOOK – Click Here


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Hey, Can You Do that at Church?
This weekend at Granger, we launched the Sync series on Easter with an amazing dance element choreographed and performed by volunteers. There was energy in the house!
Song performed by the band was Boomin' by tobyMac.
Interesting tidbit: Although many larger churches have gone the route of paying their musicians (nothing wrong with that), we have intentionally chosen to maintain an all-volunteer arts ministry led by an amazing staff team. No one gets paid to play or sing or act. That means the amazing artists in this video gave their entire weekend (plus all the rehearsals) to do this six times. Thank you to all of you!


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We went to the White Rock Theatre on Saturday, April 23, to see and hear Verdi's Macbeth performed by Opera South East.
It was a superb operatic experience, beautifully sung, costumed, and staged with the outstanding accompaniment of the Sussex Concert Orchestra. Our only disappointment was that the theatre was half full.
A missed opportunity for many who might have shared in this fantastic experience.
We consider ourselves fortunate, not only to have great entertainment venues on our doorstep on the South Coast but also a marvellous Company such as Opera South East to entertain us, making the Macbeth experience, on his 400th anniversary, an absolute delight. We plan to enjoy many such evenings in the future and hope we will share this experience with those of your readers who do not wish to incur all the costs associated with London theatre experiences, and yet be able to hear and see well presented musical productions.
We hope our comments will draw attention to the brilliant productions of South East Opera and the Sussex Concert Orchestra here on the South Coast.
Kate Chivers
Martin Dennis
Cornwall Road
Don't miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.
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Be part of it.


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by Joe Keane
Haunted House
I only started sketching a few months ago, when I accompanied my short stories with a small pencil sketch. Our moderator was very impressed, and because we hope to produce a small book later in the year, I have been requested to do some plates to accompany some of the stories.
Return to Online Drawing and Sketching.
Copyright 2019 © All Rights Reserved
Pencil Sketches


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Crispin M. I. Smith is a British researcher working on foreign policy and international law, with a particular focus on Iraq and Kurdistan. He has researched and consulted for government agencies, NGOs, and international organizations working in Iraq, Syria and the wider region. He also advises working groups in the U.K. House of Lords, and has briefed representatives of various governments on related policy issues.
In 2016 Crispin led a research team for the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, investigating minority rights in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The public findings were published in 2017 in a report entitled "Wilting in the Kurdish Sun: the Hopes and Fears of Religious Minorities in Northern Iraq." His work on the legal status of the Kurdish Peshmerga is due to be published in volume 59 of the Harvard International Law Journal as "Independent without Independence: the Iraqi-Kurdish Peshmerga in International Law."
Crispin holds a BA in Assyriology and Arabic from the University of Oxford, and is a candidate for Juris Doctor at Harvard Law School.
Contact Information
This individual is a guest contributor but is not an MEI-affiliated expert. We are not able to assist with contact requests.


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"So I went inward and became stronger.
I followed the path of my soul
into the bowels of my creation.
And suddently I felt light returning to my mind,
as if the light was emanating from deep within me,
and it was!
I opened to receive it, and it shone upon me the way
a child joyfully welcomes one back from a long journey.
There was a child inside there,
and discovery, and joy!
And all the things which I had sought outside myself!
There was a pulsing and a deepening–
an invitation, and I accepted.
I went forward
catching my breath,
and the welcome remained.
There was no withdrawal
as I went nearer.
I expanded more, reaching within,
and rather than less,
there was more
and more
I did not end,
I was not hollow,
I was not empty.
I was full
and FULLER."
~Flo Aeveia Magdalena,
I Remember Union: The Life of Mary Magdalena


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Vanity Fair "Introducing Caitlyn Jenner" Annie Liebovitz's great photo of Caitlyn (née Bruce) is all the rage on the internet today. Vanity Fair's cover story will be 22 pages in print form
VF Tumblr also has behind the photoshoot footage
Awards Daily wonders what the Academy's documentary branch will do about the new New York Times policy -- previously their policy was to review every single movie that opened in New York City
In Contention the screenwrite of Grace of Monaco live tweets it to "correct" the record
You Must Remember This I'm so behind on this podcast which is typically great and educational about Old Hollywood -- the latest episode is about the Manson Murders in Hollywood but don't let a ton of "Star Wars" titled episodes fool you. It's not Lucas's space opera but 40s-era stories about stars during wartime
The Film Stage looks at the 10 favorite films of Rainer Werner Fassbinder which include Johnny Guitar and Salo, or: The 120 Days of Sodom; sounds about right! The prolific gay auteur would have been 70 this week
The AV Club with some funny news: E.L. James will basically rewrite 50 Shades of Grey to make more money oh and to tell things from Christian's perspective.
Variety bummer news: Sofia Coppola stepping off the director's chair for The Little Mermaid
The Stake urges you to remember that Point Break (1991) is "tremendous" before you see the inevitably terrible remake - while on that topic...
RedBubble has a cool graphic poster of that movie for sale
The Playlist a new tearjerker project for Channing Tatum, Two Kisses for Maddy about a widower raising his daughter
Cinematic Corner falls hard for Furiousa and Mad Max Fury Road
Reel Talk thinks we need to start taking Nicholas Hoult seriously (as do I post Fury Road... though I was far less convinced previously)
CineMunch wonders who your favorite drunk actresses are on their latest podcast -- with gin drink recipes!
CHUD great new poster for the final Hunger Games movie. Those movies are dull but I will give them this: they've always had wonderful smarts about the teasing
MNPP's quote of the day reveals two Stephen King properties that the studios actually don't want. Weird
MNPP gets excited like Chris Pratt for Jurassic World
Tweet o' The Week
Squarespace no longer seems to allow tweet embeds -- they say they do but they never show up at TFE anymore so this is a snapshot of a tweet from the ubiquitous Jessica Chastain herself. (About the formerly ubiquitous Bryce Dallas Howard). It is wonderful. Gingers forever.
Showtune to Go!
June is Pride Month and with Caitlyn Jenner kicking things off with that Vanity Fair reveal today let's go back to one of the most moving original gay anthems "I Am What I Am" from La Cage Aux Folles. It's only one of the greatest songs ever written about being true to yourself. (I adore that moment at the beach in Paris is Burning when the two ladies start singing it).
Sing out, John Barrowman!


