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One of the expenses I've wrestled with in the last few years is with our pets. Beyond purchasing pet food, kitty litter, a dog bed and other common pet supplies, there is a lot of money tied up in routine and non-routine veterinary visits. Pets are a part of our family as they are for many people. They're fun to have around and the kids love them.
But, I've often wrestled with the question of how much is too much when it comes to paying for pet expenses. Certainly, you want to take care of your pets and make sure they get the care they need. And when they become sick or unhealthy, hopefully, you want to make sure they are treated properly.
So, as someone who is trying to manage money wisely and be realistic about future expenses, I decided to explore further whether or not it makes sense to pay for pet insurance. And specifically, does pet health insurance save money for a family who has pets today and probably will always have pets in the future? If so, you can probably plan for some sort of non-routine care in the future.
How much would you pay?
As an article at MoneyCentral.com points out, the question becomes, how much would you pay for your pet and would you be able to pay that amount with cash? That's a tough question to wrestle with, if you really think about it. There can be a lot of emotional issues tied up in that decision.
The article points out pet expenses have increased because today Veterinarians can perform a lot of treatments they haven't been able to perform in the past. With more advanced treatments for health problems and diseases you have more options when your pet is ill. The increased options come at a price.
About the policies
Interestingly, the policies don't cover all expenses according to the article. They have deductibles that must be met, co-pays and caps on how much can be paid each year. You can also count on the exclusion of certain pre-conditions (maybe we need pet health care reform ) Premiums also cost more if your pet is older.
Apparently, Veterinary Pet Insurance is the oldest insurer with the largest percentage of the pet insurance market share. I decided to run over to their website and look further into the options available. They offer insurance for dogs, cats and exotic animals. For dogs, they have plans for injury, medical and major medical and different coverage options within each. The medical plan offers 4 deductible options starting at $100 all the way up to $1000. Obviously, a quote is going to differ based on the type of animal and conditions.
So, is pet insurance a good idea?
Consumer reports suggested that pet insurance may be a dog. The article reported there are a lot of exclusions, but even so, statistics show it is still an increasing trend to buy insurance for your pet.
According to the article, the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association says annual surgical vet visits cost on average $453 per dog and $363 per cat.
So, what do they conclude from this information? If you have an older animal which is likely to need treatment (not sure how you can determine that) and can find a policy in which you'd pay less than these amounts per year, you might consider pet insurance.
Alternative approach to pet insurance
But consumer reports does go onto mention if you can't find insurance cheaper than the above mentioned annual costs, put your money in an interest bearing savings account and build up a savings for such expenses.
This is good advice, in my opinion. Honestly, I wasn't too high on considering the idea of pet insurance when I started writing and researching this article, but it has spawned an important thought about savings. While it's a good idea to save for items around the house that may need future repair or maintenance, it would certainly make sense to think about animal healthcare too.
In fact, I think I would feel much more comfortable putting extra money into a savings account or freedom account to plan for such future expenses. Of course, you have to find the extra money in your budget to do so, right? This might take some squeezing, but your pet situation will depend on how hard you need to squeeze.
But at least with socking away this extra money, you'll have it available if you need it. If you're pet doesn't ever require these services you'll at least have the extra savings. My advice? Save for your pet and skip the insurance.
So, what's your take on pet insurance? Do you think it's a good idea to buy it?
Add/view comments on this post.
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Ned Davis is the SVP of Corporate Operations for LMNO and brings a broad range of experience in physical set production and post-production operations experience in multiple genres of commercial television including; single camera dramatic series, multi-camera comedy series, live variety, reality, commercials, and local large market news.
At LMNO Ned oversees day-to-day and long-range operations supporting the growing LMNO enterprise and its 100+ employees. A champion of technology centered operations', Davis has introduced several innovative and cost-effective digital solutions to manage and control a diverse and dynamic company challenged by economic pressures created by evolving technologies and emerging platforms. Ned moved into the corporate suite at LMNO as the next career adventure following 9 seasons of Murphy Brown where he received a Producer Emmy nomination and is a two-time winner of the coveted DGA Award. In these capacities, Ned was responsible for personally planning and executing over 250 network television episodes with credits on over 350 network prime-time shows. Ned's career includes employment with Warner Bros. Television, Showtime Network, Aaron Spelling Productions, Johnny Carson Productions, Leonard Goldberg Production, Imagine Entertainment, KABC-TV and work with legendary stars and "A" list celebrities. In addition to his industry success, Ned has proven himself as a forward thinking leader in city policies and municipal governance. He is completing his second 4 year term on the Westlake Village City Council and is currently the sitting Mayor of The City of Westlake Village. Here he has championed technology advancement and the distribution of broadband signal and produced the municipal strategic plan.Ned has a Bachelors Degree from UCLA and an MBA from Pepperdine University

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New charity formed in the Taconic area
COPAKE — The formation of a new charity, Community Christmas Boxes, has been announced in the Taconic area. The sole mission is to provide area families in need with a festive, healthy, hearty meal during
the Holiday season.
We're grateful to Our Lady of Hope Church, which served as the host of this drive for decades past. Many of the people who were essential to the success at OLH are joining us and we invite anyone interested in serving this community is welcome to join us.
We are currently n the process of forming a new 501-c3 charity. In the meantime, we are indebted to the Roe Jan Food Pantry and the United Methodist Church of Hillsdale for sponsoring us as we begin this adventure. Monetary and Food donations will be gratefully accepted.
Checks should be made out to: Roe Jan Food Pantry. Put "Community Christmas Boxes" in the Memo line.
Check should be sent to: COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS BOXES, P.O. Box 364, Hillsdale NY, 12529. Donations of food are being coordinated by Elwin Moore at 518-965-6931. He will be happy to let you know what foodstuffs are needed.
There are volunteer opportunities as well. The Community Christmas Boxes preparation will be held at The Hillsdale Firehouse, 9387 Route 22, Hillsdale. The schedule is: Dec. 13 at 9 a.m., help prepare the boxes. Dec. 14 at 9 a.m., help is needed for receiving and setting up the food. Dec. 14 at 5 p.m. join the Boys and Girls Scouts, the 4H and the honor society from Taconic Hills as they decorate the boxes with Festive Christmas Spirit. Dec. 15 at 8:30-11 a.m., fill the boxes with food. Snacks will be provided. Dec. 15 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., be a part of the day and help distribute the food boxes to the families.


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Part of our mandate at Stimtastic is to give 10% of sales back to the Autistic community. As part of that, we donate to both organizations and individuals. Organizations we've given to in the past year include:
- Ed Wiley Autism Acceptance Library
- Dutile Tremblay Community fund
- Autism West Midlands
- Autism Womens Network
- Australian Autistic Community Hubs
- Autism Society GLB/SGV
- CA ASAN chapter
- Cheshire Autism Practical Support Ltd
The biggest individual donation initiative is getting free or subsidized weighted blankets to those who can't afford them. We've given out 30 free or subsidized blankets so far and continue to randomly select recipients.
We also contribute to fundraisers being held by Autistic people (like helping pay for travel to conferences to present), give away stim toys to those who can't afford them, give away helpful items that are too expensive for most people to afford (noise cancelling headphones, AAC software, iPad), and other forms of direct giving.
Finally, we are proud to have recently made a substantial contribution to ASAN's Autistic Scholars Fellowship program, which provides Autistic college students with tuition scholarships each to create systems change on their college campuses.


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Since I'm finally done with the Tron Restoration, I spent a few minutes reviewing what my outstanding project list looks like. I still have my Donkey Kong 2 project next up, but I wanted to begin thinking about my Stargate restoration. I have quite a few parts for this project gathered up, but I honestly am not a big enough Stargate fan to put forth the effort for full restoration. However, there are a few other games I really would like to have that are based on the same hardware platform. I already have a Joust, which is one of my favorite games, and I really want a Robotron: 2084. Since all of the Williams games using that hardware platform are so similar it was easy for people to develop multigame kits. For my restoration I plan to convert my Stargate to a Multi-Williams cabinet. This will be a cool upright when done, and will finally see a Robotron: 2084 in my gameroom!
Williams multigames were really the first multigames that I personally have heard of. There was a collector named Sean Riddle that set up a website that discussed the technical details of the Williams hardware. He posted some pictures on his site of a multigame that he programmed to allow him to play many of the Williams games on his Joust machine. His multigame used his Joust boardset with some software "hacks" to allow the other games to be played, selectable from a menu.
The first "commercially available" Williams multigame kit was developed by Clay Cowgill, who is one of the first multigame creators on the web. His Williams Multigame kit modified the original Joust or Robotron boards. Clay created a really nice menu for his kit, including an options menu for configuring the multigame and individual game settings. Clay's kits are no longer in active production, but they still can be found fairly easily. I likely will NOT be going this route because I have a Stargate boardset, which is not fully supported.
The easier multigame to obtain today is the Arcadeshop Multicade Jamma PCB. This is a stand-alone board that does not require any other Williams board to run. There are two modes that this board can run, vertical or horizontal. The Horizontal mode really covers the whole Williams Multigame set. This board actually does not use the Williams hardware architecture to run these games. It relies on emulation of the hardware using more modern processors. Arcade "purists" will be able to discern the differences, but your average gamer will not be able to tell. Since this is based on emulation technology, it is able to play additional games not based on the original Williams hardware platform. This board also has a nice menu structure. The interesting fact about this board is that it also was developed by Clay Cowgill, but sold exclusively through Arcadeshop.com. This board is a Jamma board, which uses a standard arcade wiring harness. This allows it to be used in any Jamma arcade cabinet with a horizontal monitor, not just a Williams cabinet. I will not be pursuing this board for my game due to the price. This is a very expensive board.
Finally, the most recent Williams multigame news. James Rowan (JROK) is currently developing a stand-alone William multigame that is based on the original hardware architecture used in the Williams games. This will run the Williams games 100% accurately since it is the equivalent of a full Williams boardset. However, no existing Williams boards will be required, making this more reliable since the parts are more modern that original 25 year old components. I am really excited about this board and plan to buy one for this project. It is currently in beta testing and should be available soon.
My next post will discuss cabinet artwork, and some of the different options available.


