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Although Canada's economy has received a slight hit from the turbulence that continues to swirl overseas, Mark Carney warns that the damage could be much more substantial if European leaders do not contain the crisis."The possibility that these sovereign strains could intensify remains the most important risk to Canadian financial stability in the near term. This risk is very high and has risen since June. So far, spillovers from the European financial turmoil to the Canadian financial system have been limited, because of the relative strength of Canada's businesses and financial sector, the low direct exposures of domestic banks to the most vulnerable sovereigns, and Canada's modest trade links with the euro area.
Nonetheless, the risk is very high that a further escalation of tensions in the euro area could adversely affect domestic financial stability, particularly through a general retrenchment from risk-taking, funding pressures and confidence effects."
Although Canadian banks are not overly exposed to the trouble in the Eurozone economies, it does not mean that they are immune either, as the Bank of Canada pointed out in its' December Financial system review. The BOC says that, in an export driven economy like ours, links exist. For instance, we trade closely with the US- and the US is far more vulnerable to the trouble that continues to build and threaten global economic stability. By association then, Canada is still at risk.
The BOC raises concern about confidence, both from a market and from consumer levels, simply because of the lack of speed and decisiveness of action on behalf of the European leaders to contain the crisis. Several countries, including Greece, have had ample opportunity to turn the tide, but Eurozone leaders for the most part, remain inexplicably complacent.
The BOC suggests that, while steps taken on Oct 26 are welcome, but may be a case of too little, too late, at least in terms of building back confidence.
"While these measures are steps in the right direction, and elicited a favourable initial market response, doubts have quickly resurfaced. The credibility of the package was undermined in particular by uncertainties surrounding the "voluntary" writedown of Greek debt, concerns over the procyclical effect of the deleveraging resulting from the bank recapitalization scheme and disagreements regarding possible methods of expanding the lending capacity of the EFSF. Tensions have thus continued to intensify in government debt markets for some of the region's larger economies, especially Italy and Spain."
The longer this goes on too, the greater the threat to the Canadian banking system, Carney warns.


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Econo Lodge
Econo Lodge
2600 N Aspen Ave
Broken Arrow,
Phone: 918-251-1010
Fax: 918-251-6768
The Econo Lodge in Broken Arrow offers rooms with king, queen or full-sized beds. All rooms come with microwaves and refrigerators. Guest laundry services and a business center are also available. For fun, relaxation and exercise, guests have access to a seasonal outdoor pool and fitness center. Econo Lodge also offers free wireless internet access throughout and a complimentary full hot breakfast served daily. Econo Lodge is ideally located with easy access to many nearby attractions like the Rhema Bible Church and Tulsa's Expo Square. This Econo Lodge hotel cares about the environment and has taken active steps to support green hotel practices.
Find Nearby
Discounts: AAA Discount, Extended Stay Discount, Group Rate Discount, Military Discount, Senior Discount
Facility Amenities: ADA Compliant, Bar/Lounge, Credit Cards Accepted, Exercise/Fitness Facilities, Free Breakfast Served, Handicapped Parking, Interior Corridors, Laundry, Meeting Space Available, Pets Allowed, Pool Outdoor, Restaurant on site
General Information: Number of Units: 193
Group Amenities: Accommodates Tour Groups, Advance Group Reservations Required, Baggage Handling, Bus/Motorcoach Parking, Complimentary Room for Driver, Group Rates Available, Meal Functions, Total Capacity of Meeting Space: 450, Tour Group Welcome Reception
Internet Connectivity: Facility High-Speed, Facility WiFi, In-room High-speed, In-room WiFi
Location: Expressway/Interstate
Room Amenities: Balcony/Deck, Cable/Satellite TV, Climate Control, Coffee Maker, Desk, Free Newspaper, Hair Dryer, In-room Whirlpool/Jacuzzi, Iron/Ironing Board, Microwave, Refrigerator
Room Type: Connecting Rooms, Double, King, Suites
Special Rating: AAA 3 Diamond:
Check-in: 3pm.
Check-out: 11am.
Check-out: 11am.
Pet fee: $25 per pet, per stay. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the pricing listed above, prices are subject to change without notice.
Exit off the Broken Arrow Expy (Hwy 51 E) at 145th East Ave (Aspen Ave).
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subset: commoncrawl


