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Civil Rights and Press Freedom One Year After Occupy
This article by Josh Stearns is re-posted from Free Press.
One year ago the Occupy movement took root in a small square in New York City. From there it would ripple out across the nation over a matter of weeks and months.
A week after that initial occupation the first reporter, John Farley from local PBS station WNET Thirteen, was arrested by the NYPD. Like the occupations, the press suppression and journalist arrests spread throughout the U.S.
As press and protesters headed back to Zuccotti Park this weekend, reports suggest that three more journalists were arrested, bringing the total number of journalists arrested while covering Occupy Wall Street and other U.S. protests in the last year to well over 90, almost half of which were in New York City. Credentialed mainstream reporters, citizen journalists, freelancers and live-streamers all ended up behind bars over the course of the year. Today, remarkably, a number of those journalists are still facing charges.
Across the country, the response to the arrests varied city by city. Press freedom groups sent letters and held meetings with police departments, 40,000 people contacted their mayors calling for stronger protections for the First Amendment, and 16,000 people sent messages of support to the arrested journalists.
The attacks on press were troubling on many levels but particularly because media making was such a central part of the Occupy movement. From tweets to blog posts, pictures to streaming video, Occupy made strategic use of the Web from day one and inspired a new generation of activist journalists who chronicled the movement. While covering the NATO protests this summer in Chicago, Laurie Penny tweeted that "In 2012, youth power's equivalent of the peace v-sign is the camera phone held aloft."
The threats that those covering Occupy faced remind us that when anyone can commit acts of journalism, we need everyone to be advocates for press freedom. Matt Taibbi points to the University of California Davis police officer who pepper-sprayed a group of students on campus during a peaceful protest as evidence of what is at risk if we don't fiercely defend our rights. He writes that:
"What happened at U.C. Davis was the inevitable result of our failure to make sure our government stayed in the business of defending our principles. When we stopped insisting on that relationship with our government, they became something separate from us."
Occupy Wall Street has helped highlight this divide, especially as it applies to press freedom. The almost weekly journalist arrests put First Amendment rights in the spotlight at a moment when journalism was (and continues to be) in a state of profound change. For the most part, when we talk about the fundamental changes happening in the media, we focus on business models or modes of production and distribution. Indeed, on Twitter and Storify, via live-stream and even in print publications like the Occupied Wall Street Journal journalistic experimentation and a robust hacker culture was alive and well around Occupy.
Citizen journalism in its current form has been around for well over a decade, but Occupy help legitimize it as citizens reported with independence, tenacity and honesty from the streets. Live-streamers were profiled by mainstream media and their footage carried on news websites from NBC to the Washington Post.
However, Occupy also illustrated that as the media models change, our law enforcement agencies and institutions are struggling to catch up. New questions were raised about press credentialing laws and the wisdom of allowing police departments to define who is and who is not considered a member of the press. Too often, in the heat of the moment when police were surrounded by cameras, police took an "arrest now and ask questions latter" approach. Meanwhile city officials relied on old definitions of journalists, or tried to rewrite history entirely.
Back in December, Robert Stolarik, a photographer for the New York Times, caught an NYPD officer on video as he tried to stop Stolarik from photographing the arrest of citizen journalists at an Occupy protest. Last month, Stolarik was arrested again while working at a crime scene. According to a report in the Times, officers "took his cameras and dragged him to the ground," and "he said that he was kicked in the back and that he received scrapes and bruises to his arms, legs and face." Many other journalists covering Occupy walked away bruised and bloodied by police this year.
Occupy Wall Street, along with tragic incidents in Mexico, Syria and around the world, reminded us that many journalists put their bodies and their freedom on the line when they seek to bear witness to civil unrest. When we put our bodies on the line, they not only become symbols but also targets.
Writing about Occupy Glenn Greenwald argues, "If a population becomes bullied or intimidated out of exercising rights offered on paper, those rights effectively cease to exist." Thankfully, even in the face of arrest and harassment, night after night, journalists and live-streamers, bloggers and photographers are back on the streets, covering the protests. If the past year teaches us anything about the future of journalism, it is that the First Amendment depends on all of us.
Photo credit: Courtesy of yfrog.com


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Take our customer survey to evaluate your visit.
It should only take a few minutes to answer five quick questions. Just click the Launch survey button at the end of your visit to begin.
It should only take a few minutes to answer five quick questions. Just click the Launch survey button at the end of your visit to begin.
Sony Mobile Communications
From vacation snaps to selfies, make memories with these tips on how to photograph people.
Where the light falls on a person can have a dramatic effect on the final result. Try composing the shot so that half of your subject's face is in light and the other half isn't. And for extra depth, enable HDR if it's available on your smartphone.
When one person is looking at another they appear more connected. So next time you're taking a shot of your friends, get a snap of them while they're making eye contact.
An easy way to improve your photos is to follow 'the rule of thirds', and most smartphones let you use grid-lines to help you line up your shot. Either way, dividing your framing into thirds is a great way to add balance to your pics.
Still out with your mates as the sun goes down? Use the natural light to your advantage. With the gorgeous sunset colours reflecting off your subject's face and surroundings, there'll be a new mood and ambiance to your photos.
For the clearest selfie to remember the night by, make sure the light is hitting your face rather than your back. Don't forget to enable Superior Auto Mode on your Xperia smartphone's front facing camera – its highly responsive sensors will give you great low-light selfies.
From graduation to grandma's birthday, here are some of our favourite shots of people shared by Xperia users. Start snapping your nearest and dearest – and share the love using #Xperia.

subset: commoncrawl


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Now, on to some RED HOT ROBOT ACTION - if you're interested in any of these CONTACT ME with the subject 'RED HOT ROBOT ACTION'. I haven't listed prices as, for the most part, I'm open to offers. For the robots, I mean. You pervert.
There are A LOT of bots to get through, so this post contains MISCELLANEOUS ROBOTS including Sparkbots and Triplechangers.
Go HERE for Headmasters.
HERE for Micromasters.
HERE for Actionmasters.
HERE for Pretenders.
Warpath and Seaspray. Very good/good condition.
FIRECON. Cindersaur. Push him along and he burps out sparks! Very good condition.
Boomer and Ricochet (the middle ones) go with Quickmix (the red truck).
Silencer and Flintlock (on the edges) go with Landfill (the pale truck). All excellent condition.
TARGETMASTER: Pinpoint. Goes with Crosshairs, who I don't have, unfortunately. Great condition.
The tank is SPARKACON: Guzzle (great condition) - he farts sparks. The others are Wideload and Rollbar. Wideload's in good condition, Rollbar's in decent condition, but missing a cover for his FACE.
Cassette bots! EJECT and OVERKILL. Good condition. The front tape bits are quite worn.
GRAPPLE. Okay condition. He's missing his hands, poor bugger.
ONSLAUGHT. Good condition. Bit floppy. Forms the main body for Bruticus!
SLUDGE. Dinobot. Looks down in the dumps, doesn't he? Some of his joints are very loose, unfortunately. Okay condition.
SEACONS: Skalor and Tentakil. Both in excellent condition.
Skydive, Slingshot, Air Raid. Decent/okay condition.
Dragstrip, Dead End, Motormaster. Combine to form parts of Menasor! Good condition.
TRIPLECHANGER: Sandstorm. Good condition.
TRIPLECHANGER: Octane. Okay condition, but joints are nice n stiff.
Twin Twist. He's got bum drills. Okay condition - bit battered, but the motorized part of him still works; still got chrome on his drills, and has all his stickers.
And last but not least: DECOY: Blaster. I guess this is more of a collectible. Very good condition.
HERE for Micromasters.
HERE for Actionmasters.
HERE for Pretenders.


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Mexican mini dress or top - Black hand embroidered manta
The embroidery on this dress is handmade by artisans in Puebla, Mexico.
This beautiful garment is made of 100% cotton, thus its off white / cream colour. It is lovely and lightweight. The vintage look and the superb details will make you love this minidress or long top.
The artisans work exclusively with "A Little Piece of Mexico" to achieve the designs we bring to you, beautiful and unique.
Minidress length: 80 cms
Measurements per size
Size Chest Waist
Small 86 cm 1.20 m
Medium 92 cm 1.22 m
Large 96 cm 1.26 m
XLarge 100 cm 1.36 m
* Please note that as these are hand embroidered the design can vary slightly from he picture


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We never cut corners in materials or workmanship.
We build affordable homes that delight our customers and offer a one-year limited building warranty on materials and workmanship.
We promise, and we deliver. You can take our word to the bank.
We serve our customers during all stages of the home buying process. We invest time and attention to detail into your design.
All upgrade costs will be priced to industry standards. We don't overcharge for any of the work we complete.
We guarantee to listen to your desire for your home and to incorporate as many of them as is practical.
1st Oklahoma Homes might have a new name, but we will always be the same quality homebuilders. In 2005, after learning the business of homebuilding from his father, Ali Farzaneh launched 1st Oklahoma Construction. His father taught him, "that anything worth doing is worth doing right." We offer the highest quality homes to our customers. We always make sure you are in love with the house before it becomes your home. We take pride in all the work we do, even the parts you can't see.
View the list of our move-in ready homes. This is the perfect opportunity to see what's available around you.
Browse our communities to learn about each community's amenities, schools and proximity to major attractions.
Buying a new home is an important milestone. Let our expert team guide you through the process and answer your questions.
Once you find the perfect house, it's time to make it your home. 1st Oklahoma Homes will guide you through the final stages to make the technical details as efficient as possible.
When Ali Farzaneh started 1st Oklahoma Homes, he had a specific vision to become the most recognized home builder in the nation. Now as the company celebrates twelve years in business, they reflect on their successes so far and look to the future to develop a new brand and achieve their vision of expanding.
1st Oklahoma Homes has grown to offer luxury homes with the top amenities, while solidifying their reputation as a home building company that always puts the customer first.
"We're coming up with a lot of ideas to create a better quality and a better equity for the buyers. We are not here just for our benefit," Farzaneh said.
"We want to make sure we are consultants for a better investment in the lives of our customers. We care about our customers, we create relationships with all of them and find an opportunity to give back to the community."
The success of 1st Oklahoma Homes can be attributed to the strength behind their employees and subcontractors. Farzaneh has created a positive work environment made up of people who show integrity in all aspects of their work and take personal responsibility for everything they do.
"The best part of the job for me is having the opportunity to work with this team," Farzaneh said. "We are a large company with a great staff, and they all work hard to make sure we provide top quality work. Our values as a company have been captured from the team's personal responsibilities to the customer."
1st Oklahoma Homes' growth over the past twelve years bodes well for the future of the company. With the new luxury brand and the new office in Moore, the company is ready to continue this positive growth and expand nationally during the next twelve years of business.
Whether you are looking to purchase a new home or you are simply curious about the communities we work in, 1st Oklahoma Homes is more than happy to assist you with any of your questions. We always work to provide an honest, friendly approach to our relationship with our customers to help make their dream home a reality.


