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Enterprise Architecture
Enterprise Architecture is the blueprint which focuses on aligning your current technology with your business needs and future growth objectives.
Managed Services
Rest easy. We've got you covered.
Enterprise Architecture is the blueprint which focuses on aligning your current technology with your business needs and future growth objectives.
Cybersecurity, patch and endpoint management, licence compliance, network intrusion monitoring – just a few of the solutions you can outsource to us, saving you time and money,...
Security is multi layered. So your organisation's security posture requires a unique balance between user productivity and protection against cyber threats.
Identity services include helping you with your onboarding processes so you can easily manage your users and their access and privileges in your technology environment.
We get asked all the time. 'What exactly are Managed Services?'
It's a big (and complex) question. But simply put, Fusion5 Managed Services deliver managed services and systems integration for the applications that you rely on to run your business.
Our Managed Services help align your enterprise architecture with your business objectives. We will keep your mission-critical business applications and ICT infrastructure available, optimised and resilient; develop and deliver a targeted security roadmap; provide identity and access management; and achieve streamlined and efficient IT 'anything' Management.
So you save on the time, money, and resources. Day after day.
Our services also resolve important governance issues such as controlling your assets and improving their utilisation, dealing with unknown costs of ownership, helping you find where your company is losing money and identifying how you can improve your ROI.
We will get back to you as soon as possible.


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Tune back in soon, the website is almost ready (we've been very busy ;) )
We are Toolbox digital media (est. 2007). We are a group of professionals specialising in digital mediums.
We do end-to-end architecture, UX planning, User Interface and holistic design (360°) to various clients: from SMB's, start-ups (through all product stages / cycles) and traded companies - we build products that puts you on the map.
Stay tuned for our upcoming new website, drop us a line, call or visit if you wanna talk business.
Cheers. your friendly Toolbox.

subset: commoncrawl


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Please join us at our next MKS Foundation Meeting. Topics will include: The launch of the Donate! Create! Win! Opportunity Drawing, the upcoming #KeppelRocksTheArts Concert and an update of our 2017-2018 Family Fund Drive. We hope to see you there!
Back to All Events
Earlier Event: August 30MKS ANNUAL FAMILY FUND DRIVE
Later Event: September 26#KeppelRocksTheArts Information Meeting


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Laura Day-Moran, Au.D., FAAA, CH-TM
Doctor of Audiology Dr. Day-Moran has practiced Audiology since 1987 and has owned Harbor Audiology since 1998. Laura earned her Master's in Audiology from Western Washington University and her Doctorate from the Arizona School of Health Sciences. Laura is also a proud Fellow of the American Academy of Audiology and a Certificate Holder in Tinnitus Management through the American Board of Audiology. She truly loves the audiology profession and enjoys getting to know her patients and their families; particularly improving their communication and quality of life. Dr. Day-Moran has two grown children. In her spare time, she likes to garden, read, and travel. She participates in mission trips in Mexico, Fiji, and Guatemala.
Molly L. Porter, Au.D., FAAA
Doctor of Audiology Dr. Porter joined Harbor Audiology in 2016. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences from University of Washington, and a Doctoral degree in Audiology from Arizona State University. She is a native of the pacific northwest, and was born and raised in Gig Harbor, WA. Dr. Porter loves working at Harbor Audiology because it allows her to give back to her community. She is dedicated to providing excellent patient care and spreading awareness and education in the field of hearing healthcare. In her time off Dr. Porter enjoys hiking, biking, backpacking, and everything else the pacific northwest has to offer.
Jason Siler, M.S. Audiologist
Audiologist Jason was originally trained in Audiology through the Veteran's Affair's Clinic and has served overseas twice with the Army. After teaching cybersecurity for eight years, he retired as a National Guardsman. He enjoys Audiology because it gives him the best of both worlds, working with technology and helping people. Originally from Seattle, Jason enjoys fishing, hiking, camping, playing tennis, reading, and enjoying the outdoors.
Anne Glashan, Au.D., FAAA
Doctor of Audiology Dr. Glashan has been with Harbor Audiology since June 2018. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communicative Disorders from West Chester University of Pennsylvania, and a Doctoral degree in Audiology from the Osborne College of Audiology at Salus University. She is originally from Pennsylvania but has moved around multiple times with her husband who serves in the United States Air Force. Dr. Glashan is thrilled to be a part of the Harbor Audiology team and will primarily be working in their Tacoma office. She is committed to providing high-quality audiology services to her patients and advocating for healthy hearing. In her free time, Dr. Glashan enjoys antique hunting, woodworking, and spending time with her husband, son, and two German Shorthaired Pointers.
Angie Nieuwhof
Practice Manager/ Audiology Assistant Angie joins us from Sound Advice Audiology and is happy to be taking care of those patients here at Harbor Audiology & Hearing Services. She has over 14 years experience in hearing healthcare in the Tacoma and Gig Harbor areas. In her free time, she enjoys reading, watching movies, and spending time with her friends and family.
Justin Henley
Director of Operations Justin comes to us with nearly 20 years of leadership in healthcare, retail, and restaurant management. Educated at WGU, he earned his bachelor's degree in business management. His social and analytical nature makes him adept at implementing your suggestions and feedback into our practice. Connecting with nature is one of his passions, which he does through activities like river rafting and hiking. He hopes to one day visit all 50 states and is almost halfway there. He loves history, comedies, football, sampling various cuisines and reading fantasy/detective novels like Jim Butcher's Dresden Files. His favorite part of this job is, "helping people connect with friends and family."
Kim Robinson
Patient Care Coordinator Kimberly Robinson joined Harbor Audiology at the end of 2016 and is excited to bring her 16 years experience in billing and customer service to the team. She enjoys helping patients to understand and navigate the ins and outs of insurance, working together to ensure claims are processed correctly and in a timely manner. When she is not at the office she can be found spending time with her family, enjoying the outdoors and capturing the beauty of our area through photography.
Briauna Luchte
Patient Care Coordinator Briauna Luchte recently joined the Harbor Audiology team in October of 2018. Briauna graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Business Administration in May of 2018 from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. She is a Pacific Northwest native and in her free time she enjoys hiking, photography, and spending time with her friends and family.
Gretchen Brown
Office Manager Gretchen joined Harbor Audiology in July from Olympic Hearing Center. She is happy to continue taking care of those patients here at Harbor Audiology. She has 7 years of experience in medical customer service. In her spare time, she loves to read and spend time with her 3 daughters.
Isha'Lynn Ranada
Office Manager Isha'Lynn Ranada strives to bring a better hearing life to each patient by making them feel comfortable the second they enter our office. She strongly believes that first impressions set the mood, and everyone should have a great experience. So being born and raised in Hawai'i, she enjoys spreading her aloha spirit, and making each patient interaction personable. Like most of our staff, Isha'Lynn does everything else like cleaning, checking, and repairing hearing aids…even billing insurances! When she is not working, she is spending time with her husband and their 3 children or extreme couponing!
Natalie Buys
Patient Outreach & Scheduling Coordinator Natalie moved to the Pacific Northwest from Utah 3 years ago for a change of scenery. It was always a dream of hers to live near the ocean. She has been working in the insurance and hearing health sector for the past few years. Recently, she welcomed a sweet baby girl named Alpha who she loves spending time with outside of helping patients with their hearing needs. Natalie is passionate about, and grateful for, the opportunity to help improve lives through assisting individuals to hear the sounds that deserve to be heard everyday.
Brigette Dickson
Patient Care Coordinator Brigette moved here from Alaska, where she was born and raised. She spent four years working in the field of Audiology before moving to Washington, and she is thrilled to be able to bring her experience and passion to the team at Harbor Audiology & Hearing. Her hobbies include World of Warcraft, crocheting and getting outdoors with her dog.
Rachel Whitaker
Office Manager Rachel joined Harbor Audiology at the end of 2018. She brings to the practice over 15 years of management, leadership and customer service experience. Rachel holds a Bachelors Degree in Business Management with a certification in Human Resources. When not at work, Rachel enjoys spending time with her family, outdoor activities, and going to football games to cheer on the Seahawks.


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Camila Gonzalez Corea is a 23 year old Costa Rican artist with a background in cinematography and photography. She has shown her work in institutions such as the Tate Modern Museum in London and Mana Waynwood during Miami Art Basel, as well as being interviewed and published by renowned entities such as the BBC and Metro Newspaper.
In the social media century, we produce and consume content as much as we dispose or forget it. We are in the business of making, not tangible products, but rather alternate personas. Personas which are brands and products within themselves and not unlike everyday objects, are manufactured, commodified, and most importantly consumed.
The most consumed — or in other words the most liked and commented — will win the game. The game of the consumable and disposable selves.
Rather than to criticise, through this piece the artist aims to open a discussion as well as to further reflect on a phenomenon which she is part of herself.
By making the image one which consists solely of emojis, the artist aims to pinpoint these particular pieces in a specific time frame, much like Lichtenstein used the comic book aesthetic to represent the pop culture of his time, Gonzalez Corea is using emojis to represent pop in 2018.
Consume Your Venus, C-Type Print on 5mm black foam board, 50 x 26.5cm, 188 x 106cm
+44 (0) 744 7022 842


