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Speidel Elegant Crystal Watch with
Tortoise Shell Band
Milne Jewelry ~ The Name You've Trusted Since 1951
Elegant Crystal Watch with Tortoise Shell Band
Sparkle and Dazzle
Flirtatious watch perfect for any occasion
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As a Speidel Watch dealer, Milne Jewelry guarantees that every watch we sell is a genuine, new Speidel Timepiece direct from Speidel, complete with the full Speidel watch warranty and instruction manual. Unlike other online merchants, we do not sell factory seconds, close-outs, gray market, or refurbished products.
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Nutrition Basics
Learn the definitions of basic nutrition terms.
Learn the definitions of basic nutrition terms.
The USDA has simplified nutrition guidelines with its "MyPlate" campaign. MyPlate replaces the older Food Pyramid that many adults grew up with.
Looking for a healthy recipe? All of these ideas are low in calories and can be incorporated into your diet plan.
Pasta, steak, and chocolate? Ways to make these ingredients healthy.

subset: commoncrawl


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Got big rain today in Santa Barbara, and across all of California, or so it appears:
Rainfall records were broken. As expected, there were mudslides. One friend going to Malibu was smart to avoid the Pacific Coast Highway.
The drought persists, of course. We'll need many more storms like this to make up for the water shortage.
Two things the news won't mention, though.
One is the dropped wildfire danger. We care about those here. Two of the last four wildfires took out over 300 homes. One came within a dozen homes of where I'm sitting now.
The other is the greening of the hills. When California gets a good winter soaking, it turns into Ireland — at least until the fire season starts again.


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Boy 'J' - Rumi's Litter
Available! $2,500
DOB: Sep. 4th 2023
- Ready for his new home Oct. 22nd 2023 on.
- AKC registered
- Blue Merle Boy
- 2 Blue Eyes
- Genetically clear puppy
- Vet health certificate
- current on shots and worming
- Microchipped
- 2 year health guarantee
- Health record and first year health schedule
- puppy starter kit
- updated 09-27-2023
A non-refundable deposit of $500 reserves your puppy. The full amount due must be paid by the time the puppy is six weeks of age, unless otherwise agreed upon with the breeder. If the remaining balance is not paid by week six, the puppy will be put up for sale again. In that case, your deposit will be applied to the next litter or puppy you select.


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Secrets of the Forex market
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The Internet is now very often selling various trading systems, I personally do not buy them because I have great doubts on this score. I propose to you the secrets of the Forex that got me my own labor (sweat and blood) - 7 years, I have been trading in this market! Those years I spent in the close monitoring of the Exchange rates. During this time I have accumulated information that will not read anywhere, in any book! It is these secrets, I decided to offer you. As they say: "I found myself -Share with others." Of course not free. This is a small book which presents briefly all the most important aspects of trading in the Forex market and a small number of parts which reason all silent, and that can help you and you need to earn in this market! Not only that, for those who still dare to buy my product, I will provide online support during trade ISQ. Your data and your name unlike other sellers, I do not hide. Since no one not going to cheat! Here is an example of my personal success in the recent period http://www.aforex.ru/company/news/?page=2
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After reading this material you are able to create a very successful vehicle. The modern trader too many different tools to work in the market - this whole calculation, they are very easy to get confused and lose the thread of which is right in front, and that it would again have to find a very long time. I sell the practical secrets of the market on which to build your system! For questions contact me at ISQ 293146821
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In Saturday's NY Times, former Portfolio editor Joanne Lipman attempted to critique the stalling of feminism in America. The result was so ham-handed and contradictory, it read like a tutorial on How Not to Talk About Sexism.
Early in the piece, called "The Mismeasure of Woman," Lipman (that's her in the white, lofting her National Magazine Award) writes,
The truth is, women haven't come nearly as far as we would have predicted 25 years ago. Somewhere along the line, especially in recent years, progress for women has stalled. And attitudes have taken a giant leap backward.
Kinda vague, but a worthwhile topic nonetheless. And Lipman does provide some sobering stats, like the fact that, "according to the American Bar Association, women in 2008 made up almost half of all associates, but only 18.3 percent of partners." After that, her essay pretty quickly goes off the rails. Both the NYTPicker and Gawker's Foster Kamer handily detail the ways Lipman's piece makes no sense. Kamer's right that the connection she draws between 9/11, the purported "end of irony" and boobs on the Internet is just bizarre, and the NYTPicker deserves props for pointing out that at least one of her allegations of sexism actually never happened — nobody called her career "leggy." But I'm not particularly interested in picking apart her arguments that sexism still exists — it does, there's better proof of it than appears in Lipman's piece, and there's no need to go into that here. What does bear some critiquing is her prescription for "chang(ing) the conversation," a vague phrase that appears to mean ending not just discrimination in the workplace but also misogyny in media and pop culture. Let's take Lipman's advice point by point (all bold is mine):
First, we can begin by telling girls to have confidence in themselves, to not always feel the need to be the passive "good girl." In my time as an editor, many, many men have come through my door asking for a raise or demanding a promotion. Guess how many women have ever asked me for a promotion?
I'll tell you. Exactly ... zero.
Yes, women could use workplace assertiveness training. And yes, teachers and parents should be raising girls to be active rather than passive, and not to expect "unrealistic perfection in every sphere, from beauty to housekeeping." But why does the conversation about women and career advancement always have to be framed in terms of women asking for raises and promotions? I get that in today's world this is a necessary career skill, but a common critique of America's educational system is that it values obedience and docility, qualities that supposedly come easier to girls than to boys. Parents and other advocates use this as evidence that the school system needs to be changed to be more male-friendly — but women are still expected to change to be more workplace-friendly. I don't believe that boys are naturally less obedient, or women naturally less assertive. But we are still socialized differently, and the culture of many American workplaces is dominated by values developed and perpetuated by men — including self-promotion and aggressiveness. Again, plenty of women have these qualities in spades. But for those who don't, why can't workplace culture change to, say, reward hard work instead of repeated demands? Why do women always have to be the ones to budge?
[H]ave a sense of humor. Believe me, it's needed.
Case in point: My favorite Christmas card ever came from Martha Stewart - while she was in prison in West Virginia. It was beautiful, on heavy paper stock, and showed a gorgeous wreath. And on the inside, homey as could be, it was engraved with holiday wishes from "Martha Stewart, Alderson, West Virginia."
This one is kind of mystifying. I'm not really sure what the Martha Stewart anecdote is supposed to teach us, especially since it's not even that funny. And anyway, can we stop talking about how women need to get a sense of humor? Umpteen discussions of humorless feminazis have led me to believe that the female sense of humor is like the clit — other people may not know how to find it, but we know where the fuck ours is.
And 3.
One final suggestion: don't be afraid to be a girl.
Women do have a different culture from men. And that can give us some tremendous advantages. Women are built to withstand hardship and pain. (Anyone who has given birth knows what I'm talking about.) That's a big benefit at a time like this, with the unemployment rate at 9.8 percent and rising.
Where to even start with this? How about with the fact that Lipman just got finished telling women that they had to learn to operate like men in male workplace culture — but wait, don't forget hold on to a culture of your own! The idea that women need to work "like men" but think/look/act/dress/talk/fuck "like a girl" continues to be a huge obstacle to women's equality, and is part of the demand for "unrealistic perfection" that Lipman decries earlier in the essay. Even leaving this aside, if women's culture means "withstanding hardship and pain," I'm not sure I want it. I don't buy that women are any better at this than men, and this particular type of exceptionalism crosses over pretty quickly into obligation — when women are perceived as "better" at something (i.e. childrearing), it becomes their exclusive duty to take care of it. And I'd rather men share some of the pain of the recession, thanks very much.
Point 3 segues into the assertion that women are better at weathering economic downturn because they define themselves less by their jobs. This may be true in the aggregate — things are changing, but men are still told to identify with their jobs more closely than women are. Of course, women are told that their worth depends on the love of a man, and it's hard to say which cultural message is more damaging. As the recession has shown, jobs can be as fickle as love, and failure at either doesn't make you a bad person. It's worth remembering that strong relationships with friends and family — and also, I'd argue, a connection to a cause outside yourself — can help you weather crises both in love and at work. But framing this as feminine wisdom just keeps the genders firmly in their little work/life boxes, which is exactly the opposite of what the recession should teach us, if it teaches us anything.
I feel a little dirty taking Lipman to task for all this, given that she is genuinely trying to address the problems women face. But we're not going to solve those problems by falling back on the same old stereotypes that created them in the first place. Lipman deserves credit for drawing attention to a pressing issue in a national forum. Maybe now other people will come up with better ways to address it.
The Mismeasure Of Woman [NYT]
Fallen Portfolio Editor Joanne Lipman's Self-Serving Feminism Screed: 9/11, Sissies, Etc. [Gawker]
Whoops! Leggy Former Portfolio Editor Joanne Lipman Makes Mulitple Mistakes In Today's Op-Ed Whine About Women. [The NYTPicker]


