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Foligno leads NHL vs. Docs event to benefit NEO Kids
Event has raised over $175,000 to date in support of treatment and health care needs for childrenby Alison Lukan AlisonL / BlueJackets.com
Being a Blue Jacket isn't just about playing hockey, it's about giving back and making a difference. And last week, led by captain Nick Foligno, a group of Jackets found a way to put the two roles together at the second annual NHL vs. Docs game that benefits the Neo Kids Foundation in Sudbury, Ontario.
This year's event has raised over $50,000 to date and the two-year total for NHL vs. Docs has surpassed the $175,000 mark.
"As hockey players, we have a unique opportunity to do special things in the community," defenseman Scott Harrington said. "This cause is very close to Nick and his family's heart. They want to give back and help and there was no hesitation from any of the guys when Nick approached us."
The event itself is a hockey game, but the reason behind it is so much more.
NHL vs. Docs is the brainchild of Dr. Sean Murray, Medical Director of HSN's Neo Kids and Family and Child program and Chief of Pediatrics.
Foligno and Murray knew each other through a shared contractor in Sudbury, but when the Foligno's oldest child, Milana, was born with a congenital heart defect, the two came to connect with each other on a much deeper level.
Through Milana's journey, the Foligno's came to learn that when you have a sick child, the demands for treatment and regular checkups are plentiful. For the residents of Sudbury and northern Ontario, that can often mean a trip to Ottawa or Toronto that takes upwards of four hours in a car one-way.
Putting treatment options closer to the patient and in an environment built exclusively for children is what Neo Kids is all about.
"What Dr. Murray is trying to do in Sudbury is have more of a pediatric presence," Foligno said. "It's already so disruptive when your child is sick, you just want to be able to have some sort of normalcy, and that's what Neo Kids is trying to provide while you're going through treatment. Things like that are half the battle."
And so, as Foligno came across teammates during the off-season, he invited them to join him for this year's game. The Jackets' captain wanted to reward the residents of Sudbury who have rallied behind the cause of Neo Kids by bringing NHL talent to the area in a personal forum.
Along with Harrington, Zach Werenski, Josh Anderson, and Boone Jenner headed to Sudbury to hang out for a few days and add their talents to a roster made up of NHL players and doctors from Neo Kids.
"It was fun that they mixed up the teams," Harrington said. "It was pretty cool to play with some of the doctors and meet the men who, on a daily basis, are helping to save lives through research or surgery or hands on treatment. It was special for us."
That's not to say the game wasn't competitive. Bragging rights were definitely on the line, and Foligno's team fell for the second year in a row.
"Embarrassing," Foligno said with a laugh. "I think it's me. But it was still pretty fun. I just told people I'm saving all my goals for the regular season."
And while the hockey game played to a packed house of over 700 people, it was the moments around the game that stick in people's memories. Players held a post-game autograph session, and a group of children who are currently receiving treatment met with the players in the locker room before the game.
"There's a personal touch here," Foligno said. "The smiles on their faces and how much fun they had coming in the room and joking around that we smelled bad, that's what they'll remember and bring home and tell their family and friends about. That's what it's all about.
"You're trying to take away a little bit of the worry and the sadness and the fight that's going on in their lives and let them be kids or let them enjoy their moments with their families."
Foligno says the NHL vs. Docs game is now officially an annual event. He wants to keep finding ways to make it better every year in appreciation for the efforts of Neo Kids and the people of Sudbury who've given their support.
"It's so easy for us to go out and play hockey and raise money through something like that," Harrington said. "The amount of thanks we got from the community, you could tell they were genuinely happy that we were there. We had a blast. The fact that we could raise money on top of that was just great. The way the effort came together speaks to the type of people the Folignos are."


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Interviews with Emma Part 4: A Conversation with Atlanta Beat's Megan Jesolva
By David Bayer
No game in Atlanta this week? No problem. It was time to talk to a Beat player anyway. Unlike our first three interviews, we went with a rookie this time. I had a couple of brief interactions with Megan, even before the season began, and it was easy to see that she is definitely a "people person." And, judging
from the amount of cheering that Emma has been doing for her at Beat games, she's also a "little people's person." We caught up with Megan away from the stadium. (more…)
Atlanta Beat roster slowly taking shape
Women's Professional Soccer announced Monday that the Atlanta Beat signed both Keeley Dowling and undrafted free agent forward Katie Bethke (University of Minnesota), who recently trained with the U.S. U-23 Women's National Team. These two signings now bring the Beat's roster up to 12 players. (more…)

subset: commoncrawl


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Canon brings you the best quality equipment in photography and lenses for both amateur and professional photographers. The choice of the right lens for the situation and type of photography is critical in producing high-quality professional work. Below we review some of the best lenses for Canon 70D.
Best Canon 70D lenses for Portraits
Canon TS-E 90mm portrait lens for Canon 70D gives you complete control over the shift, tilt, and rotate adjustments. It enables you to place your subject matter at your preferred angle, from the location you are in to take a picture.
The TS-E 90mm tilt option allows you to adjust the objects to feature within the focus during a portrait shootout. Its Shift alternative will enable you to take control over perspective distortion. To take care of objects enhancement or correction, use this lens, instead of using photography software. TS-E 90mm rotate function presents absolute control over the sharpness of the focus when you take specific portraits.
Ideal lens for landscape photography
In landscape photography, a wide-angle lens from Canon is a perfect option. This wide-angle lens has various advantages, and among them is the ability to capture more prominent views than average and also allow the photographer to fit some large subjects rightly into the frame. A wide-angle lens is an essential thing, especially when taking photographs of landscapes, large buildings, a group photo, or a building's interior. Canon wide-angle lenses are perfect for making an object look larger than usual.
The Canon's EF-S 22mm USM is a high- quality, ultra-wide-angle lens available in the circuit. Similar to an EF-S model, the lens works on cropped-bodies. Its range is from sixteen to thirty-five millimeters which are perfect for shooting large buildings, cramped interiors, and landscapes.
Best lens for low light photography
Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II Ultra Wide Tilt-Shift Lens
Excellence and refinement are essential elements in this unique lens with eight and a half degrees of tilt and twelve millimeters of the shift to capture the best perspective work.
If you know anyone who is a photography enthusiast, nature photographer, photojournalist, home user, or maybe you are considering about owning a Canon 70D 2 lens bundle, Canon offers a wide range of lenses to suit every photographer requirements.


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Ballerina Owl Print
Ballerina Owl Print
from 30.00
This Ballerina only appears fragile on the outside, easily flying in her effortless dance, but not everyone knows how much strength, hard work and dedication it takes day by day to master this. She's a celebration of beauty, grace and inner strength.
Add To Cart
Print Details:
This is a gallery-quality giclée art print on 100% cotton rag archival watercolor paper, printed with Epson Ultrachrome archival inks, to produce images of unparalleled color and depth.
Print sizes: 8x10 or 11x14 inches
Shipped flat in a protective cello sleeve, between two cardboards and a sturdy mailer.
Frame/Matte is not included.
All prints are signed by the artist.
Watermark will not appear on the actual print.
©2016 Eve Devore


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On September 5, staff in the UNC IE Environmental Resource Program (ERP) partnered with the UNC Center for Environmental Health and Susceptibility (CEHS) to host a public health forum on childhood sun damage and skin cancer risk. The theme was Protecting Today's Children from Skin Cancer in Adulthood. IE Associate Director for Outreach and Public Service and CEHS Community Outreach and Engagement Core (COEC) director Kathleen Gray opened the forum, highlighting it as an opportunity to facilitate a dialogue about community education strategies among public health stakeholders—including the state health department, schools, health care providers, and health advocacy organizations.
Dr. Bill Kaufmann, the Center's director for Interdisciplinary Research, shared emerging research on childhood sunburns and the increased risk for melanoma, with emphasis on UV exposure, mole development among children and genetics as reasons for concern. COEC manager and ERP staff member, Neasha Graves, presented the educational materials and activities developed to educate families and youth about skin cancer prevention.
Following the presentations, participants separated into breakout sessions, conducting round table discussions on effective existing outreach strategies, challenges, ideas for implementing new strategies, and resources needed. Participants also decided on some next action steps, including opportunities for sharing ERP's Skin Cancer and Sun Safety module to inform community audiences and "train the trainer" sessions for professionals employed by CEHS's community partners throughout the state. Funding for the forum was provided by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.


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If you're having a house party and you're running low on space to store either ice or iced-down beverages, a washing machine can certainly get the job done. It's not a particularly elegant presentation for your guests, but for the laid-back crowd, it gets the job done.
Things You'll Need
- Washing machine
- Bags of ice
- Canned or bottled drinks
- Various cleaning products
- Towel
Video of the Day
In preparation for your party, make sure your washing machine is empty and clean. Take a few minutes to clean up the immediate area around the washing machine by mopping the floor, wiping down dusty parts of the machine and picking up any scattered trash. This way, if your guests will be making trips to the washing machine to get sodas or beers, they won't have to step over a mess to get there.
If you just plan to use your washing machine as backup ice storage, buy bagged ice and keep it in the bags. Arrange the bags as well as you can inside the washing machine to maximize space. Keep the lid closed when you're not adding or retrieving ice. This will keep it very cold in there and most of the ice will last all day long. This works equally well with front loading and top loading washers.
If you plan on using your washing machine as a cooler, stick with top loading washers. Put down a few inches of ice, then add a layer of drinks. Keep layering ice and drinks until the machine is full or you're out of drinks. Keep the lid closed when you're not adding or retrieving drinks so that everything stays cold. Keep a towel nearby so that you and your guests can wipe your drinks dry.
At the end of the party, be sure to remove any drinks that may still be in the washer. If there are bags of ice left over, take them out and dispose of them.
Either wait for any remaining ice in the washer to melt or add some warm water to speed up the process. When only water remains, close the lid and turn on the spin cycle. This will spin out all of the remaining water.


