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I met Jared and David at this year's New York Gay Pride as they modeled shirtless in their underwear. I soon found out that they were a couple with a fascinating story as to how and why their relationship has lasted in a world where they very often don't.
Both work as models, dancers and in the bar industry, and both are exposed to the gay nightlife that encompasses us all. Here is their story.
How and when did you meet?
Jared: We met at G Lounge, now REBAR where I'm sure many gay couples have met. David was working as a server there, and I was go-go dancing occasionally. He saw me dancing one night and started lightly flirting with me by smiling at me and bringing me Blow Pops or Ring Pops on the nights when I worked, which I thought was adorable. One night, the magic finally sparked, and we felt that immediate connection when we kissed. I invited him to come with some friends and me to a dance party after work, and that kicked off the start of our romance.
David: Ha! I had my eye on that booty long before we met. LOL. I was serving cocktails at G Lounge, and he was dancing. I used to just stand a few feet away from his box while he was dancing and just stare, never really saying much; that's probably why he paid little attention to me. If he had, this relationship would have started sooner. But yes, I always brought candy to work for the bartenders and go-go boys, and I'd usually save the Ring Pops for him. Then one day, that one kiss started something pretty damn amazing!
You two have a special kind of relationship. Can you explain it?
David: This definitely is one of the most unconventional relationships I've ever been in, but honestly, also the best. Every open relationship is created different. In the beginning, I didn't know if I even wanted an open relationship. My friends even asked me what I was doing, because I had never been that type of person before. But Jared had a lot of patience and gave me room to figure that out for myself. We spent a lot of time expressing our needs and desires, and I'm very happy we were able to find a way that worked for us.
We set up boundaries based on where one of us might feel uncomfortable, but we were open to changing those as well as we learned more about ourselves and each other. Mostly, we like to have fun, enjoy life and see each other happy. We love experiencing new things together, and we don't mind testing the waters to see what works and what doesn't.
Jared: Our relationship had a very unusual start. We were both in relationships at the time. David was ending one, and I was still very much in an open relationship with Seth Fornea. As his relationship ended, ours evolved into somewhat of a throuple with my partner at the time, but I think what we really became was just one big family. There were a lot of conversations had, of course. But they were honest conversations with loving listeners. Early on, when David and I first started seeing each other, Seth pulled him aside and said, "Thank you for making Jared so happy." We all still live together, love and support each other. It's really a very healthy situation.
Why and how does it work for you?
Jared: The big thing that I think a lot of people don't realize is that open relationships aren't really that different from monogamous ones. They both work and don't work for many of the same reasons. I think that for me, it has worked first and foremost because I really had to realize that an open relationship is what I wanted. And the main reason for that was because I wanted a style of relationship where my partner and I could feel completely comfortable being honest with each other about our sexual desires without feeling uncomfortable or needing to bend the truth, lie or cheat. I think a lot of relationships don't work because people aren't honest with themselves first or haven't even bothered to think about what they really want, and just let society dictate to them how their relationship should be defined. For David and I, we have our own rules, and we have built trust for each other. And honestly, there have been times when we thought it might not work between us, that we had run up against an unresolvable difference or let emotions flare up and get the best of us. But when we took a little time to empathize and learn from each other, we found our way back and were stronger because of it.
David: In short, it works because we want it to! And we are willing to work with each other. Of course, we have the love and respect and communication. But we both want to help each other to grow and make positive changes, as a couple and as individuals. Progressing in life and learning to better oneself and each other is special, and that's what we have, and that's why it works.
Jared: Oh! And you can't leave out non-verbal communication. One of the early things that we both loved about each other was that we are both instinctively very physically affectionate people.
I never get tired of him coming over to give me a kiss on the cheek or even just to lean on me. That, and the sex is out of this world!
You also sometimes work together. How does that affect your home life?
Jared: We really enjoy working together when we get the opportunity, usually go-go dancing, hosting events or brand promotions, which is fun work to do together. Overall, I think that the effect is positive and brings us closer together. And when all three of us get to travel together for work, we have a BLAST!
David: We have a lot of fun working together—all of us. We tend to stay away from drama and keep it positive. We definitely have our fair share of disagreements, but we keep that home, no matter what. Some producers won't hire couples simply because of drama they could bring. That's not us. On the other hand, we've had some wild experiences in the past two years, especially when we travel to new places together. Most not PG rated.
Is there ever jealousy involved?
Jared: I'm not really a very jealous person in general. I'm genuinely happy for my partner to succeed and want to help him if I can. A win for him is a win for us. If you are referring to our openness, generally no. I want my partner to have an amazing life full of diverse experiences. There have been a few times when one of us felt a little jealousy, but we found it really wasn't so much about being jealous as it was about expressing a need for other's attention and affection. It has happened often enough that we use a code word now to quickly and discreetly express to each other that we need to have a little alone time, away from others, to show each other a some extra TLC.
David: I occasionally was a jealous person in the beginning—not cute, possessive jealous, but insecure, worrying jealous. It did cause some problems between us that could have possibly ended us. I didn't think jealousy was cute or a trait I wanted to have. I knew it was something I wanted to change, and I didn't want to lose Jared. I realized that my jealousy was really coming from my own insecurities. Jared was really patient with me, and I learned how to overcome it, which took, among other things, gaining a lot of confidence in myself. Going to see a therapist (which I've been going to for years) is probably one of the healthiest things I've ever done for myself. And bringing this up to my therapist actually helped me to have an understanding of where that was coming from. I think everyone, especially our in community, should go to therapy. It helps in every aspect of your life.
Do you plan on getting married, or are you already married?
Jared: We are not yet married, but we have talked about it!
David: We will be getting married!
You must have interesting stories. What's your best or funniest?
David: It isn't necessarily funny, but one of our more memorable moments as a couple happened when we were working for Cherry in D.C. The three of us—Jared, Seth and I—were in the bathroom, and we just looked at each other and all started crying like little girls and telling each other how much we love one another and how happy we are as a family.
Jared: Too many! Quite a few that probably shouldn't go in print. A few years ago, Seth and I were dancing for Independence Week in P-town, and the day before the beach party, I was riding my bike back to the house. There was one hill that I had gone down many times before with a near 90-degree turn at the bottom. I was going down the hill at maybe 15-20 mph, but what I didn't know was that it had just rained, and sand had collected at the turn. I saw it too late and had to choose between hitting a fence and flying over into a field or skidding the bike into the ground. I managed to keep my head up, but bodysurfing asphalt took off more than a few layers of skin from my hands, side and knees. When I made it back to the house covered in blood, all the go-go dancers jumped up from dinner and helped me get cleaned up and bandaged.
I took the night off to recover, but of course, the next day, I got back on my go-go box wrapped up in gauze, and still served up a fun beach party. A local NYC promoter took a video of me dancing with the caption, "I want to be her when I grow up!"
Is there anything that you would like to promote for yourselves?
Jared: You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or SoundCloud under Jared Bradford or @jbradfordinc for music I've created, modeling, appearances, fun events and parties and more thoughts on everything from nutrition, science, politics, and life in general. I performed and produced the audiobook of "My Hero," a gay romance novel by Max Vos, available on Audible, iTunes and Amazon. It's a touching coming-of-age, first-love story with some steamy moments to make you sweat a little. Also, I love teaching, and I'm a great math and science tutor if anyone needs help! Email firstname.lastname@example.com for inquiries.
David: Find me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter under David Emmanuel or @demmanuelny. Signed model, dancer, spokesmodel for FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobile) and in the process of pursuing voice-over acting. I still go-go dance and host events as well. I'm also a personal chef (in the industry for 19 years), so if you'd like to hire a personal chef for yourself, private events, nutritional needs, etc., email me at email@example.com.
Any advice to couples in the same situation?
Jared: Sure! If you are getting into an open relationship, make sure that you spend a lot of time talking about what that means to you and your partner, and work together to figure out what works best for the both of you. As differences arise, take time to get to know and understand each other instead of getting angry. Through that process, you can begin to love someone for who they are, and not for who you think they are or who you want them to be. Of course, that takes a lot of understanding, honest communication and willingness to experiment a little with what works and what doesn't. And above all, I think it requires a willingness to put aside egos and learn from your partner without assuming that you know everything. If you keep that attitude, you may even learn things about yourself that you never realized you didn't know.
David: Be honest with yourself, and be sure, or at least have an idea, of what you want in a relationship. Try to keep an open mind and willingness to experience and learn from one another. Don't force something that doesn't work for you. Ask questions before you make conclusions. It's easy to understand your own perception of someone; it's much harder to understand how someone perceives himself.


