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Update, September 23, 2012:
I had a slow start, but since March of this year I've gained and lost and gained and lost, for a total, so far, of almost 20 pounds and 1.5 pants sizes. (Depending on the clothing designers; the high-end pants tend to be cut bigger than department store clothes.) I "run" M-W-F each week and am up to 4 miles at a 12-minute pace. My husband
nagged encouraged me to sign up for the Disney World half marathon coming up in mid-January. I haven't officially started training for that yet, but you have to walk before you can run, right? I've also run two 5K races this year. In the first one, I came in first–there was one other woman in the race in my age bracket. In the second one, there were a lot of women my age (the run benefited a high school track star who had died), so I didn't even come close to first, but my time was better. My 5K time (on the treadmill) is faster now that it was then, so I can see that my efforts are paying off.
How have I done it?
About eighty percent of health/weight loss is what you eat. I was using myfitnesspal.com to track what I eat, which also tells me if I'm getting enough of essential nutrients. (I never seem to get enough potassium.) I still go back to it now and then to see how I'm doing, but I HATE tracking every morsel I put into my mouth. But if you're eating without thought and you're still the mayor of your couch, you're not going to lose much, are you? So I wake up at 5:30-ish every day (which, yes, was very hard to do at first), even on days I don't run, and then 3 days per week I get on the treadmill. I started out with the treadmill set on "2" and forced myself to do that for 30-45 minutes. I eventually eased the setting up to 3 and then 4 and now, on occasion, I sprint with it set on 5–without being sore the next day.
I think that's one of the keys–don't follow the "no pain, no gain" myth. It might take a little longer, but you're less likely to have to take a month or two off to heal torn muscles, etc. Instead, throttle down the exercise so that you are in the fat-burning zone without hurting yourself. If that's a casual walk around the block after dinner with the dogs, that's still better that sitting in your "butt groove" on the couch, nursing a family-sized bag of pretzels! But don't be afraid to challenge your body and your lungs by stepping it up a bit every other week or so. You won't know for sure if you can do it if you don't try. If you can't do it this week, try again next week.
Give yourself a break!
Also, it's important to give yourself a rest day. That's why I only run every other day. Yesterday (Saturday), I rode my bike behind my husband as he went on his 13-mile "long run" for this week. (He's training for a marathon.) Not only did my legs need a break from Friday's run, but biking uses different muscles (or at least uses them differently). Plus the ground was wet and soft in some places and very rocky in others, making it harder to to pedal. AND I ran out of water! My husband actually PUSHED my bike in some places. My butt, arms, shoulders, and neck are sore, but legs seem OK today. The hardest part (besides pedaling!) was keeping the bike upright on the very bumpy, muddy ride–which is why my arms, shoulders, and neck are sore. Nope, a 2-hour mountain bike ride the day after a 4-mile run is not a good idea for my body. Not yet, anyway.
My 2012 New Year's Resolution
Every year for the past 25-ish, my New Year's Resolution has been to "get healthy." Anyone who knows anything about making goals would say that "get healthy" is too broad of a goal. For you to have any chance at achieving a goal, it has to be broken down into smaller, manageable goals. So this year, my main goal/resolution is to get at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise every day. Which still is probably too broad. Maybe it should be, "Get out of bed every morning at 6 am, put on workout clothes and shoes, and get on the treadmill (in the winter, when it's still dark at 6 am) or take the dogs for a walk."
Why running?
My husband, Bill, started running 2 years ago. He weighed about 230 pounds. Now he weighs about 160. He did that by running. He used myfitnesspal.com to track his diet. He discovered that he never eats enough because he's always running! He's run 3 marathons and 14 half marathons, so he's always training for something. I often follow along on my bike, but 8 mph isn't much of an aerobic workout. (The muscles of my legs and butt get a workout peddling up hills, though. If you don't believe me, try it. Park your bike at the bottom of a steep hill, then peddle up the hill.) Obviously, running has worked out well for him. Not only has he lost fat, he also lowered his total cholesterol, raised his "good" cholesterol, lowered his triglycerides, lowered his blood pressure, and so on. In other words, he "got healthy."
Meanwhile, I've been watching what I eat (mostly), cutting simple carbs, eating more fruits, vegetables, salads, etc., and trying to exercise enough to actually raise my heart rate and burn some fat. But that's not enough. After a woman gets to "a certain age," her metabolism slows down, especially if she took a 25-year break from exercise and got a desk job! To get the metabolism started up again, I need to run.
Learning to run again
No one who hasn't run for 25 years is going to run a marathon. Or even a 5K. First you have to walk. And walk. And walk. That takes time and is usually quite boring, unless you live near a nice state park or a beach board walk, which I don't. Getting motivated to walk for 30 minutes at 6 am when I'd rather sleep for 30 more minutes is difficult. To help with that, I bought Run Your Butt Off! a book from the editors of Runner's World magazine. In Run Your Butt Off!, Sarah Lorge Butler, Leslie Bonci, and Budd Coates take you from not running at all to running 30 minutes over 12 "stages." (Not 12 weeks, because each stage might take you more or less than a week.)
In the first stage, you just walk non-stop for 30 minutes. If you can do that 3 or 4 times in a week, you're ready for the next stage, which is walking for 4 minutes, then running for 1 minute, and repeating that four more times. In each subsequent stage, you walk less and run more (2 minutes, then 3, and so on), until the final stage in which you run non-stop for 30 minutes. They offer helpful advice for both weight loss and running, and "coach" you through each stage. Just reading the first few chapters is motivating and puts you in the "get healthy" mindset.
Finding the time to run
In the first chapter of Run Your Butt Off! they discuss the number one reason people don't exercise regularly—no time! The author writes, "You don't blow off going to work every morning, nor should you skip your exercise appointment." That's true—but I won't get fired if I don't exercise. (However, studies show that healthy, attractive people tend to get and keep jobs more than unhealthy and unattractive people. Not fair, but true.) The running coach in the book, Budd, comments that it drives him crazy when the parents at his son's gym practice complain about not having time. He runs while his son is practicing and says, "If you've been sitting here for an hour, you have time to run!" He has the same mentality as my husband—"my run is more important than watching my son practice." I never enjoyed sitting out in a field watching my sons' soccer practice, but I know they appreciated my being there. Most moms can relate to this excuse, and instead we try to fit exercise into our time (as if we have any!), not our family's time. And if that means getting up an hour earlier, then that's what we have to do.
In conclusion…
I'm struggling with whether I want to post "before" pics and measurements—I wouldn't want to gross you out and scare you off! Over the next 12 weeks, check in here with my blog now and then to see how I'm doing (and "Like" or "+1" me to up my stats!). Maybe I'll post pics and measurements. Maybe I'll post some tips and tricks that I've learned along the way that might help you "get healthy," too. Maybe in 2012 I'll be running in the Las Vegas Rock 'n' Roll Marathon! (OK, maybe just the Family Fun Run.)


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Subscribe To No Man's Sky Subreddit Shut Down Before Being Reopened Updates
The No Man's Sky community on Reddit was shut down before being reopened after some deliberation and convening by the moderators and administrators. There's a lot of drama involved with the situation that has the community up in arms.
According to Gamespot, the No Man's Sky subreddit was shut down due to all the negativity surrounding the game. The posts were wiped clean and the moderation team was removed. Temporary moderators stepped in recently after it went down for a few hours to reopen the sub and attempt to get things back up and running. The moderators have basically stated that they want people to participate in good faith and to practically forget about the situation involving the sub being shut down.
Originally, one of the moderators, going by the handle of ROugeWOlf, stated that the sub was purged because of all the negativity, writing...
If the majority were being civil then why punish them for the actions of a minority? If, however, a consistent group of people who play and engage with the game are frustrated with it and have a lot of invectives aimed at the game, then isn't that something to be discussed? Either way, if an ample size of the community have strong negative opinions about the game, then is the sub only designed to promote No Man's Sky in a positive way? Seems like something of an extended advertising arm if that's the case.
Of course, if they're upfront about the sub being nothing more than an advertising hub for No Man's Sky then it's all good, but according to Gamespot the sub has no official affiliation with Hello Games nor any official ties to the game itself.
It's strange that moderators would take it upon themselves to completely censor the community from discussing No Man's Sky in a negative manner when the community is obviously displeased with the game. If you can't talk about No Man's Sky negatively on the No Man's Sky subreddit then where can you talk about it?
One poster, going by the handle of Listening_Heads, makes a very salient point that the sub needs to stay open for people invested in wanting to stay informed about the game, love it or hate, writing...
The thread where they talk about reopening the No Man's Sky sub is filled with lots of comments of varying opinions and plenty of deleted posts, as the moderators are exercising a zero tolerance policy on criticisms aimed at the previous mod staff. There are a lot of users posting comments similar to Listening_Heads, insofar that they don't want the sub to become a censorious promotional hub for No Man's Sky, but they also understand why the moderators don't want the sub to also become a community centered around hate.
Ultimately, controversial games that leave the community disgruntled and frustrated are going to draw out some of the worst in people, and Hello Games taking a silent approach to the matter isn't entirely helping. Some gamers became proactive and filed complaints with the Advertising Standards Agency in the United Kingdom, and the ASA responded by launching a full investigation into both Steam and Hello Games over the advertisement and promotion of No Man's Sky, so it's not like the complaints are without merit.