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Thank you.
We're so glad we're in Minnesota.
How do we measure the content of a person's character? How do we recognize their fitness to serve?
Barack Obama gives a good speech.
But the best sermons aren't preached, they're lived.
John McCain's whole life is a testimony to service, duty, courage and common sense. John McCain has walked the walk, and he has always put our country first!
When he showed guts and courage as a Prisoner of War, John McCain put our country first!
When he stood up to special interests, and fought against earmarks and pork-barrel spending in Congress, John McCain put our country first!
When he saw the need to change strategy in Iraq and boldly called for the surge, John McCain put our country first!
When he responded to our energy crisis with an all-of-the-above energy plan, John McCain put our country first!
And when John McCain is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States, we know he will always put our country first!
We've seen in this man the very best our country has to offer.
I recently traveled with John to Iraq, a nation whose destiny he helped change.
I saw first-hand how he loves and admires our troops.
And I saw how they love and admire him.
They know how he personally understands the costs of war.
They also know how committed he is to doing whatever it takes to ensure they come home with honor and victory.
We live in a dangerous world.
With John McCain as President, there will be no misunderstanding about where America stands and what we stand for.
John McCain is tough -- but he's also compassionate. I've gotten to know John, and I can tell you he is a Purple Heart recipient with a heart of gold.
He understands the concerns of everyday Americans like you and me.
What I like to call "Sam's Club Republicans."
These voters are on a tight budget.
They're looking for value and accountability at the store. And they're looking for value and accountability from their government.
John McCain connects with Sam's Club voters.
He gets it.
He will force government to live within its means, just like families do.
He knows that small businesses are the job growth engine for our country.
He knows the last thing they need is MORE taxes.
John also understands that health care costs are budget busters for too many American families.
He'll provide help but will put consumers and their doctors in charge, not the federal government.
John also knows it's getting tougher for us to afford to fill-up at the pump.
His energy plan is classic McCain - bold and aggressive.
In this time, we don't need a president who can just read a poll or momentarily thrill a crowd.
We don't need rhetoric or empty promises.
We need a president who has the integrity and courage to make the tough choices so America will be stronger and safer.
I believe the times call out great leaders.
This time, our time, calls out for John McCain.


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Everything from cheese plates to canapes can have more zing with flavored cheese. Here, Jalapeno Co-Jack from Loleta Cheese Factory and Emmenthaler are combined with red-leaf lettuce, a pitted olive and a grape tomato on a toasted bread round (first toast, then use a cookie cutter). Photo by Eugene Bochkarev | IST.
Category Main Page
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STEPHANIE ZONIS focuses on good foods and the people who produce them.
April 2008
CAPSULE SUMMARY: You may not have thought of cheeses as "flavored" before. But take a look at the index below and you'll nod in recognition. Stephanie Zonis, who has eaten many a fine cheese, takes a look at some of the interesting ones in each category. There's more than enough for you to have six different cheese-tasting parties, focusing on each style. This is Part I of a six-part article. You can click to the different sections via the yellow box, below.
Purists normally like cheeses in their natural state. The flavor of a fine cheese stands on its own—in fact, the palate seeks out every nuance of the animal's milk and its terroir. Nonetheless, there are times when the taste buds crave something new and different—some zip and zing. This is the time to turn to flavored cheeses. As this is THE NIBBLE, you know we're not referring to Port Wine Cheddar from the supermarket, or other color-added, stabilizer-added, flavored spreads or logs that contain ingredients like water, corn syrup solids, or xanthan gum. Some of the nation's best artisan cheesemakers make flavored cheeses, so you can enjoy fine cheese with a twist in taste.
Many companies make flavored cheeses, from smoked to hot jalapeño varieties. It's common to find cheeses like pepper jack, herbed chèvre and horseradish or cranberry Cheddar in supermarkets. If you enjoy those cheeses, you'll especially enjoy the artisan varieties. This is not to imply that all cheeses found in a supermarket are unworthy of your attention; but check the ingredients label. Quality cheese is a natural product made by curdling milk with an acid (vinegar, lemon juice) or rennet. It simply doesn't contain things like soybean oil or sodium alginate. Given the option, why would you spend your money on (or have to eat) a highly-processed product that does?
In fact, there are so many different types of flavored artisan cheeses, even from the U.S. alone, that instead of listing them by type of cheese, this article lists them by flavoring source. This article doesn't hope to cover even a fraction of them, just to give you a little taste of what's out there. In addition to exploring online, try to seek out your local or regional cheesemakers. Beyond a fun visit to the nearest Farmer's Market, a day trip to the nearest creamery is a fun outing.
Smoked cheeses are familiar to most people, and are popular for snacking and sandwiches. Cheeses that are smoked tend to start out as milder in nature. Smoking a more potent cheese will produce a product that is too strongly-flavored for most people.
Cheeses are smoked over a variety of materials, including applewood (Haystack Mountain's chèvre is an example, made in Colorado) and pecan shells (Mozzarella Company's Scamorza and Smoked Mozzarella, from Dallas). Taylor Farm Maple Smoked Gouda of Vermont, was highlighted in a prior article. Cheddar smoked with maple chips and corn cobs is available from Crowley Cheese Company, also in Vermont. Stoney Acres Sheep Dairy in Misssouri hickory-smokes its Lambert, which they list as a "mild aged cheese." Walnut shells, cherry wood, and wood combinations of material (apple and cherry, hickory and maple, for example) are also used to add flavor to cheeses via smoking.
Smoking any cheese must be done with care and caution. If there is excessive heat during the process, the cheese could be ruined. While the objective is to impart flavor, too much heat can cause the cheese to soften or even begin to melting! To avoid this, cheeses are often cold-smoked for a long period of time. Cold-smoking allows a cheese to develop a complex, smoky taste without exposing it to direct heat. You can shop locally for smoked cheeses, or put together a tasting of those mentioned here, from these creameries:
Proceed to Part II: Cheeses With Alcohol
Go To The Article Index At The Top Of The Page
Lifestyle Direct, Inc. All rights reserved. Images are the copyright of their respective owners.


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The St. Louis Rams hope that their flight to London is the only air show they see this week.
The Rams look to contain Tom Brady and the New England Patriots' top-ranked offense on Sunday as the two clubs do battle at England's Wembley Stadium in the latest addition of the International Series.
This Sunday will mark the sixth regular-season game to be played in London and 11th overall to take place outside of the United States. While the Rams make their first trip to Wembley Stadium, the Patriots have made the trek before. New England bested the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 35-27 on Oct. 25, 2009, getting 308 yards and three passing touchdowns from Brady.
The New England signal-caller hooked up with wide receiver Wes Welker 10 times in that game for 107 yards with a score.
"It will be a tough game, but it will be memorable for a lot of reasons," Brady said of this year's edition of the game in London. "I certainly remember our last trip, so it will be a nice experience for all the players kind of coming together."
In addition to trying to shake off jet lag, the Pats hope to improve on a subpar 29-26 overtime win against the New York Jets last weekend. New England yielded 13 fourth-quarter points to its AFC East rivals before getting a 43- yard field goal from Stephen Gostkowski as time expired to force the extra frame.
Gostkowski then capped New England's overtime drive with a 48-yard field goal and New York was unable to extend the game on its ensuing drive as ends Rob Ninkovich and Jermaine Cunningham combined for a sack on Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez. Ninkovich jarred the ball loose on the takedown and recovered to seal the Pats' third victory in four games that gave them sole possession of first place in the division at 4-3.
"We talk about playing 60 minutes, it took a little bit more than that today, but the players did a good job," said Patriots coach Bill Belichick. "In the end, we made enough plays to win."
It was the opposite for Rams, who trailed by four points at halftime in their recent matchup with the Green Bay Packers before eventually falling in defeat 30-20.
St. Louis came into the game ranked fifth against the pass, but saw Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers throw for 342 yards with three scoring strikes. That led to the Rams' second straight defeat and first in four home games this season.
"It's a tough one," admitted St. Louis quarterback Sam Bradford, who passed for 255 yards with a touchdown and interception. "I thought we did a fairly decent job in the first half. We came out cold in the third quarter, just didn't really get anything going. We've just got to do a better job of overcoming."
Bradford and company next look to grab the edge in their all-time series with the Patriots. The two teams have split their 10 regular-season meetings, though the Pats have won the past two.
The Patriots played host to the Rams in the last encounter on Oct. 26, 2008, picking up a 23-16 triumph in a game that Brady missed because of a knee injury.
New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels served in that role for that meeting, his last season with the Pats before spending two years as the head coach of the Denver Broncos. He was fired from that role following the 2010 campaign and spent last season as the offensive coordinator for the Rams before his return to the Pats.
New England also defeated St. Louis in Super Bowl XXXVI on Feb. 3, 2002, the first of three championships in four seasons for the franchise.
The Patriots' offense continues to be one of the top units in the league, averaging an NFL-best 436.1 yards and 31.0 points per game. After gaining 381 yards of offense versus the Jets, the Pats have now reached at least 350 total yards in 16 straight games to match the longest such streak in NFL history first set by the St. Louis Rams in 1999-2000.
Brady, meanwhile, has logged at touchdown pass in 39 straight games, the third-longest streak in league annuals and tight end Rob Gronkowski is coming off a two-touchdown performance that lifted his season total to five.
Wide receiver Brandon Lloyd should be motivated for this game after spending part of last season with the Rams following a trade by the Broncos. Lloyd hauled in 51 passes for 683 yards and five scores with St. Louis before signing with New England this offseason.
"They do a great job, it's obvious," said Rams head coach Jeff Fisher of the Pats' offense. "Everybody is on the same page. Even the new pace they're playing with. When you have 75 more rushing attempts than the league average, you're playing at a high pace and that's what they're doing. Our young defense has obviously not faced it this year."
All this is staring at the Rams, who slipped from fifth to 14th in the league against the pass after struggling against the Packers.
Still, St. Louis has yielded only four touchdown passes to quarterbacks not named Aaron Rodgers and has received eight interceptions from its secondary. Six different players have nabbed a pick, led by cornerback Cortland Finnegan's three.
"You know, he competes his butt off and he's smart, catches the ball well. He's a seventh-round pick, so you just are always fighting for your life out there. Even though he's had a lot of success, you see he wants to continue to get better and improve and he's still a young player. I have a lot of respect for him," Brady said of Finnegan.
The Rams, coming off a three-sack performance versus the Packers, have brought down the opposing quarterback 15 times in their last three games and defensive end Robert Quinn notched his seventh sack of the year last weekend, tied for second in the NFC.
St. Louis shook up its offensive line versus Green Bay, with Joe Barksdale replacing an injured Wayne Hunter at left tackle and Shelley Smith stepping in for Quinn Ojinnaka, who had started the previous four games at left guard but was released on Monday.
Bradford will have to be aware of Ninkovich, who has a team-leading four forced fumbles, all in the past four games.
"I just think Rob can do different things," Belichick said of Ninkovich's role to the defense. "We ask him to do different things and he can do them. That gives him value and versatility himself and to our defense and all that."
New England has struggled against the pass this season, yielding 290.0 yards per game and corners Devin McCourty -- who had a 104-yard kickoff return for a score versus the Jets -- and Kyle Arrington will have to account for Rams wideout Chris Givens, whose 56-yard catch last weekend made him the first NFL rookie since Willie Gault in 1983 to log a reception of 50-plus yards in four consecutive games.
"(Givens is) making a big play here and there," noted Fisher. "We'd like to try to get him more involved; like to try to get more balls to him but he's coming on."
Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein could be a x-factor for the Rams. He hit on field goals of 50 and 43 yards versus the Packers and is 12-for-14 on field goals 40 yards or longer this season.
Games taking place overseas a bit harder to predict due to the travel and change of routine that takes place.
Extra credit, then, goes to the Patriots, who have done this dance before and were already the better team heading into the contest. Though the faces aren't all the same from the club's last trip to London, Belichick should have his team ready to go.
"I'm not sure how many of our players now were on that trip but I would say not a whole lot," he said earlier in the week. "There's been a decent amount of turnover since then. You know, the experience for those of us that went, you have some idea what to expect. There's something to be said for that."
New England's inconsistent play at times this season has raised some doubts after the team repeating as champs in a tight AFC East, but as St. Louis showed in last week's loss to high-flying Green Bay, the NFC West cellar- dwellers are still trying to find a way to compete with the more elite teams in the NFL.
Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Patriots 27, Rams 16


