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Kevin Fitzgerald
Snapshot: After a Stormy Opening Week, BNP Paribas Open Moves Into Week 2
As the 2016 edition of the BNP Paribas Open got under way last week at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, two topics dominated the conversations of players, the media and fans alike: Maria Sharapova's recent alleged doping infraction (leading to her absence) and the return of Venus Williams after a 15 year boycott of the tournament where she enjoyed some of her earliest career triumphs.
Two-time defending men's champion Novak Djokovic told the media he was sympathetic regarding Sharapova's situation. "I know that she has always been very responsible and aware toward herself, toward the sport—very disciplined, very … hard working, hard-working ethics, and (she) loves what she does.
"I thought she was very courageous, and it was very human, brave of her, to go out and take the responsibility and say what has happened. She did admit that she made a mistake with her team. But certainly if there was a mistake, and if she was caught to be positive on doping for a certain substance, then there should be certain kind of consequences for that."
Consequences seemed to be on Venus Williams' mind as she stepped back into the Tennis Garden surroundings.
"I think when (Serena) came back, it wasn't an easy decision. You never know what was going to happen," Venus said regarding her sister's return to Indian Wells last year. "But she had so much courage to do so. It made it so easy for me. I felt like when I came out here, I was able to focus on the tennis and not on, 'Oh, my gosh, what's gonna happen?'"
What did happen when she finally set foot on the Stadium 1 show court for her Friday, March 11, match? A standing ovation that lasted several minutes.
"Yeah, I did get emotional," Venus Williams said. "When we were doing the coin toss, I got a little watery eyed. Your opponent—you don't want to give them any more encouragement. It was wonderful. I think I smiled the whole warm-up. I had to get my game face on. It was tough to do."
Shortly after the start of her first match, against 89th-ranked Kurumi Nara of Japan, the wind kicked up, and a burst of rain rolled across the Tennis Gardens grounds, blowing objects around. The storm chased players off all the courts—and it's possible the disruption contributed to Venus' early exit from this year's tournament: She would go on to be upset, 6-4, 6-3.
"The crowd rooted me on because it was a tough day and tough conditions and brutal out there," a positive Venus Williams remarked in her post-match media conference. "It was wonderful to feel the love. You know, I would love to come on back."
As the winds dissipate and the second week of play gets under way, all five of the top-seeded men are still alive (including No. 1 Djokovic, No. 2 Andy Murray, No. 3 Stan Wawrinka, No. 4 Rafael Nadal and No. 5 Kei Nishikori), while just three of the top 5 women (No. 1 Serena Williams, No. 3 Agnieszka Radwanska and No. 5/defending champ Simona Halep) are moving ahead.
- Andy Murray Andy Murray
- Agnieszka Radwańska Agnieszka Radwańska
- Christina McHale Christina McHale
- Maria Sharapova Maria Sharapova
- Novak Djokovic Novak Djokovic
- Serena Williams Serena Williams
- Serena Williams Yells Serena Williams Yells
- Venus Williams Venus Williams
- Venus Williams Venus Williams
- Stormy Weather Stormy Weather
Snapshot: Venus Williams Returns to the BNP Paribas Open
Wednesday, March 9, was a beautiful day in many ways at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
At 9 a.m., under brilliant blue skies, long-estranged Women's Tennis Association champion Venus Williams made her first official appearance at the tournament since 2001. She took to Practice Court 1 to begin her preparations for her first match, which will take place on Friday, March 11. Before only a dozen onlookers—only members of the media and security guards—Venus worked on her game. She seemed anxious and a bit surly; while casting surreptitious gazes at the few strangers present, she maintained a serious expression.
At 10 a.m., as her workout entered its second hour, the gates to the grounds opened up for fans—and a crowd of spectators quickly formed around her court. She worked out in brief spurts, taking frequent breaks to rest in the shade, talk on her phone or grab sustenance from a Whole Foods shopping bag she brought with her. During one of those breaks, as the stands filled, she looked around and caught sight of a young girl holding a sign that read: "Welcome Back Venus!"
A smile broke across her face.
As she returned to the court for more work, a healthy round of applause spilled out from the gathered fans.
The tension had been broken. She laughed, and it was pretty clear she was starting feel comfortable at the site of some of her earliest career victories.
Later, when she left the practice court, she walked across the great green area where players regularly congregate for impromptu soccer matches, calisthenics or other activities. Dogged by the ever-present photographers (present company included), she seemed a bit guarded, but then veered off to a crowd of autograph-seekers behind the fence, where she spent a few minutes signing and chatting. Then she was off again.
The final surprise sighting of the newly returned Venus Williams came at the start of her sister Serena's practice session, around 12:30 p.m. As Serena, the current top-ranked WTA ranked player, laced up her tennis shoes and talked to her entourage, Venus appeared on the court to greet her sister. They spent 10 to 15 minutes together, laughing, dancing and talking with Serena's guru-in-residence, Patrick Mouratoglou.
With a kiss and a smile Venus left. But make no mistake: She seems happy to be back, and regardless of the ill will from 15 years ago, her fans are happy, too.
- Serena's Serve Serena's Serve
- Venus and Serena Venus and Serena
- Venus Waves Venus Waves
- A Quick Phone Call A Quick Phone Call
- Volley Volley
- Signing Autographs Signing Autographs
- A Beautiful Backdrop A Beautiful Backdrop
- A True Fan A True Fan
A Matter of Mind: Local High Schoolers Hold a Forum on the Link Between Mental Illness and Mass Shootings—and Learn There's a Flaw in Their Premise
With the trauma of the Dec. 2, 2015, mass shooting in nearby San Bernardino fresh in their minds, Simon Moore—the lead adviser of the Coachella Valley High School Health Academy and Health Occupation Students of America—and his students began planning a community outreach program.
Kimberly Bravo, a senior at the Thermal high school and the captain of the CVHS HOSA community awareness team, noted in a news release announcing the forum that mass shootings have taken countless innocent lives.
"Later, we find out that the people committing these shootings suffer (or suffered) from various types of mental health issues. The question we ask ourselves is, 'Why didn't anyone hear these individuals' cries for help?'" she said.
At the forum, Bravo, her fellow students and the members of the public who attended learned that the premise of the forum was flawed: Most people who carry out mass shootings don't make cries for help—because they aren't mentally ill.
"Not all of these shootings are based on mental illness," said Desert Hot Springs Chief of Police Dale Mondary, one of the panel participants, who worked in San Bernardino before taking his newish job in the desert. "I'd say the majority probably are not. It could be political causes, or religious ideology or some sort of family-relationship issue."
The fairly well-attended forum attracted a distinguished group of prominent local and national professionals and politicians, all with their own perspectives on the theme.
"Everyone who we invited showed up—and, I mean, that's just amazing," Moore said after the forum. "We asked Dale Mondary, the chief of police from Desert Hot Springs, because he's a new guy to the area who came from San Bernardino. State Representative Chad Mayes, who is a Republican, just showed up and said, 'Let's talk.' And we're not even in his district. Also we got Supervisory Special Agent Colin Schmitt from the FBI (who was lead incident commander during command post operation for investigating the San Bernardino shootings). And given the acclaim that attendee Dr. James Fox receives among law enforcement as a profiler in the U.S., it was really cool to get him."
Fox (pictured below) is a professor and interim director at the School of Criminology at Northeastern University who has appeared on numerous television shows, writes a regular column in USA Today and has been called on for his expert opinions by the U.S. Congress, several attorneys general, President Bill Clinton and Princess Anne of Great Britain, among others.
The panel covered numerous topics over the course of the discussion, which lasted more than 90 minutes—and the hard link between mental illness and mass shootings was not the only myth debunked at the forum.
"There's one tiny flaw in all the theories as to why there's been an increase in mass shootings in the United States, and that is the fact that there has not been an increase in mass shootings over the past several decades," Fox said. "Now, I don't mean to minimize the pain and suffering of all those who have been victimized in these attacks. But the facts say clearly that there has been no epidemic."
He offered an array of statistics to support this stance.
That position not withstanding, student co-moderator Sergio Ortega asked, "With the growing number of mass shootings in public spaces, what do you think is the root cause of these incidents?"
"In the cases of shootings in public places which are the rarest, maybe 5 or 6 a year," Dr. Fox said, "they are the ones where mental illness is most likely to emerge. These individuals have a paranoid sense that the whole world is evil or the government is corrupt, and they really don't care who they kill as long as they kill as many people as possible."
Schmitt mentioned that shooters often put a lot of thought into where they make their attack.
"Between 2000 and 2013, there were 160 active shooter instances, and 46 percent of them took place in areas that were open to pedestrian traffic. Obviously, it's unlikely that we'd have an incident like this at an FBI building which is full of armed agents. If somebody is looking to kill lots of people, they are going to go somewhere where there is not a lot of law enforcement."
After the forum, we asked Moore if he was surprised by the expert opinions that seemed to undermine the basic premise behind the forum.
"No. They knew the discussion was about violence in relation to mental health," he said. "Dr. Fox's finding is that most of those shooters are not mentally ill. He told us that among people who commit mass shootings, less than 12 percent have had mental health issues. And Chief Mondary has a specialty of combating crime rather than profiling. I think it was great that they both spoke from their experience with the public."
So what's next for the students who were involved in this public-awareness exercise?
"Now it's time to get the word out," Moore stated. "When we had a debriefing with the student organizers, I asked if most people who carry out mass shootings have mental health issues, and everyone in the room said, 'No.'"
Running Against Raul Ruiz: State Sen. Jeff Stone Thinks He Has What It Will Take to Unseat the Democratic Congressman
On June 7, Coachella Valley voters will go to the polls to cast their votes in the California primary—and the Republican Party is going all-out to reclaim the 36th Congressional District seat, currently held by Dr. Raul Ruiz, a Democrat.
So far, two Republicans have declared their intentions to take on Ruiz (who did not return repeated requests for comment for this story).
"When I entered the field, there was no Republican who had thrown their hat into this race and stayed in the race," novice candidate Dwight Kealy told Independent. "We're looking at a district where a strong Republican should have a good showing. Historically, it's been a Republican district."
That historical advantage was altered dramatically in 2012, when Ruiz, then a novice candidate himself, upset heavily favored Republican incumbent Mary Bono Mack in a tight race. In 2014, Ruiz won re-election, handily beating Brian Nestande.
"Right now, there's a pretty likable Democrat in office, quite frankly," Kealy admitted. "He's from the district, and he obviously appeals to the Latino vote as well.
"(The Republicans) needed someone with a good story, so I was encouraged to explore this opportunity. I talked to a bunch of people throughout the district and introduced myself, and they were excited about it. I talked to the state leadership and at the national level to the Republican Party. They all seemed really excited."
But not long after Kealy had committed, 24-year political veteran Jeff Stone, currently serving in the state Senate, made public his intention to challenge Dr. Ruiz as well. (Shortly after this story was published, Kealy announced he was dropping out of the race.)
"When the paperwork becomes available, we'll expeditiously acquire the general-nomination papers and get them filled out," Stone said. "We'll get 40 registered voters in the district to sign those, which should not require much of an effort, and we'll get them filed, and we will be officially in the race."
Stone said he has been working hard to gather endorsements and raise funds for his likely battle against Ruiz, who already has $1.5 million in the bank for his campaign.
Is Stone concerned how voters will react to his decision to run for national office less than halfway into his four-year term as a state senator?
"I have to balance my responsibilities as a state senator, which are going to come first," he said. "I'll use what spare time I have to get into the district and talk to constituents—and, of course, you've got to be able to raise money to get your message out. So we have roughly 10 fundraisers that are planned between now and June at various areas of the district, in the state of California, and some that will actually be outside of California."
Stone said his decision to jump into the congressional race resulted from a string of unexpected occurrences, beginning last March, when he made a trip to Washington, D.C.
"I went there to hear Benjamin Netanyahu and to show that there were a number of us in the country who did not believe the Iran deal was a good deal," said Stone, "and also to lobby members of Congress to not support that deal the president was proposing with Iran. I walked the halls of Congress and met with our state delegation, including Dr. Raul Ruiz. While we were sitting with Dr. Ruiz, he made it very clear he was going to stand with Israel. I walked away from that meeting, just as many people did, thinking he was not going to support this horrific deal."
But according to Stone, Ruiz broke his word when he ultimately voted to support the deal.
"He got a message from (House Minority Leader) Nancy Pelosi that he had to support the president of the United States, and he was pretty much told what to do, and he flip-flopped on the vote. I was so disappointed, because that rarely has happened in the 24 years I've been an elected official, that somebody would make such a major policy shift on such an important issue, namely national security."
Stone wrote a "Valley Voice" piece for The Desert Sun, voicing his opposition to the nuclear deal, last September.