subset: commoncrawl


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Described by SOM as a 99-storey "beacon of energy," a new tower will aim for a net zero energy target and offer its inhabitants spaces to work and play.
Described by SOM as a 99-storey "beacon of energy" the building will target net zero energy and offer its inhabitants spaces to work and play.
The building's aerodynamic aesthetic will see it become an iconic landmark for the country, while its green credentials will demonstrate Indonesia's environmental commitment.
Slated for completion in 2020, the 530-metre sustainable development will be the headquarters of national energy and gas company Pertamina.
The Pertamina Energy Tower will be able to accommodate 20,000 people through a workspace, campus, mosque, sports centre and a 2,000-seat auditorium dedicated to the performing arts.
A covered walkway known as the Energy Ribbon will be clad in photovoltaic panels which will generate energy and provide protection from the rain and sun. The walkway will connect campuses, land bridges and gardens to provide accessible public space.
There will a geothermal-based central energy plant which "will serve as the energy production hub for the campus — a literal and figurative 'heart' from which energy and services will be distributed," said SOM.
Geothermal is recognised as Indonesia's primary renewable energy source with the country holding 40 per cent of the world's potential geothermal resources thanks to its 400-plus volcanoes.
The tower's aesthetic reflects its sustainability, with the building tapering inward as it rises to an open and rounded top, which SOM calls a "wind tunnel." The tunnel will utilise the prevailing winds to generate energy for the upper floors of the building.
The tower is also "precisely calibrated" for Jakarta's proximity to the equator while its curved façade features brise soleil to absorb and mitigate solar gain throughout the year.
The tower's curved façade is also energy efficient, featuring exterior sunshades to absorb natural light and illuminate the work spaces, thus reducing the need for artificial lighting.
"It is extremely exciting for the architects and engineers at SOM to be working on a tower and campus for which energy is the primary design consideration," Scott Duncan, the project's lead designer told Fast Company. "Historically, super-tall buildings have focused on structural challenges: resisting gravity and lateral forces from seismic and wind. The rules have changed, and energy has become the defining problem for our generation."
Currently, SOM's 309-metre Pearl River Tower in Guangzhou City (completed in 2012) is currently widely considered the world's most energy efficient skyscraper.
In addition to the Pertamina Energy Tower, SOM is now working on net zero energy tower, the Greenland Group Suzhou Centre in Wujiang China, which is expected to be completed by 2017.
The Suzhou Centre is expected to rise to 358 metres and will use 60 per cent less energy than a typical skyscraper, due largely to the building's "digital aerodynamic modeling."
The "lung" of the building – a 30 storey tall atrium and operable window – will draw in cool air flow during warmer months and flood the interior with natural light.
Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill also have a net zero energy tower in the works – a 184-metre net zero energy skyscraper in Nashville, Tennessee which would be one of the most energy-efficient and highly sustainable mixed-use buildings in the world.
That skyscraper is aiming for a LEED Platinum rating while also meeting the "aggressive energy use intensity (EUI) goals of the 2030 Challenge, an internationally recognized challenge for architecture practices to design more energy efficient buildings and move energy consumption toward zero fossil fuel usage by the year 2030," the architects said.
It will house a hotel, offices and residential apartments and, like Pertamina, its orientation will contribute greatly to its energy efficiency.
This includes a triple glazed curtain wall along the northeast wall and a self shading horizontally folding curtain wall on its south side. A double-skin façade, photovoltaic panels, solar shading, under-floor air distribution and skygardens will also help reduce energy consumption.
The Nashville building's exterior wall system will be made up of approximately 60 per cent vision glass and 40 per cent solid wall, as opposed to the 40/60 vision/wall ratio normally required to achieve the energy goals of the 2030 Challenge.
"This will allow for spectacular views of downtown Nashville for building tenants while maximizing their human comfort levels and minimizing their energy costs," said the architects.
Though these projects are all aiming to achieve net zero energy in super tall buildings, Daniel Safarik of the Council of Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat said measurable results have yet to be seen.
"All of the early attempts at 'net zero' skyscrapers have fallen short of that goal, but we have seen attempts to harness the prevailing natural conditions as well as active technology to generate a substantial portion of their required energy," he said. "Part of the issue is that, even if a tall building could generate all of its own energy, it is still a massive structure that contains a great deal of embodied energy in its creation. So there are many fronts on which to fight this war, and it's far from over."


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Hyde Park Winter Wonderland 2014
A trip to Winter Wonderland has become a kind of tradition for my husband and I. We've never missed it since 2010. It's just so much fun – the rides, the giant wheel, the talking tree, the Christmas market, the ice skating rink, the food and drink stalls, the festive ambience… etc, etc… And it's so much bigger this year too! Yes, everything is a bit more expensive, but not overly so; you shouldn't let that ruin your experience. It's Winter Wonderland… go with plenty of cash and just have fun! Here are some pictures from our trip there today:
Don't you just love the ambience?
Cheese! From Snowdonia! They're so yummy, and at £5 each, we just had to get a few!
Marzipan! Again… so yummy! But they're quite pricey… £13 for a box of 6!
Floating Christmas decorations and candles. They're really really pretty! We think they'd look really good in the living room next to a nicely decorated Christmas tree.
This guy's just amazing!
Ah… the giant wheel…
All in all… lovely day! We might go one more time before it ends on 4 January 2015. Otherwise, until next year, Winter Wonderland!


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Guest post by Mindy Crary
[Note: I just love this guest post by financial coach Mindy Crary, a self-described approval addict in recovery. There is so much wisdom about how our approval addiction shows up in our financial life. Good stuff!]
I am a recovering approval addict. I used to believe that I was responsible for (and that I had control over) everything that happened in my life, so I spent countless dollars trying to make my life as "perfect" as possible.
In my first serious relationship, I used all of my money to help my boyfriend become an independent filmmaker. Even though we didn't live together, I paid for all of our food, entertainment and vacations, as well as bought him equipment to help his career.
At the time, I just thought I was being generous. It wasn't until years later that I had the clarity to realize I was trying to control my boyfriend into having the "perfect" career that I could brag about. That I thought maybe someday, he would make the same sacrifices for me and "prove" his love.
I wasted thousands of dollars because I was trying to get from someone else the things I could only give myself–love, support, time and security.
Are YOU damaging your financial life with your approval addiction? Here are 7 questions to self assess.
Do you use money to…
1. Try to be perfect? Perfection is costly to maintain: perfect home, furniture, décor, car, clothes . . . when you aren't concerned with being perfect, your spending accurately reflects what you really value. But when you succumb to approval addiction, you might even catch yourself trying to "perfect" a spouse or child, if you believe something about them reflects poorly on you.
2. Ignore your needs and try to please other people? I remember once I drove 45 minutes both ways to network with someone—I never even considered the possibility of meeting in the middle! Approval addicts waste a lot of time and money catering to what other people want, mostly because you haven't stopped to think about what it is you actually want for yourself.
3. Give to others excessively? I used to be a lavish gift giver . . . I would plan holiday gifts MONTHS in advance, and give gifts to mere acquaintances. In relationships, I always had the perfect gift for each occasion, often giving more than I got back.
4. Jump into other people's problems? Because I always gave SO much to everyone in my life, I felt I earned this "right" to provide advice and input. I kept tabs on everyone and had an opinion on every action they took. It never occurred to me NOT to drop everything and insert myself. The need to help was compulsive
5. Pay for things because you don't know how to establish boundaries? How many times did I go to dinners, trips and events, just because I couldn't say no? It never occurred to me that "no" was an option. I wasted countless dollars doing things I never even cared about.
6. Avoid thinking about yourself and instead focus on what your spouse and children want? As a approval addict, I spent so much time focused on my loved ones, that I lost sight of what made me happy. I never spent much money on myself because I honestly didn't KNOW what I wanted. But I sure knew what my loved ones wanted (or, I THOUGHT I knew), so I spent a lot of money on them!
7. Try to make people care about you as much as you care about them? As an approval addict, you might spend A LOT of time figuring out (or TRYING to figure out) what other people are thinking; how dare they not spend the same amount of time thinking about you! So to try and get the attention you want from someone, you might spend lavishly.
Try This Analogy To Save You Money
The first step to recovery is realizing that as hard as you try, your path to "perfect" isn't getting you what you ultimately want out of life—be that wealth, love or something else. You have to realize that you'll never reach your destination when you're making "perfect" the priority.
I've found that I have to tell myself—even now, years later—that I'm ONLY responsible for my part of any relationship. I find this analogy be especially useful:
I'm not alone in the boat, therefore, I'm not solely responsible for rowing . . . in fact, every now and then, I need to STOP rowing the boat to make sure that others in the boat are right there with me, rowing along and doing their share. I don't need to tell anyone how to row a boat or help them see that they're not rowing (that's their own business). And, I don't need to maintain relationships where other people in the boat aren't rowing.
This analogy has saved me countless relationships and dollars. Now, I know that my first step with any decision involving money and other people is to ask myself, am I using money to help row the boat, or is this MY part of an equitable relationship? Once you're clear about what you want, you'll make better decisions not just around your money, but in all areas of your life.
So…. How is your Approval Addiction costing YOU money? Share your experience below in the comments section. Because Mindy and I LOVE that!
Mindy Crary (MBA, CFP® practitioner and financial coach at CreativeMoney) helps you become a lot more educated (never inundated) about not just your money — but the whackjob behind it. Go to Creative Money to download the free ebook,Getting Started with Spending.


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He brought �SexyBack,� but don�t quite wait for Justin Timberlake to bring his music back � just yet.
The singing superstar said his music making process is fueled by life�s experiences and making an album �is a really big deal.�
�For me, personally, when I do sit down and decide to do it, it�s just a special thing,� he said in an interview Wednesday night.
Timberlake is engaged to actress Jessica Biel. He�s appeared in a ton of movies in recent years, from �The Social Network� to �Friends With Benefits.� This week he�s in �Trouble With the Curve,� alongside Clint Eastwood.
His last album was 2006�s �FutureSex/LoveSounds,� a Grammy-winning record that launched three No. 1 hits and sold more than 4 million units in the United States. He�s appeared on songs by other musicians but has not released his own music since.
The 31-year-old said he�s unlike today�s artists, who constantly drop albums and singles.
�I don�t know that I can pump them out every year,� he said.


