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Butz Family urges firms to support arts groups
Thursday, October 11, 2018 by KATHY LAUER-WILLIAMS Special to The Press in Business Showcase
The Butz family, which has donated $2 million to arts organizations during the past 10 years, called on other area businesses to follow their lead as they accepted the Arts Ovation Legacy Award from Allentown Arts Commission.
The Commission's 30th anniversary Ovation Award ceremony in Allentown's center city Radisson Hotel ballroom Sept. 27 also honored six other recipients who have had a major impact on Allentown's arts community.
Presenting the Legacy Award, the Arts Commission's Sharon Glassman quoted the late Rev. Gerard Schubert, founder of DeSales University's theater program and the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, by saying the Butz family was "generous of spirit, kind of heart and just good people."
"The arts mean a great deal to us," said Greg Butz, as he accepted the award for the family. "We need arts to have a vibrant community."
Greg Butz is the chief executive officer of Allentown construction management firm Alvin H. Butz company, which celebrates its 175th anniversary in 2019, and is one of the largest construction management firms headquartered in Pennsylvania.
Lee Butz is a photographer who takes photos of productions at the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, for which the Butz firm also provides sponsorship.
Lee and his son Greg have served on boards of arts organizations. Greg is co-chair of the Civic Theatre of Allentown's "The Next Act" Capital Campaign.
Eric Butz and his wife, Deborah Roberson, are supporters of the Allentown School Foundation, as well as architects whose work can be seen at the Allentown Art Museum, Miller Symphony Hall, Baum School of Art and Civic Theatre.
"We try to give back as much as we can," Greg Butz said. "We want to set an example of what more people in the business community should do."
Other Arts Ovation honorees were: Outstanding Achievement in Performing Arts: Allentown's Blues, Brews & BBQ festival; Outstanding Achievement in Literary Arts: LGBT Library at Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center; Outstanding Achievement in Visual Arts: painter, photographer and production designer Peter Gourniak; Outstanding Achievement in Arts Education: JoAnn Wilchek Basist; Outstanding Service to the Arts: Jessica Bien, general manager, Muhlenberg College's Theatre and Dance Department, and Outstanding Emerging Artists: The Alternative Gallery.
The free Blues, Brews & BBQ has grown into a festival that attracts more than 25,000 visitors to center city Allentown since its inception 11 years ago. The festival has grown in size to cover more than six blocks.
Miriam Huertas of The Hamilton District Main Street Program that took over planning of the festival five years ago, accepted the award.
"Everyone who knows me knows I am a passionate long-term Allentonian," she said. "I am honored and humbled."
She also recognized the 150 volunteers who help run the festival, saying, "Together we are stronger."
The LGBT Library at Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center, 522 W. Maple St., Allentown, is a professionally-staffed library with more than 2,200 books, and DVDs celebrating LGBT literature, history, community and culture. Through a partnership with the Digital Humanities Initiative at Lehigh University, the library catalog is available online.
Accepting the award were Kathleen Kapila and Valerie Wesser, who said, "This is truly a community library. If it's true knowledge is power then this is a very powerful place."
Gourniak, called "a true Allentown Renaissance man" by the commission, is a photographer, multimedia painter, event planner, chef, videographer, corporate production designer, talent scout and guitar player.
His newest project is Artica Content Studios, a production house in Allentown that will create, develop, and acquire entertaining and educational content for the web, TV and film.


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Is the phrase "borne out of necessity" — as the writer for Yahoo! Style alleges — or "born out of necessity"?
It's the latter. Both born and borne are the past tense and past participle of the verb bear.
Use born when you mean to bring forth by actual or figurative birth or being natural or innate: born free, born to be wild, American-born, born leader, and born of necessity.
For all other meanings of bear, borne is the correct word. It's used when bear means to support, carry, hold in mind, or suffer: borne in mind, food-borne, and borne out by the facts.

subset: commoncrawl


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Black Caps Smash T20 Record
- Publish Date
- Monday, 18 January 2016, 7:33AM
Talk about batting extremes; Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson put their horror mixup of Eden Park behind them in fabulous style at Seddon Park last night.
In the previous game in Auckland, they combined in a calamitous runout in the second over which derailed New Zealand's chase as Pakistan struck first in the three-game rubber.
They slapped their way to 171 in 17.4 overs, making a world record stand in the shortest form of the game, with the 10-wicket romp leaving it all on the decider in Wellington on Friday night.
Guptill returned to his champion form of the moment, finishing on 87 off 58 balls, while Williamson, who battled with his timing at Eden Park, producing a classy 48-ball 71.
Together they poleaxed Pakistan, who had no answer to the sizzling pace and precision of the New Zealand batsmen.
The win was achieve with 14 balls to spare. The only hiccup a dropped return catch to Shoaib Malik by Williamson on 61 by which stage it was far too late to matter for the tourists.
The key was starting confidently and it did not take long for the pair to have their eye in.
Williamson, in particular, was off to the races early, 23 off his first nine balls, taking three fours in the third over, and first by left arm spinner Imad Wasim.
Wasim had posed problems at Eden Park; this time he was removed as a threat early and no other bowler was able to settle into their work as Guptill, hitting cleanly and long, and Williamson, on his dancing feet, manoeuvred the ball into the gaps expertly.
"They played outstanding cricket, extraordinary," Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi said of New Zealand's performance.
For Williamson it was important New Zealand had improved from the 16-run loss at Eden Park.
"It was nice to learn from the things we did a bit poorly in the last game. The challenge now is to back it up in Wellington with another strong performance," he said.
Williamson deflects praise as deftly as he does deliveries and tonight the pair, named joint men of the match, indulged in a bit of back and forth back slapping.
"It was nice to get off to a good start and watch this guy bat at the other end," Williamson said of Guptill, who in turn pointed out it was the skipper who "was striking it longer than I was at the start".
After Pakistan's inadequate 168 for seven, the New Zealand openers took 53 from their first five overs, but although the take was trimmed to 29 in the second five, the absence of any wickets left Pakistan staring into a deep hole.
Williamson and Guptill clearly had a ton of self belief, which will happen when balls are despatched off the sweet spot with serious regularity.
Take out Umar Akmal's brilliant unbeaten 56 off 27 balls and Pakistan would have been in a sorry state. New Zealand's bowling was generally good - in Mitch McClenaghan's case, highly impressive, just nine off his first three overs - while the fielding was mostly swift and sure.
Akmal and Shoaib Malik put on 63 off 34 balls but Shahid Afridi lasted only three deliveries, which kneecapped Pakistan's ambitions for a late surge.
It wouldn't have mattered much, given what transpired.
The decider is nicely set up for a cracking night at the Cake Tin.


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So, tell us, what's on your bucket list?
Talk to one of our Travel Designers today and let them make your dream, a reality.


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Because everything arises from steps, not leaps, most things are invented in several places simultaneously when different people walk the same path, each unaware of the others. For example, four different people discovered sunspots independently in 1611; five people invented the steamboat between 1802 and 1807; six people conceived of the electric railroad between 1835 and 1850; and two people invented the silicon chip in 1957. When political scientists William Ogburn and Dorothy Thomas studied this phenomenon, they found 148 cases of big ideas coming to many people at the same time and concluded that their list would grow longer with more research.
Having ideas is not the same thing as being creative. Creation is execution, not inspiration. Many people have ideas; few take the steps to make the thing they imagine.
–Kevin Ashton on creativity.
This is from an article/book promo piece on why brainstorming is bullshit. To which I feel obliged to add that, yes. I fucking hate brainstorming. I remember we first got introduced to the idea in primary school, and I hated it then and I still hate it now when we do professional development courses at work.
I'm not convinced any brainstorming session every produced a worthwhile idea the individual who suggested it couldn't've come up with on their own, or in one-on-one discussions. Down with brainstorming! Bah!


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The family begins to gather. First, the child from out-of-town, then the children who live close by, the older grandkids, the aunt, the babies, a neighbor, a few friends, a dog or two (couldn't find a keeper) and suddenly, it's Christmas! And the festivities begin.
Let there be armfuls of packages, overstuffed bellies, crackling fires, joyful singing, lots of laughter, game playing and couch napping. Let there be peace on earth, re-runs of It's a wonderful life, and harmony in our home. That's the plan. That's my goal. There may be a grandchild or two that has to spend a little bit of time-out on the stairs or a dog that may need to be put in his kennel to get us there, but we will have tranquility in this house. I am declaring a temporary nix on all unintended little jabs that quickly escalate into hurt feelings or wounded pride. I'm also tabling the myriad of discussions that could arouse a little too much passion from an incredibly passionate family. Why? Because I'm the mom and it's Christmas. We can get back to those inflammatory subjects another day. My mother mandate for Christmas 2016 is: GOOD WILL WILL FLOW
Taking a cue from the way certain political figures field challenging questions, our family now has a brilliant strategy – don't respond at all to something you'd rather avoid, just simply change subject. We invoke state capitals as our diversion tactic. For example:
Auntie, "Have you thought of giving your child less sugar?"
Son, "What's the capital of Vermont?"
Someone, "Lansing?"
Someone else, "No, Montpelier."
The rest of us pick up the game, dropping the potentially toxic conversation. Voila, crisis avoided!
We actually tried this at our last family gathering. One would think that our Thanksgiving was a scene straight out of Pleasantville. Perhaps it was a bit too nice and a tad less colorful than previous holidays so I briefly consider lifting the good will mandate. Quickly evaluating probable conversations that might occur over eggnog, I envision, "Can you believe the President Elects choice for Secretary of State?"
My knee-jerk reaction, "what's the capitol of North Dakota?"


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The Sheffield Private School Parent Teachers Association was established in 2008 as a forum where Parents and Teachers work together to enhance the educational experience of our children during their time at The Sheffield Private School. The aim of the PTA is to increase the opportunities for parents to help the school.
One of the ways we have helped is by introducing Parent Helpers to assist teachers within the classrooms. We also hope to utilize any skills that parents have and that they are willing to share in after school activities.
The PTA committee is also planning some of the fund raising activities for the school. The funds raised will then be directed back to the students as prizes and awards. We have some events planned both for the primary and secondary students.


