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Shuttle S01 Acoustic Fire Door Retainer is brand new to market and is an excellent choice for fire door retaining problems.
It's always been tempting to wedge open fire doors. Often, ironically, with a fire extinguisher. This is dangerous and could result in fire insurance becoming void and the personal prosecution of directors, partners or proprietors of offending businesses and organisations.
What's much worse is that wedging open doors allows smoke and fire to travel much more quickly throughout a building.
The Shuttle S01 can legally hold open fire doors which greatly improves access throughout buildings - in line with the Equalities Act 2010
5 Year Warranty
Shuttle S01


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My mother
My mother!
Who is she?
My mother
What does she do?
Well my mother is simply,
a brave woman.
My mother, is simply,
the person who taught us to love,
to laugh,
to cry.
My mother simply
allowed us to be us,
to be accepting,
to forgive
to hope and see a future.
My mother is simply
A mum, mummy, mother, grandma, great grandma
She is just simply
MY MUM brave, determined and an inspiration.

subset: commoncrawl


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Civil War 150 Series
Dr. Jen Lynn: Photographs of the Civil War Era
Opening Reception
Sept. 17 - LA 205 - 6:30-8:00 pm
On the 151st anniversary of the Battle of Antietam, Dr. Jen Lynn will discuss the new technology of photography and how it was utilized to capture scenes from the Civil War.
»» View Dr. Lynn's presentation
Dr. Tom Rust: "Civil War from the Bottom Up"
Sept. 24 - LIB 148 - 6:30-8:00 pm
Dr. Rust (MSUB History Department) will present a lecture focusing on the lives and motivations of rank-and-file soldiers. Dr. Rust is the Montana National History Day Coordinator. His connections through this program will also increase awareness of Civil War 150 programming in local schools.
»» View Dr. Rust's presentation
Dr. Mark Fenderson: Music of the Civil War
Oct. 1 - POSTPONED - Nov. 5
Dr. Sue Balter-Reitz and Dr. Sam Boerboom: Communication & the Civil War
Oct. 8 - LIB 148 - 6:30-8:00 pm
Dr. Balter-Reitz and Dr. Boerboom (MSUB Communication Department) will discuss public communication during the Civil War, including the Lincoln-Douglas debates, the Gettysburg Address, and beyond.
»» View Dr. Balter-Reitz and Dr. Boerboom's presentation
Dr. Keith Edgerton: Civil War on the Big Screen
Oct. 15 - LIB 148 - 6:30-8:00 pm
Dr. Edgerton (MSUB History Department) will discuss depictions of the Civil War in film.
»» View Dr. Edgerton's presentation
Dr. Kathe Gabel: Medicine & the Civil War
Oct. 22 - LIB 148 - 6:30-8:00 pm
Dr. Gabel (MSUB College of Allied Health) will discuss 19th century medical practices and Civil War-era battlefield triage.
»» View Dr. Gabel's presentation
Ms. Tami Haaland & Dr. Bernie Quetchenbach: Poetry of the Civil War
Oct. 29 - LIB 148 - 6:30-8:00 pm
Ms. Haaland (Montana Poet Laureate 2013-2015) and Dr. Quetchenbach (MSUB English Department) will read and discuss Civil War era poetry.
»» View Dr. Quetchenbach's and Ms. Haaland presentation
Dr. Mark Fenderson: Music of the Civil War
Nov. 5 - Cisel 135 - 6:30-8:00 pm
Dr. Fenderson (MSUB Music Department) will present a program on Civil War music, including a student ensemble playing brass band music from the period.
»» View Dr. Fenderson's presentation
»» Get Printer-friendly Series Flyer
Programs made possible in part by funding received from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Library of America, and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.


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We've got a special treat for you here today at kt literary. Not one, but TWO About My Query posts! The first one comes from EB, who won a contest sponsored by Elana Johnson for a query critique by yours truly. So, EB's letter is addressed to me and has some personalization about winning the contest, but I know we can look at the juicy part in the middle, right? No further delays, then. Let's do this!
Dear Daphne,
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to have a critique of the query letter for my latest work IF ONLY YOU KNEW, a Christian based thriller that combines page-turning suspense and culture driven characters.
The mysterious disappearance of Ellie Halifax's closest friend threw her ordinary, good girl life into a world of suspicion, interrogation, and some very strange, nearly fatal accidents. But the strangest thing of all might be that her hard-rock, soon to be stepbrother, Adam, seems to be her only chance of survival.
IF ONLY YOU KNEW is a fast paced 90,000 word contemporary Christian suspense novel set where Miami's hotspot nightlife and the up and coming business word collide in two people struggling to uncover a secret much deeper than one girl's disappearance.
It will appeal to fans of works by suspense authors like Terri Blackstock and Colleen Coble, but carries plenty of next generation twists and as much humor as heart-stopping moments.
After working as a research assistant for two non-fiction writers, I switched to fiction and published my first mystery novel, ONLY ANGELS ARE BULLETPROOF, through Tate Publishing in November of 2008. I am also actively involved in marketing through social networking as well as bookstore events and local media.
I am excited to read your comments. I know critique is one of the most valuable things a writer can have.
So, after I just said we could concentrate on the juicy middle, I do want to start with the introductory line, which would be similar in any email to an agent. Namely, your reference to your book as a "a Christian based thriller that combines page-turning suspense and culture driven characters." First of all, I don't think you need to say "Christian based" — I think just "Christian" is fine. I assume a thriller includes suspense — that's sort of one of the hallmarks of the genre. And "page-turning" is one of those phrases that writers use that doesn't actually add anything. Go ahead a stripe it. As for "culture driven characters" — I just don't know what that means. What culture are you referring to? Christian? South Floridian? A statement like this should be followed up with a sense of the characters' culture, but I don't get that in this. Let's keep looking, though.
Next, "The mysterious disappearance of Ellie Halifax's closest friend threw her ordinary, good girl life into a world of suspicion, interrogation, and some very strange, nearly fatal accidents." Again, I see what you're trying to say here — her friend's strange disappearance turns Ellie's ordinary life into something vastly different — but it's awkward. Maybe it's the grammatical disconnect of throwing someone's "life" into a "world." I feel like you could throw Ellie into a world of suspicion, etc., and you could throw her good girl life into disarray. In either case though, it reads as a bit overdone. How else can you express this in a way that feels more organic to the story?
Moving on, just what exactly is so strange in the idea "that [Ellie's] hard-rock, soon to be stepbrother, Adam, seems to be her only chance of survival"? Why? What can you tell me about how the characters relate to each other that will make this statement make sense?
In the next paragraph, I like "fast-paced" better than "page-turning," but note again that you're telling, rather than showing. The phrase "where Miami's hotspot nightlife and the up and coming business word collide in two people struggling to uncover a secret much deeper than one girl's disappearance" also feels awkward — even though I assume you mean "world" not "word." I also think, if you use this phrase, that "up-and-coming" should have hyphens. But what I really want to know is WHY the nightlife is colliding with the business world? Who are these two people from these (to my mind) not-so-different worlds? Can you give a further hint about the disappearance? What does it mean? What does it suggest, rather, since you don't want to give away the whole plot?
In the final paragraph, the fact of you working for two non-fiction authors doesn't seem to necessitate a "switch" to fiction. Your publishing credit looks nice up until an agent realizes it's a self-publishing credit. You may want to be more upfront and name it as such, or leave it out altogether unless you can provide sales numbers of more than one or two thousand copies.
Readers, what do you think? Please share your thoughts on improving EB's query in the comments.
Filed Under: About My Query, Ask Daphne!
Tags: About My Query, advice, contests, queries, self publishing
4 Responses to "Ask Daphne! About My Query XXXXV"
Corinne Says:
March 12th, 2010 at 7:52 am
My main problem with this query is that it's not very specific. Her friend's disappearance changes things – how? Why? Where do the accidents come from? How does Adam tie into things? In the next paragraph you mention Miami's night life and the business world, both of which come out of the blue. They don't seem to tie into what we just read. Queries don't need a blow-by-blow, far from it, but specifics are necessary to get a feel for the story and how it's different from everything else in the genre.
Overall I do like the writing, and I think this would be a good query if you focus more on the actual story. All of the above comments are also important – the book being self-published, the hyphens, and the way you describe the book. (For example, you really don't need to mention it's contemporary. Unless it's explicitly stated to be a historical, we'll generally assume it's contemporary, and the rest of the query makes it clear anyway.)
Kristy Colley Says:
March 12th, 2010 at 7:56 am
Wow, Kate. I think you hit it right on. I'm not sure I have anything to add.
(This is where I prove myself wrong.)
I feel as if I don't know enough about this story, or am persuaded to read THIS book out of thousands. It also seems to lack a strong voice. I think addressing Kate's observations will fix this.
Good luck!
Rissa Watkins Says:
March 12th, 2010 at 5:50 pm
I felt no connection to the characters mentioned in the query. They are names, not quite human beings that I would want to read about. Tell me something more about them to make me want to read more.
I don't understand what is going on with the story- what is the plot. Her friend gets kidnapped- but why does she go through all of that and why does her step-brother need to help?
I know you've probably read a million times to keep the query brief, but I think this is too brief. Add more about your story because it sounds like a kick butt idea.
Janet B Says:
March 15th, 2010 at 2:21 am
Be specific. Don't tell me that Ellie is a good girl, tell me she is a librarian, school teacher, housewife, etc. Tell me why/how she gets involved in finding out what happened to her friend instead of just letting the police do their job.
What is so special about Adam that survival depends on Ellie getting him involved. And what is a 'hard-rock, soon to be step-brother?'Is she a teenager with a parent about to get married to someone with values very different from her own? Since you didn't say it was Young Adult, I assumed the protagonist was a grown-up until I saw the soon-to-be phrase. So now I'm thinking they are both in high school: Ellie is a member of the Chess Club and Adam is in a rock band?
If it is a Christian novel, then I assume that Ellie is struggling to maintain her values in the seedy-side of Miami. It might be good to tell us what the stakes are. What will happen to her friend if Ellie fails? How far will Ellie go in terms of compromising her values to get the friend back?