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We are experiencing a bit of a cold snap in BC! Our winter has been pretty mild, overall. I just want to bundle up and stay out of it. Read a book. We may be hitting the Eastside Flea again this weekend ! We are still working out the details. Stay tuned on that front. We will update the dates as we come across them. Otherwise we are staying in and doing inventory. Super boring. Tons to do before spring and summer.
Stay Warm in the meantime! Keep it baller...like these fine gentlemen, out for a stroll.


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Mountains have had a significant role in God's dealings with His people. In the English language we have the expression "mountain-top experience". This expression has originated from the Bible because of the dealings God had with His people on various "mountain-tops". So the phrase has come to mean a moment of transcendence – or epiphany; and in particular an experience of significant revelation given by God.
It was on Ararat Mountain that Noah's ark came to rest after the Flood and where God made a covenant with Noah there (Genesis 8:4).
On one of the mountains in the region of Moriah Abraham hears God speak to him( Genesis 22:2). Later Solomon would build the temple on Mount Moriah.
On Mount Sinai (also known as Mt. Horeb) God revealed His character to Moses and gave him the Ten Commandments (Exodus 19:16-20:12).
On Mt. Carmel Elijah challenged the false prophets of Baal to a contest to see which God would answer by fire (1 Kings 18). And after the great contest when Elijah ran for his life he travelled to Mt. Horeb and God met with him there in the "still small voice", a "gentle whisper" (1 Kings 19).
Mount Zion was the place where King David built his city (later called Jerusalem). Where God is said to dwell (Isaiah 8:18).
Jesus taught His disciples on the Mount of Olives (Matthew 24:3) He was transfigured on a mountain ( Mark 9:2). It shouldn't surprise us that Moses and Elijah (who both had their own mountain-top experiences) were seen talking with Jesus on that mountain.
Deserts are the place where one goes to face ones lower self and deal with the temptations that arises from our animal nature. But mountain tops, figuratively and literally, are the place where we must go to meet God and come in contact with our higher self.
Deserts experiences are where we must loose everything that sustains us. To be stripped down to the bare minimum. This is the place where you come to know that it is only by God's grace that you are sustained. This the place where you must not be govern by the appearance of reality, where only thing that remains is Faith beyond any outer evidence. The archetype of this is the story of Job.
Jenni and I went through this kind of stripping down experience a few year back. Many of you know our story and how we were miraculously taken care of. The Desert experience is part of the Hero's Journey. Without the stripping down of the desert experience there is no Mountain-top experience.
It is only through the breaking down of our belief that we are in control of all of this, of our very life, that we come to the place of deep, deep surrender that is required in the desert. The desert experience is a deserted place, a dangerous place. Many have not survived this place of deep surrender to our total helplessness and without the anchor of faith in their life, in a final desperate act of self-will many have taken their own life.
But with this anchor of faith if we turn it over to God we begin the return journey that ultimately ends up on the mountaintop. It is here in the desert that we gain the great Boon of Spiritual Blessings called the secret of secrets that will carry us through the rest of our journey to the mountain-top.
You know I used to live in Maine, and just after I moverd there I was out looking for a place to live and I was given an address of a house to look at. The house was out in the country and I drove around and around looking for the street and finally I found a farmer mowing the side of the road and I stopped to ask directions, he with a puzzled look and said in that wonderful Maine accent "Well you can't get there from Here". Thinking he was being rude or unfriendly. I rolled up my window and drove off. As I was driving I saw an old man walking his dog so stop and asked him for direction. He greeted me with a smile removed his hat, scratched his head and said, "Well, ya can't get there from here". Slightly indignant I replied "I thought you could get anywhere from anywhere… Well where can you get there from"? he pointed up the road and Said, "Go up here about a mile and take the Biddiford road, you can get there from there".
You can't get to the Mountain- top from here. You have to go through the desert first.
This is what Jesus did and now in our gospel today we fine him high up on the mountain-top clothed in light. Talking with Moses and Elijah. In the mountain top experience there is the fullness of grace. This is where one experience the Divine directly and not just by Faith.
The mountain-top is where you takes on the divine light, radiating it back into the world. In Exodus 34 we have an account of Moses after he came down from the mountain, his face was shining so brightly that he needed to be veiled when he spoke to others.
The story of the Transfiguration is one of the most important stories in the New Testament. Much of the theology of Jesus as the Son of God came from the telling of this story.
I have to admit honestly that I don't know if Jesus is the "Only" begotten son of God in an empirical, scientifically provable way. Anyone who claims to absolutely know that is probably not being honest. What I do know, I do know from my own experience, which is the best anyone can say. So these things I know:
- That there is an energy that has created, sustains, and connects all that exists and that it is Conscious and available to be experienced directly.
- I choose to call that energy God, but it could be called by any name or no name at all without impacting the reality of it.
- The direct experience of that energy transforms ones being such that they experience them-self as one with all that is.
- That after such an experience the only thing of real and lasting value is Love. The only theology that remains is love.
- Only the power of Love can and will heal our broken world.
- That the Master Jesus experienced himself as one with God and taught love.
- That Jesus was not a Christian, but a Christ and wanted us each to be t like him.
- That being a Christ means that you open a heart space big enough for a whole world embrace.
I like the story of the Transfiguration because here in the telling of the story we see Jesus become a radiant light being. He ascends to a whole new level of being, which we might call the first Ascension, where he is change, transformed.
Jesus points to a process we each are call to, a process that I, and other, have called the Hero's Journey. It begins with a spiritual thirst that can't be quenched by the endless accumulation of things, of knowledge, and of power and prestige. It leads us out to the deserted places where we find that the only thing of value is total surrender to and trust in that Divine Being who that has created and sustains all things.
From there it leads us to service of others and the giving up of self desire for the service of others, as love is re-born in us again and again. It purifies our heart and mind making us fit vehicles for the Christ Light and preparing us for the ultimate sacrifice, the giving of our self completely for the purpose of Love.
The Hero's Journey is not about what you believe. It's about what you experience and how that transforms you into image and likeness of the Christ.
Jesus models that Journey for us. The Hero's journey. Let us follow his example. This is what the rising of the dead means!
The Transfiguration
2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.
5 Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." 6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)
7 Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!"
8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what "rising from the dead" meant.


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A a point of discussion for today's meeting, here is the source of an extension to TMO that describes the variants of the approx. 380 core pharmacogenomics biomarkers in dbSNP: http://code.google.com/p/translationalmedicineontology/source/browse/trunk/ontology/extensions/dbsnp_pharmacogenomics_core.ttl I created that file with a script that parses the output produced by the dbSNP batch query service at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/projects/SNP/batchquery.html @EricP: The namespace for this extension is still not settled -- maybe we could use a W3C namespace as we did for the TMO ontology itself? @Michel: I tried to link to your Bio2RDF version of dbSNP, currently only via rdfs:seeAlso links to your dev server (the data still does not seem to be available on the public Bio2RDF server. We should try to do this properly as soon as possible. - Matthias From: Matthias Samwald Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2012 10:55 AM To: firstname.lastname@example.com Cc: Gökhan Karakülah Subject: Teleconference Reminder: Clinical Decision Support for Personalized Medicine Dear all, The CDS telecon today at 11am EST (17:00 Central European Time) will focus on advancing the "big pharmacogenomics paper" that some of us have been working on (trying to demonstrate RDF-based pharmacogenomics data integration and decision support). If you have pharmacogenomic data in RDF / Linked Data format, it would be great if you could join -- maybe we could integrate your data into our demo. Cheers, Matthias ''' Conference Details''' Clinical Decision Support for Personalized Medicine http://www.w3.org/wiki/HCLSIG/CDS Date of Call: Thursday April 12 2012 Time of Call: 11:00am - 12:00pm ET Dial-In #: +1.617.761.6200 (Cambridge, MA) Dial-In #: +220.127.116.11.79.03 (Paris, France) Dial-In #: +44.203.318.0479 (London, UK) Participant Access Code: 4257 ("HCLS") IRC Channel: irc.w3.org port 6665 channel #HCLS (see [http://www.w3.org/Project/IRC/ W3C IRC page] for details, or see [http://cgi.w3.org/member-bin/irc/irc.cgi Web IRC]) Mibbit quick start: Click on [http://www.mibbit.com/chat/?server=irc.w3.org:6665&channel=%23hcls mibbit] for instant IRC access Duration: 1h Convener: Matthias Samwald ''' Agenda''' * Advancing the "big pharmacogenomics paper" that some of us have been working on (for pharmacogenomics data integration and RDF-based decision support). * Other topics suggested by participants.Received on Thursday, 12 April 2012 13:39:11 UTC
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.3.1 : Wednesday, 7 January 2015 14:52:52 UTC


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Welcome to College Station Ford Collision and Accessory Center! We proudly serve the greater Bryan, Navasota, Hearne, Huntsville, and Caldwell, Texas areas. College Station Ford Lincoln provides a full-service automotive body shop collision repair center facility, offering auto and body repair services. Our collision repair technicians are certified and very talented so you can rest assured that your car, truck, or SUV will be worked on by experts who really care. Our attention to detail combined with our state of the art auto repair facility makes it a fast and easy process for all our customers. Whether you just need a bumper replaced or a full auto body repair, we're prepared to serve you. College Station Ford Lincoln's body shop services all makes and models and works with all major insurance providers. Stop by today or schedule your appointment online now. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
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Meet Spot's Summer Intern
My name is Lauren. I'm excited to be Spot Magazine's summer intern. Currently, I'm a graduate student at Portland State University working on an MFA in Creative Nonfiction and an MS in Publishing with Ooligan Press. I'm also a photographer, so I'll be taking a lot of photos of lovely domestic animals for you.
I don't have any pets myself. I take pet ownership very seriously and don't think I should commit to life-long companions until I know what my next step after grad school will be. In the meantime, I'm lucky to have roommates with pets. I get to live with these three adorable and spirited cats, Pickles, Mona, and Napkin. Mona and Pickles are almost five years old and were adopted together as kittens. Mona is very intelligent and athletic. Pickles is good-natured and likes to eat. Napkin is almost four years old and is tri-pawed! She's a rescue with only three legs.
I will be featuring Northwest celebrity animals in my posts to come. Who is your favorite famous Pacific NW pet?