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Highly recommed
From Anonymous of Montgomery, Texas on 5/26/2019.
Very yummy simple desert.
From Anonymous of Owasso , Oklahoma on 4/13/2019.
Great to use to dip in ice cream. I also make homemade "twix" bars with them. Also great for pie crust. 😁
Highly Recommended
From Nadine Korhonen of Cheyenne, Wyoming on 12/6/2018.
As always, the best shortbread cookies ever. My whole family loves them!
Pure Bliss
From Cathy Bean of Chapel Hill, North Carolina on 10/8/2018.
The best shortbread I have ever tasted. Just a buttery delight.
Absolutely love these cookies
From Anonymous of Vallejo, California on 8/24/2018.
The best cookie ever so buttery and yes they truly do melt in your mouth definitely my favorite
Ingredients: wheat flour (wheat flour, calcium carbonate, iron, niacin, thiamin), butter (milk) (32%), sugar, salt.
For allergens, including cereals containing gluten, see ingredients in bold. May also contain nuts. Suitable for vegetarians and certified Kosher OUD. Store in a cool dry place.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 piece (19g), Servings per Container: 8. Amount per Serving: Calories 100, Calories
from Fat 50. Total Fat 6g (9% DV), Sat. Fat 3g (17%), Trans Fat 0g, Cholest. 15mg
(6% DV), Sodium 65mg (3% DV), Total Carb. 11g (4% DV), Fiber 0g (0% DV), Sugars
3g, Protein 1g, Vit A 4%, Iron 0%, Vit C 0%, Calcium 0%. Percent Daily Values
(DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Shopping Cart
is currently empty
Walkers Shortbread Ltd, Aberlour House, Aberlour on Spey, Scotland, AB38 9LD
Company No. SC0 63233


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Yesterday, I let you know that Michelle Dyer's Mara Dyer trilogy made the New York Times bestselling series list. Today, I found out that The Retribution of Mara Dyer is now also a USA Today best seller. Huzzah!
A NEW YORK TIMES Best Seller! →
With the release of The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin, the Mara Dyer trilogy debuts on the New York Times best-selling series list!


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If you follow me on instagram you know how long this first segment has been in the works. Originally I assumed I would get a few neat stories and maybe a picture or two in response to my post (see here) - but I was blown away by the multitude of thoughtful, heartfelt stories - and I'm still receiving them! I couldn't simply do one small post and capture the depth, breadth and journey of paintbrush experiences.
So I'm introducing the first of a monthly series: My Brush Stories. Each month I'll pull a few stories from the collection I've been assembling and share them on my blog here, my instagram and other media (still in the works, more information soon!).
So without further ado, here is the first of what I hope will be an exploration into other artist's practices, their work and how it's made - starting with our favorite tools.
(To submit yours, head over to the My Brush Story page!)
Katrin Bauck | @katrinbauck
At first glance, there's nothing special about my favorite brush - it's a usual bristle brush, natural wooden handle (light brown), which I think I have bought for my son's school equipment years ago.
When I started painting in 2016 I tried out every brush I could find in our house so also this one went into my toolbox. :-) Immediately I fell in love with the shape and softness of the handle, the broadness of the bristles and their wildness.
In summer 2017 I took a small selection of brushes with me to our family vacation trip to the Baltic Sea, including that brush. After days of lovely laziness, long walks at the beach, collecting shells and stones and taking countless pictures, one afternoon back "home" at the lovely Danish cottage I took out my brushes and was stunned by their beauty, especially by this one's paint splattered handle.
Inspired, I googled for a lovely quote on brushes and found this one, which is still one of my favorites, by Henry Ward Beecher:
"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures."
I wrote it into my sketchbook and took two pictures, one with the quote and the brush and one just a close-up of the handle (see both attached). And somehow then, in the soft afternoon light in the Danish cottage, I connected that lovely slow summer feeling and that quote with this brush and whenever I hold it now, it inspires me to slow down, to watch for the beauty and when I paint, to dip my brushes in my soul. :-)
Julia Cusworth | @juliacusworth
I have had this thick, flat brush for about 5 years. Once I decided to start pursuing art in my spare time, I delved back into my old supplies from college and university but found myself lacking in the brush department. I ordered a pack of iconic yellow Daler Rowleys and although I love them all, this is my favourite. It creates the most beautiful thick, fat strokes; stripes, swirls and ink splatters. It is bold and obvious - much like my art. It is the brush I reach for first and the one I know I could never replace. It helps guide my work when I don't know where to go next and it understands me. Not breaking or giving up when I don't always wash out the ink or glue but instead developing it's own unique texture, making it even more personal to me.
Sabrina Cottrill | @sabrina.cottrill.art
My brushes are definitely not fancy or expensive and yet I realized a large chunk of my brushes have been with me a really long time. To some of the first ones I purchased back in high school for my first painting class. (Hello early 2000s) To then my college art days picking some up here and there when I could afford. Eyeing up the clearance ones working part time at an art store. They've moved from home to home and I got used to being a new mom and have finally found their way up from the basement and into my studio.
There is just something so magical about seeing into other artist's creative worlds.
Thanks to everyone for sharing the stories thus far, I am so looking forward to sharing more next month in Volume 2.
Have a favorite brush you want to share? Tell me about it in the comments, use the hashtag over on instagram or head over to the page and submit there . Can't wait to read them!


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The voltage fluctuations caused by lightning can damage sensitive equipment and cause data loss on computers, servers and storage devices. To combat this, the DEHNcord surge arrester from lightning and surge protection company DEHN Africa offers protection from surges caused by lightning interference, and is flexible and space-saving. Type 2 surge arrestors are designed to discharge the currents generated by indirect lightning strikes, and which cause induced or conducted over-voltages on the power distribution network. The DEHNcord Type 2 surge arrester, available in single-pole, 2-pole and 3-pole versions, can be fitted in installation systems such as the terminal compartments of end loads, cable ducts or flush-mounted systems. The compact design allows it to be installed wherever the performance of a standard type 3 surge protective device for terminal equipment reaches its limits.
Contact Hannes Ackermann, DEHN Africa, Tel 011 704-1487, firstname.lastname@example.com


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2017-07-10 07:19 #0 by:
What is your favorite name on people who really likes tea? (like yourself perheps?)
Feel free to add more names just check so there is no name like it already
To participate in the discussion, you must first become a member. It is quick, simple and free. The membership gives you access to all our communities.


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Updated: Marianne Oelund-Senior Principal H/W Engineer at BAE Systems States Our QRS11 Info is Reprehensible & Irresponsible
UPDATED: April 4, 2018
· April 3, 2018
What should be clear to you, after 12 years in this business, is that statements such as "We allege that the QRS-11 can be used as part of a package of technology to guide aircraft equipped with uninterruptable autopilots turning them into weapons" invite and encourage the uninformed to draw entirely invalid conclusions. The statement suggests that there are aircraft with such systems, and this suggestion has now acquired the status of incontrovertible truth among many commentators on the internet. The supposed "Boeing Honeywell Uninterruptible Autopilot" has achieved legendary status on the 'net, in spite of the fact that it doesn't exist in service. Honeywell doesn't even make the autopilot or any flight control electronics for the 777; those are provided by Rockwell Collins and BAE Systems. Honeywell provide the AIMS (display and maintenance data collection) and inertial reference unit.
I've encountered a number of articles claiming that the Boeing 777 can be remotely controlled; nothing could be further from the truth. Boeing commercial airplanes, in general, have flight control systems designed with the philosophy that the pilots must always have ultimate control, regardless of what the airplane systems may do. Their autopilots act via the physical wheel, column and rudder controls in the cockpit, and these can be used by the pilot at any time to forcefully override commands from the autopilot, even without disengaging it.
Systems permitting remote control of passenger airplanes could be designed, however implementing such systems would require a major engineering effort and test program to achieve and prove the rigorous safety standards mandated by the FAA and CAA. It is not a simple matter of adding a little software to link the required signal paths – which by the way, would need to be bi-directional such that a remote pilot has visibility of aircraft instruments and perhaps even a cockpit view.
I should make it clear that I do not speak on behalf of, or by request of, my company, but am commenting here out of personal concern that articles such as yours regarding the QRS11 and QRS14 are inviting the public to imagine entirely incorrect ideas about their purpose and capabilities. There are even articles claiming that these devices are points of radio reception and control, permitting a wide range of vehicles to be remotely controlled, overriding the pilot or driver (note that my initial comment did not state that this was a claim of your author's). This nonsense needs to stop.
If you'd like your agent to share these comments with the BAE Systems plc Chief Executive (note his title is not CEO), I would welcome that as he has a PhD in engineering and can set you straight. But I should let you know that he may not be the individual you are thinking of, as he's held his post only since 2016.
Finally, if you presume that my "political bias" is relevant, please note that I stopped contributing to the festering cesspool of vice and corruption that is the DNC, years ago.
On April 2nd we received the following comment below to our January 31, 2010 post titled, 'QRS-11—Quartz Rate Sensor'. That article can be found here.
Marianne Oelund • April 2, 2018
Please provide a list of aircraft that are equipped with "uninterruptible autopilots."
Your careless and misleading commentary here has spawned an entire generation of conspiracy theorists, convinced that virtually every contemporary vehicle is equipped with these sensors, enabling them to be externally controlled in such a way as to override the pilot or driver commands.
I consider the manner in which this article was written, to be reprehensible and irresponsible.
Marianne Oelund
Sr. Principal H/W Engineer BAE Systems, Inc.
ES CAS Civil Aircraft Controls
OUR REPLY back to Marianne Oelund (April 2, 2018):
Dear Marianne Oelund,
Abel Danger is a private global intel organization comprised of concerned volunteers, from a variety of disciplines, specializing, inter alia, in crime scene investigation. Ed Long, the author of the article you find objectionable, unfortunately is no longer with us and so he cannot respond personally. We will try to respond as best we can and then, we have some questions for you, if you don't mind.
It would be useful to address your three main points in reverse order. First, as to the manner in which the article was written, what exactly do you find "reprehensible and irresponsible"? Do you dispute Mr. Long's claim about the uses or potential uses of the QRS-11? Do you dispute the involvement the Rose Law Firm and/or Hillary Clinton? Do you dispute the corporate history of BEI?
The balance of Mr. Long's article is merely verbatim information from the CST Systron website, as of 8+ years ago, and so if you object to any of that information, I'm afraid you'll have to take up your concerns with that company.
Second, Mr. Long never states nor even implies that, in your words, "virtually every contemporary vehicle is equipped with these sensors." How do you infer that from his actual words and, furthermore, how do you get from the relatively paltry 1780 views his post has received over the last 8+ years to the sweeping conclusion that he has "spawned an entire generation of conspiracy theorists?"
Third, as to your request that we provide a list of aircraft that are equipped with "uninterruptible autopilots," we rather think it would be incumbent upon you, given your position and professional expertise, not to mention your obvious bias, to provide a list of aircraft that are not so equipped.
After all, are you not the holder of FAA Registration #A2200767? And are you not addressing this issue in behalf of your employer? We infer this from the fact that your only two other previous posts on Discus were presumably personal posts having to do with your personal interest in photography. We assume BAE Systems is not a part of your side business of selling your "action photography."
Furthermore, yours is the only comment Mr. Long's post has ever received in the 8+ years it has been public. Is your employer directing you to troll our site all these years later, or is this an activity you've undertaken on your own initiative? In either case, why have you waited so long? We've been at this for 12 years.
We note from public records that you donated to both of Obama's presidential campaigns, and we therefore wonder if your political bias has in any way inspired the rather vituperative tone of your comment?
Finally, one of our agents has a personal relationship with your UK CEO. Would you mind terribly if he were to share your comment, together with this reply, with him?
Abel Danger
Attention: Tim Clark of Emirates – Five Critical Questions – QRS11 – Honeywell Embedded BHUAP
Boeing Honeywell Uninterruptible Autopilot
Documentation below (downloadable)