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Natalie Davis was appointed Managing Director of Woolworths New Zealand in July 2018. Prior to this, Natalie held the role of Chief Customer Transformation Officer for the Group, since May 2017. In this role, Natalie led the development of Customer 1st strategies, transformation and culture across the Group. She initially joined Woolworths in July 2015 as Director of Customer Transformation Food Group.
Before joining Woolworths, Natalie was a Partner at McKinsey & Co, where she worked in the UK and Australia for 15 years advising on strategy and commercial transformation.
Natalie holds an MBA from INSEAD France, and Bachelor of Commerce and Law degrees with Honours, from the University of Sydney. Natalie is also a member of Chief Executive Women.

subset: commoncrawl


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Your shopping cart is empty!
In the early morning of the French opening of the European Cup, the French star Bogba wearing a pair of special customized version of the adidas Ace16 + Purecontrol debut at the French Stadium, the final 2 to 1 victory over the French team made a good start to Romania.
There is no doubt that the young French midfielder is the current European Cup, one of the most noteworthy star. To this end, Adidas for the "play shoes juvenile" prepared a pair of special boots. This pair of special customized version of adidas Ace16 + Purecontrol soccer shoes to Adidas in the European Cup before the opening of the mercury series boots in the Ace16 + Purecontrol to build. Bogba heel shoes appear nicknamed "Pogboom", and the shoes at the front and heel shoes at the mention of a blue flag with the elements of the French blue and red stripes.
This Adidas Ace16 + PureControl soccer shoes with the most advanced design of the starting color for the "solar green / impact powder / black." And other versions of the Ace16.1 starting color is different, the shoes did not use the Ace16 series of soccer shoes on the iconic gradient effect three bars, replaced by a pure black three bars design. Adidas Ace16 series in the ubiquitous impact of pink, in the absence of shoelaces Ace16 + PureControl football shoes are only dotted in the top of the shoe collar.
Adidas Ace16 + PureControl is not only one of the few non-shoelace design with one of the football shoes, is the first non-shoelaces and knitted upper combination of football shoes. In order to be able to fit a variety of foot-type footwear, not only the use of elastic shoes, but also in the middle of the foot three bar area added an additional structure to provide better stability.


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Sico(R) Evolution(R) paint base and primer in one. Pearl finish. 946 ml container size. For walls and ceilings, particularly in playrooms, bedrooms and hallways. Ultra scrubbable. Product combining what's most important in a primer and premium quality paints, for a durable finish in less time. With durabiliT(TM) polymers. Easy to apply and dries quick. Zero VOC. Paint bases cannot be used alone, they require the addition of a colorant which you can choose by using our colour selector.
This product has a low content in volatile organic compounds (VOC), as per SCAQMD's stringent standards (the most severe California standard regarding the release of pollutants in the air), which reduces impacts on human health.


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BBC Proms 2016 Get Involved
Fantastic Opportunities for young musicians
There is a series of opportunites open to young people through the BBC Proms Sessions for aspiring musicians, run in partnership with the Royal Albert Hall. The BBC Proms Sessions will run throughout the festival with leading artists featured in this year's season including cellist Guy Johnston, jazz singer-songwriter Jamie Cullum, pianist Gabriela Montero and DJ Mr Switch. Participants at these Sessions will also be offered free tickets to related Proms.
The Art of Improvisation with Gabriela Montero, 23 August 2016
Join pianist Gabriela Montero to explore the wonderful world of improvisation and how to begin developing these skills for yourself.
Participants must be age 16 – 25.
Cello Session with Guy Johnston, 9 August 2016
Cello Session with Guy Johnston
A session of two halves:
-A unique opportunity to play alongside Guy Johnston in a one-off cello ensemble.
-A chance to delve into composer Charlotte Bray's new work 'Falling in the Fire' and find out how a composer works with a concerto performer when writing a new piece.
Participants must be age 14 – 21.
Song-writing with Jamie Cullum, 8 August 2016
Jamie Cullum will share his song-writing skills and expertise from behind the piano. A chance to develop your own skills and learn more about the music Jamie creates as well as his experience in the industry.
Participants must be age 14 – 21.
An Introduction to Scratching with Mr Switch, 26 July 2016
Learn the amazing skills of scratching with world champion DJ Mr Switch and understand how a DJ stands up against the rest as a true solo performer. Whether just starting out on the decks or an experienced DJ, this workshop will open up a new world of scratching mastery to you.
Participants must be age 14 – 21.
Places for these opportunities will be available to book on the Proms website from 9am on Friday 3 June (bookers will need to scroll down to find the event they wish to attend). If you wish to book on behalf of a group please let us know and we can send you a group booking form. Please note that an adult is not required to attend with individuals or groups as we will have the necessary number of chaperones in place.


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My gut reaction is that it sounds difficult to figure and the lenses are probably expensive.
Not sure this will do anything at all, but have you tried sticking a a camera lens backwards between them?
Make an optic close focus. Answered
I want to be able to put my night vision monocular in front of my 2x scope on my airsoft.
I need a combination of lenses to put between my scope and the NV to let the scope focus at a couple of inches (instead of 30 feet), and reduce magnification because otherwise I'd just be looking at a tiny part of the phosphor screen heavily magnified.
I know it's possible because a commercial unit is available, I just don't know if it's feasible for a guy like me (doesn't have a degree in optics) to build (I'm thinking no, but I figured I'd ask).
Thanks for any help you can offer.
My gut reaction is that it sounds difficult to figure and the lenses are probably expensive.
Thanks for suggesting that, I just tested it and it focuses close but it's very magnified.
I'm thinking maybe I need a concave or biconcave lens.


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Freelance Journalist
Fishers of the Yakama Nation. A new map of the Arctic. The history of wildfires. Volcanic eruptions. Dams on the Mekong River. Ada Lovelace. "Clean coal." Dust. Snow. Fire. Bats. Michelle has one of the most fascinating jobs you could imagine—writing about science and the environment for National Geographic, the New Yorker, the Smithsonian, and a host of other publications. She lives in the heart of the spectacular Columbia Gorge and is also the coeditor of The Science Writers' Handbook.
Thesis: "Home Range of the Cascade Torrent salamander (Rhyacotriton cascadae) and Its Implications for Conservation."
Adviser: Prof. Bob Kaplan [bio 1983–2015]
How did you get where you are? After graduation I spent a couple of years working as a field assistant on wildlife research projects in the Southwest and California. I was looking for a way to combine science with my interest in writing. Then I happened into an internship at High Country News, a magazine that covers environmental issues in the Western U.S. It was love at first draft. HCN was my graduate school in journalism—like many (but certainly not all) journalists, I learned most of what I know on the job. I spent four years on staff there and have been a full-time freelance journalist since 2002. I continue to write and edit for HCN as a contributing editor.
What do you like about your field? I love the process of "translating" science and knotty conservation issues for a popular audience, and I love the haphazard, lifelong education that I get as a working journalist.
What lessons have you learned? I've had to learn a lot about how good journalism happens, and how it can continue to happen at a time of great and continuing disruption within the profession. I've also had to learn a lot about how independent journalists (and other creative types) can keep themselves sane and solvent in the long run.
What else should we know about you? I lived off the electrical grid for 15 years in rural Colorado before returning to the Pacific Northwest in 2013. My husband, Jack, and I have a seven-year-old daughter who is convinced that Bilbo Baggins is a girl. I manage the stress of covering climate change through frequent bouts of British television.
Is journalism a good field for Reedies? Yes, because Reedies rarely care about getting rich! Seriously, I think the breadth of the Reed curriculum does give grads a sense that they can learn something about anything—and for journalists, that's an essential skill. We're serial experts and professional amateurs, always poking around where we have no business being.


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Loan processor
ca-tracy, job description: this loan processor position features: ? great benefits ? growing company ? full time position overview the mortgage loan processor is responsible for processing and managing a pipeline of 40-55 residential mortgage loans. the loan processor is the main [...]
Category Banking, Insurance, Finance & Accountancy


text: Jess and Tony are finally back after a couple week break. Jess tried to quit the show and Tony finally admitted he needs her. Jess wants to talk about when enough is enough, when do you finally call it quits in your relationship? Tune in to hear what they have to weigh in. Thanks for listening and keep singling!