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Like I've said more than a few times before, motherhood is pretty much total chaos. We are all struggling to find balance, choose joy, and raise our babies to be the best human beings possible. I don't like it when mothers put themselves against one another; I think we are all in this thing together, and since it's a pretty tough gig most days, I think we should encourage and lift one another up.
One way I like to do this, being a busy mom of four kids age six and under, is by sharing what helps make my gig a little less chaotic. Nothing makes me click away from a blog post faster than a snooty blogger chucking smug parenting advice at me, and while I've only been a mom for 6.5 years, I get asked "how do you do it??" a lot. Maybe my tips won't work for you, maybe you've got your own good thing goin', that's cool. But on the off-chance that something I've figured out on my own personal journey sparks something in you, I'd like to share what helps me out.
Running Errands
I'd say this is probably the area that has been the biggest frustration for me in daily mom life. One kid is whining while another is pooping and another is crying for a snack and yet another is lost somewhere in the store. Serenity now! I have finally figured out a few things that work.
- Bring lollipops. Seriously, I don't care how health-conscious you are, how bad they are for their teeth, when you have to get everything on your Target or Costco list and you've got a herd of cave-people to bring with you, lollipops are Godsends.
- Be a crazy person about who stands where. Bella always walks right by my side, Leland holds onto the left side of the cart and walks, Hudson sits in the seat part, and Emmett is in the Ergo on me. And nobody moves from their assigned locations. It just has to be that way or I won't be able to get a thing done; all I'll be doing is telling the kids what to do and what not to touch. There's already enough of that even with their location assignments, it would be total chaos if I didn't have them set up like that. They know if they move from where they're supposed to be, they lose their sucker and have to spend ten minutes in their room when we get home. Don't mess with the shopping cart locations, people.
- Go fast, mama. I organize my shopping lists beforehand whenever I can, that way I've got my list in order of the store's layout, and can move like a breeze down the aisle, grabbing what I need and reaching checkout before the lollipops are gone. It doesn't always work out this way, but when I plan ahead and am organized, it usually does.
- Go first thing in the morning. This is the time of day that my kids are their best selves. I may be my worst, as I am not a morning person by any means, but the kids are at their best, so I grab an extra large cup of coffee and we head out as early as I can get everyone dressed, fed, and out of the house.
- Save technology for the checkout line. My kids always start to get antsy at the end of the shopping trip, and I've found that when I hold off on letting them watch YouTube on my phone until we're checking out, it's a lot easier. Unloading a cart full of crap while wearing a baby isn't easy, but knowing the other three kids are happily crowded together at the front of the cart watching funny cat videos allows me to do what I need to do quickly, without interruption.
- Park near the cart corral. I have to. Leland hyper-focuses and will walk into an oncoming van, Hudson wanders...I need to be able to just get everyone straight out of their car seats and into the cart.
I'm sure you've heard the saying "Cleaning with a toddler in the house is like straightening papers on a desk with the fan on". It's true. But kids aren't toddlers for very long, and even while they are, we've got stuff to do and a house that needs keeping. I go into a lot more detail in my book, Mama Needs A Reboot, but here are some of the bullet points that help me.
- Clear dishes, wipe the table, and sweep underneath it after every meal. No exceptions, just do it.
- Teach your kids to pick up after everything they do. After a little while it'll be a habit for them and less work for you. Win-win.
- Start the day on a productive note and it'll keep you going that way. Right when you wake up, make your bed, then start a load of laundry, then have your coffee. I promise you'll feel like you've got it all together and it really only takes up a few extra minutes.
- It takes twenty-seven days to form a habit, so form a good one. Choose one thing that you wish you had a habit of doing every day. Maybe it's making your bed in the morning or running the dishwasher every night. Whatever you choose, make it something that would make your life a little bit easier, write yourself a reminder or set one in your phone- make sure it will get your attention at one point every single day- do it for a month and it will become a habit.
- Keep the kitchen sink clean and the house will feel clean. This is a trick I learned from Fly Lady that's so simple but really works. When I keep the sink free of dishes and food, I normally end up treating the rest of the house the same way and having less to clean up at the end of the day. Clean as you go, keep your sink clear, and you will feel great about your house and be ready for company at the drop of a hat.
Feeling Good About What You Do
If you feel defeated all the time, you're going to lose your drive to do what you need to do, and if you're like me, you might even start to struggle with depression. When I feel good about what I do every day, when I am reminded of my purpose and feeling accomplished more days than not, I do this motherhood thing really well. How I feel affects everything. Here's what works for me:
- Make a list of only 5-7 things that need to get done each day. This keeps you from setting unrealistic expectations for yourself and keeps you focused on what really needs to get done rather than what would be nice to have done. Your goal should be to tackle important tasks and feel accomplished at the end of the day, not to make a giant to do list and feel defeated when bed time rolls around. Having a longer list doesn't mean you'll get more done, it just means that's how much more you'll feel you failed, even if you actually got stuff done that day.
- Hit restart any time of the day you need to. Sometimes a totally crap day comes around, and no matter what you do or how prepared you were the night before, things don't go as planned and you feel like you got dragged nine blocks by a semi by 9AM. When this happens to me, it is so helpful to pause, mentally hit the reset button, and give myself a fresh start to the day. Maybe it's your big cleaning day and you needed to tackle your chore list, but your baby woke up with a fever. Maybe you were gonna work on a project after the kids went to bed but your husband came home after a horrible day and needs you. Reevaluate, move your priorities around, and hit restart. I've done this in the morning, the afternoon, even at night. Sometimes you just need to start over, so go ahead!
- Get the kids dressed from head to toe. Most days I get myself at least somewhat put together, because I feel good when I'm dressed, but there are plenty of days when I'm gonna be cleaning and I don't even bother. Either way, it really helps me feel "on it" if I've got my kids dressed. Usually after breakfast (which is always at 8:00 in our house), I'll have the older kids dress themselves and I'll get the younger two changed out of their jammies. Then I have them brush their teeth and I do all their hair. When they're put together, I feel put together. It's a simple thing that helps me a ton.
- Smile at the starers. I used to think I was a little paranoid, but now I know people actually are very rude sometimes. They stare, mouths gaping at how many kids I have, they ask my age (whaaaa??), they make rude comments on my lifestyle choices, they're obsessed with what's going with me while I walk through Target, and I really don't get it, but it's rude regardless. I've learned that smiling back at them puts an ends to it usually and lets them know that I don't care and I'm good and I've got this. Even if Bella is asking a thousand questions and I'm about to lose my stuff. Just smile....
- Let the little things go. This is my weakness, but I try to keep the big picture at the front of my mind. In the end, will it really matter that Hudson brought his juice into the living room and spilled it on the rug? When all is said and done, will it really matter than someone had a stomach flu explosion all over my new leather couch? Everything is fixable and none of that stuff really matters. So I try to let it go, Elsa style.
- Schedule yourself some breathers. If I know I am going to get the young ones down for naps at the same time, and I have Netflix ready-for-hire at the same time and can get lost in a novel for an hour in the middle of my day, I feel so much better! If I know Brian is bringing home a bottle of wine and we're gonna binge on Seinfeld reruns, I can handle whatever chaos the day brings me. If I know at the end of the week I've got a sitter coming over so I can go thrifting with a cup of coffee for two hours, then I am really on top of things that week. Taking care of me is important. I always say you can't give to your family out of your well if it's empty.
When You Have Somewhere to Be in the Morning
Why are most events for moms so early in the morning?? 9AM, really?! It is so. hard. to get myself and four children fed and dressed and presentable and out the door by 8:45, but sometimes that's what I have to do to be somewhere I need to be. I never used to be late, like ever. But since Emmett came along, I have been about 10-20 minutes late to pretty much everything, and I've had to be okay with it and just do my best. There are a few things that help me get out of the house without screaming bloody murder or cancelling the event altogether though, so... that's good.
- Pack everything the night before. This doesn't always happen, because I honestly really don't need another thing to do at the end of an incredibly long day. When I do pack for the next morning the night before, I never regret it. I get diapers and wipes in the diaper bag, PBJ's made if we'll be out during lunchtime, sippy cups filled, apples sliced, shoes by the door, and supplies like the park blanket, lawn chairs, etc in the car. This can shave like thirty minutes off a chaotic morning!
- I lay out everyone's outfit, including mine, the night before. Similar to the point above, but another morning-saver. There have been so many mornings where I'm rushing around, looking for something to wear that ends up being dirty, or I'm unable to find somebody's other shoe. I save my time and my sanity and spare my kids from seeing Mean Mommy when I have everything prepared the night before.
If you made it to the end of this post, I applaud you. You're either very desperate for help or you just really love me. Either way I hope I helped! If you have a question, leave it in the comments. I'll always get back to you :)


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In Year 2 we had an exciting start to our Africa topic when we visited the Tropical Butterfly House.
We saw meerkats and lemurs, which can be found in the deserts and forests of Africa and the African island of Madagascar, as well as lots of other amazing animals. Not only did we see a variety of cool creatures, but we got to hold some creepy ones too!
A big thank you to our parents who gave up their time to help.
Please take a look at our photographs by following the link. I hope you enjoy them as much as we enjoyed our day.