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Individual 10 Stocking
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text:
DMXGetWindowAttributes(3) DragonFly Library Functions Manual
NAMEDMXGetWindowAttributes - determine back-end window attributes
SYNOPSIS#include <X11/extensions/dmxext.h> Bool DMXGetWindowAttributes(Display *dpy, Window window, int *screen_count, int available_count, DMXWindowAttributes *attr);
DESCRIPTIONWhen calling DMXGetWindowAttributes(), window specifies the window ID of a window on the Xdmx(1) server and available_count specifies the length of attr. The number of screens for which information is available will be returned in screen_count and information about those screen will be returned in attr. If screen_count is less than available_count, then information for all of the screens will be returned. Otherwise, information for the first available_count screens will be returned. The DMXWindowAttributes structure is: typedef struct { int screen; Window window; XRectangle pos, vis; } DMXWindowAttributes; For each back-end X server that displays a portion of window, this structure contains the physical screen containing that portion, the window ID on the back-end X server of the window containing that portion, the position and dimensions of the window on the back-end (pos, in screen coordinates), and the visible area of the window on the back-end (vis, in window-relative coordinates -- all zeros if the window is not visible on the backend). To obtain more information about the physical screen use the DMXGetScreenAttributes(3) call. Note that DMX allows multiple back-end windows to overlap in their view of the DMX logical window. Further, a logical window does not have to be completely covered by back-end windows -- there may be gaps. As an example, consider a 500x500 window that spans the top two 1024x768 back-end displays (A and B) of a 2048x1536 DMX display composed of 4 1024x768 back-end displays arranged in a cube: A B C D In this case, the DMXGetWindowAttributes call would return the following information for the 500x500 window: display A: 500x500 window at 1024-250,0 (relative to back end) with 250x500 visible at 0,0 (relative to window origin) display B: 500x500 window at -250,0 (relative to back end) with 250x500 visible at 250,0 (relative to window origin) display C: 500x500 window at 1024-250,-768 with 0x0 visible at 0,0 display D: 500x500 window at -250,-768 with 0x0 visible at 0,0
RETURN VALUEDMXGetWindowAttributes() returns True unless there is a protocol error. DMXGetWindowAttributes() can generate BadWindow and BadAlloc errors.
NOTESBecause this call transports a great deal of information over the wire, please call DMXGetScreenCount(3) first, and make sure attr is sufficiently large. On a particular back-end server, it is possible that the associated window has not yet been mapped because the XMapWindow(3) call that will eventually map the window had been buffered by Xlib's normal buffering system. To avoid this race condition, please call DMXSync(3) before communicating directly with the back-end X server.
SEE ALSODMXGetScreenCount(3), DMXSync(3), DMXGetScreenAttributes(3), DMX(3), Xdmx(1) X Version 11 libdmx 1.1.3 DMXGetWindowAttributes(3)