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Fr. Neuhaus 1936-2009 - Like The Star of Bethlehem, Dies After Leading So Many to Christ
By John-Henry Westen
NEW YORK, January 8, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Pro-life and religious communities around the world today mourn the loss of Fr. Richard John Neuhaus, a prolific pro-life activist and intellectual giant. Neuhaus died today surrounded by family after a struggle with cancer for which he was hospitalized after Christmas.
Fr. Neuhaus was born in Canada, one of eight children, and was the founder and editor of the influential journal First Things. Some of the top leadership of the pro-life community spoke with LifeSiteNews.com today about their memorable encounters with Fr. Neuhaus and to express their sorrow at his passing.
Fr. Tom Euteneuer, President of Human Life International
"I am not surprised that Fr. Neuhaus would pass away in the Christmas season, just after Epiphany, because he was like the Star of Bethlehem leading people to Christ through the force of reason and faith. I remember well when he converted to (Catholicism). I was absolutely overjoyed, and since that time he has been a phenomenal influence for Catholicism and for truth in every thing that he did. Our society, as well our Church will really miss him."
Rabbi Yehuda Levin, Spokesman for the Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the U.S. and Canada
"I first met Reverend Neuhaus at a book party he gave for his book 'The Naked Public Square' in the early 80s. He very much influenced the public debate in a sharp, concise intellectual way. He was a great pleasure to be with, a very witty conversationalist, a very warm person, an excellent orator.
"He was really one of the intellectual underpinnings of our cultural war for life and family, there's no question about it. He was never shy in taking positions, even if they were not politically correct. Even if they weren't politically correct within the conservative movement he would speak out.
"He was a great personality in terms of religious leadership. There aren't enough religious leaders willing to speak out as often and as sharply as he did and that's going to be our greatest loss.
"The greatest living monument to him will be for religious leaders to fill the vacuum, the tremendous void left by him, and to speak out forcefully in this time in history with the inauguration of the Obama era and all that that portends. I think the way we can commemorate the life of Reverend Neuhaus is to take up the strong leadership in the religious community which he had maintained."
Judie Brown, President of American Life League
"It's a terrible loss to the entire pro-life movement not to mention the Catholic Church."
"I had a very interesting discussion with him one time in New York when I was giving a talk, relating the sacrifices of the Blessed Mother for her cousin Elizabeth. After the talk Fr. John said to me 'I have never heard that perspective on the Blessed Mother before and I'm so glad I was here to hear it.' And I was so honored, because he would be the last person on earth I thought I could say something to that he hadn't thought of already. That was probably one of the highlights of my life, him giving me a compliment like that."
Joseph Scheidler, President of the Pro-Life Action League
"I was shocked. I just couldn't believe it. We'll miss him, and we needed him in these times."
"I remember I was out in New York and I was supposed to have dinner with him, and I got caught in a traffic jam in terrible weather, with no way to reach him.
"I stood him up for dinner, he made dinner for me. I tried to reach him to apologize for not being there. I couldn't reach him by phone or anything. Later on I met him and apologized, but he was so gracious - he made kind of a joke out of it. That had been one of the things I felt so bad about all my life - I stood up Richard John Neuhaus."
"He was such a great mind. Every time I'd see his name on something - I'd have to read it."
Jim Hughes, President Campaign Life Coalition, VP International Right to Life
"It's a great loss. I can remember when he was the keynote speaker at an international conference in Toronto years ago. He applauded the presence of the youth and said that the youth is so important for the future of the battle. But he said 'You old people you can't retire, you're in this for the duration, you can't quit, and you're here until God calls you to your eternal reward.' He lived what he preached and died in service to Him whom he loved."


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Heres a nice shiny Christmas present for everyone
I've patched the bugs and tested deluge/lighttpd/nzbget–thanks to a catch&release WDTV Live purchase The webserver starts automagic now, torrents work, nzbget works, unrar will do multi part archives, and par2 found its way in.
I'd also like to send a huge thanks out to anyone who has donated. Your support means a tremendous amount and helps keep my motivation up. Cheers!!!
* fixed group/shadow/passwd to enable lighttpd
* fixed /etc/init.d/S96deluge to enable deluge
* fixed /etc/init.d/S96nzbget to enable nzbget
* fixed deluge config persistence
* unrar-nonfree-3.8.5-1 included
* actually included par2-0.4
* lighttpd can be disabled (config_tool -c LIGHTTPD=OFF)
* deluge webui can be disabled (config_tool -c DELUGEWEBUI=OFF)
* Merry Christmas!!!
I hope everyone enjoys this and is having a great time over the holidays!!! I won't be back home until Jan 08, so this'll have to hold everyone off (sans other serious bugs) until then
*** WDLXTV_LIVE-0.3.2 *** — WDLXTV-LIVE-0.3.X Forum Suport Thread
Be sure to visit the WDLXTV_LIVE-0.3.0 page to find out how to enable deluge & nzbget.
I've spent a tremendous amount of time hacking the WD TV firmware[s], so if you appreciate my efforts please donate a little something using the link above : ) Thanks & enjoy.


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By Sam Padgett and Erin O'Hare
The weathered farm bell stationed outside the restaurant is a bellwether for what you'll find inside: farm-to-table Southern cuisine. Ryan Hubbard, co-owner of Red Hub Food Co. and the Dinsmore Boutique Inn, has combined his love of preserving the past with his passion for new Southern cuisine into Farm Bell Kitchen.
The restaurant is located in the brick building (constructed by Thomas Jefferson's master carpenter, James Dinsmore) across from UVA Children's Hospital on West Main Street. According to Hubbard, the very same bricks that were used in the Rotunda form the walls of Farm Bell Kitchen (Dinsmore also helped build several buildings at UVA and James Madison's Montpelier).
Beyond maintaining its historical legacy, Farm Bell Kitchen is dedicated to serving Southern cuisine with ingredients from local producers. The name came to Hubbard from the farm bell now outside the restaurant that he found in a Southwest Virginia salvage yard.
"It's emblematic of our new Southern cuisine and our farm-to-table approach," he says.
Farm Bell Kitchen will be open for lunch and breakfast daily, and periodically serve supper (note: not dinner), and brunch on the weekends. If you find yourself in the area, remember for whom the bell tolls: it tolls for those who are hungry.
Roast to success
Mudhouse Coffee Roasters won a 2018 Good Food Award for one of its roasted coffees, the organic Limu Dabsessa ($24 for 12 ounces of beans). The beans, which are roasted in the Charlottesville area, come from Yidnekachew Dabessa's eponymous coffee plantation in the Oromia region of Ethiopia, where Dabessa, an experienced coffee farmer and entrepreneur, has expanded his small coffee farm into a large-scale operation over the course of a decade.
According to the Good Food Award's website, "to qualify for entry, roasters and coffee farmers must emphasize fairness and transparency from seed to cup. Acknowledging the difficulties of verifying farm-level sustainability efforts across continents, the Good Food Foundation again turns to third-party certification bodies for assistance in identifying beans eligible for consideration." Mudhouse is one of 15 roasteries to receive an award in the coffee category.
Last year, Mudhouse was named Micro Roaster of the Year in Roast magazine's 14th annual Roaster of the Year competition, and possible additional accolades are on the horizon: After making it through the qualifying round earlier this month, Mudhouse will compete in the Specialty Coffee Association U.S. Coffee Championship in Seattle later this year.
Final push
Blue Ridge Bucha, formerly known as Barefoot Bucha, is competing in SCORE's 2018 America Small Business Championship. Three grand-prize winners will each win $15,000, and two businesses from every state will score trips to the organization's national networking and training conference in April. The public voting period ends February 14: Go to championship.score.org to record your vote.


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You gradually learn to love the silence, grow in silence and discover the secrets to silence
How to smile with just your heart, hurt passively, go around like a ninja... unseen and unheard.
You start to think "Maybe, if i stop speaking my mind ever so often, i'll save more friendships", forgetting that one of the many reasons the friends who have stuck around still stick around is that they know they'll always know where they stand with you. But friendships need to be protected.
When you love someone enough, you realize that there are words better left unspoken, feelings better left unexpressed and situations better left unexplained.
I am rediscovering the secrets to silence, and the quiet is deafening.
I went to Nigeria for spring break and the week after and it was such a blessing to spend time with family and true friends. I don't need to tell you guys that i had pounded yam every blessed day, do i? Do i?! I'll put up a post with pictures sometime soon.
We made bunny hats and went Easter egg hunting yesterday :D I can't pretend to understand the tradition, what rabbits have to do with eggs and what they both have to do with Easter but the kids were nuts in anticipation so Easter egg hunting we went.
|Right after making the hats. This is the only pic i can show you, sorry :(


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SACRAMENTO, CA: The California Energy Commission has nominated Tmdgroup to develop an outreach and marketing campaign about the transition of the transportation fuels market to non-petroleum, clean alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies.
An official award is expected to be finalized this summer, said Alison Roberts, a spokeswoman for the California Energy Commission.
The Sacramento-based firm beat out Crocker & Crocker, MWW Group, and Edelman, among others, for the contract, according to an award notice. Tmdgroup scored higher than its competitors in terms of outreach and marketing analysis, client references, and cost justification.
The account has a budget of more than $2.2 million. The program's outreach efforts will target commercial and public fleet owners and managers, as well as independent vehicle operators. The campaign must familiarize them with alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies, the benefits of adopting these technologies, and the resources available to remove or reduce adoption barriers, according to the RFP.
The state is developing the campaign in response to legislation authorizing it to transform California's transportation market to include a diverse portfolio of alternative fuels and advanced vehicles. The alternative fuels and vehicles would reduce the state's greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on petroleum, according to the RFP.
Tmdgroup CEO Patricia Costanza declined to comment until the award was finalized.


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CHOOSE CARATAGEnull gm
Crisp Suiting Diamond Nose Pin - High Polish Yellow Gold Nose Pin that has a concentric hexagonal pattern overlapping each other with Surface Prong set diamonds embedded on a rhodium plated surface.
Our jewellery is super fashionable, affordable, easy to wear, made of quality that you'd love and is a perfect match for your everyday outfit. Delivered to your doorstep, with certifications and hallmarks for proof, plus a lifetime exchange policy to top it all off, you gotta check us out!