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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6232759295262646576.post2507122410010558880..comments2019-07-31T22:50:52.299-04:00Comments on CCLemon99: I'm Calling It Now. The Winner Is.....CCLemon99http://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-6232759295262646576.post-70496486575049779702018-06-01T18:50:10.462-04:002018-06-01T18:50:10.462-04:00Hahaa. Welcome back. Akina Nakamori month turned o...Hahaa. Welcome back. Akina Nakamori month turned out to be a pretty good experiment. It kinda spawned from wanting to do more with CD reviews and noticing that they grow in readership over time. Posts like this one here ^ are kinda disposable in the long run. Bigger views up front, but who cares a year from now?

Just wait for my 11 year video. I haven't told a soul or even hinted what it will be. I might throw a trailer on the channel the Sunday before it drops. I anticipate greatness if my ideas come to fruition...

There is kind of a reason why I posted this now instead of next year. The next post will get into the bigger reason, but I also just wanted to issue a challenge to Bandai. Prove me wrong. I want to be wrong. My favorite changer of the 00s was the ShodoPhone and that came out at the ass-end of that decade. That was in better times for the collectors, though...

I like the Morphin Brace a lot...but it just isn't all-things like the Zyuoh Changer is. It does have the advantage of being a Henshin Brace, but it just needs some more oomph.

I get alerts when comments are left on historic posts, so go nuts. Looking forward to hearing from you. ;]CCLemon99https://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-6232759295262646576.post-57939459660163416462018-06-01T01:28:04.269-04:002018-06-01T01:28:04.269-04:00First comment I've posted on this blog in YEAR! T...First comment I've posted on this blog in YEAR!
Time sure flies fast. I haven't read most of the topic; especially in April, where you had very busy month.

Hard to believe that it's been 11 years since your channel started.
Not everyone makes it to decade on YouTube these days.

Regarding the topic, I did not see this one coming (especially since I don't follow tweets so often until now).
I thought you were going to wait until next year (2019), which marks end of 2010s.
The winner you chose was pretty unexpected and interesting choice.
I don't have too much to say, since I commented years ago, but with the slew of changers that requires collector's gimmick to activate it full potential, this one stood out in a good way and it was such a breath taking.
I haven't been too impressed with changer in this decade, but Zyuoh Changer is definitely the better tier compared to other.
For my personal favorite of the decade, it would be Morphin Brace (Go-busters).
I'm not a fan of phone changer in recent year, but like Zyuoh Changer, it doesn't require collectible gimmick to activate its full potential, which IMO is very important for every henshin item.
I really like the design, which is both retro and futuristic, and even Custom Visor is unique add-on.

Looking forward to see your next topic.
I will post comments on past entry... eventually; especially for Carranger and Megaranger which I have few things to say.SunnyC247https://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-6232759295262646576.post-49087220770937838992018-05-30T20:25:02.285-04:002018-05-30T20:25:02.285-04:00I think it has more to do with the type of battery...I think it has more to do with the type of battery used. Mobirates had AAA and the Gokai Cellular used LR44.CCLemon99https://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-6232759295262646576.post-18818659892914943092018-05-30T10:50:45.463-04:002018-05-30T10:50:45.463-04:00They realized what had to be done in the same year...They realized what had to be done in the same yearLeonardo Fariashttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-6232759295262646576.post-40764290360259325352018-05-30T08:52:29.316-04:002018-05-30T08:52:29.316-04:00That could be, but it seems a little unusual that ...That could be, but it seems a little unusual that something like the Mobirates and Gokai Cellular are both cell phones, yet the Mobirates screams at you while the Cellular is too damn quiet.CCLemon99https://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-6232759295262646576.post-11713178703374566702018-05-29T22:33:28.201-04:002018-05-29T22:33:28.201-04:00You know why the Zyuoh Changer is so quiet? becaus...You know why the Zyuoh Changer is so quiet? because it's a cellphone two years earlier they designed the Applichanger to not scream unless you press a button because kids would put it close to their ears Leonardo Fariashttps://firstname.lastname@example.com


text: We'll help you pace yourself for this whirlwind spree in Southwest Ohio. The excursion begins at Shoppes at the Old Mill, a unique old mill that is more than a century-and-a-half years old and has been converted into an antique mall. Shop and relish the relics from long ago and visit the accompanying specialty shop—Home Again II—for hand-crafted items, baskets and food items. Upon leaving, it's time to have lunch on your own at the Tanger Outlet Mall in Jeffersonville, with over 100 outlet stores. After lunch, shop at your leisure before returning to your lodging accommodations to freshen up for dinner. Dinner will be at Max & Erma's, and then it's time to turn in for the night and rest up for the next day. Enjoy breakfast the next morning before departing for the Village of Yellow Springs, a community of shops with everything from herbs to crystals, to hand-made pottery, custom jewelry and import items. You'll be ready for a quick lunch stop at the Golden Jersey Inn for a wonderful home-cooked meal. Then it's on to Waynesville known by many as the antique capital of the Midwest. Shop to your heart's content and later enjoy dinner at McD's Pub. Rest up after dinner and get a good night's sleep before your last day of shopping. Rise early, and after your continental breakfast strike out for Caesar Creek Markets. Hopefully you'll find the bargain of bargains at this 68 acre mega-market as the grand finale to your visit to Clinton County!


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Getting In
Schools & Colleges
- College of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences
- College of Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences
- College of Business & Economics
- College of Education
Welcome to the Office of Financial Aid
Financial Aid is any source of funds available to assist students pay for the costs of college education. If you think you will need assistance, you are encouraged to complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). NC A&T University Federal School Code: 002905.
A FSA ID is required to complete the FAFSA.
There are four main types of financial aid. A student is offered a combination of aid (known as a financial aid award) from these four programs:
Grants Loans Scholarships Work-Study
Who is Eligible for Aid?
To be eligible to receive financial aid assistance, the applicant must:
- Be admitted and currently enrolled at least half time as an undergraduate or graduate student.
- Be enrolled or accepted in an eligible degree seeking program at NC A&T State University.
- Be a US citizen, permanent resident or eligible non-citizen.
- Have a valid Social Security number (with the exception of students from Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau).
- Demonstrate financial need (for most programs).
- Be registered with Selective Service if you are a male (you must register between the ages of 18 and 25).
- Currently maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward the completion of his or her academic program.
- Not be in default on any prior student loans; do not owe a repayment on any Title IV financial aid.
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The priority filing date is December 1st.
- Not have been convicted of possessing or selling of illegal drugs.
Additional information on eligibility can be found at: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/eligibility/basic-criteria.
Bills & Refunds are disbursed by the Treasurer's Office
N.C. A&T's COAACH Partners with NC Registry for Brain Health
On the heels of Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month, the Center for Outreach in Alzheimer's Aging and Community Health (COAACH) at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has partnered with NC Registry for Brain Health to provide access to helpful information.
A Taste of Summer: N.C. A&T University Farm Hosts Tomato Taste-ival
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University's largest classroom and laboratory, the University Farm, will open its doors to the public for an event that's part festival, part tomato tasting, part community education event – all a celebration of bread and mayo's best friend.
N.C. A&T Board of Trustees to Hold Special Called Meeting June 25
The N.C. A&T Board of Trustees' Executive Committee will hold a special called meeting June 25.
Key Information
- Enrollment Student Services Survey
- Revised EXIT Counseling Session
- Scholarship Opportunities
- Download Adobe Reader
- Say Yes Scholarship
- Student's Guide to FAFSA
- FAFSA & FSA ID TIPS - Parents
- FAFSA Guide
- Academic Calendar
- Student Financial Aid Information
- Loan Management
- CFNC - College Foundation of North Carolina
- NSLDS - National Student Loans Data System
- Net Price Calculator
- FSA ID Process
Points of Pride
Largest HBCU
N.C. A&T is the largest public HBCU in the nation
N.C. A&T is the No. 1 producer of engineering degrees on the undergraduate level awarded to African Americans.
Admired CEO
Chancellor Harold Martin Sr. is named among the Triad's Most Admired CEOs by the Triad Business Journal.
Academic Excellence
The university's Center for Academic Studies in Identify Science is the first and only National Intelligence Science and Technology CASIS in the United States.
Higher Research Activity
N.C. A&T is classified as an R2: Doctoral University of Higher Research Activity by the prestigious Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.
Teaching / Research
N.C. A&T is the highest-ranked public school for combining research and teaching by the Wall Street Journal.
Engineering Professor and Student
N.C. A&T is an inaugural and pioneering tenant of the innovative Union Square Partnership for healthcare training.
2016 MEAC Champs
N.C. A&T Women's Basketball team are the 2016 MEAC Champions
Bowl Champs
Aggies win 2015 Inaugural Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl and Black National Championship.
Tarik Cohen
Running back Tarik Cohen broke the university and MEAC record becoming the MEAC all-time leading rusher.
Hall of Fame
The 1968 Aggies football team was inducted into the N.C. A&T Sports Hall of Fame as the first A&T team to win a black college national championship.
Aggie Track & Field
Three track & field athletes are named to the NCAA All-Academic team for excellence in their events and in the classroom; maintaining a minimum 3.25 GPA.
Kim Terrell-Kearney
Former professional bowler Kim Terrell-Kearney named N.C. A&T bowling coach
Track & Field Ranking
The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association ranked A&T men's track and field team among the top-25 in program history.
Gail Wiggins
JOMC Professor Gail Wiggins selected as the NABJ Educator of the Year
PALO! Lyceum Series
The Band PALO! performed at N.C. A&T for the Lyceum Series
CD - Jazz Preeminence
A&T Theatre arts performs first production of "Radio Golf" by African American playwright August Wilson.
The Theatre Program at A&T was the first accredited Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) at an HBCU in North Carolina; second in the nation.
Black Nativity performances
The Theatre Arts Program is nationally ranked by Black Broadway as one of the top five Theatre Arts programs for African American students
Travis Alexander
Travis W. Alexander has been named National Conductor for the 105 Voices Of History National Concert Choir


