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Local Government
Board Chairman Murray makes political, state financial restitution waves
One political bombshell punctuated the balance of the Tuesday morning, September 3, Warren County Board of Supervisors meeting. That was Board Chairman Dan Murray's announcement that he was dropping any partisan political allegiance for the balance of his tenure on the local political scene. Murray has announced his retirement from the board for personal and health reasons at the end of his current term when November board election winners are sworn in to begin 2020.
"Looking at the political atmosphere in this county and the disruptions in this county, I have done some soul searching. And it is very hard to be true and transparent and to consider myself a member of any one political party. So I would like to publicly announce that I'm independent," Murray said during reports of board members, adding, "I do not vote a party line, I vote for what's best for where I live. So that violates the party's policies and procedures and being that I'm violating those I'm declaring myself an independent."
Murray has been a Warren County Republican Committee member his entire term on the county board. He won an unusual three-way race for the North River District seat on the Warren County Board of Supervisors in November 2011.
In that race former county Republican Committee member and Front Royal Town Councilman Chris Holloway declared himself a Democrat and with a contingent of 15 to 20 friends secured the Democratic Committee North River caucus nomination away from incumbent Democrat Glenn White. If memory serves, White was the county's lone sitting incumbent Democrat at the time. In reaction to that, Democratic Committee member Tory Failmezger jumped into the race as an Independent write-in candidate.
With the opposition vote thus split, Murray won as the Republican Committee nominee. It is a four-year term he has once since been reelected to.
Prior to that announcement Murray forwarded the McShin Foundation initiative to see that some state-recovered funding from litigation seeking restitution from major pharmaceutical companies for their pushing of highly-addictive opioid drugs into the prescription marketplace in recent years, be funneled into inmate substance-abuse recovery and rehabilitation programs.
A path forward from drug-fueled criminality – if anyone cares to listen
Murray noted the grassroots and local municipal foundation upon which that effort may need to spring from. The goal is acquiring a portion of state-controlled settlement or court-ordered pharmaceutical assets to assist funding of such proactive programs designed to limit criminal recidivism. The topic was part of a closed session discussion with legal representation for such an effort.
See Murray's drug rehab funding initiative, political independence announcement and other County business in the linked Royal Examiner video:
Local Government
Sign, sign everywhere a sign
This is the season where political signs are everywhere. Questions have been asked about these signs. The answers in this conversation with Warren County Zoning Administrator Joe Petty and Front Royal Zoning Administrator Jeremy Camp. They are in the Royal Examiner studio with our publisher Mike McCool.
EDA in Focus
EDA – Do we want something different? Now is the time to say
"Do we want something different? Now is the time to say, " said Councilman Jacob Meza.
At the Front Royal Town Council work session on September 16, 2019, Councilman Meza gave an update from the recent EDA Reform Committee meeting. During this discussion, Mayor Matt Tederick brought up the probability of the Town to create its own Economic Development Authority. He said that it would not be uncommon as other communities in Virginia have established such entities.
EDA Reform Committee receives audit update; reviews properties
The discussion continued concerning the "double" draws from the Towns line of credit. Mayor Tederick said, "As soon as the Town was aware of the transaction, Town officials reported to the proper authorities of what gave the appearance of something inappropriate." He went on and said, "We're not paying for it. Town citizens are not paying for that money."
Councilman Chris Holloway ask Town Attorney Doug Napier, "If the bank mistakenly puts a million dollars in my bank account and I spend it, is it criminal?"
Vice-Mayor Sealock informed Councilman Meza to watch his words concerning the Police Department project, "The Police Department is not finished. There is a major punch list." Councilman Meza clarified his words.
Town Council members went into a closed meeting to consult with legal counsel and staff regarding "probable litigation," as well as to discuss and consider "performance, demotion, salaries, disciplining, or resignation of specific public officers, appointees, or employees of Town Council," according to the agenda.
Watch the discussion on this Royal Examiner video:
Local Government
Personnel items at forefront of supervisors last meeting of September
At its meeting of Tuesday evening, September 17, the Warren County Board of Supervisors announced the contracting of an interim county attorney; the pending departure of County Finance Director Andre Fletcher, and the reappointment of George Cline Jr. to a new four-year term on the County Board of Building Code Appeals.
The attorney and Cline announcements came after a 15 minute closed session near the meeting's end. Fletcher's resignation, effective October 18, was announced by County Administrator Doug Stanley during his report to the board. Fletcher is leaving for a job at the Prince William County Sheriff's Office where he has previously worked, Stanley said.
Jason Ham, who represented the County Board of Building Code Appeals at last week's Buracker Construction-Kristie Atwood Building Code Appeals hearing, was present in departed County Attorney Dan Whitten's seat during Tuesday's meeting. Ham confirmed to media following the meeting that he works for Litten & Sipe LLP which is the firm contracted to handle the County's legal responsibilities on an interim basis pending the hiring of a full-time replacement for Whitten.
Whitten's final day officially was September 13, though he indicated last week he might actually work through the weekend. Whitten left the county attorney's position here to take the county attorney's job in Prince George County, Virginia. Whitten was elevated to the County's top legal job upon the retirement of Blair Mitchell in the spring of 2016.
Assistant county attorney at the time, Whitten was appointed interim county attorney on May 1, 2016, then named county attorney four months later on September 1. His tenure at the top of the County, and consequently the EDA, legal hierarchy overlapped the evolution of a number of EDA projects begun during his predecessor's term that are now key elements in the EDA financial fraud investigation and consequent civil litigation.
Those include the ITFederal project at the EDA's Royal Phoenix Business Park now listed as the vehicle for a fraudulently-acquired $10 million loan from the EDA and the Workforce Housing Project now written off as $640,000 loss begun in 2014 as a $10 gift to the EDA from the former EDA executive director's uncle and aunt; then purchased by the EDA for $445,000 in April 2017; and then sold to representatives of a regional developer for $10 in late November 2018* – wasn't it fun, Dan?
Fletcher was appointed interim finance director on September 1, 2016, the same day Whitten had the "interim" removed from his title; and had that word removed from his job description on April 1, 2017. Fletcher replaced Kathleen Dellinger who held the position for just over a year following the April 30, 2015 retirement of long-time County Finance Director Carolyn Stimmel. Stimmel has enjoyed her retirement by continuing to periodically help out around the Warren County Government Center, and even more excitingly this year, at the EDA office – isn't retirement a blast, Carolyn?
Coincidentally on Tuesday, County Human Resources Director Jodi Saffelle gave an update on the status of implementation of Phase One of a Compensation Plan in the wake of a consultant's compensation study of county government employee salary levels both internally and compared to surrounding jurisdictions.
While the current cost estimate of $321,886 and change is nearly $22,000 above the amount authorized by the board for Phase One implementation, Saffelle reported that "staff anticipates savings that will keep the funding well within the approved range of $300,000."
Among the variables impacting those savings are changes at the top of several Constitutional Office departments. Among those are Treasurer, Sheriff, Circuit Court Clerk and Commonwealth's Attorney, all of which had retirements, two (Circuit Court Clerk Daryl Funk and Commonwealth's Attorney Brian Madden) to judicial appointments, at the top position within the last year.
The fifth county constitutional officer is the commissioner of the revenue, who has not retired – have you, Sherry?
And speaking of constitutional offices, on Tuesday the supervisors unanimously approved a joint request by Sheriff Michael Arnold and Interim Commonwealth's Attorney Bryan Layton to move the County's Victim-Witness Coordinator's position from the sheriff's to the commonwealth attorney's office.
Human Resources Director Saffelle's summary of the request noted Sheriff Arnold's observation that most jurisdictions place that position within the auspices of the commonwealth attorney's office. Examples offered were Clarke, Fauquier, Frederick, Shenandoah and Page Counties and the City of Winchester – well, that pretty much has us surrounded.
It was also noted that the position, which is currently vacant here, is enabled through a grant awarded to the County by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services. Saffelle told the supervisors that Sheriff Arnold, Layton and County Administrator Doug Stanley were working with the grant administrator to assure the change, if approved, would be reported to the proper state administrative sources, so as not to interfere with the grant process in coming years.
Tuesday's meeting got off to a colorful start with the presentation of a Dr. Joseph Warren informational plaque for the Warren County Government Center commemorating the Revolutionary War figure for whom the county is named. As noted by Larry Johnson in prefacing the presentation, similar plaques have been place in all nine county public schools as an educational initiative.
It was noted by members of the James Wood Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution that the presentation was being made on the "Birthday of the American Constitution". It was on September 17, 1787 that the Constitutional Convention that saw the writing and signing of the U.S. Constitution came to a close in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Items included the presentation by Johnson, Chapter President Dale Corey, Ned Farenholtz and Dale Carpenter referenced Dr. Joseph Warren of Massachusetts as a "forgotten Founding Father" who might have been president of the young nation had he not been targeted and killed by the British at the Battle of Bunker Hill.
See this entertaining, informational and colorful start to Tuesday's meeting and the rest of the county business conducted in this linked Royal Examiner video:
* FOOTNOTE: Whitten did not act as EDA legal counsel on that Nov. 28, 2018 Workforce Housing parcel sale, having recused due to a County-EDA conflict of interest. Local real estate attorney Joe Silek Jr. represented the ED
Local Government
Town Engineer presents South Street Traffic Study update to Council
At the Front Royal Town Council meeting on September 23, 2019, Council will approve a budget amendment in the amount of $2,823.09 to accept funds from Edward Greco for the CDBG façade improvement program related to 109 E Main Street. The funds obtained from Mr. Greco and the funds from the Community Development Block Grant will be used to pay the contractor for the façade improvement program.
As the Town moves forward with façade improvements, future budget amendments will need to be approved in order for the Town to accept the funds from the property owners. The amounts
required to be paid by the property owners are dependent on the amount of bid being awarded, so the Town will be unable to process the budget amendments in advance. Budget amendments
In November of 2015, VDOT completed a draft version of a planning level corridor study of South Street between the intersections with Royal Avenue and Commerce Avenue.