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I'm currently running a game of Smallville based on the X-Men. Sort of. We're using canon X-Men characters in a slightly new context: a Hogwarts-style boarding school just West of Chester in England. In order to make the Smallville system more appropriate for this setting, we are using a slightly different list of Values and there is a single Distinction trigger that is always in play:
Earn a Plot Point whenever you Choose to have your mutant powers go out of control.
Distinctions in Smallville have three associated triggers that are unlocked when the Distinction's die rating reaches d4, d8 and d12. This particular trigger is in the same format as triggers from the core rulebook, but it didn't make sense to have a whole new Distinction for it since every character is playing a young mutant student. Making everyone buy such a Distinction during character creation would have prevented us from exploring the characters' more interesting differences.
But it felt important to have such a trigger in play, so I just let everyone know that it was there without thinking much about what else I could do with free-standing triggers. I'd stumbled onto a neat little hack of Smallville without even realising it.
Triggers for NPCs
After last week's post on Minor Minor Features, Benjamin Davis made some comments about it on Google+, and it got me thinking about triggers again.
Last week, I said that triggers weren't necessary for NPCs because they're designed to make the Leads look cool. I suggested that, therefore, most NPCs could be treated as three generic dice and no triggers. Benjamin's solution for the same issue was that NPCs didn't need dice at all (the GM could roll the Trouble pool instead), but he did give them triggers. Usually, so he says, he'd include one to give an affected Lead a Plot Point, and one where the Lead can spend a Plot Point to make the NPC do unwise things.
Triggers for Features are touched on briefly in the corebook (page 91, specifically). It suggests that triggers for Features work "often exactly backwards" from Leads' triggers, and gives some advice about what this means: when it says to add to Trouble pool, take something out; when it says you can Earn a Plot Point, ask the players if they want to Spend a Plot Point to buy one. However, this is the extent of the guidance. There are no examples of wordings, or examples of triggers being used in action. I've tried using triggers this way, and sometimes they work (triggers asking to spend a Plot Point are largely unchanged, for instance), but at other times they are not satisfying.
What I take from Benjamin's post (and he may correct me if I'm wrong), is that he uses triggers that are customised. Triggers must be about giving the players more agency, and must focus on the Leads.
The Magneto example
As an example, Professor Erin Magnus in my X-Men game (the headmistress of the school, based on Magneto) has Authoritarian as a Distinction. It comes with the following trigger: "Earn a Plot Point when you Choose to ignore pleas for mercy or understanding and inflict reprimands to the fullest extent of the rules."
As suggested in the corebook, I tried turning this around, making it a player-facing Spend option: "Spend a Plot Point to make Professor Magnus ignore pleas for understanding and to inflict reprimands to the fullest extent of the rules."
This doesn't work. Why would anyone ever Spent a Plot Point to make things harder for themselves? Besides, this is just what Professor Magnus is like. As a GM, I wouldn't play her differently if a Lead chose not to Spend a Plot Point.
I now understand that the problem is that while I was giving players the option of activating the trigger, I wasn't making it about the Leads. A much better wording for a Lead-facing trigger would be:
Earn a Plot Point when you Choose to break the rules in front of Professor Magnus and suffer reprimands to the fullest extent of the rules.
This finally works because it puts the emphasis back on what the Leads do, and gives players full control over the trigger's relevance. 'Choose' need not be an in-character decision, mind. It could just as easily mean that the player would like to Earn a Plot Point by having Professor Magnus arrive unexpectedly during rule-breaking.
Putting triggers on the table
The corebook suggests that GM (Watchtower) should ask players whether they want to buy the Feature's trigger's drawback. That is, the triggers are only available when the GM says they are. This doesn't give the players much agency. They should have the choice to activate them whenever they want, in order to have more control over the flow of the story (and as long as the triggers are worded in a way that allows it).
As I did with my powers-go-out-of-control trigger at the start of this post, Benjamin said that he makes the existence of these triggers known to the players to activate if they want to. This reminds me a lot of Aspects in Fate Core. Indeed, triggers are very much like Aspects that can be compelled but not invoked. (In contrast, Useful Details are like scene Aspects that can be invoked but not compelled. More on those another time.)
When I play Fate, I put Aspects on the table. Perhaps on an index card or a post-it note. Perhaps just in a list. The important thing is that they must be visible to players at all times.
Let's do the same with free-standing triggers. The powers-go-out-of-control trigger at the top is clearly separated from any Distinctions. But so too is Professor Magnus' Authoritarian trigger. Even though it is derived from a Distinction on her sheet, her having the Distinction is irrelevant to the existence of the trigger. I might streamline her character sheet by replacing all Distinctions with a single generic Asset die (as I discussed last week), or I might scrap her character sheet entirely and roll Trouble in its place (as Benjamin Davis does). But the trigger remains. Magnus doesn't even need to be in the scene, since the trigger implicitly allows players to bring her into the scene if they're breaking some rules.
This opens up a let of possibilities. Almost anything that could be a compellable Aspect in Fate could be re-worked as a trigger (or multiple triggers) in Smallville. Perhaps when Leads are a dangerous scene or location, a trigger on the table lets them earn a Plot Point if they choose to get in danger? This has given me ideas for more interesting ways of using them in my games. What do you think?


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A brief statement on why I serve in public office
Talks about equal pay for women
ABC 7 Vista LA interview of Senate District 32 candidate Vivian Romero
The state has only begun to address its housing challenges but pledged to do more next year.We need additional incentives to expedite, build and increase the supply (helping to force down the rents and prices of homes)
Streamline the housing approval process, cut red tape that drags out building approval time and ease restrictive zoning laws.
Provide new funding for low-income housing developments, seek to lower the cost of construction. Strengthen the state's Housing Accountability Act, which works toward prevent communities from killing proposed housing projects or homeless shelters.
Local governments need to designate certain areas for housing development known as Workforce Housing Opportunity Zones, especially near city centers close to jobs and public transit.
Proposals that come forward should have: 30 percent of all units sold or rented to moderate-income households, 15 percent sold or rented to low-income households, 5 percent sold or rented to very low-income households and 10 percent of market-rate projects set aside for low-income people.
Civility and Respect in America
Whether it is at work, school or a local town hall meeting; incivility is becoming the social norm in our country. We all need to take responsibility for reversing this trend. Given the speech and behavior of people everywhere including our President, Americans feel it is appropriate to resort to insults or sometimes even physical assault. Young children seeing this behavior believe it is okay to disrespect others because of their color or religious beliefs. aHow do we turn this disturbing trend around?
We all need to work together, agree to disagree without resorting to name calling, changes won't happen overnight; but if we commit ourselves to the cause we can revive civility and respect in this country. Learning a little about someone's life goes a long way to understanding and accepting our differences.Understanding each other helps us get along with each other and build mutual understanding.
It is time for all of us to lead by example and reestablish civility and respect as standards for acceptable behavior. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" Let's start by be the change we wish to see in the world.
Changing climate
California is already a leader in lowering emissions and the Safeguarding California Plan shows what the state is doing to address the impacts so we create a more resilient future.
The permanence and magnitude of climate changes will require an ongoing aggressive commitment to action, the best available science, and respect for the state's communities. We need to continue working across party lines modernizing and strengthening state water, transportation, energy and natural infrastructure and continue developing a cutting-edge scientific understanding of how climate change impacts us.
We must continue to proactively invest in our most vulnerable communities, continue funding the expansion of recycled water to increase drought resilience, adopt regulations to increase the collection of urban storm water and embed climate change consideration into all programs and activities.
Continue to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy, improve efficiency, reduce water consumption in order to help reduce the carbon footprint. The less climate change there is - the less we have to deal with the impacts.
I believe we must expand proven programs that support the health and well-being of children. Quality Education Investment Act awarded certain low performing schools extra funding if they agreed to conform to a number of policy changes like reducing class sizes and keeping an experienced teaching staff at the school.
We also need to attract teachers, not attack teachers. California's teacher shortage, significantly impacts school districts with the largest concentrations of low-income students and English learners. This is not unacceptable. We must develop and encourage state and local incentives to attract highly qualified candidates into the teaching profession to make sure that high-needs students have access to the teachers and educational resources they deserve.
The fragmented state of our education system has stymied efforts to fully address the needs of the most at-risk students.
California's Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) promised additional resources to low-income students, foster youth and English-language learners, who face persistent achievement gaps.We must confront structures, policies, practices, and mind-sets that perpetuate inequities.
There are no overnight transformations available, it takes hard work sustained over time by stable school staffs and managers, high-quality preschool, true bilingual education, schools enlisting parents as partners maintaining a climate of high expectations, caring, and trust.
Pension funding has become a major political controversy in the wake of the economic crisis. Policymakers are grappling with underfunding in state and local pension plans are constrained in their ability to fairly share the burdens of reform, with sacrifices falling more heavily on new workers than on current workers. Changing the status quo will require both legislative action and legal argument.
State and local governments are going to have to make major changes to pension benefits, taxes, or services and any of these actions will be painful. Some states and cities have deep pension deficits that will warp civic priorities and local politics for years. California is already among the states confronting this issue and many other states and cities will likely join over time. But some painful possibilities or options could be discussed further:
Cut benefits or raise employee contributions for new workers.
Cut benefits or raise employee contributions for new service by existing workers.
Cut benefits or raise employee contributions for past service by existing workers.
Reduce inflation indexing for existing benefits.
Raise taxes and increase contributions to the pension funds.
Cut services and use the money for increased contributions.
Take more investment risk since more than half of the assets are invested in stocks.
There is no simple, easy solution to this problem and a great deal more research is needed, even ceasing to dig the hole deeper is not easy, since the status quo of solid benefits and deceptively low apparent costs have been a happy false paradise for many politicians, employees, and union leaders. Essentially, it requires either a division of the pain among employees/retirees, taxpayers or a "bailout" by either federal government assistance or the luck of favorable financial market conditions.
Top contributors that gave money to support the candidate, by organization:
A brief statement on why I serve in public office
Talks about equal pay for women
ABC 7 Vista LA interview of Senate District 32 candidate Vivian Romero