"After that, I was getting phone calls and emails from people saying, 'Senator Stone, where do we sign up? And where do send funds?' And I said, 'Well, what are you talking about?' And they said, 'Aren't you running for Congress?' I said, 'I'm not running for Congress.'"
In November, Stone said, he returned to Washington, D.C., to lobby for federal assistance for his California district, and encountered two longtime Republican congressmen from California, Darrell Issa and Ken Calvert.
"'You know Jeff, we really need you to get into this race,'" Stone recalled them telling him. "'This is a race that's about 50-50 Democrat-Republican. And frankly, Dr. Ruiz has been in Congress now long enough that he has a record that can be scrutinized. … So we're asking you to step up to the plate."
Although Stone has been in his state Senate seat for less than two years, he also has a voting record that is scrutinized by some groups. For instance, the California League of Conservation Voters, the Sierra Club California and the California Teachers Association all gave Stone unfavorable ratings for the votes he cast in 2015 on legislative matters affecting their interests.
On the other hand, the National Rifle Association gave him high marks for the votes he cast.
"There are many things that will show a dramatic difference between Dr. Ruiz and myself," Stone said. "People will have a clear choice on one ideology and vision for our country or another. I look forward to challenging Dr. Ruiz to a series of debates. I'm hoping we can get five debates in before the primary (June 7) so that the wonderful constituents of the Coachella Valley and the Hemet Valley and the Idyllwild area will have an opportunity to vet both of us."
How did first-in candidate Dwight Kealy responding to Stone's candidacy before dropping out?
"The goal has been to have the best Republican candidate. So if every one in the Republican Party and all the groups get together and say, 'Hey, Dwight, Stone's better than you, and we're not giving you any money or any votes,' then this would be a horrible hobby to spend my next six months doing."
Inspecting Golf Gadgets: Palm Desert's Buff White Travels Almost Weekly as a PGA Equipment Checker
Play began in this year's Coachella Valley PGA tournament stop—formerly known as the Bob Hope Classic, more recently as the Humana Challenge, and now as the CareerBuilder Challenge—on Thursday, Jan. 21.
Tour pros teed off at the La Quinta Country Club (the only layout to return from last year's competitive three courses), the Nicklaus Tournament Course and, most surprisingly, the TPC Stadium Course. Players took on this challenging 18 holes for the first time—and, until this year, the last time—in tour competition in 1987.
It's fair to say quite a bit has changed in the pro-golf world in the interim—much of it fueled by the impressive amount of money at stake. In 2016, the total purse for the entire tour season is roughly $330 million. Also, the simple game of golf—hit a ball with a well-manufactured but twisted stick until you knock it into a hole—now generates some $3.4 billion annually in consumer revenue in the U.S. alone. This gold mine has given rise to lucrative commercial-sponsorship opportunities
For each well-sponsored pro, every Thursday marks the first day of competition for that week's tour stop—and it also signals the day they have to acquiesce to a skilled inspection by Palm Desert resident Buff White and his colleagues at the Darrell Survey Company.
"When people read golf magazines, and there's a statement of fact regarding golf equipment and accessories—like a company says, 'We have the No. 1 wedge on tour,' or 'the No. 1 fairway wood,' then it would have to be verified by a third party, which is the Darrell Survey Company," White said during an interview at the TPC Stadium Course this week. "We've been doing that since 1933."
White, who became a permanent resident of Woodhaven Country Club in 2010 but traveled 46 weeks for the job last year, has been going through pro and amateur golfers' bags on the first tee of every tournament's first day of competition for 29 years.
"We check the equipment that the players are actually using to make sure that they are living up to their sponsorship contracts," White said. "And, for the PGA, we're making sure that nobody has illegal equipment in the bag, or too many clubs, or if they're breaking any PGA regulations."
Since the Coachella Valley stop comes so early in the calendar year, it presents special challenges to these PGA compliance representatives.
"For the first four events in January of each year, equipment changes like crazy," White said. "These guys have had a few weeks off, so they've been able to practice with new golf balls, new wedges, new putters and new drivers, and everybody is always tweaking their equipment a little bit. This tournament is always tough, because you have amateurs playing, and the manufacturers always want to know what clubs are in their bags as well. But the amateurs sometimes don't know what's in their bag, so that makes it really tough, because they may have too many clubs, or they've got seven hybrids—and it's a little bit disconcerting."
What are the ramifications of these last-minute survey inspections? Is any corrective or punitive action taken right there and then as players are about to start?
"Sometimes, but usually nothing happens right then," White said. "We're not there to get into their heads. They know if they're trying to use an illegal club, and sometimes they'll do weird things. Like sometimes, they'll tee off without a driver in their bag, and they'll leave it on the third-hole tee box and pick it up when they get there. Or a guy will (think), 'I'm under contract with company "X," but I don't want to play that driver,' so they'll show you the right driver, and then they'll go pull a different one out of the starter's tent on the first tee. So we're always on our toes and looking for that guy who's trying to figure out a way to get around the rules or his deal obligations."
On rare occasions, though, if a player blatantly flouts the regulations, he could be penalized strokes or be disqualified from the tournament.
"Usually, other players will rat a guy out" said White with a chuckle. "If they think one of the guys is spinning the ball like crazy, they'll go to a rules official and say, 'We want you to look at this guy's wedges,' and the official would go right to the player and tell him that they need to verify the grooves on the club face."
When White approached the bag of fan favorite Phil Mickelson on the first tee at the La Quinta Country Club on yesterday's first day of play, you could read tension in the exchange between White and Phil's caddy, whose nickname is Bones. (See the first picture below.)
"Phil doesn't change anything in his bag usually very much, and Bones, his caddy, isn't the easiest guy to deal with at times," White said afterward. "He makes the tee box seem like it's his office space, and it's not like a golf course to him. So when he's done with you, he's done with you. But Phil had made a lot of changes today, which, like I said, he normally doesn't make. But Bones was courteous enough to say 'OK, did you get it all?' Phil asked me the same thing. So, it took me right up to the last second, but, yeah, I got it all. It was all right."
So, too, should be this year's PGA Career Builder Challenge, which wraps up on Sunday, Jan. 24.
Aiding the Abused: Shelter From the Storm Wages a Lonely Battle to Protect Local Victims of Domestic Violence
In the United States, 20 people are physically abused by intimate partners every minute of every day on average, according to a 2015 National Coalition Against Domestic Violence report. That equates to more than 10 million victims annually.
While there was a steady decline in the number of incidents reported in California from 2005 to 2012, the last two years for which statistics are available have seen increases, according to the California Department of Justice. In 2014, the nine cities of the Coachella Valley recorded 1,317 domestic-violence incidents; more than 20 percent involved the use of a weapon. On average, that works out to just less than four reported incidents per day in our valley—where Shelter From the Storm (SFTS) provides one of the only sources of hope to frightened and often desperate victims and their families.
"There's a high need, and we're still the only provider out here," said executive director Angelina Coe during an interview in her office, located in a strip mall surrounded by a commercial area of Palm Desert. "The demand is there, but it's a question of getting people to come in for help. It's about the stigma of being in a shelter, which is still very negative. The fear factor involved in leaving the cycle of domestic violence, and leaving safely, has an impact on people coming into shelter."
Coe has worked in the nonprofit, family-services, domestic-violence and homelessness-services sectors for almost 20 years, and came to SFTS in October 2012.
"These are not the easiest type of shelters to run, because you have to consider safety and security," Coe asserted. "You have women with their children who are in serious need, and their resources are limited, because most of them do not have an income and won't be able to establish an income in a 60-day time span (which is the normal period permitted for transitional housing assistance). They don't have any skill sets, because they were young when they got married or got into the abusive relationship. They don't have any family support system, because there's a lot of fear and intimidation.
"You have to deal with their medical issues that result from being physically abused, and there are mental-health issues that come from being verbally and psychologically abused for years, and the trauma that happens to the children. It's not that victims are choosing to stay because they don't want to leave; it's just harder to leave because their life is at risk: 'I'll kill you if you ever tell the police,' or, 'If you leave me, you won't make it another night,' or, 'I'll take the children away from you,' or, 'No one will believe you,' or, 'I'll have you deported,' which has become a big threat with many of our undocumented victims.
"There are often drugs and alcohol involved—not just on the abuser's part, but the victims are forced into usage as a means for them to be kept under control. Also, the victims worry about the uncertainty: 'What happens after I go to the shelter?' 'How am I going to live?' 'How am I going to provide for my family?' 'How am I going to provide for myself?' 'At least he (or the abuser) gives us a home. It's not safe … but it's a home.' The victims kind of learn to live around the abuse: 'OK, don't do this so he won't get angry, or if he is angry, do this so that he'll de-escalate.' 'Wear certain things to avoid the injuries being more serious.' The children become buffers sometimes."
As if trying to protect and resuscitate the lives of victims isn't hard enough work, SFTS is being forced to do more with less: Last year, SFTS saw a major portion of its funding abruptly cancelled.
"We lost our critical $150,000 in funding from (the Department of Housing and Urban Development) this past August, because their priorities changed, and they were no longer funding transitional housing programs. Instead, their focus was more on permanent housing solutions for homeless people in our society," Coe said. "That was a devastating cut for us, but we were able to reach out to the community, and we received donations of about $40,000 which helped us to get through to the end of last year."
The shortfall did lead to a cut in services in 2016, however.
"Our transitional, longer-term housing program, where victims and their families could be housed by SFTS for up to two years, was discontinued as of Dec. 31," Coe said. "Fortunately, the families we did have in that program at the time were able to move onto permanent housing, so they are stable and moving forward, and remain connected with us for community counseling and outreach services if they need."
Thankfully, some additional funding is arriving this year.
"We got an increase in our California (Governor's) Office of Emergency Services funding, and that's helping to supplement a lot of the overhead expenditures at our shelter, although we have downsized some," Coe said. "But our main priority is to continue to provide quality care for the women and children and deal with their healing process which we're doing through our hotline, our crisis shelter and our community counseling and community outreach. All those core services are still going and flourishing and fully funded for the majority of the year ahead."
What is the status on the housing front? "We do still have our emergency shelter where victims and their families can stay for up to 60 days, and if we have a family that's in need of longer-term housing, we can work with that family on a temporary transitional basis at that shelter as well. Then we work with other out-of-town facilities that … have longer term housing."
The 22-person full-time SFTS staff has its hands full. So what can community members do to help?
"We very much appreciate monetary donations," Coe said. "… And there are also donations of goods that we are always in need of and appreciate receiving."
For more information or to donate, call 760-674-0400; visit www.shelterfromthestorm.com; or send mail to 73550 Alessandro Drive, Suite 103, Palm Desert, CA 92260.
Snapshot: Life in Exile at the Far End of the PSIFF Awards Gala's Red Carpet
The annual Palm Springs International Film Festival's Awards Gala provides a cadre of A-list film actors and directors with oddly titled awards for their trophy cases—along with a low-stress, fun night in Palm Springs, the "home away from L.A." for many celebrities.
This year's honorees at the Saturday, Jan. 2, gala at the Palm Springs Convention Center included Steve Carell, Christian Bale, Matt Damon, Johnny Depp, Bryan Cranston, Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchett, Brie Larson, Saoirse Ronan, Alicia Vikander, Rooney Mara and Tom McCarthy.
The 11-day festival proudly presents a broad gamut of films within nearly every genre, produced both here and abroad; some of these films receive little or no viewership in the commercial marketplace otherwise. In contrast, the celebrity cast of honorees and presenters—Michael Keaton, Helen Mirren, Kate Winslet and Ridley Scott were among the latter this year—as usual included a host of attention-grabbing nominees for the rapidly approaching major award season in Los Angeles. This proven strategy creates fund-raising fodder for the mix of industry players and local philanthropists who pay to get inside the Convention Center event. This year, more than $2 million was raised to support the year-round community service and film appreciation activities of the Palm Springs International Film Society, organizers said.
However, for me, the night proved to be a bust. While larger national media sources received prime space on the red carpet, the stars—most of whom were accompanied by a phalanx of PR representatives—were quickly whisked past those of us at the very end of the carpet where media outlets not offering national outreach were banished. (As for photos … the Independent was denied a photo credential, period … hence the mediocre smart-phone pics below.)
Special recognition was earned by Mr. Depp, who took time to amble at a leisurely pace, offering smiles and a couple of mumbled responses to urgently proffered inquiries.
In summation, I offer, for your enjoyment, a few freeze-frame stills and a brief video I shot to prove that I did, in fact, cover the event.