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Avoid Falling Victim to New Trends in Auto Theft-Related Crime
Criminals may be getting smarter, but H.E.A.T. provides tips to protect drivers from evolving trends
Jul 21, 2014, 09:00 ET
LIVONIA, Mich., July 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Thefts of entire vehicles are down in Michigan for a sixth consecutive year, but other forms of vehicle-related crime are increasing sharply, according to H.E.A.T. (Help Eliminate Auto Thefts), Michigan's statewide auto theft prevention program.
"As law enforcement becomes more successful, and technology in newer vehicles improves, thieves are coming up with new ways to steal vehicles and target drivers," said Terri Miller, executive director of H.E.A.T. "Drivers need to be aware of the evolving trends in auto theft and the ways they can protect themselves and their vehicles or property. Using common sense and being aware of auto theft trends can prevent you from falling victim to auto theft-related crime."
H.E.A.T. coordinates citizen action with law enforcement agencies through a 24/7, confidential toll-free tip line (1-800-242-HEAT) and website (1800242HEAT.com). H.E.A.T. allows Michigan residents to report information for cash, up to $10,000, on stolen vehicles, chop shops and suspected auto theft activities including insurance fraud, identity theft and carjackings.
In August 2013, the Detroit Police Department – in partnership with the Michigan State Police and H.E.A.T. – enacted the "Heatwave Initiative" with the goal of cutting the number of carjackings in Detroit. Since the implementation of the initiative, and a year after Chief James Craig joined DPD, the city has experienced a 28 percent decline in carjackings.
Despite a decline in carjackings, H.E.A.T. cautions drivers to be aware of the following trends in auto theft-related crimes, including:
- Car Thieves Targeting Gyms: Opportunistic criminals are watching when gym-goers exit their vehicles and head inside the gym to workout. Criminals either grab keys from the key rack in the gym before driving off with a victim's vehicle, or take advantage of the time they have to steal tires, rims, airbags, navigation systems and other personal property. Remember to bring your keys into the gym and keep them with you, and never leave valuables in plain view. If you must leave something in your vehicle, lock it in the trunk or place items out of sight.
- Crowded Parking Lots: Concerts, sporting events and other summer activities bring cars and fill parking lots which attract criminals in search of easy-to-steal property. The next time you visit a crowded area or attend an event downtown, consider parking in a secure, city-owned lot or in a well-lit area with an attendant or heavy pedestrian traffic.
- Online Fraud: Many thieves are turning to online purchasing sites such as Craigslist.com or local sites like cars4detroit.com as easy outlets for online selling or trading of stolen, cloned or re-tagged vehicles and stolen auto parts. H.E.A.T. reminds consumers that if the deal is too good to be true, it probably is.
- Unique Strategies: Be aware of the unique strategies some thieves employ. For instance, thieves may rear-end a vehicle at a slow speed to cause minimum damage, and then drive off in your vehicle when you exit your car to check for damage. If it's dark outside or if you aren't visible to other people, avoid getting out of your car. Also, be alert and aware of your surroundings as you approach your vehicle. Avoid talking or texting on cell phones or digging for keys as it can be a distraction and can make you an easy target to criminals.
- Thefts of Older Vehicles: As technology in newer vehicles improves, criminals are turning to older models and stripping the vehicles for their parts. Arm your car with extra security to help deter criminals, including electronic immobilizers as well as visual and physical deterrents such as steering wheel locks, floorboard and pedal locks, gearshift locks and wheel clamps.
- Tire and Rim Thefts: An ongoing problem throughout the state, especially in Metro Detroit, is the increase in tire and rim thefts. Thieves typically target easy-to-steal tires and rims, in order to sell them to crooked dealers and repair shops. H.E.A.T. recommends that drivers park in a garage whenever possible or in a parking lot with an attendant.
- "Push" Steals: Since thieves need your keys to steal newer vehicles, they're switching methods for stealing parts or even entire vehicles. "Push" steals occur when thieves push the vehicle away after forcing entry to release the gears. Often times, thieves push the vehicle to another location where the tires and rims are removed from the vehicle. Arming your vehicle with extra security can help prevent criminals from "pushing" your car.
About H.E.A.T.
H.E.A.T. works with Michigan law enforcement agencies to follow-up on tips. Tipsters are awarded up to $1,000 if the tip leads to the arrest of or issuance of a warrant for a suspected car thief or a person suspected of auto theft-related insurance fraud. H.E.A.T. rewards up to $2,000 for information leading to the issuance of a warrant for a carjacking suspect. Rewards of up to $10,000 are issued if a tip results in the arrest and binding over for trial of a suspected theft ring or chop shop operators. The H.E.A.T. tip line is monitored by the Michigan State Police and funded by Michigan's auto insurance companies.
Follow H.E.A.T. on Facebook and on Twitter @1800242HEAT.
SOURCE H.E.A.T. (Help Eliminate Auto Thefts)


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Saturday was a day of anxiety, as I didn't measure our interior doorways before going fridge shopping, and based on the measurements I found only, our 30 inch wide doors might keep out the new fridge. Fudge! After the DVD swap and a quick workout, I got out the tools, borrowed a big prybar from newspaper_dad, and attacked the doorway. Crikey, what sort of moron attaches molding with 8 d nails (the suckers were 3 inches long and thick enough for framing)*. What sort of moron shoehorns in molding so that you have to remove molding from the door away from the door that you eventually want to remove the molding from. I lost it, I ended up getting out my jigsaw to cut away molding. By the end of the day I had tons of molding on the floor, and a 31.25 inch wide doorway.
I was pretty beat, so I halfheartedly watched Helen Mirren in Losing Chase, about an older mom recovering from a nervous breakdown on Martha's Vineyard. Several scenes were set in Tisbury, I kept looking for Johnny. Anyhow, older mom (almost too old to be a mom for the youngest boy) is recovering from a nervous breakdown, and is cranky to the helper (Kyra Sedgewick) her husband hired until the helper gets cranky back. The scenery was nice, the story didn't do it for me. I look for escapism in movies, dealing with a mentally ill woman isn't really escapism.
Sunday was the fridge delivery day. We took steps to make it easier, cleaning out the old fridge, moving it out, sending the dog with my parents, and asking them to be back by 5:00 since eight year old had a party at 6:00. The delivery was scheduled between 2:30 and 4:30, it would all work out.
Except they were running late. Fortunately my dad wore the dog out, and the delivery dudes were able to get in and out in a matter of minutes. They didn't use a dolly, rather a big thick nylon harness thingie. And the party, mixup, RSVP date was Sunday, the real party is Saturday.
Short day at work today, I'm heading home around noon to put the house back together.
So, this weekend there is a chance of both kids being away Saturday. Thirteen year old has a girl scout campover all weekend, and eight year old might sleep over. We are planning on dinner out Saturday, and I may even get some cask ale at the Tap and Mallet on Saturday. Also the gaming meet is on Saturday theoretically, but all the hardcore gamers are at NBW, I'm not sure if anyone will attend.
* My bosses boss suggested that huge nails on the door jamb make sense if you're hanging a heavy solid door off it, which does make sense. It doesn't explain three inch nails on floor moulding though.
|< A week fixed. | It's weird. >