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Modern Bohemian came out of Christine Blecher's love for pillows. She is a designer and artisan who passionately believes that our homes should reflect ourselves and the journey of our lives. All of her pillows, aprons, etc are handmade from textiles or fabrics that have been up-cycled in some way.
For instance they may have been a piece of curtain fabric, a vintage blanket or an item of clothing such as a linen dress or shirt. Some of her pillows are made from designer fabric samples that were being discarded for the newer models.
Christine believes in the Japanese phrase Wabi-Sabi or "perfect imperfection", whereby a look is pulled together combining pieces that show their age and wea and reveal uirky and personal mementos of a life well-ived.
You can find Christine among her pillows at www.modernbohemian.ca and her studio (2447 Islands View Drive) is open by appointment.


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Artist: Lyxs
Tool of Choice:Peacock
User since: Dec 29, 2008
It was clear from Lyxs' first creation he had an intuitive grace with Peacock. Colorful and abstract creations permeate his gallery. Many started to study the hubs but end up as spectacular images. Noticing the lack of information on Peacock, he initiated the drive for the Peacock wiki, and wrote more that half by himself. Lyxs has a great eye for composition and is an incredible scholar of Aviary tools.
From Lyxs:
"I'm a 20 year old graphic arts and technologies student, and i love creating images. I discovered aviary a while ago from browsing Worth1000 and I decided I'd give it a try. Instantly i fell in love with peacock, and all the wonders of it. Mpeutz encouraged me since my first image ( which i think was a lucky shot ), and that got me excite to try and do new things. I learned a lot from writing the peacock wiki also, the bad thing is that right now i don't have that much time ( or lack of internet connection) to come to aviary, so i can't apply all that I've learned. I think I've become peacock addicted, hehe.
Either way aviary is a great project, and i'm really happy to be a part of it."
Here are a few of Lyxs's creations (click the pictures to see larger views and access the egg files):
You can view his full portfolio here.Thanks for all your wonderful creations Lyxs.
============================================================== Aviary is a suite of powerful creative applications that you can use right in your web browser. Head on over to the Aviary homepage to try the applications out for free and learn more! Sign up for an account to create, share, and collaborate with our community of artists.


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Wireless Networking on Windows 2008 R2
April 16, 2013 Leave a comment
I've just spent 30 minutes trying to get my new wireless card working under Windows 2008 R2. I had installed the drivers that came with the card, the card was visible under Device Manager but I could not connect to a wireless network.
It turns out that Windows 2008 R2 doesn't include wireless LAN support unless explicitly enabled. So to rectify this, bring up Server Manager->Add Features->Wireless LAN Service and all the tools for connecting to a wireless network are installed.


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>> Union Rural Development Minister Gopinath Munde passed away on Tuesday morning after he met with a road accident in the national capital.
>> Munde was admitted to the AIIMS trauma centre after he met with a road accident on way to the Delhi airport.
>> According to doctors, Munde was sitting on the back side of his Maruti SX4 car when the accident took place. A speeding Indica jumped a traffic signal and dashed into Munde's car from the side at around 6.20 am. When Munde was brought to the hospital, there was no spontaneous breathing, no pulse, bilateral pupils dilated and no cardiac activity. A doctor said that CPR was immediately started and continued for about 50 minutes but he could not be revived. He said that Munde breathed his last at 7.20 am. Though the doctor did not confirm a cardiac arrest, he said that the death could have been caused due to a cardiac condition.
>> National flag will be flown at half mast in Delhi, state capitals and Union Territories today as a mark of respect to Munde.
>> President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, among others, condoled the sudden death of the Union Minister.


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During heavy rains many people report that they have leaky basements. After all, this is to be expected because the heavy rains cause a rapid rise in the water table which exerts significant hydrostatic pressure against the foundation of your home. If there is a way for water to penetrate your foundation wall, the hydrostatic pressure will force groundwater through it.
Heavy rains and building envelope leaks
While it is true that many people experience basement leaks after heavy rains, it must be remembered that such heavy rainfalls also test the entire building envelope of your home; effectively a major stress test on the building envelope in general. For example, if you have a leaky roof, during heavy rainstorms you can expect that your roof will leak quite a bit. Similarly, driving rains against the walls of your home commonly cause water to penetrate the building envelope around windows and doors; in particular, those windows and doors with missing or deficient caulking. To compound the problem further, cracked mortar joints in the brick veneer of your exterior walls often allow driving rains to penetrate the building envelope. The water than ends up in the basement after these heavy rains is often attributed to basement leaks when the origin is something else entirely.
How building envelope leaks relate to leaky basements
We hate to state the obvious, but the water that has penetrated the building envelope of your home is subjected to gravity. Since the weight of your home is largely supported by the exterior foundation walls, via the wooden framing of your home, any water that penetrates the building envelope will drain behind your walls downwards onto the top of the foundation. Once rainwater reaches the top of the foundation it quickly makes its way onto your basement floor. So if you go down to the basement and notice water on the floor, it only makes sense that you would assume that you have a leaky basement and therefore require basement waterproofing repairs.
Given the logic of the paragraph above, it is logical to conclude that it is possible for building envelope leaks to be misdiagnosed and treated as if they were bona fide basement leaks, especially in finished basements where the foundation walls cannot be visually inspected. If this occurs, you may unknowingly spend a small fortune on a leaky basement repair when in fact, you simply needed to replace the caulking around your windows and doors.
Note: During heavy rains it is common for window wells to fill-up and dump water from the basement window sill; click for more information about window well leaks.
Dealing with leaky basements during heavy rains
Given what we know about how hydrostatic pressure causes basement leaks and how heavy rains can penetrate the building envelope, it is clear that one must proceed with caution before taking any corrective action, until the source of water in the basement has been positively confirmed.
When you experience a basement leak after heavy rains and there is alot of water in your basement, it is crucial that you avoid panicking. If you panic, the likelihood that you will hire the first available contractor, or waterproofing contractor, to waterproof your basement, is high. Consequently, your chances of making an expensive mistake are high as well.
Before you agree to any leaky basement repair
If it has been proven, without a shadow of a doubt, that the water in your basement is the result of a basement leak then it makes sense to arrange to have waterproofing done; if not, further investigation is required.
To confirm that your wet basement is caused by a foundation leak, a simple hose test is all that is required. By placing your garden hose next to your foundation and allowing water to travel downwards along the foundation and exert hydrostatic pressure on the foundation you are, in fact, simulating heavy rains and their effect on the foundation exclusively. If this water test results in additional water in your basement then you certainly have a leaky basement and should proceed to have it repaired. If however, this hose testing appears to have no noticeable effect in your basement, then it is very possible that your wet basement is the result of a building envelope leak and not a basement leak.