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Dr. Andrew Ordon explains why we get stretch marks and how to treat them.
It is common to think that stretch marks are solely associated with women and pregnancies; however they are a common occurrence for men as well. When you break it down, a stretch mark is essentially a scar. When the skin is pulled in an abrupt fashion, it causes the dermis, the deeper layer of skin between the epidermis and subcutaneous tissues, to tear. As the dermis heals, scar tissue is formed, leaving a narrow furrow also known as stria. What one outwardly sees is the skin shrinking in some places and leaving a depressed area with heaped borders. These indentions are common on the lower portion of a woman's abdomen, most commonly
after pregnancy. Stretch marks often appear on the abdomen, breasts, hips, buttocks and thighs due to changes or growth spurts of some sort. A few examples besides pregnancy include body builders who lose muscle mass or people who experience rapid, extreme weight loss.
There are preventative measures you can use to combat these unsightly marks, though. First and foremost, people should try not to have their weight fluctuate too rapidly or drastically. Expecting mothers should stick to their doctor's recommendation. Maintaining good skin tone, exercising frequently and keeping the skin moisturized is essential and can also help with the skin's elasticity. Common products such as cocoa butter, lanoline and vitamin E can
help keep the skin supple and allow stretching with a lesser chance of scarring or tearing.
New stretch marks can have a vascular component to them. You will notice these marks look a little different; they may have a blue, purple or red tint. These may respond to vascular laser treatment, and if you seek it early, their appearance can be drastically reduced. When a stretch mark is mature, for example extreme stretch marks on the abdomen post-pregnancy, a great option for reducing appearance is an abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck. This procedure actually removes the abdominal skin where the stretch marks are the most apparent and then it is pulled and tightened, often completely removing the marks.
A Fractional CO2 laser has also been shown to improve the look of mature stretch marks. Most licensed and board-certified dermatologists and plastic surgeons have these lasers available in their offices.
Remember, stretch marks are not only an issue for women, and because of genetics, we cannot always prevent them. But, smart practices such as weight control and keeping the skin moisturized will allow you to combat them more easily.
Tweet @TheDoctors and let Dr. Ordon know you enjoyed his #SamsClubMag Ask The Doctors feature article.
Dr. Andrew Ordon is a board-certified surgeon in the areas of aesthetic, plastic and reconstructive surgery and co-host of the Emmy®-nominated syndicated series, The Doctors. He is a proud, founding member of the Surgical Friends Foundation that offers complimentary reconstructive surgery around the world to those who cannot afford medical treatment. Many of these patients suffer from birth defects, physical abuse and burns, among other adverse conditions.


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Unfortunately, her professional triumphs would soon be undone by personal tragedy. Ritchie had just sold a major television project when she received some devastating news: her son had been murdered.
What followed was one of the darkest periods in her life. Ritchie filed a wrongful death suit, and the resulting legal battle lasted for five years.
During that time, she developed addictions to alcohol and tranquilizers, was diagnosed with cancer and saw her savings disappear. "When things like that happen, you can either let them destroy you, or you can learn from them," she says. "I decided that I wasn't going to let them destroy me."
Ritchie got herself back on track.
She kicked her drug habit, beat the cancer and returned to writing. Things were better. However, her struggles weren't over.
Just as her life began to turn around, the writer's union went on strike, leaving Ritchie without a source of income. "We had kids and medical bills and legal bills," she says.
"We were in trouble."
The landscape industry would be the family's savior. The couple had a friend who was a design/build contractor. He was having difficulty expanding his client base. So Denise and her husband offered to provide marketing services on commission. "We figured if we could sell movies, we could sell just about anything," says Ritchie. "We just switched our hats from being producers of movies to being producers of landscape services."
Gradually, the couple learned the ins-and-outs of the landscape business. Randy earned his contractor's license, and Denise continued to hone her marketing skills. The contractor who they did the marketing for decided to retire, and the Ritchies bought the company. "We still laugh at it today," says Ritchie. "It's one thing to do a little part-time marketing in between writing gigs. It's another thing to be in charge of a working construction company."
The couple flourished in their new profession. Their business grew, and the size of the jobs they did were getting bigger. Most importantly, they loved what they were doing.
There was just one problem. Ritchie worried that the work they were doing could have adverse effects on the environment. "We had just performed the biggest job we ever had. It was a beautiful job, but something just didn't feel right to me," says Ritchie. "I've always been passionate about the environment, and the thought that some of the products we were using could be harmful to Mother Nature was really disconcerting to me."
After months of careful consideration, they came up with a plan: they would shut down the business and start a new one, a company called Eco-Partners. It would be devoted to performing sustainable practices in both the office and at the jobsite.
Ritchie poured herself into the new venture. She spent hundreds, if not thousands of hours researching products in order to ensure that the work she was doing would be as eco-friendly as possible.
"The response to the new venture was overwhelming," she says. "People want to be environmentally responsible. Sometimes, they just need someone to give them a shove in the right direction."
One day as she was standing at the checkout line in a supermarket, she spied a copy of a magazine. The cover story was on biodynamic compost. Intrigued, she purchased the magazine. "I really think it was fate, because that article changed everything. I was blown away by what biodynamic compost is capable of."
Biodynamic compost consists primarily of dairy cow manure. According to Ritchie, due to the unique stomach structure and digestive systems of dairy cows, the manure produced is a perfectly balanced, live ingredient. When it hits the soil it creates what Ritchie calls an "alive and balanced" eco-system.
"When we started using biodynamic compost, we were just floored," says Ritchie. "The plants looked amazing, and we were able to maintain them without using pesticides.
Additionally, the plants were able to thrive with 75% less water. We knew it was something that we had to introduce to the public."
That's exactly what she plans to do.
The Ritchies recently created another business, called Malibu Compost. It is the world's first manufacturer of biodynamic compost for the landscape market. The product will hit the shelves in October, and Ritchie is brimming with excitement. "Starting a new business is exciting," she says. "But this time it's extra special, because I know that what I'm doing will leave the world in better shape than I found it."
EDITOR'S NOTE: If you are interested in biodynamic compost, you can contact Denise at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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If you were to look in any motivated progressive school district these days, all the way from upper-elementary through middle and high school, you will see evidence of STEM being taught at the heart of the curriculum. Educators began realizing that the push over the last couple decades towards more and more standardized tests was creating a generation of smart knowledgable adults that were less likely to get down and dirty and "make" things to solve problems.
The foundation of STEM being the primary academic disciplines of Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in which learners utilize the "Plan, Do, Study, Act" cycle (also sometimes referred to as "Research, Design, Build, Test, Improve").
Teaching our youth to solve their own problems by tinkering, making, coding, inventing sure sounds like it is pretty great. Why don't most corporations have this same mindset for their employees?
Evidence suggests that many corporate leaders focus on the end result instead of whether the team used any structured cycles of learning. If we don't do quick tests to rule out an idea, who's to say that idea doesn't make it too far in development before we realize it just isn't going to work?
Allow your employees and teams the flexibility to do tests, try things, make crummy prototypes - so they can rule things out and solve problems before they impact your company's bottom line.
STEM is obviously good enough for our children. It should be good enough for us adults too - we're not any better off than the youth, you might say we need it even more!
Innovation Engineering can help your company become more youthful again by implementing a culture of more cycles of learning being the norm.


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Terrorists, Kiddush Clubs & Brooklyn College
Random musings on this week's current events in the mainstream media:
- It is worth noting that Osama bin Laden was killed by America and no one said he wasn't a terrorist. Indeed, the man was a terrorist – and one wonders what the difference is between Bin Laden and Hezbollah? It is sickening that Hezbollah, who receives tremendous financial support from Iran is still unlikely to be named a terrorist organization by the European Union even after EU member Bulgaria named them as being responsible for the attack last year which killed five Israelis. Hezbollah killed 241 Marines in 1983 with car bombs, hijacked a TWA American flight, blew up the Israeli Embassy in Argentina, and so much more – yet they aren't terrorists ? How can anyone possibly take the EU seriously? The United States, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and Israel must all be wrong. Or perhaps Hezbollah primarily targets the Jewish state so it's ok.
- Interesting feature story today in The Wall Street Journal about the phenomenon of "kiddush clubs," which highlighted prominent American shuls, including The Shul in Bel Harbor, The Hampton Synagogue and others. As the Wall Street Journal noted, "In the face of dwindling attendance at religious services, many rabbis have become similarly creative." Owning a PR firm, I'd argue that this exposure is good for the Jewish community and as the Rabbi of "The Shul" noted ""God didn't make the delicious stuff only for non-Jews." Living on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, I'd attest that indeed kiddushes draw more people – and if that's what it takes to get Jews in the doors, then so be it. Judaism is fun too.
- In New York City, there's debate about a recent Brooklyn College event where the Political Science department sponsored an event of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS) against Israel. Some condemn those protesting as "threatening academic freedoms." It is absurd and indeed quite simple – When one accepts funds, there are conditions. Taxpayers are paying and there are rules and conditions. Hatred of a people and bias shouldn't be sanctioned or allowed. Shame on Brooklyn College.


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For those interested in travelling sustainably, an appreciation for style need not be abandoned in the capital of all things chic.
Paris is often only seen as a fashionable destination, but for those interested in travelling sustainably, an appreciation for design needn't be abandoned in the capital of all things chic. The city is full of stylish – yet also ecologically responsible -- places to stay, shop and eat and ways to get around.
The hip boutique hotel, Le Citizen, which overlooks the buzzing Canal St Martin, is seriously trendy while still being green. Opened in 2010, the light-filled building with its pale-wood furniture and splashes of bright blue and yellow prides itself on being an eco-friendly hotel that pays close attention to its energy and water consumption and contributes to the community (for example, the mostly organic breakfast is provided by local bakers and greengrocers). The brightly-coloured Hi-Matic hotel in the east of Paris, which opened in 2011, also has a designer decor and a focus on being environmentally conscious. The self-dubbed "eco-lodge" serves 100% organic food, much of the furniture and the bed linen is made from recycled materials, toiletries are provided by "clean" skincare brand REN (free from parabans and sulphates) and the cleaning products contain non-toxic ingredients. Guests are even encouraged to only use the lift when they're feeling tired, in order to save energy.
The city's successful public bike hire scheme, Vélib, and the newer public electric car hire scheme, Autolib, provide an easy, cheap and green way of travelling around Paris for residents and visitors alike. For those who don't wish to navigate the streets of the capital themselves, the taxi company G7 has a fleet of 500 hybrid cars, which produce lower emissions than ordinary cars, and Paris' metro and bus network is quick, cheap and largely reliable.
Le Centre Commercial, a multi-brand concept store and hipsters' paradise near the Canal St Martin, provides both an eco-friendly and fashionable opportunity to shop in Paris. It stocks on-trend, high-quality women's and men's clothes and shoes made by ethical brands (many of which are made in France, such as Bleu de Paname and La Botte Gardiane), a carefully-curated selection of organic beauty products and even reclaimed vintage furniture and second-hand bicycles.
And dining eco-responsibly doesn't have to be boring. In Paris it can involve eating food prepared by a Michelin-starred chef. Yannick Alléno's affordable locavore bistro, Le Terroir Parisien uses seasonal ingredients that are sourced almost exclusively from independent producers in the Ile de France region.
Kim Laidlaw Adrey is the Paris Localite for BBC Travel. She also writes www.unlockparis.com.


