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Why Own The Computer science Self-Assessment?
The Computer science Self-Assessment will make you a Computer science domain expert by:
Reducing the effort in the Computer science work to be done to get problems solved
- Ensuring that plans of action include every Computer science task and that every Computer science outcome is in place
- Saving time investigating strategic and tactical options and ensuring Computer science opportunity costs are low
- Delivering tailored Computer science advise instantly with structured going-forward plans
All the tools you need to an in-depth Computer science Self-Assessment. Featuring 637 new and updated case-based criteria, organized into seven core areas of process design, this Self-Assessment will help you identify areas in which Computer science improvements can be made.
What Is In The Computer science Self-Assessment?
The Computer science Complete Self-Assessment Excel Dashboard
- Ensures you don't miss anything: 637 criteria in 7 RDMAICS (Recognize, Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control and Sustain) steps with easy and quick navigating and answering for 1 or up to 10 participants
- Shows your organization instant insight in areas for improvement: Auto generates reports, radar chart for maturity assessment, insights per process and participant and bespoke, ready to use, RACI Matrix
- Gives you a professional Dashboard to guide and perform a thorough Computer science Self-Assessment
- Is secure: Ensures offline data protection of your Self-Assessment results
- Dynamically prioritized projects-ready RACI Matrix shows your organization exactly what to do next
The Computer science Complete Self Assessment eBook version of the book in print
- Provides a convenient way to distribute and share among the participants to prepare and discuss the Self-Assessment
In using the Self-Assessment you will be better able to:
Diagnose Computer science projects, initiatives, organizations, businesses and processes using accepted diagnostic standards and practices
Implement evidence-based best practice strategies aligned with overall goals
- Integrate recent advances in Computer science and process design strategies into practice according to best practice guidelines
Assess And Define Computer science With This Computer science Self Assessment. Sample Questions From The Complete, 637 Criteria, Self-Assessment:
- Recognize Criterion: What prevents me from making the changes I know will make me a more effective Computer science leader?
- Define Criterion: Does Computer science include applications and information with regulatory compliance significance (or other contractual conditions that must be formally complied with) in a new or unique manner for which no approved security requirements, templates or design models exist?
- Measure Criterion: Which customers cant participate in our Computer science domain because they lack skills, wealth, or convenient access to existing solutions?
- Analyze Criterion: What are the disruptive Computer science technologies that enable our organization to radically change our business processes?
- Improve Criterion: At what point will vulnerability assessments be performed once Computer science is put into production (e.g., ongoing Risk Management after implementation)?
- Control Criterion: Whats the best design framework for Computer science organization now that, in a post industrial-age if the top-down, command and control model is no longer relevant?
- Sustain Criterion: What are the top 3 things at the forefront of our Computer science agendas for the next 3 years?
Cost/Benefit Analysis; Computer science Self-Assessment Justification And Approval Tools:
Purchasing a The Art of Service Self Assessment will spur new ideas, fast track project strategy and advance your professional skills. We've developed a set of criteria that will aid in gaining approval and give you the ability to validate and review your Self-Assessment investment:
- Excluding hired consultants and advisors from top management consulting firms, internal Computer science Self-Assessment work is typically undertaken by senior level positions with titles such as Enterprise Architect, Business Process Architects, Business Process Re-engineering Specialists and Business Architects.
Statistics according to Glassdoor and Indeed tell these positions receive an average basic pay of $125,000. Daily rates of basic pay are computed by dividing an employee's annual pay by 260 days. The daily salary is then derived by dividing the annual salary of $125,000 by 260 days = a daily rate of $480.
- Top management consulting firms start at $2,000 a day, with rates typically charged up to 40 hours per week.
For a fraction of this the Self-Assessment will make you a Computer science domain authority.
Defining, designing, creating, and implementing a process to solve a business challenge or meet a business objective is the most valuable role… In EVERY company, organization and department.
Unless you are talking a one-time, single-use project within a business, there should be a process. Whether that process is managed and implemented by humans, AI, or a combination of the two, it needs to be designed by someone with a complex enough perspective to ask the right questions. Someone capable of asking the right questions and step back and say, 'What are we really trying to accomplish here? And is there a different way to look at it?'
For more than twenty years, The Art of Service's Self-Assessments empower people who can do just that - whether their title is marketer, entrepreneur, manager, salesperson, consultant, business process manager, executive assistant, IT Manager, CxO etc... - they are the people who rule the future. They are people who watch the process as it happens, and ask the right questions to make the process work better.
Get The Computer science Self Assessment That Will Make You A Computer science Domain Expert Now.


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Two new Human Rights Council resolutions on business and human rights/
The UN Human Rights Council has adopted two new resolutions on business and human rights.
The first resolution, drafted by Ecuador and South Africa and supported by the Group of 77 and a coalition of more than 600 NGOs, directs the Council to establish an open-ended intergovernmental working group to 'elaborate an international legally binding instrument to regulate, in international human rights law, the activities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises'.
A disappointing last minute amendment to the resolution narrows its focus to transnational corporations, excluding domestic businesses from its ambit.
The second resolution, led by Norway and supported by Australia, the US, the UK and the EU, supports the existing UN Working Group and extends its mandate by another three years. It identifies access to justice for victims of corporate violations and national implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights as two areas requiring particular attention. Specifically, the resolution calls on States to 'take steps to implement the Guiding Principles, including to develop a national action plan or other such framework'.
Rachel Ball is Director of Advocacy and Campaigns at the Human Rights Law Centre.
Note: A more detailed analysis from the International Service for Human Rights can be found here.

subset: commoncrawl


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Proclamation Establishing San Francisco as a Rape Free Zone and Formally Welcoming V-Day
Proclamation establishing San Francisco as a Rape Free Zone and formally welcoming "V-Day" a global movement to stop violence against women and girls to San Francisco, February 12, 2002:
WHEREAS, "V-Day" is a global movement to stop violence against women and girls for which annual theatrical and artistic events are produced around the world to raise money and to transform consciousness generating a broader attention for the fight to stop worldwide violence against women and girls; and
WHEREAS, Violence against women does not distinguish between class, race, age or locality. Women are beaten in thatched huts, back alleys, plush hotel suites, college dorms high-rise apartments and trailer parks. Women are sold into sexual slavery, burned with acids and mutilated as little girls. Although the particular form of violence may vary from culture to culture, as a result women spend most of their lives recovering from, resisting or surviving violence rather than creating and thriving; and
WHEREAS, the money raised through "V-Day" and on its behalf, is directly donated to grassroots, national and international organizations and programs that work to end rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation (FGM) and sexual slavery; and
WHEREAS, "V-Day" showcases the creativity of women through theatrical events and performances, "The Vagina Monologues" being at the centerpiece of these events; and Now Therefore, Be It
RESOLVED, That the San Francisco Board of Supervisors declares San Francisco a Rape Free Zone and formally; welcomes "V-Day" to San Francisco, February 12, 2002.
In Recognition whereof, I have here unto set my hand and caused the Seal of the City and County of San Francisco to be affixed.
Supervisor Tom Ammiano


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William Graham Sumner is the "forgotten man" of American intellectual history. Too often dismissed or only superficially understood, his interpretations are now attracting closer scrutiny and appreciation. He is remembered chiefly as one of the founding fathers of sociology.
Sumner's analysis of the relation between the individual and society is deeper and more sophisticated than is commonly thought. For students of American history and politics, the essays reveal the complexity of American political and social thought.
Robert C. Bannister is Scheuer Professor Emeritus of History at Swarthmore College.
June 1992 | 6 x 9 | 466 pages
Foreword, editor's note, bibliographical essay, index.


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~2 new adorable snow boots from .tsg.~
releasing today 1.15.2015
Fur Platforms
@Kustom9 open now!
Price $L200/color
Snow Bunny Boots
3 metal options
@Kawaii Project open 12pm SLT
Price $L350
Both boots are mod/copy okay and UNRIGGED!
They should work with any mesh body and don't require any specific mesh feet!


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Toaster being problematic? Mobile phone giving you grief? Blender driving you mad? Laptop playing up?
Bring it along to our repair party!
A repair party is a place for people who like fixing or need things fixing - and together they work to bring poorly electronics back to life.
Disclaimer: We're happy to help you learn how to repair. We are not repair professionals, and repair parties are a community self-repair space. Attending means that you take responsiblity for your own gadget. Please back up your data. One item per person, and no microwaves please!
For more details, or to get involved email email@example.com


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2018 Inland Empire Elks' Challenge Golf Tournament
Saturday, June 30th &
Sunday, July 1st —
Moscow Elks Lodge #249, will be holding an invitational event for 4 person teams of Elks and/or spouses this summer. We are inviting any Elks lodge to participate.
The event will begin Saturday June 30th with teams playing at a time of their choice allowing teams from a distance to travel in the morning and have an afternoon tee time, if they wish. Sunday's play will be in the morning giving folks the opportunity to drive home that afternoon, although we would love to have you stick around for a few days.
This event will be held in conjunction with our annual Invitational Event and your entry into the Inland Empire Elks Challenge will also enter you in our invitational.
We have limited RV hookups (water and electric) at a nominal fee, and plenty of room for dry camping near the clubhouse.
We will provide dinner Saturday evening and breakfast Sunday morning as part of your fee of $65 per person, along with 2 rounds of golf, tee prizes, and a traveling trophy to the winning team. Lunch Saturday and Sunday will be available at bar/dining in the clubhouse.
We are proud of our course, a 9-hole Francis James' layout (think Walla Walla Country Club, Seattle Country Club, Jackson Park, Peace Portal etc.) built in the 1920's and celebrating its 90th birthday this summer while still following the original routing. We are an honest par 70 (rated 71 from the tips) test, designed to challenge good players and be playable for the rest. The course has been rounding into fine shape the last few years with some excellent work from our greens staff. We hope you can share it with us.
This is not a fundraiser for us, nor a high value competition for you. It is planned as a social occasion, with some quality golf built in, allowing members of lodges throughout the area to spend some time with other Elks.


