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I don't have a finished project to show you this week, but there are a few things nearing completion. I've been a bit of a butterfly lately, flitting from one project to another, then on to the next. That's what I usually do when things are at sixes and sevens or when I'm distracted. I can't be the only one who was distracted by the US elections. I'm also participating in NaNoWriMo, plus alternating between two book projects. I'm participating in several promotions this month which are new to me, which mean four newsletters going out in November. Then there are plans to make for the holidays ahead. It is a busy, busy, time of year.
So, let's review my flitting! First up, I've knitted the front and back of Homeland, a cabled pullover in Rowan Big Wool by Martin Storey.
This is a very textural project and I like it a lot. The colour isn't true in these pictures—the green is more of a dull pea green and the red is closer to burgundy. I thought the green shade was a bit flat (ironically, it's called Zing). It's a discontinued color that I expected to be more lime, like Reseda. (In the pattern picture, Homeland is knit in Reseda. These are the perils of buying yarn online.) I've perked it up with some leftover red Big Wool at the cast-on edges.
The red colour is discontinued and is called Bohemian. It actually is a marl, with two shades of red twisted together. Really pretty yarn. I made a sweater-coat with it, which I've never worn, and I'm thinking of ripping it back to make another Barista, maybe an over-sized one. It seems more likely that I'll wear a pullover (especially if it's red.) Sweater-coats always sound like a good idea to me, but don't get much use. Maybe they would if I lived somewhere else. In my corner of the world, if it's chilly enough for a sweater-coat, chances are good that there's either rain in the forecast or there's a biting wind, which zips between the stitches. What's interesting about the two shades of the same yarn is that the red is much wider than the green—it's more fluffy, not heavier—and it's so much softer, even though the content is the same. The red is almost silky, while the green feels like wool. It must have been spun by a different mill, or from the fleece of happier sheep.
I'm waffling a bit on the sleeves. They seem wide and I'm wondering whether they'll be too bulky with all those cables. One clever Raveller has knit her Homeland with simpler ribbing on the sleeves, and I'm thinking about going that way. While I think, the sweater waits on my decision.
I'm also still charging along on my Bohus-Inspired pullover. This is my tv-knitting.
It doesn't want to lie flat for the picture, because of the circular needles. Look at the angle of the sun! Winter certainly is coming.
I'm knitting the stockinette-stitch body down from the underarms to the hems. The pattern calls for 13″ and I'm closing in on 10″. I actually took a break from the body and knit the cowl instead. (I picked up the stitches at the neck and knit up. The instructions said to knit the cowl separately then sew it on, but less seaming is better in my universe. It's about 1/4″ shorter than called for because I knit to the end of the ball and cast off. I wasn't going to add a second ball just for a little bit. That is a one-ball cowl.) I need to get a new television series to binge-watch and get this body done. The Colourspun is really pretty, with lots of little flicks of colors in the charcoal. It's very soft, too. I'll wear this one a lot once it's finished.
And, while I think about the Homeland sleeves, I picked up my Audrey cardigan again, in purple Angora Haze. (Angora Haze was discontinued and replaced with Mohair Haze.) This yarn sheds and I get it everywhere, even with having a tea-towel in my lap and wrapping it up when I'm not working. Mostly I find it in my mouth. 😛 I hope it sheds less once it's knitted up. It's very VERY soft, the yarn is a beautiful deep purple and I love the cable stitch. This one isn't television knitting—even though I have the pattern memorized at this point, I still have to pay attention to my knits and purls on the wrong side. I'm finding the dark wool a bit challenging at night, after I've been on the computer all day. It's a much darker purple than it appears to be in this picture.
I began with the left front but had to put it aside. Rowan often provides instructions that assume you knit the pieces in order, starting with the back. So, the instructions for the front at the neckline shaping say something like "knit until X rows less than the back before the shoulder decreases", which means you have to knit the back before you can knit the front in order to count back those X rows. (Other companies and designers give measurements: "knit Y inches after underarm decreases, then shape neck as follows…") So, the left front is on a stitch holder and I've been knitting the back. It looks wide, but I'm not going to frog this cable or this yarn. It will just have to be wide—which means it will be warm and pretty, but not fabulously flattering.
I also went into the attic a week ago to find a piece of fabric. I didn't find it where I expected it to be, so had a big hunt through all my various stashes. They were due for a sort and a reorganization, and they got it. I found the fabric that launched the quest in the first plac (ha!) as well as some treasures I'd forgotten all about. I'll share those with you next week.
The final big distraction this week was that the New Girl got up close and personal with a skunk on Wednesday night. Yuck. I've never had a dog do this before, but Mr. Math had. She took the spray right in the face and was frightened. She peeled back into the house to find me (apparently, I fix all woes), raced up the stairs and into my office where I was working, then tried to get into my lap from under my desk. She weighs 55 pounds, so the lap thing doesn't happen. Mr. Math called her down to rinse out her eyes and face. There we were at 11 on Wednesday night, washing her face with tomato paste dissolved in water (I didn't have any tomato juice), then giving her a shampoo. I dumped everything that had touched her into the washing machine with detergent and a cup of vinegar. She doesn't smell like skunk anymore, but the house does. This old house has hot water radiators, which are wonderful, except when you get a stink into the house. It takes forever to get rid of it, even with the fans going and some windows open. There was frost on the ground this week, so we won't get too crazy with the open windows.
I hope your week was a little less scattered than mine! Inspire me with your favorite show to binge-watch.


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CW: Suicide
I see
Washing that has been hanging on the clothes horse for nine days. It speaks to my skill as a housekeeper – now that I live alone, only the barest minimum gets done. The dishes get rinsed, but they pile for three or four, or maybe five or six, days before I wash them. The floor that I lie on gets vacuumed perhaps once in a month.
Summery air flows around me, slowly turning cool with the evening darkness. The taste of Port Royal lingers in my mouth, a reminder of a habit I keep swearing I'll break, until the next crisis comes along. I sigh, and roll another . . .
The air out on the porch is cooler, and the darkness wraps around me like good dark chocolate around a ripe strawberry. I smoke a slim cigarette, rolled deliberately thin to conserve tobacco. Taxes on tobacco are getting wildly out of hand, but still I keep the habit. The comfort of half a lifetime is hard to break.
I see the lights of the west of the city, stretching right back to the hills. The trig point on the top of the hills flashes red. On, off, on, off, I have no idea why. The men watching over me do not come out to accompany me. They both hate smoking equally. I don't care much. It gives me space from their difficult and overpowering presences.
The men in my living room are a mass of past and present. They look quite alike, ten years apart, and are similar in many ways. One is my ex-husband. The other is the boy I'm sort-of-not-really seeing. They are both here for one reason only. To see that I live through the night. You see, I'm a suicidal wreck.
My ex-husband knows me well. He knows that he cannot sleep until I am asleep, because I will not be safe. The boy, not so much. He cares for me deeply, but he's not got much of a grasp on what he's putting himself in the middle of.
I finally wander back into the living room, to find them discussing politics and online voting. The boy is being thoroughly schooled by his elder. I try to stretch out on the floor and do a writing exercise, but I can't stop the floods of memories. So I go back to my room and lie in the dark, and let the memories come.
I remember
Hours upon hours of men sitting in my lounge, drinking beer and discussing all sorts of things. The faces and the topics change, whirl, meld into one long string of regrets. These are all men I have cared about in some way, all gone from my life, mostly through poor choices in periods of unwellness on my part. I have been more a spectator in most of these discussions – I do have a bit of a shy streak in me. Plus, men tend to talk over me anyway.
Tears flood down my cheeks as I remember all the people who have passed through my life. I have loved so many of them so dearly, and they are all gone. Gone, because I'm so messed up. I make terrible decisions, I push good people away, and I lose everything. Over and over again. My bipolar disorder is a reason, but not an excuse. I have to take some responsibility.
I sob.
It takes the men a good ten minutes to notice that I'm gone, so absorbed are they in their discussion. There's a moment of panic – not a long one though, as the apartment is so tiny that it takes all of thirty seconds to locate me. The boy sits on the bed beside me, momentarily at a loss, before wrapping his body around me. My ex-husband turns away.
"I'll be in the living room if you need me"
The boy holds me until the flood of memories passes and the sobs still. It's sweet of him, and the comfort is welcome. I turn to face him, kiss him, draw a deep breath, and return myself to calm. We return to the living room, and I calm myself further by rolling another cigarette. Pulling out the paper, wiggling the filter out of the little hole at the top of the bag, pinching out the bare minimum of tobacco, patting it into shape, rolling, placing the filter, licking the gum, rolling it all together, all the while concentrating only on this task and breathing steadily . . . peace returns to me.
Again I smoke, and again the men do not follow me, but I am included in their conversation this time as I stand close to the door. As the cigarette burns down, I realise that I am weary beyond belief. I have been holding this pose of being fine, being ok, being normal, for so long, and it's starting to break down.
The boy and I tuck up in bed, but my ex-husband stays in the living room. I return to the living room a couple of times for various things, and in that time the boy falls asleep.
The pose breaks.
I don't remember much. I remember sobbing, screaming, begging, over and over,
"Let me go. Let me die. Please"
To which, the answer was always,
Eventually I take some lorazepam and fall asleep. I don't know if my ex-husband slept at all that night.
The next night was similar, except that the boy was not present. I begged, I pleaded.
"Let me go"
Lorazepam gave me sleep again. My ex-husband sat on the bed and watched over me until the drugged sleep came to me.
The next morning, Thursday 2nd March, I was admitted to the ICU of the Auckland City Hospital psychiatric unit under Section 10 of the Mental Health Act 1992. I was transferred to the main psychiatric ward the next day, and I have been there ever since.
I imagine
Being free from here. I'm allowed leave now, two hours at a time out in the world, and I die a little inside every time I walk back through the doors of Te Whetu Tawera (the Maori name for the ward). I know that discharge is only a few days away now, maybe around a week or so, but my soul is being crushed. I cry every day in frustration, wanting my own things around me, my own bed, my own damn unvacuumed floor. Out there are many pressures, but at least I have some control over my life out there. In here is regimented and my soul is dying.
There are plenty of people that worry about me leaving this place and just killing myself. It's not going to happen. I'm reminded every day how much I mean to people, and how much it would hurt them if I died, so I will continue on in spite of my problems, for everyone else. It's not ideal reasoning, but I am not a selfish person and it's enough to keep me alive until I find my own joy in living again – something that I'm never going to find inside the confines of Te Whetu Tawera.

subset: commoncrawl


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Note: user account creation on this site has been disabled.
Summary: The panelists are supposed to make up a science-fictional or a fantasy use for a random object. The objects are chosen by the audience. Some of them are a bit mysterious: their everyday function is not apparent.
Panelists: Bradley Denton, Scott Bobo (moderator), Jessica Reisman, Kurt Baty, James P. Hogan
The program book said: "Want to hear about the best disasters in the fandom world?" Indeed, some of the fiascos, or merely weird stories, mentioned in this panel, were real pearls.
They swooned over Brad, even though he wasn't Pitt
To stir things up, put a dyslexic in charge of printing the program
Panelists: Janice Gelb, Patty Wells, Stephen Boucher, Brad Denton, Lynn Ward
Pictures from ArmadilloCon 2007 can be found in my photo gallery.