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Homeowners: Keeping Heating and Electric Costs Down
With holiday lights and decorations, parties that require lots of baking and cooking, and colder temperatures trying to pull the heat from your home, it's no wonder that heating and electricity bills increase during the holiday months. If you're living paycheck to paycheck or stretching an already tight budget this holiday season, increased heating and electric costs could break the bank. Using the tips in this article and a little creativity, you can still have a holiday season that's festive and bright, without blasting your budget.
Be Proactive
Before the cold settles in for the season, do a cold-weather inspection of your home. Make sure there aren't any cracks, leaks, or gaps in caulk or weather stripping around windows, doors, or floor boards. Take some simple steps to make your fireplace more efficient. Test your heating system to ensure it's working properly. Giving your home a good once-over and fixing any energy inefficiencies before the cold months of October, November, and December is the best way to keep your heating and electric costs down this holiday season.
Turn the Heat Down at Night
While you're sleeping, you're nice and toasty under sheets and blankets. This is an optimal time to turn the heat down and let your house cool to keep your heating costs down. If you get cold at night, throw on another blanket to stay cozy. When you wake up in the morning, kick the heat up a couple of degrees to make it comfortable for living.
Turn the Heat Down When You Have Guests
If you're throwing a big holiday get together, turn the heat down as guests begin to arrive. Your home will stay warm from having so many people in it. If you're cooking for your party, the stove and oven will give off more than enough heat to make your house feel comfortable. If you leave the heat as-is, you face the prospect of your home getting too hot and wasting money unnecessarily. Friends and family will keep your home warm so you can keep your heating and electric costs down.
Use LED Holiday Lights
One of the most fun parts of the holiday season is putting up a big, festive holiday light display. Holiday lights on your house, yard, and Christmas tree give your home that special seasonal feeling. However, using traditional lights can use way too much energy and drive your electric bill sky high. When decorating, opt for LED holiday lights. They may cost a little more up front, but the lights last years longer, break less, and will help keep your electricity bill manageable, even if you put up the biggest holiday light display in the neighborhood.
Limit the Time Holiday Lights are On
When it comes to holiday lights, don't just plug them in and forget about them. It's pointless to have your outdoor lights on during the day, as they're nearly impossible to see in daylight. If no one is at home enjoying the Christmas tree or other decorative lights, turn them off to avoid wasting energy. If you want to leave your holiday lights on into the night, set them on a light timer so they'll turn off on their own. Light timers are a stress-free way to make sure your lights turn off and on when you want them to without having to remember to plug and unplug them. You'll thank yourself for taking the time to set them up when you see your heating and electric bill.
Use the Christmas Tree as Room Light
If you celebrate Christmas and put up a Christmas tree, you probably spend a lot of time getting the lights on it just right. To save money on your energy and heating bills, use your Christmas tree as the sole source of lighting in a room. When you turn it on, turn lamps and overhead lights off to enjoy the ambiance of the holidays.
Bake Everything at Once
Baking pies, cookies, and sweet treats of all kinds increases dramatically during the holiday season. If you're baking up a storm of goodies to share with friends and neighbors, you can save energy by baking multiple items at once. That way, your oven will be on for less time and use less heat overall, saving you money on your heat and electricity bills.
Use the Sun
Does your home have big windows that get concentrated sunlight in the morning or evening? If so, you may be able to harness the energy of the sun to heat your home instead of using your heating system. During the times that the sun shines in most intensely, turn off your heat and let nature do its work. Turning the heat off completely is sure to help you save money on your heat and electricity bills.
Do you need a little help making ends meet this holiday season? Increased heating and electric bills, holiday gift shopping, and holiday travel costs can add up quickly and leave you with no money for regular bills like rent and utilities. If you find yourself in a pinch, turn to AmeriCash Loans. We can get you the cash you need when you need it. Just apply online or in store today.


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As I did with my Fall 2015 list, I wanted to gather for you, dear reader, all of my gorgeous Spring 2016 covers in one place. And what a difference a list makes! For Fall 2015, I edited four fantastic young adult novels, which will start to hit bookshelves right before Labor Day. This season, I have just one YA book--Tommy Wallach's sophomore effort, Thanks for the Trouble. (In a post reminiscent of his cover reveal for We All Looked Up, Tommy took us step by step through the design process, sharing all of the cover concepts that didn't get selected.) My other three titles in Spring 2016 are picture books. For her cover reveal, Ashlyn Anstee sent a tweet that included the cover of her No, No, Gnome! Matt Roeser and Brad Woodard took to Facebook to show off the cover of their Oh No, Astro!, as did Terry Fan and Eric Fan with their The Night Gardener.
Let's take a look at how these four covers came together.
First up, we have No, No, Gnome! (2/9/16) by Ashlyn Anstee. Ashlyn's first book, Are We There, Yeti?, is on-sale 7/21/15, and I bought that title and an untitled picture book at auction from the wonderful Kelly Sonnack at Andrea Brown Literary. For her second book, Ashlyn pitched me a few stories, and I immediately fell for No, No, Gnome! I loved how the book's title and refrain were, yeti again, a play on words. (See what I did there?) I found Gnome ridiculously cute. And I really liked the school garden setting. So, Ashlyn got to work crafting the story of an energetic Gnome who wants nothing more than to help but whose eagerness sometimes gets the better of him.
Ashlyn is filled with ideas, and she delivered a bunch of options for the front cover. Like these...
And these...
Chloe Foglia, the book's designer, and I discussed these options with "the group" (which includes the other editors and the other designers, along with my publisher). We really liked the composition of Number 3 (top right) and the title treatment of Number 6 (bottom right), which is reminiscent of what she did on Are We There, Yeti? Chloe asked Ashlyn to bring Gnome through the plants a bit more so that we could see his cute outfit (and not mistake him for someone else with a white beard and red hat). We also wanted a slightly more mischievous expression on Gnome's face. With those notes, Ashlyn went to final art and delivered...
Like Are We There, Yeti?, the cover of No, No, Gnome! will be printed on uncoated stock with a spot gloss on the title and the author/illustrator's name.
The Night Gardener (on sale 2/23/16) began with this image (and two sample spreads).
My gracious and thoughtful boss showed me the piece of art and asked if I saw any potential. If memory serves, I screamed, "Yes!" I felt like I was getting pulled into the Night Gardener's world, and I wanted to go to there. Terry Fan had just finished working on the gorgeous Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell with designer Lizzy Bromley. He had enjoyed the experience so much that he reached out to her with this image of a topiary-loving gentleman to let her know that he and his brother, Eric, were eager to turn it into a picture book. Lizzy, the Brothers, and I got on the phone to talk about the character, the world he lived in, and the motivation for his clippings. We ended up with a truly magical story about a gray little town in need of some creative inspiration.
When it came time to talk about the cover, I think we all kind of knew that it would be a version of the Brothers' original idea. The story is told through the eyes of a young boy, so we brought him to the cover image. His wonder is ours.
Lizzy is bringing so much magic to this jacket. It will be printed on a textured, uncoated stock, and the title will be a silver foil.
I half-expected designer Lucy Cummins to suggest a cover similar to We All Looked Up's for Tommy Wallach's second novel, Thanks for the Trouble. You know, another group of teens in a cool environment shot with some eye-catching technique. But while Lucy wanted to go photographic, she had a wildly different concept in mind--no people, just stuff. She was inspired by a scene relatively early in the book that takes place in a mall food court, and she had the perfect photographer in mind to capture the energy and tone of the novel: Keirnan Monaghan.
On the day of the shoot, I headed to Dumbo, where Keirnan has his studio. While he and his partner, Theo Vamvounakis, a brilliant props and sets designer, prepared, I took in the environment.
I'll admit I was a little nervous. Everything looked kind of drab. I was having a hard time imagining how the title and byline were going to work with the image. But why do I ever doubt Lucy?
(You'll notice that the above image does not have pizza. We needed pizza. Lucy rushed out to get some.)
Lucy considered having the title on loose scraps of paper (the protagonist communicates by writing on slips of paper) or scratched into the table. But neither approach was having the impact she wanted, so she went big and bold.
The finished jacket will be printed over metaltone with embossing and spot gloss on the title and byline.
Finally, I'm incredibly excited to be publishing Matt Roeser's first picture book. Matt is one of the most talented book designers in children's publishing. His manuscript for Oh No, Astro! (on sale 4/19/16) came to me via the ever-charming and gifted Tim Federle, and I jumped at the chance to edit it. "Manuscript" is a misnomer; what Matt delivered was a fully formed sketch dummy--and Matt's not even an illustrator. Utilizing art from this poster, Matt crafted his tale of a grumpy asteroid who takes an unexpected (and unwanted) journey through space. (Matt, of course, asked the poster artist, Brad Woodard, for permission to use the art. And we, of course, hired Brad to illustrate the book, because his artwork is awesome.)
This is the cover that Matt included with his submission:
And this is the final cover:
Matt's concept was genius, so we stuck with it. We decided to take Earth off the cover 1) to keep the ending more of a surprise and 2) to give us more room to make the title and Astro larger. The book's designer, Lizzy Bromley, selected a font that perfectly suits the retro-vibe of Brad's art. The jacket will be printed with a matte lamination. "Astro!" and Astro and part of his tail will have a spot gloss.
Check out the "Coming Soon" tab soon to learn more about these books!