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Psalm 130:7
"O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love and with him is plentiful redemption!"
This verse has been echoing in my head. Plentiful Redemption. Such beautiful words. And such incredible meaning. I tend to try to over do it. And I try too hard to prove myself. And due to this I feel defeated and overwhelmed pretty often. Also, I mess up in my mothering, my health, and I get behind at work or in housework. In addition, I choose to say the rude thing and not the kind thing, I snap at the kids, or have attitude with the husband, or forget important things. Furthermore, I don't extend much grace to myself, honestly. Most of all, I am my harshest critic.
I am so thankful that in Christ, we have steadfast love. It never runs dry, it is refreshing, consistent and true. In the Lord we have plentiful redemption. An abundance of grace overflows over our weary hearts, tired minds and frustrated souls. When we allow him to be God and be all that we need, we are able to overflow in every area of our life, not operate out of an empty cup while wondering where God is. We can allow him to pour his steadfast love over our every part and allow his plentiful redemption to nurse our wounded places.
At this particular moment in time, my brain is running with all sorts of new things God has been teaching me about health, wellness, taking care of myself, sabbath rest, mental focus, reading, planning, etc. There is a refreshing in my heart and mind that I want to share, but for now God is reminding me to first allow him to overwhelm my soul, to allow myself grace in my shortcomings and to extend that to others. Where there has been plentiful redemption given to me, I must extend that to others.
I encourage you to let yourself be loved by the Father who lavishes steadfast love over His children. Let Him love you. In addition, let Him pour into you today. Be a sponge and soak up His truth, His love and his goodness. And allow Him to redeem the broken places. Not everything is fixable in our life. Yet, there is always redemption. God redeems. He loves to do it. We must let Him do so. Also, give Him permission to redeem, to love, to lavish himself on you.
He is our HOPE. Steadfast love + plentiful redemption = HOPE! Therefore, walk in that hope today, friend! Head lifted, eyes open, heart steady. He's got this. He's got you. He's there and always will be. Furthermore,trust in Him and His work. Watch him do what only he can do!


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25 Mar 2013
Portland Mayor's Mansion™, a bed and breakfast at Laurelhurst Park, opened its doors to guests in June 2013. The historic home rests next to a 44-acre city park, making it the ideal vacation to relax and explore Portland in quiet and beautiful setting.
We encourage you to explore what the Portland Mayor's Mansion has to offer:
- Learn about the history of Portland Mayor's Mansion
- View the neighborhood and nearby attractions
- Meet our Community Partners; and
- Ask us any questions you may have.
See you soon!
One Response to Portland Mayor's Mansion


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Daniel Crosby
Daniel Crosbyage 35
Founder, Nocturne Capital
Daniel Crosby got his first taste of behavioral finance while interviewing bank executives about their thoughts and feelings about the market.
Since then, he's dug into the subject with gusto.
Mr. Crosby, the son of an adviser, recently opened his own advisory firm, Nocturne Capital, which will focus on socially responsible and automated investments. He says the next industry wave will involve greater automation of investments and money management, and he plans to be a part of it.
The firm's name is a reference to things being most active when it's dark.
"This next project is all the worlds colliding — the finance piece, the psychology piece, the do-good-in-the-world piece," Mr. Crosby said. "I think it will be the perfect intersection that will be my life's work."
He has experience in each. Mr. Crosby has consulted with advisers on how to work with clients, employing his expertise in psychology and finance. He co-wrote a New York Times best-seller, "Personal Benchmark: Integrating Behavioral Finance and Investment Management." He also took a couple of years off in college to help children in the Philippines.
Oh, and he wrote a children's book about the inevitability of death and making the most of every moment in life.
It appears he's taking his own advice.
— Alessandra Malito


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It's taken me a few weeks to write a post about attending this year's HealtheVoices. This is the fourth time Janssen has hosted this event and I am blessed to have been invited to attend all four times. Usually I come home full of enthusiasm and joy at spending such an amazing weekend with so many dedicated advocates and inspirational people. This year was an emotional roller coaster for me. But before I tell you about that, let me tell you about some of the people I met and things I learned.
Today my son was baker acted for the third time. He is 8 years old. 8. I drove to the hospital in silence as a fear I had since forgotten began to enter my heart. This day is a day I will never forget. This one is different. Softly I can hear behind me as the doctor whispers into a security guards ear "call a code gray". Then loudly I hear "Code Gray!" It seemed to sharply pierce me in the stomach as I heard those words a second time. What exactly is a code gray? It's turning around to see a swarm of doctors, nurses,
Police officers and security guards RUNNING in your direction. It's a nurse holding you and physically pulling you into another room when the only place you want to be in that moment is in your child's shoes instead of him. It's hearing your baby scream in terror as he is strapped down to the bed. It's knowing that's what is best. It's knowing there is a serious problem and facing reality that there is nothing you can do to fix it. Code Gray was my life today. My son is my hero. He battles a monster that consumes him from the inside out every single day and most days he is ok. Most days he wins. Today, though, the monster won. And I feel defeated. Why? Because it's my monster to fight for him! And I lost! I lost! Phew, deep breath. It's ok. He just needs medication changes, right? He will be ok in a few days, right? What about a few years? What about his career? Will be find love? Will he be successful? Will he go to college? Today, the monster won. We will accept the loss.
Because tomorrow, we embark on the journey to understand who and what this monster is… and I promise you, I will defeat it. Because my son is worth it. Your children are all worth it. Do not give up. They need us. The monster will never die but with our guidance and love and support, it will only show it's shadow every now and again. So, on days like this, when you have just gotten home after having a 10 hour panic attack and admitting your only baby to a psychiatric hospital and driving home alone.. get up and be ready to fight. Warrior boots on.
I know, I've been quiet for a few months. Frankly, I've started and stopped writing posts at least a dozen times over the past three or four months, and every time I get disgusted by our current political climate and stop. I feel completely helpless. We have a President who wants to reduce the health care our children need to survive. We have an Education secretary that is eliminating guidelines just so she can say she's reducing paperwork. Congress actually made it easier for Tim to go out and purchase a handgun next time he's suicidal. I keep hoping I'll wake up and this will have all been an incredibly bad dream.
I decided to take a look at the guidance documents Betsy DeVos has rescinded by describing them as out of date. Granted, many of these documents are decades old. But many of them have no newer versions. These documents help parents and school administrators understand IDEA law. Here are some examples of what I mean:
- Guidance on Procedural Safeguards and Due Process Procedures for Parents and Children With Disabilities
- Guidance on Including Children With Disabilities in Assessment Programs
- IDEA Part B Final Regulations Related to Parental Consent to Access Public Benefits or Insurance / Medicaid
- Implementing Response to Intervention(RTI) Using Title I, Title III, and CEIS Funds (or, how to identify students that qualify for servies!)
- Initial Disciplinary Guidance Related to Removal of Children with Disabilities from Their Current Educational Placement for Ten School Days or Less (or, suspension)
- Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap in Programs and Activities Receiving or Benefiting from Federal Funding
These are just the documents without newer versions that I was able to preserve. Some I found when the Department of Education listed them as "no link available". There are others that I cannot find that are important and have no newer version:
- Guidelines for Implementing Community-based Educational Programs for Students with Disabilities
- Summary of Comments of Special Education for Children with Attention Deficit Disorder
- States' responsibility to make FAPE available to certain Indian children
- Use of Tape recorders at IEP meetings
If I still had children with disabilities in school, I would be consulting with the ACLU on whether removal of documents with no newer versions constitutes a violation of my and my child's rights under IDEA law. I am going to reach out to Wrightslaw to see what their assessment of the impact of Ms. DeVos' actions will be. I'll let you know what I discover. Don't forget – DeVos is the person who said the question of whether students with disabilities should be educated should be left up to the states.
In the meantime, I will set up a files section on the website to house the documents I was able to preserve.
***Update*** Here are the documents: https://themindstorm.net/purged-department-of-education-documents/
In July of 1980 I was thirteen years old. I spend the previous school year being picked on for being chubby and having braces. The summer between seventh and eighth grade I got my braces off and went on a diet. I lost 15 pounds.
My sophomore year of high school I was enrolled in a class given by a former modeling agent to learn how to put on makeup, walk like a lady, and dress, since I wore a uniform in high school. I was 5 foot 7 and I weighed 137 pounds. The instructor told me I needed to lose 10. By my senior year I had grown an inch and lost seven pounds. That's me, up there, back then.
During my freshman year of college I gained the dreaded freshman 15. I also gained a verbally abusive boyfriend who called me a fat cow. The summer between for freshman and sophomore years I lost 20 pounds. My sophomore year of college he proposed, and then found new reasons to belittle me. When I finally broke up with him the beginning of my junior year, I ate my grief and relief and put 5 pounds back on.
Later that same year I was raped. I spent three months hiding in my room, avoiding class, avoiding public. I stuffed my pain and shame down with food. I put on another 30 pounds.
My senior year I met the love of my life. I dieted and exercised off 20 pounds. A year later, we got married and I got pregnant. I used the pregnancy as an excuse to eat. I put on 80 pounds.
Tim, our second child, was first diagnosed at age 4. The next 16 years were living through a nightmare of rages, violence, suicide attempts, medications, hospitalizations, and residential treatment. I used food to help control my depression and PTSD. I gained 5 pounds a year.
Between 1991 and 2016 I have lost and gained nearly 300 pounds on Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, Optifast, Atkins, The Mediterranean Diet, The 21 Day Fix, and the Paleo Diet.
Years of therapy and treatment have helped me deal with my depression. Tim is stable and thriving. It's time I did something for me. So today, I'm having gastric bypass surgery. I need to lose half my body weight. This is the tool to help me do just that. This is my self-care.
Wish me luck. Please.
On April 20, 2017, it was announced that an amendment to the American Health Care Act (AHCA) was being proposed. The amendment was authored by Congressman Tom MacArthur (R-NJ). On April 25, 2017, the full language of the amendment was released. You can read it here.
It's not great. It gives the states the ability to strip away all the gains in mental health parity that were guaranteed under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Here's two reasons why you need to call your congressperson now and tell them that the MacArthur Amendment must be stopped:
State Waivers
The new language allows states to apply for waivers of the Essential Health Benefits clause of ACA, in order to reduce premium costs. Before the ACA, mental healthcare was NOT required to be covered by any insurance policy, including state Medicaid. The MacArthur Amendment would allow states again to remove mental healthcare from policies to save money. By the way – it could remove women's health benefits too, like prenatal and other OB care.
Health Status Underwriting Waivers
This language would allow states to take high risk people – read, folks with pre-existing conditions – and put them into a high risk pool where premiums for anyone with a pre-existing condition could skyrocket. This waiver would remove the clause in ACA that prohibits insurance companies from charging folks with pre-existing conditions more. So, yet again, a chronic medical condition could bankrupt you.
Call your congressperson – click here to find out his or her number. Be polite, but tell them – My child has a serious mental illness that requires lifetime treatment. The MacArthur amendment would allow my state to take away my child's mental healthcare, or increase premiums for this pre-existing condition to the point where we could not afford his or her treatment. Please vote NO on the American Health Care Act and the MacArthur Amendment. Calling works better than letters.
"Frustration" by Jason Bolonski is licensed under CC BY 2.0
I went to the third annual HealthEVoices Online Advocacy conference this past weekend. I learned a lot that I want to share with you over the coming weeks. But probably the most important thing I learned is that I don't have to be everything to everyone, all of the time. I love the advocacy work I do. I love helping parents just starting down this horrific road not have to navigate the same disasters that we had to navigate. I love getting big companies to stop doing things that perpetuate stigma.
I want to do more of those things. But I get mired down in having to "friend" everyone on Facebook, answer every email and messenger request, and respond to every tweet. And, frankly, being "on" all of the time is really wearing. I end up burnt out and not doing the things I really love, like working directly with parents and writing my blog and other articles.
So, I'm going to stop.
I'm not going to accept friend requests on Facebook from advocates I haven't met. I'm going to let some comments and trolls go by on Twitter.
And them I'm going to do.
I'm going to write more. I'm going to finish that goddamned book. I'm going to attend more IEP meetings with frightened and confused parents.
I hope you're ok with that.
I hope you'll do the same. Tell me how you will change up what you do to care for yourself better.
Disclaimer: Janssen Global Services paid for my travel expenses to the conference. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
"Relax" by Scott Leslie is licensed under CC BY 2.0
I have been trying to explain to friends, family, and others why I, a middle-aged, middle-class white woman, am afraid of what the next four years holds now that Donald Trump is our President Elect. I keep reading comments like, "we will have to wait and see what happens," or "we will all be okay." Sorry – screw that. I will not sit back and just wait and see what happens. Because of Donald Trump, things are already happening that are dangerous. Things have already been proposed that will impact the quality of life and potentially harm the lives of those that I love.
My fear has nothing to do with his crass language. I'm not afraid for myself. I'm afraid for my children, Tim and The Girl in particular.
After our calls and emails to Knott's Berry Farm and Hollow Studios, the online petition, and posts, articles, and letters from the Orange County chapter of NAMI, Pete Earley, Ron Thomas, and Los Angeles Times writer Steve Lopez, Cedar Fair Entertainment, the parent company of Knott's Berry Farm, California's Great America, and Canada's Wonderland Park have closed the FearVR attraction in all three parks!
Ron Thomas, father of Kelly Thomas, shared this email he received from Knott's Berry Farm last night:
Knott's Berry Farm is proud of its popular annual Southern California Halloween event, Knott's Scary Farm. For more than 40 years we have delivered unique and immersive haunted experiences to our fans and loyal guests. Our evening attractions are designed to be edgy, and are aimed at an adult-only audience. Over the past week we have heard from a number of people expressing their concern that one of our temporary, Halloween attractions – FearVR – is hurtful to those who suffer from mental illnesses . Contrary to some traditional and social media accounts, the attraction's story and presentation were never intended to portray mental illness. As it is impossible to address both concerns and misconceptions in the Halloween time frame, at this time we have decided to close the attraction".
Best Regards,
Public Relations | Marketing
8039 Beach Boulevard, Buena Park CA 90620
Office (714) 220.5130 | Fax (714) 220.5124
Steve Lopez of the LA Times is the reporter that wrote the book that became the movie The Soloist, about Nathanial Ayers, the amazing classical violinist he met on the streets of Los Angeles after Ayers developed schizophrenia. Let's not forget what Steve wrote in his article about the ride (linked above):
But another line in the email made me wonder if Knott's was taking blame or pointing a finger:
I received a response from both Knott's Berry Farm and the maker of the virtual reality game they are showcasing this Halloween.
Knott's Berry Farm is an amusement park in Orange County, California. I've been there several times, as a child and as an adult with my kids, including Tim. Every October they turn the park into Knott's Scary Farm, decked out in all the finest in Halloween regalia.
This year, they announced a new virtual reality experience they have titled FearVR: 5150. From their own website, here's the description:
Enter the Meadowbrook Institute and witness the abnormal case of a terrifyingly unusual patient named Katie…Disturbingly vivid sights and sounds invade all of your senses. Encounter the darkness that has taken over the medical staff during your fully immersive hospital stay.