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7 writing insights from master storyteller Tom Clancy
The suspense and espionage writer, many of whose books were made into major motion pictures, died Wednesday. Here's what he had to offer about the craft of writing.
Many in the literary world were rendered speechless today when news broke of the death of acclaimed spy and military writer Tom Clancy at age 66.
The author, whose works include "The Hunt for Red October," "Clear and Present Danger," and "Patriot Games," is being remembered as a "favorite storyteller of the American military."
CNN praised Clancy "for writing meticulous thrillers focusing on political intrigue and military tactics and technology."
Through Clancy's brilliant storytelling, the world got to know CIA agent Jack Ryan, the main character in most of the best-selling novels.
No other American novelist could take 20 pages to describe the intricacies of a wire within an explosive device.
The following quotes from Clancy shed light on his prolific career—and offer insights for writers of all sorts:
"Writing is hard, miserable, lonely work…You have to play to win."
"The difference between fiction and reality? Fiction has to make sense."
"You learn to write the same way you learn to play golf. You do it, and keep doing it until you get it right. A lot of people think something mystical happens to you, that maybe the muse kisses you on the ear. But writing isn't divinely inspired—it's hard work."
"Books and movies are different art forms with different rules. And because of that, they never translate exactly."
"Fundamentally, I think of myself as a storyteller, not a writer."
"I was one of the first generations to watch television. TV exposes people to news, to information, to knowledge, to entertainment. How is it bad?"
"Success is a finished book, a stack of pages each of which is filled with words. If you reach that point, you have won a victory over yourself no less impressive than sailing single-handed around the world. Maybe you'll get published. Maybe you won't."
Clancy, a former insurance agent, sold more than 50 million books worldwide.
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Friday, February 29, 2008
Still, life is pretty good - much better than when I was 29. When I was 29 I was miserable, living on the prairie, conflicted about my future, plagued with insomnia and (in retrospect) in need of some serious anti-depressants. Did I mention that I was miserable? Not at all a happy time in my life!
Thankfully, things change - a lot! Despite being closer to pre-geezerdom and still having a lot of goals I've yet to acheive, I find myself feeling relatively content. I have a good (if small!) family, good friends, a good job, an inquisitive mind, a place to live, food to eat. All in all, not too shabby! And March appears to be bringing good things...
To celebrate the coming of March (and fill my monthly theater/concert/performance quota), I bought tickets to go see Cirque du Soleil tomorrow night. I am SO excited! A couple years ago a friend gave me a ticket to see Varekai as birthday gift. Before that I'd never had much interest in seeing Cirque (mostly because I had no clue how cool the performances are!). I've never been a big circus person. I don't like entertainment that uses animals and, as everyone who has seen It knows, clowns are creepy. But, oh my gosh! Those first few moments of Varekai, watching that young man fall, Icharus-like from the sky, are so breathtakingly lovely that the show would be worthwhile even if the rest of the performance sucked like an industrial grade hoover (and it totally doesn't).
You (or at least I) Don't Need Meat!
It has now been 29 days since I started my vegetarian experiment. The tiredness of the early days has gone away. I'm not sure if this is thanks to the magic of multi-vitamins or just normal cycling, but I feel great. I'm still not sure if this is a permanent lifestyle change or not, but (for the moment, anyway) the reasons to continue seem to me stronger and more plentiful than the reasons to stop. It's been a while since I shared any of my culinary experiments, but I'll try to post some recipes soon.
Psychic Friends
For a few weeks now my morning alarm has been replaced by puppy wake up service. Lily has grown out of her need to awaken everyone in the house around 3 a.m. and parlayed her awake making skills into replacing my alam clock. Every morning around 7:27 a.m., she starts sweetly nuzzling my neck until I wake up. It starts out gently, and then the more I stir, the more she wiggles. Since she cannot (yet) tell time, the most entertaining explanation my dog has the shining. Any day now I expect go out to the mailbox and find that a W-2 form for one Liline C. Papillon has arrived from the Miss Cleo's Psychic Friends Network. Or to make a long story short: Yes, I am still happy I got a puppy! And yes, she is still adorable (not to mention really spoiled - she makes my other dog, Baxter "Baby Dog Duvalier" Wigglesworth look like an ascetic!)
Monday, February 25, 2008
Sometimes an Award is the Best Reward
Then came the year when those bastards at the Academy sunk my birthday party boat with a scheduling missile by electing to back up the date of their event by a few weeks. Shockingly, I wasn't even consulted. There were no apologetic calls from Johnny Depp, George Clooney or even Daniel Day-Lewis, whom I would assume must have gotten days off here and there while he was off in Italy learning to be a cobbler. Had he really cared, he would have made the time. That's all I'm sayin'. Not even a bag of consolatory Oscar swag was offered to ease my pain. So here I am, forced to find other reasons to enjoy the show – reasons that I might add do NOT involve gifts for me.
In recent broadcasts, those reasons have come down to Jon Stewart, dresses (lots of red and drapey off the shoulder goddess styles this year!), movie recommendations (because I'm horrible at seeing things when they are actually out in theaters), how genuinely happy the first-timers are when they win (it's refreshing!), and the occasionally high mockability quotient involved any time you put a camera in a room full of people who take themselves WAY too seriously. Like remember after 9/11 when everyone showed up wearing somber colors to reflect the mood of the country? There was talk about wake up calls, violence and the new day that was dawning in Hollywood. Solemn promises were made, then disappeared faster than a box of ringdings at an overeaters anonymous meeting. Of course, I know movies are a business and that some of the crap that passes for cinema wouldn't be made if there weren't a market for it, but it just goes to show how easily money puts the smackdown on personal conviction.
Anyway, in the wake of the awards, Oscar fever has gripped my house, so here are some things that I would give an award to, if I could:
And the award for wordiest darklord ever goes to…
I'm not sure how it is that Legend came to be on my Netflix list. All I know is that its little red envelope arrived sometime last week. I had immediate misgivings upon opening it, for I quickly saw that the movie has a fatal flaw: it stars Tom Cruise. I don't know exactly what it is about that guy, but he has always rubbed me the wrong way. Even before he started acting like an ass and picking fights about psychology and postpartum depression, he always struck me as cocky and obnoxious. But in the interest of fairness, I tried to watch the movie. Really, I tried.
I sat through what seemed like an interminable opening scene featuring what was possibly the wordiest exchange ever filmed between an evil overlord and his nastiest goblin minion. I sat through the introduction of Princess Lily and even noted that the set in her first scene was modeled after a Waterhouse painting. I even tried to care when the unicorn was killed, but every time the camera panned back to Cruise, my mind was assaulted with images of him jumping up and down on Oprah's couch while raving about his child bride. The power of the Winfrey-Cruise cocktail (I think I need not remind you that I consider her my celebrity nemesis) was just too much to bear. A person can only stand so much. So, I gave up ever learning whether the enchanted forest would succumb to evil and become a cesspool of gambling, drugs, and orc on orc sex or be saved by Suri's dad in favor of watching my pick for...
Best movie use of a corpse as a prop
About a year ago, I decided that I was dangerously deficient in vitamin Hitchcock. Since then, I've been working my way through his films. As it turns out, the perfect antidote to Legend is The Trouble With Harry, which was not only kooky (but kooky in the good way) Shirley Maclaine's first film, but also stars a handsome, young John Forsythe. You'd never think a movie about repeatedly burying and digging up a dead guy could be so charming, but it is! It is a shame that Hitchcock didn't do more comedies. The more I see of his work, the more I love it! And speaking of love, I find myself completely infactuated with...
SE Portland's Best Vietnamese Food Served by a Buddhist Nun…
The atmosphere may be humble, but what it lacks in ambience it makes up for in delicious food. Just as importantly, everything on the menu at Van Hanh is vegetarian, which means it fits my new diet perfectly. On my first (but definitely not my last!) visit there, my companion and I enjoyed Jicama Spring Rolls, Lemon Grass Tofu Sticks and (my favorite, even though the lemongrass tofu is apparently their most popular dish) Crispy "Chicken" Salad for well under $20. Not only was the food pretty amazing (their gluten mock poultry could almost have passed for the real thing!), but the restaurant is actually a non-profit that benefits a local Buddhist temple, which means that not only can you eat to your heart's content (and then some!) for very little money, but you even benefit something greater than yourself in doing so!
And, the final award of the night:
The award for best collection of essays by Steve Almond published under the title (Not That You Asked) Rants, Exploits, and Obsessions goes to...
Steve Almond. I know! Not what you expected, is it? That was almost like Tilda Swinton nabbing the much coveted Oscar for best supporting actress from Cate Blanchett in a surprise upset last night! But that's how these awards things are - a total rollercoaster ride. Anyway, I've been a fan of Almond's work for a while now. I'm telling you, if you've never read him, you should. The Prologue to this collection (followed by the rest of the essays in it) is a great place to start. If you insist upon being distrustful and feel you must read some excerpts before buying the book or putting it on hold at your local library, you can do so here.
And with that, I am going to bed, so have a good night!
Monday, February 18, 2008
Fruits & Veggies
It has now been a little over two weeks since I last ate any meat. After seeing the stories about the recall of 143 million pounds of beef originating in a California slaughterhouse that is the subject of an animal abuse investigation, I cannot say that I am sorry. This is exactly the sort of thing that has fueled my wondering about giving up meat for a long time now. The experience of exploring vegetarianism has made me a lot more aware of where my food originates. And, if I'm going to be honest, it makes me feel a little hypocritical that the animals in my home are spoiled beyond belief, yet I'm willing to let other animals be killed and (as reading about the evils of Westlake-Hallmark reminds me) even tortured when there are plenty of other less cruel alternative foods.
That is the thing about our food supply. It is pretty easy to stick our heads in the sand and forget where the neat packages in the butcher's section have come from. For those of us who live in cities, we don't give a lot of thought to what our hamburger looked like when it was walking or how it met its demise.
While I admit to enjoying the taste of meat (if I don't think about where it comes from), I can't say that I have really missed it. Of course, it has only been a couple weeks and a person can do almost anything for two weeks, but I have to say that the experience has been extremely satisfying thusfar. One of the most satisfying things has been that no animal has had to give its life to feed me during this time.