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Just had a meeting with Marc Hottinger about his dataSpaces project. Marc mapped the interactions stored in his mobile phone (communication with antennas, sms, phone calls) on a representation of Lausanne. What is interesting is the notion of "calendar" as represented on the following picture:
Not only the system gives the whole path and the list of events but it also replays day-by-day what happened (well it's difficult to show this dynamic with a picture):
Why do I blog this? because of my interest in replay tool and of course "geoware" (now that I learnt that word), I find there is an interesting metaphor here, in terms of showing the asynchronous location awareness of people in a different way than Plazes or Jaiku. In my experiments, I have always been amazed by how people can tell interesting things based on this sort of information. Their path of the path of their partners often foster intriguing discussion and it's quite pertinent to use these "informed opinions" when studying people's experience of places or certain artifacts,


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Small Space Living (with Your Significant Other): Our Seoul Officetel
Living with your significant other can take some getting used to. You'll often hear advice along the lines of "open and honest communication" and "setting clear boundaries and expectations"—generally good advice in any living situation.
Moving in with Andrew (now three years ago) was easy, even without setting explicit boundaries and expectations. He did the dishes, took out the trash, and cleaned the downstairs bathroom and kitchen. I vacuumed, did the laundry, and cleaned the living room, upstairs bathroom, and bedroom. It just happened that way. It felt natural. And it didn't matter if he left dishes in the sink overnight or if I skipped laundry day one week. And we weren't bound to 'our chores,' and never minded picking up for each other. In fact, our cat, Luna, was the only one who didn't adjust well. She was terrified of the vacuum, first of all, and she developed a terrifying habit of precariously jumping onto the ledge of the lofted space in our apartment that looked down at a fifteen-foot drop.
Downsizing from our gorgeous Providence loft to our one-room Seoul officetel, though, where the entire space, kitchen, bathroom, and all, is just a touch bigger than our downstairs bathroom was, took some getting used to. When your home is 'one room,' anything outside of storage becomes clutter. And if you turn too quickly, you find yourself stubbing your toes on corners or smacking into walls. (And if you're me, every stub and smack is somehow Andrew's fault for taking up so much more space.)
But you do adjust, and over time, you realize how little space one actually 'needs.'
So after one year of living in our small Seoul officetel, this is my advice: open and honest communication and setting clear boundaries and expectations. :) Really all this means is is airing out day-to-day annoyances, having designated spaces for things, and tidying often.
For those of you wondering—how can you spend all that time together in that space?—I don't have much advice to that point. We do spend quite a bit of time apart due to our work schedules and commutes, but even though we're both loner-types, we'd always rather be together in our free time than be alone. I can't spend enough time with Andrew! I will say we are respectful about giving each other time and space to unwind or decompress, and are quite good at being in the same room but doing our own things for even hours at a time. Andrew will go to the gym and I'll catch up with the girls. We each have a pair of noise-cancelling headphones. But even without these, we genuinely enjoy each other's company, and that's what makes it work.
We also moved house this week and the new space is just bigger enough that the bathroom feels like its own apartment. What a luxury!


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October and November Pictures with Detailed Captions
Hover your mouse over each to see the captions. Or you can click on the picture to see the full view and caption.
The school is coming along. We plan to start a formal discipleship class with computer training in January. But the arrangement for the facility is taking longer than we expected. In the meantime, the family has been visiting churches and sharing about our involvement with the community. We are also scheduling seminars with various topics and audiences. Right now, we are making plans to host a YWAM team from Port Harcourt.