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My name is Kevin Dorrell, and I am studying for the Cisco CCIE R&S lab exam.
My e-mail address is Kevin dot Dorrell at pt dot lu.
My name is Kevin Dorrell, and I am studying for the Cisco CCIE R&S lab exam.
My e-mail address is Kevin dot Dorrell at pt dot lu.
Hi Kevin,
Hope you remember me .. from NetPro. I had also emailed you once sometime back to get some advice about CCIE ..
Just wanted to tell you that this blogspot of yours on the web is very useful and nice..
Comment by Arav — 03 Apr 2008 @ 11:00
Dear Kevin Dorrell,
I was looking at your blog, Kevin Dorrell's CCIE Study Weblog
and I thought our Q3, 2008 Job Market Statistics, providing a comprehensive picture of the Cisco job market including historical comparison of the demand trends, median salary and salary distribution would be of interest to you.
Please take a look at Cisco Market Statistics ( http://www.odinjobs.com/Odin/marketstatcompare?id=7315&q=Cisco ).
Better yet, you can compare Cisco to another skill of your choice. You can also add variables such as location, role, and industry.
Here is an example of CCNA versus CCNE versus CCNP. ( http://www.odinjobs.com/Odin/marketstatcompare?id=7316&q=CCNA+vs+CCNE+vs+CCNP).
Here is another example of how Vincent McBurney analyzed the data and created "How to kick start your Datastage career" (http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/infosphere/how-to-kick-start-your-datastage-career-27481).
You can post a widget of the stats comparison on your blog or site or post any of the individual charts comparing Cisco to another skill to support any blog entry or article concerning the statistics.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me. Thanks.
Carl Williams
Oakbrook Terrace, IL
P.S: If you choose to use the data, apply your knowledge, analyze and create an exciting post, let me know about your blog entry and I can provide exposure to your entry from our site.
Comment by Carl Williams — 21 Jan 2009 @ 07:55
RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI


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What is #PRFest?
#PRFest, the world's only festival for public relations, takes place this summer, 15-16 June, in Edinburgh.
The festival was developed out of research about what PR practitioners wanted to learn about as well as recognising the opportunity for public relations to modernise at a faster pace.
The reason it's in Scotland is because I live and work in Scotland and where better to start something new than home turf?
Last year's inaugural festival was a sell out and 120 practitioners attended the two-day event hearing from leaders in social media, software, workflow, techniques, integration, platforms, tools and how to future proof your business/organisation.
Gone are the days of boring conferences
It was clear there was momentum at the festival to keep on pushing and learning, with an emphasis on professional development and a keenness for 'more of the same'. Gone are the days of boring conferences when people speak at you.
Learning, sharing and collaborating is the focus of #PRFest.
Not only will you learn a huge amount over two days and get to network with other practitioners, but you'll also have the opportunity to meet with some of the industry's employers. Agencies, businesses and organisations attend and what better time to network with prospective bosses?
It doesn't end there! Last year deals were done at the event and one in particular went on to be a business acquisition. It's all going on at #PRFest!
Your personal brand
One thing often overlooked, but shouldn't be, especially if you work in public relations, is your personal brand. What do you, say about you? Everything from your personal presentation, to your social media accounts, to your confidence and your reputation.
If you're planning on coming along to #PRFest in June, here are some top tips for preparing, so you're ready to maximise the opportunity and progress your own PR career.
Career progression isn't just about time served
Five top preparation tips for #PRFest
- Attending #PRFest can earn you up to 20 CPD points, both through PRCA and CIPR CPD platforms. Be sure to think of what you need to learn professionally, before you attend, so you have a clear goal. It's also important to evaluate your learning. What did you learn and how will you put it into practice? The programme is available here, so you can have a look and plan ahead.
- Make sure your LinkedIn profile and social media profiles are up-to-date and slick. If you're planning on doing any kind of personal selling, you'll need to have all your ducks in a row!
- Look at the attendee list in advance. Plan who will be there and seek them out when you come along. Planning and preparation makes effective networking. You'll be able to see who is attending via the Eventbrite page once you sign up.
- Take business cards. I think business cards are still effective! Make sure you've got a nice, clean business card for anyone you meet. It's a sign you've prepared and you want to talk further.
- When you make connections at #PRFest, follow up! Don't just swap cards and not speak again. Prospective bosses will be impressed that you've followed up with a nice email, (personal) LinkedIn request and will be more likely to take notice.
Career progression isn't just about time served, CVs and job applications. In the modern world, prospective employers will be impressed with your personal brand and your initiative.
Don't let this opportunity pass you by, where you learn, share, collaborate and meet so many influential PR practitioners.
Guest blog post by Laura Sutherland, Founder of #PRFest and Chief at Aura PR.