When I was younger, my only experience with vegetarians was our hippie neighbors who always seemed to be eating something beige, bland and involving millet and shredded carrots. Their kitchen did not make meatless eating look all the appealing, but the truth is that there are tons of wonderful, flavor filled dishes that do not rely on meat for seasoning. Half the fun of my exploration has been finding new cooking methods and spice combinations. I have discovered that it is not black beans that I do not like, but ill seasoned black beans. Toss in some onion, garlic, ginger, allspice and orange juice and it turns out they not only are pretty tasty on a tostada with avocado and Mexican cheese but they also make excellent filling for mole enchiladas (the combined notes of orange and chocolate kick ass!). Who knew?
Thursday, February 14, 2008
I had a similar experience in seeing Sweet Honey in the Rock perform at the Schnitzer a week or so ago. Even a week later I am still bowled over at how incredible these women are. While their recordings are brilliant, the live experience is the only thing that really does them justice. Although I've been aware of the group for a long time and will always stop and listen for a bit if they are on the t.v. or radio, I have to admit that I didn't really start to really listen to them until pretty recently. Founded by Bernice Johnson Reagon in the early 70's, the group has had a sometimes changing line up throughout its evolution. One thing all of the women in the group share, however, is that they are incredible musicians who are able to tackle multi-layered harmonies and rhythms with an ease that belies their complexity.
Their music spans a wealth of influences including but not limited to blues, jazz, traditional gospel, rap and African American spirituals. As artists they create a beautiful synthesis of social awareness, inclusivity and spirit, all wrapped in the kind of sound in which you find yourself wanting to get lost. If there harmonies were the sea, I would want to swim naked in them just to be that much closer to them. It is the kind of music that not only puts a smile on your face and touches your soul, but makes you want to go out and DO something when you're doing listening to it.
Originally, I bought the tickets to the show as a Christmas gift for my mom, but now that I've seen them perform, I can't wait until the next time they are in town. Seeing them this past week really does go down as one of my favorite concert experiences ever. And to think that they have this HUGE songbook that is just waiting to be explored. It's like the musical version of reading a really incredible book and finding that it is just the first in a series by a prolific, but briliant author! Sometimes, life is just good!
Monday, February 04, 2008
Super Duper Tuesday
As of this moment, the votes are still pretty split in both the Democratic and Republican primaries. There will not likely be a final count of actual delegates won tonight. It is almost as exciting as the Oregon Humane Society's Presidential Primary Rat Race fundraiser (all "campaign contributions" going to benefit the pets at the shelter), which featured candidates such as Hillary Rodent Squinten, Packrat OhMama, John McCheese, and Muskrat "Mike" Huckleberry.
Hillary is ahead in the rat poll, but we shall see what tomorrow brings in the real race. Our delegate system sometimes seems maddeningly complicated to me and does nothing for my desire to know NOW. But, as in the rest of life, my impatience will not make it go any faster! I still have high hopes for Obama and found myself feeling increasingly convinced about my support of him I listened to all the early return punditry and talk radio calls today.
Meanwhile, in a totally unrelated celebration of 5 days of meat free living, here is a link to a delicious recipe from Moosewood (actually, it's a link to a number of recipes, but you will find this one between them, if you scroll down):
West African Ground Nut Stew
Sunday, February 03, 2008
I went to the crossroad
Fell down on my knees
I went to the crossroad
Fell down on my knees
Asked the Lord above
"Have mercy now,
Save poor Bob, if you please"
"Crossroad Blues" - ROBERT JOHNSON
Throughout history, folklore has been collected and stories written about people who were willing to go to extremes to gain qualities like beauty, power and wealth. There have been various tellings of the Faust legend. Even American blues lore tells the story of Robert Johnson selling his soul to the Devil at the crossroads in exchange for musical talent. It's a malleable bit of source material that can be adapted to any time period.
Human yearning always has been and always will be. While we might not all be willing to sell our souls to get what we want, anyone who has ever been gone through puberty can relate to wanting something so badly we think life won't ever be worthwhile until we get it. That combined with tingly fascination with horror and the Darkness probably plays a big part in making the Faustian story such an oft revisted one. We've seen it in Marlowe, Goethe, Lessing, and even the Broadway musical (Damn Yankees).
The American literary canon has its own version in Stephen Vincent Benét's short story The Devil & Daniel Webster. Set in mid-19th century new Hampshire, the story centers on an unlucky farmer, Jabez Stone, who sells his soul to the Devil in exchange for seven years of love and prosperity. When the day of reckoning comes, instead of relinquishing his soul peacefully, Jabez employs the famous orator and lawyer, Daniel Webster, to argue his case before a hellish judge and jury chosen by the Devil himself.
As luck would have it, Robert Schenkkan's adaptation is playing at the Northwest Childrens Theater Februry 1-24. When some friends invited me to go see the production I was excited (one of my bigger writing projects features the Devil, so I've done a bit of research on folklore surrounding him), but also unsure of what to expect of an NWCT production. Would it be acted, directed and stage managed by children? Would it be adapted for a child audience? Would it look like it was staged by children?
As it turns out the play, which featured young (high school aged) actors as well as adults, was fabulous! While I particularly enjoyed Richard Garfield in his role as Scratch (The Devil), the rest of the production was so good that I never once thought of the younger cast members "They're doing a great job for young people!" Instead, I just got lost in the story, which is as it should be.
So, now that I know about NWCT, I will happily go back. In a world where we don't appreciate the arts nearly enough, I am more than happy to support any organization that teaches appreciation of them to young people!
P.s. In case you were wondering, my good theater/arts parking karma lives. I managed to park right across the street! I hear you universe, and have responded by buying tickets to Sweet Honey in the Rock and Corteo!
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Deck Chairs and other Updates
It's funny. While last January was more about quantity, this one has been more about authenticity. The two don't necessarily go hand in hand. I wrote a lot this past month, but most of it will never be seen by eyes other than my own. Still, I'm all for trying post here more regularly as well! And that's good, because month two of 2008 brings all sorts of exciting things.
For the first time since I got my puppy, she has allowed me to sleep in past 6:00 a.m., I have been non-meat eater for a day now (so far so good - but don't worry, right now it's still in the experimental stages. I won't start looking askance at flesh eaters for at least another week!), and Super Tuesday is almost here. For political nerds, this is almost like waitin for Christmas! (Much more exciting than the let down of Fitzmas!)
Watching the Democratic field whittle itself down to Clinton and Obama has been fascinating (and sometimes maddening). From the beginning, I knew that my favorite candidate would not make it to the end, so I was not surprised when he dropped out of the race along with all the other eventual political casualties. And now we're left with a situation where either a woman or a black man will become the Democratic nominee for President. From the perspective of historical significance, this is pretty exciting. It's about time, isn't it?
At the same time, I find it saddening that it is a big deal that we might really have a shot at having a non-old-white-guy president. We Americans like to think that we are so forward thinking, but in this case as a society, we are actually behind the curve. Plenty of other countries have had female leaders. We're not exactly blazing new ground.It makes me impatient. I have to keep reminding myself that it is something that we are at least taking some steps in the right direction.
At the same time, I have to admit that I am not a huge Hillary fan. When her husband was president, I liked her a lot more than I do now. If I were a senator, you could almost say I voted for her, before I voted against her. It may be just an age thing. I was still relatively young and politically apathetic then, so it may just be that I wasn't paying attention. Today, however, she leaves me cold.
It's not that I don't think that Hillary Clinton is competent. She clearly is an intelligent, strong, articulate woman. I even feel for her in some of the challenges she faces as a female candidate: If she is too tough, then she's an unfeeling bitch. If she dares to cry or show genuine emotion, then she is either weak, a borderline hysteric, or stabbing herself in the leg with a fork to create the appearance of sincerity. With those limited options, whatever she does, she can't win.
It's just don't find her to be particularly trustworthy. She seems too slick, too in the game. I'm tired of the game. Her positions on the war trouble me as does her affable relationship with the healthcare industry and its checkbooks. And (though this is no fault of Mrs. Clinton's) I really don't like the notion that just because I am a woman, I am somehow expected to support her.
While my own femaleness may make me less likely to dismiss someone simply for being female, to suggest that women have no deeper criteria than gender in opting to support someone is insulting. Every time the media feeds us this bullshit (whether it is applied to women or minorities), what they are really saying is that we are too stupid to pick a candidate based on the merits of his or her positions. It would be great to have a female president or a black president, but ultimately what I want is an ethical one who can handle the responsibilities of the job. I'm tired of cronies. I'm tired of my government being run like a tanking, corrupt corporation that could give Enron a run for its money.
I know that when it comes down to it that the differences between Clinton and Obama are not huge. Their voting records are pretty similar. While I admit that Obama wasn't my first choice, I do think he is a big step in the right direction. In the end what makes me favor Obama over Clinton is this: His early denunciation of the war in Iraq. At a time when almost ALL of Democrats were voting to authorize Bush to attack, Obama spoke out against it. I know people argue that he wasn't in the Senate then, as though that somehow makes it not count, but that strikes me as flawed thinking. One could just as easily say that as someone planning to run for a seat, he showed courage and integrity in taking an unpopular position. Wouldn't it have been easier to just go along with the more "experienced" crowd on this?
There are those who say that Mr. Obama is inexperienced. I suppose that if one looks at this in narrow terms of how long he has served in the Senate, this is true. But we're also talking about a man who was the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review, a civil rights lawyer, taught constitutional law, served eight years in the Illinois Senate before embarking on his current tenure as a U.S. Senator. What he has done in 47 years, many peole don't accomplish in a life time. It's not like he's been manning the drive-thru at Taco Bell for the past ten years. That is not to disparage Hillary Clinton's accomplishments, she's done a lot too. I just think the argument about Obama's "inexperience" is not as strong as some people would like us to believe. Besides, there is a reason why Presidents have cabinets and advisors. When I listen to Obama speak, I find myself inspired in a way that politics as usual does not. Usually, it just makes me angry. Freshness allows for new perspectives and a real hope of change and hope it worth something to me these days.
To paraphase Rogers Morton, rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic isn't going to keep it from sinking. It is time for something new. What we need is a new boat with new deck chairs and a new Captain to go along with it. The one we're on has taken us too close the watery depths as it is.