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|January 9, 2017
Detritus Drive
Bath, Maine 04530
Beginning Dec. 26, Christmas Tree Curbside Collection will be held on three consecutive Mondays following Christmas.
The Christmas Tree Curbside Schedule for Bath is: Dec. 26, Jan. 2 and Jan. 9. Trees must be free of decorations and tree stands and not placed in plastic bags. Trees should be placed on the curb, but out of the snow plow path.
For more information on Christmas Tree Curbside Collection, call 443-8356.


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I almost made my way down to Ft. Worth his weekend for Wall Of Sound but my sunburn and exhaustion from last weekend has not resided enough. But that shouldn't stop you. The line up host a slew of great bands. Some of my suggestions if you are fortunate enough to get down there this weekend are of course Ghostland Observatory. As well as Ume, Tacks the Boy Disaster and The Lemurs. Explosions in the Sky should be very stimulating as well!
2007 Wall Of Sound Festival
Saturday, September 22nd
LaGrave Field, 301 NE 6th St., Fort Worth, TX
$30 Advance / $35 Day Of Show


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On May 25-27 the Bowery Electric hosted another rock 'n' roll extravaganza, this time a three-night "Max's Kansas City Festival" – dedicated to the legendary NYC venue that existed from 1965 to 1981, and its equally legendary performers. On tap for night number one: a roster of acts, both new and old, two of which easily fall into the "legendary" category: The Sic F*cks and The Waldos. Starring two of the greatest punk rock front-men of all-time – two guys who not only know how to rock, but how to entertain. Performers who can make you dance one minute and laugh out loud the next: Russell Wolinsky, co-founder and lead singer of outrageous comic-punks The Sic F*cks, and Walter Lure, co-founder and guitarist of proto-punk band The Heartbreakers and, more recently, leader of The Waldos.
The Sic F*cks (truly living up to their name at every performance, even now) were formed in 1977 by Bronx-born Wolinsky and sisters Eileen and Tish Bellomo – better known as Tish and Snooky and who had briefly been backup singers in Blondie. Recruiting a gaggle of guys who took stage names like Dick String, Bob Hopeless, Stink (the bassist – poking fun at Sting), and Harry Viderci (as in Italian for goodbye – haha), they were soon appearing regularly at Max's and CBGB. Fun, tasteless numbers like "Insects Rule My World," "Rock Or Die," "Teenage Abortion," "Spanish Bar Mitzvah," and "Chop Up Your Mother" – coupled with wacky (to say the least) costumes and props (like Tish and Snooky's coat hanger, plunger, and two-headed baby doll on "Teenage Abortion") made their performances an evening to, uh, remember. And still do! A few of those songs even made it onto vinyl in 1982 on…ready?…Sozyamuda Records. Oy vey.
Meanwhile, Walter Lure formed The Heartbreakers with ex-New York Doll Johnny Thunders in 1975, and the band existed on and off (with numerous gigs at Max's of course) until shortly before Thunders' death in 1991. Lure and a few of the later Heartbreakers members re-named themselves The Waldos (after Walter's occasional nickname), continued making noise in and around NYC, and in 1994 released an album, Rent Party. Nowadays the Waldos experience is bookended by Japanese axemen Ichiuji Takanori (aka EZ) on bass and Takto Nakai on guitar, drummer Joe Rizzo propelling everything along in the back…and master-of-ceremonies Mr. Lure providing off-the-cuff commentary between signature tunes "Damn Your Soul," "Cry Baby," "Sorry," and Heartbreakers staples "One Track Mind," "Chinese Rocks," "Get Off the Phone," "Let Go," "Sad Vacation," and "Too Much Junkie Business."
And like some of the great entertainers of yore (Frankie S. anyone?), both Russell and Walter appear onstage in classy, if trashy, jacket-and-hat motifs (orange-ish jackets for both this evening), peppering their bands' sets with corny jokes and hilarious anecdotes. Advice for lead singers everywhere: Sing loudly…and carry a big shtick!
Max's photo courtesy maxskansascity.org
Videos courtesy YouTube/Alan Rand, YouTube/Nanchanger
Band photos by me
* Correction to the May 21 post: the band in Vinyl was called the Nasty Bits (not the Naughty Bits).


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One of Donald Trump's largest financial contributors is a suburban Chicago businessman many have never heard of. And he's on a mission to change the Republican party in a way many would never expect.
Shalli Kumar, of Carol Stream, made his fortune in electronics. He has already contributed roughly $1 million to the Trump election effort.
"And there is another million dollars that I am committed to from the Kumar family, whatever under the law that is allowed," he said.
Once a Democrat, Kumar credits Ronald Reagan with his political conversion. In 2015, he founded the Republican Hindu Coalition to back Trump, an effort he believes will help the party achieve greater diversity.
But along the way, he quickly discovered something about Republicans that set him on a unique mission.
"The Republican Party, for the most part, thinks with its brains, not with its heart," he said. "So that is where the problem comes in."
Kumar has since launched what he calls a hug campaign.
"I am teaching them," he said. "A hug campaign."
As part of his efforts, Kumar said he has already hugged Trump, and other big-name politicians.
"That's my hallmark," he said. "Trump, Newt Gingrich… I teach them hugging. Called Punjabi hug."
He believes the campaign will help the party reach a broader scope of people.
And when it comes to the embrace, Kumar said both Trump and Gingrich are "good huggers."


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Why CHAD Eco Panel Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Wall Panels Help Create a Smart and Better Built Environment?
The Eco Panel Autoclaved (AAC) Aerated Concrete wall panel, is a unique building material that contributes to a sustainable built environment. They provide an integrated solution to insulation needs and facilitate faster installation time.
AAC wall panels are manufactured using standard materials, including lime, sand, cement, and water mixed with a small amount of an expanding agent. The mixture is then poured into a mould where a chemical reaction takes place. The expanding agent in the mix creates small pockets of finely dispersed air bubbles.
The panels are cured under extreme heat and pressure to create a relatively stable and lightweight cellular structure - the unique physical properties of AAC wall panels. After the curation process, the mould is cut and sliced in the required sizes. Once they are cut, the wall panels undergo corrosion protection treatment to strengthen the panel's structural integrity.
03 9544 8899
Warehouse: 1366 North Rd, Oakleigh South, Vic, 3167, Showroom: Crn North & Warrigal Rds, Oakleigh, Vic, 3166
03 9544 8899
show more


