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Waste Free Kitchen: Zero Fat Vegetable Juicing Pulp Crackers
If you've taken to juicing in the new year, you've likely realized how much fiber and pulp you're tossing out after making a fresh batch of juice for your detox. In December when I made a more conscious effort to add juicing to my every day life, I knew I had to figure out what to do with the produce pulp that was left over. So I made vegetable crackers made only from produce fiber to fill you up and clean up your kitchen... And they taste amazing.
Veggie Fiber Crackers
/// Ingredients ///
- Juice pulp
- The pulp I used here was from a batch of juice with 3 small beets, a handful of kale, 1/2 a meyer lemon, 4 celery stalks, 2 small apples, 2 medium carrots.
- Salt or old bay seasoning
/// Directions ///
Take juicing pulp and flatten it onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Make it THIN and even so baking time is minimized and it is dehydrated evenly. Salt the top or use old bay seasoning. FYI, you're going to probably season again after you pull them out of the oven. Don't over-do-it before because there's no going back if you over salt. Test again after baking. Bake at 200 for about 2 hours. You're going to need to watch it closely since depending on the fibers you're using and your oven, it can cook faster or slower. The goal is to dehydrate and crisp the fiber but not crisp it to oblivion. Check back often since ovens vary greatly!
Serve with hummus or plain!
Dietitian Nutritionist. My husband Chris and I create food and beverage photos, videos, stopmotions and recipes. And they're really cool.


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Diversity & Inclusion Strategist
Below are comments made from my most recent Pre-Departure Orientation.
Alden committed a lot of his time to support us in planning the first student-let Dialogue event in 2014, together we worked really well and created a great start to our events that continue today. Experienced and knowledgeable in events planning, Alden not only generously shared with us some creative and interactive strategies about opening difficult discussions, but also gave us valuable advise in confronting intercultural challenges. I really appreciate Alden's passion for engaging with students and inspiring them to make UBC a safe and meaningful space for intercultural understanding.
I would like to thank you for the two amazing sessions you presented to us during the FGL camp. I really enjoyed the multinational talk because I could relate to it on a personal level. My father is half Dutch, half Thai, but was born in Hong Kong, went to boarding school in Switzerland and then university in the U.S. He then met my mom, who is French with Algerian background, in Hong Kong and they decided to raise my brother and I in Singapore. We both have French passports and attended the French school for a while, and are now both at an international school, United World College. Hence, I really enjoyed and appreciated your talks.
Hello Alden:My name is Jack, I'm from China. And we had met this afternoon in Camosun college Lansdowne camps. Hope you remember me, I asked you a question about for different people should have different handshake question. The reason I sent email to you it because you changed my life. I want to be like you full of energy and confident on the stage. Sorry about my English, I'm still learning it. I mean I just want to be like you, like what you doing everyday, giving people Energy and passion. And I really want to be a friend with you, I just feels you have so much positive energy when I talking with you. I want doing what you doing. Thank you very much, is my honor to met you :)
Pre-Departure Orientation ›
© 2019 Alden E. Habacon Diversity & Inclusion Strategist

subset: commoncrawl


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AKIPRESS.COM - Kazakhstan's central bank kept its key interest rate unchanged after an unexpected cut last month as a surge in prices kept inflation at its fastest since 2008, Bloomberg reported.
The base rate, set as the new benchmark after the central bank abandoned its currency peg a year ago, was kept at 13 percent, policy makers in Almaty said in a statement on Monday. Seven of eight economists surveyed by Bloomberg forecast no change, with one seeing a decrease to 12.5 percent.
"The inflationary risks induced by oil prices, the main terms-of-trade determinant for Kazakhstan, have strengthened," the central bank said in the statement. "A further reduction of the base rate will be based on the dynamics of actual inflation, its deviation from the forecast and target parameters, on inflation expectations, as well as the currency preferences of the population and the market."
While the Central Asian economy is at risk of its first contraction since 1998, the central bank is taking a pause after annual price growth jumped to 17.7 percent in July, more than double this year's target. "Moderate" inflation expectations among households, an economic downswing and slower price growth among Kazakhstan's major trading partners bode well for a drop in the cost index, according to central bank Governor Daniyar Akishev.
The central bank also said it maintained its rate corridor at plus or minus one percentage point. The overnight deposit and lending standing facility rates form a band around the new benchmark.
"We see the positive developments with inflation, market functioning and the de-dollarisation processes in Kazakhstan," Oleg Kouzmin, economist for Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States at Renaissance Capital in Moscow who predicted no rate change, said before the decision. "The central bank would follow a gradual easing path to cement the positive developments."
After adopting a free-floating exchange rate in August 2015, the central bank lifted its new benchmark to as high as 17 percent this year to halt outflows before reducing it by a cumulative 4 percentage points in May and July.
While the tenge has recouped some of last year's losses as oil prices rebounded, the appreciation has done little to curtail inflation. The world's second-worst performer in 2015 with a loss of about 50 percent against the dollar, the Kazakh currency has appreciated almost 12 percent since its drop to a record in late January.
Although the rate cut to 13 percent decreased the cost of financing for lenders, it also opened the possibility for "a part of tenge resources to flow to the currency market," Akishev said Aug. 4. Under these conditions, the exchange rate is set to stay at its current level unless oil prices drop below $35 a barrel and the Russian ruble depreciates to 70 against the dollar, he said.
"Inflation has stabilized and will continue falling in the coming months," Dmitry Polevoy, chief economist for Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States at ING Groep NV in Moscow who forecasts the benchmark will drop to 10 percent by year-end, said before the decision. "De-dollarization is underway with no significant risks to the tenge, in our view, even if oil prices fall further."


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Economic development success begins with tough building plan reviews
Lawsuits. Half-finished buildings sitting vacant. Trips to the Building Code of Appeals. Re-inspections. Angry owners and builders. Have we convinced you how important building plan reviews are to your community's reputation and economic development?The staff at Code Enforcement Services, a division of Carlisle/Wortman Associates, have a combined 100 plus years of experience in plan reviews, inspections and as building officials. They've worked in big cities, small towns, suburbs and rural areas on projects ranging from factories, shopping centers and office buildings to kitchen additions and decks. We recently asked some of them to share examples of how bad things happen to good communities.In city A, the Building Official approved plans for a three-story renovation of an existing commercial building then realized afterwards during a rough inspection that he had overlooked improper window openings in an exterior wall on a zero lot line. The project was halted and the contractor walked off the job. Today the building owner and contractor are suing each other. The city hired CES to consult with them and remedy the situation, but the damage had already been done.In city B, an auto maker built an addition for emission testing only to discover toward the end that their emergency alarm and gas detection systems weren't compliant. They have been shut down for more than a year and have spent thousands of dollars on new plans and appeals to the Building Code of Appeals.An architect disagreed with Township C's standards for barrier free access. But the architect was quoting criteria for new construction while CES was correctly using standards from the rehabilitation code."One mistake in barrier free accommodations opens a city not just to lawsuits but to an appearance in federal court on an Americans with Disabilities Act case," said CES Director Craig Strong. "And it's so common for inexperienced plan reviewers to miss critical issues like requirements for fire suppression, fire alarms, emergency alarms and gas detection systems."Putting aside the worst case scenarios – building collapse, fire, death, injury – plan review mistakes can torpedo a community's economic development program."Developers and builders talk," said Carlisle/Wortman Associates' economic development specialist Dave Scurto. "If they think they won't get prompt, competent service they'll take their projects to more qualified, welcoming communities."Thorough, accurate building plan reviews are the crucial first step in making sure a community develops successfully.


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Our Flower Bouquet CSA
CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, a model of agricultural production in which a network of members pledge to support a farm, with growers and consumers sharing the risks and benefits of production. In short, your CSA membership helps us meet the high costs of starting and sustaining our farm in the season the farm needs the most financial support (Winter and Spring).
When you sign up as a Silver Tree Flower CSA member, you help us meet the upfront costs of seeds, plants, soils, mulches, tools, equipment in the Spring, then we provide you with a gorgeous bouquet of flowers for about 12 weeks throughout the summer (mid-July thru end of September). Each week you'll receive a unique bouquet of over 30 stems of the freshest blooms available in our field that week, beautifully arranged in a glass mason jar (returnable each week for reuse). Click here for a complete list of our flower varieties. Our bouquets are available for pick-up at our convenient location in Downtown Auburn, or for home delivery in Auburn or Skaneateles. Our pricing menu (for 12 weeks of summer bouquets) is as follows:
Regular Membership $228/season (or $19 per bouquet)
Home Delivery Add-On $60/season (or $5 per delivery)
If you'd like to participate as a member of our CSA and don't want to pay the entire membership fee upfront, please contact us about our monthly payment plan (make 4 monthly payments April, May, June, July, paid in complete before first delivery date around July 15).
If choosing delivery, please email us the address you'd like the bouquet delivered to. You can email firstname.lastname@example.com to let us know.


