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Faculty, Staff Recognized For Annual Fund Contributions
April 1, 2014
SHSU Media Contact: Jennifer Gauntt, Cindy Truax
Results of this year's Faculty/Staff Annual Fund Campaign were announced at a recognition luncheon held March 21 in the Peabody Library, during which volunteers were applauded for their efforts.
SHSU President Dana Gibson praised the 75-member committee for their work and the university community for their dedication and support. She expressed her appreciation for reaching a 78-80 percent giving rate again this year. The university has maintained that level of giving the past six years.
"I use these results when I talk to our constituents and when I talk to the legislature. Our high participation rate is one of my 'bragging' items," she said. "It speaks to the strong commitment that our faculty and staff have to Sam Houston State."
During the active phase of the campaign, which ran from mid-October through December, a total of 1,435 donors gave or pledged over $224,000.
Jim Bexley, campaign general chairman, said SHSU reached a record number of donors to the campaign this past fall, and he commended the committee, reporting that four areas had reached 100 percent participation and an additional six areas reached over 80 percent participation.
|The College of Humanities and Social Sciences was recognized with the "Top Performance Award" for their increase in donors and dollars. From left: Deanna Briones, Brenda McNeely, Brian Domitrovic, Debra Andrist, and Terry Thibodeaux.
|The Enrollment Management division had 100 percent participation. From left, Heather Thielemann, Leslie Sullivan, Sherry Henke, Amy Wilson, and Jesse Bernal.
|The Newton Gresham Library reached 100 percent participation. From left, Ann Holder, Cheryl Spencer and Marsha Dickens.
|The Office of the President had 100 percent participation. From left, Dana Gibson, Ashten Acherman, JR Ohr, and Kathy Gilcrease.
|The University Advancement division also reached 100 percent participation. From left, Frank Holmes, Cindy Truax and Meggan Thompson.
|Deanna Briones, from the history department, was recognized with the "Outstanding Volunteer" award for her work with the campaign. Briones is pictured with Debbie Nichols.
During the luncheon, awards were presented to university divisions.
Jim Bexley, along with Rosanne Keathley, campaign faculty chair, and Debbie Nichols, campaign staff chair, handed out the awards. Bexley also encouraged contributions from faculty and staff for the 2013-2014 fiscal year to continue through Aug. 31.
Units with 100 percent participation included Enrollment Management, Newton Gresham Library, University Advancement and the Office of the President.
The College of Humanities and Social Sciences was recognized with a "Top Performance Award" as the unit that increased its participation and dollars raised. The "Outstanding Volunteer" award was presented to Deanna Briones, who chaired the committee for the college.
A listing of employees who have contributed and details on how to participate is available online.
The College of Business Administration was chaired by Bill Green, with members Gloria Buchanan, Julie Campbell, Joe Kavanaugh, Jan Morris, and Laura Sullivan.
Amanda Burris and Ann Broussard co-chaired the College of Criminal Justice committee, with members Leana Bouffard and Donna Garcia.
The College of Education committee was chaired by Sherry Hirsh, with members Staci Baker, Randi Clower, Susan Hayes, Sue Horne, and Marah Millican.
Nicole Sullivan chaired the College of Fine Arts and Mass Communication, with members Kevin Clifton, Megan Hobbs-Barrett, Andy Noble, Candy Prater, Sabrina Rowley and Katie Stefaniak.
The College of Health Sciences was chaired by Brandy Colvin and Matt Wagner, with committee member Kerry Berry.
The College of Humanities and Social Sciences was chaired by Deanna Briones, with committee members Jeff Anastasi, Debra Andrist, Rosanne Barker, Tracy Bilsing, Jessica Burk, Brenda McNeely, Terry Thibodeaux, Janis White ,and Mike Yawn.
The College of Sciences campaign committee was chaired by Bobby Lane, with members David Burris, Donovan Haines, Susan Floyd, Brian Loft, John Strait, Joel Walker and Justin Williams
The Academic Affairs committee was co-chaired by Julie Schwab and Karen Whitney, with committee members Cathi Gillette and Trina Strange.
Sherry Henke and Jesse Bernal co-chaired the committee for Enrollment Management, with members Leslie Sullivan and Amy Wilson.
The Finance and Operations committee was co-chaired by Karyl Horn, Scott Dozel and Sam Walker, with members Bob Chapa, David Hammonds, Ivanette Lofton, Kevin Morris, and Lori Proctor.
Rachel Shorter chaired Information Technology Services committee, with members Chelsie Contreras, Marilyn Cummings and Suzette Kohers.
Marsha Dickens and Cheryl Spencer co-chaired the committee for the Newton Gresham Library, with committee member Stephen Strubing.
The President's Office committee was co-chaired by Kathy Gilcrease and JR Ohr, with committee member Ashten Acherman.
Leah Mulligan chaired the Student Services committee, with members Cindy Allbright, Lynn Clopton and Katy Pelton.
This page maintained by SHSU's Communications Office
Associate Director: Julia May
Manager: Jennifer Gauntt
Located in the 115 Administration Building
Telephone: 936.294.1836; Fax: 936.294.1834
Please send comments, corrections, news tips to firstname.lastname@example.com.


text: "...During my weekend downtime, I continue to explore the island, and after a week of thinking about race, plantations, slavery and identity – the politics of space, visibility and invisibility are becoming more evident. The contrast between the chattels and fenced resorts remind me of the village/resort dichotomy of the Pacific. And as I look at the imported flora of the island, I'm thinking about what it means to explant botanical matter and what it means for a space to be ex-plantation..." Read my full blog post on the Fresh Milk Website.

subset: commoncrawl


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Here you will find excerpts and first chapters from the latest books. You can use the genres below to navigate to genre-specific titles in fantasy, romance, nonfiction and more. Click on the title to read an excerpt of the book. You might also be interested in our free ebooks page which has links to where you can download ebooks for free.
Book Excerpts
The book excerpts and first chapters cover the following genres:
Featured Excerpts
Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation
by Lynne Truss
Impossible Odds
by David Duncan
The Lady Chosen
by Stephanie Laurens
by Clive Barker (Joanna Cotler Books)
Avalon High
by Meg Cabot (HarperCollins)
The Book Thief
by Markus Zusak (Knopf)
Boy Meets Girl
by Meg Cabot (Avon)
by Neil Gaiman (HarperCollins)
by Christopher Paolini (Knopf)
The Graveyard Book
by Neil Gaiman (HarperCollins)
A Great and Terrible Beauty
by Libba Bray (Delacorte Press)
by Cornelia Funke (The Chicken House/Scholastic)
by Meg Cabot (HarperTeen)
Peter Pan in Scarlet
by Geraldine McCaughrean (McElderry/Simon & Schuster)
A Series of Unfortunate Events #10: The Slippery Slope
by Lemony Snicket, Illustrated by Brett Helquist (HarperCollins)
What's Happening to Grandpa?
by Maria Shriver (Little, Brown)
Glorious Appearing (Left Behind, #12
by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins (Tyndale House)
The Purpose-Driven Life
by Rick Warren (Zondervan)
Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential
by Joel Osteen (Warner Faith)
4th of July
by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (Little, Brown)
The 5th Horseman
by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (Little, Brown)
Absolute Friends
by John Le Carre (Little, Brown)
All the Flowers are Dying
by Lawrence Block (Morrow)
Beautiful Ghosts
by Eliot Pattison (Minotaur Books)
The Big Over Easy
by Jasper Fforde (Viking)
Bone Mountain
by Eliot Pattison (St. Martin's Minotaur)
The Broker
by John Grisham (Doubleday Books)
Creation in Death
by J.D. Robb (Putnam)
Every Secret Thing
by Laura Lippman (William Morrow)
The Full Cupboard of Life
by Alexander McCall Smith (Pantheon)
Just Take My Heart
by Mary Higgins Clark (Simon and Schuster)
Killer Smile
by Lisa Scottoline (HarperCollins)
The Last Juror
by John Grisham (Doubleday)
The Last Spymaster
by Gayle Lynds (St. Martin's Press)
Lost Light
by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown)
Map of Bones
by James Rollins (William Morrow)
R is for Ricochet
by Sue Grafton (Putnam)
by James Rollins (William Morrow)
Split Second
by David Baldacci (Warner Books)
The Templar Legacy
by Steve Berry (Ballantine)
The Zero Game
by Brad Meltzer (Warner Books)
-- Click here for more mystery/thriller book excerpts.
American Gods
by Neil Gaiman (HarperCollins)
Blood Canticle
by Anne Rice (Knopf)
The Burning Land
by Victoria Strauss (Eos)
The Children of Hurin
by J. R. R. Tolkien, Edited by Christopher Tolkien (Houghton Mifflin)
Counterfeit Kings
by Adam Connell (Phobos)
The Devil's Armor
by John Marco (DAW)
For a Few Demons More
by Kim Harrison (HarperCollins)
Flyte (Septimus Heap, Book 2)
by Angie Sage (Katherine Tegan Books)
Forever Odd
by Dean Koontz (Bantam)
The Harlequin
by Laurell K. Hamilton. (Berkley)
A Hat Full of Sky
by Terry Pratchett (HarperCollins)
by Kelley Armstrong (Bantam Spectra)
The Historian
by Elizabeth Kostova (Little, Brown)
Impossible Odds
by Dave Duncan (Eos)
The Lake House
by James Patterson (Warner Books)
Monstrous Regiment
by Terry Pratchett (HarperCollins)
Ringworld's Children
by Larry Niven (Tor Books)
Seduced by Moonlight
by Laurell K. Hamilton (Ballantine)
Sword of Angels
by John Marco (DAW)
The Wee, Free Men
by Terry Pratchett (HarperCollins)
The Wizard Hunters
by Martha Wells (Eos)
-- Click here for more fantasy/sf/horror book excerpts.
General Fiction
Bangkok 8
by John Burdett (Knopf)
The Choice
by Nicholas Sparks (Grand Central)
Cold Mountain
by Charles Frazier (Vintage)
The Five People You Meet in Heaven
by Mitch Albom (Hyperion)
A Good Year
by Peter Mayle (Knopf)
The Lady and the Unicorn
by Tracy Chevalier (Dutton)
Lipstick Jungle
by Candace Bushnell (Hyperion)
Nineteen Minutes
by Jodi Picoult (Atria)
Playing for Pizza
by John Grisham (Dutton)
The Reluctant Fundamentalist
by Mohsin Hamid (Harcourt)
by Marek Halter (Crown Books)
Shalimar the Clown
by Salman Rushdie (Random House)
The Tenth Circle
by Jodi Picoult (Atria)
Thirteen Moons
by Charles Frazier (Random House)
A Thousand Splendid Suns
by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead)
Trading Up
by Candace Bushnell (Hyperion)
Wedding in December
by Anita Shreve (Little, Brown)
-- Click here for more general fiction book excerpts.
1000 Years for Revenge: International Terrorism and the FBI--the Untold Story
by Peter Lance (ReganBooks)
AD/HD: Helping Your Child
by Warren Umansky, Ph.D. and Barbara Steinberg Smalley (Warner Books)
Call Me Crazy
by Anne Heche (Washington Square Press)
Confessions of an Heiress
by Paris Hilton (Simon & Schuster)
Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation
by Lynne Truss (Gotham Books)
French Women Don't Get Fat
by Mireille Guiliano (Knopf)
Good Muslim, Bad Muslim: America, the Cold War, and the Roots of Terror
by Mahmood Mamdani (Pantheon)
The Greatest Experiment Ever Performed on Women: Exploding the Estrogen Myth
by Barbara Seaman (Hyperion)
He's Just Not That Into You: The No-Excuses Truth to Understanding Guys
by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo (Simon Spotlight Entertainment)
How to Break Your Addiction to a Person
by Howard Halpern (Bantam)
How to Talk to A Liberal (If You Must)
by Ann Coulter (Crown Forum)
Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen
by Julie Powell (Little, Brown)
My Life
by Bill Clinton (Knopf)
Pledged: The Secret Life of Sororities
by Alexandra Robbins (Hyperion)
The Pirate Coast: Thomas Jefferson, the First Marines, and the Secret Mission of 1805
by Richard Zacks (Hyperion)
Trump: How to Get Rich
by Donald J. Trump and Meredith McIver (Random House)
An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy, 1917 - 1963
by Robert Dallek (Warner Books)
Worse Than Watergate: The Secret Presidency of George W. Bush
by John W. Dean (Little, Brown)
-- Click here for more nonfiction book excerpts.
Romance and Women's Fiction
Beyond Seduction
by Stephanie Laurens (Avon)
The Book of Trouble
by Ann Marlowe (Harcourt)
Boy Meets Girl
by Meg Cabot (Avon)
Carpe Demon
by Julie Kenner (Berkley)
The Color of Death
by Elizabeth Lowell (William Morrow)
Dark Demon
by Christine Feehan (Jove)
The Holiday Present
by Johanna Lindsey (Avon)
Into the Storm
by Suzanne Brockmann (Ballantine)
A Kiss of Fate
by Mary Jo Putney (Ballantine)
Lady in Red
by Karen Hawkins (Avon)
The Lady Chosen
by Stephanie Laurens (Avon)
Material Girl
by Julia London (Berkley)
One Kiss From You
by Christina Dodd (Avon)
The Reluctant Suitor
by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss (William Morrow)
Shadow Touch
by Marjorie M. Liu (LoveSpell)
The Summer I Dared
by Barbara Delinsky (Scribner)
Tiger Eye
by Marjorie M. Liu (LoveSpell)
Twelve Times Blessed
by Jacquelyn Mitchard (HarperCollins)
Yours Until Dawn
by Teresa Medeiros (Avon)
-- Click here for more romance and women's fiction book excerpts.