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The Zimmerman trial jury paused their deliberations at around 6:00PM EST to present Judge Nelson with a question:
"May we please have clarification on instructions regarding manslaughter?"
Nelson announced the question to the parties in open court, and has now recessed court 30 minutes to address the issue with the jury.
The implications of this question can only be addressed speculatively. It does, however, strongly suggest that murder 2 has been discarded from the jury's consideration. All six jurors may be seriously considering manslaughter, or it may be a situation in which 5 jurors believe manslaughter does not apply (presumably because the State has failed to disprove self-defense beyond a reasonable doubt) but find they are having trouble convincing the 6th jury of the same.
Update: The Court took a brief recess to allow the parties to gather case law on the issue of providing jury clarification. Parties agree it is acceptable to clarify on a specific question, if that is what the jury is struggling with, but not to provide a general overview of manslaughter. The parties are now co-drafting a question to the jury to ask whether what they seek is, in fact, clarification on a specific issue. Judge Nelson will then deliver this question to the jury.
Stay up to date with our live-stream, Twitter-scroll post:
Zimmerman Trial: Verdict Watch LIVE
–Andrew, @LawSelfDefense


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Here's a little more inspiration from DT Denise.
Now for some features from our wonderful readers!
Lesley (Jokes on you!)
Cheryl (Scraps, Scraps. Everywhere)
Snazzyjj (St. Paddy's Day)
Jane Howden (Early Spring)
Lori S (Alpha Wars)
There's still time!
You have until 4/4/2014 EST to enter any of these fantastic challenges.


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What's the best reason for reinventing your business model?
Many of us recall David La Piana's Nonprofit Strategy Revolution, which pushed past our traditional notion of strategic planning and brought more time-sensitive, relevant thinking to the forefront. La Piana acknowledges that even while Revolution was being published, clients began to raise the common questions surrounding the economic and operational implications of strategic decisions. Specifically, how could they effectively connect their strategy with an execution plan that would truly grow the organization? Answering this question involved developing a rigorous methodology for connecting mission, strategy and execution.
The methodology described in The Nonprofit Business Plan roots strategic decision making in a strong financial analysis. Known as "DARE2 Succeed," the principles in the methodology have been repeatedly tested in La Piana's consulting practice to ensure the book represents practical and workable approaches to improving your organization's outcomes. I asked coauthor, Lester Olmstead-Rose, about the most common reasons for pursuing a new business model. I loved his answer so I'm sharing it with you.
CausePlanet: You explain every nonprofit should engage in ongoing strategic planning but the "deeper dive" of business planning depends upon your circumstances. What is the most common reason nonprofits should consider formulating a business model?
Olmstead-Rose: The most common need for business planning is when you know or discover your business model is broken. An obvious example of this is when you can't pay for what you are doing and you need to come up with a new approach to pay your bills.
We had an executive director come to us who had a really descriptive phrase about why she wanted to enter into a strategy development process followed by business planning. She said, "I can't keep raising a million and spending a million!" Isn't that what so many nonprofits do, living right on the edge all the time and under constant threat of collapse? It means their economic logic isn't working; they haven't created a good mechanism to pay for the extent of work they have taken on. But in considering a broken or stressed business model, don't forget it is not just a question of money. Any part of the scope of your program or organization may be challenged–for example, the population you serve has changed dramatically or your geographic reach is too big or too small.
Beyond addressing a problem in the business model, business planning is also a great tool to use when thinking about expansion. We get organizations coming to us saying, "We do this great work, now we want to take it to scale." Business planning can identify the avenues for doing that and let you know if it's viable, or if you're going to lose your shirt and undermine the good you're already doing.
We've had an organization approach us that wanted to start a capital campaign to build new facilities and then use those new facilities to both expand current programs and start new work. Business planning is a perfect approach for them to make sure they can sustain those programs in the long run.
You can read the complete author interview and learn more about what's inside The Nonprofit Business Plan: A Leader's Guide to Creating a Successful Business Model by downloading the Page to Practice™ book summary. Or try us out by printing a free sample.
Image credit, AustinArtist, via iStockPhoto.com


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Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer
KPMG Switzerland
Jörg Walker studied Law at the University of St. Gallen and is a Certified Tax Expert. He taught for four years at the Institute of Public Finance and Fiscal Law (IFF) at the University of St. Gallen. Jörg Walker joined KPMG in 1994 and was appointed Partner in 1999. In 2004, he joined the Executive Committee and became Head of Tax. In 2012 Jörg Walker took over the role as Chief Operating Officer.
Jörg Walker has experience in the areas of Corporate and Business Tax Consulting especially for Multinationals, M&A and Reorganization Services. He has been involved in a number of in- and outbound as well as domestic transactions and he led the privatization and restructuring of various energy companies by organizing new legal and tax structures.
Master of Arts in Law (lic. iur. HSG)
Swiss Certified Tax Expert


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This is a bach. A definition on Remodelista describes a bach as "something you built yourself, on land you don't own, out of materials you borrowed or stole." But something tells me that none of the examples you will see here were stolen, borrowed or self-built (maybe one?).
The small beachside lodgings are an iconic part of the New Zealand coastline, and came about from of the growing tourist trade of the middle class in 1950s and 1960s. Originally many bachs were built in hidden locations on land not owned by the builders, but nowadays the land is either leased or owned.
The one you are currently carressing with your eyes is designed by Crosson Clarke Carnachan Architects and sits on an idyllic beach on the Coromandel Peninsula.
Built upon two large wooden sleds the small home was designed to be a portable living arrangement for a family of five.With the ever eroding shoreline creeping closer and closer, it's nice to know a tractor can bring their holiday abode back to safer ground. Coming in at very modest 40 square metres, with an enormous shutter on the front of the hut allowing the owners to open up and close off the space, letting in sun or shutting out the rain.
The clean wooden finishes and compact design kept in line with the owner requests of some thing "simple, small and functional."
This is another bach. This one is designed by the same architects. The beautiful rectangular structure and it's wood clad exterior were inspired by the dams that characterise the river systems on the island it is located. A tad more spacious than the last one and with a view not as threatened by the lapping waves.
The permanency of the structure allowed for the build and design to accommodate to it's surroundings, resulting in a home that can completely open itself to the elements and it's vivid and raw surroundings.
One more bach to top it off. This time with a little more mid-century in it's appeal.
Images: CCC architects, pixsolutions


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Potassium is required for the thick ascending limb NaKCl2 co-transporter to operate. Remember that potassium is recycled via the apical ROMK channel, which facilitates ongoing sodium reabsorption in the TAL and maintenance of the medullary concentration gradient. Therefore, potassium deficiency may lead to concentrating defects via this pathway, leading to polyuria.
There is also some evidence that hypokalaemia leads to impaired responsiveness to ADH. The exact mechanism is unclear, but obviously decreased responsiveness to ADH may lead to large volumes of dilute urine.
Other interesting nuggets with hypokalaemia – movement of potassium out of cells in the proximal tubule (in the setting of hypokalaemia) is balanced by inward movement of hydrogen ions. The creation of an intracellular acidosis increases ammonia production by the proximal tubular cells, which may exacerbate problems in patients with decompensated liver disease.
Chronic potassium depletion (over a month at least) in humans can cause the development of vacuolar lesions in renal epithelial cells, primarily in the proximal tubule. If the deficiency persists over a longer time period, changes including interstitial nephritis, tubular atrophy and medullary cyst formation have been described. Potential mechanisms underlying these changes may be related to altered growth factor and cytokine production, or ammonia accumulation. This collection of findings has loosely been referred to as hypokalaemic nephropathy.


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The D205 Foundation is proud to announce Jill Riecker as this year's "Friend of the Foundation." Jill's 20-year dedication to volunteerism and tireless commitment to providing Elmhurst students across all levels with opportunities and experiences both in and outside of the classroom are unparalleled. Jill's award will be presented as part of the festivities at the Foundation Gala -Empowering Futures to be held on February 10 at The Hyatt Lodge, Oak Brook.
This promises to be an amazing evening with the goal of raising funds that will enhance education and innovation in Elmhurst Public Schools. Tickets are $175. Space is limited. Table and sponsorship opportunities are still available. If you cannot attend the event, consider supporting the Foundations efforts by purchasing a ticket for the Golden Raffle with a chance to win your choice of three great trips. Information about Mrs. Riecker's contributions, Gala and Raffle details and tickets are available at www.elmhurst205.org/2018Gala.


