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Every month, comic book fans are bombarded with lots of purchasing choices and unfortunately, most of the choices are made from only two company's products- Marvel and DC. It's always been hard for smaller companies to gain a presence in the comic market and even with the upward trend in comic sales today, people still tend to trust the comic names they know- hence the relaunch of so many familiar comic names. But there's one Brazilian comic book studio that's created the number two selling comic in Brazil, second only to X-Men and it features superheroes doing something you might not expect: trying to save the environment.
No, this is not "Captain Planet'03." This isn't going to be one of those articles.
But this is an article about an ambitious studio from Brazil trying to bring their hit comic book to the United States and as they say, show that superheroes can make a difference. NW Studios' Vinicius Tavares, Vice-President of New Business, and Orlando Paes Filho, Creator, Writer and Art Director of "Spirit of The Amazon" were gracious enough to talk to CBR News, despite language barriers and special thanks go to Tavares for added translation.
"'Spirit of the Amazon' is a criticism of today's capitalism in an intelligent and dynamic comic book about six under-cover extraterrestrial beings who face a long and terrifying battle to protect the earth from its tyrant leaders," Tavares explained to CBR News. "Most of all 'Spirit of the Amazon' is aimed to inform, increase awareness, entertain and inspire people. We like to say 'Spirit of the Amazon' is the materialization of a dream, a way Orlando Paes found to provoke people to reflect on important issues in today's world - not only environmental abuses, but also political and ideological matters.
"The comic book series was originally released in Brazil in 1998 and in its debut issue became the second best-selling title in the country, selling over 18,000 comics that month. The American version will be in stores in May 14th."
"The following is a synopsis of 'Spirit of the Amazon':
Forget GreenCrap, Peaceful-and-No-Action Petitions and Nonsense Rhetoric Speeches! The only way to face environmental damages caused by corrupt CEOs and their reckless corporations is to counter-attack using their own rules: schemes, financial scams and the use of force!
NW Studios invites you to follow the story of a group of extra-terrestrial warriors who have embarked on a secret mission NOT to rescue damsels in distress but to battle against the dark side of today's rotten capitalism!
Because instead of your "little brother's" comic book you deserve a clever, complex and mature reality-based plot that will blow your mind…
"As far as the characters … below you have our warriors and their essence. Each of these character's mottoes provide the best representation of their personalities:"
Tavares knows that in today's comic book market, pretty pictures aren't going to win over fans- it's the content of the comic that needs to be unique. According to NW Studios, "Spirit of The Amazon" is the different kind of superhero comic fans are looking for in North America. "First of all, as you can see, our warriors are obviously very unique and different from any other characters in the world of comics. Also, 'Spirit of the Amazon's' artwork portrays a retro-style-art that, according to the press and reviewers in general evokes the freshness of an early 90's Image type of visual. That is something very particular to 'Spirit of the Amazon,' which we believe will ultimately draw even more people to the series. But more importantly we see the combination of an action-packed story + the ideological/political message of our plot as something that will really appeal to fans. Furthermore, having all this under an Amazon rainforest setting makes 'Spirit of the Amazon' truly different from any mainstream top selling title. So, bottom line, 'Spirit of the Amazon' is everything but a ordinary comic book - it's a title that brings widely-acclaimed top notch artwork - up to the standards of the best in the industry - and a track record of being #2 in Brazil, only behind 'X Men' in sales. What else do fans need to at least give it a try???"
"Spirit of the Amazon" was developed at a young age by Orlando Paes Filho and with some very personal reasons, which Tavares is glad to share with CBR News. "Something that I think it is relevant to be said is that 'Spirit of the Amazon' is not a 'spontaneous' project where an artist develops an environmental comic book to take advantage of the current pro-green sentiment in the world. Orlando Paes Filho envisioned 'Spirit of the Amazon' in 1978 when he was 16 years old (he has the copyright for it dated 1978 as proof of his enduring vision for the story). Terrified by the violent actions towards nature he witnessed in the headlines in Brazil and worldwide, he wrote a fiction called 'Blue Planet' (Planeta Azul), which later inspired the series of comics now named 'Spirit of the Amazon.'
"To give you a straightforward answer I would tell you that Orlando was inspired by his desire to impact the world and make people thoughtful of the world around them. He is a passionate artist, a dreamer that just wants to express his beliefs and concerns to his readers, and ultimately help to build a better world. Since he was 15 years he hasn't done anything but feed his passion. Why the superhero adventure or why a comic format? Because as a true, hardcore comic fan his influences inspired him to fight back with his own group of warriors."
The series has a huge focus on the personal responsibility each person has to protect the environment and make the world a better place, but Tavares is quick to point out that "Spirit" is not a series that vilifies mankind, but instead explores the potential in each of us to do good. "The point is not to identify humans as cruel villains, but to point out indeed that we are complacent with the situation. We are not expecting people to join the EarthFirst movement, nor do we want people to become die-hard environmentalists. We just want them to reflect a bit more on important stuff around us and to become more aware of what is going on. That is why those themes are so important and that is why Orlando articulates them so well throughout the series.
"One of our major concerns is to emphasize that 1) This is not a shallow and opportunistic project that uses environmental appeal to promote itself and 2) This is not a 'preachy' book that features a 'let's all pray for the forest' kind of story. In the same way we do not want 'Spirit of the Amazon' to be seen as 'boring political crap' about how greedy and reckless human beings are, but instead to make readers, as I said, reflect a bit on important stuff, provoke their minds, and instigate their thoughts about the world…"
That all being said, the first issue of the American "Spirit of the Amazon" does show the solution to the problem as being violence, a notion that is quite controversial on it's own and moreso given the current political climate. "First of all I want to say that one of the ideas behind 'Spirit of the Amazon' was exactly to question until what point society, represented by thousands of environmental organizations will continue to ignore such important issues," says Tavares. Obviously peaceful and no-action petitions or speeches are not working. Otherwise, we wouldn't have a vast array of topics such as the Enrons of the world, the uncountable sweatshops throughout the globe from Asia to Latin America, the increasing level of pollution in major first-world cities or the heightened number of endangered species surging as breaking news on a more and more frequent basis. The point is not to use violence as the counter force to address these issues but to put the question mark in our heads - is an aggressive group of warriors the only way to end this destruction?
"Second, I should point out that violence is far from being the only instrument used to fight the evil forces presented in the book. Our warriors also achieve their means by political maneuvering, managing to throw corrupt capitalists against each other.
"Finally, I do have to say 'Spirit of the Amazon' is a comic book, not religious dogma. We are not telling people to start beating corrupt CEOs on the streets, the same way Eminem is not saying people should drive their cars off a cliff because someone doesn't respond to their letters. However, we do aim to create controversy, to plant a seed in people's minds."
Those who are considering purchasing "Spirit" are surely wondering what kind of commitment they're making by investing in this series and Tavares explains that as far as NW Studios is concerned, "Spirit of the Amazon" is here to stay. "'Spirit of the Amazon' is meant to be a permanent ongoing series. Orlando has the whole story already developed in writing (as I said he has the Planeta Azul book with more than 500 pages that ultimately guides him while creating stories for the comic book format). However he is always accommodating little changes, especially in the way of setting up the story, presenting the characters and the issues of the plot."
Looking at the advertisements for this comic book, one is struck by how diverse the cast of the comic is and it has some cynical fans asking if this is a planned marketing move. "I had to turn this question over to Orlando because, to tell you the truth I have no idea how he came up with these characters. Orlando told me it was absolutely by chance, not something intentional. After thinking for a while he responded: 'a racially diverse cast is just the reflection of being raised in Brazil, where like in the U.S. there was an incredible mixing of peoples through the 1800's and 1900's. There is just my natural way of looking at things…'
"I don't think this will help more or less 'Spirit if the Amazon' to appeal to more people. I think what it comes down to is the story, the artwork, and our readers' response to them."
When fans check out the first issue of "Spirit of the Amazon," not only will the diverse cast greet them, but so will the lack of traditional super villains and super technology. This is a comic book set in the modern day and while some liberties are of course taken to create the "super" context, for the most part, the villains of this series are morally corrupt people. "Crooked CEOs, bad- intentioned government officers, corrupt politicians and the like are the bad guys of our plot. But don't think this is all 'Spirit of the Amazon' has to offer…since Orlando changed the story from its original Brazilian version in order to make it even more appealing to the American audience, nobody but Orlando knows what exactly lies in this series' future…When I discussed this with Orlando, he added (in Portuguese, of course), 'Hey, I think even the greatest super villain in comic book history with their super-beyond-human powers would be shocked to realize the kind of power major international drug dealers, corrupt generals and super-billionaires have…after all in the real world it is not about being the strongest but the richest and the most influential…'"
No comic book series is complete without an artist and as noted, "Spirit" features a very early-Image look, courtesy of Brazilian Rodrigo Pereira and Tavares can't stop gushing about him. "We are indeed receiving several compliments on our artwork. Rodrigo Pereira, like most Brazilian comic pencilers, has a huge influence from American comics. He grew up reading the classic American stories…
"Pereira is a long-time friend of Orlando. Due to the fact the comic industry in Brazil is much smaller than in the U.S. and that comics in Brazil is a niche market, I am comfortable saying that everyone knows each other in the industry. The friendship between Orlando Paes and Rodrigo Pereira reached such a level that they know and spend time with each other's families. Orlando presented the project to Pereira in the mid 90's and after seeing it he accepted the invitation of penciling the book. Their first issue, as I said, came out in 1998 and was the second best selling comic in the country
"As far as Pereira being snatched by a big name U.S. publisher we really have no fear. We wish him the best, we love his work and it would be unfair to try to not provide him freedom to use his talent. He deserves all the opportunities that may come to him. NW Studios would be glad to know it was an essential piece in promoting his talent. I personally wish him the best of all."
Besides being flashy, the visuals in "Spirit of the Amazon" are also quite bloody and while Tavares wouldn't want readers to think this is a horror comic, he does say that this won't be a "kiddie" comic. "I wouldn't say there is a line that 'Spirit of the Amazon' won't cross. We are not interested in hiding or 'prettying up' the truth. Orlando will keep using strong visuals, mature language and a strong plot as much as necessary to convey the final output he has in his mind. Orlando also had something to add with respect to this question: 'We are going all the way…you will be impressed by what we will be talking about and as a consequence of that what we will be drawing as well…'"
Since "Spirit of The Amazon" must be translated from Portuguese to English, one might imagine it'd be an arduous task, but Tavares says that he's assembled a crew that's more than up to the ask and the process is going smoothly for the most part. "Translating the story itself was not a problem at all. We have a group of translators, all American, where one speaks fluent Portuguese. The only problem I would mention is that sometimes Orlando plays with the words, using metaphors or puns, or even 'poetic language,' which makes the translation much, much harder. One other thing I would say in particular is that some obvious terms and facts for the Brazilian audience turn out to be not clear at all for the American readers. What I am trying to say is that some cultural knowledge is so basic for the Brazilian audience, we find ourselves overlooking it and forgetting we need to have a caption for it in order for the American fans to understand it. One example? When Brazil's president met Bush we did not have any introduction at all for these guys in the Brazilian issue. Everybody knows who they are. In the U.S. no one would have a clue who Bush was talking to based on looks alone."
As previously mentioned, "Spirit of the Amazon" is the #2 seller in Brazil next to "X-Men" and while Tavares can't put his finger on the exact reason for the series' success, he has a few ideas. "In Brazil it is undeniable that part of Amazon's success was due to the fact it is a Brazilian comic and a lot of it was based in the Amazon forest. However, we are sure that that was not the primary reason it sold so well. The concept and plot behind 'Spirit of the Amazon' is universal. We know it appeals to a broad range of people mainly because the issues addressed in the book are intrinsic to all human beings (and possible to some extra terrestrial beings as well). We address issues that have no country or social class barriers. We are all being affected by what we are telling in the story and believe it or not reality is not quite different from what Orlando is writing.
"We brought 'Spirit of the Amazon' to the USA because we believe the US is the most influential comic market in the world. Concepts and trends are created here and we want to participate in this market! Our objective is to contribute to the variety and depth of the comic market. We are very optimistic about it and I know that we have an outstanding book. Our art is up to the standards of the best in the industry and I believe the twist of having the Amazon theme along with a mature political/ideological plot is something that will appeal to readers. The problem is that although it is relatively easy to develop new ideas and publish in the US comic market, you don't know what kind of reaction you are going to have. Small press has had a hard time trying to break through. Everybody knows that if you are not Marvel, DC or Image you will probably have a tough time promoting and selling your books, although a lot of the non Marvel-DC-Image publishers do a great job."
Even with all Tavares has said, the fact remains that as a small press publisher, fans have certain pre-conceived notions about what to expect and that includes an inability to keep deadlines and in this case, that all the issues won't be translated. The NW Studios VP is quick to address to concerns and explains, "I want to start answering this question by saying we are extremely committed to the US market. I did not have a chance to address the very important matter that we have changed the original book launched in Brazil specifically to publish it in the U.S. You don't know how tempted we were to just translate and print the book we have, ready to go as it was released in Brazil. However, we decided to suck up the extras costs just to have the certainty that we would be doing our best. Can I show you more of a commitment than this?
"I can tell you that we reevaluated our plan a couple of times. We committed a large amount of money to marketing and promotional activities. We rewrote the story. We enhanced the quality of the book. We presented it to licensing agencies. We are planning exhibiting at comic conventions including Comic Con International with our own booth. Again, I hope fans realize that we wouldn't be doing all this if we were not seriously committed to them. We literally went all the way and now I tell you there is no way back. I don't care what the orders will be from Diamond because we invested so much time, energy and money that we are releasing the book anyway, even if it is bellow our expectations. But I don't want to lie to you and say that we will stick around forever no matter what. We made up our mind. We are focused. We invested heavily. We are committed. And the good news is we have a much lower costs than many of the others guys so we can stick around longer should adversities come our way."
Before heading back to NW Studios to continue working on other projects, which include the talents of already popular artists in America like Roger Cruz, Tavares adds a few more reasons why readers should try "Spirit of the Amazon" in May:
"1) Everybody we've showed our art to agrees that it has stunning visuals and top notch art!
2) Intelligent plot and action packed story spiked together! It is something new and definitely different from the mainstream themes in general. We will blow your mind with the issues we are addressing!
3) It was a hugely successful release in Brazil! It outsold every single comic book but 'X Men'!
"But let me explain in details what fans can expect from 'Spirit of the Amazon.' To start off we are offering a 28 page highly acclaimed superb artwork printed on coated glossy paper.
"Story wise the book is very politically oriented. As I said, it criticizes the downside of capitalism, corrupt corporations and alike. So people who enjoy the lyrics and the attitude of rock bands like Rage Against the Machine or U2 will probably enjoy our message. People who sincerely care about environmental aggression will find something for them in the comics as well. However, we don't want 'Spirit of the Amazon' to be seen as a 'preachy' book or as a 'go hug a tree' anthem. Instead, we aim to entertain fans with stunning drawings (these Brazilian guys are awesome!) and a plot that mixes fiction with reality. And for that reason I believe 'Spirit of the Amazon' will appeal to people who enjoy reading a comic book with stunning illustrations or books that play with your mind, mixing reality and fiction in the same plot! In short, you can either open up the book and let your mind wander free without bothering too much with the political messages (and of course drool when looking at Alanya's or Shaula's curves), face it as an adventurous fiction about extraterrestrial warriors coming to Earth, or really get into some of today's most important issues!. Or any combination of the three. . .
"Finally, I want tell all comic fans and the comic community that we from NW Studios are very excited and honored to be part of the influential U.S. market. All we want from you guys is to check out our work. We really have made the best comic we could and I know you will like what you will see."