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Penn Medicine's Nursing Department is a national leader in the field of nursing and is dedicated to the highest standards of compassionate patient care, education and clinical research.
Our nursing culture is world-renowned for its exceptional leadership, exemplary practices and innovation within an environment that fosters continuous improvement. Each Penn Medicine entity offers unique opportunities for professional growth and career advancement through a multitude of clinical specialties. At Penn, nurses are committed to every facet of patient care by combining scientific knowledge, best practices, compassion and the most advanced technology to create an unmatched culture of excellence.
Nurses at Penn have the opportunity to work in a professionally fulfilling, family-oriented nursing environment at one of the leading health care organizations in the world.
Whether you are a recent graduate or experienced professional, our programs our specially designed to meet the needs of nurses throughout their career.
Penn Medicine offer unique and fulfilling professional opportunities for nurses on a variety of interdisciplinary teams.
Congratulations to the 481 Penn physicians listed below who were included in Philadelphia Magazine's Top Docs™ 2019.
Penn Medicine is one of the world's leading academic medical centers.
A clinical trial is a research study involving patient volunteers that are conducted to find safe and effective treatments for a variety of health conditions.


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Tag Yourself a Trophy
The ultimate guide to supremacy in the deer woods
By John McClendon Photo courtesy of Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism
Deer hunting has become a very sophisticated sport. Long gone are the days when hunters wore Army surplus jackets in olive drab while toting granddad's old Winchester 12 gauge pump loaded with 00 buckshot.
Today, we enjoy numerous television channels dedicated solely to hunting—and the majority of shows airing are related to white-tailed deer. Those shows make it look easy to bag giant deer with record-size antlers—so easy that one might forget that even professionals were once amateurs who had to learn the finer points of hunting.
Years of experience have taught me a thing or two, and while you won't see me on TV anytime soon, I do have a few good tips to help the modern beginner find success:
Wind direction and scent control: This is the most important thing to know about deer hunting. Deer have a nose more sensitive than a dog's. If you are upwind, deer can smell you, no matter what method of scent control you try. Avoid hunting in areas that force you to approach deer that are downwind. It helps to think of your scent as a "cone" that originates from your location and spreads like a baseball diamond. This means your scent signature gets wider as it travels downwind.
Always scan for movement: When sitting in a stand, keep your view wide, like a gallery portrait, instead of focusing on everything you can see. Subtle movement will become obvious and seem to jump out at you from the portrait frame. Deer generally appear darker than the surrounding terrain, so train your mind to look for dark shapes instead of the typical light brown coat.
Invest in the best optics you can afford: My binoculars cost as much as a nice set of golf clubs, and I would rather have a cheap rifle with a good scope than a great rifle with a cheap one. The ability to clearly see and observe your prey is the most important attribute you can possess. Deer hunting is mostly observation; the killing part is almost secondary. To do that properly, one must have decent "glass."
Find a firearm that feels comfortable and learn to use it: You are much better off being able to hit the heart of a deer with a small bullet than the rear end of a deer with a large bullet. Too many hunters allow ego to dictate caliber, but while bigger is not necessarily better, accuracy is. There are some exceptions when a large caliber might be necessary, but there is nothing in the continental United States that cannot be killed with a common .270 under almost any circumstances. Find the right-sized gun and practice to become proficient with it.
Wear a facemask: There is something about the bare face of a human that deer find quite disturbing. Being hunted for 75,000 years tends to have that effect on an animal. I have noticed that it's much harder for deer to acknowledge me as a threat when they cannot see my exposed face.


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Sarah Breck and Dax Hock were on the television show "Live to Dance" recently. Unfortunately for them, Dax injured his back before their performance in the semi-final round. However, I think it probably was for the best because it gave the judges something to talk about other than the dance itself.
Seriously, they talked about the injury, the music selection and the energy of "The Lindy Hop," but no one talked about the dancing itself. And does anyone else find it insulting that they didn't even acknowledge that Sarah was even there? After all that, do we really want to hear their opinion of our dance?
Because of the injury, there were no aerials or stunts, just straight up social dancing. Make no mistake, this was a very good performance. Could have it been better? Probably. I thought their debut performance together last year was at least. Ultimately, I don't think it would have made any difference.
In every appearance of Lindy Hop in a major media outlet before this, there was always some sort of complaint or excuse about its presentation. Too many aerials or tricks, dancers not good enough, or they were just not real Lindy Hoppers .
Well, we finally gave it to them this time. Professional level Lindy Hoppers just dancing probably the best example choreographed social Lindy Hop you'll ever see on network television. In the end, only one judge really liked it while one disliked it and another was ambivalent.
Given the way the show has been billed with Paula Abdul giving verbal blow jobs even to terrible dancers, you know you're in trouble when the best she can muster is "meh."
Believe it or not, this was actually way better than I thought it could have been.
I'm hearing the chorus already: "Maybe if Dax wasn't hurt." "Maybe if there were some aerials." "The judges just don't get it." Etc.
I think we just need to readujust our expectations of the way people perceive our dance.
It's not that most people don't get Lindy Hop. They get it well enough just fine.
They also just don't care. Get over it.
I like to wax poetically about our dance as much as anyone else , but it really isn't for everyone as evidenced by the fact that most of your friends, family, and co-workers wouldn't be caught dead in a beginner swing lesson no matter how many times you invite them. That we got one third of the judging panel to like it is a way better percentage than I would hope from a random selection of regular viewers.
If it's any consolation, the ratings for "Live to Dance" are falling faster than a thing that falls really fast on something that will make it fall even faster. At this rate, if by some miracle the show doesn't get cancelled before the finals, there won't be anyone watching it anyway.
Despite that, I know it's a bitter lesson to swallow: That no matter how much you are true to yourself or how much effort you put into something, everything won't always go your way.
You won't always get that job you applied for. That guy you gave your number to won't always call you back, and your "friend with benefits" won't fall in love with you no matter how many times you sleep together.
And not everyone is going to love your chosen form of American Vernacular Jazz Dance. That's life. After you cry yourself to sleep tonight with that knowledge, go live the rest of it. Then get some dancing in.