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I've been crying ever since Preloved left Montreal. Winning this clutch would make it all better and i'd miss Preloved a tiny bit less! ;)
The thought of her crying in Montreal without a gorgeous purse is just too much to bare! Marie-Laurence, contact me at email@example.com and we will organise getting you your new Holly Clutch. Thanks to all the entered. Keep your eyes open. 8 more days of gifting to go!!


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Blog Tour - Ruckus By L. J. Shen
Title: Ruckus
Series: Sinners of Saint #2
Author: L.J. Shen
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: May 26, 2017
"This series is one of the best I've read all year" - Angie, Angie's Dreamy Reads
"LJ Shen delivers and then some. I am loving this series." - Kylie Scott New York Times Bestseller
"It's unpredictable, raw, emotional, and edgy- pure chaos contained in a beautiful package." - TJ Loves Books
"LJ Shen just wrote her best love story ever!" - DD's Boom Room
They say that life is a beautiful lie and death a painful truth. They're right.
No one has ever made me feel more alive than the guy who serves as a constant reminder that my clock is ticking.
He is my forbidden, shiny apple.
The striking fallacy to my blunt, raw, truth.
He is also my sister's ex-boyfriend.
One thing you should know before you judge me;
I saw him first. I craved him first. I loved him first.
Eleven years later, he waltzed into my life, demanding a second chance.
Dean Cole wants to be my bronze horseman. My white knight has finally arrived. Hopefully, he isn't too late.
They say the brightest stars burn out the fastest. They're right.
She sets my mind on fire.
All smart mouth, snarky attitude and a huge heart.
In a world where everything is dull, she shines like fucking Sirius.
Eleven years ago, fate tore us apart.
This time, I fucking dare it to try.
Getting to her is a battlefield, but man, that's why they call me Ruckus.
Rosie LeBlanc is about to find out how hard I can fight.
And conquering her will be the sweetest victory.
L.J. Shen resides in sunny California with her husband, son, chubby cat and wild, wild dreams. Her passion is to write badass stories, sushi, UFC and her awesome family and friends (not in this order, though. Obviously, sushi comes before writing. Oh, and also the family part.) She spend the first half of her twenties traveling the world and is now paying all the fun with extra shifts in front of her MacBook. Feel free to contact her on her Facebook page. She loves to hear from her readers.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I've read the first books in this series and loved them. I was looking forward to this as we've met both main characters before. I had a feeling that this would be an emotional rollercoaster and I wasn't wrong, lol.
This follows Dean and Rosie. They've known each other since they were teenagers and it was pretty obvious that there was always something there but their lives, and some questionable decision making, got in the way. But now Dean has decided it's the time to take things to the next level.
Like I said before, this is a complete rollercoaster from start to finish. I loved the dynamic between Dean & Rosie. They were both complex, multi-faceted characters and neither were perfect, not by a long shot. I liked that. It made them seem real. After all can we sit back and judge ourselves perfect? I think not, lol. They annoyed me at times, made me upset. I laughed and loved and was sucked into every minute of their tumultuous journey. It wasn't an easy one, but the best ones never are.
The writing is fantastic and pulls you in immediately. There were plenty of hot moments, but also some very sweet ones. It was emotional in places and was, all in all, a super well rounded read.
You could read this as a standalone I guess but I'd recommend reading Defy and Viscious first as it gives you valuable insight and backstory that helps you understand. They're both great books as well so you won't regret it, lol.
I thoroughly enjoyed this from start to finish and I can't wait for the next instalment of this super addictive series.
Calling All Bookaholics.
View all my reviews


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We will see steps 3 and 4 today.
Step 3: Now, with everything set, you are ready to start the embroidery. With two strands of the darkest shade of pink sew buttonhole stitch around the edges of the flower pattern. Buttonhole stitch is used here to avoid frayed edges when the flower is cut out from the fabric. Place the buttonhole stitches very close together.
Step 4: Before you start the shading, observe the flower and find the order of working the flower. When you shade the flower, first shade the petal which is underneath all the other petals. Marked as A in the photo below. Next, petals marked as B, and then petal C. And at last, petal D, which is on top of all the other petals.
You can find steps 1 and 2 here
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Blooming Bookmark---Part 2
Posted by Flora at 12:58 PM
4 comments:
- kasthurirajam said...
lovely blog.thanks for sharing.waiting for ur next post
- March 19, 2011 at 1:18 PM
- Flora said...
Thanks Kasthuri!
- March 19, 2011 at 6:56 PM
- Elmsley Rose said...
That's funny. I've always buttonholed the edge last.
I like your edge of buttonholing - I've said that before. Mine would be less obvious because it goes over existing stitching, where you stitch up to the buttonholed border, leaving it as a border. I'll have to give it a go, as an "alternative look".
The books generally say to buttonhole last. Where did you learn to do it first?
- March 20, 2011 at 2:05 AM
- Flora said...
Hi Megan,
I regret for my delayed reply. There is no specific reason for buttonholing last. I thought this would be better than doing it last, where there are chances that we might disturb the outline of the soft shading.
- May 3, 2011 at 11:45 AM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Monday - rest day
Tuesday - 40 minutes on the elliptical at the gym. I meant to use the treadmill but all the good treadmills were taken.
Wednesday - Strength training at home
Thursday - This is the day my foot began to hurt so I took it as an unplanned rest day.
Friday - rest day
Saturday - we were in Atlanta visiting family. I had asked online for advice on a place to run and was told about this 5 mile loop around a golf community. My initial plan was to do 2 loops but my foot started hurting around mile 3 or so so I just did one lap and called it a day. It was also a fairly hilly course and that didn't feel good on my foot either.
It was a beautiful area and there were just enough people around that I always felt safe but it never felt too crowded. And it was a gorgeous morning. Though there were some sections where the route was a bit unclear so I had to stop a couple times in mile 1 to figure out where I was going. And mile 4 (average pace of 17:26!) had a grass surface instead of pavement in parts, plus a giant hill that I ended up walking after the halfway point.
Sunday - Yoga with Adriene (strengthening and lengthening) which was about a 40 minute video. I also took a couple walks through the day.
Sadly, my foot is not feeling better. It feels a bit worse today. I'm planning on resting it today and tomorrow with lots of icing. I'm going to see how it feels Wednesday and try for a short run in the neighborhood if it's feeling better. The Pacer's St. Patrick's Day 10k is this Sunday and I was planning to run it because 6 miles seemed like a good distance the weekend before the half. Also, I had deferred this race due to the freezing rain last year so I'm already registered without paying anything extra. But we'll see how the rest of this week goes.
I'm linking up with HoHoRuns and MissSippiPiddlin for their Weekly Wrap.


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On Wednesday, December 9th DC launched its motocross training facility, the DC MotoTF, with an exclusive ride day at the Pala Raceway. Moto team riders Jeremy McGrath, Ricky Carmichael, Nate Adams, Robbie Maddison, Jolene Van Vugt, Josh Hill, Davi Milsaps, Adam Cianciarulo, Zach Bell, Chase Bell, Ian Trettel, Tommy Searle and the DNA Stix/ Star Racing/ Yamaha Team Nico Izzi, Broc Tickle, Martin Davalos, and Max Anstie came out to celebrate and ride the track. Over 100 retailers, media and industry VIP's checked out the new training facility and watched with the team in action. Guests also had a chance to ride brand new Yamaha bikes, including the 2010 YZ450F, as part of the DC and Yamaha marketing partnership.
The day concluded with a charity invitational poker tournament hosted by DC at the Pala Casino Spa Resort to benefit the Road 2 Recovery Foundation. This non-profit organization, founded by action sports agent and former motocross rider, Jimmy Button, is dedicated to helping injured motocross and supercross athletes. Fifty people including Jimmy and DC motocross athletes Jeremy McGrath, Robbie Maddison, Jolene Van Vugt, Davi Milsaps, and Tommy Searle played in the tournament. Professional poker players Tiffany Michelle and Maria Ho from this season's "Amazing Race" also joined in, along with the show's recent winners, Cheyne Whitney and Meghan Rickey.
When all the cards were on the table it was Allen Cianciarulo who won. Rounding out the top three were Charles Ellis and Markus Paulsen. DC donated $ 2,500 to Road 2 Recovery on behalf on Allen and in total almost $ 4,700 was raised.
For more information on the DC motocross team and the DC Moto TF visit, http://www.dcshoes.com/moto.
About DC:
Founded by Ken Block and Damon Way in 1993, DC quickly grew to a leader in performance skateboarding shoes and renowned action sports brand. Today DC stands as a global brand whose product line has expanded to include men's, women's and kids' skateboarding and lifestyle shoes, apparel, snowboards, snowboard boots, outerwear, and accessories.
As one of the cornerstones of its marketing strategy, DC has built a world-class team of professional skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing, BMX, motocross and rally athletes that exemplify and enhance DC's brand, develop its signature products, and support its promotional efforts. DC is a subsidiary of Quiksilver, Inc.
About Pala Raceway:
Phase 1 of development opened in April of 2009 after years of planning, design, and construction Pala Raceway has quickly become the premiere motocross track in Southern California. Featuring seven tracks that are prepped with Komatsu equipment everyday, there is a track for every one of the 10,000 current members of Pala Raceway, from the best in the world to the first time rider.
Pala Raceway's goal is to continue to develop a modern motocross raceway and training facility with unsurpassed amenities that will allow motocross to continue to grow as sport. With future developments currently underway Pala Raceway will add a world class race track and the DC Moto TF in early 2010.
About Road 2 Recovery:
To provide financial assistance to AMA licensed professional motocross/supercross riders in the event they sustain career ending injuries. Alongside the racers the Foundation is dedicated to providing emotional and spiritual support to the families. Continue acting as a pathway for the motocross public and its supporters to donate funds to be issued to injured racers.