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Receive Our Newsletter
For news of readings, events and new titles.
Do Jong-hwan was born in 1954 and is among the foremost poets in Korea. He made his literary debut in 1982 and has since published many collections of poetry.
As a poet who depicts the struggle of common people in a divided country, Do opens up new possibilities for the unification of North and South Korea. He is the recipient of many Korean literary prizes.
Contributor's Issues
Banipal 43 - Celebrating Denys Johnson-Davies (2012)
For news of readings, events and new titles.
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Denys Johnson-Davies- 70 years translating Arabic literature
Assilah Forum Celebrates 20 years of Banipal
Joseph Fahim
Abdelrashid Mahmoudi
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Abdo Wazen
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Celebrating 40 years of Assilah Festival
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Finding Your Color
For a long time I've always known that I look good in reds, purples, and greens, but I never thought I could call it my "color." But after starting my blog and posting photos of me all over the internet, I've gotten so many people telling me that red is my color. Maybe it's my red-tinted skin or strawberry blonde hair that complements it, but I guess I won't complain! I think it's time to get some more red outfits :)
Dress / Anthropologie
Heels / Aldo (similar here) *last seen here*
Purse / Luana Italy *last seen here*


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Day 9: Establish Boundaries + Manage Expectations
In my work as a health coach, I've spoken to many people suffering from burnout who name work as their biggest source of stress.
As I dove deeper looking for parallels and correlations, I found that in many instances, work stress boils down to communications - the ability to effectively communicate and receive communication - and relationships. In the context of work, it also came down to having boundaries and managing expectations.
Today I want to open the conversation on how establishing boundaries and managing expectations can influence our ability to communicate and enhance our relationships.
Watch the Video:
Download the Audio:
Action Items:
- Watch the video or download the audio to listen to on your smartphone or tablet
- Download and work through the playbook
- Come on over to the Facebook group and share your insights with us!
In tomorrow's challenge we're going beyond health and wellness and taking a different look at how to manage stress.
Be FAB,


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You have questions? We're here to answer them.
Please don't hesitate to contact us.
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Not a Member? No problem, become one today.
Copyright © 2019 - Arizona Homicide Investigators Association


text: This is a flat cut-out made from 16 gauge steel. It is painted with a hammered black and coated with a light gloss. Item is READY TO SHIP! This item is NOT available for international purchase. For more of our metal cuts, check out the 'Metal Work' album on our facebook page.


text: "All of my paintings are foremost inspired by nature. When I paint, I do not try to simulate nature in a recognizable representation. I use nature as a point of departure. The actual painting process is a metaphoric journey with allegorical attributions. I catch myself inserting "life" without attaching figurative associations, conceptual forms or themes. Life in the sense as a summary (past, present and maybe future) of who I am. While painting, feelings flow, such as fears, frustrations, inhibitions, anxieties, also joy, contentment and gratitude. Along with feelings, memories of past experiences, failures and accomplishments, manifest themselves." – Harry Moody


text: Choosing a dental office for your child can be a daunting task. We understand your need to feel comfortable, safe, and welcome in the practice you choose for your child. We offer complimentary tours of our office so that you may meet our team and learn more about the Little Pearls way of providing dental care for children.


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- New York Times
- Dining & Wine: Recipes
- Roasted Squid With Chorizo and Pimentón
- By DAVID TANIS
- Everyone knows about fried calamari, but pan-roasted is a different beast entirely. This easy technique begins on the stovetop and finishes in a hot oven. In less than 10 minutes, you have savory roasted whole-body squid, made spicy with Spanish chorizo and a dash of pimentón, crisp on the outside and juicy and tender in the middle. Eat with a knife and fork or slice into rings for a warm salad.
- 45 minutes
- Ingredients
- 2 pounds small yellow-fleshed potatoes, preferably Yukon Gold
- Salt and pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds cleaned squid, both bodies and tentacles
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 ounces Spanish chorizo, diced (about 3/4 cup)
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 8 ounces arugula, baby spinach or tender dandelion leaves (4 large handfuls)
- Pimentón (Spanish paprika) for dusting
- 3 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
- Preparation 1. Put potatoes in a pot of well-salted water and bring to a simmer. Let simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain; keep warm. 2. Place oven rack in the top position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Rinse squid inside and out, then drain and pat dry. Cut tentacles in half if large, but leave squid bodies whole. Season on both sides with salt and pepper. 3. Put a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. When hot, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the chorizo. Let chorizo sizzle. Add red pepper flakes, then add squid all at once in 1 layer. Do not crowd squid; use 2 pans if necessary. Stir to coat squid with oil. 4. Immediately transfer pan to top rack in hot oven. Let roast for 6 to 10 minutes, depending on size of squid. They are ready when bodies are puffed and starting to brown and crisp at edges. Pour off and reserve pan juices and chorizo. 5. To serve, slice potatoes and, if you like, cut squid into rings. Arrange greens, potatoes and squid on a large platter, dust lightly with piment


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The 2017 Met Gala Is Coming So Here's Some Wild Sh*t Comme des Garçons Has Bestowed Upon The World
In 2017, the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art will honor Comme des Garçons and its founder, Rei Kawakubo by dedicating its legendary exhibition to the designer. The 2017 Met Gala, which is the Institute's annual fundraising event, has also given this year's theme over to the designer.
To get yourself hyped for the Met Gala on May 1, why not check out some of the wild runways Comme des Garçons has gifted the world? And I mean wild. Kawakubo doesn't just toe the line when it comes to aesthetics, where she might clash prints and exaggerate silhouettes in a slightly uncomfortable (but still incredibly beautiful) way. Instead, she dedicates herself (and her label) to reinvent fashion as a whole. Her collections are literal works of art — not clothes, exactly, but wearable objects swanning down the runway, giving its audience real emotions and food for thought.
Each runway has a theme behind it, and the garments explore that idea by getting experimental with fabrics, textiles, and shapes. For example, in 2015 Kawakubo explored death by sending models in lacquered black veils and bulbous dresses that looked like coffin padding. Then in contrast, in 2016 Comme des Garçons toyed with the idea of punks in the 1800s and what that would have looked like, treating us to floral armor and weird corseted structures. Ahead are seven out-of-the-box Comme des Garçons shows you have to see — prepare to be blown away.
1. Spring 2014: What If We Didn't Know The Rules?
In this collection, Kawakubo aimed to completely reimagine what clothes are and decided to treat them not as dresses and pants, but objects for the body. It was an art show of 23 pieces, each one marching down the runway to its own specific music, from soaring operas to synthesized electro. Kawakubo wanted to look at fashion through wiped eyes — as in, what if you had no idea what clothes were, so you didn't know the "formulas" and rules attached to cardigans, lined blazers, and skirts. Where could clothes go if you didn't know a dress had a vertical shape or was meant to be soft and pliable?
Vogue explained, "That's why, this evening, she adhered to none of the strict fashion show formulas. There had been no toiles, no fittings on the body; these were objects to go beyond the body, to reformulate what fashion is to the designer." It was an experiment on a runway — a philosophical question posed and answered.
2. Fall 2014: Monster
A single word defined this Fall 2014 ready-to-wear collection: Monster. Model after model stepped onto the catwalk devoured by massive knitted structures that, at a certain angle, looked like blazers and dresses and blouses. But while you might slip on a collared shirt without much thought, these articles brought forth a sense of chaos. There was something uneasy about them — they gave off a sense of shiftiness and nightmare-like vibes, but also an exciting amount of creativity. They were both ugly and knock-you-in-the-teeth-beautiful, which was exactly what Kawakubo was going for.
She explained to Vogue, "The theme of the collection this time is MONSTER. It's not about the typical Monster you find in sci-fi and video games. The expression of the Monsters I have made has a much deeper meaning. The craziness of humanity, the fear we all have, the feeling of going beyond common sense, the absence of ordinariness, expressed by something extremely big, by something that could be ugly or beautiful. In other words, I wanted to question the established standards of beauty." The clothes we wear and how they define us gives us pleasure, as well as weighs us down with criticism and doubt. Mind: Blown.
3. Spring 2015: Blood And Roses
In "Blood and Roses," Kawakubo mixed beauty and horror into one staggering collection, showing that even chaos brings its own kind of beauty. She used a single dramatic red throughout the whole runway — never varying to a different oxblood or dusty rose tone. It was just one aggressive, jarring red, and it made you both uncomfortable and intrigued. The results were Gothic-like capes with roses and slashed ribbons, power suits with tendrils that looked like running blood, hacked minis that looked like they made it through a civil war, and structured maxis that looked like they were made out of rib bones.
"It felt powerfully unnerving," Vogue reported, summing up the aesthetic perfectly.
4. Fall 2015: The Ceremony Of Seperation
This show was all about mourning — from the lace, Victorian grieving veils, to the black, white, and gold color schemes. Kawakubo described it as "the ceremony of separation," contextualizing that moment where the dead leave their living. Everything about the show brought that forward, including the women wearing the clothes. The models slowly marched down the catwalk to sad violin strings like they were in a daze. And when they passed one another, they slowly circled each other, eyes locked before slowly sliding away, as if they were two ghosts acknowledging each other during their slide into the afterlife.
It was beautiful and heartbreaking and terrifying — in other words, it was Comme des Garçons.
5. Spring 2016: Blue Witches
The theme of SS 16 was "Blue Witches," where, as Kawakubo's husband Adrian Joffe explained, are "powerful women who are misunderstood, but do good in the world." Complete with curled, pointy boots and capes seemingly made out of raven's feathers, she gets the point across. And the collection was an architectural masterpiece — as are most of her ideas. Witches walked down the aisle protectively covered inside wool and feather wrappers masquerading as clothes, intricately knotted velvet capes, blue minis that were fastened by XXL ribbons, and furry frocks that looked like they were sprouting tarantula legs. If this was what it meant to be a misunderstood powerful woman, then sign me up to that mandatory wardrobe.
6. Fall 2016: Punks In The 1800s
Fall 2016 was pure opulence, where it featured a parade of structures that were so smothered by flowers and trappings that it made you wonder what message was tucked in between those bulbous, upholstered dresses. "Is Rei Kawakubo calling for a revolution?" Vogue asked. "Or just illustrating, in a conceptual ritual of flowery circumstance, that luxury fashion has reached such a pinnacle of decadence that it must be in for a fall?" The idea was definitely to rebel, where Kawakubo explained the inspiration was imagining "punks in the 18th century, which was a time of so many revolutions."
And riot she did. From hot pink upholstered "suits" (you couldn't decide if it was a suit-suit or a suit of armor,) to corseted vinyl dresses that looked regal AF, to Victorian traveling capes that looked like they were reinvented for the future, she got her vision across loud and clear.
7. Fall 2017: The Future Of Silhouette
In the Fall 2017 collection, the audience were left with their mouths on the ground. It was madness, in the best possible way. Models stepped onto the runway confidently, their walk self-assured even though their bodies were wrapped up in oblong shapes that could only be futuristic blobs, coming in a variety of textures and materials. From lumpy dresses that looked like they were sculpted from vacuum dust to felt armor that looked like it was mimicking plastic separates, to brown paper bag cancerous sculptures, to tinfoil coats that looked like they belonged more in the oven than the closet — the show was cerebral and elaborate.
But what could it mean? Cryptic as ever, all Kawakubo told fashion journalists and editors was the name of the collection, "The Future of Silhouette." If this is what we'll be wearing in the year 3000, sign us up.
And that's the beauty about Comme des Garçons — it's all about vision. Each collection is more exciting than the last, and makes you think. It's going to be interesting to see how A-listers pay homage to this kind of brilliance in the upcoming Met Gala red carpet — let's hope they too don't play it safe and honor the brand the way it deserves.