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Automakers will add 200,000 jobs in the next few years, most of them in the Midwest.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The auto industry will produce a jobs boom in the battered Midwest over the next four years, according to a new forecast.
The Center for Automotive Research, a respected Michigan think tank, estimates that automakers and auto parts suppliers will likely need to hire about 200,000 workers by 2015 in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana, the nation's auto belt that has seen massive job losses in recent years.
While part of that hiring would replace retiring workers, the hiring boom should leave the three states with a net gain of about 150,000 auto jobs.
And it will go a long way to recouping the auto jobs lost during the past 10 years -- employment in the sector in the three states has fallen by just over half, or 274,000 jobs, since 2001, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The job gains are due to forecasts of a modest recovery in auto production, as well as recent labor deals with General Motors (GM, Fortune 500), Ford Motor (F, Fortune 500) and Chrysler Group.
All three labor deals this past fall included promises to hire new employees to build the next generation of cars and trucks. And that will prompt additional hiring at auto parts suppliers.
GM has promised to add or retain 6,400 workers in its labor deal, while Ford promised to add almost 6,000 and Chrysler 2,100.
The Center for Automotive Research's estimates for hiring are pretty conservative by comparison, projecting only about 10,250 additional hourly workers at the traditional Big Three. But it also projects the companies will add more than 20,000 salaried workers -- plant supervisors, as well as engineers and other technical staff -- that aren't in the United Auto Workers union.
The bigger gains will come from the increased hiring from auto parts suppliers, along with some additions at Midwest facilities of overseas automakers.
Overall, the Center for Automotive Research estimates the industry will need to add almost 170,000 jobs nationwide by 2014, with most in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. Replacing retirees who leave the industry could require about 50,000 more hires.
That's not nearly enough to recoup all the jobs lost by the industry in recent decades. But it would represent a significant shot in the arm for the battered auto states -- assuming the employers can find the help they need.
Michigan, Ohio and Indiana have about 1.2 million unemployed. But there's a labor shortage for skilled positions.
"We're talking to suppliers who are capacity restrained who are having trouble finding the employees they need," said Kristin Dziczek, director of the labor and industry group at the Center for Automotive Research and one of the authors of the study.
Dave Andrea, head of industry analysis and economics for the Original Equipment Suppliers Association, an auto parts trade group, said he thinks the forecasts are reasonable.
He said his group's members were forced to cut deeply to survive the crisis of 2009, and they've been scrambling to rebuild their staffs.
"You drive around this area, and you still see signs in front of closed factories that are still for sale or lease, but you also see billboards of companies looking for help," he said.
Dziczek said a big part of the problem is that so many of the people who lost jobs took early retirement packages and many aren't likely to return to the labor force. And there aren't as many experienced manufacturing workers sitting around still looking for jobs.
"It's like these employers are all looking for these elusive unicorns -- people with five to eight years of experience who don't cost too much, don't require much training," she said. "We're going to run out of unicorns soon, if we haven't all ready."
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sci-fi violence and some intense images
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Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
Academy Award® Nominee
After three long years of relentless fighting, the Clone Wars are nearly at an end. The Jedi Council dispatches Obi-Wan Kenobi to bring the deadly leader of the Separatist droid army to justice. Meanwhile, back on Coruscant, Chancellor Palpatine has grown in power. His sweeping political changes transform the war-weary Republic into the mighty Galactic Empire. To his closest ally, Anakin Skywalker, he reveals the true nature of power and the promised secrets of the Force in an attempt to lure him to the dark side.
Starring Hayden Christensen, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Lee, Ian McDiarmid, Jimmy Smits, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, Frank Oz
Directed by George Lucas
Running Time - 2:26
Genre - SciFi/Fantasy
Opened in Theaters - Thursday, May 19, 2005 (18 years ago)
Oscar-nominated for Achievement in Makeup
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The appearance and behavior of Swainson's Hawk is much like its close North American relatives; Red-tailed (Buteo jamaicensis), Broad-winged (Buteo platypterus), White-tailed (Buteo albicaudatus), Short-tailed (Buteo brachyurus), and Ferruginous (Buteo regalis) Hawks. Although its overall appearance is slimmer, with a thinner body and narrower wings as compared to its relatives, the Swainson's Hawk is, at all ages, most likely to be confused with immature Red-tailed Hawks. But one exceptional trait about the Swainson's Hawk is that during migration it travels much farther than any other North American hawk.
As the summer gives way to autumn nearly the entire population of Swainson's Hawk migrates from the temperate zone of North America to its wintering grounds in the pampas of South America. The 20,000 km roundtrip that this hawk travels each year places it among the world's longest-distance migratory raptors. This species is even a very rare fall visitor to the Eastern U.S., usually in flocks of Broad-winged Hawks and has been known to winter in southern Florida and central California.
Flocks of several hundred immature birds and adults—the latter having finished raising their offspring—group together by late August and early September, and begin to put on fat for their upcoming journey by gorging on grasshoppers until northerly winds arrive and the flocks get aloft for traveling south. From now on the flocks, called kettles, take any opportunity to facilitate their flight by using northerly air currents and thermals. Thermals actually represent columns of air rising right from the surface of heated patches of the land.
The way the birds use these thermals is that they gain height without flapping their wings as the column rises then when it cools down the birds glide down to a neighboring thermal and repeat the process with very little effort and energy expense. However, when the sun is blocked out and thermals or other propelling currents do not occur, the raptors usually perch or fly over short distances with some effort only to change perching spots.
Because they rely heavily on thermals they usually attempt to avoid crossing water surfaces from which thermals rarely rise. The matchless example of how raptor migration is dependent on land is the importance of Panama—that narrow land bridge that connects North and South America. In order to migrate to and from North and South America, these raptors have no choice but to obey the geographic pattern and funnel in enormous numbers through this narrow land bridge.
Its passage through this region is an impressive sight, with flocks sometimes numbering several hundred thousand birds heading south. They usually pass in long straggling lines or in clusters and roost in flocks of over 100 birds at night. And it is not until the sun heats up the land that a fascinating spectacle arises: enormous numbers of Swainson's Hawks begin circling and soaring in newly-formed thermals as if they have sprung from nowhere. One cannot but be astounded by watching a "cyclone" of soaring hawks gradually traveling south and moving out of sight.
In Mexico large concentrations pass just west of the Gulf of Mexico and over Veracruz. Between Mexico and Panama, most migrants occur on the Pacific slope and pass over Nicaragua without stopping, then cross the upper Andes in Columbia and continue their way along the eastern foothills of Andes, south through western Brazil and eastern Bolivia down to Argentina. As the flocks find themselves in northern South America, they begin to fan out to the south, and sizes of migrating flocks decrease. It seems that during their journey from North America all the way down to Argentina, Swainson's Hawks hardly refuel themselves and fast for most of the time.
Swainson's Hawk is almost unique in switching from a diet of primarily small mammals when raising young to insects when migrating or wintering. As a soaring, open-country hunter, it often hunts from perches such as tree tops, poles or posts, rocks, and elevated ground, surprising prey like ground squirrels, pocket gophers, voles, deer mice, various small birds, lizards and snakes. Sometimes it perches still on the ground near ground squirrel holes waiting for them to emerge, especially near dusk. It also snatches bats while they fly in flocks.
However it eats insects at all times. But on its wintering grounds, it apparently exclusively eats insects such as grasshoppers, dragonflies, butterflies and moths, and leaf beetles which it catches on the ground or in midair with its talons, in the latter case eating them in flight.
The enormous distance that Swainson's Hawks cover each year, has various deadly threats ready to ambush them any time. The threats include casual shooting, collisions with artificial constructions, pesticide and toxic poisoning in addition to habitat loss at both its breeding and wintering grounds. In Argentina, in 1995 and 1996, organophospate insecticide usage to control a grasshopper outbreak in alfalfa and sunflower fields caused the death of nearly 6,000 Swainson's Hawks—the hawks died within several days after they feasted on poisoned grasshoppers. Many more hawks died within minutes of being sprayed directly by pesticide applicators while they foraged in fields.
The birds that successfully survive the perilous journey and the winter in the pampas of Argentina, will undertake the long-distance flight back to their breeding grounds in North America. Hopefully, Swainson's Hawks will continue this time-honored migration in numbers that recall those "cyclones" of the past. Whether Man, either on purpose or from ignorance, ends these spectacles is a concern that all people and nations from North to South America need to address now and continuously in the future.


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Firstly, thanks so much for all your sweet comments on my baby curlicue quilt. I really feel so happy to be involved in such a supportive community.
I couldn't resist using some leftover squares from the curlicue quilt to make a coordinating pillow. There's just something about a little matching set of goodness to send to a new baby that I can't stop myself.
It really came together quick and I was surprised that it actually fits a travel sized pillow form.
I love trying to wrap everything up pretty. I just used some leftover binding material, ripped it across the grain and you've got yourself a pretty little bow. If there's anything I'd like to improve on it would definitely would be my wrapping/packaging skills. I think for whatever reason I just fizzle out at the end creatively. Here's to trying new things!
Have a great weekend! See you Monday for Sewing with Knits. I'm off to an estate sale, wish me luck. ♥


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Christine Stumbo, of McDowell, KY and Lawrence E. Baldridge, of Pippa Passes, KY were honored as the 2011 Alice Lloyd College Alumna and Alumnus of the Year at a banquet on Friday, September 16th, on the campus of Alice Lloyd College. The two were recognized for their outstanding service and dedication to Alice Lloyd College and the community.
Christine Stumbo resides in McDowell, Kentucky. She is a graduate of McDowell High School and, in 1965, earned an associate's degree at Alice Lloyd College (ALC). Christine then attended Berea College, obtaining a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, and the University of Louisville where she received a Master's Degree in Social Work. In addition, she has done doctoral work at the University of Kentucky.
Christine loves Eastern Kentucky and has dedicated her life to serving her community and region. She was a social worker for five years, while also reviewing and evaluating foster children's case histories for the Commonwealth of Kentucky. In 1974, she returned to ALC. For thirty-seven years, Christine has helped to further the mission of the institution in numerous capacities, including serving as Assistant Director of the Human Services Program, Director of ALCOR, Assistant Professor of Sociology and Dean of Women. Her current responsibilities include coordinating a freshman transition program geared toward student retention. There is no doubt that Christine's contributions extend far beyond the many titles she has held through the years. She has impacted the lives of countless students with her kindness, counsel and encouragement. It is not uncommon for alumni to contact her to convey their appreciation for her influence upon their lives.
In addition to being a licensed social worker, Christine is a Kentucky Colonel, member of the National Association of Social Workers, member of the American Association of University Women and serves on the Kentucky Board of Foster Care Review. She is also a member of the McDowell First Baptist Church and participates in Women in God's Service (WINGS).
Christine credits the values and ethics instilled in her while at Alice Lloyd College as having greatly impacted her life, especially in respect to service to others and her relationship with the Lord. Her loyalty to the College frequently takes her beyond her official duties, and for many years, she has faithfully assisted the Alumni Office in maintaining contact with former students and encouraging them to continue their ties with and support of ALC.
Christine is devoted to her family and is an outstanding role model and inspiration to them. She enjoys reading and sewing, and a visit to her office attests that she is also an avid fan of Loretta Lynn and country music.
Lawrence E. Baldridge of Pippa Passes, Kentucky, graduated from Garrett High School. In 1955, he earned an associate's degree from Caney Junior College, and was awarded a Caney Cottage Scholarship to the University of Kentucky. There he received a Bachelor's Degree in Education and later earned Master's Degrees from the University of Louisville (Community Development), the University of Kentucky (Social Work), and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Divinity).
Since 1964, Lawrence has pastured Caney Baptist Church, setting an outstanding example of servant leadership. He helped to establish a community Kiwanis Club, Head Start Program, Senior Citizens Program, and the first ALC Baptist Student Union. Under his leadership, a beautiful new church facility was recently constructed in Pippa Passes.
Lawrence has been involved with the North American Mission Board for more than 30 years. Mission work has taken him to Brazil, Mexico, and recently, his eighteenth trip to Romania. Here at home, Lawrence coordinates the summer activities of Baptist and Leader Trek groups who donate their time and efforts to construction and repair of area housing and church facilities, and provide summer programs for youth.
A respected educator, Lawrence has taught at both ALC and JBS. In the 1960s, he was instrumental (through a Community Development program with the University of Louisville) in making it possible to earn a Master's Degree on the ALC and Pikeville College campuses. During this time he also coordinated Robert F. Kennedy's visit to Pippa Passes. More recently, he has served as Community Development Director during the construction of the Knott County Opportunity Center and the establishment of the School of Craft in Hindman, held numerous council positions for the Governor's Office, and was a member of the L.K.L.P. Community Action Board and the Kentucky River Area Development District Board.
Awards and recognitions Lawrence has received include Outstanding Young Man of America, Knott County Hall of Fame inductee, Kentucky Colonel, the Kentucky River Area Development District Leadership Award, the Kentucky Baptist Recognition of Service Award, and the Clovis Brantly Service Award of the Year for Service in the Community.
Inspired by Alice Lloyd, June Buchanan, and the Purpose Road Philosophy, Lawrence is quick to express his gratitude for the many opportunities each provided and remains a faithful ambassador for the College. He enjoys golfing, teaching, writing poetry, and reading. His greatest joy in life is spending time with his wife, Martha, and their three children: Ruth, David, and Mary, and their families.