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People are now complaining over being left in the dark, since 10 million Verizon customers may never see FiOS come to their premises. Such as those in Alexandria.
My comments:
- You can't blame Verizon. This is how listed companies work. They have a focus on the short term. If you don't like it, change the system (ARRA is one answer, nationalisation is another).
- Verizon is apparently seeking ARRA funds. Again, don't blame them. Looks like a sound business decision. This is exactly what you get when you throw government money at the market: it distorts the market and companies respond in a predictable way.
- One thing the FCC should be looking at, is promises made by Verizon. In itself, it shouldn't be illegal to brake a promise, unless the promise itself got you funding or something like a regulatory holiday.
- Another thing the FCC should prevent is Verizon trying to block Alexandria from building munifiber (should they want to), either with ARRA or Google funds.


text: Before you watch, make sure you see the other pieces that lead up to this chapter: "What Kind Of Man (Part 1)" and "How Big How Blue" here, "St. Jude (Part 2)" and "Ship To Wreck (Part 3)" here, and "Queen of Peace (Part 4)" and "Long and Lost (Part 5)" here. They contain clues and share a remarkably expressive language of motion and emotion embedded in the choreography. In each chapter where Florence and her doppelgänger wander through different time periods and locations, we seem to be witness to an age-old story of not only male oppression of women, but of interpersonal strife (and sometimes physical violence) on an individual and family level, the inability of so many people and cultures to say what they mean and to really use the time we have here instead of squandering it on petty hatred, grudges, and misunderstandings. Like Florence so aptly and chillingly observes in both parts 1 and 6, "I suppose if you've been through something catastrophic, if you've been through, like a storm or an earthquake together or something horrendous, it would bring you closer together...but what if they are creating the disaster within themselves?...There's this big storm and it's all around us and we're in the middle of it and it's calm, but I can feel it, like it's everywhere..."


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If you have been on Instagram lately then I'm sure you have noticed the sudden overwhelming occurrence of the Fendi brand.
Famous for the FF logo, Fendi is mixing their iconic imagery with a street style vibe called the FF Capsule Collection. This collection has a wide range of categories from monogrammed outerwear and sets to accessories and shoes featuring a new logo redesigned for social media!
Celebrities such as Kylie Jenner, Jhene Aiko, and Nicki Minaj have been spotted rocking the brand from head-to-toe all of a sudden, and the designs seem to have a newer and fresher feel.
Last night Jhene Aiko & Big Sean were at Fendi #ffreloadedlaunch party in London's dripping in Fendi.
All this buzz has definitely made me want to get my hands on some pieces.
The FF Capsule Collection is exclusive until it is made available on Fendi.com and select boutiques on May 14.
Are you excited to see what Fendi has done with their new collection? What are some of your favorite luxury brands? Let us know below!
Written by Kami Dixon
Originally published at TheBobbyPen.com


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I can't be the only person who took a look at the new iPods' wrist straps and thought, "I want that for my iPhone." I'm forever pulling my iPhone 5 from my pocket to snap something for Instagram, and it'd be totally neat if I could just keep the thing in my hand instead, and never have to worry about dropping it.
Happily, the fine folks at Photojojo also felt the persistent pull of gravity and did something about it. Presenting: The iPhone Wrist Strap.
The iPhone 5 lacks the iPod's neat pop-out strap capstan, but it does have a couple of tiny pentalobe screws on either side of the Lightning connector. And the strap's mount goes there. You unscrew the screws (using the provided screwdriver), place the little bar over them and screw in some slightly longer screws to keep everything in place.
This light and sturdy aluminum bracket then forms a mount onto which the colorful leather strap can snap.
There are two models available – one for the iPhone 5 and one for any hideous and fat device you might still have which sport the old-fashioned 30-pin dock connector. Both cost $35.
I can't quite bring myself to unscrew parts of my new phone, but I might order one just for the strap. Then, I can take one of the shell cases which seem to be multiplying in my apartment and Dremel a quick hole in the corner.


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This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- A University of Northern Iowa college student wants to be the one making decisions at the Statehouse.
Casey Harm kicked off his campaign for the House District 60 seat in Cedar Falls this week. The seat is currently held by State Representative Walt Rogers.
Harm is a 20-year-old sophomore at UNI, and says he was inspired to run for office shortly after the 2016 election.
"I think if you want to do it, you've just got to dive on in and figure it out," he said. "Just keep moving forward with it. My generation has a lot to say. We have a vision for the future."
Harm says right now his biggest obstacle is raising enough money for his campaign.


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2008 has come & go. Time really does go so fast. We shall see what 2009 will hold for me. I'm not very good with resolutions and goals. I've no clue what I want 2009 to be. But I have a good feeling about 2009. I'm getting married come Nov 2009 (I'm so looking forward to that... I'm not sure about the married life though! Hahaha.)
Outfits this week:
Labels: outfit post, personal
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Sir Raymond Unwin
Sir Raymond Unwin (1863 – 1940) was a prominent and influential English urban planner.
Influenced by William Morris and by Socialist ideas, he was later drawn to the theories of Ebenezer Howard concerning planning and cities. He formed a partnership (1896–1914) with his brother-in-law, Barry Parker: as Parker & Unwin they designed St Andrew's Church, Barrow Hill, Derbyshire (1893), and several houses in the Arts-and-Crafts style before establishing their reputation by planning New Earswick Village near York for the Joseph Rowntree (1836–1925) Village Trust (from 1901).
Unwin published Town Planning in Practice: An Introduction to the Art of Designing Cities and Suburbs in 1909, an important text that had a considerable effect on town-planning for the next three decades.


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Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
My pick this week is All Lined Up by Cora Carmack
Here is the Goodreads synopsis
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cora Carmack follows up her trio of hits—Losing It, Faking It, and Finding It—with this thrilling first novel in an explosive series bursting with the Texas flavor, edge, and steamy romance of Friday Night Lights.
When your dad is a coaching legend in Texas high school football, your life isn't your own. That's why Dallas Cole can't wait to get to Rusk University and finally get out of her father's shadow. But when he makes the jump to college ball—at her school no less—it's déjà vu all over again.
Now, half the team (and all their groupies) avoid her like the plague, convinced she'll tattle to her notoriously hardass father about a frat party or a bent curfew. The other half just wants to use her to get closer to the coach.
And then there's Carson McClain, the supremely hot, newly transferred second-string quarterback. Oblivious of her identity, he approaches her at a party, and for once in her life Dallas decides to kiss first and ask questions later.
While the heat between them is undeniable, Dallas and Carson have more than a few issues to tackle. He's a football player with a lot to prove. She's the coach's daughter who just wants a life of her own. How can they possibly win when they've both got so much to lose?
This immediately brought to mind Julie Taylor, Matt Saracen and Coach Taylor. Anyone else? If you don't know who Julie, Matt and Coach Taylor are - watch Friday Night Lights immediately. I've heard nothing but amazing things about Cora's previous books, and this seems like it'll be perfect for me (because of my Friday Night Lights obsession). Needless to say, I can't wait to get my hands on this New Adult book.Expected release date - May 13, 2014


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x who needs the lab? Who needs exam booklets?
Assessment - Multiple Choice is best!!!!
Clay, Evan, Randy feedback
Jessica Campbell & Lana Jorgensen feedback
BYTE 2014 Conference - http://new.livestream.com//fsd/byte2014 (not my session B, but session C on Twitter, Instagram, Blogging in your classroom)
Outdoor Ed in Neepawa ???????
Identity and the Internet Resources - http://liusz.weebly.com/the-debate.html
Ethics and Environment - http://flinflonner.weebly.com/ethical-sourcing-of-technology.html
Apps to try
Assessment - Multiple Choice is best!!!!
Social Media and the Classroom
Should teachers use Facebook with students? Facebook and the teacher - Q - 2010-12-21. Ian Grunwald in Wpg // Anthony Marko in Hamilton
x Your thoughts?
- Do you need to be Facebook 'friends' with your students?
- Are you scared to meet your students at the mall?
- What if you live in a small town?
- Aren't you essentially 'friends' with all your students and their families?
- how is this different?
Social Media and the Teacher
How are you building your PLN?
In subject area groups find web resources/hashtags/diigo groups etc that will help you. There are also some PLN resources for newteachers and studentteachers.
Post your findings on the class wiki on the appropriate page listed in the sidebar.
From a few of your web spaces - The Innovation of Loneliness
Pew Report on Social Isolation - look for the surprises!
Class survey - A16
MS Free Tools for Teachers (with free account) and Other MS resources
Back to Class
Wrap-up - what did we do in teacher and tech?


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92 Tasting Notes
Some friends of mine went to Ireland a few months back, and gave me a cup and saucer with shamrocks all over, very cute. They also added a few bags of this tea, because they said that they could not find any Irish Breakfast tea where they went. I finally made a cup, and it's actually very nice and surprising! I tried it first without milk or sweetener, and it would have been fine that way, but the bag did suggest that it went well with milk, and that's the way I'm drinking it now. Typically if I add milk, I add sweetener, but this is just great as it is.
Today I tried this as a latte, and boy was it delicious. I steeped the tea at double strength, and frothed an equal amount of milk, then combined with the addition of some sweetener. Now that tasted like coconut cream pie, much more so than just a regular brewing of it.


text: The Shields v The Toon exhibition will tell the history of an almost 600 year battle between North Shields and Newcastle over rights on the River Tyne. Centre stage will be 17th century local hero Ralph Gardner who played a prominent part in the fight. We will also be celebrating the school and the football ground named after him.