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At the start of every summer session deep in the Kentucky Appalachians, Camp Bellflower celebrates one camper chosen to be the Honor Girl. She is the female ideal, representing the noble qualities the camp aims to foster in its generations of girls. Fifteen-year-old Maggie Thrash is a Bellflower veteran, an old hand at the hokey traditions of the camp. She doesn't bat an eye at the candlelit Honor Girl ceremony, or the daily Civil War re-enactments (which consist of two groups of girls screaming "GRAY!" and BLUE!" at each other). She has her friends, her ankle leash to keep from sleepwalking, her entire pleasantly familiar summer stretching out ahead of her. Until one fateful lice inspection by an older counselor triggers a romantic awakening, in the last location she would have chosen.
In this graphic memoir, Thrash writes with confidence and skill remarkable for a debut. An alumna of the online-teenage girl wonderland Rookie, she offsets heartache with sharp humor, sincere but never cloying. Period details, such as Maggie's fondness for Kevin Richardson (the brooding Backstreet Boy) and a brand-new Harry Potter book making the rounds, place the story at the turn of the millennium, though the feelings involved are timeless.
In addition to being an ace writer and apparently an ace rifle shot, Thrash shows an impressive grasp of the language of comics. Page layouts are clean and clever. A pair of clasped female hands is juxtaposed with an "Everyday Values" sign on a small-town Walmart. Though simply drawn, the artwork is by no means lazy. There is thought in every watercolored panel, the spare expressions and body language filling in the blanks when the characters aren't speaking. This is what comics are for.
Erin, the new object of Maggie's affections, is mysterious in a way all former teenagers will recognize. The inscrutable older cool girl, she makes us wonder alongside Maggie if she's really looking at us, if the gift of a hemp bracelet means what we hope it means. There are dreams of a nighttime rendezvous, longing looks from behind trees, arms brushing against each other in a tent full of people. It's sweet and obsessive and dead on — this is what it looks like when 15-year-old weirdos fall in love.
Though Maggie is terrified of being ostracized, as previous gay campers were, her friends are surprisingly sympathetic. They keep her secret and egg her on as she awkwardly pursues Erin. It's refreshing to be reminded of the plain and open way teenage girls can be good to each other. This is not "Mean Girls." There are more interesting things to worry about. The only exception is Libby, Maggie's rival at the rifle range, who is less concerned with Maggie being gay and more wrapped up in her own competitiveness and petty insecurities.
But even when we're exhilarated, 90 percent sure that yes, Erin really does like Maggie back, we remember where we are. However progressive Maggie's friends might be, Camp Bellflower's decades-old strictures will not be challenged. For all the good that comes of teaching girls to love thy neighbor, it only counts if it's the right kind of love. As the head counselor tells Maggie in a heartbreaking page: "It's a place where girls can be totally innocent and free, maybe for the last time in their lives. Don't ruin it for everyone." Things can't end well for Maggie and Erin at Bellflower.
But would it be any better outside the bubble of summer camp? Like a Southern Brigadoon, Camp Bellflower sets off and intensifies Maggie's relationship with Erin, then disappears into the mist, taking the magic with it. Thrash captures the way summer camp is exempt from time and reality. Things stay there, wrapped up in the smells of old canvas and canoe sheds, even as you desperately try to take them with you.