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Someone stuffed my head with straw this week.
Like the scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz, I've spaced out at the wrong times and seem to be looking at the world through a fog.
It's No Mess Monday next week, I thought to myself. How can I write an update when my focus is shot?
I'd made progress with my hoarding habit (*hint hint* my closet) but hadn't done any decluttering in the last few weeks.
I felt stuck. I needed my head unstuffed so I could clean house and write about it.
So I Googled ways to get my act together and guess what I found?
The chaos of clutter kills focus and your brain's info-processing superpowers.
Scientists from the Princeton University Neuroscience Institute agree (though in more technical words than I just used). Basically, having lots of stuff around you distracts and keeps you from focusing on another thing.
Like when your Facebook notifications keep pinging while you're working on something. You can still get your To-Do done, but the repeated alerts are annoying and stops you from doing your best work.
Professional organizers say the same too. Their clients find their clutter so scary-huge they can't deal. They say they're "suffocated" and "can't breathe".
I looked at my clutter after reading that (remember the photos from the first No Mess Monday post?) and thought of how hard it felt to get up each morning surrounded by all of it.
I didn't realize it was affecting me so much.
Your clutter affects you in the same way.
When you're not at peace about your space, your ability to show up in life gets wonky.
So I took my own advice.
I used a clutter-busting hack I shared with you last month, and invited friends for an informal swap party with food and drinks. They would help me declutter and get first dibs on the stuff I was letting go of.
Here are some shots of my bedroom plus the fun comments my friends / cleaners / miracle workers made while at it.
PLUS a happy shih tzu named Skippy! Because cute dogs always rock:
We ended the weekend with a real Win-Win situation. I was over the moon with a place I felt good about, and my friends had new stuff they liked (and dinner too!).
Do you want to show up more in your job, your relationships, and life in general?
Then here's your action step for today: Declutter your messy space, even just for 15 minutes today. Invite friends, play music, just start!
It won't be finished overnight (and you may have other problems!) but this one thing will give you the energy to act in other parts of your life.
I'll leave you with inspiring words from that WebMD article I mentioned a few paragraphs up:
Do you want to follow along as I kill my hoarding habit? Sign up for my email updates!
You'll get a front-seat view of my journey plus first dibs on freebies I've made for you (including a free weekly planner delivered to your inbox right now!).
Just click on the button below to get in on the goodness twice a month (read: when a new post goes up).


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Be Aware of the Closed Captioning Pod Defaults
Last week we found out that Caption Colorado changed their IP address and port number for the Closed Captioning pod downloadable from the Connect Exchange Website. Here is the direct link to the Connect version 9 Closed Captioning Pod
The new Caption Colorado information includes:
- New Port: 11100
- New hostname: www.captionedtext.com
- New IP: 188.8.131.52
If you are experiencing any trouble with the Closed Captioning pod while using it in a Connect Meeting with Caption Colorado, please set your host to "captionedtext.com" and to port 11100 in the adobe pod. Note that the new IP, 22.214.171.124, depending on your infrastructure's network security settings, may need to be white-listed.
For an updated user's guide referencing the Closed Caption Pod, see this PDF: http://platinum.adobeconnect.com/cc/