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RAY FLORET: Dahlias are complex flowers. This means that in reality they are made up of bunches of tiny flowers. Each dahlia "petal" is actually a tiny flower. So instead of petals, which scientifically speaking are modified leaves, we say ray florets.
INVOLUTE/REVOLUTE: In dahlia form definition the words involute and revolute often pop up. Involute ray florets are ray florets that fold inwards, revolute ray florets are ones that fold backwards.
TUBER/EYE: Dahlias are tuberous plants much like potatos. Tubers are thickened roots that have stored nutrients in them. Each dahlia root produces multiple tubers over the growing season. These can be just a few or upwards of 20. Each tuber will produce a new plant next year provided that is has an eye. Eyes are growth points from which new dahlia plants emerge. They are usually by the stem or crown of the dahlia root, and quite often the tuber will form what looks like a head part around the eye. That is why when dividing dahlias we save a piece of the old stem/crown with each tuber.
DOUBLE/DISC CENTER: A disc-centered or open-centered dahlia is one that looks like a daisy with one or a few rows of rey florets and an exposed center. Any other kind of dahlia is a double (with a full floral head and a closed center, except for when the bloom is very old and starts falling apart, or "blows" its center as dahlia folk say).
The American Dahlia Society has developed a system to classify dahlias on the basis of size, form, and color. It makes it easier to group similar dahlias together.
SIZE: Not all dahlias are sized but the majority of doubles are. The first letters in dahlia classification are the ones for size. There are 5 size categories for double dahlias:
AA (GIANT) Flowers 10-12 inches wide
A (LARGE) Flowers 8-10 inches
B (MEDIUM) Flowers 6-8 inches
BB (SMALL) Flowers 4-6 inches
M (MINIATURE) Flowers under 4 inches
FORM: Form is the second set of letters used after size in dahlia classification. The shape of the ray florets determines the form of the dahlia. There are 6 forms that the above size categories apply to and between the two that will cover the majority of dahlias.
FD (FORMAL DECORATIVE) - These have an orderly appearance. Ray florets are generally flat and broad at the base with round or slightly pointed tips, and recurve towards the stem in a regular arrangement. Ideal depth of bloom is 3/4 of width.
ID (INFORMAL DECORATIVE) - These often look wavy and irregular. Ray florets are twisted, curled, or wavy in an irregular arrangement. Ideal depth of bloom is 3/4 of the width.
SC (SEMI-CACTUS) - These look sort of formal but are also kind of spiky. Ray florets are broad at the base and revolute (fold backwards) for about half their length. They reflex towards the stem in a regular arrangement. Ideal depth of bloom 3/4 of the width.
C (STRAIGHT CACTUS) - These are very spiky. Ray florets are narrow at the base, straight, and they radiate uniformly in from the center. They will be revolute (fold backwards) for the majority of their length. Ideal depth is 3/4 of the width.
IC (INCURVED CACTUS) - These are spiky but curve and/or twirl inwards. Ray florets are narrow at the base, and they curve and sometimes twist towards the center of the bloom. Because of that they lack the depth of the previous forms. Ideal depth of bloom is 1/2 of the width.
LC (LACINIATED) - These are very frilly looking. Ray florets are split at the tip and they twist and twirl in all directions (dahlias with splits that do not twirl are not classified as laciniated). Ideal depth of bloom is 3/4 of the width.
So a BB SC is a small semi-cactus dahlia (so right around 5" and kind of formal but spiky too), a A ID is a large informal decorative dahlia (so right around 9" and wavy looking).
(BA/MB/P) BALLs - These are very tight and ball shaped. Ray florets are involute (so they fold inwards) and blunt without a point. They reflex towards the stem and fill the entire flower. These are further classified as Balls (over 3.5"), Miniature Balls (2-3.5"), or Pompons (up to 2") depending on the size.
(ST) STELLAR - These have a comet-like look. Ray florets are narrow and involute (folding inwards) and recurve towards the stem. Ideal depth of bloom is 2/3 the width.
(WL) WATERLILY - These look like waterlilies. The side view of the bloom is saucer like. The center is dome shaped and gradually breaks away into four to seven rows of florets. Ray florets are broad and slightly cupped with a round tip. Idea depth of the bloom is not more than 1/2 the width.
(NX) NOVELTY DOUBLE - This is basically for anything that doesn't fall into the above forms and/or looks like a blend of one or more of the above forms.
OTHER FORMS (DISC-CENTERED): These all look like fancy daisies.
(PE) PEONY - These look like fuller daisies. Between 2 and 5 rows of ray florets surrounding a disc.
(AN) ANEMONE - A dome of tubular disc florets surrounded by one or two rows of ray florets.
(CO) COLLARETTE - These look like daisies with a colar! One row of ideally 8 ray florets arranged in a flat plane followed by petaloids (frills) at about one half the length of the ray florets surrounding the disc.
(O) ORCHID - These look NOTHING like orchids, they instead look like star shaped daisies. One row of ideally 8 ray florets arranged in a flat plane. Ray florets should be involute for about 2/3 their length. Size irrelevant.
(OT) ORCHETTE - Newest class recognized by the ADS that combines the characteristics of an orchid (star shaped blooms) with the collar of the collarette types.
(S/MS) SINGLE/MIGNON SINGLE - The closest to a daisy a dahlia gets. One row of ideally 8 ray florets in a flat plane. SINGLE over 2 inches, MINGNON SINGLE under 2 inches.
(NO) NOVELTY OPEN - Any disc-centered dahlia that does not fall into the above disc-centered forms. Size irrelevant.
The ADS recognizes 15 different colors for dahlias:
White (W), Yellow (Y), Orange (OR), Pink (PK), Dark Pink (DP), Red (RD), Dark Red (DR), Lavender (L), Purple/Black (PR/BK), Light Blend (LB), Bronze (BR), Flame Blend (FL), Dark Blend (DB), Variegated (V), Bicolor (BI)
Now to make it more complicated, the ADS has a new 4-digit system, in which each dahlia has a 4-digit number that sumsup all of that stuff above. 1st digit is for size (if the form takes size, if not it's assigned), 2nd for form, and third and fourth for color. I won't cover this here as it's really only necessary for exhibitors at the shows, and 4-digit numbers can be looked up in the latest version of the annual ADS Handbook (comes free with ADS memberships or you can order from ADS website).
It generally takes four years for growers to roll out a new introduction. They do that because the first year is just a test to see if the seed will produce anything worth investing in and if it makes tubers so they're only grown to one bloom. The following years they test if the dahlia is genetically stable, that is if it keeps its form and color relatively the same over a couple of generations. They'll finally send the dahlia to the trial gardens that the ADS has set up throughout the country and take it to the shows in the hopes that it will get good scores and will be worth selling to the public.
Not all new intros are good intros. In fact, a lot of them will probably not be around for long. This on top of the price tag makes purchasing new dahlias a gamble. The ADS garden trials and show bench evaltuations are a way to sort through the new intros and see what's actually worth buying or keeping an eye on. The ADS awards medals to the highest scoring new intros.
HART MEDAL: Is for highest scoring new intro in garden trials. One Hart medal is awarded for each: AA-A, B, BB, M, BA/MB/P, WL, and ST&NX.
DUDLEY MEDAL: Is for the highest scoring new intro in bench evaluation. One Dudley is awarded for each (same as above)
EVIE GULLIKSON MEDAL: Is awarden for disc-centered dahlias (all forms). One is awarded at garden trials and one is awarded at bench evaluation.
This means a new intro can win up to two medals. Regardless of awards it is usually best to wait a season or two before ordering new intros- they would have proven their "worth" at the shows and will be cheaper to purchase (first year intros, especially medal winners can be $25 a tuber)
One more medal is awarded annually by the ADS
JOHNSON MEDAL: Goes to the dahlia variety that has won the most combined higher awards in a given show season. This award can only be won once. The ones that get this medal are definitely worth buying as they have proven their worth as an exceptional addition to the dahlia world. The Johnson usually goes to varieties that have won over 200 blue or higher awards at the shows. That's a lot! So definitely worth picking up something that is so overwhelmingly accepted by dahlia lovers everywhere.
Here is a list of the past ten years of Johnson medal winners from the ADS records (I'll use the abbreviations explained above for size, form, and color):
2015 - AC Abby (B C FL)
2014 - Parkland Rave (BB IC L)
2013 - Verrone's Morning Star (OT W)
2012 - Lakeview Glow (BB IC YL)
2011 - Elvira (PE DP)
2010 - Midnight Star (O DR)
2009 - Camano Sitka (B IC LB)
2008 - Pam Howden (WL LB)
2007 - Mary's Jomanda (BA DP)
2006 - Camano Pet (ST LB)
2005 - Valley Porcupine (NX LB)
2004 - Embrace (BB SC BZ)
2003 - Kenora Jubilee (A SC W)
Swan Island Dahlia (All around)
Open Aug
Biggest grower in the US. Good all around. User friendly website. Show varieties are a bit dated and new intros are very expensive but otherwise a good place to start your dahlia shopping. Catalog opens up the earliest of all suppliers. Visa/MC/Paypal accepted.
K Connell Dahlias (All around)
Open Oct
Supplier of buffer stock for our spring sale. Excellent quality at low pricing and reasonable shipping/handling. Check out the bulk buys if purchasing for landscaping purposes. Accepts check or PayPal only.
Accent Dahlias (All around)
Open Dec
Wide selection and highest quality stock. Solid new introductions that do well at the shows and look good in the garden. Website a bit dated. Mail order or CC by phone. No online payment option.
Clearview Dahlias (Collector/Exhibition)
Open Dec
Smaller grower. Sells almost exclusively Snohomish county intros (which are great), with very few other varieties (but all proven winners). Good stock and customer service. Great for show. Mail or Paypal (including CC).
Lobaugh's Dahlias (Disc centered dahlias)
Open Nov
Mostly known for disc centered dahlias. They've won many awards for those. They also have some other dahlias although not a very extensive selection but all really resonably priced. Mail or Paypal (including CC).
Halls of Heddon (UK)
Ships to US in Nov only
Great and only source of UK introductions. Will ship only pot roots to the US. Cost for shipping will be £19.95 for up to 6 pot roots, and £27.95 for 7-15 (it isn't recommended to get more than 12 as then you will need an import permit and that adds to the cost, or alternatively you will need to split in two shipments to avoid it and that will add to the cost as well) plus a handling fee of £8.95. Credit card accepted.
Informational resources
Dahlia Addict allows you to search the availability/pricelists of dozens of dahlia suppliers throughout the US and Canada for dahlia varieties by name. It's a great tool to help you source your favorite varieties and comparison shop.