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Click on a County Name to View Projects
Key West
The Freeman Justice Center
The Freeman Justice Center, completed in late 2008, features energy conservation with low energy consumption lighting, reduced water volume toilets and high efficiency HVAC systems along with upgraded insulation requirements.
Key Largo
The Murray E. Nelson Government and Cultural Center
This Center uses the same energy and resources saving devices as the Freeman Justice Center and was completed in 2009.
Miami Dade
Downtown Kendall is a designated Urban Center, within Miami-Dade County, and was designed and implemented as a compact, mixed-use center for residential, commercial and office uses.
A form-based hybrid zoning code was adopted to allow for mixed-use buildings such as the one above. Restaurants and small shops on the ground floor activate the street and allow for greater visibility and attractive locations, in close proximity to higher density offices and residential on the floors above.
Great emphasis is placed on the pedestrian realm. Elements of good urban design, such as: nicely proportioned streets, street trees for shelter and wide sidewalks all improve the pedestrian experience at the street level.
Both passive and active public spaces are implemented within walking distance to every one within the project boundaries. Public spaces provide areas for entertainment and leisure, all while building a sense of community.
Urban centers within the county are higher density, mixed-use cores situated around transit nodes and planned by charrettes and other design workshops. A network of public transit connectivity aims to connect the designated urban centers with transit corridors and other urban centers throughout the county.
Miami-Dade County operates the 14th largest public transportation system in the United States and largest in the state of Florida. The 4 transit modes: Metrobus, Me-trorail, Metromover and Special Transportation Service (STS) aim to provide more options for rid-ers to connect to the urban centers and other destinations within the county.
Coconut Creek
Coconut Creek's MainStreet Area Project
Coconut Creek's MainStreet Area is a vision for a sustainable, mixed-use downtown that incorporates smart growth principles through adopted design standards. Considered one of the City's first major green initiatives, MainStreet will be a green and sustainable downtown located just north of Sample Road, west of Lyons Road, south of Wiles Road, and east of US 441/State Road 7. A downtown that achieves a sense of place with compact development, mixed land uses, alternative transit modes, pedestrian-oriented streets, range of housing types, open space, and recreational trails.
Properties in this area are subject to specific standards outlined in the MainStreet Design Standards document (PDF format). Of importance, is the fundamental concept that all buildings be certified by the U.S. Green Building Council for green building construction. This progressive planning approach was developed to showcase architecture that is based on function rather than style.
The first project in MainStreet was completed in 2008 and is called The Promenade (pictured). This mixed-use project contains retail shops, restaurants, office space, and has a later phase for residential construction. The project has wide sidewalks, numerous bike racks, a perimeter greenway trail, and access to the mass transit. Surface parking is minimal with the majority of parking within structures and buildings are placed closer to the street. Residential communities are directly across the project allowing residents to walk to the center. In 2009, The Promenade received LEED® Silver certification making it the City's first Silver certified project.
With the MainStreet vision firmly in place, the City is looking to the future by identifying city-wide sustainable practices through adoption of a City Green Plan. Smart growth principles are a core element to this plan with specific actions to achieve more green buildings, increase tree canopy, improve energy and water efficiency, provide sustainability transportation, reduce waste and increase recycling, and increase community participation. Coconut Creek's goal is to improve the overall quality of life and environmental health of City. To read more visit: www.coconutcreek.net/green/plan/
Dania Beach2009
Dania Beach Griffin Road Corridor Project
2009 Dania Beach Griffin Road Corridor Project was funded by the Community Foundation of Broward, and endeavors to explain to the residents of western Dania Beach what smart growth looks like, what terms will be used in creating a master plan, what possibilities exist for the future economic development of the corridor and what that corridor could look like. The residents chose their preferences of uses, and participated over several meetings. Click here for report
Fort Lauderdale
Community Building Through Decentalized Farming
It's finally happening. For the longest time, it seemed there were virtually no options for local food in Broward County -- but those days are finally ending. There are some pretty exciting things going on in the Broward County locavore scene. This is all the more amazing when you consider that Broward is one of two counties in Florida that's technically "built out," meaning there's no more land left to develop. So instead of big farms, we're seeing small urban farms that rely on hydroponics and other advanced growing techniques to get as many vegetables as possible from small patches of substandard soil.
One of the newest of these is Fort Lauderdale Vegetables. Not quite a CSA and not quite a community garden, Fort Lauderdale Vegetables is somewhere in between. It's a "decentralized farm." Basically, this means you pay a fee for a CSA-style weekly supply of fresh vegetables, but you also get to help choose the crop. And instead of working on the farm like a community garden, your weekly fees help fund the hiring of two employees at living wages (although you can work in the garden if you want).
According to architect Michael Madfis, who designed the garden, it offers the best of all worlds: container culture with drip irrigation, all-natural growing methods with natural compost and seaweed fertilizer, increased productivity, and support for the community by providing both jobs and fresh vegetables. The garden also donates 25 percent of the gross production to nonprofit food banks and pantries.
Lauderhill's NW 56 Avenue Enhancement Project focuses on consistency of the corridor improvement with the following Smart Growth concepts.
Range of Housing Opportunity and Choices
Preserve and Create Open Space
56 acres undeveloped land is now known as South Gateway Park. This passive park includes walking trails, exercise stations, a pedestrian bridge, water tolerant landscaping, a public transit shelter and a water pumping station.
Promote Mixed Land Uses Serviced By a Variety of Transportation
Bicycle lanes were installed on both sides and Glen Apartments installed signature bicycle racks.
The residents and local organizations representing the corridor were involved the improvements incorporated into the project which enhanced mobility, augmented community appearance and strengthened Central Lauderhill.
West Park
Smart Growth Partnership has received several grants, from the Sun Sentinel Diversity Venture Fund and from the Broward Community Foundation, to assist the City in educating and empowering the residents on using smart growth principles for a more sustainable city. Recently, Smart Growth Partnership received a second grant from the Community Foundation to explore with the community, the use of smart growth principles in examining the economic redevelopment of the Pembroke Road corridor. A charrette was held in conjunction with CURE of FAU and students are now at work to produce an outcome for the City.
Broward County's newest municipality has a population of approximately 13,628 and borders Pembroke Pines on the east, Hollywood on the north, Miramar on the west, and Miami-Dade County on the south. It is currently facing water retention issues, a widening of 441 and a loss of economic development. Through a collaboration of BSGP and its members, who represent partner organizations, we will endeavor to help the citizens achieve a livable and sustainable community. Click here for report
Wilton Manors
Along Wilton Drive, mixed use buildings with residential above and shops below. Smart Growth advocates mixed use when at all possible. It allows for affordable housing conveniently located above shops.
Another look at mixed use along Wilton Drive brings together housing, work, recreation and transit for shorter trips and less vehicle miles traveled.
Funky stores (one story) along Wilton Drive. These stores give a sense of place with their bright colors and simple design.
Palm Beach
Boca Raton
Boca Raton's Bicycle/Pedestrian Program
The City of Boca Raton's Bicycle/Pedestrian Program is designed to improve and enhance access to existing facilities and programs and to increase the public awareness of bicycles and other pedestrian users of pathways and roadways.
Interested in commuting from the Tri Rail Station by bike? The phase of the El Rio Trail south of Yamato Road, connecting to the Boca Raton Tri-Rail Station has been open for over a year. The total length of this section of the El Rio Trail is three miles long. Watch for iguanas!
Delray Beach
Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach
Wide sidewalks, landscaping, narrow lanes on the street, shop windows to look at. All aspects of Smart Growth.
Notice the wide sidewalks, trees & flowers and interesting windows of shops to walk by. Smart Growth advocates Complete Streets with places for parking along the road, flowers, and wide sidewalks.
This is residential along a street perpendicular to Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach. It is compact, multi-family dwellings close to work, shopping and restaurants with front doors close to the street. Dwellings for an urban setting. Smart Growth means compact building design that is affordable and within walking distance of transportation, shopping and recreation.
Residential multi-family off Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach. Smart Growth because it is three-story dwelling, close to work, recreation and transit.
This is a street perpendicular to Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach that show multi-family housing pulled close to the street, and within walking distance to work, play and transit.
West Palm Beach
City Center
Waterfront Project
Coming soon.
St. Lucie
Coming soon.
Indian River
Coming soon.