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Four months ago I began this elaborate plan to get him from work one day and sweep him off on an adventure that he would never suspect.
And yesterday was the day.
It all started out just like normal with the get-up-and-go-to-work-and-school routine.
But later that morning he emailed me to let me know he was going home to work early. He has to work on Saturday and they're cutting back on overtime so they were letting him have an early afternoon to adjust for the difference.
So like a good wife I suggested he use the afternoon off to mow the yard since it's getting on the long-ish side.
And since my ramen noodles weren't sounding appealing I suggested he fix up some chicken and bacon and we'd make some salads for lunch and I'd just drive home and eat with him before he mowed the yard.
Except, unbeknownst to him, I was actually leaving at noon to go on home and meet him there, instead of the 1:00 lunchtime that I usually have, but had supposedly traded for a 12:30 lunchtime.
So when he got home, I already had the chicken cooked, the bacon fried and cut up and the salads all but topped with dressing.
"I got away a few minutes early", I explained, since we supposedly were both leaving work at 12:30.
So we ate our salads and I'm trying to figure out how to get him into the car and down the road without having to completely spoil the surprise so I decide that when he goes to change into his work clothes (for mowing the yard) I'll tag him in a Facebook post letting him know he's being kidnapped for the day. (He knew that I'd been planning a surprise scheduled for some time between May and the end of the year, but had no idea what, when or where).
So I dashed to the computer when he went to change and typed it in.
I heard his phone go off and a moment later I heard the phone being sat down on the night-stand, but nothing else.
After realizing that he hadn't read his message, I walked into the bathroom off our room (where he was) and casually mentioned that it sounded like his phone went off.
After he checked it he comes in, cheesing, "Are you serious?"
Ever the Innocent, "What?" I asked him.
"It's today? Are you serious?"
"Well, yeah, how do you think you got off work at 12:30?"
He looked momentarily confused, "But that made too much sense..."
Silly boy, he should know that I know what I'm doing! If I'm going to surprise him it's going to have to be because everything leading up to it makes sense!
Giving as few details as possible (and the impression that we were just going to hang out in Little Rock for the evening, we loaded into the car and he started trying to decide on where to go and what to do and where to eat.
With a general plan of eating somewhere and going by Toys-R-Us, Game XChange, and possibly watching Planet of the Apes, I goofed his plans up by 'accidentally' taking the exit for the Little Rock Airport...and then again when I headed towards Memphis instead of back towards Little Rock.
It was when the GPS said "Continue on for 117 miles" that he realized Little Rock was never the plan.
So he started peppering me with questions. Where were we going? What were we doing? What was the plan? Where were we eating (food is a priority in our family)?
And I smiled like the cat that ate the canary and just kept driving.
After a while he dug his phone out and was playing around on it. When I saw him quickly put his phone in his lap and then hide it in the handle of the door (while wearing a cheesy grin) I asked him what was up.
After a moment's hesitation he finally handed over his phone showing where he went to Memphis's website and scrolled down their events and found that Journey & Foreigner were going to be in concert that evening.
Instead of being mean (so very tempting if you know me!) I pulled his tickets out and handed them to him.
The cat was out of the bag.


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By Jack Edwards
There's small "c" crazy and then there's American Psychiatric Association Crazy. In fact, the APA publishes a book called the DSM listing all the official types of crazy, and they assign each one a number. Everything's listed: Sociopathic, Paranoia, Crazy as a Bedbug – you name it. They're up to the DSM-V now because they keep changing their minds about what is and isn't crazy. One minute, for example (just for example – not a real life example) they say that someone who enjoys sprinkling belly button lint on their scrambled eggs is crazy. Then after the APA comes back from their three martini lunch to discuss it further, they decide it's not crazy – it's just disgusting.
The reason I mention this is that I've been perusing the DSM to find my number. I'm pretty sure I have one. Of course, it's always possible, however unlikely, that I'm not officially crazy.
Let me explain. Last year I became a vegan for two months. I chronicled my journey in a Jocularious column titled "My Life as a Vegan" –http://jocularious.com/?p=71. Well, I have, as of late, been considering a return to veganism, but not for any traditional reason (if you can use the word "traditional" in describing veganism). Forget reasons like health, sustainability and animal rights. The reason I am considering returning to veganism is that it bothers everyone but other vegans. It drives some people so bonkers that the APA has probably assigned them a number. I can't describe the pleasure I get out of being the bug in the ointment. A few salacious examples-
#1 Event planner for a board of directors dinner: "Jack, aren't you a vegan?"
Me: "Yeah, but don't worry about me. I'll make do."
Event planner: "No. No problem at all. I'll see what I can do."
Me: "Please, don't bother yourself." (Pleasure endorphins releasing in my brain by the millions).
#2 Uncle Herb at Aunt Alice's holiday gathering: "A vegan? What in the hell is wrong with you boy? Next thing you'll be chaining yourself to the slaughter shoot at the pork processing factory. Dog-nab-it, that's what's wrong with this country!"
#3 Me, sitting down at a restaurant with friends for lunch, inquiring of the waitress: "Does your veggie burger contain any animal products?"
Waitress, masking mild irritation but maintaining a forced smile to salvage a tip: "The burger is made of 100% vegetables."
Me: "What about the bun?"
Waitress: "Hum, I would have to check. I know the veggie burger is vegetarian."
Me: "I'm a vegan. I don't eat any animal products whatsoever. Thanks for checking on the bun."
So, as you can see, there is immense pleasure in lording one's vegan status over others. The question is whether the APA has assigned a DSM number to it yet. Perhaps I should send them an email inquiring. Better yet, I'll send it to them after they've had lunch.
Please take a moment to share!
Click here on Jocularious.com to access Facebook, Twitter and other "share" buttons. Earn good karma!
It's free and easy, and Jocularious will arrive in your inbox each week.
It's a Three Minute Vacation for your Brain.
Check out these great books for gifts:
The Lawyer's Song: Navigating the legal wilderness at –
Seven Rules for the College Playground –
Seven Secrets You Need to Know to Hire the Right Lawyer –


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NLIHC urges advocates to contact their members of Congress to oppose the Trump administration's proposed cuts to rural housing for FY18 and to fully fund rural housing programs. The president's budget proposes significant reductions to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) rural housing budget, including a $60 million cut to Section 521 Rural Rental Assistance, the elimination of the Multifamily Preservation and Revitalization program, and the elimination of key homeownership programs, including Section 502 Direct Homeownership Loans and Section 523 Mutual Self-Help Housing.
NLIHC and nearly 600 organizations from across the country have signed onto a letter circulated by the National Rural Housing Coalition (NRHC) opposing the proposed cuts. The letter criticized the administration's response to the problems facing rural America as what "can only be described as a wholesale retreat."
NLIHC encourages advocates to call their members of Congress to urge them to oppose the president's proposed budget and USDA reorganization plan and to fully fund rural housing programs.
Contact your Congressional delegation directly at: http://bit.ly/2rr1AkV
Read NRHC's press release about rural advocates' letter to Congress at: http://prn.to/2tmTGWB
Review NLIHC's analysis of the Trump administration's proposed budget, including funding for USDA Rural Housing programs, at: http://nlihc.org/sites/default/files/Trump-Budget.pdf