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NEW YORK (Reuters) - Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc (MUFG) (8306.T) on Wednesday sued New York's banking regulator to stop its effort to continue to supervise Japan's largest lender after it switched its state branches to federal oversight this week, according to court filings.
The New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) has often taken enforcement action against lenders under its purview. MUFG's subsidiary, the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi, agreed to pay $565 million in penalties in 2013 and 2014 for improperly handling transactions involving countries subject to U.S. sanctions.
In a Nov. 7 letter, the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) said it had given Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ the greenlight to convert branches in four states into federally regulated ones.
Besides New York, the branches are in Illinois, Texas and California.
On Wednesday, the New York regulator issued an order that said the bank and New York branch remain subject to NYDFS supervisory and enforcement activities for any conduct when it was licensed by the watchdog.
A DFS spokesman declined to comment.
In its complaint, filed in a Manhattan federal court, the bank is seeking to stop enforcement of the order.
Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ says the NYDFS's order violates federal U.S. banking laws which state the OCC's supervisory powers supersede those of state regulators.
"Without judicial relief, [the bank] will be placed in the untenable position of being subject to a DFS order that requires it to violate both federal law and the directives of the OCC and of being subject to competing demands from state and federal banking regulators," the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi says in the filing.
A spokesperson for MUFG said the OCC now supervises all of its U.S. banking operations allowing the Japanese lender to "streamline its supervisory and regulatory requirements."
A spokesman for the OCC said whether a bank chooses to operate under a state or federal charter is a business decision.
"That choice is fundamental to our nation's dual banking system. The OCC strongly supports the nation's dual banking system," the spokesman said in a statement.
The OCC has been increasingly seen by bankers as a more industry-friendly regulator under its acting Comptroller Keith Noreika, who was appointed by Republican President Donald Trump to help fulfill his promise to boost economic growth by eliminating financial rules.
Under Noreika, the OCC has begun reviewing strict rules preventing banks from taking risky bets with their own money and is moving to a more flexible approach on assessing banks' compliance scores, Noreika said on Wednesday.
The expectation federal watchdogs will be more lenient under the Republican administration is creating tension with Democrat state regulators, in some cases sparking legal clashes.
Along with the Conference of State Bank Supervisors, the NYDFS is also suing the OCC over its attempt to introduce a special purpose national bank charter for fintech companies.
Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi entered into agreements with the New York regulator in 2013 and again in 2014 to pay a total of $565 million in penalties and submit to increased scrutiny for stripping information from wire transfers that authorities could have used to police transactions with sanctioned countries such as Iran.
As part of the accords, the bank had to move its U.S. sanctions compliance and anti-money laundering operations to New York and install an independent consultant to conduct a review of the bank's sanctions compliance programs.
Additional reporting by Karen Freifeld; editing by Clive McKeef


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Contemporary Personalised Photo Frame For Mum
SizeOrientationCustom Engraving Top - £0.00 Custom Engraving Bottom - £0.00 Gift Wrap
Delivery Options
|UK: Free Shipping (m) (Mainland UK only 2 days)
|UK: Next Day (If placed before 3pm UK mainland only)
|UK: Next Day by 1pm. (If placed before 12pm UK only)
|UK: Saturday Delivery (If ordered by 1pm previous day)
|Europe Standard (3-5 Days)
|Europe Express (2 days)
|USA & Canada Standard FREE (5-7 Days)
|USA & Canada Express (1-2 Days)
|Rest of the World Standard (7-10 Days)
|Rest of World Express (3-4 Days)
Product Details
A contemporary solid oak personalised photo frame for mum in various size options that can be personalised in a portrait or landscape orientation.
To complement our range of personalised photo frames this is perfect as a Mothers Day gift or birthday present for a much loved Mummy, with elegant engraving to compliment the quality of the solid oak frame and a message to remind her of how much she is appreciated!
The picture frame is supplied with a stand and also has hooks attached to the back so can be hung on a wall too.
SIZES: You can also choose from the drop down menu frames with an aperture of 6" x 4", 7" x 5", 8" x 6" or 10" x 8".
PERSONALISATION: You can add one of engravings like in our photographs or your own unique message special to you. The top line engraving is included in the base price and you can also add another message to the bottom by selecting from the drop down menu.
ORIENTATION: The frames can be personalised in portrait or landscape.
Made from:
Solid oak frame finished in enhancing and protecting lacquer. Hardboard backing and stand and glass panel. Laser engraved personalisation.
Frame for 6" x 4" photo: H20.5 x W15.5 x D2cm
Frame for 7" x 5" photo: H23 x W18 x D2cm
Frame for 8" x 6" photo: H25.5 x W21.5 x D2cm
Frame for 10" x 8" photo: H30.5 x W25.5 x D2cm


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Wiggins retains his advantage
Team Sky's Bradley Wiggins retained the overall lead at the Criterium du Dauphine as Daniel Moreno (Katusha) won the second stage.
Last Updated: 06/06/12 4:27pm
Team Sky's Bradley Wiggins retained the overall lead at the Criterium du Dauphine as Daniel Moreno (Katusha) won the second stage.
Moreno got the better of Julien Simon (Saur-Sojasun) and Tony Gallopin (RadioShack-Nissan) after an uphill sprint at the end of the 160 kilometres route from Lamastre to Saint-Felicien.
Wiggins finished strongly to take ninth, shadowing Cadel Evans (BMC Racing) in seventh across the line to maintain his one second overall advantage over the Australian.
The first 44 riders home were all credited with the same time as Moreno meaning there were no changes at the top of the general classification, with Andriy Grivko (Astana) and Carlos Barredo (Rabobank) two seconds back in third and fourth respectively and Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) in fifth.
Andy Schleck (RadioShack-Nissan) again lost more time and is now down to 120th, over five minutes adrift.
Evans stays in the green points jersey, Blel Kadri (AG2R La Mondiale) made the most of being in the day's big breakaway to take over the lead in the climbing classification, while Gallopin's podium finish eased him into first place in the young rider standings.
The stage was also notable for a show of strength on the front from Team Sky as they controlled matters throughout to protect Wiggins' yellow jersey, in the process underlining top spot in the team classification.
A frenetic start to the stage had seen Team Sky active from the start as Wiggins forced a hasty reaction from his rivals as he bridged into an early breakaway group which contained team-mates Edvald Boasson Hagen and Michael Rogers.
That was soon reeled in and the escape that was allowed to go clear, heading up the 16.1km Col de Montivernoux which was the first of six categorised climbs, contained Kadri, Christophe Kern (Europcar), David Moncoutié (Cofidis) and José Sarmiento (Liquigas-Cannondale).
They opened up a gap of 3:35 after 50km but it was pegged at that point and started to come down rapidly in the final third as Team Sky continued to boss matters on the front.
It was less than a minute going into the final 35km and that prompted a number of riders to try their luck off the front of the main group but only Anthony Roux (FDJ-Big Mat) was able to bridge the gap.
His time with the breakaway riders was short-lived as they were swept up inside the final 10km as BMC Racing powered to the head of affairs to try and tee up reigning Tour de France champion Evans for a second stage win in succession.
However it was Moreno who had the last word and he told reporters: "Considering the finish it was a good stage for me.
"Maybe I wasn't considered a favourite by everyone but I made myself a favourite and I wanted to win.
"With last year's stage of the Vuelta and the Tour of Piedmonte, this is one of the three best victories I have collected."
So far so good
After the stage, Wiggins told www.teamsky.com how the day had panned out for him, saying: "Everyone knew the race went straight uphill right away and our objective was to make it hard from the start.
"Once again the team were incredible, they were fantastic throughout the day and they made my job a lot easier.
"When the four-man break eventually went clear it was a lot more straightforward, albeit still a hard day.
"It was all about respecting the jersey by defending it and also staying safe. It was also a hectic finish so it's good to have got through it all okay and that's another day down."