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The Gift of Time
The Case for Abolishing Nuclear Weapons Now
By JONATHAN SCHELL
Metropolitan Books
Read the Review
In early December of 1997, a disconcerting piece of news seeped out of the White House. The nation's plans for fighting a nuclear war had been revised by a Presidential Decision Directive (a so-called PDD) for the first time since 1981. No public announcement had been made, but reporters got wind of the change, and the Clinton administration confirmed the news. It was, of course, disturbing in this peaceful time merely to be reminded that the United States still had plans for nuclear war. Just days earlier, on Thanksgiving, President Clinton had proclaimed, "In this new world, our children are growing up free from the shadows of the Cold War and the threat of nuclear holocaust." The PDD appended a decidedly jarring footnote to the president's assurance. If, now that the Cold War was over, we were free of the threat of a nuclear holocaust, then what need was there for nuclear arsenals, or for revised plans for using them?
The jolt was not eased by the few cryptic fragments of explanation that were offered by the administration. In an interview with R. Jeffrey Smith of the Washington Post, Robert Bell, who serves on the National Security Council, sought to draw a clear distinction between the new directive and its Reagan-era predecessor. The new one, he proudly stated, "removes from presidential guidance all previous references to being able to wage a nuclear war successfully or to prevail in a nuclear war." That innovation, however, could scarcely qualify as a bold departure from Cold War policy. After all, in 1985 President Reagan and Soviet Communist Party general secretary Mikhail Gorbachev had jointly declared that "nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought." Was the public now to understand that it had taken twelve years--during five of which Bill Clinton was president--for this high-level affirmation of rudimentary sanity in the nuclear age to travel down the spinal cord of the military machine from the commander in chief to his subordinates at the Pentagon? And was it to understand that this delayed implementation, six years after the end of the Cold War, of a policy announced six years before the end of the Cold War was the most significant change wrought in U.S. nuclear policy by that revolution in international affairs?
Far more striking than any differences from early Reaganite excesses was the continuity of the new directive with orthodox Cold War nuclear policy. Just as the doctrine of nuclear deterrence had guided U.S. policy toward the Soviet Union, so now it guided our policy toward Russia. Just as the Soviet government and military had been targeted for destruction, so now the civilian and military leadership of Russia was being targeted. In the event of attack, Bell stated, nuclear retaliation "would be certain and overwhelming and devastating." In light of all this, his general conclusion was not surprising: nuclear weapons were to remain the cornerstone of U.S. security for "the indefinite future." There were, it is true, a few modest changes. The directive was to be implemented with a maximum of about eight thousand strategic warheads--the number mandated by the first Strategic Arms Reduction Talks (START I), which was signed in 1991 and went into effect in 1994. The list of targets in China had been expanded (prompting a remonstration from China's foreign minister). And a few new countries--those judged to have "prospective access" to nuclear weapons--were added to the list. (No countries were named, but it seems likely that Iraq, Iran, and North Korea are among them.)
Russia, of course, also retains large nuclear arsenals and has plans for using them. In other words, on both sides of the now-missing Iron Curtain, the policy of nuclear deterrence remains in force, dictating that each side maintain forces that, in the event of an attack by the other side, can destroy the attacker's society. The question today is, Who wants these reciprocal threats of annihilation, and why? Communism was the issue between the Soviet Union and the United States. The government now in power in Russia overthrew Communism, and today relations between Russia and the United States are cordial. The great nuclear arsenals of the United States and the Soviet Union were created as instruments of the Cold War. Now that that conflict has been dissolved, can't the arsenals, too, be dissolved? Now that the war is over, can't we stand down the arms that were built to fight it? Over a period of years, the peoples of the Soviet empire dismantled the system of totalitarian terror under which they lived. Can't we and they together now dismantle the system of nuclear terror under which we have all been living? Can't we, at long last, abolish nuclear weapons?
This book proposes an affirmative answer to that question. It is a call for the abolition of nuclear arms, not only in the United States and Russia but throughout the world. Or, to be exact, it is a number of such calls, issued in the voices of people who, in many cases, were engaged not so long ago in framing nuclear policy and planning nuclear war. Because the nuclear age and the Cold War were born at almost the same time and developed together at every point, few observers troubled at the time to distinguish clearly between the two. But now that history has unexpectedly untangled them for us, we face the one without the other, and questions in eclipse for half a century have been placed before us again. What we might call the first nuclear era, which lasted from 1945 until 1991, has come to an end, and a second nuclear era has begun. Some thirty-five thousand nuclear weapons remain in the world. Whether these are merely a monstrous leftover from a frightful era that has ended, and will soon follow it into history, or whether they are the seeds of a virulent new nuclear era, in which nuclear weapons are held more widely and rooted more deeply, is not a matter for prediction; it is a matter for choice.
By choosing to call for the elimination of nuclear weapons, the new abolitionists have revived a vision that had all but disappeared since the beginning of the nuclear age, when the United States placed the Baruch Plan, which called for abolition, before the United Nations. The proposal was vetoed by the Soviet Union, and the United States, the sole possessor of nuclear arms at the time, proceeded with a nuclear buildup that it justified as a desperate, temporary measure to counter the threat that Soviet conventional forces were thought to pose to a ruined Europe. In Western minds, the two evils were soon equated: nuclear weapons, it was admitted, were a horrifying expedient, but so, many said, was the threat they kept at bay--world domination by a totalitarian power.
In the years that followed, the reasons for ruling out abolition multiplied. Once the Soviet Union acquired the bomb, in 1949, proposals for nuclear disarmament were rejected on grounds that the character of the Soviet regime posed an insuperable obstacle. Nuclear disarmament, the Cold War catechism ran, was possible only if the arrangements could be fully inspected; but the Soviet Union, being a closed society, would not permit inspection of its military establishment; therefore, nuclear disarmament was impossible. In other words, the totalitarian character of the Soviet regime became both the justification for building nuclear arsenals and the specific explanation for the impossibility of eliminating them. Even the most ardent opponents of nuclear weapons had to admit that the obstacles in the way of complete nuclear disarmament were towering. Few in the West were ready to rely on trust alone to guarantee disarmament agreements, and even fewer supported unilateral disarmament. The range of proposals considered feasible was sharply restricted. The opponents of nuclear weapons were most successful, they found, when they confined themselves to ameliorative proposals, such as an atmospheric test ban or a freeze on nuclear arsenals. Hopes of ridding the world of nuclear weapons died, and the superpowers embarked on their four-decade-long nuclear arms race.
In the 1950s, the rise in the West of the doctrine of deterrence, which taught that safety from nuclear terror could be found only in threats to unleash that same terror, placed a reassuring gloss on the nuclear peril. Official acceptance of this doctrine, in which nuclear arsenals became their own justification, gave the nuclear buildup a legitimacy and a momentum that at first it had lacked. The horrifying expedient came to be seen as a lasting necessity, even a positive good. The belief that great benefit could be extracted from nuclear arms perfectly complemented the belief that their abolition was impossible. If you could not eliminate nuclear weapons, it was comforting to discover that you would not want to anyway. Abolition was doubly ruled out. Nuclear terror, at first regarded as intolerable, was declared the new foundation of the world's safety.
The conviction that abolition was impossible became pivotal in moral as well as political thinking about the nuclear question. Nuclear weapons are distinguished above all by their unparalleled destructive power. Their singularity, from a moral point of view, lies in the fact that the use of just a few would carry the user beyond every historical benchmark of indiscriminate mass slaughter. Is it necessary, fifty-three years after Hiroshima, to rehearse the basic facts? Suffice it to recall the old rule of thumb that one bomb can destroy one city. A large nuclear weapon today may possess a thousand times the explosive power of the bomb that destroyed Hiroshima--far more than enough to annihilate any city on earth. A single Trident II submarine has the capacity to deliver nearly two hundred warheads, which could lay waste any nation, giving another rule of thumb: one boat, one nation. The use of a mere dozen nuclear weapons against, say, the dozen largest cities of the United States, Russia, or China, causing tens of millions of deaths, would be a human catastrophe without parallel. The use of a few hundred nuclear weapons, not to speak of a thousand, would raise these already incomprehensible losses by an order of magnitude, leaving the imagination in the dust. Because so few weapons can kill so many people, even far-reaching disarmament proposals would leave us implicated in plans for unprecedented slaughter of innocent people. The sole measure that could have freed us from this burden was abolition. But abolition, as long as the Cold War lasted, was ruled out.
The moral crisis created by the invention of nuclear weapons, then, lay in the fact that politically realistic people felt themselves virtually barred from championing the only measure that would have returned governments and their peoples to the realm of minimal moral sense.
The resulting gap between political and moral requirements left us for almost fifty years with a fracture down the center of our beings. In the words of James Agee, in August 1945, just a few weeks after Hiroshima, "All thoughts and things were split." Rudimentary moral principle taught that we must never, even in "retaliation," threaten to kill millions of innocent people, but nuclear strategy required us to do so. Common sense rebelled against offering up every person in our country as a hostage to a hostile power and seizing every person on the territory of that power as a counterhostage, meanwhile placing the whole arrangement on a hair trigger; yet policy called this logically necessary. The experience of our century taught us that genocide was the worst of all crimes, but a nuclear "priesthood" taught us that to threaten it, and even to carry it out, not only was justifiable but was our inescapable duty. Every scruple in the human conscience declared that we must never risk extinguishing our species--the supreme crime against humanity, and the only crime greater than genocide--but solemn doctrine declared that it was essential to threaten this act. All thoughts that led toward other conclusions had to go unthought--and unacted upon. These were the truly "unthinkable" thoughts of the Cold War period. The morbidity of the era consisted of more than the threat of universal death with which it was overhung; it consisted also of the prohibition, so humiliating to the human spirit, against taking action to remove the threat. Thus did the reasoning of the age seemingly compel not only totalitarian regimes but great democracies to enter, against all their better instincts and understanding, into a hated complicity in potentially limitless killing.
Today, the terms of the nuclear predicament have been altered fundamentally. The barrier of impossibility has fallen. The Soviet Union has unexpectedly--almost magically--cleared itself out of the way. Gone is the murderous, implacable hostility between global rivals, which just a few years ago seemed destined to last forever; gone the totalitarian empire; and gone the obstacles to inspection that have been considered the main brake on nuclear disarmament. The elimination of nuclear weapons has always been much to be desired. What distinguishes our moment is that, for the first time since the invention of the weapons, it is entirely reasonable to believe that the goal actually can be reached. The opportunity for action that has now opened up is, above all else, an opportunity to heal our fractured selves. It is an opportunity to end the forced cohabitation with horror, the shotgun marriage with final absurdity--to snap out of the trance of the Cold War, annul the suicide pact dictated by the doctrine of deterrence, and take the step that alone can free us from nuclear danger and corruption--namely, the abolition of nuclear weapons. Abolition is the great threshold. It is the logical and necessary destination because only abolition gets us out of the zone of mass slaughter, both as perpetrators and as victims.
Since the beginning of the nuclear age, it has been a commonplace to say that humanity's technical achievements have outstripped its political achievements. Now the situation is reversed. The world's political achievements have raced ahead of its technical achievements. In the political realm, peace reigns, but in the technical realm, hostility--indeed, the threat of "mutual assured destruction"--remains the order of the day. Today, we require a technical event as great as the political event that was the end of the Cold War. To use a homely metaphor, the West in the wake of the Soviet collapse is like a person who has won fifty million dollars in the lottery and then declares, "Wonderful--now I can redecorate my living room." Why not buy a whole new house? History has handed us a political windfall. Why do we refuse to spend it? Political assets, unlike financial ones, are not apt to increase over time. If not made use of, they can, in an instant of crisis or war, evaporate.
The questions that need to be addressed are moral, political, and strategic. The moral question for the United States is whether, during the Cold War, we so accustomed ourselves to threatening nuclear annihilation that it became second nature to us. It is often said to be the prime duty of a government to protect its citizens. Why shouldn't America's leaders, by agreeing together with Russia's leaders to abolish both countries' nuclear arsenals, rescue our people and theirs from the threat of annihilation? Was the Cold War not, as we first hoped, the apogee of the era of nuclear weapons, to be succeeded by an era of disarmament and peace, but instead a period of initiation, in which not only Americans and Russians but Chinese, Indians, Pakistanis, Israelis, Koreans, Iraqis, Iranians, and others were unlearning their horror of nuclear destruction--were learning to think the unthinkable? Was the Cold War a sort of Trojan horse whereby nuclear weapons were being smuggled into the moral and political life of the world? Have we, in a silent but deep moral revolution in which the United States has played the leading role, come to regard threats of mass destruction as normal--as the proper and ordinary procedure of any self-respecting nation, whether or not it faces ail extraordinary danger from without? Can we still remember that to destroy hundreds of millions of human beings is an atrocity beyond all history? Or have we, so to speak, forgotten this before we bad ever quite learned it? And have we, accordingly, adopted the strange vocation--so deeply at odds with the principles on which our nation was founded--of salesman of terror to the world?
The chief political question is whether nuclear proliferation can be stopped and reversed if the current nuclear powers declare by their actions as well as their words that nuclear bombs are indispensable instruments of national power. Or should proliferation perhaps be reluctantly accepted, or even enthusiastically embraced?
The development that sets the stage for proliferation is, of course, the spread of nuclear technology. Although politically speaking it may in a sense be 1945 again, technically speaking it is much later than that. While the world was understandably transfixed by the mortal rivalry between the two superpowers, the knowledge underlying the bomb and the technical wherewithal for building it were becoming increasingly available. During the Cold War, the "secret" of the bomb was held by a few governments. Now it is published in magazines. Back then, the nuclear club was exclusive. Now just about anyone can join. Then, the necessary scientific knowledge was centralized in a few places. Now it is ubiquitous, protean, osmotic--fully up- and downloadable, just like any other information in the information age.
The principal strategic question is whether the doctrine of deterrence, having been framed during the Cold War, will now be discredited as logically absurd and morally bankrupt or, on the contrary, recommended to nations all over the world as the soundest and most sensible solution to the nuclear dilemma. The question then will not be whether a particular quarreling pair of nations (the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War) is better off with nuclear arsenals but whether any and all such pairs (India and Pakistan, Greece and Turkey, Iraq and Israel, or Iran and Iraq will do as examples) are better off. If, as many analysts say, deterrence was a successful answer to the dangers of the Cold War, then why should it not be adopted by all nations prone to conflict? Why resist proliferation? Wouldn't it be better to step it up--to proceed knowingly and deliberately to an increasingly nuclearized world? This is the direction in which events now appear to be drifting, and a few theorists are honest and unflinching enough to champion the goal. For example, John Mearsheimer, of the University of Chicago, has called nuclear weapons a "powerful force for peace" and advocates "well-managed proliferation." He hopes that Germany will acquire nuclear weapons and advises the world to "let proliferation occur in Eastern Europe." In statements like his, we can see the elements of a possible new conventional wisdom, in which nuclear weapons become entrenched in the plans and policies not just of a few great powers but of the world at large.
It's plain that the moral, political, and strategic aspects of the question are in practice tightly linked. The fundamental choice in all three areas is between, on the one band, condemnation of nuclear weapons and their abolition and, on the other, their full normalization and universalization. Normalization and universalization go naturally together. Normalization will be complete when no extraordinary external threat--and perhaps no threat at all--is thought necessary to justify building nuclear arsenals. Universalization is its natural consequence, because if possession of nuclear weapons requires no special justification, then almost any nation would be justified in having them. The implications for U.S. policy of the resulting "new deterrent framework" (in the phrase of Robert Joseph, director of the Center for Counter-Proliferation Research) would be deterrence a tous azimuts, in the official French phrase, which is to say a policy of nuclear deterrence aimed at forestalling threats that might arise at any point on the globe. (And, in fact, the new Presidential Decision Directive takes a few steps in that direction.) The question today is: Will the world be better off with or without nuclear weapons? This is the debate that has now begun.
It's plain, too, that in addressing the new issues our assessment of the nuclear policies of the Cold War will be of the first importance. Was the nuclear buildup a story of wise management of a terrible dilemma that had no other solution? And was it, further, a fortuitous training session, in which the world was introduced to the previously unsuspected virtues of nuclear arms? Or was it a tale of the reckless endangerment of mankind? If the first is true, then nuclear weapons are a marvelous gift of proven worth to the world. If the latter is true, then abolishing nuclear weapons is the unfinished business of the end of the Cold War. In the first case, we cannot do without them. In the second, we must get rid of them.
In the face of these questions, the citizens who oppose nuclear arms are as sorely in need of fresh thinking as the governments that possess them. The starting point of this thinking must be recognition that even as the main obstacles to abolition have been removed the main goad to getting there--the immediate danger of a full-scale nuclear holocaust--has been greatly reduced. The fact is that the public at large, enjoying a reprieve from immediate, universal terror bestowed by the end of the Cold War, is not paying much attention to the nuclear question. It's also true that the public is actively worried--and with good reason--that a terrorist group or government will use one or more nuclear weapons somewhere in the world. But the feeling of relief dominates.
During the Cold War, abolition, though perhaps highly desired, was found impossible. Now it appears possible but is not so urgently desired. Then, opposition to nuclear arms was driven by immediate, overwhelming fear--fear that ran headlong into the wall of political impossibility. Today, in sharp contrast, fear has been radically reduced. The combination of only moderate fear of nuclear danger and high opportunity to solve the nuclear dilemma is new. Our primary inspiration for attending to the nuclear question, accordingly, should not be fear but fear's opposites, hope and faith--hope that, in the transformed and brightened political scene, the goal of abolition is achievable, and faith that we possess the nerve, stamina, and wisdom to reach it. At the very least, all who, at one terror-stricken moment or another of the Cold War, picked up a sign or shouted a slogan or organized to protest nuclear danger should now stir themselves again to seize the present opportunity actually to rid the world of the weapons. Protest is not something undertaken for its own sake; it is supposed to inspire constructive action. And the time for action has come.
It may be that the initiative for such a radical challenge to the status quo must be taken by the public, as has happened so often in the past, and especially ill the United States. But there are no rules in such matters, and the initiative could also come from the political class. Rarely in history has a riper opportunity for political leadership presented itself. An achievement that, soberly speaking, is of measureless value is within reach, if only the will to act call be found. This leadership might come from some unexpected quarter, but the obvious candidate is a president of the United States. It could be--it should be--Bill Clinton. If it is not Clinton, it could and should be Vice President Al Gore, whose concern for the earth's environment ought to inspire from him efforts to preserve it from the greatest by far of the perils that threaten it. No cause is greener than the abolition of nuclear weapons. But the abolition movement need be no respecter of the political or party divisions of the Cold War. In the contest that is about to begin, we call be sure, lines will be drawn, ambitions and interests will clash, and political battles will be fought. But it is by no means clear yet that these will occur along the familiar fault lines of left and right, liberal and conservative. A Republican may step forward. The most fervently abolitionist president of the Cold War period, let us recall, was Ronald Reagan, who regarded his scheme for antinuclear defenses as a path to abolition. On many occasions, he described the system of mutual assured destruction as "immoral" and asked, "Wouldn't it be better to save lives than avenge them?" His meeting in 1986 at Reykjavik with another abolitionist, Mikhail Gorbachev, was the only occasion on which the heads of the two superpowers seriously discussed abolition. There may well be a successor in his party who will take up the forsaken cause.
If the United States defaults on its responsibilities, other countries may assume leadership. (If the movement is not American, it can easily turn out to be anti-American.) No country is unqualified to lead a movement for the abolition of nuclear arms, since all are threatened by them. In Australia and New Zealand, to give just two examples, the antinuclear movement has been especially vigorous and effective recently.
In the meantime, a new generation, innocent of the divisions of the Cold War, is coming of age. Its thoughts and feelings, which have yet to make their weight felt on any great issue of public concern, are largely unknown. If its members do not feel the urgency to escape the nuclear danger that some of their parents felt, neither have they developed the deep attachment to nuclear arms also often found among their parents, including most of the governing class. The minds of the young, it appears, are open. A call for abolition should therefore be, among other things, a call from an older generation to a younger one. Among the many links between people that this effort would forge is a new link between generations. And since the project, if successful, would save the lives of future generations, that link would be the first in an everlasting chain.
The task is of course immense. But history has given us the gift of time--a limited time, perhaps, but enough to proceed, without haste, to scout the obstacles in our path, to weigh carefully and thoroughly the course to be followed, and then to create the structures that will carry us to the goal and keep us there. If we use the gift properly and rid the species for good of nuclear danger, we will secure the greatest of time's gifts, assurance of a human future. Of course, some will say the goal is a utopian dream of human perfection. We needn't worry. There will be more than enough sins left for everyone to commit after we have taken nuclear bombs away from ourselves. Others will say the obstacles are too great. We can answer, as George Washington once did, "Let us raise a standard to which the wise and the honest can repair. The event is in the hand of God."
If it seems paradoxical to call for the greatest exertions at a time of relaxed fear, we should remind ourselves that the opportunity is greater for the same reason that the danger is smaller: the end of the Cold War. That people can be inspired to act as much by the appeal of reaching a great goal in a time of peace as by immediate and overwhelming terror in a time of conflict is admittedly an unproven proposition. Terror, unquestionably, is a powerful spur to action. If we wait for terror to revive, however, what price will we pay? Will it be New York City? Teheran? Berlin? Beijing? And are we sure that after such a catastrophe we would act wisely? Our reasons for acting are bound to shape the character of our action. Measures taken abruptly, after the sudden end of fifty years of nuclear peace, possibly in an atmosphere of global suspicion, bewilderment, panic, and calls for revenge, seem unlikely to be as sensible as measures adopted now, in an atmosphere of cooperation, after thorough and careful discussion.
The nuclear crises of the Cold War called for the swift, sharp shock of protest. On June 12, 1982, a million people, dismayed by a renewed acceleration of the arms race, gathered in New York City to call for a freeze on nuclear arms. In the years that followed, their wishes were more than granted: nuclear arsenals were not merely frozen, they were reduced. The million never gathered again. In our new circumstances, what is needed is not just a moment of protest but the steady engagement of citizens and their representatives over many years of constructive effort. Can a movement based on hope, confidence in the concerted powers of human beings, and faith in the human future be as great as one based on terror? It must, in fact, be greater. In the words of Jody Williams, on the day her campaign to ban land mines became a treaty signed by 121 nations, "Together we are a superpower. It's a new definition of superpower. It's not one of us; it's all of us." The abolition of nuclear arms--to cite a chapter from American history--would be to the end of the Cold War what the Constitutional Convention was to the War of Independence. The end of the Cold War was a liberation. Abolition is the act of foundation toward which that liberation points as its natural consequence and completion.
To succeed in the task would, by securing human survival through human resolve and action, go far toward restoring our faith, so badly shaken in this century, in our capacity to make use of the amazing products of our hands and minds for our benefit rather than our destruction. It would bring undying honor to those who carried it to fulfillment and to their generation. It would have the character not of a desperate expedient resorted to under pressure of terror but of a tremendous free act, following upon calm public deliberation in every nation--among all humankind. In a way, it would be the foundation of humankind.
(C) 1998 Jonathan Schell All rights reserved. ISBN: 0-8050-5960-1
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Welcome to the Wild Side
Bow Wow introduces his sexy new boo Kiyomi, but everyone thinks they're moving too fast. JD questions if Bow should be a part of his So So Def 25th Anniversary Tour. Deb throws a big party but Jhonni ruins the night with an explosive blow-up.