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Lessons from Alaska Air's meltdown
If I were grading Alaska Airlines on how it handled a digital meltdown that disrupted travel for thousands in October, I'd give the airline a D for communication and a B+ for compensation.
When its computer system was brought down by two severed fiber-optic cables, the airline suffered a communications breakdown with its own staff that drew almost as much flak as the delays and cancellations that affected nearly 8,000.
When it came to compensating passengers for the disruptions, however, it smartly decided to let customer goodwill trump its standard policies. Hard to believe, but there are no U.S. laws requiring airlines to do anything other than offer refunds for canceled flights or rebooking on the next available flight.
As I explain in this week's Travel Wise column for The Seattle Times, written into some Contracts of Carriage, legal documents posted on U.S. airlines' websites, is a promise to provide a hotel room if a flight is canceled for a mechanical problem or other routine reason. But when problems are due to weather, riots, strikes or any unforeseen event the airlines consider out of their control, they're off the hook.
Alaska bent its rules.
"In the case of a traveler needing to get where they were going that day, we booked them on another airline," Lindsey said. "If a traveler had to overnight to catch a flight the next day, we provided accommodations and meals. If a traveler had a long day at the airport, we provided a free meal." Others got vouchers fordiscounts on future travel.
One couple I talked with first received a $100 voucher, but Alaska increased it to $300 after they sent a letter outlining complaints about rude treatment and lost luggage.
Situations such as this are frustrating, but the approaching holiday-travel season makes delays and cancellations more likely.
Some strategies for minimizing the hassles:
• Airlines hardly ever shell out cash compensation, except as a refund for a canceled flight or for involuntary bumping. Travel insurance is best for recovering monetary losses (for prepaid hotels or tours, for example).
• If you've got a smartphone, use it. Call a reservations agent at the same time you're standing in line to rebook. Check on what other airlines fly the same route. Having that information can save time and make it easier for an agent to rebook you. Check Twitter and Facebook for updates and what other passengers are saying.
• Take a carry-on bag with essentials, such as medication, in case of cancellations of missed connections. • Be patient. "Being nice" advises the consumer organization Flyersrights.org, "will get you better treatment."
Posted by Carol Pucci at 7:26 AM
1 comment:
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Wishing all of our "Gotta Love It" readers a warm and wonderful Christmas holiday!
Santa Claus and Christmas – Gotta Love It!
Wishing all of our "Gotta Love It" readers a warm and wonderful Christmas holiday!
Santa Claus and Christmas – Gotta Love It!
Parents now have a better alternative when it comes to toxin-free dental care with the introduction of Coral Kids Toothpaste, the world's only natural toothpaste formulated with ionic calcium and fossilized coral minerals (www.coralcalcium.com).
What kids notice first about Coral Kids Toothpaste is its appealing berry bubblegum aroma and flavor. This made-in-the-USA teeth cleaner and whitener contains no flouride, synthetic colors or sodium lauryl sulfate. Just pure and healthy natural ingredients like spearmint oils, ginseng, ginkgo biloba and hydrogen peroxide are used to create this non-toxic toothpaste formula that leaves teeth feeling smooth and polished, and breath tasting fresh and minty. Add a tube of Coral Kids Toothpaste to your children's Christmas stocking this year to ensure a nice bright and healthy smile throughout 2017.
Coral Kids Toothpaste – Gotta Love It!
Former U.S. Navy Seal Mark Divine invites readers to reshape their minds, bodies and spirits through Kokoro, the Japanese concept of warrior spirit, in his new book, "Kokoro Yoga", published by St. Martin's Griffin (www.stmartins.com).
This intensive form of yoga practice aims at improving mental and physical balance, increasing flexibility and improving muscle mass with peak performance in all areas of life – physical, mental and spirital – the ultimate goal. If you want to really challenge yourself in 2017, this book , with plenty of photographic illustrations and recommendations, will guide you to developing the spirit of a warrior in all aspects of your life.
Kokora Yoga by Mark Divine – Gotta Love It!
C. Eric Banister is an unabashed fan of the Southern Rock genre of music popularized by such legends as Hank Williams, Jr., Black Crowes, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and the Marshall Tucker Band.
Banister's "Counting Down Southern Rock: The 100 Best Songs , published by Rowman & Littlefield (www.rowman.com) serves as a love letter to 100 of these artists and some of their most memorable musical creations. Starting with Hank Williams Jr.' s "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way", Banister examines, dissects and offers commentary on 100 Southern Rock songs, including interesting historical data and entertaining trivia. This book makes a great gift for the music enthusiast this season.
"Counting Down Southern Rock: The 100 Best Songs" by E. Eric Banister – Gotta Love It!
If there is a grandparent or other senior family member or friend in your social circle who has been reluctant to become part of the social media generation, we found the perfect Christmas gift — Facebook for Seniors by Carrie Ewin, Chris Ewin and Cheryl Ewin, published by No Starch Press (www.nostarch.com).
This informative and easy to follow book breaks down Facebook into 12 lessons, including such topics as security precautions, creating a password and profile, finding friends, and how to message, share photos and chat. The information, guidance and explanations contained in this entertaining guidebook doesn't have to be limited to the 60-plus generation, however. This book is a great resource for anyone who wants to use the social media giant known as Facebook to its fullest advantage.
Facebook for Seniors by Carrie Ewin, Chris Ewin and Cheryl Ewin – Gotta Love It!
If you find yourself in need of break from all of the usual holiday rushing around, treat yourself to a stolen hour or two, armed with your favorite libation and a copy of "Always in Fashion" by Bert Geiger ( http://www.wisdomhousebooks.com).
"Always in Fashion" is Geiger's personal tour through his career in the fashion world, from his earliest recollections of being fascinated by the topic as a 3-year-old in Brooklyn, to travelling around the world in search of the next design trend. Geiger has a lively and breezy writing style that makes the reader feel like they are a valued travelling companion, along for a fascinating ride in this well-told tale of a well-lived life. If you have a budding fashion photographer or designer on your Xmas-gift list, Geiger's autobiography makes the perfect stocking stuffer.
"Always in Fashion" – Gotta Love It!
Beautiful Mindcraft by James Delaney, one of the latest releases from No Starch Press (www.nostarch.com) in San Francisco, is a stunning example of the power of imagination and the mind's ability to create.
This artbook is based on the Mindcraft video game and features a wonderful array of projects undertaken by a variety of builders to create everything from steampunk cities and horses to replicas of the some of the world's most famous architecture. Some of the projects depicted in full glorious color were accomplished by one builder using thousands of blocks and several hours time, while others required a team of builders using millions of blocks and days to complete. This book makes a terrific stocking stuffer for gamers as well as a welcome coffee table book for any art lover.
Beautiful Mindcraft by James Delaney – Gotta Love It!
Oh, the weather outside may be turning frightful, but wintry conditions are the perfect time to toast the holidays with New Belgium's (www.newbelgium.com) line-up of dark and delicious ales.
We recently had the opportunity to sample New Belgium Accumulation, a White India Pale Ale, and New Belgium Spiced Imperial Dark Ale from their Lips of Faith Series. Both are worthy of stocking on your holiday bar — full flavored, a bit of a bite, and perfect as an accompaniment to soft pretzels with mustard, grilled sausages and other holiday snacks. Check out their website for the full New Belgium Brewing Co. line-up from Fort Collins, CO and add a variety of new tastes to your holiday buffet.
Holiday brews from New Belgium Brewing – Gotta Love It!
It's the thoughtful and accommodating holiday host and hostess who ensure that their party buffet features foods that are wheat & gluten free. Now you are able to offer a variety of delicious breads, rolls and bakery products to your guests who may be wheat & gluten intolerant by selecting from among the many quality bread products developed by BFree Foods (https://us.bfreefoods.com/).
BFree Foods offers an extensive line-up of products perfect for holiday party entertaining, including a Quinoa and Chia Seed Wrap (pictured above), Pita Bread, dinner rolls, hot dog rolls and sandwich bread. The BFree products we recently sampled tasted fresh and delicious and we especially liked the wraps for filling with everything from seafood and egg salad to scrambled eggs and deli meats. We were surprised to discover that these products tasted as good as, if not better than, many of our favorite conventional bread products. BFree Products can also be stored in the freezer for future use so you can buy them ahead of time and have them ready for any impromptu entertaining. Check out joining the Club BFree on the company's website to be alerted first about new product developments, recipes and promotions!
BFree Foods – Gotta Love It!
Author Robin Raven has provided a wonderful gift to the literary world with her recently introduced "Santa's First Vegan Christmas" (https://www.facebook.com/SantasFirstVeganChristmas/), a story that appeals to children of all ages who believe in the transformative power of the holiday season.
This story , beautifully illustrated through the talents of Kara Maria Schunk, is a charming and magical retelling of the classic Night Before Christmas story. Inspiring a love of reading is one of the best gifts that any parent can give a child, and "Santa's First Vegan Christmas" can begin a wonderful tradition at your house . Among its many gentle messages are the importance of treating everyone with kindness, including the creatures in the animal kingdom. This is a book that children and parents can enjoy reading together again and again.
"Santa's First Vegan Christmas" by Robin Raven, illustrated by Kara Maria Schunk — Gotta Love It!