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Ceja Vineyards (#1969)
Terroir, (pronounced tair wahr), is a French term and strictly translated refers to the earth. In the Carneros Region, the term is defined as a special set of conditions encompassing all the components that affect the grapes grown here. The soils chemistry and physical structure, the slope and orientation of the hills and valleys and the weather are all factors of terroir.
Located approximately 40 miles northeast of San Francisco, the Carneros Regions moderate climate is created by fog, moist air, and cool breezes from the Pacific Ocean. Protected from harsh weather by the Coastal Range, Carneros summer days are warm with cool nights and winters are mild. As a result, grapes stay on the vine longer, reaching high acidity and full flavor development.
At Ceja Vineyards, we match vines to terroir, planting each variety where it grows best. Our wines are a true reflection of their origins.
Other Food & Beverages: Ceja Vineyards
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Christmas is nearly upon us and, in time-honoured tradition, festivities are taking place in most workplaces, including office parties, Secret Santa presents and gifts from suppliers.
Generally, the season passes by in a blur of tinsel and mince pies, without any incident or complaint … at which point, HR professionals across the country breathe a huge sigh of relief.
There are many blogs and articles that have been written in Christmases past by employment lawyers warning of the pitfalls of Christmas. We do not propose to rehash those. However, we thought it might be useful to produce a gentle reminder of any pinch-points that HR professionals ought to keep in mind, to make sure that the New Year doesn't bring with it a Tribunal claim.
- Christmas Office Parties – the most obvious of all the risk areas. Although the law in this area can turn on relatively small points, it is safest to proceed on the assumption that the employer will be liable for anything that happens at a Christmas party. To minimise risk, make sure that communications are sent out in advance about what is or what is not acceptable behaviour, and keep an eye on what is going on so that any trouble that might be brewing can be nipped in the bud. Be aware that you may be limited in what action you can take following the event, particularly if there was a free bar – the Tribunal may determine (as they did in one case) that the employer effectively sanctioned the behaviour, thus making any dismissal potentially unfair. Making it clear beforehand what is or is not acceptable will help you in this regard.
- Post-party Gatherings – the risk doesn't stop at the end of the party. If there is an organised gathering of people from work, there is a chance that any incidents that take place might be deemed to be during the "course of employment" and thus leave the employer liable. This isn't always clear-cut, though, and a recent case determined that an assault that took place during a post-party gathering (at 3am the following morning, in a hotel bar) did not leave the employer liable. The test is likely to be how proximate the incident was to a work-organised event.
- Relationships – the office party might lead to the creation of some internal relationships. If your company has a relationship policy, make sure this is widely available and the effect of the policy is well known. Be careful when dealing with any post-party fallout, to ensure that all participants are treated fairly (and in a non-discriminatory way).
- Bribery – at this time of year, suppliers and contacts often send Christmas gifts or offer hospitality. Usually, this is fairly low value but be careful to ensure that staff are aware of what is and is not acceptable, so as not to be in breach of the provisions of the Bribery Act 2010. Make sure your policy is up-to-date and distributed to staff.
- Christmas Bonuses – some employers pay staff a Christmas bonus. Make sure that employees absent on family or sick leave are treated in line with the current state of the law. Whether the employee is entitled to all or part of the bonus largely depends on the reason why the bonus is paid and how it is calculated. Certainly, a "flat rate" bonus, regardless of individual contribution/performance or remuneration, ought to be paid to all staff, even those on leave.
- Overtime – a recent Tribunal case confirmed that an employer acted fairly in dismissing an employee who refused to do overtime in the run-up to Christmas, and acted in a disruptive way when registering her protest to the overtime. The employer, in that case, had a contractual right to require the employee to do the overtime, and she had no legitimate reason for refusing to work it.
- Religious Issues – employers need to be careful to ensure that their practices in relation to Christmas, which is fundamentally a Christian celebration, do not inadvertently discriminate against either Christians or other religions. Any difference in treatment must be shown to be a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim.
- Holidays Over Christmas – there is no right for employees to insist on taking holiday over Christmas. Provided that the employer's refusal to agree to a leave request doesn't have the effect of preventing an employee from taking their annual entitlement to leave, then the employer may legitimately refuse the request. However, if the request is refused and the employee then fails to attend work, the employer must be careful to ensure that any discipline is proportionate. In one case, an employee who failed to attend work without permission on Christmas Eve was found to have been unfairly dismissed on the basis that the penalty was disproportionate in the circumstances.
Thankfully, claims are rare but, with a little risk management in advance, your chances of being the unlucky recipient of an ET1 should be minimised. If you need any support or guidance, either before or after the festive season, please call one of our elves (otherwise known as our team of Employment lawyers).
Until then, Merry Christmas!