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Sunset Ridge is a locally owned housing option designed from the top down to provide quality, comfort and convenience to both college students and young professionals living in the Columbia, Missouri area. Each single family residence features an incredible 2,000 square feet of living space with four bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and a one-car attached garage.
Each townhome comes with all of the features and amenities one would expect to help live the successful life they've always dreamed of. In addition to fully stocked kitchens that come complete with a refrigerator, range, dishwasher and microwave, a laundry room with a washer and dryer is also included. When the time has come for a little rest and relaxation, the included 40″ flat screen television with free basic cable and HBO, along with the free, high-speed Internet access right up their alley.
Sunset Ridge is also conveniently located very close to the best that the Columbia area has to offer when young professionals determine the time is right for a night on the town. The complex is close to all of the popular shops, dining, entertainment and nightlife that a person can want and is in close proximity to several major highways.
24-hour emergency maintenance services to help quickly address any and all concerns that may arise.


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Oh man, it's official wartime, the subliminal are all over. Time to talk direct, Remy was tired of all the side walkways talk (see Swalla and Make Love) and has officially called out Nicki ob her new diss track called SHetlter.
Remy isn't playing around as she went right Nicki's neck on none other than Nas' either beat.


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Creating active places and healthy people. Whatever place you're into.
Latest news
Fun Inflatable Sessions
Come and join the fun!Find out more
Ladies only swim session
at Hurst PoolFind out more
Find your place at The Hurst PoolMake my centre
Everyone's a member
We're flexible. New to activity or already in the exercise habit – you'll find a membership to suit you.
Shared experiences
Activity is fun - there's plenty for families and friends to enjoy together.
Challenge yourself
We know that offering variety keeps you active longer. Challenge yourself to try something new.
Be a part of our placeJoin today
Centre information
Find us
Molesey Hurst Recreation Ground, Dunstall Way, East Molesey, Surrey, KT8 1PD.
Parking information
Please contact us for more information
Open today until 10pm
- Mon: 7am - 10pm
- Tue: 7am - 10pm
- Wed: 7am - 10pm
- Thu: 7am - 10pm
- Fri: 7am - 10pm
- Sat: 7am - 9pm
- Sun: 7am - 9pm
Holiday opening hours
Get in touch
Manager: Daniel Zubiena
020 8941 6544
Operated by Places for People Leisure Ltd. in partnership with Elmbridge Borough Council.
- Pools
Accessibility facilities
- Disabled change
- Disabled Parking
Please contact us for more information
Help us do better
We want to hear your thoughts on your experience


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Anyway this is what my gutter mind has been thinking
Whither "Blonde" and "smart girl"
There is this ad I believe for fair and lovely which asks
"Would you rather be beautiful or smart?"
One explains
" I would rather be beautiful than smart so that I can get what I want".
Fair and Lovely thinks it can make you both beautiful and smart.
So jana I sat next to a blonde in the bus. The kind if I was a jamaa I would go for and realized the differences between the smart and blonde (as seen in "White Chicks") is too obvious
My take is be a smablonde
Beauty Regime (Blonde)
Manicures & Pedicure weekly
And those others
Beauty Regime (Smart)
Daily wash and perfume perhaps
Manicure and Pedicure once every two months if I remember
WTF moment…(Blonde Girl)
My nail broke
WTF moment …(smart)
The whole project disappeared after 6 months of hard work
Double WTF moment
He didn't notice my new hairstyle and yet it's a Tyra Banks wig
Double WTF moment (Smart)
Damn! The client now thinks I am dumb and so will my boss. So what will I tell my boss?
What's New? (Blonde)
My latest conquest drives a Lexus we we we!!
What's New (Smart)
The brass has just launched new software to make-work easier
Conversation begins with….(blonde)
I just bought a new pair of shoes which cost…$$$ SAVE it!. Ooh and I just discovered this place they do nails for…. And you know what Alex yesterday took me out to blah blah blah
Conversation begins (smart)
How is you and how is work? Did I hear you just got promoted? As for me I am taking an MBA now….blah blah blah
So would you rather be beautiful than smart?
Many smart women are beautiful anyway. But I look at blondes as girls who takes the extra mile to enhance beauty. A pounce of fat would be treated with the contempt it deserves. So when they say "brains and beauty" are a rare thing. It is not they are rare; it is the enhancement that lacks.
So who appointed me here?


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With locations throughout the state of Iowa, you are sure to find a location that is close and convenient for you. By joining the Iowa Federation of Republican Women you will automatically become a member of your local, county-based organization. Membership includes registration at the local, state, and national level! While we foster a strong community element at the state-wide level, your county organization will also have their own events, meetings, and information to share! Below is a list of all of the local clubs.
Find a Club
Find a Location Nearest You
Find a local club in Iowa: http://www.nfrw.org/directory#
The following counties have active clubs, contact the Iowa Federation of Republican Women for contact information


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NEW YORK (CBS 2) — Some instructors are turning to music to help high school students in New York City schools prepare for Regents exams.
"If you're a good educator you're going to stay in tune to what students' outside interests are and to be able to fold those into the class," Samuel Sellers, Fresh Prep instructor, told CBS 2's Mary Calvi.
For the program Fresh Prep, one teacher created 24 rap songs that review U.S. and global history – hip hop fused with the New York State curriculum to engage hard to reach students.
From the Constitution to Supreme Court cases, everything needed to pass is packed into catchy, vocabulary-dense lyrics.
"As teachers it should be our job to figure out how to take where you guys are culturally and the content you need to pass and package our content in the culture you bring into the classroom," said Jamel Mims, Fresh Prep instructor.
At Gregorio Luperon High School in Washington Heights, young immigrants are catching the beat.
"We love music and dance all of that and when we are reading we get tired and bored, so with the beat we get excited," one student said.
Only 71 percent of American students graduate high school, a figure that drops to 58 percent for Latinos and 55 percent for African Americans.
"If the beaming eyes and big smiles that they leave the class with today is any indication how they feel, then I take it to heart and it helps bolster my confidence," said Sellers.
Fresh Prep has seen promising results since its 2009 inception. Last year, 70 percent of students who had previously failed their U.S. History Regents passed after taking the program.
With the Iliad and Beowulf, among other classic examples of Western literature, being oral works, do you think incorporating music into classwork is appropriate or effective? Sound off in our comments section below…