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The Land Before Time is an American franchise of animated films centered on dinosaurs. The franchise began in 1988 with The Land Before Time, directed and produced by Don Bluth and executive produced by George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. It was followed by a total of 13 direct-to-video sequels, though none involves the participation of Bluth, Lucas, or Spielberg.
The films follow a friendship of a group of young dinosaurs, by the names of Littlefoot (Main Protagonist, Apatosaurus), Cera (Triceratops), Petrie (Pteranodon), Ducky (Saurolophus) and Spike (Stegosaurus). After finding The Great Valley, they raise a carnivourous baby, survive a drought and a cold snap and witness a solar eclipse. Throughout all films they embark upon adventures, learning lessons about life and friendship along the way.
List of titles
Films and albums
The following is a list of the films in the The Land Before Time series. All sequels have since been renamed without the numbers in their titles, when they were re-released on DVD in 2003.
- The Land Before Time: Sing-Along Songs (1997)
- The Land Before Time: More Sing-Along Songs (1999)
- Unnamed The Land Before Time album (2016)[1]
Guest characters
In every sequel to the original film The Land Before Time, there has always been a guest character featured. Up to date, Chomper, Mo, Tria, Big Daddy, the other Tinysauruses, Tricia, Mr. Thicknose, Ali, and Guido, Bron , Hyp , Nod , Mutt , Tippy , Shorty , Doc , and the Old One have all made reappearances.
In every film, at least 1 antagonist shows up, most of them are Sharpteeth though some can be Flyers or Egg Stealers
|The Land Before Time
|Ozzy and Strut
|The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure
|Fast Biter Quartet, Hyp, Mutt and Nod
|The Land Before Time III: The Time of the Great Giving
|Ichy and Dil
|The Land Before Time IV: Journey through the Mists
|Plated Sharptooth
|The Land Before Time V: The Mysterious Island
|Browridge Sharptooth, Meanest Sharptooth and Canyon Sharptooth
|The Land Before Time VI: The Secret of Saurus Rock
|Pterano, Rinkus and Sierra
|The Land Before Time VII: The Stone of Cold Fire
|Bigbiter Sharptooth
|The Land Before Time VIII: The Big Freeze
|Sharptooth Swimmer
|The Land Before Time IX: Journey to Big Water
|Bigbiter Trio and Belly Dragger
|The Land Before Time X: The Great Longneck Migration
|Fast Biter Duo
|The Land Before Time XI: Invasion of the Tinysauruses
|Sailback Sharptooth
|The Land Before Time XII: The Great Day of the Flyers
|Hookthumb Sharptooth Quartet
|The Land Before Time XIII: The Wisdom of Friends
|Featherhead Sharptooth Duo and Horned Sharptooth
|The Land Before Time XIV: Journey of the Brave


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We have a fantastic lineup of speakers this year at QuantCon Singapore, September 28th-30th. Register today with special discount code Quants2017! for 10% off any ticket level. As an added bonus, you'll also receive access to QuantCon NYC 2017 videos and presentations.
Featured Speakers and Talks
Yi Li, portfolio manager with GIC's Systematic Investment Group (SIG), is our morning keynote speaker and will present "An Ensemble Approach to Nowcasting Economic Conditions: A Practitioner's View."
- "Order & Randomness in Asian Market Microstructure" By Kerr Hatrick, Executive Director of The Electronic Trading Strategist Group At Morgan Stanley
- "Alpha from Alternative Data" By Emmett Kilduff, Founder and CEO of Eagle Alpha
- "How Much Do You Pay for the Price Impact of Your Trade?" By Dr Christopher Ting, Associate Professor of Quantitative Finance Practice at SMU
- "Seeking Alpha Through Asset Rotation: An Alternative Way of Applying Modern Portfolio Theory" by Danielle Jiang, Founder and CEO of Hedga Technology
To see our full speaker lineup and to learn more about this year's program, please visit www.quantcon.sg.
We hope to see you there!


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We are "By Appointment Only," as we prefer to have only one bride in store at a time, so that we can give each of our brides our undivided time and attention. Each appointment is one and a half hours long.
*Please do your best to honor your appointment time, as we may be unable to accommodate EARLY or LATE arrivals.*
Our appointments book up quickly! In order to keep a relaxed and intimate atmosphere for our brides, we can only book so many appointments in one day. Especially if you are hoping to book a Saturday appointment, we recommend that you contact us to set up your appointment at least 2-3 weeks in advance. The earlier you call, the more time slots you'll have to choose from.
Call or email to set up your appointment today!
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
Don't forget to check us out on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
We are open Tuesdays-Saturdays by appointment only.


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Friday, October 14, 2011
Dishing it up with Sibel Hodge
JET: Can you tell us about Be Careful What You Wish For?
Sibel: Be Careful What You Wish For is the second book in my chick lit mystery series. Think Janet Evanovich meets Gemma Halliday…
Armed with cool sarcasm and uncontrollable hair, feisty insurance investigator Amber Fox is back in a new mystery combining murder and mayhem with romance and chicklit…
Three deaths.
A safety deposit box robbery.
The boxing heavyweight champion of the world.
Somehow, they're all related, and Amber has to solve a four year old crime to find out why.
As she stumbles across a trail of dead bodies and a web of lies spanning both sides of the social divide, it's starting to get personal. Someone thinks Amber's poking her nose in where it's not wanted, sparking off a game of fox and mouse – only this time, Amber's the mouse.
Amber's forced to take refuge in the home of her ex-fiancé, Brad Beckett, and now it's not just the case that's hotting up. So is the bedroom…
All Levi Carter wanted to be was the boxing heavyweight champion of the world, but at what cost?
All Carl Thomas wanted was to be rich, but would his greed be his downfall?
All Brad Beckett wants is to get Amber back, but there's a reason for the ex word.
Be careful what you wish for…you might just get it.
JET: What drew you to romantic comedy?
Sibel: I think my personality dictated that I write chick lit. I'm fun-loving and I've always loved to make people laugh. I'm a big fan of screwball comedy so my books have a lot of quirky, slapstick comedy in them.
JET: What's been your most challenging hurdle on the road to publication?
Sibel: Getting people to notice your books. Considering there are over 900,000 books on Amazon Kindle, it's pretty daunting. Unless you're very lucky, it won't happen overnight. I think patience is the key, and it takes a lot of time and effort to market yourself and your books.
JET: What was your favorite moment in the journey?
Sibel: Seeing my books on sale for the first time. It was scary, exciting, rewarding, and mind-blowing all in one.
JET: Which authors had the most influence over you growing up?
Sibel: When I was younger I read things like Enid Blyton's Mallory Towers series. But are far as influences on my writing; that would have to be authors like Sophie Kinsella, Janet Evanovich, Marian Keyes, and Catherine Alliott.
Sibel: Ever since I was old enough to scrawl my first word, which was Halibaaaaa, I knew I wanted to write books. OK, so the word didn't actually make sense, and it might take a little longer for me to actually string a whole sentence together, but that didn't put me off. I was going to write books and no one would stop me…
JET: What's the craziest thing you've done in the name of book research? Most interesting fact you uncovered?
Sibel: I worked for the police for ten years so I actually use a lot of my experiences in my chick lit mystery series. But the most interesting and scary facts were when I was researching for my novella, Trafficked: The Diary of a Sex Slave. It was inspired by the story of victims' of human trafficking. It is estimated that 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders every year – 80% of these are women and girls. (Source: U.S. Department of State, Trafficking in Persons Report: 2007) - pretty scary, huh? But even scarier is that it's going on right under your nose. Trafficked is about as far away from chick lit as chocolate is from the moon, but I wanted to raise awareness in a subject that is all too often forgotten about.
Sibel: Aw, that's so hard. They're all my babies and I love them in different ways. Nope…I just can't choose!
JET: Any advice (from a writer's standpoint) for the novices out there?
Sibel: First off, they need to make sure their work is as good as it can be. You need to hire a professional editor – this is a must! After I wrote my first novel Fourteen Days Later I sent it off to two literary consultancies and the Romantic Novelists' Association to be critiqued, and had it edited professionally, because I didn't have a clue how to actually write a novel! I'd never done any creative writing courses, I just knew I wanted to write. Yes, it costs money, but if you're serious about writing, you need to know what you're doing right or wrong to improve your strengths and work on your weaknesses.
You need to read as much as you can so you can recognize good writing.
A good cover and blurb is essential for hooking a reader. When I put up my first two books through Amazon I had covers that I'd made with a Lulu cover creator. They were OK, but they could have been better, and I've since published them with new covers. The cost of getting a cover done can be cheap or expensive. I now get my covers from places like iStock Photos and cost around $50 dollars to produce, but it's definitely worth it.
Authors should definitely read blogs like Writers Guide To Epublishing: www.thewritersguidetoepublishing.com/
And join forums for authors and readers like Kindleboards: http://www.kindleboards.com/
The ebook Let's Get Digital by David Gaughran is a must read, too: http://davidgaughran.wordpress.com/lets-get-digital/
JET: All right - now that I've hammered you with the big questions, let's tackle my favorite (and geeky) quick ten...starting with…Paper or Plastic?
Sibel: Paper
JET: Steak or Tofu?
Sibel: Tofu
JET: Beach or Mountains?
Sibel: Beach
JET: Country or Rock-n-Roll?
Sibel: Neither!
JET: Leather or Lace?
Sibel: Both!
JET: Angels or Demons?
Sibel: Angels
JET: Paper or Digital?
Sibel: Oooh, digital!
JET: Silent Film Classics or Cheesy B Rated Horror?
Sibel: Cheesy B Rated Horror
JET: Twilight or True Blood?
Sibel: True Blood.
JET: Coffee or Tea?
Sibel: It used to be iced coffee, now it's green tea.
JET: Thank you for indulging me. Before we wrap this up, can you tell us what you're working on now? What's next?
Sibel: Thanks so much for having me! I'm working on my fifth chick lit novel called The Baby Trap. When Gina turns 33, her body clock starts ticking in her ear with annoying persistence. The only problem is, having a baby isn't as easy as she always thought. As Gina becomes more and more obsessed with the B-word, her quest to conceive takes her on a rollercoaster journey and threatens to destroy her marriage. Because it's about a couple going through infertility problems, it's obviously got a good dose of sadness mixed in with the humor. A lot of it is based my own experiences with infertility.
JET: Thank you so much for taking the time to chat on my blog. Folks, you can find out more about Sibel Hodge and her work at the following places: her Website, her Blog, or her Facebook page.
Next week I've got J.R. Tomlin and Harper Alibeck on tap! Swing in and say hi!
Until then,
Posted by JETaylor at 1:00 AM
6 comments:
- Red Tash said...
Nice interview! Sibel, I recognize you from KB. Keep up the great work, ladies!
- October 14, 2011 at 8:36 AM
- Rachel said...
Red sent me. www.RedTash.com
- October 14, 2011 at 9:17 AM
- Michelle said...
Great blog. Glad to find you through www.RedTash.com Red sent me. I have joined your blog think I'll enjoy your future posts.
- October 14, 2011 at 10:42 PM
- corey1971 said...
"Trick or Treat! Thanks for playing Red's Trick or Treat Bash! I'm looking forward to reading your book on my new Kindle! RedTash.com, Red sent me!" (email@example.com)
- October 16, 2011 at 5:24 AM
- Holly S. said...
Trick or Treat! Thanks for playing Red's Trick or Treat Bash! I'm looking forward to reading your book on my new Kindle! RedTash.com, Red sent me!
- October 16, 2011 at 11:28 PM
- Sibel Hodge said...
Thanks so much for featuring me!
- October 17, 2011 at 5:35 AM
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Pincaption selected a perfect "Ryan Reynolds; funny and endearing take on child birth" image.
Download Ryan Reynolds; funny and endearing take on child birth image, and other similar images listed in Movies category.
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They say "A picture is worth a thousand words" refers to the notion that a complex idea can be conveyed with just a single image.
But we say people are not intelligent to grasp the exact meaning so our team edit the image with prefect caption on it. Lastest funny jokes, Quotation, Friendship, Love, Geeks, Students, Troll and on the top you will get facebook comment images.