subset: commoncrawl


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This blog is a collaborative collection of the stuff we all make at home, and want to share. We share sewing, baking, craft stuff, home decorator projects, sculpting, painting, gardening, photography, scrapbooking, music, and anything else we want to throw down for viewing or listening (whether we consider it a success or not).
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Blizzard Socks
Anyway, I digress. I am finally back today to show you all what I've been up to.... You see, I caught this disease..."Knobsession", "Knitsession", er....I'm obsessed with knitting, ok? I can trace it back to the day last July that my photographer friend Kara (ps, check her out because she rocks) asked me if I could knit her a sock monkey with a matching hat to use ith babies in her photo sessions. I had never heard of such a thing and honestly, the idea of it didn't say "cute" to me. It said, "creepy baby picture that these babies will grow up to roll their eyes at and make fun of". But because Kara takes great pictures, I figured that she probably knew something I didn't, so I told her I'd give it a try.
I figured it would be easy enough to find a knitting pattern for a sock monkey hat on Ravelry.com (it's like facebook for knitters & crocheters). Kara had said that she had seen these hats "all over the internet", so there had to be patterns available, right? Well, that could be correct if I knew how to crochet, which I don't. I felt super-lucky when I finally found a site that listed a "Knitted Sock Monkey Hat" pattern. So happy, in fact, that I downloaded it immediately without allowing myself to believe that the site looked a little shady. What I actually ended up downloading was the virus that put the final nail in the coffin for our 6-year-old pc. What kind of monster attaches a computer virus to a KNITTING PATTERN, I say?!
Anyway, after that whole fiasco, and now in need of a new computer, I decided to write my own freaking pattern. Not that I had ever done that before, but I'm not one to shy away from a challenge. I found a sock monkey toy pattern here and made that sucker first while deciding how I was going to pull a matching hat out of thin air. In the end, I just figured out how to knit a basic earflap hat (which turned out to be not-so-hard, except for the part where I had to find children of friends in various sizes to fine-tune the sizing of the thing). Then I modified the face features from the sock monkey toy pattern so they would work with the size of face I was trying to create on the hat. Voila! Knitted Sock Monkey Earflap Hat Pattern was born and put up for sale at the end of July, and it's still the only one I can find on the internet (well, except for a few ugly "stocking cap" styles, but I'm not afraid of that competition!)
Since then, I think I've sold about 70 or 80 monkey hats to friends and in my etsy shop, and written 4 more patterns. Total sales at my etsy shop just topped 300 this week, and in honor of that (and being trapped in the house for 3 days because of the blizzard) I decided to write a pattern to offer up for free!
I've been wanting to do hand-knit socks, but my first few attempts were disappointing. Nothing more annoying than socks that don't stay up, or are baggy around the gussets (those are the little triangular sections on the left and right sides of your heel...the patterns I've encountered so far have not had nice, tight gussets!) So I decided I was going to write a pattern for The Best Fitting Socks Ever. And, here they are (drumroll, please......)
Nice, right? Look at those tops staying where they're supposed to be! Check out my nice, tight gussets! (Is it hot in here or is it just my socks?)
Anyway, I'm offering this pattern for FREE for the entire month of February, so if you want a copy, all you have to do is go to my etsy shop, click on the left sidebar where it says "Contact" and send me a message (including your e-mail address, so I know where to send the pattern!) saying that you saw the free sock pattern on the Sprint Street Blog. I'll be sending patterns out at least once a day, so you should get yours within 24 hours of contacting me!
5 comments:
- Gina said...
Those are some tight gussets, lady!! I don't knit... How much to pay you to do a pair of socks for me? :)
- February 9, 2011 at 7:41 AM
Glad you like 'em! Honestly, I don't sell socks because I couldn't sell them for a price that anyone on earth would pay. They take at least twice as long to knit as one of those monkey hats...there's a lot of teeny tiny stitches on each of those suckers!
But, I can send the pattern to your mom if you can convince her to take up sock knitting!
- February 9, 2011 at 11:19 AM
PS - I like the re-design!
- February 9, 2011 at 11:20 AM
- Gina said...
You are right... I can't imagine how long it takes to make a pair of those. Lovely, though.
And thanks! It was looking kind of sad, and there was no good way to find any of our posts. The search bar takes awhile to start working... Now I just have to get Chris to fix the broken links to photos in some of my posts tonight. :)
- February 9, 2011 at 11:28 AM
- JuleeQue said...
These look so great. I love ribbey socks! Can't wait to try these out...
- February 14, 2011 at 9:48 AM