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Our Mission Statement
"The community of our school seeks to promote a caring and stimulating environment embracing trust, friendship, honesty and mutual respect where all children feel valued.
The well balanced, child centred curriculum seeks to ensure the intellectual, spiritual, cultural, social and physical development of every child equipping them for life in our society."
Our Long Term Aims
To develop the academic potential of each pupil through a thorough, yet sensitive approach to the National Curriculum, supported by a framework of ongoing assessment, recording and reporting of achievement reflecting effective policy implementations.
Extra Curriculum
To enrich each pupil's life experience and improve confidence through the development of a wide variety of activities; to nurture social, physical and aesthetic skills in school and in the community.
To achieve sound levels of appropriate behaviour, based on mutual respect, through the establishment of a clear code of conduct in school, supported by a balanced system of rewards and sanctions, to ensure a caring attitude and a sense of responsibility to others.
Staff Development
To provide opportunities and encourage staff in the development of their professional skills.
Financial Resources
To maintain a sound financial base to enable the school to achieve its aims effectively and efficiently.
To create surroundings in which staff and children can work in harmony, comfort and safety.
Parents and Community
To develop the relationship between staff, children and parents for the continuing benefit of the school and the community.


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Sunlight shimmered, streaking through white window panes of my kitchen patio doors this morning. Brightness woke my limbs from further slumber. Six o'clock. A smiling face of walnut wood from the clock on the wall told me so. Scents of lemon oil drifted beneath my nose. Time to wake-up!
"Doodle" dog nudged my feet of bare, signaling his readiness to go out into the world, to sniff wheat-colored plumes of grasses nearby, and to check invisible boundaries for any possible intruders. My hand was on the door's bronze lever, seconds from pushing it down to open it up. Outside, a ruffle of feathers caught the corner of my eye.
Only a few feet from garden bricks was a new 'family' for me to see! Beneath our bird feeder, the one where bright red Cardinals, Blue Jays and Sparrows of speckled brown rest on perches near, five Turkeys pecked leftover seeds on the ground below.
I have often seen one or two before. The Hen, of course, who feeds for the invisible brood she hides safely away. And once or twice in the last six years, I've witnessed a large Tom waddling up and over our backyard hill, his long turkey neck of reddish-blue wobbling back and forth within the breeze. This morning, it was a true gift from God for me. To see this sight of such rarity!
As the large Tom bobbed his head, pecking for seeds within the earth of clay, the Hen spread her wide wings, revealing three tiny babies, "Poults." Not much larger than the eggs of a goose, they were covered in brown and white downy feathers that glistened in the sun. Their small eyes were dark black the color of wet ink. Darting this way and that, they were already keenly aware of any possible danger.
Just as I was about to grab my camera, a doe and her fawn scampered by, spooking my new backyard 'family.' WOOSH went the Tom who flew straight up into the nearest, tallest tree! I never saw a turkey fly, but most definitely they do. The noise is shockingly loud, like thunder clouds of flapping feathers. The Tom flew straight up into the bright blue sky, rather than soaring side-to-side, like most birds do.
As for 'Tom's' family who were left quite skittish in my back yard, they took off very quickly. The Hen tried to gather her poults, spreading her wings while running toward the forest. Being 'babies,' the feathered toddlers waddled in different directions while 'Mama' yelped her loudest, trying to keep them close to her.
Like little wind-up toys zipping towards the woods, three baby 'poult's carried a lesson for me today. Life moves forward in a flash, often unexpectedly. Don't wait to pocket a picture of your dream. Catch it before something surprises you.


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Crunchy Sweet Potatoes fries topped with crispy turkey bacon, melted cheese and ranch dressing, Loaded Sweet Potato Fries Bites are the perfect appetizer for game night.
I miss having a fully loaded baked potato. You know the one with butter, sour cream, bacon, cheese and chives. Technically I could have it but as much as I miss it, I don't think it is worth the calories and fat. So, time to think outside the box and come up with something with all the flavors without the calorie splurge. That is where Loaded Sweet Potato Fries Bites comes in. I can put a little bit of those wonderful flavors on top of a sweet potato waffle fry and enjoy the delectable flavor combination without a huge baked potato.
These, Loaded Sweet Potato Fries Bites, will be a huge hit at any party. Bacon always seems to elicit groans of pleasure. It's one of those universally loved foods. Add cheese and some ranch dressing and you will have people scrapping to get the last bite. There will be no polite banter between your guests offering each other the last Loaded Sweet Potato Fries Bite. There will be pushing and shoving as they race to beat each other to the last one. There will be groans, not of pleasure, but of horror that they are gone. A chorus of "No!" will fill the air. How can the party go one with these delectable bites gone? Quick whip up another batch before the stampede leaves your home.
Of course, you could tell everyone they are gone and have another batch ready for yourself. Oh that would be mean but you fed the hungry mass a batch. Why can't the host enjoy some too? You could excuse yourself to your bedroom where you have a plate waiting for you. Just make sure to whip your mouth of the bacon and ranch before you leave your room. You wouldn't want to embarrass yourself or let any one know there may be more.
If you want to be sure to see Food Done Light's next recipe, Crispy Halibut with Thousand Island Sauce, subscribe by email below. You won't want to miss it.
Follow me on Pinterest Christie@Food Done Light
Yields 14 servings
10 minPrep Time
35 minCook Time
50 minTotal Time
- 1 package (20 oz. ) frozen sweet potato waffle fries
- 2 oz. shredded 75% reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese
- 6 slices cooked center cut bacon, crumbled (you can substitute turkey bacon)
- ½ cup 0% fat Greek yogurt
- ½ tsp. ranch dressing mix
- ¼ cup chopped chives
- Bake waffle fries according to manufacturer's directions.
- Top each sweet potato with bacon and cheese.
- Mix yogurt and ranch dressing mix together.
- Drizzle or spoon ranch dressing yogurt over fries and sprinkle chives.
- Serve immediately.
Nutritional value per serving: Cal 94/Fat 4 grams/Carbs 11 grams/Fiber 2 grams/Protein 4 grams
Happy Healthy Eating,
But wait, there's more. Check out these deliciously, low calorie appetizers:


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The companies behind biologic drugs argue that the branded drugs and their generic versions, dubbed biosimilars, are not interchangeable. But a new study suggests otherwise, at least for a class of biologics called TNF-α inhibitors, which are used to treat a number of diseases.
Unlike drugs, which are created by combining chemical components, biologics are synthesized in a living system, such as plant or animal cells. Even small changes in the manufacturing process can result in a drug that is structured differently and works differently, and there has been variation between batches of the same drug produced at the same facility, according to a statement. For this reason, it is impossible to create an identical copy of a biologic. Insulin, for example, is a biologic, and so are many cancer drugs and vaccines.
Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Brigham and Women's Hospital compared 19 studies using original and biosimilar versions of TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor alpha) inhibitors to treat rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and irritable bowel disease. This class of drug blocks TNF, a signaling protein involved in inflammation that is associated with autoimmune disease.
The studies included 8 Phase I trials, 5 Phase II trials and 6 observational studies. The researchers found that "available data suggests that biosimilar drugs have very similar safety and effectiveness as their branded counterparts," according to the statement. However, the team highlighted some limitations, including the small sample size in some studies, possible publication bias and the lack of published studies for some biosimilars.
Despite these caveats, the study comes at a time where many biologics are coming off patent, or have already done so. The only FDA-approved TNF inhibitor is infliximab, marketed as Remicade, by Johnson & Johnson ($JNJ) in the U.S. and China, Mitsubishi Tanabe in Japan and Merck ($MRK) elsewhere. It has already come off patent and the FDA approved Celltrion and Pfizer's ($PFE) Remicade copy earlier this year.
Read the rest here