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Nordic Centre provides academic services and office spaces for visiting scholars from our Nordic member universities. If you are a researcher at one of our universities and want an entry point to academic China, or a base for working with external actors in Shanghai, this opportunity is for you. We also accept master's level students working on their theses.
If you come to Nordic Centre or other places at Fudan University as a visiting scholar, you may also apply for funding (the 'research platform') for travel to Shanghai and back home, and for expenses arising from your stay (this however is not open to BA and MA students). Preference is given to applications that show a potential for long-term collaboration.
Visiting scholars can be from any kind of academic discipline, and the stays in Shanghai can be for whatever purpose is relevant to your work -- from meeting new or already acquainted colleagues working in the same field to gathering data or writing papers. We can help connect you to local academics at Fudan University or elsewhere, and can also offer advice on how to reach locals with surveys or for interviews, and inform you about important things to keep in mind when operating in China. We also of course have a library and various venues for activities; you will also have access to Fudan University's main library.
Please read our Handbook for Visiting Scholars to get an overview of what we offer, and how to prepare for coming to China.
The application form for funding is here. Note that Fudan scholars can also apply for funding for research visits to the Nordic countries to work with colleagues at our member universities there -- so please inform your Chinese collaborators about this opportunity.
Applications for 1) an office space as a visiting scholar or for 2) funding for visits/stays in Shanghai can be sent at any time, to firstname.lastname@example.com
Also contact us if you have any questions about this opportunity.
Note that the fee for one month's office space is 100 euros -- though we sometimes waive this under special circumstances, or if the visiting scholar is the recipient of our research platform funding.


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Nikola Tesla – the man and his mother
Tesla was born at midnight between July 9 and 10, in 1856, 4th of 5 children and spent his childhood in the area that became Yugoslavia after WWI. His father was a Serbian Orthodox Minister and his mother a traditional housewife. He spoke very highly of his mother, and credited his photographic memory and inventive genius to her.
He wrote this about his mother (who, by this very description would be considered gifted):
An inventor of the first order and would, I believe, have achieved great things had she not been so remote from modern life and its multifold opportunities. She invented and constructed all kinds of tools and devices and wove the finest designs from thread which was spun by her. She even planted the seeds, raised the plants, and separated the fibers herself. She worked indefatigably, from break of day till late at night, and most of the wearing apparel and furnishings of the home was the product of her hands
April, 4th 1892: Tesla's Mother Dies
Tesla rushed to his mother's side as she lay dying, arriving from Paris hours before her death. Her last words to him were: "You've arrived, Nidžo, my pride." Tesla's mother died on the Easter Sunday at one o'clock in the morning and was buried later that day beside her husband at the Jasikovac cemetery in Divoselo, Croatia. After her death, Tesla fell ill. He spent two to three weeks recuperating in Gospić and the village of Tomingaj near Gračac, a village in the southern part of Lika, Croatia, his mother's birthplace.
Tesla Man Out of Time by Margaret Cheney
Thank you for your interest in the article Nikola Tesla – The Man and His Mother
The scalar healing sessions are done remotely using your photograph to connect with you. There are 3 options for scalar sessions:
- You as an individual
- You and one other as a Couple
- You and a group of 3, 4, 5, 7
You can click here or on the banner below to get started. After payment, you will receive an email requesting your photograph. Submit your photograph and Tom Paladino will begin the sessions. You will receive scalar sessions 7 days each week over 30 days. These sessions consist of a Pathogen Cleanse, a Nutritional Therapy and a Chakra Balance. Please refer to the FAQ page to see more details.


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India ratified an international convention on nuclear energy accident liability, the government of India states, and the final piece in its efforts to address the concerns of foreign nuclear suppliers and draw them into a market worth billions of dollars.
Nuclear reactor makers such as General Electric have been reluctant to set up plants in India because of a 2010 liability law that makes equipment suppliers potentially accountable for accidents, not just the plant operators as is the global norm.
Since then, India which wants to ramp up the share of nuclear power from barely 3 percent to 25 percent by 2050 has been trying to assuage the fears of the nuclear suppliers.


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Heading to Phi Phi Paradise
The ultimate escape: Phi Phi Island. A tropical island surrounded by aquamarine waters and shallow reefs; a luxurious Balinese style pool villa nestled a stone's throw away from the beach among lush palms and vegetation; and our suggestion of activities to balance relax and discovery in a unique and unforgettable tropical holiday.
Our chauffeur will wait for you at the exit gate of Phuket Airport to provide hassle free transportation to the Ayara Hilltops - a fantastic 5 stars resort with spectacular view over Surin Beach. Take you time to enjoy the facilities of this hotel or go for a walk around. Surin Beach is one of the loveliest in Phuket and has a wide selection of delicious beach side restaurants and nice bars. We'll provide you with a list of our favorite ones, handpicked for their food and ambience, but can also arrange for a chauffeur car should you prefer to dig in the crazy nightlife of Patong, which is only 15 min away. If some relax is what you need after you flight, just let us know, and we'll arrange for you a massage treatment to release stress and prepare you for your next 7 days in a tropical paradise
Phi Phi Island Village and Spa minivan will pick you up at Ayara Hilltops to provide hassle free transportation to the Ao Po Grand Marina, where you will board a luxurious catamaran to Phi Phi Island. Enjoy comfortably the 1 h. and 30 min. needed for the sea-transfer while sipping a fresh drink, seated in the air-conditioned saloon cabin furnished with comfortable plush leather seating or even outside for a first tanning session while admiring the wonders of Andaman sea . Upon your arrival, you'll be shown to your exquisite Hillside Pool Villa, privately secluded on the gentle slop of the rainforest, comprising a master bedroom, a living room and an outdoor area with a 6x4 meters private pool with Jacuzzi offering amazing views over Loh Ba gao bay.
Spend the morning on the beautiful 800 m. private beach glistening a few steps away from your suite before taking the time to treat your loved one and yourself to a 3 hours Spa Package. We suggest you to try the "Romantic Dream" package, specially designed to sooth stressed minds and recharge bodies. You'll start with a floral foot bath, lying next to each other getting back, neck and shoulder massages. The treatment will continue with a facial treatments and then by foot, arm, hand and scalp. Have a nice pampering time!
Use this day to relax and to enjoy the facilities of your fantastic resort.
Lay by 1000m2 freshwater infinity pool equipped with Jacuzzi and overlooking the beautiful Lo Ba Goa Bay and outer islands of the Andaman Sea.
Stroll on the beach or have some fun kayaking and snorkeling in the surroundings.
Phi Phi is famous for its shallow reefs, all the more reason to go discovering the island's environment at your leisure.
Don't miss the chance to have a fantastic tour of Krabi and its surrounding islands.
Ask the concierge tour desk for half day tour, starting with a visit to the beautiful Rai Ley
Beach known for its famous dramatic limestone cliffs and white sand beach.
Enjoy a relaxing time on the beach of Kai Island with time for a leisurely swim, as well as a stop on the way back at Hin Klang Coral Reef for some snorkeling before reaching your resort at sunset for a romantic aperitif by the beach or at your swimming pool.
After a day spent boating, you'll look forward to some serious relaxing time today.
With the Resort occupying the full 800 metre length of Lo Ba Goa Bay white sandy beach, there is plenty of room for you to find an area all for yourself.
You will find the convenience of sun lounges provided along the foreshore and a beach bar to order a fresh cocktail whilst taking in the spectacular views.
Some of the best view you can get from Phi Phi is from above. Ask for a trekking session with the resort experienced guide to the panoramic view point of Phi Phi Don Island and amaze at colors and brightness of the nature in this part of the world.
You'll have the chance to observe a great variety of native plants and wildlife along the way. Ensure to bring along your camera to capture one of the most picturesque sights and breathtaking view to remember.
The journey back to the Resort will be by a traditional long-tail boat so to let you see it all again, but from a different perspective.
This is your last day in the wonderful paradise of Phi Phi.
Take it all in freedom, enjoy reading a book by the beach, treat yourself with another Spa treatment, release the last drop of tension while playing at the tennis court or pumping your muscles with the fitness equipments at your disposal. Snorkel a bit more and you`d better have a waterproof camera with you to bring back under marine images that will last forever.
Treat yourself special tonight and ask for an in-villa candle light dinner with your partner whispering sweet words under the starry sky.
All too soon it is time to say goodbye. We hope that you enjoyed your holiday with our proposals and arrangements. You will be transferred to the airport by the Phi Phi Village catamaran and mini bus. Have a nice trip back!
This proposal can be taken as it is, or can be arranged for a shorter or longer period.
To book or personalize this proposal please contact us at: email@example.com or visit us at: www.classyfrontiers.com
- Transfer from Phuket airport to Surin beach Ayara Hilltops by Toyota Camri
- 1 night accommodation at Ayara Hilltops in Hillside Pool Villa, inclusive of daily breakfast, tax and service charge.
- Round trip land & sea transfer to Phi Phi by luxury minivan and luxury motor powered catamaran
- 7 nights Accommodation at Phi Phi Island Village & Spa in Hillside pool villa, inclusive of daily breakfast, tax and service charge, welcome drink & refreshing cool towel upon arrival, fruit basket on the first night, free use of kayak & snorkeling equipment (subject to availability), free use of tennis courts & equipment (subject to availability), free use of Fitness room.
- Flight tickets from/to your country, available upon request.
- Travel insurance
- All meals, activities and additional services not listed above and in the travel proposal description.
For terms and conditions, please visit: www.classyfrontiers.com/termsandconditions