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THERE is a certain kind of socialite who spends her summers in the Hamptons: perhaps the daughter of a Manhattan real estate millionaire or media magnate; maybe an intern at Vogue or Sotheby's who takes the jitney on Fridays to her parents' estate on Further Lane. She hopes to meet a wealthy financier and settle with him into a classic six on the Upper East Side. And her summer "get" is an invitation to the exclusive party held every Fourth of July at the Georgica Pond manse of the billionaire Ronald Perelman.
Devorah Rose is not one of those socialites. She is a self-made creation who moved to Newton, Mass., from Venezuela with her mother in 1986, and propelled herself into the Hamptons social scene as the editor in chief of Social Life, a twice-monthly summer rival of the better-known East End glossy, Hamptons magazine. One part Lily Bart, one part Holly Golightly, Ms. Rose has a well-honed talent for self-promotion, a keen instinct for when cameras may be hovering nearby and a seemingly unerring belief that being fabulous can be a full-time career.
Other socialites of Ms. Rose's age (she will admit only to being in her late 20s) may aspire to be Lizzie Tisch or Julia Koch. Ms. Rose instead seems to be modeling herself after a reality television brand like Bethenny Frankel, who turned her appearance on "The Real Housewives of New York" into two reality show spinoffs, a series of diet books and a line of cocktail mixes that recently sold for a reported $120 million.
Ms. Rose has been dogged in trying to get on reality TV, which she called "the new Hollywood," adding, "The Kardashians make more money than Angelina Jolie." She parlayed a Social Life cover story on Ms. Frankel into a 2009 appearance on "Real Housewives" when she hosted a party for the reality star.
That same year, Peter Cary Peterson, a star of Bravo's "NYC Prep" and the grandson of the wealthy banker Peter G. Peterson, was a Social Life intern, securing Ms. Rose a cameo on two episodes. And last year Ms. Rose feuded onscreen with Tinsley Mortimer, the star of "High Society," a show on which Ms. Rose was portrayed as a backstabbing social climber.
Despite her ubiquity, she has been largely relegated to supporting roles — most notably, the hanger-on whom no one likes.Continue reading the main story
Ms. Rose is aware of her haters, but chooses to ignore them. "I was able to come to this country and make it in the Hamptons!" she shouted, as she barreled down the Montauk Highway near Bridgehampton recently, banging on the steering wheel of her Audi A4 to the beat of Rihanna blaring on the radio. "It's the American way!"
It was the day after she hosted a Memorial Day party for Beth Stern, the wife of the radio personality Howard Stern, whom Ms. Rose had personally profiled in Social Life's May issue. Ms. Rose bubbled with pride as she described the celebrities at the party. There was the Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Jessica White and two Real Housewives, Ramona Singer and Sonja Morgan. When Mr. Stern showed up, Ms. Rose said she nearly cried. "It was the highlight of my night," she said.
The gradual seepage of reality television into the Hamptons is troubling for long-time denizens of the East End social scene. After all, the silvery-lighted stretch of potato fields and shingled architecture, once home to artists like Jackson Pollock and, today, to Hollywood royalty like Steven Spielberg, has always prided itself on not being the Jersey Shore. "Devorah made a job for herself, and a name for herself here," said David Patrick Columbia, who has visited the area for nearly four decades and chronicles the lives of the well-to-do on his site, NewYorkSocialDiary.com. "But that's not making it in the Hamptons."
ON another spring day, Ms. Rose sauntered through the Garden restaurant at the Four Seasons hotel in Midtown Manhattan, her waifish silhouette accentuated by black stiletto heels and dark leggings, her short dress shifting beneath a hip-length black leather jacket. Matt Lauer glanced as she walked by.
Ms. Rose ordered an iced tea in Spanish and explained that she liked to come to the Four Seasons to write her pieces for Social Life. "I've always wanted to live my life like I was in a movie," she said, picking at a plate of chicken paillard.
Her given name is Deborah Denise Trachtenberg. She switched to Devorah in high school, and the Rose came later, when she moved to New York in the late 1990s. She said she was born in Plano, Tex., and, soon after moved to Caracas, Venezuela, with her Venezuelan-born mother and Guatemalan father.
"I always lie about my age," she said. Her parents divorced when she was 2 years old, and, when she was 6, she and her mother, a physician, moved to Newton, a predominately upscale Jewish suburb of Boston.
Ms. Rose doesn't like discussing her family. When asked over lunch whether her father still lived in Caracas, she dismissed the question with a wave of her hand, saying, "I think we can move on." (She later said he was a businessman who split his time between Bogotá, Colombia, and Boca Raton, Fla.)
Ms. Rose graduated from Barnard College in 2002 and majored in English, according to Barnard. Four years after graduating, she enrolled in classes for a Master of Fine Arts in fiction at Columbia University because she wanted to be a novelist. "I remember her being quite wry, writing about desire," said Helen Oyeyemi, a former Columbia classmate.
At times, Ms. Rose can be creative in describing her life. Recently, she said she was responsible for lining up profiles and producing every Social Life cover (she has a summer staff of 12), including overseeing photo shoots. When asked what inspired May's cover photo of Ms. Stern in hippie garb, Ms. Rose pointed at the issue and said, "It's in there."
In truth, Ms. Rose, who interviewed Ms. Stern, had nothing to do with the shoot. "I submitted photos to her," Ms. Stern said in a telephone interview. "I sent her 25 different looks." When this was pointed out to Ms. Rose, she looked annoyed. "Beth is the only cover I don't produce," she said, noting that she has profiled Ms. Stern twice.
Social Life's publisher is Justin Mitchell, 42, a businessman who said he started the magazine because he liked to go to parties. Ms. Rose met Mr. Mitchell at a soiree at the Museum of Modern Art in 2001.
"If you start a magazine, I will edit and write for it," Ms. Rose recalled telling him. He agreed. But Ms. Rose seemed more interested in Social Life's parties than its content. "The first event I went to, the paparazzi were there, and I had my photo taken," she said. "After that, people started sending me clothes."
In 2007, Ms. Rose, who started as a writer, became editor in chief of Social Life after Mr. Mitchell said his aunt, who had been doing the job, died. "The magazine is a big deal for her, a turning point in her career," said Irina Shabayeva, a friend and designer who won the sixth season of "Project Runway."
It also allows Ms. Rose a life she might not otherwise be able to afford. Social Life leases a summer house in Watermill where she hosts parties and stays free. Young designers lend Ms. Rose clothes expecting she will be photographed at events and charity galas. Most importantly, Social Life is a bridge to reality television, whose stars, including Kim Kardashian and Whitney Port from "The Hills," Ms. Rose has profiled. Meanwhile, whenever Ms. Rose is on television, said Mr. Mitchell, "We see traffic on our Web site go up."
A few years ago, triumph seemed at hand: Ms. Rose secured a development deal with a division of ABC for a reality show called "Social Heights." But the series was never picked up and was not broadcast.
Not everyone understands Ms. Rose's fascination with reality television, least of all her mother. "She doesn't know what I am doing," Ms. Rose said. "This wasn't the plan." But for a smart, ambitious party girl who enjoyed the spotlight, being cast on a New York society show a few years ago made perfect sense. "It was an easy way to get attention if you were, like, a nobody," said Rachelle Hruska, a founder of GuestofaGuest.com, a party blog.
Ms. Rose considers herself a businesswoman. (She now has an agent, but used to negotiate many of her television appearances.) For those who watched "High Society" a year ago, however, Ms. Rose came off as someone altogether different: a villainous schemer. In one episode, Ms. Rose threw a drink at a fellow cast member, Jules Kirby, who showed up uninvited to a party. Ms. Kirby called Ms. Rose fake and said she looked like a man.
In another episode, Ms. Mortimer had a shouting match with Ms. Rose, after Ms. Rose reportedly spread rumors that Ms. Mortimer's supposedly rich boyfriend was broke.
The onscreen fighting was fodder for the tabloid press as the feuding spilled off camera. Ms. Rose told The New York Post that Ms. Mortimer "believes she breathes rarefied air." Ms. Mortimer publicly called Ms. Rose a "social climber." Still, the show was dropped after its first season. Ms. Rose claimed that the onscreen outbursts were scripted and that she and Ms. Mortimer were never really friends. Ms. Mortimer declined to comment.
"Everyone was reduced to a parody of a character," Ms. Rose said, adding, "It's fine because it opened doors for me."
"I can't see anything Devorah would do to make her out to be such a villain," Mr. Mitchell said.
But for the established upper class, Ms. Rose's insatiable and obvious appetite for reality television fame might be offense enough. Ms. Mortimer, said Ms. Hruska, is "a real socialite. Devorah is more of a fameball and not someone people take seriously."
Of Ms. Hruska's comments, Ms. Rose responded in an e-mail: "These are people who kissed up to me in public, then tried to stab me in the back when it suited their interests."
Others have distanced themselves from Ms. Rose. She had a public split with her friend Emily Brill, the daughter of the Court TV founder Steven Brill, after Ms. Brill declined to be part of "Social Heights," said several people with knowledge of their relationship. (A flustered Ms. Brill declined to comment when reached by telephone.) And Kristian Laliberte, who worked with Ms. Rose at Social Life and was reportedly joining "Social Heights," declined to talk about their friendship, saying he had not seen her in two years. Ms. Rose said she wished both of them well.
Last week, Ms. Rose was filming a new reality television show, declining to provide details. And this was just the beginning. "The goal is to have my own network and use the reality television genre to get there," she said.
Over Memorial Day, Ms. Rose and two friends went to Scoop in East Hampton to shop for dresses. As Ms. Rose examined a cashmere sweater, a man in his 50s congratulated her on Social Life's May issue. She beamed. "That makes it so worth it, to have people know you here in the Hamptons," Ms. Rose said, after he walked away.Continue reading the main story


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- All
- Craft Days
May 1, 2017
The Sockmatician Visits Craft Days!
There was a tangible excitement in the air at Craft Days on Saturday, as we all brushed up our long-tail cast ons and deliberated over colours of DK yarn. What were we so eagerly anticipating you ask? Well, for the first time ever, we were being paid a visit by one...
March 25, 2017
The Yarn Podcast Revolution!
[vc_row row_scroll_icon="no"][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]If there's one thing that has contributed most to making knitting and crochet cool and relevant in the last few years, it's podcasting. A wave of energetic, enthusiastic craft buffs have taken to YouTube, telling stories, showcasing skills and, yes, spinning yarns. They're full of ideas and passion for...


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When the R.N. at the nursing home told me Mother might die any day, I hit the Emily Dickinson hard, even keeping a collection of her poetry open on the kitchen counter for easy access. Through that cold winter I stood there making coffee, reading the familiar words about Death—
After great pain a formal feeling comes—
The Nerves sit ceremonious, like Tombs—
Poem by poem, I marked the days. At Pine Haven, Mother lay in her narrow little bed, unresponsive, unable to move unless a staff member moved her, a figure draped—as forgotten furniture is—with a sheet. Kidney failure was the diagnosis. A "quartz Contentment, like stone," the inevitable prognosis.
Months went by. The R.N. kept saying, "Any day, any day." Spring blossomed forth—and then here came summer. Mother's hair was a scrubby tangle, befitting someone whose head never left the pillow, and I coaxed a soft brush through her silver strands. She did not stir. The R.N.'s mantra remained unchanged.
I was okay with the word "any."
Just what did she mean by "day"?
[Continued in Confrontation 114]


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|All contents of this site copyright © 2011, 2012 by Fran Kordek. All rights reserved..
Stained Glass Quilting Patterns
| I've designed some Stained Glass Quilting Patterns that have been well received.
Purchased bias tape, a twin needle machine technique and a full size pattern make these
designs easy to make. To order: Print, complete, and US Mail an order form.
|#101 Small Nativities
Madonna and Child - 12" x 14"
Family - 14" x 16"
|The small size and ease of construction
makes this an ideal "quick gift" or bazaar
item. Both designs are included in the
|#102 Stained Glass Peace
12" x 14"
|This design is one of the easiest to make.
|#103 Stained Glass Easter
14" x 17"
|Fabric and "stained glass" quilting are used
to highlight symbols of faith.
|#201 Stained Glass Floral
17" x 23"
|Choose your colors and fabrics to suggest
either tulips or lilies.
|#202 Stained Glass Holy Family
21" x 29"
|Celebrate the "Reason for the Season!"
Several creative options are possible from
this one pattern.
|#301 Stained Glass Joy
21" x 28"
|the flower and the greeting together, the
Poinsettia alone (done in yellow, it looks
Three creative options are possible. Use
tlike a Sunflower!) or just the Joy panel.
|#303 Spring Windows
43" x 29"
|Welcome springtime with Daffodils, Tulips,
Dogwood, and Iris. The panels may also be
done individually (14" x 28").
|#304 Summer Garden
43" x 29"
|Choose your colors and fabrics and "sew" your
own special garden with a Rose, Daisy,
Morning Glories, and Garden Friends. The
panels may also be done individually (14" x 28").
|#305 Winter Time
43" x 29"
|Get that cold and wintry feeling by making
Winter Woods, Cardinal, Chickadees, and
Snowfall. The panels may also be done
individually (14" x 28").
|#306 Autumn Days
43" x 29"
|Enjoy the bright colors of the Fall season by
making Cattails, Apple Picking Time, Falling
Leaves, and The Harvest. The panels may
also be done individually (14" x 28"). As a
bonus, there's a small, quick and easy apple
|#310 Star of David
12" x 14"
|This design is very easy to make - either for
your own use or for special gift giving
|#311 The Christmas Collection
Individual sizes vary
(9" x 12", 12" x 12", 12" x 14")
|All it takes is just a little holiday fabric to
make these quick and easy wall hangings.
The seven small designs may be used
individually or grouped to maker larger items.
|#312 Along the Coast
40" x 28"
|Visit the shore without leaving your
sewing room! Enjoy the lighthouse
(Guidance), sailboats (Sail Away), and
shorebirds (Pipers) - all without getting
your feet wet. The panels may also be
done individually.
|34" x 23" or 19" x 19"
|Experience a country sunrise without having
to get up early! Rooster or Barn may be made
individually, or both can be incorporated into
one country scene.
|To order: Print, complete, and US Mail an order form.


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The last Revolutions on cycling provoked so much debate, we decided to continue the discussion
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Back in February, as part of our weekly Revolutions segment, Bicycle Network Victoria's Gary Brennan joined Jon Faine to discuss the bicycle boom and the tensions it was creating on Melbourne roads.
The topic sparked such a passionate debate that we brought Gary back to continue the discussion on how we all might better share the road.
The weekly Revolutions segment looks at the changes that are sweeping our modern world.
Revolutions airs Wednesdays at 10am as part of Mornings with Jon Faine.