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Loading...Job Seekers, Welcome to NQF Quality CareersManager, Government Value Based Programs (Episodes of Care)Vanderbilt Health
Manager, Government Value Based Programs (Episodes of Care)
Vanderbilt HealthDetailsPosted:July 24, 2020Location:Nashville, TennesseeSalary:OpenDiscipline:ExecutiveDescriptionManager, Government Value Based Programs
Coordinate, monitor, and evaluate the operation of a unit of the University or Medical Center.
- Develop work goals for the unit/area consistent with institutional and departmental goals and policy
- Plan to achieve goals or establish priorities
- Initiate changes or develop new policies, procedures and/or methods
- Help unit to understand, share, and support the vision
- Ensure the most effective operation of the unit/area through program development, process improvement and coordination of processes across functions
- Monitor and coordinate programs and actions
- Supervise a unit/area with responsibility for planning, coordinating and controlling the work and procedures
- Coordinate the activities of one or more functions to effect unity of operation
- Adjust work schedules or project priorities to meet emergencies or changing condition.
- Provide information to others (oral or written) to explain/clarify problems or issues or requests; meet with other professional/technical personnel to determine causes of a specific problem.
- Participate in periodic management meetings to keep top management informed of problems and concerns
- Define and achieve financial targets for the unit/area, consistent with the departmental financial plan
- Plan communicate budget calendar and process
- Aid in the implementation, interpretation and presentation of annual wage and salary plan to staff
- Supply precise information by center and account line regarding anticipated expenses for budget preparation including, but not limited to, detailed salary and fringe benefit information for faculty, staff and students (as applicable), estimated endowment revenue for all scholarship centers and provide guidance for estimated unrestricted scholarship need
- Frequently prepare ad hoc financial and budget reports
- Prepare for and attend monthly financial statement meetings along with director/ administrator. Closely monitor revenues and expenditures for all salary expenditures in all centers for the entire unit/area/department
- Report findings that occur as part of the analysis process and incidental discoveries to the director/administrator
- Exercise judgment and prepare supporting or correcting documentation as deemed appropriate
- Exceed defined service standards for the unit/area
- Ensure that the service standards established for the unit/area are met or exceeded
- Monitor performance against service standards
- Use patient/customer satisfaction data to improve systems, processes, and outcomes
- Ensure a safe, satisfying and enriching environment for employees and provides a qualified, competent staff
- Provide qualified competent staff by tracking projected staffing needs against qualification and competencies of current staff to identify any deficiencies to improve staffing levels.
- Define the qualifications and performance expectations for all staff positions through the Performance Development system, including department specific job descriptions, measurable performance standards
- Ensure that staff qualifications are consistent with job responsibilities. Verify for each employee or contracted personnel that, where relevant, education and training are consistent with applicable legal and regulatory requirements and hospital policy, that the individual is licensed, certified or registered, and that the individual's knowledge and experience are appropriate for the job assignment
- Create an environment that encourages and supports self-development and learning for all staff through regular feedback, by assuring the development of staff through orientation, training programs, work experiences and assessing competencies by meeting the performance expectations stated in his or her job description in a timely manner (normally annually)
- Monitor quality assurance standards, programs and procedures within the unit/area
- Ensure that defined quality standards are met within area of responsibility
Manager, Government Value Based Programs
Key Words: Medicare, CMS, Bundle Payments, BPCI, Bundles, Episodes , Advanced Payment Model (APM), ACO , Value Based Care, Post Acute Care, MSSP, TCPI
- Oversee playbook execution to drive performance on government value based programs
- Develop competencies to understand rules and regulations of value based program
- Develop strategies for performance improvement in government programs
- Assist with development and lead institutional strategies which cross multiple episodes
- Collaborate with leadership on selection and ongoing analysis of government programs
- Define targets both financially and qualitatively with leadership
- Facilitate implementation and delivery of program's services
- Coordinate efforts to implement execution of interventions with assistance of project management team
- Deliver timely feedback to internal team
- Monitor the program's performance
- Ensure effective tactics are hardwired through analysis of internal and external data
- Monitor performance throughout program's term
- Distribute regular scorecards with financial and qualitative performance data
- Coordinate with government entities to reconcile data for both financial and qualitative purposes
- Work with outside vendors as needed
Click Here To View The VUMC Promise of Discovery
Discover Vanderbilt University Medical Center:
Located in Nashville, Tennessee, and operating at a global crossroads of teaching, discovery and patient care, VUMC is a community of individuals who come to work each day with the simple aim of changing the world. It is a place where your expertise will be valued, your knowledge expanded and your abilities challenged. It is a place where your diversity -- of culture, thinking, learning and leading -- is sought and celebrated. It is a place where employees know they are part of something that is bigger than themselves, take exceptional pride in their work and never settle for what was good enough yesterday. Vanderbilt's mission is to advance health and wellness through preeminent programs in patient care, education, and research.
VUMC Recent Accomplishments
Because we are committed to providing the best in patient care, education and research, we are proud of our recent accomplishments:
VUMC Recent Accomplishments
Because we are committed to providing the best in patient care, education and research, we are proud of our recent accomplishments:
US News & World Report: #1 Hospital in Tennessee, #1 Health Care Provider in Nashville, #1 Audiology ( Bill Wilkerson Center ), 9 adult and 9 pediatric clinical specialties ranked among the nation's best, #15 Education and Training
Truven Health Analytics: among the top 100 hospitals in the US
Becker's Hospital Review: one of the "100 Greatest Hospitals in America"
The Leapfrog Group: grade "A" in Hospital Safety Score
National Institutes of Health: among the top 10 grant awardees for medical research in the US
American Association for the Advancement of Science: 12 faculty members elected fellows in 2014
Magnet Recognition Program: Vanderbilt nurses are the only group honored in Middle Tennessee
Nashville Business Journal: Middle Tennessee's healthiest employer
American Hospital Association: among the 100 "Most Wired" medical systems in the US
*CA*IND0000*NHCNInternal Number: 1904047About Vanderbilt HealthVanderbilt University Medical Center is home to Vanderbilt University Hospital, The Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, the Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital and the Vanderbilt Stallworth Rehabilitation Hospital. These hospitals experienced more than 61,000 inpatient admissions during fiscal year 2015. Vanderbilt's adult and pediatric clinics treated nearly 2 million patients during this same period.Vanderbilt University Hospital and the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt are recognized again this year by U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals as among the nation's best with 18 nationally ranked specialties. Vanderbilt University Medical Center is world renowned because of the innovation, work ethic and collegiality of its employees. From our health care advances to our compassionate care, Vanderbilt owes its accomplishments and reputation to staff and faculty who bring skill and drive and innovation to the medical center day after day. World-leading academic departments and comprehensive centers of excellence pursue scientific discoveries and transformational educational and clinical advances across the entire spectrum of health and disease.As th...e largest employer in middle Tennessee, we welcome those who are interested in ongoing development in a caring, culturally sensitive and professional atmosphere. Most of us spend so much of our lives at work, we want to be part of maintaining a workplace in which people support one another and encourage reaching for excellence. Many high-achieving employees stay at Vanderbilt because of the professional growth they experience and because of their appreciation of Vanderbilt's benefits, public events and discussions, athletic opportunities, beautiful setting and, above all, sense of community and purpose.Vanderbilt and its employees share a set of mutual expectations that have been created with productivity, legality, fairness and safety always in mind. We believe that our investment in training and compensating employees multiplies in value when we enable individuals to deliver their best performance for the benefit of us all.Show moreShow lessBACK TO TOP
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One of the big decisions that I had to make is what tire to run.
The standard is the Michelin Desert, but after using those in Morocco this year, I was pretty unimpressed. All those hero slide shots we are used to seeing? Brought to you courtesy of a complete lack of traction. The front is pretty good, but the rear is awful, at least, that's what I thought.
Jonah and Quinn both used Dunlop 908s last year. I'm very familiar with this tire from using it on a 950 for many years, so I'm positive it can take the abuse… I decided that was the way to go for the rear tire. However, I'm not a big fan of the front, so I bought Dunlop 606's instead, which seem to perform better for me.
In years past, 908s have gotten hard to find late in the year, so I decided to get ahead of the program this year. This order of 9 tires came from 4 different locations, so I'm guessing that they are going to be hard to find again… in any case, it is one less thing for me to worry about now.
The advice I've gotten is to bring 7 rears and 6 fronts to the race. I got 2 extra sets for training, etc… in any event, it's a big stack of rubber!
A big thanks to the Colorado TPA who stepped up to help me buy the tires at cost and to the principal there, Don Riggle, who made a big donation toward them. Anyone who rides in Colorado owes the TPA a few bucks for the legal fund, they have been very effective at keeping trails open. See the updates page on their website for a detailed list of what they have accomplished- it is a lot!