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By Matt Sheehan
Out of 179 countries ranked in 2011, Malaysia was tied for 122nd in terms of press freedom by the Press Freedom Index (Reporters Without Borders). The organization Reporters Without Borders has been collecting data for this Index through questionnaires sent to press respondents in each of the 179 chosen countries since 2002. While the rankings that result from the Press Freedom Index are relative to other countries, it is still a useful tool to track the press freedom changes over time for specific countries. In Malaysia's case, a statistical analysis of its ranking changes over the past ten years reveals that there is a correlation value of 0.6309 between the year and Malaysia's press freedom rank, suggesting that there is a moderate, positive correlation between the two. In the time since Reporters Without Borders began collecting this data, press restrictions in Malaysia have also increased (further statistical analysis shows that Malaysia's rank has increased by an average of 2.5 ranks per year in the same timeframe). What this means is that, according to Reporters Without Borders, it is becoming more difficult to freely express ideas in Malaysia when compared to the rest of the world. In order to more fully understand the status of the free expression in Malaysia and how it compares to corresponding freedoms in the United States, a deeper look into the country's historic sociopolitical factors is warranted.
Historical Background
Much of modern-day Malaysia was born out of British colonialism. Britain's interest in Malaya (as it was then called) throughout the 18th and 19th centuries was primarily economic, revolving around rich natural resources and agriculture. However, after World War II, British policy shifted away from colonialism, which eventually resulted in the formation of Malaysia. Although the Malaysian people desired independence, they were ill-prepared to exist as a completely sovereign nation. In 1957, they achieved their goal of de jure independence from British rule, but the British presence still lingered into the 1960s. The British had been rooted in the country for such a long time that the people were having "sufficient difficulties with internal security" which led to the Malaysian government expressing concern about "any substantial reduction in British force" (Pham 160). Once the majority of the British military stationed in the area had left, a lack of internal control and racial tensions propagated by "the overall constitutional bias … decisively in the favor of the Malays" (as opposed to Chinese and Indian immigrants brought in for work during the colonial era) led to "communal rioting … on the evening of 13 May 1969," an event the Malaysians themselves understand to be "the most significant event in the country's turbulent post-independence history" (Funston 5, 208). Significant restrictions on human rights in Malaysia resulted from the backlash of these riots, and many of the laws and regulations that allowed such restrictions still exist today.
Today, Malaysia is a country of 29,179,952 people living on either a peninsula hanging off of Southeastern Asia or on part of a nearby island (CIA World Factbook). Malaysia has a healthy, developing economy that currently relies primarily on exports. However, in recent years, it has begun to shift towards a more diverse, multi-sector economy, bolstering a new emphasis on service and technology industries (CIA World Factbook). Despite a general increase in Malaysian wealth, the current state of individual rights and freedoms in Malaysia is relatively lackluster compared to the rest of the world. Malaysia exists under a constitutional monarchy with a bicameral Parliament, but the freedoms expressed in the country's constitution are still suppressed today by government control.
Historic Free Speech Issues
Malaysia's dedication to the freedom of speech has been questionable throughout its history, typically favoring control and political stability over open public discourse. Described below are three of the most prominent historical free speech issues that have occurred in Malaysia:
The Internal Security Act of 1960
The Internal Security Act (ISA) is a provision that allows for Malaysian police to hold anyone, without a trial, for up to two years if they are deemed an active or potential threat to national security (Lee 605). Regardless of whether someone is merely advocating for concepts in the abstract or actually promoting substantive harm to Malaysian security, the police may detain that person at their discretion. This law was enacted during the post-World War II era as a preventative measure to silence communists, but the broad language that it was composed of left it open to interpretation, and thus also abuse. The ISA remains an active law in Malaysia which still chills free speech.
The Race Riots of May 13, 1969
As previously noted, the riots on May 13, 1969 are one of Malaysia's most significant historical events as a sovereign country. The event as a whole was inherently tied to free speech, and the impacts that resulted had lasting repercussions on how the country perceived and treated that freedom. John Funston notes the role of public discourse in the build up to the May 13 riots:
The increasing communal polarization that occurred during the 1960s – arising out of the PAP's participation in peninsular politics, conflicts over the issue of language, and an increasing Malay consciousness of the extent to which they were being left behind in the modernization process – provided the necessary build up for May 13. … In the words of an observer, 'The unwritten law regarding communal issues was violated by both the Alliance and Opposition parties when the indulged in open, public and heated debate over such subjects.' (208)
In an effort to quell these conflicts and return to a state of order, the Malaysian government took proactive steps to remove the sparks of conflict, which in this case meant censoring political speech. The country eventually returned to stability, and Malaysia loosened its grip on political expression. However, the legal interpretations and infrastructure that provided the means for speech suppression in the late 1960s and early 1970s still loom over the heads of Malaysians, ready to silence as soon as political unrest flares up again. Unfortunately for the Malaysian people, this is exactly when they need that freedom most.
Operation Lalang
In 1987, the Malaysian government used the Internal Security Act as a suppressive tool to "detain 107 individuals across Malaysia on the ostensible grounds that they were a threat to national security by contributing to escalating inter-ethnic tensions," as well as to shut down multiple newspapers and periodicals (Lee 606). These detentions were for political purposes, used to silence dissenters of the government's policies. This egregious abuse of governmental power clearly exemplifies why Malaysia's loose protections of free expression are a threat to democracy in the country. If the voices of those out of power are punished because of their disagreement with those in power, then all hopes of social progress are snuffed out. New ideas are unable to challenge the status quo, and a stasis occurs in which oppression becomes institutionalized and irreversible.
Current Free Speech Issues
Many of the examples discussed in the "Historic Free Speech Issues" section still remain pressing issues today. Because many of Malaysia's historic free speech problems are still in a sense current, this section will entail articles about specific instances going on today that reflect many of the same issues and principles regarding free speech that have existed throughout the country's history:
Crackdown on Electoral Reform Protestors (Article 19)
On Sept. 7, 2011, a protest held by voting reform activists was curbed by Malaysian police. Those at the assembly were peacefully protesting in a public space, yet their right to free expression and assembly was met with batons, tear gas, and fire hoses. The protesters were clearly abiding by the rules through their attempts to civilly express their political opinions in the public forum with hopes to effect change through legitimate means. In this case, the police are ironically doing more harm than good in the performance of their duties; they are charged with the task to prevent riots from breaking out, but by blocking the democratic process, the police push the political dissidents into attempting to achieve change through force, the very thing they are trying to prevent.
Political satirist takes government to court over 'Cartoon-O-Phobia' (Article 19)
Jan. 18, 2012 marks the beginning of a civil trial of Zunar née Zulkifli Anwar Ulhaque versus the State over the issue of an unwarranted arrest and detention. Zunar is a common commentator on public figures and Malaysian politics through his popular political cartoons. In 2010, police raided his office, confiscating his latest cartoons and placing him under arrest for seditious behavior. Zunar's lawsuit poses a legal challenge to long seated laws inhibiting free speech and free press, such as the Sedition Act of 1948. This suit allows the Malaysian High Court an opportunity to hold these limiting laws unconstitutional, a holding that would affirm the country's dedication to both free expression and human rights in general.
Historic Free Press Issues
While Malaysia's press freedom history is closely tied to its free speech history, it is worth noting a few of the factors that relate more specifically to the press:
1948 Sedition Act
The Sedition Act of 1948 made it a punishable crime to express ideas deemed seditious by the government. Originally put in place by the British during the colonial period, the Sedition Act remained with Malaysia when it became an independent nation. The Act has since been used at different times "to ensure that certain constitutional provisions could not be questioned. … for this purpose the Sedition Act was amended making it illegal to raise sensitive issues by questioning the sovereignty of the Rulers" (Funston 214). Having a legal method of suppressing a free press discourages discourse and the democratic process because it does not allow the populace an opportunity to be fully aware of the issues, rendering any discussion that would occur incomplete. This law is still in effect today.
The Repercussions of May 13, 1969
While the May 13th riots certainly represented a willingness of the Malaysian government to restrict speech, there were also significant restrictions that applied specifically to the press that came out of the internal instability. In addition to hushing public debate, John Funston notes that "Control was also further tightened over information," and that "the local press was required to obtain all information on communal problems from the Information Co-ordinating Centre" (Funston 213). By forcing news outlets to only publish the information provided by the government, the people were presented with a consistent propaganda that lacked a challenging viewpoint. This strategy did not end at newspapers and other print publications; rather, it spread to television and radio as well, providing the Malaysian government several channels in which they could project their reality into the minds of the Malaysian people. Eventually the Information Co-ordinating Centre was shut down, but the events following the May 13th riots set the precedent of active government supervision of the press, which still lingers in Malaysia today.
Printing Presses and Publication Act of 1984
The Printing Presses and Publication Act of 1984 is an extension of the previous two historic issues that were mentioned. The Act requires publishers to obtain and renew government permits in order to legally publish their content, which are at the complete discretion of a single government official, the Home Affairs Minister. Extensive fines and jail time can be assigned to publishers who do not obtain a permit. In essence, this law allows for the Malaysian government to filter out articles that do not support their views and policies, and, "is easily used as a tool to keep print media under executive control" (CIJMalaysia). The Printing Presses and Publication Act in unison with the Sedition Act effectively keep a leash on news outlets, which are intended by the democratic process to be government watchdogs.
Current Free Press Issues
Similarly to free speech, the historic free press issues of Malaysia are also in a sense current, as many of the issues that affected the country around the time of its independence also affect the country today. One notable difference in Malaysia today that is distinguished from the aforementioned historic examples involves the role of the Internet and bloggers in the transmission of ideas to the public. A recent article published by Reporters Without Borders highlights these free speech infringements in the online context:
Many Opposition and News Sites Brought Down by Cyber-attacks in Election Run-up (Reporters Without Borders)
In April of 2011, a series of cyber-attacks on various news and opinion sites preceded a Chief Minister election in Malaysia. Reporters Without Borders notes that in a country with such stringent control over traditional media as Malaysia, online bloggers and other news sources are crucial for holding government officials accountable by keeping the public informed about their behavior. In this case, several online news sources, including one investigating allegations of election fraud by the current Chief Minister, have been blocked. Even in the Information Age, the Malaysian population still seems to be facing major difficulties in staying informed.
Critical Comparison: Malaysia vs. the United States
In a side by side comparative analysis of free expression rights in Malaysia against the United States, the States clearly have more protections for and a greater degree of commitment to these rights. As discussed in the previous sections, Malaysia's relationship with speech and press freedom is littered with laws that chill or in some cases expressly prohibit certain expression, and with instances of these laws being used politically to silence dissenters. The precedents that guide the United States Supreme Court today place far more value on protecting individual expression rights. The three Supreme Court cases New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, New York Times Co. v. United States, and Reno v. ACLU provide definitive points of contrast between the United States' and Malaysia's stances of free expression.
New York Times Co. v. Sullivan
The case New York Times Co. v. Sullivan addressed an issue regarding the ability of a public official to recover damages for false, defamatory claims made against him. The Court ruled in a 9-0 decision in favor of the New York Times holding that it would significantly chill speech if officials could threaten their critics with libel lawsuits for any falsehoods they claim (New York Times Co. v. Sullivan). This case even denounces the United States' retired Sedition Act (which is comparable to the Malaysian Sedition Act of 1948, functionally) when the opinion states "although the Sedition Act was never tested in this Court, the attack upon its validity has carried the day in the court of history" (New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, 276). As the Malaysian historical analysis above demonstrates, Malaysia takes a very different perspective on protecting speech when it comes into conflict with other issues. Both in the past and currently, the Malaysian government has no problem with silencing speakers and closing off public discussion in favor of other interests that it finds compelling.
New York Times Co. v. United States
New York Times Co. v. United States, commonly referred to as the Pentagon Papers case, represents a bold stance taken by the United States Supreme Court in protecting the freedom of the press. The case revolves around the federal government attempting to enforce prior restraint on classified war documents that the New York Times and Washington Post were preparing to publish. The Court ruled in a 6-3 decision that the newspapers could publish the documents, as the government failed to provide the Court with a compelling reason to justify prior restraint (New York Times Co. v. United States). Contrasted with Malaysia, which allows governmental filtering of the press on an arbitrary basis, the United States protects its publishers and allows for far freer access to information.
Reno v. ACLU
The case of Reno v. ACLU is an offshoot from obscenity cases, where the government attempted to criminalize the dispersion of sexual content online, in an effort to protect minors. The case resulted in a 9-0 decision for the ACLU, and the Court's decision extended first amendment protections into the realm of the Internet (Reno v. ACLU). The medium of the Internet provides individuals a great deal of access to discourse. It supersedes many of the limitations of traditional media, and allows for a far greater number of voices to affect the public discussion. This particular point of contrast to Malaysia is especially critical because the limitations on print media in Malaysia. Online dissemination represents a unique opportunity for Malaysians to become more active political participants, which is an opportunity that has been historically difficult to come by in the country. By allowing cyber-attacks and online censorship, Malaysia takes yet another step away from a commitment to the democratic process.
In a direct comparison, the United States has progressed further in its protections of free speech and free press than Malaysia has. However, Malaysia is a far younger nation with far different internal and historical contexts. Because of these differences, John Funston argues that the initial limitations on free expression "were justified in terms of the necessity to prevent discussion of sensitive issues for the smooth functioning of parliamentary democracy, and to foster national unity through redressing racial economic imbalances" (215). However, now that Malaysia is a stable, developing country, there is no excuse for the continuation of suppression laws such as the Sedition Act and the Printing Presses and Publication Act. Malaysian politicians have promised to repeal these laws, but a substantial change in commitment remains to be seen.
Works Cited
Funston, N. J. Malay Politics in Malaysia: A Study of the United Malays National Organisation and Party Islam. Kuala Lumpur: Heinemann Educational (Asia), 1980. Print.
Lee, Julian C. "The Fruits of Weeds: Taking Justice at the Commemoration of the Twentieth Anniversary of Operasi Lalang in Malaysia." The Round Table 97 (2008): 605-15. Web.
"Malaysia: Crackdown on Electoral Reform Protestors." Article 19. Web. 04 Apr. 2012.
"Many Opposition and News Sites Brought down by Cyber-attacks in Election Run-up."Reporters Without Borders. Web. 04 Apr. 2012.
"Ministry's Show-cause Letter to Star Unnecessary, Spotlights Draconian PPPA Yet Again."Centre For Independent Journalism, Malaysia. Web. 04 Apr. 2012.
New York Times Co. v. Sullivan. No. 39. Supreme Ct. of the US. 9 March 1964.
New York Times Co. v. United States. No. 1873. Supreme Ct. of the US. 30 June 1971.
Pham, P. L. Ending 'East of Suez': The British Decision to Withdraw from Malaysia and Singapore, 1964-1968. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2010. Print.
"Political Satirist Takes Government to Court over "Cartoon-O-Phobia"" IFEX. Web. 04 Apr. 2012.
"Press Freedom Index 2011-2012." Reporters Without Borders. Web. 03 Apr. 2012.
Reno v. ACLU. No. 96-511. Supreme Ct. of the US. 26 June 1997.
"The World Factbook – Malaysia." CIA.gov. Web. 4 Apr. 2012.


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Brothers Mario and Martino Prada started the Company in 1913, initially making leather goods, aimed at the aristocracy, which are still made to this day.
The luxuriousness and elegant style of the Prada eyewear is down to the use of cutting edge technology. Prada sunglasses are not only trendy but unique and exquisitely stylish. The new Prada Linea Rossa range are bold and beautiful, perfect for the fashionista.