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Eluding big ethics fines
AUSTIN — Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Presiding Judge Sharon Keller recently beat back a record $100,000 ethics fine — ultimately agreeing to pay a fraction of the original penalty after a years-long fight with the state.
To do that, Keller leveraged a seldom-used appeals avenue that allowed her to waive a final agency hearing and skip to a district court trial where the Texas Ethics Commission's fine and conclusion were treated as if they didn't exist.
The agency's final decision was vacated on appeal without a judge reviewing the official record first. Everything started over — from scratch.
Though rare, Keller's case highlights how the ethics commission, when challenged in court, rarely walks away with the fine it originally levied. Experts point to the appeals process, which the commission and some lawmakers argue undermines the agency's enforcement muscle. They tried unsuccessfully during the regular session to change it.
Since 1992, the commission has been challenged four times in court and forced to settle for reduced penalties in three cases, agency records show.
In one instance, a former lawmaker's $10,000 ethics fine was wiped clean by a district judge.
"When the fines get into litigation and the whole thing starts from scratch, it's so stacked against the agency that they're always in jeopardy of losing the fine that was instituted," said Craig McDonald, executive director of Texans for Public Justice, a state watchdog group.
It's known as de novo trial, Latin for "anew."
The commission, charged with policing the state's campaign finance and political disclosure laws, is one of the few state agencies to have its enforcement actions challenged in that manner.
An effort to reform the commission's appeals process to have it follow the legal standard used by most other state regulatory agencies was quashed by the House, but the timing of the push coincided with settlement negotiations surrounding Keller's case.
"They tried to change the de novo standard of review because of the Keller case," said Joe Nixon, Keller's attorney who negotiated a much smaller fine for his client.
Watchdog groups say the Keller case illustrates why change is needed.
Another case they cite involves Texas Supreme Court Justice Nathan Hecht, who has been trying since 2009 to get a district court judge to erase his own ethics fine via a de novo trial.
Hecht was fined $29,000 in 2008 after the commission determined he broke campaign finance laws while successfully fighting allegations that he abused his position in 2005 by openly supporting President George W. Bush's short-lived U.S. Supreme Court nomination of Harriet Miers.
The commission alleges Hecht racked up a large legal bill and was then given a discount in the neighborhood of $168,000 on legal fees he received from attorney Chip Babcock and his law firm, Jackson Walker.
His case is still pending. Agency officials declined to comment on a pending case and Hecht's lawyer, Steve McConnico, did not return a request for comment.
Lawyers who represent public officials and other high-profile figures in ethics cases said the de novo trials are a last resort used when the commission steps out of line.
"This state agency has nobody checking it except a district court," said Nixon. "The ethics commission serves as grand jury, prosecutor and judge all rolled into one."
The bulk of state agencies that swing regulatory hammers require individuals appealing an administrative ruling to meet a higher legal threshold that makes it harder to beat the state in court.
In a rare request for more power, the ethics commission asked the Legislature to move the agency away from the de novo standard and toward one known as substantial evidence.
Under that standard, individuals could still appeal a fine to a district court, but the judge would have to review the entire agency record before making a ruling.
"We made it clear that this was our No. 1 priority," said Jim Clancy, the ethics commission chairman.
"The commission doesn't have a problem with its decisions being reviewed. It just doesn't want its findings buried so that no one ever knows what was the basis of our decisions."
The recommendation to move away from the de novo standard was also included in a final report on the commission by the Sunset Advisory Committee, a bipartisan panel of lawmakers.
"This approach essentially throws out the agency's work and record, weakening its enforcement power," the committee wrote.
Outside legal experts agree.
"Anytime you've got a situation where you want a weaker regulatory agency, then you have a de novo standard," said Scott McCown, a clinical professor of law at the University of Texas School of Law and a retired state district judge who heard agency appeal cases.
"It's exactly like a child who gets a ruling from mom and runs to daddy, and dad is going to hear that from scratch and not give mom any deference."
Keller, who became mired in national controversy in 2007 on an unrelated charge that she improperly closed the court to a death row inmate's appeal, was fined $100,000 for failing to fully disclose her personal finances as required by law.
Keller, who has said the omissions were unintentional, was fined in 2010 and appealed.
A district court judge in that case eventually ruled the commission could not levy a $100,000 fine and negotiations resulted in a reduced penalty of $25,000.
A district judge signed the settlement in August.
The commission hears about 400 complaints a year.
The bulk of those come from either watchdog groups or political opponents nosing through filings looking for errors.
Most of the complaints are settled in preliminary phases, where individuals agree to pay a fine. In 2012, six current and former lawmakers paid a total of almost $12,000 to settle ethics fines, agency records show.
A few big names are willing to duke it out in court for vindication. That process, however, can be expensive, often costing more than the fine itself, ethics lawyers said.
The commission also comes under pressure to settle beforehand to avoid lawsuits. Wood, the ethics expert, said its common practice to use the potential for a court challenge as leverage during negotiations.
"You go in and argue an interpretation of statute and that we're going to have a good shot in court of having your interpretation being overturned and you getting nothing," Wood said. "But what we're willing to do is pay some money because we don't want to spend time in court."
The reform effort that died during the regular session was part of a larger ethics bill that was eventually vetoed by Gov. Rick Perry.
However, the de novo provision was gutted by a tea party House lawmaker before it ever reached Perry's desk.
"I don't trust the ethics commission," said Rep. Van Taylor, R-Plano, who killed the provision. "The accuser and accused are protected by having the right to trial de novo in a situation where someone doesn't agree with what the ethics commission has done."


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***Created in partnership with our sponsor Karijini Eco Retreat***
Nestled in the heart of Karijini National Park in the remote Pilbara region of WA, Karijini Eco Retreat is a unique and ecologically sound development offering quality, comfortable tented accommodation, cabins, campsites and an al fresco restaurant and bar. Campsites are available for campers and caravans from just $40 per night for two guests with children 12 and under free-of-charge. A short walking trail leads directly from the retreat into Joffre Gorge: stand at the top and you will find yourself overwhelmed by this powerful creation of nature, over 2500 million years in the making.
Contact: 08 9425 5591; karijiniecoretreat.com.au