At the request of the Town of Front Royal, Virginia, VDOT Staunton District Planning initiated a planning level corridor study in the Spring of 2015 along South Street (Route 55) between the intersections with Royal Avenue (US 340) and Commerce Avenue (US 522). The Town wants to evaluate the applicability and effectiveness of a Road Diet improvement along South Street, in order to enhance multimodal safety and operations along the corridor, as well as aesthetic enhancements. A Road Diet is a practice where vehicular travel lanes are eliminated in order to provide multimodal enhancements such as bike lanes and improved sidewalks along the roadway, in order to improve safety for all users of the corridor.
Where existing pavement and right‐of‐way widths permit, a Road Diet may also incorporate medians for improved pedestrian crossings and landscaping. In order to effectively evaluate a Road Diet improvement along the corridor, the study also analyzes a future No Build scenario and an Access Management improvement scenario as alternatives to the Road Diet improvement.
At the September 16, 2019 Town Council work session, Town Engineer Robert Brown presented a summary of suggestions to the Council.
Watch the discussion of these two items in this Royal Examiner video:
Local Government
Town Council updated on downtown, revenue-sharing projects
FRONT ROYAL — Infrastructure improvement projects and downtown revitalization work, both partially funded by the state, are progressing, said Front Royal staff during the Front Royal Town Council's Monday night work session.
Town Engineer Robert Brown said that Town staff has applied to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) for revenue-sharing funds that would pay half of the total costs of three local infrastructure improvement projects.
If approved, the funding would become available in fiscal year 2021, Brown said.
"All three projects have made it through the pre-screening process and the next step is to complete the application," Brown told Town Council members, who now must pass a resolution in support of the projects to get the application filed by the October 1 deadline.
The three projects are:
- To mill and repave both the northbound and southbound lanes of N. Royal Avenue from W. 14th Street to Commerce Avenue;
- Removing the wooden deck on the Prospect Street bridge and replacing it with a concrete deck, installing VDOT-compliant railings, and repaving both approaches; and
- Replacing the roughly 18 decorative acorn street light poles along N. Shenandoah Avenue from 14th Street to the South Fork bridge with 30' overhead lights matching those already installed on the bridges.
Brown said the N. Royal Avenue paving project's total cost is $208,000 with the Town match being $104,000. The Prospect Street bridge repairs would cost $200,000 with the Town match being half of that amount, he said, and the N. Shenandoah Avenue project's total price tag is $265,000 with the Town match being $132,500.
Town Council members agreed with the staff's recommendation to consider the resolution at its next regular meeting, which is September 23.
Jeremy Camp, director of Front Royal's Planning and Zoning department, updated Town Council on the status of several project activities that are part of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, which are federal funds administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development.
The Town was originally awarded a $700,000 grant for economic development, specifically for revitalization of the downtown area. "We've focused on the short-term plans because the grant was only $700,000," Camp said, adding that the Town currently is in the CDBG implementation stage of the grant, which runs through September 25, 2020.
The CDBG project activities include the design and construction of a pavilion and public restrooms on the Town Plaza costing $219,680. All plans must be submitted by December and construction is scheduled to begin in March 2020 with most of the project finished mid-summer next year, said Camp.
Another CDBG project is the Façade Improvement Program to assist downtown property owners in restoring their building facades by giving out so-called grant funds, which Camp said the owners would have to match by at least 50 percent of a project's total cost.
Construction is slated to start next month on Round 1A of the Façade Improvement Program, which has two more rounds with construction beginning and ending at different intervals next year. Round 1A construction is set to end in January 2020.
"Staff is actively speaking with contractors to raise awareness and interest in bidding on the projects," said Camp, who noted that related advertising is being done via social media, news outlets, flyers, and the Chamber of Commerce, among others.
In a related item, Town Finance Director B.J. Wilson requested that Town Council approve a budget amendment in the amount of $2,823.09 to accept funds from Edward Greco for the CDBG façade improvement program related to 109 E Main Street.
The funds obtained from Greco and the funds from the CDBG will be used to pay the contractor for the façade improvement program, Wilson explained, noting that as the Town moves forward with façade improvements, future budget amendments will need to be approved in order for the Town to accept the funds from the property owners.
The amounts required to be paid by the property owners are dependent on the amount of bid being awarded, so the Town will be unable to process the budget amendments in advance, Wilson said, adding that the budget amendments will need to be processed as the bids are awarded.
Following the discussion of other agenda items — including a draft traffic study for South Street and an update from Councilman Jacob Meza on his attendance at the recent EDA Reform Committee meeting —Town Council members went into a closed meeting to consult with legal counsel and staff regarding "probable litigation," as well as to discuss and consider "performance, demotion, salaries, disciplining, or resignation of specific public officers, appointees, or employees of Town Council," according to the agenda.
EDA Reform Committee receives audit update; reviews properties
Interim Mayor Matthew Tederick told the Royal Examiner that no announcements would be made regarding the closed meeting.
Also in attendance at the work session were Vice Mayor William Sealock; Councilman Gary Gillispie; Councilman Chris Holloway; Town Attorney Douglas Napier; Councilman Eugene Tewalt; Councilwoman Letasha Thompson; Town Manager Joe Waltz; and Clerk of Council Jennifer Berry.
Local Government
County Building Code Appeals Board reduces Atwood violations to five
A second Warren County Building Code violations appeal go-round between local builder Buracker Construction and disgruntled home construction client Kristie Atwood on Tuesday, September 10, resulted in a similar result to a first appeal go round in 2018.
That result was a reduction from six to five determined code violations on the Atwood home construction project; as well as a promised appeal to the state review level by Buracker attorney T. Joel Francis on those five Warren County Building Code Appeals Board violations rulings. Atwood had claimed 60 violations based on an independent contractor inspection 12 to 14 months after she moved in to the new home.
The dispute revolves around Buracker Construction's 2016 building of Atwood's replacement home on Pilgrim's Way in Bentonville. Atwood lost her previous home to fire.
In 2016 the County Building Code Department inspected the home upon completion, found no violations and a Certificate of Occupancy was issued on July 19, 2016. Fourteen months later after having moved in Atwood contracted a home inspection company not licensed in Warren County which reported 60 alleged code violations. Upon its first review the County Building Code Appeals Board initially cited 12 potential code violations, a number eventually reduced to six and Tuesday down to five.
A first appeal to the state level of that ruling resulted in the case being returned due to a conflict of interest determination. David Buracker, principal of Buracker Construction is on the county appeals board but recused himself from the case. The conflict was alleged by Atwood with Appeals Board member George Cline Jr. Buracker had sub-contracted Cline to fix those initial code violation determinations when Atwood refused to let Buracker to do the work. She claimed the Buracker Construction company wasn't licensed in the county.
That led to a somewhat convoluted back and forth during a July hearing in which County Building Code Official David Beahm noted that Buracker himself and a related contracting LLC run by Martha Buracker were licensed. Beahm claimed the state typically allowed such licensing arrangements leading to his approval of Buracker to build in Warren County. Atwood disagreed and would not allow Buracker to engage in repair work or subcontract the repair work out to Cline.
When Cline participated in the 2018 county appeals board review, the conflict of interest claim was lodged by Atwood, leading to Tuesday's board review of its initial ruling when Cline participated. Only appeals board members Arthur Saffelle, Dan Hotek and Wendell Hatcher participated in Tuesday's hearing.
Buracker attorney Francis questioned Atwood's motivation. He noted that the appeals board's authority came down to ruling on violations and authorizing fixes of those violations.
"What's the remedy – a violation is determined and has to be fixed or the responsible party has to pay to have it fixed," Francis told the board, adding that he believed Atwood "is not looking for a fix, she is looking for a windfall – and that's not coming from this board … That's why we have judges … and I don't think any of you want to be judges," Francis told the board, drawing some smiles.
"I am not looking for a windfall," Atwood responded during her rebuttal to the Buracker case. She pointed to the licensing issue which she said left her with no remedy from the state level, adding, "I'm screwed all the way around."
She then attacked County Building Official Beahm – "I'm calling him out, he's not doing his job … the board of supervisors should have fired him; it's not just me. What if someone's house burns down and kills them all? There are lives on the line and he shouldn't be allowed to get away with it."
The three-person board quorum then launched into discussion of its authority and perception of the building issues under review. Hotek and Hatcher agreed to uphold the board's earlier ruling on five of the six violations found with Cline participating. So it would seem Atwood did better with the allegedly conflicted board member than without.
Board Chairman Saffelle dissented on the violations, stating he felt the determinations fell beyond the board's authority.
A 10-minute recess was called to allow appeals board attorney Jason Ham to craft a Resolution reflecting the board decision. That decision by the 2-1 majority was that items referred to as numbers 3, 4, 7, 10 and 12 remained code violations as they stood by the 2009 Uniform State Building Code. Two related to work around a fireplace, the other four outside deck support.
The Royal Examiner's camera was there:
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Growing Greener: Advanced IPM (video)
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söndag 9 juni 2013
A royal summerwedding
A lovely royal summerwedding in Stockholm. A sunny, warm day and many swedes had come to Stockholm to see a glimps of princesse Madeleine and her husband Chris O' Neill.
The wedding took place in the "Slottskyrkan" The Castle of Stockholms own church
Children from Adolf Fredriks musicschool sang and carried flowergarlands.
Many guests from the european Royal families and many guests from all over the world, Japan , USA and India
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You know autumn is just about here when cosmos are in full bloom and bursting with beauty and amazing color here in Northern California. To me, they look like a decadent daisy (indeed they actually are part of the daisy family), and add just the right touch of playfulness to an arrangement. I did this bright arrangement over the weekend, and I paired the cosmos with some bougainvillea (which by the way is also at the peak of its beauty right now), godetia, and some amazing ruffly ranunculus. Here are the results.
Styling and design by Kiana Underwood Photography by Nathan Underwood