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The world is a wild and wonderful place, filled with millions of unique animal species most of us have never even heard of.
Growing up feeling like a bit of an odd bird myself, I've always been fascinated by unusual animals and weird insects.
The Duck-billed Platypus and the Praying Mantis were both early childhood favorites of mine. Today we feel special affinity for endangered oddballs such as the Pangolin and the Dugong, which we snorkeled with in Coron, Palawan.
Getting to see strange animals such as the Baird's Tapir (in Corcovado National Park), Bushbaby (in Meru National Park), Flightless Cormorant (in the Galapagos Islands), and Hoatzin (in the Peruvian Amazon) in the wild has been one of our favorite parts of traveling the world together.
If you're attracted to weird birds, unusual amphibians, and other cool creatures like we are, then you'll love our epic guide to 60 weird animals around the world!
1. Axolotl
Also known as the Mexican Walking Fish, this amphibious salamander is critically endangered, and nearly went extinct in 2010.
They're weird animals because they don't go into metamorphosis like other salamanders: Even adults remain aquatic and gilled.
They're frequently used for research by scientists due to their ability to regenerate limbs.
Once a staple of the Aztec diet, they're now the focus of conservation efforts in Mexico City, where local NGOs are building "Axolotl shelters."
READ MORE: The Meaning of the Lorax (10 Eco-Lessons)
2. Atretochoana
This odd amphibious species was first discovered on an expedition to the Brazilian rainforest in the late 1800s.
But most people had never heard of them until workers found six of these bizarre, eyeless creatures in 2011 while draining a portion of the Madeira River (a tributary of the Amazon) for a controversial hydroelectric project.
It's also known as the "penis snake," and it's easy to see why. They're limbless, with snake-like bodies marked with earthworm-like rings, and heads that look like a portion of the male anatomy.
READ MORE: 20 Biggest Forests in the World (World Travel Bucket List)
3. Chinese Giant Salamander
The largest amphibian in the world, this critically endangered salamander can reach lengths of up to 5'9" and weigh up to 65 pounds.
Fully aquatic, they're primarily found in the rocky mountain streams and lakes of China, but have been introduced in Japan and Taiwan.
They have crazy vocalizations– from barking and hissing to whining and crying– which has earned it the Chinese nickname "the infant fish." Unfortunately the Chinese also consider it a delicacy, and use it in traditional medicine.
READ MORE: Amazing Animal Facts: A-to-Z
4. Clawed Frog
The Xenopus genus includes 20 species of aquatic frogs found in sub-Saharan Africa. What makes them weird is the fact that they cannot hop, so they have to crawl long distances in order to get from one pond to another.
The frogs have eyes on top of their flattened heads, but no eyelids or eardrums. They also cannot move their tongue, so they use small fore limbs to help during feeding.
When the lakes, ponds, and potholes they tend to favor dry up, the frogs may lie dormant for a year awaiting rain.
READ MORE: 20 Largest Lakes in the World (by Continent)
5. Eastern Long-Necked Turtle
Like a reptilian giraffe, this aptly-named turtle (commonly found in eastern Australia) has a snake-like neck that's almost as long as its entire carapace.
Rather than retracting its head back inside as you might expect, this "side-necked turtle" bends it sideways into its shell.
When threatened, the Eastern Long-neck will emit a terribly noxious odor from its musk glands, which has also earned it the nickname "The Stinker."
READ MORE: Sea Turtle Laying Eggs
6. Glass Frogs
Commonly known as Glass Frogs, members of the amphibian family Centrolenidae all share a similar small size and lime green background colors.
What makes them strange animals is the fact that certain species have translucent abdominal skin that allows you to see their insides, including heart, liver, gastrointestinal tract, and (in the case of females) eggs!
It's also a helpful feature for escaping predators, since the frogs are primarily active at night.
READ MORE: Wildlife in the Peruvian Amazon
7. Mata Mata Turtle
This South American freshwater turtle is found in the Amazon and Orinoco basins, primarily in slow-moving streams and swamps where it can stand in shallow water and stretch its nose to the surface to breathe.
It's an unusual, ancient-looking creature that's clearly made for camouflage.
It has a horny snout and flattened, triangle-shaped head that looks like fallen leaves, and a brown/black shell said to resemble bark. Measuring up to 18 inches long and weighing some 30 pounds, it's a large, triply-looking turtle!
READ MORE: A Rare Encounter With An Amazon Manatee
8. Mexican Mole Lizard
These bizarre animals, which are also commonly known as the 5-Toed Worm Lizard, are endemic to Mexico's Baja California region.
Measuring up to 9.4 inches long, it looks like a freaky hybrid– part earthworm, part mole, part salamander.
It's got a blunt head; a slender, ribbed, pink body; and two tiny forelimbs that it uses to dig underground. They live there, close to the surface, and only emerge at night or after heavy rains.
READ MORE: Swimming with Whale Sharks
9. Spike-Nosed Tree Frog
Colloquially known as the "Pinocchio Frog," this unusual animal was discovered during a Conservation International and National Geographic Society expedition to Indonesian New Guinea in 2008.
It's nickname comes from the fact that the tree frog's elongated nose grows rigid and erect when he's calling out to prospective mates, but otherwise remains limp and deflated.
Not much else is known about the species, other than the fact that it lives in the rainforest of the Foja Mountains.
READ MORE: 20 Best Mountains in the World (for your World Travel Bucket List)
10. Purple Frog
Also known as the Indian Purple Frog or Pignose Frog, this grape-colored goliath looks like Grimace (if he was a fat frog with a small head and a pointy snout).
Endemic to India's Western Ghats, the endangered frog's proboscis is designed to help it feed on its favorite food, termites.
They spend the majority of their time underground: They only surface to breed once a year, for two weeks during India's monsoon.
A breeding pair will lay up to 3,000 eggs annually in rocks along streams, then head back underground again.
READ MORE: Indian Animals: A Guide to 40 Incredible Indian Wildlife Species
11. California Condor
The largest land bird in North America, the odd-looking California Condor won't be winning any beauty contests anytime soon.
But what makes this critically endangered scavenger one of the world's weirdest birds is its size.
Ranging in length from 43 to 55 inches and weighing 15 to 31 pounds, their massive wingspan of 8 to 10 feet has had them confused with small airplanes on more than one occasion.
Theses animals are cool. They've also got some impressive skills, such as soaring for more than three miles without flapping their wings.
READ MORE: List of National Parks in America by State
12. Flightless Cormorant
Found only in the Galapagos Islands, this is one of the most rare bird species in the world, with around 1000 left.
The Flightless Cormorant is an odd bird, with black and brown feathers, brilliant turquoise eyes, and low growling voices.
Their stubby wings are about 1/3 the size they'd need to fly, but in the water they could give any sea lion a run for its money.
They use their webbed feet and powerful legs to dive down to the bottom of the ocean in search of fish, eels, octopus and other small prey.
READ MORE: 30 Amazing Galapagos Islands Animals
13. Hoatzin
Also known as the Canje Pheasant (or punk-rock bird), Hoatzin are genetically enigmatic, and there's been intense scientific debate about their evolutionary connections to other species.
The pheasant-sized bird, whose chicks possess claws on two of their wing digits, is also called the Stinkbird due to the manure-like odor caused by its unique digestive system.
Their noises are just as odd, including a bizarre variety of groans, croaks, hisses and grunts that are often associated with its body movements.
READ MORE: Punk-Rock Birds & Pimp Monkeys in the Peruvian Amazon
14. Kakapo
The Kakapo is one of the world's most endangered species, with a known population of around 125.
New Zealand's "Owl Parrot" is an undeniable odd animal– large, flightless, nocturnal and ground-dwelling, weighing up to 9 pounds at maturity.
It's the only parrot in the world that mates by lekking: Males line up to put on a mating display en masse, and the females pick their favorites.
Unfortunately these lovebirds only breed an average of three times a decade, when the fruit of the Rimu tree is abundant making it one of the most endangered birds.
READ MORE: Endangered Species that Mate for Life
15. Long-Wattled Umbrellabird
Primarily found in the humid forests of Colombia and Ecuador, the Long-wattled Umbrellabird's features are as bizarre as their name.
The males have a magnificent coiff-like crest Elvis would kill for, with hair-like feathers that extend out over their bill.
Their wattle is even weirder: It's long, black, and hangs down 16 to 17 inches from the middle of their chest.
They can inflate it during courtship rituals to draw attention, or retract it against their chest during flight.
READ MORE: Wildlife in the Ecuadorian Amazon
16. Marabou Stork
Found in Africa south of the Sahara, the Marabou Stork has a face only a mother could love.
With their long, skinny legs and feathers that look like a black jacket worn over a white dress shirt, it's easy to see how they earned their nickname, "the undertaker bird." And then there's the massive bill, the bald pink head, and a featherless wattle hanging from their neck.
Weighing up to 18 pounds, with a wingspan that can measure over nine feet, this is one of Africa's most huge and hideous birds.
READ MORE: Animals in Kenya: A Guide to 40 Species of Kenyan Wildlife
17. Oilbird
The Oilbird, known in northern South America as guácharo, is a striking beauty by contrast: Reddish-brown, with diamond-shaped white spots edged in black.
What makes this cave-dwelling fruit-eater odd is the fact that it is nocturnal, and finds its food by using echolocation (much like bats and dolphins).
And because its preferred food is the fruit of the oil palm, the aptly-named bird was once hunted and boiled down in order to extract their oil for use as fuel.
READ MORE: 10 Amazing Caves For Your World Bucket List
18. Shoebill
Also known as the Whalehead or Shoe-billed Stork, this strange bird is named for the shoe-like shape of its humongous bill, which allow it to catch surprisingly large prey.
They're found in east Africa, primarily in large tropical swamps from Sudan south to Zambia.
Seeing them in the wild is… well, wild, because they tend to stand silent and motionless for long periods of time.
With a height of 43 to 55 inches and a wingspan up to 8 feet 6 inches, these funny looking birds are hard to miss.
READ MORE: Endangered Elephants of East Africa
19. Sri Lanka Frogmouth
Related to the Nightjars, this small Frogmouth is found in the Western Ghats mountain range of South India and Sri Lanka.
They live in the dense undergrowth of tropical forests, where their grey-brown feathers make them very difficult to see.
What makes them weird is their oversized head, which gives the nocturnal bird a wide field of binocular vision, and the gaping wide hooked bill for which they are named.
The short, stiff bristles around their eyes are another attractive distinguishing feature.
READ MORE: Conserving Sri Lanka Wildlife using Poachers as Protectors
20. Superb Bird of Paradise
If you've watched documentaries such as Planet Earth or BBC Earth, you've probably seen the dazzling mating dance that makes this iridescent New Guinea beauty so special.
Their female population is unusually low and competition for mating privileges is fierce. So males will meticulously prepare their dance floor before loudly calling the object of their affection.
The dance is spectacular: He spreads his black feather cape and blue-green breast shield widely, snapping a beat with his tail feathers while hopping around her. Most of the females will reject 15-20 suitors before giving consent!
READ MORE: Galapagos Birds Photo Gallery
21. Amazon Giant Fishing Spider
Proving big can be beautiful, this spectacular spider can grow up to 8 inches, with a brilliant green, gold, and white body.
Found in South America, they're semi-aquatic and usually seen at the edge of pools or streams.
There they wait for ripples that advertise prey (insects, tadpoles, and even small fish), then run across the surface to grab it and inject their venom.
Some subspecies of these weird creatures can even encase themselves in a silver air bubble and climb beneath the water.
READ MORE: Our Rare Encounter with an Amazon Manatee
22. Assassin Bug
These alien-looking predators are related to the plant-eating Shield Bug.
But they've adapted a piercing proboscis with which they feed upon their victims (ants and bees are their favorites).
The ninja-like skills for which they're named include coating themselves with ant carcasses to disguise their pheromones and covering their legs with tree sap to grab bees out of mid-air with their sticky claws.
They may not look like much, but these clever carnivores have some seriously deadly moves!
23. Driver Ant
If you've ever seen a b-movie in which humans or animals are unexpectedly swarmed by hyper-aggressive ants, these merciless army ants (primarily found in central and east Africa) are likely the inspiration.
Sometimes called safari ants, they attack en masse, which often proves deadly for small animals when their colonies number up to 20 million members.
Their bite is painful, and their powerful jaws remain locked even if you kill the ant. Locals are known to use them to suture wounds in case of a medical emergency.
READ MORE: Top 10 Tanzania National Parks for the Ultimate Safari
24. Giant Katydid
There are some 6,400 species of katydids in the Tettigoniidae family, which are closely related to crickets.
But the Giant Long-legged Katydid, found in the montane forests of Malaysia, are easily the largest.
They can grow up to 6 inches long– large enough to cover your hand– with antennae that can grow even longer. It's leaf-life wings make great camouflage, but their long legs are relatively useless.
They cannot jump well, and rarely fly. Their high-pitched mating call makes them one of the loudest insects in the world.
READ MORE: The Top 7 Things To Do in Malaysia For Nature Lovers
25. Hickory Horned Devil
The Regal Moth (a.k.a. Royal Walnut Moth) is as beautiful as any butterfly we've seen, with stunningly vivid colors.
But in the larval stage they're known as Hickory Horned Devils, and look like something out of a horror film director's nightmares.
They eventually turn green, with huge black-tipped red horns and what look like little black spikes all over their bodies.
The nocturnal feeders don't sting, but they do curl up into a j-shape during the day that makes them look like bird poop.
26. Jumping Stick
This skinny beanpole looks like a common Giant Walking Stick. But it's more closely related to the Locust, and is named for its ability to jump and kick like a kung fu master.
Its hind legs are 2.5 times as long as its front and middle legs, allowing it to propel its 2.6-inch body up to 3 feet in a single bound.
They're also known for their odd, elongated faces, with a grasshopper-like mouth and large eyes on a stalk that help it look for predators and attract mates.
READ MORE: Amazing Animal Facts 2: Animal Olympians
27. Lantern Fly
Don't let the name fool you. This odd-looking Amazonian insect looks more like a moth than a fly, and their massive peanut-shaped heads don't light up.
They have vivid spots on their wings that some people believe help to scare off predators by mimicking the eyes of a much larger animal.
There's also a myth in certain local populations that if the bug bites someone (which it doesn't), they'll die if they don't have sex within a day. I wonder how many young men have used that line?
READ MORE: Into The Amazon Jungle
28. Orchid Mantis
This is arguably among the world's most beautiful insects outside of the butterfly family.
The Orchid Mantis is one of several species of flower mantises, which look like and mimic the flowers upon which they're often found.
Their brilliant colors can change, and range from white and yellow to pink and brown.
Each of its four legs resembles flower petals, which they use to their advantage by swaying to lure insects, then eating them.
They've also been known to eat larger vertebrates, such as lizards and frogs.
29. Scorpionfly
What fresh hell is this? Picture an ancient insect that dates back some 174 million years, with the long beak of a pterodactyl, the coloring of a wasp, and the stinger of a scorpion.
Then imagine it's closely related to a flea, and scavenges the bodies of dead invertebrates. Sounds horrifying, right?
The fact that the stinger is actually enlarged genitals might make you feel a little better, but the fact that there 350+ species of them probably won't.
30. Venezuelan Poodle Moth
Discovered in Venezuela's Gran Sabana region by Kyrgyzstan's Dr. Arthur Anker in 2009, this unusual insect looks like a cross between a poodle and an angora sweater.
Ankara's odd (some might say adorable) discovery went relatively unnoticed for several years, until someone posted his photo of the fuzzy white moth with bulging black eyes and bizarre antennae online.
It quickly went viral, but the moth (which experts believe belongs to the Artace genus) has yet to be confirmed as a new species.
31. Bactrian Camel
Native to the Steppes of Central Asia, the Bactrian Camel is differentiated from its more familiar Arabian cousins by the fact that it has two humps.
It has genetically adapted well to the region's extreme climate. It has squishy foot pads that work like snowshoes to help it keep its footing in the desert sand, and a coat that is remarkably which in winter and nearly bald in summer.
Unfortunately, though the domesticated species is plentiful, the wild ones are critically endangered.
READ MORE: 25 Biggest Deserts in the World (World Travel Bucket List)
32. Baird's Tapir
Looking like a bizarre cross between a pig, a donkey and a rhinoceros, this cow-sized mammal is an endangered species endemic to Central and South America.
Known as the Mountain Cow in Belize, it is celebrated as the national animal. Baird's tapir is most active at night, but are frequently seen during the day.
One famously attacked the Costa Rican Minister of Environment in 2006, and we were fortunate to catch one taking a catnap in Corcovado National Park.
READ MORE: 40 Amazing Costa Rica Animals
33. Chinese Water Deer
More similar to a Musk Deer than a true Deer, Water Deer are proficient swimmers who live along the rivers and islands of China and Korea.
But the Chinese subspecies is particularly unusual. What makes this deer one of the strangest animals is that it has prominent tusks, which are actually elongated canine teeth.
These especially long teeth led to the Chinese Water Deer's English nickname, the Vampire Deer.
Able to swim for several miles, the Chinese Water Deer can also pull their canines tusks back by using their facial muscles.
READ MORE: 20 Longest Rivers in the World by Continent
34. Lowland Streaked Tenrec
Genetically, the Tenrec is like a cross between a shrew, an opossum and an otter, with a 5-6 inch body, long snout and vestigial tail.
Theses unique animals are the only mammals known to use stridulation for generating sound, a method more commonly associated with insects and snakes.
Found only in the rainforests of Madagascar, its bright yellow stripes and barbed quills signal danger for predators, especially when the Tenrec vibrates them.
READ MORE: Madagascar Animals
35. Markhor
This large wild goat grazes on grass and lives in mountain ranges from Afghanistan to northern India, but it's the national animal of Pakistan.
The male Markhor can grow to over 200 pounds, has a crazy amount of hair on their chin and chest, and boasts spectacular spiraling horns atop their heads.
The world's population got down to around 2,500, but has rebounded by 20% in the last decade.
Its Persian name translates as "snake eater," and locals believe the foam they release while chewing cud can extract snakebite venom.
READ MORE: 40 Fascinating Facts about the Markhor
36. Nutria
Also known as the Coypu or river rat, this large, semi-aquatic rodent is native to subtropical South America.
It's also been introduced on other continents by fur ranchers, but its destructive feeding and burrowing behavior has turned it into an an invasive persona non grata.
The nutria has front legs for excavating roots, rhizomes, and burrows, and webbed hind feet to aid in swimming.
Weighing up to 37 pounds, they look a lot like the R.O.U.S. from The Princess Bride.
READ MORE: 10 Destructive Species You Can Eat
37. Quokka
With small population primarily found on small islands off the coast of Western Australia, this adorable marsupial was originally confused for a wild cat or a giant rat.
But it actually looks more like a tiny kangaroo, measuring approximately 20-30 inches long and weighing 6 to 11 pounds.
The cute Quokka has little fear of humans, but it is illegal to touch or feed them, as it can make the Vulnerable species sick. Fines for doing so start at $300.
READ MORE: Animal Selfies: : The Problem with Putting Ego Over Responsibility
38. Platypus
Want to know just how weird the Platypus is? The first scientists to study them (back in 1799) deemed them fake, made from sewing several different animals together!
It's easy to understand their confusion. This adorable oddball has the bill of a Duck, the feet of an Otter, the tail of a Beaver, venom in the spur of the male's foot, and it's one of only two mammals that lays eggs.
They were once hunted for their fur, but are now protected throughout their range in eastern Australia.
READ MORE: Tasmanian Devil Conservation on Maria Island
39. Saiga Antelope
Though their range today is limited to Russia and the 'stans of Central Asia, this critically endangered antelope species had a vast range during the Ice Age.
Standing 24 to 32 inches at the shoulder and weighing up to 150 pounds, these bizarre animals are known for their bloated shnozz, which looks a bit like someone docked an Elephant's trunk.
But the nose serves a valuable purpose, warming frigid air during winter while cooling and filtering out dust in the summer.
READ MORE: 50 Facts About Elephants (for World Elephant Day)
40. Zebra Duiker
Also known as the banded or striped-back Duiker, this diminutive antelope species is found in the lowland primary rain forests of West Africa.
Thought to be one of the earliest of the Duiker species to evolve, they're tiny (30-35 inches long, weighing 40-45 pounds), with short, sharp horns and zebra-like stripes that help them hide from the many predators that eat them.
They also have super-powerful nasal bones, which allow them to use their face to crack open the tough exterior of certain fruits.
41. Aye-Aye
These endangered lemurs are the world's largest nocturnal primate and have furry gremlin faces, rodent-like teeth and long Crypt Keeper-style fingers.
To find food, the Aye-Aye first taps on trees to find grubs, then chews a small hole before using their narrow middle finger to pull a tasty meal out of the wood.
Superstitious locals believe these weird animals to be harbingers of evil or death, and will often kill them on sight.
READ MORE: Madagascar: Conserving Ring-Tailed Lemurs
42. Colugo
Found in the forests of Southeast Asia, these gliders are also known as cobegos or flying lemurs (but they're not true lemurs).
They're the world's most skillful gliding mammals, using flaps of extra skin between their legs to soar from tree to tree.
Measuring 14 to 16 inches long and weighing just two to four pounds, their light build allows them to "fly" up to 230 feet.
But they're not very strong, so they have to hop slowly up the trees using their sharp claws.
READ MORE: Top 10 things to do in Coron, Palawan (Philippines)
43. Honduran White Bat
Also known as the ghost bat, this tiny (1.5-inch) cutie is one of only two white bat species in the world.
They're found only in the jungles of Central America, where they're usually seen hanging in colonies of up to 6 from heliconia plants.
They'll actually cut the large leaves of the plant, which causes them to fold down into a tent that protects the colony from rain and predators.
They are one of 15 different Latin American bat species known roost in this type of natural tent.
READ MORE: The 16 Best Mayan Ruins to Explore
44. Long-Beaked Echidna
This freaky-looking fella, found in New Guinea, is one of only two mammals in the world known to lay eggs. Yet they have the fur and lactation abilities of mammals.
They also have a pointy, beak-like snout that's two-third the length of their head; spiky spines scattered among their hair; and, in the case of males, spurs on each of their hind legs.
There are three living species, but unfortunately all of them are classified as critically endangered and they're rarely seen during the day.
45. Olinguito
Colloquially known as the "kitty bear," this cuddly cutie is actually from the raccoon family.
It was discovered in the Andes of Colombia and Ecuador in 2013, making it the first new carnivorous mammal seen in the Western Hemisphere in 35 years.
Though they resemble the Kinkajou, they're more closely related to Coatis, with extended muzzles and anal scent glands.
Not much is known about this relatively new species, but they are believed to live in trees and be solitary and fairly reclusive.
READ MORE: 20 Tallest Mountains in the World by Continent
46. Pangolin
There are eight species of Pangolin found on two different continents (Asia and Africa).
But due to poaching, deforestation, and the fact that they're the most heavily trafficked mammals in the world, two are endangered and two are critically endangered.
They look like some sort of ancient Armadillo/pine cone hybrid, with overlapping armored scales, long tongues, and stink glands like a Skunk's.
They're solitary animals, living in hollowed trees and burrows, and curl up into a ball when threatened.
READ MORE: Saving Endangered Asian Animals
47. Solenodon
Found in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti, these nocturnal, burrowing insectivores are fascinating to phylogenetic researchers because they closely resemble a species that went extinct near the end of the dinosaur era.
They may look like rodents, but they're more closely related to shrews and moles.
They're also the only mammals in the world that inject their prey with venom, using special grooves in their teeth.
48. Tarsier
With a longer fossil record than any other primate genus, fossils suggest the enormous-eyed Tarsiers of Southeast Asia haven't evolved much in the last 45 million years.
The only thing that has changed is their size: Their bodies measure 4-6 inches, with tails twice as long.
These interesting animals have enormous eyes (16mm wide– as big as their brain!), super sensitive ears, and uniquely shaped head makes them great at catching prey such as bats, birds, and insects. And their long bodies make them great leapers.
READ MORE: The Best Environmental Charities and Animal Charities
49. Water Opossum
Known locally as the Yapok, this semiaquatic opossum is found near freshwater streams and lakes in Latin America, from Mexico south to Argentina.
It is the only marsupial in the world in which both sexes have a pouch. The males place their genitalia inside their pouch while swimming (kind of like a banana hammock), which helps streamline their bodies.
The pouch is also water-tight, which keeps their young dry even when the parent is swimming.
50. Wombat
Once common in Australia, the Northern Hairy-Nosed Wombat is now one of the most rare animals in the world. It is critically endangered and is only found only in Queensland's Epping Forest National Park.
With a backwards-opening pouch and teeth that never stop growing, it's the world's largest (90 pounds) burrowing mammal.
As weird animals go, we think this one's a cutie! Unfortunately they're critically endangered due to predators such as the Dingo, with less than 100 individuals remaining.
READ MORE: Top 10 Australian National Parks (For Your World Bucket List)
51. Dumbo Octopus
Found only at extreme ocean depths of 10,000 to 13,000 feet, Grimpoteuthis is a genus containing 13 species of octopus, whose webbed tentacles look like an umbrella when spread.
Theses cool animals are known for the prominent ear-like fins that jut out comically just above their eyes (much like a certain flying Elephant from the Walt Disney stable).
Though they're found in deep waters all around the world, they rank among the most uncommon animals of the Octopus species.
52. Frilled Shark
One of the world's most rarely seen creepy animals, the Frilled Shark crosses the line into frightening, WTF territory.
Found in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans at depths of up to 5,000 feet, this rare "living fossil" is positively prehistoric.
Its monstrous appearance includes an eel-like body, six frilly pairs of gill slits, and 300 trident-shaped teeth in 25 rows that allow it to rip through prey like a knife through hot butter. Cute, huh?
READ MORE: 5 Rare Sharks Worth Saving
53. Glaucus Atlanticus
More commonly known as the Blue Dragon or Blue Sea Slug, this inch-long nudibranch is just as lethal as it is lovely.
The creature preys on the Portuguese Man o' War (which is pretty dangerous in its own right).
It stores venom in its finger-like cerata, producing a sting that causes fever, shock and even death.
These beautiful badasses are pelagic: they float upside down by using the surface tension of the water to stay up, where they're carried along by the winds and ocean currents.
54. Humpback Anglerfish
The horrifying Humpback Anglerfish (a.k.a. Humpback Blackdevil) is a species from the family Melanocetidae, or black seadevils.
Found at depths of 5,000-15,000 feet, they're 7 inches long, globular, and black as pitch, with a cavernous mouth filled with huge, fang-like teeth.
Made famous by a scene in Finding Nemo, these fish are definitely one of the coolest animals and use a bioluminescent "fishing lure" (known as the illicium) on its head to attract its unsuspecting prey.
55. Irrawaddy Dolphin
With their formidable foreheads; short, round faces; and broad, rounded flippers, this Southeast Asian species look like some anime artist's cartoonish rendering of a dolphin.
Interestingly, their genetic make-up is closely related to the killer whale. Unlike any other dolphin, the Irrawaddy's u-shaped blowhole is placed on the left of the midline and opens towards the front.
Their short beaks are also very different from those of other dolphins, with 12-19 peg-like teeth on each side of their jaws.
READ MORE: How To Grade Captive Dolphin Facilities
56. Japanese Spider Crabs
The Japanese name for this species is taka-ashi-gani, which literally translates to "tall legs crab."
These crazy animals– whose legs can span 12 feet in length, weigh up to 42 pounds, and crawl along the ocean floor like a creepy spider– looks like something that might attack Tokyo in the next Godzilla movie.
Orange, with white spots along the legs, these crabs reportedly have a very gentle disposition despite their daunting appearance.
READ MORE: Japan Photos: 15 Pictures from a Dream Come True
57. Mantis Shrimp
It may look like a cross between a crayfish, a praying mantis, and a colorful parrot, but the Mantis Shrimp is not to be trifled with: Its raptorial appendages move so quickly, they literally boil the water around them, producing shockwaves strong enough to kill prey.
Seeing its vivid colors amongst the coral reef last year in Coron, Palawan was one of the most exciting and memorable experiences we've ever had while snorkeling during our travels.
READ MORE: How To Choose A Responsible Scuba Diving Operator
58. Red-Lipped Batfish
Also known as the Galapagos Batfish, this freaky-faced fish is found in the Galapagos Islands at depths of 10 to 250 feet.
In addition to its red lips, the fish (a terrible swimmer) is distinguished by its ability to "walk" on the ocean floor using its pectoral fins.
Once they reach maturity, their dorsal fin evolves into a single spine-like projection that they primarily use to lure prey, including crustaceans and other small fish.
The illicium on its head is used for the same purpose.
READ MORE: Galapagos Islands Animals
59. Sea Pen
Easily among the weirdest animals and unusual looking creatures on this list, the colorful Sea Pen appears less like an animal and more like an ancient writing implement.
Their quill-like appearance is created by multiple polyps (each of which has eight tentacles) branching out from a single central stalk.
Found in less turbulent waters ranging from 33 to 6,600+ feet, some species can grow over six feet tall, usually positioning themselves in a current that provides a steady supply of plankton.
60. Warty Frogfish
Though it's also known as the Clown Frogfish, this globulous, warty wonder is no joke.
Found in the Indo-Pacific region, this voracious carnivore attacks any small animal within its strike range and has a huge mouth that can consume prey its own size.
Females may even eat males after mating if he doesn't move away.
They also have the ability to change colors for camouflage in their environment, which is also aided by their biofluorescence. –Bret Love