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Wednesday, January 23, 2019
Today I am so excited to share that baby #2 is on the way! We could not feel more blessed. Hopefully this explains my absence here, and in person (ha). I have been a hermit lately because first trimester with a toddler really wore me out, and because I am showing a lot earlier this time around.
Often people share an exciting anecdote about how they found out they were pregnant, but I feel my story is relatively boring. I am very lucky (and trust me, I don't take it for granted) that I have never struggled with infertility, even with irregular cycles. I have certainly had times where I thought I may be pregnant due to those irregular cycles and was not. However, when we have tried to conceive we have been able to fairly quickly. My husband and I knew we wanted children close together, assumed it would take a while, and did nothing to prevent/avoid pregnancy for a couple of months. When I weaned my daughter off of breastfeeding we decided to try that cycle. Turns out it only took one cycle to conceive - same as our first child! We are thrilled that we are adding a new member so quickly.
I can't wait to share more about my first trimester/overall experience with this pregnancy. It has been extremely difficult to keep this secret, because we have wanted to shout it from the rooftops! It was always our plan to have children close in age, but I will admit I am nervous to have two under two years old. I will certainly be relying on my family and friends to keep sane!
Little baby, you are already so loved. We can't wait to meet you.
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HOUSTON — Morgan Weber grew up eating poppy-seed kolaches baked by his Czech grandmother, who honed her technique on a wood stove. Kolaches, soft pastries of yeasted dough with a divot in the center, traditionally filled with sweetened cheese or fruit, are a humble link to the Old World.
But in the Revival Market in this city's Heights neighborhood, Mr. Weber and his business partner, Ryan Pera, the market's chef, serve sweet and savory pastries that are decidedly American: kolaches laden with satsuma oranges or filled with strawberries and ricotta cheese, and savory versions girded with house-made sausages poached in locally brewed beer. On Saturdays, they sell 1,500 of them to a youthful clientele that also snaps up artisanal fare like caraway-spiced goat sausages.
This is the new world of the kolache, a food that now straddles several constituencies: the descendants of Czech immigrants, who still make the pastry in the broad swath of central Texas known as the Czech Belt; the highway commuters who have made it a coveted road food; and the artisans and entrepreneurs around the country who are now positioning it as the next-generation doughnut.
As it juggles all these incarnations, the pastry seems to be having something of an identity crisis.
"Kolaches are in the love-child phase of their development," said Dawn Orsak, an Austin folklorist working on a traveling exhibition that showcases Czech heritage in Texas. "The experimental versions got a lot of popular attention. An artisan backlash is peaking now. And another move toward wide popularity is building. Kolaches will probably continue to evolve as part of that cycle."
The kolache (pronounced ko-LAH-chee) entered the American repertory in the mid-1800s, soon after immigrants from Central Europe settled in the hills and prairies of central and south-central Texas. The region was once home to more than 200 Czech-dominant communities. Today, the Czech Belt remains a stronghold of traditional culture, where polka bands led by accordion cowboys play church bazaars, and descendants contribute to civic organizations like the Katolicka Jednota Texaska and the Slavonic Benevolent Order of the State of Texas.
Yet kolaches — once considered a svacina (pronounced sfah-CHEE-nah), or midday snack, in Central Europe — are being quickly adopted and just as quickly transformed by all sorts of audiences.
Doughnut shops in Texas cities like Houston, many of them operated by Asian immigrants, bake traditional sweet kolaches alongside modern savory ones. Christy's Donuts, Kolaches and Croissants in the Montrose neighborhood here serves square biscuit-style kolaches, cut open along the side, stuffed with sausage patties, layered with cheese and microwaved. On Saturday mornings, Shipley Do-Nuts on North Main Street serves stubby savory kolaches gorged with boudin, the Cajun sausage of pork, rice and spices.
Every day on the highways that connect Houston, Dallas, Austin and San Antonio, supersize emporiums that combine a convenience store, a bakery and a gas station bake their own savory iterations, including sausage-sauerkraut and jalapeño-cheese.
Counter-service restaurants with expansion plans have entered the market, too. Kolache Mama, a Houston chain that opened a New York City branch in 2009, proclaimed that the kolache (which it reinvented in flavors like the Reuben) would become "the new bagel." But that Manhattan outpost closed after several months, and plans to open satellites in Boston, Chicago, Atlanta and other cities fizzled.
Kolache Factory, founded in Houston in 1982, has been more successful. With more than 30 locations in Texas, Kansas, Colorado, Missouri and Indiana, it sells chicken enchilada and Philly cheesesteak kolaches that show how far this pastry has strayed from its roots. This proliferation has been driven in part by Czech-Americans themselves. At festivals sponsored by Czech-led churches and civic clubs, which can attract thousands of people, polka bands play, church matrons cook Praha (a Czech version of goulash) and bakeries serve traditional poppy-seed kolaches. In Ennis, Tex., which holds a polka championship each summer, a grocery store helps finance community classes where Czech baking traditions are taught.
More influential, though, has been the rise of those roadside emporiums, selling everything from beer to deer stands to spiral-bound cookbooks, said Ms. Orsak, whose grandmother came to Texas from Moravia in the 1880s. Many Texans, no matter their heritage, now consider kolaches road food, best purchased at a Czech Belt rest stop. (In April, one of them, Czech Stop in the city of West, drew national attention when it stayed open to serve rescue workers after the deadly explosion of a nearby fertilizer plant.)
Now expatriate Texans in places like Portland, Ore., have begun to build customer bases at restaurants like Happy Sparrow Cafe, which serves Nutella-and-banana kolaches. Autumn Stanford, who owns the Brooklyn Kolache Company in that borough's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood, takes an artisanal tack, selling fruit-filled kolaches like apricot, as well as savory ones stuffed with bacon-wrapped hot dogs of Mexican-American derivation.
The inspiration for her business came from the roadside purveyors.
"My kolache story doesn't involve Grandmother making them in the kitchen," Ms. Stanford said. "Growing up in Austin, I didn't even know they were a Czech food. When I was young, both sets of my grandparents lived in Houston. And when we went to visit, we always stopped at Weikel's, in La Grange, for a bathroom break and a box of kolaches."
One recent afternoon at Weikel's Bakery, Pat Thomas, who was traveling from Austin to Schulenburg, Tex., confirmed that road-food imperatives still drive many kolache purchases.
"I came for the cream cheese kolaches," she said. "And the clean bathrooms."
Many Czech-Americans here, rather than feeling threatened by new varieties of kolaches that may obscure the pastry's origins, are so confident of their cultural and culinary patrimony that they embrace them. In that spirit, some church festival organizers have expanded their kolache bake-offs to include the category "other." And old-guard purveyors like Hruska's Store and Bakery, in business in Ellinger since 1912, now sell nontraditional cream-cheese-and-chocolate kolaches.
"Maybe the most important thing is that kolaches, in some form, continue to be made," said Ms. Orsak, the folklorist. "And they continue to be eaten. Kolaches have long been a kind of poster child for Czech identity. Now they're becoming a symbol for Texans. Maybe that's not so bad."
If that symbol is to become nationally viable, some matters of nomenclature must be resolved; the words used to describe these pastries are plentiful.
In Louisiana, doughnut shops in Lake Charles sell crayfish versions they call kalotchies. Montgomery, Minn., claims to be the kolacky capital of the world. Ms. Orsak uses the proper Czech form, kolach, for a single pastry. And some Czech-owned bakeries insist on using the traditional term klobasniky (pronounced klo-bah-SNEEK-ee), not kolache, for the rectangular versions typically stuffed with sausage.
Lisa Fain, a seventh-generation Texan who lives in New York City, where she wrote "The Homesick Texan Cookbook," acknowledged the translation problems.
"The pastry now making its way around America is what Texans have done with kolaches, not what Czechs brought to Texas," she said. "What we're seeing might be the emergence of another cuisine, like Tex-Mex. This is Czech-Mex."
Despite its mutations, kolaches have at least one defining advantage.
"These weren't invented by some corporate developer," Ms. Stanford said. "They have a history. This isn't a fad. This isn't a cronut."


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Depending on who you ask Xenu is either the dictator of the "Galactic Confederacy" who, 75 million years ago, brought billions of his people to Earth in a DC-8-like spacecraft or a tool that finds broken links. The second option doesn't sound as interesting but to you and me it is far more valuable.
Earlier this week I was speaking to a few SEOs I know who work in house and I was surprised to hear that neither of them had heard about Xenu. I was even more surprised since they both work for large brands whose sites have over 50k pages indexed and if anyone can benefit fromXenu it is large sites. Xenu was originally built as a broken link checker but as I will illustrate you can use it as a basis for technical and on poge analysis but to also as a basis for client questions and discovery. A lot of our regular readers will most probably be familiar with Xenu although there are hopefully some takeaways for everybody.
Getting started…
Load up Xenu and enter in the website you want it to crawl. Before you click run, go into the more options section in the bottom left and make sure you click 'treat redirections as errors' as this will now identify the http status codes for all redirects (important if you want to benefit from amending 302s to 301s)
Once Xenu has finished, click file and export the report to a TAB separated file as displayed below.
Once you have saved this file, open up an excel spreadsheet, click file => open and find your text document and then click open. Follow the following instructions to transform your text document into an editable and manageable excel spreadsheet.
Make sure you have clicked 'delimited' as the file type that describes your data
Then click tab as the delimeter…
Now you have your spreadsheet, depending on what version of excel you are running, copy all the cells and content and filter it so you get the drop down arrows on the top level cells.
Finding quick wins via status codes
For anyone wanting to skip the main course and dive headfirst into the desert simply go to the status codes column. This drop down will give you a list of status codes but what you are looking for are the following for quick actionable issues:
-2 This is an external link the tool has found
302 A temporary redirect
301 A permanent redirect
404 Page not found
-2 informs you of an external link on your site.
If you have just taken a new client on this can be valuable in three main ways. Firstly, you get a nicely organised list of all the external links, secondly, you can gain an insight into the existing relationships the site has and lastly it allows you to follow up and add these as potential link prospects for the later stages of your campaign.
This will give you an insight into the historical changes of the site and will highlight all 302 links. Most often than not these links are not temporary and are not passing on the link equity to the new pages.
Implementing a 301 redirect will pass the value to the new pages and depending on how many there are could give you domain/page a slight bump.
This identifies pages that could not be found by the server.
Apart from fixing these links, one tip is to find the URL within the Xenu tool, right click and use the wayback machine to see what content (if any) used to be published there. You might find out it is seasonal content in which case you should read the article surrounding what to do with old seasonal content and then try implementing "living URLs" as explained by Michael Grey.
Rev your Engine, Just how fast is your site?
SEOs have been saying this for years now but improving site speed is important. Not just for SEO purposes but for the end user. As explained in this article the faster a site is the more pages a user will be likely to view so go away and make sure you action the tips on optimising page site speed. I use Xenu and firebug to test site speed in the early stages of an audit. Start by sorting the spreadsheet by the 'size' column, in descending order.
Xenu automatically displays the file size in bytes which can be a bit overwhelming but to get a more laymen idea of the size you can use simple formula and divide by 1024 to convert the bytes to kilobytes and make things a bit easier to read. Dividing this new column by 1000 will give you the megabytes size which most people are familiar with and will give you a greater idea of whether the size is too big.
Make a note of files that are too large and use firebug to test how long it takes to load individual elements of a page. Think about compressing files or hosting video content on its own unique URL to reduce page load times of important pages.
Duplicate (duplicate) Content (content)
The recent Panda update means it is important to remove or amend duplicate content pages and filter out the poor performing pages of your site. The process of reassessing "low quality" pages, especially for large sites, should be a part of every SEOs strategy. Methods of removing low quality content have been discussed through this methodology and you can also use analytics to help.
Slightly off point but valuable nevertheless, use Xenu to check internal duplicate content as these pages can be fixed with redirects, canonical or no index tags. Some pages can also be improved, for example if it was a new product page which automatically implemented the default title tag setting that is common on many CMS. Manually checking your site would obviously take a lifetime so Xenu is great for speeding this process up by 5 years or so. In your spreadsheet click on the dropdown of the title column and deselect all. Now you can go through and click on the titles and see if they produce one or say several URLs. If they use the same title tag then they most probably have the exact same content on the page too. Look at this content and see how it can be dealt with or made more unique.
Analyse the "Money" Pages
What do we mean by money pages? Key pages which contain your core set of keyphrases and are more likely to result in conversions. These are the most important pages of a site so it is crucial they are not only reached within as few clicks as possible but also linked to effectively throughout the site. This is particularly important for larger sites which have a range of silos within their architecture.
This equates to how many clicks away from the homepage the content is. Sorting your data by the level allows you to identify "money" pages which may be more hidden than ideal. Preferably all key pages should be located within 1-2 levels away from the root. If you find you have key pages hidden 3,4 or 5 levels down make a note and come back to address the information architecture.
Always remember that information architecture shouldn't remain static, it should change in line what customers' needs and tools such as analytics, Google trends & insights should be utilised to sculpt the architecture.
One process that should be continuously monitored is the internal site search feature within your analytics software. If you are looking to insert additional internal linking or create new navigational areas this can be a goldmine. This process enables you to identify what users are actively searching for that they can't find easily enough within your site. Out of this process could come cross linking opportunities, new categorisation, or new internal links such as 'top selling products' to drive visitors to pages they want quicker. This article by Avinash Kaushik on internal site search is old but still has some very relevant points.
Links In
Organising your spreadsheet now by Links in and by descending order will highlight pages that have been either ignored or forgotten about.
If you imagine a pyramid built of glasses, if you pour champagne into the top glass you expect it to flow down slowly filling up the cup beneath a little less than the top layer. This is how your data should look and if it doesn't then something is wrong and it should be addressed.
Since the Panda update, the importance of individual page link metrics has increased and pages located deep within the site without any links or treated negatively, or at least in comparison to how they used to be treated when pages would rank purely from being hosted on domains with strong metrics.
One way of increasing the amount of internal links to a page would be using a variety of tactical linking methods such as:
- Standard navigation
- Ancillary navigation (footers)
- Breadcrumb trails
- Cross linking from similar product pages
- Listings of previous on-site search results
- Implementing widgets to pull through most popular products
- Using blog content to deep link
These are very simple yet very effective methods. It is utilised mainly by B2C organisations as it is very customer centric although if you are clever and creative enough you can find many ways of cross linking.
Here are some great examples:
There is a lot more you can do with Xenu so feel free to tweet me but in the meantime that should be enough to set you on your way.