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LOS ANGELES — As private spaceflight company SpaceX puts the finishing touches on the interior of its prototype crewed capsule, the firm brought a life-size model of the vehicle to display here at the first annual Spacecraft Technology Expo.
The design of SpaceX's Dragon capsule recently passed a series of key reviews, during which a group of NASA engineers and former space shuttle astronauts tested how well they could maneuver inside the spacecraft. The NASA team practiced entering and exiting Dragon under normal and emergency scenarios, and they also evaluated the layout of the vehicle's controls and instruments.
"This milestone demonstrated the layout of the crew cabin supports critical tasks," SpaceX Commercial Crew Development Manager Garrett Reisman said in a statement. "It also demonstrated the Dragon interior has been designed to maximize the ability of the seven-member crew to do their job as effectively as possible."
SpaceX let attendees of the expo — which runs from May 8-10 at the Los Angeles Convention Center — see what the NASA evaluators saw. The company displayed the test version of Dragon at a special exhibit called the "Human Spaceflight Park," which includes full-size and scaled models of various other rockets and spacecraft, including XCOR Aerospace's suborbital Lynx space plane.
Unmanned Dragon set to fly
SpaceX is preparing to launch an unmanned version of the Dragon capsule to the International Space Station on May 19. The spacecraft will ride into orbit atop the company's own Falcon 9 rocket from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
The test flight is designed to assess the spacecraft's ability to carry cargo to the orbiting outpost. If successful, the mission will mark the first time that a privately built spacecraft has docked with the space station. [Gallery: Dragon, SpaceX's Private Spacecraft]
But SpaceX has ambitions beyond ferrying cargo and supplies to the orbiting complex. The company is aiming to use Dragon as the basis for a crewed capsule to take astronauts to the space station, and one day on to Mars.
"From the beginning, we intended it to carry people," Reisman said Tuesday (May 8) in a panel discussion about commercial human spaceflight.
Reisman is a former NASA astronaut who flew twice on the space shuttle and spent roughly three months living at the International Space Station. He left the agency in 2011 to join SpaceX, after the company successfully launched and returned the Dragon capsule from orbit, becoming the first commercial company to accomplish the feat in December 2010.
"I saw that the game was changing," Reisman said. "Something really remarkable was happening. We were entering a new golden age, and I was very excited about what I saw."
Hawthorne, Calif.-based SpaceX has submitted a proposal for the third and final funded phase of NASA's commercial crew program, which requires companies to present a complete launch system — a rocket and vehicle — for consideration.
Seven-astronaut crew
In the crewed version, the Dragon capsule is designed to fit seven passengers. The full-size mockup on display here was used to test the vehicle's design and cabin layout.
"We're looking forward to proceeding in the next phase, and hopefully in the next several years, we'll have people flying on Dragon," Reisman said.
But for now, all eyes are on the unmanned Dragon, which is currently sitting atop a Falcon 9 rocket on its Florida launch pad. After being delayed several times, the Dragon capsule's test flight to the space station is slated to occur in just 10 days.
"Stay tuned," Reisman said. "I'm feeling pretty good about this one."
You can follow SPACE.com staff writer Denise Chow on Twitter @denisechow. Follow SPACE.com for the latest in space science and exploration news on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.


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Sunset Park - Fish Creek
Another wonderful Gem in Door County is Sunset Park in Fish Creek. It really is a very small area, right on the bay waters. You will find three benches up on the grassy area, but when you walk down the stony path to the water's edge, this is where the views are breathtaking, the sound of the waves inspiring, and the best place to skip stones in Door County!
If you know where the White Gull Inn is, you probably already know about Sunset Park. If you are heading north on Hwy 42 from Egg Harbor, when you get to the bottom of the hill in Fish Creek, instead of continuing on Hwy 42 north (right), turn left (be careful – cars coming from the north do NOT have a stop sign). If you are coming from the north, heading south on Hwy 42, then, instead of turning left onto Hwy 42 continuing south to Egg Harbor, go straight. Go past the White Gull Inn, or park anywhere near there. And walk as far as you can to then end of the road. You can walk on the road, or actually stroll down the path in the woods across the road from the White Gull Inn.
There you will find Sunset Park. This is a great place to skip stones on the water. Plenty of stones are available! The views of the islands and the coastline are pleasant, soothing, and rejuvenating. It is a peaceful place. We even go down in the winter to see the frozen bay – it is a humbling view, where nature inspires us with her beauty and vastness. In the Midwest, there aren't many places like this!
If you are having breakfast at the White Gull Inn, and you have to wait, take a short walk. We even know a couple who were engaged sitting right on one of the three benches here at Sunset Park – it's that kind of a place.
Enjoy! We always do! Maybe we'll see you down there!
Cave Point Park
For Info: call Door County Parks & Recreation: 920-746-2914
Spectacular! A must! If you do not stop at Cave Point Park, you will not truly know Door County! And, we receommend that you check out Door County Kayak Tours so that you can take a tour of Cave Point by kayak - just awesome. Check it out here, and tell them at DoorCountyNavigator sent you: Door County Kayak Tours, Cave Point! Read our Trusted Review of Door County Kayak Tours!
OK. Where is Sevastopol you ask? Not one of your familiar towns in Door County? Head over to the Lake side, and head south on Hwy 57, past Baileys Harbor, then past Jacksonport. In a moment you will see a sign for Whitefish Dunes State Park, and Cave Point.
Follow the Cave Point signs and find one of the treasures in Door County (at the end of County WD)! This beautiful 19 acre park has picnic areas and rest rooms too. But the beauty is in the unusual rock formations that make up the "cave." You have to be very careful here with kids, because there is a tremendous drop off with no fences o hold you back or tell you where to stop – so mind the little ones and mind yourself too.
There is a path that leads off to the left that will bring you to an area where you can "climb" down (really stop down) to a plateau of rock. From here, the vista is nice of the Green Bay waters. Closer up to the "cave" formation, you can see the waves lapping against the curved formation below. On a windy day, this is one great show! The waves aren't lapping, they are crashing, and when they do, the water sprays all the way up the curved walls to the top where you are in a glorious show of force and beauty – a good 20 or more feet into the air! It looks like a 4th of July fireworks, only with crisp, crystal clear water! It is a wonderful experience.
The scene is just beautiful, with age-old rock formations, the smell of pine trees, sun and water – and the sound of the waves! Your senses will delight in this unique spot!
We have visited Cave Point is all seasons, and it is a site to behold in all. Cave Point is a photo opportunity and if you time it just right, you can catch a picture of yourself just when the huge spray is behind you! What a remembrance.
In winter, be especially careful of slippery rocks and ice formations – but the majesty of Cave Point covered in snow and ice is breathtaking too. In fall, with the trees changing, it is colorful and grand. Get a seasonal shot in all for seasons – then frame them up for a very special tribute to this Door County gem!
There are public restrooms and some picnic tables available, but come for the view which is just breathtaking. This is a must stop, which is a little out of the way, but take the time to enjoy this Door County Gem!
Door County, Wi is a treasure trove of discoveries! As often as you come to Door County, you can always discover one more gem among the many you already know! Here, we will try to highlight some of the unusual places and things we have discovered in Door County – from unique inns, to shops to theater to vistas to parks and tiny little spots. Something different! So keep checking back here – and maybe you will discover treasure along your way in Door County, Wisconsin! and remember to check out the Peninsula Profiles too!
We archive all of our past Gems in the "Gem Box" at the bottom of this page - so scroll down and take a look!
Marathon "Service" Station
Ellison Bay
Ok, it's true – it's weird to have a gas station be a genuine "gem" in Door County. You might be wondering, "Has the Navigator gone mad?"
Well, we assure you, we scour the county constantly for things we think real people would like to know. So, we are recommending that while you are in Door County and you need a fill-up, head on into the Marathon station in Ellison Bay. "A fill-up," you wonder? Yes, a "fill-up."
Pull up to one of the three pumps, but don't look for credit card slots or fancy electronics on these three pumps. No sir. No ma'am. In fact, don't even get out of your car.
That's right. Someone will be right with you – a real live person will actually exit the interior station part or from one of the two mechanics' bays, greet you and ask what need. OK, this is where it gets tricky. You must tell the station attendant what type of gas you want. You know, the kind you usually get out of the car and pump yourself. Don't be flustered and forget, just tell the attendant, and he/she will pump your gas for you! That's right! Some may remember when gas stations were called "service" stations. Yes, the attendant pumps your gas for you here! And, wait – hang on – he also really cleaned my windshield – the bugs were gone!
And inside, they sell pop and candy bars and stuff like that. This is a trip in the "way-back" machine, and if you like to be reminded of much simpler times, with no false pretenses or marketing gimmickry, then pull into the Marathon Service Station in Ellison Bay. It is truly a wonderful experience, costs no more than gas anywhere else, and is the only station we know of that still does this! This is a true Door County Gem!
Ellison Bluff Park
Ellison Bay
The 250 miles of beautiful coastlines of Door County are well known to most, as is the fact that because Door County is a peninsula, it has more lighthouses than any other county in the U.S.
But finding an isolated spot of beauty, where you can experience first-hand the beauty of this fabulous County sometimes is tough. Ellison Bluff Park is one of these places of beauty, with a vista that is spectacular, and a park probably most of us have not been too, let alone experienced its beauty for ourselves.
So, our second Door County Gem is Ellison Bluff Park! It is indeed in Ellison Bay, so that's why "Ellison" is in its name; and, it sits high upon a thickly wooded bluff; so "Bluff" is in its name; and yes, it is also a park with some picnic tables and rest rooms, so "Park" is a natural. But they should have put the "Bay" in its name. Because, Ellison Bluff Park provides a vista of the shimmering waters of Green Bay like few other places in Door County.
When on the south end of Ellison Bay, you will see a sign for Ellison Bluff Park – do follow the signs and take a few precious moments that will provide you with many lasting memories of beauty. Head down Porcupine Rd. to Ellison Bluff Road, and keep going. You will find a spot to park the car. Then hike up to the bluff area! There are a couple of "look-out" spots that are respite to sore city eyes. Don't forget the camera – you will want to take some pictures here so you can remember it well! Truly, on any kind of a day, whether it's foggy, clear and sunny or somewhere in between, Ellison Bluff Park has much to offer!
Look below to the trees, pines, flowers and water. For the most part, it will not be crowded, so you will have a special moment to commune with nature and enjoy. You might find a couple or two in love, hugging and enjoying their time together, or a family or two taking advantage of the park and the view. Whoever you find there, they too will be special – not everyone comes to the Bluff, so make sure you are one of them!
Take it is for all it's worth; and it's worth a lot because it is one of Door County's Gems!