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Office of Public Affairs
April 12, 2011
A seven-year odyssey has ended for 34 current and former employees of the manufacturing firm Newcor Bay City, which was found by the National Labor Relations Board to have cut wages and benefits without bargaining with the workers' union.
As a result of NLRB actions, Newcor in the past two months issued checks to employees and their heirs, as well as to the union's supplemental unemployment benefit fund, totaling $689,273. Individual payments, including health care reimbursements, ranged from $358 to $122,948, with the average amount being $19,694. The payments represented 100 percent of what was owed.
The original charge in the case was filed in June 2004 by the United Auto Workers International Union, Local 496. It alleged that Newcor Bay City in Bay City, Michigan, a division of Newcor, Inc., violated the National Labor Relations Act by implementing its final bargaining offer even though the parties were not at a bona fide impasse. The imposed offer contained cuts to wages and benefits. The company also refused to provide the union with employee data, such as seniority dates and dates of birth, needed for the bargaining process.
The NLRB regional office in Detroit investigated the charge and issued a complaint in September 2004 alleging multiple unfair labor practices. Following a hearing, NLRB Administrative Law Judge Paul Bogas on April 26, 2005 ordered Newcor to: restore terms and conditions of the old contract until the parties agree to a new one or reach a valid impasse; make whole all current and former employees for loss of wages and benefits as a result of the unlawful cuts imposed; and make contributions to funds established by the collective bargaining agreement with the union.
On appeal, the Board affirmed the judge's findings and adopted his recommended order with minor modifications on November 8, 2005. When Newcor failed to comply with the Board's Order, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit granted enforcement on February 15, 2007.
Over the next 26 months, the regional office collected information on the 34 affected employees, including those who continued working, were laid off, or retired early due to the changed circumstances. Backpay calculations took into account medical expenses incurred as a result of lost health care coverage, expenses for job searches, income earned in a subsequent job (which is deducted from the backpay total), as well as hourly earnings and vacation time.
These calculations were presented at a compliance hearing, and Administrative Law Judge Earl Shamwell issued a favorable Supplemental Decision and recommended Order on July 21, 2010. The Board issued its Supplemental Order on January 19, 2011, adopting the judge's findings with minor modifications.
Key staff on this case: Field Examiner Annetta Stevenson investigated the underlying unfair labor practice case. Field Attorney Judith Champa presented the original case to Administrative Law Judge Paul Bogas. Field Attorney Richard Czubaj handled the compliance investigation, gathering a vast amount of documentation and drafting a series of five compliance specifications. In compliance proceedings, Counsel for the General Counsel Scott Preston presented the region's case to Administrative Law Judge Earl Shamwell. Compliance Officer Mark Baines handled the processing of the compliance case and the disbursement of the backpay checks.


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TLC Reveals The Hidden Lives of American Gypsies in "MY BIG FAT AMERICAN GYPSY WEDDING"
TLC takes viewers on a journey into the lives of America's Gypsy and Traveller communities in the all-new series MY BIG FAT AMERICAN GYPSY WEDDING. More than 45 million people tuned in to watch the original UK series when it ran on TLC in 2011, and now the network is revealing the hidden culture and over-the-top weddings that exist in our own backyards. A premiere date has not been set.
There are an estimated one million Gypsies and Travellers throughout the US, but most live in complete secrecy, away from the judgment and discrimination that plague their communities. However, their lifestyles are anything but discrete - they blend traditional values with modern-dayinfluences, resulting in weddings and other celebrations that are large, loud, and lavish. TLC will go inside their homes and attend their parties to share what it's like to be living as a Gypsy in America.
"TLC loves a great wedding, and no one does it bigger than the Gypsies. The community's extravagant events are the perfect backdrop to explore their rich history and modern-day lifestyle," said Amy Winter, GM, TLC. "At the same time, MY BIG FAT AMERICAN GYPSY WEDDING will continue TLC's tradition of introducing viewers to a group of people they might not otherwise interact with, offering a compelling mix of the remarkable and the relatable.
MY BIG FAT AMERICAN GYPSY WEDDING, which has been in active production across several states including West Virginia, Georgia, and Maryland, will share the lives of several Gypsy and Traveller families. Some of the people featured include:
· 23 year-old Bill is preparing to marry 18 year-old Tamara, who is a non-Gypsy and struggles to become accepted by thelocal community.
· Nettie and JR married in secret when they were teenagers, and now want to celebrate with their families in a wedding renewal - thrown the traditional, extravagant way.
· At 14, it's time for Priscilla to start looking for a future husband. Her father plans a big party to bring together the available Gypsy men to see if she can find her true love.
· Chris and Amanda are planning lavish baptism celebrations for four of their children. They must all look their best, andthey commission a Swarvoski crystal-crusted pacifier.
· Plans for a family reunion - with a guest list numbering into the hundreds - risks ruin at the hand of rebel Mellie, who refuses to conform to the role expected of her.
TLC has ordered 8 hour-long episodes of MY BIG FAT AMERICAN GYPSY WEDDING. Firecracker Films is producing the series.
About TLC
TLC is a global brand that celebrates extraordinary people and relatable life moments through innovative nonfiction programming. A top 10 cable network in key female demos, TLC has built successful franchises around the Cake Boss and Say Yes to the Dress brands. In 2011, TLC had 28 series averaging 1.0 million P2+ viewers or more includingSister Wives, My Strange Addiction, Extreme Couponing, Toddlers & Tiaras, NY Ink, 19 Kids and Counting, and What Not To Wear.
TLC is available in more than 99 million homes in the US and 75 million households in 34 countries internationally. A destination online, TLC.com offers in-depth fan sites, exclusive video content, and original editorial covering style, home, food, and more. Fans can also interact with TLC via On Demand services, on mobile platforms, including an iPhone App, and through social media such as Facebook or @TLC on Twitter. TLC is part of Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA,DISCB, DISCK), the world's number one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 210 countries and territories.


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In honor of the 50th anniversary of CPR, CPR Across America is asking San Diegans to help them create a world record for the highest number of people trained in CPR at one time.
On Dec. 5, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., the community is invited to learn the life-saving technique and how to use an AED or automated external defibrillator aboard the USS Midway.
The free course is not a certification course according to their website, but an introduction to hands-on CPR. The event is open to the first 5000 people, ages 5 to 95. Classes start every 30 mintues.
"Cardiac Arrest is the leading cause of death not only in America, but here in San Diego County," said San Diego Project Heartbeat's Maureen O'Connnor. "It is important that we teach society as a whole, how to simply recognize cardiac arrest."
The USS Midway is located at 910 North Harbor Drive.


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Mickey took Meg to get some new cleats and ended up buying a package of Colts silly bandz for the kids to share. (He's such a softy.) The kids were very excited to have some of their own.
I'm sure this is only the beginning. I bet they'll all have an armful soon enough.


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Have Fun Learning Hebrew with Palindromes
A palindrome is a word, phrase, number, or other sequence of characters which reads the same backward or forward. Words like 'noon', 'civic' and 'radar' or a phrase like 'Madam, I'm Adam' or 'Was it a car or cat I saw' are examples of palindromes.
The Hebrew language has them too. Words and names like:
- ישי – Yishai, David's father
- דוד – David, Yishai's son (also pronounced 'dod' an uncle)
- נתן – Nathan or Natan, David's son
- ירי – Firing of a bullet
- אבא – Father
- מים – Water
And then sentences and phrases like these:-
ילד כותב בתוך דלי
Yeled kotev b'toch dli
A boy writes inside a bucket
הפוך על הפוך
Hafooch al hafooch
Up-side down logic
בחר בלב רחב
Bachar b'lev rachav
Choose with a big heart
הכלה הלכה
Ha'kala halcha
The bride left
There are very many more, but this is our final example
רבע הלילה עבר
Reva ha'leila avar
A quarter of the night has passed
More like this...
{fcomment id=800}


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We have filled the position of pre-convention registrar. Thank you for your consideration.
We have other positions open. Please check out our staff list and if any of the open (or TBD) positions look like something you can do and would be interested in doing, please contact Ron Oakes at firstname.lastname@example.com


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Fight alongside your mighty dragon to banish evil from the five realms and bring peace to the world.
M - suitable for mature audiences
1 Players
See it in action
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This past Thursday evening we had a bunch of people over so I decided to take Friday off as I have some extra vacation time and didn't want to feel rushed to end the party. I got to sleep in a little bit still but was up before 8 and then had a pretty productive and amazing day.
A friend swung by the house to pick up something she forgot the night before just after I had gotten up. Mr. SFF and I were in the kitchen getting ready for breakfast when she came in. She inquired if we always had Fridays off. I of course do not but Mr. SFF often has a pretty flexible schedule on Friday. The comment did secretly make my smile knowing that hopefully within a couple of years this would be our reality, not only every Friday but every day of the week.
Knowing how lucky I was to have the day off, I certainly made the best of it. I did some normal house stuff like cleaning up from the night before, I ran a few loads of laundry, and even did some sewing things had been meaning to get to. Nothing amazing or thrilling but it was just so wonderful to have so much time to get this stuff done without having to eat into our weekend fun time.
Continue reading "A Day of Freedom"