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Diamond Band
$789.00 $592.00
14k white gold diamond shadow band. This band contains 16 round brilliant diamonds. These diamonds have a carat weight of 0.20ctw. pictured with matching engagement ring... *Prices are subject to change based on fluctuations in metal prices and currencies
Ostbye, a prime manufacturer, has been serving the jewelry industry since 1920. Throughout this time, Ostbye has remained committed to its mission of providing the best customer experience through unparalleled service, quality, and value. Ostbye's comprehensive collections include bridal jewelry, anniversary bands, Reflections of Color, men's diamond jewelry, and family jewelry.


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Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Marc Faber : I have allocated only 25% of my Portfolio to Equities
Marc Faber : Because I live in Asia, I am quite familiar with the Asian markets and economies. I have a bias toward Asian equities, especially because I can find deals in places such as Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Hong Kong—stocks that give me 4–7% dividend yields. With yields at those levels, at least I'm paid to wait. Even if they're cut 5%, I'd still get better cash flow than I would from, say, U.S. government bonds. Consequently, I feel reasonably confident owning such shares. Because I have allocated only 25% of my portfolio to equities, if the markets were to drop 50%, I would have funds elsewhere in my portfolio to buy more equities. That's not a prediction for a 50% market decline; it's just to say that I'm positioned in such a way that I could put more money in equities through a) my cash flow, b) my income and c) my cash position. And I do own some gold shares through stock options, because I'm a director of several exploration companies. - in the aureport
Posted by Biz TV


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or 4 payments of $42.25 with Afterpay
Optional Rear Camera Add On
Converts RC500S-1CH into Dual 1080P
6m Cable Included
Sony STARVIS Sensor
Ultra Wide 140° Angle of View
Supercapacitor Reliability
65°C Heat Resistance
Large f/1.6 Lens Aperture – Super Low Light Performance
Ultra High ISO Range up to ISO 12800
DOD (Dream of Digit-Tech) is one of the most innovative Dash Cam manufacturers in the world. With a quality range of Australian Award Winning single-channel Dash Cams, dual-channel Dash Cams and a dedicated Motorbike camera, DOD are one of the market leaders in Dash Cam technology. The DOD Dash Cam range offers user friendly units with exceptional quality and reliability. DOD Dash Cams incorporate the largest lens apertures on the market for exceptional video clarity, the highest ISO values for low light enhancement and the fastest GPS data update rates for accuracy.
The DOD RC500S-1CH can be converted into a dual 1080P Dash Cam by adding on this rear camera. The rear camera is small and discreet and contains the Sony STARVIS sensor for excellent low light performance. When using the DOD RC500S-1CH as a dual camera, the frame rate of the front camera changes from 60FPS to 30FPS.
Includes a 6m front to rear connection cable.
Need more help, tips & advice? Read our Information & Advice articles for our latest Dash Cam buying guides, tips & advice (click here)


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Benefits to Hosting an Intimate Wedding in Chicago
There are many benefits to having a small wedding ceremony and reception. Most importantly, it allows you to to truly focus on the big picture – getting married to the love of your life. Here are some tips to plan an intimate Chicago wedding.
Choose the ones who matter most.
Put a cap on the guest count, create guidelines and stick to them when you're creating your list. It's much easier to add guests than to subtract them later. Skip coworkers, second or third tier friends and people (maybe even some family) that you have not seen in over a year. Tip – it's true, you really don't have to invite significant others who aren't formally engaged or married. Remember, your wedding day flies by! Choose the guests that you want to spend that quality time with.
Spend on what counts.
Fewer guests means your dollar stretches a lot further. Love great wine and food – splurge! Our on-site wedding planner and executive chef will craft a menu that is personal to you and your fiancé and one to surely impress your guests. Perhaps a charcuterie station with imported cheeses and artisan meats, or a raw featuring oysters, ahi tuna and king crab. Follow the cocktail reception with a seated dinner featuring dishes like butter poached lobster or lamb chops with truffle bread pudding. And of course, don't skimp on the bar! Consider a bourbon tasting and specialty cocktails and sip true Champagne all evening long.
If florals and elegant linens are your thing – dress the limited numbers of tables exactly how you envision them. Textures linens can create a look to follow your style, whether that is rustic, refined or playful. Florals need not just be for the tables themselves – dress the entrance, the bar and make sure that your bouquet is the star. Incorporate uplighting to set a warm, romantic tone and add hanging chandeliers or globe candles.
Be creative and customize.
Intimate weddings allow you and your fiancé's personal style shine. Did you meet at a BBQ? How about passing mini cheeseburgers and fries to your guests during the cocktail hour? Is Maine your favorite place to vacation? Nibble on mini lobster rolls. Do you love wine tasting in Napa? Incorporate vineyards into your place-cards. Love to camp? How about a s'mores bar for dessert? This day is about you and your love – show off the best details about your partner and your relationship. And don't forget, have some fun!
When you host a small and intimate wedding in Chicago, the sky is the limit. Allow our staff to assist in making your day one to remember.
2300 Lincoln Park W
Chicago, IL 60614


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The first major exhibition of Dutch masters in Sydney, featuring 78 exceptional works of art from Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum, including a room dedicated to Rembrandt, is on display at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
Rembrandt and the Dutch Golden Age showcases Dutch art and life during the 17th century, an era of wealth, power and cultural confidence. Dutch artists only began to depict distinctively Dutch landscapes in the 17th century, inspired by their unique environment with its terrain, windmills and abundant waterways. Scenes of everyday life, especially those set in the home, were incredibly popular during this time, with works portraying feasting and drinking with family and friends, children being cared for and people simply reading or sitting in quiet contemplation. The sea has always been a dominant factor in Dutch history, shaping the country's life and commerce and during the Golden Age, marine painting emerged as another area in which Dutch painters excelled.
Landscapes, townscapes, architecture and interior scenes as well as marine scenes were the subjects of many of the era's paintings. The Dutch Republic gave rise to a huge number of talented painters, but while most specialised in a single genre, such as portraiture, still life or landscape, Rembrandt painted almost everything.
Exhibition curator, Peter Raissis, said Vermeer's "Woman Reading A Letter" (1663) and one of Rembrandt's greatest works, "Self-portrait as the Apostle Paul" (1661), are at the heart of Sydney's exhibition and are viewed by hundreds of thousands of visitors each year in the Rijksmuseum's famed Gallery of Honour.
Alongside masterpieces by Vermeer and Rembrandt, where an entire room is dedicated with seven of his paintings and 16 etchings, are outstanding paintings by Jacob van Ruisdael, regarded as the greatest landscapist of the Golden Age and Jan Davidsz de Heem, renowned for his dynamic, colourful compositions of flowers and Judith Leyster's painting of "The Jolly Drinker".
It was customary for the affluent Dutch middle class to have themselves portrayed in paintings, whereas, in most European countries this was a privilege reserved for nobles and aristocrats. The exhibition's portraits of merchants, scholars and artists reflect the increasing self-confidence and prosperity of the Golden Age's society.
During the exhibition, a variety of educational programs are available for visitors of all ages. The Gallery will host a lecture series featuring local and international experts, late night programs, music, daily guided tours and many other events to give visitors the opportunity to enjoy interactions with the artworks.
The exhibition runs until 18 February 2018.
Words: Sandra Tiltman Photos: John Pond