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Easter Sunday
It Is Finished - Part II
Day 1: Read John 19:30 out loud. We know the Easter story is more than a story about bunnies and chocolate-filled eggs. It's a time of celebrating the remarkable story of Jesus. With His words, "It is finished" Jesus paid the price in full for our sins, past and future, by dying on our behalf. The shepherd we recently discovered in our last message series, Psalm 23, He became the lamb, a substitutional sacrifice that restores the relationship between us and God. It is done. Jesus ultimate sacrifice is our renewal. Write a note to Jesus acknowledging his sacrifice. Include something that has changed in your life in the past year because of your relationship with God. This act of writing will slow you down and invite you to be open and honest with Him.
Day 2: Easter is a message of hope, an invitation to experience the joy of taking steps to follow Jesus. We don't need to clean up first, either. But often our issues, problems and frustrations take up all our time, keeping us at arms-length from Jesus. We get stuck. Or worse, we fall into the trap thinking we can manage our own sin. Consider the toughest problem in your life right now. Have you determined the options or solutions without seeking assistance from God? If He were to speak into your situation, what might He say? Where might you find insight from God?
Day 3: Once during a sermon, a minister presented a bottle of strychnine labeled "Poison" to his church. He then removed the poison label and substituted a new one titled "Peppermint Candy." He asked, "Can you see the problem here? The milder we make the label, the more dangerous the poison's presence." His message: it's time for all of us to put the poison label back on sin. We can make excuses or dance around our own behaviors and attitudes. Consider regret in your own life resulting from decisions you made or chose not to make. What specific emotions settled in your heart as a result? Can you recall? Avoid moving past these questions without remembering a specific instance in your life. It is acknowledging this pain that gives personal meaning to Jesus's statement, "It is finished."
Day 4: Yesterday, we reflected on the issue of regret and sin in our lives. If you took time for personal reflection, you stepped back into the emotions caused by your behavior and attitudes. You experienced the shame like the day you first recognized your wrong. When Jesus finished his work on the cross and through the resurrection, He assumed the power and right to take our sin upon Himself. As a result, we can experience forgiveness. In light of your reflection of past sin, have you tasted forgiveness? What does forgiveness do to your soul?
Day 5: After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, to fulfill the Scripture, said, "I am thirsty." John 19:28. Jesus did not sip the sour wine until his mission was complete. His declaration of being thirsty reminds us of his humanity. After six hours of hanging on the cross, he is physically spent. He wets his lips to declare His mission finished. Cory shared a different type of thirst on Easter morning. The spiritual thirst of a desire to be in relationship with God, both today, and for eternity. By admitting our wrongs, accepting Jesus as our Savior, and choosing to follow Him, we experience two realities. We will one-day experience heaven with God. Amazing! Second, we experience fulfillment in life through knowing Him today! Our vision at LSCC is for all of us to take steps to know and become like Jesus. We do so by actively incorporating the commitments of worship (re-centering our lives with God), community (doing life together), and service (loving and serving others). What practical next step can you take this week to build a closer relationship with your Savior? Can we support you? Email Small Groups Pastor, Patrick firstname.lastname@example.com. He or someone from his team will respond back to you.
Downloadable devotional + notes >


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Thank you
To those who came to the opening reception:
We would like to thank you again for attending the opening of the Sonder Exhibition. You helped make something that was once just an idea come to life and we are so grateful for that.
This started as something that we did in order to prove ourselves to others, but along the way, with all the support we've received, we ended up finding pride within ourselves.
To all the exhibitors whose work we were lucky enough to showcase, we are eternally indebted to you. You helped make this event something that we didn't even think was possible.
Thank you to those who came just to support young artists. Whether you are a teenager, a grandparent of a teenager, or anywhere in-between, your presence made this night so incredible.
Finally, thank you so much to our corporate sponsor, Adorama. They made this night possible and we are beyond thankful for that.
If you want to come check out the space in a less hectic environment, we are open today and tomorrow from 2-8pm.
Additionally, if you happened to take one of our disposable cameras, please let us know so we can go get them developed.
Thank you again for joining us at the opening reception of Sonder Exhibition.
Emma and Carolyn


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Every family has there own thing when it comes to spiritual practices and disciplines. We tend to camp out in the "love people + open our home" to our friends and neighbors. Our home is filled with people All the time. Hospitality is a deeply meaningful spiritual practice for us. It is what we do.
But the other big part of our spiritual makeup as a family is memorization of scripture. I know that makes some of you think of strict parents and cumbersome legalism, but that is simply not how we do things around here. We just memorize scripture. We make it fun and WE ALL do it.
Our kids memorize it weekly through a Awana program at a local church. We have done this since they were babies, so it is built into the weekly routine of our home. I have found (for me) memorizing Scripture grounds me. It keeps my mind focused and my heart in check.
Last year, my oldest and I memorized Luke 2 together for her Awana class. It was challenging, but fun way to celebrate Advent. This year, we decided to do again but make some cute printable cards to inspire us.
We have made them available for you for FREE. Simply click here to download.
Here is a sneak peak at what they look like.
These cards go all the way up to verse 20. It is the complete story of the birth of Christ.
We printed ours on 8 1/2 x 11 Card stock and cut them. After you cut them, each verse card should be about 4 x 6 inches. You could punch a hole in the upper left corner and secure with a ring if you want.
Write all over these. They are meant to be USED. Colored on them, make notes, or circle words you can't remember. These were made to be WORKING cards, not just pretty things.
We use these during Advent season but download your cards for anytime of the year. Kids grades 3 and up can memorize ALL these verses with you. Kids K-2 could memorize just verses 7, 11, 14, 19. Pick 4 or 5 and help them memorize parts with you every week. For kids not yet in school, just practice your verses aloud while they are around. Just hearing you say the words over and over is meaningful and powerful.
Remember, simple is good and repetition is important. This should be fun, not a chore. Make up actions to your verses if you need to. Your kids will LOVE it. Make up a song for your verse if you have to. Most importantly, If your people get frustrated, stop and come back another day. Do what you can. My goal is to make memories not nightmares.
Do you memorize scripture with your family? What are your best tips?


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I spend a lot of time outside and especially on secluded beaches. I am often alone and surrounded by shorebirds either roosting or feeding and I travel either by bicycle or on foot. My prints are often the only human prints on the beach and I see them increase as the tides decrease during the monthly cycle and wash away on the big tides. Every day I see other creatures leaving their prints and they also come and go with the tides. I walked back along a red sand beach this week and left distinct prints on the wet sand and they were gone by the next tide…..
Footprints on the sand
I came across a set of Australian Pelican prints and realised my feet are not that big!
Australian Pelican prints
I recently watched a small flock of Great Knot walking along the tide edge as they watched the tide fall and then flew out onto the reef to feed. You can almost imagine what I saw from the picture as each print was a bird walking side by side along the sand.
Great Knot prints
A flock of Greater Sand Plovers had all been crowded together at high tide and as it dropped they moved forward leaving their prints and a loose feather in the sand.
Greater Sand Plover prints
In the silty sand I discovered snail prints mixing with the actively feeding Red-necked Stint prints. They were moving at considerably different speeds!
Red-necked Stint and snail prints
During the breeding season in Broome I see the prints of Pied Oystercatchers leading to their nests. It takes a windy day to remove all the prints that they leave on every changeover of sitting duties.
Pied Oystercatcher prints
On one occasion I saw a Red-capped Plover chick that was only about 3 days old suddenly disappear from sight as its parents called out for it to hide. It found a human print was the only place to go, but it camouflaged it well!
Red-capped Plover chick in footprint
I have seen Sanderling run along the beach and due to their speed only leave one print next to a starfish!
Sanderling print next to starfish
Even an octopus will leave a print if it suddenly loses the sea from around itself and needs to move.
Octopus and its print
There's an old saying…
Take only pictures and leave only footprints
I still have the pictures, but the prints are gone!
@ Redgannet-yes, it is about a whole lot more! Don't tell anyone, though! 🙂
I LOVE this post! Some of the images created by the prints are magical, like abstract paintings, and others are fascinating, especially the chick hiding in the human footprint. You have an artist's eye, Clare, to notice and document all of these unique moments as you walk along the beaches. Thank you!
@ Wendy-thanks-I am pleased you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed discovering all these prints!
Great article and pics!!!!
@ Sky Blue-thanks!
Beautiful pictures, well written and I just love the thought behind the article.
© 2013 10,000 Birds. All words, images, and opinions are the property of their respective authors unless stated otherwise.