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byron bay junior football growing strong/
A big turnout is expected for Byron Bay FC's junior sign-on as the shire's largest club shares its passion for football and the Byron Bay community. From recreational dribblers to aspiring internationals, the Club welcomes players of all ages, genders, abilities and ambitions.
This year, BBFC will be expanding its coaching and development programs with mentoring and coaching from Premier Division players.
With the move to online registration, Byron Bay FC is streamlining its sign on – and making it much more comfortable!
This year's sign on will be held in the pleasant surrounds of the Park Hotel's garden bistro. There'll be great breakfasts and coffee, a playground for the littlies and Club volunteers will help get you registered and signed on.
Let's Play Football
Pre-season training for junior competitive grades (12-17 years) starts Thursday 7 February (5:00pm to 7:00pm), with fitness training and a kickabout.
New players are always welcome!


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Cell protein holds key to melanoma spread
A team of international scientists has made a significant stride forward in understanding how malignant melanoma cells can evade cancer therapy and spread around the body.
Malignant melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer, and is very difficult to treat if caught late, as it can metastasise, or spread, with ease.
The research found that a protein called Mitf was responsible for regulating the way melanocytes - the cells which cause melanoma when they become damaged - grow and divide.
When the level of this protein inside a melanoma cell drops, the cancer cell changes its behaviour: it stops growing and 'blends in' with its neighbours.
This makes it less likely to be affected by chemotherapy drugs, which are designed to target fast-growing cells.
Conversely, when Mitf levels rise again, the cells start growing and dividing rapidly, and spreading.
The team found that the process that controls Mitf levels - known as 'epigenetic modification' - is readily reversible.
This could help explain why the spread of melanoma is so hard to treat - the cells can switch easily from a fast-growing form, susceptible to chemotherapy, to a 'dormant' form that can hide away in tissue and evade chemotherapy.
"The problem is that once a melanoma has spread to other parts of the body, it becomes very difficult to treat," Dr Charlotte Proby of Cancer Research UK told the BBC.
"After five years, fewer than ten per cent of patients in this situation are alive.
"The main feature of melanoma that governs the likelihood of spread is the thickness of the initial tumour.
"Thin melanomas - 1mm or less thick - are very treatable, while if the tumour is 4mm thick or more, it is much more likely that it will have metastasised."
The study is published in the journal Genes and Development.


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I can't get over how beautiful she is!
Zane | Borah High School | Senior Photos
Meet Zane. He and Trent (from the last post) have known each other since they were (I think) 2??
Trent | Borah High School | Senior Photos
Meet Trent!
Nicole | Centennial High | Senior Photos
How gorgeous is Nicole!?
Mae | Rocky Mountain High School | Senior Photographer in Boise
Senior season!!
It was such a pleasure to meet Mae. She is so sweet and incredibly talented. I loved listening to her play the guitar! Mae he is planning on studying electrical engineering in Montana next year. I'm looking forward to seeing what she accomplishes.
Here are a few of my favorite images from her session:
Emily | Cole Valley Christian High | Senior Photographer in Boise
I've been so excited to sneak peek these images! Emily is SO gorgeous! I had so much fun working with her.
Alec | Borah High Senior | Photographer in Boise
It was such a gorgeous day for shooting!
Diamonique | Capital High School | Senior Photographer in Boise
What a sweetheart! I can't say enough great things about Diamonique. She was such a pleasure to work with.
She's quite the athlete and plans on attending college to study animal biology and veterinary science.
Here are some of my favorites!
Liliana | Boise High | Senior Photos | Boise Photographer
It was so great meeting Liliana. She was so laid back and really down for everything. She is trilingual, loves the outdoors, and will be attending BSU in the fall! Here are a few of my favorites.
Under the Federal Copyright Act of 1976, all images displayed in this gallery are the sole property of Tamara Kenyon Photography and may not be saved, altered, cropped, or reproduced in any matter. This includes screenshots, cell phone snapshots, and any other methods of download.
Celena | Renaissance High School | Senior Photographer in Boise
What a beautiful girl! Such a joy to photograph. I got a little carried away with these sneak peeks.


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photography, website redesign, video production, graphic design.
Whole Sum Kitchen is going through a brand and strategy overhaul. We are helping them with the creative side of things. Making their website more moder, having powerful product images and videos, as well as beutifully designed print collatoral. We are working with them on a consitient basis with their website and creating visuals. We couldn't be more excited!
Below are just a few of the things we've created!
click the images to enlarge!
Below are images that we create for them to help them introduce their new salads to their lineup.


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Andrew Metcalf of PR and marketing agency Maxim considers the implications of the Thames Estuary Growth Commission's 2050 report.
The Thames Estuary Growth Commission 2050's report was long awaited, delayed by the high-profile departure of Michael Heseltine. Into his Size 11s stepped Sir John Armitt, chairman of the National Express Group and City & Guilds, deputy chairman of the Berkeley Group and a member of the Board of Transport for London, and he's just unveiled his vision for the area between now and 2050.
Not surprisingly, the prospect of 1,000,000 new homes, 1.3m new jobs and the recommendation to extend Crossrail to Ebbsfleet stole the headlines.
However, the vision also called upon "scope for the Thames Estuary to be even more ambitious in responding to London's ever growing housing need", implying he felt there was a lack of ambition among local authorities in the patch.
The suggestion in the vision for local authorities to go: 'above the minimum threshold set out by government for local housing need' will not be welcomed by council leaders or residents.
To help take the issue forward, the commission proposed the notion of Joint Spatial Plans, one for Essex and the other for Kent. Now I'm not a planning expert, but I have spent long enough in the economic development arena to suggest that sounds like a return to the old Structure Plans.
Combine Spatial Plans with 1,000,000 new homes, and it's not hard to imagine that there'll be many people in local authorities asking: what does that mean for us in terms of housing numbers and decision-making responsibility?
Some Kent councils are already pushing back against the housing targets being proposed by the Housing Ministry, so if Spatial Plans mean more housing then I can't see that proposal being welcomed, in fact the opposite is likely as residents press the anti-development case.
The vision also suggested that: "Low land values, challenging site conditions and a limited number of house builders are all contributing to the delivery gap". I'm sure the housebuilders will not be happy to again be seen as part of the problem, rather than the solution.
ImplicationsKent County Council has recently highlighted the implications of having to build an anticipated 178,600 new homes, with its population rising by nearly 400,000 requiring more than 170,000 to be created. The scale of the challenge is enormous, with massive implications for infrastructure and how it's going to be funded. KCC estimates the funding gap for the infrastructure needed to cope with the growth to be £3.96bn.
The commission also proposed changing the geographical remit of the South East LEP and creating a LEP for Essex and one for Kent. Here I must declare an interest as I sit on Kent & Medway Economic Partnership, the federated partner of SELEP and am also an alternate board member of SELEP representing Kent business.
I'm a great believer in the fewer people at meetings the better and I can't see what the commission would gain by having to deal with three LEPs (it also covers part of the London LEP) rather than two. It would also have cast East Sussex adrift to fend for itself or join Kent or neighbouring Coast to Capital LEP
SELEP is now in a good place, there's widespread political support for its work across Kent, Essex and East Sussex, plus the unitary authorities of Medway, Southend and Thurrock.
While it is a very large LEP, there are many issues shared by its communities and now being addressed through the Skills Strategy and in the work on the Strategic Economic Plan. Personally I can't see that commission proposal gaining traction, especially with the business community.
Finally, and to be welcomed, the commission called on London Resort to submit its DCO by the end of 2018 or face the consequences of losing support and being consigned to history. There's been much political capital invested in the 23,000-job project and it's great to see somebody saying publicly what I'm sure is being said privately.
The Government will respond in the next six months, but other organisations – public and private – will not be shy in coming forward with their views.