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The Basketball Movement talks with Springfield, Missouri's Anthony Tolliver following his signing with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The gyms at The Basketball Movement have hosted a lot of terrific players over the years. One of the most successful has to be NBA player, Anthony Tolliver.
Prior to owning the facility, Rob Yanders worked out there as a player. Even before all of Rob's improvements, the space was one of the best basketball facilities in the area. Working out here during his pro days led to Rob meeting and playing against fellow pro, Tolliver.
Though he is originally from Springfield, Tolliver lives with his family in Dallas most of the year. He says that he still can see the impact of The Basketball Movement through videos and its viral presence.
That is high praise from Anthony Tolliver, who gives back to our area himself whether it's basketball camps, real estate investments, etc. Tolliver says that it is important to never forget where you come from - he hasn't.
What's next for the sharpshooting big man?
There was one word that Anthony Tolliver used to describe himself: "Worker". His summer is filled with consistent workouts, usually at gyms/high schools near his home in Texas. "As you get older, it's more important to work smarter rather than harder" Tolliver said. "The older you get, it's important to be smart about how you approach an 82 game season."
ANTHONY TOLLIVER WELCOME BACK TO THE MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES pic.twitter.com/boAPMOp3l1— On The Prowl (@ontheprowl_MN) July 2, 2018
Now a 10-year veteran with almost 600 NBA games under his belt, Tolliver is no stranger to NBA free agency. We asked him about his mindest amidst the uncertainty.
After agreeing to a new one-year contract, he is now set to play for the Minnesota Timberwolves for the second time in his career. He played two seasons for the Wolves previously from 2010-2012. Clearly they remember his three-point shooting, rebounding, and willingness to defend around the rim. He now comes to them as a strong veteran presence (38 percent career three-point shooting doesn't hurt either).
As for living in Minneapolis when the time comes, Tolliver says the players are on their own. He will likely find a house to rent with his wife and children and get up there a few weeks before training camp.
Asked about NBA Summer League, Tolliver gave a chuckle. "I'm definitely past that" he said. "I did that for about five seasons, but it's for the young guys. I'm glad it's over."
Advice and faith
Robert Yanders built The Basketball Movement on faith. He has explained vividly before that every piece of wood in his floors, his color scheme, everything is based around giving glory to the God that allows him to follow his dreams.
If you are familiar with Anthony Tolliver or follow him on any media outlets, you know that that same faith resides in him.
Make Jesus the center of your life, and he'll provide the stability, control, and power you need for your life. The Bible says, "Seek first God's kingdom and what God wants. Then all your other needs will be met as well" Matthew 6:33 #iJnip— Anthony Tolliver (@ATolliver44) June 26, 2018
We asked Tolliver for advice for current Basketball Movement players and he brought it back to working smarter not harder. "It isn't rocket science; there are no secret drills that will get you to the NBA."
Consistency - working daily on the right things was his best advice. "You could work for three hours on the wrong things. Work on what's important."
Take a page out of NBA forward Anthony Tolliver's book; come get in work at one of the Midwest's top facilities. The Movement has come a long way over the years, bringing a professional, urban basketball presence to the community. Contact us here to get started.
We wish Anthony Tolliver and the Minnesota Timberwolves the best of luck in this upcoming season!


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Half Straddle is an Obie-winning, Brooklyn-based ensemble of performers and designers that make plays, performances, videos, and music led by writer and director Tina Satter that have been seen through the United States and internationally.
Half Straddle has premiered nine full-length shows, and a number of shorter works and video projects that have been seen at festivals and theaters throughout the U.S., Europe, Australia, and Asia. In 2014, Half Straddle's show House of Dance was nominated for a ZKB Patronage Prize at Zürcher Theater Spektakel.
With a constant internal engine and focus on feminist and queer dynamics that feels more necessary than ever, the company's work has grown in recent years to include teaching, workshops, and curated lecture series of other artists in addition to their ongoing making of performances, music, and videos.
The company began in 2008 and received their Obie Award grant in 2013. In 2014, Artistic Director Tina Satter was recognized with a Doris Duke Artist Impact Award; and in 2016, she received a Foundation for Contemporary Art Award, which funded in part the company's most recent touring work, the feminist art-rock show, Ghost Rings, created by Tina and company members Chris Giarmo and Erin Markey.
All of Half Straddle's company members and collaborators also work extensively in a range of other performance contexts, often creating their own work, in avant-garde theater to Broadway, to university teaching and as theater artists in NYC public schools.
In New York City, the company's work has been presented at The Kitchen, New York Live Arts, New Museum, Danspace, Performance Space New York (formerly PS122), Bushwick Starr, HERE Arts Center, Dixon Place, American Realness at Abrons Arts Center, COIL Festival, Ice Factory Festival, and PRELUDE Festival.
For a downloadable PDF press kit, click here.
Tina Satter is an American playwright, director, and teacher who was a recipient of a 2016 Foundation for Contemporary Arts Award, a 2014 Doris Duke Artist Impact Award, and was named an Off-Off Broadway Innovator to Watch by Time Out New York. With Half Straddle, she has written and directed nine full-length plays, and a number of smaller projects, and re-imagined them for a range of spaces as they have toured to numerous theaters and festivals in the U.S. and internationally.
She has taught and led workshops on writing, directing, and feminist approaches to art-making at schools that include Princeton University, New York University, Bowdoin College, Reed College, Sarah Lawrence College, Fordham University and more. In 2015, she was the visiting playwriting professor at University of Michigan. Tina has been in residence at Yaddo, Headlands Center for the Arts, LMCC, The Performing Garage, Kitchen L.A.B., MASS MoCA, and New Museum for Contemporary Art. She is a Usual Suspect at New York Theatre Workshop. In 2017, she received a PANOS commission from Culturgest in Lisbon, Portugal to write a play for teenagers, and worked with the Portugese directors on the translation and dramaturgy of her play, Small Breath.
Tina attended Mac Wellman's graduate playwriting program at Brooklyn College and received an M.A. from Reed College and a B.A. from Bowdoin College. Her first collection of plays, Seagull (Thinking of you), was published by 53rd State Press in 2014. The full text of Ghost Rings and a live vinyl recording were put out by 53rd State Press in 2016.
Jess Barbagallo*
Eliza Bent*
Becca Blackwell*
Nikki Calonge
Emily Davis*
Elizabeth DeMent
Jim Fletcher
Chris Giarmo*
Amber Gray
Erin Markey*
Paul Pontrelli
Kourtney Rutherford
Kristen Sieh
Pete Simpson
Julia Sirna-Frest*
Susie Sokol
Lucy Taylor
Adrienne Truscott
Ilan Bachrach
Elliott Cennetoglu
Enver Chakartash*
Chris Giarmo*
Chris Kuhl
Parker Lutz
Erin Markey*
Andreea Mincic
Hanna Lea Novak
Naomi Raddatz*
Zack Tinkelman*


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The Do Good, Feel Good of Recycling
Check out REEP Green Solutions Zero Waste 101 for more blog posts and videos on how you can reduce your waste and live a more sustainable lifestyle!
The Feel Good, Do Good of Recycling
By Devin Bettencourt
The Blue Box recycling program started in Kitchener back in 1983, since then, regions all over the world have taken action and integrated recycling into their waste management plans!
With over 7 billion people in the world today, recycling is a positive step towards addressing the negative effects excessive overconsumption has on our environment. Recycling helps to reduce toxic chemicals and greenhouse gases emitted from garbage in landfill sites. It reduces the need for raw materials which results in habitat destruction, species extinction and global warming. Recycling can reduce the amount of time, energy and excessive waste required to produce new products by up to 75%! This is all very important as population continually increases and the stress to protect our natural resource will also increase.
The Blue Box recycling program started with just one man, Nyle Ludolph, and now it is has changed the way people think. Individuals can make a positive impact on the world around them, and you don't even have to leave your home! By effectively recycling products you can lead by example and have a positive impact on your environment!
Common household items you CAN recycle:
Magazines/ Books – Those glossy covered magazines, catalogs, yearly calendars, and books can easily be recycled alongside other forms of mixed paper you may have.
- Zero Waste Option: Donate your magazines/books or visit your local library!
Plastic Bags – Retail or grocery bags can be placed in your blue box, just make sure bags are clean and empty.
- Zero Waste Option: Be proactive and avoid the accumulation of plastic bags by bringing reusable bags to the store instead!
Aluminum Foil and Trays – Crumble up the foil and flatten those trays, aluminum is blue bin approved!
- Zero Waste Option: Aluminium can be toxic, replace baking food with aluminum foil and wrap with banana leaves instead, an eco-friendly and health-friendly alternative!
Coffee Cups – The Region of Waterloo accepts coffee cups, but requests the plastic lid be removed before putting both the cup and the lid in the blue bin.
- Zero Waste Option: Opt for zero waste and use your own travel mug! Many cafes offer a discount to customers who bring their own container. Win win!
REEP Green Solutions Zero Waste Challenge seeks to educate, motivate, and have a positive impact on the way our community understands waste management. Our community can be a leading example for the rest of the world on how a zero waste lifestyle can do good and feel good for both us and our environment!
The Region of Waterloo's Waste Management site highlights many of the products you can recycle starting today! Additionally, the Waste Whiz site allows you to type various items in their search engine to determine if it is Blue Box approved, check it out!
*If you have any questions regarding the Region of Waterloo's Waste Management services you can call their 24-hour Customer Service desk at 519-575-4400.


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How exactly do type-in domains work?
If your domain is redexample.com, does that mean if someone searches for ""red example"" they automatically go to your site?
Or is it if they type in ""red example"" into the url field of the browser? Or do they have to type in ""redexample""?
If in the browser, do they have to do the .com? If they don't, what about .net, and the rest?
And which would be better? redexample.com or red-example.com?"


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Order out of chaos
Is it chronological?
Is it a reaction to an action
So consequential?
Is it a prediction?
Or maybe already existing?
A threat or a warning
Or a salvation to come?
Is it even possible?
Could it be considered logical
An idle term, fictual?
Or a hint of sacred knowledge?
Thesis and antithesis
Is synthesis the only conclusion?
Do I break the rules
if I don't consent to the game?


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Founded in 2012 by Justin Merrell, Adiaon is the driving force behind many great ideas and products. Adiaon acts as the foundation for the development of local ideas and enterprises with the goal of assisting others in achieving tangible results through proper connections and resources.
Mission Statement
Adiaon is committed to providing value to our stakeholders and clients through the means of great technological solutions.
Our Vision
Utilize technology innovatively to solve problems.