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See more Fluke brands
The 1E5 molbloc extends the range of the molbloc/molbox system using molbloc-L elements to 100 slm (nominal, N2, see range chart on overleaf). Though the 1E5 molbloc external dimensions are similar to the 3E4 and 1E4 molblocs, it differs from all other molblocs in a number of ways that should be considered when configuring a new molbloc/molbox system or adding a 1E5 molbloc to an existing system.
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Come and explore "hope" through dance!
Shahrzad will be teaching four 1-hour sampler workshops and three 2-hour workshops in Persian dance. The students will learn a choreographed piece which they can present at the closing ceremony.
The festival will conclude with a faculty dance concert, where Shahrzad will perform a Persian dance solo.
For more info, contact: www.sacreddanceguild.org/festival2012


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Template talk:Mongol Empire
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|WikiProject Russia / History
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Please prod this creepy stuff. --Ghirla-трёп- 21:38, 18 August 2007 (UTC)
- Care to elaborate? --Latebird 12:34, 20 August 2007 (UTC)
Please clean and organize the battles and military campaigns section[edit]
It is extremely disorganized and very confusing. 188.8.131.52 05:50, 25 October 2007 (UTC)
It would be more interesting if we also add the names of the military commanders who had successfully led his amry repelling the Mongol invasions. 220.127.116.11 (talk) 23:36, 8 February 2008 (UTC)
- Those were evidently not part of the Mongol Empire, so they don't belong into that template. Besides, it's much too big already. --Latebird (talk) 01:48, 9 February 2008 (UTC)
Please help with Mongol/Tatar invasions articles[edit]
Can you please discuss/help, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Mongol_Empire#Excellent_article_and_general_mongol_invasion_conquest_articles 188.8.131.52 (talk) 12:23, 14 February 2009 (UTC)
- Template-Class Russia articles
- NA-importance Russia articles
- Template-Class Russia (history) articles
- History of Russia task force articles
- NA-importance NA-Class Russia articles
- WikiProject Russia articles
- Template-Class China-related articles
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Published at Sunday, November 25th, 2018 - 00:17:26 AM. Baby Room. By Geraldina Sauer.
Choosing Your Nursery Room; Many of us don't have more than one room in the home that would be suitable for the baby nursery. however, if you do have a choice of rooms choose the one closest to yours. The less mileage you have to cover in the middle of the night the better.
The most important things to remember while you design your baby room is to create a space that you and your baby will enjoy and to have fun with the experience since designing your baby's room is a joyful occasion that you should be able to look back on fondly.
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Any content, trademark's, or other material that might be found on the Dowdydoodles Inc. website that is not Dowdydoodles Inc.'s property remains the copyright of its respective owner/s. In no way does Dowdydoodles Inc. claim ownership or responsibility for such items, and you should seek legal consent for any use of such materials from its owner.


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Enjoy the video? Be sure to subscribe ►►►https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn9C_yiLR31mVYKBGFmfbiA?sub_confirmation=1
Interior design and decorating ideas for living room, bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, kids room and dining room
Discover stylish interior design and decorating ideas for your home
Living room design ideas ►https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjFy28NVTPKKm539-s1mdZ7QClnRMSrJN
Bedroom design ideas ►https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjFy28NVTPKL503ZA2uTEvyYViaHYSxiO
Kitchen design ideas ►https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjFy28NVTPKJdox9jw2Qzpm59dg8P1jZp
Bathroom design ideas ►https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjFy28NVTPKKTxa6dRFcKoU7Xktu1RlYC
Kids room design ideas ►https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjFy28NVTPKKpEm5zSbuG4gVtAgg6dQa9
Dining room design ideas ►https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjFy28NVTPKI5316QSaqFNsWCdBQ-MV5h
Kitchen #1 / Interior Design and Decorating Ideas / Home | Apartment | Room | Flat | House
A kitchen is a room or part of a room used for cooking and food preparation in a dwelling or in a commercial establishment. In the West, a modern residential kitchen is typically equipped with a stove, a sink with hot and cold running water, a refrigerator, counters and kitchen cabinets arranged according to a modular design. Many households have a microwave oven, a dishwasher and other electric appliances. The main function of a kitchen is serving as a location for storing, cooking and preparing food (and doing related tasks such as dishwashing), but it may also be used for dining, entertaining and laundry.
Commercial kitchens are found in restaurants, cafeterias, hotels, hospitals, educational and workplace facilities, army barracks, and similar establishments. These kitchens are generally larger and equipped with bigger and more heavy-duty equipment than a residential kitchen.


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A Siuslaw Chapter membership application can be downloaded, completed, and mailed.
The easy application download is in PDF format. You will need Adobe Reader to view and print the membership application. Applications may also be obtained from the Chapter Hospitality Hosts.
Benefits of a Siuslaw Chapter ARS Membership
Member of an International Organization, The American Rhododendron Society, with over 70 chapters worldwide...for a small fee, you may join as many of these chapters as you wish.
With this membership you receive the quarterly ARS Journal with a wide variety of information on hybridizing, growing techniques, conventions and much more.
Our chapter monthly newsletter "Macrophyllum" full of the latest activities, the plant of the month and Dr. Rhody answers your questions.
Free passes to the Rhododendron Species Garden in Federal Way, Washington.
10% discounts on rhododendrons and azaleas from member nurseries:
Bones Nursery, Florence
Thompson's Nursery, Waldport
Discounts on rhododendron/azalea products.
We sponsor the nation's top-rated flower shows in April and May each year.
Tours of private and public gardens.
The opportunity to support and maintain a beautiful city park.
Year round educational meetings and activities including a summer picnic and a Christmas party.
Unlimited support in the care and propagation of rhododendrons and azaleas plus hands-on propagation at cutting parties.
The opportunity to attend Rhododendron Conventions and Conferences with speakers and garden tours.
Obtain rare and scarce plants at plant games, auctions or sales.
Furthermore many other interesting and informative events such as plant auctions and involvement in the City of Florence's annual Rhododendron weekend festivities.
And last but not least, the excitement and camaraderie of fellow rhododendron and azalea lovers.


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Sinéad is one of our US students who is in her first year in Trinity. Here she lets us know about her experience of studying Law at Trinity, one of our Top 10 Courses.
Your name: Sinéad Flynn
Where you're from in the US: Chicago, IL
Your year of study: First year
Your programme of study / course: Law
What made you decide to study your course at Trinity?
I had always known I wanted to become a Lawyer. I was excited to discover that Trinity, like the rest of European countries, offers a Law degree at the Undergraduate Level. This was enticing to me as I have the opportunity to commence by Law studies right away, as opposed to a Bachelor's degree in the US, and then a three year JD programme. I am able to engage in my ideal course in my first year of college. Further, there are a few options to explore after the completion of the degree. One can pursue work in the US, by taking the Bar in certain states, or pursue a career in Ireland. Of course with an Undergraduate degree in Law, one can explore other options that may not fit into the traditional lawyer role, such as journalism, politics, and many other types of jobs. This is a great course for someone who wants to start studying Law immediately, rather than waiting to pursue it after a Bachelor's Degree.
What, if anything, was the most challenging thing about moving to Ireland to study?
I had thought that understanding Ireland's government and political set-up was going to be a struggle that would affect my understanding of the legal system here. I was reassured in my first year of lectures, where in Constitutional Law, Professor Oran Doyle, explained each part of the government and the separation of powers. The system has some similarities to the US, as it is also a common law system. Any gaps that international students may have had surrounding the set-up in Ireland was immediately bridged. There is fluidity and acceptance of international students in the course.
What aspect / module of your course have you enjoyed studying the most so far and why?
My favourite module is Criminal Law, which I am currently studying right now. The professor is Ivana Bacik, who not only had practice as a Criminal Law Barrister, but is a Senator in Ireland. Professor Bacik is also my tutor here. At Trinity, each student is paired up with a tutor that is involved in the school of your study, and this person becomes your advocate if you have any concerns or challenges as a student here. She is an engaging lecturer, and has made this module very interesting. So far, we have explored different types of offences and the defences used in cases. Further, we are looking at the progression of criminal law and procedures in different common law jurisdictions through case law. Even though Criminal has been my favourite, I have found all of my other modules to be very engaging and useful. All of the lecturers have so much passion and knowledge in their course, and it clearly is displayed during each class.
If you had one piece of advice to any other students about to start your course in Trinity what would it be?
Attending lectures is essential to the course, as this is where the content is truly explored. From the lectures, the professors highlight the important cases to read and other textual materials to explore. Thus, I recommend reading all of the appropriate material and engaging as much with the material.
I also would recommend joining a few societies when you arrive. I am a member of many societies, but mostly attend events for Law Soc, and ELSA( European Law Student Association.) I also have the position as first year rep for ELSA, so even in first year one can truly getting involved in a society. Involvement in societies is a great way to meet new people, and engage in other aspects with Law. Both societies provide events that have insights into careers, great social events, events with unique speakers, and competitions such as mock-trials and moot courts.
What is your favourite thing about Dublin?
Trinity is conveniently located in the heart of the city centre, and thus as a student you are only steps away from anywhere. The public transport system in Ireland is superb. Within Dublin, there is Dublin Bus, the DART trains, and the Luas tram. Due to these different modes of transport, getting to any part of Dublin is quite easy. Not only is there the desire to ex
plore Dublin, but to discover other areas of Ireland. Buses and trains connect you from Dublin to places all over the country. You are only moments away from new experiences as a student here. Many societies plan trips around the country, or even in Europe. For example, Law Soc has an annual trip to Galway, which is in the west of the country. You will find yourself in so many great places in Ireland during your time here.
What three words would you use to describe Trinity to someone who's never been here?
Academic. Invigorating. Inspiring.
If you would like to get to know Trinity College, consider coming along to one of our upcoming US events from 25 March to 4 April 2017 in Chicago, Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington D.C.