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Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Dave Barry Is Not Taking This Sitting Down
By Dave Barry
Dave Barry is a humor columnist for The Miami Herald and this book is collection of his columns, published in 2000.
Dave Barry is a funny guy and this collection of his columns certainly bears this out. They are funny and a good way to spend a few lighthearted hours. Very enjoyable.
The Goblin Reservation
By Clifford D. Simak
Peter Maxwell is a specialist in the "Little People": creatures like trolls, goblins and fairies. He travels by matter transmitter to a planet where a dragon has been sighted. In the process, unknown to him, he is duplicated. One Peter arrives at his intended destination, discovers the dragon sighting is false and soon returns to Earth. The other Peter finds himself on a strange crystal planet that is a storehouse of information, most of which is unknown to Earth. The owners of the planet desire to sell it to Earth, if their price can be met. Peter is sent back to Earth to handle the sale.
But when he returns home, he finds out about the other Peter and that the other Peter had arrived first and was killed soon after. Now Peter has no home, no job, and no legal status. And yet he has to carry on with his vital mission, a mission that becomes even more vital as Peter finds out that implacable aliens also desire to own the crystal planet.
This was a boring book. Mostly the character just sit around and drink and talk about their problems. Most of the action occurs at the very end of the story. And the ending seemed long way to go for very little.
Posted by Leesa Dee at 9:44 PM No comments:
Labels: bad read, fantasy, fiction, science fiction, Simak
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Two Much
By Donald E. Westlake
Art Dodge is not a good person. He doesn't pay his bills, he cheats on his taxes, he sleeps with his best friend's wife. When he meets a beautiful woman on the beach and finds out she is a twin, he quickly invents a twin brother, Bart, just to get closer to the woman, Liz.
That's where it should have ended. But instead he decides two is better than one and so he pursues the other sister, Betty, as his twin brother, Bart. Betty seems to be smitten by Bart, and before he knows it, somehow Bart & Betty are secretly married.
Now Art knows this is probably one of the stupidest things he has ever done, but Betty and Liz are wealthy and he is enjoying their privileged lifestyle. But after about a week, he tries to break it off with Betty, accusing her of having sex with his brother Art, which she did do, so theirs is not the world's best marriage. Liz makes Art an offer in which she will pay him $10,000 and buy him a car and other perks in exchange for a marriage in name only. It turns out that Liz and Betty are in a dispute over their inheritance from their recently deceased parents and that both sisters have gotten married to strengthen their cases against each other. Art agrees to the deal and soon finds himself married to Liz too. Things are getting really complicated, especially when Liz's suspicious lawyer starts snooping around, trying to dig up dirt on Art and his imaginary brother, Bart.
Nobody in this story is worth a crap except for Art's best friend Ralph, whose wife Art has been doing. Other than poor old Ralph, they all pretty much suck. Liz is a slut and a bitch and Betty is a two-timing, two-faced prig. They don't care about each other and they don't care about anyone else, either. Art is wise ass, a con man, completely unreliable and cares only about himself. Well, it's not very inspiring but reading about Art's antics and the mess he gets himself in makes for an engaging, amusing story.
Georgia Boy
By Erskine Caldwell
A collection of fourteen short stories set in rural Georgia in about the 1920s or 30s featuring the Stroup family consisting of 12-year-old William, his shiftless father Morris, his hard-working mother Martha and their unpaid servant/yard boy, Handsome Brown, an orphan.
The first story, My Old Man's Baling Machine sets the tone for the rest of the book. Morris Stroup buys a baling machine designed to bail up scrap paper which can then be sold. He is pretty sure he has hit upon an easy way to make lots of money. Trouble is finding enough paper to put in the bailer. He even goes so far as to rip the covers off brand new books and even toss his wife's recipe books and old love letters into the bailer, much to her extreme displeasure and distress.
The other stories are in a similar vein, with Morris Stroup's shenanigans as the main theme. But not to worry, Mrs. Stroup, long-suffering and put-upon as she may be, gets even with her worthless husband in the last story, My Old Man Hasn't Been the Same Since.
I think these stories are meant to be humorous but I found them to be rather sad, the way the father cheats his son, his wife and the yard boy. He takes what may be Handsome Brown's only possession, a banjo, and sells it to buy tickets to a nudey show at the carnival. He messes around with other women and disappears for days at a time without telling his wife where he will be. He destroys his wife's rocking chair because he is angry at her when she got upset that he came home drunk with a young woman on his arm. Maybe he is meant to be comical but I just found him repulsive. However, as much as I disliked Morris Stroup, I still enjoyed reading these stories as a trip back to a different, simpler time.
Incident at Badamya
By Dorothy Gilman
Set in 1950 Burma, the story begins with the suicide of the father of a young teenage girl, Gen Ferris. Her parents had come to Burma as missionaries shortly before the start of World War II and they were captured by the Japanese and placed in a prison camp where the mother died.
After the end of the war, through despair or inertia, the father stayed with his baby daughter in Burma, eventually ending up in a small rural village. Overcome by his mounting depression and financial troubles, the father killed himself, leaving his daughter to make her way alone back to the only relative she knows of, an aunt in the United States.
Unfortunately, Burma is in a state of civil unrest and Gen is taken by the
communist insurgents and held for ransom along with several other Americans and Europeans. The small group of strangers is locked into an old temple and together they will try to escape or die in the attempt.
This was a really interesting and fascinating story, reading about the determined yet inexperienced young teen left to fend for herself in a hostile world. She makes some new friends, is helped out by some old friends and has a few mystical encounters that add a nice touch to the story. It's a story of a group of strangers who don't really like or trust each other coming to know themselves and each other better and learning to rely on each other.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Heaven Is for Real
By Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent
When Colton Burpo was three years old, his appendix ruptured and he became gravely ill. During surgery, Colton had an out-of-body experience where he saw his parents praying for him and then he went to heaven where he met Jesus, God, the Holy Spirit, his grandfather and his little sister who had died in utero and whom Colton had never been told about. When he recovered from surgery, he mentioned these things to his parents who were astounded and who believed that what he saw while under was a true vision of heaven.
As the years passed, Colton continued to astound and amaze his family with his revelations of his heavenly experience and his parents eventually decided to share his story with the world.
I don't know if what is described in the book really occurred. It certainly is an appealing picture of what Heaven could be. I don't think it is any kind of proof of the reality of heaven, despite the title. But I also don't see any harm in it either. Maybe it is a fantasy, maybe not. But I think a lot of people have found the book inspiring.
This was a very easy book to read. In fact I read it in less that two hours. I will admit that I skipped a lot of the Biblical references and quotes and most of the back story, since I was mainly interested in what the author claims his son said. But even if you took the time to read the superfluous info, it would still be a pretty fast and easy read and pretty entertaining even if you have your doubts about the honesty and truthfulness of the author.
Posted by Leesa Dee at 11:10 PM No comments:
Scorpio Rising
By Alex McDonough
Part two of the Scorpio trilogy finds Scorpio and his new friend Leah in the London of Queen Elizabeth I. Here they find shelter with the Queen's astrologer, Dr. Dee, who believes he can help them solve the puzzle of Scorpio's golden orb. However, Dr. Dee's assistant Kelley becomes jealous of Scorpio's growing relationship with Dr. Dee and Kelley also wants to possess the orb. Meanwhile, Leah is off studying thievery with the notorious Lord Foistwell with a view to gaining skill enough to rob an old man of an ancient scroll that may have information on how to control the orb. But just as she and Scorpio begin to learn how to communicate with the orb, the deadly Hunters appear, intent on killing Scorpio and Leah, now that she has allied with Scorpio.
This was a pretty good story as Scorpio and Leah get to experience Elizabethan England. However, I do think that a girl like Leah, alone in that den of thieves run by Lord Foistwell would have soon been in terrible trouble. Also I found the characters acceptance of Scorpio's alien appearance more than just a little unbelievable, especially the Queen's refusal to turn him over to the witch hunters.The characters reactions to the alien just didn't ring true to me. But, despite that, I still found the story enjoyable and entertaining.
Posted by Leesa Dee at 10:39 PM No comments:
Labels: fantasy, fiction, good read, McDonough, science fiction
Monday, September 12, 2011
One of Our Thursdays Is Missing
By Jasper Fforde
The real Thursday is missing and the written Thursday gets entangled with all sorts of nefarious characters in an attempt to track down the real Thursday.
In the world of Thursday Next, books live in a land of their own, populated by their characters. As an agent of Jurisfiction, Thursday helps keep the books and their characters in line and uncorrupted by outside influences. But some of the books are on the verge of war and Thursday's services are required to help broker a peace settlement. But she has disappeared and the fictional Thursday finds herself trying to maintain her own book and its attendant characters and also conduct an investigation into some strange occurrences in the world of books that leads her on the trail of the lost Thursday and into the middle of a war zone.
I always find it hard to wrap my mind around the whole concept of a world populated by books, their settings, plots and characters. But even though I found the story rather confusing and dense and often hard to follow, I still enjoyed it quite a lot. It's a hugely complicated world and very strange and anything can happen but also very engrossing and frequently funny and a real wild ride.
Posted by Leesa Dee at 11:07 PM 1 comment:
Labels: fantasy, Fforde, fiction, good read, science fiction
By Tina Fey
Tina Fey's very funny memoir of how she got to be where she is today: successful, rich and famous, the holy grail of American life. A great, light and wacky read!
By Michael Frayn
Martin and his wife and baby are off to the country to spend the summer while Martin is supposed to be working on his book. A neighbor asks his advice on some old paintings and Martin gets a glimpse of what he thinks is a lost Bruegel. The neighbor needs money and hopes his old paintings might be valuable. Of course, if the painting is a Bruegel it would be worth millions.
But Martin doesn't tell the neighbor. Instead he plots and finagles to get his hands on the painting himself, in the process doing tons of research on Bruegel in order to convince himself that the painting is what he thinks it is. But his obsession eventually alienates his wife and gets him tangled up with the neighbor's wife and the whole thing turns out to be an exercise in futility.
The book starts out pretty good and Martin's obsession is very understandable. And the tons of Bruegel information in the book is interesting too. But towards the last part of the book I lost interest and it sat for a couple weeks before I picked it up to finish it. The ending was disappointing and harsh.
Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?
By John R. Powers
Published in the middle 1970s, the author writes a fictionalized account of his student years in Catholic high school in the 1960s in Chicago. Mildly amusing and a pretty good read except for its excursions into more serious reflection.
Posted by Leesa Dee at 9:49 PM No comments:
Labels: fair read, fiction, humor, memoir, Powers (John R.)
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Top Ten Reasons to Join a CSA
Organized by Tony Schultz
(inspired by Monica Goldberg and borrowed heavily from experts all over the net)
10. Better Flavor
Local organic vegetables have a rich and full flavor. CSAs select for more flavorful varieties and reduce the time between the harvest and your plate. The CSA farmer harvests for ripeness and flavor whereas most industrial conventional farmers harvest for shipping and shelf-life. A tomato grown by a local farmer and never refrigerated will retain more of its delicate leguminous flavor than one shipped in a fridged plane from Guatemala. A 2001 study by researchers at Washington State University published in the journal Nature concluded, under judgment by a panel of tasters, that organic apples were sweeter. Along with taste and sweetness, the texture as well as firmness of the apples were also rated higher than those grown conventionally. These differences are attributed to the greater soil quality resulting from organic farming techniques compared to those of conventional farming. This is a main reason why many chefs select local organic food for their recipes.
9. Safer Food