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I am a huge All My Children fan and I love getting to catch with AMC alum, so needless to say, it was an honor to get to interview actor James Kiberd, best known as "Trevor Dillon" on ABC's All My Children from 1989-2000 (the uncle to "Hayley Vaughn," played by Kelly Ripa). After almost 11 years of not being able to act, James Kiberd is making his triumphant stage return in the Off-Broadway play The Crusade of Connor Stephens.
In The Crusade of Connor Stephens, extreme loss shakes a Texas family as it comes to terms with a tragic act of gun violence. In the midst of widespread media attention, their story becomes an allegory for the national debate over religion, tolerance, and the seedlings of hate. With humor and resilience, they will confront the ghosts of the past and discover the brutal universal truths that define the American family in the 21st century.
The Crusade of Connor Stephens will play through August 6 only! Click here for tickets!
There will be a special live streaming on Thursday, August 3 at 8pm! Click here for more info!
For more on The Crusade of Connor Stephens be sure to visit https://www.crusade2017.com and follow the show on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
1. Who or what inspired you to be an actor? Gee it's almost 40 years ago. Grants in support of my art making (I am a Painter) had lead to some expertise in arts management and a consultation for Joe Brancato's Penguin Repretory. He asked me to audition for Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf. I said to myself…Acting? Phony Baloney! But, I knew I wouldn't get it, so why do it. Then, I imagined that some day, I could be comforting a disappointed daughter after being turned down for a role she sorely wanted. "Honey, Dad auditioned for a role once and didn't get it. I know how you feel, you'll be ok." Only, I got the part…and, sadly, not the daughter. My life was forever changed.
As a painter, you spend 12-15 hours a day alone. For years on end. You are the center of that Universe. Not so as an Actor. It's about the other person! OMG! Relationship! Something at which I was totally inept. But, my God, I needed it so! Joe Brancato kept me working as an actor and brought me into the "wild unknown," with a sure and steady hand. Over the years, I returned to Penguin to some great roles on that delicious stage.
My working relationship twixt graphic art and acting is keen. There is a solid "click" of recognition of "rightness" when working with Art's physical materials. Not so with Acting, however, where impulses, emotions, relationships, bring ever changing moments different from every moment that came before, especially in front of an audience. My thrill is to bring the "click" to the acting and the emotion and impulse to the art. Serious Fun.
2. You are currently starring in the new Off-Broadway play, The Crusade of Connor Stephens, about a Texas family who suffers extreme loss as a result of gun violence. What made you want to be part of this show? As you may or may not know, 10/12/17 will be the 11th anniversary of the stage injury that took me out of commission for years. These past 10 years has been spent trying to find a way back to functionality through four operations. So, on May 9, 2016 (my hip replacement day), I woke up in my hospital bed to find a new play script forwarded to me by an actor I know and respect, Ben Curtis, with a request for me to read and consider the key role. I was astounded! Reticent - no terrified - to even consider it. But, I told myself, "it came to you - read it James." I read it. Enthralled, I asked my wife to bring me "Lear" - the next role I wanted. After I read it, I went back to Crusade.
Through the haze of the drugs, I found a profoundly disruptive play, lead by one of the most soulfully despicable characters ever written. A play that hangs our era in it's own noose of contradiction and ultimately shows us a way to redemption. Though terrified of this challenge; I just had to play this part. This was worth getting out of bed for! Could I do it? I can't even walk! Rehearsals were starting in four weeks! I started writing the producer/director/ writer, Dewey Moss to let him know I was interested. I told him I wanted to audition so we all would know what we were getting. He offered to drive out of NYC to meet & audition me in seven days - my first day out of rehab.
Saturday at 9am, I met him at the door - asked "Coffee?" "No." "Water?" "I'm good." So, I handed him the script as he came through the door and started the scenes as he found his way to a chair in the kitchen. No small talk. 20 minutes later, he was doubled over in between tears and laughter. "You have no idea how I have been trying to figure out ways to tell you how you are just not right for the role. It is such an impossible challenge…but you're perfect! Now I have to ask you - will you do it, really do it? And why? It's only a festival - three performances - and a lot of time and effort to rehearse in the city. Why would you want to do this?"
"I am doing this for me - me alone - not to get another job (as actors will do) - not for notice - not for PR. I want to see if I can still act, if I enjoy it, if I can pull off such a wickedly ambitious role.
First, my old friend, Bryan Cranston, saw the Festival Performance and compared this piece to All My Sons by Arthur Miller. "It gives us the picture of our times and the ethics, morals and values we need to live by. There is great humor, pacing, tension and passion wrapped into a compelling story." Then, Crusade won all of the main Awards in the festival, so we were off to the races.
Dewey's play sears a brand in the side of the times asking Americans to meet each other face-to-face in a conversation over who we love, what we do with guns, what is fact, what is belief, what is truth—what we kill for, what we live for, how and why do we pray?
3. What do you relate to most about your character? What is one characteristic of his you are glad you don't possess yourself? Strong, relentless surety and promulgation of his truths. Passion.
I am staggered how people hate him so. Perhaps because he so resonates our current leader…though "Big Jim" is much more rigorously trained in his thinking. At the same time, I have had audience members claim he changed their point of view.
West of NJ to California he could be seen as a hero. The play is so well-crafted, that the points of view could shift according to the community where it is performed.
His is a "truth not tolerance" position. Furthest from my own position.
4. Guns have been killing people for years, but it seems we hear about a massive shooting somewhere almost every day of our lives. How do you feel this show will either help someone who's been affected by one of these deadly shootings or perhaps change the way someone feels about instilling stronger gun laws? Wow! That's an impossible question because it doesn't involve common sense. In my experience, the only time people really take gun control seriously is when they get shot in the face. Any and all assumptions we maintain about positions on these issues only become relevant when we have direct experience of the event, its horror and the people affected. We Americans need to meet each other face-to-face in a conversation over who we love, what we do with guns, what is fact, what is belief, what is truth; what we kill for, what we live for, how and why we pray? These are not issues that merely decorate the glorious tree of America. No, No. These are the "divers-est" roots that grow that tree strong. The healthy conflict of ideas and passions that are the very roots of our Constitution. America needs the feeding of face-to-face compassion, humor and brutal talk - - that is our America. Crusade brings all these issues forward in an almost sporting event immediacy. A prize fight for the Soul of America.
5. How do you find the resilience to get through rough times in your own life? Having been disabled for the past 10 years, this is a question to which I have too many answers. Really listening to what the body is saying is both complex and simple. But of paramount importance. Having had four doctors tell me I am fine when I sure didn't feel fine, I finally found whiz bang PT at West Side Dance in Lincoln Center who could tell me why and what was so dysfunctional. Two years of hard work, 21 exercises a day brought me a new me. Also, Alexander Training is an truly liberating process.
My wife keeps joy in my life. And she reminds me that our dogs (born in our house) have opened my heart, my garden teaches me each day (humility) and nature so soothes and inspires me. I have learned, finally, that The Dark Funk changes when I move - yes physically move.
6. In this show, the family confronts the ghosts of their past. What is one past ghost you've confronted? PTSD - always needs to be respected and tended. My father - a WWII vet never dealt with his PTSD and passed it on to his family. This is something I share with my Crusade character.
7. From this confrontation, the family discovers the brutal truth that defines the American family of the 21st century. What is the most brutal truth you've discovered about yourself that you fought so hard not to believe? I think more than one brutal truth is discovered in the play…I'll say again, "We Americans need to meet each other face-to-face in a conversation over who we love, what we do with guns, what is fact, what is belief, what is truth; what we kill for, what we live for, how and why we pray? These are not issues that merely decorate the glorious tree of America. No, No. These are the "divers-est" roots that grow that tree strong. The healthy conflict of ideas and passions that are the very roots of our Constitution. America needs the feeding of face-to-face compassion, humor and brutal talk - - that is our America. Crusade brings all these issues forward in an almost sporting event immediacy. A prize fight for the Soul of America.
I am not sure how to answer this question without sounding full of bull. But I asked my wife and she immediately said it, "Honey, for some reason, you don't feel worthy of love." I am still working on it. My Alexander teacher, Judith Stern, noticed a couple of things immediately when we started. When she would work with me, she noticed that my eyes were always moving. This was me trying to remember and analyze the experience I was having. She suggested that I could either have the analysis or the experience but not both. That I could allow myself to just have the experience and begin to trust that. She also noticed that when she encouraged me to see, take in what was around me, that I would look. What happens when I "look" is I focus hard and tend to thrust my head a bit forward which moves the head out of alignment and breaks the easy flow of energy in the spine, triggering "fight or flight" response. This kind of "looking habit" usually arises in a child when the person who was to nurture that child was in fact dangerous to that child.
And ………………………………………
Common Sense
And …………………………………..
The parts of me that I share with Trump. He reminds me every day of the selfish, thoughtless, small minded, fatuous, un thinking, pompous, lying, lazy glutton that I could so easily become.
8. I can't do an interview with you without asking about your time on one of my favorite soaps, All My Children. From 1989-2000, you played "Trevor Dillon," uncle to "Hayley Vaughn," played by Kelly Ripa. First, why did you want to be part of the All My Children family? What was the best part about working with Kelly Ripa? Can you tell us one fun juicy tale from your time on the show? Kelly was an unspoiled bundle of life and joy that I wanted to play with. Whatever I could share with her was immediately soaked up and made her own. The intimacy we had was blood family in nature. Just that matter of course kind of thing. She told me right away that her dream was not so much the acting but to be a talk show host! Well Well Bang Zoom Hip Hip HoooRaaay!
Why AMC? and Juicy? Here goes! A five day gig turned into 11 years. I had been developing a character in experimental theatre from my sense that by the year 2020 America would no longer be a "White" society. That we needed to encounter other world/third world cultures—their morals and ethics. On the morning of my first day after having come home during the night from a trip, I asked my wife if she liked my "look" for the part. In her sleepiness she said "What's with the beard and the pony tail? You look like a pirate! AMC won't go for that! "That's what I want!" said I. She joked, "Then you need an earring." I grabbed one of hers, poked a hole in my ear, went off to AMC with my bloody booty." At first, they wouldn't let me in the building - so scruffy was I. Ha!
After camera rehearsal, I got called to the the producer's office (Felicia Behr). I walked in saying, "I know, cut the hair, shave the beard, axe the earring." "No, No, NO!" she said "Would you be interested in a three year contract?" "I have to think about it" said I. The next day I suggested that I write a background description of the character I would like to play for the writers to consider. To my surprise, she said great. When I submitted a 22-page document detailed to costume, set, lingo, accent and music, she was surprised and then sent it to the writers. Couple of days later, she told me they loved it! And would go ahead with my character as presented. Six months was my first contract. I wasn't sure they, AMC, would or could really do it.
Well they went along with my creation! All the names I made up for the characters on the show, the wild outfits ,the Runyonesque lingo and the other world values. At my first public appearance the first audience question asked was "What planet is this guy ("Trevor"/my character) from? I knew we all were on to something special. The shows rating went from #7 to #2 rickety split and I was having some Serious Fun!
9. Since 2001, for the most part, you have focused on stage/film work as opposed to TV. Why did you choose to focus more on the stage and film? What do you get from this work that you weren't getting from TV? Acting Chops. Bad ass scary adventures. Every day I give up what I know for what I might discover. (me). You can't do something that you don't know, if you keep on doing what you do know. (FM Alexander).
AND my new agents in LA gave me two pieces of advice….
1) Lose weight and whiten your teeth!
2) And if you really want to act you need to find away to do some theatre. We would love to see you acting.
Well, I invited them to come see me about four months later. I was opening as "Gabbo the Clown" in Merchant of Venice on a Friday Night , Saturday 10am was Henry IV Part I, 2pm Henry IV Part II, 8pm Henry V. They didn't come. And told me they couldn't work with me as I was to busy doing theater an not available for TV!
10. On "Call Me Adam" I have a section called One Percent Better, where through my own fitness commitment, I try to encourage people to improve their own life by one percent every day. What is something in your life that you want to improve by one percent better every day? Joy. (which means doing what my wife, dogs and garden tell me to do) My acting. My art making. My Garden. My dogs (they are major hunters and need a lot of clean up) Spinning! House keeping, Friends…..Have you read Twyla Tharps books?