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Artist info
Electronic, Indie, Pop
Sounds like
Bat For Lashes, Banoffee
band members
Eilish Gilligan
Unearthed artists we like
Frida , Alex Lahey, Hot Glue, Angie McMahon
Eilish Gilligan is a songwriter and feelings-feeler from Melbourne.
There is an athleticism to Eilish's performance – you can tell there's craft there, a certain training and sense of discipline that's hard to cultivate without years of work. There is power in her vocals, but restraint, too; She knows that an emotional gutting is done better with a whisper than with a yell. Her masterful sense of control brings to mind Bat For Lashes & Kate Bush – like both those iconic pop auteurs, Eilish has a keen sense of how deeply devastating a lone voice and some synths can be.
Featured Artist
Eilish Gilligan
Melbourne, VIC
Meet this week's Feature Artist, EILISH GILLIGAN. She's just dropped perhaps the best pop track of 2018 so far!
Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?
I feel like my sound is still evolving and that maybe it'll never stop evolving…and maybe I don't want it to, either. It's important to me to seek out something innovative, while still embracing the conventions of modern pop music, because pop music is my one true love!! I think I make Pop music, but Pop music that's been like... plucked off the rings of Saturn, or dredged up from the bottom of the ocean. There's something alien and spooky about it that I can't stop chasing.
What's your greatest source of inspiration for making music?
Deeply human feelings and behaviour is the thing that truly inspires me to create, I think. I also love when those perfect poetic moments occur in real life - those things you could never dream of writing, but somehow the universe gifts them to you and it's impossible not to frame them in a song. Like last year I was in America and I'd just said goodbye to someone I loved very much, and sitting in the back of an Uber, crying as though I was in a music video, Kissing Families by Silversun Pickups came on and it was just…perfect. It was so human and so miserable and I couldn't believe my luck (lol).
What can punters expect from an EILISH GILLIGAN live show?
I think I put on a good show. It's important to me to produce a true *performance* in every sense of the word. I love the drama involved in being onstage. I think if I'd had any tangible talent in the area I'd probably have gravitated towards acting. If I hadn't been a musician. I'm really inspired by tearjerker films and also by the drag community. I think Lady Gaga said once "those women taught me how to serve," which is the truest goddamn thing on this planet.
What's the best advice you've been given and who was it from?
There have been two instances where some extraordinarily pertinent advice has been given to me at exactly the right time. The first was from my wonderfully honest friend who, after patiently witnessing me bawl my eyes out on her hotel bed in Austin because I didn't have the slightest idea where my sorry life was headed, said "You gotta do your own thing." And I did. And she was right. The second bit of advice was from my Dad, who recently looked me straight in the eye and said "You must stop worrying. It's going to kill you if you don't," and that scared me so much I must say I have really cut down on the worrying…
What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?
'Say Yes To Life' by Gang of Youths. This has worked for me approximately one trillion times. Also 'Better' by Mallrat.
What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?
OK, this is definitely my forte. I think right now it's a tie between 'Turning To White' by New Gods and 'Idiot Oracle' by Paul Dempsey. Both lyrically unbelievable and so so so miserable. Both superb!!
You're the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?
'Get Me A Drink' by Alice Ivy, E^ST, Charlie Threads. Have you ever heard anything as unhingedly glorious as this song?!
What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?
The last one I can really remember was the Ceres Christmas show in December. It was my first time seeing Ceres live and it changed everything. I couldn't believe the songs I had held so close to me so privately for so long meant so much to so many people in the same room!!
Tell us about the bands or people in the music community that inspire you.
I'm really inspired by kindness, honesty and work ethic in this industry. I really look up to people like HTMLflowers, Gordi and Mallrat. They all exude a wonderful sense of pride in their work and a generous, positive attitude towards friends and colleagues and I just think they're great.
What are your plans for 2018?
Write heaps, hopefully play many shows, and embrace whatever it means to be completely vulnerably human as much and as often as possible.View Profile Hide Interview
Unearthed in 2018
02 Sep 2018
Eilish Gilligan
Big ups to our victors!
Someone Else
Eilish Gilligan
30 Jun 2019
Eilish has this habit of making records that sound initially great but somehow get better with time? Weird, I know. I believe it has something to do with her vocal melodies, but look, I'm not a doctor.
Eilish has this habit of making records that sound initially great but somehow get better with time? Weird, I know. I believe it has something to do with her vocal melodies, but look, I'm not a doctor.
Someone Else
Eilish Gilligan
18 Jun 2019
as usual eilish is naturally full of drama and emotion and she tells a story i would happily re-read over and over again.
as usual eilish is naturally full of drama and emotion and she tells a story i would happily re-read over and over again.
09 Apr 2019
Simmering emotion on this track. It allows Eilish's voice to rise ever higher and take you with it on its ascent.
Simmering emotion on this track. It allows Eilish's voice to rise ever higher and take you with it on its ascent.


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What if everything you were ever taught about money or anything that you ever saw people do with money–what if none of that was real or true? What choice could you make today that will create a different financial reality for you now and into the future?
Years ago when Shannon was struggling with her relationship with money, Curry Glassell really inspired her to look at her financial reality, prompting a positive turning point in her life. Curry is a certified Access facilitator who teaches Right Riches for You classes, and she's here to share her insight and all of the amazing things she knows about wealth and letting money care for you.
It takes courage to really look at where you are in your relationship with money, but that's where you have to start. Money can be your friend and co-creator in life, if you allow it to be. Listen to learn how to discover your own financial reality and how you can truly have ease and joy with money.
Key takeaways:
- Do you hate money?
- How many points of view on money have you bought from others? And are those financial points of view working for you?
- You don't have a money problem, you have a receiving problem
- If you want transformation, try Access Consciousness ®
- If you don't have the money you desire to have right now, you actually will need to change what you're doing
Desiring greater ease and consciousness in the area of money? Discover more:


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20 December 2019 - 02 January 2020
On orders placed before 12 noon (only £10 additional for your basket)
These beautiful translucent fabrics are available in a range of natural colours.
This translucent white perfect fit roller blind allows the light to filter while retaining privacy and is hand-washable. The perfect fit aspect of the blind means it will slot into PVC frames with no need for screws or drills.
For more information for your product, please click below
Expertly made to measure in our factories we aim to get your new blind, or curtain, to you safely and quickly.
Why not take advantage of the fact that you can get up to ten sample items at a time !
Unfortunately your sample was not added to your basket. You can only add one sample per product and upto a maximum of 10 samples.