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To sauce up a few cups of shredded turkey meat (you could always use chicken here too), fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chilies are cooked in a saucepan, along with a sliced onion, until the juices have a chance to concentrate down and the onion softens. If you don't groove on spicy foods, opt for tomatoes that don't have chilies included.
While the above was simmering away, we lightly coated rounds of white corn tortillas with olive oil spray, sprinkled each with a few grains of salt and tossed them into the oven until golden and crisp. We then smashed an avocado together with salsa, sour cream and fresh cilantro to create a sauce to spread on top of those now-crisp tortillas. You can control the heat level here too - since we were using somewhat spicy tomatoes, we went with a medium salsa - however, go mild if you want just an inkling of spice or go crazy and use those diablo XXX salas's and clear your sinus's!
When that combination of chunky tomatoes and onion was done simmering, the shredded turkey was added in to heat through - the mixture is then piled on top of a light bed of shredded romaine that covered the creamy avocado spread. With a sprinkling of mild Monterey Jack cheese on top of each assembled tostada, Jeff had almost finished off one mound before I even sat down - I knew that was a good sign! Besides adding a burst of bright flavor, that slick layer of mashed avocado and salsa worked well as an anchor to keep the rest of the ingredients from sliding off. Our tomatoes had softened enough that they broke down while stirring, with the help of a sturdy wooden spoon, but if your mixture is still fairly chunky, you may want to either blitz it a couple times with an immersion blender or use petite diced tomatoes if you can find them - this will allow the turkey to blend in better.
Crispy Turkey Tostadas


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They are being put to good use. In addition, I had some extra Christmas quilts that I thought the kids would enjoy. Looks like that is indeed the case.
For this holiday season, this is what I'm focusing on the prints in our dining room.
Great post! The pillowcases and Christmas quilts look almost as cute as the kids!They certainly seem to be enjoying them!
You're so right that every moment should be savored. None of us knows when tragedy can strike. We had a rule at our house that the last words you say as you leave the house need to be sweet and loving. Those could be the last words you say to someone. My hearts also go out to all those who are grieving.
Happy Thursday Cindy!!! So glad you and Mark extended your birthday celebration to such a relaxing venue. My sister loves Farkle, but I have never played. I love the Christmas pillowcases and the picture of your little angels using them ;-) Wishing you much Peace this Christmas season!
Happy Birthday! Glad you had such a fun weekend!
The kids all snug is so adorable - love the captured moment. Happy extended Birthday.
Lovely post.........
It sounds and looks like a wonderful weekend. I loved the tree at the end of the pier. It doesn't look like it was as stormy as it was here.
The last week has been tough to see and impossible to comprehend. I cannot imagine what their world must be like - especially at this time of the year.
I'd love to go somewhere hot! I do love the snow here tho just not the cold.
Merry Christmas
Belated happy birthday.
Looks like a great trip, and lots of wise sentiments xxx
I love your prints and that tree of light is just beautiful! x
A fabulous selection of random as ever!
Gotta love a hotel room where the iron is a winner! Love the quilt blocks too!
Great post -- that's quite a change in tide! Yes, hold those munchkins close -- they are so precious!
How wonderful to get to spend a weekend at the coast. Love those chalkboard prints too!
Your beautiful post brought tears to my eyes. You *know* that Peace art totally unhinged me... :) Sending hugs and big wishes for a peaceful and loving holiday.
The pillowcases look great! Merry Christmas, my dear!
What a nice post. I hope you and your family had a wonderful holiday. The events in CT sure were sobering. I hope you have a wonderful new year, my friend. Hugs.


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Back pain is a problem that affects 15-20% of all Americans every year. From the general rigors of every day work to the excess weight many carry around on their body, back pain gets to us all. However, there is an easy and non-invasive way to that very pain. Chiropractors have worked for over a hundred years, perfecting their art and liberate people from their back pain.
Causes of Back Pain
For most people, back pain is usually moderate to severe. For most, the cause of pain is simply the rigors of a busy life. For others, it is a consequence of obesity. However, depending on the weight of the person and the extent of their current back pain, the pain can naturally vanish or may become worse.
Most chiropractors use a range of techniques such as spinal manipulation and mobilization to help the joints in the spinal column enjoy a greater degree of freedom, alleviating back pain. For example, many spinal manipulation techniques help realign the spinal column and bring it back into its original form. However, this requires multiple treatments. Then again, spinal mobilization is a gentler technique many chiropractors use to treat patients.
Reasons for Preference
Possibly the most important reason why over 40 million Americans prefer their chiropractors to regular physicians is the fact that they use non-invasive techniques to alleviate pain. Without using drugs and surgery, the risk of side effects and infection is virtually zero.
Another reason why most people prefer chiropractors to regular physicians is due to the fear of pain. Regular medication may prove to be discomforting or painful, as in the case of surgery. Fortunately, the alternative is not.
Chiropractors use their hands at certain points to help your body not only relax but adjust itself to a better spinal position. By combining adjunctive therapy with spinal mobilization, not only are they able to 'work out the kinks' but ensure that the pain does not happen again, at least for a while. You need to remember that most long-lasting effects are obtained through constant periodic treatment.
Chiropractors have spent over a century trying to perfect their art and help people without ever having to make an incision or provide harmful drugs. Using their hands and the body itself, they are able to not only help alleviate back pain but also prevent it – one treatment at a time.
Image used under Creative Commons Licensing: Chiropractor by doctorwonder


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Achtung Panzer:Operation Star is an Eastern Front wargame with solid graphics and sprawling battlefields that really emphasize the scope of WWII tank combat. The gameplay is a remarkably realistic turn-based and real-time operational/tactical hybrid wargame that continues the series begun by the acclaimed Achtung Panzer: Kharkov 1943.
Want to step into the role of a commander in the very heart of Kharkov's defense? You'll have everything the officers had back then: tanks, guns, and fearless soldiers. The success of each opposing force hangs in the balance every day. Your decisions will determine who wins the Battle of Kharkov.
The game features 8 operations for the Red Army and Wehrmacht with more than 60 detailed units of the Soviet Union, Germany, and UK, including the Pz IV "Tiger", Mk II "Matilda", and KV-1 with various modifications. Huge realistic landscapes (over 260 sq km) are reconstructed in detail with help of topographic maps and photos.


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They may not be as fancy as cake or as rich as fudge, but they sure are a great compromise! Brownies are a true comfort food, and Disney has figured out several ways to make them even more special. Check out our top five Disney brownies below!
Cheesecake Brownie
This gorgeous confection is brownie on the bottom and cheesecake on the top. A perfect mixture of "classy" and "comfort!" Find this one at the Boardwalk Bakery in Disney World's Boardwalk Inn.
Brownie-Frosting Sandwich
Found at Earl of Sandwich, the brownie-frosting sandwich is pretty true to its name. Two of Earl's incredible, chocolate-chip packed brownies sandwich some incredible buttercream frosting. You'll definitely need to share this one!
White Chocolate Chip Brownie
Get this one over at Starring Rolls Cafe in Disney's Hollywood Studios! While it may be upstaged by its cupcake counterparts, the white chocolate chip brownie is well worth ordering. A brownie base is covered thick chocolate fudge frosting, then dotted with white chocolate chips. A chocolate-lovers dream!
Brownie Fudge Sundae
A fun surprise at the Magic Kingdom's Storybook Treats is this awesome Brownie Fudge Sundae, made with a huge, dense brownie, soft serve ice cream, and fudge OR caramel! We feature this on prominently in our DFB Mini-Guide to Magic Kingdom Snacks, and you can see why!
Paw Print Brownie
Last, but not least, is the Animal Kingdom's Paw Print Brownie. This circular slab of rich, sweet brownie is covered in chocolate ganache frosting with buttercream slathered on top. The little chocolate cut-out paw print on top gives the brownie its name! Find this one at the Animal Kingdom's Kusafiri Bakery!
Now I really need a brownie with peanut butter and caramel and I'll be all set! Any ideas?
While these are some of our favorite brownies in Disney parks, we'd love to hear about yours! Let us know your top picks in the comments section below!