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zxcv wrote:Eric --
I'm grad student at Berkeley, and I entered with none (!) of the extra courses you mention and haven't taken any undergrad physics courses. (If any of those courses might be helpful, I might try to squeeze in the second semester E&M but really you'll be okay without it.) Some of my fellow first year students came in even missing several core undergrad classes.
I know Berkeley is a pressure cooker, but you have to keep in mind that you and your classmates are among the best prepared physics majors in the country. I think you'll do just fine applying to grad school, even if you set your sights pretty high.
Anyways, if you're around this summer, I'd be happy to get lunch with you one day and talk over your plans. Just send me a PM if you're interested.
Return to "Prospective Physics Graduate Student Topics"
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Long-Term Capital Plan
Overview and Background
Since 2005, Brookline has experienced historic enrollment growth in its public schools. The K-8 elementary schools have grown by 40% going from 3,904 students in 2006 to 5,482 students in 2017, which is equivalent to adding three schools into our existing schools in just over 10 years. For a decade now, the Town and School Department have been addressing the expanding student population by studying potential sites for a new elementary school and by adding classrooms to existing schools by dividing classrooms; converting offices, locker rooms, and hallways into classrooms; renting private buildings; and building new classrooms or adding modular classes. Despite adding nearly 60 classrooms to our existing schools through this "Expand-in-Place" strategy, the schools continue to be severely overcrowded.
On June 13th, the Town completed its third study since 2013 on selecting a site for a new school. The Select Board and School Committee approved moving forward with expanding the Baldwin School, expanding and renovating the Driscoll School, and renovating and possibly expanding the Pierce School.
Expanding and renovating Baldwin, Driscoll, and Pierce over time allows the town to address the enrollment increases in North Brookline and South Brookline while not overbuilding in either part of town. The Baldwin School will directly address the ongoing and expected student enrollment growth that is projected to add 375 more students within five years. Driscoll and Pierce have both grown by more than 57% since 2006, and neither school has received significant upgrades since the 1970s. The Baldwin and Driscoll projects will now begin what is known as the Design Feasibility Phase. The Town submitted an application earlier in the spring to partner with the Massachusetts School Building Authority to help ease the burden on the town of three significant capital projects.
This is a critical time for all three of these projects. We will continue to post updates here on meetings and other information in an effort to keep families, community members, and staff informed about site selection and construction.
If you would like to get meeting notices on School Committee meetings, please add your information to the Town of Brookline's Notify Me system.
9th Elementary School Site SelectionOn October 13, 2016, after a process that began more than four years ago, more than 20 public meetings over the past year, and input from hundreds of community members, the Board of Selectmen and the Brookline School Committee voted to select the Baldwin School site as the location for the town's new elementary school.The two boards deliberated for more than two hours in the Brookline High School auditorium with each member taking a turn to explain in depth their reasons for selecting and ranking the sites. The public deliberations made it clear that there were varied opinions on each member's first choice but unanimity on supporting whichever site was eventually selected. The Board of Selectmen unanimously voted down proceeding with the Village School (Stop & Shop) site, while a majority of School Committee members identified the same site as their first choice. In the next round of voting, the School Committee voted in favor of the Baldwin School site while the Selectmen favored the Beverly Road site.Further discussion ensued with those on both sides expressing the importance of coming to agreement on one site and expressing flexibility on a final decision. A final round of voting affirmed Baldwin as the selection as a majority of both boards voted in favor of building a new school at the Baldwin School site.The next stage of the process is a Feasibility Study which will be conducted by Jonathan Levy Architects between November 2016 and April 2017.
For a complete update on the 9th Elementary School Feasibility and Design Process including upcoming public meetings and the membership of the 9th School Building Committee, please click here or follow the links to the left.


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com·mis·sion- kəˈmiSHən/
verb 1.
Give an order for or authorize the customized production of (something such as a building, piece of equipment, or work of art).
Whether you're wanting to pay homage to your best friend, the dog, or immortalize a passed love one, a proper reference photo is crucial. When choosing your reference photo, pick one that is clear and can be enlarged without becoming fuzzy. To get started on your custom painting, please choose 2-3 reference photos of your subject, attach them with a brief description through e-mail on the 'contact' form, (the last link in the column on your left).
Mural Work is also available by request, please email me for more information.
Acrylic on Canvas
Black & White
4 x 7" - 150$
8 x 10" - 180$
9 x 12" - 200$
4 x 7 " - 170$
8 x 10 " - 190$
9 x 12 " - 230$
Portraits - Acrylic on Canvas
Black & White
5 x 7 " - 180$
8 x 10 " - 200$
9 x 12" - 230$
It's important to remember that this will be a hand painted rendition of your image, not an exact replica. Although my paintings do tend to be more on a realistic side, I do not guarantee or claim them to exact copies of the photos. Examples of my work can be seen under the 'Fine Art' link to your left.
Payment must be received before the project is started.
Commissioned artwork is accepted on a project by project basis. The typical wait time on a projects completion is four weeks, however depending on work loads, it can take up to six. An estimated time frame will be given when your project is accepted. All artwork comes signed and sealed, not framed. If paintings need to be shipped, there will be no extra charges if shipping within the continental U.S.
Thank you!


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This website provides information and resources on FPIC as a tool of self-determination to assist communities in decision making. We have selected articles, tool kits, videos, voice messages, and community stories about FPIC and consultation.
Results for:UNDRIP
Total Resources: 207
This article looks at Guatemala with respect to "consultas comunitarias" and Canadian mining companies that are based in Indigenous communities.
This article examines the effectiveness of UNDRIP in relation to two case studies in Bolivia and Peru in regards to regulations, policies, and environmental conditions.
'Free, Prior and Informed Consent' (FPIC) has emerged as a key principle in international law, related to indigenous peoples and is considered necessary in sectors like dam building, extractive industries, forestry, plantations, conservation, bio-prospecting and environmental impact assessment. While the right itself is clearly affirmed, the practicalities for non-State parties to adhere to it are less clear, and so initiatives to ensure FPIC are considered.
MiningWatch Canada is glad to share the announcement by Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq that the federal government will not approve Taseko Mines' New Prosperity gold-copper project. The project, located in south-central British Columbia, was a modification of a previously rejected application. The decision was made after the company's second proposal failed to address "significant adverse effects".
This policy brief examines how the relationship between Canadian governments and Indigenous peoples is negotiated when disagreements arise regarding proposed development projects. While Indigenous peoples are entitled the right to Free, Prior, Informed Consent (FPIC), there is no clear understanding within Canadian law of when this consultation and accommodation have been appropriate. The Taku Supreme Court decision is explored as an example where Indigenous opposition to a project did not stop further development.
This paper explores the rights of Indigenous people in International law, through the frameworks of Free, Prior, Informed Consent (FPIC), and the World Commission on Dams (WCD). Reasons why FPIC is not always upheld in practice are explored through a series of case studies, and policy suggestions from the WCD are that prioritize the recognition of rights and assessment of risks are proposed to combat these problems.


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In water hull surveys (UWI) ( UWILD)
Salvage & shallow water wreck removal
Site survey & clearence
Underwater burning and welding
Underwater video and photography
Equipment rentals
Shallow water diving
Anode installation
Inspection and consulting services
Dredging and batimetric survey
Ultrasonic thickness reading
Erosion and corrosion control
Transport of crew and supplies
Our equipment
CCTV and comms.
Assortment of HP & LP air compressor.
Hydraulic power units and tools.
Air driven tools and air lifts 8" and 4".
Equipment for u/w welding and cutting.
Assortement of electric driven submersible pumps ( 6", 4", 3" and 2" totaling 3.000 cub. meters/hour).
Assortement of gasoline driven pumps (4" and 3" totalizing 500 cub.meters /hour).
Assortement of inflatable pontoon ( totaling 20 ton lifting capacity).
Assortement of inflatable boats and out boards motors.
Dredger LOA 9 m. Draft 1.1 m. 180 HP 10" suction 8" discarge.
Tender boat ANA ISABEL, LOA 23 m. Beam 5,5 m. draft 1.7 m. 1.100 HP in 3 shafts, 36 sq . meter of working deck with 3 tons hydraulic crane.
Multicat TITON, LOA 24 m. Beam 9.0 m. draft 1.2 n. 800 HP in 2 shaft, 150 sq. meters of working deck, 35 tons hydraulic crane.
Crew / working boat TANGO, LOA 24 m, Beam 6.0 m, draft 1.9 m, 1.500 HP in three shafts, 45 sq.meter working deck. Passengers : 45; cargo: 12 ton.
400 sq. meters work shop at 5 minutes from Port of Montevideo.
3.5 hectares shipyard and dry dock facillity in Montevideo Bay.


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Mule 1.4.2 Release Notes
The Mule Team are pleased to announce the release of version 1.4.2. This is a maintenance release that sees nearly 100 reported issues closed. The highlights of this release are -
Out-of-the-box support for calling component methods without any arguments.
An easy to use JVM debug switch - just add -debug on the command line.
Mule Config Visualizer is now bundled with Mule
JRockit irregularities have been resolved, Mule standalone works on all versions of this JVM now.
In addition to the existing release packages we also supply Enterprise Archives (EARs) now. They come in two flavors: one generic version which should work with any application server and one specific version for JBoss that works around packaging issues on JBoss. See the JBoss Integration page for details.
Upgrades of various dependencies for modules and transports.
As always, many thanks to our community for submitting bug reports, patches and improvements to Mule.