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The Hilton Suites Ocean City Oceanfront hotel is Ocean City, Maryland's premiere, luxury, all-suite hotel. Located at 33rd St. and Oceanfront, it is convenient to numerous restaurants, nightclubs, amusement parks and golf courses. Ocean City's world famous three-mile long boardwalk is five short blocks to the South. From the oceanfront pools, Ocean City's 10 miles of pure white sand beach is just a stone's throw away. For adult guests, the North pool deck features a sundeck, large swimming pool and pool bar and grill with swim-up seating. For families, the South deck features an elaborate zero depth entry swimming pool with fountains, waterslides and a lazy river. The Hilton Suites Ocean City Oceanfront hotel dining options include 32Palm, our award-winning restaurant serving an eclectic mix of Eastern Shore classics and Western Caribbean dishes. Rumbas Lounge is the perfect spot for an after dinner drink or a casual meal. We also offer room service. Other amenities at the Hilton Suites Ocean City Oceanfront hotel include a large game room and fitness room with state-of-the-art equipment. Adjacent to the fitness room is our indoor pool that is housed inside a three-story glass atrium. The Hilton Suites Ocean City Oceanfront property boasts 225 oceanfront suites, each with a separate living room and bedroom. All units have an oversized, private, oceanfront balcony with table and chairs. The living room and bedroom both contain a flat-screen television. Every room has a fully equipped kitchen with residential sized appliances including a stove, refrigerator, dish washer, microwave and coffee maker. Guestrooms also feature large two person whirlpool tubs. A telephone is provided in the living room, bedroom, kitchen and bathroom and features two phone lines that are wired for high-speed Internet access. Sorry, no longer a pet friendly property. Travel should take you places!
Follow Us:


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Apply your OOPs concepts to learn Sitecore Basics
During my Sitecore crafting experience. Have been lucky to share my Sitecore Craft with lot of young talented and really awesome folks!
Few were just University Graduates and few of them were having couple of years of experience working on .NET/ASP.NET Technologies. And I got a task to explain them Sitecore in the simplest possible manner! 🙂 ["Anyone can make things complex, only few can make it simple!"]
Today, I was thinking, What I do to Introduce Sitecore to someone who is unknown to the world of Sitecore?! Eager to know? Then this post is for you!
So, your target audience are as below :
- Experienced Programmers who would like to learn Sitecore might have been working on Java/C#/C++/.NET/ASP..NET
- Non experienced folks who are new to the world of Software engineering
Both are different — Correct? First one has seen the world, and later ones are ready to explore! But if you analyze further you will find one thing common in them — OOPs Concepts [Object-Oriented Programming]. From my point of view. This is the base of Programming. All the great Programmers I know. They all are really good with OOPs concepts.
So, we thought, Why don't we apply OOPs concepts to explain Sitecore? And picture is worth a thousand words. This is what we came up with:
As one of our champ – Shivam Barve, has shared this concepts very nicely in his blog post. So, will follow DRY rule here and share link with you directly 🙂 https://sitecoreway.wordpress.com/2014/12/04/learning-sitecore/
Easy correct? Please don't forget to share it with others! Because Knowledge shared is knowledge gained!
Happy Sitecoring! 🙂


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This resource is no longer available
Federally-Validated Network Security for Wireless Communications
Wireless communications are an integral and unavoidable part of doing business in any industry, but protecting the data on wireless networks is an incredibly complex and high-stakes task.
This e-book explores how to take a highly secure, mobile-first approach to wireless networking with technology designed to protect highly sensitive networks like those used by the U.S. government and armed forces.
Learn about a federally-validated and policy-compliant wireless LAN service designed to help you:
- Create centralized, end-to-end encryption
- Enable role-based access control
- Enhance network firewall capabilities
- Establish a secure, mobile-defined network architecture


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VITATOPS: A Study of VITAmins TO Prevent Stroke
|The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details.
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00097669
Recruitment Status : Completed
First Posted : November 25, 2004
Last Update Posted : February 26, 2010
National Health and Medical Research Council, Australia
National Heart Foundation, Australia
Medical Health Research Infrastructure Council, Australia
Information provided by:
- Study Details
- Tabular View
- Results Submitted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
Results Submitted - Not Posted on ClinicalTrials.gov
Results information has been submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the sponsor or investigator, but is not yet publicly available (or "posted") on ClinicalTrials.gov. The submitted information may not be available if it is pending Quality Control (QC) Review by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) or if issues identified during QC review are being addressed or corrected by the sponsor or investigator. NLM's limited QC review assesses for apparent errors, deficiencies, or inconsistencies. NLM staff do not verify the scientific validity or relevance of the submitted information.
|Recruitment Status :
|Actual Primary Completion Date :
|June 2009
|Actual Study Completion Date :
|June 2009
|Submission Cycle
|Results Submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov
|Results Returned after Quality Control Review
January 20, 2014
March 3, 2014
Publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):
Gommans J, Yi Q, Eikelboom JW, Hankey GJ, Chen C, Rodgers H; VITATOPS trial study group. The effect of homocysteine-lowering with B-vitamins on osteoporotic fractures in patients with cerebrovascular disease: substudy of VITATOPS, a randomised placebo-controlled trial. BMC Geriatr. 2013 Sep 3;13:88. doi: 10.1186/1471-2318-13-88.
Hankey GJ, Ford AH, Yi Q, Eikelboom JW, Lees KR, Chen C, Xavier D, Navarro JC, Ranawaka UK, Uddin W, Ricci S, Gommans J, Schmidt R, Almeida OP, van Bockxmeer FM; VITATOPS Trial Study Group. Effect of B vitamins and lowering homocysteine on cognitive impairment in patients with previous stroke or transient ischemic attack: a prespecified secondary analysis of a randomized, placebo-controlled trial and meta-analysis. Stroke. 2013 Aug;44(8):2232-9. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.113.001886. Epub 2013 Jun 13.
Cavalieri M, Schmidt R, Chen C, Mok V, de Freitas GR, Song S, Yi Q, Ropele S, Grazer A, Homayoon N, Enzinger C, Loh K, Wong KS, Wong A, Xiong Y, Chang HM, Wong MC, Fazekas F, Eikelboom JW, Hankey GJ; VITATOPS Trial Study Group. B vitamins and magnetic resonance imaging-detected ischemic brain lesions in patients with recent transient ischemic attack or stroke: the VITAmins TO Prevent Stroke (VITATOPS) MRI-substudy. Stroke. 2012 Dec;43(12):3266-70. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.112.665703. Epub 2012 Oct 23.
Hankey GJ, Eikelboom JW, Yi Q, Lees KR, Chen C, Xavier D, Navarro JC, Ranawaka UK, Uddin W, Ricci S, Gommans J, Schmidt R; VITATOPS trial study group. Antiplatelet therapy and the effects of B vitamins in patients with previous stroke or transient ischaemic attack: a post-hoc subanalysis of VITATOPS, a randomised, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet Neurol. 2012 Jun;11(6):512-20. doi: 10.1016/S1474-4422(12)70091-1. Epub 2012 May 2.
Hankey GJ, Eikelboom JW, Yi Q, Lees KR, Chen C, Xavier D, Navarro JC, Ranawaka UK, Uddin W, Ricci S, Gommans J, Schmidt R; VITAmins TO Prevent Stroke (VITATOPS) Trial Study Group. Treatment with B vitamins and incidence of cancer in patients with previous stroke or transient ischemic attack: results of a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Stroke. 2012 Jun;43(6):1572-7. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.111.641613. Epub 2012 Apr 3.
Almeida OP, Marsh K, Alfonso H, Flicker L, Davis TM, Hankey GJ. B-vitamins reduce the long-term risk of depression after stroke: The VITATOPS-DEP trial. Ann Neurol. 2010 Oct;68(4):503-10. doi: 10.1002/ana.22189.
VITATOPS Trial Study Group. B vitamins in patients with recent transient ischaemic attack or stroke in the VITAmins TO Prevent Stroke (VITATOPS) trial: a randomised, double-blind, parallel, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet Neurol. 2010 Sep;9(9):855-65. doi: 10.1016/S1474-4422(10)70187-3. Epub 2010 Aug 3.
VITATOPS Trial Study Group, Hankey GJ, Algra A, Chen C, Wong MC, Cheung R, Wong L, Divjak I, Ferro J, de Freitas G, Gommans J, Groppa S, Hill M, Spence D, Lees K, Lisheng L, Navarro J, Ranawaka U, Ricci S, Schmidt R, Slivka A, Tan K, Tsiskaridze A, Uddin W, Vanhooren G, Xavier D, Armitage J, Hobbs M, Le M, Sudlow C, Wheatley K, Yi Q, Bulder M, Eikelboom JW, Hankey GJ, Ho WK, Jamrozik K, Klijn K, Koedam E, Langton P, Nijboer E, Tuch P, Pizzi J, Tang M, Antenucci M, Chew Y, Chinnery D, Cockayne C, Loh K, McMullin L, Smith F, Schmidt R, Chen C, Wong MC, de Freitas G, Hankey GJ, Loh K, Song S. VITATOPS, the VITAmins TO prevent stroke trial: rationale and design of a randomised trial of B-vitamin therapy in patients with recent transient ischaemic attack or stroke (NCT00097669) (ISRCTN74743444). Int J Stroke. 2007 May;2(2):144-50. doi: 10.1111/j.1747-4949.2007.00111.x.