- PSIFF: Johnny Depp PSIFF: Johnny Depp
- PSIFF: Kate Winslet PSIFF: Kate Winslet
- PSIFF: Matt Damon PSIFF: Matt Damon
- PSIFF: Hizzoner Himself PSIFF: Hizzoner Himself
- PSIFF: Steve Carell and Cate Blanchett PSIFF: Steve Carell and Cate Blanchett
- PSIFF: Saoirse Ronan PSIFF: Saoirse Ronan
- PSIFF: At the End of the Red Carpet PSIFF: At the End of the Red Carpet
- PSIFF: A View of the Door PSIFF: A View of the Door
Drought Debacle: Despite Impressive Cuts in Water Usage, Some Local Agencies Receive Hefty State Fines for Not Doing Enough
As the calendar turns from 2015 to 2016, Gov. Jerry Brown and his Sacramento conservation team are pleased with the results of California's statewide drought-emergency restrictions.
However, they're not happy with the efforts of Coachella Valley's largest water agencies—despite significant cuts in local water usage.
"Californians have reduced water use by 27.1 percent in the five months since emergency conservation regulations took effect in June," wrote Felicia Marcus, chair of the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), in her Dec. 1 monthly press release. "In October, when outdoor water use—and the opportunity for significant savings—typically drops off from the hot summer months, the statewide conservation rate was 22.2 percent, down from 26.4 percent in September. Adding to the challenge, October brought temperatures that were well above normal for most of the state. Nonetheless, average statewide water use declined from 97 gallons per person per day in September to 87 in October."
Meanwhile, representatives of the Coachella Valley's two major water agencies expressed pride over their customers' conservation achievements—and frustration with SWRCB delays in addressing multiple requests for reductions in their state-high 36 percent reduction targets, and the lack of transparency in the state's process to levy onerous fines against them.
"I think our customers have done a really good job," said Heather Engel, the director of communication and conservation for the Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD), which provides water to most of the eastern valley. "We're averaging 27 percent savings over 2013, and honestly, that's pretty impressive. But—and unfortunately, there is a 'but'—that 27 percent is not enough to make the state happy.
"We were fined $61,000 by the state, because they don't think our customers are doing enough. It was very disappointing to receive that fine, because I think we're doing a good job. But we've got to move on."
How often may fines be levied? "They haven't made that clear. In fact, when they released the October numbers at the beginning of this month, they did not announce any new fines. I don't think anyone knows when to expect another announcement of fines."
On the western end of the valley, Ashley Hudgens, the Desert Water Agency (DWA) public information officer, expressed concern over the CVWD fine and a similar fine levied against the Indio Water Authority (IWA). So far, the DWA has avoided a penalty.
"The hard thing about this is that the state's action here is kind of arbitrary," Hudgens said. "If you look at Indio, and you look at CVWD, there are very different circumstances there. Each of them had very different levels of contact with the state before the fine, and there wasn't a real pattern (of which agencies the state fined). We crunched the numbers a dozen ways: Was it suppliers who missed their targets by volume, or was it those who missed by gallons per capita, or was it those who missed their target by percentage? There was no rhyme or reason necessarily to link the people the state chose to fine in any of the calculations that we did. So we don't know if we're in peril of a fine."
Repeated attempts to contact Brian Macy, general manager of the IWA, for comment were unsuccessful.
Hudgens reiterated the DWA's disagreement with the 36 percent reduction target assigned to the agency.
"The 36 percent target in our minds is arbitrary, and it's disproportionate to the circumstances here (high average temperature and lack of rainfall) and our (existing) water supply," she said.
Hudgens also praised her agency's customer base for achieving a cumulative savings through October of 29.2 percent—above the state average, but below the state's mandate to the DWA.
"I'm incredibly proud of our customers for doing that, but there is still more to do," she said. "Everybody needs to do their part. I think the city of Palm Springs has set an incredible example. They've done a really good job of conserving—and since they're our biggest customer, that's been huge for us."
In response to the state fine, the CVWD implemented heightened restrictions as of Dec. 1. All residential and commercial customers are now prohibited from any outdoor irrigation on Mondays and Thursdays. Also, penalty fees for exceeding water-usage allotments have increased close to 100 percent.
"In the cooler months that we're entering now, your landscaping doesn't need water seven days a week," Engel said. "The plan is for people who don't normally cut back to do so for these two out of seven days. If they do, then they are reducing their water use by about 28 percent. If we have a large segment of customers who do that, it could have a significant impact on our overall savings. We don't know for sure if that will generate enough savings to allow us to reach our 36 percent target, but we'll see what the results are."
We've all heard forecasts predicting heavy precipitation due to a strong El Nino condition in the Pacific Ocean. Could that break the drought and relieve the pressure on valley residents to limit every drop of water they use?
"We're waiting to see what happens and how it impacts our reality," CVWD's Engel said. "If the state gets a lot of rain, and if the lakes get full, and there's snow in the Sierras, then the state might lift the drought emergency. But it would require a lot of rain and snow for that to happen."
They're also in wait-and-see mode at the DWA.
"We are trying to be cautiously optimistic and remind people that even if we do have a wet winter, it's going to take a lot to get us into a sustainable level in terms of the state's aquifers," Hudgens said.
Speaking of sustainable levels: How are the two largest valley agencies coping with the revenue shortfalls caused by the reduction in water usage by their customers?
"We are still experiencing a large drop in revenue because of the conservation, and it is mostly being made up with penalties revenue each month," the CVWD's Engel said. "So that has allowed us to only dip into our reserves a little bit each month. As a result, we're in really good shape financially, because we have those healthy reserves."
But at the DWA, there are no penalty fees, nor is there a tiered rate structure as part of a conservation strategy.
"We are in a revenue shortfall situation," Hudgens said. "Before this year began, we adjusted the budget downward since we assumed this is where we would be—so we're coping with it. We are going to have to look at rates, and I think that's on everyone's mind out here. I think all the local water agencies are going to be looking at rates. I would guess probably sometime in 2016 we will see a rate study. Of course, that's up to our board of directors."
Snapshot Video: Bartender to the Stars Remembers Frank Sinatra
I moved to the Coachella Valley some four years ago from Los Angeles, where I had worked in the media and entertainment industries for roughly 30 years. "Jaded" was my middle name.
Not long after my wife, Linda, and I took up residence in Palm Desert, we were invited to a "desert drink the night away" party where I first met Mike Taylor. He regaled all listeners with stories of his "salad days," as he would say, bartending for many of the celebrities who roamed the Palm Springs-to-Rancho Mirage range back in the '70s and '80s.
To say that Mike is "an original" would be an understatement—and his storytelling skills have been honed to a glistening point over his years behind the bar.
In this video, longtime area bartender to the stars Mike Taylor recants some of his favorite tales of serving drinks to, and hanging around with, Ol' Blue Eyes himself. Saturday, Dec. 12, marked Frank Sinatra's 100th birthday, so kick-back, watch and enjoy just a few of Mike Taylor's funny moments with Sinatra and friends, and brace yourself for some heavy duty celebrity name-dropping in this four-minute ode to Mr. Sinatra.
A Precarious Partnership: Some Cities Are Ending Support of the Valley-Wide Business-Development Organization
At the recent 2015 Coachella Valley Economic Summit, hosted by the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership (CVEP), roughly 700 representatives of the valley's elite businesses and employers listened to rosy reports about the current national, state and local economy.
According to presenter Michael McDonald, of Market Watch LLC, job growth in the valley in 2015 was at its highest level since 2005. Employment in the leisure, hospitality and health care sectors is at 15-year highs, while hiring in the professional/business services sector is higher than it has been since 2008. Median home prices have rebounded to match prices in early 2008, when they began the free-fall precipitated by the widespread economic downturn.
It was a good day for CVEP, founded in 1994 "to promote a diversified, year-round economy by facilitating programs that stimulate job creation in key industries through business attraction, retention and expansion, and unite business and education leaders to create well-trained and educated future workforce." CVEP published its first Economic Blueprint, described as "an ambitious, forward-thinking, market-based strategy to advance the region through the downturn (of 2009-11) and position it for long-term growth and prosperity," back in 2009.
"The Coachella Valley is kind of an oasis that's friendly to business (in a way) that you don't get in other parts of our state," CVEP's director of marketing, Steven Biller, told the Independent in a recent interview. "CVEP can do things as a group and as a region that the cities can't do individually, because they don't have the budgets or our negotiating leverage.
"The cities expect us to bring them business and create jobs. That's how we're judged. And we're trying to get the valley workforce built up to be able to take those jobs."
CVEP has adopted a three-pronged approach to achieve these goals: Workforce Excellence, an effort to improve the local workforce through advanced educational and career opportunity; the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), which assists startup and established businesses with financial planning, capital, marketing, sales, human resources, technology and more; and the iHub, which launches businesses and hopefully creates local high-paying jobs.
CVEP officials claim these efforts are paying off. At the SBDC, since 2010, more than 355 jobs have been created, with 223 jobs retained and more than $25 million in loans and equity generated. At the iHub, more than 30 companies have received assistance, resulting in 100-plus new full-time jobs. Through the Workforce Excellence program, 136 business organizations have engaged with the valley high schools to impact career and college aspirations of 3,331 students—while providing 2,152 scholarships.
"We have a low college-attendance rate here in Coachella Valley, and CVEP is fighting that," Biller said. "We give out between 300 and 325 college scholarships a year to kids going to community college and university. They all have to be seniors, and they have to demonstrate financial need. Right now, most people who apply and qualify are getting the scholarships, because we tend to have more scholarships available than we have kids applying for them. That's a big story: There's so much money being left on the table, it's crazy."
The average value of the available scholarships is $2,500 per semester to a student attending community college, and $5,000 per semester to a public university student.
While the local economy is doing well, however, not all is well in CVEP's world. Back in 2009, five-year funding agreements were reached between CVEP and Coachella Valley's nine independent municipalities. Several of the cities have since reduced their funding commitment to CVEP—or eliminated it completely. Coachella, La Quinta, Indian Wells and Desert Hot Springs discontinued the funding, while Cathedral City ceased specific support of the iHub program, but continues its $25,000 annual contribution to CVEP overall.
Representatives of Indian Wells, Coachella and Cathedral City expressed a recurring theme: City budget shortfalls forced the funding curtailments.
Indian Wells City Manager Wade McKinney told the Independent: "The city's economic position has been significantly affected by the recession and by the loss of redevelopment, and so our support to many Coachella Valley organizations was eliminated. We created a community grant program with a fixed funding level of about $250,000, which increases consistent with city annual revenue increases."
Would CVEP would be eligible to receive any of that available funding? "I believe they are eligible; you just have to be a non-profit, but I don't believe they've applied to us for any grants," McKinney said. "It's certainly very competitive, and we receive lots of applications."
CVEP's Biller had a different take: "Indian Wells can find the money, but they just don't want to," he said. "Now they should, because what about all the people working in their resorts? Do they want good hospitality and hotel and restaurant work staff?"
Coachella City Councilmember V. Manuel Perez explained: "What caused us to make the unfortunate decision to opt out of CVEP for 2016 was the need for budget cuts. We had to cut our fire and police budgets, so we felt compelled to make cuts in other areas as well. Unfortunately, CVEP was one of those."
Biller perceived a somewhat different cause for the Coachella City Council decision: "In the cases of La Quinta and Coachella, which just dropped their funding support, they're more interested in retail business development, and we are not a retail organization except, through the SBDC. So those two cities are going to take the $10,000 each that they were giving to CVEP annually and make their own strategic choice to create a new entity they call the East Valley Coalition, and do their own retail outreach. The East Valley Coalition happens to be based in CVEP's Indio office. So, although it sounds antagonistic, it's not. These cities need to put their dollars where they think they're going to get the most impact."
Biller said he hoped cities would see the light and begin funding CVEP again at some point.
"Hopefully, in the future, people will understand that they should be part of a regional strategy, because a rising tide lifts all boats," Biller said. "We're not going to stop providing scholarships to the kids in Coachella and La Quinta. We're not going to stop serving businesses that come to us. We're not going to stop anything. That would be crazy, because it goes against everything that CVEP is about."
Coachella's Perez agreed with Biller. "This new East Valley Coalition's main focus will be economic development in the eastern Coachella Valley, which is one of the priorities of the new Coachella City Council," Perez said. "But we want outcomes that we can measure for success. It is my hope and the hope of the city that, after this year, we go back to CVEP. This is not a long-term decision."