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Crime Beat Podcast
The President of the United States started committing crimes in an effort to win an election.
And while this was going on in the White House, seven guys from Youngstown, Ohio, pulled off the biggest bank heist in the history of the United States. They targeted President Richard Nixon's ill-gotten campaign funds, going after $30 million in a Laguna Niguel safe-deposit box the President had amassed through shady deals.
Three days after the heist, Nixon approved the Watergate break-in. Coincidence?
Welcome to Crime Beat, a new podcast by the Southern California News Group and reporter Keith Sharon who is based in Orange County.
This is Crime Beat, Season One: "Stealing Nixon's Millions."
Season One: Stealing Nixon's Millions
Transcripts: Episode 1


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September 2009
Penguins—waddling wonders of the Southern Hemisphere
Macaroni Penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus) on Hannah Point, Livingston Island, Antarctic Peninsula, sports colorful crests. Photo: Jerzy Strzeleck
Penguins (order Sphenisciformes, family Spheniscidae) are flightless seabirds found almost entirely in the Southern Hemisphere. Although their wings have become useless for flight, they have become superbly adapted to swimming and diving. For example, Gentoo penguins can swim up to 35 km per hour—compared with 9 km per hour for the fastest Olympic swimmer. Emperor penguins can dive to depths of more than 520 m to find food—deeper than any other bird. Penguins must return to land or sea ice to rear their young, however, and they are renowned for their feats of endurance as parents. The Emperor penguin raises its chick on top of the frozen Antarctic Ocean amid winter temperatures as low as -60°C and winds of 195 km per hour. For two months, the male fasts while taking on the sole duty of incubating the egg, which he must balance on top of his feet to protect it from the ice below.
Penguins are not just found in Antarctica
Although penguins are commonly associated with Antarctica, penguins are found in a variety of habitats in the Southern Hemisphere. Eighteen different penguin species inhabit areas from Antarctica to the Equator. They can be divided into three groups:
- Four penguin species breed in Antarctica and/or the Antarctic islands: the Emperor, Adélie, Chinstrap, and Gentoo penguin.
- Most penguin species breed on islands in the sub-Antarctic waters of the Southern Ocean (a.k.a. Antarctic Ocean), the South Atlantic Ocean, the South Pacific Ocean, and the Southern Indian Ocean: the King, Southern Rockhopper, Northern Rockhopper, Macaroni, and Royal penguin. Several penguin species are found only on the coastlines and islands of Australia and/or New Zealand: the Little Blue, Snares Crested, Erect Crested, Fiordland Crested, and Yellow-eyed penguin.
- The most northerly penguins breed along the more temperate coasts of South America and Africa: the Humboldt, Magellanic, Galápagos, and African penguin.
Penguins are a highly threatened group. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the world authority on the status of threatened species:
- 11 of 18 penguin species are declining and considered an extinction risk
- Two species are considered stable.
- The population status of the remaining five is unknown.
Studies have linked climate change to past, ongoing, and projected population declines of many penguin species. Because penguins live in different ocean habitats of the Southern Hemisphere, climate change affects penguins in these regions in different ways.
How is climate change affecting Antarctic penguins?
The Antarctic continent is warming as a whole,1 but the Antarctic Peninsula—the northernmost region that juts out towards South America—is warming faster than any other place in the Southern Hemisphere.2 Because of this rapid warming, sea ice along the western Antarctic Peninsula is shrinking in size, and the sea-ice season is shorter.2 The loss of sea ice is harming Emperor penguin chicks and adults. Emperor penguins rear their chicks on land-locked sea ice. When sea ice breaks up before their chicks have matured and grown their waterproof feathers, chicks that are swept into the ocean are likely to die. For adults, the loss of sea ice can lead to lower food availability, which can result in increased mortality.
The loss of sea ice is linked to Emperor penguin population declines at the warmer northern regions of Antarctica:
- The Emperor colony at Terre Adélie in East Antarctica—featured in the Academy Award-winning French documentary, March of the Penguins3—plummeted by more than 50% in the late 1970s during a warm period with little sea ice cover, when adults died en masse.4 Because the sea ice continues to disintegrate, and the prolonged blizzards cause ongoing chick mortality,4 the colony has yet to recover.
- On the fast-warming Antarctic Peninsula, another Emperor colony has declined from 250 pairs to 10 pairs since 1960, due to the rapid loss of the sea ice.5
Another Antarctic penguin that is being affected by global climate change is the Adélie penguin. Unlike the Emperor penguin, the Adélie does not raise its chicks on sea ice. Instead, it builds a nest out of pebbles on the sparse areas of the Antarctic shoreline that are free of ice and snow.6 On the western Antarctic Peninsula, warmer temperatures allow the air to hold more moisture, and this leads to more snowfall in the region.7 Adélie penguin populations are disappearing rapidly because they cannot find snow-free ground for nesting.8 The loss of winter sea ice in this region is also impacting the Adélie's food supply negatively.9 As sea ice declines, the more ice-intolerant Chinstrap and Gentoo penguins are expanding southward into Adélie breeding areas in the Antarctic Peninsula, replacing Adélie penguins.10
Adélie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) feeding young. Photo: Jerzy Strzeleck
Both Emperor and Adélie penguins face a bleak future from global climate change. According to a study by Antarctic researchers, a temperature increase of 1.3°C will jeopardize 40% of the world's Emperor penguins and 70% of the world's Adélie penguins—largely because of diminishing sea ice.5 (At present rates, the world will exceed 1.3°C of warming before mid-century.11) Penguin scientists also predict that sea-ice loss due to global climate change will push the Emperor population chronicled in March of the Penguins to the brink of extinction within this century.12
How is climate change affecting sub-Antarctic penguins?
For the penguin species that live in the Southern Ocean, which encircles Antarctica, global climate change is also having significant impacts. In the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean, ocean warming and the melting of sea-ice are linked to the decline of the penguins' major food supply—Antarctic krill. Krill in this region have declined by as much as 80% since the 1970s.13 Since krill graze on algae that grow on the bottom of the sea ice, the loss of ice leads to the loss of krill. Researchers project that a 1°C rise in sea surface temperature in this region could result in a further 95% reduction of krill.14 This collapse in the food supply would be disastrous for the penguins like the Macaroni, which has already suffered a 50% population decline at its main breeding site in this region—the South Georgia Island—between the mid-1970s and mid-1990s.15