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Early Learning for Ages 0-5 Years
You are your child's first and most important teacher.
Here are some ways to support early learning at home, in childcare and school, or when extra help is needed. We're here.
Things to do at home
Sing. Say. Point. Play.
Singing helps your young child develop an awareness of different sounds.
Just sing!
Your child learns to talk by hearing your words.
Describe what you are doing, seeing, or thinking about, especially to your baby. Wait to give him time to say something back. Then, respond to his sounds and words.
When your child points, she is telling you what is important.
When you point, bring attention to the meaning of the words and ideas. Point to what catches her eye, interesting things around you, or pictures and words in a book.
Pointing is a powerful communication tool!
Your child makes sense of the world when he plays.
Follow his lead, talk a lot, and have fun!
You already have what it takes.
New science tells us that our children's first years are when they develop the foundation for all future learning .
Vroom turns shared moments into brain moments. Whether it's mealtime, bathtime, or anytime in between, there are always ways to nurture our children's growing minds. There are so many ways YOU can be a brain builder.
Zero to Three
ZERO TO THREE is an excellent resource that can help answer many of the common questions parents have.
I love Zero to Three because I know that I will get well-researched, easy to understand answers to my parenting questions. Whether I'm worried about my child's eating habits or her temper tantrums, I know I can trust the answers I find.
- Courtney, parent of 2 year old
For more ideas, Connect with us!
At childcare or preschool
Finding a good fit for your family
Oakland Schools Early Childhood
Birth to Kindergarten
Early Childhood works collaboratively with Oakland County schools, families and communities to develop a systemic approach to support the development and academic achievement of all children from birth to Kindergarten.
3-5 Years Old
Free, high quality preschool programs are available through Head Start and the Great Start Readiness Program.
Great Start to Quality
0-5 Years Old
Great Start to Quality helps Michigan families find and choose quality child care programs that meet their children's needs.
For more information, connect with us.
When you need more support
Early On
0-3 Years Old
Early On® Oakland is a system of services for families of children birth to three years, who have a health condition or a developmental delay.
Build Up Michigan
3-5 Years Old
Build Up Michigan helps parents and their children, ages 3 through 5, get additional educational support as they begin and continue to learn the skills needed to enter kindergarten.
ASQ Developmental Screening
0-5 Years Old
Help Me Grow (HMG) is a free, online child development screening tool to help monitor early childhood development.
Still have questions? Connect with us!