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Woooo, today was SO busy that I just, at eleven pm, wrinkled my brow and grabbed my phone to check…surely I had posted today? Ach, crivens; I had not!
Fortunatelyish, the 8pm flight that consumed all of my day that wasn't spent working is now delayed to midnight at least, soooo yeah, I've read most of a book this evening and still got time to kill. Yay?
(But in spite of the long wait, I want to keep this short, because you can't trust airports or battery-power, really. :P I hope you understand!)
A SUPER useful habit I've developed lately is to "fall back to breathing". I mean "fall back" in the attention-sense: By removing my focus from everything else for a short time. Loud thoughts, especially aggressively unpleasant ones, can't be easily replaced with other thoughts or no thoughts…but, at least for me, paying attention to the body does a pretty good job of filling the channels with more useful chatter. I've known for a while that I could use taiji to quiet my brain, but that's complicated and takes some space and is really easy to talk yourself out of doing when things are tough.
Breathing, though, is always there. You don't have to do anything other than notice it; and because it's a movement, it's easier to notice than other feelings in your body. But in spite of its ease and obviousness, it's still enough, I'm finding, to get spinning thoughts to wind down.
Focusing on your breathing works a lot better when you do it just a little longer than you think you want to, by the way. I've done it for ten to thirty seconds plenty before, but recently I was asked to set a timer for three minutes, and I find that much more helpful, while still being wicked fast.
I've not quite gotten the hang of "practicing" this kind of quiet on a regular basis, but I am getting pretty good at responding to difficult things — such as spending your entire evening in an airport! — by stealing three minutes and for that time, just holding my attention tight to my breathing, and bringing it back there whenever it wanders. It was a bit tricky to sustain at first, but now, those little breaks are almost as good as a nap sometimes. I said almost!
But still, almost nap-levels of restorative is damn impressive, so I figured this is something y'all might want to play with, if you haven't.
Oh and lastly, I would like to remind everyone that most airports are horrendously designed, and the fact that they make it difficult to nap in them is gobsmackingly ludicrous.
Thank you and have a nice night. :)