There is also evidence that ocean warming has led to penguin population declines in other regions of the sub-Antarctic by reducing their food supply.
- On Marion Island in the southern Indian Ocean, a 60% decline in Southern Rockhopper population,16 and a 50% decline in the Macaroni population have been attributed to ocean warming17.
- On the sub-Antarctic islands of New Zealand, Southern Rockhopper penguin populations plummeted by 50-94% during a period of warmer ocean temperatures.18
- Likewise, researchers studying King penguins in the southern Indian Ocean found that warm-water events negatively impact adult survival and breeding success, and they warn that King penguins are at extinction risk under future warming scenarios.19
How is climate change affecting temperate penguins?
It may seem odd to think of penguins living along the Equator at the Galápagos Islands or on the desert coasts of Africa and South America, but penguins are able to inhabit places where upwelling brings cold, nutrient-rich ocean water to the surface, which creates a bountiful food supply. The penguins living in these upwelling ecosystems periodically face extreme food shortages when El Niño events usher in warm water and prevent cold water from reaching the surface. Leading climate scientists believe that global climate change will lead to stronger El Niño events in the future.20 Two particularly strong El Niño events that occurred in recent decades provide a window into how penguins in temperate regions are likely to be harmed by global climate change.
Galápagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) at Elizabeth Bay on the island of Isabela, Galápagos. Photo: putneymark, Flickr
For example, the Galápagos penguin has proven to be extremely vulnerable to starvation during El Niño events. Adults are forced to abandon their eggs and chicks to search for food, leaving their chicks to starve.20 Following the powerful El Niño events of 1982-1983 and 1997-1998, the Galápagos penguin population plummeted by 77% and 65%, respectively,21 leaving less than 2,000 penguins today—the world's smallest penguin population.
Emerging threats
In addition to global climate change effects harming penguins, two emerging threats resulting from the world's greenhouse gas pollution are gaining attention:
- sea level rise; and
- ocean acidification.
Rising sea levels threaten to drown important coastal nesting sites for penguins—especially in places where natural barriers like cliffs, or human barriers like roads and developments, prevent penguins from retreating inland.
Our greenhouse gas emissions are also causing the oceans to become acidic, which threatens the entire ocean food web from plankton to penguins. The oceans absorb a large portion of the carbon dioxide produced by our industrial society. As ocean waters have absorbed this excess carbon dioxide, the acidity of the ocean has increased by 30% and carbonate ions have become less available.22,23 Carbonate ions are used by calcifying creatures such as plankton, corals, and clams to build their shells. As ocean acidification reduces carbonate ion availability, these creatures will become increasingly unable to build new shells and existing shells will begin to dissolve,24,25 which leaves these animals with no way to survive, and therefore, affects the penguins' food supply.
Although all oceans are affected by acidification, the Southern Ocean, and the upwelling systems where penguins live, will be among the first regions to be impacted. For example, at current rates of greenhouse gas emissions, the pteropod—a planktonic snail which forms a key part of the food web in the Southern Ocean—may be unable to survive as early as 2030.26 The loss of the pteropod will have profound impacts on the Southern Ocean food web, and the penguins that depend on it.
How can we protect penguins from further decline?
Rapidly reducing global greenhouse gas emissions is the single most important action needed to protect penguins from global climate change. If we continue on our current course, global temperatures will rise by an average of 2.8-4°C in this century (4 to 6 times more than during the previous century)11, ocean waters will become corrosive from the depths to the surface in many regions,27 and Antarctic sea ice will disappear at accelerating rates.28 We risk not only losing penguins but also destroying the web of life. Leading climate scientists have concluded that the atmospheric carbon dioxide level must be reduced from its current level of 385 parts per million (ppm) to less than 350 ppm to prevent dangerous climate change, which includes massive species extinction and catastrophic sea level rise.29
Even with rapid reductions in greenhouse gas pollution, greenhouse gases that have been emitted already ensure we are still committed to decades of continued warming and centuries of continued sea-level rise.29,30 It is critical, therefore, to reduce other threats to penguins to increase their ability to survive the added pressures from this warming. The biggest of these threats is industrial fishing. Large-scale commercial fisheries deplete the penguin's food sources, as well as entangle and drown penguins in longlines and other fishing gear. Other current threats to penguins include:
- oil spills
- marine pollution
- introduced nonnative predators at penguin breeding sites
- diseases
- habitat destruction
- human disturbance
- direct harvest of eggs and birds
One important tool for protecting penguins globally is the U.S. Endangered Species Act.31 This Act is the world's strongest biodiversity protection law that provides important safeguards for animals and plants threatened with extinction. Currently, one penguin species is listed under the Act, and seven have been proposed for protection in response to a scientific petition from the Center for Biological Diversity. The Endangered Species Act listing process helps species like penguins by:
- drawing attention to their plight
- educating the public about the threats they face, and
- making additional funds and resources available for their study and management
Once penguins are listed, the Act provides important regulatory protections to penguins from both climate and non-climate threats. For example, under the law, U.S. federal agencies approving projects that emit significant levels of greenhouse gas emissions would be required to analyze the impacts of those emissions on listed penguins, as well as adopt solutions to reduce emissions so that they do not jeopardize penguins. Additionally, U.S. federal agencies approving high seas fishing permits would need to analyze and reduce the impacts of those fishing activities to protect listed penguins. The Endangered Species Act, therefore, provides an important tool for both addressing the root causes of climate change, as well as protecting penguin populations to increase their resilience to climate change.
© 2009, American Institute of Biological Sciences. Educators have permission to reprint articles for classroom use; other users, please contact email@example.com for reprint permission. See reprint policy.