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Brace yourselves….Christmas is right around the corner. Ouch. I know, it hurts, but it's true. And the retailers? They're already celebrating it. Halloween wasn't even out the door and they were already getting the shelves set up for Christmas goods. Thanksgiving is just coming onto the horizon and the stores are filled with Christmas related goods – gift baskets, decorations, pj's and tableware. Christmas music is being pumped through the store sound system. It's speaking to our need to have THINGS, to fill our homes with STUFF. Christmas themed dishes that I'll only use once per year? Why yes I DO need those! Christmas colored Ziploc containers? YES!!! I MUST have these! I can't store leftovers in those plain old containers I already own. These are just a couple of examples of our need to feed the consumerism monster. And then I watch episodes of Hoarders: Buried Alive and think, OH.MY.GAWD!!! That could be ME someday! And then I see the dead animals that the homeowners somehow forgot about, the bugs, the dirty diapers, the old food – and I feel grossed out but calm. My house is not like that at all. My dog is alive and well and usually napping somewhere nearby. We do get bugs in the house, but it's spiders – gag – or fruit flies. There are no dirty diapers thrown into any corners, piling up. There isn't any OLD food in the house, but we do have a plethora of home canned and frozen foods from the garden (which we will consume over the next year until preservation time 2013) Whew.
But then I think about the amount of time it occasionally takes me to sort through things to find THE thing I'm looking for and I'm like duuuuuude, we need to get rid of shit. So I've made an end of year resolution. To go through the house a little at a time, and pick through the things we don't need, the things we don't use, the stuff that is broken and we planned on fixing years ago but now has a layer of dust an inch thick – and donate, sell or toss it. The stuff that we can make a quick buck on we will try to sell – things like tools, electronics, miscellaneous car parts. Things like clothes, books, shoes and household items will be donated, so that someone in need can get use out of them. Bonus – we get to write them off on our taxes! And it means that the stuff that I sort through doesn't have to sit around for long waiting to be sold or picked up.
My hurdle? Parting with clothing and shoes, in mass quantities. Don't get me wrong – I give clothing away all the time. Big human body sized garbage bags FULL. Yet somehow, I still have too much stuff. Are my closets breeding? I doubt it. I think the part of the problem is that I end up back at the store, buying a new top, or a new pair of pants because I have more closet space for them. I need to stop that. I'm a girl, and I love new stuff. Especially clothes and shoes. But do I NEED any new stuff? Not really. A few items a year to freshen up the wardrobe or replace something that's worn out, sure. But not a bunch of stuff. And shoes….sigh. I don't buy expensive shoes like I'm on an episode of Sex & the City, pretending I'm Carrie in my Manolo's. But I certainly dig a pair of stiletto sandals, cute ballet flats, or knee-high boots. But I have shoes I've only worn once. Some shoes I don't wear at all because they are uncomfortable. Should I be keeping them? Nope. Someone, somewhere, is going to love the hell out of those ballet flats that cut into the tops of my feet. Someone is going to totally rock a pair of my hot pink stiletto sandals. But it's not going to be me.
When the hubs said we need a bigger house for all our stuff, that was a wake up call for me. No, we don't need a bigger house for the 2 humans, 1 small dog, 7 hens, 1 rooster and 2 ducks. What we need is less stuff. And the time for getting to the less stuff portion of our lives is now. Moving forward, if I purchase or receive as a gift a replacement for an item that is broken or worn out, I am going to toss the broken worn out item. If I donate or give away a bag full of clothes, that does not mean that I need to go out and get 5 new outfits to take up the space they created in my closet. If I haven't worn it or used it (and it's not a holiday item, like say, Christmas ornaments) in 6 months, it's gotta go.
And for the holidays or birthdays when people insist on getting me a gift I'm going to ask them to only (well, mostly – homemade gifts are thoughtful and generally useful! As are replacements for worn out items) get me things our home needs. My gram asked me the other day what I wanted for Christmas, and I told her bathroom stuff! Like a toilet! We are getting ready to gut and remodel it, and those are things we will need to complete that, so a gift card for a home improvement store would be lovely, and greatly appreciated. I am selling my Wii and all it's various extras(interested in purchasing it????) so to replace the Netflix function it provided I asked hubs for a Roku – something much smaller than the Wii, and portable for all the tv's in our home.
I'm still sorting through the house, and no doubt will have more after the Christmas decorations come down from the attic, but I already feel like a weight has been lifted. Like I'm dodging the bullet of hubs calling the Hoarders show producers saying they have to come do an intervention with me. Hope for a clutter free life is on the horizon. And I don't miss all that stuff that I gave away. So I didn't really need it in the first place.
How are you trying to scale back?
And for fun, here's some Grinch!


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DJ LoveFreq creates and performs music for lovers of Electronic Dance Music and the euphoria of the dance floor. Breaking into the club scene playing keyboards and singing in an all girl Aussie electro pop band, marked her initiation of an excursion into electronic music production, songwriting, singing and delivering it live with a positively provocative 'spin'.
Now based in Houston TX, DJ LoveFreq is an internationally performing DJ spinning progressive electro trance. With the addition of Jacinta's powerhouse vocals and self penned Billboard Club Hits, LoveFreq is an edgy, melodic scorching live act that can also be heard regularly on Strictly Dance Radio, USA Dance Radio, PNN Radio, Drive FX and MCSS Radio.


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Designing city to shore
Kathy and Cindy are fantastic. I was completely lost trying to decorate an entire lake house. They listened to my ideas and transformed my place from an outdated 1920's cottage into a stylish lake home. Everything from the window treatments, furniture, paint colors, and accessories looks beautiful. I could not have done it without them. They are very knowledgeable and fun women to work with. I would definitely recommend their work.
What a great shop! A perfect place to stop on a weekend in Harbor Country. So many unique furnishings and home goods. I always stop in when I'm looking for gifts for friends. Love to see the new stuff they bring in!
Working with Cindy and Kathy is always such a pleasure. I've hired them to design window treatments around my home and they are stunning! Definitely recommend visiting the shop as well. So many unique gifts and home décor.
Last summer I bought my wife a chandelier from the ladies at Lake Interiors and she was delighted. They hand-delivered it and even offered to install it for us. Great place!
© 2019 Lake Interiors. All Rights Reserved.
Designed by Hello Gypsy


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The Road Ahead, Part 5
Published: Oct 6, 2017
Written By: Marilyn Romero
"I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."
Michael Jordan's quote explains the beginning of my journey so clearly. Day in and day out, I experienced failure. I grew up in a broken household where I was always the odd one out. I felt alone, and it was difficult for me to accept change and rely on other people for guidance. What's worse is that I constantly felt as if I was fighting harder than anyone around me to become successful, and it was never good enough.
For nearly half of my life, I had the mindset that everything I did needed improvement. I knew I had to make my mom proud, but I had no idea where to begin. She was tired and worked two jobs to provide food and shelter for me and my three young siblings. At age 14, I was too young to work, too old to do nothing and I knew giving up was not an option. I had to be strong for my mom, so I looked for different ways to help support her and our family. I used to help my aunt clean houses after school just so I could bring a couple of dollars home. I even made sure I was on my best behavior in school so my mom would have one less thing to worry about. But I still knew what I was doing just wasn't good enough.
At 17, I landed a job that was going to help me and my family. I now had money for gas, food and bills. It felt good; a major weight was taken off my shoulders. In time, I got promoted to a team lead, which made my job role even better than before. This was the moment I thought I was waiting for. As my money and faith kept growing, I didn't want anything to hold me back.
A couple of months later, Jose Perez – my cousin and a former graduate of the Code to Hire program – recommended that I apply to the Road to Hire Sales Academy. My immediate reaction was "no." How could I risk the job that's helping me succeed? How could I just leave? My head was spinning with questions. There's no question that I wanted to grow my career, but this new opportunity seemed unreal.
Later that night, I searched for the program my cousin was so excited to tell me about. When I typed in "Road to Hire" I found everything I had already heard about the program, which made me a little skeptical. It was way too good to be true. For two months, the program pays for students to learn everything they need to know to succeed in a professional environment. And if I were to graduate, I'd be making nearly double my current income. I had doubts, but my cousin insisted I give the program a chance. He took me to tour the facility and meet his colleagues, and that's when I realized Road to Hire is real. Although my mindset began to change, deep down I still felt those doubts from my younger self: fear, failure and disappointment.
I decided to take a leap of faith in hopes that I'd finally making my winning shot. I applied for the program, and got in a week later. I still had so much on the line when it came to my career, my family and my home, so I continued to work at my old job while I was enrolled in Road to Hire. It wasn't easy, and I wanted to quit. I was getting four hours of sleep a day and I still felt hesitant about the program. My Road to Hire mentor helped keep me focused and determined despite my doubts. She motivated me to become just as successful as she is, and opened my eyes to trusting myself and realizing I'm not alone. Being a part of Road to Hire has brought me everything I could ask for. I was given a chance to succeed, improve my life and trust others to help grow my future. The restless nights and stressful days were worth every sacrifice I had to make.
Now a year after my graduation, I'm a senior sales agent, a Road to Hire alum and a mentor for the program's incoming students. This is just the beginning to the path I've decided to take. My career has just started, but after all the failure I've endured in the past, I can truly say Road to Hire is the winning shot to my successful future and career.