subset: commoncrawl


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#35048 - Frederick the Literate
Finished Size: 12" x 11" (30 x 28 cm)
Counted Cross Stitch Kit
Designed By Charles Wysocki
© Charles Wysocki. Licensed by Mosaic.
What a place for a catnap! This is Frederick's idea of curling up with a good book. The detail of this feline portrait will entrance you and the humor will keep you smiling. Stitched on 14 count black Aida with rich hues of cotton thread, this design is ideal for both the cat lover and the bibliophile.


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Welcome to Kings Lawn Tennis Club
A great place to play tennis - be part of it!
Coronavirus (COVID-19) - CLUB CLOSED & COACHING SUSPENDED
Click HERE for more details
Kings Lawn Tennis Club is a small, friendly club in Bishopston where we welcome new players of all ages and standards. We have seven courts, six of which are floodlit and one of the floodlit courts also has a practice wall.
Whether you are new to tennis, haven't played in years or are an experienced player looking for some competitive action in the league there is something for you at Kings - come and see for yourself. Don't worry if you don't have a racket - we will be able to find one for you so you can try your hand at tennis before joining! Have a look at our FAQs and Kings 2019/20 Coaching Schedule for more info about the club.
Tennis leagues run throughout the year and we are well represented in both the summer and winter leagues, including junior leagues. We have a top class coaching team, who offer group and individual coaching. We enjoy regular social tennis sessions and hold competitions throughout the year; there is also a singles ladder, which is a great way to challenge yourself and meet fellow tennis enthusiasts.
The modern clubhouse can be hired for private events and includes changing, toilet and shower facilities as well as a large function room, opening onto a patio area, with a kitchen and bar. We organise social events throughout the year, such as quiz nights, wine tasting, a summer party with BBQ, film nights and of course adult and junior Christmas parties, and we are always looking for new ideas. We also have a projector and a big screen which makes the club a great place to watch major sporting events, with the Six Nations and Wimbledon being particularly popular. See the Events page for full details of what's coming up!
If you want to come and get a feel for the club then drop by on a Saturday morning when the 'Saturday Cafe' serves tea, coffee and bacon rolls from 09:30-10:30.
How to find us
Maplemeade Kings Drive Bishopston BRISTOL Avon BS7 8JG


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H.R.1284 - Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2007110th Congress (2007-2008)
|Rep. Hall, John J. [D-NY-19] (Introduced 03/01/2007)
|House - Veterans' Affairs | Senate - Veterans' Affairs
|Committee Reports:
|H. Rept. 110-56
|Latest Action:
|11/05/2007 Became Public Law No: 110-111. (TXT | PDF) (All Actions)
|Roll Call Votes:
|There has been 1 roll call vote
This bill has the status Became Law
Here are the steps for Status of Legislation:
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To President
- Became Law
Subject — Policy Area:
- Armed Forces and National Security
- View subjects
Summary: H.R.1284 — 110th Congress (2007-2008)All Information (Except Text)
Shown Here:
Public Law No: 110-111 (11/05/2007)
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)
Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase, as of December 1, 2007, the rates of veterans' wartime disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled adult children, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children.
Requires each such increase to be the same percentage as the increase in benefits provided under title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance [OASDI]) of the Social Security Act, on the same effective date.


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Save time, improve processes, eliminate paper and manage it all in a single platform connected to your ERP system. Tickelia is the only solution in the market that directly executes VAT reclaim processes.
Tickelia automatically reads all the ticket information, so you don't have to introduce any other data.
Also, with Tickelia you will be able to destroy the original paper ticket thanks to the compliance of the Spanish Tax Agency, the Provincial Councils, France, Italy and Portugal.
Automation of processes and improved travel expenses control in a single cloud environment.
Tickelia permits the parameterisation of all the company data, establishes expense validation flows and executes automatic settlements. It can also be integrated with any type of management software or ERP system in the market.
Tickelia manages all the needs of company staff during corporate business trips. Order an airline ticket or reserve a hotel room through our mobile app. Charge the expenses against a trip or project and analyse the costs before, during and after.
It also has a management tool that is essential for Travel Managers.
Tickelia is the only solution in the market that takes full charge of obtaining invoices from establishments to allow your company to deduct the VAT on those expenses. With no restrictions or conditions.
Take a picture of the purchase receipt issued by any establishment and Tickelia will start the invoice request process. After receiving the invoice, it is automatically transferred to your ERP system.
Tickelia is the only solution in the market that allows you to send the simplified invoice data directly to the Tax Authorities with no intermediaries, and reports the exchange of simplified invoices for complete invoices.
In addition, our apps read the data on the receipts, thus meeting the SII (Instant Provision of Information) requirements.


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Filter web designs with a combination of categories ! Try our Filter tool
Bitrix24 is a free (for small businesses) social enterprise platform. It is a united work space which handles the many aspects of daily operations and tasks. Create your own social intranet in minutes!
Our monthly newsletter, your dose of inspiration
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Welcome to Buckeye Chinchilla Supply
Our goal is to supply the Chinchilla Industry and Breeders with top quality products!
We formed Buckeye Chinchilla Supply to create a one stop shop for supplies for all breeders across the United States. We are starting the work now of creating a diverse line up of supplies, cage material, and custom made pans and runs for breeders and pet owners.
What to Expect from Buckeye Chinchilla Supply
You can place your order for most products on our website. You will pay for your order with the Pay by Check option at checkout. This submits your order to us. You will then be contacted about your order. We will find the best way to get your order to you, pickup, shipping, delivery, or meeting at a chinchilla function. You will then receive an electronic invoice, with any shipping charges, and we will begin to process your order once payment has been received.
We will fulfill your order as soon as possible; however, if your order contains custom made items they will be made and fulfilled in the order that it was received and work as quickly as possible to get them to you.
If items within your order can be shipped we will ship using USPS. We can also arrange for you to pick up your items from us, deliver them to you, or meet a chinchilla event. Shipping charges will not be calculated on the website and you will be billed for them on your electronic invoice once shipping arrangements have been confirmed.


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Being self-employed there is only one-day outside of July 4th, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas day that is a guaranteed day-off work and that is the day of the Boston Marathon. Of course, it is a day filled with photography. This is a day of pure enjoyment – enjoyment of the ambiance of Boston Marathon and the enjoyment of of shooting sports…for fun; and, the enjoyment of traveling and shooting with some friends followed by lunch at the British Beer Company on the return leg home.
I shoot should-to-shoulder with Scott Mason and I totally love the fact that we shoot the same subjects, from the same vantage point, in completely different photographic styles.
It is truly a great 'vacation day'.


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Join us for a Spring social
Looking for a chance to let your hair down and catch up with some like-minded friends? If so, please join us at the Medina County Together Spring Social!
There are times that we all feel like we are the only Democrats in a red county. This couldn't be farther from the truth. This event is a "get to know" your fellow Medina Democrats, Progressive, Liberals, etc. Come join us for an evening of fellowship and fun. The event details are as follows:
When: Saturday May 20th from 4 - 7
Where: Eagles Club located at 696 Lafayette Rd. Medina Ohio.
There will be a cash bar. Since this is during the dinner hour, we are asking that everyone bring a dish to share. Also, electric outlets are available.
We will also be having a silent auction which is always fun.
Please RSVP to the event either on our Facebook page (Medina County Together) or by e-mail to email@example.com (use "Social RSVP" in the subject line) or click here.
Questions can be directed to Kathy Kinstler or to firstname.lastname@example.com.
Comments are closed.
March 2019