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hi i'm a film student, please help me to fill in this quick questionnaire on baraka! thanks!
Survey Questionnaire on the film Baraka (Choose one option among a,b &c per question)
1. Baraka is:
a. A film about Spirituality.
b. A film about Nature.
c. A film about Religion.
2. Why do you think Baraka's director chooses to use so many close ups in the film?
a. To show people's culture.
b. To show people's spiritual belief.
c. To show different ethnic groups.
3. Why do you think in Baraka places of cult/holy places are often shown empty?
a. To give people a sense of solitary meditation.
b. To focus on the place.
c. To give a feeling of isolation.
4. What did you appreciate the most in Baraka?
a. The beautiful photography.
b. The cultural message.
c. The Spiritual message.
5 which one of these sentences is most true to you?
a. Baraka tends to highlight people's personal spiritual depth.
b. Baraka tends to highlight the contrast between nature and civilization.
c. Baraka tends to highlight an environmental problem.
6. after watching Baraka, which one of these emotions did you feel the most?
a. Awe for the stunning visuals
b. Stronger spiritual consciousness
c. Stronger regret for the condition of the earth.


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Announcements will appear in this section for upcoming events and/or any urgent information for parents.
Back-to-School Information and Forms
Available Wednesday, August 9th - 5:00PM
1) Update demographic information
Returning Students - PowerSchool: Instructions on how to update your demographic information for AY 2017-18 was emailed on 8/9/17 and is available here. Please complete this task by Friday, August 25th, 2017.
New Students: Follow the instructions sent via email,Princeton Charter School Parent Portal Access, 8/7/17 on how to create your PowerSchool account. If you have not received this email, please contact Brian Ciuffreda at firstname.lastname@example.com
2) Review Letter from the School Nurses – Paula Davis and Kathy Mackenzie (mailed to parents 8/8/17).
All forms must be completed and returned no later than Friday, September 1st, 2017. Staff will be on hand to receive paperwork starting Monday, August 28, 2017. If you mail the forms, please make sure that they reach the school by the September 1st deadline.
Note: Per HIPAA privacy regulations, please submit Health Forms in a sealed envelope.
3) Required Medical Forms (mailed to parents 8/8/17):
Authorization to Administer Over-the-Counter Medications (OTC)
4) Required for Grades K and 3 (mailed to parents 8/8/17):
5) Other Required Forms:
Technology Acceptable Use Contract & Policy Sheet (Read, print page 3, sign and return.)
Media & Publicity Permission Form (Complete, sign and return)
6) Other Medical Forms as Needed (Download, complete and return all forms that apply to your child.)
After School Sports Information and Required Forms (Grade 6-8), Click here.
Asthma Treatment Plan (A new form is required each school year for students with asthma; click here for link to pacnj.org for more information on asthma treatment plan requirements.)
Food Allergies (A new form is required each school year.)
Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Emergency Care Plan-English
Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Emergency Care Plan-Spanish
7) Other Forms As Needed:
After-school Program Information and Registration Packet (updated with new fee structure 8/30)
Free and Reduced School Lunch Program - F&RSLP (Mailed to families on 8/8/17)
F&RSLP Application Packet - English (Complete and submit application to Head of School office, PCS, 100 Bunn Drive, Princeton, NJ, 08540)
F&RSLP Application Packet - Spanish (Complete and submit application to Head of School office, PCS, 100 Bunn Drive, Princeton, NJ, 08540)


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What can I say, she's an idiot…May 6th, 2008 by Dianne Vonwhooseeay
Dear Ugly Flag Shirt Lady,
There's nothing wrong with having a typo, I'm sure I have one somewhere on this blog. But if you are going to be an asshole about illegal immigrants and the English language, at least spell check, shoooooo! There are so many other things people like you should be worrying about like, poverty in America, our poor education system, the fact we're in a pointless war, cancer? Go volunteer at a soup kitchen or something.
Get a worthwhile hobby and shut the hell up,
Source: SF Gate


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When you are searching for the best motivational speakers in South Africa, what do you look for?
What do you want them to achieve? In my experience the top ten objectives my clients look for in the best motivational speakers are:
- Value added presentation or workshop for their event in line with the organization's current concerns or vision
- A credible, known speaker who is eminently qualified to appear before the client's staff and is an example of their claims
- A professional speaker, one who does not require the kind of logistics that put the organization under stress
- Someone who has achieved wisdom, success and significance in variety of fields that are transferable to the audience
- An ability to tailor the presentation to clients' needs without compromising their message
- An entertaining experience with lots of take away value for participants leaving audience members feeling motivated and challenged
- Can help create buy in from their staff for a particular change or strategic emphasis like an increase in sales or a quantum leap in customer service
- Promote a change in attitude from the audience, this usually means more confidence, authority, intensity and energy
- Stimulates an increase in productivity through them being motivated towards enhanced performance
- Can follow up with additional workshops and books they have authored where needed
Find out why Dr Steve Harris is unique, how he will help you make your conference a resounding success. View his unique & powerful motivational speaker topics to choose from & tailor to your objectives so you can get the most from your staff.
Contact Dr Steve Harris to discuss your need for the best motivational speakers in South Africa.


text: The venue we have used for the past few years - the Whitireia Peformance Centre in Vivian Street - is no longer available, owing to Whitireia's move to new premises in Dixon Street. However, we are happy to announce that this year's competition on 12 May will be at the school hall at Wellington Girls College, in Pipitea Street. That's the same venue we used 10 years ago. Hope to see you there!


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With such a large amount of time invested into training it's important to set goals and have a clear image in your head of where you want to go and what you want to achieve. Setting goals based on the following S.M.A.R.T principle is a great starting point.
Be specific about your goals. For example achiveing a specific time in a race or completing a certain distance.
Make the goal measureable. For example running 10-miles in 90-minutes.
Make sure your goals are attainable. When just starting out it might be hard to set an attainable goal so seek advice from others and set a realistic target, which is challenging but not out of reach.
Goals should be result oriented, so write them down to be reviewed. Written goals also serve as inspiration to push through the tough stages of training on dark cold nights or when you just don't feel like training. Put them up in a clearly visible place such as your fridge door.
Limiting your goal to a specific time period is easier for running than other sports as often your goal will relate to event day. Setting a clear time scale for your goals is a great way to tick them off as you go and give you a finish line before moving on to your next target.
Get a personalised training plan and track your training.
Facts and figures to track how far you've come.
Map and share your running routes.
Expert advice to answer all your questions.
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InjuryCenter is dedicated to helping the truly injured and their families. We are committed to providing you with superior client service and personal attention.
When we accept your case, we assign a team of professionals including attorneys, legal assistants and support staff to guide you through the legal process. We are devoted to ensuring that you obtain full and just compensation for all of your injuries.
Our affiliate program is focused on high paying CPA offers in the area of medical malpractice and legal services, paying $50-$350 per lead.
legal services medical malpractice


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Built in 1889 and still standing tall at 1063 ft, Xrbia developers Eiffel Tower is visited by millions of visitors every year. Over centuries, it has held on to its ground, symbolizing strength and robustness and pride.
Standing on similar lines is the real estate group Eiffel Developers and Realtors Ltd. The group was created in 1995 to provide consumers with real estate projects that boast of strength, aesthetics and grandeur. The idea of the group is to offer living spaces that make the lives of the dwellers more relaxed, sophisticated and comfortable.
Eiffel Group takes pride in having its presence across various cities of India including Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Delhi and Bangalore. One of its stronger suites is its ability to create projects which are exemplary in design and envisioned by world renowned architects.
Xrbia project Eiffel Developers and Realtors Ltd is also known for delivering to the deadline and offering its consumers with flexible and convenient payment options.
Over the years, the group has acquired a prowess in various verticals like
- Residential construction
- Townships
- Commercial
- Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC)
- Low cost housing projects
- Special Economic Zones (SEZ)
Xrbia developers group has constructed projects over 25 milion sq.ft of area and has plans of covering more 119 million sq.ft. One of its popular projects include Eiffel Ozone and Eiffel Crown.