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We are happy to announce that the FIFA Interactive World Cup 2013 kicks off next week! On 1 October the long road to the FIWC13 Grand Final begins for all our competitors.
EA SPORTS ™ FIFA 13 will be released just a few days before Season 1 of online qualification for FIWC13, making the opening season all that more exciting as gamers discover and implement all the exciting new additions and features to the game.
Six online seasons, 12 places up for grabs!
Starting 1 October, you will have the chance to participate in each of the six online seasons as you try and secure a qualification seat for the FIWC13 Grand Final. Each online season will run from the first to the last day of the respective month. The top two overall players from each online season will join defending FIWC champion Alfonso Ramos at the FIWC13 Grand Final.
| Qualification Season
| Available Grand Final seats
| Online Season 1
1-31 October 2012
| Online Season 2
1-30 November 2012
| Online Season 3
1-31 December 2012
| Online Season 4
1-31 January 2013
| Online Season 5
1-28 February 2013
| Online Season 6
: 1-31 March 2013
Grand Final host
The FIWC13 Grand Final destination - which for the first time ever was decided by the FIWC community - is primed to deliver a spectacular event. However, hold on to your consoles, as you're going to have to wait just a little longer to find out the results of the voting. We will announce the Grand Final location for FIWC13 very soon.
Are you ready?
The FIFA Interactive World Cup 2013 promises to be even bigger and better than ever before. All the information you need to get involved in the FIWC13 and of the qualifications modes will be released on FIFA.com/FIWC soon. You can also follow the FIWC on Twitter for all the latest updates on the FIFA Interactive World Cup 2013.
Territory Showdowns
There is a significant change to the live event format for FIWC 13. Instead of Live Qualification Events, there will be Territory Showdowns in England, Germany, France, Spain and Italy. The Territory Showdowns will be live-streamed so that the whole community can tune in and enjoy all the excitement, football and drama.
At each Territory Showdown, the best three online players from the respective country will be joined by last year's national champion to compete for a place in the FIWC13 Grand Final. The Territory Showdowns promise to be incredibly challenging and competitive. Best of all, everyone can enjoy them! There will also be qualification events taking place in the USA and Brazil, although these will have a different format to the Territory Showdowns. We will release further information on the Brazil and USA events closer to the time.


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More of the stock ordered in January has arrived and just as quickly sold....
The amazing copper standing lamp has been sold but we have ordered more, we painted the wall grey to go with our new theme and have brightened it up with some orange which sets off the copper tones.
We are loving wire baskets and shelving great items to update a room and practical storage solutions!
First aid mounted wall unit would make a statement in any bathroom, poison ceramic carafe makes for a fun present.
and finally to soften the look black and grey tweed cushions only ten pounds each.
We are off shopping for stock on Monday so will keep you updated on what coming in.


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Portfolio | Michael Pisano
Shroomlapses / Slimelapses | Timelapses I made of oyster mushrooms and the slime mold physarum polycephalum. These pieces grew out of early experiments for CRAWLER (see below).
CRAWLER | [work in progress] a webcomic with embedded animations and games. CRAWLER's narrative is about bugs, fungus, and prehistoric gods trying to turn the earth back into primordial soup. The project includes a parallel educational series of short videos exploring the science, history, and ethical discussion around mass extinction events and stewardship.
Some concept drawings:
Webcomic excerpt:
An early screen test:


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Turning Point by Jeanie Grey
TODAY'S BREW: Chocolate cherry medium roast. Mmmmmm.
Now here's a story to strip by if there ever was one by the delightful Jeanie Grey. Follow her on twitter @jeaniegrey. Get ready to sizzle.
Turning Point
by Jeanie Grey
The next day she gets little hot flashes every time she thinks about him.
The day after that, she finds herself trying not to Facebook-stalk him, settling instead for re-reading for the hundredth time the messages he'd sent her. They turn out to be less fitting material for fantasy than she would like.
She finds herself humming "I'm Not in Love" by 10cc: I'm not in love. So don't forget it. It's just a silly phase I'm going through.
"I didn't know if I'd ever get you here," he'd said. She was straddling his lap on the futon in the downstairs office of his house. His wife and kids upstairs.
Earlier they'd sat side-by-side at the bar, kicking around the idea of going somewhere to play pool, but she couldn't think straight. Had been in a near-constant state of arousal for the last several days. Finally she just said it: "What I'd really like to do is go somewhere and make out. How would you feel about that?"
He liked that idea. Suggested the Gold Dust Meridian for its high-backed booths that shielded patrons from casual on-lookers.
She said it wouldn't be enough privacy for what she had in mind: a certain amount of groping and possible clothing removal.
He texted his wife to see if it was cool to bring her home. The wife said yes.
They kept their jeans on but took off their tops. He blew air along her spine and she jumped. His hands were warm and large and patient as they moved over her back. Pressed gently into her flesh. After a few minutes his energy shifted. He gave up on the massage. Licked the almond oil from her back; brought his head down close to hers so all she had to do was turn her face toward him and arch her back a little, and their tongues could collide and tangle.
He moaned and panted. Inhaled sharply. Bit his lower lip or pressed his lips together. Smelled clean. Got excited and exclaimed "Fuck!" A surprised half-smile on his lips. Said he liked the way she touched him. Liked it when she bit and sucked on his nipples. Licked the corner of his mouth. Sucked his earlobes.
He said he'd been thinking about her pussy for weeks. Wanted her clit in his mouth. She felt faint at the suggestion, desire so intense. She'd soaked her underwear clear through. Her hand in his jeans. The head of his penis felt disproportionately large to his shaft. His penis seemed a good length. She wondered how it would feel inside her.
Their bodies seemed to like each other immensely.
At one point he said her name and she couldn't believe how sexy it sounded coming from his mouth, his chest bare, his penis hard, his cheeks flushed with desire. His face was beautiful. She hadn't noticed before.
She put her bra and shirt and sweater back on. He pressed against her backside. She leaned back into him and ground her ass against his crotch, then protested that she was trying to behave herself. He walked her to the door. Got his coat and put on his shoes. He did something magical with his shoelaces: tied them without seeming to tie them. Later she'd reflect on the trick with renewed awe, would come to think of him as a magical being. Like a unicorn.
Rolling around in her head for a couple weeks, since their last real date: If I thought for one moment that I was falling in love with you, I'd say good-bye and never see you again.
Even she recognized it as a sign that she was beginning to lose her conviction.


text:
I seem to have a bit of a blackberry picking addiction at the moment. Finding excuses to go foraging on a daily basis. Trips down the lane with the toddler on her trike or in the sling telling me she either wants to get down, wants to get out of the trike or get up are held off with a "just a minute darling I just need to get this one last one".
So one of the recipes I've tried in the last week is a version of the blueberry muffin recipe I borrowed and adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi's Ottolenghi cookbook. Just replacing blueberries with blackberries worked well. You need to use quite firm blackberries so that they will be less likely to burst in the baking process.
Allergen free
It's possible to make these with gluten free wheat flour and gluten free flour which both work well. I've also recently made them with spelt flour (lower in gluten than usual wheat flour) which was a little heavier – though the muffins were still as popular. I used Koko coconut milk when I made them today and you could use vegan spread instead of butter to make them dairy free. And I have heard you can use milled chia seeds or flaxseeds as an egg alternative
100g Blackberries (plus enough to put a few on the top of each muffin)
210g Plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 medium egg
70g butter
150ml milk or coconut drinking milk
Half an apple (eat the other half!)
Grated zest of half a lemon
110g caster sugar
For the crumble mixture
I make this up and keep some frozen*. For this recipe you need about a dessert spoon of mixture per muffin.
300g spelt flour (or plain white if you don't have spelt)
100g caster sugar
200g cold unsalted butter cut into cubes.
How to…
… Make your crumble
- First, make the crumble mixture by putting all the ingredients into a bowl and rubbing them through your fingers to make the crumble mixture.
- (If you have a food processor, just put all the ingredients in and give them a whizz until they resemble breadcrumbs.)
- Give the bowl a little shake and the bigger lumps will come to the top, rub these through so that you have a consistent crumble mixture.
- The crumble mixture keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days but you might as well freeze what you don't use as it takes very little time to defrost and will keep in the freezer for months.
…Make your muffins
- Pre-heat your oven to 170˚C / gas mark 3 / 325˚F.
- Line your muffin tray with cases.
- Sift the flour and baking powder and put to one side.
- Whisk lightly the egg, add the sugar and melted butter (making sure its not too hot) and keep whisking lightly.
- Whisk in the lemon zest and milk to the wet mixture.
- Add the blackberries and grated apple to the liquid mixture.
- Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and stir in, not too much – just enough to combine – allowing there to be lumps.
- Spoon the mixture into the cases, sprinkle a dessert spoon of crumble mixture on top with a few blueberries
- Bake for 30-35 minutes.
- You can check whether the muffins are cooked through with a skewer – if it comes out wet then they need a few minutes longer, if it comes out with no mixture on it then they are ready.
I have slightly adjusted this recipe to suit younger children – by reducing the sugar content and portion size. So each cake has a teaspoon of added sugar, the rest of the sugar content (about 5g) is from the fruit. Fat and saturated fat content are low in these cakes too). Each cake provides about 170 calories which is just over 10% of the recommended calorie intake for a child aged between 4-6 years of age. Each muffin contains about 10% recommended calcium intake, just under 10% recommended iron intake and about 20% recommended Vitamin A intake for a child in this age group.
*Having frozen crumble mixture in the freezer is a great fall back for midweek or Sunday lunch fruit crumbles as it takes very little time to defrost.