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The Table, As it Were...
Kim Wilkinson
"Food is the daily sacrament of unnecessary goodness, ordained for a continual remembrance that the world will always be more delicious than useful."
Robert Farrar Capon, The Supper of the Lamb
We don't have a kitchen table.
We have the makings of one. Some beautiful pieces of maple, carefully cut, planed, and stored in the shop to dry (for, uhhhh, two years. And counting.) We have chairs, sitting on the porch and biding their time until we tuck them under said table. We have Edison bulbs and driftwood, waiting to be assembled into a hanging light fixture so folksy it would make all of Pinterest swoon. It's going to be quite something one day.
We joke about how, if we ever get around to actually making this table, we'll probably never eat at it.
A surprising statement, perhaps, when we spend so much time preaching the sanctity of the table, advocating its sacred role in family, community, and life.
We came to this place by accident. Of necessity, in the absence of a real table, we made do with what we had.
Our table? It's a couch. A well-worn and well-loved piece of furniture, with the kind of cushions that threaten to swallow you whole. It's where we start the day, porridge bowls in hand, wordlessly navigating the space between sleeping and waking. It's where we end our days, breaking bread and sharing some simply and hastily prepared arrangement of vegetables alongside our stories from the day. It's where we linger anytime friends come to visit, our hearts and lives shared over squares of chocolate and sips of port. Should the long-awaited maple table ever grace our kitchen, we'll likely continue to break our bread on the couch. We've learned, through all these years and with all who have shared this home, that what makes the table is not the structure, but the people. It's not where we eat, but what happens while we do. (cue the cheesy Hallmark movie music.)
We've added another table, these weeks of late. This one, no less unconventional than the one that bookends our days. We come to this table at noon. We come in overalls, cheeks still rosy from the bracing chill of the sub-zero December air; work boots, jackets, gloves, dropped at the door or hung to dry above the baseboard heaters. We come to this table just beginning to feel the pangs of the day. Hunger, cold, weariness.
This table is a set of rolling chairs, repurposed pieces whose sharp lines and utilitarian upholstery look more suited to a futuristic, Jetsons-style living room than the minimalist, driftwood-adorned one they currently occupy. This table is our oversized cutting board, an off-cut from a friend's kitchen island, laid on the floor and laden with yesterday's sourdough, this morning's eggs, this year's pigs turned into last week's back bacon, last season's pickles, and this season's tomato jam. Kristin Kimball, in her memoir The Dirty Life, wrote of joining the ranks of farmers that "ate like princes every day," and at this table it is hard not to share the feeling. From this table, with our wool sock-clad feet propped on the sill of the big window overlooking the farm, we marvel that the abundance we enjoy came from that snow-blanketed plot of earth, just steps outside the window. We reflect on the rare and privileged experience of eating meat that we knew, that we cared for just weeks ago. At this table, we are humbled.
We leave this table sated, but we also leave it lightened.
"To be sure, food keeps us alive, but that is only its smallest and most temporary work. Its eternal purpose is to furnish our sensibilities against the day when we shall sit down at the heavenly banquet and see how gracious the Lord is. Nourishment is necessary only for a while; what we shall need forever is taste."
Robert Farrar Capon, The Supper of the Lamb
On the table //
Did this make you hungry? Cool. (us too)
Here's what was on our table this time around.
Sourdough // If you've spent much time around here, you've probably heard us proclaim our love for sourdough. Here's how we make ours.
Tomato Jam // This one was a little number Vanessa and Alpha whipped up from Preserving by the Pint, Marissa McLellan's second reliably outstanding cookbook. The recipe is over here. Consider yourselves warned, it's outrageous. We're putting it on ev.ry.thing.
Back Bacon // Home-curing and smoking meat may seem a little daunting at first. This was our first foray into the world of curing salts, multi-day brines, and MacGyvered oven-smokers. So far no-one has botulism, so we're calling it a win. We followed Michael Ruhlman's instructions over here. It's a great, approachable starting point. We can say from experience that, should you find yourselves without proper smoking chips (and on an island, far away from a store) using the small branches you pruned from the cherry tree four years ago probably won't result in smoke. It will, however, still taste great.
Bread and Butter Pickles and Onions // These are an older vintage of pickles from our stash. We've since misplaced the original recipe and source, but this one here looks great and we have yet to be disappointed by any of Todd and Diane's recipes, so give it a whirl.
Egg à la Becky // Bonus points if you go and get yourself some backyard chickens (hi Laurel!), but any good free-range eggs will do. Labelling on eggs can be a little misleading and comforting modifiers don't always mean what they sound like, so if you have the chance to buy eggs directly from someone who's raising chickens, we wholeheartedly recommend that. But if not, don't sweat it. Do the best you can.


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The Buzz
TheChat: Paul Ryan dismisses prospects for immigration reform
It's Parade Day in downtown KC! Whoppee...
▪ "If we reach consensus on something like border enforcement, interior security, that's one thing. But I do not believe we should advance comprehensive immigration legislation with a president whose proven himself untrustworthy on this issue." — House Speaker Paul Ryan on immigration reform.
Republicans are peeved that President Barack Obama tried to change immigration policy via executive order. Sounds like any hope for immigration reform is dead, dead, dead for now.
▪ "I followed the two most popular mayors in the history of Wyandotte County. It doesn't make for easy sailing." — Mark Holland, the mayor and CEO of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County.
Holland was speaking at a health forum the other day with the two mayors he was referring to, Carol Marinovich and Joe Reardon, by his side.
▪ "You're going to see that we've got five outstanding candidates, all of whom are really very similar in terms of their issue positions but have a very diverse set of backgrounds and experiences." — Missouri GOP chairman John Hancock on Tuesday night's Republican gubernatorial debate.
The forum with five candidates begins at 6:30 p.m. To watch it live, go to Missourinet.com.
▪ "I'm not going to officially take it off the table at this point." — budget director Shawn Sullivan on the potential for cuts to school funding as the result of bleak budget prospects facing Kansas.
The cause: another multi-million-dollar budget deficit that's expected to confront lawmakers in the 2016 session.


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Working with RDW creative director Jeff Patch and freelance producer Alyson Singer, Kevin had the pleasure of editing their latest campaign for New Mexico's Cancer Center. Director Andrew Wonder of Station Film captured the essence of survival in these beautifully shot stories. Responding to their experiences with hope and humor, Adam and Judy will make you smile and root for these true survivors. #perspectiv
RDW Group
Jeff Patch, Partner/ECD
Phil Loscoe, Senior VP/Partner
Alyson Singer, Producer
Andrew Wonder @Station Film
Kevin Moore, Editorial, Finishing, Color
Cate Goodman, Producer


text:
What is in store over the next 12 months for isolated school children and Transport ministers with a lead foot should they take more care? ...
ABC Alice Springs Archives
Stories from 15 April, 2010 on ABC Alice Springs (8 items)
The Northern Territory Opposition says the State Government needs to come up with some immediate answers for the people affected by the collapse of ...
The policy officer for the Northern Territory Council of Social Service is calling on the Northern Territory Government to address the issue of public ...
The principal legal officer with Central Australian Aboriginal Legal Aid is cautious about the Northern Territory Government's announcement of ...
The Government has announced $3.8 million will be spent upgrading the Gove Hospital....
How do you overtake a 70-metre road train? Many people will be asking themselves that question when they get stuck behind this slow moving monster ...
A man who spilled flammable liquid on Cynthia Ching has been found not criminally responsible for the burns that killed her....
Our guest today has risked life and limb in pursuit of mountaineering......
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"I'm just telling a story... It's about a little girl and her father. I just want people to engage. Because everybody has a dad, and everybody loses that dad, on some level." -Lucy Alibar
Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin met as teenagers more than 15 years ago at a playwriting summer camp. At the time, they were just beginning to nurture their love for storytelling but would forge a lasting friendship that would lead to their eventual collaboration on the screenplay for Beasts of the Southern Wild, now nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Adapted Screenplay category.
On their first time meeting, Lucy told Indiewire:
We both won this playwriting award called Young Playwrights the same year. We got to go to New York and see a lot of plays together, and he and I just responded so quickly and so immediately to the same kinds of theater. We saw a lot of more traditional straight plays, and then they took us to see 'Hedwig ['and the Angry Inch'] and Benh and I just couldn't believe we were seeing this. We would talk about it, and then we stayed pen pals, and we would send each other mix tapes and I would send him everything I'd write and he'd send me these short films he'd make every weekend. We just felt it was this very immediate artistic camaraderie that we had. It was part of a really wonderful friendship.
For the long time friends, Beasts' success and its recent Oscar nominations are as thrilling as they are completely unexpected, especially considering the long road it took to get there.
Northern Florida native, Lucy Alibar distinctly remembers the moment she realized that she could find a voice for her stories on stage. She recalled to Blackbook Magazine:
I went to this very good public school in Tallahassee, Florida, and in the library they had a copy of Ntozake Shange's For Colored Girls…, and it just blew my mind because it's just voices. It's all first-person narratives, and a lot of southern literature is like that, too. Then I realized that the stuff I was reading like Flannery O'Connor—all these first-person narratives could be theatrical. That's when I realized that my voice could be theatrical and could be on stage in this way that I never knew from reading Ibsen or any of that stuff.
As she began to develop her voice, Lucy found most of her inspiration was coming from personal experiences, the surroundings and cultures she grew up in, especially Georgia where her father was from and where all her plays her were based. Writing one play in particular, Juicy and Delicious, served as a coping mechanism when her "vibrant, strong-as-an ox dad" grew gravely ill.
In an interview with Tribeca Film, Lucy explained:
I wrote the play right when my dad was starting to get sick. Usually I'm a pretty in control person and pretty poised, but for some reason I couldn't really process it; it really threw me for a loop. So I started writing a play about this kid named Hushpuppy losing his dad, and his world starts to fall apart in terms of time and order and space. Grits start raining down from the sky and the Aurochs start coming out of these caves through the red clay of Georgia to devour schoolchildren, and the teacher and the father are trying to prepare the children for the end of the world...Looking back on it, I think I was writing about me not being a child anymore—figuring out how I'm actually going to live through that. Because you can't be a child if there aren't any grown-ups, and I felt like my grown-ups were falling away. So that was the start.
She elaborated on the role her own father played in shaping the characters and relationships in her play:
My dad, like many Southern men, is this very emotionally expressive person who isn't as articulate in words about his feelings as he is with breaking a chair or something like that. And he does that all out of all strong emotions, but I was really interested in really watching [my character's] behavior change because I watched my own dad's behavior really change as he got sick and how that really changed our relationship.
As she often did with everything she wrote, when Juicy and Delicious was finished, Lucy sent it to her old friend from camp, Benh Zeitlin.
Around the same time, Benh was a Wesleyan graduate and had moved down to New Orleans where he was swiping his last few credit cards to finance his short film, Glory at Sea.
The short, set in a southern delta community, deals with the aftermath of a flood and "the community's Orpheus-like efforts to keep alive its old traditions and loved ones". Shot over the course of five grueling months, including 3 work stoppages due to money shortages as well as a run in with the Coast Guard, Benh emerged from the experience with one very defining revelation. He would set his first feature in the same Bayou community that he had fallen in love with shooting Glory. He tells Salon:
From the moment I came to New Orleans and the first time I saw Louisiana in general, it has this magical quality. It's so different from where I come from and where I grew up. It has this sort of majesty and magic to it.
As Benh was just beginning to develop the seeds of his idea for a feature film, Glory at Sea was accepted to the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas. The filmmaker and his friends were on their way to the film's premiere in Texas when their car was rear ended by a drunk driver. Benh recounts to The Hollywood Reporter:
It was 5 in the morning, and we were at a stoplight, and the driver was drunk and ran into us at full speed. I was in the back seat, and the collision collapsed it into the front seat, like an accordion. It turned my leg backward and shattered my pelvis, and I had to move back to New York for eight months. And that was when I started writing Beasts.
Benh had a clear vision of where he wanted to set his feature, a sinking piece of land on the coast of southern Louisiana that he would call the Bathtub. He was transfixed with the idea of this place at the end of the world, inhabited by a community of hold outs unwilling to compromise their physical and spiritual concept of home. As he began to flesh out the world his movie would exist in, he recalled the characters of his friend Lucy Alibar's play, Juicy and Delicious, and saw how they could easily fit into the landscape of the Bathtub. He reached out to Lucy about his idea and so began their collaboration on Beasts of the Southern Wild. Benh said in his No Film School interview:
The original setting, it had several similarities. It was sort of off the grid, it was out in the woods, it was rural, it was in a wetlands culture and alligators were part of it. There's a lot of things that connected North Florida off-the-grid Wetlands to South Louisiana off-the-grid Gulf bayou culture, so it made a lot of sense and it all came together. There was just some weird synergy where I just felt like the two things were floating around like this and they just kind of glued together.
Lucy added to MSN:
I think the central idea that Benh came to me with was taking the characters of this father and child in the South and these aurochs that are coming down to devour the children as the grown ups get sicker. He was interested in transposing that to South Louisiana and to the bayous there. And it really started from there. From moving down to that fishing marina and just spending all our time and making that almost a third character in Hushpuppy's world.
Throughout the course of the following year, Benh and Lucy swapped ideas, notes and drafts back and forth from New York to Florida to Louisiana and back.
The process was truly a labor of love as Lucy juggled several part time service jobs to sustain her career as a writer. In fact, she tells Elle Magazine that nobody could get in touch with her when the script was accepted to the Sundance Institute's Screenwriters Lab because her phone service had been shut off due to lack of payment.
At the Lab, the pair refined the script through several revisions and under the guidance of seasoned writers like Michael Goldenberg (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix) and Scott Frank(Out of Sight), eventually deciding to transform the character of Hushpuppy to a 9-11 year old girl and focusing on how the impact and stress of illness and environmental apocalypse affects their father/daughter dynamic. Lucy tells the film blog No Film School, "It sort of became more grounded as it went. I think the play was much more lyrical and much more fantastical and much less attached to real things, and the process of transposing it to Louisiana and taking these Apocalyptic events and attaching them to actual environmental phenomena."
As the film headed into casting and pre-production, the writers allowed the actors and the ever shifting landscape of the southern Bayou to serve as constant inspiration for Beasts. Again, from Blackbook:
We lived in this fishing marina for a couple months and talked to a lot of people about why they would stay, what would make them ever leave, and hear their experiences of losing loved ones. I remember this one gentleman that was a priest who talked about being in the room when his father died. Just the way he spoke about it was amazing; he was from the Bayou, so he had that way of speaking about it, and he was also a Catholic priest. I did a lot of listening.
The discovery of Quvenzhané Wallis motivated the pair to channel the world through the tiny lens of a six year old child. And, self proclaimed "Caucasian", Benh Zeitlin turned to his local actors to rewrite dialogue that felt more sincere and natural to them. Benh tells Variety:
We did a massive revision of the script in collaboration with the actors, going through each line and asking, 'How would you say this?' It wasn't like we locked the script and then went down there and executed it. We had a very fluid plan responding to the world that we were discovering as we did our research.
The pair's creative commitment to one another as well as the community they invited into the process resulted in a film with deep emotional roots. The Beasts family will be celebrating our favorite storytellers' vision, craft and collaborative spirit for years to come.
Congratulations to Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin on their Academy Award nomination!
*All photos provided by Lucy Alibar.