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Lil J's says - Whether you like your dawgs plain or with every topping imaginable, we've got what you're hungry for. From Puppy Dawg 1/3 pounders to our mighty 1/2 pound Big Dawg, we've got All Beef Franks, Bratwurst, Veggie and more. More about them here.
Back to All Events
Earlier Event: August 23Trivia Hosted by The Pub Professor
Later Event: August 25BC Zhang Food Truck


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A blog about electronic cigarettes, the electronic cigarette industry, and maybe some other interesting things too. Enjoy smoking again with OK Electronic Cigarettes.
Tuesday, 30 December 2014
How many tobacco cigarette smokers will switch to electronic cigarettes?
Why are people switching?
There are many reasons why people are looking to switch from tobacco cigarettes to their electronic cigarette counterparts. These include: –
Cost savings
When you consider that a disposable electronic cigarette costs in the region of five pounds and is the equivalent of 20 tobacco cigarettes, this works out at that an equivalent price of 25p per tobacco cigarette. As we all know, a packet of 20 cigarettes in the UK can now cost upwards of eight pounds per packet which equates to 40p per cigarette. The situation is even more attractive when you bear in mind the cost of e liquid.
While it will depend upon the flavour of e liquid and the quality of e liquid which you acquire they can cost anywhere from three pounds a bottle upwards for the equivalent of 100 tobacco cigarettes. This equates to 3 pence per tobacco cigarette against an actual cost per tobacco cigarette of 40p. Any savings will depend upon the amount of cigarettes which you smoke on a regular basis but the figures are there for all to see and buying disposable electronic cigarettes and e liquid in bulk adds yet more cost savings!
Health issues
The issue of health and smoking is one which is shrouded in mystery and intrigue. Even though we are still awaiting the results of long-term medical trials into electronic cigarette use there is a growing consensus that they are at worst "less harmful" than their tobacco counterparts. This has yet to be proven beyond reasonable doubt but the data available so far certainly seems to back up the claims of many electronic cigarette companies and electronic cigarette users.
Some experts have gone as far as to suggest that electronic cigarettes offer the greatest opportunity ever to reduce tobacco addiction and improve the health of smokers. Again, this is a personal opinion from some members of the medical community and not one which has been backed up with cold hard research data so far. It is also interesting to see that the UK government is behind a recent health campaign highlighting the damage that tobacco cigarettes do to various parts of the body and the mind. There has been no mention of electronic cigarettes in this campaign which observers see as positive going forward.
Secondary smoking
Many people believe that secondary smoking was perhaps one of the major elements behind the various smoking bans introduced not only in the UK and Europe but also around the world. The idea that tobacco smokers had the right to smoke as a matter of choice seemed fair but evidence of secondary smoking issues to bystanders was not acceptable. The issue of secondary smoking and electronic cigarettes has been tested time and time again over the last few years. To date there is no evidence to suggest any significant problems when using electronic cigarettes in a crowded place. Again, we await further long-term trial data but so far there seems to be a consensus of opinion forming.
Quit smoking
At this moment in time electronic cigarettes cannot legally be advertised as quit smoking aids although a number of former tobacco smokers have highlighted their move to electronic cigarettes with many eventually quitting smoking altogether. The regulatory situation regarding electronic cigarettes and other vaping devices has not yet been crystallised by the authorities and we await further details in due course. The initial hard line approach to electronic cigarettes seems to have softened somewhat in light of various campaigns by the vaping community.
The situation in the US is very different with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) now in year three of what was supposed to be a two-year review of the industry. Many of the proposed regulations are still out to consultation with the industry and nobody really knows as yet when these regulations will be placed upon the statute books.
It seems as though the ongoing switch from tobacco cigarettes to their electronic counterparts is gathering momentum in the UK and around the world. There are in excess of 2 million regular electronic cigarette users in the UK and this figure is set to grow significantly in the short to medium term. Each individual seems to have a very different idea about why they are looking to switch to electronic cigarettes taking in matters such as cost, health and for some people the tobacco smoking ban.
Are you considering switching to electronic cigarettes in the New Year?
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Sedation Dentistry
At Eglinton Way Dentistry we understand that some patients may experience a great deal of anxiety during a visit to the dentist. We also understand that this anxiety may cause individuals to avoid dental care entirely, which can lead to dental and other health complications down the road. To ensure that each patient has a comfortable, anxiety-free, and painless dental experience at our office, we are pleased to offer sedation dentistry, an option available to adults as well as children.
Who is a candidate for sedation dentistry?
Candidates for sedation dentistry are individuals who experience high anxiety, who fear dental care as a result of a traumatic or painful experience in the past, who have a bad gag reflex, or have a limited time to undergo dental care. Sedation dentistry is especially helpful with children who have not been able to cooperate during dental visits because they are too young to understand. Sedation dentistry can be used while a patient undergoes various types of dentistry. When you visit Eglinton Way Dentistry, we will be happy to determine if you are eligible for sedation dentistry.
Have Questions?
Here are some common questions we hear about sedation dentistry:
Will I be unconscious?
You will be conscious during sedation dentistry but usually are unable to respond to your dentist until the procedure is completed. Since you will be in a deeply relaxed state during sedation, you will not be able to recall the details of the dental treatment.
Will I feel any pain during dental treatment?
With sedation dentistry, dental care is painless.
Will someone need to accompany me to the office?
You will need someone to both drive you to our office as well as home afterward if you are undergoing sedation dentistry. The sedative effects of the IV medication preclude patients from driving themselves to and from our office.
How long does sedation dentistry last?
The effects of sedation dentistry will last from two to six hours depending on the extent of dental treatment required. You will likely need to rest an additional three to four hours after leaving the office.
Contact us today to learn more about sedation dentistry and how it can benefit you.