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Proposals, EngagementsBailey QuinlanReid State Parkmoody engagement photographer Boston, moody engagement photographer Massachusetts, moody engagement photographer boston, moody engagement photographer massachusetts, earthy engagement photographer Boston, earthy engagement photographer Massachusetts, earthy engagement photographer boston, earthy engagement photographer massachusetts, unposed engagement photographer Boston, unposed engagement photographer Massachusetts, unposed engagement photographer boston, unposed engagement photographer massachusetts, Reid State Park, Reid State Park engagement, Reid State Park proposal, Maine proposal, Maine proposal photographer, Maine surprise proposal, lesbian couples session, lesbian portrait session, lesbian wedding photographer, lesbian engagement session, lesbian engagement, lesbian proposal, maine lesbian engagement session, lesbian couples shoot, lesbian engagement shoot, lesbian engagement portraits, lgbtq engagement maine, lgbtq wedding photographer, lgbtq proposal maine, lgbtq friendly wedding photographer, Maine engagement location, Maine proposal location, Maine engagement shoot location, moody engagement photographer maine, earthy engagement photographer maine, adventurous engagement photographer maine, unposed engagement photographer maine, moody wedding photographer maine, earthy wedding photographer maine, adventurous wedding photographer maine, unposed wedding photographer maine, Griffith head reid state park, Griffith head engagement, Griffith head engagement session, Griffith head proposal, Griffith head engagement photos, Maine engagement session, Maine engagement shoot, Maine engagement photos, Maine engagement portraits, Maine engagement, Maine engagement photographer, Maine couple's session, Maine couple's shoot, Maine wedding, Maine wedding photographer, Maine wedding photography, Maine wedding portraits, Maine wedding photos, coastal maine engagement shoot, coastal maine engagement session, coastal maine engagement, coastal maine engagement photos, coastal maine proposal, coastal maine engagement portraits, fall engagement session maine, moody wedding photographer NYC, moody wedding photographer New York, moody wedding photographer Brooklyn, moody wedding photographer NY, earthy wedding photographer NYC, earthy wedding photographer New York, earthy wedding photographer Brooklyn, earthy wedding photographer NY, adventurous wedding photographer NYC, adventurous wedding photographer New York, adventurous wedding photographer Brooklyn, adventurous wedding photographer NY, boho wedding photographer NYC, boho wedding photographer New York, boho wedding photographer Brooklyn, boho wedding photographer NY, unposed wedding photographer NYC, unposed wedding photographer New York, unposed wedding photographer Brooklyn, unposed wedding photographer NY, intimate wedding photographer NYC, intimate wedding photographer New York, intimate wedding photographer Brooklyn, intimate wedding photographer NY, moody engagement photographer NYC, moody engagement photographer New York, moody engagement photographer Brooklyn, moody engagement photographer NY, earthy engagement photographer NYC, earthy engagement photographer New York, earthy engagement photographer Brooklyn, earthy engagement photographer NY, unposed engagement photographer NYC, unposed engagement photographer New York, unposed engagement photographer Brooklyn, unposed engagement photographer NY, NYC engagement session, NYC engagement shoot, NYC engagement photos, NYC engagement portraits, NYC engagement, NYC engagement photographer, NYC couple's session, NYC couple's shoot, NY engagement session, NY engagement shoot, NY engagement photos, NY engagement portraits, NY engagement, NY engagement photographer, NY couple's session, NY couple's shoot, New York engagement session, New York engagement shoot, New York engagement photos, New York engagement portraits, New York engagement, New York engagement photographer, New York couple's session, New York couple's shoot, Brooklyn engagement session, Brooklyn engagement shoot, Brooklyn engagement photos, Brooklyn engagement portraits, Brooklyn engagement, Brooklyn engagement photographer, Brooklyn couple's session, Brooklyn couple's shoot, lgbtq proposal, lqbt proposal, lgbtq wedding proposal, lgbtq engagement, lgbtq engagement sessiojn, lgbtq engagement session, queer proposal, queer portrait session, queer-friendly wedding photographer, queer engagement, queer couples sessionComment
Head over to the blog to check out my most recent photography work, including weddings, engagements, wedding tips, travels, and personal stories.
"Working with Bailey was a pleasure!
My wedding day would not have been the day it was without her.
She found a way to be a calm voice during my very hectic morning/afternoon wedding and took initiative to make sure all the shots I had requested were completed. My own mother won't stop talking about how positive and polite she was towards all of my guests as well. My pictures came out beautifully and I have no regrets booking such an amazing talent."
- Niksha & Corey, NYC
I am a wedding photographer based in New England specializing in intimate weddings & elopements. My style is creative & photojournalistic, with a moody edge. I make a living crashing epic parties & creating authentic imagery for
I focus on candid & meaningful moments, keeping the vibe playful & fun. My couples value creating & preserving memories, are madly in love, and aren't afraid to get their clothes dirty.
©2019 Bailey Quinlan


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The SNP's Westminster Immigration spokesperson, Stuart McDonald MP, has called on the UK government to scrap its "nonsensical" net migration targets, echoing recommendations in a new report published by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).
The report - titled Open and Controlled: A New Approach to Migration - sought evidence from 129,000 firms across 18 industry sectors, concluding that the UK government should "build public trust in the UK's migration system by shifting away from controlling numbers."
The findings also stated that there is a desire amongst the business community for reform of the UK's non-EU immigration system so that firms "can better access people and skills from around the world, not just the EU," and ensuring that the "transition to any new migration system is done with respect for people and in an orderly manner."
Commenting, Stuart McDonald MP said:
"I welcome calls from the CBI to scrap Theresa May's nonsensical net migration target - which is an act of economic self-sabotage.
"The SNP has consistently called for an end to the Prime Minister's hostile environment policy, and for a shift to an evidence-based immigration policy which supports our economy in a challenging post-Brexit environment.
"The SNP position is that there must be a root-and-branch review of immigration policy and that review should be based on facts - not on the ideological interests of the Tory party.
"The UK government has repeatedly promised an immigration white paper - and an immigration bill - over the past year, yet it has shamefully failed to deliver, with only a matter of months left before the UK leaves the EU.
"The Scottish Government has set out the overwhelmingly strong case for Scotland to have the power to tailor its own immigration policy to reflect its unique demographic needs. The proposals in a discussion paper on migration earlier this year, set out ways for Scotland to have a greater say on UK migration policy including; a Scotland specific migration system, setting a specific criteria to address Scotland's needs, a new body to administer the policy, and powers to make it easier for family members to join citizens and migrants in Scotland.
"It's high time the UK government ended its narrow-minded approach, and instead worked with the devolved governments in order to protect our economy, the business community and hundreds of thousands of jobs."
Open and Controlled: A New Approach to Migration: https://gallery.mailchimp.com/4fae14f57a18ee08253ffc251/files/2b77f81b-1077-4ee1-b73e-5ffcec8d90f3/Open_and_controlled_a_new_approach_to_immigration_after_Brexit.pdf
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The Bolivia Domestic Water Use 2010 map is a result of data collection and analysis of millions of data points. The calculations take into account water demand and supply in formal, informal, urban and rural sectors on a 5 arc minute grid (approximately 9X9 km at the equator). Our GIS algorithms analyse country's population distribution, density in urban agglomeration and rural areas, status of utility water supply, water and wastewater coverage, water leakages and non-revenue water, groundwater use, energy availability, current status of infrastructure, government policies, investments on water-wastewater infrastructure and other socio-economic attributes, such as, GDP and per capita disposable income.
The map offers data of Bolivia's Total Domestic Water Use in cubic meter around 2010 for each 5 arc-minute pixel/regions (on the ground, it is approximately 85 sq.km at the equator and about 50 sq.km at around 60 degree north/south Latitude). Please note that pixels with the same values have been merged.
Not all users may need such granularity of data. If you are interested in aggregated values at Province/State or District/County level please email for a quote to email@example.com.