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Public relations are everywhere. From sections within government departments, to large independent consultancies, to units contained in large corporates - no organisation seems able to function without a specialist division to manage the way it is perceived by the public.
But what about the workers? Could individuals benefit from applying the principles of PR to their own lives?
If you ask the experts, it turns out that good public relations can indeed be good private relations. And by the same token – anything that's bad PR in the commercial sphere, is going to be bad for your rep in the domestic realm.
The notion of PR for one doesn't seem as unusual as it would have a few years ago, before social media gave everyone access to things – media and mass communications – that previously were hard for an individual to access.
One quality that's crucial in public and private lives is authenticity. Many people believe, to paraphrase the old joke, that if you can fake being authentic, you've got it made. In fact, you can only fake it for so long in either sphere.
"But if you are a person who cares about what you are and what you stand for, not what you stand to get, you can employ PR principles in your life," says Porter Novelli executive director Louise Wright. "You don't drive it because you think you ought to; you drive it because that is the way you are."
In PR as in life, says Wright, it's not just about acquiring lots of followers or friends. Meaningful relationships – whether with clients or other humans – are not about high numbers, they're about good meaningful connections.
Wright has a touching example of authenticity at work close to home: "I have a friend who every birthday sends me a card. She's probably keeping the greeting-card industry going singlehanded. And I am sure she will have a little diary – not an electronic one – with birthdays in it. She remembers my kids' birthdays and drops them a card, but it's not just 'happy birthday', there's always a message about 'I remember when ... ', or 'I'm looking forward to ...' and it's a catch-up." That's good PR on the most personal level.
Asked to define public relations, Deborah Pead of Pead PR provided this summary: "For me, PR is about consistently shaping, promoting and protecting a positive reputation for a brand, product, service or individual with the goal of an enhanced relationship with the target audience and the outcome of influenced behaviour.
"In short – reminding the audience why they should like you and trust you, believe you, copy you and support you.
"Support is not always about dollars and sales – it is often behaviour, e.g drink more milk to improve calcium, improve your recycling habits to reduce waste, improve your saving for better retirement and so on.
"The magic is in the way we do it and of course that has changed dramatically with the triple revolution – the internet, the smartphone and social media - now added to the mix of media relations, events, ambassador relations, direct communications, word of mouth sponsorships and unique campaigns (stunts) to drive word of mouth, promote a message and influence behaviour."
One of the first people to PR their own life was Dale Carnegie, whose 1936 book How to Win Friends and Influence People advocated a number of effective strategies for doing those two things. Carnegie's book has never been out of print and has sold more than 15 million copies.
Public relations had barely been invented when Carnegie wrote his guide, but as Pead's definition shows, winning friends and influencing people is exactly what PR aims to do.
Most of Carnegie's advice arises from one core principle – the realisation that people want to be respected, and that if you treat them as human beings rather than prospects they will want to co-operate with you.
Carnegie presented himself as someone people wanted to like. He applied basic PR principles such as always telling the truth, accentuating the positive, always admitting mistakes and being a good listener.
Like PR itself, Carnegie's book has acquired a reputation for insincerity over the years, especially among people who have never read it. But the reality of his message could be better described as unsentimental: "When dealing with people, let us remember we are not dealing with creatures of logic. We are dealing with creatures of emotion, creatures bristling with prejudices and motivated by pride and vanity."
People can only try to fake it till they make it, in the short term. And the same applies to those who try to bake it till they make it. "You need to know what are you really about in business and in life," says Pead. "If you cook, by all means, take biscuits when you go to visit someone. If I did that, my friends would know it's fake, because they know I can't cook. But they wouldn't be surprised to see me turn up with champagne."
Social media has made it easier both to be a fake and to see through fakes: "If you subscribe to blatant brand promotion," says Wright, "like posting something and saying: 'Which haircut - this one or that one? Please vote now,' and follow it up with 'Thank you, Fashionable Hairdresser of the Moment, for my new haircut,' that's not authentic."
Pead concurs: "Some people's lives are so curated and the tragedy is you can see it's fake. I guess the things we always tell our clients are: transparency, honesty, integrity, act with empathy, be ethical."
Last year, UK Instagrammer Scarlett London copped flak after posting a photo of herself, pajama-clad sitting on her bed, apparently drinking tea and eating pancakes in a bedroom filled with balloons.
One poster said there was no way it was "anybody's normal morning".
He added: "Instagram is a ridiculous lie factory made to make us all feel inadequate".
It was pointed out the so-called pancakes looked like tortilla wraps folded in half and that the cup of tea she was holding appeared empty.
The placement of a Listerine bottle on her bedside table (not in the bathroom) made it clear what the post was about, as did the "this is a paid partnership with Listerine".
Many people in search of good PR would rather just go out and buy the virtues. In fact, they are quite transparent about it.
Pead says her company has invested heavily in software that can check a potential client's social media for fake followers. And though you might think she'd seen it all, she says she is shocked at how many people don't seem to care whether their followers are fake or genuine. As far as they're concerned – the numbers are good PR whether they're real or not. "It's like a magazine liberally altering their readership to get more ads."
So good PR strategies are likely to yield good real-life results; and bad PR strategies are bad in either realm.
A conspicuous and increasingly common example Pead can think of where bad PR principles are applied to real life with bad results is the modern-day Instagram wedding. Just as an event to launch a product needs to have some sort of rationale to justify it, so a wedding needs to be about the relationship, not about how it's going to look on social media.
"You go to parties and people have an Instagram wall. Social media has changed the way people do so many things. They are treating their lives like brands. Everything is designed to have maximum impact but you have to be genuine in your efforts. I think that's why we're seeing a backlash against people with these fake heavily curated lives we see on Instagram. It's obscene the way they pretend everything is perfect. If you think that is PR-ing your life you've got it wrong."
Likewise, says Wright: "Disingenuous friendships don't work. You have to be friends with someone because you care, not because there's something in it for you."
That person who always brings something when they come to visit, from a bar of chocolate at the low end of the scale through to a bunch of flowers (bonus PR points if they're from your own garden) to home baking is actually practising great personal PR whether they realise it to not.
Pead does see a perfect public/private match when it comes to dealing with mistakes and complaints, or "PR disasters" as they are commonly known. "You have to face them with 100 per cent transparency and honesty in PR, and those are the same principles you should bring to real life. If something goes wrong, front foot it, be honest and ethical about it."
One area in which people are increasingly using bad PR principles in real life is parenting.
"There are definitely some parents who PR their children through school," says Pead. "If I think back to when my kids were at school, there were the parents who befriended the teachers or headmaster, and their kids got into the teams or got special treatment. Now, especially with social media, we see parents really talking up their kids' abilities."
She cites upsetting cases of parents tying themselves up in knots because their children aren't getting the likes on Instagram. "I saw a vile comment on Instagram the other day – a woman didn't understand why one of her kids gets less likes than the others kids. What are these people thinking?"
Instagram parents are the pushy showbiz parents of yesteryear who nowadays don't need to get their kid on stage to have an audience.
Insta-mums or mummy bloggers can make thousands per post and spend hours curating their fodder.
Model Anna Reeve runs @thereevenuggets, an Instagram page for her twin boys Oscar and Hunter.
She says it started because she had a hard time entering motherhood. She suffered hyperemesis gravidarum, a pregnancy complication which causes nausea, vomiting and weight loss. Then the boys were born premature.
"I struggled to bond with my babies and had post natal anxiety and depression. I didn't have anyone to connect to who had experienced not bonding with their kids right away and it made me feel so alone and like I wasn't a good mum which is what I think triggered the PND. I just wanted to share my story so that others knew that those experiences were normal too and it was okay."
She insists what she displays on social media is the real deal.
"It's easy to keep it authentic as I'm just being myself, people see through you in two seconds if you're trying to be someone you're not. I also don't feel the need to make everything look curated and beautiful. Sure I can take pretty pictures but my stories are full of normal day to day reality and I share my ups and downs."
Reeve also shares her alopecia journey, showing photos of herself with and without wigs.
"That's just who I am. It's really nice to connect with people going through the same thing. In fact that's what the platform is all about for me. Connecting with people from all different walks of life."
Pead worries about another more subtle effect that the PR of social media is having on society as a whole - that the sort of self-censorship that has always meant businesses had to choose their words carefully so as not to offend customers may be inhibiting how freely people express themselves in real life.
"People have really become aware of what they say," says Pead. "At least, everywhere but Twitter. It's like the old philosophy of not discussing politics or religion at the table has come back. People are avoiding those conversations in places like Instagram and Facebook. They are becoming much more measured and controlled and neutral on social media. They do that because, like a brand, they don't want to alienate part of their target audience."
So they don't say anything at all. And that is not what PR is about.
2018's biggest PR disasters
Melania Trump
Her "I really don't care, do you?" jacket — which she wore to a children's centre on the US border — immediately caused outrage.
And in November when the US First Lady shared photos of herself putting Christmas decorations on the tree, the internet couldn't understand why she wore gloves and a winter coat. Is it that frosty inside the White House?
The Pride Parade
In an event priding itself on inclusion, many saw the decision by the parade's board to ban police from wearing their uniforms, as the opposite.
It's understood all corporate sponsors have pulled support, and the parade was cancelled.
Israel Folau
In a stroke of good PR, the Australian Rugby Union showed their support for same-sex marriage only for Wallabies star Israel Folau a few months later to suggest on Instagram that gay people would burn in hell for their sins.
Destiny Church leader Bishop Brian Tamaki voiced his support, calling members of the LGBT community "cry baby gays".
Roseanne Barr
One racist tweet made in poor taste destroyed the US star's career and reputation and led to her sacking from her own sitcom.
Princess Eugenie's wedding
Her father Prince Andrew didn't handle the PR well when it emerged BBC turned down the opportunity to screen the ceremony - an embarrassing blow for the bride.
Black face saga
Hawera's A&P parade featured a float of Mt View Lions Club members in black face. It later emerged the Mayor of South Taranaki was on a judging panel that awarded second prize to the float.
Snapchat ran an ad for a game which asked users to choose between slapping Rihanna and punching Chris Brown.
Users were shocked considering Rihanna suffered domestic abuse at the hands of Brown in 2009. She took to Instagram to shame the app and the game was pulled and a public apology issued. Thousands of users uninstalled the app.
Facebook/Cambridge Analytica
In March it was revealed that many people on Facebook had had their personal data harvested without their consent.
The fashion giant apologised for its ad featuring a black boy wearing a hoodie with the slogan: "Coolest monkey in the jungle".
Yanny/Lauren or a bomb?
An audio clip went viral in which some people claim to hear "yanny" and others "laurel".
In the midst of a bombing campaign in Afghanistan, the US Air Force tweeted that Taliban forces would rather have heard "yanny" or "laurel" instead of the noise of an A10 dropping bombs.
Black Panther
Fast fashion brand Forever 21 posted a tweet featuring a white model sporting a Black Panther holiday sweater. Twitter was quick to point out the easily avoidably social marketing misstep.
Lady Doritos
The chief executive of PepsiCo said the company was considering releasing Lady Doritos.
"As you watch a lot of the young guys eat chips ... they lick their fingers with great glee, and when they reach the bottom of the bag they pour the little broken pieces into their mouth," Indra Nooyi said.
"Women I think would love to do the same, but they don't. They don't like to crunch too loudly in public. And they don't lick their fingers generously and they don't like to pour the little broken pieces and the flavour into their mouth."
Nooyi also said the company was brainstorming women-specific snacks that could be marketed and packaged in a different fashion.
PepsiCo later assured the public they were not making Lady Doritos, stating, "We already have Doritos for women – they're called Doritos."
The University of Adelaide attracted adverse attention after a billboard appeared featuring a bunch of women appearing to be hanging off a man's every word.
2018's best PR
Canterbury police Twitter
journalist Jason Walls posted a picture on Twitter of a matching gold suit and said he was calling the police.
Canterbury police responded with: "Hi Jason. While we usually don't recommend reporting via social media, on this occasion we'll make an exception because, by Odin's raven, there's been a crime committed here. That said, we think our CIB would look fab-u-lous in this."
Wall said he would be introducing "by Odin's raven" into his day-to-day conversations, before police said: "Please feel free to use, 'By the Hammer of Thor,' and, 'By the power of Greyskull,' also. And when you're with colleagues in the Gallery, please consider standing in a circle and chanting thusly, 'With your powers combined, I am Captain Planet.' Just stuff we do every day."
It's not the first time the social media account has kept fans in hysterics. Run by Inspector Hirone Waretini, last year the account warned people not to call them complaining about the finale of the hit HBO series Game of Thrones, adding "just in case you were contemplating calling us to find out when Season 8 comes out, don't do that. Mainly because we don't know. Because we're in Canterbury, New Zealand. And we're the Police."
Meghan and Harry's wedding
Despite all the family drama attached to the big day, including uninvited guests and a heart attack, Prince Charles swung in to save a lonely walk down the aisle for the bride.
The day also ran like a PR dream, with the ceremony filmed and streamed on the family's YouTube channel, accompanied by regular social media updates on its various platforms.
Invite a whole bunch of Hollywood A-listers, throw in a charismatic preacher and it was a recipe for success.
The Royal Tour
Prince Harry's new wife paid homage to New Zealand during the couple's tour Down Under, opting to wear Kiwi designs, including by Karen Walker and Emilia Wickstead.
They followed a carefully curated list of events, starting with a speech by Meghan on the anniversary of women's suffrage in which she opened by speaking te reo Māori. It included visits to many charities, a gumboot-throwing competition and a public walkabout. The public lapped up every bit of it.
Chicken restaurants shouldn't run out of chicken. When it happened to KFC, it took the PR crisis seriously, first setting up a website letting its customers know which locations were still open.
Then, it took out a full-page ad in The Sun and Metro, scrambling the letters in its name to read: FCK.
The management of a Starbucks in the US called the police on two African-American men who sat in a store without ordering anything and asked to use the restroom.
The men were arrested but the store later apologised and closed its 8000 stores for a day to conduct anti-bias training.