Chemical Residues: CSAs typically offer organic vegetables which are grown according to strict standards without the use of pesticides, herbicides, synthetic fertilizer, genetically modified organisms, food irradiation, and cloning. A 2002 study examined data from 90,000 samples of produce and found that "nearly three-quarters of conventionally grown foods had detectable pesticide residues. Three-quarters of organic crops had none. And among the one-quarter of organic samples that did test positive, levels of pesticide contamination were far lower." Biologist Sandra Steingraber, PhD, provides another telling example: "Organophosphate insecticides kill by attacking the nervous systems of insect pests. They are frequently used in fruit and vegetable farming. A 2003 study measured levels of these chemicals in the urine of pre-school children living in Seattle. Children with conventional diets had, on average, nine times more organophosphate insecticides in their urine than children fed organic produce." Pesticides are poisons and children fed organic food have lower residues of certain pesticides in their bodies than children fed conventionally grown food. The same threat exists for farmers. A National Cancer Institute study showed that farmers exposed to chemical herbicides had a six times greater risk of contracting cancer than farmers who are not. In California, reported pesticide poisonings among farm workers have risen an average of 14% a year since 1973. Pathogens: Due to a lack of education about organic food and standards, 2006's reports on the E coli spinach outbreak hastily and erroneously mentioned organic. Organic standards require either that animal manures be composted or that two non-food rotations be grown on a manured site before it can be used for small crops. In fact, a UN Food and Agriculture Organization report concluded that the superior management practices of organic agriculture reduce E. coli and mycotoxin infections in food: "It can be concluded that organic farming potentially reduces the risk of E. coli infection. . . . Two studies reported by Woess found that aflatoxin M1 levels in organic milk were lower than in conventional milk. . . . As organically raised livestock are fed greater proportions of hay, grass and silage, there is reduced opportunity for mycotoxin-contaminated feed to lead to mycotoxin-contaminated milk."
8. More Nutritious
Locally grown food is freshest and, therefore, more nutritionally complete. The following is taken from The Benefits of Organic Food by Andre Leu "A scientific study published in the Journal of Applied Nutrition in 1993 clearly showed that organic food is more nutritious than conventional food. Organically and conventionally grown apples, potatoes, pears, wheat and sweet corn were purchased over two years in the western suburbs of Chicago, and then analyzed for mineral content. The organically grown food was on average 63 percent higher in calcium, 73 percent higher in iron, 118 percent higher in magnesium, 178 percent higher in molybdenum, 91 percent higher in phosphorus, 125 percent higher in potassium, and 60 percent higher in zinc. In addition, The organic food was on average 29 percent lower in mercury than the conventionally raised food. A peer-reviewed scientific article published in the February 2003 Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry stated that organically grown corn, strawberries and marionberries have significantly higher levels of cancer-fighting antioxidants than conventionally grown foods. Some of these compounds, such as flavonoids, are phenolic compounds that have potent antioxidant activities. Many are produced by plants in response to environmental stresses, such as insects or competing plants. They are protective compounds that act as a plant's natural defense and also have protective properties in human and animal health. Two comprehensive studies have been published that compared the differences between organic and conventional foods. Both studies analyzed around 40 previously published studies. One study was conducted in the United Kingdom and the other in the United States, each independently of the other. Both studies came up with similar conclusions that there is overwhelming evidence that organic food is more nutritious than conventional food. One of the authors stated, "On average our research found higher vitamin C, higher mineral levels and higherphyto nutrients, plant compounds which can be effective against cancer. There's also less water in organic vegetables, so pound-for-pound you get more carrot for your carrot.""
7. More Selection
Because most CSAs strive for a wide variety and ecological diversity, over the course of the season CSA Farmers typically grow more vegetable varieties than found at a grocery store. You'll enjoy and discover more vegetable varieties than you might otherwise buy. Get ready for leeks, celeriac, edamame, garlic scapes and chicory, among other diverse goodies.
6. The Price of Our CSA and the Real Cost of Food
Because your food dollar goes directly to the farmer instead of paying distributors, trucking companies, advertisers, and ConAgra's lobbyists, CSAs offer high quality produce at or below retail cost. A 2008 half share amounts to approximately a grocery bag of vegetables for about $15 per week. A study at the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems at UW Madison compared CSAs and other markets (ex. Grocery Store) and found that while costs varied depending on the CSA and market, overall costs were comparable and "some CSA members may realize significant financial savings as well". This was just based on the vegetables and did not include newsletters, farm celebrations, and you-pick days. Most CSAs provide organic vegetables which typically cost 10 to 40% more than conventional produce, at a price equivalent to conventional produce. On a CSA farm, members share the full costs of food production and local, sustainable agriculture. The CSA movement aims to educate consumers that supermarket prices do not reflect the real costs of our industrial agricultural system. These costs include packaging, waste disposal, soil erosion and groundwater contamination, pollution caused by long-distance transport, exploited farm workers, and government subsidies which, according to the Heritage Foundation, will cost the average American household $1,805 in taxes over the next decade and primarily benefit industrial factory-farm type agriculture. All of these costs may seem hidden or external from what you pay at the grocery store, but are very much a part of the cost of your food.
5. Education and the Farmer to Family Connection
What is organic? How does government policy affect agriculture and the environment? What do I do with my vegetables when I receive my share? How do I store them? How long will they stay fresh? How can I use them for dinner tonight? What do worms do for the soil? How do beneficial insects replace pesticides? Answers to these questions will be explored in the up coming farm season as you and your children learn new things about how and where your food is grown. For the past 100 years most Americans have been increasingly distanced from their food. A CSA is a link between a rural farmer and an urban family. The farm helps bring families to the land. You can look into the eyes of the person who grew your food and enjoy a more personal interaction in the process. The CSA serves as a rural gathering place to share events on the farm and reconnect yourself to your food.
4. Fun!
Experience fun on the farm with harvest festivals, potlucks, barn dances, hay rides, field days, and more. Let the kids play with the animals and shoot hoops in the haymow while you enjoy great food and great people. Put the culture back into agriculture.
3. The Environmentalism of a CSA Food Miles and Efficiency
While industrial agriculture is often cited for its "efficiency" local food uses less fossil fuels. Only about 10% of the fossil fuel energy used in the world's food system is used for producing food. The other 90% goes into packaging, transporting and marketing. Locally produced food is more energy efficient with the majority of the energy use going into food production and on a small scale CSA such as ours many thing s that would be mechanized on a larger farm are done with hand tools such as weeding, planting and harvesting. According to the Leoplod Center for Sustainable Agriculture, "food miles' are the distance food travels from where it is grown to where it is ultimately purchased or consumed by the end user. As you can imagine CSAs have dramatically fewer food miles than conventionally grown produce purchased at a grocery store. In the Leopold Center's recent comparison of conventionally and locally grown produce in Iowa the average bunch of conventionally grown carrots traveled 1,838 miles as opposed to locally grown carrots, which traveled 27 miles. The average conventional food we eat travels over 1500 miles while local food averages 30. According to the Center for Food Safety, "shipping a strawberry from California to New York requires 435 calories of fuel but provides the eater only 5 calories of nutrition."Biodiversity - As biological diversity is threatened by modern industrial systems and sprawl, so, to the diversity of domesticated plants and animals is threatened by the modern industrial agricultural system. Since the turn of the 20th century, 97% of fruit and vegetable varieties have become unavailable commercially and replaced by only a few uniform varieties. The conventional agricultural system relies on only 20 major crops for 90% of the food grown and marketed. As the number of species used for food crops declines, genetic diversity and future options for the development of plant and animal strains are reduced. Potatoes provide an illustrative example. There are more than 5,000 varieties of potatoes known worldwide, of which Andean farmers alone cultivate more than 3,000 varieties. In contrast, only four varieties of potatoes account for over 75% of the crop grown in the U.S. The top ranking potato is the Russet Burbank, which is favored by Macdonald's for its French fries. Potatoes, especially the Russet, are vulnerable to potato beetle and blight, but Macdonald's demands consistency and replicability in its fry, as a result farmer's must apply more and stronger fungicide to ward off late blight rather than switch to cultivars that have higher resistance. CSA farms are extremely diverse growing 30 to 50 different types of crops and hundreds of different varieties. Pesticide, Herbicide, and Fertilizer Runoff –Every year the Mississippi river - which drains 41% of the United States - dumps 1.6 million tons of nitrogen in the Gulf of Mexico, three times as much as 40 years ago. This fertilizer run off, flowing down rivers to the sea has created a dead zone covering 7,000 square miles roughly the size of New Jersey. Most of this runoff comes from the highly productive corn belt. The nutrients feed blooms of algae and phytoplankton. The algae drain oxygen from the water, as do the decomposing bodies of the plankton, when they fall to the seabed and die. It hits a fishery that provides one-fifth of the country's entire harvest from the sea. As a result, catches of brown shrimp, the gulf's most important species, have dropped since 1990. Pesticides runoff in a similar manner and have been connected to fish kills, mutations in amphibians, and increased hormone levels in drinking water. Most CSA's use organic compost and cover crop rotations to build the soil thus avoiding much of the nutrient runoff and do not use pesticide or herbicide.
2. Buying Locally is Better for Your Community
Three main factors account for the difference in community payback: Local Giving - Because local business people and farms live where they do business they are much more involved in it. This contributes to the fact that local businesses give 0.4 percent of their gross revenue to charity. That's four times as much, relative to overall sales, as Wal-Mart gave to charity in 2002, and twice as much as Target gave. Local Buying - Locally owned businesses make more of their own purchases locally. Local businesses bank with locally owned banks, they purchase some inventory from local manufacturers, advertise in local newspapers, and hire local accountants, printers, internet service providers, and repair people.The Multiplier Effect - More of the profits of locally owned businesses recirculate in the community. Economists call this the multiplier effect. Three recent studies (in Austin, Texas, Chicago, and Maine) compared locally owned businesses with nationally owned book stores as far as their impact on their local economies. $100.00 spent at a national retailer yielded a return of between $15.00 and $40 to the local economy. However when that same $100.00 is spent with a local retailer it returns between $45.00 and $68 of income to the local economy. When further defined, these returns from the national chain store were usually in the form of lower-level service sector wages.
1. Support the Economic Democracy of Small Farming
We can have an agricultural system where 1 factory farmer controls 3500 rBGH cows, exploits 50 mostly immigrant workers, and pollutes the watershed because their ocean of manure is viewed as a matter of disposal OR we can have an agricultural system where 60 families control 60 organic cows each with family labor and views their manure as precious fertilizer to build the soil of their pasture. By supporting small family farms you are fostering the broad-based independent decision making of economic democracy and a more sustainable agriculture. You are helping to break up the concentration of power and making room for values beyond the bottom line. You are supporting an economic system where more people can have meaningful control of their lives and something of their own, an empowering space in an interdependent world.
- Washington Apple Study Finds Organic Growing Is Best By EMILY GREEN, Times Staff Writer http://www.organicconsumers.org/Organic/orgapples.cfm
- The Organic Manifesto of a Biologist Mother Sandra Steingraber, PhDhttp://www.organicvalley.coop/culture/moomom/organicmanifesto/index.html
- Why Organics http://www.westsideorganics.com/wso/why_organics/
- FAO (2000) Twenty Second FAO Regional Conference for Europe, Porto, Portugal, 24-28 July 2000 Agenda Item 10.1, FOOD SAFETY AND QUALITY AS AFFECTED BY ORGANIC FARMING
- The Benefits of Organic Foodby André Leuwww.ofa.org.au/papers/The%20Benefits%20of%20Organic%20Food%20paper.doc
- CSA: More for your money than fresh vegetables John Hendrickson and Marcy Ostromhttp://www.cias.wisc.edu/archives/2001/01/01/csa_more_for_your_money_tha...
- Stoney Acres Farm 2007 CSA Season Half Share Cost www.stoneyacresfarm.net
- The Heritage Foundationhttp://www.heritage.org/Research/Agriculture/BG1538.cfm
- Local Ownership Pays Off for Communities By Jennifer Rockne Jeff Milchen, 2003
html http://www.civiceconomics.com/Andersonville/AndersonvilleStudy.pdf