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James N. Carder
"A Jewel Box of a Museum."
The Robert Woods Bliss Collection of Pre-Columbian Art and its new pavilion were first seen by invited guests at a preview opening on Saturday December 7, 1963, at 5:30 p.m. (fig. 31). The opening was purposely subdued due to the recent assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963. The Collection opened to the public the following Tuesday and thereafter between 2:00 and 5:00 p.m. Journalists, architectural historians, and architects who reviewed the building were fairly consistent in their opinions and in their praise. They found the building beautiful and the Collection beautifully installed (fig. 32). They admired the understated use of high-end materials (marble, bronze, and teak) in a modern design as well as the visual contrast of the gold, jadeite, and textile objects in this setting. Many, although not all, found the scale and treatment of the building and the use of small galleries appropriate to the small scale of most of the exhibited objects. One reviewer exclaimed that, "for all its sumptuous elegance, the Dumbarton Oaks pavilion is actually humble. All of Johnson's great skill is directed toward providing a reverent setting for exquisite works of art in an exquisite garden. . . . The design was determined by the scale and nature of the objects within. Here [the architecture] enhances the displays as the right frame enhances a good painting." Wolfj Von Eckardt, "Dumbarton Pavilion's Scheme." Another reviewer wrote: "The detail work is unobtrusively luxurious," and went on to compare the artistic nature of the building to the artistic nature of the Collection, informing the readers that Robert Woods Bliss had "built the collection strictly along lines of beauty, not ethnology or archaeology." Frank Getlein, "Dumbarton Oaks Exhibit Reopens, New Bliss Art Pavilion Is Pure Delight to Eye and Ear," Washington Star (December 10, 1963). The art critic Frank Getlein, writing in The New Republic echoed this sentiment and stated: "For such material [i.e. pre-Columbian objects] the building is a beauty, not only making such attention easy but echoing the fascination of the objects in itself. There is no competition between the container and the things contained, yet it is entirely possible to experience and delight in the building even as it leads the body and eye to object after object in the collection…. What I am getting at is that every single prospect pleases in itself and every one is on the small, intimate scale of the works in the exhibition." Frank Getlein, "Model Museum: Glass at Dumbarton Oaks," The New Republic (December 28, 1963), 28.
In these many reviews, the preciousness and sensuousness of both the building and the Collection are frequently referenced, often by referring to the building as a "jewel box." The building was also referred to as a "jewel" or a "gem," as, for example, the statement: "The new wing is a delicate gem—a modern glass and stone museum of intimate size and limitless scope, blending the simple flowing circles on the interior with the intricate foliage patterns of the outdoors." Nona B. Brown, "'A Timeless Place,' Dumbarton Oaks in Nation's Capital is a Storehouse of Treasures," New York Times (May 24, 1964). Ada Louise Huxtable, the venerable architectural critic of the New York Times, was perhaps the first to do this. She introduced the building by stating: "Small. Elegant. Its contemporary style has been planned to complement, rather than copy, the Georgian-style mansion to which it is connected by a simple corridor. The effect is of ancient treasures in a modern jewel box." She continued:
[Philip Johnson] is the perfect man for the job because a museum ideally, is a total esthetic experience: a balance of art with architecture on the highest level of controlled, sensuous pleasure. Mr. Johnson's sense of beauty might be said to be on perfect pitch. There is restrained use of the richest and most luxurious materials for maximum impact without ostentation; form is an elegantly experimental game serving artful purposes with extraordinary finesse; and above all, there is impeccable taste. Ada Louise Huxtable, "Pre-Columbian Art Exhibition Opens New Museum in Capital," New York Times (December 10, 1963).
She noted that the chosen materials and colors were muted, that the bronze, teak, fine-grained Illinois marble, and the green Vermont marble were "extravagantly luxurious," but that the scale was delicate, even miniaturized. Ibid.
The architect and bookbinder Stanley M. Sherman, writing in the American Institute of Architects Journal, echoed Huxtable's commentary. He called Johnson's building a "little jewel box of a museum to house Mr. Bliss' collection of Pre-Columbian art," and saw it as "a building little like any other in a setting unlike any other." Sherman, "Uncommon Ground," 36. He noted that the museum utilized materials and form in a rare combination, i.e. the employment of "costly materials in a seldom-conceived arrangement" which heightened "the impression of wealth in a relatively small space, which is a common reaction at Dumbarton Oaks." Ibid., 38.
This praise notwithstanding, and in contrast to other reviews, both Sherman and Huxtable had suspicions that Johnson's architecture might overwhelm the Collection it was designed to house (fig. 33). Sherman, who may not have appreciated pre-Columbian art, wrote that "the pre-Columbian artifacts are not only small but in many ways remote as objects of interest, except to those with inordinately sensitive tastes or specialized knowledge. They speak of a time and place that has little in common with the here and now. The ordinary reaction is to observe the enclosure and not the things enclosed. Even the teak floors, carefully cut as spokes of a circle, with green Vermont marble surrounds, are more often observed and commented on than many of the ostensible exhibits of the museum." The larger question for Sherman was "whether a museum should be primarily an enclosing frame or a work of art in its own right." Ibid., 40. Although this question remained unanswered by Sherman, Philip Johnson had already vigorously argued for the museum as artwork in an article of 1960. Philip C. Johnson, "Letter to the Museum Director," Museum News 38 (January, 1960): 22–25. Huxtable expressed her suspicions more amusingly and tentatively. She wrote:
In spite of its subtlety, however, the architecture has a quiet insistence that has made installation almost as difficult as at the Guggenheim [designed by the architect Frank Lloyd Wright]. There, it is a screaming fishwife fight between building and contents, with victory only to a determined director. Here [at Dumbarton Oaks] it is a delicate duet in which the architecture, always as strong as the art, never retreats or submits. The art has had to be carefully accommodated to it…. [with] an installation that uses only plexiglass stands and vitrines, the closest approach to invisibility. Whether this is successful is questionable. It succeeds in putting the emphasis on the magnificent objects of stone, jade, pottery and gold on display, but it also has something of the air, with the round rooms and columns, of a Paris style moderne parfumerie of the nineteen-thirties, only the mirrors and the models in marabou are missing. Huxtable, "Pre-Columbian Art Exhibition."
Along similar lines, an unnamed reviewer in Architectural Forum found that, "unhappily, the building is so delightful that it competes with the pre-Columbian art; and the designer of the display racks here gave up, capitulated, tried to make the cases disappear. So the building wins." "Pre-Columbian Art in a Post-Modern Museum," Architectural Forum 120 (March, 1964): 110. Similarly, the unnamed reviewer in Architectural Review observed that "[t]he relationship between setting and exhibits is felt to be unhappy – the setting certainly seems to smother them." He or she qualified this by adding: "At a second or third visit the exquisiteness of the art-works might well take command, experience alone will tell." "Philip Johnson and Post-Modern Architecture," Architectural Review 136 (July, 1964): 4. (figs. 34 and 35)
In his early (1965) review of the building, Robin Boyd singled out Johnson's creation of a "witty" spatial environment, what he called Johnson's demonstration of "how to have fun with space," situated in a "courtly and formal" manner within its environment:
It was a folly, a garden ornament, a small pavilion of extraordinary richness for this century, made to exhibit a few dozen pieces of Pre-Columbian art. An exemplar of brain-wave design, its plan consisted of nine circles stacked into a square, three rows of three, with the centre one removed to form an open space. The theme of the circle permeated everywhere. There were no walls as such, but rich plump cylindrical columns and curved glass walls. Each of the eight circular cells was rooted with its own little dome. It was perhaps the least functional building erected since the Albert Memorial, and as full of wanton delights, but delights of this century. The sense of interior space was intimate, unique and appropriate to the exquisite and sumptuous nature of the project. The space did not flow so much as it pranced elegantly from one cell to the next, and hopped in and out of the humanly-inaccessible central court where a heavy jet of water spilled over black stones. This was witty space, but at the same time as courtly and formal as the exterior of any second-phase building. Robin Boyd, The Puzzle of Architecture (London and New York, 1965), 149–50.
Of interest is the fact that none of the reviewers of Johnson's building found fault with or objected to his use of modern design, even in the context of the "historical" Georgian architecture at Dumbarton Oaks. In fact, the Washingtonian Wolfj Von Eckardt recounted that "as the building went up, some Georgetowners grumbled that such an unusual structure—and a contemporary one, at that!—should be hidden from view. Now some of the same people grumble that the wall and thick planting on 32d St. all but cover a structure they have come to admire." Von Eckardt, "Dumbarton Pavilion's Scheme is Inside Out." Ada Louise Huxtable concluded her review by writing: "The problem of relating the new wing to the old building which is the famous seat of Byzantine studies of Harvard University, has been handled with singular skill. It is an object lesson in how not to compound the error or reproducing reproductions of 20th century versions of 18th century buildings, which become increasingly moribund as the process continues. The Georgian style house is joined suavely to the handsome, contemporary gallery, and the whole is more than the harmonious sum of its parts." Huxtable, "Pre-Columbian Art Exhibition."


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The Arizona map from the OpenStreetMap project provides excellent routable road maps for Arizona. These maps are converted to use them legal and free of charge on any Garmin GPS device. Since the Open Street Map project is open source and depending on the contributions of users to gather the map data, it is not complete for some regions. General the maps are great for routing especially in cities and on main overland routes.
Arizona (USA) – Map for Garmin GPS
handhelds and car navigation units
Beside the individual country map of Arizona there is a variety of combined maps. They do contain the same level of detail data than the individual country maps. We offer them for your convenience and besides this you can save money compared to the individual maps. We took a lot of care to convert the maps, so they will work on your Garmin GPS navigation devices. All files are converted to the Garmin .img format. All Garmin GPS maps are routable. The maps are stored in a zip file containing the .img file for Garmin devices.
Download Arizona Garmin Map File size: 86 MB


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- 1.Rambo HV :15
Ben, I enjoy your voice on Network TV Promos. Especially the quiet intense read on the House Intro. Please share your Avalon settings for that one.
Ben, You are awesome, and I can only hope to achieve what you do as a Voice Over Actor.
I wish you a Healthy, Happy New Year and Many More thereafter!!


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Madeleine Pyk, born February 24, 1934 in Stockholm, is a Swedish artist and author. Her parents were Ragnar Pyk and Barbro Pyk, born Siwertz. Madeleine Pyk graduated from Konstfack 1951-1955 and at the Royal Academy of Arts in 1963-1967.
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— Bud Norman
One response
Last week we heard from Bud how principled and wonderful prior Republican losers were. That's the story that Democrats always tell and Republican "Cuckservatives" (to use a phrase that Bud likes) always invoke. Here's the real story as it unfolds in real time: Hillary and her husband destroyed Bob Dole as a human being. She routinely savaged George W. Bush. Her party ripped apart John McCain. And this year, Hillary declared Republicans her enemies. The only good Republicans are the ones in her memory.
But what about the alternative, Bud asks: the principled Libertarian Johnson? Apparently on the path to less government under a Johnson administration, an administration that believes that mankind is responsible for global warming, we need a carbon tax. The man of principle rather than politics tells us that: "It's a big six-lane highway down the middle that Bill Weld and myself are occupying."
Well, fine, but from now on the Libertarians can just shut up about being the "party of principle" and about being so much better than those compromising Republicans—statements I have heard endlessly, ad nauseum for my entire adult life. That is now officially over.
Johnson is following the votes. Polls show he pulls more from Hillary than from Trump. But that's a chicken-and-egg question, isn't it? Is Johnson pandering to the Left because he peels off more Democratic voters, or does he peel off more Democratic voters because he panders to the Left?
I suspect it's driven by an underlying ideological affinity: libertarians can't bring themselves to take any political position that might be seen as sympathizing with the Right in the culture war.
It indicates that the priority of Libertarian partisans is to avoid challenging the Left on any issue that can be associated with the culture war.
Note, for example, how he redefines gun control as "a 'progs v. right-winger' culture war consideration"—something that will be news, no doubt, to Second Amendment advocates—and that this is his way of downgrading the issue to the realm of insignificance.
True libertarians are culture warriors who oppose political correctness, who don't fit in to the usual categories and whose main interest is in opposing the current political aggressors in the culture war. In today's context oppose people trying to force you to bake somebody's cake. What that really means is that they those so called "principled conservative/libertarians" have taken a position in the culture war, and they're on the side of the Left. They would rather force you to bake the cake because that's what makes you a good person in the eyes of the people you really care about. Their principles are a smokescreen for their hatred.
Holier-than-thou seems to be the default mode for Bud and his "ghetto dwelling friends" who are fine with our Western ruling class.


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Miracle blood pressure pill cures 4 symptoms in 1 go
New Medication to deal with four different elements of blood pressure has been dubbed a miracle pill by researchers. Combining four drugs into a single dose could be twice effective as anything that has gone before in treating the condition, it has been claimed.
High blood pressure is a common problem in the UK, with more than 17 million people being affected. It can be particularly bad for the elderly, although symptoms can be late to show, meaning around half of sufferers are unaware they have the condition.
It can lead to heart attacks and strokes, but also vascular dementia, through the damaging and narrowing of blood vessels in the brain. It is, therefore, important to get a diagnosis and for the right medication to be used to keep the condition in check.
Hundreds of thousands of people across the country take pills for their blood pressure each day, but most are only prescribed one drug. Around half of those on tablets see their blood pressure drop a level that is considered healthy.
It is, therefore, a promising sign that there was a 100 per cent success rate in a trial by the George Institute at Sydney University combing four drugs into one. The scientists involved have stressed that only 18 patients took part in the trial, but are hopeful that similar results can be replicated on a larger scale.
Professor Clara Chow, author of the study, said: "Most people receive one medicine at a normal dose but that only controls blood pressure about half the time. In this small trial, blood pressure control was achieved for everyone. Trials will now test whether this can be repeated and maintained long-term."
During the trial, each of the patients was given a capsule containing a quarter dose of all four of the most common blood pressure drugs - irbesartan, amlodipine, hydrochlorothiazide and atenolol. Lower dosages mean fewer side effects, but by working together, the impact of the medications is greater.
Professor Chow added: "Minimising side-effects is important for long-term treatments – we didn't see any issues in this trial, as you would hope with very low-dose therapy, but this is the area where more long-term research is most needed."
So, while the quadpill, as it is being referred to, will not be made available imminently, there is potential for it to become a common treatment in the future. Taking a new approach to the treatment of blood pressure could lead to fewer associated risks moving forward.