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Teacher Feature: Guitar Instructor Tadashi Kuriyama
Guitar teacher Tadashi Kuriyama is a great new addition to our teaching team! With his Guitar Performance degree from CSU Long Beach and his teaching background, Tadashi is well rounded to successfully teach all styles, levels, and ages.
Tadashi has been teaching for the past 10 years prior to and after graduating with his AA in Music from El Camino College and his BA in Jazz Guitar Performance from Cal State University Long Beach in 2012. He has studied with some of the current great jazz guitarists Ron Eschete and Michael Higgins. While Tadashi's passion is playing and performing jazz, he is proficient in many different styles, including pop and rock, and electric and acoustic guitar.
Tadashi's teaching style focuses on fundamentals, fingering, and note reading to begin. Starting with basics to set a strong foundation for his students, but he also makes sure to include some fun relevant songs so students don't lose interest with the technical aspects of note reading and theory.
A famous quote Tadashi would like to share with his prospective students:
"Your talent determines what you can do. Your motivation determines how much you are willing to do. Your attitude determines how well you do it." ― Lou Holtz
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Science and Health News
Fighting Fibromyalgia with Complementary Health and NIHNIH MedlinePlus | January 24, 2019
Genes linked to abnormal bone density and fractureNIH Research Matters | January 24, 2019
IN MEMORIAM: NIAMS Staff Reflects on Passing of Institute Director Steve KatzAnnouncement | January 17, 2019
NIAMS Mourns the Loss of Dr. Steve KatzAnnouncement | December 20, 2018
NIAMS Update — December 13, 2018NIAMS Update | December 13, 2018
The NIH Back Pain Research Consortium (BACPAC), a Component of the NIH HEAL (Helping to End Addiction Long-term℠) InitiativeLetter from the Director | December 13, 2018
The NIAMS Update is a digest on the latest scientific news and resources on diseases of the bones, joints, muscles, and skin. Subscribe.
The NIAMS Community Outreach Bulletin is a digest designed to inform community advocates and health professionals about resources for diverse audiences. Subscribe.
Honoring Health: Resources for American Indians and Alaska Natives is an e-newsletter that features a different health topic in each issue.It is produced by the NIAMS on behalf of the National Institutes of Health, the Indian Health Service, and the Administration for Community Living's Administration on Aging. Subscribe.
Advisory Council MeetingsThe meetings, held three times per year, update attendees on the budget and activities of the NIAMS.
Health Fairs and ExhibitsNIAMS attends health fairs and exhibits throughout the year. NIAMS often exhibits at meetings of professional and voluntary organizations.
NIAMS-Hosted Social Media EventsThe NIAMS partners with health organizations to host discussions on topics of interest to the community.
NIAMS Scientific RetreatsScientific and lay representatives discuss needs, gaps, and opportunities in the biomedical research community.
Roundtable DiscussionsThe NIAMS holds annual roundtable discussions to examine the unmet needs and opportunities with which the Institute could focus.
NIAMS CoalitionThe NIAMS Coalition is an independent consortium of professional and voluntary organizations.
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Stay informed by subscribing to the NIAMS e-newsletters.
Last Reviewed: 09/22/2017


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18 October 2014
Lunch is served: Heels and long legs for today
Today I remembered the first time when I got my hands on a pair of heels ♥ I was 15 years old and I decided to participate for a title at the well known high school prom contest Miss and Mister 2006.
You all know that prom, means that I had to wear a dress and high heels :D I was so confused at that time, I didn`t knew from where to start searching. So I took a friend of mine that was a bit bigger than me because she knew how to deal with this kind of problems and she indeed helped me. I still have that pair with heels that don`t exceed 6 cm somewhere in my closet and even if is not that fancy and eye catching it reminds me of that period of my life.
But my addiction for heels came a few years later, and now I don`t even want to count them :D
Do you remember the first time you brought yours?
Wish you a wonderful day
Kisses, Manuella ♥
I was wearring:
Blouse/Dress: Here
Black skirt: My own design
Bag: Dasha
Boots: Zara
Sunglasses: Ray Ban
Watch: Guess
Bracelets: Swarovski
4 comments:
Initialam crezut ca este o fusta din 2 straturi. Imi place super mult ideea ta de a pune camasa lunga peste fusta. Chiar arata bine. Cred ca ar arata la fel de bine si cu un obi de genul asta de pe asos.ReplyDelete
Atunci chiar ai fi zis ca este o fusta din 2 straturi.
Love those heels....ReplyDelete
Lovely! Imi place foarte mult camasa :)ReplyDelete
Nice outfit! Love how you wore a different color pair of shoes for a pop of color!ReplyDelete
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Catch the game streaming live online at Chicago-Fire.com and talk about it live here as it happens. First kick is scheduled for 6:35 CDT.
Filed under: U.S. Open Cup
Tags: Chicago Fire, Live Chat, US Open Cup
Catch the game streaming live online at Chicago-Fire.com and talk about it live here as it happens. First kick is scheduled for 6:35 CDT.
Filed under: U.S. Open Cup
Tags: Chicago Fire, Live Chat, US Open Cup
any chance you know who made the trip?
I thought that card wouldn't count?
I wonder if there was no football or basketball how much those numbers would go up.
HA! Sega just checked in at Da Taste.
He Defo is not in Rochester.
my starting 11
Robinson, Anibaba, Mikulic, Pantazopolous
Ristic, Vidiera, Paladini, Bone,
Ferrari, Nazarit
while attendance matters, there is a difference in number of games, and really TV numbers matter the most. Need big tv money to really grow the game and the cap
pssssht....you can get Luis to do the nightlife column.....oh wait. :P
I've never understood the economics of soccer television rights. With other sports its clear because there are ads during stopages in play and TV timeouts etc. How does a network make money on advertising for soccer? The add banner during the game? Doesn't the structure of soccer without timeouts make it so that soccer will never generate the same amount of TV revenue? Maybe this is a naive question, but I just could never figure out how SkySports or ESPN makes money on soccer when they carry games locally in England. Is it just the advertising during the pre-game, post-game and half-time?
i imagine it has to be a combo of the tv adds, the ad next to the score, and some kind of share with the ad boards on the side of the field.. but yeah, i would love to read more about that too
The main value with increasing the TV ratings is:
- Inducing people to subscribe to cable channels that carry the game. The majority of revenue for cable channels is what they charge cable companies to carry their content, which depends on how many people demand the cable company carry a channel.
- Increasing the value of in stadium advertising like shirt sponsorships and advertising boards along the sidelines.
So for FSC, its the fact that my cable carrier is paying FSC a fee to provide the channel so I can watch that generates the most revenue for FSC? The greater the number of people watching the more they can charge the cabloe companies? I boggles the mind as to why FSC doesn't push more cable companies to carry it. Wasn't that the big issue between BigTen Network and Comcast that Comcast wanted the BigTen network to be an extra fee and not part of its basic sports package. Right?
I promise you FSC pushes cable companies to carry FSC. The problem is that if FSC is on basic cable, it drives up the subscription costs for all subscribers, the vast majority of whom don't want FSC.
listed as a 4-4-2 but feels more like a 4-3-3 isn't a winger in a 4-3-3 Ferraris prefered position?
and the backline looks really risky even with 2 dms..
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Learn more information about the Morningside-Lenox Park GA area by visiting the Morningside-Lenox Park Association.
Find your next luxury home in beautiful Morningside-Lenox Park area of Atlanta, GA. You will find a character is abound in the Morningside-Lenox Park area, filled with Cape Code, Traditional, Tudor and Colonial style homes. The streets are lined with mature trees to take you back in time and make you forget you are in the middle of Atlanta, GA.
Listings identified with the FMLS IDX logo come from FMLS, are held by brokerage firms other than the owner of this website and the listing brokerage is identified in any listing details. Information is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. © 2019 First Multiple Listing Service, Inc. Last updated: 2/22/2019
The data relating to real estate for sale on this web site comes in part from the Broker Reciprocity Program of Georgia MLS real estate. Listings held by other brokerage firms are marked with the Broker Reciprocity logo and detailed information about them includes the name of the listing brokers. Information is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. Copyright 2019 Georgia MLS. All righst reserved.


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BURBANK -- A good start, mixed with mistake-free football was needed for the Bellarmine-Jefferson High football team to stay competitive with Salesian in its Santa Cruz League opener Saturday night, as the Mustangs entered the game ranked No. 4 in the CIF Southern Section Northeast Division.
The Guards got off to a good start, but it was quickly marred by a miscue on special teams, which gave Mustangs standout quarterback Jihad Vercher the ball in good scoring position. Salesian quickly scored and never looked back, as it simply proved too much for Bell-Jeff to match up against in a 48-0 victory at Memorial Field.
Bell-Jeff (2-5, 0-1 in league) came out and held Salesian's offense in check, forcing a punt on the first drive of the game, but the Guards didn't even got off a snap on offense, as the punt hit the ground and off a Guards player. The Mustangs quickly jumped on the loose ball to take possession 10 yards away from a score.


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Alastair initially trained as an illustrator through which he developed his interest in figurative and portrait painting. In the years since he has established a strong reputation as a commissioned portrait artist, his dynamic but natural and unassuming portraits earning him many high profile commissions, both in the UK and overseas. Alastair became a member of the RP in 2002 and Hon Treasurer 2005. In 2008 was made President, the youngest in the Society's history.
In 2011 Alastair was commissioned to paint Tony Blair for the National Portrait Gallery as part of their permanent collection of past British Prime Ministers.
Through his academic work Alastair aims to promote a higher level of debate around the use and understanding and of portraiture, produced as part of an incisive, observationally centred, drawing and painting language. To these ends Alastair holds a research based lecturing position at Loughborough University and has published papers on commissioned portraiture and contemporary life drawing within a modern educational context. He is also Chair of the University's Drawing Research Group 'TRACEY'.
20 x 16 inches From £2,250
24 x 20 inches From £3,000
This is a rough fee-guide for a single portrait. Frame, travel & accommodation expenses, and VAT are not included. For groups and non-standard sizes please ask for a quote.
I like about 4-6 sittings and can use photographs if absolutely necessary to reduce their number. I am happy to travel to my sitters and to paint groups. I am not currently registered for VAT.
- National Portrait Gallery: Tony Blair
- Institute of Advanced Legal Studies: Prof. T. Daintith
- Institute of Advanced Legal Studies: Prof. Barry Rider
- Institute of Advanced Legal Studies: Lord Hope, Lord Nolan, Lord Scarman, Lord Woolf and Sir William Dale.
- Joint Services Defence College: Rear Admiral Nick Wilkinson
- King Williams College, IOM: Mr Dursley Stott, OBESt.
- Hugh's College, Oxford: Principal Derek Wood, CBE
- Liverpool University: Vice Chancellor Philip Love, CBE
- Liverpool Hope University: Chief Executive Simon Lee
- Manchester Metropolitan University: Vice Chancellor, Dame Sandra Burslem
- Nottingham University: Vice Chancellor Sir Colin Campbell
- University of Wales College of Medicine: Vice Chancellor Steve Tomlinson
- Shrewsbury School: Headmaster Ted Maidment
- Westwood High School: Headteacher George Wiskin
- Lord Woolf
- Family Capt. Robert Guy
- Capt. Bruce Snelling
- The Green Howards: Capt. John Powell
- General Dental Council: President Hew Matthewson
- Fritz and Ingrid Spiegl
- Tom and Dominie Newton Dunn
- John Timpson
- St John's College, Cambridge: President Mark Nichols
- St John's College, Cambridge: Professor Stefan Reif
- Legal and General: Sir Rob Margetts
- Southampton University: Sir William Wakeham
- Metropolitan Police: Sir Ian Blair
- Body of Art, Manifest Creative Research Gallery and Drawing Centre, Cincinatti, Ohio.
- Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Mall Galleries, London
- National Portrait Gallery, London
- Art London, Duke of Yorks Barracks, London
- "Portraits and Life", Solo Exhibition, Liverpool University
- Manchester Academy Annual Open Exhibition
- Discerning Eye Exhibition, Mall Galleries
- Royal Institute of Oil Painters, Mall Galleries
The Changing Faces Prize, Royal Society of Portrait Painters.