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Sugar and spice and all that's nice
That's what Eve was made of,
And placed in the Garden of beauty and charm
To bask in the warmth of God's love.
Then along came a serpent so charming and sweet
With a hellish mission in mind,
To crush and destroy the apple of God's eye,
And to rob her precious soul blind.
How foolish was she that fateful day
When she ate from the forbidden tree,
And stripped herself bare of God's righteousness
For all eternity.
But even before He formed the clay
God had a plan for man-kind,
To redeem and restore our broken soul,
And give us life sublime.
He sent to earth His only Son
To die on a splintered tree,
To wash away sin's ugly stain,
And set our spirit free!
Sandi Staton


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The family of a pedestrian who died after being involved in a collision in Flitwick on Christmas Eve have released a tribute.
Ross Cowling, 37, from Luton, died following the collision with a green Land Rover Defender at about 5.35pm on Maulden Road on Saturday (December 24).
His family are being supported by specially trained officers.The driver of the vehicle has been spoken to and is helping police with the investigation.
The family of Mr Cowling have released the following statement: "Ross was a loving father, brother, uncle and son and we are all absolutely devastated.
"He had been on his way home to spend Christmas with his family. Ross leaves two young daughters, aged 10 and eight. We are all heartbroken."
Anyone who witnessed the collision, or saw either the vehicle or Mr Cowling prior to it, should call PC Ed Colley from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Forensic Collision Investigation Unit on 101.


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Inspired by a one word writing prompt: fastidious.
"Is that a smudge?" Mr Arfwick went quite pink.
"Erm…" Tom stammered for a response.
His boss decided not to wait for one.
"Here at Nitpicker & Scruple we believe in fastidious accounting. Start again!"
Tom trudged away. Why had he let his father talk him out of being a pirate?