text:
Cheating can take on all forms: Sexual infidelity, financial cheating, emotional affairs. But nothing makes things easier than technology. Cheaters have gone high-tech. When their behavior shifts, you have to pay attention.
Sign #1: They always logout of Facebook.
We all spend a lot of time online. Technology is now a part of our culture and daily lives. Because of that, it's rare that we consciously log-out of social media sites and services. Maybe you will on a shared computer, but not on a private phone. If they are randomly logging out of Facebook, perhaps they are careful with privacy.... or they are hiding something.
Sign #2: They jump on their phone first thing in the morning... usually in private or in the bathroom.
Because we are all so connected, it's [unfortunately] not unusual that people sleep with their phone nearby—perhaps tracking sleep patterns, or they fall asleep to meditation or music—and many reach for their phones first thing in the morning. However, Facebook cheaters might grab their phones first thing and disappear to the bathroom. Or they are on their phone when you wake up, and they quickly put it away—or switch applications.
Sign #3: They are highly possessive of their phone.
Lots of activity on their phone and online, but they never really have anything to say about what they are reading, writing, doing, or texting. When they are online, they are beyond distracted. When they are off their phone (finally!), it's either placed face down right next to them, or it's in their hand/possession. And if you even glance at it, they will either get a weird, guilt look on their face, or immediately ask you, "What? What's the problem?"
Sign #4: Lots of new friends, and new likes and comments.
We all have friends online who we don't really know very well, and many times have never met in person. As such, it's unlikely we would know all of our partner's Facebook friends—to include coworkers, colleagues, college friends, etc. However, when lots of comments and likes start coming in from someone new—and usually just one person—it's a red flag. if you start reading little quips and inside jokes on their Wall and you have no idea what they are talking about, something is amiss.
Sign #5: Instantly defensive and ready to fight.
As with most cheaters, people who use Facebook for illicit affairs are ready to defend themselves—and perhaps even blame you for acting weird, disconnected, and whatever they deem as suspicious behavior. If you question any of their activities or behavior, they will likely shift the blame, manipulate the conversation, deflect your accusations, get angry and defensive, or leave.
While these signs aren't a 100% foolproof way of detecting if your partner is Facebook cheating, they are sure signs that something serious is off in your relationship. Bottom line: Follow your gut instincts.


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I began writing Zebra Tales - The Wisdom of Mr. Stripes thinking it would be just one book. This was to be a gift for Annmarie my son's surviving girlfriend because she going have a baby due the end of December. Of course there were too many topics, and this lead to the series of 7 books. Annmarie loves all things Zebras. So did my son. My son passed away July 16, 2012 from a tragic accident, he was 19 years old. Annmarie was his first, and last love.
When he was a child, my son Paul, and I had bedtime conversations about the nature of Zebras. He would delay bedtime by wanting to talk, and when I asked what do you want to talk about, he would always say let's talk about Zebras. "Do you think they are white, with black stripes, or black, with white stripes?" And off we would go in talking. This lead to me getting him a stuffed animal/pillow zebra that he declared to be Mr. Stripes. Mr. Stripes was the king of all the other animals in his bedroom. Our sometimes very long bedtime conversations included teachings from "Mr. Stripes". All of the teachings are in the 7 books- Stripes series.
So the books share special messages that are near, and dear to my heart. I felt so much joy writing this series, even though a couple books brought up bitter sweet tears. My hope is that other parents, and grandparents will enjoy reading, and sharing these books with their little ones. I wish that the children look forward to the comforts, and guidance that Mr. Stripes imparts. The messages in each book empowers a child to self-love, and acceptance. Tools are given to assist a child in dealing with their emotions, and life changes. A deeper context is revealed regarding the nature of Divinity yet described using simple words, and ideas. The hardcover books are written so as to be purchased individually, or as a set.
TO PURCHASE GO TO www.lulu.com to BOOKSTORE -
Key in -Zebra Tales-The Wisdom of Mr.Stripes by Daria Kathleen
Click here to try again.
Zebra Tales - Book 1 in the Mr. Stripes series, is a story designed to encourage, and empower children to listen to their inner knowing, using the light within to guide their decision making. Our culture has taught most people to look outside for answers. Many have become disempowered, and influenced by the herd. Instead of thinking things through, and making choices that are authentic, they seek another's opinions above their own. Mommy Zebra teaches little Zebra about the inner light. This light of Love won't be found in material things like TVs or PHD degrees, cell phones, or ice cream cones, a new pair of pants, or romance. But you will perceive it in giggles and laughs, and maybe when playing with your toys while taking bubble baths. Zebra Tales builds self- confidence at a very young age, and reinforces that Love lights the way in day to day experiences. $24.99 -hardcover- Lulu.com also Paperback available through Amazon
Zebra Tales - Kids at school is the 2nd book in the Mr. Stripes series of Self-help books for children. This story is designed to encourage, and empower children to listen to their inner knowing using the light within to guide them. In this post- modern world the children are facing more challenges than ever before. Zebra Tales stresses the importance of self -Love, and self-acceptance, and imparts greater confidence. Children with self- approval, and self-confidence are less likely to be excluded, or targets of bullying. If they are, they are less likely to remain silent, and internalized the incident. In a culture that has taught most people to look outside for the answers, many have become disempowered, and influenced by the herd, instead of thinking for themselves, and making choices that are authentic to their true Divine nature. Zebra Tales reinforces at a very young age that the light of love within lights the way. $24.99 - Lulu.com
-hardcover- also Paperback available through Amazon
Zebra Tales –Bubbles of Feelings - Children often find it difficult to express their feelings in constructive ways. While they enjoy the good feelings, they may have difficulty coping with the unpleasant variety. Talking about feelings is a good way to understand that whether the feeling feels good, or bad, they are normal. Zebra Tales - Bubbles of Feelings, the 3rd book in the Mr. Stripes series, gives a child a tool for them to use when they experience overwhelming feelings. Often our minds produce worries as thoughts that bother us about what might go wrong in the future. Or we feel ashamed, angry, or sad regarding something that already happened. Sometimes the feelings are so strong, or constant that they interfere with one's ability to fall asleep, or focus on the task at hand. Maybe a child is feeling shy, preventing them from making new friends. Little Zebra imagines bubbles to put her troubled feelings into. A person is not their feelings, rather they have feelings. This is an important, and empowering distinction. $24.99 -hardcover- Lulu.com, also Paperback available through Amazon
Zebra Tales – Daddy Moved One of the most difficult conversations parents can have with their children is about changes such as separation, or divorce. These types of changes are difficult, and can be traumatic for children. 99% of children are delicate, and easily hurt, even though they put on a brave face. Zebra Tales - Daddy Moved the 4th book in The Mr. Stripes series - discusses changes that can occur in families. When parents have problems, and disagree on certain key issues, a child needs to know they are not to blame, especially when the disagreements involves the child. Life is always changing, and sometimes change comes because someone moves away. If this happens in your family, it is very important for a child to say what they need to say. Families are different, and not all parents are a mom or dad, they could be grandparents, aunts, or an adult friend. $24.99 -hardcover- Lulu.com also paperback available through Amazon
Zebra Tales - Mommy's Baby- Sibling rivalry often starts right after the birth of a second child. Sometimes the older child becomes aggressive, or even regressive. This means they start acting like a baby again. It is important to prepare your child so they know what to expect. This makes their adjustment to the changes a baby brings easier. . Zebra Tales- Mommy's Baby - the 5th book in The Mr. Stripes series addresses many concerns an older sibling has with a new addition to the family. The book identifies that babies come from Love - then through a mom and dad. This gives a much deeper context to understand life from. $24.99 -hardcover- Lulu.com, also paperback available through Amazon
Zebra Tales – Daisy Dewdrop Dolittle- One of the most difficult topics to discuss is death and loss. Yet this is a natural part of the tapestry of life. Every one of us is affected by, or experiences the loss of a loved one at some point in our lives. When death is experienced in the immediate family whether a beloved pet, or grandparent, parent, sibling, relative, or close friend, the emotions triggered are very painful. Young children who don't have the understanding of the here after, will be especially affected by such a loss. In the grip of personal grief, parents may be at a loss for words as they too struggle during this imperative time. Zebra Tales - Daisy Dewdrop Dolittle - the 6th book in the Mr. Stripes series, explores and reveals that death is just the ending of physical form. That life is ever lasting, and that when one dies, limitation, and separation are removed. $24.99 -hardcover- Lulu.com also paperback available through Amazon
Zebra Tales - Nature Talks - the 7th book in the Mr. Stripes series, is designed to help alleviate bedtime stress by guiding a child through a magical visualization technique. Visualization if taught at an earlier age will enhance many areas of children's lives. Visualization helps to improve concentration, and encourages artistic creative abilities. The techniques create a more balanced centered state, and stimulates a child's imagination. Visualizations are very effective in helping children who tend to scatter their thoughts in different directions. Often after reading a visualization to a child before bedtime, they will feel safe, and released from their fears, resulting in a peaceful sleep. $24.99 -hardcover- www.Lulu.com also paperback available through Amazon