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1 in 9 of us do not have access to safe water. 9,800 of us die each day as a result of water-borne diseases; most of these victims are children less than 5 years old. Shilpa Alva talks about educational and awareness programs that reach thousands of people in our community their global impact.
"Presentation of the Day" on October 22, 2014.


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One of the challenges, during my counselor training, was to allow moments of silence during a session with a client. It felt uncomfortable to hold back – not to immediately jump into the gap. Once I had learned to let go of this feeling of unease and not to fill the silence with a new question or suggestion, it became a very powerful way to bring the conversation down to a deeper level.
I now often fall silent with my clients. This gives them the chance to go inside and to feel what needs to be said. If I sense that the client is uncomfortable with this, I reassure him briefly. "Take your time."
I allow myself this same silence more and more often with friends. We so often fill the space between us with chitchat, talking for the sake of talking. And if we run out of things to say, we turn on the radio or television. Dreading a moment of silence, it might make us feel uncomfortable. Actually, silence between friends can feel very comfortable. Communicating by eye contact or a simple gesture, feeling good about each other's company.
I'm often alone. Usually I don't have the radio or television going, sometimes I listen to music. In this silence another type of chitchat emerges, my inner chattering. I can hold entire conversations in my head. Sometimes I even write an entire blog in my head before a single letter is written on paper. But I do practice inner silence, even though I do find it more difficult than silence between two people.
Practicing inner silence can be done through meditation or mindfulness. Some people prefer movement – dance, drumming, or singing – to sitting still. Writing works for me. I almost always begin my day by writing until my head is empty and ready to start the day.
What are your methods to silence the inner chatter? Are you comfortable with silence between people?


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I'm a carpenter and have been working on my own for several years now. I was born in Gaza but in 1993, I married my cousin who lives in Ramle, in Israel. I lived with him in Ramle and we had a daughter, Hadil. My husband got involved in criminal activity and went to prison several times. In 1998, I divorced him and went back with Hadil to my mother's house. We've lived here ever since. When I got here, both my social and financial situation were very difficult because of the divorce..
Amal 'Obeid in her carpentry workshop. Photo by Muhammad Sabah, B'Tselem, 17 February 2016
My daughter is mentally retarded. She's now 21. We live in an apartment with my elderly mother and my brother, his wife and their children, in a-Nuseirat Refugee Camp in central Gaza.
In 2000, two years after I returned to Gaza, I learned how to sew and started working a bit at sewing and selling what I made. I also trained as a carpenter through the CFTC project [Canadian Foundation for Training and Consulting]. I wanted a new experience and hoped to acquire new skills and knowledge. The course lasted three months.
When I finished the course, I got a salaried job as a carpenter. For seven years, I made small items out of wood like decorative wall hangings, medallions, and various ornaments. I was paid the paltry sum of 120-200 shekels [approx. USD 30 to 50] once in three months. I also received a benefit of NIS 1,000 [approx. USD 250] dollars once in three months from the Ministry of Welfare. The money wasn't enough to cover our costs, especially because my daughter needs special care, several kinds of medication, and dietary supplements. But we made do.
In 2011, I stopped receiving the 1,000 NIS welfare benefit, I don't know why. They registered me under my mother's name and now the three of us live off her benefit of 750 shekels [approx. USD 190] every three months. I haven't managed to find out why they did that. It has made life very difficult for me. We could barely make ends meet as it was, and now the money really wasn't enough. Also, my brother Bashir, who is 55 years old and unemployed, came to live with us together with his wife and their ten children.
Things became unbearable, so I decided to start my own business. I borrowed 500 dinar from a friend to rent a carpentry workshop, and the Institute for Small Entrepreneurship subsidized the equipment. I opened the carpentry workshop in 2011 and bought a small amount of raw material with the welfare money. I started making wooden items such as stands for potted plants, plaques with verses from the Quran, and medallions, and selling them. I made 500 shekels a month [approx. USD 125] a month.
After about a year, I hired another carpenter to work with me. But he delivered the products to the clients, took their money, and didn't give me all of it. He stole a lot of money from me, so I fired him and went back to working alone.
I take part in various exhibitions to promote my work, such as those organized for International Women's Day or by organizations such as the Islamic University, the Association for Culture and Freedom of Thought in Khan Yunis, and the Association for Folk Culture and Art. The exhibitions help me earn a bit of money and also get new clients. I work on a small scale because I can't buy a lot of material, so I can never make much, either. My marketing would be better if I knew how to use the Internet. Still, I manage to network and sell my products and I do my best to develop contacts with institutions and take part in exhibitions.
I have to face ongoing difficulties because of the power cuts, the rising costs of materials, the lack of material because the border crossings are closed, and the prohibition on importing substances into Gaza such as lacquer. I have to rely on the availability of material on the market, because I can't afford to buy large amounts nor do I have enough space to store them. Because the economy is so bad, people don't buy much, and when they do they often do so on credit. All these reasons make it hard to keep work steady, but I keep working as much as I can.
It's not very acceptable in Gaza for a woman to work as a carpenter. And decause I'm divorced, my status here isn't simple and I face social obstacles. But I don't want to be a burden to anyone and prefer to make my own living. I chose this field because I was drawn to it and also because I wanted to empower myself, challenge tradition and social norms, and prove to society that I could make it on my own. I don't want to end up a beggar. I want to maintain my dignity and be independent, and I do everything I can to improve our situation and support my daughter and mother.
Amal Shehdeh Ahmad 'Obeid, 45, is a carpenter and has one daughter. She lives in a-Nuseirat R.C. in the centeral Gaza Strip. She spoke with B'Tselem field researcher Muhammad Sabah on 16 February 2016 at her workshop.
The demand for work in the Gaza Strip is enormous, with an unemployment rate of some 40%. The major reason is the siege Israel has imposed on Gaza for over a decade. To mark International Women's Day, we spoke with three women – a carpenter, a blacksmith, and a vegetable market laborer – who are all trying to sustain families in this near-impossible economic reality. Gazan women face a particularly trying challenge, as they must deal not only with the dearth of work to match their skills, but also, like women around the world, with a society in which women are considered inferior and work harder for lower pay.


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Modern Luxury's Jingle Jog 5K Race
Modern Luxury hosted it's inaugural Jingle Jog 5k Race at Piedmont Park on December 12th. As guests arrived they were welcomed with holiday inspired decor, hot cocoa & s'mores from Sun in My Belly, healthy bites from HelloFresh & Christmas tunes courtesy of Yvonne Monet. Runners had a chance to snap a photo with the oh so jolly Santa Von with faux snow in the air, making it for a perfect holiday picture! Since it is the season of giving, each guest brought a children's toy all to be donated to Children's Hospital of Atlanta! The festive evening commenced with an award ceremony for 1st Place - Male, 1st place - Female, Best Dressed, Most Spirited & Biggest Team!


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I had a post a few days ago about mallows: the chipmunks must have read it because I pointed out that hollyhocks and hibiscus were both mallows. Well, I caught a chipmunk eating the hibiscus flowers for the first time although I put them out in the same place each year.
So I brought in one hibiscus to a safe place. So the chipmunk went after the hollyhocks instead.
We also had a visit from a snapping turtle. It's too big to be a hatchling from this year, even though it's almost the right time, but nowhere near adult size. It is about 8 cm as you can see, barely able to peer over grass that was cut a couple of days ago. Adults are up to 50 cm. So it must have overwintered in one of my garden ponds. It was heading towards my biggest pond with lots of lilies and fish, and I don't want an adult living there as then it would have no lilies or fish, so I gave it a ride in a pail to a large pond nearby, which is probably where its parents came from. That led to a serendipitous find. I dropped it in a spot I hadn't looked at for a while and found a large ladyslipper orchid plant. It's long past flowering season, so I'll have to wait until next year to find out what colour it is. I know orchids well enough to identify a ladyslipper just from leaves, but not to guess the colour.