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Showcase your artwork for galleries and prospective buyers with a professionally designed and published monograph or portfolio book. We offer a choice of packages to get your artwork into print, along with a variety of options. We also have packages for artist groups and galleries.
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Let us design and publish a professional looking monograph to present your artwork to galleries for an exhibition, as a gift for your best clients, or for sale.
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Scotch Ale: Strong and Smooth
Scotland is a land of legend. Its people are hearty; its terrain can be craggy and daunting, or softly pacifying. It is mysterious, magical and formidable because of the cool and often harsh weather. Although Scotland is famous for its namesake whiskey, by far the most frequently consumed social beverage is ale, the stronger versions of which perfectly reflect the nature of the land and the people.
Scotch ales are hefty, smooth with an earthy edge, inviting, and soothing. Strong Scotch ale is a redundancy, as the more common Scottish ales are more modest in character than their redoubtable brethren. Scotch ale is often referred to as "wee heavy" and can resemble lagers more than ales, especially German bock beers.
From the Past
While it is generally accepted that brewing history can be traced to the Sumerian culture of the fifth millennium BC, Scotland may have an equally extensive brewing heritage. There is evidence that Pictish tribes in present-day Scotland were making fermented beverages about the same time as the Sumerians.
Early brews were made with grain, fruit, honey or anything else fermentable, and flavored with numerous spices and herbs.
As in much of medieval Europe, Scottish monasteries housed the brewing artisans, famous for their ale. The patron saint of Glasgow, St. Mungo, was himself a skilled brewer in the sixth century AD.
In the Middle Ages in Scotland, the task of brewing often fell to the women, especially in rural areas. Many of these "broustaris" were so adept at brewing that they sold their product to the public. Aberdeen boasted a list of 152 such brewing women in 1509 and the brewing center of Edinburgh employed over 300 female brewers, or "alewives."
The first documented beer purchase from a public brewery is in 1488, when James IV bought a barrel of Blackford ale in Perthshire. The cost: 12 Scots shillings.
The rising popularity of these public breweries led to the formation of a brewing and malting guild in the 16th century in Glasgow, known as the Incorporation of Maltmen. In another move to protect the Scottish breweries, law-makers made it illegal to import foreign beer of any sort. This allowed the brewers of Scotland to concentrate on their own products.
The outstanding strong ales of Scotland were by now well known around Western Europe, and by the early 1800s, Scottish beer was being exported all over the world. The climate was cool, hops were used sparingly because of their expense and rarity, and the beer was brewed strong to keep better. Thus, the profile of Scotch ale was evolving. A well-established barley-growing industry, and a copious supply of clean, fresh water ensured that the Scottish brewing trade was in good hands.
In nearby England, the meteoric rise in the popularity of London porter in the early 19th century threatened to supplant much of the demand for Scottish brews. In response, the Scots broadened their offerings and hired craftsmen accomplished in the arts of malting and brewing to show them how to produce these nouveau beverages.
Later, when the hoppy ales of Burton raged, the Scots employed the pale ale brewers of London and Burton tailoring their methods to approximate these highly desired brews. This flexibility not only allowed the Scots to keep a brewing stake across the United Kingdom, but also ensured that they would have something for each palate. The indisputable king of the Scottish beers, however, was Scotch ale.
To the Present
Scotch ales tend to be a specialty brew. They share much of their profile with many other strong beers, yet retain more individuality. The brewers who make them are scattered throughout Scotland, from the southern borders, to the remote Orkney archipelago in the north. Often the brewers refer to their individual brews by the shilling designations, a remnant of an old taxation system.
It is important to distinguish between Scottish and Scotch ales. Scottish ales called 60 (light), 70 (heavy), or 80 (export) shilling are in the range of 2.5 percent to 5.0 percent ABV. Scotch ale, or wee heavy, starts at 90 shilling and usually measures at least 6.5 percent ABV, with an original gravity of about 1.070. Some historical Scotch ales might be as high as 140 shilling, with a starting gravity of 1.125, although the scale has slid downward some over the last 150 years. Today's 80 shilling might be equivalent to a 60 shilling of 1850.
The base malt of a Scotch ale is not dissimilar to those used in English ale. It is highly-modified for single-temperature mashing. It may be kilned to a slightly higher temperature after drying to attain a burnished color. The effect is a less fermentable wort, with a bit more mouthfeel than beer made with a pale ale malt.
Historically, most beers produced in Great Britain up to the end of the 18th century would have exhibited a smoky character due to the wood, peat or, later, coke used in drying prior to the development of modern indirect-heated malt kilns. Historical Scottish beers were very "peaty" in many cases.
When green barley was steeped in water prior to sprouting, a small portion of the barleycorns floated. This "slack" malt was roasted and used in the grist, and imparted a little color and flavor from the charred malt. During the porter craze of the late 18th century, amber and brown malts were used extensively. These base malts had varying degrees of intense kilning and contributed deep colors to wort and even a little more toasty flavor.
Strong Ale Profiles
Modern Scottish brewers color and flavor their wort with different combinations of amber, brown, or roasted barley, along with some caramelized malt. Scotch ales are amber to dark brown and may have a black accent from the roasted barley. While the malt flavor of Scotch ale is not rough, it can have a slightly coarse flavor because of these dark malts.
Hop character is very much reserved in Scotch ales. This can be attributed to the fact that historically hops were almost impossible to grow in Scotland and expensive to import. The resistance to outside influences during the heyday of Scottish brewing also limited the amount of hops that were used in beer.
The anachronistic preference for herbs held fort much longer in Scotland than anywhere else in the world. Indigenous plants like bog myrtle, heather, spruce and other botanicals remained popular. Heather is used today in at least one Scottish ale, Fraoch, and coriander adds a unique accent to Traquair House's Scotch ale, Jacobite.
Nevertheless, as Scottish breweries sought to remain competitive with other regional breweries, they adopted hops as the primary balancing spice in their ales. Many hop varieties were used originally, probably any type that could be exported cheaply. Today, East Kent Goldings are the most widely used strain. They are used with restraint, and aroma hops are even less evident. This adds to the perception of Scotch ales as a malty beer.
Water is always an important consideration in brewing. The best malty beers are made with soft water, and hoppy beers, with hard water. Scotland has some of each, but it would make sense that the best Scotch ales would use soft water. The rural nature of the country keeps the water supply relatively pristine.
The nature and selection of yeast for Scotch ales is fairly different from most ale yeasts, having much in common with lager yeasts. Yeast is usually a low attenuator, leaving more residual character in the beer like a higher malt flavor and more mouthfeel. It works slowly, but effectively, at low temperatures.
The cool climate naturally allows for cellars with a beer-friendly ambiance. Storage at these temperatures palpably smoothes the character of the brew. Overall, the cool fermentation and storage, low attenuation, judicious use of hops, reasonably soft water, and substantial character renders a profile not unlike a robust, brawny, malty lager such as a bock but with a tangible smoky edge.
Scotch ales are not too hard to find, as at least seven Scottish breweries export their strong ale. Oddly enough, Belgium exports two, Scotch de Silly and Achouffe McChouffe, which fit the category nicely and are more neutral and softer than other Belgian beers. Moylan's Kilt Lifter of Novato, CA, is a wonderful example that is widely distributed. French Broad Brewing of Asheville, NC, pays homage to the regional Scottish settlers of Appalachia with a Wee Heavy that has a little of the authentic dark-kilned malt backdrop.
Classic, distinct beer styles are just that because of their evolution, which can depend on things both serendipitous and intended. Scotch ales are a perfect example of beers that develop along regional conditions. They are lush, vigorous and alluring, big and satisfying, and an image of Scotland itself. Scotch ales are the perfect partner for the cool, mesmerizing landscape. Get a cache for winter, so no matter where you are, you'll be ready for the cold.
Skullsplitter AleABV: 8.5
Tasting Notes: The quintessential Scotch ale. Brewed at Orkney Brewery on the windswept Orkney archipelago off the northern coast of Scotland in the town of Quoyloo. Named after the notorious Thorfinn Hausakluif (the skullsplitter himself), who was the seventh Viking Earl of Orkney about 1,000 years ago. Rich, malty, with a pronounced smoky character and very smooth, it sports a dark brown color.
McEwan's Scotch AleABV: 8.0
Tasting Notes: Brewed by Scottish Courage Ltd. in Edinburgh, originally by appointment to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Reddish brown in color, with caramel, cherry, apple, treacle aromas. The flavor is lightly smoky, with a soft buttery background and a creamy malt finish. The aroma intensifies as it warms and has a light sherry note.
Belhaven Wee HeavyABV: 6.5
Tasting Notes: Brewed in the coastal city of Dunbar. Dark amber in color, fairly smoky, with a complex earthy and malty aroma. The flavor is also quite malty, the body a little drier than most other Scotch ales. This beer is at once austere yet complex. An inviting soft, smoky and butterscotch character.
K. Florian Klemp
K. Florian Klemp is a research analyst at Duke University in Durham, NC, and an award-winning homebrewer.
Dear Mr. Klemp,
Thank you for your elucid commentary on Scotch Ales. I've just returned from a month in Rome where I enjoyed a pint or two of Slalom Strong on tap in a wonderful bar in Trastevere called Big Hilda Cafe. Slalom Stong was also available in bottles in Rome…. While Italy has many wonderful artisanal beers, I really developed a taste for this Scotch Ale but can't seem to find it here in California. I do live very close to Novato, however and have been making do with a Kilt Lifter on tap at Moylans. What is your opinion of Slalom Strong( the bottles have a big 9 below the name to leave one in no doubt as to its strength) and could you suggest how I might find it here in California ? Cheers! David


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Hi guys, so i was following some examples with generic methods that return a value and i made this:
public class Main { public static void main(String[] args){ System.out.println(max(23,42,1)); System.out.println(); System.out.println(max("alexa","mauricio","scarlet")); } public static <T extends Comparable<T>> T max(T a, T b, T c){ T maximum = a; if(b.compareTo(a)>0) maximum = b; if (c.compareTo(maximum)>0) maximum = c; return maximum; } }
if you compile it, when it compares the strings variables why does it return "scarlet" as greater than the other 2? i seriously don't get it, i tried to look for the compareTo() method but all it mentions is the usage and that it returns a negative number if the variable you are comparing with another is lesser than the other, 0 if they are equal and a possive number if it is greater. But why? can someone please explain how does it compare it? i thought it was because of the length.


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Starting from*
Fuel Economy*
8.6/7.0/7.9L per 100km
Meet the KONA.
The KONA is the latest addition to our SUV family – a new breed of SUV to take on the city. With KONA, driving and parking in the urban jungle doesn't have to be stressful. Enjoy the agile manoeuverability of a passenger car, and the higher perspective of an SUV – it's really the best of both worlds! Furthermore, KONA is filled with technology that just makes everything easier, including Apple CarPlay™, Android Auto™ and an available Head-Up Display to project important information within your line of sight, so you can keep your attention on the road.
Seeing is believing
Be seen among the sparkling city lights.
Features you want.
Ready to take on the urban jungle.
Get familiar with Hyundai SmartSense™
Advanced technology at your fingertips.
What Do Owners Think?
"It has the ride quality of a car but the capability of an SUV....I've been thoroughly impressed"
Steven, St. Catharines
Hyundai partners with Reevoo to provide 100% genuine, uncensored reviews. Here's what people have been saying about their KONA.
What Do The Experts Think?
Not interested in making lackluster products, Hyundai has taken tangible steps to rise above its competition and those efforts are obvious in the Korean brand's new Kona, its first subcompact crossover.
It's stylish, agile, suitably fast and it offers plenty of utility without giving up on the sporty side of life.
The Kona's cute, it starts cheap and – with the turbo – it's more fun to drive than you'd expect.
*Fuel economy figures are based on manufacturer testing and are used for comparison purposes only. Actual fuel efficiency may vary based on driving conditions and the addition of certain vehicle accessories. Fuel Economy based on 2019 KONA Essential FWD.