text: Share: Comments Print July 21, 2014 at 9:37 AM Monday links: Peter King rates Seahawks No. 1, and more Posted by Bob Condotta Welcome to the week when it all begins. Roughly 96 hours from now, the Seahawks will be prepping to take the field at the VMAC for the first time this season. When they do, they will remain the team to beat, in the eyes of venerable football writer Peter King of SI's MMQB. King today released his pre-season rankings and has the Seahawks at the top, writing: "I like the approach of the coach and the defense ("We're going to win again, and we don't care who knows it") and, from being with Russell Wilson a bit this offseason, I know his approach. He'll enter camp this week thinking he's got to beat out Tarvaris Jackson for the starting job." That sentence from King touches on what is an interesting dynamic coach Pete Carroll has been able to create — making the players feel as if they are the best in the NFL while alternately getting them to play every snap in practice as if their careers are on the line. King's rankings also reiterate what is a general feeling among many who cover the league — that the NFC is ahead of the AFC right now. Notice that King's top four teams are all in the NFC — Seattle. Green Bay, San Francisco and New Orleans. And yes, going by King's ratings, the two best teams in the NFL will kick it off at CenturyLink on Sept. 4. In other news. … — Some really fun numbers stuff here from Mike Tanier. One I really liked is this: A team will only use its most common "starting lineup" on offense for an average of 8 percent of plays in a year. It will only use its most common "starting defense" an average of 5.5 percent of plays for the year. I wasn't surprised the numbers were low, but I was surprised they were THAT low. The numbers reinforce anew, though, that the emphasis that we on the outside all put on who will win a specific starting job can sometimes be misplaced, especially for positions other than quarterback and maybe offensive line, another spot where there is less rotating. As we saw with the Seahawks last year, though, most other spots rotate often based on play call and situation, and a bigger deal at many positions is assessing who is in the rotation and where, and not so much specifically who is atop the depth chart. Tanier notes that the Seahawks were one of the teams to use 16 different offensive starting lineups last season. In fact, 39 different players were listed as starting at least one game for Seattle during the regular season last year (including kickers). One who didn't — OL Alvin Bailey — then officially started the Super Bowl when the team began in a formation featuring an extra tackle. — Richard Sherman's celebrity softball game Sunday appeared to be a fun time for all. You can read about it here and here. — Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk says the NFL's apparent new emphasis on illegal contact and defensive holding — which we noted on Friday — is undoubtedly aimed at the Legion of Boom. — ESPN 710's Jim Moore with 10 reasons why the Seahawks will repeat. — ESPN's voters want Paul Richardson to return punts. — Nice Q-and-A here with Phil Bates, including his thoughts on his mini-camp scuffle with Sherman. — Michael Bennett was busy Sunday — in the morning he attended a youth football camp in Ferndale that also featured Jake Locker and then hustled down to Seattle in time to take part in the Sherman softball game. Comments