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When the Thinker Decides to Kneel
You're not trying to find every possible snag in the Bible—you're just a strong reader, and you're empathetic. You notice the difficult things, and they bother you.
You're surrounded by cultural Christians who blitz through difficult passages without flinching. While they claim to believe the Bible is literal and true, they read with the emotional distance of a fiction novel. They fight passionately for the six days of creation because that story knocks down dominoes in the culture wars; but when an entire country gets slaughtered in the Old Testament--when a slave or woman is brutalized—when a nation sustains a plague because of one person's sin--they smooth it over.
And if you express concern about a troubling story, they turn on you. They accuse you of "trying to be too smart" or you of "trying to play God." They warn you about the dangers of thinking too much--as if you could turn off an internal switch and suddenly stop noticing.
We would never accuse a musician of bad motives when he notices a string out of tune, but deep thinkers who notice elements of Scripture that don't seem to harmonize with the overall morality of the Bible are scolded.
That pressure is lonely. It's also disorienting.
If you've lived through this, I'm sorry. I know what it's like to notice the snags. I know what it's like to be accused of bad motives when I couldn't help seeing or caring. I also know what it's like to grow so exhausted from the struggle that you finally push the Bible away because you're afraid of uncovering one more question that will bring pain and distance if you mention it.
This morning, I was trying to read Genesis 12. In this passage, God tells Abram that he is going to bless the entire world through A's offspring. Next thing you know, Abram is traveling through Egypt where he gets nervous because his (65-year-old) wife is gorgeous (#seniorgoals). Abram thinks he's going to be killed when the Egyptians see Sarai because they will want to steal her. So, he tells Sarai to tell everybody that she's his sister. The Egyptians are duped, and they take Sarai into the palace. Suddenly the Egyptians get hit with a bunch of plagues. In fact, the Bible says the LORD inflicted those diseases on Pharaoh and his household because they took her.
Typical reading experience for me here. I hit that last bit and feel a huge wave of frustration. Abram was a coward and he lied. Sarah was misused. Pharoah and his household felt the consequences. Not fair. Still, Abram not only gets off the hook entirely, he gets a ton of riches from Pharaoh. What in the world?
At this point, some of you will be tempted to rush in and explain how the Abram narrative fits into the overall structure of Genesis. But I already know how the offspring of Sarai and Abram will eventually produce a Messiah who will bless the whole world. I know it would goof everything up if Sarai got pregnant by Pharaoh.
That explanation doesn't make the ethical snag go away for someone like me, though--the collateral damage still hurts--especially when I see God inflicting diseases on people who had no idea what was happening.
What is a thinker supposed to do about this kind of problem? I have studied too much to throw the entire Christian faith away; I couldn't be an atheist and maintain any sort of intellectual honesty. But I'm also hurt that God did something that feels so unfair to the Egyptians. What now?
To answer that, I'm going to tell you about an image that has changed my approach to difficult Bible passages. It's so simple, it might not seem powerful at first. But over the past ten years or so, this has come to mean more and more to my restless mind. Ready? Here it is:
A.W. Tozer read Shakespeare on his knees.
This man was brilliant, yet, he still had the humility to learn with a physical posture that expressed need and dependence. As he chased the intellectual act of reading, he maintained a spiritual awareness that his mind couldn't do all the work--he needed God to be the giver of real wisdom and insight.
If that image feels foreign to you, don't be surprised. You live in an era void of humility. You probably have no frame of reference for this sort of posture.
For example doesn't this line sound familiar to you lately? "Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power..." (Daniel 4:20).
Nebuchanezzar bragged with these very words before being turned beastly by God, yet we could change the word "Babylon" to "America" and use the phrase for a campaign slogan in 2020.
By the tens of thousands, evangelicals cheer for such chest beating and self-promotion. The church loves bravado these days—excuses it, defends it, rallies behind it. Meekness, goodness, gentleness, patience, love have no visible role in our political-religious spectrum.
Can you even imagine a major evangelical leader kneeling humbly to pray? I certainly can't fathom it. The church is drunk on flexing its muscles, abandoning public confessions of dependent weakness.
But once upon a time, long, long ago--in a land far, far away--A.W. Tozer read Shakespeare on his knees.
Maybe you've seen atheists get impatient with Biblical complexities, storming off and assuming that a complicated God is either cruel or fake. But atheists are not alone in such proud, rash behavior. Many Christians aren't willing to crawl down off their platforms to find a place to kneel.
Thinking friends, even as you read this post, doesn't something inside you crave this ancient, beautiful, counter-cultural posture? Look at how Psalm 95 connects the act of kneeling with an acknowledgement that we are as dependent as sheep upon their shepherd? The physical act and the spiritual act are one here. The psalmist wasn't ashamed of urging God's people to bow before their Lord because he knew what this physical act could do inside of us.
"O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker. For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand."
This practice isn't relegated to the Old Testament. In the New Testament kneeling is taught as common practice among the early believers. And one day, every knee will bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth.
Luke 22:41 And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed. (Jesus)
Ephesians 3:14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father. (Paul)
Acts 20:36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. (Paul)
Philippians 2:10 So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
So if you are a thinker, instead of trying to turn off your questions, I want to encourage you to kneel through them. Don't feel ashamed. Just find a room where you can get some privacy. Kneel before your God—not just in spirit, but with your whole body. (Sometimes I put a blanket over my head because I have a little bit of ADD, and the closed space helps me focus.)
In that privacy, let your bodily posture reflect your appeal to the Lord, and then say to him, "Help me. This passage is hard. You told me to care about people, and here are people hurting. Guide me through this."
When I did that this morning, I started to get some clarity within minutes. Something about a physical posture that expressed need and trust instantly settled my impulses to try to fix the snag myself. I felt that I was making room for a sincere question before a God who loved me and who could handle it. It also reminded me that it was okay to be the responder, the requester, and the dependent because God is the pursuer, the giver of Truth, and the provider.
Kneeling also reorients the expectations human government has placed upon me. As much as I love my democratic republic, I also know that it's only ideal because humans sin. The perfect government is a theocracy—which can only function perfectly under the rule of a holy King. Caught in this double reality, I have to do some mental work when switching from an American mindset to prayer. A divine leader can be trusted to lovingly withhold answers for a good purpose, if he chooses to do so. That's an uncomfortable leap for most Americans.
After my time of kneeling prayer, I did more technical research and found more answers to the Genesis 12 dilemma. But you know what's even more interesting than those answers? It's now almost noon, and my whole body still feels the effects of those moments spent kneeling.
Why? Because kneeling is about more than finding one answer to one question. It's about aligning ourselves inside of the community of a God who is actually alive.


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Spring Theology Lecture: Should a Christian Sell Everything?Add to My Calendar
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
6:30 pm Saint Thomas Church
An audio webcast of this lecture is available at the bottom of this screen.
Thoughtful Christians will ask themselves about their stewardship of their material goods. A particularly difficult saying of Jesus is his instruction to sell everything, give it to the poor, and follow me. Saint Francis famously took that literally, but it seems impossible for most of us to do so. We are not the first Christians to have asked this question: from the earliest times, Christian thinkers have pondered and written about this question. In our spring theology lecture, Professor Stephen Hildebrand shares insights on this question, Should a Christian Sell Everything? Insights from the Early Church. The lecture is given in the church on Wednesday, March 19, at 6:30pm, shortly after the Festal Eucharist for Saint Joseph's Day. A reception follows. Visitors are welcome, and no registration is needed.
Dr Stephen Hildebrand is a professor of theology at Franciscan University, Steubenville, Ohio.
Fr Austin


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When Jess from Images by Jess Bruns told me their family fur baby was not doing well, I knew we had to get together for a session. Their dog, Kota, is 14 years old and has cancer so their time with her is limited. Their memories, however, are not so we wanted to get some great images of them together so they can always remember what an awesome dog she has been for their family.
Kota was a trooper even wearing a bow in her hair for the session. We got lots of great images of them together and have plenty of laughs about how stinky she is all the while she just sat and looked pretty.
Kota, you will indeed, be missed but for now you are simply LOVED!


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This is a great muhallebicisi (pudding shop) with a diverse, more interesting menu. Try the delicious lamb shish, one of their lovingly prepared pides (boat-shaped stuffed flat bread) – which is a specialty at this branch – with interesting fillings or a salad. The one with rocket, tulum peynir (goat's milk cheese) and sliced oranges is very refreshing. There is a pleasant terrace at the back. And of course, the desserts impress.
The three other branches of this restaurant are housed in monstrous shopping malls, so this branch has the best atmosphere.
Zeynel is another popular muhallebicisi in the neighbourhood. For more Western-inspired light meals, head to The House Café on the same street or Cookshop a few streets away.


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Jonathan Kapp - Student Testimonial
A year at Jackie Cameron School of Food and Wine
We started off with an outing to the Wayfarer Trout Farm as well as having a few cooking classes in between and slowly developed our team as the students of 2017 and would later become best of friends to the point where we feel like family.
As time progressed the innocent beginnings slowly turned to the reality of what the industry was really about. Chef Jackie would slowly but surely start to mold us into the professional chefs we are today. As students we were exposed to an enormous amount of new skills to learn from cake icing, to learning French, to different events that would really push our skills.
We did a number of functions, participating in different roles to help teach us how to run a restaurant smoothly and effectively. If our job for a particular function was to work in the hot kitchen we would be working beside Chef Jackie. As a Chef, Chef Jackie was a very strong figure in the kitchen with great attention to detail and would push us to reach our full potential, she would know better then us as to where that limit may be and as students were often surprised at what we could truly accomplish.
I found the functions to be extremely beneficial, as it would help prepare me for the industry. There was a fantastic balance of theoretical learning as well as practical learning. We would go through theory notes with a fine toothed comb and talk about what we had learned in class. This was very helpful for me as it aided me in earning a distinction for most of my theory tests.
On the theory side we would also do costing's of dishes we would create to help us see the reality of what food prices cost and learn about the balance of expenditure and profit in the food industry. We would participate in team building activities and outings which all added to the experience at school and would later start to open our eyes to the true potential of this industry so goes the old saying "everyone needs to eat".
As the year went on Chef Jackie would start to expose us to really large events serving between a hundred even up to a thousand people. We were often terrified of what would ensue at these events but Chef Jackie would have this look in her eye that said we can do this and in the end she was right because we always came out the other side better and stronger.
It was an invigorating feeling participating in a large event as there was a huge sense of accomplishment. As a lecturer Chef Jackie had a very strong but careful touch on how she would deal with situations as she is a woman that sticks to what she believes in.
My experience at Jackie Cameron School of Food and Wine can not be summed up in one letter but all I can say is that it was one of the best decisions I have made to commit to this course and thanks to Chef Jackie I feel that I can really make a difference and always push the boundaries of my capabilities. It was an incredible experience and I even miss being in school to this day.