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My name is Nathan and I'm a digital media designer. I believe programming is the closest humans will get to having superpowers. As a programmer you can make anything a reality.
The great thing about digital media is that no matter what your passion is you can find a digital form of it. Digital media is a chance for people to make their dreams come true.
If you want to know more about me check out my about page.
This is going to be the first big game I release. I'm currently working on it with Rickey and Steven. I met them in my digital media classes and we've decided to take this project on together.
There will be single/multi player modes available by the time we finish the game around summer 2015. We plan to release the game before the end of 2014 as an alpha version with only the multiplayer mode available.
I will be making many fun things like games, movies, and apps. But more importantly I'll be showing others how to do what I do and help them do it. I will be collaberating with many people and helping others like me to find the people they need to get their own projects done. If you have any ideas or questions feel free to make contact with me.


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We are looking forward to heading down to Texas for the weekend to catch up with friends, play records at some great parties and of course eat some BBQ!
See you at the following parties we'll be spinning at:
The Soul Spot at Tucker's Kozy Korner -- It's the Soul Spot back again with yet another exceptional summer night of serious FIRST FRIDAY Boogie Disco Funk Soul goodness. Returning from Philly and back in San Antonio for one night -- none other than Record Breakin' Music founder and host of Eavesdrop Radio DJ Junior. Joining the good Dr. is Soul Spot resident JJ Lopez and Cortez. We have the MV Disco Sound system in full effect, Tucker's Kozy Korner with Cullum's Attaboy handlin' the bar & grill, and plenty of open dance floor space to handle the First Friday dancers -- FREE 10PM-2AM 21+ Brought to you by: SOAH- Source Of All Happiness Tequila, San Antonio Current, and Tucker's Kozy Korner.
Friday, June 6, 2014
Tucker's Kozy Korner
1338 E Houston St, San Antonio, TX 78205
Ladies and Gentlemen, friends & family, the one year mark is upon us, and what an amazing ride it has been! To show our gratitude to the great city of Austin, we've put an amazing day of music, food and drink for you. Join us this Saturday for our 1st Year Anniversary Bash. We will be roasting a 150lb pig on a spit, there will be craft beer flowing from our friends at Austin Beerworks, we'll have a live band in the early afternoon, Jean-Pierre and the Zydeco Angels (6-8pm), and follow that up with an awesome set with DJ Chicken George and DJ Junior. To keep it fresh, they'll be spinning vinyl from 9-12am. Don't know if we'll every be able to top this! I guess we'll have to find out when we reach year 2. See you Saturday!
Saturday, June 7, 2014
1816 E. 6th St., Austin, Texas 78702
DJ set from 9PM-12AM
Austin's newest weekly soul dance party hosted by Chorizo Funk, DIGG & Spence is back ALL MONTH LONG with very special guests including this MONDAY June 9th featuring DJ Junior (Record Breakin' Music / Eavesdrop Radio, Philly)!
What began as a humble Monday night Motown (and soul relatives) party in San Francisco (2009) has since exploded into a multi -city (SF, NYC, LA, HNL, DEN, OAK, CHI and AUSTIN!) Monday dance party across the states. Founder and resident DJ, Gordo Cabeza, and his partner DJ Timoteo Gigante, were inspired by the success of these events which led to our event production brand, MOM DJs & Events. With it's newest production member, The Captain Hat, we're bringing quality dance parties across the universe. This production brand places emphasis on quality of music and vibe over bottom line marketing. No matter where the party is we keep the spirits lifted and our hearts attuned! See you on the dance floor!
Monday, June 9, 2014
607 Trinity, Austin, Texas 78701


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The Tribe, created by Evita Robinson and stemming from her travel series Nomadness TV, is an urban, travel, online social community of over 15,000 members. We're the edgy, under represented demo in the international travel industry, and we've formed our own Tribe. In the platform, we share stories, advice, photos and conversation about our personal experiences around the world. We are the new age travel movement! Must have at least one passport stamp to join. Get it, and welcome to the family!
What makes the Tribe so dope?
travel with an urban edge
the diverse millenials hotspot community. 60% age demo bracket of 25-45 y/o
female, minority owned
80% female and 85% African-American members, shattering the myth that people of color don't travel
Hundreds of meet ups all over the world, many now, on a weekly basis
collectively, members have over 100,000 passport stamps and live in over 3 dozen countries
cross-country college RV Tour, targeting HBCUs in year 2
Successfully crowdfunded over $40,000 within 3 different Kickstarter campaigns
NomadnessX trips to Panama, Spain, Germany, Dominican Republic, Japan, Indonesia, Brazil, India, Vermont, Costa Rica, Samoa, South Africa and many more.... at least 4 group trips per calendar year
merchandise line that has members recognizing one another while traveling all around the world. Summer 2015 brought the launch of our first apparel partnership with Rue 107, for our first ever 'Nomad' bathing suit
NomadnessX trips average sell out time: 5 minutes, with Hi/Low Pricepoints to cover all economic brackets of members. Further establishing that travel ISN'T exclusively for the wealthy
#NMDN ALTERnative Travel Conference in NYC, debuted on Sept. 26th 2015 to a sold out crowd. Now an annual event.
'The Nomadness Project' web series co-Executive Produced by Issa Rae and Nomadness Founder, Evita Robinson launched on YouTube in May 2015
Tribe Testimonials:
"The Nomad·ness Tribe is one of the best things that ever happened to me. I've met so many likeminded individuals in regards to traveling and I've learned so much through everyone else's experiences, that it makes me want to see the places they've seen and create my own memories in return. I love this group for that and will forever be grateful." - Brooklyn, New York Tribe Member Jeanise Chaplin
"The Nomad·ness Tribe has opened a new world to me. Being an American who grew up and lives overseas, I always felt like the odd one out among most people. Becoming a part of the Tribe is like coming home to family; there are so many that share the same experiences that I have had, which allows me to connect with strangers on a deeper level than a lot of people I know. The members are all from different walks of life, but come together with one universally common goal- travel!" - Tribe member Jessiqua Gibbons, living in Germany
"I have always been a bit of a loner because I thought there were no other people who shared my same passion to trod the Planet. Or at least people who looked like me. Since I joined the Tribe, just as I was about to kill my Facebook account, I found another long lost family. Made a real connection with people on our meet up to Panama." - Tribe Member Damon Jones
" Travel is necessary for my being. The Tribe is a community that understands and embraces that sentiment." - DMV area Tribe Member, Michaela Hall