text:
From the October Parish Magazine
From Lay Minister Gail …
A Harvest of Love
We all have times like this, I know, but since coming back from Croatia I haven't found a spare moment even to pick the fruit with which my fruit trees are groaning; and indeed some of the branches of the eating apples and plums have broken with the weight of the harvest.
I'm not complaining; most of the things which have packed my days and evenings have been pure pleasure. But it was at the Golden Wedding party of great friends of ours that I confided, to the acquaintance I was sitting next to, that I needed to get the 'copy' for this article in to the editor by the next day, and I hadn't even thought about what I would write. Panic! 'Write about this' he said, 'This wonderful celebration of such a happy marriage of two very dear people, surrounded by so many friends, their three happily married children and six grandchildren, and before we tucked in to the fantastic spread they had arranged, how we said Grace.'
So there it is, happiness and love are always shared, you can't keep either of them to yourself; they are infectious, and in spite of the dismal weather on that Saturday everyone left with a smile on their face and a skip in their step. The world was simply a happier and more loving place that wonderful afternoon because of the very evident love of the happy couple for one another and all their family and friends, and of our love of them.
And it made me think about what I had been up to, and the people I had met over the summer. June, July and August 2013 are going to be remembered for the fantastic weather we have enjoyed; but I believe the enjoyment comes less from the sunny days than from those with whom we share them.
The coastline of Croatia was certainly very lovely and the ancient walled towns well worth a visit, but we enjoyed the holiday above all because of the people we shared it with, and all the chats and the laughter. We have been to many concerts (and Roger has sung in some), plus two "mini operas". I served teas at Bookham Village Day, we have shared meals with friends, and some have come to stay, but always the most enjoyable part has not been the food or the entertainment, however excellent that has been, but the conversation I/we have had with people. It is the reason I like travelling by bus; I always make new friends on these trips, and shopping is no chore when you share a joke with the person behind you in the queue at Lidl.
I have just answered an email from Juliet who asked me what I most enjoyed about Greenbelt this year. We were not 'happy campers' there, but took the comfy option and stayed with long-standing friends in Cheltenham, so had lots of happy times catching up on our families and all the news. I saw several old friends at the Conference and had conversations, and shared opinions, with people on our stand, plus many more when I visited other stands. But perhaps my best experiences were meeting and talking to those I met over "coffee and chocolate brownies" in the catering area.
All this is where we meet Christ, sharing, caring, laughing, weeping together throughout all the good and bad times, the celebrations and the sorrow; with our loved ones and our best friends, but also with the stranger on the bus, or in the super market queue; the casual meeting as much as the long planned luncheon party.
Thank you Lord for this wonderful summer, thank you for all the fruit in my garden and the harvest safely gathered in, thank you above all for my daily encounters with your Son in the face of friend and stranger; and thank you too for our great friends whose 50 wonderful years of marriage has contributed so lavishly to the sum total of love in the world. Amen.
Gail Partridge