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Top Six Finalists Perform LIVE for America's Votes
Wednesday, December 5 on FOX
Season One Winner Melanie Amaro Returns to THE X FACTOR
and Pop Superstar Ke$ha Set to Perform
on All-New LIVE Results Show
Thursday, December 6
Tonight, on the LIVE results show, another double elimination sent home Paige Thomas, one of Demi Lovato's Young Adults, and Vino Alan, one of L.A. Reid's Over 25s, on THE X FACTOR. Hosts Khloé Kardashian Odom and Mario Lopez announced that Thomas received the fewest votes following last night's performance show, immediately eliminating her from the competition. Then it was revealed that Alan and Diamond White both received the next fewest votes. Judges Simon Cowell, Lovato, Reid and Britney Spears listened to the two finalists each perform their "song for survival," after which Alan was sent home. Also tonight, this week's individual vote rankings were revealed, from the bottom sixth act to the No. 1 vote-getter.
Earlier in the show, Season One runner-up Josh Krajcik sang his new song, "One Thing She'll Never Know." Then, Grammy Award-winning superstar Alicia Keys performed her song, "Girl On Fire."
Next week, on Wednesday, Dec. 5 (8:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed), THE X FACTOR finalists: Teens - Carly Rose Sonenclar and Diamond White; Young Adults - CeCe Frey; Over 25s - Tate Stevens; and Groups - Emblem3 and Fifth Harmony - once again perform LIVE for America's votes.
Immediately after the performance show, fans will be able to vote via 1) Verizon Touch Voting on The Xtra Factor App on Verizon Android devices; 2) toll-free calling; 3) text messaging for Verizon Wireless customers; and 4) online at TheXFactorUSA.com. Fans with valid Facebook accounts can also vote at Facebook.com/TheXFactorUSA.
On Thursday, Dec. 6 (8:00-9:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed), tune in for an all-new episode with performances by Melanie Amaro, last year's winner of THE X FACTOR, who returns to the stage to perform a new, never-before-heard single from her debut album, "Truly..."; and global superstar Ke$ha, who debuts her new single, "C'Mon." Then, Khloé and Mario will announce the acts that made the cut and who will be going home in an all-new "Live Results" episode.
Melanie Amaro became an instant national phenomenon, bringing her long-honed vocal prowess to the stage of THE X FACTOR, and claiming first place in the heavily contested competition during the series' first season. Now, the 20-year-old powerhouse is set to release her hotly awaited debut album, "Truly," on Epic Records. The album, due out early next year,
announces Amaro as both a silk-voiced songstress and dance-floor-ruling diva. Spotlighting the masterful range and soulful sensibility that won over THE X FACTOR judges and audiences alike, the album merges R&B and dance-pop to expand Amaro's sound and push her vocal performance into stunning new directions.
Global superstar Ke$ha has taken the world by storm since the 2010 release of her debut album, "Animal." That year, she was declared Billboard's Hot 100 Artist and her smash debut single, "TiK ToK," reached No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. It was the most played song of that year, and also was the biggest-selling digital track in the world. On Dec. 4, Ke$ha will release her highly anticipated sophomore album, "Warrior," featuring the single, "Die Young," which is currently the No. 1 Top 40 Airplay single.
Ke$ha has had six consecutive Top 10 hits including three No. 1 singles: "TiK ToK," "Your Love Is My Drug" and "We R Who We R." "Animal," has sold more than 2.5 million units worldwide. It has been certified gold, platinum or multi-platinum in 15 markets (including platinum in the United States) and was the biggest selling debut album from an international female in 2010 in the U.K.
She has toured the world, playing more than 200 live shows in support of "Animal" and its companion album, "Cannibal." She took home the MTV Europe Music Award for Best New Act in November 2010 and was nominated for two American Music Awards, three MTV VMA Awards and six Billboard Awards. She has performed on dozens of television programs all over the world, including the "MTV Europe Music Awards," "Much Music Awards" (Canada), "Echo Awards" (Germany), "The X Factor" (Australia), "American Music Awards," "Billboard Music Awards," AMERICAN IDOL, "Saturday Night Live" and the "Today Show" Summer Concerts series. She has more than 22 million Facebook "likes," more than three million Twitter followers and more than 330 million views on VEVO. She has sold more than 27 million combined tracks and ringtones in the U.S alone and more than 34.5 million worldwide, to date.
FOX Super Perks is offering fans a chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime experience - a trip for two to Los Angeles to see the two-night season finale of THE X FACTOR when the next global superstar or breakout music group wins! Details can be found at: www.fox.com/thexfactor/superperks/.
No purchase necessary to enter or win THE X FACTOR Finale Sweepstakes. Open to legal residents of the 48 contiguous U.S. & D.C., 18 and older. Other restrictions apply. Sweepstakes began on 11/1/12 and ends on 12/1/2012 at 11:59 PM ET. Void in AK, HI and where prohibited. Subject to official rules available at www.fox.com/superperks. Sponsor: Fox Broadcasting Company.
THE X FACTOR was created by Syco Television and is produced by Syco Television and FremantleMedia North America. Rob Wade and Nigel Hall are executive producers for Syco Television. Trish Kinane, Richard Holloway and Andrew Llinares serve as executive producers for FremantleMedia North America. "Like" THE X FACTOR on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/TheXFactorUSA. Follow the series on Twitter @TheXFactorUSA and join the discussion at #xfactor.


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Camellia Court Family Motel Taupo
We are an affordable motel in Taupo. We have an assortment of motel and backpacker type cabin units. The motels are fully self contained.
- Per night
- $40 - $255
Contact Us
1 / 6
When was the Last Time you had a Fun Holiday in Taupo at a Price you can afford?
Camellia court Family Motel is ideal for families of all sizes and budgets, create great memories, have a fun holiday and receive the best value!
We are located in a spacious and quiet area in Taupo - away from all the lakefront traffic noise, just 4 minutes to the CBD and close to AC Baths, Spa Park, Taupo Bungy, Taupo Golf Course and the Taupo Events Centre.
Camellia court Family Motel's friendly hosts will do their very best to make your family feel welcome and get the most fun and enjoyment out of beautiful Taupo.
Book your next holiday with us. Our spacious garden surroundings and friendly welcome await you.
Physical address
Camellia Court Family Motel Taupo, 50 Tonga Street, Taupo, Lake Taupo, 3330, New Zealand.
Opening times
- Business hours:
- 08:00-20:00
- Months of operation:
- All months of the year
Facilities and Features
- BBQ Facility
- Children Welcome
- Internet (Public Use)
- Playground
- Laundry
- Proximity to airport:
- 12Km
- Proximity to coach terminal:
- 1.2Km
- Proximity to town:
- In town, 1.6Km from shops
- Number of rooms:
- 35
Pricing and Conditions
|High season
|Low season
|(Dec - Mar)
|(Apr - Nov)
|Per night
|$65.00 - $255.00
|$40.00 - $215.00


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It'is on the air one of the most exclusive and important event of the International winescape in the USA. May 6th will be the start-up date for the Wine Spectator
Wine Tales of the Third Millennium: Firriato and the New Romance between Tradition and Innovation at Sicilia en primeur 2017 51113
April 2017, Trapani (Italy) – Firriato is proud to introduce four new wines to the market, to be disclosed at the upcoming VinItaly. Each wine will represent an important aspect
I dati incoraggianti registrati da Firriato con le vendite nei mercati esteri, attestano il buono stato di salute dell'enologia siciliana, così come emerge a conclusione del Prowein di Düsseldorf, uno
The first episode of the "In the Shadow of Volcanoes" , a series focused on telling about life in these extreme territories ,written and produced by Millstream Film&Media is already on
Monique Soltani visits Firriato Winery: the first format shot in Sicily on Wine OH TV streaming channel
Firriato'Sicily, a wine continent contained into an island. From the slopes of Etna, the biggest active volcano in Europe, to Trapani Estates, passing through Favignana, the "butterfly of the Egadi
Historical Sicilian wine brand will be partner of "Raid dell'Etna" 19h edition (September 25 – October 1, 2016), the International event about vintage car. Again this year a circuit of
"Una storia di vino" a DOCUMENTARY FILM TO GREET THE GREAT EVENT OF 50 YEARS OF VINITALY. MANY NEWS FROM FIRRIATO INCLUDING, FOR EXAMPLE, A CONTEST DEDICATED TO WINE-LOVERS OF
"Lunches party"… Firriato celebrates Easter in Sicily. Re-opening in Firriato's style for Resort Baglio Sorìa
March 21th, 2016 – It will be a delicious Easter proposed by Firriato with "lunches party", a new formula for "live" the authentic tradition of the festive table of Sicily. What
Sicilian wine protagonist of "Undercover Boss" on RAI 2 Italian TV. Federico Lombardo will be the Monte Jato to unveil the largest television audience a story of entrepreneurial success of
October 26, 2015 – The last row was vintage and the grapes have already begun the process of vinification and aging in the cellar, waiting to bottling the first wines.
It will be a party like no other one scheduled for Monday, 10 August Goblets of Stars, the largest summer event sponsored by the Wine Tourism Movement and the Association


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Absolutely gorgeous Mill Creek living with a lakefront view! Resting on almost a half acre of land, this house boasts nearly 2800 square feet of pure opulence: four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a formal dining room,open kitchen overlooking a family room and breakfast nook, a living room complete with a double sided gas fireplace, and a luxurious custom designed and built sauna. Pictures cannot fully capture the beauty of this home! The kitchen is designed for a top chef in mind with 42 inch maple glaze cabinets, granite counter tops, gas range, and stainless steel appliances- all within view of the spacious family room and breakfast nook overlooking the pool. Outside living provides just as much beauty as the inside. Picture your view of the lake as you relax in the gas heated pool and spa, lounge on the Travertine pool deck, or enjoy the cool shade of the patio, all encased in a pool cage to keep bugs and leaves to a minimum. Park your cars and store your toys in the 3 car garage, all while enjoying low monthly HOA fees and NO CDD fees! This breathtaking house is located in phrase 7, boasting the newest section of highly desirable Mill Creek just east of Rye Road. Book your appointment immediately as this beautiful opportunity won't last long!
Cable Available, Electricity Available, Phone Available, Propane, Sewer Available, Water Available
Heated, In Ground, Salt Water, Child Safety Fence
Laminate, Porcelain Tile, Travertine
Ceiling Fans(s), High Ceiling(s), Kitchen/Family Room Combo, Living Room/Dining Room Combo, Solid Surface Counters, Split Bedroom, Tray Ceiling(s), Window Treatments, Sauna
Dishwasher, Disposal, Electric Water Heater, Microwave, Range, Refrigerator
Irrigation System, Outdoor Shower, Sauna, Sliding Doors
|Price Reduced
|$10,000 (2.04%)
|Price Reduced
|$10,000 (2.00%)
|Price Reduced
|$10,000 (1.96%)
|Price Reduced
|$10,000 (1.92%)
|Price Reduced (from $525,000)
|$5,100 (0.97%)
Listing information courtesy of Fine Properties.
All listing information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified through personal inspection by appropriate professionals. Listings displayed on this website may be subject to prior sale or removal from sale; availability of any listing should always be independently verified.
Listing information is provided for consumer personal, non-commercial use, solely to identify potential properties for potential purchase; all other use is strictly prohibited and may violate relevant federal and state law.
Listing data comes from My Florida Regional MLS DBA Stellar MLS.
Listing information last updated on September 22nd, 2019 at 4:59pm EDT.