text:
EJUSA works with dozens of community groups and grassroots leaders who have dedicated their lives to reducing violence in their communities.
Daily, these groups – many of whom are volunteers – are on the scene when someone is murdered. They help de-escalate situations, act as the liaison between police and families, offer support to grieving loved ones, provide art therapy to young children who've been exposed to violence, counsel shooting victims in the hospital, and more. The list goes on. These volunteers are often women of color who've lost their own children to violence or former youth detention professionals who mentor children who've been victimized.
This is heart work.
But even heart work needs head work – specifically funds to keep the doors open and strategic plans to reach the greatest number of people.
EJUSA has been working with these groups to help drive federal victim services funding (called VOCA funds) to communities of color that have never had them. We provide the technical know-how to help them manage their finances, develop program models, track their impact, and write grants. They make sure survivors and victims' families receive life-saving support and healing free of cultural or social bias.
As we dive deeper into this work, we've been hit hard by the reality that many of our partner groups are too overwhelmed with crisis and tragedy to focus on the forward thinking work of obtaining VOCA funding. This summer alone, a 15-year old girl in one sex-trafficking group was murdered. A youth in a mentoring program was murdered. Six people were shot in one neighborhood in the span of a weekend. Three died. One leader lost her sister while in the midst of also losing a client.
How can anyone strategically plan to expand a victim services program, respond and be present when crisis occurs, and still figure out how to take care of your household, your family, or yourself?
These conditions can mean chronic back pain, anxiety, or headaches for them and for us. We have to be patient with groups even though they miss calls or can't finish key tasks as grant deadlines loom. And we must be patient with ourselves when we have to work extra hard to fill those gaps. Most of all we often need to tell our partners to take a break, get rest, and practice self-care. And then we need to tell ourselves the same thing.
As heart workers, we all experience vicarious trauma – the negative effects of caring about and for others. It's a heavy burden to carry. The work will not stop, but we need to ensure our physical, mental, and emotional health. We must identify the activities and practices in our lives that can make us smile and relax. Exercise. Eat right and drink water. Manage our time well, and don't criticize ourselves for missing a deadline or a task. And cry. Cry, cleanse, and then get up and keep going.
Trauma is difficult and we are human. To all of you who do this work, we support your well being and your spirits. Be good to each other, and to yourself.
Photo credit: "Peace March For Richmond Rape Victim-1-9" by Demond Henderson. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, via flickr.


text:
Are you a mobile DJ in Chepstow? Click here to register with AMPdj™
Membership includes £10m PLI
Membership includes £10m PLI
Details of your enquiry will be automatically forwarded to DJs in Chepstow. Have a Great Function!
We've made selecting a local mobile DJ in Chepstow easy.
Just click on the Chepstow picture in the middle and you're almost there already...
Just click on the Chepstow picture in the middle and you're almost there already...
Don't know what I'd done without you. We had ourselves the best DJ ever!
Mobile Disco in Chepstow
Written by: Jan Frieland
Date Published: 02/07/2016
5/5 stars
Mobile Disco Chepstow
Rated 5/5 stars based on 2 customer reviews
Compare Price Quotes & Costs to Hire Local Mobile Discos & Party DJs in Chepstow, Monmouthshire
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Check with your mobile disco in Chepstow if they have a PAT Certificate to prove that their equipment has been inspected for your wellbeing. Typically with all electrical apparatus, it might cause problems so enquire if they have available extra equipment should it fail on them.
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Mobile Disco in Chepstow
Written by: Rachael Quinn
Date Published: 19/05/2015
5/5 stars


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Interested in attending a meetup? Come learn, meet great people, and get some free food!
Come join the conversation around Azure with others from in and around the Milwaukee, WI area!
Milwaukee Azure is a user group of IT people from the Milwaukee, WI area that have gotten together in a common interest surrounding the Microsoft Azure cloud platform. The group was started in May 2016 when Chris Pietschmann started the Milwaukee Azure Slack Group in an effort to get conversations started with area participants. Afterwards, Kevin Ziegler and Chris Pietschmann officially kicked off the group with it's innaugural meetup in July 2016. The group has been meeting regularly ever since with lots of organization from Kevin Ziegler, and sponsors like SafeNet Consulting and Centare for hosting meetup space.
The Milwaukee Azure website hosted at MkeAzure.com is hosted as an Open Source project on Github utilizing Github Pages. This not only provides a free way to host the website, but also an extremely convenient and open method of the Milwaukee Azure community to manage the website as a whole.
Group Organizers:
If you are in or near the Milwaukee, WI area and would like to join the Slack group, please contact us at the following:
Alternatively, you can contact Chris Pietschmann on Twitter directly in regards to joining the Slack group, or other information regarding Milwaukee Azure. Thanks!


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Catherine and Chen got married and had their reception at the Park in NYC, in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. One of the best parts about having your wedding at the Park is that it's already gorgeously decorated. The former taxi stand has an unusual shape that the owners have morphed into a gorgeous NYC wedding location. We started at the Kimberly Hotel where Catherine got ready, and Chen met her in the lobby for their first look. We took wedding photos at the New York City Public Library and adjoining Bryant Park before heading to the restaurant.
I had one tiny moral dilemma during the evening when I realized I was the only adult who could see the flower girl reaching for the cake to swipe a bit of frosting. I choose art over perfection and took the adorable photo instead of stopping her. As wedding mishaps go, a teeny bit of missed frosting isn't too bad!
Florals: Flowers by Richard | Wedding Gown: Mori Lee | Cake: Nine Cakes | Vegan Cake: Blossom Bakery | Venue and Catering: The Park | Hair and Makeup: Amanda Thesan


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Please join us in Celebrating this Rare, Historic & Amazing Event Featuring
RICHARD SCHMID'S new Paintings & Artworks
from Private Collections Sept 24- thru Oct. 1, 2016
Co-hosted by West Wind Fine Art and Gallery 1261
VENUE: 1261 Delaware Street, Denver, Colorado
The Events Honor Richard Schmid and Nature. The Fundraiser will assist The Rocky Mountain Conservancy with their ongoing effort to acquire available lands within the boundaries of Rocky Mountain National Park.
OPENING RECEPTION: Saturday Evening, September 24th 6-9 pm. at Gallery 1261. 1261 Delaware Street, Denver, CO. Free and Open to the public: The gallery will be closed on Saturday 9/24 until the opening begins at 6:00 pm.
Afternoon Luncheon Fundraiser will honor NATURE & CELEBRATE RICHARD SCHMID'S FINE ART CAREER: Saturday: Sept. 24th from 12 to 4:30 pm. Venue: Colorado History Center, 1200 Broadway, Denver, CO 80203. Tickets price $72 each.
Tickets are $72 and are all sold out! The Colorado Room in the Colorado History Center is on the first floor. For those who have tickets, please arrive early and sign in at the registration desk. We will provide name tags for you to fill out and wear during the program. Some tables are reserved for special guests and collectors, otherwise you can sit at any table not marked reserved.
Looking forward to celebrating this historic event with you all!
In addition, 100% of sales from Richard Schmid's print titled: "Aspen Forest- Rocky Mountain National Park,"will be donated to the Rocky Mountain Conservancy. Richard Schmid has autograph each print.
Price: $85 plus CO sales tax. The prints will be for sale at the public opening at Gallery 1261.
Ticket includes: A delicious Luncheon, A Panel Discussion by leading American artists, Quang Ho, Scott Burdick, Kathy Anderson, Daniel J. Keys and Judy Stach; Topic: How Richard Schmid Influenced my own art and the importance of painting Nature directly from life.
We also will view a short presentation by Charles Money, Executive Director of the Rocky Mountain Conservancy; Plus a New Digital presentation of Richard Schmid's paintings of Colorado by Kristen Thies & Nancy Guzik; an awards ceremony celebrating Richard's contributions to non-profits in the State of Colorado, as well as a few surprises yet to be announced!
For more info. on the Rocky Mountain Conservancy's Capital Campaign go over to:


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802.11ac Video Series
Matthew Gast has finished up an informative video series on the 802.11ac WiFi standard. If you need a quick primer on this technology and what it means for your network, this would be a great start.
Part 1: Introduction to 802.11ac
Part 2: How to Plan Your Network


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What's happening in the vineyard/
Harvesting grapes for all varietals is now complete. Yields have been moderate but the quality is excellent and the reds going into barrel are showing great promise. The vines have been watered and will be pruned in June and will be tucked in for winter.
Richard, our winemaker is finalising the Shiraz blends for 2014 and bedding down the 2015 wine for a relaxing 12 months of maturing.
We did a late harvest Riesling which is simpler than the Botrytis and makes a light sweet wine to accompany dessert. The second vintage of a trial plot of a grape variety which is new to Australia has been picked and has members of a wine collaboration rather excited. What lucky vines to come down under land in the ancient rich red Dookie dirt!