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Discussions about Identity Politics (IdPol) absorbs a huge amount of energy across the political spectrum. Discussion on the left however is often complicated and made overly hostile because they take place along the single axis of oppression which means proponents of IdPol get lumped in with Hilary Clinton while opponents get lumped in with Donald Trump. This understandably encourages bad faith discussions that throw a lot of heat and very little light. Here we are going to argue that a much more useful exchange can happen when we instead create a plot where one axis is oppression and the second is exploitation as that puts both Trump & Clinton a good distance away from socialists. [Audio of this article]
The WSM took some time out from our future directions discussions session at Cloughjordan eco village over the week to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
Dublin saw a few 100 people gather last Saturday to take part in a rally in solidarity with Extinction Rebellion, the group which has recently emerged in Britian and which yesterday occupied 5 bridges across the Thames, blocking them for about 4 hours and resulting in large numbers of arrests. This act of Civil Disobediance is in the context of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report that says we have only a decade to reduce emmissions by about 45% in order to try and keep Climate Change down to a 1.5 degree centagrade increase in global tempertures. [video]
We interviewed William Hederman, an environmental researcher living in County Clare, about the planned Liquefied Natural Gas terminal on the Shannon. Construction of it will mean Ireland will fail to meet its Climate Change commitments and will instead be tied into pumping out additional Greenhouse Gases for decades. As the LNG will come from the US it will includes fracked gas, a process banned in Ireland that releases three times as much of the very powerful Climate Change gas methane as conventional gas. [video]
Last weekend saw a presidential election in Ireland where the clear victor was a left wing poet (and career politican) called Michael D Higgins who got 56% of the vote. However a no hope candidate who was, 1 of 3, yes 3 hosts of the TV show Dragons Den running for president managed to boost his vote from close to nothing (2%) to 23% through the simple trick of Trump like racist remarks directed at the Traveller Community, a very small ethnic group who until recently were nomads but were forced to all but bandon that life by the Irish state over the last couple of decades.
In the aftermath of the result the media reached for the same sort of lazy analysis about 'econoic anxiety' and people 'left behind' that was seen in the US after Trump was elected. In this video Andrew argues that the exit poll data tells a very difrerent story.
This video shows all of the 2018 March for Choice pass down the quays in Dublin. This year we had won the refrendum but much is left to fight for in terms of the details of the legislation and standing down the inevotable anti-choice attempts that will be made once the lefislation comes in to intimidate doctors, as welll as women and pregnant who will finally be able to access free, safe and legal abortion in Ireland. [video]
The debate around abortion is sometimes characterised as an opposition between the morals of the church and personal morals. But is this an accurate description? Moral philosophy can broadly be defined as the branch of philosophy that contemplates what is right and wrong. It explores the nature of morality and examines how people should live their lives in relation to others. But a closer look at what characterises moral philosophy leads to the conclusion that while the expression "relying on personal morals" may come across as a useful shortcut to describe what the pro-choice stance is about, it is also a misuse of moral terminology which has the effect of casting a positive light on moral philosophy, rather than helping us come to terms with the deeply problematic nature of this field. As I hope to make clear, arguments in favour of abortion rights are rooted in anti-authoritarianism whereas moral philosophy can only exist as a rhetorical tool of authoritarianism (even when it is used with good intentions).
This audio is an independently organised panel from the 2018 Dublin Anarchist Bookfair on the bleak reality of climate change and its intersections with financial capitalism, state politics and migration. [audio]
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Mason County News
County Approves 2020 Budget
[VIDEO] Monday, the Mason County Commission approved the County's budget for next year. The 2020 budget totals $119,896,959 with $49,581,229 in Current Expense. Budget Manager Jennifer Beierle ran down the numbers prior to the public hearing on the budget.
The budget includes over $13.2 Million for the Sheriff, $2.2 Million for Community Development, nearly $1.3 Million for District Court, almost $1.7 Million for the Prosecutor, just shy of $2 Million for Juvenile Probation, and $4.2 Million under Non Departmental.
No one testified during the public hearing on next year's budget but the County Commissioners were pleased with the process.
Last week, the County Commissioners did approve a 1 percent increase in property taxes that will be collected in 2020.


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Robert Zacharias, editor. After Identity: Mennonite Writing in North America. University Park, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania State University Press, 2015.
I grew up in the Mennonite stew of southern Manitoba. I began in the Sommerfelder Mennonite church but stopped attending around junior high. My parents were regular but not devoted attendees. When I was old enough to stay home they never forced me to go. I flirted with Bergthaler and Mennonite Brethren youth groups until I committed to the Evangelical Mennonite Mission Church with baptism and membership. I had a short but formative liaison at St. Margaret's Anglican church in Winnipeg, Manitoba (that is, Winnipeg's 'Mennonite' Anglican Church) and was later caretaker of an apartment block run by an inner-city Baptist church. Then before I knew I had left home for good and found myself functionally estranged from the Mennonite church. I did not think much of this reality at the time because it felt as though all options were open to me. I could go wherever the Spirit led. But after a failed run at academia I began looking into pastoral ministry. Open to all but finding none I soon realized that I could not pastor 'from everywhere' and found that though my theological trajectory had carried me far from my church of origins I found myself to be, in the end, Mennonite.
I enjoy recounting this path from time to time and offer this simply as an acknowledgement that I have been choosing to be Mennonite all my life. This is my lived experienced of being Mennonite, the paradoxical obligation to choose (and I am increasingly aware that as a straight white male the emphasis on my experience was more on choose than obligation). It was after all as a Mennonite that I felt able to choose to not be Mennonite. There is no resting in the roots of being Mennonite; no ordered ontology of the Catholics, no overwhelming imagination of the Anglicans, and no civic belonging of the Lutherans. There is no being Mennonite apart from my subjective engagement with it. This tradition of choosing has created a rich texture (unescapable net?) of being Mennonite. In my experience this fabric can be stretched to tearing with the willingness to 'go all in' and gamble with the risk of losing that identity completely and other times I can wrap what has been woven around me for warmth and comfort. As Mennonite I reject sovereign and idol, wondering whether atheism is the only true faith all the while establishing myself in congregational ministry and serving on my national church board. Such are the tensions, paradoxes and the necessary contingency of being Mennonite . . . or so I claim.
I offer this brief confessional as an initial response to reading and reflecting on the collection of essays in After Identity: Mennonite Writing in North America edited by Robert Zacharias. The essays emerged from a conference by the same name held in 2013. Working through the essays I was quickly drawn in by the blend of rigorous and playful responses to the question of identity and the speculation of what and whether we can see beyond its seemingly endless demands. The responses span the disciplines from anthropological (Julia Spicher Kasdorf), historical (Royden Loewen), sociological/economic (Paul Tiessen), to queer and feminist oriented (Ann Hostetler and Daniel Cruz Shank). As the book progresses even more space is provided for the poetic (Jeff Gundy and Jesse Nathan), playful (Hildi Froese Tiessen), to what might now be called the 'classically' postmodern or carnivalesque (Di Brandt). As one could expect with the various voices and disciplines gathered that there is hardly a clear or unified response to reflecting on the phrase after identity.
Clearly evidenced within this diversity is a strong experiential and intellectual commitment to engaging the question of both being Mennonite in general (whatever that does in fact mean) and how this thing (?) relates to past, present, and possible literary forms. This is good news. So does that make it gospel? Can Mennonites and the Mennonite church (the church being a sort of spectre haunting these essays) hear the message(s) offered? I tried to listen. This what I heard.
In these essays I heard generative and exciting conversations among Mennonites outside the Mennonite church. I do not assume to know how these authors do or do not connect with local congregations but I can observe (as one deeply implicated in the formal expressions of the Mennonite Church) that conversations are happening in these pages that are not readily happening in the church. While Mennonite Church Canada (my denominational context) is attempting to 'create space' for those once excluded from the church due to their sexual attractions and as our entire institutional structure is being reconfigured After Identity reminds us that being Mennonite is not under the church's control and will not yield to our highly nuanced discernment processes and desires for brand control never mind confessional agreement. This is neither good nor bad. Staunchly conservative churches that break off from the larger body without any care for due process remain Mennonite but so too do those whose personal investments remain in the gravitational pull of various Mennonite 'centres' of culture or experience even if those commitments no longer include congregational life or even faith. Why can I say this? Because that is how the term Mennonite and its experience occurs. This is what follows from the rejection of both the pope and infant baptism.
So the voices and conversation in After Identity are important to the church because our notion of being Mennonite (for those of us engaged in church processes) is not in our control and it would be irresponsible and perhaps unfaithful not to listen, not pay attention to those working outside our shifting parameters; not that we always need to agree (we never do). In many ways it is these voices working outside congregational processes that can help us see how we have been impacted and entangled in the world around us. Royden Loewen demonstrates how critical voices in Mennonite literature relate to larger critiques of modernity in the West that tended to happen earlier in other North American cultures. Whereas Mennonite readers tended to view these critical voices in Mennonite literature as attacking Mennonite faith itself Loewen notes that these authors usually "do not even castigate rural Mennonite communities for their agrarian primitivism. Rather, they almost uniformly critique aspects of modernity: that is, small-town, bourgeois, materialistic, and evangelical binaries" (44). Have we stopped to consider that some of these authors were largely critiquing modernity in Mennonite dress? Paul Tiessen's essay demonstrates how larger corporate or economic forces affect our self-identity tracing the promotion and even cover of Rudy Wiebe's Peace Shall Destroy Many framing how many Mennonites were going to interpret the book offering the brazen interpretative lens on the original cover introducing the author as someone who writes "of prejudice and bigotry erupting to destroy the people of a small Canadian community".
Other essays demonstrate that those who suffered abuse within Mennonite communities and congregations could hardly remain within them and so in particular we must listen to those who identify as Mennonite (whether they want to or not) and continue to tell the stories of their experiences after having left the church. We need to listen outside the church because those voices were rejected or even abused inside the church. Several essays acknowledge trauma as a particular motivator for the production of various novels and poems (see Ann Hostetler's essay as one example). Mennonite churches need the voices of those Mennonites (and Mennonites they are) outside the church who are apathetic, antagonistic, or differently invested in matters of being Mennonite otherwise we will simply remain immature, impoverished, and complicit in the shortcomings and abuses within the church. Referring back to my own experience in relation to the Mennonite obligation to choose the emphasis for many who have suffered abuse in the church shifts onto obligation. Obligation to forgive. Obligation to keep quiet. Obligation to stay. Obligation to leave. All these obligations with the supposed contingency of 'free choice', of doing the right thing.
While I maintain that the church would be wise to listen to those Mennonite voices on the fringe or outside formal church life I was also reminded that no one is immune from becoming insulated in ways that produce insensitive if not prejudicial accounts of identity. The issue of race and ethnicity was brought up in numerous essays. In several of these essays race was named in a way that noted the racial homogeneity of Mennonite writing in North America and in turn our fixation on Mennonite identity in relation to European descent. In some respects Di Brandt's essay "In Praise of Hybridity: Reflections from Southwestern Manitoba" was an attempt to address the racial limitations (as well as other limitations) of the Mennonite imagination. I found Brandt's essay both the most evocative and most problematic in the collection. Brandt succeeds in what she sets out to accomplish. She begins with her subtitle suggesting the focus and particularism of acknowledging her local place in the world. And then in the first line asks simply, "Who are we?" From that question and from her small patch of soil Brandt's thoughts begin spiral out asking questions of our connection to history, land, blood, citizenship, and intellectual genealogies. Each of these connections open further asking who gets privileged and which connections get followed. She notes how one element of Mennonite identity has precisely been the policing of identity. In light of this practice she asks, "What if we went the other way? What if, instead of spending so much (often vicious) energy policing our borders and controlling each other's creative expressions, we accepted the carnivalesque multiculti hybridizing, and especially liberatory, influences of modernization and the postmodern on our imaginary and social practices?" (128). From there Brandt goes on to demonstrate that there is almost no where a Mennonite cannot look to connect to the influences of past and present so long as there is a willingness to follow unfamiliar paths. Brandt cites connections with figures as diverse as Hildegard of Bingen, Karl Marx, and David Foster Wallace.
I am deeply sympathetic to Brandt's approach. To put it in theological terms I value the move away from the enforcement of a 'transcendent' or divine bestowing of identity to an 'immanent' navigation of identity in the midst of lived experience. However, in as much as I was invigorated by her account I was also troubled by it when I returned to her initial question "Who are we". Early on she referenced poetry she is currently writing inspired by Daoism in which she states, "I was delighted to discover how many of the concepts and practices were familiar to me: I'm a Daoist, and I didn't even know it!" (126) Then later as she probes the possible connections of those who may have influenced Mennonite identity she wonders why we do not engage "with anyone, or everyone" (133). I understand the playful and intentional (or potential) irreverence of her approach but in taking her question of identity seriously as well as her response the only answer I could possible give is that we are white. I know of only whiteness that would consider itself able to move with such agility and freedom. Whiteness has been described as an invisible norm that is able to move fluidly over any surface or practice appropriating when interested and denying presence when convenient. Critical Race and Black studies scholar George Lipsitz has called whiteness, "the unmarked category against which difference is constructed, whiteness never has to speak its name, never has to acknowledge its rule as an organizing principle in social and cultural relations" (cited in George Yancey's Look at White! Philosophical Essays on Whiteness). To be very clear I am not suggesting Brandt reflects any sort of conscious racism (her intent is certainly quite the opposite) and there remain ways of reading her essay outside of a racial lens but her approach reflects how easily an attempt to break one mold of identity formation potentially slip into another when race and whiteness is not named (later in his book Yancey will speak about how easily racism can 'ambush' white thinking and expressions catching us off guard). In as much as Mennonites are beginning to understand how our identity has often limited our ability to address issues of racism we must also be mindful of the larger cultural formations of race consciousness and whiteness that continue to shape our identity.
So while we in the church needs to listen to those Mennonites on the fringe we also cannot assume that our fringe voices, our prophets, are sufficient in naming the injustices that all too easily become tangled up in our identities. Brandt's essay offers both a way forward in its active dismantling of often arbitrary or even oppressive boundaries while also reflecting a cautionary example of how deeply embedded we are in the formations of our (white) identities.
After reflecting on my own journey and engaging these authors I am encouraged that the question of identity does not lead necessarily to narcissistic abstraction or fixed boundary marking. After Identity demonstrates a willingness to put traditional notions of Mennonite identity at stake and to uncover or reimagine past values. This is good news. The good news is that Mennonite identity is a vigorous and unsettled expression. The good news is that there are meticulous and energetic individuals engaged in examining and exploring Mennonite identity well beyond the walls and processes of Mennonite churches and denominations. Through testing identity in this way we open the possibility to increase our flexibility, develop a rich texture, and find greater capacity for creative expression. This is good news for Mennonites and for Mennonite churches and we would be wise to listen and give thanks. To be clear this will not keep Mennonites in the church nor attract new members (though these things may happen). Through misstep, ingenious insight, or divine intervention we may lose the wager and find our notion of being Mennonite left with only a trace of discernible identity. But that was never what the wager set out to gain. We forfeited that right with the rejection of the pope and infant baptism. We have pulled up stakes on the settled question of identity and are responsible now to hear and speak the good news wherever we find ourselves responding in ways that keep us all accountable beyond our own agendas, perspectives, and prejudices; beyond our own identities, willing to consider communions and creations after identity.