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I just bought a new compact - I wanted something easy to carry with a wide angle lens and after doing a little research ended up with the Casio EX FH100 with a 24 mm wide angle [ - 240mm tele ] and the ability to do high speed video .
I'm really enjoying this video mode !
Saturday, August 14, 2010
New Casio FH100 compact
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Img Src: Berger SL. 2000 Nature (doi:10.1038/35044160)
Understanding genetic variations that govern morphological differences is important in understanding the evolution of species (1). Although understanding mechanisms of gene regulation driving morphological differences is interesting, important, and necessary, it is incredibly difficult to investigate regulatory mechanisms because they are complex. First, body plans and body parts are highly complex and many genetic factors are responsible in development of body parts. Also, not all morphological differences are due to the same genetic mechanism. In this paper I will point out some of the problems in identifying genetic mechanisms governing morphological variations and discuss a few instances where regulatory elements have been identified.
Genetic factors regulating morphological differences
There are three potential mechanisms that can drive morphological differences. They are changes due to variation in coding regions of a gene resulting in a dysfunctional protein, variation in trans-regulatory proteins, and variations in cis-regulatory elements. It was clear by early 1970s that proteins may not explain most of the morphological differences. Based on various reports investigating polymorphisms in protein coding regions between humans and chimpanzee, Wilson and King concluded that regulatory elements and not proteins may be responsible for morphological variations (2).
Components of Regulatory System
Regulatory mechanisms have two components: trans-regulatory elements (TRE) and cis- regulatory elements (CRE). The scientific community is divided regarding which of the two contributes most to the morphological divergence. Some argue that although CRE have some role in evolution, biological processes such as speciation and adaptation are facilitated mostly by structural mutations (3, 4). It has been shown that a change in one amino acid can cause morphological changes such as coat color variation in mice (5). Many more examples of structural mutations contributing to morphological differences are discussed in ref.(4). There is also plenty of evidence that CRE can mediate morphological variations and many are summarized in ref.(6).
Cis- and trans-mediators both regulate morphological changes
Even though there are compelling evidence that both cis and trans regulatory changes can drive morphological differences, cis mediated changes seems to have gained momentum over trans mediated changes. This is because of at least two reasons. The first is due to the structural differencs between the two regulatory elements. CRE are non-coding, non-pleiotropic with spatial and temporal function, and modular (7, 8). Since they are non-coding, they can sustain more mutations than structural proteins. Unlike proteins (especially transcription factors that mediate trans-regulation) that have more than one function, CRE are non-pleiotropic thus any mutation sustained by CRE probably influences only one particular trait which unless deleterious does not affect the overall fitness of an organism. Thus CRE can accumulate mutations these mutations can produce changes that can be selected for. Finally, CRE are modular and one or a few mutations in various modules may not affect its overall function (9).
On the other hand, although proteins have spatial and temporal expression, they are pleiotropic and a change in a protein can make it dysfunctional. If the protein is involved in more than one pathway, then all the pathways are dysfunctional and this has a major impact in the fitness of the organism. Hence the argument is that proteins may not be the major contributors in driving morphological variations. However, this conclusion is influenced by current findings that show not many proteins are different between two species but the caveat here is how difference is defined. Most studies have investigated changes in nucleotide or amino acid sequences of coding regions but changes due to post transcriptional modifications such as splice variants are not fully investigated. It is possible that different splice variants function differently. Furthermore, the conclusion that only CRE and not trans-regulatory proteins mediate morphological variation is not entirely true as some studies have shown that changes in proteins can mediate morphological variations (5). Finally, it has been shown that proteins can be modular sustaining many changes in the amino acid level that has enabled them to retain their ancestral function at the same time gain novel functions (10).
Identifying regulatory elements
Even though it is likely that both CRE and TRE play a role in driving morphological differences, it is really hard to identify either of the regulatory elements. Finding TRE is harder because it can be anywhere in the genome whereas finding CRE is relatively easier because it is somewhere in that particular chromosome. Also, trans-regulatory networks can be huge consisting of thousands of proteins and hundreds of pathways and we are just beginning to understand the interconnection of such proteins in such networks. Therefore, it is not hard to imagine that finding a TRE that can be anywhere within the abyss of a regulatory network is next to impossible. While finding trans-regulatory elements is harder, finding CRE should be a simple straightforward task because by definition, CRE is defined as "a segment of DNA that regulates transcription; such segments typically lie immediately 5′ of the start site of transcription, but are often discontinuous, and individual segments can reside within introns, 5′ and 3′ UTRs, or tens of kilobases on either side of the gene they regulate" (6). However, finding CRE is also not that easy because the very properties of CRE (non-coding, non-pleiotropic, and modular) make them difficult to find. To elucidate the difficulties in identifying CRE, I will focus on recent reports on three morphological traits (pigmentation and hair structure in flies and pelvic structure in stickleback fish).
CRE that regulates abdominal pigmentation in Drosophila
Jeong et al. investigated what appears to be a simple morphological trait: the difference in male specific black pigmentation in abdomen of two Drosophila sister species that diverged recently; between 0.15-0.5 Mya (11). D. yakuba flies show the male specific pigmentation pattern but D. santomea flies lack the black pigmentation in their abdomen. These flies are geographically distributed in close by areas with D. yakuba found in lower altitudes where as D. santomea found in higher altitudes in an island in West Africa (12).
The authors seem to have chosen this particular morphological difference because of two reasons. First, they had extensive knowledge of the genetic mechanism regulating abdomen pigmentation in various Drosophila species including D. santomea because they had previously demonstrated that a pigment associated gene called yellow in the X chromosome, which is regulated by ABD-B Hox gene, plays a role in pigmentation in many Drosophila species (13, 14). Second, Carbone et al. had previously shown that four loci acting as QTL with large effect are responsible for the intra-species differences in abdomen pigmentation between D. yakuba and D. santomea (15). Of these four QTL two were in X chromosomes. From their previous work, which included D. santomea, they had observed that none of the mechanisms shared by other Drosophila species seem to play a role in lack of pigmentation in D. santomea indicating that a novel mechanism must be responsible for the colorless phenotype in D. santomea. It was also known that another gene tan is also involved in abdominal pigmentation. Both genes regulate the black melanin pigmentation in the abdomen and lack of tan causes severe under pigmentation. Naturally, tan was suspected to be responsible for loss of pigmentation in D. santomea.
Despite the intensive knowledge of pigmentation in flies, Jeong et al. had to perform multiple crosses, construct multiple transgenic constructs to measure gene expression, and make transgenic flies with these and additional constructs to show that of the four QTL found by Carbone et al. (15), the major QTL is the tan gene on X chromosome. This demonstrates that the same phenotype can be governed by multiple mechanisms and even if the mechanism that governs a morphological variation is well characterized in one species, this same mechanism may not be responsible for the same variation in another despite they are closely related. This shows the complexity of identifying CRE responsible for morphological variations.
To show that the lack of pigmentation in D. sanomea is not due to dysfunctional tan protein and not due to trans mediated elements the authors had to perform another series of crosses, conduct sequencing, and make additional transgenic flies. Fortunately, tan transcription unit in D. melanogaster was already known which enabled them to investigate for the CRE in the transcription unit of D. melanogaster (16). After finding the CRE in melanogster they had to repeat their experiments in D. santomea. They made transgenic D. santomea flies with the CRE of D. melanogaster and observed restoration of pigmentation in D. santomea concluding that CRE in tan is responsible for lack of pigmentation in D. santomea. In a sense they were fortunate possibly due to short divergent time between these two species that the D. santomea TRE was able to recognize the CRE from D. melanogaster, which enabled the restoration of pigmentation upon addition of functional CRE. Interspecies CRE may not necessarily restore function as some transcription factors may have also changed since two species have diverged (melanogaster and erecta in ref. 9).
Although Jeong et al. demonstrate that CRE in tan is responsible for pigmentation, they were not able to identify the differences within the CRE that may be responsible for pigment loss in D. santomea. After aligning the CRE sequences from many members of D. santomea and many other Drosophila species they found that there were more variations within species than between species. This demonstrates the complexity of pinpointing the changes within a CRE even after it is identified. Also, it is important to acknowledge the Drosophila genome is compact. Identifying the CREs in humans may be even more complicated due to tremendously large human genome full of repeats.
CRE that regulates trichome patches in Drosophila
The complexity of identifying mechanisms of another morphological trait, differences in trichome patches in various species of Drosophila, was demonstrated by Sucena and Stern (17, 18) and McGregor et al. (17, 18) in two papers published seven years apart. They compared abdominal hair patterns in five Drosophila species and picked two closely related Drosophila species one of which has hairy abdomen (D. simulans) and the other has bald abdomen (D. sechellia) for further experiments. Using crosses rather than molecular biology techniques used by Jeong et al to map the CRE, they showed that the regulation of hair development in flies maps to a region in X chromosome near the ovo/shaven-baby (ovo/svb) gene (17). Seven years later McGregor et al. was able to locate the enhancer regions that regulate differences between two Drosophlila species and they also come up with a robust possible model of evolutionary path for hairlessness in D. sechellia (18).
CRE that regulates pelvis modification in freshwater sticklebacks
All of the above mentioned studies demonstrate complexity of identifying genetic factors that regulate morphological variations in Drosophila. However, the complexity of variation is not unique to flies and this mechanism is at least equally complex in vertebrates as demonstrated by pelvic structure in stickleback fish. Marine stickleback fish have pelvic spines that protect them from predators. These spines are absent in freshwater fish. Shapiro et al. investigated the genetic mechanism that control pelvic reduction by performing crosses between the freshwater and marine fish followed by myriad of molecular biology techniques including QTL mapping, sequencing, RT-PCR, and in-situ hybridization (19). Their QTL mapping results indicated that there are multiple genes that are involved in pelvic modification in sticklebacks of which Pitx1 seemed the most important. Like Carbone et al (15), Shapiro et al also found that more than one genetic factor is responsible in controlling morphological trait. Furthermore, Pitx1 and other QTL discovered in this study were different from that previously reported by the same group indicating that more than one mechanism may be involved in spine formation in these fish (20).
Like Drosophila regulatory mechanism in stickleback is complex and despite patiently performing many complicated experiments, the best Shapiro et al could do was to identify the genetic region responsible for pelvis modification but not identify it. They did show that the no changes in the coding regions of the Pitx1existed and that the protein assembled properly and maintained proper spatial expression in freshwater fish that lacked the spine. It took them another six years to identify the exact location of the CRE mediating the pelvis structure which was found in enhancer region of Pitx1 gene reintroducing which restored the pelvic spine (21). Similar to Jeong et al., they found that there were multiple deletions within the enhancer region of Pitx1 in freshwater fish from various geographical areas demonstrating that the loss of pelvic spine has occurred independently and multiple times in the evolutionary past. Also, similar to D. santomea, the trans network must have remained preserved in the stickleback to allow for spine restoration upon introduction of the functional CRE. This demonstrates that even in the absence of CRE, trans-regulatory network preserve their function, whether this is due to preservation of ancestral function despite acquiring novel ones remains unclear.
It takes a lot of time, patience, and money among other things to perform such comprehensive studies to elucidate mechanisms of gene regulation governing morphological variations. The lesson that we can learn from these studies is not whether CRE or TRE drive evolutionary changes but how complex regulatory systems are. The studies mentioned above are commendable in that despite tremendous difficulties they have shed light on some of the most complex genetic mechanisms. With advent of novel molecular biology tools hopefully more studies of such kind will unravel more of the hidden genetic factors that control gene regulation. Possibly computational tools can be developed to investigate the cryptic regulatory elements in the genome. The long journey of understanding gene regulation lies ahead and investigating both cis and trans components of gene regulation will elucidate major mechanisms that drive evolutionary processes.
1. Carroll, S.B., Weatherbee, S.D. and Langeland, J.A. (1995) Homeotic genes and the regulation and evolution of insect wing number. Nature, 375, 58-61.
2. King, M.C. and Wilson, A.C. (1975) Evolution at two levels in humans and chimpanzees. Science, 188, 107-16.
3. Coyne, J.A. and Hoekstra, H.E. (2007) Evolution of protein expression: new genes for a new diet. Curr Biol, 17, R1014-6.
4. Hoekstra, H.E. and Coyne, J.A. (2007) The locus of evolution: evo devo and the genetics of adaptation. Evolution, 61, 995-1016.
5. Hoekstra, H.E., Hirschmann, R.J., Bundey, R.A., Insel, P.A. and Crossland, J.P. (2006) A single amino acid mutation contributes to adaptive beach mouse color pattern. Science, 313, 101-4.
6. Wray, G.A. (2007) The evolutionary significance of cis-regulatory mutations. Nat Rev Genet, 8, 206-16.
7. Ludwig, M.Z., Bergman, C., Patel, N.H. and Kreitman, M. (2000) Evidence for stabilizing selection in a eukaryotic enhancer element. Nature, 403, 564-7.
8. Ludwig, M.Z., Patel, N.H. and Kreitman, M. (1998) Functional analysis of eve stripe 2 enhancer evolution in Drosophila: rules governing conservation and change. Development, 125, 949-58.
9. Ludwig, M.Z., Palsson, A., Alekseeva, E., Bergman, C.M., Nathan, J. and Kreitman, M. (2005) Functional evolution of a cis-regulatory module. PLoS Biol, 3, e93.
10. Lynch, V.J., Tanzer, A., Wang, Y., Leung, F.C., Gellersen, B., Emera, D. and Wagner, G.P. (2008) Adaptive changes in the transcription factor HoxA-11 are essential for the evolution of pregnancy in mammals. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 105, 14928-33.
11. Jeong, S., Rebeiz, M., Andolfatto, P., Werner, T., True, J. and Carroll, S.B. (2008) The evolution of gene regulation underlies a morphological difference between two Drosophila sister species. Cell, 132, 783-93.
12. Lachaise, D., Harry, M., Solignac, M., Lemeunier, F., Benassi, V. and Cariou, M.L. (2000) Evolutionary novelties in islands: Drosophila santomea, a new melanogaster sister species from Sao Tome. Proc Biol Sci, 267, 1487-95.
13. Jeong, S., Rokas, A. and Carroll, S.B. (2006) Regulation of body pigmentation by the Abdominal-B Hox protein and its gain and loss in Drosophila evolution. Cell, 125, 1387-99.
14. Wittkopp, P.J., True, J.R. and Carroll, S.B. (2002) Reciprocal functions of the Drosophila yellow and ebony proteins in the development and evolution of pigment patterns. Development, 129, 1849-58.
15. Carbone, M.A., Llopart, A., deAngelis, M., Coyne, J.A. and Mackay, T.F. (2005) Quantitative trait loci affecting the difference in pigmentation between Drosophila yakuba and D. santomea. Genetics, 171, 211-25.
16. True, J.R., Yeh, S.D., Hovemann, B.T., Kemme, T., Meinertzhagen, I.A., Edwards, T.N., Liou, S.R., Han, Q. and Li, J. (2005) Drosophila tan encodes a novel hydrolase required in pigmentation and vision. PLoS Genet, 1, e63.
17. Sucena, E. and Stern, D.L. (2000) Divergence of larval morphology between Drosophila sechellia and its sibling species caused by cis-regulatory evolution of ovo/shaven-baby. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 97, 4530-4.
18. McGregor, A.P., Orgogozo, V., Delon, I., Zanet, J., Srinivasan, D.G., Payre, F. and Stern, D.L. (2007) Morphological evolution through multiple cis-regulatory mutations at a single gene. Nature, 448, 587-90.
19. Shapiro, M.D., Marks, M.E., Peichel, C.L., Blackman, B.K., Nereng, K.S., Jonsson, B., Schluter, D. and Kingsley, D.M. (2004) Genetic and developmental basis of evolutionary pelvic reduction in threespine sticklebacks. Nature, 428, 717-23.
20. Peichel, C.L., Nereng, K.S., Ohgi, K.A., Cole, B.L., Colosimo, P.F., Buerkle, C.A., Schluter, D. and Kingsley, D.M. (2001) The genetic architecture of divergence between threespine stickleback species. Nature, 414, 901-5.
21. Chan, Y.F., Marks, M.E., Jones, F.C., Villarreal, G., Jr., Shapiro, M.D., Brady, S.D., Southwick, A.M., Absher, D.M., Grimwood, J., Schmutz, J. et al. Adaptive evolution of pelvic reduction in sticklebacks by recurrent deletion of a Pitx1 enhancer. Science, 327, 302-5.