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SOLD – Happy Seller Says:
"We interviewed many agents when we listed and then sold our period home, and Gary proved to be a very effective choice. We believed that Gary could help us sell our home at a higher price than was being recommended by the other agents.
The other agents were clearly used to selling homes to the mass market and did not have an appreciation for the features and characteristics of historic and period homes and the buyers of historic and period homes. Gary and Natalie on the other hand understood what made our home unique and distinctive. They provided very effective guidance in preparing our home for sale and setting up the description, pictures and videos for the listing.
Our listing generated a steady stream of prospective buyers, and within a reasonable period we had the right buyer for the house.
We faced competition because similar houses were on the market. Our property sold at a higher price than these other properties, so Gary provided us the value add that we desired."
This is a storybook Historic American Four Square with Queen Anne detailing in desirable Montgomery County Maryland close to parks, shopping & entertainment. Located in Gaithersburg's historic Realty Park, this home is a wonderful blend of historic detailing and modern amenities, including beautiful wood floors, original moldings, fireplace with wood mantel, window seat & wrap around porch, as well as, a spacious updated kitchen, 3.5 modern bathrooms, central air conditioning, insulated windows and vinyl siding. Built nearly 100 years ago, by craftsmen that took pride in their work, this home features a full walk up attic suitable for storage or finishing and a finished basement with a family room (or 4th bedroom), full bathroom, den, utility room & laundry room.
The current owners have maintained and improved this classic home with respectful longevity in mind. This is a home of rare and beautiful distinction, close to Baltimore & Washington, DC, yet a world away.
Guide to Transportation
Less than 1 mile (approx. 5 blocks) to the Gaithersburg MARC train station
3.1 miles to the Shady Grove METRO Station
First Floor
Front Parlor 25′ x 14′ – Wood floor, fireplace with wood mantel & wood stove, built-in bookcases & cabinets, closet, 6 windows.
Dining Room 17′ x 15′ – Wood floor, hanging lamp, chair rail, window seat, door to porch, 4 windows.
Kitchen 13′ x 13′ – Ceramic tile floor, recessed lighting, double sink, custom cabinets, back door, 4 windows.
Powder Room – 1 window.
Second Floor
Bedroom 1 14′ x 13′ – Wood floor, ceiling fan, 1 closet, 2 windows.
Bedroom 2 14′ x 10′ – Wood floor, 1 closet, 2 windows.
Hall – Stairs to full storage attic, 1 window.
Hall Bathroom 8′ x 5′ – Wood floor, claw bath tub, 1 window.
Master Bedroom 3 14′ x 13′ – Wood floor, ceiling fan, 1 closet, 5 windows.
*Master Bathroom 11′ x 6′ – Ceramic tile floor, 2 sinks, bath tub, 2 windows.
Study 13′ x 13′ – Vinyl floor
Family Room (Bedroom 4) 16′ x 12′ – Vinyl floor, recessed lights, panel walls, 1 window.
Utility Room 12′ x 9′ – Concrete floor.
Laundry Room 8′ x 6′ – Concrete floor.
Full Bathroom 6′ x 5′ – Ceramic tile floor, shower.
Full Attic
Staircase to full attic with storage or ready to finish.
(Not A designated historic district with restrictions)
Realty Park is a small early to mid-20th century residential community located in the City of Gaithersburg. The area is bounded by Frederick Road on the west and is comprised of parcels on both the north and south sides of Maryland and Montgomery avenues, and parcels facing the east and west sides of Highland and Oak avenues. It also includes five parcels facing the west side of Russell Avenue that were part of W. Magruder's Subdivision. All structures within the area are in residential use with the exception of the properties abutting North Frederick Avenue which are in commercial use.
Realty Park was platted in May 1920 on 26 acres of land that Charles Herman Rabbitt sold to the Gaithersburg Realty Company on April 23, 1920. The neighborhood plan consists of two major east-west roads, Maryland and Montgomery avenues, and several smaller streets, Central, Highland, Oak and Prospect avenues. Central Avenue is now just a grassy path, not a paved road. This layout is consistent with the earlier Brookes, Russell and Walker neighborhood to the south. Because the five structures on Russell Avenue that were part of W. Magruder's Subdivision are of a similar style and era to those in Realty Park, they are included as part of the Realty Park Historic District.
The Realty Park Historic District is comprised of 71 properties. Of the 71 properties, 57 contribute to the district and 14 do not contribute. Structures in Realty Park are smaller in scale when compared to those in Brookes, Russell, and Walker to the south. They are typically frame and two stories tall. The structures represent a wide variety of early to mid-20th century building types and styles including bungalows, Cape Cods, Cotswold cottages and small, frame Colonial Revival buildings. The existence of structures with attached garages on the lower level, particularly along Montgomery Avenue, shows the increasing importance of the automobile to community residents. The streets are lined with mature trees. Lots are a consistent size and houses are set back a consistent distance (~20 feet) from the road.
more (MHT)…
Gaithersburg was a small rural community in the early 19th century. Commerce did not boom until the coming of the railroad in the late 19th century. Rail service from Gaithersburg was established in September 1872, but the line was not yet complete to Rockville. Regular service of the Metropolitan Branch of the Baltimore & Ohio (B&O) Railroad began in May 1873, and the town soon became the commercial hub of central Montgomery County. Commerce shifted from Frederick Avenue to Diamond Avenue near the train station which soon became the hub of town. The town established its own government in 1878. The current train station was built in 1884 on the east side of Summit Avenue, and trains still play a role in Gaithersburg today. The MARC commuter rail line, a successor to the trains run by the B&O, still provides daily commuter service to Washington for the residents of Gaithersburg.
As early as 1887 the railroad was advertising monthly tickets for the 21.5 mile trip from Gaithersburg to Washington. While many commuters settled in towns closer to Washington such as Takoma Park and Kensington, an increasing number of commuters traveled from Gaithersburg. This trend likely precipitated the development of the area known as Brookes, Russell and Walker south of Realty Park but just north of the train station. While this suburban community evolved from a series of subdivisions of land that was added to the city, it has a cohesive architectural style because it was developed over a short period of time.
more (MHT)…
Central Air Conditioning
Gas Boiler
Kitchen renovated 1994
Stainless steel chimney flue
Copper Roof 2001
Renovation of 2nd floor bathrooms
Compressor 10-15 years old
HVAC installed 1990's
Vinyl siding
Insulated windows
Maryland Historical Trust – Historic Realty Park
Maryland Histoical Trust – Old Town Gaithersburg
MARC train – 5 S. Summit Ave. Gaithersburg, MD 20877
City of Gaithersburg – General information
Gary Gestson
Certified Historic Properties Specialist
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
189 Kentlands Blvd.
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
301-975-9500 ext.4604 Office
301-646-0046 Mobile


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By Mayor Mike Peterson
Many years ago, as the Director of the Cottonwood Heights Parks and Recreation Service Area, I thought it was interesting that Fire Station 116 was located adjacent to the Recreation Center. It didn't take me long to appreciate how lucky the Recreation Center was to have the firefighter paramedics adjacent to our facility.
With the tens of thousands of visitors to the Recreation Center each year, I became keenly aware of the importance of our firefighter paramedics when there was an emergency. Over the years, I witnessed hundreds of visits to the Recreation Center by the paramedics as they cared for our residents in medical emergencies — whether it was a severe laceration to the leg of a figure skater trying to complete a difficult jump, a young person jumping off the diving platforms and hitting the water wrong and feeling numbness in their legs, a heart attack from overdoing it on the racquetball court, or someone falling while playing pickleball or basketball in the gymnasium and sustaining a serious injury. In every case, our firefighter paramedics were on the scene in a matter of minutes.
It was a few years later as a member of the City Council that I was provided the opportunity to attend a one-day fire school, sponsored by the Unified Fire Authority, to personally gain a greater understanding of the many challenges facing our firefighters when they respond to a wide range of public safety-related incidents. In the training, we experienced cutting open a vehicle with the "jaws of life" to extract a victim from a severely damaged vehicle. We learned how to exit a smoke-filled building crawling on our knees without vision by following fire hoses on the ground until we reached safety. We climbed a 100-foot rescue ladder in near-freezing temperatures in full fire gear, located people in a simulated burning building and brought them to safety, put out intense fires with high-pressure hoses while wearing full fire gear including a respirator, and much more. This experience greatly added to my appreciation and understanding of the importance and ability of our firefighter/paramedics.
Over the years, as a member of the City Council and since becoming Mayor, my appreciation for our Cottonwood Heights' firefighter/paramedics has continued to grow as I've become even more aware of their efforts as they serve our citizens. I think back to when we had the field fire at Crestwood Park nature area that could have been disastrous if not checked in time, or on the Fourth of July two years ago when fireworks started a brush fire in the open space near Bywater Park that burned several acres and severely damaged one home. Then this past year, with two separate fires in an apartment complex and several house fires, my gratitude for their efforts increased once again. In the end, I so appreciate the fact that none of these fires resulted in the loss of life.
In addition, our firefighters are actively involved in our community by working collaboratively with selected groups to minimize fuels that could increase the chance of brush fires and supporting many community events such as the Cottonwood Heights Easter Egg Hunt, Butlerville Days and our Thanksgiving 5K. They also deliver public safety messages through the Cottonwood Heights Newsletter and other community publications, host and support numerous fire station tours and neighborhood activities, and at the same time are always prepared to respond to the daily emergencies that face our city and its residents.
I asked our Assistant Fire Chief, Mike Watson, what makes him most proud to be a firefighter.
"There are so many things," he said. "I love helping others and especially have enjoyed helping mitigate medical and fire emergencies. This profession demands our very best because that is what our citizens deserve." I also asked him why he believes most firefighters select this as a profession. "The same reasons that steered me to this profession: A true desire to help others when they are in need, the many different specialties, such as engineer, paramedic, heavy rescue tech, or code enforcement, and serving as a mentor or leader. We love interacting with the public."
Our firefighters, who are part of the Unified Fire Authority, are truly dedicated professionals. Under the direction of Fire Chief Dan Petersen and Assistant Fire Chief Mike Watson, this group is constantly being trained in all areas of professional development to better serve our city. Last year, Station 116 (8303 S. Wasatch Blvd.) and Station 110 (1790 E. Fort Union Blvd.) responded to more than 1,700 medicals calls combined and more than 450 fire calls. This was accomplished by a committed and professional group of firefighters who pride themselves on being "a cut above" and with a goal of responding to all calls within a four-minute drive time. Thank you, UFA, and more importantly, thank you Stations 110 and 116 for your dedicated service to the City of Cottonwood Heights.