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James Silver is owner of Silver Computer Consultants, LLC. He specializes in providing information technology consulting to business owners in the Washington, DC metro area. He advises businesses by utilization of new technology and computer systems. James is constantly learning new techniques so that can help business grow their business.
James's information technology and consulting experience is both deep and wide. His business career began in the 1980 where he was introduced to computer systems. Over the next 15 years his assignments with the U S Air Force Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) to a project in Panama with SAIC. His IT assignments have taken him from Alaska to Maine, from Florida to California and many places in between.
In 1998, when everyone was afraid that the computer systems would shut down because of a Y2K bug. James was assigned to work on a project with the IRS as a Y2K Engineer. James remained on that project until 1991, when he left to run Silver Computer Consultant on full time basic.
Throughout his vocation, James has been aggressively involved in the expansion of information management systems and procedures. His years in expert counseling provided knowledge into numerous organizations and business situations. He now bring that expertise to the aid of small business in which the greatest influence for today's highly competitive business environment is a better, smarter and more economic use of computer technology.
James hold a BS degree in Computer Management & Information Systems from UMUC, James is retired from the U.S. Air Force Reserve and is a Pentagon survivor. James worked as a Pharmacy Information Technology Tech.


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Deciding on a putting up a new roof because of your home renovation can be a little difficult and sort of expensive endeavor. You have at least to put a real effort on finding an expert and trustworthy person just like one of the roofing contractors in Manhattan NY.
Deciding on a putting up a new roof because of your home renovation can be a little difficult and sort of expensive endeavor. You have at least to put a real effort on finding an expert and trustworthy person just like one of the roofing contractors in Manhattan NY. You can actually ask some of your friends if they know someone who can help you. Family members are also reliable source and ask them for recommendations of competent and professional roofing contractors. When getting the service of roofing contractors, don't settle for one – at least get three estimates from different roofing contractors.
Looking for qualified roofing contractors may take a little time. Look for verifiable experience, possess license and make sure they are insured. The general contractors in Queens NY make sure that they have proper license before doing the roofing work and goes to show their professionalism. Now, in getting the service of roofing contractors, there should be some questions you should be asking them. In this way, you will have an idea or overview on what kind of service you are going to gain.
Here are some of them:
Do you have any plans to roof over your existing shingles? You can ask your chosen roofing Bronx roofing contractors in NY if he will recommend the tearing off of the existing shingles or should put a new roof over them. If he recommends tear off, it will allows the roofing contractor to inspect the sheathing, exposing any problems and will provide a smooth surface which is easier to waterproof. However, putting a roof over an existing shingles is less expensive. In this situation, you must really obtain three estimates from different contractors.
Are you going to replace flashing and roof events? It is a better idea that your roofing contractor replaces them to ensure a leak-proof roof. You can discuss the cost and schedule of completion of the project to your masonry contractors in Bronx NY.
Is there a guarantee and warranty? You must be sure that your contractors are offering both of these two things. Manufacturers will give guarantee on materials for defects and the professional roofing contractor back the work for 10 years.
Is there a written job description? You should ask your roofing contractor for a detailed outline of the project and the work required. It is essential that there is concrete and clear agreement regarding the roofing project. Otherwise, you won't have any evidence if the contractor suddenly leaves the project. A contract detailing the whole project is important. It also includes the overall cost and work schedule.
When will your professional roofing contractor start and end the roofing project? Keep in mind that you need to ensure that your chosen professional roofing contractor will stay until the roofing project is completely done. Most of the times, a lot of roofing contractors may subcontract the project to other contractors. You must be completely sure that your professional roofing contractor is always present to inspect the progress and quality of the roofing project.
Get the most out of your money by choosing the best roofing contractors – and asking them the right questions.
For more information, please click these links: Bronx roofing contractors in NY, roofing and masonry contractors in NYC, general contractors in Queens NY and http://www.theharrowconstruction.com


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We wanted to share our insights and experiences along with those of other solo practitioners and small firm practitioners who have worked their way through their own challenges in dealing with pre-retirement planning. We like the idea of shifting from "mindless aging" to "mindful living." We would like to invite colleagues and friends to come forward to share their experiences to help our readers begin to experience the importance of building a transition plan. It is important to understand that the journey from full-time work to full-time retirement could take several years to accomplish, so that is why the more time you put into planning this journey the better your outcomes will be.
Join us at:
Related articles
- Surprising Signs You'll Live Longer Than You Think (madamenoire.com)


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It's another Rebbe Mendel adventure, that's what! Dig in and get the scoop on the renovations, interrogations, investigations, and infiltrations - from the Ramat Gan police to Alfred Grossgelt's strange investment in the Underground Neighborhoods Project.
What does the manager of the Float-Fly Hotel in Teveria have to do with Fritz Lutz from Austria? Why everyone is terrified of lawyer Klapholtz's pyramid scheme? And how does all this lead to an explosive finish? Full of lessons and values, Groundscrapers gives you the "hole" lowdown on the latest hilarious escapade of Rebbe Mendel!
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What are anxiety disorders?
It is normal to feel a sense of nervousness, tension and apprehension as part of the normal human experience. However, if these feelings of tension and nervousness persist to the point of interfering with your work, studies or relationships then a full blown anxiety disorder may develop. Anxiety is essentially a state of unbearable tension, nervousness and apprehension which may or may not be in the context of external events. Anxiety can manifest in many forms and can affect people in different ways.
What are the different types of anxiety disorders?
Anxiety can manifest in different forms and affect people in different ways. The different types of anxiety disorders are:
How common are anxiety disorders?
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health difficulties seen by doctors and psychotherapists. It is estimated that 25-30 percent of the population will suffer from an anxiety disorder. While anxiety is a normal emotional response to certain external events, it is not uncommon for people to develop full blown anxiety disorders if tension, nervousness and apprehension persists for prolonged periods.
What are the symptoms of anxiety?
Generally speaking anxiety manifests itself as a persistent state of feeling tense, nervous and apprehensive accompanied by an inability to relax. However, depending on the nature of the anxiety disorder the symptoms can vary.
What are the symptoms of Generalised anxiety disorder?
Generalised anxiety is a persistent state of tension, nervousness and an inability to relax. The main symptoms include:
What are the symptoms of Panic disorder?
Panic disorder is an intense form of anxiety which usually manifests as panic attacks. Panic attacks can occur spontaneously or as a result of external situations. People having a panic attack experience physical symptoms like feeling breathless, racing and pounding heart, sweating, trembling, shaking and a choking sensation.
The symptoms of panic disorder include:
What is social anxiety disorder?
Social anxiety disorder is characterised by feeling unusually tense, nervous and anxious in social situations such as meeting new people or when in the presence of others who are not familiar. Social anxiety can also occur in situations that require people to perform such as public speaking or business meetings. Those with social anxiety have an intense fear of embarrassment, humiliation, rejection and offending others.
Other symptoms include:
What are the causes of anxiety disorder?
There are many causes for anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders could occur in those with a family history of mental health difficulties. Those with a worrisome personality could be at risk of developing a full blown anxiety disorder at some point in their life. Being subjected to constant stress and worry on a regular basis could contribute to the development of anxiety disorders. The repeated use of illicit drugs and stimulants like caffeine can also increase the risk of developing anxiety. Certain medical conditions are known be associated with the symptoms of anxiety and this should be ruled out by your doctor before proceeding with a treatment plan.
Can I get treatment for anxiety?
There are different treatments for anxiety disorders depending on the nature and severity of the condition. Mild to moderate anxiety symptoms respond well to psychotherapeutic and behavioural therapies and this is usually the first line treatment. More severe forms of anxiety may require medications such as anti-depressants or benzodiazepines. Your doctor or therapist will perform tests and investigations to rule out a medical reason for your anxiety and will devise a treatment plan based on the nature and severity of your symptoms.
How can I reduce my risk of getting an anxiety disorder?
There are certain things that we can all do reduce our risk of developing an anxiety disorder:


text: Crucial to Breda is its love of the Burgundian lifestyle. This way of living is all about enjoyment of life, good food and extravagant spectacle. With an abundance of cafes, restaurants and bars, ranging from luxurious dining and budget restaurants to wine and beer tastings, Breda has something for everyone.


text: FACT OF THE DAY: Dr. Dre (real name: Andre Romelle Young) is a well known rapper and music producer. He's made his fair share of money producing hit songs for himself as well as songs for artists such as Snoop Dogg, Eminem, and Kendrick Lamar to name a few. Which makes it hard to believe that the sales of his Beats headphones have produced more money than his music has.