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For the better part of 2005, I participated in a weekly Sunday morning workshop at Second City (9am on Sundays, my friends, a true sign of commitment) led by Micheal Gellman. The plan was to work with Micheal on his theories of scenario one-act improvisation and put them into a show. All the while, our rehearsals and shows were documented and then shaped into a book by Mary Scruggs. The book is modeled after Stanislavsky's An Actor Prepares where all the characters in the book are fictionalized, but based on real events in classes and rehearsals. I don't expect to pick up Micheal's book and be able to recognize myself in it.
As an improviser, this experience was very beneficial. Even after all the training I have had, and after a decade of teaching improvisation, I still had a thing or two I could learn. One of the most important things I learned was what it really meant to explore the silence. Not just silence, "the" silence. I used to think it meant to keep your mouth shut until you think of the next thing to say. With Micheal, I learned it's about leaning into the moment and the emotional life of your character. It's an opportunity to forward the scene without words, purely through emotion and interaction. Pretty cool.
Also through this workshop I met Blaine Swen, which led to my all too in-frequent performances with The Improvised Shakespeare Company and through the stage manager, I met my fiancee, Julie. Needless to say, I hold my experience with this workshop in high regard.
The book is out and there will be a book signing today.
"Process: An Improvisers Journey", - today - Wednesday January 30 - from 5:30pm - 7:00pm at the Second City ETC. Theater in Chicago, IL.
It's free. I hope you can make it. Mary and Micheal will be there along with several of the workshop participants, like me.
Gellman even has a MySpace page about it! That's like your grandfather wearing an iPod! Please visit him. It's rather sad. His only friend is that Tom guy.
This Saturday, Robowriter fans! 1pm - 3pm at Gorilla Tango, 1919 North Milwaukee. $5. Bring whatever scenes you are working on or show up to laugh and be inspired.
An addendum to yesterday's post. On Tuesday, March 4th, if you don't have a blog, but still want to participate, use the comment sections of your favorite blogs to spread the cyber shout - IMPEACH BUSH NOW!
Also, Don Hall and I are working on putting up another edition of The Nod that night to cap off the day.
Yesterday, I asked...
"A travel agency in Germany is offering a flight where all the passengers have the option to be what?"
Guess this was an easy one - no one bought into the answers "Drunk out of their minds,""Available for networking," or "A member of the Mile High Club"
100% got it right with "Naked as jay birds"
According to Reuters, German nudists will be able to start their holidays early by stripping off on the plane if they take up a new offer from an eastern German travel firm. Travel agency OssiUrlaub.de said it would start taking bookings for a trial nudist day trip from the eastern German town of Erfurt to the popular Baltic Sea resort of Usedom. One thing I have observed about nudists, they are made up of the people you least want to ever see naked. It would be my luck on this flight to be wedged in between two hefty guys whose naked rolls of flab spill over into my space.


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Yesterday the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Resources held a hearing on the Protect Our Kids Act (H.R. 3653). This legislation establishes a commission to examine child deaths due to maltreatment and recommend ways to improve current policy and practices. Full Committee Chair David Camp (R-MI) and Subcommittee ranking member Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) developed the proposal and called the hearing to solicit input on how such a commission would best undertake this work.
Representative Doggett spoke about the serious need to
address child abuse and neglect and the undercount of child deaths due to
maltreatment. He invited those attending the hearing to work with him and the
other members of the Subcommittee to improve the bill. He stated he was looking forward to the testimony offered at the hearing to determine ways the
legislation could be perfected.
Former Representative Bill Frenzel, a guest Scholar at the Brookings Institute, testified that he has served on many similar commissions and offered suggestions in regards to the makeup of the commission members to insure high leadership qualities. Teresa Huizar, Executive Director of the National Children's Alliance, offered support for the commission in her testimony and emphasized the need for more research due to the serious undercounting of such deaths. Madeline McClure, Executive Director of the Texas Association for the Protection of Children, is also strongly supportive of the legislation. She testified that the bill will build on prevention efforts as well as increase our understanding of the size and dimension of the challenges. David Sanders, Executive Vice President of Casey Family Programs, offered suggestions on ways to improve the commission in his testimony primarily through expanding the areas of expertise of the potential commission members.
It is unclear whether H.R. 3653 will proceed to floor for a vote before the end of this Congress but if not it will be re-introduced soon after the 113th Congress convenes in January.


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Since its inception in 2000, L.A. denim brand AG has always believed in crafting high-quality clothing that reflects a modern design sensibility while maintaining a classic sophistication that transcends seasons. While flawless jeans cut from premium denim are AG's longstanding obsession, the brand also delivers a diversified selection of dresses, tops, outerwear and more.
Premium-denim brand AG (also known as AG Jeans) specializes in supremely crafted jeans with a flawless fit. Founded in Los Angeles in 2000, AG embodies the aesthetic of Italian fashion designer Adriano Goldschmied, known as "the Godfather of denim." Nordstrom's AG men's collection includes jeans and pants in an array of custom washes and fits (including the obsession-worthy AG Dylan Skinny Fit Jeans) plus a selection of casual shirts and tees. Nordstrom's AG women's line encompasses premium-denim jeans, jackets and skirts plus a full complement of separates.


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Zesty Party Snack Mix
Total TimePrep: 10 min. Bake: 2-1/2 hours
Makes16 cups
- 4 cups Corn Chex
- 4 cups Cheerios
- 4 cups pretzel sticks
- 4 cups cheese-flavored snack crackers
- 1 cup butter, melted
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon seasoned salt
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- In a large bowl, combine the cereals, pretzels and crackers. Spread onto two ungreased 15x10x1-in. baking pans.
- Combine the remaining ingredients; pour over the cereal mixture and toss to coat. Bake 225° for 2 to 2-1/2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Store in airtight containers.
Nutrition Facts3/4 cup: 250 calories, 17g fat (7g saturated fat), 24mg cholesterol, 620mg sodium, 22g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 1g fiber), 3g protein.
Recommended Video
Dec 2, 2015
Fabulous! This is the third year in a row that I am making this recipe.
Dec 24, 2013
I've made a similar mix for years and I make it in the microwave. Bake 2 minutes at a time, stirring thoroughly. Mine usually takes 6 to 8 minutes to make a batch. When the mix looks dry, it's done. I pour out on a big towel and let it cool. This is the only way to cook it, in my estimation.
Oct 31, 2013
I increase the oven temperature to 3oo degrees and stir every 15 mins. , by doing this you can cut the baking time down to 1 hr. ( cutting off 1 1/2 hr) It helps a lot , since the length of cooking time was a factor for some trying this recipe. I also used my extra large METAL bread bowl which saved spreading the mix out on cookie sheets. I just put the whole bowl full in the oven and stirred it in there! Much easier to stir too.
Dec 16, 2012
This is a big hit w/ the guys at Christmas. I've been making it for for 3 or 4 years now. I just wonder if there is a shortcut, so I don't have to have the oven on for 2 1/2 hours. That is the ONLY downfall for making this mix. Any suggestions??
Oct 28, 2010
I kept everything the same except I used oyster crackers for the cheerios. Very quick to mix up and was a big hit with the teens.


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Welcome to the new website
The new Cymmrodorion website has arrived! Optimised for desktops, tablets and smart-phones means accessing talks, articles and latest news from the Society has never been easier.
The content is designed to be "open-access" which means that members and non-members have equal access to the site and to its content but only members can see articles in full. Non-members will have to buy the article or join the Society. As a result, the website has been designed so that it is now possible to view the initial part of an article before committing to buying it in full (or joining the Society).
News & Events
Keep up-to-date with the year's programme of upcoming events including times and locations.
Talks & Articles
Missed a talk? Visit the talks and articles section to listen again. Access articles from the society's journal 'The Transactions' or purchase individual articles if you are a non-member.
Download back-issues of the Society's journal 'The Transactions' or join and get a complimentary copy posted to you each year.
Our thanks go to Mike Leach Creative, based in Swansea who have worked with us to design and build the new site. www.mikeleachcreative.co.uk


text: No matter how accurately you have filed your returns and paid them on time, possibility of tax audit from the CRA is inevitable. It is for the purpose that along with taking precautions on guaranteeing tax return accuracy, getting help on CRA tax audit is also very helpful. You will need to hire services from a » Read More


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Edible Arrangements has been kinda amazing when it comes to offering free samples lately. Well, they're at it again. And just like their other free product deals, this one is a doozie!
Stop by a participating Edible Arrangements TODAY and get a free 12oz Summer Fruit Salad. Which couldn't be more perfect for a hot summer day like today! Unfortunately not all locations seem to participate in these offers. So call yours before heading there to make sure. If you're lucky your store will have a free fruit salad ready and waiting for you!
|Free Samples In Your Email
|Subscribe »
Sample A Day posts samples daily that are free with no catch. We double check the offers to make sure they are real. Offers can expire quick so check back daily!
Nick Skeba helped cofound this site back in 2007. He lives in Chicago and loves free stuff! People are always asking him how he gets so many deals? He just tells them, Sample A Day! He writes coupon site as well as this website.
Scott Aaronson also helped cofound this website and even though is a lawyer by day, he's still loves his free samples. Find him eating lunch from the sample ladies at Costco!