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Dark-horse presidential candidates Gary Johnson and Virgil Goode may not be household names, but with a little help from super PACs, they could peel away precious support from Republican Mitt Romney and possibly even President Barack Obama in some key state races.
The conservative Constitution Party, which seeks to "restore American jurisprudence to its Biblical foundations," has nominated Goode, a former congressman from Virginia, for president, potentially taking votes away from Romney in what has become a presidential swing state.
Meanwhile, Johnson, a former two-term GOP governor of New Mexico who failed to win the 2012 Republican presidential nod, has been nominated by the Libertarian Party — a perch from which he could throw a wrench in the plans of both Obama and Romney in several swing states.
Already, at least three pro-Libertarian super PACs have registered with the Federal Election Commission to support Johnson. And former Nixon administration operative Roger Stone, famous for sporting a tattoo of the disgraced president on his back, has touted a pro-Johnson super PAC.
Super PACs are allowed to collect unlimited contributions from individuals, unions and corporations to produce political advertisements that are not coordinated with any candidate. They were made possible in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's Citizens United decision.
Goode, a staunch supporter of the 2nd Amendment and vocal opponent of abortion, served six terms in Congress — first as a Democrat, then as an independent and finally as a Republican, until he was unseated in 2008. Third-party candidates like Goode have no chance of winning the White House, but one only need look to the 2000 presidential election to be reminded of their potential impact.
When consumer advocate Ralph Nader ran as the Green Party's candidate, he infamously garnered more than 97,000 votes in Florida, where Democrat Al Gore lost to Republican George W. Bush by just 537 votes. Florida's 25 Electoral College votes secured the presidency for Bush, even though Gore won the national popular vote.
One recent poll showed Goode drawing 9 percent of the vote in his home state of Virginia, whose 13 Electoral College votes are being sought by both Romney and Obama.
Similarly, a recent poll showed Johnson — an anti-war candidate who supports marijuana legalization and smaller government — receiving 5.3 percent of the national popular vote. That makes him an afterthought as a presidential candidate, but he may still have an impact in battleground states like New Mexico, Colorado, New Hampshire and even North Carolina.
Third-party candidates aren't always suggested as options in polls. But one survey earlier this summer showed Johnson winning 12 percent of the vote in New Mexico, a state that Obama carried handily in 2008, but where Bush eked out a narrow victory in 2004.
Johnson garnered 7 percent of the vote in a May poll in New Hampshire, which Obama won easily four years ago but Bush carried in 2000. Earlier this month, Public Policy Polling showed Johnson pulling 7 percent of the vote in Colorado where Obama was the first Democrat since Bill Clinton to win the state. Johnson is also polling at 3 percent in North Carolina, another swing state.
Super PAC spending on behalf of minor-party candidates like Johnson or Goode "definitely could happen," said Rob Richie, executive director of the nonprofit FairVote, which advocates for increased ballot choice.
"Most people have made up their minds between keeping Obama or going to Romney," Richie continued. "Some people, though, […] if they realized that there was another candidate running, might abandon one of the major-party candidates."
Super PACs lead to more choices?
Officials with both the Obama and Romney campaigns declined to comment about whether they were concerned about the role super PACs touting third-party candidates could play in the presidential race.
Some third-party activists, though, are keen to harness super PACs — and their ability to raise unlimited funds, which they argue could increase the visibility of their preferred candidates.
"I wish we had super PACs out there supporting our candidates," said Jim Clymer, who was the national chairman of the Constitution Party until April. He is now Goode's vice presidential running mate.
"A couple of people who believe deeply in what we're trying to promote could put us on the map in a way that we haven't been," he added. "The reality is that getting your message out takes a lot of money."
His sentiments are echoed by Libertarian Party activists.
"A libertarian candidate like Gary Johnson doesn't have the infrastructure behind him that the major-party candidates have," said Austin Cassidy, the treasurer of the pro-Johnson Libertarian Victory Committee super PAC, which was formed in May.
"If voters have the chance to compare him on an even playing field that could really spark something," Cassidy continued.
Cassidy's Libertarian Victory Committee raised only $200 — all from Cassidy's own pocket — before throwing in the towel earlier this month, but the pro-Johnson Libertarian Action Super PAC has raised $107,500 as of the end of June. The bulk of that money — $100,000 — came from wealthy entrepreneur Joe Liemandt, the Stanford University dropout who founded and runs the software company Trilogy.
Notably, Liemandt's wife Andra has bundled more than $200,000 for Obama's re-election efforts, and the couple alone has donated $107,400 to the Obama Victory Fund, which benefits Obama's campaign and the Democratic National Committee. Together, they have also donated more than $130,000 to the Libertarian National Committee since 2009.
Wes Benedict, the former executive director of the Libertarian Party who is now the treasurer of the Libertarian Action super PAC, stresses that $100,000 in receipts is "significant," even if it's dwarfed by the tens of millions of dollars raised by the pro-Obama and pro-Romney super PACs.
"In Libertarian terms, this is a big step forward," he said. "We're in new territory running this super PAC," he continued. "I hope we make a difference."
Since it was launched in April, Libertarian Action, which promotes "low-cost, high-quality Gary Johnson materials" such as yard signs, bumper stickers and door hangers on its website, has reported making more than $16,000 in independent expenditures.
Another pro-Johnson super PAC, called Freedom and Liberty PAC, has also raised $100,000, though it has yet to make any expenditures touting Johnson or criticizing his rivals. The group was founded by one-time Johnson aide Kelly Casaday, and its sole donor is Chris J. Rufer, the founder of the Morning Star Company, a California-based agribusiness and food processing company.
The super PACs file their campaign finance reports with the FEC on a quarterly basis, so it's unknown how much money they have raised since the second quarter ended in June. A few wealthy donors could easily make them more flush with cash. At least one million-dollar contribution has been given to a pro-Johnson super PAC, according to Jim Gray, the Libertarian Party's vice presidential nominee.
Not all third-party activists, though, think embracing super PACs is a good thing.
"[Super PACs] are squashing competition," said David Cobb, who was the Green Party's presidential nominee in 2004. "When the wealthy elite can buy microphones and amplifiers and drown out the rest of us, it is supremely ridiculous to say that that somehow increases the competition of ideas."
Good things or dirty tricks?
One person with the potential to make a large super PAC splash for a third-party candidate is long-time Republican operative Roger Stone.
Stone was the youngest staffer on Nixon's infamous Committee for the Re-election of the President, the group that financed the Watergate break-in. He later went on to work with the late Lee Atwater, the strategist who managed Republican George H.W. Bush's 1988 presidential campaign against Democrat Michael Dukakis. And during the contentious Florida recount between Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Al Gore, Stone was dispatched to supervise the process.
Yet, in February, Stone, who did not respond to requests for an interview, said goodbye to the GOP and registered as a Libertarian after casting a vote for Ron Paul in the Florida GOP presidential primary.
In June, the Huffington Post reported Stone was constructing a pro-Johnson super PAC.
"The American people have never been offered a candidate who is fiscally and economically conservative but socially tolerant," Stone has said. "With Gary Johnson, you can have the best of both."
In his writings online, Stone stresses that Johnson has the potential to perform well in many battleground states, particularly in the West — and that Johnson has the potential to win over both supporters of Obama and Romney.
Stone's name has not yet appeared in any FEC super PAC filings, and so far, his new Libertarian Party allies are cautiously optimistic about his planned endeavors.
"Hopefully he's up to good things and not dirty tricks," said Benedict, the former Libertarian Party executive director.
Most political observers argue that outside groups are unlikely to change the fundamental calculus that makes a third-party presidential bid an uphill battle.
Americans Elect is a prime example, according to political science professor Larry Sabato, the director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. The organization launched in 2010 with the hope of getting a centrist political candidate onto the ballot in all 50 states. The group raised more than $35 million — including $5.5 million from billionaire hedge fund investor Peter Ackerman — but it failed to find a willing candidate and has since retreated from the limelight.
"A super PAC can only sell a candidate if there's a market for him or her," Sabato said. "I don't think there is one in this highly polarized year."
But as Democrats learned in 2000, a third-party candidate need not be a threat to win to have an impact.
For up-to-date news on outside money in the election, follow our Source2012 Tumblr and the hashtag #Source2012 on Twitter.
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WASHINGTON >> The U.S. Army plans to slash the number of combat brigades from 45 to as low as 32 in a broad restructuring of its fighting force aimed at cutting costs and reducing the service by about 80,000 soldiers, according to U.S. officials familiar with the plans.
Officials said the sweeping changes will likely increase the size of each combat brigade — generally by adding another battalion — in an effort to ensure that those remaining brigades have the fighting capabilities they need when they go to war. A brigade is usually about 3,500 soldiers, but can be as large as 5,000 for the heavily armored units. A battalion is usually between 600-800 soldiers.
The brigade restructuring is intended to save money without eroding the military's ability to protect the country and wage war when needed. Army officials contend that while there would be fewer brigades, building them bigger will give them more capabilities and depth, and will reduce stress on the units.
They said specialty units, such as Army special operations forces, would not be affected by the cuts.
Reducing the overall number of brigades will also eliminate the need for the headquarters units that command and oversee them.
Officials acknowledged that merging battalions together into larger brigades could shift some soldiers to different bases across the country, although that effort could be stymied by members of Congress who don't like to see the staffing decline at bases that feed the local economy. Officials said the Army will try to limit such shifts.
The cuts come as the Pentagon puts the finishing touches on its 2013 fiscal year budget, which must reflect about $260 billion in savings in its five-year plan. Congress has ordered the Defense Department to come up with a total of $487 billion over the next 10 years, and could face cuts of double that amount if Congress can't reach an agreement to avoid automatic across-the-board reductions mandated by lawmakers last year.
Officials spoke about the budget plans on condition of anonymity because they have not yet been made public.
Military leaders, from Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on down, insist they will come up with the budgets cuts without hurting the force's effectiveness. In fact, many of the top Army leaders who have been putting the budget together were around when massive budget cuts after the Vietnam war left Army units badly undermanned and ill-equipped — leading to what they call a hollow force.
According to officials, plans call for the active duty Army to shrink from a high of about 570,000 soldiers to roughly 490,000 over the next decade or so. Initial cuts have been ongoing, and there are currently about 558,000 active duty soldiers in the Army.
Additionally, there are nearly 205,000 in the Army Reserve and close to 360,000 in the Army National Guard, the Army said Wednesday.
The Army plans to shed soldiers carefully, including through planned departures, separations for medical or behavioral problems, and by scaling back the number of people promoted or allowed to enlist and re-enlist.
One priority would be to make sure that the Army retains its mid-level officers, who routinely take up to 10 years to get to the rank of major or higher. Army leaders struggled through periods of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, using bonuses and other incentives to retain the mid-level officers they needed to command smaller units on the battlefield.
But Army officials also acknowledge that they will be forced to deny the reenlistment of many qualified soldiers, while also continuing to bring in quality recruits.
Gen. Raymond Odierno, chief of staff of the Army, has warned that cutting brigades was one way to cut the budget. And he said that shrinking the force will mean that the Army will no longer be able to handle two simultaneous conflicts — long a requirement for the U.S. military.
But the new military strategy mapped out by President Barack Obama and his defense team envisions a shift away from the hard-fought ground wars of Iraq and Afghanistan that relied on tens of thousands of troops to battle stubborn terrorists and insurgent groups. The future military, instead, will focus more on Asian security risks such as China and North Korea, and build on partnerships in the Middle East to keep an eye on Iran.
One major reduction, already announced by Panetta, will cut the number of Army brigades stationed in Europe from four to two. Other units would rotate in and out of the region as needed.
Currently there are three brigades in Germany and one in Vicenza, Italy, and that would change so that there would be one in Germany and one in Vicenza.