text:
Title: Calgary Public Museum fonds
Date(s): 1911-1936
Physical Description: 18 cm of textual records
History: The first museum in Calgary, Alberta was established in 1911 through the efforts of Dr. Euston Sisley and the Calgary Natural History Society. Its first home was in a room of the newly-opened Central Park Library. In 1914 it moved to the basement of the Courthouse. In 1927 the CNHS presented the growing museum to the City of Calgary as a trust, and the Calgary Public Museum became an incorporated society in 1928, run by a body of citizens and under the control of city commissioners. Collections were moved to the North West Travellers Building, the acquisition program was revitalized and new displays were set up by curator J.E. Thurston. The museum collections included mounted zoological specimens, dinosaur fossils, native artifacts, minerals and military artifacts. It closed in 1935 due to financial problems. For further information see Sue Baptie's article "The Case of the Missing Museum" in Glenbow [magazine], vol. 5, no 6 (November/December 1972), p. 6-7.
Custodial History: This fonds was part of the Horseman's Hall of Fame collections before being transferred to the Glenbow in 1975.
Scope and Content: The fonds consists of correspondence, primarily about collections (1911-1936), an accessions register (1928-1929), and visitors books (1928-1933).
RECORDS RELATED TO THE FOLLOWING SUBJECTS ARE ALSO IN THIS FONDS. SEE INVENTORY FOR DETAILS: Alberta Natural History Society, Prof. John A. Allan, G. Allen, A.J. Aylesworth, Barnum Brown, buffalo, Thomas S. Burns, Calgary Horticultural Society, Alexander Calhoun, Earl D. Campbell, Canadian Independent Naturalists Association, W.G. Carpenter, Walter Carter, Cyril Child, Ernest W. Coffin, William E. Cutler, G.F. Dippie, G.R. Dolan, Roy R. Fowler, John A. Grant, P.C. Bernard Hervey, Newton Langford, Benjamin Lawton, Clare Leighton, Prof. Francis J. Lewis, Duncan Marshall, Dr. Herbert H. Moshier, J.A. Munro, Red Deer River, Mary T.S. Schaffer, Ernest Thomson Seton, George E. Wood, and William R. Wright.
Source of Acquisition: Gift of Carling O'Keefe Breweries, 1964-1975.
Language: The material is in English.
Restrictions: No restrictions on access.
Finding Aids: Inventory available. Please consult before requesting material.
View finding aid / scanned documents: http://www.glenbow.org/collections/search/findingAids/archhtm/cpmuseum.cfm
Related: Other records of the Calgary Public Museum are at the City of Calgary Archives.
Call Numbers:
(M=manuscript; N&P=photos; R=sound recordings; S=slides; F=films)M-2084, M-2111-(9-19 and 1 os vol.), M-3068