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Delivery Information
Spend $200 & get free delivery to most of Australia
Click here for all Australian freight rates
- Melbourne 1-3 working days
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For express service, call 1800 069 295 for a quote.
International deliveries click here We cannot ship to all countries.
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Morris of Rutherglen Old Premium Liqueur Tokay (500ml)
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- Closure: Cork
A sensational wine!
Very deep sienna brown colour, with deep green olive hue. Aroma of toffee and treacle with just a hint of rancio. Very luscious palate with incredible depth and concentration of flavour. Totally mouthfilling with concentrated flavours of toffee and raisins. Very fine spirit, perfectly integrated, followed by an exceptionally long aftertaste of toffee, spirit and raisins.
Drink (2002)
Alc/Vol: 18.0%
Other Reviews...
Deep, aged olive-brown; super-intense, wtih a resplendent array of spices, cake and tea leaf surrounded by smoky rancio which cuts the richness and provides a lingering, intense but pleasingly dry aftertaste.
Rating 97
Drink Now
James Halliday - 2007 Australian Wine Companion


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my (art) work
Art has always been a passion of mine. I've been an avid doodler for as long as I can remember. Somewhere along the way, doodling made way for coloring, and coloring made way for painting. It was during high school that I discovered my favorite medium, oil paint, and I went on to pursue an art minor in college. Today I continue to paint commissioned works for friends and family, and I seem to have found my niche in pet portraiture.


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In the immortal words of George Castanza... "I'm back baby!" I have been on a bit of a hiatus from wine writing the past 6 months. Now that I have completed my Executive Leadership Program at Seattle University it is time to get back to the wine business.
March is a great time to return too. It is Washington Wine Month AND one of the most stylish one day races takes place in Tuscany during the first weeks of March. The Strade Bianche covers nearly 200 kilometers that include 10 sections of white dirt and gravel roads. The strade bianche cover 54 of the 200 kilometers and make for some interesting racing.
This week's Lucha Vino matchup honors Italian bike racing flare with a classic Yakima Valley Sangiovese from Eight Bells winery taking on an old Chianti Classico from Tuscany.
2010 Eight Bells Sangiovese v. 2009 Villa Cafaggio Chianti Classico
Tale of the Tape
2010 Eight Bells Sangiovese
100% Sangiovese sourced from the Red Willow Vineyard located in the Yakima Valley AVA.
Aged in 15% new barrels.
Purchased for $17.99 from Full Pull Wines
2009 Villa Cafaggio Chianti Classico (PDF Tech Sheet)
100% Estate Grown Sangiovese
Aged for 18 months in second use barrels and another 6 months in bottle.
Purchased at Esquin for $18.99
Round 1. First Opening
The old timer from Villa Cafaggio struts toward the ring followed by an adoring entourage. The seasoned veteran gets straight to business with a flurry of classic Italian luchador style. The nose is showing floral dried cherries, earthy candle wax and dry cedar notes. The palate is similar with dried cherries and strawberries followed by hints of cedar and slightly tart earthy spices. The whole package is wrapped up with a very dry finish.
The Eight Bells Sangiovese is going toe-to-toe with the Italian challenger. The nose is slightly darker with notes of cherry, strawberry and earthy dark Asian spices. The palate is equally bold bringing some power to the party with cherries, earthy spices and a tart coffee bean finish.
The opening round was close. The judges awarded the round to the Villa Cafaggio on style points.
Round 2. One Hour after opening
With a victory in round one the Villa Cafaggio is developing some serious swagger. The nose is building slightly with cherries, dry flowers, cedar and some coffee undertones. The palate is still showing classic chianti style with tart cherries, dry strawberries and light earthy cedar spices trailing on to a tart dried cherry finish.
Eight Bells is fired up after losing the first round. The Washington State Luchador is going for broke unleashing an attack from the top rope. The nose is more robust with dark cherry and earthy lemon rind. The palate is showing cherries, earth infused menthol spices and some tart coffee bean. The finish is consistent and dominated by tart cherry.
Eight Bells was much more aggressive in round 2, taking the over-confident Villa Cafaggio by surprise.
Round 3. One day after opening
With the match tied at 1 round apiece things are about to get interesting.
Villa Cafaggio looks focused and determined. The Italian luchador is flashing a nose of cherries, dusty raspberry and lightly savory white pepper. The palate features tart cherry and strawberry with light cedar spices along with nice streak of acidity that leads to a dry finish that includes hints of dried flowers.
The Villa Cafaggio was crafty, but the Eight Bells Sangiovese caught the Italian by surprise and applied a wicked sleeper hold. The Washington State luchador won the final round and the match with a powerful submission hold.
Wrap up and overall observations
The Villa Cafaggio was a great challenger. This Chianti Classico would make a great dinner companion any night of the week. It showed classic Chianti style with nice earthy dried cherries and a streak of acid begging to be paired with some delicious Italian cuisine.
The Eight Bells Sangiovese also showed great Sangiovese character. It was slightly darker than the Chianti, but still represented the grape well. 2010 was an unusually cool vintage for Washington State and this Eight Bells Sangiovese is showing some nice character.
I would gladly invite either of these luchadors back for a future match!


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SANAA/DUBAI, Feb 2 (Reuters) - An Iranian embassy official
kidnapped in the Yemeni capital Sanaa in July is still alive, a
Yemeni security official said on Sunday, disputing an earlier
report that he had been found beheaded.
Last month a provincial official said local people had found
the body of the diplomat in an area north of oil fields in
Maarib province.
At the time Iran's Student News Agency quoted an Iranian
embassy official as denying that the headless body belonged to
the missing employee.
On Sunday a Yemeni security official who declined to be
named told Reuters:
"Contacts with the Iranian diplomat's kidnappers through
tribal mediators confirm that he (the diplomat) is still alive
and that the body found did not belong to him," the security
official told Reuters.
Iran's official IRNA news agency on Sunday quoted Yemen's
charge d'affaires in Tehran, Abdullah al-Sari, as saying:
"Yemen's interior ministry and security forces are following
up on the fate of kidnapped Iranian diplomat, Noor Ahmad
Nikbakht, and according to latest information he is alive and in
good health," Sari told IRNA.
He added: "Our security forces are looking for ways to help
and secure his release. We hope good news on this will be
announced soon."
Last month, another Iranian diplomat was fatally wounded
when he resisted gunmen who tried to kidnap him. Shi'ite Iran's
diplomatic missions in the Arab world have sometimes been
targeted as sectarian violence spreads in the region.
Kidnappings of foreigners in Yemen are common, often carried
out by disgruntled tribesmen seeking to put pressure on the
government to free jailed relatives or to improve public
services, or by al Qaeda-linked militants.
On Sunday Yemeni tribesman said they had kidnapped a German
man to press their government to free jailed relatives.
(Reporting by Mohamed Ghobari in Sanaa and Mehrdad Balali in
Dubai; Writing by Yara Bayoumy; Editing by Sami Aboudi)


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HOME Multimedia and GraphicsMIDI Players and Editors ChordPulse Player Download
Jam along ChordPulse backing tracks with this free player. Playback any jam track created by ChordPulse or ChordPulse Lite. Several sample tracks are included with the software for instant jam fun and more are available from the ChordPulse website as free downloads. ChordPulse Player lets you change tempo and key freely, offering valuable control over accompaniment tracks. In contrast to static mp3 backing tracks, midi files or a play-along CD, here you can customize your backing music, define loops and set count-in options! In addition, reference tones are provided to tune your instrument, or alternatively, the virtual band can be tuned to your instrument. So pick up your guitar or sax and play along with some blues jam tracks, improvise to a jazz accompaniment, or sing along with a beautiful piano chord progression. Let ChordPulse raise your pulse.
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March 10th , Saturday
11:00 AM to 1:30 PM
Vocal Concert by
Vid. Shakuntala Murthy and Vid. Sukanya Narayana
Accompanied on the Violin by Vid. Apoorva Krishna and on the Mridangam by Vid. Murali Krishna.
Upcoming events:
Hon. Secretary Smt. Shakuntala Murthy
Hon. Treasurer Mr. Niranjan K
Hon. President Smt. Sukanya Narayan
Marketing Head Mr. Murali Krishna
Gaana Rasika Mandali, founded in 1970 by Sri. S. Rajagopala Iyer has one mission.
"Promote Carnatic Music"
We have been working towards this mission by conducting talent promotion concerts and encouraging young and upcoming artists over many years. The mandali also has been conducting Lecture demonstrations based on the principles of the books "Sangeetha Akshara Hridaya", written by Sri. S. Rajagopala Iyer and "Laya Vinyasam", written by Sri. R. Krishnamurthy.
1. Sangeetha Akshara Hridaya - Book
2. Laya Vinyasam - Book
3. Smarisu Manave - CD
4. Apoorva Thillanas - CD
Gaana Rasika Mandali
March 10th, Saturday
11:00 AM to 1:30 PM
383, 4th A Cross, Springwoods Layout,
Opposite NIsarga Layout
Koppa Gate, Bengaluru 560083
1. SAH Workshop
2. Talent promotion concert series
3. Book release - Laya Vinyasam
4. Book release - Sangeetha Akshara Hridaya