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Promote your event / Contact MCB
YOU HAVE REACHED MOTORCITYBLOG.email us anytime firstname.lastname@example.com
The Zone
by Origix
(March 23, 2010)
The D.U.B. Camp is a group that consists of Bluman, Byza, Killa Ru and Fats from Romulus, MI. a city known more for Metro Airport then hip-hop but Camp Life Entertainment's D.U.B. Camp are trying to change the view that Rom-Town is more than just air planes. Each crew member brings a different perspective to the track. With four members, their tracks are like one song blended together so its sounds like four tracks in one. Fats Explains, "I'm the most inspired when I'm around my crew, I think God put us on the same team because we're all really competitive people."
Over the years, they have put out many solo releases; together they have put out "Da Camp Is Here" and "The Thrill of Victory Mix tape". On the 16th of March Fats just dropped his album "The Network" then on April 20th Bluman will release "The New Beginning". The Camp has no intentions of slowing down with more releases to follow this year. Production duties are handled by Fats and KIDD (BG/Tone Tone) has done production work with them in the past. "Locally, I would say everybody out here is really grinding and putting out quality music, we're here to contribute in making Detroit music" Bluman. concludes. Visit www.camplifeent.com
The Zone Radio with Origix & DC airs Mondays 9 p.m.-12 a.m. 89.3 FM, stream at whfr.fm Visit 2raw4fm.com


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GATE is the ultimate exam for engineering graduates who are aiming for PSU jobs or higher studies in IIT's/NIT's/IISc. Most of the aspirants invest more than 6 months of a year for the rigorous preparation to fulfil their dream goal. In order to provide wings to their aspirations and crack GATE 2019, Gradeup has commenced G-19 Revision Plan from 28th November.
Today is the nineteenth day of the G-19 Revision Plan with Thermodynamics as the third subject. As notified, we will be providing Daily video lectures, Study Notes and Practice quizzes to catalyze your GATE preparations. Candidates are requested to utilise these video lectures fruitfully and be a rank holder in GATE 2019!
Contents for Day 19
Video Course:
Study Notes:
Quiz of Day:
- Candidates should not get confused between Rapid Revision Plan and G-19 Plan.
- Rapid Revision Plan is for Gradeup candidates while G-19 is for the candidates following Gradeup Classroom(Video Lectures).
- Both the plans will continue simultaneously and the candidate may choose as per their requirements
Click on the link below to subscribe to this free GATE ME Course now & achieve a good rank in the upcoming GATE Mechanical Engineering Exam 2019!
GATE ME Free Video Course, Subscribe Now!
Feel free to ask your queries related to this topic in the comments section!
All the best for your exams,
Team Gradeup!


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Colombia is one of South America's favourite holiday destinations; you are invited to come discover this magical country. Famous for its beautiful Caribbean coast and coffee making, it has been often overlooked for its wonderful rich history.
Towns such as Villa de Leyva, Popayan and Cartagena boast incredible colonial architecture, contrasting with stunning holiday resorts along the picturesque Caribbean coast. Natural beauty is a given in a country that greets the Amazon, Andes and the Caribbean. You will be left breathless as you take in the many natural vistas this mighty country has to offer.
Bring out your inner archaeologist and hike to the Lost City of Ciudad Perdida, or relax on the Caribbean Coast, Colombia is the place for you. Below are suggested itineraries which may be tailor-made to suit your particular interests.
Planning your holiday is easy,and speak to your friendly Consultant.
|Tour Type
|Trip Name
|No. Days
|Prices per person
|Independent Tour
|Handpicked Colombia
|From $3,285.00
Handpicked Colombia
Discover a land of myth and legend in Colombia, where idyllic Caribbean beaches give way to the old world charm of colonial alleys, and where visitors are seduced by the aroma of Colombian coffee, considered the finest in the world. Explore Bogota and visit secluded archaeological sites. And don't forget Cartagena, a city of legends, with its stunning colonial architecture and cobbled alleys.
|Day 1: Arrive Bogota
Upon arrival transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is at your leisure.
|Day 2: Bogota
Enjoy a city sightseeing excursion, visiting downtown Bogota and the historic district before taking a cable car to the top of Monserrate Hill.
|Day 3: Bogota - Villa de Leyva
Visit the Salt Cathedral in Zipaquira, a small town 30km from Bogota. Your journey will take you into the heart of an enormous salt mountain. After your visit you will be driven to Villa de Leyva.
|Day 4: Villa de Leyva - Armenia
Enjoy a morning visit of Villa de Leyva before driving back to Bogota for your flight to Armenia, Colombia's coffee region. Upon arrival at the airport you will be transferred to an original coffee farm where you will spend the next few nights.
|Day 5: Armenia
Live the Coffee Culture and enjoy a magical coffee trip to Recuca. Recuca is an educational and interactive journey in which you will undertake the daily tasks of a farmer in the coffee region. Experience the smells and flavours of coffee in all the different stages of production.
|Day 6: Salento & Cocora Valley - Cartagena
A day trip to Salento and the famous Cocora Valley awaits you today. Salento is a colourful coffee town and Cocora Valley is home of the Wax Palm Tree, national tree of Colombia. After your excursion you will be driven to Armenia airport for your flight to Cartagena, where you will be met and transferred to your hotel.
|Day 7: Cartagena
This afternoon enjoy an excursion of magical Cartagena, a beautiful city which was the centre of political and economic activity during the colonial period of the Spanish Empire. Visit the San Felipe Fortress and La Popa Monastery before embarking on a brief guided walk through the walled city.
|Day 8: Cartagena
This afternoon enjoy a walking tour through the colonial streets of Cartagena.
|Day 9: Cartagena
Today is at your leisure to explore and discover this extraordinary city.
|Day 10: Depart Cartagena
Transfer to the airport for your onward flight.
|9 breakfasts, 2 dinners
|Airport Transfers & land transportation
|Flight Ticket: Bogota / Armenia / Cartagena
|9 nights
|Local English Speaking guide
|Entrance Fees & Touring:
|Entrance fees & activities as per itinerary


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Fall 2013 Ready-to-WearMiu Miu
There has been a great deal of soul-searching and introspection going on by certain designers during these collections. In France, for one, it seems that they have been asking themselves, What constitutes Paris Fashion, after all? For them, the answer is not marketing, a sole interest in profit margins, or the number of likes on Facebook, but a sense of daring, freedom, skill, and fun that quite simply connects with people who would like to buy and wear their clothes. Strangely, many of these designers are not French, yet they are intimately linked to fashion in Paris and what it symbolizes. And it was up to an Italian, Miuccia Prada, to bring Paris fashion week to a close with a Miu Miu show that was a paean to all of those things, but mainly to the notion of the freedom and fun of French Fashion with a capital F.
She presented once more at the Palais d'Iena, but the venue had been altered again by Rem Koolhaas' OMA—the people behind the Prada set pieces. Slicing the show space in half, raising the floor and lowering the ceiling with industrial grid-like grates—this intervention in the building had an idea of "cutting through the past," as the designer explained afterward. As the lights were switched off and strip lights flickered on, the Eurythmics' "This City Never Sleeps" was played, and with its continual rumbling of subway trains, the show began.


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WV ISSUES TO BE FEATURED ON CBS-DUTCH NEWS – TV Crew Visits Calhoun, Broadband Promises
| Erik Mouthaan (L) and Freek Herberts visit the Hur Herald office
Story and Photos by Drew Moody
Last week, three stories brought the North American bureau chief of RTL-TV news (The Netherlands) and his cameraman to West Virginia.
While state and national media focused on the toxic chemical spill in Charleston, Erik Mouthaan and his cameraman, Freek Herberts, traveled the back roads of the Mountain State for other reasons.
Based in New York City, the pair spent a day in Calhoun County putting together a story about the lack of high-speed Internet access.
In addition, they also focused on prescription drug addiction and the coal industry in the state.
"The fact that 1-in-7 people (in the U.S.) don't have access to the Internet is mind-boggling to me," Mouthaan said last week. He surmised since America is the home to Google, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon and invented the concept of online shopping there is no good reason why everyone shouldn't have access to high-speed Internet.
A problem in rural West Virginia is selling so-called high-speed that really doesn't come close to advertised speeds.
"Back home in Holland connectivity to the Internet is not an issue. We have 5-percent of the population not online and it's mainly because they choose not to," he said, with real broadband speeds.
RTL-TV producers in New York City began researching the lack of rural broadband and stumbled on The Hur Herald's extensive and ongoing coverage of the issue.
Hur Herald owner/publisher, Bob Weaver, subsequently agreed to assist them with the story.
Will Dobbins, of near Chloe shared his difficulty
Dobbins said at times the connection speed operates at such a crawl if he were to attempt to download a full-length movie it could take 14-days.
Marvin and Peggy Stemple, of the Rocksdale/Richardson area of Calhoun County still have to use a dial-up connection using a phone line modem.
Marvin Stemple demonstrates the slowness of his Internet connection
If they're lucky they can connect to the Hur Herald and view the home page after waiting five minutes to download it at the 56k connection speed.By comparison, using AT&T's Internet speed test a Shentel cable modem in Burnsville, WV, clocked download speeds 394-times faster than a 56k modem.
Weaver's Hur Herald uses a combination of Frontier's Internet service and HughesNet satellite.
The pairing is costly and is slow by mainstream high-speed standards. "We keep getting told it's going to get better," Weaver said.
However, the promises government and politicians have made, along with many phone and cable providers, are largely unfulfilled in rural West Virginia where less than half the population has access to real high-speed Internet.
Mouthaan and Herberts also traveled to the Wyoming County city of Oceana interviewing citizens about the documentary "Oxyana," which locals say Oceana is now known as because of the OxyCotin addiction levels there.
And finally, they also were working on a news story about the economic impact of the decreased demand for coal and how changes in EPA regulations were affecting mining here.
Erik Mouthaan talks "high-speed" with
RTL News' trip to Calhoun County this week isn't the first time media have stopped by The Hur Herald to visit with Bob Weaver.
Writers from The Atlantic and Business Week magazines have made the pilgrimage. Several daily newspaper reporters and columnists have stopped in and done stories.
And Weaver has been featured in several TV documentaries, including one produced by PBS. The Hur Herald is in its 15th year of publication and has over 2-million unique visitors to the website annually.