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The Greatest Honor…
The excitement of travel is rooted to anticipation and excitement of the unknown. We never know what's in store heading to our destination. Recently, while going on a trip, I got the surprise of my life before ever leaving the airport. Walking to my departure gate, there they were, lined in formation — all in wheelchairs.
Honor Flight?
Wearing red polo shirts, with most proudly displaying military ball caps of the various units and outfits, this band of brothers all served during WWII. It was 7th, June, the day after the 75th Anniversary of D-day, the largest seaborne invasion in history, and perhaps the most important invasion as well.
These WWII combat veterans were heading home after visiting the WWII Memorial, followed by festivities in Wash., D.C., where they were honored, acknowledged and pampered, as well they should have!
Called Honor Flights, these humble veterans are escorted to various ceremonies across the country where they are honored and thanked for their service. I look at the flight in a slightly different way, for it is we who have the honor to share an airplane, let alone the very air we breathe, with these WWII soldiers, marines, sailors and airmen who saved our Country.
Uniform Dress Code?
One gentleman in particular catches my eye, as he's in his full dress uniform, complete with medals. I wait my turn to talk with him and tell him I'd be honored to get a picture with him. His assister, Gilbert Martinez, offers to take the picture of us together, but not before the Staff Sgt. tells us to wait.
Gripping the arms of his wheelchair, he pushes himself up on tired 98-year-old legs, gains his balance and say's, "Now you can take it! I don't want to disgrace the uniform!" This is what we call grit.
His name is Staff Sgt. Dennis Ferk. He's earned a Bronze Star and two purple hearts among his chest of medals. He was in the Americal Division of the Army.
During WWII the Americal Division served in the Pacific theatre, fighting in such places as Guadalcanal, alongside a Marine Division, 13, October,1942. The Americal Division was the first U.S. Army unit to conduct an offensive combat operation in late 1942. The Americal Division relieved the Marine Division, my friend wrote about his "pap" being in — https://americanhandgunner.com/exclusives/sifting-through-social-media/
The Americal Division spent over 600 days in combat during this time. Staff Sgt. Dennis Ferk lost sight in his left eye from an explosion. The Army wanted to discharge him, but allowed him to sell war bonds stateside, still contributing anyway he could, until the end of the war.
Water Salute/Airport Applause
The veterans were rightfully seated at the front of the plane, in their place of honor. Taxiing to our terminal, the airport fire department welcomes our plane with a gushing water salute, arcing water over the plane from both sides.
We mere mortal passengers are told to exit first, as getting the needed wheelchairs would take time for the men being honored.
After exiting the plan and entering the airport, I was stunned! Just inside the airport were young soldiers waiting with wheelchairs for these wonderful warriors. As I made my way to baggage claim, the walls were lined with people holding signs of "Thanks," flags, cheering and clapping for the return of their senior soldiers.
Chilling Effect
As I continued to walk, goose bumps and a chill run up my spine. Choked by emotion, while trying to contain myself, my eyes betray me as tears run down my cheeks. This is absolutely unbelievable to be witnessing such an outpouring of appreciation for the men responsible for saving our country during a volatile and vulnerable period.
Proud of the "Greatest Generation" I'm equally proud of those who showed up to display their thanks and appreciation. They were all there, from every age-bracket, from people their own age, middle-aged middling's, young adults, boy scouts and cub scouts — they were there.
I'm as skeptical as they come, but I was relieved and surprised to see such a display for these WWII veterans. Sadly, within the next 10 years they will be gone, the "Greatest Generation", the men and women who saved a nation.
Give Thanks!
If you're fortunate enough to bump into one of these veterans, thank them, for what they've done. It was an honor to do so, and I just wanted to share with you a very special moment in my life, one I got to experience, and will never forget, by being on an Honor Flight.
A true honor — for me — indeed.