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Liam Ó Muirthile is a poet and writer. Born in Cork City in 1950, he learned Irish at school and in the Irish speaking region of West Kerry. His first collection of poetry was Tine Chnámh in 1984 which received the Irish-American Cultural Institute's literary award and the major Oireachtas prize for poetry.
He received the Butler Award in 1996 for his novel Ar Bhruach na Laoi, and both the Arts Council Prize and Gradam Chló Iar-Chonnacht for his third collection of poems Walking Time agus Dánta eile. Liam has also written for the stage. Amharclann de hÍde produced his play Tine Chnámh in the Project Theatre in Dublin in 1993. His play Fear an Tae was produced in the Andrew's Lane Theatre, Dublin in 1995, and Liodán na hAbhann was staged in the Crypt Theatre in Dublin Castle in 2000. He wrote a weekly column, An Peann Coitianta, for the Irish Times from 1989 to 2003.
His published works include: Tine Chnámh (1984), An Peann Coitianta (1991), Dialann Bóthair (1992), Ar Bhruach na Laoi (1995), An Peann Coitianta 2 (1997), Liodán na hAbhann (1999), Fear an Tae (1999), Walking Time agus Dánta Eile (2000), Gaothán (2000), An Seileitleán (2004), Sister Elizabeth ag Eitilt (2005), Ar an bPeann (Winter 2005), Dánta Déanta (Winter 2005), ÁÉÍÓÚ (Spring 2006).
Translations of various Ó Muirthile poems are in the following publications: An Tonn Gheal/The Bright Wave, Dermot Bolger (editor), Jumping Off Shadows, Selected Contemporary Irish Poets, Greg Delanty & Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill (editors), Introductions, Modern Poetry in Translation, Series Three, No.1,(Bernard O'Donoghue) and Anthologie de la poésie Irlandaise du xxe siècle, Jean-Yves Masson (editor). Various single poems have been translated in German, French, Italian, Hungarian and Romanian collections.
Statement 18 May 2018
It is with deep regret and sadness that the Toscaireacht and members of Aosdána learned of the death of the Cork poet, Liam O Muirthile. A poet of infinite patience and meticulous craft, of immense, multilingual reading and scholarship, O Muirthile was one of the most brilliant intellectuals of his generation. He was a poet of the legendary Inntí generation at University College Cork, poets who fell under the spell of both Seán O Ríordáin and Seán O Riada, yet combined their influence with a modernising and modernist impulse. This Inntí generation was an urbanising conduit, a youthful and flourishing re-location of sensibilities within the Irish language. Linguistic expectations and possibilities were widened into new themes and a new signature was inscribed into the Irish world; a world that would now explore both Bob Dylan and Peig, or Apollinaire and Prévert as well as Nioclás Tóibín. Born in Cork in 1950, O Muirthile went on to study French and Irish at UCC, reaching a depth and fluency in both languages that few of his contemporaries could match. His first collection Tine Cnámh (1984) won a major Oireachtas prize as well as the Annual Literary Award of the Irish American Cultural Institute. Ar Bhruach na Laoiwon the Butler Prize in 1996, while his third collection, Walking Time agus Dánta Eile was awarded both an Arts Council Prize and Gradam Chló Iar-Chonnacht. O Muirthile's wide, fantastical and magnificent imagination has found full-flow in work like Liadan na hAbhann, while in Dialann Bóthairhe weaves the destiny of Wolfe Tone into his own imaginative return to West Cork. For many years he also wrote a weekly column, An Peann Coitianta, for the Irish Times.
A warm and loyal friend to poets in both Irish and English, a passionate Corkman equally at home in Dún Laoghaire or Paris, his presence will be deeply missed but his immortal work will never be forgotten.
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Registrar of Aosdána The Arts Council 70 Merrion Square Dublin 2


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How to do marketing that actually works
You are in a race with your competitors
In a bike race, you want your bike to be as fast and powerful as possible. The best rider on the fastest bike will win the race.
In the race to get customers, you're competing against other businesses in your area who offer something similar to your business. You're probably keeping an eye on what they're doing to get to more customers, faster. Perhaps they've started a special offer, or they're open for longer, or they seem to post a lot on Facebook.
If you were in a bike race, you'd be doing something similar - what are the other race teams doing for tyres, engine tuning, and so on? Could a small adjustment to suspension give you the edge which gets your bike to the finish line faster than anyone else's?
What bike have you brought?
But what if your bike doesn't even have an engine? What if you've turned up to the race with your pedal bicycle, and it's a motorbike race?
You could be the best rider in the world, with the best support team, the very latest technology in your bike and gear, and the best mindset and commitment.
But if you've brought a pedal bicycle to a motorbike race, you're going to come last.
Sadly, that's what we see many businesses doing. In their digital marketing, they've brought pedal bicycles to a motorbike race.
The Digital Marketing "bike race"
Here's how the bike race metaphor plays out for businesses and their digital marketing.
A business owner wants to get more customers and be more visible in their market, so they turn to the digital world. First step? "Let's redesign our website."
The new website costs a fair bit of time and money to get right, and when it's up it looks good.
The web designer suggests that some SEO work is needed to make the website rank well in the search engines, so the business owner pays for a campaign to improve keywords and get links. He even uses some of his own time to do some of the work after going to a course on SEO.
Then the business owner decides to copy what he sees a competitor doing, and start posting on Facebook every day, asking people to "like and share".
This all goes on for a few months. The race is on.
And our business owner? He loses.
Very few new customers, very little business growth. Lots of costs.
Meanwhile, that competitor is going from strength to strength, attracting a huge number of the customers. They've clearly won the race.
So what went wrong? Our business owner brought a pedal bicycle to a motorbike race.
Just do what works
That competing business was using paid ads on Google and Facebook to get in front of new customers in the target market.
That was their motorbike. It maybe wasn't even a super-charged, 200 mph motorbike. Any motorbike would do, because the other racers were on pedal bicycles.
The competing business owner was using a digital marketing company who had developed a strategy precisely suited to their customers. And paying to get in front of exactly the right people on Google and Facebook meant that the incoming enquiries the business received were from ready-to-buy customers. Minimum time-wasting, maximum sales, so the advertising budget produced a 3x-5x return on investment.
Our business owner on a pedal bicycle made the big mistake of deciding what to do based on something other than what actually works. He thought a new website would be a good idea, but never really stopped to work out why. He perhaps didn't want to spend money on "paid traffic" because he was worried about just having ongoing costs.
This is, unfortunately, the way many business owners think. They spend money on marketing without much hope of ever knowing whether it was a good use of that money or not.
But it doesn't have to be that way.
The most effective tactic
Paid traffic isn't always the best thing to do to get more customers. It varies depending on the business, competition, industry, customers and target market. But there is always something which is the MOST effective tactic, where the highest return on investment will be made. Doing anything other that that is like bringing a pedal bicycle to a motorbike race. You can do other things really, really well, but you still won't win.
Many businesses are working really hard, but they're pedalling bicycles uphill while their competitors zip past them on Hondas, Yamahas and Suzukis.
At Groweb we race motorbikes. Our Services page explains more if you're interested.


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BMX frame four pound mark firmly broken
Two BMX companies have stepped the other side of the four pound weight threshold for the first time, sparking further debate about 'when does weight compromise strength?'
Standard Bike Company - a long-standing brand available via Zeal - has anounced it the LTA (Lighter Than All) frame, which weighs in at Three pounds, 14.4 ounces.
Prior to Standard's announcement, the only brand to cross the four pound mark were relatively new brand UnKnown Bike Co, who appear to have distribution only through select BMX specialist retailers.
UnKnown, however, offers a lifetime warranty on its 3.7 pound Evolution frame.
BMX race frames have been appearing sub-four-pound for some time, however the freestyle market has long aspired to meet the super-low weights found on the track.


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text:
This double shares the second page of pocket pages and my complete February calendar.
I love how you can customise each calendar page to your liking.
Next comes March.
I shared on Instagram how I customised the March prompts page to suit my colours! I punched out a circle of yellow pattern paper and adhered it over the star. I then misted the Color Magic shape with Blush Color Shine and added it over the banner. I also added a strip of yellow pattern paper to the left side of my page.
As the month progresses I need to fill in the prompts box at the top...
With March being the month of St Patricks day I wanted to celebrate and focus on my 9th wedding anniversary that falls this month and how lucky I am. I created the shamrock with the glitter word and some Color Magic hearts.
I used the free March printable to create a flap for an extra photo.
Here are some new favourite techniques I have used on this months calendar page so far...
1. I resized and printed off my QR code and punched it out with my circle punch and then added it to the date.
2. I found a free online photo editing site that edits and resizes your photo into a circular badge shape called Picresize, I then printed it off and again punched it out with my circle punch and added it to the date.
3. I hand stitched a small heart onto the date of our anniversary using some pink embroidery thread. (Next month I will simply place a sticker , photo or shape over the stitching that is on the reverse of the page.)