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Vanity Mirror With Bulbs Optional Decoration
If you are looking for a glamorous space to make up, make your own vanity mirror with bulbs. This classic accessory has the charm of old Hollywood and offers uniform lighting for the perfect makeup. Once you have chosen the space to make up, grab the materials and follow the steps to build your mirror with lights. Choose where you want to put your mirror with lights. Measure the space where you will put it. Make sure you have the exact measurements of the width and length of the mirror. Buy a mirror with the dimensions taken in an item store or home improvement, or even in a thrift store. Buy the materials of the bar for toilet lights. It is likely that you already have several of the things you will need at home.
Get two extensions, a pair of scissors and hooks to hang pictures (of those with adhesive tape). You may have to go to a hardware store or a lighting store to buy the toilet bars and light bulbs. Use the type of light vanity mirror light kit recommended in the manufacturer's box. Open the lightbar box. Remove the bars from the box. Remove the covers that cover the plugs. Leave the covers aside, but do not lose them because you will have to put them back after installing the bars for toilet lights. These usually reflect the same as a mirror, so they will hide the bases of the bulbs when they are reinstalled. Screw the light bars to the mirror. Place a bar on each side of the mirror. Place them in the exact place where you want them so that they are just flush with the frame.
Depending on the type of light bars you have, you will see holes to screw in several places. Cut the extensions. With a pair of scissors, cut the end of the extension adapter. Do the same with both extensions and be careful not to cut yourself with the scissors. It exposes the copper wiring. Once you cut in the middle of the cables, hold a cable in each hand and separate them carefully. Connect the extension cord to the lights. Cover the cables with wire nuts. Secure the bar cover for lights. Screw the bulbs. Grab the metal caps you removed at the beginning and put them back in place around the plugs. Screw a vanity mirror with lights cheap into each plug so that it is secure. Plug the extensions into a power outlet and turn on the vanity lights.
This article main ideas is vanity mirror with bulbs
This post topic: Vanity Mirror


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by Kyle Taylor |
Another fresh new tune from another local favorite, this new one called "A Darker Shade" comes to us from Philadelphia producer Des McMahon. With a long-standing history in production and rapidly growing resume and repertoire of tunes, McMahon has quickly made his ascension on to the bass scene, worldwide. With a darkly aggressive, yet surprisingly tame and contained production sound, this track- like much of Des' work- breathes a lot of UK influence. His glitch-infused style breathes in and out of dubstep, drum & bass, and their many off-shoots, most noticeably glitch hop, neuro hop, and neuro funk. This latest single packs that same bass wallop
Des McMahon – Soundcloud // Bandcamp // Facebook // Twitter
Des McMahon – "A Darker Shade" — FREE Download!!


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My name is Monica Duwel and I am a designery illustrator living in the heart of the grain belt. A pencil has been in my hand since I was two.
I am currently employed at Washington University in
St. Louis where I work in creative services for campus partners and students.
I earned a BFA in graphic design from Missouri State University in Springfield, the home of cashew chicken. In my downtime, I collect pop culture knowledge, tell dad jokes, and am an avid concert goer and women's soccer enthusiest.
No project is too small. Drop me a line!


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Will my employer put me off if I make a claim?
In accordance with provisions in the Workers' Compensation & Rehabilitation Act 2003, an employer cannot put an injured worker off because of his injury, whilst he is on workers' compensation benefits, for a period of 12 months.
Can I claim for the loss resulting from being laid off due to my accident injury?
If, after this time, or when you come off workers' compensation, you are unable to return to your normal work duties due to your injury then an employer can terminate your employment on the grounds that you can no longer perform the work you were hired to perform.
We've answered many of your questions further below about bringing a compensation claim against your employer in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Queensland.
Use The Personal Injury Lawyers Compensation Claim Checker™ and quickly see if you may be able to make a compensation claim, in just 30 seconds or less.
Frequently Asked Questions About Employers And Your Injury
Will the more my injuries interfere with my work, the larger my injury claim will be?
Essentially yes. In the example we are using, you will be able to claim for the loss of income you sustain in being put off from your work due to your injuries, as well as any loss sustained in trying to locate new and alternate employment or in not being able to do so, because of your accident injuries.
I don't want to bringing a personal injury claim against my employer, what can I do?
Many employees, especially when they suffer an injury in an accident or at work think the claim will be a mark against them in their employment or any future employment they apply for.
If you suffer injuries that affect your capacity to undertake your work, then you are likely to suffer a loss of earning capacity and employability as a result. Talk to us and we can explain how we can help and try to protect the relationship between you and your employer.
What do I do if I find my injuries deteriorate further over time?
Injury impacts more and more on your work capacity and the type of work duties you can perform, further limiting your employability.
And at the same time, those superior, more advanced and better paying roles you were hoping to achieve as you gained more experience in your occupation, slip out of sight as you become less and less able to fulfil your work duties or to do so efficiently. As always it's best to discuss this and your injury with us as we have many years experience in these very situations and can advise how we'll help ensure you get the compensation to cover this.
What happens when I just can't do work duties any longer and my employer thinks I'm a liability and lays me off?
It's a common situation with an injury and you may end up out of work years earlier than you had ever anticipated, marked as an injured worker, without any income and with limited prospects of finding alternate work more suited to your injuries.
The loss of income you sustain because of your injuries will also have become greater over time.
You now may have also lost any opportunity to obtain compensation because your limitation date for bringing your claim has passed by long ago.
As personal injury lawyers with deep experience we help get the maximum compensation for you as part of our process on your compensation claim. Talk to us for more or use out Compensation Claim Checker™ and quickly see if you may be able to make a compensation claim, in just 30 seconds or less.
Am I at serious risk of losing significant & needed compensation if you don't bring a claim?
Unfortunately, the above scenario is not a Grimm's fairy tale, it is something we see at The Personal Injury Lawyers all too often.
People who have suffered accident injuries, but have decided not to pursue a claim because they think their foremost concern is to try to maintain their employment at all costs. Being stoic and doing nothing is not a strategy, again, talk with our experienced lawyers at no cost and understand your options.
Tragically, often these enquiries come from the main breadwinners in families
Typically those who have lost the means of supporting their young or growing family and who end up having to rely on Centrelink payments to get by.
We at The Personal Injury Lawyers cannot impress upon anyone injured in an accident, whether at work, or in a car or road accident or otherwise, enough, you need to protect yourself and your family and bring a claim.
Can I receive future potential loss if I make a compensation claim as well as past losses?
Not just past loss of income from your injuries but you will also receive an award of damages to cover potential future loss of income due to your injuries and how your injuries may impact upon your employment in the future.
This includes loss of opportunity to advance and earn increased income in the future, as well as the potential for your injuries to worsen and interfere more with your capacity for work over time.
This will give you something to fall back on in the future should you need to cut back on your work hours or stop work altogether because of your accident injuries.
✔ There is only a small window in which you can make compensation claims in Queensland
✔ Even if you think your actions may have contributed to your injury, you may still have a claim well-worth pursuing
✔ Just press the button below, there is no cost, and no obligation to review your case


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As any settlement professional with a computer and Google knows, if you type in the term "structured settlements" into the search engine box, what you will get back in 80% of your results is typically postings, web sites, splog pages and inducements from the factoring companies that have effectively hijacked the term structured settlements on the internet.
Rather then sit back and just let this tidal wave of misleading, and in many cases illegal advertising wash over our industry, John Darer, the blogger behind Structured Settlements 4 Real, has over the last 9 months decided to try and do something about this issue. If you don't subscribe to his blog you really should as he has written some of the most pointed and on point commentary on the issue of factoring, how it is marketed on the internet, the abuses that are occurring through key word manipulation, splogging and sloppy or misleading advertising. He has called out some of the more extreme offenders and no doubt will continue to do so.
This will be a three part series, with each podcast covering a different aspect of the issue, with part one, which you can listen to by clicking here, outlining just how severe the problem is that the structured settlement industry is facing on search engine manipulation. Essentially it is my opinion, which I know John agrees with, that we have until recently surrendered our trade and product name to an industry that very often runs exactly counter to the interests of protecting the financial safety of injured plaintiffs, and much of the "education" of the average consumer on the topic of structured settlements is being done by the very companies that wish to undo the structure. Listen in to this three part podcast, to be released over the next three days and join the discussion on John's page and here on The Settlement Channel as we talk about the ways to take back the initiative and start protecting our industry's identity on the internet.


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Paul and I have worked on two pop up exhibitions this year under the umbrella of Norfolk by Design, a recent creative venture with colleague Davina Barber. Both events went well for differing reasons, so although it has been hard work we have been delighted with the response… and 2018 is not over yet… There is one more showcase to come!
Our pop up in The Stables at Houghton Hall and ended on July 29, 2018. We showcased 41 craftspeople, artists and makers from Norfolk and the wider area of East Anglia. Each brought a simplicity of form, intent and vision that belies the complexity often involved in making their work.
Much of the sculpture, ceramics, paintings, drawings and jewellery we showcase is intensive in its production and while a simple and straight forward approach is the overriding factor they may have in common, the resulting work is anything but.
Our thanks to the Marquess and Marchioness of Cholmondeley for their generous support. We are also grateful to Robert Miller and Jennifer Taverner and all the staff at Houghton Hall who made this such a pleasure for us. The following companies and individuals have also played a key role in supporting us in showcasing the work of all the wonderful artists, makers and designers who of course, remain the main focus of our work. Lastly a big thank you to all 19,390 visitors who passed through the stables this year!
Ordinary Worlds (10-23 August, 2018) was an exhibition of six women artists who share a common interest in representing landscape and interpreting the topographic in their work – each artist shows how we might compose landscape to suit our outlook rather than merely reflect upon a visual likeness or land use. Between them, what they depict is anything but ordinary.
Pigment stains drawn on cave walls have revealed how we once imagined landscapes populated by the creatures we hunted to survive. This early human trait of conceiving a landscape in our imagination still holds a powerful influence upon us to the present day. Technology has helped artists find new, previously unimagined possibilities for depicting the environment and altering the ways in which they represent landscape pictorially. They have embraced imaging software among more traditional means of describing our world, without reducing it to banal certainties.


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We just got this picture from a reader who was passing by Google's New York City headquarters.
Walking past the Google building this morning, the day after the announced they're getting rid of Google Reader. I guess it's this guy's last day at work.
Get the latest Google stock price here.


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