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The first full release of Drupal 8 has arrived, complete with over 200 significant improvements, including:
- complete mobile compatibility
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Ultimate Guide to Drupal 8
Whether you're a site builder, module or theme developer, or simply an end user of a Drupal website, Drupal 8 has tons in store for you. This eBook will enumerate the major changes in Drupal 8 for end users, for site builders, for designers and front-end developers, and for back-end developers.
Drupal 8 Module Development: Build and customize Drupal 8 modules and extensions efficiently
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Montesshare is a Montessori, Spanish bilingual preschool in an intimate, home environment for 3 to 6 year olds.
We have two Montessori teachers guiding 7 to 13 children. Our Montessori classroom sits on the sunny, spacious first floor of a home in Alexandria (22315). We are licensed by the State of Virginia.
We all know Early Childhood is an important time in the life of the child; it is an important time in the lives of parents, too! At Montesshare, we work to honor and ease that time for both you and your child. We are building a community of families who value not only the structure and freedom inherent in Montessori education, but the connection, as well.
Montesshare was birthed from Joy Wilder's desire for an affordable, Montessori, Spanish bilingual education for her own four children. She draws on her experience co-founding TOTH Montessori (Best of D.C. Preschools three years and counting!), her deep desire to help families thrive and a commitment to the science of child development and education in order to create this beautiful Montessori space. She loves equipping parents to parent for more moments of appreciation and peace with their child!
As a state licensed, in-home program, you and your child will have a sense of security and confidence from the moment you enter our sunny, first floor, neighborhood location. At Montesshare, we understand the anxiety of separation as we understand the relationship between emotion and learning. We are committed to sharing the challenges and successes of this special phase in life, from our beautiful homey environment and intimate ratios to our flexible schedules and affordable rates, we make it easy to share this part of your family's journey!
Basic Facts
Years Established: 2017
Average Class Size: 13 students with two teachers
Tuition: $285 - $565 per month
Available Hours:
8:45 am - 12:45 pm
Contact Details
- Address: 5908 Bond Ct. Alexandria, VA
- Zip Code: 22315
- Phone: 202-320-0747
- Website: https://montesshare.org


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TORONTO — Aficionados of the Los Angeles street film — "Colors," "Collateral," "To Live and Die in L.A.," the list is endless — might be a little surprised by "Rampart," Oren Moverman's latest contribution to the genre. Mr. Moverman's movie, which stars Woody Harrelson as a cop who makes all the wrong turns, has been screening at the Toronto International Film Festival here.
The Times in Toronto
Features on the movies in the festival, interviews with stars and filmmakers, and updates from New York Times writers and film critics.
What became quickly apparent at showing on Sunday morning is that Mr. Harrelson and his filter cigarette fill the screen, but the streets of L.A. often go by in a blur. That's not to say that Los Angeles is missing from a movie that is loosely based on a scandal that involved corruption and brutality in the Los Angeles Police Department's Rampart division, which covers heavily Hispanic neighborhoods near downtown. But the city, clearly by design, only sporadically looms large in a picture that is really, as they say, about the people.
Still, the Pacific Dining Car, an ancient hangout for Los Angeles officials, corrupt and otherwise, gets some screen time. So does Johnny's Shrimp Boat, a dive that is better known for atmospherics than for the food. And a scene that appears to have been shot on the south end of Dockweiler Beach, just under the runways of Los Angeles International Airport, should mollify those who are still reeling from the affront of "Battle: Los Angeles." That one was shot, with state subsidy money, in Louisiana.