text:
Tabs too difficult? Try these video lessons and learn fast
Tone: F
Cm Gm7/C
I ve paid my dues
Cm Gm7/C
And time after time
Cm Gm7/C
I ve done my sentence
Cm Gm7/C
But commited no crime
Eb Ab
And bad mistakes
Eb Ab
I ve made a few
Eb Bb/D Cm
I ve had my share of sand kicked in my face
F7 Bb C
But I ve come through
F Am Dm Bb C
We are the champions, my friend
F Am Bb D/F#
And we ll keep on fighting till the end
Gm Bbm Bbo
We are the champions, we are the champions
F Eb/G Ab6 Bb7 Cm7
No time for loosers cause we are the champions
( Fm7 Gm7/C )
Of the world
Cm Gm7/C
I ve taken my bows
Cm Gm7/C
And my curtain calls
You brought me fame and fortune
And everything that goes with it
Cm Gm7/C
I thank you all
Eb Ab
But it s been no bed of roses
Eb Ab
No pleasure cruise
I consider it a challenge
Bb/D Cm
Before the whole human race
F7 Bb C
And I ain t gonna lose
Submit corrections
Hard to play? Try these video lessons and learn fast


text:
We have seen how useful it is to harness the power of a computer to process text on a large scale. However, now that we have the machinery of parsers and feature-based grammars, can we do anything similarly useful by analyzing the meaning of sentences? The goal of this chapter is to answer the following questions:
How can we represent natural language meaning so that a computer can process these representations?
How can we associate meaning representations with an unlimited set of sentences?
How can we use programs that connect the meaning representations of sentences to stores of knowledge?
Along the way we will learn some formal techniques in the field of logical semantics, and see how these can be used for interrogating databases that store facts about the world.
Suppose we have a program that lets us type in a natural language question and gives us back the right answer:
Which country is Athens in?
How hard is it to write such a program? And can we just use the same techniques that we've encountered so far in this book, or does it involve something new? In this section, we will show that solving the task in a restricted domain is pretty straightforward. But we will also see that to address the problem in a more general way, we have to open up a whole new box of ideas and techniques, involving the representation of meaning.
So let's start off by assuming that we have data ...
No credit card required


text:
Two weeks ago Yamaha unveiled a visually impressive but narratively unsettling video to announce the R&D of an autonomous motorcycle-riding humanoid robot called Motobot. Yamaha hopes Motobot will one day ride an unmodified motorcycle as capably as – or even better than – the best of us. Speeding at 125mph on a winding racetrack demands a high degree of accuracy and grants a low margin of error. Mechanics are as important as the mechanism when navigating hairpin turns. But the video left me with one simple looming question: What's Motobot's purpose?
Motobot looks cool but it isn't exactly practical. It's not a consumer product and certainly won't soon be found on city streets like Google's self-driving vehicles. According to a Yamaha press release, the research and technology behind Motobot is meant to help engineers increase rider safety, test rider-support systems, and open new lines of business. Perhaps with Motobot, Yamaha can push their motorcycles to a limit and subject it to stresses that are unreasonable when operated by a human driver. In this sense Motobot is a test dummy with a grip and clutch. This pursuit is absolutely honorable.
But the bot presented in Yamaha's video isn't just any old dummy – it's a speaking, apparently self-learning android that takes its mark as our competitor. The divide between the Mobot of press release and the Motobot of promotional video is stark. As the video begins Motobot seems to grapple with the same existential question I raised above: "I was created to surpass you," Motobot says of his purpose in a youthful robotic voice. "I am improving my skills everyday, but I am not sure if I can even beat the five-year-old you." It's not entirely clear what Motobot strives to surpass us in (presumably motorcycle riding) or what five-ear-old us he intends to beat (probably the five-year-old you on a tricycle) but his starting line introduction rings with the cautions of a dystopian robotic future. Are robots and AI really created to surpass us?
This all makes for an engaging, sensational, and disquieting advertisement. "Perhaps if I learn everything about you I will be able to catch up," Motobot continues in static intonation. The desire to learn is a fundament of being human and self-learning is a fundament of AI. Intelligent systems are created to learn from themselves and learn as much as they can within a given domain. But Motobot's want to learn everything about us is at odds with its task of motorcycle driving.
But just as viewers are beginning to be suspicious of the robot's intentions, Yamaha has Motobot shifts gear from enigmatic and unsettling to impressive as its shown driving down a closed course at over 60mph. His motorcycle still sports training wheels but he says, "Look, I can ride like this now", as he manages to maintain a straight line and take turns many people would find difficult. "The way you ride is both beautiful and exciting," he says, presumably to professional racers. "I am not human but there has to be something only I am capable of." It's again unspecified what Motobot's superlative task is.
Which brings us back to its purpose. In the press release Motobot is presented as an aid to researchers, a tool to teach them more about the rider-motorcycle relationship, control systems, and other nuances of operation. But the Motobot of the promotional video doesn't mention it has any role in contributing to human safety or performance. It's rather the opposite – a competitor to mankind presented as some form of future athlete. There's a divide between Motobot as a tool for driver safety and as a competitor in the promotional video. Best bet is Motobot will be a research tool – helping refine the way motorcycles suit their riders. But the question lingers: Why does Yamaha's promotional video depict Motobot as a competitive AI? The simplest answer is AI just sells better.
Credit: Yamaha


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08-13-2019 at 01:43 PM #3
Good price for the outdoor cam. That's how much I got mine for and that was rare that it ever went at that price. It's been going strong to in the Texas heat. The mic is ultra sensitive to wind and sometimes it's a pain to get it going on the Google displays.
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Channel 5's new director of PR will be tuning in to a hostile television
When Sally Osman takes up the post of director of PR at Channel Five
Broadcasting next month, she will undoubtedly find her self back in the
front line of the acrimonious television war she bowed out of two years
The former Sky director of publicity, who is currently a publishing
director at Redwood Publishing, will find C5's much publicised problem
of retuning people's video recorders just one of a long list of problems
to be tackled.
She will also be up against a hostile and defensive ITV which will pull
out all stops to ward off any further threat to its already declining
audiences. ITV will also be working hard to ensure C5 doesn't get its
hands on its advertisers who, it knows too well, are disgruntled with
rising media inflation and eager to find alternative mass audiences at a
lower cost.
C5 will also be competing against an ever increasing number of cable and
satellite channels. The launch of digital television next year will add
to the competition. With characteristic understatement Osman said in a
formal statement: 'The launch of Britain's final network broadcasting
channel, combined with the issue of retuning, is clearly a major
Osman, who declined to be interviewed, is no stranger to tough battles.
She survived three years as Sky's director of press and publicity
reporting to Sky's notoriously exacting chief executive Sam Chisholm at
a time when Sky was under siege from regulators and pressure from its
shareholders to do well.
Despite her small physique Osman is no pushover. 'Sally's terrific,
she's a feisty little thing, She has a natural talent for PR and
communications and is great with people. I'll be sorry to lose her,'
says Osman's current boss, Redwood Publishing managing director Mike
Potter. Potter's admiration for her professionalism is supported by even
harsher judges - media journalists.
'I remember when Greg Dyke was calling press conferences left, right and
centre about Sky breaking ITC codes and Sally had to find ways to put
across the Sky story even though Chisholm would not give press
conferences or give out any information,' recalls one journalist.
Osman herself is a former journalist. Educated at Solihull Girls School
and Exeter University, Osman was a trainee with Thomson regional
newspapers becoming a features writer and arts editor for the Cardiff-
based Western Mail. She joined the Daily Mail in 1986 leaving nine
months later to join the short-lived, and now defunct, London Daily
She later freelanced for woman's titles and the Radio Times for six
months before joining the Omnicom-owned contract publisher Specialist
Publications as editorial director.
After three and half years she crossed the fence into PR, moving to Sky
as deputy director of press and publicity. Osman was promoted six months
later to the director's job.
In early 1994 she became publishing director with British Sky
Broadcasting to develop Sky's existing subscriber magazine and to
develop publishing ventures with other publishers and agencies. It was
through this job that she met Redwood's Mike Potter. Redwood picked up
the contract in May 1994 to publish Sky TV Guide which has a circulation
of 2.7 million.
Potter welcomed the chance to take Osman on full time when she left
BSkyB. After initially looking after Sky TV Guide, Osman went on to be
publisher of the Harvey Nichols magazine HN and a customer magazine for
Boots the Chemist.
Osman may have been out of the broadcasting arena for two years, but she
certainly has not lost touch with it. Her name is immediately recognised
and respected by, journalists covering the field. Nor will she be
walking into the job cold. Her former Sky colleague Liz Roberts has been
holding the fort on a temporary basis until she arrives.
But with the war between ITV and C5 well under way, Osman will have
little chance to slip into the job gradually.
1981 Trainee reporter, Thomson regional newspaper
1986 Reporter, Daily Mail
1991 Deputy director press and publicity, Sky
1994 Publishing director, BSkyB
1996 Head of corporate and public relations, Channel 5