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March 15, 2015 / AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
March 15, 2015
It seems that we are constantly being bombarded by industry expert prognostications regarding the latest innovations like mobile applications, wearable tech, and data storage. Billions of dollars, time, and R&D are being invested into the IT ecosystem and positive bottom line results are the rule and not the exception. An effective strategy should not only leverage widely accepted methodologies, but might also consider new ideas and concepts to achieve the greatest impact. Regarding the latter, ideas and concepts may be taken from areas not normally associated in defined verticals (Banking & Finance, Pharmaceutical, Information Technology, etc.) to open new paths that could lead to improved coordination across many areas involved in the delivery process.
Some projects are best completed solo, while others succeed by aligning partnerships
From a strategic standpoint (corporate or otherwise), leaders and project managers should ask themselves if a specific project or effort could benefit by engaging with folks/companies with similar goals and interests, or if it's best to go solo. Organizations should first evaluate the project and decide if other partners are needed. The more elements, the more complexity, and more variables (e.g., part shortages, production disruptions, etc.) to consider. Conversely, enlisting trusted partners could increase bandwidth to better deal with highly complicated efforts such an inversion project, which requires careful coordination from the Program Office to the developers at ground level.
As a result, organizations must carefully evaluate if partners are needed, and how many should be added into the mix to achieve maximum efficiency. Take, for example, the building of a server from a hardware perspective. Company A wants to create a commodity-type x86 offering and can fully create the product in-house (except for the processor), while being competitive. Company B, on the other hand, wants to assemble the same type of offering, but does not manufacture any of the internal components and must rely entirely on partners to supply the needed hardware (e.g., processors, hard drives, memory, etc.), which allows for market forces to dictate both price and availability. This path leaves Company B open to a number of additional uncertainties like if a supplier goes into bankruptcy or decides not to provide the number or quality level of units originally agreed upon. Accordingly, Company B would be advised to have a well thought-out Contingency Plan in place if the uncertainty scenarios materialize.
As logic would dictate, the more partners, the greater reliance of a carefully crafted plan that takes into consideration certain key variables such as the swapping of main partners without disrupting the overall project or effort.
Orchestrate your strategy
Creating a solid business and coherent strategy is much like building a symphony orchestration. The organization of the various pieces takes place, which in essence is the coming together or synchronization of a group to achieve the desired goal or objective. It is imperative that business leaders be open-minded and not only leverage well known and proven methodologies, but also ideas and concepts outside the box.
An excellent example of leveraging of old and new is Eroica (Symphony #3) by Beethoven. He wanted to break away from his predecessor, Mozart, and works like Symphony 41. Unfortunately Beethoven's 1st and 2nd Symphonies seemed far too similar in overall tone to be considered revolutionary. In retrospect Beethoven decided to break new ground in 1804 and 1805 with his masterpiece, the 3rd. He tried to leverage most of the structural points of prior works, but added a kaleidoscope of shadings to create something truly revolutionary in the Second Movement. The effects are both profound and captivating in its delivery and ability to hit the inner core of people's emotions. The idea was to not only create a groundbreaking piece, but a new form of music, while putting the framework in place to achieve his goal—hundreds of components (e.g., sheet music, players, instruments, etc.) with precise timing.
It is here where a connection to orchestrating can be made. A carefully crafted strategic plan should be put into place, as well as the implementation of the supporting plans (performance & contingency) to help achieve the desired result or objective. The ability to create an offering that is both widely accepted and profitable requires not only an "ear to the ground", but also technical prowess combined with sensitivity to various players including end-users, employees, and external partners. Key Performance Indicators (KPI's) should be included in the Performance Plan along with "what if scenarios" that visualize possible future trends or events in a well-defined Contingency Plan. Fast forward to the ontological world where KPI's lead the future allowing for Artificial Intelligence (AI) to come into play so that thousands, or even millions, of "what if scenarios" can be evaluated and the best ones chosen to better foretell the future.
Mozart taught us to know our audience. Case in point, Mozart broke with traditional operas in Italian and decided that German would more appealing to his Viennese audience. Hence, since we are in a global economy, people and organizations must not only take domestic factors in to consideration, but a World View as well.
From a pragmatic point of view, we must first see if we should strategizing on our own or are we to include others components (e.g., partners, peers, employees, etc.) into the equation. Accordingly, once the agreed upon path is chosen then the pieces must be assembled to reach the desired goals and objectives. Patience is a virtue is a term that is often used, but in our fast paced world time is of the essence may be more applicable. Doing what you can do now to leverage new ideas and concepts within a strategic framework could be the action theme going forward.
Consider these six Uncommon Sense questions to ask yourself as you Orchestrate Your Business Strategy.
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