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Photo of the Week
Kicking-off another week here on Into the Wild, we give you your usual dose of beautiful photography. This week it comes in the shape of an amazing snowscape at Exshaw Pass, Alberta, Canada. Thanks to Harvey Roberts for this excellent image. Check out his Flickr photostream for more lovely pics.
Monday, March 12, 2012 at 10:04AM | tagged Harvey Roberts, alberta, b&w photography, canada, photo of the day, photo of the week, snow, snow photography | in Photo of the Week, Photography


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US markets are closed today, but economic data is scheduled to come out.
Via Calculated Risk, here's the data and expectations:
• At 9:00 AM ET, S&P/Case-Shiller House Price Index for August is expected to be released. Although this is the August report, it is really a 3 month average of June, July and August. The consensus is for a 1.9% year-over-year increase in the Composite 20 prices (NSA) for August. ...• Also at 10:00, Q3 Housing Vacancies and Homeownership report from the Census Bureau. This report is frequently mentioned by analysts and the media to track the homeownership rate, and the homeowner and rental vacancy rates. However, based on the initial evaluation, it appears the vacancy rates are too high. The Census Bureau is looking into the differences between the HVS, the ACS, and the decennial Census, and until the issues are resolved, this survey probably shouldn't be used to estimate the excess vacant housing supply.
Also tonight: Global PMI night begins with the Chinese PMI.


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Follow Us
Benefits & Programs
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Financial Planning Association of Massachusetts
Financial Planning Association of Massachusetts
PO Box 76
Click to email
Visit the website
Financial Planning Association of Massachusetts, Westborough, MA 01581
Send this action plan to someone. Just fill in their email address and yours below:
The Financial Planning Association™ of Massachusetts (FPAMA) is committed to supporting our military families – especially those who have family members deployed as part of a reserve or National Guard unit. The FPA of Massachusetts offers free financial coaching and planning to all those who are serving us in this extraordinary way. We will help you define your goals, create budgets, establish savings plans, take advantage of your employee benefits (including military), protect your assets and cover risks, and plan for the unimaginable. What do you need to do? Just make a phone call to get started! This is no sales gimmick. There is no cost to you and no selling permitted by our volunteers.
Call the toll-free FPA of MA Referral Line 1-855-54-FPAMA.
You'll be matched with a CFP® practitioner who will work with you at no cost
How to Apply
First, the soldier or family member contacts the FPA and requests financial coaching or planning assistance. The request must include certain contact information such as address, telephone number and email address. The FPAMA home office then assigns the case to one of our volunteer financial planners who have been trained and understand the unique circumstances of military personnel and some of their benefits.
The assigned planner contacts the soldier to determine the general nature of the requests and needs. In almost every case the soldier will have to provide detailed information about how much money is earned and spent, their goals, and the financial assets they presently have, along with any debt. This base of information is essential if the plan is to have any real value. The soldier may be entered into Money 101, which is an on-line data gathering tool used for pro bono cases. The planner assigned may have other resources to use to accomplish the same data gathering.
Once the soldier has provided the data, there may be a need for a face-to-face meeting, or there may be other ways to refine the data before the plan is created. Once the plan is created it is delivered to the soldier. That may be done in person or by mail or other means. Usually there is then an opportunity to meet with the planner (and this may be done by telephone conference call or other electronic means if distances are a problem) and go over the plan and discuss any questions that may have come up.
The implementation of the plan is the responsibility of the soldier. Most plans involve taking full advantage of employment benefits and contacting other professional resources available (e.g. military or pro bono attorneys). Savings and investment techniques usually focus on use of 401k plans, Thrift Savings Plans, Savings Deposit programs, etc. The planner can provide suggestions about sources of support and product (e.g. insurances) but cannot handle the sales.
Typically it takes a few weeks to complete a plan if all the data is available. After the plan is delivered and discussed, the engagement is essentially completed unless the soldier has additional questions while implementing the plan. If the soldier is scheduled for mobilization and deployment, the planner is a resource for the family throughout the deployment and into reintegration upon return. The objective of the program is to have the soldier deploy with a workable plan in place to ease the impact of the family separation, and to assist in getting back into "normalcy" upon return. Of course a soldier who already has a plan in place from a prior engagement can have the plan updated to support a life change; and a mobilization and deployment surely is that!
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Design and create thoughtful communications that make change exciting
Location: London
Salary: Negotiable
Hi There, We're FromHereOn.
We are looking for a Communications Designer (Visual and Content) to bring stories to life. We need someone to translate ideas, messages, and processes into written and visual form across multiple mediums. We need someone who has a way with words, someone with an ability to infuse everything with creativity and a passion for storytelling. Being part of an interdisciplinary project team, you must demonstrate a collaborative working style, expert communication skills, and the ability to thrive in a fluid, innovative environment. If you an energetic, creative, thoughtful communicator with a bold, colourful, engaging and clean communications and design, read on.
How You'll Make This Role Your Own (Roles & Responsibilities)
- Combine human stories and needs with hard data to identify a compelling path forward the project and the people in it
- Create compelling content to inform and engage project stakeholders
- Design, produce and distribute a wide variety of communications material
- Ask smart and thoughtful questions in addition to coming up with innovative solutions
- Attend workshops to visualise and capture conversations in real-time
- Make complex ideas more accessible by synthesising data and information into visual content and infographics
- Create tools to empower internal clients to communicate effectively
- Arrange and host interviews to elicit stories and perspectives
- Generate blogs, review and edit text copy, draft and design project reports
- Coach and teach other team members (independently of seniority) about communication design best practice and energise the community with an entrepreneurial spirit
- Work with, learn from, and contribute to the global FromHereOn culture and thinking
Does this sound like you?
- At least 3 years of communications experience supporting change programmes
- Experience in interaction design, graphic design, marketing, journalism, copywriting or branding
- An MBA or a bachelors degree in marketing, design or communications is helpful but not a requirement
- Experience producing high-quality written communications in a professional context
- Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Microsoft Office, HTML & CSS
- Strong understanding of visual design principles
- Strong layout and composition skills
- Print production skills, knowledge and experience
- Graphic facilitation/illustration experience, a whiteboard steady hand and a love of post it notes
- Bonus points: experience using agile project management methods, experience in video production and/or motion graphics
- Native level in English is essential
Pop Quiz (optional)
Please include a response to the following questions with your application. Keep it simple, to 200 words or less:
- What type of communication inspires you? Why?
- Which form of communication gets the best engagement?
If you are the outcome focused, creative talent that resonates with the role described above we would love to hear from you! Please send us your cover letter and resume to email@example.com
FromHereOn is committed to equal treatment in every aspect of our relationship with our community. FromHereOn promotes equal opportunity in the recruitment, selection, training, transfer, layoff, compensation, promotion, and benefits for all employees.


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Because our sacks are so large, we need to shrink them down to be able to ship them.
All of our sacks are shrunken down to a little smaller than 1/3 to 1/8 their normal size for shipping and transporting. The bag and outer cover are put into a box that fits into a car. The largest sacks may need to go in the backseat.
Out of the box instructions:
Take the foam insert and outer cover out of the box. The foam is contained by the inner liner which allows you take off the outer cover without all the foam falling out. DO NOT USE ANYTHING SHARP when removing the clear covering from the foam insert as this may result if DAMAGING THE INNER LINER that contains the foam. Keep the foam in the permanent inner liner.
Once the Foam starts to "breathe" and expand after the clear covering has been removed, you can start to break up the foam brick with your hands. The more you break apart the foam, the faster the sack will expand.
Tip: From time to time, you will want re-fluff your sack to allow the air to fully penetrate the foam and give it its maximum fluff.