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I had some of these done but haven't had a chance to post them lately. When we were on vacation we went to a museum and they had a sculpture that was the inspiration for the tree shapes. I love Autumn because of the beautiful colors and the harvest that it brings so it was a delight to use the sketches from our trip to create these cards.
The card on the left is a one layer card of birch trees with the color behind representing the fall colors. This was Scored, Sketched, Stenciled, Sponged and Stampscape's Sentiment.
The Card on the right is a sketched and water colored birch scene. When dried it was stamped with pines and geese from Stampscapes. The trees were inspired by a sculpture at the museum. That is why they are so childlike in manner. The color behind can be interrupted as the fall colors in the forest or the sky~ENJOY!
Card Challenges:
Craft A Scene Trees Challenge
One Layer Wednesday :Scoring


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Child of Existence, Child of Society: Audio CD
by Jon Schreiber
Special price: $18 (Cover Price $20)
You can find audio samples here!
Free domestic shipping in the US and 10% off the cover price for internet and phone orders!
Please make checks out to "Breema Center Publishing".
The Breema Center
6076 Claremont Avenue, Oakland, CA 94618
tel (800) 452-1008, fax (510) 428-9235
or [email protected]


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Let's start with the original sketch in its entirety. It's pretty basic at this point. A rough sketch that sets the panels up, early dialogue, all done on scrap paper. When I set about drawing the comic properly, it'll be in my sketchbook.
Here's a detail. A quick gestural drawing, just to establish how the aristocrat greets Barbisol. I don't need much detail here because the aristocrat always seems to say hello the same way.
As you can see, I'd originally planned to have Barbisol sing himself a little tune while waiting to see the new hat. And yes, I did consider having him sing "With a Little Bit o' Luck" from My Fair Lady.
More tomorrow!


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'Thought Leaders', and 'Thought Leadership', there's so much in the air these days, isn't it? Well, here we'll attempt to throw some light on a topic that has taken the Digital marketing space by storm.
Precisely we shall go on to describe it as, 'A strategy that represents individuals' or brands' unique perspective on a key issue and the steps taken to identify themselves as experts among stakeholder groups.' Thought Leadership should be an entry point to a relationship. It should intrigue, challenge and inspire even people already familiar with a Company.
Moving ahead with Thought Leadership
As Daniel Rasmus says, "Thought leadership should help start a relationship where none exists, and it should enhance existing relationships." Additionally, thought leadership content has to be conveyed in the right way and via the right platform. The communication medium must befit the message. Otherwise, it runs the risk of falling on deaf ears or worse, creating a negative backlash.
Leveraging Thought Leadership Strategy
There are a few questions to ask yourself before you step forward to strategize thought leadership content. Do you think the message that you're conveying will benefit existing users/ followers or is it perhaps more suited to the stakeholders of an organization? Does it influence opinions or does it create solutions to vexing issues? Can the topic be kept in continuum or is it a restricted one time addressal. These are just some of the points that need to be mulled over before the content goes out on the www.
To elucidate the above points, we comprehend here, that thought leadership is the perceived advantage a Company achieves in the minds of its stakeholders in relation to a theme or topic that is of central importance. It is a key component of content marketing.
You can only compete if your content is differentiated. You also have to define all of your customer's challenges and define the best ways to overcome them. Thought leadership content can help anyone involved in the business decision to gain alignment among their peers, which is often no small task.
And for digital marketers, Thought Leadership allows to define the category of a solution or brand purpose in customer terms. Hence, all consumer companies can use thought leadership effectively to support their overall mission and to define authority in their space.
Our Manifesto
We take the Thought leadership path by discovering, defining and engaging audiences! We, at Open Designs, truly believe to have acquired a capability to not only learn new things, to not only discover them for the first time, but to educate others, selflessly.
As a Company that exemplifies and communicates thought leadership, we expose our thought leaders to become part of the conversation, early in the consumer journey. At Open Designs, our Project Coordinators, Client servicing executives, Digital Marketers, Bloggers, Content Strategists, Social Media geeks (to name a few) exhibit thought leadership at every stage of the buying cycle and we strongly believe to have begun the process of becoming a social business- real people with real faces talking to real customers and buyers.
Our marketers and client servicing executives formulate insightful points of view on the issues faced by prospects and customers and interact to enlighten them creating an exchange of value and positioning the company as a trusted resource. This helps to establish the affinity, authenticity and trust that they desire for our brand's relationship with customers.
Thought leadership is about perception
If you're the most helpful, smart, nice and empathic person within your area of expertise you're not per se a thought leader. Times have changed. Great people-oriented subject matter experts need to be visible and speak out in a more or less public way to be perceived as thought leaders. Like it or not: personal branding plays a huge role now and sadly it's often about creating popular content, even if perceived thought leaders sometimes have zilch practice experience in the topics they write or talk about. That's not always a must: don't think the best analysts, subject matter experts or journalists on any given subject always have practice experience. We can't all become presidents or senators but we can be brilliant political analysts. In marketing, practice and experience obviously are more important.
A Quick Takeaway
The benefits of Thought leadership start with brand affinity. To successfully engage B2B buyers, thought leadership marketing must check off some key attributes that go beyond content and solution marketing. True thought leadership should be a gift to the market that is given without any expectation of immediate commercial return. Some of the frame works are listed below for thought leadership marketing.
- Identify the audience members you want to engage, understand the issues they face, and determine what impression you want that audience to have of your firm.
- Develop a thought leadership platform consisting of one big idea about the trends affecting your industry and a hierarchy of supporting points of view on the major issues your audience faces.
- Engage the audience previously identified in a true dialogue by developing a communication plan that distributes your thought leadership ideas across all own, earned, and paid channels.
- Assess the outreach in terms of leads, sales, and market influence.
A hallmark of true thought leadership is the confidence to take the route that 99.9 percent of industry experts don't even see. Will you?


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Medrit Vasur was a blacksmith and the husband[1] of the Mandalorian bounty hunter named Goran Beviin.
Although Goran's line of work meant that he was often away for long stretches while Medrit remained on Mandalore their long, happy marriage spanned from well before 25 ABY until after 40 ABY; early in the Yuuzhan Vong War, they also adopted Dinua Jeban, a fourteen-year-old Mandalorian war orphan.
After Sintas Vel was awakened from carbon freeze, he let Hayca Mekket know she might be needed when Fett let loose his lack of confidence in Beluine's ability. When Jaina Solo came to train under Fett, he forged the Mandalore a set of his own beskar upper body armor, though Goran had wanted a set of greaves made as well. He would later be told of the true identity of Gotab by Solo but believed the matter closed after learning he had willingly chosen to be a Mando'ad instead of a Jedi.
Behind the scenesEdit
Medrit's gender has been specified in Legends as male, making Goran and Medrit the first explicitly gay couple in Star Wars literature.
Although the Dramatis Personae at the beginning of Legacy of the Force: Sacrifice lists his name as Medrit Beviin, he's introduced in the text of the novel itself as Medrit Vasur. He is also called Medrit Beviin in The Essential Reader's Companion.
- Boba Fett: A Practical Man (First mentioned)
- Legacy of the Force: Sacrifice (First appearance) (First identified as Medrit Vasur)
- Legacy of the Force: Revelation


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At Aspire, we work with YOUR needs and have created the ideal training atmosphere that YOU have asked for! Focused on results, impeccable service and a private, exclusive experience for our most discerning clients.
Why do you do physical activity to achieve wellness?
Lose weight, live a healthy lifestyle, get stronger, perform better, have more energy or JUST BECAUSE IT DEFINES WHO YOU ARE?
Those are goals.
Why do you want to lose weight?
Why do you want to achieve a fitter body?
Improve performance in sport, look better, feel better, more energetic lifestyle etc.
Now those are Aspirations!
Goals are concrete and tangible objectives that people want to achieve over the short term.
Aspirations are what people would like to be, intangible objectives to be achieved in the longer term.
Aspirations drive the deepest motivation to results.
By leveraging aspirations we can help more people live an active lifestyle for a longer period of time.
At Aspire, it's not just about working out. Sure, the physical component of training and exercise is import to build the foundation for success in all areas of your life. But that's where the similarities stop. Aspire is all about RESULTS and achieving a strategic, balanced lifestyle.
Our team of dedicated personal trainers and coaches in Bangkok ensure you have the tools to make better decisions and maintain a result driven focus for other 165 hours of your week. In becoming a privileged Aspire member, you will also receive the following benefits and programs to support your health and lifestyle objectives.
In addition, here are just some of the benefits:
Aspire is the only systemised, result driven fitness facility in Bangkok. With a dedicated team of professional coaches, standing reading to help you achieve your goals and be the best version of YOU.
There is nothing else like it. Life changing.