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The publications listed below can be downloaded in PDF format. If you would like us to send you a hard copy of any publication, please email firstname.lastname@example.com
In this 'rapid review' of the literature, Freya Douglas Oloyede, an equality, diversity and inclusion consultant specialising in higher education, provides an overview of existing evidence.
Professional Careers in Higher Education
Final Report
Jan Shine, Paullus Consultancy
A joint publication with the Leadership Foundation, Association of Heads of University Administration, Association of University Administrators and Universities HR
The Development of Professional Careers in UK Higher Education
Lauwerys J, Wild A, Wooldridge E (2009)
A joint publication with the Leadership Foundation and Association of Heads of University Administration
What do I know now that I wish I'd known then?
Ewart Wooldridge's prize-winning article for the Guardian's Ashridge Public Sector essay competition.
A shortened version of this report was published on pages 6-7 of ENGAGE 21 Spring 2010
Academic Leadership: Dimensions, dysfunctions and dynamics
Dr Tom Kennie, Ranmore Consulting Group
A shortened version of this report was published on pages 10-11 of ENGAGE 21 Spring 2010
Holding the mirror up: Chinese higher education leaders report on leadership challenges in the UK and China
Robin Middlehurst, John Fielden and David Lock, Leadership Foundation
A shortened version of this report was published on pages 10-11 of ENGAGE 21 Spring 2010
Researching and Scoping a Higher Education and Civic Leadership Development Programme
Final Report
Professor John Goddard, CURDS, Newcastle University
Lynne Howlett, Staff Development Unit, Newcastle University
Dr Paul Vallance, CURDS, Newcastle University
Dr Tom Kennie, Leadership Foundation for Higher Education
A joint publication from the Leadership Foundation, Newcastle University and CURDS - Centre for Urban and Regional Development Studies
HEPI Occasional report - The Role of the Market in Higher Education
A joint publication with the Leadership Foundation
We are a membership organisation of and for a sector that has some of the brightest minds in the UK.
Our members are key to our strategy and form a community of higher education institutions with a clear commitment to and experience of developing leadership, governance and management capabilities at all levels. Academic and professional services staff from member institutions contribute to our programmes, projects and research and advise on benefits and services.
Find out more about Membership
Enter your HEI name here
Meet the membership team, your national and regional contacts in the UK and Ireland, and LF networks.
Advance HE
Leadership, Governance and Management
Peer House, 8-14 Verulam Street
London WC1X 8LZ
This website uses cookies. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Find out more here.


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We provides world class alternative energy solutions and ensure customers peace of mind through best business practices and credible skills. We are partner & exclusive representative of international well-known brand GULF PRO ENERGY (GPE).
Solar street lighting solution
We are actively engineering, supplying & executing different kind of projects, which mainly are
Solar street lighting solution
Solar telecom solution
Solar HVAC solutions
Industrial & commercial Led lighting solution
Solar agriculture solution
Solar aviation solution
Solar and Wind power plants
I-Street Light
Our LED street light represent a technological unique product, striking a unique path in professional outdoor lighting. The unrivaled aesthetics, economic efficiency & eco-friendliness are setting new standards.
LED power between 20w up to 210w.
Super rated life time up to 60,000 hrs.Excellent color rendering characteristics.
High lumens per watt.
For highway, roadway & pathway lighting.


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I got the bug again. To pick up and knit. I am so bad to start a project and walk away halfway done. This is what happened to my knitty project. I hate to have unfinished objects laying around.
So, I hope to get back to that soon, but in the meantime, I found a great site Zephyr Style and I thought I would try their Twitterpatted purse…this new project is adorable. So, I started it Saturday.
Here is how far I have gotten.
I love the colors in this yarn and it knits up quickly. I believe I will be done very soon as this garter stitch does get a bit monotnous. It is good though when several people are talking all at once. I had this cotton yarn in my stash and I think I have some cute coordinating fabric for the lining. All I will need to finish it off will be the purse handle.
I hope to have a finished project soon.
Update: 10/7/07 Here is my purse.. sorry for the poor picture quality…


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Welcome to Feather & Sage Design… an independent design studio focused on creating fresh, unique digital resources for indie makers, businesses, and creatives.
01/ About F+S
You know it wasn't long ago that I started my creative journey with a cup of coffee in one hand, my computer mouse in the other, and a cat on my lap. What started as a passion project has evolved, and grown into a full time successful creative business.
Hello and welcome! I'm Alicia… the sole owner, artist, and designer behind Feather + Sage Design Co, based in the Atlanta area. F+S is an independent graphic design studio focused on bringing creative projects to life with fresh ready-to-use design assets.
Our specialties include:
Unique Backgrounds, Patterns & Textures
Handmade Fonts
Creative Illustrations
And so much more
Feel free to get in touch, I'm happy to answer any questions you may have!
02/ My Story
F+S was launched in the summer of 2013 when I first opened a shop on Creative Market. It was an incredible opportunity that opened many doors… primarily removing the obstacles of self doubt that I had, and it gave me that nudge I needed to fulfill my creative passion. I am passionate about serving other creatives, and entrepreneurs just like you with the goal of helping others grow, and ultimately succeed with their creative projects.
My background in a nut shell… includes fine art photography, visual arts, and design. I'm primarily self educated with two years of college under my belt. Everyday I count my blessings that I am able to work out of my home studio (mostly in my yoga pants, and a sweatshirt, no less)… doing what I'm absolutely passionate about.
My other passion is creating Fine Art Prints. As a visual artist I have been blessed to have select art prints featured and sold through PBteen, Minted, and Society6.
03/ Our Mission
My style has evolved over the years and reflects my love for all things vintage, modern, minimal, and nostalgic. I am passionate about creating and pushing my creative boundaries to try new things while being conscious of current and projected design trends.
With all that, I find that the life of a designer means a commitment to continuous learning, and growth. I am committed to providing unique, top quality assets, with an emphasis on superb customer service.
Our digital assets include:
High quality, unique assets
Ease of use for designers of all levels
Thoughtful, versatile products
A Simple no fuss license
A growing library of resources
Exceptional customer service


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Open House Perth - West Leederville Workers Cottage
What a weekend!
We saw over 1600 people come streaming through our West Leederville project as part of last weekend's Perth Open House initiative. Was a great opportunity for us to meet many new faces and share our passion for great local design.
With local stylist Anna Flanders on board, the workers cottage was filled with the most stunning pieces from Living Edge, Temple Fine Rugs, Pure Linen, lush greenery from Little Leaf Co, as well as art from Art Collective WA.
Massive thank you to OHP coordinators, Carly and Steven as well as the amazing volunteer team who work so hard to bring this amazing event to Perth each year.
Photography by Sebastian Photography


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Game of the Year 2013: Part 4
In Part 4 of our Game of the Year Awards for 2013, we honor a range of categories from Best Shooter to Best Game Title. We came up with some wacky choices for some of the more ridiculous categories today, so make sure to listen to our Deliberations Podcast below to hear why we came to our conclusions. Don't think we made the right choices? Make sure to tell us your picks in the comments!
We will be releasing five lists over the course of this week, each covering genres or facets of gaming that we think are important to our industry, culminating with the final "Game of the Year" decision. In the interest of full disclosure, we at Press Play have made the conscious choice to abstain from any "Best of Console" awards, as we would prefer not to encourage discussions we believe to be detrimental to the gaming community. With each ultimate choice, you can also see the individual choices of our three judges: Senior Producer Nick Hawryluk, and guest judges Chris Nagy and Peter Kendall from How Do I Jump. We have tried to be as impartial as possible, and in the interest of transparency, you can listen to our entire deliberations process in the embedded podcast as well.Jump to another part of our Game of the Year 2013 series: GOTY 2013 HQ • Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3 • Part 4 • Part 5
The Battlefield series is known for its multiplayer, and BATTLEFIELD 4 didn't disappoint on this front. Some smart class changes went a long way, rebalancing roles and allowing players more flexibility in their play styles. The Commander role was revived as well, allowing players to give orders and support their team both directly and indirectly. Experience-based progression in multiplayer bouts was polished to a mirror shine; we never played a match without getting closer to unlocking something cool. Plus, the combat managed to be constantly thrilling, with extremely tight controls and well-designed maps. Because BATTLEFIELD 4 so consistently kept us coming back for more, it wins our award for Best Multiplayer of 2013!EDITORS' PICKS: Nick: Battlefield 4 Chris: Battlefield 4
Pete: The Last of Us
MONACO was the kind of co-op game that made everyone involved feel like a badass. Allowing your four-player party to choose from a list of eight unique characters, players were dumped outside of potential heist sites and asked to complete a series of objectives. Because the map would be obscured everywhere a character doesn't have line-of-sight, it was in everyone's best interest to split up and cover more ground. Of course, it was also four times as easy to get caught with everyone in a different spot. Having someone set off an alarm in MONACO was like playing a game of musical chairs. No matter what each person was doing, everyone would bolt for a hiding spot to restore their anonymity and chew out their companion for not sticking to the plan. Even failing a heist could be fun with friends, and for making us realize that, MONACO: WHAT'S YOURS IS MINE wins our award for Best Co-op of 2013!EDITORS' PICKS: Nick: Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons (singleplayer co-op concept) Chris: Payday 2
Pete: Monaco: What's Yours is Mine
Ever since we heard reports of it scaring players on the loud, brightly lit PAX East show floor, we've been interested in OUTLAST. A generic "haunted asylum" concept on paper, OUTLAST's cerebral tone and focus on desperate stealth took horror to places we didn't think possible. The implementation of a 'look behind you' button when being chased was devious, and its deep psychological horror went to some extremely dark places, even for the genre. For making us squeal like little girls, OUTLAST is our Scariest Game of 2013!EDITORS' PICKS: Nick: Bioshock Infinite Chris: Outlast
Pete: Slender: The Arrival
"What do you do in this video game? OK, let's name it that." DIVEKICK runs away with our Best Game Title of 2013!EDITORS' PICKS: Nick: Divekick Chris: Space Hulk
Pete: Thomas Was Alone
EDITOR'S NOTE: The 'Best Game Title' award refers specifically to how much we like the title of a game; it does not necessarily reflect the quality of the game itself.
BEYOND: TWO SOULS was a lofty title for a lofty game. Neither marketable nor especially descriptive, this game's title has annoyed us since it was announced. Quantic Dream, we understand what you were trying to do with this name, but there were so many better possible choices. Because we wish it was called 'Dafoe and a Ghost' or 'Hey Kids, Wanna Die?: The Official Game of the Movie,' we give BEYOND: TWO SOULS our award for Worst Game Title of 2013!EDITORS' PICKS: Nick: Beyond: Two Souls Chris: Fist of Awesome
Pete: Monaco: What's Yours is Mine
EDITOR'S NOTE: The 'Worst Game Title' award refers specifically to how much we dislike the title of a game; it does not necessarily reflect the quality of the game itself.
A multiplayer Grand Theft Auto game in which players are free to kill, rob and stunt jump to their hearts' content sounds like a sure win for Rockstar Games. After a rocky launch and many broken promises however, most have abandoned GTA ONLINE to the most patient of fans. Three months post-launch, certain promised features still aren't in the game, and it doesn't help that some of the mechanics felt phoned in, patches aside. We might have forgiven its flaws if a patch came quickly after release, but now we're long past caring. For its suite of hotfixes and apology gifts, GTA ONLINE has the Patch That Came Too Little, Too Late for 2013.EDITORS' PICKS: Nick: Planetside 2 (Performance Update 01) Chris: SimCity
Pete: GTA Online
What can we say about BATTLEFIELD 4 that we haven't already? This wasn't a game that wants to reinvent the first-person shooter wheel, it simply molded it into a state of controlled chaos and made sure to look as stylish as possible while doing so. Having said that, the controls in Battlefield 4 were a beautifully executed work of art; navigating environments with all hell breaking loose around you was simply sublime. The addition of a context-sensitive lean mechanic when adjacent to cover points was a suitable compromise for players who yearned for shooter tactics of yore, and the Battlefield series' fascination with realistic touches like bullet drop were always engaging. Using concepts from all over the franchise's history, this game felt like a Greatest Hits of the series. Because it raised an already high bar, BATTLEFIELD 4 is our Best Shooter of 2013!EDITORS' PICKS: Nick: Battlefield 4 Chris: Metro: Last Light
Pete: Battlefield 4
The Game of the Year 2013 Awards were judged by Press Play Senior Producer Nick Hawryluk and guests Peter Kendall and Chris Nagy from How Do I Jump. Don't think we made the right choices in a category? Let us know what you think should have won in the comments below!
Trophy from The Noun Project