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We appreciate the $16 billion in trade aid announced last week by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Although we certainly prefer free and open markets, the situation in the farm community is dire for many and the mitigation payments to our farmers will help those who have been negatively impacted by the retaliatory Chinese tariffs.
Tennessee Farm Bureau and American Farm Bureau continue to advocate for resolving these ongoing trade issues. The Market Facilitation Program (MFP) for 2019 is an appreciated stopgap measure for short-term relief.
In response to the current farm economy situation, Tennessee Farm Bureau sent a letter on the trade issue to President Donald Trump on behalf of farmer members last week, prior to the announcement of the trade assistance. In a show of Farm Bureau unity on the trade front, Zippy Duvall, AFBF President, delivered a large group of letters from state Farm Bureau presidents, including one from Tennessee, to the administration.
View the Trade Letter to President Trump


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Persistent Systems Appoints Jacqueline White Chief Customer Officer
Santa Clara, Calif. and Pune, India
October 5, 2016
Persistent Systems (BSE & NSE: PERSISTENT) today announced that Jacqueline White has joined the company as Chief Customer Officer. In this newly created role, Ms. White is responsible for all aspects of customer satisfaction and success. She will strengthen the company's partner ecosystem to focus on the "how" of digital for customers, and spearhead new offerings and market-facing strategies that position Persistent as their strategic partner for digital transformation.
Ms. White brings over 25 years of experience of consulting services, and enterprise software experience. Most recently she served as SAP's SVP of Global Financial Services Consulting and was a Managing Director at Accenture leading a national team across 17 sub-industries.
Quote from Persistent Systems Founder and CEO, Anand Deshpande
"Jacque brings success from a broad spectrum of organizations and roles that ideally maps to our vision for our future. The Persistent brand is strengthening. The value of our product development and technology DNA completely distinguishes us in this new software driven world. Jacque and her strong experience will lead our customers in their transformation into a software driven business, and strengthen our partner ecosystem to support our growth strategies."
Quote from Jacqueline White, Chief Customer Officer at Persistent Systems
"We are at an inflection point in business and technology that we often only recognize in retrospect. This is an opportunity to lead it, to forge a new way of doing things that is fundamentally changing both technology and business. As the world becomes software driven, it's clear that Persistent combines the vision, products, alliances and services required to be the leader in the how of digital transformation."
About Persistent Systems
Persistent Systems (BSE & NSE: PERSISTENT) builds software that drives the business of our customers; enterprises and software product companies with software at the core of their digital transformation.
Forward-looking and Cautionary Statements: For risks and uncertainties relating to forward-looking statements, please CLICK HERE.
For more information, please contact:
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Be an Eco Hero: At School
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Product description
Show kids how easy it is to be a superhero, saving the planet one action at a time. This inspiring fact book explores topics such as pollution, energy and recycling in the familiar environment of a child's school. Bright spreads ask children to consider questions and then posit solutions. The book also suggests lots of simple green ideas for them to try. They can grow plants on the classroom windowsill, find carbon-neutral ways to travel to school, or make crafts out of recycled cardboard. Young readers will love the cheery illustrations, which combine colour photos with fun cartoons.
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A gift to my bff's 22nd birthday, and to 9 years of friendship. She is super obsessed with Sailor Moon and this doll matched her Sailor Moon Seatbelt-Buckle belt I found at Hot Topic. So Sharline, thanks for letting me share my life with you and you letting me into yours over these years of our ups and downs, love you! ❤
If you want to make your own Sailor Moon, check out the free pattern by Jen Vasseur found here.


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Man,i was looking at a picture of a guitar over at The Rock House Blog and was thinking,man,this guitar looks like a Parker,but without the ugly cutaways,you know,ok....the handles/horns!I said wow,this is a Parker....cool :-).I have always liked the Parker Fly model.It has some great features...light,killer action,nice sound,and then the handles!I just could not go there/buy one.But now you have the Vernon Reid model,a Parker that,well,has an awesome,but in-your-face workhorse look.And some added goodies like a locking bridge system a piezo pick up and the Roland MIDI pick up.And i can already tell you the weight,action/playability and sound is gonna be awesome....it's a Parker!
Friday, May 15, 2009
Finally...A Parker Guitar With Good Looks and...
Posted by G at 9:59 PM 1 comments
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Tips On Playing Better Guitar...99 Ways
Guitar Player posted 99 tips,by some famous players,on playing better guitar.Here are a few of the tips titles...Renew,Sing, Sing, Sing,Dynamics,Room Miking,Relax,Get Sensitive,Get High,Expand,Move On,Dig Deeper....Get the details and more over at Guitar Player.
Guitar Players Giveaway... http://www.guitarplayer.com/giveaways
Posted by G at 11:08 AM 2 comments
Labels: Guitar Answers, Guitar player, Ninety Nine Tips On Playing Better Guitar
Amazon Puts Out Their 100 Greatest Jazz Albums Ever List
In addition to the jazz albums there is also a 100 Greatest Indie Rock Albums of All Time...
Posted by G at 10:07 AM 0 comments
Labels: 100 Greatest Indie, Amazon.com, One Hundred Greatest Jazz, One hundred Greatest List
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Quick Music Fact...There Are Many Guitar Neck Shapes
There are many shapes when it comes to guitar necks.And this affects the feel,it's a personal preference when choosing the shape.Be aware of this when out choosing a guitar.The C and D shapes are popular.Some players like the V shape,to me the V shape creates hand fatigue.I prefer a C or D shape.
Posted by G at 11:44 AM 0 comments
Labels: Neck Shapes, Quick Music Fact...There Are Many Guitar Neck Shapes
Quick Music Fact...Neck Scale Length Affects String Tension and Feel
Did you know the same gauge string can feel floppier or stiffer on another guitar with a different scale length!.009's will feel stiffer on a longer scale neck just as .010's will feel floppier or looser on a shorter scale guitar neck.
Gibson generally use a 24.75 scale length. Fender normally use a 25.5 scale length. Martin, PRS and several others use a middle scale length of 25. Fender Jaguars and Mustangs, and Gibson Byrdlands, have shorter-than-average scale lengths. A short scale length means that the strings are under less tension at a certain tuning, giving them a looser feel.You can put heavier gauge strings on a short-scale guitar to get a similar feel to a long-scale guitar (ie 10s or 11s instead of 9s). Longer scale lengths produce tighter string tension.
Posted by G at 10:56 AM 2 comments
Labels: Quick music Fact...Neck Scale Length Affects String Tension and Feel
For The Curious...Greg Waters/G
Posted by G at 6:39 AM 0 comments
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Beautiful Hand Carved Portrait Guitars
Check these hand carved portrait guitars.I really like the dolphin carving.Go over and check out Jimmy's beautiful hand carved portrait guitars at MySpace.He does some beautiful work on Tele guitars....Fender :-) ...
Posted by G at 6:26 PM 0 comments
Labels: Hand Carved Potrait Guitars, SpankThePlank
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Soloing Over A 1-4-5 Blues Progression
This is a basic start up to playing a solo over a typical 1-4-5 blues progression.A lot of rockers just rip through the 3 chords using the same scale!This not not blues playing.If you listen to a good blues guitarist,you will be able to hear his licks change with each chord.He is playing a lick that is fitting to the chord being played!He is not just ripping away haphazardly!There is some thought and intelligence going on within his solo.This style of playing is close to jazz,just on a more related and basic way.The jazzers use the same concept,but take it to a more advanced and intricate level.We are talking chord/scale relationships here.This is just to get you started,and that can really be the hardest part.Not having a clue of where or how to start makes the initial move ever so complex,but it's not.
Let's take a 1-4-5 progression in the key of A,a popular guitar key.And remember this can be transposed to any key!Once you get a grip on this start to apply the same idea to other keys,and ones you are familiar with,will make it easier,like E or G or D.
OK,a 1-4-5 in the key of A is ...
//A /D /E // or A7 to D7 then to E7.And along with that you could color the chords D and E by playing them as D7add9 and E7add9.The ol' James Brown chords :-).So you have Adom,7 to D9 to E9 .To make the scale to play on the 1 chord/A7,let's play an A minor pentatonic,and you can play A minor pentatonic Blues scale by adding the D# or Eb note to the A minor Pentatonic scale.
Now,what to play on the D9 chord.Let's play an A Dorian mode or,same thing a D Mixolydian.This fits nicely with the notes in the chord.
And lastly the E9 chord.Let's keep this bluesy sounding :-).So let's play an E minor Pentatonic or an E minor Pentatonic Blues scale.
Take each chord and it's scale and play slowly starting off.
So the formula is...
A7 Chord > A minor Pentatonic or A minor Pentatonic Blues scale.
D9 Chord > A Dorian mode or D Mixolydian mode.
E9 Chord > E minor Pentatonic or E Minor Pentatonic Blues scale.
Remember...go slow and practice just one change at a time then 2 changes,then,all 3 chord changes.You will begin to hear the solo beginning to change with each chord change.This is so much cooler than just ripping all the time,with the same scale!
Posted by G at 6:30 PM 2 comments
Labels: Blues Soloing, Soloing Over A 1-4-5 Blues Progression
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Remembering Shawn Lane...1963 to 2003
This guy shattered the frets,and he is an unknown to me till now.Shawn Lane passed in !963 but hopefully this guys playing will live on.His playing is tasteful but can be in your face and blistering too!His birthday would be this month,May.
Check him out...
Posted by G at 12:34 PM 0 comments
Labels: Shawn Lane


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Steamer ovens allow you to cook large quantities of a wide range of foods quickly and easily. They are ideal for mass catering in schools, hospitals, large restaurants and more. The steamer uses a unique cooking process, meaning flavour, texture and vital nutrients are all retained within the food. In addition, multiple products can be cooked simultaneously as there's less risk of flavour transfer using a steam oven.