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Jewelry settings mountings – fire mountain gems beads, Settings and mountings. jewelry settings are available in finished and plated metals including the precious metal gleam of 14kt gold, gold-filled and sterling silver..
Job interview online practice tests, Get prepared for any interview in only 30 minutes! because you may not have a lot of time to prepare, we've designed a focused interview tests to help get you.
Willow glen high school – class '68 reunion, Willow glen, willow glen high school, willow glen high school reunion, 1968, class of 1968 reunion.


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2012 is not where I want and wanted to be. I tried something completely new. I lived for myself and no one else. It proved to be disastrous.
I'm a murderer, cheater, sloth, and what have you. For the first time, I've never felt so flawed, so human!
Thankfully, I'm the nocturnal type whose brain optimally functions in the dark. And so, with all the darkness from 2012, I'll eventually figure out to shed light onto the New Year.
I'm thankful to have a solid group of buddies and family, as well as resilience. It honestly wasn't all bad doe.
Here are a few things I can look forward to in the next 365 days: A whole new set of seasons, Kony updates, learning discretion, going to prison, science findings, entering the work force, happy hour with a purpose, mental health reformations, L.A. Zine Fest, PI, journeys, old and new friends, projects, happenstance, silvana, macaroons, etc. NU LYF.
Drink water.
Learn discretion.
Quit picking lips.
Stop overthinking.
Stop wearing the same summer dresses.
Stop wearing the same summer dresses.
Don't be self-deprecating, even if jokingly.
Previous NYE posts:
2012 - 2011 -2010


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JANUARY DAYS OF CELEBRATION: Part 1
Have you spoken any trivia today?
If not, you missed the fun of this 4th day of January 2009. Trivia Day. A day to play Trivial Pursuit, a game which always challenges me—and I lose, because I have specific name and date memory deficit. This is a syndrome I invented because, although I can tell you every generality about a person or event, what escapes my mind is the person's name and the event's date. I blame this on my mother's partying, during my prenatal months, at the specific moments that that part of my brain was developing. Mind you, back in the days of World War II, smoking and partying weren't seen as being dangerous to the fetus. Oh well, whatever the cause, do not engage me in any trivia contest lest you want to humiliate me with your huge win. Anyway, for fun, check out these sites: The World Largest Trivia Page , Useless Knowledge.com and Brain Candy Trivia
January had other notable days for you to celebrate, just when you thought the holidays were over. Perhaps the National Bird Day (never set aside by Congress, so not truly "national") will pique your interest. If you are like me and have bird feeders outside the windows that torment your pet cat, then January 5 is your day. I suggest that the older and more infirm you get, the more you learn to enjoy the hobby of identifying the different birds that visit your feeders—the cardinals, blue jays, titmice, wrens etc. While meditating on this issue, and before I inform you as to the true facts surrounding this celebration, you should click on FERAL BIRDS: THE LATEST COMMUNITY HAZARD. Then you will be prepared to learn that National Bird Day wasn't established to celebrate these birds. It was created by bird activists in order to enlighten folks about the plight of captive birds and the exploitation of birds in the U.S. pet industry. On this day, organizers suggest we reflect upon the conditions of birds held in captivity.
Of course, birds of the turkey, chicken and goose type, will have cause to celebrate January 6. In fact, they might bow down before all the vegetarians of the world this day, which is Bean Day. Although some persons consider this day as having no rhyme or reason, they just do not understand. Eating beans is a step towards a green society. Thus, it is very important to know your beans. All of them. Taste them. Experiment in a culinary style with them. Try them. You might even like them. It's time to read your seed catalogues!
Lovers had better both be on the same page when considering a diet of beans. Whoever set up the special days of the years did not do their homework, since January 6 is not only Bean Day, it's Cuddle Up Day. Using your imagination, can you picture being a meat-eater mated with a vegetarian on Bean Day? Need I say more?
The January 7 specialness was created for those of us who live in the Allegheny Mountains of Pennsylvania, or perhaps along the coast of Downeast Maine. Old Rock Day is no problem for us—old rocks proliferate like weeds. We dig them out of our gardens and lawns only to have those buried deeper rise to the top. Whoever began the pet rock fad didn't live on ground like this. They must have been like a friend of mine who wanted to fill their car with rocks because their acreage was rock-impoverished.
Many of my "so-called" friends might think that January 10 was created just for me. But I consider that Peculiar People Day was NOT created for this reason. After all, I am not peculiar, I am ECCENTRIC! There is a difference…isn't there?
Although Step in a Puddle and Splash Your Friends Day, January 11, is described as a day for mischievous fun, my guess is that the designer of this day didn't live where I do. It's not fun to stomp on a frozen puddle and end up with a broken, frozen bone. No, this just will not do in the north country where the temperature as I write this is a balmy thirty degrees Fahrenheit. But come join me in a warm bath!
How many of you have a dream? January 13 is your day! (Disclaimer: if it falls on a Friday your luck ran out.) Make Your Dream Come True Day requires you to take just one baby step towards fulfilling a dream. I guess this means I should discipline myself to sit down and write more pages on my historic romance novel so that I can become the world's next most famous novelist, and a century from now readers will still be clamoring to locate the now-obscure copies so they can enjoy every written word of mine.
But then, after all that work on January 13, I welcome the 14th when I can let loose and reward myself by revisiting my childhood (oops—not revisit, but continue the childhood I never left). Here kitty kitty, its Dress Up Your Pet Day. I have the cutest mint green dress for you, and the booties and hat match it perfectly. They will accent your orange fur so nicely!
To continue reading this post, click on JANUARY DAYS OF CELEBRATION: Part 2
DARE TO BE A CLOWN: Clown Types


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Warehouse storage/workspace
50 square meters available. $16 per square meter Current tenants: laser cutter, woodworker, electrical vehicle engineer, furniture makers and a sculpture artist. Plenty of street parking and truck access to the warehouse, 2 large roller doors, forklift use. 24- hour access to the building (noise restrictions 7pm – 7am) Amenities include toilet, sink, communal fridge. Looking for someone who wants to use the space for storage or a workspace, open to most, we need someone that doesn't mind noise. Really high ceilings, close to the city and train stations - very central location.
Send me an email email@example.com
Pricing Terms
$16 per square meter
Lease Conditions
50 square meters available, 1 months bond paid in full. Month to month lease available.
Parking Notes
Street parking and driveway parking available. Truck access.
- Floor Dimensions 50.00 meters sq.
- Ceiling Height Very High (4m +)
Accessible toilet
Drop-off point
Entrance ramps
Flexible layout
Public transport
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Wheelchair accessible
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Arriving / exiting ramp


text: This is quite a bit delayed but oh well. Fellow PJ Dijana Muminovic had her work up in the gallery here at school and I had to shoot a portrait of her for the paper. Her photos were amazing and it got a great response from the community she said, which is what we are always striving for. Congrats Dijana!