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Oct 2008
E-learning: Why It Delivers Better Performance
Blog posts
Shaping the future of learning
Last week we looked at some of the arguments for e-learning from a cost point of view. You may find your stakeholders saying "We get that it's cheaper. But is it better?". Here are some of the reasons you can use to explain why e-learning's better than classroom learning – most of the time.
1. Freedom to go wrong – privately
Is learning always better done in a group? Not for learners who prefer a more private experience. Learners may not want to reveal their lack of understanding of a topic. They may not want to fail publicly. It's the reason that many role-plays just don't work in facilitator-led environments – many learners are just not comfortable with demonstrating their shortcomings in front of peers. E-learning affords a private experience, enabling learners to explore mistakes and learn from them, without any fear of what others think. More willingness to explore, make mistakes and learn from them means a better and more applicable learning experience.
2. Better approximation of reality
E-learning is not the same as learning by doing, on-the-job. But if it's well designed, it can get a lot closer to approximating reality than classroom sessions do. Most knowledge workers learn, work and communicate using computers. So providing training and support via technology is more natural than moving people into a de-contextualised training room. Goal-based scenarios that emulate the worker's real environment can do a pretty good job of emulating real work tasks. If these scenarios incorporate real-world information such as emails, reports and websites, and provide learners with realistic challenges, then they're already a lot closer to reality than the more traditional 'tell' environments of the classroom. And if you're looking at systems training, using technology to teach technology is a no brainer. Closer to reality means better connections and higher potential to apply learning on-the-job.
3. Greater consistency
If you're looking to communicate a key message, how to interpret a policy or set of guidelines, there's the risk of inconsistency whenever a group of facilitators are delivering it. There's the possibility that a key point will be missed, or miscommunicated. E-learning delivers the same content consistency point to everyone, while well-designed assessments with formative questions can check for learner understanding, and more importantly, the ability to apply the this learning on-the-job. The more consistent the learning experience, the lower the risk of introducing errors.
4. More learner control
Learners in classroom environments have very little control. They attend based on a centralised schedule, which may not be in tune with when they actually need training. When they do get to attend, they're locked into one speed: the speed the facilitator chooses. If they're struggling to keep up, or are bored and losing interest, there's very little they can do. E-learning is available on demand. The learner takes control of the pace, and topics can be revisited whenever learners need to refresh, or whenever the learning becomes relevant, e.g. two days before performance reviews. Also, because e-learning is generally designed to be far shorter and more concise than classroom training, the likelihood of fatigue and drop-off in attention span and retention levels is reduced.
So what's the performance evidence?
Brandon Hall (2001) did a study where they compared learner performance for two groups, one using e-learning and one using facilitator-led training. The results showed that learner performance was enhanced through e-learning compared to classroom methods in terms of:
- learners' attitudes toward the e-learning format and training in general
- learners' scores on tests, certifications or other evaluations
- the number of learners who achieve 'mastery' level and/or 'pass' exams
- learners' ability to apply new knowledge or processes on the job
- long-term retention of information
There will still be times when you need that social interaction, expert facilitation, and hands-on activity that facilitator-led training can deliver. But in times like these – when speed to performance in the most cost-effective manner is key – you should be starting with e-learning first.
Shaping the future of learning
Kineo helps the world's leading businesses improve performance through learning and technology. We're proud of our reputation for being flexible and innovative, and of our award-winning work with clients across the world.


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Pop-A-Lock of Newark
Pop-A-Lock of Newark provides all of our locksmith services to Newark, Delaware, and its surrounding areas.
So whether you need a car door unlocked in Newark, a lock repaired in Brookside, or a locksmith in Yorkshire, Pop-A-Lock has you covered. Our team of licensed locksmiths and technicians will provide you with a fast and friendly solution 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Our top-of-the-line training facility, commitment to customer satisfaction, and use of the most advanced locksmith technology helps us provide the very best service possible. Our philosophies and practices have helped us build our small business into a global force. We now serve over 4,500 communities in the United States, Canada, and Australia.
We are a full-service locksmith company that provides everything you'll need to get in and out of your car and home, as well as protect your family and possessions.
There are few things worse than having an unexpected lock issue with your car. Whether it's getting locked out, losing your key, or a broken ignition, our locksmiths can come to your location at any time and serve your needs.
With Pop-A-Lock of Newark, you'll never have your day put on hold by a problem with your locks!
Locks are the first line of defense against the outside world when it comes to your home. Make sure they're as secure as possible with Pop-A-Lock. From biometric, to key cards, to deadbolts, we provide everything a homeowner needs to feel secure within their home!
As a small business that helps represent the country's biggest franchise, we understand the desires for businesses both big and small to be safe. That's why at Pop-A-Lock, we go out of our way to provide everything a business could need to keep itself safe from outside influences.
You wouldn't leave the doors to your business unlocked after you leave for the day would you? Well then make sure the locks you are using are secure and reliable.
We invite you to contact us anytime with questions or concerns about the locksmith services we provide! Call today!
If you're interested in becoming one of our highly trained locksmiths, go to our Jobs Available page and see if we have any openings!


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Hello Dwellers and Welcome To The Basement…
It's FRIDAY! Time to go over THIS WEEK with the Superheroes…
I have a few things I want to go over this week. And yes I know, I'm in serious need of a shave!
First up, a bit of seriousness… wrestling legend Jerry The King Lawler was arrested for a domestic incident and suspended indefinitely from the WWE… in the wake of what went down with the former Adam Rose, I can't imagine Lawler returning to the WWE any time soon… so Kevin Dunn is getting his wish to removed The King from the screen. At the time of this recording, The King was out of jail and will have an arraignment on Monday.
Earlier this week I review a couple of books, one was Celebrity Chef Zombie Apocalypse, a twistedly fun novel by Jack Strange that tells the story of a celebrity chef who returns from the grave as a zombie who wants to, you guessed it, Take Over The World. If you're looking for a good, brisk read, check it out on Amazon.
It's been announced that Gotham returns on September 19… however the epicness of DC'W doesn't start up until October, with The Flash returning on October 4, Arrow on October 5, Legends of Tomorrow on October 13 and then Supergirl joins the fun on October 17. That's gonna be a lot fun when the shows do a week long crossover.
The classic Marvel Ultimate Alliance is coming to the PS4 and X-Box One… well if I had either system I would be excited… I'd like to see a PC re-release of, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2… and X-Men Legends 1 and 2...
Arrow is adding the character Wild Dog to it's ranks next season… and wow… that's a real random choice. I read a mini-series featuring the character a long time ago, and the best way to describe the character in my eyes… he's DC's spoof on The Punisher. Also, considering Stephen Amell played Casey Jones, a hockey-mask wearing character in the Teenage Muntant Ninja Turtles movie this summer, the irony of a hockey-mask wearing character joining his show is not lost on me.
On the negative side… well… there's a few things that have gotten my goat. One is the characterization of Lance, yes in the original show he was a bit of a wise-ass and a skirt chaser… however the character is one of the worst aspects of this series, with an over-inflated ego and nearly no redeeming qualities. In 'Taken Flight' Lance is such an ass he actually loses the Blue Lion to impress a girl, and it's clear he doesn't 'learn' from his mistakes. Then there is Coran… the comic relief… look I what is funny to one person ain't going to be funny to another… but with Coran, it's just way too over the top 95% of the time, the remaining 5% is when the character has to be 'serious' where he's tolerable…. Now this may seem like I'm ragging on what are clearly the 'joke' characters of the series…but considering both get quite a lot of screen time, it's hard not to notice how cringe worth it is.
Still… those two characters aside, the show is great. It only has 13 episodes at the moment, but I'm suspecting there will be a season two order announcement in the near future, thanks in part to the epic cliff hanger it ends on
And on that note, I think this is where I'll wrap things up. Tomorrow is Saturday, which means Tales From The TARDIS and part 2 of The Aztecs story.
Catch ya then!


text: Capital City Craft Beer Tour – 1 person – Crafty Birthday Beer experience!! Explore microbreweries, drink great beer and eat sumptuous food! By the end of the tour you will have tasted porters to pilsners and think you have died and gone to craft beer heaven. We have tracked down some of Wellington's best brews, which include a tutored tasting with the head brewer at one of our four stops. A widely diverse range of converted buildings ranging from a disused service station to a sophisticated craft beer brewery. Tasty platter food is included at two of our stops and of course all of the craft beer is included too. Sit back, relax and taste with our Capital Craft Beer Tour. 4 hours, departs 1.00pm Friday afternoons.


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Quick Reference
One of the Celtic dialects, is of the group known as the Goidelic, comprising Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Scottish Gaelic and Manx developed through the migrations of Irish speakers in the late 4th cent. From the original settlement of Dalriada the Gaels spread northwards and eastwards through Scotland cutting through native Pictish resistance. Following the establishment of the Gaelic church on Iona by Columba in the 6th cent., the Gaels acquired the means of spreading both their authority and their language. In the 9th cent., Gaels and Picts were finally united under a Gaelic king, probably of mixed parentage. In the 11th cent., Malcolm Canmore, son of Duncan, came to the throne with the aid of English forces and began to introduce Anglo‐Norman customs and language. His descendants followed this policy and the Gaelic language was gradually replaced by English in state and church administration.
For 1755 it has been estimated that under a quarter of Scotland's population were Gaelic speakers—i.e. some 290,000. By 1971 Gaelic‐only speakers numbered no more than 477 out of 5,228,000. Support for the Gaelic language began in the 19th cent., and in 1882 it became possible to study Gaelic as part of a university degree course. Today children can be educated in Gaelic at the primary level and it can be studied at secondary level. Since these efforts to save the language have been in place, the number of speakers has increased.
From: Gaelic in A Dictionary of British History »
Subjects: History — Regional and National History


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News reports just hit the wire that the US Justice Department is taking action to oppose the mega merger of AT&T and T-Mobile.
"The combination of AT&T and T-Mobile would result in tens of millions of consumers all across the United States facing higher prices, fewer choices and lower quality products for mobile wireless services," said Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole.
The primary reasons appear to be fiscal – T-Mobile creates a low-cost third party option to the two large wireless rivals AT&T and Verizon, and innovative – referencing T-Mobile's extensive high speed network and their industry-leading acceptance of Android and use of Blackberry's wireless email.
"AT&T's elimination of T-Mobile as an independent, low-priced rival would remove a significant competitive force from the market," the complaint said. "Thus, unless this acquisition is enjoined, customers of mobile wireless telecommunications services likely will face higher prices, less product variety and innovation, and poorer quality services due to reduced incentives to invest than would exist absent the merger."
Sprint has been a major voice in calling for opposition to the merger. As of the announcement, Sprint Nextel stock was up 6% while AT&T's was down 4%. Only time will tell how the markets react long term to the attempted block, and how it will impact business and personal wireless consumers. But it certainly bears watching…