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William R. Brazel holds a photograph of his father, the rancher who found the wreckage of what has been purported to be the crash of a UFO outside Roswell, New Mexico, in 1947. It was near Roswell on the evening of 2 July 1947 that many UFO sightings were reported during a thunderstorm. Next morning a rancher, Mac Brazel, discovered strange wreckage in a field. When the impact site was located, a UFO craft and alien bodies were allegedly found. On 8 July 1947, the Roswell Daily Record announced the capture of a flying saucer. The official explanation was that it was a crashed weather balloon. Many Roswell inhabitants, however, believe this a cover up, and Roswell has become a symbol for UFO enthusiasts. Model Released (1997).
- Filename
- USA_SCI_UFO_38_xs.jpg
- Copyright
- ©Peter Menzel, www.menzelphoto.com
- Image Size
- 1024x681 / 190.0KB
- Contained in galleries


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Gender and Cultural Studies Learning Outcomes
Theoretical Competency: Analytical and Critical Skills Disciplinary goal: Students display fluency and competency with respect to understanding, analyzing, comparing, critically evaluating, and applying various theoretical frameworks.
Students will be able to:
- Formulate and defend a position within a theoretical framework
- Critically examine social, cultural, ethical, and/or political issues from multiple perspectives including from a global, national, and local perspectives
- Conduct analyses that address the intersections of gender, race, class, ethnicity, sexuality, and nationality
Content Knowledge of Disciplines of Gender Studies and Cultural Studies
Disciplinary goal: Students demonstrate knowledge of the history, core concepts, main themes, and central figures in the fields of gender theory and cultural studies Students will be able to ….
- Articulate knowledge of the core concepts, central figures, and different theoretical frameworks of feminist thought, gender studies, and cultural studies
- Articulate the connections and dynamics between gender, race, sexuality etc. theories and practices
- Situate gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, etc. in broader historical and geopolitical contexts
Research, Writing, and Presentation
Disciplinary goal: students are prepared to engage in research and writing at a post-graduate level.
Students will be able to ….
- Read and interpret texts and/or data from a variety of disciplines, historical periods, and cultures
- Locate, analyze, and interpret information from a wide range of materials, including scholarly, archival, qualitative, and quantitative materials
- Design and execute a capstone project or thesis that analyzes a specific issue in the field of either gender studies or cultural studies, or both [including a researched literature review and developing and supporting a position that attempts to make a contribution to the area studied]
- Speak intelligently about their insights in discussions and/or formal presentations
Public engagement
Disciplinary goal: Students are prepared to apply their knowledge and skills to academic and professional pursuits in education, social service, public policy, medicine, law, government, religion, counseling, international relations, communications, business, and the arts.
Students will be able to ….
- Explain in both written and oral form, the theoretical issues associated with gender and cultural studies to multiple audiences inside and outside the academy
- Engage respectfully in dialogue about subjects that may be sensitive or controversial
- Interrogate the connection between theory and activism


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Near Frontenac in Le Granit MRC, Quebec — Central Canada (French-Canadian)
Municipality of Frontenac (established in 1882)
In 2003, a group of scientists from the University of Montreal discovered typical Paleo-Indian artefacts in the municipality of Frontenac. This very discovery propelled the region to the foreground of archaeological history in the Province of Quebec. Excavations conducted within the municipality's boundaries confirmed the presence of native caribou hunters at the end of the last glacial era, more than 12,000 years ago.
On the 19th of October 1775, American General Benedict Arnold and his soldiers marched through the area on their way to attack Quebec City. Later on, Scottish settlers arrived and transformed local use of the land to farming. The Anglican church of St. John erected in 1889 and its adjacent cemetery located along the 4th range remain the silent witnesses of this foregone period. At approximately the same time, French Canadians began settling in the area.
The territory of some 222 square kilometers is surrounded by the city of Lac-Megantic to the North and the State of Maine to the East. Lake Megantic borders the municipality of Frontenac to the West while the southern municipal boundaries include
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Anthropology & Archaeology • Settlements & Settlers • War, US Revolutionary.
Location. 45° 30.198′ N, 70° 52.177′ W. Marker is near Frontenac, Quebec, in Le Granit MRC. Marker can be reached from Quebec Route 161 8.8 kilometers south of Rue Salabery, on the right when traveling south. Marker is located on the observation deck of the Frontenac Municipal Observation Tower, overlooking Lake Megantic. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1021 Quebec Hwy 161, Frontenac, Quebec QC G6B 2S1, Canada. Touch for directions.
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker.
Also see . . .
1. Lake Megantic, Quebec, Canada.
The 6500-plus acre lake garnered little common awareness after its discovery in 1646 by Father Gabriel Druillettes, except for Benedict Arnold's use of the lake and north-flowing Chaudiere River to attack Quebec City in 1775. Due to its inaccessibility on the northern slopes of the Appalachian Mountains, (Submitted on March 30, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
2. Benedict Arnold's Expedition to Quebec: Lake Megantic.
Portions of the advance party became lost in swampy bogs... resulting in delays reaching Lake Mégantic... Arnold, when he reached Lake Mégantic, sent a man back to the two remaining battalions with instructions on how to navigate the swampy lands above the lake... some elements of the expedition spent two days lost in swamps before the majority finally reached the falls on the upper Chaudière on October 31... (Submitted on March 30, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on July 17, 2017. It was originally submitted on March 30, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 191 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on March 30, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.


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Education > School programs > Swamp Savers
The Fleurieu Swamps are a unique and critically endangered ecosystem. Since 2014, students from Fleurieu Peninsula schools have learnt about biodiversity and the importance of the Fleurieu Swamps through the Swamp Savers Program.
Mount Compass Area School students have been trained to become Swamp Leaders and are available to take students from other schools on tours of the swamp. Contact Mount Compass Area School for more information.
Fleurieu Swamps Excursion Guide
The Mount Compass School Swamp boardwalk has been upgraded. Why not take your class along to learn about the unique swamp ecosystem?
The Fleurieu Swamps Excursion Guide contains a collection of activities that can be undertaken at the Mount Compass Swamp or any other natural area, including a local wetland, creek or the school yard. Activities include:
© Copyright, Department for Environment and Water 2013 | Disclaimer | Privacy | Accessibility | Updated 11 Feb 2019


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The mall has gone to the dogs! You will find unique dog houses at Partridge Creek Mall.
Just like different dogs you'll see at the mall, the dog houses come in different shapes and sizes.
Vito Terracciano is the CEO of Arterra Realty.
"We would auction it off and the money we would raise from the dog houses would go to benefit Children's Hospital," he said.
The Arterra Realty company came up with the idea.
The five dog houses will be auctioned off at the preview opening event for Homearama, held late September.
The money raised would specifically be used for pediatric cancer awareness.
And the dog houses aren't just cool looking - they're functional.
"It was a lot of fun, something unique and different so of courses it was a lot of fun and it's for a great cause," said Ryan Morici, who created the five dog houses.
One house is for the Red Wings fan. Another house has a pergola. One is a modern styled home. One is called the shack and there is a dog house with plant material on top of the roof.
The dog houses retail for a couple of thousand dollars, but they're hoping to raise more than that.
Vito added, "For the charity event the ticket prices, the proceeds from that event will go to children's hospital along with the dog houses."
The charity preview event will be held September 21st.
For more information, log on to: https://homearamahba.com


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Idaho Skull Ladies Tank
Our Idaho Skull tee is an original design created by BANANA ink and printed in Boise, Idaho.
Whether your a skull and crossbones type or channeling your inner pirate this tee is for you. Our Idaho Skull is made up of 46 Idaho's total!
Printed on a Next Level Ladies tri-blend tank. Poly/cotton blend. True to size, ladies sizing.


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Generators provide a much nicer syntax for performing iteration. A generator function automatically returns a special generator object. The generator object has a next method just like the custom iterator method we wrote. Except, now we can simply use the yield keyword to pass control to the caller. In this video we'll rewrite our custom iterator method to use generators instead.
Something not making sense, want to share your thoughts or just say hello? I check this daily!
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Plug and play Get full features and bring your fantasy to life. As the controller tilts or moves more quickly, the vibrator's frequency also changes. Remoji has officially gamified sex toys.
Can you hold the moan?
What made you interested in Crave? Yup, the future has officially arrived between your legs. It also has a pair of adjustable wings, allowing the device to expand as the guy does.
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