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The Little Book of Mindfulness Book Previews: 1. The Little Book of Mindfulness, Chapter 1 2. The Little Book of Mindfulness, Chapter 2: Finding Peace Within 3. The Little Book of Mindfulness, Chapter 3: Awakening to Your True Nature (Current)
Coming Soon
I'm excited to announce that I'm now half way done with writing The Little Book of Mindfulness. I'm going to keep my intro short this week because I'm trying to finish another new article for you by Saturday.
I'm super excited to complete my first book, but I'm taking my time and making sure it turns out to the quality standards I've held all of my previous work to. I make it a point to never finish a piece of writing until I'm 100% happy with it.
I hope you enjoy the next chapter of The Little Book of Mindfulness, titled Awakening to Your True Nature. In this chapter, I describe the deeper level of spiritual practice and how mindfulness plays an important role.
I haven't decided yet if this is my last preview of the book before I release it or not. In any case, look for the book (in all versions) to be released next month!
As always, let me know what you think!
Part 1, Chapter 3:
Awakening to Your True Nature
As we discussed in the last chapter, mindfulness can allow us to obtain a tranquil mind and thereby bring a wellspring of peace and joy into our lives. But mindfulness has another important role. It's the energy which allows us to discover the truth. Specifically, the true nature of things including ourselves. So the second power of mindfulness is the ability to help one obtain perfect clarity and awaken to one's true nature (vipassana). By true nature, I'm referring to our true "way" or our natural existence. By seeking to live in this way we can unearth wrong perceptions and discover our true selves.
To discover one's true self is something so many people strive for. Some strive to discover this elusive state most of their lives. But so many of us have no idea what exactly this entails. Where do we start? The very question of "who am I?" is as confusing as it is open ended. For the most part, this question is difficult to answer because there are so many hidden forces at work in our lives: the negative emotions which keep us locked in a perpetual "mental prison", the ego which strives to protect our self-worth at all costs, the ever-present pressure from society to conform to often unrealistic or misguided ideas, other false views which distort our perception, and worst of all: fear. Fear of everything. Fear of what people think of us, fear of losing those close to us, and fear of losing our position in life, among other things. These forces alter our perception of reality. We think that these things are "us", so the question of "who am I?" becomes a seemingly impossible question to answer. But these things aren't really us. By living with mindfulness we can see beyond these wrong perceptions to our true nature.
What is our true nature? It's beyond all perception, beyond all mental formations, beyond the physical body we inhabit, and beyond the sense organs we use to experience the world around us. And it's beyond consciousness. You're not your thoughts, emotions, or sensations. You're not a separate self, disconnected from everything and everyone around you. You're limitless. You're in the trees, the flowers, and the clouds. And these things are in you. To confine ourselves to a limited identity such as "I am this old, this nationality, this sex, good at this, bad at this, I work here, and I've accomplished this." is to confine ourselves inside of a small box. Our true nature is boundless. We're closely interconnected to all living and nonliving things. We and everything around us is impermanent, and yet, we exist beyond life and death itself in an endless continuation of energy. Our true existence is the very ground of being, the plane of existence beyond words in which all things exist as one.
The essence of discovering our true nature is to come in contact with the ultimate. What is that? It goes by many names- the ultimate reality, the ultimate dimension, the ground of being, Buddha mind, and even God. The ground of being is the ultimate level of reality. It can't be completely described in words because it's beyond the concept of language. It can only be experienced. It exists in some form in just about every religion and spiritual tradition on Earth. I don't want to speak too much about it, but know that the ultimate purpose of all spiritual practice is to touch the ground of being. By living deeply in this reality, the historical reality, we can touch the ground of being. By touching the ground of being, we see beyond all the things that once kept us chained down. We rise above fear, no longer have any need for hatred, anger, or jealousy, and we break the illusion of limiting beliefs. To touch the historical reality deeply is a very meaningful and fulfilling practice. You don't need anything else. In that moment, everything is perfect. And you realize what true happiness is. To discover our true nature is in fact to discover our true selves and our true potential.
Building a resting place
It's important to become aware of the ideas in this chapter, but if you're just starting out don't bother with awakening or any of this ultimate reality stuff. Just focus on calming the mind. Work on stopping, calming, fully resting, and healing as we spoke about in the last chapter. Develop your mindfulness practice by sitting, walking, breathing, and doing as many basic tasks throughout your day with mindfulness. Do this for at least a few months. Let your practice progress naturally.
As we spoke about in the last chapter, with time you'll develop a great feeling of calm, experience a strong sense of peace and joy in everyday life, obtain complete rest, and heal the mind. These are all very important. But it also takes time to develop mindfulness as an ability and as a habit, so don't try to rush through this part. You won't get anywhere if you do that and will therefore just end up wasting a lot of time and effort. The practice of calming the mind never ends, it will be something you practice for the rest of your life and it's equally important to gaining clarity of mind. Don't think you can bypass this and become truly at peace without it. There's no separating the two states of samatha and vipassana, in reality, they're two sides of the same coin.
Remember when I said that calming the mind was the foundation for obtaining a clear mind? Tranquility and clarity are natural extensions of one another. When we calm our mind, it's like we've built a nest for our mind. This nest nurtures and heals the mind naturally. This is our resting place. But this resting place is also fertile ground for receiving insight. Take the time to build this resting place and you'll have a strong foundation which will allow you to begin touching reality deeply.
There's no separating the two states of samatha and vipassana, in reality they're two sides of the same coin.
Shining the Light of Mindfulness
So how does mindfulness help us discover our true nature? Mindfulness is the very vehicle which helps us see reality in its true state. By learning to live with mindfulness we can develop great clarity in order to see the world as it is. By "as it is", I'm referring to seeing into the true nature of all things. This is reality in its true form, free from wrong views. This extinguishing of all wrong views and concepts is called Nirvana. Nirvana can best be translated as freedom. That is, true freedom. Freedom from all views in fact, because all views are wrong views when speaking in terms of the ultimate reality, which can only be experienced directly and is beyond all forms and concepts. And the act of obtaining this great mental clarity is traditionally called "awakening" (or "enlightenment" in many English translations of ancient Buddhist text). Why is all this important? Because it's through this process of awakening that we discover our true nature and experience the ground of being. And it's only until we learn to touch the ground of being that we discover true inner peace.
Imagine an orange. Your whole life you've seen this orange and you think the way that you see it is the way that it is. But, as we spoke about earlier, our wrong views color the lens (our perception) with which we perceive reality through. This wrong view of reality, which can be caused by a combination of "mental formations" such as fear, anger, and ignorance among many other things, is the ultimate source of all our suffering. By suffering, I'm referring to a sort of mental ill-being. Think of it as the opposite of inner peace. With mindfulness, the true nature of the orange will gradually reveal itself. You'll see the orange peel back its skin and reveal something completely different from what you had perceived before. This is the process of awakening to the true nature of things.
Just as with calming the mind, gaining clarity of mind is a process. Don't expect some sudden enlightenment to happen one day while practicing mindfulness. Moments of clarity can happen. These are moments of insight. But awakening is the slow process of peeling yourself and everything else in the world back one piece at a time to unveil the truth. You've lived your whole life "collecting" these false views. Imagine if you could wear ten pairs of sunglasses at once. Ten lenses, one in front of the other, in a row. Each of these lenses is a different color- green, pink, red, black- and each represents a wrong perception or mental formation which block you from experiencing reality in its true state. Your job is to remove each lens, one by one, until all ten pairs of sunglasses are gone. Each lens is blocking you from experiencing the full magnificence of the light. But with each pair of glasses you remove the more clearly you can see the light. It will take time to free yourself from all the things coloring your perception. But this is the ultimate liberation. This is true freedom. To be free from all false views, to no longer be tortured by deep-seeded issues or controlled by the ego, and to realize our limitless potential. I give this example to show that clarity is a gradual process. But as you work to wipe away your false views you'll develop a great sense of peace and liberation. It doesn't just come at the end of removing the last pair of sunglasses. Every moment of mindfulness is an opportunity to touch the ground of our being. This is the magic of living deeply.
To live deeply is ultimately what a spiritual practice is about. This is because to live deeply is to touch the ground of being and be liberated from all afflictions. Living deeply means nothing is trivial. Every single action, no matter how minor, holds great significance. Living in such a way, you appreciate every little thing in your life. You appreciate the water you have to drink, the food on your plate, the clothes on your back, and for having healthy eyes with which to see. Living deeply, in a way that cultivates a deep appreciation for the world around you, is a very fulfilling practice. By letting our mindfulness guide us, that is, being fully present for every action and placing our entire being into everything we do, we can realize our true nature.
Mindfulness is itself our "true vision". Remember the field of mindfulness example I gave earlier? Mindfulness is the quiet observer of everything. It judges nothing, so it sees with absolute clarity. It sees the outside world, the mind in mind (observing one's thoughts), and it sees the mind in things, that is, our perception of the things we experience in the outside world. So mindfulness is itself awakening. When you're practicing mindfulness you are awakened. It will take time though to identify and realize your true nature. But know that there is nothing to be gained, nothing you need to accomplish. You're perfect just as you are in this moment. So to live deeply with mindfulness is to strive to live true to our nature and touch the seed of awakening in us.
How do we live deeply with mindfulness? This will be a natural progression of your mindfulness practice. Once you've become fully rested your mind will be able to rest in mind. You'll now be able to experience mindfulness of the mind in the mind and the mind in things. Previously, we discussed the fact that everything we see, everything we experience, passes through our perception before we experience it. Because of this, the mind itself is part of what we're experiencing. This is mindfulness of the mind in mind. In simple terms, there's no escaping the mind because the mind is us. So when we observe the behavior of the mind with mindfulness that's mindfulness of the mind while in the mind. We think we're looking at a book, but in reality, we're looking at our perception of the book. This is because, in reality, there is no separating subject and object. You can never separate mind from that which the mind is perceiving. What you think of the book- whether you like the book or not, think the cover looks funny or cool, or if the book conjures some sort of old memories good or bad- arises from the mind and becomes your perception of the book. So to be mindful of the book is also to be mindful of the mind in the book. Furthermore, this means that what we perceive isn't necessarily the real world at all. The book that we see is first and foremost an object of our consciousness. When you and I look at the book, we see two different books. I might have a bad memory of the book which distorts my perception of it. On the other hand, you might have a good memory of the book with positively distorts your perception of it. Neither is correct, they're both distorted perceptions of the book. It's when we can see the true book that we experience our own true nature.
Mindfulness is our master tool in the study of the self. By developing the power of mindfulness to the point where we can experience the mind in mind and the mind in things we begin to see that everything is mind. If the book we see (not the real book) is really an object of our consciousness, and the process of gaining clarity of mind is really about extinguishing all false views such as these, then mindfulness' role is the tool which allows us to see deeply into ourselves and identify these false views. The light of mindfulness, the great observer, is also a great healer. Remember the animal that simply sits and rests in peace and quiet in order to heal its wounds? Mindfulness is the healing energy which allows us to gradually erode all false views and concepts in order to attain nirvana and touch the ground of our being. To realize our true nature is the only way to experience true inner peace. It will be difficult at first, but if you let mindfulness be your guide it will lead you to an existence filled with peace and joy.