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Practioners and young professionals who attended the 4th annual Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) Ministerial Meeting in Kampala, Uganda in October. The GHSA meeting, Health Security for All: Engaging Communities, Non-governmental Organizations, and the Private Sector, was a multi-sectoral collaboration between governments, civil society, and industry dedicated to the strengthening of global capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease threats. Attended by the ministers of health, finance, and agriculture and other senior officialfs from more than 50 nations, this was the first GHSA Ministerial Meeting held on the African continent. The meeting was held in late October at the same time as an unprecedented outbreak of pneumonic plague in Madagascar and an outbreak of Marburg in Uganda itself. These outbreaks were timely, but unfortunate, reminders that global health security is still very much a work in progress.
Back to All Events
Earlier Event: November 30Natural History on the Big Screen: How To Survive A Plague


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For decades, Eli Davis seemed to be everywhere, always doing something positive.
Davis, 88, died Aug. 7 in Dallas. He made an immeasurable impact in his years of public service.
The Terrell native grew up in Dallas, graduated from Mary Allen College and Prairie View A&M University, and joined the U. S. Army and fought in the Korean War.
When the master sergeant returned home, he embarked on a 32-year career as a Dallas ISD principal, assistant principal and teacher at eight elementary, junior high and high schools, including B.F. Darrell Elementary, O.W. Holmes Junior High School and Lincoln High School. He was also a former U.S. Postal Service mail carrier.
Davis also worked as a political operative for local, county, state and national candidates and elected officials. He was a veteran administrative assistant to state Rep. Jesse Jones; a 35-year veteran Democratic precinct chairman; and president of the Texas Coalition of Black Democrats' Dallas chapter. On the Dallas County Democratic Party Executive Committee, he interacted with top government officials, including former President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former Gov. Ann Richards.
And he volunteered his time to help others. He was active in about two dozen civic, community service, and college alumni organizations including the Dallas Area Agency on Aging advisory board; Dallas Homeowners League board; Big Brothers Big Sisters; and the Boy Scouts as a Scoutmaster. He was also a five-time Dallas County grand juror and twice served as foreman.
Rosalind Davis-Grimes, one of Davis' five adult children, said her dad was the consummate teacher, mentor and community servant.
"There were so many teachable moments he shared throughout our lives," Davis-Grimes said of her father, a great-great grandfather of four. "He mentored, encouraged and helped shape the minds of thousands of youth, children and adults. ... He exhibited dynamic leadership."
Davis' survivors include his wife of 66 years, Earlie Mae Rhodes Davis. His honors include being an honorary Texas Ranger and special assistant to Gov. Ann Richards. He received a Dallas School District Distinguished Leadership Award.
A celebration of life service will be at 7 p.m. Friday, and a funeral is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday. Both services will be at Greater New Zion Baptist Church, 2210 Pine St.
Davis was a Greater New Zion member for more than 75 years, a deacon and trustee officer, Brotherhood president, youth director and a member of various ministries, including jail and transportation.
ABOUT TOWN: Plans are underway to celebrate the 100th birthday of the late Dallas photographer R.C. Hickman during Black History Month in February.
In the meantime, two internationally recognized photographers will speak in Dallas during the free annual Young Photographers' Guest Lecture Series. Portrait photographer and Golden Cup Award winner Gail Nogle and University of Texas at Austin documentary photography professor Eli Reed will speak from 2 to 4 p.m. Aug. 24 at the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library auditorium, 1515 Young St. in downtown Dallas.
Works by the two artists will be displayed. Reed also will autograph his latest book, A Long Walk Home — Eli Reed Retrospective. The Artist and Elaine Thornton Foundation for the Arts sponsors the series. Visit www.eventbrite.com and search for Young Photographers Guest Lecture Series. To learn more, call 214-732-9861.
— The Black Bridal Experience will sponsor a two-day event Saturday and Sunday at the African American Museum, 3536 Grand Ave. at Fair Park. Activities will include a bridal fashion show and meet-the-designers session from 6 to 10 p. m. Saturday. An expo and giveaways are scheduled from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, where wedding consultants will help brides plan weddings that may include African culture themes. The event is free. A bridal bag is $5. To register, visit www.eventbrite.com and search for Black Bridal Experience. To learn more, call 469-557-1254.


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Water disruptions expected to hit Kildare Town and Rathangan tomorrow
KCC works
Many households in Kildare Town and Rathangan are expected to be without water for several hours, while the council carries out works on the mains system.
"KCC Waterworks crew are carrying out a mains diversion in Kildare Town today, supply to Whiteabbey Road, Tower View, Loughminane Green and surrounding areas will be affected until 2pm," said the council.
"Ward & Burke are doing some works at the Forge, Rathangan supply to Boston Hill, Feighcullen and Kilmoney areas will be disrupted until 4pm approximately."


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On 1 June 1943 Hilla Ribay, curator of the S. R. Guggenheim Foundation, wrote her first letter to Frank Lloyd Wright, inviting him to New York to discuss a project for 'a temple of spirit' [1] which would house a collection of non-objective paintings. Mrs Ribay was looking for 'a fighter, a lover of space, an originator, a tester and a wise man' [2] capable of imagining a building like no other. Mr Wright addressed his response to Mr Ribay, incorrectly assuming the curator to be a man. Thus, with slight confusion, began the story of the S. R. Guggenheim Museum which opened to the public on 21 October 1959, over 16 years after this first letter. Despite a series of problems, disagreements and delays over the years, Frank Lloyd Wright did not let his original vision get watered down. The finished building became one of his most celebrated works and probably the best manifestation of his concept of organic architecture.
The relationship between architecture and nature fascinated Wright throughout his entire career. In fact, the architect openly disliked big cities and preferred to build in suburban and rural locations, where his works would be surrounded by beautiful landscapes [3]. He was influenced by natural forms and colour pallets and sought to interpret nature's principles, beauty and harmony through his designs. The famous Modernist slogan 'form follows function' was only one aspect of this artistic search for organic architecture [4].
Inspired by nature, Wright believed that form and function should be one. Aesthetically, this could be achieved by letting all building elements merge into a continuous entity [4]. This idea was materialised in the design for the Guggenheim Museum, where a single continuous floor spiraling up towards a domed skylight formed a naturally lit atrium unifying most museum functions into one space with minimal compartmentation. The architect did not regard exteriors and interiors as two separate entities but as an expression of each other. The interior ramp of the Guggenheim shaped its exterior into a clean circular ribbon devoid of any ornamentation. According to Wright, this new aesthetic called 'continuity' was a refined interpretation of his Lieber Meister's (Louis Sullivan) concept of plasticity [5].
Spirals were a recurring theme in Frank Lloyd Wright's designs and were the dominant feature in the plans not just for the Guggenheim but also for San Francisco's V.C. Morris Gift Shop, the David and Gladys Wright House, the unbuilt Gordon Strong Automobile Objective amongst others. The famous architect was fascinated by geometric shapes from a young age and was convinced that rectilinear forms were unnatural [6]. He held that rectangular interiors and right angles did not reflect human life and movement. Therefore, most of his designs utilised shapes adapted from nature – curves, circles, ovals, spirals, hexagons and triangles. The Guggenheim Museum became a true
demonstration of this trend with its interwoven spiraling floors, circular spaces, curving walls, triangular lighting panels, etc. [7]
The relationship between the sculptural architecture of the building and the art it was built to display sparked controversy long before the museum's opening. Many artists believed that the organic curvilinear surfaces were not appropriate for hanging artwork. Others claimed that the breathtaking architecture would overpower the exhibited paintings. Those allegations, although reasonable, were mostly disregarded by the architect, who aspired to building a space not just to show art, but also to express natural continuity, flow, change and harmony [8]. His determination to find greater plasticity in architecture helped him deliver exactly what the clients asked for in their first letters – a building 'unlike any other museum in the world' [9].
[1] Pfeiffer, B. Frank Lloyd Wright: The Guggenheim Correspondence. Fresno: Press at California State University, 1986. p.4
[2] Pfeiffer, B. Frank Lloyd Wright: The Guggenheim Correspondence. Fresno: Press at California State University, 1986. p.4
[3] Muschamp, H. Man About Town : Frank Lloyd Wright in New York City. Cambridge: MIT Press, 1983.
[4] Smith, K. Introducing Architectural Theory. New York: Routledge, 2012.
[5] Wright, F. L. An American Architecture. New York: Horizon, 1955.
[6] Wright, F. L. An American Architecture. New York: Horizon, 1955.
[7] Pfeiffer, B. Frank Lloyd Wright. London : Taschen, 2007
[8] Guggenheim website, Geometric Shapes. Accessed 17 August, 2017. [Access:
[9] McCarter, R. (ed). On and By Frank Lloyd Wright: A Primer of Architectural Principles. New York: Phaidon, 2005.
[10] Pfeiffer, B. Frank Lloyd Wright: The Guggenheim Correspondence. Fresno: Press at California State University, 1986.