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We sat in the car, inching forward in traffic that stretched miles ahead of us. My tween daughter turned on the radio.
"Not that station!" I protested internally, but said nothing.
She pulled out a granola bar and started eating (by which, I mean she ate 1/2 and ejected the crumbs from the rest around the seat). I looked over, tried to breathe away the annoyed reaction to her mess...
Then I saw the water bottle, still full. Because of her enuresis and encopresis, she has to drink one bottle by lunch and a second one by dinner. The lunch one was still full and it was 4 p.m. Again. "Do I have to police every sip of water, every day for the rest of her life??" I whined, before I put on my Nice Mom voice and reminded her to drink it.
We'd spent the day together, going to doctor's appointments. I'd sprung for a sitter so we could visit the specialists without my usual swarm of children.
"Quality time with my redhead," I'd hoped.
Except that everything about our time together was about as enjoyable as sandpaper in my socks.
Since the uptick in unexplained seizures last week and the resulting redirection of summer from relaxation to life at Children's Hospital offices, I've been hovering between mildly annoyed and downright resentful of my daughter's special needs.
I'd stuffed it down deep, read 3 novels (it's amazing how productive avoidance can be!) and argued at God over his messed-up definition of "abundant life."
But that day in the car, I decided to just be honest: "God, I wish I'd never adopted her."
I let myself say it.
I let the truth form in my mind for a moment, long enough to turn and look at her -- this messy, wild, enigmatic, troubled, fire-engine red-haired challenge in the seat next to me -- and let it go.
The results shocked me.
When I looked at her, the truth of my exhaustion, frustration, stress, and anger at God admitted in all it's ugly glory, the REAL feelings found a chink in the wall of my heart and started to flow.
- The guilt... that I can't DO anything to ease her difficult journey out of long-ago neglect and abuse, into a life of wholeness.
- The fear... over episodes like last week when she had a seizure that collapsed her into my sister's jacuzzi, nearly drowning her, or the wondering if she'll make it home OK from her bike ride around the block.
- The discouragement... this suspicion that we'll never find out why she's still struggling against her Failure to Thrive diagnosis, 9 years and dozens of specialists later.
- The anxiety... that we'll put all this time in to doctors and it will leave her feeling less-than, or leave her sisters feeling like it's robbed them of family life.
- The depression... when I let myself admit I'm scared of it being this hard for a lifetime with our daughter.
When I let myself feel the ugly words, the anger dissolved. The thought of truly never having met her, of never becoming her mother -- as hard as it's been -- knocked the wind out of me. The sadness pressed so hard on my heart, the tears poured so hot on my cheeks, that I almost had to pull off the road.
Right then, I discovered two things:
- God wasn't mad at me for being honest. He already knew.
- As tired and frustrated as I am at my daughter's challenges, at her constant attachment-disordered behavior problems, and the difficulty it creates for our entire family... I would never trade this kid in for the world.
What about you?
How are you doing with your child's needs and the challenges that come with them daily? What would it take to admit how you really feel?
Will you take the risk to find fresh comfort and freedom in your relationship with your child and their challenges today?


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[Watch] Dinosaur Pile-Up - "Derail" (Official Video)
We had good news from Dinosaur Pile-Up back in January with regards to a brand new album from the Leeds based rockers. They're set to release a follow up to the critically-acclaimed 2010 debut Growing Pains, with what is shaping up to be a damn decent difficult second release, Nature, Nurture later this year. Today though, we get to enjoy the official visual for "Derail" and it stars Diana Vickers. Yeah, people in the UK might be scratching their heads at the former X-Factor star being in the vid, but I imagine people elsewhere in the world will be completely stumped at the mere mention of that name. We'll just brush over it then shall we... It's a pretty entertaining video though and a to be expected catchy as hell tune from the guys. Hit play above and get your groove on.


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I'm pretty shocked that I feel this way since Halloween is my favorite holiday but I have developed a compelling case that I think you'd be interested in.
Exhibit 1) Cute bunny/chicken/duck shaped chocolate. There is nothing more satisfying that biting the head off of a chocolate peanut better filled bunny. Nothing.
Exhibit 2) Jelly beans. They come in an amazing variety of flavors today, unlike the boring basics that I had growing up. Even if you don't like jelly beans.. you have to like Easter Jelly Beans. Especially the Starburst ones.
Exhibit 3) Russell Stover chocolate covered eggs. These babies come in every flavor combination imaginable - coconut and almond, dark chocolate marshmallow, WEDDING CAKE, strawberry cream, raspberry whip, red velvet, etc. The possibilities are endless and worth every delicious calorie.
Exhibit 4) Candy for breakfast. I have fond memories of running downstairs to my Easter basket and shoveling handfuls of candy into my mouth before my parents woke up. Whereas for Halloween the proper time to start trick or treating isn't until after dinner... pure torture.
Exhibit 5) Easter candy is bigger. Halloween candy is typically sold in those annoying "fun size" dimensions therefore you need to eat about 2 1/2 bags of the mini Kit Kat Bars to get your candy fix.
Exhibit 6) Gertrude Hawk EASTER smidgens are little nuggets of heaven laced with crack. They are more addicting than any other kind of Gertrude Hawk candy. Sure, those $1 caramel candy bars from your co-worker's daughters class trip fundraiser are okay but wouldn't you rather just have a box of pastel bunny smidgens instead? The answer is yes.
Exhibit 7) Easter candy is more colorful. The bright spring colors and flowery packaging makes the candy more inviting and delicious. And I firmly believe that white chocolate has less fat and calories than regular chocolate. Don't fight me on this.
And last but not least..
Exhibit 8) A magical mythical bunny delivers candy to your house on Easter Sunday. For Halloween you have to GO out and GET the candy whereas for Easter all you have to do is wake up and stumble to your Easter basket. I don't care if it's the fucking Donnie Darko bunny coming to my house - if he is dropping off candy he is always welcome.
P.S. Don't overindulge in Easter candy because the sugar rush you experience might cause you to back your car into a tree. Not that I'd know from experience or anything..


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Lingering effects of a cold have me watching more television than usual. There appears to be a resurgence of the old daytime staple--the quiz show. Except they are on during prime time, and a great many of them offer the chance of winning one million dollars.
I think it started with Regis Philbin and "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" but now we have a half dozen or so.
My husband and I started musing (after watching "Deal or No Deal") about what we could do with a million dollars. I thought I'd just bring that discussion into the Friday Five this week. It's simple. What are five things you would want to do with a million dollar deposit in your bank account?
Well, I don't have a bank account, so I'll just pretend I do.
- I would buy a lot of Greenies
- I would buy a nice, big house for me and my humans. And maybe TOC, if she's nicer to me in future
- I would put part of it into another account to save it for later
- Lots of that good, wet tuna food I get in the mornings
- I would give a little to all my humans in return for their services
The Shadow Princess


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or Use Tab Above!
I found myself trying to decide if I should go to bed since the lights were on and off consistently...finally, I shut everything off turned on battery operated lamps and tried to read a book and listen to my emergency radio all within the comfort of my bathroom (smiles).
But eventually, the weather cleared and the biggest most beautiful rainbow peeked from amongst the clouds reminding me of God's promise so many many years ago. I was able to clear the debris from my backyard and then settle down in my craft-room. Even with the chaos of the weather I still found peace and comfort within the four walls I call my craft-room. Being there with all my paper, ink and glue I felt safe and at home (smiles).
So now I will share my latest creations with you. Leave a comment and tell me what you think.
Recipe for this layout:
Video & Tutorial: Happiness is Gabrielle Pollacco
DP: Timeless Memories "Prima" & Alma's Sewing Room "Pion"
Chipboard Decorative Scrolls: Dusty Attic
Chipboard Title Happiness Is: ScrapFx
Flowers: Prima
Miscellaneous Items: Chalk Ink, Vellum Butterfly, Resin Clock, Cord, and wooden key
I'd like to enter my page layout in the following challenges:
2 Creative Chicks - #26 Anything Goes (no cards) (5/30)
Sisters of Craft - Anything Goes (5/30)