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Hurricane Sandy, which struck the U.S.' Eastern seaboard last October, exemplified the use of socialnetworks in disaster communications. Millions of residents were affected. For many, real-timeinformation was provided through independent, citizen-generated Facebook pages like Jersey Shore Hurricane News and Twitter.
"Harnessing the power of Facebook and Twitter, Jersey Shore Hurricane News wasable to keep people informed in real-time — as events were unfolding," Justin Auciello,who started Jersey Shore Hurricane News, told TechNewsWorld shortly afterward. Hisbulletin-board page had received 191,000 Likes at the time.
TechNewsWorld featured some of the 21st century citizen-created news sources like those JSHN utilized during Sandy in "When the Lights Go Out, Social Nets Can Be More Than Friends."
The Credibility of Crowdsourcing
This reliance on social media is new. Governments historically have been in charge of distributing information in a disaster through established emergency management systems — utilizing classic media like television. How are they adapting to the two-way, social media channels now complementing conventional platforms like television, radio and the Web?
"Social media provides an excellent opportunity not only to disseminate urgent emergency information in real time, but also to crowdsource situational information from affected locals on the ground," said Axel Bruns, Ph.D., associate professor of media and communication at Queensland University of Technology.
Parts of Queensland saw major flooding in 2011, and Twitter was used extensively by police, Bruns found while compiling a report on the use of social media during the disaster.
Emergency services and media organizations were among the most visible on Twitter, partly through retweets, note Bruns and coauthor Jean Burgess in the report.
Leading Twitter accounts, including those from police media bureaus, received about 25 retweets for each message. Those messages primarily focused on situational information and advice that was crucial for public safety purposes.
A police media bureau Twitter account, tagged @QPSMedia, also tackled rumors and misinformation via Twitter — and those tweets were widely retweeted too.
Twitter became a source for mainstream media, according to the report, partly because social network users in the field included photographs and videos in their tweets.
Bruns found that one in every five #qldfloods links was to an image.
"Emergency services around the world are now actively developing their social mediacrisis communication strategies," Bruns added.
Everyone's a Reporter
It wasn't easy for local governments, which traditionally have controlled the dissemination of disasterinformation, to allow communications to become two-way, as happens with social networking.
"Those working in government are concerned about relinquishing control of thedistribution of information," explained Anthony S. Mangeri, a professor at the American Public University System.
Mangeri, who specializes in emergency management initiatives, was operations chief for the New Jersey Emergency Operations Center during 9/11.
"Protection of one's brand reputation is an essential element of any good crisis management strategy," he told TechNewsWorld.
"However, many in government and private sector public affairs are aware that the world has changed, and the methods for collecting and distributing information have also changed," Mangeri acknowledged.
"Everyone with a cellphone is now a reporter and a videographer, capable of sharing information with the world through various social media channels," he said.
Local and state government crisis communications plans are not complete unless they include a strategy to monitor and react to social media, said Mangeri.
Coordination Is Critical
Virtual Operations Support Teams are one answer, he suggested. Members of the team keep an eye on social media channels, looking for trends and patterns of information. They then provide analysis for the emergency operations center and respond to posts.
"An emerging value of social media in time of crisis is the ability of emergency operations centers to monitor posted information as an incident unfolds. Virtual Operations Specialists can search for trends and patterns of posted information to analyze the impact of a crisis on the community," explained Mangeri.
"If interpreted properly, two-way communication via social media provides potential insights into serious unmet human needs, adding a depth to the damage assessment process that was unavailable before," he said.
Emergency organizations should engage with and respond to public messages received via social network accounts, advises Bruns in his report on the Queensland flooding. An established presence on Twitter is important, as is understanding of user practices like specific hashtags — for example #qldfloods. Training is important.
In addition coordination must take place between different emergency and government services — as well as media — to avoid conflicting messages, he says.
Organizations need to take the time to develop written protocols, policies and procedures when implementing a social media disaster plan, said Mangeri. "Organizations and corporations that do not currently have social media as part of their crisis communications plan should begin now."


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Orange, CA, US
I have a Master of Architecture degree and strong experience in design and production. My early work experience in architecture started in Iran and France. Over the last ten years, I have been working in Southern California and have worked with different architectural firms.
This diversity provided an opportunity to work on a variety of project types from commercial to multi-family residential (wrap,podium, and walk-up) as well as taking responsibility for a broad range of architectural processes. Responsibilities have included site analysis, yield studies, schematic design, design development, construction documents as well as participation in the preparation of RFPs.
To generate this work, I have utilized both hand drawing techniques and computer graphics including: PhotoShop, Illustrator, Indesign, SketchUp, Bluebeam, AutoCAD and Revit. I am also proficient in Microsoft Office.
Maryam Zahedi, LEED AP BD+C
Newman Garrison + Partners, Newport Beach, CA, US, Senior Designer
Duties included: Schematic design and design development on a variety of residential and mixed-use projects.
Selected projects include:
• Campanula Way, Temecula, CA 288 unit residential
• La Palma Apartments, Buena Park, CA 60 unit residential / workforce housing
Silber Architects, Fullerton, CA, US, Lead Designer
Duties included: site plan and yield studies; schematic design; RFP response; design development, and construction document packages; coordination of professional consultant team; agency approvals, and product research on a variety of residential, mixed-use and commercial projects.
Selected projects include:
• Cedar Gateway, San Diego, CA 65 unit apartments / low income / transitional housing (LEED / TCAC project)
• Purple Yoga, Long Beach, CA TI for a yoga studio
• Fountain Valley, RFP Site plan and Yield study
• Anaheim, RFP Site plan and yield study
Thomas Cox Architects, Irvine, CA, US, Designer
Duties included: Planning, site analysis, schematic design, design development, and code research on a variety of residential and mixed-use projects.
Selected projects include:
• 7060 Hollywood, Hollywood, CA 125 unit residential / adaptive re-use
• Lincoln Station, Douglas County, CO 264 unit residential / wrap project
• Hope University, Fullerton, CA 462 unit dormitory and apartment master plan
RDC, Newport Beach, CA, US, Junior Designer
Duties included: Worked with studio director to prepare schematic design, construction documents, and presentation packages on a variety of retail projects.
Selected projects include:
• Van Buren Village, Riverside, CA 20 acre shopping center
• Bridgeport Village, Portland, OR 26 acre mixed-use project
Stoutenborough Inc. Architects and Planners, Newport Beach, CA , Junior Designer / Drafter
Duties included: Worked with studio director to prepare schematic design, construction documents, and presentation packages on a variety of retail projects.
Atelier Serge Santelli, Paris, FR, Junior Designer / Research Assistant
Duties included: Worked with studio director to prepare schematic design and research for a corporate project between the Ecole Architecture de Belleville and the University of Tehran.
Ab-Dez Corp., Tehran, IR, Drafter
Ecole Nationale Superieure d'Architecture de Paris La Villette, Paris, FR, Masters, Garden, Landscape and Territory
Azad University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran, MArch, Architecture
212 AIA OC residential honor award for Cedar Gateway Apartments, Silber Architects, 1st Place
Agha-Khan Trust for Culture, 1st Place
Award for designing the Public Garden of Al-Azhar Park, Cairo, Egypt 1999 under the
directorship of Serge Santelli.