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Visiting Komodo islands is probably the most sensible idea of vacationing, especially if you are a diving enthusiast. Located in the Indon...
Visiting Komodo islands is probably the most sensible idea of vacationing, especially if you are a diving enthusiast. Located in the Indonesian region, Komodo Islands offer divers, some of the most breath-taking and pristine, diving locations that are rated among the top diving destinations across the globe. In the recent times, liveaboard diving has gained a significant popularity among the tourists. As opposed to the conventional shore based diving, liveaboard diving offer divers a much more enriched diving experience and allows them to heighten the indulgence in their diving spree.
Read Also : Get lost in the magic of Goa!
Rounded up below are some of the compelling reasons that are probably enough to drive you towards opting liveaboard diving as your preferable mode of diving excursion at Komodo Islands. Let's have a look at them.
Top 6 Reasons to Go For Komodo Liveaboard Diving
1. Increased Diving Opportunities
Usually liveaboard diving trips stretch to the extent of days. This provides you with ample diving opportunities. You simply don't have to worry about time running out, so is the case in land based diving excursions. You can put on the diving gear at any point of time, and jump in the ocean to experience some of the most exotic and unspoiled marine life of Komodo Islandic waters.
2. Enjoy On-Board Perks
The divers at liveaboard diving trips are welcomed with a number of perks that shore based diving never offers to tourists. They can enjoy the most exotic and rear sea cuisine and savor the dishes cooked right on the boat. The staff personnel at these trips are rather helpful; therefore, it is comparatively easier to acclimate with them.
3. Visit Empty Dive Sites
A liveaboard trip offers you the luxury of waking up at empty diving sites that are otherwise crowded with tourists bustling in after-dawn. Popular diving destinations become flooded with tourists during the day that diminishes the likelihood of serene and tranquil diving. The tourist's onboard liveaboard boats are usually the first ones to arrive at diving sites and they are long gone before the actual crowd kicks in.
4. Hone your Diving Skills
On a liveaboard diving trip, you have plenty of time to polish your diving skills to further heighten the pleasure. Plenty of dives on a daily basis improves your approach towards diving and enhances your diving capabilities. The staff at liveaboard diving boats are more than willing to guide you in a proper fashion. You can ask as many questions from these experienced divers and get cleared on doubts you may have in your mind. This leads to adding to your overall diving experience.
5. Meet People with Same Interests
Liveaboard diving excursions are a great way of making new friends who share the same interest. You get to meet fellow diving fanatics, who get added to your social circle. Diving with people with common interests is destined to provide you with a great amount of pleasure.
6. Explore More
Liveaboard diving vessels take you to most isolated diving spots that remain untouched to the otherwise adulterated world. These trips allow you to explore the secluded regions of Komodo Islands that offer you the most amazing diving experience and allow you to experience the wonderful marine life at these islands.
The advantages mentioned above of Komodo liveaboard diving trips are probably just enough to motivate you towards planning a liveaboard diving trip. Therefore, the next time you plan a diving vacation, consider Komodo islands as your preferred destination. If you have some more queries on this context, you may place them in the comment section below.


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What Schools Can Do to Help Gay/lesbian/bisexual Youth: A Harm Reduction Approach
van Wormer, Katherine, McKinney, Robin, Adolescence
The harm reduction model is gaining currency in the addictions field worldwide. The theme of this approach, from the treatment perspective, is to "meet clients where they are " and help them protect themselves from harm. According to Denning (2000), "The primary principle is to accept the fact that people do engage in high-risk behaviors and to commit to helping those people reduce the harm associated with their behavior" (p. 4). The harm reduction approach is relevant for gay and lesbian youth, who are the same as all young people when it comes to many of the risks related to early and secretive sexual activity, accompanied, as it so often is, by alcohol and other drug use. Here, however, problems are compounded by the absence of social support, adult role models, and relevant sex education within a heterosexist school environment.
We do not need extensive research to understand the situation: mistreatment of youth who seem different, mistreatment by other youth who fear, deep down, that they may be different too. Further, those who are taunted the most generally lack the protection of family members, teachers, and religious leaders, the people to whom youth usually turn for support. This paper discusses the social dynamics of school harassment and then describes promising programs that are being developed for the benefit of all children. An argument is made for schools to hire, not fire, openly gay and lesbian teachers to serve as positive role models, and for every school to employ one or more social workers to help create a climate of support and acceptance.
Data, limited though they may be, from various international sources on suicide rates, substance-abuse involvement, and other self-destructive behaviors indicate that the school system in the U.S., Europe, and to a lesser extent Canada is largely a toxic environment for gender-nonconforming girls and boys. The fact that these data are relatively limited reflects the lack of research that has been conducted on the intense discrimination that some children experience. Research on strategies for reducing homophobia (fear of homosexuality) and heterosexism (neglect of, and prejudice against, nonheterosexuals) is also sadly lacking.
When formal instruction about sexuality occurs in school classrooms, homosexuality often is omitted or mentioned in a negative context. By addressing only intercourse prevention, abstinence-only programs present a very heterosexist view of sexuality. The assumption is that there are no gay, lesbian, and bisexual students in the class or that they do not count. Schools, which could do so much, are doing little.
Statistics on verbal, physical, and sexual harassment at school tell the same story worldwide. A survey by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN, 1999) showed that 90% of students from across the U.S. had heard anti-gay epithets at school, many from teachers. Sixty-nine percent of the gay and lesbian teens reported verbal or physical harassment at school.
In the United Kingdom, attention is being devoted to the fate of schoolchildren who face intimidation (Charles, 2000). In an interview of 190 lesbian and gay young adults who were bullied at school, researchers found that four out of ten bullied about their sexuality attempted suicide or harmed themselves by cutting or burning their skin. Many dropped out of school. More than one in six suffered post-traumatic stress disorder in later life. It was found that the bullying started at age ten, before they had even begun to think of their sexual orientation. It was concluded that the schools were doing little about the problem; some counselors were even making things worse.
In parts of the Middle East, all forms of out-of-wedlock sexuality are suppressed with a vengeance: adulterers and gays are beaten or worse. In a climate of severe oppression of women, lesbians rarely reveal their sexual orientation. …


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|Sighting Report
|Occurred : 7/15/2007 22:00 (Entered as : 07/15/2007 22:00)
Reported: 10/26/2011 9:38:51 AM 09:38
Posted: 12/12/2011
Location: Wenatchee, WA
Shape: Sphere
Duration:5 minutes
|Twin satellites moving together and one shoots off in to space
In July 2007 my wife and I were sitting in a field in eastern Washington state late one warm crystal clear night and I was staring up at the stars and noticed what I thought were a couple of orbiting satellites that were travelling in the same direction and fairly close to each other as far as satellites go. I mentioned it to my wife and she looked up and she saw what I saw. What appeared to be two Sat's moving in the same direction and very close to each other. She turned away and just said, "What a coincidence that has to be a million to one chance to see that in the sky."
I continued to watch and noticed that both of them stopped at the same time and same spot in the sky side by side. They stayed in that position for about a minute or longer. They didn't drift the entire time I was watching. They appeared to be fixed in one position together. They had the same brightness of orbiting Sat's, no blinking lights or changing colors. I said to my wife, "Lookup the two Sat's have stopped."
She looked up just in time to see one of them shoot off into space in a blink of an eye. There was no streak of light like a meteor entering our atmosphere just a bright ball heading off in to the darkness of space. The other Sat resumed on its original course from the Northwest to the Southeast. I have seen a lot of Sat's in my day but I would have to be hard pressed to say that those two bright balls of light were your average Sat's.
We are your average people, I believe that there is something out there my wife does not. But she was shocked at what we saw that night.


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Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Best Dressed 2013
From Kid Independent:
"The funds raised through "Best Dressed 2013″ will be used by World Families Australia to educate a group of children from a small community in Liwan, Ethiopia. These children come from illiterate families and are among the FIRST to be educated. They are the future doctors, nurses, teachers, etc in their village and their education will not only change their own lives but the lives of their families, their local community and future generations."
What a great project to support. If you have a daughter, granddaughter, niece or friend who would love this dress for their birthday or even Christmas, now is a great time to support such a worthy cause.
Posted by Alicia at 2:18 PM 1 comment:
Labels: charity, handmade clothing, Sewing
Friday, March 1, 2013
Op shop finds and second hand challenge update
The picture above is of a few of my favourite recent op shop finds- a pair of vintage bed sheets which I'll use to make upcycled nighties or pyjama pants for my shop, a gorgeous St. Albans mohair rug, and a brand new pair of Ish shoes (handmade leather shoes from the Otways), that will fit Evie in a few years ($2!)
As for a challenge for this year- I plan to buy no meat from the supermarket. I'm trying to not buy much at all from the supermarket, I'll get food from other places where possible, and support small local businesses. It has been made easier with a local business (in my local shopping strip) called Warren & Hutch, who sell free range and organic meats, local where possible. We don't eat a lot of meat, and I mostly eat chicken and fish, but when we do, it must be ethically sourced. Warren & Hutch has new owners who have given it a fresh renovation, and are bringing in more local foods, I'm now buying Shultz's organic milk from there too. This challenge should be quite easy!
Posted by Alicia at 9:59 AM 3 comments:
Labels: ethical, local, new year goals, op shopping, second hand finds, sustainable, the good life, thrifting
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