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DISTINCT with GROUP BY
Could you give us a situation where both DISTINCT and GROUP BY are required?
Imagine a village of many families, each consisting of family members. Someone with no relatives whatsoever is a family of one. Now let us take a survey of the population, and ask, "What are the different family sizes in this village?"
create table families ( familyid tinyint , person varchar(9) ); insert into families values (1,'curly') ,(1,'larry') ,(1,'moe') ,(1,'shemp') ,(1,'joe') ,(1,'curly joe') ,(2,'fred') ,(3,'tom') ,(3,'dick') ,(3,'harry') ,(4,'huey') ,(4,'dewie') ,(4,'louie') ; select distinct count(*) as familysize from families group by familyid
The result set is 6, 1, 3. Without DISTINCT, it would be 6, 1, 3, 3. Add a few hundred more families of size 3 and you will notice the difference.
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Wayne Tyson, Owner/Broker
Having spent summers in Nevis as a child visiting his mother, Wayne longed to return to the place of his fondest childhood memories. He moved from India, where he worked in the Bollywood Film Industry, to Nevis in 2003, and started a successful business in the heart of Charlestown by the name of V's Courtyard. This allowed him to meet many people visiting and living on the island. After working for Coldwell Banker for a number of years, he naturally progressed to launch Nevis Style Realty where his experience and expertise would make the purchasing of a new home hassle free for a family or foreign investor.
Helene Robic, Partner/Sales Associate
French by birth and education, Helene Robic found her way to the Caribbean in 2003 after spending several years in London and many more in the Far East. Three months of traveling in the Caribbean and 12 islands later, Nevis became her island of choice to call home thanks to the charm and friendliness of its islanders.
With a long career in the hospitality industry, Helene still enjoys meeting people from all walks of life. In 2005, she started a furniture retail business in Nevis and established professional relationships with developers and individuals building homes. One thing led to another and Real estate became a natural progression to her career. Having honed her skills during a two year period as a sales associate with Coldwell Banker St Kitts-Nevis, Helene is now a partner with Wayne Tyson in the recently launched full service real estate company, Nevis Style Realty.
Carol Cochrane, Sales Assciate
Carol grew up in Australia and started her career in the travel business in London, which took her to work in Sydney and Hong Kong. She then worked in the music business for several years and eventually started her own Public Relations company in London.
After several years in PR she closed her company to concentrate on developing several properties in Europe and the Caribbean, some of which she still manages.
Having qualified for Economic Citizenship herself, Carol is best placed to help and personally advise clients how to benefit from the unique Citizenship Programme and the great real estate on offer through Nevis Style Realty.
Pulmattie Ross, Property Rental Specailist
With an Associate's Degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management, Nevis Style Realty welcomes its newest recruit, Ms Pulmattie Ross, affectionately known as Gullie.
Plumattie is originally from Guyana but grew up in Nevis. She has been active in the industry since 2009 and has worked in Guest Services and Administration for Oualie Beach Resort, Montpelier Plantation Inn and Nisbet Plantation Beach Club.
Having a great eye for detail and always ready to serve, she is the right person to take charge of Villa Rentals and Property Managment while handling daily office operations.
Welcome to Nevis Style Realty!
Buying real estate on St. Kitts or Nevis may be an astute investment, a lifestyle choice or the culmination of a dream. Whatever your motivation, Nevis Style Realty will find the right property for you. We are a full service real estate company that offers property management, holiday rental, property appraisal and purchasing and listing services. We will ensure that all legal aspects involved in buying, selling or renting properties are covered, giving you more time to relax and enjoy the laid back lifestyle of our Caribbean islands.
Please contact our sister company Nevis Auto Rental Ltd. for Nevis car rental services.


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In part one of our travel insurance special, we gave you a few reasons as to why you may need to buy travel insurance for your cruise holiday.
In the second part of our series, we are presenting you with five additional reasons:
Missed Connection / Trip Delay
Before you even get to your cruise there are plenty of opportunities for things to go wrong. You get half way to the airport and you realise you've left your passport on the side? You organise a taxi to get to the airport but it breaks down and you miss your flight? Or maybe due to strike action your connecting flights are delayed and you miss the boat, literally! Travel insurance will cover all of these eventualities and ensure that you meet your cruise at its first available point.
Baggage delay or loss
One of the great things of cruising is the opportunity to dress up, wear that brand new swimming costume and generally feel that bit special. However, if your luggage ends up in New York and you are departing from Miami, that could be a little difficult! Depending on the policy, either your bags will be sent to your next docking port, or if permanently lost, replacement of items up to a designated limit.
Medical Expenses
Just because you are on holiday unfortunately doesn't mean that you won't get sick. Whilst the sea air, good food and relaxation will be of obvious benefit to your health, if you've picked something up before you left, or if you unfortunately slip on deck and break your ankle, then you'll need treatment and you may be a fair way from the nearest hospital! If you get correct cover, you can rest assured that you'll receive the best treatment, as quickly as possible. Some policies may require that you pay up front for doctors or hospital treatment, but at least you can be assured that the money will be reimbursed.
Emergency evacuation / repatriation
Along with the above goes this element of the travel policy. You may spend a considerable time quite a distance from the nearest and unfortunately heart attacks, strokes, falls and breaks don't always come at a convenient time. If you need medical attention that is beyond the care available at the ship sick bay, the only option may be to medevac you to the nearest port. Helicopters don't come cheap and you don't want to be worrying about this at these times.
Involuntary job loss / Redundancy
With the current financial climate, not many people can say that they are in a secure job. In the 12 or so months between booking and departure a lot of things can change. It might be you or someone else in your party who suddenly find that they just can't afford the luxury of a holiday any more due to redundancy. It might not just affect them – if you are in a double cabin, you may well have to find either someone else to come with you, or the premium for single occupancy. Check the terms of your policy – cover for this is sometimes this is included or available as an additional option.
For many travellers, they may take the attitude of 'the odds of it happening to me are slim' and the additional cost of travel insurance may just be one too many extras. However, it is because of the cost of that special trip that travel insurance is absolutely essential. Your cruise is a big investment and you are well advised to protect it.
Click here to view our partner's travel insurance: SureSave.net


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Is It Safe to Remove an Impacted Wisdom Tooth?
September 15, 2017
While it doesn't seem to make a lot of sense, there are some parts of the body we can just sort of… do without. Like the appendix, gallbladder, or wisdom teeth. When any of these start to act up, it's painful — especially the last one. A wisdom tooth can easily become impacted, or stuck beneath the gums.
And that doesn't feel good.
But is it safe to remove an impacted wisdom tooth? Yes, says your Houston oral surgeon. Not only is extraction perfectly fine for your health, it could actually save your life by preventing the spread of infection to the brain.
Why Impaction Happens
Humans used to need wisdom teeth, back before we cooked our food. These third molars came in handy for chewing tough roots and meat — and now our diets have evolved, but our jaws still haven't. There usually isn't enough room for the wisdom teeth to grow in without issue.
Without enough space to fully emerge, the third molars may come in sideways, or they may be totally trapped beneath the gums. They can push against the surrounding teeth, causing alignment issues.
Do You Have an Impacted Wisdom Tooth?
Some of the signs that you may have an impacted wisdom tooth include:
- Swollen gums, cheek, or face
- A partially erupted wisdom tooth you can see
- A foul odor emerging from the back tooth
- Bad breath
- A bad taste in the mouth
- Jaw pain
- Difficulty opening the jaw
If one or more of your wisdom teeth are having problems, you will want to consider removal.
What to Expect From Wisdom Tooth Extraction
Wisdom tooth removals are performed under local anesthesia, which numbs the jaw. If you need extra help relaxing, additional sedation can calm the nerves and help you doze throughout the procedure. For serious impactions, you may need to be put to sleep with general anesthesia to ensure that you do not feel any pain.
To perform the removal, your oral surgeon will create a small opening in the gums. All of the bone and gum tissue covering the impacted tooth will be taken off, then the tooth will be removed. It may need to be taken out in pieces.
After the tooth has been removed, your oral surgeon will place a gauze on the site to slow bleeding and begin healing. Dissolvable stitches may also be used to close the area.
Your oral surgeon's team will send you home with precise aftercare instructions. Make sure you follow them closely to enjoy a speedy, healthy recovery.
- Eat a soft food diet for the first few days
- Plan to rest and relax after the procedure
- Do not use a straw or rinse your mouth
- Take medications as prescribed
Your symptoms should subside after several days — but if they do not, get in touch with your oral surgeon right away.
About the Authors
Dr. Steve L. Koo and Dr. Thomas M. Weil are Houston's choice for oral surgery. Both maintain a superior level of care through a commitment to continuing education and expert solutions. If you would like to learn more about wisdom tooth extraction or any of our other services, please contact us at (713) 783-5560.
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Emirates inks sponsorship deal with AC Milan
Emirates recently inked a five-year sponsorship deal with AC Milan.
Sir Tim Clark, president Emirates Airline and Barbara Berlusconi, president, AC Milan discussed synergies between the two parties in Casa Milano.
In addition to the Emirates brand appearing on the front of AC Milan's playing and training kits, the new agreement also includes branding within San Siro Stadium. AC Milan will visit Dubai later this month to compete in a friendly match against Emirates-sponsored Real Madrid.


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About Invisalign
Many individuals never wore traditional braces when they were young, however, today they desire to have straighter teeth. Another pool of individuals may actually have had braces at one time but still desire straighter teeth. With advanced technology at DentalWorks - Northville at Northville, MI, clear aligner trays, such as Invisalign, can straighten the teeth. Invisalign uses numerous sets of trays to gently and slowly shift the teeth into alignment. These clear fit snugly over the teeth and are worn throughout the day and night. They are usually only taken off for eating, drinking colored liquids, and brushing. Invisalign from our dentists at DentalWorks - Northville can effectively improve the teeth for a beautiful smile.
What to Expect
If the patient decides that Invisalign is the right choice for teeth straightening needs, treatment begins with digital X-rays of the mouth so that the trays can be made. Our dentists and the staff at DentalWorks - Northville help each patient to understand how to wear and care for their aligners, and discuss to the patient about the importance of making sure wear the aligners in for 20-22 hours a day. Invisalign are to be worn for two weeks before a new set of aligners are then provided. This is based on the progression of the teeth movement. During each visit at DentalWorks - Northville, our dentists will provide the patient a precise timeframe of how much longer they will need to wear Invisalign.
Treatment Aftercare
Once the Invisalign treatment is completed, it is important that the patient wear an Invisalign Vivera retainer to maintain the results. Most patients need to wear their retainer in place during the night. For continued success, patients should continue to visit our dentists at DentalWorks - Northville twice a year and follow a diligent home oral routine.
More Information
Insurance Coverage
The total cost of Invisalign will vary based on the complexity pertaining to the patient's teeth, and the number of sets of aligners that will be necessary. Dental insurance with orthodontics may cover some of the expense. This varies depending on the patient's coverage. The staff at DentalWorks - Northville will confirm what the patient's benefits are so that an accurate fee can be provided by our dentists during the patient's initial consultation.
Plan Your Procedure
Invisibly Aligned
For adults who have a nice smile, but desire straighter teeth, Invisalign from DentalWorks - Northville in Northville, MI are a great solution to meet your cosmetic goals. Invisible orthodontic aligners can be worn easily to provide you the smile you want. Our dentists will discuss all of the options with clear braces today and determine if Invisalign at DentalWorks - Northville is the right choice for you.