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Many people do not understand how insurance works, so when it comes time to lodge a declare, they're not solely upset on the necessity (in any case, who claims as a result of one thing good has occurred to them?) but additionally confused about what happens from that point onwards. An insurance premium paid at present offers coverage for losses that might come up a few years sooner or later. The insurance firm could mitigate for dependents' loss of a breadwinner within the event of his or her premature demise or disability arising in the middle of obligation. Of note, the automobile misplaced not due to the influence of hypnosis, not because leased to others (for insurance firms that insure solely personal automobiles), or not resulting from acts of fraud or dishonest.
The move carries out an govt order by President Trump, who said the change would profit shoppers as a result of short-term, restricted-period insurance is exempt from the onerous and costly insurance mandates and rules" in the Affordable Care Act.
It doesn't include all terms, circumstances, limitations, exclusions and termination provisions of the travel insurance plans. He can be skilled in providing insurance protection solutions for the employees in your company. Insurance companies are typically categorized as either mutual or proprietary firms. The coverage usually covers the prices of cleanup and should include coverage for releases from underground storage tanks. A single policy that will cover risks in a number of of the classes set out under. Even my wife had a very good experience along with your buyer support group when she bought your health insurance plan. I am pleased to note that your govt did his greatest to meet my health insurance needs by suggesting an appropriate policy. I'm grateful for the help that your agent prolonged to me throughout the well being insurance buying course of. Life insurance firm evaluations are discovered on the net and varied financial magazines.
Political danger insurance is a type of casualty insurance that can be taken out by companies with operations in countries in which there is a danger that revolution or other political circumstances might result in a loss. During the interaction, he additionally spelled out the advantages of the coverage such as tax advantages on premiums under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act. Now the problem is that how one can determine that which coverage is appropriate for you, Well for which you could go to an insurance agent and discuss all of your needs and price range. I'd been trying to purchase a new health insurance coverage which prompted me to contact your customer care government. Because agents work straight for the insurance firm, if there's a claim the agent may advise the consumer to the benefit of the insurance company.
Not all content material material on each automotive insurance coverage agency website is at all times factual, nonetheless, so you will want to do in depth evaluation sooner than coming into into an settlement with a particular insurance coverage supplier to verify they supply what they declare they provide.


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EU ESPP Prospectus
The Equinix,Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan is offered to our employees in the United Kingdom, the Federal Republic of Germany and the Netherlands.
The following document, the EU Prospectus 2018 (the "EU Prospectus"), represents the registration of the Equinix, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the "ESPP"). The German Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin) has approved this EU Prospectus which conforms with Directive 2003/71/EC, as amended. Within this EU prospectus, you will find specific details on the ESPP, how to participate, and what risks are involved if you decide to participate.
At the end of the latest purchase period ending Aug 14, 2018 we hereby publish the price at which employees purchased Equinix shares under the ESPP on Aug 14, 2018. All values are displayed in USD.
|1st date of purchase period
|Fair Market Value (FMV) at 1st date of purchase period
|Purchase Date
|Fair Market Value (FMV) at Purchase Date
|Purchase Price (equals 85% of the lower of the two FMVs)
|15th Feb, 2018
|14 August, 2018
|15th Feb, 2017
|14 August, 2018
|15 August, 2016
|14 August, 2018
Further details about the provisions under the ESPP and how to participate are available on the Equinix Intranet site that is available to you as an employee of the Company.


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28 Mar 2017 | Press Release No. 8
At the start of the year lawmakers set out the requirements for a reform of these arrangements. The legislation is part of a Federal Government programme for a more citizen-friendly public administration in Germany. This means that by 2021 the BA Family Benefits Office can on a sliding scale take on the child benefit cases of the many public sector family benefits offices if they agree do so. The "service for all" approach is intended to become more modern and quicker overall as well as open up new access routes e.g. via the internet. In order to familiarise managers with these challenges in the coming years, a conference organised by the BA Family Benefits Office took place in Göttingen on 28 March.
Karsten Bunk, Director of the BA Family Benefits Office, appreciates the significance: "We want to successfully fulfil the mandate given to us by lawmakers. We are well prepared for this. Wherever possible, the burden on the institutions of the Federal Government, state governments and local authorities should be removed. Above all we want to better support people who receive child benefit and to do so in as modern a way as possible. In Germany there is unfortunately a lot of red tape surrounding family benefits and the agencies responsible for them. In the case of Child Benefit, we want to make a start in cutting that red tape!"
The guest speaker was Johannes Geismann, the State Secretary responsible at the Federal Ministry of Finance, who explained the expectations that are linked to these reforms: "This is not all just about improving efficiency across all levels of government. A handover process that is seamless and transparent for all those affected must be ensured. Nobody should be put at a disadvantage as a result. Above all there must also be tangible improvements for persons claiming child benefits and a further reduction in bureaucracy."


text: The grapes are hand harvested at the end of August followed by cold maceration on the skins at a controlled temperature of 25-27°C with daily delestage (the process of removing the seeds from the grapes which cause harsh tannins (*see detailed explanation on the tech sheet). The wine is refined in stainless steel tanks then in large cherrywood barrels, after which it rests in the bottle for one year before release. This noble wine is beautifully balanced, earthy, rich and elegant with a bouquet of blackberries and raspberries. It pairs well with many varied dishes; also a perfect partner to turkey and the many different dishes on a holiday table. Serve at room temperature.


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It is that time of year to dust down the Cookie Press and get baking these cutesy cookies. Spiced with ginger, all spice, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, these crunchy, shaped morsels shout C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S.
Eaten undecorated, sprinkled with icing and sprinkles or simple dusted with sugar they will be popular with everyone. Add the fact they are wreath and tree shaped, some might say they are too cute to eat.
Not familiar with a Cookie Press? For me, this little kitchen gadget is a fun, value for money little tool. It comes with numerous 'stencils' to create bite-sized cookies of varying patterns (stars, flowers, bears, butterflies – you get the picture). By using the Cookie Press, you can create professional looking, equally sized cookies in large batches, for any occasion.
These Spiced Spritz Cookies are super easy and quick to make, perfect when time is short at the busy time of year. Enjoy!
- 250g unsalted butter, softened
- 100g soft brown sugar, light or dark
- 1 egg
- 330g plain flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon all spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- Icing sugar for dusting (optional)
- or,
- 100g icing sugar, sifted
- 2-3 teaspoons milk, or lemon juice (enough to create a drizzle to your liking)
- Sprinkles
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C, or Gas Mark 4. Prepare two baking trays by lining with parchment. Prepare the Cookie Press by selecting the design of your choice.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, ginger, all spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves in a bowl and set aside.
- Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until well combined. With the mixer on slow speed, add the flour, a large spoonful at a time. Once completely combined, fill the Cookie Press with the first batch of dough.
- Press the cookies onto the lined trays and space equally. Re-fill the press when required and press further cookies.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, turning the trays half way through the bake. Allow to cool on a wire rack and repeat if you have further cookie dough.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely. Serve plain, dust with icing sugar, or drizzle with icing and decorate with sprinkles.
- Store in an airtight container.
Tip! Load the dough into the Cookie Press by using a medium-sized ice cream scoop.
Source: Adapted from a Wilton Recipe
Cranberry, White Chocolate and Orange Biscotti
All White Fondant Fancies


text: Carrier Information Form Request for Independent Contractor Routes Finish Contact Information * First Name * Last Name * Address P.O. Box/Apt # * City * State AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWashington D.C.West VirginiaWisconsinWyomingPuerto RicoUS Virgin IslandsArmed Forces AmericasArmed Forces PacificArmed Forces EuropeNorthern Mariana IslandsMarshall IslandsAmerican SamoaFederated States of MicronesiaGuamPalauAlberta, CanadaBritish Columbia, CanadaManitoba, CanadaNew Brunswick, CanadaNewfoundland, CanadaNova Scotia, CanadaNorthwest Territories, CanadaNunavut, CanadaOntario, CanadaPrince Edward Island, CanadaQuebec, CanadaSaskatchewan, CanadaYukon Territory, Canada * Zip Code * Home Phone Cell Phone Email Verify Email Eligibility Do you have a valid Social Security or Worker ID number? Yes No Have you ever been convicted of a felony, or any crime involving a minor or sex offense? Yes No If yes, please explain: You have 200 words remaining. Reliability Newspaper carriers are responsible for providing on-time delivery of our products in good condition everyday. In the event you are unable to deliver your route, you are responsible for providing a substitute to deliver for you.Drivers License and proof of minimum-required liability insurance required if using a vehicle on routes. Do you have someone you can rely on to deliver your route if you are unable to? Yes No Do you have a reliable vehicle? Yes No Do you have liability insurance for the vehicle? Yes No Past Experience and Availability Have you ever been a newspaper carrier? Yes No If yes, when and where? You have 200 words remaining. Neighborhood or areas you can deliver to: You have 200 words remaining. Are you interested in delivering newspapers and other products 7 days a week? Yes No Are you interested in delivering advertising products once a week? Yes No Further Information How did you hear about this opportunity? You have 100 words remaining. Please provide any additional information that will assist us in reviewing your form: You have 300 words remaining. Are you over 18? (If not, Parent/Guardian consent required) Yes No Verify and Submit CAPTCHA


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What if we told you 33% of leads don't receive a single call after submitting an online inquiry? That's a lot of missed opportunity. It's surprising, but it's true. Sales Lead Response: The Ugly Truth Behind Call, Voicemail, and Email Practices reveals what's really going on when it comes to the inbound lead experience. Download the study to learn how some sales teams are missing golden opportunities and how you can avoid common voicemail and email content and delivery pitfalls.
This study is crafted for sales leaders who want:
- A better understanding of how other sales teams are responding to leads
- Actionable insights they can apply to their call, voicemail, and email practices
- Tips on how to test their buyers' online inquiry experience


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The Miracle League of Pa's Laurel Highlands The Miracle League of Pa's Laurel Highlands
Here's a sample of our volunteer opportunities:VIEW AS
Mission Statement
The mission of the MLPLH is to provide individuals with special needs the opportunity to play baseball.
The Miracle League of Pa's Laurel Highlands/Champions (MLPLH) is a baseball league for individuals with special needs. Associated with two of the best baseball programs, The Miracle League and PONY League, the MLPLH is able to offer the finest sports program for children with special needs in Southwestern Pennsylvania. The league has found a home field at Bailey Park in Uniontown, PA and will continuously be raising funds to transform the old softball field into a "field of dreams". When completed, the field will be completely handicap-accessible, making it possible for all children to enjoy the All-American sport of baseball!
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Our catering options are endless, and most of our new ideas come from you, our clients!
We treat each and every event as if it were in our own event.
Below, please find some sample BEEZ NEEZ Hot Dog Cart ideas. We customize every event to your each and every need, so feel free to give us a call for a free, no obligation, quotation!