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The smartphone is our constant companion used for everything from reading books or news while eating breakfast to watching movies on long flights. Using it lying down doesn't really provide the best of experiences.
Every time I board a Virgin Blue flight from Port Moresby to Brisbane I get this frustrating experience when I try to access their in-flight entertainment on my smartphone. The entertainment service itself isn't a problem. Actually, the service is fantastic.
The problem is holding your smartphone during the entire duration of the movie you're watching. Of course you can place the smartphone on the tray before you but you either still have to hold it or if you place something at the back of it for it to stay upright, it doesn't take long before it starts sliding down.
Obviously, this isn't a problem that's going to be discussed in the coming APEC 2018 meeting here in Port Moresby but it's certainly annoying and frustrating when you're up in there with nothing much else to do.
So I've been doing a little hunting around to see if there is anything in the market that can enable you to enjoy watching a movie or reading a book on your smartphone – "hands-free".
And it looks like my problem has just been solved with this "suction cup phone holder".
Basically, you attach the holder at the back of your smartphone and place it on the tray (or whatever other platform) in-front of you. No need to hold smartphone or be alert in case the phone slides down.
The holder measures 8cm by 2cm which is small enough to place it in your pocket and carry around with you.
The holder is made of silicon and steel so suction won't be a problem and it'll be more secure and stable.
Just bought myself one and loving it. It doesn't have to be used solely for in-flight entertainment it can be used anywhere you want. No need to hold your smartphone and no more tiring arms.
Want to buy one? Buy it from where I bought mine. Click here.


text: Kick off the still fairly new year with another amazing musical night at the Mondrian Sessions at Skybar. Francis and the Lights will have the rooftop in West Hollywood lit up with their epic performance this Friday, January 14. Seeing as how we've been watching all their music videos on their website all day today, we will definitely be lining up to see the show. Come and join us at Skybar for drinks and a good time, but don't forget to RSVP first!


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Pink Diamond Medallion Pinsonic Bedspread
Item # 8062117
This attractive bedspread is full of fashion and comfort. The pink pattern creates a charming and stylish look, while its soft design is cozy and inviting.
Not all products are available in all store locations. Assortment and styles mary vary.
- More Details
More Details
- Made of 100% polyester
- Same pattern on both sides
- Available in twin, full, queen and king sizes, sold separately
- Machine wash cold, gentle cycle; tumble dry low
- Measurements: Twin: 86"W x 110"L; Full: 96"W x 110"L; Queen: 102"W x 118"L; King: 120"W x 118"L
- Imported


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Nanoscale Memory Repair
Yield and reliability of memories have degraded with device and voltage scaling in the nano-scale era, due to ever-increasing hard/soft errors and device parameter variations. This book systematically describes these yield and reliability issues in terms of mathematics and engineering, as well as an array of repair techniques, based on the authors long careers in developing memories and low-voltage CMOS circuits. Nanoscale Memory Repair gives a detailed explanation of the various yield models and calculations, as well as various, practical logic and circuits that are critical for higher yield and reliability.


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Hydrant Flushing for 4/27/16/
FPB Water crews will be flushing fire hydrants at the following locations on Wednesday, April 27:
- Wapping St.
- St. Clair
- Ann St.
- Broadway
- Myrtle Ave.
- E Main
- Prince Hall Village
- Ringo
- Brighton Park
- Country Ln.
- Copperleaf Blvd.
Hydrant flushing is necessary to maintain the integrity and quality of the distribution system and to insure hydrants are functioning properly. This will also allow FPB to obtain firefighting flow information, which is shared with city and county fire departments.
We ask that motorists please use caution in the flushing areas due to possible water in the roadway. Some discoloration may occur in your tap water; this is normal. If discoloration persists after running your faucet for a short time, please call 352-4372.


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Recently I sat through the most endearing, beautiful, and honoring memorial for a long-time friend, Lewis Clark, Sr. I listened with rapt attention while his sons, grandsons, friends and pastor stood and shared the life of this amazing man. All the while I struggled to make out their faces through the blur of tears. I've never been to a memorial as beautiful as this one.
Drop the "S"
This quote really resonated with me the other day while looking for my daily quote to put on my personal Facebook page. I scrolled past it several times, but something inside me kept urging me to go back to it.


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Correction: A previous version of this article included 'Equity crowdfunding' in the headline and once in the article, but do to legal restrictions from the Monetary Authority of Singapore it was changed to 'investment crowdfunding'.
A major reason startups are attracted to accelerator programmes is the network of investors. Well-run organisations help the participating startups knock down a barrier to entry and facilitate conversation and meetings.
But not all startups in accelerators get (or want) traditional VC or angel investment funding. Now Marvelstone Group's 10K accelerator programme and Fundnel have entered into unique partnership that will provide an alternative funding strategy for startups. In hindsight, it seems like a natural fit.
Fundnel is Asia's first investment crowdfunding platform and 10K has entered into a cooperative agreement to foster the ability of 10K umbrella companies to leverage Fundnel's services into their growth strategies.
"How we intend to partner up is by introducing interesting deal flows or opportunities that come to both of us, to each other. For instance, if a business comes along to Fundnel's platform and Fundnel sees opportunities for 10K to help the business out, in more fundraising opportunities, networking, expertise and more, we are more than happy to offer our assistance, and vice versa," 10K Asia CEO Joel Ko Hyun Sik told e27.
Also Read: Fundnel builds bridge to India with Anthill Ventures partnership
To get an idea of how Fundnel operates, let's take a look at a current fundraising campaign on the website from a startup called Hawker — essentially a Deliveroo-like service for Singapore's famous hawker centers.
The company is raising money under a revenue-sharing model in which investors will split six per cent of total revenue based on the amount donated. The minimum investment is rather small (S$250 or US$182) to get a stake in the company. Backers will get their share quarterly with a 1.15 times multiplier over a 12 month period.
Other companies that have received funding often offer convertible bonds or mandatory convertible bonds (forms of equity) as part of the investment deal.
The 10K accelerator platform operates as an arm of Marvelstone Group, a company that has been transparent about its strategy of acquiring companies that fall under its umbrella.
When asked by e27 if the Fundnel partnership would impact the overall strategy, Ko said,
"In terms of acquisitions, this partnership will not have direct impact in our strategy, but indirectly, we believe that this offers a more contained ecosystem for startups that are or will fall under both our platforms."
Ko said 10K plans on further deepening the relationship with Fundnel moving forward.
Also Read: Fundnel officially launches investment fundraising platform
The name 10K is a reference to the platform's ambitious goal to accelerate 100 companies in 100 locations across Asia — totaling 10,000 startups.
Recently in Singapore, the Monetary Authority of Singapore approved the application of equity crowdfunding platform FundedHere to exchange shares in return for funding.