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American Express launches the Explorer Credit Card as Aussies seek new destinations to holiday on points
With just four months until Christmas, American Express today launched the American Express ExplorerTM Credit Card designed to help get Australians to their next holiday destination faster.
According to new insights from American Express, Christmas getaways to the cooler climates of Aspen, Whistler and the Northern Lights in Yellowknife top the destination list, with Vancouver and New York City not far behind.
With around 9.7 million[i] Australian residents heading overseas for short-term trips in the last year, and departures continuing to overtake arrivals[ii], travel is clearly a passion on the rise for Australians.
Alongside benefits such as an annual $400 travel credit, travel and car rental insurance and airport lounge access, the Explorer Credit Card comes with an introductory offer of 100,000 Membership Reward Points. These points alone could take you to Hong Kong, Singapore, Los Angeles, San Francisco or Queenstown[iii] this festive season.
Austin Huntsdale, Vice President Consumer Products for American Express Australia & New Zealand, said: "The majority of our Card Members use their Membership Rewards points for travel, either to pay for a portion or the entire cost of their holiday. Of those who book their trip atAmerican Express Travel Online, 66 per cent convert their points to air travel, followed by hotels at 32 per cent."
"The holiday or travel experience you might not have factored into your budget could have paid for itself by simply using your credit card. With an accelerated rate to earn points and $400 travel credit each year, we've designed the American Express Explorer card for those who want to get to their next holiday sooner."
This year, other top destinations in demand include; US hotspots Los Angeles and Miami, and European getaway destinations London and Rome. Asia also features in 2016, with Singapore and Hong Kong still popular, alongside domestic locations Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane continuing to attract those wanting a staycation.
Interestingly, countries most on the rise for hot destination requests include some unexpected locations such as Bhutan, Montenegro, and Myanmar, as well as firm favourites Japan and South Africa.
All American Express Explorer Card Members have access to all three digital wallets – Android Pay, Apple Pay and Samsung Pay – with smartphone screen insurance also included with the card.


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Hey all! Hope you had a great Easter! I ate way too much good food and candy, but it was worth it :)
Are you the kind of person who starts a new project before finishing the ones you have going on? Tell me I'm not the only one guilty of this! So, we've still got our office redo hanging out there (making progress with some curtains!), as well as a laundry room in progress (no new news on that front, except we got a rug), and, with our new sectional in the living room, we've been slowly working on updating that room (right now, we're trying to pick a new paint color -- more on that later in this post!).
So, despite all of these projects in the works, last weekend the hubs and I somehow ended up rearranging our furniture in our dining room. We have a formal dining room across from the kitchen that, well, rarely gets used. It's just the two of us most of the time, and we eat at the counter peninsula in the kitchen.
We also have this awkward space next to the kitchen. Since we moved in, we've been scratching our heads over what to do with it.
We stuck this little table in there mostly as a filler. We kept it mostly open because there's a door on the left that leads from the entryway, and on the right is the door to the deck, and we didn't walk to block the walkways.
I'd always thought about putting a couple chairs and a coffee table in there against the window, but I never pulled the trigger because, well, it just didn't seem quite right. I just couldn't imagine us doing a lot of sitting out there.
We had previously talked about putting the dining room table in here, but I nixed it right away. I don't really know why. I was worried about blocking off the walkway to the deck, and thought it would be weird for people to walk into the house and right into the dining room table. Plus, we had a perfectly lovely dining room! Why wouldn't we use it?
Anyways, fast forward a few months, and the hubs convinced me to give it another try. He started talking about turning the dining room into a cute little sitting room, and I just got excited. So, we moved the dining room table into this space next to the kitchen, and just try it out for a couple weeks. Well, I'm loving it!
Here's how it looks from the entryway:
Instead of centering it in the space, we edged it closer to the window, so there's plenty of room to walk into the house and walk through to the deck. I thought it would bug me that it's not centered, but it actually doesn't at all.
See? Plenty of walking area.
Our table actually has three sizes, since we have two leaves we can add. This is its smallest size. I think when we tried it the first time, we had one of the leaves in, and I just thought it looked too big. But in this size, I think it looks just right. At this size, it'll seat six, and it's only a few times a year we have larger brunch or dinner parties. And there is room to extend the table to its full length, although it's a little tight. But again, it'll be so infrequent that I don't think we'll miss having the large dining room for just those occasions.
I don't know why I was so against this just a few months ago, because I'm totally jazzed about it. We got to take the new setup for a test drive this past weekend when we had two friends over for dinner. They said eating next to the kitchen felt more intimate and casual, which is really what we're going for, since we're not fancy-party people. I'm just so happy about actually using this space instead of leaving it as wasted space! I'm hoping the hubs and I will use it more just the two of us -- why is it that having the table next to the kitchen makes it seem more usable than in the dining room? The table is still the same distance away! But for some reason, having it in the same room as the kitchen just makes it more welcoming.
We also took off a door that separated the entryway from the house. We never, ever used this door -- I think it's been closed maybe three times in the year and a half we've lived here. I could see it being kind of practical to keep cold air out of the house while coming in or out, but really, we never have the outdoor open that much. Since it was in the way of the table, we just took it off.
I don't have a good shot of what it looked like with the door, but you can get the sense here.
And I can't believe how much better it looks with the door off! It really visually interrupted the flow of the room. Of course, we have some repair work to do.
The door will eventually go downstairs in our laundry room, saving us from having to buy one for down there -- score!
So, what to do with our former dining room? After the hubs lured me into this new layout with talk of a cute sitting room, he started talking about a ping pong table...um, no, thank you! (He was kidding anyways...I think.) Right now we're thinking about a loveseat, a couple cute little chairs and a coffee table. It'll function better as a sitting area than the space where the table is now, because you can fit more furniture and accommodate more than two people. It'll be the perfect place to transition to after dinner is over for conversation and drinks. I'm picturing a little bar in the corner!
We also started talking about some kind of woodstove or fireplace. We've been pondering a way to put a backup source of heat in our house since we moved in. We have an oil furnace, but when the power goes out in the wintertime, the furnace doesn't run -- meaning our house could get cold enough for the pipes to freeze, which is very, very bad. Plus, a warm fireplace or stove is so nice and cozy in those cold winter months. :)
But, our house doesn't have a chimney, and we just could not come up with a place to accommodate a woodstove. Our house has lots of windows, leaving few walls big enough to fit a stove. But, this wall here could be just perfect for a stove. The other side of the wall is the entryway closet, which is deeper than a normal closet since it used to hold the washer and dryer. What does that mean? Extra space for a chimney.
Please ignore the random stuff in here and that paint swatch on the wall...
We're still working out the logistics, and a stove would be a few years down the road, but how great would it be to sit in there in the winter with a hot cocoa and a nice warm fire going? Yes, please! Plus, it'd be centrally located, meaning it could help heat the kitchen and the living room nicely.
The hubs is Mr. Practical and wants an efficient woodstove, while I'm dreaming of a crackling fireplace. Maybe we'll meet in the middle and get a gas fireplace that's low maintenance but also pretty to look at.
And though we don't have kids yet, we will someday, and we'd already talked about how great the formal dining room would be as a playroom. I can see a sitting room turning into a nice play place pretty easily (goodbye, bar!).
So, really, this decision to move the table out of the dining room is solving a lot of our problems: no more dead space next to the kitchen, better and more frequent use of the dining room space, and the ability to install a backup heat source.
What do we do next? Well, this room shares a wall with the living room, which we're already planning to paint. So, we'll be painting both the living room and this room the same color. I can't tell you how excited I am to get rid of these red walls.
We're planning to paint them a light blue-gray color. To differentiate the new sitting room from the living room, we want to install some wainscoting. I'm really excited to give this room a new look! Getting rid of the red will also be a check on my home goals for the year.
Our goal is to pick a paint color before next weekend so we can tackle the painting over the Patriots Day holiday weekend -- in Maine and Massachusetts, we celebrate Patriots Day (a nice reader last year informed me that Patriots Day is to commemorate Paul Revere's ride, as well as the first battles of the Revolutionary War), so, we have next Monday off. Hopefully the wainscoting will come shortly after.
Then will come the fun part -- picking furniture! I am totally smitten with Target's slipper and armless chair collections, like these (click the images to get to Target's website):
Target also has cute settees and armless loveseats like this one:
It's kind of funny -- the hubs and I agree on the big things, like values, life goals, etc. But when it comes to decorating, we rarely seem to agree, at least on the first go-round. Usually it takes lots of talking and compromising before we make a decision. So, the fact that we both really want one of these cowhide rugs from Ikea means we just have to buy one.
Wow -- if you've made it through this entire, blathering post, I'm seriously impressed. :)
Have you ditched your formal dining room for another use? Or do you also take on new projects before finishing other ones?


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Use the arrows below to view our White Christmas Photo Gallery.
White Christmas
© Paramount Pictures. All rights reserved.. Unauthorized use of this material is strictly prohibited. © 2001-2010 Destination Hollywood. All rights reserved.
Doris (
Barrie Chase
"Well how do you like that? Not so much as a "kiss my foot" or "have an apple"."
What is the name of Betty and Judy's sister act?