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Ice Landing
The plane around 9 AM on Sunday
Saturday April 11: about 12:30 PM: A Cessna 172 (single engine, four seats, high wing, fixes landing gear) did a touch and go landing on the ice off the VanEverest fishing access (Inland Sea, Milton west shore), The ice was about 18" thick. The over night temperature away from the lake: 31 degrees. At the time of the landing the temperature was about 50 degrees with some sunshine. There was a 20 mph NW wind. The ice type was S2 (0.4" grain size at surface). The ice had 82 thaw degree days since the last cold spell. The ice was well thawed through its full thickness.
When the main gear touched down, it left ruts on the ice surface about 1.5" deep. The front gear touched down and the plane was unable to generate enough thrust to get the needed airspeed to take off (about 70 mph). It broke through upon stopping, settling on the belly with water quickly rising to waist level in the plane. The pilot saw the need to abandon the plane before it settled further, possibly trapping the occupants. The passenger was focused on getting sufficient location information to controllers at the Burlington Airport. The pilot forced the issue and both men abandoned the plane, one keeping is torso reasonably dry and the other got pretty wet. They walked about 3500 feet to the Van Everest access on the east shore of the Inland Sea. It was cloudy, windy and near freezing. A lady who came to fish called 911 when saw what was happening. When the men got to shore put them in her car to start to warm up. The wetter victim went to the hospital for an examination and rewarming.
The following reviews the events with a focus on the role the ice played.
The boat used to move equipment to the airplane for placing the airbags to keep it from sinking to the bottom of the lake.
Sunday April 12: A salvage operation was started as soon as the crew could pull things together. The ice was too weak to lift the plane out. Thee 2000 lb (flotation) airbags were placed on the plane by 1:30 PM. By then the temperature away from the ice was approaching 70 and it had been full sun all day. There were now 100 thaw degree days in the ice.
The plane's position on Monday (it did move much until Thursday night). The vertical red line is the approximate boundary of the weak S2 ice to the west and the stronger agglomerate S1 ice to the east.
There was a band about 1700 feet of agglomerate ice along the shore. Several measurements showed a thickness of 18". It had many soft spots (snow ice pieces that were soft for about 3", enough to give you pause when you stepped on them but they had harder ice underneath). There were some darker areas that were thawed enough to shift when you stepped on them. You could hear the ice shifting several feet from where you were. We could not drive a test pole though this ice. Whiter areas were more solid.
18"agglomerate ice. It's pieces are rotated to vertical from the pressure of an unfrozen ice edge veing pushed by westerly winds. This ice came in in early January.
2-1/2" thick vertical pieces of broken S1 ice (aglomerate ice) that formed as part of the edge formation along the down wind shore of the Inland Sea.
A patch of snow ice that was part of the agglomerate ice.
Scalloped S2 (fine grained) ice looking toward the plane and boat. Scale: the dark scallop pockets are roughly 2" across. This ice covered a wide area to the west of the agglomerate ice. It formed in wavy, cold conditions. The water initially forms flake ice what gets ground up by the waves. In an advanced thaw state this type of ice gets extremely weak.
By One PM on Sunday when we got on the S2 ice, the overnight ice was gone and the ice sheet was in thaw stage 5 most places (almost too rotten to hold you up). You could drive a test pole through the full 18" thickness with a hard stab followed by a steady push. The salvage crew stepped or fell through a few times as they worked around the plane and came back to shore (thaw stage 6). The plane was resting on its wings and the airbags when we left the fishing access around 2 PM.
Closeup of the S2 ice (the long dimension of the bigger crystals is about 0.4"). Note the dark gaps separating the crystals.
This Civil Air Patrol Cessna 172 was one of many small planes that flew over the site on Sunday.
Monday April 13 9AM: The moderate wind forecast from a couple days ago has increased to gusts in the 40 mph range for Monday evening. This may enough to raft the ice sheet and possibly break up and melt the ice sheet. It is hoped that the plane will sink a little under the ice sheet and hang from the bags.
The plane had neither sunk more or moved horizontally by 2:00PM Monday. The S2 ice had gone from whitish pm Sunday to dark gray on Monday. It is very likely at stage 6 and on its way to stage 7 and disintegration. No finger rafting was seen in the ice sheet at this time.
Tuesday April 14 10 AM: It was windy enough and weak enough Monday night to raft the ice a bit. The plane sank a little further.
The bottom of the tail of the plane and a yellowish airbag are all that could be seen on the surface on Tuesday.
Looking along a finger rafted band of ice toward what later became the take out point. The rafting direction was from right to left (generally from the west). This band ran for long distances along the shore with ice piles in a few places. In general the overlap was about 100 feet.
Ice piles formed when the double layer of rafted ice intersected with the shore. Perspective: looking north along the Georgia Shore.
April 15 4:30 158 thaw degree days since the last cold spell. The ice is getting weaker but there has not been enough wind break to up the weak ice. Last year it took a wind in the mid 30 mph range.
MODIS Satellite image for April 15. Burlington to Venice Quebec.
A friend took two of us up in his plane to have a look.
Two of the three airbags are visible as is the inrun track of the plane.
The hole at the bottom of the image is where the plane broke through. The hole was most likely created by the weight of the stopped plane rather than the plane rolling into a preexisting hole. The shifting and rafting of the ice early on April 14 separated the plane from the crash position by 40-50 feet feet. The entire ice sheet moved north at least a couple of hundred feet.
When we first reviewed the pictures from this flight we thought we could see tracks from other touch and go's however on closer examination the only actual track is the one that starts in the lower center and diagonals slightly to the left as it goes up the image to the hole made by the airplane when it stopped. A pair of straight parallel lines (rising from the from the left bottom edge) are not quite the right spacing. There is also a pair of rougher parallel lines that run along the top edge that also did not have the right spacing.
April 16: The winds during the day were light and there was roughly 80% of full sun. The ice along the shore is melting and pulling away. Everything near shore was in thaw stage 7 (far too weak to hold body weight). The plane and ice appear to have moved north a moderate amount (few hundred feet?).
Modis image for April 16.
April17: Friday It got reasonably windy over night. At Colchester reef the wind was south with 20-22 mph sustained and gusts to 25. This was sufficient wind to force more finger rafting of the weak ice sheet, expose more open water, mix the open water at the surface with slightly warmer, deeper water which melted almost all of the ice sheet. The ice-sheet on the 'inland sea' was about 25 square miles. The plane was trapped in the ice sheet, so it moved north with the ice sheet for about 6 miles. It was found on the southeast shore of Burton Island about 1/2 mile from the SW end of the island.
Larry's work boat on the way to hook up the plane.
The plane in tow.
After trying unsuccessfully to rearrange the airbags to make the plane closer to horizontal they started pulling the plane. The speed was about 0.43 mph with an estimated arrival time at Van Everest fishing access of 11 PM. A resident was watching the progress from his shoreline property. He was able to hail the towing team and offer to let them take out the plane there. They had the plane out of the water before dark.
The plane on the beach. Visible damage included denting of the wing leading edges and the front cowling...not all that much considering where it had spent the previous week. The general consensus is that the plane will be sold for parts.
Fuel removed from the plane.
Wings being removed
On the truck, with fixtures to hold the wings. If you ever need to haul a small airplane in Northern New England, Barrett Trucking has the equipment and skills to do it.


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Special PopulationsThis page discusses the special populations defined by the federal Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006 (Perkins IV).
What are Special Populations?
Special populations, as defined by Perkins IV are:
- Individuals with disabilities
- Individuals from economically disadvantaged families, including foster children
- Individuals preparing for nontraditional training and employment
- Single parents, including single pregnant women
- Displaced homemakers
- Individuals with other barriers to educational achievement, including individuals with limited English proficiency
The California Department of Education (CDE) follows the Perkins IV mandates to serve special populations and document the achievement of each group to achieve establish performance levels. Areas of achievement relate to Career Technical Education program completion, earning twelfth grade diplomas, placement of twelfth graders following program completion, nontraditional program enrollment, and nontraditional career program completion. For details on reporting refer to the CDE Perkins Web page.
The CDE support for special populations is primarily delivered through regional workshops and annual statewide leadership training, via the CDE and Chancellor's Office of the California Community Colleges partnership, the Joint Special Populations Advisory Committee (JSPAC). Currently, all training is free and includes nationally developed materials, specifically addressed to special populations. All of the events are posted on the JSPAC web site throughout the year. Another useful item is a no cost online course that specifically addresses one of the special populations categories, nontraditional careers. National leadership for states related to special populations is available from the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity.
- Joint Special Populations Advisory Committee
- National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity
- Perkins
- Career Technical Education for Special Populations Program Summary