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Okay let's cut to the chase —Pilates is not another name for Yoga. As Pilates has been popularised over the last decade, many misconceptions have arisen. One of the most common is that Pilates and Yoga are the same.
"Pilates took the yoga 'asanas' and turned them into exercises"
Yoga can be traced back 5000 years. Joseph Pilates himself was an avid Yogi before he developed his own methodology of exercise in the 1920's. You can clearly see similarities in the poses. One could say Pilates took Yoga 'asanas' and turned them into exercises. The main differences between Yoga and Pilates are breathing and intent.
Let's start with breathing. In Yoga, Pranayama is a comprehensive method that involves 3 stages: High, Middle and Low. The exhalation is passive and the ribs and diaphragm are relaxed.
High stage — focusing on keeping the upper regions of lungs and chest rigid while the shoulders rise with the breath. The breaths are chesty and hollow.
Middle stage — focusing on working the mid-back in a lateral plane using the intercostal and thoracic muscles.
Low Stage - focusing on the lower abdomen and the diaphragm. Also known as 'abdominal breathing' and 'diaphragmatic breathing'.
There are no stages in breathing with Pilates. The breath is active both in inspiration and exhalation. It is controlled and measured and sets the tempo of the exercise. This requires more muscular energy and helps grow the breath to improve stamina.
Inhalation — using the upper back and thorax which opens the rib cage and stretches the lateral back muscles.
Exhalation — using the diaphragm to actively push into the rib cavity while tightening the lower abdominals; akin to the Low breathing in Pranayama.
It is important to note that most of the Yoga enthusiasts I have encountered breathe with the high stage technique which is opposite to the breathing in Pilates.
"A man is as young as his spinal column… If your spine is inflexibly stiff at 30, you are old. If it is completely flexible at 60, you are young."— Joseph Pilates
Along with the physical practice, Yoga is about meditation and spirituality. The intent of Pilates is to improve body conditioning. Pilates aims to correct posture, restore vitality and invigorate the mind. This in turn elevates the spirit.
Although both Pilates and Yoga work flexibility, it is important to note only in Pilates is the flexibility enabled through resistant training with apparatus. Hence the flexibility is achieved through strength training and not simply through stretch as in Yoga.
I'm a Pilates advocate (but of course), but I also know that Pilates isn't for everyone. Having done Ashtanga Yoga in the past, I do believe the two disciplines can feed beautifully into one another. Having said this, I do have my reservations about Yoga practiced by the masses. Many people do more harm to their backs due to lack of abdominal strength for basic poses such as downward dog. The level of difficulty and strength required for these basic poses is high, and when done without abdominal strength can be dangerous for the spine.
This article isn't about Pilates being better than Yoga, its about knowing what you want to achieve and being aware of the lasting effects of exercise on your body.
Spine degeneration is progressive due to gravity and overuse, so be mindful with your body. Make sure you are competent before attempting extensions in your Yoga practice. Work more abdominal focus into your routines to improve your overall practice.


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September 16, 1998, Section D, Page 1Buy Reprints
CAMERAS were clicking inside United Nation headquarters yesterday afternoon when the Secretary General Kofi Annan presented the Greatest, Muhammad Ali, with the Messenger of Peace honor. This was mostly a photo opportunity: the Secretary General presented Ali with a framed citation and a lapel pin in the form of a dove. Ali and his wife, Lonnie, presented the Secretary General with a pair of boxing gloves. This was a relationship filled with deep, longstanding mutual admiration.
The boxer and the Secretary General shared a sports background. Annan had been a sprinter and soccer player at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. Ali, of course, is the three-time heavyweight champion of the world, the greatest of all time. Each man has devoted his life to the pursuit of peace. Annan as a diplomat, Ali as an unofficial ambassador.
Annan established the Messenger of Peace honor as a way of recognizing that peace is not the mere providence of governments but hinges on the willingness of individual citizens to use their gifts to inspire good will. Ali became the second former athlete to receive the honor. Magic Johnson was honored as well.
''People like Muhammad transcend national boundaries,'' Annan said. ''Some people transcend their environment and their profession. Some of the skills they learned in athletics, the discipline, the art of competition, having compassion for those you defeat, working with groups and working as a team and being part of a team; knowing that you cannot achieve much without others.
''Recognizing that you need to rely on others, just as they rely on you; regardless of how brilliant you are. Playing with others without jealousy. There are certain qualities that great athletes pick up that eventually can stand them in good stead in life. These are lessons these athletes can pass on.''
Shortly after Annan was named Secretary General in January 1997, he initiated the Messenger of Peace honor to recognize a commitment to peace, honor and human dignity. Annan recalled one of Ali's visits to the United Nations when he drew a picture with the inscription ''The rent we pay here on earth is service to mankind and to other people.''
Annan first met Ali in 1979 when Ali, at the request of Richard Lapchick, a U.N. employee at the time and now the director of the Center for the Study of Sport in Society, requested that he address the Special Committee Against Apartheid. Actually Annan, who was born in Ghana, admired Ali from afar for decades.
''I admired him first as an athlete, an outstanding, unique boxer,'' Annan said. ''I also followed his own travails and difficulties and saw the way he handled himself and how he became a stronger and a better man. That's quite an achievement. Not all of us who go through traumatic experiences are able to pick up the pieces and move on stronger and better men, and Muhammad did that.''
After the ceremony in Annan's office, Ali walked through the United Nations corridors and became the magnet he has been for three decades. Employees stopped, tourists snapped pictures. The Russian delegate, the delegate from Poland, a delegate from the Republic of South Korea all shook Ali's hand. Ahmed Kamal Khan, the Pakistani delegate, warmly greeted Ali and told of the time he visited Ali in the champion's home in 1982. Ali gave him a copy of a book of prayer and signed it.
''He is not a boxer or an athlete,'' Kamal Khan said. ''He is a complete man.'' On the U.N. Plaza, 200 children waited and cheered as Ali arrived. One hundred of them had walked from Harlem to meet the champ, some of them weren't born, their parents may not have been born when Ali recorded his great triumphs.
Ali smiled and walked among them, accepting handshakes and requests for photos with children. Diplomats negotiate, Kofi Annan said, but the key to true and lasting good will is the efforts of each nation's extraordinary individuals.
''We need to get everyone involved,'' he said. ''If we can get prominent people in society from all walks of life to help get the message across, to mobilize the public to get involved in the work we are trying to do to make this world a better place, we think it will help.''
Before the Secretary General excused himself, he offered one final image to put Muhammad Ali in proper perspective. He compared Ali to the wise farmer.
''The farmer knows instinctively that if you take something from the earth today you have to put something back to be able to return tomorrow to harvest,'' Annan said. ''Muhammad understands that.''


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11 yucatecan dishes that you must try. You will love them
The Yucatecan cuisine has many dishes, very particulars and representatives from the region, who tries any of them, can be sure, he never going to have anything like that in his entire life. The flavor, the smell, the simple fact to watch the people cooking one of these dishes is a pleasure. We want to
Yucatecan Delicacies
Fragrant and tangy, Yucatecan cuisine delights the palate with flavors unique to the region. The distinct regional cuisine of Yucatan state incorporates many of the ingredients traditionally used in Mayan cooking including corn, chocolate, wild turkey, squash, chiles and tomatoes, with European ingredients such as pork and oranges from the Spanish and edam cheese from


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French Days of the Week
A collection of vocabulary labels, on French flags, showing the days of the week. Great for display and a variety of teaching activities!
Are you planning to hold a French day with the children in your class or a special week / term of activities related to France? Use the ideas in our list below to start planning!
If you have any other suggestions, please add a comment at the bottom of the page.


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2018 Universal Laser Service Bulletin
If you have been in the laser engraving business for a few years, you have probably discovered just how important the operation of your laser truly is. With a laser you can produce tens of thousands of profitable work each year. You probably have also discovered that your laser can go down at any time. Given the importance of lasers today, even in the smallest of shops, the best protection against a costly laser outage is to understand your laser, plan for it, and properly maintain the functioning of your laser. While there are a number of variables that affect the service life of a laser engraver, below are some service and cleaning tips to follow to help keep your laser running smoothly.
Universal Laser Maintenance – How-To Video
To Schedule a Service Call
Call 817-261-7256 or Email email@example.com
To Order Parts
Visit: store.engraversnetwork.com
– Check Optic and Mirrors- Clean if needed.
– Clean X & Y Axis Bearings and Belts- Soapy water only
– General Dusting with damp cloth
– Vacuum under table
– Empty Downdraft Cutting Table
– Clean Cloth filters on back of system
– Clean and lubricate Z-axis turn screws
– Check wear on belts and bearings on X-Axis
– Clean exhaust plenum and inspect exhaust hose and ductwork
– Check wear on belts and bearings on Y-Axis
– Check wattage on Laser cartridge before warranty ends
– Check Laser output- recharge if needed
Five Operational Rules
1. Never leave system running unsupervised (must be in room)
2. Always run exhaust or filter when engraving and cutting
3. Check focus when changing material
4. Check Optics and mirrors when you start running system
5. Never run air assist without cone


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Get well chicken soup
|Cook time
|Prep time
|Total time
4-6 people
1 hour 45 min
5 min
1 hour 50 min
This is my go to soup recipe when I'm feeling under the weather. It's nourishing, healing, comforting and most importantly delicious. The stock is flavoured with medicinal qualities such as A LOT of garlic (a super food to fend off colds, flu and respiratory infections), parsley (full of iron plus anti-flammatory and anti-bacterial properties), ginger (a digestive aid perfect for comforting a bloated stomach), dill (rich in vitamins and anti-oxidants) and bay leaf (source of vitamin C and vitamin A, both great for combating a flu).
The chicken is poached whole in this stock resulting in a super soft, flavoursome and fall-of-the-bone meat. As the chicken is the hero of the dish I'm going to insist that it is free range and if possible, organic. The flavour of free range is far superior (and not to mention a nicer life for the chicken). Feel free to add any vegetables you like or in the fridge. Asian greens, beans, potato, zucchini, spinach, kale, shitake mushrooms all work well just make sure you adjust the cooking time accordingly.
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 rashers of bacon
1 leek, finely sliced
8 garlic cloves, crushed
½ cup (1/2 bunch) parsley, stalks removed and finely chopped. Leaves put aside for garnish
3 cm piece of ginger, peeled and cut into small matchsticks
1 whole free range chook
2 litres chicken stock (optional, water can be used)
2 carrots
2 celery sticks
2 bay leaves
10 peppercorns
1 cup pearl barley
1 bunch broccoli
½ cup (1 bunch) dill, roughly chopped
½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
Heat olive oil in a large deep saucepan over medium heat. Add bacon and fry for 2 minutes until it starts to colour, shaking the pan to stop the bacon from sticking. Add leek, garlic, finely chopped parsley stalks and ginger and cook for a further 2 minutes until leeks start to soften.
Place whole chicken into the saucepan, breast side up, and cover with chicken stock or water. Top with water so the chicken is completely covered in liquid. Chop one carrot in half and add that along with one celery stick, peppercorns and bay leaves. Bring soup up to the boil, put the lid on and then turn heat down to low and simmer for one hour. Keep an eye on the soup to ensure it remains at a gentle simmer.
After one hour, add pearl barley to the soup, give it a gentle stir and continue to simmer for another 20 minutes.
Remove chicken from the pot and place onto a plate to cool slightly. Remove carrot, celery and bay leaves and discard. Slice up your remaining carrot and celery along with the broccoli (or any other vegetables you like). Add carrot to the pot, reserving your celery and broccoli until the last minute (they don't need long to cook) and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off heat.
When chicken is cool enough to handle, strip meat from the carcass and add meat back to the pot. Discard carcass or keep in the freezer to make your own homemade chicken stock.
Add celery and broccoli to the soup, cover with the lid and leave for 2 minutes to allow vegetables to cook from the heat of the soup. I like my vegetables extra crisp and find that the heat of the soup is enough to cook them to my liking, if you prefer yours to be more cooked, simply cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes before turning off the heat.
Divide into bowls, season with salt and sprinkle over dill, parsley and grated parmesan cheese. This soup will keep in the fridge for 3 -4 days and can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you are going to freeze the soup, do not add carrot, celery and broccoli at the end stage before freezing. Add these when you reheat the soup to keep them looking and tasting fresh.