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This is not your mama's embroidery. Tonight we're going to make a new, funky type of home decor that will brighten your walls and make you smile. Using embroidery floss, fabric scraps, buttons, and fun embellishments we will piece together two complimentary embroidery hoops. Class fee is $30/each or $28/each if two or more register together. All supplies are included in the class fee. No refunds are given for cancellations with less than 72 hours notice prior to workshop start.
Friday, September 25th
6:00pm - 7:30pm


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Snapchat Discovered the Power of One of Its Most Popular Features at an EDM Festival
Snapchat co-founders realized the power of Snapchat's Live Stories feature at EDC Las Vegas, which is one of the largest EDM festivals.
"I remember Evan and myself were actually out in EDC Las Vegas when we launched this product, and so we were half expecting to see nothing," Snap co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Bobby Murphy said in the company's roadshow video. "Instead we saw the most amazing content covering an event that we've ever seen."
Snapchat launched Live Stories at EDC in 2014. The company realized that if they could create a digital geographic demarcation aka geofence" around a certain area, they could get users to post videos and photos from the music festival. When a user snaps a picture or a video from the zone, they get an option to include their content in a community-sourced public channel.
Photo Source: Insomniac


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Sunday, January 25, 2009
City Link
After Mother saw the eye doctor, she offered to shout R afternoon tea. Whoa, that kind of sounds like my mother but does not in some ways. Mother decided that the tea bags are too weak and she needed two, and somehow manipulated R to cashier and R paid.
R has finally cottoned on to my mother. There are good reasons why my brain damaged brother always asks for cash up front before doing any shopping for Mother.
Sister was going to take Mother to Eye and Ear next Thursday, entailing a trip with Little Jo on board, one hour out, one hour in, one hour out and then stay the night and help with messages the next day. Older brother with a day off, moi, stepped up to crease and offered to pick up Mother and deliver her, and then Sister can pick her up. That way I will only have to pay for lunch and Sister will have to pay for arvo tea from her pension.
Mother did mention how kind R was on the phone a few days later and asked if she should do anything for him. I did not mention to pay for afternoon tea as you offered, but suggested a thank you card would be appreciated muchly. I would like R to remain a bit cynical about Mother, but not to dislike her.
Oh yes, the subject line is City Link, one of our pay roads. Andy had a good old rant at someone here, but there was some truth to the complaint as we found out once when we travelled Citylink four times in one day and incurred a debit of around $20. Everyone is entitled to, I think eight, day passes per year for around $10. R intended buying one and slipped his Etag into the glove box, but as he went under the first charging point, the Etag beeped regardless. There really is no reason why it can't be done electronically via the Etag. City Link are money grubbing bastards, but I wish I had bought some shares in the company when they were at a low price.
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12 passes per LPN per year @ $12 a pass. There's a reason why they say if you get a pass make sure they etag is out of your vehicle, coz it can go off no matter where you hide it, but generally not if you're sitting on it. I work for citylink, i've heard it all!!!ReplyDelete
"City Link are money grubbing bastards, but I wish I had bought some shares in the company when they were at a low price."ReplyDelete
That's a philospohy that works for Labour M.P.s.
Pfft! The money-grubbing pricks tried charging myself and my cousin for my cousin driving on Citylink years after I'd cancelled my account with them, returned my Etag, and my cousin had both registered the car in her name AND opened a Citylink account.ReplyDelete
It went on over a period of 3 years - get it sorted then suddenly another bill arrives in the mail and we get to do the dance with calls, speaking to hundreds of different people and assurances it won't happen again....until next time.
I've rarely used it and on the times I have, it's been in someone else's car. I stay well away from tolled roads, mostly because I don't want to go where they go. Plus with my car, the less blockages on the windscreen, the better. I struggle in some positions to see some traffic lights.ReplyDelete
FFS Anonymous, get your own blog already! I do leave some very long comments here on Andrew's blog, but never have I left one as long as that! LOLReplyDelete
Moving right along Andrew.. your dear Mum is a crafty little piece..hehe. My nan was similar. I miss her and her quirky ways. They leave for a good story to tell.
People are speaking of City Link rght now on the radio, I heard it as I left work today. There was a hold up and it was due to re surfacing where a truck fire had been last night? Anyway, it took some people more than 2 hrs to get to where hey were going, and they want their toll fee refunded. Fair enough when the call centre was telling people it would only be 20min delay in their already 120min delay trip.
Shivers..did I text as long as Anonymous? hehe.
Thanks for the info Fenz. No offence meant. I am opposed to paying for roads that already existed, even if they did get upgraded.ReplyDelete
Steer clear of them Reuben, they are trouble.
Or if they can't do that Brian, just ask for money to alter legislation.
Why oh why Jayne, do such simple things take so much bother to sort out?
Appreciate the screen difficulty Rob. Btw, I haven't forgotten the interior pic of the car.
Sorry Anon, while I pretty well agree with you, it was inappropriate as a comment.
I heard that too Cazzie. I think if they ask, they will get a refund. Confirm Fenz? But it should happen automatically.


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Get More Customers To Your Business
Improve your marketing results and increase sales by learning how to use social media for small business. Attend this live 4 hour course where you discover the ways to setup your own online ads that bring customers to your business from the Internet.
A small business marketing seminar suited for tourism & hospitality operators
To gain the advantage over your competitors and attract new customers you need to adapt to modern marketing methods like social media, online advertising, email promotions while also upgrading your website to have the required sales conversion funnels.
While this may sound technical and complicated, it's really quite a simple procedure to get your business online and operating more efficiently. You'll get the full overview along with step by step instructions to create your own online marketing campaigns.
Within 4 hours you will know exactly what type of online marketing your business needs, why you need it, how you can set it up and the many ways for improving the results.
Details of the Small Business Marketing Seminar
Why should you attend the seminar?
– To attract more customers and sales to your website
– To increase the reach and exposure of your marketing
– To leverage the web in order to find new prospects
– To create a passive flow of website traffic and leads
– To improve your rate of return for repeat customers
Who should attend the seminar?
Anyone that owns or works in a tourism or hospitality business that is based on the Sunshine Coast.
What happens at the seminar?
This is a special 4 hr presentation that delivers expert advice, proven systems and marketing training that is designed for small business operators and staff that want to use online methods to attract more customers.
Where does it happen?
You can attend the live training seminar on October 22, 2013 here in Noosa. The conference venue and directions will be shared with delegates after registering for tickets.
Please note that only 200 Sunshine Coast business owners will have the opportunity to attend this special event, so register now before all seats are gone.
When does the seminar happen?
Tuesday October 22, 2013. There is a morning session at 10am and then an afternoon session at 4pm. Both seminars last for a maximum of 4 hours.
How can you attend the seminar?
Simply enter your details into the form below to register.
Tickets are $297 each or $1000 for 5 tickets if you wish to use the group discount option. You can pay by credit card, paypal or bank transfer. There is a 48 hour cancellation policy so please contact us no later than 2 days before the event if you are unable to attend and require a full refund.
A member of our team will be in touch with you shortly after you register to explain the payment options and answer any questions you may have about the seminar.


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The Art Jameel Photography Award's (AJPA) mission is to discover emerging talents, develop their skills and exhibit exceptional photographs.
Theme: 'Transitions'
Due to this century's rapid changes that face societies today, from economic to social to technological changes, transitions have become the essence of our daily lives, and we must focus on them more.
The Al Fahidi programme is based on four exhibitions yearly, responding to two open calls – Summer/Winter.
The aim of the programme is to provide artists with the opportunity of their first solo exhibition.


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Creative Tips From a PR Professional
If you've been in a creative job for well over a decade then you may find that 'groundhog day' feeling of living the same campaigns and ideas over and over again.
From the 'spooky' Friday 13th headlines, to the 'new year, new you' mantra of January… it feels like everything has been done before – and to some extent it has, but this should not hold you back in your brainstorms and ideas generation sessions.
If you are trying to get something off the ground but feeling a little stuck, here are a few stimulants to get your creative juices going:
1) Start with images.
Cut out pictures from newspapers and magazines, or even buy some 'flash cards' and use these to spark your ideas. If you have a picture of an elephant at a zoo in front of you instead of a list of KPIs, you may feel that your creative thoughts flow more freely as you associate words and ideas with the images and allow your imagination to run wild.
2) Put yourself in their shoes.
Pick the identity of someone you want to influence and get your colleagues to do the same. Suddenly you are brainstorming as a journalist, a blogger, an MP, a customer, or the head of a charity instead of a team of PR and Marketing people who see each other every day.
3) Think about your senses.
Disneyland's hotel in Paris smells like sweets; Goodwood Festival of Speed is filled with the noise of engines and the scent of motor oil; there is a restaurant where you can eat in the dark (Dans Le Noir) to allow customers a different sensory experience. Experiencing these brands is not something that is best described through a paper press release alone… There are other ways to taste, touch, smell, feel and hear a message.
4) Write the headline you want to see.
If you can't write the story you want to see in the media yourself, chances are a journalist won't write it either. Begin by writing the headline you want to see about your company and work backwards. What do you need to do to make someone write that about you?
5) Make people laugh, or cry, or feel frightened.
In short, make them feel something. If your reaction to your own project or campaign is, 'So what?', that is likely to be other people's reactions too. But if you can barely present the idea for giggling or holding back tears then either you are over emotional or you have a great and moving story on your hands.
Now, where is that mood board…