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May 2016
Episode 20
Super Massive Havasu Bluegills
Show Date: May 14th & 15th, 2016
Location: Lake Havasu City, Arizona
Guide: The Arizona Fishing Guides [ 480-772-8460 | thearizonafishingguides.com/]
This week we get to go on "vacation" with John to Arizona. Our buddy, Pro Bass Angler and guide at The Arizona Fishing Guides, Ron Johnson has us on a truly unique bite. We're heading out of his home territory of Phoenix to Lake Havasu City on the Arizona California border. Lake Havasu is a widening of the Colorado River behind the Parker Dam, acting as a reservoir.
Where not here to sightsee, we are here to fish, and there are GIGANTIC bluegills (well technically they are Bluegill-Redear Sunfish hybrids, but they look like a super sized Wisconsin bluegill!) These fish are just mind-boggling when you see them in person, and they fight like they are twice their weight.
Our guide Ron Johnson, a Baitmate pro bass angler, showed us a few photos of these giants when we fished with him last year on Green Bay, and we just had to see it for ourselves
Episode 21
Early Spring Smallmouth
Show Date: May 21st & 22nd, 2016
Location: Sand Bay Beach Resort - Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Guide: Pro Guide Dale Stroschein [ 920-743-5731 | wackywalleye.com]
We've got some special guests from Mercury Marine with us this week, and we know a great fishery that's got lots of jumbo bass swimming in it.
This week we welcome Deb, Jared, and Tyler from Mercury Marine to check out all that the bay of Green Bay & Door County has to offer. Captain Dale Stroschein is our guide, and he's been fishing here his whole life, he knows how to find fish.
We get started by looking to hook giant bass, Dale says there is always a chance that you can get a fish of a lifetime here. We end our trip, and fine more success, catching walleye. Whatever we were catching, it sure was putting a smile on everybody's face.
Episode 22
It Finally Feels Like Summer in Vilas County
Show Date: May 28th & 29th, 2016
Location: Vilas County, Wisconsin
Guide: Pro Guide Rob Manthei [715-477-2042 | robmanthei.com]
Accommodations: St. Germain Lodge [ StGermainLodge.com ]
We've got 2 days in Vilas county, and we're going to dedicate each day to a different species.
On day one we're honored to have two guests with us that won a trip from the Tundra Plunge. Darrick bought a raffle ticket to benefit the Vince Lombardi Cancer Clinic during the Tundra Plunge this January, his ticket won a trip for two on the show. He brought his buddy Larry for a fun-filled day of angling. The weather wasn't super cooperative the day we were out, with big winds rolling in overnight. Rob is an expert guide, and found places to fish, however the wind coupled with constant waves made it difficult to feel a bite.
Thanks for hanging in there Darrick and Larry, and Thanks very much for supporting such a great cause!
The second day we head out for bass with a couple of Robs buddies, who are also guides. The bass we're hitting hard and often, hitting Wack-O worms, tubes, and Jerk Minnows. The weather is much nicer, a picturesque summer Vilas County fishing day.
January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December


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I stumbled upon this blog while checking out Craftzine today. They had a little blurb on Craftsanity's Fall issue of...(I don't know where they came up with this name)...CraftSanity!
What drew me to "read more" was the picture of the Apple Pie Jam shown on the cover. We've got a bunch of apples coming our way soon and I hate apple butter, so any new preserve recipes are a treat.
Guess what?!! I bought the pdf version of CraftSanity #4 ~ Only $5 and no papertrail :)
Print version is available for $12 at CraftSanity's Etsy Shop
I've downloaded and checked out all the projects and I proclaim that it is TOTALLY WORTH IT! The projects are explained in detail, easy enough to do, practical yet pretty and the apple pie jam does look divine.
I'm gonna make the jam, the soap, the slippers, the doily blanket, the rug, the... (big plans, we'll see how it goes)!
You can see a sneak preview of the great projects here.


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PARIS — The fragile cease-fire in Ukraine brought the leaders of Russia, Germany, Ukraine and France together in Paris on Friday for a summit meeting meant to strengthen it, in a meeting that was overshadowed by events in the Middle East.
"How could we not talk about this subject?" President François Hollande of France said at a news conference afterward that was dominated by questions about the conflict in Syria. Russia has recently deployed military forces there and begun airstrikes.
Mr. Hollande and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany spoke at the news conference, but the other two summit meeting participants, Presidents Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and Petro O. Poroshenko of Ukraine, did not attend.
The continuing refugee crisis, fueled in part by the war in Syria, is a source of great concern for France and Germany. It has shifted attention away from eastern Ukraine, where a military conflict between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian government forces has left nearly 8,000 people dead since April 2014 and has prompted the European Union and the United States to impose heavy economic sanctions on Russia.
In the meantime, though, there was work to do to shore up the Minsk accord, the peace agreement for Ukraine that the four powers hammered out in Belarus in February.
Mr. Hollande and Ms. Merkel offered cautious optimism about the accord at the news conference. "Minsk is holding up," Mr. Hollande said of the cease-fire, and Ms. Merkel agreed, even though the agreement had not been respected "100 percent."
The accord is supposed to be put into full effect by the end of the year, and the talks in Paris were intended to iron out remaining differences. But Mr. Hollande said on Friday that the process would probably extend beyond the end of the year.
A more recent deal was reached on the withdrawal of small-caliber weapons, and Mr. Hollande made it clear that much of Friday's discussion focused on that.
"We wanted to insure that the withdrawal of light weapons could begin tomorrow morning at midnight," Mr. Hollande said. "For the heavy weapons, there would be a comparable process."
Concerns were also voiced over contentious plans for local elections. The Ukrainian government in Kiev scheduled balloting for Oct. 25, but could conduct it only in territory it controls. Rebels in the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk had said they would hold their own balloting on Oct. 18 and in early November, over Kiev's objections.
Mr. Hollande said at the news conference that "the elections on the 18th of October can't be held." He said the four leaders agreed that local elections would be held under Ukrainian law, and that it would take at least three months to organize them, necessitating an extension of the Minsk accord beyond Dec. 31.
"I cannot see separatists winning the elections, and if they are not going to be elected, the Russians are probably not interested," said one Western diplomat in Kiev, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter. "But neither Russia nor Ukraine wants to be responsible for the failure of the elections."
Russia and Ukraine have repeatedly pledged to carry out the Minsk accord — and have repeatedly accused each other of foot-dragging and other misdeeds.
The Ukrainian government says the Kremlin has sent thousands of troops and advanced weapons across the border into Ukraine. Russia denies that it has any active forces there. For its part, Russia insists that the February 2014 revolution in Ukraine was a coup plotted by the West, and it has annexed the Crimean Peninsula.
President Poroshenko of Ukraine has tried to persuade European leaders to put pressure on Moscow, imposing new sanctions if necessary, by calling the fight for Ukraine a fight for European values.
Ukrainian demands include free access throughout the conflict zone for the cease-fire monitors sent by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, or O.S.C.E.; the withdrawal of Russian military forces, military equipment and volunteer fighters from Ukraine; and the restoration of Ukrainian control over its southern border with Russia.
The first and most important provision of the Minsk accord, a cease-fire, did not materialize for months, and the fighting that erupted in the southeast in August was among the fiercest so far. But a renewed cease-fire agreement for Sept. 1 took hold, and the area has remained largely calm since then.
The Kremlin appeared to switch its focus, talking about Syria and terrorism and Mr. Putin's central role in defusing the global threat from the Islamic State, while Ukraine all but disappeared from Russian state-run television stations.
The longer the cease-fire continues to hold, the more willing the public on both sides will probably be to accept a compromise.
From the beginning, Russia has been talking about "federalizing" Ukraine, giving its regions much more autonomy, including the power to conduct their own foreign relations and trade policies. The Ukrainian government in Kiev opposes the idea, seeing it as a formula for endless Russian meddling and perhaps even the disintegration of the country.
Instead, it has been pushing decentralization, a different model along the lines of France's approach to its regions. They would get more revenue-sharing from the national government and their councils would get somewhat more freedom, subject only to a presidential override.
A decentralization law suffered a turbulent passage through the Ukrainian Parliament, where a nationalist bloc has accused Mr. Poroshenko of caving in to Russia and taking too much presidential power. During the vote on the bill in late August, violent demonstrations outside Parliament left three members of the National Guard dead. Although the law was enacted, Russia says it has not been put into effect.
Russia also accuses Ukraine of violating the Minsk accord by not negotiating directly with the rebel leaders in the breakaway regions, known collectively as the Donbass. "The people of Donbass should have their rights and interests genuinely considered, and their choice respected," Mr. Putin said in a speech at the United Nations on Monday.
Ukraine says it is negotiating with the Donbass rebel leaders, but is doing so through the Trilateral Contact Group that was set up after the Minsk talks. Western governments have supported continuing the talks that way.
The O.S.C.E. cease-fire monitors reported on Monday what appeared to be clear evidence that Russia had transferred heavy weapons to the rebels. The monitors said that at a military training area in Luhansk, they saw a Russian-made launching system called a TOS-1, nicknamed Pinocchio, which can fire rockets with highly destructive thermobaric or fuel-air warheads.
The Kiev government has been asserting for more than a year that Russia has supplied that type of weapons system and others to the separatist rebels, while Russia has denied any involvement in the conflict in eastern Ukraine other than supplying humanitarian aid.


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saturday happenings/
Today was spent in the kitchen, working on a few Valentine's Day recipes. Be on the lookout! After baking, photographing, taste testing, and cleaning, I was off to photograph the lovely couple below.
Krista and I met a few months back, after she moved to Ft. Collins with her fiancé, Julian. We meet up as much as possible, typically for coffee dates or grabbing a bite to eat at La Luz, a local favorite. We've become good friends, and I was thrilled when they asked me to take their engagement photos.
SO many of our friends are getting married in 2012. It's definitely a wedding year!
I just wanted to share a little sneak peek from this lovely couple. The weather was in the 50's today, which was a major luck-out for a winter shoot. More coming soon at Ashley McLaughlin Photography.
Off to bed, at 10pm on a Saturday. This is unheard of for me, for a weekend or weekday. Our alarms are set for 3:35am, as we'll be making the 3+ hour trek to Steamboat Springs. They're calling for over a foot of snow! Finally! Hoping the roads aren't too bad. Our gear is ready, tons of food is packed + in the fridge, now we'll see if I can actually get to sleep.
Happy Sunday!