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HEAVEN is a fresh fun range aimed at the teenage to mid twenties age group. All separates and all stock based. You can mix and match your look with plains and prints.
A great collection, this is surf culture swimwear with a boutique spin. The prices are amazing - you will be surprised! Heaven is also featured in a huge array of magazines and editorials.


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So here are my blog resolutions for this year:
#1 More diversity, dilute outfit posts with other topics more often (feel free to suggest any btw).
#2 Less photos per post and be more cohesive with editing styles.
#3 Rework items of clothing into multiple outfits (and hopefully this will translate into buying less stuff...)
#4 Stop messing with the site layout and just accept that I will never be completely satisfied with it.
Care to share your blogging goals for 2012? :)


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Join Community Energy in Pembrokeshire
They are seeking Directors to support the existing Board.
They are seeking the following skills and types of individual to take up the available roles:
1.Young people and graduates who can show commitment, drive and strong organisational skills. Project management, co-ordination and communication tasks will be significant in the next two years, and this is an opportunity to put a significant experience on your CV
2.Working people and professionals with experience or qualifications in the areas highlighted below.
For these individuals we anticipate that this may be an opportunity to add renewable energy and community development projects to an established portfolio of competencies, in addition to the rewards of achieving this valuable community project.
Applicants should be aware that there is no budget at present for remuneration of any kind for Directors, and the position is entirely voluntary. Directors may in future seek funding for remuneration, travel costs etc. but it is fair to advise that these costs are typically difficult to obtain. Therefore you should expect to undertake the work pro bono, with solely the non-financial benefits as the reward for your work.
Please get in touch explaining your background and qualifications, your reasons for wanting to support the project, and any specific areas of work that you would like to be involved in. (max 250 words)
Email to: firstname.lastname@example.com or firstname.lastname@example.com
This page is also available in: Welsh


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Combo Of Supreme Court Mug & 2 Coasters - B/WLSM012G1
Sale price INR 750.00 Regular price
For the pure litigating alligator, We've got a great combination of our best selling products for the Court going man.
Get a combination of the famous 'Supreme Court Mug', & the 'Supreme Court Coasters' to make the day!
- Actual product may vary in colour and size due to photographic lightening or your monitor settings.
Product Code : LSM109


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Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's plan for grassroots members to vote on Labor's leadership could be overturned by the party's national conference within 18 months.
Mr Rudd will ask the federal Labor caucus at a special meeting on July 22 to change its rules to evenly split the vote on the parliamentary party leader between ordinary members and MPs.
At present, only MPs and senators who make up the parliamentary caucus elect the leader.
Have your say using the #YouDecide9 hashtag on Twitter.
ALP national president Jenny McAllister said she understood the historic reform would require only a change to caucus rules.
But Ms McAllister said it was possible the ALP national conference, which is expected to be held in 2014, could overturn it.
"Certainly that is technically and theoretically the case but I think we are seeing a lot of support for this proposal," she told Sky News on Thursday.
She said she would be "very surprised" if the next national conference did not consider further rule changes.
Some unions are angling for the adoption of the British Labour party model, which gives unions a third of the vote on the party leadership.
Ms McAllister said unions were an "incredible source of strength" for the ALP but she believed Mr Rudd's proposal would win the day.
However she flagged a potential sweetener for unions, saying she would like to see union members get a vote in forthcoming "community preselections" which will be used to find candidates for the next NSW state election.


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Helping Kids do Things they Don't Want to Do: Why We Give Up/
I saw a family this week whose child was very frightened about going to school. We had been working on lots of levels to reduce this child's fear - from in school strategies (safe places, buddy programs, extra teacher help for the child, giving her special jobs and activities) and also at home strategies (coping techniques, helping her have more choice about when she went to school and what she did, and ways to help the child feel calmer, problem solving and so on).
The parents' job was to help the child gradually increase the time they spent at school - starting with a 10 minute visit in the morning while they stayed with the child.
Unfortunately the parents were finding this really hard to do - in the face of their child's distress, they gave up and didn't push her. This is understandable. It's really hard to go against our children's wishes. Here are some reasons it is hard.
1. Too little energy
It's really hard to keep fighting against a child, to have to be physically present somewhere, to have to give up other important things – sometimes it is all too hard.
2. Don't want to be disliked
Our parental instincts and instincts as people is to be liked. We want to make our children happy, not upset. It is really hard to fight against that.
3. Can't cope with the child's distress
Children can be incredibly distressed when they have to do things they don't want to do. They can be extremely anxious, upset, angry, sad and frustrated. This distress seems "wrong" and we avoid doing things so that it doesn't happen.
4. Think there must be another way/wish it was different
We hope as parents, that we won't have to make our kids do things but instead, they themselves will want to do it themselves at some point. Something will happen or someone will convince them that they have to do the hard thing. This is especially easy to think because we see the child do the hard thing "sometimes" and so we think that they "can" do it without us, and so we keep waiting for it to happen again.
5. Think it doesn't really matter anyway
We tell ourselves that the "hard thing" isn't that important. Or else we try not to think about it too much.
6. Think it won't work/I can't make them
We have usually already tried – really hard – to make them do the hard thing, so we give up because we believe it is impossible for us to make a difference anyway.
When we "give up" as parents in helping our children do things they don't want to do, it is often one of these reasons at play. It is worth being aware of them. Sometimes we will still choose to let it go, sometimes we might choose to push through them. Which of these 6 reasons influences you the most in trying to help your child do the things they don't want to do?


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Obama Takes Questions On Economy, Deficit
At a new conference, President-elect Obama names Nancy Killefer as the nation's first governmental performance officer, to be assigned to the White House Office of Management and Budget.
The former Clinton Treasury Department official will head a new office that will closely follow how well federal programs are working.
The announcement came on the same morning that the Congressional Budget Office said the U.S. economy will see a budget deficit of over $1 trillion for fiscal year 2009.
Obama Sets Strategy For Dealing With Deficit
Obama's News Conference
NPR News Analysis
Facing a potential record budget deficit of $1.2 trillion, President-elect Barack Obama said Wednesday that his advisers are balancing the need for a short-term stimulus while laying the groundwork for future economic growth.
At a news conference in Washington, D.C., Obama said the U.S. can't continue the pork-barrel spending that has led to the ballooning deficit. He said his economic stimulus plan will contain none of the pet projects that lawmakers traditionally add, and he is talking to congressional leaders about how to address entitlements. He said they may have a spending plan for entitlement programs — such as Social Security and Medicare — in February.
"Even in good times, Washington can't afford to continue these bad practices," he said. "The key is going to be, medium term and long term, how do we bend the curve so that we start getting these deficits down to a manageable level."
Aid To States, Tax Breaks
Obama, who returned to Washington this week ahead of the Jan. 20 inauguration ceremonies, has been on Capitol Hill this week pushing a plan to stimulate the U.S. economy and pull the country out of a deepening recession.
His plan includes new spending on infrastructure and energy projects, and he said Wednesday that he aims to include education and health care in his overall plan. In addition, the stimulus package is expected to include tax cuts of up to $300 billion for middle-income families; some businesses will also get tax relief in order to stimulate investment.
Obama also said his package would contain aid for states to help provide basic services and prevent layoffs in areas such as teaching and law enforcement.
The president-elect said he is still discussing the size of the package with congressional leaders, but it is expected to cost about $775 billion over two years and create or save up to 3 million jobs.
"I have confidence that not only are we going to be able to create jobs, but we're also going to be making a down payment on some critical areas," he said.
Adding A 'Chief Performance Officer'
Obama said part of his overall strategy is to increase government efficiency. Toward that end, he announced that he has chosen former Treasury Department official Nancy Killefer to serve as the nation's first chief performance officer. He said she will be charged with working with government officials to eliminate waste.
For example, he said one of his goals is to make federal buildings across the country more energy efficient, a plan Killefer will oversee that is projected to save billions of dollars.
Obama's strategy of looking forward at eventual deficit reduction struck a chord with some Republican lawmakers.
"We cannot borrow and spend our way back to prosperity when were already running an annual deficit of more than $1 trillion," House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio said in a statement. "I was pleased to hear the President-elect say ... that we need to stop just talking about our national debt and actively confront it."
Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned House Democrats that failure to pass the package by mid-February would lead to more job losses.
Pelosi said in prepared remarks that lawmakers should consider the cost of inaction, rather than focusing on the price tag alone. She said the payoff of the stimulus package would be in the creation of jobs.
From NPR staff and wire reports


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Food in colour.
Recipe development, styling and shooting the vegetarian and vegan Penguin book, Buddha Bowls.
Eat the world.
Creative development and direction of the pop up in London. Menu development, food styling and photography, interior design and sourcing.
A year in cheese.
Recipe development, food styling and photography for use by client brands such as Sainsbury's.
A hot potato.
Recipe development and food styling for a shoot to promote Jersey Royals.
Zen eats.
Recipe development, styling and shooting various healthy recipes spanning six issues.