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The Hadleigh Great War Centenary Project took a group of youngsters from the St Mary's Porch Project on a battlefield tour to Belgium and France. During the trip the group followed in the footsteps of Hadleigh men who fell and heard stories of how the war effected the town. There were several highlights, but one that stands out was when 13 year old Bobby Evans found his great great great uncle's name, Private Charles Mitchell on the Menin Gate. Charles is one of over 53,000 men who went missing in the Ypres Salient.
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Earlier Event: July 23Writtle Tribute to Bertie Gowers
Later Event: May 19Hadleigh May Show Exhibition


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Oftentimes what people want is "the one." However, not many people even know what it means to know what is means to know it is the right person-the one for life.
What I Really Want
I want to not be judged so harshly by "the one", because that is the kind of person I can truly respect. If I'm respected then I know I can go easier on the person I'm with.
I want to be seen for who I really am and for my strengths. I want someone who sees the good and me and who doesn't excessively criticize.
Furthermore, even if the individual who is supposed to be my destiny, "the one" does not have to be perfect. He just has to love me, and I shouldn't have to guess that he is into me.
That's all I want because I think that is what destiny really is. I know that it will be "the one" when he accepts me for whom I am and doesn't waver.


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Ethiopia launches 'first of its kind' swap agreement with Sudan
The National Bank of Ethiopia has signed a currency swap deal with Sudan which will allow the two countries to use their local currencies without "convergence".
The agreement will be the "first in its kind" for Ethiopia, the central bank announced in a statement on October 10, though Sudan already has a similar deal with Egypt.
After month-long negotiations, the deal has been agreed for three years, and $16 million worth of currency will be swapped between the two nations. The central bank
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Superman Returns (2006)/
Superman Returns (2006)
Starring Brandon Routh, Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, James Marsden, Parker Posey, Frank Langella, Sam Huntington, Eva Marie Saint
Director of Photography: Newton Thomas Sigel
Music by John Ottman
Edited by John Ottman, Elliott Graham
Written by Michael Dougherty, Dan Harris
Directed by Bryan Singer
Rating: 3 out of 10
Superman Returns is a disaster I didn't see coming. I read about the movie of course and I know people were disappointed. And after Man of Steel, I thought, well, I should watch this one too because even if it's not great, it can't be that bad. And it wasn't, but only in the most objective perspective I can imagine. I hated Man of Steel, but it wasn't boring and it had an emotional impact on me. True, that impact was mostly negative because it made me so angry for its content. But Superman Returns made me angry because it was such a waste of a movie, of talent, of ideas. It is one of the most boring movies I've seen in a long time, where absolutely nothing happens for the first thirty minutes and where even the action set pieces seem off, like it's an accident if they actually excite you. The main problem is that it is almost impossible to care about any of the characters. This is also one of the most bland movies I have ever seen, a word I rarely use, but the only word I could think of (beside 'boring'). None of the characters seem to be interested in anything, no real stakes are ever raised. How a great actor like Kevin Spacey can make a fascinating character like Lex Luthor so uninspired is beyond me. The attempts at recreating a feel for the original Superman movie made me cringe because it just didn't work. Nothing really worked me. It just made me more angry the longer I had to suffer through all its incredible 154 minutes in which not much happens for 80% of the running time and the main character barely speaks.
Enough with the rant (I could go on and on), here's at least one aspect I'm willing to work with because it was really odd and made Man of Steel look like an improvement. I'm talking about Lois Lane, one of those really interesting characters from the comics, that seems very hard to make interesting on screen for some reason (well, this goes for Superman too, in a way because in the comics he rarely is almost mute). While Man of Steel at least just wasted the potential it had with Amy Adams, here Kate Bosworth never seems to have a chance. She is such a weak character, never doing much, constantly in peril and having to be saved and, strangest of them all, constantly being hit or thrown somewhere. Seriously, look at all the times violence happens to her in the movie:
It bothered me both because the movie really seemed to hate her but also because it didn't go so far to actually have her suffer any consequences from the hits she takes. In the first moments of the plane crash, she should be dead already, but like some kind crash test dummy she is thrown around again and again without a scratch. She is beaten up by a thug, almost drowns and has a huge steel door slammed against her head. It's like an abusive partner who says: "She can take a little slap once in a while, there's not even a bruise!" Maybe the screenwriters and director hated her character too, but maybe instead of taking out their aggression on her, they should have written her better. But no, the best they could think of was referencing the original movie by making her faint (and letting her then fall down the emergency slide), since that's what women do because they are fragile and can't deal with being rescued by handsome and strong men. She is damseled throughout the movie, being rescued by Superman, her little son and her boyfriend.
Maybe all of this annoys me even more because while Man of Steel did never pretend not to be gritty and dark and tough, Superman Returns at all times tries to be sweet and cute and amusing. Parker Posey has this terrible role of playing Kitty who never seems to want to be around Lex Luthor, who actually cries when Superman seems to have died and who has to suffer through one of the worst final moments of a villain duo ever when she asks Lex what they will eat on the island they have just landed on and then there is a close-up of her dog (ha, ha). She, too, plays a horrible female stereotype, the stupid, materialistic bitch who is always annoying. It made me think of the awful Superman 3, in which Pamela Stephenson plays a very similar role of the female villain sidekick who is stupid, but secretly reads Kant. I didn't like that movie, but that little joke is better than anything Superman Returns doesn't know about women.


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To know MCM homes, is to know street frontage is generally not the indicator of a residence as a whole, that said it's interesting how a tiny bit of 'updating' can change the face of a home and not for the better. That pink (or is it faded red?) vertical beams at the entry and cream garage door – the main points of reference from the street – could dissuade even an ardent seeker of Modern architecture from going any further, which would be a crying shame because inside is another story. With magnificent, original timber surfaces, exposed brick, split levels and splashes of tiles (and the kitchen) this home is a sensationally intact and gorgeous residence, deserving to be kept as is with only minimal and sympathetic renovation required. Though sadly it is these later 70s examples which more often than not get the chop in the from of obscene overblown remodelling, if not outright demolition. Time will tell us soon enough.
12 Warili Rd, Frenchs Forest NSW
April 21, 2018 | Archives


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Englishton Park Executive Director Kristi Rowell, left, accepts a $767 grant from Scott County Community Foundation board member Sheila Carter. The grant was awarded from the Chief John Memorial Campership Fund and will be used to support a summer camp at Englishton Park for children who are academically at risk. This is the 50th year for the Englishton Park Summer Program.
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Day One
Gifts for the fiancé.
If you're anythign like me, you agonize over just the right gift to buy for each person on your list. For me, that's a lot of people! I decided to help you out with the twelve days of Christmas, small business edition. I'm going to tell you about one product a day for twelve days, made by small businesses, which just may help you come up with the winning Christmas gift. Why small businesses? Well, being a small business myself, I know not only how hard it can be to get noticed but also that the quality that comes from small businesses often times far exceeds the big box brands.
Since I'm a wedding photographer I decided the first two days of this blog series will be dedicated to gifts to give your fiancé and fiancée. Let's start with the boys because I found not only a super fun but also very practical gift for the favorite man in your life. This custom cufflink and money clip set comes in a wooden box and is personalized with your man's initials. Groovy Guy Gifts can make this for the all of the groomsmen as well. Definitely go check them out at the link below. If you love this product as much as I do, order now as it takes 8-12 business days for delivery!


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Don't expect a cathedral, expect a brick: my feature on Sarah Selecky's site!
Hello to anyone crawling around on my site thanks to the wonderful, generous feature Sarah Selecky has up on her site! (You can find it here.)
Sarah gave me the opportunity to talk a bit about my writing process, and share an "open letter" to nervous writers. I also got to share an excerpt of a work-in-progress (or as Sarah likes to call them: Mysterious Middle Drafts). The response so far has been overwhelmingly lovely! I've received dozens of comments from people who have also felt anxious while quietly "collecting their bricks" and felt that my letter was empowering. Many people wrote to tell me how much they enjoy Eileen, the main character in the excerpt I shared. I swear this feedback is like emotional Wheaties: it's packed with so much good stuff, it fuels me!
Deepest thanks to Sarah for being so generous with her virtual space, and thank you to every person who read the feature, and who took the time to write such thoughtful comments. I am feeling the literary love over here!


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Our delightful special birthday bouquet is an arrangement designed to give maximum impact on arrival. Each hand tied bouquet is expertly arranged with Memory lane roses, deep water roses, stargazer lilies.
25% of the value of this gift will be donated to Cancer Research UK to fund research for beating cancer.
This product is delivered by trackable courier.
Kindly note that some non-mainland areas might require an additional working day for transit.
Adverse weather conditions can also result in delays.
Deliveries might be early during particular events. For more details, feel free to contact us, and one of our customer care agents will provide you with further details before you place your order.
Due to seasonal availability of certain flowers from time to time, we may use a substitution.
In cases like this, we will always use the best match with the stem pictured, and it will always be of equal or higher value to the one pictured.
In the rare case that no suitable substitution exists we will make contact with you to find an alternative solution.