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Life as a Writer, Disney World Cast Member, and
Big Sister through Foster Care & Adoption
A Picture Book
Welcome back to Taylor Talks!
Well today was the polar opposite of our fun and exciting weekend. Everyone was completely exhausted, and my mom and I had so many plans for today that just didn't work out due to a lack of motivation. On the up side though, I did get air in my tires this morning, which I've been putting off for two weeks.
I did manage to get some work done while sitting at my desk as well. I figured I could at least try to accomplish something today, especially something that didn't involve any major movement on my part! This is a project that I've been contemplating for a while now, and I finally decided to get started on it.
At some point over the last few years, I believe during my sophomore year of college, I wrote a children's picture book that I was extremely happy with upon completion. I had put it aside after finishing it and it just sat in a file in my computer for quite a long time. I've re-opened it once in a while and read through it; I would consider changing things, but always left the story exactly as I already had it. I felt like it was perfect as is, and I never wanted to take anything out or add anything else into it. But what was I going to do with it? You can only re-read a story so many times before making yourself crazy, and while I know that editing and revising are a huge part of writing, I felt like I was done with this stage.
A few months ago, I decided that I wanted to look into self-publishing. I figured that while I was working on my Young Adult novel, I could at least get my name out there by putting out a children's book or two. I thought that this book that I had left alone for so long would be the perfect book to start with. My only problem? I didn't have any illustrations. You can't publish a children's picture book without any pictures!
My first thought was to go online and try to find a college art student who would be wiling to draw the illustrations for me. I thought that we could split all of the profits and everything would be all sunshine and rainbows. Unfortunately, I have since found out that splitting profits with an illustrator is not how you do business in the self-publishing world. So I had to come up with a new plan... I talked to my brother and sister about illustrating for me because they're both pretty good at drawing and I figured they would both bring something great to the table. Unfortunately, my brother wanted $100 and didn't understand that 12-year-olds are not paid that much money for illustrating! He laughs about it now and claims that he didn't ask for that money, but I just dropped the subject with him after a while.
Today, I decided to try my hand at illustrating my own book. I've always thought that I can't draw, but I started developing my drawing skills in high school and am actually much better than I once thought. A month or two ago, I drew all of these pictures for a sign language alphabet flash card set that I created, and they came out beautifully. So if I could do those 26 pictures, then I figured I could probably do illustrations for my book as well. I sat down at my desk with a pencil and paper, and I got to work.
By the time I had to get out of my bedroom so my sister could go to sleep, I had already finished two complete illustrations (which would cover four pages in the book). I actually feel like I can do this and I'll be able to self-publish this book while I'm working on my YA novel. It would be amazing to be able to get my name out there as an author, even on a small scale. I really hope that this turns out well!
Thank you so much for your continued support! I look forward to sharing more stories about my experience with foster care, and hopefully hearing from readers who have questions or similar stories to share. I'm always willing to answer questions and hear about other experiences! Please don't forget to like and share my Facebook author page as well!
I'd greatly appreciate it if you would share this blog with friends and family through your favorite social media sites. If you're sharing on Twitter, don't forget to tag me (@TayTayK02) and use the hashtag #TaylorTalks.
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My family has been doing foster care since I was three years old. I'm the only biological child in my family, though I now have five permanent siblings. Having nineteen siblings over the course of my lifetime has been an incredible experience, and I'm hoping that by sharing some of the ups and downs of being the only bio kid in a foster family, other foster families or people looking into doing foster care will be able to learn a bit of what life can be like. I also like to share what life is like on my journey to becoming a published author, as well as where my schooling and career choice are taking me.
December 2017


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We sit down and talk to Paradox Interactive Executive Vice President Fredrik Wester to find out how the development of Majesty 2 is undergoing
Strategy Informer: How far along in development is Majesty 2? Do you have a release schedule lined up yet?
Fredrik Wester: Majesty 2 is currently scheduled for Q2 0f 2009, so it is quite far in development. We have tested a stable build of the Alpha version in the office and the basics are running very good. We are really looking forward to the release of this game.
Strategy Informer: There's a lot of emphasis on the unique character traits and behaviour of heroes. How easy has it been to create this, and how important is this concept to the wider game?
Fredrik Wester: Individual heroes that have a "personal" feel has been one of the major things we wanted to implement in Majesty 2. It looks really nice when your Warriors have different armours and swords; it really adds to the feeling of every hero being unique. You can say it is one of the key concepts in the game to make the heroes feel more personal and like individuals.
Strategy Informer: Do you think there is a future for games like Majesty, where they turn genre conventions on their head?
Fredrik Wester: Absolutely. Majesty is actually quite straightforward RTS gameplay where the element of indirect control is what makes it different from other games in the genre. The mix with RPG elements is of course a good addition to the game.
Strategy Informer: Where will the Majesty franchise go from here?
Fredrik Wester: The Majesty franchise has a lot of potential and we have been discussing opportunities like sci-fi setting, a Dungeon Keeper inspired "bad guy" and many other ideas But first of all we want to finish Majesty 2 and make it a great game. The team has implemented a lot of their own ideas, but we always try to pay attention to what is going on in the forums and the gaming sites, even if we are not always active in discussions.
Strategy Informer: There are rumours that you intend to release a console version of Majesty 2, can you confirm this?
Fredrik Wester: Yes, we are currently developing the game on consoles. This is a new experience to us so we can't go into details yet.
Strategy Informer: Why do a console title? And why this game?
Fredrik Wester: We all think this game would work excellent on a console; the gameplay is not by any means a click-fest, but could be easily done through good controls.
Strategy Informer: What consoles are you planning to release this on? Are you planning to release it at the same time as the PC version?
Fredrik Wester: The Xbox360 is the console we have in mind at the moment, hopefully we will have something for at least one handheld console as well.
Strategy Informer: Will it have it's own development team, or will the same team work on all the formats?
Fredrik Wester: The X360 version will be developed by the same team.
Strategy Informer: Is this console version going to be simply a port, or is it going to be made for the console from the ground up?
Fredrik Wester: It will be adapted to the console environment to make the controls work as good as they possibly can, but of course we will keep as much as possible from the original gameplay.
Strategy Informer: Despite being a twist on the RTS/strategy-role-playing genre, Majesty still contains within it the basic tenants of an RTS. Given that these types of games are not well suited for the home console, how will you approach the development from a control and design point of view?
Fredrik Wester: This is a process that we are going through at the moment, of course easy control is key to make the game a success on consoles. Both the controls and the overall game design needs to be overlooked to fit consoles.
Strategy Informer: When will the Demo be available, and will there be one for the consoles as well?
Fredrik Wester: We hope to have a demo for the game in time for release, hopefully for consoles as well.
Strategy Informer: What is Paradox's view on DRM and Piracy? Will you be using any Anti-Piracy software in your new titles, like Majesty 2?
Fredrik Wester: While it is very important for us that people respect our property and our right to get paid for our work, we are no friends of current DRM solutions. I would like to see a user-friendlier DRM developed together with the gamers, a DRM that supports the gamers as much as it keeps people from piracy. With this said, I am still not sure whether we will use any DRM for the game or what DRM it would be. For titles from our inhouse team, like Hearts of Iron, we haven't used any DRM in the last 4 years.
Strategy Informer: What other titles are you thinking about moving to the console?
Fredrik Wester: You never know. Personally I would love to see Hearts of Iron on a console, even if we are not even close to starting development on this yet.
Strategy Informer: A lot of the games you publish are from Indie or small-time developers. How much of an impact do you feel these smaller games have on the PC gaming market? Do you ever wish you published games of a higher calibre? Or that you had the same resources as larger publishers?
Fredrik Wester: Sometimes you are really longing for some larger budgets and we are slowly but surely getting there. We increase the quality of both third party published games and our internal releases. 2009 will be the year where Paradox Interactive took a big step forward in the quality and scope of our games. I still think that indie developers and publishers can be quite innovative and push the market forward. If you look at the Penumbra series from Frictional Games I think they have done a tremendous job in adding physics to their games engine and done this in a new cool way.
Strategy Informer: As part of Paradox's future line up, there is apparently a 'secret' expansion coming out for one of your strategy titles – any hint as to what that may be?
Fredrik Wester: I don't know how this got out of our office, but we have a lot of secrets; and if I told you about it it wouldn't be a secret, right? We work continuously to expand our games with things people are asking us to add, and the model with download expansions has been very good for us so far and the response from our gamers has been positive. I'll tell you this much; there will be additional content for one of our key brands before the release of Hearts of Iron III. I guess we'll announce this Jan-Feb sometime.
On a final not, I would also just like to say thanks to our consumer base. We do not always get a chance to 'thank you' to the people who buy our games and I would like to take this opportunity to do so. Thanks for all your support and feedback.
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Save City Hall
The sign on the porch of Century City Hall is a reminder to all, that progress to save this building is underway. Bids are being taken for the restoration. Plans are made. Currently the Yorktown Historical Society is planning to restore in phases as funds for such are raised. The first phase will be to put a new roof on the building and seal the building from the elements of the weather. The second phase will be to put in an up to date kitchen, dining room, handicap accessible restrooms and a formal conference room. The third phase will be to restore the original plan for the building.
Read the full article in this week's edition of the Yorktown News-View. Call 361-564-2242 to subscribe.


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Is it possible to make significant changes in your life using just 30 minutes of your time each day?
Well, I think so. If you have had a dream or a plan in your head but haven't yet done anything about it, try the thirty minute plan.
Break it down into several small tasks each lasting about thirty minutes. The important thing is to do something every day and in no time you'll be well on your way to achieving your goal!
So, if you have a dream to be a senior manager in your organisation, think about your first steps. Maybe you need to find a mentor? Take your first 30 minutes to jot down a list of all possible candidates for that role. Then take another thirty minutes on the next day to compose your request, either email or face to face, whatever seems appropriate in your case. In a week you should have a mentor! Maybe your next step is to look at job specifications for the role you next want. Take 30 minutes on one day to send off for some…I think you've got the general idea!
You'll also find that after about three weeks it becomes something of a habit and easier to do.
It works for all sorts of things. Things you want to do but haven't got around to, and things you don't want to do and keep putting it off. 30 minutes is enough time to achieve something worthwhile but not so much time that it feels too daunting!
Just one word of caution; this doesn't work with dieting! You really do have to do THAT all the time!
For more on this, take a look at this longer article which appeared in a recent newsletter.
Posted on June 11th, 2009 by Jane
One Response to "Change Your Life in 30 Minutes?"
What a great concept! As a life coach, goal setting is the key to making changes. And 30 minutes seems the perfect time to make a list, compose an email or make that important phone call to get the ball rolling. And once it's rolling, watch out! You may just land that dream job!
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