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SIPERNAT® facilitates the dosing of feed additives and premixes and avoids lumps
SIPERNAT® as carrier for liquid feed additives
Many of the additives used in animal feed, such as vitamins, feed acids, choline chloride solutions, pigment dispersions or antioxidants, occur in liquid form and have to be mixed into a powder or granulate premix. Your customers require free flowing powders or granulates that can easily be mixed in with other dry feedstuff. As a producer of absorbates you convert the liquids into a powder and enable your customer to distribute the valuable additives homogeneously in order to deliver quality feed products.
Absorbate of vitamin E acetate on SIPERNAT® 2200
This requires using specifically designed carrier substances for the active ingredients. The solution is the range of carrier products called SIPERNAT®. They are highly absorptive, free flowing, chemically inert and physiologically safe. The finished absorbate consists of 30-50 percent silica with the particle size and handling properties determined by the carrier. For free flowing, dust free absorbates, Evonik has especially developed the silica grade SIPERNAT® 2200. SIPERNAT® as flow aid for powdery additives or premixes
As a producer of premixes, you want to provide your customers with free flowing powders that will not cake when stored. Very often, mineral premixes, vitamin premixes and other powder-form additives are not sufficiently free flowing on their own. The addition of 0.5 – 2 percent of a hydrophilic or 0.1 - 0.5 percent of a hydrophobic SIPERNAT® grade will significantly improve the flow properties while reducing caking tendency. As result, valuable feed additives can be dosed more evenly and more accurately, dramatically improving handling and minimizing expensive downtime.
Copper sulfate without and with the addition of SIPERNAT®
Fact Sheet: Improving your milling process with AEROSIL® fumed silica and SIPERNAT® specialty silica
(pdf, 152 KB)
AEROSIL® and SIPERNAT® products help to keep your mill clean and ensure the flowability of your fine product.
Fact Sheet: SIPERNAT® Improving the handling of organic acids
(pdf, 270 KB)
Add a liquid organic acid into your dry premix with our SIPERNAT® specialty carrier silica.
Industry Brochure: SIPERNAT® Specialty Silica in the animal feed industry
(pdf, 1.79 MB)
Handling is becoming an increasingly important issue for feed additive processors, whose customers prefer products that can be dispensed with precision and certainty in automated processes.
Industry Information 2124: SIPERNAT® and AEROSIL® for the Salt Industry
(pdf, 1.14 MB)
SIPERNAT® specialty silica as well as AEROSIL® fumed silica help to keep salt flowable and prevent caking. This brochure gives product recommendations.
Industry Information 2129: SIPERNAT® and AEROSIL® in the Food Industry
(pdf, 1.13 MB)
SIPERNAT® and AEROSIL® products help to dose powdered ingredients easily and accurately.
Technical Information 1213: Specialty silica as flow aid, anticaking agent and carrier substance
(pdf, 624 KB)
Recommended mixing procedures for powders and granulates Specialty Silica have found their way with numerous applications into many branches of industry. This also applies to their use as carrier for liquid or pasty substances as well as the application as flow aid for powdered or granular products. Due to their fineness and low bulk density mixing with other ingredients is somehow sophisticated. This Technical Information gives some recommendation on suitable mixing equipment and how to use it, when Specialty Silica are concerned.
Technical Information 1213: Specialty silica as flow aid, anticaking agent and carrier substance
(pdf, 1.08 MB)
Recommended mixing procedures for powders and granulates Specialty Silica have found their way with numerous applications into many branches of industry.
Technical Information 1351: SIPERNAT® and AEROSIL® as flow aid and anticaking agent
(pdf, 384 KB)
A good flowability is the prerequisite for handling powders properly, discharching them easily out of a silo and dosing them exactly. However, many powders are highly cohesive and the proper processing thereforce is a challenge.
Technical Information 1356: SIPERNAT® and AEROSIL® in Powdered Drinks
(pdf, 1.29 MB)
AEROSIL® fumed silica and SIPERNAT® specialty silica are essential for smooth manufacturing of a high quality instant beverage. Good flowability and lack of caking tendency of the used dry ingredients and the final mixture are of the utmost importance. Excellent flow behavior of all compounds is crucial for manufacturers for accurate dosing and processing of powders. For consumers ease of handling of the instant drink is favorable, too; as this means increased convenience. Minimized caking tendency is important for retaining the quality of the instant beverage, even under sometimes adverse storage conditions in foodservice restaurants or at the consumer's home. When caking of ingredients in the powdered beverage is inhibited, it might be possible to reduce the moisture barrier in the packaging, thus helping to reduce packaging costs.
Technical Information 1364: AEROSIL® and SIPERNAT® for spices and seasonings
(pdf, 848 KB)
Various factors must be considered, when choosing the right flow and anti-caking aid for spices and seasoning. Depending on your product and the specific manufacturing process, the type and dosage of the added Performance Silica needs to be carefully selected. When free-flow and caking-inhibition during storage is key for you, AEROSIL® 200 F or SIPERNAT® 50 S could be suitable options. If dust-minimization while improving the flowability is important at your plant, formulations including AEROSIL® 200 F or SIPERNAT® 350 or SIPERNAT® 22 S should be tested. For maintaining the colour and good flowability SIPERNAT® 350 or AEROSIL® 200 F are successful options.
Technical Information 1365: SIPERNAT® and AEROSIL® in spray applications
(pdf, 416 KB)
SIPERNAT® specialty silica and AEROSIL® fumed silica can improve the spray drying of many difficult-to-spray dry materials. These include chicken or beef purees, HVP (hydrolyzed vegetable protein) containing formulae, yeasts and whey extracts, pet food flavors, dairy products, hygroscopic flavors, and many more.
Technical Information 1367: Converting Liquids to Dry Flowable Powders and Retaining Flavors on SIPERNAT® and AEROSIL®
(pdf, 320 KB)
SIPERNAT® Specialty Silica and AEROSIL® Fumed Silica are referred to as a "carrier" when they are used to hold and absorb liquids in the production of a dry, free-flowing powder. Any size silica product can be used as a carrier; making either coarse or fine absorbates.
Technical Information 1386: AEROSIL® and SIPERNAT® for free flowing and non-caking sugars and sugar alcohols
(pdf, 634 KB)
To ensure a convenient as well a efficient handling of sugars without time and resource consuming measures to break agglomerates again, it is important to reduce caking and avoid formation of lumps reliably.
Technical Information 1405: Improving performance of high fat containing and soft powders with AEROSIL® and SIPERNAT® products
(pdf, 295 KB)
Powders of soft materials such as fats, milk powders with high fat content, non-dairy creamers or emulsifiers are especially challenging in handling and transport. Particularly on long term storage or on long transportation time they tend to cake significantly. The problem becomes even worse when soft products are exposed to changing temperatures or pressures because soft or thermoplastic powders are deformed at rising temperatures or applied pressures. Comprehensive studies on soft and fat powders showed how AEROSIL® fumed silica and SIPERNAT® specialty silica improve the performance of high fat containing and soft powders.
Technical Information 1410: Improving performance of milled powder with AEROSIL® fumed silica and SIPERNAT® specialty silica
(pdf, 1.39 MB)
Easier milling and improving of free flow / anticaking properties of milled powders at the same time.
Technical Information 1427: Safe, Smart, Sustainable! Evonik silicon dioxide in food.
(pdf, 3.37 MB)
This new Brochure informs about the safety of Evonik silica products in food, and addresses questions on definitions of the term "nano".


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Triathlon/Time Trial
Whether you're a crafty veteran or just getting started in time trials or triathlons, Felt's S32 has what you need to enjoy training-day comfort and a race-day advantage. Its aluminum frameset features a slew of aerodynamic details like a rear-wheel cutout, an aero carbon fork, and Felt's RSL3 wheels that shave time and add efficiency to every ride. You'll tuck into a sleek, wind-cheating position afforded by Felt's Aero TT/Tri aerobars with 3-position extensions as you embark on your quest for a new personal best. And, this sleek rig features a quick-shifting, 22-speed Microshift/Shimano 105 drivetrain with FSA cranks and a TT/tri-specific seat for lasting comfort and maximum speed.
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The Turner Law Offices
Stacy L. Turner, Esq.
|Areas Of Practice
Stacy L. Turner, Esq.
The Turner Law Offices
1401 Los Gamos Drive
Suite 210
San Rafael, CA 94903
|Areas Of Practice
Estate Planning:
Everyone stands to benefit from the use of basic estate planning tools. One of the best things you can do for yourself and your loved ones is to put four basic estate planning instruments in place.
First, a last will and testament should be prepared to make sure that your property is distributed according to your wishes rather than by the default provisions of the California Probate Code.
Second, you should have an Advance Health Care Directive and a Durable Power of Attorney for Finance in place to authorize trusted individuals to make medical and financial decisions for you should you become incapacitated or too ill to manage your own affairs.
Finally, the Advance Health Care Directive includes a directive from you specifying the circumstances under which you would want life support to be terminated.
Together, these estate planning instruments by themselves go far in avoiding uncertainty and provide security in extreme circumstances. However, most families also have needs best addressed by a trust.
When you have reached the point where your personal, family and financial needs for the future have come into focus, it is a good time to consider the problems that may arise if proper planning is not implemented:
A trust is a highly flexible vehicle for taking specific steps to address specific problems ranging from protecting your eligibility for Medi-Cal to minimizing or deferring taxes. We work closely with our estate planning clients to find the solutions that will work best in each unique situation.
Trust Administration and Probate:
Our understanding of California probate law and federal tax policy allows us to provide excellent legal service across the spectrum of trust and estate administration needs. After a loved one has died there are a number of details that must be handled. In some cases, the person's assets will go through the California probate process to ensure bills are paid and property is distributed correctly. However, probate is not required in every case. When a thorough estate plan is in place, you may only need estate administration services. If most assets were held in a trust, you may need trust administration services. If the deceased only had a small estate, you may simply need to transfer the title of property.
Long-Term Care, Medi-Cal and Special Needs Planning:
Long-Term Care Planning:
Medi-Cal is a public benefits program funded by the federal government and administered by the State of California. Medi-Cal is a needs-based program that provides for a number of health care needs including long-term care coverage. As life expectancies and long-term care costs continue to rise, the challenge quickly becomes how to pay for the care you may need.
Many people cannot afford to pay $5,000-$7,000 per month or more for the cost of a nursing home, and those who can pay for a while may find their life savings spent in a matter of months rather than years. Fortunately, it is possible to preserve your assets and become eligible for long-term care coverage.
Special Needs Planning:
If you care for a child or loved one who is disabled and has mental or physical special needs, it is important to consider what may happen to that person when you are no longer able to care for them. In such a situation, it is natural to want to leave money and assets to your loved one at your death. However, such a bequest may prevent them from qualifying for necessary public benefits under Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medi-Cal. Our law firm can help you set up a special needs trust so that public benefits eligibility is preserved while at the same time providing funds via the trust to supplement the needs of the person who is disabled (i.e., those that go beyond food, shelter, clothing and the medical and long-term care services provided under Medi-Cal).
Contact Stacy today: (415) 310-2512
Stacy L. Turner, Esq.
The Turner Law Offices
1401 Los Gamos Drive
Suite 210
San Rafael, CA 94903


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POP star James Blunt is searching for a local support act for his November 27 show at the BIC.
The singer-songwriter will make his selection from the Bournemouth Daily Echo and O2 Academy Bournemouth Unsigned campaign at bournemouthecho.co.uk/unsigned.
The deadline is August 31 and musicians can upload their mp3 track and bio on the Unsigned web page. The You're Beautiful singer said he was excited by the prospect of the talent he may uncover.
"It's not something that we've done before, but we thought we'd try something different this time. We wanted to do something grass roots and find a support act locally," said James, 40.
The singer, who previously enjoyed a distinguished career in the Household Cavalry, got his big break by supporting established names such as Katie Melua and Sir Elton John.
"From my own experience of Elton John finding new bands and taking them out on the road, which is what he did with me. He took me round the UK and one of my second gigs with my band was in front of 40,000 people at Ipswich football stadium. Without those kinds of opportunities, I wouldn't be where I am today," James added.
The Bournemouth show will feature songs from James's latest Moon Landing album, including the hit Bonfire Heart, but he promises there will be tunes from previous records – which have amassed worldwide sales of 20 million – as well.
"A support act should be good musically and that is original and creative. They need to engage with the audience. Historically, I would have looked for an act that gets the audience going with energy and sets me up on stage with an audience that is already having fun and enjoying themselves."
James has these words of advice for any hopeful musicians keen to support him later this year at the BIC: "We'd be thrilled